Here’s a quirky dark metal album, not necessarily great but with all sorts of very entertaining and fascinating moments. I call it dark metal because it’s a kind of unclassifiable album that has a black metal basis but adds all sorts of strange sounds to it. For example, “Distraction Industry”, the first track after a creepy intro, has raspy vocals straight from a 90s black metal album, but sort of thrash-y riffs and lyrics about how the entertainment industry manipulates us, I guess. Meanwhile, the title track is an interesting mix of doom and black metal, with a dark and haunting riff, lowe ..read more

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What inspired your new album “Human Farm,” and how does it show Rhino’s growth? Human Farm has a core element, but it doesn’t revolve exclusively only around it, we would say that it is more of a very personal and intimate album that mostly talks about our personal experiences and the absurd world around us. We feel that it is, by far, our most complete and mature release yet, thanks to a meticulous process of songwriting, but also the arrangements and the sounds are exactly as we envisioned them. How has the Italian stoner rock scene changed, and what makes it unique? There is of course an I ..read more

AMIENSUS, the US Progressive Black Metal band, offer another sample from their forthcoming album with “Senses Amplified.” The digital single is on all streaming/download platforms now, along with its accompanying lyric video – Watch HERE: “’Senses Amplified’ should feel familiar to longtime Amiensus listeners, but crossed into some new territory we’ve never explored musically,” explains singer/guitarist James Benson. “Kakophonix guests adding cello in lieu of any synths on this song. This song is about a dream, but the interpretation is up to the listener.” “Senses Amplified” follows earlier ..read more

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It looks like it was one of the most awaited events for fans of extreme metal, and that was Underground For The Masses I, which took place in Bucharest, at Quantic Club on April 5-6, and, without blabbering too much, I’d like to say a few words about how it was, from my point of view… The first day started with the energetic performance of Whiskey Ritual which fired up the atmosphere immediately, I arrived just in time to catch them up, and can’t complain, they delivered a great performance, a killer black n’ roll band that should not be missed. The next two bands to hit the stage, the Da ..read more

Ferocious, Resolved, Unbeatable… The ultimate warrior of underdogs strikes again, presenting his new (and already) 11th solo album Circle of Stone to the world. Blaze Bayley‘s previous record War Within Me received generally favorable reviews, and served as a swift kick in the butt of this very reviewer here, commanding me to dig deeper into the man’s solo career. Considering that I’ve always had a soft spot for Iron Maiden‘s The X Factor, it actually shouldn’t have been such a surprise that I’d come to love what this man has offered the world in later years with a band tailor-made to support ..read more

Hi! Can you share a pivotal moment from “Lifeless Birth” that represents Necrot’s musical growth? I would say the song “Cut the Cord” has a melodic chorus that we might not have been comfortable enough pulling a few years back. Also the lyrics of that song talk very directly about the present time while in the past our lyrics would be somewhat more abstract and not so actual. To me growth means experimenting new avenues without losing who you are so that would be my example of that. How has Greg Wilkinson’s role evolved across Necrot’s albums, and what did he bring to “Lifeless Birth”? Greg Wi ..read more

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Stoned Space, the California-based psych stoner rock enigma, has set May 3rd as the international release date for their debut full-length album entitled ‘I’. The album is now available for pre-order on Bandcamp: I by Stoned Space “Each of the seven tracks on ‘I’ is a sonic exploration, transporting listeners to the far reaches of the universe. Yet, as the music reaches its climax, it ends on the xx:59th second, leaving a tantalizing glimpse of the cosmos just out of reach. These fleeting moments serve as a reminder of the infinite mysteries of the cosmos, beckoning the listener to delve deepe ..read more