Reviews: Katavasia, Virus, Saturday's Heroes, Killer Deal (Reviews By Matt & Lucas)

Katavasia: Magnus Venator (Floga Records) [Matt Bladen]

At the risk of stepping on the toes of our resident theologist Paul S, Katavasia have named themselves after a particular type of hymn usually used to end an ode in the Eastern Orthodox church, it comes from the Greek katavasi that means 'descent' giving the word katavasia another meaning of being a "the journey of human soul, a descent to the underworld" which is probably more where this Epirus based band are going, on the back of this second full length Magnus Venator which for you classical linguists means "Great Hunter" in Latin. The band have taken five years to follow up their debut full length record Sacrilegious Testament so what does Magnus Venator offer those of us who are quite heavily ingrained into the Hellenic Extreme Metal sound. 

Does it live up to the gauntlet thrown down by Rotting Christ, Necromantia and Varathron? Well it certainly has aspirations of being namechecked with those bands as their melodic black metal sound is impressive to say the least. I'd say that they a very similar to latter-day Rotting Christ or Varathron as this album does have the rampaging drumming of Hail Spirit Noir's new sticksman Foivos, while the tremolo picking and crunching death metal-like grooves that Rotting Christ employ so well, is given by Achilleas C. (Aenaon/Varathron), Astrous (Aenaon) and Dimitris K. (Melan Selas) who also welcome George Emmanuel (Lucifer's Child/ex-Rotting Christ) for a special solo on Hordes Of Oblivion. 

So these four men are the fluid, flowing musical backing on this record, taking the melodic black metal sound forward here as Byzantine/Middle Eastern influences creep their way in (Saturnalia Magnus Cult) as the record is all hung together with one artistic thread as Stefan Necroabyssious (Varathron/Funeral Storm) delivers the horror/occult/Satanic imagery in his own raging. screaming style. Magnus Venator is a brilliant example of Hellenic Extreme Metal with tracks such as the raging torrent that is Chthonic Oracle into the explosive Hordes Of Oblivion before the Gothic proggy Babylon (Sammu-Rawat) closes the album with power. Magnus Venator is a great metal album that really rips from beginning to end. 8/10 

Virus: Evilution Apocalypse (Combat Records) [Lucas Tuckwood]

Month after month has passed, yet we’re still up to our nads in Covid. But just over the horizon, one can spot another virus ascending from the necrotic depths of the underworld. Fret not boys and girls, as this isn’t just any virus, this is THE Virus, with a capital V. Returning veterans of Britain’s rather anaemic 80s thrash scene, they’re back, and not a moment too soon. Following a seven year stint since their last EP, and with the sound of coughs ringing through the air, the time was right for a comeback. Evilution Apocalypse is ten tracks of thrash euphoria, surging out of the gates with unbridled ferocity, featuring riffs so spine-snappingly that they’re currently levelling Tokyo, firing off massive fucking laser beams at everything in sight. Be it balls to the wall moshers like Basement Conversion and Thrashville, or some experimental tracks bordering on progressive like the charmingly titled Multiple Wargasms, this album seldom fails to deliver. 

The last remaining member of the original lineup, Coke Finlay remains firmly fixed behind the mic, sounding just as much like a pissed off Viking as ever. Accompanying him are new recruits Rob Edwards, whose solos shred the strings without even a hint of mercy, skin basher Liam Hastie, who spends the runtime utterly savaging the kit, and four-string gladiator Stewart Grassie, bestowing this album with some truly fearsome basslines. If I had to knock this record in any way, the opening and closing tracks are just a tad weak, but everything in between picks up the slack and promptly beats the listener into a bloody pulp. As far as comeback albums go, I don’t think you could do much better than this. For fuck’s sake they covered the Inspector Gadget theme song and it absolutely crushes, and if that doesn’t send you screaming to the record store, I don’t know what will. Unwaveringly recommended. We won’t have to rely on bats to spread this virus. 9/10

Saturday's Heroes: Turn Up The Music (Lovely Records) [Lucas Tuckwood]

Turn Up The Music! is the latest release from the Swedish punk preservers, Saturday’s Heroes. Across seven sweet tracks, these spritely Swedes provide some quintessential punk, laced with an infectiously positive energy that’s sure to get anyone’s feet tapping, and enough creativity to raise eyebrows among those critical of the genre. Across a decade long career, the Heroes have cultivated a sharp sound, and every bit of their experience shines through on this album. Turn Up The Music! boasts a surprising amount of variety for a genre typically associated with sliding between three chords while the vocalist mumbles about how much he hates the government. 

There’s anthems, there’s mid tempo rockers, even a few fast ones, each boasting their own sharply written lyrics as well as top class musicianship. Be it the chanting opener We’re All Done, the melodic Seven Seas, or the fast paced Black Clouds, the lads manage to squeeze every last drop of creativity out of that classic punk sound, and the result is an album that thoroughly exceeded my expectations. Normally I don’t care much about punk more than it being a necessary step in the creation of extreme metal, but when it’s done with such care and creativity, even a burnout thrasher like myself can enjoy it, even love it. 

This album oozes with that classic punky charm yet provides oodles of creativity that helps it stay fresh, rather than become the repetitive droning that a lot of punk is commonly known for. Punk fans, you’re going to absolutely adore this album. It’s fresh, it’s creative, and it’s got that special something that’ll have you coming back for more again and again. This is modern punk at its absolute finest. Thoroughly recommended. 8/10

Killer Deal: First One's Free (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

From Vancouver, BC Killer Deal's debut album is what I call a 'proper' rock band, they have the blues-based vibes of bands such as Free, Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie, but with a 21st Century attitude. Killer Deal are classic rock through and through, the four piece are a little late to the NWOCR but they may immediately head to the upper echelon of that pack with this powerful slice of hard rock. The whole album is played with vintage instruments for an authentic feel from the opening kick of It Could Be Better to the soulful Tragic Magic which gives you some psych strains along with the woozy Heavy Road. Elsewhere tracks like Stay Too Long, have the twin guitar attack of bands such as the aforementioned Humble Pie with Max Grant and Sean Clarke trading off funky, fuzz rock riffs. 

This sound is continued across this albums nine songs the two trading off six string assaults shifting between the left/right speakers just like the old days. With the production job of Michael Kraushaar really boosting the in fact I'd also say, mainly due to Grant's vocals, on tracks such as When It's Raining they also have an element of The Sword to them. In the back room Harry Watson (bass) and Phi Van (drums) drive the harder edge to this album giving songs such as Burnout a lot of grit before it moves into some more psych ambience on Endless Mountains a great closing moment as it evolves into one of the heaviest songs on the record. It might be that the First One's Free but the next one will be gold! 8/10