Month: June 2019

Murk Rider – Exile of Shadows (Review)

Murk Rider - Exile of ShadowsThis is the debut album from US black metal band Murk Rider.

Three enormous songs, with a combined duration of 82 minutes? Okay, I’ll bite.

An album of depth, both musically and thematically, Exile of Shadows is black metal in only one of its aspects, albeit a primary one. The band also occasionally incorporate apocalyptic sludge and stoner doom into their melting pot, as well as strands of classic heavy and speed metal. This curious, (yet effective), mixture means that Continue reading “Murk Rider – Exile of Shadows (Review)”

Itheist – Itheist (Review)

Itheist - ItheistItheist are a UK black/death metal band and this is their debut album.

Previously named Aetherium Mors, this is the band’s first release under its new moniker. This is modern, dissonant black metal that’s been hybridised with death metal and energised with melodic darkness. Continue reading “Itheist – Itheist (Review)”

Memoriam – Requiem for Mankind (Review)

Memoriam - Requiem for MankindMemoriam are a UK death metal band and this is their third album.

Hot on the heels of 2018’s The Silent Vigil, we now get 48 minutes of new material in the form of Requiem for Mankind. Continue reading “Memoriam – Requiem for Mankind (Review)”

The Odious – Vesica Piscis (Review)

The Odious - Vesica PiscisThe Odious are a progressive metal band from the US and this is their second album.

The Odious’ progressive metal is a mix of modern technical/progressive/death metal and progressive rock. The end result can be loosely characterised as a mix of The Faceless, Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Sikth, Meshuggah, Ulcerate, and Devin Townsend. Continue reading “The Odious – Vesica Piscis (Review)”

Flesh of the Stars – Mercy (Review)

Flesh of the Stars - MercyThis is the fourth album from US doom band Flesh of the Stars.

On both Hide and Anhilla Flesh of the Stars impressed me with their emotive brand of doom metal, and their progression over time. Now the band are back with this latest album that features 48 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Flesh of the Stars – Mercy (Review)”

Organectomy – Existential Disconnect (Review)

Organectomy - Existential Disconnect

Organectomy are a New Zealand death metal band and this is their second album.

2017’s Domain of the Wretched arrived with a bang, a whirlwind of spine-ripping aggression, and a surprisingly well-rounded offer. Continue reading “Organectomy – Existential Disconnect (Review)”

Howling Sycamore – Seven Pathways to Annihilation (Review)

Howling Sycamore - Seven Pathways to AnnihilationHowling Sycamore are a progressive metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Combining technical, progressive, avant-garde, forward-thinking metal music, with old-school, classic progressive metal vocals probably shouldn’t work, but Howling Sycamore easily prove that it most certainly does. This is a band that have taken their Continue reading “Howling Sycamore – Seven Pathways to Annihilation (Review)”

Wretched of the Earth – Collapse//Rebirth (Review)

Wretched of the Earth - Collapse - RebirthWretched of the Earth are a crust band from the US and this is their latest album.

Collapse//Rebirth contains 28 minutes of visceral material. Combining Dark hardcore, crust, d-beat, and neocrust into seven infectious songs, this is an engaging and very moreish collection of tracks. Continue reading “Wretched of the Earth – Collapse//Rebirth (Review)”

Miserable Failure – Alone: The Phantom Pain – La Seule Vraie Question – Perdition Light/Never Stop the Sadness (Review)

Miserable Failure - AloneThis is the latest release from Miserable Failure, a French grindcore band.

After the tragic death of the band’s vocalist in 2016, I never thought I’d hear from Miserable Failure again. I’m very glad to be wrong, of course. It is a huge shame, however, that I’ve only just found this out; this release actually first saw the light of day in 2017 apparently. Continue reading “Miserable Failure – Alone: The Phantom Pain – La Seule Vraie Question – Perdition Light/Never Stop the Sadness (Review)”