Reviews

BRAT – Social Grace (Prosthetic)

Given the vast display of colorful band descriptions, BRAT’s ‘barbiegrind’ and ‘bimboviolence’ still managed to stand out and provide some quick context of what the band is going for. Combine it with a Read more […]

Critical Defiance – The Search Won’t Fall… (Unspeakable Axe Records)

Noteworthy as a South American band who literally push the pedal to the metal when it comes to thrash, Critical Defiance waste no time capitalizing on 2022’s No Life Forms album through this third studio Read more […]

Inner Axis – Midnight Forces (Fastball Music)

Hailing from Kiel, Germany, Inner Axis represents the marriage of classic heavy metal influences channeled through some modern touches. Since their start in 2008, they’ve released two albums Into the Read more […]

Wounds – Ruin (Everlasting Spew Records)

It’s still pretty early in 2024, but the death metal has been flowing like a fine wine. I for one am not complaining, far from it. As long as I have a steady feeding of this and black metal, all is right Read more […]

Lutharo – Chasing Euphoria (Atomic Fire Records)

Slow, gradual movement in the underground can often pay huge dividends when opportunity strikes to make a major move from DIY, self-released offerings to a burgeoning label deal with well-respected people Read more […]

Miehala – Sons of Alaheim (Inverse Records)

Thrash metal continues to survive due to the influx of veteran bands continually recording/touring as well as a series of newer artists willing to put their own stake in the game. Finnish act Miehala began Read more […]

Cave – Out of the Cave (Metalapolis Records)

A newer band consisting of seasoned musicians across Germany and the United States, Cave combines elements of melodic hard rock and dramatic heavy metal influences for this debut album Out of the Cave. Read more […]

Defying – Wadera (These Hands Melt)

Always with an ear to the ground for the unusual, my musical explorations over the years have led down all kinds of wacky rabbit holes. Within those many discoveries, we’ve become more drawn to music Read more […]

Dragonforce – Warp Speed Warriors (Napalm)

Hard to believe it’s been five years since we’ve gotten new material from Dragonforce, the band that was unfortunately saddled with ‘that band from Guitar Hero’ tag that seemed to follow them everywhere Read more […]

Atrophy – Asylum (Massacre Records)

During the first wave of thrash in the 1980s to early 90s, acts from all over the globe clamored for a piece of the burgeoning appeal that had a fervent fanbase captivated by the speedy tempos, machine Read more […]

Midas Fall – Cold Waves Divide Us (Monotreme Records)

Plain to see, a lot of the bands that this scribe is drawn to are on the heavier end of the spectrum, leaning towards death, black, and doom especially. Don’t let that fool you, as my sometimes twisted Read more […]

Aborted – Vault of Horrors (Nuclear Blast)

Long-time death metal and gore champions, Aborted don’t need much of an introduction anymore. Vault of Horrors is their 12th offering in almost 30 years of existence – the band has certainly paid their Read more […]

Alterium – Of War and Flames (AFM Records)

When Italian power metal band Kalidia called it quits in 2022, it was quite a bummer for anyone who had been following them. Their potent mix of classic and more modern influences, along with Nicoletta Read more […]

Saturnalia Temple – Paradigm Call (Listenable Records)

Doom metal has blossomed into this outward, expansive genre – incorporating all sorts of influences that can be dark, bluesy, gritty, and dismal all in the same outfit. Swedish band Saturnalia Temple Read more […]

Turbulence – Binary Dream (Frontiers Music)

Eager to enjoy artists from every part of the globe, Turbulence is a progressive metal/ rock outfit hailing from Lebanon – not exactly a country known for artists in this style. Since their inception Read more […]

Before the Dawn – Archaic Flame (Napalm Records)

After a decade-plus long absence from the scene, Before the Dawn came back with a vengeance through last year’s Stormbringers album. Latest vocalist Paavo Laapotti fits like a glove into this Finnish Read more […]

Vlad in Tears – Relapse (Metalville)

Hot on the heels of 2022’s Porpora, Vlad in Tears strikes while creatively on fire through this latest studio record Relapse. A year in the making, the trio would spend ten days together recording at Read more […]

Sonata Arctica – Clear Cold Beyond (Atomic Fire Records)

Fresh off a two-part series where they reinterpreted electric versions of their songs into stripped-down renditions for the Acoustic Adventures Volume 1 and 2 releases in 2022, Sonata Arctica appears ready Read more […]

Midnight – Hellish Expectations (Metal Blade Records)

The one-man army known as Athenar returns for the sixth Midnight full-length platter, the appropriately titled Hellish Expectations. Ubiquitous in output (scroll Metal Archives for his lengthy discography Read more […]

Messiah – Christus Hypercubus (High Roller Records)

Previously forming in 1984, Swiss act Messiah released five albums from 1986-1994, also being a part of the infamous Noise Records roster during the early 90s. They reformed in 2018, releasing their next Read more […]

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (Sony Music)

Fifty years beyond Rocka Rolla the debut album for UK veterans Judas Priest, we now have before us the latest studio record Invincible Shield. Debate abounds as to the purity of the current lineup – Read more […]

Suicidal Angels – Profane Prayer (Nuclear Blast)

When Profane Prayer the new album from thrash metal marauders Suicidal Angels hit my mailbox, to say I was excited is putting it mildly. The day had not been a very good one but that all changed with its Read more […]

Sentry – Sentry (High Roller Records)

Sadly, an icon in the metal realm passed away in Mark Shelton, leader of Manilla Road, back in the summer of 2018 after their gig at German festival Headbangers Open Air. The remaining members took a few Read more […]

Kill the Lights – Death Melodies (Fearless Records)

A group that was easily to check off all of the ‘supergroup’ status boxes on, Kill the Lights contains ex/members of Bullet for my Valentine, Still Remains, Threat Signal, and Throw the Fight, and as such, Read more […]

Shadowdance – Ageless (Divebomb Records)

As an ardent follower of traditional metal plus its offshoots, this scribe remembers during the 1990’s to early 2000’s that power metal didn’t exactly win over many US residents – the majority Read more […]

Devastator – Conjurers of Cruelty (Listenable Records)

Located in the East Midlands of the UK, Devastator hails from Derbyshire County, a four-piece that displays a vicious form of blackened thrash metal through this second studio record Conjurers of Cruelty. Read more […]

David Reece – Baptized By Fire (El Puerto Records)

Well-established as a potent voice across multiple acts in the melodic hard rock/ heavy metal spectrum, David Reece also has a healthy solo career that he’s been cranking up as of late. Baptized By Fire Read more […]

Firewind – Stand United (AFM Records)

Although the releases have been spread out a bit compared to the early / mid 2000’s, one can always rest assured that there is a supreme benchmark aspect to the melodic heavy / power metal present from Read more […]

Job For a Cowboy – Moon Healer (Metal Blade Records)

There are albums being released, and then there are events. In the case of Job For a Cowboy and their new album Moon Healer, one could argue that this is both. It’s been 10 years since Sun Eater, a record Read more […]

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 Anathema Read more […]

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