Stoner as a genre often gets a bad rep. Sure, it’s not like the stereotypical act with a horrendously nasal vocalist, singing arhythmically over repetitive overlong songs does not exist, but similarly, many unique acts exists that are more fluid in tempo and that are willing to take other influences in. Feel good music or feel bad music?
Read moreInconcessus Lux Lucis – Temples Colliding In Fire Review
Inconcessus Lux Lucis play a concoction of new wave of British heavy metal tropes with black metal and maybe the thinnest possible goth sheen. The combination of a boomer musical style with more current metal reminded me of my mixed feelings on Chapel of Disease. Luckily, Temples in Colliding in Fire doesn’t hit me in such a complicated way. Carry on reading and witness the blazing glory.
Read morePallbearer – Mind Burns Alive Review
The progressive side of Pallbearer is back, yet colored differently by a larger rock-to-metal ratio than before, in favor of the former. This is not the upbeat or punky rock you might expect from post punk or noise rock bands, but rather the arena rock-ballad kind, somewhere between Neil Young and Takida. If you can’t make it big in the USA, might as well be a hit in Sweden!
Read moreDarkthrone – It Beckons Us All……. Review
Metalligator likes A Blaze in the Northern Sky as much as the next reptile or person (Transilvanian who-now?), but with the opinion that Darkthrone albums are always hit or miss, despite their charm, will it really beckon the gator?
Read moreDionysiaque – Diogonos Review
Doom metal that is really progressive tends to be rare, and music bearing this tag will usually refer to a single outside influence that doesn’t make much of a mark on the whole. But Dionysiaque’s Diogonos is something different, without a doubt.
Read moreThe Oldest House – A Worm Through Time
The promo sheet states that the sole creator of this EP, A.M. (what’s in a name?), conceived the music as one long piece that is supposed to be like a “huge wall of static that is creeping slowly towards you.” Fortunately for Metalligator, he did not do a good job of that. Wait, or did he? Guess you have to read to find out.
Read moreMourn the Light / High Priest / Ice Howl / Archdruid – Split Review
Ah, the split. The underappreciated release that can highlight potential up-and-comers, or showcase multiple bands that don’t bring anything interesting to the table. Sometimes, a split gets released and reveals the best of a band’s material. So where does this four-way split land? Pick your player.
Read moreAutopsy – Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts Review
Autopsy have a new album and it is time for The Goat to, yet again, praise the band for doing the things he would criticize other acts for. Autopsy sticks to what they know, but with Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts coming out barely a year after their last, should The Goat be concerned? Well there are guts in his teeth…
Read moreHexvessel – Polar Veil Review
Polar Veil caught my attention simply by breaking the ice with distorted guitar in its first preview track. Hexvessel has used this before (and its members are no strangers to Metal), but Blackened Doom Metal was really not something I expected to hear from these guys. Not just another Black Metal Monday.
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