Back in 2022, Portuguese Extreme Metal recluses Gaerea released Mirage (Season of Mist), my album of the year. It was the first time I had been exposed to the shrouded-in-mystery outfit, but it was nearly impossible to choose any other record to headline that year.Continue reading
Everyone likes a challenge. Devin Townsend more than most. Each new record is about setting goals and attempting to achieve them. Whether it’s an introspective deep dive or an explosion of absurdist non-conformity, the progressive polymath’s albums always tend to reflect his state of mind, even if it happens to be completely barking at that particular time.Continue reading
With Halloween upon us, and Instagram beginning to fill with girls sporting a Vampira look for their selfies, it begs the question what is Goth? The answer might not be revealed in Dead Posey’s new album Are You In a Cult (Self-Released), but this duo is banging out some fun-filled arena rock that has more in common with The Pretty Reckless than it does Siouxsie and the Banshees. The album is full of catchy choruses and frontwoman Danyell Souza sings about creepy things, but it packs the kind of punch that would be more at home at the Welcome to Rockville fest than, opening for The Cure. Continue reading
Since their self-titled release back in 2001, Finnish epic Folk Metal storytellers Ensiferum have been seamlessly blazing a trail despite a myriad of lineup changes, and have done so on a frankly regular schedule. Continue reading
For reasons best known to themselves, some bands deliberately go out of their way to disguise their influences and inspirations. Feral are not some bands. One listen to To Usurp the Thrones (Transcending Obscurity Records) and everything is perfectly clear.Continue reading
Hailing from Birmingham, UK Nu-Metal outfit Nameless show a whole world of imagination with their new album Shapeshifter (Self-Released). On this record, the band takes on a progressive genre-bending sound with ambitious track lengths. Drawing from influences from the likes of Deftones and Sleep Token, they combine facets of Metal and Shoegaze in such a way that keeps even the longest songs interesting. Continue reading
Aside from having one of the most spot-on names, Hell Is Other People also meticulously and so magnificently presents a style of metal that marries atmospheric/blackened vocals and post-Rock instrumentals.Continue reading
Jerry Cantrell, he of Alice in Chains fame, has returned with I Want Blood (Double J Music). It is his fourth solo record and continues the Grunge flavoured Hard Rock and Metal he is known for with an array of famous friends popping in, including Duff McKagan (Guns N Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Better Lovers) and the production help of Joe Barresi (Slipknot, Clutch, Tool, Mastodon) amongst others. Continue reading
To put it mildly, Grindcore is king.
Sub-minute songs; albums that pack dozens of tracks in less than ten minutes; and the most chaotically bombastic sounds you can possibly combine and still label music. Continue reading
From the fuzzy Alt Rock and early Foo Fighters vibe of “Vienna,” German rockers Birds View’s second album House of Commando (Drakkar Entertainment) starts as it means to go on. Influenced by ‘90s alternative rock acts such as the aforementioned Foos, Soundgarden, and Queens of the Stone Age, HOC is primed with propulsive, straight-to-the-point songs that do not outstay their welcome. Continue reading