I spent entirely too long trying to sub-genrefy Nefarious‘ Addicted to Power (Relentless Metal Records). Among the eight tracks on this non-stop aural assault, Thrash, Power, and OG NWOBHM/Warlock/Accept-era influences share a sonic landscape littered with anger, cynicism, and Lovecraft. Before we go any further, let me say I enjoyed this album thoroughly and recommend it highly. You may question that at times if you keep reading.Continue reading
Among the decades-old origins of Thrash, Hardcore Punk looms large. Many acts evolved from those humble rage-fueled beginnings. Onslaught never forgot; Origins Of Aggression (Reigning Phoenix Music), a celebration of the band’s forty years, aggressively reminds us of their fidelity.Continue reading
In a better universe, Lemmy Kilmister lives. In that universe, Motorhead goes about twenty percent more Punk for their most recent album.
Because we live in our universe, we got lucky. Kicked In The Teeth gave us Watling Street Chambers (Rare Vitamin Records), which my ears tell me might as well be the same thing.
I have always loved to say that I liked Alternative Rock back when it was. Somehow, in the 2000s, the American music scene began making the music I loved boring and colorless and popular. Grunge became the be-all, and joy left the party.
So, it is always with some caution that I approach albums like Moonback Stage‘s Echo Process (L’Autre Distribution). It is always with pleasure that I’m rewarded for the effort.Continue reading
Never Quite Dead (Dying Victims Productions,) Pagan Altar‘s newest album, also perfectly describes the band’s journey since its inception in 1978. Reading the press kit, this NWOBHM/Power Doom quartet formed, recorded, and broke up before they earned much attention.Continue reading
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When I was much, much, much younger, I went to a talent show at a girlfriend’s high school. Most of the acts were musical, so they set up a stage in the gym rather than using the auditorium. About four or five of those bands were hardcore punk fronted by the same kid, and every song exploded in a sub-two-minute speed-punk rage blast.Continue reading
A one-sentence review of Sick N’ Beautiful’s Horror Vacui (BLKIIBLK Records) is easy: What if Rob Zombie was a woman?Continue reading
The press release can call it “neo-gothic” or whatever they want, but Magnolia Park‘s Vamp (Epitaph Records) is Nu Metal, landing somewhere between Linkin Park, and Oh! The Horror. What that means in this context is that I really dig it. Continue reading
This record is BIG. Titans is suitably apropos for Manntra‘s Napalm Records debut. Titanic in size and scope. Billed as “Croatian Folk Metal,” the “folk” element is a much smaller element than, say Tengger Cavalry. This thing is an NWOBHM/ Power/Symphonic Metal tour de force (emphasis firmly on “force”.) Even the cover is huge: Lord of the Rings meets Templar Knights in a pitched battle.Continue reading