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
Tag Archives: Melodic Death Metal
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
CONCERT REVIEW: Týr – Trollfest – Æther Realm – The Dread Crew of Oddwood Live at Sanctuary
The illustrious Nordic act, Týr brought their Battle Ballads headlining tour to North America and Motor City was one of their stops. The band is out promoting their new full-length album bringing along Trollfest, Æther Realm, and The Dread Crew of Oddwood with them. This highly anticipated month-long run designated the Sanctuary in Hamtramck, a neighboring borough of Detroit, to share all their fabulous folk festivities with.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: The Absence – The Absence
Every so often, I get a message from the captain here at Ghost Cult to potentially squeeze in a review. Let’s just say, this was an easy “sure thing” when I saw it was the new, self-titled album by The Absence (Listenable Insanity Records). While it has been a while since I last listened to these Floridian thrash-meets-melodic-death-metalers, the lineup has seen some big changes outside of vocalist Jamie Stewart and returning drummer Jeramie Kling. The good news: we all get another thirty-seven minutes worth of killer, groovy, riff-tastic, death metal!Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Skeletal Remains – Fragments of the Ageless
On paper, Skeletal Remains should be on top of the mountain for many a Death Metal connoisseur. All the parts are here, really: plenty of double-kick drums, blast beats and screaming lead guitars to go around.
They’re even from California, and we all know how much of a gold mine the West Coast has been for extreme metal in the last four decades.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Darkest Hour – Perpetual I Terminal
Let’s go back to a time before Metalcore became big business, got overcrowded and then rose to prominence again. Back to before it had become a dirty word due to musical abortions like Falling in Reverse or Emmure completely shitting the bed. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Hand Of Kalliach – Corryvreckan
Ah, Scotland. Home of the highlands, tartan kilts, bagpipes, haggis, and whisky; Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, the deep-fried Mars bar, the Loch Ness Monster, Outlander, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and an instant aversion to anyone from England who casually reduces the country to a series of stereotypes for the sake of a quick laugh. Not to mention its thriving metal scene, of course, with folk metal being one of the country’s most popular exports.Continue reading