Killjoy

Mega Colossus – Watch Out! Review

By Killjoy on March 5, 2026 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 65 comments

“Let me start by disclosing something. I probably have the least metaphorical chest hair out of the entire AMG staff, meaning I often struggle to appreciate the more virile metal subgenres, including the “trad and true” heavy metal. But there are exceptions to every rule, and a big one is Mega Colossus. These North Carolinians have thus far been received warmly in these halls by the venerable Eldritch Elitist, and for good reason. Their euphoric cocktail of ultra-catchy tunes and clever lyrics—frequently paying homage to fantasy stories on the fringes of popular culture—is served with an infectious, fun-loving attitude. When Showdown appeared in 2024, it felt like things couldn’t get much better than that. Now, Mega Colossus is back to answer their self-imposed gauntlet with Watch Out! and continue to spread boundless cheer throughout the metalverse.” Size matters.

Aeon Gods – Reborn to Light Review

By Killjoy on February 25, 2026 in Reviews, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 27 comments

“When it comes to the vast pantheons of mythological figures, Aeon Gods is clearly interested in the most powerful. Their 2024 debut album, King of Gods, expounded upon the mighty deities of Mesopotamia with plenty of power metal bombast. Now, less than 18 months later, this German five-piece turns their attention to ancient Egypt. Specifically, Reborn to Light orbits the sun god Re (more commonly known today as Ra).” Gods and Suns))).

MØL – Dreamcrush Review

By Killjoy on January 30, 2026 in Reviews, Alternative, Black Metal, Shoegaze, 82 comments

“One of the common complaints I see about blackgaze is that it tends to be toothless when compared to its black metal forebear. This is part of the personal appeal to me, but, in any case, Denmark’s MØL has built a reputation for bucking that trend. They managed to impress even hardened metalheads like Mark Z., who found their 2018 debut, Jord, biting enough to shake him from his blackgaze apathy.” Buck deez nutz.

Weft – The Splintered Oar Review

By Killjoy on January 25, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Progressive Metal, 30 comments

“Black metal and the violin go together like peanut butter and jelly, which makes it particularly exciting when an artist who is accomplished in both steps forward. Weft is the solo endeavor of Charlie Anderson, the live violinist for Panopticon. His debut album, The Splintered Oar, is one of two releases by Bindrune Recordings on the weekend before the beginning of Listurnalia 2025. Nevertheless, this is a record that should not go unnoticed during the time of year when many of us have adopted either a backward- or forward-looking mindset.” Black strings and negative feelings.

Temptress – hear Review

By Killjoy on January 23, 2026 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 20 comments

“The best things in life often happen organically. Temptress began in 2019 in Dallas, Texas, as three friends casually jamming together, and they had enough natural chemistry to decide to take their alluring stoner doom to the studio. Like someone who is well-versed in the art of seduction, they appear to be working their way through each of the five senses. Their debut full-length, see, was born in 2023, but now the time has come to close your eyes and hear what Temptress has conjured up for their sophomore record.” hear in the now.

Gloombound – Dreaming Delusion [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Killjoy on December 6, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Death Doom, Funeral Doom, 34 comments

“Funeral doom metal is a subgenre that, when executed properly, is fertile ground for stimulating the listener’s imagination. Perhaps this is because the glacial pace offers ample room for the mind to wander. Perhaps it’s because the music focuses more on deliberate mood than mindblowing technicality. With the right album artwork to gaze at, the experience is particularly immersive. While the music that Gloombound plays may be sonically closer to death-doom, it is composed with the same painstaking attention to detail as the best funeral doom.” Doom with room to wander.

Halocraft – The Sky Will Remember / To Leave a Single Wolf Alive [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Killjoy on November 28, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Instrumental Metal, Not Metal, 9 comments

“I find the idea of double albums fascinating. While in many cases they may indicate an unchecked surge of inspiration or an unwillingness to self-edit, there are instances when the decision can feel genuinely appropriate. Halocraft, a (mostly) instrumental post-rock quartet from Greece, opted to split the final entry of a multi-album story into two parallel endings. According to their respective Bandcamp pages, The Sky Will Remember is the “imaginary happy ending,” whereas To Leave a Single Wolf Alive is the “true dark ending.”” Double miss!

Asira – As Ink in Water Review

By Killjoy on November 18, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 40 comments

“I get the sense that the members of Asira are particularly meticulous. The last time we heard from this post/prog group from Reading, UK was back in 2017. In his review of their debut album, Efference, El Cuervo asserted that Asira was on the cusp of being the next Big Deal. Just four months later, he decided that they already were, invoking Contrite Metal Guy powers to amend Efference’s score from 3.5 to 4.5 (a Big Deal, indeed!). Perhaps Asira felt some pressure, because they took their time to craft the best possible follow-up.” Painterly blackness.

The Reticent – please Review

By Killjoy on November 12, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 31 comments

“Anguish is an emotion commonly portrayed in many metal subgenres. While other artists tend to convey it in a general or abstract sense, The Reticent’s brand of anguish is specific and viscerally personal. Huck N Roll bid them a somber welcome to this site in 2016 with On the Eve of a Goodbye, an introspective work about the suicide of founder Chris Hathcock’s close friend. In 2020, The Oubliette unflinchingly detailed the merciless deterioration of an Alzheimer’s patient from onset to demise. Now, after five long years, The Reticent returns with another progressive metal entry, this time to shine a light on the topic of mental illness and its causal relationship with suicide. Drawing from Hathcock’s own struggles and experiences, please promises to be as gut-wrenching as ever.” Pain is the mindkiller.

Waldgeflüster – Knochengesänge I and Knochengesänge II Review

By Killjoy on November 11, 2025 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Folk Metal, Not Metal, 10 comments

“Waldgeflüster has been around for a while. Based in Bavaria, Germany and led by Winterherz, they’ve been weaving nature-themed atmospheric black metal since 2009. Waldgeflüster has passed through the hands of several atmoblack aficionados before me. El Cuervo enjoyed the Panopticon / Waldgeflüster split in 2016 but was less impressed by Ruinen later that year. Doom_et_Al found 2021’s Dahoam to be disappointing and unmemorable. Waldgeflüster used the four years since then to create double albums Knochengesänge I and Knochengesänge II. I is a more traditional atmoblack record, while II is a reconstruction of the same melodies from the standpoint of various non-metal musical genres. An intriguing idea, to be sure. Is Knochengesänge so nice you’ll want to listen to it twice?” Knoch two times.