Greek guitar virtuoso GUS G may be best known for his tenure as Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist, but Gus has now forged his own path with his newest solo venture titled ‘ Fearless’! Available April 20th from AFM Records. ‘Fearless’ is an out of the box, extremely varied album with everything from amazing straight up rockers, to shred-fest instrumentals and everything in between.
‘Livin’ Oblivion’, the fourth release by Vancouver-based doom-sters Black Wizard (and the second release under the Listenable label), is a genre bending, heavy metal amalgam of Iron Maiden harmonies mixed with the aggression of old school Thrash Metal! My introduction to Black Wizard was through the album ‘New Waste’ (released in 2016). At first listen I knew this would be a band I’d like! Black Wizard take influence from bands like Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath but instead of rehashing riffs and being content with sounding like a throwback band, they have found a way to take all these old school elements and push them forward to new heights! Continue reading
Earthless
Black Heaven
Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: March 16, 2018
It’s been more than four years since the last Earthless album, the mammoth double LP From the Ages, and to say things are a little different now would be an understatement. Since the 2005 release of their debut album Sonic Prayer, the San Diego power trio have built their reputation on a repertoire of expansive, instrumental psych-rock explorations, side-long, many-movement mindfucks that split the difference between Amon Düül II and Black Sabbath. Black Heaven, their latest effort (and first under the Nuclear Blast banner), is a leaner, meaner affair that’s way more James Gang than Flower Travellin’ Band. The songwriting and structures have been tightened up and whittled down (the longest song on Black Heaven is slightly less than nine minutes, which for Earthless is practically a pop single), based more on refined guitar riffs than semi-improvised rhythm section interplay and trimmed of a lot of hallucinogenic fat. Perhaps most jarring for longtime listeners will be the introduction of the human voice into the Earthless equation; four of Black Heaven’s six tracks feature guitarist Isaiah Mitchell stepping into the vocal spotlight. Doubters and worrywarts can relax and unclench, though; this is still Earthless through and through, plenty trippy, plenty heavy, and more than capable of levelling even the most hardened of psychic warriors.
Recently this band came onto my radar after having their latest, September 2017 CD release essentially dropped into my lap by my editor here at Metal Nexus. Upon first listen, I was pleasantly surprised by their throwback, sludgey, stoner sound often reminiscent of Melvins and early Soundgarden. I’ve since given the album several more listens and each time discover more and more interesting nuances to enjoy. What stands out above all else with Disastroid’s ‘Screen’ is vibe. From front to back, this album emanates a heavy and relenting, chilled out, stoner vibe, while at times delving into well-placed moments of intense psychedelia. Like a VW bus hotboxed in a thick cloud of bong smoke, this record will envelope and intoxicate you as you succumb to its dark, dank, euphoric moods. Continue reading
Merging massive dueling guitars and epic lyrics infused with Norse mythology, Last Legion melds technical melodic riffs with the primal aggression of Scandinavian metal. When the war horn sounds, these New World Vikings gather from the far corners of the earth. In 2013 the New York based band released their debut album ‘Edge Of The World’. That debut cemented that these New Yorkers will be a dominant force when it comes to the viking metal genre. Powerful riffs and gut wrenching vocals that any established band would proud of. Last Legion not only have Norse mythology lyrical themes but they blend technical death metal, and various other styles that really make the band unique. The band recently released their follow up album ‘Muspelheim’. The album was produced by Aady Pandit (Jotunheim). Vocalist Jason Ayala has said “We are always trying to top ourselves, so I have to believe that our magnum opus is yet to come. However, I will say that this album is a massive step forward, and we are incredibly proud of what we have created”.
Anatomy Of A Creation is a Kentucky based Deathcore project, and the brainchild of Anthony Leasgang its sole member. Founded in 2012 Anatomy Of A Creation gave the world its first listen in 2013 with a 5 track E.P. ‘Murderer’ and since then has gone on to put out 3 additional E.P.s and two full length albums.
Anatomy Of A Creation actually just released their 2nd full length album on 3-3-2018 titled ‘Contamination’ and what an album it is coming from the mind of just one person. This album in its entirety is filled with some nasty down tuned guitar, heart stopping breakdowns, and perfectly placed fast picking segments, All of which compliment the throaty, seemingly pissed off vocals of Leasgang. Continue reading
Florence, Italy-based occult rock mystics Psychedelic Witchcraft will release their ‘Sound Of The Wind’ full-length in the US on February 27th via Listenable Records. Released to critical-acclaim in Europe late last year, Sound Of The Wind was captured at Elfo Recording Studio and mastered by Brian Lucey (Ghost). Forged in 2015 led by vocalist Virginia Monti and heavily influenced by the ancient doom and blues teachings of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, and Free as well as of the obscure side of the Italian music scene long ago led by Goblin and Ennio Morricone, Psychedelic Witchcraft’s meticulous meld of blues and classic hard rock with in-depth occult-themed lyrics and imagery is at once vivid and all-consuming. Sound Of The Wind follows Psychedelic Witchcraft’s 2015 ‘Black Magic Man’ EP (Taxi Driver Records), their 2016 critically-lauded debut full-length ‘The Vision’ (Soulseller Records) and 2017’s ‘Magick Rites And Spells’ compilation (Soulseller Records), a collection of tracks not included in the debut album. Find “Sound Of The Wind” order info HERE. For digital orders, go HERE. Continue reading
Industrial pioneers, Ministry return with the highly topical and timely release of their fourteenth full-length studio album, ‘AmeriKKKant’ – scheduled to drop on March 9th, 2018 via Nuclear Blast Records. Coming out during a time when the political climate in America is at its most volatile in recent years, “Uncle Al” and co. are clearly pissed off at the current state of things and are not at all interested in sugar-coating or holding back their anger on this record. The resulting tone, presented cynically throughout ‘AmeriKKKant,’ is a hypnotically and grittily electronic, apocalyptic waltz of anarchist protest. Continue reading
The mystery that shrouds any band’s upcoming album, especially of a band that is well versed with diversity in their music, is certainly not nonchalant. I wasn’t aware RIVERS OF NIHIL would be coming up with their third studio effort, ‘Where Owls Know My Name‘ this year until a few weeks back. As soon as the news dawned upon my conscience, I knew I had to request the album for a review, cause I remember their 2015 album, ‘Monarchy‘ had impressed me so much, it left me wanting for more. Fast forward to March 16th, 2018, the Pennsylvania quintet will be dropping their third full length in what could possibly be their best effort and certainly one that will garner itself a place in the top ten album listing by this year’s end.
Releasing on Metal Blade Records this 16th, RIVERS OF NIHIL have set the bar high when it comes to discovering uncharted territories that transcends your musical comfort zone. One of the most recently emerging and forward thinking artist in the metal sphere, the band has always managed to drop jaws with their progressive yet ferocious music. Not to forget, the wide array of experimentation the band has delved in their work, which makes RIVERS OF NIHIL truly an artistically elite band. So, with all the teasing I just did, do I make it look like ‘Where Owls Know My Name‘ easily surpasses what its predecessor achieved? Let’s find out!
Spiny Normen
Spiny Normen
RidingEasy Records
Release Date: March 2, 2018
Recorded nearly four decades ago at a Texas community college and unreleased until now, Spiny Normen is a raw but robust chunk of primo psych-prog, a skunky blend of hard rock and krautrock caked in a hallucinogenic patina. Rescued from collector’s-shelf obscurity by RidingEasy label head Daniel Hall and Permanent Records owner Lance Barresi for inclusion in their ongoing (and highly recommended) Brown Acid anthology series, it stands up both as a fascinating relic of its era and as a kick-ass rock and roll record that’s both of and ahead of its time.
