Acid Age "Live In Belfast" Album Review

   The beginning of 2023 brought about a few significent events that would change the landscape for the incomparable war jazz merchants Acid Age, around the start of February would see them have their 10th anniversary and was that an experience in itself,what would happen after is the band entered Metal 2 The Masses a few short weeks after and a few months later what still seems surreal they would be announced as the winners which resulted in them performing at Bloodstock, their live shows are something to behold,if you haven't witnessed that madness you reallt are missing out, eventually by the tail end of the year they would record their first ever live album aptly titled Live In Belfast during a live set in The Limelight 2 on 29th December,this release contains select favourites from their phenomenal Semper Pessimus album and some cracking unreleased tracks that will be on next years Perilous Compulsion album.lets delve into this absolutely superlative offering.

 Kicking things off with the Nero-Claudius inspired The Burning Of Rome, this tracks seems to be a template in their live sets and is an absolutely monstrous song full of twist and turns and always goes down a treat, the first taste of what they have in store in the future comes in the guise of the asbsolute rifftastic Revenge For Sale this combines relentless speed with a technicality that is fitting to their wacky sound and time signatures,those familar with the band know full well there's always some sort of hilarity or comedic value,this is a common theme at any of their live shows and as always Jude comes up with some anecdote to get the crowd more invloved and part of the whole experience.

  

    Possibly one of my favourite newer songs is the stonkingly heavy Third Eye Locksmith the groove throughout this is possibly one of the heaviest i've heard in a long time,as can be expected with their trademark wackiness the song goes in all sort of directions leaving a feeling of disorientation with each passing second, yet another new song and like the previous two Every Cliche  will also be another one on the upcoming Perilous Compulsion,this track has the most insanely fast riffing that leads to all sort of mind bending time signatures,within it's base this is a definitive Thrash Metal anthem but you have a bit of Jazz Fusion incorporated into mix,the bassline in this is shockingly heavy and levels the senses like a wrecking ball, there's yet more getting the crowd invloved anecdotes before setting an unstoppable blaze with the rip roaring My Wretched Womb, the absolute madcap wackiness of this songs always puts a smile on my face,the combined elements of jazz fusion,black and death metal all layered on top of a technical thrash nuances is seriously mind blowing and is something that sets this band apart from your traditional Thrash or Death Metal acts.

 Acid Age have really stepped up their game in the last few years with one of the best albums within the Irish scene in the last 5 years,their live shows have become the stuff of legend,people literally don't know how to think or react to the levels of technical ability that they're witnessing,also the fact that they're going to be gracing their presence at Bloodstock Festival for the second year in a row by opening up the whole festival on the Sophie Lancaster Stage is no fluke, the new songs on this live offering are a taste of the lethal dose of  what to expect on their highly anticipated upcoming opus Perilous Compulsion, this release is an awful lot of fun to listen to from one of the most underrated bands out there today, do yourself a favour and go listen to this band.

RATING: 9.5/10

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

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

Enshroud "Mortal" Album Review

  A band shrouded in Mystery and somewhat an enigma within the Irish Metal Scene  following on from their excellent debut album Darkness Grips Us All Enshroud have been working dilligently in the background on their absolutely mind blowing new album Mortal ,the wait for this has been more than worth it, this ticks all the right boxes for a modern classic, also there's a real life story behind this release ,a concept straight from the heart that will grip your attention from beginning to end,lets get into this epic offering.

 We're treated to the relentless Dust To Dust ,the emotion throughout this will give you an idea of what's in store on the rest of the album setting the tone perfectly, the crushing grooves of Frailty are another indiciation of how this band can mix the heaviness with emotionally charged passages ,there's a little interlude half way through that builds the emotional atmosphere to another level,at times it almost feels like all the energy and will drains from the body.

  When you think there's some respite from the emotionally charged elements it only serves to get progressively more so with the absolutely sublime A Fate For No One this really pulls at the heartstrings and leaves nothing left unturned, it's amazing how they can convey these sort of feelings through the music alone and then those soaring vocals just grip like a vice and don't let go, the relentlessness of  Infestation potrays alot of anger combiined with the already emotional atmosphere within this release, War Within hints at some sort of inner struggle to accept the consequences of what's happening ,once again this really delivers some thought provoking feelings and drags you further along this emotional rollercoaster, things begin to get even more emotionally charged on the passionate and soaring Safe In Forever it almost feels like there's an acceptance that you're going to loss something and are resigned to the inevitable end but at the same time there's an anger that refuses to let go.

The inpending horrors become a little more obvious the further into this offering ,this is abundantly clear on Decay,although not as pacey as previous tracks this has a level of darkness that really hits like a tonne of bricks emotionally,like the going through all the pain and suffering you've had to endure from a terminal illness, that inevitable end comes in the form of the beautifully tragic Fallen Time this is were the emotions escalate to the a plateau so high you can't even comprehend the hurt and loss that's about to take hold of you,it's like you're going tthrough some sort of nothingness that leaves you feeling so numb and empty.

  When i first heard that Enshroud were going to be releasing a second album to say i was excited was an understatement but nothing prepared me for the magnitude of feelings and emotions running throughout this release,at times i found it hard to get through the album without feeling some sort of emotion or attachment to the overall theme within this album, it's hard to fathom how magnificently the band conveyed the feelings and emotions throughout the writing process of this album and the whole album itself, this is definitely one of the best releases within the Irish scene this year,an absolute tour de force of  an album.

 RATING: 10/10

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

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

Congenital Abnormalities 'A Resurgence Of The Grotesque' EP Review

  Possibly one of the heaviest crushing Brutal Death Metal forces within the Irish scene is the brilliant Congenital Abnormalities,a concise and thought out process by founding member Jordy Thompson over a number of years has created an absolute beast of a band,the final piece of the Jigsaw was the addition of ex-Jenova Vocalist Brian Harrington,although already really good beforehand this has catapulated them to an even higher standard which can be heard on their absolutely crushing new EP A Resurgence Of The Grotesque, let's dissect the finer details of this sublime offering.

  The extremely sinister and dark approach to opener Pathological Execution has plenty of old school proclivities combined with modern slam to deliver maximum crushing power which have the aura of serial killer vibes, i'm led to believe that the excellent Forced Evolution is a reference to the Fallout game serious,this is were you start to notice the deranged and phenomenal vocal delivery,it's gut wrenching and sinister elements really create a sense of fear and dread, the technical prowess and groove shown on the brilliant Torn Hung Gutted adds another worthwhile element to the overall feel of the EP,even the lead guitar work on this sounds like something from the classic 90's Death Metal sound.

  

 

  Can this release get any better ,you better believe it, we're treated to the brilliant title track A Resurgence Of The Grotesque the vocal delivery becomes more deranged and twisted and it  ceases to amaze me how easy this bands creates such complex and structured passages with relative ease, closing track and what was the launch single in the lead up to this EP Upon The Cold Ground really shows the crushing power this band are capable of delivering,also certain sections throughout this may garner some "stank face" moments,a provides a fitting way to close out this absolutely quality offering.

  This release has everything you could possibly dream for ,quality musicianship,songwriting a penchant for nasty serial killer and gore inpired lyrical content,the production courtesy of JSR Audio is absolutely top notch,the artwork and every other element within this seriously sublime release,this is a definite contender to make my end of year list.

RATING: 9.5/10

 

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

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

Insidious Void 'Hellscape' EP Review

   Following on from their excellent debut EP Entropy the brilliant Blackened Death Metal Force Insidious Void have taken the time to make sure the standard of their music reaches new heights, i was expecting something of true quality when they announced they were working on new material but nothing prepeared me for the onslaught of the crushing heaviness of their phenomenal new EP Hellscape ,be prepeared for some absolutely annihilating earth shaking brutality.

  Wasting no time straight from the off they delve into the relentlessly crushing Legacy combining crushing grooves with an atmosphere usually found in Black Metal ,this sounds akin to the Polish veterans Hate but still has that killer Insidious Void sound,this almost 8 minute track has a epicness that was hinted on their previous release but not explored to this extent, Ashen Earth has that dark atmosphere running throughout and although not overly Technical the rhytmn section crushes with an efficiency and power not far removed from 90's inspired Old school Death Metal. 

  The Doom Laden intro at the start of On Ruinous Winds is executed with unnerving aplomb before launching into a symphonic passage that gives the atmosphere something dreadful is about to happen,also enjoy the way they let the music flow for over 2 minutes before the vocals kick in ,the relentlessness throughout this track is absolutely mind blowing it really shows the standards this band have risen to, the closing track Hellscape hits like a tonne of bricks and that trademark groove adds a nice blend of heaviness with catchy hooks, something noticable is the pomp and confidence within the music where you know they mean business and it's something i enjoy to see bands doing.

 The standard has been well and truly set now,not only have Insidious Void have shown a progression from their previous material they've blown that proverbial glass ceiling to smithereens with this absolutely phenomenal offering,although you can hear influences from luminaries such as Hate and Behemoth they have put their own stamp on this,the amount of hard work and a concise thought out process they've put into this can not be ignored,something not mentioned is the production on this is abolutely monstrous,the musicianship is on another level of quality making this a bonafide contender for EP of the year.

RATING: 9.5/10

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

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

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/

Predator "Predator" Compilation Review

   Back in The Days when we had no internet or social media,the only sources for dicovering new bands/music were through either radio,zines word of mouth or tape trading ,for reasons within Ireland there was a large rejection of all things Heavy Metal(it's still prevelent today) maybe it was due to elitism within media cicles and also religious organisations vehemently rejected what they deemed to be "Satanic" or "Risque" thankfully there were a few who sought to champion Rock and Metal acts way back in the Mid 80,after the split of the legendary Thin Lizzy and untimely and tragic passing of the bands frontman Phil Lynott,there was a generation of new Rockers ready to step up to plate and make their mark on the scene ,one such Band was the absolutely brilliant Predator although the band were active for 6 years they left an undeniable mark that's still remembered to this day.

Formed in 1987 by Peter Dickson(Bass) and Alan Bynre(Drums) the band would record a demo in 10988 which would result in them get signed to Dublin based Label Solid Records were they would release the hughly regarded Self Titled Debut EP which features some classic tracks such as Predator ,  Bloodmoney & the phenomenal instumental Celtic Attack, Solid Records would also include the track  Missing In Action  on their Solid Citizens  Compilation.

  One of the main distinguishable features with Predator is the sublime Twin Guitar Leads,also the subtle little homages to Thin Lizzy within their sound albeit they were that slight bit heavier,as mentioned previously before they were signed they did a couple of quality demo tracks including Scream Dream & the ridiculously killer No Disgrace.

 

Despite some line up changes the band continued to unleash more quality music albeit with a different vocal style ,1989 would see the release of yet another quality demo the music would have a bit more of a Thrash Metal feel maybe due to the departure of one of the original Guitarists,this would add plenty of Riff Heavy tracks while still maintaining that core Heavy Metal value highlight,this would be the case over two demos and would feature some truly memorable tracks including Freedom Lies , Dreamscape and the monumental epicness of Four Seasons.

   

  The Band would revert back to the trsdemark Twin Lead Guitars for further releases ,they would support legendary Thrash Metal titans Anthrax on the Irish Leg of their Sate Of Euphoria tour playing in Omagh,Bangor and Dublin this tour was infamously remembered for a spitting incident causing anthrax to walk off stage, they wouls also earn a support slot with Queensryche on their Operation:lIve Crime tour with shows in SFX,Dublin & Ulster Hall,Belfast.

   

   The re-introduction of the sceond Guitarist would also add a much darker atmosphere to their sound.also once again the band have a different Vocalist with Lar Fraser taking over from O'Brien  which would add a more technical appraoch and an even more agressive style more closer to Thrash Metal then Traditional Heavy Metal,just before the recording of their final demo  ...Cross My Path their Guitarist Niall McGreevy would depart the band,this would spell the end of the band,although their were other reasons leading up to this as to the split.

  

 although this may seem like more of a retrospective than a review it's fantatsic that many contributing factors have helped Predator's legacy endure,massive credit goes to one of the bands founding members Peter Dickson and Cult Metal Classics for putting this phenomenal compilation together and having it in physical format,this is definitely a must have piece of Irish Heavy Metal History and an enduring legacy for a band that deserved to be spread to a much wider audience.

RATING; 9/10

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063486672763

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/