RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
-
YES – Topographic Drama – Live Across America
The pioneering prog act Yes released this brilliant live album of theirs just a few months ago and if you have yet to acquaint yourself with this excellent opus, then I might as well tell you right here and now that you are in for a treat. Recorded at various venues across the US on the…
-
SHINING – X – Varg Utan Flock
X – Varg Utan Flock is a display of all the kind of accumulated experience that results in musical excellence. In succinct terms: it sounds Black Metal elite! The sort of music that into a third Moonfog Compilation. It sounds just right. I really like the way they brings different non-metal and metal influences together.…
-
IRON MAIDEN – The Book of Souls: Live Chapter
This powerful live document by the ever-awesome Iron Maiden is a superbly mixed and nicely packaged offering with a set list that is brilliantly put together. As if the "Book of Souls" album was not stellar enough as it is, "Live Chapter" shows just how fantastic the songs off the aforementioned studio album come across…
-
VENOM – 100 Miles to Hell
The living legends that are Venom unearthed and spat forth the truly revolutionary "Welcome to Hell" assault all the way back in 1981 and nothing has been the same ever since that fateful event. It is amazing to think that they are still going strong and releasing great music nowadays albeit with a slightly reconfigured…
-
SAMSON – Mr. Rock and Roll: Live 1981-2000
The highly underrated and exciting NWOBHM outfit that is Samson was a force to be reckoned with on stage as evidenced by this beautifully packaged 4CD box set containing various live cuts culled from different shows spanning nearly twenty years, i.e. 1981 to 2000. Samson were all about writing great and memorable songs with brilliant…
-
DUCKWALK CHUCK – High Speed City
The gritty Norwegian hard rockers Duckwalk Chuck released this album of theirs quite a while ago, so it is not exactly brand new as such, but I reckon we ought to have a closer look at it all the same, would you not agree? High-octane riffs that will pummel you to death and fiery vocals…
-
DREADFUL FATE – The Sin of Sodom
As the cool band name might suggest, the Swedish horde Dreadful Fate is firmly rooted in old-school black/thrash metal, which is to say bestial and violent metal extremity that harkens back to how many of the pioneers did it back in those glorious and murky 80s. This shit is fucking explosive and even downright lethal…
-
FRETMIDEN – Omen
Fretmiden is an interesting and relatively young Norwegian metal outfit hailing from the rainy city of Bergen, and this 9-track effort of theirs entitled "Omen" is a well-written and memorable slab of brutality and groove. These guys are largely inspired by modern extreme metal and metal core, but the cool thing about these fuckers is…
-
FUNERAL CHANT – Funeral Chant
This self-titled effort by the US black/death metal horde Funeral Chant is a raw, barbaric, and unsettling affair, but it possesses depth and texture, much more so than many other similar bands and artists out there who opt for an old-school sound and attitude. The great thing about Funeral Chant is that they write brilliant…
-
CHARLIE BONNET III – Sinner WWith a Song
The seasoned veteran that is Charlie Bonnet III has been out there for years now, touring and releasing raw and gritty music with soul and depth to it. This 6-track EP of his, which is entitled "Sinner With a Song", blends and mixes different elements relating to blues, classic rock, country music, and even a…
-
TUSMØRKE – Bydyra
This is one of the most peculiar and strange albums that I have come across this year. "Bydyra" by Norwegian prog rockers Tusmørke is a…well, fuck me, I am not even sure exactly what this is or how to classify it. It is basically like a musical of sorts for children yet the topics and…
-
TRIGGERFINGER – Colossus
"Colossus" by the Begian fuckers Triggerfinger was one of those albums that I was looking forward to checking out and I am pleased to report that I was not let down. The album contains ten dynamic and raw tunes that encompass everything from punk to psychedelic 60s rock and further on to classic rock and…
-
VON HERTZEN BROTHERS – War is Over
"War is Over" by the Finnish rockers that are the Von Hertzen Brothers is first and foremost a highly dramatic and intense prog rock album, which is to say that it is filled to the brim with huge choruses, bombastic riffs, epic melodies, and unexpected turns, but it also has an introspective and frail edge…
-
GALACTIC COWBOYS – Long Way Back to the Moon
The Texas-based Galactic Cowboys have finally returned from beyond the grave and this 2017 effort of theirs entitled "Long Way Back to the Moon" is just about as charismatic, thought-provoking, and entertaining as one could have hoped for. Musically speaking, Galactic Cowboys have retained their original and unique vibe from way back in the day,…
-
NEUROTIC MACHINERY – Cognitive Dissonance
This self-released album by the Czech progressive metal ensemble Neurotic Machinery is a rather sharp and focused effort comprised of nine tracks that weave and blend different elements relating to melodic death metal, experimental rock, and progressive music together. Words such as technical, disciplined, and musically talented come to mind whenever I spin this…
-
SPECTRALE – ▲
The French ensemble named Spectrale recently released this moody 9-track affair of theirs, which is deeply rooted in acoustic and experimental music with a strong ambient-like vibe to it. At times it even veers into folk rock territory, but with a strangely hypnotic and otherworldly quality to it. Spectrale’s eclectic spawn of music has nothing…
-
KATLA – Móðurástin
Tomannsprosjektet Katla består av Einar Eldur Thorberg Guðmundsson & Guðmundur Óli Pálmason (Solstafìr). Dei kom ut med si første plate, Móðurástin, i slutten av oktober. Det har vorte ei plate med mange tunge riff, gode melodiar, og god variasjon til å vere såpass tung metal. Albumet startar stemningsfullt med instrumentalsporet "Aska", som fungerar som ein…
-
SHAMAN`S HARVEST – Red Hands Black Deeds
I had no idea what to expect when I popped "Red Hands Black Deeds" by the US hard rockers Shaman’s Harvest, but I was uterly impressed and blown away by this wicked 12-track record of theirs. These fuckers are quite clearly inspired by Southern rock in general as well as giants of old such as…
-
10 YEARS – (How to Live) As Ghosts
This 11-track album by the alternative hard rockers from the US known as 10 Years was released via Mascot Records a few weeks ago and weaves different elements relating to classic rock, hard rock, grunge, and even a dash of progressive metal together. As interesting and cool as that may sound, the sad fact…
-
EISLEY / GOLDY – Blood, Guts and Games
The talented vocalist David Glen Eisley and the ever-awesome Craig Goldy (DIO, ex-Rough Cutt) released this joint effort of theirs just a few days ago via Frontiers and it should come as no surprise that we are dealing with melodic hard rock that harkens back to the days of old, i.e. the 80s. Album opener…
-
UNDERWING – Kaela Upsweep
The Norwegian quartet Underwing released this EP of theirs entitled "Kaela Upsweep" earlier on this year and the five songs that constitute the effort are quite cool to immerse oneself in. Musically and stylistically speaking, these guys are inspired by some of the great hard rock acts of the 70s and the groove and swagger…
-
VOICE WINTER – Childhood of Evil
French progressive death metallers Voice Winter released this 7-track opus of theirs last year via M.U.S.I.C. Records, but for whatever reason it did not find its way to my pile of stuff to review until recently. So, we are not exactly dealing with a brand new album here, but let us discuss it anyway, shall…
-
HEIR – Au peuple de l’abîme
The excellent French black metal outfit Heir, which was conceived in 2015, recently put a foul curse on all of us by means of this incredibly well-rounded and eerie five-track effort entitled "Au peuple de l’abîme". Although Heir is firmly rooted in black metal, which is to say aggressive and sinister black metal not unlike…
-
ASHES TO FIRE – Still Waters
The French outfit Ashes to Fire spat forth this EP entitled "Still Waters" in late 2016, but for some weird reason it did not find its way to my mail box until quite recently. Anyway, Ashes to Fire perform metalcore in the vein of August Burns Red and Born Of Osiris with a slight hint…
-
TONY BARRELL – The Beatles on the Roof
In late January 1969, the legendary Beatles took to the roof of their Mayfair headquarters in Savile Row, London, and performed a number of new songs to the public, or rather, to those who were fortunate enough to pass by the building on that cold and windy day. The whole event has turned into something…
-
VANDENBERG`S MOONKINGS – MK II
Former Whitesnake gunslinger Adrian Vandenberg and the wonderful Moonkings are back with yet another slab of bluesy and groovy hard rock in the grand old tradition of Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Free, and the aforementioned Whitesnake. Now, MK II is not merely a glorious throwback to the days of old; it is a sharp, current,…
-
OHMWORK – Alyssa Drone
The Norwegian trio named Ohmwork quite recently unleashed this new bombastic effort of theirs, "Alyssa Drone", via Rob Rules Records and the result is generally a satisfying one. The album consists of eleven tunes (twelve if you count the radio edit of "Requiem of the Fallen") of which the majority are cleverly written and nicely…
-
DOOM SIDE OF THE MOON – Doom Side of the Moon
Doom Side of the Moon is obviously a reference to Pink Floyd’s legendary "Dark Side of the Moon" opus, and, as the name suggests, it is a doom metal tribute to the prog rock masterpiece. Actually, it is more akin to stoner rock than doom metal, to be perfectly honest with you, but let us…
-
PORN – The Ogre Inside
The sickening industrial metal outfit known as PORN (brilliant name, eh?) have returned from beyond the barren fields of human waste and graced us with yet another full-length assault, this time their third such cursed opus. Inspired by the works of the infamous Aleister Crowley, Porn takes us through the darkest recesses of the human…
-
IN AEVUM AGERE – From the Depth of Soul
The Italian doom metal outfit named In Aevum Agere recently re-released this 2007 demo opus of theirs entitled "From the Depth of Soul" albeit in remastered form and including a pretty decent bonus track. So far, so good. Strong melodies, crushing riffs, melancholy, and a foreboding sense of doom and despair are what is on…