Album Reviews

Dutch band Gate 6 was formed in 2005 by Jan Koster and Tony ten Wolde, initially as a project but it quickly developed into a full band.  Before forming Gate 6 Jan played guitarist in Challenge and Isolation, while Tony played keyboards with Dutch prog band marathon, so as you …

Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, 3 piece blues rock band Blanco Diablo have penned 12 hard hitting numbers on their 3rd full length studio album Attack The Fire and when you have the legendary producer Chris Tsangarides in the driving seat then you can do no wrong! Attack The …

Seven Nails are a German Symphonic progressive metal band from Southern Germany.  The band formed in 2010 and by 2012 had finalised the lineup, and recording of their debut album, Factory of dreams, started soon after. Blending Progressive and Symphonic metal with female vocals, this is a recipe that should …

Imperial Age is the brainchild of Russian musician, concert promoter and martial artist, Aor (Alexander osipov).  Aor is the only permanent member of the band, with session musicians used for the recording of the album and for any live shows.  The process of writing and recording the album was begun …

Originally founded in 1999 as a means for the then 21-year old Tobias Sammet to produce what he regarded the ultimate rock opera project – something which he apparently eventually drew a line under when he announced the end of Avantasia from the Wacken stage back in August 2011.  But, …

Despite having been around, in one shape or form, for almost a quarter of a century, and being one of the most respected but under-rated acts on the Swedish black metal scene, it’s hard to believe that this is only Grief Of Emerald’s fifth full length album… With their more …

Having loaned an entire new meaning to the phrase ‘down under’, Australia’s most OTT black metallers have split up and re-united more times than PM’s esteemed editor-in-chief has brewed a mug of Horlicks – originally calling it a day back in 1996 and then again at the beginning of 2007, …

When Cathedral announced that they were releasing one final album there was much bittersweet rejoicing. The coven was happy there would be another tome of incantations, yet disappointed that the end of one of the most important legacies in heavy metal history was nigh. With the current resurgence in the …

Ireland’s anarchic lads of thrash, Gama Bomb, return with a fourth album kicking and screaming that thrash lives, thrash is alive and well and hell mend anyone who says otherwise. Like an unruly younger brother they come, throwing themselves around like a whirling dervish, creating chaos, havoc and all manner …

Revel In Flesh is a very young band, with their first album Deathevokation released only in 2012. Their second album, Manifested Darkness, is being released by underground label FDA Rekotz in 2013. I remember when Entombed‘s Left Hand Path came out… and turned the death metal world on it’s ear. This …

Whitechapel are a fairly young band, forming in 2006. They are a death metal band, with four releases under their belt, from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band have returned with their newest offering, for Metal Blade Records: the re-release of The Somatic Defilement (their 2007 debut album), which has been re-mastered. Overall, the record …

Howl are an extreme metal quartet from Providence, Rhode Island. The band formed in 2006, so they are fairly ‘new’ or ‘young’. Howl signed with Relapse Records in 2009, releasing their first full-length effort, Full of Hell, in 2010. Their second album, Bloodlines, is slated for release by Relapse Records …

Once you see the band Cough in the title you know that this is going to be nothing less than devastatingly heavy. Cough was formed in 2005 with the sole purpose of being the heaviest band from their area. To date they have released two full lengths, split with the …

After last year’s critically acclaimed return from Stone Stour, the second part to Corey Taylor’s story driven concept album arrives and carries with it a continuing maturity of the band both lyrically and musically. Concept albums are ridiculously difficult things to pull off successfully in the world of music. While …

I would be very surprised if the studio that the debut single by American band Pyrithion was recorded in is still standing judging by the 11 minutes of apocalyptic metal on show here as it crashes and thrashes at phenomenal speed. The studio is owned by Pyrithion vocalist Tim Lambesis, …

‘Ethera’ is the fifth  album from Austrian symphonic metal band Visions of Atlantis.  I say Austrian, but like many bands they are international really – singer Maxi Nil for example is Greek.  Although this is their fifth album, it’s only the second with singer Maxi Nil, who joined the band …

 M.A.I.R was formed in Glasgow, August 2010. Their 1st ep followed a year later and since then one line up change with bassist Miranda Bradshaw being added brings us to the present day and the current release of 2nd ep Ear Ape Age. Available on digital download via iTunes it …

Full length debut loses impact as it wrestles with production. LA’s Brute Forcz is a three piece heavy metal band featuring ex-wrestlers Slammer and Jammer alongside guitarist Will Wallner. Their self-released album has been taken up by Pure Steel Records. “Out For Blood” is a collection of 10 tracks of …

This debut album from London-based multi-nationals KFE – vocalist Lyla D’Souza is Australian, guitarist Andrea Basiola hails from Italy and drummer Max Loubser has the misfortune to be a  Mancunian (isn’t that somewhere left of the third planet on the right as you pass Andromeda?) – is one almightily powerful …

  Albeit the death-core genre wouldn’t normally be one’s preferred choice in the world of Metal and having not heard previously of Thy Art is Murder, an open mind was needed before attempting to write this review. Needless to say if you like your technical, fast-paced death metal, incorporated with …