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?

  • Blackwolfgoat – Dragonwizardsleeve

    Suffice to say that this album is a long, difficult slog, even though it only has six tracks.

  • Wolvhammer – Black Marketeers of World War III

    In the end, Black Marketeers of World War III is an enjoyable but standard album that doesn’t make a long-lasting impression or distinguish itself from its musical brethren. Wolvhammer’s hearts and minds are obviously in the right places, but this fact plus a few memorable musical moments isn’t enough to make for a record that…

  • Ufomammut – Eve

    Eve—the song and the album—sounds like it’s been shaped from molten rock. Ufomammut have dug deep; crafting elusive, unruly elements into something inspired and monumental

  • Jameson Raid – Just As the Dust Had Settled

    Ultimately, we can certainly see the past though rose coloured glasses, and Just As the Dust Had Settled does indeed provide a loving tribute-lyrics, notes, photos and all—to a band which some might feel didn’t quite get the recognition they deserved during their day. At the same time, however, some bands should just remain cult…

  • Sabaton – Coat of Arms

    I dare say that Sabaton make the most uplifting songs about war this side of ‘The Trooper’! On Coat of Arms, the sixth record for the Swedish warriors but first with a proper North American release, Sabaton focus on the battles of World War II.

  • Humo del Cairo – s/t

    Humo del Cairo (Egyptian Smoke!?) is a primarily instro trio from Argentina, with occasional vocals provided in Spanish. You can hear shades of Kyuss (check out “Panorama”), The Jimi Hendrix Experience (“Nimbo” and the opening of “Fuego de San Antonio”), their Argentinian countrymen in Los Natas—or even Sergio Ch’s side-project Ararat (the harmonica and chanting…

  • Die Hard – Nihilistic Vision

    Similar to a post-modern poem, the album is dispersed and features lack of structure, which can be presented well if thought-out correctly. Despite half of the musical mess, the guitar work of Hasse is strong and precise that expresses undeniable talent above a clutter of sounds.

  • Icarus Witch – Draw Down The Moon

    A thundering and energetic traditional sounding band of heavy metal thunder, Pittsburgh’s Icarus Witch continues their excellent approach with this, their third full-length album. A highly talented band, Icarus Witch is far too under-recognized for their ability to rip out albums that are well-crafted and chock full of shredding metal.

  • End Of A Year – You Are Beneath Me

    There’s nothing easy about the album; no chant-along moments that incite crowds and establish instant followers. Everything with this affair is begrudging and hard-won on both sides of the band/listener relationship. Yet those who stick around long enough will realize that sometimes it’s those things we fight hardest for which wind up being the most…

  • Soilwork-The Panic Broadcast

    After the huge letdown of Dark Tranquillity’s latest album We Are The Void it is really good to see Soilwork back on their game.