Unknown Artist – A Pig’s Head on a Stick (Review)

Unknown Artist - A Pig's Head on a StickThis is the debut release from Unknown Artist, a French extreme metal band.

What on earth is this unholy abomination? A single 28-minute track of utter nastiness and horror, that’s what. Complex and impenetrable, this is disjointed, inaccessible blackened death metal, and is not for the weak of heart. Continue reading “Unknown Artist – A Pig’s Head on a Stick (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)”

Sigh – Heir to Despair (Review)

Sigh - Heir to DespairSigh are a Japanese black/avant-garde metal band and this is their eleventh album.

A new Sigh album is always somewhat of an event, and you never really quite know what you’re going to be getting yourself into with it. This latest album follows on after the symphonic blackened offering of 2015’s Graveward, but distances itself from its predecessor quite significantly by giving us 53 minutes of material that’s been influenced by folk and old/obscure progressive rock more than ever before. Continue reading “Sigh – Heir to Despair (Review)”

Manes – Slow Motion Death Sequence (Review)

ManesManes are a Norwegian avant-garde rock band, and this is their fifth album.

New Manes is always a pleasure to hear. This is the band’s first material since 2014’s Be All End All, and once again they show why they are so highly regarded. Continue reading “Manes – Slow Motion Death Sequence (Review)”

Khanus – Flammarion (Review)

KhanusKhanus are a Finnish blackened death metal band and this is their debut album.

Featuring a member of Code, Khanus play unorthodox black/death metal with a depth of appeal that comes from ritualistic, shamanistic, and occult influences, as well as the aspects of non-death metal styles that the music incorporates into itself. Continue reading “Khanus – Flammarion (Review)”

Horrorgraphy – Season of Grief (Review)

HorrorgraphyHorrorgraphy are a symphonic doom metal band from Greece and this is their debut album.

Here’s a rather unusual release, (for 2018 at least), both in form and consistency; the band is made up of three vocalists and one multi-instrumentalist, while the music is layered old-school doom metal, with a firm symphonic side and rich melodies. Continue reading “Horrorgraphy – Season of Grief (Review)”

Funeral Mist – Hekatomb (Review)

Funeral MistThis is the third album from Swedish black metal act Funeral Mist.

Hekatomb is a one man band brought to us by the vocalist of Marduk.

Hold on tight, because Hekatomb is a whirlwind of savage destruction and creative intensity. Continue reading “Funeral Mist – Hekatomb (Review)”

The Shiva Hypothesis – Ouroboros Stirs (Review)

The Shiva HypothesisThe Shiva Hypothesis are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their debut album.

The Shiva Hypothesis play music that mixes elements of black and death metal together into an atmospheric and obscure form of extreme metal. Continue reading “The Shiva Hypothesis – Ouroboros Stirs (Review)”

Ails – The Unraveling (Review)

AilsAils are a US black metal band and this is their debut album.

Featuring two members of the mighty Ludicra, Ails have produced 41 minutes of melodic depth and blackened substance. Continue reading “Ails – The Unraveling (Review)”