FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air Part 2 – Live at Catton Hall


 

SATURDAY:

After I visit the bust of Lemmy in the RAM Gallery, Brazilian death metallers Crypta are in full flow on the main stage, tearing through the likes of “Lift the Blindfold” and “From the Ashes”, casually stripping away any vestiges of third-day fatigue. And if that wasn’t the perfect wake-up call, then there”s always Bay Area thrashers Forbidden who blast through the likes of “Forbidden Evil,” “Twisted Into Form,” and “Step By Step” aided by summer recruit Dan “Chewy” Mongrain of Voivod. A great show, although a time overrun means we are deprived of the classic “Chalice of Blood.” Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Hyperdontia – Harvest of Malevolence


Genuine question here: how many folks listen to Death Metal strictly because of the vocals? Or let me rephrase, the growls and shrieks are the most important aspect to the listener? And no, this is not coming from the point of view of one of those “I like Heavy Metal, but not the screaming stuff” fans.  Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: FesterDecay – Reality Rotten to the Core 


 

Look, this is a genuine effort to fend off waves of tweets and horseshit comments like “well, everybody in metal borrows from somebody” or “not everybody is reinventing the wheel.” As someone who’s only been listening to extreme music for the last twenty-five years, I think I get it. Metallica? More like we love Diamond Head. Slayer? Oh, you mean Venom if they actually knew how to play their instruments? Sepultura? Slayer if they were even better at their craft?

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