heavy metal

Album Review: Tarja - Colours In The Dark

Submitted by Chris C on Wednesday, Aug 21st 2013

I've opined before about a certain type of metal vocalist whose appeal I can't quite understand; the classical female singer. I sort of understand the philosophy of combining the straight-laced approach of opera with the anything-but ethos of metal, but to my ear, the two have never fit together as anything more than a thought experiment. Even the biggest, brightest example of this is something I never came to terms with. Tarja set the standard for all female vocalists who weren't trying to be the next Joan Jett.

Album Review: Thränenkind - The Elk

Submitted by Chris C on Monday, Aug 19th 2013

Being the kind of person who dwells on semantics, a band like Thränenkind bothers me even before I've heard a note of their music. Described as 'post-metal', the label leaves me scratching my head. Metal is still alive and flourishing, and it shows no signs of going anywhere, so what does post-metal even mean? In the other arts, post-modernism had a point; it was a deliberate realignment of what art was supposed to be, taking it back from the modernist school, which was both unified and generational. Metal is not like the other arts, however.

Album Review: Turisas - "Turisas2013"

Submitted by M. Drew on Friday, Aug 16th 2013

Let’s cut to the chase. Turisas’ “Turisas2013” is a clear contender for Album Of The Year honors. There’s no two ways about it. Yes, it has a sub-standard title, but let’s not be shallow enough to let that get in the way. Everything about this record is wonderful, a surprising improvement over even the lofty accomplishment that was “Stand Up and Fight.”

Album review: Fueled By Fire - "Trapped in Perdition"

Submitted by wizard on Thursday, Aug 15th 2013

Our friends at wikipedia define thrash metal this way; "Thrash metal generally features fast tempos, low-register, complex guitar riffs, high-register guitar solos and double bass drumming. Vocally, thrash metal can employ anything from melodic singing to shouted vocals. Most thrash guitar solos are played at high speed, as they are usually characterized by shredding". I'd like to add another entry - See: "Fueled By Fire".

Album Review: Watain - The Wild hunt

Submitted by Chris C on Wednesday, Aug 14th 2013

In the spirit of honesty, I have a confession I must make; there has never been a black metal album I have enjoyed. While I can understand the mental state that leads to its creation, and the ethos is not philosophically unappealing, the actual music that falls under the banner has the same effect on me as fingernails streaking across a chalkboard (a sound that, ironically, does not bother me). I have tried listening to modern black metal, the 'classics', and random recommendations I've picked up in various places, but the end result is always the same.

EP Review: Gyre - "Second Circle"

Submitted by M. Drew on Tuesday, Aug 13th 2013

Progressive metal is a splinter genre where you don’t see a lot of DIY, at least not on a noticeable level or on this side of the Pond. New Jersey progressive metallers Gyre are forging into that territory with a four-song EP “Second Circle,” that attempts to fresh take on a long developed idea.

Album Review: James LaBrie - Impermanent Resonance

Submitted by Chris C on Monday, Aug 12th 2013

James LaBrie's last solo album, “Static Impulse”, answered a question I'm not sure had ever been asked: what would it sound like if LaBrie fronted Soilwork? Far from his progressive metal roots, “Static Impulse” was a modern metal album in every facet, blending melodic choruses to state of the art riffing and juxtaposed screaming vocals. More than a shock to expectations, the album was a surprisingly effective vehicle for LaBrie, and was better than I could have ever imagined such an effort being.

Album Review: Pillbuster: Pillbuster

Submitted by wizard on Monday, Aug 12th 2013

It's the simple pleasures that help make life worthwhile. For me, there's the anticipation of listening to a new CD and the impossible wait just before the opening track starts playing. Generally, with my hand on the volume knob, I turn it up for maximum effect. When the first few notes begin there are three possible reactions - "Ooh, that's not very good. Let's try track two", "Eh, that's kind of what I expected" or "Hell yeah!".

Album Review: Deadlock - The Arsonist

Submitted by Chris C on Thursday, Aug 8th 2013

Metal is not known for its beauty. It can be many things, beautiful included, but if there is one thing metal is known for, it's stringy-haired heaviness. Metal is not the music of the beautiful people, and we wouldn't love it so much if it was. But somewhere in calculations, the balance needed to keep metal from falling off the edge of relevance gets lost. Hearing as many albums a year as I do, which is still but a fraction, there is a titanic chasm of possibility few bands have jumped headlong into.

Singing the Song of the Huntress - A Conversation with Jill Janus

Submitted by M. Drew on Wednesday, Aug 7th 2013

Often in literature, we see references to a person who has a piercing gaze, or is said to 'look right through you.' Never, until I sat down with Jill Janus of Huntress, did I fully understand what that meant. Her eyes are a pure, icy blue, and her gaze is somewhat magnetic. You lock eyes with her and get the impression like she's seeing inside you, watching your spirit. That said, she's also incredibly friendly, very gregarious and extra charming. We had a the following conversation about her band, her personal life including her Wiccan influences and, you know, Lemmy. Read on!

M.DREW: You just released “Starbound Beast.” Why release one album so soon after the first?

JILL JANUS: We’re a very inspired group of people. When you’re that inspired and you already have the songs getting ready to be birthed within you, there’s no reason to wait. We released “Spell Eater” in 20012, “Starbound Beast” in 2013 and we’re going to be releasing a third one in 2014. It’s like a trilogy, it’s all been planned since the very beginning, like maiden, mother and crone.