The moment I heard the opening track on this record, I knew I was in for a blasphemous treat. “Vox Dei (A Call From Beyond)” blends industrial and classical music to create an ominous, foreboding atmosphere. “Death Liberator” is the first proper trac ...
CD Review: ‘From the Very Depths’ by Venom
Venom, the very word elicits respect, scorn and even laughter in the metal community. Venom is the band that helped kick start extreme metal in the early 80s. You can mock the band's image and musicianship all you want, but this is the group that coi ...
CD Review: ‘Come And Get It’ by Blind Race
Whoa! Talk about an EP that wastes no time knocking you off your feet. Come And Get It is the new powerhouse release from the Toronto, Canada band, Blind Race, and the name is as much a challenge as it is an invitation. From the onset of the ...
CD Review: ‘Far From Sleep’ by Agent Cooper
I initially heard about Agent Cooper’s album, Far From Sleep, during my first interview for Better B# over two years ago. During what turned out to be an incredibly long, but fun, talk with Cooper guitarist, Mike Martin, he told me about the ...
CD Review: “One By One” by Walking With Giants
Notes ring off the strings, echoing as if from reverberating bells. Thus is the beginning of Baltimore-based Walking With Giants' new EP, One By One, set for release on June 21. This promising hard-rock act blew me out of the water last year with it ...
CD Review: Into The True Country – David Benedict
I expect that most of you have never heard of David Benedict. It's not your fault! He's the new guy in town, hailing from the Southeast, and he's just getting settled. That being said, I'd like to introduce you to him. Since 2009, he has bee ...
CD Review: “Inward:Outward” by Mire
Slaving and working to serve the Hive... It's been some time since I listened to a truly progressive record. The last may have been Dream Theater's Train Of Thought, but even that was mainly a metal album from an artist considered to be prog ...
CD Review: “Nobody Likes Neville” by Nobody Likes Neville
Hey there, Harry Potter aficionados! New Baltimore-based rock band, Nobody Likes Neville, is calling your out on the lack of love shown for their namesake: Neville Longbottom. Its self-titled seven song EP, released digitally on January 28 (a ...
CD Review: ‘Far Enough Into The Void’ by Brian Larkin
Emotionally driven, from start to finish, is the debut Brian Larkin album, Far Enough Into The Void. To many the name might not ring a bell, but I've had my ear to this man's musical grindstone for quite some time and have been anticipating ...
CD Review: ‘Devil In The Lake’ by Emperors and Elephants
Chicago's Emperors and Elephants, a band that formed in 2010, has been gathering momentum through the years. It's already achieved some radio support for the single, “Your Will,” and has opened for larger acts like SOiL and Pop Evil during tours. ...