Banished From Eden "Primordial Salvation" EP Review

 

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

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

 

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

RATING: 8/10

  FB:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566475501634

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

 

Astralnaut "Astralnaut" Album Review

    Veterans of the Irish scene Astralnaut took an extended hiatus aorund the later stages of 2014 and alot of folk have been wondering since what had become of the band,well a few line up alterations and dilligently working behind the scenes has resulted in an absolutely stellar release with their self titled debut album Astralnaut,an absolute tour de force of groove heaviness and grit is what we've been treated to,the old saying good things come to those who wait rings true with this offering,let's dissect the finer points of this brilliant album.

   The album kicks off in fine style with the launch single Tipping Point with it's slow paced groove that instantly pulls you in and doesn't let go,the gritty vocal delivery almost has a subtle blues element to it hinting at a southern rock vibe, Adrift flows with soaring vocals and a crushing groove that seamlessly blends with the intrciate rhytmns and the background female vocals which adds a fantastic atmosphere to the track, the dark and foreboding sludginess of Plebicide wraps a cloak of melancholy until launching into some some soaring lead guitar work, the building atmosphere on Humanity shows a real pomp and confidence from a band that knows how to deliver some thought provoking lyrics with tasty goroves of heaviness, the spoken word section creates a somewhat dytopian feel to the song yet another element the band explore with brilliant aplomb.

   

   Things get a bit more thought provoking with the brilliant The Veil there's something mysterious about the way the lyrics are delivered and then you add the excellent riffage which have a really fantastic way of grabbing your undivided attention,the sole vocal sections in this is another element that shows the full repotoire of what this band are capable of, White Feather introduces a really epic structure to the overall product,those gritty vocals really go into overdrive creating some truly crushing passages until about half way through the track the pace begins to speed up creating a wall of crushing heaviness that has an almost Sabbath-esque feel to it, did i mention epicness,yes there's plenty of that afoot on the ultra heavy Husk which weaves those trademark vocals with sludgy grooves, another thing not mentioned is the drumming is exemeplary throughout and has some subtle homages to Bill Ward with it's wholt rhytmic and tribal feel,the leads add to the epic output and create a really awe-inspiring feeling to the track.

  

   

  The darkness becomes even more prevelent on the instrumental The Confederate Pt1 which opens up with some brilliant lead guitar layered on top of  some intricate harmonies, returning to the crushing grooves with The Confederate Pt2 once again this delivers a consistent flow of keeping things interesting while maintaining all those trademarks elements we've come accustomed to hearing,closing track Blood Sacrifice flows with a mid paced groove that will leave you wanting even more,this track really shows every element the band have delivered throughout this release and as previously said this band know how to deliver memorable tunes while keeping your attention focused on all their qualities.

  Although we waited the better part of a decade for this album Astralnaut have delivered a really quality album and it was like they were never away,hopefully we get more of the same in the not too distant future, as previously said good things come to those who wait,this is very much the case with this album.

RATING: 8/10

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

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

 

Kraik "The Neon Piper" Single Review

   

  Hailing from the North West of The Emerald Isle the absolutely Mind Blowing Progressive Groove Metal act Kraik  have been brewing something special for the past few months,late last year they released their debut single Effigy which for all intense purposes was a phenomenal offering,some may know a few of their members were previously in the excellent Pursuit Of Ruin many years ago,so it will come as no surprsie they've got the pedigree and chops to unleash mind blowing epic tunes,as much as i enjyoed their debut single it's nowhere near the level of their sublime new single The Neon Piper,lets explore the finer details of this excellent track.

   Delving straight into a cacophony of mind bending riffmania backed with a crushing rhytmn section that pound like a sledgehammer,when the first vocal passgae enters the fray we treated to some almost Death Metal tinged powerfulness,one thing this bands implements really well is killer grooves full of hooks with severely crushing heaviness, an element that didn't exist on their debut single is some awe-inspiring clean vocal passages which add a really epic feeling to the overall structure of the song,then you throw some absolutely tasty lead guitar work the sequences are at times difficult to comprehend making this a song full of surprise which will leave you specchless.

  As i previously mentioned i was expecting something special with this new offering but to be brutally honest i wasn;t really prepared  for the sublime quality Kraik have to offer, if this is the sort of standard we can expect in the future all i can say is bring it  fucking on and plenty more please,absolutely phenomenal stuff,on a side note before i finish Metal is alive and well in The North West of Ireland ignore at your peril.

RATING: 9.5/10

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

12 Gauge Outrage "About Time(Remastered)" EP Review

 

  Wexford Heavy Metal Veterans 12 Gauge Outrage have been circulatiing for the better part of a decade and gradually improve with each release,one of the founding members Richard Harpur  has always wanted to do a re-recording/remastering of their sublime debut EP About Time, 10 years to the day this has come to fruition and even though the band were happy with the original sound of the release this new improved version of the classic offering sounds so much more polished and punchier.

  Once that first chord hits with Shock Machine you can hear the obvious improvement with the sound ,there's also that element were the band have improved as musicians, this is possibly been said before about them but they blend early and mid era Metallica  extrmely proficiently, the absolutely fantastic anthem 12 Guage is one of their most popular tracks and is a proper riff fest, for some reason this reminds me (not musically) the Pantera classic Cowboys From Hell albeit it best decribes the band and what they're about.

 Too Sudden is another stellar offering full of riffs and melody all complimented with relentless efficiency and a steady flow in pace and quality vocal delivery,this one really packs a punch.closing track Dysfunctional Insanity is another insanely great track full of intricate guitar passages with added element of vocal harmonies which display some really stellar vocal trade-offs. the original mix of this release showed the massive potential of this ridiculously underrated band, 10 years later and we bear witness to some absolutely qaulity musicianship and the production this band deserves.

  12 Gauge Outrage have established the right to be a force to be reckoned with,a decade of quality music,memorable live performances, taking elements from from classic 80's metal,90's Metal tinged with a modern twist full of riffs,melody ,throw in subtle little refernces to Futurama and The Simpsons which adds a nice bit of humour to the mix,this remastered edition of About Time is absolutely fantastic and should not be ignored.

Rating: 9/10

FB: https://www.facebook.com/12GaugeOutrage

IG: https://www.instagram.com/12gaugeoutrage/

Asylum Road "The Fear" EP Review

 

  Derry is a City full of History and Tradition and has seen alot of bands/artists cut their trade throughout the years,although there has been a slight decline with regard to rock or Metal bands,the absolutely brilliant Asylum Road  are here to spearhead a revival of quality bands in the North West region of Ireland and are on the cusp of releasing their brilliant debut EP  The Fear.

 

    

 Straight away the heft is unleashed with the meaty riff infused Malignant, this ones a mid paced ultra heavy offering from start to finish, the vocal delivery is full of aggression and angst ridden vitriol. the best possible way to open up proceedings, Hyperfixated is full of technical riffing and is possibly the fastest track on the EP ,there's a lot more aggression in the vocal delivery .the rhytmn section of bass and drum are executed with razor sharp precision on this track.

  What was the launch single when the band started promoting the EP the absolutely brilliant The Fear touching on the theme of going out drinking for the night and getting nightmarish thoughts and anxiety from drinking too much; it's no secret the bands vocalist Darryn McCartney is a massive Pantera fan and that influence is extremely prevelent on this track(Dimebag would be proud) ,plenty of groove,riffs and heft going on here, Changing of The Tide is another groove laden monster full of extremely passionate vocal passages a nice new element which shows a more emotional element to their overall sound.

  The closing track Requiem is possibly the most emotional and heartfelt track on this phenomenal release.it's almost like a ballad with subtle hints and an ode to Cemetary Gates this track is an accumalation of everything touched upon in this release,emotion,quality musicianship,heaviness and aggression,i wouldn't usually say this about a release but the order of the songs are perfectly sequenced to the point that the band gradually build an atmosphere with each songs making it like a complete storyboard of emotions and real life scenarios.

  The Fear is a release worth your undivided attention and Asylum Road have struck gold with this one even if the band are in their infancy of their career.this needs mutiple listens before it really sinks in ,a proper slow burner of an EP, this may only be the beginning with these but it's a really fantastic offering and is a taste of things to come from a band ready to unleash some more memorable releases.

RATING:9/10

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

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

12 Gauge Outrage "Siren" EP Review

 

   The brilliant Wexford based Heavy/Thrash Metal Stalwarts 12 Gauge Outrage have been cutting their trade for the best part of a decade with each release they've developed and honed their sound into something with an ode to the old school and something refreshing and modern, this is prevelent and noticable on their absolutely fantstic new EP Siren lets get into the finer details of this brilliant release.

   straight away you can hear the absolute razor sharp production,the atmosphere at the start of Control is extremely foreboding and dark the combination of the heavy riffing and twin vocal harmonies add a taut and concise element to the track, To Shreds is straight up 80's Thrash Metal that's an absolute ripping track can picture plenty of moshing and crowd surfing for this in a live enviroment, half way through and we're treated to some 90's Metallica-esque riffing with the brilliant My Ever Sleep the mind paced tempo makes this one a real fist thumper and bonafide headbanger.

   The Hanged Man is a real slow burner full of groove,heaviness and riffs for days,at times it sounds like the band have channelled the inner ghost of Dimebag Darrell and combined it  with ...And Justice For all era guitar tones and epicness, final track I See The Light is another quality headbanger full of groove laden hooks and stellar vocal arrangements giving the EP a somewhat dramatic and epic ending.

   At the end of the day 12 Gauge Outrage display their full arsenal of tricks ,even if you've never heard them before straight away you'll know they've being crafting and honing their sound for many years, on another note this band have the experience and longevity to keep getting better with each release,Siren has everything any true metalhead should enjoy,memorable tracks full of groove heaviness,ripping speed and all the nuances to make a great release and long may it continue.

RATING: 8.5/10

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Y7cz9J7AcIvHhw3zpzdXm?si=BTkaCXyzSuu0TBfMFBRmHA

BANDCAMP: https://12gaugeoutrage.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@12GaugeOutrage

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/12GaugeOutrage

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/12gaugeoutrage/

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/

Theories Divide S/T EP Review

 

After a Long Six years between releases Theories Divide  have finally released their absolutely Brilliant Self Titled EP, the band originally recorded this in 2018 but it's only seeing the light of day in 2022 that's not going to make a difference how good this releases is,there's a great balance of aggression,feeling and atmosphere to explore on this release.

 Straight from the get go Ashes Fall hits like a tonne of bricks with plenty of Groove and Heaviness while combining Melodic passages and an extremely aggresive vocal delivery,about half way through the track there's a really foreboding riff that is full of atrmosphere and feeling which gradually builds up and unleashes an absolutely soaring lead, Fear No More opens up with a fast melodic riff and keeps switching between crushing riffs and fast paced aggressive sections complimented by even more killer lead guitar work,the mood starts to get a little more dark with the fantastic Poisonous Corruption the extremely prominent bassline throughout this track really adds to the heavy yet melodic riffs while the vocals adopt a more emotional delivery giving the whole sound much more added punch all this is rounded off with an awe inspiring lead near the end of the song.

 Half way throught the EP and we're treated to the absolutely epic track the aptly titled Rip Your Fucking Heart Out the pace is slightly slower then previous tracks but is made up for by the combination of Anger and Melodic Harmonies with absolutely fantastic drumming which is at times tribal/hypnotic while still mintaining a level of aggression, time for probably the Darkest and most emotional track on the release and my personal favourite on this release Engraved there's an almost Doom like atmosphere and structure to this track,full of anger,heaviness,Harmony and Melody,this is really hammered home at a section around the 4 minute mark that wouldn't sound out of place on some 90's Death/Doom album, overall a truly amazing offering, onto the last track on the EP the excellent   Ghosts Of Mine which kicks off with a truly excellent intro then gradually burst into an absolutely montrous song full of energy,emotion and anger.

 This is such a well crafted release with elements of different genres running throughout the EP giving it something for everyone to enjoy,the levels of atmosphere,emotions and killer musicianship makes this an offering that needs to be heard to be believed,hopefully this will gain Theories Divide even more fans then before.

STREAM,DOWNLOAD OR PURCHASE THE BANDS MUSIC(LINKS BELOW)

https://theoriesdivide.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/27dDlXgjXNa9ae30dznui8?si=mdEmz3ycQveFhdcrJOsebA

CHECK OUT THE BANDS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS(LINKS BELOW)

https://www.instagram.com/theoriesdivide/?hl=en

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CHECK OUT THE BANDS YOU TUBE CHANNEL(LINK BELOW)

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