Reviews: Bodysnatcher, Elegant Weapons, Bronco Forte, Kissing Chaos (Spike, Simon Black, Rich Piva & Cherie Curtis)

Bodysnatcher – Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home (MNRK Heavy) [Spike]

Melbourne, Florida, isn't exactly the first place you’d go looking for a gateway to the inferno, but Bodysnatcher have spent the last few years proving that the "Sunshine State" is just a marketing lie for something much more claustrophobic. 

On Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home, they’ve stopped flirting with the boundaries of deathcore and hardcore and just decided to build a permanent residence in the middle of the friction. It’s a record that understands the most effective way to convey misery isn't through complex metaphors, but through a rhythmic, low-end thud that feels like a boot to the ribs.

The needle drops on The Maker, and you’re immediately hit with that signature "beatdown" velocity. There’s a blood-on-the-mic honesty to Kyle Medina’s vocal delivery, it doesn't sound like a performance; it sounds like a man trying to exorcise a decade of urban exhaust in a single breath. 

It leads directly into Writhe and Coil and Plague Of Flies, where the "gristle" of the production really starts to show. It’s thick, unpolished, and avoids the high-gloss traps of the modern circuit in favour of a sound that feels like it was recorded in a room where the amps are vibrating the floorboards loose.

What really anchors this record in the "essential" category for me is Survive Or Die, featuring Scott Vogel of Terror. Having the godfather of modern hardcore show up for a guest spot is a total masterstroke; it bridges the gap between the band’s deathcore foundations and the street-level grit of the old guard. It’s a high-velocity, three-minute rampage that targets the struggle of the grind with a level of anger that feels entirely earned. The guitars don't just cycle through riffs; they construct a vast, shifting architecture of noise that feels like it’s vibrating your teeth loose.

The back half, Two Empty Caskets, Blade Between the Teeth, and the finality of the title track doubles down on the attrition. Hell Is Home is a sprawling, atmospheric descent that finally allows the band to stretch into some of the darker, more cinematic corners of their sound without losing the pugnacious energy that got them here. It’s a pained, honest jolt of reality that proves veterans don't have to play it safe to stay relevant.

Honestly, as much as I’m enjoying the record on my headphones, I can't stop thinking about how this is going to translate to the stage. By the time Day 4 of Welcome To Rockville rolls around next week, the Florida sun is going to be punishing, but I suspect Bodysnatcher are going to be a lot more abrasive than the weather. There is something uniquely masochistic about wanting to experience this level of "blunt-force trauma" in that midday humidity, but Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home feels like the perfect survival guide for the pit. I’m packing the high-factor sunscreen and getting ready for the collision. 

Melbourne’s finest are about to make that Daytona asphalt feel very, very small. 9/10

Elegant Weapons – Evolution (Exciter Records) [Matt Bladen]

A few years back the first Elegant Weapons album crossed my platter and somewhat blew me away, to the point where tracks therein still pop up on my most used playlist. 

There’s no shortage of these supergroup projects out there, but most of them don’t go anywhere on the grounds that either the artists involved only just found the time to squeeze the recording in between whatever their main source of income is contractually committed to, and therefore had no plans to tour (which is the only real way to let an audience know you are out there) or because the whole thing is funded by vanity or the need to write off cash through an apparently legitimate business posing as a record label.

Elegant Weapons fit neither of these caustic motes from this old hack, however. 2023 saw them play an impressive set of festival dates in Europe, and no shortage of critical acclaim and Rock Radio airplay for the still impressive debut Horns For A Halo - proving that this really wasn’t just a stopgap for Richie Faulkner whilst Priest were idling or a rare window in Ronnie Romera’s back to back schedule which is making his increasingly successful solo career mean he’s doing nowhere near as many of these projects any more. This second record runs with this.

The line-up is slightly different, with Scott Travis and Rex Brown not involved in the recording this time out, but with their drum and bass slots now filled by Christopher Williams and Dave Rimmer respectively. The key point is that this is the touring line-up from three years back, so I think it’s safe to say that this is the line-up moving forwards. They’ve set themselves a high benchmark to follow however… Also returning is studio maestro Andy Sneap, who’s Priest commitments also mean he’s a lot more picky about what production work he takes on nowadays. The message here is that is no longer a one-off project, but a proper going concern of a band.

This record feels a little different. It’s more experimental for a start. Whereas the debut was pretty straight ahead Metal throughout, there’s both bluesier and heavier pieces mixed in here, as well as the odd eyebrow raising bursts of Synthwave. This makes it a more subtle offering than the 10-track banger-fest we got first time around, but that also makes it slightly less immediately accessible and fragmented… …Which to an extent mirrors how it was produced, as remote production was the order of the day this time out. In places this shows through, but when you have experienced pros like this in the mix, the songwriting and performance more than pull the bootstraps up when something unexpected happens.

The running order is a bit eclectic too, as there are some good, solid belters for sure (The Devil Calls is catchy as hell and Thrown To The Wolves is a drinking horns aloft festival singalong waiting to happen), but we don’t get to them until halfway through the album, which in an age where hooking short attention spans in early is prudent seems odd, but conversely it forces us to listen to the more varied stylistic content first. That material needs a little more gestation to grab you, but grab you it unrelentingly does, and by my second spin through I can tell that once again this record is going to be getting a lot of repeat plays in the car. 9/10

Bronco Forte - Lightning Scars (Self Released) [Rich Piva]

On what is considered L.A. band Bronco Forte’s first full length (they put out an excellent EP in 2023), the band settles into this wonderful dark 90s vibe that resonates across all the tracks on Lightning Scars. 90s sounding? Yes. Derivative? Definitely not. This record is all their own, leveraging bits of their many influences to bring us one front to back banger of a record.

The opening track, Emberwalker, has the riffs you look for in heavy rock but also has this dark swagger about it that just connects. The doomy riff on the next one, Cultist Canyon, continues that darker vibe the band brings on album number one, both musically and lyrically. Chris Klepec is an excellent writer and guitar player who really shows off his skillset across the ten tracks. 

Goat Church is as gloomy as you want a song called Goat Church to be and brings the riffs you want in a song with that title too. I love the interesting changes and the layered vocals that make Bronco Forte really stand out on this one and many of the other tracks, leveraging their secret weapon of Jen Glomboski on bass and backing vocals. 

Tower shows off both the drumming of Geoff Summers as well as how great the whole record sounds, with a shout out to how the drums were recorded and mixed, as they sound excellent. I love the dual guitar work of Klepec and Sako Injaian who sound super tight on the record. Pair that with Jen Glomboski’s back up vocals and you have a winner with the track Hellascope. 

My favourite track on the record, Scuffed Up, gives me Failure vibes all over, which could not be a bigger complement. The darkness across Lightning Scars continues on Dusk Jacket, which has my favourite riff on the record and reminds me of when Soundgarden used to turn the tempo down, but not the heavy. This song has the most space to breathe and some killer guitar and drum work. I love it. 

Lightning Scar shows how melodic the band is and how much, when they choose to, their pop sensibilities show. The background vocals once again shine, making Obvious Alias another killer track in an album full of them. You can tell the band is from L.A. because traffic is a repeated topic lyrically, as the closer, Sixteen Lanes, covers that but also doubles down on the melodic side of the band while always staying a bit dark and a bit more heavy.

There is a lot to love on the debut full length record from Bronco Forte; excellent playing and song writing, killer riffs, the right balance of dark and heavy to let their melodic side shine though, and amazing lead and harmonized vocals that pairs perfectly with the excellent production. You can tell the band comes from all sorts of angles influence-wise, and they manage to tap all of the best parts in creating the ten tracks on Lightning Scars. 9/10

Kissing Kaos – To Your Limit (Mighty Music) [Cherie Curtis]

To Your Limit is Kissing Kaos’ 9 track debut album and it’s a thrill. To Your Limit is a masterful attempt on making the modern-day music nostalgic, it’s sleazy, heavy and somewhat glamourous with the fine tuning of today's technology. 

The tracks are incredibly catchy and feel – good, and the overall composition is tight and well thought out with the illusion of ease; it feels like a 4k remaster of an 80s action film which ultimately makes this one feel like the perfect summer album. There’s a definite classic feel; it has an open-air quality that is perfect for cold beers at a summer festival or a long drive.

The atmosphere around this one is soaring and anthemic with energetic and outstanding vocals which boarder on 80s Glam Metal with triumphant, heavy and dirtier riffs and low-end drums; it’s an album to dance too rather than throwing down in a mosh pit but it’s a kicker all the same. Each track hits you with deja vu, you get a strong nagging sensation that you’ve heard these melodies before, but you just can’t place it.

Ultimately, it’s very well done. By bridging the gap between raw nostalgia and pristine modern-day production, Kissing Chaos has gifted us the ultimate summer soundtrack. It’s fun and down to earth and gears you up for the festival season approaching, I would love to see them on the bill for Download festival one day as I feel these guys would put on a hell of a show. Though, To Your Limit may not be complicated or revolutionary, it is a great album that offers everyone an invitation to get moving and to feel alive again. 9/10

Reviews: Sevendust, Cage Fight, Spell, (16) (Matt Bladen)

Sevendust - One (Napalm Records)

One is the 15th album from Grammy nominated American heavy rock band Sevendust. A band who may, make you think of a certain era, emerging in the nu-metal/alt-metal scene of the late 90's Sevendust are often compared to bands like Nonpoint, Mudvayne and Godsmack.

However I'd say that like Godsmack, they've managed to carve their own journey through the US metal scene, evolving alongside the changing music industry to keep themselves relevant musically but also releasing records that their devoted 7D army will love.

This balance of what's popular and what's true to them means that they have kept their popularity in their native country without falling into many of the traps these American metal radio staples have done. They've clearly got longevity, 15 albums and 30 years as a band is no small thing, especially now that nu-metal sound is having a resurgence and young bands are wearing their JNCO jeans and getting their breakdowns just right, so Sevendust are releasing record at a time when what they play has become the go to sound for many new bands, meaning their veteran status will definitely get people excited.

Once again Sevendust team up with Michael “Elvis” Baskette (Alter Bridge) for another record of grooving heavy metal tracks that are there to bang your head, the twin guitars of Clint Lowery and John Connolly, switching between chunky riffs and solos on Is This The Real You, as a rock solid bottom end of Vince Hornsby (bass), and Morgan Rose (drums) lock in like it's still 1999. We Won and Construct have those angular Nu-Metal riffs that inspired djent bands to do weird stuff with their guitars.

Sevendust are also masters of emotive lyrics that will make you feel. This emotional quotient comes from the brilliantly soulful voice of Lajon Witherspoon who croons over the melodic riffs of Unbreakable, with a song of resilience, brings and aching power to Bright Side but can also still snarl when the aggression must be dialled up on Blood Price, his balance of melody and aggression has been so important to Sevendust over the years and continues to be a main component of their sound.

30 years later and Sevendust are not just nu-metal survivors, they’re alive and thriving with a sound that is driven by huge riffs but has a tenderness to it, 15 albums to their name and no sign of slowing down, Sevendust are One standout in a packed genre pool. 8/10

Cage Fight – Exuvia (Spinefarm)

“With the knowledge of who we all are, we’ve managed to hone in on a sound that we really want – it feels like a rebirth of the band” says James Monteith about Cage Fight on their second album Exuvia. If anything it’s a benefit of having time, their debut was whirlwind, coming out of the pandemic with a maelstrom of hardcore/thrash riffs ready for stages, musicians from across the genre divide ripping out fast and furious songs as a way of letting lose and having fun.

Monteith especially happy to just shred and riff without the normal focus on technique he needs in Tesseract. Cage Fight stormed stages too piling as many shows into gaps with their other bands as they could as they gained confidence and gelled as an incendiary live act.

Since the debut Cage Fight refined their venomous heavy metal, this more honed and deadly version of the band now poised to unleash a follow up album that has a much deeper bag of tricks and more resonant songwriting.

Rachel Aspe’s disgustingly vicious vocals are still front and centre, snarling, gargling with brutal cuts like Pig (a song about misogyny Rachel has had to deal with online) as Julien Truchan from Benighted adds brees to Pick Your Fighter, but Rachel shows clean vocals on the dynamic Un Bon Souvenir.

The drumming of Nick Plews is ferocious, inhuman double kicks and stomps for those beatdowns, he does a lot more in the backroom than a normal ‘extreme’ metal drummer would, keeping the pace blistering but able to slow for when deftness is favoured over destruction.

Exuvia is the first album to feature new bassist Will Horsman, not only strengthening their thick grooves but also adding to the writing/lyrics, though the majority were written by Rachel who dove deep into her own personal experiences and life adding an emotional aspect to the extremity, whether it’s the death of her grandfather, online trolls, or her journaling to deal with a traumatic event, there’s a lot of resilience and defiance in this record

Heightened by the more expansive sound they’ve experimented with as James’ guitars are still anchored to hardcore heaviness but also add thrash, tech death, groove classic metal and there’s acoustics on interlude Le Déni, where they build into the tech death inspired title track that rips your throat out as Élégie is a fragile, introspective end to the record, full of atmosphere.

Exuvia “refers to the outer skin that’s shed by creatures like arachnids, crustaceans and insects” and for Cage Fight it’s the beginning of a new chapter, they’re now in their final form, prepare your ears for a heavy metal noise that’s as uncompromising as it is inventive. 9/10

Spell - Wretched Heart (Bad Omen Records)

There are few bands around today that exemplify heavy metal as much as Spell.

The Canadian band are now on their fifth album and they have been constantly expanding their sound since their debut, moving from their NWOBHM beginnings, a place where band leader Cam Mesmer (vocals, bass, rhythm guitar & synthesizers) has always been a devotee of, his inspirations being Priest, Maiden etc.

However this is heavy metal and heavy metal has always evolved, it gets bigger, bolder, more theatrical and Spell have embraced all theses aspects as they've moved through their career. Mesmer is of course is joined by comrade in arms Al Lester (vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar & drums) both guiding Spell through every manifestation.

With their previous effort they went a bit more gothic with their sound on Wretched Heart they maintain this joining the classic metal stylings while also adding some glam, psych and doom flourishes with an abundance of lead guitars due to new additions Jeff Black and Gabriel Tenebrae (also synthesizers), who simply love to show off at every opportunity.

Their recent tours with Green Lung, Wytch Hazel and Angel Witch have reinforced this line up and you can hear it on Wretched Heart, this is band who are in a special kind of harmonic unison, guided by producer Felix Fung to make it their most boisterous and excited selection of tracks to date but set against their melancholy and most personal set of lyrics so far.

Spell also have tapped a couple of guests for the record too, as former Spirit Adrift and axeman for hire Tom Draper gives a solo on Lilac, there's also some big female backing vocals from Alison Black, Kalen Baker and Stephanie House, adding to the pomp that's all over this record, while Nicole "Trish" McDonal has screams on Iron Teeth, which sounds like Pantera meets symphonic metal.

From the synthy drive of Dark Inertia, to the gothic first single Lilac and Exquisite Corpse, there's a dark strut to Unquiet Graves and Savage Scourge, while there's also 80's post punk on Oubilette and the title track takes it right back to some Maiden gallops, Spell finishing where they started.

Wretched Heart features a revamped version of Spell playing their most impressive material yet, the alchemy they've been toying with over the last records has led to the their most complete effort yet. 10/10

(16)- Forgeries Vol. 1, 1972 - 1984 (Heavy Psych Sounds)

SoCal sludge band (16) have been bringing the noise since 1991 and quickly established the sludge sound to a wider audience. They split and then reformed in 2007, releasing six albums since then the most recent in 2025, all on Relapse records, however they are now signed to Heavy Psych Sounds.

Their debut is not an album of new material but one that pays homage to their influences, specifically music from 1972 to 1984, this mean it draws from both the riff heavy classic rock and aggro punk/hardcore scenes, both side of which have always been so strong in the music of (16).

Kicking off with a rougher, sludgy version of Can't Get Enough by Scorpions, Bobby Ferry's rough rhythm guitar and rougher vocals lead the charge while Alex Shuster's lead guitar gets to bring some solos to Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll by Blue Öyster Cult and Mother Mary by UFO, where bassist Barney Firks and drummer Dion Thurman give it some thick grooves.

Speaking of thick grooves a guarantee you've never heard a psychedelic doom version of Tragedy by the Bee Gees, well you have now, and it's probably the best song on the record. There's also some Black Sabbath, of course, and the punk covers of the likes of Black Flag, Agent Orange and X are all pretty close to the originals, though Bloodstains is slowed down significantly, but given the reverence for sure.

For long time fans, Forgeries Vol. 1, 1972 - 1984, will be an interesting little curio, a band they know, playing the songs of bands they know more. However it's clever way to introduce themselves to a new label as it sets out what to expect from (16)'s own material to a potential new audience in preparation of what they do next with Heavy Psych Sounds. 7/10

Reviews: Man Band, Gnod, Evil Warriors, Bleak (Spike & Mark Young)

Man Band – Strong Man (Faith Healer Records) [Spike]

Refusing to pick a lane usually ends in a pile-up, but for Man Band, it’s a masterstroke of survival. We live in an era where every new project is desperate to be the face of a hyper-specific sub-genre, yet this lot have emerged with a debut that proudly claims "genre fluidity" as its primary architecture. 

Strong Man is a record that treats pigeonholing like a terminal illness, opting instead to experiment with the very boundaries of what we consider "heavy." It’s a bold move for a debut, but it’s one that pays off by making the listener feel like they’re part of a creative discovery rather than just another target audience.

The first thing that grabs you about this record isn't just the songwriting, but the sheer, in-your-face audacity of the production. It’s an odd thing to say about a studio recording, but the vocals are right there, front and centre with a level of physical proximity that feels almost confrontational. 

It doesn't sound like a band performing through a PA; it feels like they are performing directly in front of you in a room that’s just a bit too small for the ambition of the noise.

The track list moves with a restless energy, from the opening grit of Dane Valley to the brilliantly titled My Dad's Bigger Than Your Dad. Musically, it’s a sound that understands the "shove" of post-hardcore but isn't afraid to let a bit of melodic air into the mix. 

There’s a sophisticated level of restraint on tracks like The Nutter and Men Don't Cry, where the band lets the tension build. It’s honest, unpolished, and possesses a level of grit that makes most high-gloss debuts look like they were manufactured in a lab.

What’s particularly impressive here is the transition into the more expansive moments. Ian's Song (ok, I have a built in affinity to anything using my given name) acts as a near-ten-minute anchor for the record, proving that the band has the focus to handle long-form storytelling without losing that gritty, immediate pulse. 

The guitars scrape against each other with a surgical precision, providing a dense, rhythmic framework for those intimate vocals to inhabit.

Man Band have created a manifesto for their own unpredictability. Strong Man is a record of sharp edges and uncomfortable honesty, and I’m genuinely curious to see how this specific, "in-your-face" energy translates to a live stage. It’s an essential addition to the rotation, a heavy, shimmering reminder that sometimes the most powerful noise is the one that refuses to play by the rules. 

I’ll be hunting down a tour date the moment the ink is dry on this review. 8/10

Gnod - Chronicles Of Gnowt Vol 1 (Rocket Recordings) [Mark Young]

This is a difficult album to review; I’ll be honest with you. It represents an audio journey that doesn’t sit in my particular wheelhouse and at times it felt that I was reacting against it because its not death metal, it isn’t thrash, or 60s psychedelia. Its none of those, its purely them. 

Now, I have a particular affinity for Gnod, for no other good reason than they are from Salford and so I am I. I love the fact that (in their own words) they have entered their 20th anniversary with a burst of creative energy, writing music that fits them and if it resonates with you, ace.

Three Tree’s (Part 1) is our starting point. A gentle introduction that has a stark beauty to it and in a change to every other album it doesn’t give you any clues as to how the rest of the album unfolds. 

Shadow Mirror blimps along, a steady pace and composition that stays consistent In its execution. In doing so, it immediately sets itself apart from everyone else in that they don’t feel the need to change much, barring embellishments that drop in without altering the sound. 

Neptune is different again, a stream of consciousness soundscape whilst Three Trees (Part 2) builds and expands without really going anywhere with it. From the acoustic ‘quiet’ of the trees, we enter All Tunnel No Light with a tempo that could out-doom anyone. It develops around a simple idea, which is then built on without ever changing that glacial pace. 

It’s a hard listen, 9 minutes that rumbles and rumbles that somehow entrances you to stay with it that is then offset by Ekstasis, which I can only describe as being ‘bouncy’. I realise that as an accurate description, which is pretty poor but as a piece of art, its something else. It’s a living, breathing thing that comes at you from a completely different angle, and I applaud them for it.

What intrigues me is how these songs will translate in that live setting. They don’t strike me as the sort of band that will settle for playing a song the same way, rather that they would take every opportunity to do something new. In any respect, it’s not for everyone and why would it be but it is for those who love the unexpected. 

Is it something I would come back to? That’s a tough call because it doesn't sit within my normal range of music. But it interests me and the fact that they have the guts to do what they want to do makes it a vital release. 8/10

Evil Warriors - Evil Warriors (Into Endless Chaos Records) [Mark Young]

Ok, so Evil Warriors have been around since 2007, haling from Leipzig and have dropped an unabashed, some might say primitive exercise in heavy metal. That is in no way a slight on them, it just a fact. If you add into that mix some heavy run times and this becomes a war of attrition. One that involves sax.

Zweifel is a prime example of this, an opening statement of discord and fury, and some filthy riffing. It’s what I think Black Metal should sound like – raw, unprocessed, harsh and uncompromising. Its 12 minutes long and there is absolutely no reason it should be this long. 

Except that it is, and this is the way they wrote it and if it’s not for you, well don’t let the door hit you on the way out. It hits a particular speed and then just maintains it, running forward without taking a breath. Being honest, it wasn’t for me, but I can appreciate it as the monster it is. 

Luckily, Suche is only 9 minutes long and takes its cues from the opening track. Again, it takes its time in unfolding and then its bang and away, hammering away at you with a more frozen style of execution. The end result is the same though, it is a harsh listen that is not for everyone. 

Having two tracks that weight in at 20 plus minutes is a bold move, and you have to be able to back that up with music that is engaging. This is my problem, for me it isn’t, and as a result of that I’m fighting the urge to throw the towel in.

Possessed steams in, all blasts and that filthy riffing again. This is as old school as you can get and with it being hewn from a more traditional path which makes it more of an accessible listen. 

It doesn’t quite stay in that traditional vein though, as that sax makes its appearance again, taking a more prominent place here but I’m hanging on for dear life to stay the course, because frankly I’m knackered from listening to it.

Entäußerung starts up like Possessed, except this time I’m not getting my hopes up, I just want them to play through it without doing anything too leftfield with it, I want them to show me some traditional extreme metal and they do. Fieber is their closer and closely echoes Suche in its set up and execution. 

You can’t fault their approach; they are consistent here in doing whatever they want to suit them, I'm just not sure how attractive it is. 6/10

Bleak – It’s All Bleak (Independent) [Spike]

Side projects are the experimental kitchens of the music world, places where an artist can mess with the recipe without the pressure of burning down the main restaurant. 

They offer a necessary outlet for restlessness, and with It's All Bleak, the project known simply as Bleak has stepped into a territory that feels more like a clinical study in tone than a standard metal release. It’s an exercise in exploring the darker, more electronic-tinged edges of the sound spectrum, and while the technical execution is as sharp as a scalpel, the emotional anchor never quite feels like it’s hooked into the floorboards.

The EP opens with Bleach, and the first thing you notice is the transition in texture. This is a far cry from the raw grit we usually look for in the basement scene. There’s a high-velocity, mechanical precision here, a sound that is clearly produced with a massive amount of skill, but it feels strangely detached. 

It’s followed by Leech and Dig Deep, which continue this trend of "skilled misdirection." The riffs are heavy and the rhythmic engine is impressive, yet the "joins" between the electronic elements and the metalcore foundations feel a bit too visible, creating a friction that hinders the flow rather than helping it.

What’s interesting about this release is how it’s being received in the wider circuit. A quick look at the Danish press shows a lot of love for the "uncompromising" nature of the sound, and you can see why. 

Tracks like Burned Out showcase a level of talent that many bands would kill for. The issue for me, however, is the "mark" itself. Sometimes, a record can tick every box for quality and still leave you cold. It’s an honest account of a creative detour, but one that seems to prioritize the "how" of the music over the "why."

The finale, It's All Bleak, features Gradience and attempts to synthesize the various forces at play into a cohesive ending. It’s a dense, sprawling bit of songwriting that moves through movements of industrial-tinged aggression and atmospheric drifting. 

It’s arguably the most "in focus" moment on the record, yet even here, I find myself looking for that visceral, human ache that defines the most vital bits of the underground. It’s polished, it’s professional, and it’s perfectly executed, but it lacks the cracks in the wall that usually make the music feel alive.

Ultimately, It’s All Bleak is a record that I respect more than I actually enjoy. It’s an essential part of an artist’s growth, the kind of detour that allows for a new perspective but as a listening experience, it feels like a transmission from a frequency that I’m just not tuned into. 

It’s proof that skill and talent can only take you so far if the soul of the noise doesn’t quite align with the listener. I'm glad it exists as a document of exploration, but for now, personally I need something that feels a bit less bleak. 6/10

Reviews: Atreyu, Since The Fire, Hiraki & Meejah, Norna/Legbiter (Spike & Matt Bladen)

Atreyu – The End Is Not The End (Spinefarm Records) [Spike]

Atreyu have spent the last few years performing a high-wire act that would have broken a lesser band. By deconstructing their sound through the Front Room and Season Of The Witch phases, they’ve essentially been live-streaming their own evolution. 

With The End Is Not The End, the trilogy reaches its conclusion, and it’s a record that proves that "growing up" doesn't have to mean "slowing down." It’s an expansive, cinematic bit of work that understands that a massive, arena-sized chorus only works if the foundations are still built on iron and grit.

The album hits the floor with the title track, The End Is Not The End, and the production is immediately striking. It’s polished, certainly, but it possesses a heavy-set muscularity that prevents it from feeling sanitized. Brandon Saller’s vocals have never sounded more confident, there’s a narrative weight to his delivery that feels properly earned after two decades in the van. 

It leads into Immortal and The Way You Sound, tracks that showcase the band’s ability to weave electronic textures into their metallic core without losing the "shove" of the rhythm section.

What stands out on this release is the pacing. Tracks like The Forevermore and Drowning move with a restless energy, balancing a white-hot aggression with the kind of soaring, cathartic hooks that have become the band's hallmark. 

There’s a sophisticated level of songwriting here; they aren't just chasing a radio hit, they are building an atmosphere. It reminds me of that specific, mid-career pivot Avenged Sevenfold performed, a sound that is as much about the cinematic scale as it is about the riff.

The middle stretch, featuring Deathless and Saviour, highlights the collaborative friction within the band. Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel’s guitar work remains needle-fine, cutting through the symphonic swells with a surgical precision. 

This is watching a band that has finally stopped trying to replicate their past and started defining their future. By the time we hit the sprawling ambition of Siren Song, the trilogy feels complete.

Instead of offering a tidy resolution, the record concludes with The Hope Of A New Day, a track that feels like a final act of defiance. Atreyu haven't just finished a trilogy; they’ve created a roadmap for how a veteran band can remain vital without sacrificing their soul.

It’s been a fascinating journey through these three phases, and The End Is Not The End is the heavy, shimmering proof that the destination was well worth the transit. I’m walking away from this one with the realization that Atreyu are currently playing for much higher stakes than the "next big thing" crowd.

It’s a reminder that the best stories are the ones that refuse to finish where you expect them to. 8/10

Since The Fire – Remains Embraced (Independent) [Spike]

Northeast Pennsylvania has a long-standing reputation for being a primary breeding ground for some of the most stubborn, hard-working metal acts in the tri-state area. Since The Fire are the latest standard-bearers of that legacy. 

Formed back in 2010, they’ve spent the better part of fifteen years refining a sound that refuses to settle into a single comfortable frequency. Their latest EP, Remains Embraced, is a four-track exercise in balance, an auditory landscape that understands the "whisper-clean" quiet just as well as it understands the high-velocity "raging mayhem."

The EP hits the pavement with Cuntrol, a track that makes its intent clear through sheer rhythmic bullying. The riffs possess a "saw-blade" quality, cutting through the mix with a surgical precision that highlights their technical death metal influences without losing the groove. 

It’s followed by Noose, which pulls back just enough to let a bit of atmospheric gloom leak through the cracks. The vocal delivery here is particularly impressive, moving from a earth-moving roar to a pained strain that feels entirely earned, reflecting a sophistication likely born from their interest in classical structures.

What’s most striking about this release is the band's refusal to keep things short and tidy. While tracks like Brutaful (a title that perfectly captures their "brutal-yet-beautiful" ethos) provide the high-velocity jolt, the record’s true weight is found in the closer, Whispers. 

Clocking in at nearly nine minutes, it’s a sprawling, cinematic descent into the band’s more progressive tendencies. It moves through movements of sustained tension and feedback-laden lulls, proving that Since The Fire have the focus to handle long-form storytelling without losing the physical impact of the riff.

Since The Fire aren’t just offering a few heavy riffs to fill a gap; they’ve delivered a manifesto for their own survival after a decade and a half on the circuit. Remains Embraced is a record of sharp edges and uncomfortable honesty, and by the time Whispers finally snaps into silence, you’re left with the realization that this lot are playing for much higher stakes than the average "next big thing." 

It’s a vital, properly noisy release suggests the Pennsylvania underground is still an excellent place worth looking for noise with this much soul. 8/10

Hiraki & Meejah - Interwoven (Pelagic Records) [Matt Bladen]

A collaboration between two Danish acts that met at a The Ocean concert in Rosklide. Mai Soon Young Øvlisen of Meejah was asked by Loïc Rossetti of the band if she was ok as floods of memories came to her during the incredibly affecting set.

After that faithful meeting Meejah and Hiraki collaborated with many other artists separately, but the industrial synth-punk trio and experimental artist were still drawn to ideas conjured during that faithful The Ocean set meeting lighting designer Pierre Roi Des Forêts, leading to bring them closer to this collaboration, as Loic Rossetti appears on first track Redirect Revenge as if completing the journey.

They set about exchanging musical backgrounds, skills combining aggression, introspection, existentialism while also shifting and both of their styles to complete and contradict each other. The four tracks here are split as two are Meejah featuring Hiraki then the others are Hiraki featuring Meejah, it's forced Meejah to be a heavier version of herself while Hiraki have had to dial back the noise for a more expressive palette.

That's not to say you can't tell the difference because you obviously can, when it's Hiraki driving the bus, this are louder and more volatile as Meejah becomes unfettered and angry, while on the other side Hiraki bring a fuzzy drive to Meejah's complex patterns of hope.

It's not a straightforward release, but with so much creative inspiration behind it, these two artists of the Danish scene have created a collective much like The Ocean, where various genres merge at an apex of emotion, no one force dictating, rather combining as one unit. 8/10

Norna/Legbiter - Norna/Legbiter (Pelagic Records) [Matt Bladen]

A more traditional split album now with each band giving three tracks to show you what they do. Both Norna and Legbiter are from Sweden and come have been plugging their heavy across the country for a while now.

All veterans of the underground but with two distinct styles that are rooted in the uncompromising 90's styles of Quicksand, Helmet, Superheaven and more. This distinction means you can pick out who is who but the transition isn't jarring, both are very heavy, aggressive and want to make your ears ring, just from different sides of the wide genre pool.

Legbiter get the first trio, this foursome are very clearly inspired by hardcore and 90's alt metal, jarring harsh riffs and woozy vocals, it's got a lot of Deftones to it, the percussion insistent on Worms, as they shift into some rawness on Speedball.

Hardcore beginnings are strong on the first two but with Major Motion they build rapidly into more incendiary immediacy, though as it's their longest song they branch out into shoegaze shimmers, climaxing in a heap of angst and emotions. These three tracks are the whole tone of what Legbiter do. Short sparks of loudness that catch you off guard but leave you wanting more, as they strategically add some nuance.

Norna are a different beast, this is building demolishing post-metal/doom, lumbering, dissonant but restrained flashes of horror from our own world rather than far off galaxies. This is music that is based on thought over Legbiters feeling, they want disquiet, moments of silence that linger just before the cavernous riff comes back, vocals that are barely human (from ex-Breach man Tomas Lijedahl).

This is Caveman noises from Einstein brains, sequenced so the run times increase as we go, transitioning between the lighting of their spilt buddies into their sonic thunder. Eyes Of God moves them towards Neurosis and early Mastodon as sludge is poured into you ear drums.

The closing Serpents Of Gold is another doom mongering track but tells of Norna's want to reduce their sonic destruction to truncated movements for this EP, which works well to not totally isolate either band. This split is great introduction to both bands, whether you like it aggressive and emotional or slow and sinister, or maybe both, this split is Venn Diagram of heavy music. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Solence (Alex Tobias)

Solence, Dream State & Written By Wolves, The Fleece, Bristol, 28.04.26



I popped over the bridge tonight to catch Swedish metal band Solence on their Angels Calling UK tour as it rolled into Bristol. With support from Wales’ own Dream State and New Zealand rockers Written by Wolves, the weather was good and the queue was already stretching around the building—always a promising sign. Let’s get inside and see how it all went down.

First up were Written By Wolves (7). I’d never seen or even heard of this band before, but that definitely won’t be the case going forward. The venue wasn’t at full capacity yet, but the crowd that had arrived gave them a warm welcome as they launched straight into their set. Right away, I was struck by a sound that was pure fun—groovy, energetic, and infectious.

There’s a clear nu-metal influence, especially in the big, singalong choruses, but the band bring a lot more depth than that. Expect big rock riffs, heavy breakdowns, and plenty of variety. Vocalist Michael Murphy shows off an impressive range, shifting effortlessly between powerful screams and clean vocals that sit perfectly in the mix. Between songs, he shares how grateful they are to be playing their first-ever UK show: “We’ve been a band for 14 years—this proves hard work pays off.” The crowd responds with loud appreciation.

A standout track was Genius from their 2025 album The Archives—a song that’s almost impossible not to move to. It’s packed with catchy hooks and gives off hints of Fall Out Boy in the chorus. There’s something special about seeing a band for the first time live without any expectations, and Written by Wolves absolutely delivered. A fantastic way to kick off the night.

After a short break, it was time for Dream State (7). This was my second time seeing them—the first being on a massive stage at Cardiff Castle—and I’d been keen to see how their sound translated to a smaller, more intimate venue. I’m happy to say it worked just as well, if not better.

From the opening song, the pit was alive. Dream State wasted no time getting the crowd moving. Jessie Powell’s vocals are a highlight once again, blending aggression and melody seamlessly. Even after revealing mid-set that she’s battling flu, there’s no drop in energy—she powers through impressively, and the band match her intensity throughout.

Still Dreaming, from their 2024 album of the same name, was a standout moment. It perfectly captures what the band are about: chunky riffs, atmospheric melodies, crushing screams, and beats that hit hard enough to keep the pit going strong. Dream State are a tight, talented group who clearly love what they do, and it shows in every second of their performance.

After the sweat and chaos of that set, a bit of fresh air was needed. As everyone caught their breath, the atmosphere shifted—lights dimmed, and the crowd belted out Dancing Queen at full volume before Solence (8) took the stage to huge cheers.

They kicked things off with Angels Calling and immediately followed it with Good Fkin Music, setting the tone with relentless energy. The crowd responded in kind, with pits opening up across the floor. The band’s chemistry is obvious—they’re clearly having a great time on stage. Guitarist David Strääf frequently interacts with the front row, fist-bumping fans between riffs, while vocalist Markus Videsäter keeps the energy high and thanks the crowd for bringing it all night.

There were plenty of standout moments. Death Do Us Part delivered a powerful mid-section that sent chills through the room, while “Heaven”—a track I’ve had on repeat lately—was even better live, packed with energy and passion. The crowd clearly agreed, singing along loudly.

The set also featured a solid cover of Imagine Dragons’ Warriors, before wrapping up with Animal In Me. The encore, Who You Gonna Call (Solence), sent everyone home buzzing. After a band photo, hugs, and fist bumps, the night closed out with ABBA’s Mamma Mia playing over the speakers—an oddly perfect ending.

Solence proved exactly why they’re gaining momentum: high energy, catchy songs, and a performance that guarantees a good time. 

A View From The Back Of The Room: Tyketto (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Tyketto, Warrior Soul & Collateral, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, 25.04.26



For the second night on the bounce we're at KK's in Wolverhampton and tonight sees a packed main room show for US melodic rock legends Tyketto as they finish off their tour promoting their latest album “Closer to the Sun”, their first full studio album in ten years and it sees the bands return to form with their trademark melodic heavy rock.

It was a triple header tonight with three very different bands all bringing their own twist on classic rock and first up were the young guns, Collateral (9). This young outfit have been making waves on the British rock scene for a few years now and never fail to put on a high octane show. 

Front man Angelo Tristan is a natural, he makes use of every inch of the big stage here at KK’s, barely stopping for a breath. It’s a short, but polished set that includes the tracks Midnight Queen, Merry Go Round, and the highlight for me, the closing track Big Shot.

Tonight's show solidified their place at the forefront of the new wave of classic rock in the UK at the moment and certainly won a lot of new fans.

From young guns to The Maverick, and the enigma that is Kory Clarke. No spit or polish here, it’s all punk infused rawness and spontaneity when Warrior Soul (9) hit town!

Clarke is the epitome of a R ‘n’ R frontman, resplendent in his gold sequined jacket and trousers, easily outshining everyone tonight! If you mashed up Mick Jagger, John Lydon and Kurt Cobain, then out would pop Kory Clarke. One minute bouncing, the next a glare and a sneer, or you might get a look of melancholy, he does it all and the songs are equally as schizophrenic.

Opening up with a cover of the Joy Division dystopian post punk classic Interzone to be followed by the balls to the wall sleaze bomb Back On The Lash. It was a swift one two that had the crowd reeling and Clarke knew it as he blitzkrieged his way through the set. A voice that speaks of decades of cigarettes and alcohol that perfectly suits songs like Love Destruction and Losers.

They close out with Danny Vaughn joining them on stage for Wasteland to diametrically opposite singers but it didn’t matter, it was utterly brilliant and a great way to end a manic and chaotic set.

Nearly 40 years ago, some friends started out, as many did, dreaming of rock stardom. Tyketto (10) was born and 1991 saw the release of their debut album (seriously one of the best debut rock albums ever) Don’t Come Easy, and 35 years since that release they receive an award on stage to celebrate them reaching No.1 in the UK Rock Charts with their latest release, Closer To The Sun, the line-up may have changed over the years, the usual ups and downs, but the music and front man Danny Vaughn remain as slick as ever.

They open up with the huge anthem Rescue Me which gets the packed room singing from the get go, and they immediately follow that up with the massive hit Wings which gets a huge response from the crowd. Tyketto were back and in great form.

The set continued with tracks from their nearly 4 decades of material, a career that Vaughn is thankful for, and thankful for the support from the loyal fans. The UK has pretty much been their second home and always get great crowds, so they respond with a flawless set that included big hitters like Burning Down Inside, Seasons and Standing Alone, plus the equally massive songs of the new album Higher Than High, We Rise and the powerfully emotional The Brave, a song that Vaughn dedicates to all the NHS workers, the emergency workers, the care workers.

The band leave the stage after that song, but instead of us waiting for the inevitable encore, Planet Rock DJ Ian Danter runs on stage and calls the band back to surprise them with their award for the No.1 album, such a great moment, and of course they then go straight into the classic Forever Young, a sentiment that we all try to adhere to, but Danny Vaughn seems to be doing it better than most.

Tonight we had three very different bands, but it was a night of three very different front men, each unique. Tristan is young and energetic, a great future ahead. Clarke, cynical, cheeky and road worn, but still fighting, and Vaughn, still loving every moment and still capable of banging out those tunes.

Another great night of live music at the wonderful KK’s Steel Mill!

Reviews: Yoth Iria, Battleroar, From The Blackness, Fullmoon Cult (Matt Bladen)

Yoth Iria - Gone With The Devil (Metal Blade Records)

Yoth Iria embrace their heritage more than ever with their new album, with extensive use of traditional Greek instruments such as clarinet on the classic metal anthem Dare To Rebel and fiddle on Give 'Em My Beautiful Hell, sitting beneath the blasts of Satanic yet melodic black metal. There's also Greek language chants on The Blind Eye Of Antichrist, making for a cinematic third album from this rapidly rising Hellenic Black metal act formed by legendary bass player Jim Mutilator.

Combining the approaches from their previous two albums, they also look to add more density to their sound with these traditional soundscapes such as ancient instruments and chants, used to counter their often Christian message and take things back to pagan beginnings. Flipping dogma on its head with Lucifer as the light bringer, while those that follow the book strictly often create their own hell, telling others about sin but being the most sinful of all, this power used to execute control.

This message of breaking free of the dogma is throughout the album linking all the songs thematically, the spiritualism, the freedom and to coin a phrase the 'non serviam' of Hellenic black metal the overpowering influence on these songs. Musically though they don't limit themselves to black metal, there's the classic heavy metal power of the NWOBHM, particularly Venom, Tank, Angel Witch, the ones that are on the darker side of things, as the evil vocals from He barks, screams and snarls.

Guitarists Nikolas Perlepe and Naberius in bright melodic union as they switch between leads and riffs, the thunderous bottom end of The Mutilator and drummer Vongaar dictating the pace, from blasting black metal, through early thrash, traditional heavy metal groove.

Gone With The Devil is a tonic for the world as it is today, dark music for dark times. Avé Satanas, Avé Yoth Iria. 9/10

Battleroar - Petrichor (No Remorse Records)

One of Greece's longest lasting and most notable bringers of Epic Metal, Battleroar return with album number 6, Petrichor, opening with a spoken word which promises that these songs once spoken "belong to the listener and the storm", we immediately head on the search for The Missing Note, epic heavy metal from first chord as Battleroar are definitely back.

The anthemic inspiration of Manilla Road, Omen, Crith Ungol, Savatage and Manowar are all recognisable from those first huge muscular riffs of Zack Kotsikis and Kostas Tzortzis. Undercut by the chest beating thunder from bassist Lukas Libertos as the velocity is dictated by drummer George Tsinanis. From the first song it gives you exactly what you have been waiting for since 2018.

It's bold, baroque and proper macho heavy metal with fantasy elements writ large across it, as The Earth Remembers highlights Battleroar at their core. With all the massive guitar riff, galloping bass, steel on steel drumming, it's the violin of Alex Papadiamantis that is one of the main 'lead' instruments here. It's used brilliantly to add folky moments on Atē, Hybris, Nemesis, Chaosbane and the battle balladry of What Is Best In Life? taking many of the solos in addition to the guitars.

Petrichor features the vocals of new singer Michael Karasoulis and his voice is dramatic, theatrical but have the gritty snarl when the tracks like Legacy Of Suffering invite evil with gothic and thrash elements ala Iced Earth.

For 26 years Battleroar have fought hard to be in the position they are today, standing as the generals of the Hellenic epic metal scene. With Petrichor they remind anyone who may have forgotten that they are the mightiest of the Greek warriors. 9/10

From The Blackness - Conjuring Power (Self Released)

From The Blackness is the musical creation of Sokratis, founded during the pandemic, the music and lyrics are written by Sokratis and he also performs everything, guitar/bass/keys/drum programming and even backing vocals. Though he brings in some guests to play the guitar solos, mainly George Lazaridis and Riccardo Benedini while the vocals are performed by Finnish session singer Eric Castiglia.

There seems to be something of an unwritten rule about one man projects that they tend to be ok if they're classic/power metal but not as much if they're black metal, no one seems to get annoyed when it's all cool leads and fist pumping but they do when it's about Satan and being evil. I digress but it's interesting as I pressed play I wondered had Sokratis conjured a great debut album?

Well yes and no, musically he's got it spot on, rampaging rhythms, great riffs that have influences from Sanctuary/Nevermore, Iced Earth and Manowar, all bands I love. There's solos that love to just appear and blow the roof off and vocals that are varied and aggressive. It's a great mix of old school heavy metal, thrash and power metal. However the overall impact is let down by the production as it does sound a rather flat and unnatural, the keys and drums especially.

Whether this was a stylistic decision to make it sound retro or just maybe limitations I don't know however it does have quite the punch you'd want. However you have to keep in mind that this a self written, self performed, self produced debut album and there's a lot skill here. With a full band of real players and a bigger production, From The Blackness could be hot on the heels of the big boys on the Greek scene.

As it stands Conjuring Power, has all the potential but the execution let's it down a little. 6/10

Fullmoon Cult - Unleash The Wolves Of War (Khaoszophy Productions)

Back to the more familiar realms of Hellenic black metal and the rough, tremolo riffage of Great Plea To The Realm Of Most which opens the debut full length from trio Fullmoon Cult. The trio go under pseudonyms with Chaos Kommando on drums, Askalaphos on guitar/bass and Alastor on vocals, standard black metal shenanigans really and you can say that about the music as well.

It's full on 35 minutes of frigid blasts, lycan war cries and production that makes it sound like the mics were in another room when they recorded it. Now this is clearly a stylistic choice as it's sort of what black metal should sound like especially that 2nd wave when it was new and dangerous, rejecting the over production.

Now that still doesn't mean I'm hip to it, I much prefer a lot of the black metal bands that fleshed out their sound, however a little bit of this goes a long way and Fullmoon Cult capture that feeling of 2nd wave intensity so if you like it then come howl with their pack. 7/10

Reviews: Rob Harrison, Lili Refrain, Akem Manah, Mines (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Rob Harrison - Overflow (Ragged Ocean Records) [Matt Bladen]

I think music always needs to be a bit weird, a bit experimental, bands who are in the prog genre especially have always embraced the oddness.

Be it acts like Gong, Cardiacs, Gentle Giant or the crossover brilliance of Zappa, Captain Beefheart, any Krautrock and of course the proggiest of the prog bands King Crimson. 

Performing and composing music that is experimental and against the norm has always been their raison-d'etre and they have left a legacy behind them of artists who are unafraid to follow in their oddly timed footsteps.

From South Wales Rob Harrison is just that sort of weirdo, when he's not blasting the sax in instrumental prog rockers Z Machine or Mascot Moth, he's making his own left of centre noises as a solo artist. 

His debut Explode My Head was applauded in these pages, but I am a sucker for quirky, prog rock that features, irregular time signatures, jazz percussion, large instrumental sections and of course a brass and wind section.

With his head exploded, the Overflow is next, these creative ideas spilling out on to a Vinyl/CD/Digital Sphere as eight tracks of tightly packed genius where Rob shows off his multi-instrumental artistry as well as his claymation skills with in the visual media aspects of this project that are just important as the music. 

Rob plays sax and flute here but he's also responsible for the throbbing basslines, intricate guitars, synth swirls and even some glass bottle/water percussion just to make sure it's not what you would expect from a prog rock record.

The latter is important as Overflow is a loose concept album about the nature of water, as Bruce Lee once said "be like water my friend" and if there's a record that flows freely and fills any space it comes into contact with it's the freeform nature of this album. 

Tributaries drawing from various streams to make a consistent whole, adding the harp of Rhodri Davies (of Hen Ogledd), glockenspiel of Giordano Maselli and xylophone of Oso G, for a sound I can only liken to that of water.

Elsewhere Bioluminescence feels like those bright blue invertebrates just floating in the sea all the different colours coming on each individual section, like swimming though multicoloured hallucination. 

The constant switching is a kept moving by the drumming of Eliseo Salverri, the groovy, funk-like sections of Upstream and Downstream which are the same song played in reverse of each other, I told you it was weird!

The final trio of Pools Of Glass, featuring violin for Julia of Who Knows Sound, Azure Veins and Delirium, all vary wildly between in approach, connected by the water theme, though on Delirium, I came to the realisation that really the only other person doing this currently is Matt Berry.

Rob Harrison has the same deep love and appreciation of this music and with Overflow he again perfectly pitches the absurd with the divine. 9/10

Lili Refrain - Nagalite (Subsound Records) [Matt Bladen]

Nagalite is the sixth solo album from Rome based musician Lili Refrain and you probably all know how much I like music with layers, especially when they're done without computers using loop stations, building in to huge dynamic pieces of often repeating rhythms that make for hypnotic listening.

It's Mike Oldfield, it's Radiohead, it's David Ford, it's Robert Fripp, Steven Wilson, Peter Gabriel and The Anchoress, if you want to get into the prog side of things which loop artists very quickly do. 

It's music for musos, often the realm of solo multi-instrumentalists who can compose and play everything for a full creative control and a singular vision.

Lili Refrain fits that bill, a solo multi-instrumentalist who blends genres in real time creating songs that are extensions of her technical wizardry. 

Pulsating synths, real and electronic drums/percussion pads, electric guitar shimmers, bass thumps, keyboards bringing melody and shamanic vocals, these are expressions of raw emotion that are shaped through music.

She's performed at Roaburn (obviously) Desertfest and more, joining a wide range of artists such as Mehsuggah, Napalm Death, Lingua Ignota, Author And Punisher, Gojira and The Cult on stage and this sixth record is inspired by a stone totem of rebirth, it's a record about metamorphosis, reflecting the times with live in with resilience.

Nagalite is an album that words can only do so much for. It's an existential piece that you need to listen to fully and be consumed by, the highest level of skill formed into a dense journey of hypnotic rhythms. 9/10

Akem Manah - Threnodies (Black Lion Records) [Mark Young]

There are often albums that for one reason or another slip through the net when it comes to having a review ready for the day of release. 

I have a few this month, starting here with the Doom/Death/Gothic metal Akem Manah, who drop their latest via Black Lion Records for your perusal. I hope the band forgives me for quoting their own words here, but in terms of providing a description its way better than I could conjure up:

‘Threnodies is a cycle of human unravelling in ten dirges for those who sought the truth behind the world and found only the abyssal chaos staring back’.

So, taking that statement to heart and having that as this albums letter of intent they start off with The Inevitable Fate Of Francis Cobb (Intro) a short instrumental that acts to settle us in for the tales to be told. 

Suitably gothic, it does exactly what you expect it would do prior to The End Of Earnest Hollow arriving in that slow and unhurried manner. 

Straight away, it nails its colour to the mast by announcing that they are going to take their time with this, moving in different directions within the song in a way that attempts to keep you unbalanced whilst staying true to itself. 

If they can find a way of shoehorning strings into this, they do in an effort to make this as expansive as possible. I don’t have a problem with bands that try this, but for it to work it needs something that grabs the listener and keeps them with you. 

The song itself, the singing style develops as expected, from the cleans into the harsh and back again. You can see what they are trying here, but it feels overlong. 

As noted, it lays the groundwork for how the rest of the songs will unfold, each of them a specific tale of woe; The Mystery Of Mosef Mehul uses the strings to great effect, here they add a certain gravitas to proceedings and aren’t reduced to being a bit player. 

The riffs here are on it, and there is a feeling of malevolence about it and as a piece of work it’s a belter. The shorter runtime gives it a more focused energy to get from A – B and there is less repetition of ideas. The thing is that from my perspective, they look to make every song an epic, and this doesn’t always work.

I’m not against them doing it, it’s their art and only they can decide how these songs should sound, but Christ they should be aware of the golden rule of metal: Make it exciting. 

This is at the core of every classic metal album ever. It has to excite you, even in a doom setting. Let me confirm that the songs here are massive, all chock full of ideas that fit this style to a tee. The trouble is that they are dull. 

The Burning Of John Briggs, is too long, and it drags to the point I want to skip forward. I’m using that as an example because it fits for each song on here and yet each song is a masterwork in how to approach this genre. 

There is a disconnect between them and me, because I know that if someone else was reviewing this, they would be giving this all the plaudits but I can’t find it within me. I appreciate it for how it sounds, and I appreciate it for the way they have approached it for telling a story but I cannot forgive it for being so boring.

From a scoring standpoint, it sounds amazing, it really does. Its crisp, clear and they have a clear vision of what they wanted it to sound like. However, from an emotional one, it left me cold and I believe that those who love this genre will champion this, but for me it’s a 6/10

Mines - Nous (Mosaic Music) [Mark Young]

And now a short blaster of an EP from Mines with Nous and it’s the weirdest thing. Its like Matt Bellamy has taken leave of absence from Museand decided to go heavier. Which, according to my lad is not to far from the truth. 

From That Which Lies Beneath leads us off, and it sits in that space where heavy guitars and traditional clean singing lives, as a starting point its heading in the right direction and engages you in staying with them.

It succeeds in achieving what its needs to in a short space of time, there aren’t any elongated introductions or swelling instrumentals, its straight in and is refreshing because of this. 

The Doctrine, once the narrative wraps drops in, and once again I’m drawn to comparisons with Muse (I’m apologising now for the capitals, and I’d like to point out that this is a positive comparison, just in case) in the way its built.

Its interesting and you feel that played live it has that snap to it that will make people move. Thrones, Asunder acts as the palate cleanser into Vice Of Kings which has a storming riff set to it, its technical with heart as opposed to just an empty display of talent. 

Like The Doctrine, it has that build where there is so much happening and from a guitar standpoint it’s the kind of song you would have a lot of fun playing. This is the key here, they write music that you want to play, isn’t that the reason we get in bands in the first place? From that perspective if they can do that now, its surely puts them in a great position for the future. 

Design Divide is the closer and behaves in the same way that From That Which Lies Beneath does, it concludes this EP on a strong footing, four tracks that are pretty strong and show that there is a quite a bit to come from them, based on this. 

I appreciate that as an EP, you get to put your best on it and in that case, Nous works incredibly well. There was no skipping forward here, each song came in and built on the one before and in the case of Design Divide, it provides that classic end song that every release needs.

It’s a release that I would recommend to those who love a little bit of the technical whilst having the emotional heft behind it. If you can, get hold of this and support what could be your next favourite band 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Fury & King Kraken (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Fury, King Kraken & Rites To Ruin, KK's Steelmill Wolverhampton, 24.04.26

After a short hiatus with gigs, we’re back at KK’s tonight for the first of three gigs in quick succession.

Tonight's entertainment is courtesy of a Fury and King Kraken double header and they’ve bought Welsh metal outfit Rites To Ruin (9) who are promoting their debut album Daughter Of Hatred.

The Anglo-Welsh quintet take to the stage as the early crowd start to fill the smaller room here at the Steel Mill, but it doesn’t take long for them to impress those present with their brand of British Heavy Metal with a Power/Symphonic twist. 

Vocalist Krissie Kirby is well known through her tenure as front woman for Bloodstock veterans Triaxis, a link she’s continued with her current bands appearance there as well. Her powerful voice dominates the room as the band showcases songs from the new album. Stand out songs include the title track plus In Memoriam, For The Love Of Gold and the utterly brilliant Prevail. 

The twin guitar assault of Matt and Lee provides a multi layered epicness to each song. Paul on bass gives the tunes the depth, whilst the drums of Zak drive it all along at pace. By the end of their set the room is packed and an enthusiastic crowd gives you the sense that this band is going on to bigger stages. 

For tonight's show, it’s King Kraken (9) who takes to the stage first and they kick off their 60 minutes with the anthemic Call To War, a rallying cry to the masses, and those masses have surely grown off the back of their triumphant appearances at Stonedead Festival and Bloodstock Winter Gathering.

Front man Mark Donoghue is in fine fettle, orchestrating the crowd. The big hitters are all bought out tonight, El Giganto, Berserker and Man-Made Monster the pick of the bunch, but they’ve taken it up a notch with the killer (no pun intended) new song, Second Skin. An ode to Buffalo Bill, the infamous serial killer from Silence Of The Lambs. The groove is infectious and sits nicely in the bands repertoire.

And before you know it, Donoghue announces the final track, March Of The Gods, the title track off that brilliant album. The Kraken is well and truly awake and ready for world domination in 2026! 

What can we say about Fury (10) that we haven’t already said? The bands on stage chemistry, the fun, the sheer joy of watching a band create something special with consummate ease? Yeah, we’ve said it all before, but we never get tired of saying it.

 JJ is a superb musician, vocalist, song writer etc and years of hard work and bloody mindedness have resulted in this boss level of Fury. Everything just gels, from JJ’s wit and banter, Nyah’s infectious fun through to the incredible skills of Becky and Matt and the man at the back Tom, you don't see many bands these days who work so hard but just love doing it.

They open up with the title track of last years 10/10 album, Interceptor followed by the epic Prince Of Darkness and the rock n roll anthem “It’s Rock “n” Roll three punches from the top drawer. Dipping into their extensive back catalogue, this headline set enables them to play some great tunes like Star Trippin , Burnout and Road Warrior but as fun as they can be, JJ can bring it down a notch when required and tonight he was visibly emotional as he paid tribute to the late Phil Campbell and dedicated the song Walk Away to him, a real goose bump moment.

 They end their set with the epic If You Get To Hell First and once again we are sat there with a big grin on our faces. If you’ve never seen Fury live, then I encourage you to do so as soon as possible, surely one of the finest live bands on the UK circuit at the moment, and definitely one of the hardest working. Proper rock “n” roll by a band that loves what they do.

Reviews: Throwing Bricks & Ontaard, Powerrage, Olympus, Avon (Spike, Matt Bladen, Cherie Curtis & Joe Guatieri)

Throwing Bricks And Ontaard – Something To Lose (Live at Roadburn 2025) (Independent/Roadburn Records) [Spike]

You can practically feel the condensation dripping from the ceiling of the Engine Room before the first chord even tears through the static. It’s almost possible to think of that moment where the crowd’s collective breath holds just long enough for the needle to find the groove and drop you headfirst into the front-row of this experience. 

When Walter (Roadburn’s creative director) commissioned Utrecht’s Throwing Bricks and Ontaard to collaborate for the 2025 edition, he wasn't just asking for a shared set; he was inviting a collision. The result, Something to Lose, is a live document that sounds like a collective panic attack being slowly converted into a desperate, beautiful act of resistance.

I’ve been spinning this recording on repeat, and the sense of "fragility" the bands talk about is nearly palpable. It’s a sound built in the shadow of a world that feels like it’s breaking apart, rising fascism, climate collapse, the general weight of existence and you can hear that anxiety vibrating in the plumbing of the music. It’s a marriage of sludge-heavy grit and blackened post-metal despair that feels entirely earned, recorded on a Friday afternoon that clearly pushed both units to their absolute limit.

The set opens with Basal Hope, a seven-minute slow-burn that establishes the atmospheric threshold. It’s dense, claustrophobic, and moves with a tectonic weight that reminds me of that specific, early Neurosis trick of making a riff feel like a physical burden you're forced to carry. By the time they hit On The Verge Of Something Unnerving, the friction between the two bands has fused into a singular, massive engine of noise.

The absolute pivot point of the performance for me is Acid To Fascists. That spoken word intro is a masterstroke; it provides a moment of chilling, intellectual clarity amidst the gloom, acting as a fuse that slowly burns toward an inevitable explosion. 

When the band finally cuts loose into that wall of rage, it’s not just "heavy", it’s a visceral, seriously angry confrontation with the "never-ending despair" mentioned in their manifesto. It’s a masterclass in the build-up, proving that a scream only carries its full weight if the audience understands exactly why the lungs are being emptied in the first place.

The back half, Solitude and Mislay, allows the record to stretch into more cinematic, eleven-minute territory. The production avoids the "bootleg" pitfalls of many live releases, maintaining a level of clarity that lets you hear the distinct voices of the collaborators while keeping the "live" grit of being their to witness this.

When the final screech of feedback on Mislay eventually dissolves into the roar of the Tilburg crowd, you don’t feel like you’ve just finished a record; you feel like you’ve survived a wake. Something to Lose is a pained, honest jolt of reality that proves fragility isn't a flaw, it's the fuel. It’s the sound of a group of friends holding onto each other while the world outside burns, and honestly, it’s one of the most vital, properly noisy bits of live music I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. 

I mean why speak truth to power when you can scream into their face? 9/10

Powerrage - Beast (High Roller Records) [Matt Bladen]

Two former members of Canadian speed metal veterans Exciter? Yeah count me in! Guitarist John Ricci and vocalist Jacques Bélanger have both been members of Exciter, Ricci on the first three albums, then more recently when the original line up reformed, while Jacques sang on albums between 1997 and 2004.

However both now are back with Powerrage adding bassist Todd Pilon (ex-Witchkiller) and drummer Lucas Dery for some classic, dare I say exciting? Heavy metal riffage. Get the leather and chains out for this one as Beast is 34 minutes of heavy metal but it's not a clone of Exciter, everything has been built from the ground up, new riffs, new attitude, never trying to rehash what's come before.

Rather descending down a darker route favoured by Mercyful Fate, Accept and even Celtic Frost in parts, that supreme riff writing of Ricci still there but now distorted and gnarled through death and doom phrases, resulting in some of the heaviest music he's been a part of with tracks like Haunted Hell, The Devil Is Screaming, I Torture I Kill and Damned And Cursed all have evil intentions, sinister, rusty guitar riffs and vocals that snarl and shriek.

It's probably why Dan Swanö was tapped to give it his mix and master treatment, resulting in a extremely nasty sounding record. If you're expecting Exciter think again, this is heavier, and more bloodsoaked than they ever were. 8/10

Olympus – Knowing It Shall Wake (Self Released) [Cherie Curits]

Olympus brings us their magnetic debut EP; Knowing It Shall Wake. Though there are only 4 tracks to speak of, each is gloomy and mysterious and crammed full of glorious texture. The instrumentals are powerful and gripping from the start, creating a loud and passionate atmosphere. It’s rushing, melodramatic and the harsh, raspy metal vocals contrast the radiant pitch of the riffs and pulls the narrative into a more pacing and oppressive feel that makes an impact.

There’s a lot being conveyed in this one, which is great for a debut. Emperor And Revenant is downright neck breaking and would undoubtedly liven up a venue, which is juxtaposed by Out Of Reach and self-titled Knowing It Shall Wake. These two are stunning tracks leaning towards melancholy and gentle with a focus on tension building before a breakdown utilising snappy pre - choruses and backing vocals which is a unique spin on genre norms. We are being shown a dynamic range of skill both instrumentally and in the vocal range and delivery. 

After years of planning and refinement as well as gigs around the south of England and Wales, Olympus has a well-established style and a firm stamp within Melodeath and local scenes which makes for a great set up for bigger things to come.

Overall, it's a great listen its very well thought out and the energy is relentless and I'm a sucker for a sickening build over a breakdown. It’s well produced and each track other than the outro runs on the longer side without dragging. It's a good fit for your everyday rotation, long drives and moody Sunday afternoons but perhaps it’s best not to play it at your Nan’s birthday BBQ. 7/10

Avon - Black On Sunshine (Go Down Records) [Joe Guatieri]

Avon are a Stoner Rock band from California that formed in 2015. The three-piece are made up out of James Childs on guitar and vocals, formerly in Airbus, bassist June Kato, who played with Black On Sunshine and the legendary drummer Alfredo Hernandez who was in Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age. They’ve released two albums and some singles, their last release was Dave’s Dungeon which came out in 2018.

I’ve previously seen them live in Bristol before, at The Louisiana on the 28th November 2023. They played a fantastic set, moving flawlessly from their own material into covers of Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age deep cuts. I remember screaming loudly when they started playing The Bronze, I was in awe as I never thought in a million years that I would see one of my favourite songs get played live. Now in 2026 they bring us their third album, Black On Sunshine. How does their new material look, we’ll find out now.

The record opens with the self-titled track and immediately we’re introduced to Alfredo’s classic gigantic pounding. The guitar and bass slide in so smoothly into a bright groove, making me feel like summer has just begun. The vocals sound natural and chilled out, having incredibly catchy moments, you can tell that the band are enjoying what they’re doing. There is also a great tapping solo which is calling out to the altar of Van Halen.

Directly following on from that we have Awkwardness, a song presents something that is way more busy in its style, shown by the start stop riffing. The instrumental starts off by feeling very separated and evident ghost notes are played by the bass, feeling spontaneous, it leaves a lot of room to play with and jam on in a live setting. Going into the chorus the song comes together like a puzzle, connecting with the guitar playing this lovely single note rhythm, it feels resolved.

Spacebar is next, which puts a smile on my face as it amps up the weirdness factor considerably with an alien-like approach to its flow. The song is a flower in bloom and opens up to reveal more of itself more as it shows the record at its heaviest point. The instruments going from sounding calm to angry, it’s a fantastic dynamic change and I’m left wondering how Avon achieved that. 

Spacebar has more experimentation going on for it with synths colouring in pockets towards the end of the song, a welcome surprise. All of this combined with joyful doo-ops that come out of nowhere are a big salute to the self-titled Queens Of The Stone Age debut. Robot Rock is taken in a more melodic direction, this is no doubt my favourite song on Black On Sunshine.

It’s very unfortunate that frolicking through flowers in the heat comes to an end by track six with Nineteen Bruises. The riff in the song attempts to emulate Black Sabbath but it has no weight or bite behind it. The choruses here are more subdued and are too much of a departure from what the track is trying to do, it’s uneven and at worst generic.

This annoyance the deeper we get into the album with track eight, Doorway. It’s such a bore as the guitar meanders through the song, yeah it might be fuzzy but it just lacks personality. It’s odd for such a talented band, it’s as if they’re painting by numbers through the lens of Garage Rock, sadly it’s nothing but filler.

With Black On Sunshine, Avon goes from headbanging in the sun to complaining about them sweating in one fell swoop. The first three tracks are brilliant and fun but that is outweighed by a few songs which are directionless and a handful that are teeth-grindingly dull, they make me want to take a long nap midday.

Black On Sunshine speaks to me like the band rolled out the boat on the record and tried to get it out quickly because as they had a tour booked, more time was needed at the drawing board. Maybe a live album to keep fans engaged would have been a better choice.

Overall, Avon have delivered some wonderful albums over the years but this new release isn’t a part of that same esteemed class. Black On Sunshine is all over the place in terms of quality and flow and feels unfocused as a result. You’ll get some enjoyment out of this but I think that more often than not people will end up scratching their heads thinking is that it? 

I was very excited for this album but sadly I’m left with being disappointed by it. 5/10