RAIDER – Guardian Of The Fire

Sometimes, a cool, tall glass of sweet Kadarka wine and some very good E standard death/thrash metal is all one needs to survive another viral pandemic, while stuck in a flat, in the so called "risk group" at 45, with 7 other people, half of whom are children. For this purpose, the Canadian debut, "Guardian…

NECK OF THE WOODS – The Annex Of Ire

While I appreciate bands who always splendidly deliver what I expect of them (Testament, Kreator, Evergrey, etc.) the primary reason while I love being a reviewer is the perpetual opportunity to discover fresh, innovative approach to heavy music. One of such bands was, and still is, the New Zealander deathsters Ulcerate, whose every album is…

AXE TOSS – Deception

Can blackened Viking death metal successfully mix with groove? This Norwegian quintet attempts to prove it can on their debut album, as they meld "The Avenger" Amon Amarth riffs, "Antigone" Heaven Shall Burn melodies and "Sacrament" Lamb Of God rhythm for an interesting, if flawed slab of extreme craft. Axe Toss was probably formed around…

SENESCERE – Alive But Somewhere Else

Looking at the rich, colorful cover and the band’s logo two unrelated things come to mind: the Finnish melodic gothic/death metallers, Sentenced, and the 2nd album from 80s German disco/pop artist Modern Talking, "Let’s Talk About Love", but neither can actually be associated with these progressive melodeath Marylanders and their 2nd installment, beyond the cover,…

IN SANITY – Welcome To The Show

Back in a day, when In Flames had started distancing itself from melodic death metal, countless bands were emulating their older, core sound. Few, if any, would rather take on their latter material, particularly "Reroute To Remain/Sountrack To Your Escape", but that is exactly where the German melodic death/power metallers stand, with a nod to…

ANDRALLS – Bleeding For Thrash

Sometimes a reviewer’s task is similar to the gold seekers after the gold rush: seek the precious ore though you shall find none. The Brazilian "fastthrash" outfit, as they call themselves may be bringing 6th album for your consideration, but they sound like debutants on the telling and pretentiously named "Bleeding For Thrash", so much…

MYRKUR – Folkesange

Of all the black metal artists that have emerged over the past decade, Danish phenom Myrkur (or Amalie Bruun, as her folks know her) has been the most exciting to watch. A strong female role model, her music up until this point has been concise, ethereal, fearsome black metal with choral and folk influences, and…

THUNDERSTICK – Something Wicked This Way Came (Live in France)

Recorded live in France late last year, this delightfully unpolished and fiery 9-song offering by the NWOBHM underdogs Thunderstick is a real treat for two specific reasons, one being that the tunes lifted from their thrilling “Something Wicked This Way Comes” record (2017) sound superb in a live setting and the other being that the…

KING DUDE – Full Virgo Moon

King Dude has, along with fellow doomstress Chelsea Wolfe, taken the dark folk sound to new and dangerous places over the past few years. Albums such as 2012’s “Burning Daylight” and “Songs Of Flesh And Blood” from 2015 were ominous and bloodthirsty, even with the stripped-down folk, and the mystery surrounding the man have just…

BODY COUNT – Carnivore

In his book "Heavy" Dan Franklin describes heavy metal as "full‑on, intimidating, exhilarating and addictive…bloodletting for the excessive soul" which "suits a person who sometimes feels too much and wants to be consumed by sound and fury". I could not think of a better description for the Los Angeles rap/hardcore heavy metal outfit Body Count’s…

FLYING CIRCUS – 1968

The German outfit Flying Circus is an interesting one and has released a number of critically acclaimed records in the past that merge progressive rock and bombastic hard rock to great effect. Luckily, this latest endeavor of theirs evocatively entitled “1968” is no different and is a warm and entertaining slab of otherworldly rock with…

Orgivm Satanicvm festival 2020 –

    The first festival of the year while predominantly Black Metal it offered a wide variety of music styles and non-music related acts enough to cater to the different tastes in the audience. The artistic contribution was done by Trine Grimm and Nick Morte who are tattoo artists. A Theodor Kittelsen inspired painting was…

MY DYING BRIDE – The Ghost Of Orion

My Dying Bride being one of my favorite bands, I always dread a little the first contact with new material. "Feel The Misery" was, after all, such a fantastic release that it was hard to think how they would even match it, let alone top it. While they did neither, on their 14th album they…

LAURA SHENTON – Dance With the Devil – The Cozy Powell Story

Laura Shenton’s informative 208-page book on legendary drummer Cozy Powell (Rainbow, Jeff Beck, Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Forcefield, ELP, etc.), which is neither an official nor authorized biography of the great man as such, serves as a clear and concise overview of Powell’s fantastic career in music. I must admit that this is one piece of…

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