Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Cover art by Quinn Henderson] You’re familiar with the term, “unc,” right? If not, it generally refers to a washed up older feller whose personality in large part revolves around extravagantly performing confusion and/or displeasure at the mere notion of …
[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 …
Originally written by Jason Jordan. Like Psyopus, this five-piece calls New York its home state and is connected to Metal Blade via Blackmarket Activities, though Psyopus are evidently on MB now. The fact that Architect are on BMA, however, should clue you in to what they …
Originally written by Ian Chainey. Sort of like unexpectedly seeing the girl that punched your V-card, any time I listen to Dying Fetus my thoughts are inundated with fond memories. “Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)” …
Ian Chainey’s take: Metalgaze? So, that’s what we’re calling this now? Okay, sure, Justin Broadrick’s recent riffs are comparable to a slowed down “Only Shallow” being played through Type O Negative‘s amps. I get that. …
Originally written by Jon Eardley Finland’s Swallow the Sun is a band that has done incredibly well to stake its claim as a serious contender within the beautifully depressing doom/death genre. Even though I thought …
Wow, this one took me by surprise. Pairing the instrumental expansive ebb and flow mastery of Pelican with the shoegazing reflectiveness of Katatonia, and progressive tendencies and meticulous songcrafting associated with bands like Enslaved and Opeth, Sepia Dreamer have released a wolf in …
originally written by Chris McDonald This is a bizarre album. Really bizarre. We’re talking an Unexpect-level of weirdness here. Greek act Dol Ammad dub their unusual brand of music “electronic art metal” (also the name of their label), …
Originally written by Ian Chainey “I’ve found you’ve got to look back at the old things and see them in a new light.” – John Coltrane With their identities hidden by black hooded robes, the …
Originally written by Doug Moore. In my recent review of Swedish prog rock act Wolverine, I bemoaned the state of so-called progressive rock. To abbreviate the argument, I feel that prog rock has lost touch with …
