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In the early '90s, a band named Timeghoul, which only released two demos before disbanding without much attention, has, since the 2010s, spawned a wave of numerous "ghoullike" bands. Amid the old-school death metal revival that began in the late 2000s, several excellent “second Timeghouls” have emerged. Among them, Desolation Realm, hailing from Oslo, Norway, stands out as a band that has achieved significant musical distinction. Though this review focuses on Desolation Realm's self-titled debut EP, I began with an extended introduction to Timeghoul because their shadow unmistakably looms over Desolation Realm’s music. Nevertheless, this band manages to deliver music that is impressive in its own right.

Timeghoul’s belated rise in popularity can be attributed to the unique… More

As lead singer and guitarist Paul Riedl mentioned in an interview, this album could indeed be described as “a ’70s prog album played by a ’90s death metal band from the future.” However, this description is purely neutral, and even if it were an accurate portrayal, it wouldn’t guarantee the album’s greatness. Blood Incantation has been one of the most attention-grabbing death metal bands of the 2010s and 2020s, especially among genre enthusiasts—excluding the major bands active since the ‘80s and ‘90s. Since their second album, Hidden History of the Human Race, they’ve expanded their audience beyond death metal fans to include even indie music listeners. As if foreshadowed by that album, the band has since… More

In 1990, Pantera released their fifth album, Cowboys from Hell, which ushered in a new wave of hard-driven hard rock, later labeled as "groove metal." While bands like Exhorder had already dabbled in similar sounds, it was Pantera—whether for better or worse—who became the poster band of this movement, influencing countless mishmash genres all the way to 2024. Having experimented with grooves to a minor extent on their previous album, Power Metal, Pantera fully embraced this direction on Cowboys from Hell, incorporating riffs that differ from their glam-leaning past and could be described as hard rock or Southern rock. At the same time, they borrowed break riffs from thrash metal and repurposed them as main riffs, adding what… More

Metal listeners are divided into two camps: those who consider Pantera’s Power Metal album their best work, and those who don’t. While Pantera achieved commercial success and critical acclaim from their fifth album onwards, they have always been at the center of debate among metal fans. In this sense, for some, this album was Pantera’s last spark before they "fell from grace," for others, it’s a meaningless album made before the "real" Pantera appeared, something they’d rather hide. And then, there are the relatively few who find it to be a "decent" album that, while not as good as their later works, hints at their future direction. Due to this background, the album has been… More

In the summer of 1984, with the specter of Big Brother looming in the background, two significant records were released back-to-back—Haunting the Chapel by Slayer in June and Ride the Lightning by Metallica in July. Both bands, who had borrowed elements from speed metal that had existed since the '70s and was being played by various bands in the early '80s, intensified the speed metal characteristics and infused them with their own unique style, creating the new genre of thrash metal. While both bands’ debut albums also contained tracks with elements that could be classified as thrash, they didn’t present as cohesive and definitive a sound as their subsequent works. However, despite both being thrash metal bands, it’… More

The debate over whether Metallica's third album, Master of Puppets, is overrated has long been a point of contention among metal fans. However, there are some things that need to be said, and said clearly: this album is indeed overrated. Some might argue that this album transcends rational evaluation, stirring up a kind of universal "emotion." Yet, when assessed by the standards of metal, and thrash metal in particular, it falls short of being considered a masterpiece. Especially when compared to its predecessor, which signaled the arrival of thrash metal and contained numerous stellar thrash tracks, this album's flaws stand out. The number of solid thrash songs has decreased, and at times it seems more focused on overly repetitive riffs… More

There’s a saying that the second albums of the so-called thrash "Big 4" bands are their best works. While core fans may sometimes prefer the debut albums, most thrash metal fans would likely agree with this statement. In the case of Metallica, the (commercial) leader of the Big 4, this sentiment rings especially true. In short, Ride the Lightning is a significant milestone, marking the true birth of thrash metal and the beginning of Metallica's distinct thrash sound. It carries important historical value both as a landmark that signals the dawn of thrash metal and as the spark that ignited Metallica’s eventual (commercial) success.

Metallica placed the most important and outstanding tracks at the beginning and end of… More

Kill 'Em All is Metallica’s historic debut album, and some even regard it as their best work. Overall, it delivers solid music. Released before Metallica defined thrash metal with Ride the Lightning in the summer of 1984 and before Slayer did so with Haunting the Chapel, also released in the summer of 1984, this album can be seen as a raw blend of early '80s speed metal, heavy metal, and some hard rock. This "rawness" gives the album its distinct character, and along with its historical significance, this is often why the album is held in such high esteem.

However, upon listening to the album as a whole, while it is undoubtedly a great record, it becomes clear that… More

This EP is undoubtedly one of the best NWOTHM releases of 2023. Though it’s a short record with only two tracks, each song offers its own distinct appeal, and the overall composition is highly satisfying. While their previous self-titled EP wasn’t bad, it couldn’t escape feeling like a mere replica of the '80s. In contrast, this EP firmly establishes their unique identity while significantly elevating the quality of their music, delivering top-tier NWOTHM.

The tracks "Rogue Warrior" and "La Fuerza Negra" each demonstrate different characteristics. The former emphasizes a more melodic side with a mid-tempo pace, while the latter stands out with its faster, speedier execution. Both songs stick to a traditional structure, with repeating verses and… More

Intranced is definitely a band worthy of attention among the NWOTHM acts of the 2020s. Fundamentally, this band knows how to craft genuine "heavy metal riffs." In a genre where straying too far from the legacy of the '80s is often seen as a flaw, Intranced has a strong grasp of what traditions to preserve. However, the NWOTHM genre should not merely be a simplistic, anachronistic revival of music from 30 to 40 years ago—just as the Renaissance was not a mere copy of Greco-Roman antiquity, NWOTHM must be a "new" rebirth to find its true significance. This is where the EP leaves something to be desired.

Excluding the intro "Ángeles Nocturnos" and the outro "Danza Macabra," this EP… More

To put it bluntly, this is a thoroughly mediocre heavy metal album. Messiah's Blessing is the debut album by Honjoh Misako, featuring members of Loudness. Given the reputation of her and the Loudness members, one could say they’ve managed to produce a somewhat listenable album, but that’s about as far as its merits go. There are a few moments where some striking riffs emerge, but they are fleeting and fail to elevate the overall composition of the songs. The larger structures of the tracks are not even worth discussing. Moreover, the album’s cover tracks—which make up 60% of the total content (though whether we can truly call them "covers" when they’re essentially Loudness songs, minus… More

This album is quite perplexing. While a small number of people may have liked it, the general consensus, especially among Celtic Frost's early fans, is that Cold Lake is a complete misstep. However, I wonder whether the music itself is as baffling as some of the song titles, lyrics, or even the glitzy band photos in the booklet—quite the departure from their usual monochrome aesthetic—suggest. While this album does stray far from the trajectory set by earlier works like Morbid Tales or To Mega Therion, when you place it in the context of its chaotic predecessor, Into the Pandemonium, it doesn’t feel like such a wild departure after all.

The Cold Lake album seems to have aimed… More