Sonata Arctica – Into the Cold Beyond
Photo: Jaakko Manninen
Bonafide headliners when it comes to power metal, Sonata Arctica feels the time is right to pivot back into more conventional waters through their latest album Clear Cold Beyond. Which means those...
Counting Hours – The Wishing Tomb (Ardua Music)
As these now aching bones have aged through the years (early 40s are a bitch), melancholic music has become more and more comforting. Though having been a major fan of acts like Katatonia and...
Saffire – For the Greater Good (Redux) (Rock of Angels Records)
Swedish band Saffire are a melodic metal outfit with classic hard rock leanings – active since 2005 and one of those acts that released their first demo during the Myspace era. They’ve been on...
Suldusk – Anthesis (Napalm)
Suldusk brought a certain melancholy and stirring of emotions with their 2019 debut, Lunar Falls. Then the brainchild of solely Emily Highfield, it was a poignant and occasionally explosive release that stuck with the...
Myrath – Carrying On
Photo: Leo Margarit
Combining elements of progressive metal with their cultural, Middle Eastern influences, Myrath have made an impact with their music since changing names from Xtazy in 2006. Through five previous studio albums, they’ve...
Toxikull – Under the Southern Light (Dying Victims Productions)
You can feel the rubber meets the road with all speakers cranked full volume to take in the sound of Toxikull. Hailing from Portugal, they have two previous full-lengths under their belt – making...
Theragon – Lumina (Thornado Music)
Previously coming onto this scribe’s listening radar through a late 2020 album release Where the Stories Began, Theragon have only released a single “Blessed By the Storm” in 2022 while laying low riding out...
Dust Bolt – Sound & Fury (AFM Records)
No better time than a prolonged, enforced break to reassess where you want to go as a band. Take the case on display here for German thrash quartet Dust Bolt. Their last release Trapped...
Suicidal Angels – Fighting for Humanity
When it comes to the resurrection of thrash during the early 2000’s, one of the European acts who built a buzz for the new generation is Greek act Suicidal Angels. They’ve arrived with this...
Morta Skuld – Creation Undone (Peaceville Records)
An active part of the US death metal scene on the recording front for the 1990’s (beyond a staple act on Milwaukee Metalfest), Morta Skuld probably to most readers would be one of those...