FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
But the album’s triumph for me, without question, is the majestic, heartfelt (hell, almost power-pop!) pageantry of “Don’t Look Back”; its two-note clarion-call intro causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up every time I listen– and the lyrics and vocals propel the song into sheer anthemic glory.
Hellbound’s Kyle Harcott reviews Kylesa’s latest effort, entitled Spiral Shadow, released on Season of Mist.
Despite some jagged rhythms and an unexpected groove Axioma Ethica Odini flows consistently to an abrupt not-quite conclusion, so that finally I’m perplexed but also persuaded that I want to work my way through it all again until I fully understand.
Straight up, Someone Here Is Missing is an excellent album that deserves to be heard by anyone conversant with Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, or Anathema.
(Heaven’s Venom shows) there are still some new ideas in this Canadian northern hyperblast machine that keeps them at the top of the death metal pack
A self-proclaimed “stoner metal” band from San Jose California, the quartet Zed has some of the elements you would expect: fuzz pedals, slow-rolling breakdowns, heavy bottom-end. They also have a crisp, commercial sheen that you could file under modern rock.
The amazing thing about this release is the drastic change from their debut; with some work put in by the listener they will be rewarded with such a intelligent laid back prog masterpiece. This new direction may put off some of the heavier progmetal fans out there but if you are willing to put in the time and this could sit nicely by years end for top ten material.
What is it about black metal, and death metal, guys that makes them want to drop the corpse paint and put on a biker jacket? Black River aren’t the first side project formed by some guys who needed a break from their ‘day job’ band to just rock (see Chrome Division for example) but they certainly have created an album in Black N’ Roll that will get them noticed outside of the usual metal circles they travel in.
Agnes Vein have well steeped themselves in the lore of Blood Fire Death-era Bathory and latter-day Celtic Frost, but at times, the music also hints at the drone and mood of Jesu. There’s also the strong aftertaste of Primordial in the guitar tone. It’s an eclectic mix, but the influences serve them well and Agnes Vein have managed to distill them down into their own secret formula. I highly recommend Duality to anyone whose ears pricked up at any of the aforementioned inspiration.
Make no mistake, this is POWER metal. The songs on At The Edge of Time are arranged with a classical ear, the attention to detail on this album cannot be denied.
Although they aren’t too creative with the written word—all songs are entitled Acts I through VI, and the band name itself is cringe-worthy—Seattle’s Roareth does have something to offer musically with this, their debut album. Take Zoroaster circa Dog Magic, sprinkle in a few non-distorted slow passages a la Neurosis, and a handful of Cisneros bass grooves, and you’ve got a solid 45 minutes of slow-moving sludge.