✦✦✦✧ Tasty and super inventive riffs adorn this latest from this British prog melodeath band (if that’s even a thing). More memorable than their 2015 album “Dormant Heart,” this is also mroe cohesive. And did I mention those riffs yet? Impressive to hear this kind of uniqueness coming consistently on track after track, like they have this creativity in a firehose. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ Fairly standard fare for this deathcore outfit. If you were already into them, you should be relieved to know that this is a marked improvement from their previous album. If you’re not already into them, I doubt this would sway you, though. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ Another blistering onslaught of crisp death metal from TBDM. There aren’t any instant-classic tunes on here, but plenty of meat on the bone. It almost grooves in places, too! Strong stuff; highly recommended! See the rest here
✦✧✧✧ This one squeaks through with one star, barely. How did Converge pull off this major disappointment? By releasing a single, 31-minute track, that is literally just noisy soundscaping. Nice prank, Converge. Next time, give us some songs. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ I was prepared to thoroughly hate this, give FFDP’s most recent missteps. But this groove metal album is the least offensive thing the band has made in years! It’s too manicured to evoke real rage, but it’s appropriately big and epic, albeit overlong. Give it a shot, I say; you might be surprised! See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ It’s not fair to label something as rethrash when it comes from a 34-year-old thrash band, but the polish and crispness here definitely feels like it. If you’re in the mood for old-style thrash with a modern sheen, you may get a kick out of this. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ This reminds me of that Roadrunner United album that came out in 2008. Not only is it full of uninspired songs as platforms for guest musicians, but the kind of metal here also feels at least 15 years past its prime. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ Perhaps not as catchy as “The Direction Of Last Things,” but certainly more progressive, unpredictable, and fascinating. Hey Intronaut: if you ever need a second bassist and don’t mind remote work, LMK. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ If you’ve been waiting for Testicle to do something utterly different for once… well, you’re gonna have to keep waiting. Otherwise, this is finely crafted thrash, of course! See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ A clearly rëenergized Sep come out with an album that is paradoxically less exciting than its predecessor, “Machine Messiah” (and I’m not just saying that because I’m an unrepentant Yes fan). Hints of “A-Lex” and “Kairos” abound here, as well as the band’s lifelong devotion to their punk forebears. Also, the production is oddly mushy, and bums me out (a band this established and influential deserves a better mix; that it came from Jens Bogren is mystifying). See the rest here
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