Guitars quite literally illustrate the opening action of “By The Light”, a group of paladins attacking an evil necromantic death cult. Their failure and the sole survivor Emaly’s efforts to avenge the deaths form the balance of Burning Sun’s Retribution (Metalizer Records), a Power Metal tour de force of a concept album in the vein of Helloween and my last album reviewed for Ghost Cult, Martyr. Pancho Ireland’s vocals maintain smooth power akin to Bruce Dickinson.Continue reading
Super7 Toys continues dropping figures of Iconic Rock, Metal, Punk, and Hip-Hop releases with a first-time Pantera figure: the late, great, Dimebag Darrell Abbott! Pre-orders are live at the link below. Other reaction figures in their vast lineup include Ozzy Osbourne, Cliff Burton of Metallica, Johnny Cash, Misfits, Alice Cooper, several versions of Papa Emeritus and Nameless Ghouls, an array of Iron Maiden figures, Slayer, Agnostic Front, Anthrax, Beastie Boys, Venom, Circle Jerks, Peter Steele of Type O Negative, Lemmy of Motorhead, Gorilla Biscuits, King Diamond, Megadeth, Rancid, Judas Priest, Napalm Death, The Sex Pistols, Discharge, Alice Cooper, Run DMC, Doctor Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, Paul Baloff of Exodus, Jimi Hendrix, MF Doom, Blondie, Ramones, My Chemical Romance and many more! Order right now since these usually sell out.Continue reading
The press kit for this record reads normal, until we look a little deeper. Martyr formed in 1982 and earned attention three years later with a major single and album. Further details about tours and acts sharing the stage – standard stuff for a forty-plus-year-old act. Then, “[U]nleash their seventh studio album Dark Believer through ROAR.” Wait, what? Seventh? When did they form? Huh. That’s like Guns ‘n’ Roses pace.
Let’s have a listen, shall we?
Lord of the Lost is back with OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 (Napalm Records) which is a grandiose take on Metal that feels like it’s gotten bigger this time around. Midway into the opening track, you can hear how they ae moving up the bill on European festivals with this album. This album comes on the heels of opening slots for Iron Maiden, which forced them to step up their game. They have not dumbed things down for an American audience, so you are either into this or you are not. Yes, the harsher vocals might appeal a little more to Western audiences, but they’re only one aspect.
Yeah, so this is tough.
Really fucking tough.
We all knew it was coming at some point. There might have been a whispered inevitability to it all, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
I spent entirely too long trying to sub-genrefy Nefarious‘ Addicted to Power (Relentless Metal Records). Among the eight tracks on this non-stop aural assault, Thrash, Power, and OG NWOBHM/Warlock/Accept-era influences share a sonic landscape littered with anger, cynicism, and Lovecraft. Before we go any further, let me say I enjoyed this album thoroughly and recommend it highly. You may question that at times if you keep reading.Continue reading
Legendary British heavy metal band, Iron Maiden turns 50 this year. In celebration, writer, Daniel Bukszpan, has put together Iron Maiden at 50, a new biography chronicling the band’s five decade journey.The book arrives on September 16th, with presales now live. Find out more below.
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“Mire” slow and moody guitar and Laura Dolan’s soft yet mournful vocals, both of which burst into life toward the end, open Electric Citizen new record EC4 (Heavy Psych Sounds). EC4 is the Cincinnati quintet’s fourth album, and it is fuzzy 70s Rock with psychedelic touches and Uriah Heep and Deep Purple influences throughout. Continue reading
Although only formed in 2022, you could easily be forgiven for thinking that Leipzig speed metallers Morbyda have been around since the early eighties as debut album Under the Spell (Dying Victims Productions) hits all the right nostalgia notes while delivering something uniquely its own.Continue reading
This Summer, Avatar will be out across Europe, supporting Britsh heavy metal legends, Iron Maiden on a sixteen-date run. Following this the band have announced their own 2026 European trek, kicking off February 5th in Stockholm, Sweden, rattling through to Hamburg, Germany on March 13th. Further, the band will perform their Noche De Brujas event in Mexico City on Halloween, ahead of Mexico’s famed Dia de los Muertos. Check out the article below for more information.
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