Bloodstock M2TM South Wales Interviews: House Of Hosts - West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26

Interview With House Of Hosts - West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26



1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band. 

Sup! We’re House of Hosts! We’re a Welsh 5 piece alt metal/metalcore/early2000’s metal band from Swansea/Bridgend and..Bristol (side eye)! We’ve been together now as a full band since 2022 after reforming the old HOH which started in 2014!

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2026 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

So we absolutely LOVE playing the MTTM gigs – from the rush of the competition to the energy of the crowd and getting to create some amazing contacts for future gigs. This will be our (I want to say) 2nd time playing the MTTM show? Last time we made it to the quarters, and this year we have put so much work into finessing our set/stage appearance and we want to try and push it all the way!

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band? 

The local scene is everything to us – without it, we wouldn’t be where we are today!

It’s been said that local music is a dying scene – but we can disagree with that as we’ve seen nothing but amazing rising bands emerge and faithful crowds that are keeping the scene alive!

4. We have a slightly different set up this year with Heats/Quarters/Semis taking place at Bunkhouse/Green Rooms. Have you played the venue before or is this your first time? Are you excited to get on those stages?

Oh, the Bunkhouse *Heart eyes* <3.

We have a deep fondness for this venue, purely because it is f**king amazing! The staff, sound tech Kalebh, the owner Will – oof! We began our journey pretty much at the bunkhouse, and the support and professionalism we have seen from them to this day are immense! We cannot wait to get back onto that stage and give it our all in homage to our fantastic hosts!

5. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

Honestly? It’s just getting on that stage and connecting with the crowd through our music. Being given the opportunity to play our tracks to people who may have not seen us before, is enough in itself. We’re deeply honoured!

(…but obviously getting the chance to play Bloodstock is a given…right?!)

6. What would getting to our Day Of Wreckoning final and the possibility of playing Bloodstock Festival 2026 mean to you?

It would be a defining moment in our musical journey, it would prove that hard work and dedication can pay off big time!

7. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

We would like to say check out all the bands!

Thawn: bring a an old school distortion vibe with some wicked riffs and fantastic vocals

Clarity As Arson: bring the heaviness in with ferocity and a beastly vocals.

Antique Curse: Delivering some old school heavy metal which will please everyone's ears.

8. Tell us in five words why people should come and see your band?

Super thicc big boi riffs

Reviews: Nuctemeron, Assignment, Aeon Temple, Shatterheart (Mark Young, Simon Black, Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Nuctemeron - Demonic Sceptre (Soulseller Records) [Mark Young]

Sometimes the PR release has just the right words:

‘Leather, spikes, chains and bullet belts + German Black/Speed Metal = a winning formula’.

It is not a bad statement to make when regarding Demonic Sceptre, the debut release that appears to have been a long time coming from Nuctemeron. It is an album that screams ‘I am old school’ in everything this album has to give. Having this mindset in place, it basically sign posts you as a potential listener to a situation where you get onboard with velocity and straight forward assault that channels heavy metal circa 1981 which delights in bludgeoning but with little finesse. If this doesn’t sound appealing or intriguing then you might as well stop reading and move onto the next review. Unless I’m at the bottom in which case you are stuck with me.

Everything about this is like stepping back in time, when the prime directive was to be faster than everyone else, that introductory instrumentals were acceptable (just) but what we really wanted were songs about Bats and being able to shout Fuck Off (In The Name Of Evil). Once that instrumental wraps the aforementioned The Bat kicks in, replete with a chiming bell and super-fast riffing that formed the base for early Slayer. The band I take from this is Venom, more than any other. Over 5 minutes The Bat just charges forward, a manic outpouring of speed and vocals that just about stay the course. 

The whole thing is frenzied, such as After Violent Storm which effectively blasts along the same path as The Bat. Iron Maiden amped up on speed is next for Under Devil’s Command and it does what it needs to do, keeping that no fucks, metal all the time vibe in place. If you have stayed with them this far, then the remainder that they manage to imbue enough in each song to make it more than just a plain homage to simpler times. Each of the songs has that manic energy to it with no let up in place, all played at more or less the same pace. They stay true to their word, with no song dropping off in speed or attack throughout the whole of the album. Basically, if you go into this knowing that one song sets the scene for the rest with little variance and this works then you will find 41 glorious minutes of old school love.

And speaking of Venom, they throw in Angeldust as a closing cover, which is a pretty cool way of finishing up because if you are going to cover someone and do it justice, do Venom. It’s a difficult one to score, because if you aren’t hot on old school metal, then this won’t do much for you. If you can appreciate the vibe its manifesting then it represents 40 minutes of fun. 8/10

Assignment - With The End Comes Silence (Massacre Records) [Simon Black]

Sometimes I don’t know whether to be happy that the world is littered with hugely proficient and long-serving Progressive Metal bands that I have never heard of. Since Dream Theater first kicked me up the early 90’s, I’ve always had a hugely soft spot for the genre, and the beauty of this reviewing lark is you constantly get to discover new music you’ve never heard of. The happiness comes from finding another diamond in the dirt; the sadness is that surely I should have come across a band that’s been at it since 1996 before now?

To be fair they’ve only garnered six full length albums in that period, and with the kind of gestation gaps between them that indicate that this ain’t the full time focus for these German gentlemen, but that’s more of a reflection of the commercial state of the music industry than their abilities, which from what I am hearing so far are considerable. Also, they did rather switch styles somewhat, with their much earlier work being more Thrash and Death influenced (albeit with a more technical flourish), before going full on Prog.

That said, there’s a strongly commercial and melodic vein running through this record that is more Power Metal than Prog, and Diego Valdez vocal style would work well on a straight-ahead Metal record, with just enough melodic power to cross the aisles, but enough rock’n’roll edge to feel gutsy and authentic. Oh, and charismatic, this boy has that in spades and effortlessly holds the attention.

Musically this is a very guitar-orientated affair, with keyboards being in the mix but very much in the background, just enough to add a little cinematic layering to what is otherwise a very riff-based piece of work. In fact, strong anthemic hooks litter the piece and ultimately give it its sense of accessibility more than any other element in the mix. Lyrically this is a dark piece concerned with the frankly rather dire state of the world, so not many major keys in earshot this time out.

The downside is that for it’s one hundred and nine minutes With The End Comes Silence pretty much keeps the same tempo and tone throughout and really could do with a bit more variety. OK, we go from moody downtuned bangers into more balladlike territory from time to time, but it’s still a consistently sad piece which gets a bit wearing after a while. That said I can tell this is the sort of record that might hang around on the platter for a little longer than my review window, and my curiosity is piqued enough to take a little dip into the past. Not bad at all. 8/10

Aeon Temple - Resurfaced (Temple Records) [Rich Piva]

The first thing you get is the voice. That is the first impression that knocks you off your feet when you switch on the new record Resurfaced, by Aeon Temple. The German band return with five tracks of huge sounding stoner psych, the first new material since their debut EP from ten years ago. Yes, ten years.

Claudia Weber’s vocals are the star here. You know this right off the bat when the opener, Grapes And Wine starts. She harmonies with herself beautifully until that stoner gallop kicks in nicely. The music is fuzzy goodness that pairs nicely with Weber’s voice. There is a 90s vibe to these songs for sure, and you can tell someone in the band is a prog fan too. Weber’s voice is all over the place range-wise, and she ventures into a bunch of them just in the opener. 

Children Of Dirt has a very cool and proto sounding riff, showing the band can doom it up if they need to. This one rips and has a cool evilness to it. With only five songs in 40 minutes you know you are in for some long ones, and Tireless Machine is just that. Just let the swirling guitars, killer rhythm section, and that chunky riff take over and it will just fly by. Did I mention the voice? That too. The song is long, but I would not change a thing. 

The eight-minute Blumulu has a kind of folkiness to it for which Weber’s voice works perfectly and it is where the band lets their psych leanings show up. Don’t worry, their version freak folk rocks too. I can’t help but to get a Smashing Pumpkins vibe from the closer, the eleven-minute Golden Veils. Like how Billy Corrigan was the master of big sounding quiet-loud-quiet on songs like Rhinoceros and Drown. That vibe is here, but maybe could have been just a bit shorter, given the record ends with three songs over about 30 minutes.

Ten years is a long time for a follow up, but Aeon Temple nailed it on their long-awaited follow up. Resurfaced Indeed. Be ready for a journey, but hang in, it is worth it. 8/10

Shatterheart - Infernal Symphony (Art Gates Records) [Matt Bladen]

Shatterheart play symphonic metal with some heaviness to it. So often bands in the genre move towards the ethreal or the spectral, Shatterheart bring the power metal gallops of Kamelot and Serenity with some classic metal guitar solos and visuals inspired by Greek sculpture and gothic/Victorian architecture.

Tracks such as A Shattered Heart, Afterlife and Nightchild all move forward with power metal pace, biting riffs, big vocals and double kick blasts, the Sweden based band (though their vocalist is Greek) seamlessly shift between the leather clad traditional metal realm and the modern electronic sound with Betrayal, where the influence of Within Temptation is strong.

The production from Fredrik Nordström is great adding drama to Raging Storm, Forever Will Last and the title track all add some folk/pirate metal influences to the Shatterheart sound. There's loads to love here for fans of Kamelot and Visions Of Atlantis, theatrical symphonic metal that doesn't spare on the grit. 8/10

Reviews: Hanabie, Blackened Halo, Hollow Peak, Oraculum (GC & Matt Bladen)

Hanabie - Hot Topic (Sony Music) [GC]

It’s been a while since I have reviewed anything, so I chose to pick something randomly from our files and have ended up with the new EP form Hanabie, Hot Topic. They are listed as Harajukucore, I will be the first to admit I am a sucker for a ‘core, hardcore, deathcore, metalcore and so on, but have absolutely no clue what harajukucore might be? Guess I am about to find out!?

It all starts out in a suitably bonkers way with Iconic and I’m not totally sure what is going on. One minute there are lots of electronic beats over-layed with cutesy high pitched Japanese vocals, then it’s all screams and guitars and beatdowns then there all mixed together and a sprinkle of pop dust is scattered all over before they decide to kick off again and to be honest, its mental and I think I like it but also not sure if I fully understand it at the same time! 

It doesn’t get any clearer on Spicy Queen either, it has a bit more of a structured beginning with some nicely done metalcore and scattergun time changes all over the place and it certainly keeps you on your toes with the way one sound cascades and explodes into the next, you are never really sure what is coming next which is probably the most fun bit about it all and to be fair when they throw in some more beatdowns they are very effective done. 

トキメキAbout You has an undeniable nu-metal influence all the way through with a hip-hop bass line running throughout and providing a firm back drop to the intertwining styles the vocalists throw around the guitars are all suitably scuzzy and have just that edge to lift it above sounding muddy, its probably the most ‘normal’ track on the EP but I’m not sure what ‘normal’ would even mean I this context but still a fun track to listen too! 

Girls Talk goes for the all out fury approach and thunders in on a wave of bruising guitars that have all the electronic edge added that usually might not sound any good but here, of course it works because there appear to be no rules on what you can and can’t do and it’s a refreshing breath of fresh air to listen to because very crazy idea you could think is squeezed into every track and makes everything unpredictable and interesting.

The last track はなびえんちゃん。のテーマ is where the wackiness gets a bit too much really an I’m glad it’s the last track because if there was much more it could have gotten very silly and ruined all the previous good work.

This really was an experience to listen to! I went in completely clueless as to what I was going to hear and to be honest I am still clueless as to what I heard! It defies explanations and boundaries and sets its own tones and if this is what harajukucore is then I think I might be a fan? Maybe!? What I do know is this was a fun EP and if you are open minded enough then you should give it a listen you never know you might just like it! 7/10

Blackened Halo - Sovereign (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

We've covered Blackened Halo in these pages before (seriously check out their website) so I went into Sovereign with some expectation of what they were going to deliver. They are a modern thrash band inspired by Machine Head, Exodus and Testament, playing that aggressive style of thrash that also pulls in some groove tendencies.

The Munich based four piece have been around for almost ten years, with a full length album and two EP's behind them they followed up live dates alongside Suicidal Angels, Exhorder, Nervosa and Extinction AD, by heading in the studio to record Sovereign their third EP. They call it a 'mini-album' but it's still an EP to me and with six new tracks including the two proceeding singles Of Lions And Sheep and Ozymandias, there's a lot of new riffs to bang your head to here.

As I said Blackened Halo play thrash metal but it's one that's from the contemporary scene, riffs coming thick and fast with big slabs of groove behind them plenty of lead guitar. The EP produced in a way that you can hear everything (especially the bass) but it doesn't quite have the sonic power of a Machine Head, but that being said it still makes an impact with a mix of good songwriting and technical playing. 7/10

Hollow Peak - Obsidian Cult (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]

This one took a few listens, and I'm still not quite sure what I think of it. Hollow Peak are a Norwegian melodic metal band who are reasonably recent additions to the scene, having released an EP in 2023, Obsidian Cult is their debut full length and it apparently has them taking them down a darker path.

I can hear what they're going for, it's that modern style of occult heavy rocking with some dreamy female vocals and haunting atmospheres that linger over the huge slabs of melodic riffage. There's inspiration from bands such as Insomnium and Amorphis, introspective, emotive style of metal that has lyrics that deal with "alienation in the digital age, inner battles, and personal renewal."

The problem is it's a bit too safe, the songs blend into one another and the vocals don't have much in the way of variation. If this music is your style then you'll enjoy Obsidian Cult but for me it was a record that did what it did but nothing overly exciting. 6/10

Oraculum - Hybris Divinia (Invictus Productions) [GC]

It has taken fifteen years for Oraculum to release this debut album!? That’s a long time by anyone’s standards, there have been EPs in that time, but Hybris Divinia is finally here as their first full length, South America is a breeding ground for glorious death metal and hailing from Chile is always a bonus, so I’m expecting big things here!

A Monument To Fallen Virtues is a slow and drawn-out intro that doesn’t really give too much away or whet the appetite for what you can expect from Divinia- The Great One which is much better and should have opened the album really, it’s a slow and brooding death metal sound for the most part but does open up a bit more a couple of minutes in but never feels like it gets out of second gear, it feels like they are holding something back, I can appreciate a slower death metal sound but that doesn’t mean I really like it and it almost seems like they run out of steam about halfway through and aren’t really sure what else to do with the song and just sort of drifts to a conclusion.

Divinia- Mendacious Heroism follows the same sort of path but starts with a bit more gusto and incorporates a black metal influence into the sound but they are never far away from dropping the tempo right down and trying to reign it in too much, the black metal flourishes do peak through every now and then and this is the best bit of this track because it makes it less formulaic because when they get back to just mid-tempo death metal noodling it gets slightly tedious and the songs just seem to go on for far too long. 

Divinia- Carnage does try to keep you on board and goes directly for the blackened death metal sound from the very off and doesn’t really stop in the way it just keeps going but then for some reason they decide to take their foot off the gas and go all mid-paced again and honestly it just starts to sound like one long mish mash of not very much the solos try to create some interest but get a little lost in the mix, I honestly think time control is an issue here because if they trimmed a couple of minutes of each of these songs they would be much more interesting and focused. 

Divinia- Dolos is one of the longest tracks on the album and boy does it feel like it! It starts slowly and has a kind of doom element to it which is done well enough but it just feels like such hard work to get though as nothing really grabs hold of you and pulls you in you just sort of sat listening thinking why is this song so long and what am I actually listening to, there are many people who will disagree with me no doubt but this for me, is not how death metal should be done. 

When I see that Divinia- The Heritage Of Our Brotherhood is only 2:15, I think I might be in for something closer to the death metal sound I crave but of course it’s nothing of the sort, it’s just a mid-album stop-gap of slow guitars and shamanic vocals that fall directly into the interlude category, bin it off please, next! 

Hybris Divinia- Spiritual Virility finally has something about it with blasting drums and wailing guitars mixed with the buzzsaw black metal style that was evident earlier and made for some interesting listening, it might not break any boundaries but after the slow and droning nature of most of this album it very welcome listening. It reinvigorates you for Hybris Divinia- Posthumous Exultation which clocks in the longest run time at 7:42 and it tries to mix everything you have heard into one final hurrah, it works in some places and really drags on in other places and it really suffers from trying to hard syndrome for the most part, less would definitely been more here and it feels like a long drawn out ending.

Going to be honest and say that this album was not really very inspiring or interesting, it was fine in places and excessively boring in other places. They might have something about them, but I feel that they struggle to show it all the time and always tend to reign it back way too much. This lies firmly in the ‘’was just ok’’ camp and will most likely not make it into my regular rotation anytime soon. 5/10

Bloodstock M2TM South Wales Interviews: Antique Curse - West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26

Interview With Antique Curse - West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26

1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us

a little bit more about you as a band?

We are Antique Curse a true heavy metal band based in Cardiff, the lineup consisting of Aberddon on vocals and guitar, James on guitar, Rhys on drums and Liam on bass. With our recent single "The Curse", we prove that true heavy metal is still standing strong. With a blend of traditional heavy metal, prog rock and speed metal, we are building our own unique brand of heavy metal

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2026 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your First time?

Most of the band has played M2TM with other bands in the past, we've found it's a great opportunity to connect with bands who we may never have seen or interacted with before. This will be the first time for Antique Curse, and we're looking forward to seeing some new and old faces in the crowd

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

It’s incredibly important to support the local scene, sometimes the best way to learn how to function as a band is to see how other bands do it, and learn from them, or how not to do it. Without supporting each other grassroots music would die

4. We have a slightly different set up this year with Heats/Quarters/Semis taking place at Bunkhouse & Green Rooms. Have you played the venue before or is this your first time? Are you excited to get on those stages?

Members of the band have played in The Bunkhouse before, with other bands, and love it. It's a great stage for a local venue, and the sound is handled extremely well, providing the necessary power for true heavy metal

5. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

With M2TM, we're looking to connect with more local bands, help further the scene and grow and to perfect our playing and stage show

6. What would getting to our Day Of Wreckoning final and the possibility of playing Bloodstock Festival 2026 mean to you?

For us, it'd be an incredible opportunity to show a different side of heavy metal, and show people a new sound that we see is lacking for bands, especially in Wales

7. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

We're fans of the band Paroxism, they have a great sound and stage show, we highly encourage checking them out

8. Tell us in five words why people should come and see your band?

Loud, fast, classic heavy metal

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

Sleep Theory & The Pretty Wild, O2 Academy, Bristol 06.02.26

A wet and windy Friday night in Bristol brings the start of a UK tour from two bands that will play there first ever gigs in the UK, those bands being The Pretty Wild and Sleep Theory, lets get to it shall we....

First up we have The Pretty Wild (7), coming all the way from the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas. Sisters Jyl and Jules Wylde struck the big time with breakout single Sleepwalker in 2024 having previously started on a more country music path have slowly evolved into a strong melodic metalcore band that keeps the roots of the country style but also sprinkles a bit of rap and heavy screams into the mix along with bouncing modern metal beats and rhythms galore. 

The band walk to the stage for the first time in the UK to a great reception from this sold out 02 Academy in Bristol, as we kick straight into the first song, Paradox, the first song from the bands debut album release, last years Zero.Point.Genesis, a good opening song that's full of everything I described about them and more, a chunky half time bouncy metal beast of a song with a dreamy chorus and really good screams and rap parts that complement the latter well. 

For a band that only played there first gig as a band less than two years ago from what comes from the rest of the set if not told or known you would think they have been doing this for a lot longer. With no live bass player the band does rely on a lot of samples and backing tracks but it most definitely does not take anything away from the performance or the sound at all. The chemistry from the sisters and drummer and guitarist is flowing throughout the set from all on stage. 

Jules takes time between songs to thank the crowed and show the bands humbleness and appreciation to be in front of a UK crowed for the first time and are so happy at the reaction they have got. The sound is on point tonight at the 02 with a nice blend of electronic sounds and that bouncing metal sound that the crowed is loving right from the start to the finish of the bands set, which ends with the bands big hit to date, Sleepwalker which brings out the first pits of the night. 

Not my usual cup of tea if I am honest but that makes no difference to how impressed I am with the experience I just had the pleasure of watching, a very good performance from a band that are new to the circuit but will only grow and I am sure to be around for a long time I am positive.

We get a nice short break for a change of only half an hour before the headliners, Sleep Theory (8), hailing from Memphis, Tennessee. I will say now this band has past me by since its creation as a solo project back in 2019 from vocalist Cullen Moore that has grown into a full band since, as I am sure a lot of bands have, but that's the fun of the musical discovery we all go through when you find new bands. Walking onto stage after a funny intro involving clips on the two big screens from Steven A Smith and Shaq from Basketball fame, the band get huge applause and roars from the crowd and we get stuck in with first song Fallout, from the bands first full album 2025s Afterglow. 

Straight away you get Linkin Park vibes with DJ scratches and that unmistakable Bouncing subdued muted riff that breaks into a full on moshing anthem. Now don't get me mistaken with the Linkin Park reference this is not just a cheap knock off this is a band that once again is not really one I would of found without doing this but wow am I blown away from song 1 all the way to the end. This band is very very good and I was really blown away by how tight and good the sound is coming from the stage. 

Now like The Pretty Wild there are plenty of samples used and everything is perfectly on schedule for each song but once again this is still a band that is so talented that take all that away and they would still knock your socks off with how dam catchy they are. Bass player Paolo Vergara and vocalist Cullen Moore stop midway to thank everyone for "showing us we are welcome and wanted over here" which shows in the fact that this first gig in the UK is completely sold out. We get more songs from Afterglow like, Hourglass and Parasite until we get to a superb cover of NSYNCs Bye Bye Bye which goes down a storm with everyone in the building singing along with the bands metal infused cover which is sang amazingly by Cullen, like every song tonight played by the band, what a voice this man has. 

We get to the song that made people wake up to this band, Another Way which blew up on TikTok in 2023 and put the bands music out there to the masses which gets every single person in the building singing along with full voices. A song called Stuck In My Head, a stand out for me, as of writing this is no pun intended stuck in my head still, its a song that just screams anthem to me, it seems to be the type of song that the younger generation will look back on as exactly that, an anthem. 

The band finish up the set with the first track from the bands debut album, Static which just keeps everyone pumping with pits and moshing from front to top in the 02s case, a great way to end the set from the bands first ever gig on in the UK. I can explain anymore how much I enjoyed Sleep Theory, a very fun band to watch live, a awesome sound and the talent just oozes from all members and its very clear to see why they have had to upgrade every venue and add a extra date here in the UK due to demand of people wanting to see them. 

I highly recommend catching this tour before it ends here but keep a very keen eye out for this band in your country for any future tours they do.

Bloodstock M2TM South Wales Interviews: Clarity As Arson - West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26

Interview With Clarity As Arson - West Heat #1 The Bunkhouse, 15.02.26

1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us
a little bit more about you as a band?

We are Clarity As Arson, we are a metalcore band from Ebbw Vale South Wales. We formed in 2008 but after a few name changes, we settled on Clarity As Arson. We were active for many years playing all over Wales and a few times in England but in 2016 we decided to go on an extended hiatus as several of us wanted to settle down and start a family. 

Time passed and we all decided to get back together and jam for fun but after a few sessions we decided to start playing gigs again as nothing feels as good as playing on a stage in front of a crowd. 

Last year we recorded our Second EP Blood, Sweat and Beers which is on all streaming sites and we are looking to record another EP sometime this year. We mix metalcore heavy riffs with southern hardcore licks, we draw our influences from Cancer Bats, Every Time I Die, Killswitch Engage, Letlive., Converge, Malevolence and so many more.

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2026 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your First time?

We have previously played in metal to the masses many years ago and got to the final heat. It was an amazing experience and we had so much fun, it was held in Fuel Cardiff and the energy from the crowd and comradery from the other bands made applying for this year's competition a no brainer for us.

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

The whole scene has changed massively since we were last playing gigs regularly, the scene is crucial for us as an aspiring band and it's always good to make connections with bands and promoters at gigs and M2TM is a huge opportunity for us and other bands.

4. We have a slightly different set up this year with Heats/Quarters/Semis taking place at Bunkhouse & Green Rooms. Have you played the venue before or is this your first time? Are you excited to get on those stages?

We are playing Bunkhouse and its avenue that we have never played before but we have heard amazing things about the venue from friends who have had the privilege to play there. We have played in Swansea before, in Sin City, Lemon Factory and The Scene. It was always a great atmosphere in Swansea

5. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

What we expect from being a part of M2TM is to put on a good show, meet new bands and people and hopefully build relationships and connections that lead to more shows and opportunities for us as a band.

6. What would getting to our Day Of Wreckoning final and the possibility of playing Bloodstock Festival 2026 mean to you?

As a band playing in the Day Of Wreckoning would be an incredible opportunity, playing for the chance to play at Bloodstock with the best up and coming bands in the UK. Even if we didn't make it to Bloodstock the learning that we would come away with from that opportunity would be invaluable. But on the other side, playing a festival as established and renowned like Bloodstock is every band's dream. 

We at Clarity As Arson have always wanted the opportunity to play a festival and would love for that dream to become a reality one day.

7. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

We have checked out the other bands in our heat and there is some fierce competition. I know I am really looking forward to sharing the stage and hearing House of Hosts live.

8. Tell us in five words why people should come and see your band?

High Energy, groovy metal, sweaty

https://www.facebook.com/clarityasarson
https://open.spotify.com/artist/03havxXkl41PmZPjhyxze4?si=EZ50uPIeQ22ujysZ23cFww

A View From The Back Of The Room: A.A Williams (Natt Sabbath & Mike Chew)

A.A. Williams & Spotlights — Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, 03.02.26



Spotlights (9) opened the evening with a set that immediately established the tone: immersive, textured, and quietly powerful. Formed originally in San Diego before relocating to New York, the band: Mario Quintero (guitar/vocals), Sarah Quintero (bass/vocals), and Chris Enriquez (drums) have built a reputation for blending shoegaze ambience with heavy, slow-burn metal, drawing comparisons to bands like Deftones and Pallbearer.

Their set focused heavily on material from their Tidals EP, moving through the record in sequence before closing with a newer track. Opening with Walls, the room was immediately filled with dense, pulsing distortion and raw emotional weight. Mario’s vocals shifted between restrained melody and harsher delivery, while Sarah’s bass created a deep, resonant foundation that could be felt through the floor of the venue. The sound was heavy but never overwhelming; textured rather than aggressive.

The Grower leaned further into a doom-shoegaze atmosphere, slow and cathartic, with the kind of low-end presence that makes smaller venues feel enormous. The interplay between bass and guitar created a hypnotic quality that held the room’s attention completely. Tracks like Hover and To The End continued that balance between ambience and heaviness, with drummer Chris Enriquez providing a steady, deliberate backbone that allowed the songs to expand naturally. There’s a patience to Spotlights’ songwriting, nothing feels rushed, and live, that restraint makes the heavier moments land with real impact.

By the time they reached Joseph, the set shifted into a more ambient space, before closing with Sunset Burial, which blended delicacy and distortion in equal measure. The transition from softness to heaviness across the set felt intentional and cohesive, making the performance feel less like a support slot and more like a carefully constructed introduction to the evening. Spotlights were intense yet accessible, a genuinely compelling start to the night and a perfect tonal bridge into what followed.

After a quick changeover, A.A. Williams (10) took to the stage in low light and near-silence, immediately transforming the atmosphere in the room.

Classically trained as a pianist and cellist before moving into guitar-led alternative music, A.A. Williams has developed a sound that sits comfortably between post-rock, gothic ambience, and modern metal. Since the release of her debut album Forever Blue in 2020, followed by Songs From Isolation (2021) and As The Moon Rests (2022), she has built a reputation for performances that prioritise emotional weight and atmosphere over spectacle.

At the Hare & Hounds, that approach translated beautifully. From the opening moments, she wove dark, gothic ambient magic through the room, holding the audience in complete stillness. Her voice; controlled, expressive, and quietly powerful, carried effortlessly over the band’s expansive sound.

Songs from across her catalogue appeared throughout the set. Material from Forever Blue felt particularly powerful in this setting, with Glimmer, Love And Pain, Dirt, and Melt translating into deeply immersive live moments. Glimmer felt fragile and almost folk-like in its delivery, while Melt built gradually from near-silence into a towering emotional crescendo.

Newer material sat seamlessly alongside it. Pristine moved from delicate restraint into thunderous intensity midway through, while As The Moon Rests filled the venue with rich guitar textures and slow-burn power. Throughout the set, the contrast between softness and heaviness remained the defining feature of the performance.

A.A. Williams doesn’t rely on theatrics or dramatic stage presence, the power lies entirely in the music and atmosphere. In a venue as intimate as the Hare & Hounds, that restraint becomes mesmerising. By the time the closing song faded out, the room felt suspended in that quiet emotional space her music creates.

Both Spotlights and A.A. Williams delivered performances that felt deeply connected in tone and intention, an ambient-metal pairing that worked effortlessly together.

Reviews: Big Big Train, Karnivool, Tailgunner, Demonic Resurrection (Matt Bladen)

Big Big Train - Woodcut (InsideOut Music) 

Is there any band more British than Big Big Train? I mean that by them being a sprawling collection of nationalities all working and creating together, drawing influence from shared tradition while also infusing their own heritage, in a musical harmony. So I don't mean British in the sense certain Toby Jug Faced politicians would have you believe.

Proudly flying the flag for progressive rock grandeur, folk intimacy and lyrical storytelling, Big Big Train are still forging away led by band founder Gregory Spawton (bass), as Woodcut is the second full length featuring vocalists Albeto Bravin who took over the mic following the passing of longtime vocalist David Longdon. It's also their first concept record, which for a prog band is mad, however every prog band needs one and BBT don't scrimp with a 16 track, 66 minute "human exploration of art, faith and endurance."

Heady stuff indeed but BBT have always been able to pull things like this off, despite members from England, Scotland, Italy, the USA, Sweden and Norway, Woodcut sounds very British, as I stated, a throwback to simpler times, wrapped in the classical/folk motifs spawned from Claire Lindley's violin and Paul Mitchell's trumpet, Inkwell Black begins the this tale with nostalgia, before we are introduced to our protagonist on The Artist, the first stabs of Oskar Holldorff's organs coming here while Gregory Spawton keeps the track moving forward with technical bass and mellotron, the heartbeat of the band on tracks like Albion Press.

It begins the record with what I would consider a 'classic' prog sound, the multiple voices all in union throughout, countering and harmonising with each other as every emotion wrought moment comes from Alberto Bravin. With a band made up of multi instrumentalists it difficult to decipher who plays what where, brass, violin and bass excluded, but then that's the point, BBT have always been a band that work as collective each with a wide array of skills that they can bring to the cinematic scale of their albums.

All I know is that it's definitely the drum work of Nick D'Virgilio beneath it all, steering off-time beats with enormous fills, then switching to restraint when called for, his link with Spawton is instinctive, a rhythm section that locks you in to the record in a similar way to a band like Yes on Warp And Weft. Fear not though guitar fans as for all the keyboards (a lot of members) and vocals (a lot of members), there's plenty of guitar too mostly acoustics and 12 strings to carry through the naturalistic analogue feel of the concept, though Rikard Sjöblom gets to wield those dramatic free flowing leads on Light Without Heat and bluesy solo on Warp And Weft.

In conjunction with the record, Big Big Train have launched a website full of hidden content connected to the story of this record which adds more depth to the overall concept of this nostalgic, beautifully realised new record. Rich in English/Scottish folk traditions, Woodcut is a masterpiece of conceptual progressive rock. 9/10

Karnivool - In Verses (Cymatic Records/The Orchard)

It's been almost 13 years since Aussie genre originators Karnivool have graced us with their grooving style of progressive metal.

One of the bands that inspired the whole Djent sound of today, Karnivool have gained cult status over 20 years as one of the seminal Australian bands, the classic records such as Themata, Sound Awake and Asymmetry, cementing them as a band whom a whole host of acts owe their sound to. They're played some massive gigs in their time but most recently in the UK they were one of the headliners at ArcTanGent and rightly so as there is a festival full of bands who have been inspired by Karnivool, making for a full circle moment for so many.

However Karnivool are never a band to release a record because they have to, because label pressure makes them, no they do everything on their lane terms, calls it selfish, call it creative, call it what you want but you don't get a Karnivool album until they decide it's ready. The band experimenting, comparing and creating away in their studio to bring to life some of the most anthemic and emotive prog metal around. It's the reason why the band have three almost perfect albums in their back catalogue, so what about their fourth? Has 10 years of life experience and a 13 year recording period produced another showstopper, in league with longtime collaborator Forrester Savell? Well almost. 

Let me explain; In Verses is very deliberate, a record crafted for two purposes, satiate their rabid fans with another ten tracks of grooving magic to dance awkwardly too. However it's also a record to introduce themselves to a new audience, fans of this music that may not know about the band, who may religiously attend ArcTanGent but may not know about the influence of a band like Karnivool, 13 years is a long time in music after all.

In Verses was conceived through "feelings of frustration, catharsis, and a rediscovery of identity" and it begins exactly as you'd want, jangling guitar melodies lead into a big bass this from Jon Stockman and it's into the grooving chunky riffs from Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking, the classic prog touches coming though their guitars harmonic, intricate guitar parts.

The inspiration of alt/prog bands like Tool, a track such as Aozora and 2021 single All It Takes both put the bottom heavy grunt of Tool with introspection in the lyrics and keening vocals of Ian Kenny. There also the grunge moments, where they bring in the massive riffs of Soundgarden and Animation is full of the angst of Nirvana the expressive drumming from Steve Judd is at the core.

Now In Verses is the sound of band who've been through some shit, you can feel the trauma and the catharsis throughout this record. It's a band rediscovering who they are joined by their buddy Guthrie Given on Reanimation, it's perhaps a record that is a bit more contemplative and pensive than their previous three, as such it's not as heavy, there's more balladry and lighter alt rock moments here, not just the start stop heaviness.

Is it perfection? No. But this is a record from a band who have struggled with all manner of things outside their existence as a group, these moments of strife and struggle are disclosed on In Verses, making for a Karnivool record that takes a more angst driven path, that will open up their fanbase to more than just prog metal fans. 8/10

Tailgunner - Midnight Blitz (Napalm Records)

Despite only appearing on the scene in 2022, Tailgunner's rise through the ranks has meteoric. They are a band who are very obviously inspired by the NWOBHM, when Bristol metal ruled the world and bands like Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon and Judas Priest ruled the world.

Their EP and debut album were both packed with twin axe harmonies, bass gallops and air raid siren vocals, so they have a crossover appeal for older fans who want to re-live the glory days of heavy metal as well as young fans who will able to experience the energy packed NWOBHM sound for the first time. The band have supported some of their heroes (they are the main support to Fozzy this month) but it was their run with KK's Priest that solidified their place as the true heirs to the heavy metal throne. So much so the KK himself has produced their sophomore record Midnight Blitz, putting his faith, support and expertise behind the band.

Midnight Blitz is classic British metal worship but for the modern generation, it doesn't languish in former glories nor does it shamelessly copy the inspirations, this second album very much seeing Tailgunner defining themselves as their own entity. With power metal on the title track at the beginning of the record and Eulogy at the end , they have chorus heavy melodic metal on Tears In Rain, the songwriting has become more varied, pulling from inspirations across the heavy metal spectrum, with speed metal on Follow Me In Death and the Maiden-like Dead Until Dark allowing Rhea Thompson and Zach Salvini to peel off that razor sharp twin axe attack.

The rhythm section of Bones (bass) and Eddie Mariotti (drums) steam full speed ahead on the pirate infused Barren Lands And Seas Of Red, but can also use restraint when they want a mid-pace groove. Tailgunner though are not a band to take their foot off the gas, the blistering heavy metal rarely stops as Chris Carns unleashes those huge vocals, across the record, more polished after all that touring they've been doing.

They can slow down though with the 80's AOR balladry of War In Heaven, featuring some keys from Adam Wakeman. It may prove to be Tailgunner's most divisive song but you know what? Where it sits in the middle of the album perfectly splits this record like the LP's of old as the riffs come back with that Brit metal might on Blood Sacrifice and on that engine roars for the rest of Midnight Blitz.

Slick, refined and anthemic, Midnight Blitz is more than slavish worship, it's a whole new church of heavy metal from these modern torchbearers. 9/10

Demonic Resurrection - Apocalyptic Dawn EP (Self Released)

25 years is a long time for a band, more so in the often turbulent Indian heavy music scene, any band who want to play heavy metal in countries where often they can't or are marginalised for doing so, get support from me. Demonstealer and his band Demonic Resurrection have been a little quiet as of late, a band welcomed warmly on UK stages.

Their last release was a compilation celebrating 20 years, but in 2026, Apocalyptic Dawn is not only a celebration of 25 but seems to be a reactivation of this cult Blackend death metal band. The artwork from Gaurav Basu aka Acid Toad is beautiful but the songs are just as exciting if you're a fan of extreme music.

Demonic Resurrection feel like a band again, back to being a four piece Demonstealer's riffs and snarling growls (and some clean shouts) are front and centre but Swarnava Sengupta doubles the battery as Nikhil Rajkumar crushes you into dust. The rhythm trio all mesh well, bringing a celebratory mood but a renewed urgency, Aditya Swaminathan meanwhile pulls out the incendiary leads as often as he can.

With constant changes in pace on opener The Great Famine, it's progressive and punishing, the orchestrals/keys swelling in the background to bring that epic sound DR have always been associated with aided by the the mix and mastering of Keshav Dhar (Sky Harbour), picking out the technical prowess here is easy.

Even in the background of second track Of Blindness And Divinity, you can hear the keys here and extra vocals on Apocalyptic Dawn XXV from Anabelle Iratni building up the layers of these songs to reintroduce the epic style of Demonic Resurrection to many who perhaps have forgotten about them since their last full length in 2017.

The 2025 version of the title track, is a re-record of a track from their second album and showcases the band as they are today, recharged, reloaded and ready to strike again. 25 years has presented plenty of challenges but Demonic Resurrection continue to break boundaries and deliver top flight extreme metal. 8/10

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

Ofnus, Onieros, Saarkoth & Sanhedrin, Ye Olde Salutation, Nottingham, 31.01.26

When band start to change members that can so often change there entire dynamic of them. Vocalists especially are a funny thing as there have been multiple famous acts who have struggled to find replacement for their singers.

That sound of the voice is so often the make or break on whether you like the music, just look at Cradle Of Filth. A voice in the black metal scene perhaps seem a less important but many bands from that style hook their tremolo picked satanism on screams from their singers. Go to any major black metal act and I bet you'd be able to name the singer over any other member.

Anyway I digress and I'm going into this deeply because when I heard that the object of my fanboy affections Ofnus were getting a new singer I did have a tinge of trepidation, as this was the lone up that that had records two incredible albums and played numerous gigs most of which I had been to.

Their original singer Will had mutually parted ways with them just as they were coming off their biggest show ever at Bloodstock, so felt like a gut punch at the worst possible time. However Ofnus are a band born from frustration and from the need to create so they quickly searched and found a new singer.

I'd not heard new vocalists Brendan's other band Old Blood but I was assured he could definitely step up to the plate, filling the shoes that Will had left easily. Maybe this was bluster, but I had to find out myself, so I booked a ticket to their debut gig with Brendan at Ye Olde Salutation in Nottingham. It was an easy decision as I had missed their finals show with Will through illness, so I needed to be at the beginning of their second era.

Alongside the headliners there were three support acts who perfectly warmed up the crowd.

First up were Samhedrin (7) a blackened thrash outfit from Derby who kicked off the evening with some frantic riffs and aggression, interlinking guitars that are influenced by the blackened likes of Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir but also Melodeath Children Of Bodom and thrash of Kreator too.

Fast and furious they got the crowd moving however I'm not quite sure what was going on about the additional clean vocalist who popped up for two songs and then creeped back onto the crowd. He was decent addition, bring a melodic element however it was strange that he only sang on two tracks and aesthetically was the polar opposite of the long haired thrashers on the stage.

Still that was a me thing and if I wanted tradition then I didn't have to look far as next up was the more traditional take on black metal from Saarkoth (7). A band with corpse painted faces, cloaks, trem-picking and songs about paganism and the natural world were the order of the day here and the Lichfield based unit.

Having released two albums, they've gained quite a following, meaning that many had witnessed these sermons before. As an outsider I was impressed by what I saw as Saarkoth take the melodic black metal style of Winterfylleth and Agalloch as their mantra and they manage to hit all of the marks these bands have laid down while also retaining their own uniqueness, flashes of atmospheric metal and post-black metal came washing in.

With Saarkoth things moved further towards the darkness of the headliner but first the emotional level had to increase and with Onieros (8) it did exponentially. Although a one man act in the studio, live Alex Wills has brought together a very talented band to bring these atmospheric, melancholic tracks to life. He's even borrowed the drummer of the headliners, meaning that poor Ethan had to blast like hell for a bloody long time, though he probably loved it.

Onieros brought in the atmosphere, a foreboding, introspection that was there to carry on through to the headliner, ethereal and evil, yet focussed on the natural world again. The songs twist and manipulate their way between furious blasts and stomping workouts, the epic and melodic moments not going to waste when they pair the pained growls and shouts with clean lead moments on top of the trem riffs.

A quick word about Phil Core & Tortuous Promotions who promoted the event, and I can say nothing but good things, Phil brings plenty of extreme metal variety to Nottingham and from what I saw most of these monthly showcases in Ye Olde Salutation always seem very well attended, the show this night was pretty much sold out.

All the changeovers are slick, the sound was brilliant considering the room dynamics and anyone without a ticket trying to sneak in from downstairs was promptly told to fuck off. It also proudly supports it's local MC which I always think adds credibility to rock venue. If every city had a Torturous Promotions equivalent more would be in better health.

So the headliners and as I said in the preamble I will always find time for this band as I love what they do and them as people. There was frisson in the air in Nottingham and expectation but also a hesitation, would this be a shining new era? Or would it call turn to ash? I had immense faith and I'd say most of the crowd who knew the band did too.

The opening backing track began and they exploded into Burned By The Soul Of The Moon the opening track from Time Held Me Grey And Dying and fear subsided as the band locked into the intense opener as Brendan began to deliver with ferocity. I found it apt the opted to open with the first track from the first album, a definitive statement about the new line up. "Thanks for supporting us before, here's who we are now"

From here it was into The Shattering, and this is where things really started to move, the song itself is already one of their most potent but there seemed to be something more to it now, Brendan's vocals are not only excellent (more on that later) but he has a presence, a menacing, stalking, theatrical presence that allows him to embody these songs better than his predecessor.

You can feel the bitter, rageful, sadness of the lyrics through him, the vocals shifting from black metal screams, the death growls and even the harsher tones of DSBM, where he bree's like it's a harsh noise floor. Throughout he is wide eyed, grips the mic with intent and threatens you to get involved. He also is understand but imposing on the between song moments, saying little but striking a chord.

You can feel that the band are now enjoying it, the anxiety has gone and they're loosening up, Throes Of Agony made way for Grains Of Sand, the rhythm section of Ethan (drums) and Rich (bass) blasting away for their lives, the shifts in pace and tone massive as this progressive, atmospheric blackened metal act owned the stage.

One either wing Alyn (guitar) was a massive of hair cranking out the lightning riffs while James (guitar) locked in on the other side, the delicate leads and melodies sounding as lofty as he is. They then treated the Nottingham crowd to a new song, Lamentations Of A Life Regrettable, one written with Brendan's vocals in mind and if this is the route they are taking from now on then I'm 100% behind it as this was an epic glimpse into the future.

With the whole room on side, Brendan's mettle proved it was time to turn on the waterworks as Proteus shifted into Zenith Dolour, cue crying and headbanging from the front row contingent as the symphonic strains of this one led to the insane blast moments in the latter half. It will be their closer forever at this rate but no one would mind that I'm sure.

Ofnus (10) made an imperious first statement in the first show of version 2.0, even my miserable soul shed a tear. If you are at Reaper Fest in this weekend, go to their Manchester debut. DO NOT MISS THEM!

Reviews: KMFDM, Induction, In Aeternum, Jack Harlon And The Dead Crows (Cherie Curtis, Matt Bladen, Mark Young & Rich Piva)

KMFDM – Enemy (Metropolis Records) [Cherie Curtis]

KMFDM’s new album Enemy is just as visionary, vibrant and energizing as they’ve ever been. Though they have been through many lineups and hiatuses over the years, they still manage to keep their blueprint of nostalgia which can only be described as a factory floor on a spaceship which just so happens to be hosting a thrash metal gig.

KMFDM prioritizes a highly cinematic atmosphere that's action packed and dystopian with an unbeatable amount of spirit that’s gripping and has the potential to captivate the most cynical of metal listeners. There is a mixture of vocal styles, Sascha Konietzko’s signature loud and gritty shouted vocals and the softer more silky vocals by Lucia Cifarelli which plays a central role within this album.

Each track in Enemy has something interesting and unexpected sprinkled in; Outer National Intervention has a bouncy and electric atmosphere with an eerie synthesizer or theremin paired with some heavy-duty riffs which is campy, fun and kicky and a definite floor filler. It’s classic KMFDM, It’s technically explorative with a sci - fi spin. 

Track 8, Stray Bullet is a Reggae cover of a fan favourite which is a switch up from the rest of the album just when you thought you might be getting bored and is just as much a delight to listen to and shows us the remarkable technical range KMFDM has as well as their clear knowledge of what we expect from them and how to keep us interested.

There is so much to listen to; you'll be picking up different elements every time you put it on. There's something so magnetic about KMFDM, even within a genre where arguably most of the music sounds the same, KMFDM’s Enemy brings us once again a well-crafted bridge between a mosh pit and a rave. I feel like it will be too satirical and clubby for some people, but they would be missing out on something truly fun, lasting and unique 10/10

Induction - Love Kills! (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Matt Bladen]

Ah power metal always a long time love of mine and there are plenty of bands who can do it well as well as really badly. Induction are one of the former, as they put together a modern style of power metal that is full of pulsing beats but there's an old school edge that comes from the early speed metal days too. This is probably because Induction is led by Tim Kanoa Hansen, son of Kai Hansen of Helloween/Gama Ray so power metal pumps through his blood and through his guitar, linking up with Justus Sahlman for the twin axe attack of this record.

Now Induction have climbed the ranks very quickly picking up some high profile supports such as Sonata Arctica, Battle Beast and Accept. Across their two albums they've expanded their progressive power metal sound into wider realms than any previously. With their third record Love Kills! they've brought in the melodies of AOR on the duet Strangers To Love while War Of Hearts has the boisterous thump of the those pulsing synths that are all the rage nowadays, as does I Am Evil.

From the industrial beginnings of Virtual Insanity (not a Jamiroquai cover) the galloping triumphal power metal of Steel & Thunder and Beyond Horizons. The rhythm section of Dominik Gusch (bass) and Markus “Maks” Felber (drums) drive the swaggering Gods Of Steel. They're also as behind the battery on The Veil Of Affection, which also shows off the vocals from Gabriele Gozzi, his range is wide and full of grit, the full range coming on the closing epic Empress. 

Induction bring more influences to their already formidable sound with their third album Love Kills! a band who will be the knocking at the door of the genre leaders sooner rather than later. 8/10

In Aeternum - Of Death And Fire (Soulseller Records) [Mark Young]

Capping this first week of February, In Aeternum have undergone something of a resurrection themselves, returning after a period away to usher in a brand-new release of black death metal. Generally speaking, any metal that comes from Scandinavia comes with an almost ingrained way of doing things, an unconscious choice made to make sure that the music to follow is as extreme as possible. Its doesn’t mean that every album is a world breaker, but it means that they know what constitutes good metal.

Of Death And Fire is such an album. It has all of the right ingredients needed to make a death metal album but suffers at times from a lack of focus, utilising speed as a means of bludgeoning the audience when a lighter touch would have sufficed. There is the now de rigueur intro track that morphs into Beneath The Darkened Tomb which represents the unfocused aspect here. It rumbles in, on that front foot opting to batter you from start to finish. Trem picking, double bass and heady melodic lines it’s a fine opening track but one that tries to bring a number of threads together. 

The Day Of Wrath continues in that same aggressive vein, again its ok as it observes the rules of engagement for heavy metal – never be boring, bring riffs and a lead break if you don’t mind. Both do what they need, its that they don’t feel essential to me. When Spirits Of The Dead kicks in, it becomes a different proposition. This slower, muscular approach is ideally suited to them, and it’s a quality track that has this bullet proof main riff to it. Here the melodic touches shown earlier shine through without softening it up. It is a cracker, and then followed up with Mortuary Cult.

Here, the speedy attack returns, but with a difference. It keeps the build simple, going for efficiency which in turn aids the increased velocity. The Vile God Of Slime completes this early hat-trick, with a grinding tone and that mid-tempo pace. Its takes its time, unhurried and like Spirits, shows that this is the right way for them.

I’m not suggesting for one second that their faster attempts are poor. Far from it, they are decent examples of the form. Its when they go for that measured attack, the music seems to have more time to breath. Bow To None manages to combine both ways to a good effect with Goddess Of Abominations a particular favourite with climatic melodic breaks and crawling rhythms making it one of the strongest tracks here. Was it a confidence thing that they needed to kick off the way they did here? Maybe but as it goes there is more fun to be had with those mid-paced affairs, they just seem to fit them better. 

Nothing against Beneath The Darkened Tomb, or The Hourglass, they are just not as interesting as Spirits Of The Dead or Goddess Of Abominations. Of course, a lot rests on the closing track to finish things off. To Those Who Have Rode On (ft Erik Danielsson) is a belter. It is the definition of leaving the best for last, a super-strong climax bringing the lead breaks and all the atmosphere you could possibly want. On the whole, we have a 11 tracks that can be split into ok and very good. Ultimately, its decent if unbalanced return for In Aeternum, one where the good is outweighed by the better. 7/10

Jack Harlon And The Dead Crows - Inexorable Opposites (Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

Only recently did I come to know that the Jack Harlon from the band Jack Harlon and the Dead Crows was not a real dude, but the fictional hero that band leader, Tim Coutts-Smith, created for the universe that makes up the band’s (amazing) back catalog. In speaking with Tim on The Rich & Turbo Heavy Half Hour, Jack is a sort of a Ziggy Stardust alter ego that has really driven his songwriting and output up until this point. The band’s new record, Inexorable Opposites, still has some elements of Jack, but Coutts-Smith has created his most personal material in the form of the eight tracks on what is his best record till date.

Why is this the best work from the entity known as Jack Harlon and the Dead Crows? First, the songwriting is next level, with Coutts-Smith incorporating more of his personal experiences and work in the mental health field into this set of songs. Songs like Dave Is Done and To Die would not have shown up on a prior JHATDC record. Inexorable Opposites is infinitely better for it. Second, new drummer Brayden Becher makes the Harlon sound so much bigger and so much heavier. Just check out the opener, Moss, and the killer track Seer, for evidence of his impact on the record. 

The heaviness of the record overall, not just from the drums but certainly influenced by it, takes the fuzzy heavy blues sound of JHATDC and ratchets up their definition of what heavy sounds like. Venomous is a track that outlines this, with its killer riff and grungy tones. The songs on Inexorable Opposites sound bigger too, with more atmosphere and a wall-of-sound leaning direction, like on Mt. Macedon. The aforementioned To Die, the closer, is where Jack steps back and Tim steps forward. 

The quietest, yet heaviest song ever put on a Harlon record, this is Coutts-Smith stripped naked, stepping into the light, leaning less on a character and more on himself, akin to how Igor Sydorenko from Stoned Jesus did the same on his closer, Quicksand, from last year’s amazing Song To Sun. Both are breathtaking and inspiring songs, not because of the content, of which both are amazingly deep, sad, impactful, and emotional, but from a standpoint of putting yourself out there, out of your comfort zone, for all the world to see. Amazing stuff.

The world of Jack Harlon is not dead on Inexorable Opposites, but the line between the creator and the character has certainly been blurred, and the outcome could not have been better. An excellent record that everyone should check out. 9/10