Reviews: Rezn, Dead Meadow, Emptiness, Hexorcist (Matt Bladen, Rich Piva, Mark Young & Joe Guatieri)

REZN - Cycles In The Infinite Dream (Sargent House) [Matt Bladen]

Doom? Prog? Psych? Saxophone? Flute? Lap Steel? Ok you got me, I guess I'll dive into and probably love another album from Chicago, Illinois, virtuosos REZN.

It's been a decade since they formed and defined their own niche in the music world, coming from the heavy foundations of psychedelic stoner doom over the years and across five previous albums they've added extras that have shifted them into the prog-sphere, using instruments I've mentioned that may be more at home in jazz or country genres.

It's this experimentalism that has gained them a very dedicated following and positive reviews across the board, fusing cavernous doom riffs and a tsunami of synths, on new record Cycles In The Infinite Dream they've expanded their minds to go further into psychedelia while amplifying the other elements of their music as well.

The album explores "the nexus of our waking and nocturnal worlds" as if lost in the subconscious, they weave a sonic tapestry that combines multiple skilled performances into nine complex songs, that never stay too long as prog often does, but squeezes a lot into run times that are between 4 at their shortest and 8 at the longest.

With Rob McWilliams up front on guitars/vocals, he's joined by Phil Cangelosi on bass and rainstick, Patrick Dunn on drums and Spencer Ouellette, who has a lot of work to do with synths/lapsteel/sax/flute/keys, this is the four piece who create all of incredible music here as Natalie Drakes and Ómkara Gil add violin and cello to two tracks, to add yet more musical dexterity and dynamism.

Dreamy textures on Aerial Birth, through to the Mastodon meets King Crimson of Transient, and the cascading melodic doom of The Vessel which reminds me of Pallbearer while Primal Thread takes me into the realms of Elder whom REZN will be supporting on tour next year. That promises to be a brilliant set of shows as Cycles In The Infinite Dream is another incredible record from these Chicago innovators. 9/10

Dead Meadow - Foundlings (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]

Dead Meadow rules, so any new Dead Meadow material is very welcomed, even if it is an odds and sods type deal, like the band’s latest release, Foundlings. Foundlings is one of those “deep dive into the archives” type releases that, not surprisingly, has some pretty great songs on it, both covers and original material from sessions over the past two decades. 

What makes this one even more special is that it is dedicated to late band founder and bassist Steve Kille, who recently passed away from cancer and who plays on all of the tracks on Foundlings.

So what are these seven songs all about? Fuzzy, spaced out psych goodness that you expect from one of the best bands ever to do it, like on the opener, Lost To Light, which quality-wise is as good or better than anything that wound up on the great Voyager To Voyager, the sessions from which it was recorded. A killer version of the track Nobody Home, from the 2018 record The Nothing They Need, recording for an EarthQuaker session, is up next and it is more of the same greatness from the band, with the rhythm section locked in and that guitar tone, highlighting how great the band is live, even if it is live in the studio. 

Also recorded live in the studio, Kingdom Of Heaven is a cover of a Powell St. John, who I have not heard of before, but whose song is a spacy, atmospheric Twin Peaks vibes journey that has a killer solo. We even go back to 2001’s classic Howls From The Hills, and a session version of the killer trippy-as-hell Everything's Goin' On. Sure, throw in a cover of one of the greatest songs of all time, The Beatles’ Tomorrow Never Knows, done in Dead Meadow fashion, and have me listen to it 20 times in a row. 

This one is worth the price of admission alone. While we are at it, let’s get a cover of the Led Zep classic No Quarter. Also great. From The Children Of Planet Earth closes Foundlings out, and is a weird, synth driven mindbender that closes this set up perfectly.

Any Dead Meadow is great Dead Meadow, and the seven “from the archives” tracks on Foundlings are certainly worth your time, especially if you are a fan who can’t get enough of unheard material from one of the best bands out there. RIP Steve Kille. 9/10

Emptiness - Nowhere Speaks (Season Of Mist) [Mark Young]

Emptiness’s Nowhere Speaks is a timely reminder that its simply impossible for me to like every piece of music that I hear. There are some things that were they to fall into someone else’s lap then the conversation would be different and to be fair I have been on a good run so I guess it’s the law of averages. 

 In any event, it’s the kind of thing that attempts to do something different and ends up being falling short, at least of the promises made in the extensive bio that accompanies the release. Its good enough to explain to those who may not know that its opening track directly where a track from 2014 abruptly finished, bearing in mind that there have been releases in between then and now. I’m not sure if that statement set the tone for me, are those in the community really scratching their collective heads as to what happened back then? I don’t know, I’m sure someone will tell me.

What follows next is a collection that merges differing approaches – true extreme metal, noise, electronica that looks to shine a light on them for how unique they are as a band. One thing their bio gets right is that they have no interest in making things easy for the listener. That’s completely fine, be abrasive and uncompromising but come armed with songs that provoke a reaction, be it joy or pain. Their songs fall largely into the middle groove, offering neither to me. 

I expect extreme metal to excite me, to be visceral and here they fail until they get late into things and drop The Clash Of Forces, which at least has a direct, forward kicking movement to it. It is saying a lot that we have got to track 8 before something has landed and has made a mark. Is this what they had in mind, is this what they wanted from this release? 

No idea but the cacophony falls away, replaced by Next In Line. It’s a 4 minute track where 2 or more minutes are wasted and any kind of late album momentum is lost. Its more than likely that fans of the band will get onto this immediately, understanding and maybe expecting that the content here will deploy the way it does. For me, it just feels like a gigantic waste of my time. 

All For Nothing is the closing piece and lives up to its name. I've looped backwards to the start again, just to see if I pressed play at the wrong time, but no. Its definitely you not me. 5/10

Hexorcist - Evil Reaping Death/Bestiarum Vocabulum (Invictus Records) [Joe Guatieri]

Hexorcist are a Death Metal band out of Miami, Florida, in the United States. They’ve been together since 2019, already having a sizable discography then any band would be happy with two demos, a full-length and two splits to their name. Known for their raw sound, your poor ears won’t last long with the sound being turned all the way up.

A unique situation for me today as I’m not only covering their new LP, Crucificial Imprecations, but also a combo release featuring two remasters, one being their first studio effort Evil Reaping Death and the other one is of their first demo, Bestiarum Vocabulum.

Starting off with their first album, Evil Reaping Death, it presents pummelling drums and bass which reach through your stereo and contort your body into shapes that you didn’t think were possible.

In under 40 minutes it achieves chaos and what it set out to do but at what cost? The crop of songs that flow in and out of each other have a real hitting quality to them, a lot of them with dynamic changes which keep you guessing and your head banging. Hexorcist are definitely showing a lot of love here for classic Death Metal, Raw Black Metal and for sure a lot of old-school Doom too.

Now I haven’t heard the original mix but if this is a remaster then you can definitely here it. A lot of the time in this warts and all approach the bass often gets forgotten about but not here, it seems to be turned all the way up. It’s organic though as slides and curves around the other instruments very well.

As I mentioned beforehand, packaged alongside Evil Reaping Death, you also get the band's first moment with the demo, Bestiarum Vocabulum. This early recording strikes me as more of a full on assault by Hexorcist. What I mean by that is, the instruments come together in one full swoop, comparing it to their other releases, Bestiarum Vocabulum is more like a gun, every little element works together to form a movement, whether the others feels like five archers, shooting their arrows at one target, it’s not the same. 7/10

Hexorcist - Crucificial Imprecations (Invictus Records) [Joe Guatieri]

2026 is a new era for Hexorcist, their last record at this stage was their split with Morbid Messiah which was put out in 2023 and a lot can happen in three years, now Crucificial Imprecations awaits…

The album presents half an hour of power with eight tracks, again keeping things concise which is something that we all like to see. Guess what happens here? Yep full-throttle blasting from every direction, sending you to an early grave.

The drums across the album are the highlight for me, being at times they are so overpowering, they might as well have knocked out the bass and guitar in real-time. Crucificial Imprecations takes on a deep love for Black Metal here, so much so that all of the dynamics and detail are sucked into a black hole.

If you’re looking to be buried by repetition then this record is for you. Compared to the band's previous material it only really has one thing going for it, it’s an evil scientist that focuses on one thing constantly and rolls around in bed endlessly sleeping on that thought and that is destroying the world that created him.

Thankfully it ends before the point where it gets far too much for me, I can only hear the same thing so many times. I’m left hungry for more and I come out of Crucificial Imprecations with the same feeling that I have a lot of the time with Death Metal, if you want to end existence, it doesn’t have to be done in one way. 

It’s easy for a band to make something sound dark but it’s going to take a lot more than that for Hexorcist to scare me. 5/10

A View From The Castle: The Sex Pistols (Michael Chapman)

The Sex Pistols, The Stranglers, The Undertones & Panic Shack - Cardiff Castle - 01.08.26

This castle has seen many things, but tonight may be something new, as the keep towers over the castle grounds there is a rumbling…the Punks are coming.

Celebrating 50 years of Punk, the Sex Pistols with Frank Carter are here to take us on a journey from Punk’s inception, and those turbulent and innovative days back in the late 1970s.

Starting the afternoon were Welsh band Panic Shack (7), bringing an energy that was truly infectious. Hailing from Cardiff, the male-backed band ripped through a confident and electrifying set of punk rock tunes. Sarah Harvey (lead vocals), Meg Fretwell (guitar, backing vocals), Romi Lawrence (guitar, backing vocals), Emily Smith (bass) and accompanied by Nick Doherty-Williams on drums engaged with the crowd and looked every bit a headline act in waiting, songs such as Jiu Jits You, Tit School and Ick were standouts in a set that should ignite the interest of any punk rock fan young and old, a tremendous outing by the five piece that set the tone for the evening ahead.

Following Panic Shack were Norther Irish stalwarts The Undertones (7). Kicking off with Jimmy Jimmy and flowing into You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It) and Male Model the audience was hooked, by the time the indelible Teenage Kicks arrived the tempo shifted upwards. Ending a well balanced set with My Perfect Cousin The Undertones proved to be a more than welcome addition to the lineup.

Soon it was time for The Stranglers (8) to take the stage. Toiler On The Sea beginning what would be a fantastic set, the audience with them every step of the journey. Duchess & ‘Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’ preceded the ever popular ‘Golden Brown’ & ‘Peaches’, their unique sound complimenting the speed and energy of the support bands, ‘Always the Sun’ a tempo shift before ‘Hanging Around & ‘No More Heroes’ round of a brilliant set and very much laid the way for the main act to take to the stage.

The Sex Pistols (8) need no introduction, but for those very few amongst us who aren’t familiar with one of British Punks originators, Guitarist Steve Jones, Drummer Paul Cook, Bassist Glen Matlock definitely made themselves and their legacy known. Front man Frank Carter, of Gallows & Rattlesnakes fame felt a perfect addition to the band, ‘Holidays in the Sun’ beginning a raucous set of Punk classics. Not long into the set the brilliant ‘Pretty Vacant’ was sung by Carter in the thick of a circle pit, surrounded by feverish fans young and old, very much showing the world that Punk is not dead. As ‘God Save The Queen’ was displayed on the huge screen and guitar chords rattled it really was a pinch me moment, these songs helped to usher in a movement and still resonate as strongly today as ever. As the band prepared for ‘No Feelings’ Carter demanded all Men to vacate the mosh pit, creating a Women's only space as the drums pounded and guitars rang. Finishing their ferocious set with ‘E.M.I.’, a cover of ‘My Way’, then straight into ‘Anarchy in the UK’ was the perfect statement to punctuate a fantastic night of nostalgia and everlasting punk energy, you really had to be there.

Review: Flamebearer - Igniter (Matt Bladen)

Flamebearer - Igniter (Interstellar Smoke Records)



A punchy drum beat, a big bass throb, a filthy riff, a massive shout and yeah Flamebearer are back and it feels good!

Flamebearer are a veteran band from the doom/stoner underground scene, brought together through the love of the riff to create doom punk, dank and heavy but propulsive and volatile.

Their EP and debut album were well received, reviewed and loved by yours truly so when the the London based band returned with their second album, Igniter and it hit my inbox, it went straight on, and the dial was turned right up.

What I notice is that, like their debut Brazen, the immediacy of this record is paramount, these are tracks written for the stage, the filth and fury of basement clubs, where everyone gets hot and sweaty down the front, they've been all over the country with their debut so they've had time to hone these songs and figure out where they want to go next as a band.

The result is this more streamline, direct second album, they've injected their energy into Igniter, with the bluesy, stoner meets heavy rock of Electric Haze, the first track on the record, setting the tone immediately for what's about to happen over the remaining 7 incendiary cuts.

Flamebearer manage to juggle their influences perfectly, Orange Goblin one minute, Clutch the next, then some Ozzy (solo) even a bit of RJD Rainbow, throw in some punk and even some glam and you get the Flamebearer, who I like to refer to as the British equivalent of Corrosion Of Conformity, a band with both punk and stoner/doom DNA, especially when they sling fuzzy riffs like Don't Think (Your Life Away)

However Flamebearer like to keep you guessing and as long as it's loud and raucous they'll get behind hit which means that Bow Down To Me has the hip shaking glam grooves and dual vocal approach of Queens Of The Stone Age, the rhythm section of bassist Dom Bailey and drummer Tiago Pinho, always keeping the engine running nice and hot as the slip between their various guises and influences.

Brazen set the table, Igniter is the feast, written after bouts touring you can hear muscle and peacocking of their livewire shows coming through this record, Sense Of Freedom having an intensity behind it that will surely get frontman Andy Valiant writhing like a madman when they take these songs on the road, so too will the gang vocal thrust of Falling Down.

On the record he's also unhinged, his vocals are all over the place from bellowing cleans to snarls, tracks such as Burning Soul feels like two distinct vocalists but that's all part of the program on planet Flamebearer as even when Andy is shouting his head off, the rhythm section has everything locked down tight for Alastair Riddell's exemplary guitar work.

His playing isn't about how many notes he can hit, though there's plenty of speedy 80's metal solos, more so than on Brazen, but he's more about the riff, giving the song it's bare bones, he's the doom punk at cornerstone of the band, always playing it distorted and dirty, through fist swinging punk with those bursts of metallic excellence, for instance Something Going On.

The riffs are louder but the whole ethos of this record is to make something catchier and Flamebearer have succeed with that as once the atmospheric dooming of Whispering Wind finished I wanted to press play again and go back for more, the production of Misha Hering at Holy Mountain studios, adding the toughness and retro perception but keeping it contemporary as they try to recreate their performance volume here.

Brazen was the sound of band breaking down the door and announcing their arrival, Igniter is Flamebearer taking a sledgehammer and matches to the rest of the room, with a record that is pure unfiltered (punk) rock n (doom) roll, so my suggestion is just sit back, watch it all burn and turn the volume as loud as it'll go! 10/10

A View From The Green Rooms: TGR Fest Friday (Matt Bladen)

TGR Fest: Celebrating 17 Years Of Green Rooms, Treforest, Day One 31.07.26

TGR Fest kicked off another weekend of celebration, this time for it's 17 years of existence, with an incredible Friday line up that features some of South Wales best acts across two stages.

The mainstage built outside (meaning we here lovingly given it the nickname Carpark Fest) and the second stage inside the Green Rooms itself. Built by Jonny and the team who all made the whole experience as smooth and as welcoming as they could.

It was a hot an humid day but luckily there was plenty of beverages to cool us off as the acts took to the stages, playing from 3pm until late into the evening.

No scores for this one as every band is absolutely worth your time so let's gyes going with the indoor stage shall we?

Indoor Stage  

Getting the grooves going were nu-metal lads Syndicate who have improved substantially since I saw them last right back at the beginning of M2TM this year, rap vocals, chunky riffs it was a great way to get started. 

From there it was the turn of Zion who brought some more aggressive metalcore sounds to the indoor stage, boisterous and breakdown hungry it kicked off inside.

From there the noise got a bit more classic in nature as Winter brought their bellowed, solo filled style of traditional/thrash metal to TGR, another brand who's stock continues to rise after M2TM. 

It was great to see them looking like they were on fire, as this led into yet more vicious beatdowns from Cold Heart who play visceral melodic hardcore that has been wowing local karate fans!

Coming over from Bristol were former M2TM winners Vulture God, bringing with them some progressive death metal that was all about technically impressive playing, keys and inspiration from bands like Opeth.

They upped the technicality ready for local industrial metal heavies Manumit to take the stage with the mechanised assault, masked stage presence and heavy grooves.

Concluding the indoor stage was Calvaria, a melodic metalcore meets alt metal four piece who I've never seen but impressed me massively with their slick, riff driven approach that blended both aggression and melody, dragging themselves from Milton Keynes this was fine way to close the indoor part of the day.

Outdoor Stage 

Over to outdoors and there's not a heavier way to start than Clarity As Arson, classic hardcore/metalcore crossover, it was aloud aggressive and brought lashings of groove at 3pm setting.

More heavy, more metalcore, more vicious than before Paradox To Stay were next and again with a change of vocalist they've dialed up their delivery so it's right on the modern metal pulse.

A band with their own pulse as always was surf metal punks Grindhorse83 who again brought the weird and wonderful and although hindered by some technical gremlins still managed to surf the stage if TGR Fest with their hybrid madness.

Before fellow M2TM finalists Disrupt The Continuum brought the heavy again, though slimed down to a four piece temporarily, they still pack a massive punch and in Danny they probably have one of the best lead guitarists around.

After this there was a break from the heaviness as the Daughters Of Darkness dance troupe, well two of them set The Green Rooms alight with a fire routine outside, perhaps a little dangerous during a hose pipe ban, but a great way to take a bit of break from noise and riffs adding variation to the day with some serious skill.

Though the noise came back and none more noisier than Bridgend trio Icantdie, who probably were the band who travelled the least so made sure to unleash some madcap, unhinged garage riffs that splay punk and metal, they're a combative and a little crazy on stage but there's a virtuosity you may lose if you're not paying attention.

Always a pleasure always intense Icantdie got the music back on track as Yorkshire lads The Mechanist made the six hour journey to steamroll Treforest with artillery barrages, technical precision and modern electronically layered metal, impressive stuff, excellent merch and an unhealthy obsession with biscuits what's not to like?

For me though the real treat of the evening was with the final three bands on the main stage. Beginning with our good friends in Pantheïst their set was just two songs but when they're in the epic timings this funeral doom juggernaut compose that can only be expected.

As per normal the music hit hard, equal parts distortion and emotion, the cinematic scope of this band on full display while the harsh vocals blended perfectly with the soaring soprano made sure that anyone who had not seen the band before stood in stunned silence while the songs were performed.

While Pantheïst demands you to listen and lose yourself in their all encompassing approach Adfeilion are about pace, playing with it through spoken word storytelling, electronic pulses, post metal dissonance and the new addition of flute and vocalisations, to bring yet more layers to their musical journeying.

A band who constantly seem to be evolving with their sound, and their membership Adfeilion add new strings to their bow with every show I see them at, it means that know two of their shows are the same, even if they keep a similar narrative they can adapt to their surroundings through tone and dynamics, though they are in danger of becoming the folk metal Slipknot, Folknot if you will!

Then it was time to end the first day in the most intense way possible, Ofnus too have had a change of membership, with a new vocalist but it has brought them an increased tenacity that brings a new weight to their older material, still epic, atmospheric black metal but now with some DSBM ferocity up front.

Those of us who have seen the band before (I mean double figures in my case), were treated to two new songs off the as yet announced Ofnus III and they have yet again brought new brilliance to their songwriting with more progression, technicality and those huge orchestral movements getting me very expectant of how good their new album will be.

This was Ofnus live though, a place they also thrive and for me there's no better way to end the first day of music at TGR Fest, some fireworks musically and literally, this was one of the best bands in South Wales, hell the UK on top form!

A View From Shredenhams: SOHC Takeover (Heather Louise Ash)

FoeFest x Betrayed By Life Records Presents: SOHC Takeover, Shredenhams Bristol, 01.08.26

FoeFest and Betrayed By Life Records presented SOHC Takeover which saw Chained Existence, Curfew, Concrete Jungle and Not Without Punishment take over Shredenhams (the former Debenhams, now skatepark/venue/event space) for an evening of hardcore.

Chained Existence (8) got things started with a heavy set that you could feel through the concrete floor. It didn't take long before the first two-steppers appeared and the crowd started warming up, setting the tone for the evening.

Between bands, people wandered between the bar, caught up with friends outside or grabbed their skateboards for a session on the ramps. The clatter of skateboard wheels and the crack of boards landing between sets and became part of the soundtrack to the night.

The vocals from Curfew (9) during soundcheck cut through the venue like a siren call. Instinctively, everyone scurried back towards the stage, quickly filling the room back up ready to watch them. Their breakdowns caused a chain reaction of spin kicks and windmills, with the pit in constant motion from start to finish. It was one of those sets where the intensity never let up.

Concrete Jungle (8) kept the momentum going, the room in constant motion. People pacing the edge waiting for the next breakdown before throwing themselves back in. Their energy never dipped, with everyone feeding off every riff and breakdown from start to finish. You only had to look around the room to see how much everyone was enjoying themselves.

Not Without Punishment (9) took to the stage and there wasn't a hint of anyone slowing down. During the final song, everyone seemed determined to get to the microphone, climbing over each other just to be part of it. It instantly reminded me of the painting The Raft Of The Medusa, bodies piling on top of one another, all reaching for the same thing. What a way to close the night.

One thing I really noticed throughout the evening was how much the bands supported each other. They weren't just turning up to play their own sets and leave. They were watching each other, joining in and clearly enjoying seeing everyone else do well. It felt like a community rather than just any old line-up.

Shredenhams suited the event perfectly too. Because it's so well lit, you don't miss the little moments. The grins from ear to ear, feet stomping, fists pumping, hugs, jazz hands, spin kicks, windmills and people picking each other back up all become part of the experience.

One moment summed the whole evening up for me. Someone slipped on wet patch in the pit and within seconds people had helped them back to their feet while others grabbed blue roll and cleaned the floor so nobody else would go over. A few minutes later, everything carried on as normal and shapes were being thrown.

That's one of the reasons I love hardcore. If you've never been to a show, it's easy to look at the pit and think it's just aggression. Spend an evening in a room like this and you'll see something completely different. People look after each other. They celebrate each other's bands, pick each other up when they fall and make sure everyone leaves with the same smile they came in with.

A View From The Castle: The Streets (Richard Herbert)

The Streets, CASISDEAD, Jimothy Lacoste & Local And Lucas, Depot Live, Cardiff Castle, 31.07.26

Elevate!

Explain!

Exterminate!

"It was supposed to be so easy." From the opening words of the 2004 album about the life of a geezer, Mike Skinner turned this 50-minute classic into as much of a theatrical event as any gig. Here in the sun, with the castle providing a perfect backdrop, he invited us on a well-polished journey of everyday folks—like the Waltons of the drug-fuelled generation.

Before he took the stage, Cardiff’s own Local And Lucas (8) opened the day. It was a little early for the masses of the sold-out crowd to be in the venue just yet, but it was a lively set for the faithful nonetheless, with them singing back Of Course We’ll Have A Look in all its glory. It was a great opener for this day at what must now be Alexandra's second home.

Jimothy Lacoste (7) then brought his unique look and sound to the stage. It was a set that he grew into, but he seemed to fail slightly to engage with the audience, despite saying all the right things.

CASISDEAD (8), in stark contrast, prowled the stage, spitting dark lyrical content over synth-laden beats. He seems to be growing into this new persona, becoming slightly less elusive and embracing his infamy. The crowd definitely filled out for this set, and it was great to see so many people singing along and recognising a genuine legend of the UK scene.

And so, as the bus stop from the album cover was revealed and Mike Skinner sat beer in hand, the live musicians broke into It Was Supposed To Be So Easy. Could Well Be In and Not Addicted quickly followed, as Mike scrawled a Doctor Who tribute on the plexiglass as an ode to Cardiff’s links to the TV series. As the syncopated beat of Blinded By The Lights kicked in, Cardiff was in full voice.

Inevitably, Fit But You Know It took things to even higher levels, as the crowd bounced through what is perhaps the most crowd-pleasing song from A Grand Don’t Come For Free. However, the unexpected highlight for me was an intense rendition of What Is He Thinking?, as Mike and Kevin Mark Trail debated exactly what was going on.

This was followed a few songs later by the epic Dry Your Eyes. The crowd sang every word. So many people had their arms around each other—lovers, mates, and even the stags from Swindon standing behind me. It is a truly great breakup song that everyone understands and has lived through at some point, and it was delivered with huge success this evening.

The last track on the album, Empty Cans, is a typically clever The Streets (9) anthem. It shifts from a dark, brooding first verse about a man who has given up, to a positive second spin on the exact same verse, with major keys coming into play to paint a much brighter ending to a great first hour. Taking a bow, the whole ensemble of cast members played their part in an epic retelling of a classic album.

What happened next was fast and furious: Turn The Page, Who's Got The Bag?, Let's Push Things Forward, and Don't Mug Yourself. It was banger after banger, and the crowd loved it. Never Went To Church laid things back down before Mike got somewhat distracted. Eventually getting what he wanted, he ended up crowd-surfing from the back of the venue right to the front as he sang Take Me As I Am, pink fan in hand.

All in all, it was a great day out, complete with a fantastic vista of the castle lit beautifully by the setting sun.

Reviews: Madball, Disfiguring The Goddess, Allt, Coven Japan (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Madball - Not Your Kingdom (Nuclear Blast Records) [Matt Bladen]

It’s Madball, it’s NYHC, and it’s what you’ll expect and what you’ll want from these bonafide legends of the scene. 

Politically charged, rage fuelled and still consistently pissed off with the world, Not Your Kingdom is their tenth studio album but their first since 2018’s For The Cause, so somewhat of a return but Madball never went away.

They just seethed on stage and in the studio until this record was right, perfecting the bouncy groove riffs and gang vocals as they balance the full on raw hardcore punk of their early days on Don’t MisStep with the perhaps more mature sound it has today with tracks such as Clockwork.

This isn’t saying that there’s any notion of selling out, Madball don’t sell out frontman Freddy Crcien is a lifer, since his early days watching his brother Roger Miret in Agnostic Front, he’s been hardcore until death and every Madball album is just an extension of that passion, that lifestyle and his unwavering commitment to the hardcore scene. 

Their discography have shown the evolving face of the genre, the energy, the stomping riffs, the gang shouts all still there but now with some nuances that have brought Madball into the 21st Century, and on Not Your Kingdom, they’ve gone further recording in Nashville to add wider sonic elements. Though nuances haven’t softened the blow just found a new way of delivering it, they’re still angry and disillusioned, telling everyone who will hear what they think.

Hardcore, especially the New York variety, is more than a genre it’s a state of mind and few bands encapsulate that more than Madball, ten albums, nearly 40 years and still vital! 8/10

Disfiguring The Goddess - Bloom (Seek & Strike) [Mark Young]

Well, I’m not sure what or who this is aimed at, or if there is a masked figure stood behind a curtain barely covering a laugh. Looking online, its noted that this is a combination of death/slam/industrial which on paper felt like it would be a heady mix up of genres that if done right would be something else.

Just before we get into it, DTG is a project essentially driven by Big Chocolate (or Cameron Argon) and there has been a steady stream of releases that started back in 2008 (or so). I need to remind myself that whenever someone says that ‘insert content name’ is continually pushing the boundary or stretching the envelope, I need to ground and prepare myself that it might not be that good.

Samba Of The Faceless kicks it off, a colossal guitar tone and a repeated vocal line I can’t make out. Then come the death vocals but it doesn’t do or go anywhere. It must have meant something to him, but to me it feels like a waste. That approach is shifted on Echoes Fade, I Remain which is straight up extreme metal for a spell, until electronica is brought in. I don’t know what point it serves, but I do know that I’m barely two songs in and I’m not sure I want to continue.

So I’m going to continue and review by exception and concentrate on the good. In its favour, and something that is maintained across the album is that crushing guitar tone. I mean it is massive, especially when its slowed down to a crawl but what you find is that riffs are generally recycled across the album. 

The vocals though, they are top class; the guttural is super low, the screams anguished and you can hear why this talent is in demand elsewhere. I don’t necessarily pick up on an industrial tone, its more that there is an EDM bleed into it, such as on AWOL. I don’t hate it, but I can appreciate its use. It’s likely that the intent behind this has passed me by.

There are some crushing moments on here; Mask Off is blinding and Sweet Dreams is that head-splitting combination of themes that work incredibly well. This is my issue with it – there are these moments where it batters you (looking at you Low Slam Low) that increase as the album runs to the end. The problem is that they feel like we are in a loop and that they start to merge into another, no matter what samples are dropped into them.

Bloom comprises 17 songs, deployed in 50 minutes. Was there a need for all 17? its representative of how this material came to fruition; no filters, just get this down on tape and get it out the door. I’m probably being mean in saying that, after all this is someone’s art and just because it does nothing for me, you can’t say that the next person won’t be all over this. It just won’t be me. 6/10

Allt – Ataraxia (Century Media) [Matt Bladen]

Get ready to set your neck to chug and your face to the deepest gurn it can do, as two years after their critically acclaimed debut record, Swedes Allt return with more Meshuggah inspired ultra-heaviness,, or do they?

As it does seem that Allt have shifted focus as you can throw in comparisons to Vildhjarta and ten56 and you get a follow up record that manages to shift djent into nu-metal (rap vocals on Omerta) metalcore into alt metal all through a readjusted lens that focusses on the reality. 

Making this a more personal record than their more conceptual debut, there’s still a theme to the record as they linger in doubt but it’s not as pronounced, letting the individual tracks tell their stories. It means that Ataraxia is Allt at their most open, written from their own experiences, their own vulnerabilities, its Allt embracing the human and the search for peace and fulfilment.

It means that they can bring more clean vocals to tracks such as Nevermind and Enemy, which both rely more on melody and ambience cut with heaviness rather than the other way round. They still are heavy, crushingly heavy but the massive cavernous riffs are used to punctuate the tracks more often than not, electronics, angsty vocals and introspective lyrics playing a bigger part than heavy chugs and growls do, for instance the title track feel like Daft Punk goes metal, from here the clean vocals are the most prominent.

Tracks such as High Hopes still features some more extreme blasting but I do find Ataraxia to be a bit too melodic and angsty, it’s much closer to post hardcore than anything else and while there’s flashes of Swedish face melting, but Allt have shifted their approach on album two and while I don’t hold that against them, it didn’t do much for me. 6/10

Coven Japan - Promised Land (No Remorse Records) [Mark Young]

OK, now for a change of pace an approach. Hands up who likes Saxon? Maiden (early 80’s classic) and maybe NWOBHM as a basis. Are those hands up? Then you should jump onto Coven Japan whose approach is to drop melodic, fists in the air metal that is heavy on guitar lines and epic lead breaks served up with a bit of panache. 

Promised Land is straight from that songbook; In fact if you had a time machine and played this at the start of that decade it would be looked upon most favourably. With this in mind, if your tastes fall more towards a genre that ends in ‘Core then you might not find much here. Same for those who play that overly technical material. For those who do love a bit of it, this will scratch an itch. 

The opener, Promised Land is pure Maiden, replete with an epic solo break. The vocals are a bit rough; I think that there is an attempt to hit certain high’s and it doesn't quite happen for them. Samurai Rising is a foot on the monitor; hair being blown epic. That wish to replicate a certain sound is done on here, the dual harmonies and guitar lines, including that slow gallop are totally Maiden, and its difficult to say anything else. 

With this in mind, I guess your enjoyment of this will depend on your view; is this a shameless rip-off of certain albums and artists from that time, or is the sound comparisons unavoidable given that particular style? Each song is so deeply rooted in that style that it is difficult to ignore but then given the cyclical nature of music, and that everyone ‘borrows’ from everyone else you should give this a fair shout. And by a fair shout is by staying until the end. 

Some tracks work better than others, Sein zum Tode is too close to home when it picks up the pace, I’ll acknowledge that as is What Is Called The Life, and I’m sure that someone would be able to say that they echo these tracks. Not me now, I’m just enjoying this for what it is; Good clean metal fun that ticks all of the right boxes: Riffs, leads and histrionic vocals. I mean, what is wrong with that? 

Heading towards the end they give us the one-two of Eternal Oath and Retribution Of Death. Both are exactly what you would expect them to give us in order to close the album. Eternal Oath is the set-up, quick and to the point, its length reduced in order to allow them to drop a 7 minute master-blaster. Retribution Of Death has everything you associate with this time; Fast and loud into quiet and introspective and back again, it does what good metal should do; be exciting, and in some ways offer a little bit of nostalgia. 7/10

Reviews: Caelestia, Ambrotos, Heretic Cult Redeemer, Cleavercult (Matt Bladen)

Caelestia - Revelations In Black (Eclipse Records)

From Athens, Greece comes Revelations In Black the new album from Caelestia, their third album overall it's their first since 2017 and features drummer Marc Reign who has previously played with, well, everyone but mainly acts such as Destruction and Morgoth. His addition has brought them yet more ferocious aggression and a broader scope than before because of his skill.

Caelestia, like fellow Greeks Septicflesh, combine sweeping symphonic elements with a mixture of European and American death metal, the musical power harnessed by produced Zack Ohren who makes sure that each moment of this technically impressive death metal can be heard, from the thick groove from Stelios "SD" Tragos (bass) and blistering drumwork of Reign, through the virtuoso guitar prowess of Andrew Geo and Bill (Vassilis) Thomas.

Acoustic beginnings give way to the rumbling Buried while the atmosphere builds for the consuming grind of Jutlan, Wolves brings the Gothenburg double kicks and some US style aggression as vocalist Pantelis “Lordwinter” Daskalelos' has some massive gutturals right from the depths of hell, barking even when they take a more doom driven route on Fall Of The Demon King.

A band like Caelestia bring a lot of expertise to their music but with this third album they have shifted to a much higher level, the metallic assault, the symphonic elements, the varied compositions there's something for fans of all death metal fans on Revelations In Black. 8/10

Ambrotos - Atrocious Chants (Satanath Records & WP Productions)

Black metal bands from Greece, there's quite a lot of them but Ambrotos has return after four years with their new album Atrocious Chants. Featuring a realigned line up with a new vocalist and the addition of keyboard player joining the founding guitarist and drummer to make this new version of Ambrotos it's most vicious.

Atrocious Chants is a concept record which explores the depictions of Satan in Medieval and Byzantine narrative surrounding the fall of Constantinople and how faith was used as a way of persecution above all else, influencing conflicts that have been inflicted on humanity due to religious differences.

Because this is conceptually driven black metal, it means that Ambrotos can shift their focus away from glacial blasts to heavy chugs, through ambient moments and then back to the black metal intensity as tracks such as The Age Of Torture, Horned Gods and The Black One display.

Hellenic black metal has a certain expectation to it and Ambrotos exceed this expectations with this conceptual records. 7/10

Heretic Cult Redeemer - In Oculum Chaos (Serpent Sun Records)

Athenian four piece Heretic Cult Redeemer have been placing Satanic blessings on the world since their covenant began in 2009.

Through three previous full lengths and two splits they have been refining their Avant Garde black metal taking it into realms only visited by the likes of Dødheimsgard and Greek bands Acrimonious and Serpent Noir, both of whom have previously featured members of Heretic Cult Redeemer.

If you're not familiar with what Avant Garde black metal is then this is good place to start as it's a style of extreme metal that draws from various genres and musical styles to make it's point. Yes there's tremolo picking and blast beats but many of these songs have a foreboding atmosphere, irregular time signatures, jazz flourishes and angular noise.

Add to that some varied and unhinged vocals and you've basically got what Heretic Cult Redeemer, having steadily built into the band they are today's since their debut, In Oculum Chaos is as wild and chaotic as it's title. 7/10

Cleavercult - A Throne Made By Human Parts (Self Released)

Brutal death metal that comes from Northern Greece. Comprised of guitarist Nikk aka Hellmaster 666 of Temple Of Katharisis, vocalist Valantis Cannibal and bassist Alex, they formed in 2020 to play the most disgusting form of death metal they can influenced by Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus and Deicide.

Kicking off with the explosive sub 3 minute assault of Deadly Reflections, this record is full of the standard brutal death samples, on Disgusting & Deformed a scream of "You're Going To Die" begins another sub 3 minute blast of guttural growls and grinding riffs.

Most of the songs on A Throne Made By Human Parts are below 3 minutes but for me that's probably about as much brutal death as I want, short, sharp, stabs of extremity that arrive and then leave just as quickly, created for maximum intensity you want from blood spilling brutal death without sacrificing complexity. 7/10

Reviews: BIG|BRAVE, DDENT, Mimi Barks, Profane Burial (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

BIG|BRAVE - In Grief Or In Hope (Thrill Jockey) [Matt Bladen]

BIG|BRAVE are one of the bands that exemplify experimental music more than any others, the trio have never played anything they've done safely, and with this new album they make a shift towards another style yet to be utilised.

In Grief Or In Hope favours an "electro-acoustic" sound where the guitars take prominence for the first time, these songs are all hooked around dense distorted guitar walls, effects laden and just at the apex between noise and beauty, cascading between shimmering highs and fuzzing lows, there's a balance been natural and unnatural here.

It's the first time long time touring bassist Liam Andrews has joined Robin Wattie and Matthieu Bell band in the studio and his contribution cannot be understated. Creating a density below the guitar explorations, his bass adds a heavy thump below the dissonant guitars, repeating loops and haunting vocals.

There's a juxtaposition on this tenth album as BIG|BRAVE have created a style I can only refer to as "drone pop", expanding on the lyrical content from their previous albums, this is record that has been etched by pain and struggle but counters these dense caverns of distortion with acoustic layering and melodic phrasing, welcoming hope against the tide of pain grief can brings. 8/10

DDENT - Feeding The Voids Luster (Chien Noir) [Mark Young]

I just want to confirm something with this. The accompanying bio made quite a statement that I feel is completely necessary to add into this review, just before I get started. The five songs here were effectively captured in two takes, sans samples or any other studio fripperary. 

I’m so intrigued by this, given the relative length of the songs within, I’m hoping that once I press play that this will be one of my listening experiences of the year. That statement, to me, promises a lot. It suggests that this is a group of musicians that are potentially operating at the top of their game and that they take this game very seriously. Or it could be just smoke and mirrors, but I’m hoping that it’s the former.

DDENT is a French instrumental post-metal and doom metal band, just to set that scene, and the lead off track is Dis à la lune qu’elle vienne, a slow and lumbering beast in which they also drop the guttural of guttural vocalising in to add an even harder edge to it. Leaning more to the doom side, it’s a heavy sound that acts as a simple appetizer, one that leads straight into the longer Longue, obscure et triste lune. That it shares a similar pace and build as the opener isn’t a real surprise and makes perfect sense in making sure that the leaps it takes are perfectly organic. 

The thing here is that it is built around ascending patterns, ones where it will tee up an emotional reaction in the listener. This one is definitely cut from the doomier side of things, with arrangements that are the sonic equivalent of a clenched fist and I guess you could describe it as pugnacious, its certainly focused. The story takes a turn, the speed increased and those vocals return. 

What I do love about this is how they take that central melody and weave a frenzied web from it. Suddenly its two songs down and you aren’t quite sure where that time went. And then they go into cavernous riffs with Arzel. Tempo is slowed, but a gear is stepped up. That initial 1-2 riff build changes into something that is beautifully heavy, delivered without changing the pace so it hits with you. 

What they show with this one is that you don’t have to squeeze a million notes in, something that is authentic and chooses the right things to say will go so much further. That magic riff returns around the 5 minute mark and I want you to listen for it because its mint. The whole thing is actually, especially the ending two minutes where they change it around again, its just quality. 

And they don’t stop there, Kohol kicks in, absolutely soaked in wah and its conscious of the mood created by the three that came before and just sets about keeping that mood going. It’s the strangest thing, being locked in so quickly that the review is practically writing itself. 

Is Kohol much different from the others? Well if you look at tempo then not really but then they are not here to break speed records. They are looking to evoke feelings in you, and more importantly to make you move. If you are of the persuasion to smoke or imbibe certain products, you would do it to this. At the heart of it is a simplicity, driven by a need to make things as memorable as possible.

The end track is massive, a near 22 minute monolith called Noir taureau de douleur. Loosely translated as a Black Bull Of Pain, this is the masterwork here, the other tracks just setting things up for you. They don’t deviate from the established patterns, and for that I’m glad because as it stands this is a focused exercise in sonic storytelling, one where (and I’m going to repeat myself) they look to use standard arrangements but with super simple (ok, I mean not THAT simple) measures that mean so much more to me than a virtuoso display of nothing. 

This is real music with a heft to it that you can switch on and just slip away to. It sounds fantastic too, possessing a warm feel to it but still hits hard when they step on the distortion. This is as good as anything I’ve heard that sits within the doom adjacent field, and the mark of this is wanting to actually play this on the guitar (at least for me it is). Exceptional stuff! 9/10

Mimi Barks - Dreamstate Of Fear (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Doom Trap, yeah me either, but that's the genre tag for experimental Germany, read Berlin, via London scene artist Mimi Barks. 

Known for ritual exorcism ms on a live stage that has garnered Barks plenty of press coverage and converted slots at Download, Wacken and Bloodstock. Her sound has developed from the influences that surrounded her, punk, hip-hop, techno and metal that all collided on her debut record Doom Trap, but with Dreamstate Of Fear there's yet more uncompromising music which doesn't want abide by any sort of rules, taking her unique style of dissonant industrial metal meets pulsating trap beats down even darker pathways. 

There's an intimacy to this record, it's perhaps more introspective than previous releasea however it means that the songs here are perhaps much heavier, angrier promoting fear as a weapon rather than a weakness. It's an EP that came from "emotional exhaustion", beginning with the pulsing beat of Dreamstate Of Hell as the guitars kick in for the extreme flashes. 

Ophelia gets a little more melodic with a big chorus and electronics glistening, while the introspection of Jericho brings a cleaner vocal style, two short cuts, one in German, leading into the insistent Butterfly In Chains. 

With three short, interlude-like linking tracks, you get probably four new actual songs but that's not the point as an artist like Mimi Barks is about creating something with that is a collective whole rather than individual moments. 7/10

Profane Burial - Desolate Echoes Of Turmoil (These Hands Melt) [Mark Young]

Den Fortaptes Krønike is the mental starter from Profane Burial, in which there are certain points where I had to check that it hadn’t flicked into double speed. It hadn’t, it was just the way they wrote it. The closest way I can describe this is being technical death metal with a beating heart. Yes, it’s incredibly technical but there are moments where they run with pure brutality combined with moments of symphonic beauty. 

There are moments where they are flying and perform the musical equivalent of an emergency stop, only to start the machine up once more. Having a run time of over 7 minutes is a bold move, having the confidence that their material will grab the listener in a positive way and then keep them engaged is massive so its lucky that it doesn’t suffer from any kind of arrest. 

Repeating what ultimately feels like a repeat of it with Prognostic Augural Obsolescence is not the best. Let me point out that from a technical standpoint, it is mind blowing. In some ways, it could be considered the flip side but for me they said more or less the same thing on that track and there is only so far this will take them. For those that live and breathe the technical side of metal, this is definitely for you. For me, I’m hoping that the remaining songs offer up something different.

Triumph Of Dreadful Aftermath royally kicks off and thankfully moves into the cinematic/symphonic with a blinding song. They dial back on the madness and hit us with a more streamlined but furious attack that is still chock full of melodic patterns that make symphonic metal so good to listen to when its done right, which it is on here. Pulling back on the technical side allows them to do more with their sound and I would suggest that this should have come as track 2. Again, purely my opinion and you might think differently. 

Channeling Epiphany comes in with riffs that sharp you could slice a loaf of bread on them. This one is more frenzied in approach, almost like they are just about staying in control before the whole thing collapses under its own weight of ideas. Those riffs are sliced open with a lead break which then moves aside for a piano led moment, its tempo speeding up like its possessed and bang they are back. It’s another massive step forward for them, this and Triumph repairing the damage caused earlier. I have to point out that at no point does their energy fall away, even in those restrained moments where they are waiting for their moment to kick back in.

Horror Code Pt 2 picks up on a classical motif and supercharges it, expanding as a wall of sound as they run forth with it. That super tight control in full display on this one, and you can’t help but marvel at it.

It leaves Malicious Discomfort to pull the shutters down as we say goodbye to their 3rd full length release. You expect them to come out at a full tilt, and for 20 seconds they do before for some reason they drop it to remind us that they still have a piano which could be used at any time. They come back to the front with all guns firing – its technical, emotive, symphonic, all of the things you wanted and it needed to be. 

There is nothing left unused on this, no trick not tried in order to make this one of the key songs of the year. I’ve often said that the last song should equal the first in how it lands with the listener. Great albums don’t fall away and the final berth should leave you wanting more from them. Its exactly the case with this; It is the best of the material here (apologies to the others) as they machete their way through it with a display that is sometimes controlled, other times off the rails, it is absolutely manic.

Ultimately, it’s a mad 40 or so minutes in their company. For the most part, it’s a stunning piece of work, my only criticism is the opening 1-2 sounding too close to each other. That is my only issue, and its one that is soon buried by the technically driven symphonic madness that follows. There is riffs for days, handled with a ferocity that a lot of bands would give their picking hands to have. Top class. 8/10

Reviews: Boundaries, Haken, Cinder Well, Droner (Matt Bladen, Alex Swift, Mark Young & Spike)

Boundaries - Yearning: The Unbeautiful After (Sumerian Records) [Matt Bladen]

Get that running man ready as Boundaries love a breakdown, on the opening track I count four separate ones after the publishing of the main body of the track where the phrase "I Just Want To See You Suffer" is screamed right in your face. They're deathcore that takes no prisoners but there's more to it as this record carries with it a "state of perpetual mourning" as due to it being inspired by and in tribute to friends whose lives had been taken by an accident.

The brutality of existence fuels this record so the band locked down in the studio with producer Drew Fulk (Knocked Loose, Fit For A King), to make their most focussed and ferocious album yet. A record without compromise then, not looking for radio play but to define themselves as one of the hardest hitting bands in their genre.

There are moments of clarity where clean vocals are used however it's mostly absolutely crushing start stop riffs, industrial dissonance, flashes of metallic hardcore (Unequal Whole), inhuman blastbeats, ultra aggressive vocal shouts from vocalist Matthew McDougal who's joined by Landon Tewers of The Plot In You and Make Them Suffer on two tracks.

Yearning: The Unbeautiful After, preaches catharsis through brutality, suffocating heaviness throughout Boundaries are monstrous on album four. 7/10

Haken – In A Fever Dream (InsideOutMusic) [Alex Swift]

Haken have been through a lot of changes of late. A few years ago, the bands keyboardist Diego Tejeida parted ways with the band, citing creative differences. Then, last year, for reasons that remain elusive, bassist Conner Green and guitarist Charles Griffiths left, pairing the prog-outfit back to a four piece, and forcing them to cancel every one of their tour dates. It’s been three years since the enormously ambitious Fauna. Even longer since the brilliant companion albums of Vector and Virus. The question now is, how does the act adapt to the changes that they’ve endured, on their new EP?

Let’s begin with the positives – this project see’s the band experimenting further with the electronic elements that have been a core part of their sound since Affinity. There is a distinct effort to ‘test the waters’, as they meld their distinctive soaring melodies with forceful instrumental backdrops. 

While some fans will be saddened by the absence of an album at this time, a shorter transitional piece was definitely the most logical move the quartet could make at this stage in their careers. This is Haken in a state of Flux. “I am shedding skin. I let go and I learn to breathe. I am at the end of my fever dream” Ross Jennings sings during the emotional climax of the album. Reinvention always entails a transitionary process. And yet, for Haken, the challenges of this are on stark display.

The most striking element from the opening title track is that Haken have undoubtedly lost elements in their sound. That’s to be expected following the loss of members. However, the empty space that’s left is not filled with anything satisfying. 

Whereas once you could rarely predict the direction that the bands compositions would take, this one feels hollow, and stagnant. The contrast between the mellow and aggressive sections are uninspired, following the playbook of a million alt-metal bands that have come before them. There is little space for subtlety or experimentation, in what proves a pale imitation of the band’s sound.

Then there’s the issue of how the electronic elements are incorporated. Eclipsed By You and Bleeding Sky are significantly more thought provoking then the opener, with the later bearing a fascinating progression that feels straight from the Affinity-era playbook. The issue, however, lies in the incredibly out-of-focus production. 

The problem with so much of this EP is not that it represents a band finding their feet after a turbulent period. Rather, its creators seem afraid to commit to any of the interesting ideas that are present. Intriguing musical concepts are either half-committed to before being abandoned, or else buried beneath an avalanche of noise. Its incredibly frustrating coming from a band who have never previously been afraid to challenge themselves or the listener.

As far as prog metal is concerned, Haken have earned the right to be held in high regard by myself, and by their fans. I’ve alluded to the possibility that this isn’t the end for the outfit, and that this is merely a deeply a reflection of growing pains. These musicians have already committed themselves to future projects. If that is indeed the case, then they must set a direction that sees them harnessing their unique songwriting and performance skills, and committing to their chosen creative direction with zeal. 

It’s certainly possible that I will reflect on A Fever Dream as a odd yet crucial juncture. Until Haken can prove that to me, however, this will remain a disappointing nadir in an otherwise impressive discography. 4/10

Cinder Well - A Blooming Body (Hen House Studios) [Mark Young]

Sometimes the boss likes to throw me a curve ball, I’m sure he does it just to see if I can appreciate the other side of the musical coin. He does this by sending me something that is (by my own admission) so far removed from the standard stuff I listen to; I don’t know how to approach it. In any event, I want to give A Blooming Body a fair crack, and I will.

So, just in case you don’t know who or what Cinder Well is: Step forward Amelia Baker, an American multi-instrumentalist who can write and perform songs of a haunting beauty in much the same way as you or I can breathe the air around us. As in, naturally. Amelia handles nearly all of the instruments present on this, and it’s a collection of songs that stay with you after the final notes are played out. 

In trying to give you an idea of what they sound like, none of them sound like the others, apart from the voice and the way its deployed on here. Its described as Americana, cinematic folk, doom but played in a way that feels unique to the artist themselves. It certainly doesn’t sound like the folk that springs to my mind, which is a good thing in all honesty.

A Blooming Body is like a season of your favourite programme. There is the start, where it establishes itself and either makes you want to see what happens next or switch off. Each of the songs takes you on a journey, telling a story, sometimes dark in tone other times in bright textures. The constant in each case is Amelia’s voice. It has this quality to it, a rich fabric which doesn’t rely on vocal gymnastics to make the material sing. 

Is it something that I could drive to work on? No, definitely not but then Its not built for that, at least from my perspective. It’s also something that I can appreciate the beauty of, and why as an artist Amelia is held in such high regard. Taking the closing moments of Ashes for example, the song has been a soft and gentle exercise until it decides that discord is the way forward. Elsewhere there is some fabulous guitar playing, passages that would be amazing to play and would surely ease your mind.

So, now for a score. Generally accompanying press overegg an artists release, but that is not the case here. It is as good as its made out to be, and as long as this sits within your wheelhouse of musical interest then it’s a straight up must have. If cinematic arrangements are your thing, then you should sidle on over to this and check it out. 8/10

PS – Check out the theme to Small Prophets that was broadcast earlier this year on the BBC. Cinder Well did the score for that too.

Droner – Nuclear Waster (Doomsayer Records) [Spike]

Sometimes you don't want a pristine, perfectly engineered record. You want something that sounds like it was recorded in a damp cellar with the amplifiers turned up until the walls start sweating. London’s Droner deliver exactly that on their second album, Nuclear Waster. It’s a massive, 17-track trek through sludge, doom, and grunge that demands you sit back and let it grind its way through.

I missed their debut, but after spending time with this record, I’m definitely going back to check it out. What I like right off the bat is that they don't take themselves too seriously. The opener, Weed, starts with a laugh before dropping into a heavy, rumbling riff. It sets a great tone. They’re having fun with the noise, even when the sound itself is heavy enough to crush a car.

The album builds a huge, filthy atmosphere across its long runtime. Songs like All It Took, Medicine, and Tell Me Something have a real grunge-laden drag to them. The vocals are haunting and raw, sitting right in the middle of the distortion rather than floating polished over the top. It’s unvarnished, a bit rough around the edges, and honestly, it works so much better because of that lack of high-end gloss.

What’s interesting here is how they show you their building blocks. Towards the end of the 17 tracks, you get an acoustic version of Hear What You Want. Stripping away the massive fuzz pedals feels like the band showing their workings, proving that underneath all that weight, there are solid, memorable songs.

Then they throw in a couple of unexpected covers to close things out—The Specials AKA’s What I Like Most About You and Dawn Penn’s No No No. It shouldn't work on a sludge doom record, but somehow it completely fits their laid-back, DIY ethos.

Nuclear Waster isn't a quick or easy background listen. It’s a long, heavy grind that rewards you for putting the time in. If you like your doom raw, noisy, and full of character, this is well worth taking for a spin. 8/10