Primordial: Imrama (expanded reissue)
As a reissue of one of their first efforts, Imrama is still an impressive display of all of the elements that would come to define Ireland’s Primordial in more recent years.
Reviews
Devin Townsend Project: Ki
Ki is the first of Devin’s new project of a four album release under the moniker Devin Townsend Project. At times heavy and laden with frustration, it gives a sense of searching. It is a release of emotion and past demons with tracks swirling from relaxation and a longing to let go.
Wolves In The Throne Room: Black Cascade
The long awaited 2009 release Black Cascade had many people, including myself, wondering if it could own up to Two Hunters – the sprawling second release from Wolves In The Throne Room. Glorified by critics, embraced by both indie rockers and black metal enthusiasts, Wolves’ majestic soundscapes, beautiful and dark, has flowed into the ears of a rather unique audience of all sorts.
Satyricon: The Age Of Nero
I’ll be honest, even though I am a big fan of Norwegian metal in general, Norwegian black metal especially, I haven’t really cared for anything Satyricon has done since Rebel Extravaganza. The whole “black ‘n’ roll” thing they have adopted really makes my stomach turn… but there’s something about this record I really dig.
Starring Janet Leigh: Spectrum
Yeah, we get it, you deathcore bands sure can play, but would it kill you to dial down the ostentatious bursts of technical dexterity enough to a) give us a breather and b) try to come up with a passage that we can actually remember?
Swallow The Sun: Plague of Butterflies EP
The Plague of Butterflies EP, released by Finnish doom metal band Swallow The Sun, is a nice little package with potentially a lot of value for its price.
Sons of Seasons: Gods of Vermin
To call Sons of Seasons’ debut prog/power would be accurate but vague. Saying Gods of Vermin sounds like a fusion of inspirations from Savatage to Dream Theater and Therion would get it a little closer.
Candlemass: 20th Anniversary Party DVD
March 31st 2007 was a pretty important night for many doom fans, especially those lucky enough to have been in attendance at Stockholm’s Kolingsborg club. Seven hundred or so were there for the twentieth anniversary celebration of doom legends Candlemass, something that was originally meant to happen earlier on but was delayed due to the whole Messiah Marcolin departure fiasco.
Persona Non Grata: Shade In The Light
It appears that Greece is quickly becoming a new breeding ground of quality original progressive metal thanks to the likes of Mindflow, Fragile Vastness, etc. And now with Persona Non Grata now signed on with the great prog label Sensory, this quintet has created a succint blend of heavy prog metal…
High Spirits: 4 song demo 2009
This four track demo EP is pure 80’s metal. It sounds to me like the early output of Scotland’s Heavy Pettin’ fronted by a singer that sounds somewhat similar to Kevin Griffiths of the NWOBHM band Briar.