Before there was Eurovision, there was a band from Australia who started out playing power metal, however as they began to pick up steam and release more albums these dreams of Stratovarius dissapeared into the gothich sounds of Type O Negative and a greater use of electronics music and modern prog metal. Culminating in their 2019 album Colours Of The Sun, they have built a strong fan following with their unique melting pot of musical ideas where pop, metal, prog and edm all play a role.
They had supports to bands such as Devin Townsend and Leprous, looking poised to take over the world. Then COVID hit, they were stuck in the harsh lockdown, releasing a live-in-the-studio retrospective show, it seemed like there was new music brewing and then it happened. Entering for the second time Voyager were chosen to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool (hosting for Kiev).
Their song Promise is a pop metal banger (as the kids say) the only song that featured a keytar solo, screams and a breakdown, it was not what you'd expect from Eurovision but gave them a respectable ninth place as they flew the flag for metal music at the biggest pop contest in the world. This move has sent the band stratospheric especially in Europe, with sold out shows all over the place, so it's with great anticipation that I listened to their 8th studio album Fearless In Love.
Obviously the go to for many would be pop progger Promise, it's immensely catchy even after 30 times but it doesn't prepare you for the rest of this album, as its near the middle of the record so theres lots of experimentation to come before and after. Voyager have always tried to improve and morph what they did previously with every record and with Fearless In Love they are again masters of technically proficient virtuosity fused with huge hooks and bouncy synth-laden rhythms.
Dreamer has driving electronic oscillation, followed by the dramatic prog metal of The Lamenting where the trio of Simone Dow (guitars), Scott Kay (guitars) and Alex Canion (bass) provide huge grooves, this number the most traditional on the album.
Recorded for the first time in the same place, the songs are Voyager at their peak, this line up having been together 12 years so work like a music making machine. The melancholic beginning of The Best Intentions leading into the metal thump of Prince Of Fire, Ultraviolet swirls and undulates with the synths, the additon of harsh vocals and djent riffs making for a delirious counterpoint on this 80's-like cut.
Ash Doodkorte's drums are brilliantly used on Submarine, the waves of synths from in melody with Danny Estrin's impressive vocal range as it explodes into a 80's style guitar/synth solo. No matter the lyrical approach of the songs, musically Voyager always sound sunny, even on the moody Twisted (which is very Devy) there's brightness. Fearless In Love is Voyager's next exploration into the musical galaxy and they take you along for this magical journey with this eighth album. 9/10
Calligram - Position Momentum (Prosthetic Records) [GC]
For the last few years UK black/noise metallers Calligram have been building a nice buzz, their last album The Eye Is The First Circle was a well-received and brutally breathtaking piece of work and their live shows are a thing of chaotic beauty, they are about to release new album Position Momentum upon an unsuspecting world, are we ready for this? I’m about to find out.
It is straight down to business with opener Sun Dolore which is a scathing and savage black metal onslaught that aims straight for the throat it has some beauty in there also in the haunting soundscape that fills out the mid-section of the song, another thing you see is that all the lyrics are in Italian and this just adds more complexity to the way you have to try and fully assess what is happening to you and is another layer of extremity you don’t think you could cope with but its done so well you cant help but appreciate the work they are putting in, Frantumi In Itinere doesn’t take its foot off the pedal at all and blasts along at a frantic and inhuman pace the vocals sound absolutely hellish on this song and you can feel every ounce of feeling that is being poured into them, the pace doesn’t let up until about 2 minutes in when we get a section that is once again epic and grand in feel and makes the most of the time it has to create a beautifully textured song.
They had supports to bands such as Devin Townsend and Leprous, looking poised to take over the world. Then COVID hit, they were stuck in the harsh lockdown, releasing a live-in-the-studio retrospective show, it seemed like there was new music brewing and then it happened. Entering for the second time Voyager were chosen to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool (hosting for Kiev).
Their song Promise is a pop metal banger (as the kids say) the only song that featured a keytar solo, screams and a breakdown, it was not what you'd expect from Eurovision but gave them a respectable ninth place as they flew the flag for metal music at the biggest pop contest in the world. This move has sent the band stratospheric especially in Europe, with sold out shows all over the place, so it's with great anticipation that I listened to their 8th studio album Fearless In Love.
Obviously the go to for many would be pop progger Promise, it's immensely catchy even after 30 times but it doesn't prepare you for the rest of this album, as its near the middle of the record so theres lots of experimentation to come before and after. Voyager have always tried to improve and morph what they did previously with every record and with Fearless In Love they are again masters of technically proficient virtuosity fused with huge hooks and bouncy synth-laden rhythms.
Dreamer has driving electronic oscillation, followed by the dramatic prog metal of The Lamenting where the trio of Simone Dow (guitars), Scott Kay (guitars) and Alex Canion (bass) provide huge grooves, this number the most traditional on the album.
Recorded for the first time in the same place, the songs are Voyager at their peak, this line up having been together 12 years so work like a music making machine. The melancholic beginning of The Best Intentions leading into the metal thump of Prince Of Fire, Ultraviolet swirls and undulates with the synths, the additon of harsh vocals and djent riffs making for a delirious counterpoint on this 80's-like cut.
Ash Doodkorte's drums are brilliantly used on Submarine, the waves of synths from in melody with Danny Estrin's impressive vocal range as it explodes into a 80's style guitar/synth solo. No matter the lyrical approach of the songs, musically Voyager always sound sunny, even on the moody Twisted (which is very Devy) there's brightness. Fearless In Love is Voyager's next exploration into the musical galaxy and they take you along for this magical journey with this eighth album. 9/10
Calligram - Position Momentum (Prosthetic Records) [GC]
For the last few years UK black/noise metallers Calligram have been building a nice buzz, their last album The Eye Is The First Circle was a well-received and brutally breathtaking piece of work and their live shows are a thing of chaotic beauty, they are about to release new album Position Momentum upon an unsuspecting world, are we ready for this? I’m about to find out.
It is straight down to business with opener Sun Dolore which is a scathing and savage black metal onslaught that aims straight for the throat it has some beauty in there also in the haunting soundscape that fills out the mid-section of the song, another thing you see is that all the lyrics are in Italian and this just adds more complexity to the way you have to try and fully assess what is happening to you and is another layer of extremity you don’t think you could cope with but its done so well you cant help but appreciate the work they are putting in, Frantumi In Itinere doesn’t take its foot off the pedal at all and blasts along at a frantic and inhuman pace the vocals sound absolutely hellish on this song and you can feel every ounce of feeling that is being poured into them, the pace doesn’t let up until about 2 minutes in when we get a section that is once again epic and grand in feel and makes the most of the time it has to create a beautifully textured song.
Eschilo has a haunting and mournful guitar intro that leads into a more subtle approach its more of the soundscape type style they added into the first couple of tracks but leading in with this and then dropping back into the raw black metal is a clever move as it keeps you on your toes and never really knowing what to expect and this has twists and turns galore to keep you intrigued and enthralled throughout. Tebe once again goes directly on the attack from the off and with a full throttle and astonishingly savage black metal assault but it’s the way they just casually thrown in the slower more melodic parts that really make these songs take on a whole new level of heavy, sometimes this could get boring and played, not here! Here it is done with expert precision and thought and makes everything sound intense and challenging.
Per Jamie is a 2-minute interlude/instrumental that kind of stunts the pace and anger but is actually well placed because it gives you time to re-group and prepare for Ostranenie because this as the longest song at 7 minutes, which granted for a black metal album isn’t THAT long still manages to up the ante even further and push the boundaries of what you can accept as heavy, when the pace is unrelenting its brutally painful to listen to and when they drop the pace completely its uncomfortable and grim and unsettles you to a point you think you may need to skip the track, beautifully done! Lead single Ex-Sistere follows on and does another great job of creating the feeling of unease and dread it has a haunted sound to the guitars and the drums pound and pummel you in ways you aren’t comfortable with and once again the vocals are just incredible a definite album, highlight.
Seminario Dieci has the task of following on and closing the album and to begin does this with the more subtle sound they have incorporated into songs, but the unrelenting attack is never far from being unleashed and they close the track and album with one final barrage of savage and raw black metal, then just finish and leave you in a heap on the floor.
You wonder if when a band who have released an album as good as The Eye Is The First Circle just got lucky or hit a vein of form when writing and surely, they can’t release something that good again, well Calligram have done just that! Position Momentum is brutally raw, punishing, beautiful, epic, and upsetting all-in equal measures, it keeps you guessing throughout and never makes you want to not be listening to it a truly stunning album from a special band. Make it your business to hear this as soon as you can. 10/10
Voice Of Baceprot - Retas (12Wired) [Mark Young]
Something different today, something that gives me a genuine jolt with just the energy and immediacy of it. Voice Of Baceprot (VOB) are a female Indonesian three-piece, formed in 2014. Starting off with covers shared to you-tube, they garnered both praise and criticism, specifically from members of the Islamic faith as they continue to wear traditional Islamic attire, including the hijab. They have released Singles and EP’s which culminates in their first full length album, Retas.
And it’s a bit of firecracker!!
It’s a full on blast from the starting track of What’s The Holy (Nobel) Today which set’s the template of the songs to follow. Mixing in that rock / rap / pop-punk but with an unique approach that is borne of their upbringing and roots. It moves when it needs to, changing gears but always with that foot pressed down. PMS is a great example of this approach as it bounces along nicely, all summer and smiles that then drops into the muscular Age Oriented that amps up the lower end with some solid riffs and quickfire raps over the top, even aping a bit of the Chilli Peppers in there. Certainly not afraid to wear their influences front and centre, they take the best and put their own spin on it.
The Enemy Of The Earth Is You is a standout, as is Kawani with some spot on riffing and double bass work which is always to good to hear. Especially on Kawani as it is a quick, tight instrumental that flies past. Album closes off with the one-two of God, Allow Me (Please) To Play Music and School Revolution, and they are a fine book-end, again showing their appreciation of all things rock, which I can see the crowd bouncing along to, complete with sing-along parts. There is a super energy in their delivery, and you would hope that they will act as inspiration for others to pick up instruments and have a bash.
I think this is one of the first times in recent memory that I’ve heard something like this and I didn’t switch it off immediately. It just goes for it right from the off and they don’t repeat themselves as they go from track to track. Songs are pitched just right, long enough to hit but not overstay their welcome.
For a first full length release, it’s a stormer and it will be interesting to see how they translate it live. As I understand they have these on their socials, but I mean actually seeing them do it in one of the more salubrious places such as the Star And Garter in Manchester. Seeing as they can rock I don’t think it would be a massive problem for them. They are certainly worth having a listen to, you never know you might like them!! 7/10
Tailgunner - Guns For Hire (Fireflash Records) [Richard Oliver]
Guns For Hire is the debut album from UK based new wave of traditional heavy metal band Tailgunner. They released their debut E.P. Crashdive back in June last year and have obviously earned quite a bit of hype having been handpicked by K.K. Downing to open the first ever K.K.’s Priest show recently and landing a slot at the always excellent Keep It True Festival in Germany. The band also have a U.K. tour coming up later in the year with a show in Fuel in Cardiff.
Anyway, on to the album and with a name like Tailgunner you would think that there is an Iron Maiden influence and there you would be very much correct. The Irons influence is clear for everyone to hear but there is also a big NWOBHM influence as well as dashings of 80’s speed and power metal. The band wear their influences clearly on their sleeves and there is a definite throwback sound but, if like me, you love all things old school heavy metal then Guns For Hire is going to tick many boxes.
It’s a full on blast from the starting track of What’s The Holy (Nobel) Today which set’s the template of the songs to follow. Mixing in that rock / rap / pop-punk but with an unique approach that is borne of their upbringing and roots. It moves when it needs to, changing gears but always with that foot pressed down. PMS is a great example of this approach as it bounces along nicely, all summer and smiles that then drops into the muscular Age Oriented that amps up the lower end with some solid riffs and quickfire raps over the top, even aping a bit of the Chilli Peppers in there. Certainly not afraid to wear their influences front and centre, they take the best and put their own spin on it.
The Enemy Of The Earth Is You is a standout, as is Kawani with some spot on riffing and double bass work which is always to good to hear. Especially on Kawani as it is a quick, tight instrumental that flies past. Album closes off with the one-two of God, Allow Me (Please) To Play Music and School Revolution, and they are a fine book-end, again showing their appreciation of all things rock, which I can see the crowd bouncing along to, complete with sing-along parts. There is a super energy in their delivery, and you would hope that they will act as inspiration for others to pick up instruments and have a bash.
I think this is one of the first times in recent memory that I’ve heard something like this and I didn’t switch it off immediately. It just goes for it right from the off and they don’t repeat themselves as they go from track to track. Songs are pitched just right, long enough to hit but not overstay their welcome.
For a first full length release, it’s a stormer and it will be interesting to see how they translate it live. As I understand they have these on their socials, but I mean actually seeing them do it in one of the more salubrious places such as the Star And Garter in Manchester. Seeing as they can rock I don’t think it would be a massive problem for them. They are certainly worth having a listen to, you never know you might like them!! 7/10
Tailgunner - Guns For Hire (Fireflash Records) [Richard Oliver]
Guns For Hire is the debut album from UK based new wave of traditional heavy metal band Tailgunner. They released their debut E.P. Crashdive back in June last year and have obviously earned quite a bit of hype having been handpicked by K.K. Downing to open the first ever K.K.’s Priest show recently and landing a slot at the always excellent Keep It True Festival in Germany. The band also have a U.K. tour coming up later in the year with a show in Fuel in Cardiff.
Anyway, on to the album and with a name like Tailgunner you would think that there is an Iron Maiden influence and there you would be very much correct. The Irons influence is clear for everyone to hear but there is also a big NWOBHM influence as well as dashings of 80’s speed and power metal. The band wear their influences clearly on their sleeves and there is a definite throwback sound but, if like me, you love all things old school heavy metal then Guns For Hire is going to tick many boxes.
The songs on offer such as Revolution Scream and New Horizons are pure fist pumpers and head bangers being very melodic and anthemic in nature but with great riffs and lead guitar harmonies from Zach Salvani and Patrick van der Völlering and impressive vocals from Craig Cairns. There is also a fair amount of speed being dished out such as on White Death and the title track which were clear highlights to a speed metal maniac such as myself and show off the powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Thomas Hewson and drummer Sam Caldwell.
Like all the bands in the NWOTHM movement, originality is in short supply but it really doesn’t matter as classic metal sounds just as good in 2023 as it did in the early 1980’s. Tailgunner have obviously put their all into this album and it really shows as Guns For Hire is a confident and slick album with excellent songwriting and killer musicianship. 8/10
Like all the bands in the NWOTHM movement, originality is in short supply but it really doesn’t matter as classic metal sounds just as good in 2023 as it did in the early 1980’s. Tailgunner have obviously put their all into this album and it really shows as Guns For Hire is a confident and slick album with excellent songwriting and killer musicianship. 8/10
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