jblumensheid

Homemade EHG shirt Invisible Oranges proudly presents its first podcast, A Better Tomorrow, hosted by Jess Blumensheid. Episodes will occur monthly. This inaugural edition is the heaviest podcast ever. In it, Blumensheid navigates the murky swamps of Southern sludge metal, with a detour up to Ohio. The track list is below. A Better Tomorrow #1: […]

Nachtmystium mark the next chapter in their career with Doomsday Derelicts (Battle Kommand, 2009). Although only an EP, this release digs as deep as Instinct: Decay. Nachtmystium strip away all Zeppelin-esque tendencies from Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. I (reviewed here) and march forward with crisp sound. The ferocious blast beats, thrashing riffs, and Blake Judd’s […]

Church of Misery are obsessed with serial killers. When Macabre wrote about Albert Fish, it matched their death metal sound. But when this Japanese four-piece does it, their ’70s grooves throw the lyrics off balance. They sing of infamous serial killers over groovy riffs. On this album, they make raging shotgun slayers sound fun and […]

Death doom metal seldom receives the attention it deserves. A few prominent names hold this genre together, such as Mythic, Funebrarum, and Coffins. This sound is more than just Slayer-meets-Black Sabbath. Low-end slow parts, speedier grooves, and constipated grunts make up death doom. Most albums pay tribute to ’80s horror with corpse-laden artwork and classic […]

Locrian aren’t just music; they are audible visual art. Andre Foisy and Terence Hannum are known in noise and metal for their innovation. Redefining the meaning of landscape artist, Locrian paint pictures with sound. Abandoned buildings, parking lots, and alleyways fit their humming horizons on Drenched Lands. The music is desolate and distorted. Hidden behind […]

Argentinum Astrum sound like a bad hangover. They deliver headaches, blurred vision, and nausea in one untitled 26-minute track. This five-piece could astound black metal, doom, and noise artists alike by their originality. Argentinum Astrum push boundaries past mundane song structures. It’s surprising how much variation they can fit in one track. Excerpt 1Excerpt 2 […]

Zoroaster disappoint on Voice of Saturn. They seem far from their Dog Magic glory days. Unlike past releases, this one doesn’t milk low-end riffs for all they’re worth. This time, Zoroaster play the piano and redundant interludes, and it’s not a pleasant surprise. This waters down the album’s 54 minutes to only 33 of good […]

There’s likely at least one metal band for everyone who appreciates music pointed in a different direction. Amesoeurs are one of those bands. Joy Division and Peste Noire fans alike can find something to digest here. Never mind properly pronouncing the name or making sense of French lyrics. Amesoeurs translate enough with their meshed black […]

Bison B.C. blend genres admirably on their Metal Blade debut Quiet Earth, a more complete package than their first release Earthbound. Molding together sludge riffs, prog metal solos, and thrash-like melodies, Bison B.C. leave little breathing room. They strike with gusto in “Primal Emptiness of Outer Space.” Dual guitarists and vocalists James Farwell and Dan […]

Persistence in Mourning has the crunch for minimalist funeral doom. Oklahoma’s one-man project usually strikes emotion through a slow-trekked formula. The solemn march proceeds with few chord changes, carrying heavier weight each second. Callous electronics add an innovative touch. This rawness is surprisingly well-contained in his previous releases. But The Undead Shall Rise (At War […]