Reviews

Parasomnia

Dream Theater

Their fire and passion are still there, but their songwriting efforts have gone a little stale. Maybe they rushed the new album a bit? Or maybe, after 40 years, this is the best that one can expect. As a long-time fan, it’s safe to say I was disappointed with the album, and therein lies one of the issues, I expect too much from the band, admittedly. There were some memorable moments as always, but too many of the songs didn’t excite me enough, and it just sounds tired.

Recover What You Can

Negative 13

Landing somewhere between the heavy Doom of BLACK SABBATH, the Punk fight of BLACK FLAG, and the Sludge of CROWBAR, this album was pretty desolate. However, it didn’t offer much in the way of opening your eyes to new music, and even its influential core has been done before. It just didn’t stand out, is the bottom line.

Dirty & Divine

Thundermother

Reborn, revitalised and ready to rock ‘n’ roll, Thundermother are back with a deafening bang. […]

Letters to the Future Self

Khors

As a Westerner, it is easy for me to forget the freedom I am granted. People who oppose sending aid to Ukraine forget that when one tyrant is permitted to run loose without consequence, every country is in danger. Your opponent clearly outweighs you, but your courage is tenfold stronger. It’s a soundtrack to the horrors of war, but more importantly, the resolve of the human spirit.

To Lift the Veil

Dissocia

There’s a fine line between chaos and control, between raw aggression and melodic restraint. Many bands attempt to walk it, balancing the two forces in perfect harmony. But this album makes one thing brutally clear—aggression has won the battle. Melody is still present, but it fights for air, suffocating under the sheer weight of unrelenting force. It lingers in the background, trying to assert itself in soaring choruses or haunting leads, but it never fully takes control. The album leans fully into its aggression, allowing only the faintest traces of melody to linger—just enough to remind you of what’s being overpowered.

Scars

Sisters Doll

Sisters Doll are four brothers/siblings from Collie a small mining town in Western Australia who […]

Back on the Streets

Tumenggung

A very good and surprising name into Heavy/Speed Metal scene.

Crabwalk to Oblivion

The Slime

Hardcore/Crossover as it must be: fierce, aggressive and nasty! What are you waiting for?

As Above, So Below

Shadow of the Talisman

These guys mixed influences of Alternative Metal with Thrash Metal and more. Hear it!

Absolute Dismal Domain

Relics of Humanity

A Brutal Death Metal release with a different appeal.

Dark Matters - Part III

Odd Crew

A surprising mix between Alternative Metal and Progressive Metal elements.

Brimstone

Modern Heavy Metal with Southern Rock elements and tons of energy! Taste it!

Keys to the Palace

Dessiderium

The most amazing part of the band and album was Alex’s musicianship. But, as a listener, you better get ready for a plethora of meters, sounds, shifts, passages, and other elements. It’s like having all of the parts of a motor to a muscle car on your garage floor, and meticulously putting them into the final product, and once installed, it runs like a dream.

Alkaios Part II – The Eagle

NevBorn

Some bands evolve, some bands experiment, and some bands lose themselves chasing something new. Above all, NEVBORN hold true to their most prized tenets. They don’t just continue their legacy—they fortify it, carving their signature sound even deeper. There are flashes of experimentation, sure—a subtle shift in tone here, an unexpected arrangement there—but never at the expense of what makes them who they are. In a landscape where so many artists stray from their roots in search of something "new," they prove that the truest path forward is often the one you’ve been walking all along. “Alkaios Part II – The Eagle” isn’t just another chapter in their story—it’s a reaffirmation of everything that made them great in the first place.

Visitors

Wretch

Resurrection is real.

Hope Is A Lie

There are albums that explore sadness, albums that wallow in despair, and then there’s “Hope Is A Lie”—a record that takes the very concept of being "dead inside" and strips it of all remaining warmth, leaving nothing but a skeletal framework of exhaustion and decay. This isn’t just an album about hopelessness; it’s a eulogy for the last flickering remnants of human feeling. If you’ve ever wanted to hear what it truly means to be hollowed out from the inside, this record plays like the sound of your own reflection, staring back with vacant eyes.

III

Galvornhathol

This was a fantastic album. The unique sound of the vocals comes from the high snarl he gets with his voice. It almost squeaks. The music is aggressive when it wants to be, and quite melodic at other times. The entire album gave me a sense of wonder, and considering what is out there beyond the skyline, a sense of insignificance.

Proof of Existence

Void of Hope

This album was dreadfully depressing, and it seemed to hit on the things that you thought you had buried deep inside. It pulled them up to the surface, and dangled them in front of your face.

Phoenix Cryptobiosis

Avulsed

Well, would you know it, AVULSED have been able to acquire a clean sound for the first time that I know of, at least in Death Metal terms. Not only that, but the surprise that I get when they start playing “Limbs Regeneration (Instrumental)” and “Lacerate To Dominate” has me wondering if old age has forced the band to slow down considerably.

Heroes, Saints & Fools

Blackslash

What gets to me straight away is that the sound of “Heroes, Saints & Fools” is crisp, clear and transparent, so without fault. That does make listening to Melodic Heavy Metal a lot more interesting, but also a lot easier, as everything you like is very much on display, as are the elements that don’t excite you as much.

Hälsingemörker

Ereb Altor

Musically EREB ALTOR can rival any other Viking Metal band. Of course there are also some minor things don’t make the grade, but overall EREB ALTOR is giving me very good music to listen to.

Epistle I - Pickin' Up The Pieces

Sküll

SKÜLL has filled “Epistle I - Pickin' Up The Pieces” to the brim with Melodic Rock or (if you wish) AOR with light Metallic influences. It is an album of just over 35 minutes with all the cliches that make Melodic Rock tick passing by from time to time.

Embodiment of Death

Ter Ziele

If you like pain, this album offers it in spades, and it’s almost too much for one person to bear. You will hear this screams for months when you fall asleep at night.

'Til The Enemies Are Gone

Decimator

Thrash and groove metal heads DECIMATOR came upon discovery in January 2021 as they were […]

Bozoo

Three piece band BOZOO are all the way from Italy, they have been around since […]

Dauþalaikaz

Urfeind

This was an excellent album. Although some of the riffs weren’t necessarily ones you haven’t heard before, the band plays them with a passionate fire and energy, and you can connect some of the song titles with imagery. Well done lads. Well done.

Tale of a Wandering Soul

Asterise

All in all, ASTERISE’s “Tale of a Wandering Soul,” isn’t going to win any words for its mind blowing originality but it does what any power album should do: provide a solid, no frills experience of melodic but heavy and imaganitive music.

Age of Manipulation

Fractured Insanity

All in all, FRACTURED INSANITY’s “Age of Manipulation,” does its due diligence as far as death metal goes but it just didn’t excite me in any way or stand out to me.

TMG II

Tak Matsumoto Group

The supergroup is back.

Long Live the Rot

Rotpit

Born in the sewers of the underworld, this album is surely an ode to the rot.

Black Marrow

Slaughtersun

Welcome to the world of dissonance, where violins meet double bass drums, and prog meets extreme metal.

Sleepless Empire

Lacuna Coil

Commemorating the day of love, LACUNA COIL releases their 11th full-length studio album, Sleepless Empire, on February 14, 2025. It’s filled with anger and rage and is all about fucked up relationships and alienation.

EvAAvE

Di’Aul

Album by album you can see DI’AUL evolving and growing. EvAAvE is a definite inflection point.

I Am Your Bane

Boreal Grave

This was a solid album, in a genre that has tight boundaries. The band managed to keep the sound within the boundaries but at the same time, took a few chances every now and then to keep the listener on their toes.

Phisenomie

Marrowomb

The album has a very heavy and deep bottom end, and the production matches it. The combination of two distinct extreme Metal styles is very well done, as they meld together like meat and broth in a stew, and what you get is a thick, bitter, but well-seasoned bowl of madness.

Tales Of War And Magic

Ringlorn

New Epic Metal from Greece.

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Reviews

Parasomnia

Dream Theater

Recover What You Can

Negative 13

Dirty & Divine

Thundermother

Letters to the Future Self

Khors

To Lift the Veil

Dissocia

Scars

Sisters Doll

Back on the Streets

Tumenggung

Crabwalk to Oblivion

The Slime

As Above, So Below

Shadow of the Talisman

Absolute Dismal Domain

Relics of Humanity

Dark Matters - Part III

Odd Crew

Brimstone

Brimstone

Keys to the Palace

Dessiderium

Alkaios Part II – The Eagle

NevBorn

Visitors

Wretch

Hope Is A Lie

Hope Is A Lie

III

Galvornhathol

Proof of Existence

Void of Hope

Phoenix Cryptobiosis

Avulsed

Heroes, Saints & Fools

Blackslash

Hälsingemörker

Ereb Altor

Epistle I - Pickin' Up The Pieces

Sküll

Embodiment of Death

Ter Ziele

'Til The Enemies Are Gone

Decimator

Bozoo

Bozoo

Dauþalaikaz

Urfeind

Tale of a Wandering Soul

Asterise

Age of Manipulation

Fractured Insanity

TMG II

Tak Matsumoto Group

Long Live the Rot

Rotpit

Black Marrow

Slaughtersun

Sleepless Empire

Lacuna Coil

EvAAvE

Di’Aul

I Am Your Bane

Boreal Grave

Phisenomie

Marrowomb

Tales Of War And Magic

Ringlorn

Latest Reviews

Spear of Conquest

Summoning Hellgates

Cloven Tongues of Fire