Almost a year after it was first released, Final Coil's most recent album The World We Inherited returns with some added extras to make it a true celebration of this Leicester based progressive metal band's crowning achievement. The third album in a trilogy of records, this one was focused on the future, how human being have been becoming more divided over recent years and how it's only getting worse.
The album is huge, a sprawling epic record which draws elements from prog rock, industrial, post metal and even grunge, there's colliding genres that all create a cinematic experience that's not equally rivalled. The album was inspired by a conversation with Killing Joke’s Jaz Coleman and the works of George Orwell, and from the opening duo there's a dark and disturbing quality to them which continues throughout the record.
The performances from the band across the record are brilliant. Phil Stiles vocals are a highlight for me, he carries both the crushing introspection and the brief flashes of hope that's cut through the record. Phil locks in on guitar with Richard Awdry, weaving between thunderous modern metal riffs, post-metal textures and soaring prog ambience, all drenched in a darkness that seeps out of the album. Behind this Jola Stiles lays down heavy but technical impressive basslines, joining Barry French drumming which acts as a rudder for these sonic explorations.
The album is huge, a sprawling epic record which draws elements from prog rock, industrial, post metal and even grunge, there's colliding genres that all create a cinematic experience that's not equally rivalled. The album was inspired by a conversation with Killing Joke’s Jaz Coleman and the works of George Orwell, and from the opening duo there's a dark and disturbing quality to them which continues throughout the record.
The performances from the band across the record are brilliant. Phil Stiles vocals are a highlight for me, he carries both the crushing introspection and the brief flashes of hope that's cut through the record. Phil locks in on guitar with Richard Awdry, weaving between thunderous modern metal riffs, post-metal textures and soaring prog ambience, all drenched in a darkness that seeps out of the album. Behind this Jola Stiles lays down heavy but technical impressive basslines, joining Barry French drumming which acts as a rudder for these sonic explorations.
With synths and keys informing the textures that sit in between everything else, this version has been remastered and expanded with original album producer Russ Russell remastering the record for it's vinyl release. The World We Inherited is still a fantastic album, an imperious entry into the United Kingdom prog scene and with the remaster you can rediscover it all over again. Additionally you also get a full live performance records at the Firebug in Leicester and a glut of demo/cut songs in the preproduction of the original album.
This remastered and expanded version The World We Inherited not only means you have the chance to enjoy this majestic album again but you also get some extras that shows how the band are still very much at their creative and performative peak. With a new album on the way take time to digest this one again as Final Coil are a special band and deserve to be heard. 9/10
Equilibrium - Equinox (Nuclear Blast Records)
German folk metal unit last released an album in 2019 and to say they've been on a journey since then is an understatement. They lost a vocalist, replaced by Fabian Getto, between then and now they have dropped a single only.
However in the last two years both their bassist and their guitarist have left, so with their seventh album Equinox, Equilibrium are now a trio of founding member René Berthiaume, who plays guitar, keys and now bass too, drummer Tuval "Hati" Refaeli and Fabian Getto who for the first time can handle both clean and harsh vocals.
So does this slimline version of the band mean making sacrifices, absolutely not, in fact they have ramped up everything tenfold, I guess with René and co-conspirator Jessica Rösch having so much involvement in the band, has led them to create and intense musical experience, that will be difficult to take out of the studio in my opinion.
Recorded/produced by the band, well the three of them, Equinox has a collaborative creative spirit to it with ex-Eluveitie violinist Shir-Ran Yinon and members of Dutch Viking metal band Heidevolk, all bringing their prowess to this album which moves through a multitude of genres keeping the upbeat approach of the band.
I'll Be Thunder brings strong folk/rave vibes while Anderswelt inspires more folk jigging of long forgotten times. There's Nu-Metal/metalcore styles that come on One Hundred Hands while Borrowed Waters takes on a dreamy route.
After a period of unease and uncertainty Equilibrium come back with 13 thumping tracks of modern electro-folk metal. 8/10
Profiler - Masquerading Self (Self-Release)
All of a sudden we've gone back to 1999 with the latest album from Profiler. Masquerading Self is an EP that compiles their recent singles along with a couple of new songs, all of which point to a new, (or should that be Nu?) direction for the band as Profiler have taken a heavier route with this release.
Throwing it right back to the beginnings of Nu-Metal as the influence of Deftones, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park are all obvious on tracks such as Upgrade, 888 and the opener Illusion which conjures images of a flaming Woodstock 99 through the dreamy lens of Chino and co.
This is Profiler working at their most collaborative, decisions made on the band they want to be going forward, indulging in their influences while bringing them into the contemporary realm, the record scratches used to underpin the Sam Rivers-esque (R.I.P) bassline on Luciferian are part of the old guard while the vocals shift from rapid fire rapping to screams and growls.
The expansive drum patterns on Dope come from modern prog metal as the riffs start and stop with a mix of grunge and nu-metal. Profiler embrace nu-metal fully and un-ironically with Masquerading Self, grab your JNCO jeans and let's get moshing. 8/10
The Pretty Wild - Zero.Point.Genesis (Sumerian Records)
"Baddie-core" duo The Pretty Wild are a band who play music that sprawls many musical genres. They have the tag of baddie-core but they come from the metalcore tradition, playing heartfelt, defiant modern metalcore, where the lyrics fight against the prejudice of the modern world through music where metal, breakbeat and industrial tones all collide.
The two-piece don't concern themselves with genres, much like Alt Blk Era or Delilah Bon, there's a real fusion of sounds across these eleven songs. The Trial for instance brings some radio baiting choruses while Half Alive adds more emotion, and some haunting vocals over abrasive alt metal.
It's this lack of genre constraints that have gained them a huge following already, as they've played festivals such as Welcome To Rockville and Inkcarceration 2025 while they've also supported In This Moment and Wargasm, gathering new fans with every show they play, be it with the balladry of Persephone, the thump of Living Ded or the heavy crush of Priestess.
This remastered and expanded version The World We Inherited not only means you have the chance to enjoy this majestic album again but you also get some extras that shows how the band are still very much at their creative and performative peak. With a new album on the way take time to digest this one again as Final Coil are a special band and deserve to be heard. 9/10
Equilibrium - Equinox (Nuclear Blast Records)
German folk metal unit last released an album in 2019 and to say they've been on a journey since then is an understatement. They lost a vocalist, replaced by Fabian Getto, between then and now they have dropped a single only.
However in the last two years both their bassist and their guitarist have left, so with their seventh album Equinox, Equilibrium are now a trio of founding member René Berthiaume, who plays guitar, keys and now bass too, drummer Tuval "Hati" Refaeli and Fabian Getto who for the first time can handle both clean and harsh vocals.
So does this slimline version of the band mean making sacrifices, absolutely not, in fact they have ramped up everything tenfold, I guess with René and co-conspirator Jessica Rösch having so much involvement in the band, has led them to create and intense musical experience, that will be difficult to take out of the studio in my opinion.
Recorded/produced by the band, well the three of them, Equinox has a collaborative creative spirit to it with ex-Eluveitie violinist Shir-Ran Yinon and members of Dutch Viking metal band Heidevolk, all bringing their prowess to this album which moves through a multitude of genres keeping the upbeat approach of the band.
I'll Be Thunder brings strong folk/rave vibes while Anderswelt inspires more folk jigging of long forgotten times. There's Nu-Metal/metalcore styles that come on One Hundred Hands while Borrowed Waters takes on a dreamy route.
After a period of unease and uncertainty Equilibrium come back with 13 thumping tracks of modern electro-folk metal. 8/10
Profiler - Masquerading Self (Self-Release)
All of a sudden we've gone back to 1999 with the latest album from Profiler. Masquerading Self is an EP that compiles their recent singles along with a couple of new songs, all of which point to a new, (or should that be Nu?) direction for the band as Profiler have taken a heavier route with this release.
Throwing it right back to the beginnings of Nu-Metal as the influence of Deftones, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park are all obvious on tracks such as Upgrade, 888 and the opener Illusion which conjures images of a flaming Woodstock 99 through the dreamy lens of Chino and co.
This is Profiler working at their most collaborative, decisions made on the band they want to be going forward, indulging in their influences while bringing them into the contemporary realm, the record scratches used to underpin the Sam Rivers-esque (R.I.P) bassline on Luciferian are part of the old guard while the vocals shift from rapid fire rapping to screams and growls.
The expansive drum patterns on Dope come from modern prog metal as the riffs start and stop with a mix of grunge and nu-metal. Profiler embrace nu-metal fully and un-ironically with Masquerading Self, grab your JNCO jeans and let's get moshing. 8/10
The Pretty Wild - Zero.Point.Genesis (Sumerian Records)
"Baddie-core" duo The Pretty Wild are a band who play music that sprawls many musical genres. They have the tag of baddie-core but they come from the metalcore tradition, playing heartfelt, defiant modern metalcore, where the lyrics fight against the prejudice of the modern world through music where metal, breakbeat and industrial tones all collide.
The two-piece don't concern themselves with genres, much like Alt Blk Era or Delilah Bon, there's a real fusion of sounds across these eleven songs. The Trial for instance brings some radio baiting choruses while Half Alive adds more emotion, and some haunting vocals over abrasive alt metal.
It's this lack of genre constraints that have gained them a huge following already, as they've played festivals such as Welcome To Rockville and Inkcarceration 2025 while they've also supported In This Moment and Wargasm, gathering new fans with every show they play, be it with the balladry of Persephone, the thump of Living Ded or the heavy crush of Priestess.
The Pretty Wild bring baddie-core to mass appeal with Zero.Point.Genesis. 8/10
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