The term 'space rock' didn't really exist before Hawkwind, they both pioneered the genre and became its biggest representative since their formation in 1969. Still influenced by mind altering drugs they've created a niche for themselves that hundreds of bands have followed in their footsteps.
Their live show is always an experience musically and visually but with their constant road dogging. Captured so brilliantly on their recent triple disc live album Live At The Royal Albert Hall, you may think that they wouldn't be as comfortable in the studio however There Is No Space In Us is Hawkwind's 37th studio album.
Following on from 2024's Stories From Time And Space, this new record has a dystopian theme, reflecting our planets current state of disarray, these ageing hippies still want a better world and look again to the stars. Hawkwind continue to be led by band founder and visionary Dave Brock, joining him are Richard Chadwick (drums), Magnus Martin (guitars/keys/vocals), Doug MacKinnon (bass) and Tim "Thighpaulsandra" Lewis (keys) and they settle into to more hypnotic journeys through time and space.
Still Danger Out There bleeds into Space Continues (Lifeform), an mostly instrumental duo where the propulsion is the name of the gig. The Co-Pilot brings vocals and Latin percussion and swirling electronics while on the title track they shift through various intergalactic movements calling for revolution as A Long Long Way From Home dreamily closes this 37th record from the space rock creators.
Dave Brock is now in his 80's, Hawkwind release an album and tour every year, it's insane that he still has such a work ethic and is producing some of their best work. 8/10
As The World Dies - Nebula (Reaper Entertainment)
Nearly missed this one! More apocalyptic Death metal from Birmingham, As The World Dies follow up their 2022 album Agonist with new record Nebula. Led by Memoriam guitarist Scott Fairfax, who tackles lead guitars and keys for this project, As The World Dies plays death metal that has a progressive bent and plenty of atmosphere from the synths/keys. You could make comparisons of course to Memoriam, Bolt Thrower, Benediction but there's the brooding intensity of Morbid Angel and even nods to melodeath or symphonic death metal too.
Apophis creeps with keys and a doom build before Consumed is a chugging death metal monster, the rhythm section of Darren McGillivray (guitars), Chris McGrath (drums) and Bill Richmond (bass) making sure to really nail the start stop nature of this brutal track. Nebula sees the band pushing boundaries, Dark Oblivion reminding me of Septicflesh as it brings some black metal touches, while on Playing God they add some psychedelic touches to the middle section, the title track is the most expansive on the record and I Am The One gets back to chugging death/doom, Jay Price’s growls muscular and gravelled.
Darkly mysterious death metal that uses pace as a weapon, Nebula is a brooding, punishing listen from death metal veterans. 8/10
Sick N’ Beautiful - Horror Vacui (BLKIIBLK)
Released through Frontiers new metal imprint BLKIIBLK Horror Vacui is the fourth album from Italian band Sick N’ Beautiful. Imagine Halestorm if they were more inspired by Rob Zombie than Skid Row and you’ll be in the right sort of ballpark as to what to expect, or perhaps In This Moment as a closer fit. A track such as Septem Maleficas is the perfect introduction to the band, a big chorus, similar to Dragula, varied vocals and massive modern, part industrial metal backbeat.
Themed as per usual around horror, sci-fi and the supernatural, the writing of this album took place while they were on tour with Cradle Of Filth and Wednesday 13, so there’s no doubt some inspiration from these bands on Horro Vacui, the band themselves say the album was written for the live stage and you can hear that with how they’ve composed this record, it’s got massive production values, touches on some genre styles they perhaps haven’t before.
The power metal sounds of Raise The Dragon truly showcase the vocals of Herma who is the star of this band be it on the anthemic twitchy My Wounds or the galloping God Save The Bride her voice is the major highlight, though the band don’t rest on their laurels giving The Rat King a jazzy swagger, Haunted a gothic touch or Death Police it’s power.
Modern metal with goth and industrial trappings, Sick N' Beautiful are a band with bags of mass appeal. 7/10
Face Yourself - Martyr EP (Sumerian Records)
Deathcore should be brutal it should also be short, attacking you savagely and then leaving you little room to catch your breath before the next attack. If it's not short then it should have the right moments of quiet or slowness to catch you off guard. A band such as Face Yourself understand this, their five track EP Martyr is a statement on how to do deathcore properly.
Take a track such as Predator, it's got blast beats explosions, slower builds, huge grooves, despicable vocals and then those all important beatdowns. However as this may seem a bit similar to every other deathcore band they infused it with a constant electronic breakbeat, however they then absolutely crush on The Poet, the most brutal song on this five tracker.
The band are multinational, featuring members from three different US states and a French singer, adding the grassroots influences of their respective backgrounds for deathcore that is inspired by the East Coast hardcore scene, early mathcore triple pronged guitar assault and socially conscious lyrics. Already having a following this EP will gain them new fans with it's straightforward but innovative heaviness. 7/10
Apophis creeps with keys and a doom build before Consumed is a chugging death metal monster, the rhythm section of Darren McGillivray (guitars), Chris McGrath (drums) and Bill Richmond (bass) making sure to really nail the start stop nature of this brutal track. Nebula sees the band pushing boundaries, Dark Oblivion reminding me of Septicflesh as it brings some black metal touches, while on Playing God they add some psychedelic touches to the middle section, the title track is the most expansive on the record and I Am The One gets back to chugging death/doom, Jay Price’s growls muscular and gravelled.
Darkly mysterious death metal that uses pace as a weapon, Nebula is a brooding, punishing listen from death metal veterans. 8/10
Sick N’ Beautiful - Horror Vacui (BLKIIBLK)
Released through Frontiers new metal imprint BLKIIBLK Horror Vacui is the fourth album from Italian band Sick N’ Beautiful. Imagine Halestorm if they were more inspired by Rob Zombie than Skid Row and you’ll be in the right sort of ballpark as to what to expect, or perhaps In This Moment as a closer fit. A track such as Septem Maleficas is the perfect introduction to the band, a big chorus, similar to Dragula, varied vocals and massive modern, part industrial metal backbeat.
Themed as per usual around horror, sci-fi and the supernatural, the writing of this album took place while they were on tour with Cradle Of Filth and Wednesday 13, so there’s no doubt some inspiration from these bands on Horro Vacui, the band themselves say the album was written for the live stage and you can hear that with how they’ve composed this record, it’s got massive production values, touches on some genre styles they perhaps haven’t before.
The power metal sounds of Raise The Dragon truly showcase the vocals of Herma who is the star of this band be it on the anthemic twitchy My Wounds or the galloping God Save The Bride her voice is the major highlight, though the band don’t rest on their laurels giving The Rat King a jazzy swagger, Haunted a gothic touch or Death Police it’s power.
Modern metal with goth and industrial trappings, Sick N' Beautiful are a band with bags of mass appeal. 7/10
Face Yourself - Martyr EP (Sumerian Records)
Deathcore should be brutal it should also be short, attacking you savagely and then leaving you little room to catch your breath before the next attack. If it's not short then it should have the right moments of quiet or slowness to catch you off guard. A band such as Face Yourself understand this, their five track EP Martyr is a statement on how to do deathcore properly.
Take a track such as Predator, it's got blast beats explosions, slower builds, huge grooves, despicable vocals and then those all important beatdowns. However as this may seem a bit similar to every other deathcore band they infused it with a constant electronic breakbeat, however they then absolutely crush on The Poet, the most brutal song on this five tracker.
The band are multinational, featuring members from three different US states and a French singer, adding the grassroots influences of their respective backgrounds for deathcore that is inspired by the East Coast hardcore scene, early mathcore triple pronged guitar assault and socially conscious lyrics. Already having a following this EP will gain them new fans with it's straightforward but innovative heaviness. 7/10
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