Elder – Through Zero (Review)

Elder - Through ZeroThis is the seventh album from US progressive rock band Elder.

Following on from 2022’s Innate Passage now comes the 54-minute Through Zero. Elder have put together a sprawling new record that twists and turns with a life of its own. This is a record that’s worth abandoning extremity for, bathing instead in its heart of gloriously warm heavy rock. Continue reading “Elder – Through Zero (Review)”

Black Orchid Empire – LORE (Review)

Black Orchid Empire - LOREThis is the fifth album from UK progressive rock band Black Orchid Empire.

Black Orchid Empire revealed themselves to be one of the best contemporary heavy/progressive rock bands around on 2023’s Tempus Veritas, and also showed their chops in the live environment at last year’s Mangata Festival. All of which is to say that the new 48-minute LORE promises great things. Does it deliver? Continue reading “Black Orchid Empire – LORE (Review)”

Abrams – Loon (Review)

Abrams - LoonAbrams are a rock band from the US and this is their sixth album.

Loon offers up a tight 37 minutes of infectious rock music, although this is not completely the same Abrams that we’ve encountered previously. Loon showcases a different facet of the Abrams sound, and it does this exceedingly well. Continue reading “Abrams – Loon (Review)”

Crippled Black Phoenix – Sceaduhelm (Review)

Crippled Black Phoenix - SceaduhelmThis is the thirteenth album from progressive/post-rock band Crippled Black Phoenix.

Crippled Black Phoenix’s latest record is the 66-minute Sceaduhelm. Ranging from accessible chorus-driven delights to delicate atmospheric grace, and much around these, Sceaduhelm is as absorbing as it is high quality.  Continue reading “Crippled Black Phoenix – Sceaduhelm (Review)”

Wildernesses – Growth (Review)

Wildernesses - GrowthWildernesses are a post-rock/shoegaze band from the UK and this is their debut album.

Growth is a 44-minute record that brings together post-rock and shoegaze into a something unexpectedly special. The music of Wildernesses is detailed and textured, offering a vision of post-rock to the listener that’s Continue reading “Wildernesses – Growth (Review)”

Oreyeon – The Grotesque Within (Review)

Oreyeon - The Grotesque WithinOreyeon are an Italian stoner rock band and this is their fourth album.

I enjoyed 2022’s Equations for the Useless, so wanted to check in with Oreyeon once more to see what this stoner rock crew were up to. The Grotesque Within is what. It’s a record bursting with stoner rock flavour, spiced up with grunge, doom, and progressive rock seasoning. Continue reading “Oreyeon – The Grotesque Within (Review)”