Reviews: Aephanemer, Runemagick, Takomaha, Heavy Pettin' (Matt Bladen, Rick Eaglestone, Spike & Simon Black)

Aephanemer - Utopie (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]

Neo-Classical Melodeath now as French band Aephanemer return with new release Utopie, their fourth album and the follow up to 2021's A Dream Of Wilderness.

Utopie goes bigger than their last three records, it's massive, cinematic record that really relies on the symphonic elements to make a mark, inspired by the those noted composers of the past, Utopie has layers of strings, choirs and more, in a similar vein to the likes of Fleshgod Apocalypse or Wintersun.

They easily balance the orchestral movements with blistering melodeath which has blistering blastbeats, a melodic guitar assault and raspy vocals. There are times I was wondering if I was listening to the right record as Aephanemer embrace some traditional/folk elements on this album too, with the folk traditions of the Slavic countries a major addition to what is a reinvention of what they do as a band.

Having always dabbled in symphonic styled melodeath, with Utopie they fully embrace the power of classical orchestration as being just as potent as their metallic moments. This duality born from the concept around the record which sees utopia not as an escape to paradise but as a confrontation of what has been before and the look towards harmony between all beings.

This philosophical depth is just as impressive as their music, especially when you consider Aephanemer are a trio, the scope they can reach is mind blowing. With much of the lyrics in their native French, the ferocious vocal menace that little more as the music veers from agony to ecstasy. Utopie redefines Aephanemer as a band, cementing their legacy as one of the most musically driven acts out their. 9/10

Runemagick – Cycle Of The Dying Sun (Hammerheart Records) [Rick Eaglestone]

The Swedish veterans have been ploughing the furrow of death doom for decades and returning with Circle Of The Dying Sun demonstrating they've lost none of their appetite for glacial riffs and occult atmospherics.

Runemagick deal in a very specific currency: slow, crushing, and utterly remorseless death metal that owes as much to Cathedral and early Paradise Lost as it does to Autopsy and Incantation. It is doom metal played by death metal musicians, or should that be death metal slowed down until it becomes something altogether more sinister?

There is no clean singing here, no melodic respite – just relentless, guttural proclamations that emerge from some unknowable abyss – case in point The Runestones Lament and has an early Morbid Angel feel with ominous tones and dominant basslines.

The album ebbs and flows in ways that prevent it from becoming a monotonous slog. There are moments of relative calm, where the tempo drops even further and the atmosphere becomes genuinely oppressive. Then there are passages where the band accelerate into mid-paced sections that feel positively frantic by comparison. It's all relative, of course – this is still an album where "fast" means something vastly different than it would on a thrash or black metal record.

I do love how is unapologetically traditional it sounds and almost stubborn the band are even if it means the album won't win many converts beyond their existing fanbase but then unwillingness not to compromise does lean into the apparent construction of the album which does boast some rather tight production which is highlighted in the trilogy of Spires Of The Drowned Horizon.

As well as both parts equally of Embers Of The Unwritten Dawn which although incredibly short compared to much of the album create an almost justification of the bands longevity and even only 2 years on from the frankly Majestically gloom filled Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind the band a really managed to maintain the level of mystery that surrounds them which has always been so compelling.

This is also very much an album rather than a collection of individual tracks. Listening to songs in isolation doesn't really work – you need to experience the full oppressive weight of the complete package to appreciate what Runemagick are doing here. It is a commitment, certainly, but one that rewards patience. 8/10

Takomaha – American Basements (Loyal Blood Records) [Spike]

One of the things I love about reviewing stuff for Musipedia of Metal is I would probably have never just stumbled across this EP and because I get to do this I’ve found a new wonderful thing.

So let’s get into this.

The press release for this Oslo unit mentions "urban dystopia" and "noise," which is probably the most polite way to say this EP sounds like a four-track fever dream recorded inside a municipal garbage disposal IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY. This isn’t rock music; it’s the sound of the structural integrity of your own anxiety finally failing.

Takomaha wields a sound that is fundamentally hostile, it feels like it was designed to be anything but easy. From the first coil of feedback (note: starting any EP with feedback is a win for me) on the title track American Basements, the atmosphere is saturated with the digital grime of modern living. They are experts in controlled chaos. The guitars don't just play riffs; they grate sound out, high-end sonic shrapnel tearing across a bass line so thick it should require its own postal code. The vocals arrive exasperated and monotone, clinging onto an indifferent void. This is what happens when post-rock philosophy meets the need to smash something.

The sheer unpredictability is the album’s strength. Scopekreep tumbles out of the gate with disorienting rhythms and lovely dissonance before it transitions into a nasty, forward-driving groove. It’s the band exposing serenity as a lie, only to reveal that the truth is a full-volume noise rock crescendo. Elsewhere, Tropical Slitwrist plays a dangerous game. It opens with big, unnerving washes of sound, then drops straight into a dark-dancehall electro beat. It's a calculated, eight-minute jam that builds tension until the bass finally hammers the track into submission.

The closer, No_Clip, ensures you don't leave feeling clean or satisfied. The entire EP is a reflection on a world choking on its own self-entitlement, and Takomaha’s prescription is a heavy, abrasive acid bath. If you prefer your music to be safe, streamlined, and emotionally resolved, stay away. If you enjoy the sensation of sonic punishment delivered with intense precision and a wicked sense of groove, grab a neck brace. This is essential noise and I love it. 9/10

Heavy Pettin' - Rock Generation (Silver Lining Music) [Simon Black]

Well, this was a blast from the past.

Although not a band I followed at the time, they were much loved in the glory days of the Hard Rock / NWOBHM boom in the 1980’s. Like many acts at the time, Glasgow’s finest ran into a wall at the end of the decade as big hair and big riffs fell out of favour, and apart from a brief reunion a live album, some compilations around the turn of the millennium, plus the occasional live appearance they haven’t released any new studio material since 1989 and have for all intents and purposes been on a three decade long hiatus since they went out with a Big Bang in 1989.

Part of Heavy Pettin’s challenge back in ye olden dayes was they spent a lot of effort trying to coat tail the briefly commercially successful Glam movement of the day, despite being more of a straight ahead NWOBHM/Rock affair, and that association probably didn’t help when the major labels of the time started ditching any acts with so much of a whiff of hairspray in favour of all things Grunge. This new recording is old school slightly Metal-tinged Rock ‘n’ Roll, and that never gets old and with three decades of delay, the songs have the benefit of a long gestation period and a lot of experience, so generally hit the mark with the right balance between melody, groove and welly.

First off, this isn’t a grand line up reunion; it’s vocalist and last man standing from the original days Steve Hayman, but you wouldn’t know that because they have done a rather grand job at capturing the sound and feeling of that long gone heyday, albeit with much better production values, but just as much reverb as so many records of the 80’s positively dripped... I suspect they don’t have much use for the accompanying hairspray now though…

Hayman can still hit the notes but does seem to struggle with the sustain in places (although this might be a case of being a bit over the top with the reverb), but it adds a rough edginess that makes things feel fresh, balanced well between strong production and fresh rock ‘n’ roll energy. The songs are all mostly anthemic rockers of the kind that work well live, and the album breezes past leaving me in a good mood, which is always a good start. It looks like they are going to be spending most of the next year touring with Uriah Heap and April Wine, plus some headline shows of their own next summer, and I for one have some catching up to do. 7/10

Reviews: Atomic Rooster, Soul Blind, Elepharmers, Birds Of Nazca (Rich Piva)

Atomic Rooster - Circle The Sun (Esoteric Antenna/Cherry Red Records)

A new Atomic Rooster album in 2025? Yes indeed! Circle The Sun is here in all of its Hammond Organ glory. This is the band’s first album of new material since 1983, a long time but also a time period that saw the band’s influence grow, especially in the heavy underground rock scene. This version only has one original member, guitarist and now adding more vocals, Steve Bolton, but if you dig the band and have been yearning for more Rooster, you should really dig this record.

The Hammond is strong on the opener, Fly Or Die, while the title track continues that trend while Bolton rips it up on guitar. Never 2 Lose slows it down and gets all psych bluesy but leads nicely into the insane organ work on Walk With Me, which is all sorts of fun and crazy. Rebel Devil is as straight ahead rock as the Rooster gets on Circle The Sun, adding some female background vocals to the party and has (another) cool organ solo. Not sure about the vocals on No More, but musically it has some Death Walks Behind You vibes. The weird and spooky Pillow isn’t my favourite but doesn’t do anything to ruin the vibe, while Last Night sounds like Traffic, which is fine by me. The last two tracks, First Impression and Blow That Mind are more of the same, but it gets a little tired as the album goes on.

New Atomic Rooster is welcomed for sure. While the vocals are in some parts a struggle, musically this record rocks. Is Circle The Sun great? Debatable. Is it a fun listen for long time fans? Indeed. Can there ever be too much organ? Absolutely not. But let us not bury the lead…there is a new Atomic Rooster album in 2025, and its pretty damn good. 7/10

Soul Blind - Red Sky Mourning (Closed Casket Adventures)

New York’s Soul Blind is right in my 90s post rock wheelhouse on their new record, Red Sky Mourning. Quicksand, Helmet, Hum, Failure, Handsome, Into Another, etc., all makes me very happy. Add some Alice In Chains and some of the heavier 90s shoegaze bands, and what you get are the ten tracks on Red Sky Mourning.

Heavy, atmospheric, and guitar that just rips, the record opens with Business Or Pleasure, which just blows you away. The chunky Dyno is Hum vs. Alice In Chains in a fight to the death. Hide Your Evil is dripping with 90s goodness with vocals that remind me of Walter and has quite the Quicksand swagger to it. Mistake To Wonder is dreamy post rock with serious Failure vibes, while Billy sounds like one of the better Filter songs. We head back to the Pacific Northwest with the grungy For Real that also includes this fuzzy wall of sound in the background. 

Thru The Haze has a Catherine Wheel thing going on and that makes this reviewer very happy. This song shows that the band certainly understand melodic 90s heavy alt rock like they were studying it for their PhDs. The title track is more of the same in the best kind of way, bringing their version of atmospheric grunge circa 2025 with some serious post emo vibes to go along with it. The early 2000s creeps in with New York Smoke, but no harm no foul on this one. The closer, Closer To You, sums up what this record and what Soul Blind’s sound is all about.

Yeah, of course I love Red Sky Mourning given who Soul Blind is channelling. This record is chock filled with all the stuff I love from my favourite decade of music. If you like any of the band mentioned above, then check this out and let it take you on a journey to some of the best times of the 90s, updated for one of the better releases in 2025. 9/10

Elepharmers - Western Wilderness (Electric Valley Records)

Hard driving stoner rock with the right amounts of fuzz, psych, and melody is what you get from the excellent new record from Elepharmers title Western Wilderness. The Italian trio’s fourth record is right up there with the rest of their great discography and another collection of killer tracks that blend elements of stoner, space, and psych rock perfectly.

Riffs are a plenty on the opener, The Underworld, then add the hard driving The Call Of The Wild for such a strong one-two punch to kick the record off. I love the psych guitar work on this one. We get a change of pace with the slower, atmospheric, and spacey Arcuentu that also sounds right out of the 1990s in the best sort of way. A chunky gallop picks up the pace once again with Burning The Nest that reminds me a bit of the excellent band Tidal Wave. 

Dung Beetle has a frantic vibe to it, with guitars all over the place, while Drifter brings more chunky riffs that the Elepharmers cultivate so well. I get Fire Down Below vibes from this one. Blind opens up like a 90s thrash track before kicking into something that stays in the same decade but slows the pace down to something more alt friendly, with excellent results. 

Towers Of Silence is where the band shows off that they are more than just a riff-y stoner band, bringing a new depth to their writing with this kind psych ballad, until it kicks in with the biggest and nastiest riff of Western Wilderness, sounding like Trippy Daisy or Hum musically, which is a huge compliment. The instrumental Genna Serapis closes out the record with more Tidal Wave vibes and shows that Elepharmers continue to be masters of their craft.

If you dig bands like Tidal Wave and Fire Down Below, like a bit of psych and 90s alt rock with your stoner, and can’t get enough of Italian power trios, the new Elepharmers record, Western Wilderness, will be right up your alley. 8/10

Birds Of Nazca - Pangaea (Self Released)

Solid instrumental stoner psych doom is what you get on the new record, Pangaea, from Nantes, France guitar and drums duo Birds Of Nazca. This is the band’s third record which keeps up the quality heavy instrumental rock the band has become known for.

The band never sounds like only a two piece, as Birds Of Nazca have a much bigger sound than that of just two dudes. My favourite tracks is the desert rock sounding Racetrack Playa that has such a great stoner groove to it. My other favourites include the opener, Batagaïka, that has some very cool changes and big riffs, and the one-two punch of the last couple of tracks Riftus…directly into …Pangaea. The former is a psych-y intro track that turns into a slow burn led by a knuckle dragging riff and some more cool changes.

I tend to lean more towards bands with vocals, but Birds Of Nazca are a band that can keep it interesting even without words. Cool riffs, heavy vibes, and quite the groove brought to you by what sounds like way more than the two guys playing on Pangaea. 7/10

Reviews: Ronnie Romero, Defecto, Shiraz Lane, Leah-Martin Brown (Matt Bladen)

Ronnie Romero - Backbone (Frontiers Music)

If there was ever anyone who could take Glenn Hughes' moniker of 'The Voice Of Rock' it's Ronnie Romero. He's literally everywhere fronting all the bands under the sun, if he's not singing for Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, The Michael Schenker Group, Lords Of Black, The Ferrymen, Sunstorm, Elegant Weapons. Then he's making guest appearances like nobody's business and he's he's also releasing his own music with his solo band.

Backbone is his second album of own material, his first was Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters, which showcased his song writing as the two previous albums were full of covers; Raised On Radio dealt with AOR and classic rock and Raised On Heavy Radio which went metal. So this another set of tracks specifically suited to that incredible vocal, Ronnie up front and showing off while he's backed by a slick talented band and some high profile guests too.

Former Europe axe man Kee Marcello gives a solo to Hideaway, which was co-written and features backing vocals from legendary songwriter and Argent frontman Russ Ballad, who famously wrote Since You've Been Gone, I Surrender and God Gave Rock N Roll To You, so it's safe to say he knows his way around a song and Hideaway is exactly the sort of melodic hard rock pomp you'd want with these two involved.

Much of the record though is written by Romero and his guitarist Jose Rubio Jimenez, who mixes and mastered while Romero produced. With Romero on vocals and Rubio on guitar/bass, the album has plenty of organs from Alessandro Bertoni from the swaggering Backbone right through to Black Dog, which has some galloping double kick drums from Chris Allan.

So Backbone is another big heavy rock record from this hard working, world class singer. 8/10

Defecto - Echoes Of Isolation (Frontiers Music)

Danish metal band Defecto return with their new album Echoes Of Isolation, a concept album that deals with mental illness as vocalist Nicklas Sonne says “Each song inhabits a different psychological struggle - insomnia, schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, paranoia, dissociation, trauma" so it's a darker, personal and more introspective record than perhaps their previous three before it.

Thankfully this darker route doesn't take anything away from the technically skilled yet melodic delivery of what Defecto do best. Still led by their founder members, Defecto features the passionate and gritty vocals of Sonne, he also plays guitar sitting in between the bass of Thomas Bartholin and guitar of Frederik Møller while Morten Gade Sørensen (who joined in 2018) plays drums.

They continue to create excellent music together, as the vocals soar above the heavy, progressive riffs and fluid virtuosity. Fans of cinematic bands such as Evergrey and Symphony X will love this record, as the huge choruses blend with the proggy technical metal. Echoes Of Isolation is another brilliant addition to Defecto's legacy. 9/10

Shiraz Lane - In Vertigo (Frontiers Music)

Finnish rockers Shiraz Lane return with their new album In Vertigo. Like their other records it's a modern rock record full of emotional lyrics and songs that take from the resurgent Scandi AOR scene, some Quincy Jones-like 80's pop (Dangerous) and plenty of sleazy and glam too. Co-written by the band and their longtime producer Per Aldeheim, his history with bands such as H.E.A.T and Def Leppard, shining through with The Ray Of Love.

It's not retro though as Shiraz Lane have taken a very modern route, nodding to bands such as Hinder, Adelita's Way and Shinedown on the orchestral backed, upbeat Live A Little More, with more pop coming on Babylon. Over the years they've adapted what they play, moving from the noted styles of Guns N Roses and Aerosmith on their debut album, through a few different guises, they seem to have settled on the modern melodic rock sound they have now.

With Sayonara Love they have a bonafide Eurovision entrant (it's even around 3 minutes long) and that's the overwhelming feel I got from In Vertigo, the shift towards pop and modernity still pays homage to their influences but with a razor sharp contemporary edge. 7/10

Leah-Martin Brown - Love & Other Crimes (Frontiers Music)

Love & Other Crimes is the debut album from singer songwriter Leah Martin-Brown. When I heard Mr X, I did think I'd perhaps picked up a pop album by mistake, maybe even a later period Shania Twain release when R U Chicken kicked in but then I looked at the track listing and I realised that this record was produced by Robert Mutt Lange and as such has all the musical hallmarks he has over the years, especially the huge backing vocals on R U Chicken which is pure Def Leppard fluff.

This is pop rock definitely with writing credits from Martin-Brown, Mutt Lange, guitarist Tommy Denander and keyboardist Tony Nilsson, it's a collaborative record that never really gets away from the sound that Lange has cultivated over the years, originally from Australia but having played in the USA, L.A and Stockholm, this is a record full of danceable pop rock, if Lady Gaga fronting Def Leppard sounds like a winner to you then check it out but for anyone expecting rock you may feel a little let down as this is a pop album. 6/10

Reviews: Primitive Man, Howling Giant, Embraced By Darkness, Going Off (Joe Guatieri, Rich Piva, Spike & GC)

Primitive Man - Observance (Relapse) [Joe Guatieri]

Primitive Man are a Doom Metal band, hailing from the cold lands of Denver, Colorado in the US. They are well-renowned as being one of the heaviest bands on earth alongside the likes of Thou and The Body. Their last release turned many heads as Primitive Man put out a collaborative effort with famed Grindcore band, Full Of Hell, pairing sub-genres that are complete opposites together. Their last solo studio release before that was 2022s Insurmountable.

Shockingly enough, I have never listened to a Primitive Man album in full before but because of the aforementioned reasons and constant talk from my friends, they have always been on my radar as I was trying to find where would be the best place to start. Now I have no other choice, don’t talk about it, do it! My first Primitive Man outing is with their newest release Observance, let’s dive in.

Opening the album we have Seer, a song that in many ways feels like a salute to not only Sludge forefathers Grief, but also Noise acts like Merzbow. Going from classic chord striking power with thunderous low-end, into verses where the guitar and noise are at odds with one another. They engage in such violent doings that they end up eclipsing the sun in its process, beyond overbearing.

Progressing, we have track three with Transactional. This song forever plays with my expectations from beginning to end. The riff is forever expanding, faster than the sun of its parts as it stretches above and beyond the busy drums, miraculously staying in time with everything else. The snare drum makes its presence felt, making the walls shake as it calls to Khanate with ringing anxiety.

Then out of pure fear, from 8:44 the familiarity of Transactional is sucked into a black hole from the void as guitar and feedback become one once again. They birth an entity of the unknown which screams out into nothingness for almost a minute, made up entirely of harsh noise. A moment that almost brought me to tears upon hearing it as this was everything that I ever wanted.

As the punishment is felt, all that’s left is another slow crawl through the strikes as you feel more pain than you have ever felt in your life before as chords slash at your person, leaving a mark on your back. The instrumental is trying to reach up to heaven but hell is now far in the distance, Transactional is musical purgatory and it is my favourite song on Observance.

No matter what song I describe, every single one of them comes back to the same theme, being overwhelming. With no song outstaying its welcome and with full force, you are left with being a shell of a human being by the end of it, completely hollow on the inside. Primitive Man have chucked out a ravaged carcass to their fans and they have no choice but to eat it, like lions making sure that no little morsel goes to waste. Observance is a nature documentary that turned into a living breathing horror film.

Whilst yes, every scratch, punch and kick are felt, Observance made me well up but it didn’t terrify me, just a bit more could have been done. Despite that, it’s Primitive Man dropping experiences like this which prove why they are so celebrated as Sultans of Feedback and are regarded as being one of the heaviest bands to ever walk this earth. They for sure have made a fan out of me! 9/10

Howling Giant - Crucible & Ruin (Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

I have been a huge Howling Giant fan for a while now and I always to expect to love what I am going to hear next from the band. 2023’s Glass Future was the most straight-ahead heavy rock record the band had put out up till then, so when the new record. 

Crucible & Ruin, was announced, I expected maybe an even deeper dive into the more melodic hard rock side of the band. Well, what I got, in all of its glory and to my ultimate delight, is the most complex, heavy, progressive group of songs that takes their sound to whatever next level they can get to as already one of the leaders in the heavy underground. To say I am blown away by these ten songs would be a major understatement.

So, what’s different about Crucible & Ruin? First off, drummer Zach Wheeler’s performance on this record is off the charts, showing that he is one of the premiere drummers in heavy rock today. His work on Crucible & Ruin doubles down on the heaviness of these songs and his work is what makes this record stand up so tall. Sebastian Baltes hangs right with Zach in keeping down the low end and anchoring all of the amazing stuff coming at you on Crucible & Ruin. 

Next, the addition of Adrian Zambrano as a second guitar and fourth member has brought both a new level of musicianship and a bigger overall sound that makes all of these songs just huge. The band has moved away from organ and added more subtle synth work to the songs, and Adrian’s work there has fit in perfectly. Vocalist/guitarist Tom Polzine just lets it rip on the record, showing off on songs like Archon, with both his soloing and the best vocal performances of his career. The band went the more professional route from a recording standpoint, and you can tell, because the sound that has been captured is pretty much perfect. 

The songwriting is next level too, from the proggy but still heavy AND melodic aforementioned Archon, to the full of cool changes opener, Canyons, to the chunky, complex Beholder I: Downfall that really displays Zach’s superhuman level of drumming. My two favourites are Scepter and Scythe, with the killer guitar work and the cool tempo changes, and Beholder II: Labyrinth that rips it up and shows how much all four members are just dialled into the vision and the goal of Crucible & Ruin.

Crucible & Ruin shows that if there is a next heavy underground band to take the Elder/King Buffalo leap to the next level, it is Howling Giant. This record rules for all the reasons above, and it doesn’t hurt that the guys in the band are excellent humans to go along with it. A for sure album of the year candidate and a must listen for everyone. 10/10

Embraced By Darkness – Ex Inferis (Non Serviam Records) [Spike]

Let's cut the pleasantries. This is a full-length debut forged in the cold Dutch underground, and Embraced By Darkness is here to remind us that Black Metal is not some cozy atmosphere to curl up with. Ex Inferis is a commitment to raw, blackened violence, a twelve-track descent that feels less like listening to music and more like being thrown down a flight of concrete stairs by a religious zealot. This album is a testament to focused, unyielding hate.

The production, handled by Anders Backelin, manages a perfect trick: it's clean enough that every surgical tremolo riff cuts through the mix, but filthy enough that the entire soundscape feels coated in caustic grime. You can actually hear the bass, but it only exists to ensure the crushing low end gives you proper vertigo.

The album starts with the ritualistic intro Tenebrae before detonating into Black Mass. This is where the band immediately sets the tempo to furious. They operate with relentless aggression, but avoid the messy sprawl of some raw black metal. Instead, they harness that punk energy into an efficient, striking weapon. The riffing is jagged, unforgiving, and laced with sinister melodic harmonies that draw clear lineage to titans like Dissection and Dark Funeral. They are not trying to reinvent the wheel; they are simply making sure their wheel is currently coated in razor wire and turning at terminal velocity.

The lyrical obsession is blatant and uncompromising: destruction, the fall of false prophets, and devotion to the dark path. Tracks like Messenger Of Satan and Black Flames Of Blasphemy utilize vocals that are purely guttural and acidic, sounding like they were screamed directly into a furnace. There is no time for soaring clean passages here, only the constant, abrasive rhythm of the fall. The sheer density of the album is impressive, yet the inclusion of melodic hooks, particularly on Enlightened By The Flames, ensures that the material, despite its unrelenting nature, retains a haunting, infectious quality. It sticks to your ribs while simultaneously trying to slice them open.

The relentless pace continues through the middle section, grinding listeners down with tracks like Diabolis and Lord Of Darkness. The shift only comes right at the very end. The final track, Mortuus, provides a sombre, slow march into oblivion. It is the sound of the aftermath, the cold, quiet peace that follows the chaos. It’s a necessary conclusion that doesn’t grant comfort, but confirms the devastation was complete. Ex Inferis is a powerful, unbridled invocation of chaos that delivers exactly what the cover promises: pure devotion to the dark arts, packaged in a viciously effective sonic storm. 8/10

Going Off - Kill List II (Self Released) [GC]

Since 2020, Manchester’s Going Off have released an impressive amount of music with a host of EP’s, live albums and more they have also shared stages with some of the top names in the hardcore scene, 2025 sees them back in the studio and this new EP Kill List II has 7 tracks and clocks in at just under 10 minutes! What is there not to like about that!?

Nothing could really prepare me for what Change My Life sounded like!? It was a total shock I was expecting speedy and raw hardcore punk with some vicious and emotional twists, what I got was a weirdly slow chugathon that didn’t really do much at all and the vocals are just done weirdly, and I’m just not sure what happened? Brain Melter is even slower and not much happens, the problem with short tracks is if you want to have an impact you need to really smash it home but here, they all just sound the start off a song and then it’s over and I’m really not sure what the aim or end goal is here? 

On Mourning it feels more of an apt pace and the misery is purveyed through the way the song is played, and the vocals do have that pain hidden behind them that does shine through a bit better than previously, No One Loves You is exactly what this should sound like its hardcore punk as it really should be, fast, raw, angry and emotive and its all over in just under 50 seconds and it’s a raw shot that is needed to spark some life into proceedings. When To Lose A Limb comes around I think I am finally tuning into what is going on, and I’m starting to warm to it more, the more I hear the more it gets under my skin and seeps into my conscious, I can feel the pain and I can feel the misery dripping from every sludgy riff and its getting better as it goes on.

Scum Friend is probably the best thing on the EP, its got that doomy, dragging and claustrophobic shrieking noise feel, I wish they would actually expand on the tracks though as the shorter run time doesn’t really help as just as you get into it, its done and it feels like there should be more to really emphasize everything! Salvation has the longest run time of 2:15 and also has the best riff on the EP and has a bit of a grooving rhythm injected into the bleakness and even with an extra minute or so you can feel the effect it has on the song as a whole and it makes it sound so much more complete and its just a shame its come this late into the EP.

My early opinions of the EP were that it just was not what I wanted and something was missing, the more it went on the better it got and I did enjoy it but I just really wish there was more of it as I think if some of these songs were slightly longer they would have sounded so much better and trust me I’m not one to ask for songs to be overly long but I feel here they just needed that little bit more! 6/10

Reviews: Deus Culpa, PowerCross, Above Us The Waves, Moira's Touch (Matt Bladen)

Deus Culpa - Precarious (Self Released)

Coming out of Athens it's a heavy metal band with a political edge to it. Politics across Europe and the World is quite awful at the moment, you could even say Precarious but that don't expect downbeat songs on this album. In fact don't expect one genre either as while Lost In The Way has some wild variations throughout out it. 

Soothness Of Mind is a unifying mid-pace track, Lost In The Way meanwhile has some Metallica to it and So Many Tears goes into 80's hard rock and that's just the first three songs. It's all part of the way Deus Culpa approach song writing where they will write songs that sound good, no matter the style. Now Silver kills a bit of the momentum but after the title track builds the record back up Isle Of Dirt returns to the anthemic heavy rock sound that Deus Culpa do best, thankfully from here they stick to rocking, not without melody or choruses that will have you shouting along. 

I was actually quite impressed by this record, Deus Culpa write socially conscious songs which are all a little different in style and while that sometimes makes records irritating, here it shows that the band have a lot of musical skill while also being able to write catchy songs. Worth checking out. 7/10

PowerCross - Renaissance (Elevate Records)

I reviewed the debut album from Greek power metal band PowerCross back on 2024 and I gave it 7/10 comparing them to a band such as Firewind or any band that plays guitar driven power metal with tinges of Neo-classical shredding. Spiros Rizos is the Axeman, delivering fireworks on Eagles Fair, where the likes of Stratovarius are also touched upon, Wisdom also goes down this road, however Rizos also locks into riffs on God Of The Dead. 

Like the debut this has a concept around it continuing the themes from the debut as Panos Boutidis (bass) and Foivos Andriopoulos (drums) blast through Carry On, however it's vocalist John Britsas that's perhaps the weak link in the band as his vocals are good but there's a couple of times when they could do with being more powerful or maybe give a more range. Still at eight songs, Renaissance is a perfectly good guitar driven power metal album from PowerCross but it doesn't offer more than the previous record. 7/10

Above Us The Waves - Counting Seasons EP (Self-Released)

Kavala metalcore now from Above Us The Waves and their new EP Counting Seasons. This modern metal band have been producing music since 2011 having released two albums previously which has seen them taking to stages across Europe and you can hear from the four tracks on this EP that they would be a potent live force. 

Blending heavy grooves with emotional, melodic choruses, which reminds me of Wales' BFMV on Guard My Six and Ghost Issues too. So there is some familiarity in what they play, but that doesn't mean it's any less passionate or personal, the title track for instance has some brilliant gang vocals in the chorus. Counting Seasons, is short release but a good intro to the metalcore of Above Us The Waves. 7/10

Moira's Touch - Moira's Touch (Self Released)

Moira's Touch is the second release from the band of the same name, it's a collaboration between writer/poet Michael "Makk" Giannopoulos and singer Joan Kollia. This is their first full length as a full band as Dimitris Koskinas and Yiannis Fasoulakis play all of the instruments, with Joan handling keys and Nikos Miras playing drums when they play on stage.

So what's it like? Well if you like heavy metal then you'll enjoy Moira's Touch, there's a classic theme throughout as Naysayers showcases the powerhouse of Joan who brings forth Doro or Leather Leone with her vocals. They also have some blistering speed metal on Wilful Ignorance while Tarry takes the form of Dio fronted Sabbath (Heaven And Hell) where the vocals of Yiannis Papanikolaou (Diviner/Rock N Roll Children) adds the powers of RJD.

They do shift away with Now I Wonder which has a jazzy ballad with sax break towards the end but the album closes with the closer Malevolent they go back to the brooding doom styled classic metal. Another collaboration that bares fruit, this full length from Moira's Touch is worth a listen if you like the bands I mentioned earlier. 7/10

Reviews: Black Soul Horde, Flamecore, Tapeworm Electric, Crossover (Matt Bladen)

Black Soul Horde - Symphony Of Chaos (Vinyl Store)

Horror meets NWOBHM as Athenian classic heavy metal act Black Soul Horde, return with their fourth full length Symphony Of Chaos, following up their 2021 release Horrors From The Void with another record of re-imagined tales of horror in the modern day. Lyrically Jim Kotsis takes inspiration for fantasy, horror, and channels it all through his histrionic, heavy metal delivery, that's up there with Halford and Warrel Dane.

He founded the band alongside John Tsiakopoulos who plays guitars and more recently bass, driving the main rhythms of this band in a similar way to Jon Schaffer does in Iced Earth (yes I said the forbidden word). He moves between classic heavy metal, power metal and even thrash, his rhythm prowess giving The Creatures Of The Night the gallop of Malden. Lead guitar is taken by Kostas Papaspyrou, exploding with widdly abandon on the rapid What The Night Invokes and the bludgeoning In The Realm Of The Silver Light.

On their last album, there was a introspective, darker overall tone, here that's done away with, brighter, braver and more aggressive, it's still got the style of they started with, showcases all of the evolutions they have been through. With the current wave of NWOTHM showing no signs of stopping, Black Soul Horde are one of the stand outs in my opinion. Symphony Of Chaos is full of snarling riffs, melodic technical solos and those impressive vocals, telling stories of the supernatural, the fantastic and the wicked, through muscular heavy metal. 9/10

Flamecore - Flamecore (Wormholedeath Records)

Split between Athens and Chania, Flamecore play modern melodeath, the story begins with Plains Of Nameck, the first riff they wrote and now the first track on this debut album which was initially released in February but has now got larger distribution behind it through Wormholedeath. If you're a fan of electronically driven metalcore of Children Of Bodom or In Flames then Flamecore are going to excite you.

Lyrically the rasping growls deal with inner conflict and struggles, but musically they combine heavy breakdowns and thrashy riffs with melodic synths that interplay with the guitars on tracks such as Death Awaits or Only Waste Remains but they can also get aggressive on Projected Reality, From The Shadows and the technical Celebrate Yourself.

I'm pleased that this record is getting a broader release as it's a great melodeath record if you're fan of the technical side of it. 7/10

Tapeworm Electric - Moonshine (Pitch Black Records)

Some classic heavy rocking from Greece now with Tapeworm Electric, which is a horrible image of you've ever had serious stomach issues but the music here makes up for their band name. It's classic rock with influences from all over the place be it the smooth, bluesy duet Right Reasons which reminds me of Fleetwood Mac or the Deep Purple-like Butterfly, the band take inspiration from the big boys and girls of the classic rock genre.

Moonshine is their debut full length, having released and EP in 2018, this record expands on that keeping one foot in the blues at all times but shifting into swaggering hard rock on the title track where Panos Leontaritis and George Bizas crank out the riffs, Bizas adding the keys/organs on Butterfly and on Out Of Luck which has a Zeppelin groove locked in by the bass of George Kasapidis.

He's the muscle on these songs along with the drumbeats of Antonis Michalakopoulos who can balance defy bluesy delivery with a drive on Touch The Clouds which has the choppy, funky riffs of Hendrix and they even throw a bit of Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) into a solo later on. The performances on this record are brilliant, capturing what the band do live on to a record, but resting that sense of power all good classic rock bands have.

If you have any doubts just check out the outstanding vocals of Argyro Igkilizian across the record but hit hard on Loosen Up and Hold On. She's the last piece of this heavy rock puzzle and brings blues and bluster to Moonshine as the perfect vocal foil for the band's muscular hard rock. Tapeworm Electric add a modern shine to classic rock and Moonshine is great bluesy rock record from these Athenians. 8/10

Crossover - Miserere (Sleaszy Rider Records)

Crossover return with their first album in 18 years, beginning with Ο άσπονδος νεκρός which is in Greek and features Wrath from Dodsferd it's used to build the tension and atmosphere before Black N Roll does exactly what it says it will be delivering buzzsaw riffs driven by HM-2 and Venom like vocals.

It's not what you'd expect from a Greek black metal band by then you could say that for a lot this album as Crossover's sound has shifted more to thrashy side of black metal on their recent releases. To Live In Truth has that thrash stomp to it while Missed Life unleashes hell. So it's black metal but there is death (Miserere) and plenty of thrash too.

It's also 14 tracks long so the band have been busy in 18 years, and while most of this album is pretty good, some of the tracks could have been cut, however the cover of Astarte's Ring Of Sorrow is very much a required track, especially as Sleaszy Rider will be releasing a completing to the band later this year.

Blackened thrash that's worth the wait, Crossover return with a vengeance. 7/10

Reviews Stillbirth, Brown Acid, Dwelling Below, Spaceship Landing (Martin Brown & Rich Piva)

Stillbirth – The Survival Protocol (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Martin Brown]

Stillbirth have never been short on power, but The Survival Protocol pushes that energy into far more structured, deliberate territory. The band’s technical command is obvious from the first seconds of Existence Erased, where sharp riffing, shifting tempos and unexpected percussive details – yes, including a well-placed cowbell – set the tone for an album that constantly toys with expectation.

The production is impressively clean without losing heft. The bass is thick, audible, and integral to the songwriting rather than buried under the guitars. Every transition feels considered: the way Trapped In Darkness slides from a groove-heavy stomp into a tight mid-tempo run, or the sudden textural breaks in Throne Of Bones, show a band with both control and imagination.

Where Stillbirth really excel here is in pacing. There’s space between the chaos; the title track The Survival Protocol builds tension through small rhythmic shifts before erupting again, and Cult Of The Green adds moments of almost psychedelic dissonance that keep it from feeling predictable. The drum sound remains mechanical in places, but the precision works in context – it amplifies the sharp edges of the music rather than flattening them.

Vocally, it’s still very much within the modern death-metal template: powerful but somewhat uniform transitions from deep vocal fry to pig squeals. Yet that consistency gives the guitars, bass, and interludes room to breathe, and the band use that space well. The result is an album that rewards close listening, full of clever layering, unexpected breaks, and a genuine sense of craft.

The Survival Protocol isn’t just another blast of brutality – it’s a thoughtful, tightly engineered record that shows Stillbirth evolving beyond shock value into something more refined. Heavy, inventive, and meticulously produced, it’s one of their strongest and most cohesive releases to date. 8/10

Various Artists - Brown Acid: The Twenty First Trip (RidingEasy Records) [Rich Piva]

I am going to start this review like I did the last seven additions to this collection; I love the Brown Acid series that has been curated by the great RidingEasy Records. If you are not familiar with the set the basic concept is that Lance Barresi, owner of L.A.-based Permanent Records, searches the far corners of the US in dusty record store bins, garages, attics, and confirms musical urban myths to bring us lost and the most underground of underground songs from long forgotten bands that in some cases may have only release one song on a promo single. 

These songs come together to populate the now twenty-one. Yes, twenty-one volumes of some of the best 60s and 70s proto metal and psych rock that you have never heard before. Never ever do these comps disappoint. This one is no different, with another ten lost treasures for your listening enjoyment.

Highlights of the latest volume include the opener 90 second proto punk ripper Maggie Johnsons from Belgian trio OPUS EST. The freaky weird male/female psych of Losing You from Freedom North which seemingly bleeds into freakier psych from Accents out of Rhode Island, in the form of Friendly Stranger, originally release in 1969 that adds some killer organ. Newark, Delaware’s Pump gets all fuzzy and hooky on Kinda Like while Lazy River Blues by L.A.’s Peacepipe is a bluesy Doors type thing, but weirder.

I am still amazed at volume twenty-one we are getting sets of songs that are as solid and enjoyable as we have here. Twenty-one volumes take up a lot of room in my vinyl collection, but boy does RidingEasy make the Brown Acid series sets so worth it, with this one being no exception. 8/10

Dwelling Below – Wearisome Guardians (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Martin Brown]

Wearisome Guardians is the sound of descent. Dwelling Below take the slow-motion gravity of death-doom and strip it of comfort, leaving only the weight and texture of decay. The thirteen-minute title track sets the tone — an immense, unhurried sprawl of dissonant chords and suffocating atmosphere, anchored by a bass that feels more like a seismic pulse than an instrument. It moves in layers rather than sections, each riff dragging the listener deeper while the vocals drift in and out like distant echoes.

The production is deceptively clear beneath the murk. Every tone has room to breathe, the reverb used as architecture rather than effect. Unfolding Universe opens the space slightly, introducing fragile melody under the same oppressive tempo, while Termination Experiments pulls it all back into claustrophobic density. The short Interlude feels less like relief and more like the eye of a storm, and by the time The Altar and Sacraments arrive, the record has become ritualistic — slow, deliberate, and consuming.

There’s a precision behind the gloom. The transitions between riffs are thoughtful, the bass placement immaculate, and the production balances rawness with clarity. The vocals remain buried, almost abstract, but that decision serves the mood rather than diminishing it. Wearisome Guardians isn’t an album built for hooks or immediacy; it’s a sustained act of atmosphere that rewards immersion.

For a debut of this depth and patience, it’s impressive. Dwelling Below have crafted something that stands apart from the current doom landscape — heavy, deliberate, and strangely elegant in its restraint. An excellent record that deserves to be experienced whole, preferably in darkness and suffocating heat, with a light at the end of the tunnel that looks suspiciously like a flamethrower. 8/10

Various Artists - Spaceship Landing: A Tribute to Kyuss (Witching Buzz) [Rich Piva]

At this point I do not need to sell anyone of the awesomeness and important of Kyuss on the desert/stoner rock genre. So, I am not going to. If you don’t know, then Spaceship Landing: A Tribute to Kyuss, which is 20 tracks of some of the best and some newer bands of the desert/stoner genre covering some of the best tracks from the legendary band, is not for you. This compilation may not be for you if you love Kyuss and don’t want to hear covers of already perfect songs. So, what I am going to focus on for this review are the tracks that stood out to me as ones to start with out of the 20 given to us here.

Sonic Wolves covers of Thumb is killer. The band sounds amazing and just does just enough to make it their own. Apothecaries’ Weight is a perfect match for Rainbow Bridge, and they nail it. ISAAK’s version of Odyssey kicks all sorts of ass, like pretty much everything else ISAAK does. Doctor Doom’s stripped-down version of Space Cadet rules. My favourite track is from Arizona’s Fuzz Evil, who absolutely destroy Supa Scoopa And Mighty Scoop and is the true standout of the 20 tracks for me.

This is fun, but am I going to sit and listen to all 20 in a row again? Probably not. Are the ones I mentioned worth your time? Absolutely. Make yourself a little mix tape of your favourites and keep it on rotation. Then add a couple more, change a few out. This is great, but mostly is small doses, but all the bands do a great job. Kyuss rules, the bands on this album are great and they all do a great job, but it can be a lot, but overall Spaceship Landing: A Tribute to Kyuss is worth your time. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Hollow Souls (Spike)

Sunday Night Smackdown: Hollow Souls & Troy Redfern – Waterfront Studio, Norwich 26.10.25



Sunday night in Norwich usually means an early curfew and the dread of Monday morning, but the Waterfront crowd came out looking for a fight. What they got was a face-off between two powerhouses that felt less like a concert and more like a necessary dose of high-gain therapy.

First up: Troy Redfern (8). Let’s be blunt, the sound desk dropped the ball early. It started a little wobbly, sounding like a rusty spoon dragging across a dry mix. But give the man credit: Redfern and his drummer didn't flinch. Once that signature, corrosive slide guitar tone settled in, it was pure, minimalist sonic violence. He constructs a wall of sound that defies physics, proving you don't need five guitarists if the one you have is operating at 100% savage intensity. Redfern's set was a furious primer, kicking the door in so the headliners could stroll through.

Hollow Souls (8) came on and immediately proved that they are less a band and more a collaborative demolition crew. While the cuts from the new EP give them a blueprint, live they are a sprawling, unpredictable jam band. Forget the polished studio finish. On tracks outside of the rigid EP structure, they opened the throttle and let every musician showcase their considerable firepower. The vocals soared, the organ punched through the grit, and the whole thing was driven by a rhythm section that wouldn't quit. This is blues-rock performed with the reckless abandon of hardcore; it's about the connection, the fire, and allowing the music to chase its own edges. It was a raw, captivating spectacle.

The inevitable happened for the encore: Troy Redfern came back out, armed for a duel. This was the moment everyone was waiting for. The band locked into a colossal groove whilst Kris Barras and Redfern began trading savage guitar solos. It wasn't polite musical conversation; it was a full-contact, six-string grudge match, each player pushing the other toward the point of total collapse. The final moment of the night was pure, unadulterated rock and roll swagger, leaving the Norwich crowd buzzing and probably late for work the next day. This wasn't a gig to be polite about. It was a victory. If you get the chance to see this live do it.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Gama Bomb (Martin Brown)

Gama Bomb, Raised By Owls & Pemphigoid, The Old Cold Store, Nottingham, 25.10.25

The night opened with Pemphigoid, a local three-piece death metal act whose sound felt like an unbroken line from the late 1980s. They combined the thick riff structures of early Death with the guttural, dragging bass tone of Autopsy and the rolling, artillery-like and yet still groove filled drumming reminiscent of Andy Whale from Bolt Thrower. The result was old-school to the core, executed with real precision and energy. For a small trio, the stage presence was commanding, and their tightness drew early movement from the crowd. It was an excellent start that set the tone for a night of raw, unpretentious, hilarious metal.

Raised By Owls followed and immediately changed the mood from deathly seriousness to absurd brilliance. Their mix of extreme metal and comedy is something that could easily collapse under its own weight, but they handled it with perfect timing. Between sharp bursts of felt melting carnage came gameshow-style segments, crowd challenges, and the arrival of a full-costumed Mr Blobby brandishing double-headed dildos. It was utter chaos, yet fully controlled. Each transition landed cleanly, the humour never dulled the musical impact, and their musicianship kept the whole thing credible. Tracks like Cliff Richard Drinks From The Skulls Of His Enemies and Going For A Pint With Corpsegrinder were as tight as they were ridiculous. The audience howled with laughter and still found themselves pulled into genuine mosh energy.

When Gama Bomb took the stage, the temperature in the room rose sharply. The Irish thrash veterans approached this small Nottingham venue as if it were an arena, and it felt like one within minutes. 666teen levelled the room before they tore through a setlist that mixed fan favourites like Miami Supercops and their newer material. Philly Byrne was relentless—grabbing phones from the crowd to film from his perspective, plunging into the pit himself, and somehow still delivering flawless vocals. At one point he pulled out a Polaroid, snapped a photo of the audience from the stage, and handed it over as a souvenir. It summed up his approach: total inclusion, no barrier between band and fan.

The sound was remarkably balanced for such a compact venue. The guitars cut sharply without harshness, the bass sat firm in the mix, and every snare crack landed with the right amount of bite. The pit barely stopped moving, and for those that didn't enter it, you could see grins on every face. Byrne’s humour and charisma tied it all together, making the show feel spontaneous yet perfectly paced.

What made the night special was the progression. Pemphigoid gave it weight and depth, Raised By Owls added unpredictable theatre, and Gama Bomb detonated the finale with a masterclass in speed and connection. The Old Cold Store felt alive in a way few small venues do, which is a real testament to the passion, skill and commitment of each band.

All three of these bands deserve more attention than they currently get. Each offered something unique but unified by a shared commitment to performance, craft, and fun. They have the songs, the energy, and the ability to make a small room feel like a stadium. It was one of the most engaging, good-natured, and genuinely joyful shows of the year. If there is a score card on live reviews, this is a masterclass. 9/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Lacertilia - Transcend Album Launch (Matt Bladen)

Lacertilila, Trevor's Head & Cemetery Dogs, Clwb Ifor Bach, 24.10.25

To say I'd been excited for this gig was an understatement, one of my favourite local bands playing a gig to celebrate the release of their stellar new album supported by some high quality talent, playing at one of my favourite local venues

Well at least it was, as while I always love the sound, lights and general feels of Clwb Ifor Bach, on this rainy Friday, and I'm talking torrential rain, their security left much to be desired. Two events running simultaneously but one queue, constantly being stopped due to the overflow in the bottom room which didn't in anyway effect the top room.

This meant that some of use with photography equipment were at risk of having it all soaking by the time we got in the venue. Two queues would have been easier to manage and would have probably led to less stress on the one guard who manhandled my wife's lenses and camera before speaking to her very rudely.

Anyway I've had my little rant, but what I will say is that this organisation issue meant that the room was nowhere near as full as it should have been for Cemetery Dogs (8) who get better every time I see them. A loud riff slinging trio, they've got riffs that draw influence from the biggest in the genre, plenty of groove and rabid punk attitude too that always brings movement.

They've been road dogging (oh you didn't know!) all over the place lately and for a band who are about a year old they're now a tight, taut, unit that have worn in their material (featured on their recent demo release) the future is looking bright for them. So keep an eye out!

Next up we're a band celebrating 15 years of weirdness, thankfully the room had filled as Trevor's Head (8) took to the stage and started to bash out some abrasive, psychedelic oddness where no two songs are quite the same and aggressive dual vocal shouts are met with angular riffs.

Another trio, Trevor's Head have been treading the boards across the country for 15 years and this experience shows from the time they step on stage (and remove a shirt) until the time the last note rang out. It's psych, stoner, punk and lots more quirkiness that's seen them have this kind of longevity.

As with all Trevor's Head gigs, they win over the crowd with every song they play and once you get it, you get it good.

So with the room pretty much full and the crowd warm, dry and suitably lubricated conquering home town heroes Lacertilila (10) took to the stage. Matt (vocals), Lucas (guitar), Mike (guitar), Ed (bass) and Carl (drums) have poured their heart and soul into their new, third in total, album Transcend and with a few welcomes and thank you's they began with Archaic Oscillations, Matt taking some acoustic guitars to bring the folksy, build of the intro to life on stage.

It's an album release show so they're going to play the album in full and Transcend plays with dynamics more than any of their music previously, the idea of "quiet" clearly lost on a few people who talked all the way through the atmospheric Intro, Transcending and Cerulean Sky, the three movements where acoustics rule and things aren't as loud and in your face. It's called creating an atmosphere and while Lacertilila always have a party vibe to them, on Transcend it all feels a bit more grown up.

They can still kick out the jams, though as the riffs come out loud and proud for We Go Here, Listen Close, Over & Out, Lucas and Mike trading off crunchy riffs and slinky leads, as the crowd get dragged into head banging rockers, punky stomps and more slow burning psych courtesy of Nothing's Sacred. The latter showing the noodling bass lines of Ed who undercuts everything with more than groove while in Carl they have a drummer that has technique and toughness.

Matt meanwhile is the quintessential frontman, his between song banter always honest and appreciative while his paint covered, frenzied delivery on Deviate From The Plan and Weird Scenes, grabs your attention in a band where all of the players fight for it. Closing with their epic, tribal, single The Sun Is The Key, Transcend sounds just as good live as it does on record and Lacertilila should be very proud of what they've accomplished on album three.

With most of the album dished out, those in attendance thanked, there was time for one more and made their last noise with the propulsive oldy Engine Of God. Hands were shook, drinks were consumed, merch was bought and there was a collective feeling of warmth in the room, friends, family and fans in a joyous harmony with a band showcasing their strongest music yet.

Ten years into this ride and Lacertilila are firing on all cylinders, strap a rocket to them, they deserve it.