Album number 4 for punk rockers The Hellfreaks blasts through the speakers with the kind of energy and raw passion you don’t hear very often. Full of attitude, this is the sound of a band who don’t hold back. Béla Budai and Gabi Domján pound away on their instruments throughout and provide the perfect base for Jozzy’s punk/metal riffing to weave its way around Shakey Sue’s roaring vocals. Continue reading →
Norwegian progressive death metal band Aspherium are back with their third album, The Embers of Eternity. Melodic, brutal, expansive, catchy and epic are all words I could use to describe this album. What we have with The Embers of Eternity is an ambitious concept album put together by a band who clearly knew what they wanted to achieve and had the talent to do it.
Mixing together a wide range of metal styles is never easy but The Embers of Eternity brings together elements of death metal, thrash, folk and black metal with ease, then adds in some incredibly catchy choruses along with some technical prog. It could have easily turned into a disjointed mess but instead becomes a wonderful journey where you never know what is coming next. Continue reading →
When a copy of Sunless by PSOTY (formerly known as Pet Slimmers of the Year) landed at Noodle Towers, I didn’t know what to expect. A week later and it’s played more than anything else in the office.
Post Metal? Post Rock? I don’t know, they don’t seem to fit neatly into a single genre. What they bring with Sunless is a crushing assault of pounding bass and drums, huge-sounding guitars and ever-changing dynamics which take you on a journey into their dark and mesmerising world. And it’s glorious! Continue reading →
Klone return with their new album, Le Grand Voyage, their first since signing with Kscope. Klone are one of those bands who fly under the radar of most people, but when you discover them it’s hard to ignore them. The French band are hard to describe. Atmospheric Rock probably covers it best but it somehow doesn’t feel like enough. Imagine mixing Gojira and Steven Wilson in a blender and you might be part way there. What really makes them stand out though is their use of space and layers to create their beautifully atmospheric music and they’ve achieved that wonderfully on Le Grand Voyage. Continue reading →
Swedish Metal legends Hammerfall return with their latest album, Dominion. Some bands evolve into something else over time, Hammerfall have chosen the other route and refined their sound.
Dominion isn’t going to surprise anyone, what it does instead simply shows what a well-oiled machine Hammerfall have become. The album sounds fresh and Hammerfall show they are as hungry as they’ve ever been to bring their own brand of melodic power metal to the masses. Continue reading →
Originally released in 2015, Hand. Cannot. Erase was a huge hit with fans and critics alike. The new 2 disc set brings back the original album and also includes a Blu-ray disc featuring the album in hi-resolution stereo & 5.1 audio (96/24 5.1 LPCM & DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), along with seven additional tracks including alternative & radio mixes. The Lasse Hoile Studio Documentary & studio sessions photo gallery complete the Blu-ray. Continue reading →
Rabea Massaad is a busy guy. The Dorje and Toska guitarist never seems to stop so I don’t know how he finds the time to release his solo music. Grinding Gears Vol. 2 is, unsurprisingly, the follow-up to last year’s Grinding Gears Vol. 1 and sees Rabea return with another instrumental guitar masterclass.
Straight away you find yourself beaten around the head with some deliciously chunky riffs in Cthulhu. I couldn’t think of a better way to open the album than with the constant barrage to the senses Cthulhu provides. Rumbling bass, pounding drums and huge riffs never sounded so good. And then we are treated to some sweet lead playing at the end to round things off perfectly. Continue reading →
Darkthrone return with their follow up to Arctic Thunder. Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have been busy at Necrohell 2 Studios working away to create possibly their best album yet. In the build-up to the release, Fenriz stated Old Star would be the bands most 80’s sounding album to date with the focus squarely on the riffs and it doesn’t disappoint. Continue reading →
Yn Ol I Annwn is no ordinary doom metal album, but then, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard are no ordinary doom metal band. Album opener, Tralfamadore, sounds more like something you’d find on a Tangerine Dream album than you’d expect from a doom band. The 2 minutes of synth let you know you’re in for something a bit different. Continue reading →
When a copy of The World Collapses landed on my desk to review I had no idea what to expect. Nex are a modern groove/death metal band from Poland who have been working on refining their sound since 2014. I hadn’t heard of them before but after listening to their debut album I’m definitely a fan. Continue reading →