M2TM South Wales 2024: Swansea Heat #4 Interview With Gyro By Paul Hutchings

Interview With Gyro – Heat 4 Swansea, M2TM 27th April 2024

1. Let’s start with introductions. Who is who and what does each person do in the band?

I’m Ethan, I’m the long haired, pretty one, I play 8 string guitar and vocals and the bald, broad shouldered one is Marc, he plays the drums.

2. Where are you from and how long have you been together?

I’m from Bridgend originally but have since moved to Abergwynfi and Marc grew up in Neath, moved to Bridgend, then Birmingham and now he’s back in Neath.

We started Gyro in late 2022/early 2023 but prior to that we had a mostly online instrumental prog metal band called Earthen that we worked on together on and off for about 8 years, eventually we realised that playing a G minor scale at 300bpm is all impressive but no one wants to bounce their hips to that so we started Gyro with the intention of gigging and making crowds move.

3. Describe your music in five words.

Progpunk Grungecore up your batty.

4. What prompted you to apply to be part of Metal to the Masses – South Wales?

We were in the market for gigs that would spread our kind of dirty music to audiences that wouldn’t normally hear it but that we thought would be receptive to a new sound and also the opportunity to network with other bands and get some more fun gigs organised down the line.

5. If you have played Metal to the Masses before, tell us about your previous experiences and importantly, why you’ve returned!

First time for us but we’ve got a lot of friends who’ve played previous years and previous heats this year, thought we couldn’t let them have all the fun.

6. Bloodstock is a big festival – have you attended the festival in the past? If so, what would you say are the best things about the weekend?

Never attended bloodstock ourselves but we have friends who go religiously and alcohol aside everyone is there to have a good time and to go as hard as possible which we abide heavily.

7. Apart from Metal to the Masses, what do you have planned for 2024?

We’re going to release an EP or 2 and just try to grow as much as possible and play as many great gigs as we can.

8. What can we expect from you in your heat?

Other bands will try to make you headbang, we will get your hips moving too

9. And what are you expecting in your heat and journey through the competition?

Regarding our heat there’s some great bands who’ve played m2tm before and are very talented people and artists, we don’t really see it as a competition more so an opportunity to get our name out there and mingle with some of the other festival headliners of tomorrow?

10. Finally, where can people find details of the band – promote your socials here!

A. On everything we are @gyrocymru, this is all our links in one convenient place https://linktr.ee/gyrocymru

Reviews: Vanden Plas, Praying Mantis, Valley Lodge, Drudge (Reviews By Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

Vanden Plas - The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

German progressive metal band Vanden Plas awaken after a four year hiatus and have made sure everything on this new album is long and complex. The title, the songs, the run times, its six tracks clocking in at 54 minutes of music. The final track March Of Saints a whopping 16 minutes! If this is a case of ‘beat this’ to other prog metal bands I don’t know but The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things really highlights what a brilliant and perhaps under-rated prog metal band Vanden Plas are. 

Guitarist Stephan Lill wrote all the music on this album with singer Andy Kuntz provided the lyrics, these founder members, alongside co-founder drummer Andreas Lill and long term bassist Torsten Reichert are joined by Mr Frontiers Music Alessandro Del Vecchio on keys. It’s been a while since Del Vecchio has been a part of something this heavy and progressive so he’s really on form, an ideal foil for Stephan’s virtuoso guitar while adding cinematic touches to songs such as My Icarian Flight. Though he didn’t co-write the record, his addition adds a new element to the Vanden Plas style and his production is top notch like usual. 

On Sanctimonarium there’s huge organs, which add Deep Purple-isms alongside Dream Theater comparisons too, the 10 minute playtime making it an epic mid-point. I’ve always enjoyed Vanden Plas as a band, their last four albums were quite dense conceptual pieces with and overarching story, so with a Del Vecchio on board and no need to write conceptual songs, this new album sounds a bit more free and expressive. Vanden Plas hit the mark again on this eleventh studio album, are they still underrated? In my opinion yes, should they overlooked? Not on the strength of this record. 8/10

Praying Mantis – Defiance (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]

Still touted as one of the NWOBHM originators, in recent years Praying Mantis have been much similar in their music to the melodic rock/AOR scene. Leaving a lot of the NWOBHM bands behind as they become more increasingly melodic and proggy, this is more Saracen or Saga that Maiden or Priest. On their 13th album this doesn’t seem to changing anytime soon, with the duo of From The Start and the title track fixed in the melodic rock/AOR sound. 

Big keys, dramatic vocals and some searing emotive guitars Praying Mantis continue where Katharsis left off celebrating 50 years as a band in 2024, brothers Timo (guitar/vocals) and Chris (bass/vocals) still lead the band into their fifth decade, joined by a professional band made up of drummer Hans in’t Zandt, guitarist Andy Burges and vocalist Jaycee Cuijpers, whose pipe make Feelin’ Lucky sound like a Graham Bonnet number, useful then that the next track is cover of Rainbow’s I Surrender, which was sung by Joe Lynn Turner but retained that latter day Rainbow melodic rock format. 

Not a shred of NWOBHM so it makes me think why they still refer to it in their PR, Def Leppard don’t, anyway that’s a personal thing as Praying Mantis’ in their current guise play appealing melodic rock, showing off their guitars chops on instrumental Nightswim and channelling Giorgio Moroder on Standing Tall but overall Defiance is a little too ballad heavy for me. However you have to give the band props for being able to make a living in the music industry for 50 years. Suited perfectly to Frontiers Praying Mantis continue their legacy wit Defiance. 7/10

Valley Lodge - Shadows In Paradise (Tee Pee Records) [Rich Piva]

Valley Lodge is a power pop band out of New York that wear their love for bands like Cheap Trick, The Raspberries, and Big Star on their sleave. With a former member of Cobra Verde in the band I bet they may have some Guided By Voices records too. Maybe the Fountains Of Wayne records too. They have released four records till date, with Shadows In Paradise, their new one and their fifth, an excellent addition to their discography.

In my power pop I want catchy, like the opener, Daylights, that also reminds me of my favourite power pop band, Sloan, I Wrote A Song, with a melody that will not leave my head, and Trouble that has a slick as hell chorus that will leave you humming it. Hanging Around sounds like The Cure meets GBV and I am here for it for sure. 

 Give me song jangle in my power pop too, which you get with Secret Lover, which also sounds like a 70s disco song at times including the cheese yet wonderful lyrics. Doorstep leans towards 70s psych pop, executed excellently, while After School gives off some fellow nice dressers Urge Overkill vibes. I mentioned Sloan before, I will mention them again as I listen to Dyin’. Out Of Time sounds like a hit from the 90s for sure and is probably my favourite track on Shadows In Paradise.

Valley Lodge is a band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously but does seem to take their love for all things power pop extremely so. Try not to hold the fact that they do the theme song to Last Week Tonight against them, because if you dig power pop check out this and the other Valley Lodge records. 7/10

Drudge - Into The Blue EP (Self Released) [Rich Piva]

UK stoner/metal/grunge band Drudge bring to us the follow up to their 2021 debut in the form of an EP, Into The Blue. I missed the first record the first time around but the four songs on Into The Blue had me immediately correct that mistake because these guys bring the heavy rock in a style right in my wheelhouse.

What style would that be you ask? Well, check out the opening track, Swallow The Sun, where you get some fuzzy stoner goodness with hints of early QOTSA and Fu Manchu. Can’t get too much more in said wheelhouse. This is high energy fuzzy goodness with a great riff and cool drums that, at least in the files I have, are way too low in the mix. This doesn’t ruin the track but I would love to have the production a bit more even. The guitar work however is excellent and right in your face. The title track leans more grunge, with a Thayil type low end riff and more of a plodding track that complements the opener nicely. This one has the Pacific Northwest all over it, and that is, of course, a good thing. 

Covert Betrayal has a simple but effective fuzzy riff and is just a sweet straight-ahead rocker that would fit nicely on any stoner and/or modern grunge playlist. I especially like all of the cool tempo changes on this one. I heard you wanted to hear an eleven-minute stoner/grunge epic? I am here to please, so check out the closer, Unrivalled Sin, where you get slower doomy grunge, a tempo change to a more straight ahead stoner feel until a more atmospheric stoner vibe transitions us back to the front and then home.

These are four high quality tracks from a band that you should be hearing more about soon, because Drudge brings it. I wish the production was a bit different to really extenuate the band’s strengths, but overall, the four songs on Into The Blue are great and will be a nice placeholder until we get album number two. 8/10

M2TM South Wales 2024: Swansea Heat #4 Interview With Kill By Mouth By Paul Hutchings

Interview With Kill By Mouth – Heat 4 Swansea, M2TM 27th April 2024

1. Let’s start with introductions. Who is who and what does each person do in the band?

Cassar - vocals, guitar

Lee - guitar

Rich - bass

Gregg - Drums

2. Where are you from and how long have you been together?

We are all from Swansea. We've known each other for decades and have all shared a stage in our different bands over the years.

In this incarnation, Kill By Mouth have been together just over a year. Last year's M2M heat was our first gig, and we made it through to the finals!

The band in various lineups has been around for years though, but this version is the secret sauce. It's a more diverse sound now, with everyone bringing something new. If you've never heard us before, you won't quite know what to expect, but you'll like what you hear.

3. Describe your music in five words.

Metal (obvs), Groovy, Complex, Explosive, Dynamic

4. What prompted you to apply to be part of Metal to the Masses – South Wales?

It's great exposure really. Can't fault the top prize either! 

The competition is a stepping stone to bigger and better things too. Seeing previous winners guest headlining the rounds and going on tour is certainly an incentive to up our game professionally speaking.

5. If you have played Metal to the Masses before, tell us about your previous experiences and importantly, why you’ve returned!

We played it last year, and got all the way to the final. We got a taste for the competition, and we need to improve on that result!

It's nice that the final is in Swansea this year too, although that means there'll be no Kill By Mouth party bus this time! An all dayer is always good, especially with the lineup. Possibly the best Welsh M2TM ever?

6. Bloodstock is a big festival – have you attended the festival in the past? If so, what would you say are the best things about the weekend?

Cassar goes every year. There aren't many (any) decent UK metal festivals any more, so the fact that there is even one is something to be celebrated.

The diversity of the lineup is great too. You can always discover some new favourite band or another to buy merch off.

7. Apart from Metal to the Masses, what do you have planned for 2024?

More gigs, more recording, more videos, more everything.

8. What can we expect from you in your heat?

Riffs to make you headbang, though not necessarily in 4/4. We can make anything groove, and to see the crowd react to our songs is always an amazing feeling. 

9. And what are you expecting in your heat and journey through the competition?

It's always great to meet new bands. Last year we made loads of friends and we still get to share a stage with some of them. We'll be supporting those guys in their heats this year too.

We get to find new fans as well, every band brings their mates, and if we can win them over too then so much the better!

10. Finally, where can people find details of the band – promote your socials here!

We are on Instagram, Facebook and there are some old videos on YouTube (until we make some new ones). Here are the links:

facebook.com/KillByMouthBand

instagram.com/killbymouth

youtube.com/@killbymouth9617

We are most active on Instagram and Facebook, there's old videos on YouTube, but we'll be updating that with new stuff soon.

Reviews: Melvins, Big Wolf Band, Quantum, Haust (Reviews By Rich Piva, Paul Scoble, Matt Bladen & Mark Young)

Melvins - Tarantula Heart (Ipecac Recordings) [Rich Piva]

To say that the new Melvins record is “quite possibly the band's most unconventional, catchiest and imaginative work yet, continuing a legacy celebrated for its eccentric and extraordinary output” like the promo material for album number 32-ish, depending on how you are counting, says, is the definition of a bold statement, because unconventional, catchy and imaginative pretty much sums up the band who have been at it since the mid-1980s. Tarantula Heart, however, is petty close to said quote, and not only that, it is my favourite Melvins record since my favourite, A Senile Animal.

Tarantula Heart starts out with a familiar sounding riff and a pretty conventional song structure, then you look a and realize Pain Equals Funny is almost twenty minutes long, but it flies by and is their version of A Quick One, where The Who told a story going in all sorts of musical directions, always different and always exciting. 

You could have ended the first part at the five-minute mark, but instead let’s retched up the double drums and the grungy riff and continue down the route of something you may have heard on one of their outstanding records from their run in the second half of the 2000s. 

Instead of continuing down that path or even onto the next track, let’s go really sparce and weird out for a couple of minutes to build up to a complete rhythm section driven freak out. Great stuff. Working The Ditch has some Houdini vibes to it which I will always be here for. This is low end chunky Melvins at their best and one of my favourite tracks by the band in a while. 

She’s Got Weird Arms lives up to its name, as it is a strangle little track but also incorporating the catchy side of the band that always sneaks up on you. Did I say weird, well Allergic To Food is also wonderfully strange, with some frantic guitar, unconventional tempo, and next level (double) drumming. Smiler closes us with a ripper of a freak out, but never without melody, a super power of the band.

Don’t fret, Melvins are not trending towards conventional in the latter years of their career if Tarantula Heart is any indication of their future direction. This record is another bold statement that incorporates everything you want from something new by Melvins. If you love this band, you will love Tarantula Heart. If you are new to the band, do not let the twenty-minute opener scare you, and also go listen to Houdini, Stoner Witch, and A Senile Animal ASAP. 8/10

Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey (Self Released) [Paul Scoble]

Big Wolf Band have been making a big noise on the British Blues scene since their forming in 2014. The band, based in Birmingham, are made up of Jonathan Earp on Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals, Mick Jeynes on Bass, Tim Jones on Drums, Justin Johnson on Rhythm Guitars and Backing Vocals and Robin Fox on Piano and Hammond Organ. 

On this album they are joined by Zoe Green on Backing Vocals, Tracey Earp and Sheena Sear on Additional Vocals on the song Rise Together and Mark Stuart played Shaker, Tambourine and Kitchen Sink (not sure if that’s an electric Kitchen sink or acoustic Kitchen Sink, acoustic would probably be safer).

In the time the band have been together they have released three albums before Rebel’s Journey; their debut A Rebel’s Story, a second album in 2019’s Be Free and the band released a live album last year called appropriately Live And Howling.

Jonathan Earp has a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (HEDS)
that has needed at least one operation and did, for a while, stop him from playing the Guitar. Several of the songs on Rebel’s Journey are about this and have given some of the album a dark lyrical theme, however several of the other songs have more positive subjects, thereby giving the album a balance.

The album opens with Empire And A Prayer, a driving up-tempo piece of Blues Rock where the Guitar and Piano take the main riffs. The song has a great Guitar solo and has a perfect head nodding tempo for Blues Rock, it’s a very positive way to start the album. Next comes the track Valley Of The Fallen Kings, a measured piece of Blues with a great chorus. The main riff has a slight country twang about it, lyrically it touches on the Robert Johnson, Crossroads legend.

Lay It On The Line has a downright Funky main riff that is tight as it gets. The chorus is really good and has some great Backing Vocals by Zoe Green. Rise Together is a gorgeous little ballad, a love song with very positive lyrics. The song is melodic and tuneful with a great Guitar solo, it’s a sweet song, you’d have to be a very cynical person to dislike it. The song features Backing Vocals by Tracy Earp and Sheena Sear.

After Rise Together comes Six Strings Loaded, a slow and brooding piece of Blues that is subtle and measured. The song does build up for the Guitar solo but ebbs back to brooding and subtle afterwards. Black Dog Blues has a pulsing bassline that drives the song forward, it’s a walking pace, but has an unstoppable feeling to it, if you blocked this song’s path it will just walk right over you. The song is Smokey Blues with a great chorus with wonderful Backing Vocals and some great Guitar / Organ interplay.

Standing In The Rain is a great Blues Ballad with a really dramatic and emotive chorus. The song is a little reminiscent of Gary Moore’s Parisian Walkways, and that can only be a good thing. Next comes Living On Borrowed Time an up-tempo rocker, which is tight as anything with a very purposeful feel to it and a great Hammond solo. The song reminds me a little of Steamy Windows by The Rolling Stones. Got Me Reeling has got a swagger the size of a mountain, the chorus is nice and rhythmic and the verse has some great Hammond Organ riffs. 

Up next is Crazy Love which brings back the Funk! The song features a great main riff that could have been written by Nile Rogers, there is a real Freddie King feel to the song, its full of energy and I found it impossible to keep still whilst listening to Crazy Love.

Darker Side Of You as the title suggests is a dark and emotional Ballad. The song has a great chorus with those lush Backing Vocals and a very emotive Guitar solo. The song is Gentle, Beautiful and Affecting. Just A Little Bit is another funky piece of Blues with a great main riff and really enjoyable leads. The chorus is great and full of Zoe’s awesome Backing Vocals which on the chorus become Lead Vocals. The song has a great Keyboard solo and a really good Guitar solo both of which are full of melody, but no matter how impressive the rest of the song is, the chorus is what you end up remembering as it is so good!

The album comes to an end with the song Too Many Times a Blues Ballad with a very melancholy feel to it. The chorus is much bigger than the verse and is very effective, the song also boasts very impressive Organ and Guitar solos. Too Many Times builds as it reaches its end giving the song a big ending and making it a very good to end the album.

Rebels Journey is a great piece of Modern Blues. The album sounds very good, the production and mix are pretty much perfect, in particular the Lush Backing Vocals in many of the chorus’s sound perfect with a great balance with the backing instruments. The songs were all interesting musically and lyrically, and this album is full of great solos from both Guitars and Hammond Organ / Piano. 

The material has a nice verity whilst at the same time always feeling like the same band, there a continuity of sound that connects everything together. I also think that considering the health issue that Jonathan Earp has had to deal with, which could have stopped him from playing the Guitar, we are lucky that Rebel’s Journey exists at all, and for that we should all be thankful. 8/10

Quantum - Down The Mountainside (Black Lodge) [Matt Bladen]

In 2014 Swedish progressive metal veterans Opeth release Pale Communion, stripping nearly all of the death metal sound for a more natural, organic style of classic progressive rock inspired by their love of Camel, Jethro Tull et al, it put many into a spin, the hardcore death metal lovers vowing never to return while the majority went with it as these influences could always be heard in Opeth’s music. Since Pale Communion, this is the path they have continued upon, never tempted to return to the crushing extreme metal of Watershed or Ghost Reveries. 

I mention this as Quantum, another band from Sweden formed just two years after Pale Communion and if Down The Mountainside is anything to go by, they are directly influenced by this sonic shift for Mr Akerfeldt and company. 

Now I will say Quantum do veer a little more into metallic harshness at points, influences coming from Haken on both parts of the title track, both Richard Henshall and Tom MacLean from the Brit prog heroes appearing on the album. There’s the weirdness of Dillinger Escape Plan and The Mars Volta on the jazzy/brassy Moths – Leaves particularly. They also add acoustic, pastoral, string laden moments on Dots which brings in those classic Yes/Genesis compositions. 

Formed by bassist/singer Anton Ericsson; the current line-up has him joined by drummer Marcus Lundberg along with guitarists Samuel Walfridsson and Kalle Segerborg, Quantum do retro classic prog well, just enough metal, just enough rock and technical ability that everyone will be a little bit jealous of. It does owe a lot to Opeth and Haken but that’s not to their detriment at all. 8/10

Haust - Negative Music (Fysisk Format Records) [Mark Young]

The clue is in the title. If music has a colour associated with it, then here it would be black. At least that is the feeling I get from it. However just having one colour makes for a dull experience.

 
Fans of Haust should not be surprised by this new release, which sees the original line-up reunite to follow on from the 10th anniversary of Ride The Relapse in 2018. Being honest, I know nothing about them other than what I have read online and was expecting a full-on assault. I wasn’t expecting the down and dirty approach that lies more within the punk / hardcore genre than black metal.

The songs themselves occupy that mid-paced tempo, allowing them to really get under the skin. Left to Die kicks off, not with the expected hyper speed arrangement but with an almost standard punk attack which is continued with Dead Ringer. 

As the openers go, they are both ok, but I was expecting something more aggressive in all honesty and being straight I’m not finding a lot to really engage me here. The Burning continues in that mid-paced approach, filthy sounding guitars dropping riffs, but something is missing. Turn to Stone is a fine example of a lolloping arrangement but by now the songs are blurring into one due to that constant occupation of that middle speed.

 
It’s disappointing really that by Oh Take Me, I hadn’t really heard anything that was markedly different from Left To Die which started us off. Maybe it’s just one of those releases that I don’t get on with. So, when the interlude of The Vanishing comes in and hints of something else in their tool shed and they follow it with more of the same music then it’s time to skip forward.

 
I’m struggling to remember the last time I reviewed something that didn’t have anything about it that I loved. There is nothing here that warrants a re-listen just to make sure I haven’t missed anything. I didn’t. As they say themselves, their music isn’t entertainment for the masses. You like it or you don’t, and they aren’t forcing it on you. Again, fans of them will know exactly what they are getting and will buy it regardless. I cannot find anything here that makes me recommend it to anyone. 4/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Kris Barras (Live Review By Debby Myatt)

Kris Barras Band, South Of Salem & The Nocturnal Affair, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton 13.04.24

The lure of two of the hottest UK bands together in one night was an opportunity not to be missed and at one of our favourite venues, so it was a no brainer really.

Added to the bill for this tour was The Nocturnal Affair (8) who travelled across the sea from Las Vegas to add their own brand of dark moody rock to the menu.

After a blistering drum intro, they started the set with their current single It’s No Good, a cover of the classic Depeche Mode song from the ‘90s before dipping into their debut album (Meta)morphosis with the track A Thousand Ways To Die

I was surprised at how heavy they were live, having listened to the album. You can hear the influences on the album with their slightly mournful style, from Type O Negative to Gary Numan, but live, they kick it up a notch to get the crowd going, and it was good to see a decent sized crowd supporting the first band. 

It was also a brave decision by the band to include no less than four covers in their short set of nine songs, but if you are relatively an unknown quantity to the majority of the crowd then as long as the covers are good then I’m ok with that. 

And what a mix of covers they threw in, the aforementioned Depeche Mode song, N.I.B (Black Sabbath), Hash Pip e(Weezer) and the big curveball of the pop hit What Is Love from Haddaway to end their set. The few original songs they did play were enough though to give a taster of this band who can look forward to bright (or is that dark) future.

South Of Salem (9) seem to be everywhere at the moment and have built up an adoring fan base with an extremely busy schedule on the live circuit, and in between all that touring they released their latest album Death Of The Party which got to #4 in the official rock and metal charts and received great reviews.

It’s from that album that most of tonight’s set was taken, beginning with the heavy chugging riffs and pounding drums of album opener Vultures, followed by the heavily sleaze influenced Static

The band are on a high at the moment and their energy on stage is a physical embodiment of that, they barely stop moving and singer Joey Draper knows how to play the eager audience.

This is full on rock ‘n’ roll that flies by in a blink of an eye, highlight is the glam/gothic rock Cold Day In Hell and the final song of the night Jet Black Eyes with its catchy hooks and blistering guitar solos.

South Of Salem are a band on the up and get better each time we see them, if this band were based in the USA they’d be massive by now, highly recommend you get to see them if you get the chance.

From one band on a high to another. The Kris Barras Band (9) are a band that have undergone a switch in style from an soft American bluesy outfit to a much ballsier rock outfit, but done in such a way that seems natural and part of the bands growth.

They open up with the big radio hit Who Needs Enemies from the 2022 album Death Valley Paradise, the album that really brought them to a much wider audience and the first hint of a heavier rock sound.

The set is packed full of sing-a-long songs, particularly from their latest album Halo that, as I write this, is sitting at #7 in the main UK album charts! (It got to #5 - Smash Hits Ed) The audience lap up everything, as the band dip into the last three albums but they also remember their roots as well and throw in some powerful blues tracks such as the very emotional rendition of Watching Over Me I literally had goosebumps and filled up during this song.

Kris himself is no stranger to the spotlight having had a successful career in MMA fighting, but he is well and truly in the rock spotlight now with his incredible guitar skills and powerful lyrics, that make this band much in demand, it will be interesting to see how far these guys can go, and like their touring companions, the USA beckons and could see this band become huge.

Reviews: Pearl Jam, Haunted, Dool, Tomorrow's Rain (Reviews By Rich Piva & Matt Bladen)

Pearl Jam - Dark Matter (Monnkeywrench/Republic Records) [Rich Piva]

No matter what people think about the quality of the later period Pearl Jam records, a new album by the legendary band is something to celebrate. There are always a few really great songs on each of the records after the ones that people still consider classics (the stopping point for classics is debatable, anywhere from Vs to Riot Act, I am in the Yield camp personally) and usually a new record means a new tour, which is obviously where PJ excels these days. 

Album number twelve, Dark Matter, fits exactly into the discography like everything pretty much after the millennium turned; some great songs that will be excellent live, some slower songs that are mostly passes, and some unmemorable filler, with Dark Matter distributed evenly across the three categories.

Let’s start with the good. The album gets off to a ripping start with Scared Of Fear and React, Respond, two rockers that I am sure will be staples of the upcoming live setlist and beyond. Ed sounds great and the band is spot on as usual. React, Respond has a cool little guitar bass interaction thing going on making it one of the more memorable tracks on Dark Matter. 

I dig the funky and fun title track, continuing a trend of throwing out a unique (for them) sounding single like they did with Dance Of The Clairvoyants on the last release, Gigaton. I enjoyed Waiting For Stevie too, probably because it reminds me of something from Yield. The punk leaning little ripper Running is super fun as well.

Wreckage falls into the mostly pass on slower tracks along with the way too long Upper Hand. As for unmemorable filler? Won’t Tell I won’t really listen to again, Something Special really is not that special for me, and Got To Give doesn’t offer me a lot. I am not sure if the writing process has changed, but I feel like a lot of the not-so-great tracks sound like they were written for a late era Springsteen record but didn’t make the cut.

The closer would be the deciding factor between the great and the meh, and let’s just say I am still on the fence about the chill closer, I am leaning towards the former category. So, another mixed bag from Pearl Jam. I never do want Ed and the boys to stop though, because there are always some gems and most likely a tour every time, so Dark Matter is something to be enjoyed and celebrated for what it is. For most bands this is a six, but it’s Pearl Jam so... 7/10

Haunted - Stare At Nothing (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]

Italian band Haunted spooked us with their 2016 self-titled occult doom masterpiece that went way too under the radar for how hauntingly (I had to) good it is. Not much was heard from the band after that, but leave it to Ripple Music to bring us the highly anticipated second Haunted record, Stare At Nothing, which takes the band’s brand of goodness consisting of ethereal vocals, low end atmospheric doom, and heavy but understated (in the best way) Sabbath/Candlemass type riffs to the next level.

Spooky is the vibe indeed as Stare At Nothing kicks off with a ghostly Intro that slides into the first track, Catamorph, that brings a crunchy killer doom riff only to be mesmerized by Chirstina Chimirri’s beautiful vocals. The power of this band is how the heavy and light melt together, the voice and the music, just perfectly, even if the two worlds are so far apart. 

The guitar work is outstanding here. I hear a heavier Kabbalah or a less heavy Wytch (using two other amazing Ripple bands as comparisons) on a track like Garden Of Evil, which brings some psych to the occult doom party but never ignores the riff, and my oh my those vocals, this one with some excellently executed layering that makes this track just fly. 

I love how Back To The Nest glides like a ghost and how Potsherds is the example I would use if someone asked me with ethereal occult doom sounded like. Malevolent is the real highlight on an album full of them. This is epic doom; almost eight minutes of understand in the mix crunchy riffs and vocals that so perfect meld but then combine that with the tempo change and sparse guitar work in the middle and you have one of my favourite songs of the year. 

Fall Of The Seven Veils acts as a two minute interlude highlighted by that voice over an acoustic that makes you yearn for something, but you are not yet sure what, until you figure out it is the embrace of death when the riff of the title track kicks in. I mention epic doom, and if that is your thing, then the closing track will be for you as well where you get excellently executed doom that can stand up against any band doing it today.

It was eight years in the making, but Haunted’s Stare At Nothing is the perfect re-introduction to a band that was missed by so many in both meanings of the word. This is the definition of epic occult doom that has next level musicianship and a voice that will literally do what the band’s name is in the best possible way. Will be up there for the doom album of the year for sure. 9/10

Dool - The Shape Of Fluidity (Prophesy Productions) [Matt Bladen]

Dutch band Dool have received plaudits from all over the place for their previous two albums, including this humble publication. Their gothic post rock meets slow burning prog metal, tinged with a morose atmospherics has a real appeal to it, beckoning you to get involved with their esoteric, existential music. 

The Shape Of Fluidity is their third offering and it’s based around Greek philosopher Heraclitus’ idea that “everything flows, nothing stays the same” be that how we adapt to an ever changing world, political climate, environmental climate and the overall malaise that is modern life. Who do we believe? Do we rebel? Do we just embrace the status quo? 

More importantly do we let others define who we are? What we are? How we identify and define ourselves? Much of the latter comes with vocalist/guitarist Raven van Dorst’s fight to reclaim their identity as someone that is intersex, not defined by binary ideals but embracing their own path. 

The lyrical path on this album is biographical Raven documenting feelings, fears and finality in this process of finding who they are. Derived from the Dutch word for wandering, that is a very apt way of describing the soundscapes of this band. The Shape Of Fluidity, seems to be more expansive and experimental than either of the last two studio albums. 

The repeating, glistening post rock swathes on the title track are given an undercurrent of prog metal on the crushing Self Dissect toughness and art rock trappings, akin to Porcupine Tree, early Pineapple Thief or fellow Dutch band Lesoir. There’s also some doom meandering on Hermagorgon and writhing post punk with opener Venus In Flames or Evil In You to impart more musical mastery on your ears. 

The use of Raven, Nick Polak and Omar Iskandr all being guitarists, brings that widescreen guitar sound of a band such as Cult Of Luna, Radiohead or Periphery, all three also the writers on this record. Behind this tonal wall of sound is bassist JB van der Wal and new drummer Vincent Kreyder who brings jazz tendencies as well as pounding metallic fury. 

Add to this the production experience of Magnus Lindberg and Ted Jensen, the album has a clarity that allows you to pick out individual notes even when they play fully distorted heaviness. The Shape Of Fluidity sees Dool unveiling more of themselves, it’s an album that’s very personal and affecting, sound tracked by some virtuoso compositions. 9/10

Tomorrow’s Rain - Ovdan (AOP Records) [Matt Bladen]

Tomorrow's Rain bring that bleak back with their second album Ovdan. The Hebrew word for loss this album follows up Hollow with some heart-wrenching doom that draws from tragedy. The band from Tel Aviv are influenced heavily the likes of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and acts such as Swallow The Sun, Tribulation, Moonspell, having played support to a few of these at local concerts.

That album featured guests from some of the best heavy bands around and led them just one show in Tel Aviv in 2021 right at the height of the pandemic. This new studio album though takes what they did on the debut and overloads it with grief and worry. Inspired by the near fatal heart attack that frontman Yishai Sweartz had in March 2023, this horror directing the finishing touches of Ovdan, as they looked to write a record that was different to their debut.

For one it's got more coherence to it written in just two years, there's anger, bile, introspection and colossal heaviness delivered with some well crafted death/doom. Sweartz has said that he wanted to "bring something fresh to the table with every album" so it's no surprise that alongside the death/doom, there's atmospheric textures, post metal shimmers and much more in this pot as Alex Karlinsky's varied keys gel with Yoni Biton and Raffy Mor's maudlin, crunching guitars and acoustic moments.

There's also another set of special guests with Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate), Ben Christo (Sisters Of Mercy), Andreas Vingback (Dark Funeral) alongside a host of black/death/doom artists who lend their talents to this well connected band, most helping out on vocals, adding to the cleans and growls of Sweartz. Metering these gothic death doom anthems are the rhythm section of Yaggel Cohen (bass) and Nir Nakav (drums) who shift into double kick/galloping blasts and slithering, crushing grooves with aplomb.

Ovdan is a compelling record from Tomorrow's Rain, fans of gothic death doom will find themselves in heaven. 9/10

Reviews: High On Fire, Dvne, Atrae Bilis, Maere (Reviews By Rich Piva, Matt Bladen, GC & Mark Young)

High On Fire - Cometh The Storm (MNRK Heavy) [Rich Piva]

High On Fire are one of those bands you can identify after just a couple of seconds of a song. Whether it’s Matt Pike’s guitar sound and trademark riffs or a bit of his unique sing/scream voice, you know it’s them, and you also pretty much know what you are going to get, which for this band is never a band thing, just different levels of good. 

If you are not familiar with High On Fire then I can’t help you, but I will say this is the first album in six years from the deliverers of riffs, heavy sludgy goodness, and UFO conspiracies and will in no way disappoint long time fans who have been anxiously awaiting new material from Pike and this next configuration of the band, which this time includes former Melvins and Big Business drummer Coady Willis and boy does he make a difference because the drums sound amazing on here along with everything else Cometh The Fire brings.

The riffs are all over the place on Cometh The Fire, right from the beginning on Lambsbread for example. You get a great example of the new drummer’s work on this track too. I love the second track, Burning Down, how it kind of rises up from the ashes. You immediately hear some Big Business with this track on not just the drums, so Willis is having influence on Pike for sure. HOF is at their best with their sludgy, mid-tempo tracks where the riffs and now also the drums rule all, like on Tough Guy. Obviously, the band is not afraid to rip it up too, like the breakneck tracks Trismegistus, Lightning Beard, and The Beating. 

The title track is killer too, highlighted by what would be the closest Pike comes to crooning and a great build driven by those drums and whoa when that chunky riff kicks in. You even have some Middle Eastern vibes going on (Karanlik) and the most Mastodon sounding song of their discography, Hunting Shadows. The ten-minute Darker Fleece is a strong, albeit a bit too long closer, but it still slays. If I had one gripe, I would say Cometh The Storm is a bit long at almost an hour, but hey, it’s been six years so I get it.

So, worry not High On Fire fans, if you like this band you will totally dig Cometh The Fire. Just don’t come in to it thinking Pike is going go in some crazy new direction, which is fine with me given all of the godly riffs and pummelling of the rhythm section you get for sixty straight minutes. A great late career album from a great band. 8/10

Dvne - Voidkind (Metal Blade Records) [Matt Bladen]

French/Scottish act Dvne have been creating a beautiful heavy noise for over 10 years, releasing two studio albums and glut of EP’s, the founding duo of Victor Vicart (guitar/keys/vocals) and Dudley Tait (drums), play music inspired by Tool, Gojira, Cult Of Luna, Conjurer and The Ocean, post metal atmospheres with pulverising sludge grooves, progressive compositions that put hypnotic grooves against cascading riffs. 

On this third full length Dvne bring their music to a new nadir, Vicart and Tait are joined by Allan Paterson (guitar/bass), Daniel Barter (vocals), but it’s the addition of Maxime Kelle on keys and vocals that gives Voidkind a more eclectic ethereal sound that takes them further towards what Baroness do. Now expanded to a five piece, it’s their live shows that has influenced this record. Playing shows and festivals has meant that the focus was on creating tracks that were still intense technical workouts but also concise, still with long slithering epics but mostly writing music where you can play five or six songs in a set rather than say three. 

Concise but not simple, Dvne still have a knack for the slow burn, their music undulates and shifts, songs build, crescendo and then fade back out or segue into something else entirely. Victor also notes that he wanted the album to sound more like their live show so there is less overdubbing and layering, keeping it distinctly to a couple of guitars through one channel each, the rhythm section, keys and vocals, not fifty layers of everything. It means that Voidkind sounds more natural, a bit barer but it forces you to really get to the crux of Dvne as a band, that decade of maturity obvious. 

Elonora brings the Dvne sound right from the off, fluid basslines take the lead in the middle section, put between two massive slabs of stop start riffage, keys providing texture as we move into repeating arpeggios and breakdowns for Reaching For Telos as the dreamlike Reliquary takes the journey into a nightmare, the astral soundscapes inspired by the 1989 novel Hyperion by Dan Simmonds. This affinity with dark science fiction (I mean their name comes from Frank Herbert’s worm-filled epic), gives them a lot of room to play with dynamics, such as Cobalt Sun Necropolis which closes the album with some inspiration from Tool.

The production makes it sound cinematic highlighting the individual performances inside the whole song, the focus on making their music more direct while adding more ‘real’ layers with additional keys and vocal harmonies. Voidkind is the third album Dvne deserve to make, honed by their live show and at their very best. 9/10

Atrae Bilis - Aumicide (20 Buck Spin) [GC]

This week’s review from me comes from a 20 Buck Spin signing, I have the new album, Aumicide from Atrae Bilis, 20 Buck Spin usually are spot on with their bands and I’m not sure I have heard one of their releases I don’t like, so hopes are high for this one.

If the tech death and djenty instrumental intro Protoxenesis sets the mood for what we can expect for the rest of the album were in for a treat, see I don’t hate ALL intros!! Hell Simulation explodes into life with a beautiful BLERGH and then is a sharp mix of technical and angular death metal, that also has the required crunchy beatdowns included to make this a whirlwind start.

Before Salted In Stygia starts with some almost brie brie br00tal death metal vocals but manage to veer away just enough to save face, musically it’s another maelstrom of technical, jagged riffs mixed with some impressive drum work and the intertwining of almost but not quiet grind sections doubling onto more paired back and atmospheric sections is a wonderous effect. 

Inward To Abraxas is an absolute thunderfuck of a track and mixes all the best bits of death metal into one huge wall of destruction the drums pound and dismantle, the guitars slice and jab with such ferocity and savageness, you get the rich and thick basslines worked through and here we get some definite brutal death metal vocals that enhance everything and take the song to another level. 

To Snuff The Spirit Guides continues the sterling work with yet another dose of masterful and brutal death metal that while sounding chaotic and out of control also at the same time is precise and to the point and that is the magic of this album the mix of chaos and control is on point! 

Next up is the title track Aumicide which is and slow and paired back instrumental that unfortunately is a bit of a misstep in my opinion as it slows the pace of everything down completely and just seems a bit out of place here, A Kingdon Of Cortisol begins with the slowed pace of the previous track but doesn’t take long to pick the pace and violence back up, there is a more atmospheric feel to the production on this track in places. 

When they put the foot back on the ‘’fucking heavy’’ pedal its all systems go again in a quiet magnificent and delightfully savage way, Monolith Aflame begins with a doomy echoey silence that the explodes into what may be the most old school death metal feeling track on the album so far, not to say they lose any of the edge of the modern side of things it just seeps in together and sound magnificent. 

Through The Hologram’s Cervix wins the most absurd death metal song tile award on the album award and is also the shortest and therefore most grind influenced track, it’s a 2:30 mix of buzzsaw sharp riffs, battering drums and some more fantastic vocal work that turns up, puts its boot on our throat, stamps repeatedly on it and then just leaves, fantastic stuff. 

Excruciate Incarnate is left with the job of closing the album and does so in glorious fashion with one last show of everything Atrae Bilis are capable of, there’s technicality, grind influence and a healthy dose of djent all mixed together just because the can and it’s an absolute joy to listen to.

This album is a little over 40 minutes long and 35 minutes of it is as close to perfection as you can get! The inclusion of an instrumental track is frustrating, because while its decent enough it just doesn’t really fit into the whole album for me, but me having had that little moan should not in any way take anything away from this absolutely fucking phenomenal piece of death metal artistry. 

This is a truly magnificent album and dare I say it already but if this isn’t featuring on some peoples AOTY lists then I really will be shocked because I know it will be in mine! 10/10

Maere - And The Universe Keeps Silent (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Mark Young]

A debut album of death metal that takes in dissonance, doom and atmospheric motifs across its 5 songs. This is not an easy listen; It is not your straightforward blast beat-unintelligible vocals affair. This is a brutal release that doesn’t rely on standard practice. 

The use of those dissonant chord shapes and arrangements adds to a general sense of unease in place. All Those Things We’ve Never Been (The Grandeur Of Nihilism) starts us off with an arrangement that lurches from one narrative to another, guitar lines that repeat maddening lines that drop into the darkest extreme riffs.

 
They build their songs in a way that is reminiscent of Morbid Angel, those heavy stabs that although aren’t fast hit still hit hard, nonetheless. There is an intelligence behind them, behind the way they are deployed. This is showcased on Traumlande (Ascending The Abyss) where each member is completely locked in with each other. The guitar sound just fits the music so well, its gritty whilst possessing a clarity to it that allows you hear everything in such a defined way. When they do adopt an almost normal approach, there is still that quality to it that makes it stand-out from other acts. 

The Darkness Is Your Mother is an example of this approach as they batter you with riffs that seem to stretch out, then falling away leaving the drumming alone to continue pushing forward until they come together once more. It is intelligent brutality, a deft touch instead of a sledgehammer approach and it is fantastic.

 
Closing track Think Of Me As Fire is excellent, it builds upon what has come before with those melodic lines offset against the double bass, the trem picked guitar coming in as a transition to another atmospheric passage where two riff lines face off until they disappear into feedback. The chords are jarring, the speed is there, and the rhythm is off kilter but together it all works.

There are reviews online already, some that are making this one of the albums of the decade, others one of the albums of 2024. The latter is probably closer to the mark, if you imagine trying to place this alongside what we have seen so far, I cannot think of anyone else who sounds like they do. I said earlier that the music reminds me of Morbid Angel, in the way that they used to put differing melody lines together and they way that they would drop their riffs but that is where the similarities end. 

Their music is unique to them, its approach and execution makes them stand apart from the extreme crowd. It won’t be for everyone, in that there are no clean / dirt switch vocals going on nor constant guitar and drums battering forward at 240bpm. They have a vision of what their art should be, and they have the confidence and the talent to stick with it. When you are looking for originality in an ever-growing pool of sound-a-likes this is who you should be listening to. 9/10

Reviews: UFO, My Dying Bride, Necrot, Sunface (Reviews By Paul Hutchings, James Jackson, Matt Bladen & Rich Piva)

UFO - Covenant & Sharks (Cherry Red Records) [Paul Hutchings]

Mention UFO and thoughts usually focus on their seventies catalogue. Unsurprisingly really, given that throughout their career it was tracks from albums such as Lights Out, Force It, Phenomenon and No Heavy Pettin’ that formed the bulk of their live sets. However, dig deeper into the band’s 22 albums which span their 50 years together, and you’ll find many gems buried deeply and tucked away.

Having disbanded for several years in the late eighties, 1991 saw vocalist Phil Mogg put another version of the band together, before managing to reunite what to most is the classic UFO line-up of Mogg, Pete Way, Michael Schenker, Paul Raymond, and Andy Parker. Their 1995 album Walk On Water is well worth a listen, particularly for Schenker’s guitar work and Mogg’s lyrical prowess.

Having walked out on the band during their US tour to promote Walk On Water, Schenker returned to join UFO for their 2000 album Covenant. Mogg, Way, and Raymond were joined by Aynsley Dunbar on drums for the album, Parker having decided to leave (he was to return in 2005 until the end of the band in 2022). 

Covenant is packed full of solid UFO songs, with their trademark melodies blended with the classic hard rock style that has always stood UFO apart from many of their peers. Dunbar links in well with Way, whilst Raymond’s subtle keyboards add layers to the songs. It’s a fine performance from Mogg throughout, his clipped yet emotive style working well with the songs. Alongside Mogg, it’s another masterclass from Schenker who sounds in great form.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Covenant is a vastly underrated UFO album. It’s consistent from start to finish, from the bluesy smooch of Love Is Forever, via the stomping rock of In the Middle Of Madness, with some of Schenker’s most relaxed playing, through to the up-tempo The World And His Dog, which has shades of seventies Scorpions in its style and riffs. The songs are cleverly constructed, the right blend of melody and hard-edged rock, and all involved seem on great form.

Two years later and we see Raymond no longer with the band. It’s Schenker’s last dalliance with UFO, but he, alongside Mogg, Way and Dunbar ensure it’s a fine finish. Sharks is the 16th studio album and kicks off with the slightly left of field Outlaw Man, which sees Schenker’s playing expansive and riddled with gorgeous flashes of colour. It’s followed by the defiant Quicksilver Rider which bears all the hallmarks of traditional UFO, before the emotion of Serenity with another great Schenker riff kicks in.

Sharks may not be quite as appealing as Covenant, but it certainly has its moments. It is again well crafted, with Schenker showing several flashes of his brilliance whilst Mogg once again brings all his quality to the show. The tracks bear a similar consistency to Covenant, with tracks such as Perfect View, Shadow Dancer and Crossing Over all high quality and written in the classic UFO vein. Both albums demonstrate why UFO are still so highly revered and why their music remains timeless.

The third disc in this Cherry Red set sees the combination of live recordings from the Walk On Water Tour from 1995. Recorded at Blind Melons, Buffalo, NY, USA on September 11th, 1995, the classic line-up prove my earlier point with several classics including Mother Mary, Love To Love and the usual epic Rock Bottom. We also get three tracks from Walk On Water, which stand up well amongst the epic songs that surround them. In terms of live performances, there is little to compare with the classic Strangers In The Night of course, but live UFO with Schenker’s magnificent guitar work is always a joy to listen to.

Two underrated albums and a blistering burst of live music, what’s not to like? 9/10

My Dying Bride - A Mortal Binding (Nuclear Blast) [James Jackson]

As a fan of My Dying Bride since their Turn Loose The Swans album released in 1993, I’ve followed the band’s journey somewhat sporadically as my tastes in music changed through the years, whatever the flavour of the month however, I’d always held those early albums dear and frequently return to them.

One of the things I have absolutely loved MDB for is their solemn melodies, the contrast between the more Death Metal inspired riffs and the drawn out Doom, often accompanied by female vocals, piano and violin, an instrument most capable of portraying sorrow.

A Mortal Binding is the band’s 15th album, its release preceded by two singles, the nautically inspired Thornwyck Hymn and The 2nd Of Three Bells, A Tale Of Life And Death. Aaron Stainthorpe’s vocals on this album seem to lean more towards the Death Metal style; though it’s my least favourite style, the contrast within the songs where those vocals are often varied between clean and emotive, growled and fervent, is played out to great effect.

The poetic storytelling as evident as ever, break neck time changes steer the course between Doom laden riffs and Death Metal influences for on each of the songs listed upon the album, My Dying Bride deftly show what makes them a force to be reckoned with, what makes them as relevant now as they’ve always been in the genre that they helped shape and define.

An absolute must have album for any self respecting Doom Metal fan. 10/10

Necrot - Lifeless Birth (Tankcrimes) [Matt Bladen]

One thing you an say about Necrot is that they have riffs, bloody thousands of them, a smorgasbord of flaying death metal that are inserted into every song until they're fit to bursting. Lifeless Birth is the Oakland trio's third album and while it doesn't reinvent their sound dramatically, it does keep their penchant for riff packing and tightens their assault up. This is the type of death metal that evolved out of the Bay Area thrash scene, keeping the melodies but getting darker in the vocals and the subject matter.

The title track here is very much in the thrash vein but as that fades, Superior unleashes a death metal assault that grinds away with some percussive blasts from drummer Chad Gailey. Necrot are a trio but their sound is massive, Chad Gailey's drums are intense and technical, coupling with Luca Indrio's bass, on stompers such as Drill The Skull, Indrio's vocals on this track are visceral and menacing too. The third slice of this pie is guitarist Sonny Reinhardt who shreds up a storm when needed but is also quite content to just riff away on Winds Of Hell and Dead Memories.

Lifeless Birth is more US death/thrash to break your speakers with as Necrot show that they can keep their sound fresh without too much deviation. 8/10

Sunface - Cloud Castles (Apollon Records) [Rich Piva]

The Norwegian band Sunface is one I was not familiar with before I moved their first album in eight years, Cloud Castles, into my “to review” folder. Back in 2016 the band released Observatory which created quite the buzz in the stoner/psych community. Cloud Castles continues the vision of Observatory, but is way more psych than stoner and way more tribal shoegaze than anything else, as the beats and the slow burn fuzz is what rules the day on this one.

Atmosphere and swirling guitars are what drives Cloud Castles. A song like Tall Tress has more to do with My Bloody Valentine than “name your stoner rock band”. This is some fuzzy, chill goodness driven by procession and it is pretty great. The opening title track sounds like Sympathy For The Devil for about ten seconds until it sounds like a shoegaze version of Pearl Jam’s WMA. Both of those songs are drum forward, which is exactly what we are getting here. The cool thing is you are getting some cool stoner riffs on top of the fuzzy atmosphere too. 

The same goes for tracks like New Natures and Thunder Era. I have to believe that these guys have a lot of 90s bands in their collection, as Second Voyage musically sounds like a track from the second Porno for Pyros album covered by the Jesus and Mary Chain. Dig that fuzzy solo. I really love the tracks Priest Of The Rays too it all of it’s fuzzy funkiness and the epic slow burn closer …Through The Snow And Beyond The Fertile Land that shows the band’s willingness to lean on the guitar to pair it with the percussion for beautiful results.

If I had one complaint, the album is a bit one note and can drag a bit, so maybe the interludes/instrumentals could have been left out, but overall Cloud Castles is an excellent return to form for Sunface. Let’s hope the band doesn’t wait another eight years for some more shoegaze stoner goodness, because this is a genre I am here for. 8/10

Reviews: Lie Heavy, Ixion, White Dog, Sarcasm (Reviews By Rich Piva, James Jackson, Matt Bladen & Zak Skane)

Lie Heavy - Burn To The Moon (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]

Lie Heavy is a perfect name for Karl Agell of Corrosion Of Conformity fame’s new band, which incorporates all the best parts of stoner, doom, and kick ass heavy rock, even with some bluesy leanings. You can hear some of his old band, for which he sang lead vocals on their break out record, Blind, but in no way is Lie Heavy or their debut album, Burn To The Moon, some kind of COC imitator because the twelve tracks stand firmly on their own, not matter where the singer came from. Karl is the known name here, but the band is filled with killer veteran musicians from the Raleigh scene that totally bring it to this album. I have had this album since last year when it was self-released, but now we are getting the full Heavy Psych Sounds treatment and it is so well deserved because Burn To The Moon is just awesome.

Right off the bat you get sweet stoner grooves and killer riffs from the opener, Nothing To Steal. Karl sounds great and the production on the record is right where it should be. The guitar work is top notch and the rhythm section is placed perfectly in the mix. More riffs coming right at you with the nice and chunky In The Shadow that has a catchy melody and killer vocals from the man. Epic stoner doom is what you get with the title track that includes quite the doomy riff and a slow burn that will grab you. Drag The World is quite the surprise track. It sounds like Life Of Agony is some parts and is actually kind of poppy. Also, I love it. This is a testament to Karl’s range as a singer. 

The Long March is more doomy goodness while Unbeliever goes in a more stoner blues direction with killer results. I love when bands have a song named after the band. The songs almost never let me down, and Lie Heavy is no different, but I’ll be damned if I don’t hear The Who lurking amongst the stoner riffs. The band is not afraid to pick up the pace and rip it up too, case in point, When The Universe Cries. I love the variation on Burn To The Moon. How about that groove on Chunkadelic? So great. How about some punk rock complete with whoa whoas and hardcore like background vocals on Diabolik? The appropriately titled End The World closes on the most bluesy track of them all and arguably the best vocal performance on an album full of them.

Lie Heavy’s debut is just excellent, to the point where soon we should stop saying Karl Agell, former lead singer of COC, to Karl Agell, singer in Lie Heavy, because Burn To The Moon is how he makes his new mark on stoner and heavy rock. The record is killer end to end, with all sorts or cool twists and turns, amazing musicianship, and a perfect vocal performance from a heavy music legend. 9/10

Ixion - Extinction (Finisterian Dead End) [James Jackson]

Never has a song entitled The Withering Of The Flesh started off sounding so completely opposite to any image those words could convey, for a haunting melody plays out over an atmospheric background, guitars and drums pick up the rhythm and a very ethereal vocal line joins in, capturing the essence of this Atmospheric Doom album.

In Fear Of Machines is an absolute hybrid of a song, an almost Folk Metal tone blends with parts reminiscent of the Symphonic/Industrial sounds of Samael, this blends seamlessly into the following track The Weight Of Ignorance, a track which has multi layers of vocals offering an experience which is as unsettling as it is captivating. A Chimeric Dream Pt 1 is both Tiamat and Anathema, these comparisons only cementing the affinity I’m feeling with this EP.

Afterlife closes the album, taking the melodies of A Chimeric Dream and embellishing it further with piano, church bells, ethereal clean vocals and growls that are far more complimentary than they have a right to be. This five track EP is the first in a trilogy of sorts, compiling into one album, I’m certain that this is the first time that I’ve heard of the band but it will certainly not be the last. I’m eager to hear what this France based Atmospheric Doom Metal duo has to offer next. 9/10.

White Dog - Double Dog Dare (Rise Above Records) [Matt Bladen]

Following their 2020 self titled debut, Austin based Southern heavy rockers bring us Double Dog Dare another slew of Southern hard rock which is inspired by The Allman Brothers (F.D.I.C), Molly Hatchet, Stevie Ray Vaughan (The Last 'Damn' Song) and on Holy Smokes, Humble Pie, alongside soundscapes on the fringes of the Southern rock sound. The authentic production sound is all warm honeyed tones, celebrating this fusion of blues, gospel, jazz and Americana, as it should sound. It does make Double Dog Dare have the feel of a Southern rock mix tape, but one where the bands are all absolutely killer.

One minute they're in Georgia, with Carl Amoss and Clemente De Hoyous giving some twin harmonies, then it's off to Alabama, then Kentucky, then back home in Texas, every track different from tne last, the drawl of Jake LaTouf replacing previous singer Joe Sterling, bringing some wildness to the rockers but also using a tracks such as the psychadelic Frozen Shadows to show his range, new boy Oscar Favian's keys giving it desert rock meets The Moody Blues vibes, similarly on Preludes otherworldliness.

Recorded in eight days, the jam ethos of Gov't Mule an inspiration to the recording process, Lady Of Mars' jazz rhythm section from drummer John Amoss and bassist Rex Pape is out of the Warren Haynes songbook. Double Dog Dare takes what White Dog did with their debut album and improves upon every aspect. Fuzzy Southern rock magic from the Lone Star State. 9/10

Sarcasm - Mourninghoul (Hammerheart Records) [Zak Skane]

The opening track As Northen Gates Open slams us straight into a wall of chaotic sound that consists of skank and blast beats that are provided with machine precision by Jasper Ojala. The guitars provided by Peter and Anders go from cynical harmonies, sleazy thrashing riffs and classical acoustic guitar sections. The vocals that Heval is producing still sounds just as chilling as his early efforts with his death like snarl casting a blackened imagery to the listener. 

Life Like Sleep still brings in the relentless blast beats along with some chuggy, squealing riffs which lead to doomy closures. The gothic Memories of Souls We Mourn brings in haunting choirs, along with bludgeoning pedal tone riffages, along with some chanting choruses sung along to plodding tempos. To close the first part of the album Dying Embers Of Solitude brings in some tribal tom driven drum grooves, 6/8 riffs and soaring melodic lead sections. 

To open up the second part of the album Jespers drum fill introduces us to A Liquid Dream In A Paradigm Stream that takes us into sludgy territory with bowl rumbling riffs arranged with gothic doom inspired tempos. In this track we also hear the band incorporate additional elements into their sound, such as swelling padded synths sounds and female choirs. No Solace From Above brings in some melancholic My Dying Bride inspirations with piano melodies, moving orchestras that pull on heart strings and twinkling acoustic guitar sections that appear in saddened layers of thick distorted guitars, mournful sounding leads and plodding tempos. 

Absence Of Reality brings this album to a closer by returning back to form with it’s thrashy energy, blackened death metal guitar riffs and melancholic harmonies. Mourninghoul brings the continuation of the bands classic sound with songs like As Northen Gates Open and Life Like Sleep still bringing in there classic take Death Metal with Heval Bozarslan snarls still sounding as frosty as ever, the guitars still bringing heavy walls of tremolo picked riffs and melancholic harmonies. The album also shows the development of their more gothic inspired directions such as No Solace From Above with it’s My Dying Brides guitar tones, dark sounding orchestrations and saddened leads. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Blind Guardian (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Blind Guardian & The Night Eternal, The Academy, Manchester, 13.04.24

Heading up to Manchester for a gig from South Wales could bee seen as a bit of a mammoth task but when that bands are one of the best epic metal bands to come out of Germany and this is only one of three UK shows they are playing it was well worth doing.

A two band show is something of a gift, especially after a long trip, but what it really does is give the support band a chance to play a longer set and show the crowd what they do. The support band in question are classic metal troop The Night Eternal (8) also from Germany they play some muscular old school heavy metal inspired by witchcraft and the occult, drawing musical comparisons to Mercyful Fate, Angel Witch, In Solitude, Portrait and even ol' Mr Danzig (in his solo guise). 

Bags of energy and commitment to giving a good show won over the crowd, including this jaded hack, as for my sins I'd not heard much from the band before. Fists in the air, playing songs from their two albums at full throttle it was fast, furious and a little theatrical.

Though nothing compares to Hansi Kürsch's theatricality as a frontman, whether it's leading the chants, getting hands in the air he has the crowd in the palm of his hand, gently ribbing or humorously praising the audience to participate more, it's more vaudeville than power metal but perfect for the bombastic show you always get with legends Blind Guardian (10).

Just three UK dates in support of their latest album The God Machine, any show that opens with my favourite song Imaginations From The Other Side will score highly. Chills down my spine already it was a warm welcome and Blood Of The Elves into Nightfall as the LOTR inspiration loomed large as it always does with Blind Guardian. 

The founding trio of Hansi and guitarists André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen prowl the stage in every song, peeling off the songs that they are the creative forces behind. Behind the core trio is fourth 'official' member Frederik Ehmke behind the kit, plus live members Johan Van Stratum on bass and Kenneth Berger on keys (who is the unsung hero on the more recent tracks).

After the epic Nightfall one of two from Nightfall In Middle Earth, it was another classic the rampaging The Script For My Requiem as the heaviness increased for Violent Shadows and the folksy Skalds And Shadows brought some tracks from the often overlooked A Twist In The Myth, the other track from here was This Will Never End came next as Deliver Us From Evil closed out the songs from The God Machine.

It was time to grab the tissues though as the mood turned, Manchester Academy shifting into one big karaoke session for The Bards Song - In The Forest, the Manchester audience singing long after it had finished and then bursting into emotional applause. This gratitude was reciprocated with the full bore speed metal of Majesty and the main set closer Traveller In Time.

I would have happily had that but the obligatory encore came and as they returned to the stage it was the 9 minute Sacred Worlds which though fairly recent has become a staple, started off this last few songs. The last trio of songs though brought about the biggest smiles by far, Bright Eyes displaying those note perfect Hansi vocals while it was sing along time again to Valhalla, the shouts of "deliverance" reverberating around The Academy. 

Regretfully it was time to go home and Blind Guardian brought things to a close this incredible show with Mirror Mirror, gaining love from every single person in the room. Some things are inevitable; death, taxes and Blind Guardian leaving you with a smile on your face! The Bard's of Manchester (and Wales) salute you!