Grave - Morbid Ascent

Grave
Morbid Ascent
Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

It’s almost twelve months to the day since Swedish (Stockholm based) death metal act Grave last gave us a full-length release in the form of 2012’s rather impressive ‘Endless Procession Of Souls’. In what can be best described as a release to tide fans over until the band release their official follow-up, Grave (Who comprises of vocalist/guitarist/producer/mixer Ola Lindgren, guitarist Mika Lagrén, bassist/backing vocalist Tobias Cristiansson and drummer Ronnie Bergerståhl) has decided to announce their return with the five track stop-gap E.P. ‘Morbid Ascent’.
Grave begin ‘Morbid Ascent’ with ‘Venial Sin’, which is one of the two new tracks featured on the E.P. In typical Grave fashion, ‘Venial Sin’ is delivered in truly brutal death metal fashion with Lindgren in fine form on the vocal front, and the rest of the band pulverising listeners into submission with the song’s infectious groove. As a song, ‘Venial Sin’ is every bit as solid as anything Grave have released in recent years, and the guest guitar solo contribution from Eric Cutler (Who is otherwise the front man for Californian death metal outfit Autopsy) certainly doesn’t hurt one bit at all.
The next track is the title track ‘Morbid Ascent’, which is the other new track on offer from the band, and is hands down the best track on the E.P. Although sounding every bit as brutal as the opener, what makes this track stand out so much is the doom-like passages that break up the speedier moments within the track towards its second half, and the overall epic/evil vibe that the slower passages help evoke towards the songs conclusion. In short, this track showcases Grave at their best.
The band’s cover of Satyricon’s ‘Possessed’ (Which originally appeared on 2002’s ‘Volcano’) is well done, and undoubtedly far heavier than the original, which means that while it’s a Satyricon song, Grave have well and truly done their best to make it their own.
Towards the tail end of the E.P., the band have included a ‘Risen From The Tomb’ remix of ‘Epos’ from their last album, which is around a minute and a half shorter than the original, and a little cleaner on the production side of things. Although the differences are noticeable, this remixed effort doesn’t add that much to the E.P., and is perhaps the one track on offer here that could be passed over after its initial run through.
Finishing up the E.P. is ‘Reality Of Life’, which is a re-recording of the same track that appeared on the band’s ‘Sexual Mutilation’ demo from 1989 (Which was re-released on ‘Necropsy - The Complete Demo Recordings 1986 – 1991’ compilation in 2011 through Century Media Records). Despite the song’s age, it stands up exceedingly well in its modern reworked form, and shows that while Grave haven’t changed much throughout the years, their song writing has always been of a high standard.
With a bit of the new, the old and a couple of surprises thrown in, ‘Morbid Ascent’ is a diverse and worthy offering to fans from the long running death metal outfit, and one that will no doubt tide fans over until Grave emerge with their next soul destroying full-length effort.

For more information on Grave, check out - http://www.grave.se/

© Justin Donnelly

The Winery Dogs - The Winery Dogs

The Winery Dogs
The Winery Dogs
Loud & Proud Records

Since parting ways with Dream Theater in 2010, drummer Mike Portnoy has racked up an impressive list of projects, most of which have been interesting, but ultimately unsatisfying given his past achievements (Most notably Adrenaline Mob). But with his involvement in The Winery Dogs, Portnoy has finally managed to produce something that will have fans sitting up and taking notice – and in a good way.
Coming together in 2012, The Winery Dogs, who consists of Portnoy (Who aside from playing drums provides backing vocalist), lead vocalist/guitarist Richie Kotzen (Ex-Poison/Mr. Big) and bassist/backing vocalist Billy Sheehan (Ex-Talas/Niacin/David Lee Roth/Mr. Big/Steve Vai), were quick to draw the attention to themselves given the line-up. And rightfully so too, as all three of those involved in the group have quite an impressive list of achievements to their respective names. But while it all sounded quite interesting on paper, there was always a question mark over whether the combination would result in an album that lived up to expectations. In short, yes – for the most part.
The Winery Dogs’ self titled debut sounds exactly as you would imagine it does. If you’re familiar with Kotzen’s solo work, and you can imagine the bass sound delivered from Sheehan, and Portnoy laying his distinctive drums over the top, then you know exactly what’s delivered on this thirteen track album. This trio delivers a classic hard rock sound, with a side serving of soul for good measure.
The trio open up the album with the energetic and funk edged ‘Elevate’, which gives you a good feel for what the band offer up on a larger scale throughout the whole album. Kotzen oozes soul on the vocal front, while his guitar playing sounds effortless in its complexity and fluency. But what really stands out are the pockets of improvisation that the band allow for everyone to have their moment to shine. Sheehan, whose bass dominates throughout given its presence on the mix, gives listeners a fast paced run that is sure to remind most of his unique sound, while Portnoy gives the song exactly what it needs, but with enough technicality and flash to have budding drummers scratching their heads.
Things take a turn towards the funkier with the follow-up track ‘Desire’, while on ‘We Are One’ and ‘Criminal’, the trio lock into an unbreakable groove with a slightly darker and heavier edge - which showcases a different side to the band’s wide encompassing sound repertoire.
‘I’m No Angel’ is the first ballad-like track on the album, but avoids the cliché of plodding blandness with Kotzen playing up a storm throughout (The same could be said for ‘You Saved Me’ and ‘Damaged’ as well), while tracks such as ‘The Other Side’, ‘Six Feet Deeper’ and ‘Not Hopeless’, the band balance things out perfectly by rocking out with plenty of enthusiasm and their penchant for locking into irresistible grooves.
‘One More Time’ is an interesting track with its subtle southern rock edge on the riff front and Kotzen’s echoed vocals, while on the lengthy/moodier blues based ‘The Dying’, the band really do step outside their comfort zone to experiment more, with great results.
Finishing up the album is ‘Regret’, which is essentially a soulful/blues number that’s indicative of Kotzen’s own solo material, and that’s not a bad thing at all.
I’m always wary of supergroups and even more sceptical of any project these days with Portnoy given his output over the last couple of years. But if there’s one group that lives up to their pre-release hype more than any other I can remember in recent years, its The Winery Dogs. The band’s debut is a solid collection of classic rock, but with enough soul, technical finesse and class to keep the fans of those involved, satisfied.

For more information on The Winery Dogs, check out - https://www.facebook.com/TheWineryDogs

© Justin Donnelly

Broken Hope - Omen Of Disease

Broken Hope
Omen Of Disease
Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

It’s fair to say that while Chicago (Illinois, U.S.) based outfit Broken Hope were never hailed as the most innovative or ground-breaking death metal band on the scene during the ‘90’s, they did manage to produce a few solid releases during their time together. But despite the underground following the band attracted during their thirteen years together (Their debut effort ‘Swamped In Gore’ was released in 1991, and their final release ‘Grotesque Blessings’ emerged in 1999), they eventually parted ways in 2001, with almost all of their achievements overlooked with the passing of time.
But after a lengthy eleven years of hibernation, rhythm guitarist/lyricist/group founder Jeremy Wagner (Who has spent the last ten years getting his groove metal outfit Lupara off the ground) decided to once again resurrect Broken Hope, with Gorgasm front man Damian ‘Tom’ Leski taking on the vocalist role after the passing away of Joe Ptacek (Who committed suicide in 2010) and ex-Dirge Within lead guitarist Chuck Wepfer, bassist Shaun Glass (Who was also a member of Dirge Within, and played with Broken Hope for a few years in the mid ‘90’s) and drummer Mike Miczek rounding out the newly resurrected Broken Hope.
So what’s to be expected from a new Broken Hope after fourteen years between releases? Well, if I were to be perfectly honest, I think it’s fair to say the answer is pretty much more of the same. On the band’s latest and sixth full-length release ‘Omen Of Disease’, Broken Hope isn’t so much breaking any new ground, but re-establishing their place within the death metal scene with a release that essentially picks up where they last left things back in 1999 – albeit with a slight change in sound.
After a suitably ominous industrialised instrumental opener track in ‘Septic Premonitions (Intro)’, the band get straight down to business with ‘Womb Of Horrors’. In terms of the music, ‘Womb Of Horrors’ is everything you would expect from Broken Hope in terms of pummelling blasts, strong tight-knit groove based riffs and shredding solos. The only thing that’s really taken a leap forward is the production (James Murphy handled the mixing and mastering), which is easily one of the cleanest and dynamic sounds Broken Hope have achieved to date on an album. The other notable change within the group is obviously the vocals. Some may find Leski’s indecipherable guttural growls a little overbearing and different sounding from Ptacek. But as far as I’m concerned, he more than passes the test in filling in the void left by Ptacek, as well as adding an intensity that more than matches the band on the musical front with his lower range growls and gargled roars.
The fast paced ‘Ghastly’ and the mid-paced ‘Give Me The Bottom Half’ are definite favourites with their subtle touches of melody shining through the intense death metal framework, while tracks such as ‘Rendered Into Lard’ (Which features a cool tongue-in-cheek spoken word skit at the end, and features a guest vocal performance from The Black Dahlia Murder’s Trevor Strnad), ‘Predacious Poltergeist’, ‘Choked Out And Castrated’ and ‘Carnage Genesis’ prove that the band still have what it takes to deliver solid old-school death metal.
Towards the tail end of the album, the band gives fans a taste of the past in revamped form with a re-recording of their ‘Incinerated’ classic (Which originally appeared on their debut effort ‘Swamped In Gore’), which is suitably brutal and different in a good way, before closing out the album with live recordings of ‘Grindbox’ (From 1995’s ‘Repulsive Conception’) and ‘He Was Raped’ (From 1997’s ‘Loathing’), both of which were recorded live in San Francisco while out on tour in 2012.
While the band may have lacked some of the recognition they deserved in the ‘90’s, there’s no doubt that ‘Omen Of Disease’ will right the wrongs of the past. Sure, Broken Hope’s latest effort isn’t the kind of album that’s going to launch the band to the top where the death metal elite reside, but it will at least give them a second chance at marking their mark on the scene.

For more information on Broken Hope, check out - https://www.facebook.com/brokenhopeofficial

© Justin Donnelly

Arrayan Path - IV: Stigmata

Arrayan Path
IV: Stigmata
Pitch Black Records

When it comes to the Cyprian power metal scene, there’s no doubt that Arrayan Path are the longest serving band on the scene, and the undisputed kings of the growing scene in Greece. With three successful full-length releases to their name, the five piece outfit (Comprising of Astronomikon/Diphtheria/Prodigal Earth vocalist Nicholas Leptos, guitarist Socrates Leptos, Prodigal Earth bassist Paris Lambrou – although producer/mixer/masterer Vagelis Maranis played bass and backing vocals on the album this time around, keyboardist George Kallis and drummer Stefan Dittrich) has returned with a new full-length effort in ‘IV: Stigmata’.
Unlike the band’s last couple of albums (2010’s ‘Terra Incognita’ and 2011’s ‘Ira Imperium’), ‘IV: Stigmata’ signals a new direction for the power metal outfit, both on a musical and lyrical standpoint, with the album’s thematically based stories found in the old Testament of The Bible (As opposed to the mythological Egyptian/Mediterranean overtones of their former releases), which ties in perfectly with the band’s newfound darker and heavier sound.
The band start the album off in a thrash-like manner with ‘Clepsydra’ (Which is an ancient Greek term for the first recorded time measurer - the ‘water clock’), which is a sound that suits the band. Nicholas Leptos’ infectious melodies still stand out like they did before, although his efforts sound far more confident and in synch with the music than ever before, while Nicholas Leptos’ lead guitar work is nothing short of impressive – proving that his guitar playing has again taken another leap forward.
‘The Bible Bleeds’ is every bit as heavy as the opener, but is given a bit of extra depth sonically with a greater presence from Kallis’ keyboards and a guest guitar solo from former guitarist Alexis Kleidaras (He last played with Arrayan Path on ‘Ira Imperium’), while on ‘Midnight And The First-Born Massacre’, Arrayan Path has found the perfect balance of dramatics and heaviness to create one of the album’s defining moments. Nicholas Leptos is a great vocalist, but on this track he really excels at creating chorus structures that go beyond anything else we’ve heard from him in the past – both in terms of range and the way the choruses are arranged. If there’s a track to showcase what Arrayan Path are capable of, it’s this track.
In comparison to the former track, ‘Judas Iscariot’ is a fairly straight forward track that reveals a bit more of a rock sound infiltrating the band’s trademark power metal sound, but the second half of the song sees the band incorporate some Middle Eastern influences on the keyboard front to spice things up, which blends seamlessly with a guest solo performance from Kikis Apostolou (Who helped founder the cult underground Cyprus outfit Armageddon).
The slower paced title track ‘Stigmata’ is a good track, but seems to be lacking a little diversity to lift itself out of what is a bit of a plodding pattern after more than six minutes in running time. The addition of choir-like effects around the middle mark is a welcome addition, but not enough to keep the listener engaged enough for its lengthy duration.
The follow-up track ‘Cursed Canaan’ is another energetic and galloping track that seems to pick the album up around the middle, but sadly lacks a chorus to really take it up to the next level.
But where the former track failed, ‘Pharaoh’s Wish’ succeeds. Nicholas Leptos puts in a varied and powerhouse performance here that gives the song an identity of its own, and with Nicholas Leptos’ tight knit riffing and Apostolou’s stand out solos, the song is another firm favourite.
‘Harbingers Of Death’ maintains the high standard with Nicholas Leptos giving the song a darker edge with his deeper vocal delivery alongside guest lead vocalist Jimmy Mavrommatis (Who is the vocalist for Armageddon), while ‘Disguising Your Soul’ sees the return of the choir effects, but in such a way that works exceeding well as it perfectly complements the moody and dramatic vibe created by Nicholas Leptos’ vocals and Kallis’ heavy keyboard contributions.
Unfortunately, the band’s attempts to create a lengthy epic with ‘The Storyteller’ doesn’t work. Once again, the plodding nature of the tempo and the somewhat bland performance from Nicholas Leptos doesn’t really spark any real changes within the song, and makes the track feel a lot longer than it actually is.
The album does finish off on a high note however, with the band ripping through a re-recorded version of ‘Mystic Moon’, which originally debuted on their ‘Return To Troy’ demo back in 1999. The guest appearance from original drummer Chris Ioannides (Winter’s Verge/Armageddon) is a welcome addition, while the Middle Eastern influences and updated crushing guitar groove to the track is executed perfectly.
It’s a shame that the Arrayan Path’s latest album’s grand finale was delivered with a re-recording and not a new track. But despite a few tracks that fail to generate any real excitement, there’s enough killer tracks throughout ‘IV: Stigmata’ to satisfy any fans of the band’s past work.
All up, ‘IV: Stigmata’ easily ranks as a first class power metal release, and more importantly, one of Arrayan Path’s strongest efforts to date.

For more information on Arrayan Path, check out - https://www.facebook.com/arrayanpath

© Justin Donnelly

Turisas - Turisas2013

Turisas
Turisas2013
Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

With two releases under their belt (2004’s ‘Battle Metal’ and 2007’s ‘The Varangian Way’), Finnish based outfit Turisas established themselves as a force to be reckoned within the folk/symphonic metal scene. Both albums were highly acclaimed, and the band’s self coined ‘Battle Metal’ sound was considered a true contender alongside the likes of fellow Finnish acts Moonsorrow and Finntroll.
But with the release of their third album ‘Stand Up And Fight’ in 2011, it was clear that the band were already thinking beyond the confines of their former sound, with the album showcasing a stripped back and more accessible sound. While the album wasn’t considered a classic along the same lines as their former efforts, it was still considered a reasonably strong album.
In the two years since their last release, Turisas have undergone a complete transformation on the line-up front, with vocalist Mathias D.G. ‘Warlord’ Nygård, guitarist Jussi Wickström and electric/acoustic violinist Olli Vänskä the only members remaining from the band’s line up since their last release. Joining the trio within the last couple years is bassist Jesper Anastasiadis, keyboardist Robert Engstrand and drummer Jaakko Jakku, all of who make their debut on the band’s latest album ‘Turisas2013’.
With such a major shakeup within their ranks, and the direction the band were taking their music on their last album, there was never any question that Turisas were going to deliver an album that was going to once again see the band pushing their sound into a completely new direction. But I seriously doubt that few would have expected the band to push their sound as much as they have on ‘Turisas2013’.
The opening track ‘For Your Own Good’ is a perfect example of just how much the band has changed in the last couple of years. The dramatic aspects of the band’s past are still evident within the song’s opening refrain, albeit driven by keyboards and guitars rather than orchestration. After a dramatic opening, the band eventually settles into a far more hard rock rather than symphonic sound, which is either going to have fans throwing their arms up in disgust, or intrigue as to how the band ended up in such a place direction wise (I fall into the latter bracket). Nygård primarily sticks to his clean vocals for the bulk of the song, and provides the song with some strong melodies, while Engstrand’s contribution on the keyboards prove to be the song’s real driving force, giving the song it’s hard rocking sound. Overall, while it took some getting used to, ‘For Your Own Good’ is a good song, even if it sounds as far from old Turisas as you could possibly get.
‘Ten More Miles’ is one of the few tracks on the album that sounds a little more aligned with the classic Turisas sound, with the guitars sounding more upfront, and the huge choir-like gang vocals ringing out loud and clear through the choruses. But that’s not to say that the song doesn’t have some new elements. There’s some strange slide work going on in the background from Wickström that’s hard to ignore once noticed, while the absence of orchestration throughout gives the song an openness that will have many older fans criticising the song’s lack of bombast and epic scope.
Not unlike the former track, ‘Piece By Piece’ has links to the band’s past with its flirtation with orchestral elements and huge gang/choral vocals, and perhaps fares a little better with its heavier and more aggressive sounds, but in complete contrast, there’s the follow up effort ‘Into The Free’, which might have some interesting lines thrown out on the vocal front, but is otherwise standard power metal fare – albeit delivered in Turisas fashion.
The most experimental track on the album has to go to ‘Run Bhang-Eater, Run!’, which features pockets of jazz, traditional Arabic influences and the sounds of simulated sex over a typical Turisas symphonic score. Although the song does have some moments, it has to be said there isn’t anywhere near enough to salvage what is a fairly directionless song from ultimately coming across as filler.
‘Greek Fire’ is noteworthy for its intense aggression, Nygård’s lower end clean vocals and electric violin solo, as to does ‘The Days Passed’, which comes across like Turisas is trying their hardest to combine classic ‘80’s hard rock with their own ‘Battle Metal’ sound, but it’s tracks like the less than serious ‘No Good Story Ever Starts With Drinking Tea’ that brings the album down a notch with its less than fulfilling intense blast of predictability.
Thankfully, Turisas finish off the album with the far stronger sounding ‘We Ride Together’ – even if the guitars have a faint western (As in Cowboys and Indians) feel at the beginning, and the orchestration sounds a little thin and synthesised at times. The song is typical Turisas, and really the only track on the album that could have finished the album with any justice.
Although it took me a while to fully understand ‘Turisas2013’, I have to admit that I don’t mind the album. I can appreciate what the band was aiming for, and understand why the album may fall short of what most fans were hoping and expecting of the band.
That’s not to say that ‘Turisas2013’ is in any way a complete success. For the most part, the album is a confusing mix of different styles and sounds, with the band sounding like they were clearly unsure of just where they wanted to take their music. And that’s a shame, because ‘Stand Up And Fight’ felt like a precursor to what was promised to be the next evolutionary step for the band.
In the end, ‘Turisas2013’ has some solid songs, but some real filler efforts as well. I think it’s an enjoyable album, but not one that I think is likely to have many other diehard fans singing its praises.

For more information on Turisas, check out - http://www.turisas.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Black Star Riders - All Hell Breaks Loose

Black Star Riders
All Hell Breaks Loose
Nuclear Blast Records

Although various incarnations of the classic hard rock outfit Thin Lizzy have been touring the globe for years, none of the members involved in the band have dared to record anything new studio material wise out of respect for front man Philip Lynott, who sadly passed away in early 1986.
And rightfully so too, as Lynott was Thin Lizzy, and replacing him would be a damn near impossible task given how synonymous his presence was within the group during their heyday (1971 through to 1983). So when the current version of Thin Lizzy decided to take things to take things to the next logical phase and put together some new material, it only made sense to give the band a new identity. And so in 2012, it was announced that Thin Lizzy were to become Black Star Riders, and along with the assistance of legendary producer Kevin Shirley, announced plans to record a full-length album.
And so here we are a year later, and Black Star Riders (Who have now settled on a solid line-up consisting of The Almighty vocalist/guitarist Ricky Warwick, Thin Lizzy lead guitarist Scott Gorham, ex-Alice Cooper/Brother Cane lead guitarist Damon Johnson, ex-Blue Murder bassist Marco Mendoza and ex-Y&T/Alice Cooper/Suicidal Tendencies/Megadeth drummer Jimmy DeGrasso) have finally unveiled their debut effort ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’.
For diehard Thin Lizzy fans, it has to be said that Black Star Riders’ debut isn’t so much a continuation of where Thin Lizzy left things all those years ago, but more an album that stands on its own. Sure, there are some clear Thin Lizzy influences dotted throughout the album, but it has to be said that Black Star Riders are anything but a tribute act.
The band opens up the album with the title track ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’, which is the perfect track to set up the mood and overall vibe of the album. With its mid paced groove, slightly darker edge and punchy sound, ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’ is a rock solid rocker that boasts some great riffs, a powerhouse performance from Warwick and some blazing solos from Gorham. Any lingering doubts about the band’s legitimacy are well and truly settled with this one track.
The follow up track ‘Bound For Glory’, which was the first single lifted from the album, is obviously one of the few tracks on the album that features an obvious Thin Lizzy sound with its twin lead guitar injection. But while the comparisons to the legendary act and this new outfit are obvious on the musical front, Warwick still manages to give the song a sound of its own for the most part.
To some extent, ‘Kingdom Of The Lost’ and ‘Kissin’ The Ground’ maintains some of the Thin Lizzy sound of old with the use of tin whistles and the unmistakable Celtic themes on the lyrical front on the former and Warwick’s vocal phrases on the latter, but it’s hard rockers such as ‘Bloodshot’, ‘Hey Judas’ and the full-tilt charge of ‘Valley Of The Stones’ where the band make their stand with material that allows the classic Thin Lizzy sound to influence, but never dominate and give the listener the impression that Black Star Riders are simply rehashing past glories.
The easy going ‘Someday Salvation’ is perhaps as close as Warwick gets to his own solo output, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but gives the song a feel that doesn’t quite fit on the album.
But where the band really gets to shine is where they step outside of their comfort zone and break into something quite unexpected. ‘Hoodoo Voodoo’ is a cool mix of The Almighty (I’m thinking 1996’s ‘Just Add Life’) and funky influences, while the militaristic march of ‘Before The War’ and the compelling storytelling from Warwick within the moody/guitar driven classic ‘Blues Ain’t So Bad’ are the album’s real stand outs.
In the end, while there’s a Thin Lizzy connection within the group, Black Star Riders isn’t a poor imitation of the classic hard rock group. On the strength of ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’, it’s clear that Black Star Riders are way more than that.
Filled with quality song writing, impressive performances and a top notch production that gives the overall product the kick it so richly deserved, the band of classic rock journeymen have delivered a first class album, which I can only hope will only be the first of many.

For more information on Black Star Riders, check out - http://www.blackstarriders.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Iwrestledabearonce - Late For Nothing

Iwrestledabearonce
Late For Nothing
Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

There’s no real middle ground when it comes to Los Angeles (California, U.S.) based outfit Iwrestledabearonce. The band’s eclectic blend of almost everything under the sun in the musical sense has earned them a devoted following of those who believe they are truly unique, and the rest who simply can’t understand what all the fuss is about. Personally, after having reviewed their last couple of full-length efforts (2009’s ‘It’s All Happening’ and 2011’s ‘Ruining It For Everybody’), I tend to align myself with the latter crowd. Now returning with their third album ‘Late For Nothing’, I was curious to see where the band would head direction wise following the departure of lead vocalist Krysta Cameron (Who took maternity leave) in 2012. And after giving the album a good listen through, it would appear that the change of guard hasn’t had too much of an effect on the rather experimental outfit, with the album sounding like business as usual for the oddball crew – albeit with a couple of new surprises in store for diehard fans.
The opening track ‘Thunder Chunky’ is the first song on the album to showcase some of the more subtle changes that have occurred within the band’s sound in the last couple of years. Despite the band (Who comprise of guitarists/programmers Steven Bradley and John Ganey, bassist Mike ‘Rickshaw’ Martin and drummer Mikey Montgomery) sounding more or less the same initially, it soon becomes apparent that over the course of the entire track, there’s a lot more structure and melody to be found in the band’s song writing this time around. That’s not to say the track is completely devoid of its quirky moments, but ‘Thunder Chunky’ does seem to flow more than anything the band has attempted before in the past, and it works quite well.
But if there’s one aspect of the band’s sound that will have most intrigued, its how Courtney LaPlante (Who’s been in the band since midway through 2012) fills the void left behind by Krysta Cameron. And in all honesty, there’s not a huge amount of difference. She’s a capable vocalist for the most part, and her role of injecting melody into the band’s experimental style of music works just like it did in the past. I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of her vocals (She sounds a bit bored and monotone-like for me), but then again I didn’t think Cameron was anything special either. So for me, LaPlante’s performance here meets my expectations.
The rather straight forward and simplified approach to song writing within the band becomes more apparent in the follow-up track ‘Letters To Stallone’, where the band keep the experimental/chaotic passages some distance away from the clean vocalised choruses, while on ‘Snake Charmer’, the band tone down the accessibility aspect of things to make way for something a little more challenging and unpredictable.
Much like the band’s former releases, there’s a clear distinction between the tracks that work, and those that don’t. And a track that slots neatly into the latter category is ‘Boat Paddle’. LaPlante sounds far too bland and lifeless on this track, and it’s one of the better examples of where her vocals actually take away from anything impressive the band might otherwise be doing in the background. The same issue can be said for ‘Mind The Gap’ and ‘The Map’. But it’s not all LaPlante’s fault, as the band as a whole seem to fail to provide anything we haven’t already heard before on the generic sounding ‘That’s A Horse Of A Different Color’ and ‘It Don’t Make Me No Nevermind’.
But it’s not all bad news, as the album does offer up a few highlights amongst lacklustre efforts.
While hardly the album’s strongest track, ‘Firebees’ boasts some well performed vocal melodies from LaPlante and cool keyboards that tie in perfectly with the song title, while Steve Vai’s guest guitar contributions to ‘Carnage Asada’ gives the song a lift beyond the same old sound we would otherwise get from the band.
Other noteworthy tracks include ‘I’d Buy That For A Dollar’ and ‘Inside Job’, which are some of the better examples of what LaPlante can achieve on the vocal front when she puts something into her delivery.
I can’t say that I’ve ever really been a huge fan of Iwrestledabearonce based on their past efforts, and I’m not one now after giving ‘Late For Nothing’ a good run through. But I will go as far as to say that on their latest effort, it’s clear that the band have matured a little in terms of their song writing. Unfortunately, its other areas where the band need to work on in order to take their sound to the next level.
In the end, fans will find plenty to enjoy from the band on ‘Late For Nothing’. Those who couldn’t find anything of merit in the band’s music in the past won’t find this new album changing their opinions one bit.

For more information on Iwrestledabearonce, check out - http://www.iwrestledabearonce.com/.

© Justin Donnelly.

Newsted - Heavy Metal Music

Newsted
Heavy Metal Music
Chophouse Records

After marking his return to the scene as a solo artist earlier in the year with the release of his debut four track E.P. ‘Metal’, Jason Newsted (Ex-Metallica, Voivod, IR8/Sexoturica, Papa Wheelie, Rock Star Supernova and Echobrain) is back with his highly anticipated full-length debut ‘Heavy Metal Music’.
Those familiar with ‘Metal’ will be familiar with what Newsted and his troupe offer up over the course of their full-length album. And in a nutshell, it’s the style of music that ties in perfectly with the name of the album itself – Simplistic heavy music that’s notably stripped back to its bare essentials.
Newsted (Who aside from lead vocalist/bassist/producer Newsted consists of guitarist/backing vocalist Jessie Farnsworth, Staind guitarist Mike Mushok and drummer Jesus Mendez Jr.) gets the album off to a bruising start with ‘Heroic Dose’, which is a huge grooving monster of a track that is up-beat, metallic and surprisingly infectious. As I mentioned on my review of ‘Metal’, Newsted has developed a voice that sounds like a cross between Chuck Billy (Testament) and Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead), but with a distinctly raspy melodic edge that works perfectly with the song’s ‘back to basics’ framework. ‘Heroic Dose’ won’t win any awards for its ground breaking or genre defying construction, but it will suck listeners in with its hypnotic groove.
The fast paced ‘Soldierhead’ is a track that most will be familiar with as it originally appeared on the ‘Metal’ E.P., and while its inclusion here seems a little unnecessary, there’s no denying that the thrashing effort was one of the E.P.’s stronger cuts, and obviously Newsted wanted to make sure that his full-length album represented the best of what the band has to offer up song writing wise.
As solid as the slower paced rock effort ‘…As The Crow Flies’ is it’s probably one of the album’s blander tracks, with the song sounding a little too repetitive over its six minute running time. In a lot of ways, the ‘Load’ (1996) era Metallica sounding follow up track ‘Ampossible’ suffers the same problems as the former. While both tracks do feature some great lead guitar work, and strong hooks to give the listener something to grab onto, the overly simplistic groove does have a tendency to become a little repetitive over time, and therefore drift over the course of the whole album.
Although the band stumbled a little with the last couple of tracks, they get things back on track with the fast paced ‘Long Time Dead’, while the heavy Queens Of The Stone Age/Kyuss stoner groove evident within ‘Above All’ is fleshed out perfectly with a chorus that really stands out as a firm favourite on the album.
Like ‘Soldierhead’, ‘King Of The Underdogs’ is reprised from the E.P. to help fill the album out. As a follow up, Newsted moves into Black Sabbath inspired territory, with ‘Nocturnus’ showcasing a far darker and doom filled direction. The song offers up a different side to what you would otherwise expect from Newsted, and with its strong lyrics and catch phrases within the choruses, it’s another album favourite.
The sci-fi themed ‘Twisted Tail Of The Comet’, which is dedicated to the late Denis ‘Piggy’ D’Amour of Voivod, obviously has its similarities to classic Voivod (I’m thinking 1989’s ‘Nothingface’), which is never a bad thing as far as I’m concerned, while the up-tempo riff heavy rocker ‘Kindevillusion’ keeps the metal flowing around the tail end of the album.
The final track Newsted offer up listeners is ‘Futureality’, which isn’t too far removed from the Black Sabbath sounding vein of ‘Nocturnus’. But as good as ‘Futureality’ is, doesn’t quite have the same impact as ‘Nocturnus’, which means the album disappointingly finishes up on a bit of a weak track.
Overall, ‘Heavy Metal Music’ lives up to its name. Sure, it’s not what you would call a complicated or technically inclined album, but it does at least rock on a primitive level. That’s what Newsted was aiming for, and for the most part, he’s achieved that objective quite well.

For more information on Newsted, check out - http://newstedheavymetal.com/.

© Justin Donnelly.

The Safety Fire - Mouth Of Swords

The Safety Fire
Mouth Of Swords
Inside Out Music/Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

One of the rising stars in recent years from the U.K. progressive metal scene is London based outfit The Safety Fire. Having stirred up a lot of interest in the underground scene with the release of their debut E.P. ‘Sections’ in 2009, and earning high praise with their debut full-length effort ‘Grind The Ocean’ in 2012, the band has returned with their highly anticipated second full-length effort ‘Mouth Of Swords’. And once again, The Safety Fire have put together another unique release that will no doubt end up at the top of many critics top ten releases for 2013.
The Safety Fire (Who consist of vocalist Sean McWeeney, guitarist/producer Derya ‘Dez’ Nagle, guitarist Joaquin Ardiles, bassist Lori Peri and drummer Calvin Smith) begin their latest release with the title track ‘Mouth Of Swords’, which will immediately bewilder and fascinate most upon first listen. The band’s penchant for throwing out angular guitar sounds and complex time changes in the vein of The Mars Volta, Coheed And Cambria and Between The Buried And Me is still very much a large part of the band’s song writing on their new material. But what really stands out with this new track is how much more in synch McWeeney’s melodies fit in with the busy musical landscape delivered from the rest of the band. Whereas the vocals and the music sounded jarring more often than not on ‘Grind The Ocean’, on ‘Mouth Of Swords’, the two gel a lot more, without sacrificing the complexity of the music the band have made a name for themselves upon.
The follow-up track ‘Glass Crush’, which is the first single lifted from the album, is perhaps one of the fastest and intense songs on the album, and is perhaps one of the better examples of what McWeeney is capable of on the vocal front with his seamless shift between clean vocals and screams with considerable ease. Aside from the vocals, the continual shift between groove and intensely fast passages is well executed, while the use of gang vocals around the latter half of the track is simply infectious.
On ‘Yellowism’, The Safety Fire show restraint and tone down the complexities of their song writing to make way for a groove in the vein of Mastodon mixed with Gojira, while on ‘Beware The Leopard (Jagwar)’, the band take a step back further to make way for what is easily one of the album’s more accessible tracks, albeit outside of the heavy choruses where Between The Buried And Me vocalist Tommy Giles Rogers, Jr. contributes his distinctive roars alongside McWeeney’s cleaner efforts.
‘Red Hatchet’ is perhaps the only track on the album that could have been lifted from ‘Grind The Ocean’, but does at least sound a little more cohesive and melodic than anything from the album itself, while ‘Wise Hands’ is almost the complete opposite, with the band showcasing their softer (Almost jazz-like) side, and McWeeney positively shining with the full of his full range on the vocal front.
The Gojira influences the band has taken on are unmistakable on the guitar riffs and drumming on the intense ‘The Ghosts That Wait For Spring’. But while the music is nothing short of totally crushing, there’s the ever present melodies provided by McWeeney to keep things from straying too far from alienation for the audience.
Not unlike ‘Wise Hands’, ‘I Am Time, The Destroyer’ begins in a soothing and dream-like manner before veering off in the complete opposite direction with the advent of searing riffs and monstrous grooves, only to return to where it started at the beginning, while the lengthy ‘Old Souls’ finishes off the album with a sound and direction that encompasses much of what the album has to offer as a whole condensed into the one track.
When I first came across ‘Grind The Ocean’, I really couldn’t get my head around what the band were trying to achieve. But despite my initial impressions, I stuck with the album, and slowly but surely it all started to make sense. So with that knowledge, I gave ‘Mouth Of Swords’ plenty of time to sink in before making up my mind on whether the band had actually improved in a short eighteen months between releases. I can conclude that while ‘Mouth Of Swords’ took its time growing on me, it’s pretty clear that The Safety Fire have once again produced another truly impressive album.

For more information on The Safety Fire, check out - http://www.thesafetyfire.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Tantric - 37 Channels

Tantric
37 Channels
Pavement Entertaniment, Inc.

Despite being a long time follower of Louisville (Kentucky, U.S.) based outfit Tantric, I never quite know what to expect from the band whenever a new album emerges. A lot of that stems from the fact that the band have in recent years gone through some major line-up changes, which has meant that each and every one of their four releases to date have a different sound, which has worked in the band’s favour, and other times for the worse.
So after a lengthy gap of four years since the release of ‘Mind Control’, sole original member Hugo Ferreira (Who is the band’s lead vocalist, and who also plays guitar and bass throughout the album) has once again put together a new album under the Tantric banner in ‘37 Channels’. And as expected, the album represents another evolutionary leap both sound and direction wise in the band’s history of continual change.
Tantric’s fifth album begins with guitar heavy ‘Again’, which is familiar territory for them, and the kind of track that could have easily slotted on the band’s last full-length release (Which is without a doubt one of the band’s heaviest releases to date). But while the song has its interesting moments on the guitar front, the chorus structures let the song down. Sure, Ferreira’s weathered vocals sound in good form, but the choruses don’t really stand out quite as much as they should, which in the end gives the song a forgettable feel, right from the start.
With the opening cut on the album leaving me feeling a bit disappointed, I wasn’t holding out much hope for the rest of the album impressing much. But to my surprise, the follow-up track ‘Blue Room’ is an absolute winner. With a strong drum groove locked down by guest drummer Greg Upchurch (Eleven/Puddle Of Mudd/3 Doors Down), and fusing together Tantric’s trademark mix of acoustic and electric guitars throughout, ‘Blue Room’ is classic Tantric, and quite possibly one of the strongest and memorable tunes Ferreira has offered up in years.
Proving the former track was anything but a one off, the country-tinged/harder edged blues rocker ‘Mosquita’ (The first single lifted from the album) hits hard with plenty of attitude, and features an anthem-like chorus that’s sure to become a fan favourite in no time at all. Guest vocalist Shooter Jennings helps give the song a slightly different sound from what you would otherwise expect from Tantric, and I have to say that it works incredibly well.
‘Loss For Words’ is a surprisingly stripped back song that features some equally gritty vocals from Ferreira that gives the song a very raw sound, while story telling ‘Broken’ and the piano based ballad ‘Fault’ (Which features a guest appearance from Hinder’s Austin Winkler on lead vocals) showcase the softer side of Tantric’s sound on the new album, all the while showcasing the many sides of Ferreira as an artist.
But while the experimental side of the above mentioned tracks works, not everything works. ‘My Turn’, which sees Ferreira duet with Leif Garrett, is fairly unremarkable on the vocal front (The pseudo rapping from Garrett just doesn’t work for me), and the use of programmed percussion to give the song a modern edge just gives the song a truly hollow sound overall. And as for ‘Girl In White’, I can see what Ferreira was aiming for, because in amongst the dirge of the heavy guitars and drumming, there’s an interesting song. But much like the album opener, the choruses don’t stand out as much as hoped, and the heavy handed guitar sound overshadows the songs better attributes.
But ‘37 Channels’ does have its truly inspired moments. ‘Gravity’ is typical Tantric with its easy going acoustic rock sound and sing along chorus, while tracks such as ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ and ‘Bullet’ (Which again features Winkler on co-lead vocals) are solid rockers that give the album some quality moments. But in terms of personal favourites, both ‘Rise’ and ‘You Got What You Wanted’ are the album’s real stand out cuts. Not surprisingly, both tracks are very reminiscent of the sound the band presented listeners with way back on their self-titled debut back in 2001.
While Tantric has always been the kind of band to change from album to album, there’s no denying that ‘37 Channels’ is Tantric’s most diverse and experimental release to date. Yes, there are still plenty of the traditional Tantric sounding songs on the album, but there are also some creative offerings that sound unlike anything Ferreira has dared venture before under the Tantric banner. And as mentioned earlier, sometimes that’s a good thing, and other times just too far removed from what fans want to hear from the band.
In the end, ‘37 Channels’ took some time to grow on me. And while I don’t feel everything on the album works, the album has enough great songs to win over even the most pessimistic of fans. Myself included.

For more information on Tantric, check out - https://www.facebook.com/Tantric

© Justin Donnelly

Watain - The Wild Hunt

Watain
The Wild Hunt
His Master’s Noise/Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

Watain is a name that most fans within the black metal scene are familiar with. Over the course of their fifteen year career to date, the Swedish (Uppsala/Stockholm based) outfit has cultivated quite a following with their uncompromising take on black metal, which has seen the band rise from out of the underground and into the wider mainstream consciousness – which has inadvertently placed the band in a position where they now stand as one of the scene’s true contenders for breaking through to mass success in a major way.
Three years after the release of their highly acclaimed ‘Lawless Darkness’ (Which was released through the Season Of Mist label, and earned the band a Swedish Grammy for ‘Best Hard Rock Act’ in 2011), the three piece outfit (Comprising of vocalist/bassist/guitarist Erik Danielsson, guitarist Pelle Forsberg and drummer Håkan Jonsson) are back with their all-important fifth full-length effort ‘The Wild Hunt’ (Which is also their first release since signed up to Century Media Records).
Unlike Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, Watain has managed to rise up within the black metal scene without selling out their ideal and sound, or upsetting the purists and loyal fans that have supported them since they first emerged on the scene. But with the release of ‘The Wild Hunt’, it would appear that all that is set to change. Watain have drawn a line in the sand with their new release, and there’s no doubt that the evolution of the band’s sound and direction on their latest release is sure to divide fans.
The trio begin the album with ‘Night Vision’, which is a surprisingly smooth flowing instrumental piece that starts out in a gentle acoustic manner, before eventually morphing into something far more electrified. But even though the song does get heavier, the band shows restraint and keep the song melodic and even paced enough to hint at the changes the band have made on their latest release.
The follow-up track ‘De Profundis’ is exactly what you would expect from Watain, with the band’s thrash like blackened metal sounding every bit as scathing and venomous as ever. The song is classic blasphemous Watain, with the production sounding more like a step back from the polished sound heard on ‘Lawless Darkness’, but polished enough to allow the dynamics of the band’s music really stand out.
After the unrelenting savagery of the former track, ‘Black Flames March’ sees the band slow things down to touch to deliver an anthem that is in no way diminished in its intensity, but merely in tempo. The solid groove allows the band to hone in on their crushing riffs, while the open and dynamic production sound gives the song a suitably evil vibe throughout, while the two tracks that follow – The album’s first single ‘All That May Bleed’ and ‘The Child Must Die’ – sees the band deliver exactly what is expected of them based on their former releases. But that’s not to say that the songs are in any way a rehash of what the band have done before, as the songs reveal a newfound sense of maturity within the song writing, and a greater use of dynamics over sheer volume and speed.
It’s around the middle of the album where the band delivers ‘They Rode On’. Up until this point, ‘The Wild Hunt’ has delivered pretty much what you would expect from the band. But if there’s one track that’s sure to set the cat amongst the pigeons, it’s this track.
Sounding reminiscent of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’, ‘They Rode On’ is a daring venture into ballad territory for the band – complete with clean vocals from Danielsson (With help from guest vocalist Anna Norberg in places), acoustic guitars and some impressive and extensive melodic lead work from Forsberg. This track alone is a significant departure from the usual Watain sound, and is the sole reason why some black metal purist will be up in arms. But after the initial shock dies down, it has to be said that the song works quite well with its sombre and mournful approach.
In stark contrast to the former track, ‘Sleepless Evil’ is a bleak and fairly traditional sounding Watain track, and one that’s sure to please old-school fans.
The title track ‘The Wild Hunt’ is another foray into more experimental territory with its doomier sound and use of clean vocals in places, which brings to the surface some of the Bathory influences. This track sounds huge and epic, and while something a little unexpected, is worthy of a special mention.
My personal favourite on the album is ‘Outlaw’, where the band fuses together tribal rhythms with pure black metal, which makes for a truly interesting sound. The tribal influences may only play a minor part in the song itself (The song is fairly straight forward black metal for the most part), but the brief moments where the two differing sounds meld together, is done exceedingly well.
Towards the tail end of the album, the band have pieced together an impressive instrumental piece entitled ‘Ignem Veni Mittere’ that is both haunting and epic sounding, before finishing up the album with the intense mid-paced blast of the truly grim sounding epic ‘Holocaust Dawn’.
Up until now, Watain have maintained a loyal following within the underground scene with their devotion to maintaining a true blackened metal sound. But with ‘The Wild Hunt’, Watain have made a conscious decision to shake things up and broaden their sound more than ever before. And while the changes evident on ‘The Wild Hunt’ will no doubt draw more towards the band’s cause, it will also bring forth its fair share of casualties.
I’m all for progression, and for the most part, ‘The Wild Hunt’ is I think a right step forward for the band at this stage of their career. ‘The Wild Hunt’ may not stand as the strongest release to date from the band, but it does show some promising possibilities of things to come in the future from Watain, should they continue to explore this newfound broader realm beyond the preconceived confines of ‘true’ black metal.

For more information on Watain, check out - http://www.templeofwatain.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Ghost - Infestissumam

Ghost
Infestissumam
Republic Records/Universal Music Australia

One of the most talked about groups to rise up from out of nowhere in recent years has to be Linköping (Sweden) based outfit Ghost. Led by the living dead cardinal-like figure Papa Emeritus II, and backed by five cloaked and hooded Nameless Ghouls, Ghost certainly caught the attention of many with their mysterious presence. But while some thought the whole anonymity approach by the band was nothing more than a theatrical gimmick, the band did have one ace up their sleeve – a critically acclaimed debut to their name. Despite the hype surrounding the band, and the overwhelming success of their ‘Opus Eponymous’ release from 2010, I was a bit of a latecomer to the band. But needless to say, when I heard Ghost, I was an instant convert.
It’s been three years since the release of ‘Opus Eponymous’, but Ghost (Or Ghost B.C. as they are known by now in the U.S.) has finally completed work on their highly anticipated follow-up release ‘Infestissumam’ (Which is Latin for ‘Most Hostile’). And as expected, the album is sure to generate as much acclaim and damnation as their first album did.
With such a long gap between albums, there’s was always going to be a degree of change on the new Ghost album. And sure enough, there’s a definite change evident on the album’s opening title track ‘Infestissumam’. Starting with the sounds of a huge choir (Performed by St. Trident Tenors Of Tinseltown), ‘Infestissumam’ soon sees the band seamlessly coming in to create what is a stunning introduction to the album. Led by a dominant drum sound, and catchy guitars, ‘Infestissumam’ is an infectious short instrumental intro that provides a perfect introduction to the follow-up track ‘Per Aspera Ad Inferi’. Maintaining the military styled drumming of the former track, ‘Per Aspera Ad Inferi’ showcases the band’s deliberate move towards a more organic ‘70’s sounding hard rock/progressive rock sound, with the guitars placed a little lower in the mix, and the drums and keyboards dominating proceedings. But despite the lack of metal in the band’s sound, the band’s song writing strengths are evident in their clever use of melodies, Papa Emeritus II’s captivating and haunting voice and the over the top Satanic themes that run through the lyrics.
‘Secular Haze’, which was the first single lifted from the album, is an obvious stand out with its creepy spiralled carnival-like keyboards, up-front bass throughout and Papa Emeritus II’s mix of melody and eerie whispered lines, while the swinging and upbeat ‘Jigolo Har Megiddo’ reveals a touch of ‘60’s pop into the band’s sound with its greater keyboard presence.
In terms of fan favourites, ‘Ghuleh / Zombie Queen’ is sure to earn its place in no time at all. This lengthy epic begins with the first half of the track sounding like a sombre and spooky ballad, which sounds reminiscent of Alice Cooper during his missing ‘80’s period. But it’s the second half where the song really takes off, with the guitars taking on a surf-rock tone (Which reminds me of The Ventures), the keyboards are given a bit more depth and the choruses soar. Many may dismiss the ‘Ghuleh’ part of this dual epic, but when combined with its partner piece ‘Zombie Queen’, the pair makes a memorable impart around the middle of the album.
‘Year Zero’, the second single lifted from the album, marks a return of the choir, and a reprisal of sorts of the song writing theme and structures that made up the title track. But while there’s some similarities between the two (Which most comes from the lines chanted by the choir), there’s also a strange industrialised Mortiis vibe (2001’s ‘The Smell The Rain’) that makes its way through the song via the keyboards. It’s a bizarre hybrid that is hard to describe, but works quite well.
‘Body And Blood’ is by far one of the album’s most melodic and laid back rock efforts, despite its horror based lyrical stance, while ‘Idolatrine’ once again veers towards a ‘60’s pop sound with a killer chorus that will have you obliviously humming along to ‘Suffer little children/To come unto me’ in no time at all. The same could be said for the Blue Öyster Cult tinged ‘Depth Of Satan’s Eyes’ too. Although it has to be said, that if there’s a weak track on the album, I’d choose this track. It’s not a bad track as such, but in terms of a memorable chorus, this track doesn’t have quite the same impact as most of the tracks on the album.
Finishing up the album is the powerful ‘Monstrance Clock’, which cleverly disguises sexual innuendo and Satan on the lyrical front, while distracting listeners with its enticing mix of echoing Church-like organ work, enchanting choir and mesmerising choruses.
Some may feel that ‘Infestissumam’ may be a step too far in the wrong direction for Papa Emeritus II and his horde of Nameless Ghouls after ‘Opus Eponymous’. Sure, the production has some flaws, but overall, I believe ‘Infestissumam’ proves that Ghost isn’t merely a one trick pony relying solely on image and word of mouth. ‘Infestissumam’ is so much more than that. It’s an album that’s full of quality song writing, strong melodies and filled to the brim with subliminal evil that lurks just below the surface. And while their classic/progressive rock sound may be a throwback to a bygone era, they manage to make it sound fresh and exciting (Which is no mean feat in my eyes). As far as I’m concerned, Ghost has produced another winner, and quite possibly one of the best releases for 2013.

For more information on Ghost, check out - http://www.infestissumam.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Haken - The Mountain

Haken
The Mountain
Inside Out Music/Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

Although they may not be the biggest name within the progressive rock/metal scene, London based outfit Haken have certainly been hailed by many in the underground scene as the next big thing to emerge from the U.K. purely on the strength of their first two full-length efforts. Obviously others thought so as well, as the band have made the step up the label ladder, with the band moving from independent U.S. based progressive label Sensory Records (Who released both 2010’s ‘Aquarius’ and 2011’s ‘Visions’) to the mighty Inside Out Music for their all-important third full-length effort ‘The Mountain’.
Although I always found Haken to be an interesting act, I can’t say that I was totally over the moon with their first two albums. So with the arrival of ‘The Mountain’, I wasn’t expecting to be completely blown away with what the band had to offer. And while the six piece act (Who comprise of vocalist Ross Jennings, guitarist Charles Griffiths, guitarist/keyboardist Richard ‘Hen’ Henshall, keyboardist/sound designer Diego Tejeida, bassist Tom MacLean and drummer Raymond Hearne) haven’t completely won me over with ‘The Mountain’, I can honestly say that this album is by far the band’s most impressive effort to date.
The album starts with ‘The Path’, which is a relatively short track that’s hinged solely on piano, atmospheric keyboards and Jennings’ emotive vocals. It’s a fairly simple piece, but Jennings’ use of choral back up’s and the theme running through the lyrics are what transforms what appears to be something so simple into something much more.
‘Atlas Stone’, which was the first single from the album, initially had me thinking that I was listening to an IQ album, with Jennings and the band starting out the track very much like Peter Nicholls and his crew would. But the song soon changes direction and the band bring all of their various influences together under the one track, without losing the song’s core identity. Through a series of quirky time changes and splices of direction change, the band inject elements of jazz, metal, classic modern era progressive rock (In the vein of Spock’s Beard) and some offbeat quirkiness (I’m thinking Leprous) into ‘Atlas Stone’. But while the mix of styles and influences sound like a mess on paper, the song is surprisingly strong, and stands out as one of the album’s real highlights.
Next up is ‘Cockroach King’, which is the one track that I struggled to enjoy when I first heard the album. The song is without a doubt one of the album’s strangest, complex and experimental efforts, and for those reasons alone, is one that I can now sometimes listen to, and other times can’t. Jennings’ multi-layered and diverse vocals are a real showcase for his talents here, and the band’s ability to twist and turn in every possible direction throughout on the musical front demonstrates just how versatile, quirky and playful they can be at any given time. But while the song does have its moments, I can’t help but feel that the song tends to overstay its welcome in terms of running time (A touch over eight minutes), and that the scattering of ideas on show aren’t enough to hold my interest.
Perhaps it’s the added metallic aggression on the guitar front, the Leprous sounding delivery of vocals and keyboards or the song’s rather short running time (In light of the bloated running time of the track before it), but either way, ‘In Memoriam’ is definitely a personal favourite on the album.
Another interesting track is ‘Because It’s There’, which takes the melody and sonic template of the opening track and builds upon it with the use of multi-layered choral a cappella vocals, sound manipulation/effects and enhanced stirring melodies. Again, this track is another firm favourite.
The epic twelve minute track ‘Falling Back To Earth’ sees a return to the heavier and more metallic sound Haken showcased a couple of tracks ago – particularly on the first half of the track ‘Rise’. On the second half ‘Fall’, the band taper a lot of the aggression to make way for a more atmospheric sound, which helps give the song a real sense of two halves that flow from one piece to the other. Surprisingly enough, even though it’s the longest track on the album, the song actually stands out as one of the more thought out compositions, which means that it’s truly enjoyable throughout, and avoids the pitfalls that plagued ‘Cockroach King’.
After the brief piano based ‘As Death Embraces’ (Which is not unlike ‘The Path’ in direction and style), the band deliver another stunning epic with ‘Pareidolia’ (Which is the psychological phenomenon of seeing ‘faces on the moon’ or hearing hidden messages when music is played backwards). Technically challenging, complex, melodic and full of emotion on the vocal front, the song is reminiscent of Pain Of Salvation in a lot of ways, and another true highlight on the album.
Finishing up proceedings is the moody, slow building and emotive ‘Somebody’, which sounds like a cross between Steven Wilson, Anathema and Leprous, and which finishes the album in a suitably dramatic fashion.
While ‘The Mountain’ is far from a perfect album, I couldn’t help but feel that on their third release, Haken had finally managed to put together an album that really impressed me in ways that the band hadn’t been able to in the past.
Overall, ‘The Mountain’ is a great release. And if the band can keep the consistency up, I will certainly be looking forward to seeing where the band goes from here on their next full-length release.

For more information on Haken, check out - http://www.haken.fr/

© Justin Donnelly

Boysetsfire - While A Nation Sleeps…

Boysetsfire
While A Nation Sleeps…
End Hits Records/Bridge Nine Records

When Newark (Delaware, U.S.) outfit Boysetsfire announced their break-up in 2007, I was really disappointed. They had just released ‘The Misery Index: Notes From The Plague Years’ (2006), and I seriously thought the band were on the brink of bigger and better things. But obviously they thought otherwise, and within a year, they all went their separate ways, and the band was no more. While I did keep a tab on some of the projects that came afterwards (Most notably The Casting Out and I Am Heresy), what I really longed for was a return of the real deal – Boysetsfire. Obviously the band thought so too, and after a mere three years after their farewell tour, Boysetsfire announced their return to the scene.
It’s been a couple years since then, and after a couple of line-up changes in the meantime, Boysetsfire (Who now comprise of vocalist/keyboardist Nathan Gray, guitarists/backing vocalists Josh Latshaw and Chad Istvan, bassists Roberts Ehrenbrand and Chris Rakus and drummer Dan Pelic) has finally completed their comeback with the long awaited release of their fifth full-length release ‘While A Nation Sleeps…’. Given the lengthy seven year gap between albums, and my own personal expectations of the album, I initially thought the album was a little underwhelming upon first listen. But I persevered with the album and gave it time, and lo and behold, it grew on me. So much so that you could be forgiven for thinking the band didn’t even split up in the first place. In other words, Boysetsfire haven’t missed a beat in their time away from the scene.
The album begins with brief a sound bite courtesy of Charlie Chaplin (Taken from Chaplin’s final speech from the 1940 film ‘The Dictator’), before they take over with a scathing vengeance on the opening track ‘Until Nothing Remains’. The seething anger from within the band can be felt within this track, with Gray projecting plenty of venom on the vocal front, while the band only add fuel to the raging fire with an equally heavy sound. But while the song is full of rage and aggression, the band’s trademark melodic choruses still exist, and provide the song with a hook that listeners can easily latch on to.
Much like some of the band’s latter day releases, a heavier sounding effort is almost always followed by a far more melodic effort. And it’s that pattern that is repeated here, with ‘Closure’ sounding very much like classic Boysetsfire fare with its catchy melodies and sing-along choruses. I can almost guarantee that this track will no doubt become a live favourite in no time.
‘Heads Will Roll’ sees a return to the scathing hardcore sound of the band’s early days with Gray sounding particularly savage on the vocal front with his take on state of the world, while ‘Phone Call (4am)’ is presented in re-recorded form here after initially being offered as a free download from the band’s website back in 2006 prior to their eventual split. As much as I liked the song back in the day, I prefer this new and updated version – so much so that I consider this track a personal favourite on the album.
In terms of the heavier post-hardcore driven efforts, ‘Everything Went Black’ (Which as originally known as ‘Plague’, and is again another track given away from years ago by the band), the self explanatory ‘Far From Over’, ‘Alter Of God’ and the technically driven and rather modern sounding ‘Wolves Of Babylon’ are some real stand out cuts that will have fans of the band’s older material more than pleased with their return.
On the flip side, the infectious ‘Save Yourself’, the emotional ‘Reason To Believe’ and the driving ‘Let It Bleed’ (A cover of The Casting Out’s track from their self-titled 2010 album) are all highlights, with the epic closer ‘Prey’ (Which is again another cover of Gray’s former outfit The Casting Out) finishing the album on a truly stunning and emotive note.
On a first listen, I wasn’t all that impressed with ‘While A Nation Sleeps…’. But over time, it eventually won me over. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that this is the band’s finest effort to date, because it does have its flaws. At thirteen tracks, it’s a little bloated, and the consistency tends to waver a little over the course of the whole album because of that. And then there’s the Chaplin samples dotted throughout the album. I can understand what the band was aiming for thematically, but they do get a little annoying and distracting after a while.
But issues aside, ‘While A Nation Sleeps…’ is a great album from Boysetsfire, and overall a more than worthy comeback effort for a band who split well and truly before their time was up. Hopefully the album will help give the band the recognition they so richly deserve, and serves as just the first of many records to come in the future.

For more information on Boysetsfire, check out - http://www.boysetsfire.org/

© Justin Donnelly

Witherscape - The Inheritance

Witherscape
The Inheritance
Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

Swedish vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö is a man who needs little introduction, as his efforts in Nightingale, Bloodbath and Edge Of Sanity says more than enough about the man’s talents. And as for his production work, it goes without saying that his ability to man the console is of such a high level that he’s in constant demand, and universally praised for his efforts as well. So when Swanö’s involved in a new project, there’s always an air of expectation and excitement. And as expected, his new outfit Witherscape doesn’t disappoint one bit.
Comprising of Swanö (Who provides vocals, keyboards and drums) and relative unknown guitarist/bassist Ragnar Widerberg, Witherscape is the product of a newly formed alliance of the two Swedish musicians who have managed to put down an impressive collection of atmospheric laden progressive death metal tunes on their debut effort ‘The Inheritance’.
Conceptually, the album is based around the story of a wealthy resident of Stockholm around the late 1800’s who inherits an estate from a family member who passed away, and the strange events that occur upon further investigation of the said estate (The concept was devised by Swanö, and the lyrics were penned by none other than Novembers Doom vocalist Paul Kuhr), ‘The Inheritance’ may sound like heavy going for some listeners. But the truth of the matter is that song wise, the album actually flows exceedingly well, and the songs themselves are solid and accessible enough to enjoy - either with or without taking in the storyline.
As for the album itself, there’s a lot on offer here for fans, with the opening track ‘Mother Of The Soul’ showcasing the fusion of the heavier, melodic and even atmospheric elements that lie within the band’s diverse song writing style within the scope of a single tune. Starting off in heavy form, the song moves on to reveal a touch of progressive power metal in the vein of Symphony X with its tight knit/heavier style of riffing, only to drop out altogether to allow for some quieter passages that bring to mind aspects of mid-era Opeth. While it all sounds like a messy mash-up of ideas, the duo actually pull it off with considerable ease, and give the composition a genuine sense of flow. As you would expect, Swanö is in impeccable form on the vocal front, while Widerberg truly impresses with talents on the guitar front (Both in terms of riffing and with his extensive solos dotted throughout).
The slower paced ‘Astrid Falls’, which is the first single lifted from the album, is a personal favourite with its infectious melodies, its interjecting heavier passages (Which is given a huge boost with Swanö’s brutal growls) and its overall epic vibe.
Another favourite is ‘Dead For A Day’, which is another hook laden tune that boasts a host of memorable passages on the musical front to match the choruses, and some amazing vocals from Swanö, while ‘Dying For The Sun’ sees the pair bring to the life a bit more of a classic progressive rock sound and influences, with Moog synthesisers (Provided by Joel Selsfors) that would sit comfortably on an album from Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon/Star One), without diluting their obvious melodic death metal song writing template.
Although great tunes, both ‘To The Calling Of Blood And Dreams’ and ‘Crawling From Validity’ took me several listens to fully appreciate. Maybe it was the lack of obvious choruses, or their straight forward song writing that didn’t resonate with me straight away. It’s hard to say, but either way, they took some getting into.
The same can’t be said for the rest of the album however. ‘The Math Of The Myth’ is a firm favourite with its Symphony X like neo-classic power metal sound, while the depressive slow march of ‘The Wedlock Observation’ is given some extra depth with the addition of guest vocalists Morten Møller Jørgensen (Spectral Mortuary), Eddie Risdal (Ancestral Legacy/Legacy Of Emptiness) and Kuhr at various points of the song to help flesh out the concepts grand finale.
Finishing up the album is the rather short instrumental piano piece ‘The Inheritance’, which is good, but seems a little out of place here at the tail end of the album. But despite its rather forgettable positioning on the album, it doesn’t take away from the fact that overall, ‘The Inheritance’ is one truly impressive release.
If you’re a fan of Swanö’s various musical outfits from the past (In particular Swanö’s solo effort ‘Moontower’ from 1999), then you’ll definitely find plenty to enjoy on Witherscape’s debut.
I can only hope that this album isn’t a mere one off effort, and that Swanö and Widerberg will return again under the Witherscape banner.

For more information on Witherscape, check out - https://www.facebook.com/witherscape

© Justin Donnelly

Hell Or Highwater - The Other Side

Hell Or Highwater
The Other Side
US Records

When Californian outfit Hell Or Highwater released their debut full-length album ‘Begin Again’ in 2011, it slipped under the radar of most due to its relative low profile and its independent release.
But thanks to Pavement Entertaniment, Inc., the band’s debut was re-released in expanded form a year later, and the album was given a whole new lease of life with everyone sitting up and taking notice. And justifiably so too, as Hell Or Highwater’s debut was without a doubt one of 2011’s strongest hard rock releases, but criminally overlooked by most because of its limited exposure to the masses.
It’s been two years since the release of ‘Begin Again’, and now the band (Who comprise of Atreyu drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller (Who takes on the front man role within the group), guitarists Matt Pauling (Ex-The Confession) and Neal Tiemann (Midwest Kings/David Cook), bassist Joey Bradford (Thieves And Liars) and drummer Captain Carl) has returned with a new E.P. in the form of ‘The Other Side’. And once again, Hell Or Highwater has released another great winner.
The opening cut ‘Moment Of Clarity’ is a good example of how far the band has progressed within the last couple of years, with the song showcasing a greater sense of flow in the song writing, with the melodies seemingly more in synch with the rest of the band’s output, while on an individual performance point of view, Captain Carl’s drumming and the small pockets of guitar solos add a maturity to the song that wasn’t there a mere two years ago. Style wise, the song isn’t too much of a departure from what was offered on ‘Begin Again’. But then having said that, Hell Or Highwater already had a great sound back then (Classic ‘80’s hard rock, but updated with a modern and heavy edge), so it’s understandable why the band aren’t keen to give up on a formula that works so well for them just yet.
Next up is the title track ‘The Other Side’, which focuses more on the melodic side of the band’s song writing repertoire. While some may cringe at the thought of songs that’s a little easier on the ears, Hell Or Highwater manage to dodge the standard clichés and deliver a song that finds the perfect balance between melodic accessibility and rock. ‘Wrong’ is a heavier cut that brings to mind Avenged Sevenfold to some extent, but stands out enough to stand on its own with its meaty riffs, the band’s clever use of canastas and huge hooks, while the anthem-like ‘Remember The Life And Not The Death’ is sure to have lighters (And mobile phones!) up in the air from a swaying crowd when played live.
Finishing up the E.P. is ‘Drowning In The Waves’, which is the perfect closer with its slow building intro, huge riffs, its equally massive rousing choruses and Saller’s impeccable vocals. The touch of Irish sing-along chanting around the latter half of the track is well done, and is sure to get a great reaction from fans when played live.
Overall, ‘The Other Side’ is another outstanding release from Hell Or Highwater. The only shame is that it’s an E.P., and not a full-length release.
If you managed to get a hold of ‘Begin Again’, and you enjoyed it, then get this. If on the other hand you’re unfamiliar with Hell Or Highwater, but you like hard rock - then seriously, you have to check this out.

For more information on Hell Or Highwater, check out - http://www.hellorhighwaterofficial.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Maschine - Rubidium

Maschine
Rubidium
Inside Out Music/Century Media Records/E.M.I. Music Australia

Initially forming and touring under the name of Concrete Lake a few years ago before changing their name to Maschine, this relatively new U.K. based progressive rock outfit have attracted quite a bit of attention in their short time together. The interest in the group lies behind the fact that two of the band’s members - vocalist/guitarist Luke Machin and bassist/backing vocalist Daniel Mash – spent time touring and recording with fellow progressive outfit The Tangent, and who have finally put together their own outfit Maschine (Alongside guitarist Elliott Fuller, keyboardist/backing vocalist Georgia Lewis and drummer James Stewart), and delivered their debut full-length effort ‘Rubidium’.
My initial expectation was that given the history of those within the group, that Maschine’s debut would fall musically somewhere close to where The Tangent has been heading on their last couple of albums. But that couldn’t be further from the truth, as the opening track ‘The Fallen’ clearly shows. Clocking in at just beyond the ten minute mark, ‘The Fallen’ is an exercise in technical riffing, constant shifts in musical direction and fusing together melodic pieces and having those shifts in structure reflected with pockets of melody and aggression in equal measure. Sound wise, there’s a touch of The Tangent’s influence, with the song sounding more akin to ‘70’s progressive rock than anything within the progressive metal scene. But while the sound has more in common with the past, there’s no overlooking the metallic aspects of the song’s overall premise, and the way the guitarists deliver the riffs with such technical precision (Excluding the Steve Vai like two minute closing section, which is quite relaxed and atmospheric). I’m not too sure of the aggressive vocals (They aren’t all that convincing), and the dryness of sound on the production side of things, but for the most part, ‘The Fallen’ is a strong opening cut for the album.
The title track ‘Rubidium’ slows things down, and in the process gives the band an almost growl free/stripped back Opeth mixed with Leprous sound, albeit with the same laid back Steve Vai like passages dotted throughout, while ‘Cubixstro’ sees the band incorporate a whole host of influences into the mix - including traces of Latin jazz, ‘70’s progressive rock and dub-reggae. Although interesting and likeable for the most part, the song doesn’t quite flow like the opener, but boasts vocals that are stronger.
‘Invincible’ is by far the most melodic and un-metallic sounding track on the album, and surprisingly enough, the one track where the band seem to have everything lined up on the song writing front. Machin sounds far more comfortable on the vocal front here, which seems to flow through to some of the lead work he showcases here as well. Even when the song does get a little heavier around the latter half, it’s the strength of the song writing that comes through the most, with the technical aspect of the band’s playing ability complimenting the solid base they started on.
‘Venga’, not unlike the former track, again shows the quality of songs the band can come up with when the song writing is good, and also how diverse they can be when they’re willing to shake things up a little more beyond the sound offered up on the album’s first few tracks. Sounding very much like latter day Pain Of Salvation, ‘Venga’ is more classic rock with a progressive edge than progressive metal, and it’s a style that fits the band exceedingly well.
Finishing up the album is the two part ‘Eyes’, which begins with the first part which is another foray into heavier metallic territory mixed with acoustic and atmospheric passages, before concluding with the mostly instrumental second part which seems to traverse along every path, touching upon everything the band are capable of sound wise within the one track. Again, there’s some truly interesting pieces within ‘Eyes’, but as a whole sounds a little too scattered to flow as one complete track that has a start, a middle and an eventual end.
On the strength of ‘Rubidium’, Maschine prove to be a very interesting and promising act. It’s not a bad album, but it’s a little lacking in the song writing department in places, and the rather dry production tends to make the album drag on and sound the same at times.
I’ve certainly heard stronger progressive rock albums this year, but for a debut effort ‘Rubidium’ still has enough moments to warrant progressive rock fans to check it out.

For more information on Maschine, check out - http://www.maschineuk.com/

© Justin Donnelly

Various Artists - Bloodbrothers II – A Compilation Of Recordings By Rock/Metal Bands From Cyprus

Various Artists
Bloodbrothers II – A Compilation Of Recordings By Rock/Metal Bands From Cyprus
Pitch Black Records

Released in 1997, the Cyprian compilation album entitled ‘Bloodbrothers’ was far from a worldwide success story, and it certainly didn’t elevate those included on the album to the mainstream consciousness as an undiscovered gem within the hard rock/metal underground. But what the compilation album did manage to do was promote the growing underground metal scene in Greece, and showcase the largely overlooked talent that was emerging from Cyprus. Fast forwarding some twenty-five years later, and the Cyprian scene has come a long way and is being recognised on a global scale, largely through the efforts of those who helped shape the scene in the first place, along with the help of independent label Pitch Black Records.
In celebration of the original underground classic (And now very hard to find) compilation, and Pitch Black Records’ growing stature as the premier hard rock/metal label in Cyprus, Pitch Black Records has put together a new compilation of up and coming acts and some well known names within the scene under the banner of ‘Bloodbrothers II – A Compilation Of Recordings By Rock/Metal Bands From Cyprus’.
As you would expect, this compilation features a handful of acts that will no doubt be familiar to those who have been keeping up to date with Pitch Black Records’ releases over the last couple of years. Arrayan Path is without a doubt one of Cyprus’ biggest exports in recent years, and not surprisingly kick-starts the album with ‘The Bible Bleeds’ from their recently released ‘IV: Stigmata’. Other noteworthy acts from Pitch Black Records’ vast roster include Lethal Saint (‘Out For The Kill’), R.U.S.T. (‘Metal Child’) and the impressive Blynd (‘Sins To The Cross’).
But what really makes this compilation important is the vast array of unsigned and unknown artists featured here. Armageddon (Who appeared on the original ‘Bloodbrothers’ compilation) deliver a cool progressive power metal sound on the previously unreleased ‘Fallen Angels And Lost Souls’, while Winter’s Verge keep the power metal coming with the epic ‘Semeni’ (From 2012’s ‘Beyond Vengeance’ – which was released on Massacre Records).
Elsewhere, Solitary Sabred (With their rough mix of ‘Redeemer’), Astronomikon (Who feature Arrayan Path vocalist Nicholas Leptos, and who offer up ‘Witch Hunter’), the Southern rock sounding Marianne’s Wish (‘Brainwash’ – which originally appeared on their ‘Add To Wishlist’ release from 2012 through Infinity12 Records), the raucous Infected Syren (With their demo version of ‘Syk’) and the experimental outfit Oneirism (Who offer up a demo version of ‘Render Real’) represent the best the album has to offer.
Clocking in at just a touch under the eighty minute mark, comprising of eighteen tracks and selling for such a low price, I’d be hard pressed to pick a fault with what ‘Bloodbrothers II – A Compilation Of Recordings By Rock/Metal Bands From Cyprus’ offers the listener.
Cyprus still might be behind the rest of the world in terms of delivering a truly world class act, but given how much the scene has progressed in the last five years, and based on the strength of the acts featured on this compilation, one can only conclude that it’s not a question of if, but more when.
Overall, ‘Bloodbrothers II – A Compilation Of Recordings By Rock/Metal Bands From Cyprus’ comes highly recommended for those interested in the Cyprian underground, and those who are looking for something truly independent and delivered by individuals who have a passion for what they do.

For more information on ‘Bloodbrothers II’, check out - http://www.pitchblackrecords.com/

© Justin Donnelly