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.
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.
With a welath of experience in a who's who list of Underground Irish Metal bands including Primal Dawn, Abaddon Incarnate,Ground Of Ruin,Fifth Dominion and legion Of Wolves the absolutely brutal Death Metal stalwarts Grave Sermon have just unleashed their absolutely sublime second EP Liturgical Perversions following on from 2019's Whitewashed Tomb this is a monstrous step up in quality,lyrically musically and productions wise and is a definite contender for EP of the year.
Blasting form the get go with the relentless This Mortal Disease this absolutely pummells like an unstoppable juggernaut,vocally it sounds similar to peak Deicide on top of that tasty modern production,the guitar show little to no let up with regard to the relentless speed, we get subtle hints of Immolation throughout Preordained the filthy rawness thoughout this adds a real nastiness to proceedings while the drumming and bass keep pushing that relentless blasting to another level.
The further into this release the more nasty and malicious it gets especially with the vileness that is Vial Of Wrath ,the guitar tone throughout this is full of filthiness and rawness,vocals are delivered with an unbridled vitriol , closing track An Unfathomable Pact has a really epic vibe combined with intricate riffing and vocals are once again delivered with that trademark vitriol,although this is possibly the slowest track on the EP it shows the depthsmwillingness and experience to how much they can mix it up.
Not only have Grave Sermon progressed from previous material they've delivered an absolute masterclass in how to deliver pummelling,relentless Death Metal,there's plenty of Old School nuances throughout this,long term fans of them will know that one of the most important themes they touch on is a condemnation of atrocities committed by organised religion and especially with the reign of terror for a prolonged period in Ireland, to close out this is a definite contender for EP of the year within the Irish Scene.
What started out as a merger, the two minds behind the bands Scald and qip set about forming the entity that is Pincer Consortium to create a black worded tapestry so complex and mind bending beyond human comprehension,the two minds would start laying the foundations in 2022 to create this Odyssean tome now almost 2 years later the monumental Geminus Schism is about to unleashed on the world,prepare to have your mind blown by this absolutely phenomenal offering.
This conceptual tale of duality is commenced with beautifully crafted Alpha Omega Decay which contains alot of symphonic elements to give an atmopshere both harrowing and beautiful,the numerous vocal patterns really emphasis the concept brilliantly,musically this sets out to create some sort of storyboard in an attempt not to repeat each part this sets the tone perfectly to unleash the absolute cacophony of riffs that is Twin Galatic Tides the vocals deliver a crushing Death Metal style with plenty of industrial undertones to add plenty of dynamics to the track, there is little to no slowing down on this track just a relentless audio assualt of the senses, things start going into epic territories with the absolutely mind blowing Schizoid Rivalry/Double Occultation this gradually builds to a monumental crescendo were you get an even better understanding of the duality concept, it feels like there two conflicting entities like a darkness and a light or dual personalities comparing each other but almost sounding identical with the way they think,while the track is split in two to create an even more complex story with the concept.
Continuing with the earth shattering Dual Shock Termination this is the shortest track on the album but makes for a really interesting listen the melodics combined with the relentless riffing give this an extremely varied soundscape ,we're treated to a more progessive and technical output throughout this also, the further you get into this album the more mind bending it becomes with the progressive elements getting pushed to another spectrum with Tandemic Dispersal,this is another one that keeps building and introducing different elements the further the song elapses,the lead guitar work throughout this shows how far into the stratosphere this coincept can go leaving nothing left untouched,a little after the half way mark of the track the speed of guitars,vocals get's progressively faster taking everything to an unfathomable plateau of consciousness.
Getting to the penultimate atges of this opus with the absolute mindfuck that is Spectral Dyad it becomes apartment that this dual entitiy/presence has gone beyond the pale of sanity/existence and into some other alternate afterworld/universe asking the question has the entity become one being created through the dual entities,the relentelessness throughout this at time feels suffocatingly heavy while also going even further into progressive passages,especially the part with the orchestral keys, now to the concluding part of this phenomenal opus with the brilliant Bi-Fold Conclusion again this starts out pretty slow with an extemely haunting foreboding bass line pushing a really dark atmopshere to the fore until it gradually builds to a complete explosion of auditory assualt on the senses, the progressiveness goes into levels of mind boggling proportions epicness making you feel that this storied concept may or may not have some sort of conclusion and is left open to what the mind can comprehend.
Pincer Consortium set out to create a really ambitious and mind bending concept with Geminus Schism that will leave you speechless and constantly questioning is this real or just some surreal dream taking place in some alternate reality, the whole idea of the duality behind this is to try to put some sort of balance between dark and light,good or evil etc while creating a soundscape that is full of beauty,darkness,light,hope and despair,at times this album may be hard to take in for some but you will come back for even more and embrace the absolute madness that lies within.
From starting out as a solo project,one of the most intense live bands within the irish Metal Horrenda have become an absolute force of nature over their 10+ years of existence,over the years founding member Darragh "Outis" O'Connor has recruited members to develop a sound so devastating and evil combining elements of DSBM & Second Wave of Black Metal all layered with themes of Irish History, Horror and other topics ,the last five years have seen the band really up the quality of their material which has culminated in the release of their phenomenal new EP Think On Your Sins.
The opening intro Canto 1:Descent creates an anticipation and build for the madness and melancholy that's about to be unleashed while combining nice intricate and short guitar parts,it has a really haunting atmosphere that gets inside your head, we treated to some nasty riffage on the brilliant Come And See this track touches on the theme of one of the most tragic parts of our history The Great Famine of 1847 along with the filthy riffs there's also an element of melancholy and treachery(the music video will give you better idea of this), the haunting dark atmosphere of Nun's Tears really stands out as one of my favourite Horrenda tracks not only from this EP but ever,the vocal delivery throughout this is so intense and it almost feels like there's an element of sympathy to how they're executed.
Possibly the most relentless track on this release is the excellent Handprints along with having peak Second Wave BMhomages throughout this there's a theme of ancestry and leaving an undeniable mark on our legacy and that of our ancestors creating some sort of dual effect of whether it's a good or bad thing, closing track and title track Think On Your Sins introduces some new elements i've never heard this band utilise which is always a good thing to see happen,it's like they've delved into Atmospheric Black Metal and Post Black Metal territories while still maintaining all the trademarks we enjoy about Horrenda,this is definitely a huge step up from previous material and long may it continue.
This band continue to evolve their sound and have become a truly phenomenal force of nature, with Think on Your Sins they've really smashed through the proverbial glass ceiling and then some,without doubt this is very likely to be making my EP of the year list, all the hard work they've put in throughout the years is starting to reap the reward and long may it continue.
Veterans of the Irish scene Astralnaut took an extended hiatus aorund the later stages of 2014 and alot of folk have been wondering since what had become of the band,well a few line up alterations and dilligently working behind the scenes has resulted in an absolutely stellar release with their self titled debut album Astralnaut,an absolute tour de force of groove heaviness and grit is what we've been treated to,the old saying good things come to those who wait rings true with this offering,let's dissect the finer points of this brilliant album.
The album kicks off in fine style with the launch single Tipping Point with it's slow paced groove that instantly pulls you in and doesn't let go,the gritty vocal delivery almost has a subtle blues element to it hinting at a southern rock vibe, Adrift flows with soaring vocals and a crushing groove that seamlessly blends with the intrciate rhytmns and the background female vocals which adds a fantastic atmosphere to the track, the dark and foreboding sludginess of Plebicide wraps a cloak of melancholy until launching into some some soaring lead guitar work, the building atmosphere on Humanity shows a real pomp and confidence from a band that knows how to deliver some thought provoking lyrics with tasty goroves of heaviness, the spoken word section creates a somewhat dytopian feel to the song yet another element the band explore with brilliant aplomb.
Things get a bit more thought provoking with the brilliant The Veil there's something mysterious about the way the lyrics are delivered and then you add the excellent riffage which have a really fantastic way of grabbing your undivided attention,the sole vocal sections in this is another element that shows the full repotoire of what this band are capable of, White Feather introduces a really epic structure to the overall product,those gritty vocals really go into overdrive creating some truly crushing passages until about half way through the track the pace begins to speed up creating a wall of crushing heaviness that has an almost Sabbath-esque feel to it, did i mention epicness,yes there's plenty of that afoot on the ultra heavy Husk which weaves those trademark vocals with sludgy grooves, another thing not mentioned is the drumming is exemeplary throughout and has some subtle homages to Bill Ward with it's wholt rhytmic and tribal feel,the leads add to the epic output and create a really awe-inspiring feeling to the track.
The darkness becomes even more prevelent on the instrumental The Confederate Pt1 which opens up with some brilliant lead guitar layered on top of some intricate harmonies, returning to the crushing grooves with The Confederate Pt2 once again this delivers a consistent flow of keeping things interesting while maintaining all those trademarks elements we've come accustomed to hearing,closing track Blood Sacrifice flows with a mid paced groove that will leave you wanting even more,this track really shows every element the band have delivered throughout this release and as previously said this band know how to deliver memorable tunes while keeping your attention focused on all their qualities.
Although we waited the better part of a decade for this album Astralnaut have delivered a really quality album and it was like they were never away,hopefully we get more of the same in the not too distant future, as previously said good things come to those who wait,this is very much the case with this album.
Almost 8 years since the brilliant Cork outfit Partholon released their excellent debut album Follow Me Through Body and although this may slow momentum with the large majority of bands,this is not the case with Partholon and their highly anticipated second album The Ocean Pours In ,the old saying comes to mind good things come to those who wait,confirming what alot of people were expecting we have a bonafide masterpiece to delve into and explore to the deepest depth that our consciousness can fathom.
All the tension begins to release when those first notes kick in on Skin Of The Beast the beautifully crafted harmonies during the intro create a dark atmopshere that wraps onto your consciousness and won't let go,the presence of two alternating vocals gives off a mirroring/echo element that creates some sort of dual entities that have the same thoughts. the tensely built aura of Gathered In Circles is both haunting and full of tautly executed dark melodies,there's the added element within the track that makes you feel like there's a location or place of some massive significance been referenced throughout.
This album gradually builds with each track which leads us into the phenomenal Pillars which introduces us to a crushing rhytmn section layered with intermittent lead sections,there's a part with soaring and passionate vocals that are layered above the music giving a whole new atmosphere to the overall product, the atmopshere created at the start of Light Chambers has a really dreamy element which eventually builds with plenty of twists and turns until about half way through a crushing rhytmn section with layered Lead Guitar sections which pummel with a relentlessness that is awe inspiring and will leave you speechless.
The atmosphere is taken to a level and height beyond the stratosphere with the mind blowing closing track We Swallow The Ocean the simplisticness of less is more is very prevelent at the intro with the slight presence of music with dual vocals layered on top of everything before venturing into very slow heavy sludgy progressions that keep building while seamlessly blending in leads that build to an epic crescendo until it closes out with some distressed sounding voice hidden behind a melancholic piano section which slowly closes out the opus beautifully.
Overall this is a monstrous progession from their debut and leaves an extremely lasting impression, the more listens to this the more new elements you will notice ,the tension and atmosphere within this are at times suffocatingly heavy and the rhytmn sections crushes with a relentlessness that's full of beautifully crafted harmonies and melody, everyhting about this oozes quality of the highest standard making this an absolutely sublime offering which is definitely one of the best releases you're likely to hear this year not just in the Irish Scene but also far reaching.
