Wonderbox Metal

Aronious – Irkalla (Review)

This is the second album from Aronious, a death metal band from the US.

I listened to and enjoyed 2020’s Perspicacity far more than I expected to, so when Irkalla appeared I was keen to explore it. Two things struck me about the band’s new release before I’d even pressed play – the first was the difference in length, (Irkalla‘s 41 minutes/8 tracks vs Perspicacity‘s 59 minutes/13 tracks), and the second was the significant lineup changes, including a new Continue reading “Aronious – Irkalla (Review)”

Arch Enemy – Deceivers (Review)

This is the eleventh album from Swedish melodic death metallers Arch Enemy.

I enjoyed 2017’s Will to Power, and it grew on me further over time, so I’ve been quite looking forward to Deceivers arriving. Now that we have the album’s 45 minutes of new material, I’m quite happy with the results. Continue reading “Arch Enemy – Deceivers (Review)”

Seventh Storm – Maledictus (Review)

Seventh Storm are a metal band from Portugal and this is their debut album.

Featuring an ex-member of Moonspell, Maledictus contains 58 minutes of quality metal music that’s been well-crafted by its creators. Continue reading “Seventh Storm – Maledictus (Review)”

The Halo Effect – Days of the Lost (Review)

This is the debut album from Swedish melodic death metal band The Halo Effect.

The Halo Effect are a band that features ex-members of In Flames along with the singer of Dark Tranquillity, (who was also in In Flames very early on), there’s a lot expectations riding on Days of the Lost in certain quarters, (including this one). Continue reading “The Halo Effect – Days of the Lost (Review)”

Dub War – Westgate under Fire (Review)

Dub War are a metal band from the UK and this is their third album.

Combining metal, punk, hip hop, and reggae influences into their groundbreaking style, I had a lot of time for Dub War in the 90s. As such, it’s an unexpected treat to have some new material from them. Westgate Under Fire gives us 48 minutes of multifaceted musical mayhem. Continue reading “Dub War – Westgate under Fire (Review)”

Human Cull – To Weep for Unconquered Worlds (Review)

This is the third album from UK grindcore band Human Cull.

Somehow I missed this when it came out in January, so the fact that it’s now had a vinyl release seems the perfect opportunity to see what Human Cull’s third album has to offer. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, make sure you check out 2014’s Stillborn Nation and 2018’s Revenant for some great grinding fun. Continue reading “Human Cull – To Weep for Unconquered Worlds (Review)”

Standard Interrogation Techniques: Five Questions for Wake (Interview)

Although I’d ideally love to be able to conduct hard-hitting, in-depth interviews, who has the time these days? In lieu of this, I’ve thrown together the below question template, hopefully to gather some interesting and informative results, without taking up too much of anyone’s time.

Introduce yourself – who are you and what do you do?

I’m Josh, I play the drums. Continue reading “Standard Interrogation Techniques: Five Questions for Wake (Interview)”

Following on from 2018’s As the Kingdom Drowns, Divine Council is a very accomplished record. Psycroptic have a sound pretty much all of their own, and on their latest release the band have executed their vision with passion and professional expertise. Continue reading “Psycroptic – Divine Council (Review)”