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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And it does not disappoint.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Praetorian - Pylon Cult (APF Records)

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

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

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

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

ALT BLK ERA - Rave Immortal (Earache Records)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunrot - Passages (Prosthetic Records)

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

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

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

blacktoothed - Headway (Arising Empire)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews: Tigertailz (Simon Black)

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Harakiri For The Sky (Mark Young)

Harakiri For The Sky - Scorched Earth (AOP Records)



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bonus tracks:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews: Avatarium, The Great Old Ones, Martyrion, Kosmogonia (Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Avatarium - Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead (AFM Records) [Matt Bladen]

Avatarium were founded over 10 years ago and initially very prolific as a continuation of the doom sound created by Candlemass bassist Candlemass, featuring ex- Royal Hunt, now also Soen man Marcus Jidell on guitars and the evocative, earthy vocals of Marcus' wife Jennie-Ann Smith, it was the same but different for the doom originator Edling, embracing more of the Scandinavian gothic doom style. Especially on their last album Death, Where Is Your Sting.

Their new record then keeps them on course of juggling their pure doom days with classic rock/prog and romantic dark modern doom..Marcus Jidell's prog/melodic rock beginnings at their most influential alongside the powerhouse rhythm section of Andreas Habo Johansson (drums & percussion) and Mats Rydström (bass), production/mix from Jidell keeps it modern but organic while Svante Forsbäck's mastering seals the deal.

Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead begins with classic doom on Long Black Waves, shuddering fuzz and long slow riffs before the Dio-esque opulence of I See You Better In The Dark shifts the tone between doom and goth. The latter comes on the My Hair Is On Fire (But I'll Take Your Hand), the jazzy percussion perfectly carrying the track, "I Am A Goddess" sings Jennie-Ann here as the album then segues into Dark Americana meets The Doors psychedelia of Lovers Give A Kingdom To Each Other.

Then it's back to doom with Being With The Dead, down-tuned and anthemic, while Until Forever And Again puts epic doom against Bond theme grandiosity, this track may just be my favourite of the whole record. As we head towards the end of this new masterpiece from Avatarium, Noted From Underground has Jidell showing off his guitar prowess with an instrumental track while the album closes on a cathartic note with the title track.

The closer washes over you with shimmering guitars and fragility from the vocals, inspired by Pink Floyd and an artist such as Anna Calvi too, it completes this new album with a sense of melancholia as Avatarium evolve their sound again combing all three elements they've been juggling with previous records. 9/10

The Great Old Ones - Kadath (Season Of Mist) [Mark Young]

Lovecraftian Black Metal? Don’t mind if I do!!

Except I don’t think that calling this Black Metal does it the justice it deserves.

Kadath comes some six years since Cosmicism, which given what has happened in that period is not surprising. I don’t know a lot about Lovecraft and the worlds he built but I am acutely aware that its mythos has permeated everywhere, continually inspiring literature, films and music. For album number 5, they are looking to make a slight departure: From Season Of Mist -

“They are venturing (instead) into the Dreamlands.”

A quick look online and we find that it is an alternate dimension that can only be reached by entering a dreaming state. Its no wonder bands go to Lovecraft for inspiration, as the outcome is limited by your own imagination. This is a colossal record, in scope, execution and sheer breadth of ideas that constantly rush over you from the minute Me, The Dreamer kicks off to the final salvo from Second Rendez-Vous. 

The problem I have is in trying to articulate what is so good about it and why its worthy on your time (it is). Normally, you can go through each one identifying relative strengths and weaknesses and out of that a review Is formed. Not on here, where it becomes apparent that we are not in Kansas anymore and that this is more than just Black Metal with hints of Lovecraft here and there. It’s an odyssey, a soundtrack that is practically perfect.

So, it starts with Me, The Dreamer and early on they start to drop these little bombs where they change things up and down and around whilst maintaining a forward stamp at pace. There are traditional black metal ideas in there but they don’t linger on them for any length, They don’t allow anything to become sterile because with the opening track clocking in at 10 minutes and 55 seconds it has to hit the ground running. 

And, yet, knowing this they put the brakes on at half-way as a set up for a frankly monstrous riff that crushes. The latter half is just frenetic, and I’m going out on a limb right here: Its one of the best songs you will hear this year. Well, until you get to Leng which co-incidentally is track 6 on this. Reading that back, I don’t think I have properly captured how good this is and it feels like a massive cop-out to say: ‘ITS ACE’.

My impression of the writing and recording process for this album, they got together in a room with a whiteboard and wrote EPIC on it. In massive letters. And this is what they do, Those From Ulthar comes next with just a heady balance of melody and brutality into what could be described as the second most normal sounding black metal on here, where they descend In The Mouth Of Madness. 

They just can’t help themselves in shaking everything up, moving into the realms of prog but keeping that visceral excitement in place. Under The Sign Of Koth comes screaming in, supplanting Those From Ulthar as the most normal sounding black metal song on here. Until they just start move through the gears and change it. And this is the thing, whatever they change, at whatever stage it just works. The Gathering is their intermission and it heralds the arrival of Leng.

Leng is a 15-minute-long piece of art. It is also an instrumental. It is something else, alighting at every metal stop you can think of. It is perfect, and they could have stopped at this point and I would have just applauded. I realise that I’ve tried to talk about each song when I said I wouldn’t. Anyway, Astral Void (End Of The Dream) is next and maintains the incredibly high bar of quality that they set at the start.

Which brings us to the masterwork that is Second Rendez-Vous, and its classically tinged opening parts. The whole thing has a dynamic feel to it, and it is chock-full of mint riffs. Like Leng, its an instrumental and in both cases, vocals are not missed at all. I cannot recommend this album enough because it has classic written all over it. It has everything you could possibly want or need and over the course of an hour and 12 minutes you are completely entranced and wonder where the hell they have come from.

It is a phenomenal piece of work. 10/10

Martyrion - Gaia Uprising (Self Released) [Mark Young]

Gaia Uprising is the latest offering from Martyrion and has been a long time coming. The band started putting ideas together back in 2016 following the release of Our Dystopia in the same year. Like a lot of bands, progress hit the buffers once our friend Covid descended. Not only that, but line-up changes also added more confusion and it must have felt that any made ground was slowly disappearing in front of their eyes. 

And despite all of the obstacles they are here in front of you with what can be described as a bold statement from them as Gaia Uprising tells the story of a future where survivors eke out a life whilst the planet heals itself. It’s a concept album, and it’s one thing to have a story to tell or a message to send, the music behind it has to be able to back it up.

Imminence Of Judgement is the entry point, a brief introduction with whistling birds that moves along into Being At Nature’s Mercy, and we start off properly, bringing an emotional arrangement with it. It has a solid mid-paced stomp to it and some deft lead work that doesn’t overplay its hand. Wisely they opt for a relatively short playtime but it is still enough for it to show off some of the melodic touches that will come in later. 

It’s a solid but unspectacular opening and its one that Natural Selection leaves in its dust. It’s a tight exercise in controlled fury from them, mixing in some top riffing with slower passages that allow for Marian Freye (vocals, rhythm guitar & orchestrations) to switch between the guttural and the higher range vocalising. It shows that where required they can find another gear and again there is some spot-on lead work here from Felix Lüpke here. What I am finding is that there are recognisable patterns coming in – the fast work into the slow and I’m hoping that this isn’t an indication that the remaining songs will follow that lead.

Shadow, to an extent does exactly that. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but it feels as though they are fixed in shoehorning a melodic section into it, where possibly just going for it in the speed stakes would have been better. The introduction of cleans towards the end of the track does work with that slower build but for me this was crying out for a blitzkrieg early on. It’s a brave move in any event but if I’m getting 10 or so tracks that basically repeat the same approach then it will lose me.

I hoped to be proved wrong, but The Disease, as immediate as the main verse build is (and it is, with a central riff that motors) they still pull back on the attack and unfortunately, I am starting to lose interest in it because it follows that initial blue-print that was set out early on. They compound this felony with Memories, a gentle interlude which had the preceding songs battered me into the ground would have been a welcome break. 

The Great Revelation, however, comes in like a severely annoyed rhino. This is more like it, as they bring the low-end in until the expected pull-back comes in. However, they punctuate this by keeping the tempo up, at least for some of it. The vibe is different here, it speeds along with a decent zip and shows what has been missing from the earlier tracks.

Ignorance Is My Bliss keeps this good work going, this time they unleash some great work and whilst they follow their blueprint again, the main riff is a corker so all is forgiven. This is what they should have been dropping on us earlier and like the songs before, the build they choose for them is spot-on, you cannot argue with that at all but they needed this low-end chug to them in order to make them hit harder.

The final pair…and Darkness Embraces Us and Maelstrom Of Misery are the closing statements. Of the former, it screams into life with a stomp and some delicious, pinched harmonics. Will they go for a melodic (read slow bit) piece? Of course, but at least, they give us a frenetic lead with some storming double bass coming in to support. I desperately wanted it to just batter me from start to finish because it is painfully apparent, they can do it but alas, no. 

Final song is Maelstrom Of Misery, and I guess that if you wanted a representative sample of what the album is about, I’d say listen to this. It riffs when it needs to and is melodic elsewhere. For me it is missing that visceral touch where it excites you as a listener.

On one hand, this is a very polished set of songs that sound great and are ultimately solid in execution. I think that fans of their earlier output will appreciate it. On the other hand, it feels a little too safe. I applaud them for setting their stall out and then sticking with it but it cries out for some material whose mission is to crush. Without that, it feels like it is metal-lite and for me missing what heavy metal is all about. 6/10

Kosmogonia - Aella (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Based on Greek mythology of around 350BC in Thrace at the Scythian invasion the album is a narration of the daughter about her parents story, two sides of warring factions who fall for each other with the narrator as a result. This ancient story is told through folk driven melodic death metal influenced by Eluveitie, Akona and Korpiklaani.

Kosmogonia are from Athens so they know the story and make sure that is sounds suitably epic by using keys and flute on top of the thrash/melodeath sounds that guitarist Kostas Magalios has created since the beginning of the band. After some line up changes they adopted their current sound and it's led them to a second album which we have here.

Kostas of course drives the metallic riffage, I assume with bass too as Nick's drumming gives pace. Odysseus' keys and orchestrations are the cinematic part of the album, the battles, the love story all scored by his keys and Ismini's flutes which brings a sense of romance and mystical elements to tracks such as Hold Me.

No folk/symphonic metal album is complete with our dual vocals, here Kostas gives the growls while Vaya provides the counterpoint cleans. It's this duality in the vocals that tells the story. Theatrical folk metal Kosmogonia impress with this latest conceptual record Aella. 8/10

Reviews: Dark Fortress, Alfavrak, Bottlebelt, The Blackwall (Matt Bladen, Dan Sierras, Chris Tsintziras & Rich Piva)

Dark Fortress - Anthems From Beyond The Grave: Live In Europe 2023 (Century Media) [Matt Bladen]

Dark Fortress are probably one of the most important German bands in the second wave of black metal. They were majestically put to bed with their last studio album Spectres From The Old World, but Dark Fortress played one last grasp before finishing for good. Recording sets at Rotterdam and Bochum to make their first ever live album. When lead guitarist V. Santura heard the mixes back he thought they "sounded incredible" adding that he's "hardly ever happy" with their shows. So the live record impressed the band but will it impress this grizzled hack?

Well yes is the answer, between the intro and the outro there's excellent melodic black metal, the anchor, band founder Asvargr lays down the riffs beside the rhythm section of Hannes Grossmann (drums) and Michael Zech (bass), Catawomb opening the show with a shift from slow ominous beginnings to the speedy trem picking as Linus Klausenitzer's keys add the gothic sounds to The Silver Gate. 

Dark Fortress is a black metal band made up by prog fans so with a track such as Isa shows their prog credentials are on display, they play with song construction, slow building one moment then unleashing hell the next. V. Santura's lead guitar adds atmosphere and technicality on Chrysalis with Morean's vocals snarling no matter the back beat, he even growls when he talks between the songs.

These truly are Anthems From Beyond The Grave, Dark Fortress are dead and buried but this is one hell of panegyric. 9/10

Alfavrak - Kass Kontroll (Self Released) [Dan Sierras]

I could not understand one word these Swedes from Alfavrak were singing, but it sounded like they were having a good time and want to rock and roll. Their debut album, Kass Kontroll drips with 70’s rock goodness in the vein of Bon Scott era AC/DC.

From the get go, Alla Tanker Sex is a rocker that sets the tone for the rest of the album. It’ll have you stomping your feet and banging your head. They may sing in a foreign language, but good rock is not foreign to these guys.

There’s no slowing down throughout this album, and there’s nothing wrong with that. These guys bring it from track to track. And then, four songs in on 12 Steg, do I hear bongos?!?! I believe so, and man they sound great on this song. And the little slide guitar on the hard rocking track Grisarnas Natt is a nice touch. The track Hjärtat Som Ett Rakblad does take a slight detour, being one of the slower (but still rocking) songs of the album with some horns very prevalent throughout.

There’s no denying the hard rocking goodness throughout this album. Overall, if you’re a fan of loud, 70’s style classic rock, it doesn’t matter what language you speak, Alfavrak brings it! 8/10

Bottlebelt - Toxic Brew EP (Self Released) [Chris Tsintziras]

If you like thunderous guitars and stunning drums style, then Bottlebelt is a very good choice for you. A band from the UK which offers a strong thrash metal journey. Tοxic Brew EP consists of 5 tremendous songs, and each one of them contributes with its own signature. There is an absolute cooperation between guitars, drums and vocals. 

Don’t Drink And Die is the introduction of the album. From the very beginning, the thrash mindset of the band is clear. Next in line is the homonymous Toxic Brew, which is the music signature of Bottlebelt. 

Following from here, the powerful Beer Fuelled Fury is coming onstage. What characterizes this song, along with the rest of the songs, is that keeps listening to the EP in high levels. Something that gives an extra thumbs up to the band. Like all beautiful journeys, the Toxic Brew one comes to an end. Your Misery is not a filler. But the band’s promise that there is more to come.

A modern touch to thrash metal is imminent….Stay Thrash!!!!!! 8/10

The Blackwall - Spooky Tunes And Haunting Stories (Club Inferno Entertainment) [Rich Piva]

The brief description in the promo box for the debut record from the UK band The Blackwall was simply “goth prog”. How am I supposed to not take their album, Spooky Tunes And Haunting Stories, to review with those two words pushed together? Well, I did, and I am not sure what’s going on here but I am not so sure it is “goth prog”. More like modern metal with occasional prog leanings and some silly ghost stories for lyrics plus some cool 80s goth leaning tracks that if they did a whole album of, I would be all in.

I am sure these guys have the early Manson records in their collection, maybe some Sister Of Mercy too, but the is something a bit too formulaic here for me, while also being all over the place, if that is even possible. The production is too slick for me as well, but the band sure is trying, and I give it to them for that. I dig the track Skal, that reminds me of a more metal Murder By Death in parts. The Blackwall do produce the spooky as promised on Maledictions, where they abandon the “metal” and lean more on the 80s goth stuff, which is where they should stay, because they seem to really get that style. 

Best track on the record. The problem is that it is followed by the worst one, Blue Tree Meadow, in which I have no idea what they were going for. Then you get a track like Python, that brings it back to the goth side, once again with good results, seriously channelling Peter Murphy vocally. However, you are brought right back to the silly stuff with Spooky Stories MMXXIV. The track Old Vinyl tries too hard and the closer, The Witch has a cool riff but is more like dress up than anything else.

I am not scared of The Blackwall as promised, but I am intrigued by their goth leaning tracks and put off by their version of modern metal. Give me ten of those Thursday Goth Night at Club Malibu style songs and I will be all in, but this one is too all over the place for me. 6/10

Reviews: Hierarchies, Inerrant, Proprioception, Sypha (Matt Bladen)

Hierarchies - Hierarchies (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Transcending Obscurity Records open 2025 with what may be the most dissonant death metal record you will have heard for a long time. Featuring members of Acausal Intrusion and Dwelling Below, Hierarchies debut is an album that needs repeated listens.

At first the sheer abrasiveness of their music hits you like a truck on steep hill, extreme to the maximum, the effects and the production designed to make for an uneasy time, almost hallucinogenic in their sound Hierarchies try to worm their way into your aural canal with technically impressive music. An ever shifting soundtrack of extremity and discord, never fully moving towards atonality, frantic guitar picking is often met with obtuse guitar stabs.

Dimension is furious, blastbeat extremity as Twilight Tradition is a crawling, oozing, strangling number as Subtraction takes jazz metal oddness as if Death met Primus. Hierarchies may scare off a many except the real death metal aficionados but it's technically terrifying. 7/10

Inerrant - Find What You Love And Let It Kill You (Never Wrong Records)

Erroneously attributed to Charles Bukowski, Find What You Love And Let It Kill You is the perfect way to describe the Inerrant journey. Formed as a musical collective during the pandemic, they were material based, releasing albums and EPs as fast as they could to get their music out of there.

Line up changes came, as did shows, triumphs, tragedies and police shutdowns, but it seems now that Inerrant has run it's course. Many of the members are now in other acts so Inerrant are dead choosing to go out the way they can in with an EP of brand new material, their eulogy to themselves.

5 songs of raging hardcore to close out their existence, dual shouted vocals and snarling riffs on Bullshita give you the aggressive vitality the band have always had while, Eraserhead has some snotty punk. Politically charged and still fired up, Inerrant close out their account with the crushing bang of This Ends With You.

Save your cries, save your tears, the real pioneers burn out rather than fade away. 8/10

Proprioception - My Salvation Lies In The Church Of You (Self Released)

I hope you've all been very obedient and waited for this EP as you were told because if you haven't seen South Wales Kink-Positive hardcore act Proprioception before then I'm sure;

1. There will be very hard flogging in your future

2. You're missing out on one of the most intense acts around.

Having been a staple of the scene last year, championed by that hero of all things underground and inclusive FHED, their debut EP My Salvation Lies In The Church Of You, gives you a brief snippet of what you can expect from the band live. Recorded as raw as can be, the drumming is tinny and forceful, locked into punk grooving with the bass on Rubberist. The guitars are actually quite complex when they're not squealing or shifting into breathless breakdowns.

Vocally there's a commanding presence that will have you on your knees with the brute force they produce. Growls, screams and outright rage, though the spoken word moments are some of the most powerful, threatening whispers from your new Master. The Welsh hardcore scene has always been vibrant and aggressive but Proprioception add to it with a weirdo ethos, aural domination and plenty of PVC. 8/10

Sypha - Borderland EP (Self Released)

Borderland is the new EP from Brighton metal act Sypha, an act who embrace modernity with twitching electronics, emotive vocals and anthemic songwriting they also have those quiet/loud dynamics of bands such as Deftones and BMTH. Kicking off with the grooving Dirty Floor, the harsh/cleans working well as Limbo gathers speed in the verses before breaking down towards the choruses. It's a good spread of modern metal closing with the radio friendly The Afterparty and energetic close to their three tracks showcase. 6/10

Reviews: Tokyo Blade, Crimson Storm, Lethal X (Simon Black, Liam Williams & Matt Bladen)

Tokyo Blade - Time Is The Fire (Dissonance Productions/Cherry Red Records) [Simon Black]

Tokyo Blade are one of those seminal NWOBHM bands that everyone mentions as influential, but who never had made a successful impact in their original run. A quick look at the revolving door of musicians in their line up explains why, as this started from day one and never really stopped. 

That said, the Tokyo Blade of today is (more or less) using the reconstituted key members of the original 1982-86 run, although to be honest all five of them were only actually in the band at the same time for the last three of those years. However, this is the team that brought us Night Of The Blade in 1984 and Black Hearts & Jaded Spades in 1985, which are the two albums to reach for if you want to hear Tokyo Blade in their original context.

And to be fair, this reformed line up has been stable since they moved to their current label Dissonance in 2020, making the period since the most stable in their long and turbulent history. I’ve not heard the two predecessors, but this, album number three of this reformed run, is ticking a lot of boxes for me. For new ears, this is a really good place to start, as the album distils many of the best elements that have made up this brand over the decades, but for once they’re all on the same record at the same time.

It’s quite a meaty beast too, with nearly an hour and a quarter of run time, which it sustains remarkably well. When you’ve been around the block this many times, you expect artists to be able to crank the handle for new product more easily, and it’s a continual disappointment to listeners when they just seem to go through the motions and rely on their back catalogue to sustain them.

This is categorically not happening here…

This is a solid and well-crafted set of songs, with solid rhythmic structure, but weaved with melody and fluidity. Three-minute belters are avoided in favour of songs that build and lead you somewhere over the time it takes to do this job properly, building mood, creating atmosphere and taking the listener to a peak, which is sadly all too rare. 

These songs stand so well individually, and despite the sheer number and size of them do not tire the listener, because they also flow together well by avoiding sameness, padding or any repetition. It’s an album of fourteen songs clearly by the same band, but each distinct from its fellows. With some great performances all round, this unexpectedly made my week, and I now need to fill my weekend catching up on the recent years. 9/10

Crimson Storm – Livin’ On The Bad Side (Fighter Records) [Liam Williams]

Speed metal band Crimson Storm have unleashed their debut album, Livin’ On The Bad Side, upon the world, and it might just be one of the best speed metal albums I’ve listened to in recent times! Now, as a bit of a disclaimer, I don’t really listen to a lot of speed metal, it’s one sub genre that I can listen to passively, but rarely go out of my way to listen to in my own time. But this album is excellent and I definitely think I’ll be revisiting it in future!

We start with an intro track, Night Of The Tyrant. A short instrumental with some lovely duel guitars which leads into the next track Raging Eyes Of Darkness. This track starts with a really cool guitar intro and really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The chorus is pretty groovy, and so is the bridge section. There’s a nice scream that leads into the first guitar solo of the album. This is followed up with a final verse and chorus before the track ends. 

Track 3 is Outrageous, a very fitting title. It starts with an air raid siren before the band kicks in. This song has an early days Iron Maiden vibe to it, bit of an old school punk/thrash sound with the main guitar riff, and some of the vocals remind me of Dio’s in Stargazer. Throwing all that together, it’s a pretty epic track, one of my favourites on the album.

Abuse Of Power is up next, this one is another thrashy banger, featuring a cool groovy bridge section before the guitar solo. Then we have another favourite of mine, Nightmare Deceiver. This track is very Motley Crüe sounding. It’s got a great lead guitar riff with some nice use of harmonics, cool chorus and a nice lead-up to the guitar solo. Then it’s back to the thrashing for track 6, Speed Hammerin’ Metal. This is another good track with some great instrumental breaks before and after the guitar solo.

Harakiri Rendez-Vous starts with some clean guitars accompanied by a bit of bass before the full band come in and pick things up again. This track has some great lead guitar playing, the solo sounds very Slash influenced. Track 8 is Headfukker and this track is another one of my favourites. There’s a nice thrashy intro with some great drumming and the whole track in general has quite a big Judas Priest vibe to it for me. It also has my favourite guitar solo on the whole album. The album ends on a high note with another thrasher, Seven Days Of Mayhem. There’s a really cool chuggy instrumental part with some nice drumming just after the guitar solo which leads into the final verse and chorus.

Now, considering I’m not a big listener of speed metal, I really enjoyed this album a heck of a lot more than I thought I would. My main issue with speed metal in general is the same issue I have with a lot of power metal and most glam metal, which is the vocals are usually very cheesy and a bit too over the top for me personally. But I did not have that issue when listening to this album. The vocals were done really well. A lot of the time the vocalist sounds like Bruce Dickinson, but with more grit and power to his voice. This, along with the instruments, which all sounded fantastic and really well mixed, made this whole album a real pleasure to listen to. 10/10

Lethal X - 90 Tons Of Thunder (Metallic Blue Records) [Matt Bladen]

Now listen, in the history of Shrapnel Records, few bands are as important as Racer X, their debut Street Lethal was a 80's speed metal masterpiece, virtuoso players all pushing the limits of their instrument on the shred genre. For many Racer X never got better than Street Lethal, though I have soft spot for their latter material, they set a legacy as one of the foundations of that entire Shrapnel sound.

Perhaps though the band members were better known for what else they did. Guitarist Paul Gilbert was a member of Mr Big and successful solo artists, bassist Juan Aldertrete, the only constant member of the band went on to join The Mars Volta and drummer Scott Travis, who joined on follow album Second Heat took the Judas Priest drum stool for Painkiller until the present day.

Vocalist Jeff Martin has been around the rock world for a long time now as both a vocalist and a drummer for numerous artists, his uber-dramatic vocal style has seen him be both an in demand lead and backing vocalist, as well as a drummer too. However for me he was never better than behind the mic for Racer X, so imagine my excitement when I say the blue tinted album cover with a race car on it and the band name Lethal X.

This had to be deliberate right? They have to trying to emulate Racer X? Yes, yes they are, taking their name from Street Lethal, Lethal X pay homage to Racer X as Jeff Martin puts a band together along with original Racer X drummer Harry Gschoesser to rediscover that Shrapnel sound of their debut. Joining them are bassist Mike Szuter and guitarist Milan Polak, the latter having shredded with Shred God himself Marty Friedman, Kip Winger and Billy Sheehan.

Speaking of Sheehan, the bass wizard himself add some flair to instrumental Chasing The Flow, while on Daredevil and Fallen, Paul Gilbert returns to widdle up a storm. There's rarely a misstep if you loved the debut, speedy shredfests, Tormental is a grinding heavy rocker but also a lot of familiarity Dancing With Shadows, sounds a lot like Where Eagles Dare and some muscular balladry on God, Guts, Faith And Glory.

Lethal X continues where Street Lethal left off, Shrapnel Records Shred for 2025. 9/10

Reviews: Landfall, The Big Deal, Time Rift, Axetasy (Matt Bladen)

Landfall - Wide Open Sky (Frontiers Music Srl)

Frontiers Music have been mining a lot of musical gold from South America over the last few years, picking up prog metal, symphonic metal and plenty of melodic rock mainly from Brazil. One such act is Landfall, fronted by Gui Oliver but formed by drummer Felipe Souzza and guitarist Marcelo Gelbcke, rounded out by bassist Luis Rocha.

Landfall's take on melodic rock is harder edged than some other bands in the style, think Dokken or Extreme (Hourglass) and you'll be on the right track, SOS for instance is driven by some slick riffy guitar playing while When The Curtain Falls showcases the rough Steve Perry-meets-Bobby Kimball-like vocal of Gui, Running In Circles too is Journey rocking, No Tomorrow as well.

Let's just be honest Landfall are heavily indebted to Journey, from their rockers to the big ballads such as A Letter To You these Brazilian's pay homage to the American AOR heroes with this new record. There third album Wide Open Sky continues to showcase Landfall's gifts as a band. 7/10

The Big Deal - Electrified (Frontiers Music Srl)

The Big Deal return with some special guests, Anders Wikstrom (Treat) and Jona Tee (H.E.A.T.) join for some songwriting alongside songwriter/guitarist/producer Srdjan Brankovic, a man who is no stranger to the Frontiers machine.

Electrified is The Big Deal's second album showcasing the songwriting of Srdjan, but mainly it the vocals of Ana Nikolic and Nevena Brankovic which most will be drawn to the band for, Nevena also plays all the keys on the record so having those dual vocal harmonies with some big synthy melodic rock gives them a gimmick that will help them stand out on the label.

A track such as Like A Fire becomes a perfect showcase for The Big Deal, keyboard and guitar duels and the twin vocals working well on the big chorus hook. The Big Deal do other styles too with The Fairy Of White they tread on the toes of classic symphonic metal as Better Than Hell brings that 80's sheen. The Big Deal made a splash with their last album but Electrified is more expressive and better. 7/10

Time Rift - In Flight (Dying Victims Productions)

Time Rift are vintage rock n roll, fuzzy proto metal, put with 70's dinosaur rock and NWOBHM swagger, the band formed by guitarist Justin Kaye in 2017 has had various members but now consists of drummer Terrica Catwood and Domino Monet taking over the vocals from Levi Campbell who sung and played bass on their 2020 debut.

Bass on this record comes from producer/engineer Brian Vierra, but the addition of Domino is the revelation here. Her vocals are gritty but soulful, romantic but ravaged, evoking contemporaries such as Lucifer or Blues Pills and classic bands such as Thin Lizzy (Thunder Calling) and Heart (Coyote Queen).

There's a bit of Nugent on I Am (The Spear), choppy hard rocking on The Hunter, the proggy Into The Stillness has lyrics based upon the work of naturalist/poet/essayist Henry David Thoreau. In Flight is just over 30 minutes but it gallops through plenty of classic heavy metal muscle. If you want a vision of the past then jump on through this Time Rift. 8/10

Axetasy - Withering Tides (Dying Victims Productions)

Stuttgart speed metal band Axetasy formed in 2020, and they now bring us their debut album Withering Tides, unashamedly inspired by the 80's sound Axetasy that edges towards the dark side as the shredding speed metal of the German scene (early Helloween/early Blind Guardian) blends with American thrash (Kreator) and black metal (Celtic Frost).

It's raw and nasty in the vocals especially but musically they have solos galore and classic metal gallops on tracks such as Voidcrawler. With countless black thrash bands around, Axetasy do something a bit different vocally it's all growls and screams on Deadly Witch, all very Mercyful Fate but the playing is quite bright and bouncy, with the anthemic sound of trad metal/thrash.

Withering Tides flies by in a flash of wild guitar shredding, savage vocals, blasting drums, a time warp to to the primal force beginnings of the genre. 7/10