A View From The Last Time: Fish (Duncan Everson)

Fish, Bristol Beacon 26.02.25

Fish announced at the time of its recording that the Weltschmerz album would be his final one and as it turned out it is one of his best, receiving high praise from fans and critics alike. 

Last year, he announced that he was going to be retiring from live performing as well, going out with a tour across Europe before then doing a circuit of the UK and so, here we are (once more) but for the final time.

I first saw Fish live when he was fronting his previous band at an event known as the Garden Party in Milton Keynes, although I was there to see Gary Moore rather than the headliners, who I couldn’t stand.

You couldn’t get away from that bloody Kayleigh song on the radio in those days, even if you didn’t listen to the radio, it was everywhere, which really put me off. Anyway, as it turned out this band weren’t all that terrible after all and a week or so later, I gave their first album listen and the rest, as they say, is history. 

I saw them again on the next tour, which turned out be their last one together, Fish making that particular gig more memorable by splitting his trousers and disappearing for a quick wardrobe repair. Over the years the solo band T-shirt pile has increased, as has the CD count, what with all the standard, special and the latest Deluxe editions! 

All of that is to say, I’ve been a fan for a very long time, so tonight was going to be an emotional one but that was bound to be the case for most of us voices in the crowd and so it proved.

As I was also shooting the gig, the first three songs found the big man hypnotising my lens in an otherwise empty photo pit, which gave me possibly the best view in the house for a short while, something I will always be grateful for. 

Settling in with Vigil to start, the band were immediately on form and you could tell this was going to be a special one. Credo came next, with the crowd in fine voice for the choruses of “It don’t mean nothing” which couldn’t have been further from the truth of course.

Big Wedge, still as relevant today as it was back in 1990, marked my final song in the pit and I left before the finish to make sure I had time to scurry to the cloakroom, check my camera bag, get back in again and find a seat before I could crack open the notepad.

We were treated to Long Cold Day next as the first of the changes to the setlist, Fish swapping several songs around on different nights, playing the songs he wanted to rather than what was necessarily expected of him. 

This has always been a favourite of mine from the Fellini Days album and this version was the best I’ve heard. I hadn’t realised before quite how funky that bassline was, Steve Vantsis contrasting brilliantly with Robin Boult’s raw sounding guitar riffs before evolving into the more laid-back ending, complete with effective lighting.

This was something I also noticed in the next song, Shadowplay where the lights created atmosphere brilliantly, particularly in the middle of the song where they were dark and ominous to match the tone.

I won’t go into huge detail on every song so as not to bore too much, but highlights included the duet of Just Good Friends which gave backing singer Elisabeth Troy Antwi a proper chance to shine, Boult’s solo in Cliché was fantastic, close enough to the original to satisfy but with enough differences to mark it as his own now. 

Gavin Griffiths on drums did a sterling job all night, playing for the song, not being flashy but adding some tasteful fills at time to remind us he was there, doing his thing.

Incubus was brilliant, of course, but being one of Fish’s favourites there would have been trouble had it not been, even if he did introduce it as the wrong song, followed by much hilarity. In fact, this is something that was evident throughout the night, Fish was more relaxed and seemed to be just generally having more fun than possibly I’ve ever seen him. 

The banter (usually at the expense of keyboardist Mickey Simmonds) was flowing all night and that wasn’t the only setlist incident – “We’ve already played Long Cold Day, Mickey!” – but all taken in fine spirits. 

At one point Fish mentioned he’d read a review the previous day in The Telegraph saying that the reviewer came along because he got a free ticket but didn’t really know any of the material but was really surprised and impressed. As Fish commented, “You realise that NOW?! Where the fuck have you been?!”

The first encore featured songs that even the person from The Telegraph might have recognised, Kayleigh, Lavender and Heart Of Lothian before the band left the stage again. They shortly returned, however, for one final song, which was of course The Company. 

For this, Fish has the house lights switched on so he can see his 1,800 or so backing singers properly while also revealing just how few dry eyes there were left in the building. Something not helped when, after introducing the band, he finally signed off himself with, “And my name’s Derek, only Fish for a couple of more weeks.”

So, after two hours and twenty minutes it was finally all over. We’d laughed, we’d cried, we’d sung, we’d danced. It was a truly special evening with the best of company and it will stay in my memory for a long, long time.

Thanks for everything Fish. Have a long and happy retirement Derek. 10/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Obscura (Nat Sabbath)

Obscura, Skeletal Remains & Gorod, The Asylum, Birmingham, 15.02.25

On 15th February 2025, The Asylum in Birmingham became the beating heart of technical death metal, playing host to an extraordinary night of musical dexterity, innovation and sheer intensity. 

With Gorod, Skeletal Remains, and headliners Obscura delivering performances of uncompromising quality, it was a celebration not just of technical proficiency, but of the creative diversity within modern death metal.

First to take the stage were Gorod (8), the French masters of progressive technical death metal hailing from Bordeaux. From the moment the first notes rang out, Mathieu Pascal and Nicolas Alberny demonstrated exactly why the band has earned such reverence. 

Their guitar work was intricate yet fluid, switching seamlessly between frenetic technicality, expansive melodic passages and jazz-tinged flourishes — all while retaining an undeniable heaviness.

Benoit Claus’ basslines offered more than just support; they added a rich, melodic counterpoint, enhancing the depth of each track. Meanwhile, Karol Diers behind the kit showcased astonishing versatility, moving from complex polyrhythms to driving blast beats with absolute precision. At the helm, Julien “Nutz” Deyres delivered a vocal performance both commanding and dynamic, his guttural growls balanced by unexpected flashes of clarity and melody. 

Tracks like Disavow Your God and The Orb were delivered with stunning precision, the band effortlessly marrying technicality with a sense of groove and movement. Gorod set an exceptionally high standard, ensuring the audience were locked in from the outset.

Next came Skeletal Remains (10), the California-based purveyors of old-school death metal reimagined for a modern audience. Where Gorod dazzled with technical acrobatics, Skeletal Remains delivered something more primal; an unrelenting barrage of riffs, rhythms and ferocity, all underpinned by laser-sharp execution. 

There was a clarity and weight to their sound that allowed every note to land with devastating force. The influence of genre greats like Death and Pestilence was clear, yet the band’s identity never felt derivative.

Each riff was razor-sharp, each transition hit with bone-rattling precision, and the band’s collective energy was infectious. The crowd responded in kind, with pits opening up and heads banging in unison to tracks from their latest album Fragments Of The Ageless alongside fan favourites from earlier releases. 

There was a rawness to their delivery that stood in stark contrast to the polish of Gorod, but this contrast worked beautifully, showcasing the diversity within the death metal spectrum.

Finally, it was time for Obscura (7), Germany’s premier torchbearers of progressive technical death metal, and their arrival was greeted with the kind of fervour usually reserved for returning heroes. 

Steffen Kummerer, the band’s founder and creative linchpin, was as commanding as ever, his dual role as frontman and guitarist performed with effortless precision. His ability to balance serpentine, high-speed riffs with soaring melodic phrasing remains unparalleled, and his vocals (raw yet controlled) delivered both power and conviction.

The band’s latest album, A Sonication, released in early 2025, provided a wealth of highlights, with new tracks like Silver Linings and Evenfall sitting comfortably alongside career-defining pieces such as Anticosmic Overload and Diluvium. 

What became immediately clear was how cohesive and inspired this new incarnation of Obscura feels, the addition of Kevin Olasz on lead guitar, Robin Zielhorst on fretless bass, and James Stewart on drums has reinvigorated the band’s sound. Olasz’s lead work was nothing short of mesmerising, blending extreme technical prowess with a rare sense of melodic storytelling.

Zielhorst’s fretless bass playing added a warmth and fluidity that elevated the band’s intricate compositions, while Stewart’s drumming was a relentless masterclass in precision, energy and nuance. 

There was something almost transcendental about Obscura’s set - the way they moved between soaring melodic passages, brain-bending technical runs, and moments of pure, crushing heaviness. But despite the complexity, there was always clarity, every note had purpose, every flourish served the greater whole.

With The Asylum’s intimate yet intense atmosphere, the evening felt less like a standard metal show and more like a communal celebration of the artistry that exists within extreme music. 

From Gorod’s audacious fusion of genres to Skeletal Remains’ primal force and Obscura’s towering compositional mastery, this was a night that proved technical death metal isn’t just about speed or complexity - it’s about pushing boundaries while staying rooted in something deeply human.

Review: Whitechapel (GC)

Whitechapel - Hymns In Dissonance (Metal Blade Records)



Ok, so I’m not really sure where to start with Whitechapel. When they first came onto the scene, they absolutely blew me away and This is Exile and A New Era Of Corruption are my favorite albums and are both masterpieces and in my opinion haven’t been beaten, after this their output varied wildly for me.

The last album I really like being Our Endless War my main issue was the shift in styles of their later albums, I know that sounds really close minded but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me at all and when I heard the were going back to being heavy again I was more than skeptical and I’m not sure fully what to expect from their eighth album Hymns In Dissonance.

My worries aren’t instantly eased with Prisoner 666 as it has a prolonged atmospheric build up that fills me with dread but when it explodes into life, it does so in glorious fashion and takes me back to the good old days full of scattergun lyrics that are as brutal and devastating as ever.

The thundering beatdowns and insane drum work are all there, the riffs are thick and chugging and it just puts a smile on my face, why did they ever change? Hymns In Dissonance sounds like it was lifted directly from This Is Exile and I don’t mean this in a derogatory way, that is the highest compliment I could pay this track, it shows Whitechapel in utterly devastating form from start to finish and banishes any thoughts that they don’t mean business! 

Diabolic Slumber gives us a bit of a meat and potato deathcore track, and this is only based on the high standards set by these guys overall output, it’s got a strange mix in places and not sure it really sits right overall.

There are no such issues on A Visceral Wretch which is an all-consuming monster of a track that has Whitechapel’s sound firmly nailed onto it, with punishing drums stomping all over you with no mercy, disgustingly good guitar work throughout and of course the vocals are just brilliant as always, this is bound to be yet another classic song in their back catalogue.

Ex Infernus is a bit of an unneeded atmospheric interlude but it does allow you to re-group before Hate Cult Ritual hammers you to the wall again, with probably the fastest and most exhilarating track on the album.

There is not one single time this track is not grabbing hold of you and throwing you walls of riffs, blast beats and even the solos don’t signal a drop in the intensity, this song is just s pure hate filled adrenaline rush. 

The Abysmal Gospel does then slow down and takes a more measured approach to start before another blitzkrieg of blast beats and wailing guitars drop in and then the main verse drops in and completely annihilates you again, the way this album has just kept this level of brutality all the way through is just breathtakingly good! 

Bedlam lurches into life with another more measured focus and while it’s all done brilliantly enough, I feel that it just maybe drags its heels a bit too much compared to most other tracks on this album and suffers slightly for it. 

You feel that maybe Mammoth God may also suffer from this as well as it takes a while to get going but thankfully once it does there is no such worries, it incorporates some of the more later day cinematic approach to the sound but still manages to be brutally heavy, mesmerizing and even beautiful in a way, trust me just listen and you will understand what I mean. 

Nothing Is Coming For Us saves possibly the best for last and with its slightly longer run time it allows for more experimentation and mixing of all the staple sounds that have made Whitechapel the phenomenon they are today.

They know when to attack and when to hold back (slightly) and the way they intertwine everything on this track is a stunning way to make you remember that when they want to be the there really is nobody on this planet who are as good as Whitechapel.

I think that it is clear to see that I loved this album?! The way it was all weaved in together to give old fans what they may have been missing from recent releases but also manages to incorporate the more recent sound for fans who may have come to the Whitechapel party later in their career is truly spectacular.

It also reminds you that at their best they are probably one on the heaviest bands on planet earth. Now, yes of course there were a couple of tracks that for me weren’t perfect, I get that but even with that in mind they would probably be most other bands’ best tracks and that stands as a testament to how good Whitechapel are when they are on this form.

If you’re an old school fan like me you will love this album, if you’re a more recent fan I think you will love this album and if this is your first time listening to Whitechapel (where the fuck have you been??) you will love this album. 

Please let me make this clear if you don’t listen to this album and love it you are one of 2 things, deaf or just plain stupid, if that offends you for any reason I am sorry but I don’t really care, this album is an essential listen and you will not regret taking the time to hear it. 10/10

Reviews: Dark Chapel, K L P S, Betrayers, Confessions Of A Serial Killer (Matt Bladen)

Dark Chapel - Spirit In The Glass (MNRK Heavy)

Dario Lorina is a long time member of Black Label Society, he is the guitar foil for Zakk Wylde, not only a great six stringer but on the basis of this record a good singer and producer too. He's released a solo record and one with another band but this is the first under the name Dark Chapel. Like I said Dario is a part of BLS and before that was a member of Warrant, but there's a lot more of the BLS style on Spirit In The Glass.

Fat biker riffs are the order of the day on Afterglow and the choppy Corpse Flower, Dario and Brody DeRozie the guitar duo here, showcasing their talents across these 10 tracks. The muscular backroom of Mike Gunn (bass) and Luis Silva (drums) giving the swampy grooves to these blues driven rockers such as All That Remains, or the melodic Glass Heart.

The real surprise though is not Dario's instrumental prowess but his voice, smooth, soulful very like Chris Cornell on ballad such as Dark Waters. He frequently uses the reverbed vocals sound that both Zakk and Ozzy are known for, making those BLS similarities glow brightly on Gravestones Humanity as Dead Weight smacks of In This River.

Spirit In The Glass is a decent enough debut from Dark Chapel, if you're a fan of Black Label Society then you won't find anything too different here but it's enjoyable nonetheless. 7/10

K L P S - S/T (These Hands Melt)

Swedish sludge meets post metal from K L P S who play loud, exploratory music. This self titled debut has got a colossal sound to it, raging torrents of aggression, with a focus on instrumental mastery, as the dissonant guitars conflict with the rumbling percussive power. There's peaks and troughs throughout as the band move through their sonic journey.

The vocals are raw and catharitc too, never moving out of visceral screaming as their vocalist shouts above the huge waves of riffage. K L P S bring something different to their sound though against the heaviness, they shift into atmospheric realms building towards release on tracks such as Tribulation or the dramatic Aureola.

K L P S instill their music with atmospheric flights and mountains of heaviness. 7/10

Betrayers - Falling Through The Hourglass EP (Self Released)

Betrayers rage again, using politically motivated lyrics, samples and outright aggression they present Falling Through The Hourglass and this EP has quite a long gestation period to it, with songs going back to the pandemic, but like with Weapons For Killing Cattle their last EP many of the themes remain the same, I suppose depressing showing how little things have changed since their last release.

Recorded in the Forest Of Dean, it's an EP that utilises every element of Betrayers sound, from hardcore punk, to crushing sludge, raw black metal to enveloping doom. It highlights their shifting roster too with Extra Angela, a re-recording of Angela Lansbury VS Nicolas Cage with Svalbard's Mark Liley behind the kit for a bit more thunder. It's quite interesting to chart the evolution of Betrayers with this EP, their journey towards being the monster they are today.

If you want metal on the extreme side then Falling A Through The Hourglass will make your ears bleed. 7/10

Confessions Of A Serial Killer - Audio Violence (Self Released)

Confessions Of A Serial Killer made their blood drenched imprint on the South Wales metal scene last year, getting all the way to the final of the South Wales Metal To The Masses, impressing crowds with their gore soaked, murder obsessed nu-metal meets groove metal sound and terrifying visual presentation, it's about time they released a record and here it is their debut EP Audio Violence.

Influenced by the likes of Mushroomhead, Mudvayne, Static X, Coal Chamber and Slipknot, there's plenty of chunky groove riffs that straddle thrash and death, alongside percussive barrages from the rhythm section, some ominous industrial electronics and a wider range of growls, grunts and snarling vocals, spitting out tales of murder and mayhem at rapid fire pace.

Yes there's lots of Nu-Metal but it's also really heavy, aggression is the buzzword here as the blasts of rage are tempered by some interludes which are used to keep the EP like a cinematic soundtrack of violence. As if their own penchant to cause harm wasn't obvious they borrow a song from Limp Bizkit making Break Stuff a bit nastier.

Confessions Of A Serial Killer are a band that will welcome you into their cult on Audio Violence, prepare to be a victim. 7/10

Reviews: Arion, Kaiser, Seventh Station, The Move (Simon Black, Dan Sierras, Chris Tsintziras & Mark Young)

Arion - The Light That Burns The Sky (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Simon Black]

Finland’s Arion have, as usual, taken their time following up 2021’s excellent Vultures Die Alone, but then a four-year album cycle is the norm for this onetime bunch of Eurovision hopeful Melo / Sympho Power Metallers. 

That last release was a high-water mark of that year for me, so I was keen to see what had had changed in the intervening years. 

The answer is not a lot, and that’s fundamentally a rather good thing, as what they do has a fairly unique sound in an over-crowded genre which is why they probably appeal more to the Modern Metal crowd than their pigeonhole would suggest. They’ve just dialled it up somewhat, were such a thing possible…

The reason for this is the same as last time out – an honest, brutal and on the nose set of tracks whose blistering delivery gives no quarter to the casual listener, and demands the attention for forty-five rather brutal, yet laced with pop melody minutes. 

As last time out, the technical and progressive touches lift this beyond the sameness that litters Power acts, but doesn’t intrude beyond adding that extra touch for the technically inclined. 

Even the most casual sounding fill from the drums has a rippling cacophony of interplay from the rest of the band that makes it all sound so damned easy, which it most clearly is not and a production that really captures this subtlety without reducing the overall suckerpunch from the band. 

What really helps add the slight edge of brutality is Lassi Vääränen’s raw and edgy vocals, which border on the extreme whilst simultaneously sounding both clean enough and rock and roll enough to appeal to just about anyone.

When you take your time between releases, you set the bar of expectation high but they band have delivered here. Whereas their previous release had a more commercial overall feel, the move to Reigning Phoenix seems to have lifted the barriers, and the harder edge dominates on this release, and is all the stronger for it. 

These eleven tracks really mean business, to the point where one is drawn back round again for more, which in an age of such limited attention spans is no mean feat. 

Perhaps a little more tonal variety was needed this time round, but I’m not complaining about what landed here. It’s a long way from Eurovision now, and thank whatever deity you prefer for that. 9/10

Kaiser - 2nd Sound (Majestic Mountain Records) [Dan Sierras]

HEAVY, HEAVY and more HEAVY! That’s what the trio of Kaiser brings on its latest album 2nd Sound. The bands follow up to its debut full-length LP 1st Sound, does not lack in heavy hitting riffs and punishing beats.

From the get go, Brotha brings an onslaught of heaviness that only the best in the stoner rock genre can bring. They continue their blitz of riffage on the second track 1.5 Dozen with a blistering attack on the senses. Followed up by Meteorhead that shows no mercy with their assault of low-end fuzz. And the next track Oversized Load is exactly that, and oversized load of fuzzy goodness and a chunky bass riff.

Stood Still dials it down a notch with an acoustic offering that shows the range of this great album. But right after that track, the monster awakens with the song Awaken Monster, which I consider an EPIC offering on this already grand album. 

The second single to be released A Clockwork Green, which has a groovy little intro and outro, is yet another dose of thick riffage that we’ve become accustomed to at this point. And finally, coming in at just over ten minutes, Aftershock brings a little bit of Sabbath-y, sludgy goodness.

I can’t say enough good things about this album. Buy it, download it, stream it, whatever your preference of listening is. There’s no doubt this album will be on a lot of year end lists! 10/10

Seventh Station – On Shoulders of Giants (Layered Reality Productions) [Chris Tsintziras]

Seventh Station revel in their unconventionality on their third release On Shoulders Of Giants. Paying gratitude to the band’s classical heritage, they have released the album through Dutch record label Layered Reality Productions. On Shoulders Of Giants is a an album that leans heavily on the multinational membership. 

Seventh Station features members from Slovenia, Türkiye, and Israel they are a progressive entity in the fullest sense, their music being avantgarde and  experimental. The album’s songs are expansive but never boring, they all have their own character, switching between various movements in the same song. 

Throughout this album there are various music contributions, with the members drawing from their own heritage. Any listener should give time to the album to get into the advanced melodies. 7/10

The Move - Message From The Country (Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records) [Mark Young]

The Move seem to fall into that category of bands that are famous for their members did next and yet from forming in 1965 they managed an almost continuous presence in the UK top 40 up until 1968/69 and in that time were bestowed with the honour of having the first song ever played on Radio 1 when it commenced broadcasting in 1967 (Flowers In The Rain, for those keeping score). 

You might know one of their members as Wizzard as the chap responsible for I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and you will have heard of the band that came next, with a certain Mr Jeff Lynne.

Lynne’s involvement came about following a change in personnel and as I understand it the original intent was to progress with E.L.O following the release of their first album with Lynne and Wood but due contracts there was one more album required as part of that recording contract – I’m happy to be corrected on this and I’ll expand a little on this later in the review.

It’s the overlap between the latter days of The Move and the Early days of ELO that feels visible on this release, especially with that descending chord progression that runs through Message From The Country which is fantastic. I don’t pretend to know what came first and I won’t embarrass myself by paraphrasing Wikipedia for that information but to me there are moments on here that would not be out of place on those early E.L.O albums.

In terms of composition, this final Move album goes everywhere – there’s country, there’s Elvis, swaggering 70’s rock and just a touch of glam here and there which would be everywhere in a few short years and a lot of it really holds up in 2025 as prime examples of British rock. 

Others are definitely a product of the times, such as No Time with its flute refrains and harmonies that echo the Bee Gee’s in execution and captures that British whimsy so well. There’s the Elvis tinged Don’t Mess Me Up and the bass driven Until Your Mama’s Gone that signposts Suzy Quatro’s Devil Gate Drive that shows when they needed to, they had the chops to rock out. 

Its likely forgotten that they had a level of grit when you consider the bloated monster that E.L.O became and on this one there is a guitar tone that is similar to the one deployed by QOTSA on their last album. Despite these stylistic leaps they don’t sound out of place, and one thing that it can’t be accused of is playing safe in how the tracks are placed together. 

There is a real sense of a joined mind on here, of a commonality in how the songs should be put together and they are all centred around some sublime arrangements such as The Words Of Aaron where the repeated riff allows everything else to spring from it and in some ways represents the last embers of the 60’s in its sound. That is not to say everyone is a cracker. My Marge is their version of The Beatles Honey Pie, which looks back to the music hall for inspiration and I can largely take it or leave it. 

My Marge closed the original release out and this release includes single content to round off with.

Of the extras, Chinatown is an example of a song written in a time when looking for a lady of the night was a suitable topic so I’ll leave it there but its another example of that ‘Jeff Lynne’ sound that would come later whilst Down On The Bay takes influence from Chuck Berry and is a straight-up R&B rocker which probably takes too much influence from its source, and I would say the same for California Man, where they are suitable singles but I think aren’t as good as the album overall.

How it sounds is something else, and it sounds great. The bass punches through, so you hear every note that is struck and its apparent that this has been a labour of love to put the necessary shine to it. The accompanying liner sheets are also pretty cool and I think that this would be quite the package on vinyl where you could really immerse yourself in it and enjoy as you would have done in 1971. 

The triple guitars on Tonight shine, full of warmth and character and the harmonies are quality and the likes of Do Ya that forms part of the extra content show the direction of traffic British rock was taking in the early 70’s.

It would be nice to see this, the band get a little more recognition amongst fans of guitar music, and this is the sort of release that could help it happen. There are good songs on here and I think fans of alternative / psychedelic / 70’s rock will find a lot to love. Fans of the band know what this is about and should welcome this release warmly. 8/10

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025: Interview With Mudlarker (Swansea Heat #1)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 Interview With Mudlarker



1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band.

We’re Mudlarker, a stoner metal/doom band from Hereford. We combine classic rock style vocals with psychedelic heavy stoner riffs. We are heavily influenced by older stoner bands such as Kyuss, Cathedral and Orange Goblin but add our own spacey, sci fi led spin on it.

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

This is our first time at M2TM. The reason we entered is to get more exposure in another city, our hometown of Hereford doesn’t have much of an original music scene and any excuse to get out there to larger cities, with more metal fans, is always a good thing!

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

Local scenes are massively important for all bands! Our hometown was so bereft of any scene at all for a long time, so we did something about it and started putting shows and booking bands ourselves. Under the name of Lostronaught Promotions we put on 3 shows last year and we have another 4-5 planned for this year. All our profits go to the bands as they all need support, and of course, it was a good excuse to play another gig ourselves!

4. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

We hope to enjoy it and make new friends amongst the heavy community. We don”t take ourselves too seriously and just enjoy playing together and jamming, of course winning would be incredible and we’ll give everything we have on stage to do that, but every other band will be doing the same and we’re under no illusions that competition will be tough!

5. What would playing a Sold Out Bloodstock Festival mean to you?

Everything! It will be the pinnacle of our time together. We do this for the thrill of playing live and that would be the ultimate thrill. We’ve attended bloodstock and other heavy festivals such as Download, Desertfest and ArcTanGent, and to play any of them would be unreal.

6. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

Our friends Painted as Monsters are a great band and we’ve shared the stage with them before, we’ve recently booked Risperidrone for one of our shows that we’re putting on in May after hearing great things about them. Of course every band will be worth seeing as we know how much time and work we all put in to create the music we love. We wish good luck to every band and we can’t wait to see you.

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025: Interview With Akuma (Cardiff Heat #1)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 Interview With Digital Resistance



1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band.

We’re Akuma, a modern metal band formed in Cardiff in late 2023, and have been actively playing shows since August 2024. We’ve currently got 2 singles out on Spotify, ‘No Apathy’ and ‘Null’. All of us have been friends for years and in multiple different bands in the local scene, and to finally be playing music together that we all enjoy that is heavily inspired by our collective love for metal is a really cathartic feeling.

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

We wanted to enter the M2TM campaign for 2025 with the perspective of getting to know other bands and people within our currently thriving South Wales scene. Being in touch with the local scene is one of the most important aspects of our band, and for musicians in general. For us, this is a completely new experience that we are incredibly excited to venture down, and we can’t wait to see how vibrant (and heavy) our scene can get.

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

As mentioned, being in touch with people all around your local scene is hugely important. As a collective and varied scene as a whole we’ve seen other bands support each other to get to newer heights and to experience a lot of opportunities. A scene that sticks together and lifts each other up is instrumental in bringing about the next generation of music, and we’re excited to be a part of that.

4. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

Getting to know other people on our scene. Whether that is promotors, bands, and new people to listen to our music, getting to know others is a huge part of being a local musician. The opportunities presented for metal to the masses allows bands to truly make a connection with their local scene, and to even be invited to participate this year is a huge honour.

5. What would playing a Sold Out Bloodstock Festival mean to you?

To be on a bill with bands we’ve loved since we were younger, such as Gojira, August Burns Red and Trivium, is something that would leave an important mark in our bands history, and to get the opportunity to play the festival itself through metal to the masses would be truly the perfect end to an inspiring journey for us. We cannot wait to get our teeth into our first heat.

6. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

We are very privileged to be playing with some good friends in ICANTDIE and Copehill Down in our heat, and they are 2 fantastic acts that can go all the way for sure. Alongside that, our good friends in Nothing Minor, Struggler and Bleed The Fifth are also participating in this years metal to the masses competition, and we cannot wait to see them go far this year.

Truly, every band on this years competition is absolutely fantastic in their own right, and this year is shaping up to be one of the tightest and best years in South Wales’ iteration of Metal to the Masses. We cannot thank the team that make this happen enough for letting us participate. May the best band win!

Reviews: Vision Of Disorder, Perfect Plan, Robin McAuley, Bronco (Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Vision Of Disorder - Vision Of Disorder/Imprint Deluxe (Dissonance Records/Cherry Red Records) [Rich Piva]

I believe I am uniquely qualified to review the re-release of the legendary Long Island hardcore/metalcore Vision Of Disorder’s re-release of their first two records, originally released on Roadrunner Records, on one CD set by the excellent Cherry Red Records. 

I have been a fan of the band since the beginning, and when I say beginning, I really mean it. I went to high school with two of the members of the band. 

I distinctly remember being chased around gym class by guitarist Mike Kennedy, briefly dated lead signer Tim Williams’s cousin, and may have, at one point, been attempted to be recruited into Tim’s fraternity by him (he was not always Mr. Hardcore frontman, and yes, for some reason, we had fraternities at my high school).

I experienced the band at talent shows and battle of the bands, before they were hardcore and were more straight ahead hard rock but with some leanings in that direction, crushing bands playing Pearl Jam songs and refusing to play covers, instead just giving the crowd their own material. 

Of course, in the late 80s/early 90s there was some amazing things happening in the Long Island and NYC hardcore scene (one of my most coveted 7-inch singes is Soldier Unknown by Mind Over Matter), so it was an obvious shift to the heavier stuff that got VOD noticed, ultimately becoming the most famous musicians from the school, outside of Debbie Gibson of course.

I am not going to sit here and go song by song on these two classics, all you have to do is listen to tracks like Element, Liberation, Suffer, and Through My Eyes on their 1996 debut to understand how influential these guys were in creating metalcore, like it or not. 

Williams’s hardcore growls partnered with the every now and then clean response will always be perfect to me. Kennedy remains an underrated metal guitar hero, chugging along and ripping it up on the twelve tracks on their debut. 

VOD was still hardcore as hell, even with their metal leanings, and as heavy as these songs are you could still hear elements of bands like Shelter in their hidden melodic side you may miss if you aren’t paying attention. 

Ask any band playing metalcore today and if the VOD debut isn’t one of their key influences, then they are either lying to you or their band sucks. You also can hear the influences they had on groove metal, with a track like Zone Zero as an example. The debut rules and can be heard in all sorts of metal and hardcore that is put out there through today.

Album two, 1998’s Imprint, was also great, but for me, didn’t quite live up to their debut, even though the record is excellent and also super influential. Imprint found the band drifting a bit away from their hardcore roots and is distinctively more metal to my ears, but also with great results. 

It made a lot of sense that the band was able to get Pantera Phil as a guest on the track By The River given songs like Twelve Steps To Nothing. There is something rawer to this record which I really dig, as there was no effort towards doing something more commercial at all. 

I do hear some elements of bands in the scene before them, like some of the underlying Life Of Agony vibes I get from a number of the tracks on Imprint. But these guys were not afraid to rip it up Dillinger Escape Plan style, like on Landslide, which is one of my favourite VOD songs of all time. 

Listen to Everytime I Die and tell me they don’t love Imprint. The CD set includes a Japanese bonus track from Imprint, a cool cover of the Bad Brains song Soul Craft, which is a nice additional to an already must have set.

If you are not aware of Vision Of Disorder, first, what’s wrong with you, second, this two CD set is the perfect introduction to what the band was all about, and two albums where VOD was at the peak of their powers and that reman super influential in what heavy music is all about today. 9/10

Perfect Plan - Heart Of A Lion (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Do Perfect Plan sound like an amalgamation of Survivor and Foreigner? Yes? Does it matter why they sound SO like both these bands? Not really as Heart Of A Lion is another album of epic AOR from Perfect Plan. 

Tracks such as Turn Up Your Radio and We Are Heroes having that upbeat sing along quality that reminds me of the movies where you see the cool protagonist cruising Santa Monica in an open top sports car.

This is rock n roll with a pop sheen to it. Modern production means that My Unsung Hero is a huge power ballad, with choir and some slow processed drums, if it was 1985 this would be number 1 for sure. 

The emotion in these songs comes from the soulful vocals of Kent Hilli, he's been the driving force of Perfect Plan for four albums now, he's also a member of Giant, further establishing his AOR credentials as a vocalist.

Perfect Plan deftly fuse many sounds of the 80's into one record on Heart Of A Lion, from the UK/US sounds of Whitesnake and Survivor to the Scandinavian sound they came from, if you want a record that does retro very well, a throwback to an era where rock ruled the airwaves. 8/10

Robin McAuley - Soulbound (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Robin McAuley is a bit of hard rock legend, he's sung in Grand Prix but is probably more closely associated with Michael Schenker Group more recently with Michael Schenker Fest and supergroup Black Swan. 

The return set the Frontiers Music Machine gears in motion and soon Soulbound was being written with production maestro Aldo Lonobile, giving it his trademark audio touch as well as some bass and additional guitar.

Yes guitar one thing there's a lot of guitar on this record. It's definitely on the rock side of the melodic rock spectrum. Andrea Seveso & Alessandro Mammola shredding like Metal Mickey from the beginning of 'Til I Die until the closing There Was A Man, they play complex riffs and leads that propel the heavy rocking style of this album. 

Alfonso Mocerino is the beat behind the title track and the swaggering Let It Go, the percussive heartbeat of these rock tracks while Antonio Agate adds the melodic keys.

Though of course the reason people will flock to this record is the unshakeable vocals of McAuley, the Irish singer still has a hell of set of pipes, he’s always reminded me of Klaus Meine of Scorpions and his gritty delivery is perfect for One Good Reason Why and Born To Die. 

Soulbound is a big rock record from a big rock voice. Robin McAuley is perhaps an unsung hero of the melodic rock sphere but on this record he shows his worth in buckets. 8/10

Bronco - Bronco (Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

Bronco is a doomy sludge band from North Carolina and boy do they sound like it in all the best ways. These guys are heavy as hell on their self-titled debut, leaning into bands like Down, Crowbar, Eyehategod, and Weedeater to bring some southern sludginess to the masses.

A bluesy and groovy riff opens us up on Scourge Descent, you immediately know that you are in some Southern swamp, high as hell, stuck in a bog. The vocals may not jive with some listeners, as the singing leans more towards black metal than anything else. 

 But a black metal singer fronting Down would be my best way to describe this groovy slow burn. There is nothing in a rush on this record, take plodding second track Ride Eternal that exists to both get you high an destroy you simultaneously. 

My favourite track on the album is Light Of God, where the band rachets up the tempo and rips up the place with some chunky riffs. I never knew I needed a sludge cover of The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia but wow did I, and it also turns out to be the highlight of this record. 

There are no denying the riffs on Bronco, like the ones on Legion and Fades All. The vocals may be a tough hill to climb for some, but if you are into that style, this record will surely connect with you. If not, even the riffs won’t save you.

I have to be in the mood for this type of record, but when I am, the southern sludge of the debut from Bronco will scratch that itch. Heavy as hell, riff filled, but watch out for that voice for those of you with a delicate vocal pallet. 7/10

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025: Interview With Icantdie (Cardiff Heat #1)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 Interview With Icantdie



1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band. (Promote yourselves)

Hi My name is Kyle, I play Guitar and Vocals for a Post hardcore trio band called ICANTDIE. Other members are Lloyd Griffiths on Bass and Adam Kerslake on Drums

We hail from the Bridgend/Barry area of South Wales and have been going since 2019. We’ve played with a ton of awesome bands over the years and some cool venues in England and Wales plus released our lates EP “ERRORS” back in 2023. Were currently at work with new material and we like to describe our music and style as chaotic with a hint of mischief.

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

Well……we participated two years ago in Swansea, and we got through to the next round but lost to a single vote……..A SINGLE VOTE??!!! Controversy indeed!!

So we decided we didn’t want to go out like that when the next chance arose. Granted we missed last years, but we were still reeling from the loss…..you understand right? Course you do. Right?

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

It’s incredibly important! Were still part of it. The crazy thing about being a post hardcore band in a land of punk, Death metal and indie rock is that no one truly knows how to book us.So we get booked under the craziest lineups and we still have fun. Thats how important the local scene is. You never expect the sort of crowd your playing to and if you give it your all, it will support you.

4. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

To WIN!! Were not effing about here! Of course we love the bands that we share a stage with and some in other rounds of this competition, the community is great and we all have a great laugh when a show is played, merch is sold and new music is heard.

But we all know we want the same thing, to play Bloodstock, that's a hell of a thing to put on your CV.

5. What would playing a Sold Out Bloodstock Festival mean to you?

It would definitely make our year thats for sure. We’d love an opportunity to prove ourselves in front of bigger crowds. We have fun every show we play and thats the most important thing, if you’re not having fun then there’s no point to carry on, and when we play, we sell merch, we meet new people, sometimes gain die hard fans. Its the opportunity to play a fest as big as bloodstock that would put us to the test and who wouldn’t want that?

6. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

Definitely check out Nothing Minor. They’ve come from strength to strength after just wanting to become a band to releasing music soon. We love those guys and they deserve the biggest audience possible.

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025: Interview With Struggler (Swansea Heat #1)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 Interview With Struggler



1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band.

We are Struggler! We’re a 5 piece metal band from South Wales who are all about energy, emotion and being as heavy as possible! We like to keep things energetic and heavy, whilst mixing in more of a softer melodic sound. As a band we’re fairly new, but as individuals have been playing live music for many years.

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

Playing Metal to The Masses is always great fun, and filled with both amazing bands and people who come to watch. We’ve each participated in M2TM in previous bands over the years and it still feels just as incredible every single time; regardless of where we get to in the progression stages. With the diversity of bands that play, M2TM is a great opportunity for bands to play to a group of people that without it they may not have had the chance to, as well as discovering and listening to other local acts.

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

Our local scene is everything. It’s a part of us and always will be, and has been nothing short of supportive and amazing. As a band we have received nothing but love from our local scene, and we couldn’t be more thankful; because without the people around us, who come to our shows or stream our music we would not have the opportunity to do what we love - play music.

4. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

We always expect the same thing from M2TM, which is that we’re going to have fun, and do what we love whilst doing it - Play music. Playing Bloodstock is a huge opportunity for the winner, which is the prize that draws in the bands to get that chance. But M2TM gives so much more regardless of where you place. If we can walk away, having played a great show, made some new friends and made even one new fan - Then that is a prize enough. We’ve kept contact with bands in former years, and have continued to play shows with them both in and out of Wales.

5. What would playing a Sold Out Bloodstock Festival mean to you?

Playing Bloodstock would mean a whole lot more than we could imagine, or begin to express. We are huge fans of the festival, the bands that play it and the opportunity it gives to the Metal community to come together. It would be a dream come true to play alongside our favourite bands, and have the opportunity to experience many new ones. Some of us have frequented Bloodstock over the years, and being able to return and actually play it, would be impossible to put into words how incredible it would be.

6. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

We’re stoked to play with all the bands involved. But for our first heat we are playing, I’d say we are most excited to play with W0rds Of Affirmation. They put a lot of emotion into their music, and they wear their heart on their sleeves. We played with them once before and loved their energy and sound. But everyone should take the opportunity to check out all the bands in their heats!

Reviews: The Five Hundred, Scorpion Child, You Infinite, Rise Of Tyrants (Liam Williams, Rich Piva, Mark Young & GC)

The Five Hundred - Ghostwriter (Prime Collective) [Liam Williams]

Ghostwriter is the 3rd album from Nottingham based dystopian heavy metal band The Five Hundred. An absolutely superb album which combines electronic/industrial sounds with all of the things you can expect from modern metal bands.

The Death Of All We Know starts off with a synth intro before the band comes in with the heavy stuff. The first verse calms things down a bit with some synth, vocals, guitar and drums. A clean guitar comes in for the second half of the first verse. We get a really epic heavy chorus and then another little bit of clean guitar following the vocals in the second verse. There’s a chaotic bridge section with some nice lead guitar before an instrumental section. The final chorus starts with just synth and vocals before the band comes back in and we get some great harsh backing vocals. 

Rainmaker is next and I absolutely love the intro, it sounds very heavily inspired by the new DOOM soundtracks. There’s a good mix of clean and harsh vocals throughout the track and then we get more of that DOOM sound for the outro. Ruin is a short filler track with some pulsing synth and piano. There’s a nice ambient sounding intro for New World, but the chaos quickly resumes. This one has a really good build-up to the final chorus.

In The Dark follows up with a glitchy sounding synth intro with the band coming in for a short and punchy heavy section before things calm down a bit again for the first verse. The breakdown in this track is fantastic, really great harsh vocals. Track 6 is Dragged Out. This one starts with some quiet vocals and droning guitars. The verses are really cool and there’s some nice lead guitar following the vocal melody while the other instruments chug away. The rhythm section speeds up and gets heavier for the chorus. There’s a chaotic bridge section and breakdown before the final chorus. Then there’s another chaotic part for the outro.

Bodies comes straight in with the first verse, being a bit calmer than the other songs so far. It’s mostly synth and vocals until the halfway point where the rest of the band come in for an instrumental section before dropping out for the bridge and then once again coming in for the final chorus. We get another nice and heavy outro. 

Then it’s on to Empty Hope. It starts with some distant sounding vocals which are overtaken by synths before the full band comes in. For the first verse there’s just vocals, synth guitar and a heartbeat. The bass and drums come in as we get to another epic heavy chorus. The second verse is a little bit more lively with the drums and bass back in and we get a few sections with some nice guitar chugging. The track ends with some droning synth. 20 Days is another short interlude which keeps the droning synth from the last track. We get some more piano and synth before a short radio broadcast brings the track to an end.

It’s straight back to the chaos with Echoes. Heavy chuggy intro with some nice lead guitar, fast and chaotic verses with some more great harsh vocals. For the chorus, they bring the intro riff back in but with some clean vocals over the top. The bridge leads nicely into the epic final chorus. Chaos Sermon starts with a build-up of synths before some more magnificent DOOM sounding madness. Things calm down again for the verse with just synth and vocals. 

It gets heavier for the pre-chorus and then the epic chorus. It’s back-and-forth with calm and chaotic throughout with a calmer outro featuring just vocals and piano. The last track is Where Is The Humanity? This one comes straight in with the first verse, just synth and vocals with some drums creeping in. The band come back in with the heavy for the chorus. There’s some more drums and guitars in the second verse and the second chorus leads straight into a breakdown. There’s another calmer part before the final chorus and then the outro wraps things up with just some piano and synth.

I’m really impressed with this album. This band knows when to go full throttle and when to dial things back a touch. The lyrics are just as hard-hitting as the music itself. It all sounds great, I especially enjoyed the vocals. A good mix of clean and harsh. I can tell this is one that I’ll be coming back to a lot. Really great stuff, well done to the band and everyone else involved with making this album! 10/10

Scorpion Child - I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me (Noize In The Attic Records) [Rich Piva]

Austin, Texas’ Scorpion Child released their second album, Acid Roulette, in 2016, and then kind of disappeared. The band has had a revolving door of members, players who went to other bands, and even a partial record was recorded then scrapped in 2020 amid reports the band was done, and they certainly seemed to be, much to the chagrin of their fanbase. The band is now back, with a new lineup and a new record, I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me, with the only original member remaining being singer Aryn Jonathan Black. Oh, yeah, and this record rocks.

Black has gone through a lot of shit over the past few years, so there is good reason why this record is the darkest amongst the three in the band’s discography. Where the first two albums drew the usual Zeppelin, Rainbow, Sabbath, etc. comparisons, the band has now gone down a gothier path, incorporating elements of bands like The Sisters Of Mercy into the fold. At least that is what other reviews have said. As a huge Sisters fan, I really don’t hear it. What I hear more of is the band leaning into the darker songs from the group they got their name from, The Cult, and partnering that with a proto metal thing creating eight tracks of heavy ass emotional rock and roll. 

In an interview, Black mentions bringing post punk and darkwave into the mix, and you certainly can hear that on the record. The title certainly screams “goth”, and you definitely get some of that. The ripper of an opener, Be The Snake, certainly has that post punk thing happening, and the opening riff of track two, Actress, sounds like there could have been some darkwave going on, but I hear more AFI in this one than anything else. No matter what band I say these songs sound like, they are both excellent. OK, sure, the opening of Outliers could be a Sisters riff, but I go back to the dark punk of AFI more than any other band, and man do they pull it off, because this one rules. 

See The Shine is a swirling track, bringing more of that 80s darkness you may have heard from Love And Rockets but if they were listening to too much Whitesnake at the time (compliment). AFI meets The Cult is what I get from The Starker, and I am here for it, and boy does it rip it up towards the end. Scorpion Child continue to be this big, anthemic entity, with Wired Corpse brining a huge arena sounding vibe, with a band like My Chemical Romance coming to mind. 

Scoff if you will, then go listen to The Black Parade and get back to me. Godskin is in the same vein, but with a slower tempo and more soloing. Of course, I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me ends with an acoustic track, reminding me of how dark punk legends Alkaline Trio ended some of their best records, and it is exactly how it should close and is their closest to their old Zeppelin comparison you get.

Black has done a masterful job a weaving in his life experiences over the past number of years to create what is the most real, raw, emotional, and dark record of the three Scorpion Child albums. The hard rock goodness is still here that you expect from the band, but the vibe and atmosphere of I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me is the sounds of a band hitting their stride and taking that next step forward. Dark as it may be. 9/10

You, Infinite - You, Infinite (Pelagic Records) [Mark Young]

Pelagic Records brings us a reunification of Jeremy Galindo and Raymond Brown who had previously founded This Will Destroy You. As things do, they continued on their own path until both intersected at the right time and they began to form their new approach to how instrumental post-rock should sound. 

I’ve not been shy with how I feel about instrumental bands, generally ones I like are few and far between (Mountain Caller tops that list) and I find that often there isn’t enough to grab me and make me stay the course. That is not to say that I don’t appreciate what it is or the effort expended in putting it to tape but by and large its not for me.

This release hasn’t been able to shift that opinion, so I might as well get that out of the way. This is a collection of thoughtful and measured music that takes you through a journey of different moods, relying on the careful stewardship of Messrs Galindo and Brown to carefully curate each song so that each one stacks up nicely with the one before and the one after. There are no glaring or jarring moments where a track stands out for the wrong reason. Its just not for me, but putting me to one side, here comes a review with a non-metal hat on.

Focus On Reflection starts us off with a gentle push and its nice enough, but about half-way in there was a sense that this would be the general approach to the songs that followed. This isn’t aimed at certain demographics; its target is those that can really dig into the moods that the songs create.

Thoughtlines does that, piano and drums coming together with a melodic line that keeps it centred around the lighter side of things and it sounds good doing it. Cutter opens with more of a space-tinged feel, similar to what you may hear being played over video of the Moon landings or walks in space. I mean that most sincerely because the way it plays out, it reduces in size to something comparable to rain falling or a spider spinning a web is remarkable. I’m sure that those who already love instrumentals and dug TWDY will be straight on this.

Loop Continues in that vein; the use of subtlety and choice of gentle chords as it rolls along, expanding in scope in its own unhurried way whilst The Elder offers a harder edge. The use of that more metallic sound doesn’t mean that they have thrown the softer side out of the window, its still there and having that heavier start makes it sound that little bit better, or at least resonate more with you.

Moving towards the end, Dormant is their final statement here. There is a little more grit in the sound on this one, and life in the drums that accompany it. It still possesses a positive nature to it, one that is looking to push you forward and make the most of whatever situation you are in. If there is a message to the album, I think its one of staying positive and for me I felt that there was an underlying happy vibe running through it. For that, I can’t fault it. It sounds superb, and each song has its own uniqueness and there is a high level of arrangement that is present.

So how do I score it With my non-metal hat on, I can say this is. 7/10

Rise Of Tyrants - The Chronicles Of Cardinal Pablo Mendoza (Brutal Records) [GC]

Another Friday, another release week and another death metal album for me, after a quick check, from what I can find Rise Of Tyrants are a death metal band form Bergamo, Italy and this is their fourth album, I think? Theres not really that much else I can tell you so I should probably just get on with the review.

Skipping past intro Colle De La Croix De Fer which is just some spooky orchestral rubbish, Parigi-Napoli gets us going for real and it’s a good way to start with a thrashy vibe mixed in with some scuzzy sounding death metal that throws in some interesting time changes to keep the song flowing, Don Mario Pederasta is never really going to stray too far away from what preceded it and it’s another familiar sounding death metal track that will keep purists happy no doubt but it almost sounds like the first song has just carried on into this one, structure wise, sound and vocally it just sounds like a carbon copy, hope this doesn’t become a theme!? 

I’m not sure if I am missing something (I probably am) but looking down the tack listing I notice some weird titles and Slyvester Stazione isn’t even the weirdest one, musically it is a slight shift and slows the pace right down and shows another side to Rise Of Tyrants, with more room for individual players to show what they can do, the guitars show that it doesn’t need to be all full speed madness and the different styles they use really make a case for variety being a good thing and not some dirty word, the bass provides a thundering pulse all the way through the song and its all-round a fun listen. 

Holly_Beppe (Only The Brave) is another prime example of the weird song title choices, and I wonder if something is getting lost in translation? I don’t know, musically this is an ode to the muddy sound of the 90’s death metal sound it stomps and crashes around but alas doesn’t really do much, its an ok song but just lacks any real depth, Gerry Smashed Table (I mean? Seriously?) ups the ante speed wise and throws the shackles off again while managing to mix in the more fuzzy sound to good effect and its another good track but nothing you haven’t heard before.

The saving grace is the force with which it is delivered, you really feel the power in the delivery and it elevates this track from ok to good, Cardinal Pablo Mendoza is a bit of weird one, the way the song is structured, it almost sounds like a power metal band trying to play a death metal track and for the vast majority of the song the snare drum sound is horrific, like someone is hitting a packed lunch box with a wooden straw, I do not like this song and have to move on. 

Celine di Orio is a better song, but it sounds exactly like you expect it to again! A noisy mix of crashing drums and the snare seems to have been mixed back to how it sounded before, the guitars cloak everything in a thick and chucky blanket and the vocals ably back everything up well, and now we get onto the worst of all the song titles (deep breath) How Can I Fuck Capitalism If I’m Stuck On The State Road Of Seriana Valle I almost fell asleep typing that its so stupidly long.

The opening chords sound like Rush have entered the room but it doesn’t take long to fall back on the familiar death metal sounding territory and once again its all done well enough and I cant really complain too much apart form the fact it sounds exactly like about 5 of the other tracks, unfortunately with both Mirella Silver Tongue and Armando The Preacher it is the same story, heard it all already and neither stands out as anything to write home about.

My overwhelming feeling from The Chronicles Of Pablo Mendoza was that is needed to do more to grab the attention of the listener, it started well and some of it was good but towards the end it all just gets so samey and slightly too pedestrian and on this listen it doesn’t make me want to go back and give it another try, which tells you everything you really need to know. 5/10

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025: Interview With The Ginger Lizards (Swansea Heat #1)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 Interview With The Ginger Lizards



1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you. Tell us a little bit more about you as a band.

We are The Ginger Lizards, a 5 piece blues driven thrash band, or as we have come to call it Boomer metal. We're a hammer made of 80s metal nostalgia, bringing music full of driving power and crushing riffs that are “heavier than an incel's ball sack.”

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

We participated last year and didn't get through the first round, but we said we would be back and here we are bringing a years worth of development as a band and some new songs from our up coming album. Last year was a great night, we caught up with some guys we haven't played with in a while, and met and saw some awesome new (to us) bands.

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

No Local scene, no new bands its that simple. The guys who play the main stage at Bloodstock didn't get there by going to the organisers saying “were really good honest” the local scene is the starting blocks where a band cuts its teeth and gathers the experience and builds the reputation needed to get to that point.

4. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

Its a chance to get out and meet new people within our area, see new bands, and another opportunity to get up on the stage and show everyone who we are and what we do. There are going to be people in that crowd who haven't heard of us and we cant wait to show them what we have got.

5. What would playing a Sold Out Bloodstock Festival mean to you?

We played to a venue of 100+ people a few months ago, granted yes they were there for the headliners but still we haven't felt that kind of energy from a crowd before, would love to know what that feeling is like for a sold out festival.

6. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

Our group looks incredible, we just hope were on before Struggler because our bassist will be in a pit and we need him not to knacker himself out, cant wait to see them though. Mudlarker too, there sound is just massive and we cant wait to hear it live. I haven't been able to find out much about Words of Affirmation but they have played with some awesome bands, so looking forward to seeing them.

Outside our group we have Bleed the Fifth in Heat 3 who we played with last year and just absolutely stomped, probably be back down for that one, heat 3 looks like an absolute banger.

Over in the Bristol M2TM we have 2 bands that we are good friends with in Pyrogaric and Buried in Bermuda who if your over that way you should definitely go check out that heat, two different bands but excellent at what they do.

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025: Interview With Beyond Sorrow (Cardiff Heat #1)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 Interview With Beyond Sorrow






1. Please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know you?

We’re Beyond Sorrow, a 5-piece metalcore band who love crushing riffs, beautiful melodies, filthy breakdowns, and cats.

2. What made you want to participate in the Metal To The Masses South Wales 2025 campaign? Have you had previous experience? Or is this your first time?

We participated last year, got the semi-finals, and had a blast! We hoping to have an even bigger blast this year.

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

It's vital; without this scene we wouldn’t have such an amazing community of bands to perform with, or audiences to deafen. This scene keeps us and our fellow bands going.

4. What are your expectations from being a part of M2TM?

We want to make new friends and fans, express our music to as many people as possible, and most importantly get further than last year and play the big stages! If that fails, we’ll settle for starting a pit so large it destroys Fuel and maybe half of Womanby street…

5. What would playing a Sold Out Bloodstock Festival mean to you?

I think we’d cry happy tears.

6. We encourage all the bands in M2TM to try and check out the other bands, who are you most looking forward to? Who should your fans also try to catch?

M2TM always brings awesome bands so we’re looking forward to hearing them all! Akuma and Paradox To Stay kick lots of arse, so make sure to check them out (while voting for us, ofc).

Reviews: Everon, Airforce, Dirkschneider, Vigilhunter (Matt Bladen)

Everon - Shells (Music Theories Recordings)

I consider myself a bit of prog geek but I've not heard of Everon before. They're a neo-progressive band formed in the 90's and their influences are Marillion, latter-Rush and bands such a IQ, Pallas and Pendragon. The traits of neo-prog are keyboard/guitar driven songs which have shifting musical moments and intelligent, witty and emotional lyrical content.

They released their last album North in 2008 and from there they went on hiatus, well main man Oliver Philipps basically stopped writing music for a bit and as he is the composer of everything Everon were in stasis. That's not to say they haven't been busy Philipps has worked as a producer alongside Everon drummer Moschus, they have worked with Delain, Ad Infinitum, LEAH and Imperia.

These collaborations have paid dividends on Shells, as LEAH lends her Celtic lilting to Pinocchio's Nose and Imperia singer Helena Iren Michaelsen adds excellent vocals to a number of the tracks here, helpful as she also happens to be Philipps' wife. 

Like many bands who are in the Neo- Prog scene, the vocals are often idiosyncratic to the music, here at times they're almost spoken on Broken Angels and elsewhere in opposition to the cinematic music which has baroque elements, electronic elements, AOR, folk and bags of emotion.

The most resonant part of the album is the euphoric, Until We Meet Again, written in tribute to drummer Moschus who passed away during recording. The eight tracks he recorded here are his lasting legacy, and the triumphant return from Everon. 8/10

Airforce - Acts Of Madness (ROAR-RPM)

It's been five years since Airforce released and album. Now in 2025 they bring us another load of NWOBHM in the 21th Century. The hook of Airforce is that they feature Doug Sampson behind the kit. If you know your metal history then you'll know Doug was the original drummer of Iron Maiden before Nicko took over the throne. They double down on their Maiden connection with a cover of Strange World from the Iron Maiden debut album.

Musically too it's pretty close to the British metal legends sounded for the first two albums on tracks such as The Fury, though this also shows the evolution Airforce has had over the years with a tonne of keyboards. Cursed Moon, Sniper and Heroes meanwhile bring a bit more of what Airforce are known for. They lost a lot of the album after producer Pete Franklin passed away but Jezz Coad stepped up and rescued the old sessions to finalise this release.

So Acts Of Madness is another heavy rocking record from these British veterans, still packing the vim and vigour of the 80's NWOBHM sound but with their years of experience honing it into a slicker style they have now. 7/10

Dirkschneider - Balls To The Wall RELOADED (Reigning Phoenix Music)

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Accept's most famous album, their fifth record, Balls To The Wall, former original Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider has re-recorded the album alongside some famous friends.

Now there are a few issues, Balls To The Wall was released in 1983, Udo hasn't been the singer of Accept since 2005 (but really 1997), at least Dirkschneider's bassist Peter Baltes played in Accept until 2018, as well as playing in the original version of the band.

Does anyone really need a new version of this album? Other than say Dirkschneider himself, who can now lay claim to royalties from these songs again so long as these versions are played. I suppose the hook for this record are the guest vocalists, Udo's vocals aren't the same as they were, snarling like an angry pitbull now, which suits his own material but not the classics he already defined.

The guests do well to add interest, be it Biff Byford (Saxon), Joakim Brodén (Sabaton), Mille Petrozza (Kreator), Michael Kiske (Helloween), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Doro Pesch, they're chosen to add their unique vocals to these songs but let's be honest a lot of them sound similar to Dirkschneider's snarl.

Balls To The Wall Reloaded shows how well most of these songs from 1983 stand up in 2025, (maybe not Losers And Winners, who writes letters any more?) but really it's a piece of cash-in nostalgia with a few guest stars. 5/10

Vigilhunter - Vigilhunter (High Roller Records)

Trad/power metal from the USA with Vigilhunter being the vehicle for Alexx Panza, he has sung for Hitten and Jack Starr's Burning Starr and now he sings and plays guitars on this album alongside Mirko Negrino on bass, Mattia Itala on guitar and Marcello “Cell” Leocani on drums.

This debut album has drawn comparisons to Queensryche (early), Crimson Glory and Fates Warning, and they're all clear as day, Shadow Rider (Vigilante) having that fist-in-the-air chug, Curse Of The Street is Queensryche all over while Sacrifice For Love sits as a ballad with more Tate-like emotion in the middle of the record.

While US power metal these days takes from thrash, Vigilhunter are inspired by the bands who took from NWOBHM and also were part of the early days of 'prog metal'. Vigilhunter's debut is a welcome throwback to when US power metal was in its infancy, it bristles with boisterous electricity, plenty of air guitar moments and great vocals hooks. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Touché Amoré (Alex Swift)

Touché Amoré, Trauma Ray & Buds, The Globe, Cardiff, 21.02.2025

Tonight’s show almost didn’t happen. After Touché Amoré cancelled their show the night before at the Joiners in Southampton, that left a doubt hanging over proceedings in the Globe. 

Would they perform a shorter set? Would they take to the stage at all? Jeremy Bolm’s raspy vocal style, whereby every word is delivered as a cry of anguish and anger means that as the band approach twenty years on the road, his voice is an occasional casualty of playing back-to-back concerts.

That’s why it gives me great pleasure to say that Touché Amoré don’t just play a full set tonight but sound brilliant doing so! Despite his voice sounding noticeably frail in the moments of crowd interaction between songs, the only real difference is rather than attempt to scream every word, for much of the set our frontman uses his enormous stage presence to compel the crowd to scream the words at him. 

 Thrusting the mic stand towards different sections of the audience during sections of the songs, the sheer volume of the crowd compensates for any barely recognisable weakness in the singer’s voice.

Before we get to the main act though, there are two supports. Buds are probably the most melodic of the three acts tonight, playing a raw style of punk that’s hook laden whilst also being animated, and exciting. 

Following them, Trauma Ray command with a menacing, distortion laden performance that treads the line between metal and punk in a way that’s both detailed and immersive. Both acts brilliantly set the tone for the shared experience of melancholy and anger that’s about to ensue.

I hate to begin this section by discussing an aspect of the show that I couldn’t stand, especially as it had nothing to do with the band’s performance, which, as previously alluded to, is brilliant. However, as Touché Amoré take to the stage and tear into Nobody’s, utter carnage ensues. 

I’m thrown against the monitors repeatedly, crowd surfers are lifted over my head or else dive on top of me, people around me grab me around my neck or by my arms, and that’s for a song from their new album, Spiral In A Straight Line, which – by the standards of this band’s discography as a whole – is on the subdued side.

As you can imagine, the atmosphere summoned by the brutality of anthems in the vein of Art Official, is too much for someone with sensory issues. Here’s where this story gets amusing - I root around on the floor for my rucksack which I’d put on the floor in front of me. I look up to see an audience member lifting it on to the stage. 

Reaching out my arm for the strap, its grabbed first by Jeremy Bolm, who in a striking display of on-stage improvisation tosses it backstage, with one clean throw. Thankfully, after an exaggerated but successful attempt to get his attention, he hands my rucksack back to me, and I head to the venue balcony to observe the rest of the show in comfort. I must say, on reflection, I feel somewhat honoured by the interaction.

Indeed, the concert as a whole is brilliant! Drawing on the band’s entire discography, they tear through a lot of shorter tracks from Praise/Love To Reminders, making for a quickfire juxtaposition of sounds and moods, that nevertheless maintains the intensity of the performance. 

Meanwhile, longer pieces like the beautiful Rapture or the absolutely heartbreaking Flowers & You, lend an ability to absorb the emotional weight of a performance by this act, even if you are someone who, like me, likes to simply observe.

Watching the show from the balcony is a different experience from being stood at the front and not just because of the different physical environments. In fact, watching the chaos ensue below me was enrapturing as performers and audience members alike seemed to feed off each other’s dynamism. 

Again, it’s hard to believe that this is the same band that cancelled a show a day previously. Perhaps that’s the marker of great musicians – the ability to look after themselves, whilst rebounding from those difficult experiences with the same amount of vibrancy they had before. 

There’s a determination at that heart of everything Touché Amoré does – one that allows them to be vulnerable whilst making all their work, including tonight show, vivacious and entrancing 8/10