Review/Unboxing: The Metalhead Box - June

THE APPAREL

 

This months The Metalhead Box featured a bit more wear than just a shirt. We are heading into the summer months and especially here in Ontario, that means HOT, HOT, HOT! Needless to say, it was nice to see a trucker cap right on top of the box. Playing off the Death logo, the hat simply says "METAL". Get it, Death Metal? Anyways, its a nice hat and perfect for keeping this crazy hot sun off your face. To go along with it, this month's box featured a shirt from the Technical Death Metal band Whore of Bethlehem which features some killer art of a demon holding a sword on essentially a throne of skulls. Killer art and killer shirt.

THE ALBUMS

It's not very common I get handed an album and have never heard of the band at this point. Years of writing down the line, you tend to discover a lot of underground bands. That being said, this month I was handed three new CDs from three different bands I had never heard of. From left-to-right we have; Mortuorial Eclipse Urushdaur, which is this Symphonic Black Metal bands brand new 2018 release, something I'm very excited to dive into. Next is Infernal Legion Your Prayers Mean Nothing, this month I went for a bit more of a Death Metal theme, I've been slacking in new Death Metal so this 2005 release is exciting to me. Lastly is another Death Metal release, this time it's Bloodsoaked and their last EP Religious Apocalypse which dropped in 2014. Stoked for a good mix of some new music, all these albums look like they'll be good listens.

THE EXTRAS

To go along with the hat and keeping cool outdoors, the box also came with a Pestilence Koozie featuring the artwork from Consuming Impulse. Gotta keep that beer, or other canned item you are enjoying, at the right temperature, right? The other "extra" is a nice signature as The Metalhead Box  is known for. This month's feature is John McEntee, guitarist for the legendary Death Metal band Incantation which is definitely a cool signature for any Metla fans collection.

Review/Unboxing: The Metalhead Box - May

Welcome to a little bit different of a review or unboxing. I'm not sure what we should call this one, but regardless today we are checking out the May edition of The Metalhead Box, a box dedicated to bringing some cool and exclusive items to Metal fans monthly, so let's jump in and see what we can find.

THE SHIRT

Right on top as we open the box is a shirt with a logo I was unfamiliar with. The art, as well as the logo, clearly Black Metal had me very interested. Upon a little bit of research, we found the band is Vargrav, a Finnish Black Metal band who are beyond excellent. I'm definitely a big fan of the shirt, the art is excellent and the back print, “As Night Swallows The Night” with a pentagram is something I'm sad my longhair will cover.

THE CDS

Right underneath the shirt was a few CDs. First, right on top, was Mayhem’s 2009 Season of Mist release “Ordo ad Chao”. While I'm a fan of Mayhem and this is an album a lot of people talk about, I had yet to hear it so this was a really cool album to have in my collection. Next up was Drudkh’s “Autumn Aurora” which is a band I had been meaning to listen to for quite a while. The album cover is spectacular and upon a few listens, I have to say I'm a fan, very glad to have received this album. Third, was an album from a band called Reign of Vengeance which was a DOA Magazine release. I was unfamiliar with this band prior to receiving this box, always happy to check out new stuff though so this is an album that will definitely get a few spins over the next few days. Last, was a sampler from the label Relapse Records, known for having some high profile bands on their roster. Obituary, Iron Reagan, Exhumed and Gruesome just to name a few of the bands on the album, definitely a good way to find some great new bands you may not know.

THE CASSETTE

The second coolest part of this box and a The Metalhead Box exclusive item is a transparent red cassette copy of “Eonian”, the new album from Nuclear Blast Records alumni Dimmu Borgir. The album came out with very split reception, but love it or hate it, this is a very cool item to own!

THE MAGAZINE

Right under the CDs and cassette is a copy of DOA Magazine, a Death Metal magazine I'm unfamiliar with. Taking a quick flip through, there's a lot to offer in here including a ton of album reviews and interviews. This will definitely be a good read for anyone into getting other opinions on albums before (or even after) buying them.

THE SIGNATURE

So now it's time for the coolest part of this box, hidden under everything else and nestled in right under the magazine is a nice The Metalhead Box exclusive picture of Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, complete with signature. Regardless of whether you're a fan primarily of Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Metalcore, Doom Metal, whatever you can decide, everyone knows Judas Priest. Any Metal fan can appreciate how cool of an item this is to receive and it's definitely a good way to close out the box.