Album Reviews

The Crunch may be a new name, releasing their debut single earlier this year, but the members certainly aren’t new to the music scene.  Singer Soren ‘Sulo’ Karlsson was the singer with Blues-rockers Diamond Dogs, Bassist Dave Tregunna was in Sham 69 and Lords of the new church, Terry Chimes …

Ghost Avenue‘s brand of heavy music used to be called classic or power metal. On their eponymous 2013 disc, this Norwegian band showcases 11 energetic, catchy, melodic songs powered by dual guitar riffs. Add to that a solid rhythm section and a reasonably good vocalist for the genre, and you’ve …

It has been nine years since “Meet The Man” and now we’re finally treated to another solo album from House of Lords singer, James Christian. Recorded at his home studio in Florida and self-produced, this sees Christian collaborating with the likes of Tommy Denander, Chris Pelcer, and Jeff Kent, who’ve …

Canada’s Dissension have released a ten-song, fifty-minute concept album, Of Time And Chronic Disease. Combining elements of symphonic black, gritty death, burly power, and raging thrash metal, it offers sonic shocks to a diverse palette. Fans of second-wave symphonic metal (contemporaries to Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, et al) ought …

Rare is the band who grasps the concept of ‘storming out of the gate’ with a killer debut that meshes great musicianship, good songwriting, and top quality production. Portugal’s Destroyers Of All offer a left-of-center metal assault, combining technical proficiency with catchy riff arrangements and songwriting, to deliver an incendiary …

Prog metal masters Dream Theater are back with with their twelfth studio album – the imaginatively titled “Dream Theater”.  Their last album, “A dramatic turn of events” was their first since the departure of founder member Mike Portnoy, but the album was written before his replacement on drums, Mike Mangini, …

Free Fall is the first full-length studio album by Swedish heavy metal songwriter, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Magnus Karlsson. What is amazing about this release is that the album features nine lead singers, on paper this should not work, mainly due to the vast difference in style and range each …

All To Ruin are a melodic metal quintet from Wales who formed just two short years ago. After recording a demo which gained attention from various big name metal publications, as well as radio airplay, the five-piece have now released their first official EP entitled Parables. ‘A Part of a Line’ has …

Ashes Of Ares‘ credentials are just about as impeccable as they come,  with the the band being made up of former Iced Earth vocalist Matt Barlow and bassist Freddie Vidales, and ex-Nevermore drummer Van Williams. With the meeting of two such strong forces of nature, you would expect something special to …

Faroe Islanders Týr may find themselves, by the fate of geography, isolated on the northern outskirts of Scandinavia but this, their seventh album, proves once again that they are very much at the centre of the particularly geocentric folkloric mythos which has helped this particular sub genre very much re-establish itself …

I first saw The Graveltones performing live supporting the band Stonerider, and then with Rival Sons a few times earlier this year. What impressed me about their live performances is the amount of noise and rhythmic sounds that the two Aussie band members Jimmy O and Mikey Sorbello produced as …

Cyprus’ Arrayan Path’s fourth offering treads the well-worn path of religious symbolism but triumphs where others have been crucified. From the arpeggiated thrash power of “Clepsydra” to the darkened balladry of “Stigmata” via the Maiden-esque “Pharaoh’s Wish”, their strength is with the musicianship on show. Combining blistering solos, memorable choruses …

#PlanetMosh reviewer Kaat says Fleshgod Apocalypse's Labyrinth is her Album of the Year so far

This is the first release from Tigertailz since a turbulent period in the bands history.  Ace Finchum rejoined the band on drums and within two years was gone, Sarah Firebrand left the band, and then Kim Hooker left the band last year.  Kim Hooker was lead singer for all but …

If you like stoner rock with demolition ball dynamics like the very best of Kyuss,The Sword and Fu Manchu then the debut album from Moonbow will make your speakers vibrate until they disintegrate! Formed in 2010 by lead vocalist Matt Bischoff,Kentucky based Moonbow have delivered 7 songs that should surely …

Mockingbird‘s Live Cuts was recorded at Wizzfest in Belgium. This Irish band formed in 2009; they still have some raw energy and enthusiasm carrying them forward. The album’s ten charming tracks are mixed fairly unbalanced, which is typical for a live setting. When the guitar breaks to solo (tasty!), the …

Finland’s Oranssi Pazuzu presents fans with six original, genre-expanding, no-frills good tunes. Music replete with creativity sparks interest. Valonielu blends sparse industrial with rock, insanely running it through an extreme metal filter, resulting in a crazy chimera. The long, well-crafted songs feature guitars utilizing some of the heaviest, thickest “breakup” …

Otargos are a French black metal band, and their latest offering, Apex Terror, contains 9 tracks of intense and well-produced extremity. Aggressive, clear, fast, bleak, and highly negative, it’s vaguely reminiscent of fellow Frenchmen Antaeus. “For Terra” slows down enough to really groove; “Remnant From A Long-Dead Star” continues that …

Master, the former Chicago – now Czech band, are alive and well! These guys rose through the same ranks that acts like Slayer and Metallica did. With The Witchhunt, they play through some of the most bludgeoning riffs of their career. A variety of moods and tempos offer something to …

Pennsylvania’s Incantation channel quintessential classic mid-90s deathmetal / grindcore with this reissue of 1994’s Mortal Throne of Nazarene. This band is one of the forerunners of what became brutal deathmetal. John McEntee and crew perfected the doom-to-blast atmospheric mood, alternating slow segments with ‘breakneck pace’ grindcore blastbeat licks. In eight songs, …