Thou are a sludge/doom band from the US and this is their sixth album.
Following on from 2018’s immense Magus, Umbilical contains 49 minutes of new music from the very well-regarded Thou. Umbilical takes a different route to heaviness than its predecessor, but is no less effective in achieving its goals. Continue reading “Thou – Umbilical (Review)”
This is the debut album from US one-man black metal band Theophonos.
Rising from the ashes of Serpent Column, the music of Theophonos is a nightmarish mixture of twisted black metal and abrasive hardcore fury. Continue reading “Theophonos – Nightmare Visions (Review)”
This is the third album from Greyhaven, a hardcore band from the US.
Greyhaven play a form of modern post-hardcore that takes influence from a range of places. On the one hand they clearly follow the Every Time I Die template of hardcore, with raucous heaviness mixed with emotive cleanly-sung sections. On the other hand though, they also follow a sort of progressive post-hardcore Continue reading “Greyhaven – This Bright and Beautiful World (Review)”
This is the second album from Vein.fm, a metal band from the US.
Vein.fm are clearly a band with a lot of influences, and across the 32 minutes of material on This World Is Going to Ruin You, they wield these influences like weapons. Flourishing elements of hardcore, mathcore, metalcore, industrial, and nu-metal into a Continue reading “Vein.fm – This World Is Going to Ruin You (Review)”
Zao are an American metal band and this is their twelfth album.
This is the much-anticipated follow up to 2016’s The Well-Intentioned Virus, and although it might not be what you’re expecting, it’s exactly what you need. Continue reading “Zao – The Crimson Corridor (Review)”
Gnarwolf are a US hardcore band and this is their latest EP, a split with Covina.
I enjoyed 2017’s II, so am pleased to hear some new work from Gnarwolf. We only have seven minutes of material here, divided into three songs, but it sure hits the spot. Continue reading “Gnarwolf – GnarVina – Split (Review)”
Ithaca are a metallic hardcore band from the UK and this is their debut album.
I’ll be honest, whenever I see a band described as metallic hardcore my eyes kind of glaze over as a first response. However, the promo blurb for this one intrigued me, I must confess, so I’ll reproduce it here – “Formed out of a mutual love of metallic hardcore but despair at its lack of ambition, Ithaca draw influence from everything from Southern doom to 90’s math rock as well as the untethered savagery of early Poison The Well and melodious battery of Oathbreaker.” Couple this with Continue reading “Ithaca – The Language of Injury (Review)”
This is the debut album from Jesus Piece, a hardcore band from the US.
Only Self opens up a world of expressive violence with 29 minutes of aggressive hardcore tinged with experimental elements. Continue reading “Jesus Piece – Only Self (Review)”
Violent Life Violent Death are a US metal/hardcore band from the US and this is their second EP.
Mixing old and new influences from the metalcore and hardcore scenes, this is a savage and heavy collection of songs, despite being enhanced by some more accessible parts here and there. Continue reading “Violent Life Violent Death – Come, Heavy Breath (Review)”
Iron Harvest are a death metal band from the Netherlands and this is their debut album.
Sometimes all you need is death metal. Sometimes, brutal chaos and insane extremity is all that it takes to get you through the day. This debut album is one such release that hits the spot perfectly; 33 minutes of what can only be described as previously – brutal chaos. Continue reading “Iron Harvest – Iron Harvest (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 