Reviews: Uriah Heep, Deicide, Aborted, The Crawling (Reviews By Paul H & Sean)

Uriah Heep: Living The Dream (Frontiers Records) [Paul H]

In an astonishing career spanning several decades, Uriah Heep continue to release quality hard rock. From their formation in 1970 with debut Very ‘Eavy, Very ‘Umble, to their latest and 25th album Living The Dream, Mick Box and co have sold over 40 million albums, earning them every right to be called legends. Box may be the only original member of the band, but that detracts little with vocalist Bernie Shaw and keyboard player Phil Lanzon both firmly anchored in the band since 1986, drummer Russell Gilbrook occupying the drum stool since 2007 and bassist Davey Rimmer now over five years in. This is Heep’s first album since 2014’s Outsider and it sits very much in the melodic rock camp. The opening three tracks, single Grazed By Heaven, Living The Dream and Take Away My Soul are all dominated by Lanzon’s thick keyboards and Shaw’s superb clean vocals.

Grazed By Heaven fires the first taste of Lanzon’s keys, but don’t think that Box is taking a back seat as he fires back some sharp guitar work. Take Away My Soul is has a 70s prog sound but as the album progresses the unmistakable comparison is with fellow 70s hard rockers Deep Purple. Rocks In The Road for example, an eight minute epic that builds dramatically, would sit comfortably amongst latter day Purple albums, and it is not impossible to draw similarities between Purple’s Don Airey and Lanzon, both with a rich, warm and fluid keyboard style. Similarly, there is plenty of guitar and keyboard interplay between Box and Lanzon, just as you would expect with Steve Morse and Airey.

There are also huge likenesses with Shaw and Ian Gillan in their vocal style. Now that, in my book is a good thing, and whilst Purple looms large, this is definitely a Uriah Heep album. With a real 70s feel, including the quality of the lyrics, see Goodbye To Innocence as an example, this is a solid hard rock album, perfectly delivered. Whilst it may not impress the youngsters, this is an old school album with a fresh new feel. 8/10

Deicide: Overtures Of Blasphemy (Century Media) [Sean]

Y’know, sometimes I just crave a good ‘ol steak dinner. No muckin’ about, just medium rare meat (Surely rare? - Dinner Editor), a mountain of spuds and lashings of good ‘ol gravy. I think it’s fair to say that Florida legends Deicide are very much the “steak dinner” variety of death metal, you know exactly what you’re getting and would be a downright eejit for expecting otherwise. Aside from the melodic renaissance spawned by The Stench Of Redemption (RIP Mr.Santolla), there’s been only subtle tweaking to the tried and true hearty blasphemies of Papa Glen’n’Steve. Completed by guitarist Kevin Quirion (Order Of Ennead, excellent btw) and new axeman, Mark English (Monstrosity, also excellent), does new album Overtures Of Blasphemy deliver the goods? Put it this way; some old dogs don’t need new tricks. Especially when they can still bite your face off.

Overtures Of Evil can be regarded as an album of two parts, ye olde Deicide and post Hoffman Deicide. Opener One With Satan is trademark Deicide, pure and simple. Tremolo riffs! Ripping solos! Steve Asheim’s relentless blastbeats and Glen Benton’s ageless roar! This is pure fucking Deicide, what more could you want? Crucified Souls Of Salvation and Flesh, Power, Dominion offers up more thuggish basting that the Floridian heathens have perfected over the decades. Excommunicated injects a bit of thrash and Anointed In Blood chugs with wanton abandon but the core remains unchanged.

Crawled From The Shadows displays the more melodic aspects that have become a part of the onslaught in recent years, injecting some youthful vigour into the already well oiled machine. One could attribute the subtle shifts here to guitarist Kevin Quirion, shades of his previous work fitting comfortably within the overall brutish oeuvre that is Overtures Of Blasphemy. Of course, new guitarist Mark English’s input cannot be discounted either, whose dextrous neoclassical cadenzas soar with aplomb. This is revisited again on Compliments Of Christ, melody seamlessly married with brutality to great effect.

Look, this is Deicide and Overtures Of Blasphemy is a solid album and a reminder that Deicide still mean business. Could things be shaken up a wee bit more? Probably but that’s not what I came here for, nor what Deicide are all about. After 30 years of sticking to their guns, you can be damn well sure that they’ll be still be sticking to ‘em! It doesn’t differ greatly from it’s predecessor In The Minds Of Evil (TOO CLEAN, SUECOF!) but does it have to? We live on a sorry lump of blue’n’green in constant socio-economic flux, so be thankful that we can still bank on the few certainties in this life. Deicide play no-frills ferocious death metal, the Hoffman’s ain’t coming back (get over it), religion is still fucking terrible and Deicide will hate it’s guts till we’re swallowed by the void. Or nuclear fire, depends which one comes first. 7/10

Aborted: TerrorVision (Century Media) [Paul]

I remember the last time I saw Aborted at The Fleece. A 40-minute opening slot for Kataklysm at The Fleece in Bristol in 2016. Hanging onto one of the numerous pillars that are staged around the venue, it was the equivalent of a death metal wind tunnel. Numerous punters flew past me, foolish enough to think they could move through the venue relying on gravity alone. Fast forward two years and the same thing happened again. Only this time in my study as the delicate intro of Lasciate Ogne Speranza gave way to the monstrous title track. This is vicious stuff. The follow up to 2016’s Retrogore, Aborted have shifted slightly in terms of subject matter. Vocalist Sven 'Svencho' de Caluwé has opted to use 80s horror movies as a lens into what’s happening in the world today. 

He stated “This record is quite different from any we have done before. It is, more or less, about what is going on with the world right now, all in Aborted sauce obviously. There is a deeper meaning, layered thoughts in there, more so than before. Think of TerrorVision as if it were an ‘80s horror movie talking about how the media in general is some sort of evil, demonic presence that is manipulating the opinion of the masses by spreading hate, fear, bigotry, terror, racism and all those fun things that make humans the most terrible thing to have ever happened to this planet. So, there is quite some stuff going on there that is not just the typical gore lyrics.”

As punishing and massive sounding as previous releases, tracks such as Vespertine Decay, the gruesome Squalor Opera and the monstrous Visceral Despondency demonstrate not only the brutality of the Belgian outfit but also the oft-overlooked musicianship that resides within Aborted.

The drumming of Ken Bedene comes at you with machine gun pace, the guitar work of Mendel bij de Leij and Ian Jekelis slashes with visceral intent and Stefano Franceschini’s bass just destroys. With an album cover conjured up by Swedish artist Pär Olofsson and guaranteed to give you nightmares, such is the terrifying imagery. Nearly 20 years since The Purity Of Perversion hit the airwaves, Aborted continue to deliver some of the most energised and pulverising death metal around. This is an absolute crushing album. 9/10

The Crawling: Wolves And The Hideous White (Grindscene Records)

Northern Ireland’s misery riddled doom/death trio The Crawling failed to impress me with their debut release Anatomy Of Loss although I did conclude my review with the line ‘The Crawling have potential. Whether they can achieve it is up for debate.’ Well, in sophomore release Wolves And The Hideous White the Lisburn City outfit have certainly taken a giant step in the right direction with six tracks of hideously heavy music designed to cave in skulls and breach castle walls. The title track sets the scene, pummelling drums, thunderous riffs and the harrowing vocals of Andy Clarke, much improved since their debut. Clarke’s guitar work is devastating throughout, adding a sinister edge to the rock-solid engine room of drummer Gary Beattie and bassist Stuart Rainey. 

Opening with the title track, the album explodes with the force of a tidal wave hitting landfall, and for the next 37 minutes proceeds to kick you in the head. Still No Sun follows, the disgust at humanity spat with venom from Clarke’s demonic vocals. Rancid Harmony is a lesson in gothic darkness, the crushingly slow opening pace accelerating steadily, reducing speed whilst retaining all the power and then once more moving forward, all the while maintaining a heaviness which could split the sky. Halfway in and all hell breaks loose as The Crawling add even more weight and any remaining life is slowly expelled through the sheer weight of this brutality. The riffs on this track are venomous. The more complex approach works superbly throughout the album, and a mature approach is a statement of intent. Wolves And The Hideous White is a massively impressive album, all flexing sinew and pulsing muscle and one which demands your attention. 8/10

Reviews: Ian Gillan, Master, Dead Letter Circus, Emperors Of The Wasteland (Reviews By Paul H)

Ian Gillan: Ian Gillan And The Javelins (earMusic)

Transport yourself back 54 years and a teenage Ian Gillan, yet to become the rock god with Deep Purple, is cutting his teeth with The Javelins, a good time rock n’ roll band who comprise guitarists Tony Tacon and Gordon Fairminer, drummer Keith Roach and bassist Tony Whitefield. Their one album was a selection of cover versions of tunes that were popular at the time. Speed forward once more, to 2018 and Gillan, now a veteran and real rock legend has reunited with The Javelins to record 16 tracks of old school rock n’ roll which sounds as fresh now as it did back in the band’s fledgling time together.

Recorded in four days in a studio in Hamburg, with just the basic instruments available, Gillan told Ultimate Classic Rock that having got the original band together, the band “kept playing in the style which was in 1962 and consequently when I’m listening to this, I think ‘My God! This is so authentic’. It sounds exactly as it did in those days”. With the addition of Don Airey on piano this really is a trip down memory lane. Do You Love Me, Memphis, Tennessee, High School Confidential, Save The Last Dance For Me and Rock n’ Roll Music all feature in a sixties style which was a feature of every café, high school and youth club back in the day.

It’s not metal at all, and most of our hard-edged readers will probably recoil in horror, but I really enjoyed this release. About as far away from most of the stuff we review as it can be, this is nevertheless a fun release dating back to a time when music was genuinely vibrant, exciting and the beating pulse of the youth across the world. 7/10

Dead Letter Circus: Dead Letter Circus (Rise Records)

I struggle with alt-rock most of the time. The multi-layered angst driven guitars, the mournful vocals and abstract time changes rarely engage my listening delight. Such is the position with Dead Letter Circus and their self-titled fifth album. Unsurprisingly, I was unaware of the band, but I was interested to discover that the Brisbane outfit released their debut This Is The Warning in 2010 and have built solidly on that ever since. To be fair to the Aussies, Dead Letter Circus is superbly crafted, with the musicianship clinically delivered. Kim Benzie’s voice, whilst typical of the genre, is crisp and clean, with the sorrowful vocals a perfect fit for the intricate delivery.

The guitar work of Clint Vincent and Luke Palmer is neat and sharp, with Benzie’s keyboards subtle. The album consists of ten tracks, the pick of which is Change, with its strong chorus and hard driven guitar work. Ladders For Leaders changes style a little, with a slower paced start, reminiscent of Linkin Park at their height. However, there is a fair bit of repetition and the tracks do tend to blend into each other. I may be being unfair on a band who are clearly hitting the right notes and if you like the alt-rock style this is worth checking out. Just not for me. 6/10

Master: Vindictive Miscreant (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Death metal legends Master have never featured in the Musipedia before so with the release of their much-awaited full length album Vindictive Miscreant what better time to wrong this right? Formed way back in the mid-1980s as Death Strike, the band, and it’s driving force Paul Speckman were originally from Illinois but relocated to the Czech Republic. With a stable line-up since 2003, where Speckman was joined by drummer Zdnek Pradlovsky and guitarist Aleš Nejezchleba, Master have continued to deliver their gargantuan vitriolic intensity with dogged single mindedness. Soaring guitars, unearthly vocals and a drum and bass combination that rattles the bowels of hell, Master is unashamedly old school; think early Death, Celtic Frost, early Sepultura and Obituary.

The album features eight tracks of relentless riffage, with the schizophrenic Sabbath riffing of The Inner Strength Of The Demon (Children Of The Grave anyone?) contrasting with the all-out frenzy of the opening title track and the 100mph rampage of Replaced. Speckman’s guttural delivery is without doubt amongst the evilest that exists within death metal, his strangulated gargle guaranteed to raise the hackles. This may be the band’s 12th studio release but with history and a trademark gritty sound on their side, Master once again demonstrate that they are amongst few bands who are able to continue along the path they carved. Flawless in execution, saturated with hunger, passion and integrity, Vindictive Miscreant provides perhaps unnecessary validation that when it comes to death metal, Master remain very much in the heavyweight division. 8/10

Emperors Of The Wasteland: Begin (Self Released)

Limited information available on these guys, but I can tell you that Emperors Of The Wasteland hail from Derby, formed in 2016 and are a four-piece who play stoner edged hard rock. Clear Sabbath influences run through their debut release, Begin. Whilst the Sabbath riffage is evident throughout, there are many other sounds contained in this release. See You Again finds the band in full Cult territory, with vocalist Al delivering an eerily Astbury performance and in fact it’s Astbury that Al’s voice is reminiscent of throughout. The slow burn of the title track, full of sludgy riffs neatly contrasts with the pacier opening tracks Under The Skin and Zodiac. First single Mickey Finn is a solid hard rock song with some strong work from guitarist Sid and overall, whilst Begin is unlikely to win any awards it is a perfectly decent debut album. 6/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Kris Barras Band

Kris Barras Band, Marc Pontin Group & Blackballed, The Patriot, Crumlin

On a pretty damp Friday night it was up to the venue that is becoming a favourite here at MoM Towers as I hit The Patriot in Crumlin which was packed to the gunnels from the off as punters and members of The Patriot's MC filled the room for the majority of the night. The venue itself is bigger than Fuel (the last place I'd seen KBB) and has more room to move around, it's also a damn sight cheaper! (Valleys pricing see?). As well as having a cracking, loud as hell, sound system which elevates with live gigs and it's probably essential with so many beautiful, beastly bikes outside.

With the room mostly full, Manchester trio Blackballed (8) hit the stage and hit the ground running, the hatted three piece groove machine started with what I like to describe as Steampunk stoner blues that's part latter day Zep mixed with Clutch. It's a great punchy sound that carried them through a set peppered with dark humour and big riffs. The brothers Gill plough away on guitars and drums aided and abetted by Tom Wibberley on bass. They warmed up the room admirably with the crowd really getting into their set as it progressed. I've seen Blackballed before supporting Federal Charm in Clwb Ifor Bach a few years ago, here though they had something to prove imbued with a fire that was reciprocated by the crowd in attendance. In a deafening flash it was all over and the applause like the Guiness filled The Patriot with a sense of warmth. Personally I'm not going to leave it as long to see them as I had before this show, they are very good live act.

Next up were the Mark Pontin Group (7) who again were a trio this time from Swansea, made up of Mark Pontin - guitar/vocals, Callum Morgan Jones-bass/vocals and James Garvey-drums/vocals, this was a bit traditional fayre as their music brings to mind that of Rory Gallagher, it's soulful blues played from the heart Pontin's vocals carrying a note of sadness all good blues players need as the songs are punctuated with screaming Stratocaster solos and nuanced playing influenced by folk and jazz. It was a good choice to have Pontin on second as he differed enough from Blackballed to keep the night fresh ready for the main event that was to follow.

That main event was cage-fighter turned blues rock hero Kris Barras (8) who since my last viewing in Cardiff's Fuel Rock Club is now the singer/guitarist for the blues rock supergroup Supersonic Blues Machine so with his star fast on the rise it was time to see how this had affected his stage show in smaller venues. There's certainly a new level of confidence as he took to the stage, strapped on his guitar and kicked off with Heart On Your Sleeve, the stomping Kick Me Down and the rollicking Stitch Me Up, the pace was high the crowd were in full voice from the first minute with Kris (who continued the hat wearing of Blackballed) peeled off tasty riffs and solos with ease while his vocals have moved up to another level entirely, although that may have been the clarity of the venue's sound.

The set was well paced with a storming cover of Fortunate Son coming near enough the middle to keep everyone on their toes, just before Propane and the Planet Rock favourite Hail Mary. If to support my point earlier the Kris Barras Band have that good mix of blues and hard rock, it's the sound that has made Joe Bonamassa a world beater and looks likely to do the same for Barras, especially with his knack for writing catchy, radio-friendly songs with soul to them that leaks into every note from his guitar and lyric from his mouth, just listen to Watching Over Me. Backing him up are the majorly talented Elliott Blackler - bass, Will Beavis - drums and Josiah J Manning - keys, the first two giving a rock hard under current as Manning matching Barras' pound for pound on the instrumental jam moments that crept into She's More Than Enough and Lovers And Losers.

Slick, soulful and with a right hook of hard rock the Kris Barras Band made sure that everyone in The Patriot was in the right frame of mind for a Friday night, a huge ovation followed the set with many queuing up to meet Kris who humbly stayed at the merch stand for a while after the show giving autographs and having pictures taken with the baying mob, who had between them emptied three kegs of Guinness according to landlady of The Patriot! With a promise of more tours next year catch him while he's playing smaller venues as arenas are beckoning. 

Review: Voivod, Pig Destroyer, Our Divinity, Dishonour The Crown (Reviews By Paul S & Matt)

Voivod: The Wake (Century Media) [Paul S]

The Wake is Voivods 14th album, it comes 2 years after the Post Society EP and 5 years after the last Voivod album Target Earth. Voivod have had several different sounds during their career, so I was intrigued as to what was on offer from the Canadians. What we have is a fairly long (56 minutes), fairly progressive metal album. The album sounds great, really good production where you can hear proper separation between the instruments. The production is simple, very clear and this lets the songs shine through.

One of the first things that hits you about this album is the guitar. The sound is a little cleaner than you’d expect from your average metal album (this is not an average metal album), the riffs are so good, so full of energy, taught and tuneful. First track Obsolete Beings kicks the album off in great style, at times coming close to a thrash tempo, and as with all of the album melodic and brilliantly catchy. I’ve found that this is an album that gets into your head, I’ve spent the last 5 days humming pretty much all of this album. The vocals are very good as well, Snake sings, growls, screams and over the course of the whole album sound like 3 or 4 different people. As this is Voivod you have to expect a few curve balls. The use of strings on the tracks Inconspiracy and Sonic Mycelium, was a surprise, but a very pleasant one, adding a lovely melodious element to the album. Some of the guitar solos have a neo-classical feel to them, which again was unexpected, but works very well. It’s not all uptempo though, the track Spherical Perspective has a slower, slightly more mussing feel to it, which ends up being an enjoyable relaxed interlude.

I have really enjoyed this album. For a band that has been going this long, and produced the amount of material that Voivod have, to still be producing creative, innovative work like this is amazing. Even though the album is called The Wake, and considering the tragedy that this band have experienced, this album feels joyful. There is something uplifting and positive about it. I could have got this completely wrong, I might have misinterpreted it, but it makes me feel happy. I can’t think of a better recommendation than that. 8/10

Pig Destroyer: Head Cage (Relapse Records) [Paul S]

“We will not be held responsible for any hearing impairments or damage caused to you from excessive exposure to this sound” So says a posh English lady at the beginning of the intro (Tunnel Under The Tracks) to Head Cage, before it descends into a maelstrom of Alarms, Screaming and Industrial Noise. As a statement of intent to start an album, this takes some beating. In many ways it feels like a warning about the sonic nastiness that the band have in store for their listeners.

Over the course of their career Pig Destroyer have had several different iterations. There is the Pig Destroyer that does crushingly aggressive grindcore, there is the Pig Destroyer that does sickeningly heavy sludge, and not to forget the Pig Destroyer that dabbles in industrial. Pig Destroyer’s last album 2012’s Book Burner was straight down the line grindcore, this pleased the fans of the band that want them to keep on re-recording their classic album Prowler In The Yard. However, I get the feeling that the band found the reaction to Book Burner a little restrictive, and this album is a reaction to that. Head Cage is an aggressive, oppressive mix of all of Pig Destroyers different sounds. First track Dark Train is a minute long blast of furious grindcore, batters that crap out of you, and then immediately disappears. Circle River is a mid paced, aggressive sludgy hardcore workout. Circle River starts with a blast of electronic noise, before settling down to an angry industrial sound. Concrete Beast has a guest appearance from Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s Kat Katz on vocals. The track is a lurching monster of a sludge song, incredibly unpleasant and with an off kilter rhythm that seems to be designed to put the listener on edge. Last track House Of Snakes is a 6 and a half minute, slow, angry crescendo to the album.

Head Cage is not an easy album. This seems to be an album from a band that is refusing to be told which direction to go in. There are places on this album where there are so many different riffs, it feels like the song is continually transitioning from one riff to another. It’s like the band don’t want the audience to settle or feel comfortable with whats going on. But, if you give this album time, it will make sense, and it does become more palatable. Pig Destroyer are treating music as an art form, they are experimenting, and this is a great thing. The band is challenging it’s audience, if you just want them to repeat Prowler In The Yard, then you are not up to the challenge. Difficult, but brilliant. 8/10  

Our Divinity: Paralysis (Self Released) [Matt]

Our Divinity are alternative metal band oozing with modern coolness fronted by the feisty Zara the three songs on this record are fully formed future live favourites the best being the title track which has a huge defiant hook and melodic guitars over layered synths and punchy rock rhythms. This five piece have a knack of writing catchy rock music that reminds me of the early Noughties bringing electronic metalcore (without the screams) together with catchy pop melodies, they were originally a pop punk band before evolving into Our Divinity, it means they are sort of like Lzzy Hale fronting Linkin Park capable of pulling off big heartfelt moments but also starting swirling pits. Displaying a maturity beyond their years, there's a lot to look forward to from Our Divinity. 7/10

Dishonour The Crown: The English Way (Self Released) [Matt]

Hey kids do you like crossover thrash metal that sounds like it has a problem with you personally? You do? Great stick on The English Way by Dishonour The Crown and get ready to have the ear bashing of your life! The band was formed by Ron D (Romeo Must Die) guitar and Tom 'Kingsize' Hennessy (Kingsize Blues), the idea was born out of frustration for what was happening in the world and this debut album is filled with rage and bile aimed at politicians and those in power, just listen to Contradictions which is an anti-austerity anthem that sees Tom barking at the injustice. It's not a record you will see Theresa May bopping too, in fact that's probably the last thing Dishonour The Crown would want. Chocked full of razor sharp thrash riffs and staccato guitars power tracks like Weakened To The Bone, ferocious thrash cuts like a blade on New Ways To Heal while towering the grooves of DTC take no prisoners. A band is never more dangerous when they have a message or an ideal and Dishonour The Crown are as dangerous as they come, fight the power and let anarchy reign. 7/10

Reviews: Doyle Bramhall II, Kingcrow, Smoking Martha, In Which It Burns (Reviews By Matt & Paul H]

Doyle Bramhall II: Shades (Provogue)

Making his debut for the Provogue Shades is the follow up to his 2016 album Rich Man which was his first solo album in 15 years. He's been busy in that time though spending his time as the sideman for Roger Waters, Elton John, Gregg Allman, Allen Toussaint and T-Bone Burnett. More significantly, Bramhall he has also spent over a decade as Eric Clapton’s musical right-hand man and close collaborator. A noted singer, musician and producer Bramhall brings a lot of former employer into this solo record, so much of this record is in the same groove driven looseness of old Slowhand, the man himself even contributes to Everything You Need which is brilliant track that has master and student in perfect unison, sparse, wah powered, gospel union.

It's not all Clapton though, Hammer Ring takes the Southern blues of The Allman's, with the closing statement Going Going Gone featuring Tedeschi Trucks Band adding the Southern soul style. Searching For Love is a smouldering duet with Nora Jones where both of their voices intertwine as perfectly as the guitar and piano face off. Love And Pain has a fuzzy, garage rock of The Black Keys as does Live Forever. The unique guitar playing of Bramhall is incredible, there's no wonder he's so sought after by these big's names, it flows through him with a confidence that stems from natural unbridled talent, his vocals too are honeyed and filled with passion.

He's aided by bassist Chris Bruce, multi-instrumentalist/string arranger Adam Minkoff along with drummers Carla Azar and Abe Rounds, they are the sturdy backbone to expressive numbers such as the beautiful Break Apart To Mend and deal with all of the style variations on this record. With so many blues/etc guitarists trying to be the next Bonamassa, Trout etc Doyle Bramhall II is carving out his own legacy as a spectacularly gifted musician who has spent his career learning from the best. Pretty much a perfect album from an artist that finally seems happy in his own skin. 9/10

Kingcrow: The Persistence (The Laser's Edge)

Italian prog metal act Kingcrow knocked my socks off with previous album Eidos in 2015 so the anticipation was high for their next album. Finally it's come in the form of The Persistence the first album outside of the 'life' trilogy that concluded with Eidos and the band looked to broaden their horizons (not easy in prog) and move outside their comfort zone, having songs that retained the Kingcrow sound but moved it in a different direction. With their earlier records there was much heavier metallic sound, here it's lighter, more expressive, modern melodic soundscapes, think Dream Theater's Octavarium which was in tern inspired by Muse and U2.

Added to this I noticed some of the ambient textures that are used by Anathema and Steven Wilson, especially on the beautiful Drenched which is the first song on record, it's got a very modern prog riff at odds with the wistful piano, building into it's emotive hook of a chorus it's the first chance to rediscover the excellent vocals of Diego Marchesi he's got a brilliant range and adds a sense of urgency to Drenched but also a somber tone to Closer and the evocative Everything Goes built on the Cristian Della Polla's electronics and keys. If you listened to Eidos and you were expecting something similar then you won't get it on The Persistence it's a record of musical catharsis for the Italian band, unburdened by the conceptual nature of their previous albums they can play music that is cinematic, beguiling, uninhibited, contemporary and most of all majestic. If you liked them before then you'll embrace the change, if not then this is brilliant introduction to Kingcrow. 8/10

Smoking Martha: In Deep (Bad Reputation Records)

Aussie rockers Smoking Martha have signed a deal with Bad Reputation Records to finally get their debut album released in Europe and the UK. So what's it like? Well it's starts out with the steady groove of So Lonely which is a slow burning opening that shows off the sultry vocals of Tasha D, the whole album in fact is built around the smouldering sexy vocals of Tascha who sounds like a cross between Lzzy Hale, Maria Brink and Gwen Stefani, hollering and purring over the alternative rock riffs that Mick (guitar), Matty (bass) and Jordy (drums) lay down. From the jangling rock n roll of One Night, the walking AC/DC-like riffs of Follow, the bouncy What's Her Name, through to the acoustic sadness of Baby Let Me Go Smoking Martha display a breadth of styles and strong songwriting. Finally ready to be unleashed upon a UK audience the alternative rock of Smoking Martha is guaranteed to attract fans in the younger rock circles. 7/10

In Which It Burns: Beneath The Darkness Of Sky (Self Released) [Review By Paul H]

A tasty four track EP from Pembrokeshire groove merchants In Which It Burns comprising three original tracks and a brave cover. The band who are regulars on the South Wales circuit and who are well worth catching live. The Creed opens things up, a tight number which allows vocalist Wayne Mayhew to let rip with his strangulated roar fitting neatly alongside the lead guitar of Steve Flynn. 6341 threatens to tear a hole in the wall before the five-minute monster How Became The Rulers crashes the party. Solid, tight and well drilled, In Which It Burns even have the audacity to attempt Sepultura’s Roots as a finale. It’s a fine attempt, raw and boisterous. Much promise from a band who will hopefully get their big break in the coming months. 7/10

The Spotlight: Interview With Fabio From Serenity (Interview By Nick & Stief)

Interview With Fabio Of Serenity

Before their gig at Bannermans Bar, we were lucky enough to interview Serenity bassist Fabio D'amore, who was the primary writer of Lionheart.

Nick: So you're getting into the UK leg of the tour, how are you finding it so far?

Fabio: Yeah, everything is cool, I mean it's the first time we're doing a real UK tour because back in 2011 we played 3 or 4 shows in the UK supporting Delain and more than that, we've just played London all the time, plus Cardiff back then in 2012. Other than that, nothing has been done, so it's like the first time, basically new cities, Yesterday Newcastle, Sheffield, today Edinburgh. Yeah, it's a new adventure, let's say. We need to grow our fanbase here so yeah, it feels like being on tour for the first time.

Nick: Yeah, I've spoken to a few friends who are fans, and a lot of the time when I've said we're seeing Serenity, they've said we'd love to see them again, and they haven't come here for a while so it's good that you're trying to expand the range of places.

Fabio: Yeah, we're trying to. Actually, Scotland, it's always been the Cathouse in Glasgow, although I think the band has never....I think we were discussing earlier, there was something planned maybe here in Edinburgh, but it was cancelled when Georg had his ear inflammation in 2009.

Nick: So you're experiencing the new cities now in the U.K, are you taking in the culture and the sights as you go around?  Having a chance to see much of the cities?

Fabio: Uh, not really, as you know, when you're headliners you have plenty of things to do; Soundchecks, interviews, most of the time inconvenient parking [Laughs] Difficult weather, although it's the first day we've had such weather, although it's the UK. Today for example, I would have really like to have really liked to visit the city but because of this weather and stupid me, I forgot a jacket.

Stief: Yeah, we did the same, we had to buy ours.

Fabio: So yeah, unfortunately it was not possible, but it will be great. I mean back then, when we were a support act, most of the time, you have more time, you have to wait for the headliner to soundcheck and back then I remember visiting Manchester and Leamington Spa. That was great.

Nick: So you can eye up some cities when you've got some time off, maybe come back and see them in your free time.

Fabio: Yeah, definitely, and come back maybe with a bigger production.

Nick: Oh that'd be ideal

Stief: So speaking of going to different cities, how do you find the audiences in the U.K? are they different from European audiences?

Fabio: I think the British audience in general is, it's really passionate. Although we didn't have the biggest crowds in the world up to now, because it's the first time for us, so we have to grow our fanbase but nevertheless it was really, really exciting. Huge feedback even yesterday in Newcastle, with such a small audience, it felt like Wembley.

Nick: Yeah, you see it on the social media, the reaction. People really enjoyed it, especially Sheffield.

Fabio: Yeah, Sheffield was real good, but I have a pretty good feeling for tonight as well.

Nick: That's good! I think that as well, there's not a massive metal scene here in Edinburgh, so I think when there is a gig, people flock to it.

Fabio: I really hope so, I'm looking forward to it.

Stief: How would you describe your musical style to someone who's never listened to you before?

Fabio: That's always a tricky question, because you never know where to start from. I basically would say symphonic metal, very melodic with a lot of influences from classical music, and also the revival from the 80's and 70's sometimes, with bands like Toto or Queen.  Two elements, if you unite them together, it's somehow, we have a pretty good image.

Nick: Becomes quite epic, doesn't it?

Fabio: Yes, bombastic, as Georg always used to say.

Nick: [laughs] That's a good word for it.

Fabio:  Yeah, so, choirs, and live vocals is one of our highlights.

Nick:  Yeah definitely, I feel this brand of music in the genre, the vocals are always important, they're emotional, aren't they?

Fabio: Yeah, I must say we are all pretty good lead singers, so if people come all together, it works.

Nick: I think in Lionheart, that's even more obvious than maybe some of the previous albums. You hear more of the backing vocals become involved a lot more.

Fabio: Yeah, definitely.

Nick: So when it comes to symphonic/power metal, they say a lot of bands are compared to each other, and a lot of bands are thrown together. We've heard a lot of people compare you and Kamelot.

Fabio: I remember.

Nick: What would you say makes you stand out above the other bands? You probably touched upon it in the last answer

Fabio: Yes, I don't know if I dare to say standing above, as this is a matter of taste, I guess? But I guess we are different in this vocal aspect, I don't remember any Kamelot shows with big choirs made by the band itself, and I love Kamelot, but I guess we concentrate really a lot of time...you will see tonight, there is something special tonight for the Scottish audience. You will see, we really concentrate ourselves, working a lot on vocals, especially acapella. Really working, the four or five of us, depending if we have a female guest or not, working especially on vocals.

Because our instruments, Okay, everyone can play quite okay, and when we are together, we have to define this or that, but on the vocals, I must say, we spend a lot of time, defining 'I'm singing this, you're singing that' trying to find the combination. As you might understand, on the record, there's a huge choir singing, not only us, but other people involved then you have to reduce everything to four or five of us. which is not easy. [Laughs]

Nick & Stief: [Both laugh] Yeah

Fabio: So I also give a little bit of direction because I'm a vocal coach myself, so it's 'Andy does this, because he's more into this kind of range, I do the high pitched stuff, Georg is for sure doing the lead vocals, and Nick in this case is sometimes going up, sometimes going down, for sure doing the harsh vocals when needed' therefore you have a lot of combinations, so I think this is the aspect you were mentioning that may make us differ from the other bands.

Nick: Yeah, I'm glad you said that, as it's something we've definitely picked up on recently, so it's paying off, the work you're putting into it.

Fabio: Yeah, I don't know how many other bands are doing this, in the small/medium circuit like we are. Just remembered back then, I think they still do this, Pain Of Salvation, they really concentrate on this vocal aspect, but must admit it's not so common, everything goes into the playback.

Nick: A lot of bands focus on the riffage and breakdowns.

Fabio: Yeah for sure, song shape and so on.

Nick: You mentioned working with female vocalists, you've worked with a few in the past. Amanda Somerville and you've got Clementine as well. What's it like working with them and are there any plans to work with them again in the future as they obviously brought a lot to the albums they were on?

Fabio: I mean, I don't even have to mention Amanda, because she's always top-notch but what to say? I mean she's brilliant, she has always been doing great stuff for us, and I hope she does it in the future. Actually there would have been an idea to bring her live at some special event but I don't think it's easy to involve her.

Nick: She's involved in a lot of things.

Fabio: Yeah, and when the time is not matching your t-shirt [Gesturing at Stief's Avantasia t-shirt] with Avantasia you know? and family business, she's having a family so I don't think it's so easy for her, but yeah, we will try hard. One day maybe it happens, and then we can play live Perfect Woman and Changing Fate with her. As for Clemmy, I mean, she's been in the band in the past as a fixed member and now she's in Visions. We're touring with Visions Of Atlantis at least twice a year, in one and a half months, we're again together, I'm pretty sure she's going to be on stage with us for another song.

Nick: That's good to know. When you're picking the female vocalists or other vocalists to work with you, do you look for the vocals to fit the song? or do you work the album around vocalists?

Fabio: Depends if you mean only on the album or live?

Nick: I'd say album.

Fabio: Album wise, we for sure look for the right vocalist, and sometimes maybe it's not even the right idea to pick a female in the end, or the other way round; maybe there was a part where Georg was singing, and we say 'Ok, maybe this would have been great with female vocals.' I still remember, I mean maybe no-one could  ever imagine, but our single, Spirit In The Flesh where I'm singing the lead vocals, this would have been a female part. Back then I just had to sing the guideline for a possible female guest, but in the end it ended up me, because it was already good like this. [laughs] Definitely very difficult to sing, because it's very high, but this is my range.

Stief: How is it touring with Temperance and Alight.

Fabio: Well, everything is working great, I'm Italian myself so it's easier with them to communicate and have some little extra fun [laughs] I mean, the drummer from Alight, Mirko, is one of my best friends, and I know the guys from Temperance as well from other shows, and we will have to play some more shows in one and a half months for the Symphonic Metal Nights Part II tour. So yeah, it's very easy.

Nick: Yeah, with Temperance, we were coming to see you guys anyway, but particularly for Stief here, Temperance are a Musipedia favourite

Stief: We've followed them from the beginning.

Fabio: They're pretty good live. You will be astonished, because they are really brilliant, since a long time, we haven't heard a support act as good.

Stief: So you're touring the Lionheart album, We've noticed it's darker than your previous albums

Fabio: Would you say that?

Nick: Well, lyrically it's about the Crusades, and Richard Lionheart, and lyrically it seems to us a little bit darker. Would you agree with that and if so, was that something you were aiming for?

Fabio: I wrote most of the lyrics so uh...no, I don't think we have been aiming for a darker concept, but I guess it was just a matter of fact. As always we are, as you know, talking about historical concepts, but I really, really must say, I want to underline the fact there is always a little bit of creation behind it, so it's 90% actually what happened, but we were also not there. This is what we have been told by history books and so on. So, as a metal band, we have to try also to fit the concept into our music and vice versa and I always really want to think how in that situation Richard Lionheart was feeling.

It's the same process I did when I wrote the lyrics in Codex Atlanticus, the previous album about Leonardo DaVinci. It's the same thing you know; What we were talking about happened, but maybe not that very particular situation. We wanted to imagine something behind the story, there fore, it could be, I don't know, maybe the lyrics could sound or seem darker because of that particular theme, but honestly I wrote the lyrics, I wasn't paying too much attention about the crusades and religion, and I've seen comments from the US really offended, like 'Hey guys, you're doing really great music but your christian lyrics...' What? what are you talking about? This is not what I was...I'm even agnostic, so I don't really care. But I know history, and Georg is a history professor himself, so I think we cannot be called a Christian band. We're not having the crusade as our personal theme, it's just a situation.

Nick: Yes, exactly.

Fabio: I mean, I don't dislike the word 'dark', I really like it. If you got it dark, I think my lyrics were pointing in that direction, but not voluntarily. But if you mean 'dark' in terms of mysterious, reflexive  and I'll say, mystic, then I like it, but if it's dark, or some people interpret it in a religious way, then I don't like it.

Nick: Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head there, maybe the atmosphere around it is a bit more dark.

Fabio: Yeah, that's cool, I just wanted to make sure. Too many times I've been asked this question, and really, I pay attention to what the people say, you know to improve yourself, and I read some comments that were completely shocking to me because this is not what I was thinking when I wrote these lyrics, you know? I wrote them, not them, I know what I was thinking, yeah, it's really weird, and I sometimes like to point it out, if you don't mind.

Nick: No, definitely, it's why we asked the question as well, it's always interesting to know how people perceive your music, it's a shame that people get too passionate the other way that they...

Fabio: But even without thinking.

Nick: Yeah exactly.

Stief: They just see the words there and leap at it.

Fabio: So superficial, you know, I mean, if you get the music and if you like it, it means you're not totally superficial, but if you interpret the whole record as a christian record, then you don't understand anything.

Nick: They've not really listened to it properly.

Fabio: Or even read it properly.

Nick: You mentioned there the work you put into the album, I'm guessing you do a fair bit of research because you say about 90% of it is fact.

Fabio: Oh, we do, yeah.

Nick: How much time do you put  into looking into the history and researching it,  before you start putting the lyrics in?

Fabio: It's really not easy, because you know, having such a person like Georg being the lead singer and also a history professor, it's not easy to get to a point where he wants to go, because he really cares about having a clear image about what we are doing in terms of his profession. So everything has to be on point, although, it's power metal, it has to be cheesy sometimes [Laughs]

Nick: [laughs] Exactly

Fabio: But it is cheesy because of the melodies, not because of the theme. We are not native speakers, so we pick up words that sound great for us and define the concept. This is the time we have to put before everything is ready, this is the difficulty behind it and I have to say, it requires time. But once I have the vocal line from him, we discuss 'okay, that song has to talk about, I don't know, Jerusalem' then I know, I see the scene already. Actually, we have been in Jerusalem, a little bit before. We were in Israel in Tel Aviv, we visited Jerusalem, and then we had the idea of Golgotha and so on, so therefore I was already having pictures.

I have the theme from him, I have the vocal line, therefore the research can take a little less time, then I can make it. But sometimes, for sure, its longer because I'm not so keen in that specific theme, I'm not a history professor, my mum was, so sometimes I even ask her, and she suggests some points of view that maybe we didn't think about, therefore the research is taking a little more time. All in all, this is the most important time, before writing the lyrics, the theme has to be real clear.

Stief: and do you all discuss that as a band?

Fabio: Actually, not really, the main factor is normally Georg, as I repeat, it's also his profession, and he really cares that we are not saying bullshit.

Stief: Just not making every thing up.

Fabio: We cannot really make everything up, but a little bit of make up has to be there, because I think this is the fun. This is how we see it; This really happened, and I could place it in my own world of creation.

Nick: I'll probably go away and appreciate the albums even more now that I know the work that's gone into it.

Fabio: and maybe tonight, you can even think about it when you are watching the show, think about what I said, because most of the lyrics came from me on the last album, so you can maybe now understand them even better. I hope [laughs]

Stief: There are a few metal festivals around the U.K, have you shown interest in taking part in any.

Fabio: Actually I just remembered  we had one UK festival planned, but we had to cancel because AC/DC was down town with Axl Rose singing, and it was the same evening so they postponed to the day after, but we could not make it to the day after for another show therefore we had to cancel. This was the only occasion I remember about the UK. But for sure, I really would like to play a UK festival.

Stief: Yeah, we attend one called Bloodstock nearly every year.

Fabio: Bloodstock, I know, yeah.

Nick: I think that you would fit in really well there, there's a good range of genres representation, and I think a lot of people would appreciate you being at that festival.

Fabio: Definitely, if you can call the promoter [laughs]

Nick: We'll get a petition going [laughs] Are there any festivals worldwide that you'd love to play or anything that you're aiming to play in the future?

Fabio: I think Summerbreeze is one of the few we still haven't played, I wouldn't dislike it, it's also not too far from where I live, so it would make everything so much easier, because Wacken, you know it's great, but it's so far away [laughs]

Stief: We'll keep an eye out for that [laughs]. Even though it's only been a year since Lionheart's release and you're still touring it, have you had any ideas springing up for any new albums yet or are you just focusing on getting the tour over and done with.

Fabio: Actually, yes, a new release, but you will understand better tonight. There's something special planned for February, including another type of touring activity. You will understand better tonight, it's about acoustic. That's part of the special gift for the Scottish audience tonight, but then you will understand better.

Nick: So we're from Wales, as you know, and we're famous for our Sheep. We always do this at the Musipedia as a funny last question to end on. We have a selection of sheep and we just want you to pick your favourite sheep.

Fabio: [laughs] Okay, that's cool! [He looks at the selection] I like this one.

Stief: The Manx Loaghtan...it's the horns, isn't it.

Fabio: [Laughs] Yeah!

Nick: That's brilliant, well, we appreciate your time and we're looking forward to the show.

Reviews: Mob Rules, Wytch Hazel, Ladykillers, Anguish Force (Reviews By Paul H)

Mob Rules: Beast Reborn (SPV/Steamhammer)

Album number nine for the German power metallers. Back in 2016 I was scathing in my review of Tales From Beyond, which I thought was their ninth album at the time, slating it as a mid-noughties Iron Maiden tribute. Well, with new guitarist Sönke Janssen in the fold for this one, the same Germanic power metal blueprint remains firmly in place, with the same Iron Maiden influences coursing through virtually every track. Many bands use Maiden as an influence, and I can’t knock that one iota. The Irons are legend, after all. Take Sinister Light; duel guitar harmonies, soaring vocals and a thumping engine, the melodic breakdown and some shredding guitar solos. All good. Very Metal. But the Maiden influence creeps in like bindweed through an abandoned garden. Children’s Crusade steals riffs galore from Futureal, whilst the atmospheric War Of Currents, which appears to be about Edison and the light bulb, would once again sit on a latter-day Maiden album without any problem at all.

If you like your power metal, then Beast Reborn contains all the ingredients necessary. It is polished, so shiny that you can see your own face in it and comes across with a swagger and a quality that befits a band closing in on their 25th anniversary. Klaus Dirks can hold a note, and the rest of the band are tight and compact. There are certainly some epic tunes, with Revenant Of The Sea the pick. I’m not sure that the cover of Dio’s Sacred Heart does much but it’s a faithful and solid version. My biggest gripe remains the repetitive Maiden melodies. However, it’s certainly an improvement of Tales From Beyond and for that we should all be thankful. 7/10

Wytch Hazel: II Sojorn (Bad Omen Records)

Combine the folk of Jethro Tull and the harmonies of Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy and you get Wytch Hazel, a four-piece from Lancaster that are fully immersed in the NWOBHM sound. Formed in 2011, this latest release is a delightfully old school sound, with a warmth and feel which will resonate with those schooled on bands such as Ash and Lizzy. Superb duel guitar work from Colin Hendra and Matt Gatley throughout transports the listener to a simpler time when music was really all about fuzzy guitars, endless jams and innovative creation. 

Hendra’s drawling vocal sits perfectly in the folk edged tunes, such as Wait On The Wind, a nostalgic piece which allows you to close your eyes and drift away. There’s nothing about this release I dislike. Neil Corkery (bass) and drummer Jack Spencer play it simple and effective, and tracks such as Still We Fight, See My Demon and the thumping Slaves To The Righteous all hit the right spot. This is a great retro-soaked release. I love it. 8/10

Ladykillers: Champagne & Cocaine (Rolling Thunder Records)

The debut album from Ladykillers was called Greatest Tits. Champagne & Cocaine is the sophomore release and you’d be unsurprised to read that the three-piece hail from Texas and cite their approach as ‘Loud bikes, loud guitars, pretty women, sleazy bars’. It’s therefore also completely unsurprising that their album is 36 minutes of hard rocking, unreconstructed filthy dirty hard rock and roll which picks you up and slams you back down. Hard. The band, Kyle. B. Bellinger on guitar and vocals, Chad Montoya on bass and vocals and drummer Zach Hoop, throw down in the style of Orange Goblin, Blind Haze and Witchtripper, albeit with a slightly sludgier delivery. It certainly isn’t a bad release, but overall doesn’t really pull up any trees. 6/10

Anguish Force: Chapter 7 (Dawn Of Sadness)

Unsurprisingly this is the seventh album from Italian thrashers Anguish Force, a band known simply as Anguish from 1995 – 2003. I’m going to be blunt: the band are quite simply awful and how they have released six other albums is beyond comprehension. Routine, plodding thrash and heavy metal with a vocalist who struggles with every style he tries. Whilst they may well proclaim “heavy metal is our mission” (whatever that means), I struggled to get through this album more than once, with The Other 11 September amongst the worst songs I’ve ever heard. However, full kudos to the band for managing to cover a track by the Canadian muscle mountain Thor and make it even worse. Yes, Thunder In The Tundra, which was a bag of shit the first time round is just dire. One of the worst albums I’ve heard for years. 3/10

Reviews: Monstrosity, Siege Of Power, Burgerkill, Once Human (Reviews By Paul S & Matt)

Monstrosity: The Passage Of Existence (Metal Blade Records) [Paul S]

I really enjoy writing reviews for the Musipedia Of Metal. One of the downsides of it, however, is some of the death metal about at the moment. There seem to be about a billion death metal bands that fit into a category of not quite technical death metal, not quite old school death metal, half arsed, lack lustre, generic death metal. Every week I seem to get at least 1 album like this, and I’ll struggle to think of ways to describe it other than just ‘shit, generic death metal’. After a while, giving these albums enough listens to review them in a fair way starts to feel like a real chore. Sometimes ‘shit, generic death metal’ makes me want to cry, as I force myself to listen to music I knew was awful after 2 songs. I won’t name any names here, but it is the bane of a reviewers life, and it does sometimes make me quite depressed.

But, just when I think I can’t take any more, along comes the new Monstrosity album to make everything good again. The Passage Of Existence is a fantastic death metal album, just stunning. This album has been a long time coming. This is the 6th Monstrosity album, the first since 2007’s Spiritual Apocalypse. In a career that has spanned 28 years, 6 albums might not sound like a lot, but Monstrosity deal in quality, not quantity.

The 12 tracks here, are to a degree, a little old school in style, but the soloing is in a more Technical style, in that they are incredibly well played and melodic. The riffs are incredibly tight and well written, no half arsed Morbid Angel rip offs like in ‘SGDM’. There are a lot of solos on this album, but as they are so well played, and add too the songs, that's not a bad thing. The track Dark Matter Invocation has a solo that carries on through the subsequent verse. With any other band, this would be an incoherent mess, but Monstrosity pull it off brilliantly. The production job on this album is also very good. The guitar and bass sounds are about as good as you’ll hear on any death metal album, the drums sound real and organic, and the overall mix is spot on.

It’s difficult to single out any particular part of The Passage Of Existence for praise, as it’s all so good. There isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking in this album, it isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done before. It’s just that every component of the album is about 10% better than anything anyone else is doing at the moment. Every aspect is just so beautifully done, so well thought out, so well played. If you’ve never listened to much death metal, this would be one hell of an introduction. If you already like death metal, then this is essential. 9 / 10

Siege Of Power: Warning Blast (Metal Blade Records) [Paul S]

Siege Of Power is an extreme metal super group comprised of Chris Reifert – Vocals (Autopsy, Violation Wound, Abscess, Painted Doll), Paul Baayens – Guitars (Asphyx, ex-Hail of Bullets, Thanatos), Theo van Eekelen – Bass (ex-Hail of Bullets, ex-Houwitser, ex-Grand Supreme Blood Court), Bob Bagchus – Drums (ex-Asphyx, Soulburn, ex-Grand Supreme Blood Court). With a who’s who of death metal illuminates like that, this album, although a first album, has a lot to live up to. The style on offer here is mainly Thrash with a healthy dose of old school Death metal, and a bit of old school Hardcore thrown in for good measure. As the title suggests this album is a blast.

Fast, simple riffs, short screaming solos and through it all Chris Reifert’s distinctive howl, and (bad taste) funny lyrics. the influences here are fairly obvious; Carnivore, Discharge and S.O.D. are a clear influences on this album, although in the case of S.O.D. maybe a little too much. Opening track Conquest For What is so close to S.O.D.’s March Of The S.O.D. I thought I’d put the wrong album on when I first heard it. I’m hoping this was a homage and was done on purpose. Aside from wearing their influences a little too clearly on their sleeves, this is a great album.

It has taken me back to the days (about 1987) when thrash was fun and death metal was fresh new and exiting. The riffs are simple, but they zip and crack with energy, and are about as tight as thrash / death/hardcore riffs get. Most of the songs are under 3 minutes, so it feels like the album shifts along at one hell of a pace. There isn’t anything particularly new or original here, but it is so much fun you don’t really care! 8/10

Burgerkill: Adamantine (BKHC Records) [Paul S]

Burgerkill are an Indonesian extreme metal band that have been active since 1995. The band have been a big deal in their native Indonesia, winning several awards. To be honest, this album is the first thing I’ve heard from the band. Adamantine is the bands 5th album, and is the follow up to 2011’s well received album, Venomous. The bands name is apparently the name of a burger bar in Bandung, capital city of West Java, that the members of the band used to frequent. The band chose the name as a joke, 23 years later they still have the same name, which if nothing else, shows dedication to comedy, which I respect.

So, what do we have from Burgerkill on their fifth album? Well, we get 9 tracks of, mainly, technical death metal. I say mainly, as there are quite a few different styles going on here. In addition to the tech death, there are also several pieces that are more hardcore in feel, some of the verses have this hardcorey style. There is also quite a lot of tech/djent /math metal parts as well, the track integral has a fantastic softer technical part that genuinely could have come from an Animals As Leaders album.

The quality of the musicianship on this album is very impressive. The solos are every bit as impressive as any technical death metal album I’ve heard. The rhythms are tight and well played, and although complex in places, they never sacrifice tunefulness for technicality. Some of the transitions between the more disparate sections on this album could have been handled a little better, maybe the band need to focus this part of their writing to smooth them out. Although, all the parts themselves are very good, and very well played.

This is a very enjoyable technical death metal album, a small amount of focus in the songwriting and Burgerkill could be something really special. I look forward to hearing more from the Indonesian metal scene. 7/10

Once Human: Stage Of Evolution (earMusic) [Matt]

The band formed by Logan Mader and Lauren Hart have released two studio albums but they have taken it on the road and from their US tour last year supporting Dragonforce they have managed to record this live album as Logan Mader says "I know it’s uncommon for a band who is not headlining to record a live album. We were able to pull it off because today’s technology and compact size of the necessary gear is a part of our everyday monitoring system" They've managed to capture this performance well with most of the songs coming from the Evolution and a few from The Life I Remember Hart commands the stage with her snarling deathy vocals which jar with her softly spoken Australian accent (though she is American) when she's talking to the crowd whipping up support for Dragonforce or thanking the fans fro coming.

The songs here don't really differ from the album versions with Mader's grinding riffs the major force behind the chaos as Hart let's rip. If you're not familiar with the songs here don't worry though as there will be one that you will know, the band bring out Fred from Dragonforce for a vicious rendition of Davidian which brings up the problem I've had a few times now which is: can it be cover if you wrote it? Answers on a postcard please. It's a tight set that whizzes past like a good support set should and it's a good reflection of Once Human's electric stage show. 7/10  

A View From The Back Of The Room: Serenity (Live Review By Nick & Stief)

Serenity, Temperance, Alight, Bannerman's Bar, Edinburgh

[Nick] After an interview with Serenity earlier in the day, a quick dash back to the hotel before we returned to Bannerman’s just in time to enjoy Alight (8) with a nice pint in hand. Alight hail from Italy and their relatively broken English meant there was very little chat between songs, however this was not a problem as the band’s evident passion for their music and then fun that they were having instantly rubbed off onto the crowd. Walking around the small stage and jumping at every opportunity the crowd joined in with no promoting required. The highlight of this set was one that was to be a trend throughout the night...the vocals.

Lead vocalist Catia was the star of this set, effortlessly delivering vocals at either end of the spectrum while not dropping a note throughout the set. Hauntingly beautiful at times this lady hopefully has a massive career in front of her, hopefully that will be with Alight who deserve a big push with their music that is reminiscent of Musipedia favourites Triaxis, except with an extra hand full of symphony thrown in. Paired with the stunning vocals of Catia the musicianship of Roberto's solid guitar rhythms and chunky breakdowns when required, Monika’s bouncy bass and Mirko's well tempered drums, Alight were a joy to behold and a cracking way to start the evening.

[Stief] next up was a personal treat, Temperance (8). Having followed their progress from their beginnings back in 2013, this tour was a great chance to finally see them. Despite a few microphone issues at the beginning, which continued to pop up from time to time through their set, the quintet waste no time getting into it, and from start to finish, it's clear they're loving every second here, their joy contagious. Newcomers Alessia Scolleti and Michele Guaitoli are extremely comfortable in centre stage, and seeing them live, they show a great synchronisation both in vocal style and how they perform. Marco Pastorino provides back up vocals, clearly happy to allow the other two to take the spotlight a bit more. The smaller venue means, as with the other bands, certain elements such as keyboards etc. are replaced by tape, which is sometimes drowned out by the live elements; however, this doesn't detract from the brilliant set, both Scolleti and Guaitoli showing great voice control and a wide range over the six songs. As they end with huge smiles on their faces, you can't help but smile with them.

[Nick] Entering the stage to the traditional Deus Lo Vult theme, Serenity (10) spared no time and jumped straight into what was to be the first of many anthems throughout the set, United. Not having the chance to see the band since their date in Cardiff back in 2012, I was pretty excited to see them, and again, as I always do, I forgot how immense the vocals of Georg are. We always hear people say that this singers vocals are just as good live as they are on record, when it is very rarely the case. Not here, six years on and Georg's vocals are still as pure and as clean as ever, and you could be forgiven to think that they weren’t live, but oh my they were! And were again the highlight of this set as the band powered through a handful of songs including Hero, New Horizons and personal favourite Iniquity. Ensuring they gave a nod to the majority of their back catalogue the band even offered up a new acoustic song performed live only once before called In The Name Of Scotland. This was always going to be met with rapturous applause and celebration by the die hard Scottish fans, and rightfully so... It was a little beauty of a song. The crowd then kindly returned the favour by serenading the band with The Flower Of Scotland. Throughout the set the crowd joined in in most songs, singing at the top of their voices, jumping around and generally having a great time. 

We were joined a few times by both Georg and Fabio both of which highlighted how much fun they were having playing to the smaller crowd. This was evident to see as banter was exchanged throughout (even with us Welsh) drinks were exchanged and birthday girls brought on stage to share a moment with her crush Georg. Despite all this adding to the occasion, all this aside, the music was still delivered to the highest quality. Fabio's bass was smooth throughout the set dictating the atmosphere of each song, also proving why he is a vocal coach hitting some of the highest notes possible when called upon. Guitarist Cris was able to offer the deepest and darkest of breakdowns one minute then roll of the most delicate of solos and ride the next... This young lad is talented. Combined with his shrieking death growls, he has the lot! Finally Andreas on drums, who as Fabio mentioned can wrongful go in noticed at times, but without his hard hitting guidance and pounding bass pedals the magic that serenity want to create on stage would simply fall apart. These guys are a family and that is obviously both from the interview pre show and the performance they put on live, so tight yet done with so much ease.

Finishing the set with a triple whammy of The Final Crusade, Reduced To Nothingness and Follow Me the band ended the set in style. Allowing the adoring fans to sing along and have one last moment of jumping around in unison. Leaving them with no other option to chant “please come back” as Serenity left the stage. I for one really hope they do, this was a perfect example of how to out on a show that was both about the fans and the band, both felt equal here and the music brought everyone together... And damn was it good music!

A quick word on the venue; Bannerman’s Bar. A bar that is dedicated completely to metal. The decorations throughout were evident but not over the top, a great selection of real ales, metal music of all genres playing on the jukebox, equally as passionate staff and the gig hall although small was perfect. The sound was some of the best I’ve heard in a long time and the respect the patrons had for the venue was evident. Cardiff is crying out for a venue such as this run in exactly the same vein and for no other reason than metal. I certainly will be looking out for gigs here in the future as I’d love to experience Bannerman’s again.

Reviews: Dave Grohl, Idles, Nonpoint, Dynazty, Psychostick (Reviews By Alex & Stief)

Dave Grohl: Play (Self Released) [Alex]

You can’t help but like Dave Grohl. Regardless of your opinion on Foo Fighters or Nirvana, he is someone undeniably dedicated to his love of music, as he has made clear through his dedication to playing even with broken bones, and his seemingly never-ending list of projects he has been involved in with other musicians. Play sees him trying something new again: A 23 minute instrumental in which he plays all seven instruments. Ambitious? Maybe, but aesthetically the idea is not to show off, nor to aspire to be in the league of Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. Rather, the music here is kept quite rhythm based, reflecting Grohl background in punk and grunge rather than trying to be pretentiously complex. In the accompanying short film of the same name, we see children persevering their first instruments, reinforcing our frontman’s famous quote deriding X-factor and championing the next generation of musicians: ‘’Musicians should get in their garage and just suck, and they’ll have the best time in their lives, and all of a sudden they’ll become nirvana’’.

With each musical shift here, from mellow and subdued to epic and commanding, you can hear the influences – Rush, the Clash, Killing Joke – taking toot and shaping his musical direction. Adding to the raw vibe emanating from every facet of Play is the decision to record every instrument part in one take, simply scrapping ones with mistakes and starting from scratch. We see this paying off especially in the final few minutes as the instrumental reaches a roaring and triumphant crescendoing, audibly illustrating that making music in any genre requires commitment, yet is a challenge that ultimately pays off. Or, as Dave Grohl excellently puts it as we see seven carbon copies of him walking into a studio and taking their seats by their instruments in the music video: ‘’I always feel like a kid again when I’m working. Like any kid, the reward is just to play’’ 8/10

Idles: Joy As An Act Of Resistance (Partisan Records) [Alex]

Notorious for their acerbically satirical brand of punk rock, flaunted by their debut: Brutalism, Idles could not just leave us in the clutches of the current political state without serving up some more of their uniquely sarcastic wit. To the uninitiated, they smash together influences ranging from stranglers to Fugazi, capturing perfectly the angst and wit, combined with a serious commitment to the music, to make those sounds sincere.

Colossus begins on a broodingly downtrodden note before exploding life, setting up the themes of striving to find joy in an age of negativity. Lead single, Danny Nedelko champions immigrants and their contribution to society with the artwork for the single reading ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor solely by the Romans’. While there is an irony to singing about toxic masculinity and self-worth aggressively and forcefully, moments like Never Fight A Man With A Perm, Television, and Samaritans do so excellently with the later declaring ‘’I kissed a boy and I liked it’’. 

Yet when Idles aren’t sardonically berating themselves for being ‘special snowflakes’ as on I’m Scum or making references to Dirty Dancing in order to rip into modern conceptions of romance as on Love Song, they are capable of being a lot more direct. ‘’Blighty wants his country back, fifty-inch screen in his Cul-De-Sac, as he cries at the price of a bacon bap’’ asserts Great, showing off a distinctly British sense of humor, the satire only perhaps bridging both sides of the Atlantic with the line ‘’Islam didn’t eat your hamster’’. On a personal note though, June is a slow and sombre song about the death of Talbots daughter, lines in the vein of ‘’Baby shoes, for sale, never worn’’ proving painfully emotional, proving there are some topics which bridge even the political or social divides we might possess

Clearly drawing on the concepts of their last record, a wide palette of lyrical topics are pinned up against the wall here, some of them drenched in controversy. Yet whether you agree with Idle's or not, the melodic yet aggressive sting of the instrumentation, mixed with the worldview-challenging insight and charm, could prove enough to win anyone over. 9/10

Nonpoint: X (Spinefarm) [Alex]

Give Nonpoint the respect they deserve. Now on their 9th studio outing, they have had a prolific career, honing their own sound and technical ability, and surviving the early 2000s which spat out and chewed up many acts in the post-grunge scene like a machine. In fact, while I will confess to never being a massive fan, I do sincerely understand the love and devotion from their cult following.

X still embodies many of the best features of alt-rock fused with metal, combining complex grove-like riffs and wailing solos. At the same time though, I can’t help but feel somewhat perturbed by regressions into some of the worst characteristics of nu-metal. Notably, on almost every song – from Chaos And Earthquakes to Passive Aggressive, vocalist Elias Soriano decides to rap obnoxiously. To clarify, I am by no means against combining hip-hop with metal – my love of Rage Against The Machine will disprove any claims to the contrary. In this case, however, the rapping stands so far out in the mix, I have trouble discerning the subtle nuances in the playing of the sincerely talented musicians. 

Any interplay between the music and the vocals becomes minuscule. Case in point, the three best songs on this entire album are the closers; Feel The Way I Feel, Position One and Paralysed, where the singing is melodic, and rises and falls in turn with the instrumental passages, creating an expressive and poignant atmosphere, in which the emotions and messages are not obscured by anyone. Alone, these closing moments are the mark of good musicians who deserve all the praise they get and more. Let’s hope that as they reach the latter stages of their career that they can continue to impress. 5/10

Dynazty: Firesign (AFM Records) [Stief]

Admittedly, this is my first time hearing the Swedish quintet but I'm very glad I have now. The sixth full album from the band, and it's a cracking one. It's great power metal from beginning to end, with shades of Orden Ogan and Amaranthe, while still keeping their own individual sound. Nils Molin's vocals are perfect for the band, never seeming to falter, as well as the constant riffage and harmonies from Love Magnusson and Mikael Lavér.

This great guitar work paired with Georg Härnsten Egg's drumming and Jonathan Olsson's bass give an almost industrial feel to the proceedings, while still retaining the power metal feeling of the bombastic with strings and synths weaving throughout the album. Standout tracks include the chuggingly great title track Firesign which involves some eerie synths midway and album closer The Light Inside The Tunnel, a great slice of pure power metal. Overall, a brilliant album, and a band I'm going to be checking out more often. 8/10

Psychostick: Do (Self-Released) [Stief]

As you all probably know by now, I'm a fan of some silly stuff, and it doesn't get sillier than Arizona's Psychostick. The first self-released album since 2003's We Couldn't Think Of A Title, it's what we've all come to expect from Psychostick; An album of heavy metal songs about mundane topics, including Bacon, Eggs And Cheese, Losing Keys, Being An Adult. The only problem is...nothing seems to have changed in the 4 years since IV: Revenge Of The Vengeance. Sure, the band sounds heavier, more refined, but the meat and potatoes of it (another song idea there) is that this entire album is disjointed, and  feels like a jam session that the band just happened to record.

While there are some decent songs, most of them involving breakdowns with 'Rawrb' Kersey talking over them, or half-singing. Having reviewed them in the past, plus seeing them play the globe, I want it to be good, but for some reason, it isn't. There are only a few stand out songs, including the very relatable From The Heart, an acoustic ballad about hating people and the final song Flop, a Mindless Self Indulgence-esque song which pokes fun at the constant dance songs trying to force new dance moves on the public. That being said, with 22 songs on the album, most clocking at a minute and a half, and only a handful of good ones, I'm hoping the next thing Psychostick brings out is a bit more focused. 5/10