Reviews: Tribulation, Lionize, Wilderun, Vikram (Paul H, Matt & Alex)

Tribulation: Alive & Dead At Söndra Teatern (Century Media) [Paul Hutchings]

Recorded before a seated audience at one of the most prestigious and revered venues in Stockholm, Tribulation delivered a two-part set which would have been an exciting event to have attended. The first half of the show focused on 2018’s album Down Below, the album delivered in full before a mix of songs from their catalogue completed part 2. Whilst the audience is relatively muted throughout the album, there is nothing wrong with their dark, gothic style of metal. Of the nine tracks from Down Below, the ten-minute Here Be Dragons is the epic standout track, the darkness permeating through the speakers as the track unfolds majestically. Elsewhere, The Motherhood Of God hits the gothic elements perfectly and there is plenty elsewhere to get the hearing weapons engaged. It’s a good introduction to a band whose slightly obscure style may well cause a few scratches of the head when they link with Ghost in the next couple of weeks. Whether it’s as epic in terms of live albums as their press release say is of course down to personal tastes. To me it isn’t anywhere near the legendary live albums of years gone by, but it captures the essence of a wickedly underrated band. 7/10

Lionize: Panic Attack (Electric Reckoning Music) [Paul Hutchings]

I’ve been waiting for this one for a while; well, since shortly after their last album Nuclear Soul landed to be honest. I am completely absorbed by the groove and funk of this band. Their mix of genres, styles and general approach just tick all my boxes. Lionize has also been drip feeding this release to social media, almost to the point of irritation so it’s been a joy to final receive the signed CD that I ordered months ago. If you don’t know who Lionize are, the band hail from Maryland with the current line-up being Nate Bergman (guitar and voice), Henry ‘Hank’ Upton (bass) and Chris Brooks (keys). Drummer Chase Lapp left the band at the turn of the year and the assured beat master Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch, a band indelibly linked with Lionize, stepped in to add his unique drumming style to the album. This is full length album number 7 and it’s another cracker to add to the discography.

Soaked with the blues groove of previous albums, rich with harmonies and Brooks’ thick Hammond organ and Rhodes piano sound, it’s a 35-minute adventure which is soaked with punchy, addictive songs that demand your attention and movement. Upton’s bass lines fuse funk, reggae and rock, Bergman hits the high notes on the vocals in that sweet style of his, whilst adding deft touches on the guitar. The Loneliest Whale is a fabulous opener, building in tempo to explode into a right old rocking tune as the story unfolds; we’ve all been that whale, looking for our pod but not being on the right frequency to find it. The title track grabs the attention. Throughout the album the clever lyrics weave tales and stories which engross the listener. Giant Spiders Of The Universe wins on title alone but it’s also a stomping funk fuelled fist pumper, guaranteed to get the head nodding.

Andy Kaufman’s Not Dead allows the reggae funk to kick in while penultimate song Break Out keeps the tempo high, with some lovely keyboard work before final track Heavy On The Mind slows things down with a reflective feel. Lionize can do no wrong in my book. Their seventh long player is technically clever, intuitive and instantly recognisable. A band who deserve wider exposure, this is a late entry into the top ten for 2019. 9/10

Wilderun: Veil Of Imagination (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

This album is a masterpiece. An absolute masterpiece. I could end the review there give a score and be done with it but you probably want me to quantify why I think this record from Bostonian prog metal band Wilderun will be very near the summit of my Top 10 of the year. So I want to take you on a journey similar to the one the album itself takes you on, imagine a place where Opeth didn't grow into the 70's worshipping progsters they are today imagine if that at the time of Blackwater Park where they brought in more of the pastoral folk sounds to their death metal assault they also began to forge a partnership with Blind Guardian and add huge a full orchestra to everything they do.

What you would have is a band who dive between lilting folk passages, death metal aggression, power metal gallops all finished of with a cinematic orchestral score and the mournful introspective . What you would get is Wilderun. From the spoken word segments that are readings of works by William Wordsworth and T.S Elliot, to the music itself an awful lot of time, thought and passion has been put into this album. I said earlier it was a journey and like with all great conceptual pieces this record seamlessly flows between each song segueing one into another as the blastbeats explode before turning into deft jazz drumming while guitars grind with tremolo picking then in a instant lull you with some acoustic fireside melodies.

It's a huge heap of praise that needs to be levied on the mixing and mastering of Dan Swanö and Jens Borgen along with the bands own production ear with additional assistance from Justin Spaulding and Andrew Greacen. Vocally the low lilting clean vocals carry emotion well and the harsh style is from the bowels of hell (very Akerfeldt) as Evan Anderson Berry casts magic with his vocal prowess along with bringing guitars (mainly rhythm/acoustic) along with piano, though due to the classical overtones of this record there are also two additional piano players on the album. Bookended by a 14 minute and an 11 minute track this 8 song record is breathtaking from the spoken word first moments of The Unimaginable Zero Summer through to the last spoken words and acoustic refrains of the final track When The Fire And The Rose Were One. We get the a dynamic boiler room from Dan Müller (bass/synths) and Jon Teachey (drums) who lead the huge sounding Far From Where Dreams Unfurl, a song Amon Amarth would raid a thousand villages for, as Joe Getter's lead guitar prowess is brilliant when he's left to shine on O Resolution! and Far From Where Dreams Unfurl.

But even on more delicate moments such as Scentless Core (Budding) and Scentless Core (Fading) the instrumental mastery is at the highest level aided as always by the thrilling orchestrations of Dan Müller and Wayne Ingram which fortify's these compositions with huge walls of classical instrumentation, choirs and all manner of tricks to make sure Veil Of Imagination keeps you enthralled for it's one hour plus runtime. My advice is clear your schedule and settle in for this record, if you do you will be rewarded with quite possibly one of the best albums of 2019, well worth it's four year gestation period, Veil Of Imagination is as I said at the beginning a masterpiece. 10/10

Vikram: Behind The Mask I (Rockshots Records) [Alex Swift]

In ambitious, progressive fashion, Behind The Mask I is the first part in a trilogy of stories, the details of which will be laid out in three novels of the same name. Speaking as someone who admires the multimedia experience and really appreciates when acts take their work to that next level, the ethos here really excited me. Thankfully, the music on display. So does the music impress? Well, yes and no. I appreciate the scale on display and from the opener, The Mortal Dance Of Cali, it’s abundantly clear that these musicians are aspiring to create a bombastic and different sound that honours their influences in prog and metal while trying for a weird middle-eastern play on those concepts. Alas, the baffling composition or lack thereof, mixed with the questionable performances leaves much to be desired. Requiem For Salem tries to give flight to a medieval, gothic feel, yet fails to pin down the instrumental and vocal tones, that would stop the instrumental passages clashing at visceral force - the prevailing sensation is one of watching a train crash, while generic, middle-east inspired music plays in the distant background.

Burn In Hell has an extreme, metal theme prevailing, yet the gnarled vocals of Siervi, don’t so much as add to the sense of bombast, as to make Behind The Mask seem yet more embroiled in a deluded sense of epicness and grandiloquence. In fairness, this piece actually has decent piano and electric guitar breaks, and Andaluzia makes beguiling use of acoustics. However, the insistence on taunting you with excruciating extremities resumes on Hassan Tower and Forsaken Death. The worst part, when the album isn’t force-feeding you with self-importance, it's boring you with clichés and tropes. Occasionally a glimpse of ambition shows through, yet I need to be able to pick the technicalities and subtleties out from the barrage of jarring melodies and phrases, that drag these songs from the plain of competence, straight into the gaping mouth of hell. If this is only part I in their adventure epic, I wont be clamouring for the complete experience 3/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Opeth/Vintage Caravan (Live Review By Paul Hutchings)

Opeth/The Vintage Caravan, 02 Bristol Academy

A mere 24 hours after they started their headline set at Damnation Festival 2019, Opeth (10) brought a majestic two hours to a close at the 02 Academy in Bristol with the same ferocity they had delivered the night before. The punishing Deliverance, long-time standard set closer remains one of their most loved and complex songs; a devastating blend of death metal power and progressive jazz exploration is almost un-droppable.

Why Opeth are still playing 1500 capacity venues is beyond me but selfishly I’m glad as cavernous arenas may not be kind to their need for clean sound lines. Few in the venue were popping the Opeth cherry; most were devoted fans, committed to the twists and turns of an intriguing musical journey that the Swedes have explored in nearly 30 years as a band, reaching back to those formative days before Orchid. 13 albums have given them sufficient gravitas to use the 02 screens and employ huge platforms which elevated keyboard player Joakim Svalberg, drummer Martin Axe Axenrot and bassist Martin Mendez high above the audience. Mood enhancing lighting added atmosphere throughout; the cold blue spotlights cutting an icy path for opening songs Svekets Prins and old favourite The Leper Affinity, the oldest song in the set list from 2001’s Blackwater Park; gentle warmth for Hope Leaves and a stunningly beautiful Nepenthe, drawn from the much-maligned Heritage album and the most delicate piece of the night.

And then we had Mikael Akerfeldt. Dressed to impress in Fedora, crisp white shirt and velour jacket, matched with jeans and white Adidas trainers. The ringleader, joker, frontman and all-round nice guy, who possesses a steely determination to direct the good ship Opeth in the direction he wants. Deflecting the hecklers with ease; “Have my babies” screamed one female fan. “Have you brought them?” he quips without hesitation. Later in the evening he adopts a Bercow style “order, order”, and puts a joker back in his place when challenged about hat wear. “I wore a baseball cap with the VoiVod logo on years ago” he replies, “so you are fucking wrong!” Akerfeldt is no slouch on the guitar either, trading lead breaks with Fredrik Akesson stage right for fun, although Akesson does get the rip roaring lead break on Svekets Prins as well as the dynamic solo on Moon Above, Sun Below, one of three tracks to survive from their 02 performance almost exactly two years before. Akesson deals with some pedal issues confidently, fending off the inevitable “are you ready yet?” enquiries from his fellow axe partner. Akerfeldt has the confidence to sing the songs from In Cauda Venenum in Swedish; Svekets Prins, Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör and Allting Tar Slut sound amazing, Akesson and Svalberg adding perfect harmonies with Akesson sharing vocal duties on the latter track.

It’s a vintage performance combined with a fresh, modern approach. The Lotus Eater is as creepy as ever yet remains a fan favourite. My only disappointment of the evening is the change in the list of Sorceress for The Moor. But such is life and I won’t complain about an Opeth set list anytime soon.

Earlier in the evening The Vintage Caravan (9) had proved to be a wise choice of support. The Icelandic trio were also at Damnation, playing an hour long set full of joy, riffs, humour and oh yes, riffs. Pushed to the front of the stage in Bristol, nothing phased them. Their brand of classic psychedelic hard rock pushing the right buttons. Bassist Alexander Örn Númason quipping before On The Run that “this song features a bass solo, and there’s nothing you can do about it”. During Expand Your Mind vocalist and guitarist Öskar Logi Ágüstsson demonstrated exactly how to handle a broken string, a manic leap into the photography pit, racing to the other side of the stage to grab a spare guitar; drummer Stefán Ari Stefánsson and Númason holding a steady beat until Ágüstsson returned and the band picked it back up. Over 13 years in the business, The Vintage Caravan are seasoned professionals, even if they forgot completely that they had played the same City a mere 12 months before. Although the 02 was once again uncomfortably overcrowded, the audience were for the most part exemplary; no mean feat in such challenging times. As I write Opeth have just been announced for ArcTangent in Bristol in 2020. I’ll see you there.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Y&T (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Y&T & Bare Knuckle Messiahs, Tramshed, Cardiff

So once again it was into Cardiff's Tramshed and this time it was awash with double denim and questionable haircuts as everyone got ready for the pretty much yearly visit of the Los Angeles classic rock band now on their 45th anniversary.

First though it was the support act...Cardiff based band Bare Knuckle Messiah's (4) who are a band made up of three ex-members of Tigertailz, fronted by that bands long term singer Kim Hooker augmented by JJ of the infamous band S.E.X. on bass. Now I'm going to try and be nice here and say that they were not enjoyable for me, their own songs are bog standard glam-lite, trying to sound dark and they played a two Tigertailz numbers and a song written by Pepsi Tate to make the nonplussed majority of the crowd recognize who they are. This was the band's debut show but with so much experience you could expect more.

 Anyway on to the main event which was probably the best value for money you can get in a band, 21 songs, 2 hours (just about) and slick professionalism on display from the opening riff of Hurricane to the closing anthemic Forever Y&T (8) always give a heck of a show. Now this was part of their 45th anniversary tour so the setlist was probably one of the most eclectic I've seen as they endeavoured to play at least one song from every album they have released. Of course the bulk came from Mean Streak, Down For The Count, Earthshaker, Black Tiger and Facemelter (their last studio record) but we did get one song from each album, with some real deep cuts meaning that this show was for the hardcore rather than those wanting the greatest hits. With Dave Meniketti leading from the front it's his affable manner, vocal and guitar prowess that drives this band as they move through their huge rockers like Black Tiger, Hang Em High and Midnight In Tokyo, as we got some of the poppier 80's numbers like Summertime Girls, Come In From The Rain, Face Like An Angel and Anytime At All showing his bluesy side on the early Struck Down and of course the axe magic of I Believe In You. There was a bit of between song chat mainly around the setlist and some interaction with the rowdy audience, who were putting away the beer a bit too quickly for a Sunday night, but mostly it was Y&T doing what they do best, hard rock that is laser focussed but with soul that gets you singing along, perfect rock music for a Sunday night, I will be seeing them next time I wager.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Damnation Festival (Live Review By Paul Hutchings)

Damnation Festival, Leeds University

My third visit to the festival and another cracking line-up to entice those whose tastes verge towards the extreme. The day was as exhausting as ever, doors at 12:00 and festivities ceasing some 15 hours later. In between, opportunity to catch bands whose appearances on these shores are often infrequent. A quick word about the chaotic organisation inside the venue. The absence of simple signage telling patrons which stage was which confused many including me, despite my previous visits. Security staff were unhelpful and at times downright rude, with reports of fans being refused re-admittance upon leaving the building. However, the music excelled and made the day worthwhile once more.

Matt and I spent much of the day camped out at the Eyesore Merch Stage. The 600 or so capacity sports hall offered close views, relatively decent sound and a more relaxed atmosphere throughout the day. I’d seen Alunah (8) a few weeks ago at HRH Doom v Stoner and the Birmingham outfit impressed once more. A 30-minute set didn’t allow for much due to the length of the band’s songs, but their doom-laden melancholy was the perfect lunchtime treat, with Sian Greenaway’s deep and soulful delivery as impressive as her red cat suit. Tracks from the new album Violet Hour are already established in the band’s set list, with Trapped & Bound a highlight. Finnish/English outfit Wheel (9) continued with the infectious riffing which we had last been stunned by in the Sophie Tent at BOA back in August. A recent change in personnel saw Aki Verta join the band on bass but you’d never have gathered he was the new boy with an assured and energetic performance, his bouncing locks cascading up and down as he charged around centre stage. It’s intensity to the max with Wheel, vocalist James Lascalle coiled with nervous energy and an attempt to ingratiate himself with the locals by revealing he’d been to university at Scarborough some years ago. Despite some horrific feedback and technical challenges, Wheel owned their 30 minutes and captivated the audience with tracks from Moving Backwards, surely one of the best albums of 2019.

One band I’d been especially keen to catch was Oregon’s sludge riff maestros Lord Dying (8) whose latest release Mysterium Tremendum is a magnificent opus. The band didn’t disappoint, pummelling with an onslaught of heaving riffs. Even a broken guitar strap couldn’t slow down man mountain Eric Olsen who played the set with his guitar tucked tightly under his arm whilst bassist Alyssa Morcere, all spit and fire and “fuck yeahs” roared her encouragement. Envy The End, Nearing The End Of The Curling Worm and a fiery Severed Forever from Mysterium Tremendum were stunning. A quick break from the Eyesore Stage as we headed to the bowels of the venue for 20 minutes of dark thick stoner doom courtesy of Berlin trio Earth Ship (7) on the Cult Never Dies stage. Guitarist Jan Oberg’s rasping vocals and raging guitar work were well worth the amble down the corridor, with bassist Sabine Oberg laying down the thunder with drummer Sebastian Grimberg. Whilst unfamiliar with their material, you can’t go wrong with good thick doom riffs and Earth Ship possessed these in spades. One to look out for again.

Grabbing a sustaining pasty and an overpriced beer, we hot footed it back to the Eyesore stage to catch Jo Quail (7) deliver something a little different. The internationally acclaimed composer and virtuoso cellist strode confidently onto the stage to a packed room. Her innovative looping style combined with her avant garde style and approach allowed a welcome breather, but the intensity remained high. With the crowd respectful in their silence whilst she played, Quail confidently moved through a couple of pieces before introducing Nick Sampson to join her on stage to play Madrel Cantus. An interesting performer, Quail is worth catching. Our first forage into the Jagermeister Stage saw Primordial (7) running later than advertised. A lengthy sound check had hopefully ironed out the gremlins but no, a mere one verse and chorus into the epic Nail Their Tongues and the power died, leaving frontman AA Nemtheanga bemused. To their credit the band addressed the issues quickly and soon elevated the temperature in the venue with their high impact aggressive primordial metal. The delay meant missing a good chunk of the Irishmen’s set but that was a price worth paying as we crammed into the Eyesore Stage once more for A Pale Horse Named Death (8). The New Yorkers were stunningly good, with frontman and driving force of the band Sal Abruscator humble and enthusiastic, his mournful vocals fusing with the band’s gothic leanings. Joe Taylor took the take stage left and add to the three-guitar onslaught. Earlier this year the band released When The World Becomes Undone, and it was no surprise that several songs were selected from this release. Captivating from start to finish, A Pale Horse Named Death deserved their massive ovation.

Cramming back into the main stage for Alcest proved a poor decision, the French outfit’s intense post metal riffing failing to capture the usual atmosphere they generate in smaller, more intimate venues. We grabbed another drink and headed for the Eyesore once more, in time to watch the arsing around of Icelandic trio The Vintage Caravan (9) through their soundtrack. Egged on by their sound engineer, the band powered through some ridiculous renditions of Careless Whisper as well as tracks by The Police, Paul Simon and a montage of Toto. When we’d finished laughing, the band exited before returning to provide possibly the most enjoyable set of the weekend. High energy from start to finish, the two ‘outfield’ members of the band, Alexander Örn Númason and Öskar Logi Ágüstsson proved to be as comedic during their main set as they were during the soundcheck with numerous little quips which had the audience chuckling loudly. The Vintage Caravan’s riff propelled psychedelic classic rock sound appears simple, the hooks and riffs snaring you with ease. But the band work incredibly hard to do this and tracks such as Babylon, On The Run, Expand Your Mind and the sing-a-long to Midnight Meditation all ooze class and quality.

Class and quality have never been in question when it comes to Opeth (9). Four dates into their latest European tour, the Swedes were slowly easing into their set list. A boorish crowd fuelled by all-day drinking heckled and crowd surfed from the opening bars of Svekets Prins, their limited knowledge of the new material a little frustrating to the hundreds of Opeth fans in the crowd. Once more the behaviour of some fans left us bemused, as people forged their way to the front way after the show had commenced; no excuse me or thank you, just a shoulder barge and a God-given right to get to the position they wanted regardless of everyone else. It’s one reason why larger gigs are becoming less attractive as I get older. On stage, Mikael Akerfeldt handled the barracking with his usual droll delivery. Restricting tracks from In Cauda Venenum to Svekets Prins and Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör allowed old favourites The Leper Infinity and Harlequin Forest to please the old school, even inciting a few skirmishes in the pit.

The inclusion of Nepenthe from Heritage was a brave decision and beautifully delivered, a demonstration that if there is one band who will choose their own set list then it is Opeth. Still, some things are predictable, and the crushing Deliverance as the final song ensured those still thirsting for the heaviest Opeth were sated. It might not have been the most impressive performance I’ve ever seen from the Swedes but there is no such thing as a bad Opeth show. They are enormously impressive as a unit, with the additional vocal support from Fredrik Akesson and Joakim Svalberg adding harmony and melody. And that was that. Another Damnation Festival closed. It’s a great festival and with a bit more tweaking, it could be even better.

Reviews: King Hiss, Lamassu, Horizon's End, Life Of Agony (Matt, Paul H & Alex Swift)

King Hiss: Earthquaker (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Belgian band King Hiss take their name from the villous king of the snakemen in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but unlike their name they are not at all slithery, it's actually quite the opposite as this is an album of rock solid stoner riffs. Belgium has quite a pedigree when it comes to stoner rock so it's only fitting that they would produce a band like King Hiss. Earthquaker is their third full length album and it's a record that deals with "the story of modern man, our protagonist loses all his bearings in an overload of stimuli, feeds his thoughts on the delusion of social media and walking a thin line between manipulation, stereotyping and polarization" so it's a record that deals with what a massive clusterfuck the world is at the moment, as we can all relate to the protagonist.

King Hiss guide us through with some heavy riffs from Joost ‘Josh Fury’ Noyelle (guitars) that right balance between being technically impressive and primal. He gets the back up from Dominiek ‘Visioene’ Hoet (bass) and Jason Bernard (drums) meaning Revolt! punches you in the guts as it rampages along urging you to "stand your ground" before exploding into guitar solos as explosive as a firework display. Singer Jan Coudron’s expressive voice lives every single lyric his wide range perfect for when he needs to roar, shout or croon as the band switch between stoner grooves of Butcher, classic rock bounce of Kilmister and doomier sounds such as GTWHR. Earthquaker is tough, intelligent record from the Belgian riff monsters, that gets the head nodding and the mind thinking. 7/10

Lamassu: Into The Empty (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]

Haunting, despair ridden vocals ride over a deep throaty doom stomp on Lamassu’s debut album, Into The Empty. The Australian four-piece play it heavy, with lumbering tracks that traverse from pulsing stoner songs to almost funeral paced crawling, for example, Under the Watch of a Crow. From the opening bars of Chokehold Companion, all sombre desert doom with Chris Fisher’s Cornell-like plaintive cries, through to the bass heavy intro of closing track I Die, a rumbling, lengthy voyage which subtly pummels at the senses whilst clean layered harmonies hover over thundering heavy riffs, there is more than an element of Soundgarden here. At times spine breaking in its intensity, Into The Empty is a pulsating piece of work. 7/10

Horizon's End: Skeleton Keys (Steel Gallery Records) [Matt Bladen]

Yet more progressive metal this time from Thessaloniki with the recently re-activated Horizon's End. This album was recorded between 2013 and 2019 but it has taken this long to see the light of day. So is it any good? well it opens with 7 minute instrumental and closes with a 22 minute track so it most definitely in the progressive realm, though Horizon's End are in the prog/power metal realm as the virtuoso guitar playing is augmented with classical keys and some galloping heavy riffs from the rhythm section. You get to know the instrumental players on this album quite well as it goes almost 10 minutes from the start of the album before you hear any vocals and every track has elongated sections ready for solos and numerous time signature changes, take a number such as Land Of Decay, it's the shortest track on the album but still has break for a fluid guitar solos in the middle of it.

If I was making comparisons I would say they sound a lot like Shadow Gallery or Fates Warning as the keys undercut the melodic metal riffs. Vocally it's pretty good with the lower tones of Vasilios working well as Beast In Black's Yannis Papadopoulos lends his pipes to two tracks but it's the backing compositions that really see this album sparkle especially when they can keep your attention on the final 22 minute colossal closing number. Skeleton Keys is a good prog/power metal album from a Greek band who are now in the second part of their career and coming up with some very strong material. 8/10

Life Of Agony: Sound Of Scars (Napalm Records) [Alex Swift]

Specifically drawing on the ferocious, angered side of Grunge perfected by acts in the vein of Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, Life Of Agony powerfully channel the angst suggested by their name, despite not making originality their focal point. Scars open convincingly, the down-tuned distortion and thrashing guitars, initially making me question if this is a grunge album at all until Mina Caputo’s dingy vocals roar in and the anthem takes on a stamping rhythm. Lay Down is similar in tone. The emphasis on stints of tension contrasted with sections of brooding melancholy, certainly proves exciting, if slightly repetitive after a while. No doubt there are elements of metal, or even classic rock here, yet a seething moodiness underpins the entire experience. These ideas are continued onto Black Heart where the fast-paced chugging, makes for a throttling hook to the track, while the melodies and bass work makes for an entrancing atmosphere.

Empty Hole is where the record starts to become tiresome. It comes right after an interlude which contributes nothing, and while the more upbeat nature is beguiling, it does not make up for the increasingly noticeable presence of the muddy production – a problem which wears on throughout most of the back half of the album including on closer Weight Of The World and Surrender. Don’t misunderstand me, I realise that in this genre, retro production and an aversion to cleanliness is sort of the point yet that was classically compensated for by fantastic songwriting and production value, which while respecting the artists ‘authentic approach’ to songcrafting, also brought out their strengths – ‘Ten’ anyone?, ‘Dirt’ going-going gone! How about ‘Nevermind’? The Sound of Scars is far from a bad piece.

It’s very well performed indeed, and the band clearly has a love for their home genre and all associated styles. Still, there is still a pretty bad case of same old syndrome going on here, and until Life Of Agony can incorporate reinvention into the mix, or simply fix the issues which are holding them back from truly replicating the Seattle sound, I will continue to find a myriad of excuses not to return to their music, 6/10

Reviews: The Flower Kings, Helloween, Hideous Divinity, Une Misère (Matt, Paul H, Alex & Rich)

The Flower Kings: Waiting For Miracles (InsideOut Records) [Matt Bladen]

Currently made up of the current touring line-up band leader Roine Stolt, along with Jonas Reingold, Hasse Fröberg, Zach Kamins & Mirko DeMaio Waiting For Miracles is the 14th studio album from progressive rock titans The Flower Kings. As many of you who have read this blog, or indeed any music based media will probably know Stolt is a workaholic, with barely a year going by that he doesn't release a project, sometimes more than one a year. So where does Waiting For Miracles stand in this extensive back catalog? Well first it's a weighty record, spread across two discs and 15 songs this is prog at its most overblown, Stolt has said that on this album that "more is always more!" huge instrumental swathes are brought about by vintage keys/organs and stirring elongated guitar solos as the songs have mixes of  pop, rock and symphonic as Ascending To The Stars shows with it's cinematic bravado showing through.

The album was recorded in the RMV studio in Stockholm, Sweden which is a vintage studio owned by ABBA's Benny Andersson, it means that this is distinctly old school sounding album that comes from The Flower Kings earlier years as Wicked Old Symphony brings some excellent keyboard work and a Beatles vibe, as the rock quota is upped by Miracles For America, The Bridge meanwhile the beautiful The Bridge is an emotional ballad. There's a whole host of sounds here and this is just the first disc, Waiting For Miracles deals with a lot of environmental and socio-political themes but wrapped up into a mainly upbeat prog box where there is a massive sound and colour palette. As the last album was essentially a Stolt solo record it's great to hear Hasse Fröberg and Jonas Reingold back providing vocals and the trademark thick basslines. The Flower Kings are essentially a group of hippies playing experimental music that brings to mind the archetypal acts like Yes, ELP or even Marillion. Symphonic, pop-minded and experimental Waiting For Miracles is another worthy addition to The Flower Kings discography. 8/10 


Helloween: United Alive In Madrid (Nuclear Blast) [Paul Hutchings]

Two and a half hours of live power metal. Some people would class this as heaven; others as hell. Whatever your persuasion, this endurance event proves that Helloween, one of the most influential European metal bands of all time, can still cut it live. The furore over the Pumpkins United tour (e.g. continual demands for them to play Bloodstock for the past few years) saw the Germans play a meagre one date in the UK on their 69-date world tour. Captured in the 14,000 capacity Madrid Arena on 9th December 2017, United Alive In Madrid sees Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen join the current line-up of Helloween for a trip which mainly travels down memory lane. If you lived through the emergence of Helloween as a major force in the 1980s, then you’ll know that the seminal Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I and Part II albums were essential listening.

The lyrics are ridiculous, the concepts inflated and overblown and yet Helloween remain the epitome of how power metal should be delivered. Duelling guitars, turned down melodies, insane speed and soaring vocals. The highlight of this searingly hot album for me isn’t the incredible 13-minute intro of Halloween, the 17-minute anthemic Keeper Of The Seven Keys or even the triumphant conclusion of I Want Out but the Kai Hansen melody about one third of the way through. Starlight, Ride The Sky, Judas and Heavy Metal Is The Law transport you back to 1984 and the pre-Kiske Helloween Walls Of Jericho album. This would have been worth the admission alone. Elsewhere, Kiske and Andi Deris trade vocals, Kiske’s higher pitch dealing with the earlier compositions more comfortably, although after all this time it’s astonishing that either can hit the heights they do. As live albums go, this is decent stuff, albeit no doubt edited heavily. If you’ve never listened to Helloween before, this is a fabulous introduction to a legendary band. 8/10

Hideous Divinity: Simulacrum (Century Media Records) [Rich Oliver]

Simulacrum is album number four from Italian death metallers Hideous Divinity. A band I have heard the name mentioned before but never previously checked out. Hideous Divinity play a style of death metal that straddles the line between technicality and all out brutality. The album rarely lets up from the moment you hit play and is a barrage of insane riffage, guttural vocals and bludgeoning rhythms. Unfortunately with everything at such extreme levels it is very easy to become desensitised to it all quite quickly and the album does all seem to blend into one brutal cacophony. There are odd moments of atmosphere and even little hints of melody at certain points but nothing is truly memorable. The musicianship is at ridiculously high levels that can’t be denied but there’s a distinct lack of memorable moments through Simulacrum. Those who love their death metal at ridiculously intense levels will probably lap this up but my tastes are far more old school and I prefer much more groove and filth in my death metal. Can’t fault the performances and the execution of the music but it’s just not really to my tastes. 6/10

Une Misère: Sermon (Nuclear Blast) [Alex Swift]

If the name didn’t convey the fury and darkness which Une Misère makes their master than the music definitely will. Their style of Hardcore comes straight from the school of Converge or Employed to Serve. Sin and Guilt throw down the curtain with trouncing beats, biting guitar passages which deal in ferocity and harsh, guttural, screams. Sermon introduces us to the more rhythmic side of the band, the fuzzy, trooping bass and guitars, and huge drums creating a sense of magnitude. With the emphasis on cohesion becoming increasingly apparent, Overlooked/Disregarded is given its sense of presence through the colossal melodies, emphasizing a flair for the dramatic. Next up, Suffering enchants with a riff which spirals its way across the fretboard with precision and skill – a shame, perhaps that this isn’t utilized to greater effect throughout the song, yet this proves an issue from start to finish. 

While Une Misere has an acute understanding of songcrafting which allows them to bridge the divide between artfulness and aggression, their anthems often feel made up of disparate ideas that stumble their way into songs without any rhyme or reason. In some cases, this can make for an excellent experience – take Failures which excels through its unified yet erratic nature. However, look to pieces in the vein of Damages, and you begin to feel estranged by the lack of commitment to the genuinely great ideas hidden within them. Don’t get me wrong, chaos is a cornerstone of hardcore be that of the metal or punk variety, and when in the right hands can be transformed into a powerful musical tool. Listening to Sermon it's abundantly clear that these musicians are well on their way to becoming adept at that balance, and just need the ambition to stop their works descending into repetitive, mundane or predictable territory. 7/10

Reviews: ELO, Democratus, Saint Deamon, Cell (Matt, Rich & Val)

Jeff Lynne's ELO: From Out Of Nowhere (Big Trilby and Columbia Records) [Matt Bladen]

Don't worry pop pickers Chris Evans favourite band in the world haven't covered Faith No More. No From Out Of Nowhere is the Birmingham purveyors of symphonic rock newest...perhaps unexpected album. This is partly due to band leader Jeff Lynne taking semi-retirement several years ago. Though they released a record in 2015. However in recent years the he has returned to the ELO mothership for festival headline slots and tours to much critical acclaim and there is clearly an audience still there for the premier purveyors of multi-layered pop rock. This reinvigorated interest in the band is noted on the bouncy One More Time and Time Of Our Life, which is actually about their huge Wembley show. If you can call From Out Of Nowhere anything that that would be upbeat, it's a generally friendly sounding record that doesn't bring you down or get rid of those blue skies from years ago. It's awash with love songs from the off delivered by Lynne's smooth vocal and backed by the multi-tracked ELO magic. There's also a few nods to old friends with a pinch of Petty and a handful of Harrison sprinkled throughout the record Down Came The Rain and Help Yourself being the most obvious, but at its heart this is classic ELO down to the ground, it won't win over anyone who has never liked the band but it is a prime slice of symphonic power pop! 8/10

Democratus: Damnation EP (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

So the South Wales Metal 2 The Masses 2018 winners return with their second EP Damnation it's been a a while in development and since that win the band have seen some line up changes as guitarist Kerrin Beckwith has stood down being replaced by Richard Rees on guitar. The rest of the band remains the same with Zak Skane behind the kit, Stu 'Spoon' Rake on bass, Joey watkins on guitar and the South Wales motormouth himself Steve Jenkins on vocals. The EP was produced by Kerrin along with Michael Buffery (King Ibex) who also mixed and mastered the release. It's immediately clear from the opening Is This Fear that the numerous high profile support slots and tours have sculpted this EP into much heavier place than the band have ever been. Jenkins is using his harsher vocals style for much of the release, they have also added more progressive touches with this opening track changing timings a couple of times.

The same cannot be said about BTK (Bind Torture Kill) a song about serial killer Dennis Rader which will be familiar to anyone who has watched the band live, on this EP though it's far heavier with grinding riffs as Jenkins grunts over the downtuned musical backing. Next is the title track which has been out for a while but still jumps out with a clean/harsh dynamic and some noodling leads on top of Spoon and Zak's thick heavy rhythm section. The final number is the thrashier Dead Without Dying which ends the record with you seeing where the band are heading going forward, this is Democratus sounding heavier, nastier and more hungry than before. Look out for their debut album next year but for the moment this is a snapshot of the Democratus of 2019. 8/10

Saint Deamon: Ghost (Ram It Down Records) [Rich Oliver)

Saint Deamon is a name I haven’t heard in a while and it was a very pleasant surprise to hear that they had a new album out. Saint Deamon impressed power metal fans everywhere when they exploded out of Sweden with their brilliant debut album In Shadows Lost From The Brave back in 2008. Another great album followed in 2009 with Pandeamonium and then everything seemed to fall silent and I assumed the band had split. 9 years later and Saint Deamon have returned seemingly out of nowhere with their third album Ghost and they have lost none of their potency.

It is very much the melodic power metal style of the previous two albums but the band have also incorporated a massive progressive influence into their sound resulting in an album that at times is as complex and intricate as it is catchy and melodic. The songs themselves are nicely varied from the anthemic such as Captain Saint D and Higher to speedier songs such as Return Of The Deamons and Land Of Gold, the classic prog leanings of Hell Is Calling and the dark prog power of the title track.

There is a lot going on throughout this album and with a 71 minute duration and 14 songs it is a mammoth listen. With a high number of songs some do fall by the wayside and get overshadowed by the stronger songs on the album but when this album is at its strongest it is utterly fantastic. The band are firing on all cylinders and the vocals by frontman Jan Thore Grefstad fail to disappoint. With a bit of trimming here and there and a reduced album length this could be one of the top albums of the year but it falls just a bit short. Still a fantastic listen and one that should not be missed by the power metal fans out there. 8/10

Cell: Ancient Incantations Of Xarbos (708085 Records DK) [Val D'Arcy]

For the second time in as many weeks I find myself commenting on the increased dosage of Canadian metal for the world to consume. Indeed, here we are with three-piece Cell and their second album, Ancient Incantations Of Xarbos. Not entirely sure who Xarbos is and I'm not about to Google it so I can tell you, for the sake of looking knowledgeable; I have no idea. What I can tell you, is that this is a really enjoyable romp of an album. The intro sets us off on the well trodden path of screams and synthesised winds; all good intro material of course, but mildly cliche. Nevertheless a good intro, which takes us into a rather slow paced, plod of a riff that says, I'm going to be a doomy kind of album. Fortunately, as I roll my eyes and toggle the display on my Discman to see how much of this album I must endure, a drumroll breaks out and the track launches into a ferocious torrent of Blackened Thrash riffs (that's definitely more like it). The production has a somewhat gritty and primitive edge to it which suits the style well, reminiscent of the First Wave Black and Speed Metal bands of the Eighties. There's a Venom-esque tongue in cheek vibe with some of the darkness of Sarcofogo thrown in.

In fact, there's a real mix of musical styles scattered across these eight tracks ranging from the distinctly Death Metal riffs to be found in The Wailing Sea Of Emptiness and God Of The NetherRealm, to the straight up Eighties, Canadian Thrash sound of the final track, Altering Matter In The Realm Of The Frost King. Indeed the solo in the aforementioned could be right out of a Razor track. I don't want to (entirely) fall into the trap of comparing the songs to something similar, relatable, because this is sufficiently unique to do without that. That's not to say there's anything groundbreaking or new here stylistically, it's all familiar stuff when stripped back to its component parts. A bit of Black, some Melodeath, some Blackened Thrash, some Doom. What I do like about it, is that it doesn't feel like these guys have intentionally set out to create some wild concoction in an attempt to be different. I really don't get the impression that they sat up one day and said, you know what? No one's done melodic blackened doom death thrash yet, have they? It has a genuineness to its songs, like a bunch of guys jamming random tunes, rather than a pretentious attempt at a new sub genre and the end result is a lot of fun. As an album, it doesn't necessarily flow from start to finish with sufficient continuity for my liking, but enjoyable enough as individual tracks. 6/10

Reviews: Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra, Hazemaze, Otherwise, Project Renegade (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra: Legacy Of The Dark Lands (Nuclear Blast)

Legacy Of The Dark Lands is the debut from Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra, note the last two words in the band name. This is not a new Blind Guardian record, it is an orchestral/classical record from BG guitarist Andre Olbrich who has been writing this record in between writing breaks from Blind Guardian for around 23 years. So this is not a metal album, there is no traditional metal instrumentation here, just the massive scope of a full orchestra, it's as bombastic and symphonic as anything BG have done but this is another level up from anything they have attempted, not limited to the heavy metal sounds they are free to make a truly classical record similar to the album recorded by Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen a few years ago.

The album was recorded featuring the Prague Filmharmonic who add their cinematic power to this record giving it the full soundtrack experience, they need it too as Blind Guardian are never ones to shy away from a concept and this album is a direct sequel to the bestselling novel Die Dunklen Lande (The Dark Lands) by Markus Heitz, the album apparently "tells the story of an apocalyptic secret in the dark times of the Thirty Years’ War." Massive in scope and heavy without the needs for guitar riffs and blast beats Legacy Of The Dark Lands is an album that needs to be listened to in one sitting due to its conceptual nature, for fans of Blind Guardian you will hear a lot of what has made the last few BG records so excellent and it will also appeal to classical music fans so it has huge crossover scope. 8/10

Hazemaze: Hymns Of The Damned (Ripple Music/Cursed Tongue Records)

Swedish doomster's Hazemaze have returned with their second full length record which ramps up their doom sound to a higher level than before. We're talking echoed vocals, down-tuned fuzzy riffs and lots of slow burning songs of the occult and of course praise for the might leaf. This second album is much darker than their EP and debut full length. It's burning down the 70's sound they had before in a blaze of bong smoke and Satanic rituals. The creeping Shadow In The Night crawls it's way through your speakers before the bass driven Morbid Lust brings some more traditional stoner riffs, as Thrill Seeker has almost a dark country vibe to it as Lobotomy grooves along at pace. Hymns Of The Damned is a fairly by the numbers proto-doom record, but it gives this trio room to grow into this newly found sound. For fans of Uncle Acid or Reverend Bizarre, Hazemaze are best enjoyed in blacklight with medicinal accompaniments through some fat headphones (and of course on vinyl if you can get it). Defiantly old school this is hymn sheet worth reading. 7/10  

Otherwise: Defy (Mascot Records)

Formed by brothers Adrian [lead vocals] and Ryan Patrick [guitar, vocals], Otherwise are a band from Las Vegas and they were apparently raised on a diet of Stone Temple Pilots, Third Eye Blind and Faith No More. It's a shame then that they don't sound like any of these bands. They are a modern American rock band, they have a vein of alternative metal about them with some fizzing electronics and even nu-metal touches. All in all it means they sound pretty much exactly like Shinedown, though Otherwise have bawdy lyrics about getting "fucked up" mostly. They want to "shoot for the stars" on this record but they have really just recycled a sound that has been done to death. Americans will love it, thoses stuck in the early 2000's will love it but anyone who wants progression should stay away. 5/10

Project Renegade: Order Of The Minus (Self Released)

Opening with The Big Boss which is a sample of one of the Alan Watts Electronic University series, The debut full length from Athenian band Project Renegade, is a rallying cry of a record that explores the subject of loss in the modern world. Musically Project Renegade are an alt-metal band who fuse big heavy grooves with buzzing electronics and some ambient elements. Yes ok it does sound like the early Lacuna Coil sound, especially on Products Of War, but unlike Otherwise, they do show their own style on these songs. There's variation here from the thick riffs to The New Joker and In Another Life as Respirator brings the more electronic touches all driven by the hard hitting songwriting of frontwoman Maria Ioanna Florou whose lyrics are the major attraction to this album making emotive numbers like the closing Black Mountain really resonate in your mind long after it ends. Project Renegade is the clearly the vehicle for Maria who also co-produces the record along with drummer Odyssefs Avgoulis the two of them the main creative force here. Order Of The Minus is a record that does modern alt=metal anthems well, hinting at the genre leaders while retaining it's own identity. 7/10

Reviews: Sorxe, Bednja, Dark Valley, Bare Knuckle Messiahs (Paul S, Liam, Matt & Steve)

Sorxe: The Ark Burner (Prosthetic Records) [Paul Scoble]

Sorxe are a trio of noisy bastards from Phoenix, Arizona. The Ark Burner is the bands third album, it is preceded by 2014’s Surrounded By Shadows and 2017’s Matter And Void. The album gets underway with the track Dependance Day, a track that works by juxtaposing huge, hardcorey sludge with much quieter, brooding sections. The more restrained part of the song sounds a little bit Alt-rock, and this works so well to make the huge and heavy feel even heavier. The final section of heavy and aggressive has a bit of a psychedelic sense to it. Exiled opens with a clean riff and vocals, drums are added to drive the track along, until a huge slow guitar riff crashes in and the track becomes the hugest piece of sludge i’ve heard in a long time. The vocals are now very aggressive and angry. As the track moves along it increases in intensity and gets more and more hardcore.

Full Transaction opens in a slow, dark and brooding way, the track has a minimal, tightly controlled feeling to it. This controlled feeling is smashed to pieces as we get a huge aggressive section before going back minimal, brooding and filled with menace till the end. Wondering If I Exist has a very long slow build, when it does get going the track is a mix of heavy but relaxed sections and much quieter, minimalist sections. The heavy parts feel fairly psychedelic, with interesting sci-fi noises from keyboards (I assume, could be an actual theremin). A Negative Exorcism also has the same sort of psychedelia as we met on the previous track. The opening is quiet and soft but with lots of weird noises and some sort of organ. After a couple of minutes we get a crushingly huge riff, that is slow but massively aggressive. After this the track goes back to being softer, dissonant and sci-fi.

The album is brought to an end by the sprawling monster that is the title track. The track starts soft, but quickly brings in an alt-rock riff, which is less heavy than a lot of the album, but drives the track along beautifully. The song has a section near the end of the first third that is reminiscent of early Black Sabbath, before the song goes back to quiet and introspective. The track has some of those weird sci-fi noises throughout, which feels nicely psychedelic. After the soft and brooding, comes the huge and heavy again. This time it’s tempered with some psychedelic touched. The track increases in aggression, and dissonance till an aggressive and nasty finish.

The Ark Burner is a great piece of hardcorey, psychedelic sludge. The album is huge but simple, even though the tracks are long, most of them only have two or three mood to them. However, this is not a bad thing, in fact, it’s the secret of why the album works so well, the riffs change and mutate throughout the songs, so it’s never boring, but you always know what the dominant feel will be. It’s an album that you will enjoy more and more, the more you listen to it, it grows on you in a very pleasing way. I’ve really enjoyed listening to it, and would encourage you to check it out. 9/10

Bednja: Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Liam True]

Black Metal as a whole is an interesting genre. You have the many sub-genres and the different styles of experimentation to see how far it can go. Bednja on the other hand, experiment with the genre, but not in the usual way. It starts off as a seemingly standard BM record. The gruelling demon vocals of both Nikola Šarkanji & Ivan Milković blend with both Hardcore passion and BM brutality. The buzz saw guitar tone is front and centre, sounding just like Silencer in the process. The electric blend of both Hardcore and BM may be controversial but it works absolute wonders as both styles bounce off each other and emit a wave of atmospheric bliss. Then we get to the interesting execution of the experimentation. Half way through songs and even the beginning, they take a detour, a small section sounding a but like a Radiohead instrumental. You need to hear it too believe it, but it’s so unexpected that it actually works so well. If you’re not a fan of BM like myself, this is a perfect gateway album into the genre, and life of BM. 8/10

Dark Valley: S/T (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Hailing from the heartland of Wales (Caerphilly) Dark Valley are grunge/alternative rock band who blend classic rock sounds with a punk snarl. Their self titled debut album opens with Same Distance From The Sun which is built around Feeder-like power chords and has an explosive solo. Now this is clearly a D.I.Y recording as the production/mix is a little thin but don't let that put you off, as the songs are quite well written especially 11 and Who's Laughing Now? Pt 1 & 2 the issue I have though are the vocals which are quite weak, detracting a little from the rest of the songs. As a self released debut album this is a solid, effort though as I said earlier in the review it does have some problems. 6/10

Bare Knuckle Messiahs: That Which Preys On The Dead (Diafol Records) [Steve Haines]

I don’t know when you discovered a love for rock music. For me, I was about 14 but please, bear with me in the following long-winded analogy but it DOES have a point and will give you a feel for what the experience of listening to this album felt like for me. Imagine a 12 year old kid. He got a guitar last Christmas and knows a few chords. He decides to form a band with his mates – two musicians and an elastic band twanger drafted in on the bass. They can’t quite pull off the more complicated covers of Metallica, Maiden and the like. But they try. They’ve also discovered a love for the new world of expletives – swearing IS big and it IS bloody clever. They pen some basic songs – what they lack in art, they make up for with F Bombs.

Inexplicably, they cobble together an album – ladies and gentlemen, I give you a basic idea of this execrable album from the Bare Knuckle Messiahs (made up of former Tigertailz members fronted by Kim Hooker). Musically, it’s inoffensive but vastly uninspired and lyrically, it’s swearing for the sake of swearing – like South Park: The Musical but WAY less entertaining. This is of course, only my opinion, but it’s a decent chunk of time that I’m never getting back. As you may be able to tell, I wasn’t particularly impressed and, in the favoured vernacular of the band, it was fucking shite. 3/10

Reviews: Hour Of Penance, Cloak, Down N Outz, The Devil Wears Prada (Paul H, Paul S, Steve & Liam)

Hour Of Penance: Misotheism (Agonia Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Reviewing this album within hours of the decision by the UK parliament to crash the country headlong into another general election and the subsequent chaos and instability seemed strangely appropriate. Misotheism: an attack to the biggest threat to freedom; the endless accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few at the expense of the rest of humankind. A scream in the desert of our times. Owning the mainstream media and feeding us bullshit. Seems familiar? Yes indeed. And come December 12th we will no doubt get the government we deserve with the corporations greedily feeding the opulent whilst devouring everything until there is nothing left. Album number 8 from the technical bruisers Hour Of Penance captures the severity of the intense hatred and anger that rages within these Roman purveyors of brutal death metal. The intro of Mass Crucifixion Of Kings provides the pause before the brutality to come.

The pause doesn’t last long though and within a minute Hour Of Penance have exploded into their unique death technicality metal. What follows is a 38-minute masterclass in sheer brutality. Blight And Conquer is explosive and bludgeoning but there is much more to this album than just another relentless death metal onslaught. Technically stunning from start to finish, Paolo Pieri’s vocals roar over the intense riffing of Giulio Moschini and Pieri’s guitar work. Fallen From Ivory Towers is just a steam roller of power, the pace and depth pulverising. Davide ‘The Bomer’ Billia’s drumming is incredible, an onslaught of not only speed but technique of high quality. This is one blisteringly good album. The Italians have taken their game plan and ramped it up a level. It’s simply a beast. 9/10

Cloak: The Burning Dawn (Season Of Mist) [Paul Scoble]

Cloak have been in existence since 2013. The Atlanta, Georgia based 4 piece have produced one album before The Burning Dawn, in 2017’s To Venomous Depths. The music that Cloak make is broadly Black Metal, but is in no way the end of the story. The band have mixed a few different elements to make their brand of Black Metal unique. Firstly, the brand of Black metal is melodic and tuneful, reminiscent of some of Watain’s more melodic work. There are blast beats but you never feel like the band are trying to batter you. The Cleansing Fire is a good example of this; it’s mainly mid-paced, with occasional blasts, but mainly driving and dripping with melody. There are parts that feel bombastic, but it’s never about all out attack, this is a band that can do subtle. On Poisoned Ground is another clear black metal track that has as much melody as it does blasts.

As I mentioned before Cloak aren’t all about blasting and tremolo picked riffs, there is a certain amount of less extreme metal in here. The Burning Dawn has a bit of NWOBHM about it, and in particular there seems to be a nod to Mercyful Fate. This softer feel is best shown on the track Tempter’s Call which has a beautifully melodious chorus. There are blast beats and tremolo picked riffs on this track, but the mid-eighties feeling is what dominates here. There is also a very NWOBHM instrumental called The Fire, The Faith, The Void which is melodic to the extreme.

What would you get if you mixed Black Metal and NWOBHM? Well, you might get something that sounds quite Black & Roll, and that is what you get on the track A Voice In The Night which is reminiscent of Vreid, it swaggers along at a relaxed (slightly pissed?) tempo, and is one of the stand out tracks on this album. The Burning Dawn is a great album. It’s packed to the rafters with melody, riffs, blasts and tremolo picking, cracking choruses and a huge amount of fun. Ok, it’s not the most extreme piece of Black Metal, but if you can see past that you’ll discover a really enjoyable, and eminently hummable album. 8/10

Down N Outz: This Is How We Roll (UMC) [Steve Haines]

I first interviewed Def Leppard frontman about his side project Down N Outz in 2011 and at that time he described the band as being ‘loose and tight at the same time’. At that juncture, they were a niche project focussing on Mott The Hoople covers so I didn’t think any more of it. Fast forward 8 years and the band have released an album of self-penned original tracks and having listened to the collection of polished blues-rock tracks, I completely understand what he meant. While Elliott has his well documented background with Def Leppard, the rest of the band are pretty much the notable sleaze rockers The Quireboys minus their frontman Spike. With years of recording history and live gigs behind them, you find a band that have an almost telepathic understanding of each others’ significant musical talent and style meaning they can play the relaxed bluesy style with mastery and class. Add the polished production sensibilities of Def Leppard and you have the formula for rock success.

The album is good throughout with the bluesy vibe pervading all tracks giving the album a good cohesiveness as a body of work. Special mention goes to Goodnight Mr Jones which is a touching tribute to David Bowie. At times, the lyrics can be slightly stilted and I will always have a bugbear (Caution: rant ahead) with English singers who sing with an American accent. Granted, Def Leppard have had great success in the US and the blues style is, of course, rooted in the Deep South of America but it still rankles. Mind you, Elliott has made a bob or two from his style so what do I know? Overall, this album is a good listening experience without ever being spectacular or groundbreaking but it is unquestionably a group of guys who enjoy the music they are making and that enjoyment can be felt throughout and that makes for listener enjoyment. 8/10

The Devil Wears Prada: The Act (Solid State Records) [Liam True]

Being big into Metalcore I was excited when TDWP announced The Act. Their previous albums in the past have been pretty good. Nothing amazing, but nothing terrible. When they dropped the singles from the forthcoming album, I avoided them like the plague to not spoil it for myself. Then came the point of my listening to the record. And I didn’t enjoy it. Through 45 minutes of Metalcore/Hard Rock I thought there was going to be a shining point in this album, even just one. There’s no such thing to be found. The entire thing just sounds completely rushed, with nothing really to keep me moderately interested. The album just falls insanely flat of where it was destined to be, because this album should have been much more than it is. It’s almost like a tribute to all the Myspace bands from 2007-2009 which has been executed disastrously. Shame because this was an album I was excited for. Only to fall way down to the bottom. 2/10