Joshua Bulleid

1 week ago | heavyblogisheavy.com | Joshua Bulleid

Top PickThe dominant narrative surrounding Cryptopsy is that their modern period, beginning with 2012's self-titled record, is generally seen as a return to form, following a severely rocky middle period. While I'll happily conceded that None So Vile (1996) is undoubtedly the band's best album and a defining album for death metal as a whole, even if 2005's perplexingly overlooked Once Was Not will always be my favourite.

1 week ago | heavyblogisheavy.com | Joshua Bulleid

Power metal is only ok, sometimes. Despite its entrenchment in the '80s, time once was—during the early 2000s—when Australia had all the best power metal bands (that aren't called Blind Guardian). These days, I think you have to give it up for Sweden, what with the rise of Ordan Ogan and Sabaton, along with Hammerfall's recent semi-return to form.

2 weeks ago | heavyblogisheavy.com | Joshua Bulleid

Top PickTaking stick at this almost-halfway point, and I can say, with wholehearted certainty that the sub-genre that has been irking me the most in 2025 is absolutely blackened death metal. It isn't as uninspired or low-effort enough for me to eliminate entirely, like its more classically blackened brethren, but the genre is undoubtedly over-represented and under-delivering.

3 weeks ago | heavyblogisheavy.com | Joshua Bulleid

Top PicksAs much as I love the band Death, I've never really bothered with Gruesome. Perhaps that's because—in addition to some questionable artwork choices—I'm much more taken with Death's later, more progressive 90s period than I am with the earlier 80s era that Gruesome have so far been aping.* As good as the early Death albums are, plenty of bands have come along since and pushed the realms of traditional death metal much further.

4 weeks ago | heavyblogisheavy.com | Joshua Bulleid

Top PicksIn its lead-up, Rivers of Nihil had all the hallmarks of a band making a self-titled album in a defiant effort to re-capture and redefine their identity amid such a turbulent and unsure period. Unlike many (lesser) bands in their position, however, Rivers of Nihil have not only succeeded in making a triumphant statement, but perhaps a definitive one as well. For one thing, they seem to have taken the right lessons from The Work.