The Halo Effect – March of the Unheard (Nuclear Blast)
The Halo Effect caught a ton of buzz given it's Gothenburg pedigree and concept of delivering some of the ole 'In Flames magic' to a new generation. For long time fans of In Flames...
Kawaii Screams and (Alt) Idol Dreams: A Second Helping of Fascinating Musical Groups from the East
It's been over a year since I originally wrote a similar piece about the Eastern metal (and idol) scene, mostly focusing on Japan (An Introductory Guide to the Burgeoning Kawaii Metal and Alt Idol...
Sacred – Fire To Ice (Stormspell Records)
Smiles abound when getting the chance to be on the ground floor of a newer act from Sweden with strong pedigree for classic heavy metal. Sacred is a quintet with musicians that have past...
Beriedir – Liminal Spaces (Rockshots Records)
Previously impressed with the diverse approach to power/progressive metal along melodic death and atmospheric nuances on their last album AQVA, Beriedir returns ready to continue that great cross-section of influences in this third full-length...
Grave Digger – Kings of the Graveyard
Photo: Jens Howorka
When it comes to pure Teutonic heavy metal, there’s been a consistency that’s hard to resist when looking at the history of Grave Digger. Although not always on the radar stateside due...
Katoaja – What We Witness (Self-Released)
Active since 2020 Katoaja is a Finnish band that sit in a progressive metal landscape which has expanded horizons in terms of atmosphere and influences over the years. Releasing three previous singles to the...
Moon Wizard – Sirens (Hammerheart Records)
Born out of a love of stoner / doom metal, Moon Wizard contains members with roots in black / death metal acts – releasing two albums independently before signing with Hammerheart Records on this...
Blacktoothed – Making Headway
Set to be releasing their third album (and second for Arising Empire) is Blacktoothed. A band with a sound that merges some metalcore heaviness with some rock energy and vibes. It's a unique feel...
Dominum – The Dead Don’t Die (Napalm Records)
Striking while the iron is hot, German zombie metal sensation Dominum release their second album in two years with The Dead Don’t Die. A series of prime festival appearances like Graspop and Rock Harz...
Athena XIX – Everflow Part 1: Frames of Humanity (Reigning Phoenix Music)
A lot has happened in the career of Italian progressive / power metal band Athena since their original breakup in 2002. Most evident has been the solid productivity and elevated status of singer Fabio...