Note: Love is in the air… and so are the Klown’s gases! Don’t worry though yours truly gots you covered! Just saying, although the ladies…and some gents of the feminine quality may still prefer a romantic and intimate moment, why not include the gift of our beloved genre in the form of a new release. Let’s face it metal can ironically provide an intimate soundtrack for you both. Most important, it’s a helluva a lot cheaper than any jewelry you could ever buy!
Dead Witches Debut Will Haunt Your Ears
Take that statement as you will but at least read what the Klown has to say. Dead Witches is the brand new brain child of former Electric Wizard skinsman, Mark Greening. On that note if you are a big fan of Electric Wizard, good news because it also happens to be stoner/doom metal! The quartet has released their long awaited debut album Ouija through Heavy Psych Sounds Records. If you really want more doom than stoner “Dead” and “A World of Darkness” is your sure bet. The Klown will say this, “Mind Funeral” was a really good track and really felt like a re-mastered Pentagram track if a female vocalist had filled in for legendary front man Bobby Liebling. Though this album was short, it wasn’t bad. But alas, not only was this not the Klown’s flask of Bourbon, he just wasn’t feeling this album as much. However, it is definitely a great album for Pentagram, King Woman and Black Sabbath fans.
3 out of 6, D-O-O-M for Your Ears!
Kassad Debuts First Studio Album
The one man black metal project known as Kassad is currently unsigned and independent AND managed to release this album! At first with a name like Kassad, the Klown expected Middle Eastern influences to go along with the sounds of black metal. The Klown was initially expecting Kassad to have Middle Eastern elements to his metal much like the Mesopotamian Black Metallers Melechesh, however, he stuck to the Norwegian Black metal sound. Right from the start “Shame” and “Pariah” bring the noise for some intense and awesome black metal reminiscent to that of Darkthrone. “Madness” and “Broken” gives you some black metal of the Norwegian variety during its infancy reminiscent to that of the up and coming Swedish black metal band Dark Funeral. The rest of the album is rather ambient which kind of provides a bit of a buffer to settle you down, like after a big meal and you get that good ol’ bowl of mint ice cream at the end…which is rather nice. This debut will leave you looking forward to a new album in the future than leave you clamoring for more like some rabid metal head. The Klown highly recommends this to all who are kvlt and those who love Dark Funeral, Darkthrone and Tsjuder. Check out his studio debut album Faces Turn Away through bandcamp or his website.
5 out of 6, This Album can Also Turn Heads Forward
Mors Principium Est Will Set The World Afire
The Finnish quartet with the French name, have returned after a three year hiatus. This sixth new installment Embers of a Dying World has come out through AFM Records. This album has some folk influence which made this album pretty bitchin’. “Reclaim the Sun” will immediately induce massive headbanging and sounds like an epic version of Children of Bodom if Alexi Laiho had harsher vocals which can be best heard in the track “Masquerade.” “Into The Dark,” on the other hand, lived up to its name and added that signature Dimmu Borgir orchestration to their sound before venturing in to Ensiferum and Wintersun- like epicness. “Death is the Beginning” gives a brand new twist to the brand of melodic death metal that the Klown has mostly heard through Mayan. “Death…” fuses female vocals courtesy of Christina Marie with the harsh death metal vocals from front manVille Viljannen, creating an array classical strings, pianos and tops it with a killer solo from the lead guitarist, Andy Gillion. “The Ghost” makes a great follow up to “Death…” as it plays and continues off of it. The Klown could go on about this album but he’d much rather you listen to it. No joke, this album was that great.
6 out of 6, The Embers Turned to a Widespread Fire
Nidingr Latest Album is on Fire!
The Norwegian black metal quartet known as Nidingr have released their fourth studio album, The High Heat Licks Against Heaven through Season of Mist Records. Allow the Klown to let you know that hearing is believing and he understand why this album was brought up to his attention. Hearing “Surtur,” “Dead Body Shore” and “Valkyries Assemble” sent the Klown on a kvlt high. Need a better description? Nidingr sounds much like Melodic Black Metallers Keep of Kalessin, yes, they sounded that similar! “Soltaker,” on the other hand, turned blacker and reminded the Klown a bit of Mayhem. The Klown is most likely still on that black metal high from the De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas tour (stay tuned). Another great fact about this album is that it features guest backing vocals from Thor “Destructhor” Myhren from Norwegian black metal band Myrskog and Krystoffer Rygg from Ulver. “Naglfar Is Loosed” features the kvltest dame of Denmark Amelie Bruun from Myrkur, where she lends her ghastly and angelic vocals for a very harmonious chorus. Think the Klown’s exaggerating? Check them out!
6 out of 6, This Album is White Hot
Overkill Keep Grinding the Thrash Wheel
Overkill. Nuff said. Okay… the Klown shall continue because he wants to not because he has to. If you’re a metal head, especially if you are a thrasher, then Overkill will immediately ring a bell. The legendary thrash quintet from Jersey has released their 18th studio album, The Grinding Wheel through Nuclear Blast Records. “Mean, Green, Killing Machine” is a great opener for the album, however, “Goddamn Trouble” will get you really hooked and invested in the album. “Our Finest Hour” and “Come Heavy” will give you classic Overkill right off the bat. “The Long Road” sounds like it would have been an anthem during the height of Thrash, not to say that it still doesn’t have the potential to be. “Let’s All Go to Hades” is a great track and is a metal party song. Want a new U.S. national anthem? Overkill has managed to make us a brand new one with the song “Red White and Blue.” Taking a page from Metallica, Overkill joined the over 7 minute thrash song club with “The Grinding Wheel.” This album was a good comeback from the one of the legends of thrash metal.
5 out of 6 The Wheels Will Keep on Grindin’
Ugh Metal 