As a musician, sometimes you get high. Sometimes your name is Al. And sometimes you listen to one of your early albums—only to find yourself holding a new version of it with a cover featuring a squirrel with a raging boner.
Read more
Dawn of Solace – Affliction Vortex Review
Our Gator went into Affliction Vortex already side-eyeing it, having basically written it off before even hitting play. And yet Saukkonen’s melodic wizardry pulled him right back in. Again. Is this musical Stockholm syndrome?
Read more
Steven Wilson – The Overview Review
The Overview is a concept album about the overview effect, a strong response to visual stimuli that causes a cognitive shift in a person. With a runtime short of 42 minutes, and two long songs trying to bring influences like Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream, and Vangelis into “a modern context”, The Overview looks promising on paper. Stare deeply into Wilson’s colored balls to find enlightenment in his proggy delights.
Read more
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar Review
EXTRA! EXTRA! Hot off the presses, New York Avant Legends Imperial Triumphant seen catering to the masses. Shorter songs. Shorter album. Numerous guest features. Gator gives it a gold star. Wait, what??
Read more
Dissocia – To Lift the Veil Review
How a genre that is built on experimentation and outside the box songwriting ends up sounding all the same and using the same tricks just baffles me. But once in a while, an act shows up and makes me pay attention because of their knack for individual expression. Did Dissocia just look at the handbook and throw it out the window?
Read more
Marrowomb – Phiesnomie Review
Phisenomie is a collection of tracks that roughly deal in the same kind of sound as Vredehammer — blackened death metal focused on furious riffs that trade blows across the songs. Where Marrowomb manage to stand out is in some odd rhythms and use of dissonant chords that is a clear heritage from its creators time in Polyptych. As it stand, tough, our Gator may have a few bones to pick with its dedication to the mighty riff.
Read more
Sleep Paralysis – Sleep Paralysis Review
If that amazing album cover doesn’t freak you out then I don’t know what to tell you. I always find it amazing when visual art and the theme of an album gel together well, and so I was hoping that Sleep Paralysis would be a powerful statement on its theme, matching that image. A bird in the hand is better than two in the forest. Spiders tho…?
Read more
Tormentor Tyrant – Excessive Escalation of Cruelty Review
I would describe Tormentor Tyrant as a more restless Deicide that are more willing to fly off their mid-paced rails into red rage swings for your face. In short, expect Excessive Escalation of Cruelty to hit with the exact vibe that its album cover screams with its red dead rage as several faces of death metal history blend together.
Read more
Häxkapell – Om jordens blod och urgravens grepp Review
Häxkapell leans into a sound that is unmistakably Scandinavian. But Om jordens blod och urgravens grepp is also a black metal album that pays attention to making most of the trek through this earthy forest path memorable. Can its sadboi chords cast a spell on you?
Read moreUnlock the Crypts
Crypts of the Unknown: Khonsu – The Xun Protectorate
