Whitechapel – The Valley (Review)

Whitechapel - The ValleyThis is the seventh album from US deathcore veterans Whitechapel.

Following on from Our Endless War and Mark of the Blade, Whitechapel are back with another thundering album of deathcore, modern metal, and pit-rousing brutal anthems. So how have they got on this time? Continue reading “Whitechapel – The Valley (Review)”

Kaleikr – Heart of Lead (Review)

kaleikr - heart of leadKaleikr are an Icelandic black/death metal band and this is their debut album.

This is black metal that’s progressive and emotive. Heart of Lead is an album that you can almost visibly see change as it develops and unfolds. As it runs through its playing time, Kaleikr’s music becomes increasingly darker and more unhinged. Continue reading “Kaleikr – Heart of Lead (Review)”

Nailed to Obscurity – Black Frost (Review)

Nailed to Obscurity - Black FrostThis is the fourth album from Nailed to Obscurity, a melodic doom metal band from Germany.

Nailed to Obscurity play a modernised version of old-school death/doom. Black Frost contains 47 minutes of material that can be roughly characterised as a combination of old Katatonia mixed with elements of Paradise Lost, Insomnium, Opeth, Décembre Noir, and others. The band definitely let their own collective personalities shine through in the music, however. Continue reading “Nailed to Obscurity – Black Frost (Review)”

Carchosa – Carchosa (Review)

CarchosaCarchosa is a one man Swedish thrash/death metal band. This is his debut album.

Featuring seven long songs and clocking in at just under an hour in duration, this album contains a blend of thrash and death metal, alongside a good helping of melodic and progressive elements. Continue reading “Carchosa – Carchosa (Review)”

NVC – The Deleted Scenes (Review)

NVCNVC are a Canadian progressive metal band and this is their debut album.

This is modern and emotive progressive metal that marries some latter-day Anathema influences with a melodic death metal side; think Ensiferum and Wintersun for a starting point. The resulting Continue reading “NVC – The Deleted Scenes (Review)”

Jarun – Sporysz (Review)

JarunJarun are a Polish progressive black metal band and this is their third album.

This is the follow up to 2015’s very enjoyable Pod Niebem Utkanym z Popiołu, which demonstrated the band’s progressive/folk-influenced black metal very well. Continue reading “Jarun – Sporysz (Review)”

Fragarak – A Spectral Oblivion (Review)

FragarakFragarak are an Indian progressive death metal band and this is their second album.

We first met Fragarak on their 2013 album Crypts of Dissimulation. Well, we’ve been waiting a long time for a follow up release, and now it’s here, it’s quite the monster. Continue reading “Fragarak – A Spectral Oblivion (Review)”

Ne Obliviscaris – Urn (Review)

Ne ObliviscarisNe Obliviscaris are an Australian progressive extreme metal band and this is their third album.

Urn is epic, progressive, aggressive, and textured. It’s a release that has a lot to absorb and experience, requiring multiple sittings to really even start to get the most from it. This is a complex and emotive listen, one that’s highly rewarding and enjoyable. Continue reading “Ne Obliviscaris – Urn (Review)”