XIII Doors "Into The Unknown" Album Review

   The quality within the underground Irish Rock & Scene just continually gets better and better with each year,one band that have the potential to be huge internationally is the absolutely sublime XIII Doors who delve into elements of Alt Metal,Progressive Metal ,Groove Metal with ruthless efficiency, when they released their debut single over a year ago it was no surprise when the feedback they got from that was phenomenal, fast forward to 2025 and their sublime debut album Into The Unknown has being unleashed upon the world.

  

  Launching straight into the absolute riff fest that is Unleash The Beast,this is full on groove laden passages with soaring vocals and a rhytmn section that flows with a killer mid paced tempo, the lead guitar work here is absolutely sublime, we're treated to some really heavy progressive elements on the absolutely awe-inspiring Sorceress Of Lies, this is possibly my favourite track on the album, those double bass drums give this that aforementioned progressive element while still maintaining those tasty grooves, the beautiful Middle-Eastern intro at the start of Make a Life Again sets a really dark atmosphere and has very socially conscious lyrical output,touching on topics of war,life struggles all layered over thaty trademark groove.

  

  

  When this band first became known was with their brilliant debut single Lead The Way, the vast majority who heard it knew full well that we were going to be in for something special with these,suffice to say this track is only a small layer of what this band are truly capable of,this is a relentless non-stop riff fest backed by a brilliant vocal delivery,also lyrically this is really inspiring and shows plenty of passion, the pummelling drums on Face The Truth really hit hard and pushes every other element from the vocals,guitars to the limits making for yet another anthemic number, leading us onto the excellent title track Into The Unknown,there's a real old school Hard Rock vibe to this while also maintaining that trademark groove and anthemic feel,you can literally feel the positivity as you go through each track with this one possibly hitting another level.

 

  Time to bring in the sublime awe-inspiring rock ballad that is the brilliant See How You've Come So Far this is yet another one that has that 90's Rock anthem vibe with the beautiful acoustic guitars layered with those soaring vocals and catchy hooks that will get inbedded in your mind, closing out this magnificent opus is the rip roaring Inside this flows along with a killer tempo and groove, the leads throughout this track are sublime and add plenty of depth to the overall product and the best way to close out this excellent offering.

 Many positive things can be said about this album, you can be sure that this will be on many end of year lists come the tail end of 2025, this has everything from amazing production,stellar musicianship, plenty of bonafide anthems ,soaring and passionate vocals that are filled with awe-inspiring lyrics and  passages throughout this truly is worth it's weight in gold and will defintely remembered in years to come as a bonafide masterpiece.

RATING: 9.5/10

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

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

 

Shadows Calling "These Scars" EP Review

   Combining all the classic nuances of  Classic Hard Rock with 90's Alt Metal,the brilliant Shadows Calling know how to deliver quality and memorable songs,Fronted by the soaring and passionate vocals of Jen Vaughan,early last year the band released their sought after and hugely popular debut EP Spirit Shifter garnering attention from the publications and radio stations in US,Australia and within the local scene, so not resting on their laurels the band recently delivered their newest offering These Scars, this is an awful lot more darker and heavier then their previous release.

  Opening up proceedings with the absolute barn burning Dead Long Enough you can feel the absolute bombastic vocal delivery tinged with a confidence and a touch of class which seems to be a rare thing these days combine this with the classic rock riffing and you have  a really solid rock anthem on your hands, delving in a much darker territory with the Riff Heavy These Scars while the vocal delivery is extrmemly smooth almost soulful at times there's another darker more personal element with the lyrics touching on the theme of life struggles and been through the struggles of depression and been hurt but with that comes redemption and the strenght to bounce back.

  The Groove laden The Lost delivers an epic structure in it's almost like a classic rock ballad full of passionate and heartfelt vocal delivery ,the music really pushes the boundaries to another level of quality  inplementing plenty of stellar lead guitar work,,touching on lyrical themes of loneliness and the fear of being ignored, closing track Ships combines all the elements of previous tracks soaring passionate vocals,the swicthiung between melodic guitar passages and the vocal delivery crete a more than memrable anthem,we get a taste of the full capabilites of the range their vocalist can hit,especially near the end of this quality track.

  Shadows Calling have really upped the standard from their debut EP and have ventured into a much Darker and Heavier direction, this really ticks all the right boxes for All Killer No Filler hard rock packed full of Attitude and passion,although a lot of praise can be centred around their Vocalist the musicianship from all invloved is of the highest quality and  pulls out all the stops to push the vocals to an exemplary standard,if you like Hard Rock combined with subtle Nuances to early 90's Alt Metal then loom no further then this  superb band.

  RATING: 8/10

FB: https://www.facebook.com/shadowscalling13

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

Immaculate Deception "The Beat Of The Craw" Album Review

  

  Crossover Punk/Metal veterans Immaculate Deception are possibly one of the oldest bands within the Irish Punk(& Metal) scene,founded by the legend that is Declan Caffrey way back in 1982/83 under the moniker of Dreamcreeper,he set upon creating some of the filthiest and heaviest form of Punk known in existence,influenced by bands such as Discharge, Motorhead and Slayer with social and political themes part of the subject matter lyrically all delivered with a F**k You attitude, for years "Caff" has written some fantastic tracks but for various reasons never saw the light of day until midway through 2023 with the release of the bands absolutely facemelting debut album The Beat Of The Craw.

  Launching straight into the  rip roaring title track Beat Of The Craw plenty of rawness, an overload of speed and subtle rock n roll hints ala Motorhead,there's also a rebellious element to the track, War On The Streets opens with a beautifully crafted lead that has a lot of feeling and emotion in it before you're hit upside the head with a relentless barage of razor sharp riffing, you can hear the Slayer influence throughout this song with alot of the riffing while the drumming sounds similar to the likes of Discharge, those wailing Guitars on the intro to A Lesson In War are ridiculously vicious and set the tone for an absolute cacophony of filthy heavinesss,the rawness of the vocals add a really gritty and angry element to proceedings like some anti-hero preaching for the disadvantaged and downtrodden and a middle finger to authority,as soon as those sirens hit on Spoils Of War you known there's going to be loads of elements of unrest and civil disobedience, the drumming goes into relentless D-Beat territory and the constant switching between mid paced heavy riffs and the trademark relentless speed is nothing more then perfection, Driven To Hell  while extremely raw has a lot of Melody and Harmonics with the riffing and vocals while still maintaining that aggressiveness and anger throughout.

   the subtle element of groove at the start of No Masters,No Slaves adds another perspective to the overall delivery of the album,as you can guess lyrically the rack is about those in authority are condemned for thinking they're above or better then everyone else and society will teack them a lesson in humility, therefore the rules will be broken, the drum intro on Exiled to Armageddon raises the bar to another level with regard to the absolute relentlessness  throughout this releases,at times it almost feels energy draining to take in the sheer speed of this release and i mean that in the best possible way, once again there's subtle homages to Slayer with the  haunting intro to Profession Of Promiscuity once the trademark speed kicks in you'll be thinking you're listening to similar style riffs and guitar tone to Reign In Blood then things get even more explosive with yet more relentless barage of filthy riffing ,this is possibly one of the nastiest guitar tones i've heard in a long time especially when the lead kicks in, Chemical Warfare is the shortest track on the album and has plenty of Punk elements throughout while still having that filthy guitar tone,this has all the elements for getting a moshpit going, closing track 213(The Gateway To Hell) goes into serial killer territory as some may know this is referncing Jeffrey Dahmer,the song has a really haunting atmosphere with it's slowish riffing and gritty vocals, which gives the overall proceedings something different then previous tracks, amore then suffucient way to close out a phenomenal album.

  Not only was the long wait to hear all these tracks worth it,this body of work is a commendation of years of graft,struggle and to get something truly worthwhile out to the masses, if you're into the likes of Discharge,Slayer or Motorhead this album is a must listen,every track is full of quality and upon numerous listen to this offering you'll find it hard to forget these tracks,they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but the old dog will teach you a trick or two on how to write truly quality Crossover D-Beat/Thrash Metal songs .Immaculate Deception have unleashed an absolutle unforgettable masterpiece with The Beat Of The Craw.

RATING: 9.5/10

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/caff666

Hero In Error "Hero In Error" EP Review

   Dublin Hardcore/Metal Stalwarts Hero In Error have been tearing it up since 2007 with consistently quality releases and a plethora of live shows supporting luminaries such as Mastodon,Parkway Drive and more,despite a few line up changes and two hiatus's from 2013 to 2016 & 2020 to 2024,the addition of Kaan Tasan(Heart Of A Coward) on vocals gave the band a renewed vigor and another level of quality ,all of this culminates with the release of their absolutely monumental new Self Titled EP, let's dissect the finer details within this release.

    Instantly you know you're about to delve into something special when that first chord hits on Enemy Within the vocal delivery is both gut wrenching and full of angst combined with some thought provoking lyrics of self doubt and the struggle to communicate your true feelings, Moths To a Flame delivers some  really fantastic groove laden hooks with relentless drums ,the switching between clean and abrasive vocals adds a really melancholic atmosphere to the overall theme of personal struggle.

  Closing track Left In Your Absence goes into even more emotionally tinged  territory with the delivery of both extremely aggressive and emotiinally charged vocals,it feels like there's a gradual build within each song to the point where the emotions become too difficult to cope with and they eventually explode into an uncontrollable anger.

  Hero In Error may have been absent from the scene for a prolonged period of time but upon listen to this phenomenal EP it feels like they've never been gone ,they've even come back with a renewed purpose and intent all designed to deliver absolutely crushing and thought provoking passages,

RATING: 9.5/10

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

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

Bands To Watch for 2024(Part 2: The 90's Grunge/Alt Metal/Rock Revival)

  

Not only is there a plethora of quality acts geared towards the more extreme intracies of Metal within the underground Irish Scene,it's become apparent to me that there is also absolutely fantastic acts delving into 90's inspired Hard Rock,Alternative Metal,Grunge and Psychedelic Rock/Grunge,most of our burgeoning bands are aware of quality established acts like Vendetta Love, Ritual Effect and Skypilot, some of the bands i'm going to be mentioning in this piece do have members who have previous long term experience in bands so they'll be no strangers to working in a recording capacity as well as playing live shows

SOLOTHURN

 

  During the later half of 2023 i became aware of this band when i was doing my usual searching for bands to play on my weekly segment on Metal Messiah Radio and noticed a couple of demo tracks (works in progress) on their bandcamp,at first  i wasn't aware of the fact that these were not officially released,anyway a couple of weeks later they would release a killer music video for the track Sentience Fades around this time i was sent an advance on their three track EP Servitude and was absolutely blown away by the difference from the demos to the finished mix and mastering release, usually when a release comes out in the later stages of the year it tends to get lost in the mix and people are unaware of it, when i was compiling my end of years list this was really unlucky to miss out on my top 10 EP's of The Year within the Irish Scene; Their first ever live performance would take place in Limerick in Pharmacia with War Of Attrition,Cell Games and Goblin and Shark Tooth which was organised by the brilliant A.L.M Promotions(there may be a future piece about them),Two weeks into the new year they would release another Video/Visualizer for the track Servitude,this came out just before their first gig on their home turf Belfast at Metal 2 The Masses NI Heat 1 along with Astralnaut,Devilsome and Delusional Silence, along with Astralnaut theythankfully made it through the heat and onto to the Semi Final a brilliant achievement considring it was only their second live show, the future looks promising for these and i'm sure they've been working on some more quality new material.

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

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

TRIGGERTONE

 Fusing Rock and Grunge with  Psychedelic elements Northern Irish Trio TriggerTone create a pretty unique sound, tinged with a rawness not far removed from early 90's Grunge in the vein of Stone Temple Pilots,Alice In Chains and Mother Love Bone ,during the earlier part of 2023 the band were working on material and were releasing singles on a staggered basis which would culminate with the release of their excellent debut EP Infrared:Ultraviolet, the band have been gigging pretty regularly ever since the release of their EP, they have taken a short break from gigging to enter Manor Park Studio  to record EP  #2 ,i've been lucky eneough to hear some of this material and for all intense purpoises they're sounding even better then the material on their debut release,they even been kind enough to drop a new single  Machine which is exceptionally good,who knows they may drop this EP before the take part in Metal 2 The Masses NI alongside Teras,The Boat Sank and Saffron Gorman on March 22nd in Voodoo, the future is bright for this Trio and hopefully they get more traction this year.

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087345019623

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

SHADOWS CALLING

  Cork Natives Shadows Calling are a fantatstic Hard Rock act full of rawness and fueled with an unquenchable passion and energy,taking all the good parts from 80's Hard Rock and 90's Alt Metal this creates a lethal combo grabbing the listeners attention, the band was formed by Darren O'Keefe and fronted by his sister jen Vaughan ,they released their fantastic debut EP Spirit Shifter almost a year ago and it has recieved huge praise from alot of media and radio stations throughout the world,it's a testatment to how good and far reaching it is,at time Jen's vocal style reminds me of Skin from the English Alt Metal/Rock act Skunk Anasie,then you add to that the raw stripped down 80's style riffing you're treated to something relatable and nostalgic at the same time,this band are a real force to be reckoned with,i believe EP #2 is been worked on at the moment ,really look forwrd to hearing that ,also should mention tomorrow they're playing at In The Pit Festival  with other quality local acts.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/shadowscalling13

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

BARMP

Raw,Bombastic and adrenalin fueled armed with riffs and ready to unleash a barage of quality Wexford Trio Barmp are extremely good,this is not me blowing smoke or just spewing out meaningless superlatives they really are that good,members have a wealth of experience playing in other bands throughout the years(i'm not familair with any of them unfortunately) anyway the band dropped their absolutely phenomenal Self Titled debut EP at the start of June last year ,if you haven't heard it you really are missing out,it's like they took elements 90's Grunge in the vein of  Nirvana and Alice In Chains and combined it with elements of Queens Of The Stone Age and Helmet with seamless efficiency, a band with undoubted takent and definitely worth checking out.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091524931834

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

MOTIONSICKNESS

the fantastic Female Fronted Alt Rock/Punk Outfit MotionSickness are based within the midlands town of Portlaoise and are part of a strong collective of bands from that area whi are creating a somewhat stellar alternative scene outside of the capital,In Bonnie Lalor they have a truly emotive and brilliant vocalist also backed the bands Guitarist Kara Moore they wirte quality lyrical/musical content touching on themes of social struggle and personal issues and do so with passion and stripped down raw aggression,although they've recently had a few line up changes this hasn't detterred them one bit and they continue to write stellar music,in a live enviroment is where they really shine you get to witness the full force of how good they are ,they have a brand new single coming out the 29th February entitled Agora, they also due to take part in Metal 2 The Masses Ireland Showcase 8 on 9th March.

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

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

ARES REDEMPTION

Another band from the Midlands is the Alt Rock/Grunge outfit Ares Redemption,founding memeber and main songwirter  Jack Eakin worte alot of the  bands material over a period of years and would eventually assemble a full band,unlike all the other bands within the alt rock/grunge scene Ares Redemption have a more atmospheric and emotional feel to their sound,this is very prevelent in their live shows  and grabs your attention from start to finish,it's more of an experience then an actual show,they just released a quality new single Black Spider just last week and i hear there's an EP in the works. you can also catch them at Metal 2 The Masses Ireland Showcase 7 on March 2nd.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/aresredemption555

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

Aesect "Simulacra" Single Review

 

Progressive Tech Metal Stalwarts Aesect are a real force of nature and have been honing and crafting their sound for over a decade,the band have put out consistently good releases throughout the years,despite numerous different vocalists and other difficulties for the band this hasn't detered the quality of what they deliver,over the past three years their bassist Willow has now transitioned to vocals on their past two singles Revolutionary Suicide and now on their mind blowing new single Simulacra, lets get into the finer details and see what sort of quality they've delivered this time.

 Aesect have always delivered quality tunes full of heaviness,aggression and full of  thought provoking lyrics so when i first listened to Simulacra i was speechless when i heard a new added element of clean vocals,this adds a whole new dimension to their sound and gives them a somewhat Progressive edge, lyrically the band touch on the theme of mental illness and the struggle to maintain some sort of sanity,this is conveyed beautifully on the music video for the track: dare i say this but when they transition between the really heavy parts and the clean vocals it adds a really awe inspirng and passionate element to the track, it sounds like there's an inner struggle between two different personalities and a lack of self control and awareness,an insatiable rage locked in a cage.

  This is definitely one of the best singles/releases i've listened to so far this year and  is a taste of things to come from one of the best bands on this wee island,this is going to be a really interesting year for Aesect and i have a feeling we're going to be treated to more memorable and thought provoking material from them.

RATING: 9.5/10

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AeSect

IG: https://www.instagram.com/aesect/

Organ Blender "Hey Kid, Wanna Buy A Split?" EP Review

 

     As promised here's the second and equally deranged half of the split EP Hey Kid,Wanna Buy A Split? from the sublime purveyors of Apocalyptic Industrial Metal Overlords Organ Blender "You Will Surrender To The Blender".

    It's being just a little over a year since they released the absolute masterpiece that is Teemu Khan, also the unfortunate circumstance of losing their drummer has more or less put live performances on hold for the forseeable future,fret not we are going to be treated to some deliciously apocalyptic tunes in a few days with some killer new music, opening track Geronimo! has some of that trademark unnervingly dark atmosphere with subtle hints of dark humour running throughout also as can be expected we're treated to some heavy as fuck riffage and deranged vocal delivery, riffs combined with disturbing industrial passages are prevelent throughout Drugz this gives another dimension to proceedings and creates a somewhat hypnotic repitition, this maybe unbeknownst to most but the band are avid fans of Aphex Twin which leads us to the closing track Satellite whic combines techno beats and extremely dark synths and keys.

    Although quiet short in length they achieve a really dark atmosphere with pinpoint precision,those familiar with Organ Blender will enjoy these three tracks; Basically this is a continuation of what was offered up on Teemu Khan ,they've more then contributed to this brilliant split and it compliments what Aborted Earth have offered up creating a Union straight from the Apocalyptic Wasteland.

RATING: 8.5/10

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1k5YMnMnfE8kkI3r00MNQ3?si=9UqYZfWTSSGkSOwqUJLPJw

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

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@OrganBlender

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

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

Aborted Earth "Hey Kid,Wanna Buy A Split" EP Review

 

    I always like when someone contatcs me to do reviews was absolutely over the moon when Aborted Earth vocalist Jamie asked me would i be interested in doing so for their absolutely devastating new Split EP Hey Kid,Wanna Buy a Split? they're about to release with the equally apocalyptic sounding Organ Blender suffice to say i'll be doing a seperate review for their part of this release.

   I've being paying close attention to this band for a few years now and they've evolved their sound by adding extra facets with each release and now on this it seems they have come fulll circle with devastating consequences, straight off we're treated to some relentlessly uncomfortable passages with Conspiracy to Kill the repitition throughout this track really creates a sense of a dark and prevelent impending doom with no means of escape whatsoever, Coolock Bodybag is executed with an extremely visceral vocal delivery combined with relentless pace for the opening 2 minutes of the track at which point they launch into some Sludgy and Apocalyptic sequences similar to early Godflesh,something that should be mentioned this also has some element of social strife,societal problem(referenced in the soing title,if you know you know otherwise i'm not explaining), Closing track Vicious Circle combines every element the band have been adding to their repetoire throughout the years and their arsenal has all the recipes to create an absolutely obliterating apocalyptic soundtrack.

   As mentioned earlier the advancemenst this band has made in the last few years is mind blowing,from a straight-up crazy Grindcore band with some tongue in cheek dark humour(it's still there) to adding Industrial Metal elements akin to Godflesh or Scorn which in turn adds a really scarey apocalyptic atmosphere to their sound,with Hey Kid,Wanna Buy A Split long term fans of the band are going to absolutely love what's on offer here.

RATING:10/10

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0VHpCKARiFRVT7oyfW5PuR?si=yXrbNRDyQDeqmUCJXlK1Aw

BANDCAMP: https://abortedearth.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@abortedearth7074

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

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

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/

Shadows Calling "Spirit Shifter" EP Review

 

  

   Great no frills no bullshit Hard Rock bands have been a rare commodity these days be it down to chnages in society,the over abundance of the "quick fix" has become too common place with todays generation were many faucets in todays society being just repitive,bland and mundane, the brilliant Shadows Calling are here to reminds us all what great Rock tunes are all about with their debut EP Spirit Shifter.

    Straight from the get go the band launch into the adrenalin fueled nuances of the rip roaring Eraser .there's some great mid tempo riffing combined with the soaring & passionate vocal delivery, Spirit Shifter has a nice constant groove and plenty of killer riffs and once again the vocals are constantly on point and compliment the all arrangements perfectly.

  Midnight's Eye unleshes memorable hooks and a mix of smooth groove laden riffs and a varying array of vocal styles,the guitar leads are soaring with an absolutely gorgeous tone, closing track Our Own Escape has something different to offer from the previous tracks in that it goes to an almost ballad like structure,the rocking riffs and soaring passionate vocals are still there added with a somewhat epic structure,this offers the full capability of what the band are looking to capture.

   Spirit Shifter is a really solid debut offering from the brilliant Shadows Calling,the musicianship is stellar and full of memorable riffs and hooks,the production is absolutely quality and captures an essence of the band that you won't forget too quickly, would highly advise to keep a close eye on these as i can see room fro improvement and a really bright future.

RATING: 8.5/10

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1T4NZVz7bX6IzMH2VBnqKC?si=OKjLkaOMQgmRwYrLMtAxCA

BANDCAMP: https://shadowscalling1.bandcamp.com/album/spirit-shifter-4-track-ep

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@shadowscalling

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/shadowscalling13

INSTTING:AGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/shadowscalling/

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/

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/

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

 

Ren Marabou & The Beserkers "Tales Of Rune" Album Review

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 The wait has finally come to an end and now the world get's to hear the highly anticipated excellent new Ren Marabou & The Beserkers album Tales Of Rune, safe to say this is a band that produces an absolutely brilliant portrayal of Norse Mythology,Viking Lore and Paganism all the while having a lot of fun doing it which comes across extremely clear while listening to their music.

 The album opens up with the track Fenrir "The One who Dwells in The Marshes"."The Chain Breaker" a track full of passion,heavy riffing with a blend of aggressive and clean vocals a great way to set the tone for what's to come. Dodssang(Death Song) get's the adrenaline flowing with it's fast pace remeiniscent of Motorhead,midway through the pace is slowed a slight bit with added groove. We're treated to a beautifully crafted song with feeling in the form of the brilliant Kinsmen Die the track is full of melancholy and a sense of lost Viking Brethren,the lead guitar in this song is a thing of beauty adding to the overall atmosphere running throughout the song. Three of Norns starts off with a slow pace before gradually building up to Hefty Riffage and plenty of Groove then into some fantastic Lead Guitar work,this is one of my favourite trcks on the album and continues to push the atmospheric boundaries of the album to another level. Getting to the half way point on the album we're drawn into the enchanted realms of the forest with the track Huldra a song about the seductive forest creature which has plenty of killer mid paced riffs and an alluring atmosphere which captivates and traps you in it's grasp.

Onto the seventh track on the album and the absolutely sublime Sigurd The Dragon Slayer this track is all about the riffs and there's plenty of quality riffs to grab the listeners attention,the atmosphere on this song makes you feel like you're going into a monumental battle only to be betrayed and murdered after the arduous and dangerous tasks. Brand Of Sacrifice is a ripping track full passion and aggression,the presence of traditional instrumentation gives the song a really full of life atmosphere and draws the listener further into the stories within the album.

Let's Drink Mead has a very Anthemic feeling to it and sounds like Ren Marabou and The Beserkers had an awful lot of fun in the writing process of this song, the concept behing this song is about Vikings killing each other in Valhalla and then going to The Great hall and drinking Mead together, overall a fantastic song. The mood get's a little bit melancholic with Odin's Sons and Daughters the track opens up with a riff not too dissimiliar to Gary Moore or Thin Lizzy ,this is another song that builds up the pace and mood switching between a melancholic atmosphere with exceptional lead guitar work to Aggressive and Passionate Vocal delivery. Bragi(God Of Music) at intervals has a somewhat hypnotic atmosphere with the layered vocals and the presence of a Mandolin giving a nice jovial feeling. The final track on the album Finngaill(Fair Foreigners) is a fitting way to end this brilliant release with it's homage at the intro(of the song) to the traditional Irish song Oro, Se Do Bheata 'Baile, a fun song about travelling with the Viking Hordes and drinking mead.

This is the bands 4th album and is by far their best to date,they continue to push the boundaries of their brand of Viking Metal/Norse Pagan Rock with brilliant musicianship, atmosphere, passion and a will to improve with each release, Ren Marabou & The Beserkers are a band on the rise and long may it continue, Tales Of Rune is an album full of Passion,Fun,Atmosphere and all the nuances to broaden their fanbase.

STREAM, LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD THE BANDS MUSIC FROM THE LINKS BELOW

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SO7ijOmWLl1eIOXgGMOGB?si=Jn_1X-v8TqiB2u9riUfgvQ

https://renmarabou.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0RzRnLskzx0barj6BsL87w

CHECK OUT THE BANDS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AT THE LINKS BELOW

https://www.facebook.com/renmarabou

https://www.instagram.com/renmarabou/