For forty uncertain, eerie and downright unsettling minutes, black metal project Lamp Of Murmuur grips the listener with a sturdy hand and refuses to let go until fear, disgust and melancholy take over.
CONCERT REVIEW: Heathen – Arrival of Autumn – Invicta Live at The Kingsland
The night began in Brooklyn, at The Kingsland with Invicta, a Canadian band with some killer technical prowess and a Melodic Thrash sound. They are new to my ears and definitely a good find and worth your time. As the opening act, they immediately set the tone for the evening with their energetic performance. Their set was a perfect blend of aggression and melody, getting the crowd pumped up and ready for more.
ALBUM REVIEW: OTTTO – Life Is A Game
OTTTO is a trio out of Venice Beach that features a style that combines thrash and funk with modern metal. Life is a Game (ORG) is their debut album. Perhaps the most notable member of the band is their bass player, Tye Trujillo, the son of Metallica’s Robert Trujillo.
INTERVIEW: Brett Roos of Steaksauce Mustache on The Power of Having Fun in Metal
Brett Roos of Steaksauce Mustache checked in with Ghost Cult last year to discuss the origin of the band, being “Happy Party Core” – being prolific music makers, their last album “All Juice No Noise” touring, a wide array of influences, and keeping the fun at the forefront of everything they do.
Metal Church Shares a New Single and a Video for “Pick a God and Prey” – New Album Coming Soon
West coast thrash metal veterans Metal Church will release their 13th studio album, Congregation of Annihilation, on May 26th via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The new album marks the first release since the tragic death of legendary frontman Mike Howe who passed in July of 2021. It also marks the first album with new vocalist Marc Lopes (Ross the Boss / Let Us Prey) who came on board in the summer of 2022 and features the current lineup of founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger, and drummer Stet Howland. The new songs are a return to the band’s musical roots harkening back to the vibes of the self-titled first album and The Dark. Congregation of Annihilation was produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof and is now available for pre-order in various bundle configurations in North America at the link below. The band’s first single is the anthemic “Pick A God and Prey” and a lyric video for the song can be seen here:
ALBUM REVIEW: Codefendants – This Is Crime Wave
Over the last few years, the likes of cybergrind and mathcore have reared their ugly heads into the musical zeitgeist, for better or worse, introducing to the world new visions when it comes to how to write and perform music. Enter Codefendants, a newly formed trio consisting of Fat Mike, Sam King, and Ceschi Ramos. The group’s debut album, This Is Crime Wave (Fat Wreck Chords, Bottles To The Ground), is their titular foray into a new world that combines hip hop, new wave, and an underlying dose of punk rock.
ALBUM REVIEW: Angerot – The Profound Recreant
Was today the day I realized that blasphemy became played out? Having listened to Angerot’s The Profound Recreant (Redefining Darkness Records) a few times enjoying the volleys of blasts and cacophonous noise I can’t help but wonder if I’ve already heard some of these numbers or themes before. Continue reading
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE: Skinher (Hail Spirit Noir) Shares a New Lyric Video for “You Are Next”
Epic Horror inspired Heavy Metal band Skinher will release a new album Heartstruck on April 21st via Aural Music. Throwing it back to the 1980s with rocking riffs, huge hooky choruses, spooky vintage John Carpenter-esque synths. and classic slasher-inspired lyrics, Skinher is a band you need to know for 2023. The band also has a good pedigree as frontman Kyle Skinher is Haris from prog metal pioneers Hail Spirit Noir. Check out the new single and lyric video for “You Are Next” and pre-order the album at the link below.
Fallujah Drummer Andrew Baird has stepped Down From The Band After Sixteen Years
Technical Death Metal leaders Fallujah have announced that after 16 years in the band, long-time drummer, Andrew Baird has decided to step down from the band to focus on his personal life and family. An integral member of the band since 2007, Baird has helped shape the success of the group from the Bay Area. In a post on social media, Fallujah thanked Baird for his time in the band. Baird is just moving on in his life and the band shared that there is no bad blood between the band and Andrew, and that they fully support his choice to step down. Fallujah has assured fans that the band will continue with their new material and scheduled tours. The band continues to tour behind their 2022 album Empyrean, out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
ALBUM REVIEW: The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High
From the crashing chords, Greg Attonito’s emphatic vocal style, and taut melodies of the title track you know exactly what The Bouncing Souls’ new record Ten Stories High (Pure Noise Records) is all about; raucous, to the point, Pop Punk. This is their twelfth album and it definitely does not outstay its welcome – these ten songs are all wrapped up in under twenty-six minutes.