If you call an album The Arsonist you can expect to be a lot about it that is incendiary. Of course this is Sodom and Tom Angelripper has been stoking the fires of thrash for many years now as part of the “Big Four” of German Thrash and with this new album it sees the band attempting to keep it as real as possible recording everything analogue with no overdubs of studio tricks.
So then The Arsonist is the authentic Sodom experience, raw thrash savagery with Frank Blackfire and York Segatz’s buzzsaw riffs ripping up everything in their path as Tom’s vocals croak and his bass thunders like Cronos of Venom but with his own style locked down after many years, drummer Toni Merkel bashing away with aggression on A.W.T.F (a tribute to Algy Ward of Tank) All the band members have contributed to this record making it sound cohesive and not just one person’s vision as one moment you’ll get thrasher such as Sane Insanity there’s also some more epic numbers like Scavenger, it adds depth to the style of Sodom, something many thrash bands struggle with.
The style of recording is traditional, much like how they would have done it on Persecution Mania or Agent Orange, but the lyrical content doesn’t change, Sodom are a band obsessed by warfare and a huge chunk of this record is dedicated to bloodshed and the sheer hopelessness and human cost of war along with some raging against technology and two homages in the shape of A.W.T.F and Witchunter a track dedicated to their former drummer Chris Witchunter. The Arsonist is Sodom at their fire breathing best, vicious and raw thrash metal with melodic moments to give some dynamism. 7/10
Day Of The Jackal – One More Shot (Self Released)
When Day Of The Jackal released Day Zero they made splash in various publications including this one but due to the pandemic never really got to tour that record properly so they focussed on recording this follow up to further put their stamp on the British rock scene and yet again One More Shot is a full of leather bound biker rocking, recorded as analogue as they could, this Yorkshire band have handpicked their best material to feature on this album, the ‘live-in-the-studio” feeling of the record gives it a bit more muscle showcasing the high level of hard rock chops Day Of The Jackal have.
Day Of The Jackal – One More Shot (Self Released)
When Day Of The Jackal released Day Zero they made splash in various publications including this one but due to the pandemic never really got to tour that record properly so they focussed on recording this follow up to further put their stamp on the British rock scene and yet again One More Shot is a full of leather bound biker rocking, recorded as analogue as they could, this Yorkshire band have handpicked their best material to feature on this album, the ‘live-in-the-studio” feeling of the record gives it a bit more muscle showcasing the high level of hard rock chops Day Of The Jackal have.
What’s obvious about the band is that they aren’t scared to play with their sound, as while A Little Time has some Foo Fighters alt rock propulsion to it, Getting Better having the punk of The Hellacopters, Inside is a much heavier prospect from the realms of heavy metal as Take Your Life is an out an out countrified rocker. The breadth of styles on this record never moves too far away from a core rock n roll style of heavy boogie that has seen them be one of the go-to supports in the Yorkshire area, with tracks such as Maria really nailing what they’re all about.
I suppose you could call it diversification, writing songs that can fit any sort of show or support so you can slot in everywhere. One More Shot sees Andy Overfield (vocals/guitar), Steve Murray (guitar), Rich McLachlan (bass) and Rich Maw (drums) attempting to break free from their local scene and spread their riffs across the UK. I wouldn’t bet against them doing so very soon. 8/10
Ophelion - The Jaunt (Self Released)
Ophelion are a progressive metal band from Newcastle Upon Tyne comprised of brothers Shaun and Steven Eggleston who wrote all the music and lyrics to this 48 minute concept record. Shaun plays all the guitars/bass and Steven handles synths with Jamie Southern mixing and mastering the record. Titled The Jaunt the album is based around a Steven King short-form horror novel about teleportation which can only take place under sedation, however a traveller defies the rules and remains conscious finding themselves cast into a formless void beyond time, space, and sensation, going insane as their consciousness fractures through expanding universes, with time repeating itself, glimpses of their own past, completing the The Jaunt but leaving the traveller insane with the wisdom and knowledge of being a passive God in the multiverse.
Ophelion - The Jaunt (Self Released)
Ophelion are a progressive metal band from Newcastle Upon Tyne comprised of brothers Shaun and Steven Eggleston who wrote all the music and lyrics to this 48 minute concept record. Shaun plays all the guitars/bass and Steven handles synths with Jamie Southern mixing and mastering the record. Titled The Jaunt the album is based around a Steven King short-form horror novel about teleportation which can only take place under sedation, however a traveller defies the rules and remains conscious finding themselves cast into a formless void beyond time, space, and sensation, going insane as their consciousness fractures through expanding universes, with time repeating itself, glimpses of their own past, completing the The Jaunt but leaving the traveller insane with the wisdom and knowledge of being a passive God in the multiverse.
Big concepts need longer form song writing and Ophelion don’t really do short, The Jaunt is just 5 tracks long but all but one (essentially an interlude) clock in at over 10 minutes in length. The virtuosity of Shaun and Steve is very much the prominent factor of these songs, their expansive storytelling, inspired by the likes of Opeth, Cynic or newer acts such as Haken and Headspace, The Jaunt is hooked on the crunchy guitar riffs, and fluid leads countered and augmented by the banks of synths and electronics.
Though without drummer Travis Orbin there wouldn’t be the shifts between full on death metal riffs, jazz rhythms and the progressive melodies, with Voice Of Thought being the first track that shifts rhythmic patterns a few times. Top make sure that the duality of these stories are told properly Ophelion have two singers, the clean side handled by Marcello Viera and the death growls from Gabriel Ricco, the benefit of the dual vocals meaning that the dark nature of the source material can be fully realised.
Even if you aren’t familiar with the book this is based on, what you have here is a deeply detailed, progressive metal, concept record that has a skill level above many bands debuts. 8/10
Mordbear – Mordbear EP (Dipterid Records)
The one thing I will say about this EP is that there’s a huge amount a PR around it, even if it is only 3 tracks, they seem to want to broadcast every single facet of who they are as band. Still down to the music and this debut EP from the Pacific Northwest based band has grooves for days. Mordbear play fuzzing stoner rock with heavy psych leanings, on Like The Dead, reverbed acid rock vocals sit on top of woozy riffs, throbbing basslines and drums that have that analogue hiss.
Mordbear – Mordbear EP (Dipterid Records)
The one thing I will say about this EP is that there’s a huge amount a PR around it, even if it is only 3 tracks, they seem to want to broadcast every single facet of who they are as band. Still down to the music and this debut EP from the Pacific Northwest based band has grooves for days. Mordbear play fuzzing stoner rock with heavy psych leanings, on Like The Dead, reverbed acid rock vocals sit on top of woozy riffs, throbbing basslines and drums that have that analogue hiss.
Like most great psych rock/proto-metal bands Mordbear are a trio, Tyler Balthaser (guitars, vocals), Nico Martinez (bass), and Erik Larson (drums), and their cohesion makes for a record that flows like its own storyline, the out-there lyrical concepts and love of all things mind melting takes inspiration from the 60’s garage scene through some doom leanings on A Mirror With A Sea Of Flames, Mordbear opening the door to the heavy instrumental passages of Sleep on closer The Alchemist.
Mordbear play music for anyone that’s dabbled in the devil’s lettuce, heavy psych rock with a connective link between the songs, that builds a world for them to explore on future releases. 7/10
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