Reviews: Robben Ford, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Timeless Rage, Growth (Matt Bladen)

Robben Ford - Two Shades Of Blue (Provogue Records)

Down into the blues now with Robben Ford, the 74 year old veteran bluesman still delivering the goods on what I think is is thirteenth solo album, who who knows as he's been a sideman for some of the best, in multiple bands peeling off those sophisticated guitar licks with ease.

From playing with Jazzman Jimmy Witherspoon, folks songstress Joni Mitchell, the mighty Bonnie Raitt, the man himself Miles Davis and even a damn Beatle in George Harrison. He's five time Grammy nominated, constantly in flux, constantly hungry for something new and here he comes again with an eclectic new record.

Never wanting to repeat anything before, Two Shades Of Blue is an that spans the traditional funky blues on Make My Own Weather, some brass fuelled slickness on Black Night, while The Light Fandango and The Fire Flute, show off his six string skills, while a ballad like the title track is a tribute to his songwriting.

Ford's move to London giving him the idea to make an album that's a tribute to the legendary player Jeff Beck and it seems that Ford is very much channelling Beck on The Fire Flute especially, though there's also a cover of Jealous Guy from another UK music icon John Lennon.

With about half of the record being instrumental you get a glimpse of Ford's vocals but mostly it his guitar skills and the virtuosity of his band Ianto Thomas on drums, Jonny Henderson on keys, Robin Mullarkey on bass and a brass section of Paul Booth (saxophone), Ryan Quigley (trumpet) and Trevor Mires (trombone).

On their instrumentals there's guests in the shape of Rollling Stones bassist, Darryl Jones, keyboardist Larry Goldings and drummer Gary Husband, these collection of players bolstering just how good this record is, and how diverse and talented the pool of London UK musicians is.

After a 67 year career you may think an artist like Robben Ford may rest on his laurels, but with Two Shades Of Blue he's inspired by a whole country and a legendary artist to bring some of his best work. 9/10

Anneke Van Giersbergen - La Mort (Self Released)

The second part of Anneke Van Giersbergen's trilogy of EP's La Mort, which translates to 'the death' is another beautifully, introspective offering which follows the overall concept of love, loss, and grief.

The EP's are inspired by the passing of her parents within two months of each other, so these like the ones on La Vie some of her most personal songs and while not every song is about death, the atmospheric closing number Sail Towards The Sun, is about a boat her father built and how those journeys still hold a strong memory as part of the life of her father after his passing.

It's a beautiful closing piece but not a solitary one as Van Giersbergen's vocals are some of the most wonderful in the rock spectrum, they carry weight and fragility behind them, very like Dolores O'Riordan in terms of delivery and power, she's adaptable to any sort of genre, as anyone who has followed her career will know.

On La Mort you get a mixture of styles with Anneke and her large live band, which features strings and horns, playing everything very well indeed. Be it the reverb drenched guitars of Fade In Fade Out, the throbbing 808 drumbeat of Blondie-like Handle Me With Care, the punky, funky, groove of Red Sky.

With The Gathering reunion dates on the way, the third part maybe a bit more of a wait but with La Mort and La Vie before it, there's enough beauty and brilliance here to keep you excited for part three, if you can control your The Gathering fandom that is! 8/10

Timeless Rage - My Kingdom Come (Metalalpolis Records)

My Kingdom Come is the second record from German symphonic power metal band Timeless Rage. Their album Untold was reviewed here well but since then they have changed both their frontman and their bassist, but has this changed the band?

Nope not really, if anything it's made this second album have a much more theatrical edge to it. Good thing too as My Kingdom Come is a concept album where the band can really flex their creative muscles. Whether that's power metal, symphonic metal, melodic metal and any manner of gothic/mystical tones to it.

Be it when they draw inspiration from the likes of Kamelot and Myrath on the dramatic A Vampire's Legacy but also Helloween and Stratovarius as dramatic symphonic elements of Conquistadors merge with speedy neo-classical ones on The Devil's Masquerade.

The concept is driven by power, freedom, love, rebellion and more, the six piece the dual guitars switch between riffs and solos, blending with the keys which bring the symphonic moments as the rhythm section switch from galloping power metal on The Enemy Is You and thrashier We All Shall Fall.

My Kingdom Come is a glorious follow up to Untold, it's a more audacious, heroic offering than their debut from Timeless Rage. 8/10

Growth - Under The Under (Wild Thing Records)

Started in 2017 as a way for brothers Tristan (guitar/bass/artwork) and Nelson Barnes (drums) with vocalist LF, to explore trauma, mental illness and grief. The music they create is not just catharsis for them but to highlight the journey towards recovery to anyone who has felt the same, drawing it into the cold light of day without any trappings or sugar-coating. They were joined by Nick Rackham (bass) and Ben Boyle (guitar), their debut album was released in the height of the pandemic.

Six years later they unleash the second part of their trilogy Under The Under a brutal six tracker that bring about 50 minutes of technical death metal which brings the Avant Garde tendencies and crush of bands like Ulcerate and Gorguts. That start-stop battery begins on Remember Me As Fire, the technical death metal coming with a sledgehammer fist before it shifts tones with the title track, a nine minute movement though different styles of extremity as the massive grooves go into clean vocal doom at the end.

Under The Under is an album that continues where their debut left off, crawling up from rock bottom, to try and work out whether it's self destruction or self repair that is the answer to dealing with grief, every moment of hurt and and anguish comes through Slings That Shatter and Pain Is Never Far Away as they both undulate with shifting heaviness and thick extreme grooves.

Part two of this trilogy of albums has had a long but deliberate gestation, however it's now out in the world and ready to take you through a the immensity of their pain. 7/10

Reviews: Tedeschi Trucks Band, Nervosa, Void Of Light, Mallavora (Matt Bladen)

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Future Soul (Fantasy Records)

After their long awaited tribute concert to Leon Russell's Mad Dogs And Englishmen, one of Americana's foremost live acts Tedeschi Trucks Band return with their sixth studio album of original material, Future Soul.

The Grammy winning duo of Susan Tedeschi (vocals/guitar), her husband Derek Trucks (guitar) and their extensive band, have been releasing and performing music together as one entity since 2010, after being solo artists and band members before that, Derek in particular spent time in The Allman Brothers and lots of that collaborative Southern brilliance can be heard across every TTB album.

With Future Soul the eyes are fixed to the future but with one foot still in the melting pot of inspiration that is blues, soul, funk and the musical traditions of the USA, the writing team of Tedeschi, Trucks Mike Mattison (guitar/vocals), Gabe Dixon (keys/vocals), and Tyler Greenwell (drums/percussion) leading to the widest set of musical influences to date.

As they brush their canvas with punk rock, straight country and old school rock n roll, all delivered with Susan's impressive and honest vocals. However these new sounds come on a more focussed affair after their more conceptual 2022 record, Future Soul is a bit more laser guided and direct, as they run through the this album in 42 minutes.

Produced with modern embellishments by producer Mike Elizondo as Trucks co-produces to keep the analogue feel, executing his trademark guitar skills with pure skill, while doing some things that you may not have heard. Future Soul is Tedeschi Trucks Band lurching into the future without forgetting the past. 8/10

Nervosa - Slave Machine (Napalm Records)

Extreme thrashers Nervosa seem to get nastier with every album. Each release moves them closer to the megastars of the genre, doing so in their own unflinching, uncompromising way.

With founding member Prika Amaral now established as the vocalist of the band, having taken the role on Jailbreak, with Slave Machine she broadens her vocal abilities on tracks such as 30 Seconds and Crawling For Your Pride, adding cleans to her snarling growls to heightened the melodic and atmospheric moments of this record.

Amaral is of course part of the guitar duo along with Helena Kotina, the duo creating these torrents of molten metal where modern battery is joined by old school technicality. Whether they bleed into one another or counterpoint each other, the riffs are sharp and explode from the first moments of Impending Doom until the closing Speak In Fire.

The rhythm section coming with renewed power as Michaela Naydenova returns to the drumstool for plenty of blasts and bludgeoning, driving the ferocity of the while the bass is now shared between Hel Pyre and Emmelie Herwegh both locking down the speed and groove of these 10 killer cuts.

Slave Machine is a record that exudes confidence, the Devin Townsend-like moments on the title track, the thrashing Hate, the explosive Beast Of Burden or the hanging grooves of You Are Not A Hero and prog from The New Empire, all are the songs of a band who have secured their place at thrash's top table. 8/10

Void Of Light - Asymmetries (Ripcord Records)

For fans of: Cult of Luna, Isis, Neurosis, The Ocean etc etc. I think you can get a decent idea what Asymmetries the debut album from Glasgow six piece Void Of Light will sound like.

Although perhaps don't get too complacent as the bands I've name here do have a habit of shaking up the sound they are 'known for' with all of the experimentation that comes from the post-metal soundsphere, something which Void Of Light do with Asymmetries, taking from the influences but working in their own sound too, such as the grooving bass driven beginnings of Still The Night Skies.

Having released two EP's before this and honed their approach on stage (ArcTanGent is calling), they are a band who play with the dynamics the way all great post metal acts do. Delicate fragility of ambient structures swoop into massive cathartic, distorted heaviness, both sides unified by intensity but made different by volume.

Beginning with the immediacy of The Passing Hours, the album begins it's look at perspective, reflection and internal conflict, a journey through past trauma and future acceptance, just the kind of esoteric, introspective themes you want from post metal band with those influences. It's with this opening number, one of five, that Void Of Light's trio of guitar players prove their worth as layers of leads and melodies are built towards the end of the track when as the blast beats increase the tempo to a breathless conclusion.

With Ends though they manage display the other side of their skill with discordant riffs and those pained screams, as the album closes with the glistening chug of Mirrorings, a cinematic climax to this impressive debut album from Void Of Light, where the clean vocals work brilliantly to really capture the emotional release of this final number. While it may only be five tracks long, Asymmetries is a debut album that collects a huge body of music together, from the trenches of post-metal, Void Of Light shine like a beacon through the massive body of acts labelled 'ones to watch' with an impressive album one. 8/10

Mallavora - What If Better Never Comes? (Church Road Records)

Mallavora are a band with a message, seen by many to be one of the most exciting new bands doing the rounds they also strike me as one of the most important too.

Vocalist Jessica Douek not only has a mesmerising vocal range that encompasses growls, shrieks, screams, wails and almost operatic delivery as well. She and guitarist Larry Sobieraj both use their music as a therapy to do deal with chronic illness/disability they both suffer with and in Jessica's case vocally campaign about. They are a band with a moral fibre that's hard to maintain in the music world, only playing venues that offer accessibility for them and their audience as they create spaces for anyone who resonates with the music, the ideology or anything else Mallavora stand for.

Since arriving on the scene in 2020 they have been resolute in their goals and have achieved big things, but with their debut What If Better Never Comes? they have produced their manifesto for change, or at least their excuse to rage. A 'conceptual exploration of sickness - personal and societal', there's a a huge mass of emotions on this record, a catharsis for the band or anyone that identified with their struggles as they try to negotiate whether things do get better? Or will they be forever on the outside of what is considered "normality" (overrated in my opinion).

With Jessica's incredible vocals and Larry's incentive riffs, bassist Ellis James and drummer Sam Brownlow, round out this gritty alt rock quartet who play anthemic heavy music that includes R&B, soul and Jessica's Jewish-Middle Eastern ancestry in the mixture of wonderful noises that come on What If Better Never Comes? Mallavora's debut record is a very strong introduction for anyone who has not listened or seen them before. Genre spanning alt metal driven by frustration and the need for change. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Ba'al (Matt Bladen)

Ba'al, Cairns & Pluto, Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham, 20.03.26

Almost let this one slip under the radar! Thankfully I actually managed to pull myself together and get it written up before my memory was too faded.

Though on the day itself, I wouldn't have been telling you much of what happened as two of my bestest buddies and spent most of day preceding the show visiting the Deya brewery alongside a few of Cheltenham's most appealing watering holes.

Many delightful beers were drunk, some delicious food was ingested and we finally arrived from our odyssey at The Frog And Fiddle which had yet more treats for the taste buds and of course more importantly the ears.

I've been to Frog And Fiddle before, however it was for professional wrestling, so this was my first gig at the venue and while the high stage is tightly packed into one end of the room, complete with a big screen on the back to show graphics for the bands. the sound is perfect, coming through the speakers into the cavernous room and it's imposing wooden beams.

It's a long and thin venue running the length of the outside bar, which offers seats and refuge from the loud noises inside the gig area. In short more venues should take the time and effort that Frog & Fiddle do as it's a pleasure to watch bands there.

A particular pleasure when the bands are this good. Presented by promoters Road To Masochist, getting the evening started were Midlands based Pluto, who combine ear bleeding molten sludge with blackened post-metal blasts, thick basslines come with tremolo picking that shifts into heavy grooves.

Squashed onto the stage there was little room to move but their singer commanded the stage with his presence and voice as the rest of the band locked in for this melting pot of genres that created a seam that linked them to the other, more well known I'd wager bands on the bill, but Pluto for my money stood their ground as an opener to get the heads nodding.

Next up though we're two bands we had seen before, as if in One For Sorrow Plymouth replay it was Manchester band Cairns who took tongue stage yet. Their frontman bemoaning, with tongue-in-cheek, that he was missing football to come and play for Cheltenham, as they dove into their atmospheric post black metal ferocity.

Never a band without a crowd, they seem to bring a dedicated fanbase with them wherever they play and that does give this Manchester band a cocksure attitude that bleeds into how sickly they're able to storm through their set, playing their 2022 EP Keening in full alongside a brand new song that seems to be of the same high quality musicals offence that Cairns are known for.

The fire was stoked by Cairns ready for the headliners to take to the stage, and as with every show from Sheffield band Ba'al tissues need to be at the ready as their style of blackened post metal is always emotionally cathartic no matter how many times you experience it. That's the key word for Ba'al they're a band you experience, rather than listen to, or enjoy, each of their songs if fuelled by trauma, rage, sadness and the search for closure.

These emotions wrought through the intense vocals of Joe Stamps, who lets the music and lyrics overwhelm him. Though it would be just a man screaming without the layered heaviness of guitarists Nick Gosling and Chris Mole, drummer Luke Rutter and bassist Richard Spencer who weave the intricacies of Ba'al's blackened post metal menagerie.

The bulk of their set coming from their tremendous The Fine Line Between Heaven And Here album, with one from Ellipsism and another from Soft Eyes sprinkled in-between, but as always with Ba'al the whole set is mesmerising, drawing you into in with their introspective aggression that closed a brilliant night of music after a great away day for team MoM.

Cheltenham will be on our gig list from now on as the whole city is buzzing with good times and their music scene is very strong. 10/10

Reviews: Witch Ripper, Masheena, Neptune Power Federation, Waste A Saint (Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Witch Ripper - Through The Hourglass (Magentic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

Telling a cohesive story across an album is hard. Doing it over two records is even harder. But when you are storytellers like the guys in Witch Ripper are, you make it look (and sound) easy. It started on their amazing record The Flight After The Fall back in 2023 and continues, and possibly concludes, with the band’s new record, Through The Hourglass, which somehow tops what was one of the best records from that year. The story continues, but so does the awesome heavy, proggy melodic goodness that these guys from Seattle have come to be known for.

Part two of the epic journey begins as the last one ended, which is super cool, and which also leads to the absolutely crushing track, The Portal. The drumming on this record is insane and you hear that right off the bat. This is what metal should sound like in 2026, as Witch Ripper is the new standard bearer. The harsh and clean vocals work perfectly together and the way this record sounds is perfect. The unique thing about Witch Ripper is how a band that brings the heavy and brings it in this proggy, complex way, in songs usually over six minutes, is how catchy and melodic they can be. I mean, that bridge with the clean vocals? Awesome.

Not many bands can do heavy, complex, and melodic so well. The opening to Symmetry Of The Hourglass is the most metal thing you will hear this year in the most glorious fashion. These guys are compared to Mastodon a lot, and this song is one of the reasons why. The call and response between the harsh and clean voices rules here, but while you can hear Mastondon, this song is uniquely Witch Ripper all the way. I love the solo on this one too. Echoes And Dust continues the vibe with its chunky riff, insane drumming and proggy changes. My favourite track on the record is The Clock Queen.

From their last record, The Obsidian Forge was not only my favourite track on the album but one of my songs of the year. This is the same way I feel about The Clock Queen. The heavy, the melodic, the complexity, the skill level, the vocals, it is all just so great. Proxima Centauri slows the pace down a bit, perfectly sequenced as part of the story, but the build to when the quiet gets loud shows how much these guys get the prog side of things in the best ways.

The end of the journey is The Spiral Eye and it all makes so much sense. There are such amazing little details on this record of how it pushes the story forward and keeps the consistency across the two records. Things you may not notice the first time or even the tenth time you listen, but there is something new to discover every time and when you figure it all out, the genius of Witch Ripper is revealed.

The Flight After The Fall and now Through The Hourglass are stand alone amazing proggy metal records that hang with all of the big names out there who you may hear Witch Ripper compared to. Putting these two records together creates something that is so epic, so unique, and so perfectly executed that only a small handful of bands could pull it off. Witch Ripper is one of the bands who can, as they move into the upper echelon of heavy music out there today. 10/10

Masheena – Let The Spiders In (Majestic Mountain Record/Ripple Music) [Matt Bladen]

A Scandinavian band calling their debut album West Coast Hard Rock, is a bold claim but when it’s the perfect descriptor for their musical style then it’s hard to argue. The Bergen band featuring Luis Salomon (guitar/vocals), Tarjei A. Heggernes (bass) and Bård Heavy Nordvik (drums) on the album line up but they have expanded to a foursome live with Martin Holmes on drums and Heine A. Heggernes on guitar. This line up shift coming as their ‘West Coast Hard Rock’ is a bit more complex and layered on sophomore record Let The Spiders In.

The compositions are bolder and stadium reaching, ten tracks to highlight how this Norwegian act can deliver a sound that is so entrenched in the American rock scene. Let The Spiders In then refines what Masheena are about, it’s slick and shimmering but has heavy bones, moving between party grooves on ­­­­­You Owe Me, which is all dual harmonies to grunting, the Southern slide of Been Waiting, stoner slabs such as A Game You Don’t Wanna Lose and Riffy. The trio of Life Is But A Sin, Sarah Lost Her Way and In Her Eyes all have that reverb drenched approach of Chris Cornell’s solo stuff with nods to the Black Crowes as well, showing that behind the groovy rocking, Masheena can also give a more laidback atmosphere.

Leaning on Black Spiders, Spiritual Beggars, Tom Petty, and if you’re Welsh then the woozy haze of Super Furry Animals on Don’t Tell Her What To Do and One Eye, all via a lot of KISS harmonies, it’s a record that will get you grooving from the off with Southern blues rocking meeting arena filling melodies Scandi stoner fuzz. Let The Spiders In evolves Masheena’s 'West Coast Hard Rock' with a larger scale than before. 8/10

Neptune Power Federation - Mondo Tomorrow (Cruz Del Sur) [Rich Piva]

Is it possible to know what to expect from a band going in, but it still sounds different and is surprising and exciting every time? Records by the Australian band Neptune Power Federation are going to sound like NPF albums; big, bombastic, energetic, arena-worthy rock and roll. Even with that the band always goes just enough in another direction to make things interesting. From Heart, to Meatloaf, to doomy stuff, to power pop, to hair band leaning, to heavy metal, to proto, to glam, to just downright awesome, Neptune Power Federation rules no matter what they do. This hypothesis is confirmed with their latest record, Mondo Tomorrow.

You cannot talk about NPF without mentioning the amazing frontwoman, Screaming Loz Sutch. That voice, the energy, the costumes. She is all you want in a lead singer and so much more. Her vocals are amazing on Mondo Tomorrow (of course) with The Grip Of Death being a great example of her crazy range. Adding the organ to this track takes it to an even higher level of cool.

The opening track is power pop awesomeness from a band who is super tight and really knows what they are doing and what they are trying to achieve, and then making it even better. Loz harmonizing with herself at multiple crazy different ranges makes And The Bones Decay so great; the song lies just between power pop and 80s hard rock and just kicks ass. I love when the pace slows on this one too. Speaking of 80s hard rock, Living In The Gutter is one of the best songs in that style since 1989. So wonderfully sleezy.

Handclaps! If you like the Go Gos (I do) you will certainly dig Mind Controller. Cybernetic Times also has this 80s rock bop to it and is more killer energetic rock and roll, but has some layers and complexity to it; there is a ton happening on this song, all of it very cool. Rhapsody In Blue has this almost punk and psych weirdness going on but still the super catchy NPF you know and love. NPF are so good at ending albums with big, epic tracks. Mondo Tomorrow is no different with the six-plus minute killer The Barbarian Dominion.

I am sure I have said this in the two (or more) reviews I have done for Neptune Power Federation records, but this band just rules and Mondo Tomorrow is no different. The band is firing on all cylinders again, and continues to create amazing rock, leveraging bits and pieces of a dozen or so genres but always making it their own. NPF makes me happy and should do the same for you. 9/10

Waste A Saint - …And It’s Evergreen (All Good Clean Records) [Matt Bladen]

Coming from Trondheim Norway, Waste A Saint return with their third album ...And It's Evergreen. It's one that come from a bit of adversity as just as they were starting to write the record their drummer left, meaning they not only had an album to write but a new drummer to find, which if anyone who has been near a band will know is no easy task.

Thankfully Bogey Stefansdottir (vocals), Alexander Skomakerstuen (guitar), Ole Nogva (bass/synth) recruited Trym Solan Renolen as their new drummer and he has injected something into the band that possibly wasn't there before, there's a bristling energy and renewed focus on album three, as if the band are reborn. ...And It's All Evergreen goes through a number of different musical phases to keep you guessing. Still the base layer is stoner rock but they bring a lot of 60's psych or even some 70's post punk while they also draw heavily from 90's alt rock oddness, with the obtuse riffs and vocals definitely.

A positive change in line up then for Waste A Saint, as they focus down on going further than their influences may have allowed before, refreshed with a wider percussive prowess and a more comprehensive instrumentation, ...And It's Evergreen will leave a long lasting impression. 7/10

Reviews: Magenta, Sugar Horse, Dimwind, Nick Oliveri (Matt Bladen, Cherie Curtis, Mark Young & Joe Guatieri)

Magenta - Tarot (Tigermoth Records) [Matt Bladen]

Welsh prog unit Magenta are about to get medieval on your ass! In quite a literal sense as their new album, their tenth(?), studio recording Tarot is inspired by the the band Renaissance, who have always been a huge influence to main writer Rob Reed. So with this being their 25th Anniversary as a band they do a bit of retrospection to their debut album Revolutions where the inspiration of Renaissance, Yes and the UK Neo-Prog acts like Marillion and Pendragon impacted the style of the band on that debut record.

Since that debut they have added all sorts of elements to the band from alternative rock, symphonic cinematics, massive conceptual pieces, heavy rock and more, but it seems that with this milestone in their history coming up, the idea of this record was to bring it all back to where they began, one distinct style based around the Neo-Prog journeying of Renaissance, et al.

Basing the songs on the characters that appear on Tarot cards, with four folksy Études splitting their labyrinthine cuts, featuring flute from Katie Axelsen and oboe from Sam Baxter, some harpsichords and a lot of Nylon string guitar fit for Henry VIII's court. Those nylon strings and soaring, expressive lead guitar moments are still the reserve of Chris Fry, who plays with feeling, emotion and virtuoso skill, throwing in Gilmourisms, Hackett classicism and even a bit of jazz on The Empress.

The rest of the instrumentation meanwhile come from Rob Reed who plays the keys, organs, synths, piano, rhythm guitar, the ever present guitar which is high up in the mix like it should be and even some recorder for more folking. Though he doesn't provide the drums, so it's a good job they have all round tub thumper extraordinaire Nick D’Virgilio to do that in between his stints with Big Big Train and Steve Hackett.

Reed has also said that this is the first album he's written explicitly for singer Christina Booths voice, and she gives a brilliantly emotive performance, perfectly pitched for the romantic notions of the past and fate explored on this album, joined on the gospel tinged title track by Peter Jones and Steve Balsamo. Tarot plays the cards out in the open, with a record of brilliantly delivered prog rock that sees Magenta in nostalgic and celebratory mood after a quarter of a century. 9/10

Sugar Horse - Not A Sound In Heaven (Fat Dracula Records) [Cherie Curtis]

Sugar Horse offers a fresh new perspective on modern metal. Its cinematic, loud and chaotic with the grandeur of a perfect storm. 

Not A Sound In Heaven brings thunderous instrumentals and heavy breakdowns with their own spin by carefully sprinkling in some euphoric harmonised choruses and highly technical beats. Sugar Horse’s title track, Not A Sound In Heaven, is a light and airy with glorious technical symphonies without the harsh metal vocals of the rest of the album that's more to serve the concept while capturing the atmosphere. 

All throughout you're being pushed pillar to post by the vocal range between soft and harsh with hardcore bone shaking metal vocal sustains complimented by hard-hitting drums giving the album a modern-day alt rock twist. Sugar Horse is an interesting fever dream and not at all what i expected, i found myself on the fence a couple of times before being drawn back in by complex dynamic builds of intensity that makes for a well-articulated piece. 

Overall, this one is strong and wondrous. It won’t get you into a moshpit but I don’t think it's supposed to as for me, it’s an album to accompany you on a moody day and the vibe feels summery yet pessimistic, allowing you to fester in melancholy comfortably. 7/10

Dimwind - The Carrion Waltz (Self Release) [Mark Young]

Entering the arena with an album that moves with ease and grace between different musical approaches is Sweden’s Dimwind. They are one of those bands where you can give them a tag, say ‘post metal’ or ‘progressive’ or ‘sludge’ and it doesn’t really tell the full story of what they sound like or indeed what one can expect from them. They can be a lot of things to a lot of people; such is the spectrum they ride with The Carrion Waltz.

Again, like a lot of my reviews this represents my first time with them, and as I understand it sees them add a vocalist to the mix in order to expand further. What is apparent is that the music behind the vocal lines still has priority in terms of how it lands with you. If you imagine a Mastodon where the style moves from person to person, and as a result it is changing because of that, its exactly what you get here. 

The difference here is that Dimwind are writing with a vigour and energy that has been missing from Mastodon. That is a different conversation so getting back on track I’ll just point you in the direction of the melodic change in the main verse of opening track The Chime. It’s a little touch but something that in the whole scheme of the song makes a massive difference to me in how I respond to it. It’s a massive way to start things off, its one of those songs where they have a lot to say, and they give it the space to unfold. Its closing moments are triumphant, moving forward in a perceived wave of positive melodic lines. 

As strong as that opening statement is, there is no time for resting, with My Uninvited Host trampling all underfoot, mixing groove in with its crushing arrangement. It suddenly comes to a halt, reaching backwards to lighten the mood. You know its not staying there for long and it starts to punch forward in the most satisfying way. Lovers of the riff will be at home here because its filled to the brim with them. Again, check out the closing minute or so for a prime example of this.

They have a definite knack of being able to meld good riffs with abrasive vocals and still sound like a moment of beauty. The Antagonists Speech, circa 2minutes in or Counterglow, where they gently apply the brakes and just relax for a while during the mid-point. I’m not just saying that these are relative high points, just examples within each. They balance heavy and soft in a way that seems intuitive, at least to them. 

What this means as a listener is that we are spoiled from start to finish. I appreciate that is quite the statement, but from my perspective it’s the truth. I’m not quite sold on the whole post-metal thing, I suppose its because Its not thrash metal, but I’m not going to sit and say that this is poor because it’s not played at a 1000mph. Its an album that has moments of stark beauty to it. 

You only have to listen to it to understand that, even I can hear it. I mentioned that audio kinship with Mastodon, where they share that similar ability to turn on a sixpence within a song. Here, they do it two or more times, and they land it every time. 

The closer, Absorbing The Infinite Impermanence is magnificent in how it develops, building itself until it gets to the end. Looking at those pesky tags, yes, they are all of those things, I don’t think you or they could argue with that. But to pigeonhole them to those tags, well I think you would be missing the point. 8/10

Nick Oliveri - N.O Hits At All Vol 10 (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Joe Guatieri]

There is no other way to say it, Nick Oliveri is one of my favourite musicians of all time. The man has played a big part in so many bands that I love like Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age and has even more projects and collaborations that he’s put his name to. With his own band Mondo Generator, they have hit a height of consistency in fantastic releases also.

Today we’ll be diving into Nick’s long running series of compilations, N.O. Hits At All, which covers songs that he’s been a part of throughout his career. I have previously reviewed the last two releases, volumes 8 and 9 which I really enjoyed, how will it fare with volume 10?

The record opens with Luv Is Fiction, a track that sees Nick singing over a song which doesn’t know whether it’s Hair Metal or Hardcore Punk. The song revolves around a riff that sounds like vanilla Rage Against The Machine, yeah it’s bouncy but it doesn’t go anywhere and ends up being uninspired. The chorus has what sounds like back-up singers with headbands on all singing into the same microphone whilst Nick is up front. It doesn’t match his style whatsoever and has no bite to it.

Track two presents us with Up And Down Under which is a much more welcome addition here. The instruments swirl together like a tornado with punchy drums and a smooth bass. Its classic Stoner Rock stylings stand out from being derivative as there is a big emphasis on attack in the song and thanks to its use of dynamics, it feels like that it’s forever moving forwards, capturing people in its groove.

This is where my frustrations with this album come to boiling point as with the next not two but six tracks, they have all been used as part of the N.O. Hits At All series before. This is beyond disappointment and utter laziness on Nick Oliveri’s part. All he had to do was type in the songs already and seen that he had picked them before, even on the last fucking release with one of them! No wonder why they started sounding so familiar as I have heard them all before.

There is one more song on here which hasn’t been on a compilation and this is track nine with Bad Boy For Love. It’s a classic acoustic song in Nick’s style, a weird psychedelic synth hums in the background as the guitar sends us off to space. Then all that’s good goes to shit again, as the next two songs have once again been used on previous compilations.

Three original songs to volume 10 is a joke, it’s so much more than just an admin error, it lacks any sort of common sense and feels like a blatant lie. The song Lockdown is the most egregious, it was previously used on volume 1 and it makes me want to tear my hair out, HOW?!

This is a plea to Nick Oliveri himself. You can still make wonderful music that I connect with but please stop with N.O. Hits At All before it’s N.O Fans At All. This isn’t a celebration, it’s starvation! 1/10

Reviews: Melvins With Napalm Death, Truckfighters, Ten East & Softsun, Purple Skies (Spike & RIch Piva)

Melvins With Napalm Death – Savage Imperial Death March (Ipecac Recordings) [Spike]

I remember the first time I heard Napalm Death. It was late-night radio back in the 80s, you know (if you’re old enough) the kind of show where the DJ sounded like they were broadcasting from a bunker and the needle dropped on Scum. It was a total, unmitigated shock to the system; music that didn't just break the rules but seemed entirely unaware that rules even existed. 

I mean up to that point I was listening to Motorhead and Black Sabbath back then and I thought that was heavy. Napalm Death unleashed something that was just brutal. They’ve remained a constant in my life ever since, a reliable barometer for the world’s rising temperature. I’m seeing them again later this year at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, and while the idea of watching them under the Florida sunshine feels slightly surreal, like a riot breaking out at a beach party, I’m counting down the days.

The Melvins, on the other hand, are a much more recent excavation for me. I managed to miss the boat on them for decades, and I still don’t understand how that happened, until I finally caught them live in Norwich. As I noted in that review, seeing them in a room that small was an experience; it was the sound of a band that has spent forty years mastering the art of the "sludge-heavy crawl," proving that the "grunge" label they’re often saddled with is far too small for the noise they actually make.

So, the prospect of Savage Imperial Death March, a full-length collision between the Birmingham grindcore pioneers and the Washington sludge kings is less of a "collaboration" and more of a tectonic event. This isn't just two bands sharing a split; this is a total fusion of architectures.

The record opens with Tossing Coins Into The Fountain Of Fuck, and immediately, the logic of the project becomes clear. It starts with a classic Melvins-style rhythmic stumble, a thick, fuzzy groove that feels like it’s being dragged through the mud before Napalm Death’s high-velocity vitriol cuts through the centre. It’s an awesome, disorienting friction. You have the "glacial" weight of Buzz’s riffs acting as a foundation for the unmistakable, guttural roar that heralds Napalm Death’s arrival. It’s a masterclass in the balance of beauty and brutality, delivered with a pedigree that most bands can only dream of.

As we move into Some Kind Of Antichrist and Awful Handwriting, the record starts to reveal its darker, more experimental corners. The Melvins’ penchant for the absurd, those weird, snaking structures and off-kilter tempos perfectly balances Napalm’s blunt-force trauma. This is clever stuff that prevents the record from ever settling into a "business as usual" grindcore routine. Nine Days Of Rain is a particular standout; it’s a slow-building monolith that moves with a sticky, inevitable momentum, suggesting a world that is slowly, beautifully drowning in its own noise.

The mid-point of the album, anchored by Rip The God, is where the "Imperial" tag really earns its keep. It’s a five-minute sprawl that feels properly, unpleasantly massive. The production is dirty, raw, yet strangely clinical enough to hear every string bend and snare crack. It manages to capture the raw, honesty of their live sets (the kind I saw from both bands in Norwich) while draping it over a cinematic canvas. The guitars don't just cycle through riffs; they construct a vast, shifting architecture of noise that feels like it’s vibrating your teeth out of your head.

The back half, Stealing Horses, Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy, and the finality of Death Hour is a relentless march toward the abyss. Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy is a biting, high-velocity jolt that targets the modern era’s digital anxieties with a level of vitriol that feels entirely earned. It’s the sound of a collective that has seen every trend come and go and decided to set fire to the rulebook one more time.

When the feedback finally dies on Death Hour, you’re left sitting in a quiet that actually hurts. This collaboration isn't a victory lap; it's a documented riot from two bands who still have more to say than the entire 'next big thing' crowd combined. It’s the kind of record that proves forty years of grime can’t be faked, and honestly, the thought of hearing at least parts of this under the midday sun in Daytona makes the upcoming Florida heat seem like a minor inconvenience. 

It's a total, feedback-soaked triumph that leaves you reaching for the repeat button before your ears have even stopped ringing. 9/10

Truckfighters - Masterflow (Fuzzorama Records) [Rich Piva]

I was lucky enough to see Truckfighters on their last US tour. For a band that has been around for a few decades now they certainly can still bring it. The energy on that stage was amazing and the band is in top form. They are as nice as humans are as they are a great band, having gotten to meet them as well during the show. Now the band is back with a new record, Masterflow, which is more fuzzy desert rock goodness you expect from these legends.

This is studio album number six from the Swedish band, that sometimes gets a bit taken for granted on how influential they are to the scene today with all of the killer material they have given us so far in their amazing career. Masterflow continues this string of awesome, right off the bat with the opener, Old Big Eye, you know you are in for some more Truckfighters fuzzy goodness. I love the guitar work (of course) and the record sounds excellent from a production standpoint. The Bliss continues this, with it soaring fuzz and earworm qualities. 

I love the chunkiness of Carver and all of its weird changes while Truce reminds me of the first QOTSA record in all the best ways (with another cool and weird tempo change too). The longish interlude title track leads to the straight ahead desert ripper The Gorgon, which may be my favourite track on Masterflow. Gath is a weird one, but is growing on me after being the only real skip for me on the record. The one-two punch of Bad Horse and Goin’ Home is vintage Truckfighters and a solid way to end their first album of new material in ten years. I especially love Dango’s work on the closer.

Is Masterflow going to be anyone’s favourite Truckfighters record? Probably not. Do we hold these guys to an unfair standard because of how awesome all of their stuff is? Yup. Masterflow is an excellent addition to a near perfect discography for one of the most influential bands in the desert rock scene ever. Nine new tracks, all of them good to great, with the trademarked Truckfighters fuzz and vibe. It’s great to have new material from these legends, especially songs this good. 8/10

Ten East/Softsun - Turned To Stone Chapter 10 (Ripple Music) [Spike]

The "split album" has always been a bit of a gamble, half the time it’s a marriage of convenience between two bands who share a van, and the other half it’s a lopsided affair where one side clearly ate the other’s lunch. 

But every once in a while, the format provides a look into a specific creative hot streak that a single LP simply can’t contain. That is exactly what’s happening on Turned To Stone Chapter 10. This isn't just a pairing of two Gary Arce projects; it’s a documented "era", a sprawling, reverb-drenched trip through the California desert that blurs the lines between SoftSun’s melodic weight and Ten East’s improvisational grit.

As someone who spent a good chunk of time with SoftSun's Daylight In The Dark on repeat, the first half of this record feels like catching up with an old friend who hasn't quite finished their story. The three tracks here Nowhere Else, Open Shelter, and Emotional Overdrive were born from the same productive window as their debut, and they carry that same "soft punch" that I’ve come to love from this lineup.

Nowhere Else sets the threshold. Pia Isaksen’s vocals have this crystalline, pained clarity that reminds me of why I first fell in love with this sound, but the way her bass locks in with Dan Joeright’s drumming provides a tectonic foundation that most "ethereal" bands lack. It leads into Emotional Overdrive, which is the standout of the SoftSun side for me. It manages to capture that specific, road-weary exhaustion of the desert at sunset, a sound that is as much about the space between the notes as it is about the fuzz.

The real magic of this release, however, is the way it handles the hand-off. Usually, a split feels like a hard reset, but because Pia plays in both bands and Gary Arce is the primary architect on both sides, the transition into the Ten East material feels entirely organic.

Ten East has been quiet since 2016’s Skyline Pressure, and their return on First Light and Slow Motion War II is a masterclass in why we still care about the "Palm Desert" sound. It’s experimental, loose, and rooted in the "let the tape roll" philosophy that has always been at the heart of Arce’s work. Adding Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless to the mix on additional guitar is like pouring high-grade gasoline onto a slow-burning fire; it adds a layer of technical, psychedelic friction that keeps the improvisational stretches from ever feeling self-indulgent.

Slow Motion War II is the record’s atmospheric anchor. It’s named after the transcontinental Interstate 10, and you can feel the geography in the production. The guitars construct a vast, shifting architecture of noise that feels like a heat mirage shimmering over the asphalt. It moves with a mechanical persistence that suggests a band that has internalised the rhythm of the highway. It’s honest, unpolished, and possesses that "first-take" energy that you just can't manufacture in a high-gloss studio.

The production keeps the grit under the fingernails of the tracks. It’s a raw-boned, "no safety net" sound that allows the delicate, clean guitar lines to sit perfectly alongside the low-end churn. It sounds like a band playing in a room that is too small for the noise they’re making, which is exactly how this music should be experienced.

By the time the Ten East side eventually dissolves into static, you realize that the distinction between these two projects is purely academic. SoftSun and Ten East are simply different shades of the same heat haze. It’s a lush, beautifully dark edged triumph that prioritizes the physical sensation of the sound over empty technicality, and honestly, it's one of those rare finds that feels like it was written specifically for my own headphones. 

This isn't just a record I'm ticking off a list; it’s a permanent addition to the rotation, a heavy, shimmering reminder that even in the most parched landscapes, the desert still has plenty of secrets left to share. 9/10

Purple Skies - A Million Years (Apollon Records) [Rich Piva]

Purple Skies bandcamp bio calls the band “Proto doom from the Norwegian Wild West”. Yes and yes, I can get behind this description, as proto and doom rule the day on A Million Years, the debut album from the band from Bergen, Norway. The nine tracks on A Million Years harken back to the late 60s/early 70s from a proto, psych, and even a bit of prog point of view. The guys seem to love Sabbath too, so there is something for everyone who digs cool as hell old school heavy ass, yet mid-tempo rock.

I love how this record was recorded, as it sounds right out of the era that the songs sound like they emanate from. The closest comparison I can give would be the amazing record from Australian band Butterfly (RIP) and their killer record from Doorways Of Time from 2021. You get riffs, you get cool vocals, you get all of that and more with the proto track Mr. Fear, which is some wonderful Sabbath worship, and Bitchcraft, which is soaring early 70s hard rock wonderfulness. I love the riff on Quiet Flowers and the kind of chill vibe that it brings, as well as the epic closer Red Road, that is the perfect closer to this proggy proto trip. There is not a skip on the record, and the songs flow perfectly across all nine that are included on A Million Years.

The Seventies are alive and well, especially in Norway, as all that is old is new again with some killer heavy rock coming out of that region. The debut from Purple Skies included, as it is one of the stronger records leveraging all that goodness so far in 2026, and one of the better debuts you will hear this year. 8/10

Reviews: Necrofier, As Everything Unfolds, Sermon To The Lambs, Fågelle (Spike)

Necrofier – Transcend Into Oblivion (Metal Blade)

You don’t usually look to Houston for your dose of apocalyptic chill, but Necrofier have spent the last few years proving that the Texas heat can be just as corrosive as a Norwegian winter. With Transcend Into Oblivion, they’ve finally stopped paying lip service to the old black metal guard and started carving out a space that is entirely their own. It’s a record that understands a fundamental truth: if you’re going to stare into the abyss, you might as well do it with a bit of thrash-fuelled swagger and a rhythm section that actually knows how to gallop.

The album is built around these clever, apocalyptic triads, and the opening movement, Fires Of The Apocalypse, Light My Path I hits like a bucket of hot lead. What’s immediately striking is how much "thrash" is actually in the plumbing here. There’s a muscular, rhythmic drive that provides a solid foundation for the tempestuous squalls of black metal extremity. It feels properly powerful, benefiting from a production that allows the "gristle" of the low-end to remain audible even when the tremolo-picking is at its most frantic.

Where they really win me over, though, is in the melodic layers. They describe their sound as having melodies that "twinkle in the gloom like will-o'-the-wisps," and for once, the PR blurb isn't lying. Tracks like Behold, The Birth Of Ascension and the Servants Of Darkness trilogy possess a sinister, otherworldly beauty that’s buried deep within the noise. Now this is something I love in music, it’s just catching that detail hidden deep in the “noise”. It gives the record an emotional depth that most "grim" projects simply lack.

By the time you hit the Horns Of Destruction movements, the momentum is absolute. Horns Of Destruction, Lift My Blade II is a masterclass in tension, moving from a gloomy, atmospheric drift into a high-velocity assault that feels genuinely dangerous. The guitars don't just play riffs; they create sonic waves, moving with a level of ingenuity that makes most bedroom black metal look like it's being played with blunt tools.

The whole thing eventually collapses into the finality of Toward The Necrofier, and by then, the urge to actually own this thing on wax is pretty much undeniable. Necrofier haven't just filed another report from the dark; they’ve built a cinematic, dark-edged journey that deserves a physical spot on the shelf next to the classics. It’s an honest, unvarnished look at the end of all things, a heavy, shimmering reminder that even in the absolute dark, there’s a hell of a lot of beauty to be found in the wreckage. I’m already reaching for the "repeat" button before the smoke has even cleared the room. 9/10

As Everything Unfolds - Did You Ask To Be Set Free (Century Media)

After spending the last few weeks digging through the dirt of the Swedish forests and the Texas heat in terms of what I’ve been reviewing, stumbling onto the high-gloss world of As Everything Unfolds feels a bit like walking out of a basement gig into a brightly lit shopping centre. Their latest, Did You Ask To Be Set Free, is a record that arrives with a lot of heavy lifting in its PR, promising a "bold fusion" of post-hardcore, melodic metalcore, and emotional resilience. It’s an ambitious goal, but for someone who prefers their noise with a bit of an unpolished edge, the result feels more like a calculation than a confrontation.

The album opens with Denial and Gasoline, and the first thing that hits you is the sheer scale of the production. It’s massive, certainly, but it’s a "produced" kind of heavy that occasionally robs the riffs of their teeth. Charlie Rolfe’s vocals are undeniably impressive, she has the range and the power to anchor these arena-sized choruses but there’s a level of polish here that feels at odds with the "authentic honesty" the band's manifesto claims. It’s a sound that seems to be constantly looking for the largest possible audience, which isn't a crime, but it often leaves the more aggressive moments feeling like they've been sanitized for safety.

The middle stretch, featuring tracks like Cut The Lies and Set In Flow, is where the "metalcore-by-numbers" feel starts to set in. The "perfect balance" between heaviness and emotion they’re chasing often ends up neutralizing both. When the breakdown hits on What You Wanted (featuring Dani Winter-Bates), it’s heavy, but it’s a predictable kind of heavy, the sort of rhythmic jolt you’ve heard a hundred times on the main stage of a mid-afternoon festival set. It lacks that jagged, unpredictable friction I look for in post-hardcore; that sense that the whole thing might actually fall apart if someone strikes a wrong chord.

There are moments of genuine resilience here, particularly on Edge Of Forever, where the band lets a bit more atmosphere leak into the mix. But by the time we reach the finale, Setting Sun, everything feels a bit too tidy. It’s a professional bit of work, utterly competent and brilliantly executed but it leaves me cold. It’s the difference between a documented riot and a choreographed performance.

As Everything Unfolds have clearly put an immense amount of work into this recording process, and for fans of the high-fidelity, melodic metalcore circuit, this will likely be a highlight of the year. But personally? I miss the cracks in the wall. Did You Ask To Be Set Free is a record that knows exactly where every note should go, but it forgets that in this genre, the most interesting things usually happen when you lose control. It’s an honest account of a band reaching for the top, but it leaves me reaching for something a lot less comfortable. 6/10

Sermon To The Lambs – Sermon To The Lambs (Independent)

If you read the press release for the Chilean debut of Sermon To The Lambs, you’d expect the sky to split open and the four horsemen to start doing laps of the car park. They promise "absolute annihilation," "judgement without mercy," and a "direct, focused, full force, blasphemous assault." It’s a lot of talk for a band that has only just stepped out of the shadows, and while there is undeniably a "baleful presence" here, the record ultimately falls into that classic debut trap: trying way too hard to be the heaviest thing in the room.

The problem with having everything turned up to 11 is that when everything is a peak, nothing is. Motörhead spent decades building a legacy that allowed them to operate at that volume, they earned the right to redline the monitors. On tracks like Crowned King Of The Worms and the title track, Sermon to the Lambs, the band hits with an "iron fist," but the production is so relentlessly saturated that it robs the music of any real dynamic weight. It’s a wall of sound that feels more like a static hiss by the time you reach the middle of the record.

There is definitely talent in there, though. Saints Are Centurions Of An Aristotelian Christ (which wins the award for the best title of the week) shows a band capable of technical dexterity. The riffs are jagged and the Chilean underground’s specific aura of "ancient rites" is palpable. However, you can feel the joins in the architecture; it feels constructed rather than delivered. It’s a direct, focused assault that lacks the solid foundation needed to truly make the "non-believers" fall to their knees.

The back half, Flagrum Taxillatum, Scourging At The Pillar, and Clergy’s Malevolence doubles down on the profane ceremonies, but the "addictive form of absolute annihilation" they promise becomes a bit of an endurance test. The "scratched-record" quality of the production makes it difficult to distinguish the technical brilliance from the sheer volume. It’s a snot-and-tears jolt of noise that needs a bit more air to actually breathe.

When the final bonus tracks eventually fade out, you aren't left with a sense of "judgement without mercy." Instead, you're left with the realization that Sermon To The Lambs are a band with a lot of potential that hasn't quite figured out how to use its own power yet. They’ve aimed for the throat, which is admirable, but they’ve forgotten that the best death metal needs a pulse, not just a heart attack. It’s an interesting start, but next time, they’d do well to build the fortress properly before they start trying to set the world on fire. 6/10

Fågelle – Bränn Min Jord (Independent)

Every now and then, the mailbox we use at Musipedia Of Metal delivers a problem you didn't know you needed to solve. 

Hailing from the forests of southern Sweden, Fågelle is a project that sits entirely outside the usual metal blueprints I’m used to reviewing, yet it possesses a level of abrasive, melodic friction that hits with more force than most death metal records I’ve spun this month. Bränn Min Jord (Burn My Earth) is a documented cycle of growth and destruction, a record that understands the "soft punch in the face" dynamic perfectly, where a fragile pop melody is constantly being stalked by a tormented synthesizer or a roaring guitar.

The experience starts with Riv Mig, and the first thing that grabs you is the Swedish language itself. Even as a mono-linguist English bloke who hasn't got a clue what the literal translation is, the emotive weight is undeniable. It’s used as a musical instrument, rhythmic, snot-and-tears honest, and beautifully fragile. By the time the nine-second Skogsskrik 1 (Forest Scream) hits, you realize this isn't an exercise in "ambient" comfort. It is exactly what it says on the tin: a raw, high-velocity jolt of nature that acts as a perfect, jarring punctuation mark for the more expansive pieces like Innan Malen Hittat In.

What I love most here is the layering. After years in Berlin and Gothenburg, Fågelle returned to the inland of Halland to record among the community halls and forests (I researched this – I needed to understand), and you can hear the landscape in the production. It’s a sophisticated blend of field recordings, everything from the Moscow subway to local everyday sounds woven into a tapestry of distorted guitars and brass. Tracks like Det Blev Våra Liv and the title track, Bränn Min Jord, move with a patience an ice age would be proud of, building textures until the air in the room feels thick with the smell of wood smoke and old electronics.

The back half of the record, featuring Satans jävla fan and Det djur som är du, doubles down on the exploration of power. The "noise meets pop" tag is well-earned; using noise in and around the track underlines and brings out the heart of the melody. The tormented synths don't just provide a backdrop; they feel like they’re in a constant, violent argument with the vocals. It’s a masterclass in tension, leading toward the final, haunting stillness of Avslutning.

There’s a specific, rare thrill in finding something so different and epic in the stuff we get to review. One of the benefits of writing for MoM is finding new music. I was only discussing how much new, interesting and amazing music is out there with a friend at the weekend and this is the point that proves it. You spend so much time digging through the usual dirt that you forget music can still catch you off guard, and Bränn Min Jord is a heavy, beautiful reminder of why we bother to look in the first place. It delivers a punch to the face that is somehow both fragile and devastating, a soft, distorted ache that lingers long after the silence returns. It’s the kind of discovery that makes this hobby so damn worthwhile. 

This left me sitting in the quiet and wondering how I ever managed to miss something this vital. 9/10

Reviews: Gus Drax, Temor, Decipher, Faceless Envoy (Matt Bladen)

Gus Drax - Theories Of Imperfection (Theogonia Records)

Being or having been a member of Sunburst, Black Fate and Suicidal Angels, Gus Drax is a player you can consider a virtuoso, within these bands he's the melodic intensity, firing off solos and leads galore but with his instrumental solo albums he can show off his skills without the limitations of genres and styles of bands.

His last solo record was over a decade ago so there's probably been a lot of writing going on in the background since then to make sure his second solo record surpasses his debut. He's tapped into his connections to add a who's who of musicians as his studio band.

He has enlisted George Kollias on drums, George Charalampidis on bass, and Bob Katsionis on keyboards, so surrounding himself with only the best to make sure that the rest of the playing here is just as top class as Drax's six string mastery. Elsewhere he has John K adding the orchestrations, Lefteris Pouliouadds sax.

Simone Mularoni mixes and masters everything to bring that clarity that he infused through the prog/power records he's been a part of, and it's that prog/power influence that is at the forefront of Theories Of Imperfection, the likes of Steve Vai, John Petrucci and Michael Romeo all flowing through the fleet fingered skill of Drax.

Tracks such as the melodic dreamscape Nocturnal Waltz, the intense metal Emotive Resonance bring the prog styles of Symphony X and Dream Theater while with Ethereal Horizon and Sombero Attack he channels the likes of Plini or Intervals with the jazzy/mathy refrains. There's even some balladry on Final Atonement while Cosmic Shadow is duet of epic proportions as Andy James add a guest solo.

Closing out with the euphoric and hopeful Everything's Going To Be Alright, Theories Of Imperfection is a stellar instrumental record from this veteran of the Greek metal scene, there's emotional depth, technical brilliance and melodic intensity with the guitar as the main voice, superb! 9/10

Temor - Weeping Waves (Self Released)

Temor are a melodic death/black metal band from Volos formed by guitarist Theo and vocalist Thyragon in 2023. They do something a little bit different with their sound as they employ the skills of Konstantinos Chinis on the Halldorophone an electronic cello that gives them an orchestrated drone to their muscular melodeath.

Joined by guitarist Constantine, bass player Bill Manthos and drummer Nikitas Mandolas, Weeping Waves is their second album and it's one that has them taking a heavier, more blackened approach, that combines the lead guitar driven style of Children Of Bodom with the groove driven sound of modern Rotting Christ and those melodeath veterans Nightrage as well.

Weeping Waves delivers a style that is well engrained but they add an instrument you may not expect to hear, it makes for an interesting take on melodeath. 7/10

Decipher - ΘΕΛΗΜΑ (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Greece's Decipher made a bold noise on their last album Arcane Paths To Resurrection with a style of black metal that honoured both the Hellenic and Scandi scenes.

The trio comprising guitarist/vocalist Kostas Gerochristos (Lucifer's Child), bassist Kostas Ragiadakos (Dephosphorous) and drummer Nodas Chatzopoulos, pull from heavier, broader, and more arcane influences with album number two.

Likened to Varathron, Necormanyia and of course Lucifer's Child, Decipher also have drawn comparison to Emperor and Bolzer, basically any band where the technicality is mirrored by ferocity.

Θελημα (Thelema) has longer more complex songs than on their previous album, the narratives here shapeshift through various guises, driven by a classic black metal rawness but melodic intelligence. Witnessed on the blistering Bound To The Wheel and Hail Death where the influence of Celtic Frost is felt strongly.

Focussing on how they use riffs Decipher lead a black metal charge that will get heads banging with intensity. 8/10

Faceless Envoy - Memoirs Within (Self Released)

Despite only appearing in 2024, Faceless Envoy arrived full forged and ready to take over the Greek music scene with their heavy grooves, percussion battery and breakdown driven style of modern groove/metalcore.

Inspired by bands such as Gojira, Sepultura and Orbit Culture, their debut EP announced their presence as a steamrolling new force in the groove metal, giving a short bludgeoning introduction that left you impressed and wondering where they would go from there.

Well here's their debut full length Memoirs Within and it's eight tracks of full force battery, driven by relentless precision of double kicks, low end dirges and repeating riffs that will hurt your neck on tracks such as Ga-Ra.

It's intense and aggressive but brings atmosphere too when they shift from the battery to the melodic phases, vocals that are just as potent when growling as when their clean and sonorous on tracks such as Enemy Down and The Waltz.

Recorded at Sound Symmetry Studio, Memoirs Within, is an album that explores inner conflict and resilience through the dynamic and powerful groove metal of Faceless Envoy. 8/10

Reviews: Devil Electric, Kim Jennett, Cemetery Dogs, Eternal Champion (Matt Bladen)

Devil Electric - Tahlia (Self Released)

Inspired by and a homage to the Latin phrase "that which nourishes me, destroys me” Tahlia is the newest collection of occult doom rocking from Australian band Devil Electric. 

Driven by the soulful, often dreamy vocals of Pierina O’Brien, which are counterpointed by bassist Nicolas Dumont, though it's Tom Hulse who plays the bass on this album (though it clocks in at about 34 minutes), especially the groovy Weirdos and also performs the vocals and wrote the strutting When We Talk About Nothing.

Behind this "tango between vintage doom metal and modern heavy rock" is the studied, propulsive drumbeat of Mark Van De Beek and the fuzzy, six string of Christos Athanasias, they kick off with the doomy title track and the punchy feminist snarl of Jill & Jack Shit as Acid Bath is the most mind bending cut featuring extra guitar from Lex Waterreus of Seedy Jeezus.

Tahlia is another doom driven EP from Devil Electric with a strong sense of the occult and lots of groove. 7/10

Kim Jennett - Queen Of Hell (Self Released)

If you ask me Queen Of Hell has been a long time coming. Kim Jennett has gone through many guises in her career but this powerhouse singer seems to have found her niche with Queen Of Hell a four track EP that shows off her massive voice, love of rock, the blues and brought through a modern rock lens.

Opening with the anthemic Hell Is Wherever You Are, we're firmly in Halestorm territory as Kim tells her tales from the frontline of the rock scene, a woman who has had enough and is using her music to reclaim her identity. The savage Dead To Me continues in this vein with choppy, bass led grooves from the 90's alt rock scene while Bloody Killing Floor brings the glammy feeling the 80's sleaze sound.

The understanding and appreciation for the history of rock is abundant on her own tracks and of course anyone who has the balls to take on Immigrant Song must be applauded. As Queen Of Hell is Kim Jennett ready to take her crown and her throne as the UK's biggest new voice. 8/10

Cemetery Dogs - It All Seems Fine (Self Released)

After their rough and ready trio of tracks on CCC Demos, Cardiff riff trio Cemetery Dogs drop their first 'proper' EP of tracks mixed and mastered. Though just as this is stoner/doom so it's all lovely and fuzzy, driven by Gibson SG's and Red Stripe. Cemetery Dogs have Sky Valley on their mind with grooving, psychedelic, ever so slightly off kilter riffs that permeate the layers of your brain to get the head nodding.

You Can't Have It gets It All Seems Fine going with some driving Kyuss/QOTSA riffs and dual shouted vocals. No Reason gives them some punk volatility Scott's Lemmy-like growl as rough as his guitar while the rhythm of Jo (bass) and Phil (drums), add the force of Melvins and maybe even some Black Flag.

With mixing by Andrew Sanders and mastering from Wigg Grant, it allows them to exhibit a bit more of their psychedelic nature with songs such as Pink Sky, keeping the grittiness of those initial demos but refining them to be more potent. At just 15 minutes you get the full picture of Cemetery Dogs the band, closing with the percussive doom of Old Man which owes something to The Troggs.

On Cemetery Dogs' debut EP is more than fine, it's very good, very loud stoner riffage. 8/10

Eternal Champion - Friend Of War (Self Released)

You could call Friend Of War from Eternal Champion and EP but also a Double A-Side, however you can definitely say it was long clocking in at over 31 minutes across two tracks.

The 13 minute title track is a spectacular showcase of what sort of a band Eternal Champion have become, a sprawling, cinematic track which features spoken word elements, plenty of lore and the most epic sounds Eternal Champion have crafted.

With the influences of bands such as Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road and even a bit of Ghost coming vocally as the choirs and orchestrations are all used to build this conceptual track, which is worth the price of admission alone.

After that though is something a little different as Yslsl is an 18 minute of ambient soundtrack that will do very well to accompany your next D&D session, showcasing the wider appeal of a band like Eternal Champion. If this is an indicator of where they are going in the future then consider me a Friend Of War. 7/10

Reviews: Myrath, Godsticks, Vanir, SolNegre (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Myrath - Wilderness Of Mirrors (earMusic) [Matt Bladen]

Whether this is the same Wilderness Of Mirrors that Mr Derek K Dick aka Fish held his Vigil, on his 1990 solo album I don't know, but it is the seventh studio album by Tunisian-French progressive metal band Myrath.

Since their debut Hope on 2007 they have been taking the metal world by storm with their fusion of progressive power metal and North African traditional music that has put them in the 'Oriental Metal' category but Myrath have always been a band who have been a lot more than that as the years have gone by.

They've never dropped the North African influences but their strongly defined power metal beginnings have softened into more other styles as they have added AOR, modern metal and more to their sound without moving too far away from where they began.

If anything they've just gotten more expansive and cinematic with what they do, witnessed here by the opening epic The Funeral, the theatrical Les Enfants Du Soleil and mega ballad Soul Of My Soul.

Both of these tracks remind a lot of Kamelot who also manage to balance the baroque sound of film music and the numbers of various metallic elements. This album follows a compilation of their earlier years which perhaps gained them some new fans and new appreciation for their older material for anyone that may have only joined the party on Karma.

That album was the first to feature new keyboard player Kevin Codfert (then as a session member) whose background in Adagio brought in the more dare I say 'Western' symphonic sounds rather than just the Arabic styles.

Myrath still have plenty of their heritage on Still The Dawn Will Come, Edge Of The Night, and Until The End which features Elize Ryd of Amaranthe, employing a host of guest players to bring qrageb, saz and even their own orchestra. However with you can hear these more recent influences on The Clown, Breathing Near The Roar and Echoes Of The Fallen.

This Wilderness Of Mirrors, is more like a metropolis of glass. A clear, direct message of the band Myrath are in 2026. A cinematic, symphonic experience, built on their cultural musical history, that will have you wanting to replay it over and over. 9/10

Godsticks - VOiD (Kscope) [Matt Bladen]

After being holed up in the studio for 18 months, British prog act Godsticks return with the follow up to their 2023 This Is What A Winner Looks Like, and in the words of band founder/vocalist/guitarist Darran Charles their "toughest and most demanding record".

It's definitely their most instant as it begins in earnest with M.I.A and Hold Back both driven by that chugging, modern meets retro sound Godsticks are known for, not quite in the aggressive crush of Tesseract and not quite the melodic beard stroking of Rush.

Godsticks have always sat in their own field in the UK prog scene with a heaviness that gives them some headbanging grooves, virtuosity that allows them to wield some technically impressive solo sections but also an ear for composition where the song is at the core of what they do.

VOiD is a an album of frustration, obsessed by disillusionment, the overwhelming movement towards disenfranchisement and the world's continuing drift towards division, the erosion of the centre ground, with the band offering a solution to these issues as retreating to your own little void.

In this case it's a void containing some of the bands heaviest and complex tracks the band have produced with Charles shares the writing with drummer Tom Price and guitarist Gavin Bushell, who have both been a major part of the band for a few album cycles now. Price a drummer of skill, precision and power whilst Bushell's guitar playing provided harmony and counterpoint to Charles'.

His vocals still a unique prospect in the progsphere and while they though VOiD is the debut record for bassist Francis George who has added his own dynamic to the band locking into some modern polyrhythmic grooves that lend themselves to the themes of dread and paranoia.

There's a lot of great noises coming from this VOiD of Godsticks, dive in and find your own solace in some top tier heavy progging from these South Wales veterans. 9/10

Vanir - Wyrd (Mighty Music) [Mark Young]

Hardly a week goes by without a melodic death metal release dropping into my in-box. I’m not sick of as a musical movement but I am fatigued by it. 

Finding bands that can do it at a level where I am enthused by them are hard to come by and in a lot of cases it’s definitely me, not them as being the problem. With this in mind, lets hear what Vanir have to say.

Against The Storm is their opening gambit and does a suitably good job of getting things going. It’s built from the tradition methods associated with this genre and in its favour is that it doesn’t look backwards at any point. 

This is there statement of intent; this is who we are and this is what we do. If you dig this, then you will almost certainly dig the rest of this album and from that respect it succeeds. It tells you everything you need to know, how they go about things and how everything will unfold for you.

Never Surrender takes that concept and ups that ante by bringing some devilish melodic guitar as a means of raising interest. In its build, its much like Against, its front facing and heavy, which is what you want from them. It’s not saying anything new, but then I’m not sure there is anything new to be said. 

Putting that to one side, it continues to bring the riffology, which for me is all that matters at this point. Those melodic touches that dropped here and there are done in a way that they don’t become overused, they are tastefully deployed and we are onto Braavalla which wisely goes for build that is slower but no less engaging. 

Seeing Amon Amarth noted within the FFO section, this swinging, Viking hall arrangement is welcome with a quality central riff line that must be mint to play as a guitarist. Three songs in and I think we have a good handle of things here. We know that based on these they can do the fast and medium paced melodic builds without losing any of the energy. 

For me, these songs should be delivered in short kinetic blasts of energy, they lose some of that impetus once they go past 5 or more minutes. Boudica starts off in restrained fashion before launching in a way that is similar to Braavalla. The way its chorus lines are constructed mark it out as being this albums centre point. 

Ostensibly it’s a fine song but because it loops through the same lines twice it feels overlong. It has the potential to go better once its deployed live, but on here its slightly flat.

Da Lammet Brød Det 6, Segl with its spoken narration arrives in a hurry, and successfully mixes between the two tempos, both frenzied and controlled bringing in melody lines that again are tasteful but have that thing about them that raises the material to a higher level. 

They don’t forget to bring that bottom end or the machine gun drumming resulting in the Vanir train getting back on the right tracks in terms of harnessing that aggression once more. Helgrinidir recognises this need and brings it’s A-Game. 

They stick within the core themes associated with melodic death metal and rather than confining themselves they come up with a cracker. Its one of those with the almost ever-present double bass that propels it forward at every turn.

Mor & Ære completes the resurgence, making sure that the ending is as good as the start, and then we are into the end game with De Forbandede År and Nine. Of the former, this has a stilted rhythm to it, and hits like it has traditional form, updated to suit. It shares a lot of common ground to the ones before it, but its not as direct as Helgrinidir as an example. 

Still, its not a ballad or an instrumental interlude which really would have upset me. It’s the sound of a band that is comfortable with how they go to work, and this is crystallised with Nine. If you imagine someone asking a guitarist, play me something that will make me nod my head, it would sound like this. And that is a consistent theme for this album, riffs that make you nod your head again and again. 

Nine does it with what is a simple build, its just that its done with an energy and an eye on getting you up and moving. In that respect, Vanir have been successful. I mentioned earlier that there is a little bit of fatigue setting in when it comes to things melodic. Vanir have crafted a decent set of songs that will be consumed with glee by fans of this music.

From a personal view, it hasn’t quite removed this but I found a lot to like here and I think you will too. 8/10

SolNegre - Anthems For The Grand Collapse (Meuse Music Records) [Mark Young]

Anthems For The Grand Collapse came at me from out of the mist and I’ll be honest took me by surprise. A new band on me, and it’s a welcome introduction to them with an album that snuck in, gradually cajoling you in and then once it gets those hooks in you that is it, you stay until the end. 

Seeing it tagged as being Death/Doom, initially I’m not that excited to press play as it can be such a mixed bag but this is quality. It has the virtue of sounding like no one else I’ve heard but keeps within what I consider ‘Good’ sounds like. Of course, you and will differ, but stick with me and I’ll try to justify myself.

The Axiom – Song For The Inert Part II is the expansive jumping off point. Its gives you a plain indication of how things are going to play out here; Everything is delivered so that it is massive in scope, the doom pace meaning that they have the time and space to do it. 

Its amazing to think that 9 minutes passes by so quickly in its company with each component part seated so there is just a natural flow. And the lead break around 5minutes is just chef’s kiss. Its both emotionally driven and technically minded, flurries of notes put together before they bring the big riffs out. 

The thing that strikes here is the way that they have constructed it, its in perfect synch and a cohesive whole. And what’s more they just casually start things off with it. This approach remains in place as we progress through it, the general vibe is to stay within that specific Doom lane in terms of tempo, which I admire. 

They don’t try to change things around in an effort to sound different, they just rely on the sheer strength of their songs. For All That Could Have Been, sitting at the mid-point continues to entrance, using all the tricks to keep you in place. 

Piano led moments that break into their big-riff changeovers, clean into guttural vocals and just sublime, introspective parts that allow you to take a breath and start afresh with them. It’s a powerful statement that again passes the 9 minute mark without feeling like it. 

I should also note that amongst this display of strength we have a song of beauty, In the Stillness Of The Womb is a gentle, driven piece where guest vocals are provided by Gadea Es Ineseta, and they are breathtaking. Delivered in a way that befits the build, it’s an example of how devastating a song like this can be when approached in this manner. 

It’s a favourite of mine on here, probably my standout moment in all honesty because it feels here as everything has aligned in the right way.

They end as they came in, with another epic slab of melodic Death Doom. A Path Of Aloneness (I & II) is their goodbye and provides the right climax following the introspection of the track before. It’s a masterclass in how to do epic songs, and I think that much is evident based on the content here. 

It’s a build that attempts to bring its title to life as a self-contained tale. This is the thing; you could take any of the songs from here and listen to them in isolation and they would not lose anything. Each is built to machine tolerance, slotting in and out as the album moves through its gears. They rely on the little, deft touches to make each one fly and its something to behold, especially on this final track. 

It does all you would expect from this genre, but its unique to them, at least as far as I can tell. It’s a fantastic release, and hopefully it’s the start of something special for them. 9/10