Infrared Horizon (Profound Lore) is a fine title for Artificial Brain’s sophomore offering. It’s cool in that sci-fi/horror kind of sensibility, but judging by the music other titles come to mind. I was thinking more along the lines of Machines of Hate, or Massive Ordinance Air Blast. The Long Island boys went in hard on LP number two. Hard like a cybernetic organism that just became sentient and is convinced that mankind is teetering towards obsolescence.Continue reading
Gorguts continues to tour in support of their mind blowing Pleiades’ Dust release, and they’ve just announced a brand new headlining tour here in the States. Continue reading
In the first of an irregular feature for people with irregular music tastes, Ghost Cult plunges into the chaotic cyclone of abstract, dissonant and frankly horrible sub-underground Metal, Noise and Ambient.Continue reading
The name Morta Skuld may ring familiar to the seasoned extreme metal fan. You know the type. The nameless ghouls on the edge of the pit armed with their grimy battle jackets and salty disposition at Summer Slaughter every year. For the denim-less, know that Morta Skuld were one of the dozens of death metal bands lost in the mid-90s shuffle, but reanimated in 2012. Oh, and Wounds Deeper Than Time (Peaceville) is their first proper LP since 1997.Continue reading
Heavy music. We don’t just love it, we breathe and live it. And we want you to drink in every album that made the list of our favourite albums of 2016. Heading to the business end, to find out even more of the very best of the very best of this years’ heavy music, read on…Continue reading
The music industry has seen a lot of changes over the past twenty years, but one thing that hasn’t changed has been the presence of Season Of Mist. The independent label is celebrating twenty years of ruleage this year, and they want to send a special thank you to fans all over the world. Continue reading
Acclaimed for his artwork adorning album covers by bands such as Decrepit Birth, Gorguts, and Warbringer; Dan Seagrave will have his work on display at in a gallery show this weekend. Eridanos Tattoo & Gallery, located in Cambridge, MA will host an event showcasing Seagrave’s work.Continue reading
Formed in 2000, Boston act Revocation have come along way since starting life under the rather uninspiring name of Cryptic Warning. Sounding like a particularly vicious blend of Sepultura and Pantera, the band were already exhibiting great technical skill, but changing both their direction and name in 2006 took things to the next level. Two years later they unleashed their début album, the self-released Empire of the Obscene, and the transformation was astonishing.
Effortlessly combining Technical Death Metal and Thrash, the band released four more albums, each one just as blistering as the last, but moving forwards each time, adding more melodic, Jazz, and traditional metal aspects along the way without losing any of their signature attack.
Now, there comes a time when after a number of well-received releases, a band will eventually feel a backlash. Well, if Revocation are to be on the end of such a thing, then it certainly won’t be with this album as Great is Our Sin (Metal Blade) is every bit as good as their previous five albums. Picking a highlight is a ridiculously difficult task as virtually everything hits the mark perfectly, but listen out for the Steve Vai-esque guitar solo on ‘Monolithic Ignorance’, Brett Bamberger‘s bass line at the beginning of ‘Crumbling Imperium’, and the drums on, well… everything. Anyone concerned about 3 Inches of Blood drummer Ash Pearson not being up to the task of stepping into the formidable shoes of Phil Dubois-Coyne can stop worrying right now.
The guitar work here is sensational; Dan Gargiulo and vocalist/founder member David Davidson utilising many different styles to get their point across without ever feeling forced or awkward. Oh, and just when you think it can’t get any better, here comes Marty Friedman with a guest spot on the quite brilliant ‘The Exaltation’.
Being overly critical, it could be said that Zeuss‘s production maybe isn’t quite as crisp as it could be, and although well played, the cover of ‘Altar of Sacrifice’ by Slayer is exactly what it is – a bonus track. Overall though, Great Is Our Sin is yet another triumph by Revocation. A thundering wall of sound replete with Jazz breaks, virtuoso solos, inhuman vocals, and an abundance of influences. Everyone from Iron Maiden and Testament to Gojira, Cynic and Gorguts and in between. And more.
8.5/10
GARY ALCOCK
[amazon asin=B01G6K9Y3Q&template=iframe image1]
It is truly hard to believe that it has actually been around 3 years since death metal pioneers Gorguts returned to action. Still seeming like such a short time ago, but it really was back in 2013 when they ended their hiatus with the brilliantly received Colored Sands (Season Of Mist) and reminded the world how mind-bogglingly exciting and innovating they can be. Now would be the time for many to begin resting on their laurels and maybe relying on nostalgia. Or you could release a single, 33-minute track EP. Apparently this is the Gorguts way.
Following on from Colored Sands’ unpredictable and ever-changing nature, Pleiade’s Dust (Season of Mist) similarly proves as sprawling, veering from blast beat laden fury to more hypnotic atmospheric passages. Despite its frenetic nature however, rather than appearing messy and jarring, it proves a typically thoughtful composition that feels complete and still maintains enough common ground and regularity to feel warrant its duration.
Never one to choose the easy route of convention, Pleiade’s Dust once again proves a head scratching affair at first which may seem daunting, but once delved into proves captivating and, against the odds, not only understandable but essential. Very few bands can take so many directions and do so much with their music as Gorguts and still make it as wholesome, and Pleiade’s Dust is further proof as to why they were so missed.
8.0/10
CHRIS TIPPELL
[amazon asin=B01C81PDG4&template=iframe image1]
Back for an 11th year in a row, Amnesia Rockfest near Quebec, in Montebello Canada will host mega bands such as Blink-182, Rise Against, Jane’s Addiction, Limp Bizkit and Ice Cube among the 125 bands who are slated to perform. Other bands scheduled to appear include Korn, Ontario punks Billy Talent and Sum 41, Bring Me The Horizon, Florida’s A Day To Remember, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Twisted Sister (farewell tour and last show in Canada), Puscifer, NOFX (performing their album Punk In Drublic), The Used (performing their album In Love and Death), At The Drive-In (reunion show), Underoath (reunion show), Blink-182’s Travis Barker (solo show), NOFX’s Fat Mike performing as Cokie The Clown (world-exclusive solo show), Lagwagon (performing their album Hoss), Millencolin, Streetlight Manifesto, Against Me!, Strung Out, Guttermouth, No Use For A Name (special tribute), Leftover Crack, Wizo, Flag, The Adicts, Misfits, Dead Kennedys, Steve Ignorant of Crass, D.O.A., Turbonegro and GG Allin (special tribute), Sepultura, Sodom (first show in Canada in 10 years), D.R.I. (first show in Canada in 20 years), Cannibal Corpse, Korpiklaani, Max & Igor Cavalera Back To ‘Roots’ (performing Sepultura’s Roots album), Corrosion Of Conformity, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Faceless and Poison The Well (reunion show) and many more. Some defunct Quebec bands will temporarily reunite exclusively for Amnesia Rockfest, including Vulgaires Machins, Kermess, Raid, Démence and Yelo Molo. Festival regulars Grimskunk, Despised Icon, The Sainte Catherines (performing Dancing for Decadence), Voivod, Anonymus and BARF will be back this year. In addition, Québec Redneck Bluegrass Project, Bob Bissonnette, Gorguts and WD-40, alt rock legends Ludwig Von 88 (reunion show and only Canadian date) and Les Ramoneurs de Menhirs, Bérurier Noir’s Loran’s group.
Tickets are now on sale at www.amnesiarockfest.com and at Amnesia stores. Once again this year, festival weekend passes will be sold at very reasonable rates: $120 (plus fees and taxes), which comes out to less than a dollar per band! New this year: festival-goers can pay for their order in five instalments. VIP packages are also available.
For the 2016 edition of the festival, the VIP campground will be totally revamped to offer a unique experience to festival-goers. Again this year, several public transit options will be available, as well as an area for RV camping.