Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Album artwork by James Koehnline] As much as I love and appreciate the fact that my metal foundation was fortified by growing up alongside the genre in the ‘80s as a youth, I owe a great deal of my undying …
[Cover art by Fenomeno Design] Did you know that Chile is pretty darn good at death metal? If not, you must be new around these parts, in which case, I say, welcome friend! We’re glad to have you here and …
It’s a magical corner of the musical world where a band can combine an infectious nature with extreme oddness, and it’s in that corner that Idaho’s Seven Chains makes their home. Make no mistake about it, third album Swollen, In …
[Cover art by Claudio Elias Scialabba] Italy’s Into Darkness has been a band for approximately 15 years but is just now releasing its first full length album, Route to the Other Side, but all that time has been greatly beneficial …
Originally written by Tyler Wagnon. The Diseased and The Poisoned is the sophomore effort from California’s Carnifex following up last year’s Dead In My Arms. The debut was by-the-numbers deathcore and so is this one, but I find myself …
First of all, I don’t consider myself a fan of the jollier, Humppa-styled metal released by bands such as Finntroll, so I approached this album with a fair bit of caution due to the playful …
I’ll admit this up front: I’m fairly easily creeped out. Not easily grossed out, but easily creeped out. When I was a little kid, I remember playing this game with my cousins where all of …
originally written by Chris McDonald New Jesu EPs are always a source of excitement for me. Aside from the fact that they are one of my favorite bands and I love their music, I can’t …
Canadian progressive/power/melodeath band Into Eternity continue their revolving-door line-up (new second guitarist, new drummer) and release this, their fourth record, and a logical follow-up to 2006’s The Scattering Of Ashes. Still in place is lead …
Originally written by Jordan Campbell A new Khold record is, well, a new Khold record. Fans of the band know what to expect by now, as they’ve been rocking to the same groove ever since the slightly-grimmer, slightly-cooler Masterpiss of …
Just when you thought all the possible band names ending in “ation” were used up, along comes Norway’s Execration. With a name like Execration, I will give you one guess as to what style of …
originally written by Thomas Creager A Storm of Light is a post-metal/doom outfit, a genre I am innovatively labeling “post-doom”. I know, I’ve blazed a few trails in my day. Anyway, as you could probably …
