Issues: Issue 326 – February 2016
Review: Various Artists – 4 Doors to Death
Try though I might, I simply cannot put 4 Doors to Death down. This four-way split from Unspeakable Axe collects some new tracks from some of the filthiest, most brutal new bands to fly the tattered flag of old-school death metal. … read more
Review: Urgehal – Aeons In Sodom
These guys have arguably been at it much longer than their peers, or at least just as long, and deserve all that unearned respect you shitstains keep showering on Liturgy, whose manifesto on black metal should be illegal to own. … read more
Review: Ty Segall – Emotional Mugger
It’s risky, it’s messy and it’s unsettling, but Emotional Mugger is doing something new enough to earn pause—even if only to silently mouth the phrase, “What the fuck?” … read more
Review: Tortoise – The Catastrophist
Tortoise are not a post-rock band. Being clumsily lumped in with the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mogwai sheds little light jazz fusion’s influence on their music. … read more
Review: Sunflower Bean – Human Ceremony
Brooklyn-based Sunflower Bean are a dynamic trio who’ve made lightning-fast progress as a band to watch, pairing their fast-paced and energetic psych rock with equally paced, widespread tours. … read more
Review: Striker – Stand In The Fire
Striker have definitely hit their stride on their fourth full-length album, Stand in the Fire. The band struck gold, combining the essence of the classic heavy metal sound of their second album, Armed to the Teeth, with the aggressive, fiery thrash guitars found on their third record, City of Gold. … read more
Review: Savages – Adore Life
Clad head to toe in black, Savages strove for uncompromising authenticity as they brought the impatient and thunderous heart of post-punk back, topping off their unforgiving album with singer Jehnny Beth’s 36-line manifesto, which sharply decried a world of far too many voices and distractions clamoring for our attention. … read more
Review: Rotting Christ – Rituals
Whenever your band has a big name and reputation in the metal/extreme metal scene, there are expectations with each new album. For me, Rituals meets those expectations and goes above and beyond. … read more
Review: Pop. 1280 – Paradise
Pop. 1280 establish Paradise as an unoccupied city filled with breathtaking buildings and perfectly paved streets. What a waste, considering that the album’s ironic title and industrial cityscapes create an ideal community for humankind’s damned. … read more
Review: Canopy Canvas – R e a l m
With a catchy, quick intro song, and then straight into a downtempo beat with chimes and bells galore, this release from Canopy Canvas is an addition to the growing ambient section of the vast EDM world. … read more