Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Agorapocalypse
Relapse (2009)
The background of this band shouldn't need explaining - if you're at all tuned in to the world of grindcore and other extreme music styles, you've probably already heard Agoraphobic Nosebleed. If you haven't, just imagine the most obnoxious and abrasive mixture of lyrical obscenity and overdriven drum machine lunacy you can fathom, and that should suffice for now. The … Read more
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Arc
Relapse (2016)
Led by Scott Hull, Agoraphobic Nosebleed is one of the quintessential grindcore acts out there, and probably the most prominent band in the genre to make use of a drum machine, leading to hundreds of followers. Their style is dictated by ferocity and speed, albums filled with bursts of violence and constant pushing of your mental state. From Honky Reduction … Read more
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Arc
Relapse (2016)
It’s not often a band whose tenure spans as long as Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s makes such a successful effort in redefining their sound without conjuring notions of desired mass appeal. More importantly, it’s not often a band as influential to heavy music as Agoraphobic Nosebleed creates what is easily their most accessible effort without sacrificing their abrasive integrity. We see an … Read more
Amenra
De Doorn
Relapse (2021)
Memories burn in the flames while onlookers stare on. Relief washes over those present as though cleansed in the fires and reborn. Screams of catharsis spill from the lips of the watchers, emptying their souls of all the hurt and pain that has brought them to this point. Letting go of the mistakes and agonies that tie us to this … Read more
Anatomy Of Habit
Ciphers + Axioms
Relapse (2014)
Put together great musicians from diverse backgrounds and you are bound to get something special. That is what happens with Anatomy of Habit and their debut album. With an impressing line up which includes guitarist Will Lindsay of Indian, drummer John McEntire of Tortoise, percussionist Theo Katsaounis of Joan of Arc, bassist Kenny Rasmussen (previously of Radar Eyes) and of … Read more
Arcadea
Arcadea
Relapse (2017)
Remember that movie from the 80's where that little rocker kid got sucked into the video game and found himself on that desert planet, where he had to throw jewels into a volcano while battling flying lions that had lasers shooting out of their eyes?No?That's probably because that movie was never made. But if it had been, Arcadea would be … Read more
Author & Punisher
Beastland
Relapse (2018)
Tristan Shore, the man behind the Author & Punisher project, has been on a warpath since the release of his debut, self-released record The Painted Army. By drawing inspiration from his background as a mechanical engineer Shore has created his own range of instruments for Author & Punisher, his infamous Drone Machines. As a result, these machines have allowed him to … Read more
Baroness
Blue Record
Relapse (2009)
Much like their previous full-length, Red Album, Baroness' follow-up, Blue Record has been hyped quite a bit by the metal community. Red Album saw Baroness go in a very interesting direction as they shifted away from the straight-up heaviness of their EPs to a more drawn out and atmospheric sound, while still holding onto their sludge roots. Regardless, Red Album … Read more
Baroness
The Red Album
Relapse (2007)
Forget everything that you have heard from or about Baroness to this point in your life; even their split record with Unpersons (A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk) earlier this year does not prepare you enough for the dramatic leap that they throw at you with The Red Album. Baroness effectively rewrite their place in the current musical maelstrom … Read more
Baroness
Yellow & Green
Relapse (2012)
When a band decides (yes, the band, not you and your fanboy mates) to make a little change in their musical approach and try out something new, a couple of things happen. Aforementioned fanboys get up in arms and take to the internet in droves or have the same conversation with different people over and over and over again about … Read more
Black Anvil
As Was
Relapse (2017)
Black Metal as a musical genre is not known for it's subtlety. The pendulum will usually swing between low-fi heavily distorted guitar and blast-beats or overwrought, overproduced operatic epics. But Black Anvil is a band of a different color. Hailing from NYC, they've managed to make a more accessible Black Metal sound without sacrificing any of the chief tenets that define … Read more
Black Anvil
Hail Death
Relapse (2014)
Black metal is cool now right? Not to complain. I enjoy the genre, generally speaking, and the statement isn't a cut on Black Anvil as a band. It does seem like there are millions of BM bands coming out of the woodwork at this point. The skill or adherence to the genre are always up in the air. Black Anvil, … Read more
Brain Tentacles
Brain Tentacles
Relapse (2016)
Three great musicians of the extreme/experimental metal scene meet up to as Brain Tentacles. Bruce Lamont of Yakuza, Dave Witte of Discordance Axis and Aaron Dallison of Keelhaul, do not need much of an introduction, but their new project certainly does. The band's debut album, coming out through Relapse, shows an unconventional take on extreme metal, replacing electric guitars with … Read more
Buried Inside
Chronoclast
Relapse (2005)
My first encounter with Buried Inside involved a friend convincing me over AOL Instant Messenger (I get paid for that plug) that Buried Inside is "Hella sick!" BEGL00 sent me a few songs from Chronoclast, but I didn't listen to them right away due to my busy lifestyle. Coincidentally, that very night I saw Buried Inside. I watched as they, … Read more
Buried Inside
Spoils of Future
Relapse (2009)
Twelve years into their existence, Buried Inside are just now releasing their fourth album, Spoils of Failure. The practice of allowing four years to go by between releases can be a dangerous one, possibly causing your ear for quality to decline or a perfectionism to conquer your logic. This has not been a problem for Buried Inside in the past, … Read more
Cephalic Carnage
Misled By Certainty
Relapse (2010)
Cephalic Carnage have been around the block. For nearly twenty years they’ve been playing their unique blend of grindcore and technical death metal. When it comes to metal, these guys know what the fuck is up. Their previous album Xenosapien is one of my favorites from any genre to have been released in the past few years. That record was … Read more
Ceremony
In the Spirit World Now
Relapse (2019)
It’s fun to introduce old Ceremony to their new fans and hear comments like, “Wow, that guy must’ve worked out his anger issues”. It’s true that Ross Farrar’s lyrics have recently favored elegant introspection over spiteful threats to fight society with hate-packed fists, or to strangle it, or to curb stomp it, or to watch it burn to the fucking … Read more
Coalesce
0:12.2 Revolution in Just Listening (Reissue)
Relapse (2008)
So the inevitable is occurring as Relapse is reissuing this behemoth of an album (although at right around thirty minutes that is a stretch to call it such by today's standards). Recently awarded a spot in the Decibel album hall of fame, 0:12.2: Revolution in Just Listening is a supremely curious album as it is a document of a band … Read more
