Archive

By Doug Walker

Monarch is a direct throwback to the late ’80s / early ’90s era of speed rock that spawned in Slayer’s wake. The band features a who’s who of metal musicians from San Diego’s north county, boasting a former/current member of list including but not limited to Cage, Nihilist, Great Electric Quest, Ratt Black… you get the idea. The band has been playing regionally for a few years, and this is their first offering. Continue reading “Album Review: Monarch – Go Forth… Slaughter”

By Francisco Zamudio

Longevity is an accolade that has become more and more apparent in the last couple of years. Not to be categorized with the over-the-hill and nearly laughable group of bands from the Sunset Strip or the glam days and comeback reunion final farewell tours. No, we are talking more about the underground and extreme side of the spectrum. And when the ’90s hit, there was a lot of confusion as to where metal was going. While the American influence was searching for its identity, you have a band like Septicflesh from Greece who have stayed consistent for the most part despite their five-year break-up/hiatus from 2003, after their paramount release ‘Sumerian Daemons’. For 20 years, the Greek troupe has cast a dark veil with their symphonic metal hybrid. Now through Prosthetic Records they release their 10th full-length, ‘Codex Omega’. Continue reading “Album Review: Septicflesh – Codex Omega”

By Rosie Walker

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Creed was one of the most successful rock bands in the world. With selling millions of records and winning countless awards, everyone thought they’d last forever. But they didn’t. This rock sensation broke up and three out of the four members immediately formed a new band. Alter Bridge was birthed in 2004, when the former Creed members found the former singer of the band The Mayfield Four, Myles Kennedy. Alter Bridge (named after a real bridge in Detroit, Michigan), released their debut album, ‘One Day Remains’ that same year. Distancing themselves from the Creed name, these guys wanted something different, and after their first record was certified gold, the rest is history. Continue reading “Album Review: Alter Bridge – Live at the O2 Arena + Rarities”

By Ryan Falla

Portland doom/sludge quartet, Usnea, bolsters the rosters of their discography with their third full-length release ‘Portals Into Futility’. This is a record that pushes doom/sludge metal to the extreme; heavy, yet slowly grinding guitar riffs and simplistic yet staggering percussion, taking it to just off the edge of extreme. ‘Portals Into Futility’ powers through its sixty minute runtime with six impressively crafted tracks that paint a conceptual picture of despair. Continue reading “Album Review: Usnea – Portals Into Futility”