Reviews: Swallow The Sun, Darkwoods My Betrothed, Pathology, Temperance (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Swallow The Sun – Moonflowers (Century Media)

There’s always a part of you that feels comfortable with a new Swallow The Sun album. You know that you aren’t going to get bright breezy melodies, electronica, silly lyrics or even outright brutality. No with any album from the Finnish masters of misery, you will be getting only the saddest, emotionally taxing music around, a delicate balance of Gothic, brooding atmospherics and cathartic heavy passages Swallow The Sun have been delivering doom and gloom for years now and as such are probably the most deft at it. 

Moonflowers is especially sorrowful as an entry to their discography so much so that founding member Juha Raivio has admitted that he hates this record, to the point of not even wanting to discuss it. This highlights how immensely personal Swallow The Sun’s music is, while also being so broad that it can be interpreted by the listener. The hatred of and inspiration for this album came from Raivio spending long lonely nights at home in lockdown, with no option other than to craft his feelings of isolation and dread into this record.

Much of power from these songs is due to the scope of their music, the usage of strings on Moonflowers being particularly effective. There is even an instrumental version of the record composed for strings and recorded at Sipoo Church by Trio Nox. This onus on strings is possibly due to the lack of keys from Jaani Peuhu, who due to Covid had to focus on Mercury Circle rather than Swallow The Sun as both can’t tour simultaneously. 

His loss, for this album cycle at least, makes Moonflowers seem a bit harder edged, on tracks such as Woven Into Sorrow the riffs are a bit meatier, the grooves lower and the flourishes in the background either coming from strings or layered guitars rather than large synths. There are some pieces that are outright nasty on this record, you can feel the frustration come through, channeled through the mournful vocal of Mikko Kotamäki, his echoed croon creating an unsettling feeling on Keep Your Heart Safe From Me before unleashing his growls. 

He is also joined by Cammie Gilbert of Oceans Of Slumber on All Hallows Grieve where both bring a dark romanticism that dissipates with the much heavier tracks that come later on the record. Closing it out with full on despair and desperation, the powerfully dense rhythms of drummer Juuso Raatikainen and bassist Matti Honkonen, awaken some primal forces for the guitars of Juha and Juho Räihä to capture a more ethereal feeling along with distorted riffs. A record that has both fragility and intensity Moonflowers opens up to darkness and reveals beauty within. 9/10

Darkwoods My Betrothed – Angel Of Carnage Unleashed (Napalm Records)

Nope. Me either. When I saw this album in the review pile I assumed they were a new band as I’d never heard of them. However in a damming indictment of my cvlt status it turns out that Darkwoods My Betrothed are a cult Finnish black metal band that formed in 1994 (after being a band with a much worse name for a year) they release their last album in 1998 before splitting only to reform for a year in 2004 (with new members) then split again. 

However it seems that they are now well and truly back producing their first album in 23 years, the founding trio of Pasi Kankkunen (vocals), Jouni Mikkonen (guitar) and Teemu Kautonen (bass) have reformed the band once again adding to their ranks former session keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish), as the fully fledged fourth member adding a lot of creative input to this record which is only the bands fourth. 

Despite this it’s their most well rounded and epic sounding offering, Holopainen’s influence making a pronounced impact on a tracks such as Your Bitter Source Of Sorrow where the blistering black metal assault segues into an orchestral middle section, having had the orchestrations throughout filling out the song, on Where We Dwell too his little piano riffs and choirs make for a much broader sound than many black metal bands, moving towards the Dimmu Borgir/Septicflesh style. Nightwish man Kai Hahto is session drummer here and plays at a much faster pace than on any Nightwish tracks, coping well with outright black metal blasting, while also showing an intrinsic link that symphonic music is quite similar except for the vocals. 

That being said the vocals here are not all growls and snarling, Pasi does also do some clean vocals that are low and brooding but don’t detract from the extremity, the brooding lament at the beginning of In The Thrall To Ironskull’s Heart being a perfect example, as this track moves away from the black metal blasting into something more like anthemic Viking/battle metal, as it is about the 1714 Battle Of Napue, the song bringing backing choirs and excellent lead guitars. 

The album has quite a bleak supernatural theme based around the manifestation of the angel of carnage that came during the Great Northern War of 1700-1721, apparently sent by God to punish them, the end coming with the Treaty of Uusikaupunki. It is very much in keeping with their influences of anti-religion, war and history, the compositions and theatrical nature of the band fusing well with the bleak, extreme metal base layer. After In The Thrall To Ironskull’s Heart comes the unrelenting fury of Massacre which is almost death metal like in its sheer aggression but again packed with orchestrations. 

After 23 years, Darkwoods My Betrothed have come back sounding bigger and badder than before, in a year where lots of projects have returned from the grave, the reanimation of this band feels like it could rip you to pieces at any moment. Angel Of Carnage Unleashed looks as if it could take them from the Finnish underground, to the upper echelons of symphonic black metal. Let’s hope there isn’t as long of a gap for their next offering. 8/10

Pathology – The Everlasting Plague (Nuclear Blast)

Comprising Daniel Richardson on guitar, Ricky Jackson on bass, Flett on vocals and founding members Dave Astor behind the kit. The Everlasting Plague is the 11th studio album from San Diego brutal death collective Pathology. Their first for Nuclear Blast, the album title comes from a previous song but felt apt for the world we live in, but the music and lyrical influence remains very tightly controlled. It’s a gore-soaked, inspection of the human condition with topics covering extreme plastic surgery, murder and death rituals, wrapped up in flesh ripping guitars, brutal vocals and crushing grooves. 

The record starts off with a solo guitar intro before crashing into the grunting technically hued A Pound Of Flesh where any notion of melody is forgotten, replaced by sheer ferocity, which builds into a breakdown towards the end of the track. It’s the first of 12 devastating slabs of death metal that continue with a fusion of technically impressive guitar work, guttural vocals and heaps of groove that slow the pace but maintain the ominous feeling, before yet more savagery. This only the bands second album since returning to touring and you can hear that the collaborative song writing is aimed squarely for what they can play live, the pace shifts between outright explosively and huge heavy stomps on tracks such as Engaging In Homicide. 

You can just feel the camo shorts and sweat emanating out of the pits when Pathology play tracks such as Submerged In Eviscerated Carnage or As The Entrails Wither. For some it may be all a bit too much, as Pathology don’t do things by halves, but there is some nuance and dynamism to the record that stops it from slipping too far in to being just sheer audio punishment. With Nuclear Blast behind them Pathology have reintroduced themselves to the death metal scene with an album of barbarous death metal. 7/10

Temperance – Diamanti (Napalm Records)

Following on from their fifth album Viridian last year Italian symphonic metal band Temperance return with their sixth release Diamanti. Much like Swedes Amarnathe, Temperance employ a triple vocals style with Alessia Scolletti and Michele Guaitoli giving the soaring cleans, Michele also plays keys while guitarist Marco Pastorino has a lower clean and harsh delivery. This vocal trio are used to great effect and are one of the reasons why Temperance are becoming a go to name in the symphonic metal scene. 

The other reason is that they, unlike Amaranthe, have moved away from the current trends and have become more traditional in their sound, being less reliant on the EDM that has crept into symphonic metal. They bring more touches of Nightwish and Sonata Arctica elements on tracks such as the galloping Pure Life Unfolds. For me it’s very welcome as these EDM additions are overdone and always make things sound too poppy while the swathes of orchestral on the title track, along with the Italian chorus makes for a track you could expect from Kamelot. 

Breaking The Rules Of Heavy Metal ups the heaviness again, making for a very dramatic, theatrical outing. All three vocalists getting to show off their talents while Pastorino’s guitars shred away to Luca Negro (bass) and Alfonso Mocerino (drums), rampaging rhythm section. It’s a hefty start to a record that grabs you in a way that their previous record, for me, didn’t. They seem to have brought things back to where they started out with a few differences such as the Celtic folk flavours on Litany Of The Northern Lights and Codebreaker is a very modern with some of the electronics creeping in again, however it is by no means a pop song. The albums big epic is The Night Before The End which is a song that cries out to be sung back at full voice. An anthemic record, that neatly moves back towards a the classic symphonic sound, which oddly helps them stand out. 7/10

Reviews: Godless, Like Moths To Flames, Bailer, Pissing Razors (Reviews By Matt Bladen & Zak Skane)

Godless – States Of Chaos (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

The Indian metal scene was frequently referred to as being one of the most fertile when the UK’s biggest metal magazine were deep into their Global Metal Alliance phase. The amount of extreme and heavy metal bands coming out of India is astounding, obviously we’ve covered a few of them here, the most frequent being Demonstealer and Demonic Resurrection, but there are plenty of bands that miss out for one reason or another. Godless, don’t miss out, they can’t, this debut album is a relatively short, blast of full bore intensity that beats you around the face from the first few seconds are doesn’t stop until the final moment. 

From Hyderbad, States Of Chaos may be their debut record but the five members are all veterans of their countries metal scene. They have come together to play some thrash inspired death metal that frantically evokes bands such as Vader, Cannibal Corpse and Slayer, their music build on face melting riffs, dive bomb leads and an artillery barrage more powerful than the Russians had in the Crimean War. On tracks such as Cormorant and Post-Cryogenic, the spectre of Slayer looms large, the songs are both lightning speed thrashers, with those stop/explode Hanneman lead breaks/solos but they touch on the thrashier end of death metal throughout with the grunted vocals from Kaushal LS and double kick demolishing the main reason for the death metal comparisons. 

Lyrically the band deal with “psychological trepidation and terror and phantasmagorias of dreamscapes” while Orbits Of Decay “is a harsh reminder that life is insignificant”, the lyrics are channelled through the unwavering violence of Godless’ music, making for an intense record that may as soon break your neck as it will entertain. These 8 tracks fly past in a maelstrom of ear-piercing riffs from Ravi Nidamarthy and Molz Mustafa with the rhythm section of Abbas Razvi (bass) and Aniketh Yadav (drums) bringing precision and punishment, the only change is Vishesh Singh who takes the kit for Fluxion. Primed and ready to blast out of their subcontinent, Godless may become the flag bearers for their whole scene. 8/10

Like Moths To Flames – Pure Like Porcelain (UNFD) [Zak Skane]

Following on from the bands 2020 album No Eternity In Gold the band wanted to go back down to releasing their music to the EP format. Revisiting the EP format has refuelled the band and made them more energetic and inspired than ever before, resulting in Pure Like Porcelain. From the opening track Ameliorate you’re introduced with a Tool-esque sounding guitar intro before your chuggy breakdowns that slap you in the face. Chris Roetter sounds fiery as ever singing about topics like self isolation and mental health. Views From Halfway Down varies the dynamics with the eerie clean guitars and the raspy sung verses to the chuggy pitch squealing choruses. 

The Preservation Of Hate brings in all the heavy with Zach and Jeremy providing all gnarly chunky guitars parts and synclinal leads. Gnashing Teeth take the band to a more technical route from the string skipping and interval jumping guitars to the tom-tom groove infused drum beats. Finally Do Not Resuscitate ends the EP on a bombastic climax, Chris Rotter providing the most soaring chorus on the whole album as well some tasty riffage to compete with it. This band have fully embraced the idea of an EP keeping it sort and to the point, whilst ensuring that the listener is entertained throughout. The band sounds just as fiery as they did 10 years ago. 8/10

Pissing Razors – Eulogy Death March (Razor Records) [Zak Skane]

Pissing Razors are an American groove-based heavy metal band that was formed in El Paso, Texas in the early 1990s as a means to counter the boom in standard pop-culture mainstream music at the time. The initial focus of the project was to create a cross-platform of elements to bridge 'Punk' ideals and messages with the hardcore musical aspects of high energy underground 'Metal' that listeners could still groove to and connect with. When the opening track In Spite Of My Scars hit I am greeted with a chugging pattern that’s played over a traditional blast beat which I found quite interesting because these kind of guitar patterns are always accompanied with matching double kick patterns, but this band has put an interesting twist to it which I quite respect. This track continues to gift us with some good guitar drum related grooved throughout. 

The groovy momentum continues with songs like Results Of Virtue which start with it’s intro which songs give off old school Fear Factory and Meshuggah vibes when the song kicks in those influences keep in tacked with those staggered chugging pattern and extended chord based chorus that that will please any Destroy Erase Improve and Demanufacture era fan. Eulogy Death March comes in with some meaty riffage that will please any Decapitated fan mixed in with some psychedelic sounding choruses that will please any Mastodon fan. The other highlights on this album are Left For Dead that will please any Down and Pantera fan and Sharpened The World will get crowds of people jumping at their shows. 

The only song that is concerning is Chemical To Burn which sounds too close to The Used's Pretty Handsome Awkward. Overall this is a great groove packed album, the production quality on this album sounds genuine the drums don’t sound like they have any sample replacements on them, the guitars and bass sound solid and vocals sound genuine. This album doesn’t reinvent the wheel but the band wears its influences on its sleeve with style. 8/10.

Bailer - Disposable Youth (Blood Blast Distribution) [Matt Bladen]

Crammed full of belligerence and antagonism, Disposable Youth is a record that distills fury and frustration. A audio experimentation in nihilism and manic depression, it continues with Bailer's knack of working through their feelings, live in the studio. This Irish foursome, choose to shun computers and capture their, fury through studio jams, hammering out the record in very old school way. Because of this there is vitality and vigour to this album on tracks such as Scourge and Gateway Drug, their focus on trying to make the record as authentic to their live performance as possible making for an intense experience. 

The band have drawn comparisons to acts such as Gallows and Cancer Bats along with Every Time I Die also and as they unleash their hardcore assault on you across 10 tracks, there's a very noticeable comparison that can be made to these bands. Grim and grey in their worldview, Bailer are gaining more traction outside of the Emerald Isle, so it won't be long before you'll be seeing them on a bill near you soon. Just make sure you pack your earplugs and your fighting shoes. 7/10

Reviews: Wolfmother, When Rivers Meet, Black Soul Horde, W.E.B (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Wolfmother – Rock Out (Self Released)

“No label, no distributor, no manager” this is where Wolfmother find themselves in 2021. However Andrew Stockdale, who really is Wolfmother, has managed to release the bands sixth full album without any of those things, released through Discogs, Rock Out is another selection of big classic guitar anthems with Stockdale’s fuzzy vocals over the top. A real D.I.Y effort, due mainly to the multiple harsh lockdowns that were enforced in Australia, Rock Out has Stockdale playing everything except for drums, which are handled by Wolfmother drummer Hamish Rosser. On two of the tracks Alexx McConnell plays bass while the record was engineered by Cameron Lockwood while Paul Pilsneniks mixed the track Humble. 

That’s basically it in terms of the recording line up but what you get is a swaggering rock album that also moves into some psych/folk and Americana. What is evident is the sense of humility that the album portrays, tracks such as Humble and Ego both allude to Stockdale feeling a little washed up in the eyes of the media, due to the past glories. However it is upbeat and features a few nods to other bands such as Kiss on the title track, Oasis on Outside, some glam stomping on Upload and Ozzy on Humble, with Metal & Fire feeling like Wishbone Ash. Despite being slightly different, independent release, Rock Out retains the quality I’d expect from Stockdale, he quite clearly no longer bothers about recapturing past glories content with cranking out great rock songs for himself and the hardcore fans of the band, you know, like me. 8/10

When Rivers Meet - Saving Grace (One Road Records)

Following up their critically acclaimed debut album was never going to be much of an issues for husband and wife duo When Rivers Meet. They are clearly on a creative hot streak that has seen them release an album just a year after their previous debut full length We Fly Free. They were, against all odds able to tour that record heading out with King King last month in preparation for this albums release, but the beginnings of this album start not long after the release of the last one. 

Grace (lead vocals, mandolin, violin) and Aaron Bond (guitar, vocals) capitalised on the creative flow of their debut to dive right back into recording, making sure that this record not only retained the sonic step up of their debut (they released two EP's before that) but also had a more upbeat, rockier feel to make both records distinctive from each other while also retaining the core sound of When Rivers Meet. Much of that core sound comes from producer Adam Bowers who not only produced the record but basically played everything the duo didn't including bass, drums, keys and anything else that may be laying around the studio! (Including the tried and tested Hammond Organ) 

This trio have a tried and tested working method creating these songs in the studio from little riffs or melodies until the become fully formed ready to be refined. It's evident that these creative sessions have produced a much louder, more dynamic approach from When Rivers Meet as their first album was great, it sat very firmly in the blues, on Saving Grace they amp up the classic rock paying homage to Free, The Black Crowes and even Zeppelin (He'll Drive You Crazy), throwing in echo, feedback and numerous other authentic sounds to make this album feel more akin to a classic rock band than a traditional blues one. 

The idea is helped by Aaron's smoky vocals and reckless guitar playing, inspired by the blues legends but also Page and Kossoff, while Grace has the voice of a southern preachers daughter, but it so easily morphs into one of a hell raising Jezebel, that you'll get this delicious duality between the two depending on the nature of the track, Eye Of The Hurricane demonstrates this very well. Saving Grace retains the quality of We Fly Free but focusses it differently to achieve another swaggering, delicious modern blues rock record that continues When Rivers Meet's ascent to the top. 8/10

Black Soul Horde - Horrors From The Void (Self Released)

Black Soul Horde hail from Greece and they are what would happen if Iron Maiden read far too much H.P Lovecraft and started writing songs about unrelenting horror and monstrous creatures from the void. Black Soul Horde is basically a project for John Tsiakopoulos and Jim Kotsis, the duo have crafted two albums and an EP so far in their career with Horrors From The Void being that third full length. It's probably their darkest offering too, the occult/horror themes are writ large over this NWOTHM/Speed metal sound of this album. In terms of organisation on the playing, Tsiakopoulos handles guitar, bass and produces the record, while Jim Kotsis' vocals are sneering and come into the Rob Halford style at times with a bit of King Diamond in there as well, relying on some growls on the galloping Blinding Void. 

The lyrics take inspiration from Lovecraft, Robert E Howard and dark fantasy while the music sits comfortably in classic metal sound, with a lot of dual leads and anthemic choruses, Costas Papaspyrou giving the guitar solos while Vasilis Nanos plays the drums . On a track like the moody Malediction Of The Dead they move away from the bluster of Lair Of The Wolf or God Of War but either side of their style is impressive if classic heavy metal is your thing. Malediction Of The Dead is their moodiest track coming out like one of those dramatic Maiden epics positioned right in the middle of the album in an ideal bit of pacing that leads to more speedy heavy metal before The Betrayal Of The King yet more cinematics and time signature switches. This third record is the culmination of Black Soul Horde's career so far and it is dripping in monstrous metal mayhem. 8/10    

W.E.B - Colosseum (Metal Blade Records)

Forging together as a coven in 2002 Athens based W.E.B have been forging their dark path since then, their previous four albums have seen them build upon their symphonic extreme metal sound, but on this fifth album they have tried to keep things as simple as possible, not simple in terms of composition but made to be direct and not linger too much on atmospherics. There are of course lots of symphonics which are a key element of the W.E.B sound much like they are for bands such as Fleshgod Apocalypse, Cradle Of Filth and fellow Greeks Septicflesh, in fact Christos Antoniou handles all of the orchestrations here as he does for his brother Spiros' band (Septicflesh). The title track encapsulates this fusion of blistering extreme metal and symphonic elements with swelling strings in unison with the blasting heaviness.  

This change to a more direct, aggressive sound, one that is brought in by Dark Web, a track that establishes this more aggressive offering. The more focussed rage of W.E.B from the addition of a new rhythm section that features the explosive percussion of drummer Nikitas Mandolas and the multifaceted contribution of bassist/vocalist Hel Pyre, who brought bass, lyrics and clean/harsh vocals to this records. This is the first album that both feature on and they are very much make their mark upping the heaviness on tracks such as Exaudi Luciferi while they attempt to bring the spectacle of the colosseum on the Pentalpha which has a repeating Satanic incantation that I'm sure the Orthodox Church will love. 

At just 38 minutes in length Colosseum doesn't hang around but manages to pack in plenty of musical muscle, Exsanguinated for example puts crushing death metal together with Middle Eastern flavouring as December 13 ups the heavy quotient again with this chanting final instrumental. Still led by vocalist/guitarist Sakis Prekas who retains the lead guitars of Sextus A. Maximus, Colosseum is another substantial feast from W.E.B. 8/10

Reviews: Whitechapel, Waking The Cadaver, Groundbreaker, Insania (Reviews By Lee Burnell & Matt Bladen)

Whitechapel - Kin (Metal Blade Records) [Lee Burnell]

Knoxville Metal Powerhouses, Whitechapel return in what I can only describe as a truly underwhelming album. Whitechapel’s 9th album, Kin shows an attempt at progression from their deathcore past, but the album falls flat. Having followed their career since 2008’s This Is Exile, each album, including The Somantic Defilement has offered differences and maturity. The album is just ok, Phil Bozeman still has an amazing voice, and his lyric writing has really come on leaps and bounds as he injects a lot of personal experiences into his lyrics and Alex Rúdiger a fantastic addition to the line up with some brilliant technical drumming prowess on display throughout the album but for me, the guitaring is where the album doesn’t hold up. 

I Will Find You introduces a unique folk feel before the distorted guitars and drums kick into play. This track kept distracting me as I often found myself thinking about the intro and I must admit, with the band’s usage of clean vocals and now this, Whitechapel are sure to keep fans guess with what they bring into their musical repertoire. Whitechapel then give a taste of old with Lost Boy, hard hitting, classic Whitechapel that offers technical prowess across the board but then switches gears by introducing a clean bridge, clean vocals coupled with distortion-less guitars. A Bloodsoaked Symphony brings the heavy with the riffs relating to a djent-like bouncy feel with the timing of the guitar playing feeling often stalkerish in places. 

This is where I began to rapidly lose interest in the album, Anti-Cure did absolutely nothing for me. It was just a bland filler track. It just comes across as a bland radio rock track that often includes a gravelly growl but at this point on the first listen, I was concerned that the album would go downhill.………annnnnnnnnnd it does. Tracks such as History As Silent, Orphan, Without You/Without Us and the title track Kin show the direction the band are looking to go in to try and get a new audience but for me it’s a mediocre album that won’t live long in the memory 5/10.

Groundbreaker - Soul To Soul (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

In this set of reviews I feel it's my duty to break up the heavy so what better way than with some AOR that is slicker than Vaseline covered Weasel. Formed around the talents of FM frontman Steve Overland and Frontiers' our man Friday Alessandro Del Vecchio. Unlike the debut album which saw Robert Sall (Work Of Art) collaborate with the duo, this time Overland and Del Vecchio write with Stefano Lionetti (Lionville), Pete Alpenborg (Arctic Rain), Jan Akesson (Infinite & Divine), and Kristian Fyhr (Seventh Crystal). What you get here is AOR at it's most prim and polished, saccharine ballads such as Captain Of Our Love and Fighting For Love. 

While more melodic rockers like It Don't Get Better Than This and Wild World are ideal for Overland's soulful delivery, at times the album moves into the kind of soft rock Michael Bolton and Richard Marx were releasing in the early 90's, Overland also throws in some lead guitar on the latter. An all star cast of melodic rock musicians fill out the band and while the songs are all well performed there is very little that distances this from the previous Groundbreaker album. They aren't breaking any ground here, merely treading the same old tropes that all of these men have been a part of for years. Soul To Soul is like an old sweater, comfortable but uninspired. 6/10

Waking The Cadaver - Authority Through Intimidation (Unique Leader Records) [Lee Burnell]

New Jersey’s Waking The Cadaver return with their first album since coming back from their Hiatus in 2018, Authority Through Intimidation brings nothing but filth starting off with Civic Assault which is quite frankly nothing but deathcore at its finest. Don Campan’s ferocious vocals including a sexy as heck pig squeal, Mike Mayo’s technical guitaring, Marco Pitruzzella’s high energy drumming and Michael Thomas’ bass is a perfect combination to bring the pain and that’s what exactly what you get for near 27 minutes of this record. This album has it all, perfect pacing, phenomenal breakdowns which are some of the filthiest in recent memory and just pure aggression from start to finish, from Civic Assault all the way through to Authoritative Aggressor. 

The album is short but disgusting, with 8 tracks totalling 26 minutes 50 but, in my opinion, the album is timed to perfection. Having listened to albums that have one too many songs or the song lengths being longer than they perhaps should be, Waking The Cadaver have really hit the nail on the head with Authority Through Intimidation. Backed by Unique Leader records, who have put out sublime records by bands such as Abominable Putridity, Bound In Fear, Dyscarnate and Ingested, amongst others – Waking The Cadaver have added an absolute classic to this label’s already impressive list of albums. So, if you like your vocalists sounding like they’re vomiting their lyrics and your beats of the blast variety, absolutely get on this album, it’s one not to be missed! 9/10

Insania - V: Praeparatus Supervivet (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen] 

Swedish power metal band Insania have had a bit of potted history. Forming in 1992, they were formed by bassist Tomas Stolt and drummer Mikko Korsbäck, who remain the band leaders to this day, but after four albums and numerous line up changes, they eventually called it a day in 2007. Now after 14 years they return with the fifth studio album, bringing back long term vocalist Ola Halén who joins Dimitir Kelski who was the bands former keyboardist (and bassist). Elsewhere guitarists Peter Östros and Niklas Dahlin come back into the fold as Dahlin handles the keys this time around for songs such as Solur. 

If you're still with me then I guess I should talk about the music and well if you love the European power metal style of Helloween or Stratovarius then V: Praeparatus Supervivet will instantly appeal, packed full of double kick drums, big choruses and solos galore this record is power metal 101 both vocalists having a slightly different style making Moonlight Shadow sound like a track from the latest Helloween record as both of them sing in unison very well. I'd never heard of Insania before this record, possibly due to their hiatus and ever changing line ups but on the evidence of this fifth record, it seems as if Insania are poised to get back into the power metal race with a bang! 7/10 

Reviews: Bonded, Monument Of Misanthropy, Stilbirth, Fugatta (Reviews By RIchard Oliver, Charlie Rogers, Dr Claire Hanley & Simon Black)

Bonded - Into Blackness (Century Media Records) [Richard Oliver]

Nearly two years after their debut Rest In Violence, German thrashers Bonded strike back and strike hard with their second album Into Blackness. The band was formed in 2018 by former Sodom members guitarist Bernd “Bernemann” Kost and drummer Markus “Makka” Freiwald who were joined on vocals by Assassin frontman Ingo Bajonczak as well as guitarist Chris Tsitsis and bassist Marc Hauschild. Rest In Violence was a very well received debut which unfortunately received very little in the way of touring and promotion due to the pandemic striking. Luckily this afforded the band time to fine tune a follow up album which sees the band step things up from the debut.

One thing that is immediately noticeable about Into Blackness is that the speed, violence and intensity have been ramped up a considerable amount. The band have managed to bottle up the anger and frustrations of the last 18 months and unleash it in furious fashion on this record. It’s not just blind aggression on offer though as the band manage to remain suitably melodic as well as inserting some catchy choruses and hooks throughout the album whilst not taking anything from the violence and carnage. Lilith (Queen Of Blood) and The Holy Whore are prime examples of this mix combining hooks and violence whilst Into The Blackness Of A Wartime Night sits far more on the melodic side of things being one of the catchiest songs on the album. Destroy The Things I Love slows the pace being a groovy and brooding number before the violence completely explodes on Final Stand and Way Of The Knife with both songs being all out raging thrashers.

A pandemic striking just after the release of the debut album could have been the death sentence for Bonded but thankfully the band were able to continue working their regular jobs and the time allowed for Bonded to brew an absolutely killer follow up. Into Blackness is a definite step up for Bonded and is a blistering thrash attack that manages to sound simultaneously old school and contemporary. A brilliant album of Teutonic thrash goodness. 8/10

Monument Of Misanthropy - Unterweger (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Charlie Rogers]

Austrian brutal death powerhouse Monument Of Misanthropy are back with their second full length release Unterweger. The album is an absolute sonic barrage, rarely letting up from high energy beats and frantic guitarwork, but it retains an unmistakable groove and plenty of memorable riffs. Far from many brutal death metal records who forgo tunes and melody for the pursuit of making things brutal for brutal shake, MoM have a clear talent for writing earworms that you’ll be humming for days after listening. 

There’s a lot to praise in the instrument dept; the guitarwork from Shoi Sen and Joe Gatch is never dull, with captivating phrases weaving together as one, or harmonising to create dark and uneasy motifs like the one in Demon Of Graz. The basslines provided by Sam Terrak are rock solid, tying in with drummer Cédric Malebolgia’s bombardment of beats seamlessly. There’s a lot of variety in both the drums and the bass, and both are well mixed to ensure nothing gets drowned out. Front and foremost is vocalist George Wilfinger, who possesses a truly monstrous range - from horrifying swamp monster deep vocals, to electrifying highs - his palette is as diverse and masterful as the musicians backing him up. 

To top it all off, there are two guest vocalists of an equally high calibre: Julien Truchan of Benighted features on opening track The Mysterious Hollywood Hat-Trick, and Aborted’s Sven de Caluwé provides his signature blend of high and low screams to Miami Vice - Miami Gold. While both of these guests are arguably at the upper echelons of extreme metal, both renowned for their fantastic oral skills, George’s own vocals are so good on the rest of the record that I had to listen really hard to find the guests. That’s no detraction from the record, but one usually expects a guest to elevate a track, or bring something new to the table, and I feel this wasn’t fully utilised here. Had George performed both Sven and Julien’s parts, I don’t think I’d be able to tell in all honesty. 

At 39 minutes over 12 tracks, Unterweger has very little filler, with a handful of breather moments between the bangers - I’m not sure they’re totally necessary, but they create a foreboding atmosphere that ties in with the narrative of the songs. Highlights from the record are Tales From The Vienna Woods, Demon Of Graz, Midnight and closing track Fall From Grace - which hammers home that saving a killer track to close is a very good idea. 9/10

Stillbirth – Strain of Gods EP (Unique Leader) [Dr Claire Hanley]

The arrival of a new Stillbirth release can only mean one thing; that’s right, put your slam shoes on - it’s time to party! You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s very much business as usual as you’re greeted by brutal death metal with infectious groove but Strain Of Gods offers up some particularly filthy breakdowns, not to mention gutturals that transcend the depths of the Mariana Trench (Skinned By The Sun being a perfect example of both). 

Ultimum Exitium possesses some windmill-inspiring and whiplash-inducing sections, punctuated by expertly positioned pauses that heighten anticipation. Surfer’s Paradise is all kinds of catchy with a labyrinth of guitar lines you can absolutely get lost in, and the band continue to have you hang off their every riff with Double Fire Double Fun; a bludgeoning track which plays with the inclusion of high-pitched vocals and a tempo shift with a black metal aura. Full marks for innovation. Certainly not a direction you’d expect Stillbirth to go in but it undeniably works. 

Similarly, the inclusion of a guitar solo at the start of You Can’t Kill Us and the chilled beach vibe interlude during the title track (which really wouldn’t be out of place on an Opeth album, if it wasn’t for the seagull samples) are welcome additions, and only serve to enhance an already impressive record. Strain Of Gods is a dynamic and surprisingly eclectic offering, where the energy is always high but the tracks never feel repetitive – a true testament to Stillbirth’s superior songwriting skills. 9/10

Fugatta - The Darkest Planet (Shamash Records) [Simon Black]

The third album from these Mexican Power Metallers seems to have broken into a run in term of pace of delivery, as the gap between their debut and sophomore releases was significant and fortunately lockdown did not get in the way of this. This record is definitely more Prog with a few touches of the Symphonic than Power to my old ears, as despite the relentless Power Metal pace and stylistic tropes, the technical skill and flourish here is way beyond your average Power affair. The energy and tempo are fast and furious for sure, but so are the dizzyingly smooth time changes and transitions. Then there’s the demonically fast keyboard and guitar interludes that take the songs into more interesting territory than the surface major chord harmonic structures would first indicate, making this an interesting fusion of flavours.

For such a young group of musicians, there is a depth and skill to their writing and playing that belies their years, but then the technical demands of this sort of music tends to attract players who have been polishing their art since a very young age. Vocalist Daniel Viña has a rather impressive range to him as well. Even when he’s taking it gently, his register is quite high to start with, yet he’s able to fairly effortlessly scale up a few octaves higher when you least expect it without sounding forced or uncomfortable. It’s quite a breath taking performance. Instrumentally the rest of the band are on fire too and this does not sound like an act over ten years out of the starting blocks, as it’s full of energy, passion and polish. A nod must go to the production as well, as the decision to utilise Stratovarius guitarist and nob-twiddler Matias Kupianien for the final mastering was a wise one, as it brings a depth and maturity to the sound that beautifully embellishes each and every performer without losing the feel of a cohesive band sound.

The ten tracks that make up the core of this opus rattle along in just over forty minutes of frantic and energetic delivery and depending on your version there are alternate versions of two of them. Interestingly the lyrical nature of their native Spanish in the bonus version of The Dark Land We Belong actually really accentuates the Melodic delivery of the material and I wonder if they are inclined to do a few more songs in their native tongue in the future, as although clearly English is the norm globally, Spanish is still not exactly a minority interest language compared to say German and that did not stop Rammstein from packing stadiums the world over. Worth a spin for sure. 8/10

Reviews: Tharn, Outrun The Sunlight, Tower, Dead Vessels (Reviews By Alex Swift & Matt Bladen)

THARN – Collisions (Surviving Sounds/Trepanation Recordings) [Alex Swift]

Consisting of four songs, all over five minutes long, THARN do not thrive on simplicity or succinctness, employing a mixture of primeval aggression and cerebral melody for an experience which is as beautiful as it is cathartic. The duo have not existed for long, forming just before the onset of the virus, with their songs capturing feelings of hopelessness and desperation in the face of catastrophe. The textured, rich, and atmospheric psychedelic textures across these compositions lend themselves wonderfully to this sentiment, while the aggressive moments are reminiscent of the more experimental side of post-hardcore, in a contrast that is both fascinating and perplexing. 

Listening to Collisions all the way through (I’m not one to gate keep how others listen to music, but this is a record you should listen to in its entirety) can be a strange experience, yet also a highly emotional one if you open yourself up to what its trying to do. Its one to listen to in that quiet space between melancholy and contentment, perhaps at night, when your head is free of the worldly distractions that threaten to tear us away from our love of music, and our appreciation of the subtle. That’s certainly the context which suited me finest and allowed this album to wash over me and reach into the deepest part of my imagination, to have an effect that was as inspiring as it was emotive. 

That said, if I may raise one last point about my taste for this type of music, I feel I should point out that like a lot of music of an atmospheric and sensual nature, I am unlikely to find myself returning to this unless I am in that very particular headspace. Don’t take that as a criticism – plenty of great music has that effect. Indeed, its testament to the uniqueness of this work that its not something to be enjoyed every day, but something to be listened to and savoured in those ‘moments’ when its needed to both soothe and stimulate us. 8/10

Tower - Shock To The System (Cruz Del Sur) [Matt Bladen]

Finally! New York heavy metal enthusiasts Tower return with their first full length since 2016. They have however dropped an EP back on 2019 but this feels like a long time coming since I bought their debut on a whim in a record store (remember them?) back in 2016. Hooked on the cover which was just the band huddled together, there seemed to be something dangerous about the band. Then I saw what record label it was I had a feeling that it would be brimming with traditional heavy metal and on first listen I was right. What followed was many spins indulging in the fast, furious and fabulous classic sounding heaviness from Tower. So you could say that Shock The System is anticipated. That anticipation has been very much been rewarded on the first two tracks alone.

Blood Moon is a snorting, almost punk-like opener that gives you a sense of what to expect. The dual axe attack of Zak Penley and James Danzo in gloriously filthy interplay as Sarabeth Linden's gritty vocal style conjures some mystical imagery. On Prince Of Darkness, Linden shows more versatility on a track that sounds like an ode to Ozzy both lyrically and musically with it's mid-paced beginning ramping up towards a big climatic finale. It's a set piece of the record coming only as the second offering but they manage to reset with instrumental blast Metatron before diving back into some apocalyptic proto-thrash on Running Out Of Time, the new rhythm section of drummer James Jones and bassist Jack Florio shifting things with rapidity.

This seems to be a trademark of Tower's sound as their NWOTHM style is full of biting distortion and reckless abandon, it's a New York sound built on the streets and full of attitude, owing as much to Mercyful Fate as they do to Anthrax or The Ramones. For every track that has a lot of pace and speed, there's some that come as more expansive with a few changes on pace and tone making for a more mature offering than their debut. Shock The System is a perfect follow up to their debut, packed with as much speed metal madness, occult leanings and general disenfranchisement.

Outrun The Sunlight – A Vast Field Of Silence (Self Released) [Alex Swift]

Although concept albums are nothing new in the field of progressive music, instrumental concept albums are perhaps more of a rarity. That’s not to say you can’t tell a story through music alone – different rhythms, atmospheres and moods exist precisely to move the listener through different frames of perception. However, without the element of lyricism, everything is far more abstract and open to interpretation. So, how do Outrun The Sunlight achieve that cinematic, journeying, and conceptual effect on their fourth album? The answer to that is to base the entire album around one melody. I realise that might not sound that impressive - after all, many bands spend their entire careers trying to make the songs sound distinct from each other for fear that they will be considered formulaic. However, this experiment is navigated with skill and dexterity. 

Opener, Awareness introduces us to the central melody – a spiralling yet hauntingly memorable piece that rings out on the electric guitar with a sense of importance. This accompanied by groove-laden rhythmic touches, with aids the track in its sense of constantly welling scope and ambition. Emerald Joy continue son that ambient, peaceful note, bearing just enough weight in its djent-inspired backing instrumentals to carry some heft and make for an impressionistic listening experience. This album is perhaps at its finest though when its not working to be brash and instead exceeding through its delicacy - this is most pronounced on the acoustic piece Luminous Stillness. This is a fascinating example of music that takes you to another world, without having to use a single word to do so. The melody here is essentially the same as the one which winds its way through the rest of the record, yet this is where it feels the most uplifting, the most resonant and the most beautiful - to me this song perfectly encapsulates what Outrun The Sunlight were trying to achieve with this record. 

There are other affecting moments here - Dreamless Chaos is absolutely haunting while Zero Dimension is theatrical and grandiose in its ambitions. These pieces prove what you can do with just one sequence of notes, spelling out the art of making music unique and interesting in exquisite detail. A Vast Field Of Silence is at its best when its employing a varied palate of instrumentals and playing techniques to make for a genuinely heart wrenching listen, and at its worst in moments where it wanders into overly schmaltzy, sentimental, or self-indulgent territory as is the danger with instrumental music. Experimenting with the idea of building an entire album around one melody is certainly brave and I’d say that for the most part this made for an engaging listen, even if my attention wasn’t fully captured from start to finish 6/10

Dead Vessels - Lies Told By Thieves (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

A band who declare themselves to be "kind, generous souls with low expectations", referring to giving this album away for pay what you want on their bandcamp. Dead Vessels' EP came about after the months of frustrations due to lockdown, the Brummies managed to put down three tracks that showcases their "unique combination of riffs and shouting" as they put it. "Riffs and shouting" pretty much covers it, as this four piece put sludge, drone, shoegaze and doom into a blender and then throw that blender into a Birmingham canal to see if it floats.

The three tracks clock in at over 7 minutes apiece and similarly to Cardiff's own Tides Of Sulfur there's a rage that bubbles below the surface on Lies Told By Thieves, a speech by Richard Nixon leading into title track which is the longest one here, builds a oppressive pace of doom, shifting into some leads and shoegazing melodies Tricky Dick's Watergate confession interspersed throughout. Followed up by Lessons Of Darkness which has a claustrophobic, atmospheric drone sound (inspired by a Werner Hertzog film). The EP closes out with Like Drowning In Tar which takes another left-field turn into post-hardcore squealing. Lies Told By Thieves is an introduction to the multi-faceted, extreme heaviness of Dead Vessels, if it's anywhere near as powerful live as it is on this EP it'll be terrifying. 6/10

Reviews: Unleashed, Hammerall, Wonders, Jim Peterik & World Stage (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Unleashed – No Sign Of Life (Napalm Records)

The 14th album from Swedish Viking metal crew Unleashed is the continuation of the Odalheim story created by band leader Johnny Hedlund, now in its fifth chapter this Norse storyline is pretty much what Unleashed are recognised for. They can be considered the originators of the Viking Metal genre, using their history and storytelling to imbue their death metal sound with life. Having been around for 32 years now, they are considered to be one of the Big Four of Swedish death metal along with Dismember, Entombed and Grave, so you pretty much know what to expect from Unleashed, its old school Swedeath with a modern flavour in the production. 

Johnny’s powerful basslines and ravaged vocals set the tone as the band lay down blastbeats and fret slides galore on the title track, some death n roll on The King Lost His Crown while The Highest Ideal has a grind to it as it sings its praise to Odin. No Sign Of Life is a continuation not just of the storyline but of what Unleashed originated those 30 odd years ago. Savagery of the highest order with hints of melody and technicality to make sure you’re paying attention, mainly on final track Here At The End Of The World. No Sign Of Life has plenty of signs that Unleashed have no intention of dying yet, they still produce quality death metal that will have you longing for endless battles and feasting in Valhalla itself. 7/10 

Hammerfall – Renegade 2.0 (Nuclear Blast)

Renegade was the third album from the Swedish Templars Of Steel Hammerfall. It was their breakthrough release and set them on a path of keeping the flame of classic European heavy/power metal right the way through nu-metal and beyond. 20 years later (21 due to the pandemic) the band have released this epically expanded anniversary edition that has been remastered by producer Fredrik Nordström with modern technology. It gives the record a bigger depth of sound than the original but seeing as these are not re-recordings or re-interpretations, the music is pretty much exactly as it was back in 2000. Since this release only founding guitarist Oscar Dronjak and singer Joacim Cans remain but this record is something that long term fans can dive back into. 

Re-experiencing some of the classic tracks here such as Templars Of Steel, Always Will Be, Let The Hammer Fall and the title track. Mainly it’s to reminisce how good the record actually is. As the music is the same (with newer production) there’s little I can do in terms of reviewing it, as if you liked it the first time you’ll like it now, but there’s a whole host of extras included that make it worth purchasing if you haven’t already got the record. (If not shame). Other than that it makes for an entertaining little history lesson and anniversary while we wait for new album proper. Musically an 8 but as a re-release it doesn’t really add much so that’s a 6 giving Renegade 2.0. 7/10

Wonders – Fragments Of Wonder (Limb Music)

Not content with releasing high quality progressive, melodic metal in Even Flow, brothers Giorgio (drums) and Pietro Paolo Lunesu (guitar) have formed a new band with the multi-talented Bob Katsionis. This Mediterranean collaboration has borne, be beautiful rich and ripe musical fruit that is the band Wonders and the debut album Fragments Of Wonder. Although the title is a little bit of a misnomer as these are more than fragments, this is a fully formed project that is just different enough from Even Flow to stand out against the brothers day jobs. Here they up the progressive flourishes, never relying too heavily on long run times or lots of instrumentals but there’s a technicality to the tracks Pietro Paolo’s guitars and Bob’s keys playing off each other like the classic Stratovarius twosome of Timo Tolkki and Jens Johansson, who seem to be major influence on this project.

If you listen to Indigo World you’ll think that it is a lost Stratovarius song, while the title track feels like a more recent offering from the legendary Finns. As usual Katsionis does a brilliant job on production making the album bright and gutsy, allowing the performances to breathe as well as constructing the orchestrations in the background to bring cinematic feel to the anthemic Freedom, which also sounds the most like Even Flow. It’s not a two man show though as Giorgio’s drumming is incredibly dexterous linking to some rapid gallops with bassist Luca Negro on to Beyond Redemption, while followers of the Italian metal scene will recognise the powerful pipes of Marco Pastorino of Temperance behind the mic.

His voice is brilliant and ideal for the project especially on the more emotional numbers such as Where The Sun Doesn’t Shine. The founding trio have collaborated brilliantly here finding the right people for the job and writing an album that feels as if it was just for me. I love this kind of music and Wonders take the best parts of Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica and Fates Warning to make something that is quality music from start to finish. Come and witness the Wonders. 9/10 

 Jim Peterik & World Stage - Tigress - Women Who Rock The World (Frontiers Music Srl)

Created to celebrate the women of the rock world, Tigress is the fourth(?) album from songwriter/guitarist Jim Peterik and World Stage. Jim will be known to many as being the writer of Eye Of The Tiger (Tigress! Yeah? Get It?) along with numerous other hits for plenty of bands in the 80's. After his 2019 album Peterik approached Frontiers to make this release where he could celebrate some of the women in rock music that he admires. Some of those involved are more recognisable names such as Janet Gardner (ex-Vixen), Cathy Richardson (Jefferson Starship), Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson), Mindi Abair, Kate French (ex-Chastain), Kimi Hayes, Chez Kane, Rosa Laricchiuta (Trans Siberian Orchestra) along with some newer names as well. 

As well as being written by Peterik who catered the songs for the female perspective and to suit each singer involved, most of the instrumentation comes from him as well with the exception of drums and most of the lead guitars. But what does the album sound like? I hear you cry! Well it's alright if you like melodic rock, a mixture of mid-paced rockers, big ballads and full of that slickness that you'd associate with anything Peterik has been a part of. In terms of picks Live For The Moment and Full Moon Crazy both which feature Cathy Richardson on vocals are two of the best offerings but mostly it's all a little flat to be honest. 6/10  

Reviews: Northtale, Kanaan, Memoria Avenue, Lavender Sweep Records (Reviews By Simon Black & Matt Bladen)

Northtale - Eternal Flame (Nuclear Blast) [Simon Black]

Does the world really need another Power Metal Super Group project? That’s a difficult question to answer when you are based in the UK, as it’s a relatively niche interest and market over here, dominated by the European’s despite having a very two very different familial branches in the Americas. So when a group comes along that professes to straddle that continental divide in one package my interest is definitely piqued. With key members based in Sweden, the USA and Brazil, you effectively bring all three of the variants of Metal that get grouped under the sub-genre of ‘Power’ in one go and for those that know the differences, I was really hoping that we might get something new and different sounding here.

Sadly this was not quite to be (at least at first), as the band’s stated intention is firmly to deliver a nod to the glory days of the European side of things, with the influence of bands like Helloween or Statrovarius riding very high in the songwriting mix. I have to say initially this somewhat disappointed me, perhaps because in my head I was hoping for something slightly newer, but fortunately for NorthTale the delivery of this has been so consummately done that despite being clearly in the Northern European pan, it flashes loudly and brightly. And just when you think you know where it’s coming from, the band through in a few experimental curve balls that make you sit up and think.

Musically this is incredibly technically proficient stuff, with some complex Symphonic structures and arrangements, oodles of Neo-Classical flourish which somehow manage not to sound pretentious or intrusive, whilst overall retaining the catchy melodic structures that you got when Stratovarius were firing on all cylinders in the 90’s. Guitarist Billy Hudson and Keyboardist Jimmy Pitts definitely and very powerfully evoke that Tolkki/Johannson fluid interplay, but with less of a competitive and a more of a collaborative edge (although the dual harmonised playing on the title track clearly states the influence right down to the choice of harpsichord keyboard voice). The rhythm section is a pile-driving powerhouse of force and energy thanks to bassist Michael Planefeldt and drummer Patrick Johansson which does not relent and knits the sound together. Vocalist Guilherme Hirose is the new boy in proceedings though, being the only member of the band that did not play on their 2019 debut Welcome To Paradise, but he fits in effortlessly and is blessed with an excellent set of pipes with a high, clean register and the advantage of youth.

I’m impressed with the song-writing overall, as despite there being a lot of standardised Power Metal tropes in there, they are unafraid to mess around with the format if it sounds interesting without breaking the distinctive sound and feel. Tracks like the centrepiece North Tale - Eternal Flame - The Land Of Mystic Rites is a fantastic example of this willingness to experiment, with its African beats and tribal vocal interludes. It’s not the sort of things you expect to find on a power metal album – a genre which let’s face it, suffered very badly from stereotype and repetition. This sort of thing is what makes it stand out, as despite coming from that Northern Euro tradition, when it does venture into different territory, it’s not from the obvious country variants that the nationalities of its constituent members would lead you to expect. Interesting and entertaining. 9/10

Kanaan - Earthbound (Jansen Records) [Matt Bladen]

On this new album from Norwegian band Kanaan, their fourth in four years! They are certainly more Earthbound than on previous records, you may even say Earthless, as from a style that was very similar to jazz fusion and Krautrock on Earthbound Kanaan have taken a turn through Sky Valley and brought in some desert rock low down fuzz riffs. Still only a few years into their career, the prolific trio play a very virtuosic style of instrumental music that evokes links to bands such as Acid Mother's Temple, Kyuss and the masters of Space Rock Hawkwind. The final comparison along with Tangerine Dream are two bands who Kanaan owe much of their sound too tracks such as Mirage having that feel of space rock meets Krautrock as they take you on a psychedelic journey through this albums 8 tracks. 

The trio play everything you hear bringing in oscillations, Farfisa and layers of synths/Hammonds to boost this records galactic presence. Totally instrumental they let the instrumentation and compositions tell the stories and you can't help but get caught up in this psychedelic saga. Plunging to the depths of fuzz-laden doom of Return To The Tundrasphere which reminds me of The Sword before soaring into stratospheric atmospheres on No Star Unturned. Crash moves at glacial pace, driven by a overly fuzzy guitar/bass and some dropstep drumming, Mudbound meanwhile is awash with percussive feedback. Moving away from the jazz/psych has brought them to the dance could be considered to be a risky move but on Earthbound the addition of heaviness has added more engines to this spaceship. 8/10

Memoria Avenue - Memoria Avenue (Frontiers Music Srl) [Simon Black] 

Frontiers Music really are the potpourri of Metal record labels. Best known for their knack of either creating soundalike reboot projects from artists no longer associated with a particular act, or plucking obscure but rapidly viral YouTubers and giving them a deal before anyone else does, they also do a fine job of assembling new acts using established musicians to fit a particular time or tone. All this with an on demand studio, producer and in-house session musicians who between them crank the handle of production with remarkable rapidity and mostly a strong level of quality (although sometimes it can get a bit repetitious, particularly if like me, you find yourself reviewing twenty plus of their products a year). 

This one sees the fusion of the Northern Light Project’s guitarist Tor Talle with relatively unknown vocalist Jan Le Brandt in an 80’s infused package of Melodic Rock / AOR. That said, this does not feel stuck in the past and feels modern, energetic and relevant – as much as AOR can that is. What that means is this is not trying to capture a sound of a bygone age by aping historic production techniques – far from it, as the sound is crisp, rich and not dated at all. What it does is take a mood from that time and keep going with a more modern take. 

The focus is very strongly on Le Brandt’s vocals as well – he’s front and centre in the mix and very much the focus of attention, which is just as well, because anything else would have been a waste of a cracking set of vocal pipes. The tone is clean, but with subtlety and warmth infusing his delivery and hints that actually there may be a little bit more to his range than the style of material easily allows. The negative aspects lie in the song-writing though, which doesn’t push any new boundaries or throw many obvious crowd-pleasers. We’re three songs in with Can’t Blame It On The Rain before things start to get catchy and hook-laden, but after that slow start things do improve and Waiting Forever is Power ballad that works well enough given the restrictions of the format. 

When the pace slows down it does so in a more thoughtful manner, and when that thoughtfulness combines with the catchy (Run With Me being a great example) then things are heading in the right direction. Unfortunately those moments of the song-writing hitting the mark don’t quite often come along often enough, which is a shame because all other aspects of this do hit palpably. Nevertheless, with a bit more focus and oomph, this could go places. 6/10

Lavender Sweep Records - From The Mountains To The Sea (Lavender Sweep Records) [Matt Bladen]

Lavender Sweep Records is a record label based in Swansea. Over the years they have been committed to releasing underground bands on obscure formats. What they have also done is been fierce supporters of the stoner/doom/sludge scene of the Swansea/South Wales area. Now having been involved with the Cardiff side of this, I must admit that a few of the bands here I knew, a few I recognised and some were a complete mystery, but that's half the fun of a record like this for every Sigiriya, Suns Of Thunder, Prosperina, Taint and Heavy On The Ride. 

There are bands that are no longer with us after burning out years ago such as Acrimony as well as newer heavy delivers such as Mines and HWDU. What this is then is a guide to some of the heaviest, grooviest music to come out of Swansea and the surrounding areas. Spanning the area from the Mountains to the Sea (see what they did there) it's a showcase of 18 bands that all bring the riffs, some such as Circle Of Stones ramp up the aggression and distortion, others like Sootbelly feel a punkier vibe is needed, as Marshland Massacre relies on grunge rock weirdness. There's probably something for everyone here, be it those that want to dive back into the heavy groove jams of Acrimony or Sigiriya, the Monster Magnet vibes of Taint or Buffalo Kings, and even if you want brutal sludge from Dead Wolves or garage rock from Screaming Eagle then you'll so often find a band here that will scratch that itch. 

There's a consistency to the quality of every band featured here, many compilations suffer from there being a dip, this one doesn't, you can listen to the whole thing without skipping a single number. Making not only a historical document but also an immensely pleasurable audio experience. Only available on CD from Lavender Sweep Records, From The Mountains To The Sea, reminds everyone how strong the stoner/doom/sludge scene has always been in Swansea and South Wales in general. 8/10

Reviews: Bornholm, Crazy Lixx, Doomsday Profit, Nestor (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Bornholm - Apotheosis (Napalm Records)

Apotheosis is the fifth full length from Hungarian Pagan metal band Bornholm who take their name from an island off the coast of Sweden (though part of Denmark) that brought Vikings into Carpathia as well as the disease that originated on the island also known as The Devil's Grip. Firmly a band who move towards the devil's grip as Bornholm are defiantly heathen, pagan metal band proclaiming their allegiance to the old ways with this atmospheric, extreme metal offering. The four piece have focussed on carrying their sound into the future while also conjuring sounds from their beginning 20 odd years ago. The marching doom heaviness fuses with fretboard shredding black metal that is fierce and raw. 

They bring forth some spiritual offerings too with plenty of chants and incantations to draw you into the dark brooding atmosphere of the album before the black metal attack begins again. At 52 minutes there's plenty of time for these songs to shape shift and merge between louder and quieter phases, acoustics are used sparingly but are effective in the compositions often at odds with that raw black metal style elsewhere though Bornholm up the intensity with choirs and chants approaching symphonic at times. Mostly though Bornholm play an aggressive style of black metal with frantic riffery, rattling drum blasts and vocal shrieks that will excite fans of the vehement, harsh extreme metal. Closing out with the triumphal Enthronement, Apotheosis is a pagan black metal example from these Hungarians. 7/10

Crazy Lixx - Street Lethal (Frontiers Music Srl)

On Street Lethal, Swedish AOR band Crazy Lixx look Westwards to the shining US Of A for the main influence of their seventh album. One could say they have always been heavily inspired by the glam metal sounds of bands like Def Leppard (I know they're British before you write in), Ratt, Warrant and Journey. But this influence seems to be brought to its zenith on Anthem To America and the tracks such as Blame It On Love, Hell Raising Women, XIII, and Wild Child, all of which have been featured in Willy's Wonderland, a batshit, retro themed horror/action movie starring Nic Cage. Much like how Tron boosted the popularity of Journey, this obscure, theme park goes mental, film has meant that the tracks mentioned have all been streamed more than any of their previous tracks. 

Crazy Lixx have been at the forefront of this Scandinavian 80's hard rock revival since 2002 and they continue to lead from the front with an album full of anthemic hard rock, it's a sound that has been crafted by lead singer Danny Rexon who not only has one of those pure, soulful AOR voices but also handles the punchy production of this record, from the heavy synth balladry of In The Middle Of Nothing, to the Bon Jovi-like country rocking of Caught Between The Rock N Roll and the bouncing title track which has a bit of Motley Crue to it, this record is Crazy Lixx in full form, the intro/intermissions such as Enter The Dojo and Final Fury fleshing out the slightly conceptual style of this album. Street Lethal and a little bit fluffy Crazy Lixx continue to set the bar. 8/10

Doomsday Project - In Idle Orbit (Self Released)

The Swedes are quite possibly the doom masters, however the Yanks give them a run for their money. North Carolina mob Doomsday Project are all about encompassing the outright desolation we as the human race have faced over the past few years and will face in the years to come. This anger, frustration and confusion was distilled by the Covid-19 pandemic and has come through on this six track slab of acid-sludge (what they call themselves). In Idle Orbit is their debut EP as I said it's 6 tracks long but the tracks are packed full of slithering doom. From the creeping death of Crown Of Flies the fuzzing drone of Cestoda and the riffy bog-trawling of Consume The Remains. 

In Idle Orbit is a record that is downbeat and devastating, fusing the headache inducing throb of Electric Wizard with the speaker destroying sludge heaviness of Conan. Appearing on the more extreme end of the doom spectrum, Doomsday Profit are a call to the end times, the croaked vocal cries in fully calling for destruction as the band dial up the bottom end chug and haziness, especially on the psychedelic trip that come on the opening moments of Bring Out Your Dead the final track on this EP. On the basis of this song alone Doomsday Project seem to have a decent future ahead of them, although from their songwriting they may not believe that future will happen. 6/10     

Nestor - Kids In A Ghost Town (Self Released)

Kids In A Ghost Town is a musical time warp, you don't take a jump to the left here though. You throw up a Rick & Morty style portal gun and jump headlong into the Sunset Strip circa 1985. However instead of Motley Crue, Dokken or one of the numerous big haired, jagged guitar toting glam/aor metal bands that may be in the Viper Room at this time, it's actually Swedish band Nestor. Kids In A Ghost Town is a record that encapsulates the excess, inflated egos and anthems of the 80's delivered with a little tongue in cheek but also as a well written homage to the songs of that era. What is impressive are the vocals of Tobias "Tobbe" Gustavsson, his slick delivery is up with your Steve Perry's and Lou Gramm, adding emotion to the title track while also working in gloriously cheesy unison with Samantha Fox (yep that one!) on mega ballad Tomorrow, that has a snippet of Bon Jovi in the lyrics. 

The band is clearly built around him as he is the obvious star here starring (along with the rest of the band) in their lavishly produced music videos, but the band are not to be overlooked, with lots of hands in the air rhythms, soaring Van Halen/Neal Schon/George Lynch guitar playing. The songs speak for themselves, yes they are decidedly retro, but nothing ever moves too far in to cliche even on Perfect 10 (Eyes Like Demi Moore) which is an homage to some of the 80's biggest pin ups, it's just cheesy enough for a good time pop rock belter, while These Days is a strutting AOR rocker that is in that Def Leppard mold. There is a wealth of retro AOR acts around these days, most of which are snapped up by Frontiers Music, however these Swedes may have passed under the radar a little of the Italian label. Still I have no doubt that on the back of Kids In A Ghost Town there will be plenty of big labels itching to snap up these master of AOR melodic rock. 8/10 

A View From The Back Of The Room: Bullet For My Valentine (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Bullet For My Valentine, Tesseract & Bleed From Within, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, 07/11/2021

The first Motorpoint Arena gig of 2021 was headlined by the Welsh metal stalwarts with a decent line up in support. So it was once again into the 'shed' for another evening of metal.

Earplugs in and first up, not long after door opening were Glaswegian metalcore/groove metal band Bleed From Within (6) who stormed the stage with their brand of breakdown infused aggressive metal. Vocalist Scott Kennedy stalked the stage and barked down the mic inciting circle pits and walls of death from only the scene d song in. Having seen the band before I know what they can do and I also know that they aren't the sort of thing I usually like. However they did an admirable job of warming up the crowd as many of the Bullet faithful were clearly fans.

Next however was the odd band out on the bill, modern prog metal men Tesseract (8), who's stripped back, all strobe light stage set up made it a nightmare for any photographers, but became part of the great visuals the band bring to their stage performance, well aware that prog/Djent can be a little stationary due to the technical prowess involved. That being said Dan Tompkins is always a visual feast as well as an aural one he moves around the stage totally involved with what he's singing as his voice continues to be one of the best in the business. 

The propulsive palm muted riffs of James Monteith (guitar) and Amos Williams (bass) drove earlier groovers such as Concealing Fate Parts 2 & 3 and Of Mind - Nocturne while Alec 'Acle' Kahney's lead guitar melodies and counterpoints make songs like Orbital and Juno soar. With this heavy yet melodic balance, drummer Jay Postones has his work cut out for him however due to the Motorpoint's sound mix his drumming was louder than most of what was going on, so it was a relief he is an excellent drummer. Tesseract knew that they were probably the least known band on this bill so they crafted a set that showcased all their facets while retaining their heaviness.

The audience then dove out to the smoking area as the 30 minute change over came. As they cam back the excitement was building, and though not a sell out gig (it was a Sunday night) the fans that were in the Motorpoint were those that are fanatical about the band. This was witnessed by every song being greeted like an old friend even the newest ones that had only been released few days previously. After the building intro of previous songs through a radio static the show kicked off with the opening riff to Parasite and Bullet For My Valentine (8) stormed the stage. It was loud, heavy and aggressive, Matt Tuck and Jamie Mathias sharing harsh vocals as Tuck's cleans cut in with the choruses. 

Live these new songs come to life with a pace and viciousness, nearly all the songs from their self titled record were excellent live and event the heavier moments of Gravity came across well, though they did choose one of the slower moments which broke the momentum a little but it was quickly followed by a classic. Speaking of classics, BFMV were clearly confident with their newer albums as the majority of the set came from there. We did however also get two from Venom and Fever, big singalongs Last Fight and Your Betrayal, 3 from Scream Aim Fire, which included the title track and thrashfest Waking The Demon though still it was those The Poison classics 4 Words To Choke Upon (Look At Me Now) and Tears Don't Fall that got the biggest reaction. 

With engaging backing screens, the music kept you involved, Jamie Mathias is the ideal thrashy rhythm foil for Matt Tuck's riffs as drummer Jason Bowld adds a tightness to the songs with his powerful drumming style. Tuck moves all over the stage with several mics positioned Hetfield style so he can sing anywhere while on stage right is Michael Padget who's lead playing and solos are used very effectively on the newer material especially. 

BFMV are now a fully fledged arena band, and they have been for a while now but with their latest album on display here in this hometown show, it's obvious to anyone who has followed the band that the genre ambiguity of their past has gone and they have now returned to being a heavy metal band!