Testament are a legendary thrash metal band from the US. This is their 11th studio album, (12th if you count First Strike Still Deadly).
With the bigger bands in the metal scene it’s easy to say something like “and here’s a band that need no introduction”, but I feel this really is true of Testament. Where would you start? After decades of service to the Metal Gods they’re Continue reading “Testament – Brotherhood of the Snake (Review)”
Void of Vision are an Australian metalcore band and this is their debut album.
Void of Vision play modern metalcore with an edge of djent here and there. It’s clearly pissed off and has a message to send, one tied to a well-placed brick.
The songs are full of energy and rage, controlled by the band Continue reading “Void of Vision – Children of the Chrome (Review)”
Dreamarcher are a metal band from Norway and this is their debut album.
What do you get if you take jazz-trained musicians and get them to unleash mayhem via emotive post-whatever distortion and passionate delivery? You get Dreamarcher. Their eponymous debut is Continue reading “Dreamarcher – Dreamarcher (Review)”
This is the eleventh album by Dark Tranquillity, a melodic death metal band from Sweden.
Now this is the stuff. Dark Tranquillity know what they’re doing. I’ve been a fan of this band for a long, long time, but somehow haven’t kept up with their last couple of outings, so it feels great to reconnect with them on this release. Continue reading “Dark Tranquillity – Atoma (Review)”
This is the debut album from US doom metal band Northern Crown.
I thoroughly enjoyed Northern Crown’s first EP In the Hands of the Betrayer, so when their debut album popped up, I was keen to give it a listen.
The band play traditional doom metal with a good smattering of heavy metal throughout, although it should also be noted that they have started to branch out from this, here and there, marking an increased confidence and comfortableness with how they approach their material. Continue reading “Northern Crown – The Others (Review)”
Unearthed Elf is a one man doom/heavy/power metal project from the US. This is his debut album.
Having a sightly unusual mix of doom, heavy and power metal, Into the Catacomb Abyss is an unexpected listen in a few different ways. Continue reading “Unearthed Elf – Into the Catacomb Abyss (Review)”
Tactus are a Canadian progressive metal band and this is their debut album.
Well it soon becomes obvious that this band know a thing or two about how to play their instruments. This is modern progressive heavy metal that has plenty of technicality and a djent influence.
As I always say; Continue reading “Tactus – Bending Light (Review)”
This is the second album from Russian groove metal band Shokran.
Shokran play modern groove metal with a hearty djent influence, as well as having neo-classical, progressive, technical and Egyptian-themed aspects to their sound. They have a lot going on across these 35 minutes, and it’s all Continue reading “Shokran – Exodus (Review)”
Meshuggah are a legendary Swedish progressive/extreme metal band and this is their eighth album.
The fathers of djent return, with 59 minutes of progressive metal that definitely blows the proverbial cobwebs away.
This is very heavy indeed. If you know Meshuggah at all then you know Continue reading “Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason (Review)”
Brain Tentacles are an experimental/avant-garde/jazz/grind/doom metal band from the US. This is their debut album.
Experimental/avant-garde/jazz/grind/doom metal is a bit of a mouthful, and in all honesty doesn’t even properly do justice to the sounds that this album contains at any rate.
In addition to the usual drums and bass you’ll also find synth, piano and horns on this release. But no guitars. Continue reading “Brain Tentacles – Brain Tentacles (Review)”
