Mini Reviews From Around the Bowl (8/1/24)
I left my placeholder text in here when first published. Oops! Anyway, here’s some minis.
Infernal Realm – Chamber of Desolation
Independent | July 26, 2024
Infernal Realm seem to long for a simpler time in death metal, a time when the genre hadn’t yet been codified and it shared much of its DNA with its thrash brethren. We’re talking Scream Bloody Gore and Altars of Madness type shit with a dash of the bald-faced brutality that Cannibal Corpse brings to the table. Zack Page’s vocals call to mind the low growls of the late Trevor Strnad, which pairs well with the breakneck tremolo-and-blastbeats combination of the rest of the band. There’s definitely nothing new happening here, but some impressive pocket playing on the drums and sharp lead guitar work keep it from being forgettable. As it stands, this is a great album for turning your brain off and just having a good time with it. — Spear
Fourth Dominion – Diana’s Day
Fiadh Productions | August 1st, 2024
The gothwave side of metal and rock is not something I normally seek out, but every once in a while, something catches my ear. Diana’s Day mixes that classic warbly goth tone with soaring epic doom riffs and galloping beats beneath dense, mystic lyrics that are vague but evocative (except “Burn the Prisons!” seems pretty straightforward). Meadow Wyand’s vocal performance is uniquely captivating, somehow both soft and full of venom. The entirety of “Bloodstains” is just one awesome vocal hook after another, and it’s been stuck in my head for days. The production is a bit funky at times, sounding like it is being filtered through a fluffy towel, but somehow it works for the vibe. — Joaquin
Piah Mater – Under the Shadow of a Foreign Sun
Aural Music | July 5, 2024
Attention: If you are a fan of progressive death metal, stop everything you are doing and listen to this album immediately. Piah Mater has put together an ambitious collection of songs full of atmosphere, creativity, and beauty that is not to be missed. While there are individual elements of brilliance (that guitar tone!), what ultimately makes this album work so well is the consistently excellent interweaving of the instruments. From the jazzy saxophone-guitar duet on “Fallow Garden” to the dreamy flute-guitar intro to “Canícula,” each song unfolds as an intricate conversation between the musicians. The pure number of instruments and collaborations reveal a band with big ambitions. From strings to winds to vocals, the band draw on a huge array of talent from their home country of Brazil and beyond. Meanwhile, the album’s lyrics shine with vivid imagery: a soul washed in salt water, a night quilted in darkness, northern stars lacerated into glimmering shards. The comparisons to early Opeth will be obvious, but with this latest release, Piah Mater deserve to be recognized in their own right. — Professor Guanaco
The Black Flamingo – An-Nûr
Subsound Records | February 2, 2024
Another stoner rock record, this one considerably more favorable. The guitar sits just a little further back in the mix than I feel like it should, but he bass on this album sounds absolutely beautiful, and whoever mixed those drums needs to mix drums for everything I hear for the rest of my life. Most of the songs on the album follow the same structure: bass and drums going over the same couple of musical phrases for the first several minutes before the guitar joins in more fully. Even though it’s not an incredibly riffy listen, if you’re looking for some more laid-back psychedelic jams to put on for a little stoner rock ambience, this record is a solid pick. — Reliquary Tower
Demon Spell – Evil Nights
Dying Victims Productions | July 26, 2024
Sick of waiting for King Diamond to finally put out a new record? Have no fear because Italy’s Demon Spell is here to put a hex on your soul. “Mercyful Fate worship” is not a strong enough way to describe the band’s debut EP Evil Nights. “Mercy Fate devotion” is probably more accurate. Each song sounds like it was ripped from a dusty bin of hidden vinyl that hasn’t been touched since the mid 1980’s. Each song blazing with the fiery force of the underworld, invoking evil things that go bump in the night. And the vocals really, really sound like King Diamond. It’s a throwback sound without all the trappings that so many modern “traditional” heavy metal bands fall into and it rules. All I’m saying is that religious zealots and overprotective parents in 1986 would have hated Evil Nights. That’s how you know it’s a killer album. — 365 Days of Horror
Dark Tranquillity – Endtime Signals
Century Media Records | August 16, 2024
Dark Tranquillity is an amazingly consistent band. One of the biggest purveyors of the “Gothenburg Sound” of melodic death metal, Dark Tranquillity has been consistently cranking out great albums for almost 40 years. Despite lineup changes and the metal landscape shifting in different directions, Dark Tranquillity is always there, doing what they do best. The trend continues with their latest offering Endtime Signals. Deftly blending aggressive, technical prowess, and an amazing ability to craft memorable hooks, Endtime Signals keeps the melodeath flag waving high. Mikael Stanne, who is also busy as hell putting out killer music in The Halo Effect, Cemetery Skyline, and Grand Cadaver, is at the top of his game, switching between his throaty bark and gentle cleans. As much as the razor-sharp guitars and relentless drums drive the band, it’s the quieter, softer moments where Endtime Signals truly comes alive. The songs have more meaning, a strong purpose when they take the time to delve into those deeper, truer feelings. Longtime fans will put Endtime Signals next to the band’s classics and newer fans can easily jump on board. I’m desperate for a Gothenburg Sound revival, but a revival isn’t necessary when Dark Tranquillity keeps putting out amazing records like this one. — 365 Days of Horror
