Ektomorf — Retribution
★☆☆☆ This is pretty much exactly a Hungarian version of Sepultura’s “Roots”… but with crappier vocals. It’s worth hearing, if only to marvel at just what a shameless knockoff it is. See the rest here
Category: First Listens
Nausea — Condemned To The System
★★☆☆ Fairly solid grindcore that’s not terribly complicated, but also not entirely memorable. Worth a listen, but only just one. Still, I can’t complain. See the rest here
Skindred — Kill The Power
☆☆☆☆ This is an unholy amalgam of the worst parts of the worst things in music, equal parts David Draiman, Biohazard, dancehall, dubstep, and Kanye West at his laziest. Listening to this whole album was a true test of my fortitude, and I kinda hate you all a little more now for being even remotely complicit in my shame. See the rest here
Pantokrator — Incarnate
★★☆☆ This is a pretty solid bit of melodic death metal. It’s not particularly special or innovative or memorable in its own right. But it evokes enough Soilwork and Amon Amarth that I wouldn’t kick it out of bed right away. See the rest here
Tempel — On The Steps Of The Temple
★★★☆ The debut album from this two-piece band from Phoenix is a surprisingly inspiring exploration of doomy wanderings. It’s interesting, listenable, and provocative… three words that don’t typically come to mind when listening to something so inherently sludgy. I am impressed! And I’m going to listen again right now. See the rest here
Tungsten — The Reservoir
☆☆☆☆ This is deadly boring, a lackluster blend of Orchid, Bonnie Tyler, and Boston. It’s well done and all, but it’s weighed down by a heavy blanket of downtempo indifference. Also, we should be very clear about this: it ain’t metal, by any stretch. See the rest here
Mustasch — Thank You For The Demon
★★☆☆ This is an odd bird. On the one hand, it’s really excellent at what it does: it’s a ballsy rocker that packs a few surprises. On the other hand, it’s a stretch to call it metal. All that said, though, it’s worth a listen or two. See the rest here
The Haunted — Eye Of The Storm
★★★☆ Too short for serious consideration, but what little is here is fantastic. This is The Haunted at their most metallic, a sound we haven’t heard from them in years. Very thrashy, and the last track sounds like something you might find on Slayer’s “Undisputed Attitude.” See the rest here
Periphery — Clear
★★★☆ This little album rocks. While you can still here the sampler quality of this quiltwork EP in places, it’s still generally successful as a document of the band’s ambitions and directions, and manages to be cohesive enough to not be a total dysfunctional mess. It’s also both poppier and more metal at times that Periphery II (with standout tracks “directed” by the band’s rhythm section). See the rest here
Caliban — Ghost Empire
★★☆☆ Djentcore! That’s a thing, right? This specimen has all the notes, but not much of the heart. As such, I found myself nodding my head like a good soldier, but not really feeling it or caring so much. So, this album isn’t bad. It just isn’t great, either. See the rest here
