2017 Part Deux: Enjoyability Dec. 22, 2017

Can the nearly 30 year old Converge possibly continue their seemingly endless upward trend in passionate, quality material?Yes, yes they can. Thanks to Ballou's trademark hooks alongside Bannon's vicious-yet-passionate vocal delivery, The Dusk In Us is another incredible album that levels the opposi...

Raffy's Top Tens of 2017 - Day 3: Best Musicianship Dec. 22, 2017

On here, for the #1 spot on today's list, we have one album that truly blew me away upon first listen. That one isRelentless Mutation by none other than tech death bandArchspire. This release does so many things right amd makes everything stick together so well it's crazy. From the incredibly fast v...

Raffy's Top Tens of 2017 - Day 2: Most Innovative Dec. 21, 2017

Thrice Woven has to be the band's best album for me to date, hands down. With all of the refined elements that are incoporated as well as the new things mixed in throughout truly give countless other black metal releases a run for their money. Many of the tracks onThrice Woven feature little guest s...

2017 Part Deux: Innovation Dec. 21, 2017

A delightfully eclectic release from Long Island's Cryptodira. Progressive metal, mathcore, post-hardcore, jazz, and a number of other styles all melded into one solid album.Just when I thought I wouldn't get any more truly original material this year, The Devil's Despair came crashing down.These gu...

Raffy's Top Tens of 2017 - Day 1: Most Enjoyable Dec. 20, 2017

In hindsight, this album is undoubtedly my most enjoyable pick for 2017.Exhumed's newest offeringDeath Revenge presents itself as a concept album that revolves around chilling stories regarding reported grave robberies and murders that occurred in early 1800s Scotland. This fleshed out release sport...

2017 Part Deux: Musicianship Dec. 20, 2017

The endless pit of chaos that is Spain's Altarage returns after a powerful debut album, Nihil, with even more impressive blackened death meditations.Prepare thy brain for sonic lobotomy. Anyone remember the cerebral bore weapon from Turok? Talk about a throwback. It occurs to me that this is precise...

2017 Part One: Musicianship Dec. 19, 2017

New york technical, progressive, and brutal death metal band Artificial Brain are recieving massive critical acclaim for their latest sci-fi concept album, Infrared Horizon; and it's for good reason. I hear elements of sped-up thrash, grinding death, and jazz-influenced brutality all force-fed down ...

2017 Part One: Enjoyability Dec. 19, 2017

It is so rare that an album I hype up inmy head over the course of a few years lives up to the sky high expectations, but with Verity, Nokturnal Mortum have crafted an extremely worthy follow-up to The Voice of Steel. When stacked against their prevoius discography, Verity is perhaps their most powe...

2017 Part One: Innovation Dec. 19, 2017

Not For Music may go down as album of the year. That's a hard position to hold for an album that came out so early in the year, but I have yet to hear something so inventive in 2017. Emptiness already blew me away with their unique take on blackened death metal with Nothing But The Whole. I didn't t...

Sporysz Dec. 18, 2017

Sporysz
by Jarun

The Pitch:Arachnophobia Records presents the third album from Polish folk-influenced black/prog metal act Jarun. "Sporyszis a story about death and madness, humans and nature, and the transformation of seasons. It's a kaleidoscope of thoughts and words, and memories based on deep and serious life ex...

Raffy Reviews - Grafvitnir: 'Keys to the Mysteries Beyond' Dec. 15, 2017

Keys to the Mysteries Beyond
by Grafvitnir

Background The Occult black metal scene in Sweden has a long history and wide range.Grafvitnir is another one of those additions to the ole formula, with themes of Satanism blasphemy being spread whilst wearing the traditional corpse paint and playing in a dark forest in the middle of nowhere. For...

Imago Dec. 15, 2017

Imago
by Minipony

The Pitch: "Minipony is an experimental metal project, influenced by math, breakcore and latin music which mixes polyrhythmic structures with minimalist guitar riffs, and female growls. The group consists of Amadeus Galiano (electric guitars) and Emilia Moncayo (vox/sampling/noise), who joined force...

Primary Dec. 14, 2017

Primary
by Viledriver

The Pitch: Canada tech death trio Viledriver present their dizzying new album, Primary via CDN Records; an album I can only describe as death metal meets The Dillinger Escape Plan. FFO: The Red Chord, Archspire, early BTBAM What I Like: Primary is 27 minutes of wall-to-wall techgasms. Every single ...

Maere Dec. 13, 2017

Maere
by Eschatos

The Pitch: The new EP from Latvia's Eschatos, "an experimental black metal act from Riga, known for their haunting live performances and unconventional approach to the genre." FFO: Thy Worshiper, Myrkur, Aenaon What I Like: This EP is the absolute definition of quality over quantity. With just two ...

Archaic Malevolence Dec. 12, 2017

Archaic Malevolence
by Infected Dead

The Pitch: "From the rotten shores of the River Medway in Kent, UK", Infected Dead have emerged via Hostile Media "to deliver six tracks of visceral death metal, brutal, catchy, influenced by genre leaders Aborted and The Black Dahlia Murder, as well as a love of the occult and Lovecraftian cosmic h...

Raffy Reviews - Gutrectomy: 'Slampocalypse' Dec. 11, 2017

Slampocalypse
by Gutrectomy

Background You'll never know when the next great slam act will come from. Bands from all over have adopted this underground, extreme subgenre of heavy and death metal and gave their little quirks to it.Gutrectomy is no different. This band, hailing from a town in Germany, is a prime example of what...

Global Slaughter Dec. 11, 2017

Global Slaughter
by A Night In Texas

The Pitch: "Global Slaughter is the evolutionary aftermath of all things A Night In Texas. This album delves into the darker aspects of the human condition, the climate of our current political dilemmas and the irreversible damage we are doing to not only ourselves as a society, but to the dear plan...

Retrocausal Dec. 8, 2017

Retrocausal
by Cleric

The Pitch: From Web of Mimicry Records, "Founded in Philly in 2003, Cleric resides in the circle of bands likeThe Dillinger Escape PlanandCar Bomb elite musicians playing avant-metal that wows on both a cerebral level and a gut level." Featuring guest collaboration from John Zorn. What I Like: Clea...

Raffy Reviews - Azziard: 'Metempsychose' Dec. 8, 2017

Metempsychose
by Azziard

Background The black metal movement has blown up and spread all across the continent of Europe in the past decade or so. This next band, based straight out of France, is a five-piece blackened outfit with a few tricks up their sleeves. Performing under theKAOTOXIN/ MALPERMESITA record label, the ba...

Raffy Reviews - Signs of the Swarm: 'The Disfigurement of Existence' Dec. 8, 2017

The Disfigurement of Existence
by Signs of the Swarm

Background Not too long ago, we've had the most recent release ofSigns of the Swarm upon us. Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, this relatively new slamming deathcore act has unveiledThe Disfigurement of Existence. Performing and recording as a five-piece under the Unique Leader Records label, the band h...
PREVIOUS
Page 146 of 208 NEXT