Tag Archives: Metal albums

Ghost Cult’s Album of the Year Countdown 2023: Part 1 (75-41)

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2013 saw Ghost Cult crown Surgical Steel (Carcass) as our inaugural Album of the Year in a democratic aggregated vote process, untouched by editorial hands (other than the sliding of the abacus balls from one side to the other – or rather the logging of votes and the use of a rather rudimentary spreadsheet), a format we continue to utilise as the years pass, and the seasons grey. Our dedicated team of writers, editors, photographers make their submissions on demand following a month of much wringing-of-hands and profanities being aimed into the editorial mailbox.Continue reading →


EP REVIEW: Beyond Grace – Welcome To The New Dark Ages, Pt. 1

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The conclusion of 2022 saw Beyond Grace split with Prosthetic Records, and as any innovative and adaptable band does, the four-piece took charge themselves and carved out quite the hype-laden release timeline. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Dying Wish – Symptoms of Survival

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For those heavily into the metalcore scene, Dying Wish have been that band on everyone’s lips that are looked on to be the scene’s next biggest thing. 

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EP REVIEW: The Amenta – Plague of Locus

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When a new review arrives in my inbox, I often listen to the music first before reading any release info from the band. I like to let the music do the talking before I check out any info from the PR agent. It wasn’t until I read the release info did I come to notice that The Amentia’s latest release Plague of Locus (Debemur Morti) contains a bunch of cover songs. Clearly, The Amentia were able to take a few tracks from bands that inspired them and to transform them into songs of their own.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Gama Bomb – Bats

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Gama Bomb is not just another tribute band to the glory days of Thrash Metal. Bats (Prosthetic Records) does display that while they are students of the era, they are also invested in establishing themselves as a band that walks in the present, while preferring to keep things at a more manic pace.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Sorcerer – Reign Of The Reaper

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Nearly ten years into their career return, Swedish metallers Sorcerer have proven to be a somewhat underappreciated but certainly formidable presence. Perhaps it is down to their sound which sits on the boundaries of traditional and Doom Metal which has hardly been flavour of the month in recent years. It is a timeless and reliable sound however which has seen them with some strong and sturdy releases since their 2015 return. Therefore, things were hardly likely to dramatically shift with a new album; but if Reign Of The Reaper (Metal Blade Records) does anything, it further cements their status. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Suffocation – Hymns From The Apocrypha

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Brutal Technical Death Metal begins and ends with Suffocation.

Full stop.

The titans of industry have had a stranglehold on the masses for decades now. Hymns From The Apocrypha (Nuclear Blast Records) is simply a six-years-in-the-waiting culmination of a desire to continue to reign supreme. Even with the half-decade wait between records, any amount of time between Suffocation releases feels like an eternity.

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ALBUM REVIEW: OWDWYR – Receptor

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All the signs are there: this is not going to be the easiest listening experience. From the likely purposefully awkward moniker, the cacophony of guest musicians (mostly drummers) and the self-processed palette of influences that range from Technical Death Metal to Classical; it does seem that Extreme Metaller’s OWDWYR purpose is to intrigue and to baffle in equal measure. The result of this; debut release Receptor (Self-Released) is, as expected, manic and as such, warrants hearing.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Sühnopfer – Nous sommes d’Hierument

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There is something about the wine in France that brings out a unique progressive slant to the Black Metal that hails from its soil. Ardraos (Florian Denis) is a part of this legacy, and he is now forging his own path with Sühnopfer. From the opening track of fourth offering Nous sommes d’Hierument (Debemur Morti), a powerful, impactful musical statement, he lashes out with a dynamic blend of melodic atmosphere, expanding the mood beyond the screams of torment hurtling at you. Choirs ring out from the background of the blackened chaos, baroque themes woven in are taken from composers Charpentier and Cherubini. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Body Void – Atrocity Machine

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If the sonic ambush and equilibrium-busting nature of Body Void’s Atrocity Machine (Prosthetic Records) didn’t make it clear enough: the world has been ass-backwards basically since humanity began to human.

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