Deliberate, Beautiful Evil – A Review of Wolvhammer’s Clawing Into Black Sun

It’s easy for a metal band to sound evil. But it takes more than just a couple Flying Vs and encyclopedic knowledge of mythological monsters and medical terms to really put something out there that transcends the typical evil metal arts. And sounding evil in a creative way doesn’t have to include an A grade… Continue reading Deliberate, Beautiful Evil – A Review of Wolvhammer’s Clawing Into Black Sun

Dead By Wednesday Hits the Road with Shadows Fall

Connecticut’s own Dead By Wednesday will be joining Massachusetts metal giants Shadows Fall for sixteen tour dates in late June and early July.  The first SF/DBW show will be June 20 at Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA; then the tour swings down to City Limits in Waterbury on June 21, with local support from a… Continue reading Dead By Wednesday Hits the Road with Shadows Fall

Emails from Near and Far: Reviews of Unscarred and Valence

You never know what you’ll find in ol’ inbox.  Recently we received review inquiries from French thrashers Unscarred and New York instrumental prog band Valence.  It took me awhile to get the downloaded tracks into Alternative Control’s Music Review Machine, er, my car’s CD player — but at long last I’ve listened to both bands’… Continue reading Emails from Near and Far: Reviews of Unscarred and Valence

Six Degrees of the Dead: An Interview with Eyes of the Dead for Their Ten-Year Anniversary

  As they have been a staple in the scene for, well, ten years, everyone who’s involved in the loose network we call Connecticut Metal has some connection to Eyes of the Dead.  Mine probably doesn’t involve as much alcohol as other people’s – Jill, who co-founded this blog with me, went to high school… Continue reading Six Degrees of the Dead: An Interview with Eyes of the Dead for Their Ten-Year Anniversary

Mortal Combat!!! Death Metal Dave vs. Peter Progger, Part I

  We’re here to discuss a very hot topic between two very passionate individuals. I’ve managed to gather Alternative Control columnists Death Metal Dave and Peter Progger together for a musical debate. The burning question: What metal subgenre is superior, death metal or progressive metal? It’s (for some reason) a matter of utmost importance for… Continue reading Mortal Combat!!! Death Metal Dave vs. Peter Progger, Part I

Exmortus: Slave to the Sword – CD Review

By Bill Klopfer & Vegetarian Metalhead Earlier this year we saw Dark Tranquility at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts and little did we know we were in for a majestic treat.  Expecting to see a copycat Swedish opening act, we weren’t prepared for the impact the band would have.  Exmortus, looking very young, proved they… Continue reading Exmortus: Slave to the Sword – CD Review

Cinderblock Music: A Review of Penitentary’s Claustrophobia

Anybody that knows Bill Klopfer knows that he’s a busy man. I don’t believe a single day passes without a riff being written. You can look at his metal band resume as proof of his prolific nature. He’s currently a crucial part of the bands Murder Castle, Kaos Reign and of course, Penitentary. So here… Continue reading Cinderblock Music: A Review of Penitentary’s Claustrophobia