This is the third album by Norwegian mathcore band Agabas.
How could you not see a band described in the promo blurb as a “brutal heavy deathjazz metal/mathcore quintet” and not want to check them out? Although, I note in the band pics there’s six people, so no idea what that’s about. Regardless, Hard Anger is a 36-minute melting pot of ideas and influences, so strap in tight and get ready for mayhem. Continue reading “Agabas – Hard Anger (Review)”
This is the second album from Gaahls Wyrd, an avant-garde/dark metal band from Norway.
I really liked both 2019’s Gastir – Ghosts Invited and 2021’s The Humming Mountain, so the 42-minute Braiding the Stories is gratefully received. This is not music to be casually experienced, but an experience to be explored at length. Continue reading “Gaahls Wyrd – Braiding the Stories (Review)”
Vildhjarta are a Swedish progressive metal band and this is their third album.
Following on from 2021’s Måsstaden Under Vatten, Vildhjarta have returned with the 59-minute + Där Skogen Sjunger Under Evighetens Granar +. As much as I liked its predecessor, I like this one better. Continue reading “Vildhjarta – + Där Skogen Sjunger Under Evighetens Granar + (Review)”
This is the debut album from Estonian modern metallers Pridian.
Venetian Dark is a 44-minute contemporary metal album that ably showcases Pridian’s skillset. The band’s music is an amalgam of metalcore, nu-metal, djent, and progressive metal. Think a mix of acts such as Meshuggah, Tesseract, Mnemic, Spiritbox, Gojira, and Make Them Suffer, as a rough starting point. Continue reading “Pridian – Venetian Dark (Review)”
This is the debut band from Ceresian Valot, an rock band from Finland.
Brought to us by ex-members of Ghost Brigade, Uumen contains 44 minutes of a hybrid alternative/progressive/post-metal/rock style that is engaging and evocative. Continue reading “Ceresian Valot – Uumen (Review)”
This is the debut album by solo Chinese avant-garde extreme metal act Smiqra.
Brought to us by the artist behind the Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites), Smiqra take the more avant-garde aspects of the last Ὁπλίτης release Παραμαινομένη and runs with them. Rgyaɡ̇dźé! is a 42-minute explosion of avant-garde metal that’s dizzying. Continue reading “Smiqra – Rɡyaɡ̇dźé! (Review)”
This is the third album from Australian post-metal solo band Cave Sermon.
On Fragile Wings the artist behind Cave Sermon has created an interesting and enjoyable 4o minutes of music. It’s a hybrid style, combining death, black, sludge, progressive, and post-metal, resulting in an album that covers a lot of bases in a well-blended, immersive way. Continue reading “Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings (Review)”
This is the third album from US extreme metal band Kardashev.
Kardashev return, after the acclaimed Liminal Rite from 2022. The self-styled deathgaze band have provided us with 43 minutes of new material on Alunea. Continue reading “Kardashev – Alunea (Review)”
In the Woods… are a Norwegian progressive metal band and this is their seventh album.
I thoroughly enjoyed 2022’s Diversum, so was pleased when Otra appeared on the horizon. Across 47 minutes In the Woods… deliver a richly engaging album, full of textured and high quality songcraft. Continue reading “In the Woods… – Otra (Review)”
This is the second album from US black/death metal band Tómarúm.
2022’s Ash in Realms of Stone Icons was a one of the best of the year, so anticipation has been high for the new one from Tómarúm. Will Beyond Obsidian Euphoria‘s 69 minutes have the same impact as its predecessor? Continue reading “Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 