The Shape are a US metal band and this is their fourth album.
Mixing modern metal, metalcore, thrash metal, nu-metal, and groove metal into their sound, this is an enjoyable romp through a landscape that sees many different complementary influences touched upon. Continue reading “The Shape – The World Away (Review)”
Inanimate Existence are a US progressive, technical, atmospheric death metal band and this is their fourth album.
Inanimate Existence return! I like this band a lot. 2014’s A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement and then last year’s Calling from a Dream demonstrated a band that are not only willing to experiment and push their sound, but one that continued to develop and progress over time too.
Continue reading “Inanimate Existence – Underneath a Melting Sky (Review)”
Prezir are a US black metal band and this is their debut EP.
Contempt combines black, death, and thrash influences into a feral blackened mass of hate and violence. Continue reading “Prezir – Contempt (Review)”
Archelon are a post-metal/sludge band from the UK and this is a compilation of their first two EPs.
Archelon’s sound is one that mixes that of Knut and Neurosis with a decent helping of Isis, alongside a dash of Zao and old Mastodon. Continue reading “Archelon – I // II (Review)”
Immortal Sÿnn are a heavy/thrash metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
This is old-school metal played with obvious passion and a firm love of the early days of the style. Continue reading “Immortal Sÿnn – Machine Men (Review)”
Beneath are an Icelandic death metal band and this is their third album.
2014’s The Barren Throne was an album that stuck out with its brutal and precise delivery, yet also demonstrated the band’s use of subtle melody and nuanced riffing on occasion. Continue reading “Beneath – Ephemeris (Review)”
Orbseven is a one-man post-black metal band from the US and this is his fourth album.
2014’s .ismos. was a creative and novel album that took various aspects of avant-garde, experimental, and post-black metal and forged them into something quite enjoyable and satisfying. Continue reading “Orbseven – Cosmos out of Chaos (Review)”
Hailing from the Netherlands, this is the third album from black metallers Israthoum.
Israthoum’s 2012 album Black Poison and Shared Wounds was a notable release, birthed from the underground with bile and venom. 2015’s Antru Kald cemented their position as a band to pay close attention to, and with this in mind we have now been rewarded with a third full length from this engaging entity. Continue reading “Israthoum – Channeling Death and Devil (Review)”
Arallu are one of the best bands that you’ve probably never heard of. Every release is better than the last, with the band’s newest album Six being the best of them all in my opinion. I’m listening to it right now as I type these words, and it’s hard to express just how enjoyable and discerning it is. It’s black metal, and contains a lot of the traditional ingredients you’d expect to find in black metal, but the way it’s all cooked up and spiced with Middle Eastern themes and influences…Arallu rule, it’s that simple.
So if you’re unfamiliar with the band, have a read of the below and check out the band’s masterful new album Six.
It was a great pleasure recently to see Deny the Urge return to the fray with their long overdue new album As Darkness Falls. Effectively reinventing themselves on one hand, while capturing the sound and spirit of the 90s Floridian scene on the other, the album is more than just a mere homage, and offers 48 minutes of ripping death metal barbarity and darkness.
I had the chance to quiz guitarist/vocalist Henrik Osterloh about the background to As Darkness Falls, and the many challenges and issues that the band has endured over the years… Continue reading “Interview with Deny the Urge”
