ALBUM REVIEW: Opeth – The Last Will and Testament


 

Rejoice, fellow death metal fans, Opeth has brought back the harsh vocals! That’s right. Mikael Ackerfeldt and company figured now was the time, as their new album, The Last Will & Testament (Reigning Phoenix Music), has the perfect concept to complement it. The reading of a post-World War 1 patriarch’s last will and testament that spills out family secrets, track by track, section by section of the document (the first seven tracks are named simply after which paragraph is being recited). In terms of instrumentals, this album is my favorite mix of the melodic death metal era of Opeth and the more recent prog-rock era of the band.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Grylle – Egrotants, Souffreteux, Cacochymes, Covidards


In any genre, there’s always at least one act who feel they need to take things further than the rest. The fastest Speed Metal, the slowest Doom Metal, the shortest Grindcore. Add an inexplicable desire for self-imposed rules such as no keyboards, no clean singing etc. – voluntary limitations that usually end up getting sidestepped at some point anyway – and you either have a recipe for disaster or one for success.Continue reading


Ghost Cult Magazine Turns 12 Years-Old


 

Time marches on! 

We are officially in our awkward tween phase! October sees Ghost Cult Magazine’s 12th year around the sun! Established in the doomsday year of 2012, Ghost Cult Magazine has been a daily music news, interviews, and reviews portal dedicated to covering Rock, Metal, Punk, Metalcore, post-Hardcore, Hardcore, Indie Rock, Doom, Prog, Death Metal, Black Metal, Sludge, Industrial, Grindcore, Dark Folk, Synthwave, other related genres, and geek culture as well! Shout out to our founders, past collaborators, partners, and you dear readers! 

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ALBUM REVIEW: High Reeper – Renewed By Death


Hello, friends today on the block we have the new cut from High Reeper, Renewed By Death (Heavy Psych Sounds). After three years the stoner metal group is back with some new tunes. This new cut is loaded with killer riffs from top to bottom. True to form the guitars come in with an intro calling to past influences to deliver a cool icebreaker for this album. The band also does a good job of keeping the energy up throughout, as well. There is a good flow from song to song. It feels like an album, not just a playlist. I think there are still some of us out there that enjoy the experience of an album, from beginning to end, and what the group/artist is saying as a whole.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Wind Rose – Trollslayer


On paper, a band from Italy dubbed as “Dwarf Metal” may have you scratching your head. Yet when you listen to Wind Rose, it just works and it just makes sense. The quintet from the Tuscany region takes the festive feel of Folk Metal and the playfulness from Power Metal to create this fantastical new genre. Their unique merry-making is greatly contagious and explains why they are rapidly growing in popularity. They are now getting ready to release their sixth full-length record, Trollslayer (Napalm Records) that advances the band’s well-known jovial sound. They have managed to take all their best features, importantly multiple songs about beer, and compiled it all into this new album.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Stryper – When We Were Kings


Stryper is one of those bands that has won world recognition for their consistent and dauntless directive. Their resolution to overtly share their beliefs through their big and boisterous sound has made them one of the most acclaimed faith-based Metal acts out there. Their ability to share a powerful and positive message while still being aggressive has been an impressive feat throughout their career. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Peeling Flesh – The G Code


One of the most exciting bands in the brutal/slam death metal genre today, Peeling Flesh, continue on their way up from the underground in Oklahoma with their latest release, The G Code (Unique Leader Records). In under a half hour, the slams and rap interludes will have your head spinning out of control, smashing into the walls of your room. What’s more, there are quite a few guests on the record to further cement how far Peeling Flesh have come and how much the scene respects them.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Leprous – Melodies of Atonement


Leprous is a band that stands apart from other progressive acts. Their ability to effortlessly experiment while remaining exceptionally grounded in their superior signature and skillful sound is uncommon. This Norwegian five-piece has been labeled as unique and is known to be creatively inventive within the heavy music sphere. Each record they make manages to explore new ground and deliver world-class wonders. They are about to release their eighth full-length record, Melodies of Atonement (InsideOut Music) and its distinctively different approach compared to their previous works proves once again how aptly ingenuous the band is. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Hatchend – Summer of ‘69


A new group, known simply as Hatchend, has forcibly hatched its way into existence with members from differing death metal and grindcore bands. The debut album, Summer of ‘69 (Selfmadegod Records) dropped and it goes full throttle for thirty-three minutes. Bringing in their previous influences and dumping them on top of crossover foundations sets up quite the demolition derby of sound.Continue reading