Coming from the wild lands of Calgary, Alberta we have Woodhawk. Violent Nature is their third full length release.
As this is my first time with the band, there won't any discussion regarding how far they've come since their last one.
Based on what I'm hearing on this record, they seem to be the kind of band who's got a sound and stick in with it. There's naught wrong with that Volbeat, AC/DC, and Coheed and Cambria have done quite well with this sort of approach.
The difference between those bands and Woodhawk, is that (well all but one of them) they have chosen an alternate path on how to make music. Violent Nature is a record that breaks no new paths.
In order for a band like this to succeed they have to be really good at what they do, and Woodhawk is very much that. They stand somewhere between protometal and first wave metal. Not quite as heavy as Sabbath and not nearly as classic-rocky as Deep Purple.
But you put this record on, let it play, and see how long it takes you to notice that your foot. When this review started, this was going to be a C, but now........It's on my vinyl to buy list.
Rating A- Bandcamp Facebook
It seeming like indie metal is on the upswing again, which is always a good thing while simultaneously being a bad think. The previous review featured a band that had the slight need for a producer, whereas this one...they have a fully formed sound.
Hailing from Northwest Ohio, Astralborne is ready to rip out some throats. All of the essential items in technical/brutal/melodic death metal are all here.
The musicianship involved in crafting these songs is so far off the charts it's hard to believe this is their first record. (Please note: I'm making some assumptions because their bandcamp page isn't live yet.)
What has Astralborne done to rise above the din of extreme metal? They have a lead guitarist who plays melody lines along with the harsh vocals. My daughter (who's favorite metal band is Iron Maiden) recently told me about how she thinks all death metal sounds the same.
The reason for that is the traditional vocals. It can lead to similar sounding songs, but here we have melodic lines to make an end around this genre specific issue.
Rating A- Bandcamp Facebook
Is there anything better than sitting down to listen to a long form guitar solo? Well, if there isn't, it's a drum solo.
Also: ban drum solos.
Well, Canyon of the Skull are back with their latest LP of wholly non-self-indulgent instrumental stoner metal. I'm sorry if that sounded sarcastic, because I totally meant that. There's nary a solo on this record.
But over the course of it's nearly 60 minutes, you're going to be treated to a soundscape that's less a song and more emotional grinding.
They make it hard to describe what they do, but very easy to tell you what they aren't doing, but that would be a boring as hell read honestly.
The long and the short of it is, if you're looking for some instrumental metal that's some where between Karma To Burn and Steve Vai... Check out this record right there.
Rating B+ Bandcamp Facebook
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