Stortregn produced my favorite record of 2021. Impermanence stands as what most Tech Death, and even fewer Melodic Death, Metal bands could not achieve—a Progressive album without using any of the tropes of the genre, forming instead full songs of smaller themes and motifs. I couldn’t tell you what the album was about—the cover art displaying Girardi’s patented space-bunghole lost all meaning years ago—but I surely felt it, on an emotional and intellectual level alike. Drink deeply of death metal and cosmic anus.
Read moreThis Week in Metal, 2023 Week 36
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 Acausal Intrusion, Dying Fetus, THORN, Gridlink, Sylosis, and Wyrgher, you can do that too!
Read moreSylosis – A Sign of Things to Come Review
Metalcore was always present in Sylosis’ concoction of genres but it always tilted more towards the older Hardcore leaning bands. Opening song “Deadwood” is like an autostereogram of small amounts of Dyscarnate stomp and shouted Slipknot vocals that gradually come into focus in a Linkin Park refrain. But in the end, does it even matter? Find out in this review…
Read moreThis Week in Metal, 2023 Week 35
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 Nuclear Power Trio, Grand Cadaver, Massen, Soen, Blut aus Nord, and Exmortus, you can do that too!
Read moreMassen – Gentle Brutality Review
A hazard of venturing into deeper waters of dissonance and the more extreme ends of Metal is that these genres have a hard time impressing on that end as they have to balance melody and heaviness. Despite this I still enjoy melody, groove and selectively catchy material but drift away from things that mix in overt aspects of Pop melody. Bands like Massen are instantly fighting an uphill battle for my interest, then. But impressively, this Belarus duo bring some serious skill to the format. Massenive skill.
Read moreKalmah – Kalmah Review
It was only during a short stint with a local melodeath band that Scuttlegoat decided to reevaluate his bias towards the melodic death metal and gave Kalmah another chance. Did the Finns convince him?
Read moreInferion – Inequity Review
If you’re going to viking, you actually have to be a viking.
Read moreWolfheart – King of the North Review
Tuomas Saukkonen‘s albums all sound the same. This is both good and not so good depending on the result. At worst it can feel like […]
Read moreThe Halo Effect – Days of the Lost Review
“Lost Days” might have been a better title for this album as these former members of In Flames, joined by Dark Tranquillity vocalist Mikael Stanne, […]
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