rock/metal albums
Album Review: Abbath – Abbath
Everyone’s favourite croaky voiced badger lookalike is back with his first solo album since leaving iconic Norwegian black metal group Immortal. Those not aware of Abbath’s previous work should certainly check out albums like Sons of Northern Darkness and Battles in The North as they epitomise the cold, frostbitten sound Abbath and Immortal are best …
Album Review: Love Buzzard – ‘Antifistamines’
Love Buzzards debut album, ‘Antifistamines’ washes ashore on a scuzzy wave of garage / surf-punk, churning up memories of the headstrong days of the West Coast hardcore scene. With more than a slight nod towards the likes of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Naked Raygun, and the punkier, more psychotic edge of The Cramps, ‘Antifistamine’ is …
Album Review: Black Tusk – Pillars of Ash
Pillars of Ash is the fifth album from Savannah, Georgia metal band Black Tusk. Released via Relapse Record the band’s latest effort combines elements of heavy metal, sludge and hard-core punk creating their own blend of what the band calls “Swamp metal”. Despite the filth encrusted sludge style of production this record has a real …
Box set review: Skeletal Family- Eternal: Singles, Albums, Rarities, BBC Sessions, Demos 1982-2015
The Skeletal Family were part of the Goth sub-culture that sprang up in the 1980s but they were never really in the movement’s first division like The Sisters of Mercy or The Mission. But their unique selling point was they had a female singer Anne-Marie Hurst and it is her powerful vocals, with more than …
Album Review: Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation
Night Beats have always put out music that sounded as if it had been locked away into a time capsule back in 1969 and had been recently unearthed for all to behold. Their new album, Who Sold My Generation, doesn’t change that formula. Instead, they’ve tweaked their strange trip to include some Philly soul leanings and …
Album Review: Panic! At The Disco – Death Of A Bachelor
Panic! At The Disco have never shied away from the weird and the wonderful, every album has an electrifying creative spark and a wonderfully eclectic musical image. Ten years on from their delightfully emo debut A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, now virtually a solo band as the CD booklet says “Panic! At The Disco …
Album Review: David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’ – A Post-Script
Around a week ago I had the enviable task of reviewing the ‘Blackstar’ album (hey, it’s what we do and I got lucky – see below for original review). Like everyone, aside from the man himself (and his closest circle), I had no idea I was reviewing David Bowie’s parting address to the world. On …
Album Review: Baroness – Purple
As a Baroness album Purple is exceptional, as a rock album in 2015 Purple is unmatched and as an example of modern forward thinking music Purple is a shining light. With their previous album, Yellow and Green, Baroness began to experiment with bigger and more expansive sounds all contained within the mould of short, punchy, …
Album Review: Sunn O))) – Kannon
How do you find yourself listening to Sunn O)))? What makes you decide to buy tickets to see Sunn O))), donning cloaks and floating in a sea of fog machine emissions in some small theater as the ceiling tiles shake and plaster cracks and crumbles from the sheer hellish volume they create? In the past …
Album Review: Sikth – Opacities
After 9 years away Sikth have come back to embarrass everyone else in the scene by just being brain meltingly brilliant. Their new mini-album Opacities is exactly what modern forward thinking metal should be, exciting, unpredictable and unique. Without missing a beat Sikth have just continued where they left off and re-emerged as frontrunners of …