From the first crunchy riffs to the last moments of “Orphans of the Storm,” Absolute Power’s Needs Must When the Devil Drives (Time To Kill Records) kills it with rock-solid Metal. Simon Efemey’s Glam/Thrash vocals, Shane Embury’s (Napalm Death, Dark Sky Burial) pretty much everything else, and a line-up of guest musicians produce a NWOBHM/Thrash masterpiece of rock and metal pretty much every metal fan on earth can dine all week on.
Full disclosure before I begin. The year that The Number of the Beast came out, I was a pre-teen milling around a record store with no idea that the record I had been staring at for an uncomfortable amount of time after pulling it out of the bin, and was ultimately compelled to buy that day, would change my life. It would be a gross understatement to say that Iron Maiden has and does mean a lot to me, but I will do my best to be objective here. Continue reading
Zakk Wylde brought Berzerkus to Northwell Jones Beach Theater on August 29 for the festival’s New York debut, its third overall outing following the 2024 edition, and delivered on every bit of its promise. Hosted by metal broadcaster and personality Mark Strigl (VH1), SiriusXM), the day built out a full festival footprint beyond the stage with a car show, a strongman competition, a hot sauce-eating competition, the Ride for Dime tribute, and additional attractions across the grounds. I arrived in time for Dark Chapel and cannot speak to those activations firsthand, but the lineup on that stage carried the day completely on its own. Continue reading