A View From The Back Of The Room: Geoff Tate (Matt Bladen)

Geoff Tate, James Keegan & Sisters Doll, Y Muni Pontypridd, 05.06.26

It's been a long old time since I've been to Y Muni in Pontypridd but I always enjoyed watching gigs there and since I last went they've had a big refurbishment so it feels very new but with that rustic charm of a being an art centre and theater.

What better gig to return to the venue with than one of my bestest buddies favourite artists playing his biggest album only two days before he got married to his dream girl. He, myself and our other friend caught the train to have a couple of lovely beverages, on the way meeting up with one of his colleagues, along with members of King Kraken and Pantheïst, clearly an eclectic crowd but worthy of the headliners stature and longevity.

Before all that though the night kicked off with Sister's Doll (6), an Aussie band who were picking up gigs around their second stage headline at Call Of The Wild, they are a very retro focussed act, ripped straight from the 80's with a bit of Bon Jovi, some Poison, a flash of Kiss and even Y&T heard in their sleazy rock anthems.

They captured the audience immediately with their stage presence, many I'm the crowd would have been around the first time these bands were popular, but while they do what they do slickly and professionally they're playing a tried and tested genre, that doesn't do much for this writer.

Still we were off, this was a rock gig after all though had you walked in during James Kennedy (6) you wouldn't have thought so. A solo Irish singer songwriter, he was the support for the whole tour and while I can appreciate that perhaps Mr Tate loves him and his music would be brilliant in a small Irish bar or indeed supporting Imelda May which he has done recently, in the middle of rock gig it did kill the vibe a bit.

James' charm and charisma were enough to keep the audience in the room, but to me it was a little odd, perhaps a switch around may have made it felt a bit more natural. Kennedy though is a gifted performer just stuck out between sleaze and prog metal.

The climax of the evening though was the reason everyone was here, the smile on Mr Hewitt's face grew larger as these fateful word "I Remember Now" came through the P.A and Geoff Tate (10) took to the stage to perform the seninal Operation: Mindcrime, in full, for the last time with his band of the same name. Striding straight into Anarchy X, you could hear Tate was on top form.

Vocally he still has power behind him, using a bit of technology to bolster the experience making it sound close to the record, but you can still hear his natural tone come through above it all. Tate's all about the performance, skulking and striding around the stage as he re-tells these well worn stories through anthems such as Revolution Calling, Spreading The Disease, Breaking The Silence and I Don't Believe In Love which all had the crowd belting them back at him.

Mindcrime is Tate's magnum opus and with his young gun band peeling off those old Queensryche riffs and solos, for many in the crowd this was pure nostalgia delivered with youthful exuberance. A special shout out has to go to Clodagh McCarthy who takes the role of Sister Mary and duets brilliantly throughout the night on Mindcrime and beyond.

Yes beyond as with Eyes Of A Stranger, Mindcrime for the last time was finished, but Geoff wasn't going to stop there, we got two form Mindcrime Part III which fit in perfectly with the rest of the album, but it was classic like Empire, Jet City Woman and Take Hold Of The Flame that made sure everyone was singing along, including our quartet!

It was the encore though that got the emotions running their highest with a massive sing along to the ballad that fans have been married too, alas Mr Hewitt is not one of those. Silent Lucidity is such a standard now it will follow Tate for the rest of his career but it always elicits a fantastic reaction.

To make sure things ended with a bang the final cut of the evening was Queen Of The Reich which is a brave choice for a closer, but was pulled off impeccably. So while we may never hear Mindcrime in full again, seeing it one last time with my best buddies made for a magnificent night in Pontypridd.

Review: Liminal Sky – All Tomorrows Darkness By Rick Eaglestone

Liminal Sky – All Tomorrows Darkness (Karisma Records) [Rick Eaglestone]



Some albums arrive with the weight of lived experience so palpable you feel it before the first note has fully sounded. All Tomorrow’s Darkness, the debut record from Liminal Sky, is one of those albums. It does not ask for your attention so much as quietly command it, drawing you into a sound that is vast, still, and saturated with the kind of grief that does not resolve — only changes shape over time.

The darkness named in the title is not metaphorical. It is the specific, inescapable darkness of losing someone suddenly, or gradually, or both at once.

The album opens with Some Other Time, the first single, a song written in the shadow of two kinds of loss running simultaneously, one sudden, one slow. McNerney’s vocal performance sets the tone immediately: this is not the tortured expressionism of extreme music, nor the confessional rawness of singer-songwriter territory. It occupies a more unsettled, indeterminate space, grief rendered as atmosphere rather than statement.

A Solitary Future introduces Kristoffer Rygg to proceedings, and the fit is intuitive. There is something in the Ulver vocalist’s delivery that has always suggested enormous distance — the sense of someone observing suffering from within it, simultaneously inside the emotion and removed from it. That quality serves the track’s exploration of mental solitude and the inability to outrun one’s own mind with quiet devastating effect.

In Some Secret Universe marks the album deepening into its own atmosphere. The arrangement here is more expansive, guitars building through patient repetition toward a climax that earns its emotional release precisely because it has been held back long enough. 

McNerney’s lyrical instincts are at their strongest in this middle section of the record his words articulating interior states that resist ordinary language, the album’s thematic concern with memory, dissolution and presence rendered in lines that resonate without over-explaining themselves.

Forget Me Not carries its title’s weight openly. Whether read as a flower, a plea, or a command, the phrase contains within it the central anxiety of watching someone’s memory and identity disappear. McNerney inhabits that ambiguity with care, and the music around him characteristically unhurried, Gomez and Knight resisting the temptation to dramatize when restraint serves better provides the space for the words to land at full weight. It is one of the album’s most quietly devastating moments.

Penance brings Årabrot’s Karin Park into the fold, and the effect is immediate and galvanising. Where McNerney and Rygg move through the album with a kind of sustained control, Park’s contribution carries a more physical, embodied quality the sense of someone for whom expression is an act rather than a statement. The track shifts the album’s emotional register perceptibly, introducing a harder, rawer edge that makes the surrounding stillness feel even more present by contrast.

The Weight Of Heaven sees Rygg return, the pairing of his voice with the album’s most explicitly spiritual subject matter feeling entirely right. There is something about the way the track holds its harmonic tension without resolving it that captures the particular anguish of faith under pressure — the weight of the title an unmistakeable double meaning, heaven here as burden as much as aspiration. Alongside A Solitary Future, it represents Rygg’s finest work in a guest context.

Algebra Of Unknowing is the album’s most structurally ambitious piece it’s a track that moves through several distinct phases without ever feeling fragmented, the transitions managed with a fluency that speaks to Gomez Arellano’s production intelligence and Knight’s compositional instincts. The title itself is one of the album’s most resonant images: grief as an equation with no fixed solution, the variables shifting each time you think you’ve arrived at an answer. McNerney’s words here are among his finest on the record.

Oar On The Mooring offers something like stillness before the final movement. An image of suspension, the oar placed but not yet used, the vessel held but not yet committed to departure the track captures the paralysis that profound grief can induce with a musical patience that mirrors its subject exactly. It is not a quiet track so much as a suspended one, held in a moment of not-yet, and the effect is quietly extraordinary.

The title track closes the album, and it does so with the particular gravity of something that understands what it is concluding. O’Sullivan’s contribution alongside McNerney gives the track a quality of dialogue two voices moving through the same darkness from different positions, neither offering the other resolution, both sustaining a presence through the final minutes of a record that has earned the right to close on ambiguity rather than false comfort.

All Tomorrow’s Darkness is a debut album in name only. In every other sense it is a fully realised work from musicians who have served long enough in difficult terrain to know precisely what they are doing and why. Gomez Arellano and Knight have built something here that is genuinely rare: an album that processes grief without exploiting it, that achieves beauty without prettifying pain, and that assembles an extraordinary cast of collaborators without losing its own coherent voice in the process.

This is not easy listening. It is not intended to be. But for those willing to sit with it — to let the album’s slow architecture do its work without rushing toward the exit.

All Tomorrow’s Darkness is one of the most moving and meticulously crafted records to emerge from the heavy music adjacent world this year. A landmark debut, and a deeply human document. 9/10

A View From Call Of The Wild: Day Three (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Call Of The Wild Festival: Day Three Lincolnshire Showground, Sunday 30.05.26

We’ve made it to the final day, and despite some tired legs around the arena, the enthusiasm hasn't dampened one bit. The sun is still shining on us as we head into the arena early to see what Sunday has in store to close out what’s been a superb weekend.

Onto the music then, and opening up the day on the Southall Lawless stage are Retsecrows (8). This lot are very young but incredibly talented, hitting the stage amidst a veritable jungle of house plants! With youth comes a sense of invincibility and a little precociousness, but these kids have talent and if their energy is focused and they get some good advice and guidance then we could be witnessing the birth of the next big rock band to break out.

Next, it's over to the Kilmister stage for Black Country rockers The Soul Revival(8). They bring a fantastic, gritty classic rock groove to the main arena, playing with absolute vigour and setting a superb tone for the afternoon. Front man Steve Nunn has a charisma and gets the Sunday afternoon crowd bouncing

The music keeps coming thick and fast as we head back to the SL stage for MeMe Detroit (9), who treat us to a high-octane set that’s inspired by a blend of grunge and grrrl rock.

Apriori (9) are next on our list, a band we’ve been fortunate enough to catch on a number of occasions now and it’s great to see them take to the Kilmister stage with their heavy, melodic and moody rock that has the crowd cheering their approval.

It's a trip over to the Trailblazer tent next for a double-whammy of top-tier rock, starting with JoanovArc (8). They deliver a wonderful, high-energy set packed with massive hooks and brilliant stage presence, passing the baton directly to Wailing Banshee (8) on the same stage. This bunch are a powerhouse of energy; their traditional heavy metal delivery and soaring vocals completely take the roof off the tent.

Back out into the arena and sun, US outfit Hearts & Hand Grenades (8) are next up for us on the Kilmister stage. After a long delay with technical issues, they channel that frustration into delivering an edgy, heavy rock set with plenty of crunching riffs. We then split our time a bit, catching the melodic metal of Wicked Smile (7) over on the SL stage, tight and polished, just a bit generic for me and the appearance of Cassidy Paris added glamour but no shine, so we ended up nipping back to the Trailblazer tent to catch some of Marc Valentine's (8) infectious rock 'n' roll. A good bit of bopping was going on inside the tent to these guys.

At this point, we head back to the Kilmister stage for a band we've been eagerly anticipating, and my word, they do not disappoint. Silveroller (10) are an absolute masterclass. For me, they are the best band of the weekend after Bullets and Octane. They play with an immense amount of style, swagger, and a beautiful, soulful classic rock groove that channels the very best of the 70s. It’s pure, unadulterated rock 'n' roll played with real heart and deliverance, and the crowd goes absolutely wild for them. Set of the day, without a doubt. 

Keeping the momentum moving, we catch the first half of The Rattlebacks' (7) high-energy set in the Trailblazer tent, but it’s all a bit chaotic on stage with the band trying to use every inch! Maybe save that for a bigger stage.

Back over to the SL stage for a big appearance from Fireheart (9). The arena is packed and the atmosphere is electric as they deliver a blistering, rapid-fire set full of emotion that leaves everyone buzzing.

Getting into the final stretch of the festival now, and the Kilmister stage lights up for Chez Kane (8). She brings a slice of raunchy 80s femme fatale rock to the main arena. Although she insists she’s doing this whole sexy rocker thing on her own terms, it does come across as a bit sleazy. Scantily clad with a rockstar attitude, she covers every inch of the stage and to be fair to her she does have a great voice as she belts out massive AOR anthems that have the whole crowd singing along. Just maybe taking that 80’s style a bit too far?

Over on the Southall Lawless stage, it’s time for the final marquee performance of the weekend, and Aussie rockers Sisters Doll (10) (who are actually all brothers!) close it out in magnificent style. They treat the fans to a high-voltage, glam-infused hard rock show packed with massive visual flair. They leave the stage to a roar of applause amid a sea of pyro and confetti galore—a proper party atmosphere to end their festival run!

Finally, setting up the ultimate climax for the weekend, Finnish prog titans The Von Hertzen Brothers (10) take to the Kilmister stage. What follows is a complete masterclass in modern progressive rock. Their sprawling, atmospheric landscapes, complex harmonies, and heavy melodic grooves are delivered with absolute precision. Goosebumps were in evidence with a wonderful rendition of “Flowers and Rust” one of the big highlights of the weekend. It's a powerfully emotional and epic end to a genuinely fabulous weekend.

Massive well done to the organizers and the crew. Call of the Wild, you've been absolute magic!

Reviews: Des Rocs, Joel H Bulsara, Esca, Belushi Speed Ball (Adz Redpath, Rich Piva, Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Des Rocs - To Hell And Back (Sumerian Records) [Adz Redpath]

Des Rocs are the brainchild of New York musician Danny Rocco and are in essence a solo project, whilst bringing in sessions musicians for live the project is at its core a one man band. 

This has hints of all sorts stylistically bringing to mind early Rocket From The Crypt in particular as well as huge nods towards the likes of Muse ( Riders Of The Red Hook ) sounding like a paint by numbers of the aforementioned and also Jack Whit" to the point of echoing parts in a blatant manner but not in an overtly detrimental way. 

Rocco wears his influences on his sleeve with tracks like Fall Together sounding so Zeppelin it's not even funny.

This is a well produced release and well balanced sonically with big hooky choruses and catchy riffage throughout, although it is hard to shake the copycat sound on show here most of the time I do feel it is done in a reasonably respectful manner. 

I can certainly see why Des Rocs have a following and are on an upward trajectory, for music nerds it may be a touch jarring for the aforementioned criticisms but is still worth a listen and if this translates live then I can see huge things ahead for them with a good energy and fun vibe throughout the whole release.

Whilst not massively original in all honesty and very clearly showing that this is a one man show, I do feel another head in the writing phase would definitely help give this a voice of its own that is more distinct and could open far more industry doors for them pushing the act towards a more headline status as opposed to a clear support act for many. 

This said I would say if you like the influences listed above Des Rocs are certainly worth giving your time too. 7/10

Joel H Bulsara - Hastur The King (Self Released) [Rich Piva]

First off, the new record from Joel H Bulsara has the following on the Bandcamp page:

FFO: Alice in Chains, Down, Trouble & Kyuss

I mean yes, yes indeed, if you can pull this off while also…”Focusing on Robert W. Chamber's book of short stories "The King in Yellow". (Full disclosure: I am not smart enough to have read that).

On Hastur The King, Bulsara does everything in his power to pull it all off, starting with the heavy groove of the opener, Moon Witch Blessing, that just rips the place up, then slowing it down and layering vocals on the Rain When I Die leaning The Tarot. I love the guitar work on this one too.

Hastur The King has this epic feel to it, and The Tarot is the perfect example. Kyuss you say? The King Namesake certainly has that vibe, and I am certainly here for it. It Used Her Tongue slows it down again and brings a somehow filthier Alice In Chains vibes to the record, which is certainly saying something, but while also using some very cool changes and sounds to make this one of the best tracks on the record. 

A dissonant interlude leads to a killer riff and the heavy and grungy Playscript that could be a Dirt B-side that also includes some guttural growls from the bowels of Hell. Very cool. The Yellow Signed Piper has this Down meet Seattle thing going on which pretty much rules. Chartreuse is atmospheric grunge at its best, and one of my favourites on the record as well. It floats, but in an unclean way, not an angelic one. 

Up to this point, all of the tracks on the record have had this epic feel, but somehow never going longer than five minutes. Mandelbrot Madness (The Musical) changes this going almost eight and is some next level stuff that could be an entity in its own right. Closing on Interlude II Act II is an interesting choice, but leaves the listener wanting and thinking there will be more.

So yeah, FFO: Alice in Chains, Down, Trouble & Kyuss, I get it. Maybe not the Trouble, but the other ones for sure. Hastur The King is its own thing though, and Joel H Bulsara has created something killer with this record, no matter what bands or books are used as reference points. Check it out. 8/10

Esca - Thalassophobia (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

A few years ago (it all blends into one after 15 years!) we reviewed a band called Void Titan from Bristol, we also reviewed a band called Diviion from Bristol, they were both were heavyweight mobs, that seemed to appear quickly and then disappear just as fast, or maybe that was just me, and a global pandemic.

However with the Bristol scene being the fertile ground that it is, it wasn't long before members of that band joined others and in 2023 Esca was born to continue the extreme metal beginnings of Void Titan while adding the progressive style of Diviion, got it? Good!

Thalassophobia (fear of the sea) is their debut album and it's a big, ominous record where tales of terrors from the deep unfold through music that is inspired by the likes of Opeth, Cynic and Edge Of Sanity. It seems some players have switched instruments from their other bands but they're all virtuoso players and this is obvious from the opening moments of this record.

Rob Cooper's drumming is expressive and potent, locked into a bottom end with Lawra Moore that's so deep and drowning, it could be renamed the Mariana's Trench, the rhythms undulate and froth like the ocean, the weirder the time signature the better, as Esca don't go for the easy route, preferring complexity with their extremity.

Both Cooper and Moore are formerly of Void Titan while Moore is also member of Diviion (told you there was links), as are guitarists Matt Perrington and Phil Wadey (also ex-Void Titan), who weave between crushing, sometimes grooving riffs (Basilisk), angular melodies (singularity), atmospheric acoustic passages (Ascent Of The Oarfish) and keening solos.

On their Bandcamp there's a quote that says "very Opeth without being derivative" and I'm wondering whether to give him a job as that's an ideal summation of what Esca do, now vocally they spend more time in the harsh realms so we're talking about early Opeth but there's multitude of voices, splitting guttural growls, harsh shouts and clean singing on the extremely Opeth influenced title track.

Dedicated to Julie Cooper their biggest supporter, Thalassophobia manages to impress as much as Mr Akerfeldt and co but does so without stealing too many ideas. A testament to the depth of the Bristol metal scene, Esca are a new complex and powerful entry into that long history of the Bristol metal scene. 8/10

Belushi Speed Ball - Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The 80’s (Self Release) [Mark Young]

Ok, on the catch up train this week with a couple of releases that fell through the cracks. I’ve had a pretty good run with straggling content recently so obviously on a trip down to London things come to a shuddering halt courtesy of Belushi Speed Ball, and their latest full length effort Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The 80’s. 

Taking their name from the Saturday Night Live/Blues Brother/Force of Nature and the manner of his demise is admittedly pretty cool, and maybe its something that he would have got behind. It’s a shame that the music that follows is a bit, well, crap. I’m not going to spend a long time on this, because if I do I feel that will say a lot of unkind things that achieve nothing. Having, or trying to have a funny edge to your music must be super difficult whilst playing one of the most accessible forms of heavy metal because you have no barometer of how well your jokes will hit. 

Throw in that some of it might not translate to another market and you are reliant on the strength of the music behind it. In all honesty, It feels like this is aimed at those who have already seen/heard them live and get the joke. From the songs here, I didn’t take anything funny from it, all it did was confirm that it was a waste of my time. 

However, because I always try to find something that is positive in anything, it is thrash metal with a gnarly sound and rapido tempos. It moves along quickly and as a collection it feels that these would sound better live. That is probably the point; get on stage and play to a room full of drunk metalheads. Its just not for me, although I’m sure that someone loves them somewhere. 5/10

Reviews: Jayler, When Rivers Meet, The Karma Effect, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado (Matt Bladen)

Jayler - Voices Unheard (Silver Lining Music)

I realise it's probably not cool or hip to admit this but I'm actually quite a fan of the bands that sound like Led Zeppelin or Free, I love Zeppelin and I love Free, so Rival Sons, Greta Van Fleet, heck even Kingdom Come all get a big tick from me.

It's very likely then that I'll love Voices Unheard, the debut album from Jayler, a foursome of UK rockers that do seem to be strapped to a rocket. Tony and Debby have sung their praises at gigs and festivals all over the Midlands but this was the first time I really got to listen to them and there's definitely something magical about them as a band.

The vocals, the grooves, the riffs. the overall vibe of the band just screams that golden period of the late 60's to the later 70's where the shirts were Paisley, the trousers drain pipe flares and rock stars were rock stars for better or worse (with hindsight a lot more worse). It's no wonder they're opening for Sammy Hagar and for Deep Purple this year as that's exactly the sort of audience that will lap this up.

The thing I like about them as the record kicks off with the swaggering Down Below, is that they don't feel like they're trying to revive rock, this isn't a push back against the 'rock is dead' argument, they're just a load of guys who've got into their elders record collection and thought "that's what I wanna play", and play they do with the skill and confidence of a band with much longer in the business.

From their slide driven blues rocking on Riverboat Queen, the introspective balladry on Bittersweet, the soulful acoustics/organs on Hate To See It End and the choppy funk of Need Your Love, there's a myriad of 70's sounds on this record, but you do keep coming back to Zeppelin on Over The Mountain, Alectrona and the honking mouth harp of Lovemaker.

There's a lot of talent from Jayler on their debut album and while here, James Bartholomew (vocal/guitar), Tyler Arrowsmith (guitar), Ricky Hodgkiss (bass/keys) and Ed Evans (drums) may be Voices Unheard, but it will not be that way for very long as Jayler pay homage to the likes of Zep without becoming a pastiche. 8/10

When Rivers Meet - Rhythm Rust & Static (Self Released)

Delayed due to vinyl manufacturing issues, husband and wife alt blues rockers When Rivers Meet, finally realises this new album Rhythm Rust & Static. In a response to the heavily produced previous effort and written when expecting their first child (born in March), Grace and Aaron Bond have taken a more introspective "raw and intimate" route with this one.

Dare I say returning to their debut album which featured fuzzy garage blues imbued with some instrumentation form the Country/Americana sound, the band say "in many ways Rhythm Rust & Static reminds us of the records we always loved growing up", particularly debuts when the bands are at their least polished. 

Going back to go forward can always be risky but this is the music where the band come from, the two members playing pretty much everything, independent in all ways through production and release, their voices joining in soulful union on groovers such as Caught In The Middle, the dreamy Horizon and the stomping My Time Is Done.

Theirs is a ragged and gritty, garage blues booms out of your speakers with distortion and fuzz, starting with The Tide Is Turning a track that builds with anticipation before getting loud and raucous, Fault Line bringing some Southern rocking while I'm Ready For You is drenched in attitude and atmosphere.

Rhythm Rust & Static, may jar some latter day band wagon jumpers but When Rivers Meet have always been this band, alt rock meets blue collar nostalgia with two brilliant musicians at the helm. 8/10

The Karma Effect - Cruel Intentions (Earache)

The third record is where things usually are male of break for a band, but with The Karma Effect, they're on the heels of their last record Promised Land hitting the UK Top 20 album chart.

So brimming with confidence and overcoming a major overhaul in line up, these UK rockers return with their third studio release Cruel Intentions which is very much on the make side as soon as they first up their "modern vintage" rocking with Ride Or Die. 

Inspired by The Stones, Aerosmith, The Black Crowes even The Faces especially in those rough but honeyed vocals of band leader Henry Gottelier, The Karma Effect blend the old ways with modern slickness ready for rock radio stations to snap up.

Henry Gottelier spearheaded the writing as always making this album more observational, keeping his emotions in check for a record that balances between fun and filthy, it's at its heart a record about love, lust and rock n roll. 

He shares guitar duties with Robbie Blake so the familiarity in the guitar playing is there but there's fresh blood in the shape of keys man Tom Pitt, bassist Nate Keevil and drummer Alan Taylor, who brought a freshness to the recordings allowing these songs to flourish in their own way.

Dangerous Love and Raised On Rock N Roll, for instance, get the hips moving with some brass, organs and choppy guitars. All the songs here still gathered under that "modern vintage" tag but without some of the cloying sentimentality and a bit more danger to them. 

Even when they put the breaks on for tracks like Lady Bohemian, the country tones of Closet Thing To Crazy and One More For The Road, there's still muscle behind what they do, as they feel honest rather than saccharine. 

The Karma Effect may be feeling Cruel Intentions on this record but it's not a teen drama, rather an adult rock record that defines the phrase "modern vintage". 8/10

Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado - Live At Hotel Cecil (Provogue Records)

An eight piece Danish band whipping up a blues storm in the heart of Copenhagen? That's what you get on Live At Hotel Cecil, the new record from the award winning Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado.

Recorded at Denmark's Art Deco jazz club and play house in front of a sold out crowd who hang on every note played by this red hot band, this isn't just a live record it's an audio snapshot of band right at the apex of their talents, refined over years of performance and recording, these 17 tracks burst out of your listing device of choice with confidence, soul and swagger.

An intimate performance, but one where they can play with the muscle their music deserves, the jiving rhythm section setting the pace of the tracks, while the parping horn section become just as important as the stellar guitar playing, a track such as Heading For The Stars combining all three into some brass soaked Dire Straits harmonies.

Much of the performance comes from their latest record House Of Sticks while there's a few from their earlier releases too, making it an audio journey through the stories of these veteran road dogs, delivered with a slickness theatre is befitting a band of their stature.

Be it the extended instrumental jams of All I Want see band leader, Risager only using his husky, soulful vocals for the first part before entering into a dual with co-axeman Joachim Svensmark. They dial into some smoky balladry on House Of Sticks, as Insomnia Boogie does what it says on the tin, and with the walking blues of Sin City and more you get plenty of bang for your buck with this record.

While it may not be a total reconstruction of that night in Copenhagen, if you dim the lights and close your eyes you'll get damn close to how it feels to see Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado with Live At The Hotel Cecil. 8/10

A View From Call Of The Wild: Day Two (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Call Of The Wild Festival: Day Two Lincolnshire Showground, Saturday 29.05.26

After a brilliant first day, we’re back for more today, waking up to another beautiful, sunny afternoon at the Lincolnshire Showground. There is a real buzz around the site as the crowd gathers early on, clearly eager to see how Day Two stacks up against Friday's triumphs. 

Onto the music then, and the day gets off to a bit of a dramatic start before a single note is even played. Unfortunately, Pyroclast are unable to attend due to a van malfunction, but stepping up to the plate to open the Kilmister Stage are Catalysis (8). They hit the stage with a ferocious, heavy groove that wakes everyone right up, dealing out aggressive, thrash-tinged riffs with absolute vigour.

Next, we catch a bit of Holyrude Vault (7) as they open up the Trailblazer stage, setting a fantastic, high-energy tone in the marquee, before we head straight back over to the Southall Lawless stage to watch Ransom (9). This bunch are a great addition to the afternoon slot, playing with a brilliant, infectious classic rock energy and plenty of stage swagger that gets a fantastic cheer of approval from the early crowd. They’re like your mates band down the pub, with front man Matt Fielder the cheeky chap that everyone knows!

The momentum keeps flying high as we head back to the Kilmister Stage for Survivalist (8). They completely master their slot, delivering a set packed with heavy, driving riffs and a massive, crushing wall of sound that has the crowd headbanging from the very first chord. I’m really happy we got to see these guys so soon after their gremlin plagued set at Uprising, they well and truly put that one to bed with today's blinding performance

It's back over to the Trailblazer tent next for For The Forsaken (8), who treat the packed marquee to a heavy, melodic set played with real passion and deliverance. They leave the stage to a roar of applause, passing the baton over to Recall The Remains (9) on the Southall Lawless stage. 

We’ve been lucky enough to watch this band grow and develop over the last few years and despite them being a bass player down they are a powerhouse of energy; their colossal sound and brutal breakdowns blow away any remaining brain fogs from Friday. Frontman Jacob Collins is a monumental figure on stage and despite them being one of the heavier bands of the weekend the mainly rock orientated crowd take to them

Next up in the Trailblazer tent is Beautiful Freakin' Weirdo (8). A one man psychedelic rock wizard, a fine discovery today—bringing a chaotic, wonderfully unique alternative rock edge and a wild, energetic stage presence that makes it impossible to look away.

Over on the Kilmister Stage, Welsh heavy rock titans King Kraken (9) step up to the plate and absolutely crush it. This band have been gigging relentlessly it seems for the past two years! We caught them recently as they toured with the hardest working band out there, Fury, and they’ve definitely picked up a few things on the way. They deliver a masterclass in massive, foot-stomping grooves and thunderous rhythm sections, fronted by a powerhouse vocal performance that commands the entire arena. Reminiscent of early Clutch, the grooves are infectious.

Heading back to the Trailblazer stage, we catch a fantastic set from Voodoo Sioux (8), who are their usual jovial, energetic selves, delivering great hooks and plenty of fun rock 'n' roll antics. Is there a more energetic and fun bass player in the country than Mario Ermo? I think not!

They are followed immediately by the highly anticipated Saturday "Surprise Band," which turns out to be none other than US rockers Bullets And Octane (10). The tent is absolutely packed to the rafters for this, the secret had been revealed earlier on that morning. They tear through a blistering, rapid-fire set of high-octane sleaze rock with an immense amount of style and attitude, anthemic songs like Cancer California and Save Me Sorrow get the crowd joining in. 

Gene Louis loves interacting with the crowd and spends a lot of the time in the crowd! It’s a fun party and during their cover of Deep Purples Highway Star he hands the mic to a punter in the crowd who absolutely smashes it! The climax is their big fan favourite Pirates with the whole tent singing along and leaving the crowd completely fired up. It’s a brilliant, sweat-drenched highlight for the afternoon.

Back out on the Kilmister Stage, The Five Hundred (8) keep the adrenaline pumping at dangerous levels. They produce a colossal, modern metal onslaught, pounding away with aggressive precision and a ferocious live energy that has the pit in full swing.

As the evening draws to a climax, the legendary Wolfsbane (10) take to the stage to headline the Southall Lawless stage. Jase Edwards, Jeff Hateley, Steve Danger, and the ever-eloquent, eccentric frontman Blaze Bayley are in absolute peak form. Blaze is in his absolute element, exchanging banter with the crowd and leading a rapturous tent through anthems like Man Hunt and I Like It Hot. Loads of fun, bags of nostalgia, and simply great old rock 'n' roll played with immense heart.

Finally, to close out a superb Saturday, UK thrash titans Onslaught (9) take the headline slot on the Kilmister Stage. They hit the stage with serious intent amid a sea of smoke and heavy lighting, delivering an absolute masterclass in fast, unapologetic, old-school thrash metal. Sy Keeler is back on vocals but it's the driving, relentless onslaught of razor-sharp guitar riffs and aggressive vocals that completely decimate the main arena. Nige Rocket is the only remaining original member but Onslaught has always been an entity in its own right regardless of who was in the band at any particular moment, but this current line up is as good as any that I (Tony) has seen.

It’s a powerfully climatic and heavy end to Day Two, a bit heavier than the regular attendees are used to, but it’s great to see a festival mix it up a bit and not rotate the same old bands. But a fantastic day, blisteringly hot, leaving everyone absolutely knackered but buzzing for the final day of the weekend!

Reviews: Defect Designer, Tyrannus, ABSU, The Chronicles Of Manimal And Samara (Mark Young & Adz Redpath)

Defect Designer - Depressants (Transcending Obscurity) [Mark Young]

The starter (Daily Dose Of Gloom) well, it lives up to the promise of a progressive piece of Death Metal, except it probably sits in that space for the smallest of moments before there's a collective ‘Fuck It’ and the curtains are pulled back on what is anything given at any time. 

I’m not actually sure how to describe it, apart from it being anything it wants to be at any given moment. The best bet is to come into this without a preconceived idea and then press play. 

Based on this, and how Butterfly Juice Straws comes in I’m going to stop trying to deep dive on each song because let’s face it, I’ll be doing them a grave disservice and probably bore the shorts off you. The link that track 2 has with track 1 is the anything goes approach. 

Nothing is off the table and yet when they go full death its full death. The third, Repeated Aversive Stimuli Inducer changes yet again but matches the opening two in where it wants to go.

See what I mean? It's uncroyable as La Francais might say. In the first three songs you've basically touched down everywhere this genre has to offer (not folk) and made it their own. 

Guitar lines wrap around your head like spiders laying their webs, rhythms are sped up, slowed down and turned inside out. Carte Blanche is maybe the closest to traditional dm but they can't help but change it into rock. 

As soon as you settle its off again, and this frenzied, schizophrenic method is tiring. In some respects it feels like they are trying too hard to do what they are doing here. I know that its quite the endeavour from them but maybe I’d like them to calm down and just stick a traditional approach just for once.

Have I mentioned the song names? They are as incredible as the music behind them. Scorching The Rival Pogonomyrex Burrows runs around a cosmic track, peppering you with blasts as it completes its circuit whilst Body Count Of My Cow Tail brings in female support with another change in direction and then off once more. 

This is a lot to digest in one sitting, 13 songs equalling nearly an hour of fried brain operations. I appreciate that they are striving to do something that is maddeningly unique within extreme music but Christ they could have pulled a couple of songs without losing the mesmerising effect the music has on you. The later tracks almost settle down, but I'm knackered by then. 

Peons Before My Drabbing Wings has this steady away flavour, gentle picking before a rock-hard riff kicks in, replete with spidery lines that weave at the right moment just ahead of the blue-touch paper being lit and it turns into this percussive hammer of a song. And yet they just can’t help meddling even just a little. 

At the end with Wrong Future Forecast, they channel a sprawling effort that is scuzzy as it is razor sharp. At the end, this is quite a release. Its one that is probably attuned to a certain fan, those possibly brought up on non-linear kinds of metal. 

For those like me, it’s a wild set of songs that do what they want and go where they want to. They sound like nobody else and yet there are familiar moments on here. 

It should cannon into your Album of the Year conversations just for the names alone, adding in the frankly mental sonic arrangements should make it stay there. 9/10

Tyrannus - Mournhold (True Cult Records) [Mark Young]

Tory punching music – check.

I think that any band that releases any music called Tory Punching Music deserves a round of applause. But back to Mournhold, the Scottish metallers latest release. 

Violent Inheritance with the energetic start, big riffs for a big opening statement that leans straight into blackened death. It's the kind of start that you want, come in and grip in much the same way as you would live. 

Mostly, it’s a pummelling affair bar the almost expected mid-song breather. There's a definite switch after this, the lead into the solo break is more punk in execution, before they close that loop and return to black.

Orbus Non Sufficit suggests for a second there could be respite then bang it's into the aggression. Like T1 they aren't content to plough one furrow, with slight changes in approach the end result is the same. 

You could accuse it of being overlong, but that’s purely dependent on taste. It works here, and what we have is a strong one-two from them.

Seize The Stars is where we start to get a sense of familiarity creeping in. It's still delivered on the front foot, with the intent shown prior still on display. 

For me, they could have trimmed this into a shorter blast of that energy that would brought the trio to close.

I’m being picky, but that's my job.

Flesh Eternal does represent a change though, a departure from the kinetic into a more post-metal style. They don't move too far from the established style, but I'm not a fan. 

It feels like it’s trying to be a number of different things at the same time without satisfying any of them. 

Reignfall puts a stop to that, winding itself up and springing forth. This them back into terrain that they can navigate. 

Again, it picks its cues from T1 etc, ripping along at a good rate and throwing in some whammy abuse for good measure. The extended lead is also welcome, and I wish that there had been more of it.

Mournhold sees them increase the runtime whilst maintaining their standard approach. By this time, there doesn't seem to be any severe departure on the cards. 

Yes, they slow it down to allow the leads to come in but you know that they are going to throw it into high gear once they finish. 

They reserve their most accomplished piece with Back To Grey, their closing statement. Bookending things, it comes in like Violent Inheritance did; It's direct, sure of itself and where it wants to go. 

It also shares some of issues I had with the others. I think if you are going to throw in melodic I.e. quiet moments then make them expansive rather than a quick throw away moment. 

Again, it’s a minor niggle and you may think ‘it’s nothing, get over yourself’ and you would be quite welcome to that opinion but for me it just needed to be either fully fleshed out or removed.

Still, it’s a good listen. Aggressive in the right places and it doesn't lose sight of providing a touch of the visceral to keep things moving. This has a lot here that will draw you in and is a strong release from them. 7/10

Absu - The Temples Of Offal/Return Of The Ancients Remastered (ATMF) [Adz Repath]

ABSU are a truly iconic and legendary band in the black and death metal scene having influenced many including notably Joey of Slipknot R.I.P.

Here they bring 2 of their original demo recordings and multiple other early recordings back to the fore in a remastered format from the original tapes and dat tape recordings of The Temple Of Offal / Return Of The Ancients. 

This is a band that whilst I've followed to a minimal extent I have heard of since the late Nineties here in not so sunny south Wales in the UK and I am very intrigued to check out these remasters with a fresh ear being a huge fan of both black metal and death metal which these guys span throughout their career I eagerly launched into this review.

The raw and early sound of a band of this iconic nature is very clearly on show with not a click track or overdub in sight and that is exactly what I personally wanted to hear as this style hungers for the raw origin of black metal in order to evoke the emotion it holds and is so sorely missed in modern exponents of the style having lost the energy and visceral power of the old school for over produced clones of them. 

This is noticeably a Nineties sound and for some may be too lo-fi but for myself I found it to be a great trip down memory lane. The old school weight of the riffage is strong here mixing the guttural nastiness of early death metal with the expansive ideas of early black metal throughout.

There is only so much that can be done in remastering old recordings like this and that has to be taken into account when approaching a release like this and whilst it is geared towards long term fans of the band having multiple versions of the same songs in various iterations I feel it's something newer fans could gladly sink their teeth into as well if new to the band.

This won't be gaining huge traction outside of the main fanbase given its nature as a early recordings / remasters and re release on limited vinyl etc but it's a great release to reminisce for true fans of the old school sound and the band in general with some very rough around the edges demo's etc that make even early Burzum sound slick but still a must for the collectors out there. 6/10

The Chronicles Of Manimal And Samara - Misantropi (Self Released) [Adz Redpath]

Having done my research as usual this duo based in England were an intriguing prospect and hinted at something truly different and highly conceptual and well produced in their press. 

Based in London the duo of Daphne Ang - Vocals and Andrea Papi - Guitars, Bass, Drums are attempting to blend modern metal and prog aspects with a poetic overtone and acoustic centric aspects reminiscent of the likes of Laibach and Moonspell etc here on their latest release.

The production screams home recording and programmed elements galore, a good balance within the mix is kept throughout with everything being well balanced in the mix to a reasonable level. 

However this is very dated in both tone and style, the vocals lack any projection and both male and female parts are lacking use of the diaphragm and fade into the mix and in all honesty are underwhelming especially in lyrical content.

By the time I was half way through the second track 128 I didn't want to hear the words "I want to hate" ever again, the use of swearing was almost comical throughout the release and that's just the start. 

The overly compressed and processed instruments are very distracting especially from the guitar aspect which sounds like it was recorded on a processor from the early 2000's, and whilst balanced it detracts from anything of substance or being able to create any real impact within this release needing quality IR's and more space to have the presence that is needed.

A producer would maybe help this but in all honesty that might be a stretch. The same phrasing, melodies and timing elements are echoed throughout, especially in the chorus's and this is especially where a good producer would help in creating more flare and less repetitive elements. 

Tracks like Lucky Ducker fly by thankfully very fast despite being the best part of 5 minutes the content is genuinely hard to listen to.

This may be conceptual and maybe I just simply do not get that aspect or vision but I feel a lot more work is needed for this to catch any serious attention and I would struggle to give this another listen. 5/10

A View From Call Of The Wild: Day One (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Call Of The Wild Festival: Day One, Lincolnshire Showground, Friday 28.05.26

We’re back on the festival circuit this weekend with a trip out to the Lincolnshire Showground for Call Of The Wild. Known for its fan-first, fiercely independent grassroots vibe, this is a beautifully compact, easy-to-navigate site. The weather forecast is scorchio!, setting an incredible tone for the crowd moving between the side-by-side main stages and the packed Trailblazer tent. 

Onto the music then, and we had a massive mix of modern hard rock, heavy sleaze, and highly anticipated reunions to look forward to on Day One.

First up on the main stage is Midlands-based trio, Beggars Bliss (8). They bring a funky, bass-driven groove that does a brilliant job of warming up the early afternoon crowd. They are followed immediately by London’s Dead Zebras (8), who completely light up the stage. This is a band with a high-octane, Van Halen-inspired classic rock vibe, and they play with tons of energy and fun, and a little bit of Bad News cheekiness! Next up is Foxx (8) festival stalwart Dean Foxx. Taking to the stage in his signature rockstar shades and a massive grin, the former Knockout Kaine frontman just loves being on stage. He’s a showman and loves to perform.

With the heat rising both temperature and performance wise on the main stages, we pop over to the Wolfpack beer tent to check out the Trailblazer Stage action, where the talent search is fierce. Dead Reynolds (9) deliver a crushing, nu-metal set heavily channelling early Linkin Park, which gets the tent moving early on. Back over on the Kilmister stage, we get a taste of dark, Emo infused metal from Matted (9). They put on a brilliantly atmospheric, industrial-tinged performance, and were one of the weekends discoveries for me.

We stuck around for the next band up on the Southall Lawless stage as they were local Midlands lads Straight For The Sun (8). This bunch are a brilliant burst of energy for the afternoon slot. They deliver a set packed with heavy, driving riffs and a massive wall of sound that has the sweltering crowd banging their heads from the very first chord. It's pure, unadulterated hard rock played with real passion, and they lock down a fantastic groove that keeps the festival momentum flying high.

After a much needed break from the relentless sun and to refuel we got back to the Southall Lawless stage just in time to catch The Hot One Two (8), and they delivered a reliably brilliant, melodic hard rock set that the crowd lap up. The band are known for their hard hitting riff and non-stop on stage energy, and even in this heat they are relentless.

By now the bands are overlapping between the outdoor stages and the Trailblazer stage so it’s a juggling act to try and catch as much as we can, and I’m glad we popped into the tent to catch Kuro (9) who were completely new to us but blew us away with their powerful set that had influences from industrial, nu-metal, emo, horror. Think Linkin Park meets Wednesday 13.

Following on from a brilliant, melodic hard rock set by The Hot One Two, the early evening kicks off over on the Kilmister Stage with Swedish street-rockers The Chuck Norris Experiment (9) They hit the stage with a massive wall of loud, unapologetic high-energy rock 'n' roll that gets a brilliant reaction from the crowd, and they finish their set with band members in the crowd! This was one of Tony’s top picks of the weekend

Meanwhile, we head over to the Trailblazer stage to catch the headliners of the tent, Thieves Of Liberty (9). They receive an absolute hero's welcome. Utilizing a powerful guitar driven rock, they create a massive wall of riffs anchored by a powerhouse vocal performance. They have the packed tent completely engaged from the very first chord, playing a chaotic, highly energetic set that proves exactly why they earned that headline slot.

Elsewhere, back to the Southall Lawless stage for one of the most emotionally charged and highly anticipated moments of Day One—the return of Tomorrow Is Lost (8). Playing together for the first time in four years, they sound absolutely fantastic. Cass King is in her absolute element, showing off an incredible vocal range on the slower numbers while leading a rapturous crowd through bouncy, infectious anthems. It’s a beautifully nostalgic performance, and the loyal fans are singing back every single word. 

Next up, the Kilmister Stage lights up for the long-awaited return of metalcore favourites Glamour Of The Kill (8), and they kick things off with serious intent. As a tight four-piece, they produce a colossal sound that gets the adrenaline pumping. Cranking through a blistering, rapid-fire set, its melodic and crushingly heavy, and played with a pent up, aggressive energy.

Anchoring the headline slot over on the Southall Lawless stage is legendary British rock veteran Myke Gray (8) (Skin, Jagged Edge). Fronted by the fantastic lead singer of The Karma Effect, Henry Gottlier, Gray proves himself to be a guitarist's guitarist through and through. He delivers classic rock riffs with an immense amount of style, swagger, and it's simply great old rock and roll, and the whole crowd is having a whale of a time singing along.

The heat of the day has barely cooled as we go into the twilight zone, the main headliners Florence Black (10) take to the Kilmister Stage to close out what’s been a superb first day. This marks a massive milestone in the Welsh powerhouse trio's grassroots journey, and literally explode onto stage with pyro that adds to the sultry heat. Their performance is an absolute masterclass in heavy, grunge-infused melodic rock. 

Packed with ferocious live energy, massive hooks, and plenty of stadium-level punch, they pound away through a rapid-fire, top-class set that takes the roof off the place. I’ve been dying to see this band for such a long time but for one reason or another it’s never happened until today and boy was I blown away, their cover of Breadfan was something special, and the climax of “Sun and Moon” left me breathless, one of the highlights of the year let alone this weekend

It’s a powerfully climatic end to Day One. Between the affordable prices, the incredibly welcoming community feel, and a line-up that perfectly bridges raw classic rock energy with modern heavy alternative, it’s a brilliant start to the weekend. 

Reviews: Slayer, Shinedown, The Freqs, JPT Scare Band (Mark Young, Matt Bladen, Spike & Rich Piva)

Slayer - Hell Awaits 40th Anniversary (Metal Blade Records) [Mark Young]

There is a certain difficulty in reviewing this because part of the allure of this 40th anniversary is the package that comes with the physical releases on vinyl and CD. The accompanying books, containing rare photos, the liner notes and interviews is, for me the interesting part of this. 

Throw in a live performance from 1985 (Bochum, Germany) which captures them in a raw, unpolished state where they were just starting to get their identity pulled together. Kerry King has said that this is where Slayer became Slayer and I’m not sure that I agree with that statement. It’s a favourite of Trey Azagthoth, but I also think that’s because saying Reign In Blood is your favourite is kind of a popular statement.

Personally, had they stayed on this course then we wouldn’t be treating them with the same reverence, but let’s put that to one side. The album itself still sounds like it was recorded in a cave but at least sounds clearer than its original state. I think that there is zero point talking about them, apart from they represent where King and Hanneman were inspired by at that time. 

Longer songs, repeated lead breaks and a approach that felt that they tried to shoehorn as much as possible in each song. They haven’t tried to update it, overdub or add any frippery which is definitely in keeping with Slayer. For the album, if you liked it then, they you will like it now. What I do find is that these generally feel overlong, but at that time, and certainly when I first heard it around 87 or 88 (along with RIB) it was cool, but Reign was better.

The live album is warts and all, quality is so-so but that only adds to it. The primal energy is there, the intensity in performance that would only grow with subsequent tours. Some of the higgggghhhhhhhhhh notes that Tom hits, you forget that at the time Priest, Mercyful Fate screams were a massive part of what aspiring singers should be doing. 

Using Black Magic as an example of this, the speed is increased with no loss in execution and the segue into Die By The Sword, the breaks in Tom’s voice as he keeps up with this pace is great to hear. Live, this is where the songs from Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits take on a better form, although I’m not sure where the extended lead break in Die came from, but I’ll take it anyway. As a live document of that time, its fantastic. Its one that showcases that as a live band they would tear the place apart.

Revisiting the songs, especially those that have remained relatively deep cuts has been great. The live album, yes its rough but that is the charm behind it. This is the real attraction in this release as something I’ve never heard before. Adding these to the booklets, ticket stubs that come with it, it is a fantastic release for fans of this band. 

For giving it a score, the music alone deserves a 7. Reasoning behind it is simply that the songs, different from Show, and as good as they are, are just ok. Of course I’m saying this with the hindsight of what came next and how their sound developed. Put it together with the package, it’s a 9/10

Shinedown - EI8HT (Atlantic Records) [Matt Bladen]

What's the best album Nikki Sixx has ever been a part of? No matter what you say the correct answer is The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack from his band Sixx A.M. Now ask the same question about Shinedown and you may get a few people with different opinions, however on their eighth album record, they're definitely looking to write their definitive statement as a band.

Like that soundtrack record, EI8HT features a cinematic feel to it, musical ideas come from across the genre spectrum, with the heavy rocking of Dance. Kid. Dance, the hip shaking arena bait of Burning Down The Disco to Searchlight which made it's debut at Grand Ole Opry, it's a record where no ideas are overlooked or dismissed.

18 glossy, stadium size tracks, with risks that a band shouldn't be taking eight albums into their career and with such a defined style behind them, but that's never been enough for Shinedown, they've always courted the crossover crowd, pop lovers, country fans, classic rockers and their radio rock fandom all combined together here.

Now unlike a recent record I listened to that was over an hour, EI8HT flies by from the Def Leppard-like Three Six Five, to the blue collar nostalgia of Young Again and the modern edge of Bear With Me. There's a myriad of influences on this record which will give it broad appeal but never makes it feel disjoined.

Even with the furious Machine Gun shifting to the the orchestral balladry of Back To The Living, through the electro thump of Deep End and the closing acoustics of The Pilot, EI8HT is a captivating album from Shinedown, touching on every part of their career.

I'll be honest I didn't want to like this, I wrote the band off after Sound Of Madness, but EI8HT could be their best album. 9/10

The Freqs – No God On The Gold Coast (Gum Cuzzler Records) [Spike]

If you're going to claim you're intent on "delivering high decibel raw energy through a couple of guitars and a drum set," you’d better not show up with a polite, over-engineered record. Salem’s The Freqs have clearly taken that threat seriously. 

No God On The Gold Coast is a short, sharp, and brilliantly chaotic debut that clocks in at just under twenty-six minutes, sounding less like a studio album and more like a live set recorded in a cellar while the police are banging on the door. It’s got that grimy, unstable friction of The Jesus Lizard or early Queens Of The Stone Age (back when QOTSA actually had some dirt under their fingernails) making it one of the most immediate, unpretentious rackets to land in the review box this year.

The album hits the ground at a full sprint with John Travolta, and immediately, the production choices stand out. It’s raw, it’s noisy, and it possesses a massive, analogue-heavy thud that feels like it’s vibrating in your very marrow. Guitarist Seth Crowell’s faulty pickups apparently spent the recording sessions catching accidental local radio interference between takes, and instead of cleaning up the signal, the band kept those weird, bleeding voices in the final mix. It’s a brilliant, "no safety net" choice that makes you feel like you’re sitting right in front of the monitors while the room is actively melting.

The momentum shifts into the frantic, heavy-set grooves of Chainsawman and Lo IQ. On Lo IQ, they make great use of a Robert Downey Jr. Wall Street sample to open the track, featuring a caustic vocal contribution from Nicholas Pentabona (Bedtime Magic) that sounds like a throat full of sand. The sheer velocity continues through CLEARANCE WRECK and It Might Be Rabies, where the band refuses to offer a single moment of "experimental" reprieve or radio-ready polish. It’s simple, direct, and incredibly loud.

One of the standout moments on the album is Secondhand Jesus, featuring Andrew Wong (Miracle Blood) on guest vocals, which leads into the pure, high-velocity blast beats of Short King. At just under a minute and a half, Short King is a total, teeth-grinding sprint that acts as a perfect, visceral pivot before they drag you into the final, sludge-drenched crawl of Nite Hag. It’s a sophisticated bit of pacing that keeps the album’s short runtime from feeling like a repetitive blur.

By the time the final, discordant feedback of Nite Hag eventually cuts out, you're left with a silence that actually feels a bit uncomfortable. The Freqs have documented a state of total, frantic urgency. It’s the kind of record that acts as an unvarnished reminder that you don't need a massive budget to make a massive impact. It’s a properly noisy debut which has got me checking the gig listings and hoping that they will be over to our side of the water sometime soon. 8/10

JPT Scare Band - Live At Crosstown Station (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

JPT Scare Band is an important part of Ripple Music history (look it up) and this lost recording, Live At Crosstown Station, captures a band that started bringing out their proto-heavy and psych in the 70s live in Kansas City in 2011 in all of their glory and where they belong, on the stage ripping it up.

Live At Crosstown Station is five tracks of the band ripping up their bluesy proto goodness, with the opener, Hungry For Your Love, bringing it all and setting the stage for this killer set. The recording sounds amazing, especially how the rhythm section was captured. 

Terry Swope is a psych guitar god who should be way more known then he is, and he certainly proves that on this recording, especially on the opener and on Hungry Amazons. The closing two tracks, Acid Blues and I've Been Waiting, is 17 minutes of heavy proto psych that fans of bands from Leaf Hound, to Golden Earring, to Blue Cheer will love. Great stuff.

I ask a lot of Todd and Ripple Music, but I will keep doing it as long as he keeps releasing such killer stuff. Bring us some more JPT Scare Band! If there is more in the vaults that is remotely close to Live At Crosstown Station it needs to be consumed. Killer. 8/10

Reviews: The Fifth Alliance, Bong Voyage, Blood Of Angels, Mirror Of My Soul (Spike, Rich Piva, Mark Young & Matt Bladen)

The Fifth Alliance – Stenahoria (Tartarus Records/Breathe Plastic/Ardua Music) [Spike]

The first hit is a cold, heavy blow to the solar plexus. When the opening movement of Phoenix first rattles out of the speakers, the sense of total, suffocating confinement is immediate, like the grey, freezing rain of the Netherlands has suddenly found its way inside. 

Hailing from the region, The Fifth Alliance have spent the last decade building a reputation for a grim, uncompromising brand of post-metal and doom. Their latest effort, Stenahoria (distress, in the Greek), is a record born from sorrow and fear, and it doesn't offer a single melodic line without also offering a crushing weight designed to pull you straight back down into the mud.

I’ll admit that on the first pass, I struggled a bit with the architecture. There is a tendency here to push too much into a single track, pulling the listener in three directions at once, it's doom, it's post-metal, it's blackened fury and in isolation, it can feel slightly disjointed. 

But you can't treat Stenahoria like a collection of singles for a playlist; you have to take the whole thing in as one massive, forty-minute monolith. When you commit to the holistic transit, the joins disappear, and you realize the band are actually forging a very distinct, uncompromising path of their own.

Natalya Thelen (ex-Yantras) is the undisputed catalyst for this new era. Her voice elegantly slides from fragile, ghostly whispers to a raw, bone-shivering wail on Benandanti, completely redefining the band's emotional reach. She is backed by the relentless, heavy-handed precision of new drummer Peter Scheffer (Soliton), whose performance gives the crushing, progressive riffs on The Fool On The Hill a physical, bone-shaking gravity.

The production retains all the raw, icy bleakness you want from this genre, but with a massive, high-fidelity presence. You can hear every string groan on Battle Of Barnet, a track that builds a suffocating amount of pressure before eventually dropping you into the dark of the finale, Jakob. It’s a clean, professional mix that somehow manages to keep the "gristle" firmly embedded in the tracks.

It’s not an easy record, nor should it be. If you're looking for a comfortable, predictable post-metal crawl, you're in the wrong place. Stenahoria is a deliberate confrontation with discomfort, demanding your total commitment and rewarding you with a rare, cathartic sense of survival. I’m walking away from this one with the realization that the band has created something genuinely formidable here, a dark, suffocating monument of tone that I’ll be listening to for a very long time. 8/10

Bong Voyage - Hedonistic Hard Rock (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

Your summer party record is here in the form of Hedonistic Hard Rock, from the supergroup of sorts, Bong Voyage. “All we wanna do is make a living playing rock n roll!” is the quote on their Bandcamp page and one of the opening lines on their debut record, Hedonistic Hard Rock, and if it is tongue and cheek or not, it screams of all the bands on the Sunset Strip who pilgrimaged there to make it big, even if these guys are from Oslo. No matter where they are from, this is super fun and most importantly, it rocks.

I get early Van Halen, early Quiet Riot, Jetboy, and other fun and sleazy bands when I listen to Hedonistic Hard Rock. Saturday Rite Special kicks off the party, and that is exactly what it is, a party. But don’t dismiss what these guys are doing here. There are cool tempo changes and layers to these songs. 

Large And In Charge may be their theme song, and it certainly kicks the door down at the party house with a keg over their shoulder and ready to take shit to the next level. UFOria has an early 80s metal feel, more Maiden than their party obsessed brethren, keeping this one heavier, but in music only, not in subject matter. 

The space theme continues with another standout, Outer Space Freebase, which has a fun gallop to it and big vocals, and is probably my favourite track on the record. I dig Enabler too, which reminds me of Y&T musically, and that is a great thing. There are no stinkers on this record, you just have to be in the right mood to fully enjoy it end to end.

This one is growing on me. I bet by the end of the year Hedonistic Hard Rock is one of my more listened to records. A completely different vibe then some of the guy’s other bands, Håndgemeng (who rule), but just as much love was put into this record by Bong Voyage as anything these guys have done. Not sure if this is just a side project, but if it is, let’s hoe we see what else these guys can do with this style. Party in Olso, everyone is invited. 7/10

Blood Of Angels - Les Agnst Ov Thanatou (Self Released) [Mark Young]

Formed in 2015, with a home base in Tampa, Florida which holds a special place in the heart of all death metal fans for the sheer volume of bands that have sprung forth from there. Blood Of Angels are promising a lot here, lets see what it’s about.

Transitional Portal is their starter, the first offering in what they promise is an to redefine extreme metal. I’m all for big statements like this; the thing is having the necessary tools to back it up. As it stands, this is a largely normal/standard/dull opening instrumental which I’ve constantly moaned about elsewhere. Beating You comes in with a riff and a sound that is straight from 1989, I’m not sure if they were approaching this as a live in the studio recording because this sound very lo-fi. 

Randy Reyes harsh vocals dominate and are suitably guttural which in turn provides a balance to their sound. I’m assuming that they wanted it to sound like this; primitive, served practically raw with no unnecessary fat. It’s taken me by surprise, The Last Rites coming next and it sounds different, a fuller tone now on display. 

In any respect it has probably one of the most annoying arrangements to it, a repeating passage that is similar to an alarm going off. Once it gets going, it gets better. This has a classic DM vibe to it, with the four players all on point with it. The main riff is chunky, and again the vocals underpin everything. The closing lead is just right, and there is a sense now that we have found our level.

Red River Death echoes this statement, with another step up in its tone. It’s an urgent guitar line that drops into trem picking time. They throw in some technical tapping before returning to the more brutal way of doing it. One of the things they aren’t afraid of is throwing changes in direction on a whim, especially if they feel that the song is growing stale. On the flip side is that they could have deployed the scissors on this one, but where is the fun in that?

Where it isn’t fun is on The Pain Inside. I think that it was intended for this to be the albums cornerstone, and with starting with an acoustic passage, you knew that this was going to be one of those earnest, cleanly sung and potentially overwrought songs that just kill an album dead. Luckily, they pull it back and get the distortion going. 

Another change in tone, its deeper and thicker now but it will need to absolutely slay in order to get the first 3 or so minutes out of my mind. I feel like I’m being harsh here, I don’t mean to be because A – I’m not in a band B – I’ve never released any music so what gives me the right to say this? Well it’s because I’m a fan and if a band is telling me that they are doing wonderous things with the genre I love they better deliver. 

There is a good song in this, cutting out the clean passages at the start and end would have made this a belter. When you look at this against those before it, there is definitely an upward trajectory in their respective builds and this is a song that would be better without the cleans. Spillage flies in like it knows it has to take care of a damaged relationship, this is such a welcome blast from them, 3 minutes of death metal that has a fiendish riff set and is furious too. 

Likewise, Minds Of The Broken goes down the same route of just being heads down, brutal metal that fans of the genre can get behind. That lo-fi recording style works in their favour, as mentioned its raw and stripped back to the bone. When they do this, you can’t help but sit back and appreciate it for what they are.

And then they drop the ball with Nevermore. Its not clean singing, its that in between place that’s used before the real guttural style kicks in. It feels forced on this, bearing in mind that this clocks in at nearly 8 minutes long, the immediate energy of Spillage and Minds is now a distant memory for me. 

If you look at the song itself, its got a decent descending pattern to it, nothing wrong with it all. For me, it needed to keep the rough style right through. There is a cracking set of riffs in here, massive even that totally work when the vocals are harsh. I don’t want slightly harsh vocals with my death metal, I just don’t.

Eulogy is just a spoken piece that closes out the album, and there’s not an awful lot I can say about it other than that is the end of this.

I’m not sure how to end this, because despite the ropey sound there are some good endeavours here. The two shorter songs are certainly high points of what they can do, its just that there are some severe missteps on here, which I just can’t get past. I don’t see where they are redefining metal, I also believe that they have talent to write decent death metal. Its just that they need to really look inwardly as to what they want to be. 6/10

Mirror Of My Soul - October Is Rising (Majestic Mountain Records) [Matt Bladen]

The solo project of journeyman bass player Patrik Andersson Winberg (Dun Ringill, ex-The Order of Israfel, Doomdogs), Mirror Of My Soul is a project that serves as vehicle for his storytelling, his writing, outside the constraints of a band.

Inspired by gothic rock along with classic hard and prog rock, it may not be the doom be ply's his trade in day to day but October Is Rising is a record that has an introspection and a heaviness to it, though that's emotional rather than in terms of volume.

It's been a record that's had a long gestation period. probably because there's so many involved with it but underneath it all is the songwriting, bass, keys and more of Winberg that steer these experimentations in style, sound and feel.

Be it the Nick Cave sadness of the title track and A Good Day To Die, the flute driven progging of Mina Fotavtryck, the creeping organs of Grandpa, the songs here weren't recorded until they were ready, regardless of genre, Winberg was committed to making sure his songs were the best expressions of his skill and passion.

Joining Winberg are drummers Pete Campbell (Axe Dragger) and Tobbe Strandvik (ex-Kamchatka), there's guitarist Patric Grammann (Dun Ringill) and keyboardist Per Wiberg (Spiritual Beggars, ex-Opeth, Tiamat).

While there's also a cast of singers who all bring their own personality to the characters these musical stories deal with. The vocalists are; Terry Slesser (Beckett, Backstreet Crawler, Geordie), Richard Reynolds (Lunar Tantrum), Andy Campbell (Rust Bucket), Damon Collum (ex-Don Darlings), Philip Lindgren (ex-Hypnos), and Niklas Sjöberg (Graviators).

With extra musical power from Lovisa, Songdog, Tobias Jansson (Saffire, Gathering of Kings), Niklas Börjesson (ex-Lotus), Tony Jelenchovich (Transport League, ex-M.A.N), October Is Rising is an exploration of Patrik Andersson Winberg's creative muscle and while it is diverse and beguiling, you may be looking for something a bit louder when this ends. 6/10