Category Archives: Album Reviews

Huntress – Static

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Sometimes, no matter how much you think you should like a band, for some inexplicable reason they just don’t click for you. First impressions can only be made once, second chances happen rarely, and third chances almost never occur, so once your mind is made up it will usually remain made up. This, of course, results in most bands who don’t make it past those first couple of ill-fated encounters finding themselves forever gathering dust inside that broken filing cabinet in the back of your mind, unceremoniously shoved away under N for ‘Nope’.

Or more likely another letter if your filing system isn’t as family friendly as my own.

Every now and again though, one of those bands manage to escape their gloomy confines and earn a reprieve. It could be anything that triggers this impromptu act of clemency; a video, a song, an interview, a live performance. But whatever it is, something suddenly hits the target and with nary a warning, you suddenly find yourself wondering why on earth you never took to them in the first place.

For me, that band is Huntress. A band I should have loved from the start, everything about them, both visually and musically, has been virtually tailor-made to meet my tastes. Occult imagery, boobs, fast and thrashy riffs, boobs, Rob Zombie style music videos, a ballsy and talented female vocalist and boobs. Yet somehow, until earlier this year when I saw them in the flesh (the band, not the boobs), I just didn’t Get It.

But Get It I eventually did, and having been won over by them in the live arena, that left the ball firmly in their court.

So, with the arrival of their latest album, Static (Napalm), Huntress become the latest band to have not only finally clawed their way into my good graces, but look to remain firmly cemented there for the foreseeable future. ‘Sorrow’ opens proceedings with a frantic blast and is followed by the Megadeth style intro of ‘Flesh’, a slower song with a killer chorus. ‘Brian’ is next, a track written about an eccentric old man who became friends with singer Jill Janus. ‘I Want to Wanna Wake Up’ is about Janus’s struggle with various mental illnesses, and slow burner ‘Mania’ treads the same lyrical path, crawling along with a bitter melancholy. Things taper off a little with ‘Four Blood Moons’, but only very slightly, and are set straight back on course afterwards with the double hitter of title track ‘Static’ and clear highlight of the album, ‘Harsh Times on Planet Stoked’. ‘Noble Savage’ chugs along effectively backed by a nice vocal performance by Janus, and ‘Fire in My Heart’ is a fine closer.

Only time will tell whether my opinion of their previous two albums will change, but if you were ever undecided about Huntress then I would urge you to give them another chance with Static. It might not hit you straight away (a couple of tracks take four or five spins to really come to life) but with some time and effort, the rewards are most definitely there to be had.

 

8.0/10

GARY ALCOCK


Gloryhammer – Space 1992: Rise Of The Chaos Wizards

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Gloryhammer are a Swiss/Scottish five piece, founded by Alestorm‘s Christopher Bowes. Referring to themselves as “Heroic Fantasy Power Metal Warriors”, they write songs like ‘The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee’, they have a drummer called Ralathor, the Mysterious Hermit of Cowdenbeath, and are quite clearly madder than a sack of badgers.

Most importantly though, Gloryhammer are also ridiculously entertaining.  If you somehow manage to listen to new album Space 1992: Rise of the Chaos Wizards (Napalm) without grinning like an idiot all the way through it, then quite simply, you’re getting Metal wrong.

Opening with ‘Infernus Ad Astra’, quite possibly the most Star Trek introduction ever, the story (of course there’s a story) begins in the distant future of 1992 and war, as always seems to be the case in science fiction, has returned to the galaxy. Apparently, it’s been 1000 years since Angus McFife defeated the evil Sorcerer Zargothrax in the battle of Dunfermline, but now a cult of unholy chaos wizards are planning to release Zargothrax and unleash him upon the universe again.

The absolute bastards.

The album kicks off properly with ‘Rise of the Chaos Wizards’, a song which not only pumps the purest Rhapsody of Fire blood furiously through its veins, but also happens to be better than anything either incarnation of that band have produced since going their separate ways. ‘Legend of the Astral Hammer’ follows with its fierce and manly True Metal chorus – stupidly simple and twice as catchy, you’ll be striding around your house, chest out and holding an invisible tankard of ale, singing it for days. The Rhapsody worship returns on the brilliant ‘Goblin King of the Darkstorm Galaxy’, and ‘The Hollywood Hootsman’ has another one of those choruses which you’ll keep in your head far longer than is medically recommended. ‘Victorious Eagle Warfare’ sounds like Iron Maiden and Stratovarius went to a keyboard party at Judas Priest‘s house. ‘Questlords of Inverness, Ride to the Galactic Fortress!’ will make you sing its daft lyrics out loud and in public, and the fast, pulsing rhythm of ‘Universe on Fire’ will have you dancing in your seat like a deranged gibbon. ‘Heroes (of Dundee)’ is nice and straightforward, and the lengthy and melodramatic ‘Apocalypse 1992’ finishes the story off in the manner you’d wish for, with gravel-throated narration, jabbing and swirling keyboards, mighty riffs, and lines such as “like tears of a unicorn lost in the rain, chaos will triumph this day”. The album is rounded off by instrumental ‘Dundax Aeterna’ and the first thing you’ll want to do after it finishes is go back and to the beginning and start the whole thing up again.

If you want your Power Metal to be original or innovative, then you’re in the wrong place. Gloryhammer don’t just wear their influences on their sleeve, they have them emblazoned across battle armour, embroidered over wizards robes and branded onto unicorns arses.

Faster than a laser bullet indeed.

 

8.5/10

 

GARY ALCOCK


One Machine – The Final Cull

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One Machine The Final Cull album cover 2015

It’s no secret that metal music seems to be getting tamer recently, especially due to the influx of metalcore bands dominating the scene. However, there is no need to lose hope yet. If you are craving a dose of proper metal then you definitely need to check out what One Machine have been up to. Their latest album, The Final Cull (self-release), serves as testament (no pun intended) that traditional metal music will never die.

Opening track ‘Forewarning’ opens with a killer guitar riff: it is almost as if Steve Smyth (Nevermore, Forbidden, Dragonlord, Vicious Rumors) and co. are warning the listener that there will be no gimmicks or frills used on The Final Cull, just pure metal music. Chris Hawkins’ vocals are as powerful as ever, allowing the listener to fully engage with the lyrical content.

Title track ‘The Final Cull’ is about the captain of a ship on the stormy seas carrying human cargo, and he is unsure of whether the humans are alive or dead. The morbid theme of the song is not only apparent from the lyrics, but it is also emphasised by the gloomy orchestral opening of the song. This progresses into a heavy and unforgettable song which will send shivers down your spine.

‘New Motive Power’ is a four-minute thrill-ride of a song. The shredding guitar riffs make it almost impossible to sit still through and it will be interesting to see how this song would sound live. It is powerful, passionate and heavy: everything that metal music should be.

‘Ashes In The Sky’ begins as a beautiful and melodic song, completely different to all of the other songs on The Final Cull. Chris’ voice is soothing and relaxing, which could easily make you think that you are listening to the wrong album. However, around the two and a half minute mark the song progresses into a heavier dimension with chugging guitar riffs.

Both old and new fans will find something to love about this incredible offering from One Machine. It is hard to be disappointed with an album which will make you want to either smash things up or drive full-speed down the motorway.

7.5/10

 

JULIA CONOPO

 


Horisont – Odyssey

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The term ‘retro rock’ is quite an ambiguous and, at times, ignorant one; used to describe any band that shows obvious traits from vintage bands whilst often ignoring when the band steps beyond these pigeonholes. Sweden’s Horisont have lived with the retro tag throughout their career with good reason up to this point, proving fairly rigid and set in their ways. On latest opus Odyssey (Rise Above) however, they have upped their game significantly.

Building on the slight elements of progressive rock on their last album, here those 70’s Prog influences are vivid and much more central to the album’s fabric, as evidenced by the opening 10 minute, synth driven title track. As much influenced by the likes of Jeff Wayne and Yes as the likes of Fleetwood Mac and even hints of psychedelic elements ala Hawkwind, Odyssey is a very colourful and quirky album that oozes character and charm with as many hooks as it has left-field signatures.

Where it suffers is in its duration; with two songs above the 8 minute mark and most others around 5-6 it proves a time consuming and somewhat arduous one to fully grasp and digest. Given time however and this has a wealth of gold to delve in to.

Where Horisont may have firm classic influences, from classic rock to the more progressive arena now, how they meld them together and evolve themselves shows why they are so much more than just a ‘retro rock’ act.

No less fun, but with a greater sense of discovery to them than many of their peers.

 

7.0/10

 

CHRIS TIPPELL

 


Mountain Man – Rumination

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Mountain Man from Worcester Massachusetts are described as Hardcore/Punk on their Facebook page. You may hear influence from both genres, but I feel such a simple description undersells Rumination in such a way it‘s depriving you of peaking your interest in listening to their new sophomore effort released from End Result Productions. There is much more of a raw emotion that can’t be summed up in describing it as Hardcore/Punk. Rumination is also far from being just a one trick pony. It can be uplifting, the next moment in your face, then very relaxing. All while having this strong atmosphere that grabs a hold.

The first track, ‘Kingdom Came‘, starts off definitely sounding of Hardcore influence. As it goes on it continues to slow down into more of a Post-Rock feel. A very smooth transition into a steady beat with the occasional guitar strum. With the last couple minutes it builds back up and ascends into a rather uplifting climax. The second track , ‘Dust Can’t Kill Me‘, is a steady bass drum with brooding hums in the background. Shortly after a minute is when hell breaks loose. A vicious and constant pounding like blows to the head. This is where to me Mountain Man sounded the most Hardcore. The third track I thoroughly enjoyed myself, ‘Why Oh Why‘. A dreary sounding song with a violin being the most prominent instrument. The entire track having news reports playing in the background, one for instance about police using force against protestors.

Overall Rumination has a very impressive flow and transition. It keeps a hold of your ears and never seems to let go. I would say my only real complaint about Rumination would be a sin many bands in my opinion are committing lately. Rumination comes in just shy of twenty nine minutes, and this is in fact an LP. As fantastic as the album is it mostly leaves you with a hunger for more. I expect this to be one of the more unknown and overlooked albums this year. I hope I am wrong in that assumption as this is definitely worthy of more.

7.0/10

DEREK RIX


Dark Buddha Rising – Inversum

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Inversum (Neurot) is a spectre; a whispering guide to internal torment. It prepares the scenario, distracts and occupies you before leaving you to the horrors of your own mind. Where this journey goes is of your own making, the suggestion and probing of the menacing soundtrack is merely the catalyst.

Dark Buddha Rising‘s fifth album, and the opening of their “Third Cycle”, consists of two sprawling twenty plus minute tracks, ‘E S O’ and ‘E X O’, that serve as an opportunity for mental exploration; the two extended fields facilitating a voyage of the mind. The images, and the level of meditation, allowed into the opportunity their soundscape provides will be specific to each listener, but this dark, ominous procession of building tension brings with it the prospect to submerge into their world.

Each track offers a similar pattern, which dynamically allows this to work as a cyclical journey, endlessly concluding in nightmarish cacophony. The initiation is gradual, the build-up menacing, as minutes of cloud gather in the mind, feedback subliminal and ever present, swelling and pitching, before doomy guitars hew a crossroads into the path, and slow, heavy riffs serve as an amphidromic point, an epicentre for the trance of repetition. Haunted, withdrawn vocals filter in and out, sometimes terrified, sometimes terrifying, at other moments softer, more enticing, before the intensity shifts. The tension pulls tighter and, from being in control of the vision, the host starts to loosen our restraints, juddering us from one unreality of our own making to an ordeal shaped by the blackened minds of others, as tortured denouements flail and rasp at the edges of our consciousness. Yet there is no slaying of the demon, bloodlust is left unsated, satisfaction rent from us, due to a sudden curtailing of proceedings, as the cycle begins its brooding again, sans a feeling of closure.

Dark Buddha Rising promote and celebrate the “Black Arts of Psychedelia”, but even those of us unaltered of state can achieve absorption in their ritualistic art. At times brooding, always oppressive, the encapsulating journey of Inversum requires immersion. Take its hand, and it will lead you to unsettling plains.

 

7.5/10

 

STEVE TOVEY


Limb – Terminal

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If you visit their Facebook page, this London, England set of rabble-rousers’ bio simply states: “Tune it down, turn it up.” And now that I’ve given Limb’s new album Terminal (New Heavy Sounds) a few spins I have to wholeheartedly endorse that mantra.

For a band that’s only been around since 2011 the rattling guitar tone and stellar production sure sounds confident. Rob Hoey’s throaty barks serve as the perfect complement to Pat Pask’s downtuned blues and Tom Mowforth’s forceful but controlled work on the drums. In terms of sonic quality, these Londoners sound on par with most doom acts on imprints like Relapse or Profound Lore. It’s groovy enough to show to your dad, but has enough impact to satisfy the younger heshers.

Terminal starts off with ‘Three Snake Leaves’ and at a running time of 1:45 it sets the stage for the headbanging to come, but it also drove me to a realization. Compared to typical Doom or Sludge offerings the songs on Terminal tend to come and go very quickly. There are four tracks that are done and over with in or less than three minutes. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it won’t wear out its welcome, but it makes you wonder how numbers like ‘Mortuary Teeth’ would’ve turned out given a little more room to grow. Truth be told the best songs here like ‘Spoils of a Portrait King’ and ‘Cocytus’ happen to be the longest in terms of length and for slowing the tempos down to Jimmy Bower levels of guitar crunch. And I’m not saying that playing slower is the key either as ‘Down by the Banks’ has a Clutch level of self-assured heavy rock swagger.

I don’t want to make it seem like this is a bad record by any stretch of the imagination. Hell, there’s only one moment on Terminal that feels uninspired and it’s the appropriately titled ‘Sleepwalkers.’ It’s all just a matter of these young Brits adding some tweaks to the songwriting.

England started it all with Black Sabbath and kept that momentum going over the years with legendary noise merchants like Cathedral and Electric Wizard. Only time will tell if Limb are up to that task, but I like their chances.

7.0/10

HANSEL LOPEZ

 


Funeral Horse – Divinity For The Wicked

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Back in the early 90s, doom and stoner were pretty much the uncoolest of genres to be associated with. Playing fast and brutal was the order of the game and those who still clung to the belief that Black Sabbath were the coolest cats to ever strut their stuff were roundly ignored in favour of blastbeats and death grunts.

Now of course the tables have turned and everywhere you care to look you’ll see groups of scruffy young urchins in flares and suspiciously new looking Witchfinder General shirts being hyped to oblivion by record labels eager to show just how hip their latest purveyors of fuzz really are. If they sing about Satan; even better!

Now, without wishing to sound completely cynical, many of these bands are talented, hardworking and deserve to do well. After all, Sabbath really is the greatest and there’s no disputing it. Unfortunately however, there are numerous bands riding the coattails of this retro-rock/doom/stoner trend and Houston, Texas’s Funeral Horse are one of the worst examples.

Debut full length Divinity for the Wicked (Artificial Head) has a stripped down, no-frills sound that reduces the songs to the bare bones of hard rock and stoner. Sadly, the songwriting is generic in the extreme with riffs being repeated over and over with little thought for progression. When the members eventually do decide to switch tempos or riffs, the transitions sound clunky and amateurish. Add in some inexcusable long pauses during and between songs, a production thinner than Kate Moss and terrible, out-of-tune vocals and you’re left with a record that isn’t fit to serve as Wino’s drinks coaster.

Hopefully the band will note their failings on this record and return to some of the Sub Pop influences they displayed on earlier EP’s, as there’s really no place in such an overcrowded genre for something this weak.

 

4.0/10

 

JAMES CONWAY


Cruciamentum – Charnel Passages

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Don’t look now, but I think Profound Lore are starting to resent being thought of as the home of abstract, pretentious “artistic” Death Metal. Though Cruciamentum may lack the ludicrous-beyond-all-reason extremity of labelmates Pissgrave, they open their debut full-length with a thunderous assault of the kind of crusty, punishing Death Metal that can cause your hands to lock permanently into claws if you’re not careful.

Which is not to suggest that Charnel Passages (Profound Lore) is wilfully stupid or simplistic. There’s some very effective use of atmospherics going on beneath the pummelling assault, and the seven tracks all make good use of their extended running time, not outstaying their welcome over eight or nine minute stretches. The core elements of Cruciamentum’s musical alphabet, however, are as crude and unsophisticated as their name would make you hope – ugly, Celtic Frost tinged riffing; unrelenting beats; grimly indecipherable vocals.

The price for Death Metal’s recent renaissance is a pressure on every band to fit neatly into a particular category and not get in each other’s way. Old School Death Metal? Sit over there, please. Brutal Slamming Death Metal? Sit in the corner and try not to drool on the floor. Pretentious Arty Tentacles Death Metal? On the ceiling, by the man with the clock on his head. On Charnel Passages, Cruciamentum remind us that Death Metal can be atmospheric, brutal and cavernous at the same time without having to buy into a particular aesthetic.

A decisive, unrepentant statement of intent from a young band with a clear sense of identity already, Charnel Passages is not only bound to be one of the genre’s high points in 2015, it’s a fitting reminder that Profound Lore’s reputation for quality is not built on anticipating any one trend.

 

8.0/10

(which is also the number of times I’ve said “Death Metal” in this review)

 

RICHIE HR


ThunderMother – Road Fever

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One of the great conceits about reviewing music is just how awfully seriously people can take it: I know, for I am one of the worst culprits. Each new release is often treated as if it were the Second Coming with journalists falling over themselves in the search for innovative epigrams or snarky turns of phrase that underscore just how enamoured they are of the latest release from someone you’ve never heard of and are unlikely to hear of again. Similarly, the attempts to shoehorn a pretty mediocre record into the fabled canon of classics is another default setting of those who would seek to “criticise music”.

Sometimes, it’s a relief to go back to basics and consider a record as unfettered entertainment: no airs, no graces, just solid rock n roll that makes you bang your head and punch the air in vicarious delight. So let’s do just that, kids.

Stockholm’s ThunderMother are a rip snortin’, hard drinkin’, ever flirtin’ rock n’ roll outfit with more nods to AC/DC than an Angus Young headbanging session. This is the sort of rock ‘n’ roll that fuels a Friday night after a hard week at work, when you’re looking to let your hair down and have a damn fine time. It’s the aural equivalent of a Jaegerbomb.

The AC/DC influence is palpable and worn as a badge of honour. In some respects, this could be a female version of Airbourne but without the grating insufferableness of the Antipodeans. With songs like ‘It’s Just a Tease’ (a great putdown of boorish males);  ‘Deal with The Devil’, ‘Roadkill’ or ‘Thunder Machine’ you know that ThunderMother aren’t looking to win the Booker prize, but there is an energy and a wit to the song-writing and the playing: this is an album that gallops along breathlessly, stopping only for another beer and a shot of bourbon.

Road Fever (Despotz) has no qualms or anxieties about whether you think that this is a record that matters or will be changing the world. It is a record that comes in, does a bit of a turn, shouts a bit and then leaves. It has a pile of energy and a feisty set of lyrics that conjure an infectious image of the last-gang-of-girls-in-town, partying all day and night and rightly belittling the male population for being idiots: in many ways, this is Lena Dunham’s Girls with a hard rock soundtrack.

 

7.0/10

 

MAT DAVIES