Olkoth – At the Eye of Chaos (Review)

Olkoth - At the Eye of ChaosOlkoth are a death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

At the Eye of Chaos contains 35 minutes of furious death metal mastery. The promo blurb says this is for fans of Nile, Hate Eternal, Hideous Divinity, and Vitriol, so you know you’re not getting out of this unscathed. Continue reading “Olkoth – At the Eye of Chaos (Review)”

The Silent Rage – Nuances of Life (Review)

The Silent Rage - Nuances of LifeThis is the second album from Greek power metallers The Silent Rage.

Nuances of Life contains 58 minutes, (with bonus tracks), of melodic power metal. It’s an album that should find favour with fans of the heavier, grittier side of the style. For a starting point for The Silent Rage’s music, imagine a mix of Nevermore, Iced Earth, Angel Dust, Judas Priest, and Testament. Continue reading “The Silent Rage – Nuances of Life (Review)”

Usnea – Bathed in Light (Review)

Usnea - Bathed in LightThis is the fourth album from US doom band Usnea.

After loving 2014’s Random Cosmic Violence and 2017’s Portals into Futility, I am so completely ready for a new Usnea album. Bathed in Light brings us not only their shortest album yet at 43 minutes, but also many of their shortest songs. What does this mean for the Usnea we know and adore? Continue reading “Usnea – Bathed in Light (Review)”

Cloak – Black Flame Eternal (Review)

Cloak - Black Flame EternalThis is the third album from US black metal band Cloak.

Cloak play black metal with melodic weight and malevolent guitars, yet do so with their own personality that betrays a healthy classic metal influence. Black Flame Eternal is a 49-minute journey into the band’s dark world. Continue reading “Cloak – Black Flame Eternal (Review)”

Hasard – Malivore (Review)

Hasard - MalivoreThis is the debut album from one-man black metal band Hasard.

Malivore contains 45 minutes of dark, nightmarish black metal. It’s a dissonant, avant-garde style, infected with bleak atmosphere and classical symphonic influences. For a rough guide, think of bands such as Ævangelist, Abyssal, Akhlys, and Blut Aus Nord. Continue reading “Hasard – Malivore (Review)”

Teodolit – Entropy (Review)

Teodolit - EntropyThis is the latest EP from Russian death metallers Teodolit.

With a duration of 16 minutes Entropy offers us a relatively brief taste of what Teodolit are all about. Featuring a member of Devourer, Teodolit play death metal with plenty of 90s influences, but also cast their net a bit wider than just this too. Continue reading “Teodolit – Entropy (Review)”

Yakuza – Sutra (Review)

Yakuza - SutraThis is the seventh album from US avant-garde/experimental doom band Yakuza.

Sutra is a 54-minute journey into the unexpected and the atypical. Few genre tags will do this justice, so I’ve settled on avant-garde doom, which is vague enough to be relevant, so why not. Whatever you call them, Yakuza have provided a multifaceted metal album that’s diverse and enjoyable. Continue reading “Yakuza – Sutra (Review)”

Nexorum – Tongue of Thorns (Review)

Nexorum - Tongue of ThornsThis is the second album from Norwegian black/death metal band Nexorum.

Nexorum play death-infused black metal, and feature a member of Keep of Kalessin on bass. Their music is harsh and unforgiving, yet has a side that’s pure grandiose infernal malevolence. Taken together, Tongue of Thorns is a compelling slice of aggressive darkness. Continue reading “Nexorum – Tongue of Thorns (Review)”

Radien – Unissa Palaneet (Review)

Radien - Unissa PalaneetThis is the second album from Radien, a sludge metal band from Finland.

Unissa Palaneet is a 46-minute album containing five tracks, where the a full 21 minutes of the total duration is made up of just the final song. Radien are not without ambition, and they have the skills to back up their vision for doom-heavy sludge music. Continue reading “Radien – Unissa Palaneet (Review)”

Legacy of Brutality – Travellers to Nowhere (Review)

Legacy of Brutality - Travellers to NowhereThis is the fourth album from Spanish death metallers Legacy of Brutality.

Legacy of Brutality play death metal that is backed up by melodic might. Theirs is a recipe that takes many well-used ingredients, but deploys them in ways that end up very tasty and satisfying indeed. Continue reading “Legacy of Brutality – Travellers to Nowhere (Review)”