Whenever we get a promo with barely a week or less to go before a release it tends to get pushed to the bottom of the “must cover” pile as there’s usually a bunch of other stuff that’s had our attention for some time (Again, we listen to EVERYTHING that comes our way regardless of timing). Obviously, there are some exceptions…like when we get anything from Child Bite. And how could we not drop everything for the barely 5 minutes total of “new” music from Child Bite on this Split 7″ EP (4:42 to be exact) which managed to put the biggest shit-eatin’ grin on our faces and immediately moved this release up to the the top of our “to do” list!
[Read more…]Scour Complete Caustic Trilogy With Controlled Chaos Of The Black EP
Scour is a weird animal. Mixing a variety of genres yet grounded in none of them, Phil Anselmo’s band of brothers take Metal, Grindcore, Black Metal, and more and fuse it into this unstoppable, indefinable force. On their newest release, and final part of the trilogy preceded by The Grey and The Red EP’s, they channel that energy into six unrelenting bursts of unforgettable Metal mayhem.
[Read more…]En Minor Channels The Goth Side, Debuts “Depression Core” With When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out
WARNING: Those of you seeking the next Pantera, Superjoint, Scour, or any number of the heavier projects that vocalist Phil Anselmo has been involved in over the years should turn back now because his latest outfit, En Minor, is the antithesis of ALL of that. Which suits us just fine.
[Read more…]Child Bite Morph Manic Energy Into Mind-Blowing Mature Metal On Blow Off The Omens
Normally when I go into a review of something new from Child Bite I like to have a tab open with synonyms ready for terms like “frenetic” and “cacophony” because, in most cases, that’s the kind of music fans get from the Detroit outfit. But lo and behold, here we are with their fifth full-length and the metamorphosis from simple Noise anarchists to this bewildering behemoth of rawkin’ riffs continues to arouse and astound.
[Read more…]Untitled Metal Column: Volume 14 (Child Bite, Burnt Offerings: Covers And Rarities 2010 – 2017)
Easily one of our most favorite new bands of the past 5-10 years, Detroit’s Child Bite tap into this primal feeling of wonder each time they play by producing music that’s genre-defying and takes listeners on a different sonic journey with each new track. [Read more…]
Philip H. Anselmo Continues Prolific Metal Domination With Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue, Latest Album From The Illegals
What do you get when you mix parts of grind, thrash, black metal, and noisecore in a blender then add lots of experimentation and heaping amounts of intensity? Why the latest from Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, of course!
But I digress. [Read more…]
Scour See Red On Vicious Sophomore Release
Does Phil Anselmo even front Scour anymore because whoever the beast that’s singing here sounds nothing like the guy who fronts Superjoint and Down. Never mind the iconic voice that wailed for the progenitors of modern groove metal, this dude who fronts Scour is a fucking monster! [Read more…]
Phil Anselmo: A Rock And Roll Fables Conversation (Part 2)
“Fear not old friends of eclectic and strange music, it’s there for you!” [Read more…]
Phil Anselmo: A Rock And Roll Fables Conversation (Part 1)
“Dear William, Get your ass to my joint because we got three days.”
So said legendary vocalist Phil Anselmo via phone recently recounting the genesis and recording of his musical collaboration with equally legendary horror icon Bill Moseley. The Anselmo/Moseley friendship was a gradual one that stemmed from a chance meeting: [Read more…]
SYK Marries Meshuggah With Made Out Of Babies On I-Optikon
I get a lot of press releases and album advances and unfortunately, I can’t review everything that comes across my desk. Do I feel bad when I get multiple requests on an album that I simply don’t have time to review? Of course I do! I’m (sorta) human after all. Do I feel even worse when I get a request or two then have a 30 minute phoner with the former lead singer of Pantera who praises one artist I’ve gotten multiple requests for and THEN decide “Huh, maybe I should give this band another listen?” Yes. Yes I do. [Read more…]