There are albums that hit all the right notes, and usually in the right order. There are other albums that spend their entirety looking for a focus and never quite finding it. The new album by American Doomsters Castle somehow manages to do both.Continue reading
Overlooking their first three widely celebrated albums (at least for now), the latest remasters courtesy of Noise Records arrive in the form of the final two studio releases from thrashers, Coroner. Continue reading
In those glorious/hideous (delete as applicable) years before the inexorable rise of the internet, compilation albums used to be the staple of many record buyers collections. Those of a certain age might remember such collections as Masters of Metal (K-Tel), the superb (and newly reinvigorated) Speed Kills (Music For Nations) series, the Metal Killers Kollection (Castle Communications) series, Axe Attack (K-Tel), Time To Rock (WEA), and the magnificently titled Metal Treasures and Vinyl Heavies (Action Replay).Continue reading
Formed in 2007 by vocalist Brittney Hayes (aka Brittney Slayes), drummer Scott Buchanan, and former guitarist Brayden Dyczkowski, Canadian Power Metal act Unleash The Archers have been steadily gaining more attention for themselves with each release, and this upward trend looks set to continue with their fourth album Apex (Napalm). Continue reading
It is a decade since DragonForce had the world at their feet: ‘Through The Fire And The Flames’ was the flagship track of the Guitar Hero series, and third album Inhuman Rampage had perfected their unique maelstrom of breakneck melody. The band was tipped to smash the glass ceiling to ultra-mega-rock-stardom.Continue reading
Since their 2009 reunion Accept have released three stellar albums, with 2014’s Blind Rage (Nuclear Blast) reaching number 1 in the charts of their native Germany. Long term guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes rejoined the fold but sadly original frontman Udo Dirkschneider did not, his replacement the American Brian Johnson lookalike Mark Tornillo. Restless and Live (Nuclear Blast) comes in a variety of formats including a double album recorded throughout Europe and a live DVD.Continue reading
Boasting a line-up that features former Judas Priest and Iced Earth vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens, former Iced Earth drummer Richard Christy, the absolute legend that is Steve DiGiorgio on bass, and Jason Suecof, the producer whose impressive list of work includes Death Angel, Deicide, Kataklysm, and Trivium, on guitar duties, supergroup Charred Walls of the Damned are unashamedly Heavy. Fucking. Metal.Continue reading
Opening up proceedings were newcomers Scryre. Playing only their fifth ever gig, there was an element of hesitancy in their stage movements and crowd interactions which can only have been further hindered by the tiny stage, however this was overshadowed by an impressively tight and confident musical performance.
The drums in particular were a percussive powerhouse and worked very well with the solid bass work. This, combined with some very nice riffs and spirited and typically shrill Black Metal vocals, helped create an enthusiastic atmosphere in the venue. There was some nice variation in their sound which kept the crowd going throughout a set that built up to one hell of a finish.
From their belting set two things are clear: Firstly, with more gigs under the belts these are definitely going to be a band to watch out for; secondly that the next band have a tough act to follow.
Edenfall have a serious demeanour and a soft vocal style. They bring a nice low end, and deliver their gothic doom at a good pace, with their music possessing an ethereal yet ephemeral quality. Nice bass underpins the songs, soaring vocals interspersed with low guttural vocals give a real depth to the set. The overall feeling is the constant build up to of one hell of a storm.
They can certainly build a song nicely indeed, but with each one they create momentum only to tear it down again. Soaring vocals, elements of the majestic and magical about them, yet at the same time seem to lack the confidence to fulfil their obvious potential.
Building to a fast and heavy finish they do deliver a strong set, the build ups are nice and they pack some decent low end doom chug. Ultimately, though, it was missing something. Whether this was down to a lack of confidence and crowd interactions; or simply technical issues – on a few occasions they seemed to go out of sync with backing tracks – is unclear, but it did seem to stop them fulfilling the promise they show on record.
Capitalising fully on the build up from Edenfall, The Infernal Sea took to the stage doused in dark and doom green light and delivered the promised storm. Clad in plague masks, and filling the room with guttural gurgling vocals, simple but abrasive guitars, buzzsaw rattling bass and blasting beats, it was obvious that if anything they had an overabundance of stage presence. This was a great set, and a very confident performance. Fast and tight, even the slower elements were atmospheric and well done.
The Infernal Sea possess a thunderous sound that reverberated around the tiny club. Their new album, The Great Mortality (Cacophonous) is due early in 2016 and they showcased some tracks from it, which showed enormous promise, especially in the bass work – real low end rattling groove – which was potent and relentless in execution.
Towards the end, they seemed in some danger of seeming a bit samey. As if intended all along they then proceeded to pull out some thrash riffs, and disappeared behind a John Carpenter like wall of dry ice, though from a visual perspective a change of lighting wouldn’t go amiss, especially with the tumultuous sound. Savage and haunting this was a storm to be proud of, and the huge applause at the end suggests this view was widely shared as The Infernal Sea delivered the best performance of the night.
Thurisaz were, initially, very atmospheric, measured and more meticulous than their main support and it felt like the calm after the storm. They soon picked up the pace, though, and built up into a solid, strong, and powerful performance. Strong choruses, good harmonies, and old school metal solos were delivered, but the headliners were playing to a notably dwindling crowd.
When they blast, they showcase a decent, full sound, taking their time with a confident performance and Thurisaz are musically very tight, displaying some masterful elements to their songs, mixing up with old school rock references, and definite hints of Iron Maiden in the mix. While bringing the thunder, a lack of stage activity is a big drawback, though their hard metal was delivered with an air of craftsmen.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY RICH PRICE
Though it was released it little fanfare, Magic Circle’s self-titled debut was an unheralded highlight of 2013. A combination of classic Sabbath-infused doom a la Trouble or Pentagram unafraid to inject the energy and melody of your favourite heavy metal bands, it was satisfying in all the right ways. The Boston quartet’s sophomore album, Journey Blind (20 Buck Spin) has received significantly more press, and ups the ante.
Where almost every song on the debut was built around a long, slow build-and-release dynamic, Journey Blind shows far more variety in the song-writing without compromising quality. It’s still boasts that raw 80s-souding production, and the likes of the title track and ‘Ghosts of the Southern Front’ still lumber on before kicking things up with blazing NWOBHM riffs, but the album also boasts some shorter, high tempos numbers.
The likes of ‘The Damned Man’ and ‘Lightning Cage’ – both of which are blessed with annoyingly addictive lines that make it hard not to squeal along – act as perfect foils to the longer, more intricate numbers. The epic seven minutes of ‘A Ballad for the Vultures’ is probably the best song the band has recorded yet, boasting a host of riffs that bring to mind Dio-era Sabbath and Iron Maiden gallops, a flurry of reverberating solos, while the vocals are out of this world.
Vocalist Brendan Radigan, for a long time found snarling exclusively for punk outfits such as the Rival Mob, has in recent years shown he’s more than capable of sounding like an air raid siren fronting a NWOBHM band: like a cross between Ozzy Osbourne and Eric Wagner, he wails his way through the album but never ends up in a comedic “someone stood on my balls” scream that so many retro-revivalist bands seem fond of.
As with their debut, Magic Circle have shown off a rare skill; making an album that could easily be mistaken for a lost classic from the 80s, yet doesn’t feel outdated or like a rehash. It’s everything you want from an album; energetic, addictive, fun, epic, and incredibly satisfying: A combination of timeless song writing and faultless quality makes Journey Blind one of the best records of the year. Go and buy it. Treat yourself for Christmas. Buy your gran one too.
9.0/10
DAN SWINHOE
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Elephants in the room exposed, monkeys off their backs with legal issues cast aside and now sole owners of the rights to the name and catalogue of Queensrÿche, the band who produced the greatest album to originate from Seattle can now leave their manure-filled zoo of shite behind. With Todd La Torre firmly ensconced in their ranks, and contributing fully to the writing of the bands fifteenth album, Condition Hüman (Century Media), the opportunity is there for the real Queensrÿche to stand back up.
Having promised a return to their more progressive metal-tinged leanings, an introductory dual guitar lick references their early traditional metal outputs before we embark on album that displays every element of trademark Queensrÿche that you could wish for. Condition Hüman is a mature album, at times reminiscent of Parallels (Metal Blade) from former tour buddies Fates Warning, happy to reference the foibles and distinctive nodes of yesteryear while still firmly holding its place in where the band is now. There are the expected gallops, ‘All There Was’ and ‘Guardian’ could be out-takes from the Operation Mindcrime (EMI) sessions, but in the main, here lies a series of intelligent rock/metal songs proudly reflecting a band that is once again able to produce the music that people expect from them and are more than happy to oblige.
That’s not to say this is an album without heaviness – ‘Hourglass’ builds from a dark, stabbed beginning to a spiralling (reference intended) epic, while ‘Eye9’ could be the rÿche polish applied to a long-lost jam session for the new Tool album – but it’s used sparingly, intelligently, with progressive and cerebral rock the order of the day. La Torre is the ideal frontman, sounding effortlessly like the ousted Geoff Tate, with hints of Michael Kiske, a flawless voice that is indisputably Queensrÿche, adopting some of the idiosyncrasies of his predecessor for that added touch.
Condition Hüman fits seamlessly into the Queensrÿche canon, a natural evolution from, and improvement on, its’ self-titled predecessor, almost as if their discography actually runs Empire (EMI) to Queensrÿche to Condition Hüman and the intervening twenty-three years be damned. Ignore side-show circuses, ignore the flaccid projects of “formerly of…” members, and ignore the memory of experiments and failures; Condition Hüman is a confident and telling step forward in restoring the legacy of a once great band.
The Queen of the Rÿche has seen off the usurper, and now proudly surveys her domain once more.
8.0/10
STEVE TOVEY