Another Point Of View: Kreator (Live Review By Stief)

Kreator, O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London

Having only walked in for the end of their set, I don't feel it's fair to score Sepultura but I will say that having heard closing songs Ratamahatta and fan favourite Roots Bloody Roots, it's easy to see the Brazilian lads haven't lost it.

Then it was time for the reason me and my good friend Nick trekked all the way to England's capital; The mighty Kreator (10). As soon as the band entered the stage to Choir Of The Damned, the crowd were chomping at the bit for some brutal thrash metal and received it they did with Mille and company tearing straight into Hordes Of Chaos, following up with classic song Phobia. The setlist, although heavily stacked with songs from the brilliant Gods Of Violence, had a great mix of older and newer songs, with the band playing through them relentlessly. Mille Petrozza's voice was filled with just as much malice and anger live as on track, and he held the crowd captivated from start to finish. His guitar work was excellent, backed up by Sami Yli-Sirniö, Ventor's drumming is still rattling around my head as I type this and Christian Giesler's bass brought the heaviness tenfold.

Despite missing out fan (and personal) favourite Voices Of The Dead from the setlist, there was still an excellent choice of songs spanning the band's career, including the rarely played Civilization Collapse and set closer Pleasure To Kill from their second album. Fan favourite Flag Of Hate was received very well, with the band flawlessly seguing into Under The Guillotine. One standout moment of the night was during Fallen Brother where the images of deceased musicians flashed up on the screens around the band, including not only metal heroes such as Lemmy and Dio, but also David Bowie, Prince and 2-Pac, reflecting the band's belief that music should bring people together no matter what the genre. As we left the venue, I had no doubt there were going to be plenty of sore heads and equally sore necks in the morning, my own included.

Editors Note- After this gig Kreator were announced for a Saturday special guest slot at Bloodstock so we expect to be in serious pain on Sunday. 

Reviews: Sinister, Striker, Unearthly Trance (Reviews By Rich)

Sinister: Syncretism (Massacre Records)

Dutch death metal veterans Sinister strike hard with their twelfth album Syncretism showing that old school death metal is still very much alive and well in 2017. Sinister are true veterans of the death metal scene with the band forming in 1988 and their early albums are seen as some of the most defining albums of the genre. With Syncretism the band maintain their legacy and release what is sure to be one of the finest death metal releases of 2017. Syncretism combines all the classic traits of death metal - razor sharp riffs, deep murky bass, chaotic drumming with plenty of blast beats and double kick plus the ultra guttural vocals of frontman Aad Kloosterwaard. Also in place are some very nice symphonic passages which add a nice atmosphere of dread to the music whilst at the same time doesn't detract from the brutality of the music. This is especially effective in opening song Neurophobic where the symphonics slowly and gradually build up before the guitars kick in with a riff so savage that you may be decapitated if standing too close to your speakers. Syncretism isn't a groundbreaking album but it is testament to a band like Sinister that even with their twelfth album they still have the ability to release death metal of this quality and intensity. 8/10

Striker: S/T (Record Breaking Records)

Canadian metallers Striker return with their self-titled fifth album and if you are a fan of old school heavy metal from the 1980's then you seriously need to hear this album. Striker is chock full of fist pumping heavy metal anthems with uplifting choruses, earworm hooks and flashy lead guitar solos aplenty. There is also a bit of a Sunset Strip glam metal influence running throughout which helps the album sound almost authentically 80's. Tim Brown impresses with his flashy guitar playing as does vocalist Dan Clearly with his impressive melodic yet restrained vocals. There are no OTT banshee wails to be heard here. This is the first time I have heard Striker and I am breathtakingly impressed. This album manages to both sound like a wonderful throwback to the 1980's yet sound inventive and modern at the same time. This is definitely an album to be played on a Friday or Saturday night with the volume cranked up and a beer in hand. Absolutely stunning anthemic party metal which demands you pump your fist and bang your head. 9/10

Unearthly Trance: Stalking The Ghost (Relapse)

Stalking The Ghost is album number six for Unearthly Trance and the first since their reformation in 2015. With a seven year gap between albums Stalking The Ghost was a highly anticipated release by doom/sludge/stoner fans and on the whole it delivers. Unearthly Trance pretty much pick up from where they left off and have released an album of dense and bludgeoning doom/sludge metal. The riffs on this album are straight up nasty complimented by a heavyweight rhythm section and the truly vicious vocals of Ryan Lipynsky. There are also influences from old school black metal and post-metal especially in the dark atmosphere throughout some of the songs. This dark oppressive atmosphere combined with the savagery of the riffs makes these songs sound like they are about to burst with violence. The downside to this album is that all the finest tracks are on the first half of the album with the second half of the album gradually losing steam (and my interest) as it went on. That being said this is still a damn good album and recommended to those who like the nasty side of doom and sludge metal. 7/10

Reviews: Crystal Fairy, Mothership, Cryptic Realms

Crystal Fairy: S/T (Ipecac)

Crystal Fairy is an interesting prospect with two members of The Melvins, Buzz Osborne (guitar) and Dale Crover (drums) you can always say that about any project that stems from The Melvins. Crystal Fairy is a genre bending record that also features musical polymath Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (at The Drive-In, The Mars Volta) on bass and Le Butcherettes frontwoman Teri Gender Bender.

With a motley crew of characters involved Crystal Fairy brings the influence of all involved there are fuzzy riffs from Buzz that move between punk, grunge and metal with ease, intricate bass lines from Rodriguez-Lopez that ramp up the psych, technically proficient and groove laden drumming from Crover but the major reason for this band's musical dexterity are the fantastic vocals from Gender Bender who whispers, shouts, seduces, chastises, croons and hollers sometimes in the same song her acerbic delivery at work on the stomping Necklace Of Divorce, she seems to be adapting her vocals to fit the song, which is mightily impressive for an artist known for her Riot Grrl aesthetics, hell even on the Spanish language Vampire X-Mas she astounds.

Opening with the riffing Chiseler they start with a punky kick in the head, that morphs into the doom riffage of Drugs On The Bus anchored by the low-end crunch of Omar, there is a definite jam sound to this record it's four paid up members of the touring scene together in a room indulging in sounds that they may not be associated with, you can practically feel the smiles emanating off the band as they rock out hard on Vampire X-Mas and Secret Agent Rat.

Crystal Fairy is an album that sees musicians you may associate with one style of music coming out of their comfort zone to cherry pick the best parts of metal, punk, sludge rock, psychedelia, and even pop to make and album that reveals more layers with every play. 8/10

Mothership: High Strangeness (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Well, well, well after being inundated with numerous Scandinavian psych, stoner, doom acts all of high quality sometimes it's nice to go back to the genre's roots with an American band that deftly re-create the sounds of 70's hard rock taking cues from British rockers such as UFO along with "The Little Old Band From Texas" ZZ Top and even the mighty Grand Funk Railroad, this album is proper power-trio stuff, brothers  Kyle and Kelley Juett are the riff machines, Kyle on four strings, Kelley on six, they are responsible for the scorching heavy rocking that fills this album, packed by the powerhouse percussion of Judge Smith.

The title track that starts this record is a hazy instrumental that has touches of Hawkwind and brings you into the swirling space rocking that is about to be unleashed on the chugging Ride The Sun that builds like a Wolfmother song before exploding into all kinds of fret wankery. These two tracks alone are supreme examples of Mothership's brand of supersonic heavy rock n roll and they kick things off well for what is the Dallas band's third record, from here on out it maintains the same high level dipping in and out of the sounds of an era. Midnight Express is a doomy NWOBHM influenced rocker sound is similar to fellow Texans The Sword while Helter Skelter ramps up the groove.

The production means the songs gleam and you can hear every ounce of talent being displayed. High Strangeness flies by but as the final chords of the swampy seven minute Speed Dealer you want to do it all again. Playing at a venue near you in June, pick up this record blast it loud then go and check them out I know I will be. 8/10    

Cryptic Realms: Enraptured By Horror (Transcending Obscurity) [Review By Paul]

Death metal brought to you by the combined nationalities of Mexico, Greece, Brazil and United States. It is brutal stuff, with Kostas Analytis (I had that once, cleared up with a cream from the GP) laying down a vocal circa Morbid Angel and Venom 1984. In fact, the sound of this band is so deeply entrenched in the mid 1980s you could be forgiven for thinking it’s buried treasure. Unfortunately, the album is killed by a dire production which leaves you straining to hear the drumming of Uriel Aguillon.

It sounds like he’s playing on biscuit tins at times. It’s a similar issue for the guitar work of Tersis Zonato who is lost in the muddy mix. Thematically the band follow a traditional death metal path. Doomed Cathedrals, In Mortal Distress and Begging To Be Dead leave little to the imagination. The similarity is such that half way into the release I was hunting to check if I had it on repeat, such was the repetitive nature. Full credit to the band for giving it their all in their first full release. Next time polish up the sound so that it does you justice. 5/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Black Star Riders, Gun, The Amorettes (Live Review By Paul)

Black Star Riders – Tramshed, Cardiff

Cardiff’s Tramshed always offers a warm welcome, in more ways than you may expect. A capacity crowd full of mainly mature classic rock fans crammed into a venue where the air conditioning is used incredibly sparingly meant that you began to fear for some of the more cardiac challenged punters. At the start of the BSR set sense finally prevailed and some limited breeze provided a little bit of relief. For such a great venue with fabulous staff and security this is the one thing that lets it down.

Opening outfit for the night were The Amorettes (7) have been on the scene since 2009. Hailing from West Lothian, the hard rock and rolling three piece who have toured extensively over the past few years, kicked off proceedings with no shortage of confidence, vocalist and guitarist Gill Montgomery showing her skills as the band crashed into a short set which showcased tracks from their three albums. The raucous Let The Neighbours Call The Cops received a healthy reception and to be fair, as the girls set increased in tempo, so did the applause. With Heather McKay rampaging all over the stage with her bass slung low and sister Hannah bashing seven shades of shite out of her large drum kit, The Amorettes no doubt gained some new admirers during the evening. They don’t do anything new, as noted in closing track Hot and Heavy but they wear their Motorhead/Girlschool/AC/DC/Lizzy influences proudly on their sleeves and were an enjoyable watch.

The crowd swelled for the arrival of the second Scottish act of the evening. Gun (8) are old hands these days and are amongst the hardest working bands around. They appear to be a house band for the organisers of the Hard Rock Hell events and have the swagger to go with their thumping AOR tunes. Dante Gizzi is the epitome of cool, refusing to remove the leather jacket despite the sweltering heat in the venue whilst brother Jools was poured into a pair of red trousers which left little to the imagination! Their 40-minute set went down a storm with the inevitable shape throwing induced by Word Up! causing much hilarity on the balcony (Guilty M'Lud - Ed) With their back catalogue of soft rockers it was only a question of what the band would throw out but they did chuck in a newbie alongside Let It Shine, Hold Your Head Up and of course, the Beastie’s Fight For Your Right which closed their set in style. With a couple of the current line up significantly younger than the original members Gun have got the fresh impetus to continue to build on. Always good fun.

Wailing air raid sirens heralded the arrival of headliners Black Star Riders (7). With their new album recently released to pretty much unanimous acclaim, it was unsurprising that a good half of the set comprised tracks from Heavy Fire. The confidence of a band full of seasoned professionals was there for all to see from the off. Scott Gorham and Damon Johnson are exceptional guitarists and throughout the evening traded licks for fun. Jimmy DeGrasso and Robbie Crane held the rhythm with ease which allowed frontman Ricky Warwick to flex his muscles and throw every rock star shape in the manual. And yet, there was something about the overall delivery that just lacked emotion or connectivity. The previous evening I’d seen The Answer, a band whose heart and soul pull you in to every second of their show. Not so with BSR. If I was uber critical I would say that they were somewhat going through the motions. Sure, they were polished and faultless in their playing and Warwick’s voice is as good in the live setting as it is on record but there was something missing. It felt like watching rather than being part of the gig.

Of course, the sight of Gorham knocking out the riffs for The Boys Are Back In Town is worth the ticket price alone and the band hit the heavy button several times during the evening, most noticeably with Who Rides The Tiger and Bound For Glory (Lizziest track the band have - Ed). Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a bad gig, oh no. It just didn’t hit the connection which often happens and felt a bit too clinical, despite the heat in the venue. I’m sure BSR are decent guys and Scott Gorham is one of my heroes. However, Warwick’s cocksure arrogance doesn’t float my boat and at times became a source of minor irritation. Give me The Answer any day.

Reviews: Mr Folk Compilation Vol 4. (Review By Stief)

Mr Folk Compilation Vol 4.

Due to the nature of this compilation, I won't be going into too much detail, but rather give a brief look into each song.

Skyforger - Rämava

Heavy, chugging black-tinged folk metal with the odd dose of maiden-esque galloping riffs. Great melodies and meaty bass. (8)

SIG:AR:TYR - Northern

Great riffs, with a slight hint of Evil Scarecrow. Daemonskald's vocals, however, lean more towards a harsh whisper than a brutal growl, never raising above that and struggles at times to be heard over the music (7)

ODR - Fuochi Nelle Valli

Something a bit more folky, with flutes and violin backing up some brutal vocals. One of the heavier songs of the compilation. (8)

Grimtotem - Kütral

Opening with some brilliant synthwork, the song then breaks into some brutal vocals and soaring guitars with a folky rhythm interspersed throughout (9)

An Theos - Chemarea Sträbunilor

This song has all the staples of classic folk metal. Strings, pounding drums, vicious growls. It switches into a heavy metal about 2/3rds of the way through, but slips nicely back into the folk sound to finish (8)

Scuorn - Fra Ciel' E Terr'

Despite it's black metal-esque opening, Fra Ciel' E Terr' has that flagon swinging rhythm. This song feels like Behemoth or Dimmu Borgir attempting a folk career, great stuff. (8)

Song Of Chu - Yu Ren

One of the further reaching songs from Chinese artist, Yu Ren. It's got some decent riffs, soaring vocals, excellent growls and a pump-your-fist chant towards the end. (7)

Storm Seeker - Jack

Definitely sitting within the pirate-folk area, complete with a hurdy gurdy. Pirate metal at it's finest, with an excellent sing-along chorus and a violin/guitar breakdown. (9)

Æxylium - The Blind Crow

Extremely folky here, with harps, fiddles and violins galore. Slightly let down by the clean vocals, however, the growls are great. (7)

Heather Wasteland - Tre Sverd

Although a pretty decent instrumental, this feels more like an interlude track. Slow paced, but nothing majorly stands out about it. (6)

Gotland - Traitor or Savior

Back into the epic side of folk metal with choirs and blast beats galore. Great guttural vocals too, paired with growls that are dripping with malice. (9)

Goblin Hovel - The Menace

Somehow making an acoustic riff sound pretty brutal, this is one of the more comedic songs of the compilation. Pretty decent vocals, although suffers similarly to SIG:AR:TYR in that they often don't rise above a harsh whisper (7)

Helroth - To Forgotten Gods

Excellent mix of violins, chugging guitar riffs and monastic chants throughout. Some great drumwork too. (8)

Ulfsark - Flames Of War

Back into the brutality, with a battle metal call to arms, blastbeats and top notch riffs top it all off. (8)

Harmasar - Porcu

Despite starting off promising with a doom-like riff, the song gradually descends into a mishmash of styles and pacing. The clean vocals aren't great, and the growls bring it back only a little. On the plus side, there's some flutes (6)

Tears Of Styrbjorn - Years Of Victory

Tight guitar work, some brilliant vocals, an excellently crafted piece of folk metal from start to finish. (9)

Yomi - Fires Of War

The second song about fire and war in the compilation gives us more of an oriental-folk feel through the use of the shamisen. Pretty decent vocals throughout. (7)

M.A.I.M - Freedom Tank

Brilliant, fast paced guitars and made jig-worthy with the use of flute and violin. Brilliant vocals and a contender for the best song title of the album. (8)

Boisson Divine - Sent Pencard

Some excellent folk metal from this french duo. The pace never stops, their guitarwork is sublime, and the addition of the boha throughout the song gives it a great folk-metal feel (9)

Bloodshed Walhalla - Dragon's Breath

Volume 4 finishes with a cover of Bathory's Dragon's Breath and it's a pretty decent one, although not as heavy as the original. (8)

All in all, a great mixed bag of a compilation!

Reviews: Alex Skolnick Trio, Big Wreck, Razzamattazz (Reviews By Paul)

Alex Skolnick Trio: Live Unbound (Skol Productions)

Released back in September 2016, this seven track live release from the Testament shredder’s American Jazz trio is something completely different. Five original tracks combined with two interesting covers recorded live in Hanover in 2014 make for pretty easy listening. I’m not much of a jazz fan but AST, the line up completed by drummer Matt Zebroski and bassist Nathan Peck, do some smooth work.

The covers include a ten minute freestyle version of Aerosmith’s Dream On, complete with an astonishing Jimmy Page Zeppelin break down in the middle section and Scorpions Still Lovin’ You, a beautiful track in its own right but given the 20 minute extended jazz odyssey in style. Although at times it almost gets a bit Richard Cheese, overall, this is pure relaxation and with some fabulous guitar work from one of the harder working and underrated axe heroes of the past 30 years. Nice! 8/10

Big Wreck: Grace Street (Warner Music Canada)

I must be honest, I’d never heard of Big Wreck before Grace Street landed on the mat. A Canadian/American four piece who formed in 1994, disbanded in 2002 before reforming in 2010, Big Wreck are powered by Ian Thornley, who formed the band and who is the vocalist, lead guitarist and keyboard player. He is joined by Brian Doherty on rhythm guitar, David McMillan on bass and drummer Chuck Keeping. Big Wreck moves between Queen, Muse and The Von Hertzen Brothers along with the pop rock sound of Keane, Travis and Snow Patrol et al thrown in for good measure. Grace Street is a long album, with 13 tracks and just under 70 minutes and whilst the tunes are pleasant enough, with opening salvo It Comes As No Surprise and One Good Piece Of Me decent light rock tunes, as the album progresses it just becomes a little boring.

Thornley’s high pitched alto delivery, akin to some of the AOR giants of the 80s (think Roger Hodgson of Supertramp) is an acquired taste. Big Wreck’s alternative rock sound is crisply produced but veers too much towards the mainstream with songs such as Tomorrow Down and You Don’t Even Know a little too polished for me. The lyrical content focuses very much on the positive and negative aspects of relationships. By half way through the album I was flagging with the repetitive nature of what is undoubtedly a highly-crafted album. Not my cup of tea. 6/10

Razzmattazz: Digging For Gold (Good Night Music)

German outfit Razzmattazz’s approach is routine. Mix Van Halen and AC/DC, a dash of Nazareth and churn out 12 tracks of no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll. Absolutely nothing original here at all, with tracks like Expect No Mercy, Holy Molly and opener Bad Girls, Good Loving about as basic as you can get. It’s okay, reasonably well produced and performed and does what it says on the tin.

The ballads suck balls mind, with Back To You bringing up a bit of sick in the mouth despite some decent lead work. Not dreadful, just average. However, any band that offer a dog bandana and an umbrella amongst their merch wins a bonus point. 5/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: The Answer (Live Review By Paul)

The Answer, The Globe

It’s been a turbulent three years since The Answer were in the Welsh capital. A time of uncertainty, darkness and worry. Two albums further down the line and one could cruelly say no change. To me, the fact that The Answer is still turning in shows of such exceptional quality is a miracle.

Missing openers Calling Apollo due to work commitments, Ebbw Vale based ScarSun (5) struggled with a poor mix, lead singer Ellie’s obvious respiratory discomfort and some apparent internal conflicts. Sorry to say but the band did not look happy. With a short set, the band valiantly ploughed on, receiving polite applause from the crowd but all parties looked relieved when the set had finished. It’s a shame as their alt-rock sound hinted at decent things. Maybe next time.

A smaller than expected crowd greeted the Irish Rover entrance music and the arrival of Northern Ireland’s favourite sons The Answer (10) with much joy. It was after all St David’s Day in Wales and the bond that us Celts share was evident throughout the night. None more so than when Cormack Neeson produced a bottle of JD and proceeded to pour generous portions for the front row and beyond. Neat touch and one wildly appreciated.

The set itself was crammed with goodies which cut across the band’s history. Unsurprisingly, no fewer than seven songs from last year’s Solas made their debut on Welsh soil, and they sounded brilliant. For those of us at Steelhouse Festival last summer, you might recall the band closing their set with the title track. I maintain that Solas is the best song the band have ever written and having been honed on the road for a few months, it was the perfect opener with its dark and brooding smouldering capturing everyone’s attention. Alongside the new tunes a few of the older classics stood shoulder to shoulder. These included a blistering Demon Eyes from Everyday Demons and Never Too Late and Under The Sky from debut Rise. However, it was the new stuff which was the focus of the set and it was interesting to see how many of those present were familiar with the material. Some subtle changes of pace for the acoustic grounded tracks such as In This Land and Thief Of Light balanced the set perfectly. The new material has a grittier more local feel and whilst it took a while to warm to it on CD it really worked live. Tunnel and the penultimate track, the gorgeous emotion filled Battle Cry in particular held the audience captivated.

The Answer captures the Planet Rock and Steelhouse demographic perfectly and those present showed their appreciation at every opportunity. Some great Welsh singing throughout the evening, especially on Come Follow Me and the usual set closer Spectacular. A special treat with an additional song at the end of the set, the blues soaked Memphis Water brought a great set to an end. With sets always filled with humour, honesty and superb quality music, I fail to understand why these guys are not filling venues three times the size of The Globe. However, I’m thankful that Cormac, Micky, Paul and James continue to follow their path. The world would be a much duller place without The Answer.

Reviews: Oceanwake, Bobby Kimball, Benighted (Reviews By Paul)

Oceanwake: Earthen (ViciSolum Records)

Finnish doom metallers Oceanwake’ third full release is possibly their most ambitious. Consisting a mere two tracks, the progressive side of the band has come fully to the fore with A Storm Sermon clocking in at 21 minutes in length whilst track two, the megalodon sized In Amidst The Silent Thrones a mighty 24 minutes. Hugely atmospheric, hauntingly eerie and strangely mesmeric, A Storm Sermon builds gently with elements of death metal mixing with doom, prog and industrial shades to provide a Gothic track of some magnitude. Eero Haula’s strong voice, supported by the echoing backing vocals of guitarist VV Laaksonen sit perfectly whilst the intricate guitar work of Martti Koski and Laaksonen weave a spell around the listener. Comparisons are inevitably made with the vocals of Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason from Icelandic outfit Solstafir as the track progresses. The track ebbs and flows, swirling like mist. Repetitive chords and rhythms are used to great effect. In Amidst The Silent Thrones maintains the ethereal feel, with chopping power chords crashing over the start in the style of the great German outfit Ahab; in fact it’s Ahab who spring to mind when you listen to this piece of quite schizophrenic chaos. Earthen isn’t an easy listen; in fact it takes repeated attempts to get through it. The reward? Well, two hugely intense pieces of progressive doom, hanging like masterful art in a gallery. Not to everyone’s taste for sure but if you like your metal to work for you, it’s worth a spin. 7/10

Bobby Kimball: Mysterious Sessions (Purple Pyramid)

Sometimes the Ed throws you such a curved ball to review that the only response is to call him a right fucking bastard! (Thank You! Thank You -Ed) Bobby Kimball is the voice of Toto, the soft rock AOR giants of the 1980s who came to prominence with the awful Rosanna and even more puke inducing Africa. Mysterious Sessions, which raises plenty of questions, mainly why and what the actual shitting fuck? is a combination of the aforementioned Toto tracks plus the inevitable Hold The Line, as well as a number of completely random cover versions of tracks you’ll never be able to listen to again. Although the musicianship on this release is of high quality, to be expected with the likes of Mike Porcano (Toto), Yes members Billy Sherwood, Alan White and Tony Kaye, Patrick Moraz (The Moody Blues) and former Dream Theater and Black Country Communion keyboardist Derek Sherinian, the choice of tracks is bewildering. Pink Floyd’s Have A Cigar is only rescued by some breath-taking guitar work from Bruce Kulick. It’s very hard to improve on anything The Beatles delivered and Get Back is a bizarre choice with little to commend it. Add in the most gut wrenchingly bad cover of 10CC’s I’m Not In Love, Who’s Crying Now (Journey) and it was hard not to reach for the off switch. Astonishingly, the version of Aerosmith’s What It Takes drops this album to even lower depths; truly awful and comparable to some of the worst karaoke I’ve ever heard. Pure dog shit. But no, it doesn’t end there with the wild card of Level 42’s Something About You sufficient to get the needles out and start ramming them in the ears. If you can still hear anything by now you don’t deserve the finale of Please Come Home For Christmas, on an album released in February for fuck’s sake. If there is a worse album this year I don’t want to hear it. The only point is for Kulick’s guitar work. Avoid at all costs. 1/10

Benighted: Necrobreed (Season Of Mist)

If you fancy having your face ripped off by thirty tons of gravel fired directly at it at 150mph then I strongly suggest you stick the latest offering from Saint Etienne’s deathgrind masters Benighted up your chuff. Necrobreed is possibly the most brutal album you’ll get in the lugholes this year. Crammed with the most obliterating riffs, extreme drumming and the voice of Satan’s arsehole after a vindaloo at The Mahal, the French outfit don’t give a second’s rest. After the sinister Hush Little Baby opens the album, it’s mayhem all the way with Reptillian, Psychosilencer and Leatherface all battering to submission whilst the slight change of pace in Forgive Me Father merely allows you to grab a breath before being pulled back under. If there is a more disturbingly disgusting song than Cum With Disgust, then it can only be on a Cannibal Corpse album. Julian Truchan’s vocals are quite astonishing, the guttural swamp growl quite something. With a double cover of Sepultura’s Biotech Is Godzilla and Mayhem’s Christraping Black Metal bringing the album to a close, this is aural assault with the impact of an oil tanker crashing into the harbour wall. Listen to this album. Feel your organs move. Urrggghhhh!! 8/10

Reviews: Sanctuary, Scars Of Tears, Rest In Me

Sanctuary: Inception (Century Media)

You probably know the name Sanctuary, they released two albums of complex thrash/power metal in 1988 and 1990 and then disbanded with frontman Warrel Dane going on to form Nevermore with Jeff Loomis, Nevermore was probably the more successful of the two bands darker, heavier and more progressive of the two groups this too came to an end, so Dane went back to his previous group and released their excellent third record in 2014, the sound was a mix of the early Sanctuary thrash with high shrieking vocals and the darker Nevermore touches it was a triumphant come back and they have followed it up with Inception this is more of a retrospective release as the songs on this record were all written and originally recorded as a demo prequel to their 1988 debut Refuge Denied, but the album was lost. It was on the back of this that they caught the attention of Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine who produced their debut. Thankfully the songs have been found, and are now presented on this record in a remixed and remastered form, thus the title of Inception as these songs mark the foundation of the band back in 1986. Six of the tracks on this record went on to become part of Refuge Denied so it's great to hear them in this remastered setting, as the modern production allows them to really carry some weight. Tracks such as Battle Angels, Die For My Sins and Soldiers Of Steel are all as good as they were on the debut but as I've said they just seem a bit more modern due to the production, although the cover of White Rabbit is still as weird. Newer/older/unreleased songs like Dream Of Incubus and Death Rider/Third War are also very good indeed showing that the band really had a flair for writing quality speed metal. For anyone that was missing the thrash sounds of Sanctuary's first period then Inception will see you grabbing for the high tops and leathers, manic, furious thrash the way it's supposed to be. 8/10

Scars Of Tears: Just Dust (Sliptrick Records)

Hailing from the picturesque principality of Kastoria in Northern Greece, Scars Of Tears have scored a major coup by being signed American label Sliptrick Records. Now they are a female fronted band but they do a lot to separate themselves from the literal hundreds of female fronted bands around at the moment by having dual vocals with male and female both shining especially on the excellent Icefall. Also they stand out from the crowd by mixing up their musical styles throughout this their second record. Ranging from bouncing electro Goth rock riffs (Infeasible), to groove-laden modern metal on Need To Fight. They bring the symphonic tendencies on Slayer, Rammstein-like industrial stomps such as Here And Now, Ashes Of Draw is particularly proggy building on the powerful bass from Salagiannis Thanasis who gels with Polyzos Christos and they also do well with slow-trudging doom the funeral solemness in place on Love And Soul. The tracks with the Paradise Lost-like misery and really give Babis Stefanidis mournful vocals a chance to shine, like Nick Holmes is equally adept at booming cleans and harsher tones while also playing guitar along with Petros Nikolaou. Adding layer of sweetness and melody to the proceedings are the harmonies of Charitini Anastasiadou who as co-lead vocalist gels as the angel to Babis' demon, her voice rings clear similar and has unique phrasing and large range. Just Dust does a great job of showing how talented this band are, there is some excellent sonic experimentation on this record and the atmospheric metal band are great if you like Paradise Lost and Katatonia as much as you like Lacuna Coil and Within Temptation Just Dust might well be worth your time. 8/10

Rest In Me: Alia (Self Released)

Rest In Me are and Oriental Metal band with members from Portugal, Algeria and France, this demo sees them attempting a similar style of music to that of Orphaned Land as the metallic backing is complimented by the Arabic lyrics. For a demo it is surprisingly well produced with the guitars and bass of Rodrigo Louraço ringing out clearly not overshadowing the drums of Eric Chaves, they have multi-layered sounds Samah Ya Ain especially in the vocals of Rim Bouali who has a haunting folk-like chant to her lyrics. El Hawa Doul Al Oussoud starts the record with a massive doom-laden riffs, while Ya Badr El Boudour has more clean melodic guitar lines. So much of this record is similar to Orphaned Land as the metal fuses with the North African styles so well, it is a record that is inspired from Andalusian culture and poetry and this passion for their culture shines through. Despite the lack of English, it is not needed as these songs have an emotive power all by themselves, they draw you in from the first moments you are hooked, the most effective piece being Aziz Aliya which is just Rim's vocals paired with an ominous pulsating background, it's dark, dramatic, moody and hints at the experimentation that could be seen on their debut album due soon. Aina is a strong demo that shows what Rest In Me are capable of, I for one am anticipating the debut. 7/10

Reviews: Ex Deo, Captain Crimson, Långfinger (Reviews By Paul)

Ex Deo: The Immortal Wars (Napalm Records)

It’s been a few years since Ex Deo blew Nile away at Bogiez rock club in Cardiff, shortly after the release of the brilliant Caligvla. The third epic instalment of Roman history inspired death metal has finally arrived and it is as good as both previous releases. Kataklysm main man Maurizio Iacono and his legionnaires are in unstoppable form. Focusing on the wars with Carthaginian General Hannibal, this is mighty stuff from start to finish. I must admit I’m very partial to a bit of Kataklysm and Ex Deo sit very nicely alongside the Northern hyperblast, albeit with additional melody but as much ferocious skull crushing power. The Immortal Wars opens in majestic style with The Rise Of Hannibal, all pomp and ceremony before the riffage crashes in. Crossing The Alps sees the band hits top gear. A battery of drums and guitars courtesy of fellow Kataklysm members Stephane Barbe (who plays lead guitar as opposed to his usual bass duties), Jean Francois Dagenais and drummer Oli Beaudoin joined by Ashes of Eden’s Dane Apekian on bass, whilst Iacono’s distinctive vocal delivery adds the grit. With some superb synth and orchestral effects underpinning the tracks this is worthy of a seat with the gods. The imperious Cato Major: Carthago Delenda Est! is a stunning tune whilst Ad Victorium (The Battle Of Zama) throws you right into the heart of the Second Punic War (Up Scipio- History Ed). Huge riffs and massive hooks combined with some colossal effects ooze through this magnificent piece of work. It’s exaggerated, grandiose and thoroughly magnificent from start to finish. Hail Rome. Take me to Elysium now. 9/10

Captain Crimson: Remind (Small Stone Records)

There is apparently no end to the number of Swedish outfits whose sound is rooted in the 60s and 70s. Blues Pills, Graveyard, Witchcraft, the list goes on and on. The latest outfit to reach the music player of the Musipedia is Captain Crimson, a four piece who formed in 2011. The band comprise Stefan Lillhager, Andreas Eriksson, Chris David and Mikael Läth. Rewind, released in the latter months of 2016, does exactly that, transporting the listener to a fusion of everything from Sabbath, Zeppelin, Mountian, The Who and Cream with an extra helping of Blue Cheer and Cactus for good measure. Hell, even the band’s font and album cover is circa 1974. It’s damn good stuff if you like the whole retro sound. Opener Ghost Town is a definitive statement of intent whilst the groove of Bells From The Underground offers opportunity for a middle section which cuts loose with some fuzzy guitar and Bill Ward style drumming. The retro sound continues throughout with touches of The Sword and Rival Sons also popping into the head, especially on Love Street, Money and the fuzzed-up swagger of the title track. In a saturated market, it is debatable whether Captain Crimson will receive the attention they deserve but for now it’s a decent release worthy of repeated plays. 7/10

Långfinger : Crossyears (Small Stone Records)

Hard rock trio Långfinger hail from Gothenburg in Sweden. Crossyears is their second album, released six years after debut Skygrounds hit in 2010. The band is Victor Crusner who sings, plays bass and keys, guitarist Kalle Lilja and drummer Jesper Phil. Crossyears resides firmly in the harder parts of The Who, with Crusner’s voice very reminiscent of Roger Daltrey at times. Lilja’s guitar work is crafted, rugged and full of heart, with his soloing conjuring up numerous comparisons, not least the magical Oli Brown of RavenEye. The sound is punchy hard rock, inventive and interesting, very like the boys from Milton Keynes. Say Jupiter for example has sufficient catchy hooks to focus the attention whilst the stomp of tracks such as Fox Confessor and Silver Blaze is addictive, also recalling the Australian rockers Tracer. With a decent drenching of blues surging through the album, especially in the epic seven-minute epic Atlas and the Rival Sons style Ceasar's Blues, this is a fine release which is likely to get repeated plays over the rest of the year. Well worth a listen. 8/10