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Tuesday 19 March 2024

Reviews: Necrophobic, Brat, Wounds, Ecclesia (Reviews By Gavin Brown, GC, Erick Willand & Rich Piva)

Necrophobic - In The Twilight Grey (Century Media) [Gavin Brown]

Truly masters of metal in its most blackened form, Necrophobic have been a force of nature ever since they burst out of Stockholm thirty years ago and have continued to deliver album after album of blackened metal fury. It is joyous to see that Necrophobic are still not only doing it after all these years, but doing it with a palpable sense of urgency, energy and above all, passion.

The band follow up their 2020 album with the dark and majestic In The Twilight Grey and it sees the Swedish band in fine form as they venomously blast through the likes of Stormcrow, Mirrors Of A Thousand Lakes and Cast In Stone with devilish abandon and the band simply obliterate all within their path with their hellish noise, with vocalist Anders Storkirk in particular showing what a devastating voice he has as his voice commands over every song.

In The Twilight Grey is Necrophobic gloriously showing no signs of slowing down with their music, in fact it is quite the opposite as this is the sound of a band delivering the metal goods confidently and powerfully which is no mean feat given how long Necrophobic have been making music, and it has to be said, long may that continue. 8/10

Brat - Social Grace (Prosthetic Records) [GC]

Since 2021, Brat have slowly been building on the scene, a couple of EP’s have already been released and now we have their debut album Social Grace, that it is being released on Prosthetic Records tells you a lot about how far they have come in only 3 years. I though am completely new to Brat and as they describe themselves as Barbiegrind/Bimbocore I’m not sure what to expect if I am honest?? Opener Ego Death is straight out of the blocks and starts with a nice blast of furious grindcore, that melds into a sludgy and subtle hardcore beat down that is gone before you really get a chance to brace yourself.

Hesitation Wound goes straight into the hardcore style again and has some lovely two-step rhythms going on and before long the grindcore influence is back and again they manage to chuck in a huge chugging doomy riff to close the song out which then crawls directly into Slow Heatin which Brener Moate manages to drag and scrape the riff along until they unleash the fury again and it just a full on heads down riot, full of big chugging riffs and thundering drums, my only issue on this song is I would like a bit more from the vocals. 

Truncheon blasts forwards and towards the end has hulking great riff that should be played for at least 3 more minutes and when the drums kick back in the groove is delicious. I do feel I have to say what I would like more of though is that when a good idea comes in, due to the nature of the styles it only really gets used once and not expanded on much as I would like, this is not a dig I just like what I hear and want to hear more of it!! Human Offense sounds like it could have been lifted off an early Napalm Death record and of course this is a compliment, its full of scuzzy and dirty bass lines from Dustin Eagan, corrosive guitars, and more excellent drumming from Ian Hennessey. 

Rope Drag starts off with a disgusting mix of death metal and hardcore but not in the usual deathcore way, this is done in a much more punk way and it’s a beautiful thing to behold and vocalist Liz Selfish really comes into her own on this track and sounds almost possessed at times and this mix of intensity and insanity makes for a fucking beast of a track before Blood Diamond roars into life with more of the unhinged hardcore essence that permeates most of the tracks but now it’s really shining through and the tracks all benefit massively from this, nothing sounds formulaic or boring and everything is fresh and exhilarating. 

Snifter continues with the unrelenting hardcore tinged death metal assault and again has some absolutely killer riffs thrown in throughout the song that just keep on giving and making me wonder how some bands can make music this enjoyable only last 2 minutes!? Sugar Bastard is another unmistakably Napalm Death-esque track and I only say this in praise because if you want to sound like someone sound like one of the best, the midway section of this song is one of the best parts of the entire album run time, its big riffs combining with more two-step rhythms and it’s a beautiful cacophony of noise!

Title track Social Grace closes the album with somewhat of an epic running time of 3:02 and in that time it combines some crunching 90’s death metal, thundering sludge and best of all hardcore all into one last thunderous kick to the gonads and just like that without any grace whatsoever Brat have done what they set out to do and left you in a bloody heap on the floor! What a ride!!If I am totally honest, I am still none the wiser about what Barbiegrind or Bimbocore actually is? But if this is it then I am a fan!!

Social Grace is a riot of gnarly chaotic hardcore that smashes into grindcore and sprinkles death and sludge metal on top for one almighty racket of a sound, as a starting point Social Grace is fucking statement and there is only one way Brat are going and that is directly to the top! This is an absolute thunder bastard of an album, and you need to listen to it as soon as you get the chance! 9/10

Wounds - Ruin (Everlasting Spew Records) [Erick Willand]

I do appreciate bands with simple, straightforward one word names. Not that I don't enjoy more creative approaches like Chained To The Bottom Of Bottom Of The Ocean or Blindfolded And Led To The Woods (lots of fun in those right lol) but there is something easy about one word names. I imagine it’s easier on the merch side too. Anyway Wounds dropped a smashing EP a few years ago titled Light Eater that still makes its way into my rotation so I’m eager to get to grips here. So I’m going to get my thinking cap on and sit and contemplate some complex Tech Death materials and report back as we travel. Let’s go.

Opening intro track, possibly title track, Of Ruin is an instrumental piece and I have to go with...bold. Thick chunky riffage, drums front and centre, this feels like a “this is what you're in for” kind of track. And brother, I’m here for it (in generic Wrestler voice). Track 2 is The Archfiend's Apothecary and as I’m greeted with riff and blast I’m already signing the book in red. Vocalist Neil Haney delivers a tight performance, aggressive and commanding. 

Doom Incarnate follows and ratchets up the speed for, dare I say it, a more Thrashy approach to the Tech assault and it fits snuggly like two Lego pieces, this pleases me and I spin this track three times before moving on. Within the first seconds of the next track In The Maw Of The Beast I realize this review is going to take me a bit longer than anticipated, I’m going to listen to these tracks multiple times each. Drummer Nate Burgard (ex Kataplexy) rips this track open like a hungry man tearing into a bag of chips, the Beast is behind that kit that’s for sure. 

Birth Of The New Light heralds the midpoint of the album and is what I would consider a straightforward Tech Death song from start to finish, it’s proper tight and masterly performed but isn’t breaking any molds, not a bad thing but some of the little flourishes the popped in during previous songs seem to be lacking here. 

Un-chuffed I continue on with the next track titled Dismember And Devour. I can tell instantly that we’re back on track here as the drum roll and blasts already feel cranked up again, the first minute and twenty just absolutely rip with urgency. The headlong rush forward does bog down a bit but if you're a bass enthusiast then this part is for you as Franco Caballero comes up in the mix to rumble in the deep end and I’m here for it. One of my favourite elements of the Tech Death sub-genre is that more often than not the musicians involved are top notch or better and Mr. Caballero is no exception. 

The final three start with Zoophagist, which I think is a word that the band just made up but does that even matter, the song rips where it should, chugs where it needs to and has some fun vocal moments tucked in like extra chocolate chips in a store bought cookie. Second to last track is Ready Your Mind and this title proves very on the nose as the second half of this song tries hard to pry right into your brain bucket and kick things around, guitar heroics by Rick Mora as he jumps from chugga riff to ripping riff and back again. 

Seriously, there is a lot going on here that is just straight up fun. Bent On Disaster (great song title) is the last slab of mind punching tech madness on the album and it does not disappoint, drum rolling right in wearing the big boots and then guitar smacking us all into the whirling madness. There is some really enjoyable guitar love here and when paired with great performances by all involved it’s just all forward motion in a tight, crunchy fun package, I spin this track like 4 times and plan to toss it into my personal playlist on release. 

I admit I’m easy to please when it comes to Tech Death, as stated in previous reviews I’m a sucker for a good show and high level Metal musicianship falls under a good show...or something like that. Don’t think about it, like I’m not thinking about this album cover which is interesting but lacking enough definition, at least in this press pic, to really tell what it is...just kind of blurry. Anyway, I need a break after that high speed Tech pummelling so I’m off to have tea and watch Ringo Starr in that Caveman movie he made in the 80’s. Wounds comes to solid. 7/10

Ecclesia - Ecclesia Militans (Aural Music) [Rich Piva]

Super epic French doom is what you are in store for with the new album from Ecclesia. This is some medieval stuff, in theme at least, musically this is super clean doom with some traditional and power metal elements, but whatever you want to call it, Ecclesia Militans kicks all sorts of ass. The vocals area we some, the playing is excellent, and the production, while super clean, is perfect for what these guys are giving off. 

The first full track, If She Floats, is one of my favourite songs of the year so far. Up-tempo metal goodness with outstanding vocals and superior playing. The chunky riffs along with that voice melds perfectly together. Speaking of crunchy riffs, how about the one from Et Cum Spirtu Tuo? The organ work add seven more awesomeness to Ecclesia Militans. I called this doom, but don’t mistake this for something that plods along, because this record is here to keep their foot on the gas the entire time, or since we are talking about 12 Century Inquisition times, I should have used some kind of horse reference. 

Some later period Sabbath worship is what Ecclesia is all about, but only if a French guy who can hit all sorts of high notes was hired instead of Tony Martin. The guitar work continues to be outstanding throughout, including on the title track, which picks the pace back up and is also probably the most impressive vocal performance on a record full of them. The Exorcism is where you can start to hear the Candlemass comparisons come though, but I am not sure Candlemass has ever sounded so full, as this is like a wall of sound doom type thing. The best riff of the album comes from Ereptor Verae Fidei which is sung in French which is pretty cool while Redden The Iron is some true epic metal with an almost symphonic feel and I love when the pace slows and we get that dual guitar solo. 

You want evil? You get it with Harvester Of Sinful Souls that starts out with some monks and finishes crunching your soul with doomy riffs and keys. I absolutely love the vocal melody on this one. You get a sparce two minute church choir chant and bells that seems like a strange way to close out but it almost acts as the funeral dirge to signify the end but also could be a set up for a part two to Ecclesia Militans and boy would I be there for that. Ecclesia Militans has to be my surprise album of the first quarter 0f 2024. 

I thought this was going to be a listen once and forget album, but instead it is contending for album of the month and will show up in my top 100 list at the end of the year for sure. Epic power doom is what Ecclesiais all about and you need to be all about it too. 9/10

Monday 18 March 2024

A View From The Back Of The Room: Saving Grace With Robert Plant (Live Review By Paul Hutchings)

Saving Grace With Robert Plant & Suzi Dian / Taylor McCall, Bristol Beacon, 13.03.24

How do you know you’re at a gig where the legendary Robert Plant is performing? Well, there are a few tell tale signs and it’s not just the queues at the gents for those overactive prostates. You can add to that list some rather typically rude talking during songs, an inability to use a mobile phone to take a photo without the flashlight activated, and a general entitlement for a generation that by and large, is in the most comfortable stage of their life. It's rare these days that I feel young at a concert, but this was certainly one.

Led Zeppelin III was released six months after I was born, and a certain Robert Anthony Plant was already achieving rock god status. To see him 54 years later, aged 75, still imposing his incredible presence (sorry) on stage, well, its mind blown isn’t it. Unlike the stumbling wreck that is Ozzy, Plant stands tall (literally – he is still a big man) alongside such contemporaries as Gillan, Halford, Byford, Brock, Wilson and Brown. The huge difference is the voyage of discovery that Plant has taken since 1980; a meandering musical journey of exploration that has seen him forge another legacy. Priory Of Brion, Band Of Joy, The Sensational Shape Shifters, as well as numerous collaborations with the likes of Alison Krauss, and now Saving Grace.

This was my first visit to the refurbished and renamed Bristol Beacon. It’s a fine auditorium, and the multi-million-pound works didn’t disappoint. Nothing too flashy, and the restricted seat that I had gave me a crick in the neck, but overall, the former Colston Hall looks fit for many years and concerts to come.

Before Saving Grace, we get Taylor McCall (7). Already seasoned from supporting Saving Grace last autumn the Nashville singer/songwriter/guitarist is a talented dude, and he takes his 30-minute opening slot with both hands. He’s enigmatic, slightly awkward in style and delivery, but when he lets fly with his electric guitars, it’s difficult to shift attention. He focuses on songs from latest album Mellow War, which for most of the audience is new territory. 

He's got a bass player (sorry – missed his name) and a sole bass drum to add heft. His middle section relies on acoustic guitars, one for each song to avoid that tuning nightmare. I’ll be honest, the central part of his set merged into one, but that’s often the way with those delta blues. It’s with his final song that he throws everything at it, resulting in an exit on a high. Would I watch him again? Possibly not, but he certainly did his level best, and you can’t ask for more than that.

Formed in 2019, Saving Grace (10) is Robert Plant’s latest collaboration. He’s joined by a formidable line-up who are all incredibly talented. Alongside him, as they ease into Gospel Plow is Suzi Dian on vocals. The duo is a delightful pairing, Plant always happy to share and focus the spotlight on others, certainly takes a back seat at times as Dian leads. Her vocals are phenomenal, a rare talent, she is central to the way this band works.

Describing percussionist Oli Jefferson as an octopus is no understatement. His organic flow that switches from blues to folk to tribal styles makes it look effortless. He holds the rhythm, and although slightly out of sight from my angle, he’s as interesting to watch as the other members. On the next podium sits Matt Worley, who during the evening effortlessly shows his prowess on banjo, acoustic and baritone guitars and cuatro. 

He’s an astonishing musician, unassuming yet integral to the performance. He takes lead vocals on one song, whilst his rich backing vocals add to the harmonies throughout the evening. That just leaves guitarist Tony Kelsey, who sits in semi darkness, happily switching between mandolin, acoustic and electric guitars, and occasional backing vocals. He’s another incredible musician. It’s a formidable collective.

The set comprises covers of traditional folk, americana and bluegrass, harnessed and gathered by Plant on his travels across the globe. He’s got an insatiable appetite for music and references many different musicians as the evening progresses. A reverential cover of Low’s Everybody’s Song is dedicated to the late Mimi Parker, whilst the main set ends with an extended and extremely enjoyable workout through Los Lobos’s Angel Dance.

Of course, there is room for a couple of Zeppelin songs during the evening. Four Sticks is dedicated to “My brothers”, a refence to Jones and Page, whilst my highlight of the evening was an emotionally charged The Rain Song, with Dian adding accordion, which, despite my usual hatred of said instrument, makes the song even better.

Between songs, Plant is relaxed, humorous, dry in with and full of enthusiasm and joy. It’s amazing to see how vitalised he remains, but then, he’s always been like that when I’ve seen him over the years. Making music is his life’s blood, and it seems the arteries are still rich. He references Machynlleth and Owain Glyndwr which receives a cheer from the many Welsh in the audience, looks back on his past with dry wit, and graciously laughs as Dian needs a member of crew to assist her with the accordion at one point; “we have people working for us” he jokes.

It all points to a relaxed, thoroughly enjoyable evening spent in the company of a true rock legend and his astonishing band. As the encore sees In My Time of Dying and Gallows Pole get an airing, one can only hope that he’ll be back before too long. An amazing evening from start to finish.

Sunday 17 March 2024

Reviews: Gost, Lutharo, Lucifer Was, Crying Steel (Reviews By GC, Zak Skane, Patches & Matt Bladen)

Gost - Prophecy (Metal Blade Records) [GC]

Every once in a while, we all need to be taken out of our comfort zone and try something new and exciting, so today I am throwing myself about as far away from my zone of comfort as is humanly possible and have decided to have a go at reviewing the latest Gost album Prophecy.
 
Opening with Judgment doesn’t really do much as it an ambient and un-needed intro but when Prophecy kicks in everything changes dramatically, it’s a drilling and high pitched beginning that then throws in a grindcore drum section that then merges directly into the soundtrack of an 80’s sci-fi film, thudding electronics are melded with ambience and dread that while I’m not 100% sold it certainly make me sit up and pay attention, Death In Bloom sounds a bit too much like a M*rilyn M*anson track for my liking its very industrial and gothic and doesn’t really do much for me, it has a decent pace and verges on metal which is a bonus but its just not clicking with me. 

Deceiver fares much better, it is a slow, brooding and menacing track that is full of dark beats and stabbing ambience that could be plucked straight out of an 80’s horror film and when it picks the pace up towards the end it really keeps the intrigue levels piqued, Obituary is an absolute thumper of a song, big fat beats collide with the 80’s drum machines and some inspired electronics mix in with everything to create a wall of sound that once again doesn’t let you stop paying attention throughout which with ‘’dance’’ music is usually my weak point, it all sounds the same but not here, it helps that I love 80’s horror because I can just picture these songs fitting directly into lots of the movies I love , so gives not only a musical interest but a mental one too, 

Temple Of Tears is another song full of menace and mental imagery, I’m not sure how this would play out in a live setting but I feel these tracks would make an absolutely amazing soundtrack to an immersive experience as they just envelope you as you listen and you can feel yourself just being swallowed up by it all, then Decedent Decay is just fucking mental, one minute it’s all gabba beats and thundering drums, then its rich ambience with the familiar 80’s feel again and it’s all mixed together in on big mindfuck of a song which throws you completely off kilter for no reason, great work! 

Widow Song goes back to the heavy ambience and sounds like a heavier new romantic era track. You can imagine this would go down well in some mad Goth club in Berlin, it’s just got that weird unease and tension about it. Golgotha is another soundtrack type of song and has a more conventional ‘’metal’’ fell to it, not in the way it’s got guitars and such because it hasn’t, its just the general feel of the song has a very metal undertone throughout and Digital Death is another absolute mindfuck of a song it’s just all over the place and it’s such a glorious explosion of chaos from start to end and is another undoubtedly metal influenced track, probably the best on the whole album! 

Shelter is an opulent and rich soundscape which pushes further the reach of the electronics and samples and molds something truly wonderful to listen to, Through The Water sounds like if Depeche Mode decided to go even darker and starts off a little on the yawn some side of things, but then a sprinkling of metalness midway picks everything up to end nicely, Leviathan is the last song and ends the album on a suitably cinematic horror movie soundtrack ending. Must admit I liked this way more than I thought I would! Its dark and menacing in many places but also has a heaviness about it I just wasn’t expecting, it may be a couple of tracks too long if I am 100% honest, but that’s a small criticism and probably because of my child like attention span but seriously if you’re looking for something to intrigue you and challenge what you think ‘’heavy’’ music is you won’t go wrong with this! 8/10

Lutharo – Chasing Euphoria (Atomic Fire Records) [Zak Skane]

Gates Of Enchantment opens up this modern metal 11 track album by greeting us with some classic old school film score level orchestras, with it’s deep groaning cellos, grandiose brass sections and marching snare patterns to lead us to our first song Reaper's Call which provides a great introduction by being greeted by fast balls to the wall tempos, guitar hero memorable melodies and fast break neck drumming provided by Cory Hofing which consists of skank beats, machine gun double kicks that bend and meld from 16th note to 8th note triplet patterns. 

When it comes to Krista, she is not afraid to show her talents across the board on this opening track going from harsh vocals to soaring cleans whilst reaching all the way to Rob Halford high notes. The energy continues with Ruthless Bloodline with all members gunning straight into it with metalcore type fury, with it the drums still elevating their abilities with non stop double kick patterns, whilst the Victor Bucur (guitar), Chris (bass), follows suit with thrashtastic riffs and galloping chugging patterns. 

Time To Rise comes in as the most dynamic song on this album with clean guitar delivered verses that ascend into power metal styled pre-choruses that consist of galloping rhythms backed with symphonic strings. Born To Ride provides us with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest twin harmonies along with hard rock styled guitar solos and the Krista closing the track with some Rob Halford piercing highs. Bonded To The Blade provides slower marching battle metal tempos, game of thrones sounding neo-classical guitar melodies and clean guitar passages. 

Other highlights from this album is the energetic Creating A King that contains masses of metalcore attitude and aggression, the metric modulating noodles of Strong Enough To Fall and Paradise Or Parasite and the rumbling bass and melodic sections of closing track Freedom Of The Night leads the band to a triumphant conclusion. Through out this 12 track release Lutharo’s Chasing Euphoria has defiantly captured the spirit of heavy metal in all of it’s glory from the relentless energetic drumming by Cory Hofing on songs like Reaper's Call, Ruthless Bloodline and Creating A King, to the shredding guitar work on Born To Ride and their closing track Paradise Or Parasite

Krista has done an amazing performance of marrying the old and new generations metal from the opening track Reaper's Call incorporating harsh sung verses to effortlessly transitioning into power metal sung choruses whilst Time To Rise swaps it about by incorporates the dynamically softly sung verses to snarling pre-choruses. If this momentum continues, this band can lead to big things. For fans of Trivium, Arch Enemy and Judas Priest. 9/10

Lucifer Was - En Fix Ferdig Mann (Apollon Records Prog) [Patches]

Lucifer Was was formed in Oslo in the 70s but didn’t get around to releasing any material until the late 90s. Since then the band have released albums fairly regularly with the eighth feature-length Ein Fix Ferdig Mann drawing me in with its bizarre album cover pre-listen.

The album immediately sounds like an updated version of that more theatrical side of good 70s prog rock. Choirs, hard blues and dramatics play out like some kind of progressive electronic requiem. The title track Ein Fix Ferdig Mann has an absolutely stinking tone for the guitar solo more often found in stoner rock but contests immaculately with the softer vocals and keys. Krig I Open Landscape has some of that Freddy Mercury passion initially sounding like a Norwegian version of Queen were asked to write a bond theme until it drops into pure Sabbath heavy occult filth and a gripping church organ. 

Pages on the band describe them as reminiscent of Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, early Scorpions and Jethro Tull, but I’d definitely go as far as to add some of the stranger bands of the time such as The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Man, King Crimson and even possibly some Gentle Giant. With eccentric theatrical lines riding hack to the more bike driven rock of bands like Blue Cheer and the diversity of Blue Oyster Cult. Nar Natta Kjem Og Tek Meg introduces a folky female chant over an eerie descending progression. The cheeky mischievous groove of Eg Vil Ha Det Eg Vil Ha is just bloody brilliant. The Devils Blues.

Whilst SNOMANN I SOL carries that Garry Moore Parisienne Walkways feel …. Which I’ve just realised has a tenuous similarity to Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive … But nobody wants to spend too long with that thought. The guitarist follows mainly blues but with the interesting choices and flourishes found in musicians such as Focus’s Jan Ackerman and BOC’s Donald Roser. Aftenbon Til Dauden sounds like the penultimate number in a rock opera, musical or theatre production. It’s fun, and without understanding a word of Norwegian it feels as if it’s telling a story. The jokes on me if it’s absolute nonsense I guess.

Ein Fix Ferdig Mann is a very interesting and enjoyable album . As somebody in their 30s, for anybody who’s parents don’t remember the 70s (because they were actually there) this fees like a combination of your dads stranger albums. You know, the ones he tried to tell you were genius before you were old enough to care. It’s brilliant ! Well written, wonderfully performed and entertaining.

Recommended for fans of all the above mentioned bands and those into psychedelic, theatrical, rock and prog rock. 9/10

Crying Steel - Live And Thunder (Underground Symphony Records) [Matt Bladen]

One of the first heavy metal acts to come from Italy Crying Steel released two albums in the 80's then returned in 2007, having released 3 albums, one live album and remastered their first two albums since then. 

Recorded live in their hometown of Bologna, on 2022, Live And Thunder was a show to commemorate their 40th Anniversary as a band. I don't know the size of the Alchemica Music Club but it sounds like it was an intimate gig as the crowd noise is audible but not deafening, so this record feels more like a studio release, if it wasn't for the between song chat (in Italian of course). 

Similar to Hammerfall's One Crimson Night live album from 2003, this is the best of Crying Steel performed in front of fans who will have been there from the start to celebrate heavy metal. Musically Crying Steel bring the battle based metal of Hammerfall, (they even have a song called Hammerfall) as well as Saxon, Helloween and American bands such Vicious Rumours who they will play dates with this year. 

Tracks such a as Defender, Raptor, Running Like A Wolf all encapsulate the Crying Steel sound and show why they have the following they do in their home country. The disc also has a special bonus in the shape of Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be which has only ever been performed live and makes it's recorded debut here. Macho metal from Italy as these veterans impress with their longevity. 7/10

Friday 15 March 2024

Reviews: Whom Gods Destroy, Scott Stapp, Dragonforce, Wasted Death (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Whom Gods Destroy - Insanium (InsideOut Records)

Keyboardist Derek Sherinian and guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal were core members of prog metal supergroup Sons Of Apollo alongside Jeff Scott Soto, Billy Sheehan and Mike Portnoy. SOA's second album proved to be their last with Portnoy playing in numerous bands and now back in the Dream Theater mothership, Sheehan on tour with Mr Big one last time and Soto singing for anyone who wants him. 

It left Thal and Sherinian looking for another set of collaborators, they found Dino Jelusick not long after he left Frontiers and started to write songs, keeping the musical synergy they established with Sons Of Apollo but experimenting a bit further to see where it took them. After Dino joined they added bassist Yas Nomura and drummer Bruno Valverde and by June 2023 their debut was complete. 

It continues the legacy of Sons Of Apollo but under a new name of Whom Gods Destroy, all the players are virtuoso, that rhythm section is especially impressive, Yas and Bruno having a chemistry that is unbeatable even when they're playing something slower and more deliberate like bonus track Requiem or The Decision

The basslines are thick and insistent, grooving on the palm muted Over Again, while on the first track In The Name Of War, Valverde lays down some technical beats, his feel of the kit is incredible. Of course the record is driven by Sherinian's keys and Thal's guitars, they are the melodic part of this band, making The Decision sound like the Dream Theater of Falling To Infinity the one record where Sherinian played with them. 

It's got a passionate chorus built around exquisite playing where Thal and Sherinian weave in and out of each other in the fantastic middle solo section before the riffs get heavier on Crucifier or Crawl which could be my favourite track here, due to how well it shows off Jelusick's incredible vocals. 

As does Find My Way Back, I've said in the past how good Dino's voice is and while he has a lot of similarities to JSS, he brings his own style to the songs, keeping it the same but different. I could break down every song here but it's a prog metal album from some of the best musicians out there, so yes they are a natural successor to Sons Of Apollo, but Whom Gods Destroy make their own indelible mark. 9/10

Scott Stapp - Higher Power (Napalm Records)

If you've been on the internet in the last year you'll have heard Scott Stapp's unmistakable voice. The songs he sang with Creed are all over Tik-Tok and Instagram, reactivating the interest in the band even probably leading to their reformation. Stapp also has a solo career which has been incredibly successful his last was in 2019, but Higher Power ramps up his previous record with some high quality performances and song writing. 

Alongside those incredible vocals is the scintillating virtuoso playing of Yiannis Papadopoulos, a long time member of Stapp's band, he's an award winning player and peels off solo after solo here shredding up a storm similar to one Mr Tremonti on Quicksand especially. There's also some guests spots from the always fantastic Dorothy and Grammy winning country songwriter Steve McEwan. 

Massive riffs come from the off as the title track is some darkly heavy metal, down tuned and punishing from the guitars, though with an undercurrent of synths and Stapp unleashing those vocals for the first time on a song about rediscovering yourself. The info around this album tells me that the songs traverse loss, frustration, betrayal and near defeat, Stapp always using his own life and the world around him to influence his emotive and inspiring lyrics. 

The heaviness continues on Deadman's Trigger, but there's obligatory ballads with introspection coming on If These Walls Could Talk, which is a ballad with rocker Dorothy, that smoky country sound that is all over Dorothy's music brought here too as they are on You're Not Alone the co-write from McEwan adding a lot of acoustic Americana. So that's metal, country, rock all covered, but Stapp doesn't stop there Black Butterfly adding electronics. 

Due to Stapp's vocals being the way they are, it's a little ballad heavy but there's a lot of variation climaxing in the beautiful Weight Of The World. It's a tribute to Stapp's faith but without being preachy, it's an album that puts the positive power of belief through some radio friendly modern metal and balladry. 8/10

Dragonforce - Warp Speed Warriors (Napalm Records)

What I’ve been so struck by with all the Dragonforce albums since Marc Hudon joined on vocals is how they’ve been able to transition those extreme power metal guitar workouts, so many will recognise from Through The Fire And The Flames, Valley Of The Damned and My Spirit Will Go On, into 4 or 5 minutes rather than the 7-8 minutes of their first few albums. 

Take for instance Killer Queen, Burning Heart and Pixel Prison both around 6 minutes, both feature light speed guitar workouts from Herman Li and Sam Totman, maybe it’s the lack of their keyboard player but as they have leaned more heavily into videogame lore, Dragonforce have managed to make their songs punchier but still make shred heads we themselves. 

Anyway with that musing out of the way it's on to the newest album from Dragonforce, Warp Speed Riders, another nine-ish tracks of extreme power metal led musically by the founding guitarists alongside screamer Hudson, inhuman drum machine Gee Anzalone and bassist Alicia Vigil, where styles clash, videogame music blurs with triumphant power metal, synthwave gets some shredding solos and there’s even a Taylor Swift cover. 

In their most recent years, the band have embraced their online ‘meme/viral’ etc presence to increase their reach to listeners. Herman Li especially has a Twitch channel where those who perhaps know just that one song will be welcomed into the weird world of Dragonforce and the inviting style of nerd metal. I’ve been on the ride since the beginning and Warp Speed Riders is up there with their best releases. 

From the blistering Astro Warrior Anthem into the anthemic Power Of The Triforce, inspired by The Legend Of Zelda videogames, we get the happiest song ever written about Warhammer 40K on Space Marine Corp and the Eighties-tastic Doomsday Party which you’ll need you RayBan Wayfarer’s for, just listen to the electronic drums. So let’s address the elephant in the room, yes, there is a Taylor Swift cover, the tongue twisting Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version) (Dragonforce’s Version), which speeds up the Global Megastar’s song in the proper Dragonforce way, again appealing to their internet fanbase brilliantly. 

As well as Ms Swift there are four bonus tracks, an instrumental version of Power Of The Triforce. Then a plethora of guests including Amaranthe’s Elize Ryd on Doomsday Party, which I imagine will be the version played on their up-coming co-headline tour. Burning Heart gains Alissa White-Gluz on screaming/singing while Astro Warrior Anthem has both Matthew K Heafy of Trivium on vocals and Nita Strauss shredding up a storm. They’re similar to the originals just with some extra seasoning to what is another brilliant power metal feast from Dragonforce. 9/10

Wasted Death - Season Of Evil (APF Records) [Matt Bladen]

Like things that go bump in the night, seeing your first video nasty or the Conservative Party, true horror never really goes away.

Wasted Death lean on this, with three previous EP’s they have delivered horrific tales of zombification, hammered into your synapses with thrash, hardcore, grindcore and d-beat riffs that sound like they were played on a rusty chainsaw rather than a guitar. Full throttle assaults on the ears intended to draw blood by the bucket, Wasted Death are the sort of band Slayer wish they were, or at least the sort that Jeff and Lombardo pictured. 

Signed to APF, they’ve found a home for their terrifying tirades and on Season Of Evil they arrive fully transformed and flesh devouring. Comprising Charlie Davis of Beggar on vocals and I assume a broken bass due to the amount of fuzz it produces, Wayne Adams of Big Lad on six string assault and the raw production and Tom Brewins of USA Nails on percussion battery, Season Of Evil is visceral music for despicable people. 

Imagine a universe where Converge and High On Fire played Slayer covers and watched endless Dario Argento flicks and you’d be in the right graveyard. Speaking of Argento, the band have released a mini movie to accompany the album, a low budget zombie flick that also features John and Scott from Green Lung and embodies the spirit of what Wasted Death are all about. 

Scott Black of Green Lung appears a couple of times on the record adding the Hanneman dive bombs as the only semblance of ‘melody’ while Wasted Death see fit to record a record as close to In Battle There Is No Law as possible. Not that this is a negative thing as there’s brilliance in the nastiness; NOLA grooves fed through abrasive, gnashing powerviolence, what’s not to love? 9/10

Thursday 14 March 2024

M2TM South Wales 2024: Cardiff Heat #2 Interview With Root Zero By Paul Hutchings

Interview With Root Zero – Heat 2 M2TM, Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff 15th March 2024

Let’s start with introductions. Who is who and what does each person do in the band?

We’ve got our lead vocalist Sasha Bannister, Llyr Williams and Dan Wood are our two guitarists, Rob Edwards is our bassist, Giacomo Fiderio is our keyboardist and co-lead vocalist, and Josh Powell-Gibbs is our drummer.

Where are you from and how long have you been together?

Half the band is from England and the other half is from Wales. Most of us knew each other when we went to Aberystwyth University, although this lineup didn’t form until we all moved to Cardiff between 2019 and 2020. Dan and Rob are our newest additions, joining in 2021 and 2022 respectively. I (Giacomo) have been writing music for this band since 2016, and I worked on music with a few different people whilst I was at Aberystwyth. Sasha and I are the only remaining members who were involved prior to us moving to Cardiff.

Describe your music in five words.

Ethereal, progressive, gothic, doomy and melodic.

What prompted you to apply to be part of Metal to the Masses – South Wales?

We were part of Metal 2 the Masses in 2022, although that was only our 3rd ever gig so we were fairly inexperienced back then and didn’t make it past the first heat. We’ve learned a lot since then and we’re hopeful that we can progress further through the heats this time! Playing a festival like Bloodstock would be a dream come true for all of us, but we also love returning just to play with other metal bands in South Wales; we’ve played gigs with some of the bands that were in our heat in 2022 so it’s a good way to get to know the other bands in the area.

If you have played Metal to the Masses before, tell us about your previous experiences and importantly, why you’ve returned!

As I said, we played Metal 2 The Masses in 2022 but we weren’t that experienced back then. We’ve grown as a band since then, literally, and figuratively, so we hope we can bring a more exciting set to this heat.

Bloodstock is a big festival – have you attended the festival in the past? If so, what would you say are the best things about the weekend?

Me (Giacomo) and Sasha went to Bloodstock in 2017, it was a great weekend, with our personal highlights being Wintersun, Blind Guardian, Whitechapel, Soilwork, Ghost, Testament, Megadeth, and Amon Amarth. We were blessed with really good weather apart from the day we left, which meant we packed up a soggy tent, but it was great to stay dry during the festival itself. Also, it’s always nice to be surrounded by likeminded people into the same music!

Apart from Metal to the Masses, what do you have planned for 2024?

We’ve got a new single and a 3D animated music video dropping this month on March 22nd, and we also have an album in the works. We’ve got a few more gigs in our calendar too and we’re always on the lookout for more shows to play.

What can we expect from you in your heat?

We always try and focus on atmosphere in our sets, but there are also plenty of hard-hitting riffs in our music to get the crowd moving! There are a lot of loud/quiet dynamics in our songs, with melodic choruses and some soaring harmonies.

And what are you expecting in your heat and journey through the competition?

We’re excited to see what the other bands in our heat will bring for their sets. We’re friends with the guys in Thrakian and have played with them before, so we’re looking forward to watching them again. Obviously, all the bands playing want to make it through to the next heat, but we’re excited for a fun night as well, and hopefully that attitude will stay the same if we progress through to the other stages.

Finally, where can people find details of the band – promote your socials here!

You can find us on all the usual social media places through our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/root_zero We’re on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Bandcamp and all popular streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music etc.

Reviews: Vltimas, Bongzilla, Atrophy, Leather Lung (Reviews By Paul Hutchings, Paul Scoble, Richard Oliver & Rich Piva)

Vltimas – Epic (Season Of Mist) [Paul Hutchings]

In those uncertain times mere weeks before lockdown, a stellar package rolled into London for a one-off show. Headlined by Norwegian Black Metal legend Abbath, the undercard included 1349, Chilean thrashers Nuclear and the gargantuan death metal sound of Vltimas. The latter were touring their debut release, Something Wicked Marches In, and they played that show as if they were the main attraction. 

It was unsurprising, given the personnel involved in this extreme metal supergroup. For those who are unaware, Vltimas comprise Norwegian guitarist Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen (ex-Mayhem, Aura Noir), American vocalist David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), and Canadian drummer Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy). Rounded out by Dutch bassist Ype TVS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portuguese guitarist João Duarte (Corpus Christii), they make a formidable line-up.

Epic has been a long time coming, but that’s not really a problem, for good things definitely come to those that wait. Written in Vincent’s Texan ranch, it’s evident from first plays that this is one fluid mother of a record. Vincent explains. "The writing sessions were as organic as they could be. There were times when, at the end of the night, Rune would take his guitar and play something ridiculous. Flo would play something even more ridiculous on top of it. I'd say to the guys, 'I need to capture this.'

Having established that Vltimas work better as a unit, thriving when together, the proof is in the finished product. The horror-tinged intro Volens Discordent provides a jarring start, the first minute an edgy, uncomfortable ride which gives way to a hypnotic riff, the first of many that rain down throughout the 40-odd minutes. It’s a brooding start, the title track presenting as immense in sound and size, razor-edged guitars chug over Mounier’s thunderous delivery, whilst Vincent hasn’t been on such form for many years. His sinister, gravel throated vocals adding a touch of the demonic.

We’ve already been treated to three singles, the piledriver that is Miserere, along with Scorcher and Invictus, all of which grab the extreme in different ways, the first possessing an explosive and majestic tempo that cascades with relentless power and energy. But what about the lyrical content. Whereas Something Wicked Vincent focused on the apocalypse, the goddess Lilith and truth, this time around the former Morbid Angel front man has changed the focus here. 

Everything we're doing and messaging is about strength and honour," says Vincent. "These are the fundamentals that I incorporate into my life, which I believe in. I want to share with others, hoping they'll incorporate strength and honour into their lives. I wouldn't say I like spelling lyrics out. I use a lot of double meanings on purpose because I want to inspire the listener to think. I'm not a short attention span guy, and I don't appreciate it. Epic is holistic and meant to be experienced that way”.

If this type of chaotic extreme metal does appeal, then tracks such as the ferocious Exercitus Irae and the groove and swing of Mephisto Manifesto, both poles apart in their tempo, should impress. The latter has a swagger that glam bands would die for, as Vincent throws verbal shapes around that work in time with the underlying riff.

There remains that Gothic tint that worked so well on the debut. Nature’s Fangs blends the atmospheric flavours of those early 80s heroes like The Sisters of Mercy with the savagery of epic melodic death metal outfits. It’s a soaring ride, freely crafted and captivating from start to finish.

By the time you reach the finale, the longest track on the album in Spoils Of War, you’ll be somewhat battered and bruised. At the same time, you’ll want to be diving back in to experience what this band can offer. At times gargantuan in sheer scale, Vltimas won’t appeal to all. If they do float your boat though, then Epic comes highly recommended. You won’t find a better performance this year. 9/10

Bongzilla – Dabbing (Live) Rosin In Europe (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Paul Scoble]

Bongzilla have been stalwarts of the doom and stoner scenes since 1995. The band, based in Madison, Wisconsin, have had two distinct periods of activity, 1995 – 2009, and after a six year hiatus, 2015 up to the present. During that time the band have released six albums and innumerable EP's and splits. Bongzilla’s first album was released in 1999 and was called Stash, the bands last album was released last year and was called Dab City. The band is made up of Magma on drums, Spanky on guitars and Muleboy on bass, guitars and vocals.

The album is split into seven songs that were recorded at The Duna Jam, in Posnan and in Belfast.

Bongzilla’s style is big doomy stoner rock, so huge riffs that are simple but effective, the songs tend to grow as they progress, so a stoner riff will build to a huge groove with faster tempos that drive everything forward.

There is definitely some Black Sabbath influences in the material, not surprising really as Sabbath created doom, and also gave the stoner genre a kick start with Sweet Leaf. There is Sabbath influences in pretty much every style of doom or stoner, however on the tracks King Of Weed (Live In Posnan) and Greenthumb (Live In Belfast) you can really hear the Iommi influence in the riffing, something I really enjoyed.

The aforementioned grooves are really good on this album, the live setting definitely gives these parts a bit more verve and energy than on the originals and this really helped the live atmosphere come over, I particularly liked the grooves on the tracks Sundae Driver (Live At Duna Jam)H.P. Keefmaker (Live In Belfast) and Gestation (Live At Duna Jam). Another thing I really enjoyed about this album was the many guitar solos, pretty much all the songs have solos and they absolutely rip, really tuneful, melodic and they really add to the songs.

It's not all good however, as we now run into the most divisive feature of Bongzilla’s sound, and that is the vocals. Most stoner rock has clean, sung vocals, some has harsh vocals, Bongzilla have the most extreme harsh vocals I have heard on stoner or doom. To my ears the vocalist that Muleboy sounds most like is Maniac who used to do vocals for Mayhem and Skitliv, both much more extreme in style that Bongzilla. 

In some places it sounds as if he is trying to eat his own lips, in other places it sounds like the vocals were performed by an Intestinal Tract Infection, to my ears they sound affected and ridiculously over the top. There were quite a lot of places where I was really enjoying the music and felt that this was spoiled by Muleboy vomiting in my ear.

Dabbing (Live) Rosin In Europe, is a great live album with one issue. Musically I really enjoyed this album, and thought the grooves in particular were fantastic, but every time the Vocals came in it all just falls apart. Musically this is a nine out of ten, but the vocals drag the score down.

There is no reason for Bongzilla to care what I think of their vocals, if this is how they want their sound then they have no reason to change, I just know that if they had clean Vocals, or less ridiculous Harsh Vocal, I would have spent much more time listening to their music. 7/10

Atrophy - Asylum (Massacre Records) [Richard Oliver]

Atrophy are one of those cult thrash bands who, outside of people who listened to them back in the day and in the thrash obsessive community, aren’t really too well known or remembered. They formed in Arizona in 1987 and released two very well regarded albums Socialized Hate in 1988 and Violent By Nature in 1990 before they decided to call it a day in 1993. 

The band reformed in 2015 and resurrected their thrash attack for a number of years before vocalist Brian Zimmerman departed in 2020 when the band’s European tour was cut short due to the pandemic. The remaining members forged on with a new singer before rebranding as Scars Of Atrophy but then to many people’s surprise Atrophy reformed with Brian Zimmerman at the helm and a whole new line-up and now after 34 years the band’s third album Asylum.

With such a long gap between albums, Asylum doesn’t pick up where Violent By Nature left off but the heart of the old Atrophy is still very much there but with a beefed up sound which is still very much old school thrash but with a few contemporary elements thrown in the mix. 

Album opener Punishment For All wastes no time in breaking faces with its crushing thrash assault and the album rarely lets up from there until its conclusion. There is speed and aggression in plentiful amounts such as on Bleeding Out but the riffs are quite chunky and there are some groove elements that can be heard throughout in songs such as in Distortion. The only break in the aggression comes in the clean opening and closing to Close My Eyes but the main body of the song is an absolute thrash battering containing some of the most pummelling riffs on the album.

Brian’s voice has aged (unsurprisingly after 34 years) but it is a gruffer and rougher vocal attack that he brings to Asylum and he still sounds fantastic. The new line-up comprises Mark Coglan and Nathan Montalvo on guitars and despite being unknowns they impress with a barrage of crushing thrash riffage and some really sweet solos especially on Seeds Of Sorrow. The rhythm section is made up of Josh Gibbs (Malevolent Creation and ex-Solstice) on the bass and Sage Johnson (ex-Master) on the drums and they both provide a fat and brutal rhythmic attack.

Asylum is a solid thrash album and a welcome return for Atrophy. Much like their two prior albums, it struggles with a lack of its own identity but if a straightforward and crushing thrash attack is what you need then Atrophy delivers in full here. Asylum doesn’t offer anything new to the thrash plate but thrash has never been the most innovative of genres and it doesn’t need to be. When this album strikes it is guaranteed to have necks wrecked and circle pits swirling which is exactly what thrash does best. 8/10

Leather Lung - Graveyard Grin (Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]

Time for some groovy sludge with Boston’s Leather Lung! Graveyard Grin is their latest output and what feels like their first real album. I know they have put out stuff before, but Graveyard Grin feels like their real coming out party and most realized album till date. You get a little bit of lots of genres and a whole lot of heavy with these guys, who were born out of hardcore and raised on heavy stoner sludge goodness.

Spit In The Casket has all sorts of Pantera vibes going on with its riffs and sludgy take on groove metal. The vocals will not be for everyone as the lean a bit towards blackened, but the match is perfect for the music. These dudes are heavy, there is no denying that. A cool bluesy stoner riff opens Big Bat Bodega Cat, and this one shows these guys really know how to groove and this is the most fun song on this record. 

More heaviness coming at you with Freewheelin’ Maniac, where you should really heed the advice of the lyrics and kindly get yourself out of the way of this filthy groove. Glass shaking bass leads the way on Empty Bottle Boogie that rips and breaks you down like any good hardcore influenced band would do. I dig the addition of the clean vocals on this one too. Speaking of blackened, Guilty pleasure starts off just like that until so Korn (?!) vibes hit.  Don’t be scared, it is kind of fun and all the way heavy. 

La La Land is in the same vibe, but more Down/Pantera then Korn. I really do enjoy when they bring in the clean vocals to pair with the dirtiness like they do on the slower burn Twisting Flowers. Headstone has more of that bluesy stoner sung by the dude from Midnight vibes while Cornered Animal has a Pantera type crush to it. Down but sludgy-er closes us out with Raised Me Rowdy. We may be one song too many, as this album may have connected a bit more with one less song.

Leather Lung have finally arrived for real this time bringing the heavy groove and bluesy stoner metal sludge to the masses. Graveyard Grin is a heavy, filthy party that has shown up ready to break stuff in your home, so be ready for sludgy circle pit. 7/10

Reviews: The Moor, Comeback Kid, Noah And The Loners, Suffersystem (Reviews By Paul Hutchings, GC, Alex Swift & James Jackson)

The Moor – Ombra (Inertia Music) [Paul Hutchings]

When your album of the year arrives in early March, what do you do? Stop listening to anything else, or accept that there is an inferiority in everything else that enters your ears? Let me introduce you to The Moor, who we last encountered in 2018 when their sophomore release Jupiter’s Immigrants received a 9/10 from Alex Swift.

I’ll admit to coming to The Moor with no previous knowledge of the band, apart from a distant inkling that they are from Italy. But not any old part of Italy, oh no, my favourite part of the Country, the mystical, enchanting Venice. The juxtaposition of trading routes between East and West, the fantastic location where canals are roads, where the history is intoxicating, and where I’ve spent many a happy hour wandering, lost in the winding side streets and alleys that make up this most magical of places.

In some ways, Ombra is representative of the home City. It swirls, it meanders, it intensifies, yes, it intoxicates. From the cinematic introduction that is Il tema dell’ Ombra which needs to be the soundtrack to a beautiful black and white movie, passing the sweeping passages of The Overlord Disease with it’s snarling black metal vocals that starkly contrast with the haunting, rich cleans that Enrico Longhin seems to be able to switch back and forth with such ease, it’s evident that this is an album of breathtaking magnificence.

The Moor wear the progressive label with pride, for they include so many different styles that it’s impossible to pigeonhole them in any other way. There are elements of melodic black metal, as well as symphonic parts that simply lift the mood and tempo. Davide Carraro’s crisp, clean guitar work is a sonic delight throughout, from the emotionally charged solo on Illuminant to album closer Thirst. It’s high paced stuff, and although we get a full, weighty album of 11 tracks, only one, the towering title song tips over the six-minute mark.

Ombra is a phenomenal fusion of battering drums, orchestral strings, and Italian vocals. I have no idea what they are singing, but Italian sounds fantastic regardless of the meaning. It adds heart and soul, and allows Longhin another opportunity to demonstrate that deep, baritone delivery. The switch from savage to open vocals merely provides extra texture. 

Making his album recording debut is drummer Edo Sala, a well-travelled musician whose extensive credits include spells with Joe Lyn Turner in Sunstorm, as well as a whole host of Italian bands including Folkstone. He links superbly with bassist Massimo Cocchetto, now into his second decade with the band.

What has captured my imagination with this album is that every time you return to it, something else catches the attention. The melodic chimes of Lifetime Damage mix fluidly with the rough-edged vocals, summoning the qualities of legends like Amorphis to mind. Song after song hits the spot, with influences such as Opeth, Katatonia and even Orphaned Land coming to mind as the tracks flow in an organic manner. The deep rolls of Our Tides with it’s melancholic feel, the semi-Djent vibe of Passage, and the dark melodies of closing track Thirst are all superb. Combined, these 11 songs make an album that will take some beating. 

A truly magnificent release. It deserves your attention. 10/10

Comeback Kid - Trouble (Sharptone Records) [GC]

When I saw there was a new Comeback Kid EP ready for review, I decided that I had to give it a listen as back in 2005 they released, in my opinion one of the greatest hardcore albums of all time in Wake The Dead I found that after that I just didn’t really click with many of their releases but always like to see what they are doing.

Trouble In The Winners Circle is a promising start and has exactly the sound I was looking for, it’s not exactly full on hardcore punk but has the edge there to make it interesting enough as the verses are held back musically letting the vocals lead and the chorus is anthemic and rowdy just as it should be and keeps it going all the way to the last seconds, Disruption then is most definitely a hardcore punk number as it has a faster pace and relentless energy pulsing right through the full track and again has a suitably big chorus and some lovely breakdowns midway through that then slows down and builds up to a raucous and thrilling end section. 

Chompin’ At The Bit doesn’t obviously stray much from the style of the previous 2 tracks but reminds me of peak Comeback Kid back in 05 and is a nostalgic and triumphant track full of staccato riffing and chaotic drumming with that anger drilled through it all in the best way possible, and absolute barn stormer of a track and 100% guaranteed to become a live favourite very soon! 

And just like that we have last track Breaking And Bruised which opens with some melancholic and spacious guitars that are interrupted with a wall of thumping drums and gang vocals that set the mood perfectly when the main body of the song is here its furious and paired back at the same time which sounds brilliant and intense and it is reflected perfectly in the vocals that never lose any anger or focus and really lift the song onto another level, and it all just becomes a totally perfect way to end this EP.

To say I loved Trouble would be a bit of an understatement, from the first second to the last note of music everything on here was perfection and took me right back to when I first heard Comback Kid and gave me the nostalgic feeling but it still all sounds so very relevant and not dated in the slightest, I only wish that this was a full album because I just wanted more and more! If energetic, anthemic, joyous and life affirming hardcore is something that you would be interested in then this is absolutely 100% for you!! 10/10

Noah And The Loners – A Desolate Warning (Marshall Records) [Alex Swift]

The first aspect you notice about A Desolate Warning is the distinctly clean production, and Noah Lonergen's vocal style which echoes that of a range of punk acts with pop sensibilities. On the one hand, this can lead some moments feeling overly artificial despite there being an accessibility to this project that will be ear-catching for many! Still, there’s a potential at play in both the fiery lyricism and instrumental ferocity that gives this act a unique identity - Noah And The Loners are among the most resolute representatives of the alienated and excluded, if the real essence of punk is the street youths using noise as a means of making themselves heard.

Crash Landing is a perfect way to begin the EP, with an assertion of fierce, concentrated, and unabashed action against poverty that, crucially, feels right for the age of its performers. A Desolate Warning has several sharp edges that relate to actual encounters with hardship. The song Just Kids is the truest depiction of being regarded with disdain and having one's political knowledge diminished, while Hell Of A Day and other songs carry enough weight to imply that Noah And The Loners are trying to make a point, even in spite the fact that their remarks can sometimes appear crass and sloganeering.

A revolution is sparked by the mentality, not the music; all that's required is a quick, direct fury, which is supplied through the very powerful guitar tone present throughout. With any band at the beginning of their career, it is important to appear cohesive as a unit, especially to prevent the impression that you are a parody or a gimmick. You Make Me (Fall Apart), the album's centrepiece song, has a slower tempo, pairing a more ominous vibe with a feeling of menace. It's the most ambitious tune on the EP, changing dramatically with every new twist and shift. It's also the clearest sign yet that Noah And The Loners have a lot of potential still to be unlocked.

Though quite how far Noah And The Loners will take their project is still to be known, A Desolate Warning succeeds in crafting a vibrant and ferocious first impression. It's captivating without attempting to be very trendy or artistic. For all intents and purposes, this is how punk should sound, and it's fantastic that a young band is capturing its essence. 7/10

Suffersystem - Disintegration Of The Individual (Black Blood Records) [James Jackson]

For some reason beyond my understanding of the world of digital downloads and file sharing, the first two tracks of Suffersystem’s newest release are missing, the second of which being the title track. Nonetheless moving swiftly on, Obliteration Predicted provides more than enough of an example of how things are done in the Suffersystem camp.

What follows is a rawly recorded album whose production could’ve been easily improved had the drums been slight lower in the mix, whilst most definitely a competent player the drums at times feel overwhelming. Vocally, according to the promotional material that accompanied the album, the style is unique; it’s not. It’s reminiscent of the Morbid Visions/Bestial Devastation era Sepultura and bands like Venom who inspired the Brazilian’s early albums.

Mangled Corpse brings a more moderate tempo to the proceedings, the chorus structure drops into a crunchy headbobber of a riff, which provides respite from the standard Death Metal rapid fire riffing. The Evil Within follows and whilst there are a few rhythm changes, it’s a choppy affair, at times it doesn’t particularly flow and I’m a sucker for a smooth time change.

Track 6, Fragments, is quite the odd one out, it’s an instrumental piece which doesn’t define it’s peculiar nature but more to the point is that it is the most coherent and cohesive song on the album, it’s not frantic, with choppy time changes but it’s definitely got the same feel as the other tracks so far - it’s just better for its simplicity and unjustly short.

Something feels off about Chopped Into Pieces, the drums don’t seem to fit with the guitar riff, working against it rather than with, it’s off putting, it maybe a very clever piece of musicianship but it’s making my skin crawl and not in a good way.

The following tracks, Lobotomy, Suicidium and Hellspawn are effectively more of the same, the standard Death Metal tropes a plenty, even the song titles sound as though they’ve come from a Death Metal playlist. There’s nothing new on this album and although he’s seventy odd miles away I can hear my Editor’s eyes rolling as yet again I find little joy in something he’s sent my way, but as I’ve always said “Each To His Own” and had this album have hit my ears twenty years ago then this would probably have been a completely different experience. 4/10

Wednesday 13 March 2024

M2TM South Wales 2024: Cardiff Heat #2 Interview With Copehill Down By Paul Hutchings

Interview with Copehill Down – Heat 2 M2TM, Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff 15th March 2024

Next up in Heat 2 is Copehill Down.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to our questions.

1. Let’s start with introductions. Who is who and what does each person do in the band?

Lewis Temby-Lead vox

Neil Mahoney-Guitar and vox

James Macdonald-Guitar

Aaron Busby-Bass

Rodrigo Carelli-drums

2. Where are you from and how long have you been together?


Historically we've all been from South Wales, Newport and Cwmbran based. But recent changes in band members have given us the opportunity to spread our wings culturally…we've now got a bassist originally from Brum and a drummer who's originally from Brazil.

3. Describe your music in five words.

Intense, groovy, dynamic, aggressive, and energetic.

4. What prompted you to apply to be part of Metal to the Masses – South Wales?

Obviously, it’s a great opportunity to get the chance to play one of the UK’s major Metal festivals. But in addition to that it’s a chance to play alongside some of South Wales’s premier and up and coming bands. Great to network and hopefully make some friends along the way!

5. If you have played Metal to the Masses before, tell us about your previous experiences and importantly, why you’ve returned!


We have played M2TM before…unfortunately never getting far ha ha! But we’re continually improving as a band, in terms of our performance and our song writing. Hopefully it’ll pay off!

6. Bloodstock is a big festival – have you attended the festival in the past? If so, what would you say are the best things about the weekend?


Yes a couple of us have been…super friendly and good vibes all round. It’s good to see the lineup is becoming slightly more diverse in recent years but also it’s still keeping to its roots as a festival.

7. Apart from Metal to the Masses, what do you have planned for 2024?

To keep on writing and releasing new music. Also to play more local gigs and continually establish ourselves. We’re playing Depravation festival in August, a huge step forward for us!

8. What can we expect from you in your heat?

Just an intense, energetic, physical, and no-nonsense set.

We like to put across we’re giving it our all when we play live and give the crowd something to feed off.

9. And what are you expecting in your heat and journey through the competition?

There’s some stiff competition in our heat for sure. There are some bands with experienced members who have been around on the South Wales scene for a long time so no doubt they’ll be bringing their A game. But we’ll be bringing ours too!

10. Finally, where can people find details of the band – promote your socials here!

https://www.instagram.com/copehill_down?igsh=M2Fhd29sbHQ2aHBx

https://www.facebook.com/copehilldown

https://youtube.com/@copehilldown?si=xz4BKUXX56q3HsmI

https://www.tiktok.com/@copehilldown_uk?_t=8k7lLU5wMHh&_r=1

Reviews: Per Wiberg, Before The Dawn, Defect Designer, Cave (Reviews By Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Per Wiberg – The Serpent’s Here (Despotz Records) [Matt Bladen]

Swedish multi-instrumentalist Per Wiberg has already released a full length and an EP under his solo guise, both were critically acclaimed and saw the man who has been a member of Opeth, Spiritual Beggars, Candlemass, Clutch/The Bakerton Group, Switchblade and Kamchatka, delve more into his musical mind to create dazzling progressive rock soundscapes that are inspired by the classic scene of the 60’s and 70’s from Krautrock, to the Canterbury scene, from the Haigh Asbury psych sounds and the jazz influenced virtuosity of King Crimson.
 
On The Serpent’s Here the music gets darker to reflect our time but also brings a lot more rocking, with a few audio cues from the Nordic and stoner scene, to my ears there’s some Audrey Horne, Spiritual Beggars, a bit of RPWL on Blackguards Stand Silent, but also some The Velvet Underground and some 13th Floor Elevators and Philip Glass. Wiberg admitting that “there are more guitars this time as well as two basses on the majority”, this sonic density makes the 6 new songs a bit tougher than the keyboard/organ driven music of his last two releases.
 
Per has also worked on the vocals making sure the arrangements and lyrics are bolder. Per feels The Serpent’s Here is more epic and he’s got a point. The rock n roll tendencies are all much more pronounced through the woozy gothic tint. With Per taking a lot of the instruments, mainly keys, guitars, and vocals. He’s got the excellent drummer Tor Sjödén from Viagra Boys and Mikael Tuominen (Kungens Män) on bass, to fill out the rest of the band. They’re contribution can’t be understated as Per made sure that they had room to improvise recording the basics live then overdub with vocals/keys/guitar. You can feel that rawness on the jazz middle section of This House Is Someone Else’s Now, where it evolves into The Doors.
 
One of the key influences on this album is the eclectic sounds of Warrior Soul, so much so that the final track here is a cover of their song The Losers. The Serpent’s Here is a bit on anomaly, it can be minimalist and esoteric one moment and loud and bold the next, it needs some time spent with it but you’ll discover that Per Wiberg’s solo ventures are much more than just a collection of his previous memberships. 8/10
 
Before The Dawn – Archaic Flame (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]

Returning after nearly a decade, Finnish metal band Before The Dawn, released a new album in 2023, it was welcomed with open arms by the metal press and fans alike, the man behind it all Tuomas Saukkonen also part of Wolfheart, driving their existence into a new phase with this new EP. Called Archaic Flame, its more Viking/Pagan melodic death metal from Nordic band but with a new line up which this EP looks to showcase. 

On vocals is 2022 Voice Of Finland finalist Paavo Laapotti, who growls and screams with some real power and cadence as Juho Räihä of Swallow The Sun picks up the lead guitar leaving Saukkonen to take drums and rhythm guitar, Pyry Hanski on bass and Saku Moilanen on keys. As with many stopgap EP’s it gives you some new stuff, a cover and a live track. The two new tracks; Archaic Flame and Chaos Sequence establishing this new line up with some melodic death metal that borders on industrial with Chaos Sequence. 

The cover is a surprisingly good and heavy version of Run To You by Bryan Adams, Paavo Laapotti’s cleans utilised well here while the live version of Dying Sun shows how he handles one of the best known tracks. An introduction to Before The Dawn if you know nothing about them, a reintroduction to their new line up and strong melodic death metal, underpinned by synths, all round. 7/10

Defect Designer - Chitin (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Mark Young]

Its possible that Defect Designer do not have all their chairs at home. This Norwegian extreme outfit have dropped an album that has moments of madness and quality all wrapped up with a quirky bow. Just how much you will like it depends entirely on if you like your extreme metal delivered in a slightly off-kilter way.

Uglification Spell crackles and spits, with discordant riffs and all the blast beats you can eat. It has this innate looseness to it that you don’t associate with this genre as well as throwing in an almost progressive break in the middle before looping back on itself. To Ziggurat occupies a more traditional tone in its opening moments, again with a fast start that they abandon for a controlled break. This calm doesn’t last as they take off once more, with a cracking guitar line that again displays a form of almost sloppy playing. 

It isn’t by any means; it just feels like the polar opposite to those bands that sound super-tight on record and ultimately give you a sterile sound. This is just different and is refreshing for it. Simulacrum is like two songs being glued together, that discordant riff style growing whilst the drums steadfastly anchor the whole thing together. Its technical without being boringly so and if you think that being able to hum them after they finish just shows how they are able to burrow into your brain.

We Will Need Your Chitin continues this mental battering, tempos flare with an almost punk feel as they fly through it, changing patterns to suit themselves. Its almost too difficult to really describe and We Prescribe is probably the closest to traditional death metal, but even so there are still moments of lunacy that pop up within. Blast beats start with one of those mazy metal riffs that go everywhere before they go for broke and motor this one home. There is a breakdown that hits like giant boots coming down a creaky stair. Its like a nursery rhyme in some respects, delivered by a bunch of Norwegian mentalists and I am here for that. 

Certainty After The Kafkaesque Twist is one of the most bizarre titles I’ve read, with the music to back that up. I know they mentioned death metal in their bio, but this is more like prime Mr Bungle with a sprinkle of OSDM thrown in. There are some rapid riffing on display as well as some of those crazy chords. Speaking of which the last minute or so is mesmerising in how those riffs land, they come from all sides with no respite in attack. Keeping up the tradition now of bonkers song titles, Gaudy Colors From Your Plastic Bag comes in and just batters you with four minutes of madness.

Shine Shine (with guest vocals from Björn Strid, Soilwork) changes its tack completely, bringing some hard rock to proceedings, complete with high-pitched screams and an 80’s riff. Sprawling melody lines, descending chord runs its completely different from the 7 songs before it. Even when it goes heavier, its still in keeping with the overall song arrangement. Actually, its sleazy hard rock and it’s a stormer and there is a massive sense of fun running through this. Story Of A Styrofoam goes noise rock, mixing in some deep growls before dropping a touch of Jazz. Nice. 

That doesn’t last long though and of all the songs here, this one drags a little and I think a bit of editing would have done wonders here. Insomnia is more immediate, a stomper with stabbing down picked riffs that allow the fast to come in, complete with a country and western flavoured solo break but again suffers from the same issues as Story, with its run time stretching that idea out too far. Nu, Pogodi! Is a quick instrumental that should have been used in a kids cartoon. Final track Orgone Accumulator lands with purpose, bringing in death metal / grind to this curtain closer. Trem picking is the order of the day, speedy drums and a brutally effective solo combining to finish the album off on a high note.

It’s certainly different, make no mistake on that. Looking online, it is a definite decision made by the threesome of Dimitry Sukhinin, Martin Storm-Olsen and Eugene Ryabchenko to go down a route that is not normally found within extreme metal circles. That looseness which works on the shorter songs seems to induce a fatigue on the longer ones, possibly as the ideas contained are stretched too far. The mix of traditional and non-traditional guitar lines works well, and they should be applauded for trying something different as opposed to another album of blast beats and razor focused guitar. Some may dismiss it because it doesn’t take itself too seriously, others may love that approach and some like me will sit in the middle, enjoying some but not all of it. 7/10

Cave - Out Of The Cave (Metalopolis Records) [Mark Young]

Cave play the sort of hard rock that harks back to a time when bands had singers that could sing, with strong vocals often dominating proceedings. Often, there would be heavy moments that would be mixed with softer parts and when I was growing up in the late 80s it would fall into that ‘not quite metal’ area (i.e. not Slayer). The members of Cave hail from Ludwigsburg in Germany, and all have cut their teeth in different bands before coming together to bring you a collection of songs that certainly lean to more of the harder rock than heavy metal.

Rat In A Hole perfectly encompasses that approach in three minutes – soaring vocals, decent riffs and a solo that goes everywhere and is a strong start with Hero following up and goes for that more progressive edge with a tighter feel but the stamp formed by Rat is all over here. The solo break is what you want from this music and fans of that melodic rock will lap it up but I feel that just in the course of these two songs you will get a general vibe for how the rest of the album will sound. That’s not me being smart, its just experience of actually being there at the time music in this style was the staple on MTV. Screaming For A Saviour starts with a cracking vocal from Ronny Munroe which carries right through. The riffs are exactly as you expect and do what they need to do, providing that back-bone for Ronny to do his stuff. So far, they are not straying to far from that path. 

The problem is that if you don’t like softer, melodic rock then there is nothing here for you. I realise that is quite the blanket statement, but it can’t be helped. Blinded has that 80’s vibe all over it from the piano opening, mournful singing and riffs that detonate, allowing for the classic rock vocals to blast in. Please appreciate I am writing this not from a position of derision, I can hear the quality, but it feels out of time when you consider the musical landscape we have today. One thing that Blinded does have is one of the best guitar showcases you will hear this year, it is absolutely epic so take a well-deserved bow Chris Lorey. As they move through the album, there is an almost party feel in the song builds, especially on Against The Fray with some nods to one or two famous bands from the 80s (I’ll let you decide who).

What I would say is that it is a very good album for that particular genre of rock / metal. It does everything you could want it to do, and it sounds good too. Fans of that music, especially Van Halen, Whitesnake i.e., those that balanced strong vocals with epic guitar (ok, maybe not DLR, but that is a different conversation) than this is here for you. If you want chainsaw HM-2 Gothenburg and similar, then forget it. 7/10

Reviews: Skeletal Remains, Midas Fall, Kill The Lights, Full Earth (Reviews By Charlie Rogers, Zak Skane, Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

Skeletal Remains - Fragments Of The Ageless (Century Media Records) [Charlie Rogers]

Brutal alternative to The California Raisins, Skeletal Remains have been a household name in modern death metal for over a decade now, and their fifth full album Fragments Of The Ageless aims to add to that legacy. This is 44 minutes of pulverising, nasty death, injected at high speed right into your eardrums. Blisteringly nippy drumming, earthquake inducing bass lines, cross cutting guitar riffs, and demonic barking vocals come together in a maelstrom of groove. There’s more hooks here than your average Bass Pro outlet store.

I’m impressed by the immediately catchy riffs, the frantic rhythms, and the variation of patterns pulled together in each track. There’s space to hear the riffs a lot of the time, with the sound only becoming overwhelming and muddy a handful of times over the 9 tracks. Modern production really has given bands an opportunity to showcase their instruments to the fullest, sounding massive and full while not stepping on each other's toes. 

The sheer density of the sound on tracks such as To Conquer The Devout demonstrates this perfectly. Afterall, what’s the point in writing challenging, complex material if it’s going to all get lost in the mixing/mastering process? Plus, you’d lose the cool reverse snare sound used in Cybernetic Harvest if there wasn’t space for it to shine out.

Skeletal Remains have honed the ability to write infectious jams to a needle point, sewing banger riff to banger riff over and over again, leaving the listener with few moments to give their neck a break during the album. Even the instrumental tracks Ceremony Of Impiety and ...Evocation (The Rebirth) are entertaining listens in their own right, though the former does sort of serve as a long intro to the track Void Of Despair. Overall, Fragments Of The Ageless is a killer record, well worth giving a spin if you’re into death metal, both modern and retro. 9/10

Midas Fall - Cold Waves Divide Us (Monotreme Records) [Zak Skane]

The opening track In The Morning Will Be Someone Else’s, introduces us to the vocalist gothic, but yet soulful and haunting melodies that are soaked in mystical reverb which float over high pitched echoed guitar melodies and swelling guitar soundscapes. The following track I am Wrong brings in some warm cinematic synths that could happily belong in a block buster hit sound track, especially along with it’s pounding drums and walls of ambient fuzz guitars. 

Salt comes in as the most emotional track on the album with the guitars melding from major and minor arpeggios and chords which are graced by hall style reverbs which makes it a match made in heaven along with the vocal melodies that flutter gracefully in a non liner fashion. The emotional trip continues with In This Avalanche with it’s moving string sections, sung topics of unity and twinkling delays. Point Of Diminishing Return turns up the anti with the drums ascending from it’s subtle approach to cymbal crushing drum beats, the synths become thicker and more in your face with it’s cinematic rumbling textures and gradual building layers of strings and FX keys. 

Other highlights on this album is the stellar vocal performances on Atrophy and the heavenly use of guitars layers that merge from bouncing delay effects, spacy reverbs and Gamelan styled melodies. Midas Fall takes us through an astral plane of emotional sections that are projected at us by ambient layers of guitars, dynamic drum parts and cinematic synths. If you are a fan of bands like Hammock, Explosions In The Sky and Oceans Of Slumber this is a band for you. 9/10

Kill The Lights – Death Melodies (Fearless Records) [Matt Bladen]

Is it a metalcore supergroup? Is it a collection musicians looking to escape their former bands while sounding just like them? I think more the latter. Kill The Lights is a transatlantic metalcore band which features ex-Throw The Fight singer James Clark on vocals, Still Remains’ Jordan Whelan and ex-Threat Signal man Travis Montgomery on guitars, while the rhythm section is ex-BFMV as Jason ‘Jay’ James takes bass and Michael ‘Moose’ Thomas is behind the drums. 

The BFMV influence often is the strongest on blasters like Wasting Away, Man Without A Face, Ghost Of Yesterday, though why they all come one after another is anyone’s guess. There’s very much a move to the melodic with James’ vocals doing the work, his cleans really strong, possibly stronger than his harsh delivery, though that is pretty good. Yes for some it’ll be a bit angsty and 2005 but the songs are at least strong enough to keep you interested. 

There’s a ballad, Sleep With The Devil, a few numbers that move more toward the rockier side of metalcore that will be radio staples, such as Bleeding or From Ashes, so for me the thrashy assaults are the best tracks here and there are much more of them. The issue is that while I assume they are trying to get away from the bands they came from, most of the music is very similar to the bands most of the members (at least two) will forever be associated with. 

Still it’s catchy, accessible and pretty heavy in places so Kill The Lights will gain more fans on this second album. 8/10

Full Earth - Cloud Sculptors (Stickman Records) [Rich Piva]

Full Earth in the brainchild of former Kanaan and now Motorpsycho drummer Ingvald Vasso and they play proggy instrumental rock layered with organ and synths and do it quite well. This is spacy, huge, complex, and heady stuff played by experts in their craft. There is a lot going on here, and it is very long, so be ready to strap in and spend some time if you really want to get to know Cloud Sculptors.

Full Earth Part 1 – Emanation is 21-plus minutes and is really an album in itself. All sorts of directions and musically elements going on. Lots of proggy keys, expert drumming, heavy space vibes, and even a nice chunky guitar breakdown, but boy is it a lot. Not to be outdone, the second track, clocking in at 20-plus minutes, is the title track, that starts of sparce but once it kicks in, look out. It takes a bit too long to kick in for my taste but I do enjoy when the song really gets going. I dig the heaviness of this one driven but the guitar work. So, to recap, we are two tracks in and already over 42 minutes, with still four to go. I am already beat from this challenging listen. It’s not that it is not rewarding, it is just so much. 

Did I mention two of the remaining four are over 14 minutes? Clocking in at just over six minutes, Weltgeist is practically a Ramones song in length comparatively, doesn’t really go anywhere as its sparce synths set some kind of atmosphere, but what it is doing to me is making me exhausted. This leads us into one of those 18-plus minute tracks, The Collective Unconscious, that once again takes a while to get going, but once you get to the middle and the guitar soloing the wait will be worth it. I am so, so, so tired though. Echo Tears, like Weltgeist is a six-minute unnecessary bridge to the closer, Full Earth Part II – Disintegration, but by the time I get here all I can really muster up is see above for description.

Full Earth lives up to its name on Cloud Sculptors. This is so full and way too long to expect people to keep interest other than having this on as background music. It is a shame because the good parts are great, the dudes can really play, I love the organ and keys, but this could have been two albums or it could have had 20 to 30 minutes cut to make this possible to be enjoyed end to end. Full Earth is too full and actually too much. 6/10