It was only ever a matter of time until Swedish death metal legends The Crown titled an album after their previous name. Known as Crown of Thorns from their inception in 1990 until their brief demise in 2004, the band reformed five years later and has continued to produce some of the country’s finest and crunchiest Death Metal riffs.
Tag Archives: Melodic Death Metal
5 MINUTE REVIEW: The Black Dahlia Murder – “Servitude”
Check out our review of the new album from The Black Dahlia Murder – “Servitude” coming soon from Metal Blade Records.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: The Black Dahlia Murder – Servitude
Replacing the irreplaceable is an impossible task so when the tragic news about Trevor Strnad broke in May 2022, many were left wondering what was next for The Black Dahlia Murder. When the Detroit death metal act revealed their intention to carry on, the next question was who would be chosen to fill that huge, bespectacled void.Continue reading
CONCERT REVIEW: Orbit Culture – Repentance Live at The Magic Stick
It started out as a quiet Monday evening in Midtown Detroit last week, but the show happening at The Magic Stick was going to change all that. The snug, swanky second-floor spot is a former bowling alley that provides an intimate space to catch some of the best, up-and-coming bands out there. So having Swedish stars, Orbit Culture headline at this cozy hall made a lot of sense. The Extreme, Modern Metal darlings are currently opening on a few dates for the “Here Comes the Pain” tour with the legendary Slipknot. When they are not crushing it in arenas playing for maggots, they are making their own headlining appearances. They brought along Chicago’s Repentance with them to Detroit and the night was about to get very loud.
ALBUM REVIEW: Dark Tranquillity – Endtime Signals
Swedish Melodic Death Metal starts and stops with Dark Tranquillity.
Their thirteenth full-length, Endtime Signals (Century Media Records), captures how and why the band has had such staying power for two decades. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Bloodcross – Gravebound
Have to come clean on this one: just haven’t been feeling the Black Metal love like I used to. Don’t know, something about the genre just seemed steadfast on refusing change, aesthetically or musically. The mandate seemed to be that everyone still must slap on the corpse paint and record something with the production and mix of a VHS bootleg. That’s without mentioning certain artists and labels being complete knobs on Twitter if you dare mildly critique them in a review. Continue reading
CONCERT REVIEW: In Flames – Gatecreeper – Creeping Death at Saint Andrews Hall
Spring is here and the warmer weather has numerous bands hitting the road. A multitude of metal acts have made their way to Motor City and the locals are pleased as punch to have them. The Swedish darlings, In Flames graced Detroit with their presence last week. This notorious act has been on a month-long headlining trek and they brought along the mighty Gatecreeper, plus Creeping Death with them. Saint Andrews Hall is a venue known for their affection towards heavier acts and were ready to host the considerable commotion this tour would cause.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Thou – Umbilical
As the summer in the Northern Hemisphere approaches, I always find a nice doom or sludge album really sets the mood for a day of yard work, or just sitting on the deck with a cold beer. The new album from Thou, Umbilical (Sacred Bones Records), may not fit that exact moment, but it certainly would fit in for after the sun sets and the flames rise in the firepits and the tips of our joints. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Darkness Everywhere – To Conquer Eternal Damnation
When it comes to American influences in Metal, it’s far from out of the ordinary to find European acts adopting a more U.S.-friendly sound to grow musically or widen their fan base. It is a little more unusual, however, to find American bands who look to Europe for inspiration. Especially when that influence goes back thirty years.
Light This City Had a Mini-Reunion This Weekend, Watch Them Perform “The Unwelcome Savior” Live
Modern Melodic Death Metal legends Light This City reunited briefly on stage for a rare performance this weekend at a show in Redwood City, California! The band played at The Hub Saturday on 4/20, 2024. Darkness Everywhere, featuring members of Light This City, opened for Crepuscle and The Hunt, and were joined by their former LTC members vocalist Laura Nichol and guitarist Steve Hoffman. The band bands for a performance of “The Unwelcome Savior!” Laura Nichol of LTC and other projects recently did a feature on a new Darkness Everywhere single and music video “The Architect of Misery,” which was also performed, from their upcoming new album To Conquer Eternal Damnation, dropping on May 10th from Creator-Destructor Records. Watch these videos, shot by Ghost Cult’s Anita Frausto, below! Continue reading