So what’s YOUR favourite type of knot? Is it a Half Hitch? Perhaps a Bowline or a Sheet Bend? Of course not, we all know its SLIPKNOT, and with bloody good reason! The Iowan nonet started life in the mid-to-late 90’s and from day one they practically turned the world on its head, over time becoming arguably the biggest modern metal band on the planet. Between the mystery of their masked persona’s and the brutality of their early crossover genre-mashing, it didn’t take them long to get noticed, and they helped revolutionise alternative music as we know it. Sure, there have been trials and tribulations along the way, but the band have always bounced back stronger than ever…proven emphatically on their last album; 2014’s “.5: The Gray Chapter”.

Following the death of bassist Paul Gray, the band found themselves in purgatory, and the resulting album was both the closure of one chapter of Slipknot, a nod to Paul and an appreciation of everything preceding it, but also the beginning of a new era; a rebirth, and all signs pointed towards a brutal, unrelenting future. What exactly did that future have in store? Well aside from keeping things ticking over with festival appearances and a live album, the band did initially return in 2018 with a rare stand-alone single “All Out Life”, reminding fans that they were still very much active creatively, with the track itself acting as a rallying cry, encouraging everyone to live in the now and not dwell on the past. This only got fans excited for what was to come…and what came was this; “We Are Not Your Kind”. What direction were Slipknot heading in in this new chapter of their storied career? I challenge you to all-out fucking listen with me…

We open up with “Insert Coin” and we’re greeted with a strangely ominous intro-track fuelled by semi-retro arcade style synths that meander gently, as the instrumentation washes over you with a calming motion. It’s as though we’re on the title screen here getting ready to press play and dive into this brand new game as Corey says in a chilling manner “I’m counting all the killers..” and it’s an interesting start. First track proper then “Unsainted” gets the album underway properly and what an opener…from the initially haunting children’s choir it gradually builds in atmosphere and intensity until it explodes into a frenzy of blistering vocals with pummelling riffs and percussion. It carries on from the previous album in terms of delivery; blending visceral verses with a clean, hook-rich chorus. It’s a powerful track.

From here on in however, the album gets VERY interesting…recent single “Birth Of The Cruel” slows things down with a more methodical riff and plenty of tinny percussion. Vocally clean for the most part until Corey lets rip during the chorus segments, countered by Sid Wilson’s trademark scratching harking back to the bands earlier days. “Death Because Of Death” is our first interlude and takes on an almost hypnotic tribal tone; simple and repetitive before transitioning  straight into “Nero Forte”, instantly waking up the listener with more classic Slipknot riffs and up-tempo lyricism, again bridging the gap between the now and the bands early years. Another album highlight, “Critical Darling”, continues on with the “…Gray Chapter” aesthetic with plenty of key-changes, vocal switch-up techniques and allows for a variety of sensations, fluctuating effortlessly between harsh and harmonious.

​This fluctuation is a reoccurring theme throughout the whole album in all honesty; it zigs where you think it’ll zag and vice versa…”Red Flag” is a traditionally blistering onslaught, fuelled by a frantic pacing and old-school aesthetic, again harking back to the Knot’s earlier days, while interlude “What’s Next” comes across as actual elevator music! Like, seriously lads what the fuck is next? Where else can you take this? “Spiders” houses an almost Halloween-esque piano lead allowing for a generally creepier vibe, bordering on polyrhythmic in places; it’s got a subtle prog delivery, before we eventually end on promotional single “Solway Firth”. Coming full circle from the intro, we count all the killers over a typically bombastic masked-metal approach that bridges gaps between modern era and the “…Subliminal Verses” days.

Ultimately what can be said about the Iowan’ nine in 2019? Their groove-heavy, pulverising metal is still there in abundance and coupled with their nu-metal origins, thrash sensibilities and Corey’s ability to deliver a mainstream alternative anthem, Slipknot are as Slipknot as ever here but MORE. There are no real definitive hits like “Dead Memories” or “Snuff” to appeal to the wider audience…fuck no; if anything they’ve gone the opposite direction. Sure there are some great hooks throughout this record, but the presentation here showcases so much experimentation and a lack of fucks given this is arguably Slipknot’s most prog-metal album to date. It doesn’t settle for a style, not even Slipknot’s own, and that’s where it deserves praise. We all know Slipknot can and will deliver, it’s practically a given these days, but they still opted to tear up their own rule-book and go crazy. “We Are Not Your Kind” is a metaphorical middle finger to not only the fans that just want Iowa 2.0, but also metal in general. It might be more experimental to what you are used to from the Clown and co…but fuck me this is a Slipknot album and a half. Insert another coin mate, I want another go at this…[7]

There are many important questions in life…like, what came first; the chicken or the egg? What colour would Michael Jackson pick playing chess? (I jest, we know it doesn’t matter if your black or white) How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck if a wood-chuck was Chuck Norris? But even more important than all of that…who is the biggest metal band in the world? Immediately I can envisage swarms of you arguing over METALLICA and IRON MAIDEN, and to be fair they’re great shouts, but here I’m going to throw another, more than credible, and definitely deserving band into the mix; RAMMSTEIN.

These German industrial-metal titans originally formed in 1994 and ever since, all they’ve done is (Without trying to put a Nazi spin on this) conquered the world one arena, one stadium at a time. From their intense, eyebrow raising cover of DEPECHE MODE’s “Stripped”, to the beautifully haunting “Sonne”, right up the gloriously R-Rated “Pussy”, Till Lindemann and the lads have never shied away from controversy, and this can also be said for their live shows. Whether it’s boiling poor keyboardist Flake alive in a cauldron, ejaculating spectacularly into the audience via a giant mechanical penis, or generally just their unfathomable amount of pyrotechnics, Rammstein put on one of if not THE best live metal shows on the planet, and with their new technically untitled album, things are only getting bigger. With that said…let’s get ready to abuse Google-translate as we check out “Rammstein”.

We open up with “Deutschland” and in gloriously typical Rammer’s fashion; their first new track in a decade is an ode to Germany. Well, to a degree. From the steady rise in intensity of the frenetic synths, to the jolting riffs, to the eventual anthemic, regimented metal flurry, it simply excites from its very first chords. Lyrically plodding for the most part, but musically this is just captivating…it’s so good to have them back and this is a classic start. Following this then is the album’s first major highlight “Radio”…again; we start things off with some bouncing synths, before we get some traditionally crunching riffs. The balance here between the electronica, which, reminds me of old-school Moogs, and the hard rock is perfect and it’s an up-tempo little number with a seriously addictive chorus. Coming back to the topic of controversy, the track touches upon Nazi propaganda by means of censorship during the 30’s and 40’s. German citizens were subject to strict control of what they had access to during the time and here they touch upon that.

The first half of this album is quite heavy on the electronic front if I’m honest, with "Ausländer" being another stand-out track. Another up-beat offering bordering on dance-inspired, the techno elements are pulsing, while the track pounds away in a well delivered crossover style. Essentially meaning ‘foreigner’, lyrically it’s very ‘Jack The Lad’ as he sings of being a man of the world and a ladies man, heavily insinuating a sense of promiscuity. Speaking of which…”Sex” I guess you could say comes (Behave) right afterwards. More chilling synths followed by a groove-rich, almost southern-metal guitar tone and yet another brilliantly catchy chorus, it’s all about fiery passion and giving in to lust…however it’s no “Pussy”.

The second half of the album does admittedly slow down a touch but it certainly retains its talking points…none more so than “Puppe”. A dark yet equally wonderful and interesting track that’s based on an old poem; meaning ‘Doll’, it’s all hushed and subdued as Till sings of the prostitution of a sister character, while their younger sibling in care is forced to hear everything from the room next door, before the track erupts into an angry, scathing barrage of vocals, the result of a seemingly troubled upbringing. It’s a powerful track! “Tattoo” is another hard-rocking number that touches upon the duality that is the pleasure and the pain of self-expression, before “Hallomann” rounds things up in a frankly quite creepy manner. Remember when your mum and dad told you not to talk to strangers? At least I hope they did…but yeah this song reinforces that notion! Singing about picking up a little girl; no talking, just get in…presumably the van? One can assume sweets were offered? Promises of trips to the seaside, wanting her to sing and dance…this is all very questionable but still another deeply interesting track. I might be reading into it completely wrong for all I know…maybe Rammstein took Madeleine McCann? Ok I’m joking naturally, but it’s an odd one. Regardless, what we have here is an album that may have been ten years in the making, but oh how the time-off has played into Rammsteins favour; they sound fresh as a daisy. The weight of the guitars, the chilling synths, the dark lyricism…Rammstein are still unafraid to push buttons yet they continue to pull in bigger and bigger crowds. An outstanding come-back this…TO DEUTSCHLAND! [8]

Everyone loves a mystery; something to wrap your grey matter around and one of the most infamous mysteries of them all, is the case of Jack The Ripper. His horrific murder-spree across London in the late 19th century is known around the world and is arguably the most notorious unsolved crime case in history, and despite numerous theories and arguments claiming to have it cracked, to this day still, nobody knows his (Or her) identity. While the ripper case may have captured the imaginations of many artists over the years, such as SCREAMING LORD SUTCH or MARY KELLY (One of the very first reviews on this blog as it happens, way back in 2014), it wouldn’t be the only unsolved murder to influence something musical…have you heard about The Bodominjärvi Murders?

Back in 1960, Lake Bodom, situated near Espoo in Finland would become synonymous with an almost Friday The 13th style massacre, as four teenagers who were camping near its shore, were brutally attacked in their tents. Three of them died with multiple stab wounds and blunt force traumas, while only one survived with severe but non-fatal injuries. The survivor in question, Nils Gustafsson has faced charges in the years that have passed, but there has never been enough evidence for a full conviction, and the case remains unsolved. History lesson over, and though while not a well-known cold-case here in the UK, metal fans will instantly recognise the name and make the connection to one of Finland’s finest melodic death metal exports; CHILDREN OF BODOM. The Finns have been peddling their extreme yet elegant metal, inspired by those killings, since the mid 90’s and here still in 2019 they’ve released their 10th studio album “Hexed”…let’s cast our ears upon it, as it tries to cast it’s spell upon us…

The album open’s up rather impatiently if I’m honest with “This Road”, and what I mean by that is for once there’s virtually no introduction or build up; it’s straight into the fucking riffs and there’s no messing around here. It’s classic COB with Alexi snarling his way around every syllable while the subtle keyboards sift between the relentless onslaught of crunching guitar and percussion. There IS melody here but it’s minimal, almost an afterthought, and in places it stylistically takes on an almost SLAYER-inspired tone; an unforgiving start this. If you WERE looking for more melody mind you then “Under Grass And Clover” has you covered as the synths are FAR more prominent…the track is incredibly up-beat and it’s got a great, simplistic instrumental hook, while the track as a whole takes on a more power-metal sound overall…it’s a definite album highlight.

“Glass Houses” continues the pummelling with more frantic fast-paced metal delivery amidst Alexi’s traditionally raspy vocals…the title track utilises more of that old-school trash metal influence in both its intro and general delivery, somewhat alternating with spats of almost symphonic metal. “Platitudes And Barren Words” is a genuinely superb piece of catchy, synth-driven metal; arguably as accessible as this album gets especially with some of Alexi’s less-aggravated vocals being on offer, while “Kick In A Spleen” provides one of the most equally specific yet random song titles I’ve ever come across…I mean, why the spleen? Who’s spleen is it exactly? And if anything, why not use a knife or other instrument? Let’s be honest a spleen is a pretty fucking obscure target! Why use your foot?! We’re talking Chuck Norris levels of precision here!

​The rest of the album is pretty much by numbers and it’s hard for that to not come across as derogatory…while a lot of bands over time find themselves applying a copy and paste formula from album to album, depending on their longevity of course, a lot of them become stagnant. COB do have their style and aside from the recording and production quality here compared to their early days, their writing style is more or less the same, they have their little niche…BUT…such is with COB, their style IS very much their own and distinct in its own right, and few bands manage to blend the same level of chaos and charm as these feral Finns. “Hexed” doesn’t exactly leave the listener entranced, but it’s undeniably a quality metal album from start to finish. Now that that’s listened to, who fancies a camping trip in Espoo? I know of this beautiful lake…[7]
​

When I utter the word ‘Gothenburg’, I can guarantee that you’ll know what I’m referring to…you’ve got this already haven’t you? Fucking damn right I’m talking about the Crazy Frog! No honestly, before I get into this review I have to remind each and every one of you that we collectively allowed the Crazy Frog; that…irritating, frankly cancerous, poorly animated and apparently Swedish cunt-nugget to not only be a thing, but ACTUALLY TOP THE CHARTS! I’m ashamed of us as a species. I digress…I just found out that the Crazy Frog did indeed originate in Gothenburg and had a mild PTSD episode.

I say this though with relevance as taking this seriously now, Gothenburg as we all know it is, for want of a better description, a Mecca for all things melodic death metal. Everyone from AT THE GATES to AVATAR have emerged from this epicenter of Swedish metal, which bring us to today’s band, and arguably one of the biggest of them all; IN FLAMES. Over their near thirty-year career to date they’ve delivered some of the finest melodic death metal albums to ever puncture our ears, from their seminal work on “Colony” which paved their way back in the 90’s, through to the Billboard bothering successes of “Reroute To Remain” and “Come Clarity” especially, In Flames have always been a reliable source of maelstrom…until recently that is. Back in 2016 the band released “Battles” and despite being a decent record generally, it irked many fans with its sense of pop-record production. Can they redeem themselves in the eyes of those same fans? 2019 sees them return as they channel their inner Stanley Ipkiss on “I, The Mask”…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Voices” and after the brief, slow build of a repetitive guitar fill that gradually rises in pitch and key, we find ourselves immersed in the familiar sounds of their heavier riffs and subtle synth elements. Vocalist Andes Fridén delivers a particularly run of the mill performance, switching from his usual raspy snarls into a more melodic vocal for the chorus. It’s a fairly standard affair, textbook In Flames in 2nd gear for the most part though Bjorn Gelotte’s solo is a nice inclusion; it’s a safe start. The title track follows up and to be fair this picks up the pace aplenty and there’s a lot more urgency here; with it’s almost thrash-based musical approach coupled with a hook-laden chorus it provides the listener with a truly up-tempo, enjoyable track and gets the album underway properly.

Elsewhere highlights include “(This Is Our) House” which combines anthemic gang vocals and a hard rocking rhythm with almost prog-inspired key changes, which includes Anders vocals; ranging from soaring melody and an emotive clean delivery to a sudden baritone, giving the track additional character. The band haven’t completely left behind the accessibility of the more pop-orientated production from their previous record however…”We Will Remember” despite its crunching hard-rock riffs carries with it a predominantly euphonious tone and it’s really easy listening, before the sudden surprise that is our closing track “Stay With Me”. This is essentially a power ballad and totally juxtaposes the album altogether…with the acoustic guitar, sweet harmonies and Anders surprisingly impassioned, heart-wrenching vocal display; it’s unquestionably a beautiful track and is in its own unique right, the best thing on this record.

Overall over the course of these twelve tracks, the album itself isn’t poor; it’s just for the most part In Flames by numbers. The Swede’s have always been able to deliver the goods over a 13-album discography now and I guess you could say there is the safety of familiarity within their brand of metal, which they do well…but it’s when you’ve got tracks like the aforementioned ballad, it makes you wonder why they haven’t done MORE of that? This is exactly the kind of track that builds bridges between not just genres but audience demographics, and dare I say it, mainstream success? The idea of a 30 year old melodic death metal band delivering such a genuinely sweet song is a mind-blowing concept, but In Flames have ALWAYS been a quality outfit…if anything just genre pigeon-holed. If the likes of BRING ME THE HORIZON can switch from death-core to getting a number one UK album in a country run by chavs and TOWIE outcasts, then on this evidence, In Flames are EASILY capable of being a lot more successful in the eyes of the wider mainstream audience. It’s just a shame it’s preceded and ultimately weighed down by the middle of the road metal before it. [6]

Black metal; arguably the most perceived to be evil of all the extreme metal sub-genres, and a genre that’s been the subject of A LOT of controversy over the years…while its origins may lie in England thanks to VENOM and the album that practically named the entire movement; “Black Metal”, the bulk of it can be found in (You guessed it) Scandinavia etc. It’s here that the genre picked up its notoriety with cases of band mates murdering each other as well as convictions for hate crime, bands using ACTUAL images of suicide victims on album covers (See MAYHEM’s “Dawn Of The Black Hearts”) and if that wasn’t enough, several churches have legitimately been burned down!

But, let’s not dwell on those crazy Scandinavian bastards for now, as black metal reaches further afield than that, and one of the genre’s most prominent bands can actually be found in Greece. Yes, today we’re going to be focusing on ROTTING CHRIST. Formed in the late 80’s, they were one of the first black metal bands to form out of the Mediterranean region and have been an iconic and influential force for many an underground band ever since, and 2019 sees them release their brand new studio album “The Heretics”, Their first in three years. Let’s all skip church together and find out what the Greek’s have got in store on album number thirteen…no I said SKIP church not set fire to….never mind…

The album opens up with “In The Name Of God” and its spoken word intro is incredibly damning and profound, pointing out the overall hypocrisy of mankind. While many of us today denounce the idea of any religion, the very concept seems archaic while we create our own miracles; yet we still are able to pick and choose our own deities as they suit us…war and death in the name of God not out of true belief, but out of convenience. Musically the track has a rigid, militant tone which suits the aura of the track completely and it’s an intense start. The album then to its credit just keeps getting better and better…”Vetry Zlye” manages to balance pummeling percussion and Sakis scorching metal vocals with some beautifully melodic guitar, along with the sweet, cleaner vocal notes of Russian singer Irena Zybina. The two complement each other brilliantly and it’s an infectious piece of metal! Speaking of infectious, “Heaven And Hell And Fire”, despite it’s obvious metal aesthetics carries a great guitar hook layered within another up-tempo melodic metal offering, this is all very good stuff!

This is further backed up by album highlights “Fire God And Fear” and “The Sons Of Hell”…the former starts with another spoken word piece amidst the quaint chirping of birds, like it’s the introduction to one of the levels on “Dungeon Keeper”, but swiftly descends into a wall of blackened metal riffage, and THAT solo? It’s superbly executed and slicker than a bowl of extra virgin olive oil! The latter embraces a more traditional heavy metal style, evident in the wailing guitar notes and more methodical approach instrumentally, before “The Raven” utilises more soaring guitar harmonies while Sakis recites the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

There are some minor hiccups mid-album…such as “I Believe”, which combines a spoken-word Greek monologue with an unrelenting wall of noise as the frantic guitars are played on loop in the background, and it gives you a little bit of a headache before it fades out, while “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, although commanding and ominous in tone, does suffer from a case of repetition. Although to be fair, these flaws are minor in the grand scheme of things. “The Heretics” has showcased Rotting Christ’s ability to incorporate melody and an accessibility into their otherwise crushing sound, something which was lacking on “Rituals”, resulting in a wonderfully smooth listen. Putting aside the gimmicked elements of early Catholicism with the ritualistic or ceremonial chanting emitting from the backing vocal samples, this is a really strong blackened metal concept album and if you’re unsure of making the jump from traditional metal into something more dramatic and intense, then this is actually a brilliant segue record. It’s as easy-listening as extreme metal can get but it loses none of its credibility. Forget rotting, Christ sounds fresher than ever. [8]

DEWAR PR is a PR company based out of Ontario, Canada, run by CEO Curtis Dewar. Specialising in all that is hard and heavy within the music industry, Dewar champions all of the underground genres such as sludge, stoner rock and other sub-divisions of heavy metal, allowing them the platform and opportunity to reach out to new set of ears worldwide. You may already be familiar with a couple of their clients through my recent 'My Wreckord Collection feature', but if you really want a taste of what Dewar has to offer, then look no further.

“Dewar PR Presents” is a brand new, FREE TO DOWNLOAD sampler compilation album, consisting of seventeen tracks by seventeen different artists, showcasing the variety of metal you can find within their catalogue of bands. Whether you like the groove-heavy hypnotic drones of sludge lords FALSE GODS….the traditional sound of old school thrashers TOMMY CONCRETE, the classic, sensual darkness of Gothic rockers HER DESPAIR, or even the sweet vocal harmonies of DUST PROPHET, there is sure to be something for you over the course of this record. Curtis himself says;

“I’m pleased to release the latest in our series of compilations! This is the fifth year of Dewar PR being in operation and I’m excited to have the chance to work with great new bands.  Download the compilation and support (with money) any of the bands that you enjoy! If you’d like more information on promoting your next release with Dewar PR, please email me at dewarpr@gmail.com!”

Follow the link below to download the sampler…did I mention it’s fucking FREE?!?! Get on it!

Track List:
1] FALSE GODS – “They Who Speak To The Lost”
2] OWL MAKER – “Witches”
3] TOMMY CONCRETE –“Leith Punk Flat”
4] HER DESPAIR – “Blaspheme With Me”
5] GORM – “Beyond Black Rainbow”
6] CHAOS SYNOPSIS – “Sixteen Scourges”
7] ALICEISSLEEPING – “Scary Mary”
8] RITUAL EARTH – “Solar Ecstasy”
9] DEATH ON FIRE – “Witch Hunter (Remix)”
10] VESSEL – “The Dreaming”
11] BLESSED BLACK – “Stormbringer”
12] STUMP TAIL DOLLY – “Regret”
13] ALLFATHER – “By Sword By Famine By Plague”
14] DUST PROPHET – “The Big Lie”
15] ARCHARUS – “Erebor”
16] RIFT – “Lift To Ash”
17] DESERT KINGDOM – “Unleash All Hell”

Jonathan Davis and Fred Durst once very lovingly tried to tell us that, it’s all in the family…and though while more of a roast battle than anything else, ideologically, the sentiment rings true more often than not. Families and close relatives especially will always have a natural bond that’s hard to find elsewhere, and this can be incredibly beneficial for musicians and performers. You can look back through history and find some of the most successful recording artists of all time have been blood relatives; THE BEE GEES, THE BEACH BOYS, THE JACKSON 5…and even up to modern times the importance and value of that bond has been hammered home by the sad passing of Tom Searle of ARCHITECTS…and this brings us to today’s band. Let me introduce you to BLACKLIST 9.

Originally formed in Southern California back in 2013, they are the brainchild of founding members (Also father and son duo) Lonnie and Kyle Silva. With Lonnie on drums and Kyle taking up guitars, they initially started as all bands do, jamming in the garage, making some noise…but this soon turned into an aspiration and an actual project as opposed to a hobby. After a demo or two with some local musicians and some extensive local gigging, they caught the bug; this is what they wanted to do and so, taking this seriously, they had a shuffle in the ranks. Brought in were new vocalist Graham Fletcher and bassist Ray Burke, and so began the journey of writing and recording their proper debut. Scheduled for release this coming March via Eclipse Records, let’s find out why Blacklist 9 are “Mentally Ill, Legally Sane”…

The album opens up with “Azzip” and although no more than an intro piece, it’s absolutely fucking demented…some quiet knocking leading into this, intensifying tinny guitar and a wall of sheer, noise, clutter and distortion. Some of the squeals emanating from these speakers right now leads me to believe I’m PRETTY sure someone is being recorded raping a pig here, but it’s hard to tell really…utterly psychotic. First track proper then, “Stand In Line” actually gives some musicianship which after that opening is frankly fucking welcome! With the deep, bass-heavy riffs and coarse production it takes on an up-tempo, southern groove metal / sludge crossover style…though the solo is clean…a bit like finding a pound coin that’s been dropped in dog shit. I mean it’s a pound coin, you might need it for a trolley like, but you aren’t picking it up. On a serious note, if anything you could liken this to a drunken VIKING SKULL demo with added heaviness.

“Kali Smile” has a drawn-out riff-driven intro that eventually incorporates some up-beat, rhythmic percussion and again it’s all about the groove with these guitar hooks…in ways it can be likened to the likes of MUDVAYNE in places instrumentally, though aesthetically the nu-metal is more of a nuance. The vocals are still brash and aggressive, and are about as appealing as cauliflower ear for the most part, though it has to be said the death growls salvage things in the long run. “Liars” takes a more classic-thrash inspired approach with its pacey delivery and there are hints of SLAYER and PANTERA trickling through here as influences, the solo guitar work is again, a highlight. Early demo track “Madness” makes a reappearance, nothing truly stand out as it slowly chugs itself along, before we finish up on “Legally Sane”; returning to that southern groove metal style, the album’s title track, inspired the trial of mass-shooter James Holmes who murdered 12 people in that dreadful Colorado theatre shooting.

Coming back to my initial point about family bonds and chemistry, it’s easy to see that, musically things ARE working out here; for a debut first and foremost and secondly for a sludge metal inspired musical style, they’re on the right path, Lonnie and Kyle clearly have a vision…the riffs and percussion are solid and the overall guitar work is fine, there’s definitely a market for this, but it’s vocally where these fall down. If it weren’t for the death metal growls Graham would miss the mark completely here, as when he’s not growling he’s grating…there’s no REAL tone to his voice and it all just becomes angry venting after a while. Honestly, they’d be mentally ill to not consider replacing him and really work on that aspect of the bands overall presentation, for it’s those vocals that bring some decent metal down. Blacklist 9 by name but, not as many listens for me to blacklist them…for now at least. [2]

Back in 1992, back when I was still only 3 years old and barely singing ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’, death metal was arguably at its mainstream peak, sacrificing those very lambs I sang of, ready to branch out like THAT rape scene from ‘Evil Dead’, into a myriad of other malevolent  genres…violating all whose ears fell upon it. During that time, today’s band underwent their formation and for a long time they went by the name of OCCULT, following in the footsteps of Norway’s earliest death metal bands…but in 2006, they transformed into the band we know them as today; LEGION OF THE DAMNED.

Not to be confused with former WWF/WWE tag team Legion Of Doom (Though noticeably not as intimidating) The current line-up consists of long-time members Maurice Swinkels and Erik Fleuren on vocals and guitars respectively, accompanied by bassist Harold Gielen and drummer Twan Van Geel, but while their name may have changed, their core principles remain, as they unleashed their 13th studio album; “Slaves Of The Shadow Realm” very early in January 2019. Let’s see if a cold, dark winter night is the perfect environment for such an album to exist…

The album opens up with “The Widow’s Breed” and it pretty much sets the tone and feel of the album from the word go…with the intense blend of frantic, technical death; the viciously spat blackened vocals of Maurice and a classic, thrash metal inspired core sound…it really is in your face and unrelenting. Whatever the hell they are, if this is how they breed no wonder they’re widows! I DARE you to try and fuck to this song; you won’t have a dick left! “Charnel Confession” then with its opening cracklings gives a feeling of an old-school approach…fast-paced and up-tempo, yet with a strong groove, not to mention the sporadic, wild guitar solo, it channels with it the likes of fellow countrymen IMMORTAL and MAYHEM.

The thrash-elements shine through again on tracks like “Palace Of Sin” and you can see where earlier artists like SLAYER and EXODUS have rubbed off on them stylistically, with both the riff-work and percussion going full throttle from the get go. It’s not all hard and heavy however, not quite anyway, as “Shadow Realm Of The Demonic Mind” initially gets underway with a gentle, melancholic piano-led intro, really breaking up the bombardment at the halfway point, though it sadly doesn’t last very long. The rest of the album is predominantly by-numbers classic blackened death metal…though interestingly, they’ve thrown in two bonus tracks (“Priest Hunt” and “Azazel’s Crown”) BEFORE the end of the album, which is different. The latter housing more of those screeching guitar wails, and another solo, but not really diversifying all that much…

Truth be told, Legion Of The Damned they are, and have been for a while now, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t just another standard thrash/death crossover album. I’m not knocking them musically as a unit, they deliver technically very well, they sound crisp, tight and the production here is sound for the genre, but it’s really nothing you haven’t already heard before. Never mind the shadow realm; they’re more like slaves to their own heritage. [5]
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Recently I premiered a new feature for the GTGC reviews page, something which I dubbed "My Wreckord Collection". It's a simple premise, artists and band members from all walks of life take a break from plugging and promoting their own material, and instead get to nerd out over their own personal tastes and private record collections. On our first entry we went in hard and heavy, literally, as Mike Churry, drummer from Philadelphia death metal outfit BASILYSK briefly talked us through five of his favourite obscure death metal albums. In this installment, we'll be hearing from Markus Wikander, vocalist / guitarist of Swedish hardcore thrashers LEACH, who released their newest album "Hymns For The Hollow" in 2018...lets percolate through his personal picks and see what inspires him.

ANTHRAX - "Spreading The Disease"

"So after that I got really into Anthrax. A few years later they reunited as the "classic" lineup (2005?). They were coming to Sweden Rock Festival and I was really stoked about it. They were having this signing booth so I was standing in line with a friend. He had this patched up jeans vest with his favorite bands and he was a power metal guy which I thought was kind of dorky. For some reason he left the line going somewhere, but he asked me to hold his vest 'cause it was hot, so I did. Finally finished the line and I was standing there with them asking if they could sign my copy of "Spreading The Disease", which they did. But they also pointed at the vest and a patch with Swedish power metal band HAMMERFALL and asked me "Do you like that band?". I was so fucking nervous and didn't know what to say so I said "Yeah, sure". They looked at each other and started giggling, probably thinking "Who is this lame fuck". I wanted to disappear, I was so embarrassed! Never meet your heroes..."

Favorite song: "A.I.R"

MEGADETH - "Killing Is My Business..."

​"'Peace Sells...' is without doubt my favorite 'deth album but I gotta' pick this one because it's so goddam ugly. Everything is bad about this cover. Found the original Combat release so I had to have it!"
 
Favorite song: "Killing Is My Business"

NUCLEAR ASSAULT - "Good Times, Bad Times"

"If the "Killing.." cover is bad in a bad way, this one is bad in a good way! Don't know what I like about it really but there's just some punk ingredient that I just like. With their faces badly pasted on there with the exploding Hindenburg. Works well with the title!" 

Favorite song: "Hang The Pope" (Live)

MASTODON - "Crack The Skye"

​"If somebody put a gun to my head and I had to pick ONE album that I had to listen to for the rest of my life, I'd pick this one. There's so much nuances that you discover for each listen and I think I can never grow tired of this one." 

Favorite song: "The Czar"

​Courtesy of the lovely folk over at DEWAR PR, we’re kicking off 2019 with a brand new blog feature. In something I’d like to call “My Wreckord Collection”, here we’ll be delving deep into the personal record collections of bands and artists from all walks of life; getting a glimpse into their own individual tastes…what inspires them to write, record and play music, and possibly discovering some hidden gems along the way. Today in this opening segment, we’ll be turning our attention to a ‘twisted’ death metal band by the name of BASILYSK…and more specifically their drummer Mike Churry. Hailing from Philadelphia, the 4-piece, who have described themselves as a serpentine assault on the senses; have their brand new album “EmergencE” scheduled for release on February 22nd…let’s see what’s potentially inspired Mike to make noise, as he runs us through some of his favourites in his own words…

​CONVULSE - "World Without God"

"One of Finland's first and finest death metal bands. If you are truly one who savors rare, underground death metal, then this is the album to feed your soulless ears. With four tracks off their 1990 demo included, and two bonus live tracks, I highly recommend World Without God for your morning drive to work!"

VIOGRESSION - "Expound and Exhort"

"From the underground Wisconsin death metal scene, behold Viogression!  This record boasts of John Tardy-style vocals, viciously evil sounding riffs and pummeling drums. Sure to send you right to the chiropractor for severe whiplash. The ever changing guitar revolutions never leave a dull moment for the listener!"

DEPRAVITY - "Silence of the Centuries"

"Well known in the Scandinavian metal regions, Finnish band Depravity stands strong in their rank.  Spooky, ghoulish, heavy, and memorizing most of all.  Let the beautifully composed solos coat the melancholic chord progressions, while you gaze at this masterpiece artwork done by one of my favorite artists, Turkka Rantanen.  Sure to give you chills.  This album will not let you down."

DEMILICH - "Nespithe"

"Technical, brutal, otherworldly, artistic overall.  No words seem to fully describe this dark Finnish diamond.  I could only explain how I felt upon listening for the first time in the Fall of 2007.  Brutal death metal from Mars?  Low tuned alien brilliance?  Whatever it was, it took me for one hell of a ride.  Artwork by none other than Turkka Rantanen, this album is dressed to impress in many ways.  Guitarist and stomach-churning vocalist Antti Boman (who also designed their logo) practically raised the bar for extreme death metal.  I got to see these gods crush Millcreek Tavern last May, and  I'm proud to say that I shared many conversations with their drummer Mikko and Antti himself.  27 years later, and the value of this album is the same, if not maybe even more. To me, it's priceless."

DEFORM - "Nefarious Impulses" (Unholy Domain Records Cassette Release)

"Formed under the name Desiccation in Fall 2007. Tim Ninerell (R.I.P.) and myself were practically the only death metal heads in our small town of Hainesport, New Jersey.  We were inspired to write good ol' fashioned death metal in the vein of bands like Suffocation, Morgue, Accidental Suicide, Convulse, and of course, DEATH!  We recorded a 2 song demo in 2007 titled Flesh Eating Disease.  A year later we wrote Morbidity, a five song demo.  During a four year hiatus, we finally got around to record Nefarious Impulses, and employed artist Derek Waugh draw up this sick design.  If I could turn back time to ask for a click track and punch in a faster tempo from the engineer, then this release probably would have taken us even further. But even at this slower tempo, the music is flawless in my eyes. Nefarious Impulses WILL punch a hole through whatever you play it on. 

The next planned Deform album "What Lives In Shadows" would have been 10 times better then the last, with art work by Turkka Rantenan. Sadly, this album never made it to recording, as Tim disbanded Deform in 2015 and passed away later that year.  I've been practicing guitar for a while now, so I am going "What Lives In Shadows" happen some day."

Well well well...what can I say? 2018 has been and gone; some of it was awesome, some of it was interesting, some of it was amusing and a lot of it was spectacularly shit...however, one thing that's consistent is the sheer volume of music and art created around the world. 2018 saw me cover my usual rock and metal albums...there wasn't a lot of goth...but I dabbled in some pop, in some rap, in some hip-hop...that's not including that which I checked out for the team over at All About The Rock...ultimately 2018 has kept me on my toes musically and I'm sure that my Top 20's, no matter the category, can show you that. 

From Eurovision bangers courtesy of Saara Aalto...to heavy metal swan songs a la Machine Head. From returning Welsh rap rock renegades The Kennedy Soundtrack...to returning Finnish goth godfathers Musta Paraati. From crossover WWE Superstar Elias...to young crossover Stranger Things superstars forming Calpurnia...you name it there's been something for everyone in 2018 and I like to think I've covered a fair unbiased amount of it. After over 200 albums and EP's, the above gallery showcases the best of the best of 2018 and I hope you agree with my overall picks. Below you'll find the link to the GTGC Facebook page, where you can find my lists in their entirety (Including the bonus WORST 20 OF 2018) and my official GTGC 2018 Spotify Playlist, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed compiling it. Here's to 2019 and all of the new music coming our way...some of it will get the GTGC treatment, and you know you're looking forward to that. Peace out bitches...WUBBA LUBBA DUB DUB!!!!!!!!!!!!

While it’s been a short while now since we’ve properly heard from Anaheim alt. rockers NEW YEARS DAY, we’ve been treated to a couple of projects from front-woman Ash Costello. Last year saw her branch out with horror-pop band THE HAXANS and their incredibly fun album “Party Monsters”…but this year, although returning under the NYD moniker, we find Ash indulging herself on what is essentially a covers EP. Occasionally you’ll find interviews and articles in magazines, revolving around the artists and songs that shaped other artists…but Ash wanted to go one better and actually record her own versions of the songs she deemed so inspirational. The result; the “Diary Of A Creep” EP…a fitting tribute, or should their new year’s resolution be no more covers? Let’s find out…

We open up the EP with the sole original track “Disgust Me” and it’s somewhat appropriate, like, you say it out loud, and the EP does its fucking best to do just that. With its hard-hitting percussion and deep, chugging riffs, coupled with Ash’s melodic vocals over a hook-laden chorus, its trademark NYD…balancing subtle gothic tendencies with a heavy, nu-metal aesthetic, getting the EP off to a decent albeit standard start. We follow that with the first of five covers…and we’re spanning a plethora of era’s and styles here. Naturally it’s fair as influence can come from all walks of life, but here, together, in this style…something just doesn’t quite gel. We begin with a cover of NEW ORDER’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” and gone are the quaint synths…gone are the soft vocals of Bernard Summer…instead we find crunching, disjointed riffs and Ash’s powerful vocal chords, backed with key changes, repetitive classic guitar licks and gang vocals. The whole thing comes across as copy and paste, looping itself as it ticks along and sadly lacks any of the originals charm.

We shift gears completely next up, as we dabble in a spot of metal via PANTERA classic “Fucking Hostile” and it kind of does what it says on the tin; the raw aggression carries through with Ash’s angrier vocals and they know how to deliver a riff, but it’s hard to see how this would go down with traditional metal fans…they’ll either respect you (Albeit resentfully) for covering it in the first place, or form a Wall Of Death that even Donald Trump would be in awe of, but aim TOWARDS the stage and trample you into the floor for doing so…they’re on thin ice here. Next up…and, oh god…we have “Crawling”…yes…THAT crawling, by LINKIN PARK. Now, let’s be honest, who hasn’t been inspired in some way by Linkin Park in recent generations? But, to attempt to cover such an iconic song is BRAVE! It totally lacks the original feel of the song, there’s no angst or passion, and sadly it comes across as really quite flat, which is a complete shame. Ash’s melodic vocals work here but as soon as the track shifts into gear, it just doesn’t compare; the pain is missing and the result is a hollow song.

The last couple of tracks include GARBAGE hit “Only Happy When It Rains”, which while originally an iconic 90’s indie rock hit, here, even aided by LZZY HALE, lacks any of the song’s original feel…not even the duel vocals here can match up to Shirley Manson and if anything just makes you cringe, before there is some level of redemption on closing track “Don’t Speak”. The NO DOUBT classic works well here as Ash really does justice to Gwen Stefani’s vocal style and with the metal touch musically it gives the track a new lease of life. Overall while it’s all well and good to want to pay respects to your hero’s and inspirations, it sometimes works better in theory rather than practice. Ash and NYD have a style and a sound that suits them, and some of the tracks covered here really don’t benefit from that sound at all. If anything I guess, it gives you a chance to go through the originals, and maybe discover some classics you may have missed, depending on your age and tastes…other than that, it’s an EP of interesting but sadly disappointing covers. [4]

Over the years many an artist, in rock ‘n’ roll especially, have used shock tactics or elaborate theatrics to help get themselves noticed. It’s all part of the image; the horror and excess that (Music aside) helps separate rock and metal from other genres. Many have succeeded throughout history…ALICE COOPER arguably helped start it all with his stage production going WAY back, you have the likes of ROB ZOMBIE bridging media formats by branching out into some intensely brutal horror movies…though today however we’re focusing not so much on artistic theatre, but, more of a macabre pantomime…yes we’re going to be looking at LORDI. Now instantly recognisable, their whole gimmick is based around the demonic monster costumes designed by front man Mr Lordi (Real name Tomi Petteri Putaansuu) but, despite being around for some time now, it wasn’t until that fateful and unforgettable night where they WON the Eurovision Song Contest for Finland back in 2006.

As unreal as that sounds, “Hard Rock Hallelujah” catapulted them into a mainstream audience, and their tongue-in-cheek style or horror metal has won them over a legion of fans, and they now have an impressive back catalogue of albums. Earlier this year they released their ninth; the wonderfully titled “Sexorcism”, supposedly their most controversial release to date…somebody better call Father Merrin, I think Jesus has done WAY more than fuck this lot…

We begin with the title track and it does open up like a cut from a horror movie score; really dramatic sounding and in preparation for a jump scare or intense fight between good and evil. The simple but ominous piano soon gives way though to some decent riffs and a surging hard-rock aesthetic and musically this is fine; it’s got a decent melodic hook for  a chorus too which, given, Mr Lordi’s honestly awful gravelled vocals, is quite impressive….it’s been produced really well up in Finnvox. This is far from a regular exorcism however (Is there even such a thing?) as he sings of FINGERING the demon out of her…steady on guys this isn’t the 19th century, you can’t be palming shit like this off like hysteria…did she even consent? This gimmick is backed up later by the interlude “Scg9: The Documented Phenomenon”, which essentially parodies THAT Exorcist scene with only slightly re-arranged verbiage. I really don’t know if this is a tribute or a parody…

The ridiculousness doesn’t stop there however as thematically following on from the title track we’re gifted with “The Beast Is Yet To Cum”...a nice play on words there Sir but if anything you’re promoting the fact that your own fingering skills are sub-par at best. Y’all motherfuckers need STEEL PANTHER and that’s one thing I thought I’d never say! In terms of musical highlights, it’s actually quite hard to separate any of the 13 tracks offered this time around. “Naked In My Cellar” has some more catchy synth elements and initially opens up like an early NIGHTWISH number before it delves into this rumbling, bass-heavy riff, and it’s about as clean as Mr Lordi’s vocals can probably get? It’s got a great pop chorus really…”Polterchrist” is another amusingly named track which starts off with some chilling female choir-esque vocals and more piano, before descending into a chugging, classic-metal type affair.

We eventually close out with “Sodomesticated Animal” which aside from its admittedly good name and a decent solo doesn’t inspire a great deal, while “Haunting Season” rounds things up with a generic symphonic metal effort. The trouble with this album is, everything seems to last forever, all of the songs, despite their comedic quirks, sadly drag a little and overstay their welcome to a degree. Less Lordi, more of a thick load quite frankly…a good release for Lordi perhaps like but, not something you want in your ears…the power of Christ compels you to NOT listen to this album. [4]

 CELTIC MOSH is a long-running alternative metal promotion run by Merthyr Tydfil based booking agent Scott Meredith, and over the past couple of years he's put on some absolutely blistering live metal shows promoting the South Wales metal scene. What started out in Merthyr's local Celtic Bar as a monthly club / gig night slowly spread across South Wales, moving up into Merthyr's bigger venues like The Redhouse town hall, eventually setting up in other venues such as the EVI in Ebbw Vale and even FUEL Rock Bar, Cardiff's premier rock club.

Saturday November 24th see's the Celtic Mosh crew set up at the Green Rooms in Treforest for their annual festival celebrating underground UK metal, and they've got a tasty line-up confirmed! Headlining the all-dayer are Manchester's most promising prog-metal outfit COLLIBUS, who have not only experienced playing Europe's Big 4 metal festivals (WACKEN, BLOODSTOCK, GRASSPOP and DOWNLOAD) but they can also lay claim to being the first ever metal band to have played the House Of Commons! With Their newest album "Trusting The Illusion" having dropped earlier this year they'll certainly bring a little manc madness to the mosh!

The main support slot for the festival this year goes to URSUS...the Swindon based boys maybe new kids on the block only having fully formed in 2017 but their blistering blend of metalcore and nu-metal is proving effective as they've been making both a name for themselves and all the right noises, earning them this support slot. Check them out and their brand new singles "Self-Affliction" and "Purity" on the day!

Joining them are an array of Wales' finest underground / local-scene alternative metal outfits including Celtic Mosh regulars EPIC FAIL, Port Talbot's own I AM GRAVITY and Cardiff up-and-comers UPON THE DYING who will be promoting their newest album "Delusions". You'll also get to witness scorching set's from the likes of VOID CALLER and GOOD MORNING VIETNAM. Doors open at 12pm and the music kicks off at 1pm, with ticket prices set at £12 OTD. Tickets are also available to order via See Tickets for £10 advance. Order your tickets via the link below and we'll see you in the pit \m/

A lot of the bands in or around Scandinavia can be described as being cut from the same cloth, though while I’m not attempting to downplay any sense of relevance these bands have in today’s overall metal society, they do have their own scene so to speak. Culturally this northern area of Europe has always had a knack of producing a steady stream of melodic death metal bands, to the point where Scandinavian Metal has become its own sub-genre or, pigeonhole for certain artists, and today we’re focusing on the area of Trondheim in Norway. An area famed for its history in performance art and expression, it houses both Norway’s oldest printed newspaper; ‘Adresseavisen’ and Trondelag Teater, the oldest theater in the whole of Scandinavia still in use today…so it’s no surprise that it’s also home to a band or two; let me introduce you to HAUNTED BY SILHOUETTES.

Formed in 2013, the melodeath outfit (Now consisting of vocalist Mathias, guitarists Stian and Per Kristian, bassist Ola and drummer Håvard) spent a lot of their formative years pushing and promoting their debut EP “The Final Mind Plague”, slowly expanding and making a name for themselves, but when the ball got rolling, the follow up EP “Wrath Of Kharon” wasn’t too far behind and now in 2018, after a slight line-up shuffle, they’ve unleashed their debut full length album; “Shortcuts To Dead Ends”…hopefully not foreseeing their own career path, let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Exhumer” and we’re greeted with a chilling, almost foreboding piano led intro, it sounds like something straight out of a horror movie score so cold it is…before out of the shadows bursts this incredibly intense mass of brutal metal. The demonic, bowel-worrying growls sounding like they’ve been freshly dug out of a pit of misery, though the guitars carry with them their own hypnotic melody, drawing you in…add to that a brief yet harmonious guitar solo and it’s a solid intro, though it does end annoyingly abruptly. Follow up track “Vindicta” has its roots embedded more in the early days of thrash metal; from the commanding percussion and traditional riffs, musically at least it showcases the bands influence taken from old-school metal acts such as METALLICA.

The whole point of melodeath as a genre though is pretty self-explanatory as it aims to combine the crushing power of metal with more graceful instrumental elements and that’s put across on album highlight “Only You Know”…the whispered vocals add a fresh dynamic as the smooth guitars meander through your speakers, allowing the growled vocals to sound all the more imposing, channeling the likes of DARK TRANQUILITY and OPETH; an anti-ballad if you will, before “A Plea For Silence” takes some of the more pop-esque production from artists like IN FLAMES to deliver a strong, hook-laden chorus. The bulk of the album mind you IS a slight case of Ctrl C, Ctrl V, as the bludgeoning, riff-heavy metal does tend to blend and become slightly repetitious, although closing track “Into The Abyss” takes you by surprise as the relaxing guitar harmonies allow the album to unwind with a brief instrumental cool-down. Overall Haunted By Silhouettes can clearly deliver a solid death metal record and when they do incorporate melody they’ve done it really well, although those moments are short-lived, taking a back seat to the general goring going on…they’ve not quite gone down a dead end, maybe if they experiment with some clean vocals next time around they’ll find a better balance but there’s nothing really wrong with this per se…we’re not quite pleading for silence just yet. [7]

Going back decades, arguably since its inception truth be told, ‘rock’ music was always viewed upon as bad thing; a rebellious genre that started in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll a la ELVIS' controversial hip-swinging, leading young ladies astray…punk rock was always a primary instigator of rebellion when that came about, the musical equivalent of streaking through a convent with your middle fingers proudly pointing skyward…and then there’s metal. We’re not going to be delving into all of the deep, dark sub-genres, but metal itself has always been associated with the devil and darkness, and of course bands like BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN only fueled that…but sometimes a band just feels the need to speak up; make a statement and be as brutally honest or opinionated as they can be. Here; special guest writer PETE HARRIS (petesmusic0508@gmail.com) showcases his personal picks on “5 Metal Bands That Made Their Name Attacking The Establishment”

"There are many ways to speak to the powers above. But sometimes, the best and only way to unleash truth is to do it as loudly and as aggressively as possible. Here are five of our favourite artists who knew just that — and have used the inherent aggression of metal to express rage, dissent, and criticism against the unyielding sociopolitical establishment."

Godfathers of 90’s and 00’s thrash metal; MACHINE HEAD first made a name in Europe before getting famous back home in the US. One of the pioneers in the ‘New Wave Of American Heavy Metal’ which began in the mid 1990’s and peaked later in the millennium. Machine Head dabbles with thrash and groove metal, which they’ve perfected in songs like “Aesthetics Of Hate” and “Clenching The Fists Of Dissent”. From criticising the critics who act like the gatekeepers of rock, to taking an anti-war stance in the midst of the American government’s oil-hoarding in the Middle East, Machine Head’s fans know that they mean business.

"Being able to loudly and aggressively speak truth to power is just one of the many uses of anti-establishmentarian music. As many metal-heads can attest to, listening to some quality rock and metal can prompt emotional, mental and even physical benefits as well; revelling in the violent themes of metal in in many ways, an act of anti-violence and therapeutic self-love. In fact, academically-backed research published in an article on LOTTOLAND reveals that people who regularly go to live rock music gigs are more satisfied with their lives than those who don’t. The same source also reveals that powerful music can give a 26% boost to your overall blood-flow. Keep these things in mind the next time you’re debating whether or not it’s worth it to go out and see what the newest bands have to offer…"

What are your thoughts on metal bands speaking truth to power? Were there any bands or artists you feel deserve to be in this list? Let us know what you think in the comments!

The beautiful island of Trinidad; the southernmost island of the Caribbean just a few miles off the coast of Venezuela…a colourful and vibrant place with a rich, diverse culture of exotic carnivals, and also the inspiration behind classic stories such as “Treasure Island”, to many it really is a tropical paradise, however, the steel-drums aren’t the only source of ‘metal’ you’ll hear whilst you sip your cocktails in Las Cuevas Bay, for even the Trinidadian’s know how to rock out; let me introduce you to HAIL THE HATTER. Having formed in 2015, the metal outfit started off when vocalist Jonathan Boos and guitarist Dax Carter decided that the world of rock music was lacking a sense of fun, and thus HTH (Now completed by drummer Nickolai Assam and bassist Aaron Lowchewtung) was born. Having recently released their debut mini-album “Discovering Light”, let’s see just how mad these hatters really are…

We open up with a little intro entitled “The Coming Of The Hatter” and frankly I hope he brought tissues…I kid…incredibly foreboding; it’s a spoken word piece foretelling the hatters arrival as an omen among the thunder and rain, bringing with him the imminent doom for the people of the island, before we get chants of “Hail The Hatter!”, likening him to the devil himself. It sets up an interesting concept and we’re a far cry from Wonderland here let me tell you. First track proper then is “Bone Grin” and aside from the incredibly random Arnold Schwarzenegger opening, we have a brief build towards some slick, blues-inspired hard rock. Initially up-tempo it channels influences such as GUNS ‘N’ ROSES which you can pick up in the tone of Boos’ vocals and definitely the solo towards the end; it’s a decent start…aside from more Schwarzenegger rounding it off…you’re NOT AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE…stop it.

Next up we have “God Bless The Beast” and we’re pretty quickly head-banging to some classic riffs and solid percussion; it’s quite nostalgic in sound for the most part, acting like a throwback to vintage NWOBHM acts such as SAXON and JUDAS PRIEST given it’s tone and even lyrically, you can hear them praise the likes of BLACK SABBATH, they’re definitely tipping their hat to their influences here. “White Walls” initially slows things down dramatically, reduced down to no more than a sluggish drawl with tired riffs mixed with brief guitar licks and gang vocals; so incredibly lethargic, that is until a brief up-tempo fill click-baits you into thinking the song is waking up, but alas it’s short lived. “Akasha”, given its name has a sense and feeling of both vacuity and freedom, with Carter’s guitars flowing through your conscious like they would through space and time itself, before we end proceedings then on the title track, and the longest track on offer here. After a long winding string-section leading into the track, we’re met with more vintage metal at nearly three minutes in, backed with some emotive, soaring vocals from Boos. It’s a dramatic number, especially with the delicate tones of the piano wrapping things up, ending the record on a high.

It’s an interesting listen all in all really and musically they’ve delivered, there’s ample to be enjoyed here for fans of hard rock, classic metal and maybe even a little prog too if you will.  The band wanted to incorporate a little ‘fun and menace’ into their sound and style but sadly they’ve not really delivered on the fun bit to be honest; given their name and such a statement, I was expecting something more off-kilter and essentially bonkers but sadly didn’t so much as smirk once, and coming from the West Indies, well…it’s just not cricket. [6]

Ah West Bromwich…while it may not have exactly been a year to remember for your beloved Albion, (It’s a football thing…they came bottom of the Premier League because they SUCK!) one thing you can always be proud of, is that you spawned one of the biggest and most influential metal bands of all time; JUDAS PRIEST. Having formed way back in 1969, the band went on to pioneer not only how bands approached playing heavy metal, but also the way metal as an entire image was perceived, introducing the now-iconic look of spiked / studded leather accessories, one that we now mostly view as a cliché. Despite their advancing years, and the likes of their fellow Brummie’s BLACK SABBATH calling it a day, Priest are still going hard and 2018 sees them release album 18; “Firepower”…but are they all guns blazing? Let’s find out…

We kick off with the title track and to be fair there isn’t a lot that can be said without going through the motions really, and that sums up the song itself. We’ve ticked all the boxes here regarding the traditional duel-guitar onslaught with pummelling drums, coupled with Rob Halford’s distinctive vocals, with a slick solo or two thrown in for good measure…it’s a decent track, a proper metal track and pretty much Priest by numbers really…or, well, ANY classic metal band by numbers for that matter. Follow up track “Lightning Strike” is predominantly more of the same really…there is a decent rhythm flowing through the track despite the gruff, often blunt delivery of Halford’s vocals in places but it’s still pretty run of the mill.

It’s not all a barrage of beige however…”Never The Heroes” utilises a strong, groove-heavy intro that builds up wonderfully into a solid, blue’s-based track that is brilliant in its simplicity, and the chorus is spot on; nothing extravagant but undeniably catchy…this is a clear album highlight. “No Surrender” is a short, sharp dose of classic metal but has ample, melodic guitar harmonies  and effective hooks during its brief run-time, resulting in another enjoyable listen, while closing track “Sea Of Red” initially swaps the aggression for subtle acoustics, as we end on a blissful power ballad. It gradually picks up the pace; even incorporating symphonic elements, but the change in overall style is a welcome swap indeed and a strong finale.

Elsewhere, well, I’m afraid over the 14 tracks on offer, the majority of it is just a little bit boring. “Evil Never Dies” is amusingly fitting as you feel that way about the song itself; it just methodically plods along  for what seems like forever, it has like, one hook pre-chorus and that’s about it. “Flame Thrower” despite its name really doesn’t ignite much interest…and the chorus sounds off vocally, it just doesn’t sound right. “Guardians” beautifully played piano intro sounds absolutely noble and heroic, but it’s just an interlude and ultimately disappoints, leading into “Rising From Ruins” which is consistent but generic at best and it’s a shame. For a band approaching their 50th anniversary it’s pretty impressive don’t get me wrong, they still play with passion and Rob Halford can still hold his own vocally, credit where it’s due, they’re far more entertaining that fellow dinosaurs THE ROLLING STONES…but just like fellow Brit metal veterans SAXON they’re running the risk of merely going through the motions now. As far as traditional metal goes, it’s fine, but like most branded clothing, you’re only paying for the name on the cover of this record. [6]

Back last year you may remember I covered not one but two SAXON compilations courtesy of two special collectors sets; ”Decade Of The Eagle”, a sort of best-of comprising of the band’s first ten years together…and “The Solid Book Of Rock”, a collection specifically covering the bands work from 1991 all the way through to 2009…by the end of it, having listened to nearly 40 years of work, I felt like I’d gone through more Saxon history than an entire season of fucking Time Team…I was literally THIS close to going on a crusade…nevertheless I got through it and I could finally put down my sword and shield, or so I thought. 2018 see’s the heavy metal veteran’s return yet again with their 22nd studio album “Thunderbolt”…let’s check it out.

We open up with “Olympus Rising” and like its name suggests we’re met with an ominous, foreboding intro…the home of the gods, the slow build of the guitar and subtle percussion layered over some almost ritualistic chanting sets a serious tone…something big is coming and it’s all very dramatic as we lead into the album’s title track. The guitars kick in with some hefty riffs before it settles into their trademark, classic metal inspired sound. Biff still has a decent voice on him despite his aging years, singing of Hades and Greek mythological history and they have substantial weight behind them, sounding just like they did decades ago, just with better production quality, although there is a brief guitar solo that sounds really off, tarnishing an otherwise decent metal track.

​Highlights here include “They Played Rock And Roll”, which with its fast paced delivery and appropriately thrash-based intensity is dedicated to MOTORHEAD following the deaths of Lemmy, Fast Eddie and Philthy Animal Taylor, and it’s a touching inclusion, showing solidarity in metal. “The Secret Of Flight” is rich in groove-led guitar melody, while “Nosferatu (The Vampire’s Waltz)” captures the essence of the 1922 silent horror wonderfully, on par with BLUE OYSTER CULT in fact, re-telling the story over some symphonic inspired metal. There are some sub-par moments here sadly however, which makes for an album of two halves, with it starting really strong and ending on a somewhat flat note…”Speed Merchants” and “Roadie’s Song” in particular bring the album down with their poor, almost clichéd lyrical content, especially the latter…and there’s a raw cut of “Nosferatu…” which serves no purpose being there, too much time in the sun that one. There is an interesting collaboration with AMON AMARTH front-man Johan Hegg for the track “Predator” but his death metal growls are a little too much for Saxon’s style of play if you ask me and it sounds a little disjointed. Other than that it’s a decent metal album and you have to applaud any band that has such longevity. [6]

If I were to mention anvils then some of you will conjure up different memories…for instance there’s Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart…a popular wrestler in the 80’s and early 90’s who with his bulky physique, ginger beard and bright pink attire looked like he was caught somewhere between Groundskeeper Willie and Mr. Blobby…some of you will remember “Looney Tunes”; with Wyle. E. Coyote using an anvil and numerous other weapons to try to kill the Roadrunner…I personally think “Saw” took direct influence from this cartoon (Seriously think about it, talk about fucking overkill!) and then there’s ANVIL themselves. The legendary cult metal outfit from Ontario, Canada formed way-back in 1981 and can arguably be cited as being a major influence for the likes of THE Big 4…in 2008 they had a bit of a resurgence in popularity following a “Spinal Tap” style documentary and now, ten years later, we find them releasing their 17th studio album; “Pounding The Pavement”…let’s hit the street…

The album kicks off with the ominously titled “Bitch In The Box” and immediately we’re met with classic sounding guitar licks straight out of the heydays of traditional metal with some slow, chugging riffs; it’s a solid piece of metal, with Steve Kudlow’s course delivery having harmonic, gang vocal accompaniment it’s a fairly balanced track…but who is this bitch? Why is she boxed? Is there a woman trapped? Buried alive? Nope…he’s singing about Satnav…Fucking. Satnav…is this a theme for old bands now? ACCEPT did it with “Analog Man” and now this…what’s next? Ozzy singing about Pokemon GO? I digress…we follow this up with “Ego” and this is more like it. It’s a short sharp dose of up-tempo, thrash based hard rock and it’s this style, as too made popular by the likes of MOTORHEAD back in the day that laid the foundations for a lot of the fast paced metal we know and love today and the band have clearly still got it in them, with a decent solo to boot; this is much better.

This can also be said for album highlight “Black Smoke” which is very much more of the same with it’s raw, gravelly delivery and, in ways we can include the title track too…peculiar this however as it’s rare to find a title track that’s an instrumental midway through a record. It does break up the album nicely with some well-executed guitar melodies and to be honest it’s just different, it works well. Sadly however, the following tracks don’t…”Rock That Shit” for example…while on one hand can be discarded as merely a song to enjoy and head-bang to with a beer in hand…it’s also fucking cringe-worthy lyrically…from a band virtually celebrating a 40 year anniversary it’s hard to ignore. I’m all for humour in content, I’m all for not taking yourself seriously, but this is elementary school stuff. “Smash Your Face” is another one…and this doesn’t even have up-beat music going for it, I’m going to actually smash my face instead of listening to this one again. Eventually we close on “Don’t Tell Me” and while musically I guess it’s anti-climactic, somewhat middle of the road, it at least touches on relevant social-political topics regarding fake news and the ridiculous state of government right now. Overall, this one’s going to appeal to certain demographics…naturally they have their fans, they are well established in metal circles, but outside of those, and the demented denim-clad rockers you’ll find constantly drunk on Red Stripe moshing to anything they can get their ears on (Think Hell Boy and his cronies from the movie “Haggard”) this doesn’t really have a large target audience. Pounding the pavement or a pounding headache…you be the judge. [5]

Local music scenes; you know, grassroots level…all bands start here as it’s where you hone your craft, you learn, you play to 5 people in a little bar, you make mistakes and you gain experience…it’s a long and difficult road for many. Some bands strike it lucky and get a break, some fizzle out…but the good thing about music at this level is that in a way it’s like Lego. Nothing is truly established at this level so often you’ll see mergers with bands, members swapping around like some sort of musical swingers club until the little pieces click together in the right place for whatever it is you’re trying to make…and this is what happened with today’s band. Let me introduce you to DEMOCRATUS. The Cwmbran based outfit (Consisting of vocalist Steve Jenkins, guitarists Kerrin Beckwith and Joey Watkins, bassist Stu Rake and drummer Zak Skane) comprise of former members of COUNTERHOLD, CANNIBAL GOD and ALIVE IN SALEM and together they’ve recently dropped their debut EP appropriately titled “Starting Again”…being a democrat myself it’s only fair I give them a chance…

The EP opens up with the title track and immediately we’re met with a classic metal vibe within the guitar licks, the riffs and overall vocal tone…structurally the track takes influence from several genres to create an honest, heavy onslaught of down to business metal…there are thrash elements, there are touches of black metal, subtle nods to power metal in the clean vocals but the bulk of the track has its roots in melodic death and it works really very well…truth be told the clean power vocals are probably the weakest part of this, they lack an assertiveness felt within the rest of the track but it’s a strong start nevertheless.  EP highlight “Life For A Life” follows up and it’s a politically charged battle cry about the gulf in living standards and social equality, aimed at our current wealthy Conservative clique...it’s got some decent riffs and chord progression and the solo is a lovely touch too, and it all combines to create a very powerful and more importantly relevant track.

“The Furious Horde” returns to a more thrash influenced sound, it’s raw, fast paced and hard with some shredding guitar and a slightly fuzzy overall tone, imagine a sound somewhere between SLAYER and GWAR musically, before “Endless Prophecy” again then takes it up a notch and implements more of their death metal influences in a short, sharp two-minute barrage a la DEATH and finally then, the closing track “Deity”. Probably the weakest track of the EP, it struggles to properly get going and despite some crunching riffs here and there the track itself is pretty sluggish overall, dragging itself across the finish line in the end and ending the EP pretty abruptly with a sense of “Oh?”…although to its credit it’s a nice little atheist anthem, there’s not enough of them if you ask me. Ultimately the EP is a decent one and by starting again per se they’ve allowed themselves the time as musicians to regroup. A change in direction from some of their past efforts elsewhere but the fresh start has done them good, there’s some solid metal on offer here and some heartfelt song-writing…if you like it heavy, then do the right thing…vote for Democratus; metal for the many, not the few. [6]

I’ve often touched upon the 90’s as being the era of grunge but we have to remember that it was a decade that saw a lot of evolution and development in alternative music, and none more so than metal. New ideas brought new sounds and new sounds came courtesy of new bands…and one of the most enduring bands to breakthrough, were MACHINE HEAD. In 1994 they dropped their debut album “Burn My Eyes” (Which became Roadrunner Records best-selling debut at the time) and metal was never same again…over the years they’ve established themselves as one of the biggest bands in modern metal itself (Arguably peaking at 2007’s “The Blackening”), and continue to pummel the masses to this day…and by this day, I mean January 26th, 2018. The band release their ninth studio album “Catharsis” and they’ve pulled absolutely no punches…let’s check it out.

The album kicks off with “Volatile” and it’s exactly that…with an opening cry of “Fuck the world!” Robb Flynn is clearly full of piss and vinegar here, and the music matches his lyrical frustration pound for pound. Inspired by the state of the world we live in, it’s decidedly chaotic and aggressive and really hits home the sense of dissonance plaguing humanity right now. Musically up-tempo and riff-heavy with layers of thrash, in ways there are parts that can be likened to early SLIPKNOT in ways…this is a solid start. The title track follows up and so soon we find ourselves with a drastic change of pace, but it’s surprisingly welcome…it’s incredibly smooth and polished with rich melodies and a real sense of drama in tone, but while it does retain the trademark snarls of Flynn, the tender piano led sections are genuinely moving; a fitting title for a track that clearly deals with a lot of pent up emotions and issues with the world…and an interesting change of direction.

The highlight’s don’t end there either…”California Bleeding” has slight nu-metal qualities, especially within the hook-laden chorus and, more recognizably the lyrical style…it reeks of nostalgic, early 2000’s angst but it’s not hamming it up per se…before “Kaleidoscope” barges in with its frenetic, fast-paced thrash metal onslaught, though the chorus still uses a decent hook, but possibly the biggest surprise here comes courtesy of “Behind The Mask”…for Machine Head have delivered…a ballad. What apocalyptic fuckery is this I hear you typing angrily…but bear with me; you need to listen to this. The simplistic acoustic number is rich in delicate melody and Flynn’s vocal performance is actually quite impressive, opting for purely clean harmonic vocals instead of his usual growls. The change in tone here will offend many purists but this is a very well written, stripped back song that despite lacking in their typical weight, manages to add plenty of depth to the album structurally. “Eulogy” too is another wonderfully subdued piece of music for the most part, with two thirds of the track opting for a dreary, despairing closing number, which again is a welcome change.

The album isn’t without it’s downfalls mind you…firstly I must mention the length, it’s 15 tracks at 75mins which is a hefty listen…they could have cut the track-listing down a little for a more easily digestible listen…”Triple Beam” again champions the nu-metal revival with its semi-rap inspired lyrics…lacking the quality of the aforementioned, realistically with about as much appeal as, say, POD in places, or even INSANE CLOWN POSSE…make of that what you will…and then we come to “Bastards”…the message may be strong and it’s clearly emotional but…the best way I can summarize this is if…fuck…um…I don’t even know? Say JOHNNY CASH had a bastard failed abortion with the DROPKICK MURPHYS? I’ll leave you make your mind up on this one, it’s giving me a Machine Head-ache…overall a solid album but it has its controversies and question marks. Flynn has stated no fucks were given making this, it’s unapologetic in its creation and delivery, and that’s exactly the feeling you get as a listener, so he’s succeeded…so its debatable in a sense that, it’s very possibly their best album since The Blackening…[8]

It’s been an incredibly nostalgic year for SAXON…as they slowly approach their 40th anniversary, the Yorkshire based veterans have taken us on a trip down memory lane of late, celebrating their heritage and educating new generations on how they became one of the most important and influential metal bands of all time, flying the flag for not only metal, but Britain too as part of the NWOBHM (New wave of British heavy metal). Inspired by the likes of IRON MAIDEN and MOTORHEAD, Saxon, led by front-man Biff Byford, have had one hell of an illustrious and prolific career, releasing an incredible 21 studio albums and in 2017 they’ve been dusting off some classics courtesy of some new collectors sets. Earlier this year we were treated to “The Solid Book Of Rock”…a wonderfully packaged set of albums covering everything from 1991’s “Solid Ball Of Rock” all the way to 2009’s “Into The Labyrinth”…showcasing the bands ability to withstand the test of time in an ever changing musical landscape…but they’re going further this time…far back, right to the beginning with “Decade Of The Eagle”…set for release on November 17th, “Decade…” highlight’s the band’s first ten years; from their emergence through the most commercially successful years of their career which included gold and platinum selling albums and multiple chart positions…let’s check it out…

The two-disk compilation appropriately opens up with a selection of tracks from 1979’s historical debut; “Saxon” and it’s here where it all began…given the time, we were in the very earliest days of metal and it’s a far cry from today’s brutality, with a sound having borrowed more from rock ’n’ roll. Here you can hear a band trying to find their feet, with “Stallions Of The Highway” and “Militia Guard” proving to be raw and pacey…the production quality wasn’t great but it’s here their journey began, marking a milestone in metal history. From there however, things would pick up big time…as follow up release, 1980’s “Wheels Of Steel” sped up the charts to their highest ever position at number 5 and the band would never look back. With better production quality and a sound more rooted in blues rock, the band would release one of their most popular songs of all time “747 (Strangers In The Night)” and the seeds were sewn for success…seeds that quickly blossomed as they released not one but TWO albums in 1980, following up with “Strong Arm Of The Law”. While not charting as high, reaching number 11…it made up for a lack of standout hits, despite “Dallas 1pm” (Written about the Kennedy assassination) with a more consistent writing quality and the album is considered one of the best in the bands discography by many, many fans. Just a year later then, they broke into the top 10 once more with 1981’s “Denim And Leather”…there was no stopping them! With subtle nods to their beginnings, they included a slicker, classic rock feel into their sound and the title track became an anthem for the metal lifestyle as we came to know it, musically and fashionably transcending style…

Disk two then gets us going with highlights from 1983’s “Power And The Glory” returning yet again to the Top 20 kicking off with “This Town Rocks” and a return to their frenetic hard rock roots, paying homage to the likes of Motorhead, contrasting the generally slower “Midas Touch” which focused on a catchy chorus balancing a more ballad-driven piece, delivering another solid collection of songs. In 1984 we saw Saxon release their final album for the Carrere record label; “Crusader”…a touch softer than previous releases, it garnered its criticisms, and the single “Sailing To America” does suffer from repetition, an anticlimactic end to the relationship with their label. Their form soon picked up again however when they joined to EMI and released 1985’s “Innocence Is No Excuse” and the bulk of disk two’s content is taken from this…tracks like “Rockin’ Again” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Gypsy” again using classic rock and slick guitar tones to their advantage, which can also be said for 1986’s “Rock The Nations”…Saxon, already established by now, dabble in subtle glam-rock elements for tracks such as “Waiting For The Night” and shock horror, using acoustics and piano for “Northern Lady”, showing they were far from a one-trick pony with another power ballad not sounding out of place whatsoever, before we round off the collection and the decade with a couple of tracks from 1988’s “Destiny”, which includes a cover of “Ride Like The Wind” by Texan songwriter CHRISTOPHER CROSS and the scorching “Red Alert”, ending the collection on a hard rocking high note.

Whereas sounds and styles have changed multiple times over the years, with new genres and fads coming and going with each decade…one thing that will always stand the test of time is metal and here, Saxon prove that like the rock royalty they are…having pounded out so many classics in such a relatively short space of time shows just how important and influential a band they are, even to this day, paving the way for many acts such as the mighty METALLICA…this collection of songs highlights the heydays of heavy metal in all of its unashamed glory and Saxon were at the forefront of a revolution, helping lay the foundations of one of the world’s longest standing genres of music…many would argue it’s more than that, many would say it’s a way of life and thanks to bands like Saxon, we still live for the denim and leather. [8]

Sinister Visions Records are a new independent label with a fresh perspective. One that will support exceptional artists who have a lot of potential but aren’t necessarily seen as commercially viable.

They are currently raising funds to launch their new way of thinking, business-ethical artist-friendly Heavy Metal record label in Greater Manchester, UK. They will be focusing mainly on Thrash, Death, Extreme and Black Metal bands but are not limiting themselves to these genres. If a band can start a decent pit going at a gig then they are most welcome!

Here is what Sinister Visions Records told us:

"Put simply, the only people making money at the moment is Record Labels and this has to change because if bands don't make money then they cannot survive".

​"Our business model is this....the band pays for the studio time, recording costs, mixing and mastering costs. The label pays for the cost of putting the finished album onto CD, LP and/or Cassette (whatever is agreed with each band), it also pays for any necessary advertising and PR costs". 

"Any profits from the sale of music after production, advertising costs and monthly donations (oh, we forgot to mention that didn't we? A set percentage which is to be confirmed but likely around 10-15% will be donated to mental health chariites) is split 50/50 with the band".

​"We are by no stretch classed as "Tree Huggers" but we are mindful enough about the planet and switched on enough to know that we would prefer and insist on (where possible) to use recycled packaging and materials for all our releases. We have been pricing up the costings involved such as recycled card for all digipack releases and vinyl record sleeves etc and these are not much more (if at all) than the costings of non-recycled materials but as that big supermarket chain says - "Every little helps".

While the record label will be going ahead regardless, by clicking on the link above, you'll be taken directly to the SINISTER VISIONS KickStarter campaign page, where you can donate money towards helping the label hit the ground running and make it success not just for the team involved, but for all the bands who will work with them in the future, giving them the best possible start. All donations are welcome and appreciated but if you donate so much, you will be rewarded with items like physical CD's or T-Shirts from the label, or even digital downloads from the label's roster...or...if you really want to splash the cash and are feeling generous (Should you have the funds spare) you can even get a performance from one of the artists in your own home, or even have yourself named as an executive producer on a future release. If you want to do your bit to support up and coming metal...donate now!