It was only ever a matter of time until Swedish death metal legends The Crown titled an album after their previous name. Known as Crown of Thorns from their inception in 1990 until their brief demise in 2004, the band reformed five years later and has continued to produce some of the country’s finest and crunchiest Death Metal riffs.
Tag Archives: throwback
ALBUM REVIEW: Blitzkrieg – Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg, the on-and-off NWOBHM veterans much loved by Metallica, are back with their new self-titled album (Mighty Music). Much like AC/DC do and Motörhead, did, Blitzkrieg stick to what they know – which is classic metal of a decidedly eighties vintage that fans of Diamond Head, Judas Priest, and Saxon will know and appreciate.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Zeal and Ardor – Greif
Hailing from the Swiss city of Basel, Zeal & Ardor are an Alternative Metal act that have always well and truly had a sound of their own. Initially, a one-man studio project from the extraordinary musical architect Manuel Gagneux, Zeal & Ardor dropped into our speakers with thei debut album Devil Is Fine in 2016. Providing a highly experimental blend of Black Metal and Delta Blues, before exploring the sound further two years later with record number two – Stranger Fruit. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Sevendust – Truth Killer
Closing in on 30 years into their career, you couldn’t blame Sevendust if they took their foot off the gas at this stage. They have indicated as much that they are looking to tour less intensely as they have been, as the bands have families and are thinking of their futures. The band has slogged it out for decades on countless tours, metal festivals worldwide, and at times, more intimate unplugged gigs as well. While there are surely not a lot of new mountains to climb, it’s refreshing to see that the band is still hungry, and challenging themselves to create quality new songs on their 14th album Truth Killer. Following a successful run at Rise Records, the band has found a new home in Napalm Records, home to many of their peers and touring partners. The vibe at Napalm fits better than Rise did, as they head into this next phase of their career.
ALBUM REVIEW: Trespass – Wolf At The Door
When an album opens with nothing but high hat and then adds the guitars, you know you have a banger. Trespass’ Wolf At The Door (From the Vaults) is quintessential NWOBHM. Even in this digital age, Wolf At The Door still has the tonality of analog seventies metal albums. There is a grounding, brownness to the sound. The pacing and mixing give it a throwback, classic feel. The songs come complete with velvety guitar solos over hard-driving drums. ‘Wolf At The Door’ would sound awesome on vinyl as it has the tones and feeling that support analog listening.
EP REVIEW: Atreyu – The Hope Of A Spark
Having approached their twentieth year of being a staple in the metalcore scene, the prodigies of Atreyu still haven’t lost their spark (no pun intended) with the new EP The Hope Of A Spark (Spinefarm Records). Drawing from the commonalities of the quintet’s personal lives, each song is truly a shared effort among the five of them – not only musically, but conceptually.
ALBUM REVIEW: Hellripper – Warlocks Grim and Withered Hags
Hellripper is the one-man retro Blackened Thrash metal project from Scotland’s James McBain, who has been purveying his retro sounds since 2014, releasing a number of EPs including debut The Manifestation Of Evil (2015) and Complete And Total Fucking Mayhem (2016) before dropping the full-length Coagulating Darkness in 2017.
ALBUM REVIEW: The Riven – Peace and Conflict
I’ve always pictured the Stockholm-bound The Riven as the Swedish version of Thulsa Doom – similar vibes, similar undertones, and similar upbeat resonances. The RIven, as far as I observe, has always been influenced by the sounds from the golden age of classic rock; the 1970s and 1980s. Their sounds are genuinely hard-hitting, sharp-shooting, and they appear to be the kind of sounds that would make you want to headbang as the exciting memories in your head replay themselves in retrospect whilst you listen to them. In terms of genre classification, they might pass as heavy blues rock with progressive, psychedelic, and classical influences and a strong emphasis on menacing riffs as well as vigorous vocals.
ALBUM REVIEW: Tuk Smith and The Restless Hearts – Ballad of a Misspent Youth
The opening strains of Ballad of a Misspent Youth (MRG Records) by Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts reminds me of old KISS. It’s the sound of the guitars. There is a bit of The Black Crowes thrown in for good measure. It’s hard driving and pop-ish with a punk tinge. The guitars are simple yet sonically pleasing. The album continues this stylistic choice with savage awesomeness. Be prepared, Ballad of a Misspent Youth is solid from start to finish with plenty of songs that will get stuck on constant rotation.
ALBUM REVIEW: Crobot – Feel This
Throwback Thursday can now be every day if you believe hard enough. With Crobot’s latest release Feel This (Mascot Label Group), you can headbang and air guitar like it was the 1990s, early aught’s all over again.