Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW RATING SCALE:
**Please note that this rating scale serves as a reference for albums reviewed prior to 2023.
Numbered ratings will not be added going forward, in hopes that the writer’s impression of the work will suffice.
It will have to.** 

6 – Rarely bestowed. An honor reserved for undeniable classics (or those that should be). The Apex Predator.
5 – Impressive.
4 – Worthy of special recognition.
3 – A solid effort.
2 – The participation trophy.
1 – These are the albums that the 2s beat up on the way home from school.
0 – A waste of both our time and yours.

Album Reviews

Album Review: Strigoi – Abandon All Faith

VALLENFYRE is no more. The crusty death metal project of PARADISE LOST’s Gregor Mackintosh has breathed its last. But rushing in to fill the gap is STRIGOI, named after demons of Romanian folklore. The differences between VALLENFYRE and STRIGOI are not extreme, but they are there and it’s a good bet that fans of both VALLENFYRE and PARADISE LOST will enjoy the murky gloom of Abandon All Faith. Though the debut has the same grimy feel as VALLENFYRE, Abandon All Faith is a little more varied and, on occasion, more sophisticated. ‘Phantoms’, ‘Carved Into Skin’ and the title track all […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Chained To The Bottom Of The Ocean – Tell Me What You See…

This is the third release by CHAINED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN preceded by a full-lenghth and initial EP over the past two years. To my jaw- dropping surprise the first track, ‘I Will Possess Your Heart’, is a DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE cover, which of course they slaughter it in the best way possible. Gritty guitar and gritty vocals, i couldn’t ask for much more. Yet another welcome surprise is Paul Degrandpre’s clean vocal delivery at one point during ‘Out, Brief Candle’, and not for nothing, I happen to think he has a lovely voice. Truth be told, […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell – Very Uncertain Times

Yes, these are very uncertain times indeed, but fortunately we can rely on the good ADMIRAL SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVELL to blast our brainwaves with greasy, gritty retro-rock on a fairly predictable basis. This is getting to be one of those “never fail” bands and I can’t think of anybody doing the early ’70s proto-metal/blues rock shtick with more authenticity and good humor than the good ADMIRAL. It is tedious to repeat in each successive review of ASCS, but these guys are able to channel the rugged, raw and loud sounds of the early 70’s blues rock scene with amazing fidelity. […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Year Of The Cobra – Ash And Dust

From the beginning of opener ‘The Battle Of White Mountain’, the distortion tone is pretty on point, with riff work that is none too shabby. I can definitely stay that what I wasn’t expecting was a female lead singer, which isn’t usually my cup of tea. Well, if the second track’s opening riff, which carries through the song, isn’t a rip off ‘Forever My Queen’ by PENTAGRAM, I’ll eat my hat. I find myself still down with the vocals of Amy Tung Barrysmith, as she has a pretty soothing voice in my opinion, very reminiscent of Jex Thoth in spaces. […]

Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: DEATH WOLF – IV: Come The Dark

After leaving behind its obvious MISFITS/SAMHAIN tribute work as DEVILS WHOREHOUSE and rechristening itself DEATH WOLF in 2011, the band got down to the business of – while maybe not entirely turning its back on its initial sound – creating its own persona, which has worked to varying degrees of success over the last three albums. Now, roughly five years after III: Ostergotland, DEATH WOLF leaves behind Century Media, returning Blooddawn Productions to its original home under the Regain Records banner. ‘He Who Hates’ kicks things off, and I do mean kicks, hard-charging and menacing, easily the best opener on […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Angel Witch – Angel Of Light

Talk about an erratic album schedule…ANGEL WITCH should top that list. The last effort from the NWOBHM giants was As Above, So Below back in 2012…7 years ago. Over the last three decades, I’m never exactly sure if these guys are an active band or not, but Angel Of Light definitely declares that ANGEL WITCH is back in the game. My feelings towards this one are conflicted. It is certainly true to the classic ANGEL WITCH style of gloomy and galloping melodic metal that approaches doom, but is not quite there. The band hasn’t thrashed up their style or gone […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: PERVERTED CEREMONY – Nighemancie / WITCHCRAFT – Black Candle Invoker

PERVERTED CEREMONY’s side of the split begins with the extremely haphazard title track, and moves on in the same fashion from there. For loving metal as long as I have, I can honestly say that I have no idea what they’re going for here. I would not call this black or death exclusively, more like a confused mish-mashing of the two. I don’t know know what the vocalist’s excuse for his delivery is, but the band follows a single theme throughout their side of the split. Make your decision. I’ve made mine. Well, WITCHCRAFT (Fin) wasn’t what I expected. Not […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Warsenal – Feast Your Eyes

Here’s a shot of something fresh in the thrash world. Hailing from the metal hotbed of Montreal, WARSENAL is doing something a bit different than just imitating what has gone before, but at the same time, they have the feel of something that could have come from the glory days of thrash. Think of ’80s thrashers that went against the grain; REALM, ANNIHILATOR, DBC, even VOI VOD. That’s the ballpark these guys are trying to inhabit. Feast Your Eyes is fast! Above all else, these guys play with high velocity, but favor unusual time changes and riffing patterns. It is […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Dour – Septic Existence

First of all, let me start out by saying Septic Existence is full of great riffs, incredible drumming, and filthy vocals. DOUR is the best band to come out of Scranton, PA for many years, in my opinion. I would know, because it’s my hometown. The way they blend faster-paced and traditionally slow sludge is not only creative, but the transitions are impeccable. And hey, can’t forget the motherfucking feedback. This is grimy misanthropic sludge at its finest. For their first full length, they killed it resuscitated it and killed it again. I honestly can’t help but nod my head […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Orodruin – Ruins Of Eternity

While I’m not opposed to clean vocals, Mike Puleo’s delivery just simply doesn’t do it for me. The vocals – his voice – is in no way bad, but not my cup of mead, so to speak. Instrumentally ORODRUIN is definitely talented. The melodies are pleasant, and the riffs aren’t bad, but again not something I can get into 100%. If you’re into neo-traditional doom metal you will like this album, with its super-clean vocals, heavy (but not overbearing) riffs, and soloing. That sentence right there, I feel, sums up ORODRUIN pretty well, being someone who hasn’t heard them up […]

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