Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Dr. Mality

Album Reviews

Album Review: Vimur – Triumphant Master Of Fates

Don’t look now, but the 90’s black metal nostalgia kick is in full swing. After hearing the excellent new WINDSWEPT album recently, here comes the freezing fire known as VIMUR to try their hand at the classic misanthropic style. What’s more, these guys hail from the frostbitten plains of…Atlanta, Georgia?! They make a good first impression simply with the excellent cover art here. That always helps put one in the mood for epic darkness, and epic darkness is the best description of the VIMUR sound. The songs are extremely fast, cold and vicious but still with very notable melody and […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Rotting Christ – The Heretics

ROTTING CHRIST have existed in their own self-contained universe almost from the start of their career, which is now approaching the 30 year mark. They have never been interested in the typical trappings of what many perceive as extreme metal…they’ve never tried to be the fastest, the most brutal or, despite the obvious connotations of their name, the most blasphemous. They just create music on their own terms with no desire to meet any outside expectations.  The Heretics is for sure the most cinematic of all ROTTING CHRIST albums. A lot of this sounds like it could be the soundtrack […]

Interviews

Interview: SEAX

NO SHELTER FROM THE FALLOUTInterview with SEAXBy: Dr. Mality The sirens are screaming. Incoming barrage from SEAX is imminent! Hailing from Massachusetts, SEAX is that rare breed of American metal band that not only invokes the power of a bygone metal age, they personify it. There are very few bands from these shores that pay homage to the raging speed metal sound of the early 80’s and do it right, but SEAX is one. Think of eldritch names such as EXCITER, IRON ANGEL, HAWAII, AGENT STEEL and the like and you’ll instantly know the SEAX sound. Fallout Rituals is the […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: OVERKILL – The Wings Of War

If there’s any such thing as an atomic clock in heavy metal, OVERKILL are it. Every other year, a new platter surfaces from the Jersey Boys and almost never does it disappoint. Usually a 10 tracker as well, just like The Wings Of War. What can we say about the 19th album from this most dependable of wrecking crews? New drummer Jason Bittner – late of SHADOWS FALL and FLOTSAM & JETSAM – has given the band a kick in the ass. His drumming here is explosive and machine gun-like in its velocity. Much like Scott Travis did for JUDAS […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: THE MUNSENS 
- Unhanded

THE MUNSENS…a strange name for an unconventional band. The name has been floating around for years but this is the first time I’ve been able to connect any music to it. It was not what I was expecting, that’s for sure. These days, that’s a good thing, and having a name that you can’t connect to any particular style of music is also refreshing… This Denver band plays some fairly epic material. The first track ‘Dirge (For Those To Come)’ caught me off guard right away…a melancholy, almost post-metal beginning that really does sound like a dirge that soon morphs […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Spirits Of Fire – Spirits Of Fire

If metal bands were ranked and judged like dogs at fancy dog shows, the bloodline and pedigree of SPIRITS OF FIRE would have them winning “Best In Show” hands down. Consider the metallic breeding of bass messiah Steve DiGiorgio, lead guitar phenom Chris Caffery, drum wizard Mark Zonder and oh yeah, the vocals of a guy called Ripper who has sung with a few bands you may have heard of. There is no way that SPIRITS OF FIRE should fail with this purebred talent. I cannot say that the self-titled debut doesn’t have some awe inspiring moments, but there is […]

Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Funereal Presence – Achatius

One man band FUNERAL PRESENCE has given us another reminder that it’s the most off the wall and batshit crazy bands that are the most entertaining. The thing I will remember most about this oddball outsider unit is their use of bells…the clear glorious ringing of tubular bells and the earthy clank of the almighty cowbell. Over the course of these four epic and mind-dizzying tunes, you will hear both kind of bells used to brilliant effect.  The use of bells stands out, but really Funereal Presence deliver crazed extreme metal that is unlike anything else out there. Each of […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Ossuarium – Living Tomb

Certain kinds of death metal are the perfect accompaniment to a walk among the dead. The kind that mixes a suffocating doom with riffs that rot from the head down. Hailing from the fertile Portland scene, OSSUARIUM creates a potent if predictable serenade for your visit to the catacombs. All the expected boxes are checked here. The “cavernous” roaring vocals, the thick and slimy riffs reeking of INCANTATION, even the ghastly cover art of Dan Seagrave. I can’t say I was surprised by any of OSSUARIUM‘s revolting tuneage, but it will surely satisfy any underground death-head’s yearning for morbid metal. […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: The Skull – The Endless Road Turns Dark

Anyone interested in what a perfect metal production job sounds like would be well advised to check out this record. Rarely have I heard a better sounding disk. The bass sound is absolutely phenomenal, the drumming sounds natural and the many varying guitar tones are exquisitely rendered. This is state of the art recording in every way. That perfect sonic palette is applied to some great American doom metal. THE SKULL is basically Chicago’s legendary TROUBLE with some different personnel. If you thought THE SKULL’s first effort For Those Which Are Asleep was heavy, you haven’t heard anything yet. The […]