Malacoda - Ritualis Aeterna (2016)

Who are Malacoda? Well, the Canadian quintet have been together since 2015 and they've released one self-titled album along with an EP just last year. This of course, is a review for that EP. You can grab it on Bandcamp right now and it's definitely worth it if you like Gothic, doom and power metal. The band is composed of current and former members of Annihilator, Phear, Echoterra, Pyramaze, Structure Of Inhumanity and Universal Mind Project, but it doesn't have a very strong budget yet and needs some level of promotion in order to possibly get further in the game. That being said, this blog probably won't be much help. (Chuckles) In any case, we first have to wager as to whether or not Malacoda are actually worth being a big name act in their own right and in my book, I was quite surprised by what I thought was going to be some kind of generic metal album. I'm already aware that if you'll look at the Metal Archives review for the record, you'll find that the score is relatively low at 60%. But judging by the inexperienced nature of the writer, I wouldn't trust it. Seriously, looking at that load of proverbial chicken scratch tells me that he doesn't have the faintest idea as to what in the hell he's talking about.

So let's get down to brass tacks – Malacoda are an act worth watching. Not only do I hear resemblances to Candlemass, Ihsahn and even Nevermore within the powerful clean vocal structures of frontman/guitarist Lucas Di Mascio, but I'm also noticing superb keyboard atmospheres from Jonah Weingarten which really add to the whole gothic nature of the piece. Adding to that, we have some pretty killer solo work as Mascio and secondary axeman Brad Casarin prove that they can recreate the same incredible effects with their guitars that Weingarten is creating with his keys.

Malacoda aren't just a band that excell mainly in their dark and gloomy keyboard atmospheres, as they also hit strong choruses (there are no ten minute epics here, so it's mainly verse/chorus) in nearly every track that will actually get stuck in your head if you give them enough time. It feels a bit rock sometimes (I Got A Letter) but that's a large part of classic/heavy/power metal anyway, so you can't blame them for wanting to make catchy songs out of this. I do think they should branch out a little more, maybe offer some longer pieces in which the guitars and keys can have a free-for-all, but I'm definitely not unhappy with this. Di Mascio still needs a little work in his clean lines, but don't we all. I definitely can't pull off those highs in “Pandemonium” without sounding like I've grown breasts. I'd definitely have to compare them to Ihsahn's clean lines as well, which is what I was most reminded of when they came into place. This EP feels like an experiment, with every song offering something new from the band. It seems that they want to show what they're capable of and sort of find a middle ground for all of it. I'm guessing the first record was a bit of a mess because there were a million ideas utilized on it, only few of which will be further carried on. When we continue listening, we find that “The Wild Hunt” actually comes across as one of the band's strongest by far, pulling off a familiar sound and style that fans of darker power metal acts will catch right away. The only real piece I could do without is “Linger Here” which is mostly a little piano ballad that never catches on due to it's unexpectedly short length. I guess I was expecting a “November Rain” moment with this, where the guitars are finally turned on and we manage to get a brilliant solo out of it. Even BabyMetal did that with “No Rain, No Rainbow” which still surprises me to this day. I have never really cared for piano based ballads in this fashion and this one didn't win me over either. Fortunately, the record ends with a heavy-hitter called “There Will Always Be One” which is appreciated, as the prior cut nearly put me to sleep. Not only does the piece contain it's share of awfully creepy keyboards, but it features as strong of a chorus number as that of opener “Penny Dreadful” and “The Wild Hunt.” We also get several infusions of guitar, like we wanted from the very beginning.

I think Malacoda know what to do, they're just not exactly doing it. What I'd like to hear from a future release is much longer songs with more guitar influence, less of the teary piano ballads and without question, an album worthy of the title of gothic power metal. There's so much promise in Ritualis Aeterna that labels should be taking note, and I'm sure they are. I really just hope that the band are able to evolve naturally and don't end up getting thrown into the core and djent trends, of which I'm proud to say that I'm not hearing one bit of throughout the entirety of this release. Thank the metal gods for small favors. As I said, you can pick this one up on Bandcamp and you should, especially if you're interested in a couple of catchy dark tunes that have me hopeful for the future of this genre. You see, gothic power metal is not all that prolific within the heavy metal spectrum, nor should it be. I like to see that bands like Malacoda are trying new things within what has seemed to hit a sort of a slump as far as the power metal genre is concerned. Many of the bands are putting out good albums, but no one is really putting out anything all that unique. At least these Canadians are trying, and that's saying something.

(6 Tracks, 24:00)

8/10

Sacred Steel - Heavy Metal Sacrifice (2016)

The first thing I noticed about this ninth full-length offering from German stalwarts Sacred Steel, is that I had to turn it up a little bit. I had a hard time hearing it as the production volume is a little low. That's fine though, as they're obviously going for a much more raw approach to their brand of epic heavy metal. If you'll look on Metal Archives right now, you'll see a whopping 93% on this album by slayr666 and though that guy seems to know what he's talking about, I guess I'm going to come across as a bit of an alternative to the positive review. That's not to say that Heavy Metal Sacrifice is a bad record, but that perhaps it's not THAT good. I don't know, folks – somewhere along the line this one tends to lose me. If I can be honest, it might just boil down to the fact that I don't like Gerrit P. Mutz's (Angel Of Damnation, Battleroar, Dawn Of Winter) vocals. You see, even though the band have been together since '97, I've never heard these guys before now. Not even one single album. Musically, I think the record seems to combine thrash, power metal and classic heavy metal in a fine fashion. The songs are also thickly structured as much longer cuts like “The Sign Of The Skull” and “Let There Be Steel” manage to allow enough breathing room for more acoustic and slightly somber sections. Current guitarists Jens Sonnenberg and Jonas Khalil (My Darkest Hate) absoutely kill on this record, with a memorable drum performance offered by Matthias Straub (Naevus) and some nice bass licks from Kai Schindelar(Lanfear). As far as Mutz goes, I am not saying that he is a bad vocalist, but his performance here isn't really working for me. On most songs, that is. I absolutely love the almost doom-like structures given to “Beyond The Gates Of Ninevah” which offers a completely different approach to the band and livens up the formula quite a bit for me. Of the several songs I've listened to here, this one really works well for me even though it's the technical closer to the disc (the less said about “Iron Donkey” the better) and it's a bit unfortunate that it took nearly the entire listen before I found something that I really liked.

Going deeper into the listen, I begin to notice that there are some good thrash cuts here like “Hail The Godz Of War” and “The Dead Walk The Earth” which reminds me a lot of early Sabbat, and that's always a good thing. I'm also reminded of early Slough Feg (back when they were The Lord Weird Slough Feg) which also works for me. Let's even go with Satan. Yes, Satan works for me here as well. I suppose that fans of Satan, Slough Feg, Sabbat and several more (MA gives me acts like Skelator, Helstar, Running Wild and even 3 Inches Of Blood, which I agree with to varying degrees) will certainly find something to like in what feels like a very English inspired German heavy metal. I even hear some Primordial in the riffing that makes up “Vulture Priest” which is not an infleunce I expected. There's definitely a tribal vibe flowing through that one. So perhaps now that I've given the disc a chance to warm up, I should change my answer, as it were.

That being said, I still don't think this disc deserves a 93% but I'd certainly feel right giving it a strong 80%. Maybe if I listened to it a few more times, I would consider it even higher. Heavy Metal Sacrifice brings us back to the days when an individual actually had to sit down and fully take in an album, which is one reason that I think it might excel above some of their others (the average MA review scores from the band range from 55% to 80% respectively, but it mostly hovers within the upper seventies) and could net them the first 80% or 85% score percentage since the band's debut. I know that most of this must be boring you to tears, but it interests me greatly as a reviewer as it could literally be one of the best albums that these gentlemen have ever recorded. Maybe I'll even throw in the fact that Mutz's vocals are actually starting to grow on me a bit now. I gave this record an inaugural listen and noticed a couple things that I liked, but on this second one I'm really starting to notice quite a bit of things that I do like. If I haven't said it enough already, this is what I would definitely consider to be pristinely written and genuine heavy metal. When we get into the softer portion of “Let There Be Steel” we begin to experience true emotion, beefing up and already potent number from the beginning. Even if Mutz's vocals don't catch on with you in the beginning, you probably just need to sit down and soak it in. Heavy Metal Sacrifice isn't a fly by night recording by any means. You're going to have to listen to it in order to really understand the kind of adventure you're being taken on. There is definitely some modernism in the downtuned bass here and there, but the overall aura of the disc feels grained in the early eighties, even though these guys aren't in any way an eighties act.

Noting all of this, the disc is not perfect. “Iron Donkey” should have been scrapped and I won't even consider it part of the album. It's just a little silly thing that the band did on what is a very strong and serious album. Especially since it truly ends on such a powerful note as “Beyond The Gates Of Ninevah” a track that I could listen to many times over. I think it was that cut that really convinced me to dig back into some of the earlier cuts and give this record a truly fair observance. I would ask that you do the same. There's definitely something here, but it might not make itself known in the very beginning. Sacred Steel fans will be happy to know that Heavy Metal Sacrifice was well worth waiting for. Just give it some time, alright?

(11 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10

Existance - Breaking The Rock (2016)

Right before October hit, I was on a big Sonic kick, which included going through a lot of the Sonic Adventure series and digging into Crush 40's music. Well, Crush 40 (which actually contains Hardline/Axel Rudi Pell frontman Johnny Gioeli – Yes, the frontman of Axel Rudi Pell has been singing about Sonic The Hedgehog for a number of years now, and that looks to continue) is inspired by many of the same bands that this French classic heavy metal act is also inspired by on their sophomore album (Priest, Maiden, Saxon, Accept, exc) and that equals out to a winning record for me. As you know, I've always been a fan of classic heavy metal in this vein, which Existance manages to translate pretty well into the modern era. It sounds like it came straight from the eighties golden age, with Juian Izard (son of H-Bomb frontman Didier Izard) wailing on the vocals along with Antoine Poiret shredding up a storm on guitars. Newly added to the act are the punchy drum acrobatics of Nicholas Martineau on the kit and the thumping riffs of Julien Robilliard on the bass. The listener is hit with track after track of what I can simply just describe as the chemistry of heavy metal in general.

Breaking The Rock features explosive guitar solos, catchy choruses and just plain strong leads in general. I hear a lot of discs like this, but these guys are putting more muscle into than I get with several similar acts. It's also the attention to detail in their bridges that really hits me – I like a song that offers more than just a verse, chorus and solo piece and if you'll really give it a listen, you'll understand exactly what I'm talking about there. Most of these cuts are also a bit longer than the normal three minute mark, which usually means that there's a bit more in terms of song structure and that equals out to a memorable experience that delivers far more than just a simple chorus line repeated from now to eternity.

“Sinner Of Love” actually gives the band a full five minutes to play with, which are quickly filled with the kind of classic solo indentation that we want from what is very much a classic hard rocker. “In The Name Of Revenge” truly soars, with Izard packing a truly notable vocal performance on what I'd consider to be a much heavier cut, and even though it's a bit shorter than the others, we are still treated to a truly awesome solo. That's just the kind of material that listeners will be presented with on this return to the eighties glory days of the metal genre. If you love classic heavy metal fused with hairy hard rock, then you're going to enjoy this one quite a bit. It's no secret that The Grim Lord loves this classic stuff and I'd definitely recommend checking out this effort from the Frenchmen, even if not all the vocal nodes caught with me as much as I wanted. The effort is there though and that's what truly counts in the end. Existance seem to prove that they should very much exist as a heavy metal entity and I'm sure you'll love them if you'll give them a chance.

(10 Tracks, 46:00)

7/10

Vultures Vengeance - Where The Time Dwelt In (2016)

Italian heavy metal act Vultures Vengeance have just released their debut EP and it's going to be a real must for fans of classic, galloping doom influenced heavy metal acts like Manilla Road for instance. Oddly enough, frontman/guitarist Tony T. Steele reminds me of a young Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian) albeit in a much slower style of music. It almost feels a little bit creepy in that regards, making me wonder what kind of band Blind Guardian might have sounded like if they weren't thrash or power metal. Though the performance is a little raw and rough around the edges in some ways, there's still enough of a presence to leave a mark on me and that leaves me feeling rather confident that this act could succeed. One thing about the record that I have to mention are it's strong leads, which could be performed by both Steele or Nail (Necromancer) and certainly manage to bring a bit of beauty to the hefty bass riffs delivered by Matt Savage (Necromancer). The drumming performed by Kosathral Khel is quite commonplace to the genre, and it more or less serves as a common backbone for the heavily doom-influenced style. We're also getting a slew of memorable guitar solos that befit such longer pieces like “On A Prisoner's Tale” and if that isn't enough to demonstrate the kinds of things that this band can perform musically, we have an instrumental closing note in “Where The Time Stands Still” in which this very point is illustrated beautifully. I'd definitely recommend giving this album a listen, as these Italian heavy metallers are certainly onto something. This is a pretty solid debut and it's well worth an ear.

(5 Tracks, 26:00)

7/10

Bestial Invasion - Trilogy: Prisoners Of Miserable Fate (2016)

This is the first EP release issued by the Ukranian technical thrash act, which actually comes after a full-length debut earlier last year. Uncommonly, this band did not release an EP before the debut, instead releasing a couple of singles and a split before the full-length. The style of music here seems to reference Iron Maiden's early works, and even frontman V. Zadiev has a little bit of Bruce in him. I'd know that air-raid siren approach from anywhere, and he's nearly got it. That being said, we're definitely still getting thrash here and that's coming on the back of drummer Ivan Semenchuck, with additional bass pounds from Metal Priest. The band features two guitarists (Evgeniy Maestro and Alexandr Klapstrov respectively) who manage to throw in some catchy leads and solos to the mix, even though it is quite obvious that the playing here lends to experimentation. It has some Maiden, but it also seems to take things in a much faster, more technical direction without relying on djent, core or other metal modernisms. I don't mind a little bit of prog and technicality when it works to beef up a record like this to such an astonishing degree. Listeners, you will hear and experience real song structures on this album, complex ones at that – and if the vocal fronted pieces don't work well enough to show it all off, then you have the amazing instrumental cut “Lord Of The Middle Earth” to demonstrate what these guys can really do. Perhaps their English skills aren't so great, but they can play above and beyond that of many other bands in this genre. I'm quite surprised by the sheer level of dedication to craft here and would recommend it to those looking for something a bit more complex that doesn't wander too far off into core or kitchen sink territory.

(4 Tracks, 22:00)

8/10

Altar Of Oblivion - Barren Grounds (2016)

Releasing on the 30th of September, we have a new EP release from these Danish doom metallers which I found quite assuring. Aside from the familiar doom wallops that we're used to, there's a definite air of classic metal here that reminds me heavily of acts like Candlemass. But that's a good thing, as we can all do with more Candlemass. Maybe Mik Mentor's vocal lines aren't as good as Mats Levén's, but the guitar work of Allan B. Larsen and Martin Meyer Mendelssohn Sparvath is certainly worth denoting. That doesn't all the time equal out to a solo as the misty “Lost” showcases, but when these men do offer up a set of riffs and melodies, we often get a very classic approach that only reminds me of the best efforts in this genre. Sparvath also handles the keyboard work here too, which can definitely change the whole tone of the band (as in the aforementioned, which isn't even a metal track per se) and makes the whole performance much more than that of what might first appear to be a mere Candlemass clone. They've got the right idea here, leaving listeners with a good slice of doom that serves as a tribute to classics, as well as little bit more. Not bad for an EP release.

(4 Tracks, 18:00)

7/10

Bewitcher - Bewitcher (2016)

Seriously, what is with these electronic introductions to classic albums? Is metal changing over to wave music or something? I love both, but I find it quite odd that such a produced electronic wave would accompany such a rough and rowdy approach as is offered by this official debut from these US black/speed metallers. They're from Oregon – Portland, to be exact – but that's no reason for me to start throwing hipster jokes because of the wave introduction to the album. Right? Basically, we've got a Motorhead and Venom inspired act that you might also compare to bands like Midnight, Sodom, Toxic Holocaust, Power From Hell, Joel Grind and several others in this vein. There's no doubting the Motorhead here, which was just influential to Bewitcher as it was to Venom when they first started this stuff and called it “black metal” back in the eighties. The approach here isn't very different, but it's certainly a solid record that delivers a no-frills approach to black/speed metal. Guitarist/Frontman Unholy Weaver has been studying his early Motorhead records quite furiously, as I'm hearing quite a bit of that here, and I have no problem with it. It's more or less just classic heavy metal with a harsher bark than what Lemmy gave us and there's nothing wrong with that. Occasionally Diabolic Crusher will punch the kit into higher gear, showing off that more extreme “black metal” side, but I'm a bit more interested in the overall guitar-theatrics of the performance. It's all about the chugging atmosphere here, casting the lyrics aside as unimportant. I like this disc for the attention to detail, regardless of how some might say that these guys are kind of ripping off the classics. But can you blame kids these days? Some won't even listen to the greats because they've been somehow convinced that they're too old and dated, so we need bands like Bewitcher to come out with new records and take this new generation by storm. If you won't listen to the old shit, then here's some old shit repackaged as new shit. There ya go, embrace metal in 2016. Forty years and still going strong, metal is only further accentuated in it's awesomeness by bands like Bewitcher who we hope to hear for many years to come.

(9 Tracks, 33:00)

7/10

Etrusgrave - Aita's Sentence (2016)

If you're a fan of traditional heavy metal in the vein of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Virgin Steele or UDO, then you will certainly love Italy's Etrusgrave. The band have been around since 2004, but released their debut record, Masters Of Fate in 2008. They haven't released an album since 2010's Tophet, marking Aita's Sentence the band's first album in six years. It is also interesting to note that their name is a combination of the terms “Etruscan” and “Grave.”

Not much has changed since the band's last record, aside from the addition of drummer Stefano Giugioli which means that these guys are pretty much the same band that they were six years ago. I really can't say, as this is the first release I've ever heard from them. Yet I can certainly accrue something from the listen – they're not bad. Not bad at all. As a matter of fact, they have some real staying power and will appeal mainly to those looking for a style of production that feels a little bit more organic. When I listen to this record, I can tell that there are actually musicians in the studio, recording their instruments live with little to no edits during the mixing process. As it sounds raw, perhaps frontman Tiziano Sbaragli won't quite hit every note perfectly and maybe Fulberto Serena's guitar will have a little bit more feedback and hiss than necessary. But those are just the sort of things that you should expect with a warmer performance, which almost echoes what the band can undoubtedly offer in a live setting. Fortunately, Aita's Sentence is a record I would love to hear in just that kind of setting, with the Priest meets Saxon feel of opener “Anxiety” or the Virgin Steele influence apparent in “Festering Slash” (yes, Sbaragli can hit the kind of almost feminine tones that David DeFeis is known for and it is sometimes to a startling degree) as well as the Queensryche aura that I'm getting from the album's title cut. Maiden riffs seem to appear “Coward” as well, showing that Etrusgrave are a heavy metal act who have done their research into what made the genre so memorable in the eighties.

Aside from Sbaragli, we also have quite a bit of compositional research coming right from the direction of Serena's guitars. The man can clearly play, and in so many different styles that I would say range from traditional heavy metal all of the way up to progressive and classic rock music. There's no doubt that listeners are getting a wonderful performance in this area, which is only peppered by the extent of his mind-guitar solo efforts. Yes, I said mind-boggling and I truly meant that. You will just have to listen to the disc yourself to verify that, and by all-means, a guitar solo nut like myself will challenge you to that.

Most of the time, I open up my mailbox and have no real idea what kind of records I'm going to receive when I open the packages, so there's no expectation in the very beginning. I don't even know what kind of bands I'm getting sometimes, so you just have to hope for the best. This one, well... it was pretty awesome. Not only does Serena play up a storm, but Sbaragli hits some extremely high and unexpected notes throughout. Most listeners won't even expect the degree of vocal perfomance that they're getting here and it's even more reason to check it out and give it a listen immediately if you're a fan of metal in it's golden age. I'm not even bored by the record after a long time listening to it, because there's just so much that I've noticed and I've liked about the performance. 

Admittedly to some, the record might sound a little thin and the bass isn't very thunderous in the mix, neither would I say are the drums. Though both seem to keep up a relatively decent pace and I wouldn't fault bassist Luigi Paoletti or skinsman Stefano Giuggioli for this issue, as they are merely crafting the tempo and building the foundation upon which the vocal and lead guitar end of the act truly soar. I don't think listeners will be checking this one out for either of those instruments, and feel that they would probably sound better performed live along with the proscenial elements of the act which altogether feel like they would truly take wing on the stage. Without a doubt, check it out. 

(7 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10

Mean Machine - Into The Night (2016)

Falsely labeled as well over twenty-five minutes (don't ask me why?) the single from these UK classic heavy metallers seems like it has all the class that makes Maiden, Priest and Saxon shine. The song comes on the back of a memorable riff melody, wherein a strong chorus is displayed as a potent solo appears and brings back in the chorus line, which then turns into a strong vocalization that repeats until the end of the track. It's worth noting that the frontman has a rather memorable vocal tone, controls a strong set of pipes and more or less comes off notable. There isn't really much else than that I'm afraid, but looking back on the piece it doesn't really seem to me that there needs to be anything else. It's served up on the back of a hummable lead, follows a clean set of vocal lines and gives us the main course in the form of it's catchy chorus. There's also a pretty strong solo, so I'm not upset about that. It's a strong little single and it shows that the band certainly have some merit, but it's very tough to judge any act based on one song and I'd wish that people wouldn't do it. We'll see what the band truly have to deliver when their debut EP or full-length album releases later on in the year or next. You can actually watch a promotional video for it right on YouTube, so go check that out and tell me what you think.

(1 Track, 3:48)

6/10

Holy Grail - Times Of Pride and Peril (2016)

I can't tell you how many times I had written these guys off, but Californian modern heavy/power metallers Holy Grail actually managed to catch my attention this time. People really seemed to enjoy the band's last one (2013's Ride The Void) quite a bit, but to me I still thought it had too much of a modern core feel and was not all that pleased with it. That being said, it's got a solid 90% over there at Metal Archives and all three reviews are relatively positive. Times Of Pride and Peril however, sees the band playing this kind of metal the way it's supposed to be, albeit with more of a classic heavy mentality. There was that huge Dragonforce surge along with Guitar Hero III back in the day, and this band really took off on the heels of it. It's just a good thing to hear that it's gone, because these guys really seemed to suffer from that “modern power metal” feel and seemed to be directly eating right off the table of that trend. It's also interesting to note that these guys are made up of several members of additionally popular act Huntress. In particular, they feature drummer Tyler Meahl, and guitarist Eli Santana, who also handles the vocals for this act. Though I should mention that he only appeared on the group's newest release, Static (2015) and has not been apart of the act since day one. The same can be said for Meahl, which makes current Huntress half of Holy Grail. This interests me quite a bit, as I always wondered why the power/thrash sound had dissipated in favor of a more traditional style. 

For this album, Holy Grail really seemed to have dug into metal's ancient history, as influences from Judas Priest, and Helloween come into view. They still remind me of acts like Hybria and Skull Fist as well as radio rock acts like Avenged Sevenfold. Eli Santana definitely has that sort of youthful clean, which reminds me an awful lot of American radio 101 even though I'll definitely add that the record is constructed well enough that it comes across listenable to metal fans as much as it would for fans of professional wrestling. We get a number of singalongs here that would work well as the entrance theme for any wrestler or Pay Per View event, and that's where the real meat of the record lies. Times Of Pride and Peril is full of catchy, short and easy to digest pieces that ultimately make it an easy to digest and extremely accessible record. People who liked the last Avenged Sevenfold will actually find something to like here and it could be seen as a slightly harder gateway drug into the world of metal. If you don't expect any more out of this than what you should expect from such a band, you'll be pretty satisfied with it. As I said, I found it pretty catchy, and quite enjoyable. I wasn't going to review it all at first, but it's definitely worth mentioning. Your enjoyment of this record ultimately depends on what kind of person you are, and what you enjoy outside of less accessible heavy metal realms. Times of Pride and Peril straddles the lines between hard rock and classic heavy metal pretty well and there's most certainly an audience for it. It's worth a listen if you know what you're getting into, as it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

(10 Tracks, 48:00)

7/10

Ice War - Dream Spirit (2016)

Shadow Kingdom and Iron Bonehead have brought us an act that sounds like it's come blaring right out the eighties. Sure, the title cut isn't exactly amazing (even though there is a pretty crazy guitar solo to be had) and “Warriors Of The Sea” is a little forgettable, even though a tad catchy (funny how that works, but at least the playing is good) but the song that I kept singing over and over in my head is “Chains and Leather.” The longest track on the recording, this fiery anthem has Priest and Venom written all over it. Though the Venom I'm talking about is the slower Venom, not the speedier stuff that you might expect. Hell, you might even want to compare this to Manowar. Surely the riffs smell like unwashed loincloths, albeit with an almost trippy little solo that I didn't really expect. That being said, this is one track that really caught my attention and makes the record worth your while. It's not all that long, but the title cut and this one deliver just enough for your buck that I'd recommend it. It's a shame that we had to wait several decades to hear track like “Chains and Leather.” Bands would be covering that by now had it been made long ago. Who says that the eighties glory days of heavy metal are dead?

(3 Tracks, 12:00)

6/10

Occult Burial - Hideous Obscure (2016)

At first listen, this record sounds like it might have come out thirty years ago, but it's actually brand new. Yeah, I know. It's hard to believe that three dudes from Canada were able to unearth the spirit of eighties black/thrash in a fucking basement somewhere, but that seems to be the case. Obviously you can already guess who inspired this band, acts like Holocausto, Venom and Sarcofago among many others – although I admit I'm hearing an awful lot of venom from this performance and that's just fine. This is actually the band's first full-length album and I'm enough of a believer in it to think that it'll even make old heads believers too. I'm just amazed by how lofi the production value on this thing sounds and how classic each track comes across. Joel Thomas is a hell of a scowler, who puts a lot of passion into his work. I'm even hearing some Mercyful Fate there when he hits the highs. You could also consider Mercyful Fate an influence here, and by all means early Bathory as well. Did I cover all the bases? Good. Dan McLoud's riffs sound literally like the very best of this genre, bringing in all the memorable thrash and gallops of the eighties roaring right back at us in all of their retro quality. Again, this record sounds like it was made in 1983, which is also why Dan Lee's drums sound like rat-tat-tats throughout the performance. The eighties weren't necessarily about destroying the kit, they were about really showing what you had on the guitar and delivering a great performance overall. You had to have riffs, because you couldn't get by with some of the other things that you can get by with in metal now. If there's one other musician that I think would dig something like this, it would be Sigh's Mirai Kawashima. He absolutely loves shit like this and posted online asking for some band requests a while back. So Mirai, if you're reading this; I can assure you that you're going to dig this one. It might be a new band, but these guys have truly captured that whole raw aesthetic that heavy metal music used to be. The songs aren't bland either, they actually have structure and purpose instead of just trying to utilize the same tempo or style for every piece. The fact that I am once again hearing real “riffs” make me very happy, in addition to some really incredible and quite audible guitar solos, despite the crackly production. If you're interested in getting your kids into metal and showing them what the music really is, and what it sounded like in it's prime, give them a copy of this. Occult Burial captures all the best of the genre's golden age in just a little more than a half an hour. I'd definitely give it a listen, even just for a history lesson. These guys show us what happened before Nu-Metal, Core, Djent and all that other stuff. Occult Burial is true heavy metal, hands down.

(9 Tracks, 31:00)

9/10

Iotunn - The Wizard Falls (2016)

Iotunn are hugely promising, and this isn't the first or even second time I've heard this EP either. From what I've observed, these guys mix together a brand of what could be a mix between heavy, thrash and power metal, albeit with added doses of death metal, which I didn't expect. It reminds me a little bit of the Nevermore debut with a little more bite and energy. I always thought that it was a decent album, but I never thought it offered so much vigor, which is what I'm certainly hearing from Iotunn. Oddly enough, these guys will probably get confused for some damn Viking metal or black metal act, even though they're clearly not. Iotunn are actually one of the best modern heavy metal acts I've heard in several years and it's easy to see why. When I say structure, I mean structure. There are so many wonderful little layers ebbing and flowing on this disc, making such a powerful Warrel Dane influenced frontman sound all the more greater. The drumming on the record is also quite potent and that's not just in the vein of beating the hell out of the kit. No, this guy does far more than that, and that's what you're going to notice. Listening again, maybe the “death metal” part isn't all that noticeable with a slew of growls interjected here and there but if you listen to the work as a whole, does Iotunn really need them? I don't think so. Surely they've got a strong enough front end, a magnificent guitarist and a more than suitable drummer to round them out plenty without the need for gimmicks. I mean, there's no real “death metal” sections that require such a vocal performance. The disc stands well on it's own two feet and may bring us the next damn Sanctuary or Nevermore. Though the disc is quite raw in terms of production value, it doesn't splotch the insurmountable performance issued here. Recommend this disc? What, are you fucking kidding me? I'm keeping my eyes on Iotunn after this masterful metal achievement, and whatever else they do after this, I'll be sure to cover. If there was ever a band to take notice of in 2016, it's these guys for sure. Please don't stop what you're doing, as it would be a great disservice to metal music in general. The mighty gods of metal implore Iotunn to continue for many years to come! May they take the torch and hold it ever proudly.

(5 Tracks, 25:00)

9/10

Savage Machine - Event Horizon (2016)

Denmark's Savage Machine are considered “old school heavy metal” and as I'm quite a fan of that style, you can already tell what I think of the disc. The title cut is pretty short, but it comes in hard and fast, with the spirit of eighties classic heavy metal acts in the vein of Priest, Maiden, Metal Church, Helloween, Blind Guardian and many more. Particularly I'm hearing a Blind Guardian style gallop on the much longer “Savior” which I'm not about to turn away anytime soon. There's a bit of a thrash vibe here, but it's not the kind that threatens to tear the roof down, because that's just not the kind of act Savage Machine are. They might be a little tame for some, but let's be honest – I can't even listen to extreme acts all day long. This is how metal was crafted during the genre's glory days and it surprisingly sounds just as good. Yeah, there's the Blind Guardian comparison, but you and I can both agree that Blind Guardian hasn't sounded like this in years. The production value on these tracks is also surprisingly eighties, which makes this EP a blast from the past. Towards the latter part of the track, there's a bit of narration which some may find a bit of a distraction, but I feel that it more or less maintains the welcomed cheese of the age. “Old man metal” and “dad rock” jokes aside, this is just damn good stuff as I'm concerned and I'm sure that it'll only get better with time. Some people might say that Savage Machine might have had a better shot in the eighties, and perhaps that's true – but some of us haven't yet lost the spirit of what true metal is. If you're going to buy this, then buy it for “Savior.” That's what metal used to sound like, just in case you may have forgotten. (The Grim Lord)

4/5

The Road Vikings - Requiem Of An Outlaw Biker (2016)

The Road Vikings are a crossbreed between metal and rock, but to me it just sounds like classic heavy metal and I love it. Coming straight out of California, (San Francisco to be precise) these guys have a hell of a lot of promise with this stunning sophomore album, which I'd recommend for fans of Judas Priest, especially when Tim “Ripper” Owens fronted them. Now there's also a hard rock semblance here, but it's nothing that I haven't heard on newer Priest records and is delivered with enough bite to matter. Seriously, these guys have got it and someone just needs to take note of that. Dan Bryant is the mastermind behind this project and he certainly can play just as well as he can sing (remember, he sounds like Ripper) which is why several of these cuts simply explode with frantic fretwork that you'll have to hear to believe. “Black Magic Knights”, “Full Moon” and personal favorite “I Burn In Hell” are examples of some of the best that this record has to offer and that's not just in the lieu of catchy choruses, which they all deliver pretty well on – it's also the song structure utilized, which you'll catch after listening to the disc for just a few minutes. As “I Burn In Hell” is literally the album opener, you're already going to bare witness to the sheer majesty of Bryant's playing skills, which are downright astounding and again, need to be taken note of. I don't care who you are, you can't tell me that this man can't play and exceptionally well. Not to mention that there are some keyboards and other things in the mix that bring a little bit of unexpected prog to the compositions and I'm certainly not going to turn that away if it'll put meat on the songs. I hate to say it, but not even Priest really delved into that territory as has been done here. Dan Bryant has been through literal hell trying to get a project off the ground, but with this one I dare say that he has has it.

I also need to mention that the thumping bass riffs here are performed by Lisa Tonra who also heads up the backing vocals. These can sometimes make for strong duets on a few pieces like “Live To Ride” and “Lovebound.” We also have Dave Dab on drums, who adds that extra punch to these performances and makes his presence known just as much as anyone else. I will say that there's a sort of oddball in “Headwind” which sounds a little less thunderous and more like the prog-rock of Hawkwind, than some of the more piss n' vinegar anthems you'll hear on the disc, but it was obvious something new that they wanted to try out and you'll either love or hate it. As I said, progressive rock is as much of an influence here as the crunching metal side of things and I think that you'll appreciate that just as much as I have. What's not to like about tracks with more to chew on than just a verse and a fucking chorus? But if that's not enough for you, then you'll need to listen to the harmonica shredding on the record's title track. I think it goes without saying that The Road Vikings are something that the world of rock and metal needs to keep it's eyes firmly glued on, and even though I wasn't expecting much at first, I soon became blown away beyond all logical expectation. The record is ten dollars on CD Baby, but you can pay a little more for a physical copy. Either way, these guys are well worth supporting and promoting. Requiem Of An Outlaw Biker has a real sense of purpose, and that's what makes it stand out among the rest of the pack.

(10 Tracks, 46:00)

8.5/10

Destroyer 666 - Wildfire (2016)

If you don't know who Destroyer 666 is, then you've got a hell of a lot of backtracking to do. Their newest album and first in quite a while, Wildfire pretty much sounds like metal at it's best. But hell, let's just call it what it is – the better than Venom, Venom. I've nothing against Venom, they're still a pretty solid band, but Destroyer 666 are doing everything with this little ditty that I've wanted to hear Venom do for years. Did you like Welcome To Hell and Black Metal as much as I did? (Truth be told, I actually like Welcome To Hell more than Black Metal) Well, then you're going to love this awesome band. Of course, you should know that already. Classic thrash riffs pervade throughout the piece, but with enough structure and firepower to separate them from more than ten-thousand Venom clones. Chances are that you don't just know about Destroyer 666 because they're a signed band, but because they're a legitimately awesome one. I've yet to hear a bad record from the band and Wildfire just works to capture the mix of black and thrash that they do best. Searing solos, threatening scowls, the heat and warmth of the eighties coupled with today's modern production – that's what you're getting here. If you love heavy metal, you're going to want this record. Note that I said heavy metal, not the more modern stuff – Wildfire sounds like the genre used to and that's more than enough reason for me to recommend it to you. Now there's nothing here that I would consider really unique, but there doesn't need to be. I really don't want Destroyer 666 to employ pan flutes, didgeridoos or untz untz electronics. That's never why I've liked them. You see, when I get a record from these guys, I know that I'm getting the best of two great genres, coupled together with enough patience and hard work to make waves.

Sit down and listen to these guitar compositions folks, this isn't just noodling for the sake of noodling. It's not just shredding for the sake of shredding. This is the kind of music that plays in the background of a huge metal battle, in which guitar-wielding iron knights battle horrendous demons for control of the world. This is the kind of music that you want to blast over the bumping Hip Hop music from the guy next to you, while you're waiting for the light to change. This is the kind of music that you blast while you're in the parking lot as all the regular people give you mean stares. When you see a bunch of the younger crowd blasting their core or alternative rock stuff out the windows, you blast this. It really does start a fire, and just keeps burning on and on without control. Is it even worth it to tell you how each track sounds here? Of course not. You know very well what you're getting from Destroyer 666 and they've done nothing more than improve on their awesomeness with yet another killer metal disc. There's nothing else that you could call these guys other than metal, and that's just fine with me. To be honest, this is the kind of record that Vinyl was made for. Perhaps you might want to get a record player just for the classic, old-school sound. If you've got one, then chances are that you've been blasting Wildfire for days now and don't need my reassurance to grab it. While it's true that some bands are hit or miss, and many bands have a hiccup every now and again, but I don't see anything like that happening to these guys anytime soon, which to me is definitely fucking awesome. Be sure to vote for Destroyer 666 this year, a name you can trust. It's too bad that they're not on the ballots.

(10 Tracks, 42:00)

9/10

Anger As Art - Ad Mortem Festanimus (2016)

These Californian thrashers, made up of current and former members of Bitch and Abattoir have released their fifth album here in Ad Mortem Festanimus. However, it would be wrong to consider them a mere thrash act, as there are elements of classic metal, doom and even some more extreme moments on display. You'll hear just what I'm talking about on the surprisingly punchy “Aim For The Heart” which features a serious of unexpected blasts from skinsman Rob Alaniz. Danny Oliverio's vocals also tend to go into what I would consider much fiercer territory for mere thrash, as his inhuman scowls seem to bring an almost death/thrash sensibility to it, making the band far more than a simple eighties throwback. When the thundering grooves kick in during “Tombward” an incredibly brackish performance is offered, which makes for a truly punishing listen that once again, is far more volatile than mere thrash. Truly, Anger As Art could be one of the few thrash acts that might find mass appeal beyond that of the mere thrash hordes who want the same old thing. As much as I love classic thrash done right, I also love it when bands explore beyond what is truly an aging form of music. We've done almost everything there is to do with thrash these days, so I feel that the polish and experimentation offered here is just what the doctor ordered to keep such an approach from becoming stagnant. Adding to that, we have the utterly explosive licks from Oliverio as well as Steve Gaines, who both manage to serenade us right into solo heaven. I mean, this is the way that thrash solos are supposed to sound.

This is all well and good until you realize that for the rest of the record, the band more or less want to thrash as they had been doing on the last one, which was only relatively decent. They still manage a proficient job, but it's nothing compared to the rush one gets with the scathing vocal punishment unleashed towards the beginning of the record. I was at first hearing something that almost reminded me of my favorite era of Testament, but that quickly turned into something that just sounded like regular old Testament, especially when the squeals come in. It sounds like one of these guys is being stepped on like a squeaky toy and that doesn't gel with me at all. I do realize that this kind of vocal approach was used a lot in early thrash, which is why I guess such a thing is lost on me. Oddly enough though, things change to material that reminds me a little bit of, well... Iron Maiden. Yeah, I was just as surprised as you will be when “Praise The Firehead” starts up and while Oliverio is no Bruce Dickinson, he still tries his best to deliver that kind of vocal power. It's actually quite potent, but I'm sure some thrash fans will scratch their heads a bit as they wonder what this segue into classic heavy metal is doing on a “thrash” disc. It's a very good piece though and I certainly wouldn't kick it out of bed. Once again, they're experimenting and I think that's a good thing. If you don't like it, you can always skip it.

Following that, we have Castlevania style organs and neoclassicism that works to introduce a closer entitled “Dim Carcosa” that sounds like it doesn't even belong on this record. There's almost a power/thrash sense on here and to be honest, I'd rather hear this than those four or five basic thrashers in the middle of the album. I really like this change of pace right towards the end, and while some might throw up the “OMG, this band is fucking confused!” card (waiting on you, Autothrall) I'm just glad that I didn't have to suffer through a regular old thrash album. In conclusion, I'm quite pleased with Ad Mortem Festanimus and would recommend it to fans of not only thrash, but several other genres as well. There's a lot to chew on here, but I'm hoping that the next one will showcase even more of the band's abilities. They're only getting better with each record, which is definitely a good thing.

(11 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10

Axel Rudi Pell - Game Of Sins (2016)

If this act is new to you, then you've probably been living under a rock. But don't feel bad, as I just discovered the band upon the release of their twenty-five year anniversary DVD, Magic Moments. But what a great place to start, right? Hearing some of the band's greatest tracks performed in a raw live setting truly shows you what they're capable of. Yet now we have Game Of Sins, the band's next in an unbelievable line of heavy metal albums that have spanned throughout the ages. Obviously we can tell where a lot of Axel Rudi Pell's influences come from, and the very heat and fire of the heavy metal gods (some who've become saints, like Dio) can definitely heard on this one.

Just like any good heavy metal record should, this thing truly pounds as a memorable vocal performance from frontman Johnny Gioeli delivers the experience face-first into your auditory nerves, making for the type of heavy metal world that you might have seen adapted in Deathgasm as of late. When you see an armored guitarist standing on top of a mountain with two naked women swooning over him as he shreds a solo, that's exactly what you can expect here. If “Fire” doesn't hit you as hard as it to me, or for some odd reason you can't feel the eighties power of “Sons Of The Night” then you obviously don't get it. But maybe I don't get the scene these days either. While talking with a group of metalheads around my own age, I was a bit surprised to see them call this kind of music “old man metal.” I really kind of thought that heads would embrace the very roots that brought forth extreme metal, but that apparently doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Even so, it won't change my opinion on the power and majesty of a record that has delivered as well as this one has. Game Of Sins is one of those records that can have a powerful title track which extends to nine minutes in length, most of those being moments where a massive solo effort is employed, just like the old days. You know, those “old man metal” days.

There is a ballad here as well, but it's a little too Poison for me and I guess I'm not feeling it as much as the heftier cuts, but I will say that a fine solo effort is utilized here and surely there's an audience for this sort of approach. Another interesting note about Game Of Sins is that there are actually three huge cuts here other than the title track, “Til The World Says Goodbye” which is almost a ballad, but far memorable than the previous one and “Forever Free” which is the album's technical closer. It is also a much slower track, highlighting the fact that Axel and the boys wanted to make a strong, almost AOR friendly album full of real power ballads that drag us kicking and screaming back into the house of hair. I've never found anything wrong with these power ballads, especially when those ballads come with balls.

While not as punchy as one might like, it hits you where it counts and shows that we can still make classic music in today's age that doesn't feel dated. At least not to me. Keep in mind all the heads that call this stuff “old man metal.” But you know what? That's fine with me. Because I'll take my Axel Rudi Pell and age gracefully with the rest of these guys. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one, and the one after that. But before I get too ahead of myself here, I need to mention one very special thing about this record, which is only available on the digipack release. The legendary Jimi Hendrix has indeed been covered here, a definite saint of rock if there ever was one, and the song in particular is the classic “All Along The Watchtower.” The band have definitely given it their own touches though, making it more of a personal interpretation than a karaoke number. This is something Axel has wanted to do for years and is truly excited about having it appear on the album, so definitely pick up that digipack if you want to hear it. In the end, I'm happy with the performance delivered on Game Of Sins and it shows that these guys just keep plowing on without stopping. Here's to many more.

(11 Tracks, 64:00)

8/10