RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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APRIL ART – POKERFACE
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/aprilartband/ The German outfit named April Art recently released this independent offering titled POKERFACE, and the quartet essentially dabbles in something akin to a mixture of alternative rock/metal and nu metal, which means that what we have here sounds rather modern and contemporary in many ways. There is a good flow…
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VANDEN PLAS – Live & Immortal
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.vandenplas.de/ A very cool live album by the prog metal outfit Vanden Plas is what we have here, and this particular recording, which dates back to late December 2016, sees the band in full flight on home turf in Germany. Live & Immortal captures the epic riffage, shifting moods, memorable moments,…
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IN NOTHINGNESS – Black Sun Funeral
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://m.facebook.com/InNothingness “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and must take up his cross and then follow me” (Matthew 16:24, REV) Do you miss the classic melodic death metal of In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates or Edge Of Sanity? Then look no further but…
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CODE – Lost Signal – Remixes
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://codeblackmetal.bandcamp.com/album/lost-signal-remixes The unpredictable geniuses from the UK known as CODE are responsible for some of the most innovative, bone-chilling, and musically adventurous releases these past few decades, and given that 2022 marks their 20th anniversary, they have unearthed and uploaded some wicked gems from their archives for all the fans to…
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FALSE GODS – Neurotopia
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://falsegods1.bandcamp.com/ “Suffering is all that really ever was” (Your Thoughts Are Void*) It’s been about 2 years since the post-hardcore/sludge+ metal New York quintet False Gods released their explosive fruit of the three preceding independently released EPs: “Wasteland” (2016), “Reports From Oblivion” (2017) and “The Serpent And The Ladder” (2019),…
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MESAVERDE – KY
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://mesaverde.bandcamp.com/album/ky The musically shape-shifting Norwegian quartet known as MesaVerde released this adventurous and playful opus of theirs via Apollon Records quite recently, and the result is a remarkable listening experience that weaves prog, indie rock, and strong hints of art rock and psychedelia together to great effect. The thing about KY…
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PSYCROPTIC – Divine Council
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: http://www.psycroptic.com/ We’ve waited long enough for the Tasmanian, Australian technical death metallers Psycroptic’s 8th album since “The Watcher Of All”²⁰²⁰ two track EP meant as a bridge between “As the Kingdom Drowns”²⁰¹⁸ and this, here, “Divine Council” released a couple of months ago, an album initially planned for a 2021 release.…
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JORDSJØ – Jord Sessions
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://jordsjo.bandcamp.com/album/jord-sessions This remixed, expanded, and slightly reworked version of Jord by the Norwegian prog rockers Jordsjø is a nice addition to the outfit’s already impressive discography and a must-have for those who cherish folk-inspired prog rock with an original twist to it. The aura of surrealism and mystery that pervades much…
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BATTERING RAM – Second To None
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: http://www.battering-ram.com/ The Swedish hard rock and heavy metal quartet Battering Ram struck again a couple months ago with their sophomore release after the acclaimed eponymous²⁰²⁰ which I had reviewed here (4.5/6) having taken notice of the talent and potential while pointing out the usual trappings of the debuts: the inconsistent…
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HONEYVEIN – Honeyvein
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/honeyveinmusic/ The talented Bastian Veland (Dobbeltgjenger, Ossicles) released this solo offering of his via the ever-reliable Apollon Records not that long ago, and what we have here is essentially a wildly eclectic and diverse collection of catchy tunes that harbor elements from experimental rock, quirky pop, electronic music, and something akin…
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SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL – Starstruck
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/sicknbeautifulband/ These industrial hard rockers from Italy released this energetic output titled Starstruck containing several meaty tunes a few months ago, and I must say that I found it a rather refreshing and inspired listen. With its crunchy riffs, impassioned vocals, and explosive rhythm section, the LP contains both heart and…
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KEOPS – Road to Perdition
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/keopsband Somewhere between classic heavy metal, power metal, and 90s-inspired groove metal you will find Road to Perdition by the Croatian outfit named Keops. Given that it came out all the way back in March, we shall keep things short and concise here. The eleven compositions that constitute the LP are…
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LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE – How To Shroud Yourself With Night
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://www.lacrimas.com/ “Recall the past when you were strong Those distant days it seems are now forever gone You’ll increase desire to wander and retire But you’ll know escape is to run” (Paradise Lost “Disappear”, from “One Second”¹⁹⁹⁷) Kurt Donald Cobain (Nirvana, 1994), Michael Kelland John Hutchence (INXS, 1997), Chester Charles Bennington…
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SILENT KNIGHT – Full Force
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://silentknightband.bandcamp.com/album/full-force-2 The hard-hitting Australian power metallers Silent Knight released this positively bombastic and fiery eight-track offering of theirs last month, and I must say that I find this spirited affair rather charming and entertaining. Galloping riffs, melodic solos, punchy drums, and soaring vocals are the name of the game here, and…
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Red Hot Chili Peppers – Return of the Dream Canteen
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://redhotchilipeppers.com/ Hot on the heels of their inspired Unlimited Love from roughly six months ago, the legendary funk rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers return with the seventeen-track Return of the Dream Canteen, and in case anyone is wondering, the creative juices are truly flowing within the group these days. Experiencing all…
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ROSS HARDING – CHAPTER II
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://linktr.ee/rossharding AUTHOR: Asher Locketz South African Rock Singer-Songwriter Ross Harding is back with his new EP ‘Chapter II’ and music video for ‘Black Sun Blues’. Recorded at Audio Nebula Studios, Ross worked hard during 2022 with producer Byron Muller to bring to live a commanding track reminiscent of…
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WINTER – Fire Rider
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://winter5.bandcamp.com/album/fire-rider I was quite taken with Winter’s atmospheric and moving Looking Back compilation CD, which was released earlier this year and consisted of reworked and re-recorded tunes, but this latest output, Fire Rider is a frustratingly mixed bag in terms of cohesiveness and quality. It incorporates ideas and influences from hard…
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LAMB OF GOD – Omens
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.lamb-of-god.com/ “You see all these things, don’t you? Truly I say to you, there will absolutely not be one stone on top of another left here that will not be thrown down…And you will hear wars nearby and reports of wars far away…For group will rise against group, and kingdom…
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INFERIA – Grind Cumpaign
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://inferia.bandcamp.com/ As the album title rather neatly suggests, we are dealing with a wild and pulverizing slab of nasty grindcore/death metal performed by guys who have obviously been at it for a long time. The musicianship is tight, the songs are sharp and concise, the atmosphere reeks of perversion, and you…
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ÓSSERP – Els Nous Cants De La Sibil-La
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://osserp.bandcamp.com/ 4.5/6 The Spanish death metal artillery known as Ósserp released this highly intense and pulverizing slab of apocalyptic darkness not that long ago, and there is plenty of reason for you to get excited about this vile fucker. Weaving traits and elements from black metal and grind into the fierce…
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REVOCATION – Netherheaven
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.revocationband.com/ It’s no secret (or is it?) that the Bostonian progressive deathrashers Revocation have been one of my favorite modern bands since the first time I heard their follow-up to their debut (“Empire Of The Obscene”²⁰⁰⁸ which had started it all, unless you count the year of Cryptic Warning ‘2005-2006’…
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OAK – The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://oakinoslo.bandcamp.com/ The brilliant Norwegian prog rockers OAK are back with a new and deeply satisfying full-length album that encompasses everything that made their previous offerings great while also looking to the future. The hauntingly bleak and emotive opening track, ‘Highest Tower, Deepest Well’, is a masterclass in light and shade, and…
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TYRANTS OF CHAOS – Relentless Thirst For Power
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.tyrantsofchaosband.com/ Some say that in the constant pursuit of reinventing itself heavy metal is losing its roots. I don’t know if there’s any truth to that but I do know that it’s cool to listen to just a bare bones no frills heavy metal record akin to old Iron Maiden…
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FOGOS – Corpses and Ashes
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://fogosofficial.bandcamp.com/album/corpses-and-ashes The Spanish act named Fogos released this bleak opus of theirs a few months ago, and what they bring to the table is harsh, oppressive black metal with a convincingly nihilistic aura to it and an abundance of intensity. Fast-paced and tightly executed, these fuckers mean business and their ten-track…
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TOMB OF FINLAND – Across The Barren Fields
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://tomboffinland.fi/ Don’t you love it when a band with a generic name (and their country’s name in the moniker to boot) releases a great album? Such is the case with the, to me at least, previously unknown Finnish melodic doom/death metal act Tomb Of Finland (told you so!) and their…
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STAR CIRCUS – Separate Sides
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.starcircus.co.uk/ The marvelous outfit known as Star Circus, which hails from London, is the real fucking deal and delivers a scorching slab of fist-pumping, arena-sized rock loaded with more hooks than you and I deserve. Oh, you want superb melodies, massive riffs, crashing drums, and raunchy vocals too? Fret not as…
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SLIPKNOT – The End, So Far
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://slipknot1.com/ Whether you like them or not you know who they are. Formed through a very convoluted process of “now you see me now you don’t” musical endeavors which settled at first on The Pale Ones and then permanently on Slipknot in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 initially consisted of…
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FLYNG CIRCUS – Seasons 25
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://fastball-music.bandcamp.com/album/seasons-25 Seasons 25 by the awesome German prog rockers Flying Circus is something quite special and noteworthy. It is a 2-disc set containing a remastered version of the album Seasons from 1997 and, more importantly in this case, an entirely reworked and re-recorded edition of said LP by the current line-up…
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FALL AND RESIST – Darkness Of Now
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://fallandresist.bandcamp.com/ Truly it has been some time since I’ve heard something that opens that “doggone this is some excellent Gothenburg melodeath” drawer and these Aussies came out just in time with their 2nd EP (after “Buried Beneath”²⁰¹⁶ EP and “Fading Cinders”²⁰¹⁸ LP), “Darkness Of Now”. The drawer opens already on…
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MALPHAS – Divinity’s Fall
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://folterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/divinitys-fall Melodic black metal is the order of the day here, and the Swiss act Malphas delivers an incredibly well-structured and potent slab of epic music with plenty of aggression and viciousness to it. The compositions harbor dynamics and quite a few interesting nuances and layers that recall early Dissection and…