That Meanders is a quality record is pretty obvious from the start. Taking and weaving their influences into something cohesive and unique is no small feat. It hits me on an emotional level, but I admit that as a musician myself, there is an intellectual bias to an album like this. Want some Bacon with that?
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Conjureth – The Parasitic Chambers Review
Conjureth are certainly talented. The band deals in a type of auditory chaos that could just as well be considered sloppy but that adds to the experience here – an album so aggressive and wild, bursting at its seams, that the musicians can barely hold it together. Enter the chambers of Conjureth!
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Katatonia – Sky Void of Stars Review
“Austerity” opens the album with some rhythmic fuckery that is unlike Katatonia but it settles comfortably into their usual style. The following songs “Colossal Shade” and “Opaline” add some unusual groove and a kind of sad, almost Jazz-y sound. It makes the first half of the album flow by as a breeze.
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Thy Darkened Shade – Liber Lvcifer II: Mahaprala Review
Ritualistic Black Metal. An instant turn-on for some, an instant “eww, gross” from others. For me, it’s one of my favorite aspects of what Black Metal can be. Thy Darkened Shade has opened its doors once again (after 8 years of nothing save for some splits) with the second part of the grand trilogy Liber Lvcifer. Is it a worthy followup to its predecessor?
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Esoctrilihum – Funeral Review
Esoctrilihum, to Gator, has always been one of those bands that are intriguing but never fulfilling. Will Funeral change that, or will it result in a funeral for our friend?
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Sagen – Roots of Proctor Review
While Deathcore in expression and production, Roots of Proctor is more Death Metal in technique. This might not seem like much but this marks a crucial difference in that Sagen show that they are not one of the Deathcore bands that rely on breakdowns to save every song. So in the absence of many breakdowns, what makes it worth your time?
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Рожь – Всё Review
Рожь (pronounced Rozh) certainly seem competent enough instrumentally and strive to make mood music with some swelling builds. The intent is not to rip and tear like regular black metal but rather to present something that is either epic, sorrowful, atmospheric and/or ethereal.
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Hammers of Misfortune – Overtaker Review
Overtaker, true to its name, sports an aggressively overpowering sound. From the first second to the last, it uses unpredictable slithering riffs and intensity to create a chaos that is sure to repel a lot of people, whether they’re used to intense thrash albums or not. Thrashed and overtaken, this Gator lives to tell the tale.
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Darkthrone – Astral Fortress Review
I consider late era Darkthrone to be more interesting than most of their career. They have been experimenting a lot lately and to decent results. I might even go so far as to say that Old Star is my favorite Darkthrone album after A Blaze in the Northern Sky. Yes, much better than Transilvanian Munchies.
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Crypts of the Unknown: 2024 Vol. 1
