Reviews: Billy F. Gibbons, Supersuckers, Dragonlord, Betzefer (Reviews By Paul H)

Billy F. Gibbons: The Big Bad Blues (Concord Records)

Is there a cooler man in the world of rock than the Reverend Willie G? No, you are wrong. The hustler of the masters of boogie, the mighty ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons is back with his second solo release and after the delicious Cuban flavour of 2015’s Perfectamundo, it’s a natural shift back to the blues, where the big man feels most definitely at home. As Gibbons said, “blues influenced from the beginning – and it’s never let up”. Well, for those of us who love the great man, this is music to the ears and even if you don’t like the blues that much, The Big Bad Blues will still offer something.

Opening with the Mrs Gibbons penned Missin’ Yo’ Kissin’ (there’s a lot of dropping of the ‘g’ here y’all), The Big Bad Blues is 11 songs which swing from self-penned tunes such as Second Line and Hollywood 151 to classics from Muddy Waters (Rollin’ And Tumblin’, Standing Around Crying) and Bo Diddley (Bring It To Jerome, Crackin’ Up). With an all-star cast including the harmonica of James Harman, the drums of Matt Sorum and Greg Morrow, the funky bass lines of Joe hardy’s Fender and some mean Hammond from Mike Flanigin, adding quality, heart and soul to the album, this is one to put on and just sit back and enjoy. 8/10

Supersuckers: Suck It (Acetate Records)

Having been around for many years, you could forgive Supersuckers for really not giving a shit whether you like them or not. According to Lemmy, “If you don’t like the Supersuckers, you don’t like Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Strap yourself in, and allow Eddie Spaghetti (bass and vocals), ‘Metal’ Marty Chandler (guitars and backing vocals) and ‘Captain’ Chris Von Streicher (drums and backing vocals) deliver 35 minutes of routine but enjoyable hard rock, which includes elements of country and punk.

Tracks such as the powerful All The Time, the boogie of Breakin’ My Balls and the decent closing cover of ZZ Top’s Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers all work well, and are thoroughly enjoyable. Unsurprisingly, the topics of Supersuckers’ songs include drink, ladies, drugs and the odd scuffle. Suck It is the uninvited guest who you eventually end up sharing a beer with. Good stuff. 7/10

Dragonlord: Dominion (Universal Music)

The tolling of a lone bell, operatic harmonies and a Dimmu Borgir riff to die for; this is Entrance, the opening track from the third album from Dragonlord, the atmospheric black metal side project of Testament guitar god Eric Peterson. Initially formed with band mate Steve Di Girgio, the latest line-up sees Peterson on vocals, guitar and bass, current trivium drummer Alex Bent, Lyle Livingston on keyboards and Leah on female vocals and choirs.

The first album in 13 years, finally following 2005’s Black Wings Of Destiny, Dominion is 45 minutes of quality black metal. Peterson delivers the vocal style necessary with ease, Livingston’s keys work neatly alongside the racing pace of Bent’s drumming. Tracks such as Ominous Premonition and the closing duo of The Discord Of Melkor and Serpents Of Fire are anthemic and memorable. Dominion may not be the best black metal album of the year, but 13 years after their last release, this has plenty to get excited about. 7/10

Betzefer: Entertain Your Force of Habit (Metalville Records)

Aggressive and ferocious, get a slab of groove metal with a solid underlay of sheer hard rock on this impressive fourth album from Israeli veterans Betzefer. Entertain Your Force Of Habit is a superb release from a band that, having hit the heights of being on Roadrunner in 2005 when their debut Down Low was released, almost collapsed after the trauma of album number two, Freedom To The Slave Masters. Their 2013 album, The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land was a return to form and then founder Avital Tamir left the band. 

Thankfully, Aharon Ragoza was invited for a trial in 2016. Fast forward two years and you get a quality product, which is crammed full of powerful metal which could move the dead. Ain’t No Party ‘Til You Hurt Somebody, Crash and Dead Lines all ooze menace, with Ragoza’s style picking up neatly where Tamir left off. Huge chunky riffs offer little respite, although the band’s groove and hook approach do at least provide the odd gasp of air to help maintain life support. Founder member and guitarist Matan Cohen-Grumbi is joined by long-time members Roey Berman on drums, Rotem Inbar on bass for an album that will hopefully get the band the exposure they most definitely deserve. It’s a beast. 8/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Sons Of Apollo (Live Review By Paul H)

Sons Of Apollo, SWX Bristol

Sometimes you witness something so mind-blowing that you find it hard to describe what you’ve seen. When the progressive supergroup Sons Of Apollo released one of the albums of 2017 with their stunning Psychotic Symphony, an album crammed full of extended yet relatively straight forward songs which appealed both to the discerning Dream Theater fan and yet crossed to the mainstream as well, I wondered how it would translate in the live arena, with such huge individuals, could they combine their strength into a cohesive live unit. Reports from their summer festivals, including the Ramblin’ Man Fair this summer were encouraging and on the strength of the album, not to mention the potential quality on offer meant that this was a gig that was in the diary from the off. Even though it meant missing Kirk Windstein and Crowbar back home, after a mere ten minutes there was no question that we’d made the right choice.

I’d walked past the SWX a million times but hadn’t given it a second thought. However, it is a superb venue for a rock gig. Its primary function is a night club, and the sound is played throughout the club via the multiple speakers strategically placed around the venue. So, you didn’t miss a note when you headed for the toilet, and more importantly, the sound was bloody good too. With raised platforms either side of the stage and an elevated stage affording good views I was impressed.

Who do you get to open for a progressive supergroup then? Well, we were treated to Chris Schiermann, a guitar virtuoso from Nebraska who along with his very young backing band who I assume were his sons, played 30 minutes or so from his debut release Technical Difficulties. There is no doubt that Schiermann (6) is a fabulously gifted and technical guitar player, and it was by no means a challenge to watch, but, and here’s the nub, it was like listening to the same track over and over. I appreciate that there is a place in the world for the guitarist who prefers seven or even eight strings, polyrhythmic patterns and time changes a plenty, and who can shred like there is no tomorrow, but after 20 minutes I was just a little bored and looking forward to the main event. Schiermann’s guitar work is brilliant, but when you read about the visitors who frequent his Nebraska studio (the likes of Chimp Spanner and Animals As Leaders) whilst on tour, you wonder what kind of fun they have. It’s all a bit too technical for me. Like Vai, Satriani and all the other guitar noodles, Schiermann punctured my interest threshold quite quickly.

The challenge with a band that contains Derek Sherinan, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal and Jeff Scott Soto is that there is a chance that the egos will destroy all the potential. Not so with Sons Of Apollo (10), whose overblown extravaganza was quite simply, astonishing. Of course, this was lavish, but holy flying whales was it impressive. Top of the range gear, all shiny and polished is all well and good but you must be able to use it.

The rear of the stage was illuminated by a simple digital Sons Of Apollo logo, whilst directly in front of it, and dominating the rear of the stage stood Portnoy’s vast drum kit. All gleaming chrome, double bass drum and countless other items, Portnoy demonstrated once again that he is possibly the best drummer who isn’t Neil Peart with a blistering performance, adding backing vocals on several songs and engaging with the crowd without becoming Lars Ulrich. Sherinan is of course, Portnoy’s former Dream Theater partner in crime and no slouch when it comes to tinkling those ivories; not to be outdone he had a Hammond and three other keyboards set up which allowed him to move between them or riff on all at the same time. His solo later in the evening, which included Van Halen’s Eruption (on the frigging keyboards!) was one of about a billion highlights. I’ve seen Billy Sheehan several times before but his bass playing never ceases to amaze. Possibly the best bass player in rock who isn’t Geddy Lee, Sheehan carried his double neck bass around the stage with ease, whilst his digits were frequently a blur.

He’s got humour too, swiping Jeff Scott Soto’s microphone towards the end when the audience participation slot arrived, forcing his vocally adept colleague to demonstrate what a superb voice he has, amplified or not. Soto’s voice, stage presence and sheer enthusiasm was much more than I was expecting. He quite simply was captivating, as he twisted and twirled, and sweated more than I thought was humanly possible (and believe me I can produce moisture for fun). Which leaves Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thral. Apart from his career with Guns n’ Roses I can’t say that I knew much about him but his casual, confident and magnificent guitar playing was just mind blowing. Like Sheehan, he hurled his double neck six string around the stage like it was made of Balsa wood. With a fretless top neck, and numerous lights blinking on and off, Bumblefoot’s weapon of choice looked more like something from a Sci-Fi movie. He also seems like a decent guy and a look at his Wiki page would suggest that his work for numerous charities bears this out. As well as playing some mean guitar, he can also sing well and took turns with Portnoy on backing vocals as well as hijacking the occasional lead section.

So, what about the set list. Well, throw me a curved ball and Sons Of Apollo throw it right back at you. The anthemic Gods Of The Sun blasted a hole in the roof as the band hit the stage at full throttle, with the heavy riffs and thundering drums propelling the song forward. It was already shaping to one amazing gig as the band took it in turns to display their talent, duelling guitars and keyboards competing with Portnoy and Sheehan’s rock-solid rhythm. With eight tracks from Psychotic Symphony, this left a fair chunk of time for those damn curve balls. Two magical moments for the nerds (connoisseurs - Ed) came in the shape of Just Let Me Breath and Line In The Sand, both from the 1997 Dream Theater album Falling Into Infinity. The former is a pacey rocker, crammed full of intricate twists and turns whilst Line In The Sand is a weighty prog masterpiece. Sons Of Apollo made them both look easy with Soto handling the vocals with majestic style.

Alongside the inevitable solos, of which I struggled mostly with Sheehan’s eight-minute bass effort, the delightful Queen section which allowed Soto to demonstrate his vocal prowess as well as pay tribute to Freddie Mercury, through The Prophet’s Song and a delightfully emotional Save Me where he was accompanied by Bumblefoot’s delicate guitar. As Soto exited for a breather (and more vodka) we were treated to one of the more eccentric sights and sounds as the four musicians broke into the Henry Mancini written The Pink Panther Theme and proceeded to jam for several minutes. The encore was led by Bumblefoot’s solo before Van Halen’s And The Cradle Will Rock complete with Soto wandering through the audience as he sang. Coming Home concluded an evening which at times genuinely took the breath away, such was the calibre of musicianship on the stage. It was an absolute privilege to watch.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Demon & Dendera (Live Review By Paul H)

Demon & Dendera, Fuel Rock Club

This was a strange evening. Billed as a co-headline gig, it was clear upon arriving in the dark and sweaty venue that 95% of the audience had no idea who Portsmouth’s Dendera were. And for the majority, despite a warm reception, their honest British heavy metal was not going to make any real impact. That didn’t stop Dendera (7) pushing the button and accelerating rapidly to warp speed. With the twin guitars of David Stanton and Stephen Main giving the band a real authentic British twist, the band played a selection of tracks from their two albums and last EP. The focal point of Dendera is vocalist Ashley Edison, and he led the band with his usual panache and honesty. His repetitive banter between songs was a little wearing, how many times do you need to ask the crowd if they are having a good time, but his soaring vocals, when they cut through the opening usual muddy mix, impressed.

Of course, the band draw heavily on the classic British metal bands, with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest the immediate comparisons. The band threw in a good number from Pillars Of Creation, including In High Tide and The Chosen One whilst The Killing Floor was largely overlooked. Age Of Agony and the title track from EP Blood Red Sky both hit the spot but by the time penultimate song Disillusioned was introduced, the crowd had thinned with many retreating to the main bar. By then Edison looked less enthused, spending much of the set with his back turned to the crowd and despite a rousing finish and decent round of applause, it all felt a bit flat. Dendera have the chops, as I know from previous encounters but there are a few rough areas that still need improving to really engage a crowd whose real interest lay elsewhere.

The main reason I had bought my ticket was to see Staffordshire theatrical NWOBHM outfit Demon (8). The band had only ever played Cardiff once before, some 35 years ago. Formed back in 1979, the band disbanded in 1992 before reforming with vocalist Dave Hill the only original member. Today’s Demon is a stable line-up, with Hill accompanied by drummer Neil Ogden, Ray Walmsley (bass), guitarists David Cotterill and Paul Hume and keyboard player Karl Waye (neatly tucked almost in the dressing room). Demon had scored significant early success with their first two albums, Night Of The Demon and The Unexpected Guest, with the latter reaching the heady heights of 47 in the album chart in 1982.

The band were playing the whole of The Unexpected Guest but opened with Night Of The Demon, with Hill resplendent in a flowing robe and the characteristic Demon Goat Headpiece in place. Hill still has astounding energy and enthusiasm for his art, and you could forgive him for a few idiosyncrasies given he’s now aged 71. With Into The Nightmare from their debut album following, there was already a grin on my face as the old school tunes flowed. Demon were never particularly Satanic, and the band always played down that element. What was pleasing about the next hour was how well The Unexpected Guest holds up 36 years after its release. Heavier in the live arena than on record, thanks to Cotterill and Hume’s driving guitars, the band eased into The Spell and Total Possession before Sign Of A Madman saw Hill gurning like a fool, his on stage persona a strange combination of Alice Cooper and Ken Dodd.

Beyond The Gates had some solid audience participation with The Grand Illusion amongst other highlights before the usual stupid Fuel policy of opening the doors halfway through the headline act once again meant a steady stream of punters with no interest in the band but with bursting bladders channelled back and forth thoroughly disturbing those that had paid and also blocking sight lines in an already crowded room. This always boils my piss and inevitably detracts from the closing part of the set. Ignoring this, Hill completed a quick costume change, reappearing in suit jacket and bowler hat to relive the cover of my favourite Demon album, The Plague. The band played a flawless title track and squeezed in a superb Nowhere To Run before closing with the anthem Don’t Break The Circle, the standout track on The Unexpected Guest. A band who I’d never seen finally ticked off the list, and with plenty of life in them yet, don’t rule out seeing the Staffordshire outfit again.

Reviews: Conan, Vreid, Kadavar, Solus Ex Inferis (Reviews By Paul H & Paul S]

Conan: Existential Void Guardian (Napalm Records) [Paul S]

This is Conan’s fourth album, the first to feature new drummer Johnny King. The main template that we know and love hasn’t changed that much, the band have allowed their sound to evolve without moving it so far that they are unrecognisable. The heavy as anything caveman riffs are still there, Jon Davis’s howl still cuts through the sludgy morass. The sound is maybe a little more drone infused, and there is possibly a little more melody. The first difference that hits you though, is the track Paincantation, which is a 55 second blast beat. This was hinted at on the last Conan album Revengeance, but this could have come straight from a black metal album.

The more listens you give the album, however, the more the less obvious changes come through. Amidst The Infinite has a slow drone quality, that is hypnotically able to get into your psyche. I found I was constantly humming this track, not an obvious standout song when you first listen to the album, but it slow burns it’s way into your mind. Volt Thrower is a more standard Conan track, mid-paced, with a relentless quality that pounds the listener into submission. Eternal Silent Legend brings the album to an end. The track has a softer, brooding verse with a chorus that is as huge as the known universe and heavier than a herd of elephants stepping on your foot all at the same time. 

Existential Void Guardian is a great album. Conan haven’t changed their style too much with this album, but they have refined their sound, making small adjustments so they keep on being Conan, but aren’t repeating themselves, or getting stale. The copy of the album I have also has 4 live tracks on it that are very well recorded and are definitely worth having. All Hail Conan! 8/10

Vreid: Lifehunger (Season Of Mist) [Paul S]

Lifehunger is Vreid’s 8th album, the Norwegian band, which formed from the ashes of the band Windir, after the death of Valfar. Vreid (wrath in Norwegian), have avoided making music that sounds like Windir, giving them an identity of their own. Although the band do not sound like a post black metal band, the music they make has clearly grown out of black metal. Vreid have gone for a more strait metal sound but with parts that indicate their black metal heritage. The sound is heavy but with lots of tunefulness, mainly from a melody lead guitar part that goes over a lot of the rhythm guitar work. Most of the vocals are harsh, but with a few clean sections and a side order of vocal melodies, which gives their work an extra dimension.

An early highlight of the album is the track The Dead White, which has great swaggery black and roll feel to it, it’s a great song, which also has a cracking solo. There's also a bit of a curve ball in the track Hello Darkness. When I first listened to the album, it felt out of place. It’s a softer, brooding track, simply strummed, clean guitar, and clean vocals. The track felt incongruous, at first, but with more listens I started to quite like the song. Although the sound was different, the song seemed to fit in more and more with the feel of the rest of the album. In the end it ended up being my favourite track on Lifehunger. The album is brought to an end with the track Heimatt. The song starts out dark, sombre and heavy, but very tuneful. As the song progresses it becomes more black metal in feel to a huge climactic ending. Lifehunger is a great album, and it fits in perfectly with the very impressive body of work that Vreid have created during their 14 years of making music. Highly recommended! 8/10

Kadavar: Live In Copenhagen (Nuclear Blast) [Paul H]

I’ve never managed to catch Kadavar live. I’ve tried on several occasions, but the gods have always been against me. So, without the benefit of knowing what the live show is actually like, the next best thing it to hear it. With four albums under their belt, the German trio of Christoph Lindermann, Christoph Bartlet and Simon Bouteloup have plenty of material and this 70-minute release recorded at the Pumpehuset in November 2017 covers work from all their albums. 

Whilst heavier on their 2017 release Rough Times, there are also plenty from their 2012 debut as well as a couple from my favourite release, 2015’s Berlin. Kadvar’s occult tinged Stoner rock is something I always have time for, the fuzzy down tuned guitars with their Sabbath style riffs, the thumping bass lines and crashing jazz style drumming always pleasing. Live In Copenhagen captures the Germans in full flow, and the closing 12 minute plus psychedelia of Purple Sage is just the icing on a very decent live album. 8/10

Solus Ex Inferis: Demonic Supremacy (Self Released) [Paul H]

A collaboration of death metal from across the continents. Mix the USA, Australia and India and you get Solus Ex Inferis, featuring non-other than Demonic Resurrection main man Sahil Makhija on brutal vocal duty. This four track EP pulls no punches, with an intensity that is almost too much at times, such is the driving power and pace. Makhija’s vocals are far grislier than you’ll have heard before, as he throws everything into the songs. 

Frenetic guitar riffs, frantic blast beats and an altogether visceral approach combine to pitiless effect. The rest of the band consists of bassist Mat Nemeth, drummer Marco Pitruzzella and guitarists Dave Sevenstrings and Ollie Morgan and display promise although the self-released production is let down by the rather tinny production. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Cegvera & Void Titan, The Old England, Bristol

Doom, really freaking heavy DOOM! That was what we were going to get one sunny evening in Bristol, the slowest, grisliest, loudest riffs from the first chord struck to the last all in what I consider to be Bristol's loudest PA system. The Old England is an odd place a pretty old pub in a trendy, student filled part of Bristol, it's tucked out of the way by a health centre, but as this closes it morphs into an intimate venue that I'll admit is a little hard to police door-wise due to the performance area being at the back of the pub it's difficult to sort the gig goers from the customers but when you have bands this heavy those who aren't there for the music quickly left.

First on the stage were Bristol natives Void Titan (8) who when I last saw them were the heaviest band on the bill, tonight they were still heavy but with the headliners still to come it was going to be a hard fought contest for that title. Still the crushing riffs of Rob, Phil Nick and Fionn were tight bludgeoned from the off with some tasty lead work adding melody. I like to call their style of music Nerd Doom with songs about Mass Effect and Warhammer they really speak to nerds like me, despite Rob snarling down the mic, it's more melodic than the remaining bands on the bill but Void Titan were the best I've seen them at this show and here they were the ideal opener being as comfortable as an old sweater.

Next was the post-doom two piece Cegvera (7) made up of just Gerardo Arias (guitar) and Matt Neicho (drums) the totally instrumental duo made an impression with oppressive soundscapes but the problem I have is that it did all sort of blur making it just one really long song, the set did have some differentiation but not enough to keep my interest for too long, still good but I do like vocals with my doom.

The vocal department is where Wrexham doom crew Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard (8) are in their element the ghostly astral vocals of Jess are, as one of their number put it when she complained of a bad throat, the key selling point of the band, her spectral wails and mastery of the electronics which buzz, blip and oscillate atop of the thundering riffs from the four compatriots with James and Stuart in the engine room really making the walls quake with intense reverbing grooves and drum beats making a blaring, soupy, disorientating foundation.

Wez and Paul bring the riffs and what riffs they are sinister, foreboding blocks of distortion giving a wall of noise as the electronics weave their way through the trance inducing stupor which saw the now pretty full room headbanging in slow, deliberate unison as an invisible fog of pure noise washed over the room, with beer flowing, the musical clobbering was welcomed by all as they played cuts from their entire discography with only room for a few songs due to the bands love of a an extended run time. Sometimes you get eclectic bills in metal where every band is from a different genre, however other times you just need a shed load of heavy riffs, something that was here in abundance.

Reviews: Crippled Black Phoenix, Deadwood Lake, Famyne, Malum Sky

Crippled Black Phoenix: Great Escape (Season Of Mist)

Crippled Black Phoenix are an enigma of a band, more of a musical collective the only constant being Justin Greaves, having been tagged as "stoner prog" "freak folk" and "psychedelic doom" CBP are a band not constrained by any one genre drawing influence from emotions rather than genres, there's always been a kind of misery vs hope sound to CBP the overwhelming darkness underpinned by elements of beauty. Much of this is due to the band always bringing in musicians from the extreme metal bands so musically they do the same the huge slow burning doom-laden riffs countered by synths, pianos and samples that take these songs in a different direction. You've Brought This Upon Yourselves has an electronic soundscape paired with Eric Fromm's Sane Society speech. It breaks into the stuttered To You I Give a slow building song to start the record that has more than a hint of their distinctive riff from fan favourite Burnt Reynolds.

It's a the first chance to hear the vocals of Daniel Änghede whose low tones are haunting over the powerful rhythm section of Ben Wilsker and Tom Greenway, it's a song that simmers until the final part where it picks up creating the dark atmosphere that CBP dwell in, Madman is troubling with the electronics of Mark Furnevall having the industrial thump of Gary Numan before Helen Stanley's grand piano takes centre stage for the beginning of the 11 minute Times, They Are A Ragin before the it builds layer upon oppressive layer Jonas Stålhammar adding some emotive lead lines over the percussive backing as it explodes into life all reverb vocals hefty organs and heavy riffs with Jonas letting rip with amazing soulful leads.

It's an exhilarating track before the Gothic folk of Rain Black, Reign Heavy is the first appearance of Belinda Kordic on the vocals and Stanley on trupert giving it the sound of desolation. There's a lot to take in on Great Escape it's not an easy album but then no CBP album is, equally it won't please everyone but then Crippled Black Phoenix have never wanted to be popular they want make music on their own terms and now signed to Season Of Mist they seem to be producing some of the best of their career. Nebulas is cathartic and propulsive while Great Escape (Pt.1) and (Pt.2) are just mesmerising due to their sheer difference part one an ambient affecting statement, with part 2 being the brooding heavy track with a shimmering Floydian middle.

This two piece closes out the album brilliantly giving you a sense of both nihilism but also release, the limited edition contains the mad as heck Hunok Csataja and both parts of the brilliant Uncivil War to really bring everything home about just how brilliant CBP are as a band. Great Escape is their darkest record yet it's less about the anger more about disappointment, however there are a lot of joyous moments here hidden, creeping out of the woodwork just trying to make things better overall but you have to listen for them, it's a record that cements Crippled Black Phoenix as one of the most uniquely talented forward thinking bands around. 10/10

Deadwood Lake: Forgotten Hymns (Self Released)

Deadwood Lake bassist/vocalist Bruce Powell continues to honour his late brother through the band. Formed as a way to cope with the grief Deadwood Lake have previously released one EP and an excellent full length both of which we have reviewed in these pages giving them heady scores. So with this new EP the bar is high but the trio of Powell, Tom Warren - drums and vocals and Ryan Wills - guitars, are perfectly capable of living up to expectations.

Loss the track that opens the EP has flurries of riffage full of clean guitar breaks while the vocals move from gruff grunts to raspy cleans though thankfully the lyrics are clearly audible. The songs are technical and shift timings seemingly at will on A New Chapter (Life And Death) one minute a maelstrom of black metal riffs the next more melodic ambient doom textures. There is a sense of catharsis in these records it's trauma being dealt with by playing music that can be both emotional but also intense, bolstered by excellent production and virtuoso performances it's another beautiful record from Deadwood Lake. 8/10

Famyne: Famyne (Self Released)

Have you ever listened to the likes of Soft Machine, Caravan, Gong et al and thought "What this needs is massive doomy sludge riffs?" Yes? Then step this way as the self labelled 'Canterbury Doom' band Famyne have released their debut album and it's a meaty meaty slab of down tuned slow moving heavy metal. Bookended by the two epic tracks Weatherless and Dreamweaver this self titled debut is a strong album, Weatherless is Pentagramesque swirl of thunderous bass from Chris Travers, powerful expressive drumming of Jake Cook and slow deliberate riffs of Martin Emmons and Alex Tolson are capped off with some chanted vocals from Tom Vane bringing some ghostly incantations.

It's a deliberate slow burning start with a sound that continues throughout the debut with the slightly more lively Faustus before the Gothic Slave Ship brings to mind The Doors at their most atmospheric, Ghosts is haunting with a lone violin adding a new dimension. A heavyweight piece of music Famyne is not your normal Sabbath worship it's as disquieting and oppressive as Pentagram or Cathedral proper doom for nihilists. 7/10

Malum Sky: Diatribe (Sliptrick Records)

Cardiff progressive rockers Malum Sky have signed to forward thinking record label Sliptrick who like things a little more progressive and with Malum Sky they've certainly got a band who love a bit of prog. Now we've seen them a fair few times here at the MoM and they do improve with every viewing but many of the places they play cannot do justice to their nuanced pop influenced prog metal. Thick djent grooves drive the raging Year Of The Rat which breaks down into more euphoric at the end, it's a skill that Malum Sky have always had blending the heavy modern prog metal riffs with a radio friendly lyrical lines and melodic vocal lines from Ben who commands the album with his performance on songs like Eyes Above which has the most varied vocal on the record with a mixture of soaring highs, his passionate mids and even some roars.

It's the most progressive track on the album with buzzing electronics bulking out the juicy riffs, the title track meanwhile has the Tool influences we've mentioned before. The themes on this album are that "the whole world are involved in diatribe via the numerous forms of communication available to us today it deals with communication on all levels and the different ways in which information is interoperated and acted upon by society". So a modern prog album with a very current message, keep your ears open and your eyes peeled for Malum Sky as they have come on leaps and bounds since their EP only three years ago, it might be their time. 8/10

Reviews: Empire, Boston Manor, Mia Klose, Lords Of The Lost (Reviews By Alex)

Empire: Glue (Self Released)

One trend I have been pleased to see envelop rock in 2018, is the tendency to mesh post-hardcore, with shades of progressive or complex metal, and even dashes of funk. Pioneered by acts in the vein of Circa Survive and The Fall Of Troy, the genre has become popularized by the likes of Dance Gavin Dance and Protest The Hero. Even though some bands in this trend have succeeded in cutting out their own sphere of influence more effectively than others, I can safely say that Empire has captured some of the best aspects of the genre on their debut. Glue is insanely technical and precise, yet still proves incredibly anthemic and memorable, making its fairly concise length hit hard!

A sliding guitar opens Colour Of Shame as if leading to something huge. Sure enough, we get the first taste of this bands enthusiastically melodic principle, with a potent riff, building to a toweringly dramatic middle section which then throws us into the striking chorus, which demonstrates Joe Greens excellent singing ability. Glue brings some of that funky, attitude-laden strut, but not content with staying the same for long, it dices into a stint of reminiscent balladry in the middle and then into another colossal finish. On yet another note Miss Fortune changes from euphoric to withheld in mood, giving the opportunity for some epic instrumental dueling in the process. Again using unpredictability to its advantage, Rewrite shrouds the listener in layers of darkness, while Time Ain't No Healer feels narrative in its many fascinating musical transformations, and Teeth/Tether closes the album out on exactly the kind of gargantuan nature I expected. To use a cliché frequently used to describe the medium of film rather than albums, this debut left me on the edge of my seat, constantly awaiting the next twist or turn.

From start to finish, everything feels unique and different. And yes, while you can pick out the musical movement Empire are a part of, it’s is one that they have committed their heart and soul to, already allowing them to stand alongside some of the best acts within the same scene. That’s before I even begin to remark on the musical proficiency, which at times leads you to believe you are listening to synthesizers, rather than guitars and bass, such is the seamlessness of the playing and the strong discipline towards harmony. Combined with the luscious vocal tones and lavish hooks, just one listen to this album will leave its presence and charm lodged in your memory, stuck as if by Glue. 9/10

Boston Manor: Welcome To The Neighbourhood (Pure Noise Records)

Boston Manor broke onto the alternative rock scene in 2016, with their debut, Be Nothing: a collection of fast-paced and emotionally charged power pop. While it garnered decent reviews, it was difficult to see how the follow up would be anything other than more of the same. Surprisingly, however, the Blackpool quartet have devised a work which commits to a darker sound, while being lyrically mature. Amongst wailing guitars, Flower In Your Dustbin opens the stern themes of the album, subverting traditionally positive clichés in lines like ‘’I threw up blood in the fountain of youth, I don’t have a place and I don’t have a home, I take my meds, I live through my phone’. Halo combines synths and reverb on the instrumentation, creating a surreal atmosphere to compliment the equally dour theme of addiction.

From there, England’s Dreaming opens with the passage of ‘’Bury Me’’ before plunging us into a tortured anthem, deluged in political strife. Tunnel Vision again uses the repeated motif, of contrasting subtle ambiance with noise and sonic chaos, while Bad Machine and Hate You both excellently use tension, distortion and addictive melodious to stress the paranoia and manipulation which comes with abusive relationships, be that with a person or something artificial. The Day That I Ruined Your Life closes the album, starting as a quiet acoustic number, before an unexpected wave of noise swallows the discreteness, and then pattering out in the final few seconds. 

Although lines like ‘’I told you things would be okay, Why’d you have to make me lie’’ remain vague as to whose perspective they are sung from and who or what they are directed to them, the first-person nature of much of the storytelling on this album ties the thirteen songs together in an almost conceptual way, as do the subtle reprisals and interludes, laced carefully into the music. While there is certainly a large criticism I can make, in that some of the hooks appear a little too underwritten and repetitive, Welcome To The Neighbourhood undoubtedly shows potential, provoking a keen interest in how these ideas are furthered on future albums. 7/10

Mia Klose: Stronger (Self Released)

Stronger has the attitude of hard rock with the melody and allure of traditional pop. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all though. For the most part, the combination works perfectly. The opening song, Not The One, dons an empowered personality, the guitars proving determined and driving, a lot like Klose’s lyricism. Living In A Fantasy has all the upbeat nature of a glam rock, if again the wordplay and poppy tone didn't have a certain amount of irony to them, mocking lavish glorifications yet ruining nobody's fun, a feat also achieved by the swaggering Gimmie Gimmie, and the charmingly heavy and attitude ridden Living For Love. 

One caveat I will warn against when deciding to listen to Stronger is that you may need to stock up on sugary sweets to give yourself a bit of the sweet tooth that is required to listen to this album start to finish. Save for the harder moments where the instrumentation is lent a little more sternness, almost everything here is incredibly polished - a feature which stands out extra prominently on ballads, Winning This Game and One More Night, which may slip a little further into mainstream territory than some might prefer. Again, Mia Klose shows promise here, yet it is the gruff, vivacious and frenetic moments, in which she shows her potential. 6/10

Lord Of The Lost: Thornstar (Napalm Records)

Fusing elements of Goth, industrial, and progressive metal into their sound, and realizing six albums since 2010, you can at the very least bow to Lord Of The Lost for being ambitious. In tribute to the weird and strange personas, they adopt onstage, they have cited influences from Rammstein to Marilyn Manson to Lady GaGa. Thornstar continues the tradition by being a concept album, chronicling the history and doom of an ancient civilization known as the Pangaeians. A feat which deserves admiration yet one which has a mixed outcome musically.

"On this Rock, I will build my Church!" cries Chris ‘The Lord’ Harms setting up the spiritual themes of the concept, before slow, thudding guitar lines and dominant synths. These may seem an odd addition considering the primitive or medieval themes. Nevertheless, the opener provides the dramatic textures required in an album that’s ambitious in scope. Black Halo also achieves this, proving one of the best songs on the album, the swelling and changeable nature of the song making it one of the best moments. Morgana and Haythor are another two songs which listened to in isolation take the listener on a journey which is emotional while fulfilling a narrative.

Is that not exactly the problem with so many albums this aspiring in nature, however? In a musical ailment I have begun to refer to as Astonishing syndrome – owing its name to the dream theatre album, and not the complimentary adjective – while this album is by no means bad, it is certainly overblown and lacking the excitement or variety to keep me hooked. Of course, we can and should respect the effort, but there arises a problem when an album places its commitment to theatricalism high above diversity. 

Growling guitars and authoritative vocals, combined with forceful synths and drumming is not a sound which warrants distaste at all, yet it is one which grows obnoxious and monotonous. Where songs like Lorely, Cut Me Out or In Darkness and In Light, attempt to adopt a somber tone, they feel ponderous and spoiled by the refusal to diverge from the same instrumentals or types of playing. I would have loved to see Lord Of The Lost develop the genuinely good idea they bring to Thornstar – and they do exist – by bringing in diverse sounds, and playing up the symphonic, classical and traditional influences, which while present at points, are never really given any chance to impress. 4/10

Reviews: Grave Digger, Terror, Shining, Dream Patrol (Reviews By Rich)

Grave Digger: The Living Dead (Napalm Records)

With a career spanning nearly 40 years German metal legends Grave Digger show no sign of slowing down or taking it easy with the release of their nineteenth album The Living Dead. Having played it safe on the last few releases it appears that Grave Digger have given themselves a bit of a kick up the backside and whilst on the whole The Living Dead does stick to the tried and tested heavy metal formula which has worked for the band for so many years there are a few stylistic curveballs and variation throughout the album.

You have your straightforward heavy metal anthems such as Fear Of The Living Dead, The Power Of Metal and the fantastic Blade Of The Immortal but you also have some fast aggressive numbers such as When Death Passes By and What War Left Behind. The real surprises of the album are left until the end with the techno-esque keyboards in Insane Pain and the collaboration with Austrian polka metal band Russkaja on Zombie Dance. The Living Dead is the strongest album the album have done in the past decade with the band sounding re-energised and freshly inspired. It’s not the greatest Grave Digger album still falling way short of classic albums by the band such as Tunes Of War and Excalibur but it is a very solid and enjoyable heavy metal release. 7/10

Terror: Total Retaliation (Nuclear Blast)

LA hardcore veterans Terror are back with their seventh album Total Retaliation which is 13 songs of crushing US hardcore with plenty of venom and aggression. The songs range from fast and furious ragers such as Mental Demolition, Behind The Bars and the title track to more bruising mid paced numbers such as Spirit Of Sacrifice and In Spite Of These Times.

The only song which stands out for its difference comes at the halfway point of the album titled Post Armageddon Interlude which is a pure hip hop song and doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the album. Total Retaliation is a rock solid hardcore album which delivers what it sets out to do and smash your head in. It follows the template of most hardcore albums so whilst not wholly original it will be enjoyable for all the hardcore fans out there. Solid but fairly unremarkable. 7/10

Shining: Animal (Spinefarm Records)

Shining are back with new album Animal with this being the eighth album from the Norwegian avant-garde metallers. Shining are no strangers to reinventing their sound from their jazz origins to their jump to avant-garde jazz metal and with Animal it is another reinvention for the band with a far cleaner, far more accessible and far poppier sound and with no saxophone throughout. This is by no means a bad thing as this is a sound that really works for the band and results in their strongest and most cohesive album since Blackjazz. There’s a definite 80’s feel throughout the album especially with the use of retro sounding synths and the songs in the majority have a very positive feel to them. 

The vocals from Jørgen Munkeby are far cleaner and melodic with his screams left to a bare minimum. Highlights for me included the groovy swagger of My Church, the soaring and anthemic Fight Song and the dark synthwave of Hole In The Sky which also features Norwegian pop singer Linnea Dale providing guest vocals. Shining have produced a very feel good party album with Animal which has the band sounding invigorated. It’s a bold departure from their previous sound but it works fantastically and time will tell whether this is the new sound of Shining or whether things will change again with the next album. 8/10

Dream Patrol: Phantoms Of The Past (Mighty Music)

Phantoms Of The Past is the debut album from Dream Patrol who are a hard rock outfit formed by Ronnie König of Slovakian power metal band Signum Regis and featuring members from across Europe and the USA. The music performed on Phantoms Of The Past is classic hard rock harking back to the 70’s and 80’s. There is a great energy throughout this album with big catchy hooks and impressive vocals from frontman Eli Prinsen. The songs range from anthemic 80’s style hard rockers such as the opening title track, Stand Up And Fight and Piece Of Paradise to more bluesy numbers such as The Shortest Straw and softer songs which veer into ballad territory such as Lost Child and Time Is A Healer.

We are also treated to a some cover songs such as Rod Stewart’s Is That The Thanks I Get and Tattooed Millionaire From Panama which is a mashup of Bruce Dickinson and Van Halen. Phantoms Of The Past works best when the songs are more uptempo rockers. There are a few too many slower tempo songs for my liking which in my opinion drags down the pace of the album but that aside this is a fantastic hard rock album with fine catchy songs which are likely to stay in your head for hours afterwards. 8/10

Reviews: Gama Bomb. New Haunts, Horrendous, Irreversible Mechanism (Reviews By Paul S)

Gama Bomb: Speed Between The Lines (AFM)

This is Gama Bomb's 7th album, coming 3 years after their last, Untouchable Glory. So, what have Joe, Philly, Paul, Domo and John got for us this time. Well, if you know Gama Bomb, there isn’t that much that that will surprise you, just a few tweaks to Gama Bomb’s signature sound. So, ridiculously tight, fast riffs. Screaming, technical, but very melodious solos. Thundering, beautifully rapid drumming. Great vocals with funny, imaginative lyrics. The band hasn’t messed with a template that works well, but has modified it a little to avoid getting stale. The changes are small, nothing as crass as getting progressive. 

The track Alt-Reich has a section in the middle that has a slower, slightly more nuanced riffing style. The song Motorgeist has a chorus that is channelling Motorhead, and feels a little more rock and roll. Gama Bomb have always been a band that is open to humour, and this album is no exception. Bring Out The Monster is a great track, a neck-breaking headbanger of a song, which has funny lyrics and a great conversation between the monster and Philly. Obviously theres a track about 80’s action movies, in the song Kurt Russell, I’d love to see Kurt ‘Drinking Cider, Smoking Hash’, as described in the lyrics. Musically the band are absolutely spot on as well, these guys might enjoy a laugh, but are also great musicians. The solo on the song R.I.P.U. is stunning, really impressive. 

I have always found Gama Bomb to be a band that gets how exiting thrash metal should be. This is one genre that should never be boring. The speed of the riffing, the humour, the great choruses, all combine to make Gama Bomb one of the most exciting bands in metal. I love their energy, it’s something that not many thrash bands can pull of. It’s apt that the cover of this album features a running man (possibly a reference to the film). As I’ve been listening to this album, I’ve tried to come up with an analogy of how Gama Bomb’s music makes me feel, and it involves running. When I was a kid, I remember getting an incredible feeling of excitement and invigoration from running. 

Not just running, but running as fast as I could. Running so fast that if I tried to run any faster I would go head over heals and collapse in a heap on the ground. That is how Gama Bomb’s music makes feel, like I’m 7 and getting a huge thrill from being able to move myself at such speeds. I realise that this might not make any sense to the rest of you, but that is how it effects me. It makes me feel as excited as I was before life beat the joy and love of life out of me, before I became an adult, and had to stop having fun. Do your inner child a favour, and let them Speed Between The Lines. 8/10

New Haunts: Worlds Left Behind (Self Released)

I have to be honest, this album has given me problems. Not because I didn’t like it, because I do. It’s given me problems because I spend so much time listening to heavy metal, this is quite a long way out of my comfort zone. There are no guitars, distorted or otherwise, no blast-beats, no harsh vocals, or all the other stuff that I usually write about. This is not any form of metal, but it has a feel that I think could be associated with the feelings that some heavy metal gives you. New Haunts is Alice Sheridan, doing both music and vocals. What we get is minimalist electronica, with a little of an industrial feel to it, and maybe a little Gothic as well. Over this minimalist sound is Sheridan’s voice, which is breathtaking. In many ways, due to the minimalist nature of the music, this album lives or dies on the quality of the voice, so it’s just as well she sounds so good.

The feel of the album is dark and sombre; this is not pop music. Left Me Cold is slow, dark and moody, the vocal feels like they are searching for answers. The song Hymns, features a church organ, added to the electronica, giving the track a melancholic feel, in places Sheridan’s voice sounds a little like Kate Bush. The track Waves has a darker, electronic sound to it, there is also a slight distortion on the vocals, giving the track a stygian, dissonant feel to it, more of a darkwave aura. Same Medicine could be an Lana Del Ray track, in a universe where she is more bothered by making great music, than being successful.

I have really enjoyed Worlds Left Behind. Alice Sheridan is clearly a hugely talented musician. For a first album, this is really impressive. Dark, and sombre, but at the same time cathartic and achingly beautiful. It’s an album that proves how important it is to get out of your comfort zones occasionally. 8/10

Horrendous: Idol (Season Of Mist)

Horrendous are a 4 piece death metal band from the US. The band have been going since 2009, and Idol is their 5th album. The death metal on offer here has a definite progressive feel to it. The riffing style is about halfway between old school death metal and technical death metal. There's a complexity to the riffs, but the band never lose sight of the brutality that great death metal needs. The production on this album is really good. 

This isn’t an over the top production, that a lot of death metal bands go for, no exaggerated pro-tools extremity. The sound is fairly natural, there is separation between the instruments. So you can tell what each member of the band is doing, so I can tell that the Bass work on this album is really good. I’ve reviewed so many death metal albums where you couldn’t pick out the bass from the other guitars, due to it sounding like a detuned mess. 

The natural production on the album allows the songs to shine, and shine they do. The track Golgothan Tongues, has some really brutal riffing, but also has some really great lead work and fantastic harmonies. The band do a good line in mixing hard death metal with more progressive, thoughtful passages. Devotion (Blood For Ink) is a case in point; the first half is brutal death metal, but in the second half of the song has a softer section, with clean guitars and vocals. The track Devine Anhedonia starts slowly with progressive build up to a properly brutal section, before bringing the intensity back down again.

Idol is a very accomplished album from a band who clearly know who they are and what they are trying to accomplish. This is a very mature album, made by accomplished musicians. It is brutal, but also nuanced, ferocious but also intelligent. Very impressive piece of death metal. 8 / 10

Irreversible Mechanism: Immersion (Blood Music)

Some death metal is low fi and simple, just about brutality. Some death metal is technical and progressive. And then there's Irreversible Mechanism, who fly straight through technical and out the other side. Immersion is a staggeringly technical piece of death metal. The album is packed full of the sort of thing you associate with technical death metal; amazing solos, insanely complex riffs, inhumanly fast drumming, but this album also contains some beautifully progressive elements. The album constantly juxtaposes heavy passages with much more ethereal, softer, often electronic parts. The instrumental track Simulacra, is a dark electronic piece with an fairly ambient feel to it. There are also parts of this album that feel more like tech/djent/math metal. There are places where this sounds a little like Animals As Leaders, or Chimp Spanner.

The death metal parts of this album are deeply complex, dense and brutal, perfectly contrasting the softer elements. Some of these juxtapositions happen within songs. Footprints In The Sand, starts with clean, slightly echoey guitar parts, played in a relaxed, musing fashion, before heavier parts come crashing in. The track comes to a close with another softer section which seems to be influenced by Philip Glass. These are very accomplished musicians, that is without question.

This constant changing of moods could have been distracting, or annoying, but it is handled so well. Instead of an incoherent mess, we get a beautifully shifting, mutating, constantly changing album that is breathtakingly complex, but at the same time is an eminently listenable album. The album is brought to a close by the track Awakening. A track that mixes the softer, ultra tech/djent sound with the more brutal death metal style. The song feels huge and expansive, and is a fantastic way to end the album.

Immersion is a brilliantly constructed, hugely complex album. Some death metal fans might find it too complex, and will find the constant shifting and changing of styles problematic. However, if you have an open mind to what death metal can be, and you appreciate complexity and amazing musicianship, you should definitely check this out, you won’t be disappointed. 8/10

Reviews: Salvation Jayne, Nine Miles Down, Prognosis, Saarkoth

Salvation Jayne: S/T (Self Released)

Salvation Jayne are a four piece alt-rock band from Kent who take as much from blues as they do from grunge. This EP is the six track affair with five fully plugged in rock outs and one stripped back version. The song that appears twice is the thumping Juno on the electric version it's driven by Dan Lucas' disco bass but on the stripped back version that comes at the end, it's got more of a trip hop sound similar to Portishead with a reverbed guitar and vocal on top of airy electronic drum beat. You've probably seen the opening salvo of this record on YouTube the thumping Cortez, the records first single the filthy top tapping beat showcases the rhythm section of Dan with Tor Charlesworth locking in for some fist pumping grooves, Holly Kinnear's Black Keys' styled riffage is excellent as the electronics undercut the song.

Letting Chess Smith use her versatile vocals that have an air of Lady Gaga especially on the aforementioned Juno. It's an EP with a some pretty dark lyrical content that fits well with the bands Alt-rock sound, listen to the gritty Black Heart and you'll hear what I'm on about, there's a sense of danger here and almost predatory Chess sneering on top of the fuzzed up instrumentals. There's a lot going on here different styles merge meaning that Salvation Jayne keep you guessing throwing pop into Tongue Tied but bringing in some powerful emotions on moody The Art Of Falling. A cracking little EP from a band who you'll need to watch out for, they have a glittering career ahead of them. 8/10  

Nine Miles Down: Fractures (Self Release)

A prog metal band based in South Wales/South West comprised of Andy Makin (vocals/guitar) who have tread the boards with Psycho Motel (Adrian Smith's grunge rock project) and Uriah Heep's Phil Lanzon, along for the ride is guitarist Eddie Marsh who is a guitar tech for Maiden as well as guitarist for one of my favourite UK prog/power metal bands Intense and drummer Tom Williams of Black Light Machine. This is their debut album and it's bloody brilliant balancing the heavier end of progressive metal with Fates Warning a particular a influence with a more alternative sound of Tool (Icarus). The songs are heavy duty, thick riffs meet with melodic solos on Long Way Down which is buoyed by orchestral touches and gives you the best example of Makin's excellent vocals, which made Psycho Motel one of the best Maiden solo projects.

There's a neat duality between the emotive cleans and harsh vocals that puts this record in a similar style to James LaBrie's solo records, although final track My Last Fire is a song worthy of Dream Theater with its moodiness, the stirring stings and darker tone. The record opens with Mockingbird a song released in 2017 that really sets the tone for the record with its thick grooves, a heavy bassline that explodes into a superior solo as the synths sit below everything, then in a reversal Where We Belong is a groove-driven number with shades of metalcore. This is a brilliant debut record from Nine Miles Down just the kind of progressive metal I like and I'll recommend this record to everyone I see. 8/10

Prognosis: Definition (Self Released)

Progressive metal by definition is there to defy what seems normal, Prognosis have not really defied much throughout their debut record but they have put their own spin on these tracks adding some unique touches to every song. The four piece from Manchester have mainly focused on extreme groove metal that's similar to Gojira or Mastodon with triple vocals that brings cleans and harsh together across their their 9 songs, like the Atlanta foursome there is a mix of heaviness and melody especially with the thick Downfall and the explosive High Road which has some massive breakdowns.

However with The Sycophant they add more classic metal influences filling the album with the kind of guitar solos and thrashy runs of Trivium while Waste has some djent mixed with Anselmo-like aggression in the vocals. Danny Daemon (bass & vocals), Phil Weller (guitar & vocals), Christian Hickson (guitar & vocals) and Dan Webster (drums) make up Prognosis and together they have created some modern aggressive prog metal that will appease fans of the bands mentioned earlier. 7/10

Saarkoth: Jera (MSH Music Group)

Debut album from Staffordshire black metal band Saarkoth has more than just a hint of Winterfylleth, in fact the band themselves acknowledge this drawing lyrical inspiration from nature and the pagan rituals of the old world. They, like their biggest influence balance gentle atmospheric acoustic textures such as the instrumental A Wound In The World with blistering black metal assaults like the explosive Beyond The Horizon and the more progressive Awake In Eternal Sleep which has the frenetic arpeggiated riffs, one minute but then more melodic percussive breaks the next, it's the best song on the record by a stretch having a broader stroke than some of the others. When they're playing at full power there's very little chance of a rest-bite just blastbeats galore and croaked vocals. They bring atmosphere to the songs with Dreams Of Emerald having the stirring violin at it's end. The production is a little rough but Jera is good slab of pagan black metal. 7/10