Published July 2009

Rumpelstiltskin Grinder - Living For Death, Destroying The Rest (Relapse/Riot)

Rumpelstiltskin Grinder’s new material has a ‘raped by bears’ fierceness, to borrow a phrase from the band themselves, as well as punishing speed to channel some of the greatest thrash influences from early metal.

Controlled, impeccable production and signature licks do much to bullet the product into a more contemporary sound environment.

20 Years of Wacken: Part Three - Beyond the Music (2000-2004)

While this is supposed to be about the festival in the first half of the second decade, we both felt that it would get old just writing about the bands who played. Take a look inside and discover all of the extra-curricular activities on offer at this mega festival.

Havok – Being And Nothingness (Vicisolum/Riot)

Holy screaming misfits of doom Robin what is that you’re playing? I could feel the vibrations down in the batcave!

It’s the debut album Being And Nothingness from Swedish Death Metal merchants Havok.  Too loud for you Caped Crusader?

Obituary's Frank Watkins gives us the low-down on what he's been up to

From Obituary to Gorgoroth and name dropping a ton of great bands in between, Frank Watkins talks about reviving Obituary, about Gorgoroth, and about artist management... and much more besides.

When the phone rings at 7 am in Perth, Western Australia, I'm only barely functioning; on the other end of the line Frank Watkins, best known as bassist for legendary death metal b

As I Lay Dying - This Is Who We Are (Metal Blade/Riot)

I must admit that prior to watching the documentary about As I Lay Dying included in this pack, I couldn't have given two shits about this band. It's a credit to both the band members themselves, and to the filmmaker Denise Korycki, that by the end of it I did give a fuck - enough to sit through the following two discs.

 

Death Angel - Sonic German Beatdown - Live in Germany DVD (Nuclear Blast/Riot)

This is the first live recording in Death Angel's history. It's very well representative of these guys on stage, and is not the sort of DVD you want to miss out on. Thrash fans, and Death Angel fans in particular, need to get their hands on it. Now.

This live DVD features seminal Bay Area thrashers Death Angel at the Rockhard Festival in Germany in 2007.

Obscura - Cosmogenesis (Relapse/Riot)

Obscura's Cosmogenesis hits the ground running, delivering an epic blend of mind-boggling technical proficiency, and brutally melodic innovation.

Tombs - Winter Hours (Relapse/Riot)

Although a promising doom prospect, does the debut album from Brooklyn-based Tombs have what it takes?

I wasn't sure what to expect from the debut full lengther Winter Hours from Brooklyn trio Tombs.

Goatwhore - Carving Out the Eyes of God (Metal Blade/Riot)

Dark, heavy and evil. Goatwhore crush, kill and destroy with terrifying speed in their fourth flesh-ripping and face-melting record.
Release Date: 
22 Jun 2009 - 11:30pm

Although metal fans are quick to decry filmmaker Sam Dunn's oversimplification of black metal as "punk meets Wagner dressed as Alice Cooper" there

Beg For It! Hardcore Superstar's drummer Magnus Andreasson talks music, football and drinking from nut sacks!

Metal As Fuck throws a few questions at Hardcore Superstar’s drummer Magnus “Adde” Andreasson about their new album Beg For It, their new guitarist and their drinking games (champagne glass shaped ball sacks?!) and he throws some answers back.

Swedish rockers Hardcore Superstar have been around since the late 90s but it was the release of their self-titled 2005 album that saw them getting close to the street sle