Some might balk at reducing an album review to Six Thoughts, but believe me; it's due not a lack of effort on my part. Okay, I'm lying. I’m being a little lazy with this one. But at least I'm putting more effort into these Six than The Resistance did in packaging their debut. One “Whatchoo mean, Rev?” Well,...
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I can imagine the band meeting that must have taken place when Howl formed: Member 1: “So, what kind of music shall we play? You all know I’m into Swedish death metal.”Member 2: “Well, I like Lamb of God and Black Label Society.”Member 3: “I’m into doomy stuff like Electric Wizard and Candlemass.”Member 4: “I think it’s cool how bands like Celtic...
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Normally, a quick two-song EP probably doesn’t merit much more than a blurb, but, when Lair Of The Minotaur is concerned, an exception should be made. A loud and abrasive combination of sludge, thrash, and very rough death metal, Lair Of The Minotaur not only sports one of the best names in metal, but is ornery as all hell to boot. Witness the band’s finest hour, the album War Metal Battle Master from 2008, and the DVD that...
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One Of Us Is The Killer is a commendable continuation of the experimentation from Irony is a Dead Scene turned into a full-length, an improvement upon Option Paralysis, and rife with plenty of the poisoned pop hooks Dillinger created on Ire Works. The guitars are blistering, virtuosic, and razor-sharp; Puciato contributes volumes to the album’s dynamics with his one-of-a-kind...
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Don't be fooled by Iron Bonehead's sexy moniker and state-of-the-art website; there's plenty of tasty gristle beyond their flash n' sizzle. This German label specializes in "UNDERGROUND METAL SUPREMACY," and, judging by the slate of rawer-than-thou death, black, and thrash that rounds out their roster, it's tough to tangle with...
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Those of you that may have stopped by Metal Runs In My Veins over the years have probably figured out that my alter ego is that of a high school physics teacher, a profession to which I am passionately devoted. The high school that I teach at is located in semi-suburban Los Angeles, and lies in a picturesque location; hence,...
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It seems like everybody has a high school friend who has a band. They play covers down at the local bar at open mike; mostly classic metal from the 80s—Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath—but also the 90s hard rock they grew up hearing on the radio—Foo Fighters, Creed, The Offspring, The Smashing Pumpkins. Eventually, they start...
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THE INTRO TO SKIP: If your ma is still nagging you about growing up, I hope you wished her a happy one. And, if you're an animal or a fucker, I hope you had a good one too. Me? Well, I was trying to rack my brain for a tie-in, thinking there wasn't much metal in a champagne brunch. Never count me out if I have compilations to pick through. Is...
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Since the 2010 establishment of his Poison Tongue imprint under the Metal Blade banner, A.A. Nemtheanga has culled us acts from opposite ends of the spectrum, from the plodding Pilgrim to the electrifying Assaulter....
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2006’s Warball and 2011’s Razorback Killers, the last two Vicious Rumors records, were confident and strong efforts. Both showed that this long-running Californian power metal act had finally managed to push through their mid-90s shift to forgettable groove metal and get back to what they do best, to their blend of melodic power and aggressive thrash. This latest...
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