Fear Factory, Static-X, and Dead Bands’ Future Identities
Metal bands Fear Factory and Static-X cope with their mortality in the usual fashion, but the technology they embrace might radically change their identity.
death metal
Emptiness Reinforce the Sense of Dread on ‘Nowhere Speaks’
Emptiness’ Nowhere Speaks carries the same bleakness, a dread that the ominous, towering vocal delivery interprets fantastically.
Witches Hammer’s ‘Final Storm’ Is How They Should Go Out
Final Storm‘s cleaner production casts Witches Hammer’s songwriting in a different light, bringing melodic and traditional heavy metal strains into focus.
Mortem’s ‘Mørketid’ Reconciles Black Metal’s Exhilarating Force
Mortem’s intricate songwriting and their balanced approach to traditional and majestic black metal have a clear goal.
Scimitar Reach New Heights with ‘Scimitarium II’
Beneath all the cacophony and chaos in Scimitarium II, Scimitar are always in control, harnessing these expressions rather than being consumed by them.
Spirit Adrift Blur Boundaries on ‘Infinite Illumination’
Spirit Adrift’s heavy metal core is set, unchanging, and fundamental, but around this origin point, the doom and thrash satellites can still orbit.
Pharmacist’s Thrash-Leaning of Their New Album Is Powerful
For Pharmacist, thrash is not solely defined by the frenzied lead work and lightning-fast approach of the 1980s. They are closer to a more modern interpretation of the genre.
The Monochrome Festival’s Brilliant Musical Futurism
The Monochrome Festival was a perfect mini-fest weekend and so many reasons for hope in these strange times: The youth ARE alright.
Opeth’s ‘The Last Will and Testament’ Is a New High-Water Mark
Opeth’s The Last Will and Testament is their most focused, disciplined piece of music to date and their heaviest work in more than 15 years.
Chat Pile’s Bleak View Goes Global with ‘Cool World’
Chat Pile’s new album does not offer catharsis; it is just an unflinching account of the violence we inflict on each other on an individual and global scale.
Fire-Toolz’s ‘Breeze’ Dares to Imagine Joy Within Chaos
It’s a rare artist indeed who can turn tools for expressing existential dread toward a grateful appreciation of life, but Fire-Toolz accomplishes this on Breeze.
Not a Second of Horrendous’ ‘Ontological Mysterium’ Sounds Human
Horrendous have returned refreshed and once again intent on twisting death metal into new forms on their daring LP, Ontological Mysterium.