Japanese power metal maestros, Lovebites dropped their latest album, Outstanding Power and certain AMG staffers decided it merited a double review. Let the love nibbles commence.
Kryptos
Thus Spoke and Maddog’s Top Ten(ish) of 2024
Thus Spoke and Maddog reveal their massive Top Ten(ish) lists to the world. Treat them gently but fairly.
Kryptos – Decimator Review
A new Kryptos platter is gifted a double review. Will this mean decimation for Decimator? Watch and pray for Mojo.
Lucifer’s Hammer – Be and Exist Review
“The reason why the NWoBHM sound has remained so enduring and viable is its relative simplicity and accessibility. The style is based in hard rock with punk overtones and it was always intended to be catchy and easy to enjoy. Bands like Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, and Diamond Head were pros at crafting infectious tunes you could remember after one exposure. To this day a massive amount of metal acts incorporate elements of the sound or rip it off lock, stock and barrel to try to emulate their heroes. Chile’s Lucifer’s Hammer definitely fall into the latter category, releasing album after album of music carefully curated to sound like it came out of the U.K. circa 1981.” Hammer of the Elders.
Barbarian – Viperface Review
“Some metal bands progress through their career; their origins marked by unbridled energy and the rawest material of their lives, they develop to assimilate more influences and sand their edges into a smoother product. Some metal bands do not. They bluntly hammer the same music into listeners’ brains, relentlessly seeking the Riff of Power. Italy’s Barbarian put the fist in knuckle-dragging metal, battering the world with heavy music.” Red meat for meatheads.
Protector – Excessive Outburst of Depravity Review
“The same week I meet Flames for the very first time I’m also tasked with reviewing Germany’s long-running thrash/death act Protector. Formed way the Hell back in 1986, they’ve been seasoning the obese for decades with a style that grabs equally from thrash and proto-death metal. If you imagine Morbid Saint smashed into a thick romesco with Kryptos and Sodom, you have the basic idea of what Protector is aiming for.” Protector or tormentor?
Kryptos – Force of Danger Review
“Kryptos have made quite the successful little niche for themselves over their 20-something year career. Hailing from India, they’ve slowly but surely made a name for themselves internationally by crafting faithfully retro heavy metal material reeking of the 80s but with slightly more extreme vocals in place of the expected balls-in-a-vice wailing. Albums like 2016s Burn Up the Night and 2019s Afterburner were solid slabs of hook-tastic 80s metal loaded with more killer riffs than a 70,000-ton cruiser could safely take out to sea.” Danger in the Krypt.
Mindwars – The Fourth Turning Review
“There hasn’t been much thrash that really grabbed me over the last few years. Coming of age as I did in the 80s and having the opportunity to watch the genre born and reach its golden era made me fairly jaded. I appreciate the retro rethrash movement and enjoy a lot of it, but it’s rare a new thrash platter really blows my doors off. Being as Holy Terror was one of my favorite thrash acts, I hoped Mindwars, the band founded by Holy Terror guitarist Mike Alvord could spark the flame of speed in my rusted metal heart.” Turning the shrew.
El Cuervo’s and Diabolus in Muzaka’s Top Ten(ish) of 2019
El Cuervo and Diabolus in Muzaka made lists and checked them twice. But are their Top Ten(ish) of 2019 naughty or nice?
Mark Z.’s and L. Saunders’ Top Ten(ish) of 2019
Mark Z. and L. Saunders have their moment in the blackened sun to proclaim their Top Ten(ish) preferences for 2019. Fear the words.
