#reviews — Public Fediverse posts

‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ Review: Wholesome, Harmless Family Movie Aims to Give Enid Blyton the Paddington Treatment
#Variety #News #Reviews #AndrewGarfield #BenGregor #ClaireFoy #NicolaCoughlan #RebeccaFerguson #SimonFarnaby #TheMagicFarawayTree

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/the-magic-faraway-tree-review-1236840728/

Lord, bless this cess! Out of left field, from the old laundry-detergent sump behind the abandoned meatpacking emporium, come the horrible sounds of Finland’s Azatoth. Lurking around the worst corners of the Finnish death scene since 2020, Azatoth finally unleashes their full-length debut on a not-so-innocent world. With a team of well-traveled vets involved, what does Carnal Lust of Blasphemy offer a death metal fan besides the most cut-and-paste title possible? In short, it serves up a nasty bit of retro, caveman death and grind with distasteful blacked edges. Moreover, it gives nothing back to the academic community and provides no public service of any kind. It’s disgusting, repellent shit with reeking bits of Autopsy, Morbid Angel, and Undergang clinging to the unwashed carcASS of their musical abomination. Are you ready to disimpact? Here it comes!

Opener “Flooding Human Remains” is everything one could want from an excessive serving of greasy death biscuits. The speed is unsafe, the vocals belch from the deepest depths of the human pus center, and the drumming is berserk enough to shake your fillings out. In other words, it’s a fucking glorious rip-ride as it stumbles from early 90s death into grind and back again. The vocals are so damn moist and viscous, you can feel yourself slipping on them as you try to comprehend the insane guitar pyrotechnics destabilizing your brain. Oh, and there are whammy dives! “Veins of Rotten Blood” is more of the same unhealthy ear abuse with the right blend of aggression, insanity, and unpleasantness. The vocals are almost comical in their over-the-topitude, and goddamn, those riffs and solos are labyrinthine but so hooky, festooned with jagged pinch harmonics. Yeah, this shit is pinchy.

The first 18 minutes of Carnal Lust of Blasphemy offer some of the best death metal I’ve heard in a while, and I want 5 hours of the same shitfun. “Abomination of the Underworld” lurches from face-blasting aggression to doomy digressions, and even teases with vague hints of Death right as they begin transitioning from caveman to prog circa Human. For bonus points, they toss in some classy James Murphy-esque solos, and they hit the nostalgia nerve hard. There are some minor stumbles along the blasphemy path, however. “Sulfuric Paths to Agony” is a meaty hot pocket of death excess interwoven with doomy and ritualistic bits. It’s good but doesn’t hit as hard as the early numbers, and at 6 minutes it feels like it overstays its welcome. That leads right into a short moody interlude, and the combination of the two tracks tends to bog the album down a notch or two. Luckily, “Blasphemous Flesh” is a sick beast bent on regaining the momentum. It sounds like the bastard spawn of a sleazy hookup between Incantation and Morbid Angel after it was raised by honey badgers and meth heads till the age of 20. This is the shit I love, and boy howdy do they bring it good and hard. Also… whammy dives! The back third of the album is all killer and no filler, leaving you bruised, contused, and utterly amused. At a tight 39 minutes, there isn’t much fat on this rotten sack o’ guts. The production suits the material with a shock-and-awe sound that leaves room for slime and cave moss.

The vocals by Nuclear Lucifer are over-indulgent and grotesque. You can almost feel the throat coatings hit you in the face, and something in there is way more liquid than it should be. The croaking, grunting, and vomiting are all first-rate and convincing. The real stars of the show, though, are Chainsaw Gamache and Bogman Levo, who tear your entire skinsuit off with insane fretboard molestation. These boys can shred more than flesh, and at times their solos are jaw-droppingly insane. I hesitate to say they hit neo-classical levels, but they get close before returning to their murder riffs and brainsaw leads that slither and bite. I would be remiss not to mention the crazed drum performance by Godvomit Hämäläinen.1 The man has 6 arms, or else it’s all studio trickery. Either way, it’s a vulgar display of meat shower.

Azatoth may be an unknown name in death circles, but an album like Carnal Lust of Blasphemy is how one gets noticed fast. This is high-grade death metal with bells and whistles that never detract from the caveman and the cavern lifestyle. It’s short, nasty, and brutish, and that’s exactly what I need. Don’t let this one fly under your metal detector, people. This is the womit pile you want to fall in.2

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Extremely Rotten Productions
Websites: azatoth-fin.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/azatothband | instagram.com/azatothdm
Releases Worldwide: Augst 21st, 2026

Saily Ultra eSIM Premum Plan Review: Packed With Perks

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/saily-ultra-esim/

Game Two daddelt mal wieder auf YouTube:

Mortal Shell 2, Wolverine & Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave | ⛳ CHECKPOINT #18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGIqmJ44wyU

#GameTwo #RocketBeans #RBTV #RocketBeansTv #gaming #review #preview #reviews #mortalshell2 #fireemblem #fortunesweave #wolverine #nintendo #xbox #playstation #mortalshell

‘Everything That’s Wrong With You’ Review: A Luminous Two-Hander from Slovenia About Online Pals Navigating the Waters of IRL Friendship
#Variety #Reviews #EverythingThat039sWrongWithYou #SarajevoFilmFestival #UrsaMenart

https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/everything-thats-wrong-with-you-review-1236840724/

Reviewing Café La Lush, an Ashdod restaurant serving ‘very good’ food https://www.diningandcooking.com/restaurants/14143/ #Ashdod #Food #FoodReview #IsraeliFood #Restaurant #Restaurants #reviews

‘Spa Weekend’ Review: Leslie Mann and Isla Fisher in a High-Concept Comedy Without the Comic Highs
#Variety #Reviews #AnnaFaris #IslaFisher #LeslieMann #MichelleButeau #SpaWeekend

https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/spa-weekend-review-leslie-mann-anna-faris-1236840170/

New blog post: "Z.A.T.O. // I Love The World And Everything In It"

https://wolfgirl.dev/blog/2026-08-21-z-a-t-o-i-love-the-world-and-everything-in-it/

#reviews #vn

Thoughts on Servant of the Lake, the latest Rusty Lake game; and the HIdden Town series, which is basically a Rusty Lake knock-off but I have no problem with that.

https://blog.zarfhome.com/2026/08/rusty-lake-and-hidden-town

#Reviews

Big Walk hot take: This is FRIENDSHIP
Big Walk is a joyful, wonderful friend experience.
https://www.sidequesting.com/2026/08/big-walk-hot-take-this-is-friendship/
#HotTake #Reviews #BigWalk #friendshop #HOTTAKE #HouseHouse #Review

Wild Blue Skies review: Stormy skies
Wild Blue Skies tries its best to capture what makes Star Fox so great, but doesn't connect in the same way.
https://www.sidequesting.com/2026/08/wild-blue-skies-review-stormy-skies/
#IndieZone #Reviews #BalorGames #ChuhaiLabs #indie #IndieZone #Review #WildBlueSkies

The Austin Weekend Beat

https://musicwayatx.com/2026/08/21/the-austin-weekend-beat/

Big Bad IV Review: In FIGHT AGAINST EVIL 3, Xie Miao Battles Traffickers While On Holiday In Yang Bingjia’s Rousing Cop Adventure https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/fight-against-evil-3-big-bad-film-fest-2026-movie-review/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #FestivalsAndEvents #Reviews #bigbadfilmfest2026

Kodak Ektapan 100 Is a Smooth, Sharp, and Beautifully Detailed Film https://petapixel.com/2026/08/21/kodak-ektapan-100-is-a-smooth-sharp-and-beautifully-detailed-film/ #Reviews #Analog

‘How to Divorce During the War’ Review: Droll Dramedy from Lithuania

In the tumultuous, post-COVID global landscape, there’s something fundamentally frivolous about getting wrapped up in your own personal…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Movies #Entertainment #Film #HowtoDivorceDuringtheWar #reviews
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/821149/

First appearing on these pages back in 2016 with sophomore record Forsaken, progressive power outfit Noveria have made a habit of getting in their own way. After Forsaken failed to match its Evergreyed ambition with clumsy execution, the quintet bounced back in a big way with Aequilibrium (2019), a record packed with heaviness, melody and virtuosity that hinted at huge things for these Italians. Then regression reared its ugly head with 2024’s The Gates of the Underworld. Although Noveria cleverly reframed their emotional themes through mythological imagery, the album once again collapsed under the weakness of its songwriting, disappointing GardensTale enough to question whether he would ever review them again. Indeed, consistency has been elusive for Noveria, making their on-again, off-again pattern of releases particularly frustrating. But fret not, dear reader. If history is any guide, the pendulum should swing back toward the positive with fifth LP Becoming After, assuming the metal gods smile on us.

And smile they have. Striking a sweet spot between Symphony X and Dream Theater, with touches of Pagan’s Mind, Becoming After finds Noveria sounding like a band reborn. Talent has never been in short supply here, and their cup now runneth over, with drummer Paolo Conte and keyboardist Paolo Campitelli (ScreaMachine) replacing longtime members Davide Calabretta and Julien Spreutels, respectively, alongside the addition of vocalist Frank Marino (Dreamscape). These guys can flat-out play, and Becoming After reaps the benefits, delivering everything existing fans could hope for, only harder, faster and stronger. The aggressive riffs of Aequilibrium are pervasive, synched tightly with Conte’s kinetic rhythms and Campitelli’s synth embellishments, all bolstered by string arrangements by violinist Abigail Stahlschmidt and cellist Luca Basile on cuts like “Through Your Light”1 and “Convicted to Rise.” There’s even a few surprises thrown in for good measure, including djent-focused tracks (“Radiance,” “Heavenfall”) and serene ballads (“Through Your Light”) that help keep things fresh. Although the stylistic departures of “Heavenfall” and “Radiance” seem somewhat out of place within the broader context, they are executed well enough to keep momentum while still feeling fun and adventurous.

Losing most of your roster can hamstring even the best bands, but in Noveria’s case, the shakeup has proven transformative. Francesco Corigliano’s departure left a massive void, but Frank Marino is quick to quell any fears he can’t fill those shoes. The downfall of Gates was its lack of hooks and Mariano ensures that problem doesn’t persist on Becoming After, stuffing Noveria’s songs to the brim with hooks and towering choruses. Possessing James LaBrie’s (Dream Theater) buttery tone and multi-octave range, Marino tears through tracks like “Cold Flames,” “Convicted to Rise,” “Echoes From the Abyss,” and “Infinite Horizons” with a command that is increasingly rare these days. While his voice occasionally loses a bit of power when venturing into higher registers, it still more than holds its own against the record’s dense instrumentation.

As impressive as the vocal performance on Becoming After is, the rest of Noveria deserve equal recognition. Longtime guitarist Francesco Mattei drives the group’s sound with a barrage of muscular riffs that span progressive, power, and djent, setting his fretboard ablaze with virtuosic solos and rapid-fire scales that form the record’s ambitious foundation. When paired with Campitelli’s fleet-fingered keyboard solos, the two put on an absolute show that rivals the best in the business. Likewise, bassist Andrea Arcangeli’s (DGM) dynamic bass lines and Conte’s battering drum work provide a low-end backbone that underpins Noveria’s grandiose arrangements, resulting in songwriting that remains interesting throughout the record’s substantial 55-minute runtime. However, though not drastically overlong, Becoming After does periodically lose steam, most notably during the self-titled closing interlude, “Heavenfall” and “Viper’s Nest,” which are far from bad but feel overshadowed by the stronger material surrounding them.

Lineup changes be damned, Noveria have roared back with Becoming After, crafting an album with tremendous replay value and one that has beamed its way into my psyche with its memorable hooks and consistently strong songwriting. Progressive power metal can often veer into territory that is far too cheesy for my tastes, yet Becoming After strikes the ideal balance between over-the-top spectacle and tasteful restraint in a way that is both charming and difficult to stop listening to. Time will tell whether Becoming After finally breaks Noveria’s streak of inconsistent releases, but they now have my full attention.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Scarlet Records
Websites: scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/album/becoming-after | noveriaofficial.com/home.html | facebook.com/NoveriaOfficial
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Game Two daddelt mal wieder auf YouTube:

Die BESTE Pokémon-Generation! #gametwo

/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvIpxOt_BT8

#GameTwo #RocketBeans #RBTV #RocketBeansTv #gaming #review #preview #reviews #pokmon #pokmongold #pokmonkarmesin

Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar: Zepp App 10.7.3 confirms name and Solar Boost Mode

We have reported on the Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar several times, with previous regulatory certifications already signaling an…
#NewsBeep #News #Gadgets #AmazfitT-RexDualSolar #APK #benchmarks #CA #Canada #Dual #Firmware #graphicscard #laptop #Leak #netbook #notebook #processor #reports #review #reviews #smartwatch #solar #Technology #test #tests #wearable
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/866208/

The Cramps’ ‘Gravest Gravy’ Unearths Long-Lost Sessions From One of Rock’s Most Brilliantly Deranged Bands: Album Review
#Variety #AlbumReviews #Reviews #TheCramps

https://variety.com/2026/music/reviews/cramps-gravest-gravy-album-review-1236839743/

‘How to Divorce During the War’ Review: Lithuanian Sundance Winner Turns a Marriage Crisis Into a Darkly Funny War Drama
#IndieWire #Criticism #Movies #Film #HowtoDivorceDuringtheWar #Reviews

https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/how-to-divorce-during-the-war-review-1235212055/

Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar: Zepp App 10.7.3 confirms name and Solar Boost Mode

We have reported on the Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar several times, with previous regulatory certifications already signaling an…
#NewsBeep #News #Gadgets #AmazfitT-RexDualSolar #APK #AU #Australia #benchmarks #Dual #Firmware #graphicscard #laptop #leak #netbook #notebook #processor #reports #review #reviews #smartwatch #solar #Technology #test #tests #wearable
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/863218/

Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar: Zepp App 10.7.3 confirms name and Solar Boost Mode

We have reported on the Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar several times, with previous regulatory certifications already signaling an…
#NewsBeep #News #Gadgets #AmazfitT-RexDualSolar #APK #benchmarks #Dual #Firmware #graphicscard #laptop #Leak #netbook #notebook #processor #reports #review #Reviews #Smartwatch #solar #Technology #test #tests #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wearable
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/745095/

There are a few phrases that I could theoretically read in a promo blurb that would get me to instantly pick it up.1 When my eyes landed on the line “Lord Carrion seeks to usher in 1000 years of ruin to fascists and authoritarians of all stripes,” I thought “say less,” and took Man Made Hell without any care for the fact that its black metal comes with a significant dose of southern hardcore—not my preferred subgenre. I’m glad I did. Their debut LP after two years honing their craft with an EP and a split, Man Made Hell is Lord Carrion’s first big chance to bring about the promised destruction to oppressors. The stark redness of the cover, the marrying of some of metal’s noisiest styles, and the band’s proud antifascism make for a loud statement that the music must live up to. And does it?

Man Made Hell certainly does not flinch away from the implicit violence of its influences. A crusty, second-wave black metal base meets with the boundless energy and acidity of rampaging hardcore for a sound that’s both aurally and spiritually raw as fuck. Jonross Maddog2 Maddox’s d-beats and the clattering pivots of snare rollovers and cymbal smashes drag you by the scruff of your neck behind a rampaging train of Matthew Price and Miguel Hallare’s riffs, as Jake Plissken screams in your face through a mouthful of barbed wire. Sometimes, it’s no more than this: sanguine yet standard noisy rampaging that doesn’t break any moulds (“Suicide Planet,” “Billions Dead”). At others, Lord Carrion pull back from showing their teeth just enough for some layers and gripping melodicism to show their heart.

Lord Carrion display their passion best when they stray outside of the lines. It’s tangible in the ballistic extremities—the snippets of solo drums (“Billions Dead,” “Yaldabaoth”) and the passages of particularly intense extended, repeated, throat-shredding screams (“Plutocrat Slaughter Ritual,” “The Walls are Closing In”). Most notably, the feeling on Man Made Hell is strongest in every place Lord Carrion make the sound entirely their own. Resonance that goes beyond its obvious atmo-black inspiration to transform a previously granite riff into a shadowy refrain (“Plutocrat…,” “Peace is a Bloody Sword”) when it isn’t blurring a tremolo melody for some randomly gorgeous meloblack (“What Remains”). Such buoyant, mournful melodies sprinkled around work together with punchy syncopation and aforementioned hellish vocals for compelling, satisfyingly sharp declarations (“Desperate Cruelty,” “What Remains”). Disso-death drips into arachnid arpeggios (“Billions Dead”) and drawling, sinister chords (“Peace…), injecting a cruel edge that just works. Rhythmic turns often take the best of both black metal and hardcore for fun (“Suicide Planet,” “The Walls are Closing In”) and darkly groovy (“Plutocrat…”) moments.

The greatest issue with Man Made Hell is that its brilliance is a little unevenly distributed. So fiery at its jawbreaking, moody, best, the (over-)use of more “standard” second-wave black/hardcore riffing risks the loss of any audience turned off by such mundanities.3 Similarly, the album would probably benefit from a smidge more time to fully integrate the many great ideas and segments it contains. As an example: the jumpscare of full-volume white noise that splits the doom-drone of “Peace…”‘s first act is visceral, and will probably split listeners into a love/hate dichotomy. The gentle beauty of “What Remains,” rising from carefully-placed strums and the hushed howling of wind to an emotional meloblack finale, though I love it, feels slightly out of place. I can hear the hints of atmosphere and nuance that Lord Carrion drop beforehand, and it seems like minor tweaks would integrate these aspects better.

Man Made Hell divides me, leaving me affected but uncommitted. It’s pretty fun in a satisfyingly gronky way, whilst also possessing a gravitas that portends—even though it doesn’t execute—greatness. What is certain is that Lord Carrion have got something; their ardour oozes out of most-every fuzz-choked note, and I think they make their point just fine for now.

Rating: Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: wav
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: August 24th, 2026

Nyrius Phoenix Home True 4K60 (2026): A Solution for Cord Clutter

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/nyrius-phoenix-home-true-4k60/

5 Best Electric Toothbrushes (2026): Philips, Oral-B, Quip, More

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/the-best-electric-toothbrush-for-healthier-teeth-and-gums/

Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar: Zepp App 10.7.3 confirms name and Solar Boost Mode

We have reported on the Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar several times, with previous regulatory certifications already signalin…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Gadgets #AmazfitT-RexDualSolar #APK #benchmarks #Dual #Firmware #graphicscard #laptop #Leak #netbook #notebook #processor #reports #review #reviews #Smartwatch #solar #Technology #test #tests #Wearable
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/820873/

‘The Marching Band’ Review: Brothers From Opposite Worlds Are United by Music in a Finely Tuned French Crowdpleaser
#Variety #Reviews #BenjaminLavernhe #EmmanuelCourcol #PierreLottin #TheMarchingBand

https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/the-marching-band-review-1236839792/

‘Good People’ Review: Milcho Manchevski’s Haunting Documentary Revisits the Kočani Nightclub Fire Through Survivors’ Eyes
#Variety #Reviews #GoodPeople #MilchoManchevski #SarajevoFilmFestival

https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/good-people-review-1236839789/