Reviews: H.E.A.T, Game Over, Phantom, Brown Acid (Matt Bladen, Simon Black, Thomas Megill Jr & Rich Piva)

H.E.A.T - Welcome To The Future (earMusic) [Matt Bladen]

Since reuniting with their original singer Kenny Leckremo on their previous album in 2022, H.E.A.T seem to have been given a new lease of life, taking their place at melodic rocks top table.

The Swedish band's last album saw them get back on track with a sound that is "modern retro" heavily influenced by the AOR/melodic rock sounds of the 80's but with 21st Century production skills and performances that have been honed through touring doggedly.

Those retro themes come on The End which is very Journey-like especially the keys and the guitar tone, (think Separate Ways). The Journey influence has always been strong with H.E.A.T and here it's quite potent as keyboard player Jona Tee is the main songwriter on most of these tracks, it is a collaborative effort though meaning that there's other styles present here too. 

The slightly sleazy Tear It Down (R.N.R.R.) has the big backing vocals of Def Leppard while Rock Bottom draws from both Leppard and from Europe, another band who are a major influence on the music of H.E.A.T, be it their 80's melodic rock heyday or the bluesier modern era, you know where they sound like Whitesnake, the same way H.E.A.T do on Bad Time For Love.

Keeping their fires burning it seems there's no cooling off for H.E.A.T, Welcome To The Future of these modern melodic rock titans. 8/10

Game Over - Face The End (Scarlet Records) [Simon Black]

Italy’s Thrashmeisters have been ripping people’s faces off very effectively since 2014’s Burst Into The Quiet ripped the world a new one back in 2014. Their discography really runs the gamut of the history of the original Thrash movement I grew up with in the 80’s, starting as a raw and energetic four piece whose song writing and production values moved and evolved fast over their first five albums, much as its influential progenitors did as they hacked their way out of the underground and broke the movement into major label mainstream territory.

Album number six is a big jump for them, and fortunately a hugely positive one. 2024 saw the departure of founding bassist / vocalist Renato Chiccoli, with his role being expanded into a full five piece with newcomers Danny Schiavina on vocals and Leo Molinari on bass. The richer, more commercial sound they pushed forward with 2023’s Hellframes is added to significantly here, whilst recovering some of the frenetic energy of their earlier records.

The challenge of any vocalist trying to deliver melodies whilst keeping the Thrash rhythms brutally moving forwards frequently sees the delivery of the two melody lines rolling together in staccato fashion (even the best such as Tom Arya struggled with this, at least to start with), but separating the two players frees both musical elements up and allows them to expand. 

The consequence is a solidity to the rhythm that is little short of monolithic, with Schiavina able to focus on being the front man as well as the singer. Which he does incredibly well. For my money his vocal talents improve on the past significantly, adding more of a lower end, powerful vibrato roar, whilst still scaling the octaves well, which evokes Testament’s Chuck Billy. He’s a powerful addition to the lineup and has shifted things up several notches from what was to start with, a really solid baseline.

In the age of short attention spans, it’s an absolute delight to pick up a record that rockets past in this way and which without thinking I found myself replaying several times end to end before remembering that I really ought to start writing something down.

 No-one wants a Thrash album to linger around too much, and the ten brutally delivered, melodically effective and perfectly crafted songs on here can never be accused of that. The guitar interplay is fluid and superbly delivered, the songs clearly differentiated style and pace-wise and are over in thirty-four short minutes.

This is very traditional melodic Thrash which has enough commercial polish to turn almost any metal head around, and I really find myself wondering how this will come over live, although sadly this is one of many acts who don’t seem to play the UK much, but who definitely should. This is a huge step forwards for a band who were pretty darned fine to start with. More please… 9/10

Phantom - Tyrants Of Wrath (High Roller Records) [Thomas Megill Jr]

Phantom wasted no time as they've released their second album only a year and change after their debut. Tyrants Of Wrath was unleashed to the world through High Roller Records. This is a very diverse album, a lot of elements of all types of metal. To be clear, this is clearly a thrash album, but with flavours of Norwegian Black Metal, Power Metal and sprinkles of death metal. It almost sounds like you blackened Judas Priest's sound and interchanged King Diamond and a young Tom Araya on vocals. It's an energetic listen, and digs new layers upon every subsequent listen.

Phantom is a 4 piece band out of Mexico, formed in 2022. They've been very busy writing and recording music, and their sound has been maturing over time. The diversity in the songs keep the whole album fresh and keeps the listener engaged. The Tower Of Seth was an awesome opening track, as the youngling would say "thrash as fuck". The track Nimbus was an entertaining listen with the largely clean, power metal vocal approach. Every song on this record has a unique identity. Nocturnal Opus 666 had an nice piano section that was a cool change of pace.

This album was like a portal into the early 80's traditional metal and Bay Area thrash. Very energetic, very catchy, very fun. A must listen for all fans of thrash metal, new and old. 8/10

Various Artists - Brown Acid: The Twentieth Trip (RisingEasy Records) [Rich Piva]

I am going to start this review like I did the last six additions to this collection; I love the Brown Acid series that has been curated by the great RidingEasy Records. If you are not familiar with the set the basic concept is that Lance Barresi, owner of L.A.-based Permanent Records, searches the far corners of the US in dusty record store bins, garages, attics, and confirms musical urban myths to bring us lost and the most underground of underground songs from long forgotten bands that in some cases may have only release one song on a promo single. 

These songs come together to populate the now twenty. Yes, twenty volumes of some of the best 60s and 70s proto metal and psych rock that you have never heard before. Never ever do these comps disappoint. This one is no different, with another ten lost treasures for your listening enjoyment.

Highlights of the latest volume include the opener from Iowa band Afterflash doing a killer cover of the Damnation Of Adam Blessing song Cookbook (boy does it cook), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s Hot Candy bringing the Zep vibes and cool trippy slow down part during Darkened Passage, the California band Banana Bros bringing a bit of Southern rock funkiness with Suck You In, and the organ-led boogie of Lazy Day’s track Don’t Dance In My Song. My favourite track is the Sabbath and Zeppelin do prog of Osage Lute’s Watch Em Shine, but there are no bad tracks included, only levels of good to great.

I am still amazed at volume twenty we are getting sets of songs that are as solid and enjoyable as we have here. Twenty volumes take up a lot of room in my vinyl collection, but boy does RidingEasy make the Brown Acid series sets so worth it, with this one being no exception. 8/10

Reviews: King Garcia, Hypnotic Nausea, Black Sword Thunder Attack, Oria (Matt Bladen)

King Garcia - Hamelin (ViciSolum Productions)

Riffs, instrumental riffs, big fat instrumental riffs from Greece, that's what I expected from King Garcia, a band I assumed named for the leader of The Grateful Dead.

However King Garcia do have the explorative nature of The Dead but on Hamelin, the band play wide-screen, progressive, blissed out rhythms, with heavy distorted moments. Music that ponders the wonders of the universe and draws heavily from the Greek traditional music throughout.

King Garcia are a band made up of veteran musicians from other progressive bands. Guitarist Kostas Konstantinidis (ex-Mother of Millions), drummer Kamil Kamieniecki (POEM), Kornilios Kiriakidis (Tardive Dyskinesia), and sax/clarinetist Alex Orfanosx (Bandallusia), the four piece playing music that is cinematic, explorative and intensely creative.

Like a film soundtrack on tracks such as Magnolia (no sugar) where the pacing is key, a slow burn where the trumpet is important but on the title track they shift towards those blissful moments I mentioned earlier flashes of heaviness and the ever present clarinet adding so much to their huge soundscapes.

I'll admit I'm a sucker for the use of wind instruments in music, especially with Greek bands such as VIC and King Garcia use plenty to augment their heavy prog, Konstantinos Lazos bringing gaida & kaval (traditional Shepherd's instruments) as Iakovos Molybakis supplements the band with additional percussion.

Hamelin is a fantastic debut record from King Garcia, an instrumental masterpiece that you need to hear! 9/10

Hypnotic Nausea - The Age Of Nothing (One Little Victory)

Athenian band Hypnotic Nausea play an experimental brand of rock music that is always hinged on a concept. They have released two previous albums, Hypnosis in 2015 and The Death Of All Religions in 2019, much like cult English band KLF, Hypnotic Nausea see their music as an extension of their conceptual art, though different in approach.

Third album The Age Of Nothing is another concept detailing a world on the brink of collapse as the mostly instrumental soundscapes are narrated by Amy Rebecca Clarke Lens and Steven William Clarke Lens, the storyline concerning the destruction of human society by technology and how humans try to reconnect and find freedom.

Very 70’s sci-fi then and Hypnotic Nausea use analogue instruments to create a nostalgic, real, feel, shying away from computers and modern practices. Recorded by the band and Hector D in Athens, Hypnotic Nausea from what I can see are a trio of two Georges and new drummer John K, though on the record it’s Nick B who’s behind the kit for this psychedelic, post-rock style of expansive music.

The vocals don’t really appear until The Mechanism but they are in the same sort of style to Mastodon, though they’re not that important as Hypnotic Nausea are about the instrumentation, relying much more on playing instrumental, cinematic soundscapes than anything else.

From the hypnotic The Age Of Nothing, to the Tool-like groove of Underground Resistance and Reality Error or the heavy riffs of Fragments Of Freedom, The Age Of Nothing is concept record that draws inspiration from numerous styles but collates them into a record that draws you in. 8/10

Black Sword Thunder Attack - Black Sword Thunder Attack (No Remorse Records)

Black Sword Thunder Attack are a bit of cult band in the Greek scene, compared and connected to Williams J Tsamis of Warlord and Lordian Guard, they play the same raw epic metal as those bands, classic heavy metal brimming with machismo and might.

Oddly singer Mareike sounds a lot like Geddy Lee of Rush, she's got the high nasal quality to her tone initially but it gets broader as the album goes on, conjuring might on tracks such as Anvils Of War. Vocally it works as they never musically really move on from lo-fi heavy metal driven by Marios (drums), Stelios (bass) and Chris (guitars/keys).

This is their first full length album, having quite a long period of silence since their initial formation and it's worth the wait for 'true' fans as they, yes the production of this record is lo-fi as I said however it's better this way, reminding me of the 80's tape trading days with the analogue synths heighten the likes of On The Way Of Acheron and Evil Sorcery.

If you like the style of Tower or any music heavily inspired by William J Tsamis, just listen to Last Flight Of The Eagle for that comparison to ring true, then this Kalabaka based band will have you donning your best denim and leather. 7/10

Oria - The Future Wants Us Dead (Theogonia Records)

The Future Wants Us Dead is the second album from progressive groove metal band Oria who hail from Thessaloniki. If I were to describe progressive groove metal then I'd have to mention two bands, Gojira and Fear Factory the latter on Metamorphocene: The New From The Shell Of The Old especially on the vocals, but there's also the heaviness of Machine Head (Guided By The Hands Of G.O.D.S) and the proggy moments of Mastodon.

There's some big moments on this record, aggression seethes through complexity, the political, ideological and critical lyrics are barked out while the thunderous, sludgy, grooving riffs are supplied with sense of cinematic scope. Just a four piece, Oria are the creators of a huge sound, filled with thick stop-start riffage of Hevy Devy on Pirates, Parrots and Parasites, some angular bass driven power on Chthonic Uprising or the biting noise of From Wastelands To Vile Hands.

Oria bludgeon with mechanical ferocity on The Future Wants Us Dead, if bulldozing, proggy grooves are your thing then check these Greeks out! 8/10

Reviews: Machine Head (Liam Williams)

Machine Head - UNATØNED (Nuclear Blast)



The 11th studio album UNATØNED from the mighty Machine Head is an album which has left me pleasantly surprised. The groove metal giants are back with 12 blistering tracks of chaotic and fun riffs, big anthem choruses and a return to their nu-metal roots. Fans of the bands earlier work will be quite satisfied with this one I think. It feels like a return to their early sound but with the punchy heaviness they have incorporated into their newer albums.

The album starts with the intro track, LANDSCAPE ØF THØRNS, which is just 30 seconds of wind and the sound of someone digging. A weak start to the album I must admit. But everything that follows more than makes up for it! 

Following that, we have ATØMIC REVELATIØNS. This should have been the intro track. We get a little bit of piano before the band comes in and all hell breaks loose. Nice thrashy fun in the verses. Big choruses with nicely harmonised vocals. The piano comes back in briefly before the bridge and 2 guitar solos. Then the vocals build up for the final chorus. Right at the end the piano comes in once more for the outro.

UNBØUND comes in next with some vocals and drums and then the rest of the band come in swinging. We have some nice big bouncy bends from the guitars in the main riff which is repeated in the choruses. The verse are fast and frantic and we get some clean vocals in the pre-choruses. This track also has a very Dimebag sounding guitar solo which even ends on a nice divebomb. 

ØUTSIDER follows up with a chorus/intro for the start. Then we get a heavy instrumental bit to lead us into the first verse. There’s a great build-up to the choruses. Then there’s a calmer section before some chugs leading into the chorus which is followed by the bridge. No guitar solo this time, it’s straight back in for the final chorus and then a fun bouncy outro. 

Track 5 is NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD. This one also starts with a chorus/intro. A bit slower than the previous tracks with some nice clean vocals and big chords. There’s a cool bridge riff before some duel guitars. The final chorus begins with some synth and clean vocals and then builds up and gets heavier before the synth outro.

The first half of the album ends with track 6, THESE SCARS WØN’T DEFINE US. This one is a fun, fast and chaotic track. It has some nice tribal sounding drums in the choruses. A great guitar solo with some more duel guitars action and a heavy, bouncy bridge leading into the final chorus. 

Track 7 is DUSTMAKER. This is more of an interlude track. Nothing really special. It’s got some chill drums and muddy sounding guitar and bass, a bit of synth and a woman talking halfway through. Can’t quite hear what she’s saying but it almost sounds like a prayer of some sort. This is definitely more of a filler track.

We’re back to having some fun for BØNESCRAPER. It starts with some clean vocals before the band comes in. More bouncy nu-metal goodness, big choruses and then a nice heavy bridge section. The final chorus begins with just vocals and piano in the first half, then it builds up in heaviness and then the nice bouncy main riff comes back in for the outro. 

Next is ADDICTED TØ PAIN. We get a nice heavy drum fill in the intro and then back to the epic nu-metal riffage leading into the first verse. The verses build up the heaviness. Then they dial things back a bit for the choruses. There’s a great guitar riff leading into the bridge which goes into a short but fast guitar solo which then goes back into the bridge before the final chorus comes in and the song ends with a heavy instrumental bit before ending on a synthy outro.

BLEEDING ME DRY is my favourite song on this album. It starts with the synth carrying on from the previous track before the band come in for what I can only describe as a dubstep on guitar sounding riff. Really cool, quite different. The verses are a bit calmer with some clean vocals and guitar. They build up the heaviness in the pre-choruses and go for it in the choruses. There’s some great guttural low screams at the end of the choruses, leading into the next verse. There’s a slow build up for the bridge which comes in with a great guitar riff. This is followed by some duel guitars which leads into the final chorus which ends in more epic screams and finally a synthy outro yet again. 

SHARDS ØF SHATTERED DREAMS comes in swinging. Another thrashy heavy track with great choruses, a bouncy bridge section and another short and fast guitar solo leading into the final chorus.

Then we arrive at the last track of the album, SCØRN. This one is a bit of a drag, I’ll admit. It starts off slow and quite calming. Gradually getting heavier towards the end of the track before finally ending once again on a calmer note with some strings, vocals and piano. A song like this would usually be great as an album closer but for some reason it just didn’t quite feel right for me. Some people might like it, but it didn’t quite work in my opinion. It’s not one I’ll be rushing to listen to again any time soon.

Overall, great album! I love that they’ve gone back to that nice mix of groove and nu-metal that they had in their earlier work. It’s blended quite well with their more modern sound making this perhaps one of their most unique albums to date. I do have a bit of an issue with the pacing of the album, it feels a little off in some parts. 

The intro track really wasn’t necessary and the last track felt like a bit of a drag. But other than that, I’ve got no big complaints. It sounds good, it’s a fun listen and I’m sure many people will enjoy it! 8/10

Reviews: Changeling, Structure, The Riven, Pagan Altar (Matt Bladen)

Changeling - Changeling (Season Of Mist)

There's a massive amount of people involved with this album, literally a full 50 piece orchestra's worth and some notable names such as James Dorton (The Faceless) doing spoken word, Ally Storch (Subway To Sally) violin/viola/cello, Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) Tabla/hangdrum/dabouka/riq/shakers. Then three guest guitar solos from Bill Hudson (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) and Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity).

It's one of those latter bands who has obviously influence Changeling, there's a massive whack of Cynic on this album, progressive, atmospheric death metal that has a broad range so soundscapes to it, from jazz to industrial, ambient to black metal. With this range of sounds it's no wonder Changeling is the creation of German guitarist Tom Geldschläger or Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Defeated Sanity, Belphegor), this newest chapter of his musical odyssey his most challenging yet.

He has been instrumental in introducing fretless electric & acoustic guitars into heavy metal, giving many of these songs a wider variety of vibrato than standard metal songs, much like how fretless bass has become a standard part of progressive extreme metal soundscapes. He also plays standard fretted guitars, oud, keyboards and handled all of the composition/orchestral arrangements. Joining him as the 'core' line up are drummer Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven), bassist (fretless of course) Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) and on vocals it's Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress).

As you can see it's a bit of an extreme metal supergroup and sounds like that too, cinematic right from the off the there's an overarching similarity to Obscura, in fact this album actually featured a sequel to the lauded Weltseele but there's also the huge Cynic similarities and Heavy Devy too on Instant Results. What I was surprised by is that it's only in the latter part of the album where the songs get long run times, it means that there is a clear sense of building from the sequencing leaving the 9 minutes and near 17 minute songs until the last duo. Spitting the 'sections' of this album with short interludes.

A record that you need to give time to and listen in full each time, Changeling is the full realisation of Fountainhead's powers as creator. Intense and at times breath-taking, extreme metal fans get excited. 8/10

Structure - Heritage (Ardua Music)

One man doom projects are often the polar opposite to one man black metal projects, the latter are often lo-fi bedroom affairs that only the true cvlt will rave about. In the doomsphere though, especially atmospheric doom, one person projects are a way to tell your own stories, slay your own demons and just generally put your tainted, introspective world view out there for all to hear.

Structure are a one man project concieved by Dutch musician and Officium Triste man Bram Bijlhout (guitars/bass/keys). With new album Heritage, Bram focuses on loss, family and history, the nostalgia of our past is always tinged with sadness, What We Have Lost a torrid, slow burning, slab of death/doom that creaks with the pace of an iceberg but keeps the attention with it's sheer force.

Joining Bram are Officium Triste vocalist Pim Blankenstein, Elegy drummer Dirk Bruinenberg as Robert Soeterboek adds his cleans as a backing vocalist. There's beauty in the tragedy though as Will I Deserve It and Long Before Me, step into the gothic realms, inviting you to slowly shift your head from your neck with some delectable lead guitar playing, and we descend again into the engulfing atmosphere of The Sadness Of Everyday Life, as the title track is a type of beautiful catharsis of how who we come from defines who we are.

Ardua Music is the home to some of the best death/doom around and as closing instrumental Until The Last Gasp, swells from symphonic beginnings into the lingering final moments you can add another win in the labels box. Structure's Heritage is death doom resplendent in majesty. 8/10

The Riven - Visions Of Tomorrow (Dying Victim Production)

Unbridled rock n roll as the Swedish formed-London based hard rockers The Riven, bring us their third album Visions Of Tomorrow. Having a mighty mix of hard rock, prog and proto metal, the riffs come swinging like a Mike Tyson left hook. Whether grooving on the opener Far Away From Home, chugging proto riffs on Killing Machine and Travelling Great Distance.

The Riven always keep it retro like the bands that crossed over between 70's dinosaur rock and NWOBHM, you can hear the imprint of UFO, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest and Rush all over Vision Of Tomorrow, final track Follow You especially. The influence of Iron Maiden strongly on On My Mind (Tonight), but The Riven merge all these influences into another set of modern retro rock.

Visions Of Tomorrow is the first album to feature new drummer Elias Jonsson who sets an intense pace on Seen It All, adding fills to We Love You. The whole band getting to record and write at Fascination Street Studios which has allowed them to bring some more freedom in their song writing a broader sonic scale in their production.

It means the twin axes have a bit more bite, the rhythm section grooves a bit harder as those vocals are still powerful and dripping with soul. The Riven flex their retro rock muscles again on album number 3 but with a bit more refinement all round. Love the band, love this record, play it loud! 9/10

Pagan Altar - Never Quite Dead (Dying Victim Production)

You may have thought that after co-founder Terry Jones death in 2017, that Pagan Altar would lay down their swords for good however despite a long gestation, they have returned with Never Quite Dead. Led by Terry's son and co-founding guitarist Alan Jones, the Pagan Altar has once again been erected and it's time to worship with some doomy/occult NWOBHM.

The spirit of Terry carries on as soon as Saints And Sinners and Liston Church hits your speakers, though it is not his voice behind the mic this time around. Brendan Radigan of Sumerlands and Savage Oath gets to try and fill those boots and does with his poignant phrasing and power.

All the songs on this album come from writing sessions while Terry was still alive so they have authenticity with being 'Pagan's Altar' with some new flourishes too, influences of Rainbow in the organs, the duo of Madame M'Rachel/Madame M'Rachel's Grave is drawn from NWOBHM, Well Of Despair taking the doom vein and there's even folk.

If anyone doesn't know much about Pagan Altar, then I'll just say this, Green Lung don't exist without them, simple as that. Pagan Altar are Never Quite Dead and they're living large here. 8/10

Reviews: The Storyteller, Trick Or Treat, Greengoat, Caliban (Matt Bladen, Simon Black, Rich Piva & GC)

The Storyteller - The Final Stand (The Circle Music) [Matt Bladen]

Swedish power metal, it's probably the strongest of all the strains of power metal, many of the bands from the Swedish scene are at the pinnacle of the genre and The Storyteller can be put in that group too. The Final Stand is their seventh studio album, released after a 10 year hiatus, but the chapters of The Storyteller go back to the late 90's making them compatriots of the likes of Hammerfall.

The powerhouse vocals of L.G Persson once again take centre stage and he's joined in this iteration of The Storyteller by Blazon Stone man Cederick Forsberg on guitar and Henrik Ohlsson, formerly of Scar Symmetry on drums, his blasts leading the charge on the Helloween-like Its Storytime, while the shredding comes at lightspeed for The Eyes That Cannot See.

This is triumphal power metal with Tower Of Fear, Fields Of Blood And Steel and They Will Feel Our Battlecry calling to the battles of history and fantasy, getting the swords in the air as the heavy metal power flows through you. It's not all glistening muscles and calls to arms though as Sweet Lullaby brings fragility.

As we reach the title track you realise that this is a triumphant return after 10 years. If Sabaton, played Hammerfall and were fronted by Udo then you could sum up the parts of The Storyteller, however it's easier to say that The Storyteller are an brilliant Swedish power metal band. 8/10

Trick Or Treat – Ghosted (Scarlet Records) [Simon Black]

Trick Or Treat have crossed the platter of Blackness a number of times over the last few years. This sort of Power Metal has a hard time here in the UK, for reasons I have never managed to wrap my head around. 

On the continent however, the cookie cutter power metal acts proliferate, to the point where they struggle to sound anything other than cliched and repetitive (you know samey songs, endlessly overwrought concept arcs that no one really can unpick and a revolving door of musicians who have been recycling this shit for years in different guises).

From the numbers Trick Or Treat always appear on the surface like they are going to fall into this trap, but they don’t in a thoroughly refreshing way. This is odd, because for a band that started as a Helloween covers outfit (before they came back as their own tribute act) this would be an easy temptation…

In terms of overall sound, Gamma Ray and Helloween are clearly still the main root influence, but with the considerable vocal talents of former Rhapsody lungsman Alessandro Conti in play means that the Italian market used to that more operatic vocal approach are on board as well as the Germanic ones. Lyrically this is very tongue in cheek, with songs loosely based on classic 80’s and 90’s horror flicks or, err video games, but Conti could sing the menu from McDonalds and make it sound fantastic.

The eleven tracks here may all be coming from a familiar stylistic place, but they categorically don’t do so in the tired repetitive way that far too many acts in this genre churn out endlessly. They each stand alone as strong, well-crafted pieces of music, run the gamut in terms of pace and tone, yet retain the house spooky-Power Metal sound that Trick or Treat have perfected.

This means they remain distinct and unique, which is why once again I have to bow in gratitude for this band absolutely not taking itself seriously like far too many of their peers do. Most importantly being fun, but damned fine writers and musicians means that against my expectations I am once again enjoying this bands newest album enormously. 8/10

Greengoat - Aloft (Argonauta Records) [Rich Piva]

Spain’s Greengoat is back with album number two, Aloft, the follow up to their debut A.I., which had its moments but was a bit of an uneven offering. Now signed to Argonauta Records, Aloft is seven tracks that are all over the map and, according to the promo materials, is “inspired by the ground-breaking studies of Harvard psychiatrist Dr. John Mack on alien abductions.” Cool. But does it rock? Let’s see.

All of the tracks on Aloft have a person’s name, so I assume they are based on the individual experiences of these peeps being abducted, which is a pretty cool concept if you can pull it off. The opener, Zohar, is a bit of a throw away on an album that is so short at 33 minutes, as it is really just some guitar strumming. Not sure how this sets up an album based on alien abductions but I am keeping an open mind.

Betty is where things get interesting, with some cool guitar sounds and some chunkiness. It’s a weird track, with some strange vocal patters, almost a chant, but it kind of works, and at the very least sounds like nothing else I have heard recently. Jim has some whispery vocals across sparse and spacy instrumentation and has a very cool vibe. Travis has a similar vibe, and some weird vocals, but maybe weird is what the guys were going for here.

Ariel has a 90s vibe to it (am I hearing Radiohead or am I nuts?), and there is something inherently lo-fi about what I am hearing on this track and on all of Aloft. Maybe not lo-fi per se but more like minimalist, in a very 90s sort of way.

The most straight-ahead stoner rock song on Aloft is Barney, that, even with that description, still has all of the other elements I have spelled out earlier. Charles is a cool wall of guitar sound and a great riff, and is probably my favourite song on Aloft, but it still confuses me on what I am really hearing on this and all of these seven songs.

I think I need more time with Aloft. I am not sure I am truly appreciating all that there is on this record. For example, in the promo notes it talks about how “…Aloft takes listeners on a deep sonic journey, blending elements of flamenco, classical music, progressive metal, and stoner doom.” I honestly don’t hear any of that complexity. I hear some cool, atmospheric, minimalist, 90s inspired stoner rock.

The promo doesn’t match what I am hearing, but maybe I just need to dig in more to Aloft and/or maybe Greengoat has gone over my very simple head. Whatever is the case, give Aloft a spin to see what I am missing. 7/10

Caliban - Back From Hell (Century Media Records) [GC]

Having been into metalcore for most of my life, I find it almost impossible to believe that I have never once heard a single second of music by Caliban, I was searching for a song that I was sure was theirs and it turned out if was a Carnifex track, anyway from what I can see Back From Hell might be their FOURTEENTH album since 1997 which is either impressive or pointless, I can’t decide? Guess it’s time to see if I have been missing anything for the past 28 years.

Operatic intro Resurgence does its best to build you up for what’s to come but isn’t really my sort of thing and albums with 13 tracks do not need extra time added, so Guilt Trip starts us off with guest vocals from the matey from Mental Cruelty not really adding much to this paint by numbers metalcore that tries to use the melody of Killswitch Engage and mix it with the brutality of Bleeding Through and just doesn’t really, heard it all before done better many times.

I Was A Happy Kid Once is probably meant to be a heart string tugging title but I just roll my eyes so hard they come out of the back of my skull, the song itself lends heavily from nu-metal and Slipknot and is just boring and mundane but the vocalist does sound like he is feeling some hidden pain and expresses it well in the delivery.

Back From Hell has a bit of a thrashy beginning the piques the interest and that’s about as long as it lasts as once again the actual song itself is just cut and paste metalcore 101 and really will not stick long in the mind, is Insomnia and ironic track title? Who knows, probably not but this song is so annoyingly earnest, and woe is me, packed full of electronic ambience that is meant to be the light to the dark when the guitars come in or something like that probably? I just wish I was asleep and not listening to this! Dear Suffering, is probably the least annoying song so far and offers a bit more in the way of core, applying some hardcore gives it a decent bounce, but the overly electronic sound of everything isn’t really for me.

Alte Seele finally nails it and is an absolute raging beast of a track that combines all the best elements of metalcore to good effect, savage guitars, mixing with massive drums and some melodic choruses that rocket upward and lift everything and it gives you hope that form here on in we are in for more of this but what we get is Overdrive which once again sounds like a 2nd wave nu-metal off cast? It tries to keep the heaviness going but it is just such a miss hit you wonder if the track before was actually real or not.

I hate Infection with an absolute passion, it’s got off kilter time changes that just don’t work, mixed in with more atmospheric nu-metalyness that nobody needs to be hearing in the year 2025 after the last 2 duds Glass Cage once again absolutely rockets out and reminds you what good metalcore can sound like, high emotion mixed with cutting brutality and you just wish that they would do this more often because this is a mile better then most of the other tracks so far!

Solace In Suffer swiftly halts the upturn again and is full of echoed vocals and soft sounds that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Disturbed album probably and I just can’t get my head around the varying styles they are trying, because most of the time they just don’t work, Till Death Do Us Part is a slow and chugging way to end and for the most part it’s a decent track and better than 80% of the rest of the record but also a boring way to end a very average album.

Not really sure what to say about Back From Hell? There were some good bits but they were heavily outweighed by bang average and downright terrible parts that formed a lasting impression as you have more of them to remember, you have to try to be positive sometimes but I am just really struggling with this and all I can say is for a band with this many albums I expected way better than this and feel fully justified in having never listened to them as I certainly won’t be starting now! 4/10

Reviews: Hawkwind, As The World Dies, Sick N'Beautiful, Face Yourself (Matt Bladen)

Hawkwind - There Is No Space For Us (Cherry Red Records)

The term 'space rock' didn't really exist before Hawkwind, they both pioneered the genre and became its biggest representative since their formation in 1969. Still influenced by mind altering drugs they've created a niche for themselves that hundreds of bands have followed in their footsteps.

Their live show is always an experience musically and visually but with their constant road dogging. Captured so brilliantly on their recent triple disc live album Live At The Royal Albert Hall, you may think that they wouldn't be as comfortable in the studio however There Is No Space In Us is Hawkwind's 37th studio album.

Following on from 2024's Stories From Time And Space, this new record has a dystopian theme, reflecting our planets current state of disarray, these ageing hippies still want a better world and look again to the stars. Hawkwind continue to be led by band founder and visionary Dave Brock, joining him are Richard Chadwick (drums), Magnus Martin (guitars/keys/vocals), Doug MacKinnon (bass) and Tim "Thighpaulsandra" Lewis (keys) and they settle into to more hypnotic journeys through time and space.

Still Danger Out There bleeds into Space Continues (Lifeform), an mostly instrumental duo where the propulsion is the name of the gig. The Co-Pilot brings vocals and Latin percussion and swirling electronics while on the title track they shift through various intergalactic movements calling for revolution as A Long Long Way From Home dreamily closes this 37th record from the space rock creators.

Dave Brock is now in his 80's, Hawkwind release an album and tour every year, it's insane that he still has such a work ethic and is producing some of their best work. 8/10

As The World Dies - Nebula (Reaper Entertainment) 

Nearly missed this one! More apocalyptic Death metal from Birmingham, As The World Dies follow up their 2022 album Agonist with new record Nebula. Led by Memoriam guitarist Scott Fairfax, who tackles lead guitars and keys for this project, As The World Dies plays death metal that has a progressive bent and plenty of atmosphere from the synths/keys. You could make comparisons of course to Memoriam, Bolt Thrower, Benediction but there's the brooding intensity of Morbid Angel and even nods to melodeath or symphonic death metal too.

Apophis creeps with keys and a doom build before Consumed is a chugging death metal monster, the rhythm section of Darren McGillivray (guitars), Chris McGrath (drums) and Bill Richmond (bass) making sure to really nail the start stop nature of this brutal track. Nebula sees the band pushing boundaries, Dark Oblivion reminding me of Septicflesh as it brings some black metal touches, while on Playing God they add some psychedelic touches to the middle section, the title track is the most expansive on the record and I Am The One gets back to chugging death/doom, Jay Price’s growls muscular and gravelled.

Darkly mysterious death metal that uses pace as a weapon, Nebula is a brooding, punishing listen from death metal veterans. 8/10

Sick N’ Beautiful - Horror Vacui (BLKIIBLK)

Released through Frontiers new metal imprint BLKIIBLK Horror Vacui is the fourth album from Italian band Sick N’ Beautiful. Imagine Halestorm if they were more inspired by Rob Zombie than Skid Row and you’ll be in the right sort of ballpark as to what to expect, or perhaps In This Moment as a closer fit. A track such as Septem Maleficas is the perfect introduction to the band, a big chorus, similar to Dragula, varied vocals and massive modern, part industrial metal backbeat.

Themed as per usual around horror, sci-fi and the supernatural, the writing of this album took place while they were on tour with Cradle Of Filth and Wednesday 13, so there’s no doubt some inspiration from these bands on Horro Vacui, the band themselves say the album was written for the live stage and you can hear that with how they’ve composed this record, it’s got massive production values, touches on some genre styles they perhaps haven’t before.

The power metal sounds of Raise The Dragon truly showcase the vocals of Herma who is the star of this band be it on the anthemic twitchy My Wounds or the galloping God Save The Bride her voice is the major highlight, though the band don’t rest on their laurels giving The Rat King a jazzy swagger, Haunted a gothic touch or Death Police it’s power.

Modern metal with goth and industrial trappings, Sick N' Beautiful are a band with bags of mass appeal. 7/10

Face Yourself - Martyr EP (Sumerian Records)

Deathcore should be brutal it should also be short, attacking you savagely and then leaving you little room to catch your breath before the next attack. If it's not short then it should have the right moments of quiet or slowness to catch you off guard. A band such as Face Yourself understand this, their five track EP Martyr is a statement on how to do deathcore properly.

Take a track such as Predator, it's got blast beats explosions, slower builds, huge grooves, despicable vocals and then those all important beatdowns. However as this may seem a bit similar to every other deathcore band they infused it with a constant electronic breakbeat, however they then absolutely crush on The Poet, the most brutal song on this five tracker.

The band are multinational, featuring members from three different US states and a French singer, adding the grassroots influences of their respective backgrounds for deathcore that is inspired by the East Coast hardcore scene, early mathcore triple pronged guitar assault and socially conscious lyrics. Already having a following this EP will gain them new fans with it's straightforward but innovative heaviness. 7/10

Review: Ghost (Simon Black)

Ghost – Skeletá (Loma Vista Recordings)

So, Ghost then.

Whether you love ‘em or loathe ‘em, this band certainly have the Marmite factor (see my article here from a few years back explaining this) Here. My first exposure wasn’t until 2017, but its safe to say that the theatrics, the silliness of revolving door of Papa’s, the whacky backstory of the Order and the frankly banging tunage got me good and hard that day at Bloodstock. Not long after that they started playing the arenas as a headliner in their own right, and if last week’s frankly spectacular show at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena is anything to go by, next time it’s going to be the stadia.

The release model seems to have settled into its own distinct unit of measure, which I am going to call the ‘Papa’, where one Papa equals two studio albums, a covers EP and a live album (+ optional cinematic movie release). Transitions from one front man to the next (yeah, I know) have until recently been restricted to the end of a touring cycle, so if you weren’t there you had to rely on shaky phone cam footage on YouTube to find out the fate befalling the previous iteration, whose reward for increasing the impact of the band is to suffer a humiliating and terminal removal from the stage, but Papa IV got the most formal send off to date captured in the Rite Here Rite Now movie, but we had no idea what was coming after.

Something similar happens with the studio albums, which whilst tethered to a core sound take the music in subtly different directions each and every time. Prequelle, with its Prog Medieval conceptual feel remains a high point personally, and whilst I get the roaring 20’s Modernist feel that Tobias Forge was aiming for with Impera, it did not grab me as an album in the way its predecessor did (even if it did score hugely with the public at large). This left me slightly worried about what was coming, given that Ghost are now so huge they don’t need to hit the back of the net every time (and let’s face it the new album cover isn’t a good start).

It shouldn’t matter, because all of that should be an extra layer of fun and not distract from the core. For me this begins first and foremost with the music however, so does Skeletá cut the mustard? I got to hear a couple of the new songs live, but with the shitty acoustics at the back of the arena it wasn’t easy to get to the nitty gritty, but Skeletá as an album wastes no time getting down to business.

The songs old and new work well in the large live environment, but opener Peacefield is pure AOR stadium rock by design. The album carries on galloping forwards with back of the net belters, and even when it takes slightly lighter directions such as Cenotaph, it does so with thundering and relentlessly heavy rhythmic delivery counterpointing the lighter melody lines. It’s probably the weakest track on here, but its still head and shoulders over most of its predecessor.

Forge’s confidence as a songwriter has always been in place, but this album is bold and big, with a huge fat sound that the haters are going to hate, because it delivers the wry satanic messages more effectively and darkly than any amount of incomprehensible growls and gurgles across the more extreme edge of the Metal spectrum. Umbra is a fantastic example of this, probably the darkest lyrics of the whole piece, yet it sounds like an upbeat 80’s USA Rock Radio friendly anthem, complete with annoying cowbell. Hiding in plain sight at its best…

At least half of the tracks here are clearly going to staple live anthems for some time to come, and after the slightly off track feel of its predecessor, this album is a resounding banger through and through. So yes, this album is definitely the consistently strongest for some time, and although I’m yet to discover is its going to rack up as many end to end plays as either Prequelle or Meliora did, judging from what I have heard today (three times today and counting) it definitely will

Fundamentally with this release as with everything else they have done, Ghost remains the (one man) band that look like they ought to be nipping over the border from Sweden to torch a bunch of Norwegian churches, whilst sounding like ABBA meets stadium AOR Rock from the early 80’s. This time though, they probably aren’t far off of proving that in the right size venues globally or a field at a certain racetrack very soon… 10/10 (what else?)

Reviews: Eyes, Higher Walls, Snakemother, Elan (Mark Young, GC, Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Eyes - Spinner (Prosthetic Records) [Mark Young]

Another band that for me seemingly leaps out of nowhere is Copenhagen’s Eyes, who via Prosthetic Records have got their third album lined up for release. Spinner represents further development in their sound and this is underscored by vocalist Victor Kaas who has looked inwardly to his own life experiences to form the backbone of this album. This reflection has combined with the band taking a different approach in the studio which has borne fruit in Spinner. It has a story to tell and does so in a rapid fashion with Kaas’ reflections taking on the guise of a fictional Anime episode from the early 80’s and whilst this may sound like it is a concept album, I can guarantee that there are no extended solos of any description here.

The opening words were written from a place of calm serenity, prior to the kitchen ceiling falling in after a fab 2 and half hour drive home from work. Now I’m absolutely raging and this requires a review. Normally, I would have given this the attention it deserves (and it does) and write an informed and balanced piece but…

OP1 is their intro to this fictional anime world, and that has early 80’s charm to it that is then squashed by the frenzied Better which just takes flight. Kaas’ vocal performance is unhinged (in that good way) and is over as quickly as its starts. The Captain is next, with its "Your Never Enough" refrain and buzzing riff replete with guest vocals from Selma Bahner (of Feral Nature & Tower) who matches Victor for intensity. The whole thing is wrapped tightly, that mix of Hardcore and Metal sounding excellent here.

Deflating Rooms will make the crowd bounce, I have no doubt in my mind about that as they deliver an intelligent and aggressive people mover. It sounds so good and the songs fall like dominoes it is banger after banger. Beelzebub, The Hypocrite is an instant belter, its like an audio hammer to the brain and Save Face On A Regular Basis is what I would call classic Hardcore, simple but direct and effective with a great turn by Ken Mode’s Jessie Matthewson.

Moving Day For The Overton Window brings the frenzy back whilst Clown comes in and stomps all and sundry, both of these are going to be massive live. The final twosome of Money Mouth and Spinner keep that energy high, with Spinner basically coalescing the whole album in one song which is no bad thing and that’s that, over and done.

After listening to this, there was a moment of disappointment in that I hadn’t given it the due care and attention required. But I’m glad that I didn’t as each song makes a logical step from the one before it. Each one sounds different from the others; the linking piece is the band themselves in the way that they attack each one. 

For an album that is over so quickly, there is a lot going on it and they manage to deliver an album which kicks into a high gear from the off and then stays there til the end. It is a glorious antidote to a bad day, and I can only imagine what it would be like played live. It would be absolute carnage. 9/10

Higher Walls - No End (Self Released) [GC]

When I saw I had a hardcore release in my inbox I was filled with joy because hardcore when done correctly is the best form of heavy music by a country mile, so when I saw it was a UKHC release I was even more buzzing because the list of amazing HC bands past and present from this country is absolutely unbelievable and some of the bands are still some of all time favourites! Anyway, enough about me let’s see if No End by London’s Higher Walls is worthy of my excitement.

The beginning section of History’s Eyes maybe wasn’t what I was expecting as it’s a bit slow out of the blocks and it has a bit of a jagged and juddery mix of guitar work crashing against the drums and it feels like in places they don’t really go together and I’m a bit confused with what I am listening to, with Cloak And Dagger however there is no such confusion with Radu Ghidirim’s guitar work showing an unmistakable two-step rhythm mixed with a tinge of deathcore sounding guitars this is a much more coherent and disgustingly violent beast, there are some more chaotic sections thrown into the song also but everything gels to absolutely stunning effect here! 

Thorns is then just utter chaos, with Stefan Babara throwing blastbeats all over the track and leading it to places of extremity that just level everything in front of it mixing in the punky yet still unbelievably precise guitars you just cant help but take it all in and revel in the violence of it all and honestly you may not find a more pissed off vocal performance this year, I’m not sure what Jordan Kaad’s problem is but long may it continue! 

A Harrowed Wisdom once again opts for the slow and menacing opening and then has a beautiful deathcore main part but never ever steps too far away from the main component which is hardcore and just as it has built up it fades out and is over, this song should have been about 10 minutes long it was so infectious but over way too soon for me! 

Collateral Damage is just fucking perfect! Fast, furiously angry and over in under 2 minutes, it feels like you have been dragged backwards through the pit, had 7 shades of shit kicked out of you, thrown back into the pit and somehow come out with a massive grin, this is a song that encapsulates everything that is so good about hardcore! 

So Much, For So Long, For So Little is the last whirlwind of violence on this wonderful EP, and it leaves you absolutely wanting more, it is full of urgent riffs, walls of thundering bass rhythms from Chris Sparrow, battering ram drums and topped off with another round of furious vocals, this is absolutely stunning stuff and ends everything on a wonderful high. UKHC represents once again.

There wasn’t much I could find fault with on No End apart from not 100% liking the first track, everything else was unreal and was a brilliant listen that just left me wanting more! It was an intense listen that just kept on getting better and better. On this listen it’s safe to say that UKHC is still thriving, and long may that continue I say! 9/10

Snakemother - Snakemother Reissue (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

Snakemother is a female doom band from Oakland, California who bring some seriously cool vibes and sounds to their debut self-titled record, originally released in 2023 but now getting the full vinyl treatment from Ripple Music prior to their second album dropping. As usual, Todd knows what’s what, because Snakemother is another excellent add to the already stacked Ripple roster and this record an killer debut from a band that shows a ton of potential.

I love the folky chanting on this record, as it certainly brings an old time vibe to the album overall. The opening track reminds me a bit of their labelmates Kabbalah, but heavier, which is a wonderful thing. Speaking of heavier, Sacrum brings just that, sounding more like Candlemass, but with atmosphere. Also speaking of Kabbalah, Circles definitely reminds me of them in all the best ways, but again with an extra crunch. I love the swirling riffs on this one too. 

The riffs are huge on Snakemother, with Gold Shields standing out as a strong example of this, along with the very cool vocal patterns and layers that go along with all those riffs. Mu Rise slows it down and doubles down on the floating and the atmosphere, with excellent results, leveraging some cool quiet-loud-quiet dynamics. The guitar work on the closer, Little Lady, is top shelf, especially at the beginning, and the drumming is next level too, almost like they saved just a little bit for the closer, even if it slows down and ultimately crushes you at the end. Absolutely love the vocals too.

A great debut that may have gotten lost in the shuffle if Ripple did not grab it and press it, the self-titled record from Snakemother is an excellent introduction to a band that shows a ton of promise and should deliver an amazing album two if these six tracks are any indication. 8/10

Elan - Elan Vs Elan (APF Records) [Matt Bladen]

It's probably quite apt that Elan Vs Elan kicks off with a song called Two Angry Men as Elan, the band, is just two men. Shane Miller (A Horse Called War, & William English) on vocals/guitars/bass and Joseph Woodbury (William English & Armed With Books) on drums.

Two men creating angry music, aiming to be the loudest thing in Norwich as the play incredibly noisy, abrasive sludge metal that is inspired by films, mainly the films of visionary director/writer David Lynch. They perform as their rabbit masked alter-egos, Billie and Dianne, who Lynch fans will recognise.

So Elan have a two bodies, two minds sort of deal each track influenced by another cult film or TV show. Two Angry Men is instrumental and features clips from 12 Angry Men setting the filthy scene as we then get three slabs of hardcore influenced sludge that draw their inspiration from Mr Lynch (R.I.P). Elan Vs Elan was recorded, mixed and mastered by David Vickers at Bomb Store Studios who gives it the sound of a battleship dropping on your skull.

The perfect sort of noise for APF Records as tracks such as steamrolling To Kill A Gull (The Lighthouse), the hardcore screams of My English Tongue or the expansive Advocate Cannibalism which features inspiration from Pink Flamingos, all up the ante of noise on this debut album. More loudness from APF as Elan go to battle with themselves. 7/10

Reviews: Conan, Inhuman Nature, Cosmic Cathedral, The Great Sea (Rich Piva, Mark Young, Matt Bladen & Joe Guatieri)

Conan - Violence Dimension (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]

I think by now we know what we are going to get from a new album by Conan. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to be really good, which is exactly what their seventh album, Violence Dimension, is: really good. This band has been consistently heavy and skull crushing, and nothing has changed across the seven tracks (eight on the deluxe edition) delivered here.

You get all the low-end heaviness. You get the screamed but tolerable vocals. You get the earth-shattering riffs and seismic rhythm section. The songs are there too. There is a bit of a tempo change in Foeman’s Flesh that takes the song in a bit of a different direction in a very cool way. But let’s be clear what a tempo change is for Conan compared to some prog band.

Desolation Hexx has more riffs than you can count, and all of them kick you right in the ass. Total Bicep is my favourite title for a Conan song ever and brings the same level of bone crunching, but picks up the pace rips it up, and even has a groove to it, even if it is a bit too long. 

I love the guitar work on the mostly instrumental, plodding title track. A three-minute song! Conan looks for radio hit with Frozen Edges Of The Wound. I joke, but imagine a world where Conan has a hit single. It is only three minutes and it does absolutely crush. Speaking of crushing, Warpsword exists to destroy you and everything around it all in 46 seconds. 

The closer, Ocean Of Boiling Skin, is exactly what the closer for a Conan record should be; ten minutes of riffs pounding you over the head with an angry man yelling at you in the best kind of way. The deluxe version has another track, Vortexxion, which is a bit much at 12 minutes given the beating we already took with the regular part of the record, and actually got me a bit aggravated, but maybe that was the point of it.

You know what you are getting with Conan, and Violence Dimension is just that. In the right frame of mind this is the record I want to grab, but it is not a throw on and chill album by any means. But if you like Conan you already know that, and if you don’t you probably will stay away anyway. Violence Dimension is not going to bring new fans but will keep the current ones very happy. 8/10

Inhuman Nature - Greater Than Death (Church Road Records) [Mark Young]

So, let’s get this out of the way first. If you are looking for something that has MMM (Modern Methods of Metal, for example that certain sound of guitar from possibly a 7 or 8 string beast, heartfelt cleans into anguished growls, that sort of thing) then you should probably look elsewhere. I mean that with the greatest of respect because what Inhuman Nature do is to basically sweep all of that caper out of the way and then attempt to pummel you with a high-speed attack from track 1 to track 10. 

On one hand you could argue that this is boring, old hat etc but then you would be missing the point. I caught these supporting Heriot at the Star And Garter a while ago, and it struck me that they were incredibly focused on making sure that what got live was the same as what you got on record. We know that on occasion some bands can sound amazing in the studio and then live, well it could be described as underwhelming. With Inhuman Nature, it was more how they translated that live fury into the studio space because we know they can do it live.

The answer is yes. Putting the intro track to one side (From The Shadows) their second album boots off with Dawn Of Inhuman Man and it is exactly the sort of thing that is required here, its straight in with that high-tempo attack, replete with an incendiary solo and everything is alright with the world. You cannot describe this as new, never been heard before blah blah but this is the result of not overthinking what is required from metal. 

Possessed To Die echoes the golden era of thrash, quick changes, harmonic parts and downpicking. And of course, whammy abuse. Servants Of Annihilation completes this early trio of blasters and effectively serves as a snapshot for the album as a whole. Lyrical topics are as you would expect but you didn’t come here for that. You came for the visceral thrill of metal played fast, for lead breaks that go everywhere on the neck and propulsive drumming. In short, you came to be entertained and that is exactly what they do.

Fortress Of Delusion is their slow number (not really) and again harks back to that golden age where songs would build up slowly before lighting that blue touch paper and it’s great to hear that it can still be done with style and energy. Its one of things that the later tracks observe, in that they avoid the easy trap of just having it fast from the off with just one aim in mind. 

Lines In The Sand II brings in timing changes and those little touches which makes it a little more engaging than just playing fast. This one has a storming riff set to it and an intelligent build to it whilst title track (Greater Than Death) is where they deploy what I describe as the ‘slidey-thrash’ motif with a controlled speed to it. I’m glad that they went with this approach because that riff is a pure ear worm and has that classic live build to it too. 

The hours spent touring has granted them a greater understanding of what works and where and I’m pretty sure that they will play this faster live because I don’t think they will be able to help it. The speed returns on Mad Man’s Cage with some fiendish guitar work on this to flesh it out, it could have been wrapped up quicker, but that is a minor criticism really when held against the rest of the album, and I’ll forgive them for the nods to Slayer on this one.

What I won’t forgive them for is dropping The Maze Of Eternity in next. I’ve been vocal about interludes elsewhere and nothing sucks the momentum from a release for me in having it as the penultimate track, especially after Mad Man’s Cage. Dead And Buried is the last offering and luckily has enough about it to re-engage me from a fan’s perspective. It favours the more methodical attack, which allows for the suitably lit lead break and I must give a shout out to Ben Taylor and Mack Stray for their guitar work on here, its heavy and intelligent and carries it forward at every turn.

It’s the sort of release that is necessary to remind us why we like the music we do. We got into this because we needed that thrill and escape that heavy music brings. Inhuman Nature understand that heavy music has to be exciting, it has to be able to grab you from start to finish. We know that as a genre it must develop and sometimes it develops in a way which isn’t to your taste but here, they have said ‘this is what we like, we think you will like this too, come along for the ride’. It’s a quality album that speeds along and despite that last minute blip, it’s a very strong and assured release from them. 8/10

(Inhuman Nature will play Day Of Wreckoning in Swansea alongside Acid Reign and Red Method in June - Ed)

Cosmic Cathedral - Deep Water (InsideOut Music) [Matt Bladen]

Talk about a super group! Cosmic Cathedral is the result of jam sessions featuring four veterans of the music scene; Neal Morse (keys/guitars/vocals), Chester Thompson (drums/percussion), Phil Keaggy (guitar/vocals) and Byron House (bass), between them they have played with Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Genesis, Frank Zappa, Glass Harp and Robert Plant, there’s a huge amount of talent on display and this comes through on Deep Water, a record that was born in the jam room and put together by Morse’s long-time collaborator Jerry Guidroz. 

It means that there is a massive prog influence to these songs but also a groove of Gov’t Mule, the free-form jazz-fusion expression of Brand X/Steely Dan (Time To Fly/Walking In Daylight) and of course The Beatles influence that is so prominent through anything Morse is involved in. He’s also got quite a lot of background with super groups in Transatlantic and Flying Colours.

Chester Thompson calls Cosmic Cathedral “One of my favourite projects I’ve ever been a part of” high praise from the Zappa/Genesis drummer, but that’s probably because he’s creatively involved here rather than just being a session player, the same can be said for Byron House who has been a session musician for years now but now gets a chance to lock into some of his own grooves with Thompson on this record while Keaggy and Morse bring their years of prog rock experience (they are also both key figures in the Christian rock movement). 

Like all good prog bands the main bulk of the record is the Deep Water Suite, 30 odd minutes of expertly crafted music that forms one long song, each section segueing into one another as they flex their creative muscles on an epic scale. There is a strong Christian theme to this album, I will say now but if you’re listening to a Neal Morse record, or a Phil Keaggy record for that matter, you would think there would be.

However it never really interferes with the overall sound of the album, a killer mix of 80’s period Yes, The Beatles and a mixture of the several other Morse projects Cosmic Cathedral puts four top tier musicians in a room together and lets them create magic. 9/10

The Great Sea - Noble Art Of Desolation (AOP Records) [Joe Guatieri]

The Great Sea are an Atmospheric Black Metal band from Germany who formed only recently in 2022. Here they bring us their first release, that being a full length titled, Noble Art Of Desolation.

Diving into the album it opens with The Water Remains, a multi-faceted track which stands at just over eight minutes long. It verges on Folk Music with its opening guitar refrain which repeats throughout the song, accompanied by galloping drums, it brings thoughts of a medieval setting to my mind. 

Then by 1:11 we fall into a world of thick distorted walls which are disintegrating in real-time, feeling swallowed up by the gigantic keys which feel like the clutches of whatever god this is above us. There are also some classic blackened blasts to be enjoyed as well but after a while of these sections being carried out, The Water Remains ends up outstaying its welcome. 

Later we go into track four with No Peace Among Men which takes the cake for my favourite song on the album. I love the guitars here, they sound so crunchy in their attack, dare I say surprisingly enough, I’m getting a more Alternative Rock sort of vibe here. I think that I gathered that from just how catchy that hook is alongside the bend within the chord progression, it feels very victorious.

Down the line we then go into track six with Upright In Nothing. It presents a more Doom Metal approach to songwriting, it feels like it's trying to reach for an atmospheric crescendo throughout and it does try as I think that it brings out the best drum performance on the record with the consistent pounding. Unfortunately it just ends up falling a bit flat as it doesn’t go to that next gear and that sums up the album for me.

I can see what The Great Sea are going for with Noble Art Of Desolation with the use of their keys/synthesisers, marrying them with Black Metal but it feels more like makeup then what it does foundation. They just don’t sit with me right, at times they can be a nice partner but I find that too often, they dominate when I want the instruments to breathe more.

Overall, The Great Sea knows the location of the buried treasure but has struggled with the rapids, taking them off course. The debut, Noble Art Of Desolation, shows promise but the band requires more aggression and focus if they want me to be part of their cabin crew. 6/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Bokassa (Matt Bladen)

Bokassa & Mother Vulture, The Bunkhouse Swansea, 13.04.25 

Another Swansea show at The Bunkhouse and I just say the Swansea scene usually has it's act together for shows like this but I'm not sure why this wasn't as well attended as it should be. The headliners are well known now and the support were one of the most exciting live acts around.

Mother Vulture (8) always get the show going with a bang! Having seen them headlining the same venue in the past, they know Swansea well and kicked out their big track such as Down The Rabbit Hole, Go Big Or Go Home and the funky Honey.

In constant motion and going through the songs at a rapid pace, it was over as soon as it began but yet again Mother Vulture on a live stage are a must watch if you're a rock fan, they're full throttle fun!

If ever there was a band who exemplified full throttle it's Norwegian stoner punks Bokassa (8). Whether they're playing to 25 or 25,000 they crank out their riotous riff barrage and play each show like it's the biggest ever. 

A bassist who's a blur of movement when he's not harmonising with the drummer on backing vocals, a half Welsh drummer who's a proper powerhouse and a guitarist who cranks out the riffs and sneers with raw vocals. 

He's also not to bad on the between song banter either getting the crowd to chuckle and welcome the songs with cheering, though his love of Liverpool's win that afternoon drew some boos. 

They switch between grooving stoner jams and punchy punk rock, taking the majority of the set from their debut record Divide & Conquer and their newest album All Out Of Dreams, playing through 18 songs with a forceful delivery of veterans.

It's no wonder the band were chosen to open for Metallica and will open for Clutch at the end of the year, as even with a disappointingly small Swansea crowd (what happened?) Bokassa always deliver. 

Editors Note: I was rather disappointed about the crowd for this show, both bands deserve and have had more, last time Bokassa played South Wales was near Xmas and there was a bigger crowd so I think this being near Easter didn't really matter. 

Small, independent venues like this need people to attend these shows and buy tickets in advance. It's difficult with things the way they are but if we don't use these spaces they could go and then we're stuck with Live Nation venues charging a fortune for everything and only ever showing the acts with backing.

Go to locals shows as you may discover your new favourite band.

Reviews: Fomies, Ungraven, Red Moon Architect, Slough Feg (Rich Piva & Mark Young)

Fomies - Liminality (Taxi Gauche Records) [Rich Piva]

I was not aware of the Swiss band Fomies until I received the promo to review and thank whoever I did because their latest record, Liminality, is some crazy psych goodness. These guys throw the kitchen sink at you, bringing some garage rock, punk, stoner, Krautrock, and all sorts of other fun stuff over the twelve tracks on their latest offering.

Everything gets all fuzzed up right off the bat with The Onion Man, which plods a bit, but is a nice set up for what is to come. The echoed vocals along with the fuzz, a total late 60s vibe, and a charming weirdness starts off the record in an unconventional, yet effective way. There is a build to the opener that makes you feel something is just lurking around the corner, and it sure is in the form of the jangly psych of Reflections, which also brings the fuzz in bucket loads. There is a Krautrock / Devo thing happening with The Pull, and boy does it work. 

The next three tracks are parts 1-3 of Colossus. Part one is led by some cool bass work and a garage in outer space feel with a more chill vibe, which transitions to the ripper that is part two, a frantic punk/Kraut mashup that would get anyone up and moving. Shout out to the drummer on this one. Seamlessly we move to part 3, which brings back more of that jangle and is almost a combination of the first two parts, sounding like a more revved up and spaced-out version of The Velvet Underground’s What Goes On, and it rules. 

If that three part set of awesome didn’t get you, the late 60s garage feel of Pause Cigarette will. Anyone remember the late Jay Reatard? If so, you will know what I mean when you listen to Neon Gloom. Man do I love when the heavy kicks in on Blurred Sight. Happiness Relay is more Devo if they were a space rock band (a wonderful idea) while Fomies goes all 60s dreamy psych on Secluded. We even get a little funky on the closer, Upheaval, to go along with all of the other cool stuff that gets thrown at you on Liminality.

In a perfect world this is what The Strokes second record would have sounded like. Fomies brings everything that band could have been on Liminality. A spaced out, fuzzed out, Velvet Underground meets the Stooges meets Hawkwind mashup and boy am I here for it. 9/10

Ungraven - Hollows Made Homes In Their Sunken Cheeks (Heavy Psych Sounds Records) [Mark Young]

Ok, so the boss likes to set challenges every once in a while. Something that shifts you from a particular comfort zone into an area or genre of music that you normally wouldn’t touch down on.

Such a challenge is Ungraven. The conversation went like this:

‘That Ungraven album only has two songs on it. Is this where you tell me they are both 40 minutes long?’

‘They are both 22 minutes long’

‘Ok, thank you for that. Most Sincerely’

(What can I say? I'm a conversationalist - Ed)

Made up of founder Jon Davis and joined by David Perry who have decided that conventional songs are for others and have gone wholeheartedly with sonic experimentation that is in parts bleak with shafts of light shining through. Kind of.

So, let’s dive in.

Nothing Is Less Than Zero is side 1 and any pre-conceived idea I had of what this would sound like dissipates almost straight away. It just starts with guitar ringing and then degrading whilst the organ is firing up, building and moving, its shape forming continually. Its isn’t just slabs of noise that are dropped and then left without purpose. Its part composed, part improvised and all totally unique. 

The time is spent with that guitar and synths just doing their thing with the synths coming across like it was composed as soundtrack for a film. The guitars provide the discord, an abrasive and grinding sound that provides the ugliness against the beauty of those keys. It’s just a question of how much of this you can absorb because it is effectively 20 odd minutes of that same build but that could be the point. When Heavy Psych tell you it’s pummelling, they are telling no lies.

The second half, Hollows Made Home continues where Nothing left off. Drenched in guitar and those almost bright sounding keys you could be fooled into thinking that its more of the same which Is not quite right. It feels that it has more of a momentum to it but one thing that is constant is that guitar. The life after each strike is incredible, the sound degrading and breaking acting as that counterpoint to the synths which are almost majestic in comparison.

In some respects, trying to review this as you normally would is a doomed exercise. Generally, we talk about the songs, the music, what works and what doesn’t but on this it is so far outside of that conventional approach you have to look at this differently. I mean, just from the brief descriptions of both songs above, you would read it and think this sounds awful. Who in their right mind wants to listen to 40 minutes of feedback? Well, somebody does. This is intended to move beyond the traditional confines of extreme music, of the normal arrangement and just offer something that is totally different from everyone else. 

It is different, but how do I recommend it as worthwhile? It would be so easy for me to say that it is 40 minutes of noise and not much else but then I would be unfair by saying that. If you know these already, then it’s likely you already know what they are about, at least you would be aware of what their earlier form sounded like. This is for those who find no satisfaction in traditionally built music. This isn’t verse chorus verse, or even worse acoustic introduction into a long scream and blasting drums. 

Is there a payoff at the end? For me this was when the second song ended and I’m being completely honest here. Its not something for me at all and yet you can appreciate it for being 100% honest and authentic to themselves. It follows no one and no trend 7/10

Red Moon Architect - October Decay (Noble Demon) [Mark Young]

The information sheet that came with this noted Red Moon Architect as melodic doom metal so you go in with possible idea of what is about to come next. Frozen Tomb starts, certainly without fanfare but giving you enough to say that this leans into conveying sadness as an overriding emotion. And then the vocals come in, firstly with Anni Viljanen, with a softly delivered lines brings that feeling ever closer until the song itself stops and changes into something else, almost like going from the light into the dark with the deep, almost incomprehensible vocals from Ville Rutanen. The build is the same, the doom side coming through with an almost glacial motion. I know that the use of cleans into dirt vocals is nothing new, but when its done like this with Anni’s delivery being so clear and the backing to it being just on the right side of understated it sounds amazing. 

The whole arrangement is of a similar nature; keys used to expand that required atmosphere but used sparingly. The Depths follows, its slow pace allowing the space for those dual vocals to work their magic. Don’t get me wrong, if you don’t like doom, I don’t think there is anything here for you but Red Moon Architect have is an insane ability to fill the space in and around the core instruments so that it doesn’t feel as though it is standing still. 

On one online source it mentioned that the band were originally from Kouvola, and said it was the saddest place in Finland. I don’t know if that is correct but two songs in there is a veil of sadness that hangs over everything and Decay Of Emotions does not do anything to change it. Some bands occupy the slower end of the spectrum, often utilising sparse arrangements or repeated measures to qualify themselves as doom. Not these, the melody lines they are using are purpose built to evoke feelings of, I was going to say negativity but that wouldn’t be right. 

These are songs that are written with a sorrowful approach, but at the same time manage to sound beautiful because the music they choose is perfect. It is also makes for a tough listen for the likes of me who happens to like their music move a little faster because whilst each of the tracks on here are balanced so well they also don’t change in approach. What you get on Frozen Tomb is essentially what you get on In Silence, the latter starting with synths in place to expand that atmosphere beyond what the guitars can do but that pace doesn’t change, staying just above freezing, which should be commended because if you think that they have managed to craft six songs that all remain in the same tempo but without falling victim to repeating themselves.

Of course, you could argue that having each song not going any faster is them repeating but I believe you would be wrong. For example, On The Edge Of Sanity still wrings the same level of emotion from what is a mournful arrangement but it sounds nothing like In Silence except for the use of synths. The real uniqueness comes from the vulnerable performance from Anni, it is just perfect for this music and they know how and when it is the optimum moment for its use.

All sad things must come to an end, and on here First Of October is their final words and it is an cracker. No, they don’t go mad for speed, it represents a positive and uplifting end whilst still remaining in that world of shadows.

This is an album of beauty despite coming from a gloomy background. The way that each song is built is done in a way to exact maximum emotion from the listener without it sounding overwrought. Musically, everything has a clarity to it which in turn amplifies those stunning vocals. Exceptional stuff from Red Moon Architect – 9/10

Slough Feg - Traveller Supplement 1: The Ephemeral Glades (Cruz Del Sur Music) [Rich Piva]

The Lord Weird Slough Feg, or simply Slough Feg are one of the more underappreciated American metal bands, pretty much ever. The San Francisco group put out their first demo tape in 1990 and have released at least a dozen albums and EPs, all great to excellent, playing in the NWOBHM/traditional metal style, sounding like they are right out of 1979, in the right sort of way. Their best record, Traveller, a sci-fi, fantasy concept record that just flat-out rules, was released in 2003. Now, some 22 years later, we get the follow up to that story, Traveller Supplement 1: The Ephemeral Glades, and boy are fans of the band excited, because Slough Feg have not missed a step with the seven songs on this EP.

I am not going to try to recap the story of Traveller, but what I will say is that these songs absolutely rip. Mike Scalzi is the only original member of the band, but Slough Fey has had a ton of members, so it is not surprising that this incarnation sounds just as great as any other configuration of the band. The core of this version has been together since 2006, with the only new member being drummer Austen Krater, who slid in behind the kit seamlessly given his effort on the EP. The guitar work of Scalzi and Angelo Tringali is excellent, this theory proved by just listening to the early Maiden dual guitar work on the opener, Knife World, and how it continues on the next track, the instrumental interlude, The Black Circle. 

Mission Of Mithril has the band sounding super tight, and Scalzi’s layered vocals sounding great. Ephemeral Glades can’t escape the early Maiden comparisons, with that trademarked gallop, executed by Slough Feg perfectly. Love the solos on this one too. Bassist Adrian Maestas does his best Steve Harris on Magnetic Fluctuations, which is something right off the 1979 NWOBHM compilation. Ice Shelf Stomp and Vargr Reprise close this chapter of the story out strong, with the former bringing some cool tempo changes and the latter showing how this band, as infrequent as their output is, can turn back on the awesome whenever they need to.

If you like the proto metal and the NWOBHM stuff, go listen to Traveller, then to Traveller Supplement 1: The Ephemeral Glades, then to the rest of the Slough Feg stuff. You will not be disappointed at all. If you don’t have the time for all that right now, this EP stands alone just fine in all of its 22-minute glory. 8/10

Review: Employed To Serve (Matt Bladen)

Employed To Serve - Fallen Star (Spinefarm Records)



Holy shit! Fallen Star explodes out of your speakers with Treachery and that’s really the only reaction you can give.

The fifth album from the UK heavies is their best album so far, showcasing not only the talent of the band but also their reverence of the British metal scene and their acknowledgement of evolution for bands. It’s been a long journey for founders Justine Jones (vocals) and Sammy Urwin (guitar/co-vocals) but they are now undoubtedly at the apex of the British metal scene and with Fallen Star they look poised to conquer it fully, positioning themselves alongside a few others as the pillars of the UK metal scene.

As they have shifted from their early years of mathcore into complex extreme metal that picks the best bits of US metalcore, Scandi death metal, modern tech metal, ferocious hardcore and the more classic sounds of thrash and ‘traditional’ metal, Fallen Star is the culmination of experimentation and refining that makes Treachery rip like how Slayer would sound if they debuted today, while the title track leans on the clean/harsh dynamics of metalcore, the cleans from Sammy countered by the gutturals of Justine, but then they switch and it’s the other way round, or then they both are in growl mode.

The vocal interplay between them here is just so organic and synchronised, at times they sound like one person but there is clear duality between them leading to a fuller vocals sound to many bands around today. Just listen to the way they’re used on the euphoric From This Day Forward and you’ll realise that there are very few bands around who can do this at this level. But it’s not just the vocals though, the whole band rip you to shreds with their individual skillsets.

Produced with Lewis Johns, whose modern touch makes any album sound like a world beater, Breaks Me Down continues the assault of heavy as Nathan Pryor’s bass steadies the ship with a cataclysmic groove, as ETS embrace the electronics of modern day metal, showing that this is band who have a finger on the pulse of heavy music, the djenty riffs meeting with the synths now commonplace. The pace quickens for Familiar Pain where Casey McHale’s drums never seem to slow down and David Porter’s guitars unify in shredding with Urwin’s leads.

The duo shredding on Now Thy Kingdom Come the most thrash-like song here, a proper pit starter, with perfect pacing between the slower chugs and the full bore blasts. Fallen Star is an album driven by diversity in the back room and plenty of guitar moments that admiration for classic/thrash metal means the guitars let loose and add to the crossover appeal.

The title track is anthemic, with a little bit of pop to the chorus, ripe for singing along to and just as you get comfortable they strike with the echoed angular chug of Atonement which features the first of a number of high profile guests. Here it’s Lorna Shore’s Will Ramos, so there’s a vein of deathcore to Atonement as another broad vocals style enters the fray. Elsewhere, ETS combine with Serena Cherry of compatriots in Brit metal world conquering, Svalbard, for the Last Laugh another track that feels like a throwback, it’s got a bit of NWOBHM and bit goth rocking in it too, think Unto Others. They entice Killswitch Engage’s Jesse Leach to deliver those vocals on the raging metalcore of Whose Side Are You On?

The album is based around positive themes after they exorcised some demons on previous releases, with tracks such as Brother, Stand Beside Me the invoke the comradery and anthemic style of metal of a band such as Machine Head, those “woah” refrains shifting into a thick breakdown and more atmospherics as it reaches the end. This one will kill live for sure but that can be said for the whole of Fallen Star, it’s an album that has a real instance to it, every song hangs around just long enough to make and impact and leave you wanting more so you play the whole record again.

As Fallen Star closes with the blistering duo of The Renegades and From This Day Forward, you get the feeling that you’ve heard a very special record, a definitive statement from a band that have threatened to be the leaders of the UK metal charge. Fallen Star coalesces their claim giving Employed To Serve their defining moment. 10/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Heriot (Mark Young)

Heriot, Grove Street & False Reality, Rebellion, Manchester, 13.04.25

It’s like the planets aligning, combining a date night (for the Wife’s birthday; Happy Birthday Bel, Love Ya!) with watching the cream of the UK metal scene in Manchester. What’s not to like? It’s no secret that I have a deep love for Heriot (10). We caught them the first-time supporting Svalbard at Yes in Manchester and I’ve had the pleasure to watch them grow from rough around the edges to the absolute behemoth they are now. Any time they are in town we have made the effort and in return they have consistently delivered a crushing night of metal.

Tonight was no different. Flanked by False Reality (7) and Grove Street (6), this was their final night of the tour which saw them sell out the Underworld on the way here, to Rebellion which has seen some less than stellar turnouts for bands you may think were more popular. Considering that it was a Sunday, the place was getting full for False Reality, who just turned up and went for it. The band formed in 2023 and checking online via Hassle Records they have garnered a strong reputation for their live performances.

It was fantastic, one of those moments where you go ‘Oh aye? What’s this?’ as they laid waste to a decent crowd. On vocals, step forward Rachel Rigby who made sure that despite some crushing guitars all eyes were fixed on her, who just constantly moved, geeing the crowd up, getting them to move. I really should have done my homework because all of their songs are new to me but not knowing them didn’t affect how well they went over with me at all. It was a huge performance from the 4-piece, who by their own admission have taken Hardcore as their base but don’t stay there, mixing in a number of genres to devastating effect and for me it’s the way they have done this so that each song had something different to say. I’m no Hardcore fan but there was something here that made me want to watch them again.

Next up were Grove Street, with a name that should be familiar to fans of GTA, who took the stage to a crowd whose anticipation was tangible. They have been around a bit longer than False Reality and that shows in how they commanded the stage tonight. It was perceptible step in how to work the crowd to your favour but for me there was something that didn’t vibe with me. Again, I hadn’t heard them before tonight and as a result went in blind to what they are about and ultimately how they sound. Stage wise, it was a display that I half-expected given the way that the crowd slowly wound themselves up prior to them starting. You couldn’t fault Ben (vocals) and Joe (Bass), locked in deadly competition for who could move the most on stage. 

Sound wise, there were a lot of similarities with False Reality in terms of the Hardcore slant but with a different application to it. Both executed rapid guitar work but I felt that Grove Street’s sound was ‘lighter’. They worked hard to keep the energy levels high and this was reciprocated by a rapidly filling room ready for the main event which places me in the minority but I didn’t get the same feeling watching them as I did with False Reality. Putting my view to one side, they were incredibly well received from start to finish which says more about my taste then it does for the audience and shows that they have the fan base there to make that next step.

By the time Heriot come on, I think everyone had suffered enough with the 80’s school disco playlist. Cathy Dennis, 5 Star (Rain Or Shine, anyone?) and then Bang. They are on and just go. The floor is now packed and I’ve never seen Rebellion like it, especially on a Sunday evening. Its rammed and it’s about to go off. Greeted like conquering heroes, they launch into Sentenced to the Blade sounding like a modern-day apocalypse. Any notion of writing notes whilst this is going on gets binned straight away with the pit opening up almost immediately without any cajoling from Debbie who takes up the mantle of ringleader from hell (in a nice way). 

Their growth as performers, from being slightly unsure of how to do it to now being completely assured is incredible. Each knows instinctively what is required and are probably one of the tightest bands I’ve seen in an age. Its one thing for the band to be good and we have seen it before where the audience are lacking . Not tonight, Rebellion were up to the challenge and matched them as banger after banger detonates. It’s a set that is designed to bludgeon with little time for between song chat and to be honest its refreshing that they don’t feel that they have to rely on it and that they know the music is strong enough to say what is needed to be said.

And it sounds great, dual vocals are on point offering the guttural and the higher registers which compliment Erhan’s crushing tone and Jake’s rumbling bass. You pick up on everything especially during the rare moments of quiet where they use that silence to amplify the incoming attack. I mentioned growth and tonight it’s their as each knows where they need to be with Debbie front and centre to continue the cajoling although I don’t believe anyone stood still for a moment. And if Debbie didn’t get you, then Jules did, constantly gesturing from behind the kit. 

It was performance that harnessed brutality and sheer talent. I’ve seen clubs that are full but aren’t necessarily engaged with the band. Tonight, everyone was there for them with no exceptions, carried along by a display that shows why they are being hailed as one of the best extreme metal bands in the UK. If they can continue that growth on the next release then this could have been one of the last times I will see them in a venue like Rebellion.