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

Reviews: Crown Magnetar, Early Moods, Nail By Nail, Remote Viewing (Spike, Rich Piva, Joe Guatieri & Mateusz Stefanow)

Crown Magnetar – The Hollowing Of Godflesh (Unique Leader Records) [Spike]

When this landed on the desk tagged as "brutal deathcore," it didn't take long to realize it does exactly what it says on the tin. Bands love attaching sprawling, hyphenated labels to their sound, but here it’s completely accurate. This is a lethal mash-up of brutal death metal, blistering technical death metal, and modern deathcore weight. If you've got those ingredients in the pot and you know what you’re doing with them, the results are going to hit like a freight train.

Clocking in at a tight twenty-nine minutes, The Hollowing Of Godflesh has one massive advantage right out of the gate: zero filler. Too many bands in the modern heavy sphere feel the need to pad their albums out with ambient fluff or drawn-out interludes that kill momentum. Crown Magnetar don't bother with any of that nonsense. It’s an unbroken half-hour sprint of pure technical precision and unvarnished savagery.

The record opens with Gun Eater, which acts like a tense, creeping fuse before Desecrate Infinite completely detonates. The sheer velocity is breathtaking. Byron London’s drumming is practically superhuman, shifting between rapid-fire blast beats and bone-snapping half-time shifts without missing a single beat. Dan Tucker delivers the kind of throat-shredding performance that makes your own vocal cords ache in sympathy, bouncing effortlessly between cavernous lows and piercing shrieks.

What keeps this from turning into a blurry wall of unreadable noise is the technical craft behind the guitars. New recruit Rob Maramonte weaves in intricate, angular riffs that nod towards technical death metal stalwarts like Defeated Sanity and Suffocation, but he never lets the guitar gymnastics distract from the physical groove. Tracks like Domination and Impaled Genesis are anchored by massive, tectonic riffs that give the technical flash real, room-clearing weight.

The title track, The Hollowing Of Godflesh, is an absolute masterclass in pacing. It charges forward with dizzying speed before pulling the rug out from under you with an abrupt, neck-snapping breakdown. That live-wire energy carries straight into Godkiller, which feels purpose-built to turn a venue floor into an absolute war zone with its nasty tempo drops.

Down the back stretch, they keep their foot welded firmly to the floor. Shut Up And Bleed and Torture Engine deliver relentless, teeth-grinding brutality, while Sculptures Of Suffering brings in extra vocal venom to trade off with Tucker before the crushing finale of Dead Crown drags you over the finish line.

The Hollowing Of Godflesh doesn't pretend to be anything other than a ruthless, surgical beating. It’s concise, relentless, and played with jaw-dropping skill. If you want heavy music that strips away the radio-friendly posturing and just delivers raw devastation, this is an essential listen. 9/10

Early Moods - Ready For The Grave (RidingEasy Records) [Rich Piva]

Early Moods album number three is here and this guy is certainly happy. The Sabbath/proto loving Los Angeles band bring more riffs and evil on Ready For The Grave, but also sound like they are straight off one of those NWOBHM comps that we all love.

The title track is straight up NWOBHM worship. Like something Metallica would have covered on Garage Days when they were still cool, and by the way it is awesome. The middle part breaks down like Sabbath, but the first part is more Diamond Head than anything else. I am certainly not complaining. 

Inquisition gets back to the doomier side of the band, slowing it down and getting all black mass on our asses. Dig it. I love when the pace picks up and the back up vocals are included. I can’t help but to hear early Metallica vibes on this record. Not because they thrash it up, but more on how it sounds like something Lars would have tape traded for back in the day. Like Thy Eternal Grief, with the acoustic opening leading to the dual guitar attack. I mean they have a (killer) song called The Prowler too! It also happens to be one of Alberto Alcaraz’s best vocal performances till date. 

You want chunky doom with great guitar work? Fine, I present to you When Light Fades in all of its glory. But wait! That middle part! This is their metal ballad, and it works great. Her Wicked Spells is trademarked Early Moods; mid-tempo, doomy riffs, with a couple temp changes and cool vocals. The epic Ashes Of The Damned is their final quest. This is a big and sprawling proto doom track that ends the record nicely.

We are not breaking new ground with Ready For The Grave, but Early Moods brings us something new from them that is as enjoyable as their best work and a worthy addition to their discography. This record sounds great, the playing is a step up for them, and so is the songwriting. Another solid effort from a very cool band. 8/10

Nail By Nail - Internal Inferno (War Anthem Records) [Joe Guatieri]

Nail By Nail are a Black Metal band from Germany, only forming a few year ago in 2023. Since then they quickly put out their debut album, Embraced By Darkness in 2025. An album which was received positively by critics and metal fans alike. Now only a year later in 2026, they're putting out their second full-length with Internal Inferno. I went into this completely blind, only to see the light again…

Getting into the LP with track two, Katharsis, it brings emotional depth in every sense of the word. Starting with a soft introduction with a lone guitar that feels like the wind blowing on a dark cold night, only to be awakened by an explosion 40 seconds in.

It feels like the end already with what I can only describe as an epic riff which feels miraculous, it’s like you’ve just survived a near-death experience and are crawling away from it. The vocals are howled with such venom as the rhythm section pounds away until the blasting sets course on its intended target by 2:42.

The bass playing is especially breathtaking, Emmanuel puts his entire being into it, hitting those low notes like he’s carving into stone. Katharsis is beautiful and is no doubt my favourite song on the album. It stars Internal Inferno with its best foot forward which I find strange to comprehend with as it sounds so final, you can either go fall down a hole after this or ascend into heaven, there is no in-between.

I can’t really describe the rest of the record without repeating myself again and again, that goes the same with a lot of Black Metal for me. The difference here with what Nail By Nail has done here is that they’ve kept me engaged throughout despite similarities between tracks. I enjoy the way that the experience washes over my person, I could quite easily close my eyes and be drifted away into a different world by listening to this.

There is a certain type of melancholy here which I don’t get with a lot of music in this sphere, it makes me want to dig deeper. There is a force there which isn’t pushing you away or sitting alone, it needs to carry on and it doesn’t know how too. I would describe this feeling as suffering in public, it’s got no other choice.

Overall, Nail By Nail have wowed me not by scaring me which is what I usually look for with Black Metal, instead they’ve put me into a meditative which is the last thing that I expected. They take a lot of influence from Oathbreaker and channel attack into comprehending one's place in the world. Nail By Nail have definitely made a fan out of me with Internal Inferno, it’s an opera of the mind. 8/10

Remote Viewing - State Violence (Human Worth) [Mateusz Stefanow]

I’ve always had a soft spot for 80s slasher films, and this album indescribably gives me that exact vibe. The album cover contrasts between the dark outside and the steamy amber of the inside of the car foreshadow the astonishing smoothness of the tracks within.

#makemoneymakelovemakemoney is quintessential sludge metal, it’s thematically dark, groovy and the John Atkins’ bass is clear in the mix. Maybe I’m being placebo-effected by the title, but the spoken word section brings to mind powerviolence influences, which adds to the gritty atmosphere that we are being encompassed in. As we fade out of the first track, we effortlessly crossfade into Retrain As A Swan, Tom Fowler and James Bryant enchanting us with exquisite duo guitarwork as John Breslin rhythmically paves the way via his percussive skills.

Remote Viewing personally don’t Disrespect The Arts - crushing riffs that flow and ebb and are certain to please the ears of wandering Electric Wizard fans, and those Warning fans that desire some less emotions in their sludge. Ever heard a violin in a sludge metal song? If not, Human Right$ is a must-hear track. Far from a pseudo-artsy addition, this 4 stringed instrument blends seamlessly with the mournful vocals and guitars to nail home the weight of this albums message,

Birds Of A Feather Is On In 7 Minutes must be the most non-blatantly politically charged song ever- purely melodic, it builds in volume and intensity up to a crescendo, that peak of the wave before… fading, and fizzling out- just like our interest in the horrors of the social injustices around the world.

The album veers away from Remote Viewing’s older song-naming conventions, focusing more on the socio-political corruption present in our societies, as bassist Atkins eloquently put it ‘the world is currently a veritable shit show of epic proportions’. Be that as it may, but this album is most assuredly not partaking in that shitshow, for it is like floating down a river of basslines, pulled by the riff undercurrents, no paddling required, just the drums and vocals to guide you along. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: I Prevail (Heather Louise Ash)

I Prevail, Polaris and Gore, Depot Cardiff, 23.09.26

A sold-out Depot welcomed I Prevail, Polaris and Gore. to Cardiff for a night of heavy music, sweaty bodies and a crowd that seemed to get more lively with every set. The music got heavier, the pits got bigger and by the end of the night things had got very, very sweaty.

Flashing lights surrounding the floor drew everyone's attention to the stage as Gore (8) opened with haunting vocals and strong screams, their darker atmospheric sound getting a sea of heads bopping almost in unison before the heavier moments got more bodies moving. 

The pit was still more of a gentle jostle at this point, people lightly pushing each other, arms going over shoulders and smiles all round, with someone's lost shoe eventually appearing above the crowd, being held in the air like a beacon. There was loads of energy on stage and phone torches appeared across the crowd during the slower moments, swaying above people's heads before disappearing again when things picked back up.

Between sets the pits disappeared and everyone gathered in little groups chatting and sharing stories. It's one of my favourite things about live music, one minute you're being shoved around by a complete stranger and five minutes later you're chatting away to them like you've known each other for years.

Polaris (9) came on noticeably heavier, but with enough melodic moments for people to sing along before it all got heavy again. The pits got bigger pretty quickly, circle pits opening up with more and more people piling in and the first beads of sweat starting to form on faces as The Depot got noticeably hotter.

Crowdsurfers also started to spawn above everyone's heads and I somehow kept finding myself directly in the spawning points, taking the occasional foot in passing before watching another person disappear over the crowd towards the barrier. Arms were up, bodies were bouncing and even those staying around the edges of the pits were no longer standing still.

Another break meant a chance for a drink, some air and more chatting before I Prevail (9) came out heavy and hard and things got very sweaty, very quickly with their set in support of A Violent Nature. The crowd were singing along to favourites one minute and throwing themselves around again the next, and those beads of sweat from earlier were basically puddles by this point.

After spending most of the night around the edges I decided it was finally time to brave my first pit. Lots of pushing, kicking, arms and legs everywhere and at some point I inevitably ended up on the floor in a game of human dominoes. I barely had time to register I'd face-planted the concrete before several hands appeared and pulled me straight back up. I came away with a grazed knee, carried on and then went back in because apparently once wasn't enough.

Walls of death started forming too, the crowd splitting before both sides ran at each other and collided in the middle, with bodies still flying overhead. As always though, the second somebody hit the floor there were hands reaching in to get them back up to safety. 

Things slowed down later for a cover of Taylor Swift's Blank Space, phone torches came back out and everyone got a much-needed chance to catch their breath before things picked up again.

That sense of community carried through the whole night. People spent the sets pushing each other around, catching strangers above their heads and picking each other up off the floor, then the music stopped and everyone went straight back to chatting and sharing stories.

I left The Depot sweaty, slightly battered, with a grazed knee and feeling it in pretty much every limb for the remainder of the week. It was worth every second.

Reviews: Sigh, Shakra, The Hu, Harlott (Will Bond, Keith Boswell, Jordan Griffiths & Mateusz Stefanow)

Sigh - Goh-Ka (Peaceville Records) [Will Bond]

Goh-Ka is the 14th studio album from Japan’s Sigh. Combing elements of black metal, thrash, prog and folk, it takes the listener on a journey over eleven tracks. With an hour of music it could have outstayed it’s welcome, but it flew by in a whirlwind of blast beats, folk interludes and huge riffs. 

The first thing that struck me was the wild array of instrumentation, with synths, strings, pianos and all manner of traditional oriental instruments. Production wise, this album is a feat of enormous magnitude. All elements are blended expertly so you don’t question it when you hear oriental flutes paired with guttural vocals and blasting drums.

The vocalist has a wide range, from clean singing to searing growls, and every syllable is intelligible. Often black metal vocals can become a wash of harsh noise, but here the rhythmic patterns of the vocals are crystal clear. The riffs are huge, with dual guitars and blistering solos, and the drums are played with incredible virtuosity. My head was thoroughly nodding to thrash drums and blast beats by track two. 

Track three brings the tempo down, switching between folk and huge riffs. Track six picks up the pace with a galloping riff, opening up into a huge chorus reminiscent of Wishbone Ash. Track eight is a blistering thrash masterpiece, erupting into blast beats before a huge chanted chorus. 

The final track of the album is a ten minute prog epic. A huge head banging riff with pained screams, going into a waltzed light refrain, then straight back to the riffs. The track builds until it morphs into symphonic orchestration, then dissolves into binary messages received from another dimension. It’s then reborn as a piano lullaby to close out the album. 

Goh-Ka rises and falls in tempo and mood at a natural pace, as if it’s a living breathing thing. Goh-Ka is a prog metal epic that should be consumed in full, taking you on a journey through multiple dimensions. 8/10

Shakra - Just Love Loud! (Frontier Records) [Keith Boswell]

Following on from their 2023 Invincible album the five piece from Bern in Switzerland Shakra, have just released their 15th album entitled Just Live Loud!

The album has 12 tracks is 56 minutes in duration and continues strongly in the melodic hard rock genre.

Shakra, with the gravely vocals of lead singer Mark Fox intermingled with the melodic shredding guitars and the very full and deep riffs make for a very interesting journey through the album. Notably there are many melodic and catchy hooks throughout which make it instantly attractive to listener.

The album opens up with an assault on the ears with songs including Let The Show Begin, Wasteland Warrior and Just Live Loud. All of which hit the very heavy rift laden heights that instantly warm you and get your feet tapping and head nodding. If this is the start of the album, I smile in anticipation of the further delights that await!

The fourth track Left Outside Alone is a cover of the of the Anastasia song of the 90s which features the superb voice of Seraina Telli. Fox's gravely low voice is an instant hit in collaboration with Telli’s excellent, pitch perfect haunting delivery. That linked with tremendous guitar work truly enhances the original in my humble view.

In the main, all the tracks within the album are of great standard unfortunately on the negative side a few of the offerings mid album tend to blur into one another which is a real shame.

However towards the conclusion of the album the track Higher Above The Storm starts slowly and builds to a crashing crescendo of drums and guitars solos which actually is very very good and I enjoyed thoroughly.

In conclusion, Shakra’s Just Live Loud! offers some great music and is crafted to a very high standard. It certainly lives up to the legacy and the quality of music that Shakra have built over their long career and it is certainly one for the newcomer, like myself, as well as the hardened fan.

The album has seen recent success in topping Swiss charts and continues to do well in Europe. 8/10

The Hu - Hun (Better Noise Music) [Jordan Griffiths]

The Mongolian folk-metal pioneers return with Hun, an album that demonstrates just how far their distinctive sound can go. Their traditional throat singing, Morin Khuur strings and pounding rock instrumentation remain at the heart of the band, and their sound.

However this time around, it seems that The Hu has leaned further into more accessible, area-sized songwriting. The result, creates an album, an 11 track run, of unmistakable Mongolian sound, traditional and authentic instrumentals, which leaves a mark that says “Yeah, they’re getting more comfortable with the modern metal world”.

Warrior Chant opens up this album and establishes its identity early. Deep, resonant vocals, with forceful percussion, and traditional instrumentation create a sense of.. Movement and ceremony, almost like a Mongolian army, marching and crossing the Mongolian Steppe. 

It is music with physical weight, the entire opener is built with a crowd in mind. To start the movement early, and prepare you for what’s to come. I feel that it does what it’s designed to do, very well.

As the album transitions into the song, The Men, the more up-beat, head nodding, dance worthy rhythm kicks in, making this track into a mid-tempo and catchy almost 4 minutes. 

Gradually throughout this song, the intensity picks up, and then peaks with the Morin Khuur solo, and then continues with its intensity for a short while, before gradually settling back into a more calmer, unified ending. Which I do enjoy, as opposed to sticking with the heaviness throughout.

Echoes Of My Father is the fourth track in this album, and serves, in my humble opinion, as more of a reflective, meditative track, as opposed to a heavy, hard hitting, bone trembling alternative. Which, I also personally really like, it’s the calm before the storm, a little rest stop, before the rest of the journey of sorts. This track really executes what it sets out to do, very well!

This is when the heavier side of the album starts to pick up, it starts first and foremost with track 5 - Shadow, while not the heaviest track on the album, it serves as the introduction to what The Hu has to offer you this time around. 

The heaviness on the album continues onto, and runs throughout Horsemen, The Real You, and Grey Hun. Creating a gradual increase of heaviness from the start of the album, reaching its height with the aforementioned songs, before coming back down and heading into Universe.

Greed sits as the 7th track, sitting between Horseman and The Real You, and while still being, heavy, of sorts, it sits as an outlier in terms of the heaviness of the above songs. It establishes itself as a more, darker, repetitive groove styled song, with the deep vocals, and the choice of guitars, it feels more like you’re a part of a ritual, than you are listening to a song.

Universe, what can I say about this one, it is by far, the band's longest song to date, coming in at 8 minutes 43 seconds, and it does not disappoint, it starts very atmospherically, before taking your hand and leading you through a story of history, philosophy, and pride. 

The vocals, all throughout are very expressive and intimate in a way that makes you feel like you’re a part of this journey with them. It does not overstay its welcome at all. This is less of a commercial metal hit song, and more of a cinematic story through the ages, and it feels that the album was built around, and lead up to this epic, and it did so amazingly.

I’ve saved this one for second to last, as I did not want to open on a semi - negative note, however, I feel that Lost Soul (Feat. Jonny Hawkins of Nothing More) was the weakest song within the album, overall. It starts off in a way that you would easily mistake the album you're listening to, for being a playlist that’s on shuffle. 

Then the vocals of The Hu come into play, and you realise the stark contrast between Jonny Hawkins’ higher tone, indie style voice, and the darker, deeper vocals of The Hu. Creating a track that, in my honest opinion, I was not a fan of.

Second Face, brings back the rhythmic, and more up beat tone of The Hu, for one final song It’s definitely a major contrast in vibe compared to the epic 9 minutes of Universe, but it's a welcome tempo change, and ends this album with an abrupt end, and a laugh.

In short, Hun is a very confident, deeply atmospheric release that, once again, proves these folk-metal pioneers can broaden their musical range without sacrificing the core beginnings and heritage that makes them so special. 

Even if a few choices don't quite hit the mark, blending the traditional Mongolian strings with rhythms and contemporary rock yields an offering that feels genuinely authentic and bold.

This record serves as an impressive next step for a group that is clearly growing more at home with the full scope of their global impact, and I look forward to hearing what they have to offer next! 7/10

Harlott - Exsequiis (Metal Blade Records) [Mateusz Stefanow]

As a longstanding Harlott fan, I’ve excitedly followed their journey since Proliferation released in 2015, and with the release of Exsequiis the Australian thrashers showcase their talents once again.

The whole album is peak thrash, with political lyrics that challenge the status quo, and the musicianship to create a scene for the messages to be conveyed through. 

This aggressive and powerful album is introduced via Incipiam, a melodic track which slowly builds in intensity before crashing into the straight-into-your-face aggression of Void, The Messiah Simplex and one of the two previously released singles of Trial By Liar.

Once our baptism by thrash has been sufficiently progressed, we are treated to The God That Knows No Name, a punchy, gritty track that builds up to a harsh pre-chorus before grinding down to the almost worship-like grating of the chorus. 

Featuring phenomenal lyricism such as ‘shed the blinding noose’ and ‘5 nails to hold you down, for the 5 sins that bought your crown, with the 5 thorns that pin your shame in place…’ provide a fresh twist on the iconic if not slightly overused 666 references in metal.

Then we are bombarded by Kleptogenesis, the most abrasive song on the album. This song may be considered the most thrash in the traditional sense, with its political messages, buzzsaw guitar work, great bassline and thundering drumming. 

A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits is catchy, and the cleaner backing vocals on the chorus adds depth without cluttering the sound of the track.

The album is a must-listen to fans of Municipal Waste, Havok and Warbringer, through the featuring of call and response vocals on some of the choruses and frequent showcasing of technical guitar solos and classic style thrash riffs to make you want to headbang along, an excellent addition to the Harlott discography. 8/10

Reviews: Burner, Kongh, The Bleeding, Suffering Quota (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Burner - No One Is Coming To Save Us (Church Road Records) [Matt Bladen]

The nihilism never ends as Burner have always approached their music with a slash and burn style of incendiary rage. 

On their last record If It All Returns To Nothing, they looked outwards, on this album they turn the lens inwards, looking at us the human race and the violence, destruction and division that we seem to continually create throught history. However its also about hope, how individuals are often the cornerstone to change or recovery, how sacrifice so often reaps biggest rewards.

So Burner return with another set of 11 absolute face rippers, the fast rise of Burner leading to some high profile guests vocalists such as Matthew K. Heafy (Trivium), Josh Middleton (Sylosis) and Anthony Lucero (Cult Leader), joining this record that straddles numerous genres. Death metal, hardcore, post metal and even black metal (A Shattered Visage Lies) all create these punishing atmospheres inspired by bands as varied as Trap Them, Darkest Hour, Bolt Thrower and Converge.

With The Third Revelation, Burner build the tension and then release it with some bludgeoning metal force, never fully letting you take a breath What Will You Give and Blood River both assault the senses. Harry Nott and Josh Middleton sharing the fury on the former while Matthew K. Heafy brings his unmistakable voice to Sunrise, Parabellum closing out this death/thrash trio.

A Shattered Visage Lies moves back towards an atmospheric doom crush that showcases the dynamic playing of Nathan Harlow (guitar), Finn Gannon (bass) and Jack Bryant (drums), as does the resonant and introspective The Agony Of Peace. The multi-discipline sound of Burner meaning they can move between tracks with melodic intensity and the more furious cuts seamlessly, never letting their extreme approach weaken.

No One Is Coming To Save Us? Perhaps then we should use this album as a catalyst to save ourselves. 8/10

Kongh - Dissolved In Time (Trust No One Recordings) [Mark Young]

For many, Sweden's association with extreme metal points towards a particular sound, namely the melodic death metal of bands such as At The Gates and Dark Tranquillity, and I'm no different. I had no idea there were other distinct and unique voices at play, one of which is Kongh. Who have released their fourth full-length album, Dissolved In Time, which also represents their return after nearly a decade away. I know nothing about their previous output and, as a result, will be going into this with an open mind. Three tracks stretched across 39 minutes suggests something intense, but also something that could easily outstay its welcome.

Staining The Ether is this album's big piece. Starting with a repeating guitar line that provides the base for drums and bass to come in and join, both building and adding until it really takes flight at around the three-minute mark, its sound suddenly expanding. It's unhurried and evolves naturally, changing shape and arrangement while always finding its way back to its core. It's all discord and grit, with vocals from David Johansson (who also handles guitars, bass and electronics) stamping a dense authority across the track and effectively moulding it to suit his vision.

I didn't expect it to be as melodic as it is, despite being as heavy as it is. It's a pretty perfect build in all honesty; everything sounds A1 and you can pick up on the little nuances that occur throughout, making it far more than just a hammer-and-nail exercise. If you're worried that a near 19-minute opening track might be a bridge too far, think of it as a series of mini songs glued together, all of which offer something different to the sequence that preceded them. This isn't a traditional doom song where the same riff is repeated until you instinctively reach for the skip button. It has a lot going on and genuinely needs that full running time to reach its destination.

It's a monumental song and an incredibly bold move to open the album with it because of the benchmark it sets for everything that follows. Still, putting that to one side, just absorb this for the majesty that it possesses. Epic stuff.

Guided To The End wisely goes for a quicker resolution, well, kind of. Where Staining The Ether was about having room to breathe, there is no lingering this time as the pace immediately kicks up a gear. Nothing has changed in the execution on display, it's just been given a charge. It's still heavy, but Christ, you could dance to this. Suddenly the influence of the opening track pares back a little as this one rips along, mixing clean and guttural vocals with one of the lowest bass tones imaginable.

And that central riff? Forget about it. Just top class. It's spacey, full of movement and an all-round cracker.

Which leaves us with the title track, Dissolved In Time. It starts with a thick sound and I genuinely can't think of a better way to describe it. I mean, it's absolutely massive and would probably render you with some form of injury if you heard it live. It moves with the same energy as Guided To The End, with the drums doing exemplary work in providing that little bit of sparkle that lifts the entire piece.

And then they pull the whole thing down, slowing it to a crawl.

It's ruthless in its execution. This is Sludge Metal 101 and everyone should be taking notes. It's amazing to think that Kongh had anywhere left to go after that opener and yet Guided To The End and Dissolved In Time have the same kind of impact while offering entirely different perspectives. Each track leaves its mark in a different way.

What is this like compared to their earlier material? No idea.

All I can say is that it's a magnificent album, and if this return leads to more material of this quality, fans of the genre have a lot to look forward to. 9/10

The Bleeding - Godless Communion (Redefining Darkness Records) [Matt Bladen]

There's change in the house of The Bleeding, for over a decade the London death metal crew have been unleashing steamrolling, gore-soaked death thrash that's anchored in the underground. They've become more visible outside of their local scene with the release of last album Monokrator, gaining a following of death lovers across the UK and Europe. However long time vocalist Germ stepped down from the band during the recording process, with ex-De Profundis man Craig Land brought in behind the mic to continue the next chapter of The Bleeding.

In typical death metal fashion, to avoid the delays of having to re-record everything again, Craig's vocals joined the ones already recorded by Germ to bring an as yet untapped intensity to the music. It's almost like a celebratory release with a dual vocal assault bridging what is now and what came before as band founder/guitarist Tasos, bassist Guy and drummer Davide Marini deliver more ferocious death metal drawn from the inspiration of the most vile and vital bands in the genre.

Some are even homaged here as there's cover of Cannibal Corpses' Born In A Casket which features Ryan Howes of Sodomized Cadaver, as Adrie Kloosterwaardof Sinsuter appears on Bestial Bloodlust and original The Bleeding vocalist Themis K. appears on Death Eternal, making this the first record from the band with all three of their vocalists appearing.

You could consider Godless Communion to be a 15th anniversary release for The Bleeding and it's probably them with a renewed intensity and a return to their underground sound due to the line up shift, though it's an album with a lot of experience and craftsmanship behind it. UK death metal veterans that still kill the old way. 8/10

Suffering Quota - Sisyphean Life (7 Degrees Records/Tartarus Records) [Mark Young]

There is something strangely comforting about listening to what probably best described as a twelve track sonic kicking whilst watching Last Of the Summer Wine (And yes, there are rumpled stockings, a tin bath and three old age pensioners rolling down a hill in Yorkshire). 

This is their 4th album and is inspired by the myth of Sisyphus and the eternal struggle faced with repetition in life. In any event, should you be unclear in what they are about and how they do what they do, just press play and let the punishment begin. This is a hard record, and by its very nature a difficult one to review because they are not writing long, progressive music here. This is 18 minutes worth of blistering attack, of what you could call primal grindcore. This is stripped of anything that is unnecessary, each song hammered to its truest form.

It would be utterly pointless in trying to do a song by song deep dive on this. That would defeat the object and weaken its ultimate impact. This is supposed to be enjoyed (endured?) as a whole, not to dip in here and there. Strain opens and Striving closes and between there is no discernible drop in the fury that is at hand or in the standard of music provided here. I appreciate that won’t be a lot for someone to make a decision on, so I’ll narrow that focus slightly by saying that any fan of no-frills extreme grindcore will find Suffering Quota and their music to be a welcome blast of refined noise. 7/10

Reviews: Pure Reason Revolution, Emma Ruth Rundle, Noctule, Mount Slatra (Matt Bladen)

Pure Reason Revolution - Terrifying Angels (InsideOut Music)

In a move that may shock other bands into some sort of work, Terrifying Angels is the fourth studio album since they "reformed" in 2019.

There's been a lot of line up shuffling in that time, though PRR has always been a collaborative affair, the keystone to it all is band founder Jon Courtney, who takes vocals, guitar, bass, keys, percussion and production, with this record mixed/mastered by Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief. He still writes and records with co-founder Greg Jong (guitar), the synergy between them still as electrifying as on those early records.

Courtney is joined by vocalist Annike Shireen and drummer Ravi Kesavaram as the core trio on this record, but because of what PRR is there's co-writes and influences from.jam sessions with Paul Mullen of Losers and Yourcodenameis:milo and Kenny Fitzgerald as well as special bass performances from Mariusz Duda (Lunatic Soul) and Kristoffer Gildenlöw (Kayak).

With all that out of the way we can focus on the record itself and Terrifying Angels takes things down a heavier route, harking back to The Dark Third, their debut record but also instilling the insistent electronics of their two pre hiatus albums. The album was written in response to the lighter style of Coming Up To Consciousness, as if to do away with any beauty with savagery.

The floaty atmospheres disappear immediately with Spin Like Fire, an electro-rock banger where Royal Blood and Kasabian are the influences, big drums, harmony vocals and fuzzy riffs with the electronic twitches, begin this new record with the right grit and riffage, instilling the idea that Terrifying Angels is going to be darker and more brooding.

From here Black-Arrow Acrobats puts breakbeat drums, harmonic clean guitars by way of Radiohead as Mariusz Duda brings his signature bass virtuosity throughout, the heavier side building into some of the more ominous Steven Wilson song craft, where they journey though a distinct journey with this epic run time, flipping between soundscapes like the titular acrobat.

The duality between the vocals is such a historically key feature of the PRR sound and once again Jon and Annike's interplay is brilliant, from the grunting rock of Haywire Heart which leads into another epic, the Title Track which is a cinematic dreamscape the floats through 12 minutes with a slightly haunting melody and those ghostly vocals.

Then the pace is pushed again by Rumination Ruin which is another fuzzy electro rocker, where they can let their hair down but it segues into Below Radiance, a full electronic offering that would fit well on a dark synth record, little oscillations and blips that pulaste behind everything,s etting the scene for the closer Hold Your Wrath.

Over 14 minutes of exactly what Pure Reason Revolution do shifting styles, beautiful harmonies, an electronic intensity that permeates through everything and clashes between ambience and heavy riffs, concluding this new record from PRR with the progressive prowess they excel at.

With Terrifying Angels, Pure Reason Revolution bring back their intensity and create a wonderous cacophony of electronic alt rock noise! 9/10

Emma Ruth Rundle - These Killing Times (Errant Child)

We're all going to die, and it's all our fault, if we don't change and do something about it.

This basically sums up the themes behind the sixth album from avant garde artist Emma Ruth Rundle, while it's also a plea for change, for intervention to save us from ourselves. Written as she watched another climate disaster take hold of the planet, Rundle decided to make a record of hope, of faith in humanity, that we would eventually see sense and do something for good.

This atmosphere of hope is cultivated with opening track Powerless, a flash of 90's alt rock, which like the rest of this record feels like lost tracks from the likes of Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, PJ Harvey, The Cranberries and even Jeff Buckley and Nirvana. Rundle working with producer Sonny Diperri (My Bloody Valentine, Trent Reznor, These New Puritans) to capture the sound of that decades "anti-patriarchal feminist rage" which made it's way into the deepest recesses of Emma's brain in her younger years.

The impact of these songs comes from Rundle using a full band for this record, unlike on her previous release where it was just voice, piano, guitar and introspection and while Don't Delay Heaven still feel stripped back to just those components there's more instrumentation present from the long time collaboraters. Making the record feel like a community all with the same goal, the very heart of what this album is about, that "the needs of the many, always outweigh the needs of the few" (thanks to Mr Spock) and we can achieve anything, but only together.

From Jess Gowrie's deft and thunderous drumming, Troy Zeiglers undulating basslines as the main recording trio, it's the addition of guests such as Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos) and Gina Gleason’s (Baroness) guitar prowess, Marissa Nadler, Lukas Frank (Storefront Church) and Amelia Baker (Cinder Well) choirs and Patrick Shiroishi’s insane saxophone that all bring that sonic power that can be felt on this record. It needs this sonic density as These Killing Times is a record with something to say and it wants you to listen, to go out and do something about environmental destruction, late stage capitalism, right wing nationalism and the many other threats posed to our existence.

While the record lingers in these harrowing, dark passageways it also offers an embrace, a reason to forget, if not for just a moment and experience collective beauty, as Humans Kindness moves into Oceans Of Time, this yearning, this love is felt warmly and helps you know that through These Killing Times, we can get better, together. 9/10

Noctule - Extinguish Thy Flame (Self-Released)

What started as a side project away from her main band Svalbard, Noctule is now the sole musical output of Serena Cherry. The second album from her black/melo-death project is inspired by the videogame Elden Ring, a game that is so intense, immersive and difficult, she credits with saving her life when going through a particularly heavy period of mental illness.

Written, recorded and performed by Serena alone, the album is a tribute not only to the video game, which Cherry fell in love with but ultimately it's about how that album gave her the perseverance to overcome her demons, and also rekindle her love of writing, but her own writing, with no interference from elsewhere just performing exactly how she wanted to.

It's the unflinching difficulty and almost masochistic pursuit of failure that is experienced again and again in Elden Ring that is reflected in this record, building your character (in game and outside) as you play, this record is just as cinematic and uncompromising as it's inspiration.

Metal and video games have always made good bedfellows and with Noctule the combination proves to be utterly majestic, the best bits of black metal and melodeath, cherry picked (if you will) to merge brilliantly and create this brilliant second record. From the screaming melodeath solos (Lord Of Blood), to the black metal blasts (Lament Of The Omen King), atmospheric passages (O'Death) and the range of vocal screams Extinguish Thy Flame acts a musical catharsis and reclamation of self for Serena Cherry.

With tracks such as Goddess Of Rot proving particularly intense. Having taken two years to finish Extinguish Thy Flame is the epitome of what Noctule is about, life affirming extreme metal delivered with incredible skill. 9/10

Mount Slatra - Fit For The Dead (Witches Brew Records)

We covered the EP from Midlands Thrashers Mount Slatra in September of last year, noting that they showed a lot of skill and promise that is often lacking in thrash. A year later they arrive with their debut album Fit For The Dead, a longer more intense slice of thrash metal that will have old heads and new fans wanting to let loose and run in a circle, but try to stifle yourself as there a lot going on with this record.

Intro piece out of the way 5x5 kicks off the record with the intensity of a band such as Testament, it's old school but technical, the inspiration of Megadeth also strong on the opener. After this we get into Fit For The Dead nodding to Slayer, as Cryptocracy builds in the same way early Metallica did, so we have three of the Big Four covered for sure.

The education these musicians have received has really paid off on this debut as Mount Slatra have a maturity that few bands achieve on their debut, their proficiency on the shifting Age Of Industry and the dynamics that come through every track here is very impressive, the thrash getting more melodic with closing track Radio Mercy which features Hannah Law on vocals.

The foursome of vocalist Ryan Darling, guitarist George North, drummer Ben Alexander and bassist Aaron Watkins all hail from the Midlands and are all alumni of music colleges in that area, as Connor Yarrington engineered and Matthew Jones mixed/mastered, Mount Slatra are a band who really showcase how fertile the grassroots scene is for musicians in The Midlands by how much care and skill has gone into this record.

Mount Slatra are destined for bigger stages, this debut is proof. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Electric Wizard (Joe Guatieri)

Electric Wizard & Magick Potion, The Prospect Building, Bristol, 16.09.26

“I hope this fucking world fucking burns away and I’d kill you all if I’d had my way!”. I don’t think that I’ve ever related to lyrics more in my adult life than these. The slog of working a job that you hate, surrounded by customers who don’t have respect for themselves or anyone else, all for a faceless company that doesn't know you exist. There is music out there made for moments like this that portray the feeling of utter dread and constant anxiety, better than a conversation ever could. The prospect of seeing THEM again makes all this stress worth it.

Wednesday 16th September was a day like any other, just thinking about that night. Taking a walk from where I work to the venue, that being The Prospect Building felt nice for once, a relief. The roads are usually full of traffic but on this night, everything seemed to float by with a lack of disturbance and the excitement filled the air minute by minute.

Arriving at The Prospect Building, it felt surprisingly empty to begin with, no queue despite a sold out show, this was completely different for when I saw Sunn O))) there back in June where there was a big queue, I went in without breaking a sweat. I then went in-line for merch, afterwards getting myself a pint and then leisurely strolled into the main room, found my place and waited.

Magick Potion (7) opened the proceedings, entering the stage with their long hair and decorative fashion from another era. Looking at their socials and music platform presence previously, it was all about channeling heavy Psychedelic Rock from the 60s and 70s. It was then a mission in my mind, these guys walked the walk but can they talk the talk.

They then started playing, beginning with some cuts that opened the opportunity for the band to jam out and show off their shredding. With their tone that was welcoming in its warmth and fuzzy nature, it felt less like “Look at what I’m doing” and more like “Come take my hand, we’re going on a journey”. This resonated with the crowd who were grooving and enjoying the band, banging their heads and dancing to it.

I thought to myself, yeah their decent, then they introduced songs with more hooky elements and showcased more dynamics, that’s the point that drew me in. They show a big influence of Cream, Hawkwind, Led Zeppelin and The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their sleeves but they aren’t trying to copy and paste what the legends before them did.

This was fun and it didn’t feel forced, many bands in this ilk and tributes especially try to reinterpret a gig from back in the day where as this was more present and in the now, these guys were up on stage just enjoying themselves. Magick Potion didn’t try and reinvent the wheel or do anything like that, they just came out on stage, had a good time and raised people’s spirits up, it was a good time!

Next we had the main event, the wait wasn’t too long for Electric Wizard (9) … The band gathered on stage through a storm of smoke and cleared, Jus Oborn bellowed “Come my fanatics!” as they launched into space with Return Trip. Played at a different tempo compared to the original recording, it felt more hitting, dare I say satisfying in the way that it was played. My fate was sealed when Jus spat out the first few words of the song, those lyrics being what I mentioned when I started this review. I hadn’t screamed that loudly in a while!

Then the notes from Dopethrone ripped out from the bowels of hell and into my soul. I had never heard Electric Wizard play it live before and this was a moment that I’ll never forget. Again like with the previous song I was hitting my fist in the air, it’s a national anthem for the misfits.

Speaking in both terms of seeing the band play it live and the studio version, it plays with your expectations, the repeated mantra of the word “Rise” just brings everything together as the poetry paints a picture of glamourising the excess in both drugs and the volume in sound. Then suddenly the puzzle pieces come together as god says “Dopethrone” and the riff is just sluggish enough to make devils dance.

Funnily enough it’s a technique like this where I will make a connection between Elton John and Electric Wizard. The fact that the song teases and teases to the chorus with Tiny Dancer, everyone always sings it at the same time and Dopethrone does the same thing! It's a thing of beauty, pure song-writing genius.

I want to point this out, their bassist, South West native Haz Wheaton was the only one on our right who wasn’t covered in smoke, it made me think, he’s one of us, he’s human and you could see it as the man was hammering away on his instrument, screaming every lyric, his energy was infectious, it was as if his soul was released from the sacrifice from the wizard and given to the people, he’s a fan.

The fourth song they played was another epic in Satanic Rites Of Drugula. That introduction was fierce and harrowing, the fact that Jus played it in the style that I love so much when he hits that forbidden note, echoing what he did at Brutal Assault at Fortress Josefov, in the Czech Republic back in 2017. It’s the most evil thing that the wizard is capable of doing and the song encapsulates its title completely, “So high, so dead”!

An unexpected treat was Electric Wizard performing Son Of Nothing from Come My Fanatics, it was the first time they played that song live in well over 10 years. It displayed the band at their most raw and loose, they could have played it for hours and the crowd would have still gone home happy, it truly puts repetition into submission.

Nearing the close of their set, it could have only ended on one thing, Funeralopolis. Nothing on earth beats hearing the introductory section, it brought everyone to a different planet. Then when the time struck, a heavy trance fell onto The Prospect Building, the jet engine of that legendary riff is a jet engine that blows everything away in its path. Electric Wizard then fled the stage, they came, killed and left!

Comparing the first occasion, seeing the band at ArcTanGent in 2024 and comparing it to The Prospect Building in 2026 is a difficult one. The first time I saw the band, I was stone cold sober for their set and everything felt like a dream, while this gig in Bristol was real and in the moment. At a festival there’s always much going on, you’ve got little time to breathe, whether with a gig, you spend the majority of your time waiting.

I guess that from seeing Electric Wizard before, it sub-consciously felt like just seeing any other band at gigs because regardless if it’s at a bigger venue, the routine is pretty similar. Now that I’ve had a chance to reflect on this, I’ve realised that I preferred this set list at the gig, whereas at the festival, I thought that they played better.

Don’t get me wrong, the solos and riffs still came across with gigantic presence but a bit of the mystique was lost. I am growing older and beginning to learn that these are just people but in an incredible band, still nasty and intense and that will never change. I loved it and I would go to see them and I do recommend the live experience. Just one more cry, just please god, release another album, I can’t polish my fangs forever!

Reviews: In This Moment, Brat, RØRY, Scene Queen (Matt Bladen)

In This Moment - Witch (Better Noise Records)

It's probably not that controversial to say that the bands reviewed after this wouldn't have the impact and possibly the attention without In This Moment.

At a a time when the NWOAHM was all the rage In This Moment exploded out of that scene with aggression and grooves, topped with the incredible vocals of Maria Brink. From the metalcore beginnings into the gothic alternative metal act they are today, In This Moment have taken many shapes but have always been the guided by the creative drive of Maria Brink.

The band is her artistic outlet, curating the lyrics, music and visual presentation of the band and this month record is still a defiant, emotionally driven collection of songs that balance fury and femininity as Brink puts it herself: "Witch is my declaration of inner transformation, it's about embracing the duality within".

Begining with the punishing Shame, Witch starts off with exactly the kind of metallic battery you may expect from In This Moment, glitchy industrial twitches against down-tuned alt metal riffs, the synths creating the introspective atmospheres on I Want To Believe which features Dayseeker.

One of three guest on the record which includes Kim Dracula on the furious Heretic and Kat Von D on their cover of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall. It's their own tracks that punch through with Crawl right up there with beats of NiN, Sleeping With The Enemy features Brink's magnetic vocal delivery and cleverest lyrics as Father brings synth wave elements to the balladry.

In This Moment still dwell in their own electronic darkness on Witch, introspective and thumping, with those unique vocals just capping everything off, it's modern alt metal with gothic feminine overtones that still manages to impress. 8/10

Brat - Manslayer (Prosthetic Records)

Brat return with their new release Manslayer.

The title is self explanatory I should think, revenge, women taking back their power and their bodies from men who have taken that away, doing so at the end of a knife, the barrel of a gun or a stiletto heel through the face like the album cover.

Drawing influence from the lyrical content of country music, where women get revenge on this who have wronged them but Brat do it with a gore soaked death metal and grindcore assault, so the imagery is dialled up to slasher movie levels.

In fact the movie theme is present on the first half of this two part record. It's the struggles fond themselves having to combat in the world of the interweb and 'celebrity' they display these struggles however through some horror movie themes, including body horror, nightmares and serial killers.

It's Brat becoming more violent, channeling the sheer intensity of their live show into a record which has influences from bands such as Nails or Full Of Hell, once where metal and grind aren't genres, they're ways onomatopoeic ways to hurt you as you listen. Disgusting barks and growls, over abusive riffs and blastbeats, death metal, grind, thrash and much more from the 'extreme' side.

The second half of the record is where the real bimboviolence happens, everything before the interlude is traumatic, an event that causes what happens after it, tracks such as Femicidal Vengeance, which features solos from David Davidson from Revocation and Ways To Kill Your Husband are drenched in murder and bloody vengeance. As is Blistered Tongues which has Candace Buckingham from Walls Of Jericho adding her insanely vicious vocal to the whirlwind of aggression, the two frontwomen delivering and intensity and terror.

Manslayer moves Brat away from being genre tag into a more brutal and ferocious force of female anger, beware the Manslayer. 8/10

RØRY - Bloodletting (Sadcøre Records)

First emerging as an online advocate for understanding ADHD and neurodivergence through viral social media page ADHD Love and as the co-host Late Bloomers Podcast, doing both alongside her partner Richard Pink, Roxanne Emery has become one of the premier voices for mental health in this new influencer led world.

However after so much turmoil in her life a new found sobriety, love and family around her pushed her to have another go at music. Re-entering the music world as RØRY, her previous album went to the UK Top Ten and took her to stages such as Download Festival, these songs of sadness striking a chord with listening public and now RØRY returns with album number two, Bloodletting.

The sadness has been replaced by anger, therapy forcing her to confront decades of suppressed emotions, “I realised I was sick from being nice. I’d spent so much of my life being the bigger person" she says and on Bloodletting she confronts the emotions of rage, resentment, jealousy, revenge and hatred, writing the heaviest and most intense music yet.

RØRY even took vocal lessons and learned to scream to really hammer the aggression of this record home, it can be felt as [the death of a people pleaser] leads into the Kids These Days which I'm sure fans of Nigel will love, but that's the point, confronting toxicity, in all it's forms, be it what were surrounded by today or from her past on Dead Girl Walking, yet holding a candle to where you're from no matter how complicated on Hometown.

It's a record that balances rage and retribution, confronting all these things that had been buried for long, pouring out these emotions in the music, as lost loved ones are honoured on the heartbreaking A Cure For Cancer and the choice is made to live on Strange and [do you want to live?] closing the album on a defiant sting that tugs at the coldest of hearts.

RØRY moves from sadness into catharsis, apologies into rage, but importantly shows RØRY developing as an artist with her most diversely offering yet. 8/10

Scene Queen - Metalicious (Hopeless Records)

From Bimboviolence to Bimbocore its the new EP from Scene Queen

While I'm still not quite on board with the tag 'bimbocore', though it's reclaiming that term, you can't fail Scene Queen for using to describe her music. Pink, glitter, club mentality meets crushing modern 'core' music, taking aim at the often misogynist metal genre.

Especially the bands where the guys wear deep V-necks and run on the spot, or the ones with backwards caps and baggy jeans, Scene Queen does this from the opening of Pink Flip Phone which is a nu metal trapped in a glitter bomb, ready for the Millennial audience who remember Y2K and the Motorola Razr.

From here it's electronic pulsations on Manicure, which moves from club beats to sickening deathcore breakdowns on this rage fuelled threat to anyone that abuses women. It's beginning of Scene Queen showing off a more hybrid style than in her debut.

The songs get much heavier, the vocals having much more harsh screams than before on Tracksuit and the title track which features Left To Suffer, there's also a strong pop influence on tracks such as Shopaholic, which refences Destiny's Child or the bounce of Tits Out At Brunch.

More extreme, more pop, more bimbocore as Scene Queen follows up Hot Singles In Your Area with something more Metalicious. 7/10

A View From Across The Pond: Mastodon (Rich Piva)

Mastodon, Deafheaven & Alcest, Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL 16.09.26



The opening night of the Mastodon tour! If you don’t count the secret Atlanta warm up show that is, which got everyone even more excited for the tour given that Baroness’s main man John Baizley  would be joining Mastodon during the tail end of their set to play some of the older, classic material. How was it? In a word, amazing. Mastodon blew me away. I know everyone misses Brent, and I do too, but this band, in this form, is on an entirely other plain.

Let’s start with the French black/shoegaze band, Alcest (8), who went on first. I was super excited to see them for the first time and they did not disappoint. You get blasted by a wall of sound of guitars for 40 minutes, except for the minimal, very polite, interaction. The music filled up the whole room, heavy and beautiful, even if I don’t speak a lick of French. I think they gained some new fans on this day and I would love to see a headlining Alcest set. 

Deafheaven (7) was up next. I had seen them before at Welcome To Rockville but they got more time in the second slot on this night. I am stealing this from someone, but I love the “Warped Tour Black Metal” description of the band. The lead singer has a ton of passion, almost too much and a bit too “how you doin’ Orlando???” for my taste, but they were fun, energetic, heavy as hell, and the crowd was down for it, given the pits and the crowdsurfing. I preferred their Joy Division clone era, but that is me. I am never going to sit and listen to a Deafheaven record, but I would watch them on any bill they were on. 

Now, Mastodon (10). I got to see them playing a short festival set, but this was the first time in a long time as headliner. This was easily in the top 5 shows I have seen this decade. The energy, the crowd, the imagery on the screen, the stacked setlist, all of this. The band seemed like they were genuinely having a great time, and the crowd ate it up. Nick Johnston is not Brent, but he is a super talented, next level player who fits in perfectly with the other guys in the band. He is a super nice dude too, as I got to chat with him for a couple of minutes. He did everything he should, stepping into a tough role, and he nailed it. Troy sounded great, and the band was super tight. 

They played a nice mix of their discography, including a few from the new record, Marrow Deep (it rules). and the fans not only enjoyed it but sang along. Not gonna lie, I fanboyed out when Baizley mosied onto the stage mid song during the live debut of Snakes For Dinner. He got a proper intro from Troy and promptly broke into the classic Curl Of The Burl. The last half of the show was epic, with Baizley adding his guitar and vocals to some of the band’s biggest songs, like Oblivion and The Czar, closing the set with a gigantic pit-generating Blood And Thunder.

Go see Mastodon. They are in their prime, the new material is great, they are playing an amazing, wide ranging set, the guys are having fun, and John Baizley. A great night with possibly the world’s best metal band.