Vendetta Love "I Am" EP Review

 

 

   Little did i know about Vendetta Love seven to eight months ago since i've became aware of them i've grown accustomed to their sound and the more i listen to them the more i enjoy them, combining 80's Hard Rock with 90's Grunge,the band have a sound similar to the likes Guns N Roses,Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, with the release of their new EP I Am the band have hit a level were the emotions,energy and stripped down rawness flow seamlessly and blend magnificiently.

  Hush Hush opens with a beautifully executed intro full of feeling and emotion before a barrage of heavy laden riffs and soaring vocals take us on a rollercoaster of emotions, Ode hits with full on stripped down rock n fucking roll with subtle hints of early Guns N roses thrown in for good measure,a track with a real middle finger attitude, Chains N' All is another track full of attitude and has a really smooth and rocky pace showing the versatilty of the bands overall musicianship.

  Walk Alone is an absolutely heartfelt and emotional ballad with real life elements touching on addiction issues and personal struggles,this is were the band really show their prowess and the level of intricacies they are capable of as musicians, closing track I Am is possibly the heaviest track on the EP that soaring lead guitar intro is absolutely fantastic,the slowish pace of the track adds a really nostalgic vibe similar to Alice In Chains,that soaring lead continues to appear intermittently throughout the track with the EP ending in a somewhat nostalgic feeling.

  Vendetta Love have created a really good release in I Am,yes it does have all the nuances of peak 80's Hard Rock and the best bits from 90's Grunge, the band know how to write strong worthwhile anthems full of passion,emotion, a middle finger attitude, you will notice that they're influenced by the likes of Guns N Roses,Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots etc but they do it combined with a very modern sound giving them a sound all their own.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3MiRH2MfTbxGEn9iDzdiUz?si=INy8pecDQg2kiSUYoxNFmA

BANDCAMP: https://vendettalove.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/VendettaLove

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

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

Psychotic Outsider "End Of The Line" EP Review

 

   Galway Based Hardcore Punk/Metal fusion Quartet Psychotic Outsider offer a Filthy,Abrasive Lo-Fi Social/Polictical anthems with their latest EP End Of The Line, the band have been cutting their trade since 2018, thus far the band have released an EP and one full length album.

  Following on from 2020's Psyching Out Mentality the band have a new Vocalist in Luke Holbrook,which seems to have improved their overall sound,giving them a more abrasive and aggressive edge, straight from the onset title track End of The Line opens up with a rhytmic and extremely aggressive pace with a real middle finger vocal style, Infernal Battle continues the same pace and style ,there's also a underlying filthy groove prevelent throughout the song, the pace is slowed down a little with the excellent Locked Up the aggression and heaviness still remain,at times the track has a filthy sludge element which adds a somewhat despaired atmosphere to proceedings.

The addition of two demo tracks which were on their previous release Psyching Out Mentality was a great idea giving the listener a chance to hear the improvement their new vocalist has added to their sound, Ragnarok is a great mid paced track full of vitriol and the trademark aggression associated with the band. Hunter picks up the pace again and is a fitting way to close out the EP.

  Psychotic Outsider create a very simplistic yet extremely effective style full of vitriol, filthiness and and an angry attitude which make for an interesting listen,there's no frills attached to the band just in your face aggression and anarcho punk tendencies, this is a great listen for anyone that likes a DIY ethos full of passion,vitriol and attitude.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2dbmZNVL20toqFuxb99Bm0?si=k_7Fw6rkSbu9VlQkBEVlug

BANDCAMP: https://psychoticoutsider.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3-hqZHzzZN_9cZDAFpSSBg

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

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

Coscradh "Nahanagan Stadial" Album Review

 

  If you're looking for something dark,foreboding and utterly nasty Coscradh's devastating new album Nahanagan Stadial achieves this in vast abundance, like a pack of rabid wolves roaming at nightfall leaving a path of destruction in it's wake Coscradh have created something that sounds like it's straight from the pits of hell.

  The title track Nahanangan Stadial has an extremely doom laden intro with a filthy guitar tone, for those curious the track name is reference to an irish term for the rapid onset of a glacial period ten thousand years ago,it's epic song structure also has elements of Bestial War Metal similar to Teitanblood,Bestial Warlust and Profanitica, Feast Of The Epiphany is an absolutely ripper from the onset,the overload of speed is designed to perpetually annihilate the senses,the outro at the end of the track creates a really bleak atmosphere then we're hit with the obliterating sledgehammer that is Plagues Of Knowth the relentlessness is somewhat satisfying and creates a really ugly and nasty aura which at times very blasphemous sounding. 

  Cladh Halainn continues the bludgeoning with equal measures of nastiness and devilish undertones leaving a maelstrom of destruction in it's path, Closing track Feallaire Doite crawls and manifests with a slow dirge until a barrage of different vocals and filthy riffs unleash like an apocalyptic snowstorm hellbent on total obliteration.

  Nahanagan Stadial delivers bleak soundscapes designed to obliterate with devastating effect,if you're loking for clean sounding over produced heaviness this is not for you,what you do get is nasty,filthy and an extremely ugly display of  brutality, Coscradh have unleashed a truly amazing album, a sound coming from a post apocalyptic wasteland created down in the fiery depths of hell,you're not likely to hear something as nasty as Nahanagan Stadial this year, a truly devastating offering not for the weak minded or faint of heart.

SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/artist/2S3tnOx1iCmlA6FhXMTlbx?si=c1Au0SStQ8CCw_FMFA_NSg

BANDCAMP:https://coscradh.bandcamp.com/

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

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

Abaddon Incarnate "The Wretched Sermon" Album Review

 

 There's rare occasions when bands inprove throughout the years and able to maintain a level of consistency while having the same levels of Obliterating Brutality for nigh on 25 years,this is the case with Death Metal/Grindcore Veterans Abaddon Incarnate, when you listen to The Wretched Sermon you'll find it hard to believe that their previous full length album Pessimist was released in 2014 since then there's been two line up changes with the addition of Irene Siragusa on Bass and the return of Original Drummer Olan Parkinson, who played on the bands first two albums The Last Supper and Nadir, the transition between line up changes and the long gap between albums has been seamless and the band has if anything aged like a fine wine and lost none of the trademark face melting ferocity.

  Going straight for the juggular from the offset with the ferocious Rising Of The Lights once that drum intro kicks in you know your head is about to be blasted off with a barrage of riffs and blast beats designed to dissect and lacerate with razor sharp precision combine the relentless ferocity of Steve Maher's vocals you have a more then fitting opener to set the tone for what's to come, Veritas is pure Grindcore that hits like a tonne of bricks,swiftly and viciously we're  hit with the anger and vitriol of Gateways, the following two tracks Epic Desecration and Parasite have plenty of ferocity layered with heavy groove laden riffs,which has been a trademark synonymous with the band since their inception all those years ago,Hideous Arise is an absolute fucking juggernaut,the part with the vocals layered over the lead is unabashed nastiness and filthiuness. 

Another relentless track to make our ears bleed with the 90's era Death Metal masterclass that is Killing Spree and yes( i am referencing the current music video) it does sound like someone going a mass murdering killing spree,there's a slightly melancjolic piano piece at the end of the track, straight form the get go Into The Maelstrom hits like a sledgehammer,the Guitar tone on this tone is so dark and sinister and gives the track a really eerie atmosphere, the band mix it up a little on the absolutely excellent Resurrected From A Mass Grave with  some obiterating Grindcore and 90's Death Metal like a mix of Early Napalm Death mixed with riffs reminiscent of material from the bands debut The Last Supper.

  Shrine Of Flesh is full of heaviness and groove with a very subtle hint to 90's era Swedish Death Metal ,the twin vocal attack has a style reminiscent to early Carcass,that squealing guitar intro at the start of Hyperchaos is absolutely face melting obliteration with really thrashy elements,wouldn't usually be mentioning the word epic when it comes to Death Metal Or Grindcore but this is the case with the ridiculously fantastic Isolation and Decay this may have been mentioned on other reviews but that intro reminds me of the classic Entombed track Through The Collandes as soon as the double bass drum flows seemlessly into an unmercifully tirade is explosive drumming and relentless riffs and as usual the vocals full of vitriol,emotion and anger for the last 2+ minutes of the track the twin guitar leads combined with haunting melody,feeling ,a brooding bass tone leave you feeling drained,isolated and a hopeless feeling of solitude,closing track Silent Indifference is a trademark Abaddon Incarnate escapade full of face melting riffs,relentless drumming and vocals full of hate and abrasiveness a truly perfect way to end such an unbelievably devastating and sublime album.

 From the first time i witnessed this band playing on the back of a trailer 25+ years ago i instantly knew they were destined to be masters of their craft,but nothing prepared me for the absolute devastation they would leave in their path, even a 8 year gap between albums did nothing to deter this juggernaut.if anything they just keep getting better and unleashing top notch Death/Grind upon the world consistently, just like previous releases The Wretched Sermon leaves a path of devastation in it's wake,it gradually draws you into the grinder and spits you out like some unstoppable force of nature hellbent on destruction,unlike most bands of the same ilk Abaddon Incarnate are not afraid to mix it up a bit,instead of remaining safe they keep pushing the boundaries to new heights ,yes you will hear alot of nuances of Old School Death Metal,Grindcore etc but they always bring a freshness and innovation to the genre, there's a extremely good reason why most of the reviews coming out for this album are getting alot of high ratings for me this is going to on an awful lot of Album of The Year list and it's more then well deserved.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JiGOjZmUWZWyhhQsyBZs4?si=cUWMeTN4QJy1sZEt2dVnWg 

BANDCAMP: https://abaddonincarnateband.bandcamp.com/

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

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/abaddon.incarnate.official/

Strangers With Guns "All Pleasure Is Just Relief" Album Review

 

   Ever get the feeling the world seems to be descending into a self destructive mode and all around you seem to be showing no ounce of self control,Well the absolutely brilliant Strangers With Guns appear to be doing all the right things with their excellent new album All Pleasure is Just Relief. The band have been rooted in Grunge with their previous releases but have pushed the boundaries this time by adding a bit more heaviness to the mix,rest assured the humour still remains and all the semblances of homage to the 90's are still evident.

 Things get off to a flying start with the brilliant Phuque as soon as you hear that drum intro creeping into the mix you know full well you're about to get something really heavy and fast,it briefly slows down until you're hit with a very Thrash Metal inspired lead, as soon as you hear the opening riff on the second track you're thinking this sounds like Rollins Band,well this is further verified by the song title I Am Henry Rollins with it's tongue in cheek sarcasm and wicked sense of humour, Dial It Black treats us to some really heavy riffs which sound slightly similar to the Sepultura track Territory with an added "rapping" style vocals with a Dublin accent,which is usually synonymous with the bands sound courtesy of frontman Jeff Crosdale, So How Are You Feeling? has an extremely dark and eerie atmosphere with an agressive vocal delivery and a riff so haunting you could resurrect the dead.

 Halfway through the album and it continues to maintain the heaviness with the short but brilliant Positive Vibes which even has a subtle hint to the Coolio track Gangsters Paradise, time for some riffs galore with the absolutely killer Stick It To The Man there's also a very upbeat tempo prevelant throughout the track which implements a more uplifting tone to proceedings, the mood is toned down with the short instrumental track That's Kinda Nice before we're treated to something less heavy with the excellent Perception we also get the brief taste of Jeff dropping the dublin accent vocals in place of  a vocal harmony giving the track a nice mellow atmosphere, closing track Why starts off with a very sombre atmosphere until the chorus explodes into life with rocking riffs and aggressive vocals then switches back to the sombre mood this pattern is repeated until the last minute of the track we get a layered acoustic riffs over some stoner riffs.

Strangers With Guns may not be to everyones liking but what they do they do it really well and there's many facets to them musically and lyrically, they're willing to take risks which most bands are fearful of doing which leaves the door open for them to add different elements to future releases, with All Pleasure Is Just Relief  we treated to material in the vein of Rollins Band, Faith No More,Butthole Surfers,Melvins, Mudhoney and various other,adding elements of Grunge,Metal,Punk with such aplomb make this a very interesting listen which keeps getting better with each listen.

 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1xeBRN8R2Y9VytLrJRH86c?si=C2JP3X7-Tyq7XIE99tzJLQ

BANDCAMP: https://strangerswithguns.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/StrangersWithGuns

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

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

LadyAxe "Of Hell and High Water" EP Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Keith McCoy "Humachinery" EP Review

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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