spire

Best of 2021: Zyklonius’s List

Zyklonius2 Comments
Best of 2021

Huh, it appears that I blinked and a whole year went by just like that. Luckily there was metal, a lot of it in fact, to the extent that none of the albums on my list ended up on our staff’s combined list, which shows just how much diversity there is, in terms of releases, genres and our respective tastes and preferences. With majestic hails to the bands whose releases enriched my life in the past 12 months, the following contains my 20 favorite albums of the year. I hope you will find something that intrigues, excites and animates you. 

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Embracing the Descent: February 14 – 20, 2021

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EMBRACING TEMP LOGO

Hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since I did one of these. This probably matters to no one, but that’s a long time and I miss the mini-review format. So, I’m sitting here having the first drink of the evening and I want to tip this glass back many times, listen to metal, and say some stuff about it. And, all of it will be pulled from the current crop of incoming releases. The deeper in I get, my glass will go from full to empty at least a couple, or three, times so results may vary. Let’s do this and don’t forget to check out the full listing from Monday’s Initial Descent. 

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Album Review: Spire – “Entropy”

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entropy

A lot of metal’s subgenres can easily get distracted by trying to be the fastest, the heaviest, lowest, slowest, and whatever else that often can remove the dangerous passions from the music. Some metal bands focus all of their attentions on competing in such a way to turn songwriting into something more akin to playing a sport. Thankfully, Australian black metal band Spire have shown with their debut full length that they are not afraid to take their time both in writing and in execution of their craft. Entropy is not the fastest or the most br00tal, but it is as ominous and unsettling as being in the eye of a hurricane. Continue reading →

Initial Descent: August 19, 2016

DanLeave a comment

skeletonwitch band photo
Skeletonwitch release their new EP, “The Apothic Gloom,” via Prosthetic Records on August 19

I’m going to make this short, because frankly, I don’t want to spend much time on the internet today. Why? Because it seems like the internet, collectively, has a giant stick up its ass of late, and I don’t really have time for it. (Yes, there are exceptions. Duh.) Here’s an idea, everyone: take a deep breath and try spreading some positivity for a change. We’ll all be better off for it.

Anyway, what’s out this week? Skeletonwitch has a new EP dropping today. Winterfylleth has a new full-length dropping tomorrow. Blood Incantation dropped their debut full-length yesterday. I don’t know, there’s a lot — and most of it’s listed out after the jump, so just check it out there. As I said, I’ve neither the time nor the energy for this right now. So here’s what’s on tap for this week:
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