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REVIEW: For Today – Prevailer

April 2nd, 2013

Jordan Munson

Band: For Today
Album: Prevailer EP
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Razor & Tie

If you’ve been aware of metalcore for more than a couple months you’re likely aware that there’s a large subsect of it aptly called “Christian metalcore” in which bands play pretty regular metalcore, but also happen to sing mostly about their faith. For Today is one of these bands, perhaps even the biggest Christan metalcore band active today (Immortal, their debut with Razor & Tie, peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200 in 2012). Now, about eleven months after Immortal‘s release, they’re dropping a followup …

Shai Hulud Announce East Coast Spring Tour

February 22nd, 2013

Adrian Garza

Metalcore pioneers Shai Hulud plan on making a short run up and down our nation’s east coast, and rest assured that they intend to take a few of the scene’s up and comers along for the ride.

Included in the dates are an appearance at East Coast Collective’s Today’s Mixtape Festival. This tour’s supporting and opening lineup consists of Thy Will Be Done, Altars, and Beyond The Shore. Our very own Jordan Munson recently posted his review of Shai Hulud’s latest effort to date, Reach Beyond The Sun, and that can be found here.

Follow …

REVIEW: Shai Hulud – Reach Beyond The Sun

February 18th, 2013

Jordan Munson

Band: Shai Hulud
Album: Reach Beyond The Sun
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore

Just like most other genres of music, hardcore seems to have a few distinctly different schools of thought within it. Two of the more prominent approaches are “hardcore punk” and “metalcore” (in the Converge sense, not the Killswitch Engage sense). Shai Hulud seems to float the line between these two quite precariously. Without a doubt hardcore to the very foundation, Reach Beyond The Sun is a fantastic display of just how versatile Shai Hulud can be.

Trading between furious riffs, beatdowns and gang vocals, Reach Beyond …

REVIEW: Suffocation – Pinnacle Of Bedlam

February 17th, 2013

Jordan Munson

Band: Suffocation
Album: Pinnacle Of Bedlam
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Technical Death Metal

In the pantheon of brutal/technical death metal bands, Suffocation is without a doubt one of the premier acts. Now in their twenty-fifth year as a band, with seven full length albums and a couple EPs under their belt, Suffocation could very easily phone it in at this point and still achieve moderate success. Luckily for us, that’s just not their style. Pinnacle of Bedlam, the band’s follow-up to Blood Oath (2009), is a shining example of exactly that.

Until now, Suffocation have typically employed a rougher …

REVIEW: Hatebreed – The Divinity Of Purpose

January 26th, 2013

Jordan Munson

Band: Hatebreed
Album: The Divinity Of Purpose
Label: Razor & Tie
Genre: Metalcore

“All pit, no shit.” That’s how Jamey Jasta was describing Hatebreed’s upcoming album, The Divinity of Purpose. Many were suspect of just how true this claim was, considering the band’s trajectory over recent albums, but upon the release of “Put It To The Torch” (the lead single and first track on the album), there was a lot of reason to believe Jasta wasn’t pulling our collective chain. I’m here to tell you that he actually wasn’t pulling our chain–The Divinity of Purpose really is all …

FOR THE LOVE OF FILM: Mansome

January 16th, 2013

Justin Proper

For The Love Of Film is a weekly column from film nerd and lover of all movies Justin Proper. Sometimes you need some help to figure out how to enjoy movies, and we are here to help! No longer will you need to fear movie night because your friends have no taste in film. With this column you will be able to love even the worst gems to ever grace the silver screen.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that half of the population of the world are males. There is no getting around it. I am …

REVIEW: Holy Grail – Ride The Void

January 16th, 2013

Jordan Munson

Band: Holy Grail
Album: Ride The Void
Label: Prosthetic Records
Genre: Pure Fucking Metal

It’s been just over two years since Holy Grail released their monolithic debut album Crisis In Utopia, and now the SoCal metal troupe has returned with their second album, Ride The Void. With only one member difference from the last album cycle, expectations in the metal world (mine included) were pretty high this time around. In many ways, Holy Grail have stood and delivered.

Once past the crescendoing intro “Archeus,” Ride The Void really kicks up the intensity–and fast. “Welcome to submission, welcome to …

Under The Gun Review Top Best Albums 2012

UTG LIST: Best Albums of 2012

December 24th, 2012

Tyler Osborne

All year the Under the Gun Review staff has weighed in on what we thought about the albums the music scene had to offer. This year has been good to us musically, but it’s a really hard process to shave down to our ten favorites of the year.

As you’ll see when you read through our list, genre is not a factor as albums span all different styles and tastes, and is telling about the eclectic nature of our staff. After loads of nominations, voting, and arguments, UTG is very proud to share with you our favorite albums of 2012.…

25 Days Of Metal 2012: #24 Murder Construct – Results

December 2nd, 2012

Jordan Munson

Rather than counting down the days until we can celebrate Christmas, this year we’re bringing your a series of metal posts will be celebrating the countdown until we don’t have to be inundated with Christmas music and decorations everywhere. To coincide with this countdown We’ll be posting our top 25 metal (and metal-ish) albums of 2012. 25 days of hell, 25 rad metal albums to make up for it.

Number 24 on the list is …

25 Days Of Metal 2012: #25 Enslaved – RIITTIIR

December 1st, 2012

Jordan Munson

Rather than counting down the days until we can celebrate Christmas, this year we’re bringing your a series of metal posts will be celebrating the countdown until we don’t have to be inundated with Christmas music and decorations everywhere. To coincide with this countdown We’ll be posting our top 25 metal (and metal-ish) albums of 2012. 25 days of hell, 25 rad metal albums to make up for it.

Number 25 on the list is Enslaved‘s RIITTIIR. For about twenty years now Enslaved have been releasing fantastic metal albums that are all of their own unique take on …

REVIEW: August Burns Red – August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin’ Hill, A Holiday Album

November 24th, 2012

Jordan Munson

Band: August Burns Red
Album: August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin’ Hill, A Holiday Album
Label: Solid State Records
Genre: Metalcore/Seasonal

Before getting into the meat of this thing, let me preface this by saying I don’t normally care for holiday music save for two styles: old school vocal jazz and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. That’s pretty much it. When review responsibilities were being doled out, I opted for this album since August Burns Red are one of my favorite bands, not because it was a holiday album. At any rate, I’ve spun the album a number of times now and can safely …

REVIEW: Between The Buried And Me – The Parallax II: Future Sequence

September 27th, 2012

Jordan Munson

Band: Between The Buried And Me
Album: The Parallax II: Future Sequence
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records

Every now and then a metal band comes along that carves out their one very special niche in the music world, a band that is virtually without peers. Between The Buried And Me is one of these bands. From the very first full-length they released (their self-titled back in 2002, if you’re counting) it was pretty clear that BTBAM weren’t just your average metalcore band. In today’s metal landscape, BTBAM are one of few bands that the progressive genre tag truly …