Tyrmfar: Renewal Through Purification (MTAF Records) [Paul H]
A new band to me, Swiss outfit Tyrmfar has been delivering their brand of melodic death/black metal since 2013, with 2015’s debut EP In The Depths Of A Dark Spirit followed by their first full length Human Abomination in 2017. This second album is overflowing with blast beats, massive riffs and intricate melancholic endings which provide a welcome contrast to the onslaught which Tyrmfar bring. Opening with the intro of The Arrival, its Of Legions Of Eternity which provides the initial introduction to the band, crushingly heavy and new singer Robin demonstrating a fine pair of chops. Rise Of Chaos maintains the blend of death and black metal, continued riffs, crushingly heavy drums and a change of style like bands such as Kataklysm and Dunkelnacht.
There is enough originality within the band to distinguish track from track so whereas Rise Of Chaos follows a death metal style the next song The Almighty moves more to the black metal elements. Powerful, skull splitting heavy, No Hope allows Robin to release the guttural roars, whilst the duel harmonised riffage of lead guitarist Mickael and rhythm player Kevin add substantial body to their works. Freedom Call is a rare instrumental song whilst Living Corpses is a brutal death metal blast. Overall, Renewal Through Purification is a significant piece of work, bludgeoning and aggressive with enough chops to catch the attention of all who claim to like metal. 7/10
Alpha Wolf: Fault (Sharptone Records) [Alex]
Despite being only 17 minutes in length, Alpha Wolf makes their short amount of time impress count. Theirs is an industrial-tinged, severing brand of metal. What Fault lacks in subtlety it makes up for in determination. No Name opens, its mechanical guitar textures, and the marching thud of the bass and drums creating a furious force of energy and noise. Spirit Breaker is equally frantic, the addition of gloomy synths counteracting the chaos, proving frighteningly dystopian in tone. Russian Roulette has a jive and infectiousness to it - an insanely outstanding quality which eats its way into the listener's memory.
The main criticism I have of this EP is the lyrics. While I get the sense that you are not meant to pay close attention to the words, hearing ‘You’re Just a pussy in a black hoodie’ screamed throughout Sub-Zero, proves ultra-cringe-inducing, if only for the sheer ‘edge-lord’ quality. You can chalk these phrases up to the need to match the aggression of the performances, yet much of the wordplay here does not compliment the tone in a positive way at all. Overall despite a few missteps, these seven anthems (well, six and a transition) bode well for the future of this act, and for crushing metal of a visceral nature 6/10
Mother Iron Horse: The Lesser Key (Hellmouth Records) [Matt]
Do you like Black Sabbath? Silly question really but Mother Iron Horse really love Black Sabbath, and also Electric Wizard, I mean they'd have to as this record is full of , as they put it "Drugs, Sex and Sacrilege" vocally moving between a low wail and shouts the instrumental elements rely on heavily fuzzy stoner and doom riffs that crawl out of the pits of hell backed by a throbbing rhythm section that drives Scepter Of Ice which is one of the faster songs on the album, before The Lesser Key is Mother Iron Horse's debut album and it's built on the occult nature of the bands hometown Salem, Massachusetts where the famous witch trials took place and it worships at the b-movie doom/stoner metal of Electric Wizard, Sleep or Acid King. Trippy, witchy and powered by some really heavy drugs The Lesser Key is a late night head trip. 7/10
Blaze Out: Instinct (Blood Fire Death) [Matt]
Instinct is Barcelona groovesters third album and if bands such as Saliva, Soil, Fozzy and Adrenaline Mob float your boat then it's worth investing some time into it. From the off it's packed to brim with riffs opening with the thrashier pit starter Toxic AF before Attack On Titan will still get you moving but has a downtuned coda at its heart. Blaze Out vocally it moves between crooning and a rasp but you'll come for the riffs and stay for the riffs which fill this album until The Raise brings the first ballad of the album as Drunk Empire has country picking on it and bursts into a solo. Despite being from Spain there is nothing on this album that hints at them being European as their style of music is overtly American in style, even when they bring doom to the beginning of Deadfall, it turns into another mediocre groove metal song. There's nothing particularly bad about this album if you like groove metal, musically competent but nothing to write home about, less of a blaze more of an ember. 6/10
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