THE HAUNTED – Never Better? Anthony Morgan March 2011 The Haunted (l-r): Patrik Jensen, Anders Björler, Peter Dolving, Jonas Björler and Per Möller Jensen Swedish death metal outfit The Haunted entered Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark on October 18th, 2010 to cut their seventh studio full-length with longtime producer Tue Madsen (Moonspell / Dark Tranquillity […]

CANNIBAL CORPSE – Skewered From Ear To Eye Anthony Morgan March 2011 Cannibal Corpse (l-r): Alex Webster, Paul Mazurkiewicz, George Fisher, Rob Barrett and Patrick O’Brien In July 2008, New York death metal merchants Cannibal Corpse issued three-disc DVD retrospective Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years; including a definitive three-hour history of Cannibal Corpse […]

ACROSS THE SUN – Descent & Discovery Anthony Morgan March 2011 Across The Sun (l-r): Sam Hafer, John Malloy, Alan Ashcraft, Brandon Davis and Shane Murray Melodic metal act Across The Sun formed in 2004 in Portland, Oregon, the result of high school friends coming together. Regional performances comprised the outfit’s initial outings, Across The […]

ASSAULTER – The Great Subterfuge Anthony Morgan March 2011 Assaulter (l-r): Peter Hunt, Tommy Hellfinder and Simon Berserker Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia-based thrash / death metal outfit Assaulter formed in 2004, the brainchild of Simon Turner (better known as Simon Berserker), vocalist, guitarist and bassist for the group. Berserker had previously been a […]

BENEDICTUM – At The Gates Of Success Anthony Morgan March 2011 Benedictum (l-r): Mikey Pannone, Tony Diaz, Veronica Freeman, Chris Shrum and Pete Wells San Diego, California-based heavy metal outfit Benedictum formed in 2005, the central members of which are vocalist Veronica Freeman and guitarist Pete Wells. The pair had been members of a band […]

CONDEMNED? – Big Time Game Hunting Anthony Morgan March 2011 Condemned? (l-r): Scott Clayton, Slade Anderson, Scotty Gardner, Rick Strahl and Keith Chatham Travelling through the United States in 1987 for a four-week period, Markus Staiger witnessed a concert by Santa Cruz, California band BL’AST! The name would form the basis of Staiger’s Donzdorf, Germany-based […]

BLOOD CEREMONYLiving With The Ancients Rise Above (2011)Rating: 8/10 It seems that “occult rock” is very much the in-thing, with a whole ghostly host of bands springing from their dusty attics in pursuit of sounds extraordinary. Step forward Blood Ceremony, a female-fronted bunch of Canadians who, hailing from Toronto, have trawled the depths of the […]