At now around a decade since their inception, Italy’s SYK have been garnering a, perhaps understated, but certainly formidable reputation with a penchant for complex and dissonant Death Metal. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Chris Tippell
ALBUM REVIEW: Amiensus – Reclamation
The geography of Minnesota is described as being a largely woodland abundant area and, famously, waters, often referred to as “The land of 10,000 lakes”. Such scenery has become synonymous with Black Metal; in particular some of the genre’s more melodic bands as well as acts such as Amorphis (albeit the latter has only A Thousand Lakes). It is no surprise then that visuals of Minnesota would also create such Black Metal, with Amiensus’ roots being in the state. Also, much like some of their similar sounding peers, the likes of Reclamation (M-Theory Audio) are also a somewhat immersive experience which feels ready for the outdoors.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Couch Slut – You Could Do It Tonight
How many times have you heard a band described as genuinely “unsettling” to listen to? In all honesty, this scribe in question has probably described a few in writing as such. Well, more than likely those acts cannot come even close to the nauseating realism, punishing content and sonic barrage of New York’s Couch Slut over the last few years.
ALBUM REVIEW: Northlane – Mirror’s Edge
With time being the ever tricky and questionable beast, it is easy to still consider Aussie’s Northlane as a brand new band and not 15-year veterans with six prior studio releases under their belt… yet here we are. What is perhaps also overlooked is their nature of change across their sound with releases encompassing progressive tinged modern Metalcore to more electronic ambient sounds elsewhere; meaning, every new release may offer something different and comes with anticipation as a result.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Boundaries – Death Is Little More
With its namesake taken from poet Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, Connecticut’s own Boundaries have offered an undeniably bleak effort which is certainly relatable in current times. Inspired by the notion that dying is perhaps not a terrible alternative, it’s a thought that certainly feels cuttingly real in a day of continued strife and tribulations on an almost constant basis. An undeniably dark overall narrative and inspiration Death Is Little More (3DOT Recordings) encapsulates with utter gloom and savagery in aplomb.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Je Est Un Autre – Flatworm Mysticism
As one half of the infamous Funeral Doom Metal band Bell Witch, Dylan Desmond is a musician renowned for powerful and contemplative soundscapes and is no stranger for emotive music. Following from the band’s Patreon launch a couple of years ago, Desmond has since been prominently experimenting with Ambient, synth-led music in part made to accompany segments of films (as anyone who has seen Bell Witch live will attest to their use of visual artistry in their performances). A further result of this is this solo output Je Est Un Autre, with a moniker taken from quotes of surrealist poet Arthur Rimbaud which, unsurprisingly, is a deep thought-provoking piece. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: See You Next Tuesday – Relapses
In recent years, it seems there has been a heightened embrace of electronic music within Metal that is becoming increasingly at the forefront. From the likes of Perturbator and HEALTH sitting on Metal and Rock lineups so fluidly with the likes of LLNN capturing dystopian and pounding soundscapes in their John Cxnner project, it is seemingly becoming a more prominent and welcome aspect within the more extreme fringes of Metal. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Bipolar Architecture – Metaphysicize
Since the ending of their previous outfit Heretic Soul, German/Turkish outfit Bipolar Architecture have been on a bleak and introspective evolutionary path. From previous Death Metal roots, the band have seen their sound alter substantially into more expansive territory with the inception of their new band in a short space of time. Now following on from 2022’s brooding Depressionland (Self-Released), latest release Metaphysicize (Pelagic Records) sees them further refine this sound to compelling results.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Lord Dying- Clandestine Transcendence
It was back in 2019 when we last saw a release from Portland, Oregon’s own Lord Dying. The album in question being Mysterium Tremendum proved to show a widening in their sound with an ever increased air and nod to progressive rock alongside their more notable sludge elements, as well as a narrative which includes a large focus on the notion of death, mortality and questions around these.
Four years later, events of the world have hardly made this subject matter any less focused in people’s minds and certainly not in the band, as latest album Clandestine Transcendence (MNRK Heavy) continues with this overarching narrative, as well as a continuation on their ever-expansive song writing. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Saevus Finis – Facilis Descensus Averno
For quite some time now, but arguably in the last few years especially, Transcending Obscurity Records has been one of the most consistently excellent champions for new, exciting and often innovative extreme metal acts, both in quality and in the sheer volume of their releases. Continue reading