Reviews: Luna Sol, Defiled, Theigns & Thralls, Die So Fluid (Reviews By Rich Piva, Mark Young, Simon Black & James Jackson)

Luna Sol - Vita Mors (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

Some albums are just special. You can tell from the first few notes that there is something happening that will be with you for a long time, maybe even the rest of your life. I have had a few experiences with albums that immediately stuck and never left rotation, even though the years and shifting personal tastes. The record becomes a part of you, it touches you, it makes you feel something every time you spin it. I think I found the next album for me that does that, the new record from Luna Sol, Vita Mors.

You will know David Angstrom most likely as the guitarist from Hermano, but he has a number of other great projects too, such as Luna Sol. This version of the band is completely different from other incarnations, but keeps the spirit of the original idea alive. This time Dave has partnered up with Zeth Pedulla or drums and Doug Tackett on bass, and you can immediately hear the chemistry between the trio on Vita Mors. 

The songwriting and playing of these three has come together and fit perfectly, creating a record with zero skips and that sounds exactly like it should production wise. Did we need two covers on the record given how great the Luna Sol originals are? Who cares when one of them is one of my favourite songs of the 70s and what I think stoner rock was built on, Never In My Life by Mountain, and one of the best tracks by the critically underrated 70s blues rock band Leaf Hound, Freelance Fiend, where Dave may have the vocal performance of his career. 

I love Dave’s writing so much on here I had to look up if some of the heavy blues tracks were old blues covers (I’m not claiming to be a old school blues expert in any way, so this may just be me, but…). Songs like the opener, Black Cat Callin’, You Better Get Runnin', and Surrounded By Thieves are pretty much perfect heavy blues songs in 2024. Dave’s guitar work and riffs are fantastic throughout the record, and the rhythm section is spot on with what Dave is bringing. Check out the filthy riff on Bottom if you want some proof. While Hermano is stoner rock, Luna Sol are the kings of the high desert heavy blues (trademark this Dave) with a song like Evil being the prototype for this. I love the addition of the female background vocals and the solo that rips it up. 

The tracks on Vita Mors can be catchy as hell too, as Dave can write an earworm when he wants to, like what you get on the very Goss/Masters Of Reality influenced I’ll Be Your One. You can hear the grunge love too on No Substitutions and on Low N’ Easy which has some Soundgarden vibes while keeping the heavy blues feel, and that riff and tone are pure perfection. There is so much love on Vita Mors, be it Dave leveraging all of his influences, the inclusion of his family on interludes and even in songs, the personal touch in all of his lyrics, and love just woven into the fabric of the 15 tracks on this new classic.

Yes, I am gushing, but Vita Mors is heavy blues rock perfection to me. Dave, Doug, and Zeth have captured lightning in a bottle and a created a generational record for me and I am sure for others who will become disciples of kings of the high desert heavy blues. Luna Sol may have released my album of the year, and beyond, with Vita Mors. 10/10

Defiled - Horror Beyond Horror (Season Of Mist) [Mark Young]

Well, this is suitably bonkers. Following my first listen I wasn't sure what I felt, what genre it's supposed to sit in or even have a handle on how my review would go. It talks about death metal, but the songs are structured unconventionally. They come in, blasting with an intensity that is common with other bands, but they don't act like the various parts are in synch, and at first, it's off-putting. 

I'm assuming it is because traditional death metal occupies a linear approach where each instrument and part, they play is set to suit the others. Here, there's a discrete separation between them, the drums for example are playing one measure whilst the guitars, bass and vocals are just off. It takes a couple of listens to get past that and appreciate it on its own terms.

It's this approach that gives them a unique sound, that whilst it ticks all the necessary boxes: extreme vocals, drums that are firing like an Uzi and super-speed riffs that dominate from start to finish. This pattern of being slightly off kicks in with Smoke And Mirrors, a two-minute battering that mixes in the speed with numerous timing changes and it sets the template for the madness that follows. You know it's going to be different just from this and on the title track, Horror Beyond Horror they just detonate with some serious low-down riffing. 

It has a fresh vibe to it, and I know there are plenty of bands that like to squeeze as many ideas as possible and ultimately bore the pants off you. That's not the case here, it's like being on a rollercoaster where you are holding on for dear life. That's the image I get of them recording it. Syndicate provides a prime example of this, the opening bends that morph at speed and then slide to an almost stop for the leads. Live, I’ve no idea how you could headbang to this without causing serious harm.

Later tracks in the album stay the course, Trojan Horse is all double bass, and you expect it throw the BPMs at you instead they slow it down for the verse which has a skittish feel until they kick it up through the gears changing the song to suit. Its manic, just like Spectrum Of Fear. 

The songs are the same without being direct copies. I appreciate that sounds stupid but let me try to explain: They are the same in that they follow no discernible pattern or arrangement, but each has the same completely unhinged manner. It doesn’t let up, at all and they finish it with same energy as they started, with To See Behind The Wall coming in with intent to cause you serious harm.

As I said, this approach doesn't change, each song is a pummelling, visceral exercise in channelling an old-school approach through their own filter. With this in mind, your enjoyment of this may depend on how you like your death metal. 

Do you like it keeping between the lines, following that straight path, or do you like the feeling that it could derail at any time? I’m still not sure about it, but if you imagine that they have been laying waste in this fashion for the last 30 years, they must be doing something right. 8/10

Theigns & Thralls - The Keep And The Spire (Rockshots Records) [Simon Black]

Theigns & Thralls started life as a lockdown side project from Skyclad’s Kevin Ridley. This was something of a chaotic Supergroup, with a plethora of musicians from pretty much every Folk Metal band that the original Skyclad inspired contributing to it, but in a rather fragmented way. That debut didn’t land so well, with live performances generally getting the thumbs up but the album very mixed feedback, so I was curious to see how this sophomore would be handled.

This time the line-up is a little more restrained and stable, which helps define a much more consistent house sound that the debut sorely missed out on. In addition, the songwriting seems a lot less eclectic this time around, and actually this feels like it’s a full reboot of the brand, and a proper debut album to boot - rather than a collection of remotely recorded off casts from Skyclad.

First time through I struggled to find anything standout, because let’s face it good Folk influenced Rock and Metal should create an irresistible urge to dance a jig, but this album really benefits from a measured and repeated listen or two. It’s much slower paced than you might expect, and in fact those slower moments, such as Pagan Song work really well in a way that catches you out, twice – the first for the slower pace, the second time when it flips the tempo up and turns into exactly the bouncy beast the album had been lacking thus far, at least for the middle eight. 

After this things are generally more up tempo and what you would expect from Folk-infused Rock, but that moody and brave first half is actually the strongest part, even if it does take a couple of goes to truly appreciate it.

Vocally Ridley is a lot less front and centre than I am used to, but then this feels like a full band and not a collection of solo fragments, and it’s also way darker in mood and tone throughout, which is why it takes a little bit of getting used to. But it’s a gift that keeps on giving, and the more I listen to it the more I want to, and that in this day and age is no bad thing. 7/10

Die So Fluid - Skin Hunger (Self Released) [James Jackson]

The basis of London based Die So Fluid has been kicking around since the late Nineties performing under the names Feline and Ultraviolet, before forming as Die So Fluid in 2000 and releasing their debut in the form of the Operation Hypocrite EP, which was soon followed by Spawn Of Dysfunction in 2003. Skin Hunger is the band’s sixth full length album and mainly consists of singles released since the previous album One Bullet From Paradise.

There’s quite the feel of the 90’s and as I mentioned for a band that began in that era it comes as no surprise and I guess that the adage of it ain’t broke don’t fix it applies; the riffs are a mix of Punk, Rock and at times bordering upon a more Metal based sound. 

One of the tracks that particularly stood out for me was Walk With Me and for an odd reason, there’s an almost synthwave style bridge that acts as a base for quite an interesting guitar solo but it stands out for all of the wrong reasons, for at times and it’s nearly two minutes long, it enters World Music territory but thrown into an Alt Rock song, but what makes it particularly odd is that it’s a technique that isn’t repeated again throughout the album.

The album has its moments but overall there isn’t much that would make the album stand out amongst others of its ilk but then nearly thirty years is a long time for a band to still be active, so for their fans and any potential ones they are obviously doing something right.

Personally there’s not enough to grab my attention in order for me to enjoy or appreciate the album. 5/10

Reviews: Charlotte Wessels, Glacial Tomb, Krilloan, Birds View (Reviews By Matt Bladen, Mark Young, Simon Black & Liam Williams)

Charlotte Wessels - The Obsession (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]

It feels like there's been a lot of Charlotte Wessels releases since she left Dutch band Delain in 2021, much of this is due to her taking the step of delivering singles every week, then compiling them into full albums. Both the Tales From Six Feet Under records brought multiple genres and experiments, funded by her patrons, as if to distance herself from the symphonic act she left. They were interesting record with Wessels preforming most of it herself (the first one especially), but never quite felt like a new 'band'.

So despite The Obsession being her third album, it's more like her re-debut, alongside a rejigged version of Soft Revolution, from the Tales From... records, it's an album of new material, written in her studio but this time feels much more fully formed, recorded with Timo Somers (guitars), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass), Joey Marin de Boer (drums) all formerly of Delain. They imbue tracks such as the chunky Ode To The West Wind with metallic heaviness, Alissa White-Gluz bringing the growls as there's electronics that run through the symphonic punch of The Crying Room (this track is phenomenal) and Praise. Dopamine is one of the first singles and features the soaring operatic of Simone Simons, blended brilliantly with the poppier vocal of Wessels.

There's also contributions from Sophia Vernikov (piano/hammond), Elianne Anemaat (cello) and every proggers favourite composer Vikram Shankar on Breathe. These guests and musicians allow the fusion of genres is still here though be it the slinky Serpentine, the atmospheric ballad The Exorcism, Soulstice which has a bit of Imagine Dragons about it, while All That You Are has the drama of Muse. 

To be honest though Chasing Sunsets, the first song tells you what you need to know from the record, metallic riffs, against ethereal dreaminess, and Wessels' incredibly distinctive and angelic vocals, if you like this song, you're going to love what comes next. The Obsession is the first fully formed ‘band’ album from Charlotte Wessels as a solo artist and while it’s sure to be compared to her former band, the diversity and scale of the album is far superior. 9/10 

Glacial Tomb - Lightless Expanse (Prosthetic Records) [Mark Young]

And now, we go to Denver for some sludge-filled death metal, care of Glacial Tomb.

And it’s a bit saucy.

Stygian Abattoir is chaotic, aggressive and completely in your face. It’s the sound of a band in a hurry to stomp a hole in you and move onto the next victim. Mixing frenetic drumming in with discord and a guitar tone that could split concrete its offset by a quick and direct lead break that hints at technical virtuosity without it boring the pants off you. If the rest of this is like this, then I suggest you might be revising your album of the year lists as this is a storming opening gambit.

Keeping that rolling momentum going, it’s an absolute cracker, although I think they lean more into the death metal than the sludge, the overall tone is that of a cloying, mouldy blanket that suffocates. Enshrined In Concrete goes full on, with those guttural vocals switching register and its devastating when combined with their attack. The trem break-down is quality and they throw in a touch of Queen-esque harmonies in there, planted within a glorious lead break. The stabbing arrangement leading up to that is spot on, and the return to speed after is monstrous.

On Abyssal Host, that gnarly almost filthy rhythm guitar tone squashes all on this one, it’s like a swarm of pissed off cyborg bees, but that doesn’t do it justice. They tear through the album with intent, and that intent is to cause physical harm. There is not one jot of fat on here, nothing wasted no melodic introductions or make-weight sections, it’s what I believe modern extreme metal should be.

The final tracks round off proceedings to the same high standard as they started. Wounds Of Existence, with an almost funky start but don’t let that put you off. They bring the heavier than lead chunk to proceedings and an almost jaunty lead break. The drumming is top, spidery guitar lines that close out what is probably my fave track on here (and there are few you could go with). 

Which leads us into The Lightless Expanse, which grinds out its opening attack that is slow and heavy. I mean insanely heavy which is probably as close to the sludge as you get on here. The drumming behind this one is spot on, listen to this with good earphones and you will get what I mean straight away. It is a masterclass on this, and to be honest the build itself is everything you could want from modern extreme metal – speed, its heavy and has the right amount of aggression within it.

This is an incredibly focused attack on the senses. I think that the tag of Sludgeyfied death metal is probably a touch misleading. I think of sludge metal, I think of slower, drawn-out arrangements with riffs that are repeated ad infinitum. That is something you cannot accuse Glacial Tomb of. Their guitar tone is low and filthy, and it is a familiar tone that other bands use. It is one of the negatives here, well the only one really. 

The positives though, they are numerous. The riffs are diamond hard and mix up where they come from on the neck, its not just lower string mutilation. The lead breaks are well worked out and show a real expert touch to them – where they land, the style etc and embellish the song further. An absolute blast from start to finish. 9/10

Krilloan - Return Of The Heralds (Scarlet Records) [Simon Black]

Krilloan have crossed my platter a couple of times in the last few years, with both their 2021 Stories Of Times Forgotten EP and first full-length Emperor Rising in 2022 receiving generally favourable feedback from me. If you haven’t come across them yet, Krilloan play a blistering combination of Traditional, Power and Speed Metal with its roots strongly in the vein of fellow Euro contenders Blind Garden, Hammerfall and a healthy dollop of mid period Helloween. To be fair there are plenty of other bands who do something similar, at least in the Eurozone, so you have to be relatively special to rise above the melee and get noticed.

Where Krilloan have always delivered well is in keeping the focus on brevity and avoiding the cliché of over-convoluted conceptual records, you know those endless three album epics that bore you to death trying to unpick their tenuous storylines in an over-arduous run-time of an hour or more each. Krilloan are having none of that, thank you very much. 

Short and to the point remains their focus, and despite being yet another sword and sorcery concept, the reader wouldn’t know it because the story isn’t necessary to enjoy the record, which generally focusses on serving up strong songs that stand on their own independent of any arc, and more importantly, succinctly. No over-long instrumental pieces, or 18-minute epic arc closers here thankfully, just to the point songs for whom 5 ½ minutes is the longest piece, and that one longer than almost every other track on the album by nearly a minute.

The line up has remained the same since their last album too, but the milk-curdling range of vocalist Alex VanTrue seems to have extended somewhat, with a bit more of a low-end punch counterbalancing the more top end scales that he’s more than capable of delivering. This is a vocalist, and indeed a band, more confident in their style and approach and starting to vary the tone a bit, although perhaps they could have gone a teensy bit further. 

Although there are plenty of gallopers in the pack, when they do slow things down it works well and contributing to a generally heavier sounding record than its predecessors. Sometimes they lull you into a false sense of security here, starting a track mid-tempo only to raise the tempo after the first or second eight, but I would have preferred a couple more of the slower paced full tracks in there, because after three releases dripping in the allegro and presto end of the Speed Metal spectrum, they have rather made their point. 

That said, it’s an album that works, and grows with repeated spins, and not everyone knows their back catalogue, so if nothing else, like all their output to date a solid and resounding. 8/10

Bird’s View – House Of Commando (Drakkar Entertainment) [Liam Williams]

Here we have the second album by German Hard Rock band Bird’s View. 11 brilliant tracks which are jam packed with catchy guitar riffs, bouncy basslines, pounding drums and some truly great vocal work. A nice blend of grunge, psychedelic rock and at some points showing off their heavier side with hints of thrash metal, demonstrating this bands versatile taste and talents. Although the songs average at around 3 minutes in length each, they are short and sweet enough to let the album flow smoothly and yet leave you wanting for more.

The opening track Vienna starts with a nice little bit of clean guitar accompanying the vocals before the rest of the band kick in and pick up the pace. This track sounds like a perfect combination of Queens Of The Stone Age and Foo Fighters. A lot of the guitar parts throughout the album are comparable to Queens Of The Stone Age, who you can tell are a huge influence on this band. But instead of sounding like a rip-off, it comes across very naturally in a way that pays homage and not trying to simply imitate that sound. The following tracks, Stay Down and Pin Drop have a similar sort of sound and energy but it does not get stale to listen to since each track still sounds new and original. There is a really nice psychedelic rock bridge section in Pin Drop. 

Circus comes in with a bit of an old school Gorillaz sounding intro before a nice heavy-ish riff leading into the bouncy first verse. I really love the way the drums play around the glitchy guitar riff in the second verse. There’s a nice quieter chorus with just clean guitar and vocals before a sick dirty guitar solo leading into the final chorus. Came Along has a bit of a Biffy Clyro vibe and is a little bit slower than the other tracks so far, which gives you a bit of a breather before kicking into the slightly more experimental sounding second half of the album. More To Come starts off very thrashy. From the guitar riff and drums to the screaming vocals. But then halfway through it completely changes to a nice grungy acoustic section to end the song. White Barriers has a bit of a brit-pop vibe to it, sounding like a mix of Blur and early Foo Fighters. 

Colorblind also sounds like early Foo Fighters with a hint of Alice In Chains. The vocals are very similar to Dave Grohl's and the acoustic guitar and percussion remind me of Rooster and Brother by Alice In Chains. There’s a nice little slide guitar solo just before the last chorus too which fits in quite nicely. The main riff and the choruses in Promise Everything sounds a little bit like Muse. I like the use of the octave pedal with the lead guitar part in the verses. Come Back Home has some nice little riffs and I do like the pre-chorus parts where the guitars and drums all play in unison. The last track, What It’s Like, is an interesting song to end the album on. The synth and guitar play a slightly haunting set of chords along with the vocals. The band joins in after the second chorus along with another nice little guitar solo to help build the rest of the song up to an excellent crescendo which fades out nicely to close out the album.

This was a really fun album to listen to. A lot of different sounds which I was able to pick out as sounding familiar to other bands but it still sounds very original. As I’ve said above, it’s done in a way which, to me, shows that this band are not afraid to let their musical influences shine through in their own way and help them to create their own sound. While doing a little bit of research for this review I discovered that this album was mastered by Howie Weinberg, who has previously worked with the likes of Nirvana, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few. I think he has done an amazing job with the mix which is absolutely superb. But I also have to congratulate each member of the band for writing and performing such a great album. Well done lads! 10/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Big Big Train (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Big Big Train & Haunt The Woods, The Riverfront, Newport 18.09.24

Have you ever been to a gig that totally rekindles your love of live music?

Over the last year and a bit I've been a lot more choosy with the gigs I go to. Pre-Covid, it was everything ever but now, I don't know maybe I'm getting older, maybe I've seen nearly everyone I want to see at least once, maybe I'm a bit sick of going to gigs on my own or maybe people are just annoying me more.

I don't know so I've been more selective over what I'm seeing and to be honest this year nearly everything has been brilliant and while nothing this year will come close to Day Of Wreckoning in terms of the amount of love I have in my heart. What took place on a balmy Wednesday in Newport is pretty close.

First though the support, Cornwall four piece Haunt The Woods (9) took their opportunity to impress in their stride, showcasing tracks from across their releases. If I was to try to describe it I'd say Muse if they had more a Radiohead influence, one of the most powerful voices I've heard for a while set against intricate layered indie prog.

Between the songs there was a it too much silence, for tuning purposes, inside Newport's Theatre Venue The Riverfront, which was little awkward in a theatre setting but when there was banter it was affable and funny and the songs themselves were captivating. Cut short before what I assume was a big finish, the amount of people calling for one more song showed how well Haunt The Woods had won over the audience.

A break, a queue for the gents and then back in for tonight's main event. The super talented, international collective known as Big Big Train (10), supporting their latest album The Likes Of Us, most of the set came from this stunning record with a few older numbers too but the setlist was very much curated to show that this was the new era of Big Big Train.

What an era, what a band, every members changed instrument, sometimes mid-song, at least once, resulting in a performance that featured in total 5 different singers, 5 different keyboardists, 5 different guitarists, 2 different drummers, 1 trumpeter, 1 violinist and 1 bassist. Not bad for a band with 7 members. Everyone was multi-instrumental, positioned on stage so you can see clearly what they were doing, the light show augmenting the crystal clear live production as instruments were swapped, roles traded, harmonies sung and dynamic instrumental moments given standing ovations more than once.

It was all utterly breathtaking, Gregory Spawton the solid foundation of everything due to his songwriting and thick sounding Rickenbacker (what is it about prog bands being founded by bassists?), he locks in with prog drummer extraordinare Nick D'Virgilio as the defined, jazzy, powerhouse rhythm section, of course Nick has plenty of frontman energy behind the kit and also sings.

Behind the keys Oskar Holldorff tames his beast of an organ (not a euphemism) with immense passion combining with Rikard Sjöblom's often double neck guitar heroics, Claire Lidney's violin, Paul Mitchell's trumpert as the main 'solo' instruments of the band. Holldorff also sings, as does Lidney, Sjöblom and occasionally Desmond, giving the band for me a feel of Yes meets Fleetwood Mac.

Alberto Bravin though is the new lead voice, and what a voice especially in the climax of Black With Ink, the power, the poise the precision all while playing various instruments and getting the crowd to interact as much as possible on Apollo. This show very much felt like the first tour of a revitalised band, trimmed back to just 7 (in the past they have had 8/9) members, they're redefining what Big Big Train is through stunning musicianship and songs that carry a harder edge, especially live.

I could go into detail about what was played but that would spoil it, I urge to to check out the other dates on this tour as it could well be the best show I've seen/will see all year!

Reviews: Rain City Drive, Unto Others, Steal The City, Eihwar (Reviews By SJ, Matt Bladen, Simon Black & James Jackson)

Rain City Drive – Things Are Different Now (Thriller Records) [SJ]

The Floridian quintet, Rain City Drive are back again creating storms with Things Are Different Now, following their previous self-titled release Rain City Drive in 2022. Matt (vocals), Felipe (guitar), Weston (guitar), Colin (bass) and Zack (drummer) explore vulnerable themes we can relate to alongside their signature post hardcore rock riffs with pop elements. The replay value of Things Are Different Now is clear from the first listen where some tracks hook you from the get-go whereas others are slow bloomers grasping you with new appreciations upon further listening.

Rain City Drive have slowly been releasing a few tracks off the album months ahead of the official release, driving up the hype and highlighting what a powerhouse this album is. Medicate Me (ft Rory Rodriguez from Dayseeker) personally holds a special place for me because it was the first song of theirs that I stumbled upon. It grasped me from the first listen with its synth vibrating through the powerful chorus and experimental sound. Vocally, Matt and Rory flow together flawlessly whilst lyrically describing the effects of toxic relationship feeling like chasing a high “Coming off your chemical… come and save me. Medicate me.” 

Over Me is another pre-released track which feels quite raw and nostalgic. Lyrically it expresses an ex-partner that has moved on “I thought that you’d grow with me, now you’re over me.” Matts vocal run at the bridge gives me goose bumps and makes me hit the repeat button. Frozen, certainly does get “…frozen, stuck in my mind…” Throughout the track it shifts from powerful guitar to stripping back to the drumbeat, vocals and synth backing elevating when the chorus kicks in. After the second chorus the vocal belter of “Oh” feels quite ethereal and later the repeating “motions” again gives me goose bumps, Matt vocals are elevated in this track.

Concrete Closure has been on repeat constantly, it is insanely captivating and caught my attention instantly cementing it in my brain. The drum beat with accompanying guitar in the intro gets my foot tapping and blood pumping. Matt vocally expresses someone who isn’t letting go when things are over and holding on keeping the connection alive “You say you’re looking for some concrete closure but you’re the one who keeps the door wide open…” The bridge ebbs and flows bringing you on the tidal journey. Vocal Oh’s at the end of the song set you right up to play the song again. 

Neverbloom gives an ethereal vibe throughout emphasised by the vocal echoes in the intro “bloom” and reverb on the drums later followed by the sound of chains being dragged before “Now I’m faded to black, knife in the back.” Overall, this one feels emotionally charged as shown during the bridge echoes of “I hope I made you proud even though you never see my flowers bloom.”

Wish You The Best jumps straight in with a stripped back chorus and guitar riff then hits with the thudding drum beat in the intro alongside Matt's melodic vocals. The captivating chorus “I only wish you the best even though you’re the worst and when I’m feeling depressed, I miss the way that it hurts.” The song ends the way it started, with the guitar and vocals again making you want to replay it.

Did Rain City Drive release the catchiest songs first? Well…

Lose My Composure is the first song on the album combining the sound we love Rain City Drive for and sets up the tone of the album. Kicking the lyrics off with “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I got a third degree burn from the devil on my shoulder.” 

“Praying like you’re waiting on some miracle in the making” poetically grasping from the first line. Initially, Aware, wasn’t a song that captivated me albeit, from the second time onwards it really grew on me and is one of my favourites off the album. I feel it embraced a more experimental and slightly heavier tone, especially with the drums after the second chorus and the way Matt sings “Don’t pretend to be aware and don’t you dance around and act like you want me now”. There’s a lot of repeating lyrics in this track “Let it bleed, let it bleed…” and “Green eyes…” addictively replaying in my head.

Disarm The Hourglass raises the energy and embraces aspects of dubstep with its upbeat rhythm, creating a feeling of excitement “Disarm disarm the hourglass.” The addition of the keyboard in the chorus adds another pulsating flavour. The experimental “Hourlgass” distortion builds up in the bridge and ends on a funky shattered glass effect. 

The penultimate track, Elusive Dream feels softer whilst keeping to their signature sound. Although it isn’t as high energy, this track amplifies its lyrics expressing “Don’t want to fight fair. Stuck in a nightmare” and “Pray for guidance, suffer in silence.” Lastly, Sacrifice, shifts slightly from the usual Rain City Drive tone. It starts with the piano providing a slow but powerful build up, the drums coming in really gets the heart pumping. The lyrics are being belted “Would he sacrifice” providing a standout for the last song on the album. This feels like it belongs in an epic movie with its heavy instrumentals and storytelling lyrics. It would be amazing to see live.

Rain City Drive have provided a dynamic and lyrically intense album whilst keeping to their signature sound and embedding experimental melodies, expanding their range, and demonstrating growth. It comes as no surprise that Things Are Different Now is incredibly catchy and many of the songs are title tracks. Things Are Different Now will make you lose your composure and be frozen, stuck in your mind. 9/10

Unto Others – Never, Neverland (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]

As we rapidly descend towards spooky season, put down the pumpkin spice and crank up the goth metal anthems of Portland, Oregon’s Unto Others, are now trying to be completely separated from their previous name Idle Hands, this one issue driving frontman Gabriel Franco to near burnout. Never, Neverland is their third album and sees them reconvene after the pandemic and personal issues, with the same verve for creating songs that combine post-punk, goth rock and metal, With the Misfits-meets-Suicidal Tendencies crossover shredding of Momma Likes The Door Closed, the H.I.M-like “love metal” of Suicide Today, Unto Others show no fear in weaving new strands into the established influences such as the Sisters Of Mercy on the pumping Butterfly.

They fill an odd niche, having toured with trad metal bands such as Haunt and Eternal Champion in the USA, their previous albums were tightly curated to fit into those scenes but with Never, Neverland, Franco approached the album much looser guitarist Sebastian Silva, bassist Brandon Hill and drummer Colin Vranizan all getting creative input alongside British producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), the result being some ballads such as Angel Of The Night or Sunshine, the heaviness of those two previous albums still there but there’s more indie, goth and classic rock touches too.

Evolving into a more melodic group that brings the quirks of The Cure on When The Kids Get Caught and the thrust of Joy Division/New Order on Fame, it's a track such as Cold World that really shifts Unto others into parts unknown, with a slinky 80's sound the vocals of Gabe now bolstered by the backing voices of Brandon. Unto Others create their own space within multiple genres, hard to pigeonhole, difficult to ignore, return to Never, Neverland with Unto Other’s and their deliciously dark third album. 9/10

Steal The City - Road To Nowhere (Self Released) [Simon Black]

OK, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first. This album has a truly misguided piece of cover art adorning it, which surely deserves at least an honourable mention in the annual ‘Worst Rock / Metal Album Cover of the Year’ competitions that surface on social media as new releases run dry towards the fag end of the year in time for Christmas. 

It shows the view from the front windscreen of a car having a nice drive in the country into the sunset, with the band in the rear-view mirror. Actually, I like this as a design concept, but it’s the execution really falls short, feeling as it does like a rejected story board from the opening titles of the revamped All Creatures Great And Small… It’s a really good job that I had started listening to this without seeing it, although the fact that since no-one from this band’s generation buys physical media any more, it’s probably a moot point anyway...

Now that I have got your attention with some journalistic spiky negativity, perhaps you would like to keep reading, because the cover says absolutely bugger all about the content. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that Road To Nowhere is actually is the first thing in a few months that actually has a chance of going on my own top ten for 2024, and one of the best debut’s I have heard in some considerable time.

From the opening bars of lead single Drag Me To Hell, this bunch of youngsters from God’s Own County of Sheffield grab you somewhere sensitive and shake you until they have your attention, which from the beefiness of the riffage therein really doesn’t take long. For a four piece they pack one hell of a punch, fusing more melodic Hard Rock sentiment with a vein of subtle brutality that you might expect from the Modern Metal end of the spectrum. In Ruins turns this up to eleven, and ripples with anger and aggression with touches of groove that are incredibly catchy.

The album does not stay still though. Nearly every track takes a slightly different tone or direction, taking the listener through an incredibly broad range of songs through the forty minutes of run time. When they go full ballad (Tomorrow’s Another Day) it retains the undercurrent of tension - like that dodgy mate crying on your shoulder in the pub who might just flip and take you out with a broken pint glass with the other hand. Mix that up with some punky bouncy numbers, such as Adrenaline, which throws the listener completely with a pre-instrumental bridge that sounds positively progressive before switching again to an arena-rock singalong-a-chorus, and you can’t really go wrong.

The highlight for me was the heart-wrenching If You Could See Me Now, dealing with the sensitive subject of the loss of a supportive loved one, which over a decade after the loss of one of my own parents triggered emotions that I’d blocked away. And that’s the real point of this album for me. Plenty of bands can write by-the-numbers hook-laden tracks (and these boys are clearly very experienced players, despite their youth), but having that deep, barbed emotional hook ain’t so easy. To manage it for the whole album, well bugger me, that’s something special.

Don’t judge an album by its cover would seem to be admirable advice in this instance, because this one is an absolute belter. 10/10

Eihwar - Viking War Trance (Season Of Mist) [James Jackson]

There are acts that use Folk as a supporting theme for their work whilst maintaining a more traditional Metal approach, it’s like seasoning a piece, the final touches to a work of art but there’s a fine line for me that defines whether something is more Folk than Metal, which is the same for many other styles that crossover. 

Eihwar lean towards the more traditional form of Folk music, but according to the press release there’s an emphasis towards the electronic, a use of samples and drum pads in order to create a more “Dance” feel and sound to it and whilst some parts, within some of the tracks do lean towards a more dance floor atmosphere and despite a Viking Carpenter Brut tag being banded around on the web, it’s not as techno/synth/dance as I had imagined - it’s called Viking War Trance, I had expected 2 Unlimited in war paint and animal fur. 

Whilst this album isn’t exactly what I expected, it’s actually quite catchy, primal and beautiful, reaching back to a time of man where every storm was the work of the Gods, a feather in the wind an omen of good fortune. Heavy percussion dominates this soundscape whilst male vocals, credited as Mark are earthy, raw and conjure dark practices, ancient rituals being supported by the hypnotic seductive sway of Asrunn’s feminine energy and power. Leading up to this album were a number of singles, which seemingly never made an album despite their being enough material for one, so this full length opus is a great place to start whilst picking up those previously released tracks for anyone who’s a fan of acts like Heilung. 9/10

Reviews: Satan, Crobot, Wolf Brigade, Caffeine (Reviews By Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Satan - Songs In Crimson (Metal Blade Records) [Rich Piva]

Brian Ross is one busy guy. The 70-year-old singer, just last week, put out the new record from NWOBHM legends Blitzkrieg, and now, one week after that, we get a new record from the other band he has sung with forever, Satan. The last Satan record, Earth Infernal, surprised me and a lot of others with how freaking awesome it was, so it will be tough to top. I don’t think Songs In Crimson does, but it is another very solid effort from a band that has no business being as good as it is this late in their career.

The first thing to call out is how great Ross sounds, not just for someone who is 70, but really for anyone. His voice is once again in top form, as it was on the Blitzkrieg record. For me though, I prefer Satan, stylistically and song wise, and the ten tracks on Songs In Crimson solidify this. 

Frantic Zero kicks us off with a bang and just rips the place up. It is not just Ross here, as the band is still in tact with their lineup from when they dropped their first record in 1983, and no one sounds like the have lost a step. The guitar work by Steve Ramsey and Russ Tippins is excellent, and the rhythm section of Graeme English on bass and Sean Taylor is super tight and drive the record forward. 

Era (The Day Will Come) is a perfect example of all of this, especially the great duelling guitar work. There are some killer tracks on Songs In Crimson, my favourites being Whore Of Babylon, Sacramental Rites (love the chorus and bass work), the total ripper Turn The Tide, and the closer, Deadly Crimson, which once again shows off the pipes of Mr. Ross. There are no bad tracks on Songs In Crimson and the just under 45-minute run time is perfect for this album.

I reviewed both the new Blitzkrieg and the new Satan, and Songs In Crimson is a way stronger record overall and can even hang with it’s predecessor, Earth Infernal, which is saying a lot. It’s not better, but it is right there and another amazing effort for a band with a new lease on life and killer late era discography. Let’s raise one to Brian Ross and his amazing impact on metal with this and all of his other great work. 8/10

Crobot - Obsidian (Megaforce Records) [Rich Piva]

Crobot is one of those bands that people mention in defence of other people who say rock and roll is dead or there are no good new rock bands out there, and I get it. They play heavy, yet radio friendly rock, leveraging all sorts of the heavy stuff, like grunge, stoner, hard rock, hair metal, southern rock, and don’t really stop there, never really allowing anyone to throw a tag on them other than rock and roll. 

I mention radio friendly, and they are certainly that, perhaps being a bit too polished in their sound, which tends to turn of some who like a bit more feeling and less built in a lab vibe. Their fifth album, the aptly named Obsidian, is all I said previously, but maybe a bit darker musically and lyrically, staying more on the grunge side than anything else, and the results are not bad at all.

The opening title track is right out of the stoner rock playbook, sounding more like Valley Of The Sun or Queens Of The Stone Age than anything else, and I am here for it. You will not be surprised that this is my favorite track on Obsidian. The band may have found something here, but after this little stoner ripper we head from their home state of Pennsylvania to the Pacific Northwest, as tracks like Come Down, From The Ground, and Disappear are more Jerry than Josh. There is definitely more of an edge to this record, led by the guitar work of Chris Bishop who has his guitar tuned to 1992. 

Nothing is an upbeat rocker that is more 90s alt rock than anything else, maybe, say, Fuel, but if Fuel was around in 1988. Metal is an interesting track, as the band seemed to want to put a thrash song on the record and I applaud them for the effort, even if it is more Reload than Master, but points for the cheesy yet fun lyrics. I dig the guitar work on the slower grungy track The Flood and the heaviness of the very metal titled Ancient Druid Crown. 

The second half of Obsidian may be even darker, with tracks like White Rabbit (thankfully not the cover) and Head Of The Beast all dark and brooding. I like how the record closes with the acoustic Happiness, which reminded me of Save Your Love by Great White for some reason, but if they were listening to Skynyrd right before they recorded it. A chill cleanser to finish this one out was a good idea.

I like Crobot, and I like Obsidian. It is a fun record, highlighted by Chris Bishop’s guitar work, and I hope fans of the band dig their edge and the bit of darkness this record brings. As much as I enjoyed the album, it is always so hard to escape the production, as I would love to hear these songs with just a couple of turns less on the slickness dial. 

I got to see the band live in a festival setting this year and they fit right in and sounded great, without the need for any kind of studio wizardry. Other than that, Obsidian is a solid record for a band that unfairly seems to be one of the poster children for saving rock. Obsidian doesn’t do that, but it certainly keeps it afloat a bit more. 7/10

Wolfbrigade - Life Knife Death (Metal Blade Records) [Matt Bladen]

An album of sub-four minute hardcore black punk n roll. Misanthropic and completely at odds with the world today, five years since their last album, things have gotten worse and the irony of that isn't lost on these angry, angry Swedes. Having been around since 1995 but only Wolfbrigade since 1999, Life Knife Death is a rip snorting record that unfolds organically, as if recorded live in one take before pissing off back to their respective holes.

In the accompanying press kit it states they are influenced by bands such as Discharge, Motörhead, Entombed and The Beatles(?), the latter coming from not only a subverted track titles but also the band constantly trying to find the "ultimate song". They may not have found that one here but there are some smashers, the bands retirement from touring (another The Beatles similarity) allowing them to focus their energy on creating new music, and the occasional festival show.

12 songs 27 minutes, let's go, Ways To Die bursts forth as the opener, the title track slicing and dicing while A Day In The Life Of An Arse is proper death ripping and Unruled And Unnamed has the melodic lead guitars, the thrash coming back on Your God Is A Corpse and Nail Bomb has a chug to it. Not much else to say about this one Life Knife Death in that order, play it loud. 8/10

Caffeine - The Threshold (The Lasting Dose Records) [Matt Bladen]

Like a steaming hot cup of java, injected straight into your veins, the first riff of The Threshold, will pump blood through your body and get you hyper focussed. Like their namesake Caffeine, gets into your brain, delivering much needed serotonin but leaving you a little dehydrated as you are guaranteed to want to throw yourself around to the sludge of these Germans. Inspired by Mastodon, High On Fire and Neurosis (their forays into psych and lo-fi).

Caffeine is made up of veteran members of the hardcore scene, this D.I.Y ethos and history of aggression imbues tracks such as Dead End with a tenacity and impatience, Last Train has the face melting progressive leads of Mastodon/Baroness, while The Agency is a keen blend of the ferocious and the psychedelic. At just over half an hour, The Threshold, doesn’t hang around for elongated passages, conversely these shorter run lengths are packed with sparkling technicality, punctured by interludes that bring texture.

The Threshold benefits repeated listens, an album recorded over a long period with two different guitarists, it’s coherent and compelling. 8/10

Reviews: Nightwish, Alunah, Giant Walker, Delilah Bon (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Nightwish - Yesterwynde (Nuclear Blast Records)

Their tenth studio album, Yesterwynde, despite a lot of rumour and conjecture will not be the final Nightwish record. They have plenty more to come on Nuclear Blast Records, however chances to see them perform live will be further and far between, for personal reasons they will not go on a world tour, but they still want to create music and when the music you create not only founded but transcended an entire genre, you’d be hard pressed not to encourage them. 

But what about Yesterwynde? The title coming from a feeling that is unknown; a memory, mortality, time, band leader Tuomas Holopainen puts it as a word not in the English language that describes this collection of feelings, if you’re a Welsh speaker you may say Hiraeth (they actually have a song called this).

The conclusion of the trilogy that began with Endless Forms Most Beautiful, singer Floor Jansen’s debut with the band, each record with her behind the mic becoming more progressive, more expansive, more lyrical, more personal. Through, turmoil, change, personal growth, families and sheer bloody-mindedness to make sure the album was 100% ready (it was mastered seven times!). 

After 3 years Yesterwynde makes its way into the public consciousness with two preceding singles, but much like both previous parts of this more expansive Nightwish, you have to listen the album as whole to get the full effect of Floor’s impassioned classical vocals, Tuomas’ cinematic keys/orchestrations, Emppu Vuorinen’s metallic guitars, Kai Hahto’s expressive drumming, Jukka Koskinen’s anchored bass playing and the secret weapon of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Troy Donockley, his impression on the band felt with a song such as Sway.

The additions of the latter have allowed Nightwish to take their music far beyond the standard symphonic metal trappings though on Yesterwynde, An Ocean Of Strange Lands begins the record with a nine minute epic which pulls both early Nightwish and early After Forever, this song alone will capture the imagination of those who have been here from the start but it’s so much more established. 

The sound is huge, crafted like soundtrack to awaken all your sense, (you can smell the sea air), the Uilleann Pipes that lead to a fade out, are evocative as the gothic tendencies and the riffs are increased for The Antikythera Mechanism, as on The Day Of… and The Children Of 'Ata they manage to put electronic synthwave-isms with choirs as Perfume Of The Timeless returns to the grandiloquent, orchestral style they pioneered.

I’m not going into the songs themselves too much as like with all Nightwish albums you need you need to hear the album yourself in full, like you would see a film or an opera, it’s creative media that has been meticulously perfected and as such needs to be devoured with the same reverence, a fantastical journey filled with creative wonder, you need to experience Yesterwynde for yourself. 10/10

Alunah - Fever Dream (Heavy Psych Sounds)

All things must pass and every era must end. When Siân Greenaway joined Birmingham doomsters for Velvet Hour in 2019, she became their second frontwoman, and that record was their fifth as a band, but their first on Heavy Psych Sounds, seeing them adding more stoner and psych influences.

They then released Strange Machine in 2022, again channelling the history of their home cities heritage in heavy. With Siân launching her solo Bobbie Dazzle project earlier this year it maybe doesn't come as surprise that Fever Dream will be her last with Alunah. It's a shame as Alunah seemed to have hit on something special with Greenaway behind the mic, the right mix of UK doom rock and throwback retroisms.

But as I said all things much last so what is the final album to feature the foursome of Siân on vocals, Jake Mason on drums, Dan Burchmore on bass and Matt Noble on guitar. Recorded in home of riffs that is Foel Studios, the record was crafted out of extended jams in the studio, Fever Dream is like snippets of a long, hallucinogenic infused journey.

Huge doom riffs such as Never Too Late and Far From Reality, worship at the altar of Sabbath, via Thin Lizzy on the former. There's slow burning prog moments in the woozy title track, Celestial/The Odyssey features a bit of flute but ala Jethro Tull, Trickster Of Time has a bit of psych blues from the Jefferson Airplane/Starship.

For me though final track I've Paid The Price, the closer, which is one of the finest tracks on the record, with lyrics that carry extra weight, it ends this Fever Dream in stone cold reality. An end of this chapter, let’s hope the next is as critically acclaimed for both. 8/10

Giant Walker - Silhouettes (Church Road Records)

Silhouettes is the second album from Newcastle born, now Bristol based progressive riff slingers Giant Walker. Formed due to their love of bands with grooves such as Karnivool, Vola, Soundgarden, Deftones or countless bands who have played ArcTanGent, Tech Fest and Radar Festival (where the band kicked off the day brilliantly). Giant Walker manage to pair the start stop crushing modern prog riffs and breakdowns with a Seattle grunge atmospheres mainly coming from the lysergic vocals. Using their music as a catharsis for dealing with mental health problems, the songs are conceptually minded by all standalone from the wider record.

A track such as Make Me, has a propulsive drum beat, snarky lyrical delivery, technical guitars but is hooked on a big groove, but the title track brings a moodiness, underpinned by bubbling bass and drum patterns, it burns slowly into a huge chorus and refrain, counteracting the pace for emotion. Here and on stomper Use On You, there’s some soloing which brings more blues to their prog/grunge, the intricacy of Jamie’s playing is marvellous. So You Say changing the pace with poignant introspection.

Giant Walker for me sound a lot like Kiwi band Devilskin, especially Steff’s powerful vocals, and how they throw alt rock, nu-metal, prog and all manner of other things into their broad sound range, the rhythm section of Jordan (drums) and Alex (bass), fashioning heaviness on the Eraser, Obscurer that transcends into dreaminess at the end, Round And Round We Go, batting away any dreaminess for more headbanging riffs and snippets of psych.

There’s a complex sound from Giant Walker, modern prog infused with 90’s/2000’s heavy rock, Giant Walker remind me of Spiritbox, and with Silhouettes they will look to emulate their success. 8/10

Delilah Bon - Evil, Hate Filled Female (Self-Release)

I once again find myself as a CIS Straight White Male reviewing a feminist band so of course my opinion doesn't really matter, but I can comment on the music on this second album from Delilah Bon, the alter ego of Lauren Tate, "fully flourishing in her villain era."

Evil, Hate Filled Female is a record that is full of tongue in cheek, feminist lyrics, crossover rap metal sounds and is a very personal record, I'd describe it as sort of the mirror world Limp Bizkit, the soundscapes are similar, pumping beats, jagged guitars and fast firing vocals but from female perspective no, frat boy machismo, but brat, punk, no fucks given.

Inspired by a comment from a man on social media, Evil, Hate Filled Female is here to empower anyone who is marginalised, victimised and put in a certain box by the media or the internet. In fact on the song The Internet these things are called out loud and angrily. There's also a lot of similarities for me to an act such as D-12 where the samples, genre blurring and rap vocals all melded together as My Girlz uses that particular sound of early 2000's R&B.

Having played Download, 2000 Trees and supporting fellow anti-establishment artist Scene Queen, there's a huge upward career trajectory for Delilah Bon, using a style of music (Nu-Metal/Rap) that is very male dominated and shifting toward a feminine focus, this second album will gain her a larger army of devoted fans, who she gives a voice too. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Ten (Live Review By Simon Black)

Ten & White Skies The Globe, Cardiff, 14.09.24 Review By Simon Black

Tonight is all a bit last minute for me. Normally attending gigs, especially if they fall on weekends, requires some advance planning and family juggling, but I only found out about this event when a friend contacted me at the eleventh hour and told me that he was planning an equally last-minute trip down from Nottingham to attend. And here lies the rub – hardly anyone else knew this show was happening either. 

So poorly publicised was it, that even the venue didn’t seem to have room for a poster for the event (although to be fair given that the walls were plastered with publicity for the endless tribute bands that dominate the live circuit, that’s all right then). The turn out was correspondingly low (although again to be fair on the other side of Cardiff, Fuel was hosting a sold-out Marillion tribute band, so that’s all right then). Which pisses me off no end, because if live music is such a money spinner for these venues, why will no-one turn out for original artists, especially ones of the calibre we get treated to tonight?

When I arrive openers White Skies (10) are a song or two into their set, and already lifting the mood very well indeed, despite the thinness of the crowd. A new band of old hands, these gentlemen have plenty of experience to draw on, and consequently their brand of Melodic Hard Rock bordering on the AOR draws on this very well indeed. Experience makes it sound easy, but to craft songs that don’t sound tired and formulaic under these circumstances is another thing entirely, and White Skies do so with considerable panache.

I have not come across these chaps before, but with a set largely comprised of 2022’s debut album Black Tide I was impressed enough to splash out on a copy of the record. In fact, so generous was the support slot’s run time, that the band pretty much played the whole thing, as well as airing new single If This Is It (Get Ready). The songs themselves are all very well structured and consistently so, but the live delivery was on another level. Frontman Mick White has a huge amount of energy, stage presence and a fantastic set of pipes and within no time at all the crowd is thoroughly on side. In fact, I was concerned that these chaps may be in danger of blowing the headliner off the stage… because these chaps owned it utterly for the duration of the time I spent standing there watching them.

Ten (10, what else) are unlikely to be found in such a position.

The band have been relatively quiet of late, and this is the first full UK tour they have done for what seems like an eternity, which probably impacted the turn-out, but again publicity is key. It’s also not helped that their label is notorious for not taking tour support seriously, but the band have done more live performances in the last couple of months than they have in a decade, so to some extent need to rebuild their profile and remind people that they exist. The fact that there were people from all over the country, plus a gentleman who came all the way from Germany especially proves that this is a band whose absence had left something of a void.

It's been many a moon since I last saw them live, and the first with this line-up, despite the fact that it’s been more or less stable for a decade, but they clearly are all very comfortable together, with a chemistry that positively bristles from the stage. I’ve also lost track of their more recent recorded output over the last few years, and technically this is a much overdue tour for of both 2023’s Something Wicked This Way Comes and Here Be Monsters, but Ten pulled out a set list that ran the gamut of the decades, with only one song from those last studio sessions and does not disappoint.

Frontman Gary Hughes may look a little more grizzled than last time I watched him perform, but my word the years have not diluted his presence, power and voice one iota. The band flawlessly flow with him, and the fifteen odd song set positively rushes by. The turn out has been bolstered by the time they hit the boards, but this audience makes up for its numbers with a full throated voice, and looking round the room there are a lot of smiling faces here, because Ten have been sorely missed. And it would seem that they are properly back, with a new album on the way, and more UK shows next year and I for one am very glad to see them do so.

Reviews: The Jesus Lizard, Flotsam And Jetsam, Typhonian, Mordkaul (Reviews By Rich Piva & Mark Young)

The Jesus Lizard - Rack (Ipecac Records) [Rich Piva]

I didn’t think we would ever see another Jesus Lizard record. Not because they broke up in some fantastic and dramatic way; after Capitol dropped them from the label, after not knowing what to really do with the band after signing them at the time when every band that sniffed “alternative” or “grunge” was scooped up by majors, they called it quits (record label exec: “…but they did a split with Nirvana!!!”). 

There were a couple of successful reunion tours but I could not fathom a new record, plus singer David Yow really didn’t want to record new material, and he seems like a guy who would stand pretty firm with his decisions. To me, the band said all they were going to album-wise, and all of said material is just different levels of wonderful, from the 1989 Pure EP to their last record, the criminally underrated Blue. Thank goodness I was wrong, because 26 years later we get Rack, the seventh Jesus Lizard record, with all of the key players back together and sounding just amazing.

There is nothing old or stale sounding about Rack. This record is alive and vibrant, and dare I say, in some parts, catchy as hell, especially for the Jesus Lizard. Look, they didn’t make a pop record, but there are a couple songs on here that will stick in your head all day. The opener and first single, Hide & Seek, would have been a hit in 1995. The guitar work by Duane Denison is just excellent and Mr. Yow sounds energized and in top form, especially for a guy who didn’t want to do a new record for so long. 

In classic JL fashion, let’s take that momentum with the single and slow it down to a doomy pace and challenge the listener next with Armistice Day, lead by the rhythm section of David Wm. Sims on bass and Mac McNeilly on drums, and highlighted by the one-of-a-kind vocals of Yow, this song creates the perfect JL total album vibe as it transitions to the rocker, Grind, which will be a live classic, especially given Denison’s work here. Jesus Lizard and Steve Albini will always be connected, with Albini always knowing how to make this band sound perfect. The last couple records didn’t quite get there production wise without him, but Paul Allen has created what is the best sounding Jesus Lizard record since those Albini albums, with What If? being a perfect example. 

The drums and bass shine on Lord Gadiva, especially Sims whose bass is turned all the way up here and leads the way. If there was a trademarked JL song on Rack it would be Alexis Feels Sick, and it is wonderful. Tracks like Is That Your Hand, Falling Down, Moto(R) and Dunning Kruger are full of the band’s sweat, as you can feel the Jesus Lizard energy returning to full force three minutes at a time listening to these songs. I love that the band closed with the weirdest song on Rack, Swan The Dog, reminding you that JL is never afraid to challenge the listener and really do whatever they want.

I saw an interview where David Wm. Sims basically said the band is did a new record because they all thought it would be fun. What better reason for a new Jesus Lizard album than that? You can hear it too, as the band sounds like they were all in and for the right reasons, as Rack stands up to the storied history of the legend that is The Jesus Lizard. 9/10

Flotsam And Jetsam - I Am The Weapon (AFM Records) [Rich Piva]

Is there a more criminally underrated 80s thrash band than Flotsam and Jetsam? Maybe Death Angel? One of the main differences between the two, career-wise at least (a musical comparison would make for a great podcast discussion) is volume. F&S continue to make quality music into the 2020s, up to album number fifteen with their new one, I Am The Weapon, and two records since 2020, while DA has been less prolific, with their last album coming in 2019 and nine records total. Now this could lean to the positive either way, depending on the quality of that work, but one thing is for sure; late era Flotsam and Jetsam has been anywhere from good to great, with I Am The Weapon falling into the ladder category. This record rips it up, nonstop, for 48 minutes.

For a band more known for their former bassist who left to join some other metal band or who’s most played video was their Elton John cover on Headbangers Ball, they certainly do have some serious classic records, such as No Place For Disgrace and When The Storm Comes Down, but their total body of work over the 15 records is very strong, including the three records over the last five years, with I Am The Weapon being the best of them. The album sounds great, rips from end to end, the musicianship of this incarnation of the band is excellent, especially the drumming of Ken Mary, and Eric "A.K." Knutson’s vocals sound great, especially for a guy who has been belting it out since the early 80s. 

Kings Of The Underworld, Primal, and the title track just kick ass, with the title track forcing me to look up who that drummer was to make sure he was a human and not a machine. I mention Kings Of The Underworld, that and the other of the last three tracks on I Am The Weapon flat out rule, as Running Through Fire none stop punches you in the face (“certificate of evil on your shelf” …love that line) and Black Wings that has an epic feel to it, leveraging what I think are some synths, and closes the record perfectly. You can’t go wrong with any of the tracks on here, as the opener, A New Kind Of Hero, sets the table and expectations perfectly, and The Head Of The Snake poisons you as well.

Flotsam And Jetsam deserve more credit and love, especially given how killer their material has been over the last five years and this late into their career. I Am The Weapon is an excellent modern thrash record and should be up there with other bands who have records this good this late in their career, like Overkill for example, or really any thrash band out there today. Another excellent record from a band who has no business still being this good. 9/10

Typhonian - The Gate Of The Veiled Beyond (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Mark Young]

Celestial Salvation, quiet, muted piano driven introduction that is basically a wasted 44 seconds. Luckily, they come in and bring a little brutality with Cosmic Throne. There is a subtle orchestration deployed, along with a noticeable discord in the opening moments between the drums and the rest of the band. It’s something and nothing but it is there, it feels as though it is intended as the pattern is repeated following a melodic section that is straight out of the Slayer songbook. Moving the opening instrumental to one side, Cosmic Throne is quite a strong track. They don’t linger with one pattern for too long, and there are some guttural vocals courtesy of M.W. Styrum and a decent lead break (can’t credit which player) amongst some solid rhythm. It is after this opening salvo that they change gears and hit us with Primal Deceptive Light.

Primal Deceptive Light is a banger. Starting with a Swedish 90’s style melodeath riff, they quickly stamp their own identity on proceedings with some quality riff work. The opposing rhythms, of taking that Swedish attack and combining it with a touch of the OSDM is just what you want to hear. Again, there is a quality lead with a cheeky arrangement underneath it, powering along at a decent lick. The upward curve is maintained with Crimson Rivers, a trem-picked blast of death metal goodness. It is a quick run and gun and is possibly the simplest in execution but works because of it is so straightforward. 

On The Gatekeeper they successfully mix in more of those blackened touches following an atmospheric start and here we see them really stretching themselves. This is 7 minutes of class death metal, where they take what they deem to be the most important parts of different genres and then make a silk purse out of it. The balance in the slow and fast measures, the combination of the black and death metal tropes all arranged to a fantastic effect. It doesn’t feel like a 7-minute song either, there are no moments of lag, and it is a definite high point. Towards The Chamber Of The Omnipresent Mind mines the melodeath genre as a starting point and as elsewhere they take and expand it to suit their own perspective. 

There are moments where it reminds me of ATG which I suppose is unavoidable but what they do is embrace and expand it rather than trying to rehash. I must say that there is nothing wrong with it but sandwiched between The Gatekeeper and A Glimpse At The Starless Ocean, their personality seems to be more visible on those. A Glimpse... brings the blackened motifs back into the fold as it develops, a lolloping swing complete with some quality lead breaks, especially the one that closes out the song is a perfect example of how to do it, bringing the right amount of emotion and technical wizardry to it.

The final track is Cath’un – The Gate Of The Veiled Beyond. An epic-sounding start and we are off, with a mesmeric closing piece that takes all of what they have delivered, wrapped up into one package that brings all of their influences together. It is tied with The Gatekeeper for best song, both representing a high watermark, but I think this has the edge. It has that otherworldly feel to it, a cosmic approach that they embrace whilst still bringing the heavy metal. It is a heady brew of what we love about extreme music and considering that this is their 3rd release it is nothing short of remarkable. Cath’un takes us on a journey that lasts nearly 20 minutes and is a wonder that they can create something like this that doesn’t repeat any ideas they have delivered before this point. It is an ambitious and fantastic end to a cracking album.

What is apparent is that they have really come through with making good on their comments of adding and refining what they believe death metal should sound like in the modern era. I think we can agree that there is a subconscious ticklist we use when listening to any new music. It doesn’t sound like other bands who offer a modern take on extreme metal. What I mean is that it doesn’t have a sound that immediately dates it. I hope that they can continue to release music of this quality and you should make every effort to get hold of this. 9/10

Mordkaul - Feed The Machine (Massacre Records) [Mark Young]

Belgium death metal? Don’t mind if I do! The 2nd full-length release, according to the accompanying PR sees them taking onboard further influences from some of the OSDM masters as well as the ‘Swedish’ sound of the 90’s. It also appears that the album itself was recorded in two stages (unless I’m reading it wrong) but doesn’t feel as though there is any kind of split in attack or execution.

Crown Of Worms, now this is comforting. A 90’s guitar tone and some riff building that could be favourably compared to At The Gates. Its straight in with no messing or extended introductions as they drop a call back to earlier times when melodic death metal was new. Its all here, urgent guitar, furious drums and in terms of its execution it is to a high standard but it’s nothing new. In Dead Eyes with its super thick riff, almost prehistoric in attack and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Using their influences well, they split from ATG worship to bring in some OSDM breaks and a quality solo and then we are back in ATG land, which I had hoped they would move beyond. 

Welcome To The Sixth Stage Of Grief, n the early opening moments, this feels more representative of their own identity, but as it progresses, we fall back into that Swedish sound and arrangement. There are signs of them trying to escape it, but they are continually pulled back. As we progress, I believe that the remainder of the album will be in the same vein unless they do something dramatic. And to an extent they do on For I Am Machine, there are moments where Morbid Angel comes through. This one has more of that old school flavour to it and suddenly it is game on. There is some crushing riffs on here, mixed in with the right amount of blast-beats and this is more like it, less of the hero worship and more of their own identity. 

Beast Of Dread starts well, but still within that narrow focus of Swedish death metal. It doesn’t matter how well it sounds, or if the song is a good song (which it is) it is just annoying me that with the talent they have which is there for all to hear they just seem trapped. There are melodic touches that remind you of Death, towards the latter stages of their recorded output but they need that to be front and centre, not closing the album out. Dead Heart Awake is more of the ATG worship. The main riffs are straight from Slaughter Of The Soul, and a built to a high level, its good stuff in that its fast, its heavy and sounds well but I wanted to hear more of Mordkaul’s own identity that you know is in there. It is frustrating because you think, well is it going to be the more of the same as they move through the remaining tracks?

Well, not quite.

They change it up on They Burn, with a more pulled back attack that still has elements of that sound to it but instead of the high speed they bring in some chunk within the riffs and there is a storming closing section which is just royal, and you wonder why they haven’t brought this in before? However, Shadowlord sees them return to their area of comfort, and there is not a lot to say at this point other than there is a guest solo by James Mcllroy (ex-Cradle of Filth) who lights it up but other than that it’s more of the perfunctory Swedish style melodeath. Hellspawn is a decent mid-paced stomper, complete with an incendiary lead which is scorching but doesn’t offer anything new on here. Passage To Oblivion – is the last track on what is a decent album, there is no denying that. It is also an instrumental. Again, it is a suitable closing piece, with piano by Maarten Vandenberghe as it gently wraps.

One thing you cannot say is that it is a boring album. It isn’t, as I’ve said it has everything you want in melodic death metal, unfortunately, it suffers from being too in debt to their influences. I’m all for taking the best cues from the bands you love but put your own stamp on it. For me this is a love letter to the Swedish sound of the 90s which doesn’t show me what Mordkaul are all about. I wanted more of the promised Morbid Angel / Death influence in there, which appeared in fits and starts. It feels that they have let that love of the Swedish sound cover their own identity, and whilst what they have recorded is done well it only became exciting once they started to push themselves and their vision to the front. Devotees 6/10

Reviews: Big Big Train, Firtan, Find Me, Gargantura (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Big Big Train - A Flare On The Lens Live (InsideOut Music)

Recorded over two nights at London's Cadogan Hall, in the midst of their longest tour ever, British prog rock icons Big Big Train have committed full show from the second of their two nights alongside seven songs which were played only on the first night.

Available on CD/LP/Blu-Ray as A Flare On The Lense. A concert film that has all the bells and whistles, a carefully selected tracklist that sees A Boy In Darkness from English Electric performed for the first time live. It's a brilliant song that works so well on stage, dramatic and bold it's a obvious tribute to the writing of former BBT singer David Longdon who tragically passed away in 2021.

The whole record is a celebration of Big Big Train and shows why they are so revered in the prog world, the second disc especially comprising an Acoustic Medley, with two BBT classics; the epic East Coast Racer and brilliant Victorian Brickwork, showcasing how they infuse their music with the traditional English folk traditions, the use of fiddle/flute and brass, evoking everything from Canterbury troubadours to Northern Colliery bands.

There are classics like closer Judas Unrepentant, Curator Of Butterflies and new tracks like Oblivion and Love Is The Light, on which frontman Alberto Bravin made his recorded debut, here he handles all of the music brilliantly, singing with a familiarity but also his own way of presenting these songs.

Amongst their own songs, there are chances for the band members to show off; Apollo the fantastic instrumental driven by band founder Gregory Spawton's bass or Drums And Brass which is a showcase for Nick D'Virgilio's superior drumming. This track features a rhythm from a well known prog song but it's really bugging me that I can't remember which one (answers on a postcard please).

A Flare On The Lens Live is a fantastic live showcase from one of the UK's most important prog bands. Essential. 10/10

Firtan - Ethos (AOP Records)

Featuring guest performances from J.J. (Harakiri for the Sky, Karg) and L.G. (Ellende), Ethos is the newest album from German extreme metal band Firtan. Those guest should be an indicator about what you should expect if, like me, you have never heard the band before. Emerging from the raw black metal sound, Firtan have layered their style now to bring a sense of the atmospheric and the progressive to the black metal style.

Ethos is their fourth full length and comes as the culmination of the evolution they have been on since their debut, it's an existential album which brings melancholy and abstract ambivalence, the more melodic dissonance of their lyrics is put against blasts of black metal aggression from the double kick drums and tremolo picking, slowing down to a weighty chug when they need too and utilising the violin/piano of Klara Bachmair for additional melodies on tracks such as Arkanum and the closing Wenn Sich Mir Einst Alle Ringe Schließen.

Firtan play serious music, it's hard hitting and thought provoking, but violent and vicious, C.S and Phillip Thienger's guitars furiously assault the ears with counter pointed riffs and leads, Thienger's vocals savage. The engine room of Oliver König (bass) and David Kempf (drums) unleash a battery on tracks such as Contra Vermes where the synths weave their way into the middle section, as they bring acoustics in the middle of the cathartic Komm Herbei, Schwarze Nacht.

Firtan impress with their fourth album, anyone that likes a bit more introspection and exploring with their extreme metal will want to pick up Ethos. 8/10

Find Me - Nightbound (Frontiers Music SRL)

The musical alliance between Robbie LaBlanc (vocals) and Daniel Flores (keys/drums) returns with their fifth album. Featuring a collection of songwriters including Jim Peterik.

Its another collaboration project spearheaded by the Frontiers label boss, but one that has been very fruitful, the songwriter's giving LaBlanc the words to sing with his brilliant voice while Flores' production and arrangements are performed with slickness by Danny, Andi Kravljaca (guitars), Jonny Trobro (bass), Rolf Pilotti (piano/organ) and Fernando Brito (percussion).

This is AOR as slick as it gets, I See You In Everyone an anthemic semi ballad, while Can't Wait Here Anymore shimmers with the glint of the Sunset Strip. There's an ideal mixture of ballads and rockers as songs such as Distant Lovers, Speechless, Walk Through The Fire and Savage Blue all make sure that Find Me stands out in the AOR/Frontiers collection as one of the more success projects. 8/10

Gargantura - Primary Pulse (Self Released)

French heavies Gargantura, not to be associated with French band Gargantua, are a progressive death metal band with nods to groove and a melodic streak. Influenced by Gojira (Torment), Lamb Of God and others on that sort of heavy groove driven sound Primary Pulse is a three track EP which looks to announce Garagantura's sound.

Their sound is pretty generic if I'm honest, for fans of bands such as Trivium (Behind The Beyond), they will certainly appeal to anyone that likes that wave of melodic metalcore that was so popular around 10 years ago. It's a Primary Pulse with a few progressive shifts, but for me Gargantura will have to add a bit more variation to really land more than they do now. 6/10

Reviews: Slomosa, Torso, The Nail, Stryper (Reviews By Joe Guatieri, Matt Bladen, Simon Black & Rich Piva)

Slomosa - Tundra Rock (Stickman Records) [Joe Guatieri]

Slomosa are a Stoner Rock band hailing from Norway. Their debut album was released in 2020 in the heat of the pandemic, I found it in 2021 after hearing about it on a random podcast that I listened to where the host drew comparisons between it and the first Queens Of The Stone Age album. Ever since my first listen I became obsessed with it to this very day, going on to see Slomosa twice live touring with Sasquatch and Elder respectively. It’s therefore safe to say that Tundra Rock was my most anticipated record of the year and now it’s finally here.

The opening track Afghansk Rev has us in undiscovered territory with the band as they give us their first take on an instrumental track. The slow drone in the background is immediately reminiscent of the opening to Blues For The Red Sun by Kyuss before we are dawned with chorus pedal effected bends which arch and curve into a hammer smash of distortion and continue to try and flutter afterwards while in distress like a bird attempting to battle against the elements.

Going on from that point, I would like to discuss the next two tracks in one, that being Rice and Cabin Fever as I consider them to be siblings of each other. Not only were they the first two singles off this record but they have a few similarities, they both carry on the instruments motifs from the first song, that being these rising and falling passages, I can relate it to the waterfall which spills across the album cover into the unknown below. 

They both also see Slomosa approaching new dynamics within their sound, for example, there’s a search for answers that takes place on Rice between 2:45 and 4:03, covering yourself from dangers above as the instrumental is brought right down to almost a whisper before waking up and baring your brave head again, ready for what’s to come.

Later still we go into track six with Battling Guns. Just before this though, piano chords are played and the strike of midnight to mark a moment in time. The song presents shifting verses at pace, feeling dangerous much like the track title suggests. Honestly, the first time that I heard this song was at 3AM in the morning and I cried and I couldn’t understand why at the time but now it’s all so clear to me. 

Battling Guns has three moments, the bass solo from Marie is heard loud and clear above the guitar riffage and plays with the trajectory from 2:24 to 2:55. Then from 3:00 to 3:53 Jard’s drumming is as smooth as butter and fits the rise in intensity from Benjamin and Tor’s guitars perfectly, before everything stretches out for relief like Jesus on a cross. Battling Guns is a beautiful song and is my favourite on the album.

Overall, Tundra Rock takes the catchiness of Slomosa’s debut and marries it with atmosphere providing more ideas and outcomes than ever before. This is a fantastic follow-up but they still have potential and are far from done. Slomosa are my favourite Stoner Rock band and I feel like that this album provides a very good reason for that. 9/10

Torso - Brain Cells (APF Records) [Matt Bladen]

It came from London in 2022 after the demise of Possessor, Graham Bywater's visceral horror thrash machine Torso shrieked bloodily from the grave with A Crash Course In Terror. Dirty, raw riffs, howled vocals, B-movie samples and horror themes are all pure Torso, continuing where he left off at the death of Possessor.

Brain Cells is the follow up to the debut and Graham again attacks his guitar and rages at his mic with more gore soaked nastiness. A bubbling blend of KISS schlock worship, hardcore thrash and even dirgy grunge, Brain Cells is a short stab of gruesomeness, oppressive and ferocious, though there's also a heavy influence of Goblin or Morricone on their Italian horror era, especially on the title track, which also features vocals from Lisa Bywater.

You Belong In Hell kicks off with the lo-fi fuzz, grinding bass and drums haunts Blood Frenzy as there's a shifting break on the psychedelic Savage Magic before more riffs come. Brain Cells is the follow up you would want, it's darker, meaner and takes a few more risks. This Torso continues to have a heart that beats to the sound of a Dario Argento score. 9/10

The Nail - The Nail (Frontiers Music Srl) [Simon Black]

Another day, another Frontiers Records Srl mash-up… or is it?

To be fair, Frontiers Records have been getting rather better at the kind of projects that are all about introducing new, younger talent across different markets, rather than their staple of career resurrection / Supergroup projects for label main man Serafino Perugino’s nostalgia list of 80’s Hard Rock and Metal heroes. I cite the label’s success with the likes of James Durbin as a great example of this and point out that they do well at finding such diamonds in the rough, giving them a shot at a broader audience than they might achieve on their own.

The normal modello operativo for the Naples-based label is to take such uncut stones and throw them together with a house production and session musician team, but this project is different (although, with the absolute keystone of that in-house approach Alessandro Del Vecchio recently parting company with the label after fourteen years perhaps the label did not have much choice…). The Nail (note the definitive article, and not to be confused with noughties Hardcore outfit Nails) is all about airing not one, but three such youngsters – Indian hot shot Girish Pradhan on vocals, plus brothers Efe (on guitars) and Reis Ali Eroglu (on pretty much everything else, plus most of the songwriting). Oh, and it’s produced by their dad, Cenk Eroglu. Maybe their mum did the catering too, but that’s not credited on the press release…

But you get the point – the usual Italian house team is not involved at all and that lends a different feel to the release, which for me is hugely positive, because in recent years that house style and team has lent too many releases a feeling of repetition when you have several of them coming across the review queue each month.

That leads me to the record itself. I’ve not come across any of the projects that this team has worked on previously and given that the multi-instrumentalist co-writer Reis Ali Eroglu is only seventeen, that’s perhaps not surprising. That’s why Frontiers previously de-risked such things by having safe in-house hands deliver the bulk of the work, but this family affair has their musical chemistry already pre-fermented, with frontman Pradhan being the one that has to fit into someone else’s groove. Which he does remarkably well…

The fact is the two things that work best here are Pradhan’s hugely entrancing performance and the moments of sheer shreddery from the elder of the Eroglu brothers, but unfortunately the writing is a little too by the numbers for me, with the rhythm section just really driving a straight edge complimentary backline, rather than feeling like a living, breathing band entity of more than one player on the backline. OK, I guess it’s almost impossible for anything in the safe and commercial end of the Hard Rock / Melodic Metal pond to sound truly original, but it can sound relevant and modern – in fact I would argue that it absolutely has to with so many potential substitute products in this crowded marketplace (especially when half of them probably come from the same label).

That said, this is not a bad album by any stretch, and one I could happily listen to throughout, but it does feel a little unfinished. That’s a direct consequence of having one musician, and a very inexperienced one at that wearing four of the six hats in the ring, but one easily fixed by bringing more players into the fold and sharing a bit. Promising, but a bit more polish needed on this particular rock is needed. 6/10

Stryper - When We Were Kings (Frontiers Music Srl) [Rich Piva]

Someone is still listening to Stryper. If not, then why would we have three new studio albums from the band since 2020? That is quite an impressive clip, so there has to be a fanbase out there for more of their hard rocking, Jesus loving, way over produced rock and roll. The latest record, When We Were Kings (I assume they are referring to 1986, but I could be wrong) is more of what the other ones from this decade and actually the past three or so decades have been with very little difference. Let me break it down for you if you don’t mind. 

First, these songs sound like the Stryper of the past 20 or so years. I am not sure if even the biggest fan could tell the difference between the songs on the last few albums. Second, the band actually sounds great and still has in musically. Oz Fox has been through a lot medically but, assuming he did most of the guitar work on here, still can shred. Third, people either love or hate Michael Sweet’s voice, but one thing is for sure is that outside of some potential studio wizardry (see point four) his voice still sounds huge. Fourth, this is on Frontiers, so it is immediately confirmed that it is way overproduced. Fifth, the band is leaning on in “heavy”, as Stryper continues to bring the more aggressive side, for them at least. Sixth, you are going to have to deal with Jesus songs.

So that being said, if you like Stryper, you will like When We Were Kings. The highlights include the opening rockers End Of Days that really gives Oz a chance to shine and he takes it on perfectly, Unforgivable, which has a nice chunky riff and more great playing by Oz, and Raptured that has a hair metal via heavy blues rocking riff and more of Sweet being Sweet. The band is best these days when really rocking out, so songs like Betrayed By Love and Grateful I could do without, but there are no really bad tracks on When We Are Kings, which is saying a lot for many Frontiers releases. 

The slickness will always get to me production-wise and there is only so much Jebus stuff I can take in my rock, but overall, this is a pretty solid release from a band who has been doing this for a very, very long time and have been counted out as many times as they have been praised. Good for them, and When We Were Kings is good for Stryper fans. 6/10