This is the fifth album from US sludge metal band Ilsa.
Ilsa are well-known around these parts for being prime suppliers of dirty, heavy, riff-driven kicking metallic sludge. 2015’s The Felon Claw and 2012’s Intoxicantations in particular were both huge, crushing records which still get regular rotation from yours truly. Continue reading “Ilsa – Corpse Fortress (Review)”
Crawl play blackened doom, and Leviathan play black metal. Both are solo artists from the US and have got together to birth this hideous, reeking mass of unpleasantness.
This split lasts 24 minutes, with each artist contributing a single track lasting 12 minutes exactly. Continue reading “Crawl/Leviathan – Split (Review)”
To my ears Vignette is a great example of what modern, forward-thinking metal should be all about in 2018. Heavy, hard-hitting, atmospheric, emotive…the list goes on. Letters from the Colony have created a thoroughly enjoyable slab of modern heaviness with their debut album, one which I’m very pleased to be able to find a bit more about courtesy of the band’s drummer and co-founder Jonas Sköld. Continue reading “Interview with Letters from the Colony”
Vexes are a US modern/post-metal band and this is their debut album.
Although Deftones are the obvious starting point for comparative purposes, elements of The Unguided, Poison the Well, Glassjaw, and Cave In can also be heard in the band’s sound, as well as some more atypical moments in the style of, perhaps, Norma Jean, Between the Buried and Me, and Isis. Feelings of the late 90s/early 00s are strong with this band, and from my point of view that’s no bad thing at all. Continue reading “Vexes – Ancient Geometry (Review)”
Horizon Ablaze are a Norwegian progressive black/extreme metal band and this is their third album.
Horizon Ablaze play a brand of extreme metal that largely consists of atmospheric/progressive/avant-garde black metal, (among other things). It’s an impressive and well-delivered proposition, that’s for sure. Continue reading “Horizon Ablaze – The Weight of a Thousand Suns (Review)”
Usurpress are a Swedish death metal band and this is their fourth album.
Usurpress play an interesting and atypical brand of death metal. They essentially take a death metal base and build on it not only with sludge influences, but with progressive ones too. I already Continue reading “Usurpress – Interregnum (Review)”
Biter are a Brazilian heavy metal band and this is their debut album.
At only 22 minutes this is a rather brief listen for an album; why this is classed as a full length rather than an EP is beyond me, but I don’t suppose it matters in the grand scheme of things Continue reading “Biter – The Eyes of the Biter (Review)”
Apostle of Solitude are a US doom metal band and this is their fourth album.
So, the mighty Apostle of Solitude return! It’s been a long time since 2014’s Of Woe and Wounds, which I rated on my 2014 end of year best of list. Continue reading “Apostle of Solitude – From Gold to Ash (Review)”
This is the debut album from Sacred Leather, a heavy metal band from the US.
Sacred Leather play true heavy metal that’s been augmented by some thrash elements for added bite. Continue reading “Sacred Leather – Ultimate Force (Review)”
Baldam’s second album Pasung is a monstrous sludge metal beast that gets even better the louder you play it. It’s crushing, devastating stuff. It also has a core of well-written music at its dark heart, obscured by waves of thick grimy distortion and evil vocals. If you’re a fan of heavy, filthy music then this is one that you need to check out as a priority.
Founder Grahm Reynolds lets us into the world of Beldam, what makes the band tick and how energised he is at the moment… Continue reading “Interview with Beldam”
