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 Sasha Horn Oh, the land of Janvs, where alchemy meets wood and water. For those who wield swords with a conscience. Striking down not human life, but the greenery and growth that …
Originally written by Ian Chainey Here’s a not-so-secret secret: I really don’t like to do follow-ups on bands I’ve previously covered for the sole reason that, nine times out of nine times, they’ll disappoint the …
I absolutely love Swedish death metal; I get all weird inside when I hear that dirty fuzzy guitar tone. Not weird in a creepy way, but weird in a good way, like an intoxicated way. It …
Drone music is a tough pill to swallow for some, and I’d be willing to bet an ear that Dylan Carlson doesn’t exactly spend his evenings soaking in treasure baths from record sales since Earth‘s …
originally written by Chris McDonald A substantial departure from their first two albums, Under The Sign of Hell sees the beginning of the Gorgoroth we know today. While Pentagram is still very close to my black metal …
originally written by Chris McDonald Depending on who you ask, Gorgoroth’s second album is either the best or the worst of the band’s seminal first three releases. I stand somewhere in the middle; Antichrist sees …
originally written by Chris McDonald Ah, Pentagram. Now here’s a great fucking black metal record. Arriving somewhat late to the party and struggling somewhat to find their own identity initially, Gorgoroth always seemed doomed to …
Why does the music industry hate Annihilator? I suppose having a lineup that is in a constant state of flux could make a label leery to extend a contract. Quality-wise they have been one of …
