For $5 how can you go wrong? That may depend on whether your life revolves around daily financial decisions concerning choices between items like a pack of Pall Malls and diapers for your woefully neglected infant. But for the rest of you, Vanhelgd’s Church of Death is a steal at that price. Old school and […]

That ominous rumble you’re hearing in the distance is not a thunderstorm forming somewhere in the east. It’s the sound of CIANIDE’s Gods of Death moving steadily toward you. If you’re a friend, chances are you’ll survive the arrival. Foe? Forget about it; assume the position and starting kissing your ass goodbye. The long-running Chicago outfit has been leaving bruises and abrasions with every release unleashed, but the ugly death marches and rotten speed-kills of Gods of Death (Hells Headbangers) will in all likelihood be the one to inflict the most damage on unsuspecting listeners, in some cases lethally. Vocalist/bassist Mike Perum offers some pointers that will help you prepare for the impending carnage. Pay attention; your life depends on it.

This is metal the Chicago way, baby! By that I mean Bones’ self-titled debut is raw, in your face, no frills death metal with a whole lot of dirty rockin’ groove.  It is a trio of ex-Usurper members Jon Necromancer (vocals/bass), Carcass Chris (guitar), and Joe Warlord (drums) that delivers this album of herb-enhanced, beer […]

Bassist/vocalist Jon Necromancer, drummer Joe Warlord, and guitarist Carcass Chris are veterans of the Chicago metal scene who knew exactly what they wanted to do when the self-titled debut from Bones was recorded. Screw pretension, fuck marathon studio sessions, and to hell with anything that isn’t made from a vocal, a bass line, a guitar riff, and drum beat. A power trio on multiple levels Bones brings it hard from note one, grooves it up, breaks it down to its bare essence, and kicks a ridiculous amount of ass in the process. Since all are ex-members of defunct Chicago legends Usurper, vagaries of that sound are present. But even more prominent is a bludgeoning, raw, and righteously rockin’ vibe that fuses the styles of bands like Master, Venom, and vintage-era Motorhead in a way that is 100 percent Bones. Jon Necromancer breaks it down even further for us. [DISCLAIMER: This interview, as well as the album review, was written before Bones became a client of ClawHammer PR, so don’t think for a moment that there is some insidious connection between the two.]

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 […]

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.

Roger “Rogga” Johansson (Bone Gnawer, Demiurg, The Grotesquery, Ribspreader, Paganizer, etc) is at it again! The multi-instrumentalist, composer, death metal warrior, and affable Swede, is pleased as punch with In Grisly Rapture, the excellent new album of catchy, horror-choked death metal from the Revolting trio. And he damn well should be! Everything from the music to the lyrics to the artwork is first rate and will surely end up one of my favorite death metal albums of 2011. Rogga breaks it down for us.

An interesting thing this nostalgia; it can make you blind. Take the case of Believer who in the late 80s/early 90s were recognized for their musically inventive, thought provoking style of thrash metal on albums like 1989’s Extraction from Mortality, 1990’s Sanity Obscure, and though apparently befuddling to some, 1993’s über-expansive Dimensions album. After 2009’s comeback album Gabriel and even more so on this year’s Transhuman (both on Metal Blade), many outside of the ironbound devotees were up in arms about the thrash part of the equation being pushed toward the background in the case of the former and all but eliminated on the latter in favor of a more melodic and song-based (though still progressive and full of great riffs) approach to metal. As it turns out, it was Transhuman that was my formal musical introduction to Believer, which allowed me to see things more clearly; that is, without the distorting effects of nostalgia. The fact of the matter is that Transhuman is a brilliantly composed, incredibly catchy and progressive album that still packs a punch with its meaty and inventive rhythms/riffs, as well as smart use of keyboards and beautiful atmospherics. Of course, the lyrical content about transhumanism and the ethical challenges arising from technological advances that are threatening to blur the lines between human and machine is absolutely fascinating. Of the hundreds of interviews I’ve conducted over the years, this one with vocalist/bassist/guitarist Kurt Bachman and keyboardist Jeff King is one of the most intellectually stimulating I’ve ever experienced. And by the way, you might want to reconsider the “Christian metal” tag that has been attached to Believer since the beginning, as it doesn’t really, nor has it ever, fit with the lyrical approach. Rather, that approach is one of intellectual discussion that touches on many areas, including the religious. Read, think, and form your own opinion. Don’t believe everything you read, except for the content of this interview of course.

Sweden’s Grand Magus occupies an elite place in the world of heavy metal. Every album is filled with the spirit of classic heavy metal and comes with those doomy shades that make the band somewhat of a unique entity. Bassist/backing vocalist Fox Skinner, guitarist/vocalist Janne “JB” Christoffersson, and drummer Sebastian “Seb” Sippola are ace players, the songwriting – great riffs, deep lyrics, catchy choruses – are built to last, and the albums are ones that are best heard as start-to-finish experiences. It was 2008’s Iron Will that knocked me off my feet, but the more I listen to Hammer of the North the more I think that it is at least on par with it, and when all said and done I may end up dubbing it the trio’s best work. Time will tell. But for now I thought it best to let JB tell the story of the album, including the track-by-track commentary that you’ll read below. By all means, proceed.

So I had this dream that Origin was playing in a venue that appeared to be part American Legion hall and part ornate concert theater. As weird as that sounds, Origin was performing as a seven-piece, including guys playing traditional string instruments. If I recall, it was some kind of record release party and nobody knew what to say about the new material. It didn’t end up mattering because the cops raided the place. I escaped in the confusion, but have no idea where I went next because I woke up and figured I better write this stuff down. Mission accomplished.

Welcome to the blackened, blasphemous, and incendiary world of Hells Headbangers. Welcome to the blackened, blasphemous, and incendiary world of Flame. You’re familiar with the phrase “fits like a glove?” Welcome to Hell. You’ll make all those connections within seconds of raging inferno opener “Black Realm of Satanas” from March into Firelands, a collection of […]

Please pardon the pedestrian nomenclature, but this is one of the coolest albums I’ve heard in some time. Honestly, every time I spin this sucker it never fails that at some point along the way the words “this is such a cool album” enter my mind. Is that so wrong or should I be showering […]

Vomitory has always been a quality Swedish death metal band (as in country of origin, not style) that never seems to get the amount of recognition so deserved of the unit. In the U.S. at least, some of that may have to do with the fact that they’ve played a grand total of one show on this side of the pond. Or maybe some folks just aren’t paying close enough attention. Still, many a devoted death metal fan is well aware of the quartet’s lethal approach. I’d like to think that Terrorizer Sodomize Brutalize brought the band a higher level of recognition, based in part on the level jump in songwriting and blazing lead guitar work of then new member Peter Östlund. Or maybe I just worship that album and any other thoughts are pure delusion. Following that bloody bastard was the dangerously ferocious Carnage Euphoria, which was released on Metal Blade in Europe, but saw no U.S. release (more on that below). But all is back in sync with Metal Blade now with the release of crushing new\effort Opus Mortis VIII, a carnivorous beast that in some respects blends Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize and Carnage Euphoria, albeit with a nasty disposition all its own. Let’s call it like it is, shall we? Vomitory was never about death metal reinvention, but they sure are consistent in making robust death metal albums that offer improvement and slight progression without any compromise when it comes to that skin-shredding, skull-crackin’ style of theirs. Just ask amiable drummer Tobias Gustafsson. He’s the man with the answers. Once you’ve finished reading, support quality death metal by purchasing a copy of Opus Mortis VIII; it’ll rip your arms off and then beat you mercilessly about the head and shoulders with them. It’s what you deserve.

Parental Warning: Explicit Language. You’ve been warned. You couldn’t possible come up with an album that is better described as “death metal punk.” Punk is the operative word, both in terms of Zach Rose’s (Nunslaugher, Crucified Mortals) snotty, fuck-it-all vocal enunciations, and the short, stripped down arrangements, which also share similarities with Nunslaugher’s primitivism. More […]

Well, my ears are still ringing after blasting this one on the MP3 player, so you know those black metal minor note “melodies” were pushing the treble reading beyond the red and into the abyss, as any USBM album worth its corpse paint should. Beyond the infliction of audio terror upon the listener, Bloodbath of […]

You’re a Deceased fan, aren’t you? I figured as much; I could smell it. Odds are that you fancy a bit of ye olde Slayer too. Am I right? Let us assume for the sake of argument that I am in fact correct in my calculated assumptions and throw in the gamble that horror themes […]

Wormrot’s 2010 full-length debut Abuse kicked my ass six ways from Sunday. It seems I wasn’t the only one that left the experience with ass bruises either. In fact, Abuse and Infanticide’s From Our Cold Dead Hands (Willowtip) ended up my two favorite grindcore albums of 2010. The Dirge EP picks up right where Abuse […]

Now this was a fun and interesting interview. Well, we think so anyway and hope that you’ll agree. Considering Scott Alisoglu and myself both found the music of Wooden Stake – particularly new full-length Dungeon Prayers & Tombyard Serenades – to be an intelligently constructed (lyrically and musically), compellingly horrific, and rather unique brand of doom metal, we thought it a smashing idea to conduct a joint interview with bassist/vocalist/lyricist Vanessa Nocera. Vanessa constitutes exactly one half of the prolific pair and also runs the mighty Razorback Records with husband Billy. Wooden Stake’s other equally important half is ubiquitous guitarist/drummer Wayne Sarantopoulos, about whom you may have heard because of his membership in a multitude of other acts, including Decrepitaph, Festered, Encoffination, and Beyond Hell. All that’s left to do now is unleash the hounds, open the gates, let the games begin, and get this party started. Do it!

Feast your ears on Russia’s answer to Brain Drill, otherwise known as Monumental Torment. Yes, there is an element of simplification in that description, but it is far from inaccurate. More importantly as far as Element of Chaos is concerned, it is anything but derogatory. What we have here is an album spilling over the […]

Have you heard of Singapore’s Wormrot? If you consider yourself a grindcore fan and have not, then chances are you’ve either been in and out of rehab the last year or just haven’t gotten around to securing a connection to that new fangled thing they call the Internet. Debut album Abuse kicked a ridiculous amount of grindcore butt; rubbed raw, frothing at the mouth and dragging you through shortened, shocked, and sharpened speed blasts and crust crushes. Follow up album, which I incorrectly termed an EP, Dirge is even rawer, dirtier, frantic, and deleterious to the immune system. Guitarist Rasyid (and vocalist Arif where noted) checks in from somewhere on tour in these United States of America.

“Look, Larry. Have you ever heard of Vietnam? You’re entering a world of pain.” John Goodman’s role as Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowksi was arguably the greatest performance by an actor in American cinematic history. You may now dialogue. Can you read? The ability to answer that question grants you access. Go!

It’s not rocket science, folks. It goes something like this. A guy like Tomáš Halama readily admits that he enjoys old school Stockholm Death Metal and recognizes bands like Dismember and Entombed as the official representatives of said style. Then instead of pretending that it’s a bad thing to play anything based on an existing blueprint, he takes what he enjoys and does his damnedest to write it, record, and play it with the utmost passion and authenticity. That’s exactly what Brutally Deceased Dead Lover’s Guide (Lavadome Productions) sounds like: passionately played, well written, Stockholm style death that rumbles, gurgles, and stinks of rotting flesh. Who the hell is going to argue with that combination? Not I and certainly not Tomáš.

Looking for some straight forward, old school death metal with grooves and traditional song structures? If so, then stay as far away as possible from any of Ulcerate’s three full-length releases. The New Zealand trio is the quintessential forward-thinking Willowtip act, even more so than most other groups on the roster, not to mention modern death metal in general. Angular, shape-shifting rhythms, guitar work that is more about the painting of sonic pictures than popular notions of riffing, and a vibe in both lyrics and music that is suffocating in its bleakness. As such, The Destroyers of All is in fact all that and a bag of chips. Drummer/composer Jamie St. Merat, uh, opens that bag to reveal its contents…something like that anyway.

Burn from Denver’s Havok left a very positive impression on me and I considered it one of the better vintage-sounding 2009 albums of the thrash resurgence. Then a couple of years later Time is Up arrives and I’m thoroughly impressed with the band’s songwriting improvement and compositional twists, not to mention a thrash attack that is even more blistering and memorable. But the game-changer for me was watching Havok perform live at The Riot Room in Kansas City, MO as the second band on a bill that included Full Blown Chaos, The Absence, Malevolent Creation, and openers Beyond Terror Beyond Grace. On stage Havok kills with a conviction that I’ve rarely seen from such a young band. They play with the skill and chemistry of veterans and perform with the fiery passion of youth. I was absolutely stunned and would hate to be in any band that has to follow a Havok performance. So on to the Havok van we went to conduct the interview with vocalist/guitarist David Sanchez. Finishing off the evening with cheap tequila and 24 oz. cans of PBR didn’t leave me in the best of places, but at least I left with a vivid memory of the Havok assault.

It’s back and it is hopefully no longer infrequent. Isn’t this fun? “I’m having a great time…a great time.” Oh come on now! Old School? Get with it! Onward and sideways. Death to false metal and all that shit.