This is the second album from US progressive metallers Stellar Circuits.
Sight to Sound contains 48 minutes of music that’s professional and accomplished. Stellar Circuits’ modern take on metal is a technical form of progressive music that also borrows from a few other styles here and there. Continue reading “Stellar Circuits – Sight to Sound (Review)”
This is the debut album from Swedish metal band Curse of Cain.
Now here’s an interesting and unexpected release. Curse of Cain‘s 42 minutes weaves a compelling post-apocalyptic story that cooks together a bunch of different ingredients that probably shouldn’t work, but actually does. The end result is tasty and satisfying. Continue reading “Curse of Cain – Curse of Cain (Review)”
This is the second album from UK alternative/melodic metal band As Everything Unfolds.
Ultraviolet contains 36 minutes of modern metal that blends together elements of alternative rock, post-hardcore, metalcore, and nu-metal, into an enjoyable and charismatic record. Continue reading “As Everything Unfolds – Ultraviolet (Review)”
Suasion are a Belgian modern metal band this is their second album.
Suasion’s music is a modern brand of metal that has electronic, ambient, and orchestral enhancements, alongside influences from metalcore, alternative metal, progressive rock, djent, pop, and industrial. A lot has gone into the making of The Infinite, and the band’s ambition is well-realised. Continue reading “Suasion – The Infinite (Review)”
Mask of Prospero are a modern metal band from Greece and this is their second album.
Hiraeth provides a 41-minute contemporary blend of progressive metal, djent, and metalcore. Continue reading “Mask of Prospero – Hiraeth (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”
Borders are a modern metal band from the UK. This is their second album.
Borders impressed with their 2017 EP Diagnosed, which they followed up with the enjoyable Purify in 2019. Now the band are back with 31 minutes of new material on Bloom Season, and they sound bigger and more ambitious than ever. Continue reading “Borders – Bloom Season (Review)”
This is the debut album from Kassogtha, a death metal band from Switzerland.
rEvolve contains 62 minutes of modern death metal that’s shot through with progressive influences, melodic death metal streaks, and metalcore muscle. It is a engaging mix of modern metallic styles, resulting in an album that ranges from harsh brutality to soaring choruses, atmospheric heaviness, and emotive richness. Continue reading “Kassogtha – rEvolve (Review)”
This is the third album from Canadian progressive metallers Osyron.
Osyron play a form of progressive metal that takes influence from both old and new. There are elements of classic power and heavy metal, alongside newer, heavier, modern metal influences, Continue reading “Osyron – Momentous (Review)”
This is the second album from Bulgarian metallers Gwendydd.
Blending aspects of melodic death metal, nu-metal, industrial, and metalcore into 32 minutes of charismatic metal, Gwendydd have produced an enjoyable album in Censored. Continue reading “Gwendydd – Censored (Review)”
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