Selected Singles – April/May 2024
It's been a hot minute since I had time to dive into one of these columns again, but hearing a few new choice cuts, it was time to bring it back and hit a...
Vicolo Inferno – Circles (Rockshots Records)
Naming themselves after a 1504 bloody battle on a narrow cobblestone path in Bologna, Italy, Vicolo Inferno started in 2003, slowly releasing a demo and EP while getting more shows and rehearsals under their...
Idol Throne – A Clarion’s Call (Stormspell Records)
Excitement enters the room when a band impresses you right out of the gate with their debut album to anticipate the follow-up – and that’s the case here with US power/thrash act Idol Throne....
Song Premiere: Black Hole Deity’s ‘Blast Pit’
Alabama’s Black Hole Deity have been slowly building towards their debut full-length. Dropping their first single in 2019 and an EP in 2021, at long last the death metal act is nearly ready to...
Shrapnel – In Gravity (Candlelight Records)
Another pivotal juncture in the career of UK thrash act Shrapnel – as In Gravity not only showcases a broader spectrum of influences these gentlemen wish to incorporate into their sound, but also another...
The Troops of Doom – A Mass to the Grotesque (Alma Mater Records)
A Brazilian band that contains original Sepultura guitarist Jairo ‘Tormentor’ Guedz, The Troops of Doom formed in 2020, quickly issuing three EPs and their debut album Antichrist Reborn. Signing with Alma Mater Records, the...
Black Diamonds – Destination Paradise (Metalapolis Records)
Another Swiss band who may have slipped under this scribe’s radar until this fifth studio album Destination Paradise but represents another act in the current melodic hard rock/metal movement aiming to claw up the...
Unleash the Archers – Giving Your All
Photo: Shimon Karmel
Canadian band Unleash the Archers through a solid discography and consistent touring schedule have elevated themselves to reliable headline (or strong special guest) status as a veteran metal act. Phantoma as the...
Sentiment Dissolve – The Orwellian Dream (CDN Records)
Aligning in 2021, Canadian quartet Sentiment Dissolve aim to meld the styles of classic/modern tech death along with progressive death metal for their debut album The Orwellian Dream. Although newcomers to the scene in...
Night Laser – Call Me What You Want (Steamhammer / SPV)
While the combination of sleaze rock and heavy metal may not be reaching multi-million sales or arena-level capacity status like the 80s to early 90s, there’s still a fervent interest in these styles thanks...
Hanabie. – May 17, 2024 – Toad’s Place, New Haven, CT
Having momentum firmly on their side, Japan's Hanabie. was just over on this side of the Pacific last fall but have saw fit to return for two week trek across parts of the United...
Thola – Unseen (Art Gates Records)
Translating to ‘wolf’ in an ancient east-Indian language, Thola is a Swiss act formed by guitarist Rolf ‘Rodo’ Studer in 2016. Releasing two independent albums before signing with Art Gates Records for their third...
Evildead – Toxic Grace (Steamhammer/SPV)
Unlike the mid-1990s when the thrash scene seemed to be overtaken by death, black, or alternative forms of heavy music, the current marketplace offers a plethora of options for the consumers. Beneficial to acts...
Crownshift – Crownshift (Nuclear Blast)
A bit of a 'supergroup' so to speak, in that there's a number of established names that make up the new act Crownshift. With members ranging from Children of Bodom, Finntroll, MyGrain, and Nightwish,...
Belushi Speed Ball – Always Be Crushing
Crossover thrash operates on easy-to-understand principles – most of which include active engagement from the band to its fans on record as well as on stage. Many of you may be discovering this Kentucky...