This is the second album from solo blackened metalcore act The Ember, the Ash.
Fixation is an interesting blend of symphonic black metal and breakdown-heavy metalcore. Only a few bands are playing around with blackened elements in metalcore, to varying degrees of success, so it’s always good to hear another such act throw their interpretation of this unusual subgenre into the ring. Continue reading “The Ember, the Ash – Fixation (Review)”
Zao are an American metal band and this is their twelfth album.
This is the much-anticipated follow up to 2016’s The Well-Intentioned Virus, and although it might not be what you’re expecting, it’s exactly what you need. Continue reading “Zao – The Crimson Corridor (Review)”
Termina is the collaborative debut album between solo artist Nik Nocturnal, and Andy Cizek, singer of Monuments.
Termina’s music is best described as modern metal – a mix of genres and styles such as progressive metal, technical metal, djent, deathcore, and metalcore. Continue reading “Termina – Dysphoria (Review)”
Landmvrks are a French metalcore band and this is their third album.
After their solid 2018 effort Fantasy, Landmvrks are now back with another 33 minutes of material. Lost in the Waves is heavier than its predecessor, but without losing its melodic edge. Shorter than the album that preceded it, it’s also more diverse. Continue reading “Landmvrks – Lost in the Waves (Review)”
Arcaeon are a technical/progressive metal band from the UK and this is their debut album.
Cascadence contains 49 minutes of modern metal that takes from the technical/progressive metal/metalcore and djent genres to craft an engaging, well-rounded album. The promo blurb recommends this for fans of bands such as Periphery, Monuments, Devin Townsend, Intervals, and Architects, and it’s hard to disagree. Continue reading “Arcaeon – Cascadence (Review)”
Almost every year I think about how challenging it is to compile a definitive best of list, and how subjective it is, etc. Although that’s still true for this collecting of albums, this year, however, has been easier than most. 2020 has been heavy on the black metal for me. It’s been my most reviewed genre, in all its myriad permutations, and this is reflected in the below list.
For the longest of times the bands in positions 5 and 6 vied for top position, but then October and November happened. All of a sudden, unexpectedly, these two months unleashed a wealth of quality, and stole the top four positions in a rampant display of blackened supremacy.
I hope you enjoy the below recommendations of mine and find something new to obsess over. Let me know how you get on.
Let’s dig in… Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2020”
Among Phantoms are a hardcore band from Denmark and this is their debut album.
This is a modern brand of hardcore, with elements of metalcore that can be heard, alongside a healthy rock influence. Continue reading “Among Phantoms – Memories/Catastrophes (Review)”
There was an unreasonably unreasonable (?) amount of good music to be had in September. So check out the below and let me know your favourite, (it goes without saying you should also be listening to The Ocean and Oceans of Slumber, so I won’t mention those again). Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of September 2020”
Alpha Wolf are an Australian metalcore band and this is their second album.
Here we have a 36-minute chunk of modern heaviness. This is the heaviest of metalcore, so much so that it borders on deathcore in places. Mixed in with this are aspects of djent and nu-metal, as well as modern hardcore/metal elements in general. Continue reading “Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place to Die (Review)”
Lacittàdolente are an Italian-based mathcore band, and this is their debut album.
Mathcore, hardcore, and metalcore collide across 27 minutes of music. Salespeople put me in mind of the past quite strongly, while also keeping a firm eye on the here and now. Continue reading “Lacittàdolente – Salespeople (Review)”
