Katoaja are a Finnish progressive metal band and this is their debut album.
What We Witness contains 45 minutes of modern progressive metal. Katoaja operate on the heavier end of the progressive metal spectrum, delivering seven songs that showcase the talents of this relatively new band very nicely. As this is progressive metal, there’s more to Katoaja than just heaviness though. Continue reading “Katoaja – What We Witness (Review)”
This is the second album by UK power metal band Fellowship.
Fellowship made a splash with the upbeat power metal positivity of 2022’s The Saberlight Chronicles, so many eyes and ears are now expectantly turned towards The Skies Above Eternity. With a duration of 43 minutes, (over 20 minutes shorter than its predecessor), what does this new record bring to us? Continue reading “Fellowship – The Skies Above Eternity (Review)”
This is the debut album from Icelandic progressive/post-metal band Múr.
Across 54 minutes Múr have crafted a multifaceted record that takes liberally from the progressive and post-metal styles, resulting in a journey that’s very satisfying. Múr should appeal to fans of bands such as Ihsahn, Gojira, Alcest, Devin Townsend, Iotunn, Opeth, The Ocean, and Enslaved, as it touches all of these bands and more in different places over the course of the album. Importantly though, Múr never sound like they’re plagiarising, and instead have managed to forge a personality of their own remarkably quickly. Continue reading “Múr – Múr (Review)”
Make Them Suffer are an Australian metalcore band and this is their fifth album.
Make Them Suffer contains 39 minutes of keyboard/electronics-enriched metalcore, laced with deathcore elements. I’ve never heard Make Them Suffer before, but they’ve impressed me with this new album of theirs. Continue reading “Make Them Suffer – Make Them Suffer (Review)”
This is the second album from Greek experimental/post-metal band Spineless.
Dysphonia is a record that blends a few different influences together. Post-metal, doom, post-rock, electronica, and industrial influences are all used in service of the music’s goals; the crafting of experimental soundscapes that paint striking pictures for the listener to explore. Continue reading “Spineless – Dysphonia (Review)”
Saltwound are a death/metalcore band from the US and this is their debut album.
The Temptation of Pain provides us with a brutal and intense hybrid form of deathcore and metalcore. Saltwound spend 29 minutes abusing and punishing with their destructive brand of heaviness. Continue reading “Saltwound – The Temptation of Pain (Review)”
This is the debut album from US metal band Dead Icarus.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Icarus’ debut EP Ad Infernum, which brought the ex-singer of Atreyu’s charismatic vocals back to the world of heavy music. Now we have the 38-minute Zealot, and Dead Icarus, (who also contain members of Enterprise Earth and Whitechapel), are on fire. Continue reading “Dead Icarus – Zealot (Review)”
Frozen Crown are an Italian power metal band and this is their fifth album.
Frozen Crown, a band I’d never heard of before last year’s excellent Call of the North, did the completely unexpected with that album and came out of nowhere and topped my end of year list. Now that we have War Hearts, especially so soon after its predecessor, I was apprehensive before listening to it; could lightning strike twice? Continue reading “Frozen Crown – War Hearts (Review)”
Iotunn are a progressive metal band from Denmark, and this is their second album.
Now here’s one that’s been greatly anticipated. It’s an absolute travesty that Iotunn’s 2021 debut Access All Worlds didn’t end up on that year’s end of year list. How it didn’t I’ll never know, as it would easily have been in the top 5 or 10. Entirely my mistake, as it’s a fantastic record. All of which is to say that Kinship has a lot of expectation riding on it. Continue reading “Iotunn – Kinship (Review)”
Veonity are a Swedish power metal band and this is their sixth album.
The Final Element contains 44 minutes of pure power metal goodness. The promo blurb states that Veonity are for for fans of Edguy, Gamma Ray, Hammerfall, Helloween, and Twilight Force, which sets the scene nicely. Continue reading “Veonity – The Final Element (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 