Heinali
Air
Fluttery (2012)
I really wish I had the chance to review more classical music. While I don't consider myself an expert on the genre, I always find that listening to classical gives me musical experiences I truly could not get anywhere else, and when you've been listening to metal all day long, you can find it to be a welcome reprieve. That's … Read more
Hidden Hospitals
EP 02
Independent (2012)
Hidden Hospitals, based in Chicago, IL, have released their new EP titled simply EP02 and it is an amazing release full of emotion, hooks, and harmonies. Nashville’s J. Hall handled the producing duties on this one as well as their earlier first release EP01. Being familiar with the group, he knows how to bring the best out of their sound. … Read more
High on Fire
De Vermis Mysteriis
E1 (2012)
California’s High On Fire let loose an album of gargantuan proportions with De Vermis Mysteriis, the follow up to 2010’s massive Snakes For The Divine. Similarly huge, De Vermis Mysteriis is a much dirtier affair; pummeling riffs and absolutely gigantic swells of sound make up this mystical journey into darkness. Based loosely on a grimoire written by Robert Bloch (the … Read more
HIM
XX: Two Decades of Love Metal
The End (2012)
Whatever you may think about HIM – joke band, has-beens, rip-off merchants and so on and so on – it’s hard to deny the very essence of their hard rocking joy. XX: Two Decades of Love Metal compiles nearly twenty (twenty!) years of the Fin’s self-branded love metal and it’s clear that their passion and whole-hearted belief in their woe-filled … Read more
Homewrecker
Worms & Dirt
A389 (2012)
Ohio's Homewrecker have only been a band for a relatively short time, but in that time they have bridged the gap between clevo-style hardcore, powerviolence, and straight-up grind. Within their brief recorded history the band has managed to do this pretty well. Their A389 debut proves to be a different challenge as, now, many more are familiar with their general … Read more
Horseback
Half Blood
Relapse (2012)
I remember distinctly the first time I was introduced to Horseback. It was by their 2012 album Half Blood, and I'm told that my experiences were pretty standard. For the uninitiated, your first few seconds of listening to Horseback will inevitably go something like this:"Hm. This is some pretty interesting post-rocky stuff. Oh, hold on, something's messed up with this … Read more
Hot Water Music
Exister
Rise (2012)
In some ways, you have to seriously respect everything that Hot Water Music has accomplished over the course of their existence from their starting point circa 1993 despite what is now two break-ups, but the much lauded four piece drops their second comeback album with Exister, the band’s first studio album in since 2004’s The New What Next; and since … Read more
House Of Low Culture
Poisoned Soil
Taiga (2012)
Following the demise of Isis (which was a sad day indeed around my household), there was still plenty of material to come potentially as the band’s membership was active with side projects throughout the life of their main creative outlet; and the potential reactivation of the seemingly dormant House Of Low Culture was an exciting proposition as I had grown … Read more
Ian Anderson
Thick as a Brick 2
EMI (2012)
If there's anything movies have taught us, it's that sequels almost always suck in comparison to the original. While there aren't nearly as many sequels in the musical world, occasionally an artist will go back and revisit one of the ideas that made them famous in the first place. In almost all of these cases, such as with Mike Oldfield's … Read more
Ides Of Gemini
Constantinople
Neurot\Sige (2012)
Ides Of Gemini probably seem to have come out nowhere to most. Looking at their members there isn't a long ex members of list or any long time battling it out with a ton of releases either. The band seemingly came from nowhere last year by self releasing an EP or demo. Said EP The Disruption Writ was a brief … Read more
Ihsahn
Eremita
Candlelight (2012)
Norway’s Ihsahn (or Vegard Sverre Tveitan if we're being formal) has continued to produce some of the most exciting and progressive music since his days as a member of the influential Emperor. Gradually turning from the black metal aspect of his career, Ihsahn has taken his skills as a songwriter and instantly recognisable vocalist to an entirely different and powerful … Read more
Ill Nino
Epidemia
Victory (2012)
Well most people reading this will either look at the and ask one of 2 questions. "who?" or "wait, they're still around?" The who is simple, Ill Nino joined the Nu-Metal races slightly later than most forming in 1998 and releasing their debut for Roadrunner in 2001. That already put them behind the curve what set them apart was their … Read more
Inspire Influence
Planet Destroyer
Independent (2012)
Planet Destroyer, the debut EP from Toronto-based post-rock band Inspire Influence, is unhinged in execution, rising and falling like an endless wave of hopeless determination. Creating an atmosphere of desolation from the initial static of introductory track “Repairing,” the 5-song EP reads like a cohesive tale of intergalactic exploration through repetition, slow build-ups, and eventual climatic bursts of distorted frustration. … Read more
Iroha
Shepherds & Angels
Denovali (2012)
Sometimes it feels strange championing a band, but I feel as though Iroha are one of those bands that deserve to be heard but people (at least here in the U.S.) seem to consistently overlook the three-piece outfit, in part because of their consistently being left in the shadow of another band almost to the point of being called a … Read more
Isis
Live VI 11.16.07
Independent (2012)
A year after their dissolution, post-metal powerhouse Isis is preparing to digitally re-release its entire live discography on a fortnightly basis throughout the summer of 2011. The set of five—wait, hold up a moment. I finished those last summer. What's with the new release?Turns out Isis still have a few cards left to play despite, you know, not actually being … Read more
Isis
Temporal
Ipecac (2012)
When Isis called it a day, it felt as if a part of me was ending in a similar manner as the band had meant so much to me over the course of their prestigious run; but hanging over their end statement was the promise of one last recording to be given to the band’s listeners, and, with Temporal, the … Read more
Isis
Temporal
Ipecac (2012)
I absolutely love Isis--I can't get enough of that perfectly executed ambient/sludge mix that they've come to be known for. And for someone like me who loves them enough to delve into the deepest corners of their catalogue, their 2012 rarities compilation Temporal came as a welcome entry to their discography.Disc one begins with your standard assortment of demo material. … Read more
Jack White
Blunderbuss
Third Man (2012)
Ever notice the similarity between Jack White III and the modern-day Willy Wonka, portrayed by Johnny Depp? Put a top hat on Jack White and suddenly to the eye he appears to be this musical magician. Pulling stunts like launching 1000 helium balloons tied to flexi-discs containing the Blunderbuss highlight, “Freedom At 21”, to his left-field performances with the likes … Read more
