There has to be a one of kind career trajectory for Kris Barras, from cage fighter, to bluesman, to frontman of international blues super group and now the leader of both a hard hitting heavy rock band and a new blues rock sensation, you can't say Kris does anything by halves.
After fronting Supersonic Blues Machine, his solo band (this one) took a more modern and heavier direction on their previous album Death Valley Paradise, perhaps taking some long time fans by surprise but doing what's best for him as an artist by gaining a whole new audience along with a lot of high ranking support slots. In the time between that album and this one he has also launched Hollow Souls to cater for his blues instincts, so Barras now has all bases covered, unless he wants to start a brutal death band!
Splitting his time in this way has meant Monsters We Made goes further into the world of heavy rock and metal, Kris himself saying that he absorbed "influence of modern metal and a resurgent nu-metal scene" which can be heard across this record as track such as Fake, Beautiful Lie, Alive and the title track have the swaggering grooves of Godsmack and Sevendust while Riot Of One, Rewind and End Of Me bring the arena ready tones of Nickelback and Alter Bridge.
Inspired by the loss of his mother to cancer, Monsters We Made is about reclaiming your art and your life as your own without the need for outside influences or validation (rendering any reviews a moot point), rather it's about choosing your own path, which Barras has done with this record, joined once again by producer/guitarist/keyboardist Josiah Manning, bassist Frazer Kerslake and drummer Billy Hammett, this forceful foursome, have defined this new path loudly and proudly on Monsters We Made. 8/10
Mephistofeles - Live In Europe (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Joe Guatieri]
Mephistofeles are an Argentinian band who dance somewhere between psychedelia and Doom Metal. They’ve been going at it for years now, forming back in 2013 and establishing a big discography, full of excess in every single sense of the word.
I came to know them a few years back, after going into 3 AM YouTube rabbit holes on Electric Wizard and Doom, they would always appear in my recommended and their song titles would stick out to me like a sore thumb, just seeing words strung together like Into The Night and Black Sunday at 28 would make me think, what planet is this band on? Then listening to these pieces would make me say to myself, oh they’re in a world of their own as their attack struck a chord with me in its darkness and the wah-wah felt like an angel brushing their magic wand against my ears.
I eventually saw them live during their very first UK and European tour in 2025. It was in my city of Bristol and after a very long day of work and then going to a friend's gig beforehand, prefacing as well that I was completely sober as I was putting on a gig the next day, I was then ready to see Mephistofeles at Lost Horizon. I noticed a huge sense of anticipation in the air and surprise as they were meant to be headlining and yet they were the first band on as they had to catch a flight early that morning.
They came, I saw them and they conquered with their raw and wild energy, very appreciative of being in England for the first time! Their set felt brief but the impact was made on me as I got home in a daze, ecstatic going to bed after a stellar performance like that, having a good sleep on that night. They were an amalgamation of all things heavy, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, meets Black Sabbath, meets Electric Wizard, it could not be a better description for them!
Now in 2026, Mephistofeles bring us Live In Europe which makes a lot of sense, having a very successful tour last year and they are currently on another one as I’m writing this. This record consists of two separate shows, with the same set lists, played in both Barcelona, Spain and Arnhem, in the Netherlands respectively.
Starting off with the Barcelona show, this is exactly what you want to hear from this band. The live mix is perfect, guitars, drums and bass right up front and the vocals behind all of the chaos. It not only makes it an album of theirs, but also present in your room, playing a private show just for you.
Listening to it early in the morning, I couldn’t stop bobbing my head, most grooves caught me in their web completely, to the point where my mother was screaming at me and I couldn’t hear her. The drums were pounding in my ears and the guitars were burying me in their majestic noodlings. I couldn’t pick a song out that meant the most to me here, I just simply put the record on and enjoyed the ride.
The gig in Arnhem however is a more turbulent affair. The mix is laid out differently, the bass lacks the oomph that it had before and the vocals are much more up-front here which for me, doesn't suit the band that well and as a result they lose some sense of mystery, as if anything can happen which is the main draw of the band to me.
In some ways it feels more sloppy, more rough and ready like the band didn’t care how they sounded. Some great solos were pulled off, seemingly out of sheer will but compared to the first performance, they band felt second-rate here, not bad, just serviceable, it doesn’t make me want more, I walk away with the thought of, that was it…
Overall, with Live In Europe, the record is just too long for its own good. As I said before, the Barcelona show put me in a space of comfort and enjoyment but with the Arnhem, I just stared at my watch the entire time with brief highlights which were enjoyable but didn’t last as long as they should. I wanted it to have a Dark Side Of The Moon effect on me where I can be taken on a journey and return back to the same place but with a new feel. Instead I’m seeing the same hills over and over again, in a mixture of déjà vu and ear fatigue. I love Mephistofeles and I can’t wait for the new album, it’s safe to say that this release won’t hold me until then. 7/10
Famous Strangers - Famous Strangers (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Rock n roll doesn't die it just repeats itself, but then it always has and Famous Strangers have a lot of rock n roll experience behind them.
Formed in 2023 but with a lot of history in their local Edmonton scene behind them, Jeff Kittlitz (guitar), Brian "Beej" Beejerson (drums), Braden Sustrik (bass) and Amanda Kiernan (vocals) the transformed into a adrenaline pumping classic rock band inspired by AC/DC, Judas Priest and Halestorm, running through all these influences across 39 minutes of music.
Now I'm always a big proponent that proper hard rock has to have grit to it and Famous Strangers have more grit than a snow plow in the Canadian winter, Amanda's vocals taking the Lzzy Hale-like snarl as they get the engine roaring with Fire Inside, ripped right out of NWOBHM playbook it's a real ripper of an opener, with Ghost Of Men bringing the 80's sleaze quotient, sticking with that decade on the sultry Please Her.
Famous Strangers have knack of shifting between decades and styles, from galloping punk rock on Desires, modern heaviness on As Your Leader, more NWOBHM on Far Away From Home and even some smoky bluesing on final track Rain. Its a testament to their experience that they have delivered a debut that is fully realised, confident in their skills and songwriting, Famous Strangers won't be strangers for too much longer. 7/10
I came to know them a few years back, after going into 3 AM YouTube rabbit holes on Electric Wizard and Doom, they would always appear in my recommended and their song titles would stick out to me like a sore thumb, just seeing words strung together like Into The Night and Black Sunday at 28 would make me think, what planet is this band on? Then listening to these pieces would make me say to myself, oh they’re in a world of their own as their attack struck a chord with me in its darkness and the wah-wah felt like an angel brushing their magic wand against my ears.
I eventually saw them live during their very first UK and European tour in 2025. It was in my city of Bristol and after a very long day of work and then going to a friend's gig beforehand, prefacing as well that I was completely sober as I was putting on a gig the next day, I was then ready to see Mephistofeles at Lost Horizon. I noticed a huge sense of anticipation in the air and surprise as they were meant to be headlining and yet they were the first band on as they had to catch a flight early that morning.
They came, I saw them and they conquered with their raw and wild energy, very appreciative of being in England for the first time! Their set felt brief but the impact was made on me as I got home in a daze, ecstatic going to bed after a stellar performance like that, having a good sleep on that night. They were an amalgamation of all things heavy, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, meets Black Sabbath, meets Electric Wizard, it could not be a better description for them!
Now in 2026, Mephistofeles bring us Live In Europe which makes a lot of sense, having a very successful tour last year and they are currently on another one as I’m writing this. This record consists of two separate shows, with the same set lists, played in both Barcelona, Spain and Arnhem, in the Netherlands respectively.
Starting off with the Barcelona show, this is exactly what you want to hear from this band. The live mix is perfect, guitars, drums and bass right up front and the vocals behind all of the chaos. It not only makes it an album of theirs, but also present in your room, playing a private show just for you.
Listening to it early in the morning, I couldn’t stop bobbing my head, most grooves caught me in their web completely, to the point where my mother was screaming at me and I couldn’t hear her. The drums were pounding in my ears and the guitars were burying me in their majestic noodlings. I couldn’t pick a song out that meant the most to me here, I just simply put the record on and enjoyed the ride.
The gig in Arnhem however is a more turbulent affair. The mix is laid out differently, the bass lacks the oomph that it had before and the vocals are much more up-front here which for me, doesn't suit the band that well and as a result they lose some sense of mystery, as if anything can happen which is the main draw of the band to me.
In some ways it feels more sloppy, more rough and ready like the band didn’t care how they sounded. Some great solos were pulled off, seemingly out of sheer will but compared to the first performance, they band felt second-rate here, not bad, just serviceable, it doesn’t make me want more, I walk away with the thought of, that was it…
Overall, with Live In Europe, the record is just too long for its own good. As I said before, the Barcelona show put me in a space of comfort and enjoyment but with the Arnhem, I just stared at my watch the entire time with brief highlights which were enjoyable but didn’t last as long as they should. I wanted it to have a Dark Side Of The Moon effect on me where I can be taken on a journey and return back to the same place but with a new feel. Instead I’m seeing the same hills over and over again, in a mixture of déjà vu and ear fatigue. I love Mephistofeles and I can’t wait for the new album, it’s safe to say that this release won’t hold me until then. 7/10
Famous Strangers - Famous Strangers (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Rock n roll doesn't die it just repeats itself, but then it always has and Famous Strangers have a lot of rock n roll experience behind them.
Formed in 2023 but with a lot of history in their local Edmonton scene behind them, Jeff Kittlitz (guitar), Brian "Beej" Beejerson (drums), Braden Sustrik (bass) and Amanda Kiernan (vocals) the transformed into a adrenaline pumping classic rock band inspired by AC/DC, Judas Priest and Halestorm, running through all these influences across 39 minutes of music.
Now I'm always a big proponent that proper hard rock has to have grit to it and Famous Strangers have more grit than a snow plow in the Canadian winter, Amanda's vocals taking the Lzzy Hale-like snarl as they get the engine roaring with Fire Inside, ripped right out of NWOBHM playbook it's a real ripper of an opener, with Ghost Of Men bringing the 80's sleaze quotient, sticking with that decade on the sultry Please Her.
Famous Strangers have knack of shifting between decades and styles, from galloping punk rock on Desires, modern heaviness on As Your Leader, more NWOBHM on Far Away From Home and even some smoky bluesing on final track Rain. Its a testament to their experience that they have delivered a debut that is fully realised, confident in their skills and songwriting, Famous Strangers won't be strangers for too much longer. 7/10
Nekrodawn - Covenant Of Carnage (War Anthem Records) [Joe Guatieri]
Nekrodawn are a Death Metal band from Sweden who formed in 2022. The band have a lot of pedigree, there members have been a part of so many other acts before this one, Dreadful Fate and The Crown to name a few, clearly these guys know what they’re doing! Their last record, their debut full-length Sculptured By Torture came out in 2024 and now after a quick turnaround, 2026 brings us Covenant Of Carnage.
The first five tracks provide a very feral outlook, they prioritise speed for the most part with some change I there to keep the metal heads on their toes guessing. There are some hits and misses in this first stretch but it provides a good platform for the rest of the album to build upon.
From track six onwards, it genuinely feels like Nekrodawn's prioritises have a change of heart as the songs have a more atmospheric touch to them with plenty of songs that are locked in to hard hitting grooves that just make you want to band your head aggressively.
The aforementioned track six, Crowned Devourer, shows the band at their very best, it’s my favourite song on Covenant Of Carnage. Its not only catchy but it transcends into something which sounds so regal and operatic within its instrumental. It makes me envision a stage show where the world shown and this is caused by fireworks that won’t stop exploding.
Overall, the listening experience provides one of those rare cases where the LP feels particularly back-loaded, keeping you satisfied throughout its runtime. Nekrodawn has my stamp of approval with Covenant Of Carnage, it’s multi-faceted, well performed and a whole lot of fun. Though Death Metal isn’t typically my cup of tea, there’s something about Covenant Of Carnage that makes me come back for seconds. 7/10
Nekrodawn are a Death Metal band from Sweden who formed in 2022. The band have a lot of pedigree, there members have been a part of so many other acts before this one, Dreadful Fate and The Crown to name a few, clearly these guys know what they’re doing! Their last record, their debut full-length Sculptured By Torture came out in 2024 and now after a quick turnaround, 2026 brings us Covenant Of Carnage.
The first five tracks provide a very feral outlook, they prioritise speed for the most part with some change I there to keep the metal heads on their toes guessing. There are some hits and misses in this first stretch but it provides a good platform for the rest of the album to build upon.
From track six onwards, it genuinely feels like Nekrodawn's prioritises have a change of heart as the songs have a more atmospheric touch to them with plenty of songs that are locked in to hard hitting grooves that just make you want to band your head aggressively.
The aforementioned track six, Crowned Devourer, shows the band at their very best, it’s my favourite song on Covenant Of Carnage. Its not only catchy but it transcends into something which sounds so regal and operatic within its instrumental. It makes me envision a stage show where the world shown and this is caused by fireworks that won’t stop exploding.
Overall, the listening experience provides one of those rare cases where the LP feels particularly back-loaded, keeping you satisfied throughout its runtime. Nekrodawn has my stamp of approval with Covenant Of Carnage, it’s multi-faceted, well performed and a whole lot of fun. Though Death Metal isn’t typically my cup of tea, there’s something about Covenant Of Carnage that makes me come back for seconds. 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment