This is the second album from international blackened post-metal band Bipolar Architecture.
Metaphysicize contains 41 minutes of progressive/post-metal material that brings together elements of djent, blackgaze, hardcore, and post-rock. This mix of styles is more coherent than it sounds on paper though, presenting as a well-realised whole. Continue reading “Bipolar Architecture – Metaphysicize (Review)”
This is the second album from UK progressive/post-metal band Mountain Caller.
Chronicle II: Hypergenesis is (mostly) instrumental, which is normally a style I avoid, although I’m not really sure why. Mountain Caller know what they’re doing though, and their appealing sound pulled me right in. Continue reading “Mountain Caller – Chronicle II: Hypergenesis (Review)”
This is the eighth album from Norwegian progressive metal band Madder Mortem.
Old Eyes, New Heart contains 48 minutes of charismatic and professionally rendered progressive metal, with doom and post-metal elements. Madder Mortem have carved a distinct and individual sound for themselves over them years, and on this new record they sound just as striking and vital as ever. Continue reading “Madder Mortem – Old Eyes, New Heart (Review)”
This is the second album from Serbian thrash metal band Jenner.
Prove Them Wrong contains 45 minutes of classic thrashing metal the likes of which you don’t commonly encounter in 2023. It’s very endearing and top fun – Jenner know how to play this sort of thing that’s for sure. Continue reading “Jenner – Prove Them Wrong (Review)”
Distances are a post-metal band from the US and this is their fifth album, (assuming you count 2016’s covers album Rip Offs).
Eagerly awaited after 2018’s hugely impressive Diableries, which rightfully made it into the top 3 of my album of the year list for that year, its follow up is finally here. Abstruse contains 41 minutes of new material, and finds the band altered, but full of fire and creative passion. Continue reading “Distances – Abstruse (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Lord Dying, a sludge metal band from the US.
I absolutely loved 2019’s Mysterium Tremendum, (it ended up in fourth position in that year’s best of list), so I was thrilled when the 59-minute Clandestine Transcendence appeared. Well, it’s five years later and the band have a new lineup, (current/ex-Eight Bells/Tithe), so what does Clandestine Transcendence have to offer discerning metal fans in 2024? Continue reading “Lord Dying – Clandestine Transcendence (Review)”
Yersin are from the UK and play crust/metal. This is their second album.
Yersin play a hybrid style that combines grindcore, crust, death metal, black metal, and thrash metal into 25 minutes of sludgy filth and fury. This may be a short album, but it packs a punch. Continue reading “Yersin – The Scythe Is Remorseless (Review)”
Inculter are a thrash metal band from Norway and this is their third album.
Many, many, many moons ago thrash metal was one of my favourite genres. However, when compared to other genres these days, thrash just doesn’t hold my attention like it once used to. However, this is where Inculter come in to show people how it’s done. Their classic thrash attack hits the sweet spot between old-school hero worship and contemporary passionate energy. Continue reading “Inculter – Morbid Origin (Review)”
This is the debut EP from US metal band Dead Icarus.
What do you get when you throw together the ex-singer of Atreyu and members of Enterprise Earth? Something quite heavy and tasty, apparently. This five track EP has a duration of 23 minutes, and is pretty damn crushing. Continue reading “Dead Icarus – Ad infernum (Review)”
This is the second album from Greek power metal band Sacred Outcry.
Featuring the ex-vocalist of Lost Horizon and Heed, Towers of Gold boasts 55 minutes of Grade A material. Taking a heavy metal approach to power metal, Sacred Outcry take elements from both and fuse them into something really quite special. Continue reading “Sacred Outcry – Towers of Gold (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 