This is the tenth album from Swedish progressive rock band Pain of Salvation.
Here we have 54 minutes of progressive rock that’s laced prominently with electronica. For such a well-known and long-serving band, I’m not really that familiar with Pain of Salvation, and I have to say that Panther makes me regret this, as it’s a very strong record indeed. Continue reading “Pain of Salvation – Panther (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Brimstone Coven, a rock band from the US.
Here we have 35 minutes of endearing rock that mixes together elements of proto-metal and doom rock to produce music that has a 70s feel, while not being overly beholden to it. Bands like Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Deep Continue reading “Brimstone Coven – The Woes of a Mortal Earth (Review)”
This is the debut album from Canadian doom band Empress.
I enjoyed 2017’s Reminiscence, with its psychedelic grooves and rolling riffs. It set out a strong opening argument for the band, which Premonition now ably capitalises on. Combining elements of doom, sludge, progressive, and post-metal into 49 minutes of expressive, mood-focused music, Premonition is a thoroughly convincing affair. Continue reading “Empress – Premonition (Review)”
This is the debut album from Tiberius, a progressive metal band from the UK.
If you fancy a spot of technical wizardry with your big choruses, and are partial to a bit of Protest the Hero or the more accessible side of Between the Buried and Me, then you might want to check out these Scottish metallers. Continue reading “Tiberius – A Peaceful Annihilation (Review)”
This is the debut album from US hardcore band Eye Flys.
Featuring a guitarist of Full of Hell, this is 25 minutes of stocky heaviness and charismatic hostility. Elements of hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock collide on Tub of Lard, leading to an enjoyable take on heavy music. Reference points for Continue reading “Eye Flys – Tub of Lard (Review)”
Paul Catten is a prolific UK extreme metal artist and this is his latest album.
We’ve met Paul Catten before, (here, here and here), and you never know what you’re going to get from the man. His latest release is far more accessible and pop-influenced than I was expecting, and it Continue reading “Paul Catten – The Beauty of Decay (Review)”
Escape Is Not Freedom are an alternative/sludge metal band, and this is their second album.
Escape Is Not Freedom are no strangers to this site, (here and here), and it’s great to hear some new material from them. Combining elements of metal, sludge, rock, and noise, Escape Is Not Freedom remind me of a cross between Fudge Tunnel, Helmet, Nirvana, Skyscraper, and others. Continue reading “Escape Is Not Freedom – Surrounded by the Great Nothing (Review)”
This is the eleventh album from US unconventional experimental metal band Today Is the Day.
I really, really enjoyed 2014’s Animal Mother, which was one of my favourite releases from this artist. As such, No Good to Anyone was much-anticipated, and had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, it’s one of Today Is the Day’s bests. Continue reading “Today Is the Day – No Good to Anyone (Review)”
This is the fifth album from The Night Flight Orchestra, a Swedish hard rock band.
I loved Amber Galactic and Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough, and now I love Aeromantic. It’s quite simple really; The Night Flight Orchestra have never released a bad album, and just seem to be getting better and better over time, growing into themselves with increasing confidence. Continue reading “The Night Flight Orchestra – Aeromantic (Review)”
This is the debut album from one-man Swedish doom metal band Blissful Stream.
It seems like an age since Blissful Stream first appeared in 2016 with Ascending Demons, which impressed with its lo-fi rocky take on doom metal. The next two years saw a release every year, (Devil’s Night to All Souls – Split with Lightsabres, and Dead Religious), and then a quiet 2019. This was apparently due to the artist building up to his fist full length, which we are now lucky enough to have in 2020. Continue reading “Blissful Stream – When the Wolves Start to Circle (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 