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 ‘Twas quite a few years ago (six, roughly) that Bible of the Devil made a significant splash with Tight Empire – a wild-eyed, brass-knuckled dose of ragged rock n’ roll. Furious burners like “Shit To …
originally written by Chris McDonald Relative newcomers on the increasingly lucrative French extreme metal circuit, Necroblaspheme are a quirky bunch. Aside from some decidedly bizarre song titles, the band seems fond of drenching their faces …
In a more health-conscious time in my life, I once tried to be a vegan. Not a hard-line one, mind you–I’ll admit that I fudged the rules. But I followed the diet pretty closely. Nonetheless, …
So you know all those people who stopped paying attention to Sepultura after Max Cavalera left? Well, I was one of them. By virtue of keeping up with the scene, I’ve kept up with Sepultura …
Originally written by Brian Sweeney. After the first few bars of Elder’s self-titled, full-length debut, I couldn’t get the ghosts of stoner-doom torchbearers Sleep out of my rearview mirror. Elder’s slow, groovy riffs with vocalist/guitarist Nick DiSalvo’s rumbling vocals …
Originally written by Jordan Campbell *sigh* Landmine Marathon is one of those bands that you just want to love. Cool name, killer tones, a female vocalist that actually rips n’ howls with brow-raising fervor…this band has that certain …
Originally written by Jordan Campbell If you were commissioned to compile a list of essential reissues, what would it contain? The Chasm’s early albums? Demilich’s Nespithe on double gatefold vinyl? Babylon Whores’ King Fear (if it’s not on your list, it should be, dammit…)? …
A full three decades after their debut, NWOBHM mainstay Saxon stands strong among the elder statesmen of metal, with only a handful of equally aged contemporaries who are still consistently this good. Like its immediate …
