A View From The Back Of The Room: Poisoned Ascendancy Tour 2025

Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium & Orbit Culture, Utilita Arena, Cardiff,  26-27.01.25



For years there been article after article about the "future of metal" who will be the headliners of the future, who will grace thoughts mainstage when Metallica, Iron Maiden et al putdown their instruments and enjoy their millions. Two bands who have forever been in that conversation, alongside Avenged Sevenfold are Florida's Trivium and South Wales' Bullet For My Valentine.

Now I've seen both bands countless times, I've seen Trivium headline Bloodstock once before, something they will go on to again this year, I've seen Bullet headline festivals too and while both have always been excellent to watch and I've long touted them as the next big things, the ones to take up the mantle once the big boys are done. I've never felt that they could headline Download, which is the benchmark as one of the biggest metal festivals on the planet and the one that carries the most history stemming back to monsters of rock.

That is until this tour, both bands teamed up to celebrate 20 years of their most famous albums. Bullet with their debut The Poison and Trivium their second Ascendancy. So yeah a tour based on cheap nostalgia but for many in the crowd, me included, these albums were out gateway to finding out own way, building on the musical foundation laid down by parents, family and older siblings/friends, they were bands that were ours, ones we could worship and support in the same the previous generations did with Maiden and Metallica.

They were a way to discover new genres too, if it wasn't for Trivium in particular I wouldn't have started listening to death and black metal, leading me to discover bands such as Opeth, Emperor, the whole Gothenburg scene and an enduring love of Annihilator. So it was almost a given that I would be heading to this tour and luckily for me the first two shows were on my hometown of Cardiff. I went to both shows and while they were mainly the same, there were subtle differences I'll get to later.

Comprises of the bands playing both albums in track order first we were treated to a meaty starter from Orbit Culture. Remember what I said about Gothenburg, well Orbit Culture play Swedish extreme metal, drawing influences from bands such as Entombed, At The Gates and Meshuggah, thick towering grooves, thrashy moments, grunted vocals and throwing in a few breakdowns they are one of the more recent acts who are influenced by the same bands the headliners were.

Packing in their best songs so far, the foursome caught the attention of the partisan crowd with their ferocity. The drumming was especially good hitting hard as a few pits started to break out in the crowd, though with the V shape walkway encircling the 'Hell Hole' part of the crowd it was a little harder to get them going as many of the muscular shirtless dudes would have liked. Orbit Culture were definitely better second time around, a bit more at ease and powerful on Monday than Sunday.

The same can be said for the first co-headliner, Bullet For My Valentine begin their set on Sunday with a bit of trepidation, maybe a little bit of ring rust as it's their first show in over a year, they're last on here but by Monday where they're on first they certainly have dispelled any nervousness, after their retrospective intro video it was the stirring Intro, those cellos of Apocalyptica still building the drama to this day and we were off with Her Voice Resides.

BFMV had a staging that was all about technology, three large screens showing videos linked to the artwork of The Poison and on All These Things I Hate, the music video itself. It was very slick, very big and very American, drums up on a riser with two more each side all fitted with LCD screens as the band ripped through these 20 year old songs as the much heavier band they are today.

On the second night there was a much bigger reaction to Bullet than on the first, half of The Valleys packed into the CIA (that's what it's called) singing along to 4 Words To Choke Upon (Look At Me Now), Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do) and of course the amassed choir of Cardiff belted out Tears Don't Fall each night. Obviously BFMV are now a more drilled and professional machine than they were in 2005, but on the first night it was their first show since 2022, so on the second night when they were a bit looser they really made tracks such as The Poison and Spit You Out snarl.

Matt's vocals are now in perfect place, stronger but a bit different to how they were, often backed by bassist Jamie, who opened All These Things I Hate and sounded uncannily like Matt did in 2005. With Matt always up front, Jamie and Padge prowled the stage and the walkway, goading the crowd for more. This trio are locked in tight with Jason Bowld giving a great drum performance too adding to the nastier approach BFMV have now.

We got Hand Of Blood (originally part of their debut EP but featured on the special edition release of The Poison) and with The End the main album was over. The Poison runs shorter than Ascendancy so after the end it was back on stage for the modern full bore charge of Bring Out The Knives, excluded from Sundays show due to issues during Cries In Vain, but inducing more pits on Monday as the triumphant set closed with Waking The Demon.

This was their arena moment, elevating them to the status that was always promised, inspired by the US greats visually and musically, Bullet owe as much to G'N'R, Motley Crue and the South Wales Post-Hardcore/Emo scene as they do Metallica.

For Trivium it's the other way, an American band who takes their influence from UK legends such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, the former witnessed by their staging being simple enough but featuring a huge inflatable zombie from the Ascendancy album cover rise up during the drum intro to Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation. With the stripped back staging, but a brilliant light show, Trivium's show was all about their material, creating an atmosphere of joy but also violent expression by trying to conjure as many pits as possible.

With Rain there was a few but as soon as the evergreen Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr hit there was chaos, moreso on Sunday than Monday, at least at the beginning. There also seemed to be a better sound on Sunday, maybe being last on Monday made them dial it up a bit but for the first couple of songs it was a little muddy. Thankfully both performances were spot on, Trivium have been running through this show for months, doing the whole thing twice before they even played to an audience, so it was slick and disciplined but never felt mechanical.

The love from the band was reciprocated as Dying In Your Arms and Like Light To Flies were sung at the tops of their voices, like with BFMV guitarist Corey and bassist Paolo fleshing out the vocals of Matt. The only time Paolo was still was when he was singing, constantly stomping around the walkways engaging with the crowd, Cory venturing out rarely on the first night but much more comfortable on the second. It's Matt though who's the focus, his voice is still brilliant even after changes throughout the years, he's singing better than ever. Trading off solos and riffs with Corey as they drove through Drowned And Torn Asunder and the title track.

That mid-set drum solo from Alex was just right to inflate the zombie then it was into the percussive blast that is A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation, which remains one of their finest songs. For me though it was not only a chance to see these albums but the lesser known tracks, I loved seeing The Deceived, Departure and Declaration live, not knowing at the time that these more progressive moments are what Trivium would evolve into with their sound further down the line.

When Trivium play you're all a part of their family and there's a huge outpouring of love from the band to the crowd and visa versa, and with Ascendancy they payed tribute to their fans for sticking by them and to BFMV too as both bands were made by these albums but have never had the chance to tour together until now. There was just time for one more song before we all had to go and as the lights fell dark the intro to In Waves played over the P.A, those muscular shirtless dudes got excited as they built anticipation before crashing into In Waves, there most popular song of the last 15 years, it was a deafening way to end and is always how Trivium show they will take your f*cking heads.

All three bands over the course of two nights in the same venue showed that they all deserve to be playing bigger stages, Orbit Culture have a cavernous modern metal side that is inspired by their countries metal heroes. Bullet For My Valentine bring a Hollywood slickness to their show which can veer from thrashing metal to anthemic rock. Trivium then let the music do the talking, with anthemic metal that transcends their metalcore tag.

The co-headliners are now the festival toppers of today, 20 years ago they were the next big things, in 2025 they are the right here right now's. Though the official name was the Poisoned Ascendancy Tour I personally dubbed it the Millennial Metal Fest as most of the crowd tonight had a birth year beginning with 19, they all lived for the nostalgia though thankfully there were a load of youngsters showing not only the enduring legacy of these bands, these albums but heavy metal as a whole. 10/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Escape The Internet Tour (Toki Ward)

Ola Englund, Escape The Internet Tour, O2 Academy Birmingham, 25.01.2025

With this reviewer being a fan of Ola Englund's (9) YouTube content and music for around 8 years, there was no chance I was going to miss seeing the Swedish metal guitarist play his solo material on UK soil for the first time. And I couldn’t think of a better city than Birmingham, given that it is known as the ‘Home of Metal.’

Opening with the newest, high energy single Game Over it’s clear from the start Ola and his band mates (drummer Jon Skäre and bassist Joel Truelsen) are very much locked in together. The riffs hit hard, the groove from the rhythm section is tight and the solos are played with such a degree of technical proficiency that I was pretty stunned from the start of the set.

To go along with the high energy set, the stage production puts some bands that have toured more to shame. With graphics on the screen behind them and a lighting show that is simply mesmerizing it’s clear that despite the venue's smaller size, the band want to present the biggest metal show possible. Hej Hunden comes in with tight snare fills and blasts. After which the main riff hits and is just a fantastic groove with an amazing feel.

A personal favourite song of mine Demonetized is played not long after, with a fantastic synth line. Skäre is giving the crowd as much energy as possible, getting them to wave along. Once the synth dies out, it’s back to business. With the first riff having such a Pantera flavour to it that, if someone played it to me, I could believe that it was a lost Dimebag riff.

Ola then slows things down a bit by playing a chilled out track, Bluesy Mc Bluesface. While the title may be a bit silly some of the phrasing and articulation is very on point and makes for a very decent blues piece. Also using an Otamatone in place of the original harmonica solo is a great choice and gets a few giggles from the crowd.

Afterwards is an absolutely fantastic rendition of Pantera’s A New Level. Given that it was Ola’s Pantera covers that helped me discover him. I had secretly hoped for a Pantera cover and was left with a massive smile on my face as the band smashed through it.

Next up is CRINGY AF, a song that sounds like it could definitely be from the height of the 80s instrumental guitar scene. It Sounds like it would fit perfectly on a playlist next to Satriani or Vai. The main melody lines are once again tight and played with extremely accurate proficiency.

As we get to the last moments Ola mentions about how he receives some negative comments online because of the nature of his job. One such commenter once said ‘Your shit is ass, quite the instrument’. Englund’s response to this?...to name a song and his whole tour around the title. It’s a classy move and certainly helps to win the crowd over more.

To finish this spectacular set is the amazing Stars & Ponies, once again with an epic synth line that helps gear the crowd up for one last song. When the intro riff kicked in there were definitely many people giving their necks a work out. It’s a slow dirty riff that hits hard, along with the main solo and leaves a very hyped up crowd ready for the next act.

Ola’s more riff based approach to writing instrumental guitar music is definitely a huge part of why I enjoy it. It’s never over complicated when it doesn’t need to be. And he certainly isn’t shy of just grooving and letting the riffs speak for themselves. An absolutely amazing gig and one that will stick in my memory for a while.

Reviews: Pentagram, Great American Ghost, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado, Kilmara (Rich Piva, Liam Williams, Matt Bladen & Chris Tsintziras)

Pentagram - Lightning In A Bottle (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]

Bobby Liebling is the OG, real deal doom/metal/rocker who has led (and been the only recurring member of) the incredibly influential and flat-out awesome band Pentagram since, seemingly impossibly, before I was born. 

Liebling has seen and done it all, and it is amazing that not only is he putting out killer music in 2025 (their first demo came out in 1973!) but that he has survived all of these years. Heavy Psych Sounds brings us not only the back catalogue of this great band (if you have not heard albums like Relentless and Be Forewarned at least, you now have zero excuse) but also a new record with an all-new band. Lightning In A Bottle, their 10th album, is Pentagram sounding new and fresh but still very much Liebling’s band through and through.

Tony Reed makes everything better, so having him now actually in Pentagram and doing all of the recording and producing, you know this record is going to sound amazing, and it does. The production is trademarked Reed, capturing the band and Liebling vocally as perfectly as you could for the 2025 version of Pentagram. 

Reed’s guitar work throughout is some of his best yet, and that is saying a lot. The band is rounded out with drummer Henry Vasquez (Legions Of Doom, Saint Vitus, Blood Of The Sun) and bassist Scooter Haslip (Mos Generator, Saltine), so again, you have an idea right away this is going to rip, and right off the bat it does, with the classic sounding but with Reed magic attached opening track, Live Again. That riff and that guitar work just shows what a master Reed is.

Liebling sounds great, energized by the new band that is rocketing him into the middle 2020s, sounding nowhere near his 71 (many rough) years. In The Panic Room is more of the same goodness, with Reed’s riff leading the way over Liebling’s soulful rocker vocals. I Spoke To Death dooms it up even more, with Liebling giving his best vocal performance of the record while Vasquez and Haslip make this track go. 

My two favourites on the record are the never subtle and I am glad it isn’t Lady Heroin and the title track. The former is autobiographical, outlining some of the struggles Bobby has endured and the demons that still call out to him today, and is one of the most real tracks I have heard in a while. The latter just rips it up, combining all of the excellent stuff mentioned already, but worth mentioning Reed’s guitar work again.

All 11 tracks (14 on the deluxe edition) are worth your time if you like the old school doom/proto stuff, or if you like Tony Reed’s work in Mos Generator, or if you just like killer heavy rock delivered by a legend who we all owe a debt of gratitude to for leading the way on the music we love. Pentagram are back, as strong as ever, with Liebling leading the way but now with the best band he has had behind him in a long time. Lightning In A Bottle indeed! 8/10

Great American Ghost – Tragedy Of The Commons (Sharptone Records) [Liam Williams]

The brand new 4th album, Tragedy Of The Commons, from American metalcore group Great American Ghost is here and it’s 11 tracks of pure heavy chaos . Although it’s metalcore at it’s roots, there are some elements of sludge and groove metal packed in too for a bit of variety and to help these guys stand out from other metalcore bands.

The album starts with Kerosene. There are some very ominous, machine-like guitars and drums building up to the first verse. It sets the tone really well for the rest of the album. There’s some great screaming and some slight electronic elements. Track 2 is Echoes Of War. The verses chug along nicely, it has some great choruses with a bridge section that leads into the outro instead of a final chorus. Next is Lost In The Outline which starts with a nice guitar intro. There’s some good clean vocals over some chuggy riffs in the first verse, with the second verse being a bit heavier. The second chorus leads into a breakdown, which I felt was a little bit lacklustre but still enjoyed.

Forsaken follows and this one pulls no punches. Nice fast, heavy and chaotic intro. I really like the verses. The first pre-chorus brings back in the chaotic intro riff while the second is more instrumental driven. The outro for this track is a really cool breakdown. Ghost In Flesh starts off ominously quiet for the first 10 seconds or so before punching you in the face with the band and vocals coming in from nowhere. I really like the choruses in this one. 

There’s some nice drumming in the section leading into the second verse. Great dissonant guitars in the breakdown followed by a chuggy instrumental break leading into the second bridge which is then followed by the final chorus. The outro has a bit of isolated clean guitar which is joined with some quiet clean vocals. Track 6 is Writhe and this one starts with a mean sounding long scream followed by a good little instrumental bit leading into the first verse. I really like the mix of clean and harsh vocals in the chorus for this one. There’s another great little bit of clean singing before the final chorus comes in.

Genocide is a really cool track. It has a pulsing guitar/synth intro. This track sounds like an old machine chugging along, barely keeping itself together. Next comes Hymn Of Decay. This one has a bit more groove to it than other tracks on the album. It’s chuggy, heavy, has some brutal screams and some really good drumming, especially with the addition of some blastbeats in one of the instrumental sections leading into the second verse. 

Chapel Paralysis has a short tremolo picked guitar and drum intro before the first verse comes in. There’s a section with drums and spoken word which leads into screams which then leads into another breakdown. I really liked the final chorus. The outro has a single clean guitar playing until the song fades out. Reality//Relapse is my personal favourite. It has some great guitar playing and drumming. great chorus and great breakdown which comes back in for the outro of the track. The album ends with God Is A Loaded Gun. Another great track. It’s got a cool, glitchy, distorted drums and guitar intro. The outro has a semi-guitar solo with some screams before ending with some ominous ambient noise.

This is a brilliant album. However, as much as I do like the vocals, they can get a little grating when listening to the album from start to finish. I listened to the whole album all the way through twice, but I found myself liking the vocals more when listening to just 1 or 2 tracks at a time. Everything else sounds awesome. Good mix, good playing. No other complaints. They’ve done a fine job! 9/10

Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado - House Of Sticks (Provogue Records) [Matt Bladen]

'Roots Rock' it's a term that's used a lot these days, usually describe acts who draw from the early music of the USA, be it the blues, country, gospel, folk, any band under the roots rock banner will incorporate all of these things.

As you can see from name Thorbjørn Risager is not American, he and his band The Black Tornado are a Scandinavian acts who sit in the belly of American blues music but flesh it out with some acoustic Americana, a few torchlight ballads and full on funker called Inner Light which seems the octet going wild with hip shaking rhythms, brass parps and slap bass.

These Danes then are very American but there homage to the Southern states has won them awards and seen them tour all over the globe, a band that boasts guitars, drums, keys and a horn section, their live show would definitely be something to behold, a spectacle in the E-Street Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band style.

House Of Sticks is their ninth studio album so they are well worn and rooted into their sound by now, something that can also be said about Risager's deep resonant voice. He carries weight with every lyric and vocal phrasing, the emotional strength of an old soul. He also adds electric and acoustic guitars with co-producer Søren Bøjgaard playing bass/guitar/synths/piano, kicking out the SRV blues rock on Out Of The Rain.

Already Gone is a fuzzy The Black Keys-like stomp where Martin Seidelin's drums shift it along. It's Emil Balsgaard and Joachim Svensmark that play most of the instruments on House Of Sticks, Emil takes piano/organ/wurlitzer/mellotron/clavinet, basically if it's got keys he plays it as Joachim adds guitar, keys, viola, mellotron and drum programming and is a regular man of many talents. Both of these men the major contributors to Long Time Ago and Said I Was Hurt, two of the more atmospheric songs on this brilliant record.

Kasper Wagner's Alto/Baritone sax and flute, Hans Nybo's Tenor sax and Peter W Kehl's trumpet/flugelhorn/sousaphone/trombone make up that brass section that bring the fun to Inner Light and rumble in the background of Climbed A Mountain. Blues rock, roots rock, whatever you want to call it, House Of Sticks is of the highest class. 8/10

Kilmara - Journey To The Sun (ROAR RPM) [Chris Tsintziras]

Spanish power metallers Kilmara, have made a pivot move in their sound on their previous release Across The Realm Of Time. This time, they present us their new album Journey To The Sun which keeps that going. From the very beginning, the power metal rhythms are obvious. The drums are solid gallops, blasting away, while the vocals do what a power metal band requires with powerful singing. 

Journey to The Sun is an immersive sonic experience in which the band goes travelling taking us on a journey to the golden era of power metal. I don’t hesitate to say that they could be the modern Stratovarius at some points of the album, using synthesisers well. I really enjoyed all of the album but my favourite moment is Alliance Of The Free which is a great musical journey.

I strongly believe that the band has a lot to show us after that pivotal move in their sound in the last two albums. 8/10

Magnum - A Passage In Time - A Tribute To Tony Clarkin (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

Magnum - A Passage In Time - A Tribute To Tony Clarkin, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton 25.01.2025

You look back on the days of your youth and to those bands and artists that influenced your taste in music or were the soundtrack to your youth and you think that those people are immortal, that they will live forever. In a sense they do in the music they create, that is there forever, but sadly, these idols of ours are all but human and thus are not immortal. And when one of those heroes or heroines pass on, it hits us hard. You thought they would live forever, but fate says not. And our generation is seeing this all too often these days, simply because of our age and the ages of our musical icons.

Each time we see an obituary, a social media post or a news clip, telling us of the passing of another, we mourn the loss like we would a family member. Some have a greater effect than others, but all have a place in our hearts.

So it was when it was announced that Tony had passed away. Just over a year ago we heard the sad news that this stalwart of West Midlands rock had left us. He was 77 and the band were preparing to release and promote their latest album Here Comes The Rain and they had only just released a new song The Seventh Darkness.

The sudden and unexpected death of Tony seemed to mark the end of Magnum, but it was decided to mark the anniversary of his passing with a few gigs culminating in two nights at the wonderful KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton.

We were there for the first night, the Saturday, and it was a powerfully emotional evening. The room was packed with Magnum fans, old and young, from all over the country and further afield. Fans had flown in from various European destinations and from the USA and I’m sure there must have been fans from every far flung corner of the world, such is the love and strength of fellowship fans have for this band.

Everyone here has stories to tell, their favourite song or album and this is the legacy Tony has left. There is a quote that Tony (Stagedive Photography) likes to bring out at times like this. It’s from a Terry Pratchett book and it’s the character Death speaking:

“No one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away”

The ripples that Tony Clarkin has created will continue to ripple through the ages as new fans discover his music and in that sense he will always be here.

As for the show, it was brilliant. Bob was in fine form, how he was able to keep it together I’ll never know. Every song was eagerly cheered by the crowd, 1500 fans singing along to every word. And has for the man who had to fill a giants boots? The obvious and perfect choice was Tony’s longtime friend and guitar tech Brendon Riley. I can’t imagine how nervous he must have been, Magnum fans are friendly but loved Tony and can be critical, but Brendon absolutely nailed it, he did his old friend proud.

The set list covered a wide range of Tony’s work, there was something for everyone. The hard rocking tunes like Vigilante to the atmospheric ballads like Tall Ships, but it was the very final song, the second song of the encore, that finally broke more than a few people in the audience. When The World Comes Down was a fitting end to a beautiful night celebrating one of the greatest and often overlooked song writers of our generation. 

God speed Tony, thank you for the music.

Clwb Ifor Bach - Heavy Preview 2025

Clwb Ifor Bach - Heavy Preview February - June 2025

Our friends at Clwb Ifor Bach, have asked us to feature some of their heaviest shows coming up. So of course we duly obliged.

Check them out below alongside a little bit of what to expect plus those all important ticket links

Mother Vulture - Clwb Ifor Bach - 08.02.25

Tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/event/mother-vulture/clwb-ifor-bach/3238514

Mother Vulture have rapidly become one of the 'must see' live acts in the country, their furious punk metal and incendiary constant motion live show means that you just can't help but be in awe of. We've seen them several times and featured them every time noting just how good they are on stage so in the intimacy of Clwb it's going to get hot and sweaty. They are touring with Ramkot who 2000trees festival called "one of the most promising young Belgian rock bands at the moment and bring heavy but dancable music to Wales' capital. The local openers are the the mighty Lacertilia who will more than be able to match up to the Mother Vulture's live power and come highly touted by this very publications

Touche Amore - The Globe - 21.02.25 (Sold Out)

It's sold out so you've missed your chance but for those who want to know what they will be missing, Touche Amore are a post-hardcore/screamo band from L.A. their melodic, cathartic take on post-hardcore has been hailed as arena sized so this is a chance to catch them up close and personal. Part of a musical movement called 'The Wave' they have six albums to their name and will playing in support of their latest record Spiral In A Straight Line released in October. One for the elder and younger emo's Touche Amore will be joined by shoegazers Trauma Ray and punk rockers Buds.

Split Chain - Clwb Ifor Bach - 28.03.25

Ticket: https://www.seetickets.com/event/split-chain/clwb-ifor-bach/3284036

Shoegaze, grunge an nu-metal fused with modern hardcore Split Chain are a shameless revival of the latter MTV-era, they've already played Download Festival and 2000trees, released only a handful of well received singles and are now embarking on their debut UK & IRE tour, and have signed to Epitaph records! Not bad for a band formed in 2023! They'll be bringing their authentic, unique sound to Clwb and you'll be hard pressed not to lose yourself in their 'nu-gaze' style of music. They may even play their excellent cover of I Don't Wanna Be Me by Type O Negative which will get those of us in the older generation bopping. They come to Cardiff with Stoke On Trent's Mercury along with Shell and Heart Piece so if you want to hear what the present state of heavy music, more exactly slowcore is like, this is the show to get too!

Employed To Serve - Clwb Ifor Bach - 24.04.25 

Tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/event/employed-to-serve/clwb-ifor-bach/3281992

Now this one will be difficult to miss! Woking metalcore band Employed To Serve have been one of the bands spearheading the UK's heavy music scene for nearly 15 years and they continue to rip up the stage every time. This tour will be in support of their forthcoming fifth album Fallen Star which promises more of the metal/mathcore meets hardcore punk, but their third album on seminal label Spinefarm also promises to be based on positive themes like finding inner confidence so expect them to bring these vibes to Cardiff for a collective catharsis through the vessel of heavy music. Having played every size gig, their headline tour in April will see them storm Clwb alongside old school death metal crew Celestial Sanctuary who will bludgeon you with filthy gore soaked death, and they will also have Burner in tow to kick things off with frenzied hardcore death metal aggression. This maybe one of the modern metal shows of the year and will perfectly showcase the UK scene.   

 

Pantheist/ Ofnus - Clwb Ifor Bach - 09.05.25

Tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/event/pantheist/clwb-ifor-bach/3290049

A bit of Springtime Sadness as Pantheist and Ofnus bring their annual double header to Clwb Ifor Bach. Expect waves of melancholy and bring a tissue as things will get sad. Recently reactivated funeral doom veterans Pantheist have been toiling away at the UK scene since returning from slumber in South Wales, they've got their strongest line up to date featuring huge church organs, extreme metal growls, soaring classical soprano and serpentine doom riffs. This year they celebrate their 25th anniversary with a special set unveiling two new tracks and some classics from previous albums too. It will be a full 60 minute sermon from Pantheist and Wales' premium purveyors of atmospheric black metal will also get a 60 minute set as part of this double headline show. Ofnus have been on a skyrocket since forming and recording their debut album, they look to follow up on this with a new album this year and they will be playing this second album exclusively in full as they build up their Bloodstock performance later this year. You'd be a fool to miss these exclusive sets from South Wales finest!

Foxing - Clwb Ifor Bach - 06.06.25 

Tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/event/foxing/clwb-ifor-bach/3253717

Taking us up to June with the heaviest shows at Clwb Ifor Bach it's St Louis emo experimentalists Foxing. A melting pot of indie, chamber rock and post rock, Foxing draw inspiration from numerous places but always charge their music with emotion and introspection, taking their audience with them, they head towards 15 years in support of their totally D.I.Y self titled album from last year. this ethos to do things themselves bleeds into every part of Foxing's music and will definitely capture the attention when they headline Clwb just in time for festival season. 

A View From The Back Of The Room: The Halo Effect (Debby Myatt & Tony Gaskin)

 The Halo Effect, PAIN & Bloodred Hourglass, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, 23.01.25

The first “official” reviewing/shooting gig of the year sees us back down at KK’s in Wolverhampton for a night of Scandi Death Metal.

A noisy and raucous start to our gig year with three very different styles of death metal. First up were Finnish outfit Bloodred Hourglass (8). A new name to me but I was surprised to see that they’ve been around since 2005 with six studio albums under their belt. They come out all guns blazing with a short sharp set of classic death metal. 

Three guitars create a rolling tsunami of brutal riffs as they open up with The Sun Still In Me a track taken from their latest album How’s The Heart. 

It sets the tone for the rest of the set, those riffs are backed up by the impressive rhythm section. There are breakdowns aplenty, and just enough melodic phrases to keep your attention. All in all a nice discovery, and a great start.

Next up were a name we were familiar with and a band that likes to break the death metal mould. PAIN (9) have been around just as long as BRHG and have gathered a loyal army of followers along the way. From Tägtgren’s more traditional roots with pioneering death metal legends Hypocrisy, his studio project PAIN has evolved into a multi-faceted band that like to layer a multitude of styles and add eye popping visuals to keep you hooked. 

The latest album (not including the recent re-issues) I Am is featured heavily with stand out tracks Go With The Flow and Party In My Head. They definitely bring the party, imagine an Avatar/Rammstein mash-up. It’s great fun and the crowd love it. Songs like The Great Pretender and Shut Your Mouth highlight that industrial mix.

When you think of Swedish Melodic Death Metal you think of the Gothenburg influences such as In Flames, At The Gates and Dark Tranquillity. Add The Halo Effect (9) to that illustrious list (to be fair it is pretty much In Flames re-born and re-vitalised) 

This is old school melodic death metal, they’ve gone back to their roots with blistering riffs and drum blasts that wake the dead from their post new year slumber. Stanne’s vocals take us back to those early In Flames years whilst the twin axe partners in crime of Engelin and Ströblad look like they are reliving their youth and enjoying every minute of it. 

They open up with March Of The Unheard, the title track off the new album, and it’s everything you want from a melodic death metal song. Gnarly vocals, technical guitar riffs and breakdowns, booming bass and blisteringly fast drums. The set is comprised of tracks from the two albums and it’s two from their debut album Days Of The Lost that stand out for me. 

The title track itself and Gateways. It’s impossible to not compare The Halo Effect with In Flames but for us, this iteration is a much more accessible band. The songs are groovier, cleaner in a lot of respects and fresher. So some may say its In Flames Mark II but no, this is a different beast and one that will stand alone on it’s own merits.

Reviews: Labyrinth, Bonfire, The Ferrymen, Wildness (Matt Bladen & Simon Black)

Labyrinth - In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

In Italian power metal there are three names that stand out Rhapsody (every version), Vision Divine and Labyrinth, all three of these bands have shared members over the years and have stopped, started, split up and reformed. All three are still going in one form or another but perhaps are often overshadowed by what they did in the 90’s which for me was the golden age of this music. It’s a shame as Labyrinth especially have produced some of their best work recently. 

This version of Labyrinth came about in 2017 when founder members Andrea Cantarelli (guitar) and Olaf Thorsen (guitar) were asked by the label to discuss reforming with original vocalist Roberto Tiranti. So here we are three albums later and Labyrinth sound more vital than ever, with label assistance secured, they have turned noticeably heavier on this record.

The galloping, hook-laden power metal still remains, 100 mph drumming from Matt Peruzzi locked in with bassist Nik Mazzucconi while Oleg Smirnoff adds the classical touches with piano and a fat 80’s fist-in-the-air moment with Out Of Place. 

This is brief then we’re back to a power metal riot, Thorsen and Cantarelli’s guitars intertwined as Tiranti sounds better than ever, his voice bit more honeyed now with age meaning that they don’t always need to go full throttle, adding an alternative edge to The Healing. 

In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye on the whole though is experienced power metal from these Italian veterans, but with some new wrinkles. 8/10

Bonfire - Higher Ground (Frontiers Music Srl) [Simon Black]

I never quite know where I am going to go when I come to reviewing this band’s output. I only really started to listen to them when I got back into this reviewing lark a few years ago and have had the opportunity to assess their studio output from a late standing start, so I was happy to take this one on. 

One of the reasons for that positivity is the most recent studio offerings had included the considerable vocal talents of Alexx Stahl, who had in my humble opinion delivered the best performances since original lungsman Claus Lessmann left for the second time a decade ago. 

So, I was a bit concerned to discover that since 2022 he had moved on and been replaced by one Dyan Mair. But again, the re-recording package MMXXIII (which completely redid the classic trio of Don’t Touch The Light, Point Blank and Fireworks) showed that he was a more than capable pair of hands and lungs for the job, so again I’m keen to hear new material from this line-up.

And it does not disappoint.

It’s a harder rocking album than much of their recent new output, carrying the lavish production of the MMXXIII set through ten new tracks, plus a re-do of Rock ‘n’ Roll Survivor thrown in for good measure, with a bit more low-end welly throughout without losing the lighter melodic signature touches they are best known for. It works really well, because let’s face it this music always sounds heavier live, and it has that beefier low end feel throughout which is a great improvement. 

Lost All Control is a great example of this, owing more to thunderingly catchy Power Metal anthems than the more Melo-Metal fare they built their following on, and Come Hell Or High Water is almost Doom-like in its heaviness, with Mair’s vocals screaming in the kind of register you are more used to finding on a Ripper Owens recording - but whilst still retaining those key elements of their sound, so it’s a really strong step forwards.

Are Bonfire going to do anything really unexpected given the genre limitations? No, I really hope not; what I would like is for them to do is stretch the envelope a bit, and deliver it consistently well, and this latest opus has raised the bar for me. 8/10

The Ferrymen – Iron Will (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Ronnie Romero, Magnus Karlsson, Mike Terrana, of course it’s Frontiers and of course it’s The Ferrymen, the melodic metal project that is now on its fourth record. 

The previous three were all very good for any fans of melodic metal and classic heavy rock but then what would you expect from a band that features members of Primal Fear, Lords Of Black, Rainbow, Rage and Axel Rudi Pell, that’s a set of hall of fame careers in anyone book and The Ferrymen has always been able to combine all of these bands to make bombastic classic heavy metal. 

The cinematic Mother Unholy, where Romero shows off that gritty but oh so powerful vocal sound that draws comparisons to Ronnie James Dio. More so on the street metal feel of the title track or the thrusting Adrenaline where Terrana’s powerhouse percussion gives thumping pace. Karlsson displays why he’s not only a great guitar player (Darkest Storm) but a composer/songwriter and producer, a track such as Above It All alongside Dreams And Destiny carrying cinematic poise to it. 

Iron Will like the previous The Ferrymen albums is very high energy, there’s a few moments to slow things down such as Dust To Dust but even they feature multi-layered compositions so nothing is ever simplistic in these song s but they are filled with hooks and classic heavy metal excellence. This trio of Karlsson, Romero and Terrana continue to pump out melodic metal with ease and Iron Will is another fine example. 8/10

Wildness – Avenger (Frontiers Music Srl) [Simon Black]

Wildness are a Swedish AOR/Hard Rock outfit hailing from Sweden, a country where it seems every other person you might meet on the streets of Stockholm is in a rock/metal band, thanks to the wonderfully supportive nature of the Swedish state with regard to the arts. 

If only we had something similar over here in the UK… They’ve been around since 2014, and built slowly, impacted by a change in frontman straight after their debut self-titled release hit the racks in 2017. Having dusted themselves down from that, their sophomore (the ironically titled Ultimate Demise) came out in that great year of growth for all recording artists globally that was 2020. Quite…

When you can’t tour in support of a release, it’s really damned hard to build a following, and consequently this third album also comes with a new record label (Frontiers Records Srl). Fortunately, Frontiers have more than proved their chops when it comes to this genre, more so since their output has moved slightly away from endless semi-solo nostalgia projects historical names with session players and more to supporting genuine new and growing bands like Wildness.

From the get-go this record avoids a lot of the repetition all too sadly common which bands (and indeed labels) within the genre can resort to, with a series of well-structured highly melodic and catchy songs that nearly all within the four-minute mark don’t outstay their welcome at all. Second track and single Crucified is a proper banger, along with the high tempo title-track, but to be honest I can’t really fault any of the songs on here, many of which would work well as door openers or festival audience audio cattle prods.

 
It’s a traditional five-piece line-up, oozing the influences of the likes of more modern H.E.A.T. spliced with older Europe and Dokken, with the kind of fluidity in guitar players that shows both Adam Holmström and Pontus Sköld seamlessly bouncing off of each other and sharing the workload. 

The rhythm section is very solid, although the only criticism here is Marcus Sjösund’s bass is a little back in the mix sometimes, compared to the quite sharp drums sound from Erik Modin, but that’s all part of the 80’s Rock Radio feel they are going for. 

Erik Forsberg has a strong presence vocally throughout, holds the attention but varies the tone and style well stepping back periodically for some solid instrumental flourishes from the others.

This record has been gestating since 2021, and it really benefits from the time to get it right, because it does not feel rushed, formulaic or repetitive, which in the AOR world makes it an absolute breath of fresh air. 8/10

Reviews: Praetorian, ALT BLK ERA, Sunrot, blacktoothed (Matt Bladen)

Praetorian - Pylon Cult (APF Records)

After three self released EP's, APF's newest suppliers of heft Praetorian take their place at the right hand of Imperial sludge/doom legends such as Iron Monkey, Acid Bath, Electric Wizard and Sleep. Praetorian bring the dirtiest riffs from the sludge scene and pair them with the black metal starkness.

Recorded/produced by underground master Wayne Adam (Petbrick, Big Lad) at Bear Bites Studio (Green Lung, Wallowing, TORPOR). Pylon Cult is caked in the filth and fury of their Stevenage home, if you've been to Stevenage you know. Pylon Cult explodes with eardrum piercing noise as their nihilistic homage to their home Fear & Loathing In Stevenage is ferocious and foreboding, massive doom, hooked on Richard Stevenson's distorted bass and the deafening drum beats from Andrew Bisgrove, his hammering locking down the more traditional doom of the title track.

Dormant Psychosis is a break from the grime with some oscillating electronics ala Wallowing as they crash into Remnants Of Head a 16 minute exploration of loudness which is heady and nauseous, shifting into a spoken word middle, it's here that the Electric Wizard and Sleep influences crash in. Tom Clements shred his throat across all eight songs, raging, screaming, growling and grunting their often sarcastic, satirical words on top of their rhythm section and of course those gargantuan chunks of riffage.

Praetorian's debut album throttles you, for once the grimness of the South is represented by the elite blackened sludge of Praetorian. 9/10

ALT BLK ERA - Rave Immortal (Earache Records)

Ever since I heard the Freak Show EP from ALT BLK ERA I've been following these young women's career with a keen interest as they represent a fusion of genres that will bring rock and metal into the mainstream.

Formed by sisters Nyrobi and Chaya, their debut album Rave Immortal expands on the genre bending of their debut with 31 minutes of exploration in everything from Alt Metal, DnB, Rap, EDM, Goth metal and everything in between. While a song such as Hunt You Down evokes The Fame Monster era Lady Gaga, Come On Outside reminds me of Evanescence in its angsty moodiness inspired by Nyrobi's disabling illness and the love and support she received from her sister, creating an inseparable bond that is the core of their band.

It's not just me though this duo (and their live band) have played Reading/Leeds and Download Festivals, they've opened for Tom Morello and had that EP nominated for both a Heavy Music Award and a MOBO, they are boundary breakers as both represent many minority groups that are so often underrepresented by the mainstream. Their music is a reflection of them finding a 'safe space' in music, a place they can create without boundaries or restrictions.

This is why ALT BLK ERA have such a mishmash of influences and styles to their music, they welcome all, the day-glo ravers, the hardcore bass heads, the alternative weirdos, all ethic backgrounds, all abilities and all sexual orientations and genders. The theme here is be yourself no matter what and it glares through every single track of rebellion and liberation.

Upstairs Neighbours would absolutely smash at a club, it's a full on high energy rave-em-up as is the title track. Come Fight Me For It brings the aggressive, twitching EDM of The Prodigy or Pendulum while Catch Me If You Can stirs up sinister cinematic vibes and crushing djent breakdowns. The sisters switching vocals on a whim with the music set to full volume so it will sound best on a massive pair of speakers in the boot of a suped-up Citroen Saxo.

We live at a time where artists such as Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish can turn pop on it's head with their defiant attitude then by following trail of Neneh Cherry, Skunk Anansie, The Prodigy and even Skindred, ALT BLK ERA carve a niche all of their own. 9/10

Sunrot - Passages (Prosthetic Records)

Intended as a companion piece to last year's The Unfailing Rope, Passages is the new EP from Sunrot, the sludge/post/noise band have been riding a wave of kudos for this record and some high profile shows at Roadburn Festival. The New Jersey band went down a storm at the Netherlands festival that draws from the widest ranges of the underground for its own little musical commune.

So with more touring experience they forging ahead with the Sunrot project, adding some guests such as Dylan Walker (Full Of Hell), Brandon Hill (Cloud Rat) and a closing spoken word piece from Sun Ra. Recorded at the same sessions as the album the themes of grief and depression are prominent on this EP too but there's more experimentation and a sense of finality on Passages, as if they are transitioning out of this era into their next one.

The catharsis and conclusion of this chapter begins with Death Knell and closes with Ra two short intro/outro numbers with the transitional Sleep in the middle, the songs, i.e. the ones over just a minute are two are the concrete crush of The First Wound is brutal, while Untethered is rolling post rock ambience that ascends into extremity. Passages transitions Sunrot to their next chapter with this short EP. 8/10

blacktoothed - Headway (Arising Empire)

Comprised of Juli Hendrik Rathgeber (vocals), Mathilde Keitel (guitars, vocals) and David Sommer (drums), blacktoothed (that's a weird name right?) are a band from Germany who have shared the stage with some of the best and brightest in the modern/anthemic metal scene, fitting on bills with The Ghost Inside, Annisokay, Thundermother and Bad Omens. 

Their new album Headway is all about getting to know yourself unlocking your headspace to deal with all the hardships you'll face. This Leipzig lot again team with Sawdust Recordings and in collaboration with producers Christoph Wieczorek (Annisokay) and Julian Breucker to make this album burst to life with mega catchy modern hooks. The influence of bands like Shinedown, Pop Evil and Papa Roach, Juli and Mathilde's vocals work well together, his are gritty while hers are poppier, similar to how Flyleaf used to do it. 

Massive riffs are abound from Mathilde, who also brings some nifty Alter Bridge-like solos too, a good guitar riff is the anchor for a radio friendly rock track and Headway has loads of them. If the riffs are massive then the choruses are supermassive, soaring high, anthemic and will be sung back to them by crowds across the globe, even when there's a bit of harsh vocals on Novocaine, or the breakdown driven Hell's Paradise. 

blacktoothed keep a modern rock touch. True Colours has a thick electronic heart to it, augmenting the percussion power of David on a song like the ballad Walls or the monstrous Time Bomb. When I saw the blurb for this record I wasn't sure what to expect but I really enjoyed Headway, it's got a load of American radio rock on it but also the modern metalcore edge of a song like Carried Away too. 8/10

Reviews: Fleshbore, Disrupted, Corroding Soul, Death Cult 69 (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Fleshbore - Painted Paradise (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Matt Bladen]

Tech death fans rejoice for Fleshbore are an unrelenting, technical death metal machine. Released on Transcndeing Obscurity Records, in the accompanying PR from the label, it says that Fleshbore are for fans of Archspire, Allegaeon and Psycroptic, lofty names to be compared too indeed. 

However I'm sure there's a certain section of the metal social media fraternity who will get very excited about those comparisons and I have to say that I did as well as with all death metal there's a lot of skill but tech death that skill is tenfold, virtuosity and brutality in unison to take into far off universes or the lowest depths of the horrors of earth.

Fleshbore are intense, with every moment they're doing something extreme or technically gifted, from the grinding technical riffs to blisteringly fast blastbeats, there's immense thought put into every note. I'm also a fan of the vocals, that mix guttural growls and black metal screams with a lot else in between. 

It a dense vocal style so the music needs to be just as complex, thankfully complying on a track such as Elegy it's a start stop masterclass in ferocious precision, these blasts of intensity such as the terrifying Curse and the final gruntfest Terminally Ill are met with moments of ambience in Ruin and Abyss.

It's these little segway's, alongside the vocals I wrote about earlier that means Painted Paradise is an exemplary tech death release, multi-layered bludgeoning that comes from virtuoso playing. 8/10

Disrupted - Stinking Death (Trust No One Recordings) [Mark Young]

Ok, so there are absolutely no surprises here as Disrupted bring us their 3rd album of HM-2 flavoured death metal goodness. With a mission statement that reads like a cut and paste of every other band that comes from Sweden promising “gut-ripping riffs and skull-crushing heaviness” drop an album which effectively stays within one lane and then does its level best to make good on the promises above.

Choke On The Cross is decent, kicking things off at a rate of knots and in doing so sets the template for the rest of the album. It's exactly how I thought it would sound and doesn't disappoint in the brutality stakes and there is some nifty riffing going on. It's also a case of if it isn't broken then don't fix it as subsequent songs come and go, awash in that enamel stripping sound. 

When they do slow down, as they do with Funeral Vomit it shows that they can bring a little of the atmospheric into their music and it grinds its way under the skin. It's back to normal with Deflesh The Dead as it brings the pulse rate back up to excessive. None of these songs are poor in any way, it's just that If you aren't a fan of the Swedish sound in any way, then you should just move along as there is nothing for you here.

It is a 10-track love letter to that core sound and it speeds along nicely without a drop in intensity. Song titles are suitably barbaric, and the music behind each one matches it in execution. My issue is that because of that wish to pay tribute it places a narrow focus on where they can go with the songs they write. 

Each one is solid but not earth shattering and I'll be honest that chainsaw sound isn't my favourite but at least it isn't that 7 string tone that seems to be everywhere. I looped back to Funeral Vomit quite a few times as that slower pace added an oppressive air to and the final one-two of Spew and Graveyard Torment are two absolute crackers.

In terms of delivering on their promise, I think you can say they have succeeded. Fans will love this with not a ballad or instrumental in sight. It's pure, aggressive death metal that does exactly what it says on the tin and because it does that it could put those off who want a little more than just strict brutality. 8/10

Corroding Soul - Corroding Soul (Independent Release) [Mark Young]

This was a very welcome addition to my reviews for this week. It's atmospheric black metal but has a positive vibe running through it. It's a labour of love from David Lovejoy, who as I understand is responsible for everything you hear on it. The track lengths give him scope to deliver everything that you consider to be required of this music whilst being able to put his own stamp on it. 

Opening track Shadow is a great showcase for this, running from accelerated riffs and blasting drums to a touchingly melodic middle section. On first listen, it comes across as slightly too nice but on repeated listens that feeling goes away. I'm not sure if he would like me describing it as being happy but the power behind it, at least to me is one of positivity. And what’s wrong with that?

Tempest is straight into it from the off and like Shadow it's love of having a top melodic build is there for all to hear. On top of that you get a storming vocal standard from him, that is slightly jarring to the bright arrangement behind it, but without it the songs would fall flat. One of the things that stand out is just how well they are put together. I can't say that it's ground-breaking but what it does is show that with the right approach you can find things to say, especially the outro solo on Tempest is just quality.
Bound comes in with a gentle guitar, set within a rising background that becomes the focal point. 

Those atmospheric touches are on point here, and by and large it plays out along a traditional path as the traditional black metal makes itself present. What doesn't change is it having that positive vibe to it. It's continually reaching forward and upward and it asks that you do the same. The lead is understated and I'm glad that it went that way as it serves the song so well. The temptation to have gone down the face melting route must have been immense. The final three minutes are incredibly uplifting and sets up the final track, Sapphire.

Starting with a descending bass, it shrugs off any hint of melancholia, at least for a second as it boots into life. This is another grand statement from someone who has that unique vision in what he believes to be true. It's an epic piece, and over these 4 songs they deliver a high bar of atmospheric black metal. There is some top quality drumming on this one and it keeps the track length from floundering. The change in pace just around 8 minutes is pretty cool, pulling back on the grit for a while.

If you dig atmospheric black metal then this is right up your street. Give it a go, it's well worth your time. 8/10

Death Cult 69 – The Way Of All Flesh (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

The Way Of All Flesh is the debut from German doom collective Death Cult 69. Essentially the studio project of Konstantin Michaely (guitar/vocals/bass/organs) and Luc Lacroix (drums) it's doom with that classic Swedish vibe driven by weighty guitar and organ riffs. Joining Konstantin on vocals are Lars Dotzauer, Christoph Franke and Jan Oberg all providing the counterpoint harsh vocals I believe.

With these harsh vocals there's a creeping towards death doom evolving Death Cult 69's style away from classic doom into a more modern version. When they play live these screams will come froms Fern Czar who also plays bass while Marie Ko San will take the organ, so it seems both the harsh vocals and organs are staying integral to what Death Cult 69 present on stage rather than just artistic flourishes on the record.

The music of Death Cult 69 is organic, warmly hued and coming from a nostalgic place. The Way Of All Flesh expands on the soundscapes that you may expect with doom, it's gothic and forlorn but has that classic metal chug to it. Welcome this death cult with open arms. 8/10

Reviews: Riverside, Thundermother, Beneath A Steel Sky, The Slime (Chris Tsintziras, Dan Sierras, Rick Eaglestone & Mark Young)

Riverside – Live I.D (InsideOut Music) [Chris Tsintziras]

Riverside are a progressive rock/metal band from Warsaw Poland. The band are famous for their atmospheric music based around progressive rock themes and emotional lyrics.

The group has been active since 2001 and have released eight studio albums and three previous live albums. As far as Live I.D album is concerned, it was recorded back on June 1, 2024, at COS
Torwar in Warsaw. It captures a set twelve songs, mainly taken from the band’s latest studio album Entity I.D, released in 2023.

The setlist was about 110 minutes, the music underlining the improvement of the band’s psychological status after the loss of Piotr Grudziński in 2016. Every song sits well in the set, from the beginning with the musical dynamite Addicted entering us into a sonic initiation that gives the listener the chance to forget everyday life and escape. As we talk about music gems, it is kind of difficult to distinguish between them.

I could say that my favourite is Post-Truth as it talks about issues we face as misinformation, propaganda and many other of complexities of every life. In general, all these songs are steps to get a reaction from the audience. An album to forget yourself with and just enjoy as if you were there it could be used to release anxiety, spiritual pain and depression as Riverside too let go of their turbulent times.

As we reach the end of the review, Live I.D is a great sample of Riversides amazing performance on this tour. 9/10

Thundermother - Dirty & Divine (AFM Records) [Dan Sierras]

Thundermother return with a revamped lineup for its latest album Dirty & Divine. Joining guitarist Filippa Nässil are new lead singer Linnéa Vikström and new drummer Joan Massing with Majsan Lindberg returning on bass. They show no sign of slowing down on this latest release full of hard rocking, arena rock hits.

You can hear the influence of AC/DC and Motörhead throughout, but with their own touch to it. These ladies bring it from track to track, starting out with the killer riff on the banger So Close. There’s no slowing down with the next track Can’t Put Out The Fire, another track begging to be played in front of an arena full of fans. And get out of the way or you’ll be run over with a freight train with the next track Speaking Of The Devil. Vikström’s vocals soar on this song.

The heavy harmonies continue on the next track Feeling Alright, with outstanding guitar work from Nässil. Then watch out for the next banger Take The Power. Lemmy Kilmister is most definitely banging his head to this track. And the heavy opening bass riff on I Left My License In The Future is riffalicious.

Dead Or Alive is yet another great track showing off new vocalist Vikström’s strong pipes. Followed by yet another song that would have fans screaming Can You Feel It in a packed arena, and Bright Eyes will have your feet stomping along with the beat. The album wraps up the same way it started with American Adrenaline, with another fast-paced, hard rocker.

Six albums deep, Thundermother show they’re not going anywhere with Dirty & Divine. They deliver an excellent hard rock album that deserves to be listened to with the volume all the way up! 9/10

Beneath A Steel Sky – Cleave (Ripcord Records) [Rick Eaglestone]

Originally created as an instrumental project Beneath A Steel Sky have now evolved into a full band ensemble merging post-rock intensity with profound musical exploration for debut album Cleave.

Formed in a landscape of uncertainty Beneath A Black Sky forged ahead with desolate and contemplative mindset with is reflected through this captivating release, take for instance the woeful opener The Sky Above The Port Was The Colour Of Television, Turned To A Dead Channel immediately puts the listener into a fragile state as melodies are complimented with equal levels of anguish which flows into Vanguard with atmospheric elements with heavy riffs.

Everyone You’ve Ever Known rides an ethereal wave with a much gentler vocal delivery before balancing alongside a gloomy tormented outpouring which is followed by the prog tinged Quetzalcoatlus providing another dynamic that fits in well with the rest of the album.

The crowning glory appears in the form of The Infinite Silence That Follows The Absolute Truth really gives the band the opportunity for the bad to really show off their musical prowess and come together as a collective to offer the listener something wonderfully immersive and the instrumental composition is just majestic.

Cyclical Dunt still manages to hold true to the album’s overall aesthetic with hypnotic reels that flow into the final and longest track of the album the near eight-minute opus The Becoming which really feels like a journey of sorts which seems to be projected into musical form with a clear sense of admiration and an acknowledgement of a past not quite left behind

From beginning to end this album is sprinkled with captivating soundscapes that take the listener on their own journey of reflection. Masterfully Bleak. 7/10

The Slime - Crabwalk To Oblivion (Self Released) [Mark Young]

Talk about fast and furious without a car or any mention of family! Like the running time, this is a relatively short review that hopefully will highlight how much of a blast this is.

The Slime blast through with 11 songs in 15 minutes, sometimes in a blink and you'll miss it style. I think that sometimes you just need an album to come in and batter you around for a bit and leave, taking your dinner money with it. In the time it took me to type this they have flown through 4 tracks such is the speed of delivery. They don't believe in taking any longer than us necessary to get their point across.

The Toronto natives are plainly having a good time here and it reminds me of early Suicidal Tendencies in the way they are dropped. It's a frenetic as promised, and what's more it's great fun. They are not trying to be something they're not, it's good solid hardcore, nothing more and nothing less and it's a breath of fresh air to be fair.

What I take from this is that live it would be wild with each track having enough energy to whip an audience up into a frenzy. Of all the releases this week, it's one that might get overshadowed amongst the technical and the wizardry and pure mayhem that has come out but in terms as being a pure belt of good fun, it can’t be beaten. Give it a go, you won’t regret it!! 7/10

Reviews: Tormentor Tyrant, Plasticdrop, Sacrifice, Belle Morte (GC, Dan Sierras, Chris Tsintziras & Matt Bladen)

Tormentor Tyrant - Excessive Escalation Of Cruelty (Everlasting Spew Records) [GC]

I know its mid-January and everything, and I keep telling myself to explore new things including music but honestly? I can’t be arsed with that as January is depressing enough as it is so with that my first review of the year is of course a death metal review, shock horror!! Tormentor Tyrant has been around for 4 years and have 1 EP released so far, will Excessive Escalation Of Cruelty really push them on or introduce them softly? Let’s get into it and find out!?

It starts annoyingly enough with Intro - Upheaval Of Tyranny which doesn’t really give much away or get the excitement levels racing, Capital Of Pain however is a completely different story it absolutely smashes out of the blocks with a blizzard of riffs and thundering drums it is a pure rage filled attack and reminiscent of Deicide at the peak of their powers, its really that good! Now the cobwebs have been thoroughly blown away Torture Divine continues with the pummelling and the way the song just instantly hits and keeps on going without so much as a second of wasted time you just wonder how this will come across live because if they can pull off something as imperative as this live it’s going to be mind-blowingly good! 

Tartarean Grip slightly lengthens the run time of the song to a full 3 minutes as opposed to the 2 minute attacks so far but it does not dull the force of the music and just gives you more time to really sit back and just be engulfed by sonic violence, when death metal sounds this good there is nothing in the world that can match it, this is truly stunning stuff, and the groove riff towards the end of this song needs to be studied for years to come, unbelievable stuff. 

Crueler Tomorrow finally takes a bit of a breather at the start and is lead by just echoing bass and adds a creepiness not yet heard and when it does kick in the slower pace continues but is interspersed with plenty of blastiness and as expected it doesn’t stay slow for long and about a minute in all hell breaks loose in the best possible way but they also manage to mix in a nice groove infused mid-section and the whole mix of sounds just gets me smiling form ear to ear again, Pit Of Anguish feels a bit deathcore-y for me it has the familiar speed and furiousity that has always been there but is does have a bit more of the ‘core feel to proceedings and while I don’t hate it I feel it’s probably the weakest track so far but on the other hand it’s a track most bands would kill to able to write, so y’know can’t complain too much!?? 

With Cosmic Wild Hunt we get another mix of equally savage death metal and scathing black metal-tinged riffing with some downright filthy drum rhythms and in places you get a bit of a thrash era Sepultura darkness which means it all just adds up to yet another outstanding track! On album closer Terminal Revelation its back to the unrelenting speed and fury of the opening tracks, with not a single second wasted on melody or anything stupid like that and it’s just a gloriously violent way to end this tremendous record.

Well Bugger me, first review of 2025 in the bag and its absolutely floored me with how good it was, I wasn’t really expecting much when I pressed play, but Escalation Of Cruelty is an absolute worldie of an album and I feel I may have put myself and 2025 death metal releases on a back foot already because believe me, it is going to take a lot to top this! Furious, violent, invigorating, passionate, and most of all crushingly heavy this album has everything a death metal fan could want and more! A truly breathtaking album that you need to make it your business to listen to RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!! 10/10

Plasticdrop - Life, Death & Miracles (Octopus Records) [Dan Sierras]

Following Phoenicopter, their 2019 debut EP, Paolo Pani (lead vocals, guitar), Martina Manca (bass) and Alessandro Brundu (drums) of Plasticdrop return with their first full length LP Life, Death & Miracles. A solid alt-rock, hard rock offering.

Plasticdrop pull no punches starting on the first track, I Want You To See Me. A fast paced opener that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The next track Nothing To Share has heavy Foo Fighters vibes to it. Followed up by Not For You (not to be confused with Pearl Jam’s 1994 hit). Manca really brings the low end with some nice bass riffage throughout. Simply Beautiful has a later-Candlebox sound to it, that would definitely be heard all over FM radio (if radio stations played music nobody’s heard before).

Overall, Life, Death & Miracles is an album full of radio friendly rock. Had Plasticdrop came out in the era of 90s MTV, they would’ve been huge. But in today era of streaming, they’ll probably be lost in the sea of other hard rock bands. 7/10

Sacrifice - Volume Six (High Roller Records) [Chris Tsintziras]

Sacrifice is a Canadian thrash metal band from Toronto and played an important role in forming the underground metal scene in Toronto in the 80s. Band’s history is divided into 2 eras (1983–1993 & 2006–today). The 13-year hiatus wasn’t at all discouraging from continuing their legacy. Clear evidence is their forthcoming, brand-new album Volume Six. Their anticipated release consists of 11 Canadian thrash statements. 

The album was recorded and mixed at Phase One Studios in Toronto between September 2023 and May 2024 with engineer Darius Szepaniak. Each song gives the listener the opportunity to travel in classic speed and thrash landscapes but with the touch of something new and not another thrash album. It is perfectly clear that the band is in great shape. For example, Your Hunger For War will give “C4 explosive” impact on thrasher’s ears. 

It is loud! It is Canadian Thrash!!!!! Something that is important to underline, is that the members of this album consist of what we call “original line up” which is depicted to the following comments of the vocalist/guitarist Rob Urbinati. “We are very fortunate that we are all still into doing this. Sacrifice is the last of the classic thrash bands with the original lineup intact.” Metal thrashers around the world behold of The Sacrifice! 8/10

Belle Morte - Pearl Hunting (Wormholedeath Records) [Matt Bladen]

If you’re a fan of Nightwish, Xandria and Sonata Arctica, then Belle Morte’s Pearl Hunting could be your album of the year already, the band based in Minsk have released a conceptual album before this one but with Pearl Hunting they gather tales from all over the world and as such they use countless traditional instruments to bolster the soundscapes of these tracks.

Whether it’s the pan pipes on Losing Faith, or Blame Me which is an Argentinian tango that shifts into modern djent riffs, they move from Belarusian/Slavic folk into Celtic themes, Oriental flavours and music from the South American mountains. 

Put with these traditional instruments are of course the normal metal instruments such as guitars, bass, drums etc so when they go into the early 90’s goth/symphonic sound on Wintersleep they do so very well. Much of the mystique around this record are the operatic/theatrical vocals, soaring one moment and whispered the next, regaling you with these stories from across the globe.

Pearl Hunting flips a well-worn genre around with the inclusion some interesting instrumental choices. It’s also got some really good symphonic metal on it too! 8/10

Reviews: Tigertailz (Simon Black)

Tigertailz - For A Few Dollarz More (The Archives Vol 1- 1984 – 1991) [Simon Black]



As a spotty teen in the mid-80’s Glam Metal was very much a thing in my native Nottingham and for a while I too was sucked into the genre (well foundation was good at hiding the zits), before moving onto harder territory around the time the United Nations started taking action on the depletion of the ozone layer and hairspray went out of vogue. Tigertailz did not really cross my radar at the time – dominated as it was by the frankly hugely successful American side of the movement, and I guess that now that I have relocated to their hometown of Cardiff, the least I can do is at least see what all the fuss was about.

Archive box sets from the past have been around forever, but label Cherry Red are very reverential when they pull releases like this together, and still focus on a physical product over a streamed one. Too many of these things can end up being an exercise in corner cutting to cream the maximum from the collector market, but this label goes out of their way to give the fans something they have not had before. 

In this case the box set is built around Tigertailz’ first two albums with Music For Nations, and along with a good restoration and remastering taking place on the actual recordings, the third disk in the set includes the rare Shoot To Kill EP, some extended remixes, radio edits, live cuts and vinyl only B-sides, so for the period covered it’s pretty darned comprehensive. Add to this a nice 24-page glossy booklet and what you have is pretty good value for money.

The first disk is all about the 1987 debut Young And Crazy, but they’ve filled the disk out with three demo tracks that never made the final album cut. This is the record that probably struggles the most over the decades, and not just for the demo tracks. I can imagine that the budget for the original recording was not too high, and it’s difficult even with all the technological advances of the modern age to improve too much on these original cuts, but this is still a massive improvement on the original in terms of quality. 

More importantly it captures the energy and frisson they had, no doubt fuelled with enthusiasm and stimulants to cut the disk in the constrained recording window, so it has the energy even now and part of the charm lies in the honest brashness. It’s clear though that the weak part is the vocals, and although Steevi Jaimz has his moments (notably on closing ballad Fall In Love Again) you can see why he only lasted for the one album. Jim Dovey actually comes out better on the three demo tracks… and the musicians are surprisingly good in places.

Disk 2 is all about 1990’s Bezerk, and so great is the contrast between this and its forerunner, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a completely different band. In some ways this is true, as the four years that had passed since the debut had seen Kim Hooker taking over vocal duties (although his predecessor would continue to be a thorn in the brand’s side for years to come). 

Hooker is a much stronger singer than his predecessor, with more range and flexibility, and when you add a far better production standard then he really comes to the fore. Musically, this is much more bubblegum Hair Metal than it’s more Rough ‘n’ Roll predecessor for a band with a much bigger profile trying to compete with the radio domination of their Stateside template Poison.

Although it’s the same instrumentalists in the line up, they feel like they are pulling their punches at the alter of commerciality here. The debut demonstrated that there were some surprisingly good things going on technically in their writing and playing, which made up for the weak vocal melodies, but this is album pure KISS (as in the expression Keep It Simple Stupid, rather than the band). 

It was a tough call to make – I miss the musicality and rock ‘n’ roll honesty of the first album, but it’s gained a much better frontman and singer and richness of production, but the song writing is much stronger than I expected. Sadly, the point when they get it right is the point when the world loses interest in metrosexual blokes in make-up in favour of the lumberjack shirt and an odeur de sueur… When they did cut a new full studio album, the musical landscape and their sound would be very, very different.

The third disk is an oddity, however. I assumed when I saw this coming that disk 3 would be built around the Banzai! Japan only release, but although it shares some of the content, there are a few gaps, presumably because getting clearance for the Metallica and Megadeath tracks was too hard, but maybe these will crop up in Volume 2.

For completists they will tick some boxes, but it’s the remastered studio albums that shine well across the years. In summary I was pleasantly surprised, having only really heard singles at rock clubs back in the day, so listening to the albums in full for the first time was a surprising revelation. 

The band are still going, albeit with only founder member Jay Pepper remaining in the line-up, but there remains a lot of love for these boys in these parts of South Wales, and having lifted the lid on this slice of the past I can see why. 8/10

Review: Harakiri For The Sky (Mark Young)

Harakiri For The Sky - Scorched Earth (AOP Records)



I’ve got to say that at first, I just couldn’t get on with this at all. The initial blast of vocals just seemed to be so opposed to the music, at first it felt like I was listening to the sum of two different bands that had been melded together. I’ll be straight up here; it took a few listens before it clicked and then after that it was a different proposition.

Scorched Earth comes four years after Maere and the band themselves (MS & JJ) have been in the business of pushing the sonic envelope of extreme music since 2011. Its incredible that there are bands such as this who seem to be flying under the radar (unless its just me) and can put together a complex and challenging piece such as this.

Heal Me (ft Tim Yatras / Austere) is the first indication that this is not going to be an easy ride. This is a tortured vocal performance which is directly opposite to what you might describe as almost joyous music behind it. They move effortlessly between post-metal into black metal on a whim and it is seamless. 

This is music where everything is put out there right from the off, no hiding they are sharing everything with you. It is a supreme effort and I can acknowledge it now I’m synched with it. It constantly evolves until it reaches its natural end. It has been a rich week for me, with this and The Great Old Ones dropping albums that stretch and grow as each track plays out. And in a similar way to Kadath, being able to describe how good it is an effort.

Keep Me Longing opens with a brilliant piano piece that gradually opens up into a full-bore black metal attack. Its furious whilst keeping that opening segment within it. It’s a testament to them both that they are able to build songs to run at the length they do whilst never letting the energy drop. If there is any semblance of similarity with Heal Me, its purely one of quality in execution. Each track is peppered with ‘oh that’s good’ moments, and its something they maintain as we dive into the almost twee opening of Without You I’m Just A Sad Song that opens up and its almost jovial in its build. 

It’s insane just how good this song is, there is so much going on in it and its beautiful to behold (take a bow MS). Every chord, every riff is built to evoke an emotional response in you whilst JJ is smashing you over the head as vocal line after line is delivered with a pain behind it. If you take the bonus tracks out of the equation, then this is an hour of magic that will provoke a reaction from you. It has everything you could possibly want from extreme music from the urgent pace of No Graves But The Sea to the alternative tinged With Autumn I’ll Surrender. Well, I mean alternative filtered with heavy guitars.

Too Late For Goodbyes (ft Serena Cherry of Svalbard) completes the album (I’ll get to the bonus tracks in a mo) and is a juggernaut. It screams out with an almost trad black metal build to it. Epic riffs, drums that are blasting it continually charges forward at pace until Serena comes in with lush, ethereal vocals that are just fantastic. That moment of quiet allows them to come back in with the grit and yes, it’s been done before but on this they absolutely nailed the execution. It is amazing to think that I may have listened to not one but two albums that we should still be listening to come December (yes, I said that). Its huge in its scope and expansive in its sound and is one of the best things I’ve heard ever.

Bonus tracks:

Radiohead might not be your bag, but on Street Spirit (Fade Out) ft P.G. / Groza they teat us to a faithful but fresh take on it. It is not a half-arsed cover; this is a full-on exercise in how you do it properly. This is glorious and is just the cherry on top of one of the most sumptuous cakes you will ever eat.

Elysian Fields ft Daniel Lang / Backwards Charm is something different again, a palate cleanser if you will and its good in its own right but personally, I would have been happy with just Street Spirit.

Ultimately, this is a monumental release for me. I hastily recommend you get hold of it immediately and just digest it straight away. I’m glad I struck with it and I hope it doesn’t take them 4 years to write another. 10/10

Reviews: The Breathing Method, Voidfallen, Sisters Doll, TFNRSH (Rich Piva & Liam Williams)

The Breathing Method - After Everything Else (Self Release) [Rich Piva]

The Breathing Method are a new Scottish band who definitely love Therapy? This is, of course, a really good thing, and those good things shine though nicely on their debut record, After Everything Else. The record is eleven tracks of grunge with hints of punk and metal thrown in, but also with a keen sense of melody. Sound familiar?

Take the song Secrets, for example. If it was a bit cleaner it could be a B-side from the Troublegum sessions. They have this Therapy? + Husker Du thing going on which is wonderful. The production is very fuzzy and lo-fi, but not in a bad way, but on purpose (I assume), and it certainly works. The first two tracks show off the band’s ability to rock and understand melody at the same time. The opener, Hope For A Better Day, certainly shows the lads can rock and combine the wonderfulness of the Irish band I have mentioned before with the more raw Seattle bands of the 90s.

The melody shines through on All Of My Dreams, which is right out of the Therapy? playbook. Their version of the Du’s Hardly Getting Over It is called Demons, an acoustic driven track that shows off the band’s ability to quiet down when they want to. Unbearable is more of the same in the best kind of way, while Burden reminds me of their version of Hellbelly. I really dig the closer, Jupiter, a straight-ahead heavy alt rock track that channels The Replacements. You don’t veer of the tracks style-wise on After Everything Else, and that is just fine with me and will be with you if you dig the bands I have been mentioning.

You into Therapy? early Nirvana, Mclusky, Husker Du, and the fuzzier side of the Seattle scene circa the early 1990s? If the answer is yes, you will really dig the debut album from The Breathing Method. 8/10

Sisters Doll - Scars (Self Released) [Liam Williams]

Australian glam rockers Sisters Doll are back with their brand new album Scars. The third full LP in their discography. This album is fun. It’s quite cheesy, but the music more than makes up for it.

We start with an instrumental intro track called Purgatory. This track features some really nice Spanish style acoustic guitar with some duel guitars joining in about halfway through. It’s short but it’s a really good intro track. Climbing Out Of Hell follows up and gets straight into action. It has a great guitar riff for the intro. 

The verses calm down a bit with the addition of clean guitars. Halfway through the verses the lead guitar comes in which sounds really nice. There’s a cool guitar solo which ends with a bit of duel guitars for the bridge leading into the final chorus. Track 3 is Prisoner. The verses are broken up with the main guitar riff dropping in and out. I really like the bass and the choruses are quite punchy.

We then get to a few tracks which I felt were a little bit weaker than the rest. Change is a bit softer and cheerful but quite cheesy. First Time and Don’t Give Up On Us both start off with some acoustic guitar in the intros. Both songs build up with the rest of the band joining in to turn these ballads more into power ballads which, to be fair, the band does quite well.

Tracks 7-9 (Babydoll, United and Take You Away) go back to the cool riffing and slightly heavier tone and style. I particularly liked track 9, Take You Away quite a lot. Not much of a fan of the cheesy lyrics bit the vocals are done well and the rest of the band sounds great, which pretty much describes this entire album in my opinion.

Tracks 10 and 11 (Kiss Me and You Can’t Bring Me Down) are both very cheesy but I do really like the intro in You Can’t Bring Me Down. And again, the guitar parts in general sound brilliant. Then we’re on to the last track of the album, title track, Scars. This one is quite interesting. It starts with just some acoustic guitar and strings. 

The vocals come in for the first verse and the overall mood of the first half of this track is quite melancholic. Things build up with the rest of the band joining in for the third and final chorus before dropping out again, leaving just acoustic guitar, bass and backing vocals playing on until fading out for the outro.

I did like this album, yes it’s cheesy in some parts but it’s all done quite well and there were no moments which killed my enjoyment. At times when I was a little put off by the lyrics, I focused more on the rest of the band and they carried me through it, so massive props to them. The vocalist is a really good singer, I just felt that the actual lyrics let him down a bit in some parts. Overall, really good album, not exactly my cup of tea but like said, it is a fun album. 8/10

Voidfallen – The Rituals Of Resilience (Noble Demon) [Liam Williams]

Here we have the brand new 2nd studio album from melodic death metal group Voidfallen. This album has 10 fantastic tracks which all range from gut punchingly brutal to very cinematic and epic from start to finish.

The album kicks off with Threads Of Blood. It begins with some ominous synth and guitar playing in the background. Things get heavy when the rest of the band come in. I love the pre-chorus sections with some choir vocals accompanying the guttural screams of the lead vocalist. There’s a really nice guitar solo which leads into the final chorus before the band fade out, leaving just the synth and keys to end the song. 

The Original Wound starts with the synth from the last track bleeding in before the band come back in for a really epic build-up to the first verse with some very fast drumming. The verses and choruses are really great in this track. There’s a nice duel guitars section leading into the bridge. The track ends with some very haunting synth. Hymn For The Fallen starts with a brief swell of strings before the band come in and bring the chaos. This track has some more duel guitars action for the solo. It ends with more choir vocals and an uneasy feeling piano.

Starved For Martyrs starts with more choir vocals, piano and synth. I love the lead guitar part in the pre-choruses. The band go straight into verse 2, leaving out the first chorus and subverting expectations. This track also ends with some eerie piano. Track 5 is Thread With The Ghosts. This one starts with a bit of spooky synth before the band come in thrashing. There’s another creepy synth section which leads into the epic bridge section. From The Towers Of Ivory does not mess around and gets straight to the epic and heavy. There’s 2 verses before we get to the chorus with the intro riff coming back in before the second chorus.

Ritual Of Resilience has a strange and unique song structure. This song has no verses. Just 3 choruses and a bridge section. All broken up by some more epic instrumental sections. Next is Pyre Of Vengeance. There’s immediately a moody atmosphere introduced with the sounds of rain and thunder accompanied by piano and some strings. When the band come in, the guitars momentarily take over the piano part before dropping back out for the spoken word first verse. This is easily my second favourite track on the album. 

Speaking of favourites, we get to my pick for #1 favourite track on the album with track 9, Branding Of Souls. This one straight up sounds like some epic final boss fight music from a game. It’s chaotic and heavy from the moment it starts. Really great use of choir vocals, strings and other parts to accompany the band. 

The album ends with The Mourning Shores. A more sombre sounding track with strings and piano in the intro, accompanied by the only bit of clean vocals for the first verse. The band come in to bring the heavy again for the pre-chorus and chorus. The second verse is led with spoken word and strings but with the drums sticking around this time. We get a repeat of the heavy pre-chorus and chorus before the piano and strings play on for the outro to end the song.

This was a truly epic album. The band know when to add more or hold back when they need to so that each song can stand out on their own and still hold up as one cohesive collection of tracks. There was never a point where I got bored listening to this album or started to feel that things were sounding too much of the same thing on repeat. The songs are great, I especially love the guitar work. The rest of the band were awesome too and other parts like strings, piano, choir and etc... were all done really well and never felt out of place. Great job! 10/10

TFNRSH - Book Of Circles (Broken Music) [Rich Piva]

TFNRSH are an Instrumental Psychedelic Prog-Rock trio from Tübingen, Germany who are bringing you part two of their long trip. Four more mind-bending blasts of heavy when they want to be psych prog for those who like to lose themselves in instrumental bliss.

Their first record, TIEFENRAUSCH, garnered a ton of buzz and praise, and for good reason. Book Of Circles is right there with their debut. For me, I will sometimes struggle with instrumental bands. The key for my listening is if there is enough going on to keep me engaged. These four tracks are expertly played, go in all sorts of directions but never seem scattered, and have the cleanest, but not overproduced sound I have heard in a while. TFNRSH are experts in setting you up for blasts of heavy prog, surrounded by some chill moments and even some grooving. 

Take the opener, Zemestan, as the perfect example. I especially like when the guitar gets all trippy towards the end. You get chunky riffs to start on WRZL, showing that the band can bring the heavy when they want to, but also show how they have mastered the loud-quiet-loud dynamic with multiple tempo changes throughout the ten-minute track. The guitar work at about 3:50 is excellent, and the rhythm section enhances the experience even further. I also really love around 6:00 when you feel like you are about to enter a moment of bliss only for the riffs to bring you out of that spell. 

Zorn continues the overall vibe of Book Of Circles, this time with some German spoken word over some sparse instrumentation (which may be a minute or two too long), led by the drums, but you just know and some point the crunch is coming, and boy does it. The back half of this track is just killer. At just under eight minutes, Ammoglÿd is the shortest track on the record but that doesn’t mean that it is not the engaging journey the other three songs are, grabbing you with the beauty of the track, with anticipation building throughout, waiting for the moment the hammer will fall, and in a very cool change, you never get there, leaving you wanting more.

I don’t generally reach for the instrumental bands (CTS is a major exception) but when I do, I need to feel like I am in it. TFNRSH does that for me on Book Of Circles. It never loses my attention, bringing the story alive with zero singing and expert playing. Exactly what I need from an instrumental record. 8/10