Ails – The Unraveling (Review)

AilsAils are a US black metal band and this is their debut album.

Featuring two members of the mighty Ludicra, Ails have produced 41 minutes of melodic depth and blackened substance. Continue reading “Ails – The Unraveling (Review)”

Æpoch – Awakening Inception (Review)

ÆpochÆpoch are a Canadian death metal band and this is their debut album.

Æpoch play progressive death metal, with additional elements of both black and thrash metal appearing in their sound here and there. Continue reading “Æpoch – Awakening Inception (Review)”

Reprisal – None Survive the Sun (Review)

ReprisalThis is the debut album from Reprisal, a death/thrash metal band from the UK.

This is 54 minutes of ripping death/thrash. It’s not without its depth either, as the band incorporate some choice progressive tendencies in their sound too. This justifies the length of the album, as the songs take the time to explore where they need to, offering a substantial and engaging journey to the listener. Continue reading “Reprisal – None Survive the Sun (Review)”

Metamorphosis – The Secret Art (Review)

MetamorphosisThis is the sixth album from German one man black metal band Metamorphosis.

Here we have 40 minutes of music that takes traditional satanic black metal and blends it with a decent helping of death metal muscle, doom metal melodic allure, thrash metal energy, and symphonic black metal grandeur. Continue reading “Metamorphosis – The Secret Art (Review)”

Gravehill – The Unchaste, the Wicked, & the Profane (Review)

GravehillThis is the fourth album from US death metallers Gravehill.

2014’s Death Curse was a very tasty serving of rotting metallic delights, and now the band are back with another mouldy 43 minutes of atavistic death metal. Continue reading “Gravehill – The Unchaste, the Wicked, & the Profane (Review)”

The Iron Gates – The Story Thus Far (Review)

The Iron GatesThis is the debut EP from US metalcore band The Iron Gates.

Here we have 20 minutes of thrash-influenced metalcore that strikes a balance between Darkest Hour‘s razor-sharp thrash, Killswitch Engage’s groove, and something a little more along the melodic death metal lines, (Amon Amarth?); there’s a pleasing aggression to parts of these songs. Continue reading “The Iron Gates – The Story Thus Far (Review)”

Cist – The Frozen Casket (Review)

CistCist are a Russian death metal band and this is their latest EP.

Cist play old-school death metal, influenced by the likes of Death, Pestilence, and Obituary, mixed with some speedy thrash metal influences. Continue reading “Cist – The Frozen Casket (Review)”

Rebel Wizard – Great Addictions to Blindingly Dark, Worldly Life (Review)

Rebel WizardRebel Wizard is a one-man blackened heavy metal band from Australia, and this is his latest EP.

I last heard Rebel Wizard’s work on his 2015 EP Invocation of the Miserable Ones, which stuck out with its well-written mix of black, thrash, and heavy metal. Continue reading “Rebel Wizard – Great Addictions to Blindingly Dark, Worldly Life (Review)”

Iron Reagan/Gatecreeper – Split (Review)

Iron Reagan GatecreeperThis is a split release between these two US bands. Iron Reagan play crossover thrash/hardcore and Gatecreeper play old-school death metal.

The split opens with Iron Reagan, who offer up 10 minutes of their particular brand of crossover mayhem. Continue reading “Iron Reagan/Gatecreeper – Split (Review)”

Voidhanger – Dark Days of the Soul (Review)

VoidhangerVoidhanger are a blackened death/thrash band from Poland, and this is their third album.

It seems like a long time ago since the release of Voidhanger’s exemplary second album Working Class Misanthropy – and it has been. This album was notable for me due to its high quality levels; this style of Continue reading “Voidhanger – Dark Days of the Soul (Review)”