Photo via Music Norway This song grew on me. At first, I was hesitant to listen to a 9 minute song from a band I barely knew. Especially when the intro is so noisy and cacophonous, leading into a heavy, slow riff. The sludgy pace fits the song title, thudding out a long, drowsy rhythm. Similarly, the lyrics were like a brick wall. I strained to grasp their meaning. Then suddenly, the wall of sound … read...
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Dysphotic is making New Mexico proud to host badass metal bands of this caliber. This new wave of metal is modern, but still nostalgiac for kids like me who grew up headbanging at Warehouse 21, moshing at the VFW, and drinking their first beer at The Underground. All of our favorite vocalists, guitarists, bassists and drummers are still going strong and making new bands, new music, and new albums. This is a prime example. Ben … read...
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Hesperian Death Horse is a post-metal/avant-garde/sludge band from Zagreb, Croatia. Their second album, Ziv, is named after the Croatian word for “Alive”. This name fits the themes of the lyrics, which describe the cycles of life, death, creation, destruction, and rebirth. Their first album, Mrtav, was named after the Croatian word for “Dead”. They will soon have a third and final album, Rodjen, named after “Birth”, completing the trilogy. This second installment is eerie, disturbing, … read...
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This debut album is hard and heavy. The thudding bass lines and pounding drumbeat provide a solid structure for strong guitar riffs and raspy screams. The genre strays away from metal and into rock, country, pop, and different combinations of all of the above. If they had to be categorized, I would define them as hard rock and heavy metal. The blues-inspired melodies are energetic, yet dark and heavy. The rowdy vocals are distinctly … read...
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Deforme is a conglomeration of brutal death metal and grind. The gutteral vocals are especially gruesome, with lead vocalist Juan Martinez growling and grunting like a demon from hell. The guitarwork of both Alex Camacho and Joe Baca shreds violently. The bassline from Blair Robey is strong and solid. The drumming is a sturdy skeleton for the whole musical package. No wonder their drummer is called “Beast”. I love how the rhythm section sometimes steals … read...
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Before metalheads earned their reputation as total badasses, they were stereotyped as a bunch of geeks and nerds. Consider the 80’s trope of an awkward teen who listens to creepy music. Now in the year 2018, we as a society are much wiser. It is obvious that you can be a radical dude, who is also an activist and intellectual. These different lifestyles aren’t mutually exclusive. Here to prove it are some brutal musicians who … read...
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This band is “radical” in every sense of the word. Their music is extreme in all aspects. It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s offensive as balls. Although a death metal influence is apparent, Cripple veers on the punk edge of the thrash spectrum. The simple riffs are short and catchy, with ornate solos. The violent vocals are pissed-off tirades of angry lyrics. The drums are crashing and rolling like a 7 car pileup. The result … read...
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On top of their beastly energy and extraordinary talent, these bands were surprisingly down to earth. We even passed Belphegor on the stairs after their set. Not gonna lie, I was a little bit starstruck. In addition to the the skull crushing music, each band also put their heart into their visual performance. Even their merch tables were exceptionally impressive. On top of the masculine and complex black metal logos, which look badass on … read...
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Slayer are arguably the hardest and heaviest thrash metal band out of the Big Four (Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax). Touring with black metal badasses Behemoth and extreme metalcore outfit Lamb of God, they conquered North America for their 2017 summer tour. Their August 19th performance at Isleta Amphitheater in Albuqurque, New Mexico, was especially memorable. Here are the juicy, bloody details: Behemoth, hailing from Poland, play brutally crushing black metal. Their rhythms and … read...
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This Portland, OR based metal trio is heavy handed in all possible ways. From their obscene cover art to their badass lyrical themes, this band is outrageous. No wonder their self titled EP was released on 04/20 of 2017. This is stoner metal if I ever heard it. What many would consider a “bad”trip, I would consider a “dark” or “morbid” trip. Instead of getting scared, I learned to enjoy the macabre images of … read...
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