Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Cover artwork by Old Hag] When I initially realized that Arckanum’s first album after a long hiatus—and, technically, its breakup—would be released on All Hallows’ Eve, I devised this rather cutesy and far-fetched idea to compare the entire album to …
[Album artwork / art direction by Joseph Niet / The Creative Corporation] Offering up a textbook definition of “holy crap, time flies,” Black Sabbath’s swan song, 13, was released 13 years ago, on June 7th, 2013. In a curious move, …
If you’re just now catching up, well, we’re just now catching up. Seth Buttnam and I (plus one uninvited guest) are rounding up some of our favoritest grindcore (or grind-adjacent) releases of the past however many months, since we (read: …
[Album artwork by Truls Espedal] It’s 17 albums for Enslaved now, comprising a discography I find exceptionally challenging to wrap my arms around. What’s going on here? Does anyone else forget that the relatively rote and by-the-numbers Frost is actually …
Originally written by Chris Redar LAST RITES GOATWHORE CONSTRICTING RAGE OF THE MERCILESS posted on 6/2014 By: Chris Redar Goatwhore is a band that occupies a certain space in the metalsphere. Not unlike the Devildrivers …
Let it be known: I attended Maryland Deathfest 2014 as a fan, not a music “journalist,” so this isn’t some comprehensive recap, but more of a snapshot of one guy’s experiences. After all, when so …
Eyehategod has always been easier to respect than to love. That’s understandable, of course, because at their rawest, the band taps into an uncomfortably visceral place of filth and abjection. Take as Needed for Pain …
Welcome to the third edition of Outré Monde. In this ongoing series of discussions, Erik Highter and Craig Hayes will be hurling Bandcamp recommendations at each other, with the aim of recommending some new tunes …
Yes. Yes! YES!! Gamma Ray have released 2014’s most satisfying European power metal album, hands down. And judging from the painfully drab cover artwork, not even the band was expecting it. Seriously, no color? No …
Originally written by K. Scott Ross. It’s been twenty years since Mayhem released De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Twenty years since “Norwegian black metal” came and went as the favored bogey of Christian parents and conservative newscasters everywhere. The …
originally written by Erik Highter Tweak Bird used to fit their name to a T. The Bird brothers would hone in on one sound or style for an entire song, then flit off to an …
Originally written by Chris Redar Powerviolence is possibly the worst name for a genre with generally good-to-great music. It’s just a reference point like any other genre name, but still- every time the syllables cross …
