Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996)

Anime Nerd?I first watched Neon Genesis Evangelion in college or shortly after--some time around 2004. I loved it. It's one of the reasons I believed myself an anime fan, although that as a "genre" leaves something to be desired.* I recently had the chance to revisit the series, and it holds up.


Watching it now, it falls into that wonderful world of fiction which was set in a "future" that

Palms v. Crosses

Son of Deftones Versus Mecha Deftones v.
There’s a story that the Cash family sent young Johnny to singing lessons. But upon hearing him for the first time, she told him to stop taking the lessons because his way was better.

I like to imagine the same thing could have happened to Chino Moreno. He’s definitely not singing the “right” way, but his way is so much better. It’s held me rapt for the

Autumn's Dawn: Gone (2014)

Sort-of-Black-MetalGerm is an incredibly weird band that I’ve mentioned once or twice before in these pages. Inhabiting uncharted territory near the border of black metal, it’s one of those projects that endlessly fascinates me. The unmistakable singing voice of drummer/vocalist Sorrow is present in one more sort-of-black-metal band, Autumn’s Dawn.

There is a lot of similarity between the two

Metal Briefs: Doom EPs

At the Graves at SeaWhere my doom at? There seems to be a drought of doom as of late. Perhaps it’s at the graves, which may be at sea. But a few short players have found their way into my hands.

Graves at Sea: This Place Is Poison (2014)
4 out of 5 stars

I've got to admit, I'm a sucker for Black Sabbath covers. This EP by Graves at Sea features an original tune that showcases their brand of

Kult of Taurus: Divination Labyrinths (2014)

Hellenic AggressionReview by Metallattorney. He is the law.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite black metal scenes of all time is the Hellenic scene. Groups like Rotting Christ, Varathron, Ravencult, Thou Art Lord, and others bring a unique melodicism to an otherwise bleak and miserable sound. The bands have a unique style all to themselves and it is a sound that other regional scenes simply

Principality of Hell: Fire & Brimstone (2014)

Back Patch TerritoryI’m just guessing that if you went to see Principality of Hell, you’d probably see a lot of dudes with back patches in the crowd. Call it a hunch, but this is just the kind of bread-and-butter tr00/kvlt/underground metal that I associate with cut-off denim vests. Debut Fire & Brimstone is coming out August 18 on W.T.C. Productions.

There’s simply nothing new here, but there’s

Dark Americana Briefs, Volume 16

Kristian Harting: Float (2014)
4 out of 5 stars

I wasn't quite sure whether to include this as a dark Americana entry, because there's very little Americana in it. But in spirit, Kristian Harting is much the European equivalent. Aside from acoustic guitar and his wonderful voice, he also uses echo effects, synths, and some distorted electric guitar to create a blend that's as much Hexvessel 60's

Death Metal Briefs: 2014

Death: There's Enough to Go AroundDeath metal came back in 2013, and it's still going strong in 2014. But I've been favoring the Profound Lore releases so far, and it's time to spread some love around.

Unaussprechlichen Kulten: Baphoment Pan Shub-Niggurath
4 out of 5 stars

The expansively-named Unaussprechlichen Kulten (Chilean, not German) play exactly the kind of death metal that generates

Wolvhammer: Clawing into Black Sun (2014)

Better Than TombsI listened to 2011's The Obsidian Plains. I even reviewed it. Back then, there were a handful of bands making this novel combination of black metal and sludge metal with varying degrees of hardcore influence: Castevet, Tombs, Withered, and Wolvhammer all released albums that garnered a lot of attention in a relatively short period of time. And they competed for space in my brain,