The directly titled MMXX (2020 in Roman numerals for those that don't read Latin), is the second album from prog metal supergroup Sons Of Apollo and the follow up to their 2017 debut Psychotic Symphony. Since the debut they have embarked on an extensive tour (which we saw in Bristol) as well as issuing the double disc live album Live With The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony which captured them at their magnificent best. So how do the collective of Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), Derek Sherinian (keyboards, synthesizers) and Mike Portnoy (drums) follow up their debut, as they try to cement themselves as a more than just a one trick pony? MMXX starts the action off as you'd expect with some melodic guitar/keyboard playing from Thal and Sherinian, as it's a slow build based on Portnoy's steady beat and Sheehan's technical bass-lines.
Acting almost like an introductory crescendo it leads into the chunky riffage of Goodbye Divinity, a track that's pretty meaty bringing the sound most will be familiar with from the debut release and of course the glory days of Dream Theater, though with Soto they have vocalist who much more versatile, carrying the emotion of the first song well. A direct start that leads into Wither In Black a track full of attitude brimming with tasty Hammond ala latter period Deep Purple, the fat guitar riff opens out into a both a brilliant synth and guitar solo. Asphyxiation is heavier again having the djent thickness and some synths that are pure DT with an aggressive edge. After three heavy hitting rockers things slow with Desolate July which is mainly Soto and Sherinian at the beginning before it evolves into an emotional mega ballad that gets funky towards the end. The first properly progressive number is the 8 minute King Of Delusion a theatrical number that sits as the mid point of the record, as it creeps and crawls really shifting styles as it's followed by the moody Fall To Ascend and things get back to a hard rocking sound.
MMXX keeps the sound, style and technical ability high carrying on as they began, with a bona-fide radio single in Resurrection Day as the album closes with the 15 minute New World Today which is another epic closing song from Sons Of Apollo that really excel at, it brings everything to the table killer guitar lines, swathes of synths and organs, intricate bass, dexterous drums and powerful vocals holding your attention for the entire run time. It's only January but we have a contender for prog metal album of the year. 9/10
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead: The Godless Void And Other Stories (Inside Out Music) [Alex Swift]
If ever there was an argument that musical boundaries don’t matter as much as they once did …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead have given ammunition to that argument. Prog and punk have not been thought of as the most reconcilable genres in the past. Still, years of genre melding, cultural change and experimentation later, the musical landscape is all the more diverse. Good riddance to tribalism I say, when we have acts this great to show for its decline. Despite my taste though, you may be surprised to know that I’ve never dug into the discography of the Texan four-piece. That said, I’m regretting my hesitation to do so as blitzing their albums across one weekend has allowed me to see how they’ve refined their innovative combination across the years, making them truly unique. The Godless Void And Other Stories sees them furthering their ambition, making for an experience that is as surreal and hypnotic as feverish and wild.
Following the opening instrumental All Who Wander beguiles with a strutting bass riff, atmospheric keyboard melodies and elusive guitar textures, bringing to life the mystery and strangeness at the core of the anthem. Chaos and harmony are wonderfully intertwined here, with each precise note and careful phrase making its place heard in a whirlwind of notions and designs. Something like this, by contrast, opens on a sweet sound of an acoustic guitar and a peaceful vocal refrain that takes its style from the post punk and new wave movements, gradually, the instrumentals swell and the piece embraces that psychedelic, colourful vibe that these musicians perfect time and again. Leading us further into the labyrinth imaginations of these players, Into The Godless Void, charms the listener with its visceral progressions, soaring descants and constant deviations. That’s a wonderful aspect I’ve discovered – every time you expect this band to venture in one direction, they whirl off into another. Every small show of comfortability, is met with an equally strong show of risk and adventure.
Continuing the unpredictable nature, Don’t Look Down feels incredibly catchy and Beatles-esque in sound and style. This is immediately followed by the tense and crescendoing Gone, which gives the record its moodiest and darkest twist thus far. Children Of The Sky marks a return to the powerful, anthemic style, championing a radiant, positive and serene texture, yet never once losing its sense of scale or grandiosity. Following this, the fantastically titled Who Haunts The Haunter? Lives up to the ethereal ideas of its name, following quiet, seething sections, with loud, primitive stints, while the chorus restores harmony by being memorable and infectious. Gravity, despite succinct, is another one of the strongest moments on the album, melodiously. Meanwhile, closers Blade Of The Wind and Through The Sunlit Door, take care to highlight these musicians’ strengths, being technically multifaceted while ridden with intrigue, promise and exploration. Overall, for a late journey into the world of …Trail of Dead, the experience was excellent. I regret coming to them so late yet I have a wealth of material to dig through and absorb. Into The Godless Void has made me a fan. 9/10
Bonded: Rest In Violence (Century Media) [Paul Hutchings]
Cast your mind back to early January 2018. You may have missed the news that Sodom founder Tom Angelripper had parted company with long standing guitarist Bernemann (Bernd Kost 22 years and eight albums with Sodom) and drummer Makka (Markus Freiwald – eight years with Sodom) – apparently by WhatsApp. Angelripper cited the desire for “fresh and hungry” musicians to create new music; something of a blow to the ego of his former guitarist and drummer one would imagine. Especially so for Bernemann who wrote a large proportion of the band’s material. Undeterred, Bernemann and Makka have utilised their history and experience and formed Bonded, adding Chris Tsitsis (ex-Suicidal Angels, Destroy Them) as second guitarist, Marc Hauschild on Bass and Ingo Bajonczak of Assassin (ex-New Damage, ex-Supersoma, ex-Lord of Giant) on vocals in 2018.
What they have produced is their debut Rest In Violence, a snarling, aggressive 43-minute fist of raging thrash metal, as vibrant and fresh as anything else in the thrash metal scene now. The guest vocals of Overkill’s Bobby ‘Blitz’ adds punch to the title track, which fairly races along at impressive speed, the ‘Blitz’ adding his own inimitable stamp of proceedings. Elsewhere, Bajonczak roars and rages with some voracity, his delivery comfortably fitting with the tone and attitude of the band. Je Suis Charlie, which needs no description allows him to mix his soaring rage with a clean style, whilst the chainsaw riffing flanks his delivery throughout. There is a brutal honesty in his voice which when merged with the melodic poetry of his subjects makes for a super performance.
Bonded do the simple stuff well. Very well. There are trademark Germanic thrashers everywhere, such as the opening Godgiven and the riff heavy The Rattle & The Snake, which wonderfully features a bit of harmonica at one point. The latter is as solid a thrash track as you could wish to hear, pace, chugging, sawing guitar work combine with thumpingly strong drumming and some blistering lead work. The album is intensely delivered which arrives at full force and doesn’t stop until the tale of misery and despair in final song The Outer Rim which takes the pace down a notch or two and allows Bajonczak to demonstrate the cleaner side of his singing prowess. Produced and engineered by Cornelius Rambadt (Sodom, Disbelief, Onkel Tom, etc.) at the Rambado Recording Studio in Essen, Germany, Bonded may be a new band but with the experience that they have on board they have already hit the ground running. With a release date for 17th January 2020 secured, if you like your thrash with a shred of decency then Bonded should be on your New Year lists. 8/10
Unbounded Terror: Faith In Chaos (Xtreem Music) [Rich Oliver]
Unbounded Terror are a band that go way back. Formed in 1991, they released their only album Nest Of Affliction in 1992 before splitting up in 1993. Until now that is. The Spanish death metal veterans are back 27 years later with new album Faith In Chaos and it’s rather good. This isn’t an album that rewrites the rule book when it comes to death metal instead being an album of well crafted and bludgeoning death metal paying homage to the old school scene from which Unbounded Terror emanate. It is ten songs (including an intro) of chunky mid paced death metal with that killer old school groove. There are riffs aplenty from guitarists Juan and Vicente Payá (the only original member remaining of the band) accompanied by the punishing rhythm section of drummer Portas and bassist and vocalist Faustus.
The over-reliance of chunky mid-paced songs is the albums weak point but it does mean when the blastbeats come erupting from the speakers they are all the more effective for it. The best songs on the albums are the ones that mix the speed and violence with the slower groove heavy moments such as the relentless Hated In Hell, They Will Come From The Pain and personal highlight Silent Soul. Faith In Chaos is a highly entertaining, incredibly solid and well produced album that just slightly falls short due to its repetitive nature. 7/10
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