Album Reviews


Review: MORBID ANGEL – ‘Kingdoms Disdained’ [Official Track Stream]

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Steve Tucker & Trey Azagthoth

Morbid Angel’s latest studio album, released December 1st, 2017, ‘Kingdoms Disdained’ is a return to form following their previous, polarizing release, ‘Illud Divinum Insanus’ which left many longtime fans feeling alienated. As part of the original Florida death metal scene, Morbid Angel was formed in Tampa in 1983 by guitarist Trey Azagthoth, the only remaining original member, and original vocalist, Mike Browning. Since their inception, the God-hating, Satan-loving death metal pioneers have released nine studio albums to date and are regarded as being among the forefathers of American Death Metal. Their 1989 debut album, ‘Alters of Madness’ is frequently recognized as one of the greatest death metal albums of all time. Continue reading →

Album Review: MANGOO – “The Heat” [Video Streams]

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A follow-up to any sophomore release is a massive undertaking for any band, but especially so for one that has been in the works for a near half decade. Finnish rockers Mangoo have certainly let us sweat it out in anticipation since 2012’s Small Stone debut ‘Neverland’. Will you be ready when you fire up their latest offering? Can you handle ‘The Heat’?

The quintet have been firmly routed in the underground since 2005 with their self-released untitled debut EP, and were brought to domestic and international media attention with their first full-length ‘Neolithic’ (7:45 Records) in 2009 and subsequent sophomore ‘Neverland’. Each time Mangoo has been personally involved with the recording and production processes. Enabling them to keep the music entirely their own, allowing them a complete freedom over their sound and song writing. By this, the abundance of experimentation has kept them advancing forward at an astonishing rate in terms of growth and progression, and Mangoo have accomplished something truly special with ‘The Heat’ that drops this Friday 8th December via Small Stone Records. Pre-order now here! Continue reading →

Review: THE MODERN AGE SLAVERY – ‘Stygian’ [Official Videos]

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Just 4 days ago on the 24th of November death metal/core act The Modern Age Slavery released their third studio album called ‘Stygian’ via Innerstrength Records. Coming from the widely praised 2013 album ‘Requiem For Us All’ and starting with their 2008 debut album ‘Damned To Blindness’ they have really shown to step up their game every single time, especially this one. Check it out!

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Operation: Mindcrime – ‘The New Reality’ (Review)

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If metal could be tied down to a number of iconic soundbites or phrases, “Operation: Mindcrime” would most certainly be high on the list after the seminal Queensryche rock-opera of the same title. Recently such a phrase has found yet again its prevalence in the corridors of rock with the emergence of ex-Queensryche vocalist Geoff Tate and his concept project Operation: Mindcrime, whose third studio album ‘The New Reality’ is set to hit the market on December 1, 2017. The album Continue reading →

Book Review: BRUCE DICKINSON – ‘What Does This Button Do?’

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Bruce Dickinson

What Does This Button Do?

Dey St. Books

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson was raised in a household where a strong work ethic was the most valued of all virtues, and “the only sin was not trying hard.” This minor revelation on page two of his autobiography What Does This Button Do? offers a clear and simple explanation as to how and why Dickinson became one of rock and roll’s true renaissance men. For most folks, being the multi-millionaire lead singer of a world-famous, well-respected, multi-platinum metal band would be enough; for Dickinson, it’s just one of his many pursuits (and it doesn’t even particularly seem to be his favorite). He’s also a commercial pilot, a world-class fencer, a novelist, a screenwriter, a brewer, a radio host, a motivational speaker, and an airline entrepreneur. What Does This Button Do? is a well-written and fast paced look at a few of the past adventures of The Most Interesting Man in the World of Metal.

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Review: IRON GRIFFIN – ‘S/T’ [Album Stream]

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Iron Griffin is a one man band from Finnish drummer Oskari Räsänen (of the band “Mausoleum Gate”) who recently signed a contract with Gates of Hell Records (a Cruz Del Sur Music imprint). Razanez stated: “IRON GRIFFIN is a new project which started about a year ago as a one-man band mostly to improve myself at playing different instruments and writing music. Session vocals are done by my friend and spectacular singer Toni Pentikäinen. “The future of this project is living right now. I will continue working with new material and try to search for players to form a ‘real band,’ maybe. But this EP is a good start for me and the journey continues in one way or another.” Okari handled almost every single aspect of this album, the lyrics, all instruments, recording, mixing and even the artwork was done by Okari himself. The few outside contributions were from session lead vocals by Toni Pentikäinen (Madwill), intro by F.F. Nieminen, and mastered by Wiched Iscanius. The album released on August 23, 2017. Continue reading →

Album Review: HONEYBOMBS ‘Wet Girls And Other Funny Tales’ [Track Stream & Download]

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“Let’s do the Time Warp again!” You don’t even know how much I love stumbling on these new bands that sound like they’re from a generation I really wish I hadn’t missed. HoneyBombs sound like a mix of all of the best 80’s hair metal bands and it’s the reason I enjoyed listening to their album straight away.

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Review: MALET GRACE – ‘Malsanity’ [Official Videos]

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Malet Grace formed in 2014 in Italy. The band formed based on the idea of ​​the singer / guitarist Giampaolo Polidoro, who developed the plan after an encounter with guitarist Alessandro Toselli. After the first session of composition, where the first version of “Egopathy” was perfected, they contacted guitarist Andrea Paglierini who decided to devote himself entirely to the instrument of the bass. The newly formed neo-band develops the idea of ​​a concept album based on the disintegration of the ego and its opening to the apocryphal patterns of the human intellect and the consequent immorality of the contrasting debate between good and evil. The term “Malet Grace” shares both idiosyncratic shapes of the fragile art of existence.  The band recorded their demo in late 2014, but afterwards the drummer left the band. In December 2015, drummer Andrea Giovanetti joined the line-up of the band. The first full-length recordings are scheduled for June 2016. The band has now released ‘Malsanity’ that includes a unique blend of varying influences and styles. It’s not often a band can cross genres on one single song but somehow they manage to be the masters of doing just that.

 

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Review: GRANT NATIONAL – ‘Double Black’ [Album Stream]

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Grant National come to us from Germany and claim they have been “Making juices flow since 1973”. You can certainly hear some old school influence in their sound, but they are by no means stuck in that era and there are tons of modern influence in their music as well. The band is comprised of Gaylord Goldmann (Vocals, Bass, Guitar), Earo Sheppert (Guitars), and new member N.D. Sheppert (Drums). With influences ranging from James Brown to The Melvins the band somehow manages to cohesively mold all these differing influences into one well flowing style. The bands last release was ‘Volume II’ in 2013 and prior to that the band released ‘Sheer Beauty’ in 2011. The band has now unleashed their newest creative force with ‘Double Black’ on October 20th, 2017. Grant National took a little longer between records this time around and I believe it certainly shows in the progression of their sound. ‘Double Black’ was recorded with German Noiserock popes Guido Lucas & Ralf J. Rock at their Stöhrsound Studio during the 1st half of 2017 and the album was released via Bluenoise Records.

 

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Album Review: OBLIVION “The Path Towards…’ [Partial Album Stream + Video Stream]

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It’s been over 3 years since the release of Oblivions critically acclaimed debut ‘Called To Rise’, and now their highly anticipated follow-up release is ready to be unleashed. ‘The Path Towards’ is the next exciting chapter for Oblivion in their odyssey of musical mastery, with internationally acclaimed composer (and Antagony founder) Dr. Nick Vasallo at the helm. Boasting not only an impeccable line-up itself*, ‘The Path Towards’ also features an all-star line-up of guest artists that include Karl Sanders (Nile, guest songwriter), Eddie Hermida (Suicide Silence/All Shall Perish, guest vocals), Enrico H. Di Lorenzo (Hideous Divinity, guest vocals), and Carlos Saldana (Connoisseur, guest vocals). This album also marks the return of Ben Orum (All Shall Perish and Antagony founder) and Nick Vasallo collaborating on music since Antagony’s debut album in 2001. ‘The Path Towards…’ is out November 17th via Unique Leader Records and is available to order here.

A follow-up is always a hard feat for many an artist, but with 2013’s debut having been crowned “the must-own album of 2013” by Metal Injection, and comments such as “the band’s eleven song display of nothing more than pure aggression with more musical depth than many bands can find in their entire discography” from Sputnik Music; Oblivion had already set the bar extremely high and left fans and media outlets alike with a burning desire for their sophomore release. Vasallos talents as an accomplished composer certainly bring a whole new dimension to the music, with this record giving off an overwhelming experience of boundary crossing metal at its finest. This release is arguably the most exciting death metal release of the year, giving off a lasting impression that we are listening to veterans in the death metal scene (despite in real terms only being early on in their career.) Continue reading →