Reviews: Thelemite, Eleventh Ray, Bent By Sorrow, The Usurper (Matt Bladen)

Thelemite - Powers Of Darkness (Sleaszy Rider Records)

Powers Of Darkness is the occult leaning fourth album from Greek band Thelemite, the Athenian melodic metal band have taken a similar route to the Trond Holter projects of a few years ago, basing this concept record the Swedish adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. While Stoker's is vampiretastic, the Swedish version puts Dracula as the head of a cult based around social Darwinism, continuing the trend of their previous album which was surrounding Darwinism.

Frontman Yiannis Manopoulos leads the charge and crafts the concept, the lyrics inspired by the book, singing much of the album with the style of Ronnie James Dio and on Renfield he's in histrionic King Diamond mode. With God's Madman they have a Judas Priest meets Megadeth influences Yiannis chugging on the guitar joined by Renos Lialioutis (drums), Zack Kotsikis (guitar) and Nikos Michalakakos (bass) as the remaining members of Thelemite.

Powers Of Darkness takes several routes on the album, a track such as Waiting For The Night and Learning The Hard Way are both slightly more melodic and gothic, with nods to Unto Others and AOR too, Falling Out Of Love really leaning into the AOR sound as it's reminiscent of Graham Bonnet. These changes in style are a little jarring initially however it leads to a huge shift on the album as the metal sound seems to drop off rapidly by Clouds Without Water the fourth 'ballad' in a row. Unfortunately it's too late for Born In The Dark to save it.

I know it's a concept record but there's too much of a gap between a few of these songs that if it wasn't for the vocals you'd be convinced it was two different bands. Don't get me wrong, the performances and writing are good but the record suffers from pacing issues and a lack of conviction to what they want to be. 6/10

Eleventh Ray - Reviving Tehom (Dark Descent Records)

Eleventh Ray come from Athens and play black metal. Sound familiar? Probably one of THE cities for the formation of black metal, Eleventh Ray join a very distinguished group. Formed as an offshoot of Serpent Noir, Eleventh Ray take a nastier route with their black metal evoking the thrashier sounds of Celtic Frost, Sodom and even early Darkthrone, while also paying homage to the early records of the Hellenic Scene.

Reviving Tehom is old school in its songwriting and in its production too, it's raw and analogue so it feels like it's come straight out of the 90's, the album record in the 'twin channel' style where left and right have different instruments, and there's a woolliness to the whole thing. Eleventh Ray then distances itself from Serpent Noir as it's own project that is less about the abrasive and glacial and more about the aggressive and thunderous.

Band leader Y.K wanted to create an album he wanted to listen to and with Reviving Tehom he's written one that many would also love to play loud. 7/10

Bent By Sorrow - Sakura (Brutal Records)

Based in Athens, Greece, Bent By Sorrow could easily come from Athens, Georgia as their music jumps straight out of the NWOAHM from the late 90's early 2000's.

Think Lamb Of God (Order Chaos/Need For Faith), Disturbed (Rain) and even the likes of Deftones on For Victory Of The Light an instrumental where things get angular and groovy. Sakura  (Japanese Cherry Blossom) is their long await d debut album and sees them level the full force of their power across 11 tracks.

What's intriguing about this album is how well they meld the heavy side with the melodic side, there are moments well this full force death metal, others when the groove metal battery commences and then there's a slip into alt metal and radio rock, the production of Fotis Bernardo keeping the record very contemporary and clean in it's sound.

So when they play the chunky metalcore of A Life Without An F for instance the guitars are complex, the drums giving a a precision bludgeoning as the vocals have that great clean/harsh dynamic, you know that they're doing this deliberately so while on Trapped they really have moments of BFMV, Demoncracy savages with aggression and they get proggy towards the end. 

Bent For Sorrows' debut is a metal album that captures it's sound from a wide area of musical styles, all from a similar period but merged here into one great album. 8/10

The Usurper - Let Me Burn (Unthrone Records)

Thessaloniki thrashers The Usurper unleash another full length on an unsuspecting public. Let Me Burn is their third album asmnd it's another spiky journey through blackened thrash metal. Sodom, Kreator, Venom and Celtic Frost are the comparisons here. The throat shredding vocals squawk over the buzzsaw guitar tone, the NWOBHM gallops come on Lead Me To Hell as the influence of Cronos and chums is the strongest here.

Now I totally missed their second album which came out in October 2024, but as their debut was only released in April of that year I can't see their being a seismic shift in what they do. This is heavy metal in its molten form, where punk rock took on a bit of technicality and increased the speed tenfold. Savage and rabid these 13 tracks don't linger, each one set to a pacy groove from Thansis' drums and biting guitar riffs from Kostas and Niko though Kostas' bass gets top billing on Left To Rot. Let Me Burn continues this Thessaloniki bands mastery of nasty thrash metal. 7/10

Review: The Callous Daoboys - I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven (Mark Young)

The Callous Daoboys - I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven (MNRK Heavy)

Episode 14 of ‘Apologies, it’s late’ and it is a whopper.

The Callous Daoboys is a band that I have heard of but never listened to, a band that has garnered significant acclaim but I never sought out. It’s a situation that has just been rectified. The album itself represents a period or a snapshot as Carson Place calls it, of what Carson is as a person. This is paraphrased from an online source and whilst is lazy from me to do so it felt that it was a suitable introduction to the album itself. What I did do was to avoid listening to any other CD material prior to this, I didn’t want the experience to be tainted in any way.

The opening narrative of I. Collection Of Forgotten Dreams, dressed up as an historical artefact tells you exactly where these songs are coming from. It is a true set up, an introduction that has a specific role rather than a collection of noise. Schizophrenic Legacy just explodes, and then changes tack going from extreme vocals and super heavy arrangements into something that reminds me of bands like Fall Out Boy, that earnest clean singing style. The song lives up to its title as it lurches from one place to another and when it goes into that super-heavy territory it is crushing. I’ve no idea what you would class this as, I really don’t. It goes where it feels it needs to and makes no apologies for doing so. The guitar tone is massive, the arrangements complex.

Full Moon Guidance is huge and doesn’t rely on one way of expression in the same way as Schizophrenic Legacy, throwing in changes as it pleases. It goes from full rager into a singing passage and suddenly it dawns on me that trying to go through each song in this way is going to be a thankless task. What we have is two songs that over the course of 8 minutes change direction in a way that shouldn’t work and does. 

Going out on a limb, I don’t care for the clean singing and I guess it’s a generational thing but putting that to one side you can hear that it’s done in a way that does not affect the way in which either song flows. Its seamless, absolutely seamless. When they go heavy, such as the opening bars on Two-Headed Trout its incredibly heavy and yet they move it in a way so that it becomes a tune that you just can’t shake off. It’s the sort of song that gives you a mental image of them playing it live, you can imagine it moving within the quieter parts into the louder and the crowd just taking off. Its effortless.

Speaking of taking off, Tears On Lambo Leather is an assault, providing heavy riffs and a punishing arrangement that a lot of death metal bands would give their arms for and Lemon subverts again bringing a dance element to proceedings and on to Body Horror For Birds which pulls back into a more reflective zone. And yet, the songs are still well done and fully realised. It’s these moments that set them apart from everybody else but for me I’m drawn more into those songs like The Demon Of Unreality Limping Like A Dog and Idiot Temptation Force where its chaotic, unhinged almost but incredibly heavy with riffs zooming in and out, pummelling you as they plot their course from start to finish. 

Is there a point for me to comment on every song? Maybe not but in order to absorb the scope and breadth of this I have to. 

Douchebag Safari turns on a penny, from soft to the extreme, and I guarantee that you will need multiple listens to pick up on the little things in each song that makes them so much better than anybody else. Distracted By The Mona Lisa brings that stop / start theme back once more and has that kind of build that would have seen it on multiple repeats on the music tv channel of choice. II. Opt Out is barely a track before they bring in III. Country Song In Reverse which after a languid start it detonates, into a frenzied and unhinged closing chapter. It hoovers up everything they do on here – the massive riffs, the hooks and hammers them into a 12-minute closing statement. It draws you in and then pins your ears into place.

There are parts of this that I do not get on with which is primarily a me thing. For example, the cleaner singing style reminds me of metalcore bands from the early 2010’s and I didn’t like them then and I still don’t like them now. Putting that to one side and in all honesty realising that it is music that is probably not aimed at 50-year-olds, it makes you appreciate it for the force of nature that it is. 

Other bands across a number of different genres would love to be able to write songs like this. The way that they touch down in so many different themes and making them sound natural is something else. I think that we have a strong, no very strong contender for album of the year. In terms of giving it a score, I could do that from the perspective that its not ‘Thrash/Death’ and complain bitterly about it. I won’t because the whole point of extreme music is that your parents are not supposed to like it. 10/10

Reviews: Cwfen, Zig Zags, Thurifer, Rifftree (Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

Cwfen - Sorrows (New Heavy Sounds) [Matt Bladen]

Things that are inevitable: Death, taxes and me liking anything on New Heavy Sounds. The label have been signing and releasing some of the most impressive new music around from MWWB, to Vodun, They Watch Us From The Moon to Shooting Daggers, Grave Lines to the much missed Black Moth.

A cavalcade of brilliant bands have arrived on this label so when I saw that Glasgow band Cwfen (pronounced Coven) were signed to NHS then I immediately had to get my hands on it. The band have been compared to notable acts such as Amenra, King Woman and Type O Negative, so lots of lofty movers within the heavy gothic style. Cwfen play music that's made to immediately impress, to draw you in and to bewitch you, but it's also a sound that lingers, staying with you long after the record has finished, embracing both the light and the dark Cwfen beguile you into their heathen world of mysticism.

They never intended to write an album but as they started to compose, the songs came, catharsis found through the process, probably why it's called Sorrows, a musical release from emotions that were trapped and held on to. The first of three Fragments, an intro and two interludes, that split the record up, concludes and we begin with a doom laden riff that settles into a hypnotic groove on Bodies. Agnes Alder's spectral vocals carrying the track, Agnes has a broad range, from these mid-range invocations to soaring highs and then down into ferocious snarling screams, the vocals a vessel for the pain and introspection of this album.

Agnes' rhythm guitar, locks into these often repeating riffs with bassist Mary Thomas Baker and drummer Rös Ranquinn, this trio, creating the hallucinogenic tribal rhythms of the first song but then switch it up into Wolfsbane which brings a post-punk gothicness of The Cult. A song about embracing queerness, feminism and rebelling against anyone who tries to oppress them, these gothic overtones also overtake Reliks, synths undulate in the background. Guy DeNuit's lead guitars simmer across all three of these tracks, the jangling fluid leads taking charge on the breathy Whispers, the atmospheric leanings of The Cure, Chelsea Wolfe and Black Moth as well. For a band such as Cwfen, the pacing of these songs is important, they so often begin quietly, consciously and then climb into ferocious distortion and roared vocals, like a fire, building from embers into a furnace of anger.

Sorrows does linger in the melancholic, the gothic styles are the most prominent, the bulk of these songs coming from the atmospheric post-something sound. They aren't without heft though, seesawing between these lighter and heavier moments, as they increase the post metal/doom severity on Penance the full bodied production from the band and Kevin Hare along with the mastering by James Plotkin. With Embers they move to natural progression, the harshest tracks are towards the end of the record, these are the ones with full throated roars and aggressive heaviness.

Sorrows introduces Cwfen to wider world, giving you the experience of their purifying rituals on record for the first time. Embrace them with open arms as this Scottish band are exceptional. 9/10

Zig Zags - Deadbeat At Dawn (RidingEasy Records) [Rich Piva]

Punk metal band Zig Zags have crawled out of their cave in Los Angeles to assault you sonically with their fifth record, Deadbeat At Dawn, once again brought to you by the fine folks at RidingEasy Records. The band is not going off the path they have taken over the last decade or so, bringing killer crossover thrash/metal to those who dig that sort of thing, like this guy, but record number five does bring a sort of maturity in the playing and recording of the ten tracks on Deadbeat At Dawn.

The band still loves B movies, so you get all of the references to them and some clips, but what you also get is some excellent punk metal to get your pit going. Right off the bat, Not Of This World exists to show you what the Zig Zags are all about, with both riffs and a punk energy that define this band. An old school thrash feel comes through loud and clear with Altered States, giving off Motorhead meets Bay Area thrash vibes. The band seamlessly moves to more of an early American punk thing with the title track, more Richard Hell and The Ramones than Metallica for sure, but this is the beauty of the Zig Zags sound; the ability of leverage all of the best of punk and thrash metal, but never too much of one or the other. 

At War With Hell sounds like something off of an early Metal Massacre comp, while Take Me To Your Leader is the best of both worlds and is some really filthy and raw goodness. An early show at CBGBs would have been perfect for the band with a track like Rats In Love blasting out of the P.A. Above The Law is some great snotty punk while Get Loud turns up the killer crossover to 11. Metal To Metal is my favourite track, as it is the one that seems to go right off the rails in the best possible way. Say It To My Face gives me my first chance to mention early Suicidal Tendencies which for me there is not much better to be compared to.

The new Zig Zags is filled with a no fucks given attitude delivered through some killer crossover punk and metal. What more do you need to know? Go listen to Deadbeat At Dawn and try not to get all fired up. 8/10

Thurifer – River Red (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

When the attached PR of this record said it was for fans of Gojira and Mastodon, they really meant it literally as River Red, the five track EP from Finnish band Thurifer, begins with Distorted Dream a track that could have been pulled of Remission. To be honest any of these five songs could have come from pre-Crack The Skye Mastodon, the blasts of sludgy, hardcore-influenced heaviness countered with harmonious moments and melodies. 

This four-piece are veterans of the Finnish scene so everything they play is of a high standard, using a full dynamic range of sounds to make music that is aggressive and atmospheric, but I can’t get away from the fact that a lot of this EP is eerily close to Mastodon though Witness moves towards the Gojira side. There are plenty of bands who use Mastodon, Baroness et al as influences but Thurifer just seem to edge closer towards tribute rather than homage for my taste. 6/10

Rifftree - Wonky (No Profit Recordings) [Rich Piva]

A Croatian Bass/drums duo stoner psych band? Sure, I’ll bite. Wonky is Rifftree’s third release, and this EP is some seriously fuzzed out psych heaviness that is not for the faint of heart. These two make a ton of noise for just two instruments, case in point the opener, Bobby, that is just the two dudes heads down slamming on their instruments and screaming into the mic, reminding me of Unsane without the guitars. 

The wonderfully titled Drinkypoo is straight up hardcore punk here to blast your face off in under two minutes. The title track brings more of that noise rock/hardcore/Unsane vibe to the show, while Ain’t Shook reminds me a bit of Ministry circa Filth Pig while channelling Godflesh. Bongfucker sounds like a song called Bongfucker should sound; grindy, raw, and filthy, while the outro is noise, which is a suitable closer for this EP. 

The Rifftree EP is certainly an interesting listen. Noise rock, Unsane, the rawer Ministry stuff and Godflesh fans should certainly dig the 19 minutes of heavy on Wonky. 6/10

Call Of The Wild Preview by Tony Gaskin

Call Of The Wild Festival 2025 Preview By Tony Gaskin

If you’re tired of the same old corporate ‘big’ festivals and are looking for something a little bit different, a festival that rocks and one that isn’t going to cost you one of your organs, then go check out Call Of The Wild.

Established in 2019, this diverse rock event has grown into a must go to weekend for many rock fans. This will be the festivals 5th anniversary and the organisers have pulled out all the stops to put on a line-up that includes some top international acts.

Headlining the Kilmister main stage on the Friday will be The Commoners all the way from Toronto, Canada. They’ve quickly gained a big following worldwide with their take on Southern roots rock.

Saturday headliners are the hard rocking combo from Sweden, Royal Republic and we stay in the Nordic region as closing out the festival on Sunday night will be the dynamic Michael Monroe jetting in from Finland to show us all that age is no barrier when it comes to showmanship on the big stage!

Those three alone would be worth the entrance fee, but you get a whopping 30+ more bands over the three days and three stages, a mix of rock genres to please all tastes.

Hot Tips

Our bands to look out for over the weekend that feature a bit further down the bill or on one of the other stages include The Soul Revival, Tailgunner, Jayler, Black Lakes, White Tyger and Bobbie Dazzle, but to be honest it’s a stacked line-up with quality throughout, massive kudos to the team at Upstaged for putting together a great weekend of established and rising artists.

Important Stuff!

Where? - Lincolnshire Showgrounds LN2 2NA

When? - 29th May to 1st June

Tickets and further information head to www.callofthewild.com 

Reviews: Gary Moore, The Yagas, The Velveteers, Bident (Matt Bladen)

Gary Moore - Gary Moore Live - From Baloise Session (Provogue Records)

Gary Moore is one of the greatest guitarists of all time, that's not opinion, it's fact, despite Rolling Stone leaving them off their 2023 list of Top 100 players, there are few guitarists who are as influential to rock and heavy metal. Of course Moore's first love is the blues, he shunned his heavy metal beginnings as member of Thin Lizzy and his early solo years to walk the same path of the bluesmen before him. 

Since his untimely passing in 2011 there has been a wealth of material released posthumously, most of it from live shows where Moore's passionate playing a Norn Irish fire was on full display. Baloise Session was recorded in 2008 in Basel, Switzerland, during the the event of the same name where musician's and music lovers all tuck themselves away in the mountains to enjoy some of the finest showcases that these music legends could give. 

This record features Moore alongside bassist Pete Rees, keys player Vic Martin and Thin Lizzy drummer Brian Downey, locking into grooves of Moore's own tracks and a couple covers to boot. A ripple of applause, a short introduction and then it's straight into Albert King's Oh, Pretty Woman, a bit of verse, a bit of chorus and then solos and more solos, Moore an animal unleashed when he has that Gibson ES335 in his hand. 

It's an eight song tracklist, one for the discerning listener as the boogieing Since I Met You Baby shifts into a galloping cover of Chuck Berry's Thirty Days (To Come Back Home), with a rhythm and blues revue that makes see the black wayfarers and trilby's from here (if you get that reference you can stay). As the pace slows for the I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know many long time Moore fans will know the next riff as soon as they hear it even when it's slowed down. The triple shot of Thin Lizzy's Don't Believe A Word, Still Got The Blues and Walking By Myself is worth a purchase of this album alone, Still Got The Blues gets the loudest roar from the crowd, but to be honest when Gary Moore is plugged in, locked in and ripping through the blues you can't not listen. 

Is he the G.O.A.T? For sure. Has he made better live albums? Of course. Do any capture him so well in what was his last few years? No. Settle in as this is Gary Moore doing what he does best. 9/10

The Yagas - Midnight Minuet (Self Released)

Oh great another band formed by an actor! I said to myself when I saw The Yagas was fronted by Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Vera Farmiga. Rock and metal bands formed by actors can be hit and miss, for every Tenacious D there's a Wicked Wisdom. But The Yagas? They are a proper band that happens to have a singer who's also and actress. 

Their debut album Midnight Minuet is a alt rock record that owes as much to The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins as it does to Nick Cave even a little Depeche Mode. Vera's vocals are spectral and soulful, comparisons to Jennie-Ann Smith of Avatarium can be made strongly throughout the record as she has a similar tone and range. Her background as a star of the horror movie industry allowing her to tap into dread of She's Walking Down.

The record deals with grief and pain both physical and mental, keyboardist Renn Hawkey wrote single Life Of A Window after spinal surgery and it carries a longing. The occult and mysticism of all things loom large on this album too, the Slavic folklore of Baba Yaga, stories of witches and chastised women (Bridle), channelling the spirits of the past into the modern world through haunting dark rock. Farmiga's Ukrainian heritage is also part of that Slavic inspiration in the band's name and the song writing, especially on The Crying Room which was written about family caught up in the Russia/Ukraine conflict. 

Alongside Farmiga and Hawkey (who also produces), the band features Jason Bowman (drums), Mark Visconti (guitar) and Mike Davis (bass) and is a way of Hawley to create something outside of his former band the industrial Deadsy. Part of that style comes through here but Midnight Minuet is different, it's dark and beguiling, mysterious alt rock that doesn't ever linger to long in the waking realm, balancing the connection between the dead and living on this impressive debut that is not just another 'film star makes band' but a living breathing entity all by itself. 9/10

The Velveteers - A Million Knives (Easy Eye Sound)

US rock trio The Velveteers follow up their excellent debut album Nightmare Daydream with the rallying cry against a misogynistic music industry, against discrimination in all its forms. They are a band who are proudly and loudly in support of queer, non-binary and female led artists and roles in society. Never has this topic been more potent as it is in America at the moment so more bands such as The Velveteers are needed to fight against the increasing behaviour to aggressively reinforce heteronormative and gender normative behaviours even when they do not exist. 

The Velveteers use music as weapon, a lucid, psychedelic weapon with a backwash of venomous intent as the fuzzy garage rock riffs of bands such as The MC5 and The White Stripes are unleashed by frontwoman Demi Demitro, her guitar a buzzsaw ready to cut down oppressors while the drumming duo of Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig, batter down any barriers that may stand in the way. 

Dual drumming is so often the reserve of prog bands (see King Crimson) but here the band use it to strengthen the groove, often Baby and Jonny are on the same rhythmic beat but then they’ll counter each other for a broader scope (All These Little Things) all while Demitro’s guitar cranks out another effects driven riff (Moonchild). Vocally too Demitro often uses reverb or delay on the vocals to produce either a nastiness on Suck The Cherry or a hypnotic state on Bound In Leather, a song co-written by Greg Cartwright and Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys). 

Written after a lengthy stretch on the road, this album is a snap back at the music industry (On And On), it’s the band in full creative flow, the swaggering rockers split by the beautiful title track which is a 2 minute vocal/guitar number, this stripped back sound continuing on Up Here, while Go Fly Away has a dreamy 70’s vibe to it. A Million Knives is more Moonage Daydreaming from The Velveteers but with lyrical barbs at our current state. 8/10

Bident – Blink (Self Released)

As Flava Flav once said “Bass for your face London!” well with Bident we have both drum and bass hitting you in your face. Though don’t worry this isn’t the newest project from Goldie or Chase And Status, I’m talking about real drum and bass here. Bident is ‘two pronged’ (remember it’s a Bident not a Trident) attack of Jacknife Seizure bassist Dave and Jackknife Seizure/Purple Kong drummer Sylvy. 

The idea is a rock trio but without the guitar drums and bass taking the lead roles respectively with all the hallmarks of stoner (Blink), doom (Moody) and sludge (Oh Fucking Hell) but taking in moments of thrash/country on Calorina Leaper, more thrashing on Thinking With A Moshcap On and some 70’s heavy rock on That Sad where the bass feels like an organ. 

It’s all played ridiculously well, Charlie Wilson’s production keeping the rawness of just right as the bass shifts through tones and effects while the drum is tight and snappy sounding like the kit on an 80’s crossover record or a 60’s surf band. Blink is an interesting concept for a record, Bident playing a few well known genre tropes but without the standard use of guitar. Still a curio with some next level playing on it, perfect for something a bit different. 7/10

Reviews: …And Oceans, Full Of Hell, Turtle Skull, Lycanthro (Rick Eaglestone, Mark Young, Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

…And Oceans – The Regeneration Itinerary (Season Of Mist [Rick Eaglestone]

Finland’s symphonic black metal innovators are back with a theatrical odyssey that channels the spirit of 90’s in the form of The Regeneration Itinerary. Coming in with immediate alchemical vibes is the diverse yet thunderous Inertiae, the midway trance elements are really well placed and certainly amplify the heavier tones which spill over into Fornyeise I Tre Akter with a frenzied precision that really leans into some nostalgic elements that have been at the forefront over the bands three-decade career. Chromium Lungs, Bronze Optics continues the charge with dominant drum patterns and sweeping atmospherics whereas The Form And The Formless seems to very comfortable switching between genres and by the time Prophetical Mercury Implement has concluded it’s impossible to deny that …And Oceans have crafted something that will land highly in their discography. 

“This is our most experimental album since our comeback,” states Kontio. “It might be considered a continuation of the music we made in the 90s, but the sound has ripened and developed as our individual tastes have broadened, our inspirations subconsciously feeding into the band’s sound, necessitating change. From the very start, this band has encouraged progression and growth.” There is certainly a sense of grandiose throughout The Fire In Which We Burn which as far as production value goes is sublime, swinging back to mid to late nineties experimentation on The Ways Of Sulphur and weaving into I Am Coin, I Am Two effortlessly. The visceral nature of the album’s crowning glory – Towards The Absence Of Light really underpins how solid this album is. 

Complimented with throwbacks to such bands like Hecate Enthroned on The Terminal Filter and concluding with the duo of the relentless Copper Blood, Titanium Scars and one final genre splicing soundscape on The Discord Static make the whole listening experience seamless. A blistering return to form. 8/10

Full Of Hell - Broken Sword Rotten Shield (Closed Casket Activities) [Mark Young]

In today’s episode of ‘Apologies, it’s late’ (that’s episode 13 for those keeping score) we say hello to the latest addition to Full Of Hell’s ever-growing list of releases. Broken Sword, Rotten Shield is their latest EP and is a quick 15-minute rascal that has just enough to dig into your skin before it leaves.

It’s a breathless opener with Broken Sword, Rotten Shield showing their grind credentials from the off, drums blasting and vocals from Dylan Walker spat like bullets from a gun. It’s constant, propulsive and is the sort of attention grabber you need from your opening track. We then veer into what I can only describe as Elvis-grind with From Dog’s Mouth, A Blessing. That is probably a stretch on my part, its part Elvis, part Scream in terms of its vocal delivery and sounds like it was recorded in a cave. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but if you look at it from the perspective that it doesn’t repeat the same trick as Broken Sword it works with Corpselight furthering that vibe by going down an Electro-90’s-Game sound and in the space of three songs they have turned the EP on its head. Corpselight isn’t just a thrown together piece, it has an intent and is unsettling to say the least.

Lament Of All Things, with its drone/bend intro riffs is another facet to the EP. It has that lurching, stop/start progression that doesn’t go for speed but uses guitar lines that wrap around themselves which give that impression of forward movement. As with Corpselight, Mirrorhelm brings an 80’s horror film vibe to proceedings and is brief, whilst Knights Oath has a (almost afraid to say it) lightened touch to it, with a lack of ‘heavy’ riffs, its more akin to punk/new wave but with death metal vocals running over the top. It’s ok, but I would have loved more in the style of Broken Sword but what do I know?

To Ruin and The World’s Ending is the end of the road. Starting off in an expansive manner, like their version of a doom song and what’s more it’s a pearler in achieving that particular vibe. What it shows is a band that is practically fearless in doing what they think is the right thing to do when it comes to their music. Does it all work? Well to an extent yes. When you look at the EP it’s a self-contained story that uses different tools to get from A-B. If you go into this expecting it to be full speed ahead from start to finish then you could be disappointed. If you come at it with more of an open mind then it works better and should work nicely as an intro to the band itself. 7/10

Turtle Skull - Being Here (Art As Carthasis/Copper Feast Records) [Rich Piva]

The Australian band Turtle Skull is back with a new line up and new record, Being Here, and it is a poppy psych trip with so much beautiful stuff going on within its eight wonderful songs. I am such a sucker for anything that leans on 60s psych and this record sure does, but it is not just a retro trip, as Turtle Skull brings all sorts of amazing bits to what is one of the best psych leaning records of 2025.

In the promo material for the record, it states Being Here is…” A heavy, heady blend of melody and atmosphere.” I can not come up with anything better than that to describe this record. New member Ally Gradon brings synths to the Turtle Skull crew, and boy does it make a difference. You can hear the difference she makes with her synths and her vocals on the opening title track. There are nods to the Velvet Underground and MBV on this one, and it is a beautiful and floating pop psych gem. I absolutely love the garage-y psych trippiness and harmonized vocals on the fuzzy 60s inspired Apathy. 

You get even more poppy goodness with beautiful harmonies on Into The Sun as well as some great guitar work. I get more VU vibes with the buzzy Bourgeoisie while we get super fuzzy psych goodness with It Starts With Me. Heavy As Hell could be an excellent Flaming Lips song, and there is no bigger complement in this genre. Every great poppy psych record has a nice slow burner, and that is where Modern Mess comes in, bringing more of those beautiful harmonies. The closer, Moon & Tide, is more like an experience than a song; this is what I want my psych records to sound like in 2025.

Being Here surprised me. I was not expecting to hear one of the best 60s inspired pop psych records I have heard in a long time, but that is what Turtle Skull brings here, and boy am I happy about it. 9/10

Lycanthro - Remnants Of Rapture (Psychomanteum Records) [Matt Bladen]

Canadian heavy metal band Lycanthro follow up their debut in 2021 with second album Remnants Of Rapture, having seen the band at Power Metal Quest Fest I was impressed by the power/thrash/trad metal of this Ottawa foursome so it was with interest that I picked up their second album.

This second record features some guest performances from Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches) and Stu Block (Into Eternity, ex-Iced Earth) so it seems Lycanthro are making waves with the rest of the metal world and don't be fooled into thinking they are a band who just rely on riffs, they have orchestrations, acoustic elements and choirs too, all on display on Iris, a muscular beginning to the record where Lycanthro showcases their metallic howl.

They are inspired by bands such as Savatage and W.A.S.P, but they put both of these bands into the power metal style of DragonForce and Stratovarius, especially when they use the keyboards, like they do on the first song and on the Pirate themed Cry Silver. The speed metal fuel of Blind Guardian's early years coming on Far Beyond The Walls, and while James Delbridge is not Hansi Kursch he has a melodic vocal filled with power and variation, the ballad Prison Eyes, making use of his full range of emotion.

His singing is made even more impressive by the fact he duels throughout with co-guitarist Andrew Stout, see The Great Masquerade, the engine room of Kyle Summers (drums) and Everett Mayhew (bass) pumping the gas on the thrashy In Demon Light or Night Of The Parasite. North American power metal muscle meets European power metal melody, Lycanthro's second album serves both well, great heavy metal from the Great White North. 8/10

Reviews: Hate, Dark Solstice, Youth Code, Larcenia Roe (Matt Bladen & Liam Williams)

Hate - Bellum Regiis (Metal Blade Records) [Matt Bladen]

Polish death machine Hate have been crushing all comers since 1990 and in recent years they've adding more variety to their sound with orchestrations (from Michał Staczkun) and choral vocals. This has put me in mind of Septicflesh who utilise those elements well against an unrelenting death metal assault. Unrelenting is definitely the word on this record as drummer Nar-Sil barely eases off the full blasting, like a meat grinder without an off switch it's a constant barrage of percussive power.

Because of this the nine songs on Hate's thirteenth album are probably their heaviest but also lack a little in variation. Technical death masterclasses the aggressive riffing from bassist Tiermes, guitarist Domin and guitarist/vocalist ATF Sinner is again just non stop, aligned to many of the modern death metal bands as the slick, almost clinical production from David Castillo has makes it decidedly contemporary.

Combining the blasts, the riffs and the production means that Bellum Regiis is an intense experience for the listener, a personal record for the band you hear ATF seethe with his shouts and growls, counterpointed by Eliza Sacharczuk, who adds some melancholic melody. The theme of how we achieve power prominent on every song, the album asks hard questions and delivers the answers in the heaviest way possible.

30+ years of music and Hate are at their heaviest, it does mean that the variation suffers a little as many of the tracks segue into another set of blasts, techy guitars and growls but this Polish metal machine keeps rolling on album 13. 7/10

Dark Solstice – Where Black Stars Beckon (Self Released) [Liam Williams]

German dark metal band Dark Solstice hit all the right marks with their debut 3-track EP, Where Black Stars Beckon. With a traditional style of metal combined with elements of thrash, groove and black metal, they have crafted 3 songs which each offer something a little bit different from each other without diving too deep into any particular style.

Track 1, Pathways, is a nice opening track which shows the band maybe playing a little too safe and having more of a definite “heavy metal” sound. It starts with some nice clean guitars which is accompanied by the bass, and then the band comes in for the main riff which leads nicely into the first verse. The harsh vocals go well in the verses but I do like the clean vocals coming in for the chorus. There’s a good little instrumental bridge section with the vocals coming in for the second half before the guitar solo comes in. Instead of a 3rd chorus, we get the main riff coming back in for the outro of the track.

Next is Open. This one feels a lot more experimental with an almost doom metal sounding intro, groovy verses and a really good little thrash metal inspired instrumental bit after the chorus, leading into the second verse. The second time around, the thrash part goes on a bit longer and ends up going into a more black metal sounding track all the way until the end, with a spoken word part speaking over the chaos just before the track ends.

Finally we have the title track. This one is a very interesting track. A nice chuggy intro which is joined by a synth lead. The verses are really heavy, kind of death/black metal sounding. The synth lead comes back in before the chorus. In the chorus they use a mix of clean and harsh vocals which sounds really good. After the second chorus, the synth lead goes right into another nice guitar solo. Then we have the final chorus which plays on until the end of the track. 

A great first EP, a little bit rough in terms of the mix. But the songs are good and it’s nice that the band are experimenting with different sub-genres this early on. It gives us a taste of what they can do and it gives them a chance to further develop their sound and not limit themselves with just one particular style. Good stuff! 8/10

Youth Code - Yours, With Malice (Sumerian Records) [Matt Bladen]

Industrial/Electronic metal band Youth Code have gone through the wringer over the past few years and they want to shout about it. This EP is full of uncomfortable, twitching electronics, pulsating, claustrophobic beats and intimidating vocal shouts. Compared to prime-era NiN fused with middle period Ministry as well as the Avant garde Cabaret Voltaire, Youth Code are an L.A based duo who induce nightmarish visions with their industrial soundscapes.

There's something of a soundtrack quality about the record, the stomping Wishing Well and the jerky In Search Of Tomorrow reminds me of those late 90's action flicks that contained too much leather and po-faced seriousness. Partners Sara Taylor and Ryan George began the project with inspiration from New Order and Depeche Mode, the code to their youth if you will but over the years they've hardened.

The vocals have gotten rawer and more acidic in their delivery the music meanwhile is hallucinogenic and disquieting Make Sense dropping beats against sweeps of dissonance while I'm Sorry is punishing right at the end. Their Sumerian is the true sound of Youth Code, writing this review on World Goth Day had to make it hit a little harder. I can see the neon already! 7/10

Larcenia Roe - Extraction (Unique Leader Records) [Liam Williams]

American deathcore 5-piece, Larcenia Roe are making waves with their sophomore album Extraction, just 1 year after the release of their debut. This will be a short review because after several listens, I’m still unsure how I feel about this album. In terms of production, this album is really good! The band can definitely play and the vocals are brutal. But when it comes to the actual songs, it’s a bit difficult to go into detail with what I’m hearing. It’s fast, chaotic and heavy as hell with some chugging and groovy bits in between. That’s all I can really say. 

There’s not really any parts which stand out for me. Now I love my heavy music, but I think I might have just found my limit to how much heavy my puny brain can handle. Too heavy for me. I suppose that could be considered a compliment! If you love your proper chaotic music, this might be the band for you! Maybe I would enjoy it more if I ever get the chance to see them live. Not terrible, but not my cup of tea. 5/10

Reviews: Crystal Spiders, Witchcraft, Rokets, Gods & Punks (Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Crystal Spiders - Metanoia (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

The third Crystal Spiders record is here and it is there best by far. This is not to say I didn’t love their first two, because I certainly did. However, the three records that Ripple Music has brought us from the North Carolina trio has seen a growth from album to album that has resulted in what I believe is what this band is truly capable of with their new release, Metanoia.

So why is Metanoia so great? First, force of nature Brenna Leath is back doing all of the amazing things she does on bass and especially with her vocals, that somehow sound better than ever. It may have something to do with the addition of the harmonies to the songs on Metanoia, and wow does that work. Second, Mike Dean is back, but instead of playing guitar, the former COC legend stays behind the board, crafting the sound that this band was meant to deliver and absolutely nailing it. 

Next, Brenna has her band now, with Reid Rogers on guitar and Aaron Willis on drums. Rogers, who has played in a bunch of cool bands, brings a different vibe on guitar, leveraging his work in NWOBHM/Maiden style groups but also his love of bands like The Beach Boys to incorporate those harmonies and even more melody into the seven tracks on Metanoia. Willis is not just a drummer; he is a multi-instrumentalist who is the second part of those harmonies that you are hearing, and a talent whose ideas have been incorporated into what resulted in Metanoia.

 The lineup feels full and permanent now, and you can certainly hear it in the songs. How about those songs? This is some of the best writing the band has done in their career. The riffs are killer, like the one on Torche, and right off the bat you can hear what Rogers is bringing to the table with his guitar work. The psych elements in Blue Death take that track to another level, along with the drum work by Willis. There is an evil boogie to Ignite and proves the band can write an excellent little ripper that is under four minutes. Brenna’s vocals on this one are just off the charts. 

Time Travel is my favourite track, with the harmonized background vocals and COC inspired middle part and riff, this one is a brooding and soulful masterpiece. Rogers shows off a bit on this one too. Brenna’s powers are on full display on the doomy Maslow, and boy is it excellent when the tempo picks up. This one must be killer to hear live. I love the filthiness of 21, which has a proto metal thing going on in all the best ways. The eight minute plus closer O.S. shows how the band can write a longer song that feels like it is half as long as it really is while also showing how the band can write a perfect traditional doom song in the Crystal Spiders way.

Metanoia is the sound of a band figuring it all out. This line up, these songs, the sound and production, this is what Crystal Spiders is all about. This will be for sure near the top of many end of year lists, including mine. 9/10

Witchcraft – IDAG (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Matt Bladen]

IDAG, the seventh album from Swedish band Witchcraft, will be for many will be an album of many things. It’s a celebration of their early 70’s inspired beginnings, a homage to their evolution towards a heavier doom sound and it’s also a call for band founder Magnus Pelander to rediscover his folk beginnings. Inspired by the folksy proto-doom of Coven, there’s nods to The Doors on Irreligious Flamboyant Flame while on Gläntan (Längtan) and Christmas they slip into the solo folk troubadour mode. With two decades behind them, IDAG, then is consolidation of what Witchcraft can be, the first half of the album in their native Swedish (it worked for Opeth), this is where the grunting psychedelic heavy rocking comes, Drömmar Av Is chugging along quite nicely as Drömmen Om Död Och Förruttnelse gets a Sabbath groove going. 

Magnus’ vocals are sonorous and stylish whether in English or Swedish, his guitar taking lead for the proto-metal riffage and on the Scandi folk of Om Du Vil (both parts), the rhythm section locked down by bassist Philip Pilossian and drummer Par Hjulstrom, shifting between the two very different styles on this album. I get that IDAG is Witchcraft merging all their previous versions together but it doesn’t really work as well as I’d hoped, going from a distorted doom tracks into a folky middle and then a bit of jazz and coming back to abrasive almost sludge on Spirit, it’s experimental but not cohesive. I can see what Witchcraft are trying to do but it’s not quite there. 6/10

Rokets – Bad Choices (Svart Records) [Matt Bladen]

Bad Choices may have led to this new record from ‘action rockers’ Rokets but it’s led to an adrenaline-filled slice of high speed rock n roll that doesn’t take it’s foot of the gas pedal for anyone. Having decimated the Nordic/Baltic states with their incendiary live show since 2017, their albums are always like trying to bottle lighting, how do you make sure that any album is a fair representation of the band’s performance, arguably where much of their audience will know them? 

Well in the case of Bad Choices you make sure every song hits with the force of a heavyweight boxer, cranking out fuzzy rock riffs, NWOBHM gallops and choruses hooky enough to catch all the fish in the Baltic Seas. They draw significant influence from bands such as The Hellacopters, these Finns playing a style of retro rock n roll that is rife throughout Sweden. 

This is their third album so they are now an experienced acts both on stage and in the studio, though they have gone through a few line-up changes, this current incarnation though draw from a lot of varied underground acts, this experience shows on an album that never lingers, each song grabs you by the collar and has you nodding along immediately and throughout this half hour of power. 

The title track is choppy and fires up the engines good and proper, the rollicking Overload brings the chug through a bit of country picking and while Louisa is AC/DC on Nitro, White Raven takes a bit of gothy post-punk. No Bad Choices on this record just stomping action rock Raven would be proud of! 8/10

Gods & Punks - Holograms EP (Self Released) [Rich Piva]

Gods & Punks last record, Death, from last year, did not really connect with me, but I certainly did try. Let’s see if the three tracks on their new EP, Holograms, grabs me like some of their older material. The Brazilian band states that the songs on here are some of their heaviest and most progressive material up to this point, but does it all work?

All three tracks are over six minutes, with one just over nine, so check box for that part of the progressive side. The production is a bit muddled on all the tracks, and I struggle some with the vocals. There are some great riffs on the three songs, especially on the opener, Hologram, and there is this sort of Sabbath, Alice Cooper thing going on with their version of heavy, which is cool. The doomy middle part of the track drags a bit, and the vocals get tough to deal with, but I do love the addition of the organ to the track. 

The second song, A Million Tinfoil Hats tries layered vocals with varying degrees of success but ultimately the track does not grab me, outside of some cool guitar work. Destiny Doom closes out the EP and starts with acoustic guitar work almost flamenco adjacent until the riff kicks in a mid-tempo doomier side of the band kicks in. I am still struggling with the vocals and unfortunately you can tell this is a project that was done by sending parts back and forth, given the band is split across the world.

Gods & Punks is a band I just have not really been able to connect with, and the Holograms EP does nothing to change this for me. 5/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Front Line Assembly (Dean Palmer)

Front Line Assembly, Tension Control & Dead Lights, Bristol Fleece, 21.04.25

There’s probably a reason MoM don’t use me all that often for live reviews: I am particularly rubbish at submitting them in a timely manner and this one is no exception as Mr Boss Man has had to threaten me with his night-stick to get this back to him.

Cast your minds back, dear readers, to a simpler time. A time known only as “April” when I am sure life was better and we yearn nostalgically for. In your head are you there? Is everything black and white? Are carts being drawn by horses? They are? Excellent – let’s go.

The Fleece opened its doors on the second-worst day of the week for a gig, a Monday, as Industrial titans Front Line Assembly made their way to Bristol for their first gig in the city since…. **checks previous gig records**….. 2007 (which I was also at, and was one of the few gigs I have ever attended at the O2 Academy which wasn’t painfully oversold and sounded like it was being played through a shoebox), so this one has been a long time coming.

Was it worth the wait? Well we have some support bands to get through first so be patient.

First up was Dead Lights (8), a two piece disco-EBM group formed during the Covid-19 Pandemic as an international project between a UK and Dutch producer duo. I’ve never been much of a fan of EBM as a genre, with a few exceptions of which I am glad to say Dead Lights are one. Plenty of performance from Saul who fronts the band with a pounding live drummer (Richard) keeping the beat and setting off the necessary loops. Very much good fun and strongly recommended for anybody with ears and feet.

Secondly on the agenda was Tension Control (6), a german EBM band who are billed as leaning very heavily into an industrial sound. Honestly they played well and performance was okay, but being honest I found their sound to be far too insipid and lacking in the real “stomp” needed to make me agree that the industrial moniker should sit. I suspect they’d be great fun at about 4am on a Saturday morning at max volume with a sweaty dancefloor somewhere in Potsdam, but this was 8.30pm on a Monday in Bristol so….

Finally we got the headliner as Front Line Assembly (9) found their way onto the Fleece stage, met with applause from a joyously happy crowd (no, really, Goths are happy these days, it’s a great thing) and the evening’s entertainment was complete. They had promised an eclectic set including some deep dives from their significant back catalogue (17 studio albums dating back to 1987) and they absolutely delivered on this. 

Indeed the most recent track they played was “Shifting Through the Lens” from 2010’s Improvised Electronic Device, with the remainder almost exclusively from their 1990s output, something which was very well received from the crowd who, whilst having started quite demurely, soon began getting their best two-step on as tracks like Killing Grounds, Plasticity and Final Impact were played with a pretty fierce precision with just the right amount of smiles on faces that the band still get to do this to a decent audience after all these years. 

Deadened finished the main set to rapturous applause and it was made blatantly clear that FLA’s job was not done as the audience needed one final track to finish the night and, I am pleased to say, they delivered by dusting off 1992’s Mindphaser as a very needed encore before releasing us all into the April evening.

Whilst my review may not have been worth the wait, Front Line Assembly’s return was. Old dogs may not have new tricks, but their old tricks remain pretty darned great.

Reviews: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Age Of Apocalypse, Poison The Preacher, After Taste (GC & Rich Piva)

Thus Spoke Zarathustra - I’m Done With Self Care, It's Time For Others Harm (Prosthetic Records) [GC]

If you’re a fan of heavy music, as I am sure you are if your reading this review, you should probably just put the overly fancy sounding philosophical name aside, and just look at the title of this album,  I’m Done With Self Care, It's Time For Others Harm, then this alone should peak your interest and make it be worth looking into! Thus Spoke Zarathustra has got my attention.

It takes a while for GGO to really kick into action and when it does we get some crushingly heavy deathcore full of savage beatdown riffs that mix a beautifully melodic style of death metal into the blatant thuggery of hardcore and it makes for a fantastic start and flying directly into I Can’t Save You gives you no time to prepare for the oncoming onslaught, it a short, sharp that really shows how to do deathcore right, the slower bits are crunching and brutal and the fast parts are unrelenting and powerful and this is all done in just over 2 minutes, its brilliantly done and engages the listener expertly! 

Gage Lanza 2 Return Of The Red Hammer is a title that is clearly inspired by their love of ‘’Myspace-era deathcore’’ as back in the day the more nonsensical the title the better, so skipping past that the minor annoyance the music is also heavily inspired by a more old school approach to deathcore, with the tempo being faster throughout and no real nuance to the song its just a full on chugganaught from start to finish and will be making you grab that extra small t-shirt, do crab claws and start brushing aside an imaginary black fringe just like it was 2006 all over again, nostalgia isn’t something usually involved with deathcore but this is dripping with it! 

Its, another wacky tile for I Never Believed In Magic Until My Dog Turned Into A Snake and musically it’s another whirlwind ride of amazing drum work, interweaving with the three guitars that are all doing something different at every turn, not just chugging, or twiddling or adding background effects they all do this and then at suddenly all at same time ITS TIME TO CHUGG and when they do it is an absolute pleasure and just sounds so heavy! 

The Final Blow Will Bring Blood is back to the more focused, short attack style of a song but also incudes some of the most blatant hardcore and thrash influences so far and mixing it up a bit more offers for a fresh perspective on things, because yes being stupidly heavy is always good but also offering a new sound is a way to keep thing interesting all the way through. 

Santosha keeps the songs length on the short side and of course this can help because a lot of bands tend to keep playing the same stuff and it gets repetitive, predictable and boring, not here it’s just, song starts, savage brutality for 2 minutes and then it’s over, thank you very much, a lot more bands could pay attention here! 

All I Feel Is Cold hones in on a very melodic death metal sound and has duelling guitars in some parts that play off each other beautifully and once again throws in a massive hardcore influence but is never too far away from then just absolutely pummelling you to the ground for no good reason and the way all the elements are put together and don’t confuse or sound out of place is expertly done, The Difference Between You And Me Is I Never Got Caught relies heavily on the guitars all working as one big sound, as here they all play together and don’t really mix anything up and while it sounds planet shakingly heavy it does tend to lose a bit of its energy in places.

Mithrandir doesn’t grab me at first, it’s another almost anthemic sounding but heavily melodically tinged track but some of the bits sound like they don’t fit together and it sort of throws me off a bit. Bereft of Light then re-energizes everything and is everything that has been good about this album all in one song, it has the speed and also melodic beauty of death metal mixing with the ungodly heaviness and disgusting brutal ignorance of deathcore and it comes just in time as the last couple of tracks were lacking a little something, but here everything is 100% executed in the perfect way for a stunning end to the album.

When their music sound as good as this album does, Thus Spoke Zarathustra can have as fancy a name as they want because it wont take any attention away from what has being recorded, the heaviness and precise nature of almost every note on this record was wonderful, there were parts of melody disguised under a blanket of horrible noise but even they managed to shine through! I have said it before but when its done right deathcore can be some of the best music to listen to and on, I’m Done With Self Care, It's Time For Others Harm its all done right! A truly spectacular record that I highly recommend you listen to immediately! 9/10

Age Of Apocalypse - In Oblivion (Closed Casket Activities) [Rich Piva]

I know I write a lot about stoner, doom, and the like, but I am very much someone who came up loving hardcore. I was into pretty much all the scenes back in the early to mid-90s, especially the NYHC stuff. You can be a hardcore kid and a metal kid too, so when a band like Life Of Agony came along it was musically life changing for me. Those guys had it all, blending hardcore and metal with some melodic tendencies to create what is one of the greatest records of all time, River Runs Red. 

So, when I first heard Age Of Apocalypse’s first record I immediately connected with it, given how much it sounded like LOA both musically and vocally. On what is now their third record, Age of Apocalypse dialled up the hardcore and thrash more and drifts a bit further away from the LOA comparisons with the ten quick rippers that make up In Oblivion.

With a band like Turnstile blowing up big, you would think AoA would be able to get in on some of that, and they should if enough people get their ears on In Oblivion. There is a fleeting glimpse of the trippiness that makes Turnstile so great, but the straight-ahead aggression partnered with some melodic moments is where I can certainly see some overlap. These guys are from NYC, and you certainly can tell with the hardcore ripper, Mortal Coil, that opens In Oblivion up. I bet these guys are Vision Of Disorder fans too, based on the opening track. Did I mention there are some harmonies on this one? Oh, and it works so very well. This may be the most complex track in their discography, with the tempo changes, instrumentation, and clash of styles. Breakdown!!! 

The addition of the acoustic guitar continues on the very metal opening of Maximum Suffering, which brings more of the vocal harmonies but also some old school hardcore to the pit as well. There is a lot going on here, in all the best ways. A metal riff with some machine gun drumming welcomes us to Gilded Hatred, but only to lead us to some of the most melodic work the band has done, until it isn’t. So good. The title track and the one after, Equalizer, blend all of the goodness together I have mentioned thus far, and both lean most into the LoA RRR comparison, with those backup gang vocals, with the latter really ripping up the place. 

 The second half of the record starts with Apocalypse Intro, an early thrash-like interlude that chugs its way to the next track, Impulse, that leans into the thrash side of the band, with excellent vocals to go along with it. I mentioned VoD earlier, and Snake Oil God gives me those vibes again. Speaking of heavy, Symbol Of Mourning crushes, and somehow, I hear early Biohazard in there, for a more know reference than I was going to go for. How about something totally different, the closest to a ballad a band like AoA could do with the closer, Over Mine, which harkens back to some of the best work Killswitch Engage ever did.

Age Of Apocalypse’s In Oblivion is one of if not the best hardcore record I have heard in a very long time. Hardcore, with some crossover thrash metal, some melodic moments, and some vocal harmonies, this record is killer and should really boost these guys to the next level. Their heaviest and most melodic record yet. Oh, and their best too. 9/10

Poison The Preacher - Vs The World (Seek & Strike) [GC]

I took one look at Colombia’s Poison The Preacher’s band photo and then the album cover, and my first guess as to what they would sound like was hardcore/thrash/crossover, then I found a bit of info on them and that’s EXACTLY what I am about to get on debut album Vs The World, generally this sort of style is very hit and miss for me so I’m not sure what to expect.

I will instantly tell you what I don’t expect from a 9-track album and that is an intro which is exactly what Future Tense is just 50 seconds of guitars and atmospheric sounds that really isn’t what I need but that is just me, I guess? Sucker Punch gets things going with some wonderfully old school 80’s thrash that blends with the hardcore influence nicely then switches between tempos and styles and while it is done well it feels a little underwhelming in places, I think I was expecting a bit more speed then I am getting, I know I am only one track in but it just feels a little lacking? 

Dying Every Day feels like a much better example of what I was expecting, the tempo is quicker, and the foundation of the song is nicely tied together with the heavy stomp of hardcore but the catchy rhythms of thrash and includes a few nice breakdowns to change everything up every now and then, more of this and we are onto a winner! 1312 starts slow and builds up towards a nice crescendo with some catchy guitars colliding with some ferocious soloing and the varying mix of hardcore and thrash is all done well enough but it’s just missing something to take it all to the next level, there just doesn't feel like there is enough intensity at times and that seems to stunt everything slightly.

Hate Too Much is another frustrating listen, you can feel that something could happen but for some reason they spend a minute or so trying to build up to something and when they do finally get going they break it all up and probably try to be doing to much, the fast thrashy bits in this song are probably some of the best on the record but its just mixed in with lots of stuff it doesn’t need, cutting about a minute off this song would have made it brilliant but eventually it just sounds like a missed chance. 

Congelado An El Tiempo introduces us to their South American roots with it percussive intro that plays into the tempo of the main song, here they get everything spot on, tempo, mix of styles just everything they do here they absolutely nail, it also manages to bring in some death metal in that really forms the back bone of the track and it benefits greatly from it, Promise To Pay is an absolute blast of a track as they seem to really have focused and got everything honed to perfection, the vocals sound savage and nasty, the music has another more death metal focus and it feels when they focus on one style they smash it to pieces with ease, also it’s no coincidence that when they start playing a more death metal sound everything gets better!! 

I think on One Man Army they want to show they can also put some groove into their sound as a whole and sure they can but, do they need too? Not really, it makes it a bit too slow and plodding for me and gets a bit boring and one paced very quickly, Us Against The World is another track that could do with a bit of trimming, its about a minute too long again, I think it’s a case of they are trying to show everything that they can do in one last song so you don’t forget but some of it just doesn’t need to be included as it doesn’t really help make the statement I think they would have wanted to end the album on.

For me once I had finished Vs The World the main feeling was that it was an opportunity missed, there were times that you thought it sounded vibrant and energetic, heavy and scuzzy but then they always tried that to maybe do a little bit too much in pace and the songs/sound got lost in places. I can tell there is potential there and will look out for future releases in hope they have found the focus they need to really push on. 6/10 

After Taste - Hungry For Life (Self Released) [Rich Piva]

It is no secret that I love Type O Negative. They are like a top ten, maybe top five band for me. When I see Type O as a reference point for a band, I am immediately skeptical because of how much I love them. How much are you influenced by Peter and crew? Just enough to say you are both doom and goth, or a blatant rip-off? Before anyone gets all upset, I absolutely loved Neon Nightmare’s ode to the band last year, so let’s get that off the table right away. 

This brings me to the new album from Dutch band After Taste, their second and first since 2021, titled Hungry For Life. The band mentions all sorts of influences in their bio, including the aforementioned Type O Negative, Rammstein, Alice in Chains, Triptykon, Killing Joke, and Soundgarden, but to me this record firmly stands on the gothic metal side, and these guys execute the ten tracks on Hungry For Life very, very well.

Sustain Me starts us off, and the Type O vibes are strong, along with a My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost thing they have going on. A nice doomy riff, spooky, low vocals, and a bit of melody to go along with it. Love the solo on this, if we can call it that. Great song. Your Flesh is next, and the requisite female voice makes an appearance to add the sexy to the doomy, just like the boys from NYC used to do. This one is straight up dark and heavy goth goodness. The guitar work really stands out on this track. 

My knowledge of Rammstein’s material is minimal, but from what I do know, I feel like I hear a Rammstein/Type O mash up in Mind Over Body. The almost pop-like (for them) track Morning XTC gives My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend vibes while somehow channelling Gary Numan and I am here for it. Lost At Sea is quite the unique track, with a slower tempo and a lot of instrumentation going on, it is a welcome addition to the goth night party, with maybe a Marilyn Manson thing happening too. 

Methmouth is probably my favourite track on Hungry For Life. One of the more straight-ahead rockers and where I can finally hear some of those grunge influences they call out in their bio, specifically Alice In Chains. I can’t go a “goth” review without mentioning The Sisters Of Mercy, which is what Liquid Courage reminds me of, while Get Down sounds like something from The Tea Party’s Transmission. Sexy goth vibes aplenty with Centerpiece Concubine, while the closer, Back To You could be a Nick Cave song in all the best ways.

Yeah, it feels a bit long, and yeah, there is a lot of borrowing from a lot of great bands, but Hungry For Life is as fun as a goth metal record could possibly be. A very worthy addition to any heavy goth collection is what After Taste offers with their second record. 7/10

Reviews: Pythia, Insult, Toranaga UK, Witchrot (Matt Bladen, Simon Black, Mark Young & Joe Guatieri)

Pythia – V PT: Hallowed (Golden Axe) [Matt Bladen]

British symphonic metal band Pythia have long languished in the past, invoking the glorious beginnings of the symphonic metal scene where Within Temptation, Epica and of course Nightwish ruled over it with soprano vocals, swathes of synths and Euro metal riffs. In the six years since their last album, Pythia haven’t deserted their key influences for this new EP. The title gives away that this is the first part of what will be their fifth album overall and its 24 minutes of what you would come to expect from the band. 

Unlike a lot of symphonic bands Pythia have much more in the way of guitars, they aren’t just there to ‘metalize’ the bits that aren’t done by keyboards, both Jamie Hunt and Ross White have experience in death/thrash/groove bands, where things are fast, loud and technical and this technicality makes its way into Pythia as numerous lead guitar duels and exhilarating solos alongside rapid power metal flurries, check out Path Of Decay for all of the above. 

In the engine room drummer Marc Dyos and bassist Ash Porter, set a measured pace on the gothic A Curse In The Blood as they bring Celtic flourishes on Bright Flame. Sophie Dorman's classical vocals are broad with a wide range delivered throughout the EP as all those symphonic moments are created by keyboardist Marcus Matusiak. Faster and thrashier than your average symphonic metal band, Pythia stage a strong return after six years. 8/10

Insult - Reside Infernus (Self Released) [Simon Black]

I’ve been hearing good things about Bristol-based Insult for a while now, based on the overlap between them and the legendary Thrashers Onslaught. With three out of the five members being related to that prodigious band (two ex-members and a roadie!), it’s inevitable that I would find myself looking for similarities between the two, but despite sharing former members, genre in places and hometown they are very different beasts indeed. It’s definitely old school Thrash Metal in part, evokes the rough and raw production values of the past but feels equally at home in the Hard Rock and more traditional Metal sound of days gone by, which is no bad thing, because it stops the record from getting repetitive.

What it does well throughout, regardless of stylistic direction, is deliver energy by the bucket load wrapped around eight well-crafted tracks that illustrate what happens when five lads who know what they like and know what they are doing get into a room together. Despite the Thrash label and wraparound tracks, it’s the pure Motörhead feel of tracks like 0-60 Death Or Glory that you know is going to please the local biker chapter (The Sons Of Arthritis) where that rough and ready sound that works just as well with old-school Thrash as it does with more pure play Rock ‘n’ Roll.

What I think lets it down are the production values. I don’t get on with the attitude bands made up of younger folk not around in the 80’s of trying to emulate old recording sounds, and these boys are clearly of my generation, so I wonder whether it was a deliberate decision to adopt an old school sound to the recording. I’m hoping it’s about budget and lack of experience rather than choice, so will give it the benefit of the doubt on the grounds that the press release doesn’t credit a producer and mess with my sacred equaliser settings to fatten the sound, because the songs themselves indicate a hugely promising act who meld the old and the new in a thoroughly enjoyable way. A bit more polish next time maybe, but a damned fine start. 7/10

Toranaga UK - A New Order (Self Release) [Mark Young]

So, this is a release that has been a long time coming. Bradford’s Toranaga UK return with a new EP that follows on from their last full-length release of Righteous Retribution back in 2013 (and yes, I’m leaning heavily with online resources here). Since forming in 1982 it has been a case of both activity and inactivity, with 3 albums released in that period up until now. A New Order represents an attempt at breathing life into proceedings and going with an EP is a positive step, providing a sharp introduction to what they are all about. 

Thrash, that is what they are all about.

We know that British thrash has not always been favourably compared to our American counterparts, but the recent resurgence in it has shown that the UK does have the bands to take what is effectively a tired genre and give it the necessary kick in order to get it up and about once more. With this in mind, what about the songs here? Well, to be honest they are perfectly fine. I appreciate that it could sound like it’s a bit of flat review but bear me. Each of them provides a particular facet of the band, from Desecration kicking things off at high speed, this is authentic, old school thrash complete with what I describe as classic time and position changes this has to be their opener of choice live, it has that feel to, one where is it almost impossible not to nod your head. 

Throw in a lead break replete with ‘those’ moments in it and its an incredibly strong start and for me I wanted that vibe to continue so obviously they go the opposite way with A New Order, slowing down whilst still bringing the riffs. Now this is one of the reasons why I could never get on with British Thrash back in the day, we seem to struggle with mid-paced songs and I think its to do with how our vocals sound. When its fast, the singing style doesn’t really register (at least with me) so when it does slow down, they are more exposed and then takes me out of it. 

That is not to say that guitars on this are poor. They are not, it’s a well-built song but I can’t get over the singing style. Its not quite heavy enough for me. The same can be said for The Shrine, except that it has that thrash bop to it, just listen from 1 minute 10 onwards as its changes gear then by 1 minute 33 it is in that classic thrash stomp and I don’t think I’ve smiled at a song in ages. It pulls in a touch of NWOBHM just for fun and you get a cracker of a song. What should be recognised is how good it sounds; everything is clear so when they do change through the gears you can hear it.

Sword Of Damocles is their closing comment and looks to act as their ‘jumping on’ song such is its arrangement in that it has a little bit taken from the preceding three tracks in its core. Whilst I would have preferred to have had something akin to Desecration, something that would come in and crush it is still a good song to close out with.

As a collection of songs, I think you can say that the EP has done its job in getting

them going again and I standby my initial comment that these songs are perfectly fine in how they portray the band as to what they are. Each is well built, with riffs in the right place and solo’s that are just on the right side of mental. Your enjoyment will depend largely on how you like your metal, if it’s that downturned, shouty/singer/shouty stuff then I would look elsewhere. For everyone else, especially those who dig NWOBH/ UK thrash then this is right up your street. 7/10

Witchrot - Soul Cellar (Fuzzed And Buzzed Records/Majestic Mountain Records) [Joe Guatieri]

Witchrot are a genre-hopping Doom Metal band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that have been consistently putting out releases since 2018. 2025 sees the band coming back again with their second full-length album Soul Cellar alongside a new bass player in Jon Ferraria.

The record opens with Possession Deepens which caught my ear with a smooth pondering bass line, as keyboards dance in the background making for a very lounge-esque feel. As we continue to slowly drift our way through, the bass that gives you a wink and a nudge that bigger things may come makes good on its promise as all hell breaks loose by 2:12. Peter Turik’s guitars storm in with power and and swagger in it’s curvature, backed by an unrelenting low end as Lea Reto’s vocals croon over the top of everything. This is a great way to start the album, making for my favourite song on Soul Cellar already but is it all too little too late?

Onto track two, Tombstone we are presented with a galloping guitar riff which repeats throughout the song, this is then immediately followed by these striking chords which make for arrows to the heart. As Tombstone plays out, I really enjoy what Witchrot does with the verses here as the cinematic keyboards, which are played by Patrick Sherrard, really add to the build up. They envelope each note in a blanket of chorus effects and add so much more oomph. Towards the back end of this piece, the pace quickens and unfortunately, here lies the first forms of shakiness as the fuzz dampens the guitar solo, really kicking it out of the room. However the vocal performance really saves this song as they are belted out with such an intensity, the singer's lungs might as well fly out if her throat.

We go into track three with Throat Cutter, the bass again makes its presence known with the intentions of a spider as it crawls throughout but it is washed away by guitars that sound far too spikey for their own good, it’s lack and body and grit make it sound lopsided, it just doesn’t sound right. We hear dying breaths of interest by 3:30 as the guitar finds a way to settle in with the bass, sounding very bluesy but it’s not enough as annoyance rings again by 4:57 as these misdirected flourishes make an ugly return.

We drunkenly stumble into Die Alone and we go from wallowing around in a graveyard to a fucking Ford advert as for some ungodly reason we go into Hard Rock and everyone puts their headbands on! It’s such an abrupt change from the last track and departure from what we've previously heard, it prioritises flashiness over scene setting and it makes me want to not only take a bath but also peek my skin off.

Going back to the beginning with Possession Deepens, the lyrics state “Into the depths of hell” which is what I hinted at early on in this review, ironically going forward it summed up the album for me. At its best, there are great inventive bass lines and consistent on-point vocals and at its worst the drums are lacklustre, alongside head-scratching guitar phrases and a strange shift in mood. 

Overall, unfortunately Soul Cellar suffers as it progresses through its track listing, feeling underwhelming and doing too much too quickly. It chucks too many ideas at the board leading to seeing some fail to stick. After four years since their last studio album came out, Witchrot had time but lacked patience. 4/10

Reviews: Cardinal Black, Häxan, Antropomorphia, Handgemeng (Matt Bladen, Simon Black, Mark Young & Pete J)

Cardinal Black - Midnight At The Valencia (Thirty Tigers)

Any magician will tell you that perfecting the art takes time and of course a little luck. Music is the same, back in 2010 the world wasn't really ready from Tom Hollister Trio, they gigged and released an EP or two but nothing really sank in resulting in a split. Guitarist Chris Buck and frontman Tom Hollister went on to do a few different things sometimes apart, sometimes together but in 2022 they released their debut single, immediately making a splash by knocking off Noel Gallagher from the top of the charts, then it was an EP and their debut full length, all to critical acclaim.

In the decade before acts such as Hozier, Rag N Bone Man and others brought back that soulful R'N'B sound; blues, soul, Americana and gospel music forged from adversity and through struggle, the world was ready now and Cardinal Black's own struggles to get there were captured on that debut record. Cue a whirlwind of touring, playing packed out houses from every local dive bar to the lofty boards of The Royal Albert Hall, this Welsh trio of Hollister, Buck and drummer Adam Roberts have forged their own independent path to success and with Midnight At The Valencia they celebrate, commiserate and reflect on what has come before through the hopeful gaze of what's to come.

Personal lyrics come again here with the poignant Push/Pull, which deals with the passing of Buck's father while Your Spark is Hollister paying tribute to his wife with his gorgeous baritone doing similar on the soulful Adeline. Produced deftly by Cyrill Camenzind, who has captured this album on analogue equipment to bring it warmth and a quiet reverence to the bands that inspire the trio, this sophomore release deals with heavy topics through delicate reflection and euphoric celebration.

"Bend your knees, take a deep breath and jump" the words from Peter Pan lead into a persistent drum beat from Roberts as Ride Home begins with some open chords from Buck, the simplicity of this opener hides complexity, piano, acoustic guitars, wind instruments, organs and bagpipes, that drum beat feeling like it should be on hip hop record as they segue into the moody Falling, Hollister's honeyed vocals telling these stories with grit and soul.

Cardinal Black utilize space, like the best composers it's the moments of quiet that hit as hard as the ones filled with music, the slow burn of Racing Cars and Breathe, for instance both are deep and slow, the first building on a one two drumbeat and some Fender Rhodes as Buck flits in and out with some beautiful guitars as the latter has a modern edge with the backing vocals and the use of piano.

Midnight At The Valencia is Cardinal Black proving to any doubters (not that there are many) that they deserve to be where they are. A fantastic album from a truly special band. 10/10

Häxan – Death Of Me (Self Released) [Simon Black]

It seems like an eternity since Häxan’s first full-length album landed on my platter just whilst we were all sitting around in 2020 wondering what the hell was happening to the world. Well, the world may not have become a better place since then, but the same definitely cannot be said for this Hard Rock trio from South Wales. They’ve garnered some strong exposure supporting well-established acts, received hugely positive reviews for the White Noise album, played at Bloodstock, but I have felt for a while that they deserve a little more success than they have so far achieved outside of their home turf. I suspect that I will be eating those words soon.

That album blew me away, cut as it was by themselves at a time when lockdown was stifling the careers of every band around the world, but this time they’ve brought in the meteoric Romesh Dodangoda and the results are an EP that takes the considerable talents the band already had and blows the back of your skull off. The sound is so rich, with all elements in the mix sounding a rich fat and cohesive whole without losing any individuality of the contributions in the mix. That’s a producer who knows what they are doing…

And with a band that know what they are doing too. The five songs on here don’t just pick up where White Noise left off, but are noticeably darker than the up-to-date, yet firmly traditional Hard Rock sound of what went before. I had already been warmed up by single Thirteenth Hour that things were taking a slightly different direction, but the whole EP takes their sound and song-writing to a much moodier, and meaty direction. It’s a powerful and moody track, which sees the considerable talents of vocalist Sam Bolderson in much more emotive directions than before, but the whole disk evolves their core root sound into much richer directions in terms of performance, musicianship and sheer song-writing skill.

Less traditional Rock’ N’ Roll yet without losing that core, but with way more richness, depth and a stronger, tighter delivery, were such a thing possible from a band who deserve a thesaurus entry for the word ‘tight’ just for them. Mind blown; pieces on floor behind chair. Mop and bucket needed… 10/10

Antropomorphia - Devoid Of Light (Testimony Records) [Mark Young]

And coming at you hot from the Netherlands, we have Antropomorphia who return after six years with Devoid Of Light, and to be honest you cannot fault any death metal album that kicks off the way that Devoid Of Light does, with the full-throated roar that announces The Withering Stench Of Hope. Its full on with the song coming in with all guns blasting. They nail their (blackened) colours to the mast almost straight away and at first you could be forgiven for thinking that its going to be this constant speed or approach, you would be wrong. There is a constant melodic feel that runs through this as well as conscious decision to switch speeds to suit so it never settles in one place. 

Once they get into the final minute or so, they break out a tasteful and blistering lead break, setting it in two parts so that faster part segues into the main rhythm parts. Its handled superbly. Now, I’ve been a bit hit and miss with death metal recently and I’ve said that its likely that I’ve heard so much of it that it doesn’t really register anymore, other than superficially. With the title track, Devoid Of Light it follows much the same path in terms of build and once you recognise that it takes a little of the shine from it. In their defence, what they have committed to tape is very good and they keep those melodic touches coming , even down to the leads that come in and do a masterful job without being overwrought. With two songs having that same similarity in how they unfold, despite having some great touches to them it means that already I’m thinking about how the rest will come in. 

Funeral Throne goes some way to picking up my interest, having a more propulsive feel to it that starts off with an urgent attack and maintains it right through. I think you could describe this as being shorn of all unnecessary fat whilst In Writhing Rapture goes the opposite way and works well because of that. The trem picking is still there, but with a restrained feel to it. When it does go down the blast route, its not totally unexpected but it does allow it to loop back into the slower measure and the lead that follows is spot on. How that lead comes in and deploys sums the album up. It does the expected things but doesn’t do them in the way you expect them to do it, and this applies to how each song is arranged and then deployed. 

Cancerous Bane sees them going in the opposite direction, bringing the speed and crushing intensity back. Again, rather than just being one-note all the way through they up the melodic aspect which delivers an element of discord. Its just enough to mix things up without causing the wheels to fall off. What is apparent is that they can do the shorter, nastier songs equally as well as the longer ones. Unending Hunt follows and represents what I feel is the most cohesive example of their sound in one place. It combines mood, exemplary riff work, sublime drumming and lead work that could cause fires. Amongst this is that top class ability to wring the right level of emotion from what is a simple melody and you have a song of undoubted quality. 

Ash Drapes The Earth continues that strong theme of combining atmosphere and storming guitars but is forgotten in the dust that is kicked up by In The Shade Of The Devil’s Horns. That is not meant to be disrespectful, its just that the latter is a monster. I said that Unending Hunt probably represents the jumping on song for this album, but In The Shades...is my favourite. I can’t properly explain why this is the case, apart that it sounds different again and the solo is mint. I think that sometimes less words are better, and you should just trust me on this. 

The closing piece is Triumphant Death, and for the final time they bring those unsettling melodies together just before they drop the big riffs. This is slower, more focused and as a result Is oppressive to the ear. Of course, they don’t stay slow, gradually ramping up the speed to a logical position where there is a feeling of movement without it being ridiculous. And then its done. Finished. It is an album that follows its own way, and nobody else. The opening two tracks are good tracks but because of that similarity of build, I wasn’t expecting Devoid Of Light to go the way it did. It is worth your time because of this and has certainly been one of the most engaging listens this year. 8/10

Handgemeng - Satanic Panic Attack (Ripple Music) [Pete J]

Norwegian-based stoner metal (not rock, metal) 4-piece return with only their second album in 7 years. Which either means the quality control is working or they were toos toned to do anything! I know how that feels!!

Well it starts off in a curious way, The Cauldron Born opens the album up in a fashion that brings to mind fellow Norwegian crazies Kvelertak. So much so I thought I had been sent the wrong album! Not a good start if you want the truth, opening your new album in such a way is very curious indeed. Next up Medieval Knieval carry's on in the same catchy stoned fashion, sounding more like themselves with their hard-edged stoner metal coming to the fore, establishing a sound so catchy you forget about the opening faux par.

The combination of hard rock, stoner groove and even a hint a death metal makes Satanic Panic Attack a tour-de-force of simply wondrous proportions. Charlie Ytterli and Cro-Magnus unleash sumptuous riffs upon sumptuous riffs, enveloping you with a glorious sound while the flowing solos fit perfectly, taking you away to magical lands of wonder and enlightenment. Martin Wennberg's crooning vocals do have a little of Erlend Hjelvik ex-member of the aforementioned Kvelertak about them, especially when he screams expelling his demons over the thunderous stoner grooves. The title track is a stand-out, its monstrous riffs suffocating you as the rhythm section of bassist Kim Grannes and Ola Holseth (drums) lay down the grooving heaviness that pummels you into submission with ease.

This album is so infectious, sucking you into its sublime grooves and not letting go until the last echoes of Supermoon drft away, leaving you wanting so much more. After the disappointing opening track Satanic Panic Attack forges its own glorious path taking you on a journey to psychedelic realms of pure heaviness, passing through stoner central and heavy metal land until you are completely hooked on Handgemeng's groove. This is well worth your attention and money. Now, can we get them over here? This will be killer live! 8/10

Reviews: Giant, Art Nation, Brother Firetribe, Holler (Matt Bladen)

Giant - Stand And Deliver (Frontiers Music Srl)

Giant return with new record, their second on Frontiers, again without founding vocalist Dann Huff, an while many long-time fans will still think this is sacrilege, I don’t really know why so I’m judging it on what I hear. 

Founding members David Huff and Mike Brignardello (drums/bass) continue the legacy of alongside vocalist Kent Hilli and guitarist Jimmy Westerlund. With Hilli behind the mic, you can make comparisons to Perfect Plan, the other Frontiers signed band he fronts, while on Beggars Can’t Be Choosers, they have the thrust of Van Hagar or Mr Big. Westerlund showing off his shredding prowess against the organs of Alessandro Del Vecchio, both men responsible for the modern sheen of the record, Stand And Deliver having plenty of 80’s sheen in the synths and funky rhythm. 

Hilli for my money does a stand up job, his Coverdale-like delivery full of attitude on the rockers but shines too on ballads such as It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over and Time To Call It Love which was written by original vocalist Dann Huff alongside the country rocking of Holdin' On For Dear Life and emotive Paradise Found. So Giant are still in touch with their beginnings even all these years later but they continue to produce quality melodic rock in 2025 with Stand And Deliver being a great example. 7/10

Art Nation - Re-Revolution Reissue (Frontiers Music Srl)

Art Nation just released an album!? I hear you cry. Yep that’s true but this is a reissue of their debut record Revolution, 10 years after its original release on Metal Heaven. With Alexander Strandell and Christoffer Borg now back together creating the music for Frontiers Music, the Art Nation founders see their debut reissued by their current label. Now I won’t go into why bands do this but basically it means that they now can use these songs elsewhere and I would assume that if they can, Frontiers will reissue Art Nations other two non-Frontiers releases. 

Anyway Re-Revolution is still a good AOR record, there’s tonnes of potential on it, though perhaps not as polished as they are now, the songs have the big choruses, driving guitars, melodic keys and even got Jacob Hansen to produce it. There’s a bit of the European melodic metal sound in here too which has now gotten more pronounced with recent records, here though they stay in the AOR sound and I actually prefer them doing this than their ‘harder edged’ stuff. You get the whole album alongside five bonus tracks, including two demos and version of Moving On from Swedish Idol . 

It’s a good package especially as the original release of this record is pretty hard to find. If you’re a recent Art Nation fan then you’ll want to pick up this album to hear where the band came from, as I’m sure they’ll play one or two tracks on any upcoming tour. 7/10

Brother Firetribe – Number One (Gramophone Records)

It’s been five years since melodic rockers Brother Firetribe released their previous album Feel The Burn, their fifth record over all. Number One is their second releases without co-founding member Emppu Vuorinen, who is also a co-founding member of Nightwish so has his hands full. In their current guise they have been releasing a few standalone singles since their last record, so these have been collected here alongside two new songs and an acoustic version. A proper between album Ep then, value for money stuff too as it’s around 30 minutes of music. Let’s start with the singles and they’re all what you’d want from Brother Firetribe, Just Another Night has a huge hook, Pekka Heino’s powerful vocals singing loud and proud.

Are You Ready takes a more anthemic turn, as Roope Riihijärvi’s guitars are meatier. Man On A Mission meanwhile is shunted ever forwards by Tomppa Nikulainen and has a great solo and Thunder Rising is more standard Firetribe. Throwbacks but with modern production is the name of the game then and so it’s on to the new tracks. Number One gets some electronic thumps to join Jason Flinck’s fist pumping bass and Hannes Pirilä consistently big drumbeats, while How Long Until Tomorrow is the ballad of the record, alongside the acoustic rendition of Bring On The Rain from the last album. This is the kind of EP I'd have expected from Candlemass' new one, great value for the listener as it's packed with some must have material. 7/10

Holler - Next In Line (Scarlet Records)

Debuting in 2024, Holler is the AOR solo/side project from Eldritch frontman Terence Holler. Eldritch are a bit of a legendary band on the Italian power prog metal scene, having realised 13 albums since Holler founded the band in 1991, he is no longer a member of Eldritch though, leaving before his first solos album Reborn was released in 2024. 

It’s clear from that record, and this one too that he has deep love for AOR and melodic rock, inspired by Journey and Boston there’s also some twists of Toto on 24Seven, the whole album very much inspired by the American AOR sound of the late-70’s early 80’s, Holler reaching into his American upbringing, when these songs were a permeant fixture on the radio. 

He’s backed by a hotshot Italian band however in places his power/prog metal vocals do seem to grate against the melodic rock backing tracks a little, maybe it’s my ears but there’s times it seems Holler is struggling a little. There’s a lot to like though, even the cover of Sia’s Chandelier is ok, just ok. This is the music Terrence Holler makes now and while it’s not Eldritch it’s decent enough. 6/10