Reviews

Tech death used to be pretty brisk. Then it became exceptionally hurried. Then it became comically speedy. Then it became Archspire.

Starting to understand how David could beat Goliath.

Wormholy World is one of those classic conundrums of how much does one glaring weakness hinder the experience of enjoying an otherwise solid album.

Lady Of Lust & Steel sounds very heavy metal to me, and that it is.

Monosphere have accomplished a remarkable thing with Amnesia: they have now released three albums that sound clearly distinct from one another, yet could only have been created by this particular band.

There's a storm a comin'.

Will Chapter II prove to be just as wacky and exciting as the first chapter, I wonder? If the apocalypse has any say, it will be.

You'll find no peace in this world, just as No/Más will offer you No Peace from this album.

It’s fitting that an album titled Canvas has a real work of art adorning its cover. It’s also relieving that said artwork effectively foreshadows both the quality and madness lying within.

Hey, look what I found: the winning ticket to the deathcore headbanging lottery of... checks drawing date... 2025. Gyaddammit!…

Hey, look what I found: the winning ticket to the metalcore headbanging lottery of... checks drawing date… 2025. Gyaddammit!…

I have never read Ulysses, nor indeed any works of James Joyce. However, from what I have ascertained from discussions of his writing style, Agenbite Misery are very much working on the right lines in…

Agnes Skinner rides again.

Line-up turbulence can often be the cause of a sudden and slightly jarring change in musical direction, as was the case with IV: The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts. It is perhaps less usual to see continued…

Almost 50 years have passed and there's still More heavy metal left in their tank.

The sky turned black for many when Windir tragically came to an end 22 years ago, but the time for mourning has long passed and Vreid continue to carry that flame. They've stepped up to the mark before,…

There are few bands that I have as much respect for as Converge. With over 35 years of career without releasing a single bad album, the same lineup since 1999, and several masterpieces under their belt,…

Listeners are invited to embark on another voyage into the depths of the Nameless Infinity. Only this time you won't be exploring the infinite cosmos above, but rather a place closer to home, where…

I think I speak for us all when I ask, where's the weird and wacky title Rob? Where's the weird and wacky title?!…

With Die Like Gentlemen Die Like Gentlemen die like gentlemen.

Do you like your goth rock to have a bit more oomph?

Zepter is simply NWOBHM in its purist form, which is good news if you consider yourself a heavy metal traditionalist.

Itching closer to four decades in the scene, Magus Wampyr Daoloth earned every right to go by The MagusTHE Magus[/band].

For a band with "kult" in its name, Bizarrekult has a lot more depth in its melodies than expected.

Sometimes it's all in the murk.

Why the rush?

Red Asphalt is how the surface of the highway would be coloured after Exhumed finished death grinding on it.

Thy Worshiper have been dropping in and out of the scene for the past 3 decades, but due to circumstances across the Eastern border of their homeland, they might have perhaps found something worth worshipping.

Can I get away with calling it "Giallo metal"?

Daniel Flores and Pandora Evangelista return(ed) with a vengeance and another 70-minute concept album.

Worm, you sly dogs, you pulled the genre switcheroo again!

Don't let the bastards grind you down.

If lost, do not find.

Is depressive black metal meant to be so beautifully uplifting?

Liturgy Of Death sees Mayhem following up their previous album and continuing with a more traditional take on black metal. While I’m glad the band has found their most stable line-up so far, I can’t help…

Much like the Xasthur song from which they take their name, Prison Of Mirrors sound like black metal observed from a long way off: you have to scythe through layers of fumacious fuzz before you reach the…

I still can't be mad at Møl for sounding like Deafheaven because they're so good at it.

Sometimes you just need a wall of guitars to wash over you.

Back in 2019, it was becoming fashionable for progressive/alternative metal bands to break a 13-year gap between albums, between the likes of Tool’s Fear Inoculum and Disillusion’s The Liberation. Evidently,…

Bridging the divide.

Flying high again.

TarLung are still consuming the hard stuff, but now they believe the time is right to dabble in something a bit stronger, so let's hope they're making the right decision.

We all know Metallica in one way or another; no metal or rock band can say that they weren't inspired by or know some of Metallica's work. But it was a totally different scene back in 1984.

Skid Row: more than glam heavy, and beyond future controversies as an iconic and significant piece.

Even an outsider to dungeon synth will succumb to the Old Sorcery that's at work here.

Join Hällas as they embark on a panoramic journey through a parallel universe and to a world caught between space and time, where 70s progressive rock and modern metal collide in ambitious and adventurous…

Denominate bring a lot of ideas to Restoration; the execution of some of them is questionable, but the overall experience is ultimately a rewarding one.

There are albums where something feels off, but you can't quite articulate why.

Back with a Vengeance?

Cadavrul had surfaced from the underground depths of rotting decay only once in their 21-year existence, until now that is.

I understand the French black metal scene is somewhat different to all the others, but this guy goes as far as giving blackened thrash an entirely unique approach.

The bells from the tower of Exxûl now chime, signifying the impending end of times. So now Sealed Into None, a rise of power, doom, and heavy metal is unleashed with epic consequences.

All good things must come to an end.

Quiet Riot don't know the first thing about noize.

A decade in the making has softened Genotype for better or worse.

Finnish melancholy strikes again!

Did you think Fleshvessel’s previous album was too normal? Do you think death metal and opera should mesh together more often? If so, I have exactly what you need.

You could have called it anything else.

I didn't expect that being Buried In Blue would help For My Pain after 2 decades, but it seems to have done the trick.

What lies In Unreality's Coffin is nothing but an unrelenting slab of old-school death metal.

A Bridge over not so troubled water.

Third time's a charm.

Looks like jazz metal is back on the menu, boys!

Liked the gothic touches of The Thule Grimoires but wish The Ruins Of Beverast brought back some of their ritualistic atmospheres? Tempelschlaf is for you!

The Wildhunt is back on, and the prey is someone looking for more than just a standard old-school thrash metal record.

I'm not entirely sure what a gigantic spider dripping with venom that's bulging out of a woman's forehead head has to do with the theme behind Zerfall, but it certainly makes for a grim…

Slaughter To Prevail released Grizzly on July 18 of 2025; this made many fans get excited, as Kostolom was well received by the fanbase. This also made newcomers (I was one of them) check out their newest…

Recipe to make a Přílišnost (Excess): - Take 300g of Deathspell Omega and mix it with 150g of Jute Gyte - Add 100g of disparate death metal influences - Throw everything else you have lying around in…

What better way to start the new year is there than to see the return of Enshine, a band that could bring much needed Elevation to a genre that's been in need of a lift during their absence.

The Scots are traditionally known for their New Year celebrations, so how about embarking on a spiritual journey to the magnificent Scottish Highlands to kick-start 2026? However, the environment can be…