Iron Maiden

Mega Colossus – Watch Out! Review

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.

Yer Metal Is Olde: DragonForce – Inhuman Rampage

Yer Metal Is Olde: DragonForce – Inhuman Rampage

By Baguette of Bodom on February 15, 2026 in Yer Metal Is Olde, Power Metal, 66 comments

“Wait, the funny Guitar Hero III song is turning 20? What the fuck? Yes, indeed—what better way to kick off 2026 than to make the masses feel Olde? <DragonForce needs little introduction to anyone who existed during the ’00s. Born from the remnants of black metal band Demoniac in 1999, British guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman have always been the tandem at the center of the band with their Yngwie-esque “more is more” philosophy. Valley of the Damned and Sonic Firestorm already got significant attention, but 2006’s Inhuman Rampageis the one that made the band infamous.” DraGONES!

Turbo’s Tribunal – Mills of Tribunal Review

Turbo’s Tribunal – Mills of Tribunal Review

By Grin Reaper on January 30, 2026 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 13 comments

“Melodic heavy metal outfit Turbo’s Tribunal heralds the arrival of Mills of Tribunal, hoping to light a fire that warms the dark recesses of our cynical hearts. Hailing from Denmark, Turbo’s Tribunal is the invention of mastermind and sole contributor Andreas Thunbo. Having toiled on demos, EPs, and splits over the last couple of decades, Mills of Tribunal presents Thunbo’s first full-length endeavor. Citing legendary acts like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Running Wild as creative touchstones, can Turbo’s Tribunal live up to the lofty expectations.” Turbo-tastic?

Hällas – Panorama Review

Hällas – Panorama Review

By Creeping Ivy on January 29, 2026 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, 129 comments

“Hällas—Sweden’s self-styled administrators of ‘adventure rock’—has suffered a nearly decade-long absence from AMG. Back in 2017, El Cuervo (rightly) awarded Excerpts from a Future Past a 4.0, praising the debut for its transportive aesthetic and cohesive performances. Since this one-off review, Hällas has become a premier neo- proto-metal act, yet they haven’t reached the exceptionality of their entrance.” Adventure rock or butt stock?

Stuck in the Filter: October 2025’s Angry Misses

Stuck in the Filter: October 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity on December 15, 2025 in Reviews, Stuck in the Filter, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Funeral Doom, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Hardcore, Heavy Metal, Industrial Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Symphonic Metal, 59 comments

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.

Bloodbound – Field of Swords Review

Bloodbound – Field of Swords Review

By Baguette of Bodom on November 21, 2025 in Reviews, Power Metal, 24 comments

“Bloodbound has always been a band with a confusing identity. These Swedes lit up a storm with debut Nosferatu in 2006, an underappreciated heavy/power gem fusing the best of Iron Maiden’s gallops with the hooks of Helloween and HammerFall. The golden pipes of Urban Breed (ex-Tad Morose) were the cherry on top. However, the curse of unstable lineups would strike. Urban Breed would leave for one album, rejoin for the odd-but-good, progpower-meets-Kalmah melodeath sound of Tabula Rasa, and promptly leave again. A decade of struggles followed.” Blood on the 20-sided dice.

Gruta – Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem Review

Gruta – Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem Review

By Spicie Forrest on November 7, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, 13 comments

“In his most recent visit to terrorize the unwashed masses known as writers, Steel gave me a choice: volunteer to cover Gruta or be voluntold to cover something (else) of his choosing. So it was that I found myself reviewing Gruta’s sophomore release, Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem. Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, Gruta plays a style of black metal they’ve labeled “Chaos Black, a twisted gnarled amalgamation of black metal’s most vicious bits.” Between this description, loudly antifascist messaging, and opening the record by sampling the Dark Lord Sauron, my expectations were high. Does Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem deliver, or is Gruta just another passionate young band in search of their identity?” They are Gruta.

Aquilla – Sentinels of New Dawn Review

Aquilla – Sentinels of New Dawn Review

By Baguette of Bodom on October 31, 2025 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Power Metal, Speed Metal, 29 comments

“The Polish metal scene is much better known around these parts for its bludgeoning death metal than for classic metal worship, and Aquilla is looking to change that. Formed in Warsaw in 2015, their debut Mankind’s Odyssey was unleashed on the masses in 2022, delivering NWoBHM with a dose of ”80s–’90s speed/power metal influence. Sophomore album Sentinels of New Dawn promises a similar but more epic brand of sci-fi thunder. With a couple EPs and a full-length already under their belt, how does Aquilla navigate this set of space war stories?” May cause Aquilla Lung.