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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A Metal Blade quartet
Metal Blade celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2012. While the label has already released a plethora of classic and genre-defining albums, and fostered and supported our dearly loved heavy metal community, it remains, to this day, as active and energetic as ever. What the metal realm would have looked like without Metal Blade’s steely presence…
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Black Space Riders – Light Is The New Black
If I was heading to a pub in space, there is no doubt in my mind that I’d be picking the one that uses Black Space Riders as its house band. This is dirty psychedelic space sleaze at its finest.
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Anathema – Weather Systems
By Raymond Westland With the release of We’re Here Because We’re Here UK-based progressive/alternative rockers Anathema managed to get back on top of their game again after years of stagnation. The album received lots of praise and many critics hailed it as one of the finest records of 2010. Apparently Danny Cavanagh and co. had…
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Albatross/Vestal Claret split
By Gruesome Greg A neat little split out on Indian label Roadcrew Records between countrymen Albatross and Vestal Claret, one of Phil Swanson’s many projects. The locals are up first with a fistful of tunes, beginning with an eerie intro that showcases some high-pitched vocals. From there, we’re taken to “Uncle Sunny at the Tavern,”…
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Job For A Cowboy – Demonocracy
By Raymond Westland Within a relatively short amount of time Arizona-based Job For A Cowboy became one of the major forces in extreme metal today. Originally a deathcore act, these Yanks evolved some solid death metal roots with each successive album. With two full length albums and three EP’s under their belt, the band gears…
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On Top – Top Heavy
Overall barring the vocals this is a well done album, where fans of this style will find enjoyment. The guitar work is excellent, the vocalist has his moments of greatness, and the songs are catchy enough. This isn’t the best traditional metal release you’ve ever heard, but it does have some worth.
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Ufomammut – Oro: Opus Primum
Let’s face it, you’re not going to hear a wide variety of different styles on here, but for spaced-out doom done right, it doesn’t get much better.
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Asphyx – Deathhammer
This is pretty much the same mid-tempo old school shit all the way through. It is exactly how Asphyx wants it, and if you like good quality, be it fairly unoriginal Death Metal then you will fully dig this.
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Swallow The Sun – Emerald Forest And The Blackbird
Emerald Forest And The Blackbird by Swallow The Sun will satisfy my craving for Finnish quality metal for a long time to come and I wouldn’t be surprised if this record would end up in my year list for 2012.
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Meshuggah – Koloss
The band’s true pioneering days may be over, they still manage to deliver the goods on Koloss. The songwriting is impeccable and the album still contains new elements to keep things fresh and exciting.