Category Archives: Reviews

Goatwhore – “Vengeful Ascension” (Metal Blade Records) Built on the idea that within negativity there can exist a positive angle comes Goatwhore’s 7th album, fueled by Satan’s casting down from heaven only to rise up and become the ruler of hell! Born themselves out of NOLA’s prestigious scene and veterans of 90s bands like Acid Bath and Soilent Green, Goatwhore are one of those relentless touring bands, and in a decade have made a name for themselves, not in the least due to their music, a dark but catchy blend of black metal, Celtic Frost, Motorhead and of course, that famous … Continue reading

Arcadea – “Arcadea” (Relapse) Oh wow, this is how space rock should sound – hit the warp speed Mr Scott! A funky prog power trio made up of drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor (Mastodon), guitarist/keyboardist Core Atoms (Zruda, Gaylord) and keyboardist/guitarist Raheem Amlani (Withered, Scarab), this self titled debut isn’t some trans dimensional abstract trip through the cosmos, but instead an intense experience through the light fantastic propelled by the incredible music of these space wizards! Appealing as much to techno geeks as possessed hippies, the hyper speed ‘Rings Of Saturn’ blends the amazing keyboard grooves of Amlani which just bounce around your … Continue reading

Mutation III – “Dark Black” (Undergroove) I’ve always wanted to know if there was an alter ego to rough looking guys like Ginger of The Wildhearts. Well, there is ad Mutation is it. A dark alter ego that is the raging insanity driving the noise fueled violence on show here. Aided by Scott Lee Andrews of Welsh bass-punk wretches Exit International and abetted by Devin Townsend, Phil Campbell, Arthur Shepherd of Primitive Weapons, ex-Cardiacs fruitloop Random Jon Poole, Jamie Oliver of UK Subs, Mauro Pawlowski (ex-dEUS) and the mighty Paul Catten (Barrabas, Bed Wetter, Stuntcock, The Sontaran Experiment, ex-Medulla Nocte etc … Continue reading

COLD INSIGHT ” Further Nowhere”” (Naturmacht) When the whole blackgaze thingamajig happened I totally embraced it. But as with almost everything else it seemed to have slipped away back into the murky back room it came from. But lately I have been rediscovering a lot of bands that could easily fit into that category. And I am like a child in a candy shop. COLD INSIGHT have that dreamy ambience to the music that fascinated me the first time around discovering blackgaze. And since I have a fondness for anything dark and melancholic this is like coming home for me. … Continue reading

DESULTORY ”Through Aching Aeons” (Pulverised) This is DESULTORY’s last album ever. A finer swansong you’ll have a hard time to find. I did miss out on their fourth album but I was there for the demos and the first 12” EP. So it is with both sadness and pride that I say goodbye to them with this album. But it doesn’t get any better than this. This is some of the harshest stuff you’ll ever hear from DESULTORY. This is death metal with no barrels held, This is really going out with one fucking massive bang. Which makes me sad … Continue reading

DETHRONE THE SOVEREIGN “Harbingers of Pestilence” (Famined) I am not a big fan of metalcore or any other form of plus core but I am no worse than I can change if I am convinced that it is any good. And since I have already interviewed DETHRONE THE SOVEREIGN I a have kinda given them my stamp of approval. So this review is basically just a confirmation of me liking the band’s music. I will not say that if you like Meshuggah this is for you but you might be interested in this. At times my mind slips into that … Continue reading

DEUS OTIOSUS ”Opposer” (Great Dane Records) I have an on/off relationship with DEUS OTIOSUS. From time to time I do come upon a new album by them and then they slip into relative obscurity, Why I don’t know because this Danish band is one of the better I’ve heard. They have a sound that is harsh and go for the throat. I always think of them as a death metal band but I would really like to call them deathrash because that description fits them like gloves. This new album has a really matching title. “Opposer” really sets the tone … Continue reading

DIAMOND HEAD ”Death And Progress” ”Evil Live” (Dissonance) In the 80s I had heard of DIAMOND HEAD and their magic debut album. I wasn’t too impressed with what I had heard about them but then I found that album in a bargain bin and I bought it (my father paid for it) and brought it home. Still not too impressed I put it away. Then came Metallica proclaiming their love for DIAMOND HEAD and doing a cover of “Am I Evil”. But not even that convinced me that this was great. So I never really bothered to keep checking them … Continue reading

ONSLAUGHT ”In Search Of Sanity” (Dissonance) After having released two all out thrash metal albums British ONSLAUGHT were on that difficult third album. Out went the old vocalist and in came Steve Grimmett of Grim Reaper fame. When this album was originally released back in 1989 I wasn’t too impressed with it. Both “Power From Hell” and especially “The Force” had had such massive impact on me that I thought they’d have a hard time to top it. And I was right back then. “In Search Of Sanity” was a much more commercial thrash metal album to my 19 years … Continue reading

VONNEGUT ”Incanceration” (-) yasr_overall_rating] i am not much for reading books anymore yet when I saw this band’s name I knew in the back of my head that the name was familiar. Kurt Vonnegut was an American author and artist. Don’t know why the hell I have his name in my head butt that’s the way it is, VONNEGUT the band is a Russian death metal duo from a place that I mostly connect with ice hockey, Chelyabinsk. I don’t know if we really can speak of a Russian death metal sound. This to me is old school in a … Continue reading