Rotten Sound – Species At War
Species At War is an incendiary and blindingly ferocious blitzkrieg of power. In full gear, the album flays the ears like a sandstorm of razorblades.
Dark Descent Double Shot: Vorum and Paroxsihzem
“Dark Descent has a characteristic signature that lends confidence to, and underscores, the veracity of its releases. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily imply that you’re going to enjoy every album with Dark Descent’s sigil attached, but all its releases are imprinted with a strong sense of integrity bound to the label’s trustworthy aesthetic.”
Craig Haze reviews two new Dark Descent releases by Finland’s Vorum and Canada’s Paroxsihzem for your reading pleasure.
Doro – Raise Your Fist
Raise Your Fist can keep a venue or party going all night. The record doesn’t show Doro in a new light, but depicts her self-respect through some seriously fetching tracks. At 48 years old, Doro is still hot in leather, strikes chords and bakes like a boss. Horns to her.
Baptists: Bushcraft
The songs are the thing, riffs and hooks left and right that snatch your breath, but it’s the squeezed-fist-grip-on-your-heart attack that makes Baptists your better-than-average d-beat plus metal guitars unit.
Clamfight – I Vs. the Glacier
Overall, this is a pretty solid sludge record. Nothing that I haven’t really heard before, but these guys do it fairly well.
Seventeen Questions With… Titan (Canada)
Earlier this month Toronto’s Titan saw their latest album “Burn” make Hellbound’s Top 10 Canadian Albums of 2012 list. Here is Matt Hinch’s recent interview with band vocalist James M. and guitarist Chris W. about the making of the album, touring Europe last summer and what else lies ahead for this emerging Canadian hardcore/metal act.
Judas Priest – Screaming For Vengeance (30th Anniversary Edition)
In listening to the reissue of Screaming For Vengeance, it suddenly becomes clear that, as “of its time” the production applied to the record was (the effects on “Electric Eye” – all the clanking reverb and robotic imagery – and the glammy metal sheen of “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” are good examples), the record is the “step up” made by a band who knew they had the world’s attention, and continues to command respect thirty years later both for that and for its song craft.
Amenra – Mass V
Overall, this isn’t a bad listen for fans of Neurosis, Zoroaster and the like. That said, I’m not sure this one’s a real winner—especially coming hot on the heels of the former’s latest record.
Convulse – Inner Evil EP
If this is any indication of what is to come, I think that their return couldn’t have come at a better time. I can’t wait to hear the rest of what Convulse circa 2013 is capable of.
Atriarch – Ritual Of Passing
Ritual of Passing is dirty, atmospheric, unsettling and cerebral. Turn down the lights, light some candles and really listen.