A View From The Back Of The Room: The March Violets (Rick Eaglestone)

The March Violets, The Faces Of Sarah & Bloodworm, The Firebug, Leicester 18.07.25

On a particular warm and melty day even the thought of some dry ice is appealing so I journeyed off Tattsyrup style to the familiar setting of Leicester’s Firebug for evening of pulse racing goth music

First up were Nottingham’s three-piece Bloodworm who had been recommended by a good friend who has seen them a few times and can absolutely say they were the perfect opener for the evening, not only did they seem to have traveling support with them by the end of their upbeat and energetic set they certainly had the attention of the room.

Among the various guitar changes were cure like melodies intertwined with high energy tones – Particular highlights were Depths and Clairvoyance.

Up next were a band I have “Fanboyed” over for at least 25 Years The Faces Of Sarah, have seen many influences and iterations but at their very core their overwhelming brooding emotions & flawless delivery shines through. Among Classics such as All That Is Devine and Misery Turns which were given a modern spin there were some very promising new tracks Death Of Summer which will have an accompanying video shortly and World’s Apart which had some wonderful dual vocals showcasing just how the FOS have stayed such a firm fan favourite for many years.

Headline act The March Violets were just sublime. They may not have played Leicester since 1980 something but from their sheer mix of anarchic energy mixed with dry humour and smouldering serenades, they proceeded to turns the hands of time through a journey of their entire musical career, opening with Long Pig and treating the audience to such gems as Grooving In Green and 1,2 I Love You it just felt with every track the well versed three piece enjoyed every moment and this was absolutely reciprocated by the amount of people not only in the room but by the sheer amount of movement.

The March Violets ended their set with the encore of 1984’s Fodder and the absolutely anthemic Snake Dance to much fanfare.

It is nights like this that make me feel the version of me that DJ’d under the wolfman guise was not so far away than I thought. A straight 10/10 from every angle. My night was Made Glorious indeed.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Melvins (Joe Guatieri & Alex Tobias)

Melvins & Redd Kross, The Exchange Bristol, 17.07.25



It was Thursday, July 17th 2025 in peak unprepared British summertime in Bristol. I (Joe) was working on that day with only one thing on my mind that made me happy, it was Melvins (10) day! The hours dragged but I soon found myself at my favourite place on earth, the Exchange. Everyone at the venue could not stop smiling, while being surrounded by friends in every nook and cranny, the excitement was forever present.

Before the main event though Alex Tobias captured the support Redd Kross (8) who came to the stage with quite a big crowd already in early to watch the California legends of punk rock, they are greeted by warm appreciation and anticipation from this Bristol crowd. Getting stuck in to such classics as Lady InThe Front Row, from their 1993 album Phaseshifter, and lots of newer material like Good Times Propaganda Band, from there 2024 self titled album Redd Kross. 

Delivering in stage aura just from the look alone, all dressed in white with spots and splatters of multi colour hippy designs, the brothers of the band, Steve and Jeff McDonald have good banter together on stage and play off each other well between songs, they get good reactions from the crowd between every song. The drums are spot on punk beats that switch to that distinctive Beatles style easy rock and roll beats depending on song, the solos from guitarist Jason Shapiro hit the spot nicely and he does throw some good shapes to entertain the crowd also. 

A band that has been plying their trade to punk rock for 46 years now but unless you knew this information you would never have known by watching them for the first time at all. Great opener for Melvins that could and have many of times before headline shows with ease.

Joe

At 9:15 sharp I sprinted into the main room to be greeted by two drum kits on the stage and a space packed full of likeminded degenerates. As the clock hit 9:30, here came the Melvins as they took to the stage, looking nonchalant as ever. Bassist Steven McDonald who was ever the entertainer, joined by drummer duo Dale Crover and Coady Willis, and of course King Buzzo, with a smaller Sideshow Bob haircut compared to when I saw him with Trevor Dunn the previous year.

Then fireworks as Dale and Coady began clanging and banging their drums with all their might into Working The Ditch. Steve had a massive grin as always and Buzz looked focused as they ripped into it. I must say the newer songs like what I had just mentioned and Never Say You’re Sorry work so well amongst their older tunes, they all have the signature grit which sounds like no one else.

It’s Shoved was one of many highlights. I screamed when Steve started playing that wobbly bass line as it's probably my favourite album of theirs, that being Bullhead. It’s more straightforward for them in sense but it’s just so fucking catchy, no wonder why Nirvana ripped it off with Milk It.

A History Of Bad Men was another sight to behold, getting to see Coady perform these songs live and in-person alongside Dale and trading off drum solos was an absolute fever dream. Myself and a lot of other people that I know hold the Melvins/Big Business era in high regard in which this song is a part of. Albums like (A) Senile Animal and Nude With Boots are the best modern day-ish Melvins in my opinion and I keep them very close to my chest, they are a beating heart.

Now I would be a fool not to group these last six songs together as they are the “hits” as far as the Melvins are concerned.

 
-Hag Me
-Hog Leg
-Honey Bucket
-Revolve
-Your Blessened
-Night Goat.

The very best that they have to offer, every blood sweat, tear and scream went into it both from the band and the audience. Although no moshing like I’ve experienced at previous gigs of theirs, this I will truly never forget about me. Hag Me was just knackering, it took up half the fucking set and I love every single second of it! I was lifting my arms up, hands clenched in a fist, bellowing the words with the air drums, it was my hymn and the Exchange was my church.

I’m telling you now, only the Melvins can keep a crowd hooked for that long, they lovingly take the piss and we were all there for it, part of the joke. After the deranged Honey Bucket got me spinning around with ecstasy like the Tasmanian Devil, I was a sweaty mess for Revolve but I will never not sing along with that chorus.

Last of all Night Goat, which I think is my favourite track of theirs. With a bass line that repeats in the introduction six times before anything else joins it, lyrics that make no sense and Buzz’s demented yell, it defines all that is hell to normality in one song.

I leave you saying this, Melvins make songs for people who don’t like music. The first time anyone listens to them they always think what the fuck is this wether the like it or hate it and I still find myself asking the same question now. LONG LIVE THOSE PESKY MELVINS!

Reviews: Mawiza, Darko, Degreed, Ramonda (Mark Young & Matt Bladen)

Mawiza - ÜL (Season Of Mist) [Mark Young]

Mawiza have brought an uncompromising approach to their music. Instead of writing their material to suit western consumption they have taken the bold stance to perform it using their native language of Mapuzungun to reinforce their preservation of their culture and roots. They don’t do a little and then jump into English for a chorus, its delivered 100% and whilst you might miss something due to the language, the core tenets of their sound is hard to miss. 

Monstrous grooves lie at its heart, one that has a slight industrial feel to it and as you might have guessed there is no room for acoustic interludes or cod orchestral moments – Wingkawnoam is straight into it, a super simple riff set that works all the better for it. There is no technical flourishes here, its all about the rhythm and about getting you up and moving. It just moves, I don’t think there is more you can say about it other than it’s the kind of opening statement you want, with no messing about. 

What impresses is the vocal performances that swings between impassioned roars and cleans, especially on the melting pot that is Pinhza Ńi Pewma that sees them change gear from mid-pace stomping into a faster pace. Awka brings the main bulk and navigates that switch between the guttural and the cleans in a way that avoids any cringe-making moments. 

It doesn’t change how the song lands and instead feels completely organic in doing so despite it being something deployed by a million other bands. They stamp their cultural background all over these songs, the phrasing and way they are built are done so that the metal fits in to suit them, not the other way round. Ngulutu is a great example of this, where the build sounds like a metallic version of a song you would hear every day. On here, especially the drums well it just detonates. And you don’t need a translator for the screams.

This is not to say they don’t know how to do straight up metal – Nawelkünuwnge lies in that sphere with some quality riffwork and probably represents their most accessible track here. They still imbue a sense of their history on it and it is that feeling of authenticity to it that shines through. In the past, bands that come from South America have drawn dearly on Sepultura for their cues. There is no feeling of that being the case here and it sounds so good because of it, and they manage to keep that level of intensity and originality in place. 

Lhan Antü is a prime example of what a good song sounds like in the later stages of an album. It rips from the start, realising that it has one job to do and it is to engage and stimulate you to stay the course to the end. Even here, they continue to get their unique approach across, spidery guitar lines nestled in amongst the low-end riffing. One of the things that did strike me was a Gojira flavour within all of their songs. The structures are all their own, but the pick scrapes, harmonics, industrial guitar tricks are similar to what you would find with the French titans. Before you think they are lifting these, every guitarist does it and probably represents one of the first ‘cool’ moments a guitarist will ever do. 

What Mawiza do is take these approaches or techniques and makes them specific to them. Joe from Gojira does make an appearance on the rousing finale Ti Inan Paw-Pawkan which closes the proceedings out quite nicely thank you. 8/10

Darko - Canvas (Lockjaw Records) [Mark Young]

From Mawiza and their unique cultural approach to the South of England with Darko and a blend of post-hardcore and punk which goes to show that when I ask for a random selection from the boss, he makes it as random as possible. I’m very much a take it or leave it person when it comes to hardcore and punk, some of it I like and some I detest. There doesn’t appear to a rhyme or reason to this and certainly Canvas doesn’t start as anticipated. Grey Havens opens their account with a stripped back guitar coming in. It sets the path for the rest of the band to come in and follow with what I describe as bright, happy arrangement with rising choruses that ring to a rousing crescendo which I did not expect. 

Its followed by Dared To Dream which again doesn’t start as expected. Until it kicks in and then you can hear exactly why they have been given the plaudits they have. Tom West is spitting these lyrics like a machine gun, ably supported by Chris and Rob on guitars who are loading it with some choice riffage. They mix the frenetic punk attack with some mesmerising guitar lines that for me wouldn’t be out of place on some noted technical releases and do it seamlessly. 

It’s a surprise, and a welcome one. Canvas repeats that trick but dives between the heavy and light before dropping headlong into what I would class as a straight hardcore assault. The song itself is short and yet its doesn’t stop them from changing its build, seemingly on a sixpence. The momentum on this one stays on the front foot even when the heavier attack steps back and its maintained further on Override! It has that touch to it that will see the crowd lose their minds in the live setting as its all about energy and this has it by the bucket load and to be honest it is difficult to convey that energy into an adequate description here. 

If the preceding songs were about energy, then Hectic is all about intent. It is the very definition of a short, sharp shock. It’s a one-minute blast that shows that they can throw down when they need to without changing their sound. It doesn’t sound out of place at all and allows for Goodbye Bastards to roll in. The arrangement has that same strength and forward movement that has been displayed from the get-go, and simply put that if you like Dared To Dream then you will like everything else on this album. And thinking on, that should have been my review but that would have been cheating on my part. AUX III is their last statement and as you might have guessed they don’t drop the ball at this late stage. Its chock full of earworm lines and that up up up riffing that has been place elsewhere that sees them rip through it with nary a backward glance.

From what I’ve heard here, I have a new benchmark for what constitutes good music in this genre. Does it replace my love of thrash or death metal? No, but I’m happy to report that this is a cracking set of songs from a genre that I don’t have the best relationship with. There are no weak moments on here, each song coming at you in the same manner flowing from the one before it. Fans of the band and this style are going to love it. 8/10

Degreed - The Leftovers - Volume I EP (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Swedish rock band Degreed go digging into their discography with their new EP The Leftovers - Volume I. These tracks come from the sessions of their most recent records, either original, unreleased or reworked to fit on this EP. There's also two Japan only bonus tracks that have not been heard in Europe. So it a companion piece? Well sort of but you get a lot of bang for your buck with seven tracks that showcase the hard rocking sound of Degreed and two that do something a little different. 

From the propulsive Love Your Enemy, to the booming Good Enough, the epic If It Wasn't For Me there's every facet of Degreed's sound here, they even bring a bit of power/melodeath to Wildchild which is a tribute to Alexi Laiho of Children Of Bodom. Despite these tracks being B-Sides essentially, they are all still quality, 5 hard rockers, three ballads (one acoustic) and a synthwave version, which seems to be something every band needs now. 

This Swedish foursome have done well to pick nine strong songs to feature on this EP, representative of the bands talents and also showing you the quality they leave on the cutting room floor or as bonus tracks. If you've not heard Degreed before, this could be a good place to introduce yourself to them as their new record is in production. 7/10

Ramonda - The Walls Are Crumbling Down (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Hailing from Argentina Santiago Ramonda releases hi debut album The Walls Are Crumbling Down, working alongside longtime Frontiers man Alessandro Del Vecchio, they've crafted a record that is prime pickings for the Frontiers crowd. Ramonda is the singer of Stormwarning a band who have already impressed the president of Frontiers, Ramonda's self taught style of singing jumping out of the speakers with careering highs and powerful lows. It was only a matter of time before he released his own music under his own name so with Ramonda this is the distillation of Santiago's favoured style. 

A style that encompasses Journey, Rainbow, Whitesnake or Sunstorm as major influences, Ramonda has a lot of similarities to Joe Lynn Turner (Without Love) and David Coverdale (High Voltage Hearts) too taking a bluesy route on Don't Look For Love and Blue Heart Of Stone but then crashing into heavy melodic rocking on Fight Fire With Fire where Girish And The Chronicles' guitar slinger Suraz Sun gets a chance show off his killer licks and solos. Along with Suraz, Ramonda is joined by bassist Silvia Pistolesi, drummer Nicholas Papapicco and of course Del Vecchio on keys/guitars/production. 

With a high profile team around him then there's a lot here that's been organised to make him succeed in this solo venture and it's definitely successful with an 11 strong debut of melodic hard rock. From South America to your living room, Ramonda's debut album rocks! 8/10

Reviews: Devilskin, Mädhouse, Eternal Idol, Lorentzen (Matt Bladen & Cherie Curtis)

Devilskin – Re-Evolution (Devilskin/Rhythm/DRM) [Matt Bladen]

15 years in the making, Re-Evolution the fourth studio album from New Zealand metal crew Devilskin sees them in celebratory but future-looking position. Since their debut album We Rise they have been gaining plenty of national and international acclaim, their songwriting improves with every record and they have gained some massive support slots in their native country, including with Halestorm, who’s Joe Hottinger appears on this record. Now Devilskin play a groove-heavy style of metal, metalcore breakdowns are joined by flashes of thrash all through some bottom heavy alt metal riffs and stellar vocals. 

What has bred consistency in the Devilskin sound is that the line up hasn’t altered since the debut. Tony 'Nail' Vincent is still in charge of the riffs chugging mightily, until Paul Martin’s bass takes over when Nail shifts toward melodies and solos, the latter have slowly made their way into more songs since the debut, showcasing the expanding soundscape of the band. Locking down the grooves with dad Paul is drummer Nic Martin again his drumming gets better with each record, check out the percussion on final track Twenty-Eight. 

However for many, myself included without Jennie Skulander’s vocals, Devilskin may not have the sheer force that they do. The music is catchy but filled with complexity but it’s Jennie’s massive vocal range that really delivers their message, captivating you with the personal lyricism the band are known for as she shifts between soaring highs, guttural growls and soulful power in her mids. 

So then this fourpiece have always had the goods to go far but while they have massive success in their native country they don’t seem to have broken free too often, though I’ve seen them twice in the UK, both times they’ve been impressive. Hopefully then after 15 years and with the promise of their most expansive album yet will they finally break through and show the international audience what they are missing. Well Re-Evolution continues the theme of having a track named after the previous album, kicking off with the confrontational Red, the production of long-time collaborator Dave Rhodes highlighting the bigger and nastier sound to this album, in a moment of nostalgia, Red has the same “yeah” refrain as Dirt the final track on debut album We Rise. 

Then though we go into the future with the breakbeat nu-metal assault of Swelter or the electro prog thump of Desiderium (an ardent desire or longing, especially for something lost) but Devilskin still keep a lot of what made them such a revered band, a track such as Have I Come Undone not only having a bit more nostalgia lyrically but showing the more emotional side of the band as Jennie duets with Nik Baker of Twelve Foot Ninja. Re-Evolution does a lot of shaking up of what Devilskin do, Half Life Of Dreams for instance goes further down the alt/emo/pop punk route, Celestial even going as far as venturing into AOR, but much of this record is Devilskin refined and re-energised.

It’s their most consistent and experimental record, 15 years on and Devilskin are still delivering quality music. 8/10

Mädhouse – Plead The Fifth (ROAR) [Cherie Curtis]

Mädhouse has brought us back to the early 90s with 13 hard rock bangers. Plead The Fifth has everything we love from the older classics like the signature piercing guitar solos and sleazy hard rocking vocals and harmonies producing scream worthy choruses.

Midnight Fever has a compelling groove with a memorable harmonic chorus and We Run Riot follows with dynamic build of an electrical organ and a lilting guitar intro before heading full throttle into a rebellious yet almost sweet- toned track. Bring On The Night and Shot Gun Rider opens cold and cues a whammy filled guitar lead like a car engine textured with a pulsating drum rhythm and flattering harmony lines which elevates these tracks further to then end on a heavy breakdown just in case you weren’t already impressed. So far, everyone has remarkable skill, and this album builds on and escalates excitement to continually rock our socks off.

Wicked Hearts, Get A Grip and Live And Tease, provides the meat of the album. All songs here have exceptional instrumentals, but these tracks specifically highlight Lovelace’s talent as a singer, these tracks are catchy enough to be a classic in years to come. Same goes for the later tracks Mad To The Bone, I Die Alone and You Got The Tail Down, these are easy listens and technical marvels exactly what you’d want your glam metal or hard rock to be like.

It’s A Monster In My Head is more experimental than the rest; it has intricated guitar leads, faster drums and…cowbells? Lovelace gives a theatrical performance which reminds me of early Alice Cooper. Just when you think the album might be getting repetitive, I’ll See You In My Dreams is more of an affectionate anthem with soaring vocals, heavy drums and a velvety guitar playing throughout, I’m getting a hint of Scorpions here. Loveplace is more anguished and darker than the former, but both are a complete change of pace for the album but appropriate and refreshing.

I rate this one highly there’s a song for every mood and everything from recording, Instrumental skill and vocals are outstanding. Midway through the tracks get slightly repetitive then it offers a change of pace it’s a fantastic production and is a new favourite of mine. 10/10

Eternal Idol – Behind A Vision (Frontiers Music) [Cherie Curtis]

Behind A Vision features a new line-up for Eternal Idol, we now have Gabriele Gozzi and Letizia Merlo as vocalists and Andrea Buratto on bass with Enrico Fabris on the drums.

Behind A Vision is ethereal, it feels like it’s been plucked from an astral realm and every track is as shadowy and rich as the next. It feels like a soundtrack for a Sci-fi / Fantasy film more than a casual listen. The electrifying dynamic between the Gozzi and Merlo makes for a great new edition to the band and their outstanding, almost operatic voices complement each other perfectly.

This album does justice to the symphonic genre. For their opening track Amnesia, they feature a choir and some stirring string composition from an orchestra before exploding into a stunning duet, this isn't new in the genre however it feels very pristine and advanced. The Enemy Is Me opens with a John Carpenter - esque piano tune which makes for an extremely effective way of creating a thirst for the rest of the album as well as creating a memorable introduction.

Throughout the album the crisp and complex solos, textured rhythms, rich and booming vocals are powerfully evocative of torment and longing, this album is at its best on a particularly dark day to revel in something fiery and fantastical and it would certainly be sight to behold live.

Eternal Idol’s Behind A Vision is more polished and measured than what I'm used to, though I enjoyed myself and was surprised by the level of catharsis this album offered. Each track has a memorable hook and great production and overall, it’s good but a bit garden variety at times. It wouldn’t be an everyday listen for me personally as I didn't find it as engaging as I hoped but I do see myself revisiting it sometime in the future. 7/10

Lorentzen – Leave Nobody Behind (Apollon Records) [Matt Bladen]

“An evocative fusion of minimalist prog and classical elegance” it’s going to take a certain type of person to review this one I think! Especially when the music created by Eivind Lorentzen (Gentle Knife) is “interspersed by Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry” the latter recited by Brian M. Talgo’s, deep Iggy Pop-like spoken word delivery, close to the mic with a whispered resonance. 

So yeah this isn’t your typical metal publication fodder but we’ve always tried to be open minded with what we cover and this takes a very open mind. You know the bits of the King Crimson discography where it isn’t songs you know? Like most of Lizard or Islands or Larks Tongue In Aspic? Well Lorentzen dwells there, jazz fusion, Nordic folk and prog that has oscillating synths and classical strings, building on repetition and the spoken word moments, these are all just mini suites in their own way, uniquely using the instrumentation to entice you without shouting about it. 

Lorentzen is joined a host of high profile artists including a virtuoso cellist and violinist while ex-Gentle Knife brass player Charlotte Valstad Nilsen brings her skills as well. This is record that will be an acquired taste but if you like your prog wrapped in jazz with minimal vocals and lots of ‘feel’ then you’ll enjoy Leave Nobody Behind. 7/10

Reviews: Margarita Witch Cult, Entrails, Mouth Of Madness, Arcane Tongues (Rich Piva, GC, Spike & Matt Bladen)

Margarita Witch Cult - Strung Out In Hell (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]

Birmingham, UK band Margarita Witch Cult had one of the surprise debuts of 2023; their universally loved (at least in certain circles) self-titled record was a 30-minute blast of catchy and evil proto goodness. The success of their first album could prove as a challenge for record number two, but MWC answer the call with Strung Out In Hell, which still maintains their great understanding of melody, ability to create earworms, and killer proto metal stylings but brings some other cool elements to the table to show both the ability to double down on their strengths while expanding the listener’s experience.

Opening with a nice and evil proto riff and some nice stoner chunkiness, Crawl To Your Coffin continues with where MWC left off in 2023, and that is fine by me. It could be because I am reading a book on the subject, but I hear some serious 70s Alice Cooper vibes in these nine songs. Heavier, but it is there for sure. I still love Scott Abbott’s unique vocals which really differentiates the trio from the bunches of other bands playing this style. Scream Bloody Murder is the perfect example of their sexy proto murder metal that makes this band what it is. Speaking of evil, the mid-tempo shock rock of Conqueror Worm keeps us on the same killer path, with a cool “chorus” and killer guitar and bass synergy that the trio also excels at. Throw in some keys and you get even extra awesomeness. 

Don’t ever forget that MWC can rip it up, evidence being the under three-minute Witches Candle. Love the guitar work on this one. Track five is where some controversy will start, but once you give it a shot, their cover of the Billy Idol classic and universally known hit White Wedding will make sense in the grand scheme of things, especially how they slow down the tempo, add the cool, layered vocals, and doom it up perfectly, making it a very MWC version of a classic. Mars Rover is one of their more complex songs and one of the most Black Sabbath-like songs that MWC have done, and they nail it. 

Where we go off the normal MWC path that they have so well established is with Dig Your Way Out, which sounds more like 90s noise/hardcore band Unsane than anything else, and boy am I here for it. The heaviest song the trio has done so far by a lot. Those who don’t love brass in their heavy rock may scoff at seeing credits for trumpet and baritone sax on The Fool, but if you like Alice Cooper you will have no choice but to love this song. Who Put Bella In The Wych Elm is one of my favourite song titles of the year and is a creepy, slow, and the longest song MWC has done so far, and it works, especially with he filthy doom riff kicks in the song drags you right to hell.

We do not need to compare the first two Margarita Witch Cult records, we only need to say they are both awesome. Strung Out In Hell keeps the (now) trademarked MWC sound and gives you everything you love about the band while also expanding and even experimenting a bit with these nine new tracks. A killer sophomore record after one of the best debuts in recent history. 9/10

Entrails - Grip Of Ancient Evil (Hammerheart Records) [GC]

As a flag waving death metal fan it always sort of worries me if a band have released 8 albums and I haven’t ever heard a single second of music by them, this is where I am with Entrails, sure I have heard the name before but never felt the urge to check them out, but then you cant listen to every band ever I suppose?! Anyway, moving on, this is their 9th album Grip Of Ancient Evil.

It starts with an intro Grip Of Ancient Evil which doesn’t really do much and sounds like something a bard from the 18th century might write and kind of feels pointless. Untreatable Decay is better and has the Swedish death metal sound and throws in lots of wailing leads and melodic flourishes and at first I’m not really sure about the way vocals fit with everything else but my main issue is the mix the drums sound flat and empty and the whole song lack force and power because of it and unfortunately this continues into Skin ‘Em All musically its all done very well and has what you would expect from a Swedish death metal band but without the correct mix it just lacks the force you need for it to really be rammed home in a way that it makes a lasting mark!

On Conquering The Unknown the vocals and drums completely dominate and it feels like they drown out the guitars, it’s a fight for them to be heard properly so once again it just feels like there is something missing and its not until there are no vocals that you fully hear what is actually going on which isn’t ideal!? Hunt In The Shadows actually sounds like more of a black metal track and it sort of works because with 90’s style black metal you expected a dirt mix that would not outshine the music, giving the band a certain mystique, however I’m pretty sure this is not what is being aimed for here but the tempo and feel do make it stand out a bit better than anything else so far. 

Fed To The Dead actually gets me from the very go as its got a bit of groove and rhythm that claws its way to the surface above all the issues sonically it just pushes through and finally sort of clicks maybe I’m just used to what I’m hearing or maybe it’s really just a good track with about more about it than previous offerings! on Wings Of Death it seems the earlier sound demons have been defeated and everything works in perfect harmony with nothing over powering anything else and everything sounding crisp and sharp, it finally has the impact you really want! Graveyard Rising finds Entrails slowing things down, it’s not like funeral doom or anything but it’s a doomier sound, which once again ramps everything up as you can actually hear what is happening from each individual musician and when given the room to stretch and breathe the sound is actually enjoyable. 

Inner Demon then keeps the doomier sound going and for me it doesn’t really work as well, there are just a couple of things that get me most, the song is about 2 minutes too long and that ties into the next point its just a bit boring, if you are going to try this sort of thing please make it worth listening too because about hallway I find myself just drifting and not really paying attention, thankfully Insane Death does pick things back up with a rousing hit of 90’s tinged melodic death metal that this album could have probably done with a bit more of in all honesty as it really shows what can be done if you just keep it simple! Consumed By Insects then blasts into sight and is probably the best track on the album, it’s full of blastbeats, buzzsaw riffing and the sort of earworm rhythm that will be stuck in your head for a while to come and it’s a bit annoying that it’s taken until the last track to get something this good!!

My main take from Grip Of Ancient Evil is there is clearly talent here, bands don’t release 8 albums if they haven’t got talent, in parts it shone through but there were also too many parts that didn’t really work and as I mentioned once or twice the mix in some places was just all over the place. In all honesty on this showing, I would not be overly keen to go back and listen to this album again or dip into Entrails back catalogue it was an ok listen but that’s about as far as it goes for me! 6/10

Mouth Of Madness – Event Horizon (Darkness Shall Rise Productions) [Spike]

After more than a decade of silence, Germany’s enigmatic duo Mouth Of Madness return with Event Horizon, an album that sprawls across nine tracks of cold, occult-tinged ambience and blackened death metal. The record is anchored by three ambient passages Transhimalaja Parts I–III composed by Frank Fiedler of Popol Vuh, which provide eerie calm between the heavier assaults, like ritual breathwork before the plunge. 

The core of Event Horizon lies in the six metallic compositions. Sex And Thanatos spits venom across grinding riffs and snarled vocals, while Year Of The Dog lumbers with a hypnotic, doomy menace. At The Heart Of The Unknown leans into dissonance and abstraction, building layers of tension without ever fully resolving. The centrepiece Fireborn is a jagged, shape-shifting crawl through smoke and shadow, expansive but never indulgent. 

Production is cavernous without being murky. The guitars cut, the vocals hiss and moan from the edge of perception, and strange textures drift in from all angles. Middle Eastern melodic lines and tribal rhythms surface in Worms and Masaan, the latter made even more unsettling by a haunting violin intro that cracks open the album’s midsection like a ritual wound.

Mouth Of Madness refuse to fit neatly anywhere. There’s blackened death here, but also drone, doom, psych, and a creeping cinematic quality that brings to mind soundtracks as much as stage dives. Fans of early Tribulation, Chapel Of Disease, or anything straddling the boundary between metal and the metaphysical will find a lot to absorb.

A chilling, multifaceted return. Event Horizon doesn’t just pick up where they left off it digs deeper, darker, and stranger. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another decade for the next transmission. 8/10

Arcane Tongues - Third Degree Burnout (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Formed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Alvaro Alonso, Arcane Tongues are a London based alt rock band and Third Degree Burnout has been years in the making. The storytelling in the lyrics and Alvaro's playing is what this record is hooked on, written and recorded in London but mixed and mastered in Mexico, every facet of Alvaro's struggle with creative burnout is worked through here, the record a way of him getting catharsis doing what he loves.

So he's exorcising demons with this record, using grungy alt rock ala QOTSA and countless Jack White projects, built on tasty guitar hooks that utilise various sounds and styles, from the thump of the title track and Old Hopes Die Last, the triumphal Valencia or the Western-meets-shoegaze of Bring It Back Home. Effects are employed when needed but also he languishes in the beauty of how a guitar sounds by itself, stripped of any technology just six strings and an amp, such as the bluesy Broken Promises of Swaying Souls.

Backing Alvaro is bassist Gustavo Passarella and drummer/percussionist Cal Wyman, who show off their Latin skills on Ego Mechanic but adding to the epic moments of Dry, keeping the rhythms fuzzy on Night On Fire. The one issue I have is with Alvaro as a vocalist, as his voice is not really my thing but it's a minor quibble on what is otherwise a good alt rock record. 7/10

Reviews: Abigail Williams, Ashes Of Ares, Scardust, Exvamon (Matt Bladen)

Abigail Williams - A Void Within Existence (Agonia Records)

Named for famous snitch, and instigator of the Salem Witch Trials, Abigail Williams have a take on black metal that is very much their own. Atmospheric, explosive and rife with drama, they can be compared to Wolves In The Throne Room, another band where the songs can be four minute blasts of fury or they can undulate and unravel at their own pace the ferocity and fury leaning towards melodic leads and ethereal climbs.

Abigail Williams do the same thing, Nonexistence, shifts between the two styles effortlessly while Still Nights let's them off the leash with out and out violence, guitars polished and savage, the drumming again from Mike Heller (Fear Factory/Ghost Bath) virtuosic in it's brutality, he joined main man Ken Sorceron on Abigail Williams' 2019 record Walk Beyond The Dark and makes his mark again on A Void Within Existence. A mention of Fear Factory could be linked to Talk To Your Sleep, a track with an industrial edge to it which transcends into strings, again the drumming a huge reason why this track has so much power. 

Sorceron plays/programs everything else and his musical vision is still further reaching than many in the black metal genre, be it the incredible guitar playing, the orchestrations or his bestial vocals all create these impressive tracks but Sorceron is a man who doesn't want to be limited by his genre, employing clean vocals on No Less Than Death to guarantee that when the key change comes in it's got much more power when he screams again. The album deals with loss and existentialism, peeling away reality we surround ourselves with and the cosmic horrors that may lay at the edge of our galaxy. It's an album that tries to decide whether any of this is real, is it authentic or are we pawns in a much bigger game of interplanetary chess. 

A Void Within Existence is intelligent black metal on the fringes of what the genre norms are. Cinematic in scope and devastating in it's delivery this is wonderfully bleak, expertly played extreme music. 9/10

Ashes Of Ares – New Messiahs (RPM-ROAR)

Matt Barlow needs no introduction, if you know anything about American power metal you will know who he is. In 2012 he formed a band with guitarist Freddie Vidales and ex-Nevermore drummer Van Williams, after their debut album Williams left so Barlow and Vidales continued to create together resulting in two more albums in 2018 and 2022, with each album Ashes Of Ares have gotten heavier and closer to the music that Barlow was associated with for many years.

On their fourth album New Messiahs they turn the amps up to eleven on their heaviest release so far. Precision guitars that create a modern thrash sound resulting in the title track having a huge chug with more than a little influence from Blaze Bayley. The battery continues on Two Graves where Vidales soloing explodes over another chunky set of riffs, Vidales has struck a perfetc balance between explosive leads but consummate rhythms that keep coming as the sledgehammer drumming of Kyle Taylor the rudder for the pace shifts. Kyle is a guest drummer as Ashes Of Ares are just a 2 piece so they also have some guest appearances from Charlie Honig, Craig Blackwell, and Todd La Torre which flexes their connections of nothing else. 

The duo are the main event though, Vidales riffs come thick and fast, Wake Of Vultures staying with the modern riffs as Matt Barlow uses the full force of his vocals across every song. His belting still incredibly powerful while his snarling mids and lows giving Infection Deception and Atrophy aggression, Barlow has been one of my favourite vocalists since he had incredibly long hair and was wowing audiences across the world and he hasn't lost any of his potency, crooning on the mechanical crush of Lust To Feed or the bludgeoning From Hell He Rides which is one of the few songs on this album that reminds me of Barlow's younger days.

Even on a more introspective songs such as Keep On Walkin' or the unique cover of Elton John's album track, And The House Fell Down his vocals are a standout, getting a bit Tom Waits on the cover. Recorded and mastered by Byron Filson, New Messiahs is a more intense, darker, and heavier offering from Ashes Of Ares. 9/10

Scardust – Souls (Frontiers Music Srl)

Scardust have released two albums before this one and have collaborated with artists such as Patty Gurdy, played with bands like Blind Guardian so it's no wonder that they have been snapped up by Frontiers Music, who clearly recognise the potency of a sound that embraces Symphony X, Therion, and Epica, with plenty of orchestral moments, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Celtic influences.

Much of the buzz around this band is focussed, rightly on vocalist Noa Gruman, she has appeared alongside bands like Amorphis Ayreon and Orphaned Land as a guest vocalist and leads the Hellscore metal choir, who do acapella covers of metal songs. The Hellscore choir features heavily on Souls alongside a string quartet, on every song, there's also some high profile special guests on this third album with Ross Jennings of Haken, Ally Storch of Subway To Sally, along with two orchestras to really give a cinematic sound to this album.

So the album, what does Souls offer to anyone who hasn't heard Scardust before? Well this third record is probably the most progressive, baroque record in their trio of albums so far. They don't ease you in, Long Forgotten Song building from jazzy piano and shifting time signatures. A quirky start to the record before My Haven goes back to the bands origins starting point with guitar/keyboard driven symphonic metal where Gal Gabriel Israel (guitars) and Aaron Friedland (keys) duel throughout, though bassist Orr Didi also gets a solo to really hammer home their virtuosity.

The heavy continues in RIP where Noa employs her full range, including growls as the battery from Yoav Weinberg doesn't relent as the Symphony X/Dream Theater/Haken influences are their strongest here. Of course the band need a suite and they have one that takes up the last three songs of the record, Touch Of Life is a masterpiece, Ross Jennings adding his vocals here for a full prog party.

However Scardust don't always have to makes things complex as Dazzling Darkness and Unreachable reminds me of both Disney and Eurovision while Swearing Echoes embraces gothic overtones Noa moving into her top soprano. Souls is a perfect debut on Frontiers for Scardust, a deeply progressive metal album that balances heaviness with melody but also expands what they do going forward. 9/10

Exvamon – Odyssey Of Fate (Self Released)

An album called Odyssey Of Fate? An album cover with a painting of a very Rhapsody looking dragon? More guitar widdling than an Yngwie Malmsteen record? It’s got to be power metal then? In their promo pics California based band Exvamon all seem ridiculously young and one is wearing an Immortal Guardian shirt, another a Rhapsody Of Fire shirt, so we know where to start then. I can guarantee this band can 100% complete Through The Fire And The Flames on Guitar Hero as they are very much influenced by Dragonforce and the bands I mentioned earlier. 

An American band playing European Neo-classical metal, is not a new thing but bloody hell this foursome do it very well. Considering this is their debut album they’ve managed to capture the adrenaline of power metal with inhuman blastbeats, intense guitar workouts and soaring vocals which are the most American part of the record for me as they move more into the US thrash/speed metal delivery than the stupidly over the top European style. 

I’ll underline that here and say I love the vocals on Odyssey Of Fate, tracks such as Hero, Arise, gets a thrash overhaul because of them, their sojourns into thrash and speed metal keeping Odyssey Of Fate from becoming a total cheese fest like some Rhapsody or Dragonforce records. They have a maturity beyond their years and can apply a gentle touch when needed, like on the beginning of Path To Freedom. 

Four of the tracks have already featured on an EP, but I hadn’t heard that EP before now so everything was new to me and I’m considerably impressed with what Exvamon do as a band. I’ve always been a sucker for great power metal and Exvamon play great power metal. A stellar debut! 9/10

Reviews: Sodom, Day Of The Jackal, Ophelion, Mordbear (Matt Bladen)

Sodom - The Arsonist (Steamhammer / SPV)

If you call an album The Arsonist you can expect to be a lot about it that is incendiary. Of course this is Sodom and Tom Angelripper has been stoking the fires of thrash for many years now as part of the “Big Four” of German Thrash and with this new album it sees the band attempting to keep it as real as possible recording everything analogue with no overdubs of studio tricks. 

So then The Arsonist is the authentic Sodom experience, raw thrash savagery with Frank Blackfire and York Segatz’s buzzsaw riffs ripping up everything in their path as Tom’s vocals croak and his bass thunders like Cronos of Venom but with his own style locked down after many years, drummer Toni Merkel bashing away with aggression on A.W.T.F (a tribute to Algy Ward of Tank) All the band members have contributed to this record making it sound cohesive and not just one person’s vision as one moment you’ll get thrasher such as Sane Insanity there’s also some more epic numbers like Scavenger, it adds depth to the style of Sodom, something many thrash bands struggle with. 

The style of recording is traditional, much like how they would have done it on Persecution Mania or Agent Orange, but the lyrical content doesn’t change, Sodom are a band obsessed by warfare and a huge chunk of this record is dedicated to bloodshed and the sheer hopelessness and human cost of war along with some raging against technology and two homages in the shape of A.W.T.F and Witchunter a track dedicated to their former drummer Chris Witchunter. The Arsonist is Sodom at their fire breathing best, vicious and raw thrash metal with melodic moments to give some dynamism. 7/10

Day Of The Jackal – One More Shot (Self Released)

When Day Of The Jackal released Day Zero they made splash in various publications including this one but due to the pandemic never really got to tour that record properly so they focussed on recording this follow up to further put their stamp on the British rock scene and yet again One More Shot is a full of leather bound biker rocking, recorded as analogue as they could, this Yorkshire band have handpicked their best material to feature on this album, the ‘live-in-the-studio” feeling of the record gives it a bit more muscle showcasing the high level of hard rock chops Day Of The Jackal have. 

What’s obvious about the band is that they aren’t scared to play with their sound, as while A Little Time has some Foo Fighters alt rock propulsion to it, Getting Better having the punk of The Hellacopters, Inside is a much heavier prospect from the realms of heavy metal as Take Your Life is an out an out countrified rocker. The breadth of styles on this record never moves too far away from a core rock n roll style of heavy boogie that has seen them be one of the go-to supports in the Yorkshire area, with tracks such as Maria really nailing what they’re all about. 

I suppose you could call it diversification, writing songs that can fit any sort of show or support so you can slot in everywhere. One More Shot sees Andy Overfield (vocals/guitar), Steve Murray (guitar), Rich McLachlan (bass) and Rich Maw (drums) attempting to break free from their local scene and spread their riffs across the UK. I wouldn’t bet against them doing so very soon. 8/10

Ophelion - The Jaunt (Self Released)

Ophelion are a progressive metal band from Newcastle Upon Tyne comprised of brothers Shaun and Steven Eggleston who wrote all the music and lyrics to this 48 minute concept record. Shaun plays all the guitars/bass and Steven handles synths with Jamie Southern mixing and mastering the record. Titled The Jaunt the album is based around a Steven King short-form horror novel about teleportation which can only take place under sedation, however a traveller defies the rules and remains conscious finding themselves cast into a formless void beyond time, space, and sensation, going insane as their consciousness fractures through expanding universes, with time repeating itself, glimpses of their own past, completing the The Jaunt but leaving the traveller insane with the wisdom and knowledge of being a passive God in the multiverse. 

Big concepts need longer form song writing and Ophelion don’t really do short, The Jaunt is just 5 tracks long but all but one (essentially an interlude) clock in at over 10 minutes in length. The virtuosity of Shaun and Steve is very much the prominent factor of these songs, their expansive storytelling, inspired by the likes of Opeth, Cynic or newer acts such as Haken and Headspace, The Jaunt is hooked on the crunchy guitar riffs, and fluid leads countered and augmented by the banks of synths and electronics. 

Though without drummer Travis Orbin there wouldn’t be the shifts between full on death metal riffs, jazz rhythms and the progressive melodies, with Voice Of Thought being the first track that shifts rhythmic patterns a few times. Top make sure that the duality of these stories are told properly Ophelion have two singers, the clean side handled by Marcello Viera and the death growls from Gabriel Ricco, the benefit of the dual vocals meaning that the dark nature of the source material can be fully realised. 

Even if you aren’t familiar with the book this is based on, what you have here is a deeply detailed, progressive metal, concept record that has a skill level above many bands debuts. 8/10

Mordbear – Mordbear EP (Dipterid Records)

The one thing I will say about this EP is that there’s a huge amount a PR around it, even if it is only 3 tracks, they seem to want to broadcast every single facet of who they are as band. Still down to the music and this debut EP from the Pacific Northwest based band has grooves for days. Mordbear play fuzzing stoner rock with heavy psych leanings, on Like The Dead, reverbed acid rock vocals sit on top of woozy riffs, throbbing basslines and drums that have that analogue hiss. 

Like most great psych rock/proto-metal bands Mordbear are a trio, Tyler Balthaser (guitars, vocals), Nico Martinez (bass), and Erik Larson (drums), and their cohesion makes for a record that flows like its own storyline, the out-there lyrical concepts and love of all things mind melting takes inspiration from the 60’s garage scene through some doom leanings on A Mirror With A Sea Of Flames, Mordbear opening the door to the heavy instrumental passages of Sleep on closer The Alchemist. 

Mordbear play music for anyone that’s dabbled in the devil’s lettuce, heavy psych rock with a connective link between the songs, that builds a world for them to explore on future releases. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: King Diamond (Nat Sabbath & Michael Chew)

King Diamond, Paradise Lost & Unto Others, Manchester Academy, 30.06.25

Opening the evening was Unto Others (8), the Portland-born gothic rockers who arrived clad in a sonic and visual aesthetic straight from the haunted cathedrals of the ’80s. Their sound sits somewhere between The Cure and Type O Negative, with flashes of The Mission and just a hint of Sisters of Mercy-style swagger. A friend who bore witness to this gig described them as “Paradise Lost lite” which I feel does them a disservice on reflection even though he meant it as a compliment; there’s something sharper and more urgent at play here.

Gabriel Franco’s commanding vocals were rich with new wave melancholy, underpinned by Brandon Hill’s crisp bass work and Sebastian Silva’s shimmering, driving guitars. When Will Gods Work Be Done, No Children Laughing Now and Butterfly were set highlights, with just the right mix of drama and restraint. Their stage presence was polished yet vulnerable—coolly captivating without posturing. Unto Others didn’t just warm up the crowd—they haunted it, beautifully.

Next came the legends: Paradise Lost (10), and this was where things truly came alive for me. With a set that leaned heavily into Draconian Times and Obsidian, this was a band that didn’t need to prove anything—only remind us why they remain the undisputed godfathers of gothic doom.

They opened with Enchantment, setting the tone with slow-burning intensity, before moving through Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us, The Last Time, and No Hope In Sight. Nick Holmes was on fierce form, his dry wit between songs offset by vocals full of gravitas and ruin. Gregor Mackintosh’s guitar tone was nothing short of iconic; raw yet melodic, ice-edged but immersive.

The set climaxed with Just Say Words, an anthemic closer that sent the crowd into a state of joyous gloom. For all their mournful lyrics and slow-burning arrangements, Paradise Lost made this feel like a celebration of endurance, legacy, and emotion. It was a privilege to witness.

Then came the evening’s grand guignol: King Diamond (10), in full theatrical horror mode. What followed was part metal gig, part operatic séance, and entirely unforgettable.

The stage was transformed into a gothic mansion, complete with staircases, pyrotechnics, candlelight, and ghoulish dancers in Victorian attire. Diamond himself: face-painted, falsetto soaring, was a commanding, spectral figure. With a setlist spanning Abigail, Them, Conspiracy, Voodoo, and his newer work, including the excellent Masquerade Of Madness, this was a career-spanning spectacle.

Andy LaRocque’s solos were razor-sharp, the musicianship from the entire band was airtight, and the storytelling was so vivid it felt almost cinematic. Welcome Home was a clear crowd favourite, complete with Grandma’s rocking chair and full horror pantomime.

Theatrics aside, it was the sheer sonic weight and atmosphere that carried the show. Diamond may be a master showman, but this was no gimmick… it was masterful performance art with metal at its core.

Reviews: When The Deadbolt Breaks, Phantom Spell, Double Vision, Laguna (Matt Bladen)

When The Deadbolt Breaks - In The Glow Of The Vatican Fire (Argonauta Records)

When The Deadbolt Breaks celebrate their 20th anniversary with their tenth studio album, In The Glow Of Vatican Fire, similarly to fellow avant garde purveyors of macabre psychedelic doom Crippled Black Phoenix. They are a band who exist in the netherworld, the last musical remains of a destroyed world, holding together the husks of humanity with moments of melody through pummelling heaviness.

Formed in 2005 by bassist Steve Wieda and vocalist Amber Leigh, their reliance on dissonance and experimentation has kept them on the fringes of genre classification but this is band who embrace their counterculture position has seen them appear at stoner and doom festivals as well as SXSW. 

Amber is what I would call a vocalist, she doesn't always have to use words to convey emotion, soaring with some impressive vocalisations on the opening dirge that is The Scythe Will Come. Her contributions to the band cannot be underestimated, she has the vocal gymnastics of St Vincent or Siouxie Sioux, joined by the low Nick Cave-like delivery of Aaron Lewis who is also the guitarist of the band. Giving the fuzz-drenched stoner riffs to the post-punk goes black metal Coffin Walls and the brain bleeding, dystopian heaviness of The Chaos Of The Water, where Wieda's bass throbs threateningly as Rob Birkbeck's drumming leaves plenty of room for breath between the asphyxia. 

The album is dissonant, harrowing and at times a difficult listen but then it's supposed to be. It's inspired by "man’s infinite capacity for cruelty" In The Glow Of The Vatican Fire isn't introspective, it's downright depressing, emotionally jarring and driven by the intergalactic nihilism of Lovecraft. Joaquin Gouin adds more sonorous lows on glacial moving The Deep Well, giving the album another heart-wrenching vocal performance on another monstrous cut.

In The Glow Of The Vatican Fire is the sound of a band at peace with their sound but not with the world. Doom of a very special kind, this isn't just music, it's an experience. 9/10

Phantom Spell - Heather & Hearth (Cruz Del Sur Music/Wizard Tower Records)

We now live in a world without Magnum. The band have all but called it a day in the wake of Tony Clarkin's passing, however their influence lives on, many would say in Avantasia but there's much more of a stronger presence in Phantom Spell. Having emerged from The Black Spire in 2021, Seven Sisters frontman Kyle McNeil pays homage to Clarkin, Catley and co with this 70's prog meets NWOBHM, medieval masterpiece that also draws from the likes of Uriah Heep another band now on their farewell tour, as well as Tom Galley's Phenomena and Wishbone Ash.

The latter strongly on the title track Heather & Hearth where the glorious twin guitar harmonies are plucked straight from Argus. Now McNeill has a great voice, possessing the same soulful storytelling as Bob Catley, but he's something of a polymath playing and programming everything else on this album too, from the guitars, to the Hammond organs, the drums, bass and the production too. Phantom Spell is Kyle leaning into the folky/proggy roots of British rock music, as his other band take things further into the dramatic and extra terrestrial, Heather & Hearth keeps everything grounded into the sense folklore of the UK.

Culminating in Old Pendle, a cover of a 1940's folk song about Pendle Hill in Lancashire, a place that historically is associated with witches. It's an album rich with tales and nostalgic trips into the rural past, no one song lingering too long before the next entices you into a forgotten era, be it the organ driven neoclassical likes of The Autumn Citadel and Evil Hand or the riffy classic rocking of Siren Song.

With a live band established expect Phantom Spell take the wizardry of Heather & Hearth on take to the road soon and with "The Spirit" of Magnum & Heep inside Kyle McNeill will always be true to his roots! 9/10

Double Vision - Double Vision (Frontiers Music)

A Foreigner tribute band with Chandler Mogel? Sign me up! But Double Vision are more than just a tribute now, they write their own music with plenty of melodic rock influences and even more saxophone but stay true to where they started knowing paying homage to Mick Jones' Jukebox Heroes throughout. 

I've waxed lyrical about Mogel's vocals in this publication before and he's brilliant here wringing emotion out of ballad The Man You Make Me but giving a track such as I Know The Way a bit of bluesing. With Mogel up front they have a vocalist with the skill and passion of Lou Gramm but the band themselves don't slouch when it comes to melodic rocking.

The choppy guitars of Chris Schwartz and Paul Baccash on Youphoria, or their solo sections on Prison Of Illusion and others are the melodic hook of this record. There's a flair for the dramatic on the jazzy Silence Is Louder Than Words as Scott Duboys (drums) and Scott Metaxas (bass), Church Of The Open Mind leans on organs and double entendre.

Alex Lubin important to the bluesy This Day And Age, the keystone to so many of the songs his synths/organs/piano the main melodic component alongside the guitarists. You have to give it to Double Vision, they shunned the easy money of being a tribute band to record their own music and it's paid off.

Not Foreigners any more, Double Vision stamp their citizenship with their self titled record. 8/10

Laguna - The Ghost Of Katrina (Frontiers Music Srl)

The Ghost Of Katrina is the debut album from Mexican rockers Laguna. I'll rephrase that and say Mexican Melodic rockers, focus on the melodic as even though the band hail from the arid desert they have all the synthy, strutting riffage and chorus hooks of the Scandinavian melodic/AOR scene.

Though that's not all as Laguna also have influences of bands such as American acts like REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Night Ranger with touches of the pop sound of bands such as Mr Mister (Ghost Behind The Mask) or Bon Jovi (Living On The Line) as well.

Another comparison would be with Giant who's Jimmy Westerlund produced the record with some slick, boisterous production, while adding his own talents to the rocking Punk Boy. His production showcases the guitar/keyboard rhythms and emotive vocals nicely, keeping that song writing maturity and contemporary feeling that the Scandi bands all have.

Everything about The Ghost Of Katrina feels retro as if ripped from an 80's FM radio station or the soundtrack to GTA: Vice City but there's some modernity that is always found in many of the bands supported by Frontiers music. 

With the smouldering Wildfire, leading to These Chains, the propulsive Electric High and the melodic metal leaning My Syndrome, Laguna have all of the potential and talent to take over the rock world outside of South America. 8/10

W.A.S.P Album One Alive Tour Preview (Rick Eaglestone)

W.A.S.P. – Album One Alive 2025 Tour Preview by Rick Eaglestone



As the dust settles on the nostalgia of classic metal, the notorious W.A.S.P. are preparing to come roaring back into the spotlight with their highly anticipated “One Alive.” Tour marking the 40th anniversary of the release of their first album and To celebrate this will, for the first time in 40 years, play the entire album in full, from start to finish plus classics from their formidable back catalogue.

W.A.S.P., fronted by the enigmatic Blackie Lawless, has been a force of nature since their inception in 1982. Known for their provocative imagery and unabashed approach to hard rock, the band has woven a complex tapestry of sound, storytelling, and theatricality that still resonates with fans globally looking echo the raw energy of their debut,

Historically, the UK has played a vital role in W.A.S.P.'s journey. Since their breakthrough album, “W.A.S.P.” released in 1984 UK fans embraced them with open arms, and in return, W.A.S.P. consistently pushed boundaries. The release of their sophomore album, “The Last Command,” saw a significant climb in their popularity across Britain, leading to sell-out shows.

The “One Alive” tour marks a return to roots and a celebration of a band that have found a consistent significant following throughout their career.

The UK tour dates, set to kick off in late July of 2025, with three solo dates include notable locales where metal hearts undoubtedly beat stronger than ever. Starting in the bustling city of Norwich, this tour will span several key cities, including Glasgow, Nottingham’s Rock City, Each city having its unique legacy within the metal community, making it a fitting backdrop for W.A.S.P.'s return.

Then moving into September with support from Armoured Saint the tour will run through Newcastle 02’s city a venue that always yields a spirited atmosphere. Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse that will undoubtedly bear witness to the raucous energy fans have come to expect from W.A.S.P. gigs and concluding in the setting of London’s Hammersmith Apollo - perfect for the charged connection between the band and their loyal followers.

The anticipation for “One Alive” is intensified by their live performance reputation. With elaborate stage designs, pyrotechnics, and Lawless' stage persona, fans are in for a visceral experience that transcends mere music.

Blackie Lawless says, “This is the tour that showcases the album that started the long, long undying bond between the band and to all the fans in your countries where all our international success first began 40 years ago. It was an angry record made by an angry band. It was a record that not only reflected the attitude of the band members who made it, but also a record that reflected its time.”

He continues, “This tour showcases for the first time, that landmark first album, played in its entirety, from top to bottom, most likely never to be repeated ever again. So be there and see these Winged Assassins, and witness this once in a lifetime event.”

Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer drawn to the allure of their legendary status, the “One Alive 2025” tour is poised to be an unmissable event.