Horrenda "Think On Your Sins" EP Review

  From starting out as a solo project,one of the most intense live bands within the irish Metal Horrenda have become an absolute force of nature over their 10+ years of existence,over the years founding member Darragh "Outis" O'Connor has recruited members to develop a sound so devastating and evil     combining elements of DSBM & Second Wave of Black Metal all layered with themes of Irish History, Horror and other topics ,the last five years have seen the band really up the quality of their material which has culminated in the release of their phenomenal new EP Think On Your Sins.

  

  The opening intro Canto 1:Descent  creates an anticipation and build for the madness and melancholy that's about to be unleashed while combining nice intricate and short guitar parts,it has a really haunting atmosphere that gets inside your head, we treated to some nasty riffage on the brilliant Come And See this track touches on the theme of one of the most tragic parts of our history The Great Famine of 1847 along with the filthy riffs there's also an element of melancholy and treachery(the music video will give you better idea of this), the haunting dark atmosphere of Nun's Tears really stands out as one of my favourite Horrenda tracks not only from this EP but ever,the vocal delivery throughout this is so intense and it almost feels like there's an element of sympathy to how they're executed.

 

 Possibly the most relentless track on this release is the excellent Handprints along with having peak Second Wave BM homages throughout this there's a theme of ancestry and leaving an undeniable mark on our legacy and that of our ancestors creating some sort of dual effect of whether it's a good or bad thing, closing track and title track Think On Your Sins introduces some new elements i've never heard this band utilise which is always a good thing to see happen,it's like they've delved into Atmospheric Black Metal and Post Black Metal territories while still maintaining all the trademarks we enjoy about Horrenda,this is definitely  a huge step up from previous material and long may it continue.

 This band continue to evolve their sound and have become a truly phenomenal force of nature, with Think on Your Sins they've really smashed through the proverbial glass ceiling and then some,without doubt this is very likely to be making my EP of the year list, all the hard work they've put in throughout the years is starting to reap the reward and long may it continue.

RATING: 9/10

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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/

 

Partholon "The Ocean Pours In" Album Review

    Almost 8 years since the brilliant Cork outfit Partholon released their excellent debut album Follow Me Through Body and although this may slow momentum with the large majority of bands,this is not the case with Partholon and their highly anticipated second album The Ocean Pours In ,the old saying comes to mind good things come to those who wait,confirming what alot of people were expecting we have a bonafide masterpiece to delve into and explore to the deepest depth that our consciousness can fathom.

  All the tension begins to release when those first notes kick in on Skin Of The Beast the beautifully crafted harmonies during the intro create a dark atmopshere that wraps onto your consciousness and won't let go,the presence of two alternating vocals gives off a mirroring/echo element that creates some sort of dual entities that have the same thoughts. the tensely built aura of Gathered In Circles is both haunting and full of tautly executed dark melodies,there's the added element within the track that makes you feel like there's a location or place of some massive significance been referenced throughout.

  This album gradually builds with each track which leads us into the phenomenal Pillars which introduces us to a crushing rhytmn section layered with intermittent lead sections,there's a part with soaring and passionate vocals that are layered above the music giving a whole new atmosphere to the overall product, the atmopshere created at the start of Light Chambers has a really dreamy element which eventually builds with plenty of twists and turns until about half way through a crushing rhytmn section with layered Lead Guitar sections which pummel with a relentlessness that is awe inspiring and will leave you speechless.

  

   The atmosphere is taken to a level and height beyond the stratosphere with the mind blowing closing track We Swallow The Ocean the simplisticness of less is more is very prevelent at the intro with the slight presence of music with dual vocals layered on top of everything before venturing into very slow heavy sludgy progressions that keep building while seamlessly blending in leads that build to an epic crescendo until it closes out with some distressed sounding voice hidden behind a melancholic piano section which slowly closes out the opus beautifully.

  Overall this is a monstrous progession from their debut and leaves an extremely lasting impression, the more listens to this the more new elements you will notice ,the tension and atmosphere within this are at times suffocatingly heavy and the rhytmn sections crushes with a relentlessness that's full of beautifully crafted harmonies and melody, everyhting about this oozes quality of the highest standard making this an absolutely sublime offering which is definitely one of the best releases you're likely to hear this year not just in the Irish Scene but also far reaching.

RATING: 9/10

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

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Coroza "As Within" Album Review

  For the better part of 5 years the absolutely brilliant Cork Progressive Sludge/Post Metal Merchants Coroza have been dilligently crafting the highly anticipated folow up to their excellent debut Chaliceburner and recently they dropped the absolutely earth shaking masterpiece As Within,this is nothing short of monumental so lets get into the finer details of this sublime offering.

  Straight away the crushing wall of sound on Myrrh hits like a sledgehammer ,the twist and turns throughout this track are at times mind numbing,while been treated to some doom laden groovy riffs the bass and drums lay down a rhytnm foundation that crushes like a wrecking ball then you layer the soaring and abrasive vocals on top of that ,there's also plenty of atmosphere to create this wall of sound, from the beginning of Immersed there's a relentless black metal type riff  with those trademark abrasive vocals which last almost a minute before going into some calm and atmospheric interlude that creates a melancholic aura ,yet another added twist is some clean vocals that are like some dream sequence before launching into an absolute riff fest of crushing heaviness.

 

 

   The brilliant instrumental The Shifting Sands is like some dreamy sequences that brings you through some sort of psychedelic trip,while combining really fuzzed out stoner grooves there's a seamless blend with brilliantly executed progessive riffing,the drumming on this is almost hypnotic which adds yet another element to the overall sound.

  

  The twist keep on coming when they launch into the phenomenal Scorched Earth the twin vocals add more depth and atmosphere and once again the drumming drives and pushes the boundaries to even more unpredictable twists and turns, closing track As Within shows some mind blowing progressive elements while still maintaining the overall atmosphere created on the previous tracks, that trademark wall of sound that they execute so easily reaches an even higher level then before and creates an absolutely monumental crescendo to end this flawless offering.

  Not often would i usually say an album is absolute perfection but on the very rare occasion it becomes very hard not to say so,Coroza have created an absolute masterpiece with As Within,5 songs of the utmost perfection,and while there is alot of twists and turns and plenty of depth and atmosphere to the album there is a structured unpredictablity that keeps you guessing what direction you're going to be taken on next,this is for all intense purposes a monumetal materpiece of epic proportions with absolutely no flaws.

RATING:10/10

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

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

Atlantic "Black Sands" EP Review

 located on the West Coast of Ireland  the brilliant Post Metal/Atmospheric Black Metal solo project Atlantic takes inpiration form the cruel and treacherous conditions of the atlantic ocean to deliver an absolutely stellar brand of Atmospheric Black Metal, following on from the debut demo Torrents with the sublime new EP Black Sands .

 Instantly the atmosphere on Waves set a tone both epic and full of feeling,the combination of  peak post metal brilliance with a somewhat treacherous aura prevelent within the vocal delivery,there's alot of soundscapes that evoke a feeling of  solitude and time away from civilaisation, the gradual build throughout To Exist(Exit) creates a soundscape both epic and melancholic ,the rawness and melody of the guitars, the vocals have an abrasivenss which gives the overall feeling a touch of aggressiveness while still maintaining that beautiful atmosphere

  

  

   The atmosphere begins to get a little more dark and dreary with the extremely melancholic The Grey this really captures the whole essences within this release,you can hear subtle elements of doominess combinedwith  a dreariness while still staying true to the atmosphere already prevelent,this time we're treated to some clean vocals that feel like you're being brought through some sort of journey into unknown plains, there's epicness abound on the closing track Outro-Rememberance the build on this is a truly is truly magnificient that takes you on many twist and turns while journewying through soundscapes that have both a calm and treacherous atmosphere,this is possibly the best way to close this EP out.

  Overall Black Sands is a massive progression from the Torrents demo,and sets about creating soundscapes full of atmosphere,bleakness,epicness,nostalgia and treachery while drawing inspiration from the atlantic ocean,this really ticks all the right boxes in what it set out to achieve and portray to the listener,it may take numerous listens for this to really hit home with you but it has plenty worthwhile to grab your attention.

RATING:8/10

 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/atlanticband.official/

Shackled to The Throne "Death Before Dishonour" EP Review

  Hailing From Edmonton Canada, the brilliant new Metalcore/Melodeath outfit Shackled To The Throne combine melody,haeviness and catchy hooks with a beautifully crafted atmospheres and emotions, they've been working dilligently for the better part of 18 months and despite some line up changes the have delivered a stellar debut EP in Death Before Dishonour, let's get into the finer details on offer here.

  The tone for what's to come is instantly set on the sublime intro of opening track Tapestry Of Our Lives which hits with brilliantly structured melodic guitar passage that have peak 90's Melodic Death Metal, the clean vocals add a really emotional atmosphere before switching to the abrasive vocals which add plenty of passion to the track, title track Death Before Dishonour delves into even more melodic tendencies that are both relentless and full of passion,another thing to note is these interlude bits with keyboards present are hinting are a subtle progessive edge. when the first riffs hits on With Blinded Eyes i instantly think Slaughter of The Souls era At The Gates,this one continously delivers razor sharp riffing with aggression and a dissecting lead and rhytmn section that really shows a technical efficiency that adds even more faucets to their overall repetoire.

 Things get alot more emotionally tinged on Rust(Fading Lines) this is like a tortured ballad that has the hallmarks that scream of an "emo" anthem,delivering thought provoking lyrics with plenty of heartfelt emotion and some memorable clean vocal passsages ,this has a really relatable theme that harks of lost love and good friends who drag you out of the darkness, closing track See The World In Grey is possibly the heaviest song on offer here but also one of the catchiest on this quality release,while having that trademark seamless lead and rhytmn section the trade-off vocals add plenty of harmony and a subtle homage to Children Of Bodom running thought the song,this was a wise decision to have this finish the EP as i ticks every box this band set out to do.

 This is definitely a release worth your undivided attention,if you like modern Metal with hints of Melodic Death,a passion and atmosphere that will take you soaring heights  of emotion and true heartfelt passages that are both memorable and relatable,the seamless melding of lead and rhytmn sections is an absolute thing of beauty with both heaviness and  harmony,do not sleep on this absolutely sublime offering from Shackled From The Throne,this may well be the beginning of something truly memorable,so come and join the rollercoaster.

RATING: 8/10

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Lock Horns "Red Room" Album Review

  Six years on from their excellent debut album Molon Labe Progressive Metal Force Lock Horns finally unleashed their highly anticipated second album Red Room,this is a monstrous step up form the much loved debut offering ,this is full of mind bending unpredictable brilliance that will leave you speechless.

 The absolute cacophony of mindfucks commences with the brilliant The Origin Of Evil Impulses not confined to one specific genre you can hear industrial elements layered with Progressive undertones,the seamless progessive between clean and abrasive vocals adds plenty of depth and feeling to this track, mixed with aggressive vocals and punchy rhytmns Rust packs an absolutely devastating punch leaving you even more disorientated , the madness continues to evolve with the mind blowing Skin and Bones, the punishing brutality within this track is at times mind blowing,you can literally feel the anger and lack of control through the vocal delivery.

 The relentless power and speed of Lab Rat takes the mind boggling consequences to even more disturbing levels, lyrically and musicially this sounds like some gone wrong botched experiment were control and the lack thereof seem to have a sense of duality through manipulation and coerciveness, we're treated to some absolutely soaring interludes with the phenomenal Impressions Of a Dream the groove and time signatures are something to behold on this and the soaring vocal deliveries give a whole new dimension to the overall them within the album,there is a beauty invloved to all the lack of control and it's executed magnificiently by the band.

 The rip roaring relentlessness of The Golden Mean delivers a short sharp shock to the sense leaving a trail of destruction in it's wake,this one is full of progressive riff gymnastics,the drumming is executed with razor sharp precision and the deranged vocals leave the perfect desired effect, closing track Expressions Of Madness is full of slow heavy grooves that leave a sense of unnerving insanity and a dread that's ready to crush the senses into oblivion.

  Lock Horns leave no cross unturned on this absolutely mind blowing release.although short in length Red Room ticks all the right boxes ,the whole theme of control and the lack thereof really hits home with devastating consequences,for all the superlatives alot of people have been saying about this the anticipation and hype is 100% real,this is a modern masterpiece and a definite contender for Album of The Year.

  RATING: 9.5/10

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