Reviews: Lindsay Schoolcraft, Artillery, Suicide Of Society, Army Of One (Matt & Paul H)

Lindsay Schoolcraft: Worlds Away (Cyber Proxy Records)

Many metal fans will recognise Lindsay Schoolcraft as a collaborator of British extreme metal band Cradle Of Filth amongst others. The Canadian multi-instrumentalist released her debut last year, but due to the Coronavirus crisis, she has once again flexed her creative muscles, this time stripping things down to harp and strings, she has re-visited songs from her previous records with her harp the lead instrument here as she once again reunited Rocky Gray who provides electronic backing on a number of songs giving them the cinematic feel of dark romance. There is certainly a haunting overall atmosphere as the Schoolcraft's breathy soaring vocals evoke memories of Dolores O'Riordan through Christina Perri occasionally ascending into Sarah Brightman reaches but never to the detriment of the 'campfire' feel of these songs. 

The two new songs here are the sparse title track and the delicate Dance On The Strings both of which are fully committed to the concept of this record with the latter standing out as one of the best along with my favourite Fading Star which to me has the sound of Touchstone/The Reasoning/Panic Room. With Autumn in full swing this is the perfect record to pair with a Dark Burgundy, some cheese and a log fire. It was created due to the lockdown and it could be played a fair few times in the run up to the festiveness, with the dark nights drawing in be taken Worlds Away with Lindsay Schoolcraft's reinvention. 7/10

Artillery: The Last Journey (Metal Blade Records) [Paul Hutchings]

On 2nd October 2019 Morten Stützer, founder member and guitarist of Danish thrashers Artillery suddenly died. Having been a member of this seminal band since 1982, it’s fair to say the band were rocked but decided that they would carry on with new guitarist Kræn Meier. Now the band have written a song in his honour and release it as a special single. The Last Journey features former singers Flemming Rønsdorf and Søren Adamsen. It’s a challenging song to review, mainly because of the sentiment involved but being critical it’s not a particularly good track. Opening with gentle guitars and keys, the lyrics are emotionally crafted and centred on their departed friend. It’s hard to be too critical so let’s just say this is a track that Accept might write. There’s none of the frenetic thrash we’ve come to expect from the Danes, and the vocals are of variable quality. It’s more standard heavy metal ballad with some decent solos punctuating the slow chug. A cover of Metallica’s Trapped Under Ice is on the flip side, and its exactly as you’d expect it to be. A faithful cover of an all-time classic. Thankfully, Artillery are working on a new album, and I have every hope that this will be a much more exciting affair. 5/10

Suicide Of Society: War Investment (Black Sunset) [Paul Hutchings]

I’ve got little information about Suicide of Society. What I do know is that War Investment is their debut album, ten years after their original formation. They are a five-piece from Germany who blend a pleasing old school thrash with some typical Germanic flourishes. What we get is just shy of 40 minutes of solid riffing, pile driving drumming and an overall feeling of good, reliable thrash metal. The vocals work well, the variation from growling guttural delivery to more Slayer-esque scream matching the frenetic pace and explosive passages. Suicide of Society can do balls out thrash as well as the slower placed chugging, such as Planet Babylon which ebbs and flows from full on assault to grinding rager. Produced and recorded last year, Suicide of Society are yet another full fat thrash outfit who raise more than a passing interest. It’s definitely old school, and it’s definitely worth a listen. 7/10

Army Of One: EP (Self Released)

Army Of One is the solo project from Brad Rogers, co-vocalist of metalcore band Chapfallen. It has been around from six years and is very much solo in the respect that Brad plays everything here except for the solos on Vicious Cycle and Palpitate which come from James Phillips and Tom Longshaw (from Chapfallen). Created in his bedroom in Stoke Brad has clearly had a productive lockdown as this record sounds like a commercially released one, with tracks that are still very much in the metalcore template but with some deathcore slams, industrial electronics and an overall sense of fear and foreboding that comes through mainly on the discordant Palpitate. The album whizzes by at a fair pace but the songs never move away from a mid-pace mosh, which is not a bad thing when you're aiming your music at the metalcore audience who do love a goot pit. How Brad will ever translate this to the stage is anyone's guess but for a studio/bedroom project it's got a lot of talent behind it showing that Rogers can do more than just roar/scream. 7/10