Review: Scattered Storm – Oblivion
Quality musicianship dragged down by poor mixing and a lack of originality.
Review: Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction
Looking to get pummeled over the head with a few cool turns along the way? This is for that mood.
Review: Giant’s Knife – Oracle
A solid atmospheric, djenty debut album from a small band in Minnesota.
Review: No Living Witness – Cosmic Simulacra
A very unique, genre-bending take on black/death.
Review: Noctambulist – The Barren Form
Dynamic, technical dissodeath offering a bleak, suffocating, atmospheric take on a crowded genre.
Review: Syncatto – A Place to Breathe
A fantastic blend of classical and metal that makes for the most interesting instrumental album of the year.
Review: Scythelord – Earth Boiling Dystopia
Progressive dystopian-space-thrash that isn’t a Vektor clone. A must-listen.
Review: Quiet – …and so it was
An exciting debut occasionally marred by overzealous style shifts.
Review: Rust Belt Gothic – Collapsar
This is a bit of an experimental album combining electronic, power metal, and prog metal influences.
Review: Temenigru – Terminal
Terminal is filled with great ideas, but it scarcely gives any of them the time they deserve.