Ok, let me get this out of the way. I was, and am, a huge Van Hagar fanboy. I know, I know…sacrilege. When everyone else was screaming for DLR’s return, I was on the rooftops shouting “5150!!!”. So, you can imagine my school-girl like excitement at the thought of Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony making […]

Ironclad Recordings, founded by Unearth vocalist Trevor Phipps, is pleased to announce the signing of Chico California’s ARMED FOR APOCALYPSE; a band featuring the talents of former members of Will Haven, The Abominable Iron Sloth, and Ghostride. Ironclad Recordings is set to release ARMED FOR APOCALYPSE’s debut full-length studio album Defeat in the US and […]

At a time when music seems to have lost some of its distinctiveness, Brooklyn’s jazzed-infused-metal experimentalists, Candiria, are back and once again ready to cross the lines of convention as they release a four volume set of rarities and remixes, “Toying With the Insanities“. Volumes One and Two of “Toying With the Insanities” will be […]

That is right, sound the alarms: North Carolina’s sludge pillagers WEEDEATER have been confirmed as support for a full-on North American DOWN tour! The lineup changes throughout the routing; The Canadian dates feature secondary support from VOIVOD, while the bulk of the American dates feature THE MELVINS. Other opening support for the tour will be […]

Sydney Australia-based extreme metal act THE AMENTA will join VADER, DECREPIT BIRTH, WARBRINGER, AUGURY, S.W.W.A.A.T.S. on “Monsters Of Death Tour” presented by Decibel Magazine. “Monsters of Death Tour” kicks off on November 4 in Baltimore, Maryland and will run for 38 dates across North America, also marking the first North American tour for THE AMENTA.   […]

After 5 years of computer failure, illness, lineup-changes and countless other obstacles, Swedish progressive death metallers SKYFIRE will triumphantly return to unleash their long awaited 4th album “Esoteric” this September 8th in North America, 14th in the UK and 18th in Europe via Pivotal Rockordings. Bassist Martin Hanner comments on the band’s new album which […]

Since it’s formation in 1992, New Mexico’s Ultimatum has been steadfast in it’s pursuit of the Metal Dream. This is one of those bands that lives, eats and breathes Heavy Metal on stage and off. For it’s fifth full length studio release, the band has chosen to pay homage to some of it’s heroes and […]

The only thing more satisfying than human misery is a new Impiety disk. You know those days when you are mightily pissed off at the world, bright sun, not a cloud in the sky, smiling faces everywhere you look. Tourist season is upon us and in anticipation I have been out blasting Impiety in public […]

For a band whose whole shtick is rooted in the cinematic prog-synth of 70s forebears like Tangerine Dream and Goblin, nostalgia is an expected part of the experience. Although previous albums Cosmos and Surface to Air are fine on their own merits, they really hit home (at least for me) because they recall those bands’ […]

Let’s get this out of the way: FatTooth’s debut album is kind of a wreck. The riffs are warmed over like a tin of Dinty Moore beef stew and the songs sound like a bad fourth-generation dub of The Sex Pistols. Mixing Green Jelly, The Meatmen and cock rock is either an act of bravery […]

American Spellbound Tour to Kick Off July 4th MILAN, ITALY – Italy’s greatest musical export, LACUNA COIL, will make their triumphant return to North America on July 4th embarking on a five-week headlining trek with Kill Hannah, Seventh Void and Dommin. The much anticipated tour also marks the group’s first headliner of North America in […]

The much anticipated second album from Delain is finally here! Originally conceived by ex-Within Temptation keyboardist Martijn Westerholt as an all-star studio project, the success of the debut album Lucidity tipped his hand and Delain evolved into a full blown active band. With Charlotte Wessels on vocals, Ronald Landa on guitar and grunt vocals, Sun […]

Los Angeles, California’s We Are The End has inked a deal with Metal Blade Records! A relatively new addition to the SoCal scene, the band came together in June of 2008 with the timely meeting of Brandyn Love and Shaun-Matthew Paramore, and the eventual addition of vocalist, Spencer Aragon, guitarist Mychal Wright, and drummer David […]

Coexistence, formed in 2008, is a long-distance project between guitarist Gregory Giraudo and vocalist Carl Lindquist. One lives in South France, the other in Stockholm, Sweden. Considering the distance between the two, and the fact that the music was recorded in France and the vocals in Sweden, this four-song EP is not a bad little […]

It would be easy for me to simply cut and paste my review Obituary’s real comeback album, 2007s Xecutioner’s Return considering this has the same sort of throwback glorious artwork, sense of album ranging classic Obituary riffage, Ralph Santolla’s leads and oppressive, murky production that made Xecutioner’s Return so good. Ultimately that’s what most of […]

Don’t ask Mike Scalzi about the true metal scene or his presumed secret formula for penning Celtic inflected “cult” heavy metal. A shit he does not give, as such conjecture presupposes premeditation. As guitarist/vocalist/leader of Slough Feg he simply writes what comes naturally and the “secret” is no secret at all. The inspiration comes from the Big Three of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest, and the delivery just happens to have a unique, Celtic folk slant. It really is as simple as that. Just spin the outstanding new release Ape Uprising and give it some thought; you’ll hear it, trust me. As you’ll see, I didn’t have to say a whole hell of a lot to elicit a marathon response; or maybe I’m just that good. Nah, I just caught him in the right mood and moment. Onward we go.

This album is one fucking weird cocktail of styles. Stoner rock mixed with a vocalist similar to John Joseph (Cro-Mags) and tiny touches of crust added in for good measure. As I judged this book by its cover I thought I was in for a d-beat treat, mainly because the cover art and layout are […]

Poland’s Pagan Records did not have to go far to farm their fellow countrymen Gortal from their own back yard. Occasionally the “homeboy syndrome” clouds a label heads judgement and I’m happy to say that does not appear to be the case with Gortal. These fuckers and this recording deserve the contract. When I put […]

Listenable recording artists SYBREED to tour America beginning July 17th!!!  In anticipation for their forthcoming The Pulse of Awakening, due for domestic release this fall through Listenable Records, Swiss industrial-metallers SYBREED will be embarking on a month-long, nationwide tour alongside THREAT SIGNAL, THE AUTUMN OFFERING, and THE AGONIST. Here are the confirmed dates/venues thus far: […]

So here is the first and last album from Amesoeurs, another genre pushing French act featuring Neige from Alcest and Peste Noire fame, and if you enjoy Alcest’s gentler take on black metal as well as the current trend of organic artistic black metal like Wolves In The Throne Room, Fen and Altar of Plagues, […]

The first thing that grabs you with Battle Dagorath is the Christophe Szpajdel  logo. Next is the fact that they fail from California. Sure they have mountains out there but not really the land of Cosmic Frozen Landscapes. Another notable tidbit, at least for us Vinterriket fans, is that Christoph Ziegler is the keyboardist. Eternal […]

Finland’s heavy metal superstars CHILDREN OF BODOM will return to North America this fall to headline a massive, month-long tour. The award-winning band, which features front man and world-renowned guitar hero Alexi Laiho, will launch the tour on Friday, September 18 at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI. Presented by ESP Guitars and Spinefarm Records […]

Canada’s Aeternam has joined the Metal Blade roster! Formed in 2007 in Quebec City, Aeternam has been preparing to unleash their very own brand of epic death metal upon the world. Combining classic death metal songwriting with epic melodic soloing and middle-eastern influences, Aeternam has fine-tuned its craft and made it into a perfect blend […]

I was only recently introduced to Ireland’s Primordial by way of 2005s The Gathering Wilderness and 2007s To the Nameless Dead, and only in the last month or so have I had a chance to go back and check out the Candlelight reissues of 2000s Spirit the Earth Aflame and 2002s Storm Before Calm. However, […]

I like what Tribunal records has done recently; Asecretdeath’s impressive debut, re-releasing Inferi’s solid 2009 self released debut then re-issuing two of 2008s better self released efforts; Iron Thrones’ brilliant Visions of Light, and the self titled debut EP from this young but immensely talented Denver, Colorado quartet. Though only 4 songs and 18 minutes in length, […]