We Miss Live Music So Much (Hamferð)

Hamferð was the last band I saw before the Covid-19 pandemic shut everything down. With nothing in between, their set has stuck with me to this day. It was a welcome release at the end a somewhat underwhelming festival. It was one of the best sets I have seen and a different experience from most other metal shows.

Hamferð was the last band I saw before the Covid-19 pandemic shut everything down. With nothing in between, their set has stuck with me to this day. It was a welcome release at the end a somewhat underwhelming festival. It was one of the best sets I have seen and a different experience from most other metal shows.


Hamferð turns the metal band experience on its head. All members dress in jacket and ties. Even the drummer wears a white shirt, a vest, and a tie. When a song stops, the stage lights are immediately turned off. There's no contact with the audience between songs. After our applause we can spend a few seconds contemplating what we just heard before the next one begins. The mood is somehow both solemn and very joyous.

Jón Aldará has both a deep full-throated growl and a majestic clean voice. He sings in Faroese and sounds alternatively like an emissary from Hell or a chanter of otherworldly sacred songs. He's far from the typical extroverted frontman. During the beautiful encore, the person in front of him gets a brief pat on the shoulder, and the rest of us get a quiet "tak." And that's the extent of his interaction with the audience.

The drummer, Remi Johannesen, is more active than most drummers playing music this heavy and sad. There are passages where we're almost in drum solo territory, at least briefly, and it sounds so good. Now and then the lighting is used to great dramatic effect, like the time when Aldará switches from crooning to growling and is instantly bathed in firelight. The sound is just perfect. At times I get so carried away it feels like I'm not touching the ground.


Hamferð is signed to Metal Blade Records. Their second full-length, Támsins likam, and the live EP, Ódn, are on Bandcamp. For their debut EP, Vilst er síðsta fet, and their first full-length, Evst, you can go to the Faroese Tutl Records, and they will ship them to you, literally, aboard a boat from the Faroe Islands. Recently, Aldará was announced as the new vocalist of Metal Bandcamp favorites Iotunn, and I cannot wait to hear how that turns out.

Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins

By Calen Henry. Exile Amongst the Ruins is Primordial's ninth album in their 27 year career. Sharpening with black metal menace the epic melancholy they share with Solstice and Darkest Era, they've carved a unqiue niche in metal

By Calen Henry.


Exile Amongst the Ruins is Primordial's ninth album in their 27 year career. Sharpening with black metal menace the epic melancholy they share with Solstice and Darkest Era, they've carved a unqiue niche in metal. Their morose grandness, though similar to their moody brethren, draws from different parts of the metal canon. The band weaves an ebb and flow of emotion but, unlike the guitar driven attack of Solstice and Darkest Era, all serves A. A. Nemtheanga's powerful vocals.

He is a singular vocal force falling almost in the middle of the metal vocal spectrum. He sings powerfully, melodically, and sounds like he could front every band from power metal to black metal. On Exile Amongst the Ruins, his full range is on display, from blackened rasps, through a cavernous bellow and a heavy dose of his trademark melodic grit.

Primordial 2016. Photos by Pedro Roque.

Though the songs feature driving riffs, pummeling rhythms, and great guitar leads, everything feels like it's feeding and supporting the vocals, building epic crescendos for Nemtheanga that are as likely to build through an entire track as break into a riff, solo, or fill. Tracks mostly stick to Primordial's formula but show surprising range exemplified by the first two tracks and their placement on the album. "Nail Their Tongues" is latter day Primordial at their most metal, building a simple guitar line into a fierce riff backed by blast beats, tremolo picking and Nemtheanga's fiercest vocals on the album. It's immediately followed by the post-punk inflected "To Hell or the Hangman", one of the album's standout tracks.

Though the songs vary, the core Primordial sound never gets lost. This can come off as lack of variation when not giving the album careful attention, but devoted listens to Primordial's marching, brooding hymns to history reward with layers easily missed. Primordial's sound is so their own, so completely owned, and Exile Amongst the Ruins delivers another grand foray into it.

Lizzy Borden - Visual Lies

An Autothrall Classic. There are a few things one has to take into account to avoid an immediate bias against Lizzy Borden. For one, they were 'glam' in the sense that they wore big hair and trashy 80s metal gear like Kiss or Poison. Second, they were a very theatrical band

An Autothrall Classic. Originally published here.


There are a few things one has to take into account to avoid an immediate bias against Lizzy Borden. For one, they were 'glam' in the sense that they wore big hair and trashy 80s metal gear like Kiss or Poison. Second, they were a very theatrical band, and they liked their women in leather with hair as big as their own. Third, Lizzy himself, the vocalist, has a voice which can sooth like a crystal scream or wail like a siren, an obstacle for some.

That being said, they are one of the best metal bands ever produced in the United States of America, with a pretty spotless discography. With all that hairspray, I didn't want to believe it either. Sitting at the peak of this body of work, alongside the rock opera of Master of Disguise, is the excellent Visual Lies. This record has a lot in common with Menace to Society or Love You to Pieces, but it's got a cleaner, accessible sound that in no way hinders the marvelous songwriting.

Every track on the album is loaded with memorable riffs and charming vocal melodies. The guitars are expertly crafted: every hook, every melody, every lead, no wasted notes. "Me Against the World" is power metal lite, deriving its energy from the constant, steady thump of its rhythm guitars and big NWOBHM chorus. In fact, Lizzy's entire style is like a beautiful dedication to the masters of NWOBHM who paved the road for 80s hard rock. "Shock" is another another mid paced track with the huge vocal hooks and delicate, memorable guitars. "Outcast" starts with a great riff, and slows for an emotional, acoustic verse. This verse alone has better vocals in it than many bands have on their entire records...and of course, another of those amazing chorus hooks that should have ensured this band would have dominated radio play if the $$ weren't changing hands for other bands to do so. "Den of Thieves" picks up speed at just the right time on the record, and the guitar work during the verse is simply stunning, with some kickass leads to boot. This is one of my hands-down favorite Lizzy tunes, and for the power metal's fans time and money, the one you want to hear the most on this album.

She's a harlot, she holds the key
She's never free, she's a good time
What you see is a slice of the knife
A piece of life in a heartbeat

The title track "Visual Lies" uses some gentle melodic picking lines to create an incredible atmosphere before the swollen, glorious vocal hooks that could easily have given Cinderella or Def Leppard a run for their money. "Eyes of a Stranger" may not be the equal to Queensryche's track of the same name, but it's an excellent melodic mid paced fist pumper. "Lord of the Flies" once again picks up the pace for some more extremely memorable speed metal. It's almost a shame that so many of the songs on the album are slower, not that they're bad by any means, but it would have been a pleasure to hear an entire album where Gene Allen and Joe Holmes were allowed to just go off. "Voyeur (I'm Watching You)" also has some delightful licks but based off more of a blues hard rock vibe. The album ends with the great "Visions" and its swinging hooks and rollicking percussion.

Visual Lies is easily the best produced album of 1987, I don't hear many albums in the 21st century that come close to sounding this good. Every note is at the perfect level and no element of the music dominates another. With a vocalist this graceful and talented, that's not an easy feat. The guitarwork deserves an award for both its restraint and the sheer amount of quality found in every track. This album is a major achievement and it's a crime the band doesn't get the credit it deserves. While not as directly heavy, the material is easily as catchy as a Primal Fear or Hammerfall, in fact it's superior.

Mercyful Fate - In the Shadows

An Autothrall Classic. In the Shadows could be considered a righteous 'comeback' record long before metal comeback records became a thing, as the majority of 80s acts hit their midlife crises and decided to give it that last college try. King Diamond and crew weren't leaping back into some trending rebirth of aesthetics in 1993...traditional heavy metal

An Autothrall Classic. Originally published here.

Cover art by Torbjörn Jörgensen.

In the Shadows could be considered a righteous 'comeback' record long before metal comeback records became a thing, as the majority of 80s acts hit their midlife crises and decided to give it that last college try. King Diamond and crew weren't leaping back into some trending rebirth of aesthetics in 1993...traditional heavy metal, especially here in the States, was a veritable dead zone. Beyond the touring stability of a few dozen acts, grunge and death metal had all but taken over, and groove metal reaching terminal velocity thanks to Pantera's success. That a defunct Danish staple like Mercyful Fate could return with such a fantastic record as this is a testament to how great they were in the first place, but color me unsurprised...

...because for about 15 years, Kim Bendix Petersen never once let me down on a single full-length. In fact, beginning with Melissa and Don't Break the Oath, up until the time someone lost their marbles and decided to release that riffless, idealess, uninspired creative nadir The Graveyard, King Diamond/Mercyful Fate probably laid claim to the greatest streak in all metal music. Ten full-lengths of quality in that '83-95 era, ranging from just 'great' to utter perfection, and yes I'm including Time and The Spider's Lullabye in that total. So when the King decided to take a short respite from the constant touring and brilliance of his solo group and reunite with his alma mater, with less than a decade since Don't Break the Oath, I had little to no trepidation about the ability of these men to deliver, and not only were my expectations met, but in some departments exceeded. Don't Breath the Oath is, and will likely remain my favorite of the Mercyful Fate records, but without question, I find In the Shadows to be their most creative. The sophomore is the first I'll turn to when nostalgia summons, but this felt far more unique to me in 1993 than Oath did in 1984.

A statement that would likely generate some dissent among various acquaintances who have argued with me that this simply sounds like another King Diamond solo record, but I have to disagree. Apart from the fact the two groups are inexorably linked due to Kim's falsetto shrieking and thematic similarities, I have long found the playing of the Shermann/Denner configuration quite different than Andy LaRocque. These guys had a more workmanlike unity to their playing, where Andy's more like a one man exhibition falling somewhere between Randy Rhoads and Yngwie Malmsteen, regardless of whoever is backing him up. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all three of these legends (and Mike Wead to boot), and they could easily cover for one another if the need arose; but while there was obviously some influence from the old Fate carried forth into the King Diamond legacy and then back again, it's definitely the rhythm guitars that make all the difference discerning between the two...that and the fact that this particular disc reached a new benchmark in production quality that even renders masterworks like Abigail and The Eye somewhat unwashed (though I wouldn't trade the atmosphere inherent to those recordings for the world).

But In the Shadows has an atmosphere of its own. The record is loaded with these incredibly interesting, eerie and slower lurching riff progressions that are remarkably well-conceived, the sort of planning you're just too rarely going to find in a younger or 'throwback' band more concerned with copying pre-existing patterns of chords and mutes and then juggling them around like lottery balls. Granted, these unique twists did exist on the first two Fate outings, but to a lesser extent, not as fully fleshed out. Fear not: there are still numerous bursts of intense, melodic speed/heavy metal here as found in "Egypt", the spiritual stepchild to "Curse of the Pharaohs". Hank and Michael can certainly eviscerate a fretboard, but without exception, it's the moodier and measured picking patterns on this album that truly excel and stand to memory. By 1993, when many groups had dissembled or were stylistically shifting towards the status quo, Mercyful Fate was polishing and innovating its own brand into crystalline clarity and ear-carving catchiness. And it's not simply limited to the rhythms...the leads and melodies here are spectral, pristine, and just as important as their surroundings, and you also feel a tasteful amount of blues and 70s hard rock inspiration over the entire album.

What's more, the musical decisions here really seem to fit the individual tales of specters, seasons, shadows and other introspective gloom that dominate the lyrics. Unlike King Diamond records, which are more or less metallic-orchestrated novellas following an internal narrative, these read like short stories, though often also from the first-person perspective. Petersen shines throughout, engaging in quite a lot of his mid range to balance off against the shrieks and grooves in cuts like "The Bell Witch" and "The Old Oak", with a few of those blissful, ghostly lower falsettos emphasized with an additional whisper track. By this point, the King might be considered a master composer by any standard, so it's not unexpected that he can so carefully lay down each line, an author aware of every phrase before he dips his pen in the inkwell. The synths strewn across the songs are generally tasteful and supportive, occasionally reminding me of their use on The Eye, especially in the instrumental "Room of Golden Air" which honestly is the one tune that sounds like a leftover from that period. Acoustics are likewise sparse, used only in brief segments (like the intro to "Egypt"), it's ultimately those uncanny and morbid mid-paced rhythm guitars that drive so much of this experience.

Morten Nielsen's beats, while simplistic and rock-oriented rather than intense, have this great mix with just the right amount of resonant to the snares and kicks. The one component lacking for me here is the bass playing, which seems really subdued, and not one of Timi Hansen's finer performances alongside the King. I mean, this is a very airy, eloquent mix, like a cold moonlit night with only a few clouds; so a booming or buzzy bass tone might prove distracting, but the volume is such that it only hovers below the rhythm guitar and I don't pick out a lot of interesting or inspired grooves and fills, with a few exceptions like "A Gruesome Time" where the instrument shines a little more than usual. Otherwise, In the Shadows just sounds so timeless and tremendous that I would hardly change a bloody note. Even the 1993 rendition of "Return of the Vampire" sounds dramatically improved thanks to its production...would've been better as a pure bonus track, since it seems mildly redundant, yet in keeping with the various 'sequels' on the album like "Is That You, Melissa" or "Egypt", it makes some sense and is thankfully tacked on as the finale.

Mercyful Fate had such a classy comeback here that it's hard to imagine any long time fans not enjoying it, beyond those easily marginalized louts who seem to joy in clinging to some proscribed period of a band's work and then automatically rejecting everything exterior to that phase. In the Shadows is intelligent, it's intricate, and it's thoroughly innovative despite such a strict adherence to the band's lyrical aesthetics and traditional 80s style. With the exception of "Room of Golden Air" and "Return of the Vampire", it's quite coherent without any of the tunes sounding quite the same, and it's even got that captivating cover image which broaches a number of the album's subjects. Perhaps most impressive, at least to me personally, is that this is one of those rarities which seems to improve with age, despite its minor flaws. I enjoyed this more in 2003 than 1993, and now in 2013 that trend continues, to be reflected in my rating. I simply can't imagine spending a Halloween without throwing this on the deck at least once. I know, the same could be said for anything King put out in the 80s with either vehicle, most of which is mandatory, but In the Shadows is absolutely one of those uncommon gems of that earlier 90s period not to involve death or black metal. If I find myself in the mood for hellfire, leather and burning witch-skin, Don't Break the Oath would still be the defacto Fate disc due to its ferocity and importance, but this is such a great record to kick back to on an autumn New England night with a seasonal brew, to just watch the leaves drift or wallow in the slowly encroaching cold.

Best of 2016 - Power Metal Edition

By Andy Osborn. Good power metal is rare on Bandcamp. Whether that says something about the genre’s overall lack of popularity, or that the best stuff is controlled by a handful of labels with no interest in modernization, I’m not sure.

By Andy Osborn.

Good power metal is rare on Bandcamp. Whether that says something about the genre’s overall lack of popularity, or that the best stuff is controlled by a handful of labels with no interest in modernization, I’m not sure. Probably a little of both. Not only is it scarce on the platform, 2016 wasn’t exactly a banner year for the stuff. Admittedly I don’t hunt for power metal like I do the darker arts, but even when I take the time to dig deep it was incredibly hard to find real solid material; despite the sound demanding a full group of near-virtuosic musicians and not just the ol’ dude in the basement churning out atmospheric horrors. That said, I was able to scrape the barrel deep enough (through to the floor) to find this quintet of guitar wizardry that stood out above the rest in 2016.

Artwork by Eliran Kantor.

Iotunn deserve an award for their guitar tone alone. It’s not something that regularly stands out in the genre, but the biting, thick sound they have is singular - it was ten seconds into “The Wizard Falls” before I was sold. Denmark, for whatever reason, tends to produce a proggy variety of the sound, and Iotunn are no exception. They have hints of heavy metal, and a slightly American sound that definitely will appeal to Nevermore fans. Benjamin Jensen isn’t your typical soaring vocalist, either. His standard delivery is more of a gruff bar, that occasionally turns to an equally badass growl; something not used nearly often enough in the style. It all makes for a pretty interesting package, and the meandering song structures are captivating and interesting. Even if their overall style isn’t your thing, just ignore that and dig the sweet tone.

Artwork by Kip Ayers.

Power metal, like any style of of heavy arts, can take itself much too seriously. In fact, that’s probably why it’s not as popular as it should be. The songs are meant to be ridiculous and over-the-top, rather than burying the listener in evil cacophonies and pretend satanism. Zephaniah are great because you can hear the band having fun every second of every track. They’re also constantly switching things up, rarely sticking to a formula. Solos, blastbeats, and tempo changes erupt seemingly out of nowhere. They’re masters at keeping their fans on their toes. Reforged is filled with ripping, ever-shredding leads, and a nice hint of thrashy aggression to show off their American roots. The highlight of the album is the tracks modeled after the original Mad Max trilogy that tell the young Mel Gibson tale in metallic, stupidly fun form. It’s a shame they didn’t feel the need to do a part four to match the newest film but don’t worry, our friends in Spellcaster have us covered.

Artwork by Felipe Machado Franco.

In a world where Sonata Arctica didn’t move on from their much-loved original sound to play some sort of watered-down proggy pop-rock, they could have made this album. Taken’s self-titled debut is like a lost work that fits between Winterheart’s Guild and Reckoning Night (while still blatantly stealing the latter's cover art). What that means is Taken play a style of highly European power metal that sticks to the middle of the road; that is, it’s not overly bombastic or cheesy but contains the perfect amount of melody centricity and mildly-soaring vocals to still be taken seriously by those who aren’t power metal diehards. The septet are able to write a relatively lean, solid tracks with plenty of playful hooks, catchy choruses and more keyboard than guitar solos. Okay, a 65-minute debut isn’t exactly trim, but the intention is there, and it’s admirable. Despite a few unnecessary tracks these Spaniards have crafted one hell of a first album that many fans of the style will welcome.

Artwork by Ariel ZB.

Necromancing the Stone are probably the least publicized supergroup in metal history. With a cast consisting of Arsis, The Absence, and The Black Dahlia Murder veterans, it would be a given that that they would be some souped-up, crazy take on melodic death metal. That’s partially true, but with a twist. They smooth out their more aggressive sound with the buttery vocals of Brimstone Coven’s John Williams and then further round it out by (slightly) toning down the brutality in their riffs. And hearing the way they construct their axe wizardry, it turns out there isn’t too much different between the melodic death metal and power metal guitar techniques. They’re both catchy as all hell and painfully badass. The former may call for a bit more palm-muting and less bombast and high fret obsession, but the result is a perfect mashup of the best of both worlds into something entirely different; not to mention one of Metal Blade’s best additions in recent years.

James Malone’s unmistakable technical flourishes are ever-present and like any good power metal, Necromancing the Stone take writing music seriously, but not so much their image - as you can tell by the band name and album title referencing the 80s Michael Douglas adventure-comedies. “Siren’s Call” is the highlight, with it’s unforgettable lead melody that slides effortlessly into a pumped-up chorus booming with double-bass. It’s a swaggering beast of an album, so if you’re in the mood for some aggressive power metal or even light thrashy melodeath, this ragtag group of scene veterans provide one of the most quintessentially American releases of the year.

Artwork by Caio Caldas.

Even more of a supergroup, I can’t believe Eternity’s End flew under my radar until just recently. Featuring former and current members of Obscura, Spawn of Possession and Necrophagist, German savant Christian Münzner just took his recording lineup from his last solo album and threw English vocal vet Ian Parry into the mix. You wouldn’t expect such majestic, epic music from tech death titans but just like James Malone proved above, precision chops are perfectly suited for power metal. The Fire Within is a near-flawless debut that’s able to showcase the axe wielders’ insane technicality without treading too far into Yngwie’s grandiose, pretentious territory. Because despite the technical wizardry at play in the group, there’s only a medium dose of theatrics, solos, and self-indulgence, but still enough to solidly put them in the neoclassical camp. Their experimentation definitely throws on a “prog” tag as well, but one meant as a compliment of the highest order.

Unlike on Taken, the long playtime here is more than bearable, and gives you the feeling that the band could have easily stretched things out or added another track or four without losing steam. I’m very basic in my power metal love, as even a well-written ballad bores me. Power metal is about speed, precision, and fist-pumping choruses so part of what makes Eternity’s End great is that they don’t slow it down, even for a second. Maybe that’s just physically impossible for them. As a showcase, “Eagle Divine” contains the perfect power metal chorus. Gang vocals, empowering lyrics, all while the rest of the band is still going full speed. The end result is nothing short of jaw-dropping and is both the power metal album of the year and one of the best debuts in the genre’s history.

Sundays of Misfortune 7: Dead Revolution

By Andy Osborn. After five long years, the wait is over. Hammers of Misfortune, the most singular purveyors of American proggy heavy metal are back with Dead Revolution. As is their wont, they are unsurprisingly sporting another lineup change - this time with an all-new rhythm section

By Andy Osborn.

[In 2014 Hammers of Misfortune made their non-Metal Blade discography available on Bandcamp. In the Sundays of Misfortune series Andy Osborn guided you through all of it. Since then Metal Blade has opened a Bandcamp page, and in this installment of the series, Andy reviews Hammers of Misfortune's new album Dead Revolution. Here's to hoping it won't take another 5 years before it's time for another Sunday of Misfortune.]

Cover art by Robert Steven Connett

After five long years, the wait is over. Hammers of Misfortune, the most singular purveyors of American proggy heavy metal are back with Dead Revolution. As is their wont, they are unsurprisingly sporting another lineup change - this time with an all-new rhythm section, one half of that being Will Carroll of Death Angel fame. A long break, with new members and lots of lived life (and near-death) in-between can only mean one thing; there is no way to even begin to guess what this thing is going to sound like. Their last two efforts were both a bit out of left field so it wouldn’t be surprising if this album took another turn to the unknown.

But in a what’s a wonderful surprise to me (and many other fans, I’m sure), the style fits closely with their sound from a decade ago, sounding like a fitting end to a trilogy started by The August Engine and The Locust Years. It's fast and furious, picking up the pace from walking speed to a high octane diesel. From the first note you can hear the new urgency and excitement in this form of Hammers. The quick, mighty riff is back as the band throws it all into high gear, re-introducing themselves once again.

"Velvet Inquisition" introduces things with no fewer than three guitar solos and some brilliant organ counterpoint. Next up, "Dead Revolution" sits near the top of the hammers Discography, a strong contender in the fight for the best-penned song in their history. From the glorious mutating riff at its forefront, the untouchable chorus, and even that stupidly awesome cowbell, it throws punches impossible to dodge, deftly dropping jaws.

It’s also the best sounding Hammers record. The organic, mellow production gives everyone the space and sound they deserve. Joe Hutton’s sultry voice sounds sharper - due either to a new approach or some smart equalization - so he sounds a bit different than our introduction to him on 17th Street. But it works. He also shares more duties with Sigrid, making the album sound more like a team effort. They all just work together, and it feels like a true collaboration from a cohesive group - something they haven't accomplished in a long while. And the natural yet beefy drums are something that even Mikael Akerfeldt and Fenriz could agree sounds outstanding.

The band has appeared to expand their influences, too. And as is their expectedly unexpected way, it appears they’ve gone the Spaghetti Western route. The Americana acoustic guitar and trumpet on "Here Comes The Sky," hint at this, but they really go for something new on closer "Days of ‘49." An ode to the gold rush era, Hutton pulls out a prospector’s drawl as he croons his way through tales of gamblers and outlaws. It’s a risky way to end an album, but the payoff is huge.

It excites me to say that my favorite flavor of Hammers of Misfortune is back and stronger than ever. They're once again sounding like a cohesive unit, and it comes across in droves in the exciting, thunderous tracks. There's plenty of new elements and experimentation to be found, though, and even through massive lineup changes and 15 years they prove there is no one else quite like them.

Sundays of Misfortune 6: 17th Street

By Andy Osborn. Any band that switches a key member with almost every release invariably starts to look like a solo project over time. There’s a reason we jokingly call the thrash giants Megadave

By Andy Osborn.

[In 2014 Hammers of Misfortune made their non-Metal Blade discography available on Bandcamp. In the Sundays of Misfortune series Andy Osborn guided you through all of it. Recently a new Hammers album was announced (pre-order here), and Metal Blade uploaded 2011's 17th Street to Bandcamp. And so, two years later, it's time for another Sunday of Misfortune.]


Any band that switches a key member with almost every release invariably starts to look like a solo project over time. There’s a reason we jokingly call the thrash giants Megadave, and there’s no question who was the mastermind behind Death before his untimely passing. Although it was already becoming clear, 17th Street settles any debate that Hammers of Misfortune belongs to John Cobbett. With their third lead vocalist in as many albums, it’s yet another major reincarnation of the premier Bay Area non-extreme metallers.

17th Street showcases John Cobbett’s skills as a musician and bandleader, but also as a nucleus able to attract incredible, unknown musicians to his cause and get them to put forth otherworldly performances. This is proven by new vocalist Joe Hutton, previously of southern-fried doomsters The Worship of Silence, who steals the show. His buttery tenor was tailor made to fit with Hammers’ unique style, and the album seems crafted specifically to showcase his talents. Tracks like "Staring (The 31st Floor)" and "Summer Tears", the latter being a full-on ballad, show him front and center as the band plays with their newfound introspective, slowed-down style.

Compared to most of their earlier material, 17th Street is a laid-back affair. It only borders on metal, and leans more towards a prog-infused hard rock. There are fewer fist-pumping riffs and epic choruses filled with chanted harmonies. It’s more stripped-down and straightforward, but still retains the band’s unparalleled approach to their singular sound. Like the previous double album, the organ is as ubiquitous as the guitars, as both trade leads and give the nine tracks a twisted, playful spine.

The album’s first single and defining track, "The Day The City Died," is the most quintessential Hammers song of the bunch. A bit faster than the most, it’s at once uplifting and utterly depressing. An ode to gentrification, it’s a goodbye to the Bay Area that so many artists, musicians, deadheads, and bohemian types once knew and loved. Even though it was written five years ago, it perfectly captures the upheaval caused by the unending influx of tech money which continues to this day and makes life near impossible for those on a blue collar salary. Hammers have never been a political band, but John Cobbett moving to the Bay has defined a large part of his life, and each line is unsurprisingly dripping with equal parts sadness, frustrating, and gratitude.

It may not be the Hammers of old, but it’s a solid addition to their discography and a fantastic introduction to Joe Hutton. John Cobbett’s tasty licks and solid songwriting continue to be the center of the Hammers of Misfortune universe, but also prove his uncanny ability to nurture and showcase talent. The band continues to dance on the line between prog, heavy metal, and rock, and their first album for Metal Blade is a welcome addition after their previous experimentation.

Aeon - Aeons Black

By Natalie Zina Walschots. Swedish underground death metal slayers Aeon have chosen an even more apocalyptic than usual approach with fourth full-length Aeons Black. There is a black metal-esque, cadaverous glee in the way they approach blasphemy

By Natalie Zina Walschots. Originally published here.

Cover art by Necrolord

Swedish underground death metal slayers Aeon have chosen an even more apocalyptic than usual approach with fourth full-length Aeons Black. There is a black metal-esque, cadaverous glee in the way they approach blasphemy, but trade none of their meaty death metal riffs for the hissing, reedy chill. There's also a smoky crustiness to the tone that aligns Aeon more closely with death metal in the Southern states, such as Deicide, than their Swedish death metal countrymen.

There is grandness to the scale of the songs that's new to Aeon, like the towering riffs that open "The Glowing Hate," giving Aeons Black a dark majesty. Vocalist Tommy Dahlström puts in a particularly fine performance, his lyrical delivery at once bestial and perfectly articulate. Aeon rely on superior songwriting (such as on the stunning "Garden of Sin") rather than brute strength to set themselves apart from their peers, and have carved out a successful niche for themselves as intelligent monsters.

Three Metal Blade Epic Wins!

["Metal Blade is now on Bandcamp" we wrote back in July. They started out with some of their newer bands, but recently they have also been adding albums from their past archives. And frankly some of these are classics

["Metal Blade is now on Bandcamp" we wrote back in July. They started out with some of their newer bands, but recently they have also been adding albums from their past archives. And frankly some of these are classics of a stature I thought I'd never see available on Bandcamp. I mean, Slayer?

You can find three of these classics here, presented by the mighty Autothrall (and also gain some insight in the author as both a young, and a somewhat older metalhead). And check out the Metal Blade Records Bandcamp for say, all post-comeback albums by Mercyful Fate and the entire Amon Amarth discography!]

Artwork by Albert Cuellar

Several peers and I once passed a cassette recording of both this and Show No Mercy around to one another, terrified of its contents, perhaps clinging to those vestigial traces of Christian upbringing. Copies were confiscated by teachers and parents, and a few of us got a good 'talking to', myself in particular, for spreading the twisted diocese of Satan through the rank and file of the innocent.

Keep in mind that I was about 11-12 years old at this time, the target of crass, ignorant exaggerations by a Protestant flock, and by no means in thrall of the Prince of Hell. But the damage was done. I bought the actual cassette. My parents took it away. I stole it back. The top of the refrigerator was hardly a sufficient hiding place for my 'unapproved' stock of metal albums. They gave up. I bought the back patch, and was so armored the very day I parted ways from the Protestant faith. What an ironic portrait, a dorky pre-teen armed in denim and devils, striding proudly through a dull spring rain in 1986, having quit Church forever, wearing this image and title on my back. The prescient, magic 8-ball might read that my outlook was not so good [read the rest of the review here]

Artwork by Ioannis

it is the classic Fate's Warning which I hold most dear. There is something truly atmospheric about their first three albums. 1984's Night On Bröcken was a solid debut with a few catchy pieces, but it's follow-up The Spectre Within is not only the finest album in the band's career...but one of the greatest melodic metal albums ever to emerge from the US of A. Each of the seven tracks on Spectre creates a bold narrative vision, laden in the mystique of carefully plotted compositions and the haunting keen of John Arch. Outside of the music of Fates Warning, one might find Arch annoying at best, but within the milieu of old, haunted speed metal landscapes, he shines like a fallen God. [read the rest of the review here]

Cover art by Vincent Locke

Bloodthirst is fast and it is pissed, but most importantly, it's kind of album you can totally bang your head out to. Now, I'm an older guy, looking forward to such end of life triumphs as Viagra, checkers, more tea than I drink now, and finding my social security depleted thanks to bailouts and government entitlement programs; the kind of guy who might find it a little awkward to just break out headbanging his already strained neck. But even in writing this review, I have probably slipped at least three vertebrae from gyrating my spinal cord and planting my forehead against the nearest solid object (computer desk).

The energy here is among the most Cannibal Corpse have ever ventured, and it is the listener who reaps the gain. The album features what many will one day come to know as the 'best', if not the 'classic' lineup of the band, with George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher on vocals, Jack Owen and shredder Pat O'Brien on the guitars, Alex Webster ruling the bottom end, and the veteran skinner Paul Mazurkiewics, and each is at the very top of his career. But this is not some over-indulgent display of axe wankery, it is a force against nature which clearly has designs on the life of every human being breathing our atmosphere [read the rest of the review here]

Metal Blade is now on Bandcamp!

By Andy Osborn. Metal Blade is now on Bandcamp. I was wondering when, if ever, I would get the chance to type those words as that little sentence is about the most exciting news that could land on the desks of our little site. Ubiquitous and world-renowned

By Andy Osborn.

Artwork by Necrolord

Metal Blade is now on Bandcamp. I was wondering when, if ever, I would get the chance to type those words as that little sentence is about the most exciting news that could land on the desks of our little site. Ubiquitous and world-renowned, the California-based label has been arguably the most important supporter of metal over the thirty-three years of its existence. They helped give birth to and nurture extreme metal in all its forms and continue to put out some of the best heavy music in the world.



They've started stocking their page with some of their best artists including the complete catalog of The Black Dahlia Murder and all of Cattle Decapitation's full-lengths save their debut. Not that they need any introduction, but simply seeing these bands on Bandcamp is a joy. The Black Dahlia Murder is THE band that got me interested in extreme metal, and while their recent output hasn't been overtly original, they are still without a doubt one of the best Melodic Death Metal acts on the planet. Their first three albums were absolutely pivotal in forming my tastes in all things extreme, and doubtless this is the case with many people. Cattle Decapitation, on the other hand, are only improving with time. Monolith of Inhumanity ranks in my top five albums ever. It embodies everything I love about metal and shows the long-running Deathgrind weirdos are at the top of their game. Both bands' highly anticipated upcoming albums are up and ready for pre-order.

Artwork by Wes Benscoter

The across the board $10 asking price is a bit high, but knowing that the money is going straight into the hands of this important label makes it worth it. Obviously, we here at Metal Bandcamp are excited. Expect plenty of Metal Blade-centric reviews, roundups, and discography specials in the near future.