Here we have the self-titled 5th studio album from Australian metalcore legends Make Them Suffer. You just know when a band releases a self-titled studio album at this point in their career that they have truly found their sound and they mean business! And this is a fine example of that. Absolutely chaotic and brutally heavy, this album is without a doubt something the band should be incredibly proud to put their name to.
The album starts off with a nice little intro track The Warning, it comes in with a choir and some appreciated synths before slowly building up with some drums and distorted screaming vocals creeping in. Weaponized comes in with a nice chuggy low tuned guitar riff and really kicks off when the vocals come in. The verses feel quite choppy and chaotic and they’re followed by a really good chorus with some excellent clean vocals from the keyboard player. The song ends with a breakdown for the outro which is excellent.
Oscillator is another absolutely smashing track with another epic chorus. There’s a lot of electronic elements which gives the song some dubstep vibes mixed with some nice djenty riffage from the guitars. Next up is Doomswitch which keeps up the momentum, some great playing from the guitars and drums. There’s a nice little bit of piano in the choruses which calms things down just a little bit before kicking back into the chaos. This track even features a great little guitar solo in the second verse. I absolutely love the breakdown before the outro.
Mana God has a lovely bouncy intro before a very well executed tempo change into the first verse. We have a nice little synth and drums intro for Epitaph before the band comes in and kicks things up a touch in heaviness. Absolutely love the chorus in this track, some great singing again. No Hard Feelings has some more great clean singing but still keeps things heavy. I love the build up to the final chorus.
Venusian Blues is a great track, a bit shorter than the rest (apart from the intro track) but the verses and the choruses are fantastic! Some more great playing from the guitars and drums. Ghost Of Me has a fantastic drums driven intro. The electronic parts in the verses almost sound a bit like a car alarm going off. The chorus is really good but it almost sounds out of place compared to the rest of the track. There’s a nice calmer bridge section. I do really like the final chorus overlapped by the bridge section, it works really well.
Then we get into Tether, there’s a fantastic guitar riff the comes in before the first verse. Another really cool chorus before going back to that sick guitar riff before the second verse starts. This track has a lovely little piano part before another chaotic tempo change with a heavy outro.
The final track on the album, Small Town Syndrome, is my favourite track on the album. More fun heavy chaos and another huge sounding chorus. Absolutely fantastic playing from the whole band once again. An absolute banger of a track to end the album on. There’s a nice haunting sounding string section right at the end to slow things down and end on a slightly calmer note.
This album was an absolute blast to listen to. The mix and overall production was excellent, everything sounded loud and bombastic. The songs were well written and structured in a way that makes it unpredictable but still really catchy, especially the choruses. Everyone in the band gave a solid performance and their hard work has definitely paid off! 10/10
Innerwish - Ash Of Eternal Flame (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Matt Bladen]
One of the most long tenured metal bands in Greece, Innerwish began in 1995 but they came to wider audience when they signed to Limb Music in 2004, from there they really established their tough power metal sound, signed to Ulterium Records and two members left making them re-group in 2016, their self titled fifth album a rebirth for the band with their line up that sees them release their sixth studio album on Reigning Phoenix Music.
This collaboration with one of Europe's top metal labels and Rock Hard Greece magazine also means that Innerwish are able to feature Hansi 'Freaking' Kürsch of Blind Guardian on Sea Of Lies. It seems Innerwish are throwing everything they have at Ash Of The Eternal Flame and album that doesn't do anything too differently to what Innerwish have always done but much like contemporaries Hammerfall, they have chosen to not mess with the formula too much but over years become the best example of it.
Each album is a collaborative effort stemming from song ideas of the founding guitarists while the bulk of the lyrics come from their drummer, but each member adds their own flavour meaning that Innerwish's music is melodic power metal in a broad sense, but you will find thrash, symphonic and prog as well as a Blackfoot cover. Yeah you read that right Innerwish drop their version of the Ricky Medlocke and co's 1983 track not being confused for the Real Life or Scorpions songs of the same name!
It's the cover that closes the album with neat piece of fun, the rest of Ash Of Eternal Flame though is Innerwish displaying why their steely resolve has taken them through the changing face of heavy metal for nearly 30 years. 8/10
Seven Kingdoms - The Square (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Simon Black]
Florida’s Seven Kingdoms have been ploughing their power metal furrow since 2007, with five studio albums and a couple of EP’s under their belt already. I have not come across this act before, but I was very much reminded of earlier Nightwish, as there’s a strong symphonic vein running through the arrangements as well as the more traditional power metal tropes.
This album was an absolute blast to listen to. The mix and overall production was excellent, everything sounded loud and bombastic. The songs were well written and structured in a way that makes it unpredictable but still really catchy, especially the choruses. Everyone in the band gave a solid performance and their hard work has definitely paid off! 10/10
Innerwish - Ash Of Eternal Flame (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Matt Bladen]
One of the most long tenured metal bands in Greece, Innerwish began in 1995 but they came to wider audience when they signed to Limb Music in 2004, from there they really established their tough power metal sound, signed to Ulterium Records and two members left making them re-group in 2016, their self titled fifth album a rebirth for the band with their line up that sees them release their sixth studio album on Reigning Phoenix Music.
This collaboration with one of Europe's top metal labels and Rock Hard Greece magazine also means that Innerwish are able to feature Hansi 'Freaking' Kürsch of Blind Guardian on Sea Of Lies. It seems Innerwish are throwing everything they have at Ash Of The Eternal Flame and album that doesn't do anything too differently to what Innerwish have always done but much like contemporaries Hammerfall, they have chosen to not mess with the formula too much but over years become the best example of it.
Each album is a collaborative effort stemming from song ideas of the founding guitarists while the bulk of the lyrics come from their drummer, but each member adds their own flavour meaning that Innerwish's music is melodic power metal in a broad sense, but you will find thrash, symphonic and prog as well as a Blackfoot cover. Yeah you read that right Innerwish drop their version of the Ricky Medlocke and co's 1983 track not being confused for the Real Life or Scorpions songs of the same name!
It's the cover that closes the album with neat piece of fun, the rest of Ash Of Eternal Flame though is Innerwish displaying why their steely resolve has taken them through the changing face of heavy metal for nearly 30 years. 8/10
Seven Kingdoms - The Square (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Simon Black]
Florida’s Seven Kingdoms have been ploughing their power metal furrow since 2007, with five studio albums and a couple of EP’s under their belt already. I have not come across this act before, but I was very much reminded of earlier Nightwish, as there’s a strong symphonic vein running through the arrangements as well as the more traditional power metal tropes.
When it comes to the power aspects, this also took me by surprise, as this aspect is very much rooted in the European branch of the sub-genre rather than what one would expect from the USA, which is subtly different in style.
They are a strongly independent act, and use crowdfunding to kick start each recording project, including this one, which for bands who have built themselves a good fanbase from the ground up is a solid way of working. Not to mention an impressive one, as apparently, they raised a whopping great $30k through this approach, which for a five track EP is a lot.
They are a strongly independent act, and use crowdfunding to kick start each recording project, including this one, which for bands who have built themselves a good fanbase from the ground up is a solid way of working. Not to mention an impressive one, as apparently, they raised a whopping great $30k through this approach, which for a five track EP is a lot.
And it shows, because the production values for this are very high indeed. It’s an odd situation, because there is a label involved (Reigning Phoenix, who are a German splinter from Noise International) and probably reflects how the labels are increasingly less involved with the direction of the product than adding a margin to get it out there.
Musically this is a cracking little EP, whose five tracks whizz along at a fair old lick in a mere 20 minutes, so despite the symphonic touch added by Sabrina Valentines powerful voice, it doesn’t lead into over-lengthy arrangements, and keeps a strong sense of pace and energy throughout. Her voice really is something special, with power, emotion and one hell of a charismatic delivery, and I really would like to see what she can do in a live performance.
Musically this is a cracking little EP, whose five tracks whizz along at a fair old lick in a mere 20 minutes, so despite the symphonic touch added by Sabrina Valentines powerful voice, it doesn’t lead into over-lengthy arrangements, and keeps a strong sense of pace and energy throughout. Her voice really is something special, with power, emotion and one hell of a charismatic delivery, and I really would like to see what she can do in a live performance.
It’s clearly a vehicle for the speed metal rip-roaring title track, which definitely stands out as exceptional, but I was also pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of a cover of Kyrie from US Pop Rock outfit Mr. Mister, which is a fun way to close the EP out.
The band are well established in the USA, and next year sees them over in Europe supporting Unleash The Archers, which now gives me two very good reasons to drag myself to London in February. That was a pleasant surprise. 9/10
Witchpit - Forever Spoken (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]
If killer sludge is what you have been searching for look no further than the new record from Spartanburg, South Carolina’s Witchpit.
The band are well established in the USA, and next year sees them over in Europe supporting Unleash The Archers, which now gives me two very good reasons to drag myself to London in February. That was a pleasant surprise. 9/10
Witchpit - Forever Spoken (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]
If killer sludge is what you have been searching for look no further than the new record from Spartanburg, South Carolina’s Witchpit.
They combine Sludge, Southern metal ala Down, and have this hardcore thing going on just below the surface to create some excellent heaviness with Forever Spoken. This is filthy, swamp-ridden sludge from the backwoods of South Carolina, but lurking under all of this dripping heaviness is a sense of melody the band may not want to admit is there but makes these guys stand out amongst the throngs of sludge bands doing it today.
Riff are all over the place on Forever Spoken, and the Down vibes are unescapable and that is fine by me. Just check out Through Eyes Of Apathy to find out. Phillip Cope, who has recorded like-minded bands like Kylesa, Baroness, and Black Tusk is back working with Witchpit and really understands house they are supposed to sound. Mouth Piece Of Hate is an example of where I hear the hardcore vibes from Witchpit, combined with some seriously killer riffs and some heavy ass chugging.
Riff are all over the place on Forever Spoken, and the Down vibes are unescapable and that is fine by me. Just check out Through Eyes Of Apathy to find out. Phillip Cope, who has recorded like-minded bands like Kylesa, Baroness, and Black Tusk is back working with Witchpit and really understands house they are supposed to sound. Mouth Piece Of Hate is an example of where I hear the hardcore vibes from Witchpit, combined with some seriously killer riffs and some heavy ass chugging.
Panacea slows the tempo but not the heaviness while New Age Fallacy is here to clobber you over the head. My favourite riff is from Becoming I and very much reminds me of Pantera. The vocals on this one are great. The closer, Silver Turns To Rust exists to kick your ass, dragging you though the bog emitting Black Tusk vibes all the way.
Heavy Psych Sounds has another winner on its hands with Witchpit, because if you are looking for your new favourite sludge band who does not compromise on the heavy or on the hidden melody then they are your band, and Forever Spoken is your record. 8/10
Heavy Psych Sounds has another winner on its hands with Witchpit, because if you are looking for your new favourite sludge band who does not compromise on the heavy or on the hidden melody then they are your band, and Forever Spoken is your record. 8/10
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