metal Archive
12 Apr 2019
Mindshapefist: Plenty of Reasons
Holding a band together for more than a short time is a real challenge, as most musicians will readily admit. But Asheville-based four-piece group Mindshapefist has remained together harmoniously for […]
01 Mar 2019
Ghost Keeps the Spirit of Theatrical Rock Alive
Swedish rock band Ghost cuts a striking image, with masked musicians and a lead singer, Tobias Forge, who used to dress like a demonic pope (today he wears slightly more […]
28 Feb 2019
The Paradox of Ghost
Arising out of Sweden’s vibrant metal scene in 2006, Ghost has carved out a unique place in the rock landscape. Fronted by songwriter and vocalist Tobias Forge, the band is […]
20 Jan 2019
“Descent” is Metal and Darkwave Coexisting
In creative and entertainment media, the “alternative” label is tossed around so freely that it risks losing its meaning. Hidden away in the basement of a building on West Asheville’s […]
19 Nov 2018
Carry That Weight: The Heavy Mountain Festival
For many years, Asheville, N.C. has been an important part of the thriving folk/roots music scene. But in recent years the city has also become an incubator for many other […]
28 Jul 2018
Album Review: The League of One – Dispatch
Drawing from ‘70s sludge metal (Black Sabbath) ‘80’s hair bands (pick any one; they’re pretty well interchangeable) and modern-day speed metal, The League of one makes the kind of hard […]
15 May 2018
Michael Schenker Takes it to the Next Level
Michael Schenker is quite likely the most famous and acclaimed German-born guitarist in the history of rock. Picking up the guitar early, by his teens Schenker joined older brother Rudolf […]
14 May 2018
Michael Schenker Fest: Four Singers, Full Potential
Guitarist Michael Schenker rose to fame in the 1970s as the lead guitarist in his older brother’s band, Scorpions. German-born Schenker soon set off on a path of his own, […]
20 Mar 2018
A Look Back at Black Sabbath’s Debut Album
This essay first appeared in Best Classic Bands. Steppenwolf may lay claim to the first use of the phrase in a song, but a strong case can be made that […]
10 Feb 2018
Album Review: Henry Metal – War in Heaven
Heavy metal is perhaps the easiest of all rock forms to parody. Its often over-the top brutal riffage, growled vocals and martial tempos are ripe for ridicule. And that might […]