This is the debut album from US extreme metal band Owdwyr.
Receptor is an interesting beast. Blurring the boundaries between technical death metal, grindcore, and progressive metal, Owdwyr’s music is a riot of violence and exploratory brutality. It’s a 44-minute sophisticated wrecking ball. Continue reading “Owdwyr – Receptor (Review)”
Laster are a, (sort of), black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their fourth album.
It’s been a while since I’ve caught up with Laster. 2017’s Ons Vrije Fatum, to be precise, (with 2014’s De Verste Verte Is Hier and their 2016 split with Wederganger before that). Since then they’ve had another album, (and an EP), that I haven’t heard, but that apparently saw an increase in the avant-garde and experimental aspects of their sound. So what does Andermans Mijne present us with? Continue reading “Laster – Andermans Mijne (Review)”
Urbain are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
With a description of urban black metal, and a recommendation for fans of Emperor, White Ward, early Dimmu Borgir, and Cradle of Filth, I was intrigued to hear what Urbain had to offer. The fact that the band contain members of Ovnev and Wills Dissolve was further reason, if any were needed. Continue reading “Urbain – A Soul Purged (Review)”
Dystopia A.D. are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.
Dystopia A.D. play a progressive/melodic form of death metal that’s ripe with creative flourishes and potent melodies. The band combine meaty brutality, sharp aggressive speed, and choice riffs, with piercing melodies, rich atmosphere, and progressive Continue reading “Dystopia A.D. – Doomsday Psalm (Review)”
This is the debut album from US black metal band Skythala.
Boreal Dispair offers discerning listeners 57 minutes of avant-garde black metal, which is a really simplistic way of describing a work that’s the complete opposite of simple. Continue reading “Skythala – Boreal Despair (Review)”
Wesenwille are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their third album.
Having enjoyed last year’s II: A Material God, I was pleased to see the appearance of III: The Great Light Above, (and also surprised to have more Wesenwille material so soon after the last album). Continue reading “Wesenwille – III: The Great Light Above (Review)”
This is the fifth album from US avant-garde black/death metal band Imperial Triumphant.
After 2020’s Alphaville, any Imperial Triumphant release is going to be much-anticipated, and now we have it; 55 minutes of new material in the form of the warped, mutating Spirit of Ecstasy. Continue reading “Imperial Triumphant – Spirit of Ecstasy (Review)”
Ashenspire are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.
Holy crap. This is not your standard album, not at all. It’s striking, individual, shockingly emotive, and relentlessly harsh in atmosphere and tone. To set the scene somewhat – Ashenspire play a form of post-black metal with strong avant-garde, experimental, and progressive tendencies. Featuring current and ex-members of Barshasketh and Falloch, Hostile Architecture is a 44-minute journey into the contemporary urban heart of darkness. Continue reading “Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (Review)”
This is the debut album from Pyrithe, an experimental sludge/post-metal band from the US.
Featuring a member of Noltem, along with guests from Noltem and Pyrrhon, (among others), Monuments to Impermanence is a 48-minute journey into experimental heaviness. Continue reading “Pyrithe – Monuments to Impermanence (Review)”
This is the third album from So Hideous, a post-metal band from the US.
None but a Pure Heart Can Sing is only 32 minutes in length, but this duration comes with more ideas than many releases double the length. The album is a loose mix of styles and genres, taking an experimental and avant-garde approach to music that finds them combining pretty much all of the post- styles, (metal, rock, hardcore, and black metal), with a diverse non-metal array of genres such as jazz and classical. Continue reading “So Hideous – None but a Pure Heart Can Sing (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 