USBM feels like it’s in a good place musically right now. Depending on what your appetite is, you can trawl pretty much any region of the United States and find a unique scene where geography, community, and culture roll into a diverse assortment of styles. Moving just a bit south from the current scene in the Northeast, Mo’ynoq have constructed a blistering, raw collage of influences on their full length debut Dreaming in a Dead Language. Continue reading
Receiving the Evcharist is our weekly feature where we pair choice albums with our favorite libations. Drink from the cup of heresy. This week’s offering: Veiled’s Black Celestial Orbs and Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s 805 Blonde Ale. Continue reading
Pittsburgh blackened metallers Slaves BC are back with a new album, Lo and I am Burning, and it’s one that shows just how far a band can go to reinvent their sound in a relatively short time. Slaves BC’s musical jump between their latest offering and 2016’s All is Dust and I Am Nothing is less a jump and more an oblique step, but in a way that highlights the maturation of the members through time spent refining their sound. Continue reading
The whole concept of returning to your roots is a dicey proposition, one whose underlying reasons can obfuscate intent and mar as much as elevate the final product. I’ve heard the term used a lot when discussing Wolves in the Throne Room and their roots returning (or reclamation, if you’re NPR) new record, Thrice Woven. After the atmospheric tone poems that made up previous album Celestite, anticipation for a move back to more of the traditional folk-laden USBM the band help push forward was high, and the result is solid, if somewhat unremarkable slab of metal that may please fans wanting more roar in the music but also feels like a band running in place. Continue reading
With a name like Tyrannosorceress you’re bound to have a gut reaction to Shattering Light’s Creation; either you’re gonna think Tyrannosorceress is the coolest name you’ve ever heard, or you’re going to dismiss the band outright. For my money, when I saw this promo available, I knew I had to see what this could possibly sound like. As it stands now, any expectations I could have had for this album have been vastly exceeded, and I am excited to share with you all an album that merits serious consideration. Continue reading
Nine Circles 