Aurora Borealis
“Timeline: The Beginning and End of Everything” heralded the second era of Aurora Borealis with the addition of new skinsman Mark Green, and the return of bass guitarist Jason Ian-Vaugh Eckert. What sets the second era of the band apart from the first, is the focus on sciencefiction as a
Cynthia Switzer
“Liturgy Of Ritual Execution”, the debut of Sacramento, California act Embodied Torment, is proof that not all contemporary death metal bands are created equal. As a spiritual successor to once-relevant outfits Disgorge and Brodequin, the Californians, who formed in 2011 as the uncreatively named Sever Dismember, combine the best elements
Burton C. Bell
Along with label mates Sepultura Los Angeles industrial (death) metal combo Fear Factory was a major selling outfit for a majority of their tenure with Roadrunner Records. “Digital Connectivity”, the band’s maiden foray into visual media, is an embarrassing spectacle of a strong concept lulled into irrelevance through weak
death metal
“Trading Pieces”, the first proper Deeds Of Flesh record, is different from its later output in that it draws from more traditional sources. It is a loosely conceptual record about cannibalism, and serial murder in contemporary society. It is the second of three records featuring original Deeds Of Flesh co-founder/
Berthus Westerhuys
On its second album “Dream Deceiver” Dead Head reached a level of composition, and production values that finally lived up to its stellar live reputation. The band still played incredibly fast, and technical thrash metal but this time around everything was controlled better. Although the overall pace is lower, the
Adriana Tavares
Valhalla, one of the Brazil’s oldest (and probably, earliest) female fronted death metal combos, has a checkered history with only sporadic output due to nearly constant personnel problems. The band formed in Brazil in 1988 as Adrea, and was briefly called Phobia, before adopting its current moniker for obvious
Arthur Edward Waite
“Covenant” is where Florida luminaries Morbid Angel reached the zenith of its writing. Building further upon the groundwork laid with the preceding album, the band sought to push boundaries on all fronts. Marred by interpersonal trouble during pre-production the band had something to prove, and “Covenant” sounds so much better
atmospheric
“Gods Forgotten Orbit”, the debut of German atmospheric metal combo Odetosun, is a fresh take on a subgenre that was last popular in the 1990s. Featuring prominent bass guitar licks, and floating melodies “Gods Forgotten Orbit” is part of a minor resurgence of a sound that the likes of Alastis
Bones Brigade Records
Idiots Parade, arguably Slovakia’s most visible female-fronted grindcore band, formed in Zvolen during 2004 as a successor to the earlier unit Tay Gatto. In all probability the power trio took its name from the Nasum song ‘The Idiot Parade’ of their 2000 album “Human 2.0”. As the album
Alex Wesdijk
Before drummer Wim Van der Valk formulated Centurian, he was part of the transitional outfit Inquisitor. Not only was the band famous for its condemnation of organized religion, Catholicism in particular - but also for featuring guitarist Erik Sprooten who would make a name for himself with Ancient Rites a
death metal
The demo outing of California death metal act Deeds Of Flesh is interesting in how more traditional it sounds in comparison to the band’s later output. Largely influenced by Cannibal Corpse, and Suffocation “Gradually Melted” is a modern interpretation of the classic death metal sound. On this EP Deeds
atmospheric
“Still the Sun” is the debut release of Satinoxide, a band made up of Dutch atmospheric – and progressive metal veterans. Atmospheric and technical in equal measure it is a breath of fresh air in a genre saturated in bombast, excess and overblown pompousness. Setting itself apart from its peers “Still