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 …
“Back in 2004, I had the privilege of interviewing Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul during a local stop with Damageplan on the Headbanger’s Ball Tour. Two of the nicest guys you could ever hope to …
“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 …
Matt Harvey is a guy who needs no introduction. His projects are known far and wide, all the way back to the early days of Exhumed when he helped to define a sub-genre. In his …
Axl Rose famously took a decade to complete Guns N’ Roses’ comeback album, Chinese Democracy. By contrast, in the first six full months of 2018, Rogga Johansson will have released five full-length albums… and an …
If you’ve spent ample time with a discerning ear placed to the underground of the extreme music world located on the western seaboard of these United States, perhaps you’ve come across DeathgraVe. Then again, maybe …
Somewhere here, underneath the harsh vocals and the completely unnecessary mini-bridges, lies a very decent, almost good traditional doom album. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the Last Rites staff to gather behind the scenes …
Suffocating, dark auras pulse along beneath a thick layer of toxic, extraterrestrial atmosphere. The inhuman voice of a timeless cosmic evil mingles amongst the haze with the stench of a thousand rotting worlds on its …
Breathe deep the pollen, friends—it’s June. While warm sun and the beautiful flowers are temporary, metal blooms eternal, so let’s see what the Hell all your pals at Last Rites have been listening to for …
