Gold Spire – Gold Spire (Review)

Gold Spire - Gold SpireThis is the debut album from Gold Spire, a death metal band from Sweden.

Featuring ex-members of the mighty Usurpress, Gold Spire contains 40 minutes of progressive death metal. In many ways this album is the next logical step on from Interregnum, which is great to hear as that was such a superlative album. Continue reading “Gold Spire – Gold Spire (Review)”

Scarecrow – Scarecrow II (Review)

Scarecrow - Scarecrow IIThis is the second album from Russian doom rockers Scarecrow.

Scarecrow play a classic, old-school mix of doom, hard rock, heavy blues, prog rock, psychedelia, and proto-metal.

Scarecrow II is a 44-minute time travelling psychedelic journey into the past, with the band as very capable guides. If you think of a 70s-style rock band, with some beefy guitars, the occasional Continue reading “Scarecrow – Scarecrow II (Review)”

Filth Wizard – Sleepeater (Review)

Filth Wizard - SleepeaterThis is the second album from New Zealand instrumental progressive metal/rock band Filth Wizard.

How could you not want to check out a band named Filth Wizard? Even though I do enjoy instrumental albums, sometimes a great deal, I’m not always drawn to them like I am some other styles that tend to have vocals. In this instance, the band’s name, Continue reading “Filth Wizard – Sleepeater (Review)”

Wormwood – Arkivet (Review)

Wormwood - ArkivetThis is the third album from Swedish black metallers Wormwood.

This is Swedish melodic black metal that exists within a post-black metal framework, with the latter allowing the former a broader range than it usually benefits from. Wormwood’s music has an epic streak, an atmospheric proclivity, and a good grasp of emotion and depth. Arkivet is a mix of the classic and the contemporary, and the band have balanced these influences very well to produce an evocative and compelling album. Continue reading “Wormwood – Arkivet (Review)”

Sons of Alpha Centauri – Push (Review)

Sons of Alpha Centauri - PushThis is the third album from UK metal band Sons of Alpha Centauri.

Sons of Alpha Centauri have an ever-evolving and changing sound. The artists behind the band are continually striving to do new things and experiment. 2018’s Continuum was a high quality instrumental stoner rock album, as was their split with Karma to Burn. Then, just when you thought you had them figured out, along came 2019’s Buried Memories, a collaborative effort between the band and Justin K. Broadrick, (Godflesh, Jesu, etc.), and James Plotkin, (Khanate, Jodis, etc.). It was unexpected, but most welcome. So what does Push offer? Well, once again, it’s the unexpected. Continue reading “Sons of Alpha Centauri – Push (Review)”

Fragment Soul – Axiom of Choice (Review)

Fragment Soul - Axiom of ChoiceFragment Soul are a Greek progressive doom band, and this is their debut album.

Axiom of Choice is a richly expressive work, which focuses on building atmosphere and emotion across four highly engaging songs, lasting 42 minutes in total. There’s no real heaviness or metal here, so don’t be misled by any of the genre tags or band references; this is slow, ethereal, gentle, and filled with feeling. It’s an album of depth and expansive ambience that, if you’re a fan of the style, should firmly root itself into your music collection. Continue reading “Fragment Soul – Axiom of Choice (Review)”

The Age of Truth – Resolute (Review)

The Age of Truth - ResoluteThis is the second album by US heavy rockers The Age of Truth.

Are you after some fluid grooves and engrossing riffs? Do you want good tunes delivered with an assured attitude? Looking for a band that are able to kick out the jams, but also have enough range and depth to keep bringing you back to them? Well, The Age of Truth have you covered. Continue reading “The Age of Truth – Resolute (Review)”