RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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CULTES DES GHOULES – Coven, or Evil Ways Instead of Love
Coven is the third full length release from Cultes Des Ghoules. Conceptually, it is a pretty awesome undertaking. The 5 songs clock in at around 100 minutes in total. Then, there is narrative, atmosphere and an approach that makes it feel as if you are attending the world’s first true black metal opera (and just…
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MORS PRINCIPIUM EST – Embers Of A Dying World
The sixth installment by Finnish melodeathsters largely brings no surprises. By now you have become familiar with the sound, the characteristic riffing and occasionally brilliant melodies already fully realized on "And Death Said Live", arguably their best output yet. I think I have finally gotten over that characteristic Gothenburg "tata, ta,ta,ta,ta" riff style and this…
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GJENDØD – Nedstigning
The Trondheim-based black metal combo named Gjendød released an excellent and utterly compelling 3-track demo on Darker Than Black Records and Hellthrasher Productions last year that was quickly picked up on by a lot of people in the underground. Something sinister and strange was obviously going on in that most of unholy of places called…
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RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Memories in Rock – Live in Germany
It was nothing less than brilliant news when legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore announced that Rainbow would return briefly to the stage for three shows in June 2016, more specifically two in Germany and one in the UK. Needless to say, many fans of both Rainbow and Deep Purple had longed for Blackmore to once again…
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LUX PERPETUA – The Curse of the Iron King
Originally together from 2004-09 as Sentinel, the band would transform into Lux Perpetua and as a sextet stride into their power metal stature, releasing the "Forever We Stand" EP in 2014 and finally gaining the chance to issue a full-length with "The Curse of the Iron King". Poland probably is not as well known for…
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AVENFORD – New Beginning
Starting in 2012, Hungarian power metal band Avenford have evolved into a potent quartet for their second full-length "New Beginning". Gaining a new rhythm section with bassist Tom Longbottom and drummer Jivodar Dimitrov, the original duo of guitarist/vocalist Arpie Gamson and guitarist Peter Szehoffner wisely sought out the recording services of Masterplan’s Roland Grapow to…
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CUT UP – Wherever They May Rot
The second record for Swedish death metal unit Cut Up, "Wherever They May Rot" serves up another 11 songs of old school-oriented material, shifting between speedier, blasting numbers along with a few mid-tempo to slower offerings that crush all who dare stand in the way. The rhythm section of vocalist/bassist Erik Rundqvist and drummer Tobias…
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POPPY SEED GRINDER – Bleeding Civilization
Tsjekkiske Poppy Seed Grinder har man vært innom tidligere her i Eternal Terror. Deres tre-spors «Promo 2014» fra 2014 fikk seg en del runder i 2014. Ikke fullt 2014 runder, men noen ble det da. Jeg etterlyste en fullengder den gang og i fjor kom denne ut. Dukket dessverre ikke opp i min mailboks før…
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PRIDE OF LIONS – Fearless
This is my first encounter with the melodic (hard) rock outfit named Pride of Lions, which was formed by ex-Survivor guitarist/keyboardist Jim Peterik back in 2003, and I must say that I have been quite smitten by this brand new 12-track effort of theirs. Musically and stylistically, "Fearless" totally takes me back to the melodic…
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PERSEFONE – Aathma
The progressive and melodic death metal ensemble known as Persefone has returned to the scene with a follow-up to the widely acclaimed "Spiritual Migration" album from 2013. This new musical statement of the band’s, which is entitled "Aathma" and consists of ten tracks, remains true to the core and essence of Persefone’s rather fluid and…
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BLACK SITES – In Monochrome
Black Sites from Chicago is the brainchild of former Trials guitarist/vocalist Mark Sugar and I must say that I was initially quite curious as to how this new band of his would sound. Musically, you can tell that the band draws from the well of classic heavy metal, 70s hard rock, progressive metal, and modern…
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AEGRI SOMNIA – Ad Augusta Per Angusta
Spanish outfit Aegri Somnia is a strange and peculiar musical entity that is damn-near impossible to label or categorize. Mixing different elements from folk music and oral traditional music with avantgarde rock and even extreme metal is pretty much the only way that I can summarize what it is that these guys do. Oh, and…
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KEISER – The Succubus
Keiser will always remind me of an inside anecdote. When I saw an interview with the band by Rune Grande himself in Norwegian I naturally had it google translated. As I read it I noticed that Rune appeared to have accidentally called them Emperor instead of Keiser. When I raised the issue, Rune kindly informed…
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NOVA COLLECTIVE – The Further Side
A Trans-Atlantic collaboration between two sets of musicians in America and England, Nova Collective on their debut album "The Further Side" explores the jazzy/fusion progressive rock side of things with occasional bursts of heaviness. Guitarist Richard Henshall of Haken and bassist Dan Briggs of Between the Buried and Me started the group – recruiting keyboardist…
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CRIMINAL ELEMENT – Criminal Crime Time
Når et band har halve Suffocation i lineupen, burde det være mer enn nok for en metalfan til å sjekke ut hva dette handler om. Criminal Element ble startet opp som et sideprosjekt av daværende Dying Fetus medlemmer Vince Matthews og Sparky Voyles tilbake i 2001. Ble ikke et fungerende band før fire år senere.…
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HELLCRAFT – Apotheosis of War
The Ukrainian death metal combo with the rather over-the-top name of Hellcraft released this 8-track effort entitled "Apotheosis of War" earlier on this year and the result is a satisfying one. Hellcraft is rooted in rotten, murky, and old-school death metal, but it sounds neither cheap nor pathetically retro. Hellcraft actually pulls it off and…
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BLAZE BAYLEY – Endure and Survive
Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane, ex-Iron Maiden) is one of the most underrated metal vocalists out there in my humble opinion. Nearly all of his solo outputs have ranged from very good to damn-near sublime with last year’s "Infinite Entanglement" belonging in the latter category. The point that I am trying to make is that Blaze is…
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ANCESTRAL – Master of Fate
After a decade-long absence on the album front, Italian power/speed metal band Ancestral return with their second full-length "Master of Fate". The nine originals on display plus a closing Helloween cover of "Savage" affirm the quintet’s outstanding chops and relentless riff pursuits – injecting a progressive, Bendetto Domiziano Mendolia bass solo penchant during the phenomenal…
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LANCER – Mastery
Making another monumental jump from Despotz Records on their second album "Second Storm" to the Nuclear Blast big leagues for this follow up, "Mastery" will either prove Lancer’s might in the power metal world or succumb to the doldrums of cult-like appeal without a major marketplace breakthrough. Considering the development of the five-piece since their…
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VICTORIUS – Heart of the Phoenix
There’s something magical when the stars align and all the components take shape to make power metal the uplifting, uniting style that it can be. Germany’s Victorius live up to those ideals on their fourth album "Heart of the Phoenix", keeping the songs tightly energized, thematically creating melodies and hooks that on every front make…
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DAWN OF RETALIATION – Apex
Norwegian death metallers Dawn of Retaliation have been around for 12 years but have thus far been able to only pitch a demo, an ep and this full length that feels like an ep plus no recording contract. These days, few bands are able to get signed what with old bands struggling to stay on…