Amid my youth, my connections to 'Heavy Metal' lay within copies of quasi-tabloids à la Metal Edge. Accordingly, I'd find myself making musical purchases based entirely on the the impacts of the cover art. Among the most memorable of my guesstimates was the Iced Earth masterwork Night Of The Stormrider. Quickly becoming an obsessive fan of Jon Schaffer's tomes, it would lead to a 'disturbingly intense' obsession. Now, nearly thirty (!) years later, I again find myself fascinated by the group with the release of the oft-mighty III, the newest offering from the epochal Super Group duo Demons & Wizards.Read More
I've always 'self'-recognized as a Metal 'guy'. As a result, my tastes have not always ripened. Despite this, many of the extremities of yore have been replaced by an array of auditory misadventures. Among my most fervent obsessions in this regard is Folk Metal master-minds Hexvessel. Formed circa 2009 by Mat 'Kvohst' McNerney, the group issued their full-length debuts Dawnbearer in 2011 and promptly began establishing themselves internationally. Fortunately, with the release of the hotly-anticipated Kindred, they at long last appear to be destined for the global recognition they unquestionably deserve.Read More
As a 'whole', the journalists of the internet are too eager use terms such as 'ground- breaking', 'revol- lutionary' and/or 'breathtaking' when discussing artists and groups they feel deserve additional or re-newed recognition. Unfortunately, this has led to you being subjected to my ideals regarding AC/DC, Anthrax, Dream Theater and Rush. Thus, once approached regarding coverages of the highly-anticipated gem Lucifer III from Johanna Sadonis (ex-The Oath)-led Doom, Gloom and Occult-fueled Hard Rock and Metal throwbackers Lucifer, we were only more than happy to once again fully over-indulge.Read More
