The Eighth studio album from Polish metallers Crystal Viper follows on in their tradition of strong melodies, soaring vocals, and expert lead guitar work held together with perfect production. ...
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Comments Off on Review: Crystal Viper “The Cult” [Listenable Records]
Archives by: Mat Childs
Mat Childs
About the author
Ex-teacher, judoka, and long-suffering Newcastle United fan.
Mat Childs Posts
Coffins kick off this split LP with a whirlwind of demonic riffs laden with enough bass to make you feel the claustrophobia of being buried alive. The drumming ...
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Comments Off on Review: Coffins / Depression [Hells Headbangers]
It’s more conventional for the vocals to be the weakest part of an album, but Dreams of Rotting Flesh goes against those norms as Felix Stass leads his band with strong ...
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Comments Off on Review: Stass “Songs Of Flesh And Decay” [Emanzipation Productions]
A Priestesque cover, a Priestesque title, and Priestesque guitar work… it can only be Into the Storm by Japan’s Significant Point. I’ve forever argued that speed metal is not a ...
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Comments Off on Review: Significant Point “Into the Storm” [Dying Victims Productions]
It’s hardly normal for a thrash band to start an album with 85 seconds of arpeggio plucking coming through a phaser, but then Insect Politics is hardly the usual thrash ...
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Comments Off on Review: Deathblow “Insect Politics” [Sewer Mouth Records]
Indian label Transcending Obscurity show off their new toy with their first full-length album in 16 years – it’s been worth the wait. Despite their relatively long run in the ...
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Comments Off on Review: Revulsion “Revulsion” [Transcending Obscurity Records]
The second LP from California’s classic hard rock rompers Pounder takes us back in time for cheesy fist-pumping riffs reminiscent of bands your dad grew out of when ...
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Comments Off on Review: Pounder “Breaking the World” [Shadow Kingdom]
Antwerp/Portland’s black metal multi-instrumentalist returns with her first full-length album since starting out with 2018’s promising EP Ascending the Raven Stone. In true black metal fashion, earthy growls, ...
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Comments Off on Review: Hulder “Godslastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry” [Iron Bonehead]
Thron’s impressive run in blackened melodic death metal continues with their third LP in 6 years. A bestial release that shows off their colours – feral vocals, sophisticated drumming, ...
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Comments Off on Review: THRON “Pilgrim” [Listenable Records]
In Sahrartu, Belarus’ Eximperitus offer comfort from the cold weather with warming riffs, red-hot drumming, and a reassuring blanket of melody. Riffs that snarl slowly back up ethereal drone solos Jerry ...
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Comments Off on Review: Eximperitus “Šahrartu” [Willowtip Records]
Ontario’s Possessed Steel bring us ye olde fashioned metal with their first full length LP, Aedris, and offer plenty of melody, soaring vocals, and 70s stomping riffs, nicely ...
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Comments Off on Review: Possessed Steel “Aedris” [Temple of Mystery]
Let’s do the compliment sandwich… the cover art and album title Of Sleep and Death are a pretty cool. Aren’t they? Ok, moving on. Austria’s Transilvania open their ...
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Comments Off on Review: Transilvania “Of Sleep and Death” [Invictus Productions]
Death metal name? Check. Black metal album art? Check. Technical melodic punk thrash metalcore tunes? Check. Funeral Hymns is the second full-length release from Chicago’s Bloodletter, who deliver ...
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Comments Off on Review: Bloodletter “Funeral Hymns” [Petrichor]
If you want to start 2021 with some old fashioned, feel good, leather-waistcoat-wearing trve metal anthems, then look no further than Neck Cemetery’s Born in a Grave. You ...
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Comments Off on Review: Neck Cemetery “Born in a Coffin” [Reaper Entertainment Europe]
A short, sweet EP deserves a short, sweet review – charging chugs, rhythmic chanting, and low-end riffs through the crystal-crunch of Marshall Amps – it’s Wayward Dawn’s two-track ...
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Comments Off on Review: WAYWARD DAWN “House Of Mirrors” [Emanzipation Productions]
Combining dreamy arpeggios, orchestral swells, and guttural vocals, Genus Ordinis Dei (or GOD to their friends) return with their third full-length symphonic metal concept album from Lombardy, Italy. ...
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Comments Off on Review: Genus Ordinis Dei “Glare of Deliverance” [Eclipse Records]
