Tag Archives: Albums

ALBUM REVIEW: The Ghost Next Door – Classic Songs Of Death And Dismemberment

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Like many sub-genres, Progressive Rock has seen a stylistic ebb and flow, with a few strong bands rising to set the tone that inspired those who followed in their wake. 

As Metal veterans, The Ghost Next Door takes you back to prog’s high water mark in the mid-nineties when bands like Tool and Faith No More rose to prominence and broke boundaries. On Classic Songs of Death And Dismemberment (Ripple Records), they create a moody blend of post-grunge-tinged Rock that puts the lyrics front and center. At the heart of the songs are social observations and commentaries on the state of the world. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Alcest – Les Chants de L’Aurore

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Alcest began as a solo Black Metal project for French musician Neige at the turn of the millennium, and have since forged themselves a fine reputation as one of the pioneering bands of the Blackgaze sound. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Cavalera – Schizophrenia

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There is something about the Sepultura sound which has rightfully allowed it to stand the test of time. It could be the bombastically frantic stringwork which has the capacity to power some cities. It could also be the cavernous, cacophonous screams and shouts. The drums never disappoint, and the production is mischievous yet meticulously guided.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Apes – Penitence

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At this point, anything Extreme Metal that comes from Canada is sure to be a punishing, gruesome affair. It’s as automatic a thing as a Canuck apologizing for merely existing. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Mono – Oath

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A sensuous, rapturous and thought-provoking collection of superior, post-rock instrumental music, Oath (Pelagic Records), from Japanese four-piece Mono, was recorded and mixed by late, great and already much-missed engineer Steve Albini, who passed away last month, aged 61.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Hippotraktor – Stasis – Pelagic Records

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Three years removed from their debut full-length, Belgian bruisers Hippotraktor return with their sophomore effort, Stasis (Pelagic Records), a veritable blend of progressive and post- metal, with versatile vocals scattered all throughout the seven tracks. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: SECT – Plagues Upon Plagues

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Former Cursed frontman Chris Colohan, is the driving force behind SECT’s dark take on Hardcore. Colohan might not be the band’s most well-known member (which would be Fall Out Boy’s drummer Andy Hurley), but regardless, it’s Colohan’s voice that sets apart their new album, Plagues Upon Plagues (Southern Lord) from the current resurgence of metallic Hardcore bands. Colohan’s husky croon gives a wink in the direction of Neurosis. His approach not only brings the articulated lyrics to the forefront but adds more depth to the dark tension of the music. When he does begin screaming as the punch of the riffs hits home, it has a greater dynamic impact. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Four Stroke Baron – Data Diamond

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To try and place Four Stroke Baron neatly into a category of music is akin to trying to describe the Higgs field to a classroom full of ninth graders on the last day of school before summer break. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: My Diligence – Death.Horses.Black.

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A dark, dramatic, intense collection of relatively extreme music, Death.Horses.Black. (Listenable Records) is delivered with commitment and no small expertise by Belgian prog-stoner outfit My Diligence.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Cutterred Flesh – Love At First Bite

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If Death Metal on the extreme end of the heaviness meter is your thing, then Cutterred Flesh’s Love At First Bite (Transcending Obscurity Records) is worth a listen. Continue reading →