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Andy CarvinCoverage improved once Tunisia toppled their president and activists around the region began announcing their own intentions to protest on certain dates via hashtags like <a class="hashtag" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23jan25" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#jan25</a> and <a class="hashtag" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23feb17" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#feb17</a>, but even then it was slow going to get news orgs to take them seriously until they got large - or deadly.

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-january-2025s-angry-misses/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stuck in the Filter: January 2025’s Angry Misses</a>By KenstrosityWe enter January under the impression that our underpowered filtration system couldn’t possibly get any more clogged up. Those blistering winds that overwhelm the vents with an even greater portion of debris and detritus pose a great challenge and a grave danger to my minions. Crawling through the refuse as more flies in all william-nilliam, my faithful lackeys brave the perils of the job and return, as they always do, with solid chunks of semi-precious ore.And so I stand before you, my greedy little gremlins, in a freshly pressed flesh suit that only the elite like myself adorn, and present January 2025’s Filter finds. REJOICE! Kenstrosity’s Fresh(ish) Finds <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558258028637" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloodcrusher</a> // Voidseeker [January 9th, 2025 – <a href="https://barfbagrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barf Bag Records</a>]The sun rises on a new year, and most are angrier than ever. What’s a better way to process that anger than jamming a phat slab of brutal slamming deathcore into your gob, right? Oregon one-man-slammajamma Bloodcrusher understand this, and so sophomore outburst Voidseeker provides the goods. These are tunes meant not for musicality or delicacy but for brute-force face-caving. Ignorant stomps and trunk-rattling slams trade blows with serrated tremolo slides and a dry pong snare with a level of ferocity uncommon even in this unforgiving field (“Agonal Cherubim ft. Jack Christensen”). Feel the blistering heat of choice cuts “Serpents Circle ft. Azerate Nakamura” or “Death Battalion: Blood Company ft. The Gore Corps” and you have no choice but to submit to their immense heft. Prime lifting material, Voidseeker’s most straightforward cuts guarantee shattered PRs and spontaneous combustion of your favorite gym shorts as your musculature explodes in volume (“Slave Cult,” “Sanguis Aeternus,” “Blood Frenzy”). If you ask me, that sounds like a wonderful problem to have. As they pummel your cranium into dust with deadly slam riffs (“Malus et Mortis ft. Ryan Sporer,” “Seeker of the Void,” “Earthcrusher”) or hack and slash your bones with serrated tremolos (“Razors of Anguish,” “Methmouth PSA”), remember that Bloodcrusher is only trying to help.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SkaldrOfficial/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Skaldr</a> // Saṃsṛ [January 31st, 2025 – <a href="http://www.avantgardemusic.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Avantgarde Music</a>]Virginia’s black metal upstarts Skaldr don’t do anything new. If you’ve heard any of black metal’s second wave, or even more melodic fare by some of my favorite meloblack bands like <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/oubliette-the-passage-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oubliette</a>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stormkeep-tales-of-othertime-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stormkeep</a>, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/vorga-beyond-the-palest-star-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vorga</a>, Skaldr’s material feels like a cozy blanket of fresh snow. Kicking off their second record, Saṃsṛ, in epic fashion, “The Sum of All Loss” evokes a swaying dance that lulls me into its otherwordly arms. As Saṃsṛ progresses through its seven movements, tracks like the gorgeous “Storms Collide” and the lively “The Crossing” strike true every synapse in my brain, flooding my system with a goosebump-inducing fervor quelled solely by the burden of knowing it must end. Indeed, these short 43 minutes leave me ravenous for more, as Skaldr’s lead-focused wiles charm me over and over again without excess repetition of motifs or homogenization of tones and textures (“From Depth to Dark,” “The Cinder, The Flame, The Sun”). Some of its best moments eclipse its weakest, but weak moments are thankfully few and far between. In reality, Skaldr‘s most serious flaw is that they align so closely with their influences, thereby limiting Saṃsṛ‘s potential to stand out. Nonetheless, it represents one of the more engaging and well-realized examples of the style. Hear it!<a href="https://subterraneanlavadragon.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subterranean Lava Dragon</a> // The Great Architect [January 23rd, 2025 – Self Release]Formed from members of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/black-crown-initiate-violent-portraits-of-doomed-escape-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Black Crown Initiate</a> and Minarchist, Pennsylvania’s Subterranean Lava Dragon take the successful parts of their pedigree’s progressive death metal history and transplant them into epic, fantastical soundscapes on their debut LP The Great Architect. Despite the riff-focused, off-kilter nature of The Great Architect, there lies a mystical, mythical backbone behind everything Subterranean Lava Dragon do (“The Great Architect,” “Bleed the Throne”). Delicate strums of the guitar, multifaceted percussion, and noodly soloing provide a thoughtful thread behind the heaviest crush of prog-death riffs and rabid roars, a combination that favorably recalls Blind the Huntsmen (“The Silent Kin,” “A Dream of Drowning”). In a tight 42 minutes, Subterranean Lava Dragon approaches progressive metal with a beastly heft and a compelling set of teeth—largely driven by the expert swing and swagger of the bass guitar—that differentiates The Great Architect from the greater pool of current prog. Yet, its pursuit of creative song structure, reminiscent of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/obsidious-iconic-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Obsidious</a> at times, allows textured gradations and nuanced layers to elevate the final product (“A Question of Eris,” “Ov Ritual Matricide”). It is for these reasons that I heartily recommend The Great Architect to anyone who appreciates smart, but still dangerous and deadly, metal. Thus Spoke’s Likeable Leftovers<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BesnaBand/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Besna</a> // Krásno [January 16th, 2025 – Self Release]It was the esteemed Doom et Al who first made me aware of Solvakian post-black group Besna. 2022’s Zverstvá was charming and moving in equal respects, with its folky vibe amplifying the punch of blackened atmosphere and epicness. With Krásno, the group take things in a sharper, more refined, and still more compelling direction, showing real evolution and improvement. The vague leanings towards the electronic play a larger role (“Zmráka sa,” “Hranice”), but songs also make use of snappier, and stronger emotional surges (“Krásno,” “Mesto spí”), the polished production to the atmospherics counterbalanced sleekly by the rough, ardent screams and pleasingly prominent percussion. Krásno literally translates as ‘beautiful,’ and Besna get away with titling their sophomore so bluntly because it is accurate. Melodies are more sweeping and stirring (“Krásno,” “Oceán prachu,” “Meso spí”), and the integration of the harsh amidst the mellow is executed more affectively (“Hranice,” “Bezhviezdna obloha”) than in the band’s previous work. Particularly potent are Krásno’s subtle nods and reprises of harmonic themes spanning the record (“Krásno,” “Oceán prachu,” “Mesto spí”), recurring like waves in an uplifting way that reminds me of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/deadly-carnage-endless-blue-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Deadly Carnage</a>‘s Through the Void, Above the Suns. Barely scraping past half an hour, the beautiful Krásno can be experienced repeatedly in short succession; which is the very least this little gem deserves. Tyme’s Ticking Bomb<a href="https://www.instagram.com/traumabond_/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trauma Bond</a> // Summer Ends. Some Are Long Gone [January 12, 2025 – Self-Released]Conceptualized by multi-instrumentalist Tom Mitchell<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-january-2025s-angry-misses/#fn-212851-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> and vocalist Eloise Chong-Gargette, London, England’s Trauma Bond plays grindcore with a twist. Formed in 2020 and on the heels of two other EPs—’21’s The Violence of Spring and ’22’s Winter’s Light—January 2025 sees Trauma Bond release its first proper album, Summer Ends. Some Are Long Gone, the third in a seasonally themed quadrilogy. Twisting and reshaping the boundaries of grindcore, not unlike <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/beaten-to-death-sunrise-over-rigor-mortis-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beaten to Death</a> or Big Chef, Trauma Bond douses its grind with a gravy boat full of sludge. Past the moodily tribal and convincing intro “Brushed by the Storm” lies fourteen minutes of grindy goodness (“Regards,” “Repulsion”), sludgian skullduggery (“Chewing Fat”), and caustic cantankerousness (“Thumb Skin for Dinner”). You’ll feel violated and breathless even before staring down the barrel of nine-and-a-half minute closer “Dissonance,” a gargantuanly heavy ear-fuck that will liquefy what’s left of the organs inside your worthless skin with its slow, creeping sludgeastation. I was not expecting to hear what Trauma Bond served up, as the minimalist cover art drew me in initially, but I’m digging it muchly. Independently released, Summer Ends. Some Are Long Gone is a hell of an experience and should garner Trauma Bond a label partner. I’ll be hoping for that, continuing to support them, and looking forward to whatever autumn brings. Iceberg’s Bleak Bygones<a href="https://barshasketh.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barshasketh</a> // <a href="https://barshasketh.bandcamp.com/album/antinomian-asceticism" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Antinomian Asceticsm </a>[January 9th, 2025 – W.T.C Productions]My taste for black metal runs a narrow, anti-secondwave path. I want oppressive, nightmarish atmosphere, sure, but I also crave rich, modern production and technically proficient instrumental performances. Blending the fury of early Behemoth, the cinematic scope of Deathspell Omega, and the backbeat-supported drones of Panzerfaust, Barshasketh’s latest fell square in my target area. The pealing bells of “Radiant Aperture” beckoned me into Antinomian Asceticsm’s sacred space, a dark world populated with rippling drum fills, surprisingly melodic guitar work, and a varied vocal attack that consistently keeps things fresh. With the average track length in the 6-minute territory, repeat listens are necessary to reveal layers of rhythm and synth atmosphere that give the album its complexity. A throwaway interlude (“Phaneron Engulf”) and a drop in energy in the second and third tracks stop this from being a TYMHM entry, but anyone with a passing interest in technical black metal with lots of atmosphere should check this out.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/deussabaothband/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Deus Sabaoth</a> // <a href="https://deussabaoth.bandcamp.com/album/cycle-of-death" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cycle of Death </a>[January 17th, 2025 – Self-Released]Deus Sabaoth have a lot going for them to catch my attention, beyond that absolutely entrancing cover art. Released under the shadow of war, this debut record from the Ukrainian trio bills itself as “Baroque metal,” another tag that piqued my interest. Simply put, Deus Sabaoth play melodic black metal, but there’s a lot more brewing under the surface. I hear the gothic, unsettled storytelling of The Vision Bleak, the drenching laments of Draconian, and the diligent, dynamic riffing of Mistur. The core metal ensemble of guitar, bass and drums is present, but the trio is augmented by a persistent accompaniment of piano and strings. The piano melodies—often doubled on the guitar—are where the baroque influence shines the greatest, echoing the bouncing, repetitive styling of a toccata (“Mercenary Seer,” “Faceless Warrior”). The vocals are something of an acquired taste, mainly due to their too-far-forward mix, but there’s a vitality and drive to this album that keeps me hooked throughout. And while its svelte 7 song runtime feels more like an EP at times, Cycle of Death shows enough promise from the young band that I’ll keep my eyes peeled in the future. GardensTale’s Tab of Acid<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088721422001" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I Don’t Do Drugs, I Am Drugs</a> // <a href="https://idontdodrugsiamdrugs1.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I Don’t Do Drugs, I Am Drugs</a> [January 27th, 2025 – Self-released]When you name yourself after a famous Salvador Dalí quote, you better be prepared to back it up with an appropriate amount of weird shit. Thankfully, I Don’t Do Drugs, I Am Drugs strives to be worthy of the moniker. The band’s self-titled debut is a psychedelic prog-death nightmare of off-kilter riffs, structures that seem built upon dream logic, layers of ethereal synths and bizarre mixtures of vocal styles. The project was founded by Scott Hogg, guitarist for Cyclops Cataract, who is responsible for everything but the vocals. That includes all the songwriting. Hogg throws the listener off with an ever-shifting array of Gojira-esque plodding syncopation and thick, throbbing layers of harmonics that lean discordant without fully shifting into dissonance. But the songs float as easily into other-worldly soundscapes (“The Tree that Died in it’s[sic] Sleep”) or off-putting balladry (“Confierous”). BP of Madder Mortem handles vocals, and he displays an aptitude for the many facets required to buoy the intriguing but unintuitive music, his shouts and screams and cleans and hushes often layered together in strange strata either more or less than human. The combined result resembles a nightmare Devin may have had around 2005 after listening too much Ephel Duath. It’s not yet perfected; the ballad doesn’t quite work, and the compositions are sometimes a bit too dedicated to their lack of handholds. But it’s a hell of a trip, and a very convincing mission statement. A band to keep an eye on! Dear Hollow’s Gunk Behooval <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bloodbark/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloodbark</a> // <a href="https://bloodbark.bandcamp.com/album/sacred-sound-of-solitude" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sacred Sound of Solitude </a>[January 3rd, 2025 – <a href="https://northern-silence.de/en/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Northern Silence Productions</a>]Bloodbark’s debut Bonebranches offered atmospheric black metal a minimalist spin, as cold and relentless as Paysage d’Hiver, as textured as Fen, and as barren as the mountains it depicts, exuding a natural crispness that recalls Falls of Rauros. Seven years later, we are graced with its follow-up, the majestic Sacred Sound of Solitude. Like its predecessor, the classic atmoblack template is cut with post-black to create an immensely rich and dynamic tapestry, lending all the hallmarks of frostbitten blackened sound (shrieks, blastbeats, tremolo) with the depth of a more modern approach. Twinkling leads, frosty synths, and forlorn piano survey the frigid vistas, while the more furious blackened portions scale snowbound peaks, utilized with the utmost restraint and bound by yearning chord progressions (“Glacial Respite,” “Griever’s Domain”). A new element in the act’s sound is clean vocals (“Time is Nothing,” “Augury of Snow”), which lend a far more melancholy vibe alongside trademark shrieking. Bloodbark offers top-tier atmospheric black metal, a reminder of the always-looming winter. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreatAmericanGhost" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Great American Ghost</a> // <a href="https://www.gag-totc.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tragedy of the Commons </a>[January 31st, 2025 – <a href="https://sharptonerecords.co/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SharpTone Records</a>]Boston’s Great American Ghost used to be extremely one-note, a coattail-rider of the likes of Kublai Khan and Knocked Loose. Deathcore muscles whose veins pulse to the beat of a hardcore heart, you’d be forgiven to see opener “Kerosene” as a sign of stagnation – chunky breakdowns and punk beats, feral barks and callouts, and a hardcore frowny face sported throughout. But Tragedy of the Commons is a far more layered affair, with echoes of metalcore past (“Ghost in Flesh,” “Hymns of Decay”), pronounced and tasteful nu-metal influence a la Deftones (“Genocide,” “Reality/Relapse”), and more variety in their rhythms and tempos, reflecting a Fit for an Autopsy-esque cutthroat intensity and ominous crescendos alongside a more pronounced influence of melody and manic dissonance (“Echoes of War,” “Forsaken”). Is it still meatheaded? Absolutely. Are its more “experimental” pieces in just well-trodden paths of metalcore bands past? Oh definitely. But gracing Great American Ghost a voice beyond the hardcore beatdowns does Tragedy of the Commons good and gives this one-trick pony another trail to wander. Steel Druhm’s Detestible Digestibles<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GutsBandOfficial/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guts</a> // <a href="https://guts3.bandcamp.com/album/nightmare-fuel-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nightmare Fuel</a> [January 31st, 2025 – Self-Release]Finland’s Guts play a weird “caveman on a Zamboni” variant of groove-heavy death metal that mixes OSDM with sludge and stoner elements for something uniquely sticky and pulversizing. On Nightmare Fuel, the material keeps grinding forward at a universal mid-tempo pace powered by phat, crushing grooves. “571” sounds like a Melvins song turned into a death metal assault, and it shouldn’t work, but it very much does. The blueprint for what Guts do is so basic, but they manage to keep cracking skulls on track after track as you remain locked in place helplessly. Nightmare Fuel is a case study into how less can be MOAR, as Guts staunchly adhere to their uncomplicated approach and make it work so well. Each track introduces a rudimentary riff and beats you savagely with it for 3-4 minutes with little variation. Things reset for the next track, and a new riff comes out to pound you into schnitzel all over again. This is the Guts experience, and you will be utterly mulched by massive prime movers like “Mortar” and “Ravenous Leech,” the latter of which sounds like an old Kyuss song refitted with death vocals and unleashed upon mankind. The relentlessly monochromatic riffs are things of minimalist elegance that you need to experience. Nightmare Fuel is a slow-motion ride straight into a brick wall, so brace for a concrete facial.<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/antinomian-asceticism/" target="_blank">#AntinomianAsceticism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-black-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/avantgarde-music/" target="_blank">#AvantgardeMusic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" 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Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/records-o-the-month-january-2025/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Record(s) o’ the Month – January 2025</a>By Angry Metal GuyThe tradition at Angry Metal Guy has been the strong start to the year where, like so many people with New Year’s Resolutions, you stick with ’em for a while, and then they taper off, sliding later and later as the year goes on. But this year, even the dopamine kick of listing everything in some kind of ranking order and getting lots of positive feedback from readers didn’t help me shake my funk. Alas, that means that I got way behind, and no one was available to pick up my slack. I apologize. However, since I am breaking the trend this year, maybe that means that 2025 will be significantly different!<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/records-o-the-month-january-2025/#fn-213225-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> So, here’s your R(s)otM for January. It’s a beautiful time to be alive, my friends.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/records-o-the-month-january-2025/#fn-213225-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a>Mutagenic Host // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/mutagenic-host-the-diseased-machine-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Diseased Machine</a> [January 3rd, 2025 | <a href="https://www.gurglinggore.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gurgling Gore</a> | <a href="https://www.drycoughrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dry Cough</a> | <a href="http://www.memento-mori.es/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Memento Mori</a> | <a href="https://mutagenichost.bandcamp.com/album/the-diseased-machine" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>] — The death metal newcomers in Mutagenic Host are already impressing with their brand of old school-inflected, death metal-fueled technological cynicism. With such timely, relevant themes for this nightmare fueled hellscape that we’re living in as the backdrop to the rifftacular and muscular tuneage contained on The Diseased Machine—out January 3rd, 2025, from a melange of labels [buy it here on <a href="https://mutagenichost.bandcamp.com/album/the-diseased-machine" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>!]—the whole package dropkicks the listener from the opening strains to the final moments and has entranced the staff of Angry Metal Guy (as well as a-me, Angry Metal Guy). As the recently demoted n00b Tyme opined in his review:<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/records-o-the-month-january-2025/#fn-213225-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a> “Mutagenic Host has released a death metal album that checks all the boxes, a rifferously frenzied affair of epic proportions. It will not be the only thing I recommend in 2025, but it’s undoubtedly the first. I will be intently eyeing Mutagenic Host, anticipating their next evolution, and fans of this style should, too.” Set up those Google alerts, folks!Runner(s) upThe Halo Effect // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-halo-effect-march-of-the-unheard-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">March of the Unheard</a> [January 10th, 2025 | Nuclear Blast | LOL, you want to own lossless digital files? No chance of that, loser!] — You can’t imagine that I moved to Gothenburg only to not begin shilling for everything that comes from this beautiful city. Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s actually a requirement of being Swedish that you shill for your home territory.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/records-o-the-month-january-2025/#fn-213225-4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a> Some things—like the In Flames discography following Colony—make the task of shilling hard; March of the Unheard makes it easy.As a fan of the Gothenburg sound embodied in the conjoining of Dark Tranquillity and In Flames that builds the root of The Halo Effect’s sound, this is a delicious meal loaded with everything you need in a melodeath record. Add to that that Mikael Stanne is one of the best vocalists in metal whose performance raises the level of the record at every turn, and you’ve got yourself a Record o’ the Month. Fellow old Steel Druhm was equally impressed, if in his particularly understated way: “You can appreciate March of the Unheard as a lost Dark Tranquillity album or as a slick homage to a specific moment in metal history, and it works well both ways. This is a superior album to Days of the Lost with a much greater replay potential, and I’ve been surprised by how vital and fresh it is. Not bad for a bunch of olde dawgs retreading their own ancient stomping grounds. Here’s to the olden ways in these confusing modern days.”Faithxtractor // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/faithxtractor-loathing-and-the-noose-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Loathing and the Noose </a>[January 10th, 2025 | <a href="https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Redefining Darkness Records</a> | <a href="http://faithxtractor.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>] — Faithxtractor—the band with the worst name since Fvneraryy Fvnkk—has returned with Loathing and the Noose, an ambitious evolution of their old-school death metal sound. Building on their 2023 record Contempt for a Failed Dimension, these Ohio death metallers have upped their game by fusing blackened thrash, melodeath, and bedeathened doom into a relentless (yet surprisingly dynamic!) assault. Faithxtractor balances brutality with surprising melody, innovating without losing their edge. And one guy—our very own Maddog, who I was shocked and a little disappointed to learn is both quite sane and human—sees this as the proof that they are carving out a place for themselves in the modern death metal landscape. He proselytized (more or less) pithily: “Faithxtractor makes it work by whole-assing their every move. Loathing and the Noose’s gargantuan death metal riffs, smooth songwriting, and excellence throughout its genre romp won me over.” <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/faithxtractor/" target="_blank">#Faithxtractor</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/loathing-and-the-noose/" target="_blank">#LoathingAndTheNoose</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/march-of-the-unheard/" target="_blank">#MarchOfTheUnheard</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mutagenic-host/" target="_blank">#MutagenicHost</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/records-o-the-month/" target="_blank">#RecordSOTheMonth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/records-of-the-month/" target="_blank">#RecordsOfTheMonth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-diseased-machine/" target="_blank">#TheDiseasedMachine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-halo-effect/" target="_blank">#TheHaloEffect</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/sheogorath-antimon-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sheogorath – Antimon Review</a>By GardensTaleMost metalheads are nerds. But nerds come in gradations, and the same goes for bands. On a scale of ‘watched Game of Thrones once’ to ‘alternates LARPing and demoscene meets every other weekend,’ solo black metal bands are along the lines of ‘hobbyist cosplayer.’ <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/sheogorath-antimon-review/#fn-212077-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> So it’s a good thing that Sheogorath founder Matej Kollar got his buddy Patrick Pazour to do vocals, as social interaction automatically decreases the nerdiness. But wait, what’s that? Sheogorath is a character from the Elder Scrolls video games? Oh Matej. Into the vat of foam swords you go, buddy. Jabs aside, Sheogorath has been hammering away for over a decade already, and Antimon is album number 4 in that time, so we can at least have an expectation of experience from the duo. But expectations may lead to disappointment, which leads to anger and hate, as I think Yoda said. So will Sheogorath live long and proper, or is it a TPK?A cursory scan of Sheogorath’s prior material shows a promising and rather vicious melodic black metal act at work, so color me shocked when Antimon demonstrates a hard swerve into Aether Realm territory. A hoarse scream and a handful of tremolos are all that’s left of the band’s black metal roots, but the screams are now complemented by occasional cleans and a few guest female vocals. Synths have come out of the woodwork to add a shot of 80’s fantasy adventure flair, and the riffs and arrays of solos are melodic to a fault, to a point where the vocals are the only thing guarding the border between melodeath and power metal. Sheogorath is rolling out of the darkness on wheels of cheese.But if you’re not lactose intolerant and willing to indulge in the Viking-themed LARP, there is a lot of decent-to-good material to be found. Kollar is a hell of a guitar player, able to sustain pretty catchy material at speed and using a broad array of techniques. From galloping power metal riffs (“Mage in Rage”) to energetic blackened bursts (“Odin”) to sea shanty swing (“Set Sails”), there’s plenty of enjoyable guitar work, and the band displays a knack for varied songwriting that seems to draw on a different set of influences for every next track. “Set Sails” and “Raziel” are especially good, as Sheogorath’s constituent parts feel more cohesive and the flaws of the rest of the album are largely absent here.Because there are certainly a host of flaws. Antimon may be Sheogorath’s 4th album, but the complete overhaul in terms of style and genre leaves the album sounding much like a new band that happens to use some stuff from its predecessor. Pazour’s got a decent scream, but his range is limited, which leaves him fighting the melodic songwriting. This is more than evident whenever he tries his hand at clean vocals, which span perhaps a quarter octave and are the worst part of every song they appear in. The lyrics are a parade of inane cliches, and they emphasize the predictability of the songwriting, which often travels the path of least resistance. The keys tend to hinder more than they help due to their limited library, evoking dungeon synth as much as string quartets and the short synth solo in the opener still sets my teeth on edge.Sheogorath’s self-reinvention is not a full-blown success yet. Some of the instrumentation and songwriting choices feel slapdash, added to fit a formula without having the right tools or skills to pull them off. But the flaws don’t go down to the bone. The riffs and energy are infectious and the guys know how to write a hook. I’m not certain yet that they wouldn’t have been better off sticking to actual black metal, but I’m not yet wholly writing off this stylistic swerve just based on Antimon. With some hard reflection and improvements in key areas, there’s no reason Sheogorath can’t make a real banger next time. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: Self-released Websites: <a href="http://sheogorath.at" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sheogorath.at</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/antimon/" target="_blank">#Antimon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/austrian-metal/" target="_blank">#AustrianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aether-realm/" target="_blank">#ÆtherRealm</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/self-released/" target="_blank">#SelfReleased</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sheogorath/" target="_blank">#Sheogorath</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/black-talon-scenes-of-agony-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Black Talon – Scenes of Agony Review</a>By KenstrosityThe thrash revival scene is alive and well, for better or worse. I don’t have a horse in the “for better or worse” race, but any thrash, newe or olde, hits hard when it strikes true. A big part of that impact comes from the spirit of thrash at its core. An inherent political lean and a pointed, punk energy defines much of what makes thrash thrash—to oversimplify the scene—and also makes up a significant portion of its appeal. For Edinburgh’s Black Talon, that spirit thrives and that appeal remains intact, despite ten long years separating their upcoming Scenes of Agony from their unsung debut, <a href="https://blacktalonthrash.bandcamp.com/album/endless-realities" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Endless Realities</a>. With such a lengthy turnaround between albums, I’m interested to hear what Black Talon have to say in 2025.If you’ve heard <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/havok-v-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Havok</a> and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/municipal-waste-slime-and-punishment-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Municipal Waste</a>, you possess a decent frame of reference for Black Talon’s sound. Throw in the particularly energetic wiles of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/death-angel-humanicide-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Death Angel</a> and their ilk, and a greater sense of familiarity with this material manifests. Politics and current events remain Black Talon’s subject of choice. To that end, earnest, if wholly unsubtle, lyrics deliver their message of frustration and disdain for various modern-age issues sneering from Johnny Steele’s versatile and venomous throat. Guitarist Rory Strachan stuffs an intimidating number of high-octane riffs, pulling from all corners of the thrashverse, into these forty-seven minutes, while drummer Dave Taylor pummels D-beats, freakouts, and double-bass runs—among other neat tricks—with wild abandon. Plucky and audible, bassist Eddie Campbell allots a delightful measure of low-end bounce to Scenes of Agony, giving the record a fuller heft than many modern records of this ilk can claim.The style they play may be well-worn and reliable, but Black Talon’s execution on Scenes of Agony is rock-solid and at least a cut above stock. No matter where you look, a ridiculously effective hook lurks right around the corner. One of my favorite examples, “Falsifier” offers choice vocal nuggets such as “STAGES OF DENIAL AT YOUR DISCRETION,” bouncy riffing and a deeply satisfying double bass run to seal the song permanently inside my hippocampus. Quick and vicious cuts “Scenes of Agony,” “Cryptocracy,” and “Killing Time” offer similar sticky moments that make it easy to pick them out of a lineup without checking the tracklist. Unexpectedly, long-form troublemakers “Isolation” and “The Bastard Gene” also stand out as highlights by virtue of sheer vivacity. Even factoring in their somewhat lengthy buildups, these songs shrink before my ears so radically that I would never guess “Isolation” ran over nine minutes and “The Bastard Gene” barely under eight. To achieve this result, these numbers exhibit strong motifs of similar sharpness to their leaner companions, a high level of instrumental detail, and dynamic momentum.Meanwhile, other sections of Scenes of Agony struggle to clear the high bar Black Talon set with their strongest material. Obviously, ten years of marinating time permitted even these cuts to make some marks, but offerings such as “Obnoxion” and closer “Not Meant to Last” don’t have the same staying power as others. In the former example, I struggle to grasp what the underlying message its lyrics mean to express. While it might be just a comprehension failure on my part (very likely), this confusion takes me out of the musical experience, as does the disorienting rapid fade that rudely shuts the number down. “Not Meant to Last,” on the flipside, simply lacks strong characteristics to magnify its voice in the greater crowd of engaging material preceding it, save for a very nice guitar solo. As a result, it sends Scenes of Agony off on a weaker note than it deserved. As an additional note, while I appreciate Black Talon’s focus on excellent riffcraft and muscular songwriting, developing fiery solo work, like that on “The Bastard Gene” and “Not Meant to Last,” into a few more nooks and crannies might’ve offered complementary points interest to an already compelling work.It bears mentioning that Scenes of Agony sounds great regardless of its songwriting strengths and weaknesses. Full tones, rich textures, and a nice balance between instruments with Johnny’s vocals placed appropriately in front, this production strikes the right chord with this sponge. In effect, that’s what pushes Scenes of Agony past Good and into Very Good territory. It’s clear Black Talon loved making this record, and that care and passion for the craft comes through in the final product. A couple of nicks here and there aren’t nearly enough to dull the ear-catching luster of what might be one of the better modern thrash records to come out this year. Only time will tell! Rating: Very Good DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: Self Release Websites: <a href="http://blacktalonthrash.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">blacktalonthrash.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/blacktalonthrash" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/blacktalonthrash</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-talon/" target="_blank">#BlackTalon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/british-metal/" target="_blank">#BritishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-angel/" target="_blank">#DeathAngel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/havok/" target="_blank">#Havok</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/municipal-waste/" target="_blank">#MunicipalWaste</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scenes-of-agony/" target="_blank">#ScenesOfAgony</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/self-release/" target="_blank">#SelfRelease</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/thrash-metal/" target="_blank">#ThrashMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/uk/" target="_blank">#UK</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/mad-parish-the-dust-of-forever-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mad Parish – The Dust of Forever Review</a>By El CuervoWoe betide the lowly copywriter / AI bot that dared to write that a band was ‘for fans of’ Iron Maiden, Virgin Steele, Camel, Rush and Rainbow. Iron Maiden and Camel are among my favorite acts in any genre, while the latter two boast a couple of the best rock albums ever released.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/mad-parish-the-dust-of-forever-review/#fn-210447-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> Following this description I metaphorically elbowed other staffers aside to reach the sophomore Mad Parish record entitled The Dust of Forever. It’s certainly ambitious, weaving its yarn over 71 minutes and 21 tracks, including ten that run no more than two minutes designed to tell the album’s story through atmospheric interludes. Do these Canadians execute on these ambitions?The comparator bands are reasonably appropriate. Mad Parish’s music falls somewhere in the blurred lines between 70s hard rock, 80s heavy metal, and prog rock. It prioritizes guitar and vocal melodies, but features plenty of synths and has conceptual aspirations supported by the story-telling interludes and a comic. The guitars play some solid riffs but these are typically limited to introductions; by the time they reach the verses and choruses, they’re more forgettable. For example, “An Age of Quell” opens with proper energy and weaves its guitars with synths in a Yes-sy fashion. But the ensuing verse lead can’t match the energy and invention of the introduction. Likewise, the first riff on “Cathedron Wakes” bridges technicality with melody and later bleeds into a crisp groove. But these cool leads are ruined with computerized vocals as the song develops. Hampering the core music the most is the production. The prominent synths undercut any guitar crunch, while the vocals can be over-produced and the drums lack punch through their weak bass presence. I like the leads a lot better when they’re exposed without the synths which stray into silly far too often. Dust of Forever is substantially rock music, but it doesn’t always feel like it.I also struggle with the sometimes unclear songwriting signposts. Songs like “Possess the Child” careen from melody to melody with little indication that you’ve moved from verse to bridge to chorus. Of course, it’s possible to pick these out if you’re listening closely but without strong melodies, it feels directionless. And while this song improves in the second half, its instrumental passage might as well not belong to this song at all because it’s melodically inconsistent with the remainder. This trait extends across the album. In particular, the ten story-telling interludes are unnecessarily distinct from the main songs. The flute on “Outerest in Irisius” is just as odd as the horns on “Hunted.” Worse are the first two “Transmission” tracks that feature intriguing snippets of music from other genres – happy folk rock and jazzy swing – but are nonetheless superfluous and strange. They don’t improve the overall quality or flow, and these interludes add 15 minutes to an album that already feels too long.All this endorses the position that Dust of Forever lacks a musical sense of direction. Given that it has a concept and supporting comic, you would expect that it would at least trace a discernible route through its many songs and interludes. But this isn’t the case, and there’s no sense of climax towards the end of the album. The last main song is just another song enclosed by weird short tracks. Across an album this long, I at least want some sense of payoff but there’s none. However, the most damning quality of Dust of Forever is that even if it only ran for 30 minutes, it would still feel repetitive and dull. I struggle to get through just a ten-minute stint without my attention wandering elsewhere, let alone all 71 minutes. Spreading material that lazily sways from sub-par to mediocre over such a long period results in a record that proactively saps my energy and enthusiasm.While Mad Parish may stylistically fit between the bands that form their core influences, the quality here falls far short. Dust of Forever lacks the infectious energy of Iron Maiden, the progressive levity of Camel, the technical grandeur of Rush, and the groovy boldness of Rainbow. This album isn’t totally devoid of value, but the choice fragments are buried in a deluge of other material that I cannot approve of. Picking out the positives involves cherry-picking specific guitar or vocal melodies from specific songs. This is possible but it wouldn’t tell you much about the overall quality or key characteristics of the album. Hopefully, the remainder of this review has done so. Rating: 1.5/5.0 DR: 11 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: Self-release Websites: <a href="https://madparishmetal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">madparish.com</a> | <a href="https://madparish1.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">madparish.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/madparishmetal/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/madparish</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/15/" target="_blank">#15</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/camel/" target="_blank">#Camel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/canadian-metal/" target="_blank">#CanadianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hard-rock/" target="_blank">#HardRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heavy-metal/" target="_blank">#HeavyMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/iron-maiden/" target="_blank">#IronMaiden</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mad-parish/" target="_blank">#MadParish</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-rock/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/rainbow/" target="_blank">#Rainbow</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/rush/" target="_blank">#Rush</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/self-release/" target="_blank">#SelfRelease</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-dust-of-forever/" target="_blank">#TheDustOfForever</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/virgin-steele/" target="_blank">#VirginSteele</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/yes/" target="_blank">#Yes</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/negative-13-recover-what-you-can-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Negative 13 – Recover What You Can Review</a>By Dolphin WhispererWhat is a second life but a life that has just gone on long enough to find multiple waves of success? Artists at all levels that we cover here at Angry Metal Guy HQ, often, deliver their albums to the world for the love of the game—not the glitz or glory. Negative 13, as a collective of friends, reignited their passion for the game to release 2022’s long-awaited <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/negative-13-mourning-asteri-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mourning Asteri</a>, a satisfying sludge platter full of punky energy and melancholy. And this time, only three years later, Recover What You Can arrives in a timely and timelessly snarling manner, ready to show again how friends who suffer together come out all the stronger.It’s uncanny how textbook sludge Negative 13 hits without sounding too similar to any one big name through Recover. In many ways, their older origins play some part in this differentiation, with the inspiration from their sound reaching back equally to proto-acts like riff-churned Into the Pandemonium-era Celtic Frost<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/negative-13-recover-what-you-can-review/#fn-210338-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> or early post-punky Swans as it does to NOLA groove flagbearers like Eyehategod. As such, as is necessary in well-weighted doom and sludge endeavors, Negative 13 lives on the edge of amp-carved charges, finding life in a breadth of volume-driven and pedal-kissed tones. Without an abused guitar, a cranked amp, and a strained throat, Recover What You Can would not exist.Though Negative 13 has chosen to keep Recover’s run lean, they’ve not forgotten to imbue every intro, verse, chorus, and space in between with the drag and hustle of furious riffage. An unfettered, surfy twang tramples through “The Vulture Circles” to kick off a punk-sneered ripper. A crushed and gated scrawl filters and folds into monstrous chords that back a creaky, impassioned bellow (“Horizon Divides”). And borrowing tactics from a faded The Jesus Lizard playbook, Negative 13 twists the longest cuts here with hissing feedback, near panic-level stabs, and frothing mouth mic abuse to bring heavyweight builds to emotional conclusions. It’s that tie to the heart that allows familiar marches and lockstep sways to resonate beyond the impact of loudness. Fervent cries to “pick yourself up and dust off your bones” (“The Vulture Circles”) and plaintive confessions that “I’ve been here before but it never plays out the same way” carry an earnest pathos that sews buzzing refrains to time-worn sleeves.Recover suffers a strange fate at the hands of trim desires in that certain endings and transitions feel to be lacking that same tether that the songs hold within themselves. From the introductory “The Desolate” to quick burst “Casket Trail,” it’s not immediately apparent that the remainder of the album will skip along in a more disconnected manner as those two tracks function like a classic stage-hook blast. But starting with “The Vulture Circles” through to Recover’s close, we’re treated to an inconveniencing array of rapid-dissolve fade outs and awkward clips. An album closing with a hard stop can still have impact, but the kind of fuzzy cut that caps off the titular conclusion feels less like a swelling halt and more like turning a corner right into a wall. After repeated spins these kinds of minor stumbles settle into a strange, if learned, flow, reducing total grief. But I do wonder whether one additional shorter form jam could have pushed Recover across an even more satisfying line.In its current state, however, Recover What You Can boasts a strong sludge performance that wields steadfast riff construction and heartfelt lyric expulsion in grooving balance. Born of a time after the genre’s inception and revived in a world far removed from its heyday, Negative 13 has remained an act discovered by happenstance—the deep (very deep) dive of a Neurosis-awakened neophyte, the Pittsburgh local who has known about them since day one, or you, dear reader, who may have seen their last output covered in these halls. Whatever the case—a curious mind of unstudied or well-read discovery—those who know of Negative 13 and long for an efficient and affective blend of doom power and punk fury will once again reap the rewards of patient and intentional output. Recover What You Can is unlikely to pull in the non-believers. To them we simply ask to listen and enjoy what you can. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3 Label: Self Release Websites: <a href="http://negative13.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">negative13.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063690412382" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/negativethirteen</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025 <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/celtic-frost/" target="_blank">#CelticFrost</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/doom-metal/" target="_blank">#DoomMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/eyehategod/" target="_blank">#Eyehategod</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hardcore/" target="_blank">#Hardcore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/negative-13/" target="_blank">#Negative13</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sludge/" target="_blank">#Sludge</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sludge-metal/" target="_blank">#SludgeMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swans/" target="_blank">#Swans</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-jesus-lizard/" target="_blank">#TheJesusLizard</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-night-flight-orchestra-give-us-the-moon-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Night Flight Orchestra – Give Us The Moon Review</a>By Mystikus HugebeardAs the youngest writer currently staffed at and embarrassing the great AMG lineage, I glean real pleasure at the irony of me reviewing The Night Flight Orchestra (NFO). I mean, NFO is basically “Hey the 80’s called, they want their music back” whereas I’m smack in the later part of “only 90’s kids remember this,” blessedly not part of the “skibidi” generation by a couple of years. Pimply little scamp though I might be, I fucking love NFO, which just goes to show that all ages are vulnerable to the raw magnetism of that slick, sexy 80’s sound. Pumping synths, dancing guitars, bodacious vocals, and big n’ burly mustaches; that’s what I’ve been comin’ to NFO for since 2017’s Amber Galactic, and I’m happy to say that in Give Us The Moon, NFO gives more of exactly what I want, and what all of you damn well should want.Anyone who’s heard NFO before already knows what to expect on Give Us The Moon, but allow me to break it down for any newbies who, having never heard NFO, have probably never felt joy a day in their life: NFO plays extremely fun rock n’ roll pulled straight from the 80’s, characterized by infectious energy, memorable choruses, and the killer vocals by Bjorn “Speed” Strid.” An arbitrary but fun trend I’ve noticed in determining the quality of an NFO album lies in how hard a respective album’s third song goes. In the past we’ve had iconic jams like Amber Galactic’s “Gemini,” Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough’s “Paralyzed,” and Aeromantic’s “Divinyls.” Give Us The Moon earns its place alongside these albums with the instant classic “Like The Beating of a Heart” (since I don’t count the scene-setting intro song). The synth intro bursts into a deliriously funky synth/guitar line, leading into a verse where the drums maintain a momentum that keeps your head nodding like clockwork. Then the chorus explodes with an unforgettable melody, the kind where you can’t help but try and sing along despite not knowing a damn word. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it leaves me with a stupid grin; it’s NFO, baby!The entirety of Give Us The Moon basically feels like a smorgasbord of the many hats (or aviators, I guess) NFO wears with extreme style. You’ve got tracks that ooze with romantic camp (“Paloma,” “Runaways,” “Way to Spend the Night”), straightforward rock n’ rollers (“Stratus,” “Melbourne, May I?”), or songs that dial up the funk to reach critical funk (“A Paris Point of View,” “Miraculous”). The album’s first single, “Shooting Velvet,” is a particularly kickass tune with a lethally catchy chorus and a tasty guitar solo I wish was about four times as long. “Paloma” is an instant winner as well, with a dramatic escalation of big guitar chords and synths sounding like the climactic catharsis of that scene in the romance movie where they finally smooch. The consistently high quality of Give Us The Moon’s tracklist makes it exceptionally easy to just throw on without a second thought and before you know it an hour has passed.Speaking of an hour passing, if I were to complain about anything in Give Us The Moon, it’s that it does feel just a little long. Even though there’s never really a point in Give Us The Moon where I feel compelled to skip, I do struggle to retain some tracks like “Miraculous” or “Cosmic Tides” even after several listens. Furthermore, I’m a little torn on Give Us The Moon’s closer, “Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (and the Captain of Pain). In addition to it’s ultra tubular title, it’s a dynamic and adventurous track that unquestionably ends the album on a high note. But I find it lacks the staying power and hyper-catchy hooks that enamored me to practically any of NFO’s previous closing songs. But as basically anyone who’s reviewed NFO before me has expounded upon, NFO at their worst is still pretty damn good.Give Us The Moon is everything I want from an NFO record, and was a blast of excitement after I was a little underwhelmed with Aeromantic II. Once Give Us The Moon is over, the only thing I’m thinking is a resounding “fuck yeah, dude.” It’s the product of a band who has nailed their sound and songwriting down to an extremely sexy science and is bound to contain a couple of favorite tunes for any NFO fan out there. And if this is your first NFO album, I’m glad to be the one to deliver joy unto you for the first time. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: n/a | Format Reviewed: Stream Label: <a href="https://label.napalmrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Napalm Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://thenightflightorchestra.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">official</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thenightflightorchestraofficial/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook</a> | <a href="https://thenightflightorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/give-us-the-moon?from=search&search_item_id=3489321372&search_item_type=b&search_match_part=%3F&search_page_id=4082017165&search_page_no=1&search_rank=1&search_sig=e2158579d0d6e77ff36dbdf4e262477e" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bandcamp</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aeromantic/" target="_blank">#Aeromantic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aeromantic-ii/" target="_blank">#AeromanticII</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/album-oriented-rock/" target="_blank">#AlbumOrientedRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amber-galactic/" target="_blank">#AmberGalactic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/give-us-the-moon/" target="_blank">#GiveUsTheMoon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hard-rock/" target="_blank">#HardRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/napalm-records/" target="_blank">#NapalmRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sometimes-the-world-aint-enough/" target="_blank">#SometimesTheWorldAinTEnough</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swedish-metal/" target="_blank">#SwedishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-night-flight-orchestra/" target="_blank">#TheNightFlightOrchestra</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/blackslash-heroes-saints-fools-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blackslash – Heroes, Saints & Fools Review</a>By HoldeneyeIf you’ve read my last few year-end lists, you probably know that I’ve been struggling to find my Angry Metal Motivation for quite a while. I like to consider myself a jack-of-all-trades reviewer, so instead of pigeonholing myself into one or two genres of expertise, I usually bounce haphazardly from promo to promo, just grabbing whatever seems to fit my current mood. On the plus side, this has led to a pretty significant broadening of my musical taste, but it has also sometimes left me feeling like a rudderless ship afloat on an endless sea of sub-genres. I’ve noticed that when I get discouraged about reviewing, I unconsciously drift towards soothing tried-and-true sounds, and those usually tend to be of the pure heavy metal variety—as evidenced by my two latest deep dives, Sabaton and Manowar, I don’t discriminate between the modern or more old-school versions of the style. So, after noticing this trve tendency within my psyche, I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to experiment with pseudo-specialization when it comes to promo selection. With the recent departure of Huck N’ Roll and the descent of Steel Druhm into disgusting death metal madness, someone has to cover the real heavy metal. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you can’t spell Holdeneye without ‘olde.’It doesn’t get much olde-r, sound-wise that is, than what Germany’s Blackslash have been laying down since their 2007 formation (with the exact same lineup, I might add. Impressive!). Drawing power from their patrons, heavy metal deities like Iron Maiden and Saxon, Blackslash specialize in extremely guitar-forward tunes of all speeds and sizes. Embedded single “Heroes, Saints & Fools” just oozes classic metal. Between the epic flair of the intro and outro leads, the hair-metal pinch harmonics that kick in once the song hits full speed, and the very “Number of the Beast” delivery of the chorus, this track checks just about every box for what makes heavy metal the greatest accomplishment of the human race.That holy, lionhearted, halberd-wielding hellion on the cover looks an awful lot like Maiden’s Eddie, and that resemblance is fitting given Blackslash’s faithful use of many of that band’s signature musical elements. “The Watcher” begins and ends with a Steve Harris bass riff accompanied by clean guitars that would feel right at home on any of Maiden’s 2000-and-later albums, and the rest of the song pays homage to the band’s classic 80s stuff. “Die By the Blade” continues that homage, penultimate track “Where Are We Heading To?” combines Maiden guitars with some Bon Jovi-style hard rock to deliver a surprisingly heartfelt ballad, and “Life After Death” adds the gritty influence of Blackslash’s countrymates Accept into this mix of trveness.If Heroes, Saints & Fools is a successful heavy metal album—which it is—it is so for two reasons: the very Biff Byford-esque delivery of singer Clemens Haas, and the amazing chemistry of the guitar duo comprised of Christian Haas and Daniel Hölderle. Clemens balances his crooning with just enough gravel to truly impress, and if you pick any random moment on this record, there’s a good chance you’ll hear the guitars doing something really cool when you press ‘play’—one of my favorite moments is the triumphant intro to closer “Maniacs and Madmen.” “Sacrificed” is the one song that I might have left on the cutting room floor if forced to choose, but the rest of the album certainly qualifies as ‘very good,’ with “Tokyo,” “The Watcher,” “Maniacs and Madmen,” and the title track approaching greatness.I’m sure I’ll jinx myself by saying this, but the olde gods of heavy metal seem to be blessing my oath of devotion to all things traditional by bestowing upon me an unexpected boon of goodness in the early parts of 2025. Blackslash literally wear their influences on their cover art, and they’ve done those influences proud on Heroes, Saints & Fools. Fans of Maiden, Accept, and Saxon are highly encouraged to play it loud. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://ironshieldrecords.de/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iron Shield Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blackslashband/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/blackslashband</a> | <a href="http://www.blackslash-band.de" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.blackslash-band.de</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/accept/" target="_blank">#Accept</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackslash/" target="_blank">#Blackslash</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bon-jovi/" target="_blank">#BonJovi</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heavy-metal/" target="_blank">#HeavyMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heroes-saints-fools/" target="_blank">#HeroesSaintsFools</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/iron-maiden/" target="_blank">#IronMaiden</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/iron-shield-records/" target="_blank">#IronShieldRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/saxon/" target="_blank">#Saxon</a>

dril wheatonEvery Instance Of Fear. <a href="https://social.illegalpornography.com/tags/jan25" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#jan25</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/corroding-soul-corroding-soul-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Corroding Soul – Corroding Soul Review</a>By TwelveAtmospheric black metal is a deceptively wide (sub-)genre, and it seems like every time I opt to review some, I end up with something different. The UK’s Corroding Soul has me in a musing mood over this because I’m not sure I’ve heard atmospheric metal quite like it before. The solo project of David Lovejoy, Corroding Soul, formerly Sorrow Plagues, is releasing its debut release under that moniker and plays symphonic, highly atmospheric black metal in a way that once again is making me reconsider what I think about when I hear the atmoblack term. Usually, we like different around here, but it’s no guarantee of anything—so let’s take a listen and see where we end up.Corroding Soul is unquestionably a work of atmospheric black metal, in that it’s got the blast beats, the hazy guitar riffs, and the screaming vocal performances that the style is well-known for. What sets it apart from its contemporaries is the heavy use of symphonic elements that help to give the album a space-themed feel. It reminds me of Enshine, if Enshine went the black metal route, or perhaps if they collaborated with a project like Woods of Desolation. Most melodies are performed through piercing guitar leads and propped up by heavy synths and pads that give Corroding Soul a dream-like texture. I haven’t heard much like it—dreamy, spacey metal, sure, effective atmoblack, sure, but not together. The more I think about it, the more that surprises me because it works quite well here.David Lovejoy is very talented, and his abilities are on full display across Corroding Soul. The guitar leads that act as primary drivers for their songs sound terrific, wistful, and strong, while the rhythm guitars are clear enough to provide genuine heaviness to the album. Opener “Shadow” is a remarkable journey, built around a single, beautiful lead that repeats and shifts, building and releasing tension in a powerful way. “Sapphire” and “Tempest” allow the synths to show off the most, through ringing chords that pair nicely with Lovejoy’s tortured screams (juxtaposing, of course). “Tempest” in particular is beautiful for all its power—and it has plenty of that, bass, guitars, and drums all racing to keep up with each other up to the perfectly-timed interlude halfway through. The sound profile that Corroded Soul aims for has so much potential, and, as a result, there are beautiful, heavy, powerful, and intense moments scattered all across Corroded Soul.The main reason Corroded Soul does not resonate with me the way I feel it should is that those moments are at times few and far between. With four songs stretching thirty-nine minutes, Corroded Soul puts a lot into each track, and leans heavily on repetition to get to the finish line. This means it’s a problem that the primary theme on “Bound” reminds heavily of “Shadow.” On the other side of the fence, “Sapphire” doesn’t really have a singular unifying idea like the other three songs do. Instead, it explores a great many ideas over eleven minutes. Some of these are genuinely great—I love the hopeful keyboard work about halfway through, for instance—but the repetitions and structures make the back half of Corroded Soul feel longer than they are. I can’t say I dislike it, but it doesn’t hold my attention either.I want to like Corroding Soul a lot more than I do. I love its themes, the dreamy blend of sorrowful and hopeful music, and the way everything works so well together to create a cohesive sound. The performances are strong, but the songwriting doesn’t quite resonate with me, particularly in the back half of the album. I will be excited to see what comes next for Corroding Soul, but this debut feels ever-so-slightly lost in space to this listener. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: Self-release Websites: <a href="http://corrodingsoul.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">corrodingsoul.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/corrodingsoulofficial" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/corrodingsoulofficial</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-black-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/british-metal/" target="_blank">#BritishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/corroding-soul/" target="_blank">#CorrodingSoul</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/enshine/" target="_blank">#Enshine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/self-release/" target="_blank">#SelfRelease</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sorrow-plagues/" target="_blank">#SorrowPlagues</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/woods-of-desolation/" target="_blank">#WoodsOfDesolation</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pyre-where-obscurity-sways-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pyre – Where Obscurity Sways Review</a>By Dear HollowSwedeath is one of those games I have zero skin in, but its close overlap with hardcore-influenced death metal and death ‘n roll makes that relationship complicated. Like I could not be bothered by Left Hand Path, but Wolverine Blues is a stalwart among my music collection; Bloodbath is regrettably not an act I return to regularly,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pyre-where-obscurity-sways-review/#fn-210619-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> but I consider Black Breath one of those rare successful intersections of grind, death metal, and death ‘n roll. My point is, I don’t know where the line is drawn between these styles but I know I like some of it and then can’t be fussed about the rest of it. With Pyre, the jury’s still out.Where Obscurity Sways is the Saint Petersburg quartet Pyre’s third full-length, and it wavers between full-on Entombed worship and something resembling Fuming Mouth. Professing a frigidity more closely resembling black metal coursing throughout, Pyre offers chunky riffs, feral vocals, tense tremolo and chuggy shreds, and a bouncy sense of ubiquitous buzzsaw and passages of doomier tempos, alongside a wailing lead guitar whose rip-roaring solos are owed to multiple members’ contributions to the traditional heavy metal sister act Blazing Rust. Pyre throws the kitchen sink at us, blurring the lines between hardcore- and Swedeath-influenced death metal, boasting that black metal chill and no-holds-barred attitude – only for Where Obscurity Sways to go in one ear and out the other.That’s not to say you won’t swing your fists and break your neck across Where Obscurity Sways. Big groovy meatheaded fun is front and center with Pyre, a monosyllabic approach that’s as effective as its moniker, despite its various experimentalisms. In the sweet spot that finds itself between chunky riffs, wailing leads, and punishing weight at the mercy of the shifting tempos (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Writhing Souls”), the album pumps adrenaline, utilizing sticky chugging riffs as both capitalization of crescendo and simmering burn. When black metal rears its despondent head (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Prognostic of the Apocalypse”), the sound is transported to a cold second-wave atmosphere that it aims for. Composition is precise and effective, as a smart use of shifting tempos and proper utility of punk beats lead to satisfying conclusions of both intensity and doom (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”). Barked and howled vocals, provided by bassist Dym Nox, land squarely in crusty territory throughout, although the isolated occurrence of death metal gutturals (“From the Stygian Depths”) is a welcome change of pace for Pyre.Pyre’s monotonal vocals and inconsistent uses of tempos keeps it from achieving its true potential. The Russians run quite similarly into the same issues as Arizona’s deathgrind/death-doom band Thorn, in which the atmosphere and weight is communicated well enough, but nothing more breaks through the surface. Where Obscurity Sways is entirely inconsistent, Pyre’s tracks blur together in monotonous doom sprawls, but then utilize different tricks for each half of the album: the first half weaponizes wailing leads and ominous melodies, while the second dwells entirely in darkened tremolo. Each has its highlights (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”) and their droning sloggers (“Domains of the Nameless Rites,” “Chanting Ancient Incantations”). While the two instrumental pieces are decent enough to establish a semblance of atmosphere, their motifs are not utilized across the rest of the tracks for it to stick. In true crusty fashion, Pyre saturates its sound into a crusty, HM-2, Swedeath goo, so it’s easy to let the album at large settle into the background.Apart from “Murderous Transcendence” and “Writhing Souls,” the whole of Where Obscurity Sways hangs out in relatively decent yet ultimately forgettable territory. Somehow Pyre makes the album seem too long even at a very reasonable thirty-six minutes, but when several songs blur together into a featureless expanse, it’s difficult to track. Some tracks are smartly composed, others painfully dull. Despite its attempt to blend Swedeath, hardcore, doom, and black metal, it keeps tripping itself up with inconsistent tempos and motifs. Utilizing more death vocals, sticky chugs, and black metal, Pyre will have a winning formula. As it stands, Where Obscurity Sways stays obscure. Rating: 2.0/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.osmoseproductions.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Osmose Productions</a> Websites: <a href="http://pyredeathmetal.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pyredeathmetal.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/pyredeathmetal" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/pyredeathmetal</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/20/" target="_blank">#20</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-breath/" target="_blank">#BlackBreath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blazing-rust/" target="_blank">#BlazingRust</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bloodbath/" target="_blank">#Bloodbath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-doom-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathDoomMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/entombed/" target="_blank">#Entombed</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fuming-mouth/" target="_blank">#FumingMouth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hardcore/" target="_blank">#Hardcore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/osmose-productions/" target="_blank">#OsmoseProductions</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pyre/" target="_blank">#Pyre</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/russian-metal/" target="_blank">#RussianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/thorn/" target="_blank">#Thorn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/where-obscurity-sways/" target="_blank">#WhereObscuritySways</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/a-terre-embrasser-la-nuit-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">À Terre – Embrasser La Nuit Review</a>By Thus SpokeThere’s nothing wrong with sticking to an established genre template, but it’s interesting when a band opts to mix things up. Bordeaux’s À Terre could be said to go a step further, claiming the musical DNA of their debut Embrasser La Nuit was guided by the provocative question, “Is making Cult Of Luna or Converge really that original these days?” As a sludge/post-metal ensemble, the group’s self-awareness about their debt to the big names, leads them, in Embrasser La Nuit, to sprinkle in a handful of other influences, mainly from the French rap and hip-hop scene.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/a-terre-embrasser-la-nuit-review/#fn-209731-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> But the real question isn’t whether or not what À Terre have created makes for a novel take on post-metal or sludge. Instead, it’s a question of whether or not what they have created is good, regardless of its callbacks or imitations.There is certainly an air of uniqueness about Embrasser La Nuit. A trap-beat-led, post-metal version of rap (“Tous Morts,”) is not something you hear often. But À Terre don’t settle into any one distinctive style so much as flick between them, and not unnaturally. Classic sludgy trudges marry well with the hardcore stompiness that rears its head on multiple occasions (“Paris sous les Tombes,” “L’Appel de la Nuit”). The post-metal leanings lend themselves by default to the passages of ambience (“ÂCÂB,” “Presque Morts,” “Nous Sommes la Nuit”), which itself pairs as easily with rap-style delivery as harsher rasps. Flashes of greatness come in the form of a cascading pattern of synths smartly woven into an escalating build (“ÂCÂB”), or an alarm-bell riff playing to the tune of a -core/sludge mash-up (“Paris sous la Tombes”). À Terre play their interpretations of these blended genres well, but as as the elements continue to brush shoulders with one another within songs, the energies give way to indistinctness. And there grows an uncomfortable sense that it all amounts to another less-than-memorable iteration of a subgenre’s core sound.À Terre can write sludge and post-metal. They know how to craft some battering riff-rhythm patterns (“Paris sous les Tombes,” “Nous Sommes La Nuit”), throwing in some group, and layered vocals for that satisfying touch of aggression. Their atmospheric tendencies are also appropriately sombre, and chilling, particularly as they tend towards the stripped-back-to-slow build style that marks some of the best of post-metal’s traits (“ÂCÂB,” “Prophétie”). In reminding the listener of greats like Amenra, Cult of Luna, Isis, and more, passages—and by extension, tracks—gain familiarity and the halo of quality shines on them. Yet, when I hear the pained, atonal screams over minor synths and the tides of gritty chugging (“Prophétie,” “L’Appel de la Nuit”), it’s like hearing Amenra with 90% of the emotion stripped away. The gradual increases in tension and intensity that rise and fall (“ÂCÂB,” “Presque Morts”) are not unaffecting, but their impact is greatly softened by À Terre’s tendency to force, rush, or otherwise fail to properly capitalise on them. They are at best simply inserted, if still decent (“Prophétie”) and at worst, totally undeveloped (“Paris sous les Tombes,” “Presque Morts”). Likewise, the bite of the surrounding sludge feels relatively toothless thanks to the fact that the impatience that characterises the hardcore stylings infects even the stiller moments: off-the-cuff edginess bringing angsty riffage too soon, and ambience breaking sludge far too frequently and abruptly. What results are compositions lacking in conviction, possessing none of the rawness or introspection that they ought to, combining to form something awkwardly bland.Embrasser La Nuit thus makes for a surprisingly uneventful listening experience; surprising, because everything is technically good, and yet somehow anaemic. The glimmers of brilliance are good only insofar as they are imitations, while the exceptions to the established formula in the form of ‘experimentation’ (“Tous Morts,” and, at a stretch, a more synth-heavy approach in spots across the record) are vastly too brief to create any meaningful intrigue or spice. Leaving individual tastes aside, this kind of music should never be boring, and in fairness, calling Embrasser La Nuit boring would be overly simplistic; it’s too uneven for that. There are stretches of atmospheric musing (“Prophétie”) and snappy boisterousness (“Paris sous les Tombes”) that are, in isolation, good. Their collection nonetheless leaves more than a little to be desired.À Terre speak to the concept of originality, but ultimately, their debut does not suffer because it lacks it. It suffers because À Terre’s homages to genre mainstays fail to elicit the profoundly affecting responses in their audience that their incarnation demands. The music is a surface-level representation of its inspirations, with only glimpses of depth. With relatively little raw humanity, despite its literal components, and a lukewarm commitment to the true presence of its pugnacity and its magnitude, Embrasser La Nuit makes only the barest of impacts. Rating: Disappointing DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: wav Label: Self-Release Websites: <a href="https://aterre.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aterreofficiel/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook </a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/20/" target="_blank">#20</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/a-terre/" target="_blank">#ÀTerre</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amenra/" target="_blank">#Amenra</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cult-of-luna/" target="_blank">#CultOfLuna</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/embrasser-la-nuit/" target="_blank">#EmbrasserLaNuit</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/french-metal/" target="_blank">#FrenchMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/isis/" target="_blank">#Isis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-metal/" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/self-releases/" target="_blank">#SelfReleases</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sludge-metal/" target="_blank">#SludgeMetal</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kilmara-journey-to-the-sun-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kilmara – Journey to the Sun Review</a>By KilljoyThe 1980s was a decade that is often portrayed with a thick rose-tinted sheen in today’s media. Whether it was a better time during which to live or this idea was born from simple nostalgia I’ll leave to the reader’s discretion. The fact remains that tons of music artists–both inside and outside of the metal sphere–wear their 80s influence as prominently as Indiana Jones wears his signature fedora. Spanish melodic power metal band Kilmara is intent to join their ranks with Journey to the Sun, whose overarching theme centers around video game arcades at the height of popularity. Can they effectively combine the classic with the contemporary or is this a feeble remake? The only way to find out is to insert a few coins and press start.Kilmara leveled up considerably after selecting yes at their last continue screen. While 2018’s Across the Realm of Time sanded off the unsightly edges of their early heavy/power metal to achieve a cleaner, more polished sound, it ultimately suffered from lackluster songwriting. On the title track of Journey to the Sun, Daniel Ponce sings, “Choose wisely who’s by your side.” Kilmara have taken their own advice to heart, bringing on guitarist/songwriter Carles Salse and drummer Eric Killer to power up the group. Their influence is palpable; this time around the vocals and guitars work in lockstep to sling sticky hooks and choruses, some of which became lodged in my brain after only a few listens. “Alliance of the Free” is my personal favorite, sprinkled with spirited guitar leads and an infectious chorus that elicits triumphant feelings.Journey to the Sun derives much of its success from transmuting the simple and upbeat melodies common in retro video games to a modern power metal form. In this sense, Kilmara’s game plan is not dissimilar to that of Beast in Black’s science fiction aesthetic run through an 80s filter, the major difference being that Kilmara is very much guitar-centric in the same way as Fellowship or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75_VrG18byo" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Evershine</a>. There are several guitar leads in particular (“An Even Whole,” “Alliance of the Free,” “Wildfire”) that I can envision looping in the background of an arcade game stage. Synths are present, of course, but used with tasteful restraint. Another example of moderation is Ponce’s vocal delivery. While I wouldn’t call him a powerhouse, he wisely stays within his range in registers lower than one might commonly associate with power metal while still bringing plenty of character and charisma. His voice has a nasally yet gritty pop-punk texture which may not appeal to everyone, but it can ably carry a chorus in a manner that gives the record a definite poppy quality.The tradeoff of being constrained to relatively simple melodies is that this Journey to the Sun thrusts or stalls according to the level of catchiness from song to song. From this standpoint, the album is front loaded with the strongest material, but everything after “Chances”–a bizarrely decent mashup of a power ballad and good, old-fashioned heavy metal–slowly atrophies in sticking power as the album progresses. To be clear, nothing in the back half is bad or even bland but the hooks aren’t as barbed, particularly in the choruses of “An Even Whole” and “Take Me Back.” The latter features singer Daniel Heiman (Lost Horizon, Sacred Outcry) in the Player 2 slot but probably shouldn’t have been a duet, as Heiman is obliged to uncharacteristically stick to lower pitches to not leave his partner behind. These are, perhaps, nitpicks, but with such a narrow win condition, Kilmara can’t afford much of a drop in their damage per second.Kilmara shot for the Sun and, while they didn’t entirely stick the landing, I still consider the Journey a success. It’s undeniably derivative and straightforward (like much retro-themed music) but also endearingly earnest. Journey to the Sun is a pleasant, comfortable listen that should appeal to those who like their power metal with an extra helping of melody. Next time, I’d like to see Kilmara apply their songwriting talents to a less cliché concept than 80s nostalgia but, in any case, I look forward to their attempt to beat their personal high score. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://reigningphoenixmusic.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reigning Phoenix Music</a> Websites: <a href="https://roar-kilmara.bandcamp.com/album/across-the-realm-of-time" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">roar-kilmara.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kilmaraofficial/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/kilmaraofficial</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/beast-in-black/" target="_blank">#BeastInBlack</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/evershine/" target="_blank">#Evershine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fellowship/" target="_blank">#Fellowship</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heavy-metal/" target="_blank">#HeavyMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/journey-to-the-sun/" target="_blank">#JourneyToTheSun</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kilmara/" target="_blank">#Kilmara</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lost-horizon/" target="_blank">#LostHorizon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reigning-phoenix-music/" target="_blank">#ReigningPhoenixMusic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sacred-outcry/" target="_blank">#SacredOutcry</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/spanish-metal/" target="_blank">#SpanishMetal</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wardruna-birna-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wardruna – Birna Review</a>By Mystikus HugebeardWardruna’s impact on the Nordic music sphere is difficult to exaggerate. The explosion in popularity of dark Nordic folk across the last decade can be heavily attributed to Wardruna’s music and their involvement with History Channel’s Vikings, and to this day they are Exhibit A of the genre. While the music may sound rooted in a specific culture and historical period, it has still resonated so deeply with people the world over regardless of ethnicity or nationality, myself included. My discovery of Wardruna as a young man had a profound impact on the development of my musical literacy, and they’ve since remained a critical part of my vocabulary. As such, for myself and for the world, the release of Wardruna’s newest album Birna carries some serious anticipation. So, how is it?In all the right ways, Birna offers the same Viking-era folk music that Wardruna has provided since the beginning. Sawing taglharpas, the wistful yet powerful notes of a kraviklyra, the call of bukkehorns, and the deep reverberations of deer-hide drums; the full ensemble of Wardruna’s traditional, hand-crafted instruments lends an absorbing authenticity to their sound which is further brought to life by a sublime mix, done by composer Einar Selvik himself. As always, Selvik and co-founder Lindy-Fay Hella are a strong vocal duo; Selvik’s iconic voice is ever the focus, though Hella has what feels like a notably more active role in Birna than in previous albums. Birna is also a solid entry point for any readers discovering Wardruna for the first time, as the music encompasses all the stages of Wardruna’s sound. The vocal melodies and dark, brooding drone of “Tretale” hark back to the mysticism of Gap var Ginnunga and Yggdrasil, the dramatic horn blasts in “Birna” call to mind the finality of Ragnarok, and the skaldic beauty of Selvik and his lyre in “Hibjørnen” continues the pattern begun in Kvitravn and, more pertinently, Skald.But Birna is more than a chronology of Wardruna’s evolution. Conceptually, Birna is a response to the upheaval suffered by bears in nature (Birna means “she-bear”), musically harnessing the bear’s natural strength and signaling a hopeful end to their forced hibernation through a motif of spring. The music of Birna radiates with intent, carefully constructing this idea across every element. It can be as small as warm, dancing flutes and Hella’s vocal melodies (“Ljos til Jord,” “Himinndotter”), or even just the chirping of birds (“Dvaledraumar,” “Jord til Ljos”), gently exuding a quiet optimism. Or it’s the awesome, primal majesty of the bear, viscerally felt through resounding horns, beating drums, or Selvik’s fervent vocals (“Hertan,” “Birna,” “Himinndotter,” “Skuggehesten”). I would describe it as a change in color; the dark, earthy green and brown of Wardruna’s music has begun to incorporate vibrant shades of orange and yellow. It’s a compelling shift in tone from Wardruna’s darker vibes of the past, and it works beautifully through the sincerity with which it’s performed and the rich texture of traditional instruments and natural sounds that has always characterized Wardruna.If there were aught I might criticize about Birna, it would be how “Hibjørnen” fits into Birna’s pacing. After the low-energy—but no less beautiful—”Dvaledraumar” and “Jord til Ljos,” the frenetic beat of “Himinndotter” rebuilds a momentum that’s poised to continue at the song’s conclusion, but is instead interrupted by the skaldic pace of “Hibjørnen.” While I wish it was placed but one or two songs later, it’s nevertheless a beautiful song, and this most minor of gripes only arises due to how well the diversity of Birna’s music is paced in all other regards. Birna starts strong with the poignant, absorbing “Hertan,” which flows directly into the equally powerful “Birna.” The heavily ambient “Dvaledraumar” was a nice surprise that, at 16 minutes long, could have derailed Birna’s pace but fits snugly as the fourth song, and is a captivating crawl through a tar-thick, dream-like ambiance that transitions perfectly into “Jord til Ljos.” Finally, Birna wraps up its themes with “Lyfjaberg” (old Norse for “healing mountain”), Wardruna’s best song since “Helvegen.” It’s a gradual, gripping crescendo of impassioned chanting and singing; a vital plea, commanding in its urgency, reminding us of the respect and reverence nature needs, and deserves, from us.Within the thriving Nordic folk ecosystem, Birna is clear evidence that Wardruna remains within a league of their own, a powerful reminder of the sway Wardruna holds within people’s hearts. In Selvik’s own words, Wardruna serves as a bridge between people and the natural world. The sounds of nature, the effortless melodies played by instruments that carry the weight of history, the electrifying voices of Selvik and Hella; together, they grow into an irresistible heartbeat, one that you realize was in you from the beginning. Do not miss Birna.Rating: Excellent DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps Label: <a href="https://bynorse.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">By Norse</a> / <a href="https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sony Music</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.wardruna.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">warduna.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wardruna/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/wardruna</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025 Dr. A.N. GrierWardruna is probably best known for contributing to the highly acclaimed Vikings television show. And why not? Wardruna is about as authentic as you can get. Technically a duo, Lindy-Fay Hella and Einar Selvik have been using traditional Norwegian instruments and guest contributors to carry us through majestic fjords and Viking war paths for nearly fifteen years. Luckily for me, I knew and enjoyed Wardruna well before I saw Gustaf Skarsgård’s sexy ass. Though the band has many o’ great albums, 2018’s Skald proved to be one of my favorite albums that year. Unfortunately, we’ve never received promos from the band, so I couldn’t spread my loving praise on an AMG page. Until now.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wardruna-birna-review/#fn-210411-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> While I could have lived without Mystikus Fuckbeard asking (for months) if we’ve received the promo, I’m glad we got Birna, and that I got to piggyback review with him. While I might be late as fuck on this review, Birna does not disappoint. But, in all honesty, they never did.With all the different variations of folk metal, Wardruna is the most straightforward of the bunch. Not that their compositions are simple. Not by any means. But, if you’re expecting the headbanging Viking anthems of Amon Amarth or the Valkyrie-screaming passages of Bathory, stop now and readjust yourself. Wardruna is anything but that. Instead, their music invokes the ancient times of Viking culture when men were men and women were women. Or something like that. Incorporating beautiful male/female vocal duets, traditional chanting choruses, and massive atmospheres with instruments sourced from animal parts, listening to Wardruna is like sitting around a fire, drinking mead after annihilating an entire village of lowly peasants.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wardruna-birna-review/#fn-210411-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> With Birna, Warduna is, yet again, in top form.If you’ve heard the band, you know that drums are the foundation of any Wardruna song. The opening track, “Hertan,” kicks things off with a soft heartbeat that reverberates through your chest before the male vocals appear, mimicking the rhythmic beat. As the intensity increases, the chants and distant choirs elevate the track. On the back half, it snaps the trance as the two vocalists duet their way into the snowy clouds. The title track follows the opener and delivers those tasty movie soundtrack elements. Beginning with a soft beat and female vox, the beautiful lyre arrives before the eruption of instrumentation, choirs, and booming male leads. Rising and falling throughout its seven-minute runtime, “Birna” is one of those Wardruna songs that explores every facet of the band’s skills, building layer on layer until the bitter end.Yet, the most epic of the bunch is the nearly seventeen-minute “Dvaledraumar.” Using the sounds of nature as its core, each flute, horn, and percussion instrument sings as if a lone member is standing atop the highest hill of a lush prairie playing their hearts out at dawn. Each build begins with gentle pluckings as new layers are added, intensifying the varying moods of the song. “Dvaledraumar” traverses moods of complete relaxation, damning sinisterness, and other emotions that took my simple mind on a rollercoaster ride. But, probably the coolest combination of moods is “Himinndotter.” After the male leads hijack the female ones, this song transitions to the closest thing to a chorus on Birna. Which is fucking gorgeous. Then, the track drops into a low, dark place controlled by graveling vocals and simple, yet angry-sounding drums. But that chorus returns, ripping you from the thorns and placing you in the halls of Valhalla. But the best song on the record is the closer, “Lyfjaberg.” I can’t tell you exactly why this track hits me so hard but it’s damn near perfect. Clocking in at over nine minutes, it controls itself while introducing new builds, leads, and a passion that closes the album perfectly.Though one would argue that “Lyfjaberg” might have been a last-minute inclusion, as it has existed since 2020, it’s perfect for Birna. So, I don’t fucking care. Perhaps the least enthusiastic songs are “Ljos til Jord” and “Hibjørnen,” but they aren’t so bad that they corrupt the flow. The first is odd coming off the mighty title track, while the latter is overly simplistic—even if it still delivers a fitting tone. The dynamics are interesting because they seem deliberate. Averaging at a DR8, they range from the “heavier” DR6 tracks to the breathable DR13 tracks. Having a bit of oomph for those moments where more intensity is needed and allowing the softer moments to open up is a rather clever approach. Once again, Wardruna does not disappoint, dropping another album that continues to portray the culture of olde, while producing gorgeous tracks and a satisfying flow.Rating: 4.0/5.0 <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/45/" target="_blank">#45</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amon-amarth/" target="_blank">#AmonAmarth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bathory/" target="_blank">#Bathory</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/birna/" target="_blank">#Birna</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/by-norse-music/" target="_blank">#ByNorseMusic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/folk-metal/" target="_blank">#FolkMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/norway/" target="_blank">#Norway</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/norwegian-metal/" target="_blank">#NorwegianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/not-metal/" target="_blank">#NotMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sony-music/" target="_blank">#SonyMusic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/viking-folk/" target="_blank">#VikingFolk</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/wardruna/" target="_blank">#Wardruna</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-great-old-ones-kadath-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Great Old Ones – Kadath Review</a>By Eldritch ElitistI’m not sure why The Great Old Ones continue to be lumped in with the post-black metal scene. Their general reliance on space-y tremolo riffs made sense of the post-black tag up through 2017’s EOD, but 2019’s Cosmicism felt so viscerally progressive as to displace the band from any notable acts under that particular genre umbrella. And yeah, sub-subgenre tags are thin by their very nature, but with the release of Kadath, the notion that The Great Old Ones remain “post” anything feels downright silly. The en-beefening of the band’s sound on Cosmicism grows more pronounced with Kadath; a riffier, more technically immediate record, and as large of an evolutionary step as one might expect following a lengthy gestation. As for whether Kadath’s heavier approach was worth the weight, the answer is as complicated as The Great Old Ones’ sound.That sound’s intricately textured density remains, for me, one of the main selling points of The Great Old Ones. As with prior works, Kadath is a record informed by its atmosphere, that otherworldly feeling that the layers of reverb-drenched guitars obscure endless depths. That this aesthetic stays largely intact despite Kadath’s riff-forward nature is impressive. Opener “Me, the Dreamer” serves as a microcosm of this balance, its unpredictable shifts conjuring a sense of unease as the band explores territory seemingly inspired equally by Immortal and Blood Incantation. Kadath’s breadth of variety is markedly wider than any prior The Great Old Ones album, as tactful implementation of death metal heft and even gothic rock (See: “In the Mouth of Madness”) regularly serve a purpose. This makes Kadath a potentially ideal jumping off point for anyone new to the band who might otherwise be turned away by their post-black reputation.As impressive as this evolution sounds on paper, Kadath’s bid at a more immediately gratifying take on The Great Old Ones sound leaves me feeling partially dissatisfied. I’ve enjoyed every moment I’ve spent with this record, but I rarely found myself hypnotically sinking into its atmosphere as I did with EOD and especially Cosmicism. Its regular tonal and structural songwriting pivots are superficially fun, yet often illogical in the scope of a full composition. The fifteen-minute “Leng,” while frequently beautiful, fails to link up its disparate sections in a fulfilling fashion. Conversely, at other times The Great Old Ones seem to consciously play things safe, relying on more straightforward (yet still lengthy) structures that lack rhythmic bite or a compelling atmosphere (“Astral Void (End of the Dream)”). It’s all good, but most of Kadath is merely just good, and I can’t help but wonder whether the shift in the majority of the band’s lineup is partially to blame.The lineup shift is acutely felt behind the drum kit, as I detected the departure of Léo Isnard – one of my favorite drummers in black metal – in Kadath’s music even before reading the details on The Great Old Ones’ new lineup. It should be emphasized that new drummer Julian Deana is responsible for some of the album’s best passages; the power metal-like double bass drives in “Under the Sign of Koth,” for instance, help make that track one of Kadath’s best. Yet where the drum performances seemed to proactively shape the music on past releases, Kadath’s drumming feels more reactive and less adventurous. Deana’s performances are flawless and completely impressive on a technical level, but this seemingly unintentional shift in rhythmic philosophy has, for me, altered the shape of the band’s music. Kadath also sounds muddier from a production standpoint than its predecessor, and while some level of obscurity is crucial to The Great Old Ones’ atmosphere, this record’s many low-end riffs often blur together as a result.I realize this review feels largely negative considering my insistence on Kadath’s goodness, but I’ve <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/great-old-ones-eod-tale-dark-legacy-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">twice</a> <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-great-old-ones-cosmicism-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">written</a> about the reasons why I love The Great Old Ones’ music, and most of those reasons remain intact with this record. Kadath merely fails to live up to my personal expectations of what I’ve come to expect from this band, and as such, its shortcomings feel all the more glaring. Make no mistake: Kadath is a frequently captivating marriage of black metal riff craft and distinct artistic intent that could only come from The Great Old Ones. I’m not in love with all of its choices, but I’d rather this band present me with an ambitious pivot such as this over a hypothetical Cosmicism II. Rating: 3.0/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.season-of-mist.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Season of Mist</a> Websites: <a href="http://thegreatoldonessom.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">thegreatoldonessom.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://thegreatoldonesband.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">thegreatoldonesband.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/thegreatoldones" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/thegreatoldones</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blood-incantation/" target="_blank">#BloodIncantation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/french-metal/" target="_blank">#FrenchMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/immortal/" target="_blank">#Immortal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kadath/" target="_blank">#Kadath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/season-of-mist/" target="_blank">#SeasonOfMist</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-great-old-ones/" target="_blank">#TheGreatOldOnes</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/maceration-serpent-devourment-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maceration – Serpent Devourment Review</a>By Steel DruhmLittle known fact: All the best Swedish death metal comes from Denmark. Okay, maybe that’s not entirely accurate, but it makes for a helluva lede. Maceration hail from Hamletville and they’ve made it their business to mine Sweden’s Stockholm sound for all its worth, focusing on HM-2 pedal abuse and Entombed and Dismember worship. On their first few albums, they had the good fortune to recruit Dan “the Fucking MAN” Swanö to handle vocals (using an alias on their debut). Here on third outing Serpent Devourment, Mr. Swanö decamps and leaves vocal duties to Jan Bergmann Jepsen, but otherwise, the approach is the same: bulldoze the listener with buzzing riffs and pummel them with d-beaty death. There are worse battle plans since Swedeath is an enduring style that continues to yield satisfying results when done properly. Can Maceration get their material to the perfect level of moldy moistness?Seconds into the opening title track you know this will be a riff-forward beast war with big Entombed / Dismember energy, traces of Bolt Thrower, and even a few choice nasty bits from uber-caveman US deathers, Massacre. Large, in-charge riffs stomp everything in their path, sending the weak to hurtle the dead. The tempos shift from thrash-blasting to heavy tank assault grinding and back again to shake the Jimmies, and over the top of the relentless axe fusillades, Jepsen bellows brutally in Kam Lee-esque style without a hint of subtly. This is the wet rub recipe Maceration marinates you in and though you’ve heard it countless times, it’s done here with enough conviction to give it the illusion of semi-freshness. “The Den of Misery” is thrashy, aggressive Swedeath by the numbers but it hits hard with big riffs and chonky doom downshifts. “The Corrosive Heart Fell Below” may sound like a lost Nevermore track, but it’s a standout moment of abject crushitude with HUGE grooves and heavy as fook riff action. This one is especially beefy, requiring not one, but TWO pairs of oversized cargo shorts to contain its ponderous girth.As with any album of this particular ilk, there will be unavoidable highs and lows, but to their credit, Maceration keep the quality fairly consistent over Serpent Devourment’s sprawl, and even the “lesser” cuts bring a howitzer to the bake sale. You could sink a certain reader’s mega-yacht with the mammoth heft of “Where Leeches Thrive” and I fully support such efforts.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/maceration-serpent-devourment-review/#fn-210700-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> “In Rot Unleashed” has a nerve-jangling lead riff that sets the pain receptors on edge and makes you want to remain violent. The least gobsmacking like “When Torment Befell My Pain” and “Revolt the Tyrant Dream,” but they aren’t a waste of time or skip-bait. At a trim 39-plus minutes, the album rolls roughshod and retires before you get overly fatigued. The production brings the guitars way forward and makes sure you feel their weight the whole time. This is a smart play as the riffs are the band’s bread and saliva butter.Jakob Schultz and Robert Tengs come to kill with a body bag full of abrasive, chewy riffs and fat grooves. Some of these remind me of Black Royal and their ginormous axe work. Of course, their playing will remind you of the acts that did this style first, and there’s no avoiding that, but they bring enough of their own identity to the music and turn your brain into buttered porridge in the process. I especially enjoy the hammering chugs they lapse into at key moments to shape the battlefield. Jan Bergmann Jepsen does a good job replacing a living legend like Mr. Swanö. Sometimes he sounds like L.G. Petrov, at others Johan Hegg, and the rest of the time he’s all about that Neanderthal Kam Lee approach. He’s brutal for the sake of brutality and that’s good enough for me.Maceration deliver a no-frills but satisfying slab of gym-ready death on Serpent Devourment and what it lacks in originality it partially makes up for with vicious rage and furious anger. This is high-octane, lo-brow death metal with one foot on the gas and the other in the Grave. That’s a deathstyle deserving of a loud blast session. Now let’s make some snake sushi! Rating: 3.0/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://emanzipation.dk/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Emanzipation Productions</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/maceration" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/maceratio</a>n | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/macerationdenmark/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">instagram.com/macerationdenmark</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-royal/" target="_blank">#BlackRoyal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/danish-metal/" target="_blank">#DanishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dismember/" target="_blank">#Dismember</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/emanzipation-productions/" target="_blank">#EmanzipationProductions</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/entombed/" target="_blank">#Entombed</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/maceration/" target="_blank">#Maceration</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/massacre/" target="_blank">#Massacre</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/serpent-devourment/" target="_blank">#SerpentDevourment</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dax-riggs-7-songs-for-spiders-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dax Riggs – 7 Songs for Spiders Review</a>By GrymmIt’s a weird fact of life to experience this, but ask anyone with creative tendencies, whether dabbling or full-on submersion, what their biggest fear is, and many (if not all) will tell you that hating the very thing that gives you life and joy will be at the top. Burnout murders the love one has for everything they enjoy making,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dax-riggs-7-songs-for-spiders-review/#fn-210647-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> and sometimes the elixir one needs is time and distance away. That time and distance could be days, or it could stretch to months or years. Dax Riggs, the influential voice of his eponymous band as well as the frontman for the recently-reactivated legendary Louisiana sludge beast Acid Bath, took 15 years away from the music world shortly after the release of 2010’s Say Goodnight to the World, and seemingly lived up to that album’s title by disappearing off the face of the world. His recent resurfacing to announce the resurrection of Acid Bath and the release of 7 Songs for Spiders was a massive surprise to everyone that absolutely nobody predicted in late 2024.That surprise is welcome, however, as 7SfS not only acts as a familiar, cozy blanket of bluesy folk-rock goodness but is a tremendous welcome back from one of Louisiana’s most talented voices. Within seconds of “Deceiver” and its fuzzed-out opening riff, Riggs and company teleport your happy ass back to the swamps of their neighborhood, sounding simultaneously familiar and fresh. While Riggs remains comfortable in his lyrical wheelhouse, combining stream-of-consciousness wordplay with storytelling that’s both autobiographical and metaphorical, his voice has shown a greater warmth (if that was possible) from his previous albums, howling “Ain’t no great deceiver/Ain’t no bride of Jesus either” with infectious intent.It doesn’t hurt that he’s got an incredible backing band. The way Scott Domingue lays down a hypnotic trance-like percussive groove on closer “Graveyard Soul” should be studied in a master class for building up tension and heft. Kane Cormier’s bass, while not flashy, does a tremendous job of keeping to pockets of groove, poking his head out every now and then to elevate moments of songs like towards the ending of “Blues for You Know Who”. Guitarist Lucas Broussard’s melodies and synth work complement Riggs’ voice and riffs, not being too flashy or subdued, but rather playing up to the strength and aura of the song. But once again, Riggs’ smokey, warm howl leads the fray, singing tales of the dead, the mysteries of the night, and the darker side of life in a captivating and enthralling way from beginning to end. What hurts the aforementioned aura a bit, though, is the production. While the warmth is present, the mix feels a little bit squashed, especially in some of Domingue’s drums and Cormier’s basslines. The only other beef I have with 7SfS lies in its length. I will be the first (and loudest) to complain when an album needs some serious trimming. In this case, at a scant, brisk 28 minutes, it flies right by. Granted, that’s not so much a bad thing, but when an artist is away for 15 years, that brevity will leave the listener wanting more, especially when the music being offered is this good.And I don’t know if “good” is a strong enough descriptor of what’s on offer on 7 Songs for Spiders. To quote a popular modern saying in regards to the music of Dax Riggs, if you know, you know. This is a tremendous welcome back from one of the most unsung modern voices of rock and metal, and you would do yourself a disservice if you pass this one by. Crank this for your jumping spider, tarantula, cat, dog, parakeet, neighbor, roommate, friends, family, and yourself. Y’all deserve a nice, happy treat every now and then. Rating: 4.0/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: v1 mp3 Label: <a href="https://fatpossum.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fat Possum Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://daxriggs.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">daxriggs.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/@officialdaxriggs/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/@officialdaxriggs</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/7-songs-for-spiders/" target="_blank">#7SongsForSpiders</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/acid-bath/" target="_blank">#AcidBath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blues-rock/" target="_blank">#BluesRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dax-riggs/" target="_blank">#DaxRiggs</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fat-possum-records/" target="_blank">#FatPossumRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/not-metal/" target="_blank">#NotMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/proto-metal/" target="_blank">#ProtoMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/beneath-a-steel-sky-cleave-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beneath a Steel Sky – Cleave Review</a>By sentynel Including “for fans of” is pretty common when marketing a band. But is it actually a good idea? Promo text that reads “for fans of [the biggest bands in this genre]” is the worst offender—why wouldn’t I just listen to those bands? I’d rather hear what makes this band stand out. But listing more interesting little-known bands only helps if the audience have heard of them. Anyway, this is post-metal band Beneath a Steel Sky, and they’re for fans of Isis, Cult of Luna, Cave In, Russian Circles, Mogwai… and the rather more obscure Aereogramme.Beneath a Steel Sky play a less genre-faithful take on post-metal than I had therefore been given to expect. Cleave is spacier and dreamier than the comparisons to Isis and Cult of Luna might suggest, to the extent that in places it reminds me of stoner/psychedelic bands like Dead Meadow (“Vanguard”). There’s lots of reverb-soaked clean vocals, synth washes and floaty guitars (“The Sky Above the Port Was the Colour of Television, Tuned to a Dead Channel,” “Quetzalcoatlus,” …). The Mogwai comparison hints at this, but unlike Mogwai, they are not boring. Like Aereogramme and Mogwai, they are Scottish, and there’s a definite spacey/stonery Scottish post-* scene they fit into. Likewise, in places, in song construction and style, they also remind me of fellow Scots Dvne—for example, the mixed down clean vocals in “The Sky…”, or the clean/harsh vocal duets in a few places (e.g. “Vanguard”). This twist on the post-metal formula works well for them.There’s some great songwriting on Cleave. There are some really pretty melodies woven into the dreamy atmospheric sections (“Vanguard,” “Quetzalcoatlus”). They make good use of their six (!) musicians with some complex multi-part sections (“Cyclical Dunt”). “The Infinite Silence That Follows the Absolute Truth” does a very Mike Oldfield-like job of layering onto a simple repeated motif for most of the song’s build. Of course, this is post-metal, so the big metal crescendo after all the build-up is a staple. While they never really stray from the genre template, they do it well. The big riff and soaring melody line on “Quetzalcoatlus” is a highlight, and closing track “The Becoming” is absolutely gorgeous.One quirk of the production is that whoever did the mixing is a really big fan of the pan slider. Nearly every song has sections with instruments panned nearly all the way to one side or the other. I don’t hate the effect in general, but it’s a bit overused, and the couple of songs that start with fully panned guitars (“Everyone You’ve Ever Known,” “The Infinite Silence…,” “The Becoming”) keep making me think my headphones have broken. There’s also a fade-out ending on “Vanguard” which comes across as a bit of a cop-out. Gimmicks aside, the production does a good job of balancing a lot of parts and maintaining the dreamy feel, although as usual, it didn’t need to be a DR6.There’s not a huge amount of new ground being broken Beneath [this] Steel Sky, but they successfully bring their own identity to a crowded genre nonetheless. The spacy, somewhat psychedelic take on post-metal both differentiates them and makes Cleave a surprisingly warm listen despite the usual bleakness of post-metal. The songwriting is consistently strong, and with a tidy 40-minute runtime and a great ending, it’s a very satisfying listen. Rating: Very Good DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://ripcordrecords.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ripcord Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://beneathasteelsky1.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">beneathasteelsky1.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/beneathasteelskyband" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/beneathasteelskyband</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aereogramme/" target="_blank">#Aereogramme</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/beneath-a-steel-sky/" target="_blank">#BeneathASteelSky</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/british-metal/" target="_blank">#BritishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cave-in/" target="_blank">#CaveIn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cleave/" target="_blank">#Cleave</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cult-of-luna/" target="_blank">#CultOfLuna</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dead-meadow/" target="_blank">#DeadMeadow</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dvne/" target="_blank">#Dvne</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/isis/" target="_blank">#Isis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mike-oldfield/" target="_blank">#MikeOldfield</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mogwai/" target="_blank">#Mogwai</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-rock/" target="_blank">#PostRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-metal/" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ripcord-records/" target="_blank">#RipcordRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/russian-circles/" target="_blank">#RussianCircles</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pentagram-lightning-in-a-bottle-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pentagram – Lightning in a Bottle Review</a>By Steel DruhmPentagram don’t get the respect they deserve considering their place in metal history. Rising from the primordial ooze of the Virginia music scene in 1971, they can arguably claim to be the first American heavy metal band<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pentagram-lightning-in-a-bottle-review/#fn-210524-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> and it’s indisputable that they were the first American doom act. Despite this rarefied standing, they remain a truly underground act to this day. Their 1985 self-titled debut is a minor classic in the doomverse, showcasing a rough, gritty take on the classic Black Sabbath sound, earning them the descriptor of “street doom.” The 1987 follow-up Day of Reckoning was more polished and features what may be the single greatest doom song ever (“Burning Savior”). Despite talent and a unique sound, internal turmoil, endless lineup changes, drug dependency issues, and incarcerations slowed Pentagram’s roll to a crawl and eventually, a stall, with only 5 full-lengths released between 1988 and 2015. Lightning in a Bottle is the first album in 9 years and long-time guitarist Victor Griffin (Place of Skulls) is sadly absent, leaving only founding vocalist Bobby Liebling to steer the ship. With the band his to do with as he pleases, what does Pentagram sound like in 2025? That’s the big question here.While Pentagram’s sound profile has shifted around over their 50-plus year career, they were always at their best when merging 60s and 70s hard rock with the doom sounds made famous by Sabbath. Lightning in a Bottle finds them moving away from the doom side of their sound somewhat to embrace the retro rock elements more directly. While there are moments that remind of Sabbath, Trouble and The Obsessed, the bulk of the material feels more akin to bluesy biker rock from the late 60s. At times it even reminds me of Clutch, which I was not expecting. Rowdy opener “Live Again” sets the tone with a raucous, hard-rocking charge chaired by a lively performance by Bobby L. There’s a macho swagger to the music not far removed from C.O.C. and Down and the greasy, gritty riffs are easy to enjoy. “In the Panic Room” marries Sabbath riffage with a hard rock ethos that’s very Clutch-y. Even Bobby’s vocals sound vaguely Neil Fallon-esque at times. “I Spoke to Death” is the most like classic Pentagram, with a simple looping doom riff carrying the show. It sounds like a lost cut from Day of Reckoning and it’s very nostalgia-inducing.Other interesting moments arrive with the dark, moody rock of “Lady Heroin” and the simple but satisfyingly heavy “Thundercrest.” Unfortunately, the album’s back half is considerably weaker than the front, with too many so so rock-based cuts that don’t stick with me. The biggest obstacle for me is the lack of a tangible connection to the sound I’ve come to associate with Pentagram. It seems clear Bobby wanted to go back to his musical roots and away from pure doom, which in itself is fine. Sadly, too much of the material feels like second-rate carbon-dated rock. It’s okay, but not much more, and even the better tracks feel somewhat lukewarm. After such a long wait since 2015s Curious Volume, I hoped for much more than that.With Bobby as the sole survivor of the endless lineup shuffles, he provides the only true link to the band’s sound. His voice has aged surprisingly well considering the self-destructive life he’s lived. He generally sounds vibrant and vital, and though I miss his creepy evil ghoul vocals, what he does suits the burly rocking material just fine. Tony Reed of Mos Generator does an impressive job channeling the sound of past guitarists like Victor Griffin and Joseph Hasselvander. He freely references the 60s and 70s and of course, Tony Iommi. Sadly, the Iommi-isms are less prominent than I want. Long-time Saint Vitus drummer Henry Vasquez steps in to deliver a manful performance on the kit, thundering away on the skins with fervor. The band is tight and well-traveled. It’s the writing that lets them down.How much one appreciates Lightning in a Bottle will come down to what they expect to find. I wanted a classic doom album, but this doesn’t really qualify as such. Pentagram will always have a special place in metal history and I’ll always cherish their early output, but I think it’s safe to say their best days are far behind them. There’s some respectable granddad rock here, but not enough to bring me back. Even the legends run out of steam in the fullness of time. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 300 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heavy Psych Sounds</a> Websites: <a href="http://www.pentagramusa.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pentagramusa.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pentagramusa" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/pentagramusa</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pentagram_usa/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">instagram.com/pentagram_usa</a> Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-sabbath/" target="_blank">#BlackSabbath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/clutch/" target="_blank">#Clutch</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/curious-volume/" target="_blank">#CuriousVolume</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/doom-metal/" target="_blank">#DoomMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heavy-psych-sounds-records/" target="_blank">#HeavyPsychSoundsRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lightning-in-a-bottle/" target="_blank">#LightningInABottle</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mos-generator/" target="_blank">#MosGenerator</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pentagram/" target="_blank">#Pentagram</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/saint-vitus/" target="_blank">#SaintVitus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-obsessed/" target="_blank">#TheObsessed</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/trouble/" target="_blank">#Trouble</a>

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