RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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THE GREAT COMMISSION – Heavy Worship
Three guitarists (two of which also handle various vocal chores) plus a main lead singer means California’s The Great Commission aren’t your typical screaming hardcore-oriented breakdown crossover outfit. Lyrically focusing on Christian themes, this second album “Heavy Worship” runs along As I Lay Dying and Emmure lines musically, although the singing alternates between severe blood…
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THORNIUM – Fides Luciferius
The third album from Sweden’s Thornium hit me pretty hard. I rated the forerunner, "Mushroom Clouds and Dusk", pretty high and when the new album arrived, I was dumbfounded by the production, ready to dismiss it as an overproduced successor from a band mistaking high production value for talent. Similar to Dissection with their "Reinkaos"…
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DC4 – Electric Ministry
For those not in the know, DC4 consists of veterans Jeff Duncan on vocals/guitar and Rowan Robertson on guitar – the former of Armored Saint fame and the latter one of the young guitar prodigies of Ronnie James Dio during his solo years. Filled out by Matt Duncan on bass and Shawn Duncan on drums…
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LEPROUS – Bilateral
Norway progressive metal is gaining respect in other nations – probably due to each act’s ability to separate themselves within this genre. Pagan’s Mind establish themselves as the front runners, but this young quintet from Oslo known as Leprous can align themselves well with their unique influence strokes on this third album “Bilateral”. A trumpet…
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WARBRINGER – Worlds Torn Asunder
The American shredders in Warbringer are finally ready with their third album. Fans have waited over 2 years for the world to be torn asunder and Earth never stood a chance. Pushing the throttle way to the floor, the album hits you harder than three tons of bricks getting thrown in your face. The opening…
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WARBRINGER – Worlds Torn Asunder
We are now a decade into the thrash resurrection (if the Thrash Of The Titans event in 2001 would be the starting point), so for the newer generation putting out studio records, it’s certainly fair to assess the validity of their output against the originators of the movement. For California’s Warbringer, they have faced their…
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ATTICK DEMONS – Atlantis
This Portugal traditional metal sextet finally releases their first album “Atlantis” after 15 years as a group. Earlier in the 2000’s they released a self titled EP and six years later a demo of the same name as this album – but you can tell they haven’t been idling their time away. Guest stars include…
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NADER SADEK – In the Flesh
"In the Flesh" was always a dead cert to be a great album. Featuring Morbid Angel alumnus Steve Tucker on vocals, Flo from Cryptopsy on skins, Blasphemer, ex-Mayhem, Aura Noir on guitar and… Nader Sadek on… well I don’t know, but apparently he is the brains behind the operation. The name might not ring a…
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ANTHRAX – Worship Music
Since the last Anthrax studio album, 2003’s “We’ve Come For You All”, there have been numerous vocal shuffles within this New York thrash institution. John Bush left, Joey Belladonna returns for a 3 year reunion tour, then new recruit Dan Nelson tours with the band for a couple of years while they work on the…
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GAMMA RAY – Skeletons & Majesties EP
When a veteran group throws together a fun EP of rare material in full electric mode as well as some classics in acoustic form like Gamma Ray, intrigue sets in. “Hold Your Ground” is re-recorded from the “Heading For Tomorrow” album, benefiting from 21 years of better recording technology. “Brothers” originally came out on “Insanity…
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GOREAPHOBIA – Apocalyptic Necromancy
Back in the early death metal underground, many acts slipped through the collective cracks due to not falling in line with the trends of the time. Be it Swedish Sunlight studios and its buzz saw guitar tone or the American scene which favored blast beat speed and gore lyrics for its leaders, many bands who…
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TEXTURES – Dualism
The capacity for musicians to thrive in modern music seems unparalleled. Instead of corporate machines funneling what they believe to be marketable to consumers, the switch has been flipped and fans can now wield their power with their opinions, their circles of influence amongst family and friends and as a result create a huge groundswell…
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ARMAGEDDA – I Am
If the rumours are true, then by the time you read this, Armagedda have split up and the "I Am" EP represents their final offering. Hailing from Sweden, Armagedda were in existence for roughly a decade and noted for the inclusion of Eric from Watain (on drums!) back in the early days. "I Am" consists…
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DEADEND IN VENICE – See You On The Ground
Forming in late 2008 we have a German melodic death metal sextet with their own little twists and turns on this debut album “See You On The Ground”. Operating with two vocalists for these types of acts may not be novel, but incorporating a male growler and a female clean singer who can really navigate…
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DE MAGIA VETERUM – The Divine Antithesis
"The Divine Antithesis" is one of the densest, most extreme Black Metal albums I have ever heard. Flurries of blasting beats, vocals that howl like a winter gale and schizophrenic guitar lines come together in a churning chaos of frenetic insanity. I can imagine that many listeners won’t get past the first couple of tracks…
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HUNTED – Welcome The Dead
Thanks to festival action like Download and Bloodstock, multiple forms of metal are infiltrating the current UK scene and as a result we have a logical progression of younger bands climbing their way up the ranks. Based in Cardiff, Wales, the five piece Hunted began their career covering many of their heroes from the 80’s…
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KLEVELAND – Harder
A pop-oriented garage band from Oregon with a spirited hard rock focus, guitarist/ vocalist Stephanie Smith leads the four piece through 10 songs of aggressive angst channeled in radio-friendly time frames. There’s just as much Joan Jett and Blondie as there is Cheap Trick and X in songs like “You’re Not Sorry”, “Golden Gloves” and…
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ALFA OBSCURA – Plutonian Shores
No doubt that Bjeima, responsible for Yurei and cooperating in Delerium Bound and more, is a talented force in the underground black metal scene. I guess it’s his ear for dissonance that makes his works worth while. You kind of get a feeling what’s lurking behind the next corner, but you cannot be really sure.…
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WARMACHINE – Left For Dead
I’ve been following this Canadian classic traditional metal band with power and thrash nuances since early 2001, when hearing a 3 song demo that blew me away at a time where a lot of the newer bands didn’t seem to have that fire and brimstone to achieve something. 5 years later their debut album “Beginning…