December is the best time to browse through the October Filter flotsam, as they’re now heavily discounted like Valentine’s Day candy in August. They’re probably still fresh though. Maybe.
Oct25
Vandampire – Hope Scars Review
“Post- historically implies an evolution of or successor to a previous idea (modernism, rock, structuralism, punk, hardcore, colonialism, etc.). While a little nebulous, post-metal more or less riffs on the post-rock blueprint. It utilizes metal’s intense, abrasive instrumentation to create an emotional vulnerability that even the best power ballads fail to capture. There is a tenderness in its crushing weight, a sense of freedom and catharsis in its restraint. It is this corner of the metalverse that South West England-based Vandampire inhabits.” Post-hope.
Burned in Effigy – Tyrannus Aeternum Review
“On their debut, Rex Mortem, the king was dead, but on Burned in Effigy’s sophomore effort, Tyrannus Aeternum, the king is now eternal. Their brand of neo-classical melodeath impressed Holdeneye three years ago—he hailed the debut as a mix of “brutal and beautiful.” However, he showed a rare moment of restraint in scoring Rex Mortem just shy of the vaunted 4.0, and plenty of commenters felt it should have earned that extra notch. Melodeath acts are a dime a dozen, and they don’t always successfully elevate themselves above the generic. So when Burned in Effigy infused their songs with virtuoso-level guitar melodies that emulated classical compositions, they quickly rose above the pack.” Burning up the rankings.
Danheim – Heimferd Review
“Ah, the Viking Age. One of the most mythologized eras in history, and a bottomless well of inspiration for cool things like video games, shows, books, tattoos, and bad things like obsession over ancestral purity, shockingly racist ideologies, and lutefisk. But the best thing of all, and most importantly, music! Which leads us to Danheim.” The poor Norsemen.
Bergfried – Romantik III Review
“After dropping debut EP Romantik I in 2022 and follow-up Romantic II in 2023, Austrian-Hungarian duo Bergfried rides in on a wave of 80s nostalgia to deliver debut full-length Romantik III. At the conclusion of a trilogy, main character Anna tirelessly roams hell in pursuit of her lost lover. During the search, Anna clashes with God and Devil in her quest for love reunited. Bergfried and the Romantik series are the creations of Erech von Lothringen, guitarist on Romantik III and mastermind of Narzissus and Ancient Mastery, among others. While his other projects lean toward black metal, Bergfried forges something entirely different—a rock opera.” Berger time.
Howling Giant – Crucible & Ruin Review
“Howling Giant occupies such an odd place within its scene. The Nashville collective is stoner metal and psych rock to the core in an energetic way that recalls the down-and-dirty acts like High on Fire or Mastodon, but layers of melody and creative chord usage feel progressive a la Intronaut or Baroness and the triple vocal harmonies are catchy yet evasive, not unlike Torche or Helmet. They also don’t take things too seriously, with a solid sense of humor and a relatable relationship with fans to bring their formidable technical skill to earth.” Howls from the south.
Sunken – Lykke Review
“I love Sunken’s music. It’s been over five years since I first heard their sophomore full-length, Livslede, an album I fell in love with almost instantly for its depressive, atmospheric black metal, an album of incredible emotion buoyed by exceptional songwriting. Since then, it’s been a regular revisit any time I’m having an even vaguely unhappy day, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the day I could review these Danes again. At last that day is here. Sunken are back with their third full-length release, Lykke.” Sunk costs.
Stillbirth – Survival Protocol
“I take a seat in a cramped, rusted chair. Across from me sits a gorilla in some sort of crown and a man whose face could only be described as Abbathian. It’s time for my first performance review at AMG Headquarters, and things aren’t looking great. “Atmospheric nü metal/free jazz? German dance music? What are we, discount Pitchfork?” Druhm bellows between frustrated simian grunts. I turn towards the head honcho for mercy, but instead, he fixes me with an eldritch stare. The words don’t pass his lips—they appear directly in my skull like a psychic command: “Brutal death metal.” He hands me a grime-encrusted CD which reeks of beer and seaweed. German brutal death metal veterans Stillbirth are responsible for this fetid package, which lies before me. It’s Survival Protocol, their ninth full-length.” Surviving or thriving?
Despised Icon – Shadow Work Review
“Widely regarded as one of the original architects of deathcore, Canada’s Despised Icon hardly needs an introduction. But just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past two decades, here’s a brief introduction: back in 2002, when MySpace was all the rage and everyone had a friend named Tom, five dudes from Montreal dropped their debut LP, Consumed by Your Poison. Heavily influenced by the likes of Suffocation and Dying Fetus, these Canadians continued to hone their crushing sound on 2005’s The Healing Process by injecting metalcore and hardcore elements into their deathly framework. This unique formula culminated with their third LP, The Ills of Modern Man (2007)—the crown jewel of their discography that made Despised Icon deathcore royalty.” The crown of disgust.
Bastard Cröss – Crossripper Review
“As a massive fan of anything that creeps, crawls, horrifies, or shocks, I enjoy no season more than Halloween. And since October 31st falls on a release day to steel-toed-boot this year, and with me closing in on my first 365-day stint as a staffer at AMG no less, I was especially eager to recover something particularly apropos from the promo pit. Enter Philly’s fresh and ferocious foursome, Bastard Cröss, and their Morbid and Miserable Records debut album, Crossripper.” Why did The Ripper cross the road?
