PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal

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 …

Following the recent release of their debut album ‘Skies Are Falling’, Hornet announced a headlining show at the Academy 2 in Angel, London.  Several of their past gigs had clashed with other events for me and so this was the first time I would actually get to see them in …

#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 …

Tonight’s show was opened by The Sixxis. Listening to them they seem an odd choice to support The Winery Dogs as their music has quite a strong Prog feel to it, so I’d have said they’d go down better supporting Mike Portnoy’s other supergroup, Flying Colors, than The Winery Dogs.  …

On Thursday, The Winery Dogs played their first UK date at a sold out Islington Academy in London.  The Winery Dogs have an impressive lineup – Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Flying Colors, Adrenaline Mob, Transatlantic, Avenged sevenfold – and many more), Billy Sheehan (Mr Big, Talas, David Lee Roth, and …

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, …

It takes dedication and commitment to do what we do – especially as we do it on a voluntary basis and for the love of the music we write about – and so it is with these two qualities in mind that your humble reviewer finds himself reviewer finds himself …

A selection of photographs from Gacys Threads launch gig for the brand new 7″ split (w/ Colossus Fall Switzerland). The release is limited to 300 copies, clear yellow vinyl, and will be released by… – Savour Your Scene Records (Ireland) – Left Hand Records (France) – Incredible Noise Records (Germany) – …

Despite having been formed less than two years, stoned doomsters Astralnaut have become on of the most popular – and accomplished – acts on the Northern Irish metal scene:  a fact evinced by the fact that, although this is their second headline show in the city in just under a …

For me, the highlight of Firefest 8 (2011) was without a doubt Coney Hatch, I had resigned myself to never seeing this band live, however the people behind Firefest have an unnerving knack of pulling rabbits out of hats, so this was very much a magic moment for me, and …

Now the dust from the public lawsuit between Kyuss Lives! (John Garcia, Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri) and the remaining ex-Kyuss men Josh Homme and Scott Reeder has died down, the newly named Vista Chino can do what they do best. And damn, do they do it well. Named after, …

One of the joys of music journalism is constantly coming across new bands about whom you want to know more:  one such act is Pilgrimage. The County Mayo four piece first came on to PM’s radar at the recent Monsters Of Rot III festival in Fermanagh – and we definitely …

Northern Ireland death metallers Rex Shachath made a rare live appearance at the recent Monsters Of Rot III festival in County Fermanagh. PlanetMosh took the opportunity to sit down with vocalist Dave Connolly and guitarist Andrew Pennington to catch up with events in the band camp, including the lowdown on …

Apparently, the Norwegians (and their Swedish neighbours) have got it all wrong, and have been wrong all along, when it comes to black metal… it’s not all about inverted crosses, burning churches and raping virgins.  At least, that’s the view of the “sexiest man in BM” – the one and …