RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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INFERNAL CURSE – The End Upon Us
Argentinian trio Infernal Curse offer up some pretty typical South American fare: primitive, apocalyptic black/death metal that harks back to the late 80’s – early 90’s. This approach can be hit or miss for me. Sometimes I find there to be too much bluster and darkness. The musicianship can be messy and the stylistic concerns…
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MORBID SLAUGHTER – Wicca’ 7′
Great to hear a South American band that aren’t following the herd and muddying the waters with yet more average bestial black/death. Instead, Morbid Slaughter specialise in horror-tinged thrash that is a little black around the edges. Soundwise, we are looking like something similar to early Possessed or Bathory. What really stands out about this…
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GOD’S ARMY A.D. – God’s Army A.D.
A German melodic power metal act that features notable veteran musicians such as ex-Helloween/ Firewind drummer Mark Cross and former Scanner bassist/ vocalist John A.B.C. Smith, the duo decided to recruit guitarists Don Amiro and Ian O’Sullivan and become God’s Army A.D. This is their debut album, a crisp 8 song effort that could be…
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TEITANBLOOD – Death
Teitanblood took the death metal underground with storm back in 2009 with their stunning debut "Seven Chalices". Their brand of ugly and just horrifying death metal is about one thing only, to make you sick and uncomfertable. A little like early Portal they manage to make you dizzy and with nausea after listening to their…
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AXEGRESSOR – Last
Axegressor er et finsk band som ble dannet tilbake i 2006 og «Last» er deres tredje fullengder. Musikken deres er som en herlig mix av gammel Sodom, litt Kreator, litt mere nyere Destruction og litt nyere Exodus. Det er rett og slett en herlig mix av mye av det beste innen thrash disse finnene har…
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EPICA – The Quantum Enigma
Symphonic metal has a healthy following across all parts of the globe. Its multi-dimensional platform both musically and vocally lends itself to appeal from a wide cross section of fans on the commercial and heavier ends of the spectrum. Epica has advanced up the ranks to fan favor and acclaim through their five studio records.…
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MAYHEM – Esoteric Warfare
Mayhem have done it again. Rewriting the rule book on Black metal once again.This time in the form of "Esoteric Warfare", their sixth album overall and first in seven years since "Ordo Ad Chao" from 2007.Mayhem should need no introduction if you read this review so let´s go straight to the music on the formidable…
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MAYHEM – Esoteric Warfare
Many times I have given up on Mayhem and many times I have returned. In fact, I have bought and tried to love every full length album they have released since their legendary debut (which still retains its place of honour in the dark recesses of my heart). Tried to love, because in every case,…
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BLACK ANVIL – Hail Death
Black Anvil hails (pun intended) from New York and "Hail Death" is their third opus since birth back in 2007. Musically we´re talking blackened death metal with some thrash incluences spread all over and personally I enjoy some of it. The tempo and intensity is right where it´s supposed to be but the vocal sounds…
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ON TOP – Top to Bottom
A Philadelphia, PA power trio, On Top return to the scene with a 4 song EP "Top to Bottom". Tight as a whip in terms of the songwriting and performances, this is a good time hard rock release filled to the brim with gang-oriented sing-a-long choruses, guitar hooks and harmonies, and easily addictive grooves. These…
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POWER FROM HELL – The True Metal
‘The True Metal’ was the debut from Brazilian black thrashers Power From Hell, originally released in 2004. This version is a vinyl only re-release, limited to 666 copies. You ‘d probably guess from the cover but this disc features some hardcore Bathory Worship, channelling the same kind of punked up-anti Christian vibe that drew us…
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SUBLIRITUM – Downfall
Subliritum are far more than your average melodic black metal band. For a start, they have broken the mould by employing riffs and runs that would normally only be found in the very best technical death metal. Then, we have their ability to throw together a rocking tune. The guys can be crushingly fast and…
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THREE LIONS – Three Lions
This trio consists of members who’ve been involved in the UK rock scene for some time. Guitarist Vinny Burns has ties to Dare, Asia, and Ten; drummer Greg Morgan also played with Vinny in Dare and Ten – while bassist/ vocalist Nigel Bailey is a relative newcomer. Gaining the good fortune of stellar production and…
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EYEHATEGOD – Eyehategod
I have been waiting patiently for this new, self-titled album by the gods of ugly and crushing southern sludge metal, namely the legendary EYEHATEGOD. Does it live up to my expectations? The answer is a resounding YES! The album contains 11 awesome tunes that will appeal to all you sick, twisted, and depressed fucks out…
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CONFESS – Jail
Put another log on the Swedish sleaze metal fire in Confess. On their debut album "Jail", you’ll get 12 original compositions and their interpretation of the Tina Turner 80’s classic "What’s Love Got To Do With It" that live for guitar hooks, large choruses, and that late 80’s glam swagger. Crashdiet and Hardcore Superstar are…
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INCANTATION – Dirges of Elysium
The mighty Incantation (US) are back again! These death metal giants never surrender to any trends or triggered technology what so ever. They just keep churning out pure old school lethal death metal the way it should be. With main man McEntee have kept the infernal death metal torch burning since 1989 and "Dirges of…
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MANILLA ROAD – Mystification
Years ago I remember purchasing this album when Sentinel Steel Records saw fit to give this the repackaging, remixing, and re-issuing treatment. Once again the buzz about this epic heavy metal is resonating around the globe, their live performances legendary as is much of their material for decades. The sixth album from Kansas’ Manilla Road,…
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THE GOLDEN GRASS – The Golden Grass
5 songs normally constitutes an EP, right? But in the case of Brooklyn, NY trio The Golden Grass, their self-titled debut is actually a 36 minute adventure, and back in the 60’s and 70’s where a lot of their sonic platform comes from this would be considered a full album. Psychedelic and comfortable, material like…
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SABATON – Heroes
Purveyors of military/ war themed power metal, it is little wonder Sweden’s Sabaton are rising to heights rarely seen in today’s fickle scene. Headlining festivals for over half a million people in Poland, attaining gold, platinum and top ten charting in various parts of Europe – the demand for these gentlemen is more than evident,…
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UNTIL DAWN – Horizon
How many more metalcore bands are we to be treated to before we can officially declare the genre dead? Truth be told Shai Hulud and Misery Signals have stretched the limits of the metalcore beast to the point of end be all. Here we have a band who obviously likes Killswitch Engage (The Red Sun…
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VALLENFYRE – Splinters
Vallenfyre started out as a side project/one album deal by Paradise Lost frontman Gregor Mackintosh. Their debut album "A Fragile King" proved to be one of the most formidable death metal albums in many years (and a personale favorite of mine) so thankfully Gregor & Co decided to make a follow-up to the mighty "A…
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THE GRAVIATORS – Motherload
Sweden appears to be on a retro 70’s metal kick as of late- as the labels swarm to sign the best bands from this country. The Graviators is a four piece outfit performing in a doom/stoner metal platform, and on their third studio album "Motherload" they seem to be firing from all the right chambers…
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DEICIDE – In the Minds of Evil
I see about 5 notable releases from Deicide: "Deicide", "Legion" and "Once Upon The Cross", "Stench of Redemption" with the phenomenal guitarist Ralph Santolla and the 2011 "To Hell With God". This here record, bears some similarity to the last 2 of this bunch, particularly "Beyond Salvation", "Misery of One", the aforementioned title and "Even…
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AZURE EMOTE – The Gravity of Impermanence
2012 brought us Ne Obliviscaris (NO) and 2013 brought us even a better deal -Azure Emote (AE). While there are detectable similarities between the two, AE has a better, more focused songwriting, more powerful sound and is overall a lot more interesting song to song. Azure uses multininstrumentation, such as saxophone and violin but, unlike…