Lingua Mortis Orchestra – LMO


lingua-mortis-orchestra-lmo-2A quick history lesson in regard to Lingua Mortis Orchestra before we move on to their new album LMO. It was 1996 when German heavy metallers Rage, after a dozen years of unleashing their own distinct brand of power metal rioting, decided to investigate a classical/orchestral imagination with the cooperation of a classical symphony orchestra. Releasing the album Lingua Mortis, it opened a potent seed within the creativity of the band. From an acclaimed orchestral show at the German Rock Hard Festival 2010, Rage unveiled their ‘alter-egos’ the Lingua Mortis Orchestra to follow this classical path. With Peavy Wagner (vocals/bass), Victor Smolski (guitar, keyboards, cello), and André Hilgers (drums) alongside vocalists Jeannette Marchewka and Dana Harnge, as well as the addition of two orchestras from Spain and Belarus, LMO, band and album, has created a classical experience themed by a true story of witch-hunting in the medieval town of Gelnhausen in 1599.Continue reading


Queens Of The Stone Age – …Like Clockwork


queens-of-the-stone-age-like-clockworkIt is fair to say you do not get the predictable with Josh Homme and Queens Of The Stone Age, even in their less successful moments there is plenty to chew upon and ultimately find great pleasure within. The same can be said about …Like Clockwork the sixth album from the band. From start to finish it intrigues and magnetically draws in the senses and emotions, yet just as easily it escapes those self-same passions and leaves you feeling flat and pining for the early days when the band led the field in guitar sculpted anthemic psyched out rock ‘n’ roll.Continue reading


ReVamp – Wild Card


ReVamp - Wild CardIt may have taken time and gone through obstacles to come to realisation, but Wild Card (Nuclear Blast) the second album from Dutch symphonic metallers ReVamp seems to have turned the wait into an aggression and snarl which elevates the beauty and passion of the release to another level. The album is a towering piece of skilled imagination and breath-taking symphonic grandeur, one which explores familiarity as well as originality in creating a new potent wind of invention and glory.Continue reading


Autopsy – The Headless Ritual


autopsy-the_headless_ritualWe all know that Autopsy has a legendary status within death metal and need no introduction to the genre and all metallers; they have inspired and ignited a sea of subsequent bands over the years since their formation in 1987 and arguably more so their demise in 1995 to seal their place in metal’s Hall of Fame. The Californians constantly ignite an instinctive blood fuelled fire with their gore soaked aural exploits and it is fair to say that The Headless Ritual, their sixth album and second since reuniting in 2009, is no deviation to their violent creativity.Continue reading


Palms – Palms


Palms-Palms-SmallThe reunion of three fifths of post-metallers Isis alone is something to raise intrigue and hunger but add Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno into the mix and that appetite takes on a more voracious stance. It also ignites wondering expectations as to which direction their sound and presence together as Palms would take, the heavier more rapaciously intrusive fascination of Isis or the experimental atmospheric devouring of Moreno’s day job. The self-titled debut reveals it is somewhere in between whilst exploring its own evocative and enthralling soundscapes.Continue reading


Stone Sour – House Of Gold & Bones Part 2


House-of-Gold-Bones-Pt.-2House Of Gold & Bones Part 2 by Stone Sour concludes the conceptual release started in Part 1, its twelve songs continuing and following the immersive, linear storyline set out in the eleven songs of the previous October released album. With also a four part comic book mini-series published by Dark Horse Comics videos and more, it is an extensive multi-media project and experience which captures and certainly provokes the imagination.Continue reading


Implodes – Recurring Dream


Implodes - Recurring DreamListening to Recurring Dream from Chicago quartet Implodes is like standing in the eye of a storm whilst still enduring its surrounding tempestuous arms. It is an enveloping concentration of whispering beauty and intensive emotive aural howls which makes an inescapable impact no matter how enriching or corrosive you find the release. The previous albums from the band have investigated and taken inspiration from ‘the deep psychic recesses where our sonic memories first took shape.’ The promo to the new album goes on to declare that ‘With their new album, Recurring Dream, Implodes breathes fresh air. Melodies that were once distant echoes are now suffused with energy and clarity of purpose, submerged rhythms now walk in the light of day.’ That is the band’s intent though maybe not necessarily realised by individual thoughts and emotions the release undoubtedly inspires, it may not ignite the purpose which drove the band to their creativity in the listener but it does trigger an evolving experience of emotion and imagination which marks it as an impressive piece of work.Continue reading