What new Rock and Metal records are you looking forward to this week?
One of the stalwarts of the early NWOBHM scene, like many others in the genre, Whitley Bay rockers Tygers of Pan Tang were signed – albeit briefly – to celebrated Geordie label Neat Records along with the likes of Venom, Raven, and Saracen. However, while many of those acts were to remain on Neat a while longer (original vocalist Jess Cox even left the band to run the label), the commercial potential of Tygers… had not gone unnoticed, the band being signed almost straight away by prominent international label MCA.
Gothic rock Norwegian heroine Liv Kristine is integrity personified when it comes to representing her chosen genres, the ideal ambassador of grace, fun, shimmery, and shadowy melodic reflection. River Of Diamonds (Metalville Records ) is one of her most digestible yet nonetheless compelling efforts yet, the closest comparison is a merging of a lighter variant of the love rock of H.I.M. with the captivating gothic roots she is known for.
Portugal’s finest mercurial sons Moonspell‘s knack for reinvention while still holding true to their core elements is scarcely paralleled in all of dark music; a master class in constant growth. They have always deserved to be considered one of the most important world metal bands. “Metal” however is also too limiting a boundary for them, even though it is in the blood which beats through their lycanthropic hearts.
Seventh Storm are a new band formed by Mike Gaspar, formerly the drummer for Portuguese gothic metal legends Moonspell. As well as handling drum duties for Seventh Storm, Gaspar has also written and and arranged all of the music for their debut album, Maledictus (Atomic Fire). The album cover and promo photos convey a piratical theme that befits the band name and reflects Gaspar’s intention to depict the Portuguese tradition of “discovering the world, travelling far from home, exploring the seas.”Continue reading
Moonspell will join up with Paradise Lost’s tour this weekend with dates across the UK. Moonspell is spending 2022 celebrating their 30th anniversary with many events culminating in an epic set of shows later next fall.
Every album that Moonspell releases explores a different facet of their Gothic Metal style, sometimes responding to the one before it in a constant tug-o-war between darkness and light. Their thirteenth album, Hermitage (Napalm Records), is no exception. In contrast to the grandiose symphonics of 2018’s 1755, the band opts for a scaled-back, atmospheric approach with more Prog influence thrown in than usual. It seems to invoke the band’s early vibe without going full throwback and also reminds me of Tiamat or Opeth in spots.