Metal Music Reviews from Kev Rowland

DÅÅTH The Deceivers

Album · 2024 · Death Metal
Cover art 4.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Dååth began their journey in 1999, releasing four studio albums and touring with Slayer, Nile, Cattle Decapitation, Dark Funeral, Cynic, Dragonforce, Goatwhore, Chimaira, Dying Fetus and others before going on hiatus in 2011. They have finally returned with their first album in 14 years, although founder/guitarist Eyal Levi has overseen a complete overhaul of the lineup, with only singer Sean Zatorsky still there from the old days. Together they have been joined by Kerim “Krimh” Lechner on drums, Jesse Zuretti on orchestration and guitar, Rafael Trujillo on lead guitar, and David Marvuglio on bass. In addition, there are numerous guests providing guitar solos including Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, Arch Enemy), Mark Holcomb (Periphery), Dean Lamb (Archspire), Per Nilsson, (Scar Symmetry, Meshuggah), Spiro Dussias (Platonist), and Dan Sugarman (Ice Nine Kills), while video game composer Mick Gordon (Doom Eternal) contributed sound design and synth to “Purified By Vengeance.” By the way, for those who are interested the name "Daath" is a Hebrew word meaning "knowledge", which is certainly much more interesting than their original name, Dirtnap.

I remember reading about Dååth when they were around first time, but I don’t think I had previously come across their music and picked this up due to a combination of name recognition and them being on Metal Blade, but I am so very glad I did as this is a belter. Having not heard their earlier material I cannot comment as to how much they may have changed musically, but what I can say is that here is melodic death metal which also relies heavily on huge arrangements and orchestration. In some ways they come across as a mix of Fleshgod Apocalypse and classic Dimmu Borgir, with complex layering of guitars, always driven from the back by a great rhythm section, orchestration over the top and some great growls out front. Zatorsky has been keeping himself busy with Chimaira and Sinsaenum, but this is where he is truly at home, with his relationship with Levi continuing on as if they have never been apart. They may have been away for well over a decade but Dååth are back with a vengeance.

EXODUS British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria)!

Live album · 2024 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 4.43 | 3 ratings
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Kev Rowland
The full title of this album is ‘British Disaster! The Battle of ’89 Live At The Astoria’, from which one might guess this is a live recording from 35 years ago when the band were promoting their third album, ‘Fabulous Disaster’. They may have lost Kirk Hammett to Metallica before their debut album, but they never let that small matter get in the way of them making huge waves in the thrash scene and by the time of this recording they had already been playing for a decade, and it shows. This is hungry, angry and in your face, showing exactly why thrash made such a huge impact when it hit.

Back then the line-up was Steve Souza (vocals), Gary Holt (guitars), founder Tom Hunting (drums), Rick Hunolt (guitars), and Rob McKillop (bass), and it really says something about the band that the first three can still be found in the current version of the band. They have obviously given the title they have as it was recorded in London on March 8th, 1989, and they were touring ‘Fabulous Disaster’, but this is certainly not what one might think given the title as this is a triumph from beginning to end. Here we have a thrash band who have often been touted as one of the ‘Big 5’ alongside Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax and there is a strong argument for them to be included as such given the impact and importance of what they were doing in the Eighties (and given that Metallica have done nothing of note since ‘And Justice For All’ I would personally happily kick them out altogether). Here we have a band who are out to attack the UK on the last night of their headlining tour (supported by Acid Reign), before heading back to the USA to open for Anthrax, and the 20+ gigs in just over a month had the band incredibly honed and battle ready.

Thrash rarely gets better than this, and one can only wonder as to why it has taken so long for the tapes to be released, but at long last we have them. If you ever wondered what Exodus sounded like in their heyday and why they are still deemed to be so important then put this on and crank it up, LOUD!

RIOT Mean Streets

Album · 2024 · US Power Metal
Cover art 4.50 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Riot were a band who appeared in many ways to get more praise in the UK than they did in their home of New York, with both ‘Rock City’ and ‘Narita’ gaining lots of praise during the NWOBHM era although their sound was quite different. It was always Mark Reale’s band, and after his death in 2012 the question was whether or not to continue, but continue they did with a slight change to the name, and this is the third release with the same line-up of Todd Michael Hall (vocals), Nick Lee (guitars), Mike Flyntz (guitars), Don Van Stavern (bass), and Frank Gilchriest (drums). There may not be any original members left but both Stavern and Flyntz originally joined in the Eighties while Gilchrist was there more than 20 years ago, so while none played on the classics, they have every right to use the name.

This is American commercial metal with high vocals, some harmonies, all played in a style where the bottom end seems almost transparent and it all feels very Eighties, as if Bon Jovi had never really gone away. But you know what? I always enjoyed this style of music and felt the likes of Poison, WASP and the rest had far more musical chops than they were often given credit for, and these guys can trace their beginnings back to 1975 and a debut in 1977. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Riot deserved to be huge, and the reason that never happened was out of their control. In fact, Classic Rock wrote a great piece on them a few years ago which started with “In the late 70s, Riot were the Great White Hopes of American rock. But that was before the public ignored them, their label disowned them, and their singer quit. And then things got really bad…”.

Given what they have been through, there is no way Riot (V) should be here all those years later producing something which is a modern American hard rock/metal classic which brings back the days when they were young and hopeful, but they have. This is a superb release which made me smile the first time I played it, the grin getting wider with each song. This could well be their best release since ‘Fire Down Under’ more than 40 years ago, and that is saying something. Essential.

PATHOLOGY Unholy Descent

Album · 2024 · Brutal Death Metal
Cover art 4.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Pathology are back with their twelfth studio album, and their third with the same line-up of Dave Astor (drums), Daniel Richardson (guitars), Richard Jackson (bass) and Obie Flett (vocals). Astor is the only person who has been there since the beginning and is also known for being a founder of Cattle Decapitation in the Nineties (where he provided bass and vocals). Since their inception in 2006, Pathology have created quite a name for themselves in the brutal death genre, and I was certainly a fan of their last album, ‘The Everlasting Plague’, and it is great to see just how strong this outfit have become since Astor undertook a reset in 2018 when he invited Flett back into the fold (he had briefly been in the band in 2010) along with two new members.

This release was designed, recorded and mixed at Sharkbite Studios by Zack Ohren (Aborted, All Shall Perish, Decrepit Birth) in June 2023, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (Origin, Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation) while the cover artwork is by Pär Olofsson (Exodus, Abysmal Dawn, Immolation), so even before putting this on there is a certain level of expectation. I am glad to say that is reached with a death metal release which is both pummelling and complex. The drums are everywhere, while the guitars are hugely complicated, providing both chords and runs in an intertwining pattern which is somehow melodic and massively over the top at the same time, with the bass switching between backing up the guitars and going into foundation mode. Then at the front we have the growls of Flett who appears to be at risk of losing his lungs at any moment. Given who was involved, it is no surprise that the sound is top quality, the result being an album which really rewards being played at high volume – there is a depth within which makes this powerful and easy to listen to, without ever remotely falling into anything like easy listening.

Over the years there has been a significant output from these guys (Astor’s old band, Cattle Decapitation, has released half the number of albums in the same period), yet there is no doubt that there is no reduction in quality as this is a blast from beginning to end.

KORPIKLAANI Rankarumpu

Album · 2024 · Folk Metal
Cover art 4.58 | 2 ratings
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Kev Rowland
This is the 12th studio album from Finnish folk metal band Korpiklaani, or the 15th since Jonne Järvelä started on the musical journey which has seen a few name changes and a move from pure folk into folk metal. Given that my love of folk music is probably equal to my love of metal, this genre should be a match made in heaven for me, but while folk rock bands such as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span have always managed to get the balance right, most bands in the folk metal genre somehow come across sounding a little twee and if they are playing at it as opposed to meaning it. Consequently, I have never been as much of a fan of this band as one might imagine, and when I saw this album had been released I was not exactly looking forward to it.

That changed as soon as I started listening to it, as I found that opening track "Kotomaa" grabbed my attention because it was as if The Levellers were being taken into a heavier direction. The metal was heavy, and both the accordion and violin felt like they totally belonged as opposed to being add-ons to the core sound. Comparing the line-up on this release to 2021’s ‘Jylhä’ one notes there has been just one change with violinist Olli Vänskä joining Jonne Järvelä (vocals, guitar), Kalle "Cane" Savijärvi (guitar), Jarkko Aaltonen (bass), Samuli Mikkonen (drums) and Sami Perttula (accordion), but musically we now have a band which are firing on every cylinder and the result is an album which to my ears is easily the best and most consistent they have released to date. The more I worked through the album I was amazed at how instead of having an album which I found jarring every now and then felt as if every part has been crafted together and it could not be imagined to have one without the other. There is a power here where the metal guitars and drums are enhanced by the folk meters and the use of violin and accordion as key soloists, yet they also provide some wonderful melodic harmonies when required. This means we can get a guitar/violin duel, with the accordion providing the riffs, or the six-strings competing against the four for dominance, and it is all vital and incredibly dynamic.

When I reviewed their last album I said it was a step in the wrong direction, but somehow they have totally changed course and instead have released an album which is essential and a highlight of the genre.

DARKTHRONE It Beckons Us All.......

Album · 2024 · Black Metal
Cover art 3.10 | 6 ratings
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Kev Rowland
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Darkthrone are one of the most important bands to ever come out of the black metal scene, and their early albums are triumphs from beginning to end. Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have followed their own path for many years now, forsaking the need to play live or use external musicians and instead wrap themselves into their own world. This is their twentieth studio album, and their seventeenth in the thirty years since the departure of Zephyrous left them as a duo. It is also their fourth in just five years, and while they were renowned in their early years of being able to have a very high output with no loss of quality, one wonders if the same can now be said all these years later.

This is not a bad album, far from it, but it is also not a great album either and one cannot help but wonder if the kudos being heaped upon it is due more to the name on the front cover than the music contained within. To my ears the sound is just too clean, and while there are black metal influences here and there, we also get plenty of doom and also some power metal, all of which comes across as somewhat boring and tedious. There is an impression at times (take “Black Dawn Affiliation” for example) where it feels the band are marking time while trying to work out what to do next. The use of clean vocals care of Fenriz also just do not tie in well with what Nocturno is providing, and I found myself getting quite confused as to what the Norwegians are trying to achieve. True, they have brought in many differing metal styles over the years, but this album feels almost as if ideas are being thrown onto a wall to see what sticks best. The result is something which is enjoyable while it is being played but there is little here to make me want to play it again.

PESTILENCE Levels of Perception

Album · 2024 · Technical Death Metal
Cover art 2.09 | 3 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I must confess to have never seen an album so universally slammed as this one, and while I do understand where the reviewers are coming from, I do believe it has been somewhat over the top. Encyclopaedia Metallum has had 11 reviews for this album, average rating 0%. I had to go and look at the individual reviews to check there wasn’t an error as seeing a score like this was new to me, but yes, that is what people are saying. But why such horror at this? Firstly, for those who do not know the history of the band, they were formed all the way back in 1986 and their first two albums are very highly regarded indeed. They then broke up in 1994, with guitarist/vocalist Patrick Mameli reforming the band in 2006. The current line-up includes Michiel van der Plicht (drums), Rutger van Noordenburg (guitar) and Joost van der Graaf (bass), with the longest serving being Rutger who joined in 2019. Mameli decided it would be a good idea to re-record the band’s “greatest hits” with the current line-up.

The main issue here, and the most obvious one, is that of production, particularly with the bass which sounds as if it belongs on another album altogether given how clean it is. Mind you, the none of the other instruments hang together as they should either, with the result being a feeling that everything was recorded separately and with a major argument going on as to which instruments should be up in the mix, so none of them are. Add to that the vocals which are not as threatening or powering as they should be, and the inclusion of some songs from their latest album (which featured the same line-up) one has to wonder what was really the point?

This is death/thrash which is not nearly as bad as some would want you to believe, but with only two other studio albums in more than a decade one must wonder if these guys are running out of steam. If you want to hear Pestilence at their best that probably seek out ‘Mallevs Maleficarvm’ or ‘Consvming Impvlse’ as this is not really a true representation of them or their music.

MYRATH Karma

Album · 2024 · Progressive Metal
Cover art 4.00 | 3 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It has been way too long since I heard Myrath, as the last album of theirs I reviewed was 2011’s ‘Tale of the Sands’ and there have been two more since, but at least I now have ‘Karma’ which is a blast of joy from the first note to the last. It is said that when the guys signed to Brennus to release ‘Hope’ back in 2007 they were the first band ever from Tunisia to be signed to an international label. I don’t know how true that is, but I certainly can’t think of any other bands from there (a quick check of PA’s charts for top albums from Tunisia finds them the only band listed). The only true description of their music is prog metal, but they have been through different styles and influences over the years and here we find them quite removed from their more folk influence norms, but they still find room for Middle Eastern touches here and there, plenty of orchestration and loads of polish. Guitarist Malek Ben Arbia has been at the helm for more than 20 years, founding the band originally under the name XTAZY (who released a demo in 2005), while bassist Anis Jouini played on the debut album, which was produced by Kévin Codfert. The following year they gained a new singer in Zaher Zorgati while drummer Morgan Berthet finalised the current line-up in 2011. However, before they started recording this album they lost keyboard player Elyes Bouchoucha, who originally joined XTAZY back in 2003 and had played on every release, but they found a guest replacement in Codfert. What this means is that since they became Myrath and a full recording unit they have had pretty a stable line-up, and that shows.

My only complaint with this is not in the songs, which are packed full of hooks, or the vocals (which are sublime) or any of the musicianship (which is superb) or even the use of strings to emphasise the Middle Eastern roots, but with the production. This has been polished within an inch of its life, and possibly more so, which means it is just too sweet and leaves something of an aftertaste in the mouth. It is still an excellent album, but if the production had been pared back and been less (dare I say it) American, then this would probably have been essential. It is an album which dares the listener to turn up really loud and join in, letting the music swirl as the beat and groove gets everybody dancing, but I just wish it was a little rawer and rougher around the edges.

What I do know is that it has been way too long for me to miss out on Myrath who are Angra taken in a different direction, and like the Brazilians are certainly worth discovering.

DEICIDE Banished By Sin

Album · 2024 · Death Metal
Cover art 3.71 | 4 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It is strange to realise that Deicide will soon be celebrating their 40th anniversary, being formed back in 1987, with bassist vocalist/Glen Benton and drummer Steve Asheim still around. There have been a few changes in guitarists over the years, but Kevin Quirion has been there on and off since 2007 although there is now a new boy in Taylor Nordberg for what is only their second album since 2013’s ‘In The Minds of Evil’. I am having troubles working out if Deicide have decidedly mellowed since I started listening to them in the early Nineties, or if I just appreciate death metal that much more than I did when I was younger, but this album feels far more mainstream and polished than what I expect from the band. Some of the material feels quite commercial, and if there was a different singer then I am sure the music would be viewed in a quite different light. Mind you, it is hard to think of anyone but Glen at the front of this band, tying his bass in with the pummelling Asheim while still producing the guttural growls we are all so used to.

Part of me thinks Deicide are somewhat going through the same old styles, knowing the fans will enjoy it so they do not have to put too much thought into it (like apparently using AI to generate the cover image which is way too clean), while the rest of me thinks Deicide have found their groove and are continuing to go down the path they helped create all those years ago. It may not be as raw and vital as it once was, but Benton and Asheim are in their fifties now, and most people do change somewhat as they get older, but even though this has a commercial angle and is far smoother than one might expect, it is still incredible heavy and wonderfully brutal. Hopefully the next album won’t take as long as this one, and they can bed Taylor in on the road so they come back even heavier.

MESHUGGAH Chaosphere

Album · 1998 · Progressive Metal
Cover art 3.87 | 57 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It is difficult to realise that ‘Chaosphere’ is now 25 years old, how did that happen? When Swedish band Meshuggah released their third album back in 1993 they probably did not realise that their new experimental move into polyrhythms and away from the more thrash exploits of their first two albums would create the inspiration for a whole new genre, djent. To celebrate the 25th anniversary it is has now been remastered by Thomas Eberger and Sofia Von Hage at Stockholm Mastering, the with the result being that everything is that much crisper and somehow even more poundingly heavy than it was all that time ago.

I came to the band later, so didn’t hear this when it was initially released, but the impact on the metal scene was intense and hearing it again all these years later it still sounds fresh and very current. If this was released as a brand-new album today it would not sound out of place in the current market, as this style of music is now something many appreciate and understand, but when this first came out the impact would have been devastating. Somehow, throughout all the chaos the band stay in 4/4, but such is the complexity and offshoots of music that one often thinks there are in 5/8 or 7/8, but the head knows what is going on as it moves uncontrollably to the groove.

The intensity is off the scale, and any movement of volume must only ever be up, which means there is a real risk to eardrums with this one. Everyone who knows metal will be fully aware of this band, and will probably own some of their albums, but now is the time to revisit ‘Chaosphere’ in all its heavy beauty and mark at the birth of a movement.

ABORTED Vault Of Horrors

Album · 2024 · Brutal Death Metal
Cover art 3.25 | 2 ratings
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Kev Rowland
The Belgian death metal act are back with their twelfth album, and they have taken a somewhat unusual approach to this one in that singer Sven de Caluwé, who has been at the helm since the band’s formation in 1995, has brought in some mates to perform with him on each track so we get brutal duets with the likes of Alex Erian (Despised Icon) to Johnny Ciardullo (Carcosa/ Angelmaker), Ben Duerr (Shadow Of Intent), Francesco Paoli (Fleshgod Apocalypse) and others. Ken Bedene (drums), Ian Jekelis (guitars), Daniel Máni Konráðsson (guitars), and Stefano Franceschini (bass) have combined with Sven to create an album which is brutal in its style, intensity and delivery and then added to this with the addition of the singers.

It is a very clean sounding album, and in some way I think this would have been improved by some muddiness as in many ways there is too much separation and it comes across as quite clinical in places as opposed to a group of guys creating a maelstrom of blood and carnage in the studio. If there had been more of a focus on feel and less on getting it sounding quite so perfect, then the end result would have been more natural and less contrived. Blastbeats, grindcore influences and hardcore vocals among the death growls make this an interesting release which fans of the genre will enjoy even if it is not quite essential.

CHILDREN OF BODOM A Chapter Called Children Of Bodom: The Final Show in Helsinki Ice Hall 2019

Live album · 2023 · Melodic Death Metal
Cover art 5.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
On 15th December 2019, Children Of Bodom, which at the time consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Seppälä (bass), Janne Wirman (keyboard), and Daniel Freyberg (rhythm guitar), held their last concert in Helsinki named, 'A Chapter Called Children of Bodom', before dissolving the band. In 2020, Laiho and Freyberg carried on as Bodom After Midnight, but Laiho was dead before the year was out. Obviously, this album has quite some importance given it is a recording of the last ever performance of one of Finland’s greatest ever metal acts, containing one of metal’s new breed of frontmen and shredders, but putting all the emotion to one side is this as good as one wants it to be?

The short answer is “Yes”, as that night the band were on fire. While no-one realised quite how ill Laiho was, this was planned to be the last ever show for the melodic death metallers and they were determined to go out on a high. I first came across the band at the time of their fourth album ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ after I saw the video for “Needled 24/7” and loved their hugely complex approach with intense note density and complicated melodies which combined shredding with powerful keyboard lines which were far more than just background, since when I followed their releases with interest, and while I enjoyed their other live releases, this takes it to a whole new level. the band were determined to put on a show to remember, reaching all their way to their debut album from 1997 to ensure they provided fans with a great setlist. “Needled 24/7” will probably always be my favourite CoB number, and here it is gets blasted with the whole band putting their heads down to smash it with incredible intensity, yet also with the lightness and interplay one expects.

Children of Bodom cannot exist without Laiho, so there will never be a reunion, but fans will relish in this wonderful performance being captured for all, and I am sure it will also attract new aficionados who will seek out the back catalogue. Here we have a band captured at the height of their live powers and is a fitting tribute and reminder of just what a great guitarist and frontman Alex Laiho was.

CADAVER The Age of the Offended

Album · 2023 · Death Metal
Cover art 3.95 | 3 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It may have taken Cadaver 16 years to return with their fifth album, but the same line-up of Neddo (vocals, guitar, bass) and Dirk Verbeuren (drums) have produced the sixth after only three. I was quite a fan of ‘Edder & Bile’ and was intrigued to hear what the latest one would be like, and I was not disappointed. One of the joys of Cadaver is that while they are renowned for being a death metal band, formed some 35 years ago by Neddo and others, they are always looking to do something quite different. This time around they commence with “Sycophants Swing” which is what a jazz band would sound like if they were trapped in an asylum and forced to play the same tune for 20 or 30 years, and one can only wonder what will come next.

That next is “Postapocalyptic Grinding” where Dirk shows he can blast as well as anyone and they straddle the boundaries of death and grind, yet when they come to tracks such as “Dissolving Chaos” the result is something that is far slower and almost power metal in its approach but with some black metal overtones. This is an extreme metal album which refuses to sit solidly within just one genre and instead keeps showing what they are capable of, with their cover of “Deadly Metal” being pure thrash from beginning to end. Norwegian metal legend Ronni Le Tekrø, guitarist with old school heroes TNT, can be heard shredding like a madman all over the album. He originally came in just to play a blistering solo on that track but had so much fun he stayed! It is also interesting to note that double-bass maestro Eilert Solstad, who performed on Cadaver’s second album, 1992’s ‘....In Pains’, returns on the murderous ‘Scum Of The Earth’, adding scabrous textures and subterranean tones.

Neddo recently fought cancer and came out the other side, and has used that experience to motivate himself even more, the result being an exciting album from a band who are pointedly refusing to rest on their laurels but instead are out to show there is plenty of life in them yet.

MARDUK Memento Mori

Album · 2023 · Black Metal
Cover art 3.86 | 3 ratings
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Kev Rowland
In some ways Marduk have been incredibly stable in that founder guitarist Evil (Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson) has been at the helm for more than 20 years while singer Mortuus (Daniel Rostén) joined all the way back in 2004 but in other areas not so much. Drummer Bloodhammer (Simon Schilling) only joined in 2019, after the last album, while long-term bassist Devo (Magnus Andersson) left in 2019 to concentrate on session work (although he has guested on this album, while Mortuus and ex-bassist Joel Lindholm also contribute). One always knows what to expect with Marduk, and with their fifteenth studio album they have not disappointed.

When asked about ‘Memento Mori’ Daniel Rostén said, “Memento Mori is, all at once, a bold leap forward, a calculated sidestep, and a wistful backward glance. Meaning, we have broken new ground without forgetting our legacy or the journey that brought us to this point.” This actually makes sense as while there are obvious links back to the last album, ‘Viktoria’, and others going all the way back to the Nineties, the band are still attempting to progress within the black metal scene while never moving out of it. There are times, such as on “Charlatan”, where the drums, vocals and guitar are all moving in one direction while the bass is very much in another, which creates some space within the music and then when the bass aligns itself again it feels quite dramatic and more forceful. The use of micro breaks of space allows the music to reset and come back hard again while drummer Simon Schilling is a real find and it is no surprise that he is in so much demand (At the Grave, Eucharist, Hate Manifesto, Nervecell (live), ex-Belphegor, ex-Panzerchrist, ex-Paragon Belial, ex-Streams of Blood, ex-As Stormclouds Gather (live), ex-Der Weg einer Freiheit (live), ex-Fleshcrawl (live), ex-Infestus (live), ex-Kaoteon (live), ex-Monument of Misanthropy (live), ex-Nargaroth (live)) as he is a force to be reckoned with, providing an over the top dynamic attack yet he also knows when to pull back and provide more space.

More than 30 years since their inception, Marduk show no sign at all of slowing down yet.

IMMORTAL War Against All

Album · 2023 · Black Metal
Cover art 3.91 | 11 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I don’t have the energy to try and encapsulate everything which has happened with Immortal over the years and the legal battles which have taken place, but since the departure of Abbath in 2015 Demonaz has again started playing guitar and also took on lead vocals. Drummer Horgh is no longer in the band, leaving Demonaz as the sole member (this was completed with producer/bassist/guitarist Arve Isdal (Enslaved) and guest drummer Kevin Kvåle (Gaahls Wyrd)). Immortal have long been thought of as one of the top black metal bands around, due to the importance of their first seven albums, with the last of these being 2002’s ‘Sons of Northern Darkness’. However, since then there has been a singular dearth of releases with just one album featuring Abbath, Demonaz and Horgh, and this is the second since Abbath departed and the first without Horgh since 1997’s ‘Blizzard Beasts’.

Okay, history lesson over, so what is this actually like? Well, it’s bloody good, that’s what. Demonaz stayed with the band as lyricist after he lost the ability to play guitar due to acute tendonitis back in the Nineties, but an operation in 2013 allowed him to play again, and he is obviously relishing the opportunity while he also shows he could have taken on a more leading role in the vocal department as he sounds as if he has always been doing this instead of just recently. This is a statement album if there ever was one, with Demonaz showing he is proud to be working under the name Immortal and is determined the music lives up to the legacy. This is not a cash-in, but rather a concerted powerful effort of someone who wants to restore what the band used to be about, driving the scene forward. Okay, so we could have done without the instrumental “Nordlandhir” as it is just too twee and nice when compared with the rest of the album, but Demonaz more than makes up for it with the likes of “Immortal” where he tells us he is a god of the North, “I am immortal, my spirit of ice, My blood is frozen, I dwell in the cold”. This has all the signs of a band reborn, with what is easily the best album from Immortal in many years. If you have wondered what has been happening with this once-great band then wonder no more, as they are back with a vengeance.

EVILE The Unknown

Album · 2023 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 3.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
It is difficult to believe that Evile have been going for nearly 20 years now, but here they are back with their sixth album. There have been some changes over the years of course, with original bassist Mike Alexander dying from a pulmonary embolism back in 2009, founding lead guitarist Ol Drake leaving in 2013 for five years, and then him taking over on lead vocals in 2020 when his brother Matt also left. These days Ol Drake is on lead vocals and guitar, Ben Carter (the only musician to stay the course) is on drums, Mike’s replacement Joel Graham is on bass while Adam Smith joined on guitars in 2020, and this is their second album together, following on from ‘Hell Unleashed’.

Evile seemed to be everywhere when they released ‘Enter The Grave’ in 2007, but after 2013’s ‘The Skull’ they had a break from the recording process, which means Ol Drake has appeared on all the albums even though he was not in the band for five years. I didn’t hear the last one, but there is no doubt that the guys have carried on with their earlier Metallica fixation, but like that band one must wonder if their best years are behind them. It is easy to argue that the first four Metallica albums are truly essential, but nothing since, and here we find Evile finding inspiration from ‘Metallica’ and ‘Load’ which is not where I would be headed if it were me. There is undoubtedly a market for that style of music, or at least there was, given that ‘Metallica’ (seems strange to write that, I always think of it as ‘The Black Album’) has sold more than 31 million copies, and many kids grew up playing “Enter Sandman”. The frustrating thing is in the likes of “Sleepless Eyes”, “Out of Sight” and “Balance of Time” the guys show us they have not forgotten they know how to thrash like good ‘uns and they stand out incredibly clearly against the banality and middle of the road style they play for most of the album. If it had been all like this then I know I would have been raving over this as something to discover, but sadly it isn’t. At one point, Evile were showing Metallica and others the way to play meaningful thrash in the 21st Century, let us hope they remember how to do that again in future.

CRYPTOPSY As Gomorrah Burns

Album · 2023 · Technical Death Metal
Cover art 3.54 | 6 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It has taken 11 years for Canadian Death Metallers Cryptopsy to return with their eighth full-length album, and it is interesting to read the differing reviews which are popping up. Some are saying it is the best since the departure of Lord Worm, some say that may be the case but that doesn’t mean much, others still think their one foray into deathcore immediately excludes them from ever releasing anything worthwhile, then others ask what happened to the band which released the classic ‘None So Vile’? I didn’t hear that one at the time, but I was asked to review ‘None So Live’ some 20 years ago and I was immediately taken by the Canucks, searching out past releases as there was something about them which I immediately enjoyed. But I didn’t come across the studio albums after that, and it is only now they have signed with Nuclear Blast that they have again come onto my radar.

Drummer Flo Mounier has long been widely regarded as one of the very finest in the scene, able to switch styles and beats throughout, always driving the band from the back, and here he is in his element. Christian Donaldson has multi-tracked guitars on top of guitars to create layers of intricacy, while bassist Olivier Pinard either sits in the pocket or even jumps out at the front to add nuances, while singer Matt McGachy is in total control. There is a powerful use of contrast within this album, with slower sections here and there, solos which are more controlled than then absolute shredfest one might expect, while the riffs are massively complex and dynamic. I enjoyed the earlier period of this band, and while the fanbase does appear somewhat split on this, to my ears ‘As Gomorrah Burns’ is a very fine album indeed, with its only major fault being that at just 8 songs and 33 minutes in length it is just too short. If you enjoy technical death metal then this is one to seek out as Cryptopsy are back with a bang.

JAG PANZER The hallowed

Album · 2023 · US Power Metal
Cover art 3.44 | 4 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It seems like Jag Panzer have been around forever, but given that John Tetley (bass), Mark Briody (guitars, keyboards) and Harry Conklin (vocals) formed the band more than 40 years ago, I guess they have. Drummer Rikard Stjernquist joined in 1987, and it is only new lead guitarist Ken Rodarte who has not been there for any length of time. This is their first album in six years and follows the conceptual storyline of the band's comic book of the same title which came out in late 2022. This means it is probably best to have a physical copy of the album to be able to understand the storyline a little more, as I am sure it will be in the booklet or inner sleeve. Briody has even created a lyric video to go with the track “The Dark Descent” and he says it, “can be interpreted as literal or metaphoric. In this part of the storyline, the group are descending down a cliff amongst the old city ruins. The group are also descending towards the final outcome of the story. Although at first glance it seems like a basic heavy metal song, those who breakdown the music will see that it is one of the most musically complex songs on the album.”

Jag Panzer have always concentrated on American style power metal, and this is no different, although there are times when they come across as quite similar to Sabaton, yet with more theatricality and not quite so much drive. Conklin still has a superb voice which has more baritone elements than many, while he also subscribes to the Dickenson style of providing loads of power. This album is being viewed by many critics as nothing short of absolutely essential, and there is no doubt there are some good performances here from a band who are totally tight and locked in. However, the songs are not always as dramatic and interesting as they might be, and the result is something which is undoubtedly something of a standout within the American power metal scene, but there are often times when it feels like the soul is missing. When they get it right, with the band blasting beneath Conklin as he reaches for the heights then it is very special indeed, and Rodarte is a superb shredder, yet there are too many instances when I found my attention wandering as they repeated a bridge, or the verses just were not dynamic enough.

It has been six years since ‘The Deviant Chord’, which in itself was six years from ‘The Scourge of Light’, neither of which are judged to be classics, and for me the jury is very much out on this one. There is little here to make me wish to return, but fans of the band may well disagree. Best to try it out for yourself.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Life Is but a Dream

Album · 2023 · Avant-garde Metal
Cover art 3.74 | 11 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I first came across Avenged Sevenfold at the time of ‘City of Evil’ and soon went back and grabbed the earlier albums, loving their sound and approach. However, for some weird reason I lost track of what they were doing after 2010’s ‘Nightmare’ and this is the first album I have heard since then. We still have the same core quartet of M. Shadows, Johnny Christ, Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance along with drummer Brooks Wackerman who joined the band in time for their last album, “The Stage’, and who is probably best known for his long tenure with Bad Religion. Seven years between albums is a long time for any band, but of course there was the small matter of a worldwide pandemic which impacted everyone on the planet. This has also allowed the band to reflect and ensure they have delivered exactly what they wanted. and the result is something which is far more expansive and simply bigger than I would have ever have expected from them. We also have a nod to the past with some lyrics and a bridge included on this which were written by The Rev.

This is a modern metal album which is a long way from their roots, but somehow is also tied to them. There is a passage on “We Love You” which is pure Freddie Mercury and Queen, but it soon switches into Nine Inch Nails and some blistering riffs. I mean, they worked with the 78-piece San Bernardino Symphony orchestra, there is also acoustic guitar, but also plenty of the riffs and attacks we have come to associate with them over the years. To me this is an album where the band have massively changed yet somehow have kept tied to their roots so while the sheer breadth is quite astonishing, they have also ensured older fans will still find plenty on here to enjoy. M. Shadows is singing the best I have ever heard from him, no strain whatsoever and a wonderfully emotional performance which is perfectly suited to the arrangements behind him, although when they decide to go hard, they do just that. In some ways this is reminiscent of the latest Slipknot album in that they also have refused to be pigeonholed and only time will tell as to which will have the biggest impact in the long run. Given that the core quartet have been together since 2002, they are solid in what each of them can achieve and have grown and changed organically, growing up along the way and there is no doubt in my mind that this is their best release to date which should both satisfy old fans and gain them many new ones.

CATTLE DECAPITATION Terrasite

Album · 2023 · Technical Death Metal
Cover art 4.12 | 9 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I must admit, it has been a few years since I last came across an album by Cattle Decapitation, and to say I was surprised when I played this is something of an understatement. This is their eighth studio album, their second with the five-piece line-up of Travis Ryan (vocals), Josh Elmore (guitar), Dave McGraw (drums), Belisario Dimuzio (guitar) and Olivier Pinard (bass), and is way more polished than anything I ever expected from them. They may have started in the grindcore movement, but they are now much more in progressive death, never satisfied and always moving. Ryan has been there pretty much since the beginning and has long had a reputation as one of the more varied singers in the scene, but here he seems to reach into deeper lows, truly guttural, while also providing solid black metal stylings while also able to move into the melodic. At the back is McGraw, long regarded as one of the finest blast beat drummers in the business and here he demonstrates he is far more than just vicious speed, providing a real groove and switching styles and tempos to provide an ever-moving platform for those in front of him.

May people view ‘Death Atlas’, their 2019 album, as the pinnacle of their career to date, right up to the release of this one as the consensus is they have pushed ahead and created something that is just more, in every way. Certainly, there is a power and drama within this which is visceral and will appear to those who want their music to be brutal and uncompromising but there is far more going on than just heads down and meet you at the end as there is a huge amount of complexity within this, with styles changing and complicated arrangements which demonstrate there is far more to this band than just playing riffs quickly. The use of space and different tempos means that when they decide to hit hard there really is an impact as it is not being lost among all the noise but instead there is plenty of contrast to give the dramatic effect it deserves. If you ever felt that Cattle Decapitation were somewhat one-dimensional then this album proves otherwise.

OVERKILL Scorched

Album · 2023 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 4.08 | 10 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It is strange to think that even though they did not record their debut album until 1985, Overkill actually predate the Big 4 of Thrash, and still have two of their founders in the band. One always knows what to expect with these guys as they found their style early, and have never moved too far away from that, being so influenced by Motörhead that they used to play many covers in the early days as well as taking their name from the band. Mind you, they have always been somewhat more melodic while Bobby Ellsworth has always had a great set of pipes and shows no sign at all of slowing down even though he is in his sixties now.

As with all bands, their plans were disrupted due to Covid as they originally intended to record the follow-up to ‘The Wings of War’ in 2020 and release it the following year, but that didn’t happen and due to many factors it took until April 2023 for this to finally see the light of the day, but long-time fans will be pleased to know there has been no change in style in the intervening years. Another joy is the production which is crunching and old-fashioned and I was not surprised to discover Colin Richardson had mixed this, as he has always had a great understanding of what to do with heavy music and is still one of the best around.

As for the music? It’s Overkill, so if you have any of their albums then you know what this is like, thrash which is influenced heavily by NWOBHM, loads of melody and riffs all fronted by a powering singer. Is this earth shattering? No, not really. Is it as good as 2017’s ‘The Grinding Wheel’? Probably not but is still a heck of a lot of fun all the same and long may they continue.

BEHEMOTH Grom

Album · 1996 · Black Metal
Cover art 3.84 | 16 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Here we have a deluxe reissue of Behemoth’s second album, 1996’s ‘Grom’. Following on from a series of demo tapes, with 1994’s ‘...From the Pagan Vastlands’ being widely acclaimed, they released their debut, ‘Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)’ in 1995, with a line-up which at the time only had founders Adam "Nergal" Darski (lead vocals, guitars) and Adam "Baal Ravenlock" Muraszko (drums and backing vocals) plus a couple of guests. However, by the time they went into the studio for this they had been joined by bassist Leszek "Les" Dziegielewski, plus guests Piotr Weltrowski (December's Fire) on synthesizers and singer Celina. This was the last album to feature Baal, and the only one for Les, with the band stretching their black metal wings even further.

I am not sure why they have decided to reissue this in 2023, as that makes it 27 years as opposed to 25 or 30 but given this has been reissued multiple times it is nice to see it finally get the approach it deserves. This is available digitally, as a 2 CD media book, and a gatefold 2 LP. Physical formats include bonus audio material and booklets containing exclusive archival content. Rare bonus material contains cover versions, rehearsals, and live tracks and while I would have preferred everything to have come from the original period, I can fully understand why they finish with a modern take of “Lasy Pomorza”. What makes this album so interesting from a casual listener’s point of view is the way they are bringing in so many diverse elements, with the acoustic guitar on the title cut being a nice way of changing the approach, while Les’s bass is clear and distinct as he adds melody against Nergal’s buzzsaw. It is the diversity which makes this so interesting, although there is an argument for the guitar to be a little higher in the mix and for Celina not to have been used at all as she is not the best singer in the world. The additional tracks will certainly be enough for those who already have this album to purchase it again, while it is interesting to hear that Nergal is already itching to get back into the studio to follow up on ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’.

VOIVOD Morgöth Tales

Album · 2023 · Technical Thrash Metal
Cover art 3.53 | 4 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Voivod have consistently been one of the most interesting bands to come out of the thrash scene and these days they are warmly embraced by progheads as they are who are way more into metal. There have been quite a few line-up changes over the years, with drummer Michel "Away" Langevin the only constant, but co-founder and singer, Denis "Snake" Bélanger, returned more than 20 years ago while the current line-up has been incredibly stable for the last nine years with Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (guitars) and Dominic "Rocky" Laroche (bass). To celebrate their fortieth anniversary the band selected songs from the first half of their career, going all the way back to 1984, and re-recorded them with the current line-up along the new title cut. In a nice touch they also invited back past members Eric "E-Force" Forrest (vocals, bass) and Jason "Jasonic" Newsted (bass) to play on the song they each originally recorded.

It is certainly interesting to hear how the band have changed over the years, and it is nice they have put the tracks in original release order, so as we work through there is that progression. Voivod are often grouped with Sacrifice, Razor and Annihilator as part of the "big four" of Canadian thrash, yet to my ears they have always had an element which set them well apart from the rest of the crowd, being way more technical in their approach, never afraid to move in a different direction and their riffs are so sharp and jagged that they need to be classified as dangerous weapons. More than 40 years after their inception they are still taking music in different directions, and it is interesting to hear just how relevant this music is all this time on from when they wrote it. The earliest song is "Condemned To The Gallows", which originally appeared on 1984's 'Metal Massacre V' but it is still exciting and cutting today. The most recent song is "Rebel Robot" from their 2003 self-titled release, so there is nothing from the last five albums, but in many ways that makes sense as they look back over their history and concentrate on the earliest.

For those who have yet to come across Voivod (the question there must be, "Why?"), then here is a nice way to sample their catalogue with modern recording techniques from a band who really know what they are doing. This is thrash being taken to totally different level.

VIO-LENCE Eternal Nightmare

Album · 1988 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 3.97 | 16 ratings
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Kev Rowland
When people refer to Vio-lence these days, it is normally to say this was the band Rob Flynn was in before he formed Machine Head, and that it was where he and Phil Demmell started working together. What is generally missed is that this was an important band in its own right in the Bay Area thrash scene, with their debut album being a milestone in that area’s musical history. The band originally formed as Death Penalty in 1985 with Jerry Birr (vocals), Phil Demmel (guitar), Troy Fua (guitar), Eddie Billy (bass) and Perry Strickland (drums). They soon changed their name first to Violence and then Vio-lence, and after some demo recordings Demmell and Strickland were soon joined by Sean Killian (vocals), Robb Flynn (guitar) and Deen Dell (bass). This line-up recorded three albums before breaking up, of which this is the debut and widely regarded as their finest work. It has now been remastered by Patrick Engel and contains the same additional tracks as the 2005 Megaforce reissue – a live recording taken from their set at the Thrash of the Titans benefit in 2001 where they reformed to raise money for Chuck Billy and Chuck Schuldiner with early guitarist Ray Vegas replacing Robb Flynn for the night.

I did not hear this album when it was first released, so am coming to it quite new, which probably means I have a very different view to what those who grew up with it do. To me this is heavily influenced by Anthrax in particular, and while there are many who feel Killian is a wonderful singer due to his different approach to many others within the thrash scene, I actually find his vocals quite annoying and not up to the standard of what is going on beneath him. Already there is incredible understanding between Demmell and Flynn, something they continued in their lengthy partnership in Machine Head (15 years until Demmell left, who has now reformed Vio-lence with Killian). Strickland and Dell have a very solid platform indeed, with Dell providing a key interface to the guitars which are often locked as one, with fast interplay of complex riffs and styles. They were doing far more with their guitars and interaction with each other than many other thrash bands, having much more of a band feel as opposed to someone going out on their own and having what at times is almost a soloist and a backing band.

This band certainly deserve to be much more than just a footnote in Flynn’s history, and it is nice to see this being made more widely available again. If you want to catch the band in concert then they are undertaking a heavy touring schedule and these days even include Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory) in the line-up, so would be well worth checking out.

TYPE O NEGATIVE Dead Again

Album · 2007 · Gothic Metal
Cover art 3.74 | 26 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I am not sure how I first came across Type O Negative, but given I was involved with Roadrunner Records back in the Nineties I guess it was probably through them. Their infamous “live” album, ‘The Origin of the Feces’, struck a real chord with me and I can remember playing it to anyone who was daft enough to get in my car (generally to massive dislike, tough, it was my car). ‘Bloody Kisses’ brought them to much wider attention, which was continued in ‘October Rust’, and when this was released in 2007 it was very well-liked and was their highest chart debut in the Billboard charts at #27. Things appeared to be going well for the band, but then on April 14th, 2010, it was announced that Pete Steele had died, and without Steele there was no band who promptly broke up. The album was swallowed up in many issues, so much so that it has been difficult to find it in recent years. As guitarist Kenny Hickey explains, “The first casualty of this album was the record company - which promptly went under after its release. Soon after, Peter passed, and then even the rehearsal studio it was written and developed in was burnt to the ground by Hurricane Sandy. As the black cloud continued its relentless path over TYPE O, ‘Dead Again’ appeared and disappeared from the streaming platforms for years.”

Now it is back, containing not only the original 10 songs and the original bonus numbers (which includes the wonderful “My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend”), but four more from their set at Wacken Open Air in 2007. This reissue has been widely awaited, and hearing it again after all these years is great as this actually is an album worth hearing as opposed to something which people will flock to as it was the last one he recorded. Instead of using programmed drums they actually let Johnny Kelly play this time around, which means this is the only album he played on even though he was credited on the previous three. Combined with a somewhat happier approach from Steele, there is a lot of space within the album, and while they continue in their gothic theme and heaviness there is far more variety without losing any of their passion. This is not all doom and gloom, and consequently is one of the easiest albums for a newcomer to the band to discover, even if we do get numbers like “These Three Things” which are classic ToN, slowed down, gothic doom with passion and those deep baritone stylings of Steele on a track which keeps developing throughout its 14-minute length. As for the bonus cuts, the sound may not be perfect but it certainly captures the power of the band in the live environment, and takes me back to the early days.

A nice example of how to reissue a classic album, this is not only one for the fans but for people who may have wondered just what this Brooklyn band were all about.

THERION Leviathan II

Album · 2022 · Symphonic Metal
Cover art 3.75 | 2 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It is incredible to think Christofer Johnsson formed Therion more than 35 years ago, as they are still putting out wonderful symphonic albums of great depth, and here they are returning quickly with the second part of their ‘Leviathan’ trilogy. The first came out in 2021, this towards the end of 2022 while the next is due in 2023 so they were obviously conceived, if not recorded, at the same time. Johnsson said he has achieved everything he had wanted after the release of ‘Beloved Antichrist’, and was bereft of ideas so sat down with lead vocalist Thomas Vikström to work out what to do next, and they decided that instead of progressing in the way they wished to why not give the fans exactly what they wanted?

This means Christofer Johnsson (guitars), Sami Karppinen (drums), Nalle Påhlsson (bass) and Christian Vidal (guitars) providing hugely complex and complicated multi-layered arrangements which also have plenty of room for Thomas Vikström and Lori Lewis to really shine. It is symphonic, metallic, progressive, orchestral, melodic, designed for rock arenas and classical stages alike, blending together different forms so the join is seamless. One wonders how many hours were spent in the studio by the singers as they are multi-tracked time and again to create harmonies on top of harmonies, yet for all this the band never move away from being a guitar-led rock band. We even get some Middle Eastern influenced in “Marijin Min Nar” where Lori shows not only her rock voice but some professionally trained high soprano which is just sublime.

This is an album which has enough melody and hooks within it to capture the listener the first time of playing, but when more time is invested the rewards are great. When played on speakers one gets one level of understanding, although only if the volume is high, as there is much more to comprehend when using headphones. It is a compelling piece of work, and there is no doubt Johnsson has achieved his aim in giving fans what they want, and now we all eagerly await the conclusion of this set later this year. Yet again, Therion have delivered wonderful symphonic metallic music of the highest order.

STRYPER The Final Battle

Album · 2022 · Heavy Metal
Cover art 3.56 | 3 ratings
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Kev Rowland
When I came back from university in 1984 I was intrigued to discover that my sister had been seeking out Christian rock music, which soon gained the genre name of White Metal. One band interested me in particular, Stryper, as I was also heavily into Kiss in this period and was intrigued how another band was using imagery so prominently within their music. I bought their first two albums from America, but was not a huge fan of their third, ‘To Hell With The Devil’ and lost interest not long afterwards. Then 10 years ago they signed with Frontiers and this is their fifth album with them, so consequently I have heard more of their music in recent years than I have in decades. In March they came to New Zealand for the first time in aeons and I was fortunate enough to be there reviewing, and I was blown away by what was a wonderful performance from a rock band who have never strayed from their stance, and still give out New Testaments at their shows. That three of the original members, Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano), Robert Sweet (drums, percussion) and Oz Fox (guitar, vocals) are still there is nothing short of incredible as they enter their fifth decade as a band, while this is the third album for bassist Perry Richardson (who first found fame in Firehouse).

Here we have a band who know what they are about, have found their niche, and see no reason whatsoever to change it. They may not have the hunger and desire which came through in the first albums when they were so beloved of the glam scene, yet when it comes to music this is all about melodic hard rock with great hooks and the wonderful vocals of Michael Sweet. Not only does he have an ongoing project with George Lynch (Dokken), but he was also lead singer and guitarist with Boston for a period as well, not an easy gig at all. Their lyrics are still Christian, as that is what this band has always been about, they even took their name from a bible passage in Isaiah 53:5, "By His stripes we are healed", which is still part of the band's logo. Yes, the yellow and black striped attire is a gimmick, as is Robert’s kit being placed at a 90 degree angle to the norm so everyone can see him more easily, “the visual timekeeper”. But at the heart of this is solid music which is enjoyable the first time it is played, and one can easily relax into it even if the listener may not agree with the words being used. When Sweet screams in falsetto as he does on “No Rest for the Wicked” it is effortless, and so very easy indeed.

Is this something which will encourage new fans to listen to them? Not sure on that, as I still prefer the albums when they were out to prove something and the world was against them, but it is certainly something which will please those who have been following their career over the years. I only hope they come here again soon, Michael did promise.

SLIPKNOT (IA) The End So Far

Album · 2022 · Nu Metal
Cover art 3.38 | 9 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Here we have the band’s seventh studio album, and their last with Roadrunner after more than 20 years with the label. As is my custom, I had not read anything about the album before playing it for the first time, and when it kicked off with “Adderall” I was convinced that either I had downloaded the wrong album, or Corey had convinced everyone they should become Stone Sour. Simply put, “Adderall” is not a song I would ever expect from Slipknot as there is nothing about this which makes one think of that band, apart from the vocals of Corey who I have always felt is hugely under-rated for his pure vocal style. It was “Wait and Bleed” on the debut all those years ago which first gained my attention, and even before the band had been featured in Kerrang magazine I said they were going to do great things, even if they were signed to a tiny metal label. They were the most significant signing in Roadrunner’s history and there is no doubt it was Slipknot which has allowed the label to do so many things, but keyboards, samples, reflective bass, loads of space and a sense of pop with not much guitar, what had happened?

What had happened is that the band had decided to screw with us, yet again, as that song is in no way representative of the whole of the album, as there are plenty on here which are some of their heaviest works yet. Corey even described the record as a "heavier version" of their 2004 album ‘Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses’, and while I do think that is pushing it somewhat there is no doubt there are some very heavy numbers while there are others which maintain that stance while also bringing in commerciality in a manner not heard as effectively this since ‘All Hope Is Gone’, with “The Dying Song (Time To Day)” being a prime example. When I noticed the third song was called “The Chapeltown Rag” I was somewhat concerned as to what it may contain (Slipknot plays jazz perhaps?) but again we have a band producing the style of music for which they have become renowned, yet lifting it to a new level. Considering what they have been through over the last 25+ years, with the death of founder bassist and songwriter Paul Gray and the illness, departure and death of founder drummer Joey Jordison (this album is dedicated to him), it is amazing to hear they are refusing to sit on their laurels and just rehash what they have done previously.

There are too many bands in the metal scene who released iconic albums years ago and nothing of note since then (who said Metallica?), yet Slipknot are one of a precious few who continue to move forward breaking new ground and the more I play this the more I believe it is one of the most important they have released so far. Definitely not the end.

LAMB OF GOD Omens

Album · 2022 · Groove Metal
Cover art 4.11 | 6 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Here we are with Lamb of God back with their 9th (or 11th, depending on if you count what they have released as Burn The Priest) studio album, with a line-up which has been together for more than 20 years apart from the departure of founding drummer Chris Adler after his motorcycle accident. His place was taken by Art Cruz (Prong) who has been in that seat since 2019, and this is his second album with the band and there is no doubt he has settled in really well indeed. Lamb of God are one of those bands who hit a groove early in their career, and have decided the formula works well so why change it? This means that fans of LoG have a fairly good idea of what any new album is going to sound like before they even play it, and what is wrong with that? Fans of most bands are often disappointed with how they may change direction over the course of their career, while others sound just the same as they always have, and LoG are one of those.

Bass heavy, complex riffs which often contain elements of djent, they utilise complex time signatures and styles with over-the-top aggression and brutality and a frontman in Randy Blythe who has a guttural style and a powering presence which means he is always the focal point of everything that is taking place. This is music which demands to be played as loudly as the speakers will take it so the neighbours can enjoy it as well, brutal with no room whatsoever for prisoners. I once had a very strong debate with myself about attending a Metallica gig just to see LoG who were the support, but in the end, I could not bring myself to do so, but do live in hope that one day they will be back here on our shores. Covid meant they were unable to tour ‘Lamb of God’ so went back into the studio and gave us this album far more quickly than expected, so let us hope that a world tour means just that for us down here at the end of the world. Nearly 30 years on from their inception, LoG are still delivering the metallic goods.

DISCHARGE End of Days

Album · 2016 · Hardcore Punk
Cover art 4.17 | 5 ratings
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Kev Rowland
There is no doubt whatsoever that the diversity in the British metal and punk scene in the late Seventies is what led to the genre fracturing into so many sub genres as bands started to push what people thought was possible and began influencing others. Discharge were formed in 1977 and although they started off as punk they soon morphed into metal, and as well as being the single most important influence on what would become known as grindcore, they even had their own genre named after them, D-beat. They did go through many line-up changes during the first half of their career, but 2001 saw Rainy, Bones and Tezz get the band back together with singer Cal Morris and release an album which had them right back to their roots. By the time of this 2016 release Bones (guitars) and Rainy (bass) had stayed the course, while drummer Tezz had left the band only to return as guitarist in 2014, while his 2006 replacement Dave Caution was still there while it was the second album for singer JJ Janiak.

It does not sound as if it was nearly 40 years since this band started as they are still as angry and upset as they were in the beginning, with brothers Bones and Tezz locked in tight so there are times when it sounds almost as one, Dave providing the D-beat drumming pattern with Rainy locked in as always, and JJ providing the punk angst. 15 songs, less than 34 minutes long, here is a band who sound as if they walked into the studio, laid it down and then went down the pub. It has the brutality which one has always associated with these guys, raw and taking no prisoners. This is not meant to be pretty, it is meant to evoke a reaction which is visceral and there is no doubt the mosh is not a place to be if you are my age. Yes, it is quite repetitive, but this is something which is designed to be played loud and proud and for people to get sweaty to, not sit back and gently relax to it. They are a band who are refusing to grow old gracefully, a concept I wholeheartedly agree with. The guys got back together in 2001 as they were unhappy what had happened to the band in their absence, and here they are certainly true to their roots as they blast through yet again.

BE'LAKOR Vessels

Album · 2016 · Melodic Death Metal
Cover art 3.08 | 11 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Melbourne-based melodic death quintet Be’Lakor (the name was taken from a character in the Warhammer franchise and was the first mortal to become a Daemon Prince of Chaos) have had an incredibly stable line-up, with John Richardson (bass), Shaun Sykes (lead guitar), George Kosmas (guitars, vocals) and Steve Merry (keyboards) having been there from the band’s formation in 2004 right to the present day, with the only change being the introduction of drummer Elliott Sansom in 2016 before they started working on this, their fourth album. Having released their previous albums independently, this was their first through Napalm Records (that relationship continues through to their latest release as well, 2021’s ‘Coherence’), so they certainly made an impact with the renowned Austrian label.

It is shame the same can’t be said with me. Although the band are using a great many different styles, and they move deeply into blackened death territory with this one, the real issue is that it is boring with little here being memorable. Having played it a few times now each time it seems more like a chore than it does something enjoyable, but it is difficult to put the finger on exactly why that is the case. When all the elements are taken individually there are some nice things happening here with plenty of atmosphere, good musicianship and nice growled vocals, which means it must be down to the material which does little to grab the listener and bring them in. I did have a look at a couple of other reviews prior to writing this to see just how wrong I was, and it is interesting that one person raved over this while the other felt pretty much the same as me. It just shows how subjective reviewers are even though we try to be objective, so if melodic death is your thing (especially with plenty of black metal influences) then this may well be for you, I just know it isn’t for me.

LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY Prometheus, Symphonia Ignis Divinus

Album · 2015 · Power Metal
Cover art 3.50 | 5 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Back in 1993, the band Thundercross was formed by guitarist Luca Turilli and keyboard player Alex Staropoli, changing their name to Rhapsody in the early Nineties, before changing it to Rhapsody of Fire in 2006 due to copyright issues (I do hope you are paying attention). In August 2011 the band announced the friendly departure of long-time guitarist, songwriter, and founding member Luca Turilli, along with bassist Patrice Guers and they went on to form Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody while Rhapsody of Fire continued under that name, giving us two symphonic power metal bands with a linked history (and for a time, even the same singer). By the time of this, their second (and final) album in 2015 the line-up had settled with Alessandro Conti (lead vocals), Luca Turilli (guitar, keyboards, orchestral arrangements), Dominique Leurquin (guitar), Patrice Guers (bass), and Alex Landenburg (drums).

There are two different orchestras involved, and the impression is that we are being taken on a Wagnerian journey which somehow also contains some Eastern musical elements. There were also additional singers, including the likes of Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Dan Lucas (KARO), and David Readman (Pink Cream 69), yet for everything which is going on and the undoubted abilities of all involved this album really does wash over the listener. There is just so much taking place that it actually becomes somewhat simplified, and the result is something which has way more in common with a modern opera than it does a metal release. Some of the vocal performances are simply outstanding, such as on “Anhata”, but Turilli has brought in so many elements of classical and opera that he has moved this far away from metal and the result is a hybrid which falls between the two and very different musical camps so that many metalheads will find it too far in one direction while fans of opera will probably think the same, just for different reasons. These days Turilli can be found pursuing a very different musical style, and while I enjoyed the earlier Rhapsody and Rhapsody of Fire releases, this is one I can do without.

GRAVEYARD Innocence & Decadence

Album · 2015 · Hard Rock
Cover art 3.50 | 2 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I was a big fan of this Swedish band’s previous album, 2012’s ‘Lights Out’, so was pleased to come across the next release, 2015’s ‘Innocence & Decadence’, which was the last they released before breaking up (they have since reformed and released ‘Peace’ in 2018). The line-up at the time was Truls Mörck (bass, vibraphone), Axel Sjöberg (drums), Jonathan LaRocca Ramm (guitar), Johan Lindström (organ, piano, backing vocals) and Joakim Nilsson (vocals, guitar). Their aim was always to play more straightforward hard rock with blues influences, and there is no doubt they looked to late Sixties/early Seventies UK/Ireland for much of their inspiration with early Foghat, John Mayall and Taste being obvious influences.

This is the style of music I grew up with, being a teenager when Bonzo was still alive and remember discussing the merits of the likes of Humble Pie, Budgie, Free, Bad Company and so many other blues-based bands. They were everywhere, and this was long before metal became the many-splintered many-headed beast it is today, and while we all loved the likes of Sabbath, Purple and many others, if it wasn’t prog then it was music based on rich guitars, great solos and the blues, and that is just what we have here. The use of an Organ as opposed to a synth also adds a richness and depth to the music, allowing us just to smile and get into the groove. This is music which may have some commonality with Blue Cheer, but generally this is so reminiscent of the style of music which was all around us back in the day – the Seventies may never have been cool, but boy did we have some great music growing up, and this takes up back to those days.

MESHUGGAH Immutable

Album · 2022 · Progressive Metal
Cover art 3.77 | 16 ratings
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Kev Rowland
There are few metal bands who are as instantly recognisable as Meshuggah whose devotion to djent, eclectic and esoteric time signatures and styles are something to be admired. However, they are not exactly the most prolific of outfits and this 2022 album is the first in six years, following on from 2016’s ‘The Violent Sleep of Reason’ while that in itself was the first in four years. It is also somewhat lengthy, at 66 minutes, which is both a blessing and a curse. I really enjoyed the last album, but I have had real issues getting my head around this one, and I am unable to understand exactly why. Possibly I would have liked them to have moved further away from the repeated crunch we have come to expect, or possibly it is just too long, but I did find that after a while I was not getting the overall feeling I would expect from Meshuggah, the drama and intensity which only comes from a metal band pushing the limits.

They have been following this particular style for some time now, and the question must be asked are they now solely going through the motions? Their wall of sound approach has been perfected, they have had remarkable consistency in their line-up (their last change was in 2004 when bassist Dick Lövgren joined), with the result being they are an incredibly tight outfit. However, this also means they can come across as almost mechanical as opposed to being delivered by sweaty humans as there are times when it feels quite metronomical and artificial. Certainly, this album has not had nearly the same impact on me as their last one, and by the end I was looking for something with more heart and soul.

YGODEH Hush

Album · 2022 · Cybergrind
Cover art 3.50 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Released at the beginning of 2022, this is the final album to feature singer Reverend Jeyzus, who has since been replaced by Chronic Procrastinator , with the rest of the line-up being guitarist Piton, drummer Melissa Rable and bassist Kaptain. I have known Piton for some years now, and have always enjoyed his different bands, and there is something about Ygodeh which is uncompromising, metallic, brutal, electronic, industrial and steampunk, all at the same time. This is music which is twisted, dark and uncompromising, belonging only in the dark places and the shadows and never out in the light. That it is also strangely commercial at times only adds to the feeling of not belonging, and why “Scapegoat” reminds me of Geoff Mann and Twelfth Night is possibly due more to my warped synapses than any intention on the band’s part.

They may have come from a death metal background, and there are still some elements of that in what they are performing, this album has much more of a synth background, with melodies being twisted out of the keyboards, the rhythm section keeping it tight and the guitars coming in and out for effect. Reverend Jeyzus switches between speaking, singing melodically and growling manically as the band perform music for the post-apocalyptic age. Harsh but perfectly in tune with the times, Ygodeh have produced yet another album which is truly worthy of close investigation. With a female singer now onboard it is going to be interesting to see what the future is going to be like for this band, but there is no doubt it will be interesting and uncompromising.

SCORPIONS Rock Believer

Album · 2022 · Hard Rock
Cover art 3.88 | 5 ratings
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Kev Rowland
When I was 16, Scorpions released the album ‘Lovedrive’ and I immediately fell in love with their music, and not only sought out both ‘Animal Magnetism’ and ‘Blackout’ when they were released but went back to some of their earlier material and was especially a fan of the ‘Tokyo Tapes’ live release. However, “Winds of Change” left me decidedly cold and I have missed all their studio albums since ‘Love At First Sting’ until this one turned up in my in box. I must admit, I nearly filed the email but instead decided I owed it to myself to see what they were doing now, even though it wasn’t going to be any good. How wrong I was.

Guitarist Rudolf Schenker must be one of the longest-running members of any hard rock band, having been there since he formed the group in 1965 while singer Klaus Meine has performed on every album even though he joined four years later. Lead guitarist Matthias Jabs has been there since 1978, filling the shoes of the legends Michael Schenker and Uli Jon Roth, while bassist Paweł Mąciwoda has been there since 2003 and even drummer Mikkey Dee has been there since 2016 (joining after the end of Motörhead). This is not what I expected Scorpions to sound like whatsoever, as while there are some slower numbers, such as “When You Know” they still have plenty of balls and power, while there are also quicker songs such as the belting “When I Lay My Bones To Rest” which has something about it which reminds me of “Speedy’s Coming” which they released all the way back in 1976. Both Klaus and Rudolf were born in 1948, so at the time of release they were both 74, but this does not sound like the work of septuagenarians but instead of a group of guys who are hungry for life. That song stands up against anything they have ever recorded, and the album as a whole is causing me to have a rethink of the band and their legacy.

Forget you ever heard them whistling, and instead discover a hard rock band who are being true to their roots and combining that with polish and experience to produce something which is very special indeed.

ANGEL Once Upon A Time

Album · 2023 · Hard Rock
Cover art 4.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Angel, the band who burned hot and fast in the Seventies, before a new version tried again at the turn of the century, are back with their second album since they reformed in 2018 with original singer Frank DiMino and original guitarist Punky Meadows. The rest of the band is still Danny Farrow (rhythm guitars), Charlie Calv (keyboards), Steve Ojane (bass) and Billy Orrico (drums) and there is no doubt whatsoever that they are continuing the Angel legacy with style and aplomb. As soon as I saw the artwork I was intrigued as this has much more in common with the style I expect, far more glamorous than the last one where although the band were again on the cover in white, it felt way more hard-edged. The logo is at the top, the band here have fantastical imagery behind, and the whole impression is much more of a Seventies feel.

I wish there were a few more keyboards throughout, but tracks such as “Psyclone” find the band blasting as if it were the old days once again, and while neither Punky or Frank are in the first flushes of youth anymore (they must be in their Seventies now), this is a real blast from the past. Frank still gets up into the high ranges with seeming ease, while Punky shows he is far more than just someone to be sung about by Frank Zappa, and has a powerful control of riffs and licks. The first time I played this album I enjoyed it but was not too sure, but the more I have listened to it the more I have come to realise this is probably their best album since the mighty ‘Helluva Band’ all the way back in 1976. Here we have hard rock pomp from a band who refuse to give up and are still out there pounding the boards and creating great music, from ballads through to powering rockers which show others there is no need to sit back and rest but to keep pushing through to the end. I would love to hear these guys invite Gregg Giuffria back into the fold for one last time to bring back their truly classic sound, but there is no doubt they are doing well without him, as this is classic Angel from beginning to end.

BEHEMOTH Opvs Contra Natvram

Album · 2022 · Death Metal
Cover art 4.30 | 6 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I enjoyed Behemoth’s last studio album, 2018’s ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’, but did not exactly warrant it as essential, while I was also not exactly gushing about their more recent live ‘In Absentia Dei’, so what would I think of the latest effort? With a Latin title (Work Against Nature), an inverted crucifix on a starkly white cover, it certainly appeared that we were off to a good start, and it is great to be able to report that it continued through to the music with the result being one of the most complete Behemoth albums one is likely to find. Bassist Orion is still the newbie of the trio as he has only been there 20 years, while drummer Inferno has been there for 25 and of course the mighty Nergal has now been there for more than 30, and in many ways they have managed to combine that history and legacy into something which is both commercial and Black Metal at the same time.

The production has smoothed over the rough edges while never truly removing the menace, and there is much more of a wall of sound than one would normally associate a with a trio as there has been multi layering of guitars. There is also a good use of dark and light (or at least dark and less dark), and while some people may view this style of BM as buzzsaw guitars without end there is a great deal going on, with the three musicians fully locked together in a way which only comes from playing together for so very long. We get some nice atmospheric touches here and there, all of which provides more emphasis when they really kick off. Nergal’s vocals still contain the grit and menace one has come to expect, and even when the arrangement is more symphonic that never wavers in its approach. I can understand some people saying the production has somewhat sanitised the overall impact, and that they are not the band who hit the ground running with the mighty ‘Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)’ all those years back, but are any of us the same as we were back in 1995? This release is one which will appear to long-time fans of the band such as myself, but will also entice many others who have yet to investigate Behemoth and their back catalogue. Inferno is playing out of his skin on this one, with incredible fills and rolls, while Orion and Nergal play as one and the result is something quite special indeed.

NAZARETH Surviving The Law

Album · 2022 · Hard Rock
Cover art 3.00 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Nazareth are one of the longest-running and most important rock bands to ever come out of Scotland, and even if we discount the years that most of the founders were playing together as The Shadettes, here is a band who has celebrated more than 50 years together. ‘Surviving The Law’ is their 25th studio album, released last year, by which time bassist Pete Agnew was 75 years old, and his son Lew had been drummer in the band for more than 29 years. Jimmy Murrison has been there since 1994, which makes him the longest serving guitarist the band has ever had, while singer Carl Sentence has been there since 2015.

Between 1971 and 1977 nine (yes, nine) studio albums, and quite a few of them are classics, although in honest none of them stand up against ‘It'sNaz’ (known by many as ‘Snaz). It was one of the most epic live albums of all time, absolutely essential, featuring the classic line-up of Dan McCafferty (vocals), Manny Charlton (guitar), Pete Agnew (bass, backing vocals) alongside Billy Rankin (guitar) and John Locke (keyboards) which allowed them to have an immense sound, but they were a quartet for the first ten years of their existence, and after bringing in a few other people, it was back to the core four in 1983 and they stayed that way until 1990 (when Manny left, Billy came back, and they stayed that way until 1994).

Carl has a great voice, but to be honest I can’t think of Nazareth without the gravel of Dan, and they have never been the same since Manny left. The original proud boys of Dunfermline were special, and while this is a pleasant old school British hard rock album with hints of metal, there is nothing here to make it stand out from anyone else. I am sure they are still a blast on the live circuit, but while there may be a few songs from this album included, most people will be holding out for the classics. For any band to be in existence for more than 50 years is sensational, and in many ways they have been at it for more than 60, but this album is fairly standard hard rock with nice vocals and little in the way of memorable songs, which is pretty much what I said about the last one, ‘Tattooed On My Brain’ as well. I think I may just put on ‘Razamanaz’, as there is the real Nazareth.

DIMMU BORGIR Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Album · 2001 · Symphonic Black Metal
Cover art 4.07 | 37 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Can it really be more than 20 years since One of Norway’s most creative black metal bands released ‘Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia’? At the time they had gone through some artistic and personnel changes which would shape their future, with the arrival of bassist/singer ICS Vortex, drummer Nicholas Barker of Cradle of Filth and new guitarist Galder fitting in with Shagrath, Mustis and Silenoz. To celebrate the 20th+ anniversary, towards the end of 2022 Nuclear Blast released a limited edition 3 LP set containing remixed and remastered versions of the original 13 songs (as it is includes the bonus songs from the Japanese edition), with another LP (called ‘Dust Of Cold Memories’) which includes extensive bonus material, which includes the pre-production of the album and instrumental rehearsals.

Although I personally do not view this as important as the next album, ‘Death Cult Armageddon’, the addition of ICS Vortex to the band was a major step forward, along with the strong use of real orchestration as opposed to producing it on keyboards. There are some who feel this period of the band does not compare to their early days, bit for me this was when they were at their most interesting, challenging the norms on what was expected from Norwegian Black Metal, and forcing it into the mainstream without ever losing any of the power and atmosphere. Like many, I got this at the time so the question must be is it worth buying it again? Well, it has been remixed and remastered and the sound has been made punchier, plus it is available on vinyl, which is always nice. The third LP is very much for fans only but given they will be the ones getting this I guess that is okay.

SUICIDE SILENCE You Can't Stop Me

Album · 2014 · Deathcore
Cover art 3.00 | 5 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Released in 2014, Suicide Silence’s fourth album ‘You Can’t Stop Me” was the first without original lead vocalist Mitch Lucker who was killed in a motoboke crash in 2012, and the first to feature Hernan "Eddie" Hermida of All Shall Perish. Deathcore is a genre which seems to polarise quite a few people, and I note that Encyclopaedia Metallum do not include the genre on their site even though anyone who does not understand the subgenres of metal would think this should be there. For me it is still down to the band themselves and I have enjoyed some deathcore bands, and others not so much. I did once walk out of an event to get a beer when Suicide Silence were playing, not because I disliked the genre, but I disliked the band.

All the lyrics were written by Hermida apart from two (including the title) which were by Lucker, and it is obvious the band had a lot to prove with this album as it is always difficult to keep going when a key member dies, yet it is not unusual for a band to come back with their best ever release (think ‘Back In Black’). The stand out track on this is “Control” which features none other than George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher providing his dulcet tones which is strangely reminiscent on Dom Lawson on the live "Planet Smasher". There is a high energy throughout the album, and a great deal of complexity, but the band were obviously incredible conscious of paying homage to Mitch, and re-recorded "Ending Is the Beginning" from their debut EP with Hermida putting himself out there. I am not a huge fan of Suicide Silence, and am unlikely to change that based on this, but this is the best album of theirs I have come across and if like me you have rapidly passed them by then this may well be the place to start.

INSOMNIUM Shadows of the Dying Sun

Album · 2014 · Melodic Death Metal
Cover art 4.17 | 18 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Finnish band Insomnium are often described as melodic death metal, yet they also bring in atmospheric elements of black metal and so many other elements on this album that I would not be surprised to see them categorised prog metal as well. Released in 2014, here is a band who have had huge stability in line-up with Niilo Sevänen (bass, vocals), Ville Friman (guitars, clean vocals) both founders, drummer Markus Hirvonen joining not long afterwards in 1997, and guitarist Markus Vanhala joining in 2011. In fact, the only change in their line-up since this album is the addition of Jani Liimatainen in 2019, so still incredibly consistent, and since this was released there have been another three albums, of which one was 2019’s ‘Heart Like A Grave’ which I rated very highly indeed.

Long-time guest Aleksi Munter provides keyboards on this album, while backing singer and producer Teemu Aalto made his first appearance with the band (also appearing on the next two releases), together providing additional cleanliness and polish. The result is something which can be brutally heavy, yet there may also be acoustic guitars, the keyboards provide a backdrop and while there are times when we are full-on death it is always wonderfully melodic. The contrast between the brutality and the polish is what makes this such a dynamic release, full of dark and light so one never knows where it is going to lead. They walk a tight line between having too much of one or the other, ensuring the two sides bounce off each other, and at times there is a brooding melancholy with a cold atmosphere permeating the overall sound. Anyone seeing the term “death metal” may be surprised at just how commercial and melodic this album is, and there is much in here for those who may not normally investigate music from that genre. I have previously compared them to Borknagar, and I hear that in this release as well, which is still a delight nearly ten years on from its release.

ARMORED SAINT Raising Fear

Album · 1987 · Heavy Metal
Cover art 3.77 | 14 ratings
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Kev Rowland
1987 saw the band back with their third album, by now solidly a quartet (although Sandoval would return later). The first three albums are normally seen as a set, as this was the last to feature Dave Prichard, who was diagnosed with leukaemia while they were recording demos for the fourth album and passed away before proper sessions commenced. This release is the only one of the three which differs from the original in terms of music, as it features “Crisis Of Life” for the first time on vinyl. One thing it also contains, which I could have done without to be honest, is a cover version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Saturday Night Special” which has been jammed into NWOBHM and lost all of its soul and gravitas. It may be well played, but the burning question on this must be “why?”.

Although that may be a push in the wrong direction, the rest of the album shows a band very content within their style, and not looking to do anything much different or go into different areas. This is still very much traditional NWOBHM, but with polish and a tightness which only comes from playing together so much. I am not sure how this worked in the live environment given the rhythm guitar is an important aspect of their sound, but given the quality being displayed by everyone I am sure they carried it off. There are numerous songs on this release which demonstrate how their song writing and arrangements had improved over time and while never as essential as other bands from the genre given they had not moved as far from their roots, this is still a fun listen and probably the one which has stood up best to the test of time.

If you have yet to hear the early Armored Saint releases, then I would start with this one and go backwards. Although they have split up a few times over the years they have had the same musicians involved since 1990 with John Bush, Joey Vera and Gonzo Sandoval there since the beginning, Phil Sandoval returning to the fold in 1990 with “newbie” Jeff Duncan joining at the same time. The band show no sign at all of slowing down, and these reissues on vinyl is a great way to hear how it all began.

ARMORED SAINT Delirious Nomad

Album · 1985 · Heavy Metal
Cover art 3.78 | 14 ratings
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Kev Rowland
1985 saw the band follow up their debut with the same line-up, although Phil Sandoval left during the recording and only played on a few tracks. The logo on the cover may have stayed the same, but the image being portrayed was very different to that of the knights on the debut, but musically not a great deal had changed, although one can hear the band starting to push themselves and the material was improving. The sound was also much better, due in no small part in moving from Michael James Jackson who produced the debut to Max Norman who had previously worked with Ozzy Osbourne. While still dated when compared against other bands which had come out of the scene, there is no doubt that the band were starting to make strides.

It must have been difficult for them in the LA scene as they would have stood out against many of the local scene, which were more into glam, but at least it did mean they could play with many different styles of bands. One of the standouts on this is “Conqueror” which goes along at a nice pace, there is some massively complex bass while Prichard gives us some really nice solos. Everything comes together on this number, which is not always the case on every song, with Bush showing why he has always been so highly rated as a singer. Whereas the debut did not contain many moments of promise, this has much more, and with their first album behind them and plenty of gigging taking place one can hear the confidence. For me this is an album where it is necessary to look past the artwork and instead listen to the music, and for me this is where Armored Saint start to show what they are capable of, which did not come through on the debut.

ARMORED SAINT March of the Saint

Album · 1984 · US Power Metal
Cover art 3.52 | 16 ratings
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Kev Rowland
Even though Armored Saint have now been in existence for more than 40 years, and I have of course been aware of the name (primarily due to John Bush, who took time off to sing in Anthrax), I do not think I have previously come across any of their material. With their 40th anniversary in 2022, and Metal Blade reissuing their first three albums on coloured vinyl to celebrate, now is the time to correct that. Formed in 1982 by John Bush (vocals), Dave Prichard (lead guitar), Phil Sandoval (rhythm guitar), Joey Vera (bass) and Gonzo Sandoval (drums), they self-released a demo that year and were soon signed to Metal Blade who put out their first EP in 1983, following that with a deal with Chrysalis for this album in 1984.

One of the advantages of being old in 2023 is that I was 16 in 1979, so was very much involved in the NWOBHM scene, listening to as many new bands as possible and being blown away not only by the variety of metal which was exploding but also the quality. Part of the reason is that some of the bands heading the charge had actually been playing for a few years before the scene caught up with them notably Iron Maiden, Saxon and Raven, while others were playing anywhere and everywhere to build up their songs and stagecraft such as Def Leppard, Samson and so many others. At the time it seemed like the UK was the centre of the world in terms of metal, with the likes of Venom and Angel Witch pushing music into new directions as well. But America? To us in the UK if felt like the States had yet to get with the programme, and to me this album is a fine example.

Released in 1984, it is solid NWOBHM in style, yet is already years out of date and cannot be compared with what was happening in the UK at the time. The scene had moved on, and even back then this must have sounded quite dated and listening to it nearly 40 years on it just does not contain the quality of material one would expect. John Bush is widely known as a great singer, which is why he was asked to join Anthrax, but the songs are quite basic and there is not enough going on in the arrangements to make them consistently interesting. I cannot believe just how disappointed I was in this as I was really looking forward to it as their debut is highly rated, especially for “Can U Deliver” which had quite some success at the time, but for me there is just not enough excitement, and there are times when it reminds me of Tygers of Pan Tang, who were exciting at the time but have not aged well.

PATHOLOGY The Everlasting Plague

Album · 2021 · Brutal Death Metal
Cover art 3.50 | 1 rating
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Kev Rowland
Death metal merchants Pathology are back with their second album since their rebirth in 2018 when drummer and founder Dave Astor brought back singer Obie Flett who had previously been in the band back in 2010, along with new members guitarist Dan Richardson and bassist Ricky Jackson. Now back as a full touring unit, this is their eleventh album overall and they are showing little in ways of slowing down as while they do introduce plenty of contrast here we have a band who are still ripping it up as they have been since 2006’s ‘Surgically Hacked’. Astor may have been the only constant throughout their existence, but unlike some other bands with the genre they have not lost their way but instead are still firmly in the thrall of Florida-style death metal as if it were 30 years earlier.

It does seem somewhat strange to have them as a four-piece as the twin guitar interaction is an important part of their overall sound and there is no way that Dan can do all that on his own in concert, but given they were originally a trio this is something fans have become used to. The vocals are brutal, the guitars solid, but while there is a lot going on in the drums the production means they have not come through as solidly as I would have liked, which is a real shame as it does mean that at times the sound is a little lopsided, something I am sure would be quite different when being played live. Overall this is a nice album which fans of death metal would do well to discover.

MASTODON Hushed And Grim

Album · 2021 · Progressive Metal
Cover art 3.61 | 25 ratings
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Kev Rowland
I didn’t hear Mastodon’t debut album, ‘Remission’, when it was released back in 2002, but did come across ‘Leviathan’ a few years later and have followed their career with interest since then. Released in 2021, ‘Hushed and Grim’ was their eighth studio album and their first in four years, following on from ‘Emperor of Sand’ where I said they were moving into a lighter direction. That has happened again with this release, except this time they have taken it too far and it is hard for me to associate this release with the mighty behemoth they used to be.

Frustratingly, drummer Brann Dailor is having one of his finest times behind the kit, always pushing hard with loads of fills and changes in rhythm and attack, but for the most part the guys in front of him are not doing the same. There are times when they show just what they are made of, but too many when they just sit back, with “Sickle and Peace” being a case in point with some fine guitars and crunch at times, but way too much cleverness and not enough volume at others. This is also a very long album (86 minutes) and in that sense it reminds me of some of The Flower Kings’ releases in that some judicious pruning and editing might well have been in order as much of this album just washed over me.

There are times when an artist can keep moving and eventually leave some of their fans behind, and I must admit this is pretty close for me, yet there are times when they really show what they are capable of (such as on “More than I Could Chew”) so I live in hope that the next one will be better.

HYPOCRISY Worship

Album · 2021 · Melodic Death Metal
Cover art 3.50 | 7 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It is hard to believe that Peter Tägtgren (guitar, vocals), Mikael Hedlund (bass) and Reidar “Horgh” Horghagen (drums), came back together in 2021 to record their first new album in eight years. Horgh has since left the band he has been in since 2004, but one cannot see Tägtgren stopping work on the band he founded all the way back in 1992, 30 years ago. He famously returned to Sweden after living in the States for a while, with a very different view on death metal, releasing the debut album they same year he formed the band and they have been active in both touring and recording ever since, with the current eight-year gap being the longest between any of their albums.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their following, many people have been raving over the latest release from the melodic death metal merchants, conveniently overlooking one minor fact, it’s not very good. Sure, the playing is top notch as one would expect given those involved (I mean, Horgh joined Immortal all the way back in 1996), but the material just is not there. In some ways it feels like they are going through the motions and I soon found I was wondering how much longer it had to go which is never a good thing when playing an album. Fans will probably get a lot out of this, but for me there is just not enough vitality and variation to make this indispensable.

EXODUS Persona Non Grata

Album · 2021 · Thrash Metal
Cover art 3.69 | 8 ratings
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Kev Rowland
It took me a long time to get into Exodus, probably not listening to them properly until the turn of the century, and for a long time thought of them just as the band which Kirk Hammett left to join Metallica. This probably was not helped by some seriously naff album covers such as for ‘Bonded By Blood’ and ‘Impact Is Imminent”, but over the years I have started to enjoy what they produce even though they have had a somewhat interchangeable line-up. However, they have managed to calm that down over the years and since singer Steve Souza returned in 2014 the line-up has been constant, and the last truly new person to join was guitarist Lee Altus in 2001. Although not a founder member, Gary Holt has been the one constant since his arrival in 1982, and alongside drummer Tom Hunting are the only two which played on their debut some 35 years ago. This is their 12th studio album, but their first since 2014’s ‘Blood In, Blood Out’, so what is it like?

Although the production is modern, and there is more bottom end than there would have been back in the day, what we have here is a thrash band who have been around for 40 years and see no reason whatsoever to change their style. Some bands have progressed into different areas, some have regressed into a shadow of their former selves (even though they have made millions), while there are others who have just kept pushing along in the same vein, and that is very much the case with Exodus. The guitars crunch, we get pounding drums, shredding solos, a singer who sounds like he has bene gargling with whisky who is not shy of going up the register, a bassist often playing as if he is on a third guitar linked with the melody, and it is a load of fun. There is nothing new in what they are doing, but Exodus are not attempting to start a new thrash movement, they haven’t finished with the last one yet! An important part of the story at the very beginning, they are still going as if it is still the Eighties, and there will be many metalheads who will happily lose dandruff to this album.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE Bullet For My Valentine

Album · 2021 · Melodic Metalcore
Cover art 3.50 | 2 ratings
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Kev Rowland
They may have sold some three million albums, but there is no doubt that Welsh metalcore outfit Bullet For My Valentine have never really lived up to the promise of their first two albums. Although their debut, ‘The Poison’ is the most regarded by many, for me it was 2008’s ‘Scream Aim Fire’ which really grabbed my attention, and I was convinced we would be hearing a great deal more from this band. However, although they have a considerable fan base, the critics have never been hugely supportive over the years, due in no small part to some inconsistent releases. This is their seventh studio album, and while the first three are all well worth hearing and enjoying, the last three not so much, so what would this be like?

It starts with the age-old concept of playing snippets of songs in the background as if someone was playing the radio, but whereas the concept worked well for both Pink Floyd and Kiss, here it just drags which made me wonder what the rest was going to be like? It takes a full 90 seconds for “Parasite” to kick in properly, and when it does then the introduction is (somewhat) forgiven (although it is pointless). Here we have Matt Tuck doing what he does so well, leading the band on a headlong journey of aggression and power, linked in tightly with Padge as they have been since the very beginning, while drummer Jason Bowld is all over the kit, throwing in triplets and nice kick drum while bassist Jamie Mathias provides the platform for everyone to build on.

There is not much room on here for peace and quiet, but they understand the need for dynamics, so we get breaks in some songs, a more peaceful introduction there, a touch of djent here, and there are times when there is plenty of space and others when it is a wall of sound. To my ears this is easily their best album since ‘Fever’, and a nice return which metalheads will surely enjoy.

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