The Shape – The World Away (Review)

The ShapeThe Shape are a US metal band and this is their fourth album.

Mixing modern metal, metalcore, thrash metal, nu-metal, and groove metal into their sound, this is an enjoyable romp through a landscape that sees many different complementary influences touched upon. Continue reading “The Shape – The World Away (Review)”

Bewitcher – Bewitcher (Review)

BewitcherThis is the debut album from US black/speed metal band Bewitcher.

This is some heady old-school stuff. Mixing thrash, speed, heavy, and first-wave black metal influences into its delivery, this album is designed to get you headbanging. Continue reading “Bewitcher – Bewitcher (Review)”

Kreator/Sepultura/Soilwork/Aborted – Manchester Academy 1, 28/02/17 (Live Review)

Kreator Tour

Now this is a tour! Four top-notch, high-profile metal bands in one glorious package? Yes please!

Aborted

Continue reading “Kreator/Sepultura/Soilwork/Aborted – Manchester Academy 1, 28/02/17 (Live Review)”

Killing Addiction – Shores of Oblivion (Review)

Killing AddictionThis is the latest EP from Killing Addiction, a death metal band from the US.

Having enjoyed their short-yet-brutal 2014 EP When Death Becomes an Art, it’s good to hear some new material from these veterans.

This EP is 15 minutes of classic, 90s-styled Continue reading “Killing Addiction – Shores of Oblivion (Review)”

Kreator – Gods of Violence (Review)

KreatorKreator are a legendary thrash metal band from Germany that I very much doubt will need any real introduction. This is their fourteenth album.

Full disclosure – Kreator are one of my favourite bands. They have been, (and remain), one of the most consistently enjoyable thrash metal bands out there. Even at their weakest, (probably Cause for Conflict I’d say), their material is still stronger than that of most similar bands. And of course, when they’re at the Continue reading “Kreator – Gods of Violence (Review)”

Alkira – Klotho (Review)

AlkiraAlkira are a thrash metal band from Australia and this is their second album.

You may recall Alkira from their 2014 debut album Juggernaut. This was a very enjoyable slab of aggressive thrash metal that I especially enjoyed as it seemed at the time that so much of thrash was doing the retro/ironic/humour/whatever version of the style, which is largely not for me; Alkira were, (and are), somewhat of a panacea for this. Continue reading “Alkira – Klotho (Review)”

Hellripper – Complete and Total Fucking Mayhem (Review)

HellripperHellripper is a one-man black/speed metal band from the UK.

Complete and Total Fucking Mayhem is a compilation of all of the Hellripper work so far. This includes The Manifestation of Evil, a split with Batsheva, a three-way split with Acid Cross and Kreigg, and finally a split with Fetid Zombie called Prophecies of Ruin. All tracks have been remastered for this release. Continue reading “Hellripper – Complete and Total Fucking Mayhem (Review)”

Wolf’s Hunger – Bež’te Živi, Vraćaju Se Mrtvi (Review)

Wolf's HungerWolf’s Hunger are a Serbian black/thrash metal band. This is their second album.

Despite there actually being a fair few bands out there that play blackened thrash metal in a convincing and enjoyable way, I still always think of myself as someone that’s not a huge fan of mixing the two. I think it’s Continue reading “Wolf’s Hunger – Bež’te Živi, Vraćaju Se Mrtvi (Review)”

Archetype – Mission (Review)

ArchetypeThis is the debut album from Archetype, a Canadian progressive death metal band.

This is a progressive mixture of death and thrash metal that’s not short on confidence or character. Or, for that matter, a rather insane delivery style.

The songs have a decent mixture of aggressive thrash metal, (with a kind of German, Destruction/Kreator feel), and melodic death metal, (Carcass/Arsis), mixed in with more technical and progressive tendencies that see the band producing Continue reading “Archetype – Mission (Review)”