Frozen Crown – Call of the North (Review)

Frozen Crown - Call of the NorthFrozen Crown are an Italian power metal band and this is their fourth album.

With promo blurb that states Call of the North is for fans of Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Dragonforce, and Unleash the Archers, it would be churlish not to check this out. I’m glad I did. Continue reading “Frozen Crown – Call of the North (Review)”

The Necromancers – Where the Void Rose (Review)

The Necromancers - Where the Void RoseThis is the third album from The Necromancers, a French heavy metal/rock band.

Playing a mix of classic heavy metal and occult rock, The Necromancers impress over 38 minutes with their charismatic and compelling take on an old-school style. Continue reading “The Necromancers – Where the Void Rose (Review)”

Trial (Swe) – Feed the Fire (Review)

Trial (Swe) - Feed the FireThis is the fourth album from Swedish heavy metallers Trial (Swe).

Since I last encountered Trial n 2017’s (Vessel), the band have changed their name to Trial (Swe), released another album and an EP, and changed singer. So, what does Feed the Fire bring us? The answer is 46 minutes of rousing heavy metal. Continue reading “Trial (Swe) – Feed the Fire (Review)”

Lux Incerta – Dark Odyssey (Review)

Lux Incerta - Dark OdysseyThis is the second album from French doom metal band Lux Incerta.

Lux Incerta are inspired by the 90s UK doom scene, and list bands such as Paradise Post, Cathedral, and My Dying Bride as prime influences. Alongside the distinctly non-doom Iron Maiden, which they also state as an influence, the band have used these starting points to craft 61 minutes of immersive doom metal. Continue reading “Lux Incerta – Dark Odyssey (Review)”

Label Roundup: Dying Victims Productions – Tension, Tangent, & Vicious Knights (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This new column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

Have you heard of Dying Victims Productions? They deal mostly with traditional heavy metal, and the label is home to a number of great bands and great albums, (Witchseeker are just one such example). The below three releases all see the light of day on January 28th 2022, so I thought it’s a great to catch up with some of the label’s latest output. Continue reading “Label Roundup: Dying Victims Productions – Tension, Tangent, & Vicious Knights (Reviews)”

Label Roundup: Nuclear Blast Records – Northtale, Suffocation, & Hammerfall (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This new column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

Nuclear Blast is a record label that should need very little introduction, as the label has released so many classic albums over the decades. As such, lets just dive right in to some of their latest releases… Continue reading “Label Roundup: Nuclear Blast Records – Northtale, Suffocation, & Hammerfall (Reviews)”

Lucifer’s Fall – III – From the Deep (Review)

Lucifer's Fall - III - From the DeepThis is the third album from Australian doom metallers Lucifer’s Fall.

I’m a sucker for Lucifer’s Fall. Whatever they do seems like filthy doom gold as far as I’m concerned. If you haven’t already, make sure you also check out their past releases, (Lucifer’s Fall, Fuck You We’re Lucifer’s Fall, II – Cursed & Damned, Tales from the Crypt), as every single one of them is worth it. Continue reading “Lucifer’s Fall – III – From the Deep (Review)”

Yoth Iria – As the Flame Withers (Review)

Yoth Iria - As the Flame WithersYoth Iria are a Greek black metal band and this is their debut album.

Containing ex-Rotting Christ and ex-Varathron members, Yoth Iria play a form of Hellenic black metal, as would be expected, but don’t limit themselves to this completely, (there’s a strong occult atmospheric component to the music, for example, as well as a classic heavy metal one – think Iron Maiden in particular). Continue reading “Yoth Iria – As the Flame Withers (Review)”

Judicator – Let There Be Nothing (Review)

Judicator - Let There Be NothingJudicator are a power metal band from the US and this is their fifth album.

Let There Be Nothing is a 60-minute concept album, one that’s epic on scope and ambition. Will this be 2020’s best power metal release? Well, it’s certainly the best one I’ve heard so far, for whatever that’s worth. Continue reading “Judicator – Let There Be Nothing (Review)”