Despite thirty-five years in the business, Finnish sextet Amorphis’ fire has not dulled. Borderland (Reigning Phoenix Music) is the melodic Death Metal group’s fifteenth album, and it is the same multi-layered mix of Death, Folk, and Symphonic, only this time there is a greater emphasis on melody, and it is not as heavy and bombastic as Halo.
“Mire” slow and moody guitar and Laura Dolan’s soft yet mournful vocals, both of which burst into life toward the end, open Electric Citizen new record EC4 (Heavy Psych Sounds). EC4 is the Cincinnati quintet’s fourth album, and it is fuzzy 70s Rock with psychedelic touches and Uriah Heep and Deep Purple influences throughout. Continue reading
Volbeat‘s hook-heavy fusion of Rock and Roll and Metal continues apace with G.O.A.T (Republic/Universal) – not a reference to Ronaldo or Messi but rather God Of Angels Trust. This is their ninth record and it follows in the footsteps of predecessor Servant of the Mind – but much heavier. Continue reading
With their debut album Permission To Land, The Darkness enlivened a rock music scene dominated by the likes of The White Stripes, The Strokes, Evanescence, and Linkin Park amongst others. Their goofy lyrics and AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, and Queen sound struck a chord and twenty-two years later they are still at it with the release of their eighth record Dreams On Toast (Cooking Vinyl).Continue reading
Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia new record Here Be Dragons (Napalm Records) continues their bombastic brand of Meatloaf Metal. It is the German metal outfit’s tenth album and it is typically intense and grand in scale.Continue reading
Retro-flavoured Swedes The Night Flight Orchestra (ft. Soilwork, Arch Enemy, Mean Streak members) are still at it with their seventh album Give Us The Moon (Napalm Records). With an insanely catchy AOR style, with an unabashedly high level of seventies and eighties-style cheese front and centre. Half the tracks here sound like they belong in some long-forgotten, coming-of-age film from 1985. Continue reading
Like with their last record a three year wait brings us Friend of A Phantom (Mascot Label Group), the new album from those musically restless Scandinavians VOLA. Their fourth album serves up more of their dynamic wall of sound, which mixes Metal heaviness, Prog Rock changeability, in your face electronica and radio friendly hooks.Continue reading
SKAM are a trio from Leicester who make a big noise. Their new album From The Depths (Self-Released/Earache Digital Distribution) is their fourth offering and follows the time travelling concept of 2017’s The Amazing Memoirs of Geoffrey Goddard with straight-up, high octane Hard Rock.
Earth To Grace (Earache Records) is the Lancastrian quintet Massive Wagons seventh album, following on from 2022s rather good, UK top ten hit Triggered. They have teamed up with new record producer Matt O’Grady (You Me At Six, Architects) this time round, their signature brand of humorous and catchy Classic Rock is very much intact but with tauter songwriting and slightly bigger, shinier choruses. Continue reading
Jerry Cantrell, he of Alice in Chains fame, has returned with I Want Blood (Double J Music). It is his fourth solo record and continues the Grunge flavoured Hard Rock and Metal he is known for with an array of famous friends popping in, including Duff McKagan (Guns N Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Better Lovers) and the production help of Joe Barresi (Slipknot, Clutch, Tool, Mastodon) amongst others. Continue reading