Cradle Of Filth
“Dusk… and Her Embrace”, the second official Cradle Of Filth album, was significant from moving the band out of its death/thrash metal roots, and squarely into symphonic – and gothic metal territory. Where the previous outing at least attempted to infuse its metal with a Hammer Horror atmosphere, “Dusk… and
David Vincent
“Illud Divinum Insanus”, the first Morbid Angel effort in eight years and the follow-up to 2003’s critically savaged “Heretic”, rightly continues to be subject of widespread scorn and derision. Dubbed an “experimental” and “genre-defining” masterpiece by the sycophantic metal press, it is a desperate attempt from a band well
Dan Swanö
Recognized as one of the early progenitors of the melodic death metal sound together with At the Gates, Dark Tranquillity and In Flames, Dissection was a band destined to reach soaring heights of success. Instead of cultivating its potential the band fell apart due to interpersonal trouble at the height
Alberto Gaggiotti
“The Black Opera” is the final of three Opera IX records with Cadaveria in the vocal slot. Of these three it is the most conventionally symfo with lush gothic overtones. It is by far the most streamlined and concise in writing of the trilogy, on top of being the best
Brian Hoffman
Upon the completion of their most accomplished and complete vision Tampa, Florida bruisers Deicide realized they had fulfilled what little potential they had. Realizing that they couldn’t top the unhinged primal ferocity and abstract technical songwriting of “Legion” Deicide scaled down its assault into a more accessible format. Above
Emily Lazar
One of the unlikeliest label partners that Vanessa Carlton ended up working with was The Inc. Records, presided over by R&B mogul Irving Domingo Lorenzo, Jr. (Irv Gotti). The album that resulted from the partnership signaled the surfacing of Carlton’s idiosyncratic songwriter side. On the album Carlton
Brodequin
In the decade that the band was originally active, from 1998 to 2008, Brodequin released three albums, of which “Methods Of Execution” was the last. On “Methods Of Execution” all the pieces fell in place. For the first time the band had a production worth mentioning, and the presentation finally
Andreas Kisser
After the crude and primal excess of “Morbid Visions” Brazilian proto-death/thrash metal combo Sepultura improved drastically as musicians, individually and collectively. With an injection of speed – and traditional metal through the addition of lead guitarist Andreas Kisser the band now wielded a wider sonic palette. Better structured and paced
Cacophonous Records
A quaint curiosity in the early Cradle Of Filth catalog is what most truthfully describes “V Empire”. Confused and confusing it was a harbinger of things to come. Owning its existence as the result of a courtcase decided in the band’s favor, it was an unplanned release that was
Belgium
Cryptogenic is a term that refers to something of obscure or unknown origin. It also is a band from Charleroi, the Francophone region of Belgium. Cryptogenic, who never formally demoed, was formulated in 2014 and instead opted to release its debut barely a year after forming. “There Is No Hope
Century Media Records
“Murder Without End”, the first Fleshgrind record on a bigger label, after two largely similar predecessors, showed improvement in the drum department as the band enlisted a seasoned veteran. In the decade-plus that Fleshgrind was active, from 1993 to 2005, they released three albums, of which “Murder Without End” was
death metal
“Crown Of Souls”, the sixth Deeds Of Flesh record, marks the end of an era for the band. It was the last to feature founding member Jacoby Kingston (vocals, bass guitar), and it would be the last in its characteristic percussive direction. The album follows the template laid out by