Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Artwork by Vicky “Liddo” Morales] In a soak-your-underwear sweaty, tetanus-to-the-touch warehouse in the middle of Skid Row, Raw Addict played its first show. Weeks earlier, drummer Isaac made the irresistible sales pitch, stating that the multinational band connecting grind lifers …
Picture this, brah brah: You’re out enjoying a nice meal with the in-laws. It’s a pleasant setting—a beach vacation, let’s say. The sun gently peeks above the horizon, illuminating the tides as they roll in and wash away the footprints …
[Artwork by Pierre de Palmas] When revealing Melting Rot as the first band booked to play at Revenge of the Corpse 3, festival organizer Isaac Horne wrote on Instagram that the Aurora, Illinois, trio was “the closest you’ll ever get …
[Album artwork by Staffan Lindroth] The last time we gathered together under the Dimhav banner, I was busy losing my grip over the Swede’s very excellent and very sudden debut, 2019’s The Boreal Flame. I say ‘very sudden’ in that …
We all have certain bands that we enjoy, sometimes even love, with certain conditions. I have long been like this with Between the Buried and Me, understanding their shortcomings but enjoying them because of the …
Tiamat’s journey from Swedish death metal also-rans to brilliant doom / death / goth experimentalists to pedestrian purveyors of cheesy mediocrity is well documented, at least for anyone who has paid attention since about 1998. …
Originally written by Rae Amitay Metalocalypse is a phenomenally funny show with one of the best soundtracks around, provided by Brendon Small and an all-star supporting cast (Bryan Beller and Gene Hoglan). They execute the …
The first few times I sat down to try and write about this new Pig Destroyer album, I will admit, friends, that I had a bad attitude. I had already formulated a number of critiques …
Originally written by Matt Longo Gypsyhawk is so much fun that I wish they stuck in my brain more easily. Musically, this is similar material to that tackled by dudes like Holy Cauldron Wizzard Enforcer …
Originally written by Jordan Campbell Scenario: You’re the most extreme heavy metal band on the planet. You’ve spent roughly ten years in a perpetual state of berserk assault, attacking listeners from nearly every angle. Your …
Albuquerque art-grinders Noisear jump from Relapse to Willowtip for this, their third full-length effort. I have to admit that I missed out on last year’s Subverting The Dominant Paradigm (to my loss, I’ve heard), and …
Embers and Revelations opens on a deep, subterranean drone, an ominous calm that gradually twists and shimmers through various introductory motifs and teasing riff-fragments. Weapon’s founder, guitarist, and mouthpiece Vetis Monarch sounds positively gleeful as …
