AXEHEAD are a Canadian band that makes a mix between Heavy Metal and Punk. Especially the riffs from these Ottawa guys have the Punky vibe, as do the vocals. As for “Meltdown”, it was originally released by the band themselves in 2022. One way or other their music made it across the Atlantic onto the Dutch shores, where Big Bad Wolf Records and Headbangers Records got the AXEHEAD bug and decided that if the band were susceptible to the idea, to rerelease the album, only on vinyl this time. And as I am currently writing this review while listening to the LP on my turntable, you can demise that the AXEHEAD quite liked the idea of “Meltdown” being available on an extra kind of sound carrier.

As for the music itself, it will take you at least a few listens before the way the band mixes Heavy metyal with Punk will start to make sense. In my experience it was when I started listening to it all through my headphones that it all started to click. It is as raunchy as Punk should be, but with the roughest edges exchanged for Heavy Metal parts and atmosphere. What this does is prevent the whole album to go into a “Meltdown” because it just is too one sided. By mixing the two musical styles AXEHEAD has been able to add to the variety of the songs and give us as listeners any diversity to make sure we keep listening.

When describing what kind of songs that AXEHEAD have included on “Meltdown”, in reality they are quite straight jacketed, oops, I mean forward. They are easy to understand. You will find it quite inviting to start tapping your foot and at times even bang your head, whilst all along being able to vent any cropped up anger that is inside you for one reason or another. If you prefer to do something different though, you can just as soon pogo or mosh to “Meltdown”, as all the songs are groovy and punchy enough for that to be able to happen as well. Whatever your game is, you will find that although AXEHEAD is not one of those bands that will get your heart racing or your blood pressure rise to dangerous levels, they will provide you with enough ammunition to be able to vent whatever emotion that needs to come out. And that is what music is all about, isn't it?