ALBUM REVIEW: Predatory Light – Death and the Twilight Hours


‘Death and the Twilight Hours’, our third cryptal offering here, crawls with a Blakkheim-esque ominous misty creep around the moonlit haunted castle ruins, before the candelabra bring themselves to light and a cascading guitar line that is part Dissection, part Andy LaRoque continues to layer scything atmospheres, hewn from the six-razor wires ripping flesh and liminal peals from the busy part-mortal fingers, encased skeletal conductors that dance upon the decaying fretboard, ushering us to the next section of L.S.’ raspy vocals… but our decomposing ring-leader isn’t master of ceremonies for long, as soon we are embraced by the cold winds of nowhere, and a wild tapping solo that leads a baroque segue into a minor key early-Katatonia descending guitar lead passage. It is breathlessly visual, musically telling a tale with an atmosphere Sheridan le Fanu would have been proud of.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Christian Death – Evil Becomes Rule


When it comes to acrimonious splits within bands, some music fans have long memories. Tending to side with one party over the other, many loyal devotees can either be unwilling or simply unable to let go of the past no matter how much water has passed under the bridge in the meantime. The faint hope of some future reconciliation usually remains among the embittered faithful but when death becomes part of the story a grudge often turns into something unforgivable and can last a lifetime.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Desecresy – Unveil In The Abyss


I have a long held belief that predictability is underrated, and it ties in here with the rise in credibility once more of the concept of mono-tasking… rather than the futility of being merely competent in several disciplines there is something to be said in the mastery of a point of focus, and delivering again and again in that field. These words need to be framed with a context that this is not damning with faint praise or providing criticism, but acknowledgement that Unveil In The Abyss (Xtreem Music), the seventh full-length from doom / death stalwarts Desecresy, follows the patterns and symbols laid down by its predecessors, and does so to the expected standards sole contributor Tommi Grönqvist has long established.

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Psycho Las Vegas Books Mercyful Fate, Emperor, Mayhem, Satyricon, and Moves to Resorts World 


Psycho Las Vegas festival confirmed their lineup for their 6th annual fest, added a second wave of bands, as well an expected move to a new location. The fest takes place August 19-21 at Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. A Psycho Swim pre-party is set for August 18. Confirming the 2022 edition of Psycho Las Vegas will feature Mercyful Fate (USA-Exclusive Performance), Emperor (USA-Exclusive Performance), Mayhem, Satyricon, Watain, Wolves In The Throne Room, Samael, Boris, Mgla, Cirith Ungol, King Woman, Marissa Nadler, Bömbers and Year Of No Light. Psycho Las Vegas also shared the trailer and the expanded lineup.Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Thirty Years of “Vulgar Display of Power” By Pantera  


By 1992, Metal was all but on its knees. Traditional bands had become dinosaurs and previously popular scenes were burnt out. There were exceptions, of course. Slayer were playing arenas, Metallica had global domination in their sights, death metal was approaching its peak and across northern Europe, black metal was literally rising from the ashes of burned churches. But for the rest of the world, grunge and other alternative scenes were the new kings, all drawing inspiration from the bands they were replacing but without any of that old fashioned baggage.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Magnum – The Monster Roars


 

Fifty years into their career and Birmingham hard rockers Magnum are still pumping out the hits on this, their twenty-second full length studio release. Aside from a five-year period during the nineties when the band was put on hiatus, Magnum has been rocking for longer than some of us have been alive, churning out album after quality album like clockwork every two to three years.

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ALBUM REVIEW: 1914 – Where Fear and Weapons Meet


1914 may have their Blackened Death/Doom formula honed to a science, but it’s still interesting to note how their methods get affected as their platform gradually expands. Their third album, Where Fear And Weapons Meet (Napalm Records), certainly sees some effects of this as their highest profile release so far. The production job is their most polished to date and the riffs have a more noticeably grandiose edge to them than usual. They even got Nick Holmes to perform guest vocals on the appropriately Paradise Lost-esque brooding of ‘…And A Cross Now Marks His Place.’

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ALBUM REVIEW: Khemmis –  Deceiver – Nuclear Blast 


Hailing from Denver, Khemmis is a blossoming band that has been turning heads since they began to jam in 2012. They cultivated their own little corner in the extensive genre of Doom Metal by creating a strong, unique voice among the other hopeful hordes and wannabes. The success from their second full-length, Hunted (20 Buck Spin) released in 2016, gave them a spotlight and they have been thriving in its beam ever since. Now these fellas are trimmed down to three members, have signed a new record deal, and are getting ready to release their fourth full-length album, Deceiver (Nuclear Blast). The raw, artistic depths that this group can reach with their heaviness is tunneling even deeper on this new record. By intensifying their emotional provocation and sound, Khemmis has struck gold.  Continue reading


EP REVIEW: Cistvaen – Under The Silent Meadow Skies


Formed in 2016, Devon’s Cistvaen are building a solid reputation for themselves within the UK extreme metal scene. Taking their name (literally translating to “stone chest”) from a type of ancient burial chamber often found in the South West of England, the five-piece’s brand of doomy atmospheric black metal suits them down to the ground. 

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