Pilgrim – Misery Wizard
Misery Wizard is the first full-length release from this Rhode Island trio, though it’s clear from the first note that they’ve taken a few classes at the University of Doom Metal.
Reviews – Audio
Aggressor – Beyond All Reckoning
Beyond All Reckoning is a solid album throughout, and the fact that you can’t completely pin down the sound of Aggressor is exactly what makes them so good. This is an album best experienced beginning to end, though you couldn’t go wrong picking any one track to listen to. For my money, that’s the mark of a great album.
Christian Mistress – Possession
The words “retro” and “throwback” get used a lot when describing music, especially in the rock and metal realm. In the case of Christian Mistress it goes way beyond that, sonically speaking anyway. Every single track on Possession is steeped in classic metal awesomeness.
Wildernessking – The Writing of Gods in the Sand
Ambitious and progressive, razor-raw and unrelenting, the debut from Cape Town’s WILDERNESSKING is passionate and exciting, and I’d daresay an early frontrunner in my book for one of the best of the year.
Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
Alas, I’m not sure that this record is all that different from Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I, but I’m not quite feeling this one as much. I shall have to revisit the original, perhaps.
A Triptych of Death: Horrendous / Ominous Crucifix / Vore
Catching up on some of the late 2011 releases that nearly went under the radar, Craig Haze reviews a triptych of death metal albums, including the latest from Horrendous, Ominous Crucifix and Vore.
Joe Thrasher – Cries of War
Right from the beginning though it is obvious that Joe Thrasher not only want to make you bang your head, they want you to remember these songs for a long time.
Panopticon – Social Disservices
Though it does not quite possess the potent and urgent vibe of Altar of Plagues’ Mammal, Social Disservices takes second place in my personal albums of the year. Hopefully it will receive even more recognition in 2012.
Lagwagon – Duh / Trashed / Hoss / Double Plaidinum / Let’s Talk About Feelings
The first and most obvious question you’re probably asking yourself after seeing that Hellbound is reviewing the Fat Wreck re-issues of the first five albums by these Goleta, California’s melodi-punk heroes is whether or not the version we’re reviewing here is the box-set edition or simply the individual releases reviewed as a collective. I believe what Grand Wizard Palmerston has provided here are the individual releases, seeing as they are strewn across my desk and there’s no box provided that might maintain any amount of order in the slightest…
Oskoreien – s/t
Main musician Jay Valena has crafted a powerful full-length record with many strengths even as it doesn’t often stray far from the sub-genre’s tried-and-true clichés. Its organic, earnest, and perhaps even retro sound lifts its five lengthy tracks above some of the contemporaneous releases of even seasoned veterans of the genre. What it lacks in polish and originality it more than makes up for in terms of epic grandeur. That this self-titled debut is mostly the product of a single individual makes it all the more impressive.