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 …
The 25th Hour is an experimental outfit hailing from San Diego, California…with no vocalist. Although it’s becoming more and more common for musicians to release all-instrumental albums, it’s still quite a bold statement when they …
Falkenbach has always resided outside of the more industry-supported or well-known folk metal circle, despite being conceived all the way back in the late 80s. The sole vision of Vratyas Vakyas (born Markus Tümmers of Germany) …
Originally written by Justin Bean. Instead of a protracted introduction I’ll just come out and say this new Belphegor album, Blood Magick Necromance, is, in colloquial terms, awesome. It rules. It kicks ass. I might even say it …
If you’re one who commonly clicks on a review and exits out after seeing a not so pleasant score, hopefully you’ll skim over this sentence and continue reading, because the album is FREE. Storm Over …
Originally written by Erik Thomas I thought I’d try to coincide this review with the review of Mitochondrion’s massive Parasignosis, in part because they will both more than likely end up on my 2011 year-end …
Positive press as far as the eye can see; spots secured on multiple “top of the year” lists across the land; and an absurd level of hoopla that could lead one to believe that just …
Originally written by Justin Bean. I’m perfectly willing to admit that there are legions of death metal bands that I’ve never heard of despite plying their trade for a decade or more. Abominant, for example, now …
Mitochondrion’s Parasignosis is their first album for Profound Lore, and it is a bruising, joyfully enervating listen that plays as one extended ritual. Taken as an organic whole, the effect is – believe it or …
