Reviews: AVKRVST, Fairyland, Savaged, Signeri (Matt Bladen)

AVKRVST - Waving At The Sky (InsideOut Music)

After being celebrated, quite rightly for their incredible debut album, The Approbation, AVKRVST return with its follow up Waving At The Sky. Now you may be expecting a sequel to that grandiose debut but Waving At The Sky is actually a prequel to the events of The Approbation, a clever way for the band to realign their sound as it doesn’t have to be exactly like the first album. It's very bleak and emotionally powerful album that's built on familial tragedy and loss, hooked around the track The Trauma, which is the catalyst for the entire story to come setting the tone for another conceptual journey. 

With their previous release I compared them to the likes of Opeth, Steven Wilson and even King Crimson, though they are a five piece band, they have three members that supply keys and synths, allowing a cinematic sound to permeate as the metallic edges are so often accompanied by the melodic passages. Martin Utby, Øystein Aadland, and Auver Gaaren bring Mellotron, organs, acoustic/electronic synthesizers and Moog, these densely layered synths all adding, the classic prog atmospherics of these bands. While they played a part on the debut album their position seems more important on Waving At The Sky, perhaps due to the more introspective, aggressive and melancholic nature of the album the use of synths and keys is more affecting. 

Still there’s plenty of metal about as Øystein Aadland's bass drives Preceding which is an overture of sorts before things really kick off on the jazzy strains of The Trauma. Here Simon Bergseth and Edvard Seim guitars bring some heavy riffage Martin Utby banging the hell out of the drums on the albums opening salvo, reminiscent of the debut with the compositional skills of Simon Bergseth and Martin Utby on display, it's a short shock to the system where clean and harsh vocals intertwine to begin the tale. 

From here we take those routes into expansive prog, as Families Are Forever flows with repressed aggression, building slowly into a soaring guitar solo and strings towards the end as we shift into Conflating Memories which has where the King Crimson style looms, parps of flute between a riff that unfolds. So far it's a brooding release, the darkness of the concept really biting home, like Dream Theater's Scenes From A Memory meets Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence on the start stop, heavy metal moment that is the forceful Ghosts Of Yesteryear. 

The Malevolent on the other hand is bouncy, gothic, melodic number that features Haken's Ross Jennings on co-vocals, another of the diverse ways AVKRVST shift their approach on Waving At The Sky. As the album closes with the epic title track the mood doesn’t lighten as such but there’s a catharsis to it that leads into the more melodic strains of The Approbation. Like Star Wars releasing the record backwards has made sure they can develop two distinct albums while keeping their similarities in place. Another stunning record from AVKRVST. 9/10

Fairyland - The Story Remains (Frontiers Music Srl)

Cinematic strings reminiscent of Howard Shore, John Williams or Hans Zimmer? Spoken word telling a tale of fantasy realms? First track begins with double kicks and shredding guitars? It must be power metal! It is folks! French symphonic power metal band Fairytale return with their first album since the passing of their founding keyboard player Phil Giordana. While Willdric Lievin (guitar/bass) the other longest serving member remains, the line up on this fifth studio album is pretty much all new, with the exception of drummer JB Pol. 

Giordana left music to work on but this album had a hard road so as they recorded and wrote The Story Remains they looked to define themselves as the next chapter in Fairyland’s epic history. This meant that with new musicians, they could put their own style and background to the songs, without straying too far from the vision of Giordana. Joining on vocals is Archie Caine, who has a very high register in the European style, but showcases his broad range on the record, reminding of Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica. Brieuc De Groof joins on guitars bringing some of his extreme metal history to darker moments such as Hopeless Still. 

It’s Gideon Ricardo who has the toughest job though as he takes the band founders position behind the keys and proves to be exceptional with his melodies, leads and orchestrations making the record sound massively symphonic, especially on Unity, creating the fictional fantasy world that this album is based around, though he provides a more contemporary style on The Chosen One, although it isn’t long before we’re back on familiar ground with the epic Unbreakable (my favourite track here). 

This is classic Fairyland but for modern times, the band creating a new legacy in their latest form, of course looking to the past, but embracing the future too. As a special treat original singer Elisa C. Martin re-joins the band for a version of Suffering Ages originally by Hamka her band with Willdric Lievin and JB Pol. The story of Fairyland doesn’t just remain, it continues in bombastic fashion on this new record. Long may it continue! 8/10

Savaged - Rising (No Remorse Records)

It's on No Remorse Records so it's going to be speed/trad/thrash/doom metal. Usually very retro in style and production but with contemporary skills to make it sound old school without being just the limitations of the equipment. Savaged are speed metal from Barcelona Spain and they have quickly followed up their 2024 debut Night Stealer with a sophomore release Rising.

Savaged played Headbangers Open Air 2023 without having an album so they certainly have a live pedigree behind them, with comparisons to Riot (V), Tokyo Blade and even Priest, this leather clad mob encapsulate the 80's metal scene well, hitting the road with their spiky guitars and bullet belts, honing their skills and these songs on stage before jumping into Moontower Studios to record them so they get back on the road.

The dual harmonies of Jamie Killhead and Joan Grimalt are in melodic synchronicity on all 9 tracks but especially on The Long Walk while Across The Burning Fields puts some Malmsteen-like lead playing with galloping bottom end from Aleix Coll (bass) and Cristian Blade (drums). There's a lot of speed metal like I said but they have a bit of glam coming on Fire It Up, some chest beating fantasy metal on the chuggy The Conquered while Stars Are Falling takes a more epic track with a bit of a Queensryche influence stretching the histrionic vocals of Killhead.

Rising is a great follow up from Savage, it keeps with what they do well while also expanding their approach into other areas of 80's metal. 8/10

Signeri - Signeri (ViciSolum Productions)

Dark Swedish metal now as Signeri bring their self titled debut album. They are four piece who play dark, blackened metal inspired by the dark arts and the occult.

In the for fans of section it states bands such as Tribulation and Satyricon and you can hear the imprint of both these acts on this album. The music is too melodic to be classed as pure black metal, having a mechanised thump on Legion Strong, then Setting Fire To Worthless has the ominous gothic industrial edge of Septicflesh.

It's the use of brass and organs that's flesh out the soundscapes of Signeri, it takes them from being just another band who play a more melodic version of black metal into being one that takes risks. The issue is that no matter how many risks they take they stick rigidly to black metal sqwarks in the vocals.

For me a bit of diversity wouldn't go amiss as it does mean a lot of them are a bit one note, with the exception of Hills Painted Red where there's a fair whack of death doom. Signeri is an album that puts the band on the right path but they need to sort the vocals out a little. 6/10

Reviews: Passengers In Panic, Still Dusk, Manos Six & The Muddy Devil, Qualia (Matt Bladen)

Passengers In Panic – Amnesia (Sleaszy Rider Records)

Passengers In Panic, streamline with album number two, embarking on a less progressive path over all but maintaining their unique mix of grooving heavy metal driven by the rhythm section of bassist Lefteris Christou (ex-Womb Of Maggots, ex-Inactive Messiah) and drummer Phoibos Andriopoulos (Clairvoyant, Sad Dolls) and traditional folk music.

Both Lefteris and Phoibos have bags of experience in the heavy metal fringes of extreme/power/gothic metal and so they channel these skills to create a style that bit more mainstream with influences of modern and classic metal combining with their use of traditional folk instruments such as a Macedonian gajda (bagpipe), the kaval (flute), the laouto (similar to an oud), the violin and the daouli (drum).

It steers them more towards the direction of acts such as Orphaned Land and the Scandinavian folk metal scene. But this is Greek folk music, something which has life of its own evolving from Ancient Greek, Balkan and Byzantine traditions, giving Passengers In Panic a similar approach as the lauded, Villagers Of Ioannina City. They even cover a Greek folk song, Kaixi, on this album to further their hybrid sound.

Along with the rhythm section I mentioned earlier Passengers In Panic are rounded out by the storming riffs and harmonic melodies of guitarist Lela Argyri and the soaring emotive voice of Ioanna Galani. As a four piece they play socially conscious music, inspired by violence, injustice and relationships and how we all navigate through these, the vocals from Ioanna are not typically what you'd expect but they're passionate and carry the folkisms well.

Amnesia embellishes the Passengers In Panic sound with vocals and narration from Yiannis Tsortekis of the Netflix series Maestro while How To Breathe features orchestration from Christos Antoniou of Septicflesh. How To Breathe takes us into modern mainstream metal doing away with the majority of the other instruments for one song as we go into something similar to the likes of Evanescence while Siren's Call ups the riff quota.

Now right at the beginning of the album I said they were doing away with the prog but 23:21 definitely has a proggy time signature to it but Echoes Of Death hits it's stride with a Maiden-like gallop, those Maiden style returns on the title track as well. Erase Me leans heavily on the pipes as Mother's Lament continues with the pipes alongside the Maiden grooves.

Passengers In Panic return with an album that focuses on their uniqueness, combining classic metal grooves with traditional arrangements, its a very strong sophomore release. 8/10

Still Dusk - Chronicles Of Dystopia (Rock Company Records)

Still Dusk are an alternative metal band from Athens, Greece, formed in 2018, Chronicles Of Dystopia is their debut full length after their released and EP in 2023. That was lauded and it seems as if Chronicles Of Dystopia will receive similar high praise for it's hard hitting down-tuned riffs and gutsy vocals. The band members all have different musical backgrounds and they merge it all into Still Dusk, be it the symphonic gothic flavour of Black Water, the pop punk moves of Disobedience or the 80's balladry of Midnight Run, there's a real breadth to their 'alt metal' tag.

With bands such as Skunk Anansie, SOAD, Halestorm and the grunge style of AIC and more all visited by Still Dusk. They craft songs with a lot of power to them, the musical backing of guitarist Yannis Kemenidis, bassist Constantine Stavrou and drummer Yannis Tarasis, brings thick grooves to the likes of Eigengrau, however they can roll it back to more melodic moments as well. Konstantina Damianidou's vocals are passionate carrying the culturally/socially conscious lyrics and big chorus hooks these songs have, with her own style that sneers on Insidious as the album closes with the funky but chunky Sugar.

Chronicles Of Dystopia is a big metal record from Still Dusk, nine impressive alt metal tracks with some guts. 7/10

Manos Six & The Muddy Devil – When Skies Are Grey EP (FYC Records)

Americana from Greece, Manos Six & The Muddy Devil come from the shadows with some Death-Country inspired by Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Oldboy with the dark heart of bands such as Crippled Black Phoenix. Comprised of Manos Six (vocals/banjo) and Stamos Abatis on acoustic bass, they play with the stripped back ethos of black metal.

They are joined by Jan Westermann (drums/percussion), Elena Malamou (six string banjo) and Gina Selini (keyboards/noise), this EP has a fuller sound than their previous album. Named for the traditional song You Are My Sunshine (copyrighted by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell), they flip it back to it’s introspective roots by a slight renaming of When Skies Are Grey when they play their version as track too, a simplistic arrangement of whispered, fractured vocals and banjos it’s haunting, as it builds into some fizzy electric guitars (from George Emmanuel) but the whole record is supposed to be haunting and ominous.

Drawn from the mysticism and storytelling of the American South, the music of Manos Six & The Muddy Devil has a dark, pagan heart to it. At odds with many of the artists associated with country and Americana, they make sure to leave the doors of their chapel open to let the devil in. Whether it’s the bluegrass shuffle of I’m Not Gonna Turn My Back On The Devil, that shifts into black metal, the guitars of Dimitris Kouzis ferocious as the American traditional music takes a more metallic turn. When Skies Are Grey is more forays into the belly of the American South through the minds of Atheist Greeks. 8/10

Qualia And The Five Ancestors Of The Great Maryland Kingdom - Accidentally Funding The End Of The World (Thousand Islands Records)

Compared to Protest The Hero, This Is A Standoff and Bad Religion, there's plenty of comparisons that can be made on this new album from Athenian progressive punks Qualia And The Five Ancestors Of The Great Maryland Kingdom, who I'll refer to just Qualia for the purpose of this review.

Their new album "digs into PFAS, BPAs, PCBs, microplastics, and the toxic legacy we keep burying ourselves in." It's ultimately though about how humans navigate these things and how we should try to improve the way we use them before they bury us all.

A punk rock ideology if there ever was one but this is punk Jim but not as we know it. Accidentally Funding The End Of The World is a very proggy record taking influence from prog (Styrofoam) skate/crossover punk (The Middle), mathcore (Eat The Stars) and simple pop punk (The Conversationist), they throw a lot more than just four on the floor chords with this second album.

The Devil's Garage, sounds like Yes with the fluid guitars, while Stockholm Syndrome Flavoured Cake reminds me of Weezer, Legacy Of Contaminants meanwhile is a 6 minute piece of They Might Be Giants goes hardcore punk, the synths oscillate on Deficit and Rounding. You'd think Qualia were from the USA on how slick this record is, especially the vocals. An impressive record from not your average punk band. 8/10

Reviews: Outergods, Goya, Sleeping Mountain, Nightbearer (Mark Young, Rich Piva, Matt Bladen & GC)

Outergods - Dethroned & Devoured (Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings) [Mark Young]

Now then this is a first for me. With this review of Outergods latest I have the opportunity to see the development from their 2023 album A Kingdom Built Upon The Wreckage Of Heaven which received top marks. 

I mentioned the resurgence of British extreme metal, of bands that have a unique voice and deserve to be heard. A brief recap on influences: At The Gates, Morbid Angel, Strapping Young Lad to name but three so if you haven’t come across them yet it should give you a firm idea of what is instore.

Origin is the beginning statement and already the little touches are shining through. Just check out the drum fills in the first half just before it properly kicks off there are some fantastic flourishes in there. In terms of heaviness, it does the trick of bringing a clarity so you hear every strike combined with sheer speed you end up with a class opener that does an awful lot in a short time and frankly has me geed up for what comes next. 

Mortal Gateway is where the fun really begins. Pneumatic double bass, blasts and just all out aggression is what comes next, that fury that was present last time round is here and they have amped it up. That clarity I mentioned cuts through as the riffs speed by and I’ll be honest I’m loving it. It has some exceptional riffing in this, played with intent. 

There is no chance of slow down on track 3, Sprawling Chaos is about taking black metal and squeezing it through a punk build until they decide to change direction and really put their feet down. Its rapid with purpose, not just for the sake of it. Cosmic Abomination is where the throat is opened up as technicality meets brutality. 

The mix of the two is a heady combination and yet they don’t forget to have a payoff where the guitars ascend in that kind of movement that leave the hairs standing. You hear their influences but don’t hear ‘homage’ and that closing riff is just top class. 2025 has had some good releases but comparing to 2024 it felt a bit slim. 

Outergods have changed that with this release. And speaking of change, Phantasm represents a change in attack. Going for a slower tempo, it gives them chance to show that its not all about the speed and that they can write a song that is sprawling in its build. It is a quality moment from them and yes, they do close it with blasts but you can forgive them for that. It has an epic feel to it without resorting to repeating patterns or empty air. 

The Sleepless Malice comes at you with similar idea in mind, except its more technically driven. Its still relentless, pushing forward but with those classic key changes that add a dynamic to it. The solo is quality, bridging two sides of the song together in a way that is completely organic. I don’t think we talk about how important track listings are and on here they have got absolutely spot on. 

Having Phantasm/The Sleepless Malice as what I would have called end of Side A and start of Side B means that we have has a cracking journey getting there. Sparagmos gets them back in that vibe of hit and hit again. It’s a dizzying rapid fire 3 minutes where they just let it all go. 

At its heart is a simple theme but is played at a frenetic pace meant to cave your skull in. And with Celestial Heretic they decide to cave it in some more, the extra time affording them a larger scope in which to do it. Again, their choice of how it deploys is key knowing where and when to speed up and to slow and it’s a masterful piece of work. 

The end leads into A Mausoleum At The Edge Of Time, which is going to be the deciding factor in appraising this as very good or as AOTY contender. Where we had the double punch of Phantasm and The Sleepless, both had that epic feel but in a relatively short length A Mausoleum is their masterwork and is the definition of ‘leaving the best for last’. 

It brings everything together, and it just rips with an energy that doesn’t let up and some of the juiciest melody lines you have heard in ages. It is 9 minutes of class and for me can be held up as what a gold standard sounds like.

I had a lot of fun with this, for me it is one of those albums that starts off great and then just gets better, each track building on the impact of the one before with zero repetition. 

The development between this and this and A Kingdom Built Upon The Wreckage Of Heaven is there for all to see. It is excellent stuff and it is on the list for AOTY. There may be other albums which make that list, but I cannot see anyone dislodging them from it.

This is a band that can be held up as a prime example of British metal, it’s that simple. 10/10

Goya - In The Dawn Of November (Blues Funeral Recordings) [Rich Piva]

Do you like your doom heavy, tuned low, chock filled with riffs, and super depressing? Well, the six songs on the new Goya record, In The Dawn Of November, are here for you in a big way. The Phoenix, Arizona band are back and their fourth album is not fucking around. 

How big and how much not fucking around? How about bringing in legend Jack Endino behind the board? I don’t have to list all of the amazing projects he has been involved with for you to know how cool this is. 

Not only is Goya going big with their sound and their producer, but the songs on In The Dawn Of November are next level as well, with main writer Jeffrey Owens turning out some of his most emotional and deep lyrics that we have heard from this already excellent band. 

This version of Goya (Owens is the only original member and this is a brand-new lineup from their last full length) has a super tight rhythm section and for the first time has a fourth member listed in the band credits, as some keyboards are expertly worked into this heavy and sad as hell record with very cool results. This may be the doom record of the year, or at least very close to it.

I have read a few reviews that mention bands like Electric Wizard and Type O Negative as reference points, which alone should be enough for anyone to listen to In The Dawn Of November. But this record is way more melodic than what EW is all about, and much less cinematic than what a Type O fan is expecting, but I get where they are coming from, especially with the Type O stuff. 

Lyrically, a song like Sick Of Your Shit has serious Peter Steele vibes, and there is enough low tuned fuzz for the record to call out some of the masters of the genre like EW, but I actually hear Soundgarden and the early Seattle stuff more than I do some of the big doom influences. 

Of course, they are there, this is a Goya record. So yeah, I Wanna Be Dead sounds like Sabbath and Candlemass when it starts, and Type O when it kicks in (such a Type O song title too), but this is when Endino lends his magic to Goya to leverage his experience with all of those killer records he has been involved with. 

Yeah, Endino was fired during the recording of the Melvins record Houdini, but tell me you don’t hear some of that era of the Melvins in this track and the five others on here. I love how the keys are in the mix on this one too. The twelve minutes fly by.

The Melvins are what I hear with the opening title track too, but with way more psych leaning guitar parts, which are amazing by the way. I love how Owens layers his vocals on this one too, as the emotion in his voice is multiplied making this track even more impactful. 

Musically the Soundgarden vibes are all over Cemetery Blues but with Peter Steele on bass and with some writing credits. Love the solo on this one too. Even when they turn up the tempo, they keep the sadness to 11, with the little ripper Depressive Episode just killing it, bringing a band like Restless Spirit to mind as well. 

The closer, Comes With The Fall, is a weird little fever dream that makes you wonder if the five previous songs were just all a terrible nightmare, in the best sort of way. There are not enough super heavy yet very accessible records out there, but now we have In The Dawn Of November to change all that. 

Heavy, doomy, melodic, expertly played, perfectly produced, and enough sadness to make you an emotional wreck, the new Goya record rules and is a for sure album of the year candidate and one of my favourite doom records in a very long time. 10/10

Sleeping Mountain - Sleeping Mountain (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Sleeping Mountain are a heavy psych/desert/prog rock band from London, featuring Aitor Mendez (guitar/keys/vocals), David Saunders (bass) and Alexis Humanes (drums/vocals), their debut album is a monster if you like your riffs heavy and fuzzy and your atmospheres woozy. 

A track such as Tennessee Walking Horse slow burns with some heavy Kyuss vibes, drifting into spatial realms as they also add some Pink Floyd-like sonic exploration. The band cite Sabbath, Floyd and All Them Witches as influences but I'd be happy to throw in the likes of Nightstalker, Valley Of The Sun and Greenleaf too, psychedelic stoner with propulsion and groove to it that begins with the instrumental first track Humans. 

Setting the tone for the whole album Humans, has some dynamic drums and bass as the guitars are unleashed, the repeating words of Howard Beale, Peter Finch's Oscar winning character in 1976's film Network , ringing out as the track closes and the Sabbath doom of Walls Of Shadows steps in. 

Lyrically inspired by the occult, witchcraft and with a sense of introspection throughout, Sleeping Mountain display the latter on Walls Of Shadows, where they step it back to just bass and drums to lead into Wildfire. It's with Wildfire that those Nightstalker similarities continue, especially vocally, Akelarre another one taking that route. 

On In The Land Of The Burning Witches they shift into the thick riffs of Sleep, which continue on heavy melancholic doom of Alibi. Sleeping Mountain have gigantic sound for a trio, they shift between all of their styles with ease, easing off the gas when the time calls for it and they have to explore space but pressing the throttle down to up the volume and pace when needed. 

On The Door they showcase their proggier side, bubbling organs reminding me of Morrison & Co but with massive Cathedral influenced doom sound from the middle. Sleeping Mountain combine stoner, psych, doom and prog brilliantly on their debut album, a band whose riffs render them dormant no longer. 9/10

Nightbearer - Defiance (Testimony Records) [GC]

Things to be happy about when looking up Nightbearer, 1: Old school death metal, tick, happy enough about that! things not to be happy about, 1: Heavily influenced by fantasy & horror literature, I am not a fan of fantasy stuff at all and to read that their latest album Defiance is directly influenced by the His Dark Materials trilogy of books isn’t really filling me with much hope.

Opener Dust is just an acoustic intro that is 52 seconds of acoustic noodling that doesn’t really do much, this small inconvenience is instantly kicked to the curb by His Dark Materials which races out of the blocks and is a sharp, tight and heavily melodic death metal bludgeoning, the guitars hit with the right amount of heaviness and melody, the drumming is solid and forms a strong backbone to the song and the vocals are vicious and round everything off nicely.

Then on Defiance the Scandinavian influence of the melodic side is the shinning light that holds everything together it’s a blitzkrieg of buzzsaw guitars and whirlwind drumming and the way the melody is worked into things adds another level to the whole sound.

One Church Over All goes for a more measured approach and slows the pace to an almost crawl compared to the force of what has proceeded it and while it allows them more room to try new things I just feels that while it’s a good song to listen to it just halts the upward trajectory of the album maybe it’s a good idea to have this song now and the rest will make up for it? Dying Knows No Bounds throws the shackles off again and is another blistering and forceful death metal number that has all the best parts of the more old-school death metal still manages to insert some melody into places to throw the song in different directions and never manages to sound predictable. 

Reign Supreme feels like the song they have been dying to release as it feels like the most drama and symphony is on offer here, the death metal, death metals as you would expect it to but they add more off kilter timescales in here and as mentioned the atmospheric melodic parts are ramped up to the very top of the scale and there is also some mid song chugging just to add another layer BUUUUUUUT, its all delivered at a pace that is just lacking somewhat, so really limits the feel of the whole song for me, which is a shame as I can appreciate what they are aiming for but it just doesn’t do it for me.

Under The Sun Of War feels like it should sound a lot more epic than what we get, minus the double bass drums everything else feels slightly flat and it feels like they are holding something back for some reason, its got lots of wonderfully played music but I’m just expecting something huge and it doesn’t feel like I am getting it. 

But, then just like that we do get something massive, we get 9:38 of Ascension and its probably exactly what you would expect of a track with such a lengthy run time, there are furiously heavy sections intertwined with some wonderfully mixed in atmosphere and haunting beauty that has threatened to sneak through but here absolutely shines like a beacon and its all wound together to create something truly magnificent. 

Until We Meet Again is a rousing song that gallops and marches instead of stomping and pounding, you might not even mind that it’s an instrumental, I mean? I mind because the vocals on this album have been immense, but you might not mind? Republic Of Heaven feels like a statement to end the album on, all the best parts of the savage death metal take back over and remind us for one last time what Nightbearer are capable of, utterly fantastic and brutally wonderful death metal brilliance.

Despite my initial hesitance about the theme of the record, the way it sounded was more than enough to win me over, as with most records there were a couple of bits that just weren’t for me but there was more than enough to outweigh any complaints from me! Defiance is a brilliant death metal record and that's really all that matters at the end of the day. 8/10

A View From The Savoy: Battle Of The Bands 2025 (Matt Bladen)

Battle Of The Bands, The Savoy, Barry, 31.05.25

So having recently moved MoM Towers to Barry, it was about time checked out what the extremely local scene was. Thankfully a couple of pioneering individuals took it upon themselves to start putting on gigs at The Savoy, a former cinema turned snooker hall. 

These gigs have done well so this year as part of the Glastonbarry Fringe, they went a bit further and booked a four show battle of the bands with the winners receiving all sorts of wonderful prizes including, cash, studio time and a headline set at The Bunkhouse. 

Unfortunately due to my commitments with M2TM I missed the three previous heats however I made over to the final which saw M2TM 2025 alumni Garbage Day Massacre, Paradox To Stay and Exaust who will be playing Day Of Wreckoning. 

Firstly I was struck how big the venue is, it's almost cavernous with a huge high ceiling, a high stage and three separate areas that featured the quieter bar area, then the pool tables and a raised area where the DJ booth is and then the main performance area itself. 

The organisers have made sure to PA is as good as they can get having swapped out most of it so any band's that play there get the clearest and loudest sound they can. It paid off as all three acts sounds bright, clear and heavy as hell when they played. I've seen all three bands this year, some a couple of times but I haven't heard them as well as I did in The Savoy. 

What impressed me though is how full the place was, a £6 a ticket even this spacious venue seemed full to the gunnels, almost the entire Barry metal scene came out to support the venue, the promoters and the bands it was a joy for my heart to see, as this seems to be a very dedicated local following and bodes well future events in the venue. 

It was Paradox To Stay who took the crown on the night but whole night was a triumph as The Savoy proved itself to be a viable addition to the South Wales music scene. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Reviews: Orthodox, Holy Scum, Funeral, Inglorious (Mark Young & Matt Bladen)

Orthodox - A Door Left Open (Century Media) [Mark Young]

Orthodox, come blasting on their latest slab of hardcore brutality. If I was asked to describe it in one word I would go with ‘chunky’ because it’s the best word I can find to accurately describe the tone deployed by guitarists Austin Evans and Ben Touchberry. 

It’s a sound that is so thick it just dominates proceedings from the off. What you have is 12 songs that revolve around a distinct arrangement that basically wants to stomp you into the ground. Online, they are described as Metalcore and yes there are leanings into that style and for some that label may discourage but I would look past that and get onboard with just how well their songs roll out during its 33-minute run time. 

They take absolutely no time in getting straight into it, starting off with the aforementioned chunky build of Can You Save Me? And you could be forgiven for thinking that this style will be repeated but you would be wrong. Yes, they drop massive break downs but when they want to up that speed and as a result complexity of the music (see Godless Grace for some fleet fingered moves) they can do that equally as well. 

They further change that style up to suit with Keep Your Blessings which keeps that initial approach in play but adds in an underlying backing noise that adds to the sound of aural destruction. The ending stretch of this one is huge, with everything slowing down as they rain their artillery down on you until there is a brief respite. And it is very brief as it circles back to a stormer of riff. Its that combination of intelligent yet heavy guitar work with that sound that makes it work so well.

Some may find that repeated percussive blasts are maybe one-note or boring, but I think that would stem from perhaps a negative view of Metalcore in general. I’m not a great fan of it as a whole because I do find it to be boring but sometimes you chance upon a band like this that makes it a devastating listen. Check out Step Inside for how they can shift from a traditional fast start into a more engaging arrangement that throws in some wonderful guitar lines amongst the brutality. 

There should also be shout outs to the backbone on here provided by Shiloh Krebs and Mike White (bass and drums respectively) who lock down and provide the space and support for Austin and Ben to do their thing. And they do this very well yet if they didn’t have the voice of Adam Easterling to provide that abrasive roar then there is no way it would hit as hard as it does. It’s a collective where each is pulling in the same direction, utterly driven on the target in front of them. 

I think that if you are fan already, then I am probably preaching to the converted and you know exactly what you are getting here. For others, don’t be put off by that label, I mean who cares about them anyway? This is as good as anything you will hear this year because of how they do it. They make it theirs and even throw in a scorching lead on Searching For a Pulse which I thank them for. They attain a level of intensity that feels tangible, you feel it from the first seconds and it is present right up the closing seconds of Will You Hate Me?

It there was an album that is meant to be played live, it is this. Each of these tracks are killer and are pared to the bone. If its on there, its there for a purpose including appearances from Matt McDougall, Brann Dailor (One Less Body is a cracker) and Andrew Neufield. I know that some bands are exceptional on record but miss something live. 

Others are incredible live but cannot capture that in the studio. With Orthodox, I am of the firm opinion that they are lethal in both environments, purely based on what I have heard here. Fantastically brutal stuff. 9/10

Holy Scum - All We Have Is Never (Rocket Recordings) [Mark Young]

All We Have Is Never is another release which comes in and sounds completely different from what I expected. Their second album can only be described as something that is unique to them, born from a love of sludge and heavy feedback combined with an improvisational approach which means that nothing is off the table. Instead of trying to pin a label on their sound which I believe would do them a disservice and offer no use to you (dear reader). Instead, I’m going to avoid a song by song breakdown (for these same reasons) and talk about the album as a whole.

It is an intense, direct and unflinching collection of music that avoids traditional guitar driven arrangements whilst still managing to be aa crushing as those bands which opt for a more normal route. Each of the songs here are different from the others, taking cues from different facets of extreme music. Its jarring and is constantly on the edge of a collapse but somehow, they avoid it. If there was only one constant is that each one is driven from the percussive movement of Jon Perry (GNOD, Shuck) on drums, who brings controlled fury into play and allows the others to build around them. 

The guitars themselves are used as weapons, chiming shapes that on the surface just cut in and out but are providing the kind of urgent, frenetic noise that could only work here. The bass is the other MVP here, like the drums it provides the anchor to move the songs along and provides the support for the guitars to do their thing. Both Chris (Haslam, GNOD) and Joe are as one here, tightly wrapped together, constrained yet fluid.

One of the surprises here is the vocal delivery from Mike Mare (Dälek) who pitches the performance so that it is original to that song alone and sets them running against blended soundscapes that are often dizzying and unnerving at the same time. Its this kind of originality and creative drive that puts them to one side of what I would normally listen to. In fact, I don’t think I’ve heard anything like this in the way it just unfolds, running where they want it to and at first it may sound like its all over the shop it isn’t.

By normal standards, this is a short review. I make no apologies for that because this doesn’t deserve the normal treatment that you can roll out for other styles of music. At first, I wasn’t really getting it and It took the realisation that I had to approach this differently. I’m glad that I did because otherwise I would have thrown the towel in on one the most distinctive releases of 2025. It is worth your time to check these out and to show them your appreciation because they offer something totally different. 8/10

Funeral - The Funereal EP (Season Of Mist) [Matt Bladen]

The bastion of Funeral Doom bands out there Norwegian act Funeral probably exemplify why the genre is called that. Pain, melancholy, misery and anguish are all the calling cards of this bands slow, moody, depressive leaning style of heaviness, guitars lingering on a few chords as vocals grunt, the strings sullen and sorrowful.

Throughout their long time as a band they've lost members, to suicide and overdose, they've had roadblocks placed in their way with labels, family commitments and a global pandemic, hindering their last album especially but band founder and drummer Anders Eek continues to be the driving force behind this band and with the signing to Season Of Mist they open their account with a new EP, but are already talking about their next album being in the finishing stages.

The Funereal EP is a three part suite, for the first time sung totally in Norwegian/Faroese, the Gamalt Ijós suite is also the first set of lyrics to have an outside influence on them a friend of Eek's who also happens to be a psychologist interpreted Emmanuel Kant's work. It's a grandiose effort as you'd expect from Funeral the harsh growls are countered by low croons, the heaviness of the suite offset by the acoustic version of Når Kisten Senkes a final moment of maudlin beauty that includes violin which the band have now added full time to this band since this EP was recorded. 

Veterans and probable namesakes of the entire Funeral doom scene, this Nordic band a poised to reclaim their tearstained throne. 8/10

Inglorious - V (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Powerhouse vocalist Nathan James returns after a hiatus started in 2022 with a reinvigorated Inglorious line up, for many the return of original member Colin Parkinson (bass/guitar/keys/percussion) can be seen a step in the right direction after the band was replaced wholesale in 2018. 

A few pints, a few song writing sessions and they were back on track, Parkinson was a key co-writer on those first three albums so with him and James back together, joined by guitarist Richard Shaw (Cradle Of Filth) and celebrated prog drummer Henry Rogers, this is the resurrection of Inglorious then, revising the past to carry them forwards on album number 5. 

V bursts out of the gates with Testify and Eat You Alive, the first a soulful rocker while the second has moments of Alter Bridge to it, as does Devil Inside, the boisterous production from Parkinson and mix from Tony Draper makes it burst from the speakers as the pace doesn't drop until Believe which goes a bit dramatic, James' experience in musical coming to fruition here. 

Despite the return of Parkinson, they aren't resting on past glories though as there's a lot of modernity here, the influences of bands such as Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry (In Your Eyes) just as important as Whitesnake and Bad Company. V does feel like a bright new chapter in the story of Inglorious, James and Parkinson's writing team is reactivated in fine form making for more classy, heavy rock. 8/10

Reviews: Trivax, Volbeat, Thomas Carlsen's Transmission, Törzs (Mark Young & Matt Bladen)

Trivax - The Great Satan (Osmose Productions) [Mark Young]

With a title like this, you could be forgiven for expecting a traditional death or black metal album, and as a result of that initial opinion maybe you put it back on the shelf or scroll past it. I almost did that but once it gets underway with Atash, you realise that you would have been wrong to do so. 

Recently I’ve tried to avoid online sources of information about bands, but I had to do a little bit of digging on this because at its core is a concept album but one that is delivered with panache and a laser beam focus on quality music. 

Trivax, originally from Iran, now residing in the UK with a back story that is incredible and it seems fitting that they should take that oppression fuelled anger and shape it into the pummelling form that sits before you. It is a set of songs that take the events that shook the Middle East in the late 70’s transformed into a statement which as they put it is real world darkness.

Atash is where this journey begins, with a heavily middle eastern sound to it and even in its less electronic state it has that heavy vibe to it. If you imagine Nile in how their sound leans into this part of world as your initial starting reference but delivered with an authentic tone. It builds to a proper crescendo, with guitars, synths and some exemplar drumming giving you a hint of what is to follow. This is quality stuff and normally I’m dismissive of intro tracks but this is a pearler. 

To Liberation And Beyond is pure black metal, rhythms that charge along in an urgent manner backed with vocals that elevate it further. After settling it pushes forward and anyone with ears can tell that this is an outfit that knows what makes good extreme metal. As one-two’s go this is great stuff and it’s backed with a feeling that it is completely authentic and motivated by an artistic want to get this out there. 

Lawless Eternal goes for a more subtle start with a brilliant melody line that is part melancholic and part uplifting. Yes, it is an instrumental piece but here it fits as a kind of closing chapter before Here Comes The Flood blasts in and suddenly a switch has been flicked. It cannons along like a train ready to leave its tracks until the last minute a brake is found. 

That respite doesn’t last long and they return to super-speed but it’s done in a way that is so engaging that it sounds different from others. It’s likely that because of where the music is coming from it hits differently from metal elsewhere in the world. It’s being written from a place of bitter experience. And it absolutely rocks.

The Great Satan has a spoken word narration that builds as the track progresses with operatic vocals that swoop in, building to a satisfying end. The ability to find the right chords and sequences that manage evoke emotional responses is spot on, and as Lawless Eternal they follow this with another belter. 

Daemon’s Melancholia is controlled black metal fury which shows that they are unafraid to dial back the distortion when required. At the base of the song is a simple arrangement but it is layered so well the 7-minute run time doesn’t feel like it is that length of time at all. 

The best is that they repeat that trick on Operation Ramadan, which explores the depths of where evil can go. This is a furious tale and manages to take standard forms of black metal attack – blasting drums (take a bow Matt) and those melody lines that are played at a ferocious level. 

Other bands may tell you they are angry, Trivax don’t need to. There is a constant though amongst these songs in the way that they build the arrangements. The songs have a stirring, no inspirational feel to them that is hard to describe and I suppose its relative to the person listening. It’s the sort of song that from a player’s perspective would be brilliant to play.

Tamam Shod brings proceedings to an end and it is a mournful one. The use of keys to provide a symphonic composition that is closed with a gentle narration. I didn’t expect this to be the way they finished but on reflection it was the best way to do it. It’s a great piece of work and one that deserves your attention. 9/10

Volbeat - God Of Angels Trust (Vertigo/Universal) [Matt Bladen]

Volbeat have always been a bit of an enigma to me. They're a Danish band, whose beginnings lay in blending rockabilly with metal, often referred to as 'Elvis fronted Metallica' but as they've progressed and gained more recognition and a fan base they have shifted their sound towards the American radio rock/metal of bands such as, former touring partner Alter Bridge for example. 

This shift to what could be considered more 'mainstream' sounds has been a while coming as the more recent Volbeat albums where things have tried to go heavier (when they had ex-Anthrax man Rob Caggiano in the band) mixing with their already established rockier sound was a bit confusing. 

One of many odd choices Volbeat have had during their existence, the entire rockabilly-metal thing for instance has been seen as a joke by quite a few (not me), however it endeared them to countless more, so Volbeat’s popularity and skill is undeniable.

Thankfully on Gods Of Angels Trust, their ninth studio album, they stick to just a heavy rock sound, frontman and band leader Michael Poulson now having Asinhell to scratch his extreme metal itch. 

So Volbeat can focus on playing anthemic heavy rock, as they gain FM (well Billboard) supremacy. God Of Angles Trust also sees them do away with a lot of their bluegrass, rockabilly styling too.

Poulsen doesn’t sound like he’s just trying to be Elvis, singing in a more natural tone. It’s all part of the plan though as Volbeat tried to strip back the process for this ninth release, writing and recording the album in just five weeks working in the studio as a trio of Poulsen (vocals/guitar), Jon Larsen (drums) and Kasper Boye Larsen (bass), they have produced 10 tracks that all sound immediate, punchy and made for stages.

Delivered like the bands of old where an album was written to take on tour, something they will do for the rest of the year with Bush in support, which in this format is a much better fit than say Gojira and Napalm Death who they toured with a few years ago in yet another odd choice. 

It’s this kind of support act that dictates the band Volbeat are in 2025, the influence of Metallica is still there, a strong alt metal edge too, the rockabilly sound is diminished and this Danish band sound like one that has had 11 previous singles go to the top of the Billboard Charts. 

It’s very American sounding, simple yet effective with choruses you can shout along to, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, and Volbeat seem to have finally decided on the band they want to be, God Of Angels Trust strips them of their individuality and their dare I say it Europeanism. 6/10

Thomas Carlsen's Transmission - Clockwork Sky (ViciSolum Productions) [Matt Bladen]

Clockwork Sky is the second album from Norwegian multi-insteumentalist Thomas Carlsen. Clearly his previous Transmission, A Brace Horizon in 2023, was widely received in the melodic metal world as this follow up features some quality vocal talent.

The album is based around the passage of time and the time it focuses on is the 80's be it the proggy Queensryche riff of One With The Storm, where Mike Livas of Silent Winter does his best Geoff Tate, the full bore power metal of Hourglass where Power Paladin's Atli Guðlaugsson feels right at home. 

Atli Guðlaugsson was on the first album and he makes his return along with Sebastian Palma (Blizzard Hunter), who has a lower register that suits the classic metal of The Crimson Cross and Arnaud Ménard (Ecclesia) who's best moment comes on Defiant Heart.

Now of course when you have a guy like Thomas who writes everything, plays everything and also produces there's going to be chances for him to show off his skills, so there are two instrumentals that blend into one Clockwork Sky/Chronos Rising, where the sound of Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore or Joe Stump style of neo-classical metal.

So Thomas Carlsen's second Transmission is more masterful, melodic metal from this musical polymath. 8/10

Törzs - Menedèk (Pelagic Records) [Mark Young]

Instrumental post-rock is not a genre that I would normally listen to as a rule and yes, rules are made to be broken so here we are, getting cozy with Törzs, and their return to the sonic arena after a break of six years. 

Menedèk, and I’m not afraid to crib from the accompanying PR notes is translated (loosely) as meaning refuge, and this is a theme that the band explore via the instrumental medium over the five songs that make up the 40-minute run time the album holds. None of the songs are short blasts either, with Földet Ér coming in at 5 minutes plus, which should give you a little indication of how things will play out.

Egy Pillanatban a Végtelen opens the door to the journey we are about to start and its one that is a measured and controlled arrangement that sees them effectively slow-burn a start which is a bold move considering that for me your starting point has to hit the ground running to have a chance to get me onboard. 

It seems to take an age to do anything worthwhile and whilst it goes along moving from one point in its journey to the next, I’m sat waiting for something to happen, something that will grab me. 

My personal feelings shouldn’t detract from that fact that it is a mournful piece that relies on subtle moments with chords ringing out but always in that slow measure. With having reviewed so much material you can ‘see’ the musical cues unfolding, the grand finish where they shift into a louder gear if that makes sense. 

Should it have been nearly 13 minutes long, I’m going with no. It takes a long time to get to where it wants to go without doing an awful lot in between which makes me think will the rest be like this? 

Levegovetel recognises that it has some work to do in keeping me interested and for 30 or so seconds does so before it drops back into what I can only describe as lightly driven guitar. They seem content to let it drift, and in doing so unlock an absolutely storming progression that comes in around 2 minutes thirty. It is a magical piece of guitar work that keeps its tempo the same but pulls the rabbit out of an emotionally driven hat.

Now I can see it a little more clearly, there is a drive now with a harsher tone that still allows them to keep the fine detail in place. It still manages to infuriate by being overlong and not keeping that harsher action going. 

Atfrodul is the halfway point and keeps the overriding theme running – gentle guitar, bright chords and that focused approach on tempo which hasn’t wavered one bit since pressing play. Again, there is nothing wrong with the music here its just dull. And by saying that I’ve coloured the rest of the review in one swoop. 

Like the others, it follows that lethargic way of moving and despite a heavier sound coming in later it just doesn’t move. I could probably count on one hand how many albums I’ve skipped through because I’m not engaged with it. 

This is one of those times where I’m debating whether to give this anymore of my time and I feel terrible about saying it. There are signs on here that show that they could have done so much more with it but chose not to.

Földet Ér starts up in a way that is almost a carbon copy of the others and does exactly what I expected it to. Lush chords, gentle arrangements but no action to keep me interested.

I tapped out before the last song started because I found myself getting frustrated with it and I wanted to avoid expending any energy on a review that seemed poised to turn into a hatchet job so I felt it was best to walk away. 

I’m not sure who this is aimed at and obviously there must be fans of this band and the genre who will be all over this. More power to them but It wasn’t for me. 5/10

Reviews: Caregah, Veljessurma, The Dead Daisies, Lord Vigo (Liam Williams, Spike, Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

Caregah – Osmium/Forsaken (ROAR) [Liam Williams]

We’ve got a double dose of Swedish sludge from Caregah with their brand new album Osmium and an additional 4 track EP titled Forsaken. 12 tracks in total of some groovy chugging riffs and other sludgy fun. In this review, I’ll take you through the good and the bad, and to avoid sounding repetitious, I’ll be skipping any in-depth analysis of the tracks. After all, it’s sludge metal. So nothing too technical.

Let’s first talk about the album, Osmium. I’m not gonna lie, the first 3 tracks of this album are pretty forgettable. Nothing special, just your typical sludgy tracks. For me, the album really gets going with track 4, Tombstone. This one has a nice change of pace after hearing 3 songs in a row that all sound a bit too similar. Although it’s the softest track on the album, it has some really nice moments and as a whole, it stands out from the rest. 

Terrorized is definitely headbang friendly, and I found it difficult to keep my head still throughout most of the track. It’s followed up by a true stoner metal track, Smoke Of Doom. This one has some nice chilled sections sprinkled throughout, but also speeds up in the bridge and for the outro, with the outro gradually getting faster. Into The Grave is the shortest track on the album, but it is also the heaviest. This one is a bit more thrash compared to the rest. 

The final track, Floods Of No Return, is another great track, and a great album closer. The main riff is quite bouncy and fun. There’s a mean growling bass riff in the bridge which leads into a proper sludgy breakdown. The track ends with more of a psychedelic rock sound with some acoustic guitars and a nice clean lead which plays until it fades out.

Unfortunately, the Forsaken EP suffers the same problem as the album. The first 2 tracks are quite forgettable. But, with that being said, the band more than make up for it with the songs Tomahawk and Gravedigger. These 2 tracks are absolutely killer!

It’s unfortunate that 5 of the 12 tracks on offer here just aren’t very entertaining to listen to. I think maybe the band were a little bit too ambitious with releasing an album and an EP at the same time. It might have been better to replace the first 3 track of the album with the last 2 tracks from the EP. 

And then maybe put those 5 tracks in at different places on the album, or just add them on at the end as bonus tracks. It could have been a solid album without those 5 tracks. By the time I got to 3rd track of the album, I was filled with a sense of impending dread, thinking that the whole thing would sound just like those first 3.

But, as I said, the second halves of both the album and the EP are really good. Some solid riffs, nice solos, great drums and bass, great vocal harmonies and solid song writing. If it wasn’t for the 5 lackluster tracks, I would have given them full marks. But with nearly half of the songs on offer not really exciting me too much, I’m going to have to knock a couple of points off. But otherwise, great work! 8/10

Veljessurma - Haltioissaan (Naturmacht Productions) [Spike]

Some albums hit you instantly. Veljessurma’s debut Haltioissaan didn’t just hit, it wrapped itself around me like mist in a pine forest and refused to let go. I gave it three full spins in 24 hours: first through headphones on a flight home from Germany, then cranked up in the car, and finally with a quiet morning listen at home. Each time revealed more. Each time felt necessary.

This is seriously good stuff.

Veljessurma crafts a richly atmospheric sound that’s less about genre boundaries and more about immersion. There’s a deep, multilayered texture running through Haltioissaan with guitars, synths, and vocals all woven into something that feels ancient and otherworldly, yet completely vital. It’s blackened and brooding at times, but also strangely uplifting, like stepping into an old forest and feeling both awed and unnerved.

The album is packed with moments that pull you under without warning. Songs evolve, shift, and breathe. Nothing is static. Perfect example being my favourite track on the album, Karhun Voimal. It’s one of those rare records where you stop trying to pin it down and just let it take you. And it rewards that surrender with depth.

There’s a confidence here too. For a debut, Haltioissaan sounds remarkably assured it's like they knew exactly what they wanted to do and how to deliver it. They’ve built something haunting, beautiful, and entirely their own.

This is my first review for Musipedia Of Metal, and what a starting point. A band this good deserves your full attention and they absolutely command it. 9/10

The Dead Daisies - Lookin’ For Trouble (The Dead Daisies Pty Ltd / SPV) [Matt Bladen]

The band with more of revolving door policy of members than Yes return with their new album, Lookin' For Trouble. Now my favourite era of The Dead Daisies is when they had 'The Voice Of Rock' Glenn Hughes up front, but this album sees John Corabi back behind the mic.

Did I mention it's a covers record? Did I mention it's covers record of blues songs? Ah maybe a I should have as this is blues covers record, all given the 'amped up' treatment of this stadium rock band but do we need another cover of Crossroads, Boom Boom, Black Betty, Born Under A Bad Sign, Sweet Home Chicago or Little Red Rooster?

No we don't, nearly of these songs have been covered elsewhere, much better, by much bigger artists and even they don't match up to the emotional force they carry when the original artists perform them. Therein lies the issue, having a millionaire crank out blues tracks with his pet rock project, on album when they've been playing their own material for years just feel hollow and a bit of a slap in the face.

I don't think the super rich son of the founder of Westfield Group (you know the shopping malls? Them) has anywhere near the same kind of background as Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker and Albert King when they recorded these songs, artists who had to face racism, economic hardship, real true poverty and used their music as their escape.

So while these songs are performed well by the veteran rock stars in his band, once again the it's another case of all cash and no heart. Seek the originals they've got the real soul to them. This is a shameless cash in. 4/10

Lord Vigo - Walk The Shadows (High Roller Records) [Rich Piva]

I was a big fan of Lord Vigo’s 2020 album Danse De Noir. Not so much of their last one, 2022’s We Shall Overcome, which leaned towards being a bit over bloated. I am landing somewhere in the middle for the Kaiserslautern, Germany’s band latest record, Walk The Shadows, which is like a combination of Unto Others and the Sisters Of Mercy when it is good and something not as dynamic when it is not so much.

The sound of Lord Vigo has gotten bigger and bigger as the years have gone on, while getting less doomy and metal as well. For example, my favourite track on Walk The Shadows sounds like Duran Duran. Seriously. Check out Through A Glass Darkly and tell me you don’t hear it, especially with the synths. So does The Triumph Of The Killing Heart. This band has become more and more danceable too, which is not a bad thing at all, with We Shall Not being an example. 

The title track is the most “metal” or “doom” song on the album, and where I also get the most Unto Others vibes. The band is in full goth mode with tracks like Killing Hearts And Endless Nights and Servant Of The Dark, and they do it well. The record is a bit bloated, however. Every song could have been a minute to 90 seconds shorter, and the twelve minutes-plus closer, El Hakim, is a lot.

Though the band describes themselves and “Epic Metal”, I may have changed it to “Epic Heavy Goth Rock That You Can Dance To”, and that is fine by me, as when Lord Vigo is good they are very good. If this album was 8-10 minutes shorter it would be even better that the fine outing that Walk The Shadows is in its current form. 7/10

Review: Onslaught (Duncan Everson)

Onslaught – Origins Of Aggression (Reigning Phoenix Music)

As part of their 40th Anniversary activities, Onslaught have re-recorded an album’s worth of some of their earlier work and packaged it here with another disc of covers recorded recently highlighting some of the bands and songs that influenced the formation and sound of the band.

There are always two camps when it comes to the concept of re-recording your own old songs, one that feel it’s a pointless exercise that shouldn’t even be attempted and a the other view that thinks it depends more on the results as the originals are still there if the new versions aren’t for you. I’ve always been in the latter frame of mind as quite often older recordings lack production values making up for it with a more raw sound instead. I’ve often wanted to have classic songs with more modern production and being a huge Onslaught fan, I pre-ordered this album the day it was announced.

So, does it deliver what I wanted? Hell yes, it does! I would even go so far as to say that for me, it is the most successfully re-recorded album I’ve heard. They’ve got the balance exactly right to my ear, with the songs remaining virtually the same, retaining the energy and drive of the originals but now the production is clearer the songs have even more Power (From Hell presumably. The drums and bass can now be heard clearly, filling out the sound on the oldest songs excellently and supporting all those awesome, sexy riffs.

Listening to these versions Fight With The Beast or Metal Forces again now just makes me want to run around like a fool and throw things through the window like I was a teenager! I don’t think it’s just nostalgia talking here because it’s the same every time I listen to this (which I’ve done a LOT) and it’s the same every time – the volume goes up, a stupid grin comes out and total inability to sit still inhabits me. Oh well!

Power From Hell from the debut has never sounded better than here and sits perfectly well next to Shellshock from the third album, with the older song showing more of the punk attitude the band started with while the later one has a more Big Four thrash feel to it. Think Metal Militia compared to Disposable Heroes for the Metallica fans out there. 

Now that these songs have a consistent production sound they actually hang together pretty well as an album, despite coming from three different albums, all written and recorded with different line-ups, making this the perfect Onslaught sampler, I would say. The oldest songs have gained the most with the re-recording as obviously the production has had the biggest change, but the consistent, more modern vocal style may help draw in younger fans now too. Great to hear Sy Keeler again on Metal Forces though, he’s such a brilliant singer.

And so on to Disc 2, the covers album. Starting with Motorhead’s Iron Fist, it’s a good choice of song as it’s familiar but not been done a million times before. Onslaught have covered Motorhead before of course, with a version of Bomber brought out as a single in 2010, which actually had Phil Campbell (and Tom Angelripper) guesting on it. Pretty faithful to the original, fast and frenetic, it’s a good start to the disc as it sits well next to their own material as you’d expect being an influence. 

Holidays In Cambodia is next up and is more of a departure from the original being much heavier, including the vocals, which is something I’m glad about as a bad impersonation of Jello Biafra would not work at all! Overall, it works well, I think. I’m not familiar with the originals of a number of the punk covers by the likes of Exploited and Discharge so can’t comment on how they compare, but they are perfectly listenable here, so no doubt will grow on me and get me looking them up one day.

There are some unexpected covers here – would you have guessed Judas Priest would appear, for example? This is a good thing as it keeps things interesting listening to this disc, don’t look at the listing and just enjoy whatever comes up next. None of this disc is essential listening but it is interesting and gives a flavour of the influences of the band. I’m treating this as a bonus disc and looked at in that light it’s a damn good one.

In summary, this is an album I’ll continue to play a lot more in the future as it’s just so bloody good and is making me consider a trip to Manchester later in the year for the band’s only UK gig this year at Damnation. 

At 45 minutes for disc 1 and 40 minutes for disc 2, it’s also perfect for those that want to go the whole hog with the nostalgia trip and record this bad boy onto a TDK D90 for their Walkman. The re-recorded album is an easy 10 for me, with the covers (bonus!) disc an 8. Fans of Thrash that aren’t familiar with Onslaught need to give this a listen ASAP. 9/10

I’d like to dedicate this review to a friend of mine who we sadly lost to cancer last year. He was the man who introduced me to Onslaught “back in the day”, took me to many a gig of theirs in and around Bristol (including one venue where they’re still banned to this day I believe!) and also introduced me to some of the bands covered on the second disc. Rest easy James, thanks for the music.

Reviews: Katatonia, Aexylium, Acts Of Vengeance, Shrouded In Darkness (Matt Bladen)

Katatonia - Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State (Napalm Records)

With co-founding member Anders Nyström having left the band before the recording of this thirteenth, album there could be an argument for a massive shift in what Katatonia do but, I'd say over the last few years Katatonia have been moving more towards the vision for the band that singer Jonas Renkse has in mind, any seismic shift towards an new style is not going to happen.

The death/doom of their early days has been eroding since 2009's Night Is The New Day, their transition into an atmospheric, gothic, post/prog band has really been on the front foot from City Burials, fully furnished by 2023's Sky Void Of Stars, it's seen them gain a bigger audience than perhaps they could've had they stayed with their earlier style. But then what do I know!

As it stands they continue in this more progressive style on Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State, Renkse writing what is the most personal album for him to date, he traverses his own mind and feelings to create vivid soundscapes that features moments of haunting introspection and cathartic beauty. Renske's voice is captivating, carrying the full spectrum of emotion of this record.

At the same time powerful and vulnerable his dystopian visions and dreamscapes brought to life by bassist Niklas Sandin, drummer Daniel Moilanen, and guitarists Nico Elgstrand/Sebastian Svalland. The swathes of keys creating the unearthly melodies on the anthemic Liquid Eye and on the powerful Thrice where those heavy moments creep in too.

The meditative Departure Trails is awash with sullen synths and clean guitar moments while The Light Which I Bleed has a propulsive groove that brings impact without the deafening volume. The band flex their progressive wings with the grooving Lilac and Warden, while they haven't fully betrayed their doom roots with a tracks such as Wind Of No Change.

For many bands, shifts in the writing section can really affect their overall sound. For Katatonia though it's a case of business as usual but business is very good. 9/10

Aexylium – Myth Of Mankind (Rockshots Records)

Having been folking about since 2014, Italian’s Aexylium release their third album Myth Of Mankind and if you’re a fan of folk metal with multiple members then you’ll be in your element here. I’m talking about bands such as Eluveitie and Korpiklaani where flutes, keys and violins are just as important as guitars and growls. 

Tracks such as Hexe showcase Aexylium’s sound better than anything, dual female/male vocals, modern metal riffage, galloping drums and then those traditional violins and flutes, it’s the sound of band who have hit their niche, the culmination of their previous two records, combining the two sides of their sound well on every song.

Bringing not just consistency to their symphonic folk metal style but also displaying their skillset as a nine piece band. Since their last album they have added drummer Alberto Mezzanotte, guitarist Luca Perrone and new frontman Sam Biganzoli all making an impact on this third release. In Sorrow takes them towards symphonic metal while Wild Hunt adds some potency and drama to Myth Of Mankind. 

The Italian’s have a very fertile metal scene that spans pretty much every genres, so a folk metal band that sing about Norse mythology shouldn’t be a surprise, however if you didn’t know you’d swear Aexylium were Scandinavian and that my friends is a heck of a trick. 7/10

Acts Of Vengeance - Thy Kingdom Come (Self Released)

A bit of Hertfordshire heavy metal from thrash/death metal band Acts Of Vengeance, Thy Kingdom Come is their latest EP of four aggressive tracks that lean heavily on the late 90’s style of deathy thrash.

They cite influences such as Slayer, Carcass and Sepultura and you can hear all of these on Thy Kingdom Come, from the grooves on Gods Of War and the title track, to the blistering speed on Idolatry, the new four piece line up trialled these songs on the road to make sure that when they recorded them they were as lethal as they could be.

Lethal enough that the band recently got through to the Hitchin M2TM Semi Final, and while they didn’t get to the final, the music on this record will see them once again take to the stage with some savagery. Thy Kingdom Come takes mainly from death metal in the snarling vocals and biting guitar riffs, but that thrash chug also makes thing a bit more varied. 

Acts Of Vengeance have done well to refresh their setlist with these new songs, they all show evolution and that Acts Of Vengeance have bags of potential on the UK scene. 7/10

Shrouded In Darkness - 11:11 (Black Vulture Records)

Organ drenched doom from Sweden in the ghostly apparition of Shrouded In Darkness, a trio made up of Daniel T (vocals/keys), Reese (guitars) and Mike (bass/drums), now how and if this will work live I don’t know but on record at least Shrouded In Darkness have all the elements of doom that I like. 

It's slow, but with blasts, long heavy riffs and growled vocals all augmented by huge atmospheric keys and on Cruel Winds additional vocals from Camilla Tjernberg, though guitar fans should check out Dreams which has a melodic middle section. 

Like Pantheist, the organs are prominent but for me there’s not a huge variation in how their used, I’d like to hear some different keyboard textures on these tracks as 11:11 starts out gothic and stays gothic. I’d say the crowning moment of the piece is the brooding The Lurking Devil as it’s got a huge sound the Shrouded In Darkness are aiming for. 

11:11 is a solid slab of doom as the third part of the Shrouded In Darkness album cycle. 7/10

A View From Uprising: Uprising Festival (Nat Sabbath & Mike Chew)

Uprising Festival 2025, O2 Academy, Leicester, 24.05. 25

Now in its eighth year, Leicester’s Uprising Festival remains a jewel in the UK’s heavy music calendar. With a stripped-back one-stage format for 2025, the festival dialled into quality over quantity, delivering a cohesive day of genre-defying intensity. The lack of clash anxiety meant every band received the spotlight they deserved, and the result was a truly communal celebration of the UK’s vibrant underground and rising stars.

Despite a slightly delayed start due to extended soundchecks, Sulvain (8) opened the day with fire in their veins. Hailing from Northampton, the band played their final set with unflinching energy and clear emotional weight. Tracks like Rain rallied early attendees from the wings, and by the final note, the room was buzzing. A fitting farewell—intense, defiant, and deeply felt.

Voidwalker (10), familiar faces to Uprising fans after their 2023 Metal To The Masses win, have grown sharper, darker, and heavier since their debut. Their set was a tightly coiled assault of riff-laden fury, with standout track Boiling Point setting the tone for a ferocious display. There’s no filler here—just relentless intent from a band finding their edge.

Instrumental trio The Grey (8) brought a shift in energy without losing an ounce of power. Their sprawling, doom-laced compositions enveloped the venue in a slow-moving, seismic hug. But it was a rare pause between tracks that cut deepest: the bassist delivered a sincere and vulnerable speech about mental health, hardship, and solidarity. It was a moment of quiet clarity amidst the noise, so moving it brought some in the audience to tears. A perfect reminder that heaviness isn’t just sonic, it’s emotional, too.

From the first unholy scream, Underdark (10) proved why they remain one of the UK’s most exciting blackened exports. Singer Abi Vasquez commanded both stage and barrier, exuding raw power and fearless vulnerability. The band’s expertly crafted dynamics—swerving from blastbeat chaos to ambient haze—created a compelling, cathartic storm that left no soul untouched.

TAYNE (8) tore through genre boundaries with the subtlety of a wrecking ball. Their hybrid of industrial, pop, and noise offered one of the day’s most sonically volatile sets. It was disorienting in the best way—hooks disguised as haymakers, melodies emerging through the rubble. Visceral, sweaty, and oddly danceable, TAYNE blurred the lines between torment and euphoria.

Obeyer (9), riding high on praise for their recent album Chemical Well, brought venom and confidence in equal measure. Vocalist Carl Brown prowled the stage with feral intensity, while the rest of the band hammered out punishing riffs and jagged grooves. Their set felt dangerous in the way good hardcore should; urgent, unrelenting, and gloriously unhinged.

Hidden Mothers (8) offered contrast with their elegant chaos. Emotive post-metal riffs, shifting textures, and duelling vocal styles painted a picture of paradox; melancholic yet furious, fragile yet forceful. There’s a confidence in their quiet moments that makes the eventual eruptions all the more explosive. A band balancing on the knife-edge of heartbreak and rage.

Defences (9) took that momentum and turned it into gold. A band at full tilt, they delivered a soaring, emotionally rich set that felt equal parts battle cry and balm. Cherry D’s vocals floated effortlessly above pummelling instrumentation, and the connection between crowd and stage was undeniable. This was more than performance—it was communion. Defences didn’t just show up. They took over.

As the evening drew in, Black Orchid Empire (8) turned the energy up another notch. Their set was precision-engineered, riff-heavy and drum-led with a contagious urgency. Tracks like Angelfire and Death From Above hit like a freight train—tight, aggressive, and impossible not to move to. This was a band dialled all the way in and loving every minute of it.

But if one performance defined Uprising 2025, it was Lowen (10).

Returning to the festival with the aura of something sacred, Lowen delivered a spellbinding set that fused the brutal with the divine. Nina Saeidi’s voice—a soaring blend of Persian heritage and metal ferocity—filled every corner of the O2 Academy, drawing curious onlookers to the front in silent awe. Thunderous percussion, jagged riffs, and ritualistic visual elements turned their performance into a near-religious experience. By the final note, the audience was rapt. Lowen didn’t just play—they conjured.

With a new album on the horizon and a UK tour looming, Esoterica (9) hit the stage with purpose. Their set was equal parts progressive and primal, with new tracks like “Alive” showing off the band’s evolving sound. Frontman Tobias Keast roamed far beyond the stage; singing part of the set from the beer garden like a prophet among his disciples. Their refusal to follow formula is their strength, and tonight, that unpredictability felt electric.

The task of closing fell to British heavyweights Earthtone9 (8), and they took it on like seasoned warriors. Their set was a juggernaut of groove-infused chaos, delivered with urgency and zero indulgence. Even a brief technical hiccup couldn’t slow them down. Riffs rained, pits opened, and the crowd stayed ravenous to the very end. It was a masterclass in controlled destruction—and a worthy finale to a day that celebrated every shade of heavy.

Uprising 2025 wasn’t just a showcase of stellar talent. It was a reminder of the power of community, catharsis, and the unifying force of noise. With no weak links and several unforgettable highlights, it has firmly secured its spot as one of the UK’s most essential festivals.

Reviews: Rivers Of Nihil, Peter Murphy, The Speaker Wars, Hexecutioner (Liam Williams, Mark Young, Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

Rivers Of Nihil - Rivers Of Nihil (Metal Blade Records) [Liam Williams]

American prog-death metal band Rivers Of Nihil return with their self-titled fifth album. A bombastic 10 track offering of sci-fi sounding heavy hitters. This album is non-stop heavy fun from start to finish.

It’s hard to talk about the tracks in detail since most of them don’t follow the basic song structures, there’s parts which sound like verses and choruses and completely different parts that also sound like verses and choruses. 

But I actually really like the fact that the band can write complex songs which keep on changing throughout. It definitely keeps things interesting. There’s plenty of great moments sprinkled throughout the tracks.

The use of clean and harsh vocals is done really well, either separately or together. The drums are absolutely pounding, plenty of blastbeats and groovy sections. Some nice groovy but growling basslines, and the guitar work is very impressive, from the chuggy riffs to the flashy solos. 

There’s some synthy moments to really capture that sci-fi sound. But what really surprised me was the saxophone, which comes in at a few different points in the album. The last instrument I would have expected on a progressive death metal album, but it works really well.

Despite the lack of in-depth track breakdowns in this review, I can honestly say there’s not a single bad track on this album. It’s a blast to listen to in its entirety! The songs are well written, the band play extremely well and the mix is great. They’ve done a cracking job with this one, and I highly recommend giving it a listen! 10/10

Peter Murphy - Silver Shade (Metropolis Records) [Mark Young]

This is as late as I can possibly get and for that its apologies all round. Peter Murphy has been around since the late 70’s and is formerly of Bauhaus one of the pioneers of gothic rock with their debut single Bela Lugosi’s Dead. I’ll be honest, I’d heard of Bauhaus but never heard their music. By the time I’d started getting into music they had split up and I was getting into thrash so it kind of passed me by. 

However, there was a kind of exposure to early 80s pop/new wave via school discos and of course Top of the Pops. Its likely you are wondering where he is going with this but bear with me as this exposure has at least given me a frame of reference for the style of music on this, the latest release. So, going into this I had no idea what it was going to be like, because I’ve stopped researching the bands prior to listening to them. No preconceived ideas.

And being honest, I wasn’t enamoured with it, it immediately reminded me of those dark days, of music that I had nothing in common with and meant nothing to me (oh Vienna...). But stick with it because if you are a fan of electro pop with a rock sub-strata to it then this is right up your Strasse. 

Swoon, it lands like Billy Idol and once you get on its wavelength, the album becomes a different proposition and is basically like a soundtrack to a John Hughes film with sci-fi leanings. 

It’s apparent that he can arrange music that makes you want to dance (the progressions on Hot Roy and the driving movement of Sherpa as it moves into a climbing chorus) it is music that manages to sound fresh whilst reminding you of those simpler times of only three channels on the tv. And a remote control you plugged into it.

What you find is that is this is an album that doesn’t settle in one spot. The Artroom Wonder is another track that on the surface just plods along until it hits the chorus and then just takes flight. The thing is that you can hear him in so many bands that have come through as well as those that maybe ‘borrowed’ ideas (musically and stylistically) from him too. 

I think that Xavier New Boy is one of the best things I’ve heard in ages, it has a timeless quality with a build that could have only come from these fair shores. It builds and builds, using descending patterns to build that tensions and then it rises, with a fucking excellent emotional payoff. Top class, absolutely top stuff.

Glad I stuck with it now. 

Sailmaker’s Charm shows that writing songs that move amongst moods and feelings is as easy as drawing breath. Its understated for the most part and although you know there is going to be a swell to it you don’t care because it is such a good feeling that comes from it. 

The way that he can pull this stuff together is amazing to me, the progressions that are chosen and the little touches used make each of the songs shine so well. Each of them has a unique energy with no missteps or low points and there are no weak/filler songs on here. None at all.

Did I mention there is also a veritable who’s who of the music world on this? From NiN to Tool to Boy George (contributing vocals to the bonus track Let The Flowers Grow) and it shows the level of respect that he commands. You should do yourself a favour and check this out. 9/10

The Speaker Wars - The Speaker Wars (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

What do you do if you're Stan Lynch, long time drummer of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers and that band no longer exists? He was a part of the band until 1994 but after leaving he put to use that decade of touring experience to shift to a production and song writing side of things. Lynch has been a writer for many artists, including The Eagles, Tim McGraw and even Toto and he twiddles the knobs for many others but he's been squirrelling away songs for a while.

During this time of writing he was joined by Jon Christopher Davis a Texas based singer songwriter who abandoned his solo project to form The Speaker Wars with Lynch. Recording in Nashville, this album has a rock, with a strong vein of country, blues and Americana, blue collar music like The Heartbreakers used to make.

Joining the duo were Jay Michael Smith on guitar, Brian Patterson on bass, Steve Ritter on percussion, and Jay Brown on keyboards but for me Davis is the shining star of this record, his soulful Petty-meets-Henley delivery is just perfect for the organ-drenched It Ain't Easy, the gritty strut of Taste Of Heaven while Never Ready To Go and The Forgiveness are classic Petty, I Wish You Peace meanwhile takes the Wilbury route, with a bit of The Beatles goes Hollywood.

Lynch has butted heads with Mike Campbell in the past, leaving a bitter taste, so we may never see the original members of The Heartbreakers ply together again however The Speaker Wars is the closet we're gonna get for a long while. For anyone who loves that soft, bluesy Americana of Tom Petty or The Eagles that is inspired by country and gospel then The Speaker Wars will take pride of place on your record shelf. 7/10

Hexecutioner - Tornit (Self Released) [Rich Piva]

Hexecutioner is a fuzzy, sludgy doom trio out of Washington State who are tuned down way low to bring you some very cool and heavy psych-tinged goodness with the four tracks on their new record, Tornit. The record has an almost trance-like vibe to it, with a rhythm section that doubles down and vocals from Erin Gravina that are hauntingly beautiful in the most sludge possible way.

The riff on the opener, Skookum, just crushes, and is a constant across this hypnotic sludge dirge. There are no fancy tempo changes here, just crushing fuzzy doom, and it works great for the full nine-plus minutes. The track Submission is flat out filthy, especially that riff, and it works perfectly with the echoey vocals and a drum and bass combo that never quits. Heavy. 

Bind My Foe is twelve minutes of pure heavy that a band like Ufomammut would be proud of. A quiet night out on the porch, crickets and all, opens up Rogue, until a gigantic beast appears out of the woods to destroy all in its path via killer riffs.

This record is heavy. Some might say it is a bit repetitive and the songs are too long but if they are they really don’t get the power of Tornit. Hexecutioner have gone a long way in perfecting hypnotic doom sludge with the four tracks on their new and excellent record. Heavy. 8/10

A View From The Florida Heat: Welcome To Rockville (Rich Piva)

Welcome To Rockville, Daytona Beach, Florida, 15-18.05.2025

So yeah, Welcome To Rockville, the second coming. Our party of three descended upon Daytona Beach, direct from a redeye flight from Las Vegas due to some unfortunate work-related scheduling, ready to rock. 

I am not sure anyone could be ready for record temperatures in Daytona that week, with the lowest daily high temperatures for the week being 92 degrees Fahrenheit, but hey, we decided to go to an outdoor festival on a racetrack in Florida in May, so we did this to ourselves. Could have been a monsoon instead, so I will take the heat. Before I get into the music, some observations about the 2025 Rockville:

· It was hot, really hot

· Taking away the astroturf for the side stages was a bad idea, given all that was left was the black asphalt.

· For the aforementioned side stages, it was a good idea to move them next to each other, rather than at each end of the track, which posed logistical nightmares last year

· The schedulers did a much better job with overlap this year, unlike last year where Clutch and Queens of the Stone Age played at the same time. This year I only missed seeing Body Count, as it conflicted with the killer Dillinger Escape Plan set

· Hats with the flap on the back rule

· The festival decision makers did a good job…after day one lowering the price of water from $4.50 to $2.00, offering more shady spots, and more water fill up stations. The festival is always very well organized, on time, parking is pretty easy, and there is a lot of help if people need it, which is all very cool and still surprises me. Now if they could just fix the merch tent issues…

· No one died, which is pretty amazing given how hot it was and how much alcohol was being consumed

· In my two years I have yet to see a fight or even an argument, again, given how hot and how much alcohol was being consumed, this is shocking. Also: Florida. I did not see the dude who was in full Nazi regalia…but if I did that may have changed…or at least I would have happily watched it happen

OK, so what about the music? Let’s start with Thursday, which for me opened with The Acacia Strain, who I was familiar with but had never seen before. The band ripped it up, sounded super tight, and really kicked off the heavy that was Thursday. My evening really started with the thrash legends Exodus, who played a short 30-minute, six songs set, that consisted of their best-known tracks, including some of my favourites, like Bonded By Blood, The Toxic Waltz, and A Lesson In Violence. Rob Dukes sounded great on vocals and the band sounded tight and seemed to be having a ton of fun. I mostly watched Gary Holt as he shredded it up. I have now seen three former/current members of Slayer in my two Rockvilles, but so far, no Slayer. 

Maybe next year. GWAR was next for me, and while it is always fun seeing them this performance seemed a bit tempered, but I am not so sure monsters do all that well in the heat. There was a whole Trump thing they did that seemed to turn off half the Florida crowd as well, but overall seeing GWAR is always a good time. The highlights for Thursday for me were the trio of bands playing as the sun went down. 

First, and my favourite performance of the four days, was Quicksand. If you know me you know how important that band is to me, and Walter and crew did not disappoint, even as they played as a trio and as Walter had technical difficulties. He was a true pro, keeping a smile on his face, interacting with the crowd, and really enjoying himself after all these years. The setlist spanned across their discography, but was heavy on Slip, which is exactly what you want out of a Quicksand festival set. 

The Garage Stage was on fire with Quicksand and then the reformed Dillinger Escape Plan up next, who were just insane. This version of the band was super tight and guitarist Ben Weinman is a madman, jumping from amps and having us all worry for his ACLs, without missing a note of some super complex parts. Current vocalist Dimitri Minakakis hung in nicely with the band, who sounded like vintage DEP. 

My headliner for Thursday was Rob Zombie (I did not stay for the real headliner, Shinedown, which was a trend across all four days), and he and his band sounded just fine, hitting all the high spots and killing it on the songs from his White Zombie days, really what I was most interested. I had not seen him live in about 30 years, so it was a nice and loud piece of nostalgia for me. Overall, a fun start to the festivities, even if I had not slept for like 36 hours.

While Thursday was a rather heavy day, Friday was filled with 90s bands doing hits sets, which for people of a certain age, like me, is really fun. The disappointment of Alice In Chains cancelling was still in my brain as we watched Everclear, Candlebox, Social Distortion, Sublime, and Bush play all their hits via 30–45-minute sets in 95-degree heat. 

The surprising winner of that batch of bands was Bush, who I saw almost 30 years ago to the day and who I absolutely hated live and who I subsequently wrote off. Back in 1995 Gavin Rossdale barely moved or talked and when he did, he was a total wanker, but here is 2025 he was all energy, spending an entire song in the hot and sweaty crowd and running around on stage like he was a man half his age. Hearing those hits again was fun too. 

It was kind of sad seeing Everclear, as some of my favourite college shows involved them supporting the amazing Sparkle and Fade record back in the day. Art seemed tired, and didn’t really try to hit any of the higher notes. It was still cool to see them again, even if it was not their best showing. We got our punk and emo on too, with a great set from Jimmy Eat World, who leaned very heavy on their awesome 2001 record Bleed American but also covered a whole bunch of their discography (no Lucky Denver Mint unfortunately though) and New Found glory, who tried hard but seemed to be suffering from sound issues and their missing and ill guitarist. I did not stay for Good Charlotte and Green Day, but I was ensured by people who care about such things that their sets were great.

Saturday had some of the main highlights for me, with both Mastodon and Acid Bath and the gold stars of my schedule. The day was stolen, however, by the amazing set from purveyors of old school thrash, Municipal Waste. New Florida resident Tony Foresta was on fire, whipping the crowd into a total frenzy involving an industrial sized box of water weenies and a construction garbage can in the pit, which of course someone rode around in. He even had his father, who he just reconnected with, come out to request a circle pit, only to close that song with a big Fuck You to daddy. The set was a perfect Municipal Waste festival set and they sounded great. 

The heavy continued with a great set from Obituary, who I had never seen before a crushed it, while Nails proved to be one of the heaviest bands I have ever seen live. This was all on the stage with the asphalt, so it was heavy and so fucking hot, but it did not bother the folks in the pit one bit. The dud of the day and really the four days was Taking Back Sunday, who just flat out sucked and pretty much showed they could care less to be there, especially the douchebag lead singer. TBS are a guilty pleasure of mine, but they can go fuck off, even if they are from the beautiful Nassau County, Long Island.

Now onto the to biggies. Acid Bath was amazing. They sounded so good, even after all this time and with this being a pretty early show in the tour. Dax voice sounded great and the band was super tight. I was really surprised at how many people were singing along to every song, showing how important to the scene the band was and is. Mastodon was how I closed my night (I skipped Linkin Park) and their stage show alone was something to behold. So trippy, and the band sounded great, even with their brand-new guitarist. The setlist hit just about every record and the crowd sung along to all of them, reminding me how big this band is, because sometimes I forget. A great Saturday was had be me and by all, if you believe the people who stayed for LP.

Sunday started early, with early nu-metal band Snot at 1:50, with a new lead singer, decades after the original frontman died in a car accident right when their debut dropped. It was a fun and emotional set, and I hope we hear more from them soon. Filter would have fit better on 90s day, but their short 30-minute set was fun, highlighted by the always great and one of the best songs of the 90s, Hey Man Nice Shot. It always surprises me that I like Sevendust, but I seem to, because I really enjoyed their set, of which I recognized most songs, even as a very casual fan. 

We got to see the tail end of the Black Dahlia Murder set, which was good, but will always lack something going forward given their unfortunate circumstances. Chevelle played the hits and the people liked it. Unfortunately, Daughtry was playing on the stage where we were resting in the shade and eating. Never do I need to hear that band cover Journey. Never again. We got the see part of the Deafheaven set, and boy did it kill. I would have loved to see the whole thing, but I had a date with some 80s thrash legends. 

My night ended with a killer set from Testament, who played a bunch of songs from Practice What You Preach and even pulled out Return To Serenity from my favourite record, The Ritual. The set was amazing and they really got the crowd going, even with Marilyn Manson playing on the other side of the park. I did not stay for headliner Korn and got out of their once the Juggalos started gathering for the ICP set, but even with an early Sunday ending for me, the day was great.

So overall, Rockville was a ton of fun, record heat be damned. This is now an annual thing for our crew, so let’s hope next year we get some better headliners so this old guy doesn’t leave early to beat the traffic. It how about 70s and 80s temps instead of 90s. 8/10

Best Sets:

· Quicksand

· Municipal Waste

· Mastodon

· Acid Bath

· Dillinger Escape Plan

· Testament

Worst Sets:

· Taking Back Sunday

· Hollywood Undead (abomination)

· Daughtry

Best Day:

· Thursday/Saturday (tie)

Best Food:

· Buffalo Tots

Best VIP Perk:

· Clean Bathrooms

Needs A VIP Perk:

· Separate merch tent