Therion are a Swedish symphonic/operatic metal band and this is their seventeenth album.
Where do you go after a three-hour metal opera marathon such as 2018’s Beloved Antichrist? Well, in Therion’s case, you condense, you prioritise arena-friendly catchiness, and you produce 46 minutes of thoroughly enjoyable material. Continue reading “Therion – Leviathan (Review)”
Ruins of Elysium are an international symphonic metal band and this is their second album.
Containing 73 minutes of symphonic power metal, Amphitrite: Ancient Sanctuary in the Sea is an epic work that covers a range of different aspects of power and heavy metal, all lusciously prepared with a rich symphonic and operatic coating. Continue reading “Ruins of Elysium – Amphitrite: Ancient Sanctuary in the Sea (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Shuulak, a heavy metal band from the Netherlands.
I’m a big fan of Shuulak, and have been looking forward to hearing some new material from them since 2019’s Citrinitas. Containing 5 tracks and with a duration of 17 minutes, it’s enough to satisfy, and demonstrates once more just how good Shuulak are. Continue reading “Shuulak – Rubedo (Review)”
Ilsa are a sludge metal band from the US and this is their sixth album.
Ever since I first heard – and loved – 2012’s Intoxicantations, I’ve been a big fan of Ilsa. Across another two full-lengths – 2015’s The Felon’s Claw and 2018’s Corpse Fortress they haven’t let me down, and they don’t seem to have done so Continue reading “Ilsa – Preyer (Review)”
This is the second album from thrash metal band Demoniac, from Chile.
The core of what Demoniac do on So It Goes is razor-sharp hyper-aggressive thrash metal. Bursting with jagged riffs, pierced with molten leads and solos, and crowned with barbed vocals, it’s clear that Demoniac know a thing or two about this sort of music. Continue reading “Demoniac – So It Goes (Review)”
This is the seventh album form US progressive metallers Leviathan.
Having enjoyed 2014’s Beholden to Nothing, Braver Since Then and 2018’s Can’t Be Seen by Looking: Blurring the Lines, Clouding the Truth, I was looking forward to this. Now that it’s here, Words Waging War provides 68 minutes of progressive metal that’s well-written and well-performed. Continue reading “Leviathan – Words Waging War (Review)”
Intervals are a Canadian progressive metal band and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2017’s The Way Forward, Circadian delivers high quality modern progressive metal. This is essentially a solo album, only with guests and session musicians. It’s an instrumental release, which is a style I normally shy away from, but Intervals is Continue reading “Intervals – Circadian (Review)”
This is the second album from Countless Skies, a melodic/progressive metal band from the UK.
Glow contains 46 minutes of Scandinavian-influenced melodic death metal that has been merged with a progressive metal approach, which has resulted in a high-quality album being produced. Think of a charismatic mixture of Devin Townsend, Wilderun, Insomnium, Amorphis, Opeth, etc. Continue reading “Countless Skies – Glow (Review)”
Jaded Star are based in Greece and play melodic heavy metal. This is their second album.
Jaded Star play a mix of melodic heavy metal and power metal, and they do this very well. Realign is the follow up to 2015’s Memories from the Future, which I enjoyed as a particularly good example of the style. Continue reading “Jaded Star – Realign (Review)”
Raging Speedhorn are a sludge metal band from the UK. This is their sixth album.
Hard to Kill is the follow up to 2016’s Lost Ritual, and it’s a beast of an album. Revitalised with a new lineup, including a new vocalist, (the band have two if you’re unfamiliar with them), the album is 33 Continue reading “Raging Speedhorn – Hard to Kill (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 