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 …
…so then I says to the guy, I says, “Maligner?! I hardly even KNOW her!” What? Hello… Hello… Is this thing on?… I shouldn’t screw around, though, because Maligner doesn’t. This Swedish three-piece rips through …
As a suburban kid raised on the one classic rock radio station in a mid-sized southern American city, I was bombarded daily with the same 45 songs on a never-ending shuffle. “Free Bird,” of course, …
“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 …
Three years, perhaps more. That’s how long it’s been since my copy of W.A.I.L. Vol. II arrived from a far away place—a place I had never been but had always wanted to go. There’s something …
Sulaco is the name of a port city in a fictitious South American country in Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel Nostromo. But I haven’t read that. So, to me, Sulaco is the name of the starship …
If you’re at all familiar with Last Rites, you know we spend an undue amount of time reviving Ye Olde Fires of yon 80s heavy metal. What we generally neglect, however, is putting much effort …
When a promotional electronic missive arrives in the Last Rites mailbox (we only accept physical mail, obviously) and it’s recommended for fans of Rippikoulu, the Board of Directors knows to immediately get it into safe …
In some ways, it must be exhausting being part of some legendary group. Everything Anders Jakobsen does (or has done since 2005) is and will be inevitably compared to his time in Nasum, and he’ll …
