A View From The Back Of The Room: The Hu (Paul Hutchings)

The Hu / Skáld – The Prospect Building, Bristol, 01.10.26



The last fingers of summer are fading, and autumnal colours fill the trees. Time to brace for the intensity of the early winter tour calendar as gigs fall quicker than horse chestnuts. The first day of October and there’s an excitement in the air as a very healthy crowd gather at the cavernous warehouse in the heart of old industrial Bristol for the return of Mongolians The Hu.

Last seen on UK shores at Knebworth in a baking July for the Iron Maiden extravaganza at Knebworth, they’ve continued to increase their popularity with some I spoke to buying tickets for this show based on their support for Steve Harris and co. My last encounter with them was at the Great Hall in Cardiff almost four years ago. They’ve clearly increased their fan base as the equivalent Bristol show was at the O2 Academy. Tonight they’ve probably increased that number by close to 800-1000.

Before the Mongolians, French outfit Skáld (8) entertain the crowd. Despite being from the land of cheese and wine, their music is predominantly Nordic Folk, based on Norse mythology. They create a great image, with fur wrapped hamanic drums, whilst the band are striking in their imagery. Norsemen (and woman) is certainly the impression.

Great rhythmic structures are the basis of their songs, and they create a thunderous noise whithin the cavernous room, which is already three-quarters full. Heating up nicely, Skáld ease into an extended 40-minute set. They draw from a selection their discography including the very recently released Ørlǫg. The band are spaced across the stage, with ample room for their drums which form the central tenants of their songs. Mainly instrumental, the latter part of the set sees Marie Potosniak take the lead vocals although the use of several foreign languages means you tend to hum along rather than sing with them.

It’s not all banging away of the drums though, with bouzouki and fiddle prominent as well. There’s an intense power that Skáld bring. Very much in the Wardruna, Heilung and Faun camp, there’s a captivating style about the French outfit that makes this a very pleasant and carefully curated support slot. An impressive ovation is well earned.

I was unimpressed last time I saw The Hu (8). Tonight they change my mind; somewhat. They have benefited from many things. The light show is impressive. A big screen with imagery and bruising backlighting make it a challenge for the photographers in the pit but intensely rewarding for those located in the middle and back who benefit from a clearer sound as well as better visuals. It’s a bit of over stimulation at the front but those who have crammed to the barrier are here to roar and cheer as the band rage through a 15-song list that kicks off with Lost Soul, one of eight from latest album Hun.

The band are split into three sections; touring musicians on drums and percussion situated high at the rear, in front of who lurk two anonymous guitarists who hide in the shadows. It’s the front four who take all the attention. The founder four, Galbadrakh "Gala" Tsendbaatar, Nyamjantsan "Jaya" Galsanjamts, Enkhsaikhan "Enkush" Batjargal and Temuulen "Temka" Naranbaatar are slightly less static than last time, although they remain reasonable rooted to the spot for most of the evening.

What has changed most appears to my uneducated ear to be a reduction in the throat warbling and more actual vocals. Sure, there is still plenty of their unique delivery, but there appears to have been a subtle change. I may be wrong. These aren’t my go-to band but their live show has picked up. I think in part due to the visuals, such as on Shadow and Black Thunder, both of which sees intense excitement amongst the crowd.

It’s some of the older stuff that really gets the buzz going though; Yuve Yuve You and Wolf Totem at the end of the set get a huge reception. Inevitably it’s The Trooper that ends the set with the biggest cheer and the large audience leaves happy and slightly blinded. For me, it’s an improvement on last time, and whilst I am not desperate to get back and see them again, their efforts in crowd contact and thicker riff-edged songs are at least bridging the gap a little.

A View From Across The Pond: W.A.S.P & KK's Priest (Rich Piva)

W.A.S.P & KK’s Priest, Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach, FL, 23.09.26



I don’t get a ton of cool shows that are an hour or less of a drive away for me, so when WASP announced a “hits” tour in Daytona, with KK’s Priest no less, the 70 minute trek up 95 was going to happen. It’s not that I have ever loved W.A.S.P; they have always been a band I enjoyed, but nothing in their discography is ever going to be on my top lists, but the hits are the hits, and the band at this point has legend status, so yeah, I am going (thanks to the boss for making this happen).

I am way more of a Priest than W.A.S.P fan, normally Judas, but KK’s will work in this case just fine. K.K. Downing can still rip it up, as evident during the hour-long set, consisting of two thirds classic Priest and the rest some KK’s Priest (7) originals. The band was tight, I have never seen Ripper live and he sounded great, and of course, KK. 

Who is not going to love opening the set with You've Got Another Thing Comin'-Breaking The Law-Living After Midnight? I have not spent enough time with the original KK’s Priest stuff, but when you start that way, then go into the trio of Beyond The Realms Of Death-The Sentinel-Victim Of Changes what more could you ask for. This was a fun set and had the potential to overshadow the W.A.S.P set that I have heard whispers about. Fun times.

The W.A.S.P (7) show was way better than I expected. I heard things on past tours about lip syncing, backing tracks, political and religious rants, but this show was straight up “play the hits Blackie”, with only the Jesus-y song Golgotha as part of the encore that even hinted towards anything like that. The set was fun, and for a more casual fan you certainly heard all the ones you would want to. 

I have always loved their cover of The Real Me, and it was cool hearing live, as well as the biggies like Wild Child and I Wanna Be Somebody. The band sounded great, Blackie almost too great, but hey, what more can you ask for at this point. The stage show with the three screens worked as well as the usual Blackie set up. My favorite part of the set was the aforementioned The Real Me into The Headless Children, another track I have always loved.

Overall a fun and entertaining show. The venue is one I have not been to before, and the sound was a tad muffled, but I would certainly go back and check out other shows there, even if this old ass didn’t get home until after midnight. Livin’ after indeed. With the time and the trip to see these legendary performers for what may be the last time for me.

Reviews: Amon Amarth, Butcher Babies, Spirit Possession, Colossloth (Matt Bladen, Keith Boswell, Yasmin Mason & Rick Eaglestone)

Amon Amarth - The Allfather Awakens (Metal Blade Records) [Matt Bladen]

The Vikings Are Coming! Or that's what they would have you believe, but did they ever go away? For me Amon Amarth have been at or near the top echelon of the metal world for a long time, whether it's the massive Viking rows at their shows, the live battles on stage, they have become a must see live act, however many don't mention the music as much.

This is probably become Amon Amarth have found a niche and stuck with it, it's melodic death metal that often edges into power metal, with lyrics taken from Norse mythology. This often means that it can be catchy and folky but equally heavy and brutal, it means that Amon Amarth have become a gateway band for youngsters getting into heavy music.

Which is entirely admirable, however for me, they haven't done anything too different with their music since Twilight Of The Thunder God, so will The Allfather Awakens change that? Well if you just listen to We Rule The Waves, then absolutely not, chuggy riff made for rowing, a stage friendly bounce and easy shout along chorus, it's Amon Amarth 101, which isn't a bad thing but they've got a set full of tracks like this.

Thankfully they do try to make a couple of changes with Upphaf, their first ever acoustic track, translated stanza from poem Völuspá, it's a great but if breathing room that showcase a different side of the band and there's even some throwbacks to their earlier days as the riffs feel rougher and with a bit less shine to them, as if the death is coming back to the melo, or something on Die With A War Cry.

Thirteen albums under their belt, Amon Amarth are at a point where they don't really need to change anything, however with their acoustic track and some of the doomier sides on this album they still can experiment but with The Allfather Awakens, Amon Amarth stick to their undeniably successful Viking metal template. 7/10

Butcher Babies – Night Bloom (Judge & Jury Records) [Keith Boswell]

The new line up from the Butcher Babies is to due release their first album, Night Bloom, since Til The Worlds Blind was delivered in 2023. The ten track album, due for release on the 2nd October 2026, is delivered through the Judge And Jury Records label.

This nu metal band, has taken the opportunity through a reduction in personnel, to deliver a less hardcore edge to proceedings, indeed Heidi Shepherd can be seen as a light wisp of steam above a thick deluge of baseline soup below. The album vocals are often more delicate than previous endeavours although band collaboration still provides a variety of vocal emphasis throughout.

On first listen the album seems very devoid of a great deal of musical individuality when progressing from song to song. The melodies and rhythmic / lead guitar often get lost in the deluge of a pounding, unrelenting baseline. It must of course be mentioned, at this juncture, that the album has a good deal of intensity and attitude which is some way reduced from previous Babies offerings.

Further investigation identifies one or two songs that have individuality and even some chorus hooks to delight the listener. Songbird is one such contrasting track that provides a little respite and delivers some interesting futuristic undertones which reminds me of a science fiction film, very atmospheric and adds to the song’s quality.

A further song in a similar vein, in terms of individuality, is Black Clouds Over Georgia. The guitar playing, coupled with at the emotional lyrics at beginning of this song is a very much needed breath of fresh air, it’s very melodic in nature and I absolutely love it! 

However, this detour from the norm only lasts for 30 seconds at best. Although the lead guitar does make further in roads into the track later on, the song would be much better if more use was made of it, making a good song into an excellent one in my opinion.

For me, this album hasn’t really hit the spot, too much repetition, reliance on a deep baseline and not enough individuality between the tracks has left me somewhat disappointed. This album will appeal to die hard fans and but has left me wanting something different. 6/10

Spirit Possession - Cathedral Speech (Sepulchral Voice Records/Profound Lore Records) [Yasmin Mason]

Black metal meets thrash metal! Hailing from the US, Cathedral Speech is Spirit Possession's third release and my first introduction to the duo's work. Described by their record label 'as their most piercing, deranged, and narratively epic form yet' , I'm definitely intrigued.... but does ithe album live up to its description? Well yes.... I think it does.

Cathedral Speech, the title track, kicks off the 80s horror film vibe immediately. the drums and guitars building in intensity, giving way to a moment of calm, before the pace builds again. Backward Commandments provides a short respite with an instrumental interlude before we're off again. Halfway through Hanged Angels As Patternwalls and I feel like I've been sucked into a black metal vortex of frenetic riffs and demonic vocals, only to be spat back out by the abrupt ending of track 5.

Tracks Second Liturgy (...Impossible Exits...) and Trinity Possessor (...In Ten Thousand Hells) don't disappoint either, alternating between those fast, thrashy riffs and sections which are almost hypnotic in places. The whole album conjures up nightmare vibes. In the best way. At almost 44 minutes long, this is not a short album, yet I'm disappointed when it finishes.

I think it's safe to say that parts of this album would absolutely not be out of place on a 70s or 80s horror film soundtrack. This is an album to listen to in the dark. Turn it up loud, turn off the lights and see where your imagination takes you. It's raw, it's old school and it's great fun.! 8/10

Colossloth - The Transformation And Resolution Of All Opposites (Cold Spring Records) [Rick Eaglestone]

Colossloth has never been a project content to sit politely in any one corner of the industrial underground. For two decades now, Wooly Woolaston has been sculpting noise out of Leicester with the patience of a stonemason and the temperament of a demolition crew, building his tracks not from conventionally played instruments but from samples, loop stations, and a steadfast refusal to follow anybody else's rulebook. 

He has described Colossloth as a one-man experimental outfit with no rules to recording or playing music, and you can hear that philosophy in every grinding, hammering second. What began as long-form guitar drone has mutated over the years into something harsher and more rhythmic, a sound that lurches between suffocating heaviness and passages that seem to rise clean out of the murk, with tribal rhythms and flickers of rave energy wired into its circuitry.

The journey here has been a long and stubbornly independent one. The earliest Colossloth releases date back to 2006, with the first album arriving via Belgium's Doom Structure in 2008 and further outings on Doom Mantra and Dark Meadow before the project found its natural home at Cold Spring in 2015 with Outstretch Your Hand For The Impress Of Truth. Heathen Needles followed in 2017, Plague Alone in 2020, and then 2022's Promethean Meat shifted the dial by introducing sampled live drums for the first time. 

Last year's The Harmony Knife went somewhere altogether more uncomfortable, building an entire album around the writings of Ted Kaczynski. It is a catalogue that rewards the curious and punishes the complacent in equal measure, and it has earned Woolaston a place among the more distinctive voices on a label whose roster reads like a who is who of the esoteric fringe.

Which brings us to album number six for Cold Spring, arriving, fittingly, as the project marks its twentieth year. This time Woolaston turns his gaze to Theta Noir, the enigmatic collective (part art project, part cult, depending on who you ask) preparing the ground for MENA, a goddess born of code. In their telling, her coming is the point at which the boundary between flesh and machine dissolves for good. 

Having spent his last record in the company of a man who wanted to burn the machines down, Woolaston now sits among those who kneel before them, and the title's promise of opposites resolved feels less like a slogan and more like a mission statement. Cold Spring bills it as an "automaton chant of cybernetic worship," and that feels about right. Five tracks, just shy of forty minutes, no filler.

Encoded Divinity is the shortest thing here and wastes none of its five minutes on pleasantries. It works as a threshold rather than a statement, a signal crackling into life as though somebody has tuned a shortwave radio to a frequency that was never meant to be found.

Calculate Your Revolution tightens the screws, leaning on the rhythmic backbone that Promethean Meat opened and hammering it into something cold, repetitive, and relentless. It is here that the concept really takes hold, the loops taking on the quality of liturgy, the sense of a congregation marching in lockstep towards something none of them fully understand.

Awaiting MENA is the record's heart, a nine-minute vigil that trades momentum for anticipation. This is Colossloth at its most patient, letting textures pile up like static electricity before a storm, and it is the track that best captures the unsettling devotional quality at the centre of the concept.

Undertow Atlas is the longest piece at over ten minutes, and the title is an apt one: this is music that drags rather than drives, pulling you beneath the surface and holding you there long enough for the pressure to become part of the experience. 

Then Only Adrift closes proceedings with eight minutes that feel, at least by Colossloth standards, like a cautious exhale. If the album charts a journey from summoning to arrival, this is the aftermath, the moment the congregation looks up and wonders what exactly it has welcomed in. It is a smart place to end, offering no neat resolution despite the title, only the uneasy stillness of a world that has quietly shifted on its axis.

What impresses most about The Transformation And Resolution Of All Opposites is the discipline. Plenty of noise records mistake volume for vision, but Woolaston builds each piece with a clear sense of purpose, and the sequencing, from short opener to lengthy middle stretch and a closing drift, gives the album a genuine arc. 

That said, this is not an entry point for the uninitiated. The pieces are long and dense, and much of the conceptual weight rests on knowing the backstory; go in blind and some of the subtler narrative intent may pass you by. But for anybody already tuned in to the Cold Spring wavelength, the rewards are considerable, and headphones and darkness are very much recommended.

It also feels like a natural culmination of everything Colossloth has been building towards. The drone roots, the harsher electronics, the rhythmic heft introduced on recent records and the increasingly pointed conceptual framing all converge here into what might be the project's most cohesive statement yet. Twenty years in, there is no sense of an artist coasting, only one still asking awkward questions and following the answers wherever they lead.

The Transformation And Resolution Of All Opposites is abrasive, hypnotic and quietly unnerving, a record for an age in which the line between worship and code grows thinner by the day. Play it loud, preferably after dark, and try not to look too closely at the screen afterwards. 8/10

Reviews: Spider Kitten, The Crawling, Karmen Field, Deathcult (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Spider Kitten - God Don't Sleep (APF Records) [Matt Bladen]

You're always going to get something weird and heavy from South Wales psychedelic sci-fi doom monsters Spider Kitten and with their new album God Don't Sleep.

They again carry on the psychedelic journey they began on 2016's Ark Of Octofelis, though with this band you can never truly know what to expect as they have shifted through pretty much every genre imaginable, but over the last 10 years these Kittens have now managed to define themselves as a trio with their association to APF Records.

The unholy union of Chi Lameo (vocals/guitar), Chris West (drums) and Rob Davies (bass), God Don't Sleep doesn't carry the names of these players within it, as there's an entire lore around this record, which basically that this is the debut album of a rock group called The Spider Kitten from 1976, who had astronomical fame on the back of it. It's this attention of detail to the conceptual themes that draws you into Gods Don't Sleep and also links thematically to Ark Of Octofelis, but you'll have to check out their social media for all of the details.

The music? Well the music is the focus here, around all of the story that surrounds it this record, really you have to focus on the music from here and if you're going to listen one song from it then wrap your ears around the 20 minute title track described as "Pink Floyd discovering sludge", but the other four tracks here also wrap themselves around your earlobes and pull you into the Spider Kitten world.

Opening with the swirling, psych rock Best Guest Hotel, the fuzz and Sabbath worship crawling in on The Calver as Fast Queen brings the leather clad motorcycle punks and Losers & Fools sees the electronics and synths creeping in like in a John Carpenter soundtrack.

Studio release number 22 from Spider Kitten, keeps the heavy heavy and psych weird, it's a record full of disorientating, crushing grooves, from another multiverse. God Don't Sleep and seemingly neither do Spider Kitten. 9/10

The Crawling - What We Leave Behind (Grindscene Records) [Mark Young]

I reviewed The Crawling's live album back in January (bloody hell) and found it to be one of the most honest releases I'd heard in ages, especially for a live album. It promised a lot and delivered on it too, so going into this I knew that whatever emerged would be authentically them.

A Song To Nurse The Sickness starts us off with a thunderous bottom end and vocals to match from Andy Clarke. It fits straight into what you would expect from them; melody and melancholia in equal measure. The song straddles that death/doom chasm like a modern-day colossus, moving when it needs to, not because that's what everybody else does. It relies on those restrained moments to make the harder ones hit with more force, which they do. This is something they can do with ease, and it's an enviable talent to have.

The second and final track serves as an acoustic reset of Bound To The Negative (Requiem), which first appeared on All Of This For Nothing. Now this is interesting, because it takes that source material and strips it back to the bare metal, leaving it naked before you. I think in lesser hands, doing this would have seen it go down in flames, but it all goes back to the honesty that the band possesses. By shedding its skin they have uncovered a dark beauty within it, and it says all that it needs to say.

And that's that: two songs, two very different approaches, delivered in just 11 minutes. Both demonstrate that The Crawling remain adept at producing extreme music, but the real treasure here is Bound To The Negative. It's raw, vulnerable and sounds like a song that's had its armour stripped away. Fans already know what they're going to get from this band and, despite there being only two tracks on offer, nobody should be feeling short changed. 8/10

Karmen Field - All Demons Have Dreams/ADHD (Self Release) [Matt Bladen]

Grunge/alt/prog rockers Karmen Field manage to take five minutes away from their road dog status (they recently played this full album in Cardiff City Centre), to record their second album, alongside Tim Vincent of Woodcroft Audio who just has The Midas Touch when it comes to bringing out the best in bands.

Entitled All Demons Have Dreams, the acronym ADHD has multiple meanings in what the band do, as a carrying some personal weight that's explored through some of lyrics on this album. However it's also a more general statement about the band themselves who are musical chameleons, the band say it's "like a conversation with someone with ADHD, each song has a different energy"

That's couldn't be more obvious on the record as moment they're Alice In Chains/Stone Temple Pilots style grunge rocking (Speak Of The Devil), the next it's big stoner grooves (Cut The Chord), then some heavy blues and then it's more melodic heavy radio rock (Morgawr), all delivered with a message and some serious musical chops.

From the towering power of Joe behind the kit locking down the low end with Lewis, they can switch between frantic thrashing on Never Found and then psychedelic wanderings of Inhuman. ADHD is the sound of band pushing boundaries, experimenting with what they do for a band; for example the burning feminine rage on Dem Days, guitarist Will getting his rocks off with lots of soloing.

There's political protestations of Under Your Weight, the refrain of "Fuck The Nation" is going to be sung loudly on stages across the UK, Molly's vocals on this record are more daring, showcasing her experience and natural talent, more than on their debut, carrying the emotion and passion here with authority.

Karmen Field's second album All Demons Have Dreams, is a record that draws from varied inspiration of different genres and lyrics that surround flights of fantasy and personal struggles, it's a record that will see them taking their show to bigger audiences very soon. 8/10

Deathcult - Cult Of The Dog (Soulseller Records [Mark Young]

I love that the bio accompanying this release is short and sweet. It's the third instalment in a trilogy that began in 2007 with Cult Of The Dragon, continued with Cult Of The Goat in 2017 and now concludes with Cult Of The Dog. This time we're promised a return to their cruel Norwegian black metal roots, which makes a nice change from the usual claims of being the "most brutal" or "savage" thing ever committed to tape. 

I've no idea what 'Cruel Norway' actually represents, unless it's a Eurovision entry, but what I will say is that this is a cold, frigid release that leans heavily into everything I associate with the genre; insane rhythms, over-the-top vocalisations and those off-kilter melody lines that appear out of nowhere like a dust devil. There's plenty here that fans will recognise as traditional but dig a little deeper and you'll find a set of songs that seeks to rise well above those familiar tropes.

Dogs Of War starts proceedings off and basically sets that scene for the next 45 minutes that roll over you and blasts you with every conceivable black metal hit you can imagine, with Cynocephalus competing that 1-2 whilst dropping the temperature further. Both tracks are pulled together with one thing in mind; don’t let anyone think we have lost a step in the 20 years that have passed since part one in this trilogy. 

The production here is roughened up enough for it to be classed as abrasive without losing any power – the drums (step forth Thurzur) on Author Of Caedes is like an army marching through town and its great to hear metal that hasn’t fallen prey to being overproduced or too polished. I appreciate that some releases sound as though they have been recorded in a shoe box, and maybe that was intentional but this finds that balance between being able to hear what they are playing against accusation of being posers.

There is also a punk undercurrent running through it, they don’t set out to be complicated if its not needed. Eat Broken Glass leans in this direction for its slower parts, and to be fair once they pick that pace up its still relatively simple but above all its memorable, which is key for me. It’s something that is present right through – Striking arrangements played at the right speed at the right time. 

Hyperviolence sees the inclusion of more death growls (which I assume is by Skagg as there is no guests listed, happy to change if needed) which breaks this one up a treat. The tempo management on this one is spot on, its one of those tracks where you are aware that the BPM has dropped but there is still an impetus that drives it forward.

Closing with Imperium Satana, they sign off on a near-victorious rhythmic march before launching back into the upper gears that punctuate so much black metal. Yet again, the arrangements are spot on, introducing transitions at exactly the right moment and keeping the momentum high without becoming repetitive. It's a class set of songs, steeped in the traditions of classic Norwegian black metal while still retaining enough character to stand on its own merits. 

The timelines and labels surrounding the genre will always be open to debate, but if your tastes lean towards that classic Norwegian era, there's every chance Cult oOf The Dog will hit the mark. 7/10

Reviews: Europe, Coldrain, Moon Destroys, Rorcal (Matt Bladen, Jordan Griffiths, Rich Piva & Mateusz Stefanow)

Europe - Come This Madness (Silver Lining Music/Hell & Back) [Matt Bladen]

Come This Madness has been a long time coming, Swedish legends Europe last released a studio album in 2017, Walk The Earth came as part of latter period purple patch the started with 2009's Last Look At Eden. 

That record brought a resurgence in popularity for the band which has seen them reach the heady arena heights of the 80's.

Back then you couldn't listen to the radio without hearing their songs and while now you'll probably just hear these tracks on Planet Rock, Europe still have a very strong following and are more importantly they are still releasing some great music that has a lot less hairspray and pomp and a lot more bluesy hard rock that comes from Led Zeppelin, Whitesake and Deep Purple, here represented by the Title Track.

With album twelve it doesn't look like this is going to change, as One On One and The Cult Of Ignorance are both big rockers, drenched in the organs of Mic Michaeli, that blues base has become more melodic, as of the Europe of today are comfortable with merging their harder edge with the melodic rock beginnings, each track having big grooves from bassist John Levén and drummer Ian Haugland.

As the melodic side seems stronger on this record, showing off the always impressive vocals of Joey Tempest and killer guitar licks and solos from John Norum, while the album also showcases their legacy in the Swedish rock scene having Tobias Forge (Ghost) and Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) on backing vocals for This Time Of Year and a couple of others.

Produced by Tom Dalgety at RMV Studios and mixed by veteran Mike Fraser, Come This Madness sees Europe return with new music after nearly a decade and brings another set of shining rock diamonds. 8/10

Coldrain - Optimise = Optdemise (Century Media Records) [Jordan Griffiths]

This review also encompasses the fact that this is my very first time experiencing Coldrain. This album, in my opinion, is such an expressive and explosive 12-track journey that completely encompasses you and holds you there, while at the same time, some of the tracks just straight up hit you in the face with their heavy instrumentals. 

The album itself, serves as a showcase of the sheer range that Coldrain possesses, not only as a band, but as the individuals that create the sound that builds the band itself.

There are songs that pull you out of it, and soothe you, but there are the ones that PUNCH you straight in the face! They are heavy, loud and unapologetic. 

Digitoll introduces you to this, while Free Fall delves further into the heavy nature of the album itself, and G.I.A.I.G absolutely RIPS into you. These tracks not only get your head going, but give you the surge of energy required to jump straight into the mosh pit.

Alongside the heavy tracks within the Optimise = Optdemise album, there’s also a number of slower, more heavy-rock-leaning tracks, such as Incomplete, which ends in a beautiful solo guitar riff, really complimenting the vibe of the entire track. 

Then there is Sing, coming in as the tenth track in the album, and it has a much more softer, more mellow vibe than the rest of the album, and really pulls you out of the headbanging, and in a sense helps you reflect on what you’ve already experienced.

While preparing you for the album finisher, being Saviour, Feat. Kenta Koie of Cross Faith, which hits you once again, for a final blow of heaviness, and it finishes this album off extremely well.

I personally feel that Poison and Picture Perfect Hell, while still being excellent additions into this already amazing album from Coldrain, leaves a little to be desired in comparison to the rest of the selection that you have been given. 

However, as someone who is brand new to the world of Coldrain, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this album across the 5-6 listens of this album, and will definitely be adding it into my rotation. 8/10

Moon Destroys - OMNI (Blues Funeral Recordings) [Rich Piva]

The first Moon Destroys record was pretty cool. It seemed to be missing just a little something, but how can you go wrong with anything that former Torche guitarist Juan Montoya is involved in? 

Well, the band certainly found what was missing, and so much more, with Zach Amster from the amazing Denver band Abrams, joining as lead singer and on rhythm guitar, with the results being the gigantic second record from the band, OMNI.

Amster has this next level energy in his singing and playing that has taken this band to the next level. That paired with Montoya’s signature sound and some pretty great songs, OMNI is a huge step up for the band. Some of these songs just rip it up, like the opener, Invasion, and the killer Motion Sickness. 

When the band slows it down a bit the real genius comes out. Kingdom, which you have no choice but to get serious Torche vibes from, is so great, with the chugging guitar and harmonized vocals, putting on full display some of what Amster brings to the table. The guitar effects add so much to the song as well. Killer stuff.

Sowing Stars is like a fuzzy Husker Du song, showing the band’s and Zach’s ability to make a perfect two minute fuzz punk track. But don’t worry, OMNI can be chunky too, like the riff on Missing Wish, which has some AIC grungy stuff and maybe a nod to Local H’s early stuff. Speaking of fuzzy, the riff on Nocturne shakes the room, while the spacy Lost Hearts shows how the band brings atmosphere into OMNI.

The closer gets me every time. It is not often that a cover is what seals the deal for me, but the band’s version of the early sixties song She Cried, inspired by the Birthday Party’s Rowland S. Howard’s version makes me want to cry every single time. 

This is one of the saddest songs I have heard in a while, with Zach's emotion pouring out over the drums and Montoya’s fuzzy tone, this is one of my closers of the year. Love it.

So sometimes a band is missing one thing, sometimes it is big, sometimes it is just a tweak. For Moon Destroys, bringing Zach into the fold and right up front has made all the difference. I love this record, and you will too. Go get OMNI. 

Oh, and also subscribe to the Blues Funeral PostWax series and you will have this amazing record in super cool limited vinyl to blast it throughout your neighborhood. 9/10

Rorcal - Mahre (Humus Records) [Mateusz Stefanow]

Watches, chocolate and banks are not the only notable exports from Switzerland, as Rorcal’s newest release MAHRE proves. Abandoning their former hardcore and drone influences in favour of crushing sludge and a descent into madness and deepening oppression under the weight of dread and darkness with each successive Movement.

Movement 1 has the longest run time at 12:46 minutes, making up just over a quarter of the total album time; this track remains fresh throughout, starting as a melodic track before introducing cavernous screams and growls in the latter 3rd. The guitarwork is grinding and abrasive, like a buzzsaw straight to the skull; the drumming is rhythmic and conjures mental images of heavy boot falls.

Falling deeper into Movement 2, the blackened blast beats are here to stay, and starts with soaring sweeps bringing an evangelical vibe, painting a far grander image; though this is fleeting as we are whisked into further depths.

Sludgy riffs are the name of Movement 3, as the desperation mounts; alternating between crushing fast paced sections, dropping the pace to a crawl, then speeding up again gives this movement that desperation that this album embodies so well.

Movement 4 is the beginning of the end, as all hell breaks loose, placing greater emphasis on the dissonance and breaking down the rhythms to double down on that crushing darkness.

Greater discordance, more broken percussive rhythms and sections of silence, broken by blood-curdling screams and growls crown the peak of MAHRE in Movement 5; the final stone to shatter us, and leave our remains scattered in the oppressive, uncaring darkness.

Overall, this album is a grim journey into a malicious, pounding void, held together by the almost charcoal-like cover art, preparing you for what is to come; don’t sleep on this album. 6/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Ofnus, Domhain & Adfeilion (Matt Bladen)

Ofnus, Domhain & Adfeilion, The Bunkhouse, Swansea, 26.09.26



The third and final date of trio shows featuring Domhain and Adfeilion, it was the Swansea show that tickled my fancy the most as it also featured Ofnus as the headliner for the evening.

Three bands that dwell in the atmospheric realms of the metal genre, merging extremity with ambience perfectly it was poised to be a brilliant night of music so with the Geophony, playing it was Swansea/West Wales locals Adfeilion who started the evening with their theatrical sound, which now features flute and vocalisations on top of their already dense soundscapes.

We were told by the band that they would performing this particular story for the final time, so their fans gathered close to hear it's recital between the explosions of hybrid electronic post folk metal, it's a heady mix that drives through Rock, EDM, Metal and more, the spoken word passages taking you away to fantasy worlds inspired by Welsh folklore.

For those of us who have been there since the beginning of this saga, I've noticed that Matt (keys/spoken word) seems to become more mad with power with every show, as if the band is the conduit for his ascent to poetic super villainy. In fact the sonic expansion of the band has been an absolute joy to watch, each set adding something new, be it the flute, the vocals, the heavy industrial and even the dance moves!

What comes next I don't know but the next story is to be revealed soon and it will once again write the next chapter of Adfeilion.

Next it's a multi-guitar, dual-vocal driven metal mix from across the water in Northern Ireland as Domhain take to The Bunkhouse stage and fill the room with emotive sound immediately, drawing from their recent debut full length album In Perfect Stillness and it's EP predecessor Nimue, they cut an exceptional figure on stage, delivering some epic music.

For these recent shows Domhain has expanded their line up with Daniel Dempster and Kacper Lewandowski, joining Nathan Irvine to create a triple guitar attack that allows them to replicate their expansive blackgaze on stage the way it is on the record, the rhythm section of Andy Ennis (bass) and Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan (drums) guiding these sprawling songs through their genre fusing as they both provide the conflicting clean/harsh vocals that work in brilliant harmony, almost giving an idea of angle and demon.

I'd wanted to see Domhain since the release of their album and I was not disappointed in Swansea, the always top notch sound of the venue allowing them to deliver their complex style with ease. I hope it's not too long before they come back over the water again.

Speaking of complex, like Domhain, Cardiff's bringers of sad Ofnus also love to play epic song, it allows their atmospheric metal to explore all possible permutations of extreme metal backed by multi-layered string sections for added emotional power. After their last two shows featured Adfeilion's Ben deputising on guitar, Ofnus now had rhythm guitarist Alyn back in the fold.

I'm sure by the second song in their set he was alwaredy regretting the head down, legs wide stance as a new dad but black metal needs that posturing in order for the tremolos to be let loose. Besides Ofnus are such a tight unit that you wouldn't notice any issues unless you'd seen them countless times, and even then I'm not looking, as they shifted the set list around a little from Bristol Extreme Fest, but Ofnus never give a bad show in my opinion.

I've said it before but with Brendan on vocals they seem more savage, their older material having new life breathed into it on stage, matching the intensity it has on record, however the new songs The Last Flight Of Birds and Beddgelert, still sound better each time, as I find more nuance brought by guitarist James and bassist Rich, as you also stand awestruck by Ethan's drumming, which of course always blows the mind during Zenith Dolour.

A trio of the UK's best atmospheric acts all in one place, I definitely chose the right date on this tour, all three need to be seen, so next time they're in your town make the effort to watch them. 10/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Exploring Birdsong (Matt Bladen)

Exploring Birdsong & Maebe, Strange Brew, Bristol, 25.09.26

On the back of their AOTY candidate Every House We Built, Liverpool trio Exploring Birdsong (10) have been playing some quite intimate dates in support of their debut album, basically playing it in full with couple of tracks from their EP's.

Carrying over the 80's business aesthetic of that record to stage, after a pre-recorded welcome to Birdsong Property Development, they arrived in Strange Brew in brown and beige suits, surrounded by old school stage lights as they kickes off the set with Archipelago this slowly building cut had the audience captivated by Lynsey Ward's enchanting, crystalline vocals and introspective piano.

As it swelled Johnny Knight's bass started to crank out chunky djent-like grooves and drummer Matt Harrison began to lay down a masterclass in precision and pacing, the dedicated following for the band immediately animated and in love as they broke out into the funky 42, which ilicited another huge reaction, showcasing that as well as Exploring Birdsong do introspective prog, they do punchy pop just as well, if not better.

It was the string-laden love in that is I_You, through a throwback to The Collapse that brought Ward to the front of the stage for Arrhythmia, just her vocal and Knight on keys for something spine-tingling, after that a sample of John Farnham's You're The Voice played out, Knight trying to get the crowd involved which they dulty responded as Exploring Birdsong upped the funk with a staunch favourite of mine Spy In The House Of Love.

Watching the trio shift between these songs was effortless, virtuoso playing across the stage as the blend of keys, bass, drums and vocals, what was happening on stage was augmented by a backing track, but you know what, it's definitely to the benefit of a band like Exploring Birdsong who favour making everything sound as slick and close to the record as is it can be, but still showing the mastery of their instruments.

A special shout here to Maebe (8) whose triple guitar driven instrumental music opened the night at very short notice after the original tour support Hailaker had to pull out for medical reasons. The Bristol band made for an ideal beginning to the show, moving throughout their set by driving some great grooves and a flowing triple guitar attack.

Having recently opened Radar Festival Maebe have a kudos behind them and with this home town show they stepped up at the last minute to make sure there was a reward for anyone that turned up early, walking away with their own fans appeased and a lot of new one I'm sure.

As Exploring Birdsong stormed through the set the main set closers of You Like It Best When It Hurts and Every House We Built filled the room with reciprocal love, band and audience connected through the music, which made this gig feel intimate and special but also like an arena show in waiting, Birdsong Property Management will continue their corporate expansion after these shows, as tonight by the last notes of this set the Bristol market was ready invest all they had.

Reviews: Behemoth, Revel In Flesh, Slothrust, Terra Black (Yasmin Mason, Mateusz Stefanow, Spike & Rich Piva)

Behemoth - I, Scvlptor (Nuclear Blast) [Yasmin Mason]

Behemoth; probably Poland's most well known - and controversial - black metal export. I Scvlptor is the latest offering from the band and after seeing Nergal's outstanding performance of Sventevith with Myspyrming earlier this year, I was excited to hear this release.

First off is the title track, I Scvlptor and my favourite track out of the 3 reviewed here. 

A beautiful orchestral intro starts the track, before the guitars and drums join in, with the strings continuing to add atmosphere in the background. I enjoyed the slow, heavy guitar riffs used throughout the song. Repetitive but effective .

Next up is Lord Ov The Horizons. The juxtaposition between the clean and harsh vocals at the start of the track is nice, the former giving way to the latter as the song builds towards its crescendo. 

Riffs sounding like artillery fire (reminiscent of Metallica's One) pepper the second half of this song and the drums and guitars take centre stage as we reach the end of the track. I enjoyed this one.

Finally, Begotten. I've listened to this track multiple times now and I've struggled with what to say about it. It's not a bad track, there is just nothing that really stands out to me. Except the drums. In my opinion (as a non-drummer I hasten to add!) the drumming on this song is top notch. Everything else.... just is.

All in all, I Scvlptor is an enjoyable listen. But probably not worthy of a spot in my 'favourite albums of 2026' list. 7/10

Revel In Flesh- Flesh For The Kult Of Death (War Antjems Records) [Mateusz Stefanow]

Teutonic titans Revel In Flesh are back with an old-school death metal release, replacing their melo-death style to resurrect the sound of their original three albums in their sixth release, Flesh For The Kult Of Death, partly due to the band’s disbanding in 2024, and prompt reassembling.

I’m structuring this review differently to my other ones solely due to the incredible consistency between the tracks; the album is perfect for head-banging to, it has melodic sections, it has spoken word sections and bass solos, with the legendary Jonny Pettersson on bass guitar (ex-Massacre, ROTPIT and Wombbath amongst others). 

When I mentioned that this album resurrects their former sound, even that Boss HM-2 pedal sound is retained, once again indebted to Pettersson’s hectic guitar playing, and the brutality of the blast beats has your pulse going from the opening notes to the very last. 

The album cover is gorgeous with bold blues and reds, calling back to Dismember’s Like An Everflowing Stream, which this album sonically colludes to, they set out to produce an old-school death metal album, and by all hell they’ve done it. 

The melo-death period has not been forgotten however, as the few sections of melodic influences peek through at segments of the album, keeping your attention fixed, and with each track being so entertaining, without so much as a weaker song in sight, this is an easy task. 

The album ends with All I Had (I Gave), a tribute to Crowbar, which benefits from the HM-2 tone along with Erik Barthold on drums blasting away to ramp up the heaviness on an already heavy song.

This is a very strong contender for my album of the year, so go ahead and join the Kult of Death! 10/10

Slothrust – What They Grow In The Garden (Equal Vision Records) [Spike]

Slothrust have spent over a decade refusing to sit still. 

Moving from their gritty, jazz-inflected Boston DIY roots to sharper alternative rock, they've always had a knack for combining quirky, left-field humour with genuinely biting emotional weight. But heading into their sixth studio record, What They Grow In The Garden, the band found themselves at a crossroads, trimming down from a trio to a razor-sharp duo. 

If you thought losing a member would mean thinning out their sound, think again. This is easily the heaviest, punchiest, and most theatrical record Leah Wellbaum and Will Gorin have ever put to tape.

The band have been calling this record "dystopian theatre rock," and for once, a band-coined tag actually fits the bill. The whole record plays out like a stage show confronting the numbness of modern life, the screen addiction, late-capitalist burnout, and the general feeling that society is slowly rotting from the inside out. But rather than sounding like a dry political lecture, Wellbaum wraps those heavy themes in eccentric metaphors, big riffs, and massive, addictive hooks.

The album opens with Dissolve The Delusion, setting the stage with a solitary, sombre piano piece. It’s an understated, patient intro with no vocals at all, forcing you to slow down and dial into their frequency before the heavy artillery arrives. 

That restraint immediately shatters when Burn The Deck kicks in with a driving tempo, thick guitar fuzz, and a cynical, sharp-eyed look at the institutions designed to keep us pacified.

One of the standout moments on the record is Ring The Bell. Built around an infectious, twisting guitar riff, it moves like a rollercoaster, dropping into quiet, tension-filled verses before surging into a massive, explosive chorus. 

Lines about "dead doom dopamine" and cutting puppet strings hit with genuine bite, proving that Wellbaum's lyrical wit has only sharpened with age. Gorin’s drumming is relentless throughout, locking the rhythm down with the kind of kinetic force that makes you forget there are only two people in the room.

Elsewhere, the record leans into its stranger narrative impulses. On the lead single Hearst Castle, they frame wealth, isolation, and voyeurism through the lens of Patty Hearst and coastal elephant seals. 

It sounds completely bizarre on paper, but on record, it works like a charm thanks to a towering, arena-ready chorus. Meanwhile, 00101001 dives straight into digital dread with glitched, punchy urgency, and Twisted Paradise pulls back the curtain on their strange, dream-logic sensibilities.

By the time the sprawling, brooding closer Dystopian Cemetery wraps things up, you realize the duo has pulled off a serious balancing act. 

They've crafted an ambitious concept album that manages to confront modern anxiety head-on while keeping the music fun, unpredictable, and gloriously loud. What They Grow In The Garden is proof that leaning into your weirdest instincts can pay off in spades. 8/10

Terra Black - Mirage (Bonebag Records) [Rich Piva]

Gothenburg, Sweden psych doom is on the menu in the form of Mirage, the new record from Terra Black. Per the Bandcamp description, this record is “Steeped in ancient mystery and crushing atmosphere…”. I can get behind that, especially if it is as good as their earlier work.

Well, no worries there, because Mirage is better than anything this band has done. The opener alone, The Gathering, lives up to that brief description above (and the very long one on their Bandcamp page). Chunky, big riffs, siren song vocals, heavy psych elements, this one is straight up fire (occult fire? Is that a thing? Ritual fire?, I don’t know, but it sure is hot). 

Guayota continues this dark path, with a slow doom vibe but all sorts of middle-of-an-ancient-forest atmosphere to go along with it, which lead vocalist Ezgi provides her beautifully sung incantations with. Pareidolia is the beginning of the black mass, with some mind-bending guitar and a build to something beautifully evil. Slow and heavy with that voice is such a great combination.

I really like Maze, which picks up the pace with a nice gallop and more big riffing, this time with layered vocals that points this song more in the proto/occult side of the darkness than anything else, and whoa boy am I here for it. This one is probably my favorite on the record. Mirage speeds up (a tad) only to really slow down with In Stone, highlighted by some male/female harmonized vocals and some kills atmospheric doom when it really kicks in.  Another killer track.

I think the next one is even slower, as Ruins crawls along the forest floor but is anything but more of the same. The most atmospheric psych you get is from the closer, In Stars, which is like evil bluesy occult shoegaze that is just great. While I love the record as a whole, it is a bit long for this style, and a song like Thorn may have done well to be shortened, but I am nitpicking because this record is great.

Atmospheric occult psych doom with amazing vocals and excellent production. What more does one want? Terra Black brings it with Mirage, and a very worthy contender for your end of year lists. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Tungsten (Alice Doyle)

Tungsten, Butane Skies & Ruhnt, Gryphest Day 1, Gryphon, Bristol, 25.09.26

The first day of Gryphest 2026 saw a free show to begin the weekend.

Ruhnt (8) started on a very strong note, balancing growling - almost screaming - elements with funky math rock undertones. As the set went on we visited almost that early 2000s high school rock vibe, but much harder. Sadly they suffered from what I’d consider ‘technical difficulties’, rendering one of the microphones almost inaudible, which was a shame because all three of the vocalists seemed capable and harmonised well. I scribbled in my notes “these guys go home and play super meat boy”, which wasn’t a diss. They finished the set with a slower song, which wound up being my favourite of the set.

We made an initial note, that Butane Skies (6) seemed very “fresh out of music studies”; technically and theoretically sound, but somehow lacking creativity and passion. This time the main vocalist had some microphone complications, and throughout the first few songs I could barely hear them - which is a shame, because once we did hear them, they actually had a very beautiful voice. 

The band performed a good range of emotional, melancholic tunes narrated by a moody keyboard tune, later followed by a violin that was sadly drowned out by the drums - a fault I’ve noted in small venues in the past. Towards the end of the set we were presented with a cover track, which to me personally felt unnecessary, although it displayed their musical talents. I saw potential, but couldn’t grasp anything that made me want to personally see them again.

Tungsten (7) are a three piece powerhouse had a lot to prove after the first few acts, but would wind up being my second favourites for the evening. The set was heavy, but with elements of modern punk and the bass was bopping. Out of the three bands I had witnessed on the day these guys seemed the most comfortable on the stage, and in engaging the audience.

I felt that vocally they were not as strong as the last two groups, and as the set went on I noted that the genre was fluctuating a lot as if they hadn’t yet pinned down an identity. Nevertheless it was a strong finish to an excellent night of live music at the Gryphon, kicking off Gryphest with volume and THAT bass!

Reviews: Cloven Hoof, Violation, Killer, Watcher (Matt Bladen)

Cloven Hoof - Never A Prophet In Your Own Land (High Roller Records)

Never A Prophet In Your Own Land is perhaps a prophetic title for a Cloven Hoof record, in it's own way. You see though the band came from that fertile NWOBHM period, they have always been much more popular on mainland Europe than in their native country. There's something about leather and studs that revs the engines of the Germans and the Greeks who both have festivals dedicated to NWOBHM/Speed/Trad metal. 

The Greek link leads to recent changes in the Cloven Hoof camp as founding member/bassist Lee Payne managed to score Jag Panzer frontman Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin as their new front man, taking the mic over from the much kissed Russ North. Conklin was able to join as he is now based in Greece so as an American in Europe he's perfectly suited to belt out Cloven Hoof tracks at a Euro fest near you.

He made his debut on 2024's Heathen Cross, and the line up from that album is retained for Never A Prophet In Your Own Land, Payne and Conklin joined by guitarists Luke Hatton and Chris Coss and Ash Baker on drums for a varied, hard hitting record where there's a lot of changes of pace, pathos and drama.

From excellent mid-pace anthems such as the Title Track to the Rainbow chug of Gypsy Roller which showcases the keys of producer Chris Dando, as does the Neo-classical approach of Iron Mask, which unsurprisingly sounds like Iron Mask the band. There's also some classic NWOBHM gallops on tracks such as Conquistador and Phantom Chaser as Prodigal Son is a sleazy street rocker but no matter the style they approach these songs with, there's a lot to love on this record, you'll be nodding along.

You'll be singing the choruses after a couple of listens, however don't try to sing like The Tyrant as you may pull a muscle, he's just such a brilliant addition to Cloven Hoof, giving them a latter life injection of epic, that will hopefully see them play more shows in their native country soon. 8/10

Violation - The Anthology (Underground Metal Vault/Ripple Music)

It's not often I get to jump on something Ripple related before Mr Piva but my denim and leather credentials are perhaps a little stronger than his as I'm the one picking up The Anthology by Bay Area metal band Violation.

It's the debut release through Ripple Music's The Underground Metal Vault which like the Beneath The Ocean Floor series is trying to find and reissue classic have metal records and bands that are long out of print or have long since disappeared all together, from the 70's and 80's. Basically discovering the bands from all across the world that were swept up in the leather-clad NWOBHM sound but weren't from The Midlands or London where the real action was.

That said Violation were from the Bay Area and at that time you just know that there was probably a drummer named Lars Ulrich that would have trading their tapes as it's right in his wheelhouse, they even played shows with Metallica, Mötley Crüe and Quiet Riot as they themsleves take a lot of influence from Diamond Head and UFO.

The Anthology is collects all of their recorded output, including three demos too as Todd Severin is nothing but a completest. As these are the original recordings it means production and quality varies, no remastering or remixing, just rough and ready heavy metal. 

Heavy metal that caught the ear of Y&T drummer Leonard Haze who produced three of the tracks here, including Meet Me At Midnight, which is not a Saracen cover, while the double A Side in turn got them on Shrapnel Records US Metal Vol. 3 compilation, so there was a lot of potential but by 1982 they are no more.

There's a spark about Violation, yeah they can get sleazy and some of it still has quite simple riffs and lyrics but their music has an old school charm that does make you think, what if? Props to Todd and the team at Ripple for moving into the underground metal scene, I'm looking forward to what else he unearths. 8/10

Killer - The Grand Finale (High Roller Records)

Killer are a band who formed in 1980, right in the middle of the NWOBHM and they drew their influence form that raw, early heavy metal sound especially Motorhead, who were never NWOBHM, but really hit their succes at that time. They're aggressive speed metal, rumbling bass, biting guitars and gruff vocals, releasing three records in the 80's, then a string of breakups and reunions that has brought us to The Grand Finale, which is set to be the last album from Killer.

Dedicated to Lemmy, the record leans more toward Motorhead than any of their others as the trio of Paul “Shorty” Van Camp (guitars/vocals), Ian Anthony (bass) and Vanne (drums), run through some dirty rock n roll rangers and mid pace chugs. They even bring Lloyd the singer from Motorheadz to do some guest vocals on Roll The Dice and What You See Is What You Get, and while the album is good and fans will lap it up, it doesn't seem like a final record, just another record.

There's nothing too special about it, no sense of finality other than perhaps Killer have used up all the creativity as a track such as Hard Day Coming rips off a Sabbath riff. So not really a celebration but the last embers of a rock n roll legacy. 6/10

Watcher - Mistress Of Our Time (Dying Victims Productions)

Over to Sweden now and the only band here that wasn't formed in the 70's/80's but sounds like they were. Watcher are part of the NWOTHM, contemporary bands who want to play the traditional heavy metal sound which I've referenced more than a few times in this selection of reviews.

Having only been formed three years ago, as a solo project by Viktor Gustafsson, Watcher definitely have that old school ethos as this is already their second album and it keeps the heavy metal flame alive with fantasy inspired lyrics and energetic metal work outs where drama comes through the choruses on tracks such as Down From Skies Divine.

While this isn't thrashy speed metal, there's lots of galloping riffs to get you head nodding along, bands such as Enforcer, Cauldron and Haunt can be heard as modern day influences on what Watcher do along with your Maiden etc. There’s a lot to like on Mistress Of Our Time, from the old school nods fused with a modern day audio power, Watcher are cranking out quality for classic emtal fans. 7/10