Life of Agony has shared brand new single, the heavy as hell ‘Black Heart’ from their new album The Sound of Scars, due out next week via Napalm Records. Jam out to the amazing track below! Also, Catch bassist/vocalist and acclaimed artist Alan Robert all this weekend at New York Comic-Con, promoting his New York Times Bestselling adult coloring Book series The Beauty Of Horror!Continue reading
Day 3
With the queue for Sunday’s opening act Wizard Fight snaking out the door of the Black Heart, there’s a little wait to see Wales’ HARK. Although different from Jim Isaac’s previous outfit Taint, the two share a lot of common DNA; Aggressive, angular riffs with plenty of groove, time changes galore, and plenty of chances to bang your head. There’s a big, receptive crowd for so early in the afternoon, and the band respond with a loud and energetic performance.Continue reading
Has the doom and stoner scene ever been in ruder health? Possibly not, judging from the quality of acts on show at the sixth edition of the London Desertfest. The three-day festival, held across a number of venues across Camden Town has riff-mongers of all shapes, sizes, and styles doing their best to shake the capital apart.Continue reading
Shredding power metal kings DragonForce have detailed the release of their next album, Reaching Into Infinity will be released via Metal Blade Records (USA) and earMUSIC (Europe) on May 19th. Continue reading
As my esteemed colleague said to me, you can’t really go wrong with a name like Wizard Fight. They’re right: you can’t and, fair play, to a half filled room on a mid-week winter evening in London Town, this rambunctious trio do their level best to live up to their fabulous moniker. Wizard Fight are loud, fuzzy and grungy in the best way. Observing the well-trodden view of respecting the riff they come over a bit like Mastodon’s pissed off younger brother: it’s all snarls and gruffing but there’s also a tongue placed firmly in cheek especially when you call one of your new song ‘Witches Tit’. Kid you, I do not. Scuzzy, head nodding fun.
I’ve read a lot of press about how well rated Salem’s Pot supposedly are. It usually involves an absurd number and level of adjectives and adverbs and a spectacular level of hyperbole that you’re left wondering whether the band can ever live up to the written hype. Arriving on stage in their best Eyes Wide Shut Venetian ball masks they conjure a sound and experience that is part theatre, part Sabbath tribute and all doom laden, acid drenched majestic heavy metal. There is a genuine frisson of excitement around how genuine and authentic they are. Admittedly there might be something of Electric Wizard in what the band do, but I think this is more of a shared aesthetic than any attempt at facsimile. Across a frankly glorious set list, their smart wordplay, hypnotic riffing and brilliant songs had me lifting my not inconsiderable jaw off the beer soaked floor. Thrilling, transcendent heavy fucking metal. Very special.
We are all here for one thing though, if we were being honest with ourselves. You know, there is something extraordinary about Sweden’s latest doom kings, Monolord. Yes, we know they are heavy. Yes, we know it’s all in B. Yes, we know it rattles the teeth in your gums. But, let me tell you this: let me tell you straight. This is pure, elemental heavy metal from the gut and from the heart. It is headbanging, heart racing, spirit-lifting stuff. It’s a band that are more than the sum of their parts; it’s a band for today and for all times.
Watching a packed and sweaty room go absolutely mental for a punishing and triumphant ‘Empress Rising’ is thrilling; who knew such miserablism could drive such happiness? A midset introduction of new song ‘We Will Burn’ is greeted like some sort of long lost friend, such is the anticipation for the new album, not due to drop for another month or so. It is absolutely brilliant and begets a synchronised bout of head nodding throughout the room. The rest of the set is equally thrilling, a compelling blend of swirling riffs and titanic rhythms. As I pointed out to my Twitter feed, they nailed it.
They absolutely nailed it.
MAT DAVIES