UK

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio, Reviews - Visual February 16, 2010

Blackfield – NYC: Blackfield Live in New York City

Originally released as a DVD only, it has now been reissued as a two disc set, with the entire performance now also available as on CD too. The band sticks pretty much to Blackfield material, playing everything but one song from their second album II and also including nearly all of the first album too. The performances of these songs in a live setting don’t differ greatly from the studio versions. If you have those records already you may not need this collection unless you are an absolute Wilson-aholic that absolutely needs everything he does (and I know there are a lot of you out there, that is for certain).

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio November 24, 2009

Grave Miasma: Exalted Emanation

Grave Miasma is the latest proponent of death metal done right. This is nasty, ugly stuff. While not as sharp in attack as Dead Congregation nor as profoundly murky as Mitochondrion nor as surreal as Portal, Grave Miasma entrenches itself in something of a middle ground.

Tate Bengston investigates the new EP by British death metallers Grave Miasma (formerly known as Goat Molestör).

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live September 28, 2009

DragonForce/Sonata Arctica/Taking Dawn @ Odeon, Saskatoon, SK, September 25, 2009

About once a year we here in Saskabush are treated to a little variety by a reputable band that actually likes to sing every once in a while, and it’s always remarkable to witness the turnout. There’s a definite hunger for the melodic stuff out here, and judging by the big, lively crowd that packed the Odeon on this gorgeous early autumn night, yours truly wasn’t the only one who thought the double-bill of Guitar Heroes DragonForce and Finnish stars Sonata Arctica was a welcome deviation from the norm. Decked out in t-shirts that would otherwise be greeted with scorn at underground metal shows, these folks were out to get their wank on in a big way, and by night’s end, they sure got what they wanted.

Adrien Begrand reviews the recent Saskatoon stop of the current DragonForce/Sonata Arctica/Taking Dawn show – even after his promised reviewer’s pass wasn’t left at the door. Read the rest of this article to see if he got his $37 worth.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio September 18, 2009

Bodychoke: Cold River Songs

Ok, I admit when I offered to review this CD I didn’t realize it was a reissue. Since I had never heard of the band before I couldn’t possibly know they had a discography and haven’t been together in ten years. On a good note, if I hadn’t actually looked at the date and saw this was recorded in 1997 I wouldn’t have thought the album sounded dated.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio September 8, 2009

Wodensthrone: Loss

Despite only releasing a number of splits, the debut album from Wodensthrone is incredibly lush, haunting and in some ways, quite ‘delicate’ for what is considered ‘true’ pagan black metal.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio August 31, 2009

Skyclad: In The…All Together

In The…All Together, although not quite as catchy as Semblance, is much more of a metal album and could have easily fit into their catalog amongst any of their 90’s albums. The majority of Skyclad’s signature sound from its genre defining beginnings is present: speedy, almost thrash riffing, with violin on top leading the way, and play-on-words, tongue in cheek lyrics to accompany the music.