Oh boy, this was a rough one to get out! Some unfortunate alignments with my work life, plus the myriad other matters which trouble the editors of the blog, plus the wonderful and ever-inconsistent joys of working with WordPress, all conspired to make this Missive difficult to get to. But here we are! And, now that we’re here, does all of that stuff even matter? It amazes me each time, again and again, how much the difficult process of keeping the blog running (and it’s difficult even when things are running smoothly and our personal lives shut up for just one second) disappears in the face of the end result and how much I’m proud of it.
There are many things we could have done and could be doing better with the blog. Somewhere out there (🎵somewhere, somewhere out there🎵) there is a better version of Heavy Blog. I’m not sure what they did better over there, because me not being to see it is exactly the point of why it’s better, but the blog runs smoother and is more popular. Maybe something about the composition of the staff is different? Or more efforts were put into community building. Or, hell, maybe that blog devolved into an anger fueled click-bait farm. Who knows? But what I do know is that this Heavy Blog is the one we have and I am incredibly proud of what it is because, well, it is. And that’s not to be taken for granted, even when things fail and don’t come out as good as they could have.
The thing which, at the end of the day, helps me feel that sense of pride and confidence is that the thing which matters the most is always excellent and that’s the content. This month’s columns, simply put, fucking rule! And look at those great reviews plus the awesome interview with Konvent! Everything is brimming to the top with excellent music, it’s not too hot here yet, Spring is causing things to spring, this Missive was posted, eventually, against all odds, and all is, when you come down to it, great. Happy reading folks; sometimes, it’s very good to be alive, even when things don’t exactly work out. Thank Heavy Blog for making those times more and more frequent.
Columns
Editors’ Picks
Genre agnostic spotlights from the blog’s editorial staff, highlighting key releases from last month.
Death’s Door
All the death metal that’s fit to print from last month’s offerings. Riffs, licks, and gutturals.
Doomsday
When you absolutely must have your music go low and slow, Doomsday is here for you. Get ready for fuzz.
Flash of the Blade
Music that is both fast, pissed off, and goes hard. Oh, and swearing. Lots of it.
Kvlt Kolvmn
The grimmest, coldest, most abrasive column there is. Only the most premium of perma-frost, from the heart of darkness itself.
Post Rock Post
Where the horizon is always just beyond the next hill and your heart can roam free. Delay pedals, crescendos, and dreams.
Unmetal Monthly
Head on through to turn down the distortion.
Rotten to the Core
Sure, you’re hardcore but are you this hardcore? The column with all the breakdowns, riffs, and gang vocals you’ll need.
Heavy Buys
Welcome to Heavy Buys, our column (mostly) dedicated to physical media and soft merch paid for out of the pockets of Heavy Blog writers.
Reviews
Eight Bells – Legacy of Ruin
Eight Bells are definitely still the same ponderous, fog-drenched, and haunted doom band they’ve always been. But they’ve also dug deep and slung their nets wide, gathering up new sounds, techniques, and approaches to the core of their music.
Machine Gun Kelly – mainstream sellout
Even the most ardent MGK apologist will have difficulty justifying some of the material on this record, which does absolutely nothing better and everything worse than its predecessor.
Meshuggah – Immutable
The era of Meshuggah completely changing the game may be well and truly past with Immutable, as they transition further away from breaking new ground and instead continue settling comfortably into their long-held seat amidst the pantheon of greats.
Undeath – It’s Time… To Rise From The Grave
It’s Time… To Rise From The Grave is at its core a highly entertaining and deeply satisfying distillation of death metal, and a phenomenal representation of what makes the genre so great.
Features
Interview: Konvent’s Rikke Emilie List
Konvent combine elements of death and doom metal while flirting with other concepts. Vocalist Rikke Emilie List was kind enough to offer us a few minutes to discuss the band’s new record, Call Down the Sun, as well as recording during COVID, being a beginner musician, and much more.
Concert Review: YOB
Pete was particularly excited for this show. Not just because of YOB, but because they were playing at the Marquis Theater — one of the best venues in Denver.
