** If you’ve ever visited a large city, it’s readily apparent between trash-strewn alleys, huge skyscrapers, and rush hour hustle ‘n’ bustle, decay is happening. Cities—from Aborym’s home in Rome, Italy and New York City to Oslo and Miami—are slowly rusting and dying from the inside out. Add humans to the equation and cities turn…

In recent years, Chicago has been home to all sorts of experimental and off-the-path metal. Lest you forget it’s also the hometown of Paul Speckmann of Master, scads of restaurants that serve large racks of meat and tons of old-school goodness. On that note, Decibel is happy to provide an exclusive stream of Scythe’s “Leather…

Florida’s Orbweaver just released one of those records that sounds just like its cover art.  Like, if Mastodon’s latest actually sounded like the roar of a multi-jawed bull with scales, or if mid-period Novembers Doom actually sounded good.  Copiously limbed, eye- and mouth-dominated monstrosities from space are climbing through razored tears in space-time to devour…

Given the opportunity to write about craft beer every month in Decibel has been eye-opening. The idea that our “Brewtal Truth” column would have lasted more than four years (and counting) and even spawn a book—The Brewtal Truth Guide to Extreme Beers, out in November—is pretty amazing. Now it’s time to bring a little “Brewtal…

In our first on-location podcast, we infiltrate the sordid underworld of Scott Hull’s Visceral Sound studio to talk Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, the Decibel 100 show and much more. Featuring:Pig Destroyer “Rotten Yellow” (Live from Decibel’s 100th Issue Show)Pig Destroyer “The Bug”Agoraphobic Nosebleed “Merry Chrystmeth”Pig Destroyer “Junkyard God”

Before you jump all down my throat and get up in my grill, understand that not all metal festivals are on the same level as Wacken, MDF, Roadburn, Chaos in Tejas, Bloodstock, one of the annual Scion-sponsored shin-digs or even Hopscotch or FunFunFunFest. Not every fest has the ability to draw thousands or can be…

Given that Ulcerate is one of the more forward-thinking death metal bands around (as will again be evidenced on the trio’s upcoming album Vermis), it’s only fitting that drummer Jamie Saint Merat’s playlist fits his group’s modus operandi. As he explains, “Being a drummer, I figured it might be an idea to pick something that…

A member of our extended family needs your help. Joe Wickstrom is the bassist of Atriarch and has played with numerous Portland bands. He was diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease in 2011 and has had a tough go. The disease narrows the arteries and makes it tough for blood to reach the limbs and extermities….

Formed by members of Spawn of Possession, Psycroptic and Space Raven, Mephistopheles comes out of the gate complicated. Actually, not that complicated, but perhaps different. The riffing of Ben Lawless squeaks, skronks, and pulls strange chords from the Netherverse. When he, drummer James “Blower” Excell, and bassist Sam Dowson lock, it’s like Dysrhythmia with a…

Today it is Decibel‘s pleasure to host this exclusive stream of “Sky Full of Witches,” a sublime slab of smoldering, cinematic fuzz-groove off ex-Melvins/Clown Alley guitarist Mark Deutrom’s upcoming third solo record Brief Sensuality and Western Violence. Here’s what Deutrom told us about the track: In 2012 the so called FAA Modernization and Reform act…