Sonus Mortis "Synapse The Hivemind" Album Review

  For more then a decade the gradual ascendency shown by the absolutely phenomenal Symphonic Death Metal solo artist Sonus Mortis is nothing short of amazing and over that period the progression with each album is amazing, over the past few years the standard has been raised substantially which leads us to the missing part in the Dystopian Trilogy of  Collapse The Mountain , Of Red Barren Earth and the upcoming masterpiece that is Synapse The Hivemind.

  Commencing this dystopian passage with the absolutely relentless symphony of Biomechanical Horrors this has more then enough darkness and atmopsheric to give you a proper feel for what's to expect throughout this opus, delivering a short sharp shock with Eyes In The Sky which touch on the topic of surveillance drones(music video above will show this) yet again this is unnervingly dark and portrays the horrfic idea that we're launching head first into some sort of surveillance state(Big Brother is watching), things are slowed down a bit with the darkly atmopshericand doom laden riff fest that is I Used To Be Human this feels like humanity has become some sort of digital entity or a humanoid if you will,the musical composition is at time really awe-inspiring and epic while at the same time having a subtle element of tragicness which is pushed by the overall dystopian theme, possibly the heaviest and most intense track The System Shock combines deavastating drumming layered on top of a dark symphonic template,we're also treated to some fantastic ochestral elements not to far removed from Black Metal in the vein of Emperor.

  

  

 The standards are escalated with the phenomenal The Perfect Host we're introduced to some brilliant clean vocals which add even more depth and a somewhat Progressive element and even more awe-inspiring passages that will leave you speechless, the basslines in this are another thing to be lauded and celebrated and create a even darker forboding atmopshere, th synths layered on the spoken sample at the beginning of The Unravelling Array bring the atmopshere to even darker levels ,this one delves into more black metal elements and the melodic passages become even more prevelent all of this is layered on those sublime symphonic templates ,it begins to feel like we're appraoching some sort of Orwellian nightmare the future we get into this album.

   Getting to the penultimate stages of this magnificent opus we delve into the sublime Synapse The Hivemind which goes into the topic of being a slave to the system and being deprived of any sort of basic needs making it feel like you're appraoching the end times and having no control of it happening, the releentlessness is pushed into the stratosphere with Deracinated this really pushed the symphonic elements to even higher levels while still maintaining that dystopian feel, this also gives off the incoming doom has become too much to bear and the struggle is unsurmountable, closing track Slaves To The Algorithm(Execute The Code) is even more relentless then what preceded it and offers plenty of crushing brutality combined with the trademark symphonic and melodic elements,this touches on the topic that we're lost control of ourselves due to social media and that we've lost some of the qualities releated to human interaction,this for me is the best way to close this nightmarish dystopian opus.

 Eight albums in and the brainchild behind Sonus Mortis Kevin Byrne so no signs of stopping and continuously delivers absolutely sublime albums that will be remembered in years to come,not only does he consistently give us these memorable offerings ,the willingness to add different elements with each release has to be praised and complimented to the fullest extent,Synpase The Hivemind is definitely some of the best output he's released,say what you will(and i know i have folk who agree) most of the topics/themes throughout this album (and the previous two masterpieces) are happening in plane sight right in front of our eyes but we chose to be distracted by trivial topics instead,this masterpiece is like some sort of warning of the impending futuristic surveillenace society,if you happen to find an album as sublime as this let me know, my ears want to hear such magnifience.

RATING:9.8/10

FB: https://www.facebook.com/sonusmortisband

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sonusmortis/

Acid Age "Perilous Compulsion" Album Review

  For everything that's come before and what has yet to pass one thing can be said about the incomparable War Jazz juggernaut Acid Age there will always be some sort of  insane wackiness within the music they unleash,although their roots are stepped in Thrash Metal they've evolved that thrash foundation into a fusion of all the best parts of Jazz,Death Metal,Black Metal and Progressive Metal with psychedelic elements and plenty more twist and turns along the way, if you thought their previous masterpiece Semper Pessimus was full of wacky surprises well nothing will prepare for the absolute lunacy that is Perilous Compulsion.

  

  

  The incoming madness is commenced with the crushing riff fest that is Bikini Island that countdown intro creates a really combustible and frenzied atmosphere, the relentlessness throughout this has elements of crushing Death Metal combined with jazz infused basslines and face melting shredding while the phenomenal drumming really pushes the boundaries to extreme levels of heaviness,an added bit of trivia behind this track is reference to Bikini Atoll/Marshall Island ,which was used as by the US as a nuclear testing site after WW2 up until 1958, onto the sublime dynamics of the brilliant State Your Business which shows a  few new elements to the bands overall sound including backing vocals courtesy of Jake and the use of clean vocals to give a killer progressive element to proceedings,once again there's another "easter egg" with the concept of the song & lyrical content which has taken inspiration from an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Button Button" , the mind bending Third Eye Locksmith  at times the vocal delivery has subtle homages to Sadus, the musicianship is on another level and switches seamlessly from Thrash,Death To Black Metal while having an ultra heavy rhytmn section,the leads are tinged with insanely sublime psychedelic elements which makes for yet more unpredictability on this opus.

 

   

    Time to get into some relentless thrashing with the overload of speed and heaviness that is Revenge For Sale this is an absolute ripper of a song which combines all the best elements of Thrash & Death Metal, those subtle vocal variations add yet another dimension to the overall sound, once again the rhytmn section destroys like a wrecking ball, the further you get into this album that trademeark Acid Age wackiness keeps going to levels beyond comprehension ,this is really noticable with Every Cliche were we're treated to an absolute cacophony of riff designed to melt your face and make your ears bleed,the volume of riffs along with that sublime bassline is disorientating and dizzying at times and the drumming is insanely sublime.

  Just when you thought there were no more twist and turns to come we get likely one of the most insane songs i've ever heard in my life in the form of  Rotten Tooth , if you've ever wondered why the band have the "War Jazz" moniker well you get it in spades with this terrific song, blues tinged psychedelic intro before launching into yet another cacophony of riffs and blast beats,crazy leads coupled with those deliciouly sublime basslines make for some insane listening, a little after the 5 minute mark just when you thought you heard everything this band can do,next thing you know you hear a Harmonica,suffice to say if you think this doesn't work ,you're wrong it's blends in seamlessly with the bands trademark wackiness, epicness is the name of the game with the ridculously excellent Hamster Wheel ,this goes through plenty of twist & turns and has plenty of progressive elements,the harmonies created between all the different vocals variations goes to absolutely insane levels of quality,it's like they've hit a pinnacle of creativity and  musicianship and renedered everything that came before obsolete,the clean vocal parts on this song are beautifully executed and at times make the song sound like some sort of ballad,yet another element the band can add to their repetoire.

  

  Perilous Compulsion has been 4 years in the making and that wait has been more then worth it, that proverbial glass ceiling has really been shattered now and Acid Age have hit a level worthy of their truly sublime War Jazz wackiness, despite being a long term fan of the band not in my wildest drrams did i think they could unleash the insane levels of skilled musicianship that you'll hear on Perilous Compulsion, dare i say it about Semper Pessimus but they really have surpassed that on a magnitude unimaginable to myself, everything about this from the production,musicianship,song arrangement all the concepts behind the songs are miles beyond what their previous album offered, like any album i've listened to before there was always that element were something would make me laugh or put a smile on my face due to that wackiness,that's all still there added with some crushing brutality, tinged with psychedelic elements that will leave you disorientated and as mentioned previously a rhytmn section that renders everything before it obsolete. this one will possibly be top of my end of year list,a bonafide masterpiece that will be extremely hard to top.

RATING:10/10

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/acidagethrash

 IG: https://www.instagram.com/acid_age_thrash/

XIII Doors "Into The Unknown" Album Review

   The quality within the underground Irish Rock & Scene just continually gets better and better with each year,one band that have the potential to be huge internationally is the absolutely sublime XIII Doors who delve into elements of Alt Metal,Progressive Metal ,Groove Metal with ruthless efficiency, when they released their debut single over a year ago it was no surprise when the feedback they got from that was phenomenal, fast forward to 2025 and their sublime debut album Into The Unknown has being unleashed upon the world.

  

  Launching straight into the absolute riff fest that is Unleash The Beast,this is full on groove laden passages with soaring vocals and a rhytmn section that flows with a killer mid paced tempo, the lead guitar work here is absolutely sublime, we're treated to some really heavy progressive elements on the absolutely awe-inspiring Sorceress Of Lies, this is possibly my favourite track on the album, those double bass drums give this that aforementioned progressive element while still maintaining those tasty grooves, the beautiful Middle-Eastern intro at the start of Make a Life Again sets a really dark atmosphere and has very socially conscious lyrical output,touching on topics of war,life struggles all layered over thaty trademark groove.

  

  

  When this band first became known was with their brilliant debut single Lead The Way, the vast majority who heard it knew full well that we were going to be in for something special with these,suffice to say this track is only a small layer of what this band are truly capable of,this is a relentless non-stop riff fest backed by a brilliant vocal delivery,also lyrically this is really inspiring and shows plenty of passion, the pummelling drums on Face The Truth really hit hard and pushes every other element from the vocals,guitars to the limits making for yet another anthemic number, leading us onto the excellent title track Into The Unknown,there's a real old school Hard Rock vibe to this while also maintaining that trademark groove and anthemic feel,you can literally feel the positivity as you go through each track with this one possibly hitting another level.

 

  Time to bring in the sublime awe-inspiring rock ballad that is the brilliant See How You've Come So Far this is yet another one that has that 90's Rock anthem vibe with the beautiful acoustic guitars layered with those soaring vocals and catchy hooks that will get inbedded in your mind, closing out this magnificent opus is the rip roaring Inside this flows along with a killer tempo and groove, the leads throughout this track are sublime and add plenty of depth to the overall product and the best way to close out this excellent offering.

 Many positive things can be said about this album, you can be sure that this will be on many end of year lists come the tail end of 2025, this has everything from amazing production,stellar musicianship, plenty of bonafide anthems ,soaring and passionate vocals that are filled with awe-inspiring lyrics and  passages throughout this truly is worth it's weight in gold and will defintely remembered in years to come as a bonafide masterpiece.

RATING: 9.5/10

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/XIIIDOORS

 IG: https://www.instagram.com/xiiidoors/

 

Gozer The Traveller "The Space Between" Album Review

 

  Armagh heftmongers Gozer The Traveller are a seriously overlooked/underrated band who've being churning out some quality material for almost a decade,their excellent mix of Stoner Rock laced with heavy sludgy grooves,Southern rock all layered over subtle hints of Blues based rock n roll, although it's being almost 9 years since they released their self titled EP it's like they've returned even better then they were before and have delivered an excellent album in the guise of The Space Between.

  As soon as that first chords hits on opening track Todash one thing that's noticable staright away is the quality in musicianship and overall production, in that every instrument sounds massive,the slow groove laden riffs have a slightly creepy atmosphere,while the vocal delivery has a rawness that is both filthy and fueled with passion, moving onto to the brilliant salvo that is The Great Betrayal, this is stock full of groove laden heavy riffs and  bombastic pace which are driven by those excellent soaring vocals.

  Things get a bit chilled and atmospheric with that beautiful  intro on Gunslinger backed by those raw vocals ,this really ticks all the right boxes for an absolute banger of a track,the guitar work on this is nothing short of phenomenal,this has anthem written all over it and may well be a popular one for live shows,the crushing heaviness of Hinterlands adds another element to the bands overall sound, once again the lead guitar delivers brilliantly executed passages that will get inbedded in your mind, the pace is upped a bit with the excellent Succubus you really get to hear those subtle blues elements with the vocal delivery on this while that excellent rhytnm section pushes those beautiful lead guitars to the fore making for a truly brilliant track.

 

The absolutely riff fest that is Fungus Emotis hits hard and sounds like a homage to Down, although some of the guitar harmonies sound a bit like Thin Lizzy,yet again those raw vocals really reach soaring heights,this is possibly the most catchiest track on the album and has a really bombastic element to it, the dark atmopshere throughout 10 Minutes From Hell is really errie and that bassline hits like a sledgehammer, this shows another side to the band in that they can switch between upbeat passages and a more dark and foreboding elements, closing track Quiet Rain  is a proper blues tinged rocker full of  fat basslines, rhytnmic drumming, Riffs for days and those trademark soaring vocals, this is the best way to close out this brilliant album and is a huge step up from a superb band.

  This a must listen if you're into groove laden stoner rock tinged with plenty of elements of rock n roll,blues,southern rock and metal,the passion shown on this is through the roof and the musicianship is absolutely stellar, although i previously didn't mention the lyrical content has a really killer storytelling element to it that's full of temptations,realistic scenarios that are both surreal and at times drowned in liquor and alcohol giving off that southern vibe so brilliantly,do not overlook this brilliant album.

RATING: 8/10

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/xGozertheTravellerx

 IG: https://www.instagram.com/gozer_the_traveller/

If It Bleeds "We Can Kill It" EP Review

 

  One band causing waves in the Northern Ireland Hardcore & Metal scene is the excellent If It Bleeds combining groove laden crushing riffs with an extremely visceral vocal attack, a seamless blend of old school and modern fusion of Hardcore and metal make these a force to be reckoned with which can be heard on their phenomenal debut EP  We Can Kill It.

  Going staright for the jugular with the ferocious opening track If It Bleeds relentless short and to the point best describe this crushing track, Vs 1  hits like a ten tonne sledgehammer and wastes no time in delivering crushing drums and razor sharp riffing,the vocals are full of vitriol and an unrelenting aggression.

   Things slow down a sliught bit with the crushingly heavy and anthemic Revenge ,we're treated to some sick  Death Metal type gutturals which adds an unnervingly crushing slab of heaviness,there's also a killer groove running throughout,  that crushing groove is also prevelent on the sublime  Detachment which keeps the overall output flowing nicely,the dual guitars give this a bludgeoning assualt on the senses that at times is like a wall of sound designed to make eardrums bleed and shattering that proverbial glass ceiling, closing things out is the fantastic title track  We Can Kill It , upon numerous listen to this track(and EP) i always get the feeling that if you set foot into the pit prepare for absolute fucking mayhem,this one has plenty of groove with that trademark crushing heaviness, this is possibly yhte best way to conclude this absolutely crushing opus and leave no cross unturned.

   Needless to say for a debut release this ticks all the right boxes,production is stellar,music hits so fucking hard with a crushing heaviness, an unstoppable relentlessness that will leave you begging for more, a lethal injection of adrenalin fueled vitriol,a band hell bent on delivering possibly the most devastating metallic hardcore with a real take no prisoners attitude,this is a no nonsense tour de force of a release that will most likely will be making my end of year shortlist.

RATING: 9.5/10

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/ifitbleedsbc

 IG: https://www.instagram.com/if_it_bleeds_bc/?hl=en

Higher State "Welcome Me" Single Review

 

  UK Deathcore Merchants Higher State recently released their brilliant second single Welcome Me from their upcoming debut EP, let's delve into the finer details this excellent band have to offer us.

  instantly we're hit with a lethal combo of groove with a crushingly heavy rhytmn section ,once the vocals take centre stage you can start to feel a really dark and unnerving atmosphere designed to create a really dystopian aura, the vocals switch from deep gutturals to a really aggressive beatdown style which adds to the whole dystopian atmopshere, you also get the feeling that there's an element of egocnetric and psychotic thought patterns at play here, the musicianship throughout this is executed brilliantly and is a taste of things to come.

  There's plenty of strong and memrable qualities at play here and would be worth your while to keep a really close watch on Higher State,who for all intense purposes know how to combine all the best elements of Crushing Death Metal with modern Deathcore, if you like groove laden crushing heaviness then look no further then this brilliant single,if this is the standard to expect from their upcoming EP we're definitely in for a proper slab of heaviness.

RATING: 8.5/10

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Higherstateband

 

Mourning Of The Heretic "To The Shadows Bethrothed" Album Review

    Back around 2010 in the North East City of Derry would see the inception of the brilliant Gothic/Horror Inspired Black/Dark Metal outfit Mourning Of The Heretic two highly regarded EP's would follow in 2013 & 2016 after the band would go on extended hiatus until just over a year ago with the release of the excellent single Within The Night,fast forward to now and the band are on the cusp of releasing their highly anticipated debut album To The Shadows Bethrothed ,let's delve into the horrors and tales of terror within this phenomenal offering.

   

   The haunting and chilling atmosphere on the opening track The Ghost Who Loved Me combine melodic passages with a dark romanticism while the vocals have the effect of sending spine tingling fear through your thought passages likes some kind of nightmarish tale, the spooky atmosphere on A Heart so Black is both eerie and tense while the lo-fi melodic riffing push all these elements to the fore brilliantly, the piano intro on In My Arms creates a really melancholic and almost tragic atmopshere before launching into extrtmely dark and harrowing passages full of raw and heavy riffs while there's a sinister element running through the vocal delivery,this track offers something different from the previous tracks including at times some sort of burning embers is present in the background, Meridian has plenty of Gothic inspired tragicness running thoughout with a killer fast paced fully sounding melodic riffs that give the track a really majestic vibe.

   When you think you're settling into some sort of familarity we're treated to the absolutely phenomenal My Last Sunrise with has a supremely brilliant atmopshere and relentless riffing that at times reminds me of early Xasthur combined with subtle hints of Cradle Of Filth,this for me is possibly one of the standout offerings on this album,this is like some sort of tragic vampiric tale which adds to the whole horror inspired aura of proceedings, sticking to more atmospheric balck metal passages with the brilliant Possessed once again the guitar playing on this is  absolutely sublime which is further aided by the presence of the key arrangements which add a beautiful symphonic ochestration full of magnificence and bravado, that sort of symphonic majesticness is really prevelent on She Is Death ,the vocals are really pushed to the fore on this while we get even more sublime guitar wizardry,the further you go into this album the darker and more foreboding it becomes, the brilliant closing track Within The Night really implements the Gothic Rock influences within the band,once again that bravado sounding element is implemented to the full extent making this a really memorable and brilliant offering while also having that vampiric theme driving the atmopshere to another level,the lead near the end of the track is brilliantly executed ,possibly the best way to end this magnificent opus.

 

   Despite the seven year hiatus and numerous line up changes not only have Mourning Of The Heretic captured the essence present on the previous releases they've unleashed a really brilliant opus,this is a must listen if you enjoy Tales of tragedy,horror,vampires and a dark and gothic romanticism with subtle odes to Nosferatu, while combining elements of atmopsheric black metal,gothic rock and theatrical pasaages full of pomp and bravado that grabs your undivided attention.

RATING: 8.8/10

  

  FB: https://www.facebook.com/Mourningoftheheretic

  IG: https://www.instagram.com/mourningoftheheretic/