London heavy metal brigade Neuronspoiler return with their fourth album The House Always Wins and its definitely a win for anyone who likes their heavy metal from that classic school. With three records behind them, the band have quite a pedigree on the UK scene and you hear their experience in every single moment of The House Always Wins.
It's classic heavy metal with a modern freshness, inspired by the likes of Maiden, Priest, Queensyche and even some of the sleazier acts on the heavy metal scene. The opening bounce of Crazy Love and the muscular balladry of a Hundered Years are both dressed in 80's finery with a Sunset Strip strut, a style that is very prominent on this fourth record as Witness and Barren Soil have the drama of Queensyche as New Thing meanwhile is pure pop metal pomp.
Thankfully for anyone who wants to bang their head there's the likes of Spoils Of War and Ascend To Death to get the neck moving at pace the cutting through slicker sound with good old fashioned thrashing while the lumbering, Manilla Road-like Crimson Tales will make sure the fans of the slower side of metal are catered for, showcasing a wide array so styles here but never moving too far from the foundations of heavy metal.
Neuronspoiler then bring more British metal clout on album four, playing a winning hand for the most part. 7/10
More - Destructor (Warhead Music)
More come from the early days of NWOBHM, the London based band were contemporaries of Iron Maiden on the London scene forming in 1979, they like all the bands who never quite reached Maiden's size have had a bit of potted history.
More come from the early days of NWOBHM, the London based band were contemporaries of Iron Maiden on the London scene forming in 1979, they like all the bands who never quite reached Maiden's size have had a bit of potted history.
Several hiatus, reformations, new names and many new members, however in the mid 10's they seemed fully ready to return, reverting back to the More name after a few years under a similar guise.
They were also joined Chris Tsangarides a man who has production credits as long as your arm, including Judas Priest's Sad Wings Of Destiny and Painkiller, Anvil's Metal On Metal, Thin Lizzy's Thunder And Lightning and Black Sabbath's Eternal Idol. His name will be known to anyone with more than a passing interest in the history of the British heavy metal scene and I made a special trip to find the bench dedicated to him in Regents Park.
With him on guitar and behind the desk, More began to record their third ever album Destructor, however tragedy struck when Chris passed away at 61 years old in 2018, this of course was a huge blow for the band however he had completed the production and the mix on the album before his death, so why it's taken nearly nearly 10 years to release I don't know.
They were also joined Chris Tsangarides a man who has production credits as long as your arm, including Judas Priest's Sad Wings Of Destiny and Painkiller, Anvil's Metal On Metal, Thin Lizzy's Thunder And Lightning and Black Sabbath's Eternal Idol. His name will be known to anyone with more than a passing interest in the history of the British heavy metal scene and I made a special trip to find the bench dedicated to him in Regents Park.
With him on guitar and behind the desk, More began to record their third ever album Destructor, however tragedy struck when Chris passed away at 61 years old in 2018, this of course was a huge blow for the band however he had completed the production and the mix on the album before his death, so why it's taken nearly nearly 10 years to release I don't know.
It's also not the best record in the world, good when they stick to some galloping NWOBHM and even when they lean into the likes of Y&T and AC/DC-like pub rock but there are a few tracks that are best left ignored. Destructor then is for NWOBHM completests and fans of Chris Tsangarides', though his legacy lies elsewhere, there's lots to appreciate here at least. 7/10
Serpent Gates - The Veil Of Darkness (Venomoon Records)
If your kids want you to buy Iron Maiden tickets then you can always tell them you have Iron Maiden at home, especially if it's The Veil Of Darkness from Serpent Gates as singer Antony Parviainen is a dead ringer for the Air Raid siren himself.
Oddly he also seems to be listed as a "guest" on this debut record, but it looks as if he's the full time singer of the band now which will be a massive boon to the Finnish classic metal band which was formed by Sami Tapola (bass), Juho Hakalax (drums) and Tuomas Västilä (guitars), the instrumental trio that are responsible for the brilliant heavy metal sound on this debut.
Now I said Iron Maiden at the beginning and there's of course a lot of influence from them, but the more recent Maiden output, Brave New World onwards, with the dramatic thrashy sound of Bruce's solo stuff coming through as well (Down The Cross). However they can throw it back with the horror themed Night Creeper, which would fit perfectly on No Prayer For The Dying/Fear Of The Dark where Maiden embraced horror movies.
We're on to a winner with Metamorphosis which has all the gallops in the right places while the groove locks in on the Tolkien inspired The Beast With The Seven Heads, both setting the pace for the record before The Veil Of Darkness moves into a mid-pace anthem, the cinematics come on Sanctimonious as this and The Goblet Of Tears bring a flair for the dark and dramatic.
Maidenesque metal from this Finnish foursome, The Veil Of Darkness is a strong beginning for Serpent Gates. 8/10
Ravenspell - Obsidian King (Fighter Records)
With a line up that includes, Alisander The Seer (vocals), Ravok Blackwing (guitars), Corvax Crowhammer (bass) and Volpale The Ravenous (drums), I think it's pretty easy to guess what a band called freaking Ravenspell will be bringing to the (D&D) table with Obsidian King.
Strongly leaning on the NWOTHM sound that has is still going strong despite lasting almost as long as the NWOBHM did. Wrapped in mysticism and fantasy storytelling, the Canadian band invite you to join the Black Feather Legion with their debut album of darkened speed metal that has the bite and distorted riffs of members that have spent time in the black metal scene, all of the band having done time in league with Satan.
Lyrically here as well they're obsessed with the occult and the arcane as Book Of The Dead gets groovy with inspiration from Army Of Darkness (Hail To The King Baby!), but there's more standard speed metal inspiration in the shape of wars, battle and Attilla The Hun, the main course of lyrical fascination. As well as Ravens, lots of Ravens!
What Ravenspell do well on their debut is bring a bit of variation to the NWOTHM blueprint, a bit of speed metal ferocity and some symphonic tones as well. Come to the throne of the Obsidian King and bang thy head. 8/10
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