Strings? Check. Choir? Check. Distorted guitars? Check. Operatic female vocals? Check. Welcome to the universe that Holland’s favorite symphonic metallers Epica has designed.

It is very rare that an album comes along with the entire package, even rarer when it is a band’s first output in over 7 years. However, that’s exactly what we’ve got with Immortal’s comeback album: All Shall Fall.

Over the last few years, no band has suffered from as much internal strife as Gorgoroth. After the “firing” of vocalist Gaahl and bassist King ov Hell, two parties were essentially formed. One led by the aforementioned musicians, the other led by founder Infernus. Following a long, drawn out battle for who had the rights to the Gorgoroth name, Infernus finally won due to his longer usage. Now, they’re back, and certainly in great form.

The first of two interviews to go twice as long as planned, and both were lots of fun along the way! This one is with Rafa Martinez, the drummer for Black Cobra. The high energy duo have released their Southern Lord debut, “Chronomega”, and it’s a monster of an album! In our interview, we discuss recording with Billy Anderson, the story behind the artwork, the vinyl resurgence and much more in this half hour!

How do you follow one of the greatest comeback albums of 2009? Release a daring companion piece five months later! Much like OX, it demands attention on both a sonic level and via lyrical interpretation.

Nevermind the somewhat silly title, this album is intoxicating. Described by Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt as “possibly the greatest ‘heavy’ record I’ve heard in the last 10 years”, it’s drenched in despondent, delicate beauty.

Ha, I called it! The enigmatic Windy City natives stay the course they began charting on City of Echoes, and have released their finest set of songs to date.

History repeats itself. 40 years after the world saw the release of King Crimson’s In the Court of the Crimson King, its influence still rings loudly in any band that even remotely has progressive influences, be it Muse, Necrophagist, or Opeth. However, I can’t name a band that has channelled the classic ’70s prog sound more than Astra.

When a band releases a debut album that blows away both critics and your every day person, they either become something great, or letdown their fans. For Evile, it’s somewhere in the middle. Enter the Grave was absolutely insane balls-to-the-wall thrash. In a way, they are holding up the entire genre right now. Well, maybe not now. They are still immensely popular, but their second effort, Infected Nations, just feels like it pales in comparison to their first.

Cold. Dead. Gloomy. Dark. All of these words likely come to mind when describing the sound of Moss, one of the few notable drone/doom bands to come out of England. They are part of a handful of bands paying tribute to Seattle, Washington natives Burning Witch, who have become famous for their unique brand of slow, churning doom. This is the not the Pentagram that your father listened to. This is something almost entirely different.