Category Archives: Reviews

Diamond Head – Live at The Robin 2, Bilston, UK

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Situated near the heart of The Black Country – an area in the West Midlands which gave birth to bands such as Judas Priest and perennial Christmas faves Slade – The Robin 2 in Bilston tonight plays host to other local heroes, Diamond Head. Formed in 1976, about ten miles away in Stourbridge, Diamond Head sat proudly at the forefront of the legendary New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, going onto inspire many up and coming bands, the most famous of which shall remain safely nameless for the purpose of this piece.Continue reading →


Beyond Creation – Algorythm

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As Technical Death Metal begins its third decade as a subgenre, the stakes for success have never been higher. Legends like Cannibal Corpse, Gorguts, Suffocation, Cryptopsy, Obscura, Dying Fetus, Immolation and more continue to churn out incredible releases every few years and still slay. New bands, buoyed by modern technology, scale new heights of musical proficiency. They write brain-exploding songs all the time. Hell, there are guys and gals on YouTube just shredding all the time on originals, covers, and playthroughs. But the question we have is can anyone write a truly memorable song anymore? Continue reading →


Set And Setting- Tabula Rasa

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Instrumental Rock, as a branch of post-Metal, can be such a tricky genre to pull off well. Many times it is about a balance that bands can miss. Too often bands miss that poignancy and enchanting quality that such material often needs and instead prove mechanical and disengaging in nature. Over three prior albums, Floridian act Set And Setting have showcased both a technical prowess in their sound and that difficult ingredient, heart, whilst continuously adapting their sound; a case which is proven once again on their latest effort, Tabula Rasa (Pelagic).Continue reading →


VOLA – Applause Of A Distant Crowd

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Danish quartet VOLA are an impossible band to pigeonhole as their 2016 debut Inmazes gleefully hopped genres encompassing Heavy Metal, Prog Rock, Industrial and Electro elements amongst others. Their new album Applause of a Distant Crowd (both Mascot) continues this broad outlook, but this time the keys of Martin Werner play a more prominent role.Continue reading →


Atreyu – In Our Wake

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When Atreyu’s Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (Victory) was released in 2002, the band was entering a sonic journey in the prime time of the Orange County Metalcore scene. They have stayed relevant by releasing six strong full-lengths since. This year, they celebrate their 20-year anniversary with the release of their seventh album In Our Wake (Spinefarm).Continue reading →


Cave – Allways

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Hailing from the windy city, Chicago, Cave drops their sixth full length album Allways (Drag City); an instrumental profusion and six songs and forty-one minutes of mind altering fare.  Cave have been around since 2007 and have released a plethora of 7” and cassette tapes in addition to albums.Continue reading →


Chthonic – Battlefields Of Asura

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In their time away from the music scene, life has been busy for Taiwanese act Chthonic. Five years have passed since their last studio album Bú-Tik (Spinefarm), and family has played a large part, most notably with married couple, bassist Doris Yeh and vocalist Freddy Lim, having a baby last year. Having also taken up politics, Lim swapped his stage make-up and black leather for a nice clean suit and tie, his progressive New Power Party, formed in 2015, becoming elected into the Taiwanese Parliament in January this year.Continue reading →


Outer Heaven – Realms Of Eternal Decay

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If there’s one word in the English language that Pennsylvanian mob Outer Heaven is either completely unaware of or simply have no need for, its subtlety. Whether the five-piece from Douglassville are smashing Death Metal into your guts at a thousand miles an hour, or gradually reversing over your face in a steamroller built from slow, grinding Doom, then there’s not much room for nuance or sophistication.Continue reading →


Judas Priest Released “Hell Bent For Leather” 40 Years Ago

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Judas Priest was already one of the most successful bands of their time in the mid-to late 1970s by the release of their fifth album. Dubbed Killing Machine (Columbia) in Europe, the album was re-titled Hell Bent For Leather for it’s U.S. release and is now commonly known by that name. The album was destined to be a smash anyway with some mega-hits, but the real gem would be their cover of Fleetwood Mac original ‘The Green Manilishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)’. The track would go on to become the best-known song from the album, one of the most loved songs by the band and one of the best cover songs in history. Continue reading →


Shrykull – Shrykull

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From the fetid depths of Nottingham’s catacombs comes Shrykull, a duo whose severe, wicked noise would shake the foundation of their city. Debut album Shrykull (self-released) is a sub-half-hour blast through blackened hell and pummelling Sludge which commences with the unholy ‘Plagued’: a brutal maelström preceding a morose, often funereal-paced second movement which is wonderfully controlled by William Powell’s spiked riffs and Kez Whelan’s hammer blows. Whelan’s screams cut to the the bone, never better displayed than on the rampant ‘Deafened By The Echo’, Powell’s ireful guitar buzz covering the frantic yet controlled battery.Continue reading →