ALBUM REVIEW: Iron Monkey – Spleen and Goad


Iron Monkey were one of the OGs from the UK underground Sludge Metal scene back in the mid-late nineties and had a run that included the reissue of their self-titled debut album (1997), and their follow-up Our Problem (1998) – on the mighty Earache Records. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Coffins – Sinister Oath


Sinister Oath (Relapse Relapse), the sixth full-length from Tokyo-based Coffins, is a measuring stick for the Death/Doom scene, providing an undeniable starting point for anyone looking to dip their toes into the genre, performers and fans alike. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Newmoon – Temporary Light


In the mid-80s under the shadow of the Regan-era Cold War tension, bands like the Cocteau Twins crafted sonic fairylands that shone out from their depressive souls.

It makes sense that today’s youth would want to experience a similar escape.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Zombi – Direct Inject


Great music, like great movies, can take you to another world. Instrumental synth-based duo Zombi work their transporting, soundtrack-oriented magic on the sublime, cinema-literate Direct Inject (Relapse Records).Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Hideous Divinity – Unextinct


When it comes to Italian Brutal Technical Death Metal heavyweights Hideous Divinity, you tend to know what you’re getting yourself into prior to sitting down to give a listen or two.

And that isn’t a bad thing.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Mastiff – Deprecipice


The multilayered masterpiece that is Deprecipice (MNRK Heavy) is lightyears away from anything else that has graced the brutal metallic sludge/Hardcore/Death Metal scene for quite some time. Leave it up to Mastiff to be the ones leading the charge. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Lustmord – Much Unseen Is Also Here


Lustmord is the pseudonym of Brian Williams, now more than four decades into his music career and with myriad releases under his belt, including many soundtracks and collaborations, as well as a plethora of “ordinary” albums.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Midnight – Hellish Expectations


The ever-belligerent Cleveland-based one-man unit Midnight returns with a prolific sixth full-length entitled Hellish Expectations, out via Metal Blade Records. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Gost – Prophecy


The term “heavy” is most often associated with Metal. But Metal is not the only genre of music capable of invoking heaviness. Of all the other genres capable of tapping into heaviness, synthwave is not going to be first on the list. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Myrath – Karma


The Myrath sound is an exciting, intoxicating and entertaining one. On Karma (earMUSIC), there’s a dark side to some of the lyrical content (“Wrath of a raging sea …” Demons, oblivion, etc), leaning towards the heavy and the epic, but the overall impression is relatively light, hooky and generally uplifting. Continue reading