Category Archives: Album Reviews

Shredhead – Death Is Righteous

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German-based Israeli quartet Shredhead have just released their sophomore album, Death Is Righteous (Mighty Music). Despite the cheesy moniker and gaudy album artwork, the band – Aharon Ragoza (vocals), Yotam Nagor (guitars), Lee Lavy (bass) and Roee Kahana (drums) – are actually a surprisingly tight thrash outfit.

Muscular, groove-laden riffing is the order of the day, and everything on Death Is Righteous brings to mind the likes of Pantera circa ’91-94, Lamb of God, Sylosis and Dolving-era The Haunted.  Such hero worship works out well; generally it’s a relentless swirl of shredding, squealing solos, Anselmo-esque screams and pummelling drums.

There’s plenty of good songs too; ‘Devil’s Race’, ‘The Lie’ and ‘Walk with the Dead’ all get the blood pumping with a furious mix of speed, groove and aggression. The likes of ‘Last Words Are Lost’ and ‘Hallucinations’ even stray into death metal territory.  Shredhead are clearly a talented band – Nagor’s guitar work is especially impressive at times – and the ferocity rarely lets up and the appearance of Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Suicide Silence and Dark Tranquillity) on mixing/mastering duties give the whole thing a clear but muscular sound.

Unfortunately the consistency isn’t there and the song writing often lets them down. None of the songs are bad, but it’s often a case of once heard, soon forgotten – the title track is fairly non-descript and the album distinctly tails off towards the end.

If you’re after a stop gap until the next Lamb of God release, this should tide you over nicely. For the majority of its 42 minute runtime, Death Is Righteous delivers an enjoyable excuse to head bang. Unfortunately there’s too few standout moments for this to be a memorable or enduring listen, but maybe ones to watch for the future.

 

6.5/10

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DAN SWINHOE


Wardruna – Runaljod Gap Var Ginnunga

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Since his departure from Gorgoroth, Einar “Kvitrafn” Selvik set about creating a project steeped in the heritage of Nordic spiritualism which swept away any preconceptions the scene may have had when this release reared its head back in 2009. The initial chapter in a trilogy of albums based on ancient the Elder Futhark; the oldest form of runic alphabet popularised by northern European tribes, Runaljod Gap Var Ginnunga (Indie) is a compdlling journey throughout its fifty two minute duration.

That an album which features no distorted guitar, drums or modern instrumentation of any kind could capture the imagination of so many metal fans seems curious on the surface, but the nocturnal nature of compositions such as ‘Thurs’, with its mouth harp and homemade percussion delicately embellished with gorgeous hardanger fiddle, creates an experience which transcends genre. The ethereal vocals of Linda Fay Hella are breath-taking, yet over-shadowed by the sinister shaman that is Kvitrafn’s former Gorgoroth colleague Gaahl, whose trance inducing chanting lures the lister into the primordial depths of pre-Christian Norway.

The most apparent aspect of Runaljod… is how authentic it is. Much of this can be attributed to the use of real recordings of wind and other atmospheric effects which Einar himself acquired, rather than relying on synths. Acts like Finland’s Nest may have a similar approach but this work has more in common with the dark ambient genre.

Able to shift mood from menacing to enchantingly beautiful, the album has many stand out moments but is most rewarding when experienced in a single sitting and its strength lies in retaining a uniquely Norse atmosphere throughout which allows these unique compositions to really stand out.  The instrumentation here shows a remarkable sense of commitment to recreating the sounds of the early Norse tribes and throat singing, goat skull percussion instruments and all manner of curious items are employed here to great effect. Witness the foreboding ‘Thurs’, for proof.

A majestic journey into bygone times, Runaljod… is a stunning piece of work. This vinyl re-issue should only serve to whet the appetite of fans awaiting the forthcoming third chapter of this epic trilogy.

 

9.0/10

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ROSS BAKER

 


Black Sheep Wall – I’m Going to Kill Myself

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So many directions and departures in such a relatively short career… The debut album from Californians Black Sheep Wall was considered unworthy of inclusion in the annals of the notoriously strict Encyclopedia Metallum, yet their follow up No Matter Where It Ends (Season of Mist) exploded through that draconian outlook with its oppressive Sludge. Last EP It Begins Again  (Independent release), their first without former key players Trae Malone and Garrett Randall, saw post-hardcore emotion blend with that weighty brutality, and that’s how third full-length I’m Going to Kill Myself (Season of Mist) resumes the turbulent career.

The ridiculously fluffy, colourful cover does a great job of hiding the torment within and the ponderous, stark Post background is coated in former bassist Brandon Gillichbauer‘s anguished screams, mirroring Touché Amoré‘s more desolate moments, though without the snappy delivery, and with pounding monoliths hitting the brake pedal. Torture and angst is immediately in your face, despite the often delicate meanderings and heartfelt teardrops of lead guitar strains, so that when the brief pummel of the ferocious rhythms within opener ‘The Wailing and the Gnashing and the Teeth’ kicks in, you’ve been preparing yourself for it for a while.

That wounded fury, straining at the leash, is positively feral on the primal roar of the ensuing ‘Tetsuo: The Dead Man’, the pulverising, contorted riffs beating the staccato rhythms with barely controlled frenzy, whilst Gillichbauer’s voice is all abject pain and sparing, vertiginous leads pierce the mind. It’s a pulsating ball of embittered anguish which is as compelling as it is unnerving. The complex, contorting mass and intensity of ‘White Pig’ is near unbearable: the brutal onslaught of its power passages, varying in tempo yet never in their crushing ferocity, are only augmented by the subtle ambience and eerie intonations which create a maelstrom of feverish tension.

It’s this innate ability to set terrifying scenes which is the band’s forté. The last two minutes of ‘…Pig’s’ unsettling reverb and spoken word delivery induce the arse twitches just in time for the 34-minute closer ‘Metallica’; a metronomic, pulverising saw riff underpinning Gillichbauer’s apparent and barely-managed breakdown, with brief lulls and occasional silences puncturing the expanding swell like Astute missiles. The lash of the oft-chaotic rhythm increases steadily, as does the intensity; yet marvellously, incredibly, a bone-crunching pace remains constant. The largely unflinching template of the track wears the nerves a touch but it’s a minor quibble, and when the harrowingly screamed line “I’m going to kill myself” reappears like a recoil through the last six minutes it chills the marrow. What the fuck it has to do with the Bay Area behemoth fuck knows, but it’s a synapse-shattering experience and the latest proof that this band are now masters at turning violent emotional turmoil into an irresistible listening experience.

 

8.5/10

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PAUL QUINN

 


Putrid Offal – Mature Necropsy

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I’ll let you in on a secret – reviewers hate getting albums like Mature Necropsy (Kaotoxin) in their to-do pile.  Not because they’re bad (far from it – it is an absolute master-class in what it does), but because there’s little to say about them.  If you think Symphonies of Sickness (Earache) -era Carcass with a thick dose of 90’s American Death Metal is a good idea, absolutely buy this album right now.

No?  I’m not allowed to just stop there?

Okay, journalistic trick to fill space number 1 – background details.  Putrid Offal are a French Grind/Death band who put out a series of well-regarded  EPs, splits and demos in the early 90’s but failed to achieve more than marginal underground success and vanished within a few years.  After returning in 2014 with an EP and compilation, they’ve finally put out their debut full-length, only twenty-five years since they started, consisting entirely of previously released tracks, rerecorded in 2015.

Rerecording older material is generally frowned upon and rightly so, but Putrid Offal 2015 lend these songs not only a sharp, savage modern production – a great example of how a skilled producer can give an Extreme Metal band clarity and power without stripping away any of the dirt or ugliness that they need – but the total confidence and focus of men who are twenty-five years older and know exactly what they’re doing.

What does it sound like? The press release mentions “Early-Carcass, General Surgery, Necrony, Pathologist, Dead, Cock And Ball Torture”… so Carcass, then?  Like General Surgery they hybridise their Symphonies Of Sickness worship with a thick vein of Death Metal, but unlike their Swedish peers they turn to the thick, suffocating gut-punch of classic American Death Metal rather than the punk-fuelled charge of Entombed. Don’t expect to hear anything new here (even the playful touches of keyboards and chanting that appear amongst the violence on several tracks have been done before), but I haven’t heard it done this well in a long time.

So… If you think Symphonies…-era Carcass with a thick dose of 90’s American Death Metal is a good idea, absolutely buy this album.  Will that do now?

8.0/10

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RICHIE HR


Adrenaline Mob – Dearly Departed

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I don’t think anyone is running around accusing Russell Allen of being lazy but, true to his contrarian nature, his current work output is something approaching Stakhanovite in nature. This digital only release of covers and acoustic versions of songs from Adrenaline Mob is, presumably, some kind of a stop gap until the band get around to recording the follow up to Men of Honor. With Allen spending much of 2015 working on the new Symphony X album, Dearly Departed (Century Media) is going to act as a reminder that, despite all the comings and goings in personnel (the departure of Mike Portnoy being the most notable in recent times), Adrenaline Mob remain a going and thriving concern.

Your view of Dearly Departed is going to depend on your view of Adrenaline Mob and your view of the role of the cover version as part of an artist’s canon. This might be a self-evident truth but one does detect a bit of a sneer around this kind of endeavour, however well intentioned. In the case of Dearly Departed, the second covers album from the band, it’s fun. It’s lightweight fun, most assuredly, but fun nonetheless.

As with other Adrenaline Mob releases, the production on this record is big, modern and polished. The vocals are high in the mix, showcasing Allen’s voice which works well for the acoustic versions on show here: ‘Angel Sky’ and ‘All On The Line’ from Omerta and Men of Honor (both Century Media)’s ‘Dearly Departed’ all get thorough run outs. I’m not entirely convinced that the world actually needs an acoustic version of ‘Angel Sky’ but these things are pleasant enough and Adrenaline Mob junkies will lap it up.

The covers include the very-hard-to-bugger-up ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ from the Charlie Daniels Band, a warm and faithful Black Sabbath medley and a sprightly and convincing rendition of Queen’s ‘Tie Your Mother Down’. For this listener though, it’s the Pat Travers band cover of ‘Snortin’ Whiskey’ which is the most inspired choice, suggesting the band have a deeper musical hinterland and a better sense of humour than I had previously given them credit for: it’s punchy, gnarly and a very welcome appearance.

Dearly Departed is no world changer but, a bit like finding some cash down the back of your sofa, it will bring a smile to your face. Don’t expect too much and leave your prejudices at the door and you might find yourself enjoying this.

 

6.5/10

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MAT DAVIES

 


Outer Heaven – Diabolus Vobiscum

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Taking a Latin phrase of religious meaning such as “Domins vobiscum” and adding a satanic connotation may rank as a rather unoriginal and even a little juvenile manner to release naming, yet it is the approach that Douglassville’s own Outer Heaven have adopted for their debut release (excluding their 2013 demo available for download). Not that EP release Diabolus Vobiscum (Melotov) is a laughing matter; far from it.

It is clear that Outer Heaven are not setting out to reinvent the wheel by any stretch but their sound does draw upon several of metal’s poles of extremity. A huge overriding element sees them draw upon the sludgy, rawness of the early death metal greats with in its guttural tone and primal production values. EP opener ‘Lord Of The Void’ highlights their doom streak however with its bluesy, Sabbath like opening bars (even the title sounds like a tribute to the fathers of heavy metal) and continued droning pace, abruptly interjected by a brief blastbeat segment. This sets the tone throughout as the rest of the EP takes on a dark, brooding crawl of a pace with a huge sense of ferocity.

Diabolus Vobiscum may show some signs of cliché and formulas tried and tested by the greats, but this is far from mere aping and hero worship. Outer Heaven on their debut have delivered a very nasty slice of vintage death metal with plenty of replay value, and surely putting them on the map in the underground.

 

7.0/10

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CHRIS TIPPELL


Blackberry Smoke – Holding All The Roses

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I have a musical comfort zone. And it’s all the way over there with the Jackson Flying V’s and double-bass drums. It may even include some spandex (not on me, though…) Yet here I am, sitting here, rocking on the porch (sofa), nodding along to the Southern vibes of Atlanta, Georgia’s Blackberry Smoke and their fourth album Holding All The Roses (Earache).  And I’m more than fine with that.

Following the critical and commercial success of The Whippoorwill (Earache/Southern Ground) would have daunting to many bands, but not the Smoke, who shacked up with mega-producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen). Any fears that such a hit-maker would sterilize their sound are quickly dispersed by the laidback singalong to ‘Let Me Help You Find The Door’ and it’s rock n’ roll shamble. The title track shuffles in next, picking up the beat, with some clean guitar fingerpicking and a more uptempo come-and-join-us chorus. Whereas the temptation could have been to seek the big bucks and accidentally fall into the trap of producing sanitized radio rock, instead Blackberry Smoke have infused their music with even more of a traditional Southern flavour, and, boy, does it suit.

Blackberry Smoke are no gimmick band, just a class one with their hearts in yesteryear and a love of venerable records, releasing an album full of simple pleasures; of pure, excellent songs. There are many highlights, the pick of which are the two melancholy numbers, the deeper, bluesier ‘Woman In The Moon’, where Charlie Starr’s lazy delivery comes into its own, and ‘No Way Back To Eden’ (a track I’d have been tempted to close the album on), both of which prove the quintet have that added depth all the best have. In amongst the swathes of Creedence Clearwater Revival (and several other subtle references I’m too unschooled to know) ‘Too High’ is wistful country and ‘Rock and Roll Again’ is the sound of the Deep South ripping on Status Quo and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Call Me The Breeze’, while ‘Payback’s A Bitch’ has a work-shy hook that will infect you like sidewinder venom, as Holding All The Roses unfurls it’s kick-ass blues rock beauty with a smile.

I’ll level. If Blackberry Smoke weren’t on Earache, the chances are high I wouldn’t have been interested in checking them out. Chances are also as good as getting a 7+ on a 15 hand in pontoon we wouldn’t be included them in the hallowed digi-pages of the good ship Ghost Cult without the same, or similar, connection. And we’d have missed out on a warm, chilled out doozy, so hats off to Dig and all concerned for branching out and expanding their traditional net. I’m delighted they did. I’m not going to go off and dive into a whole other musical genre, but I’m glad the Smoke have entered my life and my music collection. They won’t be for everyone who frequents a metal site, but they should be for people who value unassuming good rock songs.

If there is justice out there, the winds will spread the Blackberry pollen far and wide.

 

8.5/10

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STEVE TOVEY


Gehennah – Metal Police (EP)

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To celebrate their signing with Metal Blade, Swedish quartet Gehennah are re-releasing their 2014 EP, Metal Police, with a whole host of extra goodies. Originally a four track 7”, the 2015 version now boasts a dozen dirty, in your face blasts of thrash and roll.

Although they’ve been together since the early 90s, Metal Police was only the band’s – made up of Mr Violence (vocals), Rob Stringburner (guitars), Micke “Hellcop” Birgersson (drums) and Charlie Knuckleduster (bass) – second release of the new millennium. As well as a couple of extra songs from the original sessions, the new version comes with re-recordings of older Gehennah material.

The original four tracks all follow the same path; short, sharp rockers of AC/DC meets Motörhead-inspired thrash. It’s over in ten minutes, but it’s great sweaty and sweary fun. The title track and a storming cover of The Dwarves’ ‘Fuck ‘Em All’ are especially pleasing.  The bonus tracks continue in the same vein; in your face, no fucks given rock and roll. Gehennah wear their love of classic Motörhead on their sleeves but frontman Mr. Slaughter’s bark adds an even punkier edge than Lemmy could rustle up in his heyday. The likes of ‘Carve Off Your Face (And Shove It Up Your Ass)’, the relentless ‘Hellstorm’ and ‘Piss off, I’m Drinking’ are the perfect soundtrack to a night of drinking, fighting and debauchery.

As re-releases go, Metal Police is a corker. A short but enjoyable EP has been transformed into a dirty, punky full length beast. What Gehennah lack in originality they make up for with energy, attitude, and amusing song titles.

 

8.0/10

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DAN SWINHOE


Hawk Eyes – Everything Is Fine

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Leeds’ alt.Rockers Hawk Eyes have successfully married US Discord Records style with off-beat prog melodies to good effect. Everything Is Fine (Pledge/Red Vole) is the sound of the band putting their best foot forward and maturing into a more versatile outfit striving to rise to the top of the Brit-rock pack.

The former Chickenhawk have mastered the blend of pop melodies without sacrificing the deliciously punchy nature of their songs. The driving melodies of nineties post-hardcore are injected with a shot of sludge and mathrock passion to great effect. Angular riffs underpin soaring harmonies which give the likes of ‘The Ambassador’ an urgency reminiscent of At The Drive-In.

The exhilarating rush of ‘Die Trying’ with its soaring chorus is another highlight, a deceptively addictive earworm which embeds itself in your cerebral cortex with its catchy lyrics full of righteous determination. The air of confidence the band has gained is never more evident that on the bruising ‘I Never Lose’, which rides an urgent riff and another great chorus.

In the four years since their Ideas (Vinyl Junkie) opus, Hawk Eyes dogged approach to touring has clearly benefited them, honing their craft through touring with rock journeymen such as Therapy?. Their duel vocals are used to great effect and while the maverick spirit of acts like The Melvins hovers over this it never threatens to extinguish the rabid pop nous of tracks like ‘The Ballad Of Michael McGlue’ which flies high on a rousing call and response chorus which declares “I don’t think God is gonna change his mind”.

Gleefully delivering agitated alt rock wrapped in easily swallowed bubblegum melodies Everything Is Fine is a stirring collection which warrants several visits, and the songs flow superbly from one riotous track to the next making this an intoxicating adrenaline rush which you will want to experience frequently.

“Happiness is a risky business” they spit on ‘Terribly Quelled’; it may be one they have to get used to if they continue to progress in such promising fashion.

 

8.0/10

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ROSS BAKER


Golers – In ‘n’ Outlaws

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Canadian thrashers Golers are back with their fourth album, In ’n’ Outlaws (Independent/self-released). The Vancouver- based quartet – made up of Walter Mason on vocals and Guitar, Derek Rockall on guitar, Stuart Carruthers on bass and drummer Jason Mosdell – have delivered 14 tracks of quality hardcore-infused thrash with hints of southern sludge.

The opening title tracks is fast as it is brutal; two and half minutes of raw speed and aggression. The rasping screams, pummelling drums, lightning riffs, Golers only play music that’s high octane, heavy, relentless, volatile – imagine Iron Reagan fronted by Phil Anselmo, then make it heavier.

Very few songs longer than two minutes – but that brevity means none of the tracks outstay their welcome. It’s hard to pick out individual songs for special mention. Every track is, however, littered with quality solos; ‘Paradise Entrails,’ ‘Scratch’ and ‘Riff Cult – Relations’ are blessed with some excellent guitar work, and offer a brief reprieve from an otherwise uninterrupted aural attack.

Despite all sounding pretty similar, they’re also very good and there’s very little in the way of filler. But with all 14 tracks following a very similar blueprint it does get a bit fatiguing along the way. However it’s a small grip with an otherwise quality release.

From start to finish, In’n’Outlaws is an unadulterated assault on the senses. It’s a consistently nasty album from a band who know how to shred and thrash. One for people who miss extreme metal and punk from the 80s.

 

7.5/10

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DAN SWINHOE