Record Reviews M

On the one hand, I am glad that Tony Reed finally gets the attention he deserves. This is primarily due to Stone Axe and his work as a producer for...

In rescent times, Cosmic Lava has received a lot of good music from the UK, ranging from sludge and punk to heavy rock, and MUGSTAR are no exception....

'Welcome To Opulence' is the title from the debut of Ohio's MASTERS OF LUXURY, but for me it's now the first time that I listen to this band. This is...

It was in 2005, when I received the first one-song demo from the German instrumental band MILLS OF GOD. The band did attract my attention with their...

I am in a particularly nihilistic mood this day. Therefore I need some music that reflects that sentiment. Normally, I would listen to Grief's...

The last Austrian band I've reviewed was Been Obscene and I didn't like them. The progressive rock/metal band METRUM is also from Austria and (you...

It's really not bad what the Belgium band MOGUL delivers on their debut album, which has been released by Buzzville Records in 2008. Bands like Unida...

In the 20th year of their existence, and who would have thought that a German Doom band would slow the pace of Metal down so many years, Mirror Of...

After listening to 'Neverland' during the last weeks, I have concluded that I need to check out their debut album 'Neolithic', because I find it...

After the release of many EP's Germany's MOJO JAZZ MOB has finally recorded their first full-length for Swamp Room Records. Actually this album has...

I'm very picky when it comes to the genre of crust, because a lot of these bands have nothing better to do than to recycle the best riffs from groups...

I have become very picky about newer doom metal bands, but the debut album of Denmark's MOONLESS captured my heart in no time. These gnarly slabs of...

Hailing from Germany, MINOTAUR belonged to one of the first thrash metal bands in the early '80's, but compared with bands like Kreator, Assassin or...

As I already mentioned, MORNE is one of the most promising new crust bands from the USA. Fortunately, their heavy sound is no tepid rehash of the 80's...

Basically, this album should appeal to me because Boston's MELLOW BRAVO play some kind of classic rock that draws mainly influences from hard rock,...

Unfortunately, 'Wheels Of Purgatory' is just as polished and clean as the Pontiac on front of the cover. That's a pity, because actually MOTORJESUS...

Fuck yeah, MIGHTY HIGH! This record is a welcome ripper from Ripple Music that both brought a smile and a snarl to my face. It charges through some...

That is really pretty respectable what Swedish power trio MANGROVE delivers us here. 'Endless Skies' is their debut in 2009 for Transubstans Records,...

Unfortunately, MONDO CADA's debut is also their swansong, and that's a real shame because what this four English guys are doing here is really...

It is incomprehensible that Dennis Cornelius is still relatively unknown in the world of doom metal. In contrast to a lot of other musicians he has...

As I have said before and I will say it again, MORNE is one of the best heavy crust bands at the present time. Founded by guitarist/vocalist Milosz...

During the past years, I completely lost the overview about MARBLE SHEEP's huge discography, which includes thirteen albums as well as other releases,...

Does anyone remember the English band Year Zero? It was in the 90's, when Hellhound Records released their two albums 'Nihil's Flame' and 'Creation'...

At the end of 2010, I received this wonderful album from Ripple Music and since then I do not want to miss it. MODERN DAY MOONSHINE has nothing at...

Washington's power trio MOS GENERATOR also belongs to those few bands who split up too soon. Believe it or not, they never recorded one worse song...

I had already written a few lines about the history of MISERICORDE so if you are interested please just read the review of their first demo. So I...

Metal Coven Records is one of the best underground metal labels here in Germany, who are specialized on strictly limited vinyl editions. In the past...

Spawned from the demise of New York's heavy rockers, Kreisor, MIRROR QUEEN are a new band and 'From Earth Below' is their debut full-length, released...

'Land' is definitely the most abstract album that Cosmic Lava received in 2009 and there is no doubt that it's only made for a very few people. Even...

You know how it is with a lot of albums; There are three or four good songs, a few okay ones, and a then some filler. But then there are those albums...

For me, one of the best bands in the genre of 70's-influenced Hardrock are definitely MOS GENERATOR. Their album 'The Late Great Planet Earth' was...

Behind the admittedly weird name MONSTERS OF THE ORDINARY stands a young Austrian band, who already released two EP's in 2008 and 2009. I don't know...

The debut album of Norwegian psychedelic duo MISTY RANGE is too wonderful to describe in words. Listening to this CD almost takes you to another...

Following on from the release of 'Lord Of The Rats' (review here), Ohio's MORBID WIZARD return with 'Necrosis Of The Eyeball' and it makes me feel...

It's always very nice, when a split-release features two great bands with two cool tracks, and so my first praise goes out to Flotation Records for...

I have written elsewhere about my growing reluctance for newer bands that imitate the rock of the 1970s. The reason for this is that most of these...

This is the second studio album from one of today's most outstanding hardrock bands, and it has been released in 2005 and 2006 on three different...

Hailing from Detroit, MEAN MOTHER make it easy for the listener because the title of their first album contains an appropriate reference to the...

It's nice to see that Finnish doom brethren SLUGSTAIN have returned, because their 2010 demo really impressed me and since then I watched out for new...

First off: MEMORY DRIVEN's newest album, 'Animus', is certainly nothing short of brilliant. There is no doubt that guitarist/vocalist Dennis Cornelius...

The first album of METAL CHURCH is definitely a masterpiece and a magnificent connection of classical Heavy Metal and early Thrash Metal as well as...

This is just the sort of modern sound that bores me to death. Believe me, I listened to it many times, forcing myself to give it a chance even though...

Never heard of this band and I am very surprised considering they are from Portugal. This is their first album, released through Raging Planet ...

This is Misty Morning's second release on Doomanoid Records. I must admit that I do not own their debut EP. I had listened to a few songs and samples...

MOS GENERATOR follow up their '07 'Songs For Future Gods' album with an excellent 7" on Rxevolution Recordings in 2008. Both tracks are unreleased and...

Over the course of recent years a lot of promising new heavy rock bands are coming from the UK. This includes MAGE, who released their first album...

First 'Mer Morte' has been released as a limited edition LP on the Spanish label Throne Records in 2008, but Crucial Blast Records was kind enough to...

The term 'progressive rock' does not always mean that you have to play top-heavy super-complex music. To me, it's also a suitable description for...

This split CD has been released by Cold Spring Records in April 2008, when MERZBOW, SUTCLIFFE JÜGEND and SATORI played at ULU, London. This was...

This was the next surprise for me, when I've found this promo-package in my mailbox, because they were totally unknown for me. The band was formed in...

A young German band, who's been fascinated by the power of volume and tone, without licking the ass of the totally overrated Sunn o))).  I'm very...

I didn't expect such an excellent album from Swedish riff-rock masters MAGNIFIED EYE, because their previous efforts are more or less typical heavy...

The Italian doom metal scene is famous for being excentric and Paul Chain is the best example for it. Now here comes MIDRYASI, an Italian trio, which...

New Swedish stuff on Daredevil Records, and it's, of course, the next load of 70's flavoured heavy rock, But MOTHER MISERY have not much in common...

The "Suicidal Doom Series" of PAINIAC RECORDS continues with another split release, featuring two bands who've contributed to that concept before, as...

First off, my biggest thanks goes out to John from This Dark Reign/Devil Doll Records for releasing this necessary CD. MUGWART were one of the finest...

More than the legendary US forerunner-band Blood Farmers, M-SQUAD have an immense 60's/70's influence ... no they are a total early 70's band and in...

It's time for the Italian version of Electric Wizard with the first self-released album.The opening track "Bad Acid" sounds totally like a Wizard...

Here we have the debut (mini) album from the Glasgow based heavy rockers MARSHAN on CASKET MUSIC. The band presents six compositions in 32: 21 and the...

Does anybody remember the American Sludgecore band 16? If not, it doesn't matter but with Bobby Ferry and Jason Corley are ex-members of 16 on board...

This band was formed back in 1996 from former members of Only Living Witness and Roadsaw. After a few changes in the line-up, the band recorded two...

The band had recorded several Demo-tapes in the last ten years and the "Veil Of Lead" EP in 1997.In the same year they entered the Sub Zero studios to...

What for a pretty nice opener, guys! The album kicks off with the title track , a heavy and groovy track in the vein of Cream or Led Zep mixed up with...

This is MOOD's first album on CD for the first time ever! Originally it was released back in 1996 as a tape album, but now you can get it with three...

Bleakness prevails! That's the conclusion you come up with, after listening to these "five hymns of mystery and despair" released as the third part of...

With two albums already under their belts, Seattle's MOS GENERATOR have come a long way, since the band have been formed in the cold winter of 2000....

I once in a while recommend a heavy metal album.... here's one that might be of interest. There are folks who'd never buy a record whose label is...

I don't know, if guitarist and vocalist Joe Carpenter is aware of the fact that his vocals are sounding as if he's the small brother of Pepper Keenan....

This album has been originally released by the band as limited digi-pack and was only available via webstores and underground distribution. But in the...

Hailing from Dayton, Ohio MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT are taking the aural assault of Neurosis or Isis as a template in combination with post-rock...

I don't know how vastly this demo's been overlooked but at least I haven't read anything about or maybe I can't remember... anyway, I've missed out on...

When I noticed in the info-sheet that MUDDY FLY hails from the north of Italy, I expected some sort of heavy-psych fuzzrock or something comparable,...

For fans of heavy sludge, MISTRESS are no newcomers to the scene. This Birmingham-based band had released two excellent album's on Rage Of Achilles...

Finally, the debut album of UK-based MACROCOSMICA. They've kept their own style, which is still not easy to pigeonhole, but somehow, they're sounding...

Don't be mislead by the band's name, the album title, or the colourful artwork; the Spanish band MOKSHA has more in common with a gang like Thee...

MINOTAURI was formed in 1995 by guitarist/vocalist Ari Honkonen, who also is playing in MORNINGSTAR. The band recorded several rehearsel tapes and...

The small German label IRON BONEHEAD released this single in 2000 and MINOTAURI are sounding much stronger, than on the "Devil Woman" demo. A much...

The main-man behind this progressive Psychedelic project is Jeff Sanders. I've never heard anything of the Mirrors and Jeff's other projects, but...

"Extreme Doom crafted by the blackest hand of matter..." does the inner sleeve proudly proclaim , and that's exactly what you get, when two of the...

There have been times, when I really loved the genre Sludge, and I'm still a fan of the first wave of Sludge bands. Nowadays it seems, that everyone...

The Belgium label Rock 'n' Roll Radio comes up with a serie of 10" releases, and this is the second one, that features two really outstanding bands....