Betraying the Martyrs are a French metalcore band and this is their fourth album.
Betraying the Martyrs play keyboard-enriched metalcore that contains elements of both technical and nu-metal. The band’s sound makes for a dynamic listen that doesn’t pull punches, either musically or emotionally. Roughly a mix of Bleeding Through, American Headcharge, Carnifex, Korn, Born of Osiris, and Slipknot, Rapture is a rich and enjoyable album. Continue reading
This is the second album from Aviana, a metalcore band from Sweden.
Aviana play modern metalcore that’s mixed with elements of 90s nu-metal and a slight contemporary progressive/djent edge. They play on the heavier end of the metalcore spectrum, and although there’s clean singing included, it’s still with a focus on heaviness overall. Continue reading
Boundaries are a metal/hardcore band from the US and this is their latest EP.
Boundaries are heavy. Like, crush your skull into a bloody pulp heavy. Add to this the fact that they can also write a good song, and you have a pretty damn satisfying EP. Continue reading
Cold Snap are a Croatian metal band and this is their fourth album.
I enjoyed Cold Snap’s 2015 album World War 3, which mixed modern metal and metalcore with a rare-these-days helping of nu-metal. Despite how that description probably sounds to some people, it was a recipe I quite enjoyed, so I’m now pleased to give the band’s latest effort a good listen. Continue reading
Hivetower are a US metal band and this is their debut EP.
I like this, it has character. On the longer side for an EP, (31 minutes), Hivetower have produced the type of metal album that pilfers willingly from a few different scenes and styles, while still managing to have a personality of its own. Continue reading
Concealed Reality are a Belgian metalcore band and this is their latest EP.
I like a bit of modern heavy music when it’s suitably aggressive, but also when it has sufficient depth. Concealed Reality play metalcore influenced by the early 00s sound, only updated with a contemporary delivery and with some other musical enhancements. Continue reading
Gürschach are a metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
So what do Gürschach sound like? I suppose if you take a base of classic heavy metal, while mixing in elements of modern, alternative, thrash, and progressive metal, you’ll have a good place to start from. Continue reading
This is an EP by Lab A, a groove/nu-metal band from Tasmania.
This is like an aggressive modern-day updated version of some of the stuff that was being played by some of the bands that sat on the heavier end of the nu-metal spectrum in the late 90s/early 00s. It reminds me Continue reading
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
This is the eighth album by Combichrist, a Norwegian/US industrial metal band.
Combichrist are one of those bands that I’ve been aware of since they came out, but I’ve always managed to unintentionally avoid listening to. As this is their eighth album I’m quite late to the Combichrist party, but I’m glad I’ve finally experienced their quite personable brand of industrial metal. Continue reading
