The latest heavy metal album reviews, including releases from Abominor, Ancient Altar, Axis, Black Tongue, Black Trip, Broken Flesh, Chaos Frame, Cruciamentum, Diemonds, IIVII, Inhuman, Lament Cityscape, Mad Max, Morbid Slaughter, Once Human, Ramming Speed, Riverside, Sibiir and Thundermother.
The ratings are on a 5 star scale.
Genre: Black Metal
Iceland is a country covered in ice, yet surrounded by the fires of Hell. Capturing that feeling are Abominor, a quartet of native sons plying the wastes of cold, icy black metal with the EP Opus: Decay. Consisting of two songs sprawling out over twenty minutes, Opus: Decay is characterized by swirling riffs delivered amidst a shower of blastbeats.
A certain sense of chaos pervades the atmosphere that has a degree of iciness due to a rather thin production. You certainly have heard this before if you paid any attention at all to the Second Wave of Norwegian black metal, but Abominor pull it all off rather nicely. Truth be told, they are probably at their best during the few slower, more atmospheric moments that sporadically appear in the two songs, but, as far as a debut EP goes, you can certainly do a heck of a lot worse.
Rating: 3.5
(Dave Schalek)
Genre: Doom/ Sludge Metal
Los Angeles’ Ancient Altar return in rather quick fashion with Dead Earth, their second full-length album in as many years. A quartet featuring several mainstays of the Los Angeles metal scene including bassist/vocalist Scott Carlson, Ancient Altar formed from the ashes of Iron Mtn. a pyschedelic/doom band that gigged around the Los Angeles area quite frequently.
Ancient Altar nicely toe the line between doom and sludge metal with lots of heavy riffs, thundering bass, and screamed vocals from Carlson that periodically downshift into a gruff growl. A few of the riffs have a tendency to drone on and on, so much so that the more psychedelic aspects of Iron Mtn.’s music are still present in Ancient Altar’s delivery. All in all, Ancient Altar are a worthy amalgam of different subgenres, all centered on doom metal.
Rating: 4
(Dave Schalek)
Genre: Metallic Hardcore
After an EP and a couple splits, Florida's Axis emerge with their high octane full-length debut Show Your Greed.
It's a potent blast of metallic hardcore that's passionate and emotional, especially the vocals. They've taken elements of the classic '90s hardcore sound and incorporated their own aesthetic. Sometimes chaotic, other times groovy, there's never a dull moment. The album flies by, with the 10 tracks clocking in at just 25 minutes. There's no disputing the record's aggressiveness, but a little more diversity would make it even more compelling.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Genre: Deathcore
Black Tongue call their sound “doomcore,” a sly method to otherwise say, “deathcore with slower tempos.” Because that’s what their debut full-length is; devouring breakdowns with a malevolent streak. Other than an unstable drive starting out “L'appel du Vide,” the songs keep to a deliberate progression focused on brutal energy.
That brutality weighs down each note, giving them an appropriately sinister appearance. Punctuality is not a strong habit, as some snipping would have honed in these songs. It’s great Suicide Silence’s Eddie Hermida does guest vocals on “Vermintide,” but did the tune need to go almost seven minutes? The question of length clouds this otherwise raging output.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Genre: Heavy Metal
Combining the strength of the early 80s NWOBHM era with the guitar stylings of Thin Lizzy is the songwriting foundation of Sweden’s Black Trip. Building on the strength of their debut offering, they return with the sophomore effort Shadowline. Produced by Nicke Andersson, not only is the production worlds better, the songwriting is more streamlined and focused.
Every aspect of the band is improved with Joseph Tholl’s vocals showing the biggest progression. The band’s greatest strength is the flashy guitar work of Peter Stjärnvind and Sebastian Ramstedt, who blend seamlessly together in their ripping guitar solos. Shadowline is a great throwback affair that should appeal to fans of classic metal.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Drago)
Genre: Death Metal
Oklahoma City's Broken Flesh play brutal death metal with a message. Their self-titled album consists mostly of new material, with a couple of songs from their 2009 debut that they re-recorded.
The album is brutally heavy, but not monotonous. Rocket powered blastbeats and relentless riffs are broken up by groovy sections and other brief breaks that act as a change of pace. Broken Flesh are a Christian band who are both devout and willing to crush your skull with their potent musical attack, but without a lyric sheet you'll be hard pressed to understand the gurgling death metal vocals.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Genre: Power Metal
Chaos Frame are a four-piece outfit hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota. Their second album, Paths to Exile, features soaring vocals and shredding guitars from beginning to end. Paths to Exile is well-performed, well-produced power metal with some healthy doses of prog and thrash thrown into the mix.
In fact, a little bit of everything is in the mix here (even a sax solo in “Paper Sun”), at times to the detriment of some pretty good songs. The band seems to have an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ mentality, which is both exhilarating and exhausting. It’s part and parcel to the genre, but at times a bit too much.
Rating: 3.5
(Mike Huck)
Genre: Death Metal
Slow and plodding death metal is what you get with Cruciamentum’s first LP Charnel Passages. They take all of the best parts of Incantation as well as sharing two members with powerhouse Grave Miasma. That combination will surely let you know what you are in for.
The songs are long and varied (Only one of the seven tracks in under five minutes) with sections that operate at breakneck speeds. The powerful and slow riff sections showcase a kind of evil that sometimes gets lost in a genre operated by bands that constantly travel at 100 MPH. Cruciamentum pull no punches; much like Motorhead, “they are Cruciamentum and they play death metal;” the kind that a purist pines for, day in and day out.
Rating: 4.5
(Tom Campagna)
Genre: Hard Rock
Toronto's Diemonds are back with their third album Never Wanna Die. They've modernized their sound a bit, while still paying homage to their influences.
The songs are slickly produced guitar driven modern rock with ample hooks and singalong choruses. You'll hear elements of '80s Sunset Strip bands along with current bands like Sister Sin and Halestorm. Vocalist Priya Panda sings with plenty of attitude on tracks like "Ain't That Kinda Girl," but also showcases a more subdued and emotional delivery on slower songs such as "Secret." They are treading well worn ground, but their songwriting and performance makes it sound anything but generic.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Genre: Ambient Metal
Josh Graham is best known for his work in A Storm of Light and his visuals for Neurosis and Soundgarden, but his new project IIVII and the resultant Colony is an entirely different endeavor. It’s an ambient, synth-driven journey devoid of a living pulse (except the heartbeat-like “percussion” on “Black Galaxy”) but it bleeds humanity and longing.
The soundscapes come across moody and beautiful, embodying the desolation, isolation and wonder of space. Song titles reflect these themes such as “Shaping Itself from Dust”, “Colliding Horizons” and “On the Shores of Markarian 335.” These soundtracks to the exploration of the unknown caress the unfathomable depths of space and time through sound with a haunting, alien dread countering an unshakable sense of reverence.
Rating: 3.5
(Matt Hinch)
The ratings are on a 5 star scale.
Abominor - ‘Opus: Decay’ (Invictus)
Genre: Black Metal
Iceland is a country covered in ice, yet surrounded by the fires of Hell. Capturing that feeling are Abominor, a quartet of native sons plying the wastes of cold, icy black metal with the EP Opus: Decay. Consisting of two songs sprawling out over twenty minutes, Opus: Decay is characterized by swirling riffs delivered amidst a shower of blastbeats.
A certain sense of chaos pervades the atmosphere that has a degree of iciness due to a rather thin production. You certainly have heard this before if you paid any attention at all to the Second Wave of Norwegian black metal, but Abominor pull it all off rather nicely. Truth be told, they are probably at their best during the few slower, more atmospheric moments that sporadically appear in the two songs, but, as far as a debut EP goes, you can certainly do a heck of a lot worse.
Rating: 3.5
(Dave Schalek)
Ancient Altar - ‘Dead Earth’ (Midnight Collective/ Black Voodoo)
Genre: Doom/ Sludge Metal
Los Angeles’ Ancient Altar return in rather quick fashion with Dead Earth, their second full-length album in as many years. A quartet featuring several mainstays of the Los Angeles metal scene including bassist/vocalist Scott Carlson, Ancient Altar formed from the ashes of Iron Mtn. a pyschedelic/doom band that gigged around the Los Angeles area quite frequently.
Ancient Altar nicely toe the line between doom and sludge metal with lots of heavy riffs, thundering bass, and screamed vocals from Carlson that periodically downshift into a gruff growl. A few of the riffs have a tendency to drone on and on, so much so that the more psychedelic aspects of Iron Mtn.’s music are still present in Ancient Altar’s delivery. All in all, Ancient Altar are a worthy amalgam of different subgenres, all centered on doom metal.
Rating: 4
(Dave Schalek)
Axis - 'Show Your Greed' (Good Fight)
Genre: Metallic Hardcore
After an EP and a couple splits, Florida's Axis emerge with their high octane full-length debut Show Your Greed.
It's a potent blast of metallic hardcore that's passionate and emotional, especially the vocals. They've taken elements of the classic '90s hardcore sound and incorporated their own aesthetic. Sometimes chaotic, other times groovy, there's never a dull moment. The album flies by, with the 10 tracks clocking in at just 25 minutes. There's no disputing the record's aggressiveness, but a little more diversity would make it even more compelling.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Black Tongue - 'The Unconquerable Dark' (Century Media)
Genre: Deathcore
Black Tongue call their sound “doomcore,” a sly method to otherwise say, “deathcore with slower tempos.” Because that’s what their debut full-length is; devouring breakdowns with a malevolent streak. Other than an unstable drive starting out “L'appel du Vide,” the songs keep to a deliberate progression focused on brutal energy.
That brutality weighs down each note, giving them an appropriately sinister appearance. Punctuality is not a strong habit, as some snipping would have honed in these songs. It’s great Suicide Silence’s Eddie Hermida does guest vocals on “Vermintide,” but did the tune need to go almost seven minutes? The question of length clouds this otherwise raging output.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Black Trip – ‘Shadowline’ (SPV)
Genre: Heavy Metal
Combining the strength of the early 80s NWOBHM era with the guitar stylings of Thin Lizzy is the songwriting foundation of Sweden’s Black Trip. Building on the strength of their debut offering, they return with the sophomore effort Shadowline. Produced by Nicke Andersson, not only is the production worlds better, the songwriting is more streamlined and focused.
Every aspect of the band is improved with Joseph Tholl’s vocals showing the biggest progression. The band’s greatest strength is the flashy guitar work of Peter Stjärnvind and Sebastian Ramstedt, who blend seamlessly together in their ripping guitar solos. Shadowline is a great throwback affair that should appeal to fans of classic metal.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Drago)
Broken Flesh - 'Broken Flesh' (Luxor)
Genre: Death Metal
Oklahoma City's Broken Flesh play brutal death metal with a message. Their self-titled album consists mostly of new material, with a couple of songs from their 2009 debut that they re-recorded.
The album is brutally heavy, but not monotonous. Rocket powered blastbeats and relentless riffs are broken up by groovy sections and other brief breaks that act as a change of pace. Broken Flesh are a Christian band who are both devout and willing to crush your skull with their potent musical attack, but without a lyric sheet you'll be hard pressed to understand the gurgling death metal vocals.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Chaos Frame – ‘Paths to Exile’ (Nightmare)
Genre: Power Metal
Chaos Frame are a four-piece outfit hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota. Their second album, Paths to Exile, features soaring vocals and shredding guitars from beginning to end. Paths to Exile is well-performed, well-produced power metal with some healthy doses of prog and thrash thrown into the mix.
In fact, a little bit of everything is in the mix here (even a sax solo in “Paper Sun”), at times to the detriment of some pretty good songs. The band seems to have an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ mentality, which is both exhilarating and exhausting. It’s part and parcel to the genre, but at times a bit too much.
Rating: 3.5
(Mike Huck)
Cruciamentum – ‘Charnel Passages’ (Profound Lore)
Genre: Death Metal
Slow and plodding death metal is what you get with Cruciamentum’s first LP Charnel Passages. They take all of the best parts of Incantation as well as sharing two members with powerhouse Grave Miasma. That combination will surely let you know what you are in for.
The songs are long and varied (Only one of the seven tracks in under five minutes) with sections that operate at breakneck speeds. The powerful and slow riff sections showcase a kind of evil that sometimes gets lost in a genre operated by bands that constantly travel at 100 MPH. Cruciamentum pull no punches; much like Motorhead, “they are Cruciamentum and they play death metal;” the kind that a purist pines for, day in and day out.
Rating: 4.5
(Tom Campagna)
Diemonds - 'Never Wanna Die' (Napalm)
Genre: Hard Rock
Toronto's Diemonds are back with their third album Never Wanna Die. They've modernized their sound a bit, while still paying homage to their influences.
The songs are slickly produced guitar driven modern rock with ample hooks and singalong choruses. You'll hear elements of '80s Sunset Strip bands along with current bands like Sister Sin and Halestorm. Vocalist Priya Panda sings with plenty of attitude on tracks like "Ain't That Kinda Girl," but also showcases a more subdued and emotional delivery on slower songs such as "Secret." They are treading well worn ground, but their songwriting and performance makes it sound anything but generic.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
IIVII - ‘Colony’ (Consouling Sounds)
Genre: Ambient Metal
Josh Graham is best known for his work in A Storm of Light and his visuals for Neurosis and Soundgarden, but his new project IIVII and the resultant Colony is an entirely different endeavor. It’s an ambient, synth-driven journey devoid of a living pulse (except the heartbeat-like “percussion” on “Black Galaxy”) but it bleeds humanity and longing.
The soundscapes come across moody and beautiful, embodying the desolation, isolation and wonder of space. Song titles reflect these themes such as “Shaping Itself from Dust”, “Colliding Horizons” and “On the Shores of Markarian 335.” These soundtracks to the exploration of the unknown caress the unfathomable depths of space and time through sound with a haunting, alien dread countering an unshakable sense of reverence.
Rating: 3.5
(Matt Hinch)
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