News, Reviews and Interviews
Heavy Metal Around the Globe
Gourmand – Blossoming From The Grave
What Gourmand do so well on this album is to seamlessly mesh weirdo, technical death metal with strange time signatures, bizarre riffs, and the like on one hand, and seriously emotional, passionate music on the other.
MAZIKEEN – The Solace of Death
With this invitation, so begins the profound existential apocalypse of The Solace of Death…
Dark Fortress – Spectres From The Old World
Dark Fortress both digs deep and imagines large on this hour long effort. With black metal as their vehicle, they ride through the cosmos and traverse the wide spaces between atoms, all of it in the service of understanding our insignificance.
INTERVIEW: Lychgate
The theme of the release can be summarised as a series of ideas on transhumanism stemming out of an initial inspiration from the Fritz Lang film Metropolis (1927).
Atavisma/Void Rot Split
Unlike many splits, this particular one shows consistent excellence. Kudos to Everlasting Spew for recognizing an opportunity to put together two bands that would mesh so well together, yet each show their own personality.
Henry Kane – Age Of The Idiot
Angry, disturbed, ominous, triumphant…this album is all of those things, and more.
Ashen Chalice – Gdje sva srca gore
I’m still not sure I fully understand what’s going on here, but I know that it speaks to me in deep and meditative ways, though the sound itself is harsh and disturbing.
Lucius Fox – Quaternary Panorama
Good experimental/disparate music NEEDS to have good melodies, as Frank Zappa taught us, and Lucius Fox not only gets that, but they hammer it home with head bobbing goodness.
INTERVIEW: Racetraitor (video plus live set)
Interview and live set from the incendiary Chicago hardcore band Racetraitor.
Blasphemer – The Sixth Hour
This is a very strong release.
INTERVIEW: Pure Wrath
If you haven't heard it yet, The Forlorn Soldier is a masterful EP by the Indonesian one-man project Pure Wrath. Recently, I was able to catch up with Ryo, the man behind the magic, to ask him a few questions. Read on, and be sure to check out his music. ...
Dead Hour Noise – Sleeping Dogs
Dead Hour Noise truly has something for everyone and Sleeping Dogs is the most bold, complete, and exciting debut I’ve heard in a long time.
مَوْلَى-Mulla
I present to you, Mulla, a raw black metal band from the country of Iraq. Their release, مَوْلَى is something that will cut you down to the core.
Psychotic Waltz – The God-Shaped Void
thankfully, this is a bonafide Psychotic Waltz record, still anchored in large measure by the extraordinary vocal (and flute) stylings of Devon Graves (formerly known as Buddy Lackey).
Sutekh – Force Of Will
One thing I do know about Sutekh is their first release, Force Of Will, is black metal to it’s core and it doesn’t care if you know about it or not.
Drawn Out – Trapped in a Prison
Check out the Savage new track from Drawn Out!
Laurentian Tides – In the Wake of the Great Collapse
I’ve found something that could be the next big thing.
FEATURE: Feed Them Death – Panopticism: Belong/Be Lost
Undeniably intense, Panopticism requires determination and strength, but rewards the listener who takes up the challenge. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Will you take it up?
attic – Foster
They have created a graceful creature, ready to lead you on a journey of discovery. Allow them to do so.
黒い樹海 (KUROI JUKAI) – 黒い樹海 (KUROI JUKAI)
Sheer sonic obliteration.
Wake – Devouring Ruin
They’ve taken the venom they normally spew, distilled it, and slowed it down.
Pure Wrath – The Forlorn Soldier
The EP is visceral in a way that few are. Take the time to listen to the entirety of this release.
INTERVIEW: Empty
Shadow follows you from birth, only growing longer and more inescapable (and black) as the years pass. Optimism is for those who have lost touch with reality; the curve of time becomes the cutting scythe sooner or later!
Lychgate – Also Sprach Futura
I listened to this EP about three times in a row, non-stop…unable to stop, really.
