Reviews: Sunbomb, Hippie Death Cult, Throat, Sombre (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Sunbomb - Evil And Divine (Frontiers Music Srl)

Influenced by Judas Priest and Black Sabbath (Take Me Away) you'd be forgiven for thinking that Sunbomb was another Scandi heavy metal band but it's another collaborative project from the Frontiers label featuring American rock/metal musicians Tracii Guns (L.A Guns) and Michael Sweet (Stryper). It was created based on Guns' love of heavy metal music, specifically doom apparently but he needed a vocalist that could handle the heavy so he plumped for the singer of the world's premier Christian Metal band. The doom influence is quite pronounced which was a surprise considering the musicians involved. Guns aimed this album to what he would listen to when he was 17 and it's certainly got that heavy thump; Better End has some Mercyful Fate drama, No Tomorrows is distinctly Dio (specifically Black Sabbath Dio) and there's also lots of classic British metal sound too. Sweet's vocals are brilliant throughout with a really wide range and it makes a real change to hear him singing about something other than Jesus. Evil And Divine does deliver on the expectation of being a 'proper' metal album, with the right balance of heavy and melodic. Ex-L.A Guns sticksman Adam Hamilton is behind the kit with Mitch Davis on bass except for the final track. Another powerful addition to Frontiers burgeoning metal catalogue. 7/10

Hippie Death Cult - Circle Of Days (Heavy Psych Sounds)

With a named that is probably partly inspired by Charles Manson, you'd like to think that there is an underlying danger to the music of rockers Hippie Death Cults second album. It's a feeling that is so often proven right across this record, Walk Within taking a trip through dynamic folksy melodies but underpinned with a sense of darkness. HDC's style of fuzz-infused doom rock mixed with 70's psych and hard rock flavours has held them in high regard despite only being around since 2018 Circle Of Days is the follow up to their 2019 debut 111 and comes a week after their recent split with High Reeper where they impressed me. On this full length they impress me again, elongated progressive/psychedelic rock songs that are anchored by the distorted riffs of band leader Eddie Brnabic but have lots of wide-screen rippling organs from vocalist Ben Jackson. 

It's sort what you want but not always what you'd expect the title track filled with echoed crooning vocals from Jackson as Ryan Moore flexes his drumming muscles while Laura Phillips sets down a walking bassline. Phillips also counterpoints Jackson's vocals on the folky Walk Within. It's a sprawling record that often feels like a jam session between Syd-fronted Floyd, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin as Sabbath play next door their amps bleeding into the recording. You'd think that at 5 songs it would breeze past but most are elongated pieces allowing the band to flex their prog/jam/psych credentials while retaining that darkness of doom metal. Circle Of Days is a bewitching and groovy record from these Portland natives. Well worth your listening time, this is one cult worth joining. 8/10

Throat - Smile Less (Svart Records)

Third album from noisy, post-punk band Throat urges you to Smile Less in these current times. The world is a very dark place and Smile Less is a very dark album to inhabit it. Although that being said there is something upbeat about it, especially when it shifts into something that will get your arse moving. Smile Less often does this with 80's post-punk grooving on Conveyor Line where we get vocals low enough to scare Peter Steele and a bass-led riff, while Shots is pure punk, with added The Melvins weirdness. They go about adding some long slow, heavily distorted doom on Hospice. 

Elsewhere though there's throbbing, sparse, industrial soundscapes on Home Is Where Your Hurt Is a mind melting metallic piece that slots into the middle of the album. All of the previous makes for the most rounded Throat record yet, it's also the most accessible, something of a leap for Throat who are known for being very abrasive and harsh. Smile Less is a dense record that leaves its mark long after you've stopped listening, though of course it's not for those who don't like the post-punk/noise/industrial but Smile Less will please those that do. 6/10

Sombre - A Common Conflict And The Respite We Deserve (Self Released)

Sombre is a one man black metal project created by Richard Stevenson who plays everything on this 6 track EP. There's always a lot of apprehension with one man black metal projects as some can, to be blunt, absolute shit. Happily the sense of post-black metal gloom that comes through on this four track EP saves it from being thrown on to the pile of self indulgent trve Cvlt bollocks. There is of course lots of Second Wave love, the tremolo guitars, frantic blastbeats and croaked vocals of bands like Darkthrone and Mayhem but Stevenson unashamedly takes things into the realms of atmospheric blackgaze with Alcest, Agalloch and Harakiri For The Sky. Now obviously there isn't the production value of these bands so it's not as slick as you'd want, but there is a lot to like here, the D.I.Y ethos coming through and despite it being a self release musically he's really honed in on what makes the experimental post-black style very interesting to the ear. Where he will go from here will be worth keeping an eye on. 6/10

Reviews: Caliban, Kayak, Robin McAuley, Todd Michael Hall (Reviews By Paul Hutchings, Alex Swift & Matt Bladen)

Caliban - Zeitgeister (Century Media Records) [Paul Hutchings]

2018’s Elements was the tenth album by the metalcore veterans. I gave it a 7/10 in these pages and whilst metalcore remains a challenge for my aural equipment, the mercifully short release was decent. The Germans are back for their 11th album, sung in their native tongue which I have to say is a seamless fit and ramps up the intensity a level or two.

The urgent vocals of Andreas Dörner work effortlessly with the battering riffs and melodic harmonies. For a band that are rapidly approaching their 25th anniversary, they remain remarkably fresh. Zeitgeister isn’t new in terms of songs though, with seven tracks given a reworking, along with new track nICHts, a cheery track about despair and hopelessness.

This is where it gets difficult, because I’m not familiar with the originals sung in English and had no intention of spending ages hunting down the tracks on a streaming platform to compare. What I will say is that these versions contain plenty of power, spirit and energy. Trauma features Matthi from Nasty. The huge breakdowns on Ausbruch Nach Innen (Tyranny Of Small Misery) gives the song a massive feel, and one that would work perfectly in a huge arena, festival stage or sweaty club. Likewise, the impact of Feuer, Zieh' Mit Mir (Between The Worlds) is akin to the collision of planets. It’s blisteringly fast, aggressive, and explosive.

And that’s really the overall experience of this record. Chunky riffs, sonic beatings combine with raw vocals and clean, harmonies. It’s all a bit in your face and then rubbed down with a shammy leather. I’ve certainly spent worse half hours in my life. 7/10

Kayak – Out Of This World (InsideOut Music) [Alex Swift]

Decidedly complex and bombastic, Kayak make complex use of keys to command their sense of theatrical majesty. It hugely grounded in traditional prog in one sense and drawing on a range of sounds independent of genre constraints in another, making Out Of This World a deeply immersive and atmospheric listening experience that occasionally enthrals yet frequently alienates. Indeed, this album is at its best when it's making every effort to be epic and commanding – opening title track rejoices in the swirling effects which it layers on top of each other with a neoclassical sense of dexterity and skill. There’s an operatic presence to this anthem which makes for a great opener. This sense of atmospheric immersion is reinforced greatly by the beautiful yet constantly climbing Under A Scar where the strings and synths swell to lofty heights of cosmic exquisiteness. Critical Mass contrasts dark with light, employing encircling orchestrals and an enchanting mix of hopeful tones, keeping the listeners emotions in a state of balance, poised for the next movement. 

Equally, A Writers Tale, allows you to picture the imagination of the protagonist spiralling out of control as the colourful harmonies cascade and inspire, creating a rich vivid sense of detail to marvel at. Its these moments that make you see why Kayak have such a rich legacy within their genre, demonstrating progressive music at its most convincing and heartfelt. However, there are many moments when Out Of This World fails to achieve that level of impressiveness. Waiting takes cues from dance, and is largely terrible as a result, the beat being far too slow to compel anyone to move and the lyrics proving incredibly cliché. Whatsmore, there are many moments across this albums one hour and ten minutes run length when its desire to be ambitious drags the experience down to becoming a slow and monotonous slog. Take the instrumental Kaja which tries to be uplifting and hopeful yet fails on both counts. 

On a similar note, Mystery stands out as well-intentioned yet infuriatingly dull as the act repeat a range of classic rock tropes. Rather than serving to inspire reminiscence, these quickly become dull, contributing to a forgettable experience overall. It’s the same with Traitors Gate, One By One and Cary. These contain none of the multifaceted, textured elements of the greatest tracks. Rather, they make an already long listening experience feel even longer. Some fans of this accessible-albeit complex keyboard led sound might find some of these songs more fulfilling. Personally though, I find many of them tedious and repetitive. Overall, I found this a deeply mixed experience composed of failures and successes alike. What can’t be doubted is Kayak’s passion for their craft. I might not always be engaged by their particular brand of prog, and its true that much of their writing fails to move me. That said, the skill of these musicians is undeniable and for that, this album deserves respect. 5/10

Robin McAuley - Standing On The Edge (Frontiers Music) [Matt Bladen]

Irish rock vocalist Robin McAuley, will be known to many as the voice of Michael Schenker Group, Grand Prix, Michael Schenker Fest, Survivor and rock supergroup Black Swan. Standing On The Edge is his second solo album, the first coming from 1999. He spent the last half of 2020 working on this record, combining his background in melodic rock and AOR for a radio-friendly journey through slick, emotional rock music. Co-written and produced by bassist/keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio, there are also contributions from Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep keyboardist), Tommy Denander and Howard Leese (of Bad Company, ex-Heart), who plays a mean bluesy solo on Supposed To Do Now. All of them adding their particular talents to the record. 

Music-wise we've got some powerful rocking on Say Goodbye, slinkiness on Chosen Few and opener Thy Will Be Done and of course there are some ballads with Run Away the most overwrought with it's delicate strings and acoustic guitars, Wanna Take A Ride is probably the poppiest track here, reminding me of Mike & The Mechanics. Vocally McAuley is on top form, his bluesy pipes working well across the songs, what I also noticed is unlike many melodic rock records most of the songs here are upbeat rockers rather than the normal glut of ballads, final track Running Out Of Time is one of the best with a real MSG sound to it. Robin McAuley is a very experienced vocalist who has featured on countless albums but this solo record is the most authentically McAuley release in his back catalogue. 7/10 

Todd Michael Hall - Sonic Healing (Rat Pak Records) [Matt Bladen]

Todd Michael Hall appeared on The Voice where he was selected by Judge Blake Shelton, on the back of the this the current vocalist of Riot V began to play with the idea of a solo album mainly due to the global pandemic. He teamed up with Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof to record Sonic Healing it's a jukebox record in the truest sense Hall bringing in all of his influences, it's an homage that occasionally veers too close, a track such as Running After You is a little too close to Rush for my liking. But songs like Overdrive and All On The Line both have a driving rock style of Saxon. 

Though the major influences here are American FM Radio rockers such as Foreigner, Styx and REO Speedwagon, moving away from the thrash of his day job, the slick guitar skill of Vanderhoof means he cranks out the riffs with aplomb. He's a perfect foil for Hall's versatile, multi-faceted voice, he seems to suit any kind of style whether it's the bluesy Love Rain Down, the propulsive Like No Other and even the Lizzy-like Long Lost Rock & Rollers. If you put away the notion of this being a self-indulgent project for Hall and take it as it is then Sonic Healing is decent, highly listenable hard rock record from two talented performers. 7/10  

Reviews: High Reeper & Hippie Death Cult, Dan Baune's Lost Sanctuary, The Damn Truth, False Memories (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

High Reeper & Hippie Death Cult - Doom Sessions Vol. 5 (Heavy Psych Sounds)

On the fifth Doom Sessions split from Heavy Psych Sounds we get three tracks from Wilmington, Delaware stoner/doom rockers High Reeper and two from Portland doomsters Hippie Death Cult. These Doom Sessions are great ways of highlighting some of the best stoner/doom/psych bands around as the tracks are usually distilled versions of what the bands do on their own full lengths. Unlike a lot of split records, there are no covers just their own tracks written especially for this split. Kicking off with Vermillion Iron High Reeper take us deep into Black Sabbath sound with groovy riffs from the low slung rhythm section of Shane Trimble (bass) and Justin Di Pinto (drums) grinding out the fuzzy stoner power as guitarist Pat Daly pumps out Iommi-styled guitar riffs. It's followed up by Winter King/Devil's Grip a thicker heavy repeating tracks that adds a psych element and lets Zach Thomas unleash his wild vocal style. 

These psych elements shift into Withering Decay the doomiest song from High Reeper part of the split, a creeping slow burner with a riff that doesn't let up as it drifts into more Sabbath worship. These three tracks are a strong intro to High Reeper and work well in opposition to the two longer, freakier, space doom of Hippie Death Cult. Fill The Fires builds from Ryan Moore's drumming into some shamanic blissed out heavy rock, Ben Jackson's keys adding the more atmospheric desert rock sound as his vocals merge with bassist Laura Phillips. The final song of this split is Towards Infinity which has an echoed guitar riff from Eddie Brnabic which flows on top of Laura Phillips grooving bassline and Ryan Moore's expressive drumming. Hippie Death Cult are a much more otherworldly sounding outfit to High Reeper but both bands show their mettle on this EP, a worthy introduction to either band. 8/10

Dan Baune's Lost Sanctuary - Lost Sanctuary (ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records)

In 2020 Dan Baune left London in favour of his ancestral home of Germany, here his role in music shifted from being a sideman, in NWOTHM band Monument to being a full fledged band leader himself. Lost Sanctuary (the band and the album) is Baune displaying talent as a multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/producer, he handles pretty much everything here music wise with the exception of drums which are taken by Baune's friend Sebastian Weiss. Lost Sanctuary is a fully realised vision of what Dan Baune can do when he's unleashed from a band setting. 

He's opened up his email address book too adding some high profile guests on certain tracks from Bob Katsionis (Warrior Path, Outloud), to Rasmus Bon Andersen (Diamond Head), Jennifer Diehl (Fire Red Empress) to Aliki Katriou (Eight Lives Down) and even Doogie White (Rainbow, MSG) all adding their talents to this record. Happily Baune's vocals stand up to the rest of the singers on the record, while his musicianship is nothing short of virtuoso, using a wide range of styles, that all sit in the broad heavy metal sound. Open Your Eyes gallops away with Katsionis giving it a sick synth solo, Temple Of Fear brings a thrashier style Bon Andersen and Jennifer Diehl in unison, as God Of War is a bit of a mini epic, though burns a little too slowly. 

With a lot of time to focus on the record Baune has tried to make this record the best it can be. Now it does suffer a little as God Of War moves into No Man's Land both are a little slow but there is some Savatage style to No Man's Land which is no bad thing. Thankfully the dark power metal of Master Of You brings the pacing back, with Matt Mitchell returning to the metal spectrum but the title track slows again. Now this isn't a writing issue as the songs are great but it's certainly a sequencing issue placing the slow songs in very close proximity means the album loses steam in the middle only really coming back for The Arconite. Still you have to admire Dan Baune for shaking off the sideman tag to create his own vision, a promising debut that needs fewer slow songs and actually more of Baune singing. 6/10

The Damn Truth - Now Or Nowhere (Spectra Musique/Sony Music)

Self proclaimed 'Rock n Roll Hippies' The Damn Truth cam about when vocalist/guitarist Lee-la Baum and guitarist Tom Shemer met each other while they were and I quote "naked at a festival". So that hippie spirit is what powers this record of ol' fashioned rock roll that finds it's roots in the Californian sound of the late 60's. Lee-la is a powerhouse vocalist very much the focal point of the band, a rock n roll chanteuse with honesty in her well worn blues voice. This album has been a while in the making as tracks 1,2,3,4,7, 8 were all produced by legendary producer Bob Rock, his style makes these songs burst out of the speaker with the typical Bob Rock 'loudness' and here he brought them back to basics. 

However due to Canadian Covid restrictions the final three tracks 5,6, 9 were produced in house by the band out of necessity not choice. It's difficult to hear the join especially with the numerous names that have mixed the record. The songs on the record are mainly are about the love between the founding members but also the topsy turvy world we live in, empowerment and ultimately hope, take Only Love as a perfect example of a summer good time anthem and you'll be singing along in no time. Recorded on vintage equipment with a D.I.Y attitude, a song like Lonely inspired by gospel and the death of their van is sort of like Joss Stone fronting Rival Sons, Shemer unleashing a killer solo as the stomp clap of  Dave Traina's drumming. Now Or Nowhere is a retro rock record with some Joplin-like vocals and blues drenched riffing. 7/10

False Memories – The Last Night Of Fall (Frontiers Music Srl)

Ah Gothic metal, a style that may have been forgotten by those outside of Continental Europe as even some of the more established names have moved away from the style highlighted by lace clothing and emotional (mainly) female vocals. Italian’s False Memories are relatively new to the scene having formed in 2015 but they have matured their sound into the Goth/doom metal sound you hear on this second album, the first full length with new vocalist Rossella Moscatello who wrote the record with founding guitarist Francesco Savino. Now if you’ve heard early Within Temptation, Evanescence, Tristania, The Gathering and Lacrimosa et al you will be acutely familiar with the style played on this second record and depending on whether you enjoy it or not will mean how much you’ll take away from the listening experience. For me The Last Night Of Fall was a little too safe and middle of the road for me to really get excited about, most of the tracks are similar musically, favouring doom chugging to underpin Rossella’s voice that sticks to the high register and never really deviates. There are Gothic metal bands that nailed this formula 20 years ago so False Memories just feel a little late to the party. 5/10

Reviews: Artillery, Bala, Levara, The Ember, The Ash (Reviews By Richard Oliver, & Matt Bladen)

Artillery - X (Metal Blade Records) [Richard Oliver]

I always get that little pang of excitement when a new album from a veteran thrash band drops swiftly followed by a moment of worry that the new album won’t live up to expectations. Thankfully any worry can be dispelled with X which is the tenth album from Danish old schoolers Artillery. This is the first Artillery album since the sad death of founding member and guitarist Morten Stützer in 2019 leaving his brother Michael Stützer as the sole founding member in the band. Thankfully the band have done Morten proud and released a cracking album with X. The later albums of Artillery have been far more in a power meets thrash metal style especially since the inclusion of vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl in the band in 2012 and his very melodic power metal vocal style. That is still very much the case with X though I feel that the thrash elements have been ramped up a fair bit after the somewhat lacklustre The Face Of Fear album in 2018. 

This is still a very melodic album but the use of melody is perfectly mixed with some hard hitting thrash action. The trio of songs that open the album are very much a statement of intent by the band with The Devils Symphony storming out of the speakers at you. In Thrash We Trust is the thrash anthem you would hope and expect it to be whilst Turn Up The Rage proves to be an absolutely anthemic banger. There are some more restrained moments on the album such as Eternal Night and Varg I Veum which lean into far more trad and power metal territory whilst The Ghost Of Me is a proper full on metal power ballad. These songs are equally counteracted by speedy raging thrashers like Force Of Indifference and Beggars In Black Suits which are designed for exercising those neck muscles. The band sound on absolute fire throughout the album with Michael Stützer and new guitarist Kræn Meier pack in a pile of killer riffs aided by a razor sharp and meaty guitar tone whilst bassist Peter Thorslund and drummer Joshua Madsen form an absolutely formidable rhythm section. 

Vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl continues to impress with a powerhouse performance. Whilst his voice is very melodic and would normally be more suited to power metal and traditional heavy metal, here it is a bit more toned down and more suited to a thrash band. Melodic vocals are quite a rarity in thrash metal these days and Artillery show that they definitely still have their place and can work in a thrash metal context. Despite the sad loss of Morten Stützer, this definitely hasn’t held Artillery back and X is one of the strongest albums they have done in a while and probably their best since When Death Comes in 2009. It is far more thrashy than they have sounded in a while and definitely has some throwback moments to their old school albums such as By Inheritance and Terror Squad whilst still pulling on influences from traditional and power metal. If you like your thrash fast, heavy and intense yet highly melodic then this album could not come more highly recommended. 8/10

Bala - Maleza (Century Media) [Matt Bladen]

Maleza (Undergrowth) is the third album from Anxela Baltar (vocals/guitar) and Violeta Mosquera (vocals/drums) the Spanish duo that make up Bala. This third album is another 24 minute rage through a tornado of punk/grunge/stoner delivered primarily in the Spanish language. When I say delivered I mean shouted at full volume by both Anxela and Violeta as musically there's an organic sound of being a two-piece built on just drums and guitar. Having toured in the UK, Australia and Japan, they have channeled this live experience into their third album for a very direct powerful offering. It's also quite mixed in it's sounds despite a short run time.  The thunder of Hoy-No, the frothing Cien Obstáculos, the stop-start Agitar all kick up the speed quotient while Quieres Entrar is slower and much more atmospheric as Bessie brings more than a touch of Sabbath. Fuzzy distortion, frantic percussion and bucketloads of attitude Maleza is Bala announcing themselves to a wider audience with this shock of bristling alt-rock. 7/10   

Levara - Levara (Mascot Records) [Matt Bladen]

L.A trio Levara are a band that in their short existence have supported AOR legends Toto, so they clearly have quite a pedigree. What helps is that Levara six stringer Trev is Steve Lukather's son, he is a chip off the old block with the same talent for blending blues with slicker modern rock riffage. Joining him is Brit Josh Devine who was behind the kit for One Direction and French vocalist Jules Gali. Like Toto Levara are a band that truly encapsulate their time, as Toto are your stereotypical 80's sound, Levara are very much a band for the 21st Century sounding like acts such as Daughtry and Shinedown, radio friendly rock music with some electronic shivers and pop sheen. The trio are very much focussed on inspiring the youth to discover music with anthemic, feel-good songs that are designed to be sung aloud. 

The singles such as the punchy Automatic, has repeatability that will be all over FM radio, hooked on a big vocal from Gali and a powerful guitar solo that breaks out from the first pumping main body, it's a harbinger of the rest of the album, though it's different enough to Chameleon, to bring variation. Though Chameleon has yet another colossal chorus, a trick that keeps you listening. Ballad-wise Ever Enough and No One Above You both are on the right side of saccharine, not to be overly sickly. As with a lot of the American Radio Rock bands there are probably too many ballads but these do well on US radio so you can understand why. The performances here are very good and the songwriting is also exactly the sort that will see them climbing up the ranks of the rock world very fast. A slick rock record which is far to accomplished to be a debut. 7/10

The Ember, The Ash - Fixation (Prosthetic Records) [Richard Oliver]

Fixation is the second album from The Ember, The Ash which is another solo project of 鬼 more commonly known as Canadian musician William Melsness (also of Unreqvited) who performs all instruments and vocals on this album. The Ember, The Ash mixes symphonic black metal with deathcore and the result is a mix of some very good sounding symphonic black metal and some truly dreadful deathcore. The meshing together of these two genres doesn’t really work as you get some great symphonic death metal part with a tacked on breakdown section which just spoils the whole flow (which isn’t helped by the fact that this reviewer despises deathcore style breakdowns). The deathcore heavy songs such as Strychnine and the title track are at the start of the album meaning that the second half is far more enjoyable with songs such as The Colossal Void and Celestial Fracture playing far more to the symphonic black metal sound with blast-beats, savage riffs and huge symphonic soundscapes. 

There are still some breakdowns to be found in these songs but they are far more scaled back resulting in the songs being far more listenable to my ears. Album closer Consciousness Torn From The Void is the most vast and epic song on the album and the clear highlight. A case of definitely saving the best until last. The musicianship is fantastic throughout with some great guitar work and keyboard playing. I’m not sure if the drums are programmed or not but if the drums are real then 鬼 is also a formidable drummer. The vocals left a lot to be desired for me being very much in a ‘core’ style which I found very grating. Fixation is a bold experiment mixing together these two different styles but for me it didn’t really work. It’s a shame as there are some brilliant blackened parts which are then completely ruined by banal, stupefying deathcore breakdowns. 

So basically this is an album of two polars - wonderful symphonic black metal and woeful deathcore - meaning that when this album has its good moments they are really good but when it goes bad it crashes and burns. If you like bands such as Dimmu Borgir, Abigail Williams and Cradle Of Filth and can also stomach deathcore then there will be plenty for you to enjoy here but if like me a chuggy breakdown makes your eyes roll so hard that your eyeballs turn 360 then this album is probably best avoided. 5/10

Reviews: Frost*, Scar Of The Sun, Candlemass, Subterranean Masquerade (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Frost* - Day and Age (InsideOut Music)

A band who have always been at the cutting edge musically and heavily political too, Frost* have also been much more prolific in this second incarnation which started with Falling Satellites in 2016. That album saw band founder/keyboardist Jem Godfrey reunite with singer/guitarist John Mitchell joined by Nathan King on bass and Craig Blundell on drums. Now since then they have also brought out an EP before the writing started for this fourth studio album. Craig Blundell left the band in 2019, leaving them as a three piece Godfrey and Mitchell retreated to a cottage in Cornwall and recorded numerous tracks before going to a 'proper' studio in Jan 2020 with Nathan King to write the rest of it. 

Now Frost* have gone from having no drummer to having 3 appear on this record, they are Kaz Rodriguez (Chaka Khan, Josh Groban), Darby Todd (The Darkness, Martin Barre) and Pat Mastelotto (Mister Mister, King Crimson). Godfrey, Mitchell and King tailoring each song to the talents of the drummer. This results in an album that has wide spectrum of sounds but also a conceptual coherence, the lyrical content very much aimed at the collapse of our society due to governments, greed and corruption. Starting and ending with Mitchell screaming "Enjoy Yourselves You Scum!" it's got the same kind of malice that Pink Floyd brought to the The Wall. 

There is also that cinematic style here as well. The propulsive title track layered with plenty of fuzzing synths/keys shifting between several phases but hooked around that glorious repeating chorus, that laments the current state of the planet. There's a depth to this record as they've shifted away from the EDM/Dubstep influenced Falling Satellites. Though the intense Kill The Orchestra does have waves of dubstep as it rages "I'll be singing as they string you up". There is some Gabriel-like quirkiness comes in on Waiting For The Lie where all the members take a turn on vocals, however The Boy Who Stood Still has a 80's flavour to it, almost like an off cut from Grace Under Pressure or an early Porcupine Tree track, due to the spoken word storytelling over the undulating synths, various samples and big electronic drums. 

As per usual Godfrey's keys are the driving force of Frost*'s music, with Mitchell's guitar the co-lead instrument. However you can't overlook King's bass/keys, a worthy third part of this triumvirate feeling as if he's been a part of the band since the very beginning (Milliontown). Closing things out with the industrial Repeat To Fade which almost takes the record full circle with the usage of "Enjoy Yourselves You Scum!" and "there's no way out of here, repeat to fade" giving a sense of hopelessness to an otherwise upbeat sounding song. That is Frost*'s raison d'etre and the reason why I've been following in the band for so long. Day & Age is yet another brilliant addition to the band who have always favoured quality over quantity. 9/10     

Scar Of The Sun - Inertia (Napalm Records)

Sometimes you can't help but be chuffed for a band, having followed Greek modern metal act Scar Of The Sun since their 2011 debut A Series Of Unfortunate Concurrencies through 2016's In Flood, both of those records were released through Scarlet Records I believe but this third full length sees them releasing their debut on Napalm Records. Recorded and mixed by singer Terry Nikas then mastered by Jens Borgen, Inertia is a progressive modern metal tour-de-force, the sort of music you wished In Flames still made. Nikas' vocals are brilliant across the board, he has soaring cleans that are a counterpoint to his aggressive growling. Lyrically the band deal with social injustice, mainly "the financial gain has flourished at the expense of humanity" the three part Quantum Leap Zero suite goes very deep into the the events of 2015 where suppression and revolution were rife in Greece due to financial crisis that hit the country when they defaulted on money owed to the IMF. 

On this record they once again display their very intense sound that is fused with more melodic passages, lots of keening leads cut through bludgeoning blast beats, brought to life by the tough engine room of Panagiotis Gatsopoulos (bass) and Thanos Pappas (drums). Quantum Leap Zero II: Transition To Turbulence is indicative of this style the clean/harsh vocals met with heavy/melodic riffs. It's all sat in the early Gothenburg scene but also that NWOAHM from the early 2000's with Trivium a clear comparison, Oxygen and the opening song Hydrogen both nodding to the American heavyweights. The Fallible Experiment and the title track however have more in common with Scar Symmetry, especially with the waves of synths in the background underpinning the thrashy technical riffage of guitarists Alexi Charalampous and Greg Eleftherio. 

The Fallible Experiment drifts into electronic blips leading into the atmospheric final part of the trilogy Quantum Leap Zero III: Thrust. Though the album itself ends with Anastasis a muscular thump to close this third record, it's a song that deals with devastating loss but ultimately it is about hope. Inertia pulls no punches with it's progressive, modern heavy metal sound. Lyrically attentive and intelligent, musically technical and catchy. A worthy debut on a major label! 8/10 

Candlemass – Green Valley Live (Peaceville Records)

In what is basically a triumph of technology rather than a musical endeavor, Swedish doom legends Candlemass managed to record a live streamed, lockdown show from the titular Green Valley. The show took place in 2020 and now it has become available as a DVD/CD release. So what this is basically is a live recorded album but with no crowd noise, so from the audio part of the record it’s basically a selection of live favourites. There’s nothing wrong with that but obviously there isn’t as much audio shine as there is on the original studio versions meaning that the quality suffers somewhat. 

Johan Längqvist’s vocals are the biggest casualty and while the music is still heavy, it still doesn’t have that soul shaking quality of the band on record or indeed on a full live stage. Still for a 35 year old band to embrace this new technology when a lot of bands younger than them have struggled without put during the pandemic is admirable. The set list is comprised of tracks from the first 4 Candlemass albums with Astrolous a more modern offering. I will say that it’s worth investing in the DVD if you’re a fan of the band as it’s visually a bit more exciting than the audio portion. 6/10

Subterranean Masquerade - Mountain Fever (Sensory)

What started out as a studio based progressive metal project, on the back of their previous album in 2017 they became a touring act, shedding their previous European members for a fully Israeli membership. The main change comes with Davidavi "Vidi" Dolev being the bands only vocalist now taking both the cleans and the harsh as well as everything in between. Subterranean Masquerade have always been a critics choice, winning countless kudos for their Middle Eastern inspired progressive metal, fourth album Mountain Fever extends their musical style with African/Balkan brass, Arabic Violins and lots of lush symphonic arrangements. 

Mångata is very much pitched to the classic prog rock sound and polishes off the record but it's also the simplest song on this often very dense musical record. Now I like Dolev's vocals but I do prefer the previous incumbents, luckily the music is still as good as it's always been heightened by the engineering of David Castillo and the mix of Jens Bogren, you can feel the experimental aspects on the percussive, very Middle Eastern influenced Inwards but there is a much more accessible sound to this album. Unfortunately I can't work out if this is a bonus or to its detriment as personally I do prefer their previous records a little more. 

Still this is the newest iteration of the Subterranean Masquerade story, so Mountain Fever can be considered to be a re-debut of sorts, an album that will bring a wider audience to the band and too the music of a fractured nation. 7/10

Reviews: Tommy's Rocktrip, Sonic Haven, Kintsugi No.21, Zed Motel (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Tommy's Rocktrip - Beat Up By Rock N Roll (Frontiers Music Srl)

Tommy Clufetos' will be best known to readers as the man behind the kit for both Ozzy and Black Sabbath on their most recent tours, but he's something of a rock journeyman as a session drummer having played with Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Rob Zombie before hooking up with the Prince Of Darkness. Beat Up By Rock N Roll is his debut album with this band, dedicated to paying tribute to Clufetos' influences and the rock n roll lifestyle itself, what we have here is an album of 70's/80's American rock music from when it was the best around. Bringing on a full band comprised of Eliot Lorengo (bass), Hank Schneekluth (lead guitar), Nao Nakashima (rhythm guitar) and Doug Organ (Hammond B3 - ironically). 

Clufetos handles all the drums but also jumps on the mic for the title track, Make Me Smile and final Power Of Three though the lead vocalist proper is Eric Dover of Jellyfish and Slash's Snakepit, an underrated often over-looked singer, known more a guitarist, who at times is vocal ringer for Steven Tyler. On this album especially the rockers that are born out of the blues are some of the best on the record and Dover croons over them as the songs come across with a mixture of Sunset Strip slickness and Detroit grit. There's a jukebox idea about the record with the overall theme being rock n roll but the Hammond B3 brings some funk, Power Of Three gets some parps of Sax from Tommy C and the other guest is Shooter Jennings guitarist John Schreffler supplying a solo to the title track. 

Clufetos' heart must lay in the old school American rock tradition as the songs here veer much closer to early-Alice and Ted Nugent than Ozzy. Beat Up By Rock N Roll is a percussive rock n roll album that digs deep into the history of rock itself. 7/10 

Sonic Haven – Vagabond (Frontiers Music Srl)

 
Just by reading the press release for this record I could hear in my head what it was going to sound-like. Sonic Haven is a German power metal band fronted by Herbie Langhans (Firewind, Avantasia) who also produced the record with ‘dream team’ of Sascha Paeth & Miro on mixing/mastering/orchestrations. That line up alone was enough to convince me that Sonic Haven were going to be built on the Heaven’s Gate/Helloween foundation so with on listen to the record I was pleased to know I was spot on in my assumption with tracks such as End Of The World not only having that distinct Teutonic metal power to it but delivered with a real energy and a ton of experience. The title track gets things going with speedy metal riffing, understated but needed orchestrations and Langhans unleashing his tonsils right from the off.  

Alongside Langhans, whose voice I have praised numerous times, he has brought on guitarist Carsten Stepanowicz (a solo crazed mad man), bassist Dominik Stotzem (more gallops than at the Grand National) and most recognisably drummer André Hilgers who has played with Rage/Silent Force, commanding the songs like the general he is. Vagabond is an 11 track class in slick, anthemic German power metal, a couple of AOR-style ballads thrown in (Keep The Flame Alive and Save The Best For Last) but mostly you get driving, bouncy riffs, plenty of guitar solos and choruses to raise your fist too. The Darker Side is a little more muscular and dramatic, Langhans displaying his vocal range on this shifting centrepiece, sandwiched between the mid-paced mastery of End Of The World and the speedy I Believe. 

Vagabond is a predictably great German metal album from Langhans and co, being a part of so many other groups may mean we have to wait a while for a second album but it would be very welcome on the basis of this debut! 8/10

Kintsugi No.21 - Everything In Reverse (Savage State Records)

Kintsugi No.21 is the solo project of Maria Owen, who readers may know as the bass player of Grymm, however she has many musical strings to her bow. An accomplished composer/producer Everything In Reverse is a true solo album with Maria playing everything you hear without much computer influence. It's all very hands on and manual as it should be, resulting in a very intriguing yet listenable musical experience. It's heavily influenced by the Gothic/Electronica post-punk sound of the early 80's, explorative soundscapes heavy with synths and pulsing drum loops, the slow burning Persephone reminding me of some modern Gary Numan, a torchlight anthem with electric twitches and a pulsating build. 

Vocally Maria reminds me of such powerhouses of Tori Amos, Alison Moyet, Bjork and also the Queen herself Ms Kate Bush at times, using a wide range throughout going from low growl and skyscraping highs. In fact the vocals are reflective of the rest of the album with the strings creeping into the electronic thump that explores the human condition and dreamscapes, thus the Philip K. Dick reference on Fireflies which has touch of Depeche Mode meets Vangelis fight going on, We Know Our Names adds a firebrand thunder of Siouxsie Sioux. Everything In Reverse is dramatic record with broad and colourful palette of music to keep you lost in this dream-like world of Maria's conception. There are a lot of pop and rock acts that could learn from this level of imagination. Dark, experimental and brilliant. 9/10

Zed Motel - Leave With Nothing (Self Released)

Zed Motel are a grungy three piece from Swansea, playing riffy 90's garage rock with dual male/female vocals. The expectation is for punchy riffs and sneering vocals with a sound similar to Band Of Horses where the vocal interplay of Chris Noir and Katie Skilton works very well on top of the bluesy garage rock riffs driven by Noir's guitar and Jonathan Williams drums. As the album shifts between Royal Blood, the White Stripes and other guitar/drum duos, Scratched being particularly reminiscent of these acts. The EP runs at six tracks all of which have strutting riffs prime for getting down to, the choruses ripe for a shout along all the while never letting the heavy fuzz slip from songs such as My Design as Hammerhead and Ramshackle take a bit of punk. Choppy, rocky and a little bit poppy, Leave With Nothing gives you a lot in a little package. 7/10 

Reviews: Ghost Iris, Osiah, Dødsferd, Signum Regis (Liam True & Paul Hutchings)

Ghost Iris – Comatose (Long Branch Records) [Liam True]

It’s a rare but wonderful sight to watch a band grow and learn with each record, building on their talent and raw potential to create the album they had in them all along. Denmark’s Ghost Iris are such a band, treading in a style that’s been around so long it’s almost in vogue again, progressive metalcore. Ghost Iris started out as a fairly straightforward djent group, and their first two releases showcased an ability to craft incredibly fun riffs, but aside from a few riffs there was little that truly stood out from the wealth of djent in the last decade. Each record had at least one song that hinted at future greatness, but even going back now, there’s definitely something missing compared to later works.

It wasn’t until 2019’s Apple Of Discord that potential turned into power, where quality songwriting met with soaring riffs. It definitely pulled from the Periphery, Heart Of A Coward, and Erra playbooks, but there was something uniquely compelling about Ghost Iris’ third record, everything was meant to be huge, even when the final results didn’t quite measure up to lofty ambitions. Songs like The Devil’s Plaything, The Rat & The Snake, and Virus were clear standouts due to what I call danceable riffs with fairly varied song structures. There were a few things holding the band back, like some clunky breakdowns and awkward transitions between the low-end verses and high-pitched choruses, but those were not damning issues. The result was a fun, great listen with promise if things were smoothed out a bit.

Thankfully, Comatose is like butter throughout, with the band’s best riffs, hooks, and a multitude of funkable djent riffs. In fact, Coda might have my favourite djent riff in the last decade, which somehow transitions perfectly to the band’s most relaxed and melodic song to date in the name of Ebb/Flow. It’s that tunes title that gets at why their fourth record is such a delight, it just flows masterfully. It takes a lot of extra energy, songcraft, and talent to get a full-length progressive metalcore/djent album to actually work well as a full listen, and that’s what Ghost Iris have done here. Each song works well in isolation but much better in sequencing. From the blunt force beginning, the more melodic middle, and exceptionally heavy ending, Comatose is a masterclass in song order.

It helps that the band’s best riffs, melodies, and song writing all finally come together throughout the record. There are still a couple odd transitions, but they oddly feel purposeful, like they are trying to jar the listener back awake. The record’s dark cult-like themes work wonders with the natural rise and fall of the record’s tunes. Oh, and Comatose is, above all else, Fun as Hell. This is the sound of a band who know what they want to do and just reminding the listener again and again of just that. A real firecracker of a great time. 7/10

Osiah – Loss (Unique Leader) [Liam True]

Two albums in and the North Eastern wrecking crew have already been given the moniker of ‘Heaviest Band In The UK’ by a few publications. And while in my opinion they don’t fit the quality of the ‘heaviest’ band, they fit the mark of being on of the UK’s brightest forces in leading the charge of Deathcore to the masses. Loss is an incredible piece of art that picks up where Kingdom Of Lies leaves off and improves on the theory tenfold.

Increasing the technical prowess of guitarist Chris Keepin as his fretboard work is unparalleled to anyone in the scene. Drummer Noah Plant makes easy work to keep the tempo up to scratch as he pummels the kit into extinction while bassist Carl Dunn uses his machine gun sounding bass to keep the sound from falling silent. The album itself it just pure carnage. It’s a 50 minute stomp to the face to anyone who questions the state of Deathcore, both in and out of the UK, but Osiah are keeping the flame high and dry as they craft the landscape that came before them. Songs like The Second Law & Queen Of Sorrow provide an insight to the vocal skill of frontman Ricky Lee Roper as he alternates between his tectonic plate shifting growls to the demonic highs that his chords can produce, and on times often sounding like a zombie from Call Of Duty that wants to infect you with the vile music that’s being produced.

With guest appearances from the slam king himself, Jason Evans of Ingested & Ben Duerr of Shadow Of Intent, the album from start to finish is an absolute belter with no songs being the same in terms of song writing and ability to show off their talents. Although previously a one man project by Roper, then transforming into Humanity Depraved, before rebranding as Osiah in 2012, the band has come a long way and will continue to shape the land of Deathcore in years to come. And right now, Loss is at the top of the chain. And it’ll take an armed army to even try to make the album budge from that pedestal. 9/10

Dødsferd – Skotos (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Dødsferd’s latest release is a 7” EP, containing two tracks, Skotadi and Cursed To Die At First Light. At under ten minutes long this is going to be a purchase for the die hard only but with a catalogue that includes ten full length albums, alongside numerous split and EP releases, if you are a fan of this band, that is unlikely to be an obstacle. It’s an emotive affair, with Skotadi explosive from the opening bars. Whilst much black metal sounds repetitive and uninspiring these days, this track contains all the attributes required. The demonic croaking lyrics are spat forth with bile and hatred, but never muted in a mix that allows the 90s feel to compete with the more contemporary sound perfectly. 

The walls of tremolo riffing create a cascade that shimmers, the dark and cold feel entrancing. This is followed by Cursed To Die At First Light, a slightly shorter song and delivered in similar vein to Skotadi. It’s an intense sleigh ride, opening at full throttle but calming the pace halfway without losing any of the intensity. Harrowing and desperate howls are dominant, but once more the drumming is ferocious, the riffs relentless and the underlying melody memorable. Completed by vocalist, guitarist, and bassist Wrath (Nikos Spanakis) and newly recruited drummer ND (Nikos S), this may be for purists only but twenty years into their career, Skotos provides a gateway to a discography ripe for exploration. 7/10

Signum Regis - Flag of Hope EP (Beyond The Storm) [Paul Hutchings]

One of our former reviews enjoyed the previous album by Signum Regis back in 2019. The Seal Of A New World earned 8/10 This seven-track EP that is longer than many albums we review. Think about it. Reign In Blood is a mere 29 minutes in length and think of the damage that it did in under half an hour. But don’t think for one minute that there is any comparison between that thrash metal flag bearer and this noodling ball of power metal… because there isn’t one. Starting with Given Up For Lost, Signum Regis begin with a rather routine but up tempo song that contains about a million power metal cliches in under four minutes. It’s pacy, catchy and an immediate demonstration that the band can play. 

However, the second track, a cover of Angra’s Stand Away is a bit of a wet one, with singer Jota Fortinho, who made his debut The Seal Of A New World album, hitting notes that maybe he shouldn’t have been asked to. Signum Regis have been around since 2007 when Ronnie König formed the band. It’s hard to work out what their modus operandi actually is on this EP. A couple of standard power metal tracks sit slightly uncomfortably next to more melodic musical explorative pieces which show the quality of musicianship, and a perfectly polished production but which may not always naturally lie side by side. 

Flag Of War deceives with its ghastly intro before expanding into another routine track. The final two songs, the rather gentle and captivating Amorenada, and the bonus Ave Maria (which is an exercise in ego) just fail to ignite the spirits and 32 minutes leave you wondering what you just listened to. There is little substance to this EP. It just passes you by. I do wonder if this collection is merely a stop gap between albums. It certainly feels that way. 5/10

Reviews: Supervøid, Kataan, Trucker Diablo, Out Of Hand (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Supervøid - The Giant Nothing (Subsound Records)

Ambient music can be a little odd to review, especially on a metal/rock blog as a lot of the time it's not what you would consider 'the norm' however Supervøid's debut album is a very dark, brooding project that touches on post-metal, drone and industrial music making for a vivid cinematic soundscape at the middle of which is a heart of desolation. The project was initially devised by Eraldo Bernocchi (Sigillum-S, Obake), who plays riffs laden with lots of low end and sub frequencies from his use of baritone guitars, Xabier Iriondo (Tasaday, A Short Apnea, Buñuel) who is another virtuoso guitar player and finally drummer Jacopo Pierazzuoli (Morkobot, Obake). Having spent a lot of their careers in experimental bands you sort of get an idea of what to expect from the Supervøid debut but it's still very much a left field offering. Rounding out the band as a four piece is avant garde cellist Jo Quail who has collaborated with numerous metal acts and is a feature at festivals such as Roadburn and Damnation. So to the album and it's got a wide scope to it, pitched as a soundtrack, songs like The Acceleration Of The Universe have an electronic drive, while A Rip In The Fabric Of Space rumbles, the cello used like a voice flowing through the songs with mellifluous harmony. The Giant Nothing is something a little different but a very intriguing listening experience. 7/10     

Kataan - Kataan (Prosthetic Records)

A new project recently signed to Prosthetic Records Kataan is a two piece comprised of Nicholas Thornbury (guitar/vocals) and Brett Boldan (drums/bass), both men are known in the US metal scene and from the looks of things this is something of a coup that they are working together. This self titled EP is the first release from the duo and it's bristling with modern death metal, brought through a blackened gaze and emboldened by some wide groove craters. If I was to try and entice you to this EP now, I'd say that if you found Gojira's last two albums a little lacking, this takes things back to their earlier heavier sound. There is a deliberate downbeat style to the record, the riffs a thick mire of distortion brought to some kind of pace by exploratory drumming. It makes for skull rattling listening but never moves too far into extremity that it's not listenable. When/if they play live I'd expect several organs to shift due to the audio density. Brett is the producer here with Magnus Lindberg, who has mastered some of my favorite albums of 2020/2021 (DVNE/PG. Lost/Lucifer/Dead Lord), has mastered Kataan's EP so there is that thickness to the tracks that bellow out of your speakers/headphones. As the sludgy Vessel closes the EP, you want more from Kataan, so the promise of a full length coming will hopefully mean soon. 7/10

Trucker Diablo - Tail End Of A Hurricane (Self Released)

This record was originally slated for release in 2020 but the Norn Irish rockers Trucker Diablo have returned with their new album Tail End Of A Hurricane. Now I'll be honest I sort of lost touch with Trucker Diablo since their reformation but on the basis of the Nickelback-like opener BTKOR they still have that blue-collar rock sound I remember but with a couple of shifts to keep them pumping the diesel into the future. The extremely radio friendly Rock Kids Of The 80's (originally debuted at Planet Rock Winter's End in 2019), is a clear single which will be sung at many gigs to come. They have also brought some some punk snorting on the socially motivated Insects, a bit of Southern swagger on title track and the folky sound of Woodstock To Vietnam. Between the muscular rockers, there are couple of meaty ballads such as The Edge Of  Tonight while Bury The Ocean ramps up the epic with a crunchy guitar and bit of Ozzy-like emotion, listen to see what I mean. It will be lapped up by the Planet Rock fraternity in their droves, but Tail End Of A Hurricane is rock album with mass appeal, this Big Truck keeps on rolling into the future. 7/10 

Out Of Hand - Exility (Self Titled)

Coming from Puerto Rico, Out Of Hand are crossover thrash/death metal band that take from bands like Bolt Thrower, Gatecreeper and Power Trip unleashing face ripping riffs and shouted gang vocals that are used widely as an accompaniment to Joel Rivera's growls (on Exility Bradley Pacheco adds the screams). Exility (the album) is their debut release and it's a nasty one with a definite crossover appeal Weak Willed coming in with hardcore punk/grindcore assault, Rivera's bass and Daniel Maymi's rhythm section working at double speed throughout, from here we shift into the frenzied Becoming The Enemy which keeps a breathless pace. Exility in its entirety is a record that doesn't slow down very often the only occasionally pausing for Angel Rosado and Omar González to power on with some OSDM grooves that make up tracks like Condemned To Fall and Self Mutilation. Pit starting brutality from the first minute so grab your cargo shorts and DM's ready before you press play. Crossover heaviness from South America that will have you raging. 8/10 

Reviews: Cvlt Ov The Svn, Wretched Incarnate, Terminalist, Kings Winter (Reviews By Matt Bladen, Richard Oliver & Simon Black)

Cvlt Ov The Svn - We Are The Dragon (Napalm Records)

None more cvlt? Well it seems that occult murder pop act seem to be aiming at the Smiling Satan worshippers that Ghost have so easily bewitched. Case in point the marching, flirty Hellbound will be blaring out of a DJ Booth for certain when restrictions allow. Their music very much falls into the 'Proper Goff' sound. Pairing the industrial thump of Sisters Of Mercy, with the dark sexuality of Type O Negative, they even mention Roxette as an influence but I tried to find some on this record but couldn't. We Are The Dragon is the Finnish band's debut record, the slinky Dancing With The Devil is dripping with seductive synths, ideal music for Midnight rendezvous in your best fishnet. The band themselves are as mysterious and alluring as their music, masked, hooded and all in black Cvlt Ov The Svn are slotting neatly into the vacuum left by Marilyn Manson with the sinful I'm Gonna Find Out really working for the vocalists throaty croak. Strictly Goth boppers for this record, it'll be huge in the clubs but for me, all of the tracks were a little too similar for me to really get into it. 6/10

Wretched Incarnate - Wretched Incarnate (Self Released) [Richard Oliver]

Wretched Incarnate is the solo project from Ash Cotterill who is the vocalist and guitarist of Pemphigoid and also a member of As The World Dies. Wretched Incarnate sees the exploration of an old school death metal sound paying homage to death metal greats such as Benediction, Vomitory and Six Feet Under.

This self titled album definitely delves into that murky death metal sound with thick grooves, pummelling rhythms, blast-beats and bowel rupturing low death growls. It is a very raw and unrefined death metal sound here with emphasis on the grim and ugly. There is an abundance of filthy riffs on songs such as the fetid Narcissistic Siren, the thrasher edge of Hypodermic Syringe Theory and the relentless Purgatory. A putrefying guitar tone and lots of low end help add several layers of scum and filth to these songs. The vocals by Ash are very much in the guttural style though the inclusion of guest vocalists Sam Fowler (Raised By Owls) on Creatures Of The Underworld and Kieran Scott (Ashen Crown/Grimorte) on Undeathly Conception vary things up a bit on the vocal front.

Wretched Incarnate is a fun homage to death metal, the genre that has influenced Ash the most musically. The world of old school sounding death metal is getting very overcrowded lately and although Wretched Incarnate is an enjoyable album it is likely to get lost amongst the countless other acts doing a similar thing. Although there isn’t much to differentiate from a lot of other similar bands here Wretched Incarnate is still a fun listen and chock full of slimy death metal filth. 7/10

Terminalist - The Great Acceleration (Indisciplinarian) 

Classed as hyperthrash Danish/American Terminalist are a progressive thrash metal band led by guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Emil Hansen who along with co-guitarist Morten R. Brunn shred their asses off from the first few seconds of this record. Clear influence drawn from Testament, Voivod and even Coroner they also have the aggression of bands such as Bloodshot Dawn. The songs are densely packed with six string heroics, shifting time signatures and a relentless rhythm section made up of Kalle Tiihonen (bass) and Fredrick Amris (drums) both of whom are absolute beasts on their respective instruments. They are key to the aggression on this album highlighting the technical guitar playing perfectly, while also adding some black metal extremity to the thrash sound. 

Thus hyperthrash. Much like Canadian genre leaders there's a concept to this album one that is very sci-fiction based around the Dromology (theory of speed) by Paul Virilio, Invention Of The Shipwreck and Dromocracy are the songs that really highlight the concept which at it's core is based around pessimism of the future. At just 5 songs in length the album doesn't outstay at all pacing the two longer tracks with blistering speedsters. The Great Acceleration is hyperthrash unleashed, the last time something had this much speed and drama to it, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock were on board. 7/10   

Kings Winter - Edge Of Existence (Self Released) [Simon Black]

King’s Winter is a side project from couple Jule and Tobias Dahs, which is how they fill the gaps between Living Abyss work plus guest drummer Marco Vanga and follows on from their dipping their toes into the water with 2019’s Forging The Cataclysm EP. This is much darker and heavier than that first release, with keyboards barely detectable but is still clearly and firmly in the Heavy with a slight hint of Melo-Death Metal box.

The record doesn’t out stay its welcome and keeps the eleven songs to a relatively punchy thirty eight minutes of run time. That said there’s a samey-ness about the feel of some of the tracks, with the vocal phrasing in particular coming across as a bit repetitive in places. The actual voice itself is another story entirely, as Jule Dahs clearly has an impressive range and timbre to her, with no inconsiderable amount of power either, as well as being unafraid to drop in a few growls alongside the clean and high notes. Given that the Dahs self-recorded this before sending off for mixing, this feels to me like the classic example of what happens when you don’t spend a bit more time in pre-production with the fresh ears of a producer, who can often polish the arrangements and challenge the players to move out of their comfort zone.

There’s some good catchy melodies in here, and some damn fine fretwork too and all in all it’s easy to listen to. And to be fair the song-writing is pretty robust too, with some great musical arrangements, soulful lyrics and nifty playing, it just feels a little unfinished – but then lockdown is as lockdown is, and it’s way better than many have managed during this challenging period of history. Jule’s voice is the high spot here and with just a slight bit of variety in some of the phrasing this would have been a harder hitter. 6/10

Reviews: Moon Coven, Methadone Skies, Kari-Band, Pentral (Reviews By Paul Hutchings & Paul Scoble)

Moon Coven – Slumber Wood (Ripple Music) [Paul Hutchings]

As relentless as the stream of bullshit from the hole in Matt Hancock’s face, Sweden continues to throw fuzzed up stoner rock bands out into the big wide world. Moon Coven’s latest album, Slumber Wood which follows from their eponymous release of 2016. It’s everything you’d expect from a band named Moon Coven. The Sabbath influences are strong, with thunderous riffs and downtuned guitar work crunching away. There’s also more than a splash of psychedelia influences across this album, with echoes of Floyd and The Black Angels evident. David Leban’s echoing, sorrowful vocals fit the sound perfectly, whilst the additional guitars of Axel Ganhammar and Justin Boyesen and the crashing percussion of drummer Fredrick Dahlqvist ensure that the music has a gnarly, heaviness.

Tracks include the meandering drive of Pot Belly Hill, the pulsing Eye Of The Night and the expansive journey on Eye Of The Night. There is a natural tendency to repeat the same style but although there is a familiarity in the writing, the pulsing, driving rhythmic exploration gives sufficient variation to maintain interest. By all accounts Moon Coven have opened for Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Monolord and Blue Pills. Some big hitters in the stoner world and one that has clearly worked as there is little to dislike on this release. The huge sound reverberates on Seagull, there is a bit of the bizarre on Bahgsu Nag and plenty of thunderous rumblings throughout.

With more music already well on the way to being released, Slumber Wood allows the listener to immerse themselves into a trippy world of stoner rock at its best. Close those eyes and depart this ugly world. Enter the Slumber Wood, relax and find yourself. It may be the best 40 minutes you spend today. 8/10

Methadone Skies - Retrofuture Caveman (Self Released) [Paul Scoble]

Hailing from Timisoara, Romania, Methadone Skies have been making music together since 2009. The four piece, made up of Alexandru Wehry on Guitar, Casian Stanciu on Guitar, Mihal Guta on Bass and Flavius Retea on Drums and Keyboards, are an instrumental act who play a mix of Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Doom and Post Rock. Retrofuture Caveman is the bands 5th album; their first release was an Ep called Explosion Of The Sun, which was released in 2010, their debut album Enter The Void was released in 2012, follow up Eclectic Electric arrived in 2014, third album Colosseus was released in 2016 and the bands fourth album Different Layers Of Fear came out in 2019. Retrofuture Caveman has taken 2 years to produce, what have the four Romanians got for us this time?

The album opens with the 17 minute title track. Retrofuture Caveman is all about dynamics and build up. The track is mainly blissful and uplifting Post Rock riffs repeated to form a hypnotic and trance inducing rhythm. The intensity builds as the track progresses, so a riff that started in a minimal way, becomes a huge and heavy riff after a couple of minutes of growth. The track has a several minute long drone section before returning to the riffs, that by this stage are huge and heavy. Infected By Friendship is dreamy Post Rock which builds in intensity during the track and has a pleasant, relaxed tempo.
Third track, The Enabler is tauter and heavier than the track that preceded it, it has a driving, hypnotic tempo. Western Luv ’67 is dreamy, blissful Post Rock that has several big, heavy sections, and ends with a section that is very heavy, and has a nice bit of added dissonance, which helps the track to stand out in all the dreamy blissfulness.

The album comes to an end with the track When The Sleeper Awakes which is a driving mix of Post Rock and Doom, the track feels hypnotic and builds to massive doom hugeness. The track is dramatic and bombastic with great riffs and is a cracking way to end the album. Retrofuture Caveman is a great piece of instrumental Post Rock/Psych Rock/Doom album. The album works on build up and diminish, the ebb and flow of this album is very impressive; Riffs that start out small, quiet and introverted after a few repetitions become huge, pounding riffs that sound and feel huge. The lack of a singer does mean that in a few places this album feels as if it could do with a little more melody; a few melody leads would have helped, but this is only in a small number of places, for the most part this is a very enjoyable and interesting album. 7/10

Kari-Band with Friends - Live At Streaming (JPU Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Originally formed by three Japanese session musicians who are live members of Baby Metal, Kari-Band aimed to push their boundaries in the genres of jazz, prog, and funk. Sadly, guitarist Mikio Fujioka passed away suddenly in January 2018 which resulted in an understandable pause in proceedings. One year on and bassist BOH and drummer Yuya Maeta picked up where they had paused and drafted in students and friends of Fujioka to guest on an array of tracks on their second EP.

This release combines three of the band’s livestream sessions and features Takashi Masuzaki (guitar), Tatsuya Nishiwaki (Keyboard and harmonica), Yucco Miller (saxophone) and Satoshi Oka (guitar). All musicians with a pedigree and CV to be worthy of inclusion on such a release. Setting it up, the first thing you notice is that this is long. 104 minutes to be precise. The songs flit from a few shorter 3–4-minute pieces to the meandering, freestyle flow of tracks like Pleasure, Song Of My Heart, Shinjuku and Impressions. The latter two clocking in at over 11 minutes each. The musicianship is astonishing. The interplay fabulous and the relaxed, collegiate approach makes it an enjoyable listen. 

At times it’s simply staggering how a group of musicians can produce such quality. Having said that, if you don’t like the experimental and unorthodox style of expressive music that Kari-Band produce, then this clearly isn’t for you. The tempos vary, the atmosphere and temperature switch from intoxicating highs to calmer, sweeter lows (Song Of My Heart being one of the latter pieces). The variety is also one that could be appreciated by those not into any of the forms referenced here. If you cannot appreciate Miller’s stellar saxophone playing, the intricate and almost telepathic rhythmic grooves of BOH and Maeta, then you may need to clean your ears a bit better. Suffice, this is an album that won’t appeal to all. In fact, it may not appeal to that many but for me, it works from start to finish in a way few albums do. I suggest that if you are curious about your musical tastes, a listen to Kari-Band may be something well worth an hour or so of your time. 8/10

Pentral - What Lies Ahead Of Us (Self Released) [Paul Scoble]

Pentral is a Latin word that means Inner Spirit or Life of The Soul; Pentral is also a Brazilian three piece, who play a fairly Latin style of Groove Metal. The band is based around the Lima Brothers; Victor on Guitar and Vocals and Vagner on Drums, the 2 Brothers are joined by Joe Ferry on Bass. What Lies Ahead Of Us is the bands first album. Pentral’s style is closest to Groove metal, but also features material that is Traditional Metal and some Hard Rock. Ferry and the Lima brothers are all clearly very talented musicians, the technical aspects of this album are very good, and Victor has a very good, clear, clean voice. 

The opening track Aiming For The Sun is a good example of Pentral’s style of Metal, it’s driving and up tempo with tight riffs and great vocals. All My Wounds is another up tempo track, however this one has a slightly more taut and minimal feel and a great, expansive chorus. Disconnected is another standout track, an uptempo, driving rocker. It’s nice and fast with a very tuneful chorus and is probably the best track on the album. Second to last track The Shell I’m Living In is another really decent rocker, it’s mid tempo with a great chorus and an energy packed second half.

 
It’s not all good though, there are some problems with this album. The track Are You Satisfied is ploddy and lacklustre with a saccharine chorus. The album also has a ballad with the track Gift From God, which is fine while it’s just acoustic guitar and vocals, but goes astray when the drums and bass come in and that saccharine, sickly sweet feeling is back, which is a shame. There is also a little bit of blandness on here, the song The Law feels weak and watered down. The guitars feel like they have been neutered and don’t stand out and as a result the song feels drab and unexciting. 

However, this isn’t a bad album, it just need some work to bring all the material up to the same standard. This is a debut album, so on the whole I think the band have made a good album, that with some tweaks could be a great album. A strong, decent debut, that hints at a band that could produce really great material, but isn’t quite there yet. 7/10