Category: Reviews – Audio
Glorious metal in all its earthly forms, compressed onto shiny plastic discs or into digital files. Which ones will become the soundtrack to your life?
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Sylosis – Monolith
Review by Ola Mazzuca Reading, England technical death metal up-and-comers Sylosis recently toured the US with Lamb of God. And what a fine time it is to do so; Obama was just re-elected and they are supporting arguably one of the most prolific bands of New American Metal. It’s no surprise after listening to their third studio release,…
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Auroch – From Forgotten Worlds
Death metal is becoming such a saturated genre that a new band may feel the need to stand out by doing something completely off the map. But I feel it’s just as important to simply stand up. Auroch hold their own with solid chops, memorable riffs and killer vocals.
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Kowloon Walled City – Container Ships
Though they’re named after an opulent area of Hong Kong, this band hails from San Fran, across the Pacific Ocean. And after their self-released debut record generated a bit of a buzz three years back, KWC has signed with Brutal Panda for this, their sophomore release—35 and a half minutes of punishing post-sludge.
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Incantation – Vanquish in Vengeance
By Matt Hinch Old school death metal stalwarts Incantation have been in the game for a long time (in one form or another) proving that age is nothing but a number. Lone original member in guitarist/vocalist John McEntee and the boys have unleashed a total ripper of an album in the form of Vanquish In…
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Corrosion of Conformity – Megalodon EP
If you dug the direction COC took on their self-titled record—and I did—then this EP should tide you over till the next one.
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Finsterforst – Rastlos
I can’t say that Finsterforst are totally original, but they make up for any lack of creativity by bringing a contagious passion to a style of metal that has rarely resonated with me in recent years. They make a powerful case for the sheer grandeur of their music, which is pretty significant considering that the…
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Korpiklaani – Manala
Korpiklaani are a band of the wild that produce music far from an animal call, but a signature sound that summons fans – those who appreciate progenitors shaping the credibility of a once scoffed metal sub-genre through an innovative tribute to culture.
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Soundgarden – King Animal
King Animal isn’t just some pale and passably competent effort designed to take hopeful fans for a few bucks – there is genuine heart in it, and that is what will win both old fans back and new fans to this record.
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Nihill – Verdonkermaan
Broken, beaten, scarred and bloody, Verdonkermaan is the aural equivalent of the worst Hostel/Saw environment imaginable. It’s bleak and cold, devoid of sustaining life and terrifying to its core. For all that, it’s a stunning and unforgettable album.
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The 69 Eyes – X
The 69 Eyes borrow elements from a music library incredibly vast. To say that they supply signature twists and turns would be a bit of a stretch but there’s no denial in their ability to provide us with Goth ‘N’ Roll so melodic and relevant to sometimes crude and wild for the amorous bunch.