Van Groover is a stoner rock band from Germany who gave us a cool debut record in 2021, Honk If Parts Fall Off and a nice follow up EP, Back From The Shop. Now the band, keeping up the broken vehicle theme, bring us the five track EP, Back To The Shop, as this van certainly seems to be a money pit and have issues. What does not have issues is the band’s blend of stoner rock with some psych leanings, as I have really dug their output so far. Back To The Shop is no exception.
The opener, Silverback, is a stoner rock ripper with a Kyuss vibe and crunching riffs that really grooves as well (hence the band name). This is one of my favourite Van Groover songs so far. I love the psych leaning guitar work when the band rocks out on the second half of the track. I could do without the Breakfast Club quote, but that is just me. Kolbenfesser really hits hard and chugs along right at you with more riffs and the vocals heading towards a scream yet growl, almost like that Phil guy from Pantera. The tempo changes and heavy to chill motions are what makes this one stand out.
Hastings Next Pot Model has a way too long intro and even when it got going I did not really get this one, and with the track smack in the middle of the five on here it kind of slowed down the momentum the first two tracks built up, but when the rocking does click in at about the 3:30 mark it is very cool, especially the addition of the harmonica. To me the band is at their best when they are rocking and bringing the riffs like on Big Dog that has their developing trademark chug.
Now the closer that is listed as a bonus track, Head Out West, shows some serious promise that Van Groover can be more than a pot worshiping stoner band with a sense of humour (not that there is anything wrong with that). This one is a slower burn with cool bass and a more chill vibe while still rocking, especially when the riff kicks in, and it is the most complex track I have heard from the band so far.
I like Van Groover and this EP continues with me liking Van Groover. I would love to see them take the next step forward, and I think while the tracks on Back To The Shop are all good I would love them to explore more of what I am hearing on that bonus track. 7/10
Helvetets Port – Warlords (High Roller Records) [Matt Bladen]
As soon as I saw the name, the title, the record label, I was sold. I knew how it would sound without listening to the two previous albums and one EP. Swedes Helvetets Port (Hells Gate) are epic metal, styled similarly to Manowar, Accept, Judas Priest and fellow Swedes Hammerfall. It’s fun, gimmicky and puts a smile on your face with your fist in the air.
I like Van Groover and this EP continues with me liking Van Groover. I would love to see them take the next step forward, and I think while the tracks on Back To The Shop are all good I would love them to explore more of what I am hearing on that bonus track. 7/10
Helvetets Port – Warlords (High Roller Records) [Matt Bladen]
As soon as I saw the name, the title, the record label, I was sold. I knew how it would sound without listening to the two previous albums and one EP. Swedes Helvetets Port (Hells Gate) are epic metal, styled similarly to Manowar, Accept, Judas Priest and fellow Swedes Hammerfall. It’s fun, gimmicky and puts a smile on your face with your fist in the air.
They have stuck to their guns with this third album, adapting the lyrical content but not the classic metal power. While the last two albums were based around swords and sorcery epics, this one takes a more contemporary route, focusing on sci-fi and more modern post-apocalyptic themes rather than classical or mediaeval battles, only really Golden Axe sticks to this, but then is that about the videogame? It’s the sci-fi touches that are the focus though be it Wasteland Warriors, the proggy/synthy Turbo-era stomp of Mutants March, the speedy Tyrants In Tokyo or Cry Of The Night and the synths come back on Keys To The Future.
They even add two songs in their native language for extra touch, I found myself singing along heartily to Helvete På Larvfötter especially. Classic/power/epic call it what you will, Warlords is a fun metal album from this NWOTHM act. 7/10
Ifrit - Haunting Charnel Grounds (Brilliant Emperor Records/Gutter Prince Cabal) [Matt Bladen]
As New Zealand and Australia continue to be the fertile ground for extreme metal another worthy addition appears in the shape of Ifrit, playing occult death metal heavily inspired by Morbid Angel and Immolation, Haunting Charnel Grounds is their latest EP, I think their debut as well, and it establishes a brutal, savage sound for the band across four tracks.
Ifrit - Haunting Charnel Grounds (Brilliant Emperor Records/Gutter Prince Cabal) [Matt Bladen]
As New Zealand and Australia continue to be the fertile ground for extreme metal another worthy addition appears in the shape of Ifrit, playing occult death metal heavily inspired by Morbid Angel and Immolation, Haunting Charnel Grounds is their latest EP, I think their debut as well, and it establishes a brutal, savage sound for the band across four tracks.
A duo with session members, all of whom are experienced members of the extreme music community in New Zealand, they have formed a band named after a “powerful supernatural figures in Islamic faith and folklore, usually taking on the attributes of a demon” and the music created can easily be described as demonic. It’s got nasty 90’s-like production to make sure it sound almost predatory and eerie. The one odd thing is that the Intro sounds really bright and loud, extremely modern, but then as Sites Unhallowed starts it’s the productions style mentioned above, I’m not sure if this was deliberate or my copy but it’s a bit jarring.
Still as the close with their cover of Watain by seminal Second Wave Black Metal band Von, Ifrit’s Haunting Charnel Grounds revels in malevolence. 7/10
Blitzkrieg - Blitzkrieg (Mighty Music) [Rich Piva]
I was exposed to the NWOBHM originals Blitzkrieg in two ways as I was getting into heavy music. First was via the cover Metallica did of their namesake song on the Creeping Death single. Second was their inclusion on a NWOBHM compilation that I could not get enough of back in the day. The band have had a ton of incarnations, but what is the standard for them is their classic 1985 record A Time Of Changes (besides their 1981 single, of course).
Blitzkrieg - Blitzkrieg (Mighty Music) [Rich Piva]
I was exposed to the NWOBHM originals Blitzkrieg in two ways as I was getting into heavy music. First was via the cover Metallica did of their namesake song on the Creeping Death single. Second was their inclusion on a NWOBHM compilation that I could not get enough of back in the day. The band have had a ton of incarnations, but what is the standard for them is their classic 1985 record A Time Of Changes (besides their 1981 single, of course).
The only constant in the band and main man Brian Ross, who is also the singer in Satan, who have had a huge resurgence, especially with their killer record Earth Infernal from 2022. Blitzkrieg is trying to do the same with Ross’ original band in 2024. Earth Infernal was killer, so this is a huge task. Blitzkrieg is not Satan musically, and while Satan can still sound fresh, Blitzkrieg is still firmly rooted in the early 1980s. This can work if done right, and many parts of Blitzkrieg does, but some of it is a lot.
The good? How about the first three tracks, especially The Dragon, which rips and is some serious NWOBHM goodness in 2024. The guitar work is killer, brought to you by Alan Ross. If I Told You could be a late era Dio track, but with cheesier lyrics, but musically it is great. Vertigo is in a similar fashion. The vocal pattern during the chorus is a bit cringeworthy. This is a theme on Blitzkrieg. It is almost too NWOBHM. There is zero subtlety. But it’s Blitzkrieg, maybe we don’t need subtlety. It really goes off the rails for me on the last three tracks, as the cheese is turned up to 11, especially on the closer, On Olympus High, which is a bit much.
I love the fact that Brian Ross is belting it out for two classic bands and still making killer music after all these years. Blitzkrieg has its moments, especially at the front end of the record, but this one is firmly rooted in back in the day, maybe a bit too much, but the good is really fun. 6/10
The good? How about the first three tracks, especially The Dragon, which rips and is some serious NWOBHM goodness in 2024. The guitar work is killer, brought to you by Alan Ross. If I Told You could be a late era Dio track, but with cheesier lyrics, but musically it is great. Vertigo is in a similar fashion. The vocal pattern during the chorus is a bit cringeworthy. This is a theme on Blitzkrieg. It is almost too NWOBHM. There is zero subtlety. But it’s Blitzkrieg, maybe we don’t need subtlety. It really goes off the rails for me on the last three tracks, as the cheese is turned up to 11, especially on the closer, On Olympus High, which is a bit much.
I love the fact that Brian Ross is belting it out for two classic bands and still making killer music after all these years. Blitzkrieg has its moments, especially at the front end of the record, but this one is firmly rooted in back in the day, maybe a bit too much, but the good is really fun. 6/10
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