Category: Reviews

  • Dark Celebration: Phlegeton: The Transcendence of Demon Lords

    Dark Celebration is a Brazilian-based black/death metal outfit from Rio Grande do sul. Phlegeton: The Transcendence of Demon Lords, recently released by Paragon Records, is their third full-length album and- I hate to say this – it is a very messy, choppy and noisy affair.

  • New Keepers Of The Water Towers: Chronicles

    Sweden’s New Keepers of the Water Towers have a pretty ridiculous name and their song titles are equally silly (“Scientists and the Man of Ice,” “Giant Subway Beast” and so on.) From a lyrical standpoint, these guys would be perfect for a split EP with Chicago doom/death practitioners Lair of the Minotaur.

  • Saviours: Three 7″ Singles

    Recorded as demos this past April with Scott Ecklein, the four new songs and two covers aren’t just rough around the edges; they’re positively filthy, that barely-produced sound hearkening back to the glory days of tape-trading, the bare-bones mix enhancing the fierce performances. Simply put, as solid as they were before, Saviours has never sounded…

  • Obituary: Darkest Day

    The latest effort from famous Floridian band Obituary is a “summer blockbuster” album if there ever was one.

  • Dysrhythmia: Psychic Maps

    Dysrhythmia is an instrumental, technical progressive rock/metal trio from Philadelphia that takes complex instrumental, heavy music to new and interesting heights.

  • Long Distance Calling: Avoid The Light

    Germany’s Long Distance Calling have created quite the slow-burn of an album with Avoid The Light. The band’s music is often described as a mixture of “post-rock” and “post-metal,” and while listening it’s easy to conjure up comparisons with a group like Godspeed You Black Emperor! but also with the more drawn out and ambient…

  • April: Anthems of the Rejected

    On their Myspace page, Finland’s April lists their influences with “All thoroughly emotional and sincere music inspires us!” In hindsight, I should have checked out their page before listening to Anthems of the Rejected (Spinefarm). Expecting a collection of black metal angst with angry, gritty lyrics, I was slightly disappointed to get a set of…

  • Conspiracy: Concordat

    Talk about old school style. Amsterdam’s Conspiracy deliver just that on their latest release, Concordat.

  • Fatality: 3-song demo

    Here is a three track demo release from Toronto’s FATALITY, a thrash metal band with plenty of aggressive, melodic technical hooks, blasting beats and soaring roaring vocals, complete with fast, intricate solos.

  • Black Pyramid: self-titled

    Easily the most coveted album amongst my shipment of MeteorCity new releases. Black Pyramid’s self-titled was one of my most anticipated albums of ’09, and easily my most eagerly awaited debut since the Blood Ceremony record that came out on Rise Above last year.