★★★☆ This album starts out with some a fierceness that never completely dissipates, even as the music transitions from ballsy detuned death to a more traditional metalcore. Even at their most derivative, Darkest Hour have an undeniable energy pumping right into your face. Scowlworthy from beginning to end, and that’s a good thing. See the rest here
★★★☆ I’m not entirely sure how this band did it, but they’ve created a rough and rugged album of deathy noisy hardcore that doesn’t feel exhausting or derivative, no matter how much those words might objectively apply. There’s a cleverness and freshness to their onslaught, even while never straying very far from their Cannibal-Corpse-meets-Kurt-Ballou ethic. See the rest here
★★★☆ Long live Overkill Incorporated! Their latest product is just as ferocious as any before it. The songwriting on this album aims less for coherent songwriting and more for fun thrashy moments… and the trade-off works remarkably well. Also, of particular note to me: D.D. Verni’s bass tone is just as coppery as ever, but the way that the mix has dialed in his mids and low end is gonna be hard to improve upon. See the rest here
★★★☆ Now this is some tasty doom! This sounds like a cross between Candlemass, Ihsahn, and Tom G. Warrior. Heavy to be sure, but also interesting just when the relentless pressure starts to get a bit repetitive. Shreddy riffs all over the place. Also, Finnish has got to be one of the uglier languages to scream. See the rest here
★★★☆ It would take a PhD in Djent Studies to correctly identify this album as Monuments and not TesseracT. But there’s something refreshing in the way that the band double down on their jerky tendencies, while putting down more layers than ever before. Also, Monuments definitely throw down the heavy when they feel like it. See the rest here
★★★☆ I’m loving the mix of sensibilities on this brutal death metal album: the punky blitzkrieg approach (most of the songs on here are under 2 minutes each), the Death-by-way-of-Gorguts technicality, and above all the dark heaviness that permeates the whole thing. This is a guaranteed headbanger, a must-listen. See the rest here
★★★☆ While this is still very recognizably ETIDcore, they have somehow permuted the goofiness of “Ex Lives” for a more focused, surprising, and interesting sophistication on this album. None of the band’s aggression of missing; instead, they let in a little seawater for extra flavor. The result is an album that more or less works, and works hard, for its incendiary 31 minutes. See the rest here
★★★☆ This is one of the most interesting things I’ve heard this year so far, somewhere between The Jesus Lizard, The Ocean, Filter, The Melvins, Zombi, Fantômas… or just hovering around The Black Keys, once those guys grow up and develop a serious problem with black tar heroin. This album is a controlled, snarling exploration, one that rewards repeated listenings even with its seemingly lo-fi pretensions. See the rest here
★★★☆ This band have their feet planted in two camps. The first, their Black Dahlia Murder brand of death metal, dominates the first half of the album, in a way that feels familiar (almost to the point of forgettability). But the second half of the album gives way to more of their progressive tendencies, reminiscent of The Faceless. See the rest here
★★★☆ This is a bizarrely great, or greatly bizarre, album. To write it off as a lead guitarist’s solo wankfest is premature and a disservice. If anything, it’s more a showcase of Marty’s omnivorous tendencies, as he deftly through the many styles of his long and storied career. Through it all, there’s sick guitarwork of course… but to focus on that would be to miss the equally deft hand that Marty uses in his arrangements. See the rest here
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