This feed will list the twenty latest updates to the site! http://www.apochs.net/ "Since Cynic reunited, they have been a band that has stayed on the tip of Metal fans tongues. But, then again, have they ever really slipped off and been lost? Either way, the mythos of this intriguing group has been forged stronger as of late thanks to their recent full-length album, and two following EP titles. Not to let their history be forgotten, Season of Mist Records have issued a strictly limited pressing of the only recording members of this act issued while under the name Portal, which disbanded in 1996 and led to the formation of Cynic back in the late nineties. Prepare the Way Back Machine once more, as The Portal Tapes returns you to their Progressive Rock and Metal roots." ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/Cynic-ThePortalTapes.html "When it comes to Neurot Recordings, chances are good any band on that label is going to send you off into a rather interesting musical trip. Your best bet is to just sit back, and let the music take you away. Given their track record, it should come as no surprise that Tortona, Italy's Psychadelic Stoner Rock and Doom Metal act Ufomammut, who formed back in 1999 and have six full studio recordings under their belt thusfar, have been signed to their roster. Honestly, this is one of the most fitting homes for this group, and a proper place to issue Oro: Opus Primum, the seventh full-length album. Given the fan reaction to previous offerings, one can instantly expect a rather unique listening experience. But, does this album really deliver?" ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/Ufomammut-Oro-OpusPrimum.html "Last year's Heads Will Roll was one of the most talked about albums in the Metal world. Katana had quickly grabbed fans with their own brand of sleek and stylish old school Heavy Metal, and there was much rejoicing. It didn't take the band long before they announced their follow-up full-length, Storms of War. Again, they find themselves signed to Listenable Records, but while the label may be the same, the music simply is not." ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/Katana-StormsOfWar.html "The other day, Candlelight Records sent me the new Burzum album Umskiptar. So, I told my fiancee we were going for a ride on the back roads to go exploring. What could be better than roaming around where banjos are played loudly in the night whilest listening to some Burzum?! We got in the car, I rolled down the windows a bit, turned up the volume, and proceeded to realize that Umskiptar is just not good road Metal..." ... http://www.apochs.net/Editorial/RR-Burzum-Umskiptar.html Ancient Wolves front woman Gail Shirk has given the ok to stream their entire new recording of Haunted Winter as an Apoch's exclusive! The album is currently available. For more information please visit their Facebook. http://www.apochs.net/Exclusive/AncientWolves.html "Not long after the 2011 version of Haunted Winter, Ancient Wolves incorporated a new vocalist (Gail Shirk) and brought the group down from a five piece to a four member outfit. It's been a little over a year now, and the group have come back to re-record their debut. Clearly the intent was to have a stronger production value, as well as to have the music reflect the latest members, as well as the growth since it dropped. But, does this rendition of the album work in favor of the group, or does the better production highlight new issues within the group not quite obvious in the first mix?" http://www.apochs.net/CDs/AncientWolves-HauntedWinter2012.html "Long time readers of this site will acknowledge the fact that I greatly dislike bands with Christian themes. This isn't because I don't believe, but rather because a lot of times the albums simply suck. I've come across too many that go beyond the realm of preachy to the point where I feel the bible being bashes into my skull by some Emo looking chump who screams like he's having his dangly parts cut off. Of course that's the most extreme. Sometimes it's just a horrible production job since it's all the small Christian label could afford, or the band just had no talent other than making me feel bad for not being part of their belief system. But, I do believe there are some good acts out there. One of them happens to be 7 Horns 7 Eyes, and I just recently got the promo of their upcoming album Throes of Absolution." ... http://www.apochs.net/Editorial/DiscussingChristianMetalThatDoesntSuck-7Horns7Eyes.html "There is good news from the Avulsed camp, and there is bad new. The good news is that you can now buy all of the band's albums for one low price! But, we'll get to that later. First, the bad news. I recently received a press release from Xtreem Music that outlines the parting ways of Avulsed and Riky, their now former drummer." ... http://www.apochs.net/Editorial/DiscussingAvulsedPartWaysWithDrummerAndPassesTheSavingsOnToYou.html "Deathhammer has become an undeniable force in the underground Thrash Metal world. So, it should come as no surprise that this group has been picked up by Hell's Headbangers, the kind of home you expect to see a group like this wind up on. Formed in 2005, this Norway based act has put out a decent number of demo and compilation of those demos from the 2000's and on, finally issuing their debut full-length Phantom Knights in 2010. Two years later, they return with their latest effort, Onward to the Pits." [...] http://www.apochs.net/CDs/Deathhammer-OnwardToThePits.html "Hellvetron is a name you may be familiar with, though chances are you never really heard anything by them before. Formed back in 2004, the two man project issued a demo recording titled Ceremonial Crucifixion through Satanic Skinhead Propganda, but was strictly limited to one hundred cassette pro-pressings. This was way back in 2005, and since then the popularity of the act had considerably grown in the Black Metal underground, enough to attract the attention of Hell's Headbangers, who are issuing the band's debut full-length, Death Scroll of Seven Hells and It's Infernal Majesties. But, this Texas based US Black Metal act is not to be taken at face value, as this recording holds a completely different experience than what you might expect." ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/Hellvetron-DeathScrollOfSevenHellsAndItsInfernalMajesties.html "There are plenty of perks about running a website like this and being able to comment on material before it hits stores, and that's when you get the chance to rediscover long last albums. Thanks to The End Records, I went back to a few albums I haven't heard in ages. Master of Brutality by Church of Misery is one of them. While this band was never on the top of my list of bands that kicked ass, this was one of the albums I appreciated for it's dirty, heavy musical outlook on many famous serial killers. While Macabre usually sums it up without going into eleven and a half minute territory, but that's one of the reasons that this effort was special to me." ... http://www.apochs.net/Editorial/ChurchOfMisery-MasterOfBrutality.html Here's a video of Havok that was shot by a fan from the mosh pit of their March 31st performance in Puerto Rico! http://www.apochs.net/Live/Havok-033112.html "Kaos Aeon (not the band with an "h" in the title that formed years before this one) hails from Kentucky in the good ol' United States of America. This is a two man project involving Morder and Sokaris, both involved in the Avant-Garde group Heritech. This bit of information becomes a little important, as it does reflect the music found on the debut self-released full-length album Tyranny - The Hysteria Manifesto. This Symphonic Black Metal and Thrash Metal act issued the album in late 2011, and since then, there hasn't really been much cropping up around the interwebs about it or them. But, is that a sign of ominous things to come, or is this a well hidden secret in the US Black Metal movement?" ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/KaosAeon-Tyranny-TheHysteriaManifesto.html "Let me just put everything I have to say about this album this: Just start banging your head. Now! Even if you've never heard of these guys. Even if you've never heard a song off this album. Going into this one, I had no idea that they have been around since the late nineties. I was unaware they have a plethora of releases including five previous full-length albums. Now did I know they originally went under the name Julie Was Right [according to the mighty internets]. But, the second Holy Shit starts, which is an apt title for this one mind you, it becomes blatently obvious. So, why not get your neck worked up already?" http://www.apochs.net/Editorial/DiscussingBangYourHeadToSuperchristsNewAlbum.html "One week before The Fatal Feast, Scion A/V teamed up with Nuclear Blast and Municipal Waste to issue a digital two song EP download free on their website to promote the release. It also will be released as a limited edition seven inch EP at one point. This release features the song "Repossession" from the album, as well as an unreleased song from their previous effort, Massive Aggressive. So, is it worth the time to enter your e-mail, click a few buttons, and unzip the file? Or will it even be worthy of your hard earned money for the limited vinyl pressing?" ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/MunicipalWaste-ScionPresentsMunicipalWaste.html "Richmond, Virginia's Municipal Waste returns with Nuclear Blast on their side for their latest effort. The Fatal Feast marks the fifth full-length offering from the group, following up the commercially accessable, though somewhat frowned upon Massive Aggressive. Given how fans and the press have taken to their previous albums prior to 2009's little slump, the heat is on the group for another top-notch release. But, does this one deliver?" ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/MunicipalWaste-TheFatalFeast.html "Demonocracy marks the long awaited third full-length Job for a Cowboy album. More importantly, it is also the second to really have more of a Death Metal focus than a Deathcore one. Ruination ushered this new approach in, and while it wasn't that bad, it just wans't anything all that different than what fans of the style have already heard. But, a lot of dust has been kicked up about this new effort as of late, largely thanks to what songs the band and label have made available on-line at this point. But, does this album really stack up to be a stronger release that shows additional growth and potential, or is this nothing more than a rehash of typical Death Metal material from a Deathcore perspective?" ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/JobForACowboy-Demonocracy.html "It's been roughly three years now since Mark Tonillo replaced founding member Udo Dirkschneider as vocalist. Many fans revolted, claiming Accept would never last, nor be the same. However, for those willing to listen, fans were given a pretty strong new album in the form of Blood of the Nations in 2010, the twelfth full-length offering. While it may not be another Balls to the Wall or even Objection Overruled, it still showed the this group has what it takes to carry on without the most recognizable aspect of their fame, and are ready to reaffirm this with their follow-up, Stalingrad." ... http://www.apochs.net/CDs/Accept-Stalingrad.html Rwake's debut album Absence Due to Projection was released in December of 1999 through Relapse Recors, but this footage was shot by a fan at Vino's in August of that year. Check out this live footage to hear the band before signing! http://www.apochs.net/Live/Rwake-080099.html "Capcom has been ticking their customers off left and right as of late thanks to downloadable content already being found on the disc, as well as varied renditions of games being enhanced and sold for near retail prices shortly after the initial version's release. But, in preperation for their upcoming Resident Evil 6, a hopefully far more successful sequel than Resident Evil 5 was with fans, the publisher hired Slant Six Games to come up with a third-person on-line heavy shooter. The end result is the title Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City. But, does this canon spin-off that brings fans back to the glory days of Resident Evil 2 have what it takes to reach into their hearts and not violently rip them out and tap dance on it?" ... http://www.apochs.net/Games/ResidentEvil-OperationRaccoonCity.html "When I first heard something off Plains of Oblivion, it was the radio edit of "Surrender," the album's lead promotional push. Now, that simply was not enough to go by for this sort of article, as it's not worth basing a personal opinion on something as small and clearly oriented to people other than the target demographic than a radio edit of a potentially kick ass song. So, I did a quick discussion on Jeff Loomis and that new single of his. However, I recently received the full-length promo from Century Media Records, and with a little extra time on my hands (finally) I threw this one on." ... http://www.apochs.net/Editorial/JeffLoomis-PlainsOfOblivion.html