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Staff
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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
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| | Best User Reviews: June 2023 | | 1 |  | Avenged Sevenfold
Life Is But a Dream...
"It was also said that Avenged Sevenfold took some inspiration from (of all people) Kanye West, and in a way I think that’s fitting. It kind of feels like almost a mainstream metal take on Yeezus; it has elements befitting of their usual style, but is easily the most out there and “weird” release they’ve ever done. Just for that alone, it deserves props. One could argue that it's precisely the weirdness and messiness that makes it such a masterpiece." --veninblazer | | 2 | | Avenged Sevenfold
Life Is But a Dream...
"While I do think the production isn’t exactly the best they have had in their entire career and there are songs that are most definitely weaker than others, I truly believe there is something here for everybody. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this album after a couple of listens. It’s not their best but it doesn’t need to be. It can stand alone and have it’s own identity which is what makes this particularly incarnation of Avenged Sevenfold’s attempt at being Mr. Bungle so enjoyable." --Edgehog61 | | 3 |  | Gloryhammer
Return to the Kingdom of Fife
"Once one looks past the glitz of the band, the music itself is perfectly decent power metal. What they bring to the scene works. It sounds good, it’s polished, it’s catchy, and that’s good enough for the masses. Their music could be vastly more grandiose, and escalated to epic proportions befitting their dramatic tales, though fans would say that goal is already reached. Gloryhammer are just here to do their thing, and they remain substantially better than a large handful of power metal bands. As cheesy as the music/band is, Return to the Kingdom of Fife is another win, and rather fun." --pizzamachine | | 4 |  | Lunar (USA-CA)
The Illusionist
"One aspect that is a definitive plus is that The Illusionist easily sounds a lot deeper and more professional than their previous discography, giving it a prima facie status that can’t be as easily written off as an amateurish project. This lends itself quite well to the album’s bold and clearly ambitious concept album about a magician whose apparent goal is to push the boundaries of knowledge and power." --WattPheasant | | 5 |  | Thantifaxath
Hive Mind Narcosis
"Hive Mind Narcosis is set to keep you at a constant state of unease for as long as it lasts. With such overwhelming and otherworldly material, executed in an acute manner and with an excellent sense of flow and songwriting, Thantifaxath will have you thinking “I don’t understand how these pieces fit together, but it feels like it was always meant to be like that”. Opening a new dimension of the avantgarde, the band doesn’t simply challenge the boundaries, it reinvents them." --NightOnDrunkMountain | | 6 |  | Foo Fighters
But Here We Are
"It's hard to properly judge this album on its own merits because it almost feels like we shouldn't. The sentiment behind this album is clear: this is an expression of grief, and the Foo Fighters definitely deserve some level of catharsis and release given everything that's happened. The execution does leave a lot to be desired, however: in spite of the context surrounding this release, But Here We Are sounds like the Foos simply going through the motions, hitting their marks like well-trained actors and producing a very... safe-sounding album in spite of everything." --ghostalgeist | | 7 | | Avenged Sevenfold
Life Is But a Dream...
"Leading up to this record, the band has made sure to leave everyone aware that this project was going to sound different and that they were even prepared to receive a form of negative criticism. Life Is But a Dream… delves into many contrasting soundscapes that oftentimes exhaust and annoy the listening experience with dreadful attempts at singing “profound” lyrics and commonly occurring instrumental confrontations. There are few times where I did find myself indulging in their takes on avant-garde, chic/funk, and ballad-style influences where I think there were some rather unique successes in these endeavors, but the only sense of stability comes from the concept narrative told throughout the lyrics and dynamics, which are in themselves, not great." --Kyle1221 | | 8 | | Avenged Sevenfold
Life Is But a Dream...
""Life Is But a Dream..." is a messy and disappointing album that fails to capture the magic and brilliance of Avenged Sevenfold's past works. Its misguided attempt at a progressive and avant-garde direction only serves to highlight the band's lack of cohesion and direction. If you're a fan of the band's earlier material, brace yourself for a jarring and disheartening departure from what made them great. Avenged Sevenfold has lost their way, and "Life Is But a Dream..." serves as a painful reminder of their decline." --Philthereaper | | 9 |  | Wings of Steel
Gates of Twilight
"Wings of Steel makes a spirited approach to old school metal with Gates of Twilight. Their attitude is quite refreshing to see, mixing professional musicianship with an irony-free earnestness that often seems impossible in the modern age. While the pacing can be a little stiff at times, the songwriting manages to stay cohesive throughout. It’ll be interesting to see how the band develops from here but in the meantime, this is a nice reminder that there’s more to traditional metal than just aping Priest and Maiden." --PsychicChris | | 10 |  | Buckcherry
Vol. 10
"Ironically, by toning down the raunchiness, the lyricism suffered; what incredibly cruel irony. But at the end of the day, Vol. 10 is packed with infectiously catchy music and not much else, so if you're looking for mindless poppy southern rock then you might actually find some value here. Whether this is a road to musical recovery or not, things are looking quite nicely for Buckcherry right now; a surprising sentiment given the prior two disasters." --Valentia | | 11 |  | Poltergeist (UK)
Impressions of the Bizarre and the Uncanny
"Likely the first thing you’ll notice that makes Poltergeist not-Meshuggah (which would be a sick band name in its own right) are the vocals. The sheer timbre of them differs substantially from Jens’ and adds a unique character to a familiar formula. He tends to stick to a similar mid-range scream but occasional nails some absolutely nasty highs (see House of Mirrors when he says “OF MIRRORS” around 1:00 in)." --syco722 | | 12 |  | Avatar
Dance Devil Dance
"There is a formula: but it works. Johannes alternates between low growls, mid cleans, and high shouts, quite literally sometimes in the same song; he manages to keep listeners on their toes, while Tim and Jonas chug and shred behind him, Henrik keeps the groove chugging along with the bass, and John throws in some technical fills and blasts away at the kit with controlled aggression. Dance Devil Dance, in a word, is Avatar." --Muse1748 | | 13 |  | Quasarborn
Novo Oružje Protiv Bola
"In a nation in turmoil that sees the larger part of its young and promising population emigrate to a better life abroad, what Novo oružje protiv bola offers to those that stay is the coping tactic of taking existential and societal anxiety at face value, moulding and translating it – through the medium of metal – into a new palpable experience, something of sublimated value: a shot of soothing musical adrenaline. (I am perfectly aware of how bombastic this sounds but hey, isn’t this what music and art in general are about?) In doing so, Quasarborn also show evidence of further PPSU." --DePlazz | | 14 |  | Nattehimmel
Mourningstar
"The album’s mix gives a nod to Emperor’s “In the Nightside Eclipse” and Dimmu Borgir’s “For All Tid” but also their previous band’s back catalogue and should appeal to black metal devotees who enjoy interesting melodic Norwegian dark arts metal. Notwithstanding, in truth I personally prefer the beefier production found on “Pure” though acknowledge the throwback sonic design and note the physical product for “Mourningstar” best represents the album as intended." --Muzz79 | | 15 |  | Age of Panic
Blades Drawn
" No more lush arpeggio's, no more sense of comfort or ethereal melody. Comfort is the antithesis of what this EP desires. Instead take the gnarliest low end of modern day Knocked Loose and pair it with a greater propensity towards witchy snarls and even more sufficiently bleak guitar riffs. It is to say that this record is as dismal as a child's funeral procession while retaining an anger greater than your typical Alabama inbred after seeing a new Budweiser can." --Dedes | | 16 |  | Heavenward (USA)
Pyrophonics
"While not as crisped produced as Kamtim’s former band’s debut, the rawness of the sound matches the album’s personality. “Be My Blues” is definitely one of the highlights, starting off as a shoegaze/post-grunge ballad and then devolving into a heavily distorted guitar riff accompanied by a robotic (female-like) voice. Songs like “Pneumatic (Fly)” and “Something Real” are mid-tempo grunge bangers that keep the pace up, the latter containing a heavy bridge with notable drum work carrying heavy guitar licks plus one of the darkest melodies Mohager has written. “Tangerine” is also a highlight, and cements Mohager signature use of heavily distorted licks under a big wall of melody." --bananatossing | | 17 |  | North Central
K9 Frequencies
"North Central’s complementary pairing of disturbing aesthetics and implementation of sick, sick humour are disgusting, but one cannot deny the twisted cogency with which they play off one another here. This is an album that demands attention and refuses to be ignored, provoking a range of emotions from disgust to morbid fascination. Whether one can endure repeated listens is a personal choice, but its impact lingers long after the final note fades away." --Celestinaught | | 18 |  | King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of...
"The approach of merging a more psychedelic sound has allowed the band to stay truer to their roots, whilst branching out, creating an album which is shifting fans from other genres over to exploring something heavier that you can really bang your head to." --Bloodnutter09 | | 19 |  | Pardoner
Peace Loving People
"There is a tendency among those who discuss and/or write about music to say that an artist has “matured” on later releases. Which is almost always a polite way of saying they’ve become a lot less interesting. But Pardoner has matured, in my eyes, the right way." --SandwichBubble | | 20 |  | Cory Hanson
Western Cum
"The riff at the start of 'Persuasion Architecture' sounds like an old locomotive travelling at light speed whilst simultaneously being stripped for parts by a gang of ruthless Decepticons. The guitar build up in 'Horsebait Sabotage' starting at 1:40 could hold its own when compared with the very best of Modest Mouse or Built to Spill while 'Driving Through Heaven' lives up to that title as it sounds positively gargantuan, served here with a delicious slice of spiritual neo psychedelic jam band lemon. 'Housefly' boasts a classic countrified rock riff and milks that mutha for all it's worth - and it's worth a lot believe me." --DoofDoof | | 21 |  | Fear Factory
The Industrialist (Re-Industrialized)
"I guess when it comes right down to it, the only question is which version I’ll listen to going forward. Honestly, due to the beefier production and bonus tracks, I’ll most likely prefer Re-Industrialized, but you can’t go wrong with either version. In my opinion, Industrialized is part of what turned into a four-album resurgence, and this subtle variation of the original, while certainly not needed, at least brings a live drummer into the fold, enhances the power somewhat, and adds a few decent bonus tracks. Essentially, however you felt about Industrialized will probably be exactly how you feel about Re-Industrialized as it doesn’t really change the overall feel much – but it does change enough to be a relevant listen." --TerraIncognita | | 22 |  | Off Road Minivan
May This Keep You Safe From Harm
"This album is an honest reflection of someone's deep pain, and it was put out in the world for us to enjoy. Along with small personal voice recordings sprinkled throughout the album that add to that atmosphere of that pain and grief. It's a small gem that maybe not everyone will have a chance to listen to, but I assure you that it's worth every second of your time. While not perfect, it's beautiful. And the album name "May This Keep You Safe From Harm" coming from a metal bible cover that could stop a bullet is ironically poetic in the sense of trying to avert tragedy in life. It's inevitable but manageable. And in conclusion for whoever reads this, I hope you continue to cope and to finally let go of the hurt you carry. It never gets easier letting go, but when you do...you'll be all the better for it." --KillingMoon | | 23 |  | Loma Prieta
Last
"Loma Prieta has proven once again that change isn't always a bad thing, while still remaining true to themselves. Last is an incredibly interesting listen that will leave you floating through a different state of consciousness (dreamlessnessless?) and make you reflect on your life and the ultimate insignificance we all succumb to eventually. From Last City all the way to Last... if this is Loma Prieta's farewell, then they have certainly proven their worth as an underground screamo band, and this is a swan song not soon to forget." --JayEnder | | 24 |  | Adjy
June Songs Vol. 1
"For anyone who loved Idyll Opus’s incredible drum work, I suspect opener “Stepping in the Same River Twice” will make you very happy. With energetic drums pounding a beat over Christopher Noyes’s gorgeous vocals, it’s reminiscent of the Prelude EP’s “Praepositio”, merged with the more country/folk aesthetics of Idyll Opus. Honestly, that’s a good way to describe this whole EP. The energy of Prelude is heavily felt on “Stepping”, as well as the amazingly expansive chorus of “June Song”, and pretty much all of “One 4th of July”, but the EP also allows itself to step back and take time for quieter moments of reflection and love. " --AnimalForce1 | |
Sowing
06.30.23 | Thanks again for all the great writing this month! Keep it up :-) | mkmusic1995
06.30.23 | Excellent writing as always on this site! Especially enjoyed the Cory Hanson rev and Thantifaxath rev! :D | AnimalForce1
06.30.23 | Thanks for the feature Sowing! It's been a really good month for user reviews TBH. A7X seems to have gotten everyone inspired, but my favorite review is probably Ghost's Foo Fighters review | pizzamachine
06.30.23 | That’s alotta dudes | AnimalForce1
06.30.23 | Also, Gloryhammer, because pizzamachine reviews are always a joy to read | pizzamachine
06.30.23 | Rawr ❤️ | Sowing
06.30.23 | I know some people don't like it, but I enjoy when a major release gets a ton of reviews. Maybe it's just the nostalgia of 2010-ish Sput when that kind of thing used to happen constantly. | Valzentia
07.01.23 | Oh sweet my review's here :D
You misspelled my username tho lol | Muzz79
07.01.23 | Cheers Sowing | Koris
07.01.23 | So much A7X, ya love to see it | pizzamachine
07.01.23 | I enjoy when a major release gets a ton of reviews. [2] | Manatea
07.01.23 | Love reading these. Love the writing on this. | DePlazz
07.02.23 | Wow, thanks Sowing dude | JohnnyoftheWell
07.02.23 | Go users!!!!
Inspired placement of King Gizzard next to bestiality noise | Koris
07.02.23 | fuck like a beast | BitterJalapenoJr
07.02.23 | Well done everyone 👏 | NightOnDrunkMountain
07.02.23 | Great work people. Once again thank you! | KillingMoon
07.02.23 | Oh cool thanks for the mention Sowing! | KillingMoon
07.03.23 | Also everyone’s reviews are great! So cool to see all the writers and their voices 🤘🏻 | Sowing
07.03.23 | I know we have a lot of talented staffers and contributors, but I still think some of the best reviews on this site are sometimes written by users. Just because a user isn't established yet, or writes infrequently, doesn't mean they aren't just as skilled. I'm glad that these lists sometimes help to shed light on that. |
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