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 Chris McDonald Countess, hailing from the Netherlands and helmed by lone “visionary” Orlok, have been churning out simplistic black metal records for well over a decade now. The band, despite their jarringly …
Originally written by Erik Thomas. I must be a real glutton for punishment, signing up for the new album of arguably the most prominent and popular of the Christian metal bands. And initially after the …
Originally written by Ian Chainey God, what a difference a slight shift in a singer’s vocal delivery makes. True, for most, that’s not going to mean much. We’ve become so used to burps n’ gurgles, …
Originally written by Ian Chainey I have an announcement. Yes, I realize this is breaking up the Jerry Lewis sponsored Job for a Cowboy lash-a-thon, but you need this information more than kids with muscular …
originally written by Chris McDonald Like grindcore? In particular, like Nasum? Then Afgrund’s debut album should be right up your alley. Svarta Dagar is a tight, cacophonous grind record that takes a great many cues …
Originally written by Ian Chainey Nineteen seconds into “Vietnamese Killing Queens”, Tangaroa drops this ascending/descending, kinda circular riff, that is just jaw-dropping. It’s like old The End meets old Extol, but played in this fluid …
Originally written by Ian Chainey I know, I know, sometimes the simplest explanation for something is the right explanation for something. I get that. My caucasian Earnest Rutherford, who used to drop some serious knowledge …
Originally written by Jason Jordan. Organized according to geological time, The Ocean’s ambitious third full-length Precambrian is a monster of an album that spans 84 minutes and unfolds over the course of two discs. The first is the …
