Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Pre]-historically speaking, the boys, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz, have always been influenced by the likes of Celtic Frost, Bathory, and all things ‘80s. In fact, they don’t shy away from the fact that it’s always been about that era. After …
[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 …
Originally written by Gregory Bradley. The last time I heard a Sonata Arctica album, I thought it was going to be terrible. It started out with predictable melodies and melodramatic vocals about love and other boring topics …
Originally written by Justin Bean. Now this is what I like to hear. Polish blackened death metal, or vise verse—whichever you prefer—played with a level of speed, aggression, and coherency matched by few since the days of Emperor’s IX …
Originally written by Ramar Pittance Now here’s an interesting concept for you. You take a group of classic death metal misfits, place them on stage in front a crowd of Swedish socialites at the Stockholm …
Originally written by Justin Bean. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, you certainly know the album art: intestines curled into pus-covered piles or hanging from the mouth of a toilet (probably filled …
Originally written by Erik Thomas Enthroned is generally the kind of second tier, post Darkthrone, corpse paint wearing, production starved black metal I don’t care for, so when given this to review my eyes rolled …
Originally written by Ramar Pittance For fans of death metal, it’s nearly impossible to not be intrigued by the pre-history of Death. For a band of such lasting importance, it’s entirely fitting that their back …
Originally written by Harley Carlson. Ah yes, Darkthrone; a black metal elitist’s wet dream come true. Not only are they Norway’s most tr00 of the tr00 and kvlt of the kvlt, they also happen to be …
Originally written by Drew Ailes Who knew you could achieve such a full sound with only bass and drums? Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius did, presumably through their work with the immense and highly respected …
