Reviews: Hammerfall, Coexistence, USA Nails, White Walls (Matt, Charlie, Lucas & Alex)

Hammerfall: Live! Against The World (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]

Live! Against The World is the newest live Blu-Ray/CD from Swedish power metal veterans Hammerfall. Boasting their biggest production yet their 2019/2020 World Domination tour, this show comes from a show in Germany and what you get is essentially a 'best of' record with a few tracks from Domination the album this tour was in support of. What you get here is Sweden in full flight especially vocalist Joacim Cans whose voice does seem particularly high in the mix but that's not really a problem as he's one of the best singer in the classic metal/power metal genre. ow I obviously had the audio version of this so I can't really comment on the visuals but soundwise it's a slick as you can get capturing every nuance of their performances from the frantic kick drumming of David Wallin to Oscar Dronjak an Pontus Norgren's searing leads. 

At nearly tow hours you can't say you don't get value for money with a massive 20 song setlist that shifts between modern tracks like Never Forgive, Never Forget, One Against The World and classics such as Blood Bound (driven by the thump of Fredrik Larsson's bass), The Dragon Lies Bleeding ending with the bouncy Heart's On Fire (of course). This tour was only in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Renegade so we get a neat little medley of tracks from that record, there's also a special guest in the shape of Battle Beast's Noora Lohimo on ballad Second To One. Throughout the show Cans is commanding the German fans with the mastery of a seasoned frontman while never missing a note. Live! Against The World is Hammerfall at their brightest showing why they are considered the saviours of Swedish heavy metal, having to weathered many storms they deserve all the plaudits they get. If you need a Hammerfall live album (they have three in total now) then I suggest this one as it's the most comprehensive. 7/10   

Coexistence: Collateral Dimension (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Charlie Rogers]

Italy has some outstanding musicians, and Coexistence are certainly among them. Soaring guitar leads, tasteful yet relentless drumming, and some mind-bending fretless bass work - it’s impossible not to slap like now. Clocking in at 55 minutes, this bucks the trend of shorter albums we’ve been seeing recently. Phasing into existence, the first track Metaphysical Essence opens the album with a slow fade - like a celestial body emerging from the horizon. Fitting, as the album has a cosmic theme. The engines fire on spaceship riff, and we accelerate into the ether. It’s catchy from outset, and a strong sense of pace keeps your attention from drifting away. Setting out the formula for the whole record, the intensity swells and ebbs, as if navigating solar tides. Transitions are very smooth, with little to no jarring breaks or curve balls thrown at you. This leads to the record being very relaxing to listen to, despite some absolutely thunderous doublekick. Masterful use of the guitar across all tracks demonstrates complete control of the instrument, with soundscapes ranging from atmospheric passages, to dense picking, and gravity defying leads. Epico. The bass is handled beautifully - fretless tone produced perfectly and played with incredible precision. 

Personally, I’d raise the volume of the bass by a tiny bit, maybe 5%, as some of the beautiful lines fall in danger of being lost from time to time. The bass solos are breathtaking too - fluid and captivating, it’s great to hear all members of a band have their place in the sun. Vocals are consistently impressive, with wide roars and piercing screeches, showing off versatility but also knowledge of when each technique is most effective. This is all underpinned by some stellar drumming, which remains interesting without distracting from the harmonic instruments. It’s tough to find flaws in the album, as it executes each song with finesse. It’s lack of variation between styles may bore some listeners, but if you’re looking for knuckle dragging caveman beats and low-fi horror samples, you’re in the wrong place. I mentioned previously that there’s no sharp turns, and the record feels very smooth - in this dreamlike state it might be possible to lose track of what you’re listening to, especially if performing other tasks. If you’re paying attention, however, Coexistence will reward you with some glorious music. Fans of Obscura, Augury, and Beyond Creation will have a very good time here. 8/10

USA Nails: Character Stop (Bigout Records) [Lucas Tuckwood]

London based punkers USA Nails crank it up to 11 with their freshest release, Character Stop. It’s album number five, and in this instalment things get rather melancholy and introspective. Lockdown’s a bitch, and it’s affecting us all in different ways. In USA Nails’ case, they’ve spent their time looking inward to get their inspiration, and they shine bright through the walls of sonic sound, touching on themes of social media, working part time as a musician, and mental health. But if you don’t care about all that stuff, there’s a superb punk album to go along with it. USA Nails certainly seem to have their technique down to a fine art, as the music rips its way out of the speakers with little regard for manners. It’s that quintessential modern day noise punk, featuring guitars fuzzed out to truly insane degrees, as well as free flowing song structures that each serve as a healthy shot of vitality to take the old punk formula and turn it into something fresh and spicy. Songs like I Am Posable and the title track stand out, presenting great lyrical themes meshed with a sheer wall of distorted riffs, chugging bass, and frantic drumming. I can see some new listeners not being too keen on the vocals, but I find they’re quintessentially punky, and if you’re already a fan then this won’t be an issue. If you happen to be one of those fans, then you’re going to absolutely adore this record. It’s packing even more of USA Nails’ fierce punky chops, blended with some great lyrics to add just that extra bit of spice to each track. Thoroughly recommended. 8/10

White Walls: Grandeur (Self Released) [Alex Swift]

 

White Walls aggressively combine the musical forces of misery and serenity, persistent riffs and atmospheric ambiance, chaos, and restraint. While their music draws on everything from traditional elements to extreme metal, their prog is that dark, seething, and morose style which wraps the listener in a symposium and beautiful sadness and refuses to lessen its grip. Grandeur continues that mammoth sound on to a stunning third album. False Beliefs transitions hypnotically into Eye For An I. A profusion of eerily tranquil guitar chords and haunting singing serves to lull the listener into a false sense of security before the anthem spills over into apocalyptic soundscapes and a sense of sonic absorption. Instrumentals and vocals clash against each other like the elements in a howling hurricane. This grants us a sense of imbalance and exploration, which is carried over into the visceral Home Is On The Other Side, where the guitars growl alongside the rumbling rhythmic textures, until the harmoniously wraithlike middle section. 

Continuing on the same journey, Holy Worse may be one of the most emotionally poignant moments on the record, permeated with a contemplative sense of lurking inner dread. By Contrast, Velvet feels almost retro in nature, before plunging back into the darkness with arresting screams, and a swarm of blackened melodic passages which feel like they leave a physical impression with the dramatic weight! Providing one of the most psychedelics and experimental moments is Speaking In Tongues which is too short to satisfy its frankly intriguing, scarily dreamlike concepts. Once more, these musicians eloquently control the art of contrast. Continuing on this unpredictable nature, Starfish Crown allows us to experience a more frenetic, sauntering sound, where the guitars and bass switch roles in a way which absolutely elevates the anthem, and showcases the excellence of the songwriters on display. Locked-in Syndrome contains fewer risks overall, yet carries’ that sense of grandiosity which creates so much character for this experience. Fear not though, fans of all things weird, Month’s End combines unbridled aggression with dashes of synthesizers, which was certainly unexpected. 

Hell, look no further than The Descent – a seven-minute opus which grows from a brooding, trudging piece to an absolute juggernaut of a centrepiece. The Slaughter feels influenced by Middle-Eastern folk, with a mesmerizing sense of majesty, complimented by the graceful harmonies, the emotive performances, and the steady, powerful and crescendoing progression, which sees out the album in impressive style. The ambition and skill scattered throughout this record prove stimulating. The precision of the pacing and the timing and the myriad of styles that they employ defines White Walls as a persistent, captivating act. 9/10