reviews

One thing Europe has that America doesn’t is girls who are into metal. At my first metal show (Enslaved) here in Berlin, I was astonished to find that 40% of the long hair there was in fact female. Each time I go to the record store, there’s at least one hot girl in the metal […]

My review of Isis’ In the Absence of Truth is up at Stylus. The NY Times has also reviewed this album; the critic has the challenge of describing the album to the general public. Thus, he paints with extremely broad strokes. It would be futile for him to reference Neurosis and Godflesh as I did. […]

Since I recently reviewed Fuck the Facts‘ Stigmata High-Five here, I thought I’d revisit 2002’s Backstabber Etiquette. If Stigmata is a well-oiled machine, then Backstabber is a crazy, unhinged beast. This is the band’s first album with Mel Mongeon, and while she doesn’t have the control she has now, her vocals here are amazingly feral. […]

Sjuklig Intention (on Eerie Art) is a split from Swedish black metal bands Dimhymn and Hypothermia. Dimhymn does three tracks, while Hypothermia turns in two for a total of almost 41 minutes. Despite differing approaches, the overall vibe is gloriously dark and depressing. Dimhymn is a duo that includes Ondskapt’s Nattal on vocals, guitars, and […]

The Mindless and Complete Stain (on Good Enough for the Escape) is the debut EP from Portuguese band The Ladder. It’s rough around the edges, as most debuts are, but it’s quite creative and exploratory. I’d be surprised if the band doesn’t find more widespread recognition soon. The Ladder’s sound is a little hard to […]

My dual review of Fuck the Facts’ Stigmata High-Five and Landmine Marathon’s Wounded is up at Stylus. You can read it here.

“Oakland is a hard clique, if you don’t know someone there you’re a mark waiting to get got.” So begin the liner notes by Scott Kelly (Neurosis) to Eldopa’s The Complete Recordings (on Tee Pee). Despite being perhaps the most down-to-earth, racially diverse city in the Bay Area, Oakland has unimaginable poverty that gentrification hasn’t […]

In terms of melody-to-brutality ratio, Dutch death metallers God Dethroned always struck me as kind of like Arch Enemy without the charisma. Their back catalogue was well-played and enjoyable enough, but nothing ever really grabbed me. However, The Toxic Touch (on Metal Blade) does. From the first note, the band is in complete control and […]

My review of Amon Amarth’s new album With Oden on Our Side is now up at Stylus.

If any band didn’t deserve its fate, it was Swarm of the Lotus. This Baltimore band recently called it quits after eight years of bad luck. Frequent lineup changes, touring problems, and shady promoters dogged the band, who left the world two full-lengths and a 7″ picture disc. (Ed. note: As of May 2009, the […]