Alive and Well Jan. 20, 2017

Weapons of Thrash Destruction
by Terrifier

The Pitch: Vancouver's Terrifier reminds us that classic thrash metal is still alive and well if you just know where to look. What I Like: This album brings me back to a time where galloping triplets were a standard. The guitars are complete insanity that never stop, and the vocals run the gamut fr...

Some Great, Some Not Jan. 20, 2017

Thron
by Thron

The Pitch: Highly aggressive black metal with some thrash influence from the debut of German band Thron. What I Like: The tracks I enjoy have some really great riffs that pull from Dissection and Venom with plenty of speed and ferocity. The drums, guitars, and vocals have plenty of energy. What I ...

Indiana Black Metal Jan. 19, 2017

Shamaniacal Essence
by Ecferus

The Pitch: Hellthrasher Productions unleashes the latest release from Indiana black metal project Ecferus on CD. Solo work "influenced by evolutionary anthropology and primitive myth, ECFERUS explores the psyche of early humans through a vehicle of exciting and unpredictable black metal." What I Li...

9 Minutes of Brutality Jan. 19, 2017

Gouged
by Gouged

The Pitch: 9 minutes is all you need when it comes to the uncompromising grind of SLC's Gouged. FFO Vermin Womb, Pig Destroyer What I Like: Feels like it's been a while since I covered a straight-up grindcore release. This EP is just the thing to break the drought. Seriously, these guys accomplish ...

Old School Thrash Jan. 19, 2017

Styx Demon: The Master Of Death
by Impalers

The Pitch: Teutonic thrash from Denmark for fans of Sodom, Kreator, and Destruction. What I Like: The first two tracks of this EP are some truly bludgeoning offerings that border on blackened thrash. The vocals are absolutely vile and the riffs are not only treachorously fast, but highly engaging. ...

I'm Underdressed For This Jan. 18, 2017

Speak Not Of The Laudanum Quandary
by Ashenspire

The Pitch: "A harrowing, yet distinctly human odyssey through the absurdities and tragedies of British imperialism, voiced in an appropriately deranged sprechgesang by the bands creative director, Alasdair Dunn." FFO A Forest of Stars. What I Like: I adored AFOS's album Beware the Hand You Cannot S...

The Best Kind of Blasphemy Jan. 18, 2017

Impaled Beneath the Pentagram
by Blasphemonger

The Pitch: L.A.-based blackened death metal band lives up to their name and album title on this release from December. FFO Portal. What I Like: Sometimes you just press play on an album and it takes hold right away. For me, this was one of those albums. The vocals are absolutely primal in their gut...

Mapping The Sonic Terrain Jan. 18, 2017

Cartographer
by Chronologist

The Pitch: Largely self-produced album from Boston/Austin instrumental progressive metal act. FFO Animals as Leaders, Mendel What I Like: Gorgeous. You've got plenty of that djent heaviness to get you headibanging, but Chronologist is much more than that. They craft intricate fabrics of sound via a...

Let the Darkness Come Jan. 17, 2017

Hail Death
by UR

The Pitch: Minimalistic, highly abrasive black metal from Poland FFO Taake, Mayhem, Satyricon. What I Like: The straight-forward, rock-oriented approach captures the viciousness and rebellion of the early 2nd wave perfectly. The growls are grating to the senses while the occasional semi-operatic cl...

Killer Melodeath EP Jan. 17, 2017

Let There Be Light
by Parius

The Pitch: Philly melodeath band releases new EP featuring guest solos from Ryan Knight (ex-The Black Dahlia Murder) and Michael Keene (The Faceless)and Michaela Nachtigall on violin. What I Like: Fun riffs, nice balance of thrashy speed and melody. Some of the guitar hooks have a The Haunted vibe ...

I Know Kung Fu (Exclusive Stream) Jan. 17, 2017

Karate Karnage
by Dead Kiwis

The Pitch: Lyon, France's Dead Kiwis split heads with Chuck Norris-style roundhouse kicks set to a Botch worship soundtrack. Amusingly I came up with that comparison before I even realized there is a track named after him. What I Like: If math wasas fun asmathcore, everyone would be a freakin' prod...

Fresh Take On Hardcore Jan. 16, 2017

Forever
by Code Orange

The Pitch: Pittsburgh hardcore outfit has a few curveballs in store on its latest outing, Forever. Produced by Will Yip (Circa Survive) and Kurt Ballou (Converge). FFO Trap Them, Nails, Left Behind What I Like: Heavy as f@#kwith a metric ton of attitude. This makes Stray From the Path look like Bri...

Familiar Blackened Death Jan. 16, 2017

Black Serpent Rising
by Balfor

The Pitch: "Barbaric black metal" from Ukraine featuring members of Hate Forest, ex-Raventale, andKhors. Blackened death metal with a touch of folk for fans of more recentRotting Christ and Behemoth. What I Like: Balfor havea strong presence about them. The production is clean, the riffs ominous, a...

Not Quite As Is Jan. 13, 2017

As Was
by Black Anvil

The Pitch: New York modern progressive black metal band delivers 50 minutes of dark, atmospheric music. What I Like: The clean vocals have an interesting vibe that provides a nice counterpoint to the grim growls. Some of these tracks have a vague Enslaved vibe flowing through the background. The at...

Two Enormous Tracks Jan. 13, 2017

Rite of Inverse Incarnation
by Fides Inversa

The Pitch: Italian black metal duo-now-quartet Fides Inversa continue to prove the worth of the short EP with two crushing new songs better than most full length albums. What I Like: This band is another group to fall under what I usually classify as the "German blackened death metal sound" found i...

Textures and Cambria Jan. 13, 2017

Enigma Infinite
by Memories in Broken Glass

The Pitch: Texas-based progressive metal that channels both Textures and Coheed Cambria. What I Like: Takes soaring CC vocals and djentify it with the sounds of Textures and you'd get Memories in Broken Glass. It's hard to find high pitched clean vocals that don't come off as whiny and lame, but t...

Vikingligr Veldi II Jan. 12, 2017

Black Harmony
by Thyrane

The Pitch: Reissue of fantastic '97 demo recording from kvlt Finnish black/symphonic blackmetal band Thyrane. What I Like: This is another fine example of what a "tr00" black metal band should sound like. The production is gritty, but still highlights the band's strengths. The vocals are the defini...

Dripping With Attitude Jan. 12, 2017

The Haunting Fear of Inevitability
by The Drip

The Pitch: Fusing the rawest elements of crust,powerviolence, d-beat, and grind, Washington'sThe Drip is produced by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaustand mastered by Brad Boatright (Skeletonwitch, Gatecreeper, Weekend Nachos) What I Like: This is some pummeling s@#t. You can really hear the hardcore/po...

Full of Emptiness Jan. 11, 2017

Not For Music
by Emptiness

The Pitch: Belgian's premiere blackened death, and often experimental,metal band Emptiness return with a new album via Season of Mist after blowing minds with Nothing But The Whole. Produced by none other than Jeordie White (Marilyn Manson, NIN). FFO original-ass music. What I Like: I never cease t...

Both Weightless and Heavy Jan. 11, 2017

Moonbearer
by The Drowned God

The Pitch: Lansdale, Pennsylvania's purveyers of post-hardcore The Drowned God return withone hell of adebut full length album. What I Like: The band continues to bring that dark, ominous atmosphere that strikes me as different from many of the other popular bands in the genre. Touche Amore come to...
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