It’s been eight years since popular and absurdly costumed Norwegian Death-punk act Turbonegro split with frontman Hank von Hell (aka Hank von Helvete, Hank Herzog von Helvete, Hank From Hell, Herr Tugen, Hertugen, Hanky El Magnifico, Frank Hank, Hanky, Hertis, Hans Erik Dyvik Husby). Eight long years since the world was treated to classic song titles such as ‘Hobbit Motherfuckers’, ‘Bad Mongo’, Rendezvous With Anus’, ‘Blow Me (Like The Wind)’ and of course ‘I Got Erection’. Continue reading
When Atreyu’s Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (Victory) was released in 2002, the band was entering a sonic journey in the prime time of the Orange County Metalcore scene. They have stayed relevant by releasing six strong full-lengths since. This year, they celebrate their 20-year anniversary with the release of their seventh album In Our Wake (Spinefarm).Continue reading
I don’t know how Matt Pike does it. Six months since Sleep dropped The Sciences (which is still ace and you should totally buy if you haven’t already) seemingly out of nowhere, the man who has forgotten more brilliant riffs than most of us will ever know has effortlessly created another world-beater. I admit that might be a case of me showing my hand a bit too soon – saying a High On Fire record is great is about as predictable as the sun rising in the morning, but both are positive reminders that good things are always on the horizon.Continue reading
Punk legends The Casualties have shared the video for their first new single, off of their upcoming new album. Written In Blood will release on Cleopatra Records on October 26th, right in time for the bands’ appearance on The Metal Alliance Tour with Goatwhore. Written In Blood will be the first album with new singer David Rodriguez (The Krum Bums), since Jorge Herrera retired from touring and departed the band earlier in 2018. The “1312” video was directed by John Hale, and you can watch it below. Continue reading
Of all the bands that came to prominence in the 1990s, not many were as cantankerous or wilfully stubborn as Northern Ireland three-piece Therapy? Their extant determination and refusal to bend to the various vagaries and winds of fashion was part of the reason why fans took them to their hearts so passionately and may also explain why, nearly three decades later, they have endured.Continue reading
The Dirty Nil’s debut album Higher Power (Dine Alone) felt like a genuine shot in the arm for both punk and rock alike and there was so much attitude and swagger on show the band garnered much deserved praise. Add to that the fact that the band’s live shows built upon the raucous foundations of the album, and the sky appeared to be the limit for them. Thus we come to that much talked about benchmark for many bands… that being the “difficult” follow up, and, interestingly, their second album Master Volume (Dine Alone) both improves and disappoints in equal measures.Continue reading
Three songs. Six minutes. Chaotic aggressive punked-up discordant post-hardcore with antagonistic, flesh-ripping hooks, more attitude than most style-over-substance poser acts can muster across a career and a mic drop of a release ahead of their upcoming tour with Stick To Your Guns, the Private Room EP (Pure Noise) is three previous B-sides that Canadian modern hardcore band Counterparts felt deserved more attention.Continue reading
Over the course of numerous EP releases and various appearances in the UK’s underground scene, Colchester trio Jøtnarr have begun to garner quite a reputation. Where the blend of black metal and crust punk is, by now, all the rage, in the hands of Jøtnarr it becomes a whole new beast which fully incorporates it all fluidly through sludgy grooves and an intensity that makes it their own. If early EP’s were impressive, however, this full self-titled debut (SuperFi) fully realises and hones their vision.Continue reading
In a move that shouldn’t have surprised anyone given the band’s long-standing modesty, the sudden appearance of new music from Rise Against still feels like it came out of nowhere. The Ghost Note Symphonies Vol 1 (Sony), effectively a Rise Against unplugged album, arrives with little if any, fanfare but, as with many Rise Against records, it deserves your quiet and rapt attention as what they have delivered here is a record of quiet grace, emotion, and elan.Continue reading
In the era of DIY, the music industry has seen a lot of success from self-made acts. When you can run your own record label and put out a very highly praised debut, the bar is set pretty high for anything that follows. The UK’s own Asylums have done just that. They released their debut in 2016 with rave reviews and two years later they are following up with Alien Human Emotions (Cool Thing). This sophomore drop from the Southend natives uplifts the alt./art rock genre in a direction that intrigues a younger audience from the second it’s turned on.Continue reading