Metal playlists from the underground
By Mike SOS Symphonic black metal merchants, Alghazanth, come blasting out of the gate with regal synth work and blistering guitar and drum interlockings on their eight-track Wreath of Thevetat. This Finnish corpse-painted crew channel the evil into swirling movements of melodic death metal majesty on cuts such as the eerie “The Kings to Come,” […]
By Mike SOS Using the maligned deathcore template as a foundation for their melodic death metal with tinges of Unearth-esque metalcore strewn in concoction (“Behold the Frigid Realm of Div”), Arizona quintet Knights of the Abyss return with a serviceable if unspectacular 12-track follow-up to Juggernaut. Shades continues along the same path with similarly sweeping […]
By Mike SOS Compiling a chilled-out composite of songs from an array of electronica artists from across the globe, Will Thomas presents his latest project Dive Index with the 11-track release Mid/Air. Recommended for spinning at the lounge or for a quiet evening at home, this soothing mix of shifting vocal viewpoints, smooth digital beats, […]
By Mike SOS There’s a wistful quality stamped on the latest 12-track endeavor by The Briggs, usually reserved for the upper-echelon of the punk rock hierarchy. Whether it be the Social Distortion-like everyman lyrical approach or the Hot Water Music-esque choral glory heard on cuts such as “This is L.A.” or “Not Alone,” The Briggs […]
Straight from the fume-filled garage to the bright lights of the stage, the rawk trio named Lords and Barons shimmy with a soulful ’70s vibe intact on their eponymous 11-track offering. This enigmatic troupe which hails from La-La land (Los Angeles to you, buster) have got a lot of White Stripes in them (“Schema”) but […]
Swinging with a swank and pouty garage rock swagger, the Illinois duo known as The Handcuffs bust out the vintage go-go beats on their 12-track offering Model For A Revolution. Specializing in delivering spy rock with a sultry female voice purring the way to your soul on tracks featuring a bottom-heavy groove like “Can’t Get […]
Chilean quintet Mar de Grises pack a soulful crunch into their thunderous doom metal on the grandiose Draining the Waterheart. This eight-track endeavor intertwines Moonspell, Opeth, and November’s Doom, as Mar de Grises diligently doles out proportionate nuances of the strongest merits of their influences while fleshing out their own style. Cuts like the stirring […]
Triumphantly showcasing its orchestral and lush side with tracks like “A New Dawn,” Minnesota-based A Whisper in the Noise play up the dark unit’s non-traditional instrumentation with deep songwriting structures which create a challenging listening experience for those about to rock. But don’t mistake volume for power, as songs like “Sons” hit with unobtrusive force […]
Tuscon, AZ post-hardcore troupe Beyond the Citadel of Coup de Grace pour all of the emotion they can muster into their latest five-track sojourn Bang! The Whiskey Mask. Providing a dizzying array of stylistic mash-ups, erratic vocal patterns and tones that give songs like “Six Led One” multiple personality disorder galore, and verbose lyrics that […]
Chicago-based rock troupe 1997 employ a male-female vocal dynamic which allows their latest album On The Run to reach soaring emotional depths and heights. Throw in bits of roots rock laden with indie rock pretense on cuts like the glistening “I Will Always Find You” and the feisty “4 AM Conversation,” giving bands like Taking […]