Wolfheart — Tyhjyys
✦✦✧✧ Moody melodeath (melodoom?) that manages to sneak in a couple of surprises. I hear echoes of Emperor, Omnium Gatherum, even In Flames. But more than anything, it reminds me of The Ocean. See the rest here
Category: First Listens
Warrant — Louder Harder Faster
✦✧✧✧ This is just like Steel Panther! Only, you know, not at all funny. See the rest here
John Frum — A Stirring In The Noos
✦✦✦✧ DEP bassist Liam Wilson’s new supergroup (featuring members of The Faceless, Intensus, and John Zorn) go for a slightly-more-accessible-Gorguts sound with this, their debut album. Anyway, I’m assuming Wilson was the driving force of this band, as the resulting music is very firmly basscentric (never a complaint from Yours Truly). See the rest here
God Dethroned — The World Ablaze
✦✧✧✧ The final chapter in a trilogy of blackened death metal albums about World War I, this album features music that feels as dated and overwrought as that description. At times, this feels closer to DETHKLOK than Behemoth. See the rest here
Lock Up — Demonization
✦✦✧✧ The latest album from this grindcore supergroup (featuring members of Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, Cradle Of Filth, and Criminal) dishes out meaty if unsurprising fare. What it lacks in originality, this album more than makes up for in terms of remorseless and nasty speed. Nick Barker’s drumming is most notable, and propels the listener and the rest of the band through a tour of different styles and staples. See the rest here
Life Of Agony — A Place Where There’s No More Pain
✦✦✧✧ A grungier version of LOA than I remember from back in the day; the CBGB/Biohazard sensibilities of the band’s original form has completely given way to a frozen-in-time Alice In Chainsness that I can’t say I hate. A big part of that comparison comes courtesy of Mina Caputo, whose vocals (while certainly the strongest of her career) at times bears a resemblance to Layne Staley’s. See the rest here
Full Of Hell — Trumpeting Ecstasy
✦✦✦✧ Griiiiiiiiiindcoorrrrrrrrreblech. (Halfway between AC, Carcass, and Converge. Tasty.) See the rest here
He Is Legend — Few
✦✦✦✧ So much swagger! The band have expanded their already unique sonic palette since 2014’s “Heavy Fruit” (although it’s still hard to avoid thinking about modern-era Alice In Chains). The result is more surefooted, more convincingly emotional, and at times far more metallic than anything they’ve done before. Also, holy crap: they’ve got a song called “Fritz The Dog“! See the rest here
Ayreon — The Source
✦✦✦✦ This album is batshit insane. I’d never even heard of this dude until two weeks ago. Then I popped on the first track, and after about a minute, I was all, “Is that… James Labrie?!” Then I checked out the personnel listing on this album. Eleven vocalists! I’m not entirely sure how this blatantly disjointed approach to guest musicianship avoids devolving into a modern prog version of Spinal Tap’s “Break Like The Wind”. See the rest here
All That Remains — Madness
✦✧✧✧ Nu-metalcore through and through. Every formulaic ploy (breakdowns, cleansingings, background keyboards, etc.) falls at least a little short, and the riffs are universally lackluster and tired. See the rest here
