ALBUM REVIEWS

RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS

  • WICKMAN ROAD – After the Rain

    A young Swedish band breaking into the melodic rock/ AOR field, Wickman Road came together in its current state in 2014, piecing together the right members and songs to deliver their debut album "After the Rain". A quintet where Carl Ahlqvist’s keyboards set a lot of the key hook aspects to the band’s commercial sound,…

  • ASSIGNMENT – Closing the Circle

    Eschewing the multiple singer profile of the last album "Inside of the Machine", German progressive metal band Assignment slides in Helker vocalist Diego Valdez and Poverty’s No Crime bassist Heiko Spaarmann for this fourth studio album "Closing the Circle". The band originally began in 1995 under a melodic death style, only to transform themselves into…

  • CORRECTIVE MEASURE – Corrective Measure 7′

    Six minutes, six tracks, played in the vein of good ol’ fashioned flat out, no-flab hardcore, served the way it should be. Looking forward to the 58 track double gatefold. https://correctivemeasure.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-7    

  • DIAMOND HEAD – Diamond Head

    Diamond Head eh? The oldest of us remember these as the best of the NWOBHM bands to not actually crack the big time. No idea why – was it a question of image, management or never being in the right place at the right time? Our younger readers will most likely be familiar with them…

  • CELESTIAL GRAVE – Burial Ground Trance (Tape)

    ‘Burial Ground Trance’ is the debut EP from Finnish BM duo Celestial Grave and what an awesome opening statement it is. On the one hand, we have a very primitive deathened approach to BM, laced with plenty of thrashing savagery and necrotic riffing. So it will satisfy fans of the bestial school. On the other…

  • AUTOKRATOR – The Obedience to Authority

    «The Obedience to Authority» is my first encounter with the sickening and vile French band named Autokrator, and I must say this 8-track effort of theirs is pleasantly intense, morbid, and dark to listen to. While the music is raging and aggressive most of the time, quite a few atmospheric passages and ambient-like elements have…

  • OCCULTUM – Towards Eternal Chaos

    The Polish entity Occultum vomits forth ugly, grim, and bitter black metal on «Towards Eternal Chaos», and I must say that they do so rather convincingly. While the music is firmly rooted in traditional black metal, which is to say raw and intense black metal in a sense, the band has managed to create an…

  • Q5 – New World Order

    Washington act Q5 contained guitarist Floyd Rose, most famous for inventing his namesake tremolo that prevents guitars from going out of tune during its use- releasing two albums in the 1980’s, of which "Steel the Light" resonates with a lot of classic metal fans today. The reformation today includes three original members (guitarist Rick Pierce,…

  • BLUES PILLS – Lady in Gold

    Rarely do you find a band of twenty-something musicians begin a band in 2011 with the intent of producing music that has psychedelic, soulful rock at heart – that’s what we have here through this American-French-Swedish outfit Blues Pills. "Lady in Gold" is the group’s second album, featuring 10 more tracks that have pulse, vision,…

  • FIRST SIGNAL – One Step Over the Line

    Six years removed from the self-titled debut, First Signal is a project that allows singer/ songwriter Harry Hess to stretch more of his melodic rock/AOR wings. Teaming up this time with Michael Palace and Daniel Flores on the instrument front, and a host of other vocalists for background supplementation, "One Step Over the Line" is…

  • SUNSTRIKE – Ready II Strike

    Containing members of Astral Doors and Twilight Force among others, Sunstrike is a Swedish band living for that melodic/AOR styled hard rock that filled arenas globally during the 1980’s and early 90’s. All the key elements are in place throughout the 11 songs – bright harmonies on the vocal front, keyboards pumping out the hooks…

  • MAVERICK – Big Red

    When it comes to Irish hard rock, two bands come to mind to these ears: Thin Lizzy and Mama’s Boys. Maverick would be the latest band from Belfast aiming to make their mark on the scene. Together since 2012, their released an EP and debut album each successive year, setting the stage for this second…

  • GOJIRA – Magma

    Det er få utgivelser i år det har vært så store forventninger til som det har vært til den nye skiva til Gojira. «Magma» heter albumet og er bandets sjette. Ventetiden siden «L’Enfant Sauvage» har vært lang og nå var fansen klare for ny musikk fra de franske guttene. Men da skiva endelig kom, var…

  • ZAR – Don’t Wait For Heroes

    13 years after their last album, the German hard rock act Zar returns with "Don’t Wait for Heroes". Pared down to a two-piece as guitarist Tommy Clauss takes on vocals and bass for this effort along with long-time drummer Lars Nippa in tow, you’ll get 13 tracks of 80’s style hard rock – primal, in…

  • THIRD ION – Biolith

    ‘Biolith’ is the sophomore full length from Canadian/American prog metallers Third Ion. It offers up much the same fare as debut ‘8 Bit’, only this time around the whole thing is less impressive for some reason. The sound is the same as before – reminiscent of Devin Townsend (DT bassist Mike Young is a member…

  • ELM STREET – Knock ‘Em Out… With A Metal Fist

    Fortunate to take in this Australian traditional metal band on tour in early 2015 as a support act for Skull Fist, it’s been five years since their debut album "Barbed Wire Metal" that didn’t exactly set my brain on fire, as the band struggled to come to grips in the songwriting sense as the influences…

  • HIGHLORD – Hic Sunt Leones

    Years back I remember reviewing "Medusa’s Coil", the fourth album by Italian melodic power metal band Highlord on Arise Records, and then losing sight of the band for quite a while. So it’s a welcome addition to my catalog to hear "Hic Sunt Leones", their eighth studio album and first with latest guitarist Marco Malacarne.…

  • DESPISED ICON – Beast

    Seven years removed from their last album and fresh in signing a new record deal with Nuclear Blast, "Beast" is the fifth studio album from Canada deathcore leaders Despised Icon. Employing a dual death growl/ screaming hardcore attack on the vocal front allows the band to flex its musical muscles – especially in terms of…

  • AFTER ALL – Waves of Annihilation

    The ninth studio album from Belgian speed/thrash act After All comes hot on the heels of last year’s "Rejection Overruled" EP- the debut of new drummer Bert Guillemont to the quintet. Starting back in 1987, guitarists Christophe Depree and Dries Van Demme steer the axe work with a triplet laden, thick power approach similar to…

  • SIPARIO – Eclipse of Sorrow

    My first time taking in this Italian symphonic power metal band, Sipario have been together since 2007 and released an EP plus debut album in that next six years, dealing with a few lineup shuffles along the way as to be expected in establishing themselves. "Eclipse of Sorrow" is the second album, a 13 track…

  • SKELETON WOLF – Skeleton Wolf

    Given the propensity for cross-pollination in the metal sector these days, it’s no surprise that this infusion brings about some potent bands. Skeleton Wolf deserve to be on the newcomer of the year list through their debut 7 song self-titled album, performing in a blackened thrash style with traditional twin harmony nuances that give off…

  • GREAT MASTER – Lion & Queen

    From their 1993 beginnings Italian power metal act Great Master released two demos before 10 years of inactivity took place, as other musical projects became a priority. Active again in 2008, the band has since signed with a record label and released two full-length albums plus participated in a Heavy Load tribute album. Now that…

  • 7TH ABYSS – Unvoiced

    Extending and melting sub-genres of metal together, Bavaria’s 7th Abyss prefer to serve up an explosive cocktail of groovy melodic death with occasional crossover/hardcore nuances on this debut full-length "Unvoiced". Shifting from straight forward parts to obvious breakdown elements, musically there’s a lot to love about the riffing and varied drum approaches often part to…

  • DIABOLICAL – Umbra

    The latest EP "Umbra" from Sweden death/thrash quintet Diabolical proves the ferociousness has not let up on any level with these gentlemen. Throwing a bit of an atmospheric curveball on "Tremor" with low ethereal spoken word passages against shimmering, cascading guitar lines more Lake of Tears psychedelic-oriented than conventional is appropriate on a 4 song…

  • MADLEAF – House of Lust

    The second album from Greek five-piece Madleaf, "House of Lust" has a lot in common with the 90’s alternative/grunge metal market from the USA. Think of the times when Alice in Chains, Kyuss, and Pearl Jam ruled the airwaves – as songs like "Angel Eyes" and the moodier, darker "Mold" attest to the power of…

  • FAITHSEDGE – Restoration

    The third album from Faithsedge, "Restoration" features a lively lineup of seasoned musicians from notable bands like Stryper, Mr. Big, Dokken, and Hardline among others. Guitarist/vocalist Giancarlo Floridia is the main songwriter/driving force of the group – also notable in the ranks is keyboardist/producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, bassist Tim Gaines, guitarist Alex De Rosso and…

  • EVAN – Blue Lightning

    Here we have a 21-year old Greek/German guitarist in Evan releasing "Blue Lightning", a 9 song effort that intertwines guitar-oriented neo-classical metal instrumentals with a couple of vocal-led tracks that feature Rhapsody of Fire singer Fabio Lione. Those who reminisce about the Shrapnel Records days when guitarists like Tony MacAlpine, Paul Gilbert, and Yngwie Malmsteen…

  • BLACK FUCKING CANCER – Black Fucking Cancer

    Black metal fra hjembyen til årets tapende Stanley Cup finalist San Jose Sharks, det trodde jeg vel aldri jeg skulle anmelde her i Eternal Terror. Ei heller like det noe særlig. Men inn i mailboksen dukket det opp ei selvtitulert skive fra en trio som kaller seg Black Fucking Cancer. Utgitt på Osmose denne uka.…

  • BLIZZEN – Genesis Reversed

    ‘Genesis Reversed’ is the full length debut from German speed/classic metallers Blizzen, and an incredible opening statement it is. The band’s sound harks right back to the early 80’s with elements of Diamond Head and Holocaust right up there in the mix. The clean vocals are especially refreshing in my book. But this isn’t an…

  • BLIZZEN – Genesis Reversed

    Traditional heavy metal never went away in Germany – it keeps reveling in the greats of the past through reunions, festival performances, and recordings while newer bands keep pumping out their own brand of tunes that they hope will be come this generation’s future soundtrack to turn to. Fresh off last year’s "Time Machine" debut…