Album Review: SOURVEIN’s Aquatic Occult (Metal Blade)

It’s been a long, slow slog to get to this point, but T-Roy, the creative force behind Sourvein, has shown no let-up in his dedication to his craft. On Aquatic Occult, the band’s new album released this past week on Metal Blade, he offers a master class on the art of doom. In fact, the… Continue reading Album Review: SOURVEIN’s Aquatic Occult (Metal Blade)

#ThrowbackThursday: The Gaslight Anthem’s The ’59 Sound

The Gaslight Anthem released their sophomore album The ’59 Sound in 2008, but it took me ’til 2015 to listen to it.  I’d heard “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” on WFUV and loved the song; still, it wasn’t until I saw the band’s moving performance at Gathering of the Vibes this past summer that I… Continue reading #ThrowbackThursday: The Gaslight Anthem’s The ’59 Sound

Fairytale in the Fog: A Review of Iamthemorning’s Lighthouse

Iamthemorning is a duo from St. Petersburg, Russia, consisting of singer Marjana Semkina and pianist Gleb Kolyadin. A talented collective of guest musicians joins them on their third release, Lighthouse. And it’s an absolutely beautiful collection of progressive chamber rock. All I can say is, “wow.”  It’s been a while since I’ve heard a record… Continue reading Fairytale in the Fog: A Review of Iamthemorning’s Lighthouse

Guy Grogan’s Dynamite Bouquet: It’s Pretty Meta, Brah

With his ninth album Dynamite Bouquet, Guy Grogan serves up a slice of groovy pop rock that harkens back to the good ol’ 90s.   His PR company lists Nirvana as a comparison, but I heard a lot more Weezer in the riffs and vocal harmonies.  The Santa Fe singer/songwriter recorded all parts of the album himself and… Continue reading Guy Grogan’s Dynamite Bouquet: It’s Pretty Meta, Brah

Monstrous Killer: A Review of Cobalt’s Slow Forever

A lot has happened within the Cobalt camp that has given them a lot of negative publicity. Since releasing their strange and vicious album Gin in 2009, the band remained musically quiet for a lot of years besides a couple of live performances. Founding member Phil McSorley created quite a bit of drama due to… Continue reading Monstrous Killer: A Review of Cobalt’s Slow Forever

EP Review: Cyperna’s The Apparent Misfortune Of Time

With their third studio release, New Haven, CT metal band Cyperna has solidified their distinctive sound.  Marked by intricate rhythms, stabbing dissonance, and JT Stoyak’s characteristic shrieks and growls, their upcoming EP The Apparent Misfortune of Time is a fitting follow-up to their 2014 full-length The Darker Side of Matter. If Cyperna’s music was a painting, the… Continue reading EP Review: Cyperna’s The Apparent Misfortune Of Time

Throwback Thursday: Queensryche’s Promised Land

Queensryche were at the top of their game and at the peak of commercial success when Promised Land was released. It was received warmly, selling millions of copies and hitting respectable positions in the charts. This might have partially been due to residual interest in the band because of the platinum success of Empire before… Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Queensryche’s Promised Land