Posted on May 22, 2013 |
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There is a lot to be said about bands and artists that seek to push the envelope of music and stand on the cutting edge; but sometimes as much as we need such acts, sometimes we just need the familiarity of the old and tested,...
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Posted on May 17, 2013 |
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If the artwork alone is not enough to tell you that Children of Bodom have once again gone for a different slant to their sound, opting for a blackened folk metal approach to the song writing style this time, then the tracks on “Halo of...
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Posted on April 30, 2013 |
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There is a strong possibility that you have noticed the name Neaera in passing before completely by accident. Fairly regularly their name seems to pop up mid to lower billing on a metal show featuring several young upstart bands; normally with Emmure or the ilk...
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Posted on April 15, 2013 |
6 Comments
I was looking through the list of promos ThisIsNotAScene gets to see what looked new and cool. I noticed that Soen’s “Cognitive”, released February 15, 2012 digitally and set to hit the last month in the States, was still on the list. I inquired if...
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Posted on April 14, 2013 |
5 Comments
Given that it’s only been recently that the British black metal scene has properly got its act together after years of creative stagnation and indifference, it’s unsurprising that it’s taken Scottish quartet Cnoc An Tursa this long to release their debut album after forming in...
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Posted on April 7, 2013 |
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Peter Tägtgren is one of the hardest-working people in metal. Behind those instantly recognisable deep-set, almost skull-like eyes lies an intense hunger and talent for music. Not content with bringing his own musical visions to life with Hypocrisy and Pain, Tägtgren also runs The Abyss...
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Posted on March 29, 2013 |
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Have you ever had a Maxell moment? That moment when you hit play and from the very beginning you are completely blown away by an album? Like, even if you were listening to it on a mini system the energy from the music would make...
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Posted on March 1, 2013 |
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Clowns and metal have gone hand in hand for years now and from Shawn “Clown” Crahan of Slipknot fame to some styles of black metal face paint, these freaks with a smile have been slowly creeping into the metal scene a lot lately. Avatar is such...
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Posted on February 14, 2013 |
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First off let me get this off my chest – have we run out of cool names for rock bands? I know calling yourself anything is fraught with potential dangers, but really, is Waking Theo the best we can do? Well I guess if you’re...
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Posted on November 18, 2012 |
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With a mammoth trek across the UK and beginning to draw to a close, excitement seems pretty high for band and fans alike in anticipation of Swedish power metallers Sabaton’s biggest UK show to date. Add to the mix that it was announced that London...
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Posted on October 28, 2012 |
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The short version of this review is that “Illusions of Grandeur” sounds like so much other Gothenburg melodic death metal. At the Gates, Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquillity and the rest are all there as these hard-driving melodic songs deliver riff after riff, the occasional guitar...
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Posted on October 9, 2012 |
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Occasionally, very occasionally, a record comes along that catches me completely blindsided and then simply blows me away. Apostate from Prague in the Czech Republic have succeeded in doing just this with their second EP, ‘Λ ♦ Λ ♦ Ø’ (no, we don’t know how...
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Posted on October 1, 2012 |
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Diversity. That’s what stands most about “God is an Automaton”, the fourth release from Swiss band Sybreed. Some of it’s great, some of it I’m not so keen on but the other thing you can’t escape is the skill with which they perform their melting-pot...
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Posted on September 24, 2012 |
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There are few certainties in life, except death, taxes and a new record by Illdisposed that doesn’t stride too far from the previous one. The band surrounding Bo “Subwoofer” Summers has been around since the early nineties and they’re known for releasing solid, yet not...
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Posted on September 7, 2012 |
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There are two things I really like about metal besides how it sounds. I like how metal bands and musicians are constantly willing to experiment with the core sounds. Metal taken as a whole is really diverse and you constantly see variations of themes, as...
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Posted on July 30, 2012 |
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“Son of Perdition,” the new album from US band Wretched is a mighty assault upon the senses which is a grower rather than an instant triumph. Initial contact with the ear is certainly strong but strangely slightly underwhelming at times but given time and opportunity...
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Posted on July 16, 2012 |
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Right now the UK death metal scene isn’t just strong but is absolutely thriving. A wealth of terrific and crushing death metal acts have appeared and really made a mark on peoples radars. From the unlikely origins of Taunton in Somerset, Engraved Disillusion are yet...
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Posted on July 14, 2012 |
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Montreal’s The Agonist are a damn good band that plays a combo of melodic death metal and metalcore. Now, anyone who’s read previous reviews of mine for both this and other publications, will know that with the exception of maybe 4 bands, (Trivium, Odium, Killswitch...
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Posted on July 14, 2012 |
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New Jersey metal warriors, God Forbid have unleashed a powerful music video for their title track, ‘Equilibrium’ from the March 26, 2012 release, which is sure to resonate with many while leaving fans yearning to find their own balance. Filmed in Brooklyn, NY and directed by...
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Posted on July 9, 2012 |
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Rich compositions and sharp contrasts make Venial Sin’s EP entitled “Sphere of Morality,” a quality listen. The Portuguese based band put forth a heavy output of doom and black metal on “Sphere of Morality” and consequently captures a dark barren atmosphere. That atmosphere seeps throughout...
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