On their full-length debut Curse of the Artizan, Florida-based Artizan walk a line between the classic sounds of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and a lighter weight brand of power metal, detouring just occasionally for some prog. The results are mixed. When it’s good, it’s really good, but too often, it doesn’t quite work. Artizan’s […]

War and death metal have been ingrained within each other since the genre first started. And it seems a certain style of death metal has been associated with war. Sure there’s a few black metal acts and so called ‘war metal’ acts that that do the whole war thing, but I think most would agree […]

Abnormity finally unleashes their first full length of modern, brutal, slammy death metal to the masses in the form of Irreversible Disintegration. Their must be something in their vodka because Russians have a knack for creating some truly nasty ultra brutal death metal (Cranial Osteotomy, Abominable Putridity, Aborted Fetus). For some the constant barrage of […]

This little booger slipped through my highly efficient, organizational skills and structured teethofthedivine office space (i.e the pile of CDs and my daughter’s Disney DVDs on my computer desk at home). But a track randomly popped up on my Ipod warranting further investigation.. I’m not going to try and dance smartly around the divisive white […]

From Olympic to Crash to Napalm to Victory (and that’s only since 2004), Wisconsin’s death metal war machine soldiers on without missing a beat, much less taking prisoners. If you’ve not dug it to date, then Kill on Command may not change your mind nor does Jungle Rot have any intention of changing their patented […]

The Bay Area’s devastating duo BLACK COBRA have completed the recording process of their upcoming fourth full-length album, set for release in the Autumn months ahead. For the recording of this, the band’s second release for Southern Lord Recordings, BLACK COBRA recently ventured across the continent to pound out their anticipated new album, the follow-up […]

Color me blown away, bowled over, and knocked flat on my back by Running out of Daylight, the sophomore album from international metal outfit The Living Fields! Chicago-based, but inclusive of a vocalist in Jonathan Higgs (Monsterworks) that lives in London (and who has never met the other members) and a Canadian drummer (Chad Walls) that’s done time in death dealers Lecherous Nocturne and Brodequin (among others), the story of this band of brilliants is as interesting as the music is ridiculously good. Guitarist/bassist/composer Jason Muxlow (Earthen Grave) is the ring leader and the newest TLF Syndicate member is guitarist Samu Rahn. Progressive doom is the workable description, provided you realize that it there is more at work here. Masterful incorporation of strings (violins, cello, etc), epic arrangements, memorable melodies, tons of riff crunch, and the impacting versatility of Higgs’ vocals begins to tell the full story. You just need to buy the damn thing; that is, if you’re at all interested in owning one of the best metal albums of 2011. Perhaps the view from native New Zealander and London resident Higgs will paint you a clearer picture.

Trials are a modern metal band from Chicago. They’re not bad but their style of music is somewhat predictable; clean vocals, Pantera riffs, weird gothic talking and radio friendly everything else. Modern metal bands are a mixed bag, on one hand they can deliver extremely catchy music (All That Remains), but on the other, well […]

Technical/progressive metal band, WHITE ARMS OF ATHENA, have unveiled the cover art and track listing from their debut full length, “Astrodrama.” Recorded by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Human Abstract), the album will be released on August 16th, 2011 and there’s a special discount code available via pre-order through PROSTHETIC’s webstore, now […]

French black metallers GLORIOR BELLI have revealed the cover art and track listing for their new album The Great Southern Darkness to be released in North America on September 27, 2011. Commented the band on the new release: “The Great Southern Darkness has been recorded over a few months period and is comprised of 11 […]

Based in Glasgow, Scotland, the duo known as FALLOCH are a growing glimmer on the atmospheric, post-black metal horizon. Andy Marshall and Scott McLean united out of a desire to create music that conveys atmosphere and emotion utilizing an expansive backdrop of styles and sounds. Metal, post-rock, folk, with minimalist composers Yann Tiersen, and Arvo Part all factor […]

Man, after the bands 2009 self titled debut EP, I said I’d keep an eye on these Christian shredders in hope they would deliver something better. And boy did they ever! I didn’t quite see anything this good coming though. Adding a dramatic symphonic element to their early A Plea For Purging/ Woe of Tyrants […]

What is in the water in Canada? Between Gorguts, Kataklysm, Cryptopsy, Beneath the Massacre and numerous other, the hockey-loving country to the north has turned out a veritable who’s-who in the death metal world. And does anybody remember an unsigned band named Vengeful that dropped one of the best death metal albums of the year […]

Not to be confused with Sutter Cane (“Do you read Sutter Cane?”), Finnr’s Cane is a three-piece hailing from the frozen wastes of Canada (yeah, they have those there too), and if you’ve never heard of them yet, take note, because you’ll be uttering their name alongside other naturalistic black metal luminaries in years to […]

So Benedictum isn’t exactly a new band, but somehow they’ve flown under my radar until Dominion, their third release. My first impression wasn’t the best, either. When the techno-dance beat at the beginning of the opening title track kicked in, I thought perhaps taking this record on was a really bad idea. But by the […]

Right-wing yahoos in this country may still hold the French in contempt, but those of us in the underground know better. Not only has France been dominating horror the past few years with brutal films like Inside, Martyrs and the work of Alexandre Aja, but it’s also got its share of stylish, unfuckwithable metal acts. […]

Adam Kalmbach has been a busy individual. Since I reviewed Old Ways,  his third CD of impressive, one man black metal back in 2009, he has released 6 more albums under the Jute Gyte moniker, including a couple of atmospheric experimental albums. There obviously isn’t a lot to do in Springfield, Missouri (I can attest […]

I put this CD into my player with all my weapons laid on the table and ready to destroy. First there’s the title, Heavier Than Metal, which most certainly isn’t accurate. Then, there’s the fact that this is a group of football players dabbling at being musicians. That’s OK for a bar band, but it […]

After devoting late Winter season to writing and recording, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM are in the final stages of completing their fourth full-length opus of epic, earthen Black Metal ceremony. For over six months the Weaver brothers, Aaron and Nathan, have been immersed in the painstaking writing and recording process of their newest album, […]

I’ve developed a theory that you can’t stay angry or be in a bad mood while listening to Alestorm. In recent months, that theory has been sorely tested, but every time, the goofy Scottish pirates have managed to conquer my frustrations after a few songs. So, along comes their third record, Back Through Time, just […]

When it was revealed The Gates of Slumber’s fifth album would be a return to the old school doom vibe of their debut, and that former Sourvein drummer ‘Cool’ Clyde Paradis was on board, I had a good feeling. I got into them in a backward fashion, hearing their last album first and their first […]

Metalheads could and will argue about which Death album is the band’s best effort, although to no avail, because arguments could be made for all of them (I’m kinda partial to Spiritual Healing). However, I’m not sure many people would argue that the lineup on 1991’s Human was the best one of  Chuck Schuldiner’s rotating […]

Looking at the SAUNA OPEN AIR line-up is like taking a DeLorean for a spin; it’s a rad time machine back to the ‘80s. Or what else would you call a festival that gathers acts like Accept, Ozzy, Saxon, Doro, Helloween and Judas Priest together? Whatever it is, SAUNA OPEN AIR’s metalgrounds were filled with prowling headbangers―old and relatively young―craving for pure Heavy Metal.

Opening with a ripping guitar solo that hits with the force of an out of control machine gun. Instantly the glass shatters from the window that encases your lavishing frame. 20 seconds in and the murderous intentions seep through and kill everything in the blink of an eye. How is this done? Powerviolence! Weekend Nachos […]

Yup! Another Iron Maiden compilation that follows up to 2008’s Somewhere Back in Time – The Best of: 1980-1989. While I’m typically not a huge fan of compilations, for those that missed Iron Maiden‘s reunion and Bruce Dickinson era part deux, as well as a couple of Blaze Bayley -era numbers―slyly delivered as live songs, […]