Reviews: Nicklas Sonne, Defenders Of The Faith, Wanted, Mario Vayne (Matt Bladen)

Nicklas Sonne - Electric Dreams (Frontiers Music Srl)

The leader of Danish metal band Defacto and a member of Frontiers band Aries Descendant along with Pyramaze member Jonah Weingarten, Sonne is a multi-instrumentalist staring out as drummer before moving to being a guitarist and vocalist for most of the projects he involves in. 

Here he shows off his virtuosity on all instruments and as a singer too paying homage to the bands he grew up with, as he takes cues from 80's hard rock and heavy metal but with a modern rock punch, Route 65 for instance is a takes things down to the Sunset Strip via a 21st Century sheen, Limitless another speedy metal offering while the title track gathers a bit of sleaze. 

However on Electric Dreams, Nicklas mainly approaches things from a very modern side. For instance Shadows In Between and A Woman's World comes from the likes of a band such as Shinedown and Nickelback, while Epic Song is exactly what it says it is a radio baiting single which goes a bit Imagine Dragons, as Helldivers Anthem is a blistering theme to the Sci-Fi videogame Helldivers. The varying genres on this record make for an eclectic listen but may jar with some. 7/10

Defenders Of The Faith - Odes To The Gods (Adulruna)

Swedish band Therion has been the main band for mastermind Christopher Johnsson for years now but he is no stranger to a side project, the last one was gothic/pop/occult rock thing Luciferian Light Orchestra but his new one is Defenders Of The Faith, named for the Judas Priest album, it's a massive homage to classic heavy metal, the 80's glory days of bands like Priest, Maiden, Accept, Ozzy or Scorpions, twin axe attacks, powerful vocals, galloping rhythms and melodic choruses. 

Johnsson has said that this will be studio only project so it means that he can throw anything he wants at it, be it some AOR synths, some strings or other 'Easter Eggs' from the 80's music scene that litter this record. Joining Christofer in the band are members of Therion and Luciferian Light Orchestra, Christian Vidal on guitars, Nalle Påhlsson on bass, Sami Karppinen on drums and Thomas Vikström on vocals, so we basically have Therion goes 80's in play, which is no bad thing as all the musicians have a high level of skill to play music that's tribute to heavy metal's most fertile period. 

While there's no chance of these songs being played live, this record will keep you coming back. 7/10

Wanted - Cutting Edge (Eonian Records)

Another load of Detroit muscle as Wanted return with some vintage heavy rocking from the mid-80's think of Dokken, Skid Row, Turbo-era Priest and some Scorpions creeping in as well. It's sleazy street metal with screaming vocals and anthemic choruses from Sterling Primeau, shredtastic lead guitars from Alan Mares and a rhythm section of Christian Shonts (guitar), Paul Slezak (bass), and Chris Rajt (drums) that swagger on Override, slither on Power and bring those sounds of the mid-80's.

The name of the game here is dynamism, Cutting Edge is the sound of Wanted evolving their sound, shifting into balladry in Chained To Your Love while they spread their wings from their speed metal beginnings into some sleaze, glam and hair metal influences the album combining multiple parts of the American metal scene, with the youthful exuberance of a band only in their 20's.

It feels as if they're defining what they want to be, when there's plenty of bands who are hooked on the NWOBHM style, this Detroit group make sure this engine is purring and the pistons are pumping on Cutting Edge, grab the hairspray and your air guitar in preparation. 7/10

Mario Vayne - The Moment (Self Released)

Australian Mario Vayne is clearly a huge fan of bands such as Def Leppard and Bon Jovi, melodic hard rock with some strutting guitars, keyboard stabs and big vocal hooks, he says that he's inspired by the likes of Cheap Trick, The Sweet et al but then Joe Elliot is famously a massive The Sweet fan so there's crossover there. 

The album is well performed and has some anthemic rock tracks such as Sorry Ain't Enough but they pick up pace with cuts like Diamond and Diary Of A Heart while Trust is a perfect Def Leppard-like ballad that slow burns. Mario Vayne is a Queensland based singer/guitarist who has been performing since he was a child and now is showcasing his talents to the world with The Moment. 

If you're a melodic rock fan or indeed a lover of the bands I talked about earlier then you'll like this, Vayne a great musician however for me there is one too many slower paced tracks on what should be a rock album. 6/10

Reviews: Gaupa, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Bleak Picture, Solitary Bleed (Rich Piva & Mark Young)

Gaupa - Fyr (Nuclear Blast Records/Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

Swedish band Gaupa probably get board hearing how vocalist Emma Näslund sounds like Bjork, so let’s just get this out of the way. She does, so let’s all deal with it, because Gaupa is one of the coolest bands out there, blending all sorts of musical inspiration into their version of stoner/psych rock. You get some folk, you get some soul, some 90s alt rock, you get all sorts of good stuff, but for this release, you get (only) four tracks of more Gaupa goodness on the mini album, Fyr.

All four tracks on Fyr are killer, but what would you expect from one of the best bands in the scene today? Lion’s Thorn starts it off, with the band sounding great and the production just at the level of clean that makes me still feel comfortable. Näslund vocals are killer as usual, and if the Sugarcubes decided to rock this would be their opening track too. The guitar crunches and the mid-tempo rocker kicks us off with a building anticipation of what’s to come next. Heavy Lord picks up the pace a bit, and reminds me of a heavy 90s alt rocker that would have had some radio airplay for sure without the band ever being called a sellout. 

Dual guitars open up Ten Of Twelve and bring us a jerky tempo to start until Gaupa shows that they would be 100% capable of getting an entire arena clapping and singing along. The frantic opening of Elastic Sleep closes the record out, and is the least straight forward and biggest track on Fyr, with the sound taking over the room. The eight-plus minute track is one of the band’s best yet, even if you cannot escape the inevitable Bjork comparisons that come across strongest on this track, but this doesn’t distract from how awesome it is.

There is zero reason why Gaupa doesn’t take the next step as a band in popularity, similar to what Messa did with their new record this year. This is just an EP however, and to make that move we are going to need the next full length, but as a bridge to that the four tracks on Fyr kick ass and highlight how cool and exciting Gaupa is as a band on the rise. 8/10

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Celebrating 50 Years - Live At The Ryman (Frontiers Music Srl) [Rich Piva]

Who knows what would have been if the plane crash in 1977 never happened. Would Lynyrd Skynyrd be considered one of if not the greatest American rock band of all time? Would they have put out five more close to perfect records like the first five before the tragedy. Would they have gone on to play the state fair circuit (kind of like they still do)? Or would the hard living band burned out and/or faded away? Who knows. 

It is pretty cool that some version of the band has existed all this time though, because Skynyrd has some amazing songs and they deserve to be celebrated as they are on the new live record, Celebrating 50 Years - Live At The Ryman. We get 15 songs with the current incarnation of the band, with Johnny Van Zant still on vocals and closest to original member Rickey Medlocke still in the band in some capacity. There is an existential question as to if this is truly Lynyrd Skynyrd, but let’s forget that for now and enjoy these amazing songs.

There are some champions of the legacy of Skynyrd, and a few of them like Jelly Roll and Brent Smith of Shinedown show up on here, but don’t let that chase you away. The band sounds tight, almost too good, but the songs are so great it doesn’t really matter. You get all the hits, a couple deep cuts, but if you are a fan, you probably could have written the set list, with the obvious closer of Freebird taking up its usual 12-15 minutes. So yeah, enjoy it if you like these songs.

It is cool the band still exists, and it is nice they did a celebration for this anniversary, but besides the couple of listens to review it, I am not sure why I, or really anyone, would have this record in any kind of rotation. The guests are cool, the nostalgia is nice, and the songs are all amazing. Why not have a live record to remember the show? Celebrating 50 Years - Live At The Ryman is a couple listen and catalog type record that will make you pull out your OG Skynyrd vinyl and wonder what if? 6/10

The Bleak Picture - Shades Of Life (Ardua Music) [Mark Young]

The clue is in the name, as this is one of those releases that isn’t immediate and takes its time in unfolding its cloak of oppression before it truly gets under your skin. For me, it took a while for me to get it, and even as I’m typing this up, I am not completely sure how I feel about it, even at this late stage. Shades Of Life has, for all intents and purposes one approach, one speed that is consistently used from Plagued By Sorrow through Without The I into the closing piece that is City Of Ghosts. 

It is an album that urges the listener to reflect, using introspection to provide an experience that is a combination of melodies that lean into the darker side with heavy atmospheric touch that pervades every song on here. The tag (one of many associated with them) of melodic death doom metal is one that I wholeheartedly agree with and I don’t think I’ve ever heard an album that truly matches with a description such as this, it is absolutely bang on.

Plagued By Sorrow is the opener, and if you are expecting an explosive start then you haven’t been reading. This is set in classic doom territory where pace is not most important thing. Its set up is simple, but the embellishment around that set up give it’s the life it needs to make it as expansive as it is. The key is the efficient way in which they put everything together. In just one song they show you what to expect on the following six tracks, its just the way they deliver it that varies from song to song. 

This isn’t material that will excite those who lean more into the faster, aggressive side of the genre. That’s just an honest appraisal of the material but if you appreciate that slower, emotionally driven material then you will get on with this. Absolution has this blinding melody line that runs through it and it is just fantastic. 

Again, simplicity is the order of the day here, but the way that they deploy those melodic touches, the heavy and light attacks is top level. It just so happens that they are able to repeat that trick from one track to the next, so although the songs are undeniably good for me, they need a burst of energy to provide a level of separation. 

Without The I does have that and its shows that if the mood takes them, they can inject a little venom into their music. Don’t be fooled into thinking that there aren’t any riffs on here, they take good care of that requirement and Without The I does represent a more progressively paced track that still allows them to throw those melodic lines about with consummate ease.

From a personal perspective I wished for more like Without... on here, whilst being able to appreciate the power that the other tracks held. Silent Exit, their penultimate track is also the longest on here and runs for nearly 11 minutes and does have an epic feel but at the same time its build feels that it is stretched too far. 

I think that doom fans will lap this up, as will those from the goth-metal community as it is a massive song but one that is really in need of that injection of oomph to it. City Of Ghosts decides it wants to up that doom ante with a spoken word (albeit growled) piece over a sparse arrangement that suddenly expands with layers being added as its clock runs down.

In the end, it is a very good piece of work that is consistent and shows an unwavering focus on what they believe their music should sound like. There are no sudden or jarring moments, nothing thrown in unless it works within the context of that song and I applaud that ethic. However, I think that you have to really be a fan of this music in general, to favour the slower approach over the more energetic side of extreme music. 

The merits are plain to see and is probably one of the best releases of 2025 so far. In terms of a score, it is difficult because I feel that someone who prefers the doom genre more than me would give it a higher mark whilst those like me whose staple diet is the aggressive side of things might not. All things considered it is a deserved 8/10

Ceremony - Solitary Bleed (No Dust) [Mark Young]

And now a touch of Dutch death metal with slight orchestral overtones and an eye for the epic as my July starts with a near scorcher. Solitary Bleed maybe wait about 15 or so seconds before the blue touch paper is lit and you are advised to stand well back. 

Via Dolorosa boots in and has one speed – Rapid, it’s the sound of a band in need to flatten all that is in front of it with a mixture of the guttural vocals and carpet bomb style drumming. Those little classical touches are adorned here and there, just enough to add where required without detracting from the aggressive onslaught served up. It’s the sort of opener that every album that purports to be death metal, at least in the modern age should start with. No quarter and no prisoners taken and no melodic interludes. 

This is followed up by the no less aggressive Only Our Blood, which instead of a constant pummel its riffs are offered in a stop/start fashion to really give them room to breathe. Sonically, it’s on point with each instrument balanced nicely so those lows come through. Its tight and the guitar sound Is suitably set up so those low-end riffs are crushing whilst the speed work has a clarity to it. 

Bull Of Phalaris continues the rapid work set in motion and whilst I’m here for that there is a nagging suspicion that this could be a one-note affair. The song itself saves itself from being that with a middle section that lets the piano in as well as an arrangement that could almost be described as light (instead of dark, have a listen and you will get what I mean) and as they return to normal service the orchestral side is given more headroom and in turn expands their sound further. So far, the opening three tracks have been top class and certainly represent a high level of quality against what I’ve heard this year so far.

The title track, Solitary Bleed drops the tempo and brings in Linda Van Vugt to give it a well-timed change in approach. The vocal performance is full on, degrading with levels of grit that sets it apart from similar music. The central build to this allows the supporting parts to drop in and out – machine gun double bass, piano and strings that build into a massive riff out. 

Being honest, the conceit isn’t new but its done here with a fine sense of style which gives it that added punch. Things drop off a little as Embrace Inferno seems to take an age to get started and some of that momentum built up dissipates. Its decent, keeping that solid riffing / double bass going but it would have hit a lot harder had they dropped straight into it and made it one of those short stabs of metal goodness. 

It represents a lost opportunity and one that seems to bleed into the next track, Rites Of Sacrifice which goes down the route of a theatrical start, something that reminds me of the Omen films (not the main theme) which again is fine but takes up a minute or so before it starts. Possessed of a slower speed it doesn’t add anything new to what has been heard on here before in that tempos are shaken up but without the impact of the songs before them and it feels like we have slipped into a pattern now, with The Poison Cup following the markers laid down by Embrace and Rites by using an orchestral start that is attempting to bring more of classical and as a by-product epic feel to it. 

The problem is that they have repeated that trick three times with diminishing returns and the track, once it gets going is ok. If you are going to do this you have to make sure that it’s the best thing you have ever written because my interest is waning. Luckily, Pestis Bacteria starts on the front foot, with piano looming large and has more of that immediate oomph to it that was missing earlier. 

The build is also different on this one, with a change in direction that is spot on. The ever-present double bass is there, as is the backing strings and gives them some of that energy back. The arrangement itself unfolds at a satisfying rate and puts them back on course, one I hope they now stay on. 

So, obviously they drop an instrumental interlude in Ludicium Mortis which detracts from the good work made by Pestis. What it does do is segue into Stoning Commenced. This is the last statement on here, except the orchestral version of Bull Of Phalaris and it needs to absolutely batter you. It represents what they do very well, the balancing act of brutal metal and melody in full effect.

Its very much an album of peaks and troughs. The high points are very high, the first four songs are absolute belters but that reliance on using the overlong intro arrangements bites into the overall effect and lessens their impact of these later tracks. Ultimately, I’m disappointed that they couldn’t keep the momentum going for the full album. 6/10

Reviews: Wytch Hazel, Our North, Leonov, Matt Pearce & The Mutiny (Matt Bladen)

Wytch Hazel - V: Lamentations (Bad Omen Records)

The glorious metal tunes of Wytch Hazel have been exciting even the most hardened heathen for nearly 15 years now, their Medieval styling and NWOBHM influence carries a strong spiritual message of hope and healing and along with long time producer Ed Turner they create a sonic soundscape that borrows from 80's bands such as Saxon, Iron Maiden and some 70's sounds of Rainbow.

Colin Hendra credits Ed's involvement as being their 'fith Beatle' he listens to the music and make sure it's much more layered than perhaps many bands that still play this NWOBHM sound. This record was written just after Sacrament was released in 2023 but Colin has had health issues between them and now which pushed the finish date further away.

But although it was physically and mentally exhausting, it was the music itself that pulled him out of this funk, though some divine intervention was probably present during the writing as Colin seems to have a a wealth of material at all times. Much of which carries his most personal lyrics to-date as he dealt with his health issues.

I Lament begins the album from this dark place, a galloping rhythm hiding the darker lyrics but if you listen you can feel his pain, as the album continues though we're brought through another record of jubilant heavy metal praise where old friendships are reignited, original drummer Aaron Hay rejoining the band on this record to keep the beat alongside Hendra, Alex Haslam (guitar) and Andy Shackleton (bass).

The foursome locking down the likes of Run The Race, Elements and Racing Forwards, and while there's folk on The Citadel, The Demon Within and Elixir to keep the bardic moments strong on this fifth album, resulting in a difficult but impressive new album from Wytch Hazel. 9/10

Our North - Everyone For Themselves EP (Self Released)

The second EP from Sheffield bruisers Our North brings more alt-metalcore to the ring with 6 tracks of modern heavy music, electronics twitch, guitars are technical but rabid while the vocals snarl and intertwine with a double delivery of harsh/clean.

Inspired very obviously by BMTH, While She Sleeps and Northlane they merge metalcore with trap style rapping on Choked To Death, and Everyone For Themselves, making for similarities to Hacktivist, where the bars are spat and breakdowns are numerous.

Whether you like this EP is all dependent on whether that sounds fun to you, do you like this nu-metal revival? Well then Our North will be you're new favourite band, if the thought of a Professor Green fronting BMTH makes you shudder then you'll probably want to avoid Everyone For Themselves.

No amount of complex/personal lyrical concepts or crossover musical styles will change your mind if it's not your thing but Our North do nu-metal brimming with pulsating electronics and rapid fire vocals and if you want it come get it. 7/10

Leonov - Shape Of Ash EP (Pelagic Records)

Named after the first human to walk in space, Leonov have been developing their galactic post rock wandering for around 15 years and their new EP is another four tracks of ethereal soundscapes and slow burning intensity. Fronted by the hushed, beguiling and often pained vocals and ominous organ of Tåran Reindal, she’s spectral and affecting, duetting beautifully with fellow Norwegian singer Syvert Feed (Jake Ziah) on the open chord dreamscape of Bygg En Menneskekropp. 

Reindal is referred to a lot as having similarities to Julie Christmas and you can hear that on the title track for sure, though she has her own uniqueness, the band behind her captivating with their ability to build and release, the album itself thematically inspired by the idea of flames as purification, the serenity of being burnt to the ashes only the organ the, repeating riff, then the explosion of volume, as if ascending to another realm, the care given to each individual instrument a masterstroke in the recording studio as each was recorded individually so could fully invoke what they intended to. 

Shape Of Ash is a precursor to a new full length but it’s an easy way to enter the musical canvas of Leonov, colossal heaviness puncturing ethereal meandering, let Shape Of Ash ensnare you with it’s beauty. 8/10

Matt Pearce & The Mutiny - Soul Food Served Live (Self- Release)

When Scottish guitarist and member of rockers Voodoo Six, Matt Pearce went out on tour in support of his Amazon Blues Chart topping album Soul Food Store, he recorded the shows in anticipation of a live album but the recordings on the To The Moon Tour turned out better than he could have expected, his full band firing on all cylinders capturing their on stage fire with a strong setlist of blues rockers and soulful moments, the sax parping, the drums propulsive, the vocals harmonic and oozing with style and the guitar unrestrained and cooking up this Soul Food on gas! 

The band here, except for co-vocalist Daliah are totally different to the one that appeared on the records, Pearce keeping his live band as a separate entity, so they add a new edge to these tracks, imbuing them with plenty of funk, a key element in starting this Mutiny, but at the core this is live record of a shit hot blues rock band kicking out the jams and hooking in to every groove. 

You can hear the audience loving every minute of it, clapping along, cheering every song while the band have an energy to them, it’s almost like they’re just itching to play these songs, cranking them out a quickly and as furiously as they can to maximise their stage size, after the introductions they conclude the show with a speedy cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Oh Well sealing their blues rock credentials. 

A band of top draw musicians led by a seasoned pro playing funky blues rock to a receptive crowd, Soul Food Served Live will make you hungry for your own meal with Matt Pearce & The Mutiny. 8/10

A View From The London Stadium: Iron Maiden (Spike)

Iron Maiden – Run For Your Lives Tour, London Stadium 28.06.25

The evening kicked off with The Raven Age (6), technically tight and ambitious, the guitars and timing were spot-on. Yet, they seemed slightly daunted by the scale of 75,000 Maiden (despite featuring a Maiden offspring) fans who were filling up the venue. Between songs they paused to chat, perhaps attempting connection, but it felt more like overcorrection: less showcasing talent, more proving they belonged. Still, the crowd responded with enthusiasm to every note and foraying solo.

Next up: Halestorm (7). These are seasoned performers, clearly loved by the audience, and many guitar changes seem to fit their fanbase’s interest. They rallied the crowd effortlessly, even though hard rock isn’t usually my thing. Props to Lzzy Hale who led their set confidently, earning their moment under the spotlight.

Steve Harris’ beloved home ground, West Ham’s London Stadium was packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Flags and tees spanning seven to seventy had gathered not just for a gig, but for a celebration of 50 years of Iron Maiden (9). That felt palpable before the first chord.

Following the taped intro of Doctor Doctor into The Ides Of March, the band launched straight into Murders In The Rue Morgue, a live rarity which I was told was last played twenty years ago. That opening was a statement: familiar, fierce, and ferociously eager. And the band were stalked on stage by a ten foot Eddie who was met by a massive roar from the crowd. From there, they ripped into Wrathchild, Killers, and Phantom Of The Opera with laser-sharp execution. The crowd was roaring from the first chord and the spectacle had only begun.

The fifth song in, The Number Of The Beast still hit like an encore moment by was dropped mid-set. The hushed synchronised recitation of its intro by 75,000 voices felt, frankly, electric. Bruce’s delivery was as controlled and commanding as I’ve heard, older but unmistakably powerful.

The middle stretch The Clairvoyant, Powerslave, 2 Minutes To Midnight, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner hit like a pressure wave. Each track has its own emotional gravity and carried the full weight of the homecoming narrative: almost every track here is a fan favourite for a reason. Bruce, Adrian, Dave, Janick, and Steve played with razor focus, and Simon Dawson (filling in for retired Nicko McBrain) was both precise and propulsive.

The encore Aces High, Fear Of The Dark, Wasted Years closed the night with familiar anthems. Cover-to-cover, the band didn’t look like artists going through the motions. That energy and engagement reaffirmed why Maiden remain one of the best stadium acts.

From my vantage point, the sound was the best I’ve ever heard at one of their stadium shows. Stadium acoustics can be weird with delays, muddy mixes but here the mix was punchy and well balanced: Bruce cut through clearly, guitar layers were defined, and the rhythm section had palpable presence.

There was a moment that stood out. Not a song specifically, but a crowd-wide compliance with Maiden’s no-phone policy. The band asked for minimal screens so everyone could be there. I took one picture and that was it. East London were lit by genuine presence, not phone screens.

This wasn’t just a concert. That roofless stadium, packed with 75,000 of your closest metal-head mates, chanting in unison, bouncing to every beat. It felt communal. Festivals are shared moments; gigs are experiences. But there’s something truly something about a giant stadium packed for one band’s homecoming at the 50-year mark. You could feel the history, the pride, the connection.

Iron Maiden at London Stadium was a triumph on every level: setlist, execution, and setting. It was a band at their peak performing to a city that helped birth them. The show hit all the marks: deep cuts, anthems, old-school rarities, and timeless choruses. The pace never slackened, the performances were tight, and the sound was stellar.

Festivals are energy. Local gigs are intimacy. But this, this was legacy.
Shared by tens of thousands, rooted in home soil, and delivered by a band that’s still defining what it means to be alive in heavy metal.

A perfect night in East London. Well if you ignored stadium beer prices and the cost of 50th anniversary merch but you can't have everything.

A View From The Bowl: Forever Now Festival (Tony Gaskin)

Forever Now Festival - The National Bowl, Milton Keynes 22.06.25



Today's adventure saw us travel down to the National Bowl in Milton Keynes for the inaugural Forever Now Festival. He was described as being a festival celebrating the style, fashion and music of the post punk years of the early 80s onwards.

There were two stages to choose from and choose you had to do as there were many overlaps of the bands, which wasn’t helped by the technical problems on the second stage (The Other Stage) throughout the days causing delays and sets being cut short!

But onto the bands we did manage to see and first up was Kirk Brandon and his Theatre Of Hate band opening up The Other Stage. This stage was set up on what I can only assume is normally a car park, the hard packed chalky flint surface was not easy to traverse if you had mobility issues and it was incredibly dry and dusty, not helped by the very windy conditions! That aside we got to enjoy a half hour of classics, Original Sin and Westworld the pick of the bunch. 

First decision of the day, stick around for John McKay (Siouxsie And The Banshees) and his band Reactor or walk over to the Forever Now stage for Berlin. We chose to stick around, which was unfortunate because this was where things started going wrong! They were extremely late going on and only got to play 20 minutes. The sound for the first song was awful, but it did get better as they went on, they did three Banshees songs, Mirage, Staircase Mystery and Hong Kong Garden along with a couple of Reactor songs. I saw enough to make me want to go and see them again.

We then moved over to The Forever Now stage for the next couple of bands. First of these were The Chameleons. These were a band that passed me by back in the 80’s, I think I saw them as a bit of a rip off of Joy Division/Echo And The Bunnymen at the time with Swamp Thing the only song I ever really got on with. But I did them an injustice, Mark Burgess has a great voice and the songs are dark and intense. They played a couple off the upcoming new album and I quite enjoyed them so will check that out and probably dive into their back catalogue, I’m not averse to putting my hand up and admitting I was wrong about a band!

Staying on the main stage and the main draw for me, one of my all time favourite bands and the one I was most looking forward to seeing, The Psychedelic Furs. They didn’t disappoint. Opening up with the appropriately topical President Gas taken from 1982s Forever Now (get the festival name now?), I was suddenly 18 again and it was quite emotional if I’m honest. Brothers Richard (vocals) and Tim (bass) Butler have still got the swagger and intensity that made them such an enigmatic and powerful band back in the day. 

They could have played all day for all I cared, but alas they only got a 45 minute slot, but they packed it full of some of my favourites, Heaven, Mr Jones Love My Way Pretty In Pink but it was the intro to the last song of the set that really got me in the feels! Those slowly building chords, shimmering cymbals and single drum beat suddenly exploding into the tribal drums and jangly guitars could only mean one thing, India What a way to finish, the crowd were ecstatic and it really felt like we were at a festival at last.

We were still only halfway through the day, but I was exhausted after that set, but we had to make a dash back over to The Other Stage to see Mr Lydon and PiL. If ever a band was put on the wrong stage, then this was it, the area in front of the stage was rammed all the way back to pretty much the entrance into this area. Lydon was in fine form in his trademark oversize suit and spiky orange hair. Another victim of the gremlins of stage two, we still managed to get a raucous set from them. 

We arrived during the second song Know Now which was followed by the collaboration with Time Zone World Destruction. We also had the surprise addition of his version of the Leftfield track Open Up with the bass making the ground shake! There was a suitably angry end to the set with the crowd getting into the spirit with Rise and Chant. Love him or loathe him, the man can put on a show.

Strangely, The Happy Mondays had been added to this bill, but they do love to party and the crowd were well and truly ready for one after Pil’s set. From the anger of Lydon to the happy rave vibes of Ryder and Co, it was an inspired billing to be honest, the crowd loved it singing along to Loose Fit and Hallelujah and Step On Again they were cut short, although this didn’t stop them from trying to carry on!

Leaving the chaos of stage two behind we made our way back to main stage for Debby’s highlight of the day, Billy Idol. He may be of pensionable age but he still has boundless energy and loves nothing more than being on stage. He kicks off with his tongue in cheek new song Still Dancing very trade mark Billy rock ‘n’ roll. The set is a mix of new/recent stuff with a few classics thrown in to keep the die hards happy. The new stuff actually sits nicely alongside the big hits, latest song Too Much Fun echoes 1983’s Blue Highway with its biographical elements whilst the anthemic 77 resonates with the much loved Rebel Yell but of course it’s the encore of White Wedding that everyone was waiting for!

With the second stage running so late, we were hoping to catch more of The Damned than we thought we would. Well, we were hoping to but we got there just in time to see New Rose before they were rudely cut off as they started Neat Neat Neat. Ah well, at least we’ve got tickets to see them at their 50th anniversary gig in London next year!

I don’t really like to sound negative and to keep harping on about the second stage shenanigans but decided to give The The a miss and hang around for The Jesus And Mary Chain. This was a mistake as it took an interminably long time to get them on stage.

Jim Reid was obviously not happy with the situation, explaining it would be a very short set through no fault of their own (which is ironic in a way because those of us who remember those early JaMC gigs will know that they were often chaotic and as short as 15 mins!)

That being said they did manage to pack in eight songs, including April Skies, Some Candy Talking and Just Like Honey And for the first time that day, the sound was actually pretty good!

The other band I was excited to see today (and yet another that should have been on the main stage imo) was Death Cult. Astbury came on with a hammer saying he’s been fixing stuff! Fortunately as they were the last band on, they pretty much had a full time slot despite going on over half an hour later than the original scheduled time. Thankfully the sound continued to be good, they kicked off Ghost Dance followed by Christians and Gods Zoo before dipping into the later Cult stuff with Resurrection Joe and Spirit Walker. Astbury was sublime, he’s always been a brilliant frontman and his buddy, Billy Duffy can play that gorgeous white Gretsch Falcon like no one else. His tone is unmistakable.

Death Cult was a short lived project before morphing into The Cult, but the small body of work from this period is my personal favourite so it was great to hear all these songs after so long. Horse Nation made the hairs stand up and Moya is as relevant today as it was then. Throw in those early Cult tracks and we had a near perfect set. They had to finish with She Sells Sanctuary of course, the only omission for me was A Flower In The Desert but what a fantastic nostalgia trip!

Unfortunately due to the late start to Death Cult’s set, we pretty much missed all of Kraftwerk on the main stage, a bitter sweet end to the day as we got to see the full set of Death Cult, but I’d have like to have caught at least half of Kraftwerks set.

An all day event that has got lots of potential to be an annual event, but they do need to sort out the second stage.

On the plus side, we were looked after, it was easy to get our passes and all the security and staff we encountered were very helpful and friendly. I do hope it goes ahead next year with all the feedback taken on board. Overall a 7/10

Reviews: Black Majesty, Warlord, Fer De Lance, Iron Echo (Matt Bladen)

Black Majesty - Oceans Of Black (Scarlet Records)

Aussie power metal veterans a Black Majesty return with Oceans Of Black. It's their eighth album and doesn't stray too far from their tried and tested method of twin guitars, huge vocals and melodies galore, it's from the darker side of the power metal style with nods to the Germanic/Swedish style of bands such as Primal Fear, Dragonland, and Nocturnal Rites, the mixing/mastering from Ricardo Borges & Jens Borgen giving it a Swedish clarity.

Galloping out of the gates with Dragon Lord they slow things down for Hold On dialling up the epic and historical in the vocals as John Cavaliere reminds me of Joacim Cans from Hammerfall meets Blaze Bayley, the latter particularly strong on the riffy moments of tracks such as Raven. Here Evan Harris (bass) and Zain Kimmie (drums) lead the charge as Clinton James Bidie and Hanny Mohammed's dual guitars riff with great skill and plenty of leads. Mohamed also adds some keys in the background of Only The Devil which brings atmospherics.

On their eighth album Black Majesty stick to the plan and deliver more full metal alchemy, these Aussies bring the boisterous European sound from the deep Down Under. 7/10

Warlord - The Lost Archangel (High Roller Records)

Another year and another Warlord record, no matter what you think of Mark Zonder and Philip Byone continuing the band without founding member William J. Tsamis you must admit that they seem to be still finding a wealth of material written by the sadly departed band founder after his death in 2021. There was a new album in 2024 and a compilation too and now in 2025 they return with another compilation after treading the boards at classic metal festivals around the world. 

While some my think this is a shameless cash in others believe that it’s a way of paying tribute the band founder and their fans by keeping the name alive. Whichever side you land on you’d deny the quality of the heavy metal on off here. The current line up puts Zonder (drums) and Byone (bass) alongside members of Jack Starr’s Burning Starr and Alcatrazz and with this record they have complied every free download single they released in conjunction with a tour date on their last tour (most at festivals). 

These make up the first four songs on the album, most new though The Rainbow is a Tsamis demo from the 80’s, while the other three studio efforts here are re-recordings of songs Tsamis wrote for his other project Lordian Guard, the current Warlord having dine this before in attempt to combine all of the elements of Bill Tsamis’ discography. If you have the singles for free (which with Warlord’s fandom I assume they do), then to have this on physical disk with the Lordian Guard re-recordings and the wealth of old and new live material it’s a must buy situation. 

However if you aren’t a hardcore fan then only the new singles will possibly be of interest so I’d say to start with their other albums. 7/10

Fer De Lance – Fires On The Mountainside (Cruz Del Sur Music)

Kick off your second album with a 12 minute title track that totally nails your epic battle worn style of heavy metal as it has twin guitar harmonies, organs, gang choruses, riffs that shift between heavy and atmospheric? Yeah, ok then you go for it, Fer De Lance! It’s a heck of a way to come back with a new record but they don’t stop there as every song on this album clocks in at over five minutes, this Chicago band taking from the theatrical approach of Blind Guardian, Falconer and Atlantean Kodex.

Each song is concerned with myth and fantasy, no matter the runtime they shift several times through different passages, as acoustics and keys that emulate traditional medieval instruments such as lutes, flesh out the backgrounds, though with Fire & Gold they are the main instruments used, a folk metal track where the electric guitars accompany the acoustic scrubbing. so there’s a lot of variation despite it only being seven tracks long you get 48 minutes of triumphant heavy metal with folk touches glistening through it like threads of gold in the heavy lead riffs of tracks such as Death Thrives (Where Walls Divide). It’s intensely progressive, the solos sections often coming from nowhere before reverting to the main rhythm of the track.

The scope of Fires On The Mountianside is way beyond many bands only on their second album, they’ve embraced the epic, in epic metal with both hands from the dualling guitars, the expressive vocals which emulate Dio on The Feast Of Echoes and the progressive composition there’s a lot to love about Fer De Lance’s second record! 8/10

Iron Echo - Forged In Fire (Metalapolis Records)

German heavy metal now from new band Iron Echo. Formed in 2022 the band are new but the members are all long time workhorses of the German metal scene. They released this debut album in late 2024 but now have signed to Metalapolis Records and bring their muscular heavy metal that's got all the guts and gusto of Accept, Priest and Saxon, singer Johnny with the powerhouse delivery of Biff Byford meets some Halford histrionics. 

Now you probably get an idea of what Iron Echo sound like when I said German heavy metal, it definitely has ‘a sound’ to it and Iron Echo are very much an echo of the bands I mentioned, metal fists in the air as they switch from mid-pace stomps such as The Awakening to the breakneck Downfall, each song coming in either side of this divide and nothing more. You could say that Forged In Fire is just an album born from its influences. 

Yes it’s got modernity to it and the performances are good but these nine tracks don’t really add much more than say bands like Primal Fear have been giving for a long time now. 6/10

Reviews: California Irish, Grace Hayhurst, Lord Belial, Inhuman Condition (Matt Bladen & Spike)

California Irish - The Mountains Are My Friends (7hz Recordings/ADA) [Matt Bladen]

When he’s not rocking up a storm with The Answer, Cormac Neeson can be found delving into the roots of American music with a Northern Irish influence too. The brainchild of Neeson, this is a group of friends with love of folk, Americana and country.

The sound and spontaneity of analogue recording and deeply linked to both the Northern Irish folk scene and the music of Neil Young (many featured in a theatre show inspired by Young), it’s got roots in many of the songs Neeson wrote with The Answer before their brief hiatus brought them back to a more heavy rock course. The musical moments that came out the “Laurel Canyon Scene” in the Woodstock era of the late 60’s is epitomised here by players who have a deep love for their subject matter and skill with their instruments.

So, from this you get California Irish, two musical worlds that favour melancholy and mysticism, these original songs could easily have featured on Harvest, Déjà Vu or Music From The Big Pink. You can hear, at times feel the camaraderie between the players, the locomotive shuffle from James Doone (bass) and Conor McCauley sets the easy going but insistent pulse from Live Fast Die Free, hand claps are a must here. Simon Templeton’s Hammonds/Wurlitzers cascading like the sea when they take introspective fireside moments like Old Friends.

They also give bluesy tracks such as Big Questions those CSNY moments, Cormac’s vocals accompanied by both guitarists and co-vocalist Susy Coyle for those “do, do, do” harmonies, Coyle gets to shine on Can’t Let Go, which is Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez balladry for the modern day Speaking of guitarists between Donal Scullion and Chris Kelly play acoustic, electric, lap steel guitars and mandolin layering these songs with brilliance.

Cormac himself adding acoustic guitar too when the album moves into folky love-ins. Nothing lingers here, most of the songs are between 2 and 4 minutes, the brevity in their favour as it gives an authenticity of when songs could only fit one side of wax, the longest song saved for last on the spectacular I Am Free. Two musical heritages combining to produce beautiful music that sings of its influences loudly and proudly, a wonderful record featuring one of the best singers in the game. 9/10

Grace Hayhurst - The World Is Dying (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Brought up in the classical music world but then discovering Opeth and Yes, Grace Hayhurst is a multi-instrumentalist who combines classical virtuosim and a mathematical understanding of music with progressive rock/metal influences and a socio/environmental message.

Following on from her debut EP, The World Is Dying is her debut full length and it’s got a lot of stylistic links to a band such as Kyros with the piano/synth/keys doing much of the melodic work along with the guitar, the link strengthens as Kyros’ Robin Johnson plays the drums here, produced by Kyros Shelby Logan Warne whom Hayhurst co-owns Sensible Studios with. 

So if you like your prog on the more epic side but with a strong message you’ll be salivating at the thought of this debut which also features “a string quintet, French Horn, a harp player that’s played with Rick Wakeman (and) Ray Hearne from provid(ing) some clapping” the Haken influence also very clear on And It’s Our Fault.

With the accusative titles of The World Is Dying along with And It’s Our Fault, you can probably guess what Grace is trying to address here, something she calls (science fiction turned horrid reality” reacting against climate change, oligarchs and the “meh” attitude of so many. It’s a clear statement that the world is doomed, but set to jaunty prog rock inspired by modern prog metal, bands I mentioned earlier, and classic 70’s influences, such as Yes, Vangelis and even King Crimson in parts. 

It’s expressive, expansive and a genre-bending look into the mind of Hayhurst, proper prog for afficionados only. 8/10

Lord Belial - Unholy Trinity (Hammerheart Records) [Spike]

Lord Belial's Unholy Trinity feels like a sharpened steel ritual: nine tracks that range from razor‑sharp assaults to atmospheric dirges, all held together by that unmistakable melodic black metal core.

It opens with Ipse Venit, a perfect gateway into their world. It grabs you with icy tremolo riffs, brutal drumming, and a sense that everything here has weight. No filler, just crushing efficiency from the outset. Glory To Darkness follows with midtempo swagger and mournful melody. It reminds you why Lord Belial stood out back in the ’90s: there’s emotional weight in the guitar lines, but the music never loses its bite.

Blasphemy is the shortest cut but one of the sharpest. It’s pure, snarling energy built on compact songwriting, lean and lethal. In Chaos Transcend and The Whore add mood and texture, showing the band’s ability to balance atmosphere and heaviness without slipping into excess. 

Scornful Vengeance and The Great Void bring a colder, more expansive feel. Both lean into slower builds and layered guitar work, but with enough menace to keep them gripping. These tracks carry a sense of ritualism that suits the album’s title and tone perfectly. Then comes Shadows Of The Fallen, arguably one of the standouts for me. It's dense, melodic, and charged with a relentless tension that makes every second count.

The closer, Antichrist, is a nine‑minute monster. It’s the culmination of the album’s intent, atmospheric, crushing, and built around controlled chaos. There’s a grandeur here that never spills into bombast, just focused fury and dark melody. The mix gives space for the melodic nuances while keeping the rhythm section punchy and relentless. Vocals cut through the mix with grit and clarity, it's harsh, yes, but never buried. 

Unholy Trinity is Lord Belial reaffirming their place in the melodic black metal landscape. No nostalgia, no compromise; just nine tracks of precision, atmosphere, and fire. It feels both classic and current, and it’s a strong reminder of how good this band can still be. 7/10

Inhuman Condition - Mind Trap (High Roller Records) [Spike]

Inhuman Condition have always carried their old-school death metal credentials with pride and Mind Trap sees them refining that into something sharper, meaner, and just as addictive.

The opener, Severely Lifeless, lurches into view with a thick, pummelling groove and tightly snarled vocals. It sets the tone perfectly: direct and hook-laden without over-complicating anything. It’s a feral start that lets you know you're in good hands. Face For Later is the shortest track on the record but arguably the most infectious. It thrashes and sprints with a punked-up aggression that sticks, lean, tight, and over before you can catch your breath. If there's one track I went back to more than once right away, it was this one.

Things get slower and more crushing with GodShip, which stomps along with a satisfyingly thick bottom end. It’s the kind of track that would sit just fine in a setlist alongside early Six Feet Under or Massacre. Nothing flashy just pure riff-driven weight. And then there’s Recollections Of The Future the strange little standout. It creeps in with a moodier edge, veering almost into horror soundtrack territory before the guitars tear it apart. It’s a different tone, and it works well showing they’re not afraid to play with texture and pacing without losing their bite.

What Mind Trap does so well is balance. It’s raw but never sloppy. The riffs are tight, the drumming hits hard, and the vocals are grimy in the best way. Production-wise, it's old-school without sounding flat, each part has enough space to breathe, but it’s still compact and punchy. At just over half an hour, there’s no padding here. Every track earns its spot, and the album never overstays its welcome. It's a solid slab of death/thrash that knows exactly what it is and does it well.

Mind Trap won’t convert the uninitiated, but for those of us who love our death metal straight to the point with just enough atmosphere to raise the hair on your arms, this is absolutely worth your time. 7/10

Reviews: Jakko M. Jakszyk, Perpetual Paradox, Serpent Corpse, Organic Destruction (Matt Bladen, Spike, Mark Young & Rich Piva)

Jakko M. Jakszyk - Son Of Glen (InsideOut Records) [Matt Bladen]

What do you do when the band you have been a member of since 2013 calls it a day. Well most would go back any other band they have a or forge ahead with a solo career. However what if that band was King Crimson and much of your recognition, though perhaps it's shouldn't be, comes from being a part of that band. Son Of Glen is King Crimson vocalist/guitarist's first solo record since King Crimson ceased to be and it's his most personal to date. 

Essentially the soundtrack to his 2024 memoir Jakko muses on his parents, his partner, his music and the human condition, deftly demonstrated by brilliant musical dexterity, lush soundscapes, gorgeous production and a heart to it. Jakko plays nearly all the instruments on this album let's that voice take many routes throughout the songs and binds it all together behind the desk so Son Of Glen feels warm an welcoming. 

He has said that after King Crimson ended he wasn't sure about returning to music but credits partner Louise Patricia Crane as his inspiration to start playing and writing his own music again, detailed in This Kiss Never Lies and the title track which reflects his own birth fathers journey of falling for an Irish singer. Son Of Glen as a whole is about relationships whether it's his birth mothers Irish Roots, the changing, at times traumatic relationship with his adoptive father or his own mortality, Jakszyk embraces the darkest of times on this album and creates songs with vivid storytelling and virtuoso playing. 

With multi-instrumentalists there's often guests and Jakko has some high profile ones mainly behind the drum kit as bother Gavin Harrison (King Crimson/Porcupine Tree) and Ian Mosley (Marillion) add percussion, Louise Patricia Crane provides additional vocals, Caroline Lavelle has cello and even Jakko's son Django plays bass on two tracks showing that music runs in this family. Son Of Glen realigns Jakko M. Jakszyk's focus towards his own musical endeavours, the Crimson King is dead but Mr Jakszyk is very much alive. 9/10

Perpetual Paradox - Deathwish (Earache) [Spike]

There’s something hugely satisfying about a band that knows how to write modern metal with purpose. Deathwish from UK-based Perpetual Paradox is tight, punchy, and ferociously well-produced. It doesn’t just tick boxes, it chews through them.

Straight out of the gate, you’re hit with a riff assault that blends thrash, metalcore, and the kind of melodic lead work that feels familiar without sounding recycled. Vocally, it straddles the line between scathing and controlled. There's no overcooked theatrics, just a raw edge that complements the tone of the whole record.

The album has a very clean but aggressive sound, with riffs that crunch and drums that punch through hard. There’s a solid groove element underneath much of the faster material, which keeps the head nodding even when the tempo’s charging ahead.

There are moments that slows things down just enough to show off their more atmospheric edge, still heavy, but with space and tension. Then we get a furious closing track that wraps it all up with real impact. The transitions are smooth, never jarring, and there's clearly been thought behind the sequencing.

What struck me most is the confidence here. Perpetual Paradox sound like a band that already knows who they are. Deathwish never feels like a debut in the rough. It’s polished, professional, and loud as hell. If you’re after something fresh but grounded in classic heaviness, this is a no-brainer. 9/10

Serpent Corpse - Retaliate (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Mark Young]

Those pesky rascals at Transcending Obscurity have come round again, and just like your favourite takeaway have knocked on and left you with a delivery by the front door. Now, depending on your tastes you are either going to be delighted or disappointed in the choice of cuisine served up by Canadian outfit Serpent Corpse.

Brazen Serpent starts off heavily garnished with whammy abuse before leading into some old school goodness, and that vibe is present from track 1 to 4. Its combination of some urgent riffing but with a measured drum attack. It motors along without feeling as though it’s too fast, if that makes sense. It’s all about building one set of riffs into the next, each lot having that certain step forward. Going back to that old school approach, it’s like this just stepped out of the 90’s, annoyed and looking for its battle vest. 

With it being an EP, there is less time to make an impact and to be honest Brazen Serpent has all the right parts to it put together in all of the right places but sounding the way it does it might not attract those who love what I suppose is a modern recording sound, which in some cases can be sterile and lifeless. There is a warmth to it and the material works better because of it. 

There is a mint melody line in Iron Corpse which serves as the backdrop for a lead break, which in turn is built up in layers of harmony. Its quality and drops into a nifty break that sets up the latter half of the song. The guitar work is tight and angry as well as being inventive and that keeps you on track with it. 

Yes, it has a similar build and going out on a limb I’m going to assume that The Undying and Meteor Summon will have something like it but that is fine with me. You don’t need it to reinvent the wheel every time, but you do need it land well. 

The Undying has that lolloping gait that runs straight into that classic fast without being overplayed form of assault. There are so many call backs on here, from Death to Slayer and its comforting really. The way they put these together does follow a loose pattern and it seems that they have a need to put in so many parts to each song but not like A slow start B Fast C slower and repeat, it’s a natural thing where the song just flows from one riff to the next. 

I’ve said this before about EP’s, generally it’s like putting the best out for display and to some respects represents the most immediate tracks a band has. Its no different here, as Meteor Summon starts on the front foot and keeps going. With it’s runtime approaching a little over 9 minutes, that expanded time gives them chance to go for an epic closing statement. And although it’s an overused description, they have saved the best for last with a track that belies its runtime by constantly mixing its approach to suit. Yes, it has its share of fast moments but in the latter stages it comes into its own, with a brutally effective riff set that pushes it along. 

Here there are lead breaks that are there to serve the song, not for technical prowess and it’s the sort of song that will inspire you to have a crack at playing. There is a lot of cool moments in this, and I think that sort of sums the EP up in its entirety. If you dug their debut then you will undoubtedly love this. Serpent Corpse are a band to watch out for, and for fans of death metal they are certainly worth your time. 8/10

Organic Destruction - Prophets Of Cthulhu (Broken Music) [Rich Piva]

Fuzzy stoner rock with some cool, almost Peter Steele type vocals, is what the second record from Hachenburg, Germany’s Organic Destruction, Prophets Of Cthulhu, is all about. There is a bit of some heavy blues and psych going on too within the eight tracks on Prophets Of Cthulhu, creating a very solid heavy and fuzzy record for your enjoyment.

The title track opens like a Clutch song before and kind of stays there until those baritone and super smooth vocals kick in, which is, to me, the secret sauce of Organic Destruction. Type O, but as a stoner band seems too easy, but it is not that too far off from the truth. The chunky Supergroup confirms my statement, and this one is pretty doomy too, so, yeah, Type O. Organic Destruction specializes on the mid-tempo side of things, which is where the bluesy psych instrumental Dark Waters swims strongly, held above the strong current by the great guitar work. 

A straight up stoner/doom riff kicks off Eternity Of Evil, which is some dark psych doomy goodness while Marching The Shores is the slowest track, and reenforces my Type O without the theatrics vibes I get from this record. Dig that fuzzy riff at about the 1:30 mark. My comparison to that green band probably is getting boring, but what can I do with a song like Bite Of The T? The instrumental dark blues of III MARK VIII is pretty cool while the closer, Droned & Confuzzed is one of the stronger tracks on the record and a good way to close on a strong one.

Prophets Of Cthulhu is a good little stoner doom record with some cool riffs, excellent fuzzy guitar work, and an unavoidable comparison to Type O Negative. For me, I am down, because Type O rules, but the record can be a bit one note at times. Overall, a very strong effort for Organic Destruction’s second full length. 7/10

Reviews: Heaven Shall Burn, Deadguy, Electric Citizen, Transcendence (GC & Matt Bladen)

Heaven Shall Burn - Heimat (Century Media Records) [GC]

When it comes to metalcore/deathcore royalty, Heaven Shall Burn are easily in the top 5 and they have released some of the most intense and at times emotional albums in the genre, and with their Antigone album completely defined an era their sound is instantly recognisable and always hits the mark! Its always exciting when they release new music and I cannot wait to hear Heimat

We get a soothing and relaxed opening with intro Ad Arma which builds an atmosphere and rolls perfectly into War Is The Father Of All with its tense build up full of operatic vocals that then doesn't explode into life but has a more mid paced approach but the way they can grasp hold of you in this way and still demand your attention is a special talent that only the best bands possess and when they do get into their full flow this track is an utter delight.

When I first heard My Revocation Of Compliance I thought it was a perfect distillation of the HSB sound and I still stand by that, huge guitars and drums duel with each other and the vocals sound utterly furious and indignant it is a perfect track and the fact they can still bang out tunes like this makes me so happy! Cofounder is another quintessentially HSB sounding track and the fact that there is that feeling to it makes you realise just how important and essential they have been and still are, its driving and anthemic without sounding forced or tired its just an immense show of musical talent.

Empowerment is a slight slowing of pace and and has the melodic death metal influences that you come to expect and while most bands may not use this wisely here its implemented to precise and devastating perfection, the force continues into A Whisper From Above and again the way they combine melody and aggression is something that should be studied as they absolutely nail it and the song is just just total perfection to listen to, we then get an unnecessary mid-album interlude with Imminence which I could fully do without but its instantly forgotten with Those Left Behind which is a blitzkrieg of savage riffs and righteous anger that is a demonstration of how to mix slower sections with more driving parts to crushing effect. 

Ten Days In May is a thundering steamroller that has such an emotional feeling that can sometimes get lost in this style of music and takes a special talent to unleash it and of course that's just what happens here in spectacular fashion! Now here we get to a bit of a sticking point, with Numbered Days they are covering Killswitch Engage and it isn't really what I was expecting and while it is fine to pay homage to another legendary band and even get Jesse Leach to guest on it, they try and make it sound like their own track and it doesn’t really work for me so could probably do without this track in all honesty?!

Dora wipes away the dissatisfaction and pounds and smashes you firmly back into life and is another wonderful example of how to do emotionally charged and devastating heavy music, A Silent Guard starts by dropping the pace a little too much for my liking and does take a bit too long to finally get going and it is slightly disappointing when it finally kicks in as its all just to slow for my liking we get a fully instrumental ending with Inter Arma which again is disappointing as it just feels like the album just fizzles out and ends frustratingly with a bit of a whimper!

So predictably there was a whole lot I loved about Heimat but, there was also parts that disappointed me. I'm not here to tell Heaven Shall Burn what to do or how to write their music by any means but as a fan I expected a little more in places! It is a great album and I am not saying otherwise there was just some missed opportunities in places! Even with the negative points Heimat is still an undeniably brilliant record and I would highly, highly recommend you take time out to listen to it! 9/10

Deadguy - Near Death Travel Services (Relapse Records) [GC]

When you think of iconic hardcore bands there are only a few that are genuinely, really, actually iconic and one of those bands in undoubtedly Deadguy, they pioneered the metallic hardcore sound in the very beginning on their classic album Fixation On A Co-worker and since I heard that record I have been a fan and so many bands you probably love will also be fans and owe them so much, unbelievably they are now back with their first album in THIRTY FUCKING YEARS Near Death Travel Services yes, 30 years is a very long time but I do not apologize one bit when I say I cannot fucking wait to hear this record!!

After such a long time away, you fear that some of the intensity of old may be missing, there is no such fear of this when Kill Fee kicks the album off, the old flame still burns hard and heavy here and the unmistakable sound of old is still there, mixing furious hardcore with the sludgy metal sound that made these guys such ground breakers back then and showing they can still cut the mustard now, Barn Burner builds on this and has a slow build up that then spills into the punk/metal/hardcore hybrid that if you know what to expect fills you with nostalgic goodness but this isn’t a re-tread of old glories this is an introduction to newer fans and shows that the old guys can still cut it, its refreshing to hear something done so perfectly with no hype or bullshit just pure adrenaline fuelled metallic hardcore greatness. 

New Best Friend hones in on the slower and more menacing version of the sound and with the track going over 4 minutes allows for more blending of styles, we get the hardcore that we all want but we also get the metal we expect and it’s all wound together in a tight and precise attack that doesn’t disappoint and is bound to please fans old and new! Cheap Trick is Deadguy 101, start with a flurry of noise and chaos and breaking down into more menacing sections, mix it together and then repeat for just over 2 minutes, it sounds simple, and you know what it is but if you can do it this well why would you want to change a winning formula? 

The Forever People is another 4 minute epic, that once again manages to mix the unique sounds that made them so unique and able to stand out from the crowd so brilliantly because you get that it has a metal influence but it’s not that straightforward, it has stoner elements and the guitars have that scuzzy and lo-fi grunge element that never just makes it metal it takes cues from so many different styles and manages to incorporate them altogether in such a brilliant way, I almost forget they have been away for so long! 

War With Strangers highlights my point again, the way they put in actual riffs that have groove but also hang in the air with a thick and fat sound just sets them apart, metallic hardcore gets lumped in with metalcore and songs like this should really put an end to that nonsense once and for all, nothing here sounds over produced or flashy it’s just old fashioned heavy music played with feeling and passion and I absolutely fucking love it! 

Knife Sharpener reminds us that they don’t always have to incorporate so many differing sounds to be effective, here they do what they do best and just play some furious hardcore that of course throws in punk and metal influences as expected and it’s a glorious cacophony of noise and anger distilled into to just over 2 minutes of music. 

The Alarmist is probably the perfect example of what such accomplished and revered bands like this are really capable of when they flex their musical muscles and mix everything together, the riffs are contagious, the anger in the vocals is rabid and the song as a whole is just about dam near perfectly executed.

The Long Search For Perfect Timing is probably a bit of a more straightforward sounding track and would maybe normally put a bit of a stop on things pace wise but it is actually nothing of the sort as once again you can feel that the passion and energy that is injected into the track that comes with 30 years of building up towards something and finally being able to get it out!

All Stick And No Carrot is a bit mid paced to be right at the tail end of the album and probably should have been a bit earlier in the track list for me as I want everything to end with chaos and unpredictability but it’s a more measured and cautious approach here, which is fine who am I to tell these guys what to do, and actually from about 2 minutes in the track is exactly what I want it to be so it shuts me right up! 

And so, it’s down to Wax Princess to finish proceedings and of course they do so in the gloriously chaotic and unpredictable fashion we fans have come to love and new fans should grow to love, they have jagged metal driven hardcore crashing with big chugging stoner-esque riffing and it’s all tied together in the best way and is a great way to finish a predicably fantastic and long awaited album.

Look, I told you I was a fan right at the very beginning! There was never a doubt I wasn’t going to love this album and have waited most of my life to hear this record and would have been devastated if it wasn’t up to scratch but of course there was no danger of that happening! We have had some breathtakingly good hardcore records released in 2025 and this is yet another one to add to your must hear list and also one to add to that AOTY short list as you know it is 100% on mine. 10/10

Electric Citizen - EC4 (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Matt Bladen]

Cincinnati proto-metal riders Electric Citizen present their fourth record, the imaginatively titled EC4, it's another record that's stuck in the past for good reason, drawing from Blue Cheer, Coven and Uriah Heep, it's been seven years since Electric Citizen brought some shocks to the works and with their fourth record they deliver another buzzing selection of organ drenched, riff heavy, stomping rockers that straddle classic rock and early doom. 

Upfront Laura Dolan's vocals have matured, she's got grit and soul to her singing, carrying the lyrics with her own style. Her husband Ross Dolan is not only the riff-meister but the main writer of the band, crafting the bulk of the songs as vocalist Laura, bassist Nick Vogelpohl, drummer Nate Wagner and keys player Owen Lee all added to their skills to make this the most powerful 9 tracks in EC's catalogue. Working with Mike Montgomery, John Hoffman (production) Collin Dupuis (mix) and JJ Golden (master) the band deliver their best sounding album, son totally superior to their first three, they play the retro route but with modern style. 

EC4 kicks off with the organ drenched Mire, those influences of Blood Ceremony and Coven permeate through before Static Vision and Smokey kick up the pace with choppy guitars and bouncy riffage, the vocals of Laura, haunted and dreamy. EC4 brings a depth to Electric Citizen’s music, it’s more mature but still sits well with their influences of proto-doom, psych rock and riff-based rock, and of course Sabbath on a track such as Lizard Brain. But here they also add some acoustics and strings on Tuning Tree, drowsy psych on Moss and the woozy Other Planets which reminds of Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun by Syd Barrett Floyd. 

The whole second half of this record takes Electric Wizard’s sound in a more progressive dimension than their three previous records. EC4 adds some new wrinkles to the riffs of this Cincinnati band. 8/10

Transcendence - Nothing Etched In Stone Pt.1 (Cosmic Fire Records) [Matt Bladen]

Returning with new music for the first time in 22 years! Transcendence may have a similar release schedule as Pink Floyd but musically they are resolutely stuck in the US style of progressive metal pioneered by Dream Theater, Queensryche, Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery. 

Nothing Etched In Stone PT.1 is obviously the first part of a concept record, the second half arriving next year, the story concerning an “artist’s journey through pain, loss and redemption” it goes from here into a political thriller as the artist sees his creativity stifled at every turn by a huge personal loss and addiction. It’s Transcendence’s storytelling approach that makes this album so potent lyrically, new vocalist Brian Dixon an emotional powerhouse in the vein of Geoff Tate with tracks such as Last Solstice where he showcases his full range. 

Dixon has replaced original singer Greg Drew and if you haven’t heard their 2001 debut then you wouldn’t really hear the difference as Dixon will be their frontman going forward, this Dallas band now reactivated properly with this second album. The rest of the band remains original Jeff Ford on guitars, Kirk Wood on bass, John Howser on keys/piano and Derrek Edwards on drums and they stick to that 90’s American prog metal sound where technicality is rife but never sacrifices the songs themselves.

Bringing drama to The Edge Awaits and Shades Of Winter, heaviness to Infect The Nations and the anthemic to Voices In The Dark. I will say that Nothing Etched In Stone Pt.1 does feel a little unfinished, but I guess that is the point as it is a part 1 of 2. Transcendence returns after over two decades and keep their trademark sound intact. 7/10

A View From The Wreckoning: Day Of Wreckoning 2025 (Simon Black)

Day Of Wreckoning – Patti Pavillion, Swansea, 21.06.2025

It’s hot. Correction: it’s really fucking hot!

Even here with the Swansea sea front overlooked by the Mumbles nearby, there is precious little cooling effect coming from the Irish Sea. We are somewhere in the high and very humid 20’s outside; inside you can add half the same again and turn it up to eleven, because this old listed building does not have the concept of ventilation - let alone air conditioning (although to be fair half the problem is some stubborn old codger living behind the venue who complains about everything, forcing all exterior doors to remain firmly shut when the stage is in use, which is why the Patti Pavillion has the quietest bingo callers in the UK).

This is a day of two halves, the first the all-important final for six acts in the South Wales Metal 2 The Masses competition, the second an equal number of professional bands. The heats, semi’s and quarter rounds have run half in Swansea and half in Cardiff, with this being the final coming together of the three finalists from each end of the M4 with a one day festival thrown in for good measure. 

It’s an ambitious and successful project into its second year in this venue, and it doesn’t seem to be all that long ago that we were holding this event entirely in Cardiff’s Fuel bar, which has a capacity of about 150. This place is a barn in comparison, and feels about half full, which when you consider how many musicians are also here is still impressive.

Having watched most of the rounds leading up to this event from the Cardiff side, I knew that it was going to be hard for those bands that have ground their way through it, but I’m seeing the three from the Swansea side for the first time today. And here’s the rub – all six are really good, which is why I’m really glad I only have to review this and not have the pressure of deciding who cuts the mustard for Bloodstock...

First up are Adfellion, who left me speechless, because frankly I did not see that coming. This five-piece look like they fell out of the title sequence from the 80’s incarnation of Robin of Sherwood (with that show’s Clannad soundtrack definitely an influence). It’s moody yet subtle; ambient yet heavy - with a huge dollop of the progressive on top for good measure. 

The fact that an entirely instrumental act has got this far in the process gives you a clue as to how unique they are. And yet they aren’t, because for my money they feel like the most totally Welsh thing I’ve seen in ages, and I can see them working equally well somewhere like Green Man festival, as anything more Metal inclined like Bloodstock. That’s a good start to a long day…

Kill By Mouth were by all accounts the one to watch from the Swansea side today, and certainly exuded a bucket load of confidence as they hit the stage. Worshipping at the altar of Pantera and the movement it spawned; these boys hit Hardcore more than Groove and turn the temperature up in the room another few degrees as they get the floor moving. 

They are working it hard, because this is their second year running in this venue at this event, which is one of the reasons this process is so tough, because the competition is so fierce. They probably had the biggest following in the room, but will it be enough? There can after all, be only one…

Cardiff’s Akuma are a local supergroup revolving around the staff of Fuel, taking their influences from the plethora of sub-genres which nowadays we refer to as ‘Modern Metal’. Although only recently formed, they’ve got a lot of experience in their mix and stole the fan vote every time in the heats, and with good reason, because they know how to deliver a show. 

Scaling up to this larger stage was effortless for them, and within no time the audience, the bulk of whom were also seeing them for the first time were onside. The energy level is intense, but it’s done with a controlled and effortless grace from an act that feel like they’ve been together for a long time, despite it being mere months since their inception. Phew!

Cwmbran’s Exaust have been hugely refreshing throughout this whole process. Many acts these days have been banging at the M2M gong for a few annual cycles, but these guys are first timers. They absolutely stole the show at their first heat with their intensely energetic brand of very traditional Old School Thrash, which made old farts like me who lived through it first time round as a teenager feel rather nostalgic. 

So young are they in fact that I jokingly referred to them as ‘Still At School Thrash’ until singer Dewi told me off (so let’s settle on ‘Just Left School Thrash’), but you get the point – they’re very young, they’re just getting going, and no-one saw them coming in a competition full of much more experienced hands. The Gods of Audience engagement were not with them today on stage sadly, as the oppressive heat meant a lot of people were desperately in need of cooling down outside when they were on, but they clung on and worked it until people came back and got the message. 

They are a remarkably tight and professional sounding unit, who have already chalked up an impressive set of shows outside the area and whom I think have a promising future, whatever happens here today.

Karmen Field are also no strangers to M2M finals. Having seen this act before this M2M cycle, it’s great to see how massively they have improved over time. They’ve been a tough act to beat in this process and have glided through the preceding rounds. Seeing them have the chance to flex on this much larger stage is a joy, because they do it so effortlessly. Their eclectic brand of alternative / grunge infused metal crosses the aisles perfectly, and I have long felt that this band can go far. 

Singer Molly is a charismatic ball of energy at the best of times, but today she turned it up to eleven and had everyone engaged in the room. Then there’s that voice – imagine a highly caffeinated Amy Winehouse channelling Courtney Love with a touch of the Howling’ Wolf delta Blues (but armed with squeezy bottles of strawberry jam for the audience) and you have Molly, backed by a band with a lot of skill and fluidity that can work in almost any setting. Bang on the money for me.

Struggler close the competition half of the day and are the second act today that I would put into the Modern Metal category, with more of a melodic twist to their instrumental sound than Akuma but a way more brutal vocal delivery from frontman Ieuan who leaps around the stage like a man possessed. This act have been honing their things the length and breadth of the country and there’s clearly a lot of love for them here in the room, even if most of the people by this stage are ready to pass out. 

They may be wearing their influences loud and proud compared to some of the more eclectic styles of music on offer today, but what they do they do very, very well, with a tight, punch precision that doesn’t waste time on unnecessary flourishes and goes straight to the point.

There’s a short break between the next half (as the stage crew are also playing), but that’s when things start to fall apart in terms of the venue. As well as the blistering heat, total lack of ventilation and minimal space outside for people to cool off, the building owners made some business decisions here today that are frankly mind-boggling. Without telling the promotors, the venue decided that if you left the premises, you would not be allowed back in.

If you are going to run and event last eleven hours you want to maximise your takings, I get that, but in that case you need to make it possible for people to stay. Basic hygiene factors like catering were a complete failure, because let’s face it people want a little more choice than a couple of over-priced and miniscule burgers, or a choice of two tiny pizzas that had long since ran out by lunch time. 

By this point of the day there was hardly anything left (and if you were a vegan you had nothing at all from the start), so people quite rightly went in search for sustenance, but to come back and be told that ‘no, you can’t spend any more money in this venue because we had not thought this through’ is frankly insane. People vote with their feet, and in quite large numbers, which is a real shame, and so easily avoided.

Opening the second half, Ofnus are another local Supergroup (a summary of whose music sounds like the shipping forecast on Radio 4 “Mostly sad; black - occasionally progressive”), but frankly they always put on a fantastic performance with today being no exception. Although it feels really strange watching them in daylight on what ironically I is the longest day of 2025, they completely lull what remains of the crowd into the mood with the intense, focussed power of their show. Their latest album Valediction is a masterpiece of Black Metal, and I get the feeling they walked away from today with a bunch of new fans. They will go far…

Inhuman Nature are one of the acts I had no exposure to prior to today, so I’m really pissed off to have missed a large chunk of their set for logistical reasons, and it’s so frustrating for them that the crowd had thinned so much by this point in the day as the oppressive heat hit its nadir at the back end of the afternoon. 

This London quintet play a blend of the kind of classic Thrash Metal / Crossover / Hardcore that never goes out of fashion and which always floats my boat. Energetic, brutal and so angularly tight that you might cut yourself, what I did catch of their set tells me I have some catching up to do.

South Wales’ King Kraken have done really rather well for themselves since they formed in 2018. Their most recent album March of the Gods is frankly a triumph, and if you haven’t come across them yet imagine the heavy end of Hard Rock with a melodic metal tinge, spliced with Amon Amarth lyrically. This band may be longer in the tooth than many onstage today, but that experience pays off well, and despite their evident frustration at the fact the audience has been thinned so badly by events outside of everyone’s control, they deliver a solid performance.

I’ve not come across Red Method live before, but this fusion of members of The Defiled and Meta-Stasis have built a solid reputation since their debut album hit in 2019 and they reap the benefits of a sudden air-clearing cloudburst outside. Whenever experienced bands like this form, they always get to shortcut many of the hurdles that acts in the first half of the day have to overcome as they drag themselves up by their bootstraps, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to reap the rewards of all that experience. 

I’m getting the fusion of Death and Industrial influences, and it’s delivered with energy, mood and sheer aggression, with frontman Solomon J totally owning the audience, which is probably just as well given that their oversized drum kit not only messed the schedule up but left the remainder of the band very little room to manoeuvre on stage. This isn’t bothering anyone in the crowd (even if the stage crew are spitting feathers) and the band remain a tough act to follow.

“Right you lot, we haven’t travelled all this way to play to an empty room. Get your arses back inside!”. So sayeth Acid Reign’s H, having leapt off stage, mike in hand during the band’s intro to admonish all of us still standing outside desperately grabbing a bit of post downpour cooling air. Acid Reign are one of the erstwhile Big 4 godfathers of British Thrash, but an act that spent a lot of time out since the 1990’s. It seems an eternity since I saw them play at Trent Polytechnic in my home town of Nottingham in the late 1980’s, and with only frontman H remaining from that original line up that was revived in 2015, I wasn’t sure whether this was going to work, and I have to confess I really haven’t listened to the new material released since then (sorry H).

I need not have worried.

Exploding on stage seems too small a description for the human fireball that is frontman H, who covers every inch of the boards. Not to mention the rather wobbly speaker stacks either side of it that no-one thought to strap down, the arena and seating tables therein and even racing up and down the length of the bar, singing as he goes. It’s also the first time I’ve ever seen a frontman go to the bar whilst still singing a number, buy a round and carry it on a tray to his bandmates without dropping a beat, but that’s what you get with Acid Reign – energy, energy, energy… and a huge dollop of silliness, because these boys are here to entertain you. Which they do relentlessly for the next hour and a bit.

Musically they are as tight as it goes, with the hilarious antics and banter from H bringing everyone with them, as well as that uncertain edge that anything might happen (whoever is responsible for health and safety in the venue was probably having kittens by this point). This band may have only had half of the original audience to play to, but each and every person in this sweatbox came away loving their performance. With the promise of a new album and a festival tour on the horizon next year, Acid Reign nailed it tonight and bring to a close a fantastic set of performances.

The only thing left was to announce the M2M winner, with Adfellion seizing the prize of a slot on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock. That must have been a hard call for the judges to make, because all six bands today were top notch, but South Wales is being represented by something quite unique this year.