Earthside – Let the Truth Speak (Review)

Earthside - Let the Truth SpeakThis is the second album from US progressive rock band Earthside.

Let the Truth Speak is a 78-minute odyssey of contemporary progressive rock and metal. Built around a core of the main band, these musicians are augmented by a range of guest musicians and vocalists, (including the singer of Tesseract). Continue reading “Earthside – Let the Truth Speak (Review)”

Infinity Ritual – II (Review)

Infinity Ritual - IIThis is the second EP from New Zealand metal band Infinity Ritual.

2022’s Infinity Ritual was such a strong EP. It came out of nowhere and really made a mark. Now we have its follow up II. It’s hard to really classify this as an EP though, as it contains 40 minutes of new music! Still, who am I to complain about how bands classify their releases? Continue reading “Infinity Ritual – II (Review)”

Dying Wish – Symptoms of Survival (Review)

Dying Wish - Symptoms of SurvivalThis is the second album from US metalcore band Dying Wish.

2021’s Fragments of a Bitter Memory was a solid slab of 00s-style metalcore, so Symptoms of Survival is one that I know I wanted to check out. Boasting a lean, mean 32 minutes of new material, in what form do we find Dying Wish’s 2023 offering? Continue reading “Dying Wish – Symptoms of Survival (Review)”

Game Over – Hellframes (Review)

Game Over - HellframesThis is the fifth album from Italian thrash metal band Game Over.

I find I have a low tolerance for thrash these days, much lower than I used to have. I’m not sure why, but it just doesn’t grab my attention like it once did. However, there are exceptions, and, for whatever reason, Game Over are one of them. Continue reading “Game Over – Hellframes (Review)”

Restless Spirit – Afterimage (Review)

Restless Spirit - AfterimageRestless Spirit are a metal band from the US and this is their third album.

Afterimage contains 38 minutes of heavy, moreish music that’s infectiously delivered by a band that clearly know what they’re doing. Restless Spirit are not to be ignored. Fans of acts such as Somnuri, Witch Ripper, Khemmis, and Spirit Adrift please take note. Continue reading “Restless Spirit – Afterimage (Review)”

Tides of Sulfur – Apathy Chasm (Review)

Tides of Sulfur - Apathy ChasmThis is the second album from Tides of Sulfur, a blackened sludge metal band from the UK.

Apathy Chasm is the eagerly awaited, (by me at any rate), 39-minute follow up to 2016’s mighty Extinction Curse. Prepare yourself for punishment. The foul music on Apathy Chasm is a merciless blackened amalgamation of fetid death metal and unearthly sludge. Continue reading “Tides of Sulfur – Apathy Chasm (Review)”

Primordial – How It Ends (Review)

Primordial - How It EndsPrimordial are an Irish metal band and this is their tenth album.

Primordial are a reliably enjoyable band that found a voice of their own early on in their career. They have some top quality albums, the most recent of which was 2018’s Exile Amongst the Ruins. Playing a blackened form of heavy metal and doom, new album How It Ends delivers 66 minutes of Primordial’s inimitable material. Continue reading “Primordial – How It Ends (Review)”

Bear – Vanta (Review)

Bear - VantaBear are a progressive hardcore/metal band from Belgium and this is their fifth album.

When the promo blurb states that an album is recommended for fans of bands such as Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, and Norma Jean, how can you not check it out? Besides, I’m already a fan of Bear’s work, as both 2017’s /// and 2020’s Propaganda were very enjoyable slabs of angular heaviness. Continue reading “Bear – Vanta (Review)”

Aortha – Monolit (Review)

Aortha - MonolitAortha is a metal project based in Norway, and this is their debut album.

To best explain who/what Aortha is, let’s turn to the promo blurb – “AORTHA is new metal project/band founded by Predrag Glogovac . He was guitar player from known metal band in ex.Yugoslavia called MONOLIT which was active from 1988-1992 until war broke in country and band ceased to exist. Reunion in 2006-2008 and one fine album released on One Records from Belgrade «Arcana Balkanica» in 2008. Predrag has played in Norway with some known metal musicians for years. In 2020 with a lot of unreleased music and songs he started to gather old friends & musicians for project and album you have in hand is born.” Continue reading “Aortha – Monolit (Review)”

Heart of a Coward – This Place Only Brings Death (Review)

Heart of a Coward - This Place Only Brings DeathThis is the fifth album from UK metalcore band Heart of a Coward.

Following on from 2019’s The Disconnect, Heart of a Coward have now returned with another slab of modern heavy music. Running to a lean 36 minutes, This Place Only Brings Death finds the band stripping back their sound somewhat, and refining their focus. Continue reading “Heart of a Coward – This Place Only Brings Death (Review)”