Reviews: Resurrection Kings, Big City, L'Uomo Nero, Valyear (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Resurrection Kings - Skygazer (Frontiers Music Srl)

Listening to this album on what would have been Ronnie James Dio's 79th birthday is a little bittersuite as it would have been brilliant to hear the great man's vocals on this record once again teaming up with his long time guitarist Craig Goldy and frequent collaborator Vinny Appice on drums. Whether he would have been able to actually sing on it at 79 is a question for another day...but here we are with another Resurrection Kings record featuring the vocals of the excellent Chas West, so some consolation that this music still has a gifted vocalist singing on them. Skygazer follows up Resurrection Kings' 2016 debut record with yet more powerful hard rock/metal that has 80's and 70's touches throughout influenced heavily by Dio, Rainbow and even Whitesnake, with West's vocals somewhere between Dio and David Coverdale. 

This album, like the debut was produced and co-written by Alessandro Del Vecchio (him again) making for a classic production style that was writ-large over those Rainbow records, the title track clearly influence by the legendary rock band Goldy's guitar playing duelling with the big organs. Goldy's heavy rock playing is all over this record with choppy riffs on World's On Fire and Tears as Angry Demons makes things both sleazier and doomier while Don't Blame Our Love is a monster Whitesnake-esque ballad, the Whitesnake sound also abound on Troubled Soul. Skygazer brings back the hard rock style of (admittedly latter-period) Dio with lots of late-70's/80's styles too. It's a strong rock record delivered by four great musicians, well worth a listen! 7/10  

Big City - Testify X (Frontiers Music Srl)

Norwegian melodic metal band Big City came together in 2014 and have previously released two records before Testify X. In between their previous record and this third release they have had a change behind the mic with Jørgen Bergersen the new singer of the band. He has served time in a Europe tribute band and as such has a set of pipes similar to Joey Tempest adding a more melodic edge to this record vocally. According to guitarist and songwriter Daniel Olaisen, Jørgen's voice is more expressive and powerful than his predecessor which means that they can add more depth to their music. It's clear that they have with massive melodic flourishes throughout the album, some of the songs spend their time at the heavier end, others like Dark Rider move towards AOR while they also have big ballads like Testify and I Will Fall. I would say fans of Europe and even Queensryche will be able to find a lot to love in this record, it's got lots of bright 80's-styled riffs that shimmer but also some proggy flourishes on tracks like Conception. The one issue I have is that on an album of 10 tracks four of them are emotional ballads, while the remaining rockers are never too heavy to annoy the neighbours. It's easy to see why Big City were signed by Frontiers as they fit their remit to a tee. I just can't hear the comparisons to Firewind and Fates Warning that are mentioned in the press pack. 6/10

L'Uomo Nero - Elle, De La Mer (Desert Records)

Translated to (The Boogeyman) L'Uomo Nero are an occult blues rock band from New Mexico, and this EP is the second of three EP's that are created as a Lovecraftian thriller and inspired by true events. Essentially it's an occult murder mystery of which this one is the middle EP. In total  the three EPs take the protagonist through the stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. An odd an intriguing concept for sure but one that lends itself to this band's quirky music. The trio have a style that fuses Kyuss with ZZ Top adding bluesmen like Robert Cray and even some poppier sounds of Cheap Trick to the mix. Elle, De La Mer also really brings a sense of the film noir aesthetic the band are looking for from Volbeat boogie of Elle to the very bluesy De La Mar the three piece hammer home their style while also continuing the fantastical storyline of these EP's. If you haven't heard the previous offering then the concept may be a little bit of mystery but musically there's enough to enjoy for any fan of psych/blues rock, perhaps some though may want to wait for all three parts before the deep dive. 6/10   

Valyear - Revolution Fear (Wormholedeath)

Where to start with this? It's evident from this album that Valyear don't know what sort of band they want to be. Badged as alternative metal, this record has punk, metal and numerous other genres across the 8 tracks but they do feel as if they've been thrown at the wall to see what sticks. What I'd boil it down to is a mix of Scott Weiland and Jacoby Shaddix playing Nickelback and Black Label Society. Unfortunately this is not a particularly positive thing, Revolution Fear is an album that is just...meh, average songwriting played well yes but nothing that gets you too excited. Nothing either that lives long in the memory after listening to it. Despite being around since 2014 this Canadian four piece still seem to be finding their feet, hopefully they will, but for now I won't be giving it another spin. 3/10  

Reviews: Hardline, Pistols At Dawn, Shotgun Mistress, Bottomless (Reviews By Matt Bladen & Paul Hutchings)

Hardline - Heart, Mind & Soul (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Many years on from their classic debut Double Eclipse Hardline have been reactivated since 2012 with lead vocalist Johnny Gioeli now leading a group of Italian musicians including Alessandro Del Vecchio on keys, Mario Percudani’s (guitar), Anna Portalupi (bass) and Marco Di Salvia (drums) . Danger Zone was Hardline re-establishing their credentials and since then they have released Human Nature, Life and now Heart, Mind & Soul their seventh studio record. There's no shifts in style here, this seventh record has all of the melodic rock slickness that Hardline has been at the forefront of it since 1992. 

The kick off is Fuel To The Fire which has choppy riffs from Percudani and gets the blood pumping as it shifts into the pumping Surrender which is Hardline 101. There's also ballads, quite a few of them, Heavenly here probably taking the award for being the one that makes my stomach hurt due to its sweetness. It's like Bon Jovi dipped in caramel, but there's just enough rock to balance it out, The Curse and 80' s Moment taking things back to the early days of the band. As per Gioeli is at the top of his game with a vocal style that is very much perfect for this type of melodic rocking. Headline continue to do things their own way forging their own path in their genre of choice. 6/10

Pistols At Dawn – Nocturnal Youth (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]

Fancy something well-crafted and perfectly executed? Well, if you are a fan of the radio-friendly hard rock of Godsmack and Shinedown, then Georgia five-piece Pistols At Dawn may well be a band for you to get stuck into. This four-track EP builds on their previous releases, and although it’s nothing original, the very fact that the band can deliver with such high quality makes it stand a little further apart from many of their contemporaries. Having regrouped after the tragic death of guitarist Mike Bubba in 2018, the band recruited singer Chris Pierson, a finalist from the talent show VHI Rockstar Supernova (if you haven’t seen this, find it on YouTube and prepare to cringe). Pierson undoubtedly has a quality delivery, and it’s his vocals that in part give Pistols At Dawn a little oomph. 

Of the four tracks on offer, Voices is probably the one that worked best, with its hooks, catchy chorus and overall impressive sound and production adding to the general feel of the song. Founder and drummer Adam Jaffe, guitarist Devin White, bassist Billy Sullivan and guitarist Tommy Richardson who make up Pistols At Dawn are accomplished musicians, and the generic style is nonetheless pleasing and enjoyable. The band make some big claims in their PR, but the confidence with which they play, and with over 100K followers on Facebook suggest that Pistols At Dawn could be something big. It’s worth a listen, even if only to hear what the hype is about. 7/10

Shotgun Mistress - Shotgun Mistress (Crusader Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Hidden in this debut album by Aussie rockers Shotgun Mistress is former Akercoke guitarist Matt Wilcox, founder of the band and a former member of The Berzerker and Abramelin. It’s a surprising turn of style from the death metal guitarist but don’t let that put you off – from either perspective. The remaining members of the band, drummer Diamond” David Lee, Ben Curnow on bass and vocalist Glenn Patrick combine with Wilcox to make trashy, hard rock that wouldn’t be out of place on the Sunset Strip. There’s a swagger on this record which only certain musicians can bring. It certainly has the hallmark of Australian confidence. Brash and bold, there’s little here that hasn’t been done before, but the component parts are cohesive, boasting large hooks and melodies, big riffs, and an overall belief in their ability. 

Part Velvet Revolver, part Guns N Roses, part Airborne, this is contemporary hard rock with a nod to the 1980s. Wilcox is an excellent guitarist, his solos scream over the top of the rock-steady engine room, and Patrick’s vocals are clean yet sleazy enough to work perfectly. From the opening Born And Raised, the anti-domestic violence themes of No Friend Of Mine, the melodic groove of Collide and the gentler, haunting closer May She Never Walk Alone, there is something here for most hard rock fans. Utilising the combination of lush harmonies, chanting choruses and catchy, anthemic songs, there’s no doubt that Shotgun Mistress are likely to be a big noise on the hard rock world in the months to come. 8/10

Bottomless - Bottomless (Spikerot Records) [Matt Bladen]

Featuring members from Italian doom/stoner metal band Messa, Assumption, Bottomless bring a much more classical approach to the doom sound. Clear influences of Saint Vitus, Trouble, The Obsessed and The Skull essentially if it features Scott 'Wino' Weinrich or Eric Wagner then this trio will get excited about it. They obviously also love Black Sabbath, Loveless Rain very much in the Osbourne, Iommi, Butler and Ward vein. Slow monolithic riffs are met with some powerful grooves on tracks such as Cradling Obsession which has that driving riff from guitarist/singer Giorgio Trombino as the powerful rhythm section of Assumption band mate, drummer David Lucido and bassist Sara Bianchin of Messa are downtuned and ominous. This self titled album has been a long time coming because of the bands other commitments but the wait has been worth it for what is a traditional doom metal record that ticks nearly all the boxes. It's nothing to revolutionary in the genre but it gets your head nodding along when played at high volume. 7/10

Reviews: Paradise Lost, Night Crowned, Thadeus Gonzalez, Friisk (Reviews By Paul Hutchings, Richard Oliver, Megan Jenkins, & Paul Scoble)

Paradise Lost – At The Mill (Nuclear Blast Records) [Paul Hutchings]

It wasn’t meant to be like this. Shoehorned onto a stage with social distancing enforced, anyone who saw Paradise Lost’s ‘live’ show from The Mill Nightclub in Bradford last year will have felt mixed emotions. At last, we could hear tracks from Obsidian, possibly their best album in 20 years played live, but god, it was sterile. This is not a criticism of Paradise Lost. Hell, I love the band. I interviewed Nick Holmes last year and he was fantastic. I’ve seen them many times over the years, and although they have occasionally been a bit shaky, they usually deliver. But how do you compare what is in essence the band playing together in a studio, compared to their usual live shows, where they feed off the vibes from the audience? You don’t.

This set sees Paradise Lost play three excellent tracks from Obsidian. Fall From Grace, Ghosts and Darker Thoughts, accompanied by what many would say is close to perfection in terms of the additional tracks on the set list. In fact, including Obsidian, 11 of the band’s albums are represented. The band are cohesive, fluid and genuinely relish the opportunity that was afforded to them to get back on stage. There are, however, the same issues that have faced every other band who have undertaken the dreaded ‘live stream’. The awful silence that greets the conclusion of each song. The pointless opportunity to talk to the ‘audience’ on the other side of the screen. It’s simply the antithesis of what live music is about.

As an audio experience it works fine. It is a greatest hits package with the bonus of three new songs. And there is the return to the line-up of So Much Is Lost for the first time in seven years. The production is crisp, and after a couple of early bobbles, it works well. Having paid for the original stream, I’m unsure if the DVD option would be as stimulating. A live record is always a challenge, and this is no different.

For me, At The Mill is an opportunity for diehard fans to add to the collection. If you don’t know the band, who have been around for over 33 years, then the vinyl or CD version would be a fabulous introduction. I can see why they have released it. Bands have been shafted by the Government and the whole overreaction to the pandemic. These guys don’t stack shelves in supermarkets. This is their job. But I’ll probably wait until Bloodstock, watching Nick Holmes blinking in the sun again, and I’ve already put my money in a ticket to trek across the bridge to see them in Bristol next February. 7/10

Night Crowned - Hädanfärd (Noble Demon) [Richard Oliver]

Hädanfärd is the second album from Swedish melodic black metal horde Night Crowned. Hot on the heels of their extremely impressive debut album Impius Viam released in early 2020, Night Crowned have spent the pandemic writing, recording and crafting a very worthy follow up.

Originally intended to be a double album with versions recorded in both Swedish and English this album has been released solely in Swedish which suits me fine as albums always have a certain degree of authenticity when sung in a bands native tongue. Musically it is the same formula used on their debut being a very Swedish sounding and melodic form of black metal with both the melodic and ferocious elements being perfectly balanced with each other. You get absolutely killer and hugely memorable melodies mixed with savage riffing and a barrage of brain shattering blast-beats. There is a continued use of keyboards but these are very much in the background adding moments of ethereal atmosphere, piano melodies working in conjunction with the guitar melodies and the odd symphonic moment. 

 The musicianship throughout is impeccable but that is only to be expected in a band made up of members and ex-members of bands such as Dark Funeral, Aeon, Nightrage and Cipher System. There are harsh vocals provided by K. Romlin which sit somewhere comfortably between a black metal scream and a death metal growl whilst there are also some clean vocals provided by guitarist J. Eskilsson. Songs such as Nattkrönt, Fjättrad, Gudars Skymning and Enslingen are a tour de force of ferocious black metal and luscious melodies very much throwing back to the 90’s melodic black metal sound perfected by bands such as Dissection and Unanimated but with bigger melodies and an extra degree of catchiness.

I was hugely impressed with the debut Night Crowned album and with Hädanfärd they have certainly levelled up. Everything sounds bigger and more intense and the quality of the music and performances on the album are extremely impressive considering it hasn’t been a huge amount of time since the first album and there has been a global pandemic to deal with. I’m very much a sucker for the melodic black metal sound (sorry grim trve black metal nerds) and this album is a perfect summation of that very Swedish sound. If you like extremity and melody in your metal then Hädanfärd is a must hear. 9/10

Thadeus Gonzalez - Opposite Faces Review (Rebel Waves Records) [Megan Jenkins]

Thadeus Gonzalez’ newest release showcases the things he would have learned from supporting greats like Kiss, Bon Jovi and Slash. Death Of A Good Hustle is a very solid opening track and, in my opinion, is almost perfect to begin the album. I can instantly imagine an audience chanting along with the words ‘the death’ in the chorus – it's an extremely catchy hook that is enhanced by his impressive solo. The next track Ripe has a guitar tone is immediately reminiscent of CKY’s 96 Quite Bitter Beings. It’s a punchy riff with a lot of depth, but the song slows in the verse and becomes a lot less interesting and driving. The chorus adds a female vocalist that introduces harmonies that help pick the song back up to what it was in the beginning. Horses Lay Down kills the flow of this album before its even had chance to begin properly. I’m not saying it's a bad song, in fact its lyrically extremely beautiful – I'm partial to an acoustic guitar, as a guitarist myself – but I feel that it slows the album down substantially and it seems extremely misplaces within the track list. 

Apparition World does the same sort of thing. It seems very disjointed, as an individual song and in the context of the album which doesn’t again help it flow smoothly. Lightning Hits The Land picks the pace back up and the driving drum beat throughout keeps the listener's interest. Simplicity is better sometimes, and this showcases that fact, making it the best song on the album in my opinion. The guitar solo is full of dive bombs and technical guitar playing that sounds like something straight off Appetite For Destruction. It's just a shame that it fades out at this point instead of playing the solo to completion. The next few songs seem to go back to the disjointed theme that Gonzalez likes so much. Getting In The Wrong Fight picks up once the guitar kicks in but the dissonance in his playing just isn’t for me because I simply don’t think it works. There’s a time and a place for it but this song is neither. 

The Sapphire Thieves seems like an unfinished idea to me. It’s a solid riff that I feel could have been developed further into a substantial song but instead Gonzalez has opted for over a minute of the same riff repeated with little to no variation. My guess is that this song exists to split the album up slightly or to fulfil a requirement of track numbers, but it still could have been done a lot better. Never Tear Us Apart is obviously a cover of the INXS song and it’s a very good one at that. It’s an interesting take and some of the variations he’s decided to add (like the guitar riff between verses) works very well within the arrangement. His entire take on the song is an extremely enjoyable listen and has helped to redeem what I didn’t enjoy about the previous songs. 

Opposite Faces changes the pace again. It's almost like whiplash but this time I found myself enjoying it. It's driven by bass guitar and is one of the best on the album, in my opinion. I just really wished it had come sooner because of the sheer number of mixed feelings I had listening to it from start to finish. It's something my dad would call a ‘foot-tapper’ for the simple reason that it had my foot tapping along as a sat at my desk and listened to it for the first time. The clean guitar bridge cuts through the song and adds another layer to it entirely that I really like. It sounds like an arena rock classic already and, again, I can imagine it accompanied by a roaring crowd, smoke machines, and flashing lights. 

The Sounds I Saw seems like an odd choice to end the album with, until the two-minute mark. The guitar adds another layer to the song that had sounded empty previously. The electronic drums seem a very odd choice given the rest of the album and when the ‘real’ drums kick in they seem over-compressed, almost to emulate the electronic drums. As the song nears its end, it’s transformed into something a million times better than what we were initially presented with and rounds out the most conflicting album I’ve heard so far this year in the perfect way. 6/10

Friisk - …Un Torügg Bleev Blot Sand (Vendetta Records) [Paul Scoble]

German ensemble Friisk have been making music since 2018. The five piece, who are initialed rather than named are: H.K. on Bass, J.L. on Drums, T.S. on Guitar, J on Guitar and T on Vocals. In the 3 years that the band have been in existence they have made an Ep, De Doden Van’t Waterkant, in 2018 and a split, Kien Kummweer/Warndt, with Loth in 2020. …Un Torügg Bleev Blot Sand is Friisk’s first album. The album opens with a short intro called Einklang, an instrumental that is initially soft and clean, before getting bigger and heavier as it takes us into the first track with some great tremolo picked riffs. 

Dem Wind Entgegen is a mix of tight Atmospheric Black Metal and slower and Doomier, but more aggressive sections. As hinted at in Einklang, the song features some beautifully melodic tremolo picked riffs. Hoat opens with very fast and aggressive blast beats with tremolo picked riffs, at this point the feel of this track is savage and maybe even a little bit Hardcore. The track then takes a turn towards the slower but no less nasty, as we get some slow, heavy and very dissonant riffs. The fast and Hardcorey riffs return to blast the audience before we get another slow section, this time more towards the melancholic rather than dissonant. The song brings itself to and end with a slow, brooding section with huge, sad melodies. 

Versunken is a short, soft ambient instrumental. Mauern aus Nebel is a mix of fast and dramatic blasting and slow, dissonant Doomy sections. As with all the material on this album the track is filled with melody and forlorn tunefulness. This mix of Black Metal with Doom has a powerful effect, in some places it reminds me of Ultha, and there aren’t many bigger compliments I can pay to Friisk than comparing them to Ultha. Torügg bleev blot Sand juxtaposes mid-paced tremolo picked riffs, and taut blasting overlaid with huge melodies, and softer brooding and dark sections that are doomy and despondent. The overall feeling is a cathartic mix of beautifully affecting melody, and achingly sad atmosphere. Fiebertraum continues the feel of Torügg bleev blot Sand. The opening is slow and doomy, far closer to Funeral Doom than Black Metal. 

The vocals are very dramatic and fervent and the melody guitars are mournful and bereft. The song slowly builds, tremolo picked riffs are added, they have the same emotional feeling of the rest of the song, but bigger and more resolute. The tempo increases, blast beats are added, but the same feeling of grief and despair is present despite the inertia that the song now has. The song ends with soft clean acoustic passage that brings the song, and the album to a gentle, melancholy end .…Un Torügg Bleev Blot Sand is a fantastic piece of melancholy Black Metal. The mix of Atmospheric Black Metal, Depressive Black Metal and Doom works so well. The album is so full of melody and tunefulness, desperately sad and melancholy melody that is so affecting. 

The songs have a measured quality, no blasting for the sake of blasting, this is an album where every note feels considered and appraised. This doesn’t feel like a debut, it feels like an album made by a band with far more experience. Fantastic piece of work, this will be appearing on album of the year lists. 9/10

Reviews: Solus Ex Infernis, Thelemite, Toby Hitchcock, Spiral Grave (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Solus Ex Infernis - Daemones Ceramici (Self Released)

Daemones Ceramici (the name of five demonic spirits from Greek mythology) is the debut full length from international extreme metal band Solus Ex Infernis. For those who may not know the band, they have members from all over the world the most recognisable to readers of MoM being vocalist Sahil Makhija, the Demonstealer himself, adding his growls and barks to this record as he did for the EP back in December 2019. The rest of the band are made up of guitarist Dave Sevenstrings, lead guitarist Ollie Morgan, bassist Mauricio Catalán and drummer Marco Pitruzzella, none of whom recorded this album in the same room, despite this they are coherent, savage extreme metal act that moves between OSDM, Swedish melodeath and even touches of grindcore and thrash.

The punishing riffage battering you from the first moment, the destructive drumming from Pitruzzella shifting things at hypersonic pace, riffs coming thick and fast as the Demonstealer roars from the bowels of hell. The Myth Creation is immediate, punishing you from the first few seconds as it shifts into technical lead breaks and some tasty solos from guest guitarist Matias Quiroz who imprints his six string mastery across this album really upping the technicality of the album which is already filled with virtuosity oozing out of every orifice. The pace is unrelenting, every song rampages past in flurry, drawing you into a breed of technical savagery that is very rare these days. Daemones Ceramici is a tsunami of extremity, a true tribute to what can be achieved with the power of the internet and the love of metal. 7/10   

Thelemite - Thelemism (Sleazsy Rider Records)

Thelemite love Judas Priest. I mean they love them so much that if you asked them what they wanted to sound like they would say Judas Priest. However it is a specific era of Judas Priest as their 2nd album is very much from the Ram It Down/Painkiller style of rampaging, thrash-influenced, slightly progressive speed metal that saw Priest reborn. They even describe the album as Painkiller Pt. II in their press pack! Singer/guitarist Yiannis Manopoulos is the ideal mix of Halford and Tipton with Zack Kosikis his K.K.. Their dual leads and Yiannis' air raid/snarling vocals are very much what you'd expect from the Painkiller era.  It's got a nice crunch from Nikos Michalakakos (bass) and Renos Liaioutis (drums) in the rhythm section with tracks such as Up On The Cross really highlighting their mechanical drive. At 9 tracks Thelemism doesn't dwell for too long only breaking from the heavy with I Love Death which could be on Turbo (for better or worse) and actually sounds more like The Scorpions than Priest. Other than that these Athenians are very much just a Priest cover band playing their own songs (which sound like Priest). A treat for Priest fanatics, but not much else. 6/10

Toby Hitchcock - Changes (Frontiers Music Srl) 

Known for years as the vocalist of Pride Of Lions, Toby Hitchcock is no stranger to the AOR scene, being one of the most recognisable modern voices in the genre mixing just enough of Toto's Bobby Kimball and Foreigner's Lou Gramm, to make his own voice unique but recognisable. He is one of the current leading lights of the AOR scene and Changes is his third solo record, once again full of radio friendly rockers and ballads most of which were co-written by Frontiers in-house producer Alessandro Del Vecchio (yes him again), writing songs that fit Hitchcock's smooth as silk vocals. Along with tracks such as ballad Tonight Again and the bouncy Garden Of Eden there's also an English language cover of Greek singer Despina Vandi's Xano Esena which actually fits well, while Don't Say Goodbye is cinematic in it's delivery. Musically if you love Pride Of Lions or Toto then Changes is a record that will very much prick your ears up. It may be a little radio friendly for some but this is Hitchcock's wheelhouse and he excels, but it never moves out of the comfortable. 6/10 

Spiral Grave - Legacy Of The Anointed (Argonauta Records)

Another member of the American stoner/doom scene Spiral Grave was formed when Alfred Morris III, founder of Iron Man tragically passed away leaving bassist 'Iron' Louis Strachan, vocalist 'Screaming Mad' Dee Calhoun and drummer Jason 'Mot' Waldmann without a band. After a bit of searching they settled on former Lord (the sludge band) six stringer to form Spiral Grave. After a couple of singles the band set about recording this debut album with the intention not to sound too much like Iron Man. Legacy Of The Anointed does succeed on that front definitely, though the powerful rhythm section and gruff voice of Iron Man remain the songs here are little more steeped in the realms of Dio-era Sabbath and even bands like Exhorder, Black Label Society and Corrosion Of Conformity, adding a NOLA groove to the New England thump. They very much see this a debut album rather than a continuation of their previous band, there's less Sabbath worship here, tracks such as Out Of My Head having a Southern stoner groove, while Your Enemy's Enemy is a heavy riffer Zakk Wylde would add (yet more) pinched harmonics too. Stoner/doom done well is always welcome here and Spiral Grave cast off any baggage they may have from their previous band to bring a whole new set of fuzzy, groovy riff fests. 7/10    

Reviews: Ethyrfield, Laurenne/Louhimo, Lazy Man's Load, Kardinal X (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Ethyrfield - In Delirium (Self Released)

Brothers Zach (vocals/bass) and Ben Cornish (guitar) along with Dan Aston (drums) make-up Ethyrfield a progressive/alternative/grunge rock band from the West Country. They have toured the country and played at multiple HRH events, as well as winning the 2018 West Country M2TM to play Bloodstock festival that year. In Delirium is their first full length review following on from two EP's in 2017 and 2019. It was produced by Josiah Manning in Momentum Studios in Plymouth and it is a very accomplished record with influences drawn from bands such as Soundgarden, Muse and even Rush, creating a musical palette that belies their trio status, a song such as Delirium is multifaceted with acoustic layers, shifting riffs and lots of synth/organ from Josiah Manning. There's tonnes of scope on In Delirium every track adding or taking away influences to make them all sound different but inclusive to the overall style of the record.

He also contributes to the keening Laying On Of Hands which is a majestic prog metal piece with elements of Porcupine Tree and Opeth, the soaring leads of Ben, having a undulating heavy rhythm from Zach and Dan to work against with Hammonds expanding the musical horizon. It's that idea that seems to be rife through this record, moving on from their grunge sound of the EP's into a much more expressive progressive rock/metal sound that allows them to do things such as the haunting acoustic powered Overgrown or opening song River which is an auspicious (Von Hertzen Bros-like) beginning to what unfurls into a powerful record. The most emotional song being Remembering which is a harrowing but hopeful song about Dementia that carries itself like Steven Wilson's Raven That Refused To Sing, those classic prog soundscapes looming large before the thumping Bitter Wishbone returns to the grungy beginnings.

In Delirium is a brilliant album, from the psych/stoner of Sunstroke and Delirium, we get into the heavy Zep-like riff fests such as The Hunter and Serenity, with more stripped back moments such as Overgrown, that I previously talked about. Everything about it is slick, polished and full of promise of more to come. I'm really pleased I got to review this album as it's bloody brilliant, just go and listen to it! 9/10  

Laurenne/Louhimo - The Reckoning (Frontiers Music Srl)

Ah yet another collaboration album trying to recapture the popularity of Allen/Lande, this time though they have enlisted the vocal talents of Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast) and Netta Laurenne (Smackbound). Both women have unique vocals that work well together the powerful booming voice of Noora mixing well with the more gritty style of Netta. The songwriting was mainly done by Netta and her husband/guitarist/producer Nino Laurenne (Thunderstone) the tracks balanced to suit both of their voices so they are possibly a little lighter than either women's day jobs,, with the exception of Bitch Fire possibly. Nino plays the guitar on this record Sampo Haapaniemi on drums., and while the songs are slick and well composed they really don't recapture that Allen/Lande magic. Still from the PR around this album it seems that the two women from Tampere in Finland had a great time recording this album together calling each other long lost soul sisters, so who am I to criticize too much. It's decent hard rock/melodic metal but really only appealing to fans of each singer's own band and Frontiers completeists. 5/10 

Lazy Man's Load - All Hat, No Cattle (Sleazsy Rider Records)

Made up of Johnny Fixx (guitars), Chow (bass), Pani Blaster (drums) and Roxx Krash (vocals), Lazy Man's Load are a Southern/Stoner metal band from Greece. Their style is similar to that of NOLA bands such as Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar and Down along with heavy riffers like Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet and Clutch. All Hat, No Cattle is a concept record set in a post-apocalypse Western world but the music is strictly big riffing stoner metal tracks such as In For The Kill which leads in with a long intro before the choppy riff invokes desert rock as does the low groove of Start Breathing. 

The Down influence is brought to life on Influenza which comes from the percussive interludes that featured on their second album as well as Sabbath classic Planet Caravan. All Hat, No Cattle is a heavy stoner record that has all of the hallmarks from the bands mentioned earlier. The concept is a little unnecessary to be honest but I guess it's an excuse to link these tracks together an give the album an overall theme. If big Southern stoner riffs do it for you then grab a few beers (and your horse) and throw on Lazy Man's Load. 6/10

Kardinal X - The Revolution (Self Released)

Formed in London in 2019, Kardinal X are no young punks, frontman Jimi James is an experienced actor/singer, guitarist Shaun Dunne, bassist Ade Kiely and drummer John Kane all have similar levels of time served under their collective belts. The Revolution is their debut record and I realise that it may seem as if Kardinal X are one of the numerous NWOBHM bands that 'reactivated' later in life and to a point they are, especially as musically they have a NWOBHM sound with the darker tones of Dio-era Sabbath due to the melodic but still fuzzy riffage. The production on The Revolution is quite D.I.Y but it's supposed to be this way I guess. It never detracts from the record as a whole especially James' epic vocals which shine on The Plot and Saint Agony, he's got a great range that delivers the political lyricism of the band very well as the band crank out big riffs that also bring to mind bands like Metal Church but with some heavier progressive style that creeps in on the longer tracks such as Heretic and Scourge where there's lots of great guitar work. As a debut record The Revolution stands out from many bands who are on their first record as the experience level shines through from the off. Very much worth your time! 7/10  

Reviews: James Stevenson, Rampart, Psychic Hit, Bang Bang Firecracker (Reviews By Megan Jenkins & Matt Bladen)

James Stevenson – The Other Side Of The World (Pink Gun) [Megan Jenkins]

The Other Side Of The World is James Stevenson’s first release since 2017 and the high levels of anticipation surrounding it have paid off. Stevenson recorded the entire album remotely, along with writing all but one of the songs by himself. The album opens with Baby Come On, which is an extremely solid start to the album. It kicks straight in with a wailing guitar riff that immediately makes me think of Joe Bonamassa and his instantly recognisable playing style. When the brass is added during the second verse the mix seems to get a little messy due to the vocals getting drowned out slightly, but this is just personal preference. Gotta Find That Feelin' is if Park Life by Blur was a funk song. And, yes, I say that purely because of the cockney accent you hear throughout. Using spoken word in songs can be a little cringe inducing and here it treads the very fine line between tasteful and making me wince – I can’t lie. Musically, I’m a fan of this song. The guitar solo is impressive, along with the simple yet extremely catchy melody in the chorus. I just can't let go of the “I fought ‘at was laaavley” after a brass solo that sounds like it belongs on a Vulfpeck record.

When You’re Feeling Sad And Lonely, Ugly Beautiful, In The Nighttime and Point It To Your Head are all simplistic yet effective. They’re all full of catchy melodies, funky bass lines that drive them forward, guitar solos that desperately make me want to pick up my own instrument, and no complications whatsoever. Take A Little Love follows the same pattern yet its chorus is so catchy that it makes the song sound like it belongs on a modern day Sgt. Pepper. What more could you ask for? I’m Getting Over You Now is slower than the rest of the album, changing the pace slightly. Added use of an electric piano elevates the song despite its mellow nature and slower tempo. New York 10023 didn’t give me a great deal of hope because of the amount of repetition in the song, until the guitar solo at the minute mark. Instead of the base chord progression falling into the trap of sounding the exact same the entire way through, Stevenson uses the solo to change it up and makes it feel as though the song is constantly evolving with his playing. The ‘ooh’s and ‘ah’s at the end are similar to Fleetwood Mac’s Big Love, which is my absolute favourite song of theirs and a fact that made me love New York 10023 even more.

The Other Side Of The World is (obviously) the title track for the album and is a beautiful song. Like a lot of his music, Stevenson’s addition of an electric guitar enables the song to take on a whole other lifeform and it becomes something entirely new. The song became even more meaningful when I learned that it was written as a tribute to his late brother whom he lost to Picks Disease in the first Covid lockdown. The final track, Just Like I Do, is the perfect end to this album. There is nothing else I can say but that fact. The entire thing is extremely easy to listen to start to finish and I can’t wait to hear what else James Stevenson has up his unbelievably talented sleeve. 9/10

Rampart – WWII: Memories For The Future (Sleazsy Rider Records)  [Megan Jenkins]

Its great seeing so many more female-fronted metal bands come to the forefront of the scene and gain the recognition they deserve, and Bulgarian heavy metal group Rampart are no exception with their fifth, and latest, release - a concept album about World War II. There’s clearly a huge influence from the ‘Big 4’ and their classics - fans of Iron Maiden will find themselves thinking of Bruce Dickinson’s iconic vibrato-heavy vocals while listening to Memories For The Future. The wailing voice of lead vocalist Maria Diese cuts above melodic guitar lines to elevate instrumentals. Twice Occupied is a track that is particularly reminiscent of Iron Maiden and while some may find Rampart too similar, I find them nostalgic to listen to. 

It’s great to see a band emulate what one of the classics has done and not many have been able to come close to, until now. Overcast Omen breaks the album up slightly with a dissonant clean opening riff that left the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I think this is one of the best on the album purely because of how different it is to the rest. It allows the band to showcase their talents as songwriters and musicians, displaying the variety of styles they can produce. The entire album is full of classic heavy metal riffs and thrashy drum beats that left me feeling oddly nostalgic. Yes, nothing will ever beat the ‘Big 4’ but I think Rampart come extremely close to it with this release. 7/10

Psychic Hit - Solutio (Seeing Red Records) [Matt Bladen]

Ah, yet another psychedelic rock band with lots of Eastern elements, fuzzy guitars, proto-metal thrust and wild vocals. Psychic Hit are in the same ball park as Lucifer and Kadavar, bringing that San Francisco/Swedish style of retro rock but with a garage rock edge adding a hint of danger to tracks such as Left For Dead and the gloomy Hand Of Fate show this perfectly as the latter especially moves into the headache inducing drug trip of bands like Hawkwind. Made up of guitarist Andrea Genevieve (Purple Rhinestone Eagle), vocalist/violinist Ariana Jade (Nik Turner’s Hawkwind), bassist Melanie Burkett (Ovvl), drummer Justin Divver (Funeral Chant), and rhythm guitarist/synth player Jake Palladino (Pins of Light). 

This five piece have a dense musical backing that never strays too far from their influences but brings a wide variety of sounds with the punk flavours really standing out due to Psychic Hit hailing from the cityscape of Oakland California rather than the retro heartland of San Francisco. I said dangerous before and a lot of this comes from Ariana Jade's vocals which are a little marmite, with a grungy sneer sometimes at odds with the more proto-metal sound. Still it's a bouncy 6 track EP that announce Psychic Hit as another addition to the retro psych/doom scene. 6/10

Bang Bang Firecracker - See Evil (Off Yer Rocka Records) [Matt Bladen]

This is the first of three EP's from Bang Bang Firecracker. I'd assume the next two parts will be Hear Evil and Speak Evil but I digress as we are on the first part of this trilogy from this band that are shamelessly part of the NWOCR. Only three tracks here but enough to get you invested. Things kick off with the slightly spooky opening of Unleash The Devil, an undulating rocker with a dark heart, it's 7 minutes and not the sort of track you'd expect from a band whose press release claim fans of Motorhead and AC/DC will enjoy. Unleash The Devil is more like a doom track that shifts it's way through the run time. although if Bang Bang Firecracker were a doom band they would be one fronted by Bon Scott, due to the vocals. 

I'll admit Unleash The Devil is the worst track here, it runs at a fairly slow pace never really going anywhere. Luckily G.F.Y (Go F*ck Yourself) brings the punk infused rock of Black Spiders or The Wildhearts, although again there's not much pace to it, this is resolved by the time we get to the speedier, Chase The Wasted, this will hopefully set out what the next EP will be full of. I know that the NWOCR is the current scene to be a part of but on the evidence of this EP Bang Bang Firecracker may just go the way of bands like Jaguar or Angel Witch in the NWOBHM in the 80s. 5/10

Reviews: Year Of No Light, Catharsis, Dream Troll, The Harps (Reviews By Richard Oliver, Paul Scoble, Paul Hutchings, & Matt Bladen)

Year Of No Light - Consolamentum (Pelagic Records) [Richard Oliver]

After a gap of eight years, French post-metal six piece Year Of No Light are back with their fifth album Consolamentum. Not a band I am wholly familiar with but one I know that are highly regarded in post-metal circles. The music on Consolamentum is wholly instrumental as it has been since 2010’s Ausserwelt album and the album is made up of five lengthy and weighty compositions. For a album to comprise of five lengthy instrumentals it is essential that the music has breadth and depth and on both of these Year Of No Light certainly delivers. The five pieces of music all vary from each other in sound and tone ensuring that this is an album that ensnares and captivates its listener. 

 Album opener Objuration conjures up dread with its thick doomy riff underscored by sinister synths whilst Alétheia starts on a more somber note but builds with intensity as the song progresses culminating in pounding and pulsating heaviness. Interdix Aux Vivant, Aux Morts Et Aux Chiens starts off with another crushing doom riff full of angst and despair but the songs shifts throughout with the subtle introduction of synths and follow up Réalgar starts off in absolute bleak fashion before the song shifts into more of a shoegaze territory in its latter part. Album closer Came continues in uncompromising and bleak fashion before it explodes in a cacophony of dissonant guitars, synths and blast-beats at its relentless conclusion. 

I find myself always describing post-metal acts such as Year Of No Light as cinematic and I’d have to use this descriptive term once again as the band perform music that conjures up such vivid imagery and contain such striking emotive content. I find I usually struggle with instrumental bands but Year Of No Light have crafted a dense, uncompromising yet captivating album with Consolamentum. 8/10

Catharsis - Human Failures (Mad Lion Records) [Paul Scoble]

The story of the band Catharsis goes all the way back to the early days of Technical Death Metal 1992. The Polish band formed in 1992 and were active until 1996, in that time the band released one album in 1995’s Bitter Distain. The band then went on a 14 year hiatus until 2010, when Bass player, Vocalist and only original member Adam Mamok put the band back together with help from Guitarist and Keyboard Player Katarzyna Bujas, and Guitarist Ketetan Pawiszyn. They then released Bitter Distain’s long awaited follow up Rhyming Life And Death in 2014. Seven years later album number three is now ready, the band have had some help with this album as they are missing a Drummer at the moment so the drum seat was filled by session drummer Dariusz Brzozwski, and the album has a guest vocalist on one track due to the appearance of Immolation’s Ross Dolan. 

The album opens with the song Through The Eyes Of A Child, Catharsis’s sound is impressively technical with complex riffs, some very good florid Bass playing which in places sounds fretless and very tight intricate drumming. The song features some very fast and flowing riffs, a very rhythmic chorus and is a great way to start the album. Next up is Slaves To Money And Greed which is slower and heavier than the song that preceded it, there is a section of Blast Beats, but most of the song has a slower or mid-paced tempo, the song also features a very expansive chorus, some nice guitar harmonies that reminded me of Nile, and a very pleasing solo. Your Truth is a mix of slow and heavy, and mid-paced but very driving and purposeful riffs. The slow parts have a lot of melody and tunefulness to them, and the mid-paced riffs have an interesting rhythmic feel. 

Made Of Blood is the track that features Ross Dolan of Immolation. The song is fairly simple, it is mid-paced for most of it and has a very impressive chorus that sticks in your head. Village Of Witches is another simple and very rhythmically interesting. The tempo is slow but steadfast and single minded, it reminds me of God Of Emptiness by Morbid Angel a little. The song has a slow and very heavy chorus that has a definite nod to Black Sabbath and is absolutely full of Tri-tones. House Of Sand And Fog has a very driving and unfaltering feel to the verse section which is also staccato in places. The chorus by contrast is fast and flowing, and the juxtaposition of the two works very well.  

Final track My Last Words is a mix of slow and heavy and fast and flowing in the verse sections, the song has a very expansive chorus with clean vocals. It’s the shortest song on the album, and is a very effective way to end the album. Human Failures is a great piece of Technical Death Metal. It manages to sit halfway between really brutal exponents of the genre like Nile or Origin, and the softer side of Technical Death Metal like Obscura, it manages to find a Goldilocks position of Not Too Brutal, Not Too soft; Just Right. The riffs are complex but not so technical that you can’t hum them, and after a few listens you will be humming them as this album has lots of tunes as well as lots of technicality. Really enjoyable album, highly recommended. 8/10    

Dream Troll – Realm Of The Tormentor (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]

I was impressed with 2019’s second release Second To None, to the extent that I gave it a 9/10 in these pages. The band have undergone a line-up shuffle with Ash Elliott replacing Paul Walsh on vocals. And according to Metal Archives, the band now slimmed down to a four-piece. Regardless, this is another fine album, sitting in a somewhat niche location. The band are heavy enough to sit within the wider genre of metal, yet they don’t comfortably settle in any one pigeonhole. Their progressive style, fluid musical movements and high paced tempo combined with Elliott’s high-class vocals leave them in an interesting position. In effect they straddle numerous genres, and this is both to their advantage and probably a challenge when placing them in a list. R

Realm Of The Tormentor is another high-quality record. It may only be 34 minutes long, but it punches hard without dominating with riff after riff. There are riffs aplenty, don’t get me wrong, but there’s a brightness and energy about this band that continue to make them one of the more exciting bands in the UK. They’ve still taken plenty of care in crafting their material, with the opening duo of Tormentor and She Got The Devil Inside both earworms that are drenched in melody but with a steely backbone that I would imagine moves the band into a louder and more aggressive element in the live arena. It’s a sonically charged approach that blends ripping solos with slower, more retrospective parts, ensuring that throughout the album your attention doesn’t wander. There’s a familiarity about Elliott’s vocals that is both warming and welcoming, and his performance is excellent.

In fact, there’s little to dislike on this release. Maybe the harmonies on the choruses are not to everyone’s liking but that’s tough. This is a band pulling in the right direction at the same time. Each song brings something different to the table, with the climax of the record the epic As Death Rains From The Sky, which is perhaps the most majestic track on the whole album. Whatever you think, the Leeds outfit has delivered another release of pure class, and one which sits nicely with their growing discography. 8/10

The Harps - Love Strikes Doves (Sleazsy Rider Records) [Matt Bladen]

A collaboration by the king of Collabs Mike Lepond (Symphony X) and Anry Lagiou who is a member of Mike's band The Silent Assassins and has previously appeared on The Voice of Greece where she was a Semi-Finalist. The Harps is a bluesy metal project that serves as Anry's main project and also sees the guitarist of Greek rock legend Vassilis Papakonstantinou, playing the guitars here. A strong line up of musicians for this record and I'm not doubting their talents as performers however Love Strikes Doves is one of the most one dimensional records I've heard all year. 

Yes it's nice and layered musically and Anry has a good singing voice but the songs are basic, often laboured rock and metal songs that never really excite. You could skip through the album at random and none of them would really live long in the mind. There's an effort to sound like their heroes but it never ascends above pub band level for me. You may find it entertaining but I'm not convinced. 3/10

Reviews: Defocus, Domination Campaign, The Lords Of Altamont, 71tonman (Reviews By Zak Skane, Charlie Rogers, Paul Hutchings & Paul Scoble)

Defocus - In The Eye of Death We Are All The Same (Arising Empire) [Zak Skane]

Defocus are a German Metalcore act that is founded by members Simon Muller (vocals), Jeffery Uhlmann (Guitar) Marcel Bambam Herberling (Bass) and Jonas Mahler (drums). The recently signed (to Arising Empire) act have their upcoming (and self recorded) album In The Eye Of Death We Are All The Same, with their sound that consists of heavy low tuned guitars and driving rhythms, paired with dark and ambient melodies, creating a melancholic atmosphere for their thrilling sound.

When I listened to this album, I got to complement how well this album is recorded especially for being a DIY project that was performed due to Covid regulations. Especially on the albums opening tracking and recent single Thought Of A Vision, you can hear how well this is mixed by Christoph Wieczorek (Annisokay) from Sawdust Recordings. The low tuned guitars have body, and the drums sound punchy. Other highlights on this album is the upbeat Diverge in which the song kicks off with drums and bass starting off song before it builds up to one of the bands most gracious breakdowns that is one of many featured on his album and their closing song Shelter which shows off the bands song writing abilities, especially when they introduce clean vocals into the mix before the song ends on a climatic ambient build up that leaves us wanting more.

 
In conclusion this album is like supermarket ready made pizza. It’s good for what it offers but it doesn’t really provide me with anything that catches my ear that gives me that re-listen value. Another big criticism that I can point out is that the vocal sound a bit quite in the mix, which waters down the delivery of the deep topics of life that this band covers. Overall I am going to give this album a 6/10.

Domination Campaign - Onward To Glory (Prosthetic Records) [Charlie Rogers]

Domination Campaign is an offshoot from Tasmanian Tech Death Devils Psycroptic. Jason Peppiatt handles not just the vocals as he does in Psycroptic, but also all the guitar and bass work. He’s joined by Joe Haley, who handles the production as well as laying down the drums. While the main band is known for blisteringly fast tech death, Domination Campaign walks down a steadier, more restrained path. In the press pack, it’s described as “bone bare”, and I’d be hard pressed to disagree.

The album features 8 songs, clocking in at a respectable 30 mins in all, thematically taking inspiration from both real conflicts and fantasy battles. Gunfire is layered into the opening track’s first phrases, and a moderate tempo that could be easily used for marching along to. There’s little deviation from this for the full 30 minutes. The tempo drops for a few chugging passages, and a few sombre moments between more spritely jaunts, but for the most part the riffs seem content to plod along at a middling pace through the songs. It ends up being a real blur to listen to, with no dynamic moments that grabbed my attention or made me sit up and take note. 

A shame really, because the music itself isn’t unpleasant, nor is it poorly written. For me it just lacks that special oomph that would make me want to listen to it again. I can’t fault the production, it’s listenable and balanced. This adds to the ultimate feeling of “meh” I have towards the record - it’s not bad, it just doesn’t stand out to me. Check it out if you’re a fan of Psycroptic and/or you are looking for a more mid-paced record to put on. Otherwise, maybe give this a miss. 5/10

The Lords Of Altamont - Tune In, Turn On, Electrify (Heavy Psych Sounds Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Although I’d heard of them, this is one of the first times I’ve listened to the wild and punk-tinged hard rock of The Lords Of Altamont and it’s actually their seventh album that I get to grips with here. For those unaware, the band are named after the 1969 one-day event that took place at Altamont Speedway in Northern California. Tagged as the Woodstock of the West, the event which was headlined by The Rolling Stones is best known for multiple deaths and constant clashed with Hells Angels, who were allegedly hired to provide some form of security. There is plenty of information on the internet should you be interested in this notorious piece of rock history.

The history of The Lords reached back over two decades and would take an entire page to cover. They’ve had a variety of line-ups, cutting teeth in various garage rock bars from Detroit to LA, with the current band comprising Dani Sindaco (Guitars/Vocals) Jake Cavaliere (Organs/Vocals) Barry Van Esbroek (Drums/Vocals) Rob Zimmermann (Bass/Vocal). The band count supporting heroes The Cramps on tour and having MC5's Michael Davis as a former member amongst their highlights.

 
Mixing a feisty brand of garage rock with a creativity that ensures you genuinely don’t know what’s coming next, Tune In, Turn On, Electrify is 44 minutes of raucous rock n’ roll that bristles with energy. The Farfisa organ underpins the band’s sound, dipping from prominence to subtler supportive tones, whilst the guitars and groove ridden rhythm section provide ample excitement. Combining all of that with a four-pronged vocal attack and this is an album that you can’t fail to enjoy.

It’s big and brash without ever being showy. There’s the kick in the face with opening song Living With The Squares, the pumping drive of Million Watts Electrified, all distortion and thick riffage, with the organ taking a huge step forward. It’s a musical carnival, with each band member grabbing the attention with their craft. It might not be 1969 anymore but the sheer grit and retro feel combined with a modern take is addictive and ensures that you’ll be nodding along at the very least by the second track. There’s a blend of psychedelia, mixed with stoner and punk which hits like a hammer to the head. There’s little to dislike as the band power through We’ll Never Leave (This World Alive), a rampant and fiery piece, the short and punchy Blast For Kicksville harks back to the time when The Stooges and the MC5 were in their prime. Indeed, the record features a cover of The Stooges Lost In The Future amongst it's tracks. And to close, Mud (Wet Brain) leaves you with a sense of confusion and brain freeze with its hypnotic amblings.

Overall, if you like your stoner biker rock, you’ll no doubt already be aware of The Lords. If not, this is well worth exploring. 8/10

71TONMAN - War Is Peace//Peace Is Slavery (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Paul Scoble]

71TONMAN are a sludge band based in Poland. The band is made up of J.W. on Bass, M.Z. on Guitar, T.G. on Guitar J.J. on Drums and K.K. on Vocals, the initialled musicians in 71TONMAN have been making music together since 2011. In their career the band have made two albums before this EP; a self titled debut in 2013, and the album Earthwreck in 2017. The band play a style of Doomy Sludge that is similar to Primitive Man, Eyehategod or Mastiff, as the Hardcore aspect of the Sludge is never too far away, and in 71TONMAN the hardcore in places verges on Grindcore.

The Ep opens with the track War Is Peace which is slow and ridiculously heavy. The vocals are harsh and guttural throughout, the tempo is slow, but relentless, perfect for slow headbanging. The track does have the odd bit of pace to it where the tempo increases, but the band bring it back to slow and incredibly heavy pretty quickly. Second track Peace Is Slavery has a much more Hardcore feel to it, as I mentioned before the Hardcore is pretty close to Grindcore, so this is properly fast and savage. The track does have slow and heavy parts to it, but Peace Is Slavery is far more about Hardcore than Doom.

 
Last track Ignorance Is Strength is a bit of a curve ball, as it is a piece of ambient. The feel is quite dark, the track is made up of electronic noises, samples of wind, keyboard swells and samples of people whispering. 

I must admit that I’ve never been that keen on ambient, I prefer to have more music in my music, but I can’t hold that against the band. The first two tracks are fantastic, and I’m sure if you like ambient, then the last track is probably great. For me the first two tracks are good enough for me to really enjoy this EP. 7/10

Reviews: Internal Conflict, The Bleeding, Vessel, I Abyssick (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Internal Conflict - A P O R I A (PHD)

Leicester 5 piece Internal Conflict have recently been announced for a Sophie Stage slot at this year's Bloodstock so with that on the horizon about now is a good time to release a new lot of music. A P O R I A is exactly that album that will see them have 8 brand new modern metal bangers ready to unleash upon Carton Hall's mosh ready masses. It's the second record and was mixed and mastered by Neil Hudson of Krysthla for a truly powerful production kick that highlights this bands heaviness. However as Internal Conflict draw from the metalcore influence songs such as Hollow Heart not only bring down-tuned thrash riffs but also big melodic choruses that brings to mind bands like Killswitch Engage or Trivium guitarist Matt Hall's clean vocals working well with the growls of frontman Adam Kyle.

Hollow Heart is one of the most musically dense tracks here bringing their dark, turbulent, emotional lyrics to life in a cinematic style, guitarist. Sean Rice adding the synths here. But while this is one of the more melodic songs, they don't stick to one style using a hardcore influence on Traitorous and Atlas Down while numbers such as Bleed The Sky have some prog flourishes along with that blasting rhythm section of Chris Bentley (drums) and Dan Laffar (bass). On the strength of A P O R I A it will certainly be worth checking out at BOA, make sure to pick up this record before though so you can sing along! 7/10

The Bleeding - Rise Into Nothing (Self Released)

A little late on this one but too good to ignore, London death metal destroyers The Bleeding follow up their 2019 album Morbid Prophecy with this new EP Rise Into Nothing, this is another odds n sods release much like the Fury record i reviewed yesterday, putting a new single with a remix, some demo and live tracks for a complete experience. Rise Into Nothing itself peels away the skin with the blistering riffs and frantic dumming, it's thrashy with the frequent shifts in the riffs allowing the special guest vocals of Hellripper's James McBain to make their mark as the song rages past in a blur of anthemic death/thrash. A hell of a way to introduce themselves but there's more with the remix of Hammer Of Penance feeling a bit more feisty than the original, toning down the bass for a much more well rounded sound and making the  big thrash bounce in the middle sound much more impressive. 

The second remix is of Morbid Prophecy which gets a 'raw' mix and thus is more ferocious than the original, as if it was on one of those traded tapes from the glory days of thrash/death metal. The demo remix of Sadistic Saviour has the same frenetic aggressive sound. All of these are clear reminders of what The Bleeding can do in a studio but the final three tracks will jog the memory of anyone who has seen them live (and still has the bruises). Though in most venues the sound isn't as clear as it is here. Rise Into Nothing is a way of The Bleeding re-introducing themselves just as shows start to come back. It's a feast of nasty death/thrash. 8/10 

Vessel - Behind The Walls (Golden Robot Records)

Based in Tel Aviv Vessel have a two Brazilian members Bruno V. Passy (vocals) and Mark ‘Deadfish’ Preis (bass) a Spanish guitarist in Ariel Maman and Mor Harpazi a drummer from Israel. Behind The Walls is their debut EP and is heavily inspired by the bands love of classic metal bands such as Priest, W.A.S.P and Dio. If you read the info about this band you do get a feeling that they are a little fanatical about True Metal in the same po-faced way Joey DeMaio is deciding that they will bring back heavy metal to its glory days (the 80's folks). Now often this sort of resolute commitment lends itself to a very middle of the road NWOBHM, but Vessel bring a little bit of American flair as Shape Of The Devil is a dose of Southern blues that is a little out of place and Overdrive is from the sleazy strip. It's only five songs long but you get enough of an impression of what Vessel are all about from this EP, behind these walls is classic metal, but nothing too taxing. 6/10

I Abyssick - Ashes Enthroned (Sleazsy Rider)

Coming from Athens, Greece I Abyssick are dark metal band who draw inspiration from acts such as Evergrey, Paradise Lost and Moonspell. Ashes Enthroned is their debut album and it's got a rich down-tuned groove throughout it delivered by band main man Constantin Maris' guitar and his powerful baritone voice, similar to that of Tom S Englund. He's joined by co-founding member Aggelos Seaito on drums along with guitarist George Petropoulos and bassist Makis Sel fleshing out the four piece. Ashes Enthroned is a record that sticks readily to its dark and gothic influences tracks such as Mankind? Having propulsive drummer behind a mid-paced muscular riff and a big chorus. 

There's also some extreme metal touches given by guest vocalists from Mortal Torment and Desert Near The End who bring some roars and growls to the heavier edged tracks such as Swept Away and At The Edge Of Life. It's a decent enough record but as with a lot of dark, gothic records the music does tend to repeat a little with a downtempo atmosphere throughout. Though the Into The Great Unknown really enforces those Evergrey influences with it's shifting style and melodic edge, it's the best track on the album in my opinion. As a debut Ashes Enthroned is strong enough to generate interest in I Abyssick as a band. If you're a fan of the bands mentioned previously I suggest checking out I Abyssick. 7/10

Reviews: Darkthrone, Fury, Inhuman Condition, Rascal Whack (Reviews By Paul Scoble & Matt Bladen)

Dark Throne - Eternal Hails (Peaceville) [Paul Scoble]

Darkthrone should need no introduction for regular readers of this blog, however for those not familiar with the band. Dark Throne’s story goes back to 1986, when they formed Darkthrone were originally called Black Death, but changed their name in 1987. The band started life as a Death Metal band, and their first release Soulside Journey was a (in my opinion) very good Death Metal album, however after rehearsals for the follow up to Soulside Journey produced material that the band did not like, they decided to dump all the material and head off in another direction, a direction that led to the genre defining classic A Blaze In The Northern Sky. The bands bassist at the time Dag Nilsen wanted to play Death Metal rather than the bands new direction so after recording the bass tracks for A Blaze In The Northern Skies, he left the band. Darkthrone followed up A Blaze In The Northern Skies with another genre defining classic in Under A Funeral Moon in 1993. After the release of Under A Funeral Moon, Guitarist Zephyrous left the band, leaving only Nocturno Culto and Fenriz to carry on as Dark Throne. 

In 1994 the band released the last of the 3 albums that defined Orthodox Raw Black Metal; Transylvanian Hunger. These three albums are very important to the development of Black Metal as a genre, and have spawned about a Billion imitators. Darkthrone, however, didn’t release any more albums in that style and instead went for a much more Celtic Frost direction for their next album Panzerfaust, and from that point on the duo have continued to develop their sound away from the Black Metal sound that they helped to create, towards a sound closer to Punk Metal, always evolving with each album, Eternal Hails being the bands 19th album. 

The album opens with the track His Master's Voice, which starts with fast, tight Punk Metal which has loads of energy and inertia. The song has several slow and heavy sections interspersed between the fast riffs, the song ends with a very slow and heavy section that feels very doomy and drips tri-tones. The track is full of energy, but is also quite long, it feels a little bit too long for the amount of complexity that the song contains. Next we get the track Hate Cloak, and this is where things start to go awry for Eternal Hails. The track, which is over nine minutes long, feels slow (but not heavy), ploddy and lacklustre. The riffs don’t really go anywhere, and I really hate to say this about Dark Throne, but ultimately the song is boring and it feels as if it keeps on returning to the same place. Wake Of The Awakened is a mix of mid-paced Punk metal and more slow and lacklustre riffs. The faster parts are ok, but the slow parts feels half-arsed and, again, boring. 

Voyage To A Northpole Adrift is another mix of fast punky riffs and slow and ploddy riffs. The fast punky riffs are really good, but again the album is let down by the slower material. The second half of the song is better than the first and even contains a simple solo. The album is brought to an end by the track Lost Arcane City Of Uppakra, which opens with slow but driving and purposeful riffs that are so much better than a lot of the slow material on this album, this then gives way to a faster and more bombastic riff that helps to drive the song along. There is then a nice rhythmic section that contains some very impressive drumming before the track goes into a section that is very close to Epic Black Metal (the style of Black Metal originated by Summoning and perfected by Caladan Brood) which features keyboards and some very strong melodies. 

The song feels full of life and tunefulness and is a great way to end the album. I must admit when I got this album to review I was expecting more than one great track, one pretty good track, two disappointing tracks and one terrible and boring pile of crap. I suppose it is a lesson in controlling your expectations. However, Darkthrone have released at least 3 albums that have defined a genre, and at another 5 other albums that are considered classics, if any band is allowed to drop the ball occasionally, it has to be Darkthrone. This is the bands 19th album, if you are new to Darkthrone, try one of the other 18 albums, have a listen to Panzerfaust, that's my favourite. 6/10

Fury - Rock Lives In My Soul/The Grand Prize Live (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Any band that release an album just before a Global Pandemic will being kicking themselves at their inability to tour the record. Fury pretty much confirmed this to me when I interviewed them last year. However never a band to rest on their laurels they have done pretty much everything a band can to keep the interest and interaction of their fan base to maximum levels. They have re-released their debut album The Lightning Dream and now they have come with a hard rocking new single called Rock Lives In My Soul. Now we don't normally review singles so it's to our benefit that included with this new song is a six track live album featuring tracks from their most recent album The Grand Prize and a re-recorded version of classic song Kill The Light. So with this smorgasbord (as the band put it) laid out in front of me I dove in to sample the delights. 

The single is a cracker, a duet between Fury vocalist Julian Jenkins and vocal powerhouse Kim Jennet the inspiring message of metal/rock inclusivity is featured in a song that sits comfortably as part of Fury's heavy rock sound they've moved toward recently. Both Julian and Kim play off each other well vocally adding gritty but melodic vocals to this pumping new single. It's a live anthem ready to be shouted back by a crowd. Let's hope we can actually see that sooner rather than later. 

The live tracks make up the set that they were supposed to play when they toured, all are from the latest album giving a good example of what to expect when Fury do return to the stage. What strikes me is that the recording from Capsaarx Studios, the mix by Pete Newdeck and the mastering from Harry Hess, along with the lack of crowd make this feel more like a live-in-the-studio release than a full live album. The bass of Becky Baldwin and drums from Tom Fenn meaty (or Seitany for Veggie/Vegan friends) enough to sink your teeth into your teeth into while JJ and Jake Elwell's guitars play off each other throughout Jake's solos too never fading in the mix. 

In a lot of live releases.its either the instruments or the vocals that suffer but here both are perfectly balanced even Nyah Ifill (who also co-wrote the new single) and Jade Maris' backing vocals nice and clear. Finally we get a re-recording of Kill The Light from the Lightning Dream just to finish off this 8 track bits n pieces collection. Worth purchasing for the new single and the live songs alone, it's another ingenious way to combat these Covid times from Fury! 8/10

Inhuman Condition - Rat God (Listenable Insanity Records) [Paul Scoble]

Inhuman Condition formed when Taylor Nordberg (Guitar) and Jeramie Kling (Drums and Vocals), both from the band The Absence joined Massacre, wrote a load of Old School Death Metal material in a style that fits in with the legacy of the legendary band, and then left Massacre. The pair decided that the material written for Massacre needed to be heard and formed Inhuman Condition. The band name comes from the Ep of the same name that Massacre released in 1992. So the duo needed a Bass player and who better to get than Terry Butler, current Obituary Bassist, and former member of Death, Six Feet Under and original Bassist from Massacre, the guy who played Bass on the EP that the band named themselves after. The three ex-members of Massacre have been together since last year, and Rat God is their first release. The material on Rat God does have a definite Massacre feel to it, but then as this was written to be a Massacre album, that isn’t very surprising, but is it good Massacre style Death metal? Well, yes it is, in fact this is a great Old School Death Metal album. 

The material does sound like an early eighties Death Metal album; fast tremolo picked Death Metal riffs, are mixed with ultra slow and heavy riffs with savage harsh vocals and some very squealing, dive-bombing solos that seem to be channeling early nineties Rick Rozz. The album kicks off with the track Euphoriphobia, which opens with fast, tight Death Metal riffing, before a screaming solo and then a slow and very heavy section, all of which has some very nasty, harsh Vocals over the top. In the first minute the album makes it abundantly clear what this album is all about. The album then follows with another 8 brilliantly fast and frenetic, and slow and heavy songs that remind you why the early nineties was a great time to be into Heavy Metal. There are so many great fast riffs on this album; Planetary Paroxysm is a case in point, beautifully fast and flowing Death Metal that feels so full of energy and inertia, it has a brilliantly rhythmic and well structured aspect as well. The slow and heavy side of this album is also very impressive, the track The Neck Snap has a great, heavy and pounding chorus that is a highlight of the album. In many ways the constant juxtaposition of slow and heavy with fast and frantic helps to make the slow and heavy, heavier and the fast and frenetic, faster. 

The album has some nice thrashy touches as well, a lot of early nineties Death Metal had lots of elements of thrash in them as at the time the two genres were not as defined as they are now. Thrash bands pushed their styles so they were often very close to Death Metal, and lots of Death Metal bands still used Thrash riffs, so a thrash elements on here feel totally natural. The track Gravebound has several riffs that have a definite Thrashy sense to them, and the title track Rat God has some very good mid-paced Thrash riffs on it. The soloing on Rat God is also straight from the early nineties. It’s full of atonal speed shredding and the aforementioned squealing dive-bombs that I totally associate with Massacre. Every song has at least one cracking solo on it, there are more squeals on this album than in the film Deliverance. Rat God is a great album. It’s a brilliant piece of Old School Death Metal that is full of energy and drive. Ok, there isn’t anything particularly new or groundbreaking about Rat God, but you will be far too busy punching the air and Headbanging to care about breaking ground. Wonderfully good fun! 8/10

Rascal Whack - Maliveni (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Following on from their 2015 album Gameroller, Greek rockers Rascal Whack have tried to redefine themselves and how they done that is by transcending into a meaty meal of stoner, psych and doom. Now I will say that the band name isn't the finest I've heard but the music here is great for fans of stoner rock that has a widescreen sound to it. The band try to do things authentically but also open their sound up to be much more expansive than many stoner bands. The album name Maliveni, means cedar-forest of which there is one in the center of Athens. The albums key theme is to keep places like this alive rejecting the constant need to expand and destroy. 

The band believe we sometimes need these moments of reflection to return to ourselves, they've channeled this feeling into the 8 tracks on this record with the rhythm section laying down steady grooves that get the head bouncing along to tracks such as ironically Raging Groove which also displays the expansive guitar playing that's featured here too. Musically I'd say that Rascal Whack that remind me of Planet Of Zeus, Acid Mammoth and even Clutch their music relying more on leisurely pace to bring the power. A track like Slipping Away is the ideal explanation for Rascal Whack as its got a gritty Monster Magnet-esque fuzz to it, while The Fly has some grunge vibes to it, with Soundgarden the major style you can hear. Riffy and also a bit mystical Maliveni is a prime slab of psych leaning stoner heavy rock. 7/10