Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Cover artwork by Juanjo Castellano] I dove into Nocturnal Visions – Invictus’s sophomore effort – having heard zero seconds of the Japanese death metal band’s debut, The Catacombs of Fear. In some ways, it’s an advantageous perspective. No expectations. No …
Artwork by Robin Mckenzie Do you like beautiful things? Your answer to that question is surely “yes, of course,” but also likely involves some concept of “beautiful” that might be up for discussion between individuals. Here at Last Rites, for …
[Cobweb Logo by Tanya Finder] As an individual who’s spent the better part of the last four decades venerating and meditating over the works of Mercyful Fate (and King Diamond), I have made my stance on imitators fairly clear over …
[Artwork by Rudi Yanto] By most measures, Stabbing’s second album, Eon of Obscenity, is good. In a way, it is certainly more successful than its predecessor, 2022’s Extirpated Mortal Process, the Texas brutal death metal band’s breakout full-length debut. The …
Originally written by Ian Dreilinger. Whatever expectations you may have for Kayo Dot’s Choirs of the Eye, throw them away. This is not going to be anything like you’ve imagined. Past releases by maudlin of the …
Originally written by Tim Pigeon Everyone’s 2nd-favorite band named after poison gas (#1 = the legendary Napalm Death, for those not up on their WW2 history) has returned in 2003 to show the metal masses …
Originally written by Gregory Bradley. Tiamat is not a band for the image-obsessed metalhead. With themes that mostly revolve around love and emotion, their image is almost anti-metal, in that every song isn’t about sheer aggression, …
Originally written by Gregory Bradley. Possibly metal’s most energetic band, Destruction continues their legacy of stellar thrashing with their new album, Metal Discharge. While as generically named as the band, the music contained within is anything but generic. …
It’s like . . The Crown. I mean, exactly like The Crown. It rocks, it wails, it pounds, it hurts, it heals . . . you know, it’s like a Crown record. You have the …
Take a punchy, rhythmic backdrop that is mid tempoed and more or less intricately performed. Place guitar and keyboard melodies on top of it to create a layered effect of both heaviness and soaring symphonic …
Originally written by Dan Staige. Dissonance was indeed one of the first words that came to mind when I heard this for the first time. Breathing is Irrelevant is another complex monster of immense density …
Originally written by Tim Pigeon Another year and another release from Poland’s most prolific death metal act. Blood is the 63rd MCD released by Vader, but for the avid fan, it’s still a worthwhile pick …
