A View From The Back Of The Room: IAN (Spike)

IAN, Rules For Radicals & Peat Boggs, The Holloway, Norwich, 25.01.26

Sunday nights in Norwich are usually reserved for nursing a lukewarm pint and quietly dreading Monday’s inevitable return, but The Holloway, bless its grimy, brilliant heart, had other plans last night. It’s a proper little bunker of a venue and I’m growing to bloody love this place. Huge thanks to the lads there for sorting me a ticket at the eleventh hour, because missing this would have been a proper tragedy. In a space where the line between the "stage" and the front row is basically non-existent, the energy doesn't just travel; it colonizes.

Peat Boggs (9) kicked things off, and honestly, it was the sonic equivalent of a bucket of ice water to the face. The Norwich locals delivered a set of tight, frantic hardcore that felt like a localized riot. There’s something genuinely unsettling about a singer in a disturbing mask, think nightmare fuel fashioned from basement scraps, getting right in the face of the audience. It was visceral. It was claustrophobic. It was, frankly, the perfect way to burn off the weekend’s cobwebs. I know precious little about their history, but I’ve spent the morning digging through their back catalogue; they’ve got that raw, "teeth-bared" urgency that you just can’t fake.

Then came Rules For Radicals (10) I’d had a quick natter with them before the show, lovely people, based out of Bury St Edmunds and Shannon on the drums had jokingly asked me to be nice in the review. Well, Shannon, that’s an easy ask when you’re that bloody good. They unleashed a vast, shimmering wall of desert-drone that seemed to expand to fill every cubic inch of the room. It was towering. Jay is a bit of a wizard with those strings, isn't he? Watching him wring and wrench these howling, beautiful textures out of his guitar was like watching a mechanic try to fix an engine while it was still on fire. It was a masterclass in atmospheric weight, anchored by Shannon’s relentless, focused pacing. I’ll be hunting them down again soon. No doubt about it.

But then, IAN (10)

I’d previously spent some time with their record Come On Everybody, Let's Do Nothing, and while the album is a belter, the live experience is a different beast entirely. It’s doomy, it's sludgy, and it’s properly angry, but there is a vein of absolute beauty running through it that catches you off guard.

The secret weapon? The cello.

Hannah’s playing is nothing short of stunning, it adds this mournful, wooden heart to the cacophony that elevates the whole set into something transcendent. I overheard a bloke afterwards saying it actually brought him to tears, and honestly, I believe him. It’s rare to find music that is simultaneously this visceral and this fragile. It was a staggering display of emotional honesty wrapped in a shroud of distortion. Properly wonderful stuff.

It was the kind of night that reminds you why we still bother with the underground. No pretension, no distance, just a small room full of people feeling the full, physical force of the noise. A brilliant Sunday, all things considered.

Verdict: A masterclass in local noise and emotional weight. My ears are still ringing, and my soul is all the better for it.

Reviews: Summer Of Hate, Lord Elephant, Sweatmaster, Shields (Spike)

Summer Of Hate – Blood & Honey (Tee Pee Records)

I’ve been sat here nursing a lukewarm brew and thinking about how rare it is to find a record that actually understands the "shimmer" as well as it understands the "shove." Summer Of Hate have emerged from Porto not with just another noisy shoegaze record, but with a masterclass of modern shoegaze. 

Now my colleague and co-writer at Musipedia of Metal, Rich Piva, will attest that my love of this genre is strong, The Jesus And Mary Chain remain my favourite band of all time and there are elements in this album that beautifully reflect that sound. It’s that specific, Technicolour pop sensibility, a sort of timbral revivalism that nerds out on C86 history, that makes Blood & Honey feel like a secret you’ve just been let in on.

Stunning. That’s the only word for Laura Calado’s performance here.

Her vocals provide this ethereal, crystalline anchor amidst the chaos, particularly on the title track Blood & Honey. There’s a certain "Voice of the Beehive" sweetness to her delivery that fits the "Honey" aspect of this record to a tee; it’s that late-80s indie-pop clarity that acts as a velvet glove for the sonic iron fist. It isn't just "ethereal drifting" for the sake of it, it’s a calculated, melodic counterpoint to the subterranean weight.

Seven tracks that don't just "fuzz out," but weave together a global musical lexicon most Western bands wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

The "Blood" side is where the technical complexity really shows its teeth. We aren't just talking about a couple of distorted guitars; this is a sophisticated collision of Sufi drones, dabke rhythms, and Phrygian scales. El Saif, featuring the brilliant Thomas Attar, is a fever dream of Middle Eastern friction that rubs up against a punk energy that feels dangerously close to a riot. It’s not "world music" in that polite, Sunday-supplement sense, it’s a chaotic, danceable friction that uses raga-inflected swells and Indian scales to expand the very language of psychedelia.

I’ve always reckoned that the best music should make you want to move and hide simultaneously.

Ashura and Mayura follow suit, but the production layers are the real star. It’s a dense, impressionistic wash of sound, drone, swells, and noisy textures that move with a tectonic weight while maintaining a curiously "epic" core. Then the weather shifts toward the "Honey" side. Joy and Alem bring in that Britpop jangle and slowcore atmosphere, mashing together twee and post-punk in a way that feels like a warm blanket on a cold Tuesday in Manchester.

Perhaps it’s a bit much to take in in one go? Maybe.

But by the time we reach the closer, The Gospel (According to Summer Of Hate), the lore is complete. It’s a beautiful, sprawling mess of 60s pastiche and slowcore atmosphere that somehow manages to look straight into the future while keeping one eye on the NME archives. It’s the sound of a collective, not just a "band" who have realized that you can plant something beautiful even in the most caustic, politically charged soil. It’s honest. It’s layered. And it’s beautiful. 9/10

Lord Elephant – UltraSoul (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Naming your band Lord Elephant is an act of total sonic transparency. It tells the listener exactly what to expect: something massive, tusked, and capable of flattening your living room without a second thought. This Florence-based trio has spent the last decade perfecting a brand of Tuscan sludge that feels less like a series of songs and more like a tectonic shift occurring in real-time. Their 2022 debut, Cosmic Awakening, was a decent enough bit of sedated, hazy wandering, but UltraSoul is where the ship finally hits the shore with a proper, bone-shaking impact.

It’s an instrumental experience that succeeds by being visceral rather than cerebral. There’s a "straight-faced" quality to the authorship here, a refusal to hide behind the usual "trippy" irony that plagues the stoner-doom scene. Instead, they’ve braced their sound with a heavy blues tangent and a level of pro-level focus that makes their previous work look like a warm-up.

The experience begins with the extended lead-in of Electric Dunes, a shimmering, atmospheric preamble that builds the tension before the hammer drops on Gigantia. This is the record’s heavy-set heart, a mid-paced monolith of 90s-style desert rock and prog-sludge that feels like Black Sabbath being reimagined by a crew who’ve been investigating cheap whisky in a basement. The riffs are girded by layers of filth, the pedalboard feels like it’s being pushed to the point of a mechanical breakdown, and the result is an opening movement that demands total submission.

I’ve always reckoned that for an instrumental band to hold your attention for forty minutes, they need to create a climate, not just a collection of riffs.

Smoke Tower serves as a perfect representative of how these pieces fit together, it flits between prog-rock snaking and a sludge-metal informed heft that keeps the listener from ever getting too comfortable. Then you hit Black River Blues, an admirable, fuzz-drenched ode to bottom-shelf bourbon. It’s got that "road-tested" swagger, a rhythmic strut that sounds like it was honed in the back of a damp van somewhere between Rome and Berlin.

Astral and MindNight are sprawling, eight-to-nine-minute monsters that climb and descend through mountains of spaced-out motion. MindNight, in particular, is the clear standout, a heavy, ominous piece of doomed motioning that eventually gives way to a prog-tinged jam in its middle third. It’s the kind of sound that fills the room with a sense of impending catastrophe, yet manages to stay melodic enough to keep you from reaching for the "off" switch.

The production is undeniably "pro", that clinical, high-fidelity sheen that allows the busy, multi-layered action to breathe and it highlights the sheer quality of the craft. By the time the final roar of the title track fades, you realize that Lord Elephant hasn't just made a "stoner" record. They’ve made a document of survival that prioritizes "vibe-oozing" momentum over empty technicality. It’s a mixture of sludge, psych, and 70s vintage rock that finally feels like the band has found their own unique, crushing voice. 8/10

Sweatmaster – More! (Svart Records)

It’s been sixteen years since Sweatmaster last bothered to dig up a knife, and frankly, most of us had assumed they’d settled into a quiet life of sauna-sitting and ignoring the rest of the world. But More!, their fifth outing and first since 2010 arrives with the kind of "wham bam" efficiency that makes you wonder why they ever stopped. 

Hailing from Turku, this trio has always understood that garage rock isn't about the vintage gear you own; it’s about the aggressive, raw-boned intent you bring to the rehearsal room. Signed to the ever-reliable Svart Records, they’ve emerged with a fourteen-track package that’s been stripped of any studio-mandated polish until it’s nothing but bone and wire.

The record hits the floor with Dirty Water, but it’s the lead single Destroyer that really defines the comeback. It’s a 2-minute, 37-second electric jolt that doesn't bother with a build-up because it’s already at the finish line. Sasu Mykkänen’s vocals have that passionate, unpolished edge that acts as the anchor for Mikko Luukko’s guitar—which taps at the rhythm with a frantic, motorik energy before Matti Kallio’s drum fills drag you under. It’s the "electric triangle" in its purest form.

Fourteen tracks. No fluff. No "spreading themselves too thin."

Scream Out Loud For Love and Police Bastard (a title that suggests they haven't lost their edge in middle age) are masterclasses in straightforward, vocal-driven rock and roll. The band’s strategy was to get to the "heart of the matter," and you can hear it in the way Hole In The Ground and We Take All refuse to offer a hook without also offering a bruise. It’s the kind of music that would work perfectly in a dive bar at 1 AM, where the amps are rattling and the sweat is hitting the cymbals.

I’ve always reckoned that the best rock records should feel like they’re being played live right in front of you, and More! manages that precarious trick.

The middle stretch, Eazy, the curiously titled Sping That Never Ends, and Sad Song Man shows that while they’ve stuck to their original energy, the intervening years have brought a few darker, "new tones" into the mix. It’s not a radical departure, but there’s a grit here that feels earned rather than just manufactured. Chevy Van, Tail Down, and Leather keep the momentum at a heart-attack pace, leading into the final, feedback-saturated strut of All Right, All Night.

This isn't an album that’s been "polished to death." It’s raw, it’s electric, and it’s a necessary reminder that Finnish efficiency is best applied to the concept of the Riff. Sweatmaster hasn't just returned; they’ve reminded us that they were the aristocrats of this sound for a reason. If you’ve still got a pulse, you’ll want more. 8/10

Shields – Death & Connection (Long Branch Records)

There’s a specific kind of silence that follows a disaster, the sort where you can practically hear the dust settling on the wreckage. For Shields, that silence has lasted since 2018, and it’s a heavy thing to carry. Death & Connection isn't a "comeback" designed to please a label or tick a genre box; it’s a visceral necessity. It’s the sound of a band realising that the only way to deal with a five-year absence is to scream into the void until the void screams back.

The record opens with This Is Not A Dream, and it’s a proper psychological jolt. It starts almost as a poem with crystal-clear vocals that feel almost fragile before the floor drops out and everything fades into a caustic distortion. It retains that raw, rhythmic urgency of The King Blues, but the rage has been dialled up to an uncomfortably high level, draped over a haunting piano and a wash of swirling, atmospheric guitars. It’s a cinematic, pained introduction that doesn't just invite you in; it drags you through the door and punches you in the face.

That poetic haze is immediately shattered by Abuser. This is where the metalcore engine really starts to smoke. It’s a jarring, physical transition that sets the album's core internal conflict: a white-hot rage that is constantly being dragged back down by the gravity of loss. It’s not just a collection of riffs; it’s a documented struggle to punch through a grief-induced fog. Tracks like Kill and Parasites hammer this home with a frantic, heart-attack pulse that reminds me of early Architects, that moment before they traded the raw, bruised-rib honesty for stadium-sized polish.

The record thrives on its collaborative friction. Lacerate, featuring Harvey Freeman from Graphic Nature, is a masterclass in noise-rock instability. It feels like a riot taking place in a very small cupboard. Then you get the mid-album emotional toll, Womb and Brother's Lament. It’s a rhythmic, stuttering ache. The kind of sound you make when the words have finally failed and all that's left is the physical weight of the silence. It doesn't just describe the hole in the room, it measures the depth of it.

These aren't "pretty" metalcore tracks with tidy resolutions. They’re snot-and-tears catharsis. Even when the subterranean weight of Wolfskin (bolstered by Taylor Barber’s US-style brutality) threatens to rattle your teeth out of your gums, it’s balanced by the self-flagellation of Loser and the atmospheric stretches of Red & Green.

The heart of the record is the title track, Death & Connection, featuring Jonathan Finney. It’s a slow-building monolith, a study in tension that eventually gives way to a feedback-saturated roar toward the sky. It’s the sound of survival. By the time the final melodic sigh of Miss Me arrives, you realize this isn't an album about "fixing" anything, music doesn't have that kind of magic. It’s just an honest, unmasked account of what it’s like to still be standing when everyone expected you to fall. 

It’s architectural, it’s pained, and it’s arguably the most honest bit of self-therapy I’ve heard. 9/10

Reviews: Hällas, Indica Blues, Pyrogaric, Gavran (Matt Bladen)

Hällas - Panorama (Äventyr Records)

Come weary traveller, warm your bones by the fire and rest. Enjoy a jug of mead and our favourite storytellers Hällas as they regale you with fantastical tales from eras long remembered and revisited.

Hällas are a band who don't know the meaning of the phrase modern, the Swedes play 'adventure rock' which puts them in with the likes of Rush, Genesis, Jethro Tull and Wishbone Ash, as well as squarely in the Swedish revival of these groovy, proggy 70's sounds.

With the three proceeding records Hällas weave musical tales for you to get lost in, this is escapism, from the humdrum and the dark of the real world, into conceptual records that play out like D&D campaigns. On Panorama, their fourth record, they step it up once more, opening the record with monolith of medieval mastery that clocks in at 21:30. Yep that's right the first song is over 20 minutes long but then that's just the sort band Hällas are.

Starting as they mean to go on with reams of vintage/analogue synths and dual guitar harmonies this is the sort of prog that punk bands were terrified by, conceptually driven and full of swords and sorcery. That being said with Panorama though, Hällas are at their most confident, striding prog rock, heavy metal and hazy psychedelia, easier than ever.

This fourth album just oozes bravado, I mean a 20+ minute opener such as Above The Continuum, will solidify that the band are here to take no prisoners, but one that opens with the sci-fi, disco of Meco (look up Meco) before it moves into more traditional prog rock riffs and organ stabs, then back to the flamenco rhythms and closes with orchestral manoeuvres is the creation of band who have no fear.

To go from this huge epic into the strutting glam rock of Face Of An Angel, also displays that Hällas can turn their hand to pretty much anything they want, so long as it's retro, they'll do it better. The Emissary is folky, built around duelling organ/guitar and some choral moments that lead into the piano driven Bestiaus which has all the drama of Magnum, the influence of that inspirational band continuing on At The Summit which is a end of this bold new chapter.

Hällas invite you to climb the mountain and experience the Panorama along with them on album four. 9/10

Indica Blues - Universal Heat Death (Majestic Mountain Records)

When posed with the phrase Universal Heat Death there is a part of me that says “When?” however away from my lust for the end of all life itself, Universal Heat Death is the new record from Oxford riff slingers Indica Blues.

Now if you’ve been paying attention Oxford has quite a speciality in stoner/doom/riffs, Desert Storm and Wall both hail from the city of spires, as do Radiohead so that explains the nihilism. While the band named after the Iraq War take a more pacey sound, Indica Blues keep it distorted and fuzzy, inspired by Sleep and Electric Wizard, their apocalyptic doom is gnarly but keeps a sense of melody too.

Universal Heat Death follows up the equally upbeat record We Are Doomed, an album that was eerily prophetic having been dropped just before the world closed up in the pandemic. This time around let’s hope they don’t do the double and things start getting infinitely warmer. If there is a sharp increase in the global temperature, then this four piece have given us all a soundtrack to the end times.

Pack your bong of choice and press play on Universal Heat Death and you get the first satisfying hit with title track a head nodding riffer where dirty blues riffs sprawl into louche leads from Lewis Batten and Tom Pilsworth. The waves of psychedelic grooves coming from the expressive drums of Rich Walker and the low end fuzz from bassist Andrew Haines-Villalta on Bloodsands PT 1/PT 2 while there’s some stoner chug on The Raven and The Slow Descent Into Hell.

Debt Ridden Blues gets woozy with crashes of heavy that’ll get your shoulders shifting while So Low is built around a desert rock, Indica Blues dragging you into the dying embers of our world as loudly as they can on Universal Heat Death. 8/10

Pyrogaric – Fracture (Self Released)

It’s amazing how something unexpected can inspire the creative mind. In 2024 Pyrograic guitarist Keelan Powell injured himself in a way that stopped him from being able to play guitar, this was not long after they had gained third member Jim MacDonald on bass and it stop their relentless touring schedule dead. In the convalesce the ideas for their third album started to take fruition and once Keelan had healed up they started to write compose and hit Red Rock Studios with Lyndon Price to record their third album entitled Fracture.

From when I was watching their first shows I knew that Pyrogaric would gain themselves a following on the local scene, the combination of Keelan’s fuzzy riffs and Jamey-Leigh Powell’s powerhouse drums and vocals made them an interesting and unique prospect. With two records behind them and countless high profile shows, Fracture is the record that define Pyrogaric of today, their first as trio, they’re louder and more layered in what they do as the bass adds more definition and gives the guitars room to move into the melodic, this record even featuring some harmonies as Lyn provides the additional six stings.

The album is built around its title track featured here twice; once as a chuggy rocker (which steals a bit of the riff from Heaven And Hell) which may surprise long-time fans of Pyrogaric’s slower paced gothic doom drive, and then again at the end of the album as a Reprise which is synth based stripped back version. These two versions of one song shows that Pyrogaric are open to experimentation, even though it’s their defined sound that has taken them to those stages such as Planet Rockstock. 

They have been adding more synths and gothic influences over the year, inspired by the post-punk sound of the 80’s, especially in Jamey-Leigh’s theatrical vocals, they’ve previously dabbled with synth only cuts on The Gilding Song and more so on previous release The Serpent, here it’s Remember Me, a very potent song about loss.

Pyrogaric the addition of another member has also brought some vocals harmonies in the background and means that tracks such as Doom and Magic are amongst the heaviest in their catalogue, taking the form of the serpentine, marching style Pyrogaric have become so known for. Heavy rockers rejoice as the psych/goth/doom/rock thing that is Pyrogaric returns with more ways to give you tinnitus. 8/10

Gavran - The One Who Propels (Dunk! Records)

To mis-quote Soundgarden, The One Who Propels 'fell on blackgaze', as Dutch band Gavran return after an illness related pause in their existence. Now at full strength again and with a third record of melancholic, introspective music they have again released this album through Dunk! Records with the team of Marius Prins (Throwing Bricks) and Tim de Gieter (Amenra, Doodseskader) producing, the band have emerged stronger and more expansive after the issues guitarist Freek Van Rooyen had to deal with a sonic overhaul that has been inspired by hard times and changing in the internal workings of the band. 

Drummer/vocalist Jamie Kobić, continues as the vocalist but moves to guitar in harmony with co-founder Van Rooyen, as they are joined by new drummer Roy Zwinkels and new bassist Tinus Kardolus who takes over from Ritsaart Vetter, this sonically boosted version of Gavran is a much bigger beast, the mixture of doom, sludge, shoegaze and post rock, giving them elongated repeating riffs reminiscent of bands like Pallbearer, hypnotic doom/sludge workouts that keep your neck in constant motion and your mind melting. The dual guitars used to create the ambient and atmospheric moments of solace and quiet as the themes of mortality are played out. 

It’s as gargantuan as it is intimate and the tweaked line up means that they can fully explore the band they want to be, a powerful fourpiece who have not only had their aims changed by circumstance but now also their ambition and hybrid style as a band. I will say that the one thing that may dissuade some listeners are the vocals. Though Kobić possesses a mighty range, the sharp changes from cleans and harsh roars into anguished, Ghost Bath-like shrieks could alienate some listeners who may expect this more from black metal. The One Who Propels is Gavran restructured and redefining who they are as a band. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Virtue In Vain (Cherie Curtis)

Virtue In Vain, Paradox To Stay, Struggler & Winter,  The Pit @ McCanns Rock Bar 24.01.26

Nothing Is All I Am EP Release Show

To kick off the night we had Winter, who gave us some great trad power metal that’s very 80s and early 90s in style with a darker twist. They gave us lots of reverb and sharp riffs which almost reminded me of the likes of Megadeth but with scorchingly fast metal vocals. Their track Malevolence is sharp, punchy, and incredibly engaging. Euphoria starts soft and sentimental before going heavy and fervent; this one is high contrast and creative going from aggressive too stunning.

Struggler to follow. They were blisteringly cinematic, lots of suspenseful builds with some beautiful vocals. They are modern sounding and very likeable with a great message advocating mental health and critiquing today's politics and the people in charge. Their song, What Do You Want From Me is personal and blazing, their blend between melodies and harsh metal vocals is satisfying and their themes of deep melancholy matched with earworm riffs and affecting lyrics lead us spiralling into headbanging breakdowns. 

Heretic is strong and repetitive, which makes you want to shout from the rooftops as it’s so catchy. Puppeteer has deafening cymbal use, and the mightiness caused the first mosh pit of the night to open where people almost knocked down a column of amps.

After a short break, Paradox To Stay opens with Glasgow Smile with an explosive amount of energy and a newer track Eviscerate which has piercing riffs and commanding vocals. Great range is shown here as well as being interesting in style, swinging from near sludgy to flashy and sharp. 

Heartless, with its memorable opening riffs was a crowd pleaser; it filled the floor and opened the mosh pit back up- drinks were knocked over. A combination of relentless drums and racing and articulate builds which erupted into a gritty breakdown which matched their energy which was infectious. Suicide is their latest track and from a technical standpoint, it’s their best as it has the most complicated and vicious riffs heard from them yet.

Virtue In Vain and the release of Nothing Is All I Am was the reason McCanns had a sold-out show. It was a show worthy of four bands and their supporters. They brought us a fiery dynamic paired with great lighting and set design. They were professional and stuck around for everyone's set and were very energetic for their own. There was no messing around just a nice ‘hello’ and dived straight into some eagerly awaited tracks, some old and new which made the ground beneath our feet shake.

Blood Eyes, which I was fortunate to see played live in the same venue around Halloween time, was as good as ever. It was a faultless start, their signature strong rumbling vocals which was just as good live as recorded. Split was blood thirsty and vicious and caused someone from the mosh pit to fall onto the stage. It's nice to see that pit etiquette is still alive as they were picked straight back up.

Between Reflections And Silence was the first of their new release to be played and arguably the most eagerly waited for. It was one of the more elaborate and emphatic tracks from the EP and it was great to hear live and I wasn’t the only one who thought so as a couple of hands went straight into the air. Preservation was speedy and technical with an exquisitely gut-wrenching metal scream before a kick ass breakdown, and I made an immediate grab for the ear plugs; this one was a catchy and dizzying savage.

The Wilt And I was my favourite and I'm so glad they played it. It’s affecting and turbulent with emotion and the vocals were mighty. The backing track was beautiful, which is a stark contrast to the previous with a nasty breakdown wedged in for good measure.

It goes without saying that the three of them (Thomas – Vocals – Williams – guitars and Bryant – Drums) are incredibly good at what they do. They have what it takes to parallel each other technically as well as flaunt individually. They put on a great show, and it marks the beginning of a what can easily be a successful year for them.

Overall, the night was fantastic. The atmosphere was buzzing throughout, and the bands had clearly worked hard and performed brilliantly for Virtue In Vain’s EP release show. Others and I left McCanns knowing we’d seen a solid show which easily felt more like a shared celebration than a regular gig. 10/10.

Reviews: Pelican, Ritual Arcana, Abissi, Course Of Fate (Spike, Rich Piva, Mark Young & Matt Bladen)

Pelican – Ascending (EP) (Run For Cover Records) [Spike]

I was just sat here thinking (probably with a bit too much nostalgia for my own good) about the first time I heard Australasia and realized that you didn't actually need a singer to make a record feel like it was weighing down the entire house. 

Pelican have been the architects of that specific, heavy-yet-hopeful instrumental sound for over two decades now, and their latest EP, Ascending, is a sharp reminder that while everyone else is busy trying to reinvent the wheel, these Chicago lads are still just perfecting the roll. It’s post-rock, sure. But it’s got that muscular, mid-western grit that most of the "crescendocore" brigade wouldn't know what to do with if it hit them in the face.

Which it often does.

The title track, Ascending, kicks off with that familiar, interlocking guitar work that Trevor de Brauw and Bryan Herweg have turned into a bit of a science. It doesn't rush. It just builds, this slow, shimmering ascent (clue is in the name, I suppose) that eventually erupts into a massive, wall-of-sound climax that feels like the sun finally breaking through a particularly thick layer of smog over the M62. It’s majestic. It’s startlingly iridescent. And it reminds me why I still bother with instrumental music when the rest of the world is obsessed with three-minute pop songs.

Then you get Cascading Crescent.

I’ve always reckoned that Larry Herweg is one of the most underrated drummers in the game; he’s got this way of playing behind the beat that makes the heavy sections feel absolutely enormous. This track is a masterclass in that "slingshot" dynamic, pulling back, building the tension, and then releasing it in a flurry of tom-heavy percussion and distorted chords that rattle your actual teeth. Perhaps it’s a bit predictable if you’ve been following them since the beginning? Maybe. But when it’s this well-executed, who gives a toss?

It’s a peculiar alchemy, really, where the sheer, vibrating weight of the low-end starts to feel less like a riff and more like a change in the weather, a sudden drop in pressure that leaves your ears popping just before the silence begins to creep back in.

Adrift takes a slightly different path. It’s the "palate cleanser" of the EP, I believe, leaning more into the "post" part of post-rock with some cleaner textures and a sense of space that feels almost claustrophobic in its openness. It’s the sound of staring out of a train window on a rainy Tuesday and realizing you’ve missed your stop. It’s beautiful, in a quiet, slightly devastating way, a reminder that Pelican aren't just about the volume; they’re about the mood.

Finally, we hit Tending The Embers.

It’s a bit of a slow-burner, this one, a track that feels like it’s reflecting on everything that came before it. The way the guitars weave around each other is nothing short of masterful, creating this dense, emotional tapestry that eventually fades out into a hazy, feedback-laden silence. Is it a masterpiece? It’s an EP, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. But as a four-track statement of intent from a band that has outlasted almost all of their peers? It’s a total ripper. It’s honest. It’s heavy. And it’s got enough soul to keep even the most jaded of us nodding along until our necks finally give out. 9/10

Ritual Arcana - Ritual Arcana (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]

The legend who is Wino is usually the main attraction, whether it is one of his killer solo records, like Create Or Die from last year, or in whatever band he is performing in, most recently being The Obsessed and the renaissance that they have seen over the past couple of years. and , of course, over a bunch of decades. 

With his new project, the power trio Ritual Arcana, Wino finds himself sharing the spotlight, or maybe even playing second fiddle just a bit, to the singer/bassist of the band, SharLee LuckyFree, who also happens to be his better half in life as well. The band plays some killer proto doom psych, leveraging the best of Wino’s amazing playing and tone with LuckyFree’s booming, siren song, witchy vocals to bring us a killer 38 minutes of dark, spooky, and heavy rock and roll.

The title track of the album of the same name of a band with the same name always rules, and the opener, Ritual Arcana, keeps this trend going. LuckyFree’s lower octave vocals are more like an incantation, combined with Wino’s shredding lets us all know what we are in for on this record. Wino just rips it up on this track and his tone is amazing. A coyote from the mountains in the Catskills opens up Occluded, the most Obsessed-like track on the record in all of the best ways, that also has another Wino signature killer riff. 

You can tell the band is having fun with this project, with Free Like A Pirate being a great example. It sounds like Wino is just creating so much joy with his work on Ritual Arcana. Summon The Wheel is proto doom excellence, while Berkana has LuckyFree in her most alluring and spooky at the same time vocal performance. My favourite moment on a record filled with great ones is the psych-dripping guitar on the killer track, Subtle Fruits, right next to the chugging Wino creates on Judgement XX. 

My favourite song on the record is the closer, Wake The Goddess, which is the perfect description of what is happening right before our eyes (ears?) with the arrival of SharLee LuckyFree. The secret weapon on the record is the drumming of Oakley Munson. More known for his punk work with The Black Lips, Munson brings the power and keeps all of this goodness together and flowing.

What an amazing debut and what a great way to hear Wino from a new point of view. Ritual Arcana has killer songs, amazing guitar work (duh), and a vibe that SharLee LuckyFree brings that is unique to her and to the trio. Great stuff. 9/10

Abissi - Paramagia (Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records) [Mark Young]

In your virtual or physical hands you hold one of the warmest releases of the year. Paramagia is an 8 track, 26-minute glorious hug from a loved one. Possessing one of the thickest guitar tones you will hear this year Funerale In Messico is their introduction and it’s a riff-fest. It just flows, offering up the best in stoner/doom with a suitable solo to boot. I have no idea what they are singing about but don’t let that get in the way of the riff!! 

Pizzo rattles the enamel, channelling some early age QOTSA as it speeds through whilst Le Chiese slows down to a leaden crawl. I’m not suggesting that they have come out and reinvented any genre’s, rather they have looked to what makes for good music and have applied them with gusto. It closes on a Black Sabbath vibe, I mean to listen to it you will know exactly what I mean. Its quality, but it’s a question of how much of their material represents them or the music that inspires them.

I’m not being disrespectful to them, it’s just that Grabovoi, as an example with its little squeals here and there echo a lot from QOTSA as a primary source. I’m not massive on stoner music because there is a lot of repetition or extended arrangements which sometimes go nowhere. I’m probably being unfair on them, so let’s park that for a minute. 

Cement is heavy, properly heavy. Super dense it rocks along at a decent lick and sounds more like its from them than anyone else and its one of those songs that stands up to repeated listens (like the rest of the album if I’m being straight). Madama Cristina picks that baton up and sets off with it. It has more varied arrangement than Cement but is no less heavy because of it.

Their final act is 3424, a skittering 3-minute instrumental blast. I’m not always supportive of instrumentals, especially when they are placed in a way that kills any momentum an album has built to that point. 3424 is in the right place, it closes things out properly and on a strong note. With this and Grabovoi as instrumentals it at least shows they have confidence in their material so that if the lyrics are not coming, or simply not good enough, they will go with what they have.

Paramagia rips at a steady pace (ignoring Sequenze’s noise) and is such a warm and welcoming album, it is one of those things you will come back to months from now. It’s a worthy release, and although I think that the inclusion of Sequenze here lessens the flow of things, its still entertaining. 7/10

Course Of Fate - Behind The Eclipse (ROAR!) [Matt Bladen]

Course Of Fate are a Norwegian prog metal act and they are back with their third record Behind The Eclipse. As with the rest of the album they come from a philosophical angle mulling over light and dark. Those who walk in the light and those who dwell in the darkness, it allows them the switch between the melodic and metallic as they show off their virtuosity.

It's an album that takes several threads and links them, not in a full concept like their debut release but more loosely, all eight of these tracks blend the dark and the light through the frame of impressive progressive metal, that takes inspiration from bands such as Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery. The riffs here a lot thicker as Course Of Fate have two guitarists so there's plenty of dynamism in the guitars, while the bottom end manipulates the changing rhythm section, Don't Close Your Eyes features some cello which adds more density.

On And So It Goes, they go into the dramatic realm of Queensryche, especially in the vocals, speaking of vocals Hiding From The Light has some harsh growls which shakes things up again. A more introspective, darker and heavier album from Course Of Fate but still stuffed with prog metal prominence. 8/10

Review: Urne - Setting Fire To The Sky (Matt Bladen)

Urne - Setting Fire To The Sky (Spinefarm)

“I feel like I'm in Metallica in 1988 with what we do,” says Urne frontman Joe Nally, and it’s hard to disagree with him as it feels in the last few years that Urne are about ready to release their Black Album, their Ascendency, their Blood & Thunder or their The Blackening. That is the album that takes them into the upper echelon of not just the UK music scene but the worldwide one.

Urne have made it, broken through the mire of countless other bands in the scene and taken stages across the country and Europe by storm from the smallest venues to mainstage at Bloodstock, since their debut album they’ve been one of the bands heralded as the next big thing and their third album Setting Fire To The Sky is the one that will make them, I would say or break them, but that's not going to happen.

Along the way their musical journey has been inspired by the Urne-Buriall meditation method from Thomas Browne and it's musings on sadness, isolation and loss however Setting Fire To The Sky sees them with a renewed hope, it’s a record about coming out of the bleakness and embracing light and life, the turmoil of their last record receding then as Urne take the next step.

It’s also an album about heavy metal itself, with tributes to the fans and the legends, three music fanatics living out their dreams in a band displaying their knowledge and deference for what has come before and expounding their love for the support they have received so far on this journey from fans, critics, promoters etc.

Their name is everywhere and rightly it should be, as they manage to combine several styles into their sound. What's always been to Urne's benefit is that they have a complexity and virtuosity that is often lost by trios, if Rush jammed some Mastodon, you'd get a better understanding of Urne, Joe Nally (bass/vocals), Angus Neyra (guitar) and James Cook (drums), play with the force of a 12-piece, when they need to but can make everything intimate and small as if they're playing to you and you alone.

A band never afraid of the word prog, they've been going against the grain since their debut with every record since becoming more of a home for shifting time signatures, about turns and musical experimentation, through sludge, hardcore and extreme metal viciousness, they also have a very keen ear for the traditional side of metal, combining both to create massive, earthmoving soundscapes.

Urne have wrangled SikTh vocalist Justin Hill to produce Setting Fire To The Sun so it has a vitality, feeling thick and analogue but also having a bite and an aggression to it. The boldness of the production matched by the density of the composing. Each instrument is highlighted, the vocals and harmonies are bright and powerful, and of course the riffs will make sure you get whiplash. This third record is Urne on top form, grabbing the music world by the collar and shouting "Pay Attention!"

From the acoustics that begin Be Not Dismayed, before it cascades into an anthemic, thrashy heaviness, those vocals coming in on a track that owes much to Trivium and Machine Head. It's drenched in blackness but there also that nostalgic, upbeat mood that still permeates, that betrays the darkness, as if fighting against it.

Through Weeping Of The World and The Spirit Alive they perfectly blend the modern and the traditional. Weeping Of The World moves through the realms of post metal and prog, undulating between both with ease. The Spirit Alive edges more toward the hardcore and sludge of Mastodon, with more clean vocals and it also features a stunning classic metal guitar solo from Angus Neyra.

The drumming from James Cook is used with a muscular virtuosity on the title track, a ferocious beginning to their mid-album powerhouse, thick chugs in the bass rhythms matched with dive bombs and those clean choruses. The Ancient Horizon reasserts Urne's extreme metal credentials with a doom-laden chug, leading into Towards Harmony Hall which again, takes a position of positivity with enormous grooves.

The album was preceded by single Harken The Waves which features Troy Sanders of Mastodon doing his thing all over it. It's sits just before the end of the record and is a a brilliant duet between Sanders and Nally, who's vocal is the best it's been on this third record, disclosing a much wider range inspired by his love of soul music. 

Acceptance in the form of catharsis comes with the monolithic Breathe which features the spectral Jo Quail giving another stellar performance, creating atmospheres with her cello that just elevate any track she appears on, keeping that positive outlook until the dying moments, an entire psyche of a band shifted in one album.

An album of the year make no mistake but moreover it's an album that shifts Urne into the next level of their existence as a band. Setting Fire To The Sky could prove to be one of, if not the best albums Urne have created, which is even more impressive when you consider how good their previous two albums are.

Pure heavy metal, unafraid of gatekeeping or pigeonholes, yet extremely accessible for a wider audience, Setting Fire To The Sun is Urne blazing a trail all of their own as the next superstars of the UK metal scene. 10/10

Reviews: Virtue In Vain, Defaced, The Hirsch Effekt, Sacri Suoni (Cherie Curtis, Mark Young, Matt Bladen & Spike)

Virtue In Vain – Nothing Is All I Am (Self Released) [Cherie Curtis]

Climbing their way into wider notoriety, Virtue In Vain is going from strength to strength; rapidly gaining in momentum. Their newest EP Nothing Is All I Am, brings us Between Reflections And Silence which has been making its round on platforms like ‘Fresh Blood’ on Kerrang and ‘Introducing Rock’ on BBC Radio 1.

The EP has five tracks performed with passion, skill and love for what they do. They prioritize a good build and a gut-wrenching throw down to capture traditional metalcore in a way that feels nostalgic and well researched but with modern and pristine execution. Virtue In Vain blends softer and emotional melodies in hard hitting aggressive instrumentals and vocals so cohesively I feel it can reach the mainstream rock media.

Split is short and strong with an intense build and a nasty neck-breaking breakdown. It’s pure mosh pit fuel and a great floor filler, which is now what I've come to expect from these guys. The metal vocals are outstanding and fiery with some great vocal sustains which make for a fantastic opener.

Blood Eyes dives straight in with a contrasting metal vocals all in tandem. Complemented with repetitive, strong and satisfying riffs that get stuck in your head. This one has a blend of paces focusing on being heavy and unwavering in tone rather than speed like its counterparts.

Between Reflections And Silence has so far been the star of the show. There has been lots of promos for this one, and it’s finally put into its proper context. It’s a scorcher with their rapid signature vocals and riffs. This one is sharper and snappier with more emotional lyrics; some melodic rock vocals for the chorus offering an impacting and meaningful punch which makes for a nice change of pace halfway through. I feel it was the right choice for all the promos as it's a showpiece. Everyone has their moment and plays well and quickly captures the overall feel of Virtue In Vain as well as quickly introducing their new theme.

Echoes has a fast wind up which is very on brand with the format established so far and it throws us straight into action. It sounds more technical, the springiness of the guitars are interesting and would be great for a metal club night. It’s fun and cheeky for a thematically darker track. Similar in style to Blood Eyes and I can see these two becoming fan favorites.

The Wilt And I is my personal favourite. Glorious harmonies with a celestial yet grim atmosphere, paired with some keyboard elements and vocals layered in reverb which makes this one more of a bitter and devastating lament. It’s cinematic and swells like a crashing wave and shows the potential range while keeping their own tone. At first I found it hard to grasp what's being said but what struck me despite that was just how discerning and visceral each track came across because Nothing Is All I Am is personal and genuine.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, there was nothing on here that i didn't like. It was very well made, mixed, recorded and edited well (to my ears anyway) and none of the songs dragged which can be typical of the genre. I feel like the run time for each track was spot on as well as the layout. Nothing Is All I Am is a magnificent showcase of the experience these guys have gained over the years and brought us something really articulate, thoughtful as well as having the potential to be a real crowd pleaser. 10/10

Defaced - Icon (Massacre Records) [Mark Young]

Swiss metallers Defaced, return from a hiatus showing no signs of ring rust or that the passage of time has dimmed any levels of ferocity. Rather than the usual pre-review jiggery pokery, lets just straight into it. The Antagonist burns from its first second and it’s a welcome addition to those album starters who make good on the promises their bio makes. It enters with intent, and then delivers it over 3 and a half minutes of complete focus. 

Perception enters the fray, boiling itself alive with a pure feeling of total fury. You’ve heard music like this before, of course you have but it’s the way that bands reinvent how they do it as well as the attitude they imbue upon it. Perception, like The Antagonist carries it and that’s what makes it worthwhile. They realise that they have maybe two or three tracks to make a case so its lucky that As My Will Prevails bookends that opening triple in just the right way. It hammers away at you, with an epic drum performance which shows levels of superhuman endurance with a deft touch.

The Initiation follows on in their footsteps, not moving too far from the blueprint that has been set, and I’m perfectly ok with that, I know what’s coming. The Initiation just continues to strike you in the same way, but it doesn’t become boring In doing so. They are hell bent on keeping their promise in making sure that every song lands with you. Forever Mine is next up and is a masterclass of combining ferocity and melody with Anthem Of Vermin effectively repeating that same feat. Of these two, they show that they have a little wriggle room in how they approach building their songs. Bringing the lead breaks here and now is a neat trick, especially the one on Anthem is a melter. 

Of course, not every song reaches the heights and Sonate is where they lose a little momentum. Its an acoustic performance that is perfectly fine, but not placed here. It means that they have a little bit of work to do, at least for me. Icon starts, and its this albums slow and methodical track which gradually expands within its run time. It has all the traits of the other tracks here but could have benefited from being slightly shorter. Its still a decent blast, but I’m hoping that the final two come in blazing.

Which Culling The Herd does. That reduced length realigns them and is a hit of energy that sets up Betrayer to close up the shop. Betrayer shares a similar approach as Icon, looking to a lighter feel in how the riffs are deployed to us. It brings that stomping downpicked attack to play without forgetting the speed. On balance, it represents a fine end to a very strong return for Defaced.

Is there much difference between tracks, does it try to offer something new? Well, if I’m comparing it against their previous releases then I have no idea. Considering it on its own merit it is a welcome blast of death metal that just arrives, does its thing and then leaves. The instrumental, as good as it is could have been removed without question. Putting that to one side, it is the sound of a band on fire. 8/10

The Hirsch Effekt - Der Brauch (Long Branch Records) [Matt Bladen]

Do you like Leprous, Unprocessed, Karnivool and the like but always wish they performed exclusively in German? Well The Hirsch Effekt have you covered. They've been forging their own path on the progressive scene across six albums, but somehow they have gained a very devoted audience in countries that do not speak their language.

Especially the UK where they have carved a niche for themselves. Perhaps it's that their music speaks louder than their lyrics, though with tracks such as Die Brücke you can hear the emotion even if you don't know that they're singing about bridges over floods. (it's a metaphor)

Musically The Hirsch Effekt bring all the atmospheres and introspection of a band like Leprous, as well as their echoed, evocative music that blends analogue, electric and electronic instruments, the pulsating synths and guitar pedals are met with throbbing bass and cello, as the drumming is potent and percussively devastating.

Der Brauch seems like a return to their earlier style, a track such as Das Nachsehen a crushing metallic moment that crushes everything just before the final song, positioned as if everything else has been leading up to their outpouring of rage and insecurity, that's at the core of this record. It's the sound of a band trying to decide why they make music, not trying to make trends.

Der Brauch translates to the tradition and with their seventh album they look back to their riffy early days while keeping their modern atmospheric elements in tact. Die Band Hirsch Effekt hat auf ihrem neuen album viel zu sagen, unabhängig von der Sprache. 8/10

Sacri Suoni – Time To Harvest (Electric Valley Records) [Spike]

It’s a bit rich, isn't it? Calling your band Sacri Suoni or "Sacred Sounds" when you sound like a skip full of rusted scrap metal being dragged across wet cobbles at three in the morning (by the way this is NOT a bad thing!, I like that sound). I’ve seen more "sacred" energy in a dead pigeon on the A38. But this Italian lot aren't interested in monks or incense; they’re interested in the low-end frequencies that turn your actual internal organs into a sort of lukewarm jelly. Time To Harvest is a pure, unadulterated descent into the "green abyss" that doesn't just rumble, it suffocates.

People are always looking for or claiming to be "next big thing" in sludge, and usually, it’s just someone who’s bought a fuzz pedal they don't know how to use. These lads? They know, and then they deliver it.

The lead single, Plow The Void, starts with a red herring. It’s all dreamy, ambient textures for a moment, it’s lovely, I like that sort of stuff, you know quite nice and relaxing almost, before the floor falls out and you’re hit with a thunderous psychedelic groove that feels like a very large, very grumpy machine trying to restart after a decade in the rain. (I believe the industry term is "glacial," but "bloody exhausting" hits closer to the mark.) 

There’s a grit here that you only get from bands who spend too much time in rehearsal rooms that smell like stale lager and damp carpet. It’s a rhythmic, mechanical repetition that eventually stops being music and starts being a physical weight in the room, a low-frequency thrumming that gets right under your skin and stays there.

Soothe manages to keep the tension high by doing the exact opposite of its title. It’s an urgent stomp that eventually descends into a howling void of slow-motion, crawling doom. It’s an exercise in patience, the kind of music that demands you sit in the dark and contemplate your life choices.

Then you hit Dissolve To Reunite In Varanasi.

It’s essentially a sludgy, doomy intro that sets the stage for the closer, It Will Crumble Before Us. That final track? It’s their finest hour. Thirteen minutes of starkly beautiful clean notes and post-metal ebb and flow that eventually erupts into a swaggering, fuzzed-up finale. I even caught a few subtle Tool references around the nine-minute mark, perhaps I'm imagining things, but it adds a layer of "proggy" sophistication to the rot.

Is it revolutionary? Probably not in the grand scheme of the universe. But as an intoxicating mix of groove and big-ass doom riffs? It’s a total ripper. It’s evocative, it’s atmospheric, and it sounds like it was dug up from a shallow grave. Proper mental. 8/10

Review: MØL - Dreamcrush (GC)

MØL - Dreamcrush (Nuclear Blast)

Every now and then there is a band that comes along and changes your outlook on how music should actually sound and be heard, for me this is what MØL did to me when I first heard them back in 2021. When I first heard their album Diorama my view of what could be extreme and heavy was completely smashed to pieces and reformed into a different way of hearing heavy music. To say that I was slightly excited when I heard they were releasing their new album Dreamcrush this year, maybe selling it down slightly! I cannot wait to hear what this sounds like.

When I press play, the start of Dream is exactly what you come to expect and just what I wanted it to be, its spacious and flowing and feels like a warm embrace from a loved one and then comes the rude awakening of chaos, the sound takes a very 80’s new wave punk feel but has a harshness to it that mixes with echoing beauty and it is already taking you on a journey and we are only 3 minutes into the album.

Små Forlis goes straight for the jugular and shows the daker and more menacing side of the sound but its not too long before it’s a complete switch of moods and we are being gently serenaded but you can never get to comfortable as its just as quickly that they are back to savaging you relentlessly, the twists, twist and the turns turn to leave you battered, confused, emotional but ultimately ready for more.

This comes in the form of Young which has a soaring and beautiful guitar sound more akin to a UK 90’s shoegaze band but the vitriol and searing rage soon takes over and drags you down to the depths before the huge and anthemic sound drags you back from the despair and just engulfs you, the way they mix both of these differing forms of music is an absolute work of art and tugs on every emotional string that is available truly mesmerizing stuff. 

Hud is has a sparse beginning that really lets you get lost in what you are listening to as there isn’t a lot to concentrate on but that the beauty of it you are allowed to just listen and enjoy, the heavy parts do come in but don’t create a contrast so stark you are shocked you just take it all in your stride, the beauty of this is that you will forget what is happening around you as you will be completely lost in the music and that’s what is so wonderful about MØL, they make you tune everything else out and just occupy you completely. 

I’m not ashamed to say I almost cried when I first heard Garland such is the emotion that is packed into every single second of the music, I wondered if they would still be able to affect me the same way they did when I first heard them, there should have been no such worry, this is a song packed full of furious anger but also touching sentiment and is about as close to a perfect song as is humanly possible and could go down for me as their best ever song, an absolute masterpiece, I will never get tired of hearing this song for as long as I live. 

Favour was always going to have a task following on but it doesn’t try to follow on, it just continues the journey and takes you directly to the mellower side of the sound, it may help that its mostly instrumental because it gives you time to re-group and prepare for another round, the end is cascading and atmospheric and builds towards soaring triumphant finish then, with A Former Blueprint we take another ride on the new wave sound that has been teased gently before, once again it is used sparingly and the way the heavy parts just happen out of seemingly nowhere is done with expert precision and timing the varying styles and twists will undoubtedly keep you hooked till the end.

8 is probably the only bit of the album that isn’t really needed as its just a 48 second interlude and could easily been added onto the beginning or end of any other song, anyway Dissonance gets us back underway properly and it has more of the haunting melody that takes hold of you and carries you along in a dreamlike state but then just as quickly and rudely jolts you back into life with some stabbing angry punk nastiness but the ending section is just an absolute joy to listen to as it slams both of the sounds together and it’s a complete triumph in every possible way. 

I’m almost devastated when final track Mimic starts as I know I only have 4 more minutes left of this album but what 4 minutes it is! Starting with vitriolic anger and more atmospheric beauty and some absolutely stunning riffs that all just create a cloud of devastation and beauty, its difficult to say what part is the best bit because just as you decide something else happens and you change your mind all over again, whatever you think and want to take away from this track it is a stunning and suitably brilliant ending to the album.

What a ride that was, what a band MØL are and what an album this is! From the second it started to the very last second at the end, I was completely hooked. My review is comprehensive and says a lot and honestly, I’m not sure how much more I can say about how much I loved this album? I was aware that I was going to like it but just not how much. If you like heavy music that has emotion, beauty, anger, tenderness, devastation and so much more then Dreamcrush is the one for you, even if you don’t, I would still recommend you listen to it at least once, if you are not totally hooked then honestly there isn’t much hope for you! 

It’s only January and I am saying it already, it is going to take something very special to top this album in 2026, good luck everyone! 10/10

A View From The Back of The Room: Burning Witches & Hammer King (Nat Sabbath & Mike Chew)

Burning Witches & Hammer King, Asylum, Birmingham, 24.01.26

The Asylum played host to a night of unapologetic power metal spectacle as Hammer King and Burning Witches brought their Witches and Kings European tour to Birmingham. While the crowd was modest in size, it was rich in enthusiasm — and by the end of the night, completely won over by two bands who delivered conviction, theatre, and pure heavy metal joy.

From the moment Doctor Malleum D, Major Domus of Hammer King’s Hofstaat, emerged wielding a hammer worthy of Mjölnir itself, it was clear this would be no ordinary support set. Hammer King (10) don’t just play epic metal, they inhabit it. Frontman Titan Fox V soon followed, and with the opening notes of Live For A Day, the room sprang into life. Despite the smaller crowd, Titan effortlessly pulled everyone into Hammer King’s world, encouraging audience participation and inviting Birmingham into his kingdom with genuine warmth and charisma.

The band: Gino Wilde and Sir Marex van Ferum on guitars, Günt von Schratenau on bass, and Count Ivo Shandor behind the kit, were tight, powerful, and joyously theatrical. The hammer returned centre-stage for Hammers & Kings, reinforcing the band’s mythic aesthetic, while Tia Wicked, Royal Maid of the Hofstaat, appeared throughout the set offering her king drinks, assisting with robe removal, and adding an extra layer of tongue-in-cheek pageantry. One of the standout moments came with Danger Zone, which transported the room straight back to the magic and nostalgia of the 80s. The smiles were everywhere as the crowd roared back the lyrics, creating a genuinely electric atmosphere.

The theatrics only escalated from there: a camera-on-a-stick appeared to capture the crowd mid-Hammer, while Doctor D and Tia Wicked returned bearing black flags emblazoned with the Hammer King logo for Life’s A Beach, waving them proudly at either side of the stage. Gold balloons were launched into the crowd, and for the final song, Return Of The Kingdom Of The Hammer King, Titan emerged with an even larger flag, rallying the room one last time as Tia presented a bowl of gold coins which he hurled gleefully into the audience.

It was ridiculous. It was glorious. And it worked completely. Hammer King delivered a blistering, joyous performance packed with humour, interaction, and genuine affection for the crowd. Absolute legends.

If Hammer King ruled through theatre and humour, Burning Witches (9) conquered through sheer force, precision, and presence. With Laura Guldemond commanding the stage on vocals, flanked by guitarists Romana Kalkuhl and Courtney Cox, Jeanine Grob on bass, and Lala Frischknecht on drums, Burning Witches demonstrated exactly why they are one of the most formidable bands in modern power metal.

While less outwardly interactive than Hammer King, the band more than made up for it with razor-sharp musicianship and relentless energy. Their melodic heavy/power metal sound was soaring yet vicious, polished but sharp enough to rip your face off. One of the biggest reactions of the night came during Dance With The Devil, as Laura returned to the stage wearing a horned mask, sending the crowd into raptures. The theatrical touch perfectly matched the song’s dark, driving energy and reinforced the band’s commanding stage presence.

Evil Witch was another clear highlight, greeted with roars from the crowd as the band tore through the track with absolute confidence and precision. Every note landed, every transition was seamless, and the connection between band and audience was undeniable. They closed with Burning Witches, a triumphant finale that left the room buzzing; fists in the air, voices raised, and the Asylum fully under their spell. It was a powerful reminder of why the band continues to command such loyalty from their fans. 

This was a night that showcased power metal at its most vibrant and alive. Hammer King set the tone with spectacle, humour, and irresistible audience engagement, warming the room with gold, laughter, and theatrical excess. But it was Burning Witches who ultimately claimed the night, delivering a commanding headline performance defined by precision, power, and unrelenting momentum. 

With songs that hit hard, soar high, and ignite the crowd from first note to final chorus, they proved why they sit at the top of the Witches and Kings tour. A triumphant Birmingham show, and a clear statement of Burning Witches’ authority as one of modern power metal’s leading forces.

Reviews: Solomon Hicks, Laurence Jones, Meteora, OmegaThrone (Matt Bladen)

Solomon Hicks - How Did I Ever Get This Blue (Provogue/Artone Records)

Solomon Hicks is a throwback, deliberately so this New Yorker, is an old soul in a young body. Born in Harlem in 1995, he was already playing stages in his teens, his 2020 debut album got people talking about his passion for the blues and his blending of this with soul, jazz and funk. 

A knowing and deliberate nod to those groundbreaking artists 50's/60's/70's from a guitarist who wants to bring what they did into the now. With his second record How Did I Ever Get This Blue, he mixes things up again a collection of originals and covers, infusing classic sounds with newer influences. Much like a certain hotshot young blues player named Bonamassa who came out of the of New York scene, did 30 odd years ago.

Unlike the classic rock elements Mr Bonamassa, who invited Hicks on his 2017 cruise, had on those early albums, Hicks doesn't lean as much on the classic rock side of things. Preferring the punch of punk and adding electronics to modernize some older material such as a relatively faithful Further On Up The Road from Bobby 'Blue' Bland and Feels Like Rain by Buddy Guy.

In the covers stakes there's also some more contemporary ones as he turn his axe to a shreddy version of Rumour Has It by Adele and Bruno Mars' When I Was Your Man which gets a little bit French, but his own tracks are just as impressive, sprawling classic boogie on Flying High (Yesterday), the harmonica driven title track or strutting Dimples.

Recorded in Austin Texas alongside producer Kirk Yano with a huge band of musicians, How Did I Ever Get This Blue is a great modern throwback from this young blues superstar. 8/10

Laurence Jones - On My Own (Ron Records)

On My Own is the first ever solo acoustic album from Laurence Jones, it's a record about resilience as it was written after a a battle with the debilitating Crohn’s disease. This left him isolated and in pain, fat away from the trailblazing blues rocker he has become over the last few years. With so much emotion and fear in his mind he picked up an acoustic guitar and started to write.

On My Own is a record about life, at home and on the road, about pain and ultimately about him wanting beat this disease and being thankful that he came out the other side of it. So this debut solo album is a musical reflection played on the instrument Jones first started aged 8 years old, the classical guitar. Crafted with just his voice and a classical guitar, he's stripped his music back to just the two core elements, capturing the beginnings of the blues where the artists used them as a way of working through life struggles, their escape being music. It's this authenticity that makes On My Own a special record.

It makes this set of songs his most personal ever, a track such as Middle Of The Night highlighting the process of writing this record, drawing inspiration from his inability to sleep due to his condition. Life I Made about looking for forgiveness and changing how you try to approach life as a whole while Beautiful is a tribute to his fiancé who supported him all the way his illness and recovery.

The soul of the blues is strong on this record, it's an album that showcases Jones' toughness and inability to give up. Released on Ron Records, named for his grandfather, it's a personal, powerful, proper blues record. 8/10

Meteora - Dissonance EP (H-Music)

So here we are, the final EP in the conceptual trilogy from Hungarian symphonic metal band Meteora. Beginning in August 2025 they began with In This Silence (reviewed by Cherie), while then in autumn it was Broken Mind and now comes their 'winter' release Dissonance.

Whether you've heard the other two is really immaterial unless you're keenly following the storyline, and they have collected all three into a full album (Darkest Light) just in case, but this is about the music and Meteora are band who aren't afraid to take risks with their music. The themes are about dissociation and alienation, making this the darkest entry into their collection.

They have three vocalists in similar positions to Amaranthe as there's a female classic vocal, male harsh vocals and male clean vocals against some metallic riffage and creative orchestrations with a full choir to add a gothic, theatrical sound to the record, they even throw in some classical influence as New World Symphony by Dvorak is a core part of Witch Hunt: Tragedy Of Delusion PT. III.

Guitarist Dániel Baranya and keyboard player/vocalist Atilla Király have both joined the writing team here and it makes Dissonance the most musically intense of the three EP's. The epic final chapter of these conceptual releases, you may want to check out Darkest Light to get the full story but Dissonance is definitely the heaviest in the trio. 7/10

OmegaThrone - Predators Make Empires (Self Released)

We’ve made a noise about OmegaThrone before (it’s even on their website) so when they sent over their new full length it was straight on the stereo to see if they’re still crushing ear drums. Turns out yes, this Liverpool band draw significant influences from the UK death scene for eight tracks of politically motivated, war obsessed death where the blast beats are just a potent as the mid-pace chugs.

A Cockroach In Mammal Kingdom perfectly sets the tone with plenty of shifting pace, from fast to slow to even faster, you can hear when the pits will go crazy and that’s exactly what OmegaThrone want. Omega P’s drumming is unrestrained, with Charlotte Rogers bass playing a lead instrument in its own right (check out the fingerstyle on Bad Sleep Better and Marketing Messiah) bringing muscle to the aggressive rhythms as Omega M shreds up a storm with his chainsaw guitar sound, blending in a bit of classic metal to the Morbid Angel beginnings of the title track.

With all this instrumental fury you need a singer who can vocalize the horrors envisioned by these tracks and J.J Moffat does that really well, snarls, growls, gutturals and some black metal shrieks too, he’s got a broad delivery that brings extra dimensions to the record, as does the soprano vocals of Biljana Ivanovska at the end of the title track.

Preadors Make Empires takes a brutal swipe at the political elite, it’s a brutal and bloodthirsty, British death metal album from OmegaThrone. 7/10

Reviews: Cold Night For Alligators, The Hara, Stormzone, Fireborn (Matt Bladen)

Cold Night For Alligators – With All That’s Left (Prime Collective)

Why after three albums they haven’t got the alligators some pyjamas I don’t know but it seems that Cold Night For Alligators are back with a fourth album. They’ve been riding a wave of popularity that has been climbing ever higher since their 2016 debut, taking slots at Tech Fest, Euroblast and others, showcasing their emotional, avant-garde, technically savvy metal on stages across Europe. They’ve played with some of the biggest names in the business and I’m sure they will impress when they join MØL on tour next month.

They will be armed with the songs from With All That’s Left, a record built through “loss, fatherhood, and burnout”, it’s Johan Jack Pedersen and Nikolaj Sloth Lauszus writing and creating their most experimental and personal music yet, flexing their virtuoso muscles with some start stop modern metal riff and plenty of polyrhythms, but adding soaring choruses that course through you and instrumentation that catches you off guard, with the use of sax and even some whistling particularly effective.

Cold Night For Aliigators have always been hard to properly define and distinctive with their style and while bands like Sleep Token get the plaudits for their poignant, pop infused metal, I’d wager Cold Night For Alligators do it much better. Their music is cinematic, but rooted by their own shared history and experience, there’s an urgency and understanding that we are all mortal so taking time to create something real will always pay off, even if it isn’t perhaps what people expect.

With All That’s Left maybe loses some of the heavier elements but that’s ok as they have replaced that with honesty and sentimentality that is never mawkish but driven by technically assured writing and excellent production from the duo alongside Mirza Radonjica (Siamese, Afterlove) with Jacob Hansen himself doing the mix. Melancholic yet hopefully, the Alligators are still freezing but the music is warm and inviting. 8/10

The Hara - The Fallout (Mascot Records)

The Fallout sees Manchester trio The Hara trying to figure out the world with their music. Josh Taylor (vocals), Jack Kennedy (drums) and Zack Breen (guitar) have always been a band who strive for authenticity. Never writing music for labels or business, but for them, forming a sound that combines alt rock, metalcore and emo, into big riffs and emotional choruses.

There's something to be said for their genre mashing as it has seen them take to the stage at Download, Slam Dunk and Reading/Leeds, gaining a bigger following with every show. The Fallout is "probably the purest, rawest version of us" states Josh, it's their most personal album yet recorded with co-producers Brad Mair and Pete Hutchings (Nothing But Thieves/Royal Blood), The Hara are playing for them and them alone here.

Guided by the subconscious and the struggle that is evident all around us, they have made a record that is a lot bolder and yet more introspective than anything they have done before, it's the 'true' sound of The Hara if you will. Equally increasing how heavy they can be and how introspective they can too, with songs about mental health, toxic relationships. The breakbeat drums, EDM and electronic pulses are constantly a part of the songs (The System) but they blend seamlessly with the angsty emotional vocals and the heavy riffs. 

The Fallout is as modern as metal these days gets, finger on the pulse stuff, the band technically levelling up as The Hara prove they are more than just another corporate rock act, though this will be immensely popular, but also speak from a place of truth and authenticity on The Fallout. 7/10

Stormzone – Immortal Beloved (Escape Music)

Immortal Beloved is the eighth studio album from Belfast heavy metal crew Stormzone. We’ve been following the band for well over ten years and while we haven’t covered every album they have released when we do, it’s always a pleasure as Stormzone know how to deliver classic heavy metal with a modern flourish.

Immortal Beloved is their first album since before the pandemic and it opens with a mid-paced heavy rocker based upon Belfast’s most famous export the Titanic. It’s Stormzone 101 and brings you back into the fist pumping riffs of these veterans, keeping their NWOBHM credentials in check (despite forming 20-odd years after).

In recent years they have moved away from their NWOBHM beginnings to heavier realms and on the title track they pick up the pace letting loose with some frantic double kicks, while Stand In Line and The Hammer Has To Fall brings forward their power metal bluster via some Iron Maiden influence on the former and keyboard melodies on the latter.

The performances all round are rock solid, considering it’s a brand new line up with only vocalist John “Harv” Harbinson left from the founding line up, guitarist David Sheilds has been in the band before while co-guitarist Shaun Nelson-Frame, drummer Peto Uhrin and bassist Jan Uhrin are the new blood. Nelson-Frame also gives this record the production and mix, keeping it in the 21st Century even though the music straddles the traditional/power/classic metal genres, while retaining that authenticity.

Immortal Beloved doesn’t reinvent anything however if your ears are excited by bands like Maiden, Hammerfall, Magnum or Saracen (labelmates), then Stormzone have some Norn Iron melodic heavy metal for you. 8/10

Fireborn – Dreamcatcher (El Puerto Records)

Some American sounding hard rock from Germany now as Fireborn ignite again with their new record Dreamcatcher, despite only releasing their debut album in 2023 the band can be traced back their previous name Dislike Silence, where they landed 3rd place in the rock category at the German Rock and Pop Awards. This led them to the studio of Destruction’s Schmier and engineer V.O. Pulver to record their debut album under their new name of Fireborn.

It’s moniker much more like the sound of the band as while they dislike silence there is an incendiary quality about the band coming from the raspy vocals of Jenny who belts out these tracks with the power and finesse of Lzzy Hale while the band comprised of Dennis and Rick on guitar, Raphael on drums and bassist Chris dole out catchy hard rock with a metallic edge. 

It gives them a distinct American sound that will get them plenty of radio play, which is the goal for this style of music as that means bigger audience and bigger stages. Though I wonder if Dreamcatcher perhaps doesn’t have the variation it could as at 43 minutes it feels quite long and sags a little. 

Still it’s their second album and there is enough here to get them on say Planet Rock and on some of the more classic rock leaning festivals in the UK. Dreamcatcher then sets up Fireborn nicely for bigger things to come. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Arcane Dimensions Tour (Matt Bladen)

Epica, Amaranthe & Charlotte Wessels, Arcane Dimensions Tour, Bristol Beacon, 21.01.26

It was many a brave music lover that made their way through horrific weather on a Tuesday night to support three bands who carry the flag for symphonic metal.

Due to accidents, torrential rain, wind and closures my colleague and I were able to get into the Bristol Beacon just in time for Charlotte Wessels (8) to begin her intimate but hard rocking set of solo anthems. Vocally she has always been very impressive, stretching right back to her days with Delain, her solo material is much more emotive and theatrical the set dressed almost like it was going to host a stage play giving everything a sense of intimacy between the audience and the band.

Charlotte is exquisitely able to easily shift from heavy rock to ballad and even some pop and jazz moments, her dynamic range using both power and fragility. Behind her she has a band, The Obsession, who are just as capable of these genre switches and in guitarist Timo Somers (formerly if Delain), she has an axe slinger who absolutely loves to solo. While the rhythm section of Joey Marin De Boer (drums) and Otto Schimmelpenninck Van Der Oije (bass) compliment that with some thick heaviness as Nina Van Beelen on keys bring not only the orchestral/classical phrasing but vocal harmonies too.

This wouldn't be the last time that we saw Charlotte she appeared on stage later but more on that as we progress with the review as an opening slot her inclusion was well received and genre wise worked perfectly. Charlotte has created her own legacy in the Dutch metal scene that the co-headliners set out the blueprint for and yet now creates her own sound away from that but still very much a part of it.

The stage now got bigger as we came into the co headline part of the tour there were risers steps and all manner of video screens lasers CO2 cannons primed and ready for Amaranthe (7) to take the stage. 

Now I have seen this band a few times many of them in Bristol and while I can see the appeal I understand quite people find them entertaining I struggle, to me a lot of their music it's very very similar. It feels very synthetic the EDM and synths far outweighing the metal side of things meaning that the guitars, bass and drums are there but never particularly potent.

I think the other issue that I have always had with Amaranthe live is that so often Elize Ryd's vocals are buried really really deep in the mix now seeing as she is the only surviving vocalist from when the project started and for a lot of people the reason why they go to see the band it always strokes me as odd that she is the one that I can hear the least. Both harsh screamer Mikael Sehlon and clean singer Nils Molin are much higher up in the mix, essentially working as the main singers of the band Nils especially doing all of the interaction with the crowd.

With an 80 minute set I did kind of get fatigue a little bit as although Amaranthe are a perfectly serviceable band, they are slick, perhaps too slick, a lot of their songs blend into one after a while for me.

Now they got a huge reception the stage show is top notch but it is very much a meat issue in terms of what they play and how they've influenced a lot of the symphonic metal scene as now using EDM and lots of synth has become the norm over the more traditional style of classical orchestration.

After Amaranthe's set the lights went down once again and with a video intro we counted down to the last band of the show the silhouette of front woman Simone Simmons draped in a veil beginning the show proper with Apparition.

A ghostly spectral start that fully dialled you in to the theatrical power of Epica (9), then the full metal assault came with Cross The Divide, where heads began to bang and pits began to form. This was very much more my thing out on for the two bands I've always loved the way that Epica blend the symphonic and classical elements with death thrash and black metal wrapping it all up in a progressive metal experimentalism.

Since 2002 the band have been driven by the crushing riffs of Mark Jansen, his grunts countering the angelic delivery of Simmons, as the orchestral moments are brought by Coen Janssen. A man who despite being a keyboard player could also be a frontman switching between his rotating keyboard stand and his curved portable keyboard/keytar, a grin permanently etched on his face. The keytar allows him to come down from his perch and join Jansen, Simmons, Isaac Delahaye (lead guitar), Rob van der Loo (bass) at the front of the stage as all of them switch between the various levels of the stage.

There's something quite powerful about what Epica do, the heavier style that they play means that even some of the more po-faced of the crowd were banging their heads as the band drew mostly from their most recent album Aspiral. With Sirens - Of Blood And Water, Charlotte Wessels joined for a duet, however just as they were ending it all of the house lights came on and a few blue lights starting flashing up in the lighting rig. The fire alarm had triggered (remember the CO2 cannons?) leading to a elongated periods of nothing the audience were told nothing where the venue other than the band occasionally checking in to see if everyone was still there.

Thankfully this was resolved after about 10 minutes and Simone and Coen return to the stage for a piano and vocal rendition of Tides Of Time, which managed to recalibrate the room as things got back on track with The Grand Saga Of Existence – A New Age Dawns, Part IX and Cry For The Moon, building the excitement once more 

Even with this break in the show which was unfortunate considering this was there first UK date on the tour Epica showed why they are considered to be one of the originators of the symphonic metal genre despite my grievances with Amaranthe the inclusion on this tour meant that both versions of the symphonic genre we're represented and having Charlotte Wessels as the opener was the icing on the cake.

Overall the Arcane Dimensions tour was a perfect way to spend a Tuesday night in Bristol with one of my best mates, even though at times it proved too hot to handle!

Reviews: Textures, Crystal Lake, Death Dealer, Coronatus (Matt Bladen)

Textures – Genotype (Kscope) [Matt Bladen]

In 2018 it looked as if one of the founding pillars of the djent scene would never again play polyrhythmic guitar riffs. The Dutch prog metal band disbanded six years ago, however in 2026 they return with their sixth album Genotype, the continuing concept they first explored on 2016’s Phenotype, however anyone who may yearn for the a total return to how things were, may get a rude awakening with this record as Textures are now doing things on their own terms, created from scratch, self-produced, it’s a record that dictates who Textures are now, not who they were in 2018. 

Yes there is plenty of quiet/loud dynamics and polyrhythmic grooves on At The Edge Of Winter, where Charlotte Wessels joins on vocals. However there’s ambient flow, melodic keys and synth elements that owes much more to classic prog rock bands on Measuring The Heavens. Also there does seem to be the inspiration of Devin Townsend and his multi-discipline songwriting on the opening overture Void, an instrumental beginning that cements Textures as a band who know how to prog. 

Probably why they have signed to one of the world’s foremost prog labels Kscope as it allows them to be more creative in their compositions, creating an album that belongs to them and them alone. Lyrically it’s personal, these are songs for the “introverts, outsiders, and those navigating internal worlds that often go unseen”, anthems to those that are the most resilient and honest.

The entire djent/prog metalcore or whatever you want to call it has evolved since Textures first arrived on the scene in the early 2000’s and they have had to evolve with it, but in the last decade I would say that things have shifted rapidly, many of the bands like Textures such as Tesseract, Periphery and Monuments are now the elder statesmen and have to adapt to remain relevant while the younger generation take what they did initially and make it something similar but different. 

Despite a lay off Textures clearly understand where they stand in the mix, Genotype manages to recapture the heaviness of their djent beginnings easily enough but with tracks such as Vanishing Twin and Closer To The Unknown they are well aware of the hybrid sound that is around now.

You could make an argument that they were one of the bands that started it off, with their forays into symphonic and power metal from the early days, but maybe that’s a discussion for another day. With a colossal mix from Forrester Savell, Genotype heralds the return of Textures as the masters of their domain. 9/10

Crystal Lake - The Weight Of Sound (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]

Tokyo metallic hardcore now as veterans Crystal Lake come roaring back with another set of ferocious tracks, a new vocalist and a host of high profile guests. 

Formed all the way back in 2002, Crystal Lake have become an internationally renowned live act and as they enter their 23 year they are feistier and louder than ever. Having added new vocalist John Robert Centorrino (ex- The Last Ten Seconds Of Life) recently, the core line up of guitarists Yudai "YD" Miyamoto and Hisatsugu "TJ" Taji, bassist Mitsuru and drummer Gaku Taura have embarked on a new journey with their first non-Japanese singer and they announce their arrival by kicking your head in on the chunky start-stop opener Everblack which features David Simonich from Signs Of The Swarm.

It’s business as usual from here on out with Centorrino a venom spitting addition to the band giving them a more Western vocal approach while the music is still a thrilling mixture of aggressive riffs and atmospheric synths, swapping and changing to constantly surprise you as to where they are going next but then battering you with massive breakdown after a moment of melodic clarity. They don’t slow it down for the next few either, more guests appearing as of Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage), Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer), Myke Terry (Volumes), and Karl Schubach (Misery Signals) all pitch in to add their snarls to the most intense Crystal Lake album yet.

It’s also their most personal, written through a nostalgic lens but always looking to the future, the overarching theme is the passing of time and the impact that being a band can have, how you influence culture and reflect the changing landscape around you, while trying to still be relevant to your fans but also present for your family who often bear the brunt of success. These ideas are present on The Weight Of Sound, it’s Crystal Lake taking stock of how far they’ve come but not resting on past glories, looking toward the next 23 years with eleven new heavy metalcore bangers. 8/10

Death Dealer - Reign Of Steel (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]

Forged in the flame of lockdown and crafted over the next five years Reign Of Steel signals a return from the heavy metal supergroup Death Dealer. The band is the result of the combined powers of vocalist Sean Peck (Cage/Denner Shermann), guitarists Ross “The Boss” Friedman (Manowar/Dictators) and Stu Marshall (Empires Of Eden/Night Legion). They're joined by bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X) and drummer Steve Bolognese (Into Eternity/Ross The Boss) to create the sort of music you could probably guess.

There's not much room for angst or introspection, neither is there much in the way of complexity or multi-genre inclusion. Death Dealer play heavy metal, muscular, macho, chest beating heavy metal, Devil's Triangle brings the influence of both Judas Priest and Manowar (obviously). As thrashy Bloodbath (inspired by the USS Indianapolis) and Dragon Of Algorath see Sean Peck screaming for so long you do have to worry his head will explode Scanners style!

It's not all shredding riffs and lung exploding screams though as Raging Wild And Free, takes the role of the albums ballad, making me think of Saxon. However this is a brief shift, with an album cover (Dusan Markovic) depicting a mechanized future war, Reign Of Steel is all about getting the head banging and your fist in the air. The dual harmonies and light speed shredding of Friedman and Marshall backed by the thick bass of LePond and machine gun percussion of Bolognese, come back on the neo-classical Blast The Highway or the chugging Compelled.

The muscle behind these tracks coming from the production of Marshall and Peck, who give it a thick analogue sound, which picks up every instrument, the mixing and mastering of Chris Themelco fitting the modern retro style Death Dealer strive for. The production is a lot more accessible than on their previous album thankfully and it means that you could definitely call this a return to form for Death Dealer. If you like your metal heavy then you'll love Reign Of Steel, if not then I don't know... leave the hall or something. 7/10

Coronatus - Dreadful Waters (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]

A symphonic metal band featuring two mezzo sopranos, a rock singer and a violin, who span multiple influences and genres, with a new album that is “a dark and ambitious exploration of the mysteries, dangers, and mythic forces of the sea.” This one is going to be a ride if nothing else. Coronatus have been around for long old while and have more ex-members than Megadeth, with only band founder Mats Kurth still leading the band as both drummer and songwriter, sharing the latter role with gritty rock vocalist Brigitte "Nemesis" Kaefer and guitarist Harry Zeidler, both of whom joined the band in 2022.

Perhaps their input has made Kurth stretch a little more in his scope as Dreadful Waters takes many different routes through various musical styles, from the gothic symphonic metal of Nightwish, through heavy German rock, folk metal and Celtic balladry, Dreadful Waters is a record that takes a lot of time to digest properly. What you get out of it really depends on how much you enjoy folk driven gothic/symphonic music that features a traditional rock voice alongside two sopranos.

It can be a bit overwhelming, add to that the complex arrangements and the violin, I did find my enjoyment and my attention wandering as there was an overall similarity between the performances but also a jarring difference between the styles, it was odd and confusing for me and became a slog.

With the pace varying wildly and maybe a little bit too much experimentation, these Dreadful Waters can be a perilous if you don’t come prepared. 6/10