Ungodly Old School Dec. 9, 2016

Ungodly Forms
by Sentient Horror

The Pitch: New Jersey old school death metalmastered by Swedish mastermind Dan Swan (ex-Edge of Sanity, ex-Bloodbath, Witherscape) and mixed by Damian Herring (Horrendous). What I Like: Ripping solos, wicked hooks, dominating vocals. Everything you could want for a release in this style is represen...

Oslo: Now with 100% More Hardcore Dec. 9, 2016

Sibiir
by Sibiir

The Pitch: Dark and decrepit hardcore from the black metal capital of Oslo, Norway. What I Like: I really love how hardcore bands from this region have achieved new levels of darkness in their atmosphere. They have in essence started with the benchmark set by Botch and culturally infused that alrea...

Weight On My Shoulders Dec. 9, 2016

Transient
by Through Lucid Eyes

The Pitch: Canadian progressive metalcore band for fans ofERRA, Northlane, Kardashev What I Like: The atmosphere on this album is undeniable. Rather than just going for an emo, sad set of lyrics and hooky guitars; it really emulates the feeling you get whennothing seems to begoing your way.That wei...

Ursus Tempestatem Dec. 8, 2016

Biophobia
by Bearstorm

The Pitch: Virgina band delivers a strange fusion of black metal and psychodelic, progressive sludge on Biophobia. What I Like: What a seemingly mismatched-yet-wonderful combination of sounds. I doubt you have heard this yet in 2016. The raspy,wretched black metal vocals are already delightful on t...

The Ritual Aura Dec. 8, 2016

Taether
by The Ritual Aura

The Pitch: Australian progressive technical death metal band, The Ritual Aura,dial up the weird just a year after earning a spot on my favorite death metal albums of 2015. What I Like: In my previous review I commended this band fortheir experimentation on "Erased in the Purge." I don't know if the...

Shredding Over Substance Dec. 7, 2016

Armorican Deathrites
by Venefixion

The Pitch: Iron Bonehead unleashes blackened thrash and death metal from France filled with cavernous reverb. What I Like: It's righteous to listen to. Plenty of old school nostalgia and thrashy riffage, especially on the first proper track, "An Ankou." For its simplicity, this short release doesn'...

Signals of Greatness Dec. 7, 2016

Escaping Velocity
by Signals of Bedlam

The Pitch: Unsigned New York progressive band (friends of Bangladeafy) inspired by the likes of Karnivool andThe Mars Volta pour their time and resources into a well-produced new record. What I Like: The time and money put into this were worth it. The production is strong and helps highlight the ta...

Happy Music Dec. 7, 2016

May Nothing But Happiness Find You
by Falls Apart

The Pitch: Beatdown hardcore from Cleveland, Ohio fusing elements of 90's metal with groups like Hatebreed and Left Behind. What I Like: Some of the guitar and bass work on this album reminds me a bit of the groove and stop-go dynamics of Helmet's Meantime. All other aspects are more relatable to a...

Nightmare Traveler Dec. 6, 2016

Oneironaut
by Crimson Moon

An Oneironaut is "a person who explores dream worlds, usually associated with lucid dreaming." Here to tackle the subject from W.T.C. Production's ever growing roster of impressive black metal bands (Ascension, True Black Dawn, Shrine Of Insanabilis) is U.S./German project Crimson Moon. Fronted bySc...

INTERVIEW: Dan Kelly of THE HUDSON HORROR Dec. 6, 2016

Ruiner
by The Hudson Horror

There are certain smaller groups out there that I just connect with for one reason or another. It usually has a lot to do with a perfect storm of quality music, clear passion, and personability of the musicians involved. The Hudson Horror undoubtedly meet these criteria. I was initially drawn in dur...

Ragnarok Has Begun Dec. 6, 2016

.​.​.​en doodenakkers tot den horizon
by Fenris

The Pitch: War. The battles around us and also within expressed through the blackened death stylings of Dutch band Fenris. Ragnarok has begun. What I Like: I really enjoy these vocals. Something about their specific quality and personality is just so vivid and vicious. A perfect union of blackened ...

Where's The Beef? Dec. 6, 2016

The Well​-​Intentioned Virus
by Zao

The Pitch: It's been 7 years since Zao released their last album, Awake?. Finally breaking the hiatus, the legendary West Virginia mathcore/hardcore/metalcore band with possibly their most dynamic record yet.. What I Like: Zao's sound somewhat defies genre labels. You could call it metalcore, but w...

Just A Little Spark Dec. 5, 2016

Frown Upon Us
by As A Conceit

The Pitch: Italian metalcore/post-harcore quintet unleash rebellious new anthems in the vein of Architects. What I Like: Quality riffs: melodic leads mixed with djenty, off-kilter blasts of distortion. The resulting hooks are fun and well-produced. Vocals are very passionate, rebellious,and ripe fo...

Blackened and Brutal Dec. 5, 2016

Horns In The Dark
by Tyrant Goatgaldrakona

The Pitch: Joint reissuing ofHungarian death metal band's debut album on CD via Caverna Abismal Records and Neverheard Distro. What I Like: This album kicks off heavy as hell and never lets up until it's over. The vocals are cavernously brutal, the blackened riffs batter the listener. There are som...

Alaskan Grimness Dec. 5, 2016

Arria Paetus
by Arria Paetus

The Pitch: Unsigned andugly technical black metal from Alaska. WhatI Like: I'm enjoying the sudden pace and tone changes on this album. The faster moments, with their ugly/croaky vocals remind me a lot of both Absu and Dendritic Arbor. Of course with those comparisons comes some heavy praise for th...

No Pity Dec. 2, 2016

Still
by Cowards

The Pitch: For fans of groups like Grieved, demented,Paris hardcore elite crew, Cowards, return with a new EP after the success of the ultraviolent Rise to Infamy. What I Like: The atmosphere these guys dish out continues to be some of the darkest, bleakest s#!t in the scene. People think of Paris ...

Death Metal Celebration Dec. 2, 2016

Deathgeneration
by Avulsed

The Pitch: Massive two-disc release from death metal veterans Avulsed; featuring 16 vocalists(!) across 18 new tracks and a collection of 18 others spanning the last 25 years. What I Like: I usually don't go in for collections and big collaborations. They often come off as a muddled mess or a cash ...

Going Places Dec. 2, 2016

Black Waters Deep
by In My Embrace

The Pitch: Sliptrick records release Swedish melodeath band In My Embrace's latest album. Recommended for fans of Insomnium. What I Like: These guys have actually been around since 2004, which was still a big time for the melodeath/Gothenburg scene. They have managed to keep the essence of that sou...

Contentment Is The Enemy... Dec. 1, 2016

Emeritus
by Arriver

Down for some more eclectic tunes? Check out Chicago's progressive blackened death metal band Arriver. Emeritus is a concept album recorded over the last two yearsfocused on theChernobyl event of 1986. "The despoliation of the land by man's folly is animistically reimagined as the moment of rebirth;...

Delightfully Weird Dec. 1, 2016

Sounds Like Murder
by Septa

The Pitch: Ukranian eclectic mixture of alternative rock, experimental, post-hardcore, and progressive. What I Like: This album is just delightfully weird. It's not overtly avant-garde, and yet within its vaguely alternative shell there is something gestating that is not quite of this earth.I am am...
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