Metal – Page 74 – Wonderbox Metal

Insomnium – Winter’s Gate (Review)

Insomnium are a melodic death metal band from Finland and this is their Seventh album.

I do like it when a band gives free rein to their epic, exploratory side and decides to write a really, really long song. Welcome to Winter’s Gate. This album consists of one track that lasts a full 40 minutes in length.

With a concept that’s based around a short story, the band weave this tale into the fabric of the music, taking the listener on a textured journey into unexplored lands. Continue reading “Insomnium – Winter’s Gate (Review)”

Witchskull – The Vast Electric Dark (Review)

Witchskull are from Australia and play heavy/stoner metal. This is their debut album.

With attitude and a confident swagger, Witchskull waste no time in firmly making their mark with their stoner-esque take on desert metal. Continue reading “Witchskull – The Vast Electric Dark (Review)”

Kontagion – [R-!-E]lentless (Review)

This is the second album from Polish industrial metal band Kontagion.

Kontagion play industrial-tinged cybermetal, taking influence from the earlier of strains of the Fear Factory virus, and morphing itself into an altogether darker and more feral breed via some early Slipknot/Mushroomhead influences and a touch of Godflesh, (of which there’s a cover version here of Crush My Soul).

This really does have a late 90s/early 00s feel Continue reading “Kontagion – [R-!-E]lentless (Review)”

Delain – Moonbathers (Review)

Delain are a symphonic metal band from The Netherlands and this is their fifth album.

Delain are one of those bands that I feel I should have heard a long time ago, but Moonbathers is actually my first encounter with the band’s material.

Within Temptation and Nightwish are the obvious reference points for a band like this, and Continue reading “Delain – Moonbathers (Review)”

Devil Gone Public – Smokehound (Review)

This is the debut album from US metal band Devil Gone Public.

Devil Gone Public play stoner/groove metal with a Southern flavour. Imagine a mix of Orange Goblin, Lamb of God, Red Fang, Black Tusk, Mastodon, Corrosion of Conformity and Down – this should give you a good starting point for what Devil Gone Public sound like.

The songs Continue reading “Devil Gone Public – Smokehound (Review)”

Subliminal Fear – Escape from Leviathan (Review)

This is the third album from Subliminal Fear, an Italian metal band.

This is modern metal that takes its primary influences from a combination of the cybermetal styles, (Fear Factory, Mnemic), and melodic groove metal, (Soilwork, In Flames, etc.), alongside a pinch of djent and industrial.

With this in mind, the band operate in the more commercial realm of the style, rather than on the heavier end as some bands do when incorporating these influences, (for the most part at least; that’s not to say the band can’t be heavy or more extreme when they want to). The songs work well in this context though, with the band’s clean vocal harmonies being Continue reading “Subliminal Fear – Escape from Leviathan (Review)”

Forty Winters – Rotting Empire (Review)

This is the second album from US metalcore band Forty Winters.

This is metalcore in its original, hard-as-nails metallic hardcore incarnation, before the advent of sing-along choruses and radio-friendly unit shifters. Forty Winters mean business, and they’re here to stomp all over your breakfast.

This is angry music for angry people doing angry things. If you get off on bands like Hatebreed, Himsa, Thy Art Is Murder, Suicide Silence, Walls of Jericho, Darkest Hour and the like, then this should be Continue reading “Forty Winters – Rotting Empire (Review)”

Seventh Station – Between Life and Dreams (Review)

This is the debut album from international progressive metal band Seventh Station.

The band clearly know what they’re doing with their instruments, and the high level of quality playing on this album is evident from the very start.

I love music that feels like it’s taking you on a journey, and this is very definitely one such album. Through a blistering display of virtuoso playing, the band navigate all manner of musical soundscapes in an attempt to get across their artistic vision. Continue reading “Seventh Station – Between Life and Dreams (Review)”

Iron Fire – Among the Dead (Review)

This is Iron Fire’s eighth album. They are a power/heavy metal band from Denmark.

If 90s heavy/power metal is your thing, then you need to check out Among the Dead right away. Also – zombie-themed metal? Sign me up!

Iron Fire deal in song-oriented tunes that revel in catchy melodies with substantial guitars. I like Continue reading “Iron Fire – Among the Dead (Review)”

Dead Ficus – Rise or Fall (Review)

Dead Ficus are a Metal band from France and this is their debut album.

Dead Ficus play a form of melodic metal/rock that features harsh vocals and some nice keyboard accompaniment.

The singer has quite a nasty bark to him, which juxtaposes nicely against the music which is melodic and atmospheric. I was actually expecting clean vocals from this band, for some reason, so I like his voice all the more for Continue reading “Dead Ficus – Rise or Fall (Review)”