Beginning life in 1991 as an ultra-heavy, distorted, Drone Doom band, Earth created some of the most mind-numbingly massive instrumental music on the planet. As the years went on Earth found itself developing a few more textures & different tones, yet the band has lost none of the atmosphere it has always been known for. […]

Arguably the most hyped folk metal band of recent memory, Switzerland’s Eluveitie, to coincide with the upcoming Paganfest tour have released their second full-length album on Nuclear Blast and while an entertaining album, Heidevolk’s upcoming Walhalla Wacht is a far superior release as is most of Napalm’s ‘real’ folk bands. The problem is, despite the […]

I think from the time that Max Cavalera left his brother Igor and Sepultura behind in 1996, the entire metal world knew that at some point the two would reunite, either in Sepultura, or in a new project. In his absence, Max spent his time in Soulfly, a band that I was never really sold […]

 Arguably one of the more popular of the new wave of American Metal Acts, Unearth have released this 2 disc DVD to their adoring fans (or a Metal Blade contract filler?), as a stop gap between III: Into the Eyes of Fire and the next no doubt huge album.The main part of the 2 disc […]

As a rule, I generally don’t care for live albums or live DVD’s.  The live metal experience is meant to be seen and heard in person, not via speakers or television.  However, one of the exceptions is Iron Maidens now legendary 1985 release, Live After Death. Recorded over 4 nights at the Long Beach arena […]

I was intrigued when I heard the opening single “Shockwave” from Black Tide’s debut record. Sure, the lyrics were a little corny, but it was hard to get the chorus out of my head anyway. So, I’m torn when listening to the full record. On the one hand, after years of tuneless screaming from new […]

Slap a sticker on the front that says this record will appeal to fans of Savatage, Queensryche and Evergrey, and you’ve got my attention. Of course, then you’ve got a promise to deliver on, and unfortunately Nation Beyond doesn’t. A concept album set following nuclear apocalypse (how original), The Aftermath Odyssey admittedly has its moments, but  […]

 Swedish metal titans IN FLAMES have made their new album, A Sense of Purpose, available for streaming in its entirety on the band’s MySpace page.  Check it out now at this location.      A Sense of Purpose will see an April 1, 2008 North American release date via Koch Records.  The record was recorded at the […]

Sheesh-I must be getting soft in my old age with the likes of Protest the Hero, Eyes Set To Kill, November 5, 1955, Bury Your Dead and this unassuming yet highly addictive release from Kingston Falls recently getting more airplay than the likes of excellent releases from the likes of Origin, Azaghal and Leviathan. Named […]

Taking two recent vinyl only releases and putting them into one CD is Seventh Rule’s typically noisy and gnarly Chicagoans, Indian who deliver a middle ground effort of rumbling, sludgy, occasionally shoegazer styled metal, that won’t really impress anyone other than fans of the genre, despite its cool artwork. Tracks 1-4 comprise the Slights and […]

There are defining moments in history when you will always remember where you were when it happened; Pearl Harbor, the Berlin Wall coming down, JFK’s assassination, the release of Scandinavian Metal Attack. This short 36 minute album was written in 2004 as a tribute to Bathory but did not get recorded until now. Lord Sargofagian […]

Oh how dearly I miss Strapping Young Lad. Their over the top extremity, and of course the ridiculous/hilarious lyrics of the madman Devin Townsend, I just can’t get enough. The announcement from Townsend that SYL would be going on extended hiatus was both shocking and severely disappointing, especially considering their (at the time) recent spike […]

I really hate writing reviews of albums that I find just ‘average’. There’s just nothing to say, whether it be good or bad. It’s easy to blather on about an album you absolutely love, and it’s also really easy to trash and pick apart the worst ones. With that said, here’s Before the Dawn’s Deadlight, […]

After a mini slew of solid records dating back to the likes of Harlots, The Concubine and Veil Of Maya, Corrosive Recordings have a bit of a miss here in the form of Arizona’s so called ‘Botch n Roll’ noise mongers, Blues and their debut album. Frenetic and jarring with moments of Bluesy, Southern rawk, […]

Where as the release from label mates Get Back Up was a more uplifting form of contemporary hardcore, Milwaukee’s Shitt Outta Luck is their drunk, nasty, pissed of and dirtier older brother… With members of Wings of Scarlet and Die Alone in their ranks, Shit Outta Luck deliver a grimier, more punk and booze fueled […]

You’ll have to bear with me, I have a handful of hardcore CDs I have to review in order to get them out of my mp3 player, the first of which is Buffalo, NY’s, contemporary hardcore act, Get Back Up and their 9 track ‘full length’ debut. And like the album, this review will be […]

The press notes from the debut album of Thieves & Liars proudly proclaim that rock ‘n’ roll is not dead. If this is the best it has to offer, though, it’s certainly on life support. A concept album, When Dreams Become Reality is a muddle of 1970s retro rock that, by and large, gets the […]

So after recently re-issuing 2004’s Burning The Born Again and 2006’s Satanic Grimoire: A Greater Black Magick. Moribund has unearthed and dusted off veteran Colorado underground act Satan’s Host, whose discography dates back to 1986 without any sort of real fanfare or groundbreaking releases, and that hasn’t changed with their new offering. Apparently, the band […]

Though Moribund Records is often more known for its ambient black metal roster, they also seem to have a boner for gnarly old school black/death metal like Drawn and Quartered, Hacavitz, Summon, Godless Rising, Satan’s Host and Canada’s Grimbane. Consisting of main man Barbarous who some may recognize from the his days in War metal […]

When I got this promo I did not recognize the logo but the name seemed familiar. Upon looking them up it turns out they are from Israel, though the members are Russian. I rifled through my collection and came up with two albums of basic Hellhammer/Celtic Frost worship, done with unequal parts alcohol and inspiration. […]

Satan’s Host “Burning the Born Again” I first learned of this band back in 1996 through tape trading. I friend was really interested in Einherjer’s, Dragon’s Of The North, but had nothing of interest to me so I let him choose something. He made me a tape of Jag Panzer’s Dissident Alliance and being a […]

This is Moribund’s second reissue of American thrash band Satan’s Host. This album was first released in 2006. According to the press release this is mandatory for fans of Slayer, Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir and Nile. Being a fan of the early material of the first two and not a fan of the last two might […]

*Sigh*- the things I do as a CD reviewer. Man, you guys are gonna rip me a new one… First off, I was in Hot Topic (I know, I know) and this was on the speakers, and asked the tattooed young scenster behind the desk if it was In This Moment, and she said no, […]

What exactly are they putting in the water in Finland? This is a question I ask myself repeatedly with each new band from there that I stumble upon. I don’t think I’ve heard a single band (OK, maybe one or two) from Finland that I haven’t liked to some degree, and The Scourger is one […]

Coming from the same mold as bands like Brand New Sin — a blend of old school hard rock, metal, southern influences and gruff vocals — Sin Dealer’s sophomore album Dying to Live is certainly interesting. There are some good grooves, memorable melodies and a nice cover of AC/DC’s “Walk All Over You.” But there’s […]