Category: Reviews

Exhumed & Gruesome – “Twisted Horror” (Relapse) It can’t be easy being the frontman of not one but two cult death metal bands. Forming Exhumed when he was just 15 years old, Matt Harvey has, over the years, taken his death metal outfit across 8 albums into becoming not just well known in the US but outrightly massive across Europe, being a recognised name at Wacken as well as headlining other smaller festivals like Fuck The Commerce and Obscene Extreme. In 2012, Harvey was added as a special guest vocalist on the all-star studded Death To All Tour taking place… Continue reading

Paralydium – “Worlds Beyond” (Frontiers Music) Founded by guitarist John Berg and featuring bassist Jonathan Olsson and drummer Georg Härnsten Egg, all currently or formerly of Dynazty, this should give you a pretty good idea of what Paralydium are all about: superior prog hard rock with a mystical edge! Formed in 2015, they released an EP called “The Paralydium Project” and since then the ideas for this full blown debut has been on the cards. Well, I’m really pleased to say the 9 tracks don’t disappoint whatsoever. In fact, they impress all the more through the superb musicianship creating an innovative mixture of… Continue reading

-(16)- “Dream Squasher” (Relapse) ‘…You’re an animal!….No, worse! Human!…’. With its lines taken from the visceral persona of one Oscar Manheim in the 1985 movie “Runaway Train”, -(16)- couldn’t have based their 8th release on a more intense inspiration. Matching ‘Manny’ with their own violent noise, this LA crew have been shanking their sludge since 1992, taking a brief hiatus around the turn of the century to check into rehab (!) before returning with a vengeance in 2007, whereupon they have been on the steady road to recovery in issuing releases and touring. Despite its less than jovial title, ‘..a conscious effort… Continue reading

Electric Mob – “Discharge” (Frontiers Music) Joining the list of new vocal giants like Jelusick of Animal Drive, Nathan James of Inglorious and Ronnie Romero of The Ferrymen comes Renan Zonta who is no stranger to rock fans in Brazil as he is one of the most acclaimed participants of all time on the TV show “The Voice Brazil,” with more than 3 million views on YouTube! Joining his amazing vocal talents are 3 young, hungry and equally gifted musicians in Ben Hur Auwarter (guitar), Yuri Elero (bass) and André Leister (drums) who make up Electric Mob. Formed in Curitiba,… Continue reading

ABDUCTION ”Jehanne” (Finisterian Dead End) I was so super stoked after having heard the debut ABDUCTION album that I almost named it black metal album of the year. Now I sit here with the latest album, third album and I’m almost feeling nervous about listening to it. What if it isn’t as good as the previous ones? I guess there is just one way to find out. I hadn’t had to worry. This is as good as I hoped it would be. If you like me hold Emperor’s albums “In The Nightside Eclipse” and “Anthems to The Welking At Dusk”… Continue reading

AZATH ” Through a Warren of Shadow” (Pulverized Records) I liked the other band that guitar player Brandon plays in. so much that I gave Draghkar 4 stars for their 2018 EP. This is Brandon’s second band and he promises that this is gonna be some of the fastest and sickest death metal I have heard I a very long time. I really hope that he’s right. Because right now with the whole Corona virus bullshit we experience I need something to blow my brain clean of all the anxiety. What hit me first was how much this reminded me… Continue reading

BOISSON DIVINE ”La Halha” (Brennus Music) With some bands it feels as though I am the very last person in the world to discover them. I feel that way about this French folk metal band. But I promise that now that I have come to know of them I will never forget about them. I just hope that my memories of them will be from positive things. I have no idea what they sing about. I know no French and even less Gascony. But I do know that I like what I hear. The mix of traditional instruments with a… Continue reading

CANEDY ”Warrior” (Sleaszy Rider Reords) 4/5 Carl Canedy is a name you should know of if you call yourself a metalhead. This is a real metal legend best known to me from The Rods but this review will be all about CANEDY. If you like US metal the way you do this new CANEDY album is a high light of the year, or at least I hope it will be. Not having heard any of the previous albums beside the THE RODS albums from the 80s is not a negative thing. Musically this is good old US heavy metal. The… Continue reading

WINTERBLUT ”Monotot” (Nihilistische KlangKunst) I have no idea if there is any difference to summer blood compared to winter blood but it sure is a cool band name, if not. I have a special place in my heart for bands with names not in exclusively in English. I guess it might have something to do with English not being my native tongue. So band names in German, in Latin, in Swedish/Norwegian/Danish/Finnish etc. all fair well with me. I don’t necessarily have to fully understand the meaning to like them. This German black metal band are new to meal. They play… Continue reading

Rush – “Permanent Waves 40th Anniversary” Super Deluxe Edition (UMC/Mercury/Anthem) Recorded in January 1980, coincidentally the same month that drummer Neil Peart would pass away 40 years later, “Permanent Waves” became the Canadian rock trio’s most successful album in their career at the time, catapulting their name worldwide through its more concise and radio friendly songs, while still retaining their progressive rock blueprint. Ultimately attaining platinum status, this 7th studio album has long been a fan favorite, and so to commemorate its 40th anniversary comes this expanded reissue comprising the Abbey Road Mastering Studios 2015 remastered edition of the album,… Continue reading