ALBUM REVIEW: Manic Abraxas – Skinformation


Exploding out of some cyberpunk world, Bangor, Maine Hard Rock three-piece Manic Abraxas have got their engines firing at full throttle, and on fourth album, Skinformation (Self-released), a petrol-fueled cloud of dirty Rock n’ Roll and skuzzy, mind-warped Metal sees the trio blasting a hole through the fabric of this universe into dimensions unknown.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Uprising – III


The artist known simply as W. may not reveal much in the way of an identity, but their musty Black Metal outfit Uprising hits the mark on so many different occasions on III (AOP Records). The strong synergy results in songs that sound like they’re performed by an entire band.Continue reading


GIVEAWAY: Riot Fest Announces Single Day Band Lineup, Shuttle Service to RiotLand and the Community Band Contest


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UPDATED: Win another pair of tickets to Riot Fest from Ghost Cult below!

Riot Fest, the iconic annual punk rock and alternative music festival, is excited to announce its 2024 daily lineup, shuttle service, a community band contest in the Lawndale & Little Village neighborhoods and more! This year’s festival will take place at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, from September 20-22nd, featuring 90+ bands over 3-days, and will feature RiotLand, an immersive “Choose Your Own Adventure” world that promises to elevate the festival experience to new heights. Riot Fest, while reluctant to leave its longtime home in Chicago, made the difficult decision to relocate due to issues with the Park District, which paved the way for RiotLand, a 3-day version of which will be explorable on the Riot Fest website starting tomorrow. Fans can double tap their way through the various locations in this punk rock town.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Orange Goblin – Science, Not Fiction


Following the path blazed by bands like Kyuss and Monster Magnet who emerged from the Grunge scene, Orange Goblin was one of the main bands who kept the bong songs in rotation to help cement the sound we think of today as Stoner Metal.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Through Mists – Branches


Even after nearly half a dozen playthroughs, it’s still a challenge identifying a common thread in which to weave together the five tracks of Branches (Self-Released), the latest output from Through Mists’ mastermind James Aniston.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Akhlys – House Of The Black Geminus


Over the past nine years since releasing The Dreaming, things changed for this band. Changed in the best way possible as Akhlys’ new album House Of The Black Geminus (Debemur Morti Productions) features a darker, more intricate layering of sounds, at least on the opening track of their new album. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Malconfort – Humanism


In a world where you can never keep on top of everything being released, we can be pretty confident that there isn’t anything else in 2024 quite like Malconfort and the band’s debut, Humanism (Transcending Obscurity Records).Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Xasthur – Disharmonic Variations


Dark folk is an all-around enthralling genre with a wide range of well-known names, from Vàli to Ulvesang, but recently, what especially has been catching my attention is the new release from Xasthur – namely Disharmonic Variations, out via Lupus Lounge. Specializing in Black Metal and avant-garde releases, the label has worked with various names of note, including Nachtmystium and Austere.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Amarok – Resilience


Funeral Doom is one of the more difficult subgenres of heavy music to get into. Hell, I am not even sure if I can say I am a fan of the subgenre, moreso some bands or even some albums by said bands. 

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