Reviews: 1349, Dark Divine, Infen, Devenial Verdict (Reviews By Rick Eaglestone, James Jackson, Mike Pickett & Zak Skane)

1349 – The Wolf And The King (Season Of Mist) [Rick Eaglestone]

Carved from the frozen Norwegian landscapes, black metal titans 1349 return with their cataclysmic new album The Wolf And The King.

The album wastes no time to erupt into a frenzy with the blackened laced The God Devourer which then spirals into Ash Of Ages with a menacing groove. An ominous mist then forms around Shadow Point which is easily one of the album most intense track which is complimented with some great guitar solos on follow up track Inferior Pathways.

The album is based around a classic alchemical allegory: A wolf devours a king. Then the wolf is devoured by flames, and a new king rises from the ashes which is delivered well through Inner Portal and structures the narrative into it also. This is bands eighth album, and the artwork and lyrics are filled with references to this number of infinity,” Ravn explains. “You can basically go on a quest finding references to the number in the artwork.”

Moving to The Vessel And The Storm there is a real injection of influences alongside dominant basslines and relentless drum patterns, alongside this is the cold, bleak construction of Obscura before final track Fatalist creates a hypnotic outpouring. There has most definitely been a shift with this album which at times has had a real doomsday aesthetic but at the same time 1349 have stuck to their original ethos. 7/10

Dark Divine - Deadly Fun (Thriller Records) [James Jackson]

Orlando, Florida is the home of Disney and Universal Studios, theme park attractions known the world over for their fun filled family entertainment; nestled in the sunshine state of Florida.. out of which has come Dark Divine; a metalcore band very much in the vein of Motionless In White and they release the Deluxe Edition of their second album this October. Deadly Fun opens the album and within the first track that comparison to MIW is hugely evident from the use of a horror film intro, the balance between harsh and clean vocals, the guitar tones feel similar as does the use of samples/synths. 

The rest of the album follows a similar approach, it’s Metalcore, offering a hint of something more Pop like at times, there are catchy riffs, singalong choruses and the emphasis on the vocals when needed, utilising the harsher style in contrast to the cleaner more melodic notes. Cold, offers a slightly different tone, it’s a bit more personal and the sound and pace of the track reflect that emotion and stands out from the rest of the album because of it.

The addition of Fame On Fire’s Brian Kuznitz as guest vocalist on Paper Crown has the grey cells firing and a quick search shows me where I recognise the name from - they’ve done a few covers I’ve heard of. For a first time listen, this isn’t a bad album at all, as a on/off listener of MIW there’s a familiarity to the songs as much as there is with any other band of a similar ilk; for those that already know of the band the big draw for the release of this Deluxe Edition would be the bonus tracks. 

Starting with the recently released single Digital Numb and it’s as much as anything that was previously released but it’s the following tracks that are the most diverse and offer a different take upon a few songs already released. There’s a Synthwave (a genre I’ve recently got more into) version of Drown, which offers a cleaner vocal line throughout alongside an obviously more Synth led sound and dance beats which allows a more accessible and upbeat version of the song. The aforementioned Cold gets a Cinematic version, it was already an exercise in emotion but the piano led score offers a deeper hit. 

Where I probably won’t pick the album up again, that final track, Cold (Cinematic) will get a few more listens before the week is out. 6/10

Infern - Turn Of The Tide (Dolorem Records) [Mike Pickett]

Turn Of The Tide by Infern delivers a punishing blend of old-school death metal with a modern edge. Formed in 2019 by Sylvain Collas (Stonebirds), Julien Tanguy (Gengis), and Pierre-Loup Corvez (ex-The Dying Seed), the band aimed to revive music inspired by an old vinyl they discovered during a harpoon fishing trip. Joined by Jean-Marie Grövel (Gengis) and Simon Beux (Gengis, ex-Taliandörögd), Infern pays tribute to death metal legends like Obituary and Bolt Thrower. 

From the opening riff of Undertow, this album is relentless. The mix of chunky, low-end riffs and clean mids by Corvez and Grövel creates a deliberate, intense atmosphere. Collas' bass stands strong throughout, especially during key moments where the low end shines. Beux's drumming is sharp, driving each track forward, while Tanguy's raw vocals complement the album’s heaviness perfectly. 

Produced by Charles Elliott (Abysmal Dawn, Go Ahead and Die), the sound is massive and immersive, with each instrument balanced perfectly. The album’s production captures that classic 90s death metal feel but with a polished, modern edge. I never felt the need to skip a track—each song flows seamlessly into the next. Rather than revisiting just a few songs, the entire album presents well-crafted tracks that form a cohesive, immersive experience. By the time you reach Buried Alive, you’ve witnessed some of the best death metal of 2024. 

This is one of my favourite thrash albums of the year and will stay in my regular rotation. 9/10

Devenial Verdict – Blessing Of Despair (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Zak Skane]

The Helsinki four piece avant-garde death metal act shows no sign of taming it down with their second release Blessing Of Despair. For example, As soon as the opening track I Have Become The Sun begins we are greeted with walls of dissonant black metal inspired guitar riffs curtsey of Sebastian Frigan, along with blast beats from Okko Tolvanen that are lashed with reverb which just give it this huge wall of sound. Riku Saressalos low demonic vocals come in crystal clear whilst still cutting the listener like broken glass. The instrumental sections consist of chimed baritone notes whilst odd meter grooves provide the thunder in the background. Through out the song we also get chorus heavy affected solos that soar through the mix. 

The following track Garden Of Eyes opens up with heavy room sounding drums grooves before we get chunky chugging riffs that would give Gojira a run for their money. The lead guitars on this track come with rise and fall whammy bar trickery, whilst creating a cocktail of John Petrucci exotic licks which harnesses Kerry kings violent aggression. Blessing Of Despair brings in death metal riffs that are laced in gothic metal elegance with the guitar tone being mixed in with chorus effects, even the clean guitars are spiked with The Cure inspired chiming and detuned tones. 

The blast beats through out the whole song come with this more natural production, which brings in more dynamics in comparison to other death metal productions in the scene. Whilst the album has it’s other riffy highlights such as Solus which brings in some Devin Townsend technical bombastic energy whilst Counting Silence has huge droning stoner riffs and spacey over dubs, but the album has quite a few slow burning moments. 

For example, Blessing Of Despair brings in dominant scale produced reverbed guitars that swell from the edge of breakup tone to distorted tremolo picking, whilst the drum transition from gentle jazzy rim shot beats to intense blast beats. Cold Lantern still continues the ambient spacey wall of sounds whilst the vocalist brings an avant-garde approach to his performance by adding…what I can describe as wheezing sounds, which sounds weird on paper but when listening it in the mix it makes sense before his chilling approach is seeped into the verses. The final track on the album brings it to a dramatic closer by beginning with some atmospheric baritone voiced arpeggios played over dry bell sounding drum grooves, which sound like a demonic wild west sound track. 

The track gradually builds up in layers of choruses spiked lead guitar melodies whilst the drummer builds up velocity until they drop out for the final bars. Devenial Verdicts’ Blessing Of Despair continues the ambient momentum from their previous release but slightly turning up the avant-garde like qualities with the gothic inspired arrangements on Blessing Of Despair to the experimental vocal delivery on The Quietus, proving that they bring more depth to the death metal genre. 7/10

Reviews: Undeath, Hermano, Maul, Sinistro (Reviews By Mark Young & Rich Piva)

Undeath - More Insane (Prosthetic Records) [Mark Young]

I had the pleasure of catching Undeath live at the Star and Garter in Manchester last year where a wholesome night of entertainment was had. Touring on the back of their It’s Time…To Rise From The Grave, they served up a night of massive riffs and searing brutality. Oh, and a shared love of Greggs.

Their third album doesn’t immediately show any signs of change, but it’s there, buried deep but what is the same is that there is no wasted air. Its straight into that swinging death metal, where that synchronicity between each component is running. Dead From Beyond churns with that mix of the straight ahead battering and later technical melodic lines, always anchored by that backline that keeps it all in check. When they drop the one-two of More Insane and Brandish The Blade there is a subtle shift, a noticeable inclusion of melody that makes them both head and shoulders above the opener, it’s the sound of Undeath hitting top gear. 

More Insane is frantic, almost the musical equivalent of a mental episode. Riffs are here, the bass is there, and the drums are constant in their attack. Brandish The Blade has this fucking awesome starting arrangement, and from there they don’t let go. This is the stuff that causes circle pits to erupt, and it sounds amazing. The break at 2.10 is just quality, with the outro solo/rhythm is just gold. I think this is one of my favourite songs of the year, that melody line is just fire.

Disputatious Malignancy is pure chaos, and that approach comes and shakes you up to show that they are capable of dropping an exercise in lunacy at any moment. Where Brandish seems structured, Disputations is a different proposition. Sutured For War is something else again, its like a death metal waltz. With pinched harmonics. Remember that change I mentioned? It’s in how they are building the songs and it is so subtle that it takes a couple of listens for it to sink in. At first, its all guns blazing, battering of the senses metal. Listen again and that melodic touch makes itself heard. It's still heavy, but it hits so well. The discord into lightning fills into harmony parts in the latter stages is just incredible, played out against the rapid double bass. 

You can pick any song off here, and it will tick your heavy metal box, it will also offer something different each time round. Cramped Caskets (Necrology) is a continuation of It’s Time material, no less effective than the songs they delivered then but held up against Sutured it pales a little in its company. Bounty Hunter is a dense crawl, favouring a more mid-paced attack to drive those riffs home and that slower pace is welcome, just to provide a breath before we enter the final act. Wailing Cadavers is a straight up pummelling, no frills just brutality. Check out that break at 1.45 onwards, this is caveman time. And why not?

The attractively titled Disattachment Of A Prophylactic In The Brain (which is difficult to type as it is to say) which has an almost happy tone to it. For about 10 seconds before it descends into blur of extremes. They do repeat it mind, and then somehow build an aggressive monster from it in a way I didn’t expect. Of all the tracks here, I think that this could have been trimmed by half and it still would have been a belter. As it is they drag it around the block a bit, and then put it down. 

Bones Clattering In The Brain is back to that dark, rapid, skittish riff fest that only a few bands seem capable of pulling off to the same effect as this. This is how you sign off an album, with all hands going for it and providing an irresistible blend of speed with a deft touch, and heaviness with clarity. There is some beautiful riffing going on in here, and I think that sums it up as a whole. There are some class songs on here, some do land better than others (ok all bar track 9 which just didn’t take with me) but its a cracker and is sure to be bludgeoning its way onto AOTY lists come December. 9/10

Hermano - When The Moon Was High (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

Yes, we have new Hermano material. This should be cause for everyone to celebrate. It is only two new songs and four never released before live tracks, but who cares, we have new Hermano material. When Ripple Music announced the project to re-release all of the old Hermano records, main Ripple man Todd hinted at some new stuff, as did Hermano guitarist Dave Angstrom, but hints are one thing, to have new Hermano songs in front of me on wax and blasting through my speakers is another, and here we are in the form of When The Moon Was High.

Let’s talk about the new tracks first. Breath is classic Hermano. The killer riff and John Garcia’s classic vocals say Hermano is here and is back, as loud as they possibly can. I love the background vocals on the track and the bit of effect of the guitar makes this one even more special. This song fits perfectly into Hermano history and sounds like the band never stopped recording all this time. Dave Angstrom and Mike Callahan’s guitar work is excellent (that riff!!!), especially the solos, which it sounds like they may have traded off on it, which is very cool, and Dandy Brown and Chris Leathers stay tight as ever as the rhythm section. Classic. 

The other new track is not really new, more like lost and found during the repress project, and is an acoustic driven stoner psych chill fest call Never Boulevard from way back in 1998, tracked during the first Hermano sessions. Garcia’s vocals here are sung more than he usually sings (I think you will know what I men here) and has a very 90s alt rock feel, in all the best ways possible. Great stuff. The four live tracks are all great, one from Willem Twee Poppodium in 2004 (Brother Bjork) and three from the last live performance of the band till date, from 2016’s Hellfest, including my favourite Hermano song, Senor Moreno’s Plan. All sound great, and the hint that Dave gave on that same podcast about a release of that full show is very exciting given how great these three tracks sound.

New Hermano stuff. What more can I say. Go listen, because Hermano rules. My only issue here is that the greedy bastard I am wants more, and it sounds like we will all be getting it soon. For now, let’s celebrate this amazing band with When The Moon Was High. 9/10

Maul - In The Jaws Of Bereavement (20 Buck Spin) [Mark Young]

Recently I’ve noticed that with certain death metal bands they are doing more than just dropping a speed fest or use a flurry of noise, often at a certain pitch to maybe mask defects in their ability to write quality metal. Maul, with their opening gambit In The Jaws Of Bereavement go for building a slow burn approach, filing it with statement riffs and a focus on control, letting each component part do their part in service to the whole so that you end up with a song that grabs and allows them to then batter you with the follow up, in this case the fiendish Blood Quantum. 

Tempo wise it is cut from the same cloth but attacks in a different way. There is double bass but its used sparingly and riffs stop and start, all the while Garret Alvarado growls as low as is possible over the top. Its heavy without forgetting to bring the necessary touch of melody to it and suddenly you have two first class openers.

Weaving Cerebral Horrors keeps that flow going, controlling the pace to suit to suit the moment. When they speed it up it’s not done as a means of proving they are the fastest, no its more to be able to add to the build as they see fit, expanding their sound with a corking riff set that is paced perfectly. Dropping some lovely triplet action in, Spontaneous Stigmata has that forward movement that comes from understanding that they don’t need to be hyperfast, and in doing so cover a lot more ground. 

When the lead comes, it fits completely showing that they have focused solely on writing the best songs that they can where every act is seamless and there is nothing wasted. It is also heavy as you like. What you also find is that this ability manifests itself right through each song, penetrating to the very core. From the atmosphere of An Alluring Deceit to the simple brutalism of Midwest Death which has that stomping action down which you know will translate to live carnage.

That decision to stay within that mid-paced tempo pays dividends on Unbridled Delusions with its Slayer-esque guitar lines that drop into a dead-on down pick moment that gladdens the heart. It’s the little touches that light this up, the pre lead rhythm that anchors both, the gradual slow down like a train hitting the brakes shows that confidence I referred to earlier where they don’t need speed when they have riffs as glorious as this. 

Saying that, the tone on Stuck Stomped And Smeared is pure filth, and that chugging build is spot on, it is so simple but works so well. They don’t overcomplicate it at all, its just pure feeling which comes through every chord and every drum strike. I would suggest that those wishing to learn how to write quality riffs get onto this.

With Each Voracious Lick, our penultimate track keeps us in the lower regions of the guitar, with some seriously low vocal work here that compliments and the final track, well that is just a barnstormer. Drawn To Drowning is all down picking and pinched harmonics and it possesses a wicked groove to it. The way the album has turned out, avoiding light speed guitar and blast beats means they have worked harder to make each song hit, and hit well. Everything is ‘just so’, not a hair out of place or wasted ideas. 

Its original, well-thought out and incredibly confident material that others maybe should look at for what makes for great death metal. October shows no sign of slowing down, with releases stacking up but this is special, and you should make every opportunity to get hold of this and savour it. Brilliant stuff!! 9/10

Sinistro - Vertice (Alma Mater Records) [Rich Piva]

If gigantic epic doom/post metal the likes of Paradise Lost, Cult Of Luna, and Alcest floats your boat, but with female vocals sung in Portuguese then the new Sinistro is for you. The band is back after a lengthy time off with a new lineup and new album, Vertice, but the same huge sound that got them signed to Season Of Mist back in the day. There new stuff is even bigger and more grandiose and should bring some new fans to the fold.

I have no idea what she is saying, but Priscila Da Costa’s vocals on Vertice are amazing. Check out Elegia and Pontas Soltas for proof. Musically you can tell this band started as an all-instrumental band because they can really create some very cool doomy atmospheres that could live alone without vocals but that voice makes the songs on Vertice even better, with the opener, Amargura, as a great example. I like to spooky doom vibes on O Equivocado that goes heavier on the keys with great success. The record is long and require patience, as Vertice is six songs and almost an hour, so be ready for that. It does get a bit much in places, and especially will for the people with a shorter song attention span.

Sinistro can play, Priscila Da Costa can really sing, the band can put together some serious arrangements, and they sound super tight. Vertice is a bit long, but if you like your doom big and epic the new Sinistro should be enjoyable for you. 7/10

Reviews: Transport League, Mother Of Millions, The Native Howl, Ignominous (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Transport League - We Are Satan's People (Black Lodge Records)

There's only a few bands who can throw in a snippet of both Sabotage (on the rollicking Grind You Down) and Daddy Cool into their songs, but then there few bands that have the take no shit attitude of Swedish riffmakers Transport League.

Forming in 1994, they are contemporaries to the likes of Clutch, Down, Spiritual Beggars, Hellacopters and Sasquatch and others that are in that they remind me a lot of, spiky, stoner rock n roll with breakneck riffs, snarled vocals, big ol' grooves and riffs to spare. Since reforming in 2013 they have been more prolific than they ever were both in releases and touring but obviously 2020 put paid to that.

Though the engines were running, the tyres were changed and the disintegration of the world inspired more raging rock n roll. Culminating in We Are Satan's People, the never ending riffs, tonal shifts and lashings of groove all return and the result is 11 more tracks of no nonsense stoner/biker/racecar rocking.

Be it the brooding, hardcore influenced Hollowed Victory, the chugging industrial groove metal of Primate Apeshit, the Sabbath worship of Cosmo Death featuring Sandra Mattsson & Louise Törner of Lamasthu, who reappear a few times for some soulful backing vocals. I'd not heard much of Transport League before this record but yeah this will definitely appeal to the stoner/riff crowd, fat chugging riffs, clever lyrics and a decidedly Swedish edge. 8/10

Mother Of Millions - Magna Mater (ViciSolum Productions)

Greek prog metal act Mother Of Millions take the Leprous route with their music. That is atmospheric, emotive ambience weaving into chugging palm muted prog metal, culminating in rhythmic, catchy songwriting and lyrics sung with soaring soulful vocals, that harder tone witnessed on the title track which features some harsh screams and female vocals. With their previous album Artifacts they received critical acclaim and were able to take their music outside of their native Greece, there is a huge call and love for this music (just check out how many bands we feature in this publication) so it’s no wonder that Mother Of Millions have continued to make strides into the storytelling style of Leprous et al.

 
However they’ve also dialled up the heaviness, a lot has changed since their last album in 2019, the world is angrier and as a result so is Mother Of Millions’ music, the riffs are more down-tuned and hit harder, the slow build of Inside giving you that initial exposure to what I mean. The pulsating synths laying a back beat alongside the bass and vocals, drums almost distant and sparse in the verses as there’s an oscillating build with layers before the heaviness returns. Mother Of Millions are especially good at the build and release, they’re also good with grooves, the chunky Feral full of it as is the brooding Liminal.

The electronics bristle throughout the record, keeping the soundscapes that were the trademark of the band’s keyboardist Makis Tsamkosoglou, who passed away tragically and unexpectedly, their first release without him was 2022’s Orbit EP but Magna Mater feels like a tribute, to his life and the lives of anyone else we the band and the listener have lost. I use the word cathartic a lot but it’s difficult to describe Celestial as anything else, the keys such a powerful part of The Line, another build and release masterclass and the best song on the album for my money. Magna Mater continues the anthemic brilliance felt on Artifacts but makes it known that they still consider the heavy side to be important to their sonic development. 9/10

The Native Howl – Sons Of Destruction (Sumerian Records)

If Metallica leaned more into the country/bluegrass after Load/Reload, then they may have ended up with record like Sons Of Destruction. With Hayseed Dixie and The Dead South the other bands many will recognised in the crossover/bluegrass sound The Native Howl merge banjo’s, bouzouki’s and acoustic chicken pickin' with thrash metal electric guitars, blast beats and vocals. So Metallica meets Earl Scruggs, Molly Hatchet meets Megadave it’s ‘thrashgrass’ from Michigan. The four metalheads wanted to do something different so entered into Season 1 of the TV show No Cover and after winning signed to Sumerian Records to record this debut release.

It was preceded by a number of singles, all included here, especially Mercy which features the brilliant vocals of Lzzy Hale (there’s very few genres she can’t sing) and their cover of God’s Gonna Cut You Down an American folks song famously performed by Johnny Cash. It’s all furious and flashy, Can’t Sleep evokes Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas, while the title track reminds me of Rebel Meets Rebel, where Outlaw Country icon David Allen Coe performed with Vinny Paul and Dimebag from Pantera (seriously if you like this check that album out).

The banjos often substitute for lead guitars, played with speed on No True Scotsman, a full on thrasher without the need for distortion (or wah pedal). Focussing their lyrics on the darker in things life, see Waco, Stockholm Syndrome, The Native Howl take quite an innovative but obvious sound and make it work. 8/10

Ignominous - Dawn With No Light (Vinyl Store)

Ah Greek black metal, it's incestuous and has been forging it's own path for decades. Formed in Thessaloniki in 2020, bassist Anestis Nekhromancer, guitarist/vocalist Chris and drummer Billy Vongaar started working on music but health issues due to the pandemic delayed the creation of this album but here it is in 2024 and these three veterans (they've all been in various Greek bands) unless ferocious black metal the Hellenic way.

From the brooding to blasting Nightwounds which shifts between speed and doom, the atmospherics of Apostrophe give it a slow world. The pace quickens on Aurora Borealis, technically is abound here the riffs razor sharp but the vocals sounding like they've gargled those same razors. The orchestral swells and gothic moments are ever present on the album but are more obvious on The Coming Fall and The Dawn With No Light.

Ignominous' debut has been a while in production due to various reasons but with the adversity no conquered they look to do the same in the Greek extreme metal scene. 7/10

Review: Lowen By Matt Bladen

Lowen - Do Not Go To War With The Demons Mazandaran (Church Road Records/Laid Bare Recordings)

Fucking Hell! I don't often swear so openly in this publication but the second studio album from London Epic Metal band Lowen is simple astounding. There's so much to talk about but really you just need to listen and drink it all in. To sum up I'm not sure what I enjoy more; Bolt Thrower-like shredding, Cathedral-esque doom,  the influence by Persian/Pagan music/culture and history or that it features one of the best singers in the metal scene and not a single duff track. 

So yeah I like it but so should everyone, it's a fully formed metal masterpiece, clad in a magnificent cover art from painter Hervé Scott Flament, the entire record screams loudly about how accomplished it is. If you aren't won over completely but the time Corruption On Earth finishes I don't know how to help you, as from this track alone you're set for the ride of your life, a maelstrom of musical accomplishment met with A-Star performances. If by Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran you don't like this record then I suggest you try another genre as, it perfectly distils several of the best parts of heavy metal music together.

Using shorter run times and a faster approach on this second full length, well third if you count their acoustic album, to pack as much into each song as possible, drummer Cal Constantine gets a workout on every song as he guides the rhythmic patterns, joined by traditional percussion and repeating ictus of Persian music, while maintaining furious blastbeats for the metallic sections. If you've never heard the band before, think of them as having the same progressive doom metal as Oceans Of Slumber, but leaning more on death/trad metal as a counteracting sound from guitarist Shem (May Your Ghosts Drink Pure Water) shredding his face off, his playing mesmerises as it stays in the doom/death distorted style but manages to never become to stuck in a groove.  

Vocalist Nina evokes her exiled Persian heritage through her vocals from the avaz and tahrir style of singing and use of traditional Middle Eastern instruments such as the daf and santoor, in direct defiance of the draconian laws of her ancestral homeland. Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran has Farsi and Sumerian lyrics, Waging War Against God is sung in Farsi and Ghazal For The Embrace Of Fire features an incantation from Neo-Babylonian era. The continuation of what they did on their two previous albums, relying on the way the words sound and carry rather than the language used to convey them, Nina's range and cadence is astounding and bewitching at every moment.  

That's not to say the lyrics are unimportant, to the contrary, Do Not Go To War With The Demons Mazandaran is a concept album based upon a story from the Shahnameh, it is about the folly of rulers extending their empires without thought, eventually going to war with the demon, which he will lose. Within the concept are more real events such as the death sentences put on women who protest inside Iran as part of the Women Life Freedom Movement, it's really in-keeping with the theme this record has of hubris from leaders who become powerful without reproach, the idea of those who apparently appointed by God.

Lowen have conjured themselves an album of the year with Do Not Go To War With The Demons Mazandaran, I've also seen it been called an album of the decade and id have to agree as, there are very few bands who can hold a candle to the hallucinogenic, spiritual, poignant music of this truly special band. 10/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Cannibal Corpse (Live Review By Charlie Rogers)

Cannibal Corpse, Municipal Waste, Immolation, Schizophrenia, Bristol Beacon 25.09.24

A surprisingly grand venue for such a wild tour package, it was my first time at the Bristol Beacon and I’m keen to return. The grandiose setting was a nice change from the dank pits normally host to death metal, the walls adorned with posters advertising orchestral performances and a considerable seating section that offered respite for those of us too tired to brave the throbbing masses who are eager to pit, was a welcome sight. 

With an early start time kicking things off, I hurried in to catch the opening act, Belgium’s Schizophrenia (6). Sporting a high energy, death/thrash hybrid, the youngsters hit the stage with real enthusiasm, clearly over the moon to be on such a class bill. It was easy to see why they were picked too, with both the catchy thrash approach that Municipal Waste embodies, and the hard hitting death tonality that Cannibal Corpse are the quintessential essence of. Furiously marching across the stage, often swapping places with each other, they made the most of the space available to them. 

Musically, the riffs are solid, the drums are tight and fast, but ultimately I’m struggling to recall how any of their songs went. All pizzazz, no staying power. Maybe given time they’ll work out how to turn that energy into hooks that land, but for now it’s hard to recommend them outside of the moment. They did get the crowd going however, and even got a circle pit, an impressive feat for an opening band.

Next on the bill, New York’s Immolation (6) took to the stage. Supremely intense, their stage show was less about side to side movement, and more about the vertical chopping of the stage right guitar. Between song banter kept to a minimum. the Immolation machine mechanically delivered a solid set of vigorous death metal.

I’ve never given Immolation a proper listen, and I feel like more familiarity with their 30 year history might have increased my enjoyment of the set, but on the night it didn’t quite do it for me. I was in the minority there though, as the crowd were lapping it up. Closing the set with one of their classics, ironically the song I vibed to the most, was Into Everlasting Fire from their debut album which also elicited a strong audience response.

Top support was Virginia’s Municipal Waste (8), the crossover thrash outfit equipped with riffs and tunes about partying galore. It was at this point I chose to seek refuge in the seating area, keen to avoid the inevitable wave of crowdsurfers, and I was pleased to enjoy an uninterrupted view of the stage antics and being level with the sound engineer meant the sound quality was crystal clear. Driving through the set, they played exactly what you’d want from the denim clad beer enthusiasts - non-stop high tempo thrash with duelling guitars and rapid fire vocals. 

The pit intensity increased, the circles got wider (though it did initially need some encouragement from frontman Tony Foresta), and lo - the crowd surfers did come. Tony’s shoutout to the Welsh contingent was a nice touch too, it’s always good to know bands outside of the UK actually know that Wales exists (hey some of them should tell the guys booking the tours nowadays). Fun, tight, and commanding the crowd with ease, Municipal Waste were a great choice for this tour.

Closing the night was THE death metal band, Cannibal Corpse (10). These titans of the genre have earned their place at the top of the totem pole, with an extensive back catalogue of solid hits and the unmatched stage presence of George Corpsegrinder Fisher, Corpse took to the stage with thunderous applause and launched straight into the riffage. Sporting a set balanced between newer tracks and proven bangers from the vault, the extremely polished, expertly executed performance demonstrated why they receive the welcome they do. Hard to elaborate more on how good they were, but yet again my socks were blown off, If you get the opportunity to see Cannibal Corpse, you definitely should. 

Closing the set with Hammer Smashed Face, and a sizeable wall of death, I’m already looking forward to the next time they roll into town - hopefully on this side of the Severn!

Reviews: Blue Heron, Soul Asylum, Dead Sacraments, Half Me (Reviews By Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Blue Heron - Everything Fades (Blues Funeral Recordings) [Rich Piva]

Damn, that was heavy. That was my initial response when I listened to the new Blue Heron record, Everything Fades, for the first time. It is also the reaction after the first dozen and I assume beyond, because this bad boy is a crusher. Everything Fades is nine tracks that are the definition of heavy in stoner rock today and should be the prototype for bands who want to bring it.

The riffs, the vocals, the subject matter, the tone, the vibe, the title…there is nothing not heavy about this record. Null Geodesic immediately crushes you with death by riff and vocals by Jadd Shickler that will eat your face off. Don’t be fooled by the tame opening of the title track, because the riff is here to flatten you. The drum work on this album is fantastic, really pushing that heavy button, so I need to call out how awesome Ricardo Sanchez work is on this record. Blue Heron has perfected the heavy slow burn with Swansong, which reminds me of something from The Age Of Truth. This record is filled with gigantic, monstrous, world eating riffs brought to us by Mike Chavez who knows how to shatter the earth with his axe, as this track shows. 

We Breath Darkness is more of the heavy, with this song being the best vocal performance by Shickler, as he doesn’t need to add the gruff to his voice to be effective. Steve Schmidlapp’s bass keeps this one grounded, and he partnered with Sanchez have one of the rhythm section performances of the year on Everything Fades. Dinosaur is a track of the year candidate and lives up to its name. I love the riff and I love the drumming, something I could repeat nine times (and may have). Just crushing. 

How about we get a little psych action going with so very cool guitar work on instrumental Trepidation, that leads into more crushing riffs and drums on Clearmountain, which keeps a bit of the heavy psych vibe alive to go along with the perfected heavy stoner doom. This is THE drum performance of all of the killer ones on this record. Bellwether is my favourite though, as it has all of the goodness that I have called out previously in one track, almost like the build of this record all cumulated in brilliance of this song. I do like how the album didn’t end on that note but on Flight of the Heron, a one minute plus instrumental used to both close us out and leave you wanting more.

Everything Fades is the definition of heavy. If someone comes up to you and asks for some heavy ass stoner rock this should be your first choice without question. I see a lot of the birds the band is named after living in Florida, but what you do not see here or anywhere else are bands that can bring the heavy like Blue Heron. This is a must listen for anyone who even pretends to like heavy rock. 10/10

Soul Asylum - Slowly But Shirley (Blue Elan Records) [Rich Piva]

Soul Asylum was never a grunge band, though they were certainly marketed and bundled with them back when their big record, Grave Dancers Union dropped in 1992 and continued to have hits off said record through 1993. What a lot of people did not know was that GDU was actually their sixth album and the band was more like other Minnesota bands Husker Du and The Replacements than Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, but Dave Pirner looked and played the part perfectly, and created some serious success for the band in the mid-90s. 

Even the songs on their two biggest records were more pop rock leaning or even alt country-ish more than grunge, but the 90s were what they were, and I will always have Somebody To Shove on my list of favourite songs ever. Pirner has kept the band going, with him as the only original member, creating more pop rock gems, now very under the radar, without rock radio and MTV to help push his always good stuff, with the new record, Slowly But Shirley, being another example of how underrated he is as a songwriter and that the band should never had only had one really big record, as Dave really is one of the more talented songwriters coming out of that era.

Slowly But Shirley isn’t going to brake barriers or produce throughs of new fans, but this is a very solid effort for what Soul Asylum is in 2024. High Road is Big Star inspired pop rock goodness with Dave’s voice sounding great. Freak Accident is another strong track that sounds right off of 1995’s Let Your Dim Light Shine, and the one two punch of Freeloader into Tryin’ Man and its funkiness is my favourite part of the record. Waiting On The Lord is a fun and different (for Soul Asylum) track too. While the band had some hits with their slower, ballad type tracks, I preferred when the back rocked, so the bluesy Sucker Maker is another one right up my alley with Dave’s vocals a ton of fun.

Soul Asylum in 2024 is still enjoyable and still worth your time if you are a fan. Slowly But Shirley is a fun listen and Dave Pirner continues to be one of the more underrated songwriters of our time. 710

Dead Sacraments - The Pale Temple And Others (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Four slabs of monolithic doom metal from Dead Sacraments comes in the form of The Pale Temple And Others. Conceptually about doomed protagonists telling stories drawn from the imaginations of the four band members, The Pale Temple And Others is the second album from the Chicago band following on from 2019's Celestial Throne. 

Now you may think this is an EP but all four songs are over 10 minutes long so it's definitely and album and one that needs your time and attention as Dead Sacraments play the sort of doom that hypnotically draws you into their fuzzy world, a catatonic dirge like The Mountainside or The Weeping Court bring the desolation. Lovers of glacial ominous doom will bang their head solemnly to The Pale Temple And Others. 8/10

Half Me - Opium (Arising Empire) [Matt Bladen]

German metalcore five piece formed Half Me in 2018 after their previous bands imploded. Chris and Silvian play guitar as Max and Tobias take drums and bass, Chris (another one) is the vocalist. Following on from their debut album Soma, they have been riding the wave of popularity since then.

Opium is an EP to keep that momentum going, blending 90's Metalcore and Nu-Metal sounds with modern production and a fistful of rage, it's a five song, fifteen minute breakdown of heavy riffs and screamed vocals. Your enjoyment of the album is very much defined by if you like the genre as it never stays too far from the hardcore/metalcore theme.

Keeping their name and their music relevant with new material Half Me hit the highs with Opium. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Monster Magnet (Live Review By Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Monster Magnet & Margarita Witch Cult, KK’s Steel Mill - 24.09.24

There is something primeval and immortal about Monster Magnet (10). They seem to have been around forever, but only very occasionally do they reveal themselves. Tonight saw the opening night of their latest visitation to these shores and anticipation was running high.

So it was that the young trio of doomsters from just down the road, walked out to an already packed room. This didn’t faze Margarita Witch Cult (9) one little bit down as the Brummies drew on all that heavy metal heritage and exploded into the first track, Arcadia. The opening buzzsaw riffs set the tone. This was pure, stoner doom sludginess that was heavy but groove laden. Most of the set was made up from songs taken off their 2023 self-titled release, with the highlights being Lord Of The Flies and The Witchfinder Comes, but the big surprise of the night was the excellent cover of the 80s Billy Idol pop hit White Wedding, yes a doom version, but it worked! Big grin engaged!

The atmosphere after that had only got more intense with anticipation. There was a perceptible buzz filling the cavernous space of the old Star Works factory, the dry ice machine was working overtime (much to Tony’s and the other photographers dismay!)

A high bar stool was placed front and centre next to a keyboard/sequencer, only adding to the tension. There had been speculation about Wyndorff’s health. We were about to find out. The band made their way onto stage, with Wyndorff gingerly making his way to the stool. Without a word, they dove into the cataclysmic epicness of Dopes To Infinity and all doubt was gone. Although half standing, half seated with his leg resting on the monitor, Wyndorff still struck an imposing stance. The Space Lord had landed and he was here to blow your mind! With his usual dark humour, he proceeded to explain his predicament. “I had a triple vaccine shot before flying out, and it’s fucked up my body!” With a wry smile “I can either sit down and be good, or stand and be shit” to which the crowd cheer and applaud.

Thankfully, he stayed seated and wasn’t shit! With his SG slung low and the keyboard being manipulated to give us those signature space rock psychedelic vibes, the rest of the band helped smash out a dark atmospheric set that was one for the connoisseurs. Following up Dopes with the headbanging goodness of Tractor they treated us to some classic Monster Magnet from the past 35 years. A set that swung from heavy riffness to pure space rock tripiness, Ego, The Living Planet, Zodiac, Bummer and the 15 minutes of pure indulgence that is Spine Of God were standouts. 

As Wyndorf hobbled off stage, there was uncertainty whether there would be an encore, but after a short interval, the band made their way back and started slowly, quietly playing the unmistakable chords of Space Lord, Wyndorff came back on his eyes full of light and energy and we all got to sing along to their unofficial anthem “Space Lord Mutha………” to finally blow our minds. I’m not sure of the set time, but however long it was, it was glorious. Hopefully Wyndorff (who will be 68 at the end of October!) will get healthy again and we’ll get chance to go power trippin’ with him once again.

Reviews: Bewitcher, Amethyst, Mirror Queen, Broken Jaw (Reviews By Mark Young, Rick Eaglestone, Rich Piva & James Jackson)

Bewitcher - Spell Shock (Century Media Records) [Mark Young]

If there is a tag line or opening statement that will pique your interest it is this:

HEAVY METAL AT THE SPEED OF SATAN (with thanks to Bandcamp).

So, I’m hoping that this is true, and they don’t let me down.

I think Satan has lost a step.

Sorry, I was expecting BPMs off the charts, unintelligible vocals that sort of thing. I wasn’t expecting a sort of black metal Iron Maiden. Starfire Maelstrom is our starting point, and you know it kicks along at a decent rate with a nifty melodic hook that carries the song for most of its length. Once they enter the final third they drop anchor just off the island of energetic lead break, with a cracking sub-rhythm to it and straight onto Lavish Desecration, which follows that same approach of speedy rock riffs, which has one eye on being able to make room for the absolutely necessary solo that this music HAS to have. 

That approach I’m sure is going to continue right to the end and you know what, I like it. I like that they putting songs together that allow for some lead guitar magic because, why not? Especially if they work well like these. Spell Shock dials in the classic rock and gives it a kick, mixing that black metal in like a master craftsman. Knowing that this is the kind of music they write, allows you to soak in it and just love it for what it is. Its Simple, uncomplicated rock similar to Motorhead. This is what you are getting. If you like it that’s great. If not, bye.

This attitude just drips from it, from the immediate blast of Seasons Of Foul Harvest that charges along at that classic rock pace with a rock steady arrangement and a wicked break that is pure 70s gold to The Harem Conspiracy that keeps the blackened rock coming along nicely to Ride Of The Iron Fox with it’s drums kicking it into high gear. That Iron Maiden theme is there and its surprising that more groups don’t revisit them. I am not suggesting in any way that they have taken any riffs directly, its more that they have pinpointed what makes an exciting and engaging song and just ran with it. Ride Of The Iron Fox has one of ‘those’ solo’s and just gives the song that boost, and we are done.

I said at the start I hope they don’t let me down; well, I think it is a big statement that they nearly make good on. Make no mistake this is a fun album, one that knows exactly what it wants to do and does that incredibly well. It’s a grand melding of black metal and classic rock delivered at a decent rate. I don’t quite pick up on speed metal within it, but so what. It is not trying to change the world; it just wants you to switch off and enjoy 40 odd minutes of metal and come out of it smiling. And there is nothing wrong with that. 7/10

Amethyst – Throw Down The Gauntlet (No Remorse) [Rick Eaglestone]

Formed in the midst of a plague Swiss heavy metallers Amethyst constructed eight more of unbridled passion for debut album Throw Down The Gauntlet.

Opener Embers On The Loose feels like I have put on Iron Maiden’s debut as its flooded with soundscapes of 80’s metal which is delivered with strong purpose and certainly highlights the bands Influences, its also got some amazing solos and added feel good factor elements, this then rolls into more of a classic rock feel for Stand Up And Fight. Dominant basslines, and gallops are on full display for highlight track Won’t Do It Again which is complimented with Running Out Of Time which has a great narrative and anthemic tones.

Amethyst have really captured the essence of an earlier time, and this album feels like a forgotten classic rather than something that was completed recently, a true testament to this is Rock Knights which I envisage being a radio and live favourite. Moving to Queen Of A Thousand Burning Hearts brings with it a real fist pumping dynamic, the rolling drums are a particular highlight and honestly, the more I listen to this album the more soundscapes come to the forefront. There is also a spoken word part that really adds to the track.

If there is one track in particular that really pieces this album together and had to picked as a recommendation to listen to the album is would absolutely be Take Me Away which flows into the final track Serenade (Under The Rising Moon) effortlessly making for an overall fresh slice of nostalgia

An absolute tidal wave of classic heavy metal. 7/10

Mirror Queen - Dying Days (Tee Pee Records) [Rich Piva]

NYC’s Mirror Queen are back, and this is very exciting given how much I loved their last one, Inviolate, from 2022. For those who are not aware and to give a comparison, the band mentions Blue Oyster Cult, UFO, Camel, Wishbone Ash and Iron Maiden in their bio, so yeah, you know this band kicks ass, and they continue said kicking on their new record, Dying Days. 

Anything on Tee Pee Records is pretty much an automatic buy, and given that MQ main man Kenny Kreisor is also the main man of Tee Pee, it is safe to assume that this one is going to be killer. I was not disappointed, as Dying Days continues the awesomeness the band has been bringing, leveraging 70s US hard rock and proto metal and blending it with NWOBHM influences creating seven more outstanding tracks to add to their already great discography.

The thing that really stands out for me on Mirror Queen is the guitar work of Kreisor. He totally rips it up on here, the title track and opener being a perfect example, with that solo in the second half when the pace picks up. Great stuff. I believe Morgan McDaniel is still the second guitarist, and if so the chemistry of the dual playing has taken another step forward, producing a nice Maiden feel to their work. Cityside has a cool little riff and moves more towards the BOC territory, once again highlighted by that axe work and almost a bit of a psych element to it. 

The instrumentation on Scapa Flow is top notch, who needs words when you can play guitar like that. I love the trip back to 1978 that Closing The Gap is, as some of the band’s prog leanings show through on this one. Same with the also excellent Far Flung that has some very cool tempo changes. My favourite track is the also very BOC This Is My Song, that has a cool riff and highlights the work of the rhythm section while also including the best vocal performance on the record. This one also reminds me off something off the also very 70s inspired album by Australian rockers Butterfly, Doorways Of Time. Oh, and that solo just rips. Strider closes as we opened, with killer dual guitars and more of that NWOBHM meets BOC goodness that Mirror Queen has perfected.

Mirror Queen can play, have the songs, and all the right influences to create killer stuff. Dying Days is just that: killer. The guitar work shines and is the highlight, but this record is excellent from the first note until the last. 8/10

Broken Jaw - No One Cares (Self Released) [James Jackson]

In case the album title didn’t give it away, the first 44 seconds of the title track leave no doubt that No One Cares, just for good measure the chorus hammers it home; Broken Jaw are a Gloucestershire based band whose genre description pegs than at punk metal, certainly the anarchic Punk leanings towards political and social issues, whilst at times being exceptionally tongue in cheek, are evident within the lyrics, spewed in a very metalcore fashion, far more metal than punk in that regard.

Clean tones are mixed with growls, the emphasis of which forces home the more sensible and poignant lyrics; I say sensible because the third track in, Pineapple Pizza, takes a rather comical approach but ultimately is a track about personal preference and the right to choose, it’s a frenetic slab of blast beats, those clean/growled vocals and heavy but groove driven riffs.

 
The album follows this pattern, blasting beats, heavy hard hitting riffs accompanied by politically acerbic lyrics and if I could make out more than just swearing and the words of the title, One Ply Bogroll, then it too would be as much a social commentary as anything before it. Serpents Lair has an a great riff that reminds me hugely of Cannibal Corpse.

No One Cares is heavy, fast and brutal at times, but without becoming stagnant which I’ve always found to be a turn off, Broken Jaw embrace a tempo change, allow a riff to flow with groove rather than balls out ferocity which affords the album a sense of maturity, amidst the chicken nuggets and toilet roll. 6/10

Reviews: Sinner's Blood, Coffin Rot, Kant, Awake The Dreamer (Reviews By Matt Bladen, Mark Young, Rich Piva & Zak Skane)

Sinner's Blood - Dark Horizons (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Sinner's Blood return with their second album Dark Horizon's, again it's another chance to show the talent of collaborators James Robledo (vocals/production) and Nasson (multi-instrumentalist), the two conceiving pretty much everything on this band while also showcasing the Chilean metal scene as a whole. With one previous record and Robledo having two solo albums on Frontiers, they are veterans of the label so it was walys a given another Sinner's Blood album would be coming.

Thankfully it's another banger, Robledo's vocals so similar to Symphony X's Russell Allen or Masterplan's Jorn Lande, singers who helped establish Frontiers label as players in the scene. Nasson's experience in the scene and his performances with Chaos Magic make sure that the musical backing for this project has more depth than just heavy, progressive metal. The bottom end of the band are bassist Nicolás Fischer and drummer Guillermo Pereira who have both been members of the prog metal scene for a while.

With the title Dark Horizons, you can expect there to be perhaps a darker edge to the riffs etc but nothing that Symphony X or Evergrey don't have. It's melodic, progressive and keeps things heavy when needed, Sinner's Blood are another quality metal band from South America who are getting their dues from Frontiers. 8/10

Coffin Rot - Dreams Of The Disturbed (Maggot Stomp) [Mark Young]

It is suitably grimy, oppressive and takes a lot of cues from when death metal was a new and exciting assault on your senses. This is their second full length release but have been kicking around since 2017 and with this, the Portland natives have dropped what could be the death metal equivalent of a comfortable pair of slippers. Pipe and jacket are optional.

Slaughtered Like Swine has everything you want and would expect, from the guttural vocals, deep breaks and an irresistible momentum despite it not being the fastest track. They make it move and it covers a lot of ground in what is a relatively short song. What it does is give you an overview of what the album is about, what they are about which is bringing dense riffs, those deep vocals and atonal lead breaks. 

Which basically equates to if you liked this, then the rest will hit as well as this. Perverted Exhumation follows the same build as Slaughtered but ups that pace to suit. The arrangement works better at speed and on here there are signs of those little touches that elevate their music above others. The chords under the lead break are spot on and the break down with that guitar and loowwwww vocals coming in are royal. 

Lurking In the Cemetery settles in for that more controlled tempo, which is apt for moving slowly around a cemetery at night until they kick it up at the end whilst Unmarked, Shallow Grave fizzes into life (death?) and runs with it, the song progressing through a number of twists, from labyrinthine guitar lines to pummelling riff and a lead break that is straight from the Cannibal Corpse school of death metal. And I suppose its this that makes it so comforting. Musically, it is exactly what you expect, and delivered in the way you would want it. 

They handle each song well, knowing when to slow and when they need to pick that pace up and a fine example of this is on Living Cremation where that foot is kicked through the floor in the final moments and tees up the opening to Hands Of Death which is glorious, that mix of the palm muted and then into the trem picked sections is again another example of knowing how to put the two together to ensure it avoids being a one-note exercise.

The real beauties come in at the end, Predator Becomes Prey is a monster, coalescing their best ideas into one spot. It has everything that they do incredibly well on here and it is fitting that they placed it in the penultimate position. The Howling Man, with its thunder and lightning sample segueing into their most immediate track on here. As Predator pulled their best together, this one takes that idea and goes further, providing that balance between speed and power. Riffs seemingly come from all angles, ever changing but staying within that brutal arena. It can often sound a little cringe when you hear ‘saved the best for last’ but I truly believe that to be the case here.

At the start I said ‘comfortable slippers’ and that opinion has not changed. I should try to explain that this is a good album with just the sort of no-fills death metal that would be well received in any era. It does what it needs to, and it does it well. 8/10

Kant - Paranoia Pilgrimage (SOL Records) [Rich Piva]

Kant is a band I knew very little about going into writing his review, but I cannot resist a band and album listed as “heavy psych rock” in the promo folder, so here we are, with me reviewing their new record, Paranoia Pilgrimage, and I am oh so happy that I am. That little tag is a great start for what to expect, but there is more to Kant, as the band has really come to play with their second record.

You get killer, swirling psych guitars on tracks like the opener, The Great Serpent, paired with reverb-y fuzzy vocals and a classic old school psych vibe that a lot of bands try for but miss. The band has the riffs too, like on Baba Yaga, which to me sounds like My Morning Jacket if they went more heavy psych leaning, which is a very interesting listening experience. You want to chill and stare at the clouds too? Then check out the track Book Of Creation where you get that vibe until the flute kicks in and you start your interpretive dance. 

These crazy Germans can certainly rock too, using Traitors Lair, Occult Worship, and the title track as examples. I especially love the latter, as it incorporates some killer heavy psych guitar. The frantic heavy psych of Lord Of The Flies is my favourite track, as the singer tests his range with excellent results on this one. I really like the closer too, as Rainbird is eight plus minutes of bluesy heavy psych that brings the fuzziest crunch on all of Paranoia Pilgrimage. Paranoia Pilgrimage is really good and fans of that opening simple description will totally dig this. 

Kant certainly Kan, and they really rock and bend some minds while doing so. 8/10

Awake The Dreamer – Holocene (Arising Empire) [Zak Skane]

Awake The Dreamer Holocene brings in a mixed bag of nostalgia from it’s mid 2000’s era Metalcore clean vocals and electrical passages it’s early 2010 styled low tuned djentcore riff assaults and harsh vocals.

The opening track Future Fades in with some classic 2010 production with it’s low pass filtered swells to it’s electronic layers, especially, in the choruses that reminisces of Joey Sturgis production with bands of that era such as Asking Alexandria, old school The Devil Wears Prada and I See Stars, the comparison comes in strong when the classic binary chugs come in. The vocal delivery brings in the some of the classic noughties vibes with the harsh melodic vocals sounding like Anders from In Flames Sounds Of A Playground Fading era, whilst the clean vocals reminisce of Dead By April. 

The following track Tides continues this momentum by pushing the electronic elements front and centre whilst the pounding chugging grooves from the drums and guitars carry the song. Tracks like Burns show the band taking a more post hardcore route trading in the Northlane styled djent riffs for big sounding strummed guitar chords whilst up beat drum grooves and electronic drum and bass sections accompany the melodic vocals. 

The melancholic track Violence continues the post-hardcore melancholy whilst bringing back the ambient layers of the synths and reverbed guitars whilst their closing track Echoes ends the album with more vocal hooks than a butchers workstation whilst bringing back the thundery low tuned djent breakdowns. The electronic layers are more bombastic with the electrical layers consisting of ponging synth appreciators, ambient delayed guitars and even some delicate twinkles with the piano. 

Tracks like Take My Hand, Alone, Labyrinth and Holocene take the album into heavy territory with it’s djenty technical riffs, fret tapping melodies and foot dancing double kick grooves, but I feel like these tracks are the weaker moments on the album because they come off more formulaic that bands like Singularity-era Northlane and In Hearts Wake have mastered 10 years.

Overall Awake The Dreamers' Holocene in a sold release that brings in two decades of nostalgia in the space of ten tracks. For fans of old school Northlane, In Hearts Wake and We Came From Romans. 6/10

Reviews: Weather Systems, Lizzard, Swamp Coffin, Magnetar (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Weather Systems - Ocean Without A Shore (Music Theories Recordings)

Before the world locked down Anathema's Daniel Cavanagh was writing the follow up to The Optimist, immersing himself in his writing, when the global pandemic hit, Anathema decided to go on hiatus, a move that continues to this day and while Daniel's brother Vincent has returned with the The Radicant, Daniel was working on the songs that would become Oceans Without A Shore. 

Alongside the Anathema co-founder is former Anathema drummer and producer Daniel Cardoso the duo re-christened as Weather Systems, named for what is probably Anathema's best album. Signing to Music Theories Recordings, Ocean Without A Shore is Cavanagh using music as catharsis for himself and the debited fandom his previous band had, it's highly emotional, there was often times when fans would weep at Anathema gigs so with Weather Systems it was about continuing this symbiotic relationship with fans.

This connection to their fans and to the past, is obvious from the fact that there's is a third part of the song Untouchable, parts one and two were the masterpieces that appeared on Weather Systems record, the third piece more like a conclusion, as the atmospheric string arrangements are put with introspective piano and acoustic guitars and Cavanagh's keening vocals. There is also a second part of Are You There, the first part appearing on A Natural Disaster, which is full of Floydian touches and more strings. Both are worthy additions to these suites, though for my money opener Synaesthesia musically reminds me more of Untouchable, with the repeating synth/guitar lines in sync with those songs. 

Cavanagh performs guitar, keys, piano, synths, bass and takes lead vocals while Cardoso is behind the kit and will be the live musical director, produced with Tony Doogan who produced The Optimist, there are a host of extra vocalists that join, Soraia and Oliwia Krettek taking the role Lee Douglas did in Anathema as female lead and harmony vocals on tracks such as the driving Do Angels Sing Like Rain? Petter Carlsen and Paul Kearns (formerly of Solstice) filling in the Vince role. Still this is Daniel Cavanagh's project, his Anathema, musically similar because it carries his expressive signature, it is a continuation of the band he co-founded. 

The electronic/organic beats on Ghost In The Machine, reminding you of the style Anathema started to incorporate from We're Here Because We're Here, influenced obviously by Depeche Mode, as Ocean Without A Shore builds with more oscillating, repeating synths, Still Lake is a massive rocker placed perfectly in the middle of the album segueing into the joyous Take Me With You, though Ocean Without A Shore ends on esoteric The Space Between Us which feels a little like a Devin Townsned track. 

Weather Systems is the next chapter in the story of Daniel Cavanagh, from death doom pioneer, to progressive rock magician, the name is different but the song remains the same. 9/10

Lizzard – Mesh (Pelagic Records)

Prog, yeah I like it and when I saw Welsh proggers Godsticks were supporting a band called Lizzard I had to check them out. It turns out the Anglo/French trio have been around for a fair few years (2006), having released four previous albums and have worked with Rhys Fulber, High on Fire, ORK, The Pineapple Thief and the devil himself Terry Bozzio (extra points if you know what the hell I’m on about). 

Now I’d never heard those albums so I approached their fifth with open ears and liked the noises I was hearing. Collaborating with produced Peter Junge again, Mesh is an optimistic record, true it uses many of the same musical queues of 90’s post punk or someone like Steven Wilson does on Mat Hatters which points the lens at those in power.

The bass throb of Will Knox setting the bottom end for this dreamy but defiant number, as it gets heavier for The Unseen, on which Katy Elwell’s technical rhythms are perfect, the dexterity of her playing also evident on closing track The Beholder. So it’s prog but with a modernity to it, driven by the jangly art rock guitars and soaring vocal melodies from Mat Ricou, there’s a similarity to another Welsh band, The Manic Street Preachers or The Cure on Home Seek. His voice is emotive and his guitar playing soulful, the ideal melodies to such a tight engine room. 

Having toured with The Pineapple Thief, ORK and now Godsticks, Lizzard present their Mesh, which will appeal to fans of all of these bands. 8/10

Swamp Coffin – Drowning Glory (APF Records)

The architects of “The World's Slowest Wall Of Death” have a lot to get off their chest, the songs on their 2021 debut Noose Almighty and 2019 Flatcap Bastard Features EP were inspired by the death of Jon Rhodes (vocals/guitars) brother-in-law. In 2017, then a house fire left him and his family homeless, as Noose Almighty was launched released bassist Martyn White attempted to take his own life and when it was finally released Jon’s mother-in-law and Martyn’s father passed away. So if you’re looking for the reason why Drowning Glory feels like it’s comprised of just pure pain and anguish then this will be why.

They did think they were cursed but set about embracing it by cursing anyone who listens, like a Pharoah disturbed in his tomb, unleashing a virus that peels the flesh of grave robbers, Swamp Coffinw want you to feel their pain, uncompromising, unquestionably heavy noise. I say noise, not music, not metal, not sludge, not hardcore because Swamp Coffin play their instruments as if it’s the last thing they’re going to do and they want you to be on edge, to be uncomfortable when songs such as the title track just shout you down against a gloomy backdrop. Topics of mental health and grief mean the record is as honest as it can be, the trio drawing on those personal tragedies to make their way through the mental process associated with them.

Jon told everyone that his only goal was “didn't want anybody to have even the slightest chance to catch their breath”, single This Was Always Going To End In War especially visceral live, the anger and rage of a tumultuous period in their personal history wrought through this second album. The result is the best music of their career so far, it’s so brutal and angry and violent, music that wants you to be intimidated by it. You know you see the meme that reads *slow heavy metal music playing* as someone looks devastated? Swamp Coffin are the soundtrack to that. Be prepared. 9/10

Magnetar - There Will Be No Peace In My Valley (Vendetta Records)

The North West is a hot bed for metal, Winterfylleth especially are the leading lights in that scene, featuring members who also form Ard, Atavist and Necronautical, the latest addition being Magnetar, a band influenced by the Swedish melodic black/death, American and South American thrash/death and British classic metal all coming from the mind of Winterfylleth bassist Dan Walmsley.

Here he plays everything except drums, including clean vocals, with main harsh vocals from Nick Wallwork and drums from Rob Harris. It means that Adorned In Flame is reminiscent of the second wave of black metal, though SCUM which opens the album with some blistering thrash and squealing solos, the black metal storming through on The Shadow Mountains and the chugging To Render The Soul.

Another branch of extreme metal from the Winterfylleth tree of life, one that throws back to a time where metal was political, lean, raw and nasty. 8/10

Reviews: Psychlona, Marche Funèbre, Turbokill, Jaded Heart (Reviews By Rich Piva, Mark Young, Matt Bladen & Simon Black)

Psychlona - Warped Vision (Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

Psychlona has to be the most consistently awesome band of the 2020s and maybe my favourite, considering their second album, Venus Skytrip, was my number one album of 2020 and their third, Palo Verde, was my number two for the year 2022. So, if we keep up with this pattern, the latest Psychlona masterpiece should be dropping right about now and should be somewhere in my top 3 for 2024, right? Right, because Warped Vision rules and continues to show why Psychlona is the premiere stoner/heavy psych band of this decade.

Why is Psychlona and therefore Warped Vision, so great? The band’s sound is unique to them as you can always tell when it is a Psychlona song blasting. Yeah, they have the influences you would expect and you hear on the eight tracks making up Warped Vision, but their tone and sound are so specific to them. Be it the vocals, how the songs are produced, or their attention to melody that allows them to create the most earworm-y stoner psych songs compared to just about any band, like ever, in the genre. These dudes can play too. Just listen to the solo on the heavy and trippy Kaleidoscope. The band always kicks off records strong, and I knew from the second the opener, Jasmine, started we had another AOTY candidate on our hands. 

The riffs and the Psychlona sound are all there, and I love the guitar work on this one. Psychlona, whether the try to or not, create stoner psych anthems on their records, and Let’s Go is Warped Vision’s example. The build up opening to the killer riff, combine that with the catchiness and you could play this during a kick off at a football game or whatever your sport of choice is. Oh, and cowbell. I also love when Psychlona gets all chill on us, like on the slow burn psych drenched Smoke, but the chunky riffs still show up to the party when the pace picks up towards the end and the band starts ripping it up, in maybe the most amazing way on the whole record. The call and response on the killer Cut Loose rules, and so does that guitar work. 

A ten record can have no filler, and Warped Vision has zero, with songs like the slower but heavy as hell Topanga (love when the pace slows even more towards the end) and Split, which just shows even more that Psychlona are masters of the loud soft fast slow dynamic. I love the closer, Magic Carpet, too, as this is the most drop out track Psychlona may have in all of their discography and I could not be more here for it, but they would never close a record without rocking the f out, which is exactly what they do on the second half of the song.

 
This is another perfect record from the best stoner psych band of the 2020s. If they keep giving us amazing records every other year Psychlona will go down as one of the all-time greats. I do not think I am overstating this because everyone I know who listens to this band thinks something similar. Warped Vision is a top 5 or higher on my year end list in an extremely top-heavy year. Psychlona rules and if you don’t know this find out. 10/10

Marche Funèbre - After The Storm (Ardua Music) [Mark Young]

Now a touch of doom, courtesy of Belgium’s Marche Funèbre and their 5th full length album After The Storm. Formed in 2008, they have been a constant presence since their debut release Norizon in 2009. A first for me, and again it is always good to be exposed to new bands, no matter what their genre is. Now this is 6 songs in 44 minutes so that gives you an idea of track length (all 7 minutes or above) so it’s either going to be songs that fly or ones that drag.

In A Haze, well it’s a melodic start, with plenty of grit too. The death vocals are deep, without losing clarity in delivery and are delivered by Arne Vandenhoeck like a hammer hitting a wall. In A Haze is all about mighty riffs, and a surprisingly effective clean vocal by Kurt Blommé which when it comes in fits the overall tone well. The good thing here is that they are pushing forward and avoiding any drop in energy, even with the pre lead ‘quiet’ moment that is used to then give the closing section as much of an impact as it can get.

You can’t dismiss it that once they have zeroed on a decent riff build, they stay with it. Its pretty solid and is a good start. Palace Of Broken Dreams offers a more mournful track, the clean vocals and arrangement flows along, and you know that the heavy will come in to give it the required kick and when it does, they do it well. The heavier sections still provide that mournful touch, and its apparent that they know how to get as much as possible out of a minimal set of ideas, maxing out what they can do with it. It gives the song that organic flow so that when it grows it is staying true to what has gone before.

The way they use the cleans is done very well. There is no sense of them being shoehorned in, and they are used to suit the song rather than trying to be something they are not. Also, don’t forget that their riff choices are spot on and just from these two songs you can see why they are held in high regard. Do I detect a nod to Iron Maiden? Well, that might be a stretch but Devoid Of Empathy’s opening sequence has a cheeky little run that sounds like something Maiden might do. It is another strong song, with a melody set that would be fun to play.

It is interesting and engaging, giving the listener something to hang on to as opposed to it being just a bunch hammered out power chords. The subtle shift in pace towards the end of the song is fantastic. Its not that they achieve high speed, its just a little touch that gives the song a lift. When you have this kind of music the run time fades because it engages so well and suddenly you are half-way through!

Enter Emptiness goes for the melancholic with a restrained opening passage and as it stands this feels more in tune with atmospheric doom – the rising chords and subtle lead break. Ponderous and measured in application, it is no less engaging as it breaks free, and they pick that pace up once more dropping in the double bass as those crystal clean vocals come in. Watch for those subtle changes in attack near the end, just like they did with Devoid, it gives the song the necessary twist before they loop back to the main arrangement.

The opening to Stranded is almost happy. Not too happy, but it shows them changing their attack once again. Riffs are moving freely, with some solid lead playing and it has the air of a song that wants you to move. What you find is that as we head for the end, they have dropped 5 songs that weave in and around the death/doom genre without being anchored to one particular sound.

After The Storm is the final piece, the dessert after what has been a rather delicious meal. I still get an impression of Iron Maiden from them, I think it is the harmonies they deploy on the guitars, it is so subtle and yet it cuts through so well. The combination of the dirt and clean vocals again is served up at the right time to suit the song, showing that everything they do is measured so it hits with maximum effect. There is a superb melody line running this one that is worth the price of entry on its own.

The melody, set against the rhythm parts evokes the right emotional heft from it, and it carries the song so well. There is a transition into the last two minutes where the mood changes, they throw everything at you – the cleans, the dirt, the melody breaks as a means of a triumphant closing statement. And it is fantastic, it’s the just the sort of song that could close any show. 8/10

Turbokill - Champion (Steamhammer/SPV) [Matt Bladen]

Formed after Stephan Dietrich left classic metal band Alpha Tiger, Turbokill wanted to do something different so they are much more akin to the bright breezy sound of European power metal, it's a style that many German bands do so well, in some respects being the originators of the sound, but much of it has come from outside of Germany recently so Champion and Turbokill's previous album could be seen as part of reactivation of sorts for this particular genre. 

Fusing modern metal production, with the sound of late 80's early 90's power metal Champion is an album that brings the best of all worlds, Turbokill tweaking everything they established on their debut to make it better. The songs are more progressive, and varied, the performances tighter and much of the record hits that sweet spot for fans of Teutonic power metal

The major factor of the band is Stephan's vocals, they soar high above the galloping rhythms from Ronny Schuster (rhythm guitar), Marco "Fox" Grünwald (bass) and Kevin Käferstein (drums), encouraging sing alongs like bands such as Freedom Call (Power Punch) or Helloween (Sons Of The Storm). Dietrich's vocals extremely similar to one Mr Michael Kiske, this is immediately evident on opener A Million Ways, the Helloween influence staying strong for most of the record. Time To Wake though has a folky touch of Blind Guardian, as Go Your Way begins with some Priest-like lead guitar from Daniel Kanzler.

Joyous power metal that's etched into the fabric of these musician's heritage, Turbokill have declared that are they want to be Champions of power metal with this second album. 8/10

Jaded Heart – Intuition (Massacre Records) [Simon Black]

You know the beauty of this reviewing lark is you get to discover a whole bunch of music that you might not otherwise get a chance to without intervention. Most people lock their music tastes and preferences in early, with relatively little drift and introducing new stuff is a combination of recommendation, accidental live exposure or, more recently. things like Smart Shuffle features that fiddle around the edges of your streaming playlists.

I got back into all malarky a few years back for exactly that reason that I wanted to hear new stuff, and whilst I expected to focus on finding new young bands, I’ve also discovered a shit tonne of much older bands that were completely new to me. Jaded Heart are a great example of this.

They’ve been around since 1994 during my own wilderness years, but like many Euro acts from this time haven’t done much in the UK anyway, despite having a healthy following and a fifteen-album discography to back them up. This EP is primarily a vehicle for opening track Intuition, with the remaining three being either covers or live renditions delivered with their traditional Euro-Metal style.
Intuition is a good straight ahead metal track, which highlights the skills of the players well, has a nice catchy melody and switches groove enough times to work well in a crowded live setting.

Things switch up a gear with a cover of Ghost’s Square Hammer, which as everyone who hates Ghost will tell you, sounds a lot better with a bit more metal beef added to it. To be fair, Ghost always sound way heavier live instrumentally anyway, but Johan Fahlberg has way more power in his voice and it uplifts the track very well. Europe’s Dance The Night Away is the second cover, and again has way more welly than the original and benefits from a much more up tempo in your face delivery than anything the song’s originator ever churned out.

Closing with a live rendition of Love Is A killer from their last full-length I am left with two opinions. One, that Swedish Euro Rock sounds much better done like this (sorry Europe and Ghost), and that this is a band I need to listen to more of. 7/10

Reviews: High Parasite, The Black Dahlia Murder, Serious Black, Cutlass (Reviews By Rick Eaglestone, Mark Young, Simon Black & Matt Bladen)

High Parasite - Forever We Burn (Candlelight) [Rick Eaglestone]

There is a new dawn approaching laden with dark, atmospheric, and sinisterly melodic tones, High Parasite have formed with some formidable creators to bring their debut creation to fruition with Forever We Burn.

The albums begins with a huge statement of intent with title track which is where the combination of this collective really showcases the musicianship first up is the guitar work and overall structure with has the immediate heartbeat of producer Paradise Lost’s Gregor Mackintosh which then burst through with vocals of longstanding frontman with doom metal maestros, My Dying Bride – Aaron Stainthorpe which are complimented with the ethereal tones of Tapping The Veins Heather Thompson.

This is followed the heavier delivery of My Syndrome before the Gothic post punk tones of Grave Intentions fires through adding another force in the form of bassist/vocalist/songwriter Tombs – a key player in the creation of High Parasite. This collaboration then moves into the narrative nature of Wasn’t Human into death-pop with Concentric Nightmares which delivers a slightly different soundscapes which immediately took me back 24 years as it’s reminiscent of Atrocity’s Taste Of Sin.

Providing the most atmospheric tones on this incredibly impressive debut is Hate Springs Eternal, which is complimented with an ominous nature on Parasite, I can see this being a future live favourite for sure. “This is not a side project. It’s a new touring and recording band, and with Forever We Burn, our debut studio album, we’re showing our love for all things gothic and grand, along with a collective belief that dark music doesn’t have to be confined to the shadows.” – Aaron Stainthorpe

Moving to Let It Fall is once again another demonstration of musicianship falling into place effortlessly before another unveiling of creative genius in the form of Widowmaker which contains my favourite vocal collective.

The album concludes with an industrial like anthem, We Break We Die with once again is flooded with influence and is a track that is not only catchy but is a track I am drawn to increasingly to which each listen. I do not think at this time it is no surprise to learn I am absolutely enamoured with release, it’s structured and produced so well with tracks that will no doubt prove timeless.

Absolutely brimming with brooding gothic overtones. 10/10

The Black Dahlia Murder - Servitude (Metal Blade) [Mark Young]

The Black Dahlia Murder is another band that I have never listened to and digging into online sources this is their 10th studio album and their first since long time frontman Trevor Strnad had passed away. Sometimes, not having listened to a band’s back catalogue means you can judge a release on its own merits or flaws especially in the instance where a band loses a member in this way. I’ll leave comparisons to their previous releases to others as I am sure there will be plenty of that online.

Servitude starts with Evening Ephemeral, a graceful piano segment bludgeoned to death by a death scream and a full-on metal assault. Its heads down and off, as they scorch the earth in front of them with an intensity that belies the fact that this is their 10th album. It provides melody as well as keeping the heaviness in place, suitably balanced and gives the album a great springboard from which to start from. Which it does, Panic Hysteria is next up and takes the baton and sprints with it to the finish line. Those melodic touches on here are royal, twined with some next level drumming that show off both speed and finesse. 

Now if they can avoid the overly slow third song, we are laughing sandbags. Of course they do, with Aftermath blowing in like a tornado. Dropping three songs like this shows that they are here to rage, and to bring some next level heaviness with them. It absolutely flies along, without becoming ludicrous in approach. It is full-on and I love it. What is does mean is that there is a danger of blowing themselves out, which they avoid on Cursed Creator which is more direct in the main but possesses a storming middle section and an outro passage which is has an emotional feel to it (you will get it as soon as you hear it) and sounds like it would be fun to play. There is a joy on display here, each of these tracks so far have been arranged with their best feet forward with each one adopting a melodic style that sounds fresh.

An Intermission, which is nice.

Let’s see if they can continue with the high quality following the intermission as Asserting Dominion is teed up. It has the necessary guitar work, including the mental early solo but it feels a bit thin when compared to the first 4 tracks. I must point out that on its own, it pelts along at a dent rate and isn’t bad at all but feels somehow lighter. Whatever was missing returns on Servitude, and it is not something that I can readily put my finger on. The title track goes for discord amongst the melodic flourishes as they leave no part of the guitar’s neck untouched. It feels that riff lines are coming from all angles here, all underpinned by those supreme drums. 

Entering the final third, Mammoth’s Hand starts with an almost whimsical feel, and they give themselves a little breather (well, relative to the speeds they have attained earlier) whilst still hitting those sweet spots required for this genre to sound good. There is a similar approach on Transcosmic Blueprint, and it is remarkable that having got to this point they are still dropping bangers of this quality. There is an extended lead section that borders on virtuosity without sounding twee. It is the sound of a band that is on fire, and with Utopia Black they reach the end of that journey having provided 9 (the acoustic intermission is not counted) songs that show they have the ability to sustain a high level of craft right through. 

Melodic death metal is a difficult genre to stand out in, there are bands who fall into the trap of repetition but not here. Possibly they had a point to prove that they were not done, I’m not sure. What I do know is that this is a damn fine album, one that should be played loud. 9/10

Serious Black - Rise Of Akhenaton (AFM Records) [Simon Black]

Power Metal Supergroup’s are getting hard to keep track of nowadays. You can see the attraction – either as side projects from the main event when the big names are on hiatus, or as a way of former members to keep earning a living when no longer a part of them, these collaborative projects have been coming thick and fast over the last decade or so. 

I blame Tobias Sammet, although to be fair his Avantasia project has now put the now defunct Edguy that spawned it into the shadows, but there have been hundreds of similar projects, mostly revolving around Helloween, Blind Guardian, Masterplan and the revolving door of contributors therein (and there’s a one in four chance that Ralf Scheepers or Ripper Owens will grace them with a vocal contribution at some point, so nepotistic is the scene). There’s a whole label in Italy doing nothing else but putting these sorts of collaborations together, so there’s clearly a market for it, although here in the UK, the whole Power and Melodic Metal scene is very much a niche taste.

Serious Black have been at this for a decade now, with a respectable seven album discography to back them up and a stable line-up since 2021, but this is the first time they have come across my review platter. A bit of a scan over the back catalogue shows that this is a band that has struggled with consistency and quality, but to be fair I can only judge what I am hearing for the first time, and I’m not hearing anything to complain about.

Quite the reverse indeed. The eleven songs on here show a mature and reliable song-writing team at their heart, with each track standing out as a well-structured, catchy and anthemic bit of power metal. The musical performances are all robust, and I’m particularly take with Nikola Mijić’s vocal performance, which is believable, charismatic and holds the attention well. The guitars are a little too far back in the mix, and dominated by the rhythm section at times but the songs all stand on their own. Sadly, the songs may all stand alone well, but the highlights seem a bit thin on the ground when taken as a whole. 

Syrupy ballad When I’m Gone is best glossed over entirely, but Silent Angel is a real standout moment and album closer Metalized comes close, but this is still a strong offering from a band now settling into their sound. 6/10

Cutlass – Walk The Plank (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

The band FKA Pirates Of Metal now go by Cutlass, which is a much better name, evoking the early days of NWOBHM, their music too does the same thing as this debut album is all too keen to highlight. Formed by vocalist Ewan Mackay and guitarist Alistair Hodgson, they recruited Primitai shredder Srdjan Bilić and Milan Jejina recorded drums. This is the line up for the album as Radek Koval has joined as bassist, Bilić playing it on the record itself. But enough about whose in the band, what do they sound like? Well do you like gritty early-Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, the early days of thrash and of course Running Wild?

Well you’re going to love Cutlass’ heavy metal from the privateer age, there’s much less of the silliness given by BeerTyphoon (work it out), but the songs still give you a big fat grin and get your fist in the air the way Red Rum and Tailgunner, two bands Cutlass will be/have been touring with this year. Hailing from London, their rebrand is due to the band wanting to move away from the stereotype of ‘Pirate Metal’ too the early days when it was speed metal/proto-thrash but with lyrics surrounding one topic.

Not afraid to be realistic or bloodthirsty tracks such as Buried At Sea, Blood In The Water and No Escape see the twin guitar harmonies slicing like the curved sword of their namesake, the rhythms careening like a brigantine at full sail, while Mackay gives a throaty cry to warn of the Jolly Roger. If you think there’s been a lack of speed metal piracy recently then Cutlass are set to join the raiding party started by Rock ‘n’ Rolf nearly 40 years ago. 8/10

Reviews: Paul Di'Anno, Vicious Blade, Nehoda, Mechanic Tyrants (Reviews By Simon Black, Paul Hutchings, James Jackson & Mark Young)

Paul Di'Anno - The Book Of The Beast (Conquest Music) [Simon Black]

The fortunes of the erstwhile Maiden front man Paul Di’Anno have waxed and waned over the years, which is a damned shame. His contribution to the whole genre is both worthy and significant, but the reality is most Metal fans only know him for those first two landmark Maiden records. It’s easy to get a project off the ground when you are the ex-Irons guy, but making a success of anything he’s turned his hand to since seems to have eluded him. 

I had to dig around to find them all, but the list of projects is extensive from the initial Di’Anno in 1984, the never quite getting off the ground Supergroup project Gogmagog (with one Janick Gers), Battlezone, a Japanese reboot of Praying Mantis, Killers, Nomad, Di’Anno (again), RockFellas and just plain Paul Di’Anno I count more than thirty studio and live albums post-Maiden, and that’s not included the dozens of other projects he’s contributed to as a guest artiste. And he’s still going, recently seen around the UK belting it out from a wheelchair, completely retaining the power and energy that he kicked the NWOBHM door down with in 1979. 

The trouble is a lot of his back catalogue is locked up somewhere in rights hell, having bounced around numerous labels over the decades, so this much overdue compilation is a worthy achievement since it has managed to nail down a really broad range of tracks from many of those projects, some of which I had never heard before. Best of all, the masters have been located, and these gems have all been given a thoroughly good rinse and wash and sound a lot better than they probably would even if someone did manage to track down and reissue his whole, rather extensive back catalogue.

Di’Anno was heavily involved in this compilation to boot, so it’s a choice of the songs he personally thinks represent his finest hour and a half, and I can’t fault his choices. From the not-trying-to-be-Pantera-in-1994-really moments of Die By The Gun to the subtly moody Nomad there are plenty of surprises hidden in here, and it’s probably worth investing in just for the chance to hear the sheer range of the material. 

Inevitably Maiden has to get a nod or two, but rather than pad the release out with live or straight re-recordings, Di’Anno has opted to re-record just two of those songs, but as a duet with a combination of Tony Martin, Lidya Balaban and ZP Threat (although you will probably have to splash out on both the vinyl and CD editions if you want to hear them all, as different versions are covered on different formats.

Is the Beast back? Well, he never really went away, and long may he continue. 8/10

Vicious Blade – Relentless Force (Redefining Darkness Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Everything about this band screams thrash/death metal and one minute into the howling solos of the title track and you are reassured that your knowledge is at least okay when it comes to the genres you review. 

Coming at you from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the outfit don’t leave much to the imagination and instead smash everything out of the park with every sinew they can strain. A fiery quintet led by the demonic vocal delivery of Clarissa Badini, this is as intense and in-your-face work out as you’ll get. 

It’s not long. Nine songs over 27 minutes puts it in Reign In Blood territory, and unsurprisingly, there are more than a few comparisons with the legendary four-piece. The title track is almost lifted from Show No Mercy, but it’s a song with more clout and a bit more dynamic power. In other words, this is the start of a brutal aural assault which doesn’t relinquish its stranglehold in anyway whatsoever. 

Alongside Badini’s gruesome growls and snarls stands the dual guitars of Erik Wynn and lead axeman Jeff Ellsworth, which slice with feral finesse. Drummer Kevin Parent does a fine job whilst new bassist Justin Pelissero anchors the low end, allowing the band to bring the chugging guitar work in style.

There’s nothing massively original about Relentless Force, but the sheer savage delivery of songs such as Visceral Weakness, Mistress Of Death and Blasphemous Conjuring make them all worth a listen if you like your metal coming at you with a jagged edge and a power that is conjured straight from hell. Sometimes something gnarly, aggressive and pounding is all that you need. If that’s the case, then this debut full-length should tick every box. 8/10

Nehoda - Nehoda (Gotta Groove Records) [James Jackson]

Nashville based trio Nehoda are Patrick Nehoda on vocals and guitar, Grayson Papa on bass and Chris Heard on drums; there’s is a blend of Blues infused grunge/rock and Nehoda is the band’s second full length album since the band began in 2018.

Album opener Bells channels a Foo Fighters vibe, honing in upon that grunge/rock style with a fuzzy guitar riff that instantly sets the tone of the track, it’s quite laid back and Nehoda’s vocals are just as mellow, the lyrical message positive but in a chilled relaxed manner.

Hot Blooded Woman has that country rock/blues groove stamped on it from the opening riff, it’s a low slung dirty riff that channels the Deep South with a sway that Black Stone Cherry would be proud of. Fingertips dials it down but with no less urgency, it’s closer and more personal within it’s lyrics and in its execution, it’s another Bluesy riff that carries a hypnotic, smoky bar feel to it.

Bloody Blues follows a similar path and it’s these more soulful tracks that I feel that Nehoda are at their strongest, the grunge rock of opener Bells worked well but these slower, more groove driven tracks are where the heart of the band feels more vibrant and intimate.

Always Jealous is haunting, a solemn melody forms the backbone of the song, as the track builds it offers that keen sense of urgency I found in other tracks, the lyrics are desperate, a personal condemnation of the right person, wrong time chapter in the protagonists life, something that speaks volumes despite the almost whispered tones; keys add a further layer of tense emotion - possibly my favourite track of the album. 

Screaming Out Your Name opens with as melancholy a melody as Always Jealous did, again lyrically it’s hugely emotive, soulful and personal. This six track album came with little indication that it would hit as hard as it does, that blues inspiration allows a groove to the rock riffs, that Southern feel offering soul and style, a depth of emotion that is only made more poignant through the lyrics. 8/10

Mechanic Tyrants - St Diemen Riots (Jawbreaker Records) [Mark Young]

I think that if someone asked me to name a band that took inspiration from an earlier time and then made an unashamed love letter to it, I would probably say Mechanic Tyrants. And it is most definitely a love letter, written to a time in metal when riffs were fast, and the guitar solo was king. From their bio, there is nothing to suggest that this is anything other than a serious endeavour, other than noting that we should take Speed Metal Guerrilla as a tongue-in cheek celebration.

I would think that the amount of enjoyment you derive from this would be relative to how you feel about any of the music that came out during the 80’s. Again, they do not namecheck that decade but from the first listen of Tower 42, its all-frenetic thrash and high register vocals that will plant you back in that decade, subject to your vintage. To be fair it is how you should start an album of this type, front foot and barrelling forward whilst you bring your best facemelter into play. And it does, with Murder At The Barricades following up with a traditional one-two punch. This leans more to the lighter side, I’m thinking of Maiden and that ilk, and is breathlessly enthusiastic but, I stress that if you aren’t that fond of that style, then another 8 songs might be a stretch. 

St Diemen Riots completes the opening trio, upping the tempo and blowing through like a tempest. You can’t fault it for its build or speed, or that it is a nifty track in its own right with some truly epic leads on it. With that in mind, you know it will appeal to those who love this kind of music, no matter the decade it was produced in.  Any sense of momentum is then lost with the inclusion of Madrugada, an instrumental. I think I have said enough on instrumentals this year, so onto Ruins Of The Past which channels Iron Maiden, around 85 with its high energy and harmony parts so if you are going to ape someone, ape the best.

Speed Metal Guerrilla comes in like classic thrash, you know it does its thing and leaves and Sons Of Evil has an Ozzy flavour to it, which is possibly too much of a blanket statement but what I’m trying to get across is that it has that feel to it and you can imagine the video that would accompany it – feet on monitors, hair blowing and probably a black and white segment. Those Maiden flourishes are still present and correct, and although it has all the right ingredients it’s just that I’m ambivalent to it. The remaining tracks come in thick and fast, all high energy and incendiary fretwork. Above The Law is standard speed metal, and Bad Seed has a party feel and they both are decent songs but as I reach the end, they haven’t really embedded with me, and I suppose that I can’t love everything. 

The title track, Mechanic Tyrants is our final track and is reflective of the album as a whole, bringing together all the key parts that they do well, and it is done well. As I said earlier, you will love or hate this depending on your appreciation of a certain decade and the metal released within it. I’m not completely keen on that period by any means, and as noted they have not come out and expressly said ‘it’s the well we go to’ but it would be hard to argue otherwise. You can hear that they are going for it on each track, but there is something that I don’t like and I cannot put my finger on it. So, I’ll end it on by giving it a score and move on. 6/10