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Weekly rundown August 05 – 2022
A short but spritely week all in all, compensating for the low amount of releases with some serious bursts of energy.
Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 3,5/5
Objective rating: 3,5/5This is no-nonsense, rage-induced death metal of the fast and concise variant. The drums are hyperactive and there’s plenty of meat to the riffs. The tone is consistently sinister, just don’t expect anything out of the ordinary.
Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army
Genre: Melodic death/folk metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3/5You’re never really in doubt of what to expect from an Amon Amarth album, although there are subtle differences in the flavor each time around. On this they’ve gone in a more NWOBHM-direction, focusing on memorable melodic riffs and choruses without getting overly anthemic like on some of their previous records. It succeeds to a certain degree, seeing them explore new, more nuanced approaches to structure and variation. A fair deal of aggression and intensity has been lost in the process though, so don’t expect an all out adrenaline rush. A couple of highlights would be “The Serpent’s trail” and “The Great Heathen Army”.
Bong-Ra – Meditations
Genre: Ambient doom
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is all threatening, contemplative, bass dominated ambience with a zest of disharmonic guitars and sax. It moves at the pace of a glacier, so prepare to lower your heartbeat.
Carrion Vael – Abhorrent Obsessions
Genre: Technical/melodic death metal/deathcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This one’s like a shot of pure adrenaline. The speed and intensity on here is such that you’d think the band members’ lives depended on it. But even as the guitars and drums rage, everything’s neatly under control. It’s structured and precise, standing with one foot in the melodeath camp and one within deathcore, sounding like a blend of Black Dahlia Murder and Shadow of Intent. They don’t quite deliver the same level of variation and innovation, but fans of those bands should dig this. Try “Disturbia” and “King of the Rhine”.
Dub War – Westgate Under Fire
Genre: Rap metal/hardcore/reggae
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Ready for a mix of rap, grunge, hard rock, punk and reggae? There aren’t any huge, standout tracks on here, but it’s entertaining all the way through, and their style suits this level of genre fluidity.
Early Moods – Early Moods
Genre: Hard rock/doom
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A grooved up version of your classic cemetery doom, this is packed with old school hard rock riffs without losing any of the gloomy attitude. The melodies are not the most memorable, which is one of the few things holding it back.
Ether Coven – The Relationship Between The Hammer And The Nail
Genre: Sludge/doom metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5This one initially struck me as a death doom album, and it’s certainly brutal enough. But the brutality has a different, starker quality to it – rooted in hardcore and sludge. To contrast it the band offers up lamenting atmospheric sections that bleed sadness and wrap the entire soundscape in a dark veil. They’re really well composed and feel like deserved stretches of calm amid the harshness. The sound overall is rich and deep, lending a suitable gravity to the experience. Give it a go with “god Hates Flags” and “The Warmth of Your Bathwater”.
Fearsore – Bloedwyrx (EP)
Genre: Experimental electronic/industrial metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A writhing digital worm inhabiting a doomsday device with speakers. It’s weird and unsettling.
Grave Bathers – Rock ‘N’ Roll Fetish
Genre: Hard rock/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5An intentionally janky and jammy classic metal album with a hard rock streak and some tongue-in-cheek doom gloom. The production is thin and a bit tinny, relying on the vigor of the vocal- and instrumental performances to bring the punch. Which they sort of do, but it never reaches a level beyond retro charm for me.
H.E.A.T. – Force Majeure
Genre: Power/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 1/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Bottom-level Eurovision lyrics, overproduced and completely reliant on the vocal performances to get it absolutely anywhere.
Liminal Shroud – All Virtues Ablaze
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This band is really on to something with this one. The atmospheric sections are epically somber – wanting to travel to places far away to witness dark wonders. So when the blast beats and tremolo hits it almost feels like an interruption. Some more work on their composing skills and I reckon they’ll serve up something great in a few years.
Psycroptic – Divine Council
Genre: Technical death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5In a subgenre that is even more notorious than prog for putting its bloated-to-the-breaking-point instrumental talent on full display, it’s not too easy to stand out. Psycroptic does just that, and makes it sound easy. The thrash-infused, groovy riffs that are allowed to dominate and push the progression of the songs are so energetic they practically radiate enthusiasm. More importantly, they instantly provide standout character and an anchor to hold on to as the rest of the performances rage like a hurricane around them. The sound is crisp rather than full, and the entire album sounds focused, which is rare for this kind of stuff. Jump on with “A Fool’s Errand” and “Enslavement”.
Savage Master – Those Who Hunt At Night
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5When trying to stand out in the extremely well tried and tested genre of classic heavy metal you better be damn confident in your style. That seems to be no problem for this gang – incorporating a very particular amount of janky into their production and theatrics. It serves as an effective contrast to their highly competent instrumental performances and matches the pretend-solemn unholy theme they have going on. They play around with the song pacing to allow the music to breathe, which creates an organic dynamic but also slows things down a bit. Still, a strong contender for the doomy heavy metal crowd.
Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement – Constructing The Cataclysm
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A modern death metal offering bordering on tech death territory, where the hyperactive drum work outshines – and outpaces – everything else. They’ve got some maturing to do before landing on something truly memorable.
Soulfly – Totem
Genre: Groove/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5With all the projects Max Cavalera has going on these days it can get a little difficult remembering what exactly each one is supposed to sound like. But who cares as long as it sounds as good as this. It’s the thrashiest I’ve heard the band in a while, and it suits them beautifully, as the material radiates a to-the-point aggressive energy that keeps the groove motor revving all the way throughout. Sprinkling on some spicy guest performances and layering it all with those trademark tribal beats, squeals and effects, this is one flavorful beast. Dig into “Filth Upon Filth” and “Spirit Animal”.
Toxik – Dis Morta
Genre: Melodic thrash metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Thrash metal is usually quite virtuosic, but this takes it a step further, venturing into proggy territory with prolonged guitar solo work and odd combinations of spacy effects, shrieking vocals and disharmonic melodies, yet quite traditional rhythms.
Turian – No Longer Human
Genre: Experimental groove metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is a cool combination of groove metal proficiency, hardcore sense of urgency and a penchant for the jarring. The vocals on here are harsh to the point of being grating, and constantly wants to punch with the beat. Every now and then the musical progression skips onto a completely different path to explore hitherto unfamiliar territory. This brings with it a host of different moods ranging from jubilant to depressive. It’s an album you gotta be prepared for in order to fully enjoy, but with the right attitude, you will. Get a taste with “Snakehead” and “Narcissus”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown July 29 – 2022
Hardcore, experimental, black and death metal. Yep, not a week for the faint of heart. Remember to warm up your neck.
Banks Arcade – Future Lovers
Genre: Electronic/nu metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5While this isn’t the most original stuff you’ll ever hear, I feel like they made a genuine attempt. There’s enough attitude and imagination gone into the electronic meat of the sound that it rises above the typical accessible pop-flirting metal.
Bastions – Majestic Desolation
Genre: Hardcore/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5If you’re into experiencing emotional pain vicariously, then this might very well be for you. This is sullen, yet still pretty angry hardcore that radiates inner suffering. The dark streak to their sound goes as far as dipping into black metal at times, but it never takes a full hold. There’s not a ton of variation, so expect more or less the same gist across the whole album.
Belphegor – The Devils
Genre: Symphonic death/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Prepare your offering, but don’t expect to receive much individual ceremony – there are thousands gathering before this dark altar. This is not the soundtrack to some basement project summoning – it’s massive. Belphegor truly masters the art of expanding their blackened death with symphonic bombast without it sounding overproduced or overly melodic. Overall you get what you wish for here, but it’s a little lacking in knockout tracks. A little too comfortable sticking to the tried and tested perhaps. Still, the quality of this band is particularly evident on tracks like “Ritus Incendium Diabolus” and “The Devils”.
Black Magnet – Body Prophecy
Genre: Industrial/electronic metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Yes, industrial metal is one of those subgenres where being bleak and energetic at the same time is not a paradox. This is very evident on here. The rhythms feel like they’ve been determined by an A.I. – they’re catchy but robotic. There’s a fair but of noise and weirdness going on in a early 2000s angsty kind of way, which is nice and nostalgic but not very original. It’s consistent, but lacks a bit of punch.
Blacktoothed – Juli
Genre: Hard rock/alt metal/electronica
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5People keep making this stuff and people keep listening to it, so in a way I can’t fault them. But understand it, I do not.
Box – Cherry Blossoms at Night
Genre: Experimental/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Hooookay… there’s no point in having any assumptions going into this one – you’re not gonna be able to predict what’s on the menu anyway. There’s a certain darkness to it all, and a couple of the tracks are actually way into black metal and even grindcore territory, but that’s definitely not the norm. It’s electronic and a bit retro groovy, it’s tribal and a bit gothic. The vocals are mostly high pitched and clean, but adapts very well to whatever is happening at any given time. Definitely try if you’re looking for something a bit weird that’s not overly harsh or dissonant.
Cara Neir – Phantasmal
Genre: Experimental grindcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Okay, now if you ARE looking for something weird that’s overly harsh and dissonant, then we got that right here. This album pulls off the feat of being bat shit crazy and predictable at the same time, as, after a while, the relentless grindcore aggression overpowers all the avant-garde electronic noises and atmospheric effects.
Chat Pile – God’s Country
Genre: Experimental nu/death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5If you ever wondered what a massively expanded version of a Slipknot album intro track might sound like, this probably isn’t too far off. Borderline insane, agonized, spoken-word vocals, with crushing, sludgy riffs and death metal menace. Since it’s not all out extreme but varies in intensity across the album, each track is allowed an identity of its own, while still matching up masterfully with the overall theme. If you want your metal a little demented and death-doom-y but with the contemporary, social commentary-mindset of hardcore (a very specific ask, I know) then this hits the sweet spot. Check out “Why” and “Tropical Beaches, Inc.”.
Crystal Gates – Torment & Wonder: The Ways Of The Lonely Ones
Genre: Symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Fairly typical symphonic metal with a gothic feel and some rich, Finnish-style instrumentation.
Daidalos – The Expedition
Genre: Symphonic black/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Epic, high energy, yet still dark and somewhat austere symphonic black metal that’s plagued by a muddled production and trying to mix a few too many melodic elements at the same time.
Eosphorus – From Fire Into Birth (EP)
Genre: Melodic black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5No one quite knows how to make melodic extreme metal like the Swedes. The mixture of longing, bitter melody with Scandinavian folk elements, the brutality of death metal and rawness of thrash has proven a formula for quality material time and time again. This is no exception, and I look forward to these guys maturing their sound a bit. It’s a four song EP, so just blast the whole thing.
Funeral Chic – Roman Candle
Genre: Sludge metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Boisterous, bluesy, gritty yet carefree. A winning combination for a hard rock-level-heavy, dark and dirty entertainer of an album. There’s the essence of grindcore lurking constantly in the background, but this all about that rowdy groove. The identity of the songs are closely tied to the main riffs, but the it’s the overall tone that ties it all together. If you’re craving some of that Mötorhead rock ‘n roll attitude then you get that here in spades, just with a sludgy twist to it. Get pumped with “Satisfaction” and “Built to Love”.
Gallower – Eastern Witchcraft (EP)
Genre: Thrash/black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Lo-fi and shaggily executed, they still display some excellent speed skill and a talent for memorable melodies.
Haunted Horses – The Worst Has Finally Happened
Genre: Industrial/noise metal/punk
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Unsettling is a good way to describe this. Accusatory vocals, pulses of bass, distortion and interference, agitating drums. It’s dark and artificial, but definitely under control of a human need to stoke discontent.
Ithaca – They Fear Us
Genre: Progressive hardcore/metalcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Goddamn this thing is a blast! Matching raw hardcore vocal aggression with stabbing riffs and punishing beats, they certainly deliver on the energy. But they still manage an impressive degree of variation, both in rhythm and intensity. There’s big talent here in finding melodies that work with the nature of the song, describing a different, more mellow side to the violent picture. They do slow things down towards the end, making for a rather sedate close to the album, but overall it’s a fireworks display. Jump into “The Future Says Thank You” and “Cremation Party”.
Krisiun – Mortem Solis
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Now for some neck-exercise death metal. In the same vein as bands like Vader, this is all about delivering avalanches of meaty riff after meaty riff. You won’t find huge variation on here, but the songs still have more than enough character to stand apart, allowing you to confidently pick your favorites. Mixing the evil tone and brutal gut punch power of death metal with the speed and ferocity of thrash, you have a runaway metal train. Get on it to the tune of “Serpent Messiah” and “Tomb of the Nameless”.
My Sleeping Karma – Atma
Genre: Psychedelic/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5An instrumental album dreaming away into space. It’s fairly mellow, but also gets adventurous and medium heavy at times.
Oceans – Hell Is Where The Heart Is – Part II: Longing (EP)
Genre: Metalcore/nu metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5More expansive, massively melodic metal from these guys – nothing hugely surprising, but with the prog dialed down a bit. Going for more of a straightforward, slightly anthemic approach to their signature mix of aggression and melancholy.
Prosper Or Perish – Shroud Of Serpents
Genre: Technical/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Blisteringly fast and willing to serve up groove-laden riffs, these guys show off great technical prowess without fully crossing over into tech death territory. Yet it’s also not fully melodic enough to make a mark as melodeath, leaving the songs a bit hollow as they struggle to show off a strong identity.
Reeking Aura – Blood And Bonemeal
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Death metal with a slight progressive streak, though always returning to classic, slaughterlust, gurgling death metal. There are definitely interesting sections, but overall it’s still a little too repetitive and predictable to score the big points.
Stick To Your Guns – Spectre
Genre: Melodic hardcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Now for some hardcore that exists somewhere in between all out fury and the more accessible, melodic end of the spectrum, like Rise Against. There are anthemic leanings on here, which isn’t necessarily bad, but it doesn’t get too much in the way of the aggression, of which there is plenty.
Torture Killer – Dead Inside (EP)
Genre: Death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Catchy death metal with the dry, speedy delivery of thrash. The production feels pretty compressed, making for a fairly small and straightforward sound, but what’s there is certainly entertaining.
Triumvir Foul – Onslaught To Seraphim
Genre: Death/black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Now for some dark, chaotic death metal that sounds like it belongs in some underground sewer-chamber. This is hateful, filthy stuff that hasn’t seen the light of day in years. Don’t expect much reprieve.
Urban Primate – Desolation
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Lively, thrashy guitars and a good bit of groove on display here, with vocals that don’t go too far in any particular direction. It’s catchy and well produced, not too original but also not overly clichéd or soft.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown July 22 – 2022
It’s been a week of ups and downs. Of fulfilled promises and letdowns. The results are a few surprise highlights, a few “almosts” and a couple of real opinion dividers.
Artnat – The Mirror Effect
Genre: Experimental/progressive metal/rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5An altogether dizzyingly random, yet gentle affair. Spacey sounds dominate the experience, the rhythm shifts whenever it damn well pleases, and they’re at no point in any hurry to get anywhere in particular.
Balls Gone Wild – Stay Wild
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is raucous, straightforward hard rock to roar down the highway to. While not close to challenging any of the typical traits of the genre, it rides well with the groove and avoids some of the biggest clichés.
Castrator – Defiled In Oblivion
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Think “dark death metal” and you’ll probably imagine something quite close to this. In other words, it’s not the most characteristic stuff you’ll hear this week, but they have the sound down and stick to it consistently. Not brilliant craftmanship, but I’m sure they’ll get there.
Eciton – The Autocatalytic Process
Genre: Technical/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5As far as technicality goes, this is certainly a milder version of what typically springs to mind when you consider the term tech death. That is not to say that these guys aren’t extremely proficient, but it’s not the hyper fast mad-beehive-shred-fest that you might expect. Instead it borrows from groove and metalcore and focuses on precise, machine gun riffs and restrained melody. It’s aggressive, impatient and eager to deliver crushing riffs backed by an absolute drum assault. There’s not a super clear signature to their sound, but they’ve definitely got the groundwork down. Hop on with “Desperate Humans” and “Incarceration of Madness”.
Ernia – How To Deal With Life And Fail
Genre: Progressive grindcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A rumbling cascade of chugging riffs and hysterical vocals. This is one of those grindcore records where you can’t possibly predict where the songs will go next. If you’re into that sort of thing I think you’ll dig this.
Fame On Fire – Welcome To The Chaos
Genre: Hard rock/emo metal/pop
Subjective rating: 1/5
Objective rating: 2/5Noooope. Edge-less, sticky, whiny, over-polished stuff. I’m out.
Fight The Fade – Apophysitis
Genre: Alternative metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5While massively over-produced and simplified, they do succeed in creating a solid mood, and display true artistic talent. I’m just way outside the target audience.
GLDN – First Blood (EP)
Genre: Industrial/alternative metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Understated and underproduced, each song picks a lane and stick with it. There are traces of Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and more, and switches from unnerving to alluring to aggression.
Hatriot – The Vale Of Shadows
Genre: Thrash/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Maybe not as strong in individual song character as Kreator, this definitely has much of the same level of aggression, vocal style and death metal-esque brutality. There are sections in here that are pure old school melodeath, and you don’t hear me complaining. Where these guys really find their groove is in the all out speed assaults that dominate the record – it gets slightly more clunky when they slow things down, but this variation is definitely still a welcome addition of contrast to the structure. If you need more fury, choppy riffs and evil guitar solos in your life, you can do a hell of a lot worse than this. Check out “Verminous and Vile” and “Horns & Halos”.
Imperial Triumphant – Spirit Of Ecstasy
Genre: Avant-garde black metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 4/5I’ll gladly admit, I’ve not listened much to Imperial Triumphant before, so I’m throwing myself in at the deep end here. And for someone unaccustomed to their style and not being a huge fan of experimental music, this is fiendishly tough to get into. More demonic free-form jazz than actual black metal, it slithers and skips about as if intentionally trying to overwhelm you. In that regard, I’m tempted to call it a masterclass composition-wise. The soundscape is massive and terrifying, assaulting your senses with violently random impressions as you flail around in the dark. Subjectively, the biggest value I can attribute it is that I actively dislike listening to it. Objectively, it’s quite impressive.
Mosara – Only The Dead Know Our Secrets
Genre: Doom/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A slow and slightly agonizing affair – this is dark all the way through – like passing along a stone corridor of tragedy. If you don’t mind your doom dragged out, then there’s some good atmosphere on here.
Nebula – Transmissions From Mothership Earth
Genre: Psychedelic/stoner metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Fuzz and psychedelia for miles! It’s not every day you hear someone as committed to a style as this band. Everything is right, so to speak – from the vocal delay to the cushioning bass. And it makes for an immersive experience. They do lose a little punch in their dedication to authenticity, and you do have to be down with prolonged dwelling on slightly repetitive riff sections.
Nicolas Cage Fighter – The Bones That Grew From Pain
Genre: Hardcore/death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5The real question here is: Do you find yourself staring at the album cover trying to determine whether the face-shape there is modeled on Nicolas Cage? This profound insight aside, if you’re looking for something hostile, you found it. This one’s strutting with fighting spirit and doesn’t let down, but there’s also a clear desire to entertain. You can pretty much headbang your way through the entire runtime, and yet they never allow the rhythm to grow stale. There’s a bit of nihilistic melody as well, which adds character. The production leaves a little depth and clarity to be desired, but there’s enough punch to deliver that energy. Try “Coughing Nails” and “Shrine of Wire”.
Northless – A Path Beyond Grief
Genre: Progressive sludge metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5An agonized and nihilistic listening experience brought to you by deep, pounding riffs and anguished vocals, contrasted by moments of acoustic tenderness.
Oceans Of Slumber – Starlight and Ash
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5There’s been a substantial shift towards the non-metallic since these guys’ last record. And while that in itself might disappoint a portion of the fanbase (me included), there’s certainly no lack of musical prowess on display. The way melodies are massaged, stirred and electrified on here is exquisite, and the vocal talent that backs it up truly staggering. If you’re looking for a bit of reprieve, some rejuvenating balm for your mind an eardrums alike – this is it, and it does carry enough weight to give you a rush every now and then.
Palisades – Reaching Hypercritical
Genre: Alternative metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5While the vocal quality gives me strong Chester Bennington feels, and the overall tone of the album follows in the same vein, this certainly a different beast to Linking Park. Softer, more sensitive and aiming for a much bigger and more accessibly sound, it shows off strong melodic songwriting but lacks real edge.
Source Of Rage – Witness The Mess
Genre: Groove metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Fast, melodic groove metal displaying some excellent guitar playing dexterity, but unfortunately also a rather mediocre level of songwriting. The production is also rather lackluster.
Teethgrinder – Dystopia
Genre: Hardcore/death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is vicious! It sounds like hardcore that’s employed a death metal boost to push it clear off the pissed-off-scale. Sure, you have to get/skip past a 4+ minute(!) intro track, but from then on a near-grindcore pummeling awaits. There are a few more atmospheric and spoken-word parts, and they do slow things down a bit, but they also contribute to the feeling of doom and collapse.
Trog – Of Vomit Reborn (EP)
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Here we have some mock-spooky, classic crypt-death with hoarse growls and a top-notch evil quality to the riffs. It’s silly and primitive, but that’s what you want from something like this.
Villain of the Story – Divided
Genre: Metalcore
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5It’s a bit fascinating to see something this pop-core and accessible get away with the level of aggression on display here. Some parts are sniffing on deathcore levels of intensity, and then you round a corner and it’s all rose petals and broken high school dreams.
Void Rot – Telluric Dismemberment (EP)
Genre: Death/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is two new songs and some live stuff, so not a full meal by a long shot, but what’s there is good. Slow and atmospheric, but not dragged out, and everything feels geared towards achieving a very particular sound. Sounds pretty infernal.
Voluntary Mortification – Suffer To Rise
Genre: Death metal/deathcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is an absolute knife twister. The hammer blow drum beats and guitar chugs rush at you in mechanical waves and the vocals gurgle bile straight in your face. There isn’t all too much substance to speak of – more of an all out shock assault to your senses. But it’s certainly thorough.
Wake – Thought Form Descent
Genre: Atmospheric death/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Brace for the incoming tidal wave. This is massive, towering death metal that has embraced atmosphere like a colossus allowing an ecosystem of plants and animals to grow and live on it. There’s a definite blackened streak to the brutality, and while they get bleak and lamenting in places, it still feels natural, like they’re describing life at an abstract level and don’t shy away from the dark parts. The production is fantastic and really allows for the full spectrum of noise to triumph. They’re a little short on the truly unique, but overall it makes for a highly engaging listen. Go for it with “Swallow the light” and “Mourning Dirge (Repose of the Dead)”.
Witchery – Nightside
Genre: Black/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Bring on the bewitching black n’ roll! Witchery is back with some delicious, crispy wickedness to get your head moving. It’s exactly what you’d hope for, with a few twists here and there. Sometimes it’s blisteringly fast, sometimes it’s slow and sinister. But it never gets bogged down or skimps on the riffs or licks. I find that it’s a small step back on production from earlier releases, creating a more muted and contained instrumental sound, but it’s not a big issue. You feel like they’re calling you home to the very core of dark metal with this one. Smash on “Popecrusher” and “Crucifix and Candle”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown July 15 – 2022
Hail to the filth! This is a death and sludge week, bringing you dirty, crushing mounds of pure heaviness. There are exceptions though – dark ponds of cleansing cold – if you can make it all the way through.
Antigama – Whiteout
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is death-tinged grindcore that seems content to exist within fairly strict bounds of stark, rhythmic industrial metal. It gives it a kind of clinical and dystopian feel, with a few standout bangers.
Anova Skyway – Reset
Genre: Progressive hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A clean and slick sounding melodic “hard” prog rock. They seem more interested in exploring the softer, longing part of their sound, but the production and quality of the performances makes it feel a bit insincere.
Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture
Genre: Avant-garde black/gothic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5With a spoken-word, agonized quality to most of the vocals, and them being a bit detached to the instrumentals, this feels in many ways like a confession and a life falling asunder at the same time. It’s very avant-garde, so don’t expect a typical black metal experience.
Battering Ram – Second To None
Genre: Heavy metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A band with an ear for catchiness. The vibe is very rock ‘n roll, with heavy metal heft. The rhythms are very rudimentary and zaps the overall experience of energy, but I imagine it will sound a lot better live.
Behold! The Monolith – The Fathomless Deep
Genre: Sludge/doom metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A dark and mountainous record that, despite having threatening, beast-like vocals and a kind of lovecraftian horror-theme going on, manages to give off a mellow vibe. The riffs feel like smooth boulders rather than jagged rock, and the pace is mostly sedate. Still, mixing a doomy tone and a bit of stoner groove, it all seems to suit the intended purpose, and it doesn’t get bogged down in to o much atmosphere. Give it a go with “The Wailing Blade” and “Crown/The Immeasurable Void”.
Black Capricorn – Cult Of Blood
Genre: Psychedelic/doom metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Major fuzz-muzzle on this one – like hearing it trough a pillow. Thematically it feels ritualistic, with a primitive approach to rhythm and instrumental extravagance, making you want to stand up and sway side to side to it.
Celestial Wizard – Winds Of The Cosmos
Genre: Power/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5On paper this might sound like an odd combo, but think of it as an extreme power metal record first and foremost and that will allow you to savor all the juicy fun stored in those folk-y melodeath chugs. Honestly, it’s not too far off the likes of Ensiferum, just with the fantasy factor dialed up. The performances on here feel playful and adventurous, even though the material they’ve come up with is not particularly original. And while they’re definitely striving for the epic feel, they’ve largely managed to shed most of the cheesiness that comes with it. Try “Eternal Scourge” and “Revenant”.
Deathbringer – It
Genre: Progressive/technical death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A rather hostile sounding prog death project that’s got that typical tech-y, calculated approach to the rhythm and guitar work. Some of the songs are true experiences, going on twisted little journeys of their own, but mostly the whole thing feels a bit disjointed as they try to figure out exactly what they want to sound like. And then the gaps are filled in with largely unnecessary interludes. There’s undeniable talent here, though.
The Ever Living – Artificial Devices
Genre: Alternative/electronic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5An album flooded with moody electronic ambience. It’s consistently melodic and low tempo all the way through, with some harsh vocals and black metal-ish guitars forming the heavy backbone. It’s well executed but a bit monotonous.
Graveshadow – The Uncertain Hour
Genre: Power/symphonic/folk metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5An epic and soaring thing balanced out with some grit in the form of extreme folk and heavy metal. The vibrato vocals and eager guitars dominate the experience, over quite simple base riffs and synth laden melodies. It largely works vey well, but could harmonize better, and is a bit lacking in standout moments.
Hissing – Hypervirulence Architecture
Genre: Experimental death/black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 4/5I might be a bit influenced by the album name, but this sounds like a sped-up, horrific virus infection translated into audio waves. It’s an unsettling listening experience from start to finish – pummeling drums competing with deranged guitar work that sounds like a mix of a furious insect swarm and rock slide. It’s a maelstrom of chaos that effectively pulls you along and into it, trapping you inside a relentless nightmare world. If you’re looking for something outside the norm of blackened death metal then you’ve found it here.
Ian Blurton’s Future Now – Second Skin
Genre: Hard/stoner rock/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5This is a cool one. It’s a slightly trippy, slightly punky, classic hard rock experience leaning into stoner groove and just a laid back, creative approach to melodic exploration. It’s not hampered by any overly retro production gimmicks (there’s ample fuzz, relax), and just sounds fresh and inviting. The energy that shines through from the performances is infectious and will most likely put you in a good mood. What? It can’t all be doom and gloom, right? Treat yourself with “Like a Ghost” and “When the Storm Comes Home”.
Inhuman Condition – Fearsick
Genre: Death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5The classic death metal revival lives on in style. You could accuse these guys of being formulaic, but why would that be a problem if they’re following the formula for success? They have certainly struck again with this record, delivering restrained rage, extreme precision and a tone that is so fine tuned to fit their style, it’s almost too perfect. The rowdy thrash influence makes sure the tempo stays high and we’re treated some great, dexterous riffs and solos. It might not be inventive, but it’s extremely to the point and stylistically confident. Check out “Recycled Hate” and “Fencewalker”.
Lucid Grave – Cosmic Mountain
Genre: Doom/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A dissonant, lamenting affair that also feel like ritual chanting. There’s a disconnect between the vocals and the rest of the sound that I don’t think works too well, and even though they explore some different melodic territories, it takes a little too long to get there.
Mantar – Pain Is Forever And This Is The End
Genre: Sludge/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Ready for some nihilistic groove? This honestly feels like something Lemmy could have though up if he started out a little later and got influenced by the misanthropy of black metal. It’s got the noisy rock ‘n roll attitude, a bit of punk spite and a shade of gothic gloom. The songs on here have real character and stand on their own as individual highlights depending on your taste. They’ve got the production spot on, sounding dirty in a really clean and well defined way, if that makes sense. It’ll bring out your inner hooligan, this one. Try “Grim Reaping” and “New Age Pagan”.
Manticore – Endless Scourge Of Torment
Genre: Death/black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Some gravel-y and bleak blackened death metal that’s a little short on production and musical performance, but does fairly well on unholy atmosphere.
Maul – Seraphic Punishment
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5This is death metal that wants to get up and move. There’s a lively groove metal element to it, backing up the classic death metal body. Unlike many of their peers, these guys manage to go further than just deliver quality retro death – they infuse it with a style of their own. While it’s mostly quite lively all the way through, there’s an otherworldly, ritualistic flavor to it. There’s certainly uses of tribal instruments, but they don’t drag us into the claustrophobic chaos of the jungle, instead aiming for something more open and grand. It fits very well with the spirited musical performances, and makes for something macabre-epic, yet still down to earth. Definitely check out “Repulsive Intruder” and “Infatuation”.
Metalucifer – Heavy Metal Ninja
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is one of those that has the words “heavy metal” in the title of every song – on which there are only four, but in both English and Japanese versions. It’s very classic, simply produced stuff, but clearly made with enthusiasm.
Molder – Engrossed In Decay
Genre: Death/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Bring on the grime! This is one of those filthy, ragged death metal albums that just want to entertain from start to finish. Drop the serious face and just commit to the headbanging. Your neck will be sore for days. It’s got an unsettling vibe over it, but in a 90s B-horror movie kind of way. The production is crisp though, which give the guitars a real rawness but also highlights the relative simplicity of it all. Although, that doesn’t really hurt the experience in any way. Jump into “Disinhumed Carcass Revived” and “Ghastly Mutation”.
Palace – One 4 The Road
Genre: Hard rock/AOR
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Tropes and ballads for miles and miles. I’d rather walk. Not bad for what it is though. It’s bright and spritely.
Rain City Drive – Rain City Drive
Genre: Alternative hard rock
Subjective rating: 1/5
Objective rating: 2/5Silky smooth, teen-oriented, clichéd, pampered-emo kind of stuff. It sounds big and will probably reach a big audience, so they don’t need any endorsements from me.
Jason Richardson & Luke Holland – II
Genre: Shred/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is pure instrumental flexing. I’d say it’s predominantly a shred record, but they do rest the guitar acrobatics on a chaotic bed of extremely tangent-prone modern prog metal. Meaning it’s very much on a road to nowhere, but that probably matters little to fans of this kind of thing.
Scarcity – Aveilut
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is black metal very much matching its detailed black and white photo album art. Complex, yet stark and deliberately one-dimensional. It has an organic feel to it, but not in any sort of vivid or chaotic sort of way – more in the way that its intricate shape serves a simple, definite purpose.
Sick N’ Beautiful – Starstruck
Genre: Industrial/alternative hard rock/metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5If you like a bit of theater in your metal, but without the epic flavor it usually comes with – something like In this Moment but much more hard rock – then you’re up the right street. I’d wish for a bit more energy and attitude, but the industrial, alt/goth mix works fairly well.
Sinner – Brotherhood
Genre: Heavy metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5This is classic swaggering heavy metal in the vein of Accept, just with more sleaze. Song titles like “We Came to Rock” and “Refuse to Surrender” pretty much say it all.
Witnesses – The Holy Water (EP)
Genre: Atmospheric doom metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5It’s been a while since I’ve heard doom ride the line between beauty and austerity with such a gripping result. It’s soothing, spooky and at times quite powerful. The production is fairly clean, which fits the exquisite vocals and allows the subtle textures of the instrumental performances to scratch itches inside your mind that you didn’t know you had. There’s only three tracks on here, so just start at the beginning.
Xenoglyph – Spiritfraud
Genre: Progressive black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5This one comes sweeping in like a gale, but carrying with it the substance of a flood. There’s a feeling of cold indifference throughout, like these are natural forces at work – which can be both graceful and awe-inspiring. That being said, it doesn’t feel down to earth, traditional or folk-influenced- neither is it overly technical or artificial. It sort of exists on its own, mystical plane. There’s melancholy in the melody, a fallen majesty in the instrumental tone, and the mostly mid-tempo rhythm matches well with the atmosphere. Check out “Spiritfraud” and “Iconocide”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown July 08 – 2022
This week feels important somehow. The extreme side of metal stirs as from each of its twisted corners emerge a beast championing the hallmarks of its realm. Let’s see who ends up the victor.
Altaria – Wisdom
Genre: Heavy/power metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A very mellow power metal album with a classic heavy metal sound. The rhythms are simplistic and restrained, the melodies are classic sing-along and the vocals likewise. Definitely some of the tamest tuff I’ve heard in a little while.
Ardours – Anatomy Of A Moment
Genre: Gothic rock/metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This one is all about the beautiful, mildly sad harmonies. The vocals are great and the mood throughout the album a mix between early 2000s goth and more modern electronic rock.
Begrime Exemious – Rotting In The Aftermath
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Some necrotic crypt-death coming your way. It’s mostly made up of very familiar elements put in a fairly predictable order, added a bit of groove and kicked the vocals far back in the mix. It’s dry and slightly blackened, just like my toaster makes ’em. It’s not bad at all, but don’t expect any surprises.
Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters – Mythos, Confession, Tragedies And Love
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5They’re trying out a bunch of styles on this one. Building on the hard rock core there’s a bit of doom, country, folk, punk and alternative. Not all at once, luckily, but they dabble in all. It makes for a slightly confusing and inconsistent listen. Pair that with a lack of energy, and you’ve got a sound that’s really going nowhere.
Blackwater Drowning – Sonder//Satori
Genre: Melodic death metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Daniel Cordova wrote for Metal Injection that this sounds like a combo of Black Dahlia Murder and The Agonist, and it’s too spot on for me not to steal it. The riffs have that chug-melody to it and there’s a mix of heavy, chaotic parts and classic metalcore downtempo chorus sections. Everything sound a little bit thin, but also pretty well defined. What’s lacking a bit is a sense of adventurousness. It never really takes off to the sky or around a corner. But there’s clearly a lot of talent to build on.
Blind Channel – Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous
Genre: Hardcore/melodic metal/pop
Subjective rating: 1/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5This is pure sheep in wolf’s clothing. Packed to the breaking point with pop harmonies and riddled with copy-paste vocal lines. I’m calling for euthanizing.
Cleanbreak – Coming Home
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A project that sounds like it grew out of hard rock into high-flying heavy metal. This is melodic and soaring without being bombastic. They make the instrumental output work well for their purpose, so it sounds good, just lacks a little in ambition.
Crossing Rubicon – Perfect Storm
Genre: Melodic hard rock
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5An emotional, ballad-d hard rock album that channels a few too many of the excesses of 80s pop metal for my liking.
Dead Tired – Satan Will Follow You Home
Genre: Hardcore/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Here we have a successful marriage between hardcore harshness and bitter black metal. The two circle and cross each other, some times simply bleeding off a veneer of influence, sometimes coming together to form some dirty black ‘n roll that brings to mind the less artsy side of Satyricon. Some times it slows all the way into doom territory, some times they even manage to work in a bit of atmosphere. Some times they turn the attitude all the way up and turn into a kind of blackened hardcore reminiscent of Kvelertak. Had they also worked in a stronger, dark melodic theme this could have been something truly special, though it’s still absolutely worth your time as it is. Check out “Predatory Loans” and “Tyrants Palace”.
End It – Unpleasant Living
Genre: Hardcore/punk
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A super quick, riffy, gang-vocals-touting and hard punching EP that’s over before you know i–
Greylotus – Dawnfall
Genre: Technical/progressive death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5The sonic equivalent of an excessively spiky, swirling and tangled mess of a thorn bush that also has beautiful flowers on it. This is an energetic tech death album where symphonic-quality melody is allowed to permeate all the way through, every now and then blooming into exquisite guitar solos. This is also an album that loves to run off on progressive tangents. This helps to further prove the substantial talent of the musicians behind it, but does also create holes in the progression. You might find that there’s not much of a clear path through the album, encouraging you to live in the moment, as it were, and just take one musical turn at a time.
HolyRoller – Swimming Witches
Genre: Stoner/psychedelic/hard rock
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Mid-tempo grooves, slightly spacey melodies and a nice, full mix. This is cruise-along hard rock with a chilled out, but still knowing attitude. It’s all pretty familiar if you know the type, but they do know how to write strong, characterful songs.
Kanine – Karnage
Genre: Deathcore/brutal death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A slamming, gurgling chug fest from start to finish, this is one for you who just want to bang your head loose off your spinal column. It does utilize all the most tried and tested tricks in the book of stupidly heavy, and so doesn’t exactly sound fresh. And the problem with all brutal all the time is that there’s no contrast. But it sounds good, and if you just want damn heavy, you got it.
Left To Suffer – And Dying Forever (EP)
Genre: Deathcore/nu metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A mostly monomelodic, staccato-rhythmic kind of thing reminiscent of the angrier parts of hardcore. But they also switch it up with more hip-hop-influenced beats and effects, and also slightly softer metalcore harmonies. It seems almost designed to make a small indoor venue crowd erupt into frenzied stomping at precise intervals.
The Machinist – All Is Not Well
Genre: Metalcore/groove/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5This sounds more like seasoned veterans playing around with their carefully honed core sound than a young band looking to establish theirs. Which is impressive considering this only their second full-length. And it means you get all of that youthful aggression but also the mature wisdom not to stray too far in their experimentation. Their style is metalcore flexing into hardcore and deathcore, mixed with modern, groove-laden melodeath. It is more comfortable with dissonance than melody, which robs them of a little character, but they partly make up for it with strong lyrical content. Give “Monsters” and “Lysergic Lullaby” a try.
Opponent – Sentinel
Genre: Melodic groove/industrial metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Here we have some heavily riff-driven groove leaning into melodeath, but with a good bit of its melodic potential leeched by an influence of nihilistic industrial metal. Which makes it fast, aggressive, technical and fairly catchy, but also kind of soulless. Also, the production has left it sounding rather sharp and a bit tinny, further robbing in of warmth and richness.
Organectomy – Nail Below Nail
Genre: Brutal death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This one, like most of its ilk, is all about that sledgehammer rhythm, supported by a liberal use of kick drum and pummeling riffs. The vocals are surprisingly near-understandable, and the dissonance of the squealy melodies just the right pitch to take on that disturbing-evil vibe, so the whole thing doesn’t come off as overly gimmicky. There is, however, a kind of robotic feel to the structure, and I find myself sitting rather passive through the whole thing.
Pestilent Hex – The Ashen Abhorrence
Genre: Symphonic black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5This is pitch black metal symph-ed up in that tasteful, dark magic kind of way that only really the Finnish know how to do. And it’s not like they’ve gone nuts with the production or too technical with the instruments – most of this is that primal, mid-tempo march zazzed up with some blast beats and tremolo. The melodic backdrop is lofty in the way that a towering forest canopy envelops you in a world of dark, natural wonder. They sneak in a bit of that pagan folk vibe as well, without it clashing with the pained venom of the snarly black metal core. Give it a go with “Chapter II: Nature of the Spirit” and “Chapter VI: Banishment”.
Seep – Hymns To The Gore
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Some putrid, abattoir-dwelling death metal for you. The sound is primitive both in musical execution and production, which works for the vintage gore-horror theme. There is hardly any variation to speak of across the whole album, but if you just want a hit of morbidity, it’s here for you.
Set The Sun – In Absentia
Genre: Melodic metal/alternative rock
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is electronica-infused, slightly atmospheric, accessible alt rock bolstered by some djent-y riffs. It’s better than what I make it sound like, but it also exist beyond my horizon of musical interest.
Sweet Freedom – According to Jörgen Schelander
Genre: Progressive/psychedelic hard rock
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Melodic, old-school style hard rock that, at least stylistically, has one foot on progressive turf. The melodies are strong and lively, and the whole album radiates a mature kind of optimism.
Telekinetic Yeti – Primordial
Genre: Doom/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Here’s one that sucks you in like a vortex with no end. Once you’re caught there’s little point resisting so you might as well lean back and enjoy the ride. There are a few twists and turns along the way as the tempo momentarily shifts, but at some point you return to that steady, slow swirl. Metaphors aside, they strike a good balance between threatening fuzz dissonance and howling, squealy guitar melody to create a semi-surreal, dark kind of sound that sees you almost surprised every time there’s any significant change to the progression. Which doesn’t mean they don’t change it up every now and then, but the strong tonal consistence ensures that the immersion is top notch. If you like otherworldly doom with some crunch and groove, this is all for you. Try “Primordial” and “Beast”.
Vomit Forth – Seething Malevolence
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Now for something that sounds like it’s straight out of the nine circles of hell. Or rather, it feels like we as the listeners are transported there to be treated to the full filthy, deranged, torturous experience. You can even imagine the jagged riffs as the chomping and gnashing of some unspeakable horror’s teeth. They also employ sound effects, instrumental or otherwise, to fill the soundscape with snarls, groans, chittering, lamentation and other unpleasantries you might expect to find echoing around the caverns of the underworld. And somehow they don’t even come close to overdoing it. It’s disturbing and brutal, but still very much purposeful and even rather catchy at times. Take a dive into the inferno with “Eucharist Intact” and “Seething Malevolence”.
Wormrot – Hiss
Genre: Grindcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 5/5You know you’re in for it when even the “interludes” are fucking furious. This is by far the best utilization of the typical traits of grindcore that I’ve heard all year, even as the album transcends the subgenre at any point it so pleases. I’m not going to bother listing all the other influences on display, but know that there’s more than enough to richly flavor the duration of the experience without breaking with the sonic theme. This is not your typical concept album where you embark on one continuous journey. Rather it’s like running down a corridor lined with open doors, catching glimpses of the very extremes that humanity has to offer as you pass them by. The variation on display here seems a near impossibility with the overpowering core of the sound being unbridled ire from start to finish, but somehow they pull it off. Two tracks won’t nearly give you the flavor of the whole record, but start with “Behind Closed Doors” and “Voiceless Choir”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown July 01 – 2022
A rather meager week in terms of volume, but one that makes up for it with the weight of its heavy hitters. Better brace yourself – they’re pretty hostile.
The Bearer – Chained To A Tree
Genre: Hardcore
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This one’s brimming with go-nuts-energy. I can vividly imagine the broken teeth on the floor of the moshpits. This is a kind of blackened hardcore, with some cold tremolo and a taste of the occult in the theme. Mostly, though, it’s chaotic, dissonant and uncompromising.
Between The Killings – Reflection Of Murder (EP)
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5We’ve got some brutal death metal here leaning heavily on the morbid. The vocals are, as you expect, incomprehensible and the drums ping-y. The whole thing feels to be without much purpose, just a collection of heavy riffs wrapped in a disturbing tone.
Blood Command – Praise Armageddonism
Genre: Punk/hardcore/pop
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A record bursting with enthusiasm and immature spite. There is, however, more than enough maturity demonstrated in their composing skills and grasp of their stylistic direction. It’s catchy, raucous and just a bit experimental. Jump in if you like punky hard rock and the lighter side of hardcore.
Conjurer – Páthos
Genre: Experimental sludge/black metal/deathcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5This is one of those where, while listening to it, you can’t help but feel that there’s something terribly wrong with the world. It channels a darkness that feels familiar – not something imagined or superficial. And the anger it radiates seems to be rooted in anguish. Needless to day, this is not going to put you in a good mood, but it will almost certainly move you. The transitions from brutality to tranquility are chillingly well executed, and despite keeping a fairly slow pace you rarely feel like they’re stalling. Give “It Dwells” and “Basilisk” a try.
Downfall – Behind The Curtain
Genre: Hardcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is some quick, down ‘n dirty hardcore built on raw riffs and rusty vocals. The production lets them down a bit, but the attitude shines through.
Existence Dysphoria – Minus Negative
Genre: Progressive sludge/doom
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Heavy and unyielding as a bulldozer and abyssal in tone, this one will crush you into submission. It plays around with just enough groove to make it a rewarding listen, but be prepared for a ponderous pace and fairly repetitive rhythms.
Goatriders – Traveler
Genre: Progressive/experimental hard/stoner rock
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5This one’s far out. The players seem to be doing pretty much what they want throughout the album with little to no coordination or guidance. It’s disharmonic and spacey. Some might find it meditative, but for me it’s too directionless.
Haunt – Windows Of Your Heart
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Retro through the roof. These guys nail the tone on capturing that old school heavy metal spirit. It’s tight, fast and just a bit gloomy. There’s plenty to love, but – and this might just be me – is it too much, or wrong, to ask that the vocals harmonize with the melodies? And while there’s no question of technical skill, I find myself missing the enthusiasm on this one.
Randy Holden – Population III
Genre: Avant-garde/psychedelic/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5If you’re type of person that find yourself spellbound by an exploratory guitar backed up by a bit of atmosphere, then this is for you. This one goes places – trippy places to be sure – but it’s pleasant and fairly immersive all the way through. The tone is nice and nostalgic and the whole thing feels liberatingly carefree.
Horizon Ignited – Towards The Dying Lands
Genre: Melodic death metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Let’s just get one thing out of the way to start. This is NOT for fans of that original Gothenburg melodeath sound. This is far more modern and accessible. I kind of want to describe it as contemporary In Flames meets Believe era Disturbed, which has its pros and cons. Lots of good melody, great solos and catchy riffs. My biggest reservations are a lack of energy in the rhythm section and not too strong performances in the clean side of the vocals.
Hulder – The Eternal Fanfare (EP)
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Finally, some black metal that attacks the low-fi approach in an interesting way – dishing it out where it has the right effect and largely making sure not to overuse it. There’s such an intimate control over that “genuine” sound demonstrated here – knowing just which elements to tweak – a riff here, a tremolo shred there, a tasteful reverb to the vocals, a certain tone to the melodies. The result is something that sounds like a love letter to the musical highlights of the genre while sacrificing none of the depth of a proper production. Have at it with “Sylvan Awakening” and “A Perilous Journey”.
Kings Never Die – The Good Times And The Bad (EP)
Genre: Hardcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Some rousing, rowdy hardcore here. Lots of gang vocals, energetic rhythms and frantic riffing. It sounds just right and don’t descend into punk rock clichés. It’s fairly simple and straightforward and designed to get you out of your seat.
Massacre – Mythos (EP)
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Straight up, horror infused death metal on the menu. It sounds brilliantly spooky, but that still comes second in line to the absolute riff fest that’s allowed to dominate. It’s heavy, it’s crunchy and it’s angry. There’s not a lot more to ask for. Jump into “Behind the Serpent’s Curse” and “The Dunwich Horror”, and by that point you’re already halfway through, so just keep going.
Mexicoma – Kalpa
Genre: Hard rock/stoner
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A punchy stoner record with a hard rock kind of mentality to rhythm and lyrical content, but with a rough, groove-sludgy edge. Unfortunately they run out of steam about mid-album before picking it back up towards the end.
Municipal Waste – Electrified Brain
Genre: Thrash metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5For all of you who are keen on thrash keeping that youthful protest attitude alive and well in the music, rejoice! This one goes from brawl to brawl like it’ can’t get enough, and doesn’t pull punches – shredding like their lives depended on it. Which is great, but they also don’t switch up their fight moves much, relying on repetition and momentum to win the day (shall we call it button mashing?). If victory by any means is fine by you, and you reward tenaciousness over innovation, then you’ve got your fighter right here.
Orthodox – Proceed
Genre: Avant-garde sludge/doom metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5If you listen really carefully you can hear the odd vocal line down below that avalanche of fuzz. This one feels almost mechanical in its approach, like a rhythmically churning machine. Or some organic hybrid. It’s not easy listening, that’s for sure.
Greg Puciato – Mirrorcell
Genre: Alternative/experimental metal/grunge
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Alright, here we’ve got an artist channeling a wealth of influences into one churning maelstrom mixing them all up inside his own bay of sensibility. Greg’s got one of the strongest signatures in heavy music today, both when it comes to vocal character and composing, and it’s all on show here. It’s trying a whole bunch of different directions out for size, but pulls them all together with a distinct ribbon of flavor. Alright, enough with the metaphors – it’s sometimes heavy, sometimes melodic in a soulful, slightly pained way, and always expressive. In the end this is going to be a very subjective experience, but whether it moves you or not there’s still plenty to objectively marvel at here.
Saint Asonia – Introvert (EP)
Genre: Hard Rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Like you might expect from the caliber of these musicians here, this sounds great. Vocal prowess, instrumental tone, richness of detail – it’s all there. As far as the actual compositions go, that’s a whole different story. And your opinion on this EP is going to depend entirely on whether you care about this or not.
Derek Sherinian – Vortex
Genre: Progressive metal/shred
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Let the keyboard shredding commence. If you like to listen to what is essentially an instrument master’s (and friends’) jam session dressed up and given vague purpose, then this is for you. It’s wild, a bit bluesy, and mostly really fun.
Shinedown – Planet Zero
Genre: (Hard) rock
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A slightly rough-edged rock album built around a pop-sensible core and then bloated to the breaking point with largely pointless interludes and single-focus soft anthems. But then this obviously wasn’t made for me.
Swim or Drown – Torment (EP)
Genre: Hardcore/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A dirty and straightforward medium portion of hardcore that delivers on aggression and that raw, primitive riffing that gets you moving in front of the stage.
Thirteen Goats – Servants of the Outer Dark
Genre: Blackened death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3/5These guys hit a sweet spot with this one as far as I’m concerned. It sounds like they’re having fun playing with the subgenre, eager to get the sound right and less concerned with establishing a good flow or song structure. And I as the listener am having fun right along with them. It’s noisy, dastardly-evil and full of infectious energy. Sure, some of the song section transitions are about as graceful as Satan’s pet on rollerblades, but they usually lead to some great headbanging. Try “Return to Ruin” and “Vacuum-Induced Head Explosion”.
Tragos – Radix Mendosus
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A work of death metal that has a touch of epic tragedy to it. Unfortunately, it’s severely let down by poor production and some really odd choices in regards to melody, meaning it exists on a half-plane between melodic and dissonant.
Tuscoma – Gu-cci
Genre: Black/experimental metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5I feel like this is the musical equivalent to spending a prolonged amount of time next to a loud fire alarm. It’s unsettling all they way through and, while having no real rhythmic or melodic handles to settle on, keeps demanding your attention. If that’s the experience you’re looking for, then this is absolutely quality stuff. It’s conceptually strong and tonally consistent.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown June 24 – 2022
It’s time to throw caution to the wind. This weeks highlights might be a mixed goodie bag of different subgenres, but they demonstrate supreme confidence in their chosen lane and go all-out, be it the way of aggression, brutality or melodic madness.
10,000 Years – III
Genre: Stoner/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A heavy stoner record that starts off with a bang, then unfortunately runs out of steam along the way. It’s got a great crunch/fuzz tone and some nice, groovy rhythms, and it’s not that I don’t like the atmospheric parts – I just think they’re used too much and in the wrong places.
Alestorm – Seventh Rum Of A Seventh Rum
Genre: Folk/party metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5If you’re just looking for fun background music at your party in the festival camp grounds, don’t hesitate to add this to the list. But there really isn’t much more to look for on here. Overly anthemic, hollow-sounding, with most of what makes it metal feeling like it’s added as a coating over simple, synth-driven melodies.
Aximoa – Sepsis
Genre: Black/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Here’s some sludgy black metal, of which the listening experience feels a bit like going through a meat grinder. The pace is relentless and even to the point where repetitiveness sets in. It’s dark and snarly, and should offers enough variation to satisfy a fan of the style.
Betraying The Martyrs – Silver Lining (EP)
Genre: Symphonic metalcore/deathcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5How about a medium dose of big, beat driven, chorus focused metalcore leaning heavily into its shadow side of deathcore? As a showcase this EP works very well to deliver a uniform impression of where the band is at, and if this style is your jam, then chances are good you’ll really dig it.
BongBongBeerWizards – Ampire
Genre: Atmospheric sludge/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This album is all atmosphere and ground shaking riffs. Listening to it conjures images of massive subterranean shapes moving through the earth. It’s definitely concise, to the point where the whole thing might as well be a single song, which works well if you just want to lean into the experience.
Candy – Heaven Is Here
Genre: Hardcore/grindcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5If you feel like the sonic equivalent of sandpaper passing through your ears is just the ticket to scratch that special little itch that nothing else seems to get to, then here’s some medium-to-coarse grit for you. This is dissonant and hellishly aggressive stuff, but let it tap into your dark side and it’ll get your blood pumping to the rhythm of chugging riffs and gritting your teeth to hoarse roars. It’s not all punishment, though – every now and then your persistence is rewarded with headbanging-friendly beats and a slight bit of groove.
Coheed and Cambria – Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind
Genre: Progressive hard rock
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5I’m gonna try to be short on this one, cause it’s a little outside my realm. This is obviously a well established sound crafted by people who are very well in sync. And still they jump from base to base on this one, trying new things. The fact that I have little love some of those styles means it’s largely not for me, but it’s all excellently blended and finished.
Dali Van Gogh – New Blood, Old Wounds (EP)
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2/5I appreciate the dark tone they’re going for, but overall it feels stale and almost entirely lacking any sort of finesse.
Darkane – Inhuman Spirits
Genre: Melodic death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5The melodeath/thrash mashup isn’t one you get served every day, and perhaps with good reason? While they do make it work to a certain point on this album, there’s still a bit of a disconnect where the heavy, slightly ponderous death metal side tugs on the reigns of the punky thrash racehorse that just wants to sprint and leap hurdles all day. Still, there’s good dark melody and groove on here, so definitely give it a spin if you’re exited that these guys are back with something new.
DAWN OF DESTINY – OF SILENCE
Genre: Power/symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is one of those where, really, you’ve heard it all before, but there are just a few details lifting it clear of mediocrity. There’s a bit of folk mixed into here, and they know how to match instrumental and vocal output to whatever level of intensity they’re going for at any point.
Dying Desolation – Midnight
Genre: Alternative metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A youthful outburst of moody aggression, electronic melodies and those slightly whiny, over-sincere clean vocals that makes my skin crawl. They’ve got a decently dark tone going though, and do get into a few cool riff sections.
Fallen Sanctuary – Terranova
Genre: Power metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Some fast, extravagant and melodic power metal that is at its best when it’s all bells and whistles. Unfortunately, like you might expect, they are very ballad prone.
Final Light – Final Light
Genre: Industrial/doom/electronic metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5No matter what you might think of the mashup of subgenres I use to try and pin down the style of this album – if you like dark, slow and expansive metal, then go for it. Even if you’re not into electronic instrumentation, you really won’t mind it, cause a lot of the time it produces more or less the same effect as a low tuned guitar, with an added spookiness factor. This is a work which explores dark spaces and tells (growls) you wicked tales along the way. The immersion is fantastic and it all just sounds great. Become spellbound with “In the Void” and “Ruin to Decay”.
Guillotine A.D. – Born To Fall
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Some real sinewy death metal on the menu here. With great deliberation it grinds painfully along, sometimes letting go and skipping into higher gear. If you’re all about mid tempo then you’re in for something ominous, that uses repetition for effect and throws in subtle variations for a bit of flavor.
Hats Barn – Y.a.HW.e.H
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5We’re into some classic low-fi black metal here, with little to no bass, dry ice guitars and ragged vocals. The execution is not bad, it’s just exactly what you expect and very little more.
Horned Wolf – Become Like They Are
Genre: Melodic death/sludge/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This one has the scent of great potential. It’s not really like anything I’ve heard before – mixing dirty tone, sharp vocals and a fairly thin production with the heft, groove and dark melody of melodeath. The biggest clash comes when the vocal disharmony meets the fairly clean, melancholic instrumental melodies. As a concept it’s very interesting – what lacks so far is a little more creativity in the details and maturity in the composition.
Hush – The Pornography of Ruin
Genre: Sludge/experimental metal/funeral doom
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Let the melancholy wash over you. This is anguished sludge that transitions into these long death sighs of slow, tortured melody. Everything seems a little uncertain about where it wants to go next, which works well conceptually, but makes it a tough listening experience.
Khold – Svartsyn
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Some times it’s just such a relief to hear that old school, primitive black metal sound still alive and kicking among all the avant-garde, speed-punk, post-psychedelic darkwave noise. And these guys don’t compromise by trying to be ironic or tongue-in-cheek in any way. This is bleak, spiteful and to the point. Maybe not the most distinct sound you’ll hear in your life, and not really innovative in any way, but it’s quality. Dive into “Apostel” and “Ødslet Blod”
Knoll – Metempiric
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Ready for an all out assault from a dissonant, monstrous, unholy creation of the deep? Listening to this feels like experiencing the most harrowing part of a horror tale continuously and without letdown for the duration of the album. Which is certainly an experience to be had if you’re interested, but also quite tiring.
Limbs – Coma Year
Genre: Melodic metalcore/hardcore
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5Some rage-out-loud, melodic and melancholic metal/hardcore with those over-sincere choruses that I’m pretty much allergic to. The aggressive stuff is fairly technical, and the melodies are memorable, so it works well for what it is.
Mine Collapse – Delusions
Genre: Sludge metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A noisy and rough thing that cruises on groove and embraces chaos the moment it speeds up. It’s got a nice fullness to it and a bit of melancholy in the melody, but overall it doesn’t really progress much across the record.
Mirror Queen – Inviolate
Genre: Heavy/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Here’s a light-stepping record that manages a fusion of tranquil and gloomy atmosphere while riding on classic riffs and some understated shredding. The whole thing feels a little sedated, and doesn’t leave too much of an impact.
Mystery Dudes – Exit Through the Wormhole
Genre: Stoner metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5I don’t often call for more sophistication in a stoner record, but let this one serve as an exception to the rule. Don’t get me wrong, I like the laid back attitude that’s demonstrated here, but performance wise it feels like the equivalent of a dilapidated house with various loose materials clanging in the wind.
Our Dying World – Hymns of Blinding Darkness
Genre: Symphonic/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A superficially heavy death-ish record that just doesn’t hold up performance or composition wise.
Paganizer – Beyond The Macabre
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Some delightfully morbid crypt-death coming your way. Like you’ll probably expect, it doesn’t offer much in the way of innovation, but it’s also remarkably far from stale, in great deal thanks to some effective drum work. The tone, especially that of the guitars, is perfect for this, and the collective output comes together to create a determined beast of a thing, bulldozing its way ahead on its own terms. It’s old school in style, with all the punch afforded by a modern production. Jump into “Raving Rhymes of Rot” and “You are What You Devour”.
Pathos & Logos – Cult (EP)
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A short record so momentarily fleeting in what it’s trying to achieve at any given time that it’s near impossible to get a firm grasp. Also, the slow solo work just doesn’t hold up.
Philosophobia – Philosophobia
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A solid attempt at creating something coherent out of something wildly tangent-prone. And the consistency throughout is good, showing potential in marrying heavier and more melodic styles of prog. But the craftmanship is not quite there yet, as you’re left without any strong traits or really outstanding parts.
Profiler – Profiler (EP)
Genre: Progressive/alternative metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Some progressive, alternative hard rock infused with the heaviness of nu metal and a bit of djent. And it’s not a formulaic thing – some though went into this, crafting solid, edgy melodies and great sounding, pummeling riffs for a nice, stompy contrast to the more atmospheric cleaner sections.
Projected – Hypoxia
Genre: Alternative metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A melodic and slightly melancholic record that feels genuinely sincere. There are traces of modern melodeath on it, but for the most part it’s much more mellow than that. Maybe a little too mellow for its own good. But it’s well composed and justified in its moodiness.
Rebel Priest – Lesson In Love (EP)
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Imagine a mix of Mötorhead and Van Halen, then low-fi-stomp the production, and you’ll end up with something like this. It’s not as bizarre to listen to as it might sound, just a little… unsatisfying. Lots of great playing on here though.
RXPTRS – Living Without Death’s Permission
Genre: Hardcore/hard rock/emo
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Apart from lively heavy riffing and pretty great drum work, this is fairly standard emo rock dressed in wolf’s clothing and near-impersonating Myles Kennedy’s vocal style. Each side works well by itself, but standing on the shore of metal, this doesn’t quite cut it.
Saor – Origins
Genre: Folk/black/progressive death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5This is a prime example of how to make an atmospheric-sounding album without it feeling sluggish or overly dwelling. A spirited folk… spirit… prevails here, forcing an eager and upbeat progression, even when the sound is otherwise dark and brooding. The use of traditional instruments doesn’t at all feel gimmicky, even working over galloping rhythms, and they sprinkle character and nuance all over the record. The musicianship is outstanding, while not alienating in its technicality. Instead inviting you in with a well of enticing detail and enthusiasm. Give it a go with “Origins” and “The Ancient Ones”.
Serpent Spawn – Crypt Of Torment (EP)
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Some enjoyably evil-sounding death metal that’s a bit lacking in the composing and vocal department. A good few things to like here, though, so lots of room for improvement.
Veter Daemonaz – Muse Of The Damned
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A simultaneously aggressive and atmospheric work of black metal that sounds and feels grand in scope and level of ambition. And while it unquestionably sounds good – raspy, dry and full at the same time – the dominating harsh and heavy parts are simply too hard to tell apart. It feels like the same structure and rhythm over and over, for large sections of the album. With a bit more variation this could have been truly excellent.
Victorius – Dinosaur Warfare Pt. 2 – The Great Ninja War
Genre: Power metal
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5As concept albums go, this has got to be as silly as they come. The lyrics and melodies are as clichéd as can be, the production is thin and the whole thing feels as organic as a twinkie. But if you find the lyrical theme entertaining, you’ll probably see past all that.
Volcandra – Border World (EP)
Genre: Melodic black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5An explosion of an hyper-aggressive, technical and melodic black metal EP. It’s got some traces of sci-fi and video game inspiration sprinkled over it, which to the right audience will make it all the more interesting. With the intense riffage going on they still found room for some melody, and it manages the difficult task of riding that dark/epic edge without sounding corny. Try “Guardian” and “Tallon IV”
Werewolves – From The Cave To The Grave
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5I didn’t think it was possible for these guys to sound even more pissed off than they did on their previous record, which dropped last year by the way. But somehow they’ve outdone themselves, and their music has benefited from it. This is balls-to-the-wall aggression, with jackhammer-on-speed drums and woodchipper-from-hell guitars. It’s perfectly over-the-top and cheekily diabolical, and while it gets a little repetitive towards the end, it never loses that insane glee that for me elevates this above a lot of other tongue-in-cheek, hyper violent death metal. Give “We Are Better Than You” and “All the Better to Eat You With” a listen.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown June 17 – 2022
This is a week for surprises. Power metal is leaving a real mark, and even the dark stuff isn’t all that depressive. Well… with one or two important exceptions. Definitely stick with it till the end.
Aptera – You Can’t Bury What Still Burns
Genre: Doom/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A mid-paced doom record that invokes images of dark forest ritual chanting. It’s been dirtied up by a sludgy vocal style, which works well, but also some really sour guitar solo parts that I feel clashes with the rest.
Ataraxy – The Last Mirror
Genre: Death/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5The intention to make a full on death doom record is felt on this one, but seems like they pulled back along the way. This has left us with something that is absolutely slow and gloomy for long stretches, but also can’t help but let loose some devilish mayhem every now and then. The vocal style certainly would fit a pure death metal sound better.
Atramentum – Through Fire, Everything Is Renewed
Genre: Black/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This record has the whiff of genius to it, but this unfortunately dissipates throughout the listening experience. There’s a touch of dark madness to the tone which lends itself really well to the black/progressive blend. Unfortunately it’s not backed up by anything really coherent, and seems to be reaching all over the place, refusing to grasp a solid melody or rhythm.
Blasphemous Creation – Beyond The Grave (EP)
Genre: Death/black/speed metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5These guys stretch the death metal sound in really fun direction. It’s fast, with straightforward riffs, a good dose of playfulness and a layer of dry black metal ash coated on top. It’s really entertaining, so you can forgive it for being fairly sloppily composed.
Brutta – Brutta
Genre: Death/black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Not the most successful attempt at a blackened death metal record you’ll hear this week. It fails to really extract any of the highlights of the two subgenres, and so the two end up diluting each other.
Caravellus – Inter Mundos
Genre: Symphonic/progressive/power metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5For all their obvious instrumental talent, it’s remarkable how unsuccessful they’ve been at locking down any decent melody lines. Which makes pairing fairly simple lyrics with on-the-heavy-side prog riffs and big effects a bit of a miss in my book. But they do try a few interesting things on here.
Chaos Magic – Emerge
Genre: Symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Symphonic metal with a hard-rock streak to the rhythms and slight aggression to the riffs, topped by some insistent synth mashing.
Civil War – Invaders
Genre: Power metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5An album that reminds you that power metal can be great. While not every song on this album exhibits the same energy or grandeur, there are plenty which fire on all cylinders and give you exactly what you crave. It’s big and bold, with soaring melodies, but also enough heft to it to harken back to the classics, before the genre started choking on its on clichés. I hear Dio in the vocals, and that in itself goes a very long way. Check out “Invaders” and “Warrior Soul”.
Denouncement Pyre – Forever Burning
Genre: Black/death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Gotta love it when black metal gets too pissed not to rip out some hot-headed riffs. And when it’s as well produced as this, you know you’re in for a treat. The guitars are raw, the vocals crisp, and the tone suitably diabolical throughout. They dare to get into enough dark melody that each song stands out, and offer decent variation in tempo. Some death metal red mist rage and squealy shredding takes it up another notch. Try “Hung Like Swine” and “The Opposer of Light”.
Elektric Mistress – Chapter 99
Genre: Doom/heavy/stoner metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Get into a groove with this one. This is cheeky stoner hard rock with added heavy metal heft. It’s alive with a tongue-in-cheek desire to corrupt your innocence. While they could do with tightening up their production and performances, they show a lot of promise and are already crafting great vibes.
Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns
Genre: Technical/progressive death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5How about some death metal with all the aggression and speed of tech, with a strong injection of melodic prog along the lines of the Devin Townsend Project? Sounds like a great recipe, and the result lives up to the hype. This album assaults you in waves of staggering riff complexity and intensity, then transition into sections of grandiose and spirited melody in between. The production allows for a detailed appreciation of everything that’s going on, while still securing an awesome fullness to really boost the tidal wave of brutality. While they’re still a few steps away from truly standing out as something unique among their peers, this is about as stellar as it gets. Let “The Hybrid Suns” and “End of Time” wash over you.
Charlie Griffiths – Tiktaalika
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5There isn’t many metal styles I’d consider describing as magical without in the same breath of air throwing in words like whimsical, bloated or about as substantial as a bag of fairy dust. This one belongs among the exceptions. It’s adventurous and mystical in a kind of impatient way, bolstered by the will to top off its constant bursts of creativity with forcefulness and aggression. It glitters and shines, but it also rips. If you’re ready for a bit of a journey, you’re in for a full spectrum experience on this one. Get a taste with “Arctic Cemetery” and “Dead in the Water”.
High Castle Teleorkestra – The Egg That Never Hatched
Genre: Experimental metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Talking about going on an adventure – this one takes you to all the strange corners. It’s like the album has a mood of its own, and it’s wildly bipolar, ramping up and down in the blink of an eye and having no interest in its bearings as it speeds and stumbles off in random directions. If that sounds like fun to you, then it will be.
Inexorum – Equinox Vigil
Genre: Melodic death/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Here’s some melodeath that takes me back to the classic stuff of the likes of In Flames. It’s fast and angry, but steadfast in its structure and brimming with folk-tinged melody. There’s also a definite black metal infusion, but mostly in vocal style and some instrumental choices. The tone is, for the most part, fairly upbeat. If you’re feeling nostalgic, this will hit you right in the sweet spot. If you’re just looking for some good, slightly blackened melodeath, this will equally scratch that itch. Give it a shot with “Until There’s Nothing Left” and “Such Impossible Sights”.
Infanteria – Patriarch
Genre: Thrash metal
Subjective rating: 2,5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A dose of thrash for you. Bit of aggression, bit of melody, bit of groove. It has moments where it all comes together, usually in the faster, angrier bits, but fails to impress overall.
Jorn – Over The Horizon Radar
Genre: Hard rock/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5I’ll give it this – it sounds good. The vocal work is great and the tone conjures up a particular kind of laid-back-party-in-space kind of atmosphere. The rhythms, however, are mind-numbingly dull.
Nova Twins – Supernova
Genre: Nu metal/electronic rock/hip-hop
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is a vibrant mix of a bunch of different things. You’ve got the bass-y, beat driven riffing of nu metal with rapping and electro-distorted singing, along with some industrial groove and shock rock flair in the vain of Rob Zombie. Sound like too much? It isn’t, really, and I actually wish they leaned even harder into their different musical influences. What bothers me is that their best melodies are reserved for their more pop-oriented tunes, and they never really take off with the energy. But flavorful, for sure.
Oni – Loathing Light
Genre: Groove/progressive metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Up for something melodic, angry and modern with some actual integrity? You got it here. You’ve got plenty of cool riffs, clean and harsh vocals serving each their part of the intensity scale and a bit of playfulness in the rhythm section. For me though, the production lets them down, with both guitars and drums sounding flat and slightly muted – almost… out of breath. And they fail to find the big grooves that really leave an impact – inducing nodding but not so much banging.
Seven Kingdoms – Zenith
Genre: Power/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Who knew power metal could be this gutsy? All it took was some amazing vocal talent filled to the brim with conviction, instrumental performances radiating enthusiasm and a healthy dose of heavy- and thrash metal heft and aggression. Yes, so not something you just happen upon. This is excellently crafted and serving the subgenre to its fullest by matching its high-flying theater with some actual fire and flames. They do dip into the ballad pool every now and then, which Is hardly necessary when the rest is so melodic. But it luckily doesn’t get to dominate the listening experience. Check out “Diamond Handed” and “Chasing the Mirage”.
Tungsten – Bliss
Genre: Power/folk metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5If you only heard the first song on this, you might be forgiven to mistake it for some unholy mix of power metal and deathcore. Alas, they calm down significantly after this and revert to a much more traditional power/folk path with some heavy riffs and a bit of growling every now and then. And and that point, there’s not more more you should expect from this.
Vatican – Ultra
Genre: Hardcore/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Ever wondered what Hatebreed might sound like with a swarm of wasps up their collective behind? Yeah, this is metalcore of that old school, hardcore variant, added an extra layer of umph and unable to resist the temptation to let the rhythm erratically veer off into other realms. It’s well executed, but the album ends without leaving all that much of an impact.
Vexes – Imagine What We Could Destroy (If Only Given Time)
Genre: Alternative/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5An absolute mammoth of a 24-track album delivering melodic and slightly moody material that varies between a hard, progressive direction and a much softer, cleaner parts dominated by electronic ambience. For a passive listening experience it matters less that it’s nearly two hours long, but for active listening you will more than likely end up feeling saturated about halfway through. It’s a shame, cause a selection of the best songs on here could make up a pretty great album.
Vypera – Eat Your Heart Out
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Some straight out of the eighties melodic hard rock, ballads and anthems included. If you want to get into that mood though, it’s really not bad at all.
White Ward – False Light
Genre: Experimental black/doom metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Get ready for that saaaaax. Yes, the metal saxophone renaissance is very real and absolutely prominent on here. Some might say overly prominent, but that’s a matter of taste. And in any case, don’t let it distract you from experiencing one of the best sounding records this year. Aside from the fact that each song appears infused with netherworldly life, like a collection of spirits each fluxing and surging as they see fit according to their individual nature, every sound is fine tuned to serve a specific part in the sonic landscape. They’re all as clear as they need to be (the drums sound particularly fantastic) to sublimely contrast and complement each other. And the contrasts on here are indeed striking – shifting from dark, jazzy and atmospheric folk to thundering, blackened death metal and several other states in between. My biggest problem with it is that there’s not more of it. Get a taste with “False Light” and “Silence Circles”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown June 10 – 2022
Not the most bountiful week, but with some tasty highlights indeed, ranging from the atmospheric and dark to the all-out furious. Come sate your appetite.
Above And Below – Suffer Decay Alone
Genre: Industrial metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is some creepy-sounding digital madness with your typical static industrial riffing at its core. Not bad if you want to get into the mind of a machine overlord.
Adamantis – The Daemon’s Strain (EP)
Genre: Power/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5It’s rare that I get into a power metal album, so this was a refreshing change. This one has some grit to it, and the vocals, like the rest of the production, never really go over the top, which in this case ensures a satisfyingly un-theatrical overall tone.
American Anymen – Cities Changing Names
Genre: Industrial metal/punk
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5As per the norm for punk, I get the sense that this is more about the message than the music. There are some good, crunchy industrial riffs rhythms to bob your head to, but ultimately it’s all fairly straightforward and a bit repetitive.
Berator – Elysian Inferno (EP)
Genre: Black/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5As this one fired up I was so ready for it to explode into being a thundering beast of a thing. But while it has every bit of the fury I was hoping for they’ve decided to go for a low-fi black metal sound that robs it of a lot of punch. If that doesn’t bother you, you should absolutely check it out, cause it has some absolutely stellar playing and relentless aggression.
Bloody Heels – Rotten Romance
Genre: Heavy/glam metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Some fairly slick heavy metal with catchy groove riffs, and the next ballad-y moment never far away.
Deathwhite – Grey Everlasting
Genre: Atmospheric/gothic metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5Here we have some bleak, doomy goth metal without any of the major tropes you’d normally associate with that subgenre. This is slow and meditative, only occasionally broken up by heavier, aggressive sections. Because the rhythms are so lulling, they do dampen the progression, so large sections can unfortunately feel fairly forgettable.
Downset – Maintain
Genre: Rap metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5This is kind of exactly what you’d expect if you’d never listened to rap metal before. Not being an expert on rap, I would still classify this as pretty unremarkable seen from both camps. It has enough attitude to get some heads nodding.
Dragged Under – Upright Animals
Genre: Hardcore/pop punk
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This does get overly anthemic, and a bit too soft for my taste, but still present some very strong melodies and excellent melding of musical talent.
The Eating Cave – Ingurgitate
Genre: Technical deathcore/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Some monstrous deathcore with lots of technical beeps and bops. The riffs are meaty and furious and the drums pounding, while the tech flourishes feel a bit forced and show-off-y. Still, if you’re hungry for deathcore and don’t mind the death metal influence, you should jump on this.
Emberthrone – Godless Wonder
Genre: Technical/progressive death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is tech death blackened enough to instill a bit of hopelessness into the tone. They do the technical side right, not just adding a cacophony of beepy solo tangents but actually allowing slight variations in riffs and rhythms play out fully and transforming the songs as they go along.
Future Palace – Run
Genre: Hardcore/alternative/melodic metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5While this has some infectious youthful energy to it, it remains a fairly run-of-the-mill mix of hardcore and more anthemic, pop-oriented modern metal.
Gräce – Hope
Genre: Heavy/pop metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5This is some spacey heavy metal pretty much straight out of Eurovision. The tone and melodies are very light and soft, but still well composed. So if you’re looking for a bit of light hearted, romantic stuff, you could do a lot worse.
Heart Attack – Negative Sun
Genre: Thrash/groove metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Time to rip. This is a straight up thrash banger that expands upon the core subgenre sound with complexity and fury from the more aggressive end of groove metal, not unlike Decapitated and Misery Index. There’s just a pinch of black metal darkness in there also, most notably in the parts when they break out of the groove and go all out with death screams, nicely contrasting their warmer melodic parts. For me the weakest moments are when they embrace the more punky side of thrash, as the more simplistic attitude doesn’t match up with the advanced instrumentation all that well. It’s still a nice flavor for the overall mix though, and so not at all a big complaint. Check out “Wings of Judgement” and “Twisted Sacrifice”.
Inanimate Existence – The Masquerade
Genre: Technical/progressive death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5This goes beyond tech death, and could be said to exist in at least two realms simultaneously, as it explores atmospheric, slightly whimsical and strange soundscapes parallel to absolutely ripping through complex riff patterns and belting out guttural roars. It’s got a progressive tendency of tempo shifts and solo guitar tangents, so you have to be in the kind of mindset to let it take you wherever it wants. You do that and you will be rewarded – this is not for a casual listen. For me the duality of their sound is a bit hit and miss – it’s awesome when it works and a bit jarring when it doesn’t.
Kardashev – Liminal Rite
Genre: Atmospheric deathcore/black metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 5/5Ready yourself for a breathtaking journey through the dark. Monstrous presences and haunted depths will pass you by as you traverse the blackness of a vast, unfathomable emptiness. This is a dark record that manages the monumental task of balancing extreme, brutal aggression with black nihilism and silky soft melancholy. As long as you don’t expect an all-out in any particular direction, you should be able to appreciate the hell out of this one. Treat yourself to “Silvered Shadows” and “Compost Grave-Song”.
Kreator – Hate Über Alles
Genre: Thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5These titans of thrash are back , and they’re bringing the melody on this one. And the riffs, of course the riffs, but that’s a given. There seems to be a real effort involved in trying to create memorable tunes, and for the most part this is beneficial. This album is packed full of strong melody lines that function well as hooks as well as providing clear pathways of progression though the songs. But they also have a tendency of wanting to slow everything down for the choruses so that the vocal lines here can land as clearly as possible, which can be a serious momentum killer. You get numerous demonstrations of just how fast and furious this band can be on here, and compared to these parts everything else seems to be stuck in 3rd gear, like they’re just cruising along at a pace where the theme of the song can be effectively flaunted, allowing the listener to easily learn the lyrics so that they can be chanted live. Still, there’s plenty to enjoy on here, like the title track and “Pride Comes Before the Fall”.
Moodring – Stargazer
Genre: Alternative/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Some moody alternative stuff here that moves very much at its own pace. It manages to be heavy without really feeling heavy, and vice versa. The rhythms are nice and loose and they have a great, muted tone. Large portions of the songs do end up sounding pretty similar though, as the tone is maybe overly consistent throughout.
Motionless In White – Scoring The End Of The World
Genre: Metalcore/electronic/industrial metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde thing that might work very well for the younger end of the fan spectrum. It’s a set of songs written to be accessible from the bottom up. Some of them end up as very conventional sing-alongs, while others morph into monstrous bangers with roars and massive distortion.
Pre-Human Vaults – Allegiance Divine (EP)
Genre: Death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Imagine a blend of modern death- and thrash metal, and that’s pretty much all it takes to imagine this. It’s angry and brutal in a straightforward kind of way, with few surprises on the way.
Secrets – The Collapse
Genre: Metal/deathcore
Subjective rating: 2.5.5
Objective rating: 3/5This is a band operating with a massive contrast in the harshness of their output – from thundering deathcore breakdowns to ultra soft, fragile and sugar sweet sections, often all in one song. To me the two sides are too far apart, but others will probably disagree.
Seventh Wonder – The Testament
Genre: Power/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5Some undeniable instrumental skill aside, this is bright power metal with very simple lyrics and more boyband tendencies than I’d like to look into.
Silent Drive – Fairhaven
Genre: Hardcore/alternative/hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5A band that seems a little uncertain which path they’re most comfortable following. They have some decent hardcore aggression going on, then slips into alt-rock with melodies that remain fairly disharmonic, even when they’re not supposed to, I suspect.
Soreption – Jord
Genre: Technical death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This thing is brimming with energy, and releases it in bursts of instrumental assaults. The tone and overall approach to the subgenre is not really characteristic enough for it to stand out, but if you’re jst looking for a fix this will certainly do the job.
Venus 5 – Venus 5
Genre: Hard rock/power metal
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A rather simple recipe of big sounding heavy metal and hard rock with soaring choruses and chugging riffs trying their best not to distract too much from the sing-along lyrics.
Vulnificus – Invocation (EP)
Genre: Brutal death metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5An absolute mulch of undiscernible riffs and gurgling pushed miles back in the mix, leaving the snare drum the only well-defined sound on here. It sounds disturbingly dark and insane, and very deliberate.
Wind Rose – Warfront
Genre: Power metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5An altogether fun, entertaining and mildly epic listen. These guys absolutely know what they’re all about, and that is loud, theatrical, anthemic, fantasy-themed power metal. And it has enough of a punk-rock-y rough edge that it doesn’t feel overly polished. A bit simple, sure, but enjoyable.
Yatra – Born Into Chaos
Genre: Death/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5Ready for a delicious mix of old school death metal and dirty, dirty sludge? It stakes out a course and then just goes rampaging ahead, not looking back for even a second. The rhythm shifts between galloping, groove and grinding, and the balance between them has been tastefully managed. The tone is evil, slightly muted and coarse, which suits it near perfectly. The tempo is on the doomy side, and can at times become a tad monotonous, but it does allow you to gorge on the sonic meat of this animal at a more leisurely pace. Dig into “Death Cantation” and “Reign of Terror”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
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Weekly rundown June 03 – 2022
This turned out to be the week of metalcore – showing off its brutal, melodic, catchy and progressive sides across a slew of strong releases. There’s other stuff too, but let the young bloods enjoy the spotlight a little, eh?
The Algorithm – Data Renaissance
Genre: Electronic/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5I almost wanted to classify this as psychedelic, cause this stuff is trippy. It’s almost entirely synth driven, and you get a lot of that 80s cyberpunk vibe. There’s some guitar and drums in there I’m sure, but they’re mostly too processed to notice. It’s delightfully varied and melodic, but don’t expect the heavy.
All Things Fallen – Shadow Way
Genre: Heavy/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5To me, this only really qualifies as prog metal courtesy of its tone, cause I don’t really think it’s contributing to the progression of anything. That’s not saying it’s bad or anything, but it’s fairly straightforward modern sounding heavy metal with a few folky elements, a solo happy guitarist and that tone.
Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain
Genre: Technical/experimental death metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad stuff like this exists, but I’m not gonna pretend to understand or like it. The tone they’re going for is obviously disturbing, with three guitars creating a near-impenetrable web of riffs, tremolo and dissonant melody, and the vocals sort of mutedly gurgling in from the bottom. I’m sure there’s a method to the madness, and hats off to the people taking the time to crack the code.
Astronoid – Radiant Bloom
Genre: Ambient metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This is metal wrapped in a cushion of feather-light, bright matter to induce the sweetest dreams as you fall, nodding to the catchy riffs, into a deep trance of utter bliss. Okay, that’s probably stretching it, but if you don’t mind the sugary vocals or ambient nature of the melodies, this is absolutely something to get lost in in between all the spikes, gore and screaming rage. It’s a little too tonally monotonous for me though.
Battlelore – The Return of The Shadow
Genre: Symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5We’ve got some Lord of the Rings-themed, epic symphonic metal coming in here. It’s got a strong bass bottom and a steady rhythm that underpins the melody really well. You get a very proficient meld of different vocal talents both clean and harsh, and the production is laudable, not going too airy or clean. However, in my opinion, for such a melody driven concept, the melodies simply aren’t strong enough, and aren’t delivered with enough inflection by the vocalists.
Bleed From Within – Shrine
Genre: Metalcore/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Pedal to the metal, baby. No effort saved here, and it’s so fucking fantastic to see bands just getting heavier as they gain popularity, rather than the other way around. It genuinely sounds like they’re venting their rage on this record, and the energy is infectious. This is brutal metalcore edging on melodeath, strutting with enthusiastic and highly competent musicianship. Only now and then do they get a bit anthemic, but with the aggression they’ve got backing it up, I’d say it’s well deserved. Check out “Temple of Lunacy” and “Stand Down”.
Crobot – Feel This
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Loud and bold hard rock, incoming. A suitable amount of sleeze and attitude on top of excellent production and lyrics causing a minimum of cringe. It’s quality genre stuff, and feels genuine enough. It’s too clean and straightforward for my taste.
DAMPF – The Arrival
Genre: Heavy/symphonic/pop metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5At first a tantalizing mix of dark, crisp and ultra catchy riffs with a modern, darkened heavy metal style. Then the full weight of the pop production kicks in and sort of make a mockery of the rest. But that completely depends on which would you enter from. This might very well work as a gateway to the dark side.
Druids – Shadow Work
Genre: Doom/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5These guys have definitely got a tone going here that’s really working for them. A strong, driving bass propels the songs forward, with some crunchy riffs and meditative melody lines seizing the moments. It feels contemplative, dark and a bit trippy.
Encephalon – Echoes
Genre: Electronic metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5As far as I can tell an entirely synth-driven record that seeks to capture the mood of dark, industrial metal, but can’t help slipping into disco.
Fortis Ventus – Vertalia
Genre: Cinematic/symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5Some ultra grandiose, operatic metal to provide the soundtrack for something so theatrically glorious that it’s hard to imagine.
Grave Infestation – Persecution Of The Living
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A modern sounding death metal record leaning into an old school style. It’s quite competent, with a nice, doom-y tone. It would score higher if not for the fact that the progression is kind of laggy, with the momentum getting lost in rigid start-stop rhythms.
Gwar – The New Dark Ages
Genre: Heavy/thrash/stoner metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Time for some fuck-you-thrash of the good old half-serious kind. It’s a bit janky, it’s rowdy and puts the message before the melody. Which is exactly how it should be, but this doesn’t quite hit hard enough to make it worth it for a non-fan.
Hypermass – Empyrean
Genre: Melodic/technical death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5A very eager-sounding melodeath band with technical and progressive tendencies. They definitely are at their best when they really go for it and pour on the aggression and tempo, as some of the slower parts aren’t as well utilized. But they do a fantastic job of creating a vibrant soundscape with every instrument working to expand it in different directions. All the members seem to play different roles, yet still work to tell the same, unified story. It does fall a little in between subgenres, and lacks a little bit in character, but it’s nevertheless highly competent and a delightfully engaging listen. Give it a go with “The Degenerate Strain” and “Hivemind”.
Las Cruces – Cosmic Tears
Genre: Doom metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5A very classic, moody doom sound slightly mismatched with expressive vocals that distract from the rest with their intensity.
Electric Mountain – Valley Giant
Genre: Grindcore
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5I could probably get behind this extremely short, extremely violent and abrasive piece of grindcore if not for the cassette-straight-from-the-toaster-sounding production.
Memphis May Fire – Remade In Misery
Genre: Metalcore/alternative metal
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5The overt trend-leaning and pop sensibility of his stuff makes it barely listenable to me, but I’ll set that aside for the objective rating. They’ve got good energy going, catchy and fairly strong melodies, and a good bit of heavy to balance it out. Should get some heads banging both from inside and outside the genre.
My Diligence – The Matter, Form And Power
Genre: Progressive/stoner metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5A record that takes you to colorful, weird and wonderful places riding on a wave of heavy, crunchy riffs with just the right amount of fuzz added to it. I would have loved it to go even heavier at parts, but that might honestly be outside their realm. Stay inside, and you get treated to characterful songs that balances power and groove with melody and atmosphere in an immersive way. If you don’t mind a bit of lower tempo and musical exploration, knowing that you’ll be rewarded with standout moments and a cohesive whole, I highly recommend you give it a go. Start with “On the Wire” and “Embers”.
The Oklahoma Kid – Tangerine Tragic
Genre: Progressive/experimental metal/djent
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5A moody, screamy mix of djent and elements of modern prog. They’ve got a decently consistent tone going, but the melding of the other elements seem a bit uninspired – more formulaic with the intention of ticking certain boxes. There are still some good melodies on here, and enough atmosphere to float along with it.
Origin – Chaosmos
Genre: Technical death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5Here we go with a slightly different take on the tech death subgenre from what you typically expect. Sure, it’s still fast as fast-forward hell, but they’re working with a rawer riff tone and less of the robot bumblebee-sounding solos. It’s dark and furious and slightly muted, which takes a bit of that sharp edge off and makes you listen intently for all the instrumental details zipping past your eardrums. Check out “Chaosmos” and “Decolonizer”.
Orphantwin – Future Classic (EP)
Genre: Experimental metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5Now for something that sounds personal, in stark contrast to its alienating use of highly processed, harsh instrumentation and disturbing sound effects. There’s a clear message underneath, and a strong idea for how to deliver it in an unconventional way. It loses a bit of cohesion in the exploration, and gets a little over-sincere for my taste, but will still be enjoyable to many.
Red Handed Denial – I’d Rather Be Asleep
Genre: Progressive metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 4/5This is some vibrant, energetic metalcore that manages to be progressive without simply adding a few strings to the guitars and introducing odd rhythms. It’s a churning maelstrom of melody, riffs, rasps, bangs and puffs of softness. The vocals go from angelic to growling and deliver soaring, fairly pop-oriented lyrics. The choruses can slow down and get pretty conventional, but the next burst of tempo, interesting tangent or catchy riff section is rarely far away.
Seeking Sirens – Departing Ways (EP)
Genre: Metalcore
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5Here’s some more conventional metalcore leaning into typical, modern tropes and a fairly emo sensibility. The heavy stuff hits hard, but doesn’t challenge in any way.
Sijjeel – Salvation Within Insanity
Genre: Brutal death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5This one delivers a feeling of being constantly attacked. It claws and stabs and bludgeons you, and every pause is but a momentary respite from the onslaught. Tonally it’s great, but it does get old after a while.
Somnus Throne – Nemesis Later
Genre: Psychedelic stoner metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5These guys lay it on thick with the fuzz and spacey, reverb-y vocals. In the end they don’t really distinguish themselves in the subgenre, but works well as something to sit and nod slowly to while staring at nothing.
Temple Of Void – Summoning The Slayer
Genre: Death/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Here’s some heavy doom that can’t fully decide whether it wants to be atmospheric or crushingly brutal. You get a fair bit of both on here, and the two complement each other rather well thanks to a unifying tone that’s both evil, lamenting and gothic in nature. The vocal style remains the same throughout, which functions as a binding seam, but also adds an element of monotony. Personally I would have liked an even more pronounced contrast in intensity, but with a bit of patience you do get rewarded with a fair bit of variation for a death doom record. And production wise it sounds fantastic. Listen to “Behind the Eye” and “Hex, Curse & Conjuration”.
Thornhill – Heroine
Genre: Progressive metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Here we have a band with a vice grip on their style of sonic expression. This entire album sounds incredibly cohesive and organic in its progression. It revels in its melancholic melodies but has plenty of punch and instrumental spice to dole out. And it manages to be soft without getting sappy or sugary. It’s not one you go to for a pure adrenaline rush, but settle in and you’re treated to a real experience. Delve into “Leather Wings” and “Casanova”.
Witchfinder – Endless Garden
Genre: Doom/stoner metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5A two song EP to get lost in. This is some deep, bass-y, darkly melodic doom with a good crunch to the riffs. The sound is so immersive that you forget that it’s a bit monotonous, and you learn to appreciate the subtle changes. Check out both songs, why not? That’s all there is to it.
Wrang – De Vaendrig
Genre: Black/folk metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5Gotta love some snarly, melancholy black metal with a bit of groove and riding on a wave of rousing folk melody. The rhythm and vocal style follow the ebb and flow of the melody beautifully, whether it sounds gloomy or triumphant. And there’s room for headbanging to spare, with a selection of thundering riff sections that’ll get your blood pumping. Check out “Jachttijd” and “Afgunst”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
The Metal Dispatch 