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 recently whose purpose is quite straight-forward: highlight one album per day and say a few words about it. Understanding that not everyone chooses …
Let’s nail something home right from the jump: Amidst the ever-expanding ranks of heavy metal groups currently and constantly competing for collective ears, Amorphis ranks at or very near the top with regard to those …
Legendary psychonauts Hawkwind formed in 1969, and after 49 years and a roughly equal number of line-up changes, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Dave Brock is the only original member left in the band. Of course, Hawkwind …
While it gains less attention than its Scandinavian parallel, the Hellenic black metal scene has been one of the most creative and daring over its nearly 30 year existence. Hungry and experimental projects pop up …
More tragic news came yesterday as former Forbidden and Nevermore guitarist Tim Calvert lost his battle to ALS at the age of 52. Calvert replaced Glen Alvelais in Forbidden before the band’s second album, 1990’s …
Demilich, the quasi-legendary Finnish quartet, was perhaps the first really weird death metal band. The group’s only album, Nespithe, was a murky boondoggle of mind-bending riffs, ridiculous burping vocals and absurd song titles. To some …
Greece’s Melan Selas was just formed back in 2016 by instrumentalist D.K. and vocalist/lyricist Astraea – Oletir, but they already show not just a very promising level of songwriting and riffcraft, but a true understanding …
Coming off two of their strongest records, our Christian friends are courting some controversy with this one, their twelfth full-length — the title alone was enough to get the record banned from Wal-Mart. They partially …
