Since their inception back in 2007, Tombs have been in a phase of constant turmoil. Band members have been changed multiple times, with mainman Mike Hill the only original member still in the band. A similar sort of change has been undergoing along the works of the band, with their style. Starting out as a post-black metal act with the raw, but extremely promising, Winter Hours, Tombs have been going through a process of a painful evolution, reaching its peak with the release of Savage Gold. The album saw them solidifying their sound, retaining the raw black metal quality, adding further doom/sludge elements to their body of work, and stylistically moving towards a more heavy metal oriented path. It basically proved that no matter the changes of line-up, or stylistic choices, Tombs were still able to produce great works.All Empires Fall arrives two years after the pinnacle of Tombs, Savage Gold, and it sees once again a switch in line-up, with Hill and bassist Ben Brand, the only members that participated in the previous full-length. However, the additions in this case are insane. The new line-up includes Charlie Schmid (Vaura) on drums, Evan Void (Hivelords, Sadgiqacea) on guitars and Fade … Read more
Spanning the country’s geography north and south, this split from Fargo, ND’s Crab Legs and Fort Worth, TX’s Not Half … Read more
Fucking finally. It’s been six long years since we’ve heard from the Brooklyn via D.C. grind-brigade. This month marks the … Read more
When it comes to mystical vibes, few can challenge the music of Wolvserpent. The duo consisting of Blake Green and … Read more
Radon has never really done a lot for me. The melodies are nice but it really never strikes a chord … Read more
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Orange County was a breeding ground for hardcore in the early 80's. While many might suggest that the scene there has died off, they couldn't be more wrong. Creatures is one of many upcoming hardcore groups bringing credibility back to the area. After turning heads with a demo, Creatures quickly recorded for a new EP. The six songs that make up this 7" are ferocious. The band mixes classic thrash sounds of D.R.I. and Metallica with the speed of Bad Brains and the anger and frustration of modern hardcore. If you check out one song, make it "Holocaust." You'll be hooked! Creatures is a band going places. I expect their next album to be a breakthrough to the hardcore masses. Read more
Värähtelijä marks Oranssi Pazuzu’s fourth foray into the outer reaches and the Finnish band pull no punches in creating a record that melds tripped out cosmic rhythms with the distinct aesthetics of modern black metal. Oranssi Pazuzu aren’t your typical Finnish black metal band and with their music they set out to push the boundaries of what the genre should … Read more
St. Louis indie pop band Bunnygrunt will probably always be stuck with the 90s cuddlecore label, as much as they may hate it. The lovable duo Matt Harnish (guitars/vocals) and Karen Ried (drums/vocals) specialize in fun, disposable - and dare I say cute - punk rock, Bunnygrunt reliably delivers the ephemeral sound of what their label Happy Happy Birthday to … Read more
Finding an anchor in your life is one of those inevitabilities that is constantly chattering away in the back of your head; you're trying to figure out where you should be and where you should stay. If your 20s are there to discover what you're doing with your life and which space on this planet is most homely to you, … Read more
When Iggy pop parted ways with The Stooges in the mid-seventies, no one really knew what to expect from the man next. If they had been taking bets in Vegas, the highest odds would have gone to: Moving to Berlin to collaborate with David Bowie. Nevertheless, that's exactly what happened, and the result was his first solo release, The Idiot. … Read more
Since 2010 and the release of their album All The Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood, sludge outfit The Body have really taken off. Originally found back in 1999, the band from Oregon did not seem to be very active, releasing a good debut album in 2004, but it would take six years until their next full-length. However, since … Read more
It’s not often a band whose tenure spans as long as Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s makes such a successful effort in redefining their sound without conjuring notions of desired mass appeal. More importantly, it’s not often a band as influential to heavy music as Agoraphobic Nosebleed creates what is easily their most accessible effort without sacrificing their abrasive integrity. We see an … Read more
Led by Scott Hull, Agoraphobic Nosebleed is one of the quintessential grindcore acts out there, and probably the most prominent band in the genre to make use of a drum machine, leading to hundreds of followers. Their style is dictated by ferocity and speed, albums filled with bursts of violence and constant pushing of your mental state. From Honky Reduction … Read more
Debuting in 2014 and quickly releasing the surprisingly outstanding Spike & Wave 7”, Easthampton, Massachusetts-based Kindling has undergone a substantial metamorphosis over the past few years. The original duo of Stephen Pierce (he of Ampere) and Gretchen Williams have been joined by drummer Andy Skelly and bassist Andrew Farr, allowing the group's initially rather sparse material to be fleshed out … Read more
What does it mean when a three-piece band has a spin-off two-piece? While the premonition is that drama is afoot for member number three, that’s probably overthinking it. At least in the case of Shadow in the Cracks, a side project of The Blind Shake where brothers Blaha split off from their main gig for a more ambient approach at … Read more
Mat McNerley is sure keeping himself busy. A few months back the new Grave Pleasures (ex-Beastmilk) album came along, and soon enough a Hexvessel album would follow. That would mark the third full-length record that Hexvessel would release, coming after Dawnbringer and No Holier Temple, and following an excellent EP in Iron Marsh.When We Are Death carries on the psychedelic … Read more
When Hinds’ debut Leave Me Alone started with a jamming guitar riff, I was scared that this Spanish (but English-singing) all-girls rock band was going down the same lo-fi indie road that bands like The Lovely Bad Things and Black Lips have already thoroughly pounded into the ground. But almost immediately, the jam dissipates into a chilled-out, nonchalant air reminiscent … Read more
Considering that the genre is and probably always will be associated with youth, it's worth noting that there are some more experienced players working in today's punk scene – and not just in “legacy acts” that play songs first recorded years if not decades ago. Count Gainesville, Florida quartet The Howleez among them. Singer Debra Fetzer, guitarist Hazel Levy, bassist … Read more
There is a great deal of history that follows Secrets of the Moon. The German extreme metal band emerged from the ashes of the obscure, primal black metal outfit, Martyrium. A series of great albums would follow, with the band showcasing in an excellent manner their doom/black hybrid approach. However, through the years it seems as if a change was … Read more
Amber Asylum has been a force in the post-rock/post-metal domain, since the mid '90s. With their origin found back in 1996 with the release of Frozen In Amber, this intriguing band was able to keep a presence, unfortunately not as constant as we would prefer. The seven year drought leading to the release of 2007's Still Point was the first … Read more
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