February 27, 2020 — SEPULTURA certainly needs no introduction, but to this day, Max Cavalera-fanboys still slam this lineup as a “cover band” and continue to bash every album released after Roots.
February 7, 2020 — Japan’s unique death metal veterans, DEFILED, have delivered a whopper of an album! Don’t believe me? Check out the video below. As always, the constant is guitarist Yusuke Sumita, and his chaotic riffs are on full display with an excellent complimentary lineup to forge his passion for underground death metal.
February 1, 2019 — The world is always a better place when THE master blaster, Pete Sandoval, is actively playing music. After overcoming the arduous journey back from back surgery, he teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Lee Harrison (MONSTROSITY) and vocalist Sam Molina (ex-MONSTROSITY) to revive TERRORIZER.
November 7, 2018 — While THE SPIRIT hail from Saarbrücken, Germany, they sound like they were born in the metal Mecca of Gothenburg, Sweden. It’s abundantly clear that DISSECTION are, by far, their main influence.
November 6, 2018 — The glorious buzzsaw guitars that rip forth in the opening riff of album opener, “To Kill,” immediately bring to mind all of those sentimental, warm and fuzzy feelings you had jamming to DISMEMBER and ENTOMBED back in the day.
August 6, 2018 — How often does the band that is paying tribute to their idols go as far as to surpass them? Well, GRUESOME’s Twisted Prayers is one of those rare instances where the students becomes better than the master.
August 6, 2018 — After initially listening to the first couple seconds of IMMORTAL’s comeback album, Northern Chaos Gods, you realize that you owe the band a huge apology for doubting them.
July 9, 2018 — NECROPHOBIC prove that, as one of the proud remaining godfathers of Swedish black/death metal, they can always be relied on to create excellent albums. The bottom line is that Mark of the Necrogram is the perfect NECROPHOBIC album.
March 3, 2018 — If we’re being honest, THE CROWN’s last one, Death is Not Dead, was good but not good enough by the standard that the band have set with previous releases.
February 1, 2018 — Sweden’s TRIBULATION took a big step with 2015’s Children of the Night. Their new one, Down Below, continues where its predecessor left off with a sound focused on incorporating traditional heavy metal, gothic rock/metal, and bigger riffs onto their Swedish death metal foundation.
November 29, 2017 — In grindcore, there is a holy triumvirate: NAPALM DEATH, TERRORIZER, and LOCK UP. It’s no coincidence that all three bands are related in history and members.
November 27, 2017 — Six years ago MORBID ANGEL released their most anticipated and ultimately most disappointing album, Illud Divinum Insanus. Instead of the album being a return to the Domination-era sound or a continuation of the very obscure, Heretic, the band experimented with industrial, hardcore, and even rock influences.
December 6, 2016 — Los Angeles’ sworn enemies of 4/4 time signatures, INTRONAUT, step up their game on album number four, The Direction of Last Things. Their extreme metal roots play the most prominent role in the album’s sound since the early days of the band as evidenced by the heavy riffing and extreme, distorted vocals.
July 22, 2016 — The Ineffable Kings of Darkness make a monumental return with one of the best albums of their career. Absolutely no disrespect to the excellent, previous two albums, Attera Totus Sanctus and Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus, but Where Shadows Forever Reign is on another level and unequivocal proof that DARK FUNERAL is only getting better with time.
July 6, 2016 — As the years go by, the original torch bearers of the legendary Norwegian black metal scene travel further down their own unique music journeys. While the spirit, soul, and creativity will always remain intact, the darkness, extremity, and sheer sonic force has often been left in the past.
February 22, 2016 — Less than a year after leaving the mighty IMMORTAL, Abbath emerges with the debut of his second solo album (counting I’s Between Two Worlds). Naturally, Abbath picks up where 2009’s All Shall Fall left off with the type of battle hymns that has been IMMORTAL’s bread and butter.
November 11, 2015 — Three years ago, CRYPTOPSY retook their rightful place atop the extreme metal pantheon with Cryptopsy. The band have since become a four-piece after the latest departure of founding guitarist Jon Levasseur.
October 24, 2015 — Reality is always harsher than fiction. Topics such as cannibalism, war crimes, and pre-pubescent murderers are all real world phenomena. Oslo, Norway’s BLITZKRIEG BABY are simply the messengers.
October 8, 2015 — DIABOLICUM have never been a household name but they have certainly carved out their own niche in the underground metal scene. Fourteen years since the release of their last album, The Dark Blood Rising (The Hatecrowned Retaliation), the band are back and better than ever.
August 15, 2015 — Lose your longest tenured guitarist? Lose your other guitarist to serious spine issues? No problem! CRADLE OF FILTH soldier on with their best album in recent memory.
July 15, 2015 — Iceland’s KONTINUUM pick up where the excellent Earth Blood Magic left off. Filling the void that bands like GREEN CARNATION and SENTENCED left behind, KONTINUUM forge a sublime, melodic, and memorable album in Kyrr.
July 9, 2015 — Following in the footsteps of extreme metallers who went on to explore the electronic-based side of the music universe (i.e. Justin Broadrick with TECHNO ANIMAL, ULVER, Tom G.
June 29, 2015 — The Norwegian supernova known as JAGA JAZZIST have created yet another meisterwerk with the appropriately titled Starfire. Pulsing with life, pulsing with creativity, the dazzling audial assault is the soundtrack to a vintage movie set in outer space.
June 6, 2015 — The last time ARCTURUS released new music, they were not at the top of their game. Sideshow Symphonies was simply not on par with the band’s previous releases.
June 5, 2015 — MANIMALISM’s self titled debut is an anachronism of sorts. While the band wrote the album’s material during the span of 1993 to 1999, things did not come together until now.
May 25, 2015 — A pure underground gem was released in late 2014 that is mandatory for all Norwegian black metal devotees. Yup, an all-star cast brings THE DEATHTRIP to light: Host (AKA Paul Groundswell, THINE guitarist and GM of Peaceville Records), the return of Aldrahn (DODHEIMSGARD, THORNS) from a long hiatus, and THORNS mastermind Snorre Ruch as producer.
May 4, 2015 — Armed to the teeth with a vast array of weaponry, ABYSMAL DAWN go all out on Obsolescence. With the modus operandi of always pushing forward, the band successfully push its boundaries of musicality and intensity.
March 18, 2015 — ENSLAVED get straight to the point with their most straight forward and catchy album in years. Incorporating a strong influence of their early era, In Times is the band’s most direct and blackest work since Isa and Ruun, or even Blodhemn.
December 1, 2014 — The great TRIPTYKON redefine darkness once again with their second full-length album. Melana Chasmata is a multi-dimensional exploration of darkness colored in different atmospheres. TRIPTYKON masterfully utilize a full repertoire - three different vocalists, a wide range of riffing styles, violent and solemn atmospheres, and more.
November 28, 2014 — Leave it to the Icelandic post-apocalyptic cowboys, SÓLSTAFIR, to reward their fans with a godly follow up to their godly album, Svartir Sandir. This time around, the band only release a single disc’s worth of music but it’s more than adequate.
September 22, 2014 — Short review: Exit Wounds is THE HAUNTED’s best album since One Kill Wonder. [Read on for the longer version.] After the excellent teaser, Eye of the Storm 7", THE HAUNTED make their full declaration with Exit Wounds.
August 19, 2014 — Twelve years after STAROFASH’s excellent debut, Iter.Viator, the brainchild of Heidi S. Tveitan proves to only reach new heights over the course of time. Ghouleh, featuring a song for every month of the year plus one bonus track, is an imaginative, ethereal album.
July 24, 2014 — If you’re unfamiliar with the band, the most fatal mistake you could make is to not take them seriously. Of course, the band embrace humor and parody but CANNABIS CORPSE are focused on making killer music.
July 10, 2014 — So big news over this album is the debut of new (female) vocalist Alissa White-Gluz (ex-THE AGONIST). Did you really think that ARCH ENEMY would ever replace Angela Gossow with a male vocalist?
June 25, 2014 — To understand VADER’s Tibi Et Igni is to know a few key facts. First, this is their best album since 2002’s Revelations. Second, Tibi Et Igni features the best collection of guitar solos in the band’s history.
June 2, 2014 — As a fan of metal, you love Marty Friedman by default. But since his move to Japan 10 years ago, can we all say that we’ve kept up with what he’s been up to?
May 8, 2014 — Unfortunately for some of us, it took three albums to find out about the light of BLOODY HAMMERS. The important thing is that we are all here now to enjoy Under Satan’s Sun.
May 1, 2014 — The final chapter of SHINING (Norway)’s Blackjazz trilogy is unnerving, volatile, and unsettling. And this is likely what the band set out to do. SHINING take a decidedly more rock-based approach on One One One compared to the record’s two predecessors.
April 7, 2014 — Ah yes, it’s been a long wait for anything new from Trondheim, Norway’s MANES. As a nice stop gap measure before they release their upcoming work, Be All End All, the band have released a compilation entitled Teeth, Toes, and Other Trinkets.
April 4, 2014 — To be totally blunt, ANIMALS AS LEADERS’ The Joy of Motion is a flawless album for what it’s meant to be. From basically every aspect, the band has achieved pure prog bliss.
April 3, 2014 — It’s been a very long time since the metal world heard from the Hoffman brothers following their departure from DEICIDE. Using the pre-DEICIDE band name of AMON, they are back with a new style of death metal.
February 12, 2014 — As demonstrated by TESTAMENT’s Chuck Billy, it is possible to make a strong comeback from cancer and resume a successful career. Thankfully, BEHEMOTH’s Nergal has followed suit and returned to form.
February 3, 2014 — Nearly three years and three band members replaced and THE HAUNTED appear ready to atone for their previously subpar releases. If the three songs on Eye of the Storm are any indication of where the band’s head is at, then it’s time to rejoice.
December 13, 2013 — The truth is that the vast majority of black metal bands that have arrived on the scene long after the legendary scenes in Norway and Sweden made their marks have been nothing to rave about.
December 11, 2013 — After helping to pioneer death metal, DEICIDE show on In the Minds of Evil that there is plenty left in the tank. It may come as a surprise to some but the album is pretty damn strong.
December 9, 2013 — To state that hyperbole and false statements of quality are hallmarks of the music industry would be stating the obvious. Additionally, the term “super group” is often thrown around too haphazardly.
December 6, 2013 — Remember the good old 90’s and early 2000’s when a plethora of metalcore, mathcore, post-hardcore, etc. were busting out so many underground gems? Well, that fine tradition continues thanks to Winnipeg, Canada heroes, KEN MODE.
November 18, 2013 — Let it be declared that BEASTMILK are destined for stardom. In addition to their songwriting skills, charisma, and musicianship, these Finns have that special intangible that separates the stars from the merely “really cool” bands.
November 13, 2013 — DOOMRIDERS is back with their third album, Grand Blood, and another collection of diverse, cool songs. We could include the other bands that the members play in but that’s irrelevant as DOOMRIDERS should be judged by what they do alone.
November 5, 2013 — Like a supernova in the cosmos, CROSSFAITH explode with seldomly matched energy and power with their third record, Apocalyze. While some bands get by purely on talent alone, these beasts from Osaka prove that talent plus fervor can make a more profound impact.
November 4, 2013 — If you’ve heard DARKTHRONE’s latest album, The Underground Resistance, then you’ll have a good idea of what NOCTURNO CULTO’S GIFT OF GODS project sounds like.
November 1, 2013 — If you haven’t become a fan of TOXIC HOLOCAUST yet, now is the time. Album number five, Chemistry of Consciousness, just scorches. Singular in its fast and aggressive attack, TOXIC HOLOCAUST take no prisoners - no mid-tempo songs, elements of the goofy side of classic thrash, filler, or wasted time.
October 28, 2013 — Regarding the band’s new album, Obsideo, PESTILENCE mainman Patrick Mameli has been quoted as saying, “The musicianship is such high quality; it is really ten of the most demanding songs written in death metal.
October 24, 2013 — Every genre of extreme music gets stagnant and needs a kick in the arse. Finland’s ORANSSI PAZUZU provide the type of injection that black metal needs with their third record, Valonielu.
October 24, 2013 — If someone were to tell you that Earth Blues is a near perfect record for what it is, that would be an accurate statement. One would be hard pressed to find anything wrong or bad about it.
October 22, 2013 — There’s no ignoring the fact that clean, polished technical-based death metal bands have gained prominence in the metal media in recent years. However, Tokyo’s COFFINS proudly reminds us of death metal’s dark and brutal origins.
October 17, 2013 — A five year hiatus is all it took for one of hardcore’s best to make a comeback. Simply put, Fever Hunting is a damn good album and one that sees the original line up of MODERN LIFE IS WAR doing what they do best - making music that matters.
October 14, 2013 — [IN SOLITUDE take a big step forward with their third album, Sister. Refusing to simply rehash the classic metal sound of their first two releases, the band embrace the dark.
September 24, 2013 — In a heavy music world of formulas, cliches, and the resulting unintentional comedy, INTRONAUT provide a welcome break and compelling excursion into their world. Habitual Levitations picks up where Valley of Smoke left off.
September 24, 2013 — After the deliciously brutal death/grind/thrash of SOULFLY’s last album, Enslaved, where does Max Cavalera take the ship now? Savages does not have the extremity nor singular focus of Enslaved.
September 9, 2013 — Five years of touring and recuperation have yielded a superior record than SATYRICON’s 2008 release, Age of Nero. In the spirit of progress, SATYRICON explores new territory with their new self titled record.
August 26, 2013 — With their popularity at an all time high, how does REVOCATION’s self titled fourth album fair? Basically, they deliver the kind of album that fans will be happy with.
August 14, 2013 — Turns out that CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and SEPULTURA co-founder Iggor Cavalera is also great at making music in a totally different universe. The Brazilian crew known as MIXHELL, also composed of Laima Leyton and Max Blum, finally make their smashing studio album debut with Spaces.
August 13, 2013 — After what seems like a lifetime of waiting, the CARCASS comeback album is finally here. The long and short of it is that Surgical Steel is great; an instant classic.
July 22, 2013 — By now, it’s a safe bet that one of the best bands in metal are not going to disappoint fans. The elite Swedish melodic death/thrash band that we’ve grown to love, DARKANE, continue to inflict massive damage with their sixth album, The Sinister Supremacy.
July 15, 2013 — Taiwan’s most well known metal export are back again with another concept album centered around Taiwan’s history and mythology. Bu-Tik is around the story of the 228 Massacre, the Bú-Tik Palace and the Mirror of Retribution.
July 9, 2013 — The og Norwegian black metal gods again prove that they can be counted on for quality. The Underground Resistance is ugly, black, but also loose and free.
July 9, 2013 — The criminally unheralded Greek gods of extreme metal prove once again with Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy, or “Do What Thou Wilt,” that they are the best at what they do.
June 30, 2013 — What comes to mind if I say that The Aura is progressive death metal from Quebec? It’s got to be good, right? Yes, BEYOND CREATION are a jaw dropping force.
June 30, 2013 — Album number 10, Construct, is finally here from the kings of Gothenburg, Sweden. After making their biggest leap in sound and style in recent times with We Are the Void, DARK TRANQUILLITY continue moving forward.
April 19, 2013 — Fans of IN THE WOODS…, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, SENTENCED, and European dark metal will be most pleased with Iceland’s KONTINUUM. The band specialize in creating morose and lonely atmospheres that exude passion and emotion.
April 18, 2013 — After being totally immersed in music for a decade or two (or three), it’s easy to grow desensitized to the untainted joy and fresh excitement that music can bring.
March 21, 2013 — Crossover bands have always been in short supply so we are all blessed to have IRON REAGAN’s debut full-length, Worse Than Dead. Composed of one half MUNICIPAL WASTE and one half ex-DARKEST HOUR members, the band tear through 19 raging tracks.
March 5, 2013 — One of the coolest death metal debut albums in recent years, gets the live treatment with Living Flesh. Band mastermind Nader Sadek gathered together his core recording line up of Steve Tucker (ex-MORBID ANGEL), Rune Eriksen (AVA INFERI, ex-MAYHEM), and Flo Mounier (CRYPTOPSY) along with Novy (ex-VADER, BEHEMOTH, DIES IRAE), Sean Frey, and Carmen Simoes.
February 20, 2013 — The good news right off the bat: Pinnacle of Bedlam is the best of post-reunion SUFFO albums. Everything from the songs, production, progression, and the return of drum god Dave Culross see the band full of life force.
February 13, 2013 — While heavy metal is a true global movement and scene, the racial and ethnic diversity is much greater among fans than among the artist themselves. Of course, our beloved genre tends to unite people of all backgrounds but reality and life are not necessarily that simple.
January 30, 2013 — It seems like time has flown by as our favorite British vampires are now on album number ten. Despite changing interest levels from metal fans as a whole, CRADLE continue to carry on and they’ve made one hell of an album in The Manticore and Other Horrors.
January 27, 2013 — First things first, a big apology goes out to ALLEGAEON for not checking them out sooner. This is one of the coolest new bands in the underground.
December 10, 2012 — To further prove that Norwegian black metal is far from dead, NIDINGR take a big leap in progress with their sophomore record, Greatest of Deceivers. The band’s last one, Wolf-Father, was undoubtedly very good but it did not necessarily break new ground.
December 9, 2012 — Southern California’s NAILS beautifully brings together the brutality and guitar sound of Stockholm death metal, grind, and hardcore into a singularly focused bulldozing sound. Three songs spanning a total of 6:30+ of this 7" release are just furious and take no fuckin’ prisoners.
November 28, 2012 — Our favorite Swedish anachronism is back in a hurry with the follow up to 2011’s divine Hisingen Blues. Lights Out continues the good old rock n’ roll sounds that GRAVEYARD plays so well.
November 24, 2012 — It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since I first blasted MEGADETH’s Countdown to Extinction on my cassette players as a high school freshman.
November 23, 2012 — Were you there during the early 80’s in Southern California when a new subgenre of music and subculture emerged to change the world? Regardless of whether you were or not, the new book We Got Power!
November 18, 2012 — One of the best records of the year is refreshingly not the flashiest. Yeah, WITCHCRAFT’s Legend sounds good upon first listen. But unbeknownst to you, it will pull you in progressively deeper with each listen.
November 14, 2012 — Regrouping after the tragic passing of vocalist Makh Daniels, EARLY GRAVES does Makh proud with one of the coolest releases of the year, Red Horse.
November 5, 2012 — Let’s cut to the chase - Vanitas is a killer album. Carrying on the tradition of great music from Birmingham, the duo of ANAAL NATHRAKH continue to prove why they are among extreme metal’s elite.
October 15, 2012 — If you were pleased with last year’s three song EP, Iron Dawn, then Serpent Sermon will put a huge smile on your face. MARDUK’s twelfth record, Serpent Sermon, is indisputable evidence that the snarling upper lip of the band is as ferocious as ever.
October 8, 2012 — Devin Townsend’s last record, Deconstruction, was the soundtrack for a man going through many life changes and a total reconfiguration of himself going forward. Now that Devin has been reborn, Epicloud is a return to the familiar euphoric sound and style that fans have come to love.
August 29, 2012 — Have you ever had a good friend date someone you didn’t approve of or just go into a funk and then come back to their senses and becomes that good old friend you missed?
August 7, 2012 — Sexual Harassment_ marks the beginning of a new era for TURBONEGRO with new vocalist, Tony Sylvester AKA Duke of Nothing. Replacing a long time frontman is never an easy task, especially a charismatic one like Hank von Helvete.
July 18, 2012 — ASPHYX has been paying the death metal dues since the late 80’s, with their disciplined balance between relentless speed and slow, crawling riffs, creating a cauldron of searing, uncompromising metal.
July 13, 2012 — “Fan service” might be the best way to describe The Industrialist. It’s not often that a record is released and there isn’t much of anything to complain about.
July 6, 2012 — After making a strong debut with Ominous, Norway’s THE WRETCHED END easily proved their worth. Now, with Inroads, the band have honed and focused their sophisticated, multi-dimensional style of extreme metal to a blacker, more desolate place.
June 30, 2012 — STORM CORROSION is the much hyped, much talked about collaboration between two of modern prog rock’s heavyweights in OPETH’s Mikael Akerfeldt and PORCUPINE TREE‘s mainman Steven Wilson.
June 7, 2012 — What can I say? THE WASTE have done it again with The Fatal Feast - Waste in Space and then some. Now five full length releases into their career and it’s safe to say that the band continue to hone their talents.
May 18, 2012 — BEREFT’s debut album, Leichenhaus, should not be mistaken for an unearnest attempt at doom metal nor merely as an unfocused side project band. This is excellent doom created by true doom followers.
May 17, 2012 — The legendary MINISTRY may have come out of a relatively short retirement but Relapse clearly shows that they haven’t lost a step. All the qualities that makes the band larger than life are all present such as Al Jourgensen’s charisma and sense of satire, super catchy songs, sound samples, and massive guitar riffs.
April 23, 2012 — Long time fans of NAPALM DEATH out in the world and in the media are probably all guilty of one thing…and that is taking NAPALM DEATH for granted.
April 17, 2012 — North America finally gets an official release for DJERV’s excellent full-length debut record. Let it be known right off the bat that this is one of the best albums of 2012.
March 30, 2012 — It’s been a long time since TENHI released a full-length of all new material and as expected, the band do no disappoint. The band further defines and expands upon their unique style of neo progressive Finnish folk music with an ever improving command of dynamics and creativity.
March 2, 2012 — Tokyo’s SIGH make a triumphant return to form with their latest, In Somniphobia. In many ways, the album is a return to the band’s bread and butter of off the wall genre blending, atmosphere, and unique creativity that characterized what could be described the band’s middle era.
January 31, 2012 — World Downfall is by far one of the most devastating and influential grind albums in existence, so it’s a damn shame that Darker Days Ahead was an atrocious flop.
January 29, 2012 — One of the gems of 2011 comes in the form of ALKAHEST’s debut release, Milk & Morphine EP. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, the band carve out their own distinct style that can best be described as a mix of melancholic doom, psychedelia, atmospheric and extreme metal that is both compelling and brimming with musicality.
December 21, 2011 — Salt Lake City’s SUBROSA have been steadily crafting interesting material for years now with several independent releases under their belts, but their third full length sees the band take their ambitious work to new heights with No Help for the Mighty Ones.
December 11, 2011 — Tokyo’s underground music scene is famous worldwide but few, if any, documentaries have attempted to provide a window into the always creative and eclectic scene there.
December 8, 2011 — The term “U.S. black metal” is often mocked in many circles, but one exception to the rule is ABSU. The self-titled album was just the tip of the iceberg for their unique blend of thrash/black metal style, and Abzu will certainly be hailed as one of the top albums of 2011.
November 22, 2011 — Album number three for 2011 from Tokyo’s BORIS proves to be the best of the trio. Originally meant to be a Japan-only release, New Album includes six songs from Attention Please and Heavy Rocks, which were released earlier this year plus three exclusive songs and one song that has previously been released.
November 4, 2011 — Rising hardcore band, TRASH TALK, keep on rising with their latest Awake. This EP is just five songs of high energy, high aggression hardcore. The title track opens the release with a mean edge, which quickly kicks into the fast(er) and shorter “Slander” and its d-beats.
November 3, 2011 — Like hardcore OPETH fans, CYNIC fanatics will vouch for anything the band releases. Carbon-Based Anatomy is nice material to quench the thirst of said fans, but this release is not quite up to par with their full length releases.
November 3, 2011 — Fresh off the release of last year’s Majesty and Decay album, IMMOLATION has once again conquered and solidified their part as being one of the most consistent and prolific death metal bands ever with Providence.
October 28, 2011 — WORMROT took the metal storm last year with the arrival the band’s incinerating debut, Abuse, which saw the band embark on a relentless touring schedule scoring legions of new fans along the way with their explosive live performances.
October 24, 2011 — “Religious experiences” in music are reserved for the most unique and sentimental experiences. However, that also applies to SOLSTAFIR’s latest masterpiece, Svartir Sandar. Strong words they are but warranted.
October 20, 2011 — Just when you thought METALLICA were back on the redemption track for their near 20 year reign as sell out kings of rock music history, they go and put Lulu out.
October 19, 2011 — Progressive not only describes OPETH’s music, it also describes the slow shedding of their death metal stylings. Heritage is OPETH’s fruit that falls furthest from the extreme metal tree, save for the “soft” Deliverance album which was an explicit experiment released in near parallel to the “heavy” Damnation album.
October 6, 2011 — In 2002, BORIS released the excellent Heavy Rocks and now in 2011, the band is back with yet another album titled Heavy Rocks. To put it bluntly, the former is flat out superior to the latter.
October 4, 2011 — The Blackening was clearly MACHINE HEAD’s most acclaimed record since their debut, Burn My Eyes. Career-wise, following up the former is no easy task but the band have done so in strong fashion with Unto the Locust.
September 27, 2011 — A band like SOURVEIN has always remained true to what they are about. Their style of music has and never will be the flavor of the month, but that is also part of the charm of this hardworking band.
September 19, 2011 — CHTHONIC have been working hard promoting their brand of “Orient metal” to the masses by touring the U.S. with SATYRICON, performing at select European festivals, and appearing in countless metal publications.
September 2, 2011 — There are two things that come to mind after listening to Bilateral: (1) Wow, this is very impressive; and (2) why haven’t I heard of this band earlier?
September 1, 2011 — While we all eagerly await for new full length records from hardcore/punk heavyweights, CONVERGE and DROPDEAD, the aforementioned bands have given us a little morsel to satiate our hunger.
August 31, 2011 — Before SIGH decided to become an avant-garde and unorthodox extreme metal band, they were an excellent up and coming black metal band from the Far East – a unique band from Asia who drew the interest of MAYHEM’s Euronymous and his label Deathlike Silence Productions.
August 30, 2011 — Facts are facts and EXTREME NOISE TERROR are one of the forefathers of extreme music as we know it. The kind folks at Candlelight Records have decided to issue a compilation of the band’s early releases, including the great A Holocaust in Your Head.
August 30, 2011 — With so many “brutal” and “fast” bands sprouting lately, Italy’s FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE has cemented their brand of symphonic death metal into the underground realm. The band has generated lots of buzz, and received plenty of acclaim recently due to their hard work and endless touring on the road.
August 30, 2011 — LOCK UP have set the bar pretty high for properly executing blistering grind albums, and their TERRORIZER-inspired grind/death style is seemingly unstoppable. PENTAGRAM guitarist Anton Reisenegger pays homage to original axe grinder, Jesse Pintado (RIP), by writing a few angry and aggressive songs to say the least.
August 23, 2011 — For those familiar with STAROFASH’s back catalogue, it’s a fact that the band’s releases are all precious gems of art. The beautiful new record, Lakhesis, is no different.
August 17, 2011 — Usually by the ninth album, a band is woefully in decline with no signs of regaining past glories. Thankfully, that is not the case with VADER.
August 2, 2011 — The always intriguing, fascinating, and wildly creative Norwegian duo, SOLEFALD, are back with another journey into Norwegian history. Norrøn Livskunst is absolutely bursting with substance and content to uncover and enjoy.
August 1, 2011 — GALLHAMMER’s last record, Ill Innocence, undoubtedly was an interesting and stimulating record of primitive black metal, crust punk, and Japanese indie rock. This former trio, now duo, brings us the equally interesting, The End.
July 29, 2011 — A band can’t help but gain street cred when DARKTHRONE’s Fenriz rants and raves about them. After one listen to Uppsala, Sweden’s IN SOLITUDE and you will know exactly how Fenriz was thinking and feeling.
July 29, 2011 — VOIVOD’s latest live album, Warriors of Ice, is the definition of “fan service.” Picture a live album with every classic VOIVOD song on it. It was recorded on December 12th, 2009 at Club Soda in Montreal, Canada for a show the band played in order promote their latest live DVD, Tatsumaki.
July 28, 2011 — A new generation of Norwegian black metal is alive and well thanks in part to THE KONSORTIUM. Lead by prolific guitarist Teloch (MAYHEM, NIDINGR, UMORAL), the band effortlessly rips through their debut full length.
July 27, 2011 — The pressure of writing a great SEPULTURA album, years after Max Cavalera departed, has certainly been a daunting one. After getting back on track with A-Lex, the new offering, Kairos, has its moments of “classic SEPULTURA” elements, but the aggression and speed are stripped away.
July 26, 2011 — Maryland based veterans DYING FETUS were heavily influenced by the underground death metal scene in the early 1990’s, so it’s quite fitting that the band pays homage to their influences on History Repeats…
July 22, 2011 — Avant-garde artist Nader Sadek has brought his project to life with a supergroup of metal warriors respected in the underground scene. By recruiting Steve Tucker (ex-MORBID ANGEL), Rune Eriksen (AVA INFERI, ex-MAYHEM), and Flo Mounier (CRYPTOPSY) as the core of the band, this brutal album coincides with his art and vision.
July 12, 2011 — If you love classic 80’s metal, hardcore, and punk, then by default you can find enjoyment in Portland’s TOXIC HOLOCAUST. So many of the elements of these genres are once again embodied in the band’s latest, Conjure and Command.
July 8, 2011 — It feels like it’s been a lifetime since the release of a new ANATHEMA album and the waiting has been taxing on fans. No doubt there have been various legitimate reasons for the length of time, including turmoil within the band and business issues.
June 29, 2011 — When PESTILENCE announced their reformation, hopes were high for Resurrection Macabre, especially after the band drifted into obscurity with the strange, jazz fusion influenced album, Spheres.
June 27, 2011 — PHOBIA has been unleashing furious crust grind for decades now, and while most of their peers have either slowed down or thrown in the towel, PHOBIA just keeps the beatings coming with their umpteenth release Unrelenting.
June 24, 2011 — After a big step in growth for DIR EN GREY in Uroboros, what Dum Spiro Spero holds is a great curiosity. If anything, Dum Spiro Spero is a big left turn from the path of its predecessor as well as the band’s back catalogue.
June 21, 2011 — It’s been a long and tragic five years since the world was bestowed with a new DECAPITATED record. Lone returning member, guitarist Vogg, admirably decided to continue the band with a new line-up, that symbolize the best possible tribute to his brother, the late Vitek, and Covan.
June 15, 2011 — Facts can’t be disputed. THE STOOGES are one of the most influential, and great bands of all time and their third album, Raw Power, released in ‘73, is absolutely mandatory.
June 14, 2011 — Set in the midst of a storyline/theme of societal anarchy and revolution, ARCH ENEMY follow up what is, arguably, the best album of their career in Rise of the Tyrant with Khaos Legions.
June 7, 2011 — When Irish heroes, PRIMORDIAL, finally gained the recognition and success that was well-deserved for their last masterpiece, To the Nameless Dead, it was only natural that the anticipation and expectations for its follow-up would be high.
June 1, 2011 — Epic. Grandiose. Powerful. SEPTIC FLESH’s The Great Mass sweeps away the overwhelming majority of metal with its colossal art. The band describe themselves as “symphonic death metal,” but that really doesn’t convey just how great they are.
May 29, 2011 — While IMMORTAL has been enjoying their success, songwriter Demonaz Doom Occulta has been in the background with IMMORTAL with riffs and lyrics, as well as writing his own material.
May 29, 2011 — Before going into the studio to record a full length album, MARDUK has decided to tease the world with a short EP, and they offer an excellent glimpse of what’s to come.
May 20, 2011 — Do you love classic rock of the 60’s and 70’s? Yeah, so do I. Thus, by default we all love GRAVEYARD’s excellent new record, Hisingen Blues.
May 16, 2011 — When Hank von Helvete abruptly and quietly quit Norwegian death punk gods TURBONEGRO in 2010, it shocked and saddened fans. And with the same suddenness he is back with a new band, DOCTOR MIDNIGHT & THE MERCY CULT.
May 6, 2011 — With the welcome return of original frontman David Vincent and subsequent years of reunion shows, the stage has been set for one of the most anticipated albums in extreme metal history.
April 28, 2011 — There’s nothing like artistic progression, maturation, and improvement. With Valley of Smoke, INTRONAUT take their melancholic and atmospheric style of prog to a new level. New sounds, tighter songwriting, and better arrangements color the record.
April 22, 2011 — OBSCURA appeals to fans of “math metal,” or bands that have thousands of riffs per song who try and be as technical as possible. ????????? ?
April 20, 2011 — BELPHEGOR have established themselves as prolific songwriters, as they keep pumping out albums year after year, and 2011 is no exception. Unfortunately, this can be a pitfall for some bands, as churning out albums every year can take a toll on songwriting and incorporating fresh ideas.
April 14, 2011 — Norway does it again with their latest musical export, KVELERTAK. Taking the baton from dearly departed legends, TURBONEGRO, KVELERTAK’s self titled debut is exactly what the doctor ordered.
April 13, 2011 — It’s easy to play loud and fast with a few strokes and pounds of instruments but it’s not so easy to be intense, heart pounding, and extreme.
April 11, 2011 — Let it be officially declared that THE HAUNTED are done thrashing. As if the band’s previous few releases were any clue, Unseen is an unequivocal statement that the former Swedish thrashers have long moved onto find new sounds.
April 9, 2011 — Music is such a powerful form of expression, one that can blow your mind and speak to the soul. ANTIMATTER is one such band that operates at the deepest levels.
April 8, 2011 — The AC/DC of Swedish death metal are back with their latest viking-themed album, Surtur Rising. AMON AMARTH fans know exactly what to expect: an album cover in orange/red hues with a viking and fire, Norse mythological themes, those melancholic melodies, steady handed tempos, and those deep growls from vocalist Johan Hegg.
April 7, 2011 — Now that the celebration of the Cavalera brothers reuniting and putting out a strong, hard hitting debut album is over, we can all see what album number two from CAVALERA CONSPIRACY is all about from purely a musical perspective.
April 5, 2011 — In a (metal) world of fakes, you can always depend on the soothing sounds of ELECTRIC WIZARD. Their music is as honest as it comes. Three years after releasing the excellent, Witchcult Today, we are blessed with Black Masses.
March 12, 2011 — DEICIDE have paid their dues long ago and have become so (in)famous that their fans will buy anything - even if it’s a subpar release, such as the horrendous Insineratehymn and In Torment in Hell albums.
March 12, 2011 — Metal Blade has been churning out PRIMORDIAL reissues in full force because the originals are out of print. The Storm Before Calm reissue deserves some revisiting as there are a few gems on this disc.
February 27, 2011 — So the internet has been abuzz with hype surrounding this (supposedly) brand new band, GHOST. Obviously, overrated super hyped debut albums (i.e. MACHINE HEAD’s Burn My Eyes) are nothing out of the ordinary, but thankfully, GHOST’s Opus Eponymous is not one of them.
February 4, 2011 — ABYSMAL DAWN’s Programmed to Consume fit the Relapse roster perfectly, as the album had too many riffs and drum beats that rivaled ORIGIN and other similarly casted bands.
January 27, 2011 — Almost a decade has gone by since DEFILED’s previous effort, Divination. And like most bands with revolving members, only a sole constant remains–their’s is guitarist Yusuke Sumita.
January 2, 2011 — After disbanding six years ago citing the harsh realities of being an underground band as the cause, THE CROWN make their welcome return. So what’s different in 2010 for the band?
November 10, 2010 — Cult progressive/technical death metal band, ATHEIST, have been mentioned in the same breath as CYNIC, though ATHEIST were always the more aggressive band, and light years ahead with their early albums, Piece of Time and Unquestionable Presence.
November 6, 2010 — HAIL OF BULLETS showed tremendous potential with their debut album …Of Frost and War, and teased us next with the Warsaw Rising EP. Most bands show some drop off with their sophomore album, but no drop off is found with On Divine Winds, only catchy tunes and heavy riffs.
November 3, 2010 — Simply put, Marion, North Carolina’s U.S. CHRISTMAS have created another underground classic in Run Thick in the Night. This time, the band’s sound has less embellishments in the theremin, synth, and guitar effects departments.
November 1, 2010 — Not knowing what to expect after Tom G. Warrior laid CELTIC FROST to rest, TRIPTYKON was born and released their ultra heavy, brutal, and doomy debut, Eparistera Daimones.
October 26, 2010 — It’s been a long four years since we last heard new music from ZYKLON leader/guitarist Samoth. Regrouping anew with MINDGRINDER/SCUM vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Cosmo and Swedish drum beast Nils Fjellström (IN BATTLE, AEON, DARK FUNERAL), THE WRETCHED END prove to be cutting edge extreme metal.
October 25, 2010 — Re-recording old songs as a full length album isn’t a new idea as ARCH ENEMY, HYPOCRISY, and various others have done it in the past, but whether it’s because members have changed, old, but classic songs needed some tweaking and updating, or just because it’s a cool idea for another album, it’s an interesting thing - newer fans get to hear older songs that they might not have known about or heard before, and older fans get to hear some classics updated with better production and recorded with the current lineup.
October 24, 2010 — The entity known as LIMBONIC ART has quietly achieved a cult following amongst the black metal elite, but they have never been as popular or successful as some of their fellow Norwegian cohorts.
October 18, 2010 — Four albums into their career and I can happily report that VOLBEAT are still going strong. Beyond Hell/Above Heaven is more or less “a VOLBEAT record” with it’s distinct blend and balance of thrash, punk, rockabilly, country, and 50/60’s rock n’ roll.
October 8, 2010 — On Abuse, Singapore’s WORMROT offer up a generous 23 tracks in 22 minutes (perfect grind length) of relentless, ferocious grindcore. Drummer Fitri leads the charge with an assortment insanely fast blast beats, flurries of double bass and general cymbal-smashing mayhem.
September 8, 2010 — The debut of this supergroup has been in the talks for a few years now, and has finally come to fruition with Shadowcast. It also marks the return for old school vocalist Marc Grewe (MORGOTH) to the metal fold once again.
September 8, 2010 — The ever-revolving door of different band members on each album continues with the death metal veterans’ 11th studio album, Invidious Dominion. MALEVOLENT CREATION welcomes back original bassist Jason Blachowicz, and long time friend/collaborator Gus Rios is brought into the fold as the permanent drummer.
August 26, 2010 — The arrival of a new NEVERMORE album should always be considered a gift to the metal community and The Obsidian Conspiracy is no exception. Both great and good songs are what make NEVERMORE’s latest another success.
August 16, 2010 — Despite producing an endless amount of albums, going on worldwide tours with HYPOCRISY and various other bands, workaholic Peter Tägtgren still finds time for his pet project, PAIN.
August 10, 2010 — KEEP OF KALESSIN have been in the 2nd tier in terms of popularity because their big brothers in EMPEROR, IMMORTAL, and SATYRICON have infamous pasts. These Norwegian metalheads try and match their counterparts with their versatility and improved musicianship.
August 9, 2010 — After taking a breather in their respective other bands, namely THE HAUNTED, OPETH, and ARCH ENEMY, the members of WITCHERY offer Witchkrieg, the first album with vocalist Legion (ex-MARDUK) on board.
July 29, 2010 — Ever since guitarist Marc Rizzo joined SOULFLY, he has single handedly changed the band from a nu-metal/SEPULTURA Roots-era cover band to an exciting extreme metal band with one of the most unique vocalists in the metal scene.
July 27, 2010 — When Richard Christy finds time away from The Howard Stern Show, Jason Suecof takes a break from his producing jobs, and Tim “Ripper” Owens and Steve DiGiorgio are pried away from playing in their multitude of bands, they pull off a brilliant project like CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED.
July 21, 2010 — After a promising start by releasing their debut album on the brutal label, Unique Leader, this no frills Swedish death metal band released their first major label album with Rise to Dominate - a stagnant and predictable album on Metal Blade Records.
July 19, 2010 — While the hardcore black metal elitists call WATAIN sellouts, the rest of the world has anticipated the new opus for quite sometime, and Lawless Darkness delivers some ugly and beautiful black metal all at once.
July 2, 2010 — ALCEST may not be a household name yet but their second album, Écailles De Lune, proves to be one of the most enjoyable metal albums of 2010.
July 1, 2010 — One of the most exciting lead guitarists in metal makes a welcome return with his third instrumental solo album. Legionnaire is both the jaw dropping shredfest and showcase of Marc Rizzo’s non-metal playing skills that have become hallmarks of his solo albums.
June 30, 2010 — Despite the fact that Norway is no longer the “big” thing in metal does not mean that the nation is lacking in a new generation of black metal bands.
June 28, 2010 — One of metal’s best returns with its latest chapter of dark, suicidal black metal, VI - Klagopsalmer. As can be expected, the music plays effortlessly as the vast array of memorable riffs, feel, and just the right amount of dynamics makes for a fine record.
June 15, 2010 — By having both guitarist Jens Ryland and bassist Tyr rejoin the group, BORKNAGAR mastermind Øystein Brun was refreshed and inspired enough to write the newest progressive work of art, entitled Universal.
June 13, 2010 — As one of the hardest working bands in the metal scene, Maryland’s MISERY INDEX grind out a new album with Heirs to Thievery. Vocalist Jason Netherton’s lyrics have stayed true with his political views and makes the listener actually expand their mind by using their brain to think.
June 13, 2010 — Another day, another “supergroup” pops up and tries to catch your attention. Much like the “supergroup” of OV HELL (Shagarath, King, Frost), TRIDENT is comprised of members from excellent and established bands, namely axeman Johan Norman (ex-DISSECTION, SOULREAPER) and vocalist Tobias Sidegård (NECROPHOBIC).
May 21, 2010 — For over 20 years, IMMOLATION has continued to raise the bar for quality underground metal and on their eighth full-length, Majesty and Decay, the Yonkers NY quartet shows no signs of softening up or slowing down.
May 12, 2010 — 1349 is a band that has flown under the radar for years now, despite having one of the most skilled drummers in the world - Frost of SATYRICON fame.
May 5, 2010 — The arrival of a new IHSAHN invokes curiosity and anticipation as this metal god never fails to stimulate. After concludes the trilogy of IHSAHN albums released to date.
May 4, 2010 — While some bands in the metal genre (i.e. PANTERA, MANOWAR) choose to celebrate the excesses of the wild side of rock ‘n roll lifestyle on their DVDs, THE HAUNTED have chosen to give their fans a more sobering and perhaps more well-rounded look into the touring life of an underground metal band.
April 30, 2010 — , new riffing territory (“Her Silent Language”), and some new avenues (“Arkhangelsk”) that DARK TRANQUILLITY traverse that give the album a fresh feel. However, that’s not to say that We are the Void is some 180 degree shift.
April 30, 2010 — Though the Viking-obsessed Swedish death metal of UNLEASHED can’t be denied in terms of the influence it’s possessed over the course of time, the output of UNLEASHED post-reunion has been questionable at best.
April 28, 2010 — You would assume that a band as good as Norway’s SHINING (not to be confused with the Swedish SHINING) would get more love from the media after four albums of excellence.
March 25, 2010 — So after all the well-publicized drama in the FEAR FACTORY camp, we finally have the new album by the Burton C. Bell/Dino Cazares/Gene Hoglan/Byron Stroud line-up.
March 24, 2010 — While DARK FUNERAL’s last album, Attero Totus Sanctus, was a good album, Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus is a milestone for the band. It’s highly possible that Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus is the band’s finest work thus far.
March 23, 2010 — Highly skilled technical chops? Check. The ability to traverse many genres? Check. Progressive imagery in the album artwork and album title? Check. Yes, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME are a fully fledged progressive metal band with plenty of musicality about them.
March 23, 2010 — It’s been a long while since DARK TRANQUILLITY fans got treated to a DT DVD release. While Live Damage was good, Where Death is Most Alive is the definition of fan service.
March 12, 2010 — With current and former members of EXHAUSTED PRAYER and WINTERTHRALL in their ranks, L.A.’s own DREAMING DEAD have delivered an impressive, well executed debut of quality metal on their debut Within One.
January 27, 2010 — Embarking on the latest “S” album, SIGH has given up the Japanese occult themes from the early albums and instead offers up a three-part orchestration of horror within Scenes from Hell.
January 22, 2010 — In between touring, working on his other project, PAIN, and his producing duties, HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tagtgren has introduced A Taste of Extreme Divinity to the world, and it is a throwback to the ole’ death metal days.
January 5, 2010 — have committed themselves to carrying their black metal roots with them, whilst tempering that white-hot fire with some cool-as-fuck alternate elements, the most electric of which is the inclusion of righteous, 70s styled rock.
December 27, 2009 — So as a studious and true underground metal warrior you probably loved AMORPHIS’ masterpiece, Silent Waters. The big question surrounding Skyforger is if it was as good as its predecessor.
December 25, 2009 — NECROPHOBIC have been around the Swedish scene around the same time as DISSECTION, ENTOMBED, and AMON AMARTH, but have never enjoyed the same success that their counterparts achieved.
December 23, 2009 — THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER have gained a reputable fanbase throughout the years, especially of those who worship the Gothenburg sound, namely AT THE GATES’ Slaughter of the Soul album.
December 22, 2009 — It’s hard to believe that nine years have passed since KILLSWITCH ENGAGE’s debut release in 2000. The years have surely been kind to the band as their new self-titled album is their most sophisticated work to date.
December 22, 2009 — For almost thirty years, SLAYER has unleashed no-frills, no-bull speed metal setting the benchmark for countless acts to follow. They have stuck to their guns and remained unflinching in their approach to uncompromising metal.
December 22, 2009 — Metal god Devin Townsend bestows upon us album number two in his four part “THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT” entitled Addicted. The album is most reminiscent of his Infinity album but with a lot more of everything.
December 18, 2009 — With Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us, it might be safe to say that PARADISE LOST are incapable of disappointing their fans. Rock solid - their new album is simply a joy to listen to.
December 16, 2009 — After a lengthy legal battle with ex-members over the band name, GORGOROTH leader Infernus has unleashed Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt by recruiting a few well known musicians for this project – vocalist Pest from back in the band, along with Frank Watkins (OBITUARY) and Tomas Asklund (ex-DISSECTION, DARK FUNERAL) to round out this super group of sorts.
December 16, 2009 — Contrary to what many may or may not think, the release of a new SWALLOW THE SUN can be a significant event. With their fourth album, New Moon, SWALLOW THE SUN have written some of the best death/doom metal heard in recent years.
December 13, 2009 — For veteran underground metal fans, the release of a new KATATONIA album is always a heralded event. Night is the New Day is the latest progression for KATATONIA’s unique progressive, dark metal.
December 12, 2009 — It’s been eight long years since we last heard new music from Los Angeles’ RISE. However, the wait was not all in vain as their new album, Pentagramnation, is easily the band’s strongest and most sophisticated work.
December 9, 2009 — Question: When is a new Jello Biafra collaboration album anything but excellent? Answer: Never. One would think that there would be a lot more albums addressing the social, political, and economics of America during this era we’re living in.
December 8, 2009 — Gent, Belgium may not be a world famous city but it’s the home of one of the best up and coming hardcore bands, RISE AND FALL.
November 28, 2009 — On album four from these masters of blackened death, GOATWHORE unleashes possibly their most focused, structured work to date with Carving Out the Eyes of God.
November 20, 2009 — Awakened from hibernation in the freezing depths of Norway, IMMORTAL has returned to offer seven new cold, forest frolicking tunes to the world. Although the Norwegian trio has abandoned their raw, primitive, black metal roots, All Shall Fall continues where the band left off after Sons of Northern Darkness, with some ideas from the last few albums thrown in for good measure.
November 16, 2009 — HATEBREED wholeheartedly believe that their new self-titled album is their best yet…and they are right. It sounds like the band has done some growing up as artists and musicians because Hatebreed is the band’s most musically diverse and accomplished record yet.
November 12, 2009 — It seems like time has flown for EVERY TIME I DIE as they have not only garnered a strong following but have reached album number five.
November 12, 2009 — After two excellent albums which put MUNICIPAL WASTE in the metal spotlight, the band continues its crossover assault with Massive Aggressive. The album features the band’s uber tight playing, breakneck tempos, and perhaps the most violent and brutal collection of songs that the band has written.
November 10, 2009 — DOOMRIDERS’ impressive debut, Black Thunder, was an exciting, gritty don’t-give-a-fuck metal record with MAIDEN dual-guitar harmonies, a sometimes-DANZIG croon, and death ’n roll edge of late 90’s era ENTOMBED.
October 28, 2009 — On their seventh full-length album, Norwegian veterans SATYRICON continue the path of “Black n’ Roll” they started ten years ago on their Rebel Extravaganza album. The lackluster “Commando” kicks off the proceedings with some promising speed and force before settling into a plodding, sluggish groove that goes nowhere fast.
October 21, 2009 — If you needed any indication as to what Endgame would sound like, you only need to look to MEGADETH’s last album, United Abominations. The band open the album with power and style with the instrumental, “Dialectic Chaos,” which sounds heavily inspired from MAIDEN’s Powerslave.
October 19, 2009 — CONVERGE’s highly anticipated Axe to Fall album immediately storms out of the gate, pummeling the listener with an unmatched aural onslaught. The first four tracks, “Dark Horse,” “Reap What You Sow,” “Axe to Fall,” and “Effigy,” waste no time flooring the listener with balls-out extremity.
October 12, 2009 — Andreas Kisser has been one of extreme metal’s greatest lead guitarists for nearly 20 years and it is only until now that he has released his first solo album, Hubris I & II.
October 12, 2009 — While this documentary was filmed in 1986, the subject matter and content is timeless. The film is interspersed with live footage of Iggy Pop with his solo band in 1986 in Germany, STOOGES performance clips, various photos relating to his career up to that point, and various other clips.
October 5, 2009 — Asia is certainly not the hotbed of rock bands, let alone extreme metal bands, but CHTHONIC has branched out and made some noise in the underground circuit thanks to their well received last album, _Seediq Bal_e, and a successful stint with Ozzfest in 2007.
October 3, 2009 — VADER has always been a resilient band, and while various guitarists and bassists have come and gone, along with the unfortunate passing of drummer Doc, this has never affected the drive that mainman Peter has had to bring the band to the next level.
September 23, 2009 — Growing up a rabid thrash fanatic, you would assume that Seattle’s foremost (read: only) purveyors of “splatter-rock” would have been part of my daily diet of circle pits, mosh parts and skateboards (okay, I lied: I don’t skateboard)…but you’d be wrong.
September 14, 2009 — Prior to the announcement this year of a second incarnation of FEAR FACTORY featuring Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares, the other half of the classic FEAR FACTORY line-up (guitarist Christian Wolbers and drummer Raymond Herrera) debuted their new band, ARKAEA, via Years in the Darkness.
September 14, 2009 — One of the best underground bands from Southern California quickly follow up their debut album, Nightmares for the Sleepless, with the Stormraven EP. While their debut was relatively straight forward in its raging metal approach, Stormraven explores the more subdued, melancholic, and doomy side of the band.
September 14, 2009 — While U.S. black metal is generally a running joke in the metal scene, Olympia, Washington’s WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM are a clear exception. No childish gimmicks are needed here and the band treat their music as art.
August 24, 2009 — Having suffered the departure of singer Anneke van Giersbergen, who decided to pursue her own musical endeavors, THE GATHERING wasted no time finding a replacement in Silje Wergeland (ex-OCATVIA SPERATI).
August 10, 2009 — Since their blackened inception in the early 90s, it must be said that BEHEMOTH bandleader Nergal’s (a.k.a. Adam Darski) dogged determination is–at this point–beyond question. In a genre awash with blasting, technical death metal, the plain-as-day fact is that BEHEMOTH are at the top of the heap…and on top of their game.
August 9, 2009 — For over twenty years now, Finland’s THE 69 EYES have kicked out the Goth ’n Roll jams with pomp an’ panache, to a (mostly) rapturous audience.
July 22, 2009 — Maturity. Not exactly a word one associates with blasting death metal. But twenty years into their career, SUFFOCATION have once again taken their bludgeoning sonic force and compressed it into a 41-minute eardrum assault in Blood Oath.
July 21, 2009 — Originally released some two years ago on 625 Thrashcore, the band was picking up some speed in the underground before unfortunately throwing in the towel. But thanks to reissue kings Earache Records, World Extermination is back in circulation offering up 20 tracks of fast, explosive grindcore.
June 2, 2009 — Following the footsteps of their progressive/technical death metal peers from the 90’s, namely CYNIC and ATHEIST, Dutch legends PESTILENCE have “resurrected” and offered us a great blast from the past.
May 21, 2009 — With the current state of metal, Europe is dominated with black metal bands, but BLOOD RED THRONE tries extremely hard to take the “Norwegian” feel out of their music and inject some pure “U.
April 19, 2009 — Denmark’s VOLBEAT continues to roll on Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood with their unique combination of thrash, rockabilly, roots rock ’n roll, country, and punk. While their last one, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil was a quality, solid album, the new one is better.
April 15, 2009 — After releasing a strong death metal/thrash debut with Fornever Laid To Rest, SEANCE disbanded after the sub-par Saltrubbed Eyes album. These old school Swedish thrashers feature members of WITCHERY, and have since reunited to release Awakening of the Gods.
April 4, 2009 — SEPULTURA have kicked-off their post-Cavalera journey with a face-altering boot to the face. New drummer Jean Dolabella plays with a vibrancy that injects a much-needed shot of adrenaline not matched since Max and Igor Cavalera were both in the band.
March 26, 2009 — The godfathers of grind are back, and Time Waits for No Slave is not for the weak! NAPALM DEATH have been on a roll with their last few albums, and this release is no exception.
March 15, 2009 — The term “U.S. Black Metal” is not taken very seriously, and rightfully so because of the weak bands that have spawned from the States. However, after a lengthy eight year hiatus, these occult veterans from Texas show that there is at least one USBM band that steps up to the plate.
March 15, 2009 — Aside from prominent fellow European thrash legends such as DESTRUCTION and SODOM, KREATOR has been dishing out thrash anthems since the 80’s. After releasing a few disappointing albums in the 90’s, KREATOR rejuvenated their career with the 2005 classic - Enemy of God.
March 11, 2009 — Legendary vocalist/avant garde rock pioneer Jarboe brings her ethereal voice and vision to her latest album, Mahakali. It takes only a few seconds for the album to take your take hold of your spirit and mind as Jarboe’s hypnotic siren call glide through opening track, “Mahakali, of Terrifying Countenance.
March 11, 2009 — Two years after going on hiatus, Norway’s KHOLD is back with the kind of fire that characterized their quality debut album, Masterpiss of Pain. Hundre År Gammal is arguably their relatively fastest album to date, which smoothly incorporates driving DARKTHRONE-style riffing into their distinctive snarling, raw sound.
February 25, 2009 — After releasing a slew of mediocre and bland albums in the last decade, the most popular death metal band in the world returns with Evisceration Plague.
January 14, 2009 — There may be a trillion metal albums being released each month on a trillion labels and the metal media machine at large would have you believe that they are all worthy.
December 23, 2008 — If you’ve been listening to underground metal for the past 10 years or so, you’ve probably had the pleasure to hear NEVERMORE’s unsung lead guitarist Jeff Loomis.
December 23, 2008 — When an album like Eat the Low Dogs comes into your life, it’s a godsend. It breaks the cycle of repetitive boredom that often comes with listening to so much music.
December 18, 2008 — Ten albums in to the band’s musical evolution, the mighty ENSLAVED continues to refine their richly developed progressive elements with the release of Vertebrae. Introspective and imaginative, the listener is essentially given a virtual soundtrack provoking images of high mountains,dark woods and deep fjords.
December 18, 2008 — Scathing, alcoholic, vitriolic, cavity-inducing sludge metal from New Orleans? What are the odds? Who wants to bet that members of EYEHATEGOD and SOILENT GREEN are involved?
December 18, 2008 — Supposedly punk rock is dead, but apparently someone forgot to tell PHOBIA as the band continues its seemingly non-stop assault with the release of 22 Random Acts of Violence.
December 6, 2008 — While they may be seven albums into their career, DIR EN GREY only show signs of growth and evolution for the better with their latest, Uroboros.
November 29, 2008 — Bands reforming and reuniting seem to be the trend in underground metal lately (CARCASS, EMPEROR, IMMORTAL, AT THE GATES, etc.) - however most of the bands just cash in for a tour, or play a few exclusive festivals, and that’s the end of it.
November 28, 2008 — BEHEMOTH can attribute their success and huge surge in popularity due to the fact that they are probably the hardest working band in extreme music today - as they tour relentlessly, and constantly put out albums.
November 28, 2008 — GORGOROTH are no strangers to controversy as banned shows, sheep heads, blood, beatings, and prison sentences follow the bands’ history, and Live in Grieghallen continues that tradition.
November 16, 2008 — While BOTCH and their pioneering Hydra Head Records co-horts are no longer in the game, upstarts DON THE READER play with the kind of fire that would make them proud.
November 5, 2008 — It’s been a long three years since EARLY MAN bestowed us with the prime cut known as Closing In. The new four song EP, Beware the Circling Fin, picks up where the band left off and has injected more aggression and grit.
November 1, 2008 — Despite the fact that there are a total of three other MEGADETH compilations issued by Capitol Records, the label has put out their fourth entry, Anthology: Set the World Afire.
October 25, 2008 — Inexplicably unreleased stateside for well over a year, IMMOLATION’s Hope & Horror EP finally sees a long overdue domestic release. Although recorded during the sessions for last year’s excellent Shadows in the Light LP, the EP is fortunately comprised of three separate tracks, none of which are found on said album.
October 24, 2008 — Where has SLIPKNOT been hiding this album? On the band’s fifth (that’s right, fifth regardless of what their label or the band themselves tell you) album, the band pulls out all the stops, resulting in their most metal album to date.
October 24, 2008 — As the metal world waits in anticipation of ENSLAVED’s next album, three of its members have chosen to embark on an experimental musical detour with the release of TRINACRIA’s Travel Now Journey Infinitely.
October 11, 2008 — With their relentless touring schedule and countless albums underneath their belt, AMON AMARTH have proved that hard work in the metal scene does indeed pay off.
October 7, 2008 — It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since THE HAUNTED’s debut album was released, and their albums have certainly progressed. Once known solely as “the new band that 3 of the 5 AT THE GATES members are in”, THE HAUNTED have worked hard to make their own name stand out.
October 1, 2008 — Unlike the vast majority of their peers who like to proclaim their “brutality” and promises of heaviness, few actually deliver the goods with the power and conviction of KRISIUN.
September 30, 2008 — Back on the scene following their departure from the always suspicious Crash Music, ABYSMAL DAWN brings their own brand of melodic death metal to new heights with their formidable new album, Programmed to Consume.
September 30, 2008 — The golden age of Earache Records is simply legendary. Rarely has there ever been such a collection of pioneering bands of extreme music on one label at a special period of time.
September 24, 2008 — To listen to Skin Turns to Glass is to be transported to another world. The sound of the album is absolutely massive. It’s the sound of icebergs shifting, planets forming, and stars transforming.
September 22, 2008 — Zack de la Rocha never quite got his shit together when RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE first split. A few guest appearances here and there, but his long rumored solo album never materialized.
September 15, 2008 — As one music’s biggest names, METALLICA’s ascension to international superstardom and subsequent alienation from the underground scene where they began has been well documented. Following what many considered to be the beginning of the end with the Black Album, the band released a series of sloppy, weak, uninspired tripe for nearly two decades.
September 15, 2008 — Every new METALLICA album is like a car crash on the side of the road - you don’t really want to check it out, but at the same time, you’re curious and want to see what all the excitement is about.
September 15, 2008 — Denmark’s VOLBEAT have quickly attracted audiences in their native country as well as a good chunk of Europe, and listening to Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil easily explains their success.
September 2, 2008 — While each THE GREAT DECEIVER album has always had a certain level of aggression, Life is Wasted on the Living is the band’s most aggressive and straight forward release to date.
September 1, 2008 — In what is sure to be one of the more controversial releases in the metal underground this year, CRYPTOPSY first alarmed fans with their desire to recruit a frontman with clean vocal abilities to replace ousted/departed lead growler Lord Worm.
September 1, 2008 — OPETH have gone through a lot of changes throughout their impressive rise to the top of the underground. Watershed their ninth studio album, sees the band continue to develop, refine, and expand their unique sound creating what may be their most complete work to date.
August 27, 2008 — The huge waves that KEEP OF KALESSIN made with their third album, Armada, fueled the anticipation for their follow-up, Kolossus. While those who expected to be totally floored will be disappointed, Kolossus still maintains a good level of quality.
August 26, 2008 — While most of their counterparts from the early Swedish death metal scene have either disbanded or churned out some horrible albums, these guys are here to stay.
August 26, 2008 — To coincide with their 25th year as a band, VADER decided to treat us with re-recordings of their best material spanning their entire discography. While some may say that re-recording tracks loses some of the magic and original distinct sound, one can also say that this two-disc set is refreshing.
August 8, 2008 — Wasting no time on their followup to last year’s impressive Slaughter and Apparatus, the Belgian death machine known as ABORTED are back with perhaps their most melodic, diverse work to date with Strychnine.
August 8, 2008 — If Dark Ages was Max Cavalera’s return to true extreme metal/punk, then Conquer is a definitive statement that nü-SOULFLY won’t be around any time soon. Conquer just might be SOULFLY’s heaviest album to date.
July 27, 2008 — Good old KATAKLYSM…unlike some of their countrymen who felt the need to fuck up a good thing with some whiny clean vocals and keyboards, these Northern hyperblasters have stayed the course, maintaining their integrity once again with the steadfast and true, Prevail.
July 16, 2008 — In an age where death metal seems to be defined by who the fastest, most technical band is, it’s cool to hear a group sit out the tech-shred olympics and focus on what really counts–writing catchy, heavy songs.
June 29, 2008 — Japanese sound-shapers BORIS have been twisting evil waveforms since the early nineties. Each body of work yields an unpredictable yet always artful musical outing. Smile, the band’s latest offers a range of sounds from their high-voltage, psychedelic rock ’n roll to their spaced-out, ambient, drone rock.
June 19, 2008 — The high quality of The Wake should be no surprise since Scott Kelly has been writing great music in the legendary NEUROSIS for a long time now.
June 13, 2008 — Unlike the vast majority of extreme metal acts that sing about death, murder, suicide, disaster, pain and suffering, few have actually lived through these situations as the mighty SOILENT GREEN has.
June 13, 2008 — Despite having some of the worst album artwork in recent memory, VENOMOUS CONCEPT’s second album, Poisoned Apple, packs a considerable punch. But this should come as no surprise as the band features half of NAPALM DEATH and half of BRUTAL TRUTH as its members.
June 9, 2008 — Stockholm, Sweden’s NIFELHEIM have never been a fashionable band by any means, even given the media’s love affair with Swedish metal bands. Seven years after the release of Servants of Darkness, the band is back with their best album by far.
June 6, 2008 — Anyone familiar with Ihsahn’s body of work knows that his focus has always been about progressing as an artist. His new album, AngL (pronounced like “angel”), is no exception as he explores new musical realms.
May 20, 2008 — STAROFASH (formerly STAR OF ASH) dropped a surprisingly delicious debut album in 2001’s Iter.Viator. Curiously, one wondered if the group, spearheaded by Ihriel (PECCATUM, HARDINGROCK, and wife of EMPEROR’s Ihsahn), could follow-up with equal creative magic.
May 10, 2008 — As one of the most unique and original acts in metal, one might expect MESHUGGAH to eventually run out of fresh ideas, but fortunately that’s not the case as the band continues to expand and reinvent themselves on their latest masterpiece, Obzen.
May 3, 2008 — When a man of Steve Austin’s artistic stature claims that COMPLETE FAILURE are the future of grind, it’s best to sit up and take note. Given the fact that there aren’t many grind bands to begin with, the margin for falling into mediocrity or being indistinguishable from the rest of the pack is very high.
May 1, 2008 — The down tuned freight train of opening song, “Death Conquers All” busts through the speakers and there’s no doubting who the culprit is. Despite losing long time drummer/producer, Fred Estby, the Stockholm death metal machine known as DISMEMBER soldiers on with their self-titled eighth studio.
April 30, 2008 — It’s been a whopping nine years since we last heard new music from TESTAMENT, but Chuck Billy and co. faced a hefty series of obstacles from cancer to a seemingly endless revolving door of lineup and record company changes that would have crippled a lesser act.
April 19, 2008 — Unlike most bands out there, THE OCEAN’s name accurately describes what the band is all about. Precambrian is without a doubt the band’s most ambitious and compelling work, spread out between two discs.
April 14, 2008 — Cannibalised’s opening track, “Fallen in Fear,” is a fitting intro to this highly anticipated album. The song immediately erupts with a maddening fury of swelling symphonics that blow right into a ripping thrash-fest powered by vocalist John K’s searing, Halford-2000 wails.
April 13, 2008 — As the world waits in anticipation of the next assault from these Bay Area thrash kings, the folks at Prosthetic have made their previous album, originally released almost ten years ago, available again.
April 12, 2008 — Formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina from jam sessions between Phil Anselmo and EYEHATEGOD’s Mike Williams, ARSON ANTHEM’s debut EP unleashes eight blistering tracks of muddy, DISCHARGE meets NEGATIVE APPROACH hardcore punk.
April 11, 2008 — Three years after being recorded, WINTERTHRALL’s debut album, Nightmares for the Sleepless, is finally here. While the band are from Orange County, California, they sound as if they born in Sweden in the mid to late 90’s.
April 4, 2008 — Anneke van Giersbergen’s departure from THE GATHERING was certainly a surprising announcement. But with a rapid turnaround not remotely metallic, it appeared to be a necessary move for van Giersbergen to foster creative explorations.
March 28, 2008 — Fury & Flames, HATE ETERNAL’s latest onslaught, is easily the band’s most aggressive and complex to date. From the scorching opener “Hell Envenom” to the somber, haunting passages on album closer “Coronach,” Fury & Flames is a challenging, albeit at times, overwhelming listening experience.
March 10, 2008 — After the release of a monster of a DVD, The History of IRON MAIDEN - Part 1: The Early Days, fans have had to wait an agonizing three years for the follow up, Live After Death.
March 9, 2008 — The only way to follow up an award winning DVD in A Sound Relief is to release another award worthy-DVD. A Noise Severe is packed with an abundance of the highest quality content that the band could include.
March 8, 2008 — Upon first listen, PROTEST THE HERO’s sophomore album, Fortress, is probably not anything you would’ve guessed that it would sound like. Fortress is essentially and predominantly a contemporary progressive heavy rock/metal (i.
February 29, 2008 — In between his busy schedule of fronting TOOL and A PERFECT CIRCLE, Maynard Keenan has somehow found time to unleash yet another musical entity, PUSCIFER. While not a true solo album, V is for Vagina was composed primarily by Keenan, and serves as yet another glimpse in to the man’s twisted and imaginative mind.
February 19, 2008 — Much of metal’s evolution in recent years has involved plenty of hydridization of genres, resulting in mixed results. However, Holland’s SEVERE TORTURE have stuck to their guns and kept the spirit of pure death metal alive.
February 17, 2008 — It’s been a very long thirteen years since brothers, Max and Igor Cavalera, wrote music together. While many fans still long for a full SEPULTURA reunion, fans have CAVALERA CONSPIRACY to enjoy in the meantime.
January 31, 2008 — Steve Austin is one underground music’s ultimate survivors. He has reinvented his vision in TODAY IS THE DAY numerous times throughout the years not to mention introducing the world to two of today’s biggest metal acts: LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON.
January 30, 2008 — The resurrected LIMBONIC ART originally made its name in the late 90’s back when black metal was starting to gain traction. Legacy of Evil, harkens back to that glorious time of dark, evil, musical mystique; a time where all black metal output was largely influenced by EMPEROR’s In the Nightside Eclipse.
January 30, 2008 — It’s hard to believe that TESTAMENT’s Demonic is over a decade old, but after a short spell of being out of print, the crew at Prosthetic has wisely chosen to keep the album alive and available for the masses.
January 8, 2008 — It took three years to see what Norway’s WINDS have been working on but the final product exceeds all expectations. First off, WINDS have taken everything to new levels.
January 2, 2008 — Unlike most compilations albums, TENHI’s Folk Aesthetic is every bit as interesting and valuable as one of their studio albums, if not grossly more so. This three disc collection is quite a monster in the variety of material, which includes the band’s first demo, two EP’s, alternate and unreleased tracks, as well as a brand new album of music.
December 30, 2007 — Despite being from Australia, PARKWAY DRIVE sound more like a band born and raised in the New England area. The band have all the trademark sounds that have made the contemporary metalcore scene so popular (i.
December 29, 2007 — Athens, Ohio’s SKELETONWITCH make their Prosthetic Records debut with their thrashin’ Beyond the Permafrost. The band is firmly rooted in classic 80’s thrash but with more of a contemporary and extreme feel to them with the inclusion of blast beats and extreme metal vocal stylings.
December 26, 2007 — After delivering the excellent Void last year, the prolific-as-fuck INTRONAUT return quickly with The Challenger. While not a true album, The Challenger is a generous EP containing three brand new tracks, five live songs and a remix.
December 25, 2007 — A good indication that a band has “made it” is if they release a live album and Swedish juggernaut OPETH haven’t resisted following this recording industry tradition.
December 22, 2007 — From the musical cesspool that is Los Angeles, emerges one of the better bands in the local metal scene. The band is comprised of Elizabeth Schall (vocals, guitars, bass) and Mike Caffell (drums) who are notable for their former and current work in THE IRON MAIDENS/WINTERTHRALL and EXHAUSTED PRAYER, respectively.
December 21, 2007 — The only way to follow up a great album is with another great one. And that is just what Irish heroes, PRIMORDIAL, have done with their stellar new work, To the Nameless Dead.
December 18, 2007 — As the godfathers of Polish death metal, VADER should need no introduction. Forging their own path throughout the years with both a relentless touring and release schedule, VADER paved the way for bands such as BEHEMOTH and DECAPITATED to follow.
December 8, 2007 — AEON’s Rise to Dominate is only the band’s second album due to the unfortunate drawbacks of several label and lineup changes throughout the band’s near ten year existence.
December 3, 2007 — Finnish’s AMORPHIS have produced their finest album since 1996’s excellent Elegy with their latest album, Silent Waters. Similar to last year’s delightful Eclipse, Silent Waters is a solid collection of heavy rock/metal tunes awash with effective and lasting melodies.
December 3, 2007 — Sweden’s SOILWORK return with more bite and aggression than their last two albums. The band inject more aggression in their riffing and delivery than in recent years.
December 2, 2007 — One of the best selling albums of the year in the mainstream rock world takes the form of AVENGED SEVENFOLD’s self-titled fourth album. Avenged Sevenfold sees the band going into another distinct stylistic direction.
December 2, 2007 — Just as their band name denotes, KOSMOS is a spaceship that travels to the far reaches of the galaxy. This Montreal, Canada group is comprised of a full cast of Montreal veterans in Jetphil (PARADISE), Michel “Away” Langevin (VOIVOD), Alex Crow (TRICKY WOO), and Vincent Peake (GRIM SKUNK).
December 1, 2007 — Austria’s black metal veterans, ABIGOR, return to the scene with their comeback album in Fractal Possession. In many ways, Fractal Possession sounds like a rebirth. The most striking difference is how the band have adopted some very Norwegian sounds such as latter day DODHEIMSGARD, THORNS, MAYHEM, and SATYRICON.
November 17, 2007 — Time marches on as Mick Moss (vocals/guitar) powers ANTIMATTER’s first album without its other founding member in Duncan Patterson. And Moss admirably and impressively creates the band’s best album to date.
November 12, 2007 — The Dethalbum features songs by the animated five-piece “extreme metal” band, DETHKLOK, from the Metalocalypse animated series, a show that’s really about the comedy of this abrasive genre of music we know and love.
November 11, 2007 — Hangman’s Hymn is the sound of the band revitalized and hungry to write their best work to date. There’s a considerable shift in approach this time around as the band’s trademark genre bending and blending has taken a back seat to a more straight ahead approach.
November 8, 2007 — EXODUS needs no introduction. For nearly 27 years the band has stayed true to their cause of uncompromising, blistering metal. The Atrocity Exhibition (the band’s eight studio album) is no exception.
October 31, 2007 — The release of a new DOWN album has always been regarded as more of an event in the world of metal, as opposed to just another new release, and the band’s latest, Over the Under, is no exception.
October 26, 2007 — GALLHAMMER is a most unique musical entity consisting of a trio of Japanese girls with only death and hopelessness on their mind. Dressed like crusty, black metal vixens, these unsuspecting ladies serve up an unfiltered blend of only the most primitive, HELLHAMMER-inspired nastiness on their second album, Ill Innocence.
October 25, 2007 — Norwegian metal bastards MANNGARD have followed up their impressive debut, Circling Buzzards, with an equally fulfilling album in European Cowards. Those familiar with MANNGARD’s style know well that they sound like no other extreme metal band out there.
October 24, 2007 — Seven albums in with no signs of slowing down or softening up, ARCH ENEMY continues to raise the bar for the world of metal with their latest, Rise of the Tyrant.
October 22, 2007 — Chances are that if you are in high school or close to that age range, you’ve heard of DEVILDRIVER. And chances are even greater that you probably dig the band.
October 22, 2007 — It’s been awhile (four years to be exact) since we last heard from Swedish death metal gods, ENTOMBED. By the sound of Serpent Saints, it sounds like band aren’t finished just yet.
October 20, 2007 — MODERN LIFE IS WAR’s star continues to rise with their most accomplished album in Midnight in America. They’ve been able to hone that raw, youthful energy into a progressive and dynamic musical technique and approach.
October 6, 2007 — The collective anticipation has been in wondering what the devil ULVER will throw at us the next time around. Known for being quite unpredictable at times, ULVER’s latest is fortunately of highest quality.
October 3, 2007 — When King Diamond promised that Give Me Your Soul”¦Please would be the best KING DIAMOND album yet, he wasn’t messing around. Though the band’s classic early albums may never be topped in the eyes of die hard DIAMOND-bangers, Give Me Your Soul”¦Please is certainly up there as one of their best releases.
September 25, 2007 — Svein Egil Hatlevik has been destroying minds for years in acclaimed Norwegian bands, FLEURETY and DHG. Now he has decided to take it to the next level with his one man band and his first full-length release, The Yawn of a New Age.
September 22, 2007 — Mukilteo, Washington’s THE FALL OF TROY continue to hone their raw, youthful energy and scary level of potential with their latest Manipulator. The technical wizardy of the band, led by vocalist/guitarist Thomas Erak, is their hallmark.
September 19, 2007 — A review for this album has been late in the making, but it should speak well for CHTHONIC that their album titled Seediq Bale still demands a review nearly a year after its initial release.
September 19, 2007 — MALEVOLENT CREATION has always been one of metal’s most consistent and reliable acts. While many bands and trends have come and gone, mainman Phil Fasciana and his cohorts have never wavered or lost sight of what keeps real metal true, and the band’s intent is more than apparent on the band’s latest, Doomsday X.
September 19, 2007 — SAMAEL is one band in recent times that is dedicated to the continuing evolution and progression of its sound. With a career spanning from the origins of black metal to a kind of avant-garde electro-rock, SAMAEL refuse to be pinned down to any particular genre for very long.
September 17, 2007 — Never a band shy of experimentation and progression, Chicago’s YAKUZA continues on their unique path with their third album, Transmutations. At this point in their career, they’ve grown beyond simple taglines or descriptions of their sound.
September 14, 2007 — Norway’s TURBONEGRO are back with yet another hard-on inducing album of feel good rock ’n roll. While Retox is hardly a departure from the band’s post-Apocalypse Dudes past, the album is certainly the grittiest of the new era and the most seamless since the band’s reformation four years ago.
September 5, 2007 — Most artists would claim that they are driven by passion yet it’s sometimes difficult to feel an honest, untainted passion coming from such artists. Thankfully, 108 is the type of band that pours their heart and soul into their work and there’s no doubting that it’s real.
September 5, 2007 — There’s truly nothing quite like a quality doom album, especially the kinds drenched in whiskey and blowing out giant plumes of weed smoke. The massive, ultra thick down-tuned groove of WEEDEATER is a monster as evidenced on their new album, God Luck and Good Speed.
August 31, 2007 — For those of you who wanted FEAR FACTORY to do a metalcore album, then this one is for you. Dino Cazares is moving forward with DIVINE HERESY to further make his stamp on the metal scene.
August 31, 2007 — In a world that tends to take things way too seriously, Virginia’s MUNICIPAL WASTE is a breath of fresh air. Instead of the usual gloom and doom outlook of the majority of the metal scene, The Art of Partying is a celebration of the spirit of classic thrash.
August 31, 2007 — After coming off the success of the previous 2005 album Annihilation of the Wicked, NILE used it to set the standard of death metal even higher with that incredibly savage release.
August 29, 2007 — Deathcore villains, JOB FOR A COWBOY, have arrived from almost nowhere to sprinkle the metal world with a delightful full-length debut in Genesis. JOB FOR A COWBOY set out to destroy from the get-go and destroy they do.
August 21, 2007 — MONDO GENERATOR may have been a fun little side project in the past but vocalist/bassist Nick Oliveri (ex-QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, KYUSS) has decided to kick it up a few notches and make the band his full-time focus and it shows for damn sure.
August 20, 2007 — London’s AKERCOCKE are a band who seem more dangerous on the surface than their comparably cartoony, devil-worshiping peers. However, their latest album, Antichrist, doesn’t particularly instill any fear.
August 17, 2007 — Poland’s BEHEMOTH have evolved considerably since their humble black metal beginnings on …And the Forests Dream Eternally. Throughout the band’s career, mainman Nergal has developed, honed, and refined the band’s sound, aided ably by monstrous drummer Inferno.
August 14, 2007 — Live Consternation is KATATONIA’s first official live album, recorded August 17, 2006 at the Summerbreeze Open Air Festival in Germany. The release is split between a CD for the audio of the band’s entire set along with a DVD of the performance.
August 10, 2007 — Sweden’s SHINING have been dwelling in only the purest regions of underground metal for their first four albums. With V Halmstad, one of the underground’s best kept secrets is finally exposed to the larger metal scene to witness.
August 3, 2007 — DHG have been mostly absent for eight long years when they released the exceptionally bizarre 666 International album under their former moniker DODHEIMSGARD. Their new album, Supervillian Outcast, is both a step forward and a step back, so to speak.
August 1, 2007 — You would think that after 10 studio albums, a band would be running low on quality. However, the lifeforce of gothic doom pioneers, PARADISE LOST, is as vital and strong as ever.
July 10, 2007 — Dave Mustaine set the tone for United Abominations with the well-received comeback album, The System Has Failed. So what how does the second album of MEGADETH’s second life measure up?
July 6, 2007 — IMMOLATION have long been one of the most consistent leaders in the world of extreme music, and the band’s latest Shadows in the Light sees the band continue to operate at the top of their game.
July 6, 2007 — Despite a seemingly endless streak of misfortune and tragedy, the legendary MAYHEM has overcome adversity yet again to bring us what could be their darkest work to date with Ordo Ad Chao.
July 2, 2007 — Even though it’s been over seven years plus a band break up since ANGELCORPSE’s previous release The Inexorable, the band picks up right where they left off and sound stronger than ever.
July 2, 2007 — This time around, SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM incorporate even more lullaby songwriting contrasted by harsh, distorted rock. For those unfamiliar with SGM, they are at the forefront of avant-rock progressiveness.
June 25, 2007 — France’s SCARVE forge ahead with their futuristic style of progressive death metal in The Undercurrent. While it’s obvious that the band are influenced by the likes of MESHUGGAH and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, comparisons at this point are basically irrelevant as SCARVE have carved out their unique sound.
June 23, 2007 — SHADOWS FALL have come a long way since their humble beginnings, having sold hundreds of thousands of albums, graced the Billboard charts, garnered a Grammy nomination, played on Ozzfest’s main-stage, signed to a major label, and worked with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, VELVET REVOLVER, STONE SOUR, RUSH).
June 13, 2007 — If anyone had questions about Devin Townsend’s sanity, especially after earlier releases such as INFINITY, this album is definitely one that could only be created by a crazed mind.
June 10, 2007 — Candlelight Records is one of the last places you’d look for a non-metal album so MANES’ new album came as quite a shock. Norway’s MANES have created an instant underground post-metal classic.
June 10, 2007 — WATAIN have been lurking beneath the shadows of the underground for nearly a decade now, and while many overlooked the band’s impressive Casus Luciferi album about four years ago, WATAIN’s latest, Sworn to the Dark is poised to take them to the top of the Swedish black metal pack.
June 8, 2007 — So what does one of the biggest rock bands on earth have to offer with their new album, Era Vulgaris? Answer: Quite a solid album. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE have always existed on their own planet in terms of sound and style and Era Vulgaris does not deviate from this course.
June 6, 2007 — While the anticipation for In Sorte Diaboli has no doubt been huge, the anxiety of what would become of the band following their split with drummer Nicholas Barker back in 2004 was perhaps far greater.
June 1, 2007 — DEADLOCK’s new album, Wolves, is quite a mixed bag in more than a few ways. Different genres fight for space on the album and are unwilling to work together to form some kind of cohesive sound.
June 1, 2007 — Maintaining a high level of intensity and tone throughout an album may sound like a simple task but Montreal’s ION DISSONANCE prove that it’s easier said than done.
June 1, 2007 — Written in the studio in just 12 days, SIX FEET UNDER busts out their new album, Commandment, as if they’ve had months to write it. Judging by the sound of it, you wouldn’t be able to tell that they wrote the album that quickly as it’s more or less consistent with their past efforts.
May 25, 2007 — Coming off one of their best albums in Plague Angel, MARDUK’s Rom 5:12 takes the listener on a more diverse and atmospheric album. While Plague Angel could be generally characterized as one of the band’s fastest and most scorching releases, Rom(ans) 5:12 contains a more prominent blend of slower, mid-tempo songs mixed in with the blasting ones.
May 24, 2007 — Following the departure of his rhythm section, vocalist/guitarist Mike Scheidt could have just as easily continued YOB with new members, but instead chose to selflessly disband the outfit and in the aftermath, creating the mighty new MIDDIAN.
May 24, 2007 — It’s been awhile since we last heard from the Brooklyn collective known as TYPE O NEGATIVE, but with Dead Again, the band’s first album in four years, “The Drab Four” are back with ten tales of woe, self-loathing and strife.
May 17, 2007 — Resurrection marks a new chapter with CHIMAIRA as they try to continue their success with a new label and a fresh outlook. Unlike many of the more popular metal bands in the mainstream eye, CHIMAIRA forego typical accessibility routes (i.
May 14, 2007 — Though much may not be widely know about this young Italian wrecking crew, their new album, Obsidian, should turn the tide in their favor. SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE’s sound can largely characterized as contemporary Swedish thrash (i.
May 13, 2007 — At this point in their fruitful career, it’s safe to assume that a new DARK TRANQUILLITY brings no apprehensions about the band’s unwavering commitment to excellence.
May 5, 2007 — Sweden’s NAGLFAR have walked the line between black and death metal for well over a decade now, and with their fifth full-length Harvest, the band has delivered their most mature work to date.
May 5, 2007 — Sweden’s VOMITORY have been brewing their own brutal concoction of death metal and thrash since they first formed in 1989 as a three-piece band. However, these guys aren’t the typical death metal that Sweden is currently most well-known for such as IN FLAMES and DARK TRANQUILITY.
April 30, 2007 — Germany’s DEW-SCENTED has been working to revitalize the international thrash scene for quite some time now. Their previous two releases, Impact and Issue VI, have been very successful in that effort, and their new album Incinerate only catapults them further along that path.
April 30, 2007 — Since VITAL REMAINS apparently can’t resist any opportunity to create a death metal album filled with as much anti-Christian fervor as possible (simply look at the cover art for this release), it should come as no surprise that Glen Benton of DEICIDE fame returned to reprise his role performing vocal duties on the new VITAL REMAINS album titled Icons of Evil.
April 27, 2007 — Dressed like GWAR, but equipped with massive balls-to-the-wall rock ’n roll, Finland’s LORDI claim to bring those very “balls” back to rock. “Bringing Back the Balls to Rock,” off LORDI’s latest album, The Arockalypse, makes that claim both lyrically and musically with big riffs, big beats, and a big chorus.
April 19, 2007 — After coming off the solid and powerful album, Evil Star, the modern day heroes of classic heavy metal, WOLF, return with another stellar effort. For the uninitiated, Sweden’s WOLF conjure up the spirit and sounds of late 70’s/early 80’s heavy metal (PRIEST, MAIDEN, MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, and nice slab of New Wave of British Heavy Metal) into a charismatic and enthusiastic presentation.
April 12, 2007 — It’s taken DYING FETUS four years to release a new album but in their defense, the band went through more changes, scaling down to a four-piece and picking up yet another drummer.
April 8, 2007 — Often times, you never know what you’re gonna get when you buy an album from a band you really don’t know much about. However, BLOOD TSUNAMI clearly make their intentions known via their band name, album title, and cover artwork.
April 4, 2007 — Music in its purest form is an art form, an honest expression of creativity. However, it can be raped of all its merit and any possible meaning in the blink of an eye.
March 31, 2007 — To anyone in the know, Birmingham’s G.B.H. is simply classic punk. Along with other seminal U.K. punk bands in the late 70’s, they helped usher in the next evolution of punk - harder, faster, meaner, and more fine-tuned.
March 31, 2007 — This review’s objective is to help ensure that all know about awesomeness that is Richmond, Virginia’s MUNICIPAL WASTE. To put it bluntly, MUNICIPAL WASTE are the second coming of crossover (think D.
March 30, 2007 — On each new album, Denmark’s MNEMIC have made considerable improvements in terms of both songwriting and production and with their third album, Passenger, the band has delivered their most consistent and focused work to date.
March 30, 2007 — “Symphonic goth metal” bands have always been hit or miss, and the plethora of new “beauty & the beast” style vocal bands are not helping to salvage the integrity of this subgenre.
March 29, 2007 — Despite what may sound like the title to a poor emo band you might find at a trendy store in the mall, The Dead Live By Love is actually the newest album by UK thrashers MENDEED.
March 24, 2007 — The diversity of metal artists often carries out far beyond the boundaries of metal itself. Influences become explorations, and one Duncan Patterson is a prime example of that.
March 23, 2007 — Sometimes it can be difficult to review an album that actually deserves the hype it has received by the less critical masses, and this is such a review for MACHINE HEAD’s newest release, The Blackening.
March 23, 2007 — It’s always refreshing when a band can revisit influences and alter their style enough to show both intelligent evolution of their sound and competent understanding of where they came from.
March 22, 2007 — LESBIAN make their debut with their 4-song, 62 minute Power Hor. “Black Forest Hamm” starts off as doom/death metal complete with tortured vocals that goes into a quiet middle section.
March 18, 2007 — PSYOPUS make quite a statement with their latest album, Our Puzzling Encounters Considered. This Rochester, NY crew takes technical, over-the-top, math metal/technical dissonant brutality to new levels.
March 13, 2007 — Let’s face it”¦if you don’t know of the brilliance of Mr. Marty Friedman, you are either new to this genre of music or you’re a total moron.
March 13, 2007 — It’s been ten long years since we last heard from PYREXIA, and a like an angry grizzly bear awakened from its slumber, the New York death machine is back with a vengeance.
March 10, 2007 — Sweden’s LAETHORA are a breath of fresh air. Featuring members of DARK TRANQUILLITY and THE PROVENANCE, LAETHORA are equipped with some able metal blokes who’ve been around ye olde death metal block.
March 8, 2007 — The Norwegian mad scientist duo known as SOLEFALD complete the second half of their Icelandic Odyssey with Black for Death. As with every SOLEFALD release, it takes some initial time to digest and comprehend what these maniacs are doing, mainly because they are always along the outlaying borders of what defines (Norwegian) metal.
February 27, 2007 — Japan’s DIR EN GREY, further supplant their god-like status with their best album yet in Marrow of a Bone. With an ever growing rabid fanbase finally built in the last major country to yield to their power, the U.
February 22, 2007 — The Belgian death squad known as ABORTED is back with their fifth album, Slaughter & Apparatus. While many would have thrown in the towel after losing their entire lineup, vocalist Sven DeCaluwe has survived, in the process delivering ABORTED’s most focused record to date.
February 17, 2007 — The UK’s purveyors of soul-raping black metal unleash another atom bomb of violence and raging brutality with their third album, Eschaton. Eschaton sees the band incorporating more non-black metal elements in the form of a growing grindcore sound (think NAPALM DEATH), more guitar solos, and even some melody and clean vocals.
February 15, 2007 — True to their name, Canadian four-piece, ENDORPHINS, deliver high-octane, metal-inspired rock n’ roll with youthful exuberance and gusto on their debut, Where Evil Lies. The one-two punch of “Flux” and “Welcome to My Hell” sets the pace with energetic, four-on-the floor rockers that keep the foot tapping and the fist pumping.
February 10, 2007 — Justin Broadrick has already made his mark with the now-defunct GODFLESH, but the man certainly isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s churned out some refreshing sonics with JESU’s self-titled debut and last year’s great Silver EP.
February 8, 2007 — On October 1, 2006, SENTENCED said farewell to their 17 year career with one final show in front of a hometown crowd at Club Teatria in Oulu, Finland.
February 4, 2007 — It’s been too long since we’ve heard from MELECHESH; four years to be exact. Their last album, Sphynx, was damn good but Emissaries easily surpasses it.
February 3, 2007 — Three years after his departure from NAGLFAR and the music scene. Jens Ryden breaks his silence in the form of his volatile new project, PROFUNDI. Clocking in at just under forty minutes, PROFUNDI’s debut, The Omega Rising, features eight scathing tracks (with one interlude) with Ryden turning up the intensity level to a much higher degree than his previous solo outing, DEAD SILENT SLUMBER, and to an extent, his former band, NAGLFAR.
January 27, 2007 — Despite the continuous hype surrounding the sub-genre known as “The New Wave of American Thrash Metal,” few of the leaders of this alleged scene actually deliver the goods.
January 4, 2007 — It took seemingly a million years to get the DVD of BOTCH’s final performance out but it’s finally here. Recorded on June 15, 2002, BOTCH perform 14 of their killer songs in front of a hometown crowd at the Showbox in Seattle, WA.
January 3, 2007 — Denver, Colorado’s FEAR BEFORE THE MARCH OF FLAMES go all out with their most ambitious album to date in The Always Open Mouth. They’ve stripped themselves of all the BOTCH-worship and conventional metalcore-isms that were found on previous albums and have tried to carve their own niche.
January 3, 2007 — Will you get the eerie feeling that you’ve heard this album before elsewhere? Yes. Will you hear anything new on Sirens? No. Do these guys owe IN FLAMES some royalties?
December 29, 2006 — The venerable MY DYING BRIDE have been steadily dooming it out since the dawn of extreme, underground metal in the early 90’s. Then equipped with metal’s only violin, MY DYING BRIDE flaunted a uniqueness and spice that peaked with 1998’s very experimental 34.
December 27, 2006 — Proud, decadent, triumphant, and strong are some adjectives that come to mind when one thinks of MANOWAR. The Sons of Odin EP embodies all of the aforementioned qualities while also showcasing the band’s dramatic and grandiose side.
December 25, 2006 — Canada’s CANCER BATS make their enthusiastic debut with Birthing the Giant. Describing themselves as a mix of “hardcore, southern metal and punk rock into a lethal rock and roll explosion,” the band play their music with the energy and passion of a band such as REFUSED.
December 25, 2006 — Los Angeles’ STOLEN BABIES are undoubtedly one of the most unique and hard to describe bands in heavy music to emerge in quite some time. There Be Squabbles Ahead sounds like a tripped out romp through a wicked and twisted LSD-laden ride through an evil Alice in Wonderland adventure, a Tim Burton claymation movie, and a mad carnival funhouse all rolled up into one.
December 22, 2006 — The End Records never ceases to amaze in recent times with its assortment of talented, progressive bands that seem to flock to its representation. One of the more recent of these converts is the incredibly gifted band, UNEXPECT.
December 19, 2006 — To say that now defunct EMPYRIUM never received the level of publicity that it deserved is a given. Making their debut in 1996 with A Wintersunset, EMPYRIUM emerged as part of the neo-folk/dark metal movement that was largely, yet quietly, pioneered by the roster of artists on Prophecy Productions.
December 17, 2006 — Italy’s HANDFUL OF HATE might be a new name in the underground metal scene, but under the radar the band has been churning out the black metal hate since 1993.
December 17, 2006 — NAPALM DEATH have been blasting skulls in for over two decades now, which is remarkable considering that many of the band’s newest fans were still swimming around in their daddy’s nutsacks when the groundbreaking Scum was unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
December 5, 2006 — As Daylight Dies marks the return of metalcore juggernaut KILLSWITCH ENGAGE whose breakthrough album, The End of Heartache, solidified the band as one of the genres most successful acts.
December 1, 2006 — Syracuse, New York’s relatively unknown, ENGINEER, emerge out of nowhere and delivery a pleasant surprise in their debut full-length, Reproach. The band’s musical foundation is based upon the teachings of BOTCH and other related bands such as KEELHAUL.
November 30, 2006 — THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU is quite a mouthful of a bandname, and their music is equally an earful of a listening experience. Put on Your Rosy Red Glasses beats you over the head then stuffs you in your kitchen blender…all while banging on some pots and pans.
November 28, 2006 — In an underground where blast-beats, throat-shredding, and distorted soundwaves are the essence of the tune, true extremity has become a difficult seed to sow. CONVERGE, however, weave a tight-knit musical quilt–one that always shines with creative valor, fault-less execution, and a true knack for keeping it real…real extreme.
November 28, 2006 — Eagerly anticipated by metal heads in junior highs everywhere, TRIVIUM’s third album arrives with a vengeance, and is sure to impress all who get their metal education from shopping at malls worldwide.
November 26, 2006 — This one man band known as HERESI may not be the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of Swedish metal bands but HERESI proves its worthiness with its second release, Psalm II - Infusco Ignis EP.
November 26, 2006 — After waiting four years after IMMORTAL’s last album, mainman Abbath breaks his silence with his new solo project, I. I can loosely be described as IMMORTAL sans blast beats and ice cold atmospheres, with classic heavy metal and Viking-era BATHORY throughout.
November 25, 2006 — So you like math metal eh? So you want to hear some of the craziest, most technical shit around? Then BEHOLD…THE ARCTOPUS is the exact (instrumental) band that will not only satisfy your craving but overwhelm you to insane heights.
November 24, 2006 — Norway’s ANSUR make their debut in grand and powerful fashion with Axiom. Their sound may be best described as progressive black metal with shades of other extreme metal influences.
November 24, 2006 — SEEMLESS’ sophomore album, What Have We Become, arrives with the hope of being something special as alluded to in their debut album. The album continues their heavy blues rock sound, which neither follows the clichés of retro rock bands nor is too predictable as anything typically termed “stoner rock.
November 17, 2006 — When it comes to Viking metal bands, AMON AMARTH continually stands out as one of the best in the industry. Their particular blend of AT THE GATES-inspired Swedish death metal will never disappoint.
November 15, 2006 — SUFFOCATION have been known as one of metal’s most devastating live acts, and when they returned after several years in hibernation the band had no problem delivering in the live dept.
November 12, 2006 — It’s been three tumultuous years since GORGOROTH’s last album, and while line-up changes, label changes, and various altercations with the law have been known to break lesser bands, these setbacks seem to only fuel the misanthropic rage found on GORGOROTH’s seventh offering, Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam.
November 12, 2006 — Change and growth are always a good thing…but when the world is preparing for another scream-your-head-off thrash-fest when the result is a challenging “thinker” of an album, confusion and disappointment ensue.
November 9, 2006 — The biggest hardcore band on the planet return with an album sure to please their diehard fans. HATEBREED stay within their trademark sound and deliver all the heavy-handed riffs, high energy, and aggression that you can handle.
November 3, 2006 — It’s been a long four-year wait since AGALLOCH’s last masterpiece, The Mantle. Thankfully, the new album, Ashes Against the Grain, proves to be worth the wait.
October 28, 2006 — Italian ensemble, ASHRAM, bring a new character to the table with their neo-classical sound. The band works within the traditional structure of classical music and seamlessly melds vocals over piano, violin, and some cello and guitar.
October 28, 2006 — Since the release of KRISIUN’s landmark album, Conquerors of Armageddon, the world has been waiting for the band to top it (not that the albums in between have been irrelevant in the least).
October 27, 2006 — For those of you wondering what OPETH and AMORPHIS may sound like if you stripped them down to bare essentials, removed all folk elements, and added more rock with a touch of grindcore, AUTUMN’S END is the answer.
October 27, 2006 — INTRONAUT’s debut EP, Null, made an impression on the underground scene with some of the most refreshing music to come out of the L.A. scene in years.
October 27, 2006 — Devin Townsend has always remained at the forefront of maniacal metal bands with a sound only Devin can make. This is particularly true with his efforts as frontman for STRAPPING YOUNG LAD backed by Jed Simon, Byron Stroud, and Gene Hoglan.
October 19, 2006 — Some bands are so interesting that it can sometimes be hard to find words to describe them. After ten years in existence, GOJIRA have finally put themselves on the map of international appeal with one crusher of an album.
October 13, 2006 — While CRADLE OF FILTH stirs up a variety of opinions and accusations with the mere mention of their name, one can always count on them to continue forging ahead with reckless abandon regardless of criticisms and praise from the fanfare.
October 13, 2006 — This quintet from San Francisco has been honing its sound since forming in 1999. The result on Fex Urbis, Lex Orbis is a ride through dark soundscapes filled with dreary doom sequences and sharp black metal passages.
October 10, 2006 — Although many purists equate “true” black metal as Scandinavian, GOATWHORE has become the exception to the rule. After all the band’s home state of Louisiana with its blistering heat and malevolent, unpredictable weather has a lot more in common with hell than the cool fjords of Norway.
October 3, 2006 — Denmark’s RAUNCHY have undeservedly flown under the radar for most of their existence. However, their new album, Death Pop Romance, screams for attention and mass appeal.
October 1, 2006 — EXFORK’s A Cure For the Common Disease Called Man 10" is a loud explosion of hardcore and metal that sonically serrates more like a disease than a cure.
September 28, 2006 — Just when you thought you knew what SOULFLY was all about, Max Cavalera and co. flip the script on the public. Dark Ages is without a doubt the band’s heaviest, fastest, and arguably most “metal” album yet.
September 20, 2006 — Back in the 80’s hard rock reigned supreme, with hair bands dominating the charts and arenas with anthemic rockers and “monster power ballads.” Image was key and many of the bands spent as much time, if not more, perfecting their look and appearance over writing strong albums.
September 19, 2006 — One of Japan’s biggest bands finally make the big leap to American audiences with Withering to Death. First off, those new to DIR EN GREY and Japanese rock/metal bands in general may have a hard time getting what is going on here.
September 16, 2006 — Everyone knows that Glen Benton and his merry band of hell raising mischief-makers have been writing songs about hating Jesus and killing Christians for a long time, but after a series of mediocre and otherwise seemingly forgettable releases on Roadrunner Records there is one question that seemed to haunt this band ”“ does anyone care?
September 15, 2006 —
September 14, 2006 — To say that ENSLAVED have been on a creative roll for the last couple of albums is to state the obvious. Just like their Norwegian peers, the band have expanded and evolved far beyond what their first albums were indicative of.
September 14, 2006 — It’s both brilliant and bizarre that Jeff Walker, former frontman of CARCASS, would put out something like a cuntry album. But there’s no question that such an endeavor is right up Mister Walker’s alley–a musician who has a knack for planting his tongue firmly in his cheek.
September 5, 2006 — First things first”¦if you love death metal, then you love VADER. It’s a simple correlation. So with the release of every VADER release comes the interest and curiosity of every death head out there.
September 1, 2006 — Katorz is the first of two or three upcoming VOIVOD albums that will be released following the tragic passing the legendary Denis “Piggy” D’Amour. First off, Katorz is not just a killer album but sounds as professional and complete as any other “active” band out there.
August 11, 2006 — Though it may seem that the U.S. hardcore scene has become nothing but a commercialized joke, all is not lost. BETRAYED lay down one of the best hardcore releases this year in Substance.
August 5, 2006 — There’s no denying SLAYER’s influence on heavy music since their inception over a quarter of a century ago, as genres as varied as thrash, hardcore, black metal, death, grind, and even crust punk owe much to the titans of speed.
July 18, 2006 — Inspired and driven by German folklore and romanticism, ORPLID continue to release unique and interesting music with Sterbender Satyr. Rather than relying predominantly on acoustic/clean electric guitars as in the past, the album sees the band incorporating synthesizers and synthesized percussion more than ever.
July 12, 2006 — So Cal’s own grind kings, PHOBIA, have been delivering fast and furious audio beatdowns for nearly two decades now and the band shows no sign of slowing down with their latest onslaught, Cruel.
June 29, 2006 — With CULT OF LUNA’s new album, they continue to move away from NEUROSIS and ISIS comparisons and come more into their own. Somewhere Along the Highway still retains that gigantic sound that the band has been known for but is more progressive and less metal-based than their previous efforts.
June 20, 2006 — There are few better things in music as when the masters of the art come out with a killer album so far into their career. This is certainly the case with Memorial, the newest work from Portugal’s legendary dark/black/gothic metal pioneers.
June 14, 2006 — Those in the know have been aware of MADDER MORTEM’s unique brand of Norwegian metal for years now. Desiderata is another stimulating and interesting album that clearly distinguishes the band from their “female-fronted” peers who have become more tired or commercially viable with time.
June 1, 2006 — Life after GODFLESH is shaping up to be pretty solid. Mastermind Justin K. Broadrick’s ressurection as JESU has resulted in two excellent releases, and with Silver, we have a third that only improves upon its predecessors.
May 25, 2006 — Eagerly anticipated (at least in some circles) as the band’s important, make-or-break album, LACUNA COIL’s Karmacode sees the band not only exploring, but embracing a comfortable shift towards safer, more predictable territory.
May 22, 2006 — Cult black metal act, DARKTHRONE, picked up their game after a lackluster few albums in the late ’90s/early 2000s with 2004’s Sardonic Wrath. Their latest offering, perhaps a claim to their continued significance, The Cult is Alive, is a loose but exciting album that sees the Norwegian duo kick it up a notch.
May 18, 2006 — We live in an era where genre mixing is nothing new among heavy bands. However, not everyone pulls it off with success. Chicago’s YAKUZA are perhaps one of the most interesting and stimulating bands that meld extreme metal, hardcore, jazz, and psychedelia.
May 16, 2006 — After setting the bar very high with PECCATUM’s brilliant Lost in Reverie, Ihsahn provides his next release in the form of his first solo album. This is what many EMPEROR fans have been craving for.
May 16, 2006 — SATYRICON has always been on a path of evolution and reinvention that has produced interesting, powerful music with that ever present Norwegian black metal heart. Now, Diabolical harnesses its power from a predominantly mid-tempo pace.
May 12, 2006 — That ominous storm of destruction known as ZYKLON has returned. Their third album, Disintegrate, builds upon their body of work with a diverse array of songs, more melody, and a better album than its predecessor, Aeon.
May 11, 2006 — KEEP OF KALESSIN may have fluttered under the radar for quite some time now, but the Norwegian band’s latest album, Armada, screams for attention…and deservedly so.
May 9, 2006 — Anyone with any serious inclination for this great genre of music that we call “heavy metal” knows that VOIVOD have always been and will always be one of the greats.
May 5, 2006 — The world’s biggest and best selling death metal band return with their self-avowed “heaviest, most brutal” album that they’ve ever made. While it’s debatable as to whether this is true given the band’s large body of work, what is certain is that Kill is their best album in years.
April 26, 2006 — L.A.’s ABYSMAL DAWN executes tight, well-written songs that deliver ample helpings of melody while simultaneously pummeling the listener with concise blasts of death metal fury. From the opening epic instrumental, “Impending Doom,” to the final scorching album closer, “Crown Desire,” ABYSMAL DAWN offer one of the most promising debuts in quite some time.
April 26, 2006 — Norway’s MANNGARD make their debut with the vicious Circling Buzzards. With teeth gnashing and claws out, they attack with devious, sinister aggression. What really makes the band stand out is their sick and twisted hybrid style incorporating the bloodlust of SLAYER, the jack hammer dissonance of BOTCH, the manic blasts of grindcore/death metal, and slabs of technical prog, black metal, and jazz.
April 12, 2006 — Ah yes, real metal…there’s nothing quite like it. This New York duo looks to the late 70’s/early 80’s for their inspiration and sound. More specifically, EARLY MAN proudly fly the flag of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (ANGEL WITCH, DIAMOND HEAD, BLITZKRIEG, SAXON, etc.
April 12, 2006 — Forward-thinkers Daniel Cardoso (ex-SIRIUS/RE:AKTOR) and Kristoffer Garm Rygg (ULVER/ex-ARCTURUS/ex-BORKNAGAR) have united to bring forth the radically un-radical Murder Nature. In lieu of their typically abstract visions, Cardoso and Rygg pony up a metal album for the masses in Murder Nature.
April 3, 2006 — Finland’s TENHI have transcended beyond the realms of reality and created a work of art that is beyond the reach of most mortals. Describing them merely as “neo-progressive dark folk” only scratches the surface of the profound musical expression that is TENHI.
March 26, 2006 — First things first, DECAPITATED has always been a good band, a ton better than most. But the devastating assault of Organic Hallucinosis has blown the doors wide open and easily puts them among death metal’s top dogs.
March 15, 2006 — Perhaps these days more than any other in the past, Devin Townsend has been getting the press attention and acclaim that he’s deserved from the start.
March 5, 2006 — Let’s face it. It takes about two entire brain cells to talk shit about the post-Max SEPULTURA. The monstrous Dante XXI is a fist in the face to all the naysayers and a further affirmation that SEPULTURA in 2006 remains a dominant force.
March 3, 2006 — The title says it all, The Great Cold Distance is another trek into desolation, despair, and misery courtesy of none other than KATATONIA. Those who were more than impressed with their previous release, Viva Emptiness, will find much to enjoy here.
March 2, 2006 — Sweden’s ever-capable rockers, THE HELLACOPTERS, continue to kick out the jams, and they continue to do it with the greatest of ease. Rock & Roll is Dead is 13 tracks of guitar-driven, feelgood blues-rock following the path the band took with 2000’s High Visibility.
February 28, 2006 — Sometimes all we ask for in life is a little more consistency. With the arrival of each new CATHEDRAL album, our hope is restored in knowing that some things in life are pretty much guaranteed.
February 14, 2006 — Following in the footsteps of such giants as LED ZEPPELIN comes GREEN CARNATION’s first all-acoustic album, aptly titled Acoustic Verses. While this is an unplugged affair, heaviness still characterizes the record by way of the band’s trademark emotional, introspective themes.
February 7, 2006 — Nestled deep in the forest of soulless mediocrity lays salvation in the form of Ireland’s PRIMORDIAL. This band has been creating their own brand of epic doom/folk/black metal since the early 90’s and The Gathering Wilderness demonstrates that they’re dangerously getting better with time.
January 20, 2006 — The once overrated THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY have released an album so good that they are now probably underrated (until the ears of the world catch on).
January 17, 2006 — After listening to the high quality of Portals to Uphobia, you would swear that The Netherlands’ DETONATION were born and raised in the melodic death metal capitol of the world, Gothenburg, Sweden.
January 16, 2006 — Long before Galder joined black metal super stars DIMMU BORGIR, he was creating arguably better music with his own band, OLD MAN’S CHILD. However, in recent years the quality of OLD MAN’S CHILD’s albums have been slowly degrading after reaching a peek with Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion.
January 2, 2006 — Quebec, Canada’s MI AMORE make quite a statement with their second album, The Lamb. Think of a catchier, heavier, and more rockin version of that overrated band, SUPERJOINT RITUAL.
December 27, 2005 — It’s been 14 years since SEPULTURA last put out a live concert video. Filmed in front of their hometown crowd in March of this year, Live in São Paulo is an excellent document of the band in 2005.
December 26, 2005 — To be honest, I didn’t expect much if anything from this album. However, once I put it in the player, I was floored. Hail the New Pawn puts these guys right at the upper tier of hardcore/grindcore ranks.
December 22, 2005 — It was only a few years ago when FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES was an underground band with rising status in the scene. Fast forward to today and they’re practically stars after the mainstream spotlight shifted to metalcore/emocore.
December 14, 2005 — DARK FUNERAL’s last album, Diabolis Interium, was without a doubt the ultimate DARK FUNERAL album. So how does the follow-up to the band’s best album fair?
December 14, 2005 — SCUM is the latest supergroup to emerge from where else but Norway. The band is composed of Samoth (EMPEROR, ZYKLON), Faust (ABORYM, BLOOD TSUNAMI, ex-EMPEROR), Happy Tom (TURBONEGRO), Cosmocrator (MINDGRINDER, ex-SOURCE OF TIDE), and fronted by the only non-Norwegian, Casey Chaos (AMEN).
November 30, 2005 — Perhaps Once Was Not is a reference to a CRYPTOPSY chapter now closed–an eight-year span featuring the work of vocalists not-named Lord Worm. Regardless of the strides the Canadian death metallers made during that period of time, their recent reunion with original vocalist, Lord Worm, finds CRYPTOPSY re-stepping its truest and sickest form.
November 27, 2005 — STRETCH ARM STRONG take full advantage of their major label debut with a solid outing in Free At Last. The album provides a strong mix of melodic hardcore, punk, pop punk, and rock.
November 21, 2005 — Norway’s 1349 have pulled off what is referred to in the sports world as a “three-peat.” With Hellfire, the band has created three excellent albums in three consecutive years, something that is rare in today’s metal scene.
November 20, 2005 — Anyone who’s heard Never Breathe What You Can’t See will be bloody glad to know that the Jello Biafra/MELVINS collaboration is not over just yet. Sieg Howdy!
November 7, 2005 — It’s hard to believe that GOD FORBID are already on album number four. It seemed like their second album, Determination, only came out a little while ago.
October 31, 2005 — Japan’s legendary cult metal band, SIGH, is finally back with their latest album, Gallows Gallery. As has become their modus operandi, you never know what each successive album brings as SIGH’s twisted creativity has no bounds and Gallows Gallery is no exception.
October 24, 2005 — BANE’s new album serves as an oasis for those suffering in the desert of the oversaturated and mediocre hardcore scene at large. As can be expected from some of Worcester, MA’s finest, The Note is another solid and inspiring album.
October 24, 2005 — Without a doubt, there continues to be a rabid fanbase for the iconic Glenn Danzig’s SAMHAIN even decades after its demise. To meet this demand Music Video Distributors has released an official DVD of the band’s first show in L.
October 24, 2005 — Emerging from the grave of the criminally underrated and underexposed EMPYRIUM, band mainman Schwadorf brings forth the second album from Germany’s THE VISION BLEAK. Carpathia tells the fateful story of a businessman who inherits the old estates of his family in the far and strange aforementioned land.
September 24, 2005 — Who knew that the former guitarist of ILL NINO/current guitarist of SOULFLY could shred like a beast!?! Marc Rizzo breaks out of those strict and simple musical confines with Colossal Myopia.
September 19, 2005 — After a fierce battle to sign these coveted young men to a worldwide contract, Metal Blade Records came out the victor. So after all the buzz surrounding THE RED CHORD’s debut album, we have their sophomore album, Clients, in hand.
September 16, 2005 — TURBONEGRO bassist Happy-Tom was once quoted saying “most rock ’n roll bands start as a riot but end up as a parody…we started up as a parody but ended up as a revolution.
September 8, 2005 — The Empires of the World is a shit-storm of razor-sharp metal that seems to be relatively rare these days. Although BIOMECHANICAL’s sound is relatively straight-up, they manage to throw down some heavy and exciting metal–imagine JUDAS PRIEST at 66.
September 4, 2005 — From the very first hit of the snare drum to the very last note of This Godless Endeavor, the conviction of NEVERMORE to create the album of their career is blatantly obvious.
August 3, 2005 — America’s favorite mall metal sons, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, make their highly anticipated major label debut with City of Evil. In a seemingly bewildering move, the band abandon their Swedish tinged punk-meets-hard rock/metal sound in favor of an 80’s traditional heavy metal/melodic hard rock/European power metal sound.
August 3, 2005 — Though NAGLFAR are one of Sweden’s longest running black/death metal bands, they never quite achieved the level of success and recognition that their peers have enjoyed.
July 26, 2005 — Trickster G and company are back with Blood Inside, their first non-soundtrack, full-length album since 2002’s very cold and electronic, Perdition City. Blood Inside, however, steams with endless songwriting ambition, and is evidence that ULVER won’t be running out of tricks anytime soon.
July 19, 2005 — I must say that it’s bloody refreshing to hear some fresh sounds coming from a new band. Finding a little gem in a pile of soulless promos makes for some much needed relief and a rekindling of faith in extreme music.
July 3, 2005 — Regardless of what the media reports or fails to report, there are always exciting musical developments taking place in the underground. This reissue of Petitioning the Empty Sky is a testament to an exciting time in the mid-90’s when CONVERGE and like minded bands such as COALESCE and BOTCH were taking extreme music to a new level, albeit within a U.
June 25, 2005 — Although most EYEHATEGOD diehards are familiar the material on Preaching the Endtime Message (as a majority of the songs have been released on various comps and split seven inches), Preaching… still serves as must for any EYEHATEGOD completist.
June 21, 2005 — Sweden’s MESHUGGAH have an unmistakably distinct sound–comprised of sonic heaviness atop an inverted percussive foundation–that unfortunately might suffocate their own ability to expand their horizons. While already far beyond boundaries of common metal, MESHUGGAH’s brand of ultra-heavy, technical, math metal doesn’t wander far from that style; after all, that’s what makes MESHUGGAH, MESHUGGAH.
June 15, 2005 — The legendary Geezer Butler is one who commands utmost reverence and respect. However, even metal gods can falter once in while no matter how much we don’t want to believe it.
June 13, 2005 — It’s not often that you see a band improve so greatly on their sophomore album. Most are seemingly doomed from the start. Not so for Norway’s MINDGRINDER, who truly break out of their shell with their second release, Riot Detonator.
June 9, 2005 — THE ESOTERIC (not to be confused with the UK’s ESOTERIC) are hardly a young band having issued a handful of splits and EPs, but their Prosthetic Records debut, The Sureness of Sleepwalking, showcases an experienced band with a not-so-experienced knack for writing songs.
June 8, 2005 — As one of Norway’s successful (non-black metal) stories, GREEN CARNATION continues to flow with vitality and relevance with their latest, The Quiet Offspring. Things start off with more uptempo, upbeat songs that see the band further incorporating elements of classic 70’s rock, prog, and classic heavy metal into their sound, which is not too far removed from AMORPHIS or Dan Swanö’s Moontower.
May 30, 2005 — After five years, Memphis, Tennessee’s EPOCH OF UNLIGHT emerge with their best album to date in The Continuum Hypothesis. The band continue to take their style of black/death/thrash to new heights with stronger riffs, improved song arrangements, and more intensity.
May 4, 2005 — After showing much promise and potential with their self-titled full length album, BALBOA promptly follow it up with their Manifeste Cannibale EP. Inspired by the current political and social climate of the United States, the band strike out with all their might.
May 3, 2005 — After a making a relatively quite debut with the Heartache EP, JESU make a roaring statement with their full-length debut for Hydra Head Records. Fans who lamented the death of GODFLESH should rejoice in the fact that mastermind Justin Broadrick has created refreshingly new yet familiar sound with this new band.
April 19, 2005 — Perhaps given an added kick in the arse coming off last year’s Leaders Not Follower 2 album of cover songs, NAPALM DEATH surely sound refreshed and focused with their latest, The Code is Red…Long Live the Code.
April 15, 2005 — What better way to tide the world over until the release of TURBONEGRO’s new album than with a great DVD? The ResErection is a documentary (originally meant for Norwegian television) that chronicles the band’s reformation after four years in limbo.
April 14, 2005 — Once standing tall with enormous relevance, SAMAEL have since settled into a more comfortable industrial-heavy sound with each passing release (like THE KOVENANT). Now with relevance dissipated by a gradual genre shift and ridiculous contractual difficulties (now hopefully behind them), the Swiss industrial-metallers can finally (attempt to) get their groove back.
April 10, 2005 — INCANTATION have long been one of the cornerstones of the death metal scene for decades now and despite being plagued by a seemingly endless array of lineup and record company changes, the band has never strayed from their persistence and vision.
April 6, 2005 — Although released well over a year ago by the promising Finnish label, Firebox, SWALLOW THE SUN finally sees a U.S. release via Olympic Records. For those of you unfamiliar with the band, imagine a doom band taking the funeral doom of SKEPTICISM and expanding those ideas into more melodic forms from MY DYING BRIDE, KATATONIA (Dance of December Souls-era), and the more doomier elements of RAPTURE thrown in for good measure.
April 5, 2005 — Although released on a small Japanese label two years ago, Hate.Malice.Revenge. finally sees a proper release courtesy of Nuclear Blast. Throughout the years, the band has toured with a variety of hardcore and death metal bands, establishing themselves as a force in both scenes.
April 5, 2005 — From the cold roots of The First Spell through the more melodic Malice, GEHENNA have been a band that can clearly deliver the goods. After the departure of keyboardist Sarcana, the band unleashed Admirion Black, an album that masterfully combined black metal, death metal, and thrash into a style that can best be described as a more evil version of DIMMU BORGIR.
April 3, 2005 — As one of the most prolific bands in underground metal, MARDUK proudly present their tenth album in thirteen years. The band’s previous album, World Funeral, was a great return to form and Plague Angel only takes the baton and goes to the next level in all facets.
March 28, 2005 — It’s not all too uncommon to find that once a band achieves legendary cult status, the quality begins to wane. However, you won’t find Norwegian black pioneers, DARKTHRONE, content with fading away into mediocrity.
March 17, 2005 — SOILWORK’s sixth album continues the sound that the band has been working on for their last two records, Natural Born Chaos and Figure Number Five. Streamlined and digestible yet still retaining a heavy edge, Stabbing the Drama continues the band’s quest for mainstream attention.
March 12, 2005 — Ex-DEAD KENNEDYS frontman Jello Biafra has built quite an impressive catalogue of albums of collaborations with like-minded artists (D.O.A., MINISTRY, MOJO NIXON). After much anticipation, his collaboration with THE MELVINS is finally here.
February 27, 2005 — Los Angeles’ RED SPAROWES deliver a fresh breath of creativity out of a place notorious for its trendy superficiality. The band is comprised of an all-star roster of Bryant Clifford Meyer on guitar/vocals (ISIS), Jeff Caxide on bass/guitar (ISIS), Josh Graham on guitar/vocals (NEUROSIS visuals and video director), Greg Burns on bass/pedal steel (HALIFAX PIER), and Dana Berkowitz on drums (formerly of CONVERGE offshoot THE CIGNAL).
February 26, 2005 — An infinite departure from singer Jesse David’s former band, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SEEMLESS is a grunge-laden, blues-rock affair that’ll leave the words “stoner” and “rock” on the tip of your tongue.
February 21, 2005 — Eleven years after their inception, South Korea’s OATHEAN make their North American debut with their third full-length, Fading Away Into the Grave of Nothingness. The band plays a style of melodic black metal that harkens back to early/mid-90’s Scandinavian black/death bands such as DISSECTION, OLD MAN’S CHILD, and NAGLFAR.
February 20, 2005 — As the world awaits the next assault from the Brazilian death squad known as KRISIUN, the band offers up Bloodshed to tide the fans over. While not a true full-length, the band still offers up a generous EP with five new tracks, three interludes, and four tracks from their long out of print Unmerciful Order EP.
February 15, 2005 — In December of 2001, the metal world lost one of its pioneers in Chuck Schuldiner. During his two-and-a-half year battle with his health, he was working on the second CONTROL DENIED album.
February 7, 2005 — Seven full-length releases into their career and the near infallible DARK TRANQUILLITY continue to flow with vitality. Character very much picks up where Damage Done left off with more straight ahead aggression and adds a bit more technicality to the mix.
February 4, 2005 — Teutonic thrash legends, KREATOR, have been waving the flag of hate for nearly two decades now. Although the band took an strange turn with the somewhat odd Endorama album (in which the band thought it would be a good idea to collaborate goth band, LACRIMOSA, as well as rip off MOTLEY CRÜE’s Dr.
February 2, 2005 — During the last couple of years, everyone and their mothers have flooded the market with music DVDs, most of which, turn out to be mediocre and quite unengaging.
January 19, 2005 — For well over a decade, Poland’s BEHEMOTH have been developing their own brand of extreme metal from the raw black metal roots of their Sventevith album, to the technical EMPEROR-influenced Pandemonic Incantations, up to the VADER-meets-MORBID ANGEL attack of recent works, Thelema .
January 2, 2005 — After being strictly available as a bootleg for years, the much anticipated official release of this 1996 songwriting session between metal/rock gods, Tony Iommi (guitars) and Glenn Hughes (vocals/bass), is finally here.
December 23, 2004 — I wasn’t expecting much from CATARACT’s When Triumph Comes Loss, but surprisingly the band delivered a punishing attack with opener, “Killing Loss,” and never let up until the last anguished note of the album closing title track.
December 23, 2004 — The Beast is the sixth album from long-running death metal veterans, VADER, who have come a long way in helping to establish Poland as a hotbed of death metal creativity.
December 2, 2004 — Far too often in music (and perhaps everything else from movies, sports, etc), consumers are lead by marketing hype generated by industry money. Well here is a band, MNEMIC, who are all the label hype and everything those advertisements promise.
November 27, 2004 — So what happens when PORCUPINE TREE mainman Steven Wilson collaborates with famed Israeli artist Aviv Geffen? Answer: A damn fine album. Their debut album is a fine exercise in masterful songwriting talent via modern prog rock.
November 25, 2004 — Though RED HARVEST is one of the most underrated bands in extreme music, they continue to put out strong music. Internal Punishment Programs continues the evolution of their unique industrial extreme metal style.
November 22, 2004 — Despite the curse of even more line-up changes as well as a non-stop touring schedule, the prolific MISERY INDEX still managed to find time crank out another EP on their own Anarchos imprint.
November 6, 2004 — LAMB OF GOD has picked up a lot of steam in the past few years due to a relentless touring schedule and hard work ethic. On their fourth album (their third under the L.
November 5, 2004 — My, what a difference a throat makes! The return THE HAUNTED’s original voice, Peter Dolving, has injected new (old) life into THE HAUNTED who were suffering with former vocalist Marco Aro at the helm.
November 2, 2004 — While they may no longer seem as menacing or as controversial as years past, CRADLE OF FILTH continue to thrive with their Roadrunner Records debut, Nymphetamine.
October 30, 2004 — Deadly Lullabyes Lives captures KING DIAMOND’s setlist during their most recent U.S. tour and also appears as the first authorized KING DIAMOND live album. The familiar opening track of the metal classic, Abigail, starts things off right.
October 21, 2004 — The all-star team of OLD MAN GLOOM, featuring members of ISIS, CONVERGE, and CAVE IN, have once again come together to take us on another sonic journey.
October 19, 2004 — To tide fans over until their next anticipated onslaught, Swedish juggernaut, MESHUGGAH, have unleashed the 21-minute epic EP, I. Fans that were turned off by the slower, almost doom-like quality of the band’s previous album will find much to like with this EP as the band comes in fast and furious, pummeling away aggressively much as they did on fan favorites such as Destroy Erase Improve and Chaosphere.
October 14, 2004 — One of Europe’s best go for the metalcore throne with The Opposite From Within. Having established a solid reputation for quality, CALIBAN dish out their most punishing as well as polished material to date.
October 12, 2004 — Leviathan is the long awaited second album from one of the underground’s most suprising breakthroughs, MASTODON. From the opening attack of the forceful “Blood and Thunder” to the album’s epic centerpiece, “Hearts Alive,” the listener is taken on a complex musical journey with numerous peaks and valleys, encompassing everything from experimental hardcore, aggressive thrash metal to involved progressive rock.
October 6, 2004 — There’s something intangibly convincing about a band who write their own music and play their own instruments. Only oblivious pop-tart suckers could give a rat’s ass about genuine musical talent.
September 27, 2004 — Glenn Danzig is a man who’s influence is undeniable. However with each passing release, each greying hair (dyed black), and each nü trend that wiggles its way into the rock/metal scene, The King of Evil’s output is becoming less and less significant.
September 20, 2004 — The eerie chords of Kurt Ballou’s guitar ring in the follow up to 2001’s monumental Jane Doe. In the minds of many, it would seem next to impossible for CONVERGE to top that record.
September 14, 2004 — Yes, it is indeed true. The hype is real. MEGADETH is back and better than they’ve sounded in a long, long time. The meaty riffs, the killer guitar work, the hooks, and mastermind Dave Mustaine’s unmistakable delivery permeate the wealth of strong material on The System Has Failed.
September 13, 2004 — Norway’s newest all-star group, AGE OF SILENCE, brings forth another distinctly Norwegian, progressive-minded album. The band is composed of Lazare (BORKNAGAR, SOLEFALD) on vocals, Eikind (WINDS) on bass/vocals, Hellhammer (MAYHEM, WINDS, ARCTURUS) on drums, Andy Winter (WINDS) on keyboards, Extant and Kobbergaard (BY PALE LIGHT) on guitars.
August 31, 2004 — It goes without saying that Peace Sells… is an absolute metal classic. That’s just a given. The remixing/remastering job that Dave Mustaine did on this record is very impressive.
August 16, 2004 — It’s been half a decade since THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN unleashed Calculating Infinity on the world, spawning countless imitators that tried desperately to capture that album’s intensity and creativity only to find themselves unable to succeed.
August 14, 2004 — CANDIRIA has been breaking down musical barriers for well over a decade with their eclectic mix of pummeling hardcore, hard-hitting hip-hop, aggressive metal riffing, and complex progressive rock into a genre-defying style that they alone can lay claim to.
August 11, 2004 — SUFFOCATION’s resurrection surely must have been on every metalhead’s wish list but perhaps the actual reality of their reformation may have seemed like an uneasy move for some.
August 10, 2004 — Boston’s ANODYNE won’t be relieving you of any symptoms as Lifetime of Gray Skies serves up a tasty, stroke-inducing wall of noise. Letting up only for an extended, six-minute, experimental/noise jam in “Blood Meridian,” ANODYNE come choo-chooing like a train on a non-stop mission to destroy.
August 4, 2004 — What the hell is going on? Who in the hell are these guys? How in the fuck was this album conceived? These are questions that still linger in my mind, even after my umpteenth listen.
August 3, 2004 — After coming off of the brilliant STAR OF ASH debut album and EMPEROR’s technical behemoth Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise, this now duo was poised for even bigger and better things.
August 1, 2004 — In the METALLICA tradition of taking of progressively bigger projects, the band decided to self-finance and release a documentary that captures their lives for three years.
July 29, 2004 — WINDS’ latest offering is everything that their first album should have been. While promising, the Norwegian “all-star” troupe’s debut full-length, Reflections of the I, was an under-developed album that lacked distinction.
July 27, 2004 — The mighty ZAO return with their most ambitious album to date. Funeral of God is a concept album about the suicide of “God,” which results from his decision to leave the ever growing wickedness of humanity behind.
July 26, 2004 — Exposures… was custom built for DARK TRANQUILLITY fans. This two disc compilation contains a collection of rarities on the first disc and the audio portion of the recently released, Live Damage DVD, on the second disc.
July 17, 2004 — RAZOR CRUSADE’s debut full length record, Infinite Water, picks up where their teaser EP left off. Thankfully, these guys have not faltered and have delivered a solid, impressive album.
July 9, 2004 — UNEARTH have established themselves as one of the top contenders in the metalcore scene in recent years through their tireless work ethic and seemingly endless touring schedule.
June 30, 2004 — CRISIS virtually dropped off the radar with a seven year absence of new music and a temporary name change. However, the band is back with the kind of vitality and creativity that their critically acclaimed, Deathshead Extermination demonstrated.
June 30, 2004 — With their original line-up (and masks) still intact, SLIPKNOT finally emerged from a three-year hiatus with the release of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), a tasty 14-track album that combines the same intensity and musicianship the band is already known for, with a newfound sense of polished songwriting.
June 23, 2004 — MARTYR A.D. rose out of the ashes of the defunct metalcore outfit, DISEMBODIED, and quickly unleashed a promising debut in the form of The Human Condition in Twelve Fractions.
June 13, 2004 — With the much publicized desertion of Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown from PANTERA’s ranks, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell were left with an uncertain future.
June 11, 2004 — Zakk Wylde has long been known for his fiery, explosive guitar shredding both with Ozzy and his own BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, but Wylde has never shied away from the mellow stuff either.
June 5, 2004 — Given how long extreme metal has been in existence, you would think that all of the good, original ideas have been taken by now. However, Israel’s MELECHESH continues to carves their own path with their third record, Sphynx.
June 2, 2004 — For a while, FEAR FACTORY was manufactoring major drama instead of heavy metal fear, thanks to some in-fighting between members of the band resulting in a temporarily split.
June 1, 2004 — PRONG was always an underrated band that always seemed to operate under the radar, coming close, but never quite breaking through the mainstream the way many of their peers did.
May 23, 2004 — Nearly stymied by the untimely departure of vocalist Jesse Leach, the ferocious beast known as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE staved off all possibility of derailment by quickly recruiting a more-than-able replacement in BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED’s Howard Jones.
May 18, 2004 — Just like Leatherface or Jason, CANNIBAL CORPSE is back from the grave once again to inflict more damage and violence with their umpteenth (ninth for those counting) album, The Wretched Spawn.
May 12, 2004 — It’s been fourteen years since we last heard new material from DEATH ANGEL. And in the midst of metal’s recent resurgence, the band is back with a vengeance with The Art of Dying.
April 29, 2004 — Norway’s grooviest black metal band strikes with their third record. Just as the first two records were, Mørke Gravers Kammer is built on a foundation of vintage CELTIC FROST/DARKTHRONE and the kind of cold, icy grimness that only comes from Norway.
April 27, 2004 — The Negation is the third album from everyone’s favorite youthful death metal prodigies, DECAPITATED. Unlike many of their peers who usually put out a killer debut then struggle through the dreaded sophomore slump, this Polish killing machine just keeps getting better through each new outing.
April 21, 2004 — It’s been four years since we last heard from these veterans of Stockholm death metal. I can happily report that DISMEMBER haven’t lost their touch. In fact, Where Ironcrosses Grow is overall, a stronger album than 2000’s Hate Campaign.
April 15, 2004 — Looking to one-up 2002’s dreadful Supercharger, the purveyors of modern-day thrash metal MACHINE HEAD come roaring back and pissed off as ever with Through the Ashes of Empires.
April 13, 2004 — It’s been four years since the world last heard from the “true” MAYHEM (not counting the plethora of live CDs, DVDs, and splits spit out on an annual basis to tide fans over).
April 13, 2004 — There comes a time when a little, obscure album finds its way to you and ends up blowing your mind. Such is the case with MODERN LIFE IS WAR’s My Love, My Way.
April 12, 2004 — It’s a given that Max Cavalera’s SOULFLY will forever embody the style of the shit-slinging heaviness that he helped forge on SEPULTURA’s Chaos A.D. and Roots.
April 9, 2004 — CENTINEX may not be as household a name as AT THE GATES but they’ve been a part of the Swedish underground scene for almost just as long.
April 8, 2004 — IN FLAMES’ last album, Reroute To Remain, saw the band injecting new influences and ideas in to their sound, including keyboards, as well as host of “clean” vocals and spoken-word, all of which proceeded to alienate a majority of their fans who long thrilled to the band’s successful marriage of thrash and catchy IRON MAIDEN-inspired melodies.
April 5, 2004 — Coming off the heels of this much talked-about New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement, ex-SHADOWS FALL vocalist Philip Labonte and ALL THAT REMAINS have just released their sophomore album through Prosthetic Records.
April 4, 2004 — The U.K. doom metal legends return with the follow up to their highly acclaimed, The Dreadful Hours. While The Dreadful Hours was the band’s most aggressive album to date, Songs of Darkness, Words of Light is a more subdued, narcotic work.
March 31, 2004 — Though their official bio says that their sound is akin to bands like YAGE, I, ROBOT, and HOPESFALL, to these ears they have more to do with bands like old KATATONIA, OCTOBER TIDE, OPETH, and AGALLOCH.
March 28, 2004 — But If What He’ll What Ant is a rudimentary collection of anti-music that is far beyond comprehension, which makes it both intellectually stimulating and nausea-inducing. ESPECIALLY LIKELY SLOTH is Jason Walton (SCULPTURED, AGALLOCH) under the musical misdirection of Chris Cobb, a mentally handicapped eight year old boy.
March 24, 2004 — GRIP INC. have been MIA for a while now but few have seemed to notice. While they made a big splash onto the scene in 1995 as drummer Dave Lombardo’s post-SLAYER musical monster, they failed to put a serious stamp on the metal world, hovering somewhere around SACRED REICH-echelon metal.
March 23, 2004 — After three years of relentless touring for their breakthrough album, Determination, GOD FORBID is back with their long-awaited follow up, Gone Forever. “Force-Fed” opens it up with the band’s trademark combination of odd dissonant riffs, crushing breakdowns, and catchy guitar harmonies.
March 23, 2004 — Offering up their usual bag of Euro-flavored power metal, American power metal heroes ICED EARTH have made their return with The Glorious Burden, a powerful new album wrapped in 9/11-influenced patriotism and first to feature new voice Tim “The Ripper” Owens.
March 18, 2004 — Throw DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, CRYPTOPSY, and NEUROSIS in an industrial-sized blender with some secret sauce and you get Canada’s THE END. This band is not to be confused with other overblown and overhyped brutal math metal acts (i.
March 6, 2004 — BREAK THE SILENCE may be a young band but there is nothing amateurish about their full length debut, Near Life Experience. The band has nailed down a distinct sound with their fusion of melodic punk and the razor sharp delivery of metal.
March 4, 2004 — PREMONITIONS OF WAR first made a name for themselves with two blistering EP’s that combined catchy breakdowns with the relentless speed of grindcore. Now, as the lines between hardcore and metal continue to blur, the band is set to capture new fans with their Victory debut, Left in Kowloon.
March 1, 2004 — Two words: low budget. Having a wolf lick your crotch would probably be more exciting than watching this flick. All thanks to a rather feeble storyline (about one man’s inner demons…err wolves) and doubly weak execution.
February 28, 2004 — REMEMBERING NEVER have written one of the most pissed off albums in recent memory. For the most part, the album is a reactionary stance against the teenie bopper-isms and other superficialities that have become prevalent in the U.
February 27, 2004 — DISCORDANCE AXIS is the next logical step for those who’ve been weaned on grind staples such as CARCASS, BRUTAL TRUTH, and ASSUCK. Jouhou may not have had the far reaching impact as an album such as Harmony Corruption but damn it, it’s a bonafide classic.
February 26, 2004 — Despite the rather odd name for an extreme metal band, DISIPLIN do in fact play by the rules. Fortunately this isn’t a bad thing cause in this game, the rules are ugly.
February 19, 2004 — Don’t dismiss DEVILDRIVER simply because of frontman Dez Fafara’s previous band (COAL CHAMBER). DEVILDRIVER’s debut is everything you did and didn’t expect. The fivesome serve up a mixed bag of metal that spans everything from black metal (CRADLE OF FILTH) to death metal (FEAR FACTORY, SEPULTURA) and even classic heavy metal (DANZIG, PANTERA) in an Ozzfest-friendly package (insert any Roadrunner Records band).
February 19, 2004 — Irradiant is a punishing album reminiscent of a more exciting version of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD. Yeah you heard right. No disrespect to the man (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD’s Devin Townsend) but SCARVE lay down a fresh metallic attack with a ball-bustin’ attitude (much like SOILWORK when they bursted onto the scene with their second album The Chainheart Machine).
February 14, 2004 — Who knew FOO FIGHTERS frontman/ex-NIRVANA drummer, Dave Grohl, was such a huge underground metalhead? Just to give a little background, Grohl came up with the idea to have his favorite classic metal vocalists sing on the collection of metal songs that he’s been writing for years.
February 14, 2004 — Without a doubt, ZAO are one of the most respected bands in underground extreme music. Few (Christian) bands have been able to crossover to a wider, nonsecular underground audience as they have done.
January 28, 2004 — Specializing in gore-inspired deathgrind, London’s appropriately named GOREROTTED offer nearly half an hour of tight, catchy death metal in the vein of CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE, and MACABRE with some REPULSION thrown in for good measure.
January 23, 2004 — Blood/Reign Forever World is not VADER’s new album, but rather a compilation of the band’s two most recent EP’s on one disc featuring nearly an hour of previously unreleased (in America) material, cover songs, and some live tracks.
January 15, 2004 — Great songs often emerge from deep emotions…love, hate, hope, etc. ANATHEMA, conversely, are the kings of crafting songs that are virtually capable of drawing out such emotions from the listener…particularly emotions of pain and despair.
January 13, 2004 — I know that I’m not alone when I say that SNAPCASE’s last album, End Transmission, was one of the best albums to come out of the hardcore scene in recent memory.
January 11, 2004 — Hardcore renegades MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD make their return with a controversial release, embodied in the ferocious but brief Our Lady of Annihilation. If nothing else, the New York City-based outfit are bound to get attention, negative or otherwise, for their daring cover art depiction, as the actual music here lacks structure and a feel of completion.
January 8, 2004 — Despite having been together for only two years, MISERY INDEX have already made a name for themselves by not only having two former members of DYING FETUS but also by having released a self-financed EP, two splits CDs, two national tours and line-up changes of their own.
January 6, 2004 — Emerging from Studio Fredman and with the help of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, DIMMU BORGIR charge horns-up back into the metal scene with Death Cult Armageddon.
December 24, 2003 — In celebration of the band’s two decades of existence, the long-awaited box set has finally arrived, delivering the definitive collection of one of metal’s most important and influential acts.
December 23, 2003 — The towering doom metal riff that opens Subject To Change Without Notice lay the bedrock for the sonic chaos that is to follow. Call it “math metal,” call it “noise rock,” call it whatever you want but the fact is KEELHAUL have written one kick ass record.
December 11, 2003 — Emerging from the increasingly-cluttered realm of Orange County’s hardcore scene, BLEEDING THROUGH have savagely gouged the competition with This is Love, This is Murderous, a dangerously heavy and visceral new album.
December 11, 2003 — When Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee tell stories, people listen! And that is exactly what makes MÖTLEY CRÜE’s Greatest Video Hits an enjoyable DVD to watch.
November 29, 2003 — DREAM THEATER’s masterpiece Metropolis II: Scenes From a Memory was their first with keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Reinvigorated, the band clearly crafted one of their best albums.
November 25, 2003 — With the release of their Solid State debut, Suffering the Loss, this metalcore quintet pulls no punches and delivers the goods. The record punches the listener square in the face from the first few notes of opening track “State of Mind,” one of the best cuts here, and simply does not let up from that point on.
November 22, 2003 — KING DIAMOND continues to shine brighter than most of the classic heavy metal bands that are still around today. The Puppet Master is yet another strong addition to KING DIAMOND’s body of work.
November 22, 2003 — KRISIUN has been delivering grinding death metal for well over a decade now. Many fans and critics were somewhat disapointed with the band’s last record, Ageless Venomous, particularly in the production department.
November 22, 2003 — LIFE OF AGONY first made their mark on the scene back in ‘93 with the release of their debut, River Runs Red, a dark urban concept album about the final week in a suicidal man’s life.
November 22, 2003 — MURDER WEAPON’s Nervous Wreck is a quickie seven song EP at just over ten minutes in length. But despite their limited space, the band wastes no time beating and battering the listener into submission with their dark urban tales of betrayal and deceit.
November 22, 2003 — THE CROWN’s last record, Crowned In Terror, was supposed to be the album that was to take the band to the top with former AT THE GATES frontman, Tomas Lindberg, in tow.
November 17, 2003 — Why BELOVED hasn’t blown up in the underground scene yet is a difficult fact to understand. The powerful melodic hardcore found on their Solid State debut, Failure On, explodes and crescendos with more fury and precision than most bands can muster out in three or four albums.
November 13, 2003 — HATEBREED’s hasty release of this album, following just a year and a half after 2002’s Perseverance, could easily raise some concerns about the amount of time put into the making of the record.
November 13, 2003 — Solid State Records’ own STRETCH ARM STRONG comes back with their third album, the energetic and concise Engage. While the band have always seemed to dabble around between genres, throwing in elements of punk, hardcore and even hip-hop throughout their music, Engage primarily sticks to an old school hardcore feel, a la SICK OF IT ALL.
November 12, 2003 — Las Vegas’ CURL UP AND DIE have begun their evolution from being your standard math metal band to a band with a more distinguishing sound with But The Past Ain’t Through With Us.
November 9, 2003 — Grindcore has always been an art form attempted by few and mastered by even fewer. DISCORDANCE AXIS should be considered to be one of these few masters of grindcore right alongside early NAPALM DEATH and CARCASS.
November 5, 2003 — After much anticipation, the second FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES is finally here. For all intents and purposes, the band has delivered the excellent album that fans have been waiting for.
October 29, 2003 — One of the most brutal bands out of New York break their five year silence with Condemned To Suffer. With their combination of brutal 80’s thrash metal (SLAYER, KREATOR, NUCLEAR ASSAULT) and old school New York hardcore sound of the CRO-MAGS, these guys specialize in playing the classic definition of “crossover.
October 28, 2003 — Attila Csihar, most notable for lending his trollish voice on MAYHEM’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, has been given the “best of” treatment in the form of The Beast of Attila Csihar.
October 25, 2003 — Describing BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME as a “metalcore” band would be the biggest mistake you can make. This is a full-fledged metal band, a technical death metal band to be exact.
October 24, 2003 — There are tons of very cool hardcore albums coming out all the time but there are some that just have that special something that the rest don’t have.
October 22, 2003 — In Los Angeles, the local talent is not much to write about. Most of the bands are either third rate and/or generic-as-fuck. But ANUBIS RISING is an exception.
October 22, 2003 — Don’t let the junior-SLIPKNOT imagery fool you; MUSHROOMHEAD’s music is more akin to Euro-prog metal than your typical Ozzfest second stage act. Melodic progressions, subtle keyboard overtones (a la Devin Townsend’s OCEAN MACHINE), and vibrato-laden singing are the order of the day.
October 14, 2003 — The godfathers of modern day metalcore have returned to take back their throne. The driving tempos, beefy riffs, breakdowns, and brutality that fans have come to expect from INTEGRITY are all here.
October 13, 2003 — EYES OF FIRE has in its ranks former members of MINDROT, PHOBIA, and DYSTOPIA. While some of these influences bleed through in the songs, EYES OF FIRE is very much their own entity as the band’s debut EP, Disintegrate, clearly demonstrates.
October 11, 2003 — Known for their speed, thrash and old-school metal stylings, ARCH ENEMY again make it come together seamlessly on their latest effort, Anthems of Rebellion. The fury of the Mike and Chris Amott guitar duo again roars with such power, as opening track “Silent Wars” wants to make sure everyone understands.
October 11, 2003 — The Promise may not be one of the better-known underground records out there but the folks at Deathwish Inc. are determined to change that with this reissue.
October 11, 2003 — Before We Spark’s opening track, “Rotting On The Vine,” kicks things off with some catchy, rockin’ riffs and beats that reminded me of an infectious mix of CAVE IN, THE FOO FIGHTERS and ONLY LIVING WITNESS.
October 10, 2003 — THE AGONY SCENE’s self-titled album is a hotshot metal album laced together with blazing guitars and riffing that’s both destructive and melodic. The AT THE GATES worship is remarkably obvious with the melodic Swedish-metal riffing and one-two-one-two drum attack, yet this vicious army give it a modern-day kick in the ass falling somewhere between AS I LAY DYING and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.
September 28, 2003 — Plagued by seemingly endless delays in production and release dates for the better part of the last three years, SPINESHANK have at long last released their third and most developed album, Self-Destructive Pattern.
September 26, 2003 — It’s been two years since ZYKLON’s World Ov Worms blazed onto the scene with its potent mixture of black, death, and industrial metal. Aeon, the band’s latest, sees them refining the elements of their debut while exploring new grooves, tempos, and influences while simultaneously sounding thicker and heavier than its predecessor.
September 25, 2003 — Ghouls of Grandeur is a monstrous killing machine of a debut record. Comprised of members of IMMORTAL and DERIDE, Norway’s GRIMFIST thankfully do not sound like “another side project band.
September 20, 2003 — DISFEAR is a thundering, diesel-burning crust rock outfit, not too dissimilar to one of vocalist Tomas Lindberg’s other bands SKITSYSTEM, and Misanthropic Generation, the long-awaited full-length from these Swedish punks, does not disappoint.
September 18, 2003 — Roorback is the third Derrick Green-era album from Brazilian legends SEPULTURA. Perhaps their most explicitly political work to date, SEPULTURA cover a wide spectrum of socially conscious themes from political corruption to social control.
September 17, 2003 — The Netherlands’ RAZOR CRUSADE make a fine entrance with their debut release, Are You Wired? The band kick out a more “modern” hardcore style in the vein of SNAPCASE, QUICKSAND, and dash of CAVE IN.
September 15, 2003 — Nine years after their cult debut album, Demonication (The Manifest), LUCIFERION emerge from the depths to give the death metal world an injection of vitality. The band is composed of an all-star Swedish line-up.
September 7, 2003 — AVENGED SEVENFOLD are undoubtedly one of the hottest buzz bands in the scene right now. They’ve returned with a new album, Waking the Fallen, which proves that there is certainly substance to back up the hype.
September 1, 2003 — VIRGIN BLACK picks up where the classic sound of UK doom metal (i.e. MY DYING BRIDE and PARADISE LOST) left off. However, the band puts their own spin on it with the incorporation of a variety of classical influences and a unique dramatic delivery.
August 27, 2003 — 16 has undergone even more line-up changes, label changes, and adversity through the last six years since we last heard an album from them (not counting rarities compilation, Scott Case).
August 27, 2003 — Easily their best (and arguably most diverse) work since 1998’s Themes from William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, ULVER latest fix is finally a return to that which is not boring wallpaper music.
August 26, 2003 — It’s always a great to surprise to get blown away by an album and a band that you have never heard of. ???? ????? ??? ?
August 22, 2003 — After a few line-up changes and a quick switch in labels, SETHERIAL are back to settle the score with anyone and everyone that stands in their way.
August 19, 2003 — Spirals is the latest album from Connecticut’s BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED. While there are some of you out there that only know of Howard Jones as the new singer for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, Spirals nonetheless serves as an excellent introduction to the singer’s other long-standing musical entity.
August 11, 2003 — SPITALFIELD was originally a side-project formed in the Windy City put together by members of various local hardcore bands that wanted to explore the “sensitive” side of things back in 1998.
August 8, 2003 — The follow up to last year’s Savior comes quicker than expected from this highly talented band. ANTIMATTER have crafted a powerfully rich and haunting album of ambient dark rock.
August 4, 2003 — Following the demise of AT THE GATES, Tomas Lindberg’s eventual resurfacing in a host of bands invoked such a buzz of excitement that unfortunately, most of the records never lived up to the hype.
July 31, 2003 — The true kings of Norway have done it again. While there are plenty of bands rehashing the same tired ideas over and over again, ENSLAVED is not one of them.
July 30, 2003 — Something To Lust About serves as a precursor to SCARLET’s upcoming full length, Cult Classic. If this EP is anything indication of things to come, then SCARLET are definitely a band to look out for.
July 26, 2003 — The Swedish melodic death metal movement started almost a decade ago. Most of the bands from that scene have either musically progressed or broken up. CALLENDISH CIRCLE is however, a band that has yet to progress.
July 26, 2003 — MORTICIAN is just one of those bands that keeps on truckin’ regardless if anyone cares to hear them or not. They are undoubtedly the kings of horror-inspired grinding death metal.
July 14, 2003 — AT THE DRIVE-IN’s untimely demise was not much of a loss at all. In fact, some (including myself) would argue that the break-up has given us something far more special in THE MARS VOLTA.
July 13, 2003 — It is often said that a band’s third album should be the very epitome and focal point of what they aspire to be. It should contain all the ingredients from their former releases, combined with a newfound maturity that launches them from “good” to “outstanding.
July 12, 2003 — When Ozzy Osbourne introduced the world to the then unknown Zakk Wylde in 1988, many were skeptical as to whether or not he could fill the shoes of his legendary predecessors, Randy Rhoades and Jake E.
July 10, 2003 — Prior to recording KATATONIA’s sixth album, guitarist Anders Nystrom said that the band’s new material would be heading into darker, heavier territory. And while nothing on Viva Emptiness rivals the decrepit misery of the band’s debut, Dance of the December Souls, it nonetheless has some of the darkest, most complex material the band has ever written in their twelve year career.
July 8, 2003 — BLAZING ETERNITY’s new album is marks a huge progression of the band’s sound. Their last record, Times and Unknown Waters, was a melodic death/doom record that easily rivaled KATATONIA’s masterpiece, Brave Murder Day.
July 7, 2003 — While many bands in today’s metal scene tend to sacrifice the rawness of their sound in lieu of commercial success and radio play, NEVERMORE seem to be on an opposite trend.
July 6, 2003 — The prolific mastermind Devin Townsend has just cooked up yet another great solo record. Recorded at the same time as STRAPPING YOUNG LAD’s SYL, Accelerated Evolution can best be described as an album forging some new ground for Devin while simultaneously containing elements from his previous solo records (Ocean Machine, Infinity, Terria).
June 30, 2003 — Don’t let the trendy sounding album title fool you, Sweden’s GENEROUS MAFIA are a lot better than the average stoner rock band. The band has written an impressive album of 60’s/70’s inspired rock.
June 22, 2003 — SOILWORK’s latest unfortunately isn’t their greatest, but rest assured Figure Number Five will still tear you yet another new asshole! Their brand of in-your-face Swedish metal is as streamlined as ever but is still chock-full of hooks and melodies that would bring a smile to your grandmother’s face (of course while tearing her a new one too).
June 18, 2003 — D.R.I. are undoubtedly one of the most important bands in the history and evolution of extreme music. The nice people at Beer City Records have reissued the band’s classic 1985 album, Dealing With It, with a ton of bonus of tracks.
June 17, 2003 — GORGOROTH doesn’t fuck around. When lead singer Gaahl was ordered to stay put pending trial for assault and battery, he went ahead and performed at 2001’s Milwaukee Metal Fest rather than disappoint the fans.
June 16, 2003 — While it seems that 80% of the east coast hardcore scene has recently jumped on the Gothenburg bandwagon, Virginia’s DARKEST HOUR have been delivering their own brand of Swedish-influenced thrash since ‘95.
June 9, 2003 — With their distinctly American sound, CHARGER sound like a band born in the swamps of Louisiana’s bayou; however, they hail from the good old UK. CHARGER have all the components to be a doom band, down-tuned riffs, tortured vocals, plenty of guitar feedback, and a rough album production.
June 6, 2003 — Last last year, OPETH released Deliverance, what was widely described as their finest achievement to date. The news of a “second half” to the album spread fast, and kept fans in high anticipation for the promised follow-up, Damnation.
June 5, 2003 — Please check your preconceived notions in with your flight attendant because PASSENGER will take you on a ride you had no idea you were taking. Of course whether you enjoy the ride is ultimately up to you and your ears.
June 5, 2003 — To celebrate ULVER’s 10 years of metamorphosis, mainman, Trickster G has assembled a line-up of some well-known IDM artists to remix ULVER songs. This release is certainly in line with the eclectic and intriguing nature of “an ULVER record.
June 4, 2003 — The rising stars of the metal underworld are back with a spine-crushing second album, As the Palaces Burn. While many bands have softened their sound in a quickly evolving trend in the hard music scene today, LAMB OF GOD seems to have thickened theirs into something more ferocious than a starving pit bull in a room full of wounded squirrels.
May 28, 2003 — TOADLIQUOR specializes in agonizing, beyond slow doom metal delivered at a snail’s pace. Over the course of the generous seventy-two minute album, TOADLIQUOR unleashes riff after droning riff with some of the most sluggish, drunken drumming not heard since GRIEF’s classic Dismal album.
May 23, 2003 — Out of Tulsa, Oklahoma comes THIRTY CALLED ARSON. The band are young juggernaut of chaotic dissonant hardcore. Throw in the dissonant guitar wailings of BOTCH, the chaotic frenzy of CONVERGE, and the unique sense of timing of MESHUGGAH together and you’ve got THIRTY CALLED ARSON.
May 22, 2003 — DARKTHRONE will always lurk the same forests, in the same black-and-white fantasy, with the same soundtrack of cold, grim, first-generation Norwegian Black Metal, that you’ll never have to second guess them.
May 17, 2003 — What can be said about the incomparable CONVERGE? They have been pioneers in the underground extreme music scene for over eleven years. Unloved and Weeded Out is a collection of the band’s early out-of-print, unreleased, demos, and live tracks.
May 15, 2003 — GOD DETHRONED has been delivering their own brand of extreme speed metal for twelve years now. Although GOD DETHRONED’s early work was somewhat dull, the band finally hit their stride with the release of the albums, Bloody Blasphemy and Ravenous, both of which combined death, black and thrash metal in to one volatile package.
May 13, 2003 — Several months after the release of Henry Rollins’ Rise Above, Initial Records releases this tribute album featuring some of the biggest names and up-and-comers in contemporary hardcore.
May 8, 2003 — The much-hailed LUDDITE CLONE exploded onto the scene just as quickly as they broke up. One second you were buying their debut EP, the next second they go the way of the Diplodicus.
May 6, 2003 — Having almost single-handedly (not to mention blindly) shattered the extreme metal paradigm with the recruiting of songstress, Anneke van Giersbergen back in 1994, THE GATHERING set the groundwork for the LACUNA COILs and EVANESCENCEs of the world.
May 6, 2003 — TURBONEGRO’s Apocalypse Dudes was like Michael Jordan’s game-winning, last shot (as a Chicago Bull) against the Utah Jazz. Both the perfect swansong and lasting legacy of greatness.
May 3, 2003 — With just an obscure EP to their name, Norway’s 1349 make their full-length debut with Liberation. 1349 are not about overly complicated song structures, melodies, or diplomacy.
April 30, 2003 — Poland’s YATTERING have been around since ‘96 and while the band’s earlier material displayed a strong VADER influence, (drummer, Zabek even filled in for Doc on one of VADER’s tours) YATTERING’s latest, Genocide, sees the band striking out on their own by incorporating a host of new influences and ideas.
April 22, 2003 — DRUNK HORSE is the probably the biggest living anachronism in the rock world. They sound like a rock band that was transported into the present from the late 60’s/early 70’s.
April 21, 2003 — MAXMILLION is a three-piece from San Diego that reunites Bobby Ferry and Jason Corley, both former members of L.A.’s doomcore specialists, 16. Musically, the band doesn’t stray far from the crusty FUDGE TUNNEL meets HELMET sound perfected by Ferry’s former outfit.
April 19, 2003 — Once upon a time in the 80’s, people weren’t so divided as to what kinds of metal they listened to. A fan of SLAYER was most likely also a fan of MAIDEN.
April 9, 2003 — NAIL WITHIN features members of some of Israel’s top underground acts, such as BETRAYER, AZAZEL, and SALEM. And based on the conviction delivered on their self-titled debut, the band seems hell-bent on putting Israel on the map as a new birthplace for quality thrash.
April 6, 2003 — Rise Pantheon Dreams is a “best of” compilation from THE BLOOD DIVINE’s two albums along with some exclusive tracks. They are most notable for being comprised of the original vocalist for ANATHEMA, Darren White, and three original members of CRADLE OF FILTH, Paul Ryan, Paul Allender, and Ben Ryan.
April 5, 2003 — Brooklyn’s INHUMAN have been playing heavy hardcore before this huge wave of metalcore bands hit the scene in the last few years. Black Reign is a sign that NYC hardcore is alive and well.
April 2, 2003 — It’s no surprise that the UK’s CRADLE OF FILTH were destined for major label-dom. Having already amassed a legion of fans from the underground to your neighborhood mall, CRADLE OF FILTH have always been poised to join MARILYN MANSON atop his shock-rock throne.
April 2, 2003 — Scattered Ashes is a two-disc anthology featuring twenty-seven songs. The first disc (the black disc) contains thirteen songs which cover the band’s entire career from the driving opener, “Curse Ye All Men!
April 2, 2003 — Before Norway’s TURBONEGRO became rock ‘n roll gods, they were a straight up death punk band. Burning Heart/Epitaph Records have thankfully reissued the band’s third album, Ass Cobra.
March 27, 2003 — While most stoner/heavy rock bands tend to want to focus on what they know, (getting stoned, boozing it up, and rocking out) New Hampshire’s SCISSORFIGHT have chosen a more unconventional route by writing about urban legends and redneck folklore, all of which serve as a backdrop to their catchy, undeniably rocking, steady grooving songs.
March 26, 2003 — We Sing the Body Electric is the sound of a hungry band, a band that wants to play the highest quality music. The album is a good balance of the heaviest and melodic elements of hardcore/metalcore sprinkled with a pinch of indie rock.
March 20, 2003 — After coming off of a great split CD with LEECHMILK, SOFA KING KILLER release this nice little EP to tide fans over until their next full length album.
March 15, 2003 — Distinctly punk yet shimmering with rock and roll flamboyance, TURBONEGRO’s Apocalypse Dudes is a timeless classic that, with the assistance of this more widely distributed reissue, arguably deserves to rank atop the list of greatest rock albums ever.
March 13, 2003 — These newcomers from Northern Cali make their full-length debut with …And Don’t Forget to Breathe. Like many of their contemporary-hardcore peers, A STATIC LULLABY meld together hardcore, emo, and indie rock minus the melodic Swedish death metal riff-offs.
March 13, 2003 — UNEARTHLY INFERNUM hails from Brazil, and instead of sounding like one of the many countless SEPULTURA or KRISIUN clones, the band has chosen to follow in the footsteps of fellow countrymen SARCOPHAGO and MURDER RAPE.
March 9, 2003 — While one should generally expect the unexpected from ULVER, Lyckantropen Themes is actually not far off the mark from the band’s recent works. Lyckantropen Themes continues along the lines of ULVER’s minimalist ambient muzak stylings exemplified by their previous two EPs, Silence Teaches You How to Sing and Silencing the Singing.
March 7, 2003 — Deadlands is the Norwegian quintet’s third album and their first album to see a proper U.S. release. Over their ten year existence, MADDER MORTEM have succeeded where many bands have failed by releasing three albums that bear little resemblance to each other (or anyone else for that matter) and that truly create something original.
March 6, 2003 — With the release of Panzer Division Marduk back in 1999, this Swedish four-piece set new standards of extremity by pushing the genre as far as possible in terms of speed and aggression.
March 3, 2003 — The mad scientist and his able cohorts are back, and the bunch have cooked up some new treats in the form of SYL. But how does one top that which is over-the-top?
March 2, 2003 — Well-executed dissonant rock is one of the more difficult disciplines to conquer. These bunny-obsessed ruffians from Washington State crank out a unique hybrid of heavy-handed metallic hardcore rock.
February 20, 2003 — Order of the Leech continues where the critically acclaimed “comeback” record, Enemy of the Music Business left off. This time, the aggression is even more rabid and scathing.
February 13, 2003 — DEFLESHED have been kicking out their own brand of blackened thrash for well over a decade now, and with the release of Royal Straight Flesh, the underrated three-piece may finally be headed for a much overdue breakthrough.
February 7, 2003 — The artist formerly known as Ihriel (a.k.a. Heidi S. Tveitan) resurfaces anew in the form of STAR OF ASH and convincingly shatters her ho-hum PECCATUM efforts.
February 5, 2003 — Versus the World sees AMON AMARTH once again revisiting familiar waters. You can expect to hear their trademark brand of Swedish death metal with Viking and mythological themes.
February 1, 2003 — Deliverance, OPETH’s sixth album, sees the band incorporate more death metal influences than their previous work, Blackwater Park, resulting in their heaviest album yet. “Wreath” opens it up immediately with flurries of double-bass drumming and the hard-hitting fills of Martin Lopez, who hasn’t given his drums a beating this hard since his work on Once Sent From The Golden Hall.
January 29, 2003 — Dan Swano’s NIGHTINGALE return with the fourth chapter in the NIGHTINGALE saga. Alive Again is simply a great album of diverse progressive heavy rock/metal. One thing that fans of his more extreme metal projects should note is that this is not an extreme metal record in any sense.
January 20, 2003 — After a short break following last year’s impressive Believe in Nothing, U.K. goth-rock champs, PARADISE LOST, return with their eighth studio offering, Symbol of Life. Picking up right where Believe in Nothing left off, Symbol of Life employs the use of keyboard-laden grooves on top of the band’s heavy riffs, making the result something that will be just as popular on the dance floor as it will in the mosh pit.
January 19, 2003 — There’s just a great feeling when you hear an album filled with catchy hooks. And you know you just gotta keep listening to it. JESUSEATER wield the power of the hook with ease.
January 5, 2003 — Europe’s REACHING FORWARD may not be a well-known name, but this release may change things. The album brings together their For the Cause LP, ENSIGN split 7”, BLOODPACT split 7”, Pride is Everlasting 7”, and a live performance.
December 23, 2002 — These are probably the darkest, most miserable, schizophrenic, suicidal sounds you’re most likely to find. Consisting of two generous seventy-two minute CDs, Sadness will Prevail begins with the “X” side.
December 20, 2002 — Having all the right intentions to craft extreme music for the sake of making violent, ugly music, Blasphemer and Hellhammer unfortunately come up empty. Weltherrschaft is cold and mechanical but mostly feeble.
December 19, 2002 — The VIIth Coming is a huge sigh of relief! Anyone who heard CATHEDRAL’s last album, Endtyme, was probably left wondering why they bothered recording an album of long, slow, boring crap (especially having previously released their best and most ambitious album to date, Caravan Beyond Redemption).
December 18, 2002 — Only a year after their debut album and recorded only a month after two of its members completed work on VADER’s Revelations, DIES IRAE return with their latest offering, The Sin War.
December 18, 2002 — After a three year absence, HATE ETERNAL is back with their latest assault, King of All Kings. From the opening blasts of the title track to the bizarre, dissonant riffing of the album’s closer, “Powers That Be”, the band wastes no time, hitting as hard and as fast as possible, giving the listener little time to let anything sink in.
December 18, 2002 — After a four year vacation, MESHUGGAH returns with their long-awaited follow-up, Nothing. Apparently the band wanted to try playing everything on bass. But instead they decided to record the album with eight string guitars (becoming the first metal band to do so), resulting in the their heaviest record to date.
December 17, 2002 — Live in the Devil’s Triangle chronicles the September 6th gig in the band’s backyard of El Paso, TX. This album marks the debut of new singer, Andre Acosta whose vocal delivery bears a strong resemblance to SOULFLY’s Max Cavalera.
December 3, 2002 — LACUNA COIL has always been one of those bands that’ve hovered under the radar. But with the release of Comalies, many folks will be kicking themselves in the ass for not unearthing the gem that is LACUNA COIL.
December 1, 2002 — In the last couple years, the underground metal scene has seen a ton of Scandinavian copycat bands emerge from the US. Most of these bands have been awful renditions of the early Norwegian black metal scene and Swedish Gothenburg scene.
November 27, 2002 — CREMATORIUM has been flying the flag for L.A. metal for well over a decade now, playing with acts as diverse as SUFFOCATION, CANDIRIA, MAYHEM, and KREATOR.
November 17, 2002 — It’s been three years since the last SATYRICON album and since then, the band has toured with PANTERA and signed with Capitol (at least for Scandinavia).
November 13, 2002 — Not being a fan of emo at all, it took me a while to get into Terraforming due to its influence here (mainly in the vocal department).
November 11, 2002 — Death Metal veterans, IMMOLATION have written the death metal record of the year. The album begins with the fading in of foreboding guitar wails and then the roar of the band crashes in.
November 8, 2002 — Although this has been released at least seven times(mostly in double-vinyl format), Space Ritual Sundown V.2 returns once again, this time as a CD. The album chronicles their ‘72 Brixton gig.
November 8, 2002 — To think, I never would have heard of OTEP if not for the continuous whining and belly-aching from a co-worker of mine who has some absurd story about how OTEP stole his career.
October 21, 2002 — As the very whiteness of Saviour’s artwork suggests, ANTIMATTER is an empty canvas utilized by Duncan Patterson (former ANATHEMA bassist) to dabble his otherworldly ideas not bounded by the limitations of all things metal; however, one may find the white theme misleading as Saviour is, from the very onset, dark and haunting.
October 16, 2002 — While I’m not a big fan of live albums, (essentially, if you’re a fan, you pretty much own all the stuff performed, so it’s basically like buying shit you already own), BLACK SABBATH is a different story.
October 14, 2002 — An Anthology of Dead Ends is unfortunately, the swansong of noisecore legends, BOTCH. But the band goes out with a bang on this EP. For those who don’t know what they sound like, imagine a fusion of the heaviness and rawness of metal and hardcore combined with dissonant riffing and emotional atmospherics.
October 14, 2002 — Rising-star underground metal kings SHADOWS FALL have released their third full-length, The Art of Balance, and one listen to this bad boy will send you back to the good old days - before this endless wave of cookie-cutter nu-metal bands was anywhere near a reality.
October 9, 2002 — After a two year absence, everyone’s favorite Egyptian-themed death metal band from South Carolina is back with In Their Darkened Shrines. The band’s opening is strong with the one-two punch of “The Blessed Dead” and “Execration Text,” both of which deliver a relentless attack not unlike former tourmates, KRISIUN.
October 2, 2002 — SOURVEIN make their Southern Lord Records debut in style. This is true doom - heavy, ugly, and honest. SOURVEIN specialize in the punk rock-inspired doom sludge that has made bands like EYEHATEGOD and SLEEP, legends in the underground.
September 25, 2002 — Reroute to Remain is aggressive, dynamic, and clearly IN FLAMES’ most ambitious album since their Jester days. The Swedes score huge points for attempting to develop their sound and songwriting approach (taking a cue from SOILWORK).
September 21, 2002 — The grossly underrated and unique entity known as …AND OCEANS return with a new album. The band fuse black metal with industrial/electronica elements into a futuristic and violent sound.
September 21, 2002 — Jersey’s DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN have always had god-like musical abilities. But their latest, a collaboration with the always-eccentric Mike Patton, sees their songwriting craft elevated into a realm most simpletons cannot comprehend.
September 18, 2002 — Finally, two bands from California that sound unlike any number of trendy, one-hit wonders currently flooding the scene. The first half belongs to ANUBIS RISING. Their first song “Infinite Self-Perpetuation” combines elements of everything from European doom metal, progressive rock, hardcore to psychedelic rock- all with alternating death & black metal vocals.
September 11, 2002 — I Luciferi is touted as the true return to form for DANZIG. Rock purists will be happy to note that there are no industrial influences present on this album.
September 4, 2002 — What can you say about easily the most influential and important album in the history of the Gothenburg metal scene? I’m not sure if the band themselves had any idea of the impact this album would have on the metal underground.
August 26, 2002 — AGALLOCH have sculpted a beautiful piece of art with The Mantle. They are an anomaly of sorts in the fact that they are one of the very few US bands to play this style of metal.
August 25, 2002 — “U Chosen Few” opens up ELECTRIC WIZARD’s latest album with some ear-piercing feedback and the droning, crushing riffs we’ve come to expect from the band, before kicking in with “We the Undead” which sounds oddly enough like Tony Iommi covering surf music or a really evil version of THE FUCKING CHAMPS.
August 22, 2002 — Grindcore has never been a genre that has been guilty of being oversaturated with bands. Fortunately, there are a handful of very cool grind bands out there such as LOCK UP.
August 18, 2002 — Damage Done is very much an extension of DARK TRANQUILLITY’s previous album, Haven. This time around however, their songwriting is a lot more adventurous and far more aggressive, utilizing more varied song structures (like the breakbeat-like exercise in the middle of “Monochromatic Stains”).
August 9, 2002 — The in-your-face thrash attack otherwise known at TERROR 2000 came out swinging with their promising first album, Slaughterhouse Supremacy. Unfortunately, their follow-up Faster Disaster is almost just that…a near disaster.
August 8, 2002 — After a brief intro, DIABOLICAL’s second album, A Thousand Deaths, kicks in full-throttle with “Children of the Mushroom Cloud.” From there, the band refuses to let up, shredding & thrashing their way through the album’s remaining seven songs as if 1986 never ended.
July 30, 2002 — Although the band’s name may conjure up images of some shitty, half-assed gutteral death metal band trying to shock us with their bootleg CANNIBAL CORPSE-riffs, VOMITORY instead offer up an aggressive, no bullshit affair that re-educates the listener on what Swedish death metal is all about.
July 25, 2002 — After five long years of waiting, the new album is finally here. Much has changed with the band since their avant-garde masterpiece, La Masquerade Infernale. The band no longer features the talents of Simen Hestnaes aka ICS Vortex (vocals/songwriting contribution) and Carl August Tidemann (lead guitars).
July 25, 2002 — Ten Horns-Ten Diadems compiles eight tracks selected from the band’s substantial catalog in celebration of the band’s (you guessed it) 10 years of existence. With so much material to choose from, it’s impossible to pick the right songs to satisfy every fan.
July 23, 2002 — When I received this cd in the mail, I was very skeptical. Virtually every old school punk band that has attempted a comeback or comebacks, have failed miserably.
July 23, 2002 — Probably the fastest, heaviest album Sanctuary Records has released thus far comes from SJR. Written over an 8 year period (when the members had time off from their main bands), Use Once & Destroy delivers 16 tracks that range from early black metal, thrash, punk, crust, grind, southern rock to doom - often in the course of one song.
July 17, 2002 — VADER does it again with Revelations. They have delivered another kick ass record. Revelations is an exercise in precise, intense death metal. The band puts on a virtual clinic for extreme metal musicianship.
July 8, 2002 — Having been relatively unimpressed by GREEN CARNATION’s debut, Journey to the End of the Night, I didn’t expect much with this second album. But upon listening to it, I was very surprised.
July 7, 2002 — KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have crafted the album that all their peers are still striving to make. Equipped with a heavy PANTERA stomp and interlaced with syncopated swedish metal riffing, Alive or Just Breathing is metal at its core.
July 5, 2002 — Once a forward-thinking musical collective, PITCHSHIFTER (along with GODFLESH and FEAR FACTORY) helped carve out a space for future generations of music makers. Fusing electronic and industrial with metal was a precursor to the rap/rock and rap/metal movements.
July 5, 2002 — Not all of Norway’s quality bands play black metal. WINDS is a fine example of this. I can only describe this as a unique style of progressive classical metal.
July 2, 2002 — THE GREAT DECEIVER have written one of the best albums of 2002. This is the kind of album that connects with the listener on a deeper level.
July 1, 2002 — Sick Transit Gloria Mundi is a dark, gritty album drawing from the sound only their fellow norsemen can create. I was pleasantly surprised by RED HARVEST’s rather unique flavor of metal.
April 20, 2002 — The MURDERDOLLS are not quite the sum of their parts. Despite having Joey Jordison (SLIPKNOT drummer) and Tripp Eisen (STATIC-X guitarist), the MURDERDOLLS are more of a throwback to 80s glam than a mondo nu-metal summit.