Album Reviews


Review: HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY – ‘Arson’ [Track Stream]

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Austrian post-black metal band Harakiri for the Sky returns with their fourth full-length studio album, ‘Arson,’ set for a release date of February 16, 2018 on AOP Records.  In the studio, the band consists primarily of only two members – J.J. on vocals and M.S. handling all of the other instrumentation.  This time around though the duo brings in veteran death metal drummer, Kerim Lechner to contribute on drums.  It’s quite an impressive feat for three guys alone to create such an expansive and emotive array of melancholic and aggressive soundscapes presented on this record. Continue reading →

Anvil Set To Fire Up “Pounding the Pavement”

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Anvil is:

Steve “Lips” Kudlow: guitars, vocals

Robb Reiner: drums

Chris Robertson: bass

Damn. What can be said about the legendary Anvil that has not been said a thousand times before by media outlets, long-time fans and even critics? Hell, even larger-than-life heavy hitters like Motorhead and Metallica have consistently over the years praised and respected Anvil for holding true to what makes them great and not kowtowing to outside influences to put them at the will of any record company, promoter or music outlet. These guys play for two reasons: 1). They love what they do and 2). For their fans. Anything past these two things is just icing. Since 1978, this band has been producing quality, Traditional Heavy Metal with their distinctive thumbprint, their way 100%. Call them the biggest underground band in the world or a highly underrated and underappreciated A-Lister because it doesn’t really matter in the end. They are still going to slam into you like a runaway ice cream truck and either hurt you or (if you have my sense of humor) truly appreciate everything that they have done and continue to do. No amount of turmoil, band disruption, criticism or boundary can slow down, much less stop Anvil from putting out high-speed quality Metal and then relentlessly tour to get said killer music in your face, up close and personal (what you can expect at one of their shows can be found here). Much and continued sincere respect for Anvil!

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Review: PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS – ‘The Age of Absurdity’ [Track Stream]

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The long-anticipated, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons debut album, ‘The Age of Absurdity’ is catchy, golden-era hard rock with a modern-day shine.  Nuclear Blast is set to release this collection of eleven songs and one bonus track (“Silver Machine,” a Hawkwind cover) on January 26, 2018.  The album was recorded during the summer of 2017 and Phil Campbell had this to say about the process, “I am really excited for the fans to hear our debut record.  Every part of the process was done in Wales, from the writing to the recording, and even the artwork!”  ‘The Age of Absurdity’ was recorded at Rockfield Studios and Longwave Studios in Wales and produced by Romesh Dodanga (Motörhead, Bullet for my Valentine). Continue reading →

REVIEW: OF MICE & MEN – ‘Defy’

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2018 has already been a great year for music for the most part as far as new releases, new tour announcements, and new band updates go.  So far this year, we’ve been graced with several brand new kick-ass albums and several more on the way with one of those being the new release from metalcore giants Of Mice & Men, ‘Defy’.  The brand new album, set for release this Friday, January 19, is the band’s first album since the recent departure of former frontman, Austin Carlile, who left the band in late 2016 to focus on recovery from a long-term illness.  Stepping up to take over vocals, bassist Aaron Pauley utilizes ‘Defy’ to showcase just how qualified he is for his new position in the band. Continue reading →

Review: MACHINE HEAD – ‘Catharsis’ [Official Video + Track Stream]

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Throughout their 24 year career, the modern metal colossus that is Machine Head have seen their fair amount of love, hate and skepticism. A band who change with the times, not necessarily with the trends, they have shown especially interesting senses of progression most recently through adding string sections, choral chants and a bigger sense of scope to their crushing brand of metal. Fans have been kept on their toes in other words and the Machine Head brand is not easily painted into a corner. So when the band’s new record, ‘Catharsis’, was unveiled and its mission statement was to be a major statement for rock & metal music in 2018, one can’t help but let curiosity take over and see what the Cali boys have concocted this time. ‘Catharsis’ was recorded with Zack Ohren (Fallujah, All Shall Perish) at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California and will be released via Nuclear Blast on January 26th, 2018.

 

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Album Review: BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – ‘Grimmest Hits’ [Links Below]

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From fanatic heavy-metal advocates to casual listeners, a group that has managed to reel in an eclectic mixture of both communities is the now long-established, versatile force of Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, whose tenth studio album, whimsically titled ‘Grimmest Hits’ is perhaps a little bit of a celebration record for the band as it marks their twentieth anniversary as a recording unit. The record is scheduled to be released via eOne Music on 19/01/2018. Continue reading →

Review: APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE – ‘From Gold To Ash’

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Formed in 2004 by former The Gates Of Slumber drummer Chuck Brown, the band followed their 2008 ‘Sincerest Misery’ debut with “Last Sunrise” in 2010, then, in between two splits and a demo, released ‘Of Woe And Wounds’ in 2014, which also served as their first album for Italy’s Cruz Del Sur Music. Just in time, Apostle of Solitude greets the legions of doom in early 2018 with their fourth studio album, ‘From Gold To Ash.’ Continue reading →

The 4 Year Wait Is Over As White Wizzard Releases “Infernal Overdrive”

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White Wizzard is:

Wyatt “Screamin’ Demon” Anderson – vocals
Jon Leon – bass/guitars
James J LaRue – lead guitars and keyboards/orchestration
Dylan Marks – drums

As an answer to the angsty, low tuned, screamo music that has taken over since the early 2000’s, Los Angeles, CA’s White Wizzard was formed by bass/guitar player and songwriter Jon Leon in mid-2007. Stressing the importance of superior songwriting, melody and appropriate harmonies, Jon set out to add all of the fun and good times back to Hard Rock and Metal that had been all but abandoned since the late 80’s and early 90’s when Metal was in its infancy and heyday. Since their inception, White Wizzard has released a couple of EPs, a number of singles and four, full-length CDs entitled Over the Top (2010), Flying Tigers (2011, and one of my favorites!), The Devil’s Cut (2013) and, released Friday, January 12th, 2018 on the M-Theory Audio label (a first for the band), Infernal Overdrive.

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Review: APE CAVE – ‘Language of the Earth’ [Album Stream]

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Ape Cave are a talented band from the musically rich city of Portland, Oregon. The band’s debut release was on May 31, 2015 in the form of an EP titled ‘Primordium’. It was engineered by Ryan Grunest and The Human and mixed/mastered by The Human at Human Studios. ‘Primordium’ has been described as an eighteen minute long embarkment spanning over bountiful sonic landscapes – listeners will find themselves immersed in formidable singing, kaleidoscopic guitar solos and rigid rhythms. I have become addicted to their unique sound since hearing their 2016 release ‘Pillars of Evolution’ which also made my best of album list for that year. It was engineered/mixed by Fester at Haywire Studios and mastered by Stephan Hawkes at Interlace Audio. The band describes the album “Prepare to undertake a momentous odyssey through Kashmir’s bluffs, devastating Egyptian plains and volcanic panorama in Ape Cave’s LP ‘Pillars of Evolution.’ The psychedelic guitar work, roaring bass lines, thunderous percussion and dark vocals soaring to pyramidal heights are just a fraction of the elements that will leave listeners captivated. The tale of a wanderer experiencing an intensely hallucinogenic, trans-continental journey is yet to be unraveled.” The band has now released their follow up to that album with ‘Language of the Earth’ which like the last album released on January 1st. Ape Cave continues to bring amazing gifts on January 1st with their album releases and though it’s the first day of the year when December rolls around it will still be in your album rotation. This was true with ‘Pillars of Evolution’ and I’m sure the same will be true with ‘Language of the Earth’. This album was Engineered/mixed/produced by Billy Anderson who has worked with notable acts like The Melvins, Neurosis, Swans, Brutal Truth and many more. Continue reading →

Review of Leaves’ Eyes Spectacular “Sign of the Dragonhead”

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Leaves’ Eyes is:

Elina Siirala – Vocals

Alexander Krull – Vocals

Thorsten Bauer – Guitar/Bass

Pete Streit – Guitar

Joris Nijenhuis – Drums

Sign of the Dragonhead

Any fan of Symphonic, female-fronted Metal is intimately familiar with, now legendary, Leaves’ Eyes. Over the course of the last fourteen years, the band has released a total of six albums including Lovelorn (2004), Vinland Saga (2005), Njord (2009), Meredead (2011), Symphonies of the Night (2013) and King of Kings in late 2015. Based on a myriad of Nordic themes such as the mystical, underwater world of the mermaid, adventures of the ancient mariner, Celtic folk songs, tales of heroic women over the course of mankind’s existence and, most recently a concept album revolving around the first king of Norway, Leaves’ Eyes has carved their epic status in stone and set a firm foundation for the entire Symphonic sub-genre of Metal. By April 2016, Finnish vocalist Elina Siirala replaced long-standing front-woman Liv Kristine amid much drama and controversy. Fans from all over the world held their collective breaths as the first act of the band played out to its close. Once Elina proved herself at Hammersonic in Jakarta, Indonesia, Metal Female Voices, Wave Gotik, Treffen, Masters of Symphonic Metal, Full Metal Cruise and many other, fans breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Elina had what it takes to carry the standard. This should come as no surprise since Liv had a hand in choosing her replacement. Last year, Leaves’ Eyes ventured on their most bold world tour yet, hitting Europe, Asia, North America and South America; even being joined by one of my favorite bands, Sabaton, among many others and selling out shows throughout. Unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of seeing Leaves’ Eyes live but are said to have “shows [that are] are spectacular events featuring breathtaking stage sets like a Viking ship or the unforgettable ‘Swords in the Stone’ monument.”

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