This is the fourth album from US avant-garde black/death metal band Imperial Triumphant.
Referring to Imperial Triumphant as a black/death metal band, (as I’ve just done here for sake of brevity), is highly misleading really, as this is one of the more individual and unique bands in existence. They play an avant-garde, experimental mix of styles that includes, (but is not limited to), black metal, death metal, progressive metal, doom, jazz, and post-everything. Continue reading
This is a collaborative work between US-based composer/producer/artist JG Thirlwell and Swedish multi-instrumentalist and composer Simon Steensland.
This album contains 73 minutes of layered and involved material. This is the sort of release that you could easily get away with describing as Continue reading
This is the fifth album from Finland’s black metallers Oranssi Pazuzu.
This is the follow up to 2016’s well-received Värähtelijä, which is a record that has only increased in my estimation over time. Now, across 50 minutes of multifaceted and highly textured music, Mestarin Kynsi is an album that I have little doubt in my mind will keep on giving for years to come as well. Continue reading
This is the second album from Azusa, an international progressive metal band.
Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as John Frum, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Extol, you know there’s a lot of talent and experience in Azusa before you even listen to them. Continue reading
Paul Catten is a prolific UK extreme metal artist and this is his latest album.
We’ve met Paul Catten before, (here, here and here), and you never know what you’re going to get from the man. His latest release is far more accessible and pop-influenced than I was expecting, and it Continue reading
Sightless Pit are an experimental band from the US and this is their debut album.
This project brings together the considerable talents of members of Full of Hell, LINGUA IGNOTA, and The Body. Grave of a Dog sounds like a hideous amalgamation of these three parent groups, while also being its own monstrous creation too. Continue reading
This is the fourth album from Abstruse, an experimental rock project from Greece.
Well, there’s a lot going on here. This is music that refuses to be just one thing, and exists as a constantly-shifting mass of musical styles and content. Amazingly, Submerge:Ritual works with this well, and doesn’t come across as disjointed or a failed science experiment. Continue reading
Schammasch are a Black Metal band from Switzerland. This is their fourth album.
Was it really 2016 that the epic Triangle was released to an unsuspecting world? Apparently so. An incredibly strong release, it narrowly missed out on the top spot for my best albums of 2016 list. It was followed up in 2017 by the even more avant-garde EP The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite, which provided a compelling dose of atmospheric material. Continue reading
September had a lot of great metal releases, so it’s time to take a look at ten of my favourites ones below. Continue reading
This is the fourth album from Cloud Rat, a grindcore band from the US.
In my humble opinion Cloud Rat are one of the most forward-thinking, talented, and innovative grindcore bands out there, although simply labelling them grindcore is misleading and constricting, as their work frequently features so much more than your standard grindcore fare. Releases such as Qliphoth, and their various splits demonstrate this amply. Continue reading
