Older. Heavier. No apologies.
These last few weeks have really been a bit of whiplash. A couple of weeks ago, we had six big releases (all dwarfed by Neurosis), then last week, only one. This week, we are back to another six notable releases. Again, far more albums were released, these are just the ones that jumped out at…
I’ve been a metalhead for decades now. I’d always leaned toward heavier rock, but as I made my way through my twenties, and navigated major life changes and the insanity of medical school, heavier music became one of those key coping strategies. And while my heart remained rooted in progressive music, thanks to a lifelong…
Expectations. The word carries a lot of weight. We have so many different expectations, and sometimes, even when we don’t realize we have them, they still spring up and get in our way. I make it a habit to teach those I work with that the best way to exceed expectations is to preemptively manage…
This week was a bit more of a fun one when it came to music. I sort of rediscovered Black Crown Initiate, as well as Persefone. BCI just sort of because. Persefone had a new album drop Friday. I have been a huge fan on their particular take on progressive metal eve since I heard…
Best of 2021 Archspire – Bleed the Future A tour de force of technical death metal. Yet still balances that with more quiet, calm moments. Understanding that, even at only 32 minutes, it would be too much if it was unrelenting. Also, songs. Not just display of technical ability, actual songs. 1914 – Where Fear…
I have a bit of a troubled relationship with Mastodon. I fell in love with their 2006 release Blood Mountain and thoroughly enjoyed the albums that preceded that one. Crack the Skye was a progressive opus that blew me away. But follow up, The Hunter, left me cold. It just didn’t click with me. Nor…
I don’t even remember how it happened. It was most likely on angrymetalguy.com, since that is how I tend to find most of my new music. But I recall seeing the cover for Relentless Mutation by Archspire, and thinking “that is some freaking crazy album artwork!” Little did I know, the artwork was just a…
In 2017, a little album came out of nowhere and knocked my socks off with its technical approach to power metal. WItherfall dropped Nocturnes and Requiems, a compelling mix of progressive, power and even neoclassical metal, all with a dark, haunting undertone pinning it all together. Having lost their original drummer to tragedy in 2016,…
Writing about 30 albums in 30 days has been a good exercise for me. It has helped me dust off the cobwebs that have accumulated in the writing portion of my brain, and has given me the opportunity to perhaps think a bit more about why I like some of the music I like. I…
Loss is part of life. We all will, or have, lost someone near and dear to us. The melange of emotions that accompanies such loss is a complex one. Grief, anger, despair, pain are all common. Mayhap there is also a sense of peace or relief, depending on the situation. However, in every case, it…