Review Date: August 2021 Released: 1991, Warner Bros Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Welcome to the Hidden Gems series! Episode 01: Fear of God – Within the Veil This Hidden Gem was originally released in 1991, and flew largely under the radar. Like many great albums of the era, it never…
Ghostbound – Extended Play For My Sweet Mary Thyme EP
Review Date: April 2021 Released: 2021, Red Nebula Records Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Ghostbound was founded as the vehicle for the songwriting of Brooklyn-based musician/actor Alec A. Head. The band is back with their latest EP “Extended Play For My Sweet Mary Thyme” via Red Nebula Records. The first…
Unflesh – Inhumation
Review Date: April 2021 Released: 2021, Independent Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Two years after the release of their debut album ‘Savior’, New Hampshire’s Unflesh is back with their second full length called INHUMATION. The album was mixed and mastered by renowned musician and engineer V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress, etc)…
Feradur – Parakosm EP
Review Date: April 2021 Released: 2021, Independent Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Hailing from Luxembourg, Feradur is back with their latest EP entitled PARAKOSM. The band’s previous release Legion came out in 2019, and they have since added a new vocalist and an additional guitar to their sound. The EP was…
Slabber – Apocryphal Diary
Review Date: March 2021 Released: 2021, Punishment 18 Records Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: RC2000 It has been over three years since their previous release, and Italy’s Slabber are back with APOCRYPHAL DIARY. The band is on the Punishment 18 label and the cover art is from Yan Sek. I asked about…
Tectonic Displacement – The Futility of Man
Review Date: March 2021 Released: 2021, Independent Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Tectonic Displacement are a relatively new band from Kiruna, Sweden, and they’ve released their debut EP called THE FUTILITY OF MAN. The recording, mixing, and mastering was done by Johan Karlsson, and the cover artwork is from Andreas Johansson.…
Aqvilea – Beyond The Elysian Fields
Review Date: March 2021 Released: 2020, Saturnia Records Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 International music project Aqvilea have released their debut album BEYOND THE ELYSIAN FIELDS via Saturnia Records. The name recalls the ancient Roman city of Aquileia, and the project is dedicated not only to the origins of the city…
Sacred Oath – Return Of The Dragon
Review Date: March 2021 Released: 2021, Angel Thorne Music Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Hailing from Connecticut, USA power-thrashers Sacred Oath are preparing to release their latest album entitled RETURN OF THE DRAGON. Despite having quite a lengthy career, I wasn’t familiar with the band until now. I’ve been missing out!…
Viral – Viral
Review Date: February 2021 Released: 2021, Independent Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Hailing from Sweden, heavy metallers Viral have released their first album entitled VIRAL. They describe themselves as being ‘heavily rooted in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, with influences from thrash and power metal’. I’d say that’s a…
Waves Of Decay – Burn Your Angel Wings
Review Date: February 2021 Released: 2021, Independent Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Nearly four years have passed since Belgium’s Waves Of Decay released their Cycloptic EP. Now the power-thrashers are back with their latest offering BURN YOUR ANGEL WINGS, released independently by the band. The cover art is very well done…
Best of 2020: RC2000
2020 was a tough year for the metal world for obvious reasons. It’s now more important than ever to BUY the albums you enjoy – if you steal the music you love, you kill the music you love. I didn’t get to listen to nearly as much metal as I…
Abyssal Frost – Antarsia
Review Date: January 2021 Released: 2020, Independent Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 From Atlanta, Georgia (with roots in the North Carolina death metal scene) comes the independently-released EP from Abyssal Frost entitled ANTARSIA. Their Bandcamp page has the description “A voyage of doom and terror set sail into the Abyss…” which…
Unredeemer – 4-19-23 EP
Review Date: January 2021 Released: 2020, Independent Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Unredeemer is a relatively new band from Finland, and they’ve released their 4-song EP called 4-19-23. Vocalist Saša Pul hails from Croatia and joined the band after moving to Finland. After a brief intro, “Defiance” kicks in and right…
Fractal Sun – Turmoil
Review Date: January 2021 Released: 2020, Independent Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: RC2000 When I think of Costa Rica I think of bananas and rainforest. Who knew it is also the land of some fine progressive metal? TURMOIL is the latest from Fractal Sun, released independently by the band. Bonus points right…
Purbawara – Servants of Alamin (single)
Review Date: January 2021 Released: 2020, Independent Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: RC2000 Here’s an unusual one for you – some death metal with melodic touches from Malaysia! Purbawara have released the single “Servants of Alamin” from their upcoming full-length release WITHERING. Right off the bat you can tell Purbawara mean business.…