Rotlaust "The Dirge" Album Review

    Once in a while something comes out of nowhere and hits you like a tonne of brick or a curveball so to speak and your left utterly gobsmacked and speechless i could add a few more descriptive analogies to describe the absolutely mind blowing album The Dirge from Blackened Death Metal Project Rotlaust, Former Dead Aeon Vocalist Jack Penders is the brainchild behind this monumental project and has enlisted the help of a few old friends to help create possibly one of the best releases within the Irish Metal scene this year.

  Carrion opens up with the sound of thundering drums rumbling in the background before we're hit with a barage of crushing riffs and relentless drumming add to that a groove that continually evolves the track into nefarious tinged vocals which switch between Crushing Growls and tortured shreeks,suddenly there's the brief sound of a sitar which blends in seamlessly with the rest of the music before a soaring lead pushes the atmosphere to another level, Ceaseless continues the trend of combining groove with crushing relentlessness with an added darkness and atmosphere, the vocals begin to develop a much more darker and sinister tone,as the song title suggest the boundaries pushed into a territory that's never ending, The tempo is slowed down slightly with the groove laden heaviness of All But Calcerous while the dual vocals add a more caustic/aggressive atmosphere to proceedings,another addition is the riffs are a lot more melodic on this track, near the end of the track there's a sample of some man speaking about some nightmarish scenario about life and evolution this seamlessly flows into the earth shaking crushingly heavy The Deafening Dawn Chorus which seems to be touching on the topic of depression and the mental restraints that go with it, the further you delve into this album the darker and more sinister it becomes which is further compunded with another eerie sample from the same person about beliefs and how much they enjoy the darkness within life.

  Stain Of The Familiar delves further into mental anguish and societal collapse, the relentlessness begins to reach even higher levels, the musicianship is absolutely mind blowing and soars like a pheonix risen from the ashes, Nascent really pushes a relentless atmosphere and darkness to the fore further compounding the exremely sinister aura persisting throughout this offering,again we hear another sample/spoken dialogue from the same person this time talking about rage and a world full of bleakness and hopelessness, The Dirge combines every element and facet within this opus with a relentless efficiency that most Death Metal Bands would only dream of,about half way through the song we're treated to a dream like sequence which adds a slightly uplifting element to the overall aura before delving back into the malevolent and aggressive scenarios, Nex Internum is a fitting way to close this absolutely magnificient opus combining elements of Black Metal with the trademark crushing groove laden Death Metal ,all executed with ruthless precision and efficiency.

  The Dirge was an absolute curve ball of a release that no one was expecting and to everyones delight it delivered an album with all the hallmarks of a modern masterpiece,this has everything you'd want from an Extreme Metal band,darkness,crushing grooves,the technical proficiency of all the luminaries that create this type of Blackened Death Metal,a relentlessness that evolves to a mind blowing crescendo the further you delve into this opus, furthermore the work, focus and effort put into this deserve to commended with all the aplomb of modern masterpice of artistic genius.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3cdNp5FWU7T85voDcEjkTb?si=7YK5qkZCRwuAzM2Wuq5uPA

BANDCAMP: https://rotlaust.bandcamp.com/

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

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

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/

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

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_/

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

LadyAxe "Of Hell and High Water" EP Review

  Nowadays Traditoional Heavy Metal acts have the polished production, the massive sound but on the rare occasions an analog, lo-fi sound captures the atmosphere,honesty and passion needed to create something truly worth investing your time in and getting lost within the music,this is the case with the always brilliant LadyAxe, the Metal Matriarch is originally from South Africa but has since re-located to the Emerald Isle and it has brought a fire and passion that sounds unquenchable.

 Following on from last years excellent Kairos album Of Hell and High Water tells tales of Irish Pirate Queen ,Finnish & Norse Mythology,Lovecraftian Tropes and Lore with each topic all related to the sea,the EP starts off with a bang in the shape of the brilliant Mother Of Ships which portrays the tale of Grainne Mhaol ,The Irish Pirate Queen, the song has plenty of time changes and Riffs for days all layered under soaring and passionate Vocals, things get a little bit Doomy and Eerie with Finnish Mythology inspired From The Depths Come Iko Turso a story about the bearded monster who was commanded by Pohjola to attack the ship Vainamoinen,Iko Turso would be bound by a spell cast by Vainamoinen and may never surface again, within the song a New Priestess casts her own spell to unleash Iko Turso to serve her biddings, The Priestess Calls is a very haunting and atmospheric song which sounds like the spell that awakens Iko Turso from his spell,at time it almost sounds,suddenly near the end of the track we're treated to very dark and foreboding Guitar lead which sounds like the summoning has been complete.

  Time to get into some Norse Mythology with the absolutely epic masterpiece that is And I Saw The Sister Of Visund tells the fictional tale of a viking warrior abandoned by her Brethren and her Valkyrie failed to find her despite her dying in battle,she sees what she thinks is the Visund approaching but soon realises that it is in fact her Funeral ship, unable to get to Valhalla she vows to sail her funeral ship against the will of fate,the song has a very melancholic atmosphere and is reminiscent of early Manowar,this is also were you get a taste of what Axe is capable of vocally, the closing track on the EP gives us some Lovecraftian Lore in the shape of  Malediction From The Black Reef which always seems to fit well with Heavy Metal , this song is based on the Lovecraft Novel The Shadow Over Innsmouth where U-Boats torpedo the Black/Devils Reef and Dagon curses them to never die but they're trapped within the abomination that is Innsmouth,the track has a nice mid pace with powerful and passionate vocals delivering a track fitting to close such a brilliant EP.

  Of Hell and High Water may not have the big production,folk may think this method is better but what LadyAxe does is give you plenty of Atmosphere,Ethereal and Haunting Vocals,Passion and Honesty,something lacking in Modern Power/Heavy Metal these  days,also the bravery to incorporate different topics like Lovecraftian Lore,Norse and Finnish Mythology and Historical Pirate Queens gives you transparent idea that Axe likes to challenge herself by doing the research into each topic properly,where you don't get any filler on her releases,long may this continue because it works perfectly for me.

 BANDCAMP: https://ladyaxe.bandcamp.com/ 

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/LadyAxe13

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LadyAxe-6085329203/?pnref=lhc

 

Keith McCoy "Humachinery" EP Review

 

  Yet another quality release from Progressive Metal/Horror/Synth Wave solo artist Keith McCoy who seems to be constantly writing new music on a constant basis , following on form the brilliant Tacky Boots and Technology we're treated to the excellent Humachinery which consists of four instrumental tracks of 80's inspired synth wave mixed with Progressive Riffs, McCoy writes,mixes and produces everything himself along with the Drmming and Bass while he enlists the talents of Alan O' Connell  of Symbiotic Tomorrow on Lead Guitar and PJ O' Connell on Rhythm Guitar.

 Straight from the get go Reactive Machine hits you with a lo-fi synth before a barrage of  riffs and drums rolls hits you like a juggernaut then the Synth and Bass are briefly pushed to the fore combined with dramatic keys then into some juicy Lead Guitar work, Limited Memory treats us to some absolutely fantastic Synth passages which have a slight Horror sounding element to them which adds a dark and foreboding atmosphere to the song.

 Theory Of Mind is all about the Synths and Keys and it feels like it could easily be part of a score in a movie,there's also a slight melancholic elelment to it,despite how short the track is it compliments the whole atmosphere within the EP, closing track Self Aware starts off with a beautifully crafted acoustic guitar piece then layered with synths,then an emotionally tinged lead takes hold ,gradually the song develops layers upon layer of synth combined with absolutely sublime lead guitar work this builds up to a crescendo of riffs upon riffs combined with drum rolls creating a song full of  feeling and atmosphere.

 Humachinery is 14+ minutes of Prog excellence and despite the lack of vocals maintains a brilliantly crafted atmosphere,at times it feels like you're listening to a movie score or soundtrack,it also has a really 80's vibe which adds a somewhat nostalgic element to the EP. Keith McCoy is not only a beast on the drums but he also has an abundance of talent with regard to song structure, mixing and producing some absolutely sublime music,long may it continue.

 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VoteeTdGdL0VU4KHqyeUa?si=ZmtqxKqLQBad08MNGopTuQ

 BANDCAMP: https://keithmccoy.bandcamp.com/

 YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/Sixstillmissing

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

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

Organ Blender "Teemu Khan" Album Review

 

 You have finally awoken from some crazy nightmarish dystopian future dream but for some reason you can't decipher whether it's real or not,this is the kind of feeling/atmosphere you might envisage when you listen to the absolutely sublime new Organ Blender album Teemu Khan, following on from their 2020 EP the excellent  Blender Corp. the band have further pushed the boundaries of their post apocalyptic sound on this album by adding equal measure of Brutality infused with Industrial/Electronic sounds and samples,let's not forget the subtle hints of dark humour prevelent throughout the album, if you want a level of understanding what they're all about think Godflesh/Strapping Young Lad meets Aphex Twin.

 Straight from the get go we're treated to the short devastating bursts that are  Will It Blend? and Bear Song with a slight homage to Godflesh, both tracks set the tone for what's about to be unleashed upon your unsuspecting mind,things start to get a bit more Brutal with the extremely Rhythmic/Hypnotic Station,the samples running through this start to reveal the dystopian nightmare that's within the concept of the album.

 We're introduced to some sort of Protaganist in the form of Captain Krunch who seems to have some sort of obsession with control and power over life forms,we get an element of groove running through this song courtesy of the absolutely sublime bassline combined with rhythmic and relentless drumming ,a very hynotic electronic element kicks in about midway through the song before the brutality takes hold with short bursts of blast beats intertwined with Riff heavy breakdowns, Fish Song kicks off with a really groovy riff before unleashing a barrage of electronic beats combined with brief blast beats,this is maintained for the best part of the song then we're given a dose of pure Death Metal madness reminiscent of  Morbid Angel for the last part of the track, Blast Choir goes straight for the juggular with unrelenting speed and a really dark guitar tone,just like Fish Song there's a subtle hint of mid-era Morbid Angel with parts of the riffs eventually some eerie keyboard sound kicks in creating a really ambient atmosphere within the song, King maintains a great mid paced tempo throughout combining a balance of heavy riffs,industrial/electronic sounds with absolutely fantastic drumming.

  Things get even more unnervingly dark with the extremely apocalyptic sounding Meltdown which sounds like some impending nuclear attack is imminent with panic and fear taking its grip on everyone, things get a little eerie and surreal with the Industrial/Electronic meanderings of the excellent Mr. Cool the atmosphere on this reminds of Strapping Young Lad mixed with elements of Aphex Twin, onto the absolutely sublime Teemu Khan the techno intro is absolutely fantastic and creates a brilliant vacuum for the brutality that follows in trademark Organ Blender style which leads to peak 90's era Industrial vibes reminiscent of early Fear Factory, craziness ensues with the absolutely insane Drugz with it's relentless vocal delivery and it's dark and eerie industrial sounds,the further you get into this album the crazier it gets.

 We go deeper down the rabbit hole with the insane atmosphere we're treated to on the last three tracks Voice, Space Rave & The Nasty 90's are nothing more then surreal and darkly humourous insanity which leave you wondering what sort of nightmare have i been dragged through,like you've taken a cocktail of every hallucinogenic known to humankind and have the surreal feeling that this nightmare is neverending.

 Organ Blender are a band on the up and they've created a modern day masterpiece with Teemu Khan, if you like 90's Death Metal in the vein of Morbid Angel and Pungent Stench and Industrial Metal in the vein of Godflesh,Strapping Young Lad and Fear Factory mixed with the Techno/Electronic undertones of Aphex Twin you need to check this album out, i noticed alot of people referenced Blade Runner when the saw the album cover but on further prolonged listen you could easily add the cult comedy series Red Dwarf due to the humourous undertones running throughout the album,you can also tell the band had an awful lot of fun in the writing process in this album, on that note " You Will Surrender To The Blender".

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

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

BANDCAMP:https://organblender.bandcamp.com/

SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/artist/1k5YMnMnfE8kkI3r00MNQ3?si=4pZyy8ZURgm-NfRJTaGjPw

YOU TUBE:https://www.youtube.com/user/parigeen

MERCH:https://www.redbubble.com/people/parigeen/shop