Tag: USA

  • HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE: The Metal Blade Reissues

    San Francisco’s Hammers of Misfortune have recently signed to Metal Blade, and as a result, the label has reissued their entire back catalogue in hopes that it will get the due recognition it missed the first time around. With no expectation and no foreknowledge of the band, I tossed myself in at the deep end…

  • Soilwork/ Death Angel/ Mutiny Within @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, July 19 2010

    “On this occasion, however, while I certainly felt overindulged, I enjoyed the sonic gluttony. Whereas Death Angel left me feeling like the insides of my ears had been coated in burning pitch, Soilwork brought a delicious coolness to the show. Their bluesy, melodic death metal proved to be an excellent foil to Death Angel’s performance.…

  • Cynic – Re-Traced

    This EP plays a lot with the dynamics of sound. The interplay between loud and quiet, digital and analog creates rich waves of tension and release. I was struck by the depth of each of the tracks, not just in terms of the layers of sound but also the thought and care that went into…

  • Helstar – Rising From The Grave

    Helstar could have been a much bigger band if the songs had just been a bit stronger. Rising From The Grave is an enjoyable listen though and it’s easy to get carried away in Rivera and company’s enthusiasm and skill.

  • Apostle of Solitude @ The Bug Jar, Rochester, NY, July 22, 2010

    Jared Hynes reviews the July 22, 2010 performance by APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE at the Bug Jar in Rochester NY

  • Hellbound Handshake Clip Of The Week: JUCIFER Drum Cam From MDF 2010

    Installment number five of the Hellbound Handshake Clip Of The Week is JUCIFER drum cam footage from Maryland Deathfest 2010

  • Blackwolfgoat – Dragonwizardsleeve

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

  • Halford: The Metal God Never Rests

    “I’ve done it all, I’ve been it all, I’ve seen it all – these are like the bonus rounds as far as the opportunities go. Personally, I’m having the time of my life right now just doing what I really want to do. That’s a nice feeling, and having all the fans supporting Priest and…

  • 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…

  • Landmine Marathon @ Club Diablo, Buffalo NY, July 11, 2010

    Live, this band kills. Although Buffalo didn’t offer the shot of adrenaline Landmine may have been looking for at this point in their tour, the band rallied and took it upon themselves to personally inject audience members with a shot of straight up, blood curdling horror; extreme music at its best. The set was short…