Mouth of Sauron – Hearken the Echo of Music (Review)

Mouth of SauronThis is the debut album from US death metallers Mouth of Sauron.

Hearken the Echo of Music contains 39 minutes of music, and exists at the nexus of where brutal, technical, and progressive death metal collide. Continue reading “Mouth of Sauron – Hearken the Echo of Music (Review)”

Second to Sun – The Black (Review)

Second to SunThis is the fourth album from Russian blackened melodic death metal band Second to Sun.

Apparently this is a rerecording of the band’s 2016 release Blackbound, with added vocals, and other differences. I was totally unfamiliar with Second to Sun’s work prior to listening to The Black, so I can’t comment on how this relates to Blackbound, other than to say that it does. Continue reading “Second to Sun – The Black (Review)”

Hivetower – Lunacy (Review)

HivetowerHivetower are a US metal band and this is their debut EP.

I like this, it has character. On the longer side for an EP, (31 minutes), Hivetower have produced the type of metal album that pilfers willingly from a few different scenes and styles, while still managing to have a personality of its own. Continue reading “Hivetower – Lunacy (Review)”

Follow the Cipher – Follow the Cipher (Review)

Follow the CipherFollow the Cipher are a power metal band from Sweden and this is their debut album.

Here we have 45 minutes of slick, charismatic power metal. It’s professionally produced, delivered, and performed, and has a huge sound as you would want for something of this ilk. Continue reading “Follow the Cipher – Follow the Cipher (Review)”

Obliterate – Impending Death (Review)

ObliterateThis is the second album from Obliterate, a deathcore/death metal band from Canada.

As much as I’m partial to a bit of deathcore now and again, I much prefer it when it’s mixed in with some meaty death metal too. Enter Impending Death. Continue reading “Obliterate – Impending Death (Review)”

Krosis – Solem Vatem (Review)

KrosisKrosis are a modern death metal/deathcore band from the US and this is their second album.

Krosis play thoroughly modern music that takes technical, progressive, and atmospheric influences into its delivery. Continue reading “Krosis – Solem Vatem (Review)”

Letters from the Colony – Vignette (Review)

Letters from the ColonyLetters from the Colony are a progressive metal band from Sweden and this is their debut album.

This is complex music, fusing modern progressive and technical metal influences with djent elements to create experimental extreme metal. Vignette is notable for many things, one of which is that it largely takes from the strengths of these styles and leaves the weaknesses floundering in the dust, which is not an easy feat to achieve. Continue reading “Letters from the Colony – Vignette (Review)”

Concealed Reality – Synapses (Review)

Concealed RealityConcealed Reality are a Belgian metalcore band and this is their latest EP.

I like a bit of modern heavy music when it’s suitably aggressive, but also when it has sufficient depth. Concealed Reality play metalcore influenced by the early 00s sound, only updated with a contemporary delivery and with some other musical enhancements. Continue reading “Concealed Reality – Synapses (Review)”