Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Artwork by Caroline Harrison] “Nonsense” opens with a slow fade-in of distorted guitars and seismic drums — the chaos before the swarm. It’s a trick of the trade, the extreme metal equivalent of a camera operator calling out “speed” before …
[Cover artwork by Luca “Zeero” Zironi] There was always something uniquely charming about Konquest’s brand of traditional heavy metal—an almost whimsical breeziness that still felt like a near perfect balance of playful and substantive. A long-lost Italian cousin to Sweden’s …
[Cover art by Beyond Art] There are bad musical moods, and then there’s Mylingar. Over the course of the last decade this group of anonymous Swedes has concocted the type of ill-meaning black/death that makes Diocletian seem like a Care …
[Cover artwork by Subhuman at Desert Dungeon] Let’s talk about our love for quirky metal. Okay, sure, any definable level of ‘quirk’ is obviously subjective, but I’m guessing you know we’re not talking about the guy who loves The Black …
Originally written by Jordan Campbell Woods of Ypres has come a long way; in fact, their current incarnation will sound completely alien to those that have failed to keep up with David Gold’s exploits since Against the …
Originally written by Justin Bean. I’ll be up front from the start and say that, like any self-respecting death metal fan, I’m a big supporter of Hate Eternal. I’m also in what seems to be the …
Originally written by Jon Eardley While Abbath is undoubtedly the member that immediately comes to mind when the subject of Immortal arises, longtime fans are fully aware that every facet of that band’s operation has …
Originally written by Erik Thomas If you were to put me on the spot and tell me to name one single Christian metal band that most typically angry non-Christian metalheads would tolerate, it would have …
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve talked a lot of shit about Urfe since its release two years ago. But, if we’re being honest, I’ve got to fold and give it up as a …
The winkingly-named Acephalix careens through twenty-five minutes of their grimy, doomed take on death/crust in Interminable Night, which is sure to elicit the Folded Arms & Half Nod Of Approval from grizzled lifers the metal …
It’s been heavy metal’s consistent predilection towards exploring dark themes and pushing extremes that’s pulled so many of us into its tractor beam over these many long years. But during those golden moments of the …
Originally written by Jordan Campbell Album number seven: Most bands limp to this landmark, bleeding and barely breathing, as their longtime fans silently beg for a mercy kill. Not Primordial. After hitting a stride with 2000’s Spirit …
