Defect Designer surprised in 2022 with their 18 minute Neanderthal EP, a snappy shot of grindcore-infused death metal. The EP had a raw sound and a pace that made it zip past pleasantly, setting expectations high for an eventual full length release. But will Metalligator find that the new album has a defect in its design?
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Borknagar – Fall Review
Our Gator loves going on long hikes, especially when having the luck of finding a spot unoccupied by people where he can watch nature in its stillness and grandeur. Borknagar at their best manage to catch this feeling in music, if a bit more dramatically, their sound whipping between a raging storm and the calmest forest brook. You just might Fall for it too.
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This Week In Metal, 2024 Week 10
Another week, another round of metal reviews in the bag. Words are tough, so we assembled the highlights. And if you want to read the latest reviews for the new offerings from Ministry, Second Shooter, Apogean, Ponte del Diavolo, and Ihsahn, you can do that too!
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Ihsahn – IHSAHN Review
At this point, Ihsahn needs little introduction. His work first with Emperor and then as a solo act has established him as one of black metal’s luminaries. His blackened and avant-garde approach to metal on IHSAHN straddles emotions. It’s by turns bombastic, melancholic, tense and angry—an excellent example of why Ihsahn is such a big deal.
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Second Shooter – Fury Made Flesh Review
Nowadays, when the progressive descriptor is added to melodic death metal, this means that the songs are longer without any good reason. You would be hard pressed to find a modern melodic death metal band that is creative or that looks outside its own box. Second Shooter are a band that look back instead. Are they shooting for the stars, or looking back in fury?
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Ponte del Diavolo – Fire Blades From The Tomb Review
Enter Ponte del Diavolo (Italian for Devil’s Bridge), a band that has been steadily releasing EPs since 2020 and have now ventured into the realm of their first LP. Inksterium jumped into this with no expectation and emerged from the experience utterly perplexed. This is a nation of people who seem to possess a unique grasp of religion, moody atmosphere, and the art of seamlessly blending these into music. We promise the toll is worth it.
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Ministry – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES Review
Fast forward 12 years and Ministry have put out five albums after their supposed death, digging deeper and deeper into the shit. Before Relapse you were always in on the joke, but now, Ministry are content to be the joke instead. Masses beware: this hopium might leave you high on disappointment.
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Apogean – Cyberstrictive Review
Wasting no time with an intro piece, this album kicks off with “Bluelight Sonata”, which does a good job showcasing what Apogean does correctly: hooky, catchy riffs. Unlike their contemporaries in the tech death scene, this band focuses more on writing riffs than writing wanksterpieces. But is that enough to get a high score from the eggplant bat?
Read moreThis Week In Metal, 2024 Week 9
Another week, another round of metal reviews in the bag. Words are tough, so we assembled the highlights. And if you want to read the latest reviews for the new offerings from Fathomless Ritual, Stygian Crown, Cyberaktif, Griffon, and Golden Core, you can do that too!
Read moreUnlock the Krypts
Crypts of the Unknown: Bergraven – Det Framlidna Minnet
