Reviews

Venues – Transience (Arising Empire)

Venues’ second album, 2021’s Solace, saw the band implement a heavier sonic template that put them more in line with the modern metal groupings of acts like Deadlock or The Unguided. The type of sound Read more […]

Fatal Fire – Arson (MDD Records)

When you have the chance to slowly unveil your art due to a global crisis, the results can pay huge dividends in making an indelible first impression. Case in point, German power metal outfit Fatal Fire Read more […]

The Quill – Wheel of Illusion (Metalville)

With a history that starts in the early 90’s, Swedish act The Quill delivers a potent blend of heavy/stoner metal hard to miss over their discography. Up to the eleventh studio record, Wheel of Illusion Read more […]

Meister Leonhardt – Thanatopoeia (Purity Through Fire)

It’s no secret how much I love black metal. So as a result, I get a ton of this music in my mailbox. There simply isn’t enough time to listen, let alone digest it all. But when I listened to Meister Leonhardt’s Read more […]

Dead Head – Shadow Soul (Hammerheart Records)

35 years together as a group – it’s quite an achievement given all the twists, turns, and turbulence that can happen on a multitude of fronts. Such is the case now for Dutch band Dead Head – a celebratory Read more […]

Thornbridge – Daydream Illusion (Massacre Records)

Previously under this writer’s attention in an older Rapid Fire column for their last album Theatrical Masterpiece back in early 2019, German act Thornbridge lives for a stirring power metal style that Read more […]

Hideous Divinity – Unextinct (Century Media)

Death metal is at times a genre in some state of flux. Plenty of originality around these days, but also a number of less than desirable copycats of yesteryear. There are, however, more than a few bands Read more […]

Attic – Return of the Witchfinder (Ván Records)

The marriage of the occult with metal has been constant since the birth of the movement. German band Attic are an important part of keeping both traditions alive – putting out two strong albums since Read more […]

Leaves’ Eyes – Myths of Fate (AFM Records)

Going strong within the symphonic metal scene for twenty years now, Myths of Fate marks the band’s ninth release. Surprisingly, yet not so surprising due to COVID, this is the band’s first release since Read more […]

Stormhunter – Best Before: Death (MDD Records)

Germany has always been a steady force in the heavy/power metal category – never wavering for the style when other countries sought out extreme or alternative forms of musical expression. Stormhunter Read more […]

Holler – Reborn (Scarlet Records)

Singer/ songwriter Terence Holler is probably best known through the metal community for his 31-year stint in the outfit he co-founded Eldritch – a power/progressive metal outfit of which classic albums Read more […]

Sylvaine – Eg Er Framand (Season of Mist)

Sylvaine’s Kathrine Shepard has always been one to take listeners on a deep journey with her music. Unafraid to stick to a simply metal formatting, Sylvaine has provided expressive outlets and a multi-faceted Read more […]

BRAT – Social Grace (Prosthetic)

Given the vast display of colorful band descriptions, BRAT’s ‘barbiegrind’ and ‘bimboviolence’ still managed to stand out and provide some quick context of what the band is going for. Combine it with a Read more […]

Critical Defiance – The Search Won’t Fall… (Unspeakable Axe Records)

Noteworthy as a South American band who literally push the pedal to the metal when it comes to thrash, Critical Defiance waste no time capitalizing on 2022’s No Life Forms album through this third studio Read more […]

Inner Axis – Midnight Forces (Fastball Music)

Hailing from Kiel, Germany, Inner Axis represents the marriage of classic heavy metal influences channeled through some modern touches. Since their start in 2008, they’ve released two albums Into the Read more […]

Wounds – Ruin (Everlasting Spew Records)

It’s still pretty early in 2024, but the death metal has been flowing like a fine wine. I for one am not complaining, far from it. As long as I have a steady feeding of this and black metal, all is right Read more […]

Lutharo – Chasing Euphoria (Atomic Fire Records)

Slow, gradual movement in the underground can often pay huge dividends when opportunity strikes to make a major move from DIY, self-released offerings to a burgeoning label deal with well-respected people Read more […]

Miehala – Sons of Alaheim (Inverse Records)

Thrash metal continues to survive due to the influx of veteran bands continually recording/touring as well as a series of newer artists willing to put their own stake in the game. Finnish act Miehala began Read more […]

Cave – Out of the Cave (Metalapolis Records)

A newer band consisting of seasoned musicians across Germany and the United States, Cave combines elements of melodic hard rock and dramatic heavy metal influences for this debut album Out of the Cave. Read more […]

Defying – Wadera (These Hands Melt)

Always with an ear to the ground for the unusual, my musical explorations over the years have led down all kinds of wacky rabbit holes. Within those many discoveries, we’ve become more drawn to music Read more […]

Dragonforce – Warp Speed Warriors (Napalm)

Hard to believe it’s been five years since we’ve gotten new material from Dragonforce, the band that was unfortunately saddled with ‘that band from Guitar Hero’ tag that seemed to follow them everywhere Read more […]

Atrophy – Asylum (Massacre Records)

During the first wave of thrash in the 1980s to early 90s, acts from all over the globe clamored for a piece of the burgeoning appeal that had a fervent fanbase captivated by the speedy tempos, machine Read more […]

Midas Fall – Cold Waves Divide Us (Monotreme Records)

Plain to see, a lot of the bands that this scribe is drawn to are on the heavier end of the spectrum, leaning towards death, black, and doom especially. Don’t let that fool you, as my sometimes twisted Read more […]

Aborted – Vault of Horrors (Nuclear Blast)

Long-time death metal and gore champions, Aborted don’t need much of an introduction anymore. Vault of Horrors is their 12th offering in almost 30 years of existence – the band has certainly paid their Read more […]

Alterium – Of War and Flames (AFM Records)

When Italian power metal band Kalidia called it quits in 2022, it was quite a bummer for anyone who had been following them. Their potent mix of classic and more modern influences, along with Nicoletta Read more […]

Saturnalia Temple – Paradigm Call (Listenable Records)

Doom metal has blossomed into this outward, expansive genre – incorporating all sorts of influences that can be dark, bluesy, gritty, and dismal all in the same outfit. Swedish band Saturnalia Temple Read more […]

Turbulence – Binary Dream (Frontiers Music)

Eager to enjoy artists from every part of the globe, Turbulence is a progressive metal/ rock outfit hailing from Lebanon – not exactly a country known for artists in this style. Since their inception Read more […]

Before the Dawn – Archaic Flame (Napalm Records)

After a decade-plus long absence from the scene, Before the Dawn came back with a vengeance through last year’s Stormbringers album. Latest vocalist Paavo Laapotti fits like a glove into this Finnish Read more […]

Vlad in Tears – Relapse (Metalville)

Hot on the heels of 2022’s Porpora, Vlad in Tears strikes while creatively on fire through this latest studio record Relapse. A year in the making, the trio would spend ten days together recording at Read more […]

Sonata Arctica – Clear Cold Beyond (Atomic Fire Records)

Fresh off a two-part series where they reinterpreted electric versions of their songs into stripped-down renditions for the Acoustic Adventures Volume 1 and 2 releases in 2022, Sonata Arctica appears ready Read more […]

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