ALBUM REVIEWS

RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS

  • INCANTATION – Vanquish In Vengeance

    Six years in an eternity to wait for an ardent death metal fan, but when it comes to US veterans Incantation- you know that they will not forsake their lifetime alignment for the cause. Vocalist/ guitarist John McEntee, along with long time drummer Kyle Severn, Goreaphobia guitarist Alex Bouks and Bloodstorm bassist Chuck Sherwood bleed…

  • INCANTATION – Vanquish In Vengeance

    Incantation, one of the true pioneers of east coast US death metal are back with their ninth studio output since their classic debut "Onward to Golgotha" (92). "Vanquish in Vengeance" is not holding back but goes all in on all accounts. The tempo on the 10 tracks are varied from from brutal straight in your…

  • PIG DESTROYER – Book Burner

    Pig Destroyer is back with their fifth full-length and first in five years since 2007’s ok but not great "Phantom Limb". PxDx has been a favorite of mine since "Prowler in the Yard" from 2001 but nothing has quite reached that level until now. "Book Burner" is 19 tracks of pure genuine grindcore. Full speed,…

  • BLOODBOUND – In The Name Of Metal

    There’s something to be said about consistent productivity in today’s music marketplace. During hard rock and metal’s 70’s germination, acts needed to record new albums often every 6-9 months to keep up with record company demand and allow the touring machine to rake in as much money as possible. The model seems to be reigniting…

  • ASHES YOU LEAVE – The Cure For Happiness

    Hailing from the war torn nation of Croatia, Ashes You Leave formed in 1995 and recorded two demos before signing with Morbid Records who released their debut album "The Passage Back to Life" in 1998. A series of album releases followed through the years, along with a couple of member changes. For this sixth studio…

  • LED ASTRAY – Decades Of Addiction

    A six piece modern death metal band, Germany’s Led Astray contain two vocalists with varying degrees of death growls, maniacal screams and savage throat abuse at heart. Various audio samples sprinkle themselves into certain tracks- and obvious breakdown/ gang chorus moments factor into "Darkest Season" as well as awkward higher clean parts during a blast…

  • HELREIDH – Fragmenta

    After a 13 year hiatus, the Italian progressive metal band Helreidh returns with their second album "Fragmenta" on the new sub-label of Pure Steel Records, Pure Prog Records. Founding guitarist Yorick and drummer Luca Roggi gain three new members in the form of ex-Raising Fear bassist Francesco De Paoli, keyboardist Aligi Pasqualetto and vocalist Max…

  • DIRT – Rock ‘n’ Roll Accident

    Forming in 2008 during the ‘metalcore hype’ years, German quintet Dirt possesses a down-tuned sludge groove sound with equal emphasis on Southern rock as much as doom for this second album "Rock ‘n’ Roll Accident". Black Label Society, Corrosion Of Conformity (circa "Deliverance"), and a touch of Shinedown come to mind on this mix of…

  • U.D.O. – Live In Sofia

    The third double live album for U.D.O. in their 25 year career assures the listeners a versatile run through of both their studio catalog and the classic Accept tracks that make audiences scream, clap, and chant for. "Live in Sofia" contains 13 U.D.O. tracks, 8 Accept numbers plus guitar and drum spotlights for a 2…

  • SCELERATA – The Sniper

    Brazilian power metal act Scelerata step up their game with this third studio album "The Sniper" – taking the time to trek to Germany with producer Charlie Bauerfeind at Blind Guardian’s Twilight Hall Studios. Four years beyond their last studio album "Skeletons Domination", it’s not like the quintet has been idling their time away. Touring…

  • JIMI JAMISON – Never Too Late

    Voice of the Baywatch television show theme song- most notable for his years fronting the AOR sensation Survivor (of which he’s back for another go around)- Jimi Jamison at 61 appears to have taken great care to preserve his golden voice for melodic rock. The last few years have seen releases with Toto’s Bobby Kimball,…

  • SHINING – Redefining Darkness

    After many small releases and rereleases since signing with Spinefarm Records, Shining finally released their eighth studio album, "Redefining Darkness". Shining is better known for vocalist Niklas Kvarforth’s behavior on stage and his rather provocative appearance in the written andaudiovisual musical media, but the music has been rock solid from the first record. With that…

  • HELLWELL – Beyond The Boundaries of Sin

    ‘Beyond The Boundaries of Sin’ is the brainchild of Manilla Road front-man and legendary axe-wielder Mark Shelton and keyboardist EC Hellwell. Those of you who find the latter name familiar should note that EC is the current bassist with Manilla Road, making his debut on 2012’s ‘Playground of the Damned’. So no prizes for guessing…

  • BLYND – Punishment Unfolds

    Cyprus metal act Blynd has been working on their craft since 2003, developing a style with one foot in the older thrash realm while also incorporating modern stomp, groove and down tuned philosophies. "Punishment Unfolds" is their second album and first to grace my ears- and I have to say they do possess many admirable…

  • SECRET SPHERE – Portrait Of A Dying Heart

    "Portrait of a Dying Heart" – the seventh album for the Italian symphonic power metal act Secret Sphere- comes with a new beginning. When you lose the only vocalist you’ve known since 1997, adjustment can be difficult for the remaining members just as much as it will be for the fans. Founding guitarist Aldo Lonobile…

  • VICIOUS RUMORS – LIVE You to Death

    The California power metal veterans Vicious Rumors toured consistently last year in support of their fine "Razorback Killers" album- performing 92 shows in Europe including a lengthy opening jaunt for Hammerfall. "LIVE You to Death" is a document of one of those shows in December of 2011, consisting of 9 live tracks plus 2 studio…

  • ORDEN OGAN – To The End

    If performed competently, there’s something spine-tingling about well-orchestrated power metal with large doses of symphonic and harmonic elements. Helloween may have started the movement, and within Germany we’ve been fortunate enough to hear other acts take the template to the stratosphere- spreading their creativity for global consumption. The four-piece known as Orden Ogan take the…

  • LAVETT – Find Your Purpose

    Swedish guitar based modern metal here from the quintet Lavett. The most prominent member to those in the melodic/ power metal realm would be vocalist Daniel Heiman- who worked with the mighty Lost Horizon a decade or so before. Rounding out the lineup with members who’ve been in Sundown, Cemetary, Beseech, Dead By April, and…

  • AZURE AGONY – India

    Azure Agony is quite a name for an Italian progressive metal act that originally started as an instrumental unit, so much so that they released their debut album "Beyond Belief" without a singer because they couldn’t find one that would rise to the level of the musical challenge on display. In 2011 Federico Ahrens took…

  • F.E.A.S.T. – Strong, Wild And Free

    The second album from Italian hard rock band F.E.A.S.T. "Strong, Wild and Free" represents a tug of war in my mind. You won’t find fault with the production, arranging, and performance skills from the band. Singer Fabri Kiareli (who also plays guitars, piano, keyboards, and some bass on the recording) has one of those natural…

  • SOLISIA – UniverSeasons

    The Italian symphonic progressive metal act Solisia has made a couple of changes on this second album "UniverSeasons"- most significant of which is a new female vocalist, as Elie Syrelia handles the microphone duties. Upgrading their label profile to Scarlet Records, this 11 track effort has a heavier presence than most of the acts that…

  • KHORS – Wisdom of Centuries

    Although ‘Wisdom of Centuries’ is the fifth full-length for Ukrainian Black Metallers Khors, I must admit that this is the first time I have ever encountered the band. As the album starts, we pass through an ‘atmospheric’ intro and into a world of melodic, depressive BM. I always find it striking when a band I…

  • ZEROZONIC – Aftersane

    Guitarist Daniel Olaissen may be known to most in the metal community for his work in Satyricon as a live guitarist from 1996-1999 and playing with the Norwegian death metal outfit BloodRedThrone. By 2004 he set his sights on establishing his own band in more of a groove-oriented thrash manner, so Zerozonic started and they’ve…

  • STORMRIDER – The Path Of Salvation

    The third album from this German power metal group, Stormrider unleashes "The Path of Salvation" and it shouldn’t be too hard for most to discover where direction-wise these 10 songs go. Stefan Hebes has that sinister, Matt Barlow-esque range and personality throughout winning cuts such as the militant anthem "Long Way Down" and all out…

  • VOID MOON – On The Blackest Of Nights

    When you read in background sheets about a band’s influences and style, often the word pictures set up expectations that cannot possibly be achieved. In the case of Sweden’s Void Moon, they need not worry- as early doom is the name of their game and they certainly live for the movement on this debut 9…

  • ACCESS DENIED – Touch Of Evil

    Female fronted classic heavy metal here from Polish quintet Access Denied as "Touch of Evil" is their second album. Originally self-released, Pitch Black picked it up for wider distribution and tacked on a video for "One Night" as a bonus. These 8 main tracks (plus 1:59 Intro) aspire to the Priest and Maiden philosophy- hammering…

  • DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE – Skygods

    If the ratio of sludge or stoner to doom in my metal tips itself too high in the former category, this critic will lose interest faster than the speed of light. As such, "Skygods" from Finnish band Demonic Death Judge have too much of that nails on the chalkboard feel to the vocals and some…

  • REBELLION – Arminus, Furor Teutonicus

    The sixth album for German metal quintet Rebellion isn’t that much of a departure from their earlier discography. "Arminus, Furor Teutonicus" contains all the trademark power riffs, heroic vocals, consistent rhythms and throaty vocals that should make you roar, wave your fists and mimic the band’s stage moves when they play out live. It’s great…

  • RIPE – The Eloquence Of Silence

    According to my research through Metal-Archives, "The Eloquence Of Silence" may be considered the second album by Danish heavy metal band Ripe, but if you include their 2008 full-length "At the End of Time", this is their third record overall. Splitting hairs maybe, but I think it’s important to know so that the readers are…

  • KAOTIK – Starving Death

    Quebec, Canada has been one of the places where not only metal has thrived in good and tough times, but most evidently the work of death metal. Gorguts probably were the premiere breakthrough, influencing many teenagers and young adults to pick up an instrument and creative their own waves in the local scene. Quebec City…