Reviews: Electric Wizard, Blue Oyster Cult, An Axis Of Perdition, Dwelled (Reviews By Joe Guatieri, Rich Piva, Mark Young & GC)

Electric Wizard - Black Magic Rituals & Perversions Vol. 1 (Spinefarm Records) [Joe Guatieri]

2020… The fear of the unknown was a genuine reality but in the fields of Dorset in rural England, in the middle of nowhere stands the always and forever with that castle. This pandemic was time for self reflection for it changed us all but how did it change the Electric Wizard? 

Well as it turns out Jus, Liz, Haz and Simon were all isolating together and they reached into the legendary Doom Metal bands past to bring them into the present. Performing songs from the bands catalogue from years gone by and rediscovering who they are, dark dwelling, heavy, pot smoking fiends with a need for captivity.

This is an Electric Wizard ‘alive’ album as the band are only performing for themselves whilst looking into the mirror back at their own reflection. It defines that notion of falling off of your horse, dusting yourself off and then getting back on the saddle, only to ride again.

No sound technician and no stage manager, the band turned around and looked at each other, with their instruments in hand and stepping on a single smoke machine pedal in the corner of the room. The room fills with this known comfort as a mutual thought connects these four minds from this point onwards, “Ah shit, here we go again”. 

Electric Wizard then launches into Dopethrone and as by magic, the ear-piercing high notes knock pictures and ornaments off the shelving and low notes sink everything into the floor, forming a forever falling hole in the ground. This feels right…

Later we go through many portals till we find The Chosen Few. Three portals align our vision, a point to the middle signifies Electric Wizard’s direction as we step through the pink radiating clouds, we disappear in an instant. 

The second we open our eyes again we find ourselves on motorcycles flying high through the sky, approaching giant angles in the sky. Think of Kenny’s death experience in the South Park movie, that’s where we’re at… Perverse? Yes! A sin? Maybe…Little boy you’re going to hell.

Finally we have reached the un-promised land, a place fuelled by hate, revenge and a taste for blood, Funeralopolis… Those first few notes capture me in a trance very single time, to me they identify what a Heavy Metal band is, patient but waiting for destruction, much like a Shark hunting for its prey until it’s time to strike. 

When the fireworks launch at 1:04, you know that you’ve exploded into a million pieces. To sum up this legendary song, it takes Doom Metal and Punk, two things that shouldn’t be together and makes them work effortlessly, it’s like Tom and Jerry, they need each other not only to survive but thrive, it’s the thrill of the chase.

Black Magic Rituals & Perversions Vol. 1 presents an outer body experience being captured onto tape. You’re there in Dorset, isolating with Jus, Liz Haz and Simon and they’re performing, not because they love it but because they need it. This past year, I was lucky enough to see Electric Wizard live at ArcTanGent Festival and that for me was a dream come true and they surpassed my expectations. 

Everyone was saying to me that they were very hit and miss live but I was like man, this is ELECTRIC FUCKING WIZARD we’re going on about here… This live album matched my feelings after seeing the band live in the flesh, I felt free and I wanted to go to bed immediately to sit with this feeling for it could flee at any moment. 10/10

Blue Oyster Cult - 50th Anniversary Live: Third Night (Frontiers Music Srl) [Rich Piva]

I could make this review very simple and just say if you liked the first two nights of the three-night residency of the legends Blue Oyster Cult playing their first three records end to end, one each night, with a hits and rarities set as the second half of the show from back in September 2022, you will really enjoy the recording of night three, which is the band playing their best record in full, Secret Treaties. 

For a band celebrating their 50th (or so) anniversary they still certainly sound amazing live and rip it up for two-plus hours of end-to-end BOC greatness. Not bad for a bunch of 70-80 or so year olds, or really anybody playing live these days.

As I mentioned, you get Secret Treaties, and 10-10 album with zero skips, in full, so that alone is worth the price of admission. You get the hits that are required in any set, with great versions of Burnin’ For You, Reaper, and Godzilla. 

But you also get gems like the opener to Cultösaurus Erectus, Black Blade, and the live ripper, Buck’s Boogie. You also get a couple of deeper cuts from Agents Of Fortune, Sinful Love and Tenderloin, which all sound great. It is another excellent and varied set to go along with the other two nights.

Blue Oyster Cult are underrated rock and roll heroes that everyone should dig into, because there is so much goodness to go around over the 50 plus years they have been doing it. This is a fun conclusion to the live series that fans of the band and newbies would both enjoy. 8/10

An Axis Of Perdition - Apertures (Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings) [Mark Young]

This is something else. There are a lot of bands who proclaim that their sound is unique and that the latest release further separates them from the herd. Apertures is a release that makes good on every single promise. 

It is unsettling with some nightmarish sounds that stay with you after the final track has completed. This doesn’t go down ‘the every song at hyper speed route’ of black metal you might be used to, it’s also not a blast fest (although they are there), it’s just different. 

The music here is the result of a band writing what they believe to be their truth. It just so happens that their truth could be used as the backdrop to a horror film and with that in mind, Corrupted Pulse represents the start of this journey, an electronic collision of noise that just wants to unsettle you. 

Until Metempsychosis comes in on its heels and starts off in what you could describe in a traditional manner, but not with a barrage but with a mesmeric arrangement that has so much going on you will have to listen multiple times to really get to grips with this. It continually builds, adding more layers here, removing where redundant but keeps pushing forward. 

Now, if you have ready my reviews this year you may have noticed that I’m not keen on instrumental breaks or interludes. On here Corrupted Pulse didn’t act in the same way that others could do and so it meant something and wasn’t there just to fill time. 

However, they follow Metempsychosis with The Undercity Awaits, which is another soundscape that is designed in the same manner as Corrupted Pulse. Moving on, Chant Of The Worshipful Prey comes in with a build that is just odd. Its heavily laden with background sounds, discordant guitar lines that repeat and just an overall feeling that if you dig this, then great. 

If you don’t, bye. It just meanders its way from start to finish, infuriatingly without seemingly going anywhere but at the same time getting its hooks into you so that you stay with it till the end. Sewer Of Lethe is somewhere you probably don’t want to go, and a The Undercity Awaits acts as a bridge to The Truth Is There to Tear Apart. Taking audible cues, it is another slow and measured effort that brings in those guitar lines that cannot stay in one place for any great length of time. 

This is as far away from what I considered black metal to be as possible. It should be applauded for being so unique but at the same time I just wanted it to go all out. The constant song then interludes then song pattern also doesn’t help but as you make your way through you discover that these are an essential part of the album.

Unimaginable Depths then followed by Private Acts Of Abnegation which has to be said is a stunning track. By now they have got the atmospherics running but doesn’t overshadow a fantastic riff. The whole thing is wonderous really, squalling background effects and that unhurried approach that amplifies the effect the song has on you. 

And then they hit you with Flesh Underfoot and I Am Odium; Flesh Underfoot is eerie, and I Am Odium is last act, and what a song it is. It is massive, covered in an oppressive cloak partly due to their use of background sounds. You have to check out the drumming on this, it is first class. The avoidance of using heavy guitar is remarkable and yet it is still heavy, you just have to dig deep and let it flow over you. Incredible stuff.

Reading this back, I think you can say that I loved half of it and didn’t care for the other half. I’m being unfair to be honest. The album is built so that the respective interludes have a job to do in linking each song and are so well thought out that I can forgive them for being there. Without them, the album would not work as well as it does as you would have a collection of great songs but with no context or flow between them. Its brave, exciting, maddening and completely unique. 10/10

Dwelled - Suffering Heritage (Self Released) [GC]

On first glance absolutely everything about Suffering Heritage, the debut EP form Dwelled loudly screams that they are UK based, the cover artwork, band name and font, song titles, literally everything is what you would expect it to look like it all reminds me of old UKHC bands, and I am all for that, but does it sound like it should?

Starting with Spineless might be a bit of a bit of way to throw you off as it starts with a big nasty drop that the descends into some chaotic noisy insanity that merges into a deathcore beatdown which throws into some blasting death metal also and while it’s all done well, it feels like they are maybe trying too much all at once? 

Ripped Apart does get a bit more regimented and follows a less chaotic path but still has some unpredictability involved which while offering a nice twist on the more straightforward metalcore sound does make you kind of sit and think what is actually going on but when they chuck in the beatdowns everything improves 100% these guys know how and when to add the heavy to songs to devastating effect! 

Echoes then goes full death metal and mixes the deathcore sound in without the 2 sounds clashing they bounce off each other perfectly and create an ungodly heavy track. Otherside proceeds to then flatten you with more breath-taking heaviness, it’s a song full of big chunky riffs mixed with squealing noisy guitars and the gutturals on this song are on point and it feels like they have settled on a sound now which helps to show direction and gives you something to focus on.

Suffer is just brilliant and actually reminds me of a host of mid 00’s UKHC bands all of which were fucking fantastic, it perfectly unleashes a dark and brooding feel that when mixed with the savage and relentless nature of the track is exactly what I want to hear and makes me want to get up and throw thigs around the room. Rivers Of Regret finishes with a final flourish and is yet another intensely punishing and relentlessly heavy 3 minutes of nicely executed deathcore and it’s a nice way to round everything off.

I must be honest and say that Suffering Heritage started off on a bit of a mixed note and I wasn’t sure where it was going but, after the initial bump it just got better and better as it went on! You can tell Dwelled have something special up their sleeves and just wanted to test the water with this EP, if their future releases are anywhere near as good as this the UK has another special talent on its hands. 8/10

Reviews: Powell-Payne, The Sabians, Mudlarker, Dear Deceased (Reviews By Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

Powell-Payne - Voilà (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Some Welsh AOR now from a band formed by Mark "Penfold" Powell (ex-Psycho Kiss drummer) and the ex-vocalist of Airrace, Adam Payne. Both now veterans of the melodic rock/AOR scenes they have combined their talents to form this new band signing to Frontiers Music in the process.

Formed in 2022 as a way to pay tribute to lost love ones the initial singles spawned into something biggest as Mark and Adam brought in Aydan Watkins (guitar) and Alex Anderson (bass) to complete the four piece. With an album of songs and a full band they'll be looking to tour soon but the album itself? Well it's proper AOR, owing much to Journey, Toto, Dare or Foreigner alongside the more modern influences of the Scandi scene on Staring At The Sun.

Better Days gets the albums started, it's boisterous beginning with a huge hook, a sign of things to come as Powell's steady drum beats give No Escape propulsion the synths shimmer in the background against guitar stabs as Voices adds the rock to melodic rock, the guitars are particularly impressive here. With the music and production highly polished, Payne's vocals carry the emotion of songs such as The Storm.

For anyone that heard him in Airrace, Serpentine or around these parts Tidal, you'll know what a great singer he is, elements of Steve Perry and Joe Elliott both prominent, be it on the country balladry of Questions (very Bon Jovi), the anthemic Taking Back Yesterday or the closing mega ballad All For Love, he carries the huge choruses as Powell's drums carries the beating heart. Voilà arrives as a real presentation of AOR skill and veteran ability. As if the 80's never left Powell-Payne throw it back with style. 8/10

The Sabians – Shiver (Ripple Music: Beneath The Desert Floor Vol. 6) [Rich Piva]

When Todd from Ripple Music told me about the Beneath the Desert Floor series he was doing, where the Ripple executive team (Todd, with maybe some input from some Ripple fanatics) chose some forgotten, lost, and/or out of print heavy records from the 1990s or early 2000s to bring back to the world via some sweet Ripple represses, including on their amazing vinyl offerings, I was super pumped and thought maybe we can get two or three cool records in 2024 as part of the series. 

Well, here we are talking about volume six (and later volume seven), with classics from Fireball Ministry, Glitter Wizard, Rollerball, White Witch Canyon, and The Awesome Machine already in hand and back to blowing the listening public away. I mean Fireball Ministry for crying out loud! For the next two releases we go a bit more obscure, with volume six from The Sabians, a San Francisco Bay area band with members from bands you may have heard of before.

Let’s start with Shiver, from The Sabians. The Sabians included guitarist Justin Marler (who left the band originally to enlist in a Russian Orthodox monastery but came back to the band seven years later) and drummer Chris Hakius from the legendary Sleep (Hakius is in Om too). Mr. Pike even played a role in The Sabians, helping them secure some rehearsal space to get the band going. This is record two from The Sabians, originally released in 2003. Please do not think this sounds anything like Sleep, because it doesn’t, at all. 

It sounds like late 90’s early 2000s post hardcore, or early heavy emo (hear me out), and it is excellent. This sounds more like something that would have been on Revelation Records, No Idea Records, or Doghouse Records, not anything stoner or doom related. Think a more edgy, louder, and less produced Sunny Day Real Estate. Bands like Threadbare and Falling Forward come to mind too. The singer sounds so much like a guy who as a kid sang in a hardcore band but needed to chill in his next band a bit, but not take any of the emotion out of his music or singing.

The song One By One is the perfect example of this, and it rules. There is a sparseness to the heavy here and the production is not lo-fi but also did not seem important to the band, which is exactly how I like it. Cold Black River is another standout, mixing some grunge vibes with the post hardcore stuff with excellent results. Numb is another great track that should have stood firmly next to other bands having success with this style back in the day.

Imagine if the Foo Fighters decided to go in a much rawer direction after The Colour And The Shape instead of mostly sucking for the rest of their career. This is what the track Sweet Misery reminds me of. Bullet is my other favourite track on Shiver, which is more of the post hardcore goodness, right in my wheelhouse, even though most of what I write about and listen to these days is all about monster riffs. The closer (before the bonus track), Broken Circle is killer too, reminding me of later period Krishna-core champions, Shelter. Just great stuff. 8/10

Mudlarker - Radio Silence (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

My my my. As the year ends we have ANOTHER big riffing psych/stoner/doom record from Albion’s shores. Hereford based band Mudlarker bring us their second album Radio Silence, a shifting, heavy riffing record which has influences from Orange Goblin, Desert Storm, Sergeant Thunderhoof and even Conan (on the ear bleeding Leviathan). Heavyweight stoner riffs driven by Dave Knott’s fuzzy, phased, distorted guitars and Marc Jones’ booming bass, the latter sitting right up in the mix for maximum organ movement.

The way they incorporate classic 70’s rock into tracks such as the grooving Cruisership, the chuggy title track or the grungy River, makes for not just plenty of Sabbath worship but Zeppelin and Hawkwind too as so often a dirty stoner riff will take off into the psychedelic stratosphere Elliot Crosby’s drumming manoeuvring this rocket of riffs through galaxies. Inspired by sci-fi Radio Silence has a loneliness too it, conjuring images of that lone explorer trapped in the vastness of space forever, a track such as Empyrean, creating a dissonance as the white noise moves into the sounds of the ocean.

Throughout Radio Silence the transitions between big stoner riffs and psychedelic moments are seamless, making the songs have a bit of length but the expansive playing and the gritty voice of Tom Berrow is just as effective on the woozy Godhand as they are on the doomy The Persistence or the swaggering Reaver . I loved Radio Silence, it's got grime, sleaze and most of all riffs, loads of them. Just as 2024 comes to an end the stoner scene is still burning. 9/10

Dear Deceased – Dead Deceased (Ripple Music: Beneath The Desert Floor Vol. 7) [Rich Piva]

Continuing my reviews of the new Ripple music Beneath The Desert Floor series, a record from Dear Deceased, a Sabbath and grunge inspired San Jose band from the 90s that dissolved right before they were to sign to a label and whose masters from their debut record stayed locked away, until now. Listening to this record it is a crime it never saw the light of day until now. 

I mentioned Sabbath earlier, but the band’s influences were all over the place, as you can tell from the eight tracks on the self-titled record. I assume the band was named after the Skin Yard song, especially given how much these guys sound like the band and their successor, Gruntruck, which is so freaking awesome. My next thought goes to Corrosion Of Conformity, if you need good starting reference points. This is especially true on the killer opener, Traffic. Maybe the COC related Righteous Fool too. Either way, it is excellent. 

The eight tracks are heavy and dark goodness, like the early Soundgarden vibes of Better Than Life, for example, where the Skin Yard/Gruntruck vibes are aplenty too. Same with the next one, River. So good. Early Sub Pop grunge is what I hear all over a track like The Open. The vocals have so much of a Ben McMillan (RIP) thing going on, like on the song Wide Eyed. Tracks like Loaded and Beez brings me back to Righteous Fool while the closer, the ten-minute Deeper is all of this stuff combined for an epic grungy/stoner closer. 

Ripple Music just gets it. Todd just understands what the fans of the label and other heavy music fans want to hear. Cheers to Todd for bringing two more lost records back to life. I can’t wait for what 2025 brings for the Beneath The Desert Floor series. 9/10

Reviews: Lynx, Steel Inferno, Demon Bitch, Salem UK (Reviews By Rick Eagelstone, Matt Bladen, Zak Skane & Rich Piva)

Lynx – Caught In The Trap (Cold Knife Records/No Remorse Records) [Rick Eaglestone]

Delving deep into the past’s raw energy, powerful melodies, and electrifying riffs that defined the golden age of metal Lynx have been yanked from the 80’s into the modern era with their 1985’ classic Caught In The Trap finally being uncaged nearly four decades later.

Opener My Own Way contains a plethora of Swiss synthesisers with stadium worthy riffs emphasising the balance of melodic hard rock and driving heavy metal with follow up Win Or Lose. For long time fans, it is a chance to own this long-lost treasure and for newcomers like myself it is indeed a very welcome invitation to discover a band that truly embodies the magic of 80s metal, and nothing embodies this like the prominent basslines and nostalgia of Fingers Crossed. 

Lynx dissolved shortly after the album’s release, leaving Caught In Trap largely undiscovered by the wider metal audience and if there in any justification for something resurfacing, they should be pointed to the progressive soundscapes of Man Without A Face. 

As the album moves along in a cascade of nostalgia with Don’t Fool Me it has to be said the tracks stand up really well and in no way, sound dated nearly forty years on – this has to be the highlight track for me as it encompasses everything, I love from this particular era which is all but confirmed with the juggernaut that is Final Race. To be honest this album has caused me nothing, but joy so far and Final Race most certainly adds to this with some wonderful guitar work. This is followed up with some great drum patterns on the fast-paced story led Master Of Evil.

Nightwalker is the perfect ending track and really encompasses the energy and precision of the release which I so grateful that has been discovered because I feel that is by far something everybody should hear as it is so well crafted. 9/10

Steel Inferno - Rush Of Power (From The Vaults Switzerland) [Matt Bladen]

One guess the style of heavy metal Steel Inferno play? Correct, leather clad, balls to the wall heavy metal inspired initially by the NWOBHM/Speed Metal titans but more recently adding the US power metal sound. So it moves more towards the thrash end of the metal spectrum but still sees plenty of hooky choruses and gallops but put with furious biting riffs and flurry's of solos.

These Danes are now on their fourth studio album and with Rush Of Power they lay down another speed metal assault, the vocals have the effect of Helstar and the production is quite old school too giving Power Games a thrashy snarl. Cathedral Run has a percussive propulsion and while there's a lot here to enjoy, Steel Inferno don't reinvent the wheel.

However they do get them spinning at way over the speed limit so, follow the trail of smoke if you like your metal fast and loud! 7/10

Demon Bitch - Master Of The Games (Gates Of Hell Records) [Zak Skane]

Hailing from Detroit Michigan the 5 piece outfit consisted of vocalist Logon Saton, guitarists Lord Mars and Solon Saton, returning bassist B. Beastmaster and drummer Master Commander. Demon Bitch spent the last two years refining their next release Master Of The Games which was recorded at Lansing, Michigan.

Throughout this whole album were getting classic iron maiden and Diamond Head influences in tracks like the title track Master Of The Game which brings in the classic high speed galloping rhythms whilst brings those classic Thin Lizzy style lead harmonies which bring in some neo classical edge. The fusion of the different styles in the progressive track Protector And The Horse brings in some Iron Maiden Phantom Of The Opera influences but more super charged. The lead work brings these classic soulful bends in songs like Into the Archway, whilst also bringing licks at Flight Of The Bumble Bee speeds on the opening track The Quickening.

The drumming brings in the thunder from The Quickening with it’s plumbing double kicks that captured with natural production and no clear indication sample replacing, which really showcases Master Commanders drumming abilities, but his double kick ability is just the tip of the ice berg. The title track shows the Master giving Nicko McBrain a run for his money in relation to bringing in some ride accented grooves to match the retro styled guitar riffs whilst Sentinel At The Spire brings in high energy cyclone blast beats.

Throughout this album vocalist provides these jumping vocal melody lines that take reminiscence from Geddy Lee from Rush. For example, the opening track the vocalist Logon Saton brings the operatic energy of Bruce Dickinson whilst having the punk aggression that Paul Di'anno brought to the first two Iron Maiden albums. Into The Archway shows Logan raising to Rob Halford level ranges, whilst plummeting down into demonic growls.

Through this album the production brings this retro sound with it’s natural sounding drum and guitar performances sounding like they have not been time aligned nor the vocals being pitch corrected. The drum room sound being echoed throughout each track whilst the guitars still keeps it’s slips and scratches and the vocalist bouldering his vocal melodies o-natural.

Demon Bitch's Master Of The Game takes us back to the leather cladded NWOBHM era of the 70’s. Bringing the classic punk energy of the old school Paul Di'Anno era of Iron Maiden, whilst containing the melodic integrity of Thin Lizzy and the quirkiness of Rush. This music allocated to the one that like their metal classic. 6/10

Salem UK - Outer Limits (Rude Awakening Records) [Rich Piva]

If traditional metal ala bands like Saxon, Savatage, Halloween, and others who would hang with that crew you may dig the new record from veteran metalheads Salem UK, previously without the UK, though that is where they are from, which makes sense, right? Anyway, this is their first record since 2018 and the promo material says the record is influenced by a 13th century carnival and combines that with heavy metal goodness. Sure, let’s go with that.

Salem UK does rock, and the guitar work on these twelve tracks is pretty great, especially on songs like Rock You (of course there is a song called Rock You). I hear early Dokken in some of these songs too, for instance check out the track Red Light. The vocals are not great and is really my struggle with the record. The production sounds pretty thin too (that drum sound, yikes). The band overcomes this on some cool tracks like Fire Fire that is quite the ripper in 80s Priest fashion and Meteorite which is the most unique song on Outer Limits, sounding more like an American 80s hard rock band trying to push away from their hair metal label.

There is nothing bad and some good stuff on Outer Limits. If you can get past the thin sounding production and can handle the vocals, this traditional metal record brought forth by Salem UK should scratch an itch for you. If not, go listen to Gutter Ballet for the thousandth time. 6/10

Reviews: Desert Near The End, Sunlight, Soulskinner, Nomos (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Desert Near The End - Tides Of Time (Theogonia Records)

Epic power/thrash is a perfect description of what Greek band Desert Near The End have been doing for 14 years now, formed in 2010, Tides Of Time is their sixth studio album since forming and it continues with an run of boundary pushing heavy metal inspired by the US power metal scene with nods to Savatage, Warlord, Demons & Wizards and Nevermore but also UK bands such as Hell and Sabbat. Frantic thrashy riffs thrown at you with progressive shifts and run times as dramatic vocals "explore the rise and fall of cities, heroes, and kings, interweaving forgotten stories lost in time’s unrelenting tide."

It's heavy duty in its approach but never avoids using orchestral compositions to make it more grandiose. Maiden-like bass throbs are turned into frozen blasts of black metal trem picking as the Athens based band owe a lot to the band that recorded two live shows there in 1999 (I'll let you Google it) the darker tone of their music making the more extreme side prominent without sacrificing their power metal side. Greek epic/trad/power metal acts so often fall into the US Power sound and Desert Near The End are very near the top of the Hellenic pack.

Examples of this can be found on the fist clenching anthem Children Of Lethe which has acoustics throughout it they make a return on the last track In The North Of Every Man’s Heart too. There's a leaning to folky Blind Guardian-like metal on Half-Learned And Long Forgotten while the histrionic Damnation features guest vocals from Ruby Bouzioti to augment Alexandros' wide range and powerful delivery. Come into Desert Near The End's newest Dark Saga, Tides Of Time is their most diverse offering yet. 9/10

Sunlight - Son Of The Sun (Total Metal Records/Metal Scrap Records Inc.)

More impressive melodic power metal from Greece, it seems every week there's another band with banks of keyboards from Panos Anastopoulos, melodic guitars from Makis Kaponis and the powerful vocals of Mike Karasoulis the trouble, well not trouble, is that they are all very good. There is a glut of melodic power metal acts coming out of Helles and Sunlight are the latest.

Compared to the likes of Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica in the promo and when you listen to the finale Sunrise you can hear those epic Scandi sounds. Having been in production since 2016 it seems Sunlight is a shared Panos Anastopoulos and Makis Kaponis project, the keys and guitars playing a prominent role in the same way Tolkki and Johansson did on 1997's Visions.

Recorded by Fotis Benardo (Nightfall, Rotting Christ, On Thorns I Lay) and mastered by George Nerantzis (Pain Of Salvation, Nightrage, Dark Funeral), Sunlight borrow heavily from that classic 90's Scandinavian power metal sound, bright and breezy melodies set against speedy rhythms (Can't Let You Go), these influences are set from the rollicking opening Son Of Fire, while Thoughts Of Despair (Apognosis) gets heavier like the more recent offering from Strato and Sonata.

Makis and Panos trade off throughout, the brisk pace of tracks such as Forever Lost and the epic Mystery set by bassist Manos Karachalios and drummer Andreas Kalogeras. The song writing is brilliant, a must for fans of the melodic power sound, Mike's voice soars and has a romantic fragility to it as well, especially on the acoustic Secret Of Silence or the synthy rocker Echoes Of Hope.

Now seeing as I'm a Strato/Sonata fanboy I found a great amount of joy in this record, but even if you're not Son Of The Sun is brilliant debut melodic power metal from Sunlight. 9/10

Soulskinner - Glorified By The Light (Xtreem Music)

For 24 years Soulskinner have been bringing Hellenic brutality. On Glorified By The Light, their sixth album they show no signs of lightening up. I believe this is the first album where their former drummer Kostas Savvidis has taken lead vocals. Now I say vocals but they're really more growls as Soulskinner are inspired by Asphyx, Bolt Thrower and Fleshcrawl who have an album called Soulskinner.

Anyway I digress let's get to the album, Intro is just that, a piano driven beginning that segues into some ringing synths and Soulskinner are unleashed, counterpointed, escalating guitars and blastbeats galore. It's savage, heavy and brings blood soaked aggression as the riffs shift between blasts of ferocious speed to boot stomping grooves.

There's plenty of melody though be it the leads that are used throughout Glorified By The Light, while The Arrows Of My Desire has a Maiden gallop as To The Moon takes a leap into the psychedelic void in its middle eight. It's death metal that uses other genre styles well to keep it from being one note. Soulskinner continue their long run of great death metal. 8/10

Nomos - The Great Unknown (Iason Productions)

The Great Unknown is a debut concept album from Greek band Nomos, I couldn't find much information about the record but I know that's Nomos are a metal band founded in Athens in 2016 by Michael (lead guitar) and George (bass), they brought in guitarist Kostas, drummer Michael, keyboardist George and singer William who vocally sounds like a mix of Matt Barlow and Phil Anselmo.

It's good that he does so as Nomos favour a sound that puts US power metal alongside some groove metal and metalcore. Melodic but modern and heavy, be it Ghost Of Tomorrow which sounds like Brits Intense, the first three tracks are great US power metal tracks but from Last Call they sort of shift to a keyboard driven version of Pantera/Exhorder, the vocals on Worms and Wise Man get much deeper and growled, the songs having that choppy Dimebag style riffs. 

The whole middle section of the album adopts the Pantera/Exhorder groove metal stance before the final track brings back the US power metal style of the beginning, I assume their is a creative reason for this within the concept and while it's not too jarring it take me by surprise. Still both sides of Nomos' musical vision work well on their debut. 8/10

Reviews: Ice Exiled, Burn Down Eden, Denigrate, Old Forest (Reviews By Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Ice Exiled - Reset The Sky (Inverse Records) [Matt Bladen]

Sonata Arctica, Turisas and Children Of Bosom jamming together as the ultimate expression of the Nordic heavy metal scene, that's how I would describe Reset The Sky the fantastic debut album from Ice Exiled. It's full of folk, thrash, electronica, classical, power and melodeath, fused together brilliantly. I mean brilliantly as Reset The Sky grabbed me and didn't let go from the first chords.

Those first chords are acoustic scrubbing which shifts into triumphant folk metal, the drumming of Ville Nummisalo and vocals of Miika Matilainen immediately drawing the Sonata Arctica comparisons, but then his voice turns to a growl with ease and it's Turisas. This influence also coming from using Veikko Sajaniemi's cello as a prominent instrument in the same way Turisas used violin.

Even when they fully embrace death metal on Civilisation Zero, the cello takes the leads as Oskari Kilpi's guitars and Roger Gottleben's bass gallop with melodeath speed. Starting life as Archares in 2016, the played gigs and then during the pandemic they became Ice Exiled, wrote the songs on this album and signed to Inverse Records.

They've defined themselves with all the best parts of their Finnish metal scene, performing songs with passionate theatricality and instrumental technicality, both feature on Bloodfeud which plays with duality Oskari Kilpi adding piano to an already broad soundscape. Reaper's Feast on the other hand pairs melodic death metal with electronic pulses, The Satellite (We Call Home) closing the album with a groovy jazz section and slinky guitar solo. Every part of Reset The Sky just hits right, Finnish metal at it's best. I loved every minute of it. 9/10

Burn Down Eden - Epiphany (Seek And Strike) [Mark Young]

Following on from the release of Dismal earlier this year Burn Down Eden close the year out with what is the companion piece, Epiphany. The beauty is that this can be consumed as a stand-alone set of songs or together with Dismal as a full-length release (you can name it yourself – this comment is not provided by the band). I think this is a clever way to go to work and I guess that it means that the band can really focus on making sure that their material is the strongest it can be.

So, it is quite heartening that this collection literally explodes into action, as Epistrophy comes in amongst a flurry of blasts and melodic guitar that settles into a rapid arrangement. And it is rapid, urgent and is a blast of an opener and although there a more measured tempo on Fake News For Breakfast it’s still a breathless affair. 

Looking back to their bio, they promised something a little darker, something groovy but generally heavy. This is this song right here. I’m not suggesting that it is wholly original, but there is something in the way they do it which makes it swing. I love those songs that have that constant forward motion that pulls you along in its wake.

Tears Of Persephone sees more of a melodic approach, it still has its rapid moments, but these sit side by side with some cracking guitar work, mixing in the technical amongst the aggression. There are times in it where it pulls in opposite directions which wrongfoots but they right that course and as it winds down, they throw in some whammy abuse which is always welcome. 

Burn Down Eden brings the kitchen sink as they throw everything together – slow/fast/melodic flourishes all whilst the drums are firing. It’s a logical progression of ideas that started on Epistrophy, those melody lines are supreme on here, and that movement I spoke of earlier is also here in terms of how the songs get better and for me this is the pinnacle of their efforts on this.

Suckbox is a monster and is a storming way to close this EP down. If Burn Down Eden was missing, then this would have been my favourite track. The meshing of the brutal and technical is spot on and I get a little Arch Enemy in here in how the lead breaks are put together, which is no bad thing. Going back to my opening comments, I believe that they have succeeded in what they set out to do with this release. 

It’s tight, super focused and each track does a little more than the one before it. There are no weak tracks on this, and by having it at EP length they don’t overstay their welcome at all. It offers a lot within its 5 tracks and is well worth your time. 8/10

Denigrate - To The Goddess Unknown (Inverse Records) [Matt Bladen]

The fourth album from Finnish doom metal band Denigrate doesn't differ wildly from their three previous offerings but change is overrated right? Denigrate play mid 90's doom/death, basically doom metal with harsh vocals, the sort of music spearheaded by the "Peaceville Three", but made more popular by the Scandinavians.

So these Finns aren't copyists they were formed in '96 so are contemporaries to My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost as well as Sentenced a band they share a lot of with in both music and location. With the low cleans and raw harsh vocals there's a maudlin approach that screams of melancholy and depression.

To The Goddess Unknown is only the fourth album, the band favouring quality over quantity, between a hiatus, line up changes and all the rigmarole to that goes with a band in their 30-odd year history. From the heavy Crystal Rest to the gothic The Ethics Of Loss, the anthemic The Apparition Of One, and the orchestral Sesame And Lilies, it's In The Light that for me is the best track here.

The way the vocals shift from remorseful cleans to demonic growls against the introspective but driving riff it's a true showcase of Denigrate as a band. For this song alone To The Goddess Unknown scores highly, for fans of Scandinavian doom/death it's a a great album. 8/10

Old Forest - Graveside (Soulseller Records) [Mark Young]

I may have said this before, but black metal is not what I would normally choose as my typical listening choice. So, If I come across something that I like in this genre, I really like it. Obviously, the opposite applies. 

Old Forest are another band that has flown under my radar and as a result I’m going in blind. On this it is about re-affirmation of direction, at least according to their PR and based on how it sounds I’m inclined to agree. Comparing it to other releases this year, it doesn’t have the same ‘shine’ to it, nor does it feel the need to embrace a more modern sound. 

This is a throwback to a simpler time where you knew what you were going to get just by looking at the cover and the song titles. This is confirmed as soon as Curse Of Wampyr kicks in with what I consider to be a classic black metal attack – everything hitting at a 100mph with a healthy dose of atmosphere provided by keys which fills the air. So far, so good but what I had a problem with was the clean vocals that pop up as it navigates its way to the end. 

The traditional metal vocals are suitably black and give it that boost in speed. Witch Spawn is cut from that cloth that sees them lean into a gothic-horror theme, the organ giving the arrangement that extra oomph. What it does well Is nail those urgent razor blade riffs, the frantic nature of the music doesn’t affect how these accompanying keys land. Simply put, everything meshes well and no one part overshadows the others. Remember those cleans I didn’t like? 

They resurface on Solstice Sacrifice and immediately annoy. I appreciate that they are there as backing but they do nothing to make the song better. This shows that they can put together a slower arrangement that still lands well, but those cleans, for me they just don’t fit. Interment Of Ashes is our instrumental interlude, and how well you will like this depends solely on how you like your instrumental music (if you like it at all). 

For me, dropping an interlude after three songs doesn’t work, it breaks up any momentum and reduces my engagement with it. Decrepit Melancholy starts with those cleans now taking a more prominent role. I’m going to come out and say it: It feels like an attempt at humour. I’m probably wrong, but putting this to one side, it has a cracking rhythm pattern to it, with speed breaks that come in to shake it up. 

Luckily the proper vocals come in and start battering you as the song, now picking up speed like a train starts to move you. Halfway Human continues in that vein, gradually building and building in both tempo and atmosphere and we are now back on track until Soil Of The Martyrs dabbles in those cleans again, undoing the sterling work done by the traditional vocals. Indeed, there is a stunning break where they pull back and quietly drop a wonderful lead break that just fits it so well. 

They bring back the epic for Forgotten Graves, coming in off the back of a massive opening arrangement. This is more like it, guitar lines that are constantly moving against a visceral vocal delivery. Great riffs and a pearlier of an arrangement. A full album of this would have been spectacular, and I have to say that had they dropped the cleans then I would have given them a higher rating. There are great songs on here and others might dig it more than me, but I cannot get past how those cleans affected it for me. 6/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Torpor (Live Review By Dan Bradley)

Torpor, Host Body & Warren Schoenbright, The Louisiana, Bristol, 22.11.24

As I was getting ready to go out for a night of sludge, doom and post-metal at The Louisiana, I glanced at my phone and saw the terrible news that Cardiff DIY haven The Moon was abruptly shutting down. I couldn’t believe it: only a few weeks earlier, I’d caught Torpor (and Sugar Horse) put on a powerful and emotional show there. 

And during that show, I remembered that I’d seen Sugar Horse guitarist Jake Healy do a solo electronic set at SHIFT before they were driven from their city-centre space by “noise complaints” into an out-of-town location (which was subsequently snatched away when the landlord sold the building at short notice). The loss of such spaces to the Cardiff DIY scene is hard to quantify, so this journey to see Torpor play the last ever show on their farewell tour, after 12 years at the forefront of underground heavy music, was loaded with emotion.

Kicking open the doors to hell tonight were Torpor’s Human Worth labelmates, Warren Schoenbright (9). The London noise metal duo, consisting of Alexander Virji on guitar/vocals and Daniel McClennan on drums, were joined on stage by an extra drummer obliterating a single tom. Their sound was aggressive, atmospheric and bleak, grinding up elements of noise rock, industrial, screamed vocals, abyssal reverb and absolutely battering drums, but with plenty of cavernous space and industrial textures to let the oppressive gloom seep in. This show had also been sold out for some time, so it was heartening to arrive and find the 140-cap venue packed from the start.

Next up was Bristol supergroup, Host Body (10), arriving confident and fully formed over the past year, opening ArcTanGent in 2024 and releasing their searing debut EP Strain in late October. Tonight, they ran into technical issues with the bass almost immediately, leading to a few minutes of frantic amp diagnosis and cable swapping while the band created layered noise and gave their thanks to the other bands. But it barely mattered; once the bass was sorted, the band launched into an exhilarating set that embraced the best of black metal, post-metal, sludgy riffs and noise, driven by ferocious drumming and dual throat-shredding vocals, swerving between genres but never losing the driving groove of each track. Absolutely beastly set.

When Torpor (10) took to the stage, the place was already rammed and buzzing with anticipation. This Bristol date concluded a 10-night farewell tour taking in Glasgow and major English cities (plus the dual-headline Cardiff show with Sugar Horse on 2nd November). The show opened with ‘Interior Gestures’, which always hits like a calving iceberg, hypnotic and awesome in its power. The Louisiana is a boxy venue, but the sound (handled by engineer and Host Body bassist Sam Drower) was rich and textured without losing the harshness and enveloping volume that these genres are built on. 7

Maximal volumes are nothing new in heavy music, but what’s always set Torpor apart is how they balance vulnerability with heaviness and use the visceral nature of volume as an embrace. There is rage, despair and catharsis, but their sound evokes transcendent guitar-led drone acts Sunn O))), Nadja or BIG|BRAVE, where the pressure and sheer volume of the bass and guitar creates a sense of being held, elevating the experience about the dark themes the music is rooted in.

Their set moved through their 2023 masterpiece, Abcission, but the album is such a journey through light and dark, crushing sections, raw and wild vocal performances, and quiet, vulnerable passages of ambience and spoken-word poetry, that it’s a rare full album playthrough that never outstays its welcome. Compared to their performance at The Moon, which felt sombre, I was not expecting such a joyful performance or such an upbeat crowd. The music was bleak and relentless, but the band were smiling and laughing through the whole show, and there was so much appreciation from the crowd. Torpor finished with an encore of Jasager, from their 2016 split with Sonance, and Benign Circle, the opening 11-minute onslaught from 2019’s Rhetoric Of The Image. 

They ended the show with heartfelt speeches, hugs and crying, and the whole night felt historic. And a powerful testament to Bristol’s heavy music community, as well as a reminder of how fragile and precious such scenes are. Set against another dark and difficult year in the 2020s, tonight felt like a rare and joyful gift.

Reviews: 200 Stab Wounds, Wretched Fate, Ghostwound, Tak Matsumoto Group (Reviews By Mark Young & Rich Piva)

200 Stab Wounds - Piles Of Festering Decomposition (Metal Blade Records) [Mark Young]

As titles go, this goes some way into giving you a clue of what is about to unfold. And, as I type their name into a well-known search engine, it pops up with:

People also ask: Is 200 Stab Wounds Death Metal?

Well, If they aren’t then I don’t know what is. This is 5 tracks in 14 minutes, a festering fly-blown heap of accumulated filth. In a good way.

Released in 2020, this is a reissue on Metal Blade, so let’s dive in and see what’s what.

Maggot Casket is the first stop on the train to the pits of despair and sounds just like you thought it would. Vocals that can barely be discerned, occupying the same low register as their guitars its heavy AF. It sounds as though life is gurgling away through a slit throat and without pause, we are discovering the Body In The Basement which hits in much the same way, trem picking is the order of the day here, that bottom end chug dominating when they slow down. There is that argument about how bands sound brutal which normally boils down to each song just being a re-tread of the one before and although there are similarities to Maggot, it is in execution only. This is a sub three-minute attack which is then followed by the charmingly titled She Was Already Dead. Its just more putrid heaviness, no more no less.

Digested Desire shows no sign of changing anything in terms of attack. It’s a frenzied attack, with one aim but to crush all that is front of it. The last track is a lovely slice of UK grindcore, with a cracking cover of Carcass’s Ruptured In Purulence. This is awesome and sounds fantastic as they tear through it with considerable aplomb. What it also does is show that at this point, 200 Stab Wounds had the execution of their songs down as each one is as frenzied as the next, but they felt slightly empty. Its heavy, definitely but it didn’t really excite as much as I thought it would. The inclusion of the Carcass cover is welcome, and for me a high point of this release. The rest is merely ok. 7/10

Wretched Fate - Incineration Of The Pious (Redefining Darkness Records) [Mark Young]

Now this is interesting. A six track EP with three absolute classics presented as covers. If they pull those off then we could be onto EP of the year. The first three songs represent music that Wretched Fate left off their Carnal Heresy album, which they describe as music that didn’t fit within the sound they wanted for that album. 

We know that sometimes, music left off an album is done because they just aren’t very good, or at least not at the same level as those which made it onto the album. In any event, this is a bold move. Well first track With Ashen Breath is a superior slice of Swe-death that doesn’t go down the route of trying to ape At The Gates. This is a straight up gut-punch of a track that relies on a central hammering riff to get the job done. Melody is provided by some dizzying guitar lines that dive in and out but its that simple but effective riff that makes you take notice.

Incineration Of The Pious is next and goes off in a big way. I’ve mentioned it before but it’s refreshing to hear a band do something different whilst still staying true to the traditions of extreme metal from Scandinavia and the same can be said of Callous Mutilation Grandeur whose attack lives up to that brilliant title. There is a lot of energy in these three songs, each one comes in and slays in its own way. They do what they need to do without being overlong or repeating the same measures over and over and although you can audibly tell that they are by the same band there are no shared ideas between them.

Not sounding like every other Swe-death band is also a massive plus point.

Now for side B.

Dominate (Morbid Angel cover) brings a smile to my face almost straight away as this sounds like a swarm of angry wasps attacking a picnicking family. This is top-notch, staying faithful without being a straight copy they manage to put their own stamp on it. Like Fire (Bloodbath cover) is as good, keeping the brutality in place and like Dominate they stay faithful enough to it. Final track is Abnormally Deceased (Nihilist cover) which grinds its way in and strips the enamel from your teeth. Job done. 

Any worries I had about side B were unfounded, each one is treated like the classics they are without being a boring re-tread. There is a sense of fun with these, and they attack them with the same energy as a young band starting out playing covers for friends in a local bar. This is a great EP and I would suggest it is a suitable jumping on point for Wretched Fate. 8/10

Ghostwound - Ghostwound (Go Down Records) [Rich Piva]

Their name sounds like it could be some kind of death metal band, but what Ghostwound actually brings to the party is psychedelic funky space rock. You, get no growls here, just a lot of acid and cocaine, figuratively speaking of course. The Italian band with the interesting bio (immortal?) bring their version of fuzzy funk on their debut self-titled record that is fun, weird, and unexpected.

Tracks like the opener, Funky Robot, incorporate some funk rock guitar work across a psych landscape driven by the sometimes subtle and sometimes not synths and dreamy vocals. The bass work is top notch (as required if you mention 70s funk in your bio) and there is just enough of the space/psych stuff in the formula to keep the trippy side of me interested. The tracks seamlessly flow, as the title track (triple threat here; song, album, and band name all the same, it is never bad) brings more of the same but heavier on the psych, almost going into shoegaze territory, but with the funkiness always lurking around the corner. 

Smoke brings serious 70s vibes with the bass leading the way partnering with the synths for a trippy dance party. I love how Gimcana Spiralis picks up the pace and incorporates and almost Krautrock feel to it while the sudden beats of Dive Into The Mirror almost reminds me of Duran Duran if they were more into Hawkwind (and bongos!). Five Ave Marias turns up the funk meter where the bass rules the day and the guitar work sounds like it is off a Chic record while Lycantropus almost sounds like space disco. Rojava is my favourite track, especially the part that rocks, where the fuzzy guitar decides to escape from its funky master and rip it up for a bit. Azimuth is the most out there track on the record where the band doubles down on the frantic trippy-ness leading to the closer, Coffee Grounds Revelations, where the fuzzy funk guitar and synths are the highlight of this super trippy track.

The debut from Ghosthound is a fun and unexpected record that may be a bit too repetitive at times. These guys can play and while they are all over the place it seems like it is a controlled chaos, mostly. Overall, the record is worth a spin if you want less riffs and more funk, which can happen every now and then. 7/10

Tak Matsumoto Group - TMG II (Frontiers Music Srl) [Rich Piva]

On the surface, even if I didn’t know who “guitar virtuoso” Tak Matsumoto was you would still think I would get some enjoyment out of a supergroup that contains said virtuoso with Eric Martin from Mr. Big on vocals, Jack Blades from Night Ranger on bass, and Matt Sorum from Gn’R and The Cult (amongst others) on drums. Well, the surface is wrong, because whatever is going on with this latest Frontiers release is just terrible. I am not sure anyone listened to it before it dropped because it is tough to listen to. It is not any fault of the players.

Martin sounds fine, the stars of the rhythm section are solid, while I would have liked to experience more of his so-called virtuoso work, there was some great guitar playing too, but the songs are just horrible. The production is really weird too, in that unlike most Frontiers releases that are so slick you slip on it downloading the files, this one is weird, in that it sounds so unprofessionally recorded, and not in the good way that I actually enjoy. The two songs with guest vocalists doing duets (Babymetal and a Lisa) are off the charts bad.

Poor Eric Martin had to try to make it work with two voices that are just not compatible with his, with catastrophic results. The lyrics of Dark Island Woman and Color In The World are cringe to say the least. You know how on a record by other so-called virtuosos, like, say, Yngwie Malmsteen, the songs can be pretty bad, but his playing, no matter what you think of the track or the guy, is off the charts? Well, you get none of that here, where you would expect Matsumoto to go off at some point you really don’t get it, even on a song called Guitar Hero. Yeah, he has some great solos, but I expected him to just shred it up for at least 70% of the record, but you barely get 10%.

I have not heard TMG I, but no matter how good that was, if it was at all, there was zero reason for this uninspired part two. Sorry to the musicians I love that are on this record, I will not hold it against you. 2/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Myles Kennedy & Devin Townsend (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Myles Kennedy & Devin Townsend, Great Hall Cardiff, 02.12.24

I can't say I've experienced a gig like this before, almost a 50/50 split in audience meant that both acts were really only playing to half a crowd. It was weird definitely but both sides of the audience got a great show.

The reason for this split is that if you were to book a show then you wouldn't instantly put the soulful voice of Alter Bridge and Slash's go to singer of choice Myles Kennedy (8) alongside the king of all things musically diverse Devin Townsend (9), but that's exactly what this tour package promised.

I'd be interested to see how the ticket sales were before Devin was announced as support but I digress for me this was going to be and interesting experiment in culture clash and entertainment.

Now rather than Devy when he's hevy we got him when he has just and acoustic guitar, a case full of stuffies, a rubber face, foul language, terrible jokes, self deprecation and of course heaps of talent. Without the screens and the band Devin at first seemed a little listless and uncomfortable, though this is often the case when you see him perform.

Jokes about his age, his weight and his dead cat were all met with laughter from those who know what to expect from Townsend and bewilderment from anyone there for Kennedy. The set itself continued some stripped back versions of his tracks with SYL's Love? Hitting harder in this setting, screams and acoustic guitar just works somehow. But with the 'metal' section now complete it was a quick change of pace as a cover of Bring Him Home stunned the room to silence, Devin hitting every single operatic note of this musical classic, it was brilliant and shook some of those who had never seen him before into being fans. 

Moving into Ih-Ah! there was some crowd participation (reluctantly) as Hyperdrive got the biggest cheer (of course), more participation under some coercion from Townsend. While some were won over, many still shook their heads due to the Canadian humour and general nerdy weirdness Devin Townsend gives a show, personally it did a lot to rekindle my love of his music, so let's hope next time he's in this venue he returns with a full band again.

As the man himself put it "you've seen the genius, now it's time for the mediocre" it was time for Myles Kennedy to please those who wore his shirts and the shirts of his other bands so proudly. Now of course he was joking as Kennedy isn't mediocre at all. Slick and sophisticated for sure but not mediocre. Having spent decades in as the singer of Alter Bridge alongside his time in Slash's band how he found time to release three solo albums is beyond me, but here we are with tour on the back of his third, the excellent, The Art Of Letting Go and it's as if he's been playing in this band for 20 years.

A slimline power trio with Kennedy showing off his prowess as a guitarist as well as a singer, he's joined by Zia Uddin on drums and Tim Tournier on bass, the duo flanking Kennedy on either side to give the stage an intimate feel, though the huge banner belies this a little. As well as hearing the 7 tracks from The Art Of Letting Go live what interested me was listening to how songs from his previous solo records, The Ides Of March and Year Of The Tiger would translate into the 'electric' setting being as both these albums are much more acoustic.

The answer is of course well showcasing Myles song writing but track such as Wake Me When It's Over and Devil On The Wall proves to be just as effective in this format as they did on record. One of the standout moments though was Worried Mind, preceded by a bit of Jingle Bells, it saw Kennedy taking the acoustic guitar and just playing his heart out, he does a similar thing with Watching Over Me for Alter Bridge but on a smaller stage with a packed room, that voice and the simple acoustic hit different.

Two very different artists with a mostly split audience however both managed to win over the majority of the room in different ways. An interesting night but one filled with great music.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Goat Major (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Goat Major, Thrakian & Risperidrone, Fuel Rock Club, 01.12.24

Another Sunday night of riffs at Fuel Rock Club and a case of déjà vu all over again with the opening act of the night.

7 days ago in the very same spot I'd seen Risperidrone (8) fight to be heard a little due to some technical hitches, it made them disjointed but still enjoyable. With a brilliant sound and real slickness to their set this Sunday sermon was night and day compared to the last.

The riffs had more biting, distorted clarity, that fat bass sound was booming, showcasing the little technical flourishes, the drums kicking a hole into your chest while the vocals were much higher in the mix showcasing Risperidrone as the band that wowed people during 2024's M2TM.

What a difference a week makes for this doom/sludge four piece, this is the Risperidrone that make it hard for any band to follow.

The band that did follow though was the primal force that is Thrakian (9), there's a mystical quality to what they do on stage, it's raw, aggressive almost caveman-esque, from throttling the guitar to the ear bleeding sludge riffs, Thrakian bring primeval rumbling to any show.

Imbued by perfect sound again, the cavernous rhythm guitars and bass lines created a wall of deafening sound behind the shifting drumbeats, moments of clarity and beauty coming from the clean guitar breaks and solos, beautiful though fleeting as we crash back to a volatile earth.

Thrakian made the M2TM final in 2024 despite being only a year old, since then every show they evolve into a more ferocious brooding beast.

No time for brooding with tonight's headliners though, West Wales Sabbath worship was on the menu when trio Goat Major (8) closed the evening. Again working with perfect sound, the stripped back fuzz heavy riffs from the Major rumbled through Fuel with a driving fury. Jammie Arnold (guitar), Simon Bonwick (drums) and Tom Shortt (bass/vocals) are a band well into their groove now, I've watched them grow and they've always hit the stage with a professionalism that's hidden behind a wild and louche approach.

Jammie's guitars grind with Iommi-esque, blues distortion as Simon's drums thunder at the back of Fuels stage, up front Tom not only plays a bass full of fuzz but his shouts are reverbed to make it part Electric Wizard, part Motorhead. Storming through a set of tracks from their Ripple Music debut album Ritual, this occult doom was the ideal way to say goodbye to the holiest of days, a pagan ritual.

The Goat Major marches to: The Gryphon, Helgi's, Radio City Social and Dark Horse Moseley. If it's anything like Fuel on Sunday, expect doom of the highest order.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Orphaned Land - Motocultor Festival Tour (Live Review By Mark Young)

Orphaned Land, Dirty Shirt, Stråle, Ring of Gyges & Royal Rage – Motorcultor Festival European Tour, Academy 3, Manchester, 01.012.24

And here we go again as we head to the Academy to catch Orphaned Land as they hit town with some seriously stacked support. Badged as the Motorcultor Festival European Tour and it’s a fairly rapid trek that started in Eindhoven and wraps up in Lille later this month. 

With only London and Manchester dates, I’m sorry to say that if you missed them then you missed out. I mean REALLY missed out. This is an amazingly well curated collection of bands that takes in thrash, prog and all points in between.

With doors opening at 6, there are 5 acts to be squeezed in by the time curfew kicks in. Typically, a combination of weather, traffic and football mean that openers Royal Rage (7) kick off at 6.15 and have to hit the ground running to make the most of their set time. Those who have managed to get here are treated to a set of blinding thrash metal.

It's a shame that not more people are here to see them light the place up because you simply cannot argue with down picking and Jackson guitars. One of the things that a tightly controlled stage time means is that they have to tear through their set in a quick order, with little chance to introduce their music. Luckily, they just happen to be a solid bunch and gave me their set list for tonight. 

Evolve starts the juggernaut rolling and it doesn’t stop, it’s a heavy, fast and incredibly immediate as they blast Into The Abyss, delivering a furious one-two. What I loved is their approach and their energy, and that they were doing everything possible to make sure that we enjoyed ourselves. Heading to the end, they break out some serious grooves on Lampião before deciding to kick our heads in with the none more-rapid Real Dolls.

This is gloriously old school, from the shared lead duties to the solid riffology that runs through each of their songs and if you haven’t heard them before, check them out. You won’t regret it.

And now for some prog, which on the surface seems like a wild choice but Ring Of Gyges (7) follow on and bring a completely different sound, one that has a more cerebral approach which is no less heavy than Royal Rage but is one that is chock full of melody along with the riffs. And what riffs they are. This is majestic stuff, a set that showcases an amazing understanding of how prog should sound from the opener Dragonflies which is storming through to Nautilus and a lead break that was just fantastic. I’m not a massive fan of prog, and its likely due to listening to the wrong bands but this landed differently. 

Heady stuff and Parasite, from their album Metamorphosis brings more exceptional technical ability that charges into life, the addition of keys that expand it even further. Their last song is The Face Of God, their self-proclaimed ‘Long Song’ and this is just something else. This is absolutely epic, with an opening that just screams progressive, nailing the heavy part with an arrangement that builds and builds until the sexy keyboards come in. This is just exceptional stuff that's played with a sense of humour, asking us to clap in an odd time signature cos it's prog. There is a serious talent here and with this being their first visit to Manchester (same for Royal Rage) I hope it’s not long before they return.

Just as Royal Rage brought the aggression, and Ring Of Gyges brought the technical nous, Stråle (7) bring a mix of the atmospheric and pure rock, with vocals to match. Hailing from Finland, they turn up and know what the brief is straight from the off. This is engaging and refreshing stuff, music that has a firm understanding that sometimes you just need to get your head down and be direct.

It’s a dynamic set too, one that lives up to their bio as being a band who can bring it live. There is a real warmth from them, and they seem to get so much done in their allotted time as leader Daniel throws all the shapes required whilst nailing his vocals in song after song. A high point is Resist And Reform, their new single and is one of those infectious tracks that seeps into your ears and stays there. A heartfelt dedication to Daniels mother is made before they launch into Close Is Not Enough, a heartfelt and powerful song that is received the right way by the crowd.

What cannot be denied is the command of melodic metal at their disposal, each song is crammed with hooks and are made for dancing, pure and simple. It’s just a class set of rock that is heavy as it is accessible played by a band who are super tight. If you get the opportunity to catch them, please do so because you are guaranteed a night of the purest rock.

Dirty Shirt (8) are next, hailing from Romania and I have to say that once I saw the violin I thought that it would be folk based in one way or another. Described as crossover, bringing their unique approach to metal I didn’t expect a lot and I was completely unprepared for their set. They strike up and launch into a song with no sound. 

Bear me with, cos they soon realise and once a lead is checked or the sound guy sacked, they kick in properly. The stage isn't big enough for the band, and it's just something else. Dual vocals that bring metal with traditional Romanian melody which absolutely swings, and the crowd are lapping it up. There's a few with tees on, bouncing along and it's like watching the greatest warm-up band ever. Every song is enthusiastically received, and I am struggling to find a sound that is comparable to this. 

There's a palpable energy that is being transmitted from the stage to the crowd and it just doesn’t stop. I don’t remember them introducing a song until Dopamine comes in with a simple start and then they drop their Romanian roots into it, and it takes off. It’s just fun, pure fun but don’t think for a second that they don't rock, they do. As the they reach the end, they request that we jump, and we duly observe as they continue to mesh their sound of their country with some wickedly low riffwork. This is a band are determined to get you involved at every step, and I have to admit that the violin brings an extra dimension to their songs. Astonishing stuff.

Orphaned Land (9) take to the stage and just own it. Just as each band on tonight has been completely different from the one before, they stand apart as they unleash a set that is just something else. I’ve seen and heard bands that combine traditional and modern musical methods in an effort to create truly authentic art and I’ll be honest nothing has come close to this.

They open with a song that has an epic feel to it, full of atmosphere whilst also being heavy as you like and as it is as though they have welcomed you into their home and are sharing gifts. It’s a set that is sublime, from The Simple Man being anything but simple into The Kiss Of Babylon which also magnificent into All Is One that turns in a stomper that sees vocalist Kobi Farhi hold in the audience in the palm of his hands. It is such a commanding performance that doesn’t rely on animated movement or attempts to whip the crowd up and when they do want our help it’s done in a way that brings the song forward. I don’t think I’ve seen someone deliver so effortlessly.

We Do Not Resist is in their own words an angry track and it’s a corker. It's a move towards more traditional metal in how it is arranged but it still possesses a sound unique to them and when they move to bring out their traditional instrument of a Bouzouki to herald their final tracks see them step up once more. Emotional, charged material that receives rapt applause, and they are done, and you feel that you have witnessed something special. Very special indeed.