Beastwars - Album Review: IV
01 Jun 2019 // review by Matt Mutinous
Sludge bands are few and far between in New Zealand and one of our best and highly regarded have unexpectedly made a return with a brand new eight-track album. Nominated for best rock album at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards and after an almost a two-year hiatus in which, singer Matt Hyde managed to fight off Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Wellington heavyweight's Beastwars are back in 2019 with the release of their fourth studio album aptly titled IV.
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Shepherds Reign - Album Review - Shepherds Reign
15 Oct 2018 // review by Matt Mutinous
New Zealand is world renown for Polynesian musicians, groups like Deceptikonz, Nesian Mystik and Aaradhna are some of the first to come to mind. So, it was surprising to hear of a band breaking the mould and coming straight outta South Auckland into the Kiwi Metal scene.
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Depths - Album Review: Endless
10 Mar 2018 // review by Matt Mutinous
Release Date: April 13th, 2018 Picked up by Deadboy Records in late 2011, Depths have hit the ground running, adding a new angle to the New Zealand Metal scene and bringing a fresh sound to the table. Presumably named after the album from US deathcore band, Oceano, Depths has managed to draw an international style of death metal from the comforts of Palmerston North.
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Destructatron - EP Review: Rise of Destructatron
15 Feb 2018 // review by Matt Mutinous
Countdown... to...
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Starving Millions - EP Review: V
02 Sep 2017 // review by Matt Mutinous
Good punk in this country has always been few and far between. Ducking in and out of the spotlight, the well-known acts of the New Zealand scene have been the ones that have powered on.
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Master Blaster - EP Review: Pass Out
11 Jun 2017 // review by Matt Mutinous
Released June 16th 2017 Yesterday I knew nothing of Auckland hardcore punks, Master Blaster except for the fact that they probably run Barter Town just like in Mad Max's Beyond Thunder Dome. Being a massive fan of the Mad Max films and heavy music, I was keen to take a look at their brand new E.
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Silent Torture - EP Review: Torn to Pieces
25 Jan 2017 // review by Matt Mutinous
Released January 28th, 2017 Back in October, we saw the release of a brand new single entitled Torn to Pieces said to be the title track off of the upcoming EP from Auckland death thrashers Silent Torture. After unveiling the gruesome and equally as awesome cover a couple of weeks ago from artist Tata Kumislizer, the wait was finally over and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to check it out.
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Killing Bear - Album Review - Killing Bear
05 Jan 2017 // review by Matt Mutinous
- Released - December 16, 2016 I hadn't planned on taking a trip into outer space before pressing play on this album from Pukerua Bay four piece, Killing Bear. Knowing absolutely nothing about them, I gladly jumped on board and strapped myself in like an unsuspecting hitchhiker.
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Claemus - EP Review: Claemus
16 Nov 2016 // review by Matt Mutinous
-Released 11th November 2016-Mordecai Records Hailing from Wellington's Hutt Valley Claemus is a three-piece Progressive Rock/Metal fusion band that has been slowly but surely making themselves very apparent within the local New Zealand music scene. With their 2015 single Stuck in the Fade making waves with a borderline Nu-Metal sound mixed with a clear ballad style rock influence, it is easy to see why these guys are unique and very hard to squeeze into a specific genre.
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Inhale - Album Review: Ten Cones
19 Oct 2016 // review by Matt Mutinous
Released - July 23, 2016 Masterton was a relatively quiet place, that is until local band Inhale arose from the smoke in 2015, with the release of their 2 track EP Chuck The Knives On featuring tendencies of slam and death amidst a raw display of core aggression. A little over a year later we see the release of their debut album Ten Cones.
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Destructatron - Single Review: Stoned to Death
03 Oct 2016 // review by Matt Mutinous
- Released - September 16 2016- Mordecai Records From the depths of the Waikato this five-piece heavy metal machine, is already making a dent in the New Zealand Metal scene. With their 2015 debut single Castles gaining airtime on various platforms, this much anticipated follow up (Stoned to Death) is set to impress fans and critics alike.
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