Harm’s Way

Phasma – Purgatory Review

Phasma – Purgatory Review

By Kenstrosity on February 17, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, Hardcore, Technical Death Metal, 34 comments

“Sometimes an album comes around ye olde promo pit that looks and smells familiar, but plays like something else entirely. Today’s entry into the “what the heck am I actually listening to?” hall of infamy is Phasma’s Purgatory. The third record from the Greek/US duo, and the first carried by a label—our beloved Transcending Obscurity Records—Purgatory continually subverted every expectation I had. In doing so, it became one of my biggest pleasant surprises in recent memory.” Set Phasmas to brutal stun.

Open Kasket – Trials of Failure Review

Open Kasket – Trials of Failure Review

By Kenstrosity on February 5, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Hardcore, Slam, 16 comments

“I’m a huge fan of picking up bands with little to no back catalog for review. Firstly, I’m notorious for overbooking myself in general life, which leaves only the most precious time slots for researching discographies. Secondly, I get to experience a band at their freshest with a mind unclouded by hype or expectation. Thirdly, I get to take full credit for exposing X or Y band to the greater AMG populace, which increases my POWERS. Enter Little Rock, Arkansas’ death metal/hardcore quintet Open Kasket and their debut record Trials of Failure.” Big sounds from Little Rock.

Massen – Gentle Brutality [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

Massen – Gentle Brutality [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Kenstrosity on December 24, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Black Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Hardcore, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 43 comments

“If you know me—and most of you should by now—you know that I love bands who fearlessly combine multiple genres into one pot. I want to be blown away by their exploratory vigor, dismissing all pretense of genre loyalty with gusto. Give me something that challenges my advanced ability to categorize and compartmentalize, and you are likely to garner an instant fan. Enter Massen, a Belarusian/German Frankenstein monster who unleashed one of the best records of the year, Gentle Brutality.” Polite hooligans.

Harm’s Way – Common Suffering Review

Harm’s Way – Common Suffering Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on October 11, 2023 in Reviews, Hardcore, Industrial Metal, Post-Hardcore, 15 comments

“Power. No, not power in the flamboyant nature of a curl-adorned Italian cosplayer wielding sword to fire-breathing dragon. Power. The fast-twitch response to anticipating joints bearing weighted-iron that engorges relaxed fibers with blood, with breath—this is where Harm’s Way lives. Straight-edge, hardcore, beatdown, just a few of the words that explain Chicago’s own and their method of compressed and concerted attack.” In gainz way.

Scalpture – Feldwärts [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

Scalpture – Feldwärts [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Kenstrosity on December 15, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Death Metal, Hardcore, 42 comments

“Hailing from the Bielefeld region of Germany, the quintet specialize in the historical record of military conflict as their lyrical focus, with this newest opus detailing scenes from World War I. Keeping that in mind, you wouldn’t expect the record to be what you’d call “fun.” Except, Feldwärts is massively, addictingly fun.” WAR ARTS!!

Teethgrinder – Dystopia Review

Teethgrinder – Dystopia Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on July 31, 2022 in Reviews, Hardcore, 10 comments

“Whether in the presence of a low or high grind tide, the quest for more persists. It’s no secret that quite a few of us in the office are sickos looking for a cheap, direct-to-vein thrill. Why just the other day our own El Cuervo was at the water cooler pining for the muddy-muzzled lashing of Ass to Mouth. And who could blame him? Their 2014 outing had a unique charm of blended political samples and rough-tongued tirades against the traditional pummel and pierce of high ethanol grind. Teethgrinder understands this hunger.” Molarity ensued.

Neaera – Neaera Review

Neaera – Neaera Review

By Mark Z. on March 7, 2020 in 2020, German Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metal Blade, Metalcore, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 11 comments

“No matter how hard you try, you can never really escape your past. By day I’m the kvltest of the kvlt, blasting the blakkened fukkin death while wearing a shirt that depicts Jesus getting flogged by a horde of goat demons. But when I curl up at night with my plesiosaurus plush, I know at heart I’m still the same mid-aughts core kid who got his start in the metal world with Killswitch Engage and their ilk. Even today, when the promo teat runs dry, sometimes I find myself returning to where it all began: core.” Damn core kids!