Koma "Dichotomy" Promo Single Review

   Following on from their hugely popular debut single The Betrayed Progressive/Melodic Metalcore quintet Koma are on the cusp of releasing their second single the brilliant Dichotomy lets dissect some of the finer details within this track.

   Much like their previous single Koma delivers a high tempo display of intensity intertwined with melodic/progressive intricacies and taut aggressiveness making Dichotomy an interesting listen full of hooks and all the urges for a proper headbanger,everything from the vocals,guitar intricacies,the high tempo drumming,aggressive backing vocals and lyrics exudes an abundance of passion and an element of real life struggle,even the imagery(artwork) used to depict this track and yes it does have a subtle reminder to the iconic image of a protester in Tiaanamen Square back in 1989 in the case of this artwork it's attempting to portray the shackled individual vs state dichotomy and as to whether they can truly be free from  a moral or societal point of view.

   Dichotomy offers alot of fantastic elements from Koma's brand of Melodic/Progressive Metalcore,combining plenty of groove,melody ,passion and all the nuances to push the band to another level, one thing the band have developed is how to build a track up to a massive crescendo with all the elements mentioned pushed to the fore with concise precision.

   The Single will be released on Friday 9th Decemeber and will be available on all releveant streaming platforms,here's a link to Pre-save or Pre-Order the single before it's release: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/koma14/dichotomy  in the meantime you'll find the bands social media and steaming platform links below,give them a Follow/Like/Subscribe to keep updated

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0yLoO1CPbeeojKSpD4KQua?si=d782ZtHhRja-FlO-kKoreQ

BANDCAMP: https://komaofficialni.bandcamp.com/track/the-betrayed

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@user-jz1tt6lt2o

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/komaofficialni/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/koma_official_ni/

Nømadus "Axis Primordial" Album Review

   Ever since i discovered Nømadus the progression and evolution of their sound has been absolutely mind blowing,there's a very noticable maturity musically and lyrically,the band have being creating massive waves throughout the local scene since their inception in 2016, this year alone the band reached the final of Metal 2 The Masses and despite getting the runners up spot the band would earn a reputation for their devastating live performances and unsuprisingly (to me) would eventually get the call to appear at the hugely popular Bloodstock Festival and by all accounts they once again delivered the goods ,furthermore all this is about to culminate in the release of their highly anticipated debut album Axis Primordial.

  As soon as you hear that opening riff on Last Words Of Wisdom you can feel the depth and scale of the journey you're about to be taken on the progessive element and groove within the song have a truly epic and passionate aura which sets the tone for what's to come on the rest of this adventure, Apex Breath opens with a gradual build then explodes with sheer ferocity before going into a melodic and progressive tangent which gives the atmosphere an really emotional feel,the lead guitar work on this is exemplary and very awe inspiring, the crushingly heavy and groove laden Fraction treats us to some absolutely heart wrenching lyrical and vocal delivery, again the progresive element throughout this just compounds the high level of musicianship been unleashed by the band.

  The brief instrumental that is Hadean creates an atmosphere that feels beautiful and melancholic and sets the tone brilliantly for The Ultimate Fuse to push the progressive element to another level while injecting vitriol fueled vocals,pounding drums and meticulously constructed rhytmn and lead guitar work, the standard just keeps getting better with each track on this and we get a full on barage of heaviness and speed with the sublime Paradox(Nerve Burn)  the drumming on this is pretty relenetless and sets a different tone to what proceeded it the aggression combined with the progressive riffing adds another layer to these passages and sets the album up for a explosive ending.

  The penultimate stages of the album go into a much higher level with the monumental heaviness of The Pounding Curse which reaches epic porportions of progression with mutiple and well blended time changes throughout before unleashing an absolutely heartfelt and majestic guitar lead,the groove laden element also hits an unstoppable level, which are all pushed by the passionate vocal delivery, the melodic tendencies get pushed up a notch with Scent Of Death add the crushing heaviness to this and you have a fantastic mix of atmosphere and aggression, closing track The Passage brings every element on display to the fore with calculating precision,it nows becomes noticable that this was a very taut and well exceuted meticulously constucted piece of work only adding to the obvious persausion that this band are going to getting better in the long run.

  

  Axis Primordial offers an absolutely fantastic portrayal of the struggles with mental health and the ultimate sacrifice involved to maintain your own sanity and how it affects the people around you,the progressive elements, atmosphere and every facet of this album are nothing short of sublime offering plenty of heartfelt passion,aggression and a level of musicianship second to none, Nømadus have lit a fire that is unextinguishable and that fire shall spread throughout the land with devastating consequences,furthermore this is a definite contender for album of the year.

      

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2caGUbjIGxotyPDiY9tFVJ?si=HhebjWaASN6M7vIuoW04Hw

BANDCAMP: https://nomadus.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@nmadusofficial1563/featured

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/nomadusni

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nomadusofficial/

Karpackonaut "Distant Sequence" Album Review

 

   Now do we have something extremely interesting to delve deep into this time, it's not often you get to immerse yourself in something done on improvisation jams,no re-takes all recorded in one take,this is what the really unique Karpackonaut has to offer with absolutely fantastic aplomb on their excellent new album Distant Sequence.

   Straight away you can instantly feel the outworldly atmosphere hit like a tonne of brick on the crushingly heavy Outwards Through Time the vocals add a somewhat visceral appraoch to the atmosphere all while having a truly epic soundscape, Wordless I treats us to some deranged guitar pieces layered over a filthy bass and very rhytmic drumming while the vocals seem to be in synch with guitar while gradually getting more deranged and torturous,the atmosphere on this is extremely dark and disturbing, Sigils gives off a somewhat chilled out atmosphere with the beautiful guitar riff running throughout the track added by the slow hypnotic drumming and throbbing bassline,there's a vocal sequence half way through the track which keeps repeating the same line to push that crushingly heavy element to the fore.

   Things begin to get all the more epic with the brilliant Immaterial End which creeps and crawls through a devastatingly heavy and torturous atmosphere added by snarling and screaming vocals combined with the crushing vocals giving the atmosphere an altogether nastier feeling, this eventually build to an extremely disturbing crescendo and pushes the atmosphere to another level, it's about to get bleak with the lo-fi atmosphere of The Parellel it becomes noticable that the atmpshere gradually changes throughout the album with the addition of a cleaner vocal style and let's not forget the chants in the background which add a soothing yet impending dread element to proceedings, everything comes to the fore with the sublime title track Distant Sequence there's a nice subtle approach to the atmosphere on this track which makes the outworldly element all that more prevelent more then half through the song the vocals hit like an absolute juggernaut of crushing heaviness then gradually ends with a pace faster then any of the tracks that proceeded it.

   Karpackonaut have unleashed an album full of atmosphere, epic soundscapes, bleakness,dark and disturbing undertones,the further you delve into this the more you feel every essence of it consume your being,the band aren't afraid to mix different styles like Post Metal,Sludge,Atmospheric Doom,the fact that this is all done on improvisation makes it all the more interesting to listen to, this one is a grower folks one listen of this ain't enough you need to let all of it's atmosphere become a part of you to truly realise what a monumentally brilliant album this is.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3GHjX0LIhCCD91Cb5GMAtm?si=d5hSbAG8Rl6T2ojAr6wB6w

BANDCAMP: https://karpackonaut.bandcamp.com/album/light-as-a-particle

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/karpackonaut

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/karpackonaut/

Superstatic "Glimmering Veil" Album Review

   Wanted to give this ridiculously overlooked album some much needed exposure and adoration, Superstatic is the side project of Rustam of the Russian Folk/Black/Doom outfit Rakoth, this is a completely different sort of entity to what Rakoth are all about with a sound stepped in the throes and misery of  90's inspired Death/Doom and subtle hints and odes to Funeral Doom luminaries such as Evoken,Esoteric and Skepticism,this is explored with magnificient abundance on the brilliant Glimmering Veil.

   Instantly there's a noticable theme with the opening track I Have No Mouth, and I Must Speak the unfathomable horrors that are about to unfold,you get the feeling with the musical structure that less is more with crushingly heavy riffs while making evrything about the atmosphere of the music,even a drum fill or simple riff adds an extremely dramatic yet bleak aura throughout this opus, Mutabor offers some really 90's inspired Death/Doom passages,this is possibly the only track on the album that has a plethora of Riffs but the focus on atmosphere is still prevelant even the presence of those whispering vocals create a foreboding darkness yet at the same time give an essence of something beautiful that lays beneath all the horrors, the darkness gets alot more noticable on House Dagoth the minimalistic tendencies within the album get used to devastating effect throuhgout this track combined with the intermittent chants in the background create an extremely haunting atmosphere.

   The Atmosphere is pushed to another level with the brilliant Edge those female chants at the start give a whole different element to proceedings and creates an extremely Ethereal yet dark ambience,again with get those whispering style vocals which have became that little bit nastier,not mentioned is the fantastic epic structure which is beautifully melancholic and adds alot of depth to the music, I Am The Doorway has a very strange type of electronic/keyboard parts that give off a really eerie atmosphere before going full on into some My Dying Bride type homage were things get that extra bit darker and heavier, The Rose Garden opens up with a beautifully arranged piano piece with a brief ochestral voice then suddenly that foreboding darkness and heaviness returns to hauntingly creep and crawl like a despicable entity lurking in the shadows ready to strike at any given moment, we go into the truly epic closing track Remember Citadel there's some sort of intermittent tranmissions that sounds like a computer programme or AI intertwined with slow building riffs and extremely taut drum sections and electronic parts, the brief heavy guitar parts and nasty growls push the whole horror inspired elements into an inevitable moment where the horrors have finally come to envelop you within a web of unescapable despair and tragedy finally consuming every fibre of your being.

   Superstatic have created a Death/Doom Opus of epic proportions, this is a really well executed and concisely created masterpiece with elements of Funeral Doom mixed with some 90's inspired Death/Doom throw in extremely dramatic and horror driven madness combined with an atmosphere that's beautiful,tragic and melancholic also created with a less is more ethos ,you're not likely to hear something as innovative and taut as Glimmering Veil in the near future.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2siaOaTNJjRHnjvcaHf6vY?si=7PyISFQ1Rx6JJPB_6tK_ig

BANDCAMP: https://superstatic.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRp1_53KatnnLqpY57nyu_g

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SuperstaticEquilibrium

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/superstatic.equilibrium/

War Of Attrition "The Social Apocalypse" EP Review

    

   Let this serve as an introduction and a brief adulation to one of the hardest working new bands in the local scene the absolutely sublime War Of Attrition, having only started gigging just over a year ago the band have developed a reputation for a live show full of unbridled energy,passion and aggression, they defied all the odds by getting through the first heat of Metal 2 The Masses Ireland which resulted in them playing at the semi final of the popular competition, they continued to garner more attention by gigging on a very regular basis not just in their native Limerick but plenty of exposure in Dublin.this all culminated very recently with their first ever appearance at the extremely popular Siege Of Limerick which happened to coincide with the release of their brilliant debut EP The Social Apocalypse.

   As soon as that opening riff hits on Throne Of The Fallen King followed by the sirens in the background you get the underlying feeling of impending chaos and an empire is about to fall into the  throes of an apocalytic nightmare,this sets the tone perfectly for what's about to come to fruition, time for some riffs for days with Victims Of Avarice the combination of the dual guitars and the in your face vocals create a really raw and aggressive vibe to proceedings there is also a lot of melody which adds a great atmosphere, the darkly atmospheric intro to I Am Your God set a very foreboding tone eventually building to a raw and hectic pace which creates an abundance of madness and controlled chaos.

   We're treated to something different with the epic ballad like atmosphere of The Constant Gray we even get to hear what vocalist Nathan Price is truly capable of with some clean vocal parts and the lyrical content has an almost desperate/melancholic vibe added with the beautiful guitar intricacies of  Oceann and Diarmuid,this eventually builds up to possibly what the band can offer on future releases, an added bonus track in the form of the sublime and one of my favourite tracks by the band BPD which is full of aggression and taut riffing while the lyrical content touches on the theme of  faking mental health issues and being coercive and manipulative about them.

  For a debut release this ticks all the right boxes with regard to energy,passion,aggression and an honesty that is second to none, the production is extremely raw and is something i really enjoy about this EP, it perfectly captures what the band a truly capable of as a live entity being that it's has the sound of a live performance,stripped down rawness,aggression and an unbridled energy that is instantly addictive to listen to, War Of Attriton have set a standard that has garnered them much deserved recognition and they have all the attributes to develop their sound to another level.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5XBjelMBEwljcDYkaJqVEe?si=J9opRYPZS4azF_cMwbQujw

BANDCAMP: https://warofattritionie.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCny8jkaanm9fFEVegNB1iDw

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/WOAIE

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/waroaie/

Fornoth "Assembling Trees" Promo Single Review

    Yet another quality release from the absolute riff machine that is the mighty Fornoth after the ridiculously positive feedback to their last promotional single The Ferryman and The Lock Keeper the band have unleashed another absolutely fantastic single in the form of the brilliant Assembling Trees.

  As soon as that opening riff to Assembling Trees hits you can instantly hear a massive Thin Lizzy influence with an atmosphere to give the track an extremely epic soundscape,this seems to be a trademark the band have consistently focused on with previous releases,the presence of this makes the listener feel like they're been taken on a somewhat melnacholic journey, we're lead into a path of mystery with the extremely atmospheric tribalistic offerings of Roots Of Ritual, there's some really cool throat singing which adds a very hypnotic and meditative atmosphere to the song,this is an uplifting new dimension the band have added to their repetoire and in my opinion it's a welcome element to what the band have to offer.

  Overall this is another quality addtion to the bands sublime discography,they continue to improve and evolves as a band and as musicians, i like the way they are attempting to add new elements to their ever improving sound,this will definitely hold them in good stead with gaining much deserved attention in the future and gives listeners an exciting insight into what sort of other potential avenues they will go down.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7y7MKmhUz3jIKrEdHNmAhV?si=J7wPTM-yQUq6QYuGz9HssA

BANDCAMP: https://fornoth.bandcamp.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FornothTheBand

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fornoththeband/

Strangle Wire "Shaped By Human Frailty" Album Review

  Yet again the quality within the Irish Metal scene never ceases to amaze me this is very much the case with the absolute fantastic new Strangle Wire album Shaped By Human Frailty, the band formed in 2017 but members have been around the scene for the over 25 years with bands such as Condemned,Lesshelp,Putrefy,Oncology and War Iron,suffice to say you will be treated to music of the highest quality on this release and done with relentless efficiency.

   Straight from the off  Heavily Medicated goes straight for the juggular with crushing groove laden riffs and the vocals really hit home with relentless aggression, Learned Wretchedness delivers a barrage of concise drumming and abundance of riffs, Judas Switch offers a nice balance of groove laden heavy riffs mixed with machine like percussion whuch drives everthing to the fore, The Human Tensile Experiment has a really cool Old School Death Metal, there's also a taut psychological twist to the atmosphere within the album.

  An Abhorrent Intervention is a brief instrumental interlude that brings the whole atmosphere of the album into an even more disturbing and psychological edge to proceedings, we're treated to some absolutely relentless assualt with the title track Shaped By Human Frailty the further you delve into this album the more disturbing and relentless the music becomes, Dead Before The Still delivers with relentless precision with the pace at times slowing a slight bit but keeping the eerie psychological atmosphere intact, the opening riff on Psychology Of The Sick sets up a smooth groove laden element before the eerie atmosphere goes into overdrive with the taut and brilliantly executed closing track Horrors Breath the atmosphere and barrage of unrelenting taut execution on this album is another a level most Death Metal acts can only dream of.

Shaped By Human Frailty is an album full of all the nuances associated with Old School Death Metal and add an atmosphere that's almost horror-like you have an opus done with perfect precision,it's very noticable that everything element within the album is done with taut accuracy putting it as a modern Death Metal Classic and the potential to be on alot of end of year lists.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FbsMi1iKh39ItEtt49VvP?si=XFJreQttRxuMrp3g2LO1OA

BANDCAMP: https://stranglewire.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/StrangleWire

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/stranglewireband

iNSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/strangle_wire/

Eternal Helcaraxe "Drown In Ash" Album Review

   Following on from their sublime opus In Times Of Desperation Epic Black Metal Stalwarts Eternal Helcaraxe have really surpassed their previous offering with a strong contender for album of the year with the ridiculously sublime Drown In Ash, not in my wildest dreams did i ever think it was possible to improve on such a fantastic album.

  As soon as that piano intro hits on Withered Strands Of Existence your interest will be instantly grabbed and pulled into the albums uplifting yet depressive artmosphere,then as soon as the full repertoire of instruments kick in you know full well you're about to be taken on an epic journey. this is compounded with the brilliant Drowned In Ash with it's 9+ minutes of emotionally tinged melodic and relentless soundscapes, things get a bit more emotionally charged with possibly my favourite track on the album When Dead Things Roam Free it's very rare i listen to a song that makes me get a bit emotional with a combination of elation and melancholy when it interchanges between the clean vocal parts and  melodic and melancholic elements within the song.

  We're treated to a beautiful piano interlude with None Of It Mattered which evokes a feeling of loss,suffering and depression,this tracks acts as a catalyst to delve further into the emotionally charged theme within the album which seamlessly leads us into Ice Cold Winds there is no comfort or warmth left only loss,despair, abandonment and hopelessness the deeper you go in this album the gradual build of melancholy and pessimism are honed and crafted with spellbinding precision, as soon as the first notes of Cease hit you with a flurry of razor sharp riffs and an atmosphere reminiscent of peak second wave of black metal, closing track In Dark Woods and Dreams is intertwined with feelings of desolation and loss were the darkness seems to envelope all around you and there's no way of finding the diminishing light.

   Drown In Ash is an instant masterpiece and i'll go as far as saying there won't be many Black Metal releases this year that will match the levels of musicianship,atmosphere,emotion and continuity with each track,this is not just a selection of killer individual tracks each track develops the album into a story of realism,loss,depression while combining a surprisingly uplifting atmosphere with elements of Post Metal and Black Metal making this an extremely strong contender for Album Of The Year.

   

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1tHKPNHAQ6itWfyiX8jeXv?si=xGDpApLCSTmn97SrPNOkpA

BANDCAMP: https://eternalhelcaraxe.bandcamp.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/eternalhelcaraxe

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/eternal_helcaraxe/

Foraoisi Gan Inuichadh "Isolation" Album Review

 

 

   Ever since i discovered this One Man project the undoubted potential has always been there but nothing could prepare almost anyone who's listened to this young man how mind blowing the quality of the material would eventually be, with each release there was always a noticable improvement and with the release of album number two Isolation the level of quality seems to have reach a pinnacle way beyond his years.

 Foraoisi Gan Inuichadh has achieved a level maturity and musical proficiency most Black Metal outfits only dream of, opening track Everything Turns To Black starts out with a really foreboding atmosphere added by some sort of anguished screams before unleashing a flurry of precise riffs with harrowing and melancholic vocals before we're treated to some very atmospheric melodic riffs,half way throught the track the atmosphere becames extremely haunting and pessimistic with the continued barrage of anguished vocals, See The Sun Set has an almost doomy element running throughout the track again the consistent anguished vocals add a very melancholic atmosphere,this pace is maintained until some sort of clear vocal arrangement gives the track soemthing fresh that has never being used on previous releases, Pink Mist has a somewhat similar atmosphere to the previous track with the exception it's has a little bit more pace ,the vocals are more harrowing and anguished on this adding a really raw yet vibrant element to procedings, Sixteen is like an interlude in the album were you hear a phone been dialed at the start then out of nowhere a blood curling and terrifying screams sets a really scary and depressive atmosphere like something terrible has just happened.

  The Awakening is a trademark Black Metal track offering buzzsaw guitar tone,lo-fi atmosphere and a rawness almost similar to early Darkthrone,the vocals seem to be lower in the mix which just gives the whole atmosphere a level of nastiness most BM bands would thrive to create,then some Operatic style vocals add another dimension to the track. the boundaries of atmosphere are really pushed to another level with the absolutely brilliant The Kingdom Will Die this track also has some operatic vocals mixed with the trademark anguished vocals giving another excellent facet to the overall aura of the album, Tomas Hynes Guitar Playing on this is possibly the best piece of song writing he's done since he started such a short time ago, Once again the levels of atmosphere are pushed into another realm with the excellent  The Souls Of The Damned, there's an added level of melancholy with the vocals portraying anger along with the anguish we've become familar with, closing track Epilogue is a fitting way to end the album with the barely audible spoken word at the start and then we're reintroduced to the same kind of vocal arrangement we heard on the second track except this one os alot more prolonged.

  Isolation is a beautifully crafted album by a young man who for all intense purposes is releasing absolutely quality Black Metal on a level some established bands would dream of and at the age of 16 he is undoubtedly going to continue to get better and evolve as a musician, if you haven't already checked out Foraoisi gan Inuichadh you're missing out on something truly amazing.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7peEEPlcqZ9WjyxxMpQ9Ev?si=uOlxQq8ARuWo5bECIIb08g

BANDCAMP: https://unexploredforests.bandcamp.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/unexploredforestsofficial

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/foraoisiganiniuchadh/

LUD "Ritual Of The Damned" EP Review

   LUD are an International Band based In Ireland,members have previous experience of playing in bands such as Voidhammer, Coscradh, Leproso and Gathering Darkness, the band want to create a sound similar to The Second Wave of Black Metal combining aggression,speed and melodic elements in the mould of 1349, Dissection, Satyricon, Dark Funeral and Keep Of Kalessin,these elements are abundantly clear on their absolutely killer 3 track Debut EP Ritual Of The Damned.

  Opening track Devour To Transcend is a pretty relentless offering with little to no let up razor sharp riffs and laser precision balst beats with  a powerful vocal delivery makes this a great way to unleash whats to follow.  Powerful double bass drums set the tone for the brilliant Perish On The Cross switching between mid paced heaviness and fast melodic riffs, there's also a very blasphemic atmosphere to proceedings only added by the satanic lyrical content, closing track  Ritual Of The Damned has some kind of seance/ritual at the intro of the track before unleashing a truly relentless and evil sounding riff ,there's an added viciousness to this particular track compared to the previous two,that main riff hooks you by in and dissects with unrelentling precision and savagery.

 LUD have left a undeniable mark with this excellent releases, all the nuances of Second Wave Black Metal are present and done with passion, unrelenting fury and aggression, i also get the feeling that the band are more then capable of expanding this sound into an even broader spectrum and further themselves not just as a unit but as musicians, despite the shortness in length of the EP Ritual Of The Damned achieves what it set out to do and gets the point of the release across brilliantly.

BANDCAMP: https://lud666.bandcamp.com/releases

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCILq-LfSyd6eNtD2VbGzIlg/videos

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322041484530881/user/100083143608367/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ludblackmetal/

Fornoth "The Ferryman And The Lock Keeper" Single Review

   

 Fornoth are a pretty unique band,early in their career they played a style were people compared them to Amon Amarth,there may be similar elements to their sound but they also inject a rather unique Folk element associated with The Sea,all done with an extremely epic atmosphere,fresh off winning Metal 2 The  Masses Ireland and performing at Bloodstock Festival the band entered the studio to record the two track promo single The Ferryman and The Lock Keeper.

  Straight off we're treated to a spoken word/narrative dialog with the title track The Ferryman And The Lock Keeper, there's a very foreboding tone with this intro, the instrumentation at the start has an almost psychedelic atmosphere,after almost two minutes in the track bursts into epic riffing and nasty snarling vocals before going back into that narrative style which eventually starts to sound treacherous when you hear "what if i were to turn this Ferry into a Pyre" things start to sound even more despairing and all hope is lost,this creates an absolutely fantastic atmosphere with the song; The second track Stranger To The Sea has a somewhat melancholic atmosphere like a burial/funeral at sea is about to take place,there's a short folkish vocal arrangement that starts out with a really deep undertone then you hear numerous voices which creates a beautiful and harmonious atmosphere,then throughout the rest of the song different instruments start surfacing until they all slowly fade out.

 

 Fornoth have seemed to expand their sound into broader horizons creating a treacherous and melancholic atmosphere combined with epic song structures and all the melodic nuances that they're known for, i for one i'm curious to hear future output to see if they further develop this sound,it also sounds like the band put an awful lot of work and effort to create these epic passages,this can only be commended and praised to oblivion and long may it continue.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7y7MKmhUz3jIKrEdHNmAhV?si=sTS6pBM7SzSCgK5KA2zmBg

BANDCAMP: https://fornoth.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_37W9yOhql_R0wKIgabt0g

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FornothTheBand

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fornoththeband/?hl=en

Koma "The Betrayed" Single Review

   Wouldn't usually do a single review but on this rare occassion i do one,let it be an introduction to the excellent Northern Ireland Quintet Melodic Metalcore/ Progressive Metal outfit Koma and the imminent release of their debut single The Betrayed due for release this Sunday 18th September, i recently became aware of these when they were supporting Skypilot and i have to say considering i never heard anything from the band i was highly impressed with their performance, now that i've given a brief introduction of them lets get into a more detailed description of the track and what the band are attempting to convey.

   The Betrayed is a tale about the Judeo-Christian God forsaking his chosen people and questions why would a God do this to his people, one of the main themes behind the lyrics is the band are attempting to make the listener contemplate how gods were seen in ancient times, the artwork depicts the God Janus who happens to be the God of The Beginning of a Journey much like the band are beginning their journey; Combining elements of Progressive Metal and Metalcore,the bands sound is extremely melodic with plenty of groove ,catchiness and interchanging vocals ranging from Soulful and Blues Style and a Modern Metal style,the musicianship is absolute quality with an all round dynamic sound full of passion and of a really high standard.

  This debut single is a fantastic introduction to a band with a whole lot of potential,i'm sure there'll be planty more quality coming from Koma in the future, i'm almost certain that alot of people are going to enjoy this song which has a lot of facets and nuances to attract a large following for the band. 

To Keep Up to date what the band are doing follow,subscribe to their social media and streaming platforms all relevant links below

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0yLoO1CPbeeojKSpD4KQua?si=-s8RVdXfRsiOg_LNTtALbA

BANDCAMP: https://komaofficialni.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9yjvQsQIAk23nYPpC7Kz-g

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/komaofficialni

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/koma_official_ni/?hl=en

Skypilot "Simple Beasts" Album Review

 

   A career spanning 20+ years without any line up changes is unusually rare,this is the case with Northern Ireland Stoner Rock Veterans Skypilot you'll always get quality output with these this is very much the case with album number three  Simple Beasts, following on from 2019's The Affront the band have really upped their game to another level on this release,it's very noticable that the members have developed a unique understanding of what they do well with perfect aplomb.

   Album opener Waffledust flows with a tasty grooves and intertwined with soaring and emotive vocals,there's a somewhat epic feel to the track, Octofuzz is a solid kick ass groove laden rocker with a slight homage to Northern Ireland Rock Legends Therapy? , title track Simple Beasts has a nice smooth atmosphere at the start were the vocals gradually build until outbursts of those tradermark soaring vocals hit with a passion and verve that are hard not to admire and enjoy, time for some big fat juicy riffs with the briiliant Klusterfun.

  Halfway through the album and we're treated to the excellent Jazz Club there's a slightly Alternative/Grunge element throughout this track giving more depth and feel to the album,the drumming on this adds a really dynamic rhytmn to proceedings, 8 In The Face is were you get to hear the full range of  what Vocalist Dave Hall is truly capable of ,this is likely the most emotional track on the album while still maintaining the trademark groove, Through The Window continues with more groovy intricacies,there's also a level of emotion present and once again the drumming really pushes and drives the power to another level, closing track  Knifed On The Beach is another lenghty track nearing the 8 minute mark there's a constant powerful groove continuously switching between mid paced riffage and powerful vocal deliveries a more then perfect way to end a really quality release.

  Skypilot are a band that know what they're good at and keep it simple yet full of dynamics ,passion and emotion,there is also a very minimal amount of singing throughout the album this just adds a relentless Riff Machine element to the bands sound,this element is further pushed by the ridiculously powerful drumming, if you're a fan of Therapy? and Clutch would highly recommend giving Skypilot a prolonged listen,you won't be dissapointed,if you want no filler all killer riffs for days in a Stoner Rock style look no further then Skypilot.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pjRiiB7XzLNnbptsoa8Ru?si=c73rnxk-RSeH8T9vzB7EXw

BANDCAMP: https://skypilotofficial.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZeir2cOKCtqJHex835ZdA

BIG CARTEL: https://skypilotmerch.bigcartel.com/?fbclid=IwAR3qU1712cpuAifQhOPAjNpTOLoCHg6IQ1aAtZNo79It3nPPvpSOp8XIRkE

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SkypilotOfficial

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/skypilotofficial/

Vendetta Love "I Am" EP Review

 

 

   Little did i know about Vendetta Love seven to eight months ago since i've became aware of them i've grown accustomed to their sound and the more i listen to them the more i enjoy them, combining 80's Hard Rock with 90's Grunge,the band have a sound similar to the likes Guns N Roses,Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, with the release of their new EP I Am the band have hit a level were the emotions,energy and stripped down rawness flow seamlessly and blend magnificiently.

  Hush Hush opens with a beautifully executed intro full of feeling and emotion before a barrage of heavy laden riffs and soaring vocals take us on a rollercoaster of emotions, Ode hits with full on stripped down rock n fucking roll with subtle hints of early Guns N roses thrown in for good measure,a track with a real middle finger attitude, Chains N' All is another track full of attitude and has a really smooth and rocky pace showing the versatilty of the bands overall musicianship.

  Walk Alone is an absolutely heartfelt and emotional ballad with real life elements touching on addiction issues and personal struggles,this is were the band really show their prowess and the level of intricacies they are capable of as musicians, closing track I Am is possibly the heaviest track on the EP that soaring lead guitar intro is absolutely fantastic,the slowish pace of the track adds a really nostalgic vibe similar to Alice In Chains,that soaring lead continues to appear intermittently throughout the track with the EP ending in a somewhat nostalgic feeling.

  Vendetta Love have created a really good release in I Am,yes it does have all the nuances of peak 80's Hard Rock and the best bits from 90's Grunge, the band know how to write strong worthwhile anthems full of passion,emotion, a middle finger attitude, you will notice that they're influenced by the likes of Guns N Roses,Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots etc but they do it combined with a very modern sound giving them a sound all their own.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3MiRH2MfTbxGEn9iDzdiUz?si=INy8pecDQg2kiSUYoxNFmA

BANDCAMP: https://vendettalove.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/VendettaLove

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/VendettaLoveOfficial

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vendettalove_/

Psychotic Outsider "End Of The Line" EP Review

 

   Galway Based Hardcore Punk/Metal fusion Quartet Psychotic Outsider offer a Filthy,Abrasive Lo-Fi Social/Polictical anthems with their latest EP End Of The Line, the band have been cutting their trade since 2018, thus far the band have released an EP and one full length album.

  Following on from 2020's Psyching Out Mentality the band have a new Vocalist in Luke Holbrook,which seems to have improved their overall sound,giving them a more abrasive and aggressive edge, straight from the onset title track End of The Line opens up with a rhytmic and extremely aggressive pace with a real middle finger vocal style, Infernal Battle continues the same pace and style ,there's also a underlying filthy groove prevelent throughout the song, the pace is slowed down a little with the excellent Locked Up the aggression and heaviness still remain,at times the track has a filthy sludge element which adds a somewhat despaired atmosphere to proceedings.

The addition of two demo tracks which were on their previous release Psyching Out Mentality was a great idea giving the listener a chance to hear the improvement their new vocalist has added to their sound, Ragnarok is a great mid paced track full of vitriol and the trademark aggression associated with the band. Hunter picks up the pace again and is a fitting way to close out the EP.

  Psychotic Outsider create a very simplistic yet extremely effective style full of vitriol, filthiness and and an angry attitude which make for an interesting listen,there's no frills attached to the band just in your face aggression and anarcho punk tendencies, this is a great listen for anyone that likes a DIY ethos full of passion,vitriol and attitude.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2dbmZNVL20toqFuxb99Bm0?si=k_7Fw6rkSbu9VlQkBEVlug

BANDCAMP: https://psychoticoutsider.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3-hqZHzzZN_9cZDAFpSSBg

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/psychoticoutsider

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/psychotic_outsider/

Coscradh "Nahanagan Stadial" Album Review

 

  If you're looking for something dark,foreboding and utterly nasty Coscradh's devastating new album Nahanagan Stadial achieves this in vast abundance, like a pack of rabid wolves roaming at nightfall leaving a path of destruction in it's wake Coscradh have created something that sounds like it's straight from the pits of hell.

  The title track Nahanangan Stadial has an extremely doom laden intro with a filthy guitar tone, for those curious the track name is reference to an irish term for the rapid onset of a glacial period ten thousand years ago,it's epic song structure also has elements of Bestial War Metal similar to Teitanblood,Bestial Warlust and Profanitica, Feast Of The Epiphany is an absolutely ripper from the onset,the overload of speed is designed to perpetually annihilate the senses,the outro at the end of the track creates a really bleak atmosphere then we're hit with the obliterating sledgehammer that is Plagues Of Knowth the relentlessness is somewhat satisfying and creates a really ugly and nasty aura which at times very blasphemous sounding. 

  Cladh Halainn continues the bludgeoning with equal measures of nastiness and devilish undertones leaving a maelstrom of destruction in it's path, Closing track Feallaire Doite crawls and manifests with a slow dirge until a barrage of different vocals and filthy riffs unleash like an apocalyptic snowstorm hellbent on total obliteration.

  Nahanagan Stadial delivers bleak soundscapes designed to obliterate with devastating effect,if you're loking for clean sounding over produced heaviness this is not for you,what you do get is nasty,filthy and an extremely ugly display of  brutality, Coscradh have unleashed a truly amazing album, a sound coming from a post apocalyptic wasteland created down in the fiery depths of hell,you're not likely to hear something as nasty as Nahanagan Stadial this year, a truly devastating offering not for the weak minded or faint of heart.

SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/artist/2S3tnOx1iCmlA6FhXMTlbx?si=c1Au0SStQ8CCw_FMFA_NSg

BANDCAMP:https://coscradh.bandcamp.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Coscradh

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/coscradh/

Abaddon Incarnate "The Wretched Sermon" Album Review

 

 There's rare occasions when bands inprove throughout the years and able to maintain a level of consistency while having the same levels of Obliterating Brutality for nigh on 25 years,this is the case with Death Metal/Grindcore Veterans Abaddon Incarnate, when you listen to The Wretched Sermon you'll find it hard to believe that their previous full length album Pessimist was released in 2014 since then there's been two line up changes with the addition of Irene Siragusa on Bass and the return of Original Drummer Olan Parkinson, who played on the bands first two albums The Last Supper and Nadir, the transition between line up changes and the long gap between albums has been seamless and the band has if anything aged like a fine wine and lost none of the trademark face melting ferocity.

  Going straight for the juggular from the offset with the ferocious Rising Of The Lights once that drum intro kicks in you know your head is about to be blasted off with a barrage of riffs and blast beats designed to dissect and lacerate with razor sharp precision combine the relentless ferocity of Steve Maher's vocals you have a more then fitting opener to set the tone for what's to come, Veritas is pure Grindcore that hits like a tonne of bricks,swiftly and viciously we're  hit with the anger and vitriol of Gateways, the following two tracks Epic Desecration and Parasite have plenty of ferocity layered with heavy groove laden riffs,which has been a trademark synonymous with the band since their inception all those years ago,Hideous Arise is an absolute fucking juggernaut,the part with the vocals layered over the lead is unabashed nastiness and filthiuness. 

Another relentless track to make our ears bleed with the 90's era Death Metal masterclass that is Killing Spree and yes( i am referencing the current music video) it does sound like someone going a mass murdering killing spree,there's a slightly melancjolic piano piece at the end of the track, straight form the get go Into The Maelstrom hits like a sledgehammer,the Guitar tone on this tone is so dark and sinister and gives the track a really eerie atmosphere, the band mix it up a little on the absolutely excellent Resurrected From A Mass Grave with  some obiterating Grindcore and 90's Death Metal like a mix of Early Napalm Death mixed with riffs reminiscent of material from the bands debut The Last Supper.

  Shrine Of Flesh is full of heaviness and groove with a very subtle hint to 90's era Swedish Death Metal ,the twin vocal attack has a style reminiscent to early Carcass,that squealing guitar intro at the start of Hyperchaos is absolutely face melting obliteration with really thrashy elements,wouldn't usually be mentioning the word epic when it comes to Death Metal Or Grindcore but this is the case with the ridiculously fantastic Isolation and Decay this may have been mentioned on other reviews but that intro reminds me of the classic Entombed track Through The Collandes as soon as the double bass drum flows seemlessly into an unmercifully tirade is explosive drumming and relentless riffs and as usual the vocals full of vitriol,emotion and anger for the last 2+ minutes of the track the twin guitar leads combined with haunting melody,feeling ,a brooding bass tone leave you feeling drained,isolated and a hopeless feeling of solitude,closing track Silent Indifference is a trademark Abaddon Incarnate escapade full of face melting riffs,relentless drumming and vocals full of hate and abrasiveness a truly perfect way to end such an unbelievably devastating and sublime album.

 From the first time i witnessed this band playing on the back of a trailer 25+ years ago i instantly knew they were destined to be masters of their craft,but nothing prepared me for the absolute devastation they would leave in their path, even a 8 year gap between albums did nothing to deter this juggernaut.if anything they just keep getting better and unleashing top notch Death/Grind upon the world consistently, just like previous releases The Wretched Sermon leaves a path of devastation in it's wake,it gradually draws you into the grinder and spits you out like some unstoppable force of nature hellbent on destruction,unlike most bands of the same ilk Abaddon Incarnate are not afraid to mix it up a bit,instead of remaining safe they keep pushing the boundaries to new heights ,yes you will hear alot of nuances of Old School Death Metal,Grindcore etc but they always bring a freshness and innovation to the genre, there's a extremely good reason why most of the reviews coming out for this album are getting alot of high ratings for me this is going to on an awful lot of Album of The Year list and it's more then well deserved.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JiGOjZmUWZWyhhQsyBZs4?si=cUWMeTN4QJy1sZEt2dVnWg 

BANDCAMP: https://abaddonincarnateband.bandcamp.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/abaddonincarnate

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/abaddon.incarnate.official/

Strangers With Guns "All Pleasure Is Just Relief" Album Review

 

   Ever get the feeling the world seems to be descending into a self destructive mode and all around you seem to be showing no ounce of self control,Well the absolutely brilliant Strangers With Guns appear to be doing all the right things with their excellent new album All Pleasure is Just Relief. The band have been rooted in Grunge with their previous releases but have pushed the boundaries this time by adding a bit more heaviness to the mix,rest assured the humour still remains and all the semblances of homage to the 90's are still evident.

 Things get off to a flying start with the brilliant Phuque as soon as you hear that drum intro creeping into the mix you know full well you're about to get something really heavy and fast,it briefly slows down until you're hit with a very Thrash Metal inspired lead, as soon as you hear the opening riff on the second track you're thinking this sounds like Rollins Band,well this is further verified by the song title I Am Henry Rollins with it's tongue in cheek sarcasm and wicked sense of humour, Dial It Black treats us to some really heavy riffs which sound slightly similar to the Sepultura track Territory with an added "rapping" style vocals with a Dublin accent,which is usually synonymous with the bands sound courtesy of frontman Jeff Crosdale, So How Are You Feeling? has an extremely dark and eerie atmosphere with an agressive vocal delivery and a riff so haunting you could resurrect the dead.

 Halfway through the album and it continues to maintain the heaviness with the short but brilliant Positive Vibes which even has a subtle hint to the Coolio track Gangsters Paradise, time for some riffs galore with the absolutely killer Stick It To The Man there's also a very upbeat tempo prevelant throughout the track which implements a more uplifting tone to proceedings, the mood is toned down with the short instrumental track That's Kinda Nice before we're treated to something less heavy with the excellent Perception we also get the brief taste of Jeff dropping the dublin accent vocals in place of  a vocal harmony giving the track a nice mellow atmosphere, closing track Why starts off with a very sombre atmosphere until the chorus explodes into life with rocking riffs and aggressive vocals then switches back to the sombre mood this pattern is repeated until the last minute of the track we get a layered acoustic riffs over some stoner riffs.

Strangers With Guns may not be to everyones liking but what they do they do it really well and there's many facets to them musically and lyrically, they're willing to take risks which most bands are fearful of doing which leaves the door open for them to add different elements to future releases, with All Pleasure Is Just Relief  we treated to material in the vein of Rollins Band, Faith No More,Butthole Surfers,Melvins, Mudhoney and various other,adding elements of Grunge,Metal,Punk with such aplomb make this a very interesting listen which keeps getting better with each listen.

 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1xeBRN8R2Y9VytLrJRH86c?si=C2JP3X7-Tyq7XIE99tzJLQ

BANDCAMP: https://strangerswithguns.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/StrangersWithGuns

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/strangerswithguns

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/strangerswithguns/?hl=en