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]

Birmingham, as we all know, is the spiritual home of heavy metal and the myriad of alternative genres that followed it, but it’s not the only city in the UK with serious rock ‘n’ roll credentials. Yes today we’re going to be turning our attention to Sheffield and to be fair, its home to several big-name artists itself, spanning from all walks of rock and metal culture, having spawned everyone from DEF LEPPARD to BRING ME THE HORIZON over the years…and while the latter are at the very peak of their career riding high with chart success, infiltrating the mainstream, their contemporaries aren’t too far behind…enter WHILE SHE SLEEPS. (That sounds creepier than intended…)

The five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Lawrence Taylor, drummer Adam Savage, bassist Aaran McKenzie and guitarists Sean Long and Mat Welsh) have been going strong since 2006 and over that time they’ve steadily established themselves as one of the UK’s hottest up-and-coming metal acts. With their last album “You Are We” receiving heaps of critical praise and breaking into the UK charts, all eyes were wide awake in anticipation for their eagerly awaited follow up, and the lads delivered at the beginning of March with album number four; “SO WHAT?”…if I may paraphrase MEGADETH for a second…so far, so good…so what’s in store for us here? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “ANTI-SOCIAL” and while initially ticking off the clichés with the police sirens and dogs barking, planting the image of troubled neighbourhoods over at the bad side of town, it soon descends into a flurry of almost djent inspired metalcore riffage. Lawrence’s vocals are initially hushed before a bold yet simplistic chorus of ‘I’m not anti-social, I’m anti-bullshit’…the almost nu-metal tones of the instrumentation carry a sense of vitriol and as a whole the track is brimming with piss and vinegar. The disdain for the current state of society, awash with corruption has become too much and here those sentiments are hammered home, especially in the incredibly powerful accompanying video; this is intense stuff. “I’VE SEEN IT ALL” initially follows up with some crazed fret-wankery, before  bellowed gang vocals are layered within the groove-heavy slab of hard rock, giving the track a prominently anthemic feel.

The title track again utilises a rich groove, coupled with duel vocal / guitar harmonies over a hook laden chorus, which can also be said for “THE GUILTY PARTY” and album highlight “SET YOU FREE”…the former, another up-tempo offering with a blistering chorus and more gang vocals, while the latter doubles down on the pop-production quality. The clean vocals are much more prominent and there’s a fun, almost pop-punk tone to the chorus and it all flows so smoothly, before the album eventually closes up on “GATES OF PARADISE”; another fine blend of mauling metalcore and melody, even including some almost rap-inspired vocals towards the breakdown. There was a lot of hype and anticipation around this record, and I will gladly point out that it IS a quality modern metal record; the riffs, the aggression; it’s all on point, just as the softer moments are and it’s a well-balanced album overall. The metalcore aspects themselves ARE growing tired truth be told, there’s only so many screamed vocals and breakdowns you can hear before you begin to feel you’ve heard all of it as many bands apply a copy and paste formula, but there’s enough here to warrant repeat listens, switching up JUST enough to keep their sound fresh.  They aren’t quite on the same level as their fellow Sheffield residents BMTH right now commercially, but the music speaks for itself, and this is an album well worth checking out. [7]

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]

As you all SHOULD know by now, Scandinavia is renowned for its mind-blowing plethora of heavy metal bands. Seriously now, collectively, the Nordic block shit’s out such a vast variety of metal it could be mistaken for another industrial revolution! When it comes to exports though, no one can match Finland…them Finns LOVE them some metal and it’s here we find ourselves again for today’s band; let me introduce you to KAAMOS WARRIORS. Formed in 2018 in the town of Kempele, their name roughly translates as ‘Warriors Of The Polar Night’…and hailing from just outside the arctic circle, it’s safe to see where the duo (Consisting of Mikko Ojala and Jani Moilanen), like many other Finns, get their inspiration.

Living in such an often unforgiving environment, with extremely cold temperatures and often fragmentary nocturnal cycles, it’s no wonder a lot of the music produced in Finland is soaked in despair, melancholy and delirium. It should come as no surprise then, that their debut album; “Ikuisen Talven Sarastus” essentially means ‘At The Dawn Of Winter Eternal’…but are they resigning themselves to an existence in icy isolation? Let’s find out…

The eight-track mini-album opens up with “Kaamos Warriors” itself and I guess it’s like a declaration of intent if you will…the foreboding intro of the sinister guitar tone leads into an eruption of blast-beats and unrelenting percussion, accompanying the evil snarls of vocalist Mikko. There’s an uncomfortable, unholy aura to the track, reinforced by the chilling monastic vocal chanting, almost ritualistic over the cold, blackened metal; a decent start this. We follow this up with “Talventuoja” which I’m honestly struggling to translate…it’s message roughly means (And I mean this as an interpretation) the reaper is the bringer of Winter; for the cold solitude of endless nights is comparable to death itself; dark and void, and musically the slower tempo, owing much to the sound of say, SATYRICON for example, allows the song to impose a sense of dread and seriousness upon the listener, though the guitar solo and abrupt ending spoil the vibe of the track ever so slightly.

Thankfully there are a handful of English titles here too, making life a little bit easier for me truthfully, with the first of which being “Winter Eternal”. Another gradual build here, blending their brand of blackened death with subtle battle metal aesthetics, coming across as more of a march than a full track if you will; it’s quite regimented and linear and honestly it’s about as flat as you’ll find this type of metal. The other English tracks comprise of “Immortals” and “Secrets Of Stars”…the former delivering an interesting blend of acoustic guitar and harmonious, choir-esque vocals underlying the sonic intensity, while the latter offers a more up-tempo, pacier slab of melodic metal, providing a late album highlight. It’s full of groove and rhythm and it’s, dare I say it, catchy…? Before we then round things off with the title track itself; returning to their cold, brooding visceral misery.

Let’s not beat around the snow covered bush here…the Nordic / Baltic region for blackened death metal bands is like a cave in the Kanto region for the mighty Zubat, walk just a couple of steps in any direction and you’ll have one screeching in your face. This doesn’t necessarily mean the genre is completely over-saturated however…for a band practically just a year old, this is a really promising debut. At just over twenty minutes it’s a short album, but that makes this an easy, accessible listen for such a niche underground genre. Warriors…raise your pork swords, winter is coming. [7]

Lansing, Michigan; the very heart of Michigan State and a pivotal player in the US educational sector, housing a plethora of universities, law schools, medical schools and more…but what are they like with metal? That’s where today’s band comes in…let me introduce you to HEARTSICK. Having formed nearly 20 years ago, through a love of progressive metalcore and amidst the NWOAHM boom, the four-piece (Consisting of vocalist Alfonso Civile, guitarist Jerred Pruneau, bassist Waylon Fox and drummer Justin Robinson) have over time built a strong following stateside with their intense, unforgiving live shows, supporting big-hitters such as FEAR FACTORY and HATEBREED. As they unleash their newest album “Sleep Cycles”, we have to ask, can the lads from Lansing school US on the metal? Let’s find out…

The album opens up like Corey Graves’ wife with a track called “Affair” and it’s not long before we’re met with Alfonso’s visceral snarls, curling themselves around some deep riffs; the metalcore style prominent, as it switches up between subtle gang-vocal melody for the chorus and being instrumentally itching for the imminent breakdown. It ends abruptly but generally it’s a fairly standard though enjoyable metal track; a decent start. “Hate Anthem” keeps up the momentum with its primarily more thrash metal inspired sound; the tempo and intensity are all turned up a notch and in ways this harks back to early SLIPKNOT in its delivery; a proper head banger of a track this.

Given the quartets admiration for metalcore however it’s not always a swift smack in the mush as they are more than capable of incorporating ample melody within their instrumentation, especially on the latter half of the album. “Slave Labor” in particular with its hushed atmospherics, whispered vocal delivery and soaring, emotive chorus, almost combining anthemic indie rock with chilling metal aesthetics; it’s quite hypnotic. “Her Heart” is another and again, with the soaring clean vocals it adds diversity to their audible assault, while single “Love Letter” embraces a more sombre, chilled out post-rock approach, appealing to your inner emo with their own take on a heartfelt rock ballad; a genuinely touching track.

​Ultimately “Sleep Cycles” is a fitting title as one minute it’s crushing and aggressively vibrant; wide awake and alert, but they know how to reel it back and soothe you too without managing to make you dose of completely, and they’ve balanced this out really well over the course of the thirteen tracks. Currently unsigned but, it’s hard to see why quite frankly (Unless it’s by choice of course), Heartsick know how to make you feel the feels and this is a solid record all in all…[7]

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”

Courtesy of Dewar PR, we’re going to be having a slightly different take on the Wreckord Collection this week, as we talk to Tommy Stewart; bassist and vocalist of Atlanta-based doom/sludge trio NEGATIVE WALL. Having formed in 2018 as an amalgamation of members from other bands including BLACKLIGHT MIDNIGHT and BLUDY GYRES, they will be releasing their debut album “Gammagelu”, after only a handful of writing rehearsals mind you, on February 8th through Black Doomba Records. Check out the advance-track "Hybrid Genus Serpentis" via the Bandcamp link below! Here Tommy discusses why it is that he prefers to listen to vinyl and how it helps him as a producer… 

“I love talking about my record collection! I have a few years on me so most of the records I have were bought when they came out. So when I say I bought DEEP PURPLE 'Machine Head', I LITERALLY mean the year it came out, and it's the quadrophonic version! I had little interest in anything else so listening was and still IS a very intimately focused experience. I've had many albums on cassette, 8-track, vinyl, and CD, but I still think that vinyl is best because of its presentation. I like that the art and photos are larger for one thing. It's my habit to buy a vinyl, then sit and listen with focus and not while doing something else. I read the lyrics and follow the journey the album takes me on. Sometimes, as I revisit the album, I may follow just one instrument through its own journey. I was quite inspired by English rock and metal. I've tried to figure it out and it looks like about 60% of my life long listening came from a 178 square mile area of mainly England. If you have that in mind when you're listening to albums I'm known for, such as Bludy Gyres' 'Echoes of a Distant Scream', or Negative Wall's 'Gammagelu', you can certainly hear the Crimson and Sabbath influence. There's no doubt that HALLOWS EVE's 'Tales of Terror' was influenced by IRON MAIDEN and MOTORHEAD.

This laser focused listening habit inspired me to develop into the person I am today, who not only plays on albums, but also produces them! Just listening in such an attentive way since I was a wee lad of 6 years old pretty much trained me for recording myself and other artists. It's amusing to watch the bands come in the studio very pumped up, and I try to make it comfortable for them, but as I start mixing, they usually glaze over, begin to sleep here and there, and I even get asked how do I listen to the same passages for hours. I enjoy it!

The artists I have the most records of are BLACK SABBATH, JETHRO TULL, PINK FLOYD. And you thought I'd say METALLICA, I bet. I have those and a variety of metal styles on albums…I do a wide variety of listening. If I'm asked if I own anything embarrassing. Some closet classics I like when I'm all alone? I have a pretty fair collection of 7" singles that are mostly 60's pop and some 50's hits; from THE BEATLES, to NANCY SINATRA, to JERRY LEE LEWIS. In the middle of all that there is a Vertigo copy of "Evil Woman" by Sabbath, but it's all alone in that stack.”

Back in 2010, Gothic music, no, ALL of music, lost someone truly gifted and remarkable. Yes, on that April 14th, the not-so jolly green giant Pete Steele of TYPE-O-NEGATIVE passed away, somewhat ironically, due to heart failure aged just 48. Initially we had to double check, as not only was their previous (And as it turns out final album) entitled “Dead Again”…the album itself was brought to everyone’s attention through a hoax, suggesting Pete’s passing on their website, via a macabre but not unexpected marketing ploy by the band. Sadly this time wasn’t to be a dark humoured joke tying into a promotion, this time it was for real…Type-O-Negative were no more.

Luckily for fans, and in loving memory of Pete Steele, original Type-O drummer  Sal Abruscato (Up until 1993) wasn’t long in allowing this new source of mourning and melancholia to fuel his creative juices once more, and stepping aside from his other band LIFE OF AGONY, he formed A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH in 2011. With their first two albums (“And Hell Will Follow Me” and “Lay My Soul To Waste”) receiving praise and critical acclaim, it’s only natural we get excited to know that the third, despite the five year gap, was still on the way. In early 2019, they returned with “When The World Becomes Undone”…let’s see what Sal and co have been sitting on all this time…

The album begins rather fittingly with “As It Begins” and really it’s just a brief intro piece; the church bells, the weeping woman, a continuous, haunting drone…it’s really quite ominous as it seemingly sets you up for a  ritual, or, something far worse and sinister, but the transition into the title track is a little disjointed. It lacks a clean flow as it switches up into this, chilling piano led piece, while Sal’s lyrical delivery and vocal tone hints at a disturbing, nursery rhyme-inspired track. The percussion initially seems stuck on a loop, with little in the way of tonal progression, like the CD was skipping, if it wasn’t for the subtlety of the bass, before we eventually get underway with some classic sounding, deep, dragging riffs. At near seven minutes it keeps in tradition with the drawn-out doom metal influences, but there are a few tempo and key changes to keep it ticking over, improving as it progresses.

It’s not all ENTIRELY doom and gloom mind you, as there’s still room for a tune or two amidst the misery. “Love The Ones You Hate” being a prime example…the classic guitar slides, the almost “My Girlfriends Girlfriend”-esque delivery harking back to classic Type-O, adding both hooks and tempo to proceedings. While not the most melodic of vocalists, the whole thing takes on an almost grunge-like yet, hypnotic tone, thanks to Sal’s musical direction, and it makes for a clear album highlight. The same can be said for “Lay With The Wicked”, “Fell In My Hole” and “We All Break Down”…the former with its darkly sensual opening, embracing the seductive yet, again, haunting aesthetics of the deep harmonies. A slick guitar solo makes for an even more emotive listen and it reeks of gothic lust, while the latter maintains the low-tempo, dreary appeal of classic doom-inspired goth, with more subtle nods to “October Rust” musically as we head towards the tracks climax.

Granted, it’s not a perfect album…”Succumbing To The Event Horizon” is only marginally longer than its own name; no more than a brief instrumental interlude in the loosest possible sense, while “The Woods”, which despite being longer, doesn’t have much more of a point, though conceptually you could say it harks back to the tribal tones of “Fay Wray Come Out And Play”, before closing track “Closure” returns to the church bells, weeping and organ music as the album goes full circle. All in all, we have to accept that there’s only so much you can get from a doom-based record in terms of appeal, and in a world without Pete Steele this will always have to be your next best choice. Both sonically and aesthetically on point, APHND and Sal deliver a fine slab of sadness here as they’ve clearly found themselves musically; this is more polished, crisp and cathartic too as it provides respectful throwbacks to Sal’s formative years with Type-O-Negative. In a world of post-metalcore, mumble-rap and grime, it’s refreshing (Or should that ironically be rotten?) to find there’s still a place for such wonderfully presented woe…a great gothic-metal album and a great start to 2019. [8]

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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Idea’s and plans are great when they work out, but sometimes life throws little curve-balls at you causing delays in getting to your overall destination or goal. This is the case for London progressive metal outfit KHAIDIAN; originally formed in 2010 by founding members, guitarist John Tyrell (Formerly of INTERLOCK) and bassist Joe Perunal (MORTAD) it’s fair to say it’s taken them a little while to really get the ball rolling.

After initially completing their line up with vocalist Andy Hutton, having consciously made a point to avoid all of the expected ‘screamy / growly’ vocals, and drummer Paul Fowler, everything was set for them to release their debut album back in 2016…however, Paul then  decided to up and leave throwing a massive fucking spanner in the works. This led to a year of frantically searching for an able replacement but finally, in 2018, they got what they were looking for in the shape of GRAVIL’s own Kris Perrin. Now, in early 2019 the band are FINALLY ready to try again, as they unleash their long-awaited debut “Penumbra” onto the world. The question is, was it REALLY worth the wait?

The seven-track mini-album opens up with “Pearls Before Swine” and we’re greeted with the deep-rumblings of the djent inspired riffs, coupled with an almost up-tempo thrash metal intensity…though it’s balanced by the subtle but icy synths layered within the tracks tapestry, while Andy’s vocals carry the bulk of the melody with their promised, clean delivery. Recent single “Dominion” continues in the same fashion with its poly-rhythmic, off-kilter riff offerings; the progressive influences shine through here and fans of the likes of MESHUGGAH and TOOL will likely appreciate this one.

“Thrive” delves deeper into the bands electronic influences as it incorporates a more subtle techno / light industrial vibe within the tracks intro, being used sparingly then throughout the course of the track, giving their sound extra character but not detracting from their overall prog-metal sound. The same can be said for “Sense Of The Spherical” as it continues to add more layers of instrumentation…with the synths providing a more hushed, atmospheric tone, while the pacing and general style of the track allows for more, almost dub-qualities, before closing track “Dramatic Professions Of Martyrdom” rounds the album off as it started; up-tempo and harder hitting, before essentially just meandering off.

The initial question was, was this all worth the wait at the end of the day, and truthfully it’s a bit 50/50. While musically and instrumentally the band are clearly on fine form; they’ve taken a djent-inspired prog-metal blueprint and melded it, albeit minimally, with other styles and pulled off a decent prog-metal album…it’s oxymoronic that the band CHOSE to eschew any potentially clichéd growled vocals, as really it’s the missing ingredient. While I’m not suggesting they COMPLETELY change their sound just to include all dem’ snarls…but the added aggression would have elevated at least some of these tracks. Penumbra by name, and that’s appropriate as it’s a shadow of what it potentially could be. [5]

​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!!!!!!!!!!!!

The history of CKY is, for want of a better word, turbulent…when things were good, they were great; record deals with the likes of Island and Roadrunner, the worldwide fame thanks to connections with the whole “Jackass” phenomenon, they developed an intensely loyal fan base, or, alliance…but when things turned sour, boy did they turn sour. In 2011 after the praise and acclaim of “Carver City”, there were disagreements over the bands future direction…which led to conflict…which in turn led to one of the most, bitter, if you will, separations in rock.

In the years that have followed, while CKY, after trialing new vocalists, decided to settle on their current 3-piece formation (Consisting of Chad I Ginsberg, Jess Margera and a returning Matt Deis) Deron Miller opted to go it alone, dabbling in several projects during the period. Initially in a dispute over the rights of CKY, he released the solo album “Acoustified!” which, as you can probably guess was an acoustic medley of previous works…there was the return of his prior band FOREIGN OBJECTS who resurfaced for a new album in 2015…and then we have this; 96 BITTER BEINGS. Not only a jab at arguably one of CKY’s biggest tracks itself…but the album has been called “Camp Pain”…which, mistake me if I’m wrong, is ironically similar in theme to Camp Kill Yourself? I did say things were bitter right? Let’s see what Deron (Backed by new band members Kenneth Hunter, Shaun Luera and Tim Luera) has come up with…

The album opens up with “Try It Again” and it’s both an intro AND a skit…the idea that they’ve spent ages writing and practicing only for the track to sound like absolute shit essentially; out of tune without any sense of cohesive rhythm, it’s a rib on themselves basically as it’s been a while since we’ve had any new recorded material…they’re a bit rusty. First track proper however "Still Unstable, Still At Large" charges right at you with a serious sounding, deep, chugging albeit sluggish guitar riff, before we’re greeted with the traditional, sweet synths and moogs that so characterised CKY’s original music. Deron plays and writes with such a distinct style, this brings back so many memories…and the nostalgia doesn’t stop there.

Despite being only 10 tracks long in total, it manages to cram in a fair couple of highlight tracks…in particular “The Whipping Hands” which sounds like it could have been taken right out of the recording sessions from “Carver City”. It’s got a great rhythm and an infectious bass-heavy groove, playing out nicely. “Where Were You?” offers a more relaxed, melodic track, with a primarily down-tempo approach but a chorus that harks back to the style of “An Answer Can Be Found”…before the album ultimately ends with “December Higher Power”, a traditionally slower ballad-esque piece to close proceedings, a staple of past CKY works. Some tracks are a little questionable mind you…”Megadextria” is just a recycled track from the last Foreign Objects record, “Cavalcade Of Perversion” is 90% instrumental and 10% what the fuck? Speaking of, there’s a cover of MICHAEL JACKSON’s “Beat It” thrown in for good measure…I’m not even joking. I mean they pull it off quite well but, seriously…why?!

Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s not a perfect album by any means, but it’s damn impossible to not enjoy this. Deron has such a creative flair for solid guitar riffs and an iconic sound that’s been missed…CKY are doing fine right now without him don’t get me wrong, and I’m not about to wish for a reunion, that ship sailed, but, I will just state how glad I am to have Deron back releasing music again. There may be 96 bitter beings but, I’m not one of them…for I am simply…Bernadette Nere. [7]

The Japanese progressive metal outfit SOKONINARU have confirmed that they will be hitting London during their debut European Tour in 2019, for a must-see one-off headline show. The tour poster via Avo Magazine specifies that it will all go down at The Underworld, one of the homes of London’s hardcore metal scene. If everything goes according to plan, you can catch Sokoninaru’s unique, harmonic, heavy, and highly technical sounds on February 12th. They will also be hitting Germany, France, Holland, and other European locations during the scheduled 13-date tour.

Active since 2011, it took a while for vocalist / guitarist Juko Suzuki and vocalist / bassist Misaki Fujiwara to get recognised in Asia’s metal scene. Nowadays however, it’s safe to say that the band has a massive global following online, evident by the 1.2 million views (October 2018) garnered by their music video Tenohira de odoru. Meanwhile, their latest video "re:program" was able to gain 150,000 views in just a matter of months. Further proof of Sokoninaru’s global fame is the fact that they also recently officially launched their own English website, a major step in the band’s efforts to appeal to overseas audiences. And seeing as Sokoninaru is now slated for a major European tour early next year, they’re bound to attract more fans of rock, metal, and good old melodic chaos.

While London and Japanese metal might seem a strange combination, there are actually plenty of historical precedents for this 'meeting of cultures'. For starters, heavy metal has its roots in the UK. The likes of Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix – both of which achieved global fame while in the UK – are responsible for the seminal sounds that birthed the different courses of metal and rock music, including the harmonic, heavy, and highly technical speed metal of Sokoninaru. There’s even an award-winning Japanese electronic/rock/metal band that’s based in London – Esprit D’Air have been channelling UK influences since their debut album, "Constellations".

During the last decade, Japanese culture has exploded in the UK. This is highly apparent in the UK’s wide array of Japanese-influenced media, including TV, film, music, and even online gaming. On the BBC, "The Art of Japanese Life" prompts audiences to join Dr. James Fox in examining the intricacies of Japanese art and culture. 

​Another reason of this desire for more Japanese culture is the increasing number of digital media dedicated to the country. The Japanese gaming industry is one of the biggest in the world, and its games consoles and titles dominant markets across the globe. The response to this has been that modern digital companies are now trying to tap into these growing markets to find new audiences. Online Asian games provider Expatbets has a dedicated Japanese slot game called "Sakura Fortune" that combines two parts of Japan’s heritage, the lone warrior and the cherry blossom, both of which attract millions of visitors each year. Japanese-inspired entertainment has become so big that a lot of people’s first contact with Japan’s culture is through these games, which then leads them on to discover more about the country. The European tour of Sokoninaru is a sign that western audiences are a part of this growing interest, and that music fans are seeking out more obscure parts of Japanese culture to find new and exciting talent. 

All of these factors will combine to give Sokoninaru an unusually warm welcome in cold, wet London on February 2019. In a way, it can be said that, one of the greatest proponents of modern metal will be bringing metal back home to the UK.

Words: Madison Scott

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]

When it comes to the UK music scene, there’s always hot-spots…an obvious one is Camden which has more quality venues than you can shake a drum stick at…Nottingham has Rock City which is a favourite among many gig-goers…Wales too has a great history of grass roots music support, but today we’ll be looking at Southampton. With its own iconic venues such as the Guildhall and The Joiners, over the past couple of years it’s produced some top quality artists such as BURY TOMORROW and of course, CREEPER, who’ve had an almost stratospheric rise to the top of the alternative rock scene…so naturally with So’ton back on the map, we’re going to be hearing about more bands looking to make a breakthrough, which brings us to today.

Let me introduce you to CANAVAR…consisting of vocalist / guitarist Deklan Webb, guitarist Jack Bowden, bassist Rowan Rashley and drummer Toby Rashley, they bring together a chaotic blend of heavy metal and hardcore punk to create an equally commanding and confident sound; so confident in fact that they totally skipped recording an EP…no testing the water for these fuckers they dove straight into a full length album! With a name roughly translating as Monster…let’s see just how monstrous they sound on “Canavar”.

We open up with the lead single “Sacrilege” and initially we’ve got this really bouncy, up-tempo punk-rock piece; the vocals are clean though very rough around the edges giving it that traditional skater-punk vibe…but this soon descends into a more traditional metal style breakdown and a crazy solo! The classic metal approach charging through, but this only leads us into the tracks climax, foreshadowing the rest of the album…Deklan switches up his vocals and sounds almost possessed such is the change in tone, the inclusion of growls being so sudden, it’s an interesting start. “Brick By Brick” follows up and while it has certain thrash-inspired elements running through its riffs there is still a pretty prominent punk backbone here; you can hear the influence the likes of RISE AGAINST or even say, ANTI-FLAG have had musically on the 4-piece, and naturally as a result it’s quite another pacey offering.

Those same thrash elements can again be heard in “Fire Inside” which for all intents and purposes sounds like the bastard offspring of some weird METALLICA / SLAYER crossover experiment from a 6-string perspective, while vocally again it bridges the gap between hardcore punk and heavy metal, absolutely full of piss and vinegar. The main highlight however comes courtesy of “Devil’s In The Details” which initially embraces a subtle MISFITS vibe while also harbouring more modern alternative rock aspects, mirroring artists like MATCHBOOK ROMANCE and the aforementioned Creeper. The rest of the album generally fleets back and forth, hand picking certain qualities from all genres listed above…there are slower cuts like “Deadly Sins” and “Moral Compass”…then there’s the less than two-minute flurry of closing track “Ready And Willing”, and while  musically they’re not reinventing the wheel or anything as such here, this is for the most part a really fun album and that’s really down to THEIR enjoyment, the band are having a fucking whale of a time making noise and it resonates. Personally I’d like to hear them focus on being a solid punk unit as it’s that area they sound strongest and more fluid musically, but overall, it’s a fine album. [7]

 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/

The place you grow up, the place you call home very often has an impact on your outlook on life, easily shaping who you can become, and this can ring true with certain styles of music too. Just take BLACK SABBATH for instance, out of the poverty of working class Birmingham in the late 60’s and early 70’s, they arguably crafted heavy metal as we know it today; using their surroundings and social standing to fuel their bleak brand of heavier blues rock…well this can also be said of today’s band; THE BALANCE FACTOR. Formed in Gary, Indiana, just 25 miles outside of Chicago, The Balance Factor (Consisting of vocalist John Yaney, guitarists Heath Reid and Jason Zeilstra, bassist Aaron Brown and drummer Jonas Doran) have for years been surrounded by a booming steel industry, that over time faded away through job loss, political corruption and racial segregation, as America looked to import cheaper steel, killing industrial cities such as Gary.

Very much like Ozzy and co before them however, they’ve put all this to good use and started writing music which leads us to the here and now; following on from 2016’s debut album “Here I Am”, they return with a brand new EP by the name of “Ouroboros”…perfectly summing up their situation and up-bringing with a symbolic gesture of creation born from destruction…artistically poignant, or are they just chasing their own tails? Let’s find out…The EP opens up with the imaginatively titled “Introduction” and to be honest; while I’m not a fan of intro’s generally I do appreciate the no-nonsense approach here. The minute and a half of TV static, broken channel reception and police sirens portraying a state of unrest and uncertainty; a level of chaos, as it transitions into lead single “Killafornia”…and god how I wish Arnold Schwarzenneger was a part of this. It’s a word tailor made for a Terminator parody that hopefully AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE will pick up someday. The track itself is a brilliantly rugged blend of hard rock and early 2000’s nu-metal; it's coarse production quality with a more melodic chorus combining elements that would appeal to the likes of ORGY and at points MUSHROOMHEAD; a promising start.

Follow up track “Hypochondriac” jumps straight out of that same era quite frankly with its underlying techno elements and angst-ridden style of riff-heavy rock…a little repetitive for the most part and the vocals do seem off during the chorus, but the guitar solo delivers well it has to be said, an unexpected surprise in an otherwise grating track. “Arrows In My Heart”, the longest on offer here is itself too let down by some off-putting vocals…again harking back to Orgy, they’ve opted for an almost, mechanical /  filtered vocal recording but John’s no Jay Gordon I’ll say that much, he’s too off-key too often. The sudden switch then to album highlight “Die For Another Day” is very welcome, as it opens up with an almost trad-goth / post-punk guitar tone, with layers of piano giving it extra character, coupled with the chorus’ rhythmic hooks and a more pop-based vibe, it’s incredibly catchy while still retaining the raw rock elements, before closing track “Taken By Surprise” sounds like it could have easily been taken out of the “Queen Of The Damned” soundtrack, musically having similarities to “Redeemer” in places, rounding things up on a somewhat nostalgic note.

The band themselves cite influences such as NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON and TOOL but listening to this EP we find them to be nowhere near as profound or creatively edgy, and instead we find them more closely resembling the lesser end of the Nu-metal gene pool…I mentioned Orgy but you’ve also got the likes of ADEMA and POWERMAN 5000 layered within these songs, bands that saturated a trend as opposed to setting one. Yes it’s nice to listen back fondly to that era, but to ironically paraphrase Trent Reznor, it’s just a copy of a copy of an already ridiculed genre. Silver linings, The Balance Factor are still better than the fucking X factor…[6]

Formed in Seattle, Washington back in 1987, ALICE IN CHAINS would go on to become one of the ‘Big Four’ of the game-changer we refer to as grunge. Alongside SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM and of course, NIRVANA, they pushed alternative music ever further into the mainstream and affected pop-culture in ways polar opposite to the glam rock era they oh so miserably replaced. Far more stripped back, raw and emotive; the audience could identify with them as opposed to the sheer shock value and flamboyance of glam, and what they lacked in sass, they made up for in song writing. While the movement was for the most part short lived as music and tastes evolved (And not to mention Kurt Cobain French kissing a shotgun) the more successful of these bands would continue on and 2018 see’s AIC release the brand new album “Rainier Fog”…actually only their SIXTH studio album in 30 years! Grab your umbrella’s folks…this is gonna’ be a wet one…but let’s check it out…

The album opens up with “The One You Know”…which is a blatant lie because this is the first time I’ve listened to the album and I’m not psychic! I jest…it opens up with a series of short, sharp guitar chords, repeated like some really lackluster Norman Bates parody. Seriously it just half-asses it’s way along with about as much momentum as a bout of constipation…the chorus has a decent groove and the guitar solo salvages something at least, but this a poor opener, it’s one I NOW know but also one I want to forget…moving on. The title track does at least have decent rhythm and it’s riffs do have a certain hook to them, which coupled with the tracks key changes make for a more fluid listen I’ll give it that, but what IS rainier fog? You don’t see the weather man warn you about that special rainy fog…of course it’s fucking wet otherwise it’d be smoke! It is in fact a nod to Mount Rainier, a volcano overlooking Seattle, and the aforementioned cities music scene which appropriately erupted like a volcano in the early 90’s…fitting, both then and now, as like a volcano the genre is thankfully dormant.

Further notable points on the album are sadly sparse as AIC are hardly the most energetic bunch…”Fly” opts for a far lighter approach with its melodious guitar tone and almost indie-esque post-rock feel; it’s simplicity and harmony allowing for one of the records more enjoyable listens. “Maybe” and similarly “Never Fade” do utilise far catchier choruses for the most part, the latter having a little more grit and attitude to it throughout but it hardly gets your blood pumping, and this is arguably the best track on offer here! The rest of the album sadly makes you feel not only as miserable as you do when it IS raining, but there’s a leak in your roof to boot, plus your toilet has flooded. “Drone” does exactly what it says on the tin and drones on like it’s even bored of itself…it actually musically sums up grunge in one damning swoop, utterly boring stuff this, while closing track “All I Am”, the longest track on offer, just feels completely drawn out and needlessly time consuming. I’ll tell you this much, All I am, personally, is fed up, and I’m glad this is the last track.

Now, I’ll be fair and as impartial as I can be…vocally Jerry Cantrell, as far as clean vocalists in rock and metal go, does have a distinct and iconic sound; he’s crafted the style to his own and he knows how to carry a song…likewise with the musicianship; yes there are some solid riffs utilised here and you can’t fault the band for their prowess as song writers…but there’s only so far that can go when the song’s themselves are so utterly depressing. Alice has been in chains for 30 years now and for some reason she’s still being kept alive; reasons which frankly elude me…and truth be told she’s brought nothing new or interesting to the table with this one sadly. [4]

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]

German Goth-metal gods LORD OF THE LOST returned recently with their brand new studio album “Thornstar”, which came out August 3rd via Napalm Records. I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with long-time bassist Klaas Helmecke (AKA Class Grenayde) about the album, touring plans and German metal…here’s what he had to say;

Klaas, thank you so much for taking the time to have a quick chat, how are you?

“Hey Gav! Thank you for asking, me and the guys are having a great time; our new record recently hit the Official Album Charts at number 6!”

Congratulations that's awesome! Now, as one of the core members of LOTL alongside Chris, you’ve been here since back in 2007 where the band formed in Hamberg, Germany…for those newly discovering you, how did the band come to light?

“I was the first member with Chris starting the idea of the band in 2007; Chris came up with the idea to make his own music with a band formed out of friends. We always wanted to have a band together, so i was the first person to ask. We released our first record with Chris’ music in 2009… from that day on we’ve played as many shows as we can, touring our asses off and released quite a lot of records, videos and other stuff. And we never get rid of it. We love what we do!”

It’s easy to jump straight to RAMMSTEIN when people think of German metal, but Germany has always had a rich heritage in heavy music, who inspired you in those formative years and what’s the scene like in Hamburg?

“Rammstein was an inspiration for us, that’s for sure! But the inspiration didn’t only come from German music. And also not even only from Metal or Goth music. If we speak of Chris as the mastermind and main writer in the band, he got also a lot of inspiration from bands like ROXETTE, AEROSMITH and stuff like that. Talking about the German music scene, especially the Hamburg scene, we are not having so many upcoming artists these days. Rap is actually booming like all over the world and if i think of Hamburg bands i always come back to bands like HELLOWEEN, GAMA RAY and bands like that. We hope that  someday people naturally name us in the same way, speaking of Hamburg bands.” 

In the ten+ years you’ve been together you’ve been quite prolific it has to be said; aside from a number of EP’s, compilations and live DVD’s you’ve also just released your 6th studio album “Thornstar”, which we’ll touch on shortly…what keeps you motivated to produce and what fuels those creative juices so efficiently?

“Some people need to write to be alive. Chris is somebody like that; he’s got some sort of creative overflow, from which he can take as much creativity from as needed; that’s a blessing for all of us. And everybody else is giving their parts and knows how to complete the final product.”

Coming back to “Thornstar”, aside from being a great listen it seems to be a solid concept album with plenty of religious overtones, with tracks such as “On This Rock…”, “Black Halo” and “Naxxar”…what was the inspiration for the record?

“There is an old mythology about the Pangaeians, a culture that got almost forgotten in time. This record is based on the stories and legends around this culture. It was tough to find material about it. You really have to dig deep in libraries and this new thing called the internet.” 

Given LOTL’s blend of dark Gothic rock and classical, often orchestral tones, concepts around religion and folklore can offer so much room for creativity with resource in abundance; do you find it’s a natural fit? With the deluxe edition having an additional 7 tracks it seems you had plenty of material heading into the studio!

“We always added orchestral elements to our music, with Chris and Gared for example; having classical backgrounds in their musical education. And since especially Chris having such and endless output we got too many good songs in our hands! The additional 7 songs are as good as the rest. They just made it ‘ONLY’ on CD 2 because they are less related to the mythology; which the main album is all about.”

To mark the album’s release you’re heading out on an extensive European tour leading through winter, including 5 dates here in the UK in November which I’m personally looking forward to; what can your fans expect from the upcoming shows? Are you looking forward to blending the new tracks in alongside classics like “Sex On Legs”?

“Of course we will play new songs, but since we didn’t play so often in the UK yet, the people also deserve to enjoy our ‘classics’. We’ll play the best compilation of our songs we can to kick everybody’s asses!”

With the tour already booked deep into March of next year, your current long term focus is clearly on promotion, can fans outside of Europe look forward to catching you somewhere in 2019 too or are those plans still in development?

“We always plan to reach out in the world as far as we can. We’ve got good plans in our pockets to come around a lot, and we always appreciate promoters all over the world that say ‘Hi’ and invite us to come over and play. If we can travel and reach out to our fans worldwide, we are happy!”

Class, thank you for your time, and all the best with the up-coming tour.

Africa as a whole is an incredible place…whether you’re in awe of its vast array of wildlife seen on various nature documentaries, or in dismay at some of the struggles of poverty and hopelessness outside its main cities, it truly is a fascinating and diverse continent from coast to coast. One thing that isn’t often discussed however is Africa’s alternative music culture; we can all recognise and associate traditional instrumentation, rhythmic and expressive with a lot of woodwind and percussion as seen in film and TV footage, but that’s all a cliché, there’s plenty of stuff you’re not going to hear or see on National Geographic, and that’s where today’s band comes in; let me introduce you to LELAHELL.

Formed in Algeria by vocalist Reduoane Aouameur in 2010, they quickly took to the Algerian extreme metal scene until finally releasing their debut album in 2013, “Al Insane…The (Re) Birth Of Abderrahmane”; conceptually based on the divine Muslim name closest to Allah. 2018 sees them return with the 2nd part of the concept via the album “ALIF”; the first letter of the Arabian alphabet, symbolic of beginnings, as Abderrahmane takes his first steps in a new life, akin to a child learning to walk and speak…let’s check it out.

The album kicks off with “Paramnesia” in a very literal sense as immediately we’re met with a flurry of double-kick drums, leading into rumbling bass riffs and intense, chugging guitar. The build while gradual still manages to sound heavy without yet truly letting rip, until Reduoane’s vocals kick in and his guttural grumbling’s allow the track to become a barrage of death metal which is impressively sustained throughout. The occasional guitar lick incorporates subtle African tones which break up the technical brutality quite well, providing a decent if not slightly regimented start. “Ignis Fatuus” follows up and right away we’re subject to more up-tempo, thrash-inspired speed metal and for the most part the vocals take on more of a rasping snarl; full of piss and vinegar highlighting an anger and bitterness fueled by false hope.

The rest of the album really speaking then, delivers mostly more of the same over its ten-track run time…bar a couple of select notable points. “Insiraf / Martyr” utilises an off-kilter poly-rhythmic approach that takes influence from the realms of prog-metal…”Adam The First” while sounding incredibly sludgy does have an wonderfully frenetic guitar solo that breaks things up nicely…”Thou Shalt Not Kill” is a great orchestral-led piece full of rich strings sounding almost cinematic, but sadly it’s no more than a 30 second intro / interlude track which is a real shame, as its sense of drama and suspense is honestly intriguing, before closing track “Impunity Of The Mutants” rounds things off embracing some semi-Nordic darkness courtesy of blast-beats and sinister guitar tones, something fans of say, IMMORTAL or early SATYRICON would appreciate. Overall from a technical standpoint Lelahell have to be applauded as for the most part they sound crisp, there’s some solid production here and it’s all aided by the fact renowned death metal sticks-man Hannes Grossmann (HATE ETERNAL / NECROPHAGIST) has recorded drums for them, though they aren’t a one-man team. If you prefer your metal as harsh and unforgiving as the Sahara desert at midday with nothing but your own piss to drink, you’ll likely appreciate this and it’s extreme metal nuances…if you’re looking for more melody in your metal then this isn’t likely going to do much for you. [6]

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!

For those of you living under a rock, we’re at the business end of the 2018 FIFA World Cup right now and all the talk over the past weekend was about England beating Sweden to reach the semi-finals (I must say I love a raging semi)…but while I’m not here to celebrate England’s victory (The tabloids have done enough of that) I will share my commiserations with Sweden by highlighting one of their new up-and-coming bands. From the capital of Stockholm, home to a famous lineage of artists ranging from ABBA to OPETH, comes SET BEFORE US. The five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Erik Tropp, guitarists Niklas Edstrom and Jesper Nilsson, bassist Hampus Andersson and drummer Emanuel Borgefors) formed back in 2012 and their influences are rooted in a lot of modern metalcore…on August 31st they unleash their brand new album “Vitae” via Eclipse Records…let’s check it out…

The album wastes virtually no time at all getting underway with “Untainted” and immediately we’re met with the guttural growls of Edstrom and Tropp, while by stark contrast the guitars here meander through your ears with melody and grace…the combination of beauty and breakdowns a staple of Scandinavian melodic death metal and that’s utilised well here, however abrupt it may be. “Avalanche” follows up and keeps momentum going but does introduce subtle clean vocals (Albeit sparsely) alongside a few well-placed hooks and some catchy chord progression to give the track more of a feeling of accessibility. Speaking of accessibility, both “Identity” and “Harbor” take us down increasingly more mainstream directions…the former has an instant early 00’s post-hardcore feel, like we’re listening to a band from the old Victory Records roster (Think BAYSIDE or HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS) before the latter then surprises everyone with a feisty little acoustic ballad, leading into a classic, 80’s influenced guitar driven crescendo; it really is a wonderful little track.

Elsewhere “Oblivion” capitalises on the use of gang-vocals and a hook-laden chorus to further push for a more accessible sound amidst the mauling, before closing track “Charon” opts for an emotive piano ballad to round things off, tip-toeing around the risk of becoming completely emo…had it not been for the deathly growls seemingly possessing the track halfway through…do they save the track or spoil it? You be the judge. Such ferocity does work however on the brief but brutal “Fountain Of Youth” and the groove heavy “The Eternal Fight”, but lead single “Ignite” is a touch generic and disappointing, with its fade-out serving little to no benefit. Ultimately despite some huge promise, this sounds like a band who despite the quality and confidence to deliver a decent album, haven’t 100% decided what album they actually want to deliver, or at the very least are unsure of their preferred market. There’s stuff here taken from a fair selection of alternative influences…and while an enjoyable listen, sometimes it feels they’re unsure which way to go in terms of committing to a sound, not to suggest a band must stick to one style, more so to provide consistency but, on this evidence, wherever it is they’re heading, they’ll get there...and they probably wont take long. [6]

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]