More environmental messages, close vocal harmonies and folky prog rock as the Von Hertzen Brothers present their ninth studio album In Murmuration. Mikko, Kie and Jonne have constantly evolved their sound over their eight previous records, initially being a band with classic prog influences, they have shifted towards shorter, punchier music which brings folk, rock, pop and electronic textures.
The brothers are from an artistic background and those familial talents filter down to the brothers, their sibling cohesion always present in their harmony vocals and song-writing prowess. In Murmuration follows on from Red Alert In The Blue Forest, a double album that was crafted in their native Finland, in isolation and warned of climate change and how human influence is detrimental to the planet ultimately.
It went on to spearhead a campaign to save forset in Finland, ultimately designating 50-heactare's of as 'The Blue Forest'. These themes continue on this new record, but this is no double record, it's out of the gates with the The propulsive The Relapse, Mikko's distinctive vocals always brilliant as he and brother Kie provide the rocky guitar riffs, that propulsion from Jonne's bass linked with Sami Kuoppamäki's drums and percussion, mainly tambourine on this one, that bottom end working well on the The Beatlesesque Tightrope Walker.
Jonne also adds the keyboard textures alongside multi-instrumentalist Markus Pajakkala, brought in to the band in 2023 after this acoustic tour, his contribution to this record is vital, the wind instruments are especially welcome on Starlings. In Murmuration is a pacey record from Starlings we get into the Celtic feeling of Ascension Day, a track that will go down well on stage due to the obvious call and response it will create. Beneath The Silver Stars is another brilliant ballad from the brothers, filled with strings and pathos while Snowstorm is dramatic penultimate track on this dynamic record.
In Murmuration continues the high quality you would want from VHB. Now one of the top melodic/prog rock bands on the scene, they have a distinct sound that continues to evolve on their ninth album. 9/10
Nitrogods - Valley Of The Gods (Massacre Records) [Mike Pickett]
Have you ever looked at a band name and album cover and just known what you were in store for? It doesn't happen to me very often, but with the latest release from Nitrogods, Valley Of The Gods, I knew it was going to be a hard-rocking, slam-a-shot-of-Jack homage to the likes of Lemmy and others who built this genre.
The songs are straightforward party tunes. It’s like a road trip playlist packed into a single album. While there aren’t any breakdowns, complex technical guitar sections, or atmospheric sounds to set the mood, there’s just a solid collection of hard-rocking songs that somehow get stuck in your head for days.
While I mainly listen to death, black, and thrash metal these days, this trio—possibly another homage to their predecessors—had me nodding along to almost every song. Now, I know not everyone can genre-hop like I can, so let me just say this: fans of Motörhead, Judas Priest, and other '80s Hard Rock and Metal should give this one a listen.
A couple of standout tracks for me are Left Lane To Memphis, the opening track, which sets the pace for the rest of the album with a great riff and simple lyrics, delivered with just enough harshness in the vocals to keep them from being called clean. Prime Time Terror also stood out, with a Judas Priest-like feel. I know referencing other bands isn’t always ideal, but in this case, it’s fitting. Don’t get me wrong—this isn’t a cover band trying to mimic the greats. Nitrogods definitely have their own sound, but you can’t help but feel a connection to those early days of hard rock and metal. Trust me, it’s a good thing! 8/10
Enforced - A Leap Into The Dark EP (Century Media Records) [Richard Oliver]
If you want aggressive thrash then look no further than Enforced. This Richmond, Virginia band have been ripping flesh and smashing skulls since 2016 with three full length albums of bludgeoning thrash which mixes in a healthy dose of crossover and hardcore punk. A Leap Into The Dark is a bit of a stop-gap release made up of six songs with three new songs, a remaster of an old one and two cover songs.
The brothers are from an artistic background and those familial talents filter down to the brothers, their sibling cohesion always present in their harmony vocals and song-writing prowess. In Murmuration follows on from Red Alert In The Blue Forest, a double album that was crafted in their native Finland, in isolation and warned of climate change and how human influence is detrimental to the planet ultimately.
It went on to spearhead a campaign to save forset in Finland, ultimately designating 50-heactare's of as 'The Blue Forest'. These themes continue on this new record, but this is no double record, it's out of the gates with the The propulsive The Relapse, Mikko's distinctive vocals always brilliant as he and brother Kie provide the rocky guitar riffs, that propulsion from Jonne's bass linked with Sami Kuoppamäki's drums and percussion, mainly tambourine on this one, that bottom end working well on the The Beatlesesque Tightrope Walker.
Jonne also adds the keyboard textures alongside multi-instrumentalist Markus Pajakkala, brought in to the band in 2023 after this acoustic tour, his contribution to this record is vital, the wind instruments are especially welcome on Starlings. In Murmuration is a pacey record from Starlings we get into the Celtic feeling of Ascension Day, a track that will go down well on stage due to the obvious call and response it will create. Beneath The Silver Stars is another brilliant ballad from the brothers, filled with strings and pathos while Snowstorm is dramatic penultimate track on this dynamic record.
In Murmuration continues the high quality you would want from VHB. Now one of the top melodic/prog rock bands on the scene, they have a distinct sound that continues to evolve on their ninth album. 9/10
Nitrogods - Valley Of The Gods (Massacre Records) [Mike Pickett]
Have you ever looked at a band name and album cover and just known what you were in store for? It doesn't happen to me very often, but with the latest release from Nitrogods, Valley Of The Gods, I knew it was going to be a hard-rocking, slam-a-shot-of-Jack homage to the likes of Lemmy and others who built this genre.
The songs are straightforward party tunes. It’s like a road trip playlist packed into a single album. While there aren’t any breakdowns, complex technical guitar sections, or atmospheric sounds to set the mood, there’s just a solid collection of hard-rocking songs that somehow get stuck in your head for days.
While I mainly listen to death, black, and thrash metal these days, this trio—possibly another homage to their predecessors—had me nodding along to almost every song. Now, I know not everyone can genre-hop like I can, so let me just say this: fans of Motörhead, Judas Priest, and other '80s Hard Rock and Metal should give this one a listen.
A couple of standout tracks for me are Left Lane To Memphis, the opening track, which sets the pace for the rest of the album with a great riff and simple lyrics, delivered with just enough harshness in the vocals to keep them from being called clean. Prime Time Terror also stood out, with a Judas Priest-like feel. I know referencing other bands isn’t always ideal, but in this case, it’s fitting. Don’t get me wrong—this isn’t a cover band trying to mimic the greats. Nitrogods definitely have their own sound, but you can’t help but feel a connection to those early days of hard rock and metal. Trust me, it’s a good thing! 8/10
Enforced - A Leap Into The Dark EP (Century Media Records) [Richard Oliver]
If you want aggressive thrash then look no further than Enforced. This Richmond, Virginia band have been ripping flesh and smashing skulls since 2016 with three full length albums of bludgeoning thrash which mixes in a healthy dose of crossover and hardcore punk. A Leap Into The Dark is a bit of a stop-gap release made up of six songs with three new songs, a remaster of an old one and two cover songs.
The new material is as good as we’ve got previously with opener Betting On The End coming tearing and snarling out of the speakers with vicious thrash riffing and breaks which will bring on the biggest circle pits. The title track is a bit more of a mid-paced stomper but loses none of the ferocity whilst Deafening Heartbeats is an absolute rager with the sole intention of ensuring necks are wrecked, beer is spilled and blood is poured.
Casket is a remaster of a song originally released in 2021 as a flexi through Decibel whilst on the covers front we get a ripping cover of Deadly Intentions by death metal legends Obituary which whilst ferocious lacks the gnarliness of the original and to finish off the band salute their hardcore and crossover roots with a cover of The Chase Is On by UK hardcore punks English Dogs.
A Leap Into The Dark is a tidy little release. The new songs are fantastic with the band sounding absolutely on point and it is the no holds barred thrash one expects from Enforced whilst the B-side material is solid and enjoyable but unessential.
With six songs and a running time of just under 20 minutes, A Leap Into The Dark is a short sharp release but definitely one for the hardcore fans. If you haven’t heard Enforced better (and if so why the hell not?!) then you are better off checking out one of their three killer albums but if you do enjoy this band then this will be 20 minutes well spent. 7/10
Elephant Tree/Lowrider - The Long Forever (Blues Funeral Recordings) [Rich Piva]
Split records are cool. Split records are even cooler when you get new tracks from Lowrider. Add the fact that London’s Elephant Tree have the other tracks on said split and you probably can’t go wrong, right? Well, you know you can’t because The Long Forever is seven tracks filled with all the goodness that both bands bring, three songs each, and one where they collaborate together, which makes this album even cooler.
Elephant Tree/Lowrider - The Long Forever (Blues Funeral Recordings) [Rich Piva]
Split records are cool. Split records are even cooler when you get new tracks from Lowrider. Add the fact that London’s Elephant Tree have the other tracks on said split and you probably can’t go wrong, right? Well, you know you can’t because The Long Forever is seven tracks filled with all the goodness that both bands bring, three songs each, and one where they collaborate together, which makes this album even cooler.
If you are reading this you probably know that the Swedes from Lowrider have two classic records, released 20 years apart, a couple of splits prior to their debut release in 2000, and that is pretty much it, so four new tracks featuring the band is such a treat. Even more of a treat are how great the songs are. And The Horse You Rode In On is classic Lowrider, that stoner rock sound that the band helped to create and fortify, filled with riffs, a very heavy rhythm section, and excellent vocals. I love the production of this and the other Lowrider songs, especially the guitar tone they developed. This one should be on every stoner rock end of year playlist.
Caldera is along the same awesome lines, with such a cool heaviness to their psych-tinged stoner stylings. I love the heavy low end and the echoed vocals, and when the band slows it down, adds the atmosphere, only to blow you away when they pick it back up with that heavy riff. Into The Grey opens with a fuzzy bassline that leads to a monster riff and a classic Lowrider track that effortlessly merges their version of stoner rock with some cool psych elements like only they can. Oh, and how they groove during the solo. So great.
The Elephant Tree tracks hang with the Lowrider ones from a quality standpoint. Fucked In The Head is out there. Drone-like psych goodness with Beatlesque harmonies and your mind being melted for over nine minutes with heavy psych guitars. That is how you do a split with Lowrider and stand out. 4 For 2 starts with a heavy bassline and a riff that seems to constantly build and pair with the echoey vocals perfectly and sounding like the animal that makes up part of their name. The title track Long Forever is similar is style and goodness, with their heavy as hell rhythm section and their version of vocal harmonies creating a third killer track out of their three offerings.
Through The Rift is labelled as Lowrider Feathering Elephant Tree and is my favourite song on the split, incorporating all of what both of these bands do best and is worth the price of admission alone.
Split records are great, especially when they are as good as this one and even more when you get new Lowrider tracks. Elephant Tree bring it here as well, but the highlight for me is Lowrider being back, which is in no way any kind of knock on the Elephant Tree tracks, it just makes this split even more awesome. 8/10
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