The opener on Liminal Animals sounds like a statement of fatigue in its lyrics: repeated words from previous songs, the nature of sound as “Moving objects / The music they make” all the while distinct eras of Ulver clash in intuitively written songs.
Read more
Kalandra – A Frame of Mind Review
What is metal? Is it about heaviness? An ethos? Similarity to other metal bands? On A Frame of Mind, Kalandra produce something alienated and questioning, something balanced between heavy and frail.
Read more
Leprous – Melodies of Atonement Review
For the better part of a decade, Leprous have become something of a parody of themselves. Increasingly pop-leaning and focusing on Einar Solberg’s voice, the band started to leave behind their once progressive writing somewhere between 2015’s The Congregation and 2017’s Malina. But when Melodies of Atonement arrives with an album cover and preview tracks that carry shades of their early work… well the road to atonement is loOOoooOOoooOooong.
Read more
Diskord / Atvm – Bipolarities Review
Atvm and Diskord seem to approach the medium of the split with an awareness of its usual pitfalls. Bipolarities is album length and the title hints at the fact that indeed, this is an album of two distinct halves. One band says they play nice together, and the other claims that the first is lying. What’s a Goat to believe?
Read more
Beaten To Death – Sunrise Over Rigor Mortis Review
Welcome to the Goat Review where I, the site’s owner and namesake, repeatedly write reviews that sound negative only to begrudgingly hand out a positive score. Beaten To Death shall join in this trend. As much as I like Sunrise Over Rigor Mortis, I don’t like it as much as I think I should, which is why i spiralled into an investigation about what I actually like about the band. Don’t beat yourself up if you too love it.
Read more
Darkthrone – 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 more
In Vain – Solemn Review
In Vain have always been a strange band. The degree to how extreme their blackened death metal outbursts can be is something that goes above the usual melodeath market. So sit down for a Norwegian weenie roast with our Metalligator and find out whether Solemn still serves hot.
Read more
Defect Designer – Chitin Review
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?
Read more
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.
Read moreUnlock the Krypts
Crypts of the Unknown: Incubator – McGillroy the Housefly
