To the Grave are an Australian deathcore band and this is their second album.
In part of the promo blurb for this album it mentions To the Grave’s ‘accessible extremity’, which is a great way to describe what the songs on Director’s Cuts offer. This music provides the absolutely brutal heaviness that I love, while also delivering actual Continue reading “To the Grave – Director’s Cuts (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Scottish death metal band Man Must Die.
Man Must Die play technical death metal and The Pain Behind It All is a 41-minute assault of vicious riffs, sharp technical blows, and blunt force extremity. If you’re a fan of bands such as Decapitated, Dyscarnate, Cattle Decapitation, Beneath the Massacre, and Misery Index, then there’s much here to enjoy for you. Although, as we’ll see, there’s more than just death metal here. Continue reading “Man Must Die – The Pain Behind It All (Review)”
Although I’d ideally love to be able to conduct hard-hitting, in-depth interviews, who has the time these days? In lieu of this, I’ve thrown together the below question template, hopefully to gather some interesting and informative results, without taking up too much of anyone’s time.
Hi! It’s Fabian the guitarist of Polar here. Continue reading “Standard Interrogation Techniques: Five Questions for Polar (Interview)”
Another year, another chance for metal to excel. So what has January brought us? Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of January 2023”
Endorphins Lost are from the US and play grindcore. This is their third album.
I enjoyed Endorphins Lost’s 2018 split with Osk, and I enjoyed their 2019 album Seclusions. Their successful run continues, as now, I also enjoy Night People too. 14 tracks, 20 minutes; Night People is succinct and to the point, yet doesn’t lack in finesse or depth. Continue reading “Endorphins Lost – Night People (Review)”
Sanguisugabogg are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.
Homicidal Ecstasy contains 45 minutes of brutal malevolence and filth-covered aggression. Continue reading “Sanguisugabogg – Homicidal Ecstasy (Review)”
This is the fifth album by Polar, a UK Hardcore band.
Having really enjoyed 2016’s No Cure No Saviour and 2019’s Nova, I’m pleased by Polar’s return.
Everywhere, Everything takes Polar’s existing sound – heavy hardcore with melodic and emotive highlights – and broadens it further into post-hardcore waters. Of course, these are waters that Polar already wade in, but on this new collection of songs they venture deeper than ever before. As such, Continue reading “Polar – Everywhere, Everything (Review)”
Death Engine are a French post-hardcore band and this is their third album.
2015’s Mud and 2018’s Place Noir were both impressive, enjoyable, and individual records, displaying Death Engine’s multifaceted approach to heavy music. Now, across 36 minutes, Death Engine showcase a progression in their sound, one which threatens to bring about the end of days with its intensity and negative energies. Continue reading “Death Engine – Ocean (Review)”
So here we are again. It’s December, and year end lists are flying around like shrapnel. Due to the inherent subjectivity of music it’s always interesting to see what people have made of the preceding year.
For me, I made a concerted effort to drag myself away from the depths of black metal’s always-enticing abyss to spend some more time with other genres and styles that I also love. I said something similar last year, but I feel this year I was more successful in achieving that end. Of course, I still love black metal, still listen to it constantly, and you’ll still find some great examples of the blackened arts in the list below.
2022 was a strong year for death metal for me, and I enjoyed more death metal bands in a deeper way than I have done for some time. In every year there are standout releases, but I felt this year the standard was raised throughout. Possibly I was simply more receptive to it. Either way, you’ll find more death metal-related acts, and in higher spots, in this selection than you’ll have seen in my lists for a while.
As with last year, grindcore was largely absent from my year, disappointingly, as was hardcore. Additionally, the sort of lengthy, ugly, abyssal doom that I love so much has been largely lacking too. It’s all probably out there somewhere, but I didn’t catch it.
The top two spots this year are both claimed by albums/bands/styles that I simply could not have predicted would be at the pinnacle of my list by the year’s end, (one of the bands I hadn’t even heard of in January). I hope you enjoy these excellent records even half as much as I do.
Lastly I just want to say a big thank you to any and all that might read this site. It’s only a small endeavour, and I do it purely for the love of all things METAL and to support bands that I enjoy in whatever minor way I can, but if this is you, a heartfelt thank you for enduring my scribblings.
On to it! Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2022”
This is the second album from US crossover thrash band High Command.
Coming to us for fans of bands like Power Trip, Cryptosis, and Enforced, Eclipse of the Dual Moons contains 48 minutes of crossover carnage. Thrash metal and hardcore collide with power and finesse, to produce an album that rips and tears through its duration with passion. Continue reading “High Command – Eclipse of the Dual Moons (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 