Amaranthe
The most unlikely candidate for pop sentation of 2014 is Swedish-Danish band Amaranthe, who initially formed as Avalanche in 2008. Fronted by Elize Ryd and boasting a sound that combines the best of 90s Eurodance with throbbing rock riffs “Massive Addictive” is one of those pop albums that’s truly
Aaron Covarrubias
After "Decoding the Mainframe" (the 2010 remixed/partly re-recorded re-issue of its 2007 debut "The Architecture Of Oppression") the all-star line-up - that included former members of Forest Of Impaled, Luciferion, and Malevolent Creation – of Chicago, Illinois symfo death metal act Against the Plagues disintegrated. For
AFM Records
The second Fear Factory reformation led to the workmanlike “Mechanize”, but despite being a mild critical success the band wasn’t able to hold on to its lineup. Prior to the recordings of “The Industrialist” the new rhythm section of bass guitarist Byron Stroud and drummer Gene Hoglan took their
Berthus Westerhuys
In the Centurian canon “Liber Zar Zax” is special because it is the only record to feature Zi Xul members Jerry Brouwer (vocals, bass guitar) and Oskar Van Paradijs (lead guitar). Prior to the pre-production sessions Seth van de Loo (vocals), and Patrick Boleij (bass guitar) had taken their leave
Benjamin Marlin
After having parted ways with the demo line-ups drummer Ricky Myers rebuild Disgorge from the ground up. The recently dissolved Strangulation had two of its members pooling to Disgorge. The album is the recording debut of its newly established line-up. In this constellation, which lasted from 1992 to 2006, Disgorge
death metal
“Carven Of Old”, the second Zi Xul demo tape in its brief three-year existence, represents a considerable leap forward in terms of writing, while being a gigantic step backward as far as production is concerned. The band is still centered on Jerry Brouwer (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Oskar Van Paradijs
death metal
By the time “Mark Of the Legion”, the fourth Deeds Of Flesh album, was released the band had reached a new level of internal stability. The record is a very loose concept album about conflict and warfare through out the ages. It was the recording debut for new skinsman Mike
Alan Yoshida
If one were to pinpoint the exact instance where Morbid Angel, the gold standard to which all things death metal was measured, started losing the plot musically 1995’s “Domination” would be the moment. After a recklessly violent debut, and two more deliberately paced successors the Tampa, Florida unit was
Curtis Dewar
Great Britain has a rich history in doom metal with institutions as Cathedral, Esoteric, My Dying Bride and genre archforefathers Black Sabbath. The latest British export to make a name for itself is London-based unit Desolate Pathway. Desolate Pathway is formulated by scene veteran Vince Hempstead of long-suffering doom unit
Brett Hess
“Destined For Defilement”, the first Fleshgrind record after two demo tapes, largely follows the template laid out by contemporaries Cannibal Corpse and Dying Fetus. In the decade-plus that they were active, from 1993 to 2005, they released three albums, of which “Destined For Defilement” was the first. What the band
AFM Records
“Mechanize”, the first effort of the band’s second reformation, is a mixed bag. It stands to reason that it was the most aggressive, and heaviest record since the band’s 1992 debut. It is the first since 2001’s “Digimortal” to feature both Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares,
death metal
The history of Dutch outfit Callenish Circle can be traced back to 1992. Patrick Savelkoul and Jos Evers formed the band in Sittard-Geleen, Holland as the more straightforward death metal oriented Genocide. Under that name the band honed its chops by playing cover songs of Death, Bolt Thrower, Pestilence and