It does not take genius to figure out that Atten Ash founder James Greene is a fan of Daylight Dies. He and the band hail from the same state (North Carolina), play a form of emotive, melancholy death/doom metal, and to top things off, he recruited current Daylight Dies guitarist Barre Gambling to play guitars and […]

You’d think with Flo Mournier of Cryptopsy fame on drums (taking over for the ubiquitous Dirk Verbueren) and Oliver Pinnard (Cryptopsy, Vengeful, ex-Neuraxis) on bass, the second album from New Hampshire’s Solium Fatalis (Fatal Throne?) would be a Canadian inspired, brutal tech death metal vortex of chaos. But its not. And that’s not a bad thing. […]

For three albums now, The Netherland’s Carach Angren has been arguably the top symphonic black metal band on the block, being the arguable heir apparent to Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir. Dense theatrics, cinematic atmospheres and deft story telling normally of ghost or apparition themed concepts have driven albums like the debut, Lammendam or 2010s nautically themed […]

The release schedule is usually pretty quiet at the beginning of the year. Wisely, most bands wait until the dust settles on the year that has just passed, before dishing up a new album. So traditionally it’s a slower period, with a sizable chunk of listening time reserved for bygone classics and catch-up releases.  However, […]

Considering my love of folk metal and all things epic, especially the sort that deals with history and historical writings, I have no idea how the Icelandic/German trio Árstíðir Lífsins (meaning seasons of life), featuring members of Germany’s Helrunar and Iceland’s Skendod,  is just now becoming known to me. Especially when an album like, Aldafǫðr ok munka dróttinn (Odin […]

Portland, Oregon is notorious for great riff/doom/stoner/whatever ya wanna call it bands.  I’m not going to make you a list of cool stuff from the region I’ve been turned onto because the task would take up the entirety of this write-up.  Also, I’m not going to discuss the origin of Black Pussy’s name because every […]

There’s no question, when it comes to crumbling, monstrous death metal, Dark Descent records simply can’t be fucked with. However, when going out side the realms of death metal, I tend to get a little less enamored with the label’s releases. The likes of Gravehill, Craven Idol and Crypt Sermon, while respected releases in their […]

We all know what non-old school “death metal” sounds like in 2015.  I’d like to think we’re all bored of it.   I’d like to think we can make it savage again without moving backwards, since the idea of moving forwards in 2015 is more notes, more chugs, more sweeps, more frills, less substance.  Less “songs.”  […]

Ive enjoyed watching Germany’s Finsterforst (Dark Forest) evolve from a pretty blatant, if incredibly enjoyable Equilibrium clone  on their first two releases into a more epic, rangy and cinematic mix of Moonsorrow and Bathory, as heard on 2012s Rastlos, where the band delivered vast 20 minute songs and more epic orchestration, clean choirs and mid paced […]

– March 24th, 2015 – Preorders + Teaser Track Unveiled Swedish death metal overlords, ENTRAILS, will unleash the putrid fruits of their newest studio offering this May via Metal Blade Records. Fittingly dubbed, Obliteration, the follow-up to 2013′s Raging Deathfull-length was tracked by guitarist Jimmy Lundqvist at his own “Bloodshed Studios” and mixed and mastered […]

Some metal reviews require expanded length, detailed analysis and thoughtful examination.  Other metal reviews demand brevity, tough talk and all hyperbole checked at the door.  In the case of Denmark, Copenhagen’s Halshug and their Southern Lord debut Blodets Bånd I won’t be pushing the boundaries of the written word.  Simply put, this is crust punk […]

      Canadian powerhouse KATAKLYSM is set to release their twelfth studio album Of Ghosts And Gods this summer on Nuclear Blast.   The new artwork from KATAKLYSM‘s explosive new album was done by up-and-coming dark and macabre artist  Art by Surtsey (www.facebook.com/ocvltadesigns). The new KATAKLYSM album cover echoes a sinister artwork depicting the reality of […]

Since 2006’s watershed album, Armada, Norway’s Keep of Kalessin have teased with utter brilliance mired in mediocrity. Truly epic, brilliant songs like “Armada”, ‘Crown of the Kings”, “Dragon Iconography”, “The Rising Sign” or “The Divine Land” littered the last three albums and while 2010’s Reptillian seemed to remedy the peaks and valleys of the band’s […]

Comedy and metal are odd bed fellows and the end results can be very hit or miss. I mean before Dethklok you have to go back to Crotchduster and before that possibly Lawnmower Deth ,Green Jelly and even Spinal Tap to find credible examples.  And Arizona’s Psychostick are the very epitome of hit and miss. The balance […]

I don’t think many of us will dispute the fact that the Fins know their metal.  They’ve given us headbangers a lot to enjoy and admire over the years, and the pattern has continued long beyond the storied bands of old.  Named after a King Crimson song, and often billed straight to the chin as […]

Considering Daniel Ekeroth is the author of the genre’s bible, ‘Swedish Death Metal’, and expert historian on the genre, the 2012 debut of his band Usurpress , Trenches of the Netherworld was surprisingly mediocre. However, with the band’s second album he appears to have righted the ship, even if taking a little bit of a tangent. Taking […]

Reunited New York death metal legion, SKINLESS, will defile the ears of the living this June with their first new studio offering in nearly a decade. Titled Only The Ruthless Remain, and featuring their classic late ‘90s lineup, SKINLESS returns stronger and more vicious than ever before with a prime slab of truly brutal death metal. Recorded […]

It’s always a bit odd writing a review for something that involves someone who writes for this site, or I have a friendship with. Critiquing their music and life work seems more difficult when you somewhat ‘know’ the person. In the case of Wisconsin’s Ara, a technical death metal band featuring our own Jerry Hauppa, a gentleman […]

Despite being a few weeks into 2015, the late 2014 releases are still rolling in. And while the fourth album from the Czech Republic’s Destroying Divinity (yes , the Monstrosity song), isn’t a game changer, and probably would not have adorned many 2014 year end lists, it is a very good death metal album that […]

Denver’s In The Company of Serpents are a guitar/vocals (Grant Netzorg) & drums (Joseph Weller Myer) duo that bring a certain flair of rhythm and blues to the tried and true sound of doom/sludge/stoner metal. In 2014 they released Merging in Light, a 3 song EP that continues what they established on their previous releases […]

With Californian death-metal-bulldozer FATALIST, FDA Rekotz have added another high-quality band to their already stunning roster. FATALIST plow up the underground since 2006 and can be described as the American answer on bands such as Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Unleashed, etc. Neil Burkdoll on the deal with FDA Rekotz: “Wes and I are very happy and […]

It would be easy for a casual death metal listener or fan to look at Scarab‘s moniker, imagery, song titles like “Calling Forth the Ancient Spirits of Kemet”, “Days of a Burial Mask”, and “Funeral Pharaoh” and long song runtime and instantly assume these guys are a Nile ripoff. And to some extent that’s true, […]

That special, swampy brand of metal that only seems to come from New Orleans is a sound I just can’t deny.  Even whenever the musical genre in question happens to be grind/death metal you can always expect a murkier, muddier take on the style if it’s Louisiana bred.  Gristnam features members of doom grinders Haarp […]

Back in 2007, the UKs Sarpanitum released one of the best debuts from a UK death metal band of recent memory, Despoilment  of Origin. It was released on Galactic Records, the label owned by Leon Macy the founder of fellow UK death metal act Mithras, who also were making quite a stir in the death metal scene […]

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, if that’s the case, Lord K Phillipson and his entourage in The Project Hate, should be flattered as fuck by Canadian Robert Kukla and his band, Arbitrator and the debut full length album, Indoctrination of Sacrilege. Now don’t get me wrong-I have no problem with flattery, homage and […]