Tag: review
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Horehound – Holocene
Pittsburgh has been a pretty solid, low-key player on the doom scene ever since Dream Death first coined the term “sludge metal” by blending doom and thrash in the 80’s. Continuing the tradition of bands like Penance, Argus and Brimstone Coven, Horehound is currently shopping its second album, Holoscene, to like-minded labels. This six-track, 44-minute…
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Hellfest 2018 in review: Day 1
As a first time goer to one of the biggest European metal festivals, Hellfest‘s 13th edition was for me a time to remember. Starting with the grounds filled with all kind of rustic buildings, pyro & bonfires all around and continuing with the killer lineup, this was an experience I am already looking forward to repeating. Over…
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The Flaming Lips – Greatest Hits Volume 1 (LP)
As a general rule, I must confess that Best-Of compilations seldom thrill me. While the odd set does prove to be the rule’s exception (like Nirvana’s black album, the set that Morphine released several years ago, ChangesoneBowie, Hot Rocks and All For Nothing/Nothing For All turned out to all be great sets), most best-of comps…
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Mortuary Drape / Volahn in Toronto, 21 July 2018
Mortuary Drape / Volahn live in Toronto @ Coalition T.O on 21st July 2018 Witches rejoice! Italy’s ancient black metal occultists Mortuary Drape have descended over Toronto. This Coalition show marks the final date of their North American Necromantic Doom Returns: Northern Continental Tour. For this tour, the headliners have announced that they would perform…
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NEEDS – Limitations (LP)
The funny thing about punk and hardcore bands has always seemed to be that, no matter how caustic they may have sounded when listeners first began paying attention, the desire to get louder/harder/more aggressive as soon as MORE people begin listening to them is nearly immediate. A perfect example of this tradition can be found…
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AxMinister – The Crucible of Sin
AxMinister have arisen like vengeful wraiths from the frozen tundra of Ontario to save the metal world from trends! Founded in 1999, this power-trio are metal for life, and it shows. The Crucible of Sin is a great thrash/traditional metal album, showing strong influences from Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica to full effect. The production is…
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Forming the Void – Rift
Lafayette, Louisiana might only be 150 miles from New Orleans, but native sons Forming the Void are much further removed from the NOLA sludge metal of Eyehategod or Crowbar. Their 2017 record Relic reminded me of a cross between Torche and Sleep, with a side of early Mastodon, and landed on my year-end top 10…
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Black Elephant – Cosmic Blues
Album number three from Black Elephant landed in late July on Small Stone Records. Their heavy, fuzzy psychedelic rock is certainly right at home on one of the leading purveyors of stoner rock, as this Italian outfit walk the line between desert rock and vintage psych jams for 34 minutes. “Cosmic Soul” kicks things off with a mellow…
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Corrosion of Conformity – No Cross, No Crown
After two albums with the classic three-piece line-up of Woody Weatherman on guitars and vocals, Mike Dean on bass and vocals, and Reed Mullin on drums, Corrosion of Conformity have reunited with legendary vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan! Instantly we are back in Deliverance territory with strong, heavy and sincere songs. COC’s music comes from the heart,…
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Fu Manchu – Clone of the Universe
In an ever-changing universe, one thing that is pleasingly consistent is a new Fu Manchu album; it is as though this album was always with us, like some 70s stoner artifact. Fuzzy riff and grooves abound, and tracks like “Slower Than Light,” “Don’t Panic,” and the title track will please long-term Fu-fans. Interestingly though, the final…