There is a party going down in the Norwegian woods. There is a massive bonfire and hundreds of long-haired figures, stumbling around it, charging at each other and howling at the moon. The golden light of the flame reflecting off their leather jackets. Beer slacking their throats in preparation for the next bellow. It seems like a good time, but something isn't right. The longer the party rages the more animalistic the revelers become, and the hotter and taller the flame grows. And now there is a shadow in the flame. The stain in the fire has a vaguely human form, but with horns and other malformations that confound your senses. And now it is staring at you and drawing you into its fold. Terrifying for sure. But undeniably fun as well. And that's Splid, the new album from Norway's Kvelertak, at a distance. A bacchanal of fiends. A ball for Baphomet. A party to herald the shroud of a world-devouring doom.Kvelertak exploded onto the metal scene at the end of the '00s with a Kurt Ballou produced steamrolling monster-mash of vicious hardcore punk, and raucous southern and psychedelic rock. Bloggers at the time didn't know what to do with … Read more
With a name like Alien Nosejob I was expecting something a little more spacey or out there than what you … Read more
You ever get lost while driving in the woods at night? I grew up in Wisconsin and this happened to … Read more
What is it that even makes a good album, good? Good is a slippery concept of course, and your definition … Read more
A few short months ago, I was sitting in a dark bar with some friends on a late Friday afternoon, … Read more
Usually I get to pick what I review. This (partly) explains why you might sometimes feel I am an overrating … Read more
Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.
756 reviews
45 reviews
25 reviews
300 reviews
5063 reviews
19 reviews
"I see the hate / It's coming down / Down like the rain." Thus begins the greatest song about rain and hate that has ever been pressed to vinyl. Of course I'm talking about the Judge masterpiece "The Storm" a song so amazing that it got a sequel, "The Storm II". Yes I said, "amazing" and to anyone that knows me I only say amazing when it's something that I would consider on the same level as seeing a virgin birth or maybe a really great stage dive. So how could I not swoop down a promo from a band called The Storm? How could a band that named themselves after the greatest song about rain and hate be nothing but the greatest band that has ever lived? Silly fucking … Read more
With this album the Carmentae have found each other. If you haven’t studied Roman mythology this might mean nothing to you. If you have you will know Postvorta is the goddess of the past and her companion Porrima is the goddess of the future. So now you know. Is this knowledge of any use for you? No, but as a … Read more
Doom-death is not a crowded field, but it is one that can feel difficult to innovate in. There are only so many ways you can bolt doom elements on to death metal at all. A band can slow down the tempo, add more distortion, maybe toss in a few more blues riffs, but after they may find themselves be carving … Read more
There is a lot of scholarship devoted to determining which monstrosity in the Book of Revelations is its titular "Beast." Revelation 11:7 introduces us to a creature that rises from the abyss (or the sea… it's somewhat unclear), a mysterious creature, adorned with crowns and proclaiming blasphemy. The second contender emerges from the ground and immediately gets down to business, … Read more
Hoo boy! What am I really supposed to say to introduce The Eradicator. The concept is based on a Kids in the Hall sketch, and it definitely draws some inspiration. But it’s also hard to picture the small stature, screeching Bruce McCulloch character being into this style of hardcore. He seems more like an Iron Maiden kind of guy to … Read more
Calling your band Earth Mother Fucker is a statement in and of itself, and having the audacity to go for such an aggressive sounding moniker should stand a project in good stead for the coming years. Should. For this wildly named band, the lights of the stage were few and far between and despite existing for just over a decade, … Read more
Bütcher takes you on an epic journey to a parallel universe. A universe that is very similar to ours. A universe where cars are referred to as chariots. A universe where we do not mention horsepower, but talk about goatpower. And Bütcher is here to introduce their new ride! Sorry, was that too corny? I know, I can’t help myself. … Read more
Wrekmeister Harmonies style is one that is hard to pin down and give a definitive name, yet the duo of JR Robinson and Esther Shaw do create music that is beautifully intimate and stark in equal measure. Latter day works are much more stripped back and streamlined, a change from the huge swells of sound that coloured earlier works and … Read more
You couldn't keep them on their leash forever, and now that they're back on the streets, it's either ride or die with Ice-T's and Ernie C's hardcore thrash revival, Body Count, and their seventh album, Carnivore. Body Count are well into the second leg of their career, having jump started the group's black heart with 2014's Manslaughter, following an initial … Read more
In a culture of such immediate gratification, immediate information, and immediate reaction, seven years is a long time to wait for an album. Seven years in a country that’s seemingly seen more regression than growth can make the wait for relief seem twice as long. The upside is that the relief can also seem twice as invigorating once it arrives. … Read more
It is always interesting to see well established artists step out of their comfort zone, attempting to broaden their horizons and produce something novel. Jonathan Hulten has taken such a turn once already, when his main band Tribulation departed from their early, death metal drenched style and stepped into a forward-thinking heavy metal bliss. Incorporating everything from black metal to … Read more
The mind is a wonderful thing. Memories can be triggered by different stimuli. If you have ever watched The Chef's Table (a series about the chefs and their motivations to do what they do best) you will have seen many chefs confess they make food that reminds them of the food they ate in their youth. And that eating that … Read more
Teen Wolf itself is goofy but with some surprisingly poignant metaphors. Wolf-Face is the same, straddling its own bizarro stance between cartoonish monsters, high school, adolescence, melodrama and real, honest emotion. I didn’t expect to like Still A Son of a Bitch in 2013, but I did – quite a bit, really. The band is built on a gimmick: that … Read more
Snappy Little Numbers make some snappy packaging. Cover art, one-sided vinyl and specialty colors shouldn’t drive musical decision-making but, let’s face it, in the digital era it definitely makes a difference when you pick up a record that stands out from the pack. And as an uncle who has spent a lot of time watching Ninjago and making internal judgments … Read more
Nothing is certain except that everything will change. The fact that change is one of the only things you can count on in life is sometimes hard to deal with. Some bands present you a different nuance of the same sound on each album, which can result in the complaint they release the same album again and again. Some bands … Read more
Looking for the SPB logo? You can download it in a range of styles and colours here:
Click anywhere outside this dialog to close it, or press escape.