Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Cover artwork by Timbul Cahyono] In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I’ve always found the concept of the split to be flawed. It works best when there’s a shared theme or the band’s involved cover each …
[Cover art by Mars Triumph] Petrichor, the sixth full length album from Greece’s epic metal stalwarts Battlelore, commences with the sound of rain and an invitation to reflect. That word, “petrichor,” is a relatively new one (coined by scientists in …
To start, let’s acknowledge that you and I don’t really know each other. This means, among other things, that I can’t say what “war metal” means to you. To some extent, maybe you just throw your hands in the air …
Kia ora, compadres. Welcome to the latest edition of In Crust We Trust. Below you’ll find a bunch of ear-wrecking noise to help you process and/or drown out the 24/7 horror show currently occupying our screens. Wherever you are, and …
Ukraine’s Heruvim burst into the scene ‒ and our 2022 EP list ‒ with last year’s beastly Shadowheart. They showed a massive affinity towards Edge of Sanity (the melody, the gargantuan riffs, the deep growls) …
Metal moved fast in the 80s. It was the wild, open frontier–there was so much room to push things faster, louder, and more aggressive. Simultaneously, it’s bastard cousin in punk was pushing stripped roots rock …
Look, there’s no need to call anybody old. Let’s just say that a few of us here at Last Rites have acquired… a nice patina. Maybe you have too, in which case you’re lucky to …
Heavier and more progressive than 2019’s What the Water Wants, the Fates Warning singer’s sophomore effort, II, retains the former’s ethereal feel but hits some incredible highs that were perhaps lacking on that earlier effort …
A few months back, I waxed poetic rambled semi-coherently about how much fun it is, as a grindcore fanboy, when a split comes along from two bands you love. That particular enthusiastic word-barrage was in …
[Cover art by Dieter Geisler] In the world of metal, math has nothing to do with formulas and variables but rather a distinct approach to writing that involves wonky time signatures, polyrhythms, incredibly tight playing …
Gird your loins, heroes! It’s time for part 2 of the Top 50 US Power Metal Releases Of All Time // The Final 25. If you missed Part 1, you might consider a quick sidestep …
I don’t know how, with all the time I spend trolling about Bandcamp and blogs and Discogs and wherever else I can in order to feed this insatiable urge for blastbeats, but… somehow, I managed …
