Album Reviews



Review: BREATH AFTER COMA – ‘Woke Up In Babel’ [Album Stream]

Formed in 2013 with the intent to “live, jam, and speak the truth,” Breath After Coma started by developing jam sessions into conceptual work. Influenced by a wide variety of artists including Deftones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Clutch, Nirvana, Audioslave, Incubus, Radiohead, Portishead, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, The Cure, and The Clash, it’s safe to say that Breath After Coma is not your typical band by any stretch. On their latest release ‘Woke up in Babel,’ you get a loud album full of variety and catchy songwriting. Continue reading

Review: MOTIONLESS IN WHITE – ‘Disguise’ [Full Album Stream]

Motionless In White has always been one of the most populair bands in their genre, from their shock value to the intense and creepy writing to their heavy breakdowns that will make you stop breathing they have never once stopped being a force not to be reckoned with and that definitely includes ‘Disguise’!

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Review: ALL HELL – ‘The Witch’s Grail’ [Track Stream]

Asheville, North Carolina’s All Hell are set to release their fourth studio album, ‘The Witch’s Grail’ via Prosthetic Records on June 7th, 2019. The trio consisting of Jacob Curwen (vocals/guitar), Kurt Henderson (drums), and Erik Ballantyne (bass) are generally labeled as blackened thrash with a style that is uniquely their own. Although there are frequent moments of high-paced aggression, ‘The Witch’s Grail’ leans almost equally thrash as it does rock. Adding more potency to the brew are strong hardcore punk influences as well. Curwen’s classic black metal rasp cuts through the often Ghost-like catchiness like an icy dagger, making ‘The Witch’s Grail’ an album that could easily be the soundtrack to a raging house party for the dead. Continue reading

Review: WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION Documentary [Official Trailer]

For Americans, Woodstock is largely known as an iconic cultural event in the history of popular music that would leave its mark for generations to come. Even though the festival itself took place years before many of us were even born (myself included), its impact can still be seen in many ways today, especially on the way we experience live music. The modern concert crowd may glow in a sea of iPhones rather than Zippos, but the sense of community brought together by music, in many ways, still remains the same. While today’s age of annual festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, SXSW, and others (touted fervently on social media by hashtag-craving, attention-seeking attendees) take the concept of a massive, multi-day concert to rake in boatloads from inflated entry fees, concessions, and merch, Woodstock, on the other hand, became something much deeper than the latest big trend in pop music – it was a movement. In 1969, during the heart of the Vietnam war, sexual politics, and civil rights struggles, Woodstock and the music of its time represented a call for change in America. During a peaceful gathering of nearly 500,000 people on a small dairy farm in upstate New York, Woodstock would, in fact, change history. This documentary, Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation is an in-depth look, featuring never-before-seen footage, into the landmark event told by those who helped create it and those who experienced it firsthand. Continue reading

Review: UPON A BURNING BODY – ‘Southern Hostility’ [Official Videos]

Upon A Burning Body is that one band you never knew you needed until it slapped you right in the face. With 4 crazy albums on their name and another one almost ready to see daylight they are greater than ever. And after getting the first look at the album with pre-released track ”King Of Diamonds” I instantly knew that ‘Southern Hostility’ was about to blow us away!

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Review: DIAMOND HEAD – ‘The Coffin Train’ [Video Stream]

Formed in 1976 under the riff-rolling leadership of guitarist Brian Tatler, Diamond Head would quickly establish themselves as a vanguard of the exploding New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. With their genre-defining debut album ‘Lightning to the Nations,’ Diamond Head became the band who influenced and opened the gates for many metal bands. Their new album ‘The Coffin Train’ will be released via Silver Lining Music on May 24th. Preorders are available here. Continue reading

Review: ATALA – ‘The Bearer Of Light’ [Official Video]

 

After honing their chops in other touring bands, the members of Atala came together in 2013 when frontman Kyle Stratton, who owns two tattoo shops in their hometown, met up with drummer Jeff Tedtaotao, the brother of one of his shop’s tattoo artists. After joining up with their first bassist, the band quickly linked up with producer Scott Reeder (Kyuss, The Obsessed), and released their self-titled first full-length in 2014. In 2016, the band followed up with the release of their well-received sophomore album, ‘Shaman’s Path of the Serpent’, this time with current producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Mastodon) at the helm. After the departure of their previous bassist, current bassist and fellow tattoo artist Dave Horn joined the ranks. Though the band hails from the barren desert of Twentynine Palms they aren’t anything like the standard desert rock bands you may be familiar with, Atala are breaking the mold and solidifying a new sound associated with the desert. Now signed to Salt of the Earth Records, Atala seeks to reach new heights and expand their horizons, and they did just that with the 2018 release of ‘Labyrinth of Ashmedai.’ Their most conceptualized offering yet. Atala have truly found their path, and their groove, with ‘Labyrinth of Ashmedai,’ and I believe they also reached a new pinnacle in songwriting. We conducted an interview with the band as well which you can read here. The Twentynine Palms doom crew is now back with another album that is bound to please our ears. Atala will release their new full-length ‘The Bearer Of Light’ via Salt Of The Earth Records on May 21st.

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Review: KRANE – ‘Pleonexia’ [Album Stream]

    

Swiss Metal act KRANE bring instrumental darkness across their 2017 sophomore effort, ‘Pleonexia.’ Combining elements of droning guitar efforts and driving drum rhythms to compile towards a sound that is both unique and dark all together, it’s a hopeful ambition that KRANE continue to make music that fulfills listening pleasure to fans across the world apart from their Russian home audience. Deriving elements from their three members styles to incorporate and eerie sound unlike most things that many bands in their genre can achieve, while thus continuing their efforts from their first release in 2013, it’s no secret as to how simply talented these guys are just by simply listening to the music. Continue reading

Album Review : FLUB – Self Titled [Single Streaming]

Heavy on the arpeggios, heavy on the footwork and heavy on the “bree’s,” FLUB is about to take you on an extraordinary adventure. A modern take on tech-death by members of such prestigious bands as RIVERS OF NIHIL, ALTERBEAST alongside former members of VALE OF PNATH and THE USER LIVES. FLUB is set to release their self-titled record via The Artisan Era on June 7th.

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Review: AMON AMARTH – ‘Berserker’ [Video Stream]

A fearsome battle cry is heard from the North: Amon Amarth, five brutish warriors from Tumba, Sweden face an army of raving fanatics from all parts of the globe. Having formed in 1992, vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen & Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström, and drummer Jocke Wallgren have had plenty of experience venturing out into the world, speaking of Viking lore and fantasy, and conquering the stages of every land they set their eyes upon. 2019 marks the dawn of ‘Berserker’ via Metal Blade Records/Sony Music, the 11th studio album from these melodic death metal titans, and it is definitely not one that you would like to catch you sleeping. ‘Berserker’ is a full-on auditory assault of brutal savagery, primal ferocity, and plenty of beautiful melodies sure to please fans of Amon Amarth, both young and old. Continue reading