Metal News
March 26th, 2013 at 5:48am
Amaranthe - The Nexus (Spinefarm)
Ash Borer - Bloodlands (Gilead)
Axel Rudi Pell - Live On Fire CD/DVD (SPV)
Carved - Dies Irae (Bakerteam)
Cnoc An Tursa - The Giants of Auld (Candlelight)
The Color Morale - Know Hope (Rise)
Dark Sermon - In Tongues (eOne)
De La Cruz - Street Level (Frontiers)
DGM - Momentum (Scarlet)
E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr - Kometenbahn (Svart)
High Priest Of Saturn - High Priest Of Saturn (Svart)
In Vivid Color - In Vivid Color (At Your Command)
Iron Maiden - Maiden England ’88 DVD (Universal)
King Carnage - Ounce Of Mercy, Pound Of Flesh (Badgod)
Kruna - Last Century (Bakerteam)
Kvelertak - Meir (Roadrunner)
Lustre - Lost In Lustrous Night Skies (ATMF)
My Ransomed Soul - Falsehoods (Red Cord)
Nightbitch - Chainmaker EP (Ear One)
Northlane - Singularity (UNFD)
Odd Dimension - The Last Embrace To Humanity (Scarlet)
Orchid’s Curse - Words (Diminished Fifth)
Pretty Maids - Motherland (Frontiers)
Saxon - Sacrifice (UDR)
Sebastian Bach - ABachalypse Now Live CD/DVD (Frontiers)
Sevendust - Black Out The Sun (7Bros)
Sinners To Saints - The Greatest Of These (Red Cord)
Suicidal Tendencies - 13 (Suicidal)
Stryper - Second Coming (Frontiers)
Trollfest - Brumlebassen (NoiseArt)
Victor Griffin’s In-Graved - Victor Griffin’s In-Graved(Svart)
Voodoo Circle - More Than One Way Home (AFM)
Von - Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves (Von)
Wormed - Exodromos (Willowtip)
March 20th, 2013 at 7:38am
Absolon – ‘Darkness Rising’ (Roxx)
Roxx Records
Genre: Power Metal
The epic concept album is a staple of power metal, and that’s exactly what Absolon have tackled on their debut release Darkness Rising.There are interludes, spoken word parts and a storyline revolving around a man who sells his soul to the devil, resulting in his band becoming the biggest metal band in the world.
It’s a very theatrical release, and even though there’s a lot of music, the songs are not overly long. The concept is the dominating aspect of the album, meaning atmosphere and bombast sometimes overshadow things like hooks and melody. There’s a little Queensryche, a little Broadway and a lot of showmanship on Darkness Rising. It’s sometimes over the top, but ultimately satisfying.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Ayr – ‘Nothing Left To Give’ (Antithetic)
Antithetic Records
Genre: Black Metal
Originally released in 2011, the third (and last so far) album from North Carolina’s Ayr has been reissued. The four song EP embraces traditional black metal, but incorporates a lot of diversity. The opening track “Thirst” is almost soothing at times, interrupted by periodic howling vocals before ramping up to full blast-beat mode.
“Hallucination” is a trippy instrumental, followed by the forbidding and atmospheric closer “Expiration.” Ayr are an intriguing black metal band, and if you aren’t familiar with them, Nothing Left To Give is well worth exploring.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
Call of the Void – ‘Dragged Down A Dead End Path’ (Relapse)
Relapse Records
Genre: Metallic Hardcore
Call of the Void are pissed, and they use Dragged Down A Dead End Pathas a way to express this. This uproarious debut is caught somewhere between metallic hardcore and grind-y punk. The album isn’t as unstable as Nails or Converge can get, but a few moments on “Failure” and “Napalm Lungs” almost get to that point.
The band isn’t afraid to toy with tempos either, though the attempt to sprint past three minutes on “Breeding Grounds” is a misstep. For those who want crushing, metal-infused hardcore in 25 minutes or less, this album will be sufficient.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
March 19th, 2013 at 5:50am
Anthrax - Anthem EP (Megaforce)
Batillus - Concrete Sustain (Seventh Rule)
Black Crucifixion - Coronation of King Darkness (Spinefarm)
Call Of The Void - Dragged Down A Dead End Path (Relapse)
Cannibal Corpse - Dead Human Collection: 25 Years of Death Metal Box Set (Metal Blade)
Clutch - Earth Rocker (Weathermaker)
Davey Suicide - Davey Suicide (Standby)
Deathwolf - II: Black Armoured Death (Century Media)
Epicrenel - The Crystal Throne (Inverse)
The Eye - Supremacy Re-Release (Debemur Morti)
Globe and Beast - Grandfather’s Axe (Melotov)
Goatcraft - All For Naught (Forbidden)
Thehappymask - Ruines (Domestic Genocide)
Hundredth - Revolt EP (Mediaskare)
Imperium Dekadenz - Meadows of Nostalgia (Season Of Mist)
Inter Arma - Sky Burial (Relapse)
Intronaut - Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones) (Century Media)
In Utero Canibalism - Sick (Sleaszy Rider)
Iron Reagan - Worse Than Dead (A389)
Jungle Rot - Terror Regime (Victory)
Ken Mode - Entrench (Season Of Mist)
Lecherous Nocturne - Behold Almighty Doctrine (Unique Leader)
The Lidocaine - On the Road to Miero (Inverse)
Lordi - To Beast Or Not To Beast (The End)
The Modern Day Slavery - Requiem For Us All (Pavement)
Nails - Abandon All Life (Southern Lord)
Nero Di Marte - Nero Di Marte (Prosthetic)
The New Black - III: Cut Loose (AFM)
October Falls - The Plague Of A Coming Age (Debemur Morti)
Ov Hollowness - The World Ends (Code666)
Panikk - Unbearable Conditions (Metal Tank)
Radiance - Undying Diabolyca (My Kingdom)
Reign Of Vengeance - The Final Solution; The Final Rebellion (Synister Empire)
Reign Supreme - Sky Burial (Mediaskare)
Resonance Room - Untouchable Failure (My Kingdom)
Satanic Threat - In To Hell (Hells Headbangers)
Seven Sisters Of Sleep - Opium Morals (A389)
Six Feet Under - Unborn (Metal Blade)
The Solemn Curse - Gateway to Eternity (Mordgrimm)
Tear Out The Heart - Violence (Victory)
Throw The Fight - The Vault EP (Bullet Tooth)
A Transylvanian Funeral - Gorgos Goetia (Forbidden)
Vanna - The Few And The Far Between (Artery)
March 13th, 2013 at 8:03am
Adrenaline Mob – ‘Coverta’ (Elm City)
Elm City Music
Genre: Traditional Metal
The supergroup Adrenaline Mob follow up last year’s Omerta full-length with Coverta, an EP of cover songs. There are eight songs, which is a good amount for an EP. The group tackles mostly artists you’d expect, with some songs more well-known than others.
Russell Allen (Symphony X) really channels Ronnie James Dio on the Dio song “Stand Up And Shout” and the Black Sabbath track “The Mob Rules.” The band puts their own heavy groove on the cover songs, while still remaining faithful to the originals. Their rendition of Heart’s “Barracuda” is excellent, as is their version of Zeppelin’s “The Lemon Song.” It sounds like the band had a lot of run recording the cover songs, and it’s something to tide Adrenaline Mob fans over until their next full-length.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Damnation Plan – ‘The Wakening’ (Coroner)
Coroner Records
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
With the release of their debut record The Wakening, Finland’sDamnation Plan have created the perfect hybrid of combining harsh and clean vocals. Staccato riffs blended with huge luscious vocal melodies are accomplished seamlessly on standout tracks “Edge of Machinery,” “The Unknown Presence” and “Grand World Anthem.”
Vocally is where Damnation Plan excel, utilizing two vocalists in the same style as Scar Symmetry. Tommy Tuovinen of MyGrain fame contributes harsh vocals and his interaction with clean vocalist Asim Searah is flawless. It would do the band justice if they were to add more instrumental breaks and guitar solos. The sound of the record is outstanding as it is mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Drago)
The Eye – ‘Supremacy’ (Debemur Morti)
Debemur Morti Productions
Genre: Black Metal
Prior to being in Blut Aus Nord, Vindsvall had a one-man project called The Eye. His lone album Supremacy was originally released back in 1997, and is now being reissued.
As you’d expect, the sound is similar to Blut Aus Nord. The music onSupremacy is very keyboard heavy, with several ambient instrumentals. Even the “regular” songs have those ambient elements along with harsh black metal guitars and screeching vocals. You’ll also hear singing on tracks such as “Land Of A Thousand Souls.” Fans of Blut Aus Nord will be especially interested in this album, but others interested in late ’90s black metal may want to investigate it as well.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
March 12th, 2013 at 8:28am
Adrenaline Mob - Coverta (Elm City)
Damnation Plan - The Wakening (Coroner)
Fit For A King - Creation/Destruction (Solid State)
Godyva - Alien Heart (Southern Brigade)
Heavatar - Opus I – All My Kingdoms (Napalm)
Hot Lunch - Hot Lunch (Tee Pee)
Illnath - 4 Shades Of Me (Pitch Black)
Mortillery - Origin Of Extinction (Napalm)
Napalm Death - Enemy Of The Music Business/Leaders Not Followers Re-Release (Secret)
Necrocurse - Grip Of The Dead (Pulverised)
Neroargento - Underworld (Coroner)
Nolentia - May the Hand That Holds the Match… (Kaotoxin)
Orange Goblin - A Eulogy For the Fans-Orange Goblin Live 2012 (Candlelight)
Patria - Nihil Est Monastica (Drakkar)
Rammstein - Videos 1995-2012 DVD (Density)
The Saint James Society - Bab(a/y)lon Rising (Tee Pee)
March 5th, 2013 at 10:59am
Altaar - Altaar (Indie)
Coilguns - Commuter (Pelagic)
Enforcer - Death By Fire (Nuclear Blast)
Eremite - Dragonarious (Taxi Driver)
Hatchet - Dawn Of The End (The End)
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 2) (InsideOut)
Kamala - Kamala Akka (Inverse)
Krokus - Dirty Dynamite (The End)
Lifeless - Godconstruct (FDA Rekotz)
Long Distance Calling - The Flood Inside (Superball)
Neaera - Ours Is The Storm (Metal Blade)
Okular - Sexforce (Self)
Omnium Gatherum - Beyond (Lifeforce)
Paganland - Wind Of Freedom (Svarga)
Pathogen - Miscreants of Bloodlusting Aberrations(Dunkelheit)
Pyro Ohio - Before The Sun Sets EP (At Your Command)
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy (Season Of Mist)
Shannon - Circus Of Lost Souls (Mad Association)
Soilwork - The Living Infinite (Nuclear Blast)
Upon Wings - Afterlife EP (Sword Of The Spirit)
Valor - The Yonder Answer (Pitch Black)
Vreid - Welcome Farewell (Indie)
White Widows - White Widows (Sacrament)
March 5th, 2013 at 5:59am
According to Blesk.cz and Novinky.cz, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe has been found not guilty of manslaughter by a three-judge panel in the Czech Republic.
February 26th, 2013 at 8:35am
Apparitions – ‘Kiss Me Sleeping’ (Indianola)
Indianola Records
Genre: Metalcore
Formerly known as This Twilight City, they changed their name toApparitions as their music became heavier and darker. The band describes themselves as post-hardcore/pop metal, but these ears hear a lot of metalcore elements like breakdowns and alternating clean and harsh vocals.
The songs on Kiss Me Sleeping are heavy, but the melodic singing adds a lot of accessibility. Electronic elements help add a little uniqueness, but their sound is still similar to a legion of bands in the genre. However, their songwriting is good, and if their live show can capture the energy and emotion of the album, they’ll be on the right track.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Archon – ‘Ouroboros Collapsing’ (The Path Less Traveled)
The Path Less Traveled Recordings
Genre: Doom/Stoner/Drone Metal
‘Inevitable to end this way/Void/Crushes/Magnificent,’ sing vocalists Chris Dialogue and Rachel Brown as they trade clean despair with raspy doom. Five musicians circle the ritual ring of repetitive sorrow alit in the dying embers of tragedy’s certainty.
Slow drones and muted drums, baleful bass, guitars and keyboards are intermingled in Electric Wizard haziness. Chrome Waves epic, Archon embrace every bleak shade the mind can imagine. On Ouroboros Collapsing, they bring subtle pastels to their withering onslaught and scars to the listener’s psyche.
Rating: 4
(Todd Lyons)
Athelstan – ‘The Ride’ (Seven Kingdoms)
Seven Kingdoms Records
Genre: Traditional Metal
Athelstan is half of the British duo Forefather, and The Ride is his debut solo album. Five of the songs are instrumentals, with the other two having vocals from the other half of Forefather, his brother Wulfstan.
The musical style of the album is pretty traditional, with bombastic guitars and a lot of melody. There are some piano sections and progressive influences as well. “Enchantment” (Bewitched)” is very cinematic with some mellow sections. The challenge of so many instrumentals is to hold the listener’s interest, and these songs definitely do.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
February 26th, 2013 at 7:23am
Apparitions - Kiss Me Sleeping(Indianola)
Apolokia - Kathaarian Vortex (My Kingdom)
Byzantine - Byzantine (Gravedancer)
Centurian - Contra Rationem (Listenable)
Crest Of Darkness - In The Presence Of Death (My Kingdom)
Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance (Peaceville)
Demented - Across The Nature’s Stillness (Klonosphere)
De Arma - Lost, Alien & Forlorn (Trollmusic)
En Nihil - The Approaching Dark (Eibon)
Great White - 30 Years: Live From The Sunset Strip (Frontiers)
Heimdall - Aeneid (Scarlet)
Helker - Somewhere In The Circle (AFM)
Incura - Incura (Coalition)
Karnya - Coverin’ Thoughts (Bakerteam)
KMFDM - Kunst (Metropolis)
Liberty N’ Justice - The Cigar Chronicles (Roxx)
Mustach - Sounds Like Hell, Looks Like Heaven (Metalville)
Mysticum - In The Streams Of Inferno Re-Release (Peaceville)
Nader Sadek - Living Flesh (Self)
Octaves - Greener Pastures (Topshelf)
Old Wounds - From Where We Came Is Where We’ll Rest (Glory Kid)
The Phantom Carriage - Falls (Throatruiner)
Pristina - Hopeless Godless (The Path Less Traveled)
Rage Of Angels - Dreamworld (Escape)
Red Rose - On The Cusp Of Change (Scarlet)
Ruins - Place Of No Pity (Listenable)
A Story Of Rats - Vastness & The Inverse (Translinguistic Other)
Stratovarius - Nemesis (Armoury)
Uvikra - Bi (Badgod)
Vuyvr - Eiskalt (Throatruiner)
Within The Ruins - Elite (eOne/Good Fight)
February 21st, 2013 at 9:05am
The latest heavy metal album reviews, including releases by As They Burn, Baptists, The Beyond, Black Boned Angel, Botanist, Coldsteel, Complete Failure, Devourment, Disperse, Edge Of Attack, Eight Bells, Elysion Fields, Enshadowed, General Lee, Hanging Garden, Kingcrow, Kongh, Krypts, My Solioquy, Nepente, P.L.F., Raven Black Night, Sacred Steel, Sannhet, Skineater, Spektr, Terminate, Tomahawk, Tsjuder and Ulcer.
The reviews are on a 5 star scale.
As They Burn – ‘Will, Love, Life’ (Victory)
Victory Records
Genre: Metalcore
Propelled by strong melodies and a remarkable replay factor, As They Burn have delivered a record that manages to stand apart from their peers with Will, Love, Life. Even more remarkable; these Parisians are delivering their American debut.
Stunning and at times wonderful, the bounce of the rhythm and delivery of the electronics that are a subtle surprise have made even the harshest critic of this genre fall into disbelief. While juvenile at times, this record and this band are worth watching out for. Do not overlook this release.
Rating: 4
(Edward Banchs)
Baptists – ‘Bushcraft’ (Southern Lord)
Southern Lord Records
Genre: Hardcore
Just weeks after Wartorn decimated eardrums, Southern Lord drop another fiery discharge of hardcore in the form of Baptists’ debut,Bushcraft. Given the signature Godcity Studios stamp, the spirited force of Baptists’ gritty, sludge-packed hardcore-punk has been confined in all its naked glory by Kurt Ballou.
Each song is entirely free of excess, with drummer Nick Yacyshyn rail-riding rhythms increasing the volatility of the opening four. “Still Melt” and “Soiled Roots” interestingly vary the bludgeon, and by the time “Abandon” comes to a halt it’s evident that the Vancouver-based Baptists have earned their place upon Southern Lord’s reputable hardcore-pulpit.
Rating: 3.5
(Dean Brown)
The Beyond – ‘Forstbitepanzerf–k’ (Horror Pain Gore Death)
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Genre: Blackened Punk Take The Mentors, GG Allin, Darkthrone, and then toss the whole kit and caboodle into a blender. Out pops The Beyond, a thoroughly misogynistic outfit from Pennsylvania with, I’m sure, questionable at best hygiene habits.
Frostbitepanzerf—k is exactly as advertised: grimy blackened punk n’ roll played with an infectious messy enthusiasm. If the first sentence of this review is all you need to know what The Beyond are all about, then go for it. Just don’t show this one to your female significant other.
Rating: 3.5
(Dave Schalek)
