ALBUM REVIEW: The Crawling – All Of This For Nothing – Grindscene Records


Melancholy, death, doom, gloom, sorrow, these are words that come to mind the instant I hear about a band that is categorized as death/doom metal. No mom, metal is not all about anger and expressing it in violent manners! Northern Ireland’s own, The Crawling, have released their third full-length album, All Of This For Nothing (Grindscene Records), and it is a depressing but heavy voyage. Seven tracks averaging around six minutes in length each is a surefire way to make each track just hit harder and stay with you long after the album is over.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Disimperium – Grand Insurgence Upon Despotic Altars


 

If there was ever a time I could put the label of “abrasive” on an album, it would have to be for the debut full-length from Disimperium, Grand Insurgence Upon Despotic Altars (Sentient Ruin Laboratories). Take the mystical and obscure portions of black metal, lay them upon the bones of death metal, and crank up the intensity with grindcore and this makes up the uneasy feeling in your gut as you listen to the Oakland natives. Nine tracks at around half an hour is all you need to feel like you got hit by a truck filled with speakers turned up to eleven.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Blackbraid – Blackbraid II


Flowing down from the Adirondack Mountains in New York, just as the rivers do, Blackbraid returns with the second chapter, Blackbraid II (self-released). Created by Sgah’gahsowáh, Blackbraid quickly took the black metal world by storm with his stunning self-titled just last year that mixed atmospheric black metal with indigenous American mythology and history.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Boris and Uniform – Bright New Disease


 

Over the last few years, we have been lucky to see so many collaboration albums between two bands/artists that absolutely knock it out of the park. The latest mashup comes in the form of Boris and Uniform putting together what they call, Bright New Disease (Sacred Bones). Through nine tracks at just over thirty-two minutes, each track has its own footprint for the greater collection. Punk, industrial, thrash, doom, and noise pop up throughout the record but not one influence really ever takes the spotlight more than another.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Imperishable – Come, Sweet Death


 

Every once in a while, there is an itch in the back of my brain, and the only way to scratch it is to listen to Swedish Death Metal. With such luck, into my ears goes the full-length debut of Imperishable, appropriately named, Come, Sweet Death (Hammerheart Records). Blistering, chainsaw-like guitar riffs with epic leads, relentless drum work, and harsh raspy vocals is everything to expect from that sweet Gothenburg flavor of death metal. This scorcher of an album hardly lets up across the thirty-eight-minute blaze and will be sure to leave you either exhausted or ready to jump out of an airplane.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Suffering Quota – Collide


 

Grindcore is one of those subgenres in the heavy music world that is often overlooked and is also one of the most abrasive. To a point where sometimes it is difficult to differentiate bands at times as the typical criteria of what makes a grindcore band, are quite narrow. Sometimes, the borders are pushed outward, such as can be seen on the latest Suffering Quota album, Collide (Tartarus Records). Take traditional grindcore, toss in some death metal, and make the breakdowns count with powerviolence, and you are left with the audio recordings of a true beatdown.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Existentialist – The Heretic


 

As a fan of Deathcore back in the early days, I always feel compelled to give newer Deathcore bands a listen when I have the time. As luck would have it, Existentialist’s latest album, The Heretic (Seek & Strike Records), ended up in my inbox, ready for just such an occasion. While this record did not blow me away, it is well executed, especially with the level of symphonic elements bleeding more into some tracks than others.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Jesus Piece – …So Unknown


 

In recent months, there have been quite a few “sophomore” releases that have been exciting to look forward to. However, none have been as highly anticipated as Jesus Piece return in …So Unknown (Century Media) after their debut took the metallic hardcore world by storm five years ago. While the lyrical emotions of just being pissed off about past trauma is left on the previous album, Aaron Heard still brings a level of aggression and chaos, yet a level of positivity. Either way you slice it, this record really hits the marks for a sophomore effort which will excite fans.

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