Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Cover art by Jef Whitehead] Cognizance’s In Light, No Shape serves as a useful reminder that when it comes to our musical preferences, our whats are subservient to our whys. If, for example, you are a fan of the early …
[Cover artwork by Michael Cloutier] Prog, of course, is known for technical musicianship and songwriting complexity above all else, a reputation well-earned by the early giants of the genre and happily maintained by their progeny ever since. It’s also true …
[Cover artwork by Timbul Cahyono] In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I’ve always found the concept of the split to be flawed. It works best when there’s a shared theme or the band’s involved cover each …
[Cover art by Mars Triumph] Petrichor, the sixth full length album from Greece’s epic metal stalwarts Battleroar, commences with the sound of rain and an invitation to reflect. That word, “petrichor,” is a relatively new one (coined by scientists in …
“Album Of The Day” is a Last Rites Facebook feature we started whose purpose is quite straight-forward: highlight one album per day and say a few words about it. Understanding that not everyone chooses to …
Popular demand is not a phrase that should ever be used to describe internet content. At best, your website has a healthy two dozen actual regulars. The rest just wander through and have next to …
When it comes to death metal, I mostly find myself gravitating towards the gross and putrid, the fetid and icky, the old-school sound of rotting flesh and rotten riff. There’s a time and place for …
Putting out a classic with your first album is a curse. Well, it’s just a bit of a curse, of course, because the percentage of bands and artists that actually put out a classic at …
Clearly, grunge did not kill metal. What it did kill, however, was hope—the hope of every mid-to-late 80s’ hard rock / metal band that was interested in rocketing into living rooms via MTV / 107.7 …
Fast Rites: because sometimes brevity is fundamental. Subtlety is for hosebags. Sometimes, at least. And particularly in those cases where a new band decides to re-grip the blade once swung by a primo band that …
I may be getting a little soft in my old age. I was never a King Diamond guy. I know: sacrilege, right? Thing is the falsetto just never clicked for me. There are only a …
“Album Of The Day” is a Last Rites Facebook feature we started whose purpose is quite straight-forward: highlight one album per day and say a few words about it. Understanding that not everyone chooses to …
