Lair of the Minotaur

Gripping and masterful, Chicago, IL behemoths Lair Of The Minotaur blast out a thick wallop of dark doom sludge on fourth full-length Evil Power. More brutal, forthright chug riffs, a throaty thunder reminiscent of Sepultura's Arise era and a greater understanding of revolving dynamics ensures the album is also quite agile and contentious throughout its 11 tracks. Resting on a mid-tempo basis that allows verses to breathe and carouse in their fury, yet continually exploding out of that groove, there's no lack of testosterone-pumping anger, volatile ferocity or mystical lyricism within. Like a dirtier middle brother to hellhounds High On Fire and fantasy fans 3 Inches Of Blood, Lair of the Minotaur shroud their tunes with a cryptic otherworld fascination on tracks such as "Death March Of The Conquerors," "Riders Of Skullhammer, We Ride The Night" and "Blood From The Witch's Vein," ensuring distinctness via an overt black metal tendency that emphasizes their apocalyptic visions.