Between the Buried and Me – Automata I (Review)

Between the Buried and MeBetween the Buried and Me are a progressive extreme metal band from the US. This is their eighth album.

There are very few bands out there that truly carve their own path into the crowded metal arena, but Between the Buried and Me are definitely one of them. They have been one of my favourite bands since 2003’s The Silent Circus, and they have never let me down yet. Continue reading “Between the Buried and Me – Automata I (Review)”

Entropy Coding – Tales of the Moon (Review)

Entropy CodingEntropy Coding is a one woman symphonic metal project from Italy, and this is her debut album.

This is sumptuous symphonic metal with power and progressive metal influences. The artist behind the band handles keyboards and composition duties, while many different guests fill the other necessary roles across the tracks. Continue reading “Entropy Coding – Tales of the Moon (Review)”

Oceans of Slumber – The Banished Heart (Review)

Oceans of SlumberOceans of Slumber are a progressive metal band from the US and this is their third album.

I have only the briefest of familiarity with Oceans of Slumber, based on seeing just part of their set at the 2016 Damnation Festival. They impressed me, so it’s great to finally be able to properly listen to and absorb some of their recorded material. Continue reading “Oceans of Slumber – The Banished Heart (Review)”

Usurpress – Interregnum (Review)

UsurpressUsurpress are a Swedish death metal band and this is their fourth album.

Usurpress play an interesting and atypical brand of death metal. They essentially take a death metal base and build on it not only with sludge influences, but with progressive ones too. I already Continue reading “Usurpress – Interregnum (Review)”

Letters from the Colony – Vignette (Review)

Letters from the ColonyLetters from the Colony are a progressive metal band from Sweden and this is their debut album.

This is complex music, fusing modern progressive and technical metal influences with djent elements to create experimental extreme metal. Vignette is notable for many things, one of which is that it largely takes from the strengths of these styles and leaves the weaknesses floundering in the dust, which is not an easy feat to achieve. Continue reading “Letters from the Colony – Vignette (Review)”

Interview with In Vain

In Vain Logo

The new In Vain album – Currents – is a progressive death metal treasure trove of sweeping music and grandiose structuring. Full of epic songs and engaging, sometimes eclectic delights, it’s a engrossing mix of melodic black/death metal mixed with progressive highlights. Well-written and extremely enjoyable, this is 42 minutes of quality music that I urge anyone reading to this to explore.

Lead guitarist Kjetil Pedersen was kind enough to answer some questions about the band and their latest opus… Continue reading “Interview with In Vain”