3.5

Cardiac Arrest – The Stench of Eternity Review

By Steel Druhm on May 18, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 20 comments

“You can’t listen to everything out there and we all have gaps in our metal detection system through which plenty of quality product sluices out. Still, I’m left wondering why I never spent time with Chicago’s death metal maniacs Cardiac Arrest until last week. Active since 2004 and with 7 full-lengths under their belt, this is a Windy City death institution that I completely slept on despite AMG having reviewed their 2018 opus A Parallel Dimension of Despair. On eighth album The Stench of Eternity, these scuzzmongers deliver a nasty sound mixing classic Floridian death with the uglier side of grind and crust and occasional flirtations with meatheaded slam.” Chest pains are the best pains.

Botanist – Paleobotany Review

By Thus Spoke on May 17, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Experimental Metal, Post-Metal, 26 comments

“A band with a strong conceptual identity is always something. Whether that’s 1914 and their commitment to depicting the true horrors of world conflicts, or The Ocean, and their exploration of Earth’s many (pre-) historic eras. And were that a spectrum, experimental black metal collective Botanist would fall towards the latter end. Not only insofar as their music leans towards an airy, progressive, post-rock, but also their concept, which, if it wasn’t obvious, is flora. Paleobotany—the band’s eleventh LP—sees this similarity become even more blunt, centering as it does on the prehistoric plants of many millions of years ago.” Morbid Phytologist.

Dødsferd – Wrath Review

By GardensTale on May 17, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 18 comments

“I didn’t really get into black metal until I started writing for AMG. This was primarily caused by a misconception of what these genres entailed, a sort of genre discrimination based in ignorance (isn’t that always the root cause?). In the case of black metal, I thought the definition of the style equated to lo-fi second wave black metal, or the sonic equivalent of hoovering up a marble with a cyclone vacuum. I still avoid that particular sound, generally speaking, but since I have come to love black metal over the years, I must on occasion make my return to the blackest corner of the kingdom. Enter Dødsferd, a long-running project by a Greek who goes by the name Wrath, and his new album… Wrath.” The wrath less chosen.

Elvellon – Ascending in Synergy Review

By Kenstrosity on May 16, 2024 in Reviews, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 33 comments

“As I’ve mentioned a few times during my tenure, fem-fronted symphonic power metal was my gateway into the metalverse. Bands like Nightwish, Epica, pre-Hydra Within Temptation, and Neverworld’s End-era Xandria, among many others, were my favorite things in the world for many years. Even today, the style still holds a crucial place in my rotation. Unfortunately, very few breakout acts in the last decade made a mark in the scene. Two names in particular who buck that trend come to mind: Connecticut-based Dialith and the subject of today’s piece, German five-banger Elvellon.” SYNERGY SYSTEM.

Unleash the Archers – Phantoma Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on May 10, 2024 in Reviews, Power Metal, 129 comments

“After a two-part series where we saw Immortal converge through trials and tribulations, this year’s Phantoma tosses us into the future (12089, specifically) where AI rules supreme. Presumably inspired by the new wave of AI technologies out there, Unleash the Archers taps into those influences to create a hypersonic sci-fi soundtrack filled with a smattering of synthesized guitar leads and heavy keyboard action to deliver the power metal version of Skynet.” Archers in the machine.

Wheel – Charismatic Leaders Review

By GardensTale on May 7, 2024 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 53 comments

“Never one to shy away from political themes, Wheel has taken to a theme rather than a full-blown concept with Charismatic Leaders, decrying populism and the cult of personality across 6 tracks and an interlude. In the band’s own words, this is intended as their metal album, the heavier, angrier version of the predecessors.” The Wheel of idealogy.

Glassing – From the Other Side of the Mirror Review

By Dear Hollow on May 3, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Mathcore, Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, Sludge Metal, 97 comments

“No one does music quite like Austin’s Glassing. Nearly impossible to pigeonhole in its blend of jagged riffs and crystalline melodies, critics have conjured the likes of post-metal, post-black, post-rock, mathcore, shoegaze, sludge, noise rock, screamo, and post-hardcore to describe it – none ever quite sticking the landing.” Square pegs, round holes. FIGHT.

Big|Brave – A Chaos of Flowers Review

By Dear Hollow on May 3, 2024 in Reviews, Folk, Noise, 18 comments

“The Montreal trio has always offered what they coin “massive minimalism,” and A Chaos of Flowers represents its most minimalist offering. Big|Brave does away with earthshaking, mountainous compositions of drone riffs in favor of an evocative, simmering, and otherworldly experience.” Stop and kill the flowers.

Unearthly Rites – Ecdysis Review

By Steel Druhm on May 2, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 39 comments

“Unearthly Rites are a new kid on the block in Finnish death metal, with only an EP to their name prior to the release of debut full-length, Ecdysis. Formed by scene vets with time spent in Sink, Hexhammer, and Fuck-Ushima, they bring plenty of experience to the party. What Unearthly Rites offer is a ghastly amalgamation of raw old school death, grind, and crust, curated and designed to cave in your face with the resulting unnatural sound profile.” Earth as mass grave.

ACOD – Versets noirs Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 30, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 59 comments

“How I’ve never known about France’s ACOD is beyond me, and I heartily apologize to them because I’ve been having a hella good time with many of their releases. Beginning their career as a black/thrash outfit with metalcore tendencies, they began to explore Mephorash-meets-Septicflesh territories around the time of their 2018 release, The Divine Triumph. While there are thrashy moments, the songwriting is now predominantly massive string atmospheres, marching drumbeats, cranked-up bass work, and riff after motherfucking riff.” ACOD AOK.