#blacksites — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #blacksites, aggregated by home.social.
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https://www.europesays.com/uk/289375/ Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review #2025 #4.0 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #Entertainment #Heather&Hearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #music #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #UK #UnitedKingdom #WishboneAsh
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Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review
During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #2025 #4.0 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #Entertainment #Heather&Hearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #UK #UnitedKingdom #WishboneAsh
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/21168/ -
Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review
By Angry Metal Guy
During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.
Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.
Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.
But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4
Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.
This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.
Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh
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Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review
By Angry Metal Guy
During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.
Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.
Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.
But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4
Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.
This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.
Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh
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Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review
By Angry Metal Guy
During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.
Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.
Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.
But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4
Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.
This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.
Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh
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Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review
By Angry Metal Guy
During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.
Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.
Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.
But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4
Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.
This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.
Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh
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Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review
By Angry Metal Guy
During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.
Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.
Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.
But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4
Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.
This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.
Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh
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“ #blacksites #tresorrecords #musicvideo” / “Black Sites - C4 (Official Music Video)” (1 user) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov0OZbaQ32A
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Regretting Western Intervention in the Middle East
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/20/regretting-western-intervention-in-the-middle-east/
“Wars for oil, control and strategic dominance were cloaked in the language of democracy” — Ann Wright delivers an argument at the Cambridge Union Debates. Here is a video of the entire debate; author’s segment 2:39 — 14:16. By Ann…
#Politics #Afghanistan #Commentary #Environment #Gaza #HumanRights #Iraq #Lebanon #Libya #Militarism #Pakistan #Palestine #Propaganda #Somalia #Syria #U.s. #WarCrimes #Yemen #9/11Attacks #AbuGhraib #AnnWright #BlackSites #C.i.a.Renditions #C.i.a.Torture #CambridgeUnionDebates #ChilcotReport #CostsOfWarProject #DonaldRumsfeld #Fallujah #GazaIsraelWar #GlobalWarOnTerror #GuantanamoBayPrison #Isis #Mosul #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory(opt) #PresidentGeorgeW.Bush #U.s.DepartmentOfHomelandSecurity #WeaponsOfMassDestruction(wmd) -
Regretting Western Intervention in the Middle East
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/20/regretting-western-intervention-in-the-middle-east/
“Wars for oil, control and strategic dominance were cloaked in the language of democracy” — Ann Wright delivers an argument at the Cambridge Union Debates. Here is a video of the entire debate; author’s segment 2:39 — 14:16. By Ann…
#Politics #Afghanistan #Commentary #Environment #Gaza #HumanRights #Iraq #Lebanon #Libya #Militarism #Pakistan #Palestine #Propaganda #Somalia #Syria #U.s. #WarCrimes #Yemen #9/11Attacks #AbuGhraib #AnnWright #BlackSites #C.i.a.Renditions #C.i.a.Torture #CambridgeUnionDebates #ChilcotReport #CostsOfWarProject #DonaldRumsfeld #Fallujah #GazaIsraelWar #GlobalWarOnTerror #GuantanamoBayPrison #Isis #Mosul #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory(opt) #PresidentGeorgeW.Bush #U.s.DepartmentOfHomelandSecurity #WeaponsOfMassDestruction(wmd) -
Regretting Western Intervention in the Middle East
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/20/regretting-western-intervention-in-the-middle-east/
“Wars for oil, control and strategic dominance were cloaked in the language of democracy” — Ann Wright delivers an argument at the Cambridge Union Debates. Here is a video of the entire debate; author’s segment 2:39 — 14:16. By Ann…
#Politics #Afghanistan #Commentary #Environment #Gaza #HumanRights #Iraq #Lebanon #Libya #Militarism #Pakistan #Palestine #Propaganda #Somalia #Syria #U.s. #WarCrimes #Yemen #9/11Attacks #AbuGhraib #AnnWright #BlackSites #C.i.a.Renditions #C.i.a.Torture #CambridgeUnionDebates #ChilcotReport #CostsOfWarProject #DonaldRumsfeld #Fallujah #GazaIsraelWar #GlobalWarOnTerror #GuantanamoBayPrison #Isis #Mosul #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory(opt) #PresidentGeorgeW.Bush #U.s.DepartmentOfHomelandSecurity #WeaponsOfMassDestruction(wmd) -
Regretting Western Intervention in the Middle East
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/20/regretting-western-intervention-in-the-middle-east/
“Wars for oil, control and strategic dominance were cloaked in the language of democracy” — Ann Wright delivers an argument at the Cambridge Union Debates. Here is a video of the entire debate; author’s segment 2:39 — 14:16. By Ann…
#Politics #Afghanistan #Commentary #Environment #Gaza #HumanRights #Iraq #Lebanon #Libya #Militarism #Pakistan #Palestine #Propaganda #Somalia #Syria #U.s. #WarCrimes #Yemen #9/11Attacks #AbuGhraib #AnnWright #BlackSites #C.i.a.Renditions #C.i.a.Torture #CambridgeUnionDebates #ChilcotReport #CostsOfWarProject #DonaldRumsfeld #Fallujah #GazaIsraelWar #GlobalWarOnTerror #GuantanamoBayPrison #Isis #Mosul #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory(opt) #PresidentGeorgeW.Bush #U.s.DepartmentOfHomelandSecurity #WeaponsOfMassDestruction(wmd) -
Regretting Western Intervention in the Middle East
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/20/regretting-western-intervention-in-the-middle-east/
“Wars for oil, control and strategic dominance were cloaked in the language of democracy” — Ann Wright delivers an argument at the Cambridge Union Debates. Here is a video of the entire debate; author’s segment 2:39 — 14:16. By Ann…
#Politics #Afghanistan #Commentary #Environment #Gaza #HumanRights #Iraq #Lebanon #Libya #Militarism #Pakistan #Palestine #Propaganda #Somalia #Syria #U.s. #WarCrimes #Yemen #9/11Attacks #AbuGhraib #AnnWright #BlackSites #C.i.a.Renditions #C.i.a.Torture #CambridgeUnionDebates #ChilcotReport #CostsOfWarProject #DonaldRumsfeld #Fallujah #GazaIsraelWar #GlobalWarOnTerror #GuantanamoBayPrison #Isis #Mosul #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory(opt) #PresidentGeorgeW.Bush #U.s.DepartmentOfHomelandSecurity #WeaponsOfMassDestruction(wmd) -
“Homegrowns Are Next”: Protests Erupt as Trump Proposes Sending U.S. Citizens to Salvadoran Prisons
#fascism #trump #maga #ElSalvador #concentrationcamps #blacksites #directaction #Occupy #generalstrike #riseup
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“Homegrowns Are Next”: Protests Erupt as Trump Proposes Sending U.S. Citizens to Salvadoran Prisons
#fascism #trump #maga #ElSalvador #concentrationcamps #blacksites #directaction #Occupy #generalstrike #riseup
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“Homegrowns Are Next”: Protests Erupt as Trump Proposes Sending U.S. Citizens to Salvadoran Prisons
#fascism #trump #maga #ElSalvador #concentrationcamps #blacksites #directaction #Occupy #generalstrike #riseup
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“Homegrowns Are Next”: Protests Erupt as Trump Proposes Sending U.S. Citizens to Salvadoran Prisons
#fascism #trump #maga #ElSalvador #concentrationcamps #blacksites #directaction #Occupy #generalstrike #riseup
-
“Homegrowns Are Next”: Protests Erupt as Trump Proposes Sending U.S. Citizens to Salvadoran Prisons
#fascism #trump #maga #ElSalvador #concentrationcamps #blacksites #directaction #Occupy #generalstrike #riseup
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This is the result of the Roberts court.
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Ok, if I have this story correct, an American citizen with Palestinian heritage, married a nice boy from #India with a PhD in Middle Eastern Peace Studies. The girl says pro #Palestine things on her social media, but the boy, Badar Khan Suri, is fairly circumspect in his public statements. The people using #Jews as an excuse to attack #Arabs realize they can’t deport the American (yet), but they can deport her husband, even though he’s done nothing wrong.
Everyone needs to realize that the goal of the neonazis is to turn all of us against each other. They will use any excuse, and blame any other group to get away with atrocities. It’s trans people and Palestinians and Hispanics today, it’s gonna be Catholics, Jews and Leftists next, if history is any indication.
-
Ok, if I have this story correct, an American citizen with Palestinian heritage, married a nice boy from #India with a PhD in Middle Eastern Peace Studies. The girl says pro #Palestine things on her social media, but the boy, Badar Khan Suri, is fairly circumspect in his public statements. The people using #Jews as an excuse to attack #Arabs realize they can’t deport the American (yet), but they can deport her husband, even though he’s done nothing wrong.
Everyone needs to realize that the goal of the neonazis is to turn all of us against each other. They will use any excuse, and blame any other group to get away with atrocities. It’s trans people and Palestinians and Hispanics today, it’s gonna be Catholics, Jews and Leftists next, if history is any indication.
-
Ok, if I have this story correct, an American citizen with Palestinian heritage, married a nice boy from #India with a PhD in Middle Eastern Peace Studies. The girl says pro #Palestine things on her social media, but the boy, Badar Khan Suri, is fairly circumspect in his public statements. The people using #Jews as an excuse to attack #Arabs realize they can’t deport the American (yet), but they can deport her husband, even though he’s done nothing wrong.
Everyone needs to realize that the goal of the neonazis is to turn all of us against each other. They will use any excuse, and blame any other group to get away with atrocities. It’s trans people and Palestinians and Hispanics today, it’s gonna be Catholics, Jews and Leftists next, if history is any indication.
-
Ok, if I have this story correct, an American citizen with Palestinian heritage, married a nice boy from #India with a PhD in Middle Eastern Peace Studies. The girl says pro #Palestine things on her social media, but the boy, Badar Khan Suri, is fairly circumspect in his public statements. The people using #Jews as an excuse to attack #Arabs realize they can’t deport the American (yet), but they can deport her husband, even though he’s done nothing wrong.
Everyone needs to realize that the goal of the neonazis is to turn all of us against each other. They will use any excuse, and blame any other group to get away with atrocities. It’s trans people and Palestinians and Hispanics today, it’s gonna be Catholics, Jews and Leftists next, if history is any indication.
-
Ok, if I have this story correct, an American citizen with Palestinian heritage, married a nice boy from #India with a PhD in Middle Eastern Peace Studies. The girl says pro #Palestine things on her social media, but the boy, Badar Khan Suri, is fairly circumspect in his public statements. The people using #Jews as an excuse to attack #Arabs realize they can’t deport the American (yet), but they can deport her husband, even though he’s done nothing wrong.
Everyone needs to realize that the goal of the neonazis is to turn all of us against each other. They will use any excuse, and blame any other group to get away with atrocities. It’s trans people and Palestinians and Hispanics today, it’s gonna be Catholics, Jews and Leftists next, if history is any indication.
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Black Sites – The Promised Land? Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
Though not a household name, Mark Sugar and his projects Trials1 and Black Sites hold a special seat at casa AMG and Dolph alike—underground gems that would not have had the same presence without the right ears and voice. Over the past seven years, Black Sites has been the main vehicle for Sugar’s vision, an amalgamation of loved sounds that maintains a niche curb appeal despite its familiar face. Whether by the maligned chug of 90s groove thrash, the 80s snap of stadium torchers, or the melodic wail of distant radio memory that you can’t quite place, Black Sites has successively reinvigorated well-traveled musical routes. Yet, Sugar would never want to tread the same path twice. And though The Promised Land? wears a cover similar to its predecessor, Untrue, its verdant aesthetic paints a world in healing rather than in dread—in evolution?
Not progressive in the virtuosic showboat sense, The Promised Land? earns its artistic merit through its curated layers which stack influences on influences to reconstruct from the past a sound all its own—Black Sites ever the difficulty to pin to one genre. Leaning on the heavy metal riffcraft of legends like early Queensrÿche and Dio, Black Sites rips into easy gallops with fiery intros and breaks (“Dread Tomorrow,” “Many Turn to None”). And when in the atmosphere of slow builds and pedal textures, Black Sites finds chorus-shimmering contrasts (“Gideon”) and melodic breakaways from soft-toned transitions (“Promised Land”) in the same way you might catch in a modern Fates Warning album. All the while, though, Sugar finds a way back to the sounds of thick, thrashy licks through a calculated, lower-tuned harmony. As much 90s Testament in weight as they are King‘s X in their open, ringing connection (“Descent,” “Chasing Eternity”)—consequently also sounding the most like Trials riffs except punctuated by anthemic choruses and Rush-y shuffles instead of snarled disgust.
Those same sing-a-long shouts and bellows pose both Black Sites’ biggest hooks and greatest challenges. Not resembling a histrionic powerhouse like Geoff Tate (Operation: Mindcrime, ex-Queensrÿche), as one might assume a vocalist would in throwback land, Sugar hovers in the realm of a tactical voice like Denis “Snake” Bélanger (Voivod) at his most melodic,2 with enough power—and layering—to find a balance between a chesty projection and nasally cut on the most aggressive tracks (“Dread Tomorrow,” “World on Fire,” “Many Turn to None”). Wielding a dramatic, but not cheesy, vibrato, Sugar can also find a gripping sense of pathos as the tempo crawls. But on the early pseudo-ballad “Gideon,” mournful and striking, he wears the role a touch too long before finding a chanting bridge to escalate the narrative. And while Sugar maintains an admirable diversity throughout the eleven-minute epic “Promised Land,” during its accelerations, his voice falls to the very limits of his clean abilities—mostly charming and effective, but also in need of a break-in period.
However, at The Promised Land’s front and center sits Sugar’s mighty strings, and new drummer Brandon White’s frenetic kitwork, elements that carry enough weight to smooth over many of the album’s bumps. Black Sites presents an experience stuffed to the brim with riffs,3 but a testament to good ol’ fashioned songwriting, each riff has a sneaky and smooth transition to follow. Finding a comfortable snare strut between shifting guitar tempos (“Descent”) and tom-pounding march about which delicate melodies dance (“Gideon,” “Promised Land”), White acts as metronomic glue for Sugar’s every while, making it hard to break away from any given moment. And likewise, well before any riff feels to have expired its play, Sugar will flurry a lead, a ringing chord, or simply a complementary progression to keep every song on a healthy stumble.
Never dull and only momentarily questionable, The Promised Land? begs repetition and gives plenty in return. Though the whole of Black Sites’ latest offering may not tickle my deepest listening fantasies—an unquestionable need for music that reaches so deftly into the past—it remains a valuable progression in the Black Sites discography for the chances it takes. Always a gifted songwriter, Sugar continues to settle into an emotional layer in this lane that’s as accessible as its musical backbone and has come a long way over Black Sites’ iterative run. And for those who already see it the Sugar way? Greatness is well within grasp.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: blacksites.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blacksites
Releases Worldwide: September 6th, 2024#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #BlackSites #Dio #FatesWarning #HeavyMetal #IndependentRelease #KingsX #ProgressiveMetal #Queensryche #Review #Reviews #Rush #SelfRelease #Sep24 #Testament #ThePromisedLand_ #Trials #Voivod
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Black Sites – The Promised Land? Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
Though not a household name, Mark Sugar and his projects Trials1 and Black Sites hold a special seat at casa AMG and Dolph alike—underground gems that would not have had the same presence without the right ears and voice. Over the past seven years, Black Sites has been the main vehicle for Sugar’s vision, an amalgamation of loved sounds that maintains a niche curb appeal despite its familiar face. Whether by the maligned chug of 90s groove thrash, the 80s snap of stadium torchers, or the melodic wail of distant radio memory that you can’t quite place, Black Sites has successively reinvigorated well-traveled musical routes. Yet, Sugar would never want to tread the same path twice. And though The Promised Land? wears a cover similar to its predecessor, Untrue, its verdant aesthetic paints a world in healing rather than in dread—in evolution?
Not progressive in the virtuosic showboat sense, The Promised Land? earns its artistic merit through its curated layers which stack influences on influences to reconstruct from the past a sound all its own—Black Sites ever the difficulty to pin to one genre. Leaning on the heavy metal riffcraft of legends like early Queensrÿche and Dio, Black Sites rips into easy gallops with fiery intros and breaks (“Dread Tomorrow,” “Many Turn to None”). And when in the atmosphere of slow builds and pedal textures, Black Sites finds chorus-shimmering contrasts (“Gideon”) and melodic breakaways from soft-toned transitions (“Promised Land”) in the same way you might catch in a modern Fates Warning album. All the while, though, Sugar finds a way back to the sounds of thick, thrashy licks through a calculated, lower-tuned harmony. As much 90s Testament in weight as they are King‘s X in their open, ringing connection (“Descent,” “Chasing Eternity”)—consequently also sounding the most like Trials riffs except punctuated by anthemic choruses and Rush-y shuffles instead of snarled disgust.
Those same sing-a-long shouts and bellows pose both Black Sites’ biggest hooks and greatest challenges. Not resembling a histrionic powerhouse like Geoff Tate (Operation: Mindcrime, ex-Queensrÿche), as one might assume a vocalist would in throwback land, Sugar hovers in the realm of a tactical voice like Denis “Snake” Bélanger (Voivod) at his most melodic,2 with enough power—and layering—to find a balance between a chesty projection and nasally cut on the most aggressive tracks (“Dread Tomorrow,” “World on Fire,” “Many Turn to None”). Wielding a dramatic, but not cheesy, vibrato, Sugar can also find a gripping sense of pathos as the tempo crawls. But on the early pseudo-ballad “Gideon,” mournful and striking, he wears the role a touch too long before finding a chanting bridge to escalate the narrative. And while Sugar maintains an admirable diversity throughout the eleven-minute epic “Promised Land,” during its accelerations, his voice falls to the very limits of his clean abilities—mostly charming and effective, but also in need of a break-in period.
However, at The Promised Land’s front and center sits Sugar’s mighty strings, and new drummer Brandon White’s frenetic kitwork, elements that carry enough weight to smooth over many of the album’s bumps. Black Sites presents an experience stuffed to the brim with riffs,3 but a testament to good ol’ fashioned songwriting, each riff has a sneaky and smooth transition to follow. Finding a comfortable snare strut between shifting guitar tempos (“Descent”) and tom-pounding march about which delicate melodies dance (“Gideon,” “Promised Land”), White acts as metronomic glue for Sugar’s every while, making it hard to break away from any given moment. And likewise, well before any riff feels to have expired its play, Sugar will flurry a lead, a ringing chord, or simply a complementary progression to keep every song on a healthy stumble.
Never dull and only momentarily questionable, The Promised Land? begs repetition and gives plenty in return. Though the whole of Black Sites’ latest offering may not tickle my deepest listening fantasies—an unquestionable need for music that reaches so deftly into the past—it remains a valuable progression in the Black Sites discography for the chances it takes. Always a gifted songwriter, Sugar continues to settle into an emotional layer in this lane that’s as accessible as its musical backbone and has come a long way over Black Sites’ iterative run. And for those who already see it the Sugar way? Greatness is well within grasp.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: blacksites.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blacksites
Releases Worldwide: September 6th, 2024#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #BlackSites #Dio #FatesWarning #HeavyMetal #IndependentRelease #KingsX #ProgressiveMetal #Queensryche #Review #Reviews #Rush #SelfRelease #Sep24 #Testament #ThePromisedLand_ #Trials #Voivod
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AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Brazen Tongue – Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned
By Dolphin Whisperer
“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”
What is distance but an imaginary barrier between creative minds. At least in our (over)connected modern times, proximity does not define whether minds of similar metal inclinations can interact as a band. Such is the story of Ethan Gifford and Scott Skopec (Headshrinker, ex-Polyptych), who both hustled many moons ago about Chicago with a band, Dycanis, that never quite made it beyond demo and gig grind. Gifford then moved to Sweden, and Skopec continued his musical pursuits until they too went dormant. But riffs find a way and Brazen Tongue is a result, the amalgamation of two minds who share ideas hat have tunes in the world of Gifford’s new Gothenburg home, as well as the rip and curl of American thrash (and whatever else crosses their fancy). Throughout Of Crackling Embers & Sorrows Drowned, you may hear the sullen growl of Rapture, the bright quirk of Old Man’s Child, the anthemic melting similar to an act like Black Sites. But most of all, you’ll hear the efforts of two friends who made it happen. Does it make it happen for our crack reviewing team, though? Of the opinions of cranky elitists and socialites dour, you will soon know. – Dolphin Whisperer
Brazen Tongue // Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned [June 7th, 2024]
Dr. A.N. Grier: It’s been a hot minute since I’ve contributed to a traditional Rodeö piece. So, I guess I’ll grab the debut record from international melodeath outfit Brazen Tongue. I mean, I like melodeath, so why not? Though it appears this band has been around since 2016, this year is the first time we’ve seen any output from this two-piece group. Perhaps they needed to hunt a bassist and drummer down to round out the release. I don’t know. Jumping right in, the back-to-back “The Weight of Self” and “Metaviral” kick-off Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned on a good note with some solid melodeath mood and riffage. The latter track, in particular, sees the band in its true light, delivering vocals that recall Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe and solid melodic moments on the back half. “Last Train from Myrdal” is one of the better tracks on the album as it delves deep into melodic territories, incorporating clean guitars and big, booming clean vocals. But, it avoids being one-dimensional with its alternating calmness and pissed-off attitude. What is one-dimensional is “Beneath the Broken Trees.” Only when the pace slows and the build begins does anything of value surface on the track. “The Recidivist” also suffers the same ailment, opening with an annoying introduction that finally gives way to a hard-hitting chug and powerful chorus mixed with clean and growling vocals. Unfortunately, the song has a tough time deciding when to end and drags on far too long for what it’s offering. But the closer, “The Maddening Symmetries,” is the most frustrating track on the album. Clocking in at over ten minutes, nothing sticks until we arrive at the seven-minute mark. After this point, the melodic feels hit, climbing high before ending in hopeless depression. There’s plenty to like on Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned, and there’s plenty of potential. The band’s debut isn’t perfect, but I’ll keep them on my “potential” list when their next release rolls around. 2.5/5.0
Gardenstale: Brazen Tongue is a bit weird. Much of Embers and Sorrows is so frantically kitchen-sink, I’m reminded primarily of The Offering with Insomniummy growls. That’s not necessarily a bad thing: I loved Home, and when Brazen Tongue hits, it hits with a similar spark of inspiration, as opening combo “The Weight of Self” and “Metaviral” can attest. The riffs are never quite what you expect, pressing the dynamic quality of the performers who excel at keeping you on the wrong foot. The problem for Brazen Tongue is not a lack of inspiration, but guiding it consistently into great form. The Zornheym-esque bass choirs are a cool addition, but they are used haphazardly. Emotive doom centerpiece “Last Train from Myrdal” gets more unpleasant as it goes on, adding repetition and draining the album of energy, culminating in an aggravating fire alarm riff and a sudden unceremonious end. The band tries to get things back on the rails, but the epic closer swerves through its bloated runtime without frame or direction. Brazen Tongue is full of great performances and interesting ideas, which are most effective on short, fast songs where the band can skip over the bumps, but the longer and slower tracks invariably spiral out of control or get mired in their own ideas. A songwriting class or two would do wonders. 2.5/5.0
Thus Spoke: When I hitched myself to Brazen Tongue, I’m not sure exactly what I expected; after all, according to another staff member, I “don’t even know what melodeath is.” Nonetheless, my vague anticipations were more or less on the money. Twin guitar, energetic riff clamberings, generally mid-tempo, upbeat-feeling charges, a barking sort of vocal approach. Sprinkles of melancholy in the refrains but only to precipitate a turn to more uplifting, or alternately more sinister spidery stop-starting (“The Recidivist”) or chugging. Plus, a slower, doomier track with layered, softly cascading guitars that you can immediately imagine playing over a crossfade-filled montage from a 90s movie (“Last Train from Myrdal”). If this sounds incredibly vague, and non-committal, it’s because that’s exactly how Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned comes across. Perfectly serviceable, with some great moments, but totally unmemorable. Across its duration, there are examples of brilliant, energetic axe work and righteous riffery (“Metaviral,” “Beneath the Broken Trees”), and at points, resonant feelings of pathos (yes, even in “Last Train,” which I initially despised). But there are no moments that break the surface of the soundscape’s quite monotone harmonic themes and compositional patterns. No point at which—regardless of how much sound and fury the band apparently exude (“Walking the Parapets,” “The Maddening Symmetries”)—the music elicits anything more than a “yeah, it’s cool I guess.” It’s a no from me. But what do I know about melodeath anyway? Disappointing.
Iceberg: Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned is clearly a passion project for Scott Kopec and Ethan Gifford, because logistically, producing the debut album for Brazen Tongue sounds like a complete nightmare. The main duo live seven time zones apart, all composition was done via cloud-sharing, and every instrument was tracked in its own session. This hasn’t dulled the band’s compositional abilities however; there is a glut of quality material on this album. A blend of blackened thrash and Gothenburg melodeath—with shadows of Lamb of God groove metal thrown in there—OCE&SD is an in-your-face drag racer of riffs that rarely lets off the gas. The highlight here is the creative combination of guitar riffs and leads with contrasting rhythmic underpinning; see the openings of “Walking the Parapets” and “The Recidivist.” Album standout—proper Gothenburg sadboi “Last Train From Myrdal”—shows the band knows how to blend punishing atmosphere with resplendent orchestrals, even if it runs a bit overlong. And that seems to be Brazen Tongue’s Achilles’ heel; most every song here desperately needs trimming, and the overuse of individual segments is a chronic issue. Ten-minute closer “The Maddening Symmetries” is brimming with varied, epic, blackened material, but wore this listener’s ears out well before its conclusion. One can’t help but wonder if the geographical separation of Brazen Tongue played a part in the fine-tuning issues, but I hope the band keeps at it and watches their margins more closely; the potential here is vast. 2.5/5.0
#2024 #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2024 #BlackSites #BrazenTongue #Headshrinker #IndependentRelease #Insomnium #Jun24 #LambOfGod #MelodicDeathMetal #OldManSChild #Rapture #SelfRelease #TheOffering #ThrashMetal #Zornheym
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AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Brazen Tongue – Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned
By Dolphin Whisperer
“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”
What is distance but an imaginary barrier between creative minds. At least in our (over)connected modern times, proximity does not define whether minds of similar metal inclinations can interact as a band. Such is the story of Ethan Gifford and Scott Skopec (Headshrinker, ex-Polyptych), who both hustled many moons ago about Chicago with a band, Dycanis, that never quite made it beyond demo and gig grind. Gifford then moved to Sweden, and Skopec continued his musical pursuits until they too went dormant. But riffs find a way and Brazen Tongue is a result, the amalgamation of two minds who share ideas hat have tunes in the world of Gifford’s new Gothenburg home, as well as the rip and curl of American thrash (and whatever else crosses their fancy). Throughout Of Crackling Embers & Sorrows Drowned, you may hear the sullen growl of Rapture, the bright quirk of Old Man’s Child, the anthemic melting similar to an act like Black Sites. But most of all, you’ll hear the efforts of two friends who made it happen. Does it make it happen for our crack reviewing team, though? Of the opinions of cranky elitists and socialites dour, you will soon know. – Dolphin Whisperer
Brazen Tongue // Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned [June 7th, 2024]
Dr. A.N. Grier: It’s been a hot minute since I’ve contributed to a traditional Rodeö piece. So, I guess I’ll grab the debut record from international melodeath outfit Brazen Tongue. I mean, I like melodeath, so why not? Though it appears this band has been around since 2016, this year is the first time we’ve seen any output from this two-piece group. Perhaps they needed to hunt a bassist and drummer down to round out the release. I don’t know. Jumping right in, the back-to-back “The Weight of Self” and “Metaviral” kick-off Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned on a good note with some solid melodeath mood and riffage. The latter track, in particular, sees the band in its true light, delivering vocals that recall Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe and solid melodic moments on the back half. “Last Train from Myrdal” is one of the better tracks on the album as it delves deep into melodic territories, incorporating clean guitars and big, booming clean vocals. But, it avoids being one-dimensional with its alternating calmness and pissed-off attitude. What is one-dimensional is “Beneath the Broken Trees.” Only when the pace slows and the build begins does anything of value surface on the track. “The Recidivist” also suffers the same ailment, opening with an annoying introduction that finally gives way to a hard-hitting chug and powerful chorus mixed with clean and growling vocals. Unfortunately, the song has a tough time deciding when to end and drags on far too long for what it’s offering. But the closer, “The Maddening Symmetries,” is the most frustrating track on the album. Clocking in at over ten minutes, nothing sticks until we arrive at the seven-minute mark. After this point, the melodic feels hit, climbing high before ending in hopeless depression. There’s plenty to like on Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned, and there’s plenty of potential. The band’s debut isn’t perfect, but I’ll keep them on my “potential” list when their next release rolls around. 2.5/5.0
Gardenstale: Brazen Tongue is a bit weird. Much of Embers and Sorrows is so frantically kitchen-sink, I’m reminded primarily of The Offering with Insomniummy growls. That’s not necessarily a bad thing: I loved Home, and when Brazen Tongue hits, it hits with a similar spark of inspiration, as opening combo “The Weight of Self” and “Metaviral” can attest. The riffs are never quite what you expect, pressing the dynamic quality of the performers who excel at keeping you on the wrong foot. The problem for Brazen Tongue is not a lack of inspiration, but guiding it consistently into great form. The Zornheym-esque bass choirs are a cool addition, but they are used haphazardly. Emotive doom centerpiece “Last Train from Myrdal” gets more unpleasant as it goes on, adding repetition and draining the album of energy, culminating in an aggravating fire alarm riff and a sudden unceremonious end. The band tries to get things back on the rails, but the epic closer swerves through its bloated runtime without frame or direction. Brazen Tongue is full of great performances and interesting ideas, which are most effective on short, fast songs where the band can skip over the bumps, but the longer and slower tracks invariably spiral out of control or get mired in their own ideas. A songwriting class or two would do wonders. 2.5/5.0
Thus Spoke: When I hitched myself to Brazen Tongue, I’m not sure exactly what I expected; after all, according to another staff member, I “don’t even know what melodeath is.” Nonetheless, my vague anticipations were more or less on the money. Twin guitar, energetic riff clamberings, generally mid-tempo, upbeat-feeling charges, a barking sort of vocal approach. Sprinkles of melancholy in the refrains but only to precipitate a turn to more uplifting, or alternately more sinister spidery stop-starting (“The Recidivist”) or chugging. Plus, a slower, doomier track with layered, softly cascading guitars that you can immediately imagine playing over a crossfade-filled montage from a 90s movie (“Last Train from Myrdal”). If this sounds incredibly vague, and non-committal, it’s because that’s exactly how Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned comes across. Perfectly serviceable, with some great moments, but totally unmemorable. Across its duration, there are examples of brilliant, energetic axe work and righteous riffery (“Metaviral,” “Beneath the Broken Trees”), and at points, resonant feelings of pathos (yes, even in “Last Train,” which I initially despised). But there are no moments that break the surface of the soundscape’s quite monotone harmonic themes and compositional patterns. No point at which—regardless of how much sound and fury the band apparently exude (“Walking the Parapets,” “The Maddening Symmetries”)—the music elicits anything more than a “yeah, it’s cool I guess.” It’s a no from me. But what do I know about melodeath anyway? Disappointing.
Iceberg: Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned is clearly a passion project for Scott Kopec and Ethan Gifford, because logistically, producing the debut album for Brazen Tongue sounds like a complete nightmare. The main duo live seven time zones apart, all composition was done via cloud-sharing, and every instrument was tracked in its own session. This hasn’t dulled the band’s compositional abilities however; there is a glut of quality material on this album. A blend of blackened thrash and Gothenburg melodeath—with shadows of Lamb of God groove metal thrown in there—OCE&SD is an in-your-face drag racer of riffs that rarely lets off the gas. The highlight here is the creative combination of guitar riffs and leads with contrasting rhythmic underpinning; see the openings of “Walking the Parapets” and “The Recidivist.” Album standout—proper Gothenburg sadboi “Last Train From Myrdal”—shows the band knows how to blend punishing atmosphere with resplendent orchestrals, even if it runs a bit overlong. And that seems to be Brazen Tongue’s Achilles’ heel; most every song here desperately needs trimming, and the overuse of individual segments is a chronic issue. Ten-minute closer “The Maddening Symmetries” is brimming with varied, epic, blackened material, but wore this listener’s ears out well before its conclusion. One can’t help but wonder if the geographical separation of Brazen Tongue played a part in the fine-tuning issues, but I hope the band keeps at it and watches their margins more closely; the potential here is vast. 2.5/5.0
#2024 #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2024 #BlackSites #BrazenTongue #Headshrinker #IndependentRelease #Insomnium #Jun24 #LambOfGod #MelodicDeathMetal #OldManSChild #Rapture #SelfRelease #TheOffering #ThrashMetal #Zornheym
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#Israel / What's happening in Sde Teiman detention camp?
Sde Teiman (sometimes "Sde Teman") is Israel's very own extrajudicial "black site," where Palestinians are detained and tortured. Most are released alive but traumatized, while some have undergone amputations due to lack of medical attention.
[translation]
I want to talk about something that is not discussed enough in Israel: the Palestinian prisoners being held in Sde Teman. This is a military prison facility where detainees from Gaza are brought, sometimes even elderly women. They are simply taken there, and they are held in conditions that are simply inhumane. Conditions of: tying their hands and feet behind their backs, covering their eyes, leaving them like that for 18 hours a day, not providing them medical treatment, not allowing the Red Cross or UN access to them, not allowing them a lawyer, not allowing them a fair trial. Some are released back to Gaza after a few months, without even being charged, without being told why they were held. Many of them reach a state where there is no medical treatment for their injuries, and their hands and feet are amputated. 35 of them have died in this facility, thirty-five since October. The testimonies coming out, from Israeli doctors as well as soldiers, reports published in the New York Times, #CNN, the Israeli newspaper #Haaretz - they are blood-curdling testimonies. And we must ask, does this bring us security? Does this help the Israeli captives being held in Gaza? Would we want our captives treated this way? Absolutely not.
via https://leftodon.social/@omdimbeyachad/112638294011857484
@israel
@palestine
#BlackSites #IsraelTorture #IsraelWarCrimes -
#Israel / What's happening in Sde Teiman detention camp?
Sde Teiman (sometimes "Sde Teman") is Israel's very own extrajudicial "black site," where Palestinians are detained and tortured. Most are released alive but traumatized, while some have undergone amputations due to lack of medical attention.
[translation]
I want to talk about something that is not discussed enough in Israel: the Palestinian prisoners being held in Sde Teman. This is a military prison facility where detainees from Gaza are brought, sometimes even elderly women. They are simply taken there, and they are held in conditions that are simply inhumane. Conditions of: tying their hands and feet behind their backs, covering their eyes, leaving them like that for 18 hours a day, not providing them medical treatment, not allowing the Red Cross or UN access to them, not allowing them a lawyer, not allowing them a fair trial. Some are released back to Gaza after a few months, without even being charged, without being told why they were held. Many of them reach a state where there is no medical treatment for their injuries, and their hands and feet are amputated. 35 of them have died in this facility, thirty-five since October. The testimonies coming out, from Israeli doctors as well as soldiers, reports published in the New York Times, #CNN, the Israeli newspaper #Haaretz - they are blood-curdling testimonies. And we must ask, does this bring us security? Does this help the Israeli captives being held in Gaza? Would we want our captives treated this way? Absolutely not.
via https://leftodon.social/@omdimbeyachad/112638294011857484
@israel
@palestine
#BlackSites #IsraelTorture #IsraelWarCrimes -
#Israel / What's happening in Sde Teiman detention camp?
Sde Teiman (sometimes "Sde Teman") is Israel's very own extrajudicial "black site," where Palestinians are detained and tortured. Most are released alive but traumatized, while some have undergone amputations due to lack of medical attention.
[translation]
I want to talk about something that is not discussed enough in Israel: the Palestinian prisoners being held in Sde Teman. This is a military prison facility where detainees from Gaza are brought, sometimes even elderly women. They are simply taken there, and they are held in conditions that are simply inhumane. Conditions of: tying their hands and feet behind their backs, covering their eyes, leaving them like that for 18 hours a day, not providing them medical treatment, not allowing the Red Cross or UN access to them, not allowing them a lawyer, not allowing them a fair trial. Some are released back to Gaza after a few months, without even being charged, without being told why they were held. Many of them reach a state where there is no medical treatment for their injuries, and their hands and feet are amputated. 35 of them have died in this facility, thirty-five since October. The testimonies coming out, from Israeli doctors as well as soldiers, reports published in the New York Times, #CNN, the Israeli newspaper #Haaretz - they are blood-curdling testimonies. And we must ask, does this bring us security? Does this help the Israeli captives being held in Gaza? Would we want our captives treated this way? Absolutely not.
via https://leftodon.social/@omdimbeyachad/112638294011857484
@israel
@palestine
#BlackSites #IsraelTorture #IsraelWarCrimes -
#Israel / What's happening in Sde Teiman detention camp?
Sde Teiman (sometimes "Sde Teman") is Israel's very own extrajudicial "black site," where Palestinians are detained and tortured. Most are released alive but traumatized, while some have undergone amputations due to lack of medical attention.
[translation]
I want to talk about something that is not discussed enough in Israel: the Palestinian prisoners being held in Sde Teman. This is a military prison facility where detainees from Gaza are brought, sometimes even elderly women. They are simply taken there, and they are held in conditions that are simply inhumane. Conditions of: tying their hands and feet behind their backs, covering their eyes, leaving them like that for 18 hours a day, not providing them medical treatment, not allowing the Red Cross or UN access to them, not allowing them a lawyer, not allowing them a fair trial. Some are released back to Gaza after a few months, without even being charged, without being told why they were held. Many of them reach a state where there is no medical treatment for their injuries, and their hands and feet are amputated. 35 of them have died in this facility, thirty-five since October. The testimonies coming out, from Israeli doctors as well as soldiers, reports published in the New York Times, #CNN, the Israeli newspaper #Haaretz - they are blood-curdling testimonies. And we must ask, does this bring us security? Does this help the Israeli captives being held in Gaza? Would we want our captives treated this way? Absolutely not.
via https://leftodon.social/@omdimbeyachad/112638294011857484
@israel
@palestine
#BlackSites #IsraelTorture #IsraelWarCrimes -
#Israel / What's happening in Sde Teiman detention camp?
Sde Teiman (sometimes "Sde Teman") is Israel's very own extrajudicial "black site," where Palestinians are detained and tortured. Most are released alive but traumatized, while some have undergone amputations due to lack of medical attention.
[translation]
I want to talk about something that is not discussed enough in Israel: the Palestinian prisoners being held in Sde Teman. This is a military prison facility where detainees from Gaza are brought, sometimes even elderly women. They are simply taken there, and they are held in conditions that are simply inhumane. Conditions of: tying their hands and feet behind their backs, covering their eyes, leaving them like that for 18 hours a day, not providing them medical treatment, not allowing the Red Cross or UN access to them, not allowing them a lawyer, not allowing them a fair trial. Some are released back to Gaza after a few months, without even being charged, without being told why they were held. Many of them reach a state where there is no medical treatment for their injuries, and their hands and feet are amputated. 35 of them have died in this facility, thirty-five since October. The testimonies coming out, from Israeli doctors as well as soldiers, reports published in the New York Times, #CNN, the Israeli newspaper #Haaretz - they are blood-curdling testimonies. And we must ask, does this bring us security? Does this help the Israeli captives being held in Gaza? Would we want our captives treated this way? Absolutely not.
via https://leftodon.social/@omdimbeyachad/112638294011857484
@israel
@palestine
#BlackSites #IsraelTorture #IsraelWarCrimes -
AMG Turns 15: Angry Metal Guy Himself Reflects on 15 Years of AngryMetalGuy.com
By Angry Metal Guy
In 2009, when I started AngryMetalGuy.com, I had absolutely no serious intentions for it. I had finished my senior year of university while abroad in Sweden, and I had met someone in the lovely city of Umeå.1 We had moved in together, but finding work was proving difficult given my degree in sociology and my lack of Swedish skills. And so, I had a lot of time on my hands and not a lot of money. Needless to say, access to new music was a matter of concern for me, because I couldn’t afford it. Domestically, the Swedish government was coming down hard on piracy—or trying to—and I got a bit spooked by the whole thing because I wasn’t even a permanent resident at the time.
Fortunately, I had a few things going for me. I had a rudimentary understanding of websites and web design because of the stuff I had done for my band (and others) in the early 2000s. I had a label contact at Napalm because of the work that I had done for Vintersorg. I had experience as a reviewer from years earlier, which was a pretty formative experience for me, and where I had cut my teeth on reviews with bands like Orphaned Land and Disillusion. I tended to write lengthy reviews and had a deep and abiding love of list-making. And, yes, being a young man, I had boatloads of unearned confidence.2
The most important of the things I had going for me, however, may have been that I had no more serious intentions for AngryMetalGuy.com than gaining access to the labels from whom I wanted to receive promotional materials. Some people might think that sounds bad, but I don’t think that this is something that should be taken as a negative. When I think back, I think it was key to the website’s success.3 This nonchalance gave me the freedom to quickly stop trying to imitate news websites like Blabbermouth. It gave me the latitude to write negative reviews without fear of losing advertising dollars. And it made it easier to do what I wanted; writing the occasional rant, doing the occasional interview, and writing long-form music reviews. While focusing on reviews was not a driver of traffic early on,4 I also had no desire to monetize AMG. And, in my estimation, it was that authenticity that attracted loyal readers and, eventually, loyal writers.
AngryMetalGuy.com became synonymous with authentic, high-quality reviews. The Angry branding, which had been rooted in a joke that had little to do with my actual personality at the time,5 seemed to grant me a certain bit of leeway for my initially naïve belief that the reviewing game was, in fact, about giving honest appraisals of music. And while such naïveté has cost us label access—here’s looking at you, Nuclear Blast—this helped to make AMG the website that it has become. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything, especially access. Additionally, as I added writers, worked hard to help people learn to write, and began thinking about music reviews as an editor, I began to refine my own style and a style that we teach to new writers. Over time—and with a metric ton of further education—I have become more like the writer that I had imagined myself to be when I started AMG.
My involvement in AngryMetalGuy.com has waned, to my frustration, and, of course, inevitably. The fact that my involvement is a bit of a punchline in recent years is funny like a tough guy nickname—you know, those guys who call you Simba because your uncle killed your dad or Univision because you’re blind in one eye—funny because it’s true, but also ouch. And this becomes clear when reading through the reflections of the staff; the newer a writer is, the less likely they are to mention my influence. And yet, as bittersweet as that is, I am so happy at the consistency—and consistently increasing quality—of the staff here over the years. We’ve been able to continually recruit impressive people and excellent writers whose tastes fill out the topography of the scene in ways that are necessary to keep AngryMetalGuy.com both relevant and diverse. And yet, we never skimp on quality. The group who writes here is deep and accomplished, and I am so proud that they represent AMG today.
Fifteen years later, here I still am. I’m still The Angry Metal Guy. I’ve wondered over the years, when I’ve been struggling with keeping up, why I’m unwilling to just let go of AMG. But it’s not a mystery. The reality is that AMG is me, and I am AMG. And yet, as you’ve seen over recent weeks, AMG isn’t just me. AMG is a community of writers and readers who have worked together to create the best reviewing site in the world. We have collectively given so much more to the scene than I could ever have imagined when I registered the website all those years ago. Of course, that’s due to the dedication of the staff, the editors, and my long-time partner in crime Steel Druhm.6 Our longevity and strength show that AMG will live on, because this site, this community, and all its readers—those who read every day and those who pass on through—get so much from it. And yet, there’s so much more to give.
Here’s to another 15 years!
AMG Gave to Me …
The thing that AMG has given to me that I doubt that I would have found my way to on my own has been unsigned bands. As a supporter of the scene and musician, I would like to believe that I would have been supportive of local bands, even if I weren’t involved here. Yet, the access to things I wouldn’t have heard—and the ability to raise them for others to hear and love them as I do—is something I wouldn’t have had without AMG. In recent years, I have taken all the more comfort in independent bands. While I am a believer in the importance—necessity, even—of labels for bands to have sustained success in the world of metal, the quality of independent releases has been very high during the last decade. And even when labels are passing on things that won’t sell, there’s still a wealth of great releases that have landed on my plate and my life is better for it.
Wilderun // Veil of Imagination [2019-11-19 | Self-release] — The most obvious example of this is Wilderun. While they ended up signed to Century Media eventually, their sophomore and junior releases were both independent and they were both excellent records, which demonstrated the kinds of chops that unsigned bands shouldn’t be expected to have. These records both made my life so much richer at times when I didn’t always feel like the metal scene, as represented in my promo inbox, was cutting it for me. And while my love for Wilderun has also become a punchline, the reality is that I am not ashamed of going to bat so hard for a band that I truly love.
Aeternam // Al Qassam [2020-03-27 | Self-release] — Like Wilderun, Aeternam has become a mainstay in my rotation. Unlike Wilderun, my initial exposure to them was their debut album, which had been optioned by Metal Blade, but the band was dropped following its release. While the band’s earliest material is not as strong as their later releases,7 it’s been fun to watch Aeternam develop through the years to become one of the best orchestral and melodic death bands active today. Their composition is fantastic and their records sound great. And Al Qassam also happened to be Record o’ the Month when we started with the new layout, so it also holds that special place in my heart. I’m happy to stan these guys for years to come.
Trials // This Ruined World [2015-07-24 | Self-release] — The first time I became aware of the Angry Metal Bump™ was when I was told by then-colleague Mark Sugar (AKA Dr. Fisting) that we had pushed Trials from the red into the black because of our coverage of This Ruined World. And, while I am a genuine fan of Black Sites, Sugar’s follow-up to his late-modern thrash attack known as Trials, This Ruined World holds such a special place in my heart. The album is raw and it’s weird, and endlessly hooky. It has a trashy production that’s charming as hell and which gives it a unique sound. But it wasn’t just the production that was charming. Sugar and guitarist Ryan Bruchert tag-teamed the solos throughout the album, naming them things like “Gremlins II” and “Tango and Thrash,” and these are some real highlights; creative, fun, and super memorable. There’s a vitality to Trials’ final record that, nearly 10 years on, makes it my favorite modern thrash record by a country mile.
The foregoing three albums are hardly alone. Absolutely killer bands, like Xoth, Lör, Dreamgrave, Dialith, and Carnosus, enriched my life before they signed record deals. And I would almost certainly never have heard of them without the promo bin at AMG or the other writers who are constantly delving into the depths to cover the very best that the scene has to offer—no matter where it’s from. And, on that note, there is so much music that I never would have discovered if not for the other writers. Part of the reason for expanding AngryMetalGuy.com over the years has been that we can’t keep up with all the promotional materials we receive. I just don’t have the ears or the time to listen to, never mind write about, everything I want or need to—now more than ever. But I frequently receive messages from the Angry Metal Persons telling me what to check out, and we have a community of commenters who are keeping us up to date with the things that even we miss. That is a great privilege that AMG has given me.
I Wish I Had Written …
There are two key answers to this one. First, I wish that I had written more. During recent years, I have been too far away from AMG as an entity and as a person. I reflect often upon the fact that I don’t have relationships with newer writers and readers that are similar to the ones I had in the past. That sucks. So, when I think about what I wish I had written, it’s hard not to answer: everything. I wish I had been the one to cover a critical mass of records and bands that I just haven’t had the time or the energy to cover. Not because we didn’t do it well, but because it would have been nice to be able to do it myself.8
More concretely, though, The Ocean Collective’s brilliant Pelagial. Noctus was a guy who wrote for us and who had taste I didn’t find that agreeable. He loved long, slow, and simplistic albums about which he could write long, slow, and baroque reviews. But it was good to have a countervailing opinion and diversity in the camp at the time, and we may very well not have covered Pelagial if he hadn’t snapped it up. This album stands as one of the testaments to the strength of iconic composition in the history of AMG. The fact that Pelagial hits so hard not once, but twice, because both versions of it—bevocalized and unbevocalized—are killer, makes it one of the best things I own to this day. And that’s without mentioning that the art is gorgeous and the packaging was next level. I wish I had been able to afford the vinyl they released at the time because it was truly a special boxed set. Pelagial got a 4.0 at the time. By the end of the year, I would have given it a 4.5. Today, I think it’s an unquestionable 5.0.
I Wish I Could Do Over …
If I could do it all again, I would get rid of scores.
I’m not sure how I would replace them. Either I would switch to a thumbs up/thumbs down kind of system, so that the lazy among us could still look at the thumb and decide what to read,9 or I would just get rid of them altogether. I see scores as a disservice to bands and fans alike. Scores are fundamentally subjective and yet promise objectivity. But, of course, it’s impossible to quantify something that doesn’t have quantifiable aspects and one’s impressions of music are often contextualized by one’s life context in ways that make scores variable for the person giving them over time. Yet, scoring implies that there should be intersubjectivity between reviewers and even review websites, but we all know that a M*tal T*mple 10/10 is an AMG 3.0/5.0. And sure, that 5.0 moment is great for bands.10 But every 3.0 that one writes where one is saying “Yeah, I like this! Check it out!” is interpreted by readers and bands alike as “This is fucking trash, throw it on the fire!” That’s a waste. Would AMG be the same without scores? I don’t know. Maybe Druhm would never have reached out to me to work at a place without them. Maybe the labels wouldn’t have taken me as seriously. What’s done is done. But the more I think about review scores, the dumber I think they are.
In terms of things I’ve written, I feel like I have few regrets. That said, having excised that stupid fucking Linkin Park apologetics post was one of the best moments of my life, and that thing should never have been written to begin with. Linkin Park sucks. Nostalgia is not quality; it’s nostalgia. I nostalgia early Biohazard records, but it doesn’t mean that they were good. We’ve reached the time when we’re getting a lot of “nü metal was good actually” nostalgia takes because people listened to it, and it was a gateway into better music. You don’t have to apologize for having listened to it—there are no guilty pleasures, and there are bands like System of a Down and other bands that have now been labeled ‘alternative metal’ that I think offered something different and fun—but neither do I need to accept the corporate board approved, major-label-A&R-guy-connected, darlings of MTV2 as having made a valuable contribution to the metal scene as covered by AngryMetalGuy.com. Because it didn’t.
I Wish More People Had Read …
I have wrestled with this question and I don’t have a great answer. I guess what I wish is that bigger labels would understand the nature and value of Angry Metal Guy. And so, I wish more industry people had read what is always my most popular post of the year: The End o’ Year List. In these, I discuss the growing nature of our reach, our stats, and how the things we review gain traction. I wish that these people understood the power of our staff and of you, the reader. The fact that you read so diligently and that you show up when we endorse stuff—and even when we don’t, often to tell us that we should have—is what makes this place so special. And yet, it seems like labels and PR firms have yet to truly take stock of this because we don’t play the same kind of commercial game that ‘proper’ magazines do.
Maybe it’s a question of math. As Friend o’ the Blog Matt Bacon has said, a PR company that gets you into Decibel isn’t always doing you a favor if you’re the smallest band there, because you’re competing with Iron Maiden and shitty nü metal retrospectives. Whereas, Angry Metal Guy readers and writers are operating at a different level of the scene and, as Matt has said, even our negative reviews are positives in terms of streams and purchases for bands.
And yet, it’s hard to believe that at 15 years, I still have to call out Nuclear Blast for treating us like we’re on Blogspot. I wrote a rant in 2012 called “On Things That Make Being Angry Metal Guy Hard” and I remember a PR intern at a Metal Major Label saying to me, basically, “Hey, I saw your post and I am pointedly not mentioning it to my bosses.” As streaming has proliferated, even the idea of getting individual promos for new albums has started to dwindle. There’s this idea that the compensation of free 320 kb/s mp3s of the thing we’re reviewing—and thus promoting—is too much to ask. In so many ways, the things I wrote then—which, I must admit, were very angry—are worse now than it was. Labels embargo us, in spite of our reach and quality, and they farm out work to others without concern for how it affects reviewers to be dealing with a new PR firm every six months. And then they can’t even bother to give us Yum Codes or higher quality downloads in good time for review.
I wish people would read the summaries of our statistics and sympathize a bit more with the plight of the independent reviewer. There’s no reason why we should have anything other than pretty much full access to the industry, given both our quality and reach, and your dedication to making us look awesome.
What I Wish for the Future of Angry Metal Guy …
A lot more Angry Metal Guy, in all senses.
#2024 #Aeternam #AMGTurns15 #BlackSites #BlogPost #BlogPosts #Carnosus #Dialith #Lör #TheOcean #Trials #Wilderun #Xoth
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AMG Turns 15: Angry Metal Guy Himself Reflects on 15 Years of AngryMetalGuy.com
By Angry Metal Guy
In 2009, when I started AngryMetalGuy.com, I had absolutely no serious intentions for it. I had finished my senior year of university while abroad in Sweden, and I had met someone in the lovely city of Umeå.1 We had moved in together, but finding work was proving difficult given my degree in sociology and my lack of Swedish skills. And so, I had a lot of time on my hands and not a lot of money. Needless to say, access to new music was a matter of concern for me, because I couldn’t afford it. Domestically, the Swedish government was coming down hard on piracy—or trying to—and I got a bit spooked by the whole thing because I wasn’t even a permanent resident at the time.
Fortunately, I had a few things going for me. I had a rudimentary understanding of websites and web design because of the stuff I had done for my band (and others) in the early 2000s. I had a label contact at Napalm because of the work that I had done for Vintersorg. I had experience as a reviewer from years earlier, which was a pretty formative experience for me, and where I had cut my teeth on reviews with bands like Orphaned Land and Disillusion. I tended to write lengthy reviews and had a deep and abiding love of list-making. And, yes, being a young man, I had boatloads of unearned confidence.2
The most important of the things I had going for me, however, may have been that I had no more serious intentions for AngryMetalGuy.com than gaining access to the labels from whom I wanted to receive promotional materials. Some people might think that sounds bad, but I don’t think that this is something that should be taken as a negative. When I think back, I think it was key to the website’s success.3 This nonchalance gave me the freedom to quickly stop trying to imitate news websites like Blabbermouth. It gave me the latitude to write negative reviews without fear of losing advertising dollars. And it made it easier to do what I wanted; writing the occasional rant, doing the occasional interview, and writing long-form music reviews. While focusing on reviews was not a driver of traffic early on,4 I also had no desire to monetize AMG. And, in my estimation, it was that authenticity that attracted loyal readers and, eventually, loyal writers.
AngryMetalGuy.com became synonymous with authentic, high-quality reviews. The Angry branding, which had been rooted in a joke that had little to do with my actual personality at the time,5 seemed to grant me a certain bit of leeway for my initially naïve belief that the reviewing game was, in fact, about giving honest appraisals of music. And while such naïveté has cost us label access—here’s looking at you, Nuclear Blast—this helped to make AMG the website that it has become. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything, especially access. Additionally, as I added writers, worked hard to help people learn to write, and began thinking about music reviews as an editor, I began to refine my own style and a style that we teach to new writers. Over time—and with a metric ton of further education—I have become more like the writer that I had imagined myself to be when I started AMG.
My involvement in AngryMetalGuy.com has waned, to my frustration, and, of course, inevitably. The fact that my involvement is a bit of a punchline in recent years is funny like a tough guy nickname—you know, those guys who call you Simba because your uncle killed your dad or Univision because you’re blind in one eye—funny because it’s true, but also ouch. And this becomes clear when reading through the reflections of the staff; the newer a writer is, the less likely they are to mention my influence. And yet, as bittersweet as that is, I am so happy at the consistency—and consistently increasing quality—of the staff here over the years. We’ve been able to continually recruit impressive people and excellent writers whose tastes fill out the topography of the scene in ways that are necessary to keep AngryMetalGuy.com both relevant and diverse. And yet, we never skimp on quality. The group who writes here is deep and accomplished, and I am so proud that they represent AMG today.
Fifteen years later, here I still am. I’m still The Angry Metal Guy. I’ve wondered over the years, when I’ve been struggling with keeping up, why I’m unwilling to just let go of AMG. But it’s not a mystery. The reality is that AMG is me, and I am AMG. And yet, as you’ve seen over recent weeks, AMG isn’t just me. AMG is a community of writers and readers who have worked together to create the best reviewing site in the world. We have collectively given so much more to the scene than I could ever have imagined when I registered the website all those years ago. Of course, that’s due to the dedication of the staff, the editors, and my long-time partner in crime Steel Druhm.6 Our longevity and strength show that AMG will live on, because this site, this community, and all its readers—those who read every day and those who pass on through—get so much from it. And yet, there’s so much more to give.
Here’s to another 15 years!
AMG Gave to Me …
The thing that AMG has given to me that I doubt that I would have found my way to on my own has been unsigned bands. As a supporter of the scene and musician, I would like to believe that I would have been supportive of local bands, even if I weren’t involved here. Yet, the access to things I wouldn’t have heard—and the ability to raise them for others to hear and love them as I do—is something I wouldn’t have had without AMG. In recent years, I have taken all the more comfort in independent bands. While I am a believer in the importance—necessity, even—of labels for bands to have sustained success in the world of metal, the quality of independent releases has been very high during the last decade. And even when labels are passing on things that won’t sell, there’s still a wealth of great releases that have landed on my plate and my life is better for it.
Wilderun // Veil of Imagination [2019-11-19 | Self-release] — The most obvious example of this is Wilderun. While they ended up signed to Century Media eventually, their sophomore and junior releases were both independent and they were both excellent records, which demonstrated the kinds of chops that unsigned bands shouldn’t be expected to have. These records both made my life so much richer at times when I didn’t always feel like the metal scene, as represented in my promo inbox, was cutting it for me. And while my love for Wilderun has also become a punchline, the reality is that I am not ashamed of going to bat so hard for a band that I truly love.
Aeternam // Al Qassam [2020-03-27 | Self-release] — Like Wilderun, Aeternam has become a mainstay in my rotation. Unlike Wilderun, my initial exposure to them was their debut album, which had been optioned by Metal Blade, but the band was dropped following its release. While the band’s earliest material is not as strong as their later releases,7 it’s been fun to watch Aeternam develop through the years to become one of the best orchestral and melodic death bands active today. Their composition is fantastic and their records sound great. And Al Qassam also happened to be Record o’ the Month when we started with the new layout, so it also holds that special place in my heart. I’m happy to stan these guys for years to come.
Trials // This Ruined World [2015-07-24 | Self-release] — The first time I became aware of the Angry Metal Bump™ was when I was told by then-colleague Mark Sugar (AKA Dr. Fisting) that we had pushed Trials from the red into the black because of our coverage of This Ruined World. And, while I am a genuine fan of Black Sites, Sugar’s follow-up to his late-modern thrash attack known as Trials, This Ruined World holds such a special place in my heart. The album is raw and it’s weird, and endlessly hooky. It has a trashy production that’s charming as hell and which gives it a unique sound. But it wasn’t just the production that was charming. Sugar and guitarist Ryan Bruchert tag-teamed the solos throughout the album, naming them things like “Gremlins II” and “Tango and Thrash,” and these are some real highlights; creative, fun, and super memorable. There’s a vitality to Trials’ final record that, nearly 10 years on, makes it my favorite modern thrash record by a country mile.
The foregoing three albums are hardly alone. Absolutely killer bands, like Xoth, Lör, Dreamgrave, Dialith, and Carnosus, enriched my life before they signed record deals. And I would almost certainly never have heard of them without the promo bin at AMG or the other writers who are constantly delving into the depths to cover the very best that the scene has to offer—no matter where it’s from. And, on that note, there is so much music that I never would have discovered if not for the other writers. Part of the reason for expanding AngryMetalGuy.com over the years has been that we can’t keep up with all the promotional materials we receive. I just don’t have the ears or the time to listen to, never mind write about, everything I want or need to—now more than ever. But I frequently receive messages from the Angry Metal Persons telling me what to check out, and we have a community of commenters who are keeping us up to date with the things that even we miss. That is a great privilege that AMG has given me.
I Wish I Had Written …
There are two key answers to this one. First, I wish that I had written more. During recent years, I have been too far away from AMG as an entity and as a person. I reflect often upon the fact that I don’t have relationships with newer writers and readers that are similar to the ones I had in the past. That sucks. So, when I think about what I wish I had written, it’s hard not to answer: everything. I wish I had been the one to cover a critical mass of records and bands that I just haven’t had the time or the energy to cover. Not because we didn’t do it well, but because it would have been nice to be able to do it myself.8
More concretely, though, The Ocean Collective’s brilliant Pelagial. Noctus was a guy who wrote for us and who had taste I didn’t find that agreeable. He loved long, slow, and simplistic albums about which he could write long, slow, and baroque reviews. But it was good to have a countervailing opinion and diversity in the camp at the time, and we may very well not have covered Pelagial if he hadn’t snapped it up. This album stands as one of the testaments to the strength of iconic composition in the history of AMG. The fact that Pelagial hits so hard not once, but twice, because both versions of it—bevocalized and unbevocalized—are killer, makes it one of the best things I own to this day. And that’s without mentioning that the art is gorgeous and the packaging was next level. I wish I had been able to afford the vinyl they released at the time because it was truly a special boxed set. Pelagial got a 4.0 at the time. By the end of the year, I would have given it a 4.5. Today, I think it’s an unquestionable 5.0.
I Wish I Could Do Over …
If I could do it all again, I would get rid of scores.
I’m not sure how I would replace them. Either I would switch to a thumbs up/thumbs down kind of system, so that the lazy among us could still look at the thumb and decide what to read,9 or I would just get rid of them altogether. I see scores as a disservice to bands and fans alike. Scores are fundamentally subjective and yet promise objectivity. But, of course, it’s impossible to quantify something that doesn’t have quantifiable aspects and one’s impressions of music are often contextualized by one’s life context in ways that make scores variable for the person giving them over time. Yet, scoring implies that there should be intersubjectivity between reviewers and even review websites, but we all know that a M*tal T*mple 10/10 is an AMG 3.0/5.0. And sure, that 5.0 moment is great for bands.10 But every 3.0 that one writes where one is saying “Yeah, I like this! Check it out!” is interpreted by readers and bands alike as “This is fucking trash, throw it on the fire!” That’s a waste. Would AMG be the same without scores? I don’t know. Maybe Druhm would never have reached out to me to work at a place without them. Maybe the labels wouldn’t have taken me as seriously. What’s done is done. But the more I think about review scores, the dumber I think they are.
In terms of things I’ve written, I feel like I have few regrets. That said, having excised that stupid fucking Linkin Park apologetics post was one of the best moments of my life, and that thing should never have been written to begin with. Linkin Park sucks. Nostalgia is not quality; it’s nostalgia. I nostalgia early Biohazard records, but it doesn’t mean that they were good. We’ve reached the time when we’re getting a lot of “nü metal was good actually” nostalgia takes because people listened to it, and it was a gateway into better music. You don’t have to apologize for having listened to it—there are no guilty pleasures, and there are bands like System of a Down and other bands that have now been labeled ‘alternative metal’ that I think offered something different and fun—but neither do I need to accept the corporate board approved, major-label-A&R-guy-connected, darlings of MTV2 as having made a valuable contribution to the metal scene as covered by AngryMetalGuy.com. Because it didn’t.
I Wish More People Had Read …
I have wrestled with this question and I don’t have a great answer. I guess what I wish is that bigger labels would understand the nature and value of Angry Metal Guy. And so, I wish more industry people had read what is always my most popular post of the year: The End o’ Year List. In these, I discuss the growing nature of our reach, our stats, and how the things we review gain traction. I wish that these people understood the power of our staff and of you, the reader. The fact that you read so diligently and that you show up when we endorse stuff—and even when we don’t, often to tell us that we should have—is what makes this place so special. And yet, it seems like labels and PR firms have yet to truly take stock of this because we don’t play the same kind of commercial game that ‘proper’ magazines do.
Maybe it’s a question of math. As Friend o’ the Blog Matt Bacon has said, a PR company that gets you into Decibel isn’t always doing you a favor if you’re the smallest band there, because you’re competing with Iron Maiden and shitty nü metal retrospectives. Whereas, Angry Metal Guy readers and writers are operating at a different level of the scene and, as Matt has said, even our negative reviews are positives in terms of streams and purchases for bands.
And yet, it’s hard to believe that at 15 years, I still have to call out Nuclear Blast for treating us like we’re on Blogspot. I wrote a rant in 2012 called “On Things That Make Being Angry Metal Guy Hard” and I remember a PR intern at a Metal Major Label saying to me, basically, “Hey, I saw your post and I am pointedly not mentioning it to my bosses.” As streaming has proliferated, even the idea of getting individual promos for new albums has started to dwindle. There’s this idea that the compensation of free 320 kb/s mp3s of the thing we’re reviewing—and thus promoting—is too much to ask. In so many ways, the things I wrote then—which, I must admit, were very angry—are worse now than it was. Labels embargo us, in spite of our reach and quality, and they farm out work to others without concern for how it affects reviewers to be dealing with a new PR firm every six months. And then they can’t even bother to give us Yum Codes or higher quality downloads in good time for review.
I wish people would read the summaries of our statistics and sympathize a bit more with the plight of the independent reviewer. There’s no reason why we should have anything other than pretty much full access to the industry, given both our quality and reach, and your dedication to making us look awesome.
What I Wish for the Future of Angry Metal Guy …
A lot more Angry Metal Guy, in all senses.
#2024 #Aeternam #AMGTurns15 #BlackSites #BlogPost #BlogPosts #Carnosus #Dialith #Lör #TheOcean #Trials #Wilderun #Xoth
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Dear Frank-Walter!
Are you fuckin' stupid? What's wrong with you?
I know what you know about that black sites!
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Dear Frank-Walter!
Are you fuckin' stupid? What's wrong with you?
I know what you know about that black sites!
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Ich warte immer noch auf eine offizielle Entschuldigung im Fall Murat Kurnaz, Herr Steinmeier!
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Ich warte immer noch auf eine offizielle Entschuldigung im Fall Murat Kurnaz, Herr Steinmeier!
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Ich warte immer noch auf eine offizielle Entschuldigung im Fall Murat Kurnaz, Herr Steinmeier!
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Her support for the #intelligence community made especially explosive the investigation she led into the “#EnhancedInterrogation techniques” employed by the #CIA against #terrorism suspects after the #Sept11, 2001, attacks. #Obama ended the program shortly after succeeding George W. #Bush in the White House.
Deeply disturbed by testimony to the committee about secret CIA prisons known as “#BlackSites,” #Feinstein called for the investigation shortly after taking the chairmanship. -
Her support for the #intelligence community made especially explosive the investigation she led into the “#EnhancedInterrogation techniques” employed by the #CIA against #terrorism suspects after the #Sept11, 2001, attacks. #Obama ended the program shortly after succeeding George W. #Bush in the White House.
Deeply disturbed by testimony to the committee about secret CIA prisons known as “#BlackSites,” #Feinstein called for the investigation shortly after taking the chairmanship. -
Her support for the #intelligence community made especially explosive the investigation she led into the “#EnhancedInterrogation techniques” employed by the #CIA against #terrorism suspects after the #Sept11, 2001, attacks. #Obama ended the program shortly after succeeding George W. #Bush in the White House.
Deeply disturbed by testimony to the committee about secret CIA prisons known as “#BlackSites,” #Feinstein called for the investigation shortly after taking the chairmanship. -
Her support for the #intelligence community made especially explosive the investigation she led into the “#EnhancedInterrogation techniques” employed by the #CIA against #terrorism suspects after the #Sept11, 2001, attacks. #Obama ended the program shortly after succeeding George W. #Bush in the White House.
Deeply disturbed by testimony to the committee about secret CIA prisons known as “#BlackSites,” #Feinstein called for the investigation shortly after taking the chairmanship. -
Her support for the #intelligence community made especially explosive the investigation she led into the “#EnhancedInterrogation techniques” employed by the #CIA against #terrorism suspects after the #Sept11, 2001, attacks. #Obama ended the program shortly after succeeding George W. #Bush in the White House.
Deeply disturbed by testimony to the committee about secret CIA prisons known as “#BlackSites,” #Feinstein called for the investigation shortly after taking the chairmanship.