This is the debut EP/mini-album from US heavy metallers Silver Talon.
Do you remember Spellcaster? You should do – Night Hides the World was a great record. Why do I bring it up here? Only because Silver Talon features these same talented gentlemen producing some very tasty new music for us to lap up. Continue reading “Silver Talon – Becoming a Demon (Review)”
This is the second album from Australian one man blackened heavy metal band Rebel Wizard.
I like Rebel Wizard, (see here and here). Mixing together a personable and charismatic blend of black, thrash, and heavy metal, Rebel Wizard’s music is harsh, underground, fuzzed out, and lethally effective. Continue reading “Rebel Wizard – Voluptuous Worship of Rapture and Response (Review)”
Lycanthro are a Canadian heavy/power metal band and this is their latest EP.
On the longer side for a four-track EP, (33 minutes), Lycanthro deliver an epic mix of power and heavy metal, with an earthy, natural character and plenty of metallic clout. Continue reading “Lycanthro – Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Review)”
Conqueror’s Oath is the second album from US heavy metallers Visigoth.
Visioth play tried and tested traditional heavy metal, full of classic riffs and meaty metal. Hell yeah! Continue reading “Visigoth – Conqueror’s Oath (Review)”
Lucifer’s Chalice are a heavy metal band from the UK and this is their debut album.
Featuring members and ex-members of bands such as Uncoffined and Horrified, this is a somewhat different proposition. Lucifer’s Chalice play a mix of classic heavy metal and traditional doom metal, with epic-length songs and strong vibes of days gone past. Continue reading “Lucifer’s Chalice – The Pact (Review)”
Striker are a Canadian heavy metal band and this is their fifth album.
The singer has a strong voice that carries just the right amount of weight and levity. A band like this needs a good Continue reading “Striker – Striker (Review)”
Spellcaster are a US heavy metal band and this is their third album.
This is traditional heavy metal with a good pinch of NWOBHM. Spellcaster have created a fiery and passionate modern take on the classic style, meaning that the band play music that’s instantly recognisable as what it is, but with an up-to-date production and youthful vigour.
This is high energy, enthuiastic stuff. There’s no Continue reading “Spellcaster – Night Hides the World (Review)”
Morthus are an old-school blackened death metal band from Poland. This is their début album.
Now this is quite exciting. I’ve been looking forward to hearing something more from this band ever since their début EP The Abyss arrived in 2014 and floored me with its combination of death, black and classic metal. Continue reading “Morthus – Over the Dying Stars (Review)”
Blackhour are a Heavy Metal band from Pakistan and this is their second album.
This is an album that embraces what True Heavy Metal is all about; attitude, passion, songcraft and pure, molten delivery.
The singer has a very good voice that carries weight and authority with it, as well as being able to bang out decent harmonies and memorable melodies.
The music is Classic Heavy Metal, frequently stretched out to epic proportions across these 5 songs. The classic Metal flavour is added to by some more modern influences too; for example, if you take a band like Iron Maiden as a good starting point for comparison, Blackhour take influence from a wide swathe of Iron Maiden’s work, both old and new. This isn’t the only band they can be compared to though, as they’re certainly not Iron Maiden rip-offs. There’s more going on here than just that.
These are well-written songs that are played by people who know their way around their instruments intimately. Importantly though it’s the songs that matter and the band have a good grasp of what makes a decent Heavy Metal tune. The involving riffs and dynamic pacing of the songs work with the singer’s impressive vocals to create songs that stick in the mind long after the last chord has faded.
And there’s solos. Lots of them.
Quality stuff, and very enjoyable. Check this out and show your support.
This is the second album by Bulgarian Doom Metal band Obsidian Sea.
70’s-style riffs flow out of the speakers with the ease of a player who was born to the style. The guitars on this release are catchy and even hummable in places. The songwriting in general backs this up and the album has a lot to offer people who enjoy song-based Traditional Metal.
The band have a lovely warm, meaty sound that may hark back to a decades-old style but does so with the benefit of modern technology.
The band flirt with some psychedelic elements but for the most part it’s Classic Heavy/Doom Metal all the way. Think Black Sabbath and the like and you’ll be on the right track.
The vocals rise out of the riffs smothered in reverberation and haunting cadence. They’re ably performed and really suit this genre of music.
Yes, there are a lot of bands playing this type of Metal, but Obsidian Sea have that ineffable something that differentiates them just enough to force you to take notice. I’m can’t fully put my finger on what it is, but I think it’s essentially just how well-delivered everything is here. The songs are just goooood.
If you’re a fan of Traditional Heavy/Doom Metal then Obsidain Sea are one of the more talented bands operating in its murky waters. Give them a listen.
Wonderbox Metal 