Reviews: Hills Like White Lions, Shy Low, Caspian, Netherwilds (Spike)

Hills Like White Lions – Canary (Self-Released)

Every now and then, a record comes along that doesn't just meet your expectations for progressive and atmospheric post-metal, it completely redraws the boundary lines of what you thought the genre was capable of doing. 

Austrian quartet Hills Like White Lions have been quietly honing their craft over two previous conceptual records, but their third full-length, Canary, is an astonishing, monumental achievement. 

In an era where so many bands confuse sheer volume with sonic weight, this album lands with an architectural grandeur that feels truly galactic.

At its core, Canary is an ambitious coming-of-age concept album set against the vast, inhospitable canvas of deep space. Science-fiction allegories about human growth and personal trauma can easily collapse under their own pretension in lesser hands, but here, the narrative focus is laser-sharp. 

The band has introduced shouted, harsher vocals for the first time in their history to reflect the terrifying, disorienting horrors faced by the protagonist, and that emotional desperation grounds every single movement in genuine human stakes.

The record opens with the title track, Canary, a slow-burning masterclass in atmospheric tension that immediately shows off the ridiculous depth of Norbert Leitner’s production. 

The stereo field is jaw-droppingly expansive; instruments occupy distinct, physical three-dimensional spaces, allowing synths and delicate guitar figures to wrap around your head before the heavy rhythm section drops. It transitions seamlessly into Time Dilation, which pushes the polyrhythmic dynamic while maintaining an effortless, soaring melodic throughline.

What makes Canary such a triumph is how technique always bows to songwriting. Florian Wagner’s guitar tone is pristine, retaining immense low-end punch without ever turning to mud, and sparkling with clarity during complex, dense runs. 

Drummer Hannes Lettner and bassist Alexander Augustin give the heavy passages a tectonic, chest-rattling gravity, while Reinhard Farnberger’s synths feel like living, breathing atmospheric elements rather than decorative window dressing.

The guest appearances across the record are integrated with surgical brilliance. On Cosmic Loss, Pipi Gogerl adds haunting, ethereal clean textures that contrast gorgeously with the creeping weight of the riffs. 

Then comes Liminal Summer, where David Eklatanz of Heretoir lends his unmistakable post-black metal venom, elevating the track into a scorching, cathartic storm. These aren't just featured names slapped on a tracklist for internet clout; they expand an already majestic sonic tapestry.

The back half is where the emotional payload hits maximum velocity. Blown Away surges with kinetic energy, setting up And Again arguably the emotional centrepiece of the entire album. 

As the narrative reaches its fever pitch, the raw, impassioned shouts push through the mix with heartbreaking power, backed by guitar crescendos that feel designed to split open the firmament. 

By the time the sprawling, elegiac closer Iron Lung slowly builds to its transcendent, crushing conclusion, you are left sitting in absolute stunned silence.

Canary is an utter masterpiece of modern post-metal. It achieves what benchmark records like Opeth’s Ghost Reveries or Cult of Luna’s Mariner did in their prime: it creates an entirely immersive world where virtuosity and raw, vulnerable storytelling exist in perfect harmony. 

It demands to be experienced through the finest set of headphones you own, turned up loud, and taken in from start to finish. An instant, undeniable classic. This one was a stop review, buy physical album moment. 10/10

Shy, Low – Purity Spiral (Pelagic Records)

Instrumental records are always a bit of a high-wire act for me. 

Without a vocalist at the centre of the frame anchoring the emotional stakes, it’s remarkably easy for a band to drift off into background music, the sort of polite, meandering post-rock that noodles along pleasantly enough without ever grabbing you by the collar. 

To really stick, an instrumental heavy record has to construct tangible physical spaces, weave deep cinematic textures, and hit with genuine dynamic violence. On their fourth full-length, Purity Spiral, Richmond, Virginia quintet Shy, Low do exactly that.

Released once again via Pelagic Records (and a shout out to them here as I’m finding so much amazing stuff on this label), the album wastes zero time establishing its formidable sonic architecture. 

The record opens with Grace, a five-and-a-half-minute masterclass in controlled suspense. Rather than relying on tired, predictable build-to-crescendo formulas, Shy, Low build tension through intricate polyrhythms and sparkling, layered guitar lines that wrap around each other before detonating into suffocating, earth-moving heaviness. 

It flows seamlessly into The Bloat, which lands with a jagged, post-metal crunch reminiscent of Pelican or Russian Circles, anchored by Dylan Partridge’s thunderous, bone-shaking drum work.

What keeps Purity Spiral so completely gripping across its forty-seven-minute runtime is the incredible depth and physical texture of the arrangements. 

Guitarists Zak Bryant, Gregg Peterson, and Kai Zamora work not as competitive lead players, but as a three-headed atmospheric beast interweaving gossamer-thin clean tones, dark industrial tremolos, and crushing walls of distorted low-end. 

On Palmistry, that chemistry reaches a dazzling peak, gracefully navigating melancholic lulls, unexpected keyboard interludes, and ferocious, churning riffs that rattle right through your ribs.

After the brief, fiery breather of Burning Fields, the band unleashes what is arguably the most imposing stretch of their career. The Charging, Brazen Bull is an absolute monster of a track, marching forward with hypnotic, dread-soaked momentum before collapsing into pure, kinetic catharsis. 

The nine-minute title track, Purity Spiral, stretches their compositional ambitions even further, drifting through eerie, cavernous ambient depths before locking into a colossal, tectonic groove that feels like a mountainside sliding into the sea.

By the time the sprawling, eight-minute finale Greenwood slowly dissipates into delicate guitar echoes and resonant feedback, you're left with the distinct impression of having survived a physical transit.

Pulling off an instrumental record that demands your undivided attention from start to finish is no small feat, but Shy, Low have crafted a richly detailed, emotionally resonant, and punishingly heavy experience. 

If you think instrumental metal has nowhere left to go, Purity Spiral will gladly prove you wrong. An outstanding piece of work. 9/10

Caspian – Caspian (Wax Bodega)

When an instrumental post-rock band crosses the twenty-year milestone, the pressure of reinvention can become an albatross around their neck. 

The genre is notorious for backing artists into corners, you either spend your time chasing increasingly convoluted sonic gimmicks to prove you're still "progressive," or you surrender to tired, formulaic crescendos that fade into polite background ambience. 

Massachusetts quintet Caspian have spent two decades pushing at those boundaries, but on their sixth full-length and debut for Wax Bodega, they make an audacious choice: they stop trying to over-complicate things and simply trust what made them formidable in the first place.

Arriving six years after 2020’s On Circles, a record dropped right into the teeth of global chaos that left the band navigating what they candidly termed collective PTSD, Caspian feels like a profound exhale. 

With members now scattered across four different US states, the months of communal basement woodshedding that forged classics like Dust and Disquiet were impossible. 

Heading into the studio with producer Brett Romnes (Hot Mulligan, The Movielife), the band had to trust their first instincts. That enforced brevity has paid massive dividends; stripped of overthinking, this self-titled collection clocks in at a lean thirty-nine minutes across six tracks, and there isn't an ounce of wasted motion.

The album opens with Hiraeth, setting the tone with acoustic guitar arpeggios that intertwine with soaring violin, viola, and cello. It doesn't rush into a theatrical crescendo; it breathes, allowing the hypnotic, circular melody to expand naturally before bleeding seamlessly into Far Country. 

Here, Calvin Joss resurrects an old feedback pedal technique from their Waking Season era, sending the guitars splintering into glorious, fuzz-edged distortion that feels beautifully imperfect and thoroughly alive.

The centrepiece of the first half, however, is Remain. Anchored in the same key to create an unbroken nineteen-minute transit with the opening two cuts, it is a masterclass in slow-burning tension and dynamic release. 

Delicate piano keys and subtle side-stick percussion simmer before erupting into colossal, multi-tracked guitar swells that roll in like a thunderstorm off the Atlantic coast, only to retreat and surge again with even greater physical force.

When Caspian want to bare their teeth, they do so with genuine venom. A Great Fire, named with a nod to the Great Boston Fire of 1872 that adorns the album's cover art, rattles right through your ribs. Jani Zubkovs’ grimy, low-slung bassline paves the way for chugging, buzzsaw guitar riffs and serpentine leads, while drummer Justin Forrest beats the absolute tar out of his kit. 

Forrest doesn't just keep time; he conducts with thunder, giving the heavy passages a tectonic punch that reminds you Caspian can easily out-muscle most metalcore outfits when they step on the pedals.

Down the back stretch, the propulsive No One Left To Tell locks into a driving tremolo hook layered with subtle vocoder textures, before the elegiac Waltz For The End brings the curtain down. Written in barely half an hour, it’s a graceful, 3/4-time meditation that leaves you sitting in reverent quiet as the final chord echoes away.

Caspian doesn't bother trying to rewrite the post-rock rulebook from scratch, nor does it need to. By getting out of their own way and embracing the core DNA they've honed over two decades, Caspian have crafted an emotionally resonant, gorgeously textured, and punishingly heavy record that sits comfortably alongside their finest work. 

An essential listen. 8/10

Netherwilds – Peasant Rising (King Volume Records)

Just when you think heavy music has completely exhausted its capacity for strange conceptual diversions, something lands on your desk that completely defies conventional categorization. 

Hailing from Canada, Netherwilds is the wildly eccentric brainchild of David Monks (former frontman of 2000s indie-rock staples Tokyo Police Club). 

Trading in catchy garage-pop hooks for chainmail, pitchforks, and theatrical mud-slinging, Monks has plunged headfirst into the self-proclaimed realm of "peasant metal." The result is Peasant Rising, a mammoth twenty-two-track medieval narrative that walks the razor's edge between avant-garde hardcore lunacy and elaborate audio play.

I have to admit, Netherwilds was completely off my radar until this landed in front of me, and an initial glance at that twenty-two-song track list definitely had me raising an eyebrow. But once you press play, the blueprint reveals itself: roughly half of these tracks aren't full songs at all, but brisk, atmospheric scene-setters dubbed "Scrolls." 

Across vignettes like Scroll I: The Fair, Scroll II: The Mud Mages, and Scroll IV: The Dungeon, Monks acts as narrator, world-builder, and character actor, spinning an unbroken yarn of feudal oppression, dungeon escapes, wicker siege warfare, and a stolen goat. 

It’s an exercise in sheer storytelling commitment that owes as much to tabletop role-playing games and radio comedy as it does to extreme music.

When Netherwilds actually plug in and let the metal fly, there's surprising bite beneath the absurd aesthetic. The opening title track, Peasant Rising, kicks the barn doors open before spilling straight into Peasant Pit and Helm Yeah, pairing thrashy, punk-fuelled riffs with gang-shouted hooks that sound like Refused or early System Of A Down set loose in a 14th-century tavern. 

Monks’ vocal delivery is a total chameleon act throughout, bouncing between manic theatrical barks, gravelly shouts, and surprisingly vulnerable clean singing.

The middle chapter holds plenty of heavy charm. Siege Proof Hovel and Dungeon Song lean into jagged mathcore dissonance and bouncy hardcore stomps, while Farmer's Armoury and The Fall use the feudal uprising as a tongue-in-cheek allegory for modern working-class burnout. 

Meanwhile, cuts like Blight! and Wickermech deliver furious, blast-beat-adjacent explosions of pure kinetic chaos, culminating in the triumphant, ale-soaked charge of Return The Goat.

There's no denying that the band have gone completely all-in on the gimmick, and they execute the vision with remarkable technical polish and genuine enthusiasm. 

Yet, stepping back from the sheer novelty of it all, it leaves you pondering the long-term staying power. By leaning so relentlessly into this hyper-specific medieval framework, Netherwilds have crafted arguably the most niche vein of heavy music this reviewer has ever encountered. 

Does that make it bad? Not at all, the storytelling is clever, the riffs are punchy, and it puts an immediate smile on your face. But by turning the record into an interconnected narrative play full of recurring spoken skits, it naturally shrinks the audience and makes casual repeat listening a bit of a challenge once the punchlines are familiar.

Peasant Rising is mad as a box of frogs, wonderfully inventive, and played with zero fear of looking ridiculous. If you’re open to letting metal take a left-field detour into theatrical fantasy rebellion, it’s an entertaining trip that proves creativity in the underground knows no borders. 7/10

Reviews: Dark Funeral, Forbidden, Raunchy, Moonwraith (Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof, Matt Bladen, Spike & Keith Boswell)

Dark Funeral – A Beast To Praise (Century Media) [Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof]

When A Beast To Praise, the new live album from Dark Funeral, landed in my inbox for review at Musipedia of Metal, I thanked my dark stars and hoped Krampus had come early! Having recently seen Dark Funeral live on the In League With Satan Tour in London, I was eager to hear the record, hoping it would bring back the memories and emotions of that performance. 

Thankfully, it did exactly that. A live release from Lord Ahriman and his Åsgårdsreia warriors was long overdue. The Swedish black metal veterans have not released a live album since 2008's Attera Orbis Terrarum - Part II, making A Beast To Praise a highly anticipated addition to their catalogue. Living up to its title, this is indeed a beast of a record and one worthy of praise. 

Opening track Unchain My Soul immediately sets the tone. The atmosphere is electric, the audience clearly eager to witness the band's dark ritual unfold. Whistles and cheers fill the air as the band launches into a performance that sounds crisp without feeling clinical, pulsating with raw power driven by razor-sharp guitars and the growling, screaming vocals of Heljarmadr. 

The Arrival Of Satan's Empire follows with a commanding scream that feels like a summons to the dark hordes, calling them straight into the mosh pit. The drums thunder throughout, while the bass and guitars maintain that raw, unfiltered edge. Dark Funeral preserve their trademark blend of atmosphere and aggression, delivering melodies that are both powerful and invigorating. 

Then comes Leviathan, one of my personal favourites. Here, the guitars take centre stage, showcasing the band's distinctive sound and reminding listeners why Dark Funeral have remained one of black metal's defining acts. Their ability to balance sheer intensity with technical precision, atmospheric depth, and Heljarmadr's commanding vocal performance is what continues to set them apart.

The audience is left in suspense for a moment, trying to anticipate what comes next, before the opening notes of We Are the Apocalypse emerge. One simply does not argue with Dark Funeral. The band then reaches back into its history with Open The Gates, followed by When I'm Gone, during which Heljarmadr interacts with the crowd in both Swedish and English. The connection between band and audience is evident throughout, adding another layer of authenticity to the recording. 

Long-time fans are further rewarded with the legendary pairing of Goddess Of Sodomy and Vobiscum Satanas, two songs that continue to stand tall in the band's catalogue. Then comes another fan favourite, Nail Them To The Cross, which Heljarmadr jokingly suggests is particularly appropriate for Swedish Easter, provoking an enthusiastic reaction from the assembled dark faithful.

Continuing to rally their followers beneath the black metal banner, Dark Funeral tear into Let The Devil In, a more direct and less atmospheric assault, before revisiting their early years with The Secrets Of the Black Arts, driven by thunderous drumming and mighty vocals.The album closes with Where Shadows Forever Reign", a dark litany of heavy guitars dedicated to the lightless entities of chaos. It provides a powerful and fitting finale, ending the performance with tremendous energy and conviction. 

Without a doubt, A Beast To Praise is an album that demands to be played loudly. It will satisfy devoted Dark Funeral fans while also serving as an excellent introduction for newcomers to both the band and the genre. Capturing the ferocity, atmosphere, and power of a Dark Funeral concert, this release proves that after more than three decades of darkness, the Swedish masters remain at the top of their game. 9/10

Forbidden - Forbidden (BLKIIBLK) [Matt Bladen]

A self titled album, that's usually a band trying to re-establish themselves or try some bring new so let's see what Bay Area thrash veterans.

Coming originally as part of that second wave along with Testament, Death Angel, Vio-Lence and Exodus, the tale of Forbidden has been a bit more tumultuous splitting up and reforming twice in their lifetime, their last comeback in 2023.

So this record falls into the re-establish side, their first since 2010, it's Forbidden and their new line up shouting "We're back! Have a bit of this!" Defiant and dangerous the band are still led by guitarist Craig Locicero and bassist Matt Camacho.

They form these songs and guide the band as they have since the beginning.hat features the new blood of Norman Skinner on lead vocals, Jeremy Von Epp on guitars and drummer Chris Kontos, who seems to be collecting Bay Area thrash band memberships like Pokémon.

Forbidden, the album, takes the music of Forbidden, the band, to new places, it's got all the intense thrashing of their first few records, these old hands showing that they can still let the riffs fly but it also sounds like a record veterans should be writing, progressive moments abound.

There's tracks that shift though pace and time signatures such as Burning The Lungs Of Failure, ones that feature unusual instrumentatuon such as DCLXVI, 9 minute epics like Flower Of Life (Chaos By Design) and there's even a guest slot from Mastodon's Brann Dailor on Sycophantasy.

Forbidden is a snarling set of prog thrash from an act who have been through quite a lot of history but can still deliver a record of heavy metal excellence. 9/10

Raunchy – Prisoner (Mighty Music) [Spike]

There is a very particular brand of quiet that follows a band when nobody is quite sure whether they’ve split up or just crawled into a cave for a long winter sleep. In the case of Denmark’s Raunchy, that silence stretched out across twelve long years. 

Their last outing, Vices.Virtues.Visions., landed way back in 2014, and in the intervening years, the heavy landscape shifted repeatedly. But here’s the thing about Raunchy: they have never given a damn about current trends. Returning to Mighty Music, the exact Danish imprint that released their debut Velvet Noise a quarter of a century ago and once again teaming up with longtime sonic architect Jacob Hansen behind the mixing desk, Prisoner is a triumphant, unapologetic reunion that proves their peculiar, hybrid formula hasn't aged a day.

For the uninitiated, Raunchy have always occupied a twilight zone where purists fear to tread. In the early 2000s, they were too melodic for death metal gatekeepers, too mechanical and synthetic for metalcore traditionalists, and too riff-heavy for the industrial rock crowd. Prisoner doesn't make any polite apologies for that contradiction; it leans right into the throttle.

Right out of the traps, opener Frostbite lays down the law. A shimmering, mechanized keyboard intro gets completely obliterated by sharp, syncopated guitar chugs from Jesper Andreas Tilsted and Lars Christensen. Mike Semesky (who joined on vocals just before the long hiatus) and keyboardist Jeppe Christensen pick up their vocal dialogue as if barely a week had passed. Semesky’s throat-shredding bark and soaring clean hooks collide with Jeppe’s synth-pop sensibilities in a way that feels like an emotional debate rather than a canned studio duet.

That seamless chemistry carries straight into Stranded and Frameworker. One of the most satisfying elements across these ten tracks is the sequencing, songs bleed into each other, giving the forty-eight-minute runtime a propulsive, cinematic momentum. Morten "Molle" Toft Hansen’s drumming is massive and physical, driving tracks like Darkest Self forward with an irresistible groove that bridges European melodic death metal with 80s synth-wave hooks that are so huge they should probably be illegal.

When the band wants to bare their teeth, they do so with genuine, neck-snapping force. Designed Despair (the lead single that broke the radio silence earlier this year) drops colossal, stadium-sized choruses directly into mechanized industrial beatdowns that nod respectfully to Fear Factory and Strapping Young Lad. Later on, Revealing I lands like a proper artillery barrage, pairing double-kick blast bursts with some of the most soaring melodic counterweights on the record.

Down the back stretch, the seven-minute sprawl of Masquerade showcases their progressive depth, allowing moody, atmospheric verses to simmer before detonating into layered guitar leads. Meanwhile, Vanishing Act serves up razor-sharp triplet grooves before the uplifting, emotionally charged title track Prisoner brings the curtain down on a note of defiant optimism. Lyrically, the record wrestles with confinement, mental loops, isolation, aging, and surviving the chaos of the last decade, yet the overarching feeling isn't bleak despair; it's the thrill of breaking out of the cell.

Twelve years is an eternity in heavy music, but Prisoner proves that when a band has a truly distinct DNA, time simply works in their favour. It’s heavy, absurdly catchy, impeccably produced by Jacob Hansen, and delivered with the hunger of a band that still has everything to say. A cracking comeback. 8/10

Moonwraith – To The Woods (Apollon Records) [Keith Boswell]

The debut album, To The Woods, from the Norwegian heavy rock / stoner band Moonwraith is due for release on the 30th October 2026, available on the Apollon records label.

Interestingly, although this is a debut album for the band, they are not a new outfit, on the contrary they have earned their spurs through playing their music at the underground establishments of Oslo for the last two to three years, cutting their teeth in satisfying the ravenous metal fans of the capital.

Known for their chunky riffs and atmospheric vocals Moonwraith have created an album which would not be seen out of place in the 70’s with their obvious Zepplin and Hendrix influences. A great example of this is their first track Bring The Needle which oozes solid riffs and hooks with great lyrical delivery, just brings Robert Plant to mind stomping his flares and high heel boots on the stage in time to this gem.

This tempo and determination continue through the record in ups and downs. Lowering the pace through the bluesy Lilth and upping things via the impressive Oblivion and Fear and so on. Moonwraith keep the listeners interest at this point via a number of tempo changes illustrating the bands vocal versatility through Anna Jaeger.

Parasite, is the bands single from this album and it definitely rocks, in my opinion one of the meatier offerings and possibly the best. The album further delivers a number of songs that perhaps, are a little similar for my liking ending with the decent acoustic intro into the title track To The Woods.

A reasonable album for me, the songs in the first half were great I particularly liked the chunky riffs, unfortunately the second half was found to be lacking in a bit of punch. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: A Halloween Haunting - Black Lakes (Keith Boswell)

Black Lakes, Delour & Drown Theory, The Patriot, Cumlin, 30.10.26

On a dark and almost Hallows eve, tonight’s gig takes me to The Patriot to witness the delights of Drown Theory, Delour and headliners Black Lakes. Playing to an almost capacity crowd the music gets underway with the South Walians, Drown Theory, delivering their brand of exciting metalcore to a very receptive audience.

Interestingly the next band, a mixture of metalcore and melodic interludes, are also from South Wales. Delour was put together purely on line during the covid era and has thus more recently manifested into a physical format. Their set begins with the bone crushing Drown Out The Silence and receives a good response from this audience who are already starting to warm up for the main event. 

The set continues with the hard hitting Guarded and concludes with Suncrusher. The mixed vocal finery from the excellent Aaron Roberts coupled with the extensive groves and crunching riffs really propels this band into one to watch.

With the crowd suitably warmed up and the Black Lakes faithful now in place at the barrier the lights dim and the introductory film plays depicting images of band members and the band logo in prominent position throughout. 

The band members are suitably dressed for the Halloween occasion with rams’ head like masks, typical Black Lakes cloaks and a variety of Halloween themed makeup. Will Preston the lead singer takes the stage to complete this theatrical, atmospheric start to the show with a wolfs type mask and dressed / covered almost exclusively in all over black be it cloak or makeup. The crowd respond enthusiastically to this arrival and the sense of anticipation is palpable.

The band immediately launch into, Burn, their 2024 single from the Dead Gods album. Heavy guitars begin to thump the tune out as fans begin to nod their heads and sing along in appreciation. Preston starts to put his musical spell over the audience supported very amiably by the very dark eye makeup giving an if almost possessed by demonic forces.

White Cliffs follows immediately supported by the excellent Avarice to keep the room at simmering point. Not content with playing what are clearly fan favourites from their first two albums Black Lakes treat the swelling crowd with some new material including Wildfire with its heavy riffs and lightly delivered vocals went down a storm with this Crumlin crowd. 

With addition of further favourites Verity In Flames and the ground shaking Hurricane the time for the final song had sadly arrived. Dead Gods bring the set to a close on a high send the audience home very happy, I’m sure.

All in all, some great music was witnessed from all three bands tonight, unfortunately the sound quality on occasion was perhaps not quite what it should have been, nevertheless the bands all came away with having delivered three good sets. 7/10

Reviews: IGNEA, Beyond Extinction, Big Ass Truck I.E., Swervedriver (Matt Bladen & Spike)

IGNEA - Monumental (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]

Monumental is an album about nostalgia, the fourth album from this Ukrainian four piece runs through "the grandeur and ambition of Cold War space dreams to the melancholy of urban decay" so running though a lived history of their country, writing and recording during one of its most turbulent times.

The fact that's this is IGNEA's second album written during conflict particularly telling and shows considerable strength and commitment to their music on their part, as to conceive an album his difficult enough but to do it under a continuing illegal invasion and constant attacks from Russia during the icy temperatures and power outages in Kyiv is something else entirely.

No wonder then that the band have looked back on the past, vocalist and Helle Bohdanova and keyboardist Yevhenii Zhytniuk, crafting the lyrics and music for this album that is "an ode to the past", deeply entrenched in the retrofuturism of the Soviet era, how many of the new buildings built during that time spoke of progress but ultimately were made left to ruins and how they can adapted in the modern day into something more, if peace was in place.

These themes are driven by the hugely melodic metal tracks, the keyboard and vocals the the two most prominent elements as Yevhenii creates sweeping orchestrations, electronic bounces, industrial stomps and power/melodeath gallops with his keys while Helle switches between soaring cleans and gutteral screams.

It's an album that is blends grandiose artistry with technical brilliance, from the almost dreamlike Darkness, into the pulsing beats of Prefab which features Andy LaPlegua and the pulsating 80's synthwave of What Buildings Dream Of, there's a dynamic fusion to all the elements of this record.

With I Am In Hell a short instrumental that is inspired by commercials we slip into Between No Longer And Not Yet a track that has some Eastern influences and a progressive run time quickly deafened by Harmony Manufactured which is battering melodeath with Britta Görtz of HIRAES bringing harsh growls in conjunction to Helle's dreamlike delivery.

Monumental offers up another slice of the unique sound of IGNEA, they are a modern metal band brimming with electronic augmentations that sees them fit into several genre categories, thrilling, danceable and heavy as lead, the Ukrainian band are still focussed on creating music despite facing unthinkable barriers. 9/10

Beyond Extinction - Three Swords EP (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

16 minutes of intensity now with Three Swords the new EP from Essex deathcore mob Beyond Extinction.

The band who emerged almost fully formed a few years ago, having maturity in their songwriting, venom in their performance and that right balance of ominous atmospheres, disgusting downtuned grooves and vocals ripped from hell itself.

Their music makes good use of the start, stop style that features so heavily in the deathcore scene, the opening Witchfinder creeping with terrifying intimidation as it seeks it next victim, the first of four tracks here inspired by the horrors and plentiful history of their native county.

With marshland folklore and rituals, witch trials, the dangers of the natural landscape and the black plague all visited on this record, don't come into it expecting an easy ride as Beyond Extinction are here to bring the tales of the blood soaked east.

After Witchfinder starts the day comes the tribal bludgeoning of Skin Of The Beast, then it's the murky The Estuary, caked in mud, mystery and misery while the bludgeoning A Dark Sickness piles "bodies, on bodies, on bodies" with this final beat down.

Another lot of battery from Beyond Extinction, intelligent lyrical content over crushing groove and an undercurrent of ambient wickedness beneath the surface. 8/10

Big Ass Truck I.E. – Found On Road Dead (Nuclear Blast) [Spike]

Every now and then, a band shows up with a moniker so bluntly ridiculous that it demands an immediate double-take. Southern California’s Big Ass Truck I.E. (the initials repping their Inland Empire stomping grounds) aren't here to whisper high-minded philosophical treatises in your ear. 

They promised vehicular beatdown hardcore, and across five tracks clocking in at an exact, breathless ten minutes, their Nuclear Blast debut Found On Road Dead delivers precisely that: an unbroken, concrete-flattening collision of beatdown, metallic hardcore, and sheer unadulterated hostility.

The tone is set before the tires even bite the tarmac. The opening title track, Found On Road Dead, kicks off with an ominous line: "Hell is only a word, reality is much worse." From there, the floor drops out from underneath you. The riffs don't just hit; they feel like getting side-swiped on the motorway by an eighteen-wheeler hauling gravel. 

It spills immediately into lead single Dragging Meat, which, at just over three minutes, is practically the progressive centrepiece of an EP built entirely for violent room-clearing. The accompanying groove has that disgusting, low-tuned crunch that bridges 90s nu-metal bounce with ignorant, knuckle-dragging hardcore efficiency.

What makes this bite-sized release so deeply satisfying is the total lack of fat. When they tap the brakes on Big Ass Gun, it isn’t to let you catch your breath; it’s so they can downshift into an agonizingly heavy, half-time crawl that rattles right through your fillings. Drummer Andres Torres lays into his kit with terrifying malice, making every snare crack and bass-drum kick feel like a personal vendetta against human bone density.

By the time Forced Through Sludge grinds through its filthy low-end muck and the 54-second blast of 1 Trillion Pounds arrives to obliterate whatever structural integrity was left standing, you feel like you've been run over, reversed over, and left in the gutter.

There’s a refreshing, unpretentious honesty to bands who understand exactly what their sound is built to do and refuse to dress it up in polite airs. Found On Road Dead brings that feral, fun-as-hell aggression back to the forefront of modern hardcore without losing an ounce of genuine technical punch. 

With UK tour dates slated for 2027, you can bet I'll be keeping an eagle eye on the gig listings as experiencing this kind of vehicular violence in a packed venue is going to be an absolute bloodbath. A cracking debut. 9/10

Swervedriver – Raise Demos (Outer Battery Records) [Spike]

There is a massive difference between a lazy, barrel-scraping archival dump and a genuine time capsule that lets you watch history being forged in real time. 

Having just picked up the 35th anniversary edition of Raise which is an absolute belter of an album that sounds as vital, petrol-fuelled, and massive today as it did three and a half decades ago, sitting down with Raise Demos hits on an entirely different emotional frequency. 

It is the audio equivalent of watching the artist actually painting the canvas stroke by stroke in a freezing, paint-spattered workshop, rather than simply standing in polite reverence in front of the finished masterpiece hung up in a gallery. You get to witness the raw, unpolished spark of creation that most bands keep locked away behind closed studio doors.

The backstory alone reads like pure, unadulterated rock folklore. Transport yourself back to the autumn and winter of 1990/91: London in the affordable years. Huddled inside Playground Studios, a former car repair garage tucked away behind the imposing, Clockwork Orange-esque concrete monolith of Camden’s Maiden Lane estate, Swervedriver set up camp in a tiny converted storeroom. 

Surrounded by tangled cables, battered Converse High Tops, dimming fluorescent tubes, and roaring Marshall stacks, with the looming spectre of Gulf War One flickering on an office black-and-white portable TV, Adam Franklin, Jimmy Hartridge, and company plugged straight into a cassette-based Tascam Portastudio with the needles slammed firmly into the red.

That specific rehearsal-room geography bleeds through every single second of these ten tracks. From the opening squall of Sandblasted, the sheer immediacy grabs you by the throat. It isn't high-gloss studio perfection; you can hear the physical buzz of FX pedals, the warm hiss of overloaded magnetic tape, and the dry room ambience of four musicians sweating out ideas in real time. 

Yet, far from diminishing the songs, that primitive grit highlights just how formidable Swervedriver's songwriting chops were right out of the traps. Sandblasted and Sunset arrived in the world practically fully formed, already packing that ferocious blend of Detroit proto-punk muscle (the Stooges and MC5) and swirling British shoegaze texturing that always set the Oxford crew miles apart from their more passive, gaze-at-their-shoes peers.

What makes this collection so endlessly fascinating is tracing the architecture taking shape. On Flawed, Hands, and Pile Up, the riffs hit like tectonic plates shifting across concrete floorboards. When Melody Maker reviewed their Camden Underworld warm-up show around this time, they famously noted that the band "hew their melodies from the hills themselves," and that elemental power is on full display here. These aren't fragile, polite indie-rock sketches; they are great, roaring slabs of fuzz, volume, and momentum.

The second half of the recording offers pure gold for the dedicated heads. Lead Me Where You Dare and Sci Flyer showcase that effortless, swaggering sense of groove, while Feel So Real captures that breathless moment when a late-breaking composition suddenly locks into focus just weeks before official studio tracking begins. 

And while Rave Down bypassed the demo stage entirely, closing out with the alternate Raise-era take of Mustang IV (a sibling to the classic Son Of Mustang Ford) gives the release a poignant, reflective full stop, capped by an alternate, cleaner finish that fans have never heard before.

Raise Demos doesn't pretend to be an audiophile showpiece, nor should it be. It is a loud, dirty, and utterly authentic glimpse into the engine room of a classic debut album being brought to life through cold weather, cheap beer and boundless creative fire. 

If you already love Raise, hearing these building blocks is nothing short of a revelation. A brilliant, essential piece of rock history. 9/10

Reviews: The Temperance Movement, Bobbie Dazzle, Admiral Sir Cloudselley Shovell, Twin Temple (Matt Bladen)

The Temperance Movement - New Promise Land Incorporated (Earache Records)

I'll be honest, I didn't think this would ever happen. It seemed that after 2018's A Deeper Cut, all did not seem well in The Temperance Movement, they had fallen off the wagon if you will, and the hiatus they went in after that record just seemed to get longer and longer.

However in 2025, they returned, taking to the stage once again for a round of sold out shows including O2 Forum Kentish Town. Since then they've stormed festivals such as Steel house and beyond, the rebirth of The Temperance Movement now a fully realised as they easily slipped back into that well worn retro rock n roll groove they established back in the 2010's.

The Temperance Movement were one of the band that quickly transcended that NWOCR from the period, their rootsy, honest, blue collar R&B, appealing to a wider audience than just rockers, it's for anyone that grew up with The Stones and The Faces, to modern acts such as The Black Crowes, the band play music that has blues and soul at its core, Phil Campbell's rough and honeyed vocals, aching with emotion.

They were celebrated, loved and looked like they were going to take over the world and the cracks started to show and then enough was enough, but with a break comes a refocus, bygones are bygones and The Temperance Movement are now back with fourth album New Promise Land Incorporated.

From the shuffling Shadows, we're shaking with some Zep, the belly of the blues burns hit in Eat You Alive, Silverlight Blues, Always Been Love, set against these hip shaking rockers are moments of fragility and sentiment on Mongrels and Hometown Kings & Queens. Love Kicks bounces like Dr Feelgood, Saving Grace strips everything back to just to acoustics, electric piano and vocals beautifully.

A record to return to their roots, literally, recording it live in the studio with the their producer Ethan Johns, this is what it sounds like to be in the studio with The Temperance Movement, recorded live-to-tape, there's no place to hide, but the band thrive in the live arena and from the opening moments there's a synergy that is almost as if they've never been away.

Raw, rowdy, rough and ready, The Temperance Movement return to the business of rock n roll. 9/10

Bobbie Dazzle - Star Power (Rise Above Records)

Arriving from some long forgotten Star system where it's always the 1970's, Bobbie Dazzle arrived in 2024 with the answer to the question "What would an album from The Sweet and Jethro Tull sound like?" The answer was Fandabidozi, a catsuit clad, glam rock record from an alternate 1974.

Bobbie Dazzle, is the alter ego of Siân Greenaway, vocalist and flute player who has embraced her solo project in the same way as Bowie or Alice Cooper would, embodying it totally, in fact Bobbie opened for Alice on his most recent tour, Ozzy's passing on the first day hitting everyone hard but bringing the touring partners closer, mourning the loss of a West Country hero (Dazzle) and an iconic peer (Cooper).

It's this dedication to rock n roll that had her push through a diagnosis and extremely difficult fight with endometriosis that left her wheelchair bound but she embraced her disability and is now an advocate for it pushing through to deliver her exuberant stage performance that's been captured across her debut and this follow up.

While Fandabidozi was an introduction to Bobbie Dazzle, Star Power is a follow up that defines her, still featuring huge glam rockers inspired by Sweet, ELO, Alice Cooper and The Spiders From Mars, it's also got a bit more hard grit to it than album one and a wider range of sounds coming through such as moments of Queen and plenty of prog with Wonder putting Kansas together with Muse, while elsewhere there's Styx and Rush (Take To The Streets)

Written with keyboardist Chris Dando, who is integral to these songs with the keys/syths and harmony vocals which are just perfect on the choruses of tracks such as Planets Collide. The duo are joined by guitarist Ash Baker, bassist Leon Smith, while Lita Ford gives a killer solo to Feel It To and Snakes And Ladders features and was co-wroteen by Gareth McGrillen Of Pendulum..

However it's the powerhouse vocals, parps of flute, bold rock rhythmns and extremely contagious catchiness of this record that will bring you back for more, Bobbie Dazzle is about making happy music, music built for escapism, to take you away to another place when things get hard, knowing you will always have music.

An alter-ego for its creator and another world of retro goodies for its listeners, there's some serious Star Power here on Bobbie Dazzle album two. 8/10

Admiral Sir Cloudselley Shovell - The Trouble With The Shovell (Rise Above Records)

The Admiral is gonna get dirty again on what is their fifth album and The Trouble With The Shovell is that if you come here expecting a modern take on retro rock then, I'm afraid you're all out of luck but if bell bottoms, sideburns and some audio filth are your thing then welcome to the booze-soaked world of Admiral Sir Cloudselley Shovell.

Have been slinging dirt since 2008, it's been seven years since their last record, Uncertain Times, the band going through a lot of personals stuff and junk but the calling is always there and they return with new drummer Glenn Stebbings joining vocalist/guitarist Johnny Gorilla and bassist Louis Comfort-Wiggett as the newest incarnation of these pub rock rebels.

Self described as "spunk rock" The Shovell always hit on that amalgamation of 70's and early 80's rock, as the influences come from Status Quo, Budgie, Man, The Groundhogs and any band that didn't care for being cool or hip. They and Shovell are content just jamming to blues based psych rock, that has the distortion pedal cranked up for maximum volume, fit for a brawl at your local after too many pints of brown ale.

It's not big or clever, The Admiral aren't in it for fame or fortune (though that would be nice right?) they want to play, on stage, in the studio, your local, your nans house, anywhere they can rattle the walls, drink a shed load and grab a kebab afterwards, and to be honest that's there biggest appeal. The Trouble With The Shovell is that their hairy, grease rockers that want to have a good time and play music and their ain't nothing wrong with that! 8/10

Twin Temple - Doomed Lovers (Pentagrammaton Records)

You have to think how much life you're going to get out of 'Satanic Doo-Wop', it feels as if this ode to old Hollywood glamour, the occult and 50's rock n roll, wouldn't last past being curio for a few years, but it seems Alexandra and Zachary James are dedicated to riding this hearse until the wheels fall off.

Both openly identify as Satanists so they they add some street cred to their celebration of the dark lord, which is often lacking in other bands that praise Lucifer and all his works but for Twin Temple they never go outright and shout about it, it's all about smile and mirrors alluding too it through innuendo and their campy, vampy stage personas.

It's odd then why there would be an uproar from country musician Charley Crockett, who through them off his tour as their image didn't quite fit with his conservative Christian following but hey, all publicity is good publicity right? Anyway it seems at least one of country musics most recognised names is on board, because Shooter Jennings produced this sophomore record, on analogue equipment at his Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, the guitar, drums and vocals given grandeur by the 37-piece orchestra.

With the orchestra in place, the songs on Doomed Lovers sounds like a soundtrack to a film driven by occult lust, undying love, spectral obsession and ultimately the devotion of the central couple to each other. Be it doo-wop, country, big band or any other pre-The Beatles popular music, Twin Temple serve up another retro treat that isn't revolutionary but doesn't feel like an end just yet. 7/10

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

BRAT, DOSED & BLUNT IMPACT, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, 28.10.26

Tonight, I head into the Welsh capital to catch BRAT on the opening night of their UK tour, with support from DOSED and BLUNT IMPACT. Three bands, one venue and plenty of opportunities for some serious pit action. Let's get inside Clwb Ifor Bach and see what unfolds.

First up tonight are BLUNT IMPACT (7). The Surrey-based band have travelled to Cardiff to open proceedings, and what a way to kick things off. The sheer force and ferocity they bring to the stage from the opening notes is impressive. It's a glorious surge of half-time breakdowns and full-on, classic hardcore riffs that make you want to groove your way around the almost-full downstairs venue.

With just two singles released so far, Bonded By Hate and Lower, the band are already making their presence felt. The latter is a snarling, gritty, slower-paced hardcore assault that gets our first taste of anarchy brewing in the pit.

The memes are flowing freely onstage, too, with the band making excellent use of popular social media soundbites. They're guaranteed to put a smile on your face just moments before you're launching yourself into the front pit. It's a great bit of entertainment that adds another dimension to their already entertaining performance.

A confident, thoroughly solid set and a cracking way to open tonight's proceedings.

After fifteen minutes outside, allowing the steam to dissipate from our bodies and grabbing some much-needed fresh air, we're back in the thick of things with Welsh hardcore outfit DOSED (8).

Having recently caught the band supporting Soulfly and Nailbomb in Birmingham, I was genuinely looking forward to seeing them again on a smaller stage, giving me the opportunity to experience both sides of their live performance.

The biggest compliment I could pay them last time was that they looked absolutely at home sharing a much bigger stage with some genuine legends of metal. So there was little doubt in my mind that tonight would deliver another strong performance.

It's one thing commanding a crowd in a large venue, but what about those smaller, grittier rooms, where you need to get the audience closer to the action and engage with them on a much more personal level?

That's exactly what we get tonight.

Vocalist Fozzy leads by example, getting out into the crowd and helping kick-start the pits as the band's wall of sound tears through the room. At one point, he even gets himself tangled around the solitary support pole as the band's assault triggers our first circle pit of the evening during Fucked With A Pickaxe, taken from their EP No Signal, released earlier this year.

Unfortunately, the band are a member down tonight due to illness, but that does absolutely nothing to dampen the sound or energy filling the room. They power through regardless, delivering another thoroughly impressive performance.

Another great set from a hardcore band that will happily smash you to pieces and leave you wanting more. Get out there and catch them live – it's a damn fine hour of hardcore fun!

More breathing space and fresh air before tonight's headliners. Hailing all the way from the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans, USA, it's time for the decidedly un-jazzy BRAT (8).

Grindcore, deathgrind or their own self-proclaimed Barbiegrind – whatever particular flavour of extreme music you're after, the insane beats and riffs coming from the stage tonight are utterly intoxicating.

From the very first song, BRAT unleash a relentless assault. Dustin Eagan is an absolute magician with the sticks, effortlessly navigating a barrage of evil blast beats while keeping the bounce going whenever the music demands it. His drumming is a huge part of what makes the band's sound so infectious.

The band have recently released their latest album, Manslayer, so the majority of tonight's set draws from that record, although we also get a few tracks from their debut full-length, 2024's Social Grace.

Having spent the last week or so listening to the new album, it's great to finally hear some of these tracks brought to life onstage, including the title track, Manslayer. The crowd clearly agrees, as from song one they're two-stepping and circle-pitting with enough energy to keep the Welsh capital bouncing for a week.

Vocalist Liz Selfish commands the stage, unleashing some seriously impressive, guttural growls of pure evil filth. Meanwhile, guitarist Brenner Moate delivers brutal picking and soul-clutching breakdown riffs, while bassist Ian Hennessey is little more than a hardcore blur of movement and mosh throughout.

It's a great start to the UK tour, if you ask me. Perhaps not the biggest crowd the band could have hoped for, but those who made it down were treated to a full-on blast of heavy musical mayhem. Plenty of circle pits, loads of great music and an opportunity to let loose – exactly what a night like this should be about.

It was a genuine pleasure to catch BRAT on the opening night of their UK tour, and hopefully this is just the beginning of a successful run across the country.

A damn fine night in Cardiff! All three bands brought their best, and the crowd loved every second of it – myself included. Three very different takes on heavy music, but one common denominator: an absolute commitment to delivering the goods live. Plenty of riffs, plenty of aggression, plenty of pit action and, most importantly, plenty of fun.

What more could you ask for?

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

The Quireboys,The Karma Effect & The Soho Dukes, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, 16.10.26

Tonight at KK’s Steel Mill, doors opened at 7:00 O'clock and a queue already buzzing with anticipation everyone came ready to party! Spike and the gang returned to town with a powerhouse supporting lineup featuring The Soho Dukes and The Karma Effect.

Opening the night were those cheeky London Town bovver boys, The Soho Dukes (8) currently one of Spike's favourite bands. They kicked things off with swagger, high energy, and plenty of raw rock 'n' roll attitude to get the room warmed up.

Hot prospects The Karma Effect (9) took the stage next, raising the temperature even further. With their soulful, hard-hitting classic rock sound and undeniable stage presence, they proved exactly why they are one of the most talked-about rising bands on the scene right now.

When The Quireboys (10) took to the stage, it instantly turned into a full-blown party. The current lineup features, Luke Morley (guitar), Neil Mogg (bass), Willie Dowling (keys), Harry James (drums) and of course Spike himself up front.

This is quite possibly the best and tightest line-up the band has ever put together. The musical prowess on display was incredible, but what really shone through was the camaraderie—the constant banter and genuine grins made it clear they were having absolute fun up there.

The band ripped through a hit-packed setlist. From the bluesy swagger of Misled and Whippin' Boy to the powerhouse singalongs during classics like Hey You and 7 O'Clock, the crowd lapped it up and sang along to everything. The emotional delivery of I Don't Love You Anymore provided a towering moment before bringing the house down.

It was classic Quireboys at their absolute finest—unapologetic, high-octane rock 'n' roll delivered with massive smiles and top-tier musicianship. Spike is one of our last rock ‘n’ roll hedonists, and long may it continue!

Reviews: Korrupt, Absolute Power, Sarcrator, Helter Skelter (Spike, Keith Boswell, Mateusz Stefanow & Joe Guatieri)

Korrupt – The Weight We Carry (Holler Records) [Spike]

There’s a very particular brand of Scandinavian metallic music that manages to sound utterly freezing while burning with raw, feverish punk fury. Norway’s Korrupt have been sharpening that exact blade for years. When their second record Secret Sorrows landed back in 2023, it made waves by anchoring black-rock swagger to a venomous hardcore backbone. 

On their third full-length outing, The Weight We Carry, the Kristiansand crew have chosen not to settle into a comfortable groove. Instead, they’ve turned the thermostat down to sub-zero, stripped away any lingering polite gloss, and delivered nine tracks of ferocious, blackened hardcore and razor-sharp thrash that hits with genuine, teeth-grinding malice.

Right from the opening salvos of Narrative Warfare, the intent is unmistakable. There’s no ambient wind-up or cinematic throat-clearing; Marius Jahnsen and company dive straight into icy, fast-picked tremolos that crash headlong into stomping, pit-clearing hardcore grooves. What immediately elevates this beyond standard crust-punk fare is the sheer calibre of the hooks. Even when the tempo redlines and the dual vocal attack sounds like throats being stripped of their lining, Korrupt never lose sight of a formidable guitar lead.

That dynamic balance pays huge dividends as the album rolls into Waiting For The Sun and Being, Paranoid. On the latter, the tempo pulls back into a muscular, swaggering rock cadence without sacrificing an ounce of physical menace. The twin vocal arrangements overlap and collide with breathless urgency, keeping the venom boiling beneath melodic riffs that feel tailor-made to be screamed back by a room packed tight against a stage barrier.

The centrepiece run is arguably the most punishing stretch the band has ever put to tape. Single Devoted To The Grave is an absolute ripper, blending high-octane black-and-roll guitar licks with a bone-crunching hardcore breakdown that begs for bodies to be hurled across a floor. From there, Deathwish hits like an unhinged sprint before Totalitarian lands a haymaker to the jaw. 

Lyrically, the album takes the traditional religious lexicon of sin, guilt, penance, and salvation and weaponizes it against systemic control, institutional oppression, and personal burnout. When gang chants and melodic clean-vocal flourishes surface unexpectedly on "Totalitarian," they don't soften the blow; they add stark, tragic contrast to the surrounding savagery.

Down the stretch, Eternal Rest opens with murky, death-metal-tinged weight before snapping into their trademark feral thrash, setting up the climactic closer I Am The Soil. Ending the journey where much of its lyrical trauma lives, buried deep, but refusing to stay down, it claws its way through layers of grim distortion and driving rhythm toward an exhausted, hard-won catharsis.

The Weight We Carry is lean, nasty, and relentlessly focused. By fusing the atmospheric frost of Norwegian black metal with the unpretentious, room-clearing punch of metallic hardcore, Korrupt have delivered their most confident, punishing, and memorable statement to date. A blistering, essential listen. 9/10

Absolute Power – Needs Must When the Devil Drives (Time to Kill Records) [Keith Boswell]

The band Absolute Power takes the form of a side project where invitees come and go but with the nucleus being ever present. Formed in 2006 in England by founder members Simon Efemey and Shane Embury the group created their first album self-titled Absolute Power providing a classical heavy metal brand of music.

2026 sees the release of their sophomore album Needs Must When The Devil Drives on the 30th of October 2026. This release comes some fifteen years since their last offering citing the need to wanting to get it right plus the availability of key personnel as the reasons behind the time span between albums.

This record delivers a brilliant brand of classic heavy metal as a base but also hints at a psychedelic element and also riffs of a thrashy type making the album all in all a good listen. Contributors in this instance are cited as Tim Ripper Owens ex Judas Priest, Mark Gemini Thwaite of The Mission fame and John Cooke of Napalm Death.

Stand out tracks for me on this album include the high intensity Saviour as well as the atmospheric track Within. Of course, the Queen cover of Sheer Heart Attack will always bring the fans in.

Whilst being a quality piece of work I think it does not take itself too seriously and lets the listener just sit back and enjoy. 8/10

Sarcator - The Ones We Follow (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Mateusz Stefanow]

In the late 70’s to early 80s metal experienced an exodus from the groovy, riff-laden tones of Black Sabbath to the crushing weight of death metal, via speed and thrash metal, and Sarcator’s new release, The Ones We Follow, would fit in there perfectly, not quite the simple heavy metal they advertise themselves as being, as it is chock-full of speed and aggression, with heavily melodic sections and almost growl-like vocals giving the album a proto-thrash vibe.

The title track and Underground Streets share clean guitar tones, with chugging riffs and speedy guitar progressions pull the songs along, while the vocals are almost growled, giving the album that common ground between almost heavy and almost thrash.

You Gotta Possess Me features shriekier vocals, building up an almost demonic vibe, which pairs with the cries that Tervonen lets loose, while bringing in speed metal influences that amount to a clean melodic section that establishes the melancholic vibe that permeates the next two songs.

Aside from sounding like a Proust title, In Search Of Oblivion is a relatively slow track, focusing on melodic progressions, restrained or at least less prominent drumming and sections of whispered vocals, give the song a sense of loss, fading and weakening, without losing the metallic intensity.

Rotting Chapels is about 7 minutes long and does not overstay it’s welcome, it keeps up the melancholic atmosphere and features a wind whistling soundbite, pairing beautifully with the drawn out vocals and guitar solo around the midpoint that add to the feeling of abandonment.

This album is simply outstanding, it feels familiar yet fresh and new, featuring unique parallels to other acts that have come before, but these parallels seem to be taken as inspirations that Sarcator have adapted and shaped into their own unique soundscape. 9/10

Helter Skelter - Luciferous Satanous Doomicus! (Ruidoteka Records) [Joe Guatieri]

Helter Skelter are a Doom Metal band from Los Angeles, California. 

They seemingly haven’t been around for too long, from research despite them playing shows, information about them online is very sparse but from what I can tell, they formed sometime in 2023. They put out one single from this EP in August of last year, that being Burn The Witch and they have congregated in the studio since then as over a year later in 2026, Helter Skelter bring us their debut EP, Luciferous Satanous Doomicus.

We sink into this release with track two, Black Acid. The world buzzes with feedback as the sample states, “I don’t like your face, it makes me want to do things to it” and from that moment onwards, death rings at your door. A raw chaotic sound digs itself up out of its own Grace and stumbles away with fuzzy guitars, dominating bass and drums that sound like they were recorded in a small cellar through a tin can.

The bass very much feels like the lead instrument here, taking the reigns, being the loudest of all, at the same time, what might ad well be a million miles away, you hear the vocalist yelling with all of his might and anguish. It’s a scary resemblance to Jus Oborn but I really like the way the singer is going about it, constantly whaling.

Solos peak out from the fog, Wah infused, they feel like some form of hope in this cruel world. Black Acid stays wallowing in this swamp throughout its runtime, it doesn’t introduce anything to keep me guessing but I am loving the ride.

With the following track we go into the aforementioned Burn The Witch, it remains unchanged from its original release and it’s good for it as it’s crushing in every way possible.

Dare I say it’s the most filthy and distorted song on this entire EP but saying that, the bass has a marvellous technical performance here, ghost notes aplenty, this song just locks in together so well. Burn The Witch is my favourite song on Luciferous Satanous Doomicus.

Later on we’ve got track five with Sons Of Set. This song is as evil as the others are but feels more wallowing here, it’s at the point of defeat with its slower, more crawling pace.

One of the best moments on the entire record happens here as from 4:55 onwards, Sons Of Set suddenly flows like a stream with the speed of the song drastically rising like the level of the sea that plans to destroy a small village.

This from all-accounts shouldn’t work as it is a major departure from the established rhythm but the way that Helter Skelter proceeds with it shows that their not afraid of taking risks.

There is a juxtaposition with this though and it continues throughout the full-listen as this remains my biggest critique with the record. At times especially with Sons Of Set in particular, the band pulls too much from the Electric Wizard handbook. Similar lyrical phrases to those used on legendary records like Come My Fanatics and Dopethrone happen again and again.

It just takes away the originality from Helter Skelter, they need to develop their own lore here and their first release is the perfect way to do that. Even if their sound does take heavy influence from the wizard as well, it has enough grit to stand on its own two feet.

It’s the danger of Doom Metal, you don’t want to emulate anything too much regardless of how cool and dark it is. Nothing that the band is doing here with its theming is egregious and it doesn’t make my skin crawl, it’s just a little bit annoying.

Helter Skelter haven’t reinvented the wheel here but I think that for their first go around, they’ve done a damn good job! The songs here leak despair in their attack and the production is a perfect fit for what they’re trying to do, everything feels closed in on itself, in a prison of its own design, it’s so anxiety-inducing.

I have to mention the names of their members here as they’ve all done a brilliant job with Angel Villa on guitar and vocals, their other guitarist Ariel Pang, bassist David Munoz and Frankie Cardenas on drums and keyboards.

Overall with Luciferous Satanous Doomicus, Helter Skelter has made an EP that is as brilliant as it is angry, the only colours its vision are black and white, the rest has been beaten out of it. It perfectly portrays that man around the corner in the alleyway. Don't talk to him or look him in the eye as it can only lead to trouble. 8/10

Reviews: Enslaved, The Berzerker, Somnent, Sea Bastard (Paul Hutchings & Mark Young)

Enslaved - Mið (Nuclear Blast) [Paul Hutchings]

"On Mið (English: “mith”), the Old Norse word for ‘the centre’, ‘the middle’, we are reaching for the centre of ourselves, a journey in all directions”. So reflects the Norwegian powerhouse Black Metal Machine Enslaved, as they prepare to release their 17th album.

As with their most recent releases, including the excellent Heimdal from 2023, the band’s sound continues to evolve in organic style. There is plenty of harshness, with Grutle Kjellson’s vicious gruff roars and yelps a foil to the stylish cleans of Håkon Vinje and Iver Sandøy. Blast beats switch with slower paced tempos; majestic epics intertwined with the thrust of more immediate songs.

Consistency is the watchword here. The blistering progressive exploration of closing song I Miðju the classic example of a band locked in and focused on harmony in their sound. It’s a sprawling giant, complete with atmospheric outro that hangs in the air like mist in the morning.

As an album, Mið doesn’t overstay its welcome. At 43-minutes its compact, especially with eight tracks that include the one-minute intro of Non-Being. Things soon heat up with the explosive I Am Ice which features Sami teacher and musician Johan Sara Jr. 

There’s another important guest, Kevin Kicking Woman, an esteemed Native American educator from the Blackfeet Nation whose contribution provides more texture and layers to an already highly crafted record. His part, on Spirit Helper sees Enslaved expand their natural concepts of the earth and land and captures the band’s determination to make their own rules and sounds. There is plenty of new approaches here once again.

Unafraid to mix keys and synths with their crushing riffs, Enslaved has once again created a superb record that will delight their hardcore and potentially pull in many more. As a final suggestion, dive deep into the eight-minute plus The Parting. It’s a gloriously epic soundscape that draws on native sound and vibes to create something totally unique and in the Enslaved market. 

Another fine release from a band who don’t do anything but excellent. 9/10

The Berzerker - The Reawakening (Apocalyptic Witchcraft) [Paul Hutchings]

If there was one band responsible for pulling the 2026 edition of Damnation Festival towards a sellout, it was the unholy carnage of a resurrected The Bezerker. 2026’s line-up features creator Luke Kenny, alongside Sam Bean, Matt Wilcox and Todd Hansen.

It’s no coincidence that alongside the return of this extreme Australian outfit, the band’s fifth and final album The Reawakening is being reissued via the Apocalyptic Witchcraft label. There are few better combinations with Conor Droney, the man behind the label commenting, “Discovering The Berzerker on a compilation at 15 was a life-changing moment that set me on the path I’m on today. It is only right that The Berzerker would end up working with Apocalyptic Witchcraft. The kings of extreme metal have returned.”

To the uninitiated, this is hell of an entry point. A chaotic explosion of carnage via brutal death metal and industrial programming, it’s like being slugged repeatedly by The Terminator. It doesn’t mess around. Ten tracks in just over 35-minutes is economical, yet here it’s the intensity of the delivery that sucks the breath out of the lungs. Few albums make you gasp for air in the way that this release does.

The programming is aggressive, nasty, powerfully guttural. Thunderous drumming accompanies savage riffs and the snarling, visceral and slightly unnerving vocal delivery. Take the plunge via opener Wisdom And Corruption and brace for impact. It hits hard. Very hard and doesn’t let up. 

Songs with titles like central track Evolution Of Aggression aren’t going to deliver introspective philosophy. Instead, try having your face sand blasted. You’ll probably have a similar experience. Your Final Seconds provides a filthy techno diversion before diving in a swell of carnage that will snap limbs. This is music that destroys.

If you can reach the final bludgeoning of An Unforgotten Force, you’ve demonstrated some staying power. The ultimate Apex predator has returned. If you are Damnation, be afraid, for this will be something special. And frightening. Industrial savagery is back on the menu. 8/10

Somnent - Heirloom (Ardua Records) [Mark Young]

The majority of reviews I do are based on an initial listen while driving. I suspect I’m no different from anyone else in that I consume a lot of new music while commuting. Normally, the car provides a decent barometer of how an album is going to land. Did you skip a track? Could you listen to it all the way through? Did it last the journey?

Sometimes, though, that works against you. An album previously dismissed because it didn’t work can take on a new dimension once you’re able to sit down and simply digest it. That is Heirloom all over.

It is a piece of work that skirts around melodic doom and death metal, but what is definite is the gigantic melancholic pall that dominates every minute. Every chord, drum strike and vocalisation, clean or harsh, has it seeping from every pore. Now, just because I’ve finally understood how to approach this, it doesn’t mean I love it.

By their own admission, the experiences that provided the album’s emotional backbone saw them return to childhood and back again, mining every difficult moment to give it the weight it needed. There are moments of sheer beauty here, an aching and mournful beauty that fights to keep its head above water.

They make no bones about this being a difficult journey, and to classify it as simply another mixture of clean and harsh vocals with black-metal stylings would be wrong. Listen to it in one sitting, without distractions, and it becomes a moving experience, one that brings you in to share their grief while looking towards the possibility of hope and moving forward.

It’s one of those albums where simply dissecting each song in terms of riffs, heavy guitars or blast beats would not do the music justice. The songs have to be heard as a whole because that is how Heirloom has been built.

From the delicate A Voice Of Inner Child, with its cold piano and the almost-whispered vocals of Natalie Drepina, Heirloom seeks to bring you along for the ride. Each song provides another part of the backdrop to this painful journey until we check out with The Feeding Hand, a closing powerhouse that neatly wraps everything in black cloth.

Throughout, Giovanni Antonio barely puts a foot wrong, delivering a measured and controlled vocal performance at every turn. The lead break on the closing track does exactly what it needs to do, recognising its place rather than reaching for the big show. Don’t come here unless you’re prepared to give this album the respect it deserves.

It has taken them four years to get this on tape, a monumental effort to channel whatever experiences have shaped them in this way. In its own fashion, Heirloom becomes an uplifting experience once it finishes, but it takes a toll getting there. That never-ending shroud doesn’t move. The sun barely shines, yet within the darkness is a collection of songs that, taken as a whole, makes this one of the best releases of the year.

I can say that while acknowledging it is not really for me. That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate beauty when I hear it. 9/10

Sea Bastard - Cyclopean (Road To Masochist) [Mark Young]

This is a tough album to get through. I think that Sea Bastard and their latest opus Cyclopean will take the award for most punishing release of 2026. To give this a manner of context, hands up who remembers the endurance races in Grand Turismo? You couldn’t pause, save halfway through or anything like that. 

Once you pressed start, that was it. For me, this is a lot like that, an album that exacts a heavy toll on the listener in being able to sit and take this on in one go. It is apt that the label is Road To Masochist, I mean you can’t make that up. 

Cyclopean is the Brighton mobs first new album since 2017 and is the very definition of a long-form experience. 4 songs, one hour and 15 minutes of dissonant, sprawling, lugubrious doom of the filthiest order. I don’t want to insult your intelligence (or theirs) by trying talk round each song, there is zero point in me doing that.

If you imagine that there are bands who say they are heavy, and those that are just heavy and can just do it without breaking a sweat. This isn’t just guitars tuned low, it is the way that the songs are built, the way that they have been constructed to satisfy their expectations and wants, not yours or mine.

I’ll be honest, Sea Bastard push beyond what I’m normally able to tolerate within a genre that has thrown me some real treats. Those bands by comparison feel lightweight, and that Sea Bastard have decided to return to show that maybe doom was losing its way. 

Of course this is just supposition on my part, I’ve no evidence or fact to back that statement up and its not like I’m going to do a straw poll on it. Its an honest reaction to a set of songs that are brutal, harsh and as pummelling as any death metal. I can’t even give you the highlight or best song, its just redundant for me to even try to say. 

What you will take from this is dependent on the threshold you have; To say that if you like doom then you will love this is probably not the right thing to say. I won’t sit here and tell you l loved it, that it was riff packed or any of that old pony. It doesn’t feel right to say that it feels twee and a disservice to what they have dropped here because this is massive, I mean properly massive.

If I go back to my opening words, It was an attempt at trying to level a useful comparison with how something that is supposed to be fun can also be genuinely painful. I could have said who remembers the Banyan Tree in Jet Set Willy as being something painful but that would be showing my age. 

They have made an album that ticks all of your heavy boxes and gives you all the treats you want but you are going to work for it. 7/10

Review: Pantheist - Uncanny Times (Matt Bladen)

Pantheïst - Uncanny Times (Argonauta Records)



Formed in 2000 by vocalist/keyboardist Kostas Panagiotou, Pantheïst are a doom metal band that very much lean toward the funeral side of the doomed spectrum.

Over the last 26 years they have been in existence with Kostas at the helm, they have released six previous studio albums, and three EPs, all featuring members who have gone on to or have featured in other doom metal bands. In the time since their inception they have become underground legends and one of the pillars in the funeral doom sphere.

Across those 20 years they have transcended through several countries, several cities and more than several members however in recent years, i.e post pandemic they have become probably the most active version of the band especially live and with the addition of Linda Dumitru on co-vocals, they have played all across the UK and Europe reclaiming their title as one of the premier funeral Doom acts.

As for the recorded side of what they do they recent times they have released an EP, Kings Must Die, that featured the 14 minute title track plus their live show from Organic Doom Vol 1 at Huddersfield Cathedral which featured David Pipe on the Church Organ and gained mainstream press.

This was the first recorded version of this new version of band and it has in my opinion revolutionized the Pantheïst sound with the divine soprano vocals and let me be honest more than just that if you've seen them live, of Linda, juxtaposed with the harsh demonic growls and screams of Kostas making for vocal dynamite.

Alongside the band of Fanel Lefterache (drums), Atanas Kyurkchiev (guitar) and Matt Strangis bass, they have breathed a freshness into these funeral doom epics even going as far as re-recording and reinterpreting versions of their songs, that many would have heard time and time again, to sound completely different.

This was shown on the 25 Years Of Pantheïsm collection from last year which was a celebratory compilation that featured demos, covers, b-sides and new versions, in conjunction with a Quarter Of A Century as a band.

With this EP and Compilation setting the tone it was only a matter of time before Pantheïst recorded the follow up to 2021's Closer To God, their first full length as this most recent line up. Having heard a few of these tracks live already and heard how they have developed, I was eager to hear the definitive recorded versions so as soon as this record dropped into my inbox it was in my ears.

Featuring six tracks in total Uncanny Times is anchored by two songs that you will have heard of you have seen them live in the last year, starting the record is the melancholic, existentialism of The Final Journey. 

Inspired by a philosophical conversation between Kostas and his friend Ricardo in Panama, it's a track that has been gestating for 15 years. The music was written but due to the nature of the song, it was felt vocally it needed to be just right in order to properly recorded.

Written similarly to a classic music score in movements, it was only when Linda joined the band that Kostas felt ready to record it, her classical soprano lending the song a pathos and emotional depth that it so truly deserves.

It's an epic, that welcomes you to these Uncanny Times with a haunting leap into the profound and a discourse in what awaits us on the other side.

Starting with a singular twinkling piano and clean guitar line, the the introduction feels important and sets the perfect tone to let this for this slow building that all about patience, as all good doom is, as soon as the rest of the band join in, we're on familiar territory with a repeating riff coming from Atanas and Matt.

Downtuned and deliberate in it's pacing, against the expressive and measured drumming of Fanel, it's a Funeral march towards the infinite abyss, touching themes that have always been a huge factor in the lyrics of Pantheïst, the huge organ stabs leading to the first soaring moments of Linda's soprano.

After this intro its full doom ahead as organs, riffs and searing guitar leads shift the pace, with Linda shifting into the lower register before really letting loose at around 8 minutes in, like a thunderous, forgotten hymn emerging from long lost church to doom, as the heavy and demonic side explodes, the growls emerge towards the end of this incredible opener.

The other track that anchors this record is Ithaca Out Of Sight, a sound of a cello begins this second epic, like the mighty thrum of Odysseus' bow when strung by it's master, it's a song that tells the story of Odysseus, give all seen the film but this one is more about the book itself with the cello fading, a rosey-fingered dawn brings the first blast of heaviness.

Which subsides back into just those soprano vocals and organs again, the combination of the ambience and heaviness joined together by a guitar solo, played by Jeremy Lewis of Mesmur who performed on Closer To God. In the main body of the song the histrionics of this historical epic are at their most potent, collapsing into an ethreal break where Linda plays acoustic/classical guitar, adding more musical skill to Uncanny Times.

In the final part we're back into snarling blackened doom, tremolo picking, blast beat drumming and intensity, the horrors taking control once and for all on the eventual end with Ithaca so far away but the story far from over.

Laughing Falcon is faster, at the beginning, as it goes into death doom, Fanel hitting double kick blasts before the whole track evolves into some massive traditional doom metal, with a big bass section from Matt in the middle of the song with atmospheric keys all around.

Laughing Falcon is perhaps the most straightforward track and also the meanest, on the record but it does showcase that Pantheïst don't have to do move at glacial pace to be effective, they can bring something a bit more agile to bear.

Kuebiko, a Japanese deity of knowledge that takes the form of an immobile scarecrow, comes next slowing again, hooked on huge church organ and the duet between the vocalist again that light and shade so important on this creeping, crushing slab of gothic doom metal.

Sitting in the middle of this album both of these are new to me but have a mixture of the Pantheïst of old and with a dash of newer flavours coming in from the new members, this is also obvious on the instrumental Entropy where traditional instrumentation, percussion and great guitar work is used in a rhythmic dispursal of energy.

A single piano opens the closing Requiem For Your World, the final movement, 15+ minutes of it vocals and piano, the classical start as the gothic grandeur, enthrals you in it's massiveness. It's another track built for organ and soprano vocals, behind which is the trampling riffage.

At the nine minute mark, the psychedelic effects give way to the immense middle section before the crescendo at the end gives closure to the thunderous ending.

Uncanny Times defines this current era of Pantheïst, honed on stage, they expand the funeral doom template with this record, the influences from all the members infiltrating Kostas' core musical template, this is doom for classical music fans, sweeping and majestic.

You won't find a more fervenlty expressive, colossally mournful and brillaint doom record this year. 10/10

Photo by: Konstantina Frasia Photography Cardiff