ALBUM REVIEW: Zeal and Ardor – Greif


Hailing from the Swiss city of Basel, Zeal & Ardor are an Alternative Metal act that have always well and truly had a sound of their own. Initially, a one-man studio project from the extraordinary musical architect Manuel Gagneux, Zeal & Ardor dropped into our speakers with thei debut album Devil Is Fine in 2016. Providing a highly experimental blend of Black Metal and Delta Blues, before exploring the sound further two years later with record number two – Stranger FruitContinue reading


EP REVIEW: Graywave – Dancing In The Dust


Starting out as a solo project for singer and multi-instrumentalist Jess Webberley, Graywave have released two previous EPs – Planetary Shift in 2021, followed swiftly by their first for Church Road Records, Rebirth in 2022. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Dodsrit – Nocturnal Will


Dodsrit began as a solo project for ex-Totem Skin multi-instrumentalist Christoffer Oster, who recorded and released two highly acclaimed records – Dodsrit (2017) and Spirit Crusher (2018). 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Ministry – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES


Ministry’s long career began back in 1981 and has seen many different incarnations over the proceeding 43 years with the one constant of producer/singer/multi-instrumentalist Al Jourgensen steering the ship throughout. It’s fair to say the band have had to navigate some severely choppy waters over the decades, with a revolving door style policy of other personnel joining the larger-than-life frontman in his lifelong musical pursuit, and with various controversies never too far away.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Ihsahn – Ihsahn


Eighth solo studio album from Ihsahn, the legend of Norwegian Metal, releases his modern self-titled (Candlelight Records) opus hot on the heels of his 2023 EP – Fascination Street Sessions. As the principal creative force behind Emperor, his iconic status as a Black Metal musician was secured with their impactful nineties debut album In the Nightside Eclipse which released at the height of the genre’s second wave. While the experimental and progressive influence of his solo output has somewhat gone under the radar in comparison to his work with Emperor, those that have followed his releases since The Adversary in 2006, have been treated to an extraordinary body of work. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Helmet – Left


 

Helmet are a legacy band, who at over 30 years into their career– albeit with an early 2000’s hiatus– are still very much thought of as a specific, early mid-nineties era band when alternative rock was king. And for good reason, as they are a band who certainly had a huge influence with early Interscope Records such as Meantime (1992) and Betty (1994), providing a sludgy down-tuned version of the more commercial alternative styles of the time.  

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ALBUM REVIEW: Svalbard – The Weight Of The Mask


 

I’ve been looking forward to wrapping my ears around Svalbard’s new material after catching snippets of what was to come when I caught them live supporting Russian Circles and Cult Of Luna over in Berlin earlier in 2023. And landing that European tour signified a fine start to a year which has also seen the Bristol based band sign for Nuclear Blast Records, with The Weight Of The Mask their first album for the prestigious new label and their first collection of new songs since the excellent When I Die, Will I Get Better? which was released on Church Road Records back in 2020. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Freya – Fight As One


 

When legendary New York Hardcore band Earth Crisis temporarily went their separate ways in 2001 Freya was born, formed by three members of EC, bassist Ian Edwards, guitarist Eric Edwards and vocalist Karl Buechner. Named of course after the Norse goddess, Freya picked right up where Earth Crisis left off and have released a plethora of music over the last two decades, blending their Hardcore roots with a good dollop of Thrash Metal, while often using mythology as a basis for their lyrical content. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Corey Taylor – CMF2


 

CMFT2 (Decibel Cooper / BMG) is the second solo album from one of the largest mouths in Metal, a musician who you might have thought had all bases covered for his creative output by virtue of being the frontman in two wildly successful bands. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Kvelertak – Endling


 

Kvelertak (Norwegian for ‘Stranglehold’) are one of the more unique offerings hailing from the land of mystical forests and flowing fjords, and are anything but your typical Black Metal band from the region. In fact any hints of the sound are very few and far between on their fifth album Endling (Rise Records), with the influence used sparingly. 

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