Hammerfall are a Swedish heavy/power metal band and this is their thirteenth album.
I do enjoy visiting the world of Hammerfall when I can, (check out Built to Last, Glory to the Brave, and Renegade 2.0 too), so Avenge the Fallen is well-received. Hammerfall’s latest contains 47 minutes of new music, and is a strong record from this veteran band. Continue reading “Hammerfall – Avenge the Fallen (Review)”
This is the second album from UK stoner/sludge metallers Barbarian Hermit.
It’s been six long years since 2018’s Solitude and Savagery, but now Barbarian Hermit have returned, and with a different vocalist. Mean Sugar contains 44 minutes of new music for us to hungrily devour. Continue reading “Barbarian Hermit – Mean Sugar (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Ironflame, a heavy metal solo act from the US.
Despite not reviewing the style as much as, say, black or death metal, I’m a huge fan of heavy/power/etc. metal. The problem is though that is a very easy style to play poorly, as you need really really good songs and a really good singer to make an impression on me. This is where Ironflame come in, as they tick both boxes. Kingdom Torn Asunder is filled with metallic bangers and they have a singer that can belt them out with the best of them. Continue reading “Ironflame – Kingdom Torn Asunder (Review)”
Category 7 are a metal band form the US and this is their debut album.
Brought to us by current/ex-members of Anthrax, Armored Saint, Exodus, Machine Head, Overkill, and Shadows Fall, Category 7 has a lot of experience wrapped up in its 52 minutes. Unleashing a storming collection of 90s-inspired thrash metal songs with a touch of classic heavy metal, this is a charismatic record that’s easy to like. Continue reading “Category 7 – Category 7 (Review)”
This is the tenth album from UK stoner/heavy metal band Orange Goblin.
A new Orange Goblin album is a notable event. 2014’s Back from the Abyss was a top drawer record, followed by 2018’s enjoyable The Wolf Bites Back. Six years later, we get Science, Not Fiction, which brings us 53 minutes, (with bonus track), of new material. Continue reading “Orange Goblin – Science, Not Fiction (Review)”
Vuur & Zijde are a blackened post metal band from the Netherlands and this is their debut album.
Brought to us by current and ex-members of bands such as Freja, Laster, Silver Knife, Terzij de Horde, Witte Wieven, and more, Boezem contains 46 minutes of idiosyncratic and enjoyable music. Continue reading “Vuur & Zijde – Boezem (Review)”
Against Evil are an Indian heavy metal band and this is their third album.
Against Evil play energy-filled heavy metal, and they play it very well. There are power and thrash metal influences at play here, particularly the latter, but essentially this is glorious fast-paced old-school heavy metal, delivered with contemporary passion and skill. Continue reading “Against Evil – Give ’em Hell (Review)”
Crystal Viper are a Polish heavy metal band and this is their ninth album.
Despite being nine albums into their career, this is my first encounter with Crystal Viper. Containing 11 tracks of classic heavy metal, The Silver Key is 47 minutes, (with the Bathory cover song), of solid, old-fashioned metal. Continue reading “Crystal Viper – The Silver Key (Review)”
This is the debut album from US solo metalcore band Scene Queen.
Now for something a little different. The artist behind Scene Queen offers up a clash of metalcore and chart music that’s shockingly good. It almost doesn’t need stating that this is not the sort of thing I gravitate to normally, but this is simply too good to pass up; as soon as I gave it a chance, I knew it had me. Continue reading “Scene Queen – Hot Singles in Your Area (Review)”
This is the second solo album from the iconic Julie Christmas, who plays a vert individual brand of rock/metal.
A new solo album from one of the best artists in the business, a mere 14 years after her last one? Someone who has one of the most individual and simply fantastic singing voices ever, and has given us some classic albums from bands like Battle of Mice and Made out of Babies? An artist who even managed to elevate the pretty much untouchable Cult of Luna to unexpectedly higher levels of excellence on Mariner? New songs from her? Sign me up without hesitation. Continue reading “Julie Christmas – Ridiculous and Full of Blood (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 