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

  

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Urban Death "Abstention" EP Review

    At the onset of 2023 the devastating hardcore infused death metal duo Urban Death would release two very overlooked ep's in Desolate and Devastate ever since then the band have been working dilligently behind the scenes to deliver an even more devastating and fuller sound,this has come to fruition with their third ep Abstention ,also the addition of a lead vocalist and bass player is a huge contributing factor to the quality on offer with this excellent output.

   Commencing proceedings is the haunting intro of the title track Abstention ,combining a very gloomy atmosphere and a spoken word dialogue that talks about societal probelms that create a subtle dystopian aura, Dead in the Water delivers crushing blows like a sledgehammer while combining death metal vocals with lacerating riffs ,the backing vocals are vile and give a nasty element to the track, the broad range of multiple vocals on Concrete Vial create an obliterating and crushing wall of souind that has plenty of hardcore style breakdowns ,the brief spoken word interlude just after the halfway point implements that dystopian atmopshere that was present on the intro.

   The short sharp shock of the relentless Liar  is an absolute audio assualt on the senses,something that becomes apparent(if you've listened to the previous ep's) is the addition of a lead vocalist gives the guitarist and drummer freddom to implement extremely visceral backing vocals which adds a whole new atmopshere to the bands overall sound, this becomes even more noticable on possibly my favourite track on this release Glad there's a killer groove and breakdown that hints at a modern hardcore element ,maybe this is a thing the band will explore more in the future, closing track Blind combines black metal and shouting hardcore vocals all layered behind those devastating gutturals ,once again this shows no let up in pace and shows the band exploring a broad range of elements that most likely be better on future releases.

  Abstention shows a massive step up in quality from the band ,the addition of a lead vocalist and bassist has really helped with this and added a whole new dimension to the bands overall sound,although previous releases were excellent for that era of the band this really blows it out of the park,prepare for a new level of devastation from this really interesting band,i for one am looking forward to see what sort of output Urban Death show us in the not too distant future.

RATING: 8/10

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Snowblind "Shapes In The Trees" EP Review

 

    Over a decade ago a potentially sublime band would come to fruition,this very band is the brilliant Progressive Metal trio Snowblind their early sound was a mix of Thrash Metal in the vein of Megadeth with subtle progreesive leanings in the mould of Rush,these two influences still hold true to this day but their sound has become more expansive and musically they've matured one thousand fold, although their last release was a really long nine years ago,they would still play live pretty regularly including at the renowned Bloodstock Festival in the UK, it will all become apparent why they took so long to bring out the absolutely phenomenal new EP Shapes In The Trees.

  Kicking it off with the infinitely epic title track Shapes In The Trees nothing will prepare you for the absolutely mental time signatures and genre defying gymnastics throughout this, the start sounds similar to something Rush would do then they launch into a really heavy passage that harks back to their early thrash influences,a new element they've introduced which is a huge but welcome curveball is the twin Vocals from Ian McKeon( like a mix of Di'Anno & Geddy Lee) & Sean Boland which sees them switching between really aggressive and soaring vocals to a more Blues/Rock Based Vocal delivery that shows an ode to Thin Lizzy or Budgie,also there's some sort of Psychedelic element to the lyrical and structure of the song which can be best described as like some Hullucinogenic dream were you go between been relaxed and like been lost in some nightmarish dream that you can't escape,the twin vocals help to portray this brilliantly, we treated to some real old school rock tendnecies on Barrow Wight that also have subtle sludge hints similar to mid era Mastodon, there's also plenty of massive homages to Thin Lizzy & Gary Moore with the absolutely killer Guitar work,already two song in you can feel yourself getting lost in the sheer volume of all that is going on,at times it's just so immersive and mind boggling you just need to let it all sink in.

 

   

The blues tinged elements of Burning Red are totally mesmerizing and hint at more old school rock escapades which sound both retro and modern at the same time,everything throughout this oozes quality,the melody and harmonies combined with the sublime drumming of Jake McCarthy drive this in a different territory then the previous tracks,it's almost like some love story gone wrong were you've been through a lot of heartache and  struggle, The shortest and catchiest song on the EP is the brilliant groove laden Primal Spy this has a  real air of confidence and swagger about it with the delivery of the vocals and music, again this one owes an ode to old school rock, closing track Go Forth has a great combo of Traditional Heavy Metal reminiscent of early Iron Maiden,especially with McKeon's vocal delivery,also the guitar harmonies hint at this as well, this gives the overall product a really cool nostalgic vibe while still having plenty of modern elements for your listening pleasure.

 

  

  Despite such a long period between releases Snowblind really have come of age and delivered an absolutely mind blowing masterpiece of epic proportions, anyone who was doubting they'd capture the essence of what they were doing 8/9 years ago will be hugely mistaken this just renders everything they've done before almost obsolete,that's not a condemnation of their earlier work but this release is flawless to me,everytime i listen  to it on i discover something new ,this is definitely a true contender for EP of the year within the Irish Rock & Metal Scene and verifies why Snowblind have always being highly thought of,long may it continue for years to come.

RATING:10/10

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Psychotic Outsider "6" EP Review

   

Galway Based Hardcore/Metal Fusion outfit Psychotic Outsider have been crafting their sound and delivery since 2018 despite a few line up changes they have always shown a willingness to experiment with different genres,combining a raw unfiltered punk attitude all layered on top of an extremely dark and menacing sound roooted in Metal,this slow process shows some of their best material on the excellent new EP aptly titled 6 ,lets explore what's in store from this very interesting offering.

 Straight away they delve into a very visceral,raw and filthy passages with opening track Crazy Little Things instantly you can feel an aggressive punk style delivery with the vocals combining a rawness and excellent structure with the music whichadds a real nasty atmopshere,this one shows no let up from start to finish, continuing with another relentless passage on Till We Decay this really packs a punch and delivers yet more quality riffing and the vocal delivery is a slight bit rawer ,also this has a more punky fell to the way it's structured showing the aforementioned willingness to explore a different approach.

  The experimentation comes to fruition on the dark and foreboding title track 6 the vocals become a bit deranged and we're also treated to a really sludgy appraoch that has a really murky atmopshere with that punky rawness, this is a side of the band i've not heard before so doing something new is something i always like to see bands attempting and i will add it's really refreshing to hear, everything we've heard so far gets combined on the brilliant Drift ,the murky atmoosphere added to the sludginess is mixed seamlessly and with a razor sharp precision.

  The excellent closing track Amen(Featuring Greg "Zielak" Zielinski) is a really killer instrumental track that really explores numerous different soundscapes,the lead guitar throughout this iss brilliantly executed combine those lush sound basslines and slow riffing and you have a really epicly stuructured track that has really memorable passages throughout,it's a more then fitting way to close out this really excellent and interesting opus.

 Not only those this EP show a new an improved element to Psychotic Outsider,they've developed part of the sound that was already prevelent from day one and further explored a more experimental appraoch bringing on a new era were they've really found their true sound,although i have mentioned about the rawness and aggression rooted in societal decline there is an empathetic element to some of the lyrical content that touches on mental health and life struggles making this an passage that covers alot of relatable topic and long may it continue.

RATING: 8/10

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Banished From Eden "Primordial Salvation" EP Review

 

   Formed around 2022 the excellent Thrash/Heavy Metal Riff Machine Banished From Eden have being working silently in the shadows and have unleashed an absolutely quality debut EP in the guise of Primordial Salvation, hailing from the hotbed for metal Limerick,the band leave no cross unturned on this release,lets delve into the finer details of this short but excellent offering.

  Commencing with the absolute ripper of a tune From The Light this combines a cacophony of riffs rooted in Thrash Metal with plenty of groove and Tradiitonal Heavy Metal influences runnig thtoughout,the driving Rhytmn section is ridiculously heavy which points to a nice bit of flexibility to their sound, the relentless riff gymnastics that is As It Stands hits with a heaviness and aggression that packs a serious knockout blow to the senses,can picture plenty of fist pumping and headbanging galore with this,closing track What A Waste leans into a more slower apparoach and dark foreboding atmopshere for the better part of half the song ,then a flurry of melodic harmonies combined with a good pace and passionate vocal delivery give another idea of what the band are setting out to achieve with future material.

 

 Primordial Salvation is an excellent debut from the band,although they're at the beginning of their journey you can hear what they're setting out to do,presenting a stellar mix of Old School Heavy Metal,Thrash Metal with plenty of Groove and riffs for fucking days,this is a more then memorable offering and is the start of  something that will garner plenty of interest

RATING: 8/10

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Soverna "What We've Lost" EP Review

    Located in th South East of Ireland Wexford Grunge/Progressive Alt Rock outfit Soverna are a relatively new band although i do think members have a wealth of experience in previous acts throughout the year, recently they released their excellent debut EP What We've Lost let's dissect the finer details of this brilliant offering.

 The dream-like sequence at the start of Catacomb creates a nice atmosphere before launching head-on into awe-inspiring vocal delivery combined with progessively tinged riffing all layered on a driving rhythmic passage, the brilliant P15  has a great mix of subtle Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots homages layered with a taut melancholic vibe.

  Things become a bit more progressive on Boundary a quality combo of heartfelt vocal delivery with a huge sounding rhytmn section showing all the true capabilities this band can deliver, we're treated to some Tool-esque meanderings on the phenomenal Sky Parlour  at times the vocal delivery sounds similar to Kurt Cobain,closing track Merrow  really goes into epic Progressive Rock territory combining a really epic atmosphere combined with brilliantly executed soaring guitar riffs,once again this adds another element to show the stellar musicianship this act are capable of and a fitting way to end this excellent debut.

 Definitely going to be keeping a close watch on Soverna in the future,this is a great launching pad for them to deliver even more quality output,if you like 90's Grunge in the vein of Nirvana,Alice In Chains etc also combine it with elements of Tool and Stone Temple Pilots you have a fantastic recipe that will grab your attention from start to finish.

RATING: 8/10

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Saint Slaughter "The Secret Speech" Album Review

  Drawing influence form old school Thrash Metal luminaries such as Annihilator,Overkill and Exodus the excellent Dublin Thrashers Saint Slaughter have been unleashing stellar live shows for the best part of a decade,following on from their debut EP Intravenosa the band have made a concise effort to up the standard of songwriting and overall prodcution and the results can be heard on their brilliant debut album The Secret Speech, this is a selection of songs written over their storied decade in existence,let's get into the guts of this brilliant offering.

 

 

  Launching into the superb White Death which is a lethal cacophony of riffs combined with searing vocals layered on a heavy groove laden rhytmn section a great way to open the proceedings that will follow, Led To Treason delivers pummelling drumming with a relentless vocal delivery, the groove points to a homage to Exodus ,the riffing throughout this is executed with razor sharp precision, the pace is upped on the very raw and aggressive Lambs To The Slaughter  the guitars constantly rip with a relentlessness that assaults the senses with face melting heaviness.

 

 

 Things start to get even heavier on Inglorious this flows along seamlessly combining heavy riffing with a plenty of killer drumming that gradually builds the tempo with maximum effect and precision,the lead in this is absolutely divine and vocally this really packs a punch, Guitarist Jeff Hernandez takes over vocal duties on the sublime Resist The System  this has a real confident air about the way it flows with relentless groove and an absolute insane volume of riffs, possibly one of the heaviest offering on the album is the brilliant Waltz with The Devil this one is yet another ode to Exodus, at times this hits like a ton of bricks with the bass and drums driving the rhytnm section into really heavy passages, this one also shows the vocal range Eoin Clarke is capable of hitting.

  

  Darkness and a haunting atmopshere prevail on the brilliant Deep In Shadows going by lyrical content this is about Jack The Ripper which adds a slightly scarier theme to the bands overall sound, the mid paced tempo throughout this shows how this band are able to deliver an eeriness which shows that they can mix it up brilliantly, that gorgeous bass intro at the start of Thrasher Crash sets up a mind boggling amount of riffs for the rest of the track,there's also a really fun element running throughout,lyrically i think this is about hanging with your friends ,getting wasted drunk with not a care in the world of the consquences that await the following day,as mentioned this is full on riff gymnastics that will really grab your undivided attention, yet another song about having fun is the relentless We Were Born ,this one is a real old school party thrash Anthem with a chorus that has a proper sing-a-long element about it, cloisng track Ride Like Hell is absolutely rifftastic and yet again has a really catchy and fun element that will have you haedbanging from start to finish,possibly the best way to close out this really excellent album.

 

 Even though alot of these songs were written a good few years ago they have a killer mix of old and modern Thrash Metal elements that makes this album a really worthwhile listen,you can expect everything from topics like partying ,growing up,having fun and real life issues,the musicianship is absolutely exemplary and is a testament to how far this band have grown in the last decade,this is a must listen for fans of Old School Thrash Metal with a modern twist all done with a DIY ethos.

 RATING: 8/10

   

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