HARD ROCK INFO

REVIEWS SEPTEMBER 2025

SPRINTS: All That Is Over

City Slang (Europe)/Sub Pop (North America) - LP, CD, Digital
The first 2 songs here made me think "Well, this band did a fast career from something promising to something not so interesting anymore, which they prove with their latest album, aptly named 'All That Is Over'". Because that was exactly the feeling I got when I listened to the first songs here, that it was over for this band. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to beging with 2 soft indie rock songs? I actually don't get that.
But the third track, "Descartes", gives us more action. Suddenly the energy is much higher, and then it sounds much better and more punk. It's followed by a few more good songs, but most tracks are unfortunately not much else than just o.k.
There are a few highlights though, like the mentioned "Descartes" for example. "Need" "Rage" and "Pieces" are pretty good too.
With this album they go into a richer territory than on the full-length debut, "Letter To Self" (2024). But when it's hard, then it's harder than ever before. So this is an album with both soft and hard parts. They have really developed their sound within a very short time, and maybe a little too fast.
sprintsmusic.com

SCARECROW: Scarecrow III

Scarecrow Records & Ritual Sound - Digital Album
I wonder how many bands called SCARECROW there have been through the years? There was a Swedish glam/punk band once upon a time, and there's a Finnish horror punk/metal band with that name as well, just to name 2 that I know of. This on the other hand is a band from Perm in Russia. And as the title says, it's their third album (they has also released 3 EPs), which was actually released in November last year.
I think this band is a little weird, as they vary the material a little too much, which makes this an ambitious album where we can find a fusion of classic heavy rock (like doom rock and proto-metal), progressive elements, and cinematic symphonic arrangements, offering the listener a journey through the realms of ethnic melodies, tribal rhythms, and full orchestral power. Some songs are really good, while others are not so interesting. I would have preferred if they could have concentrated on just heavy rock with progressive elements, because that's what made me interested. But instead I get these Oriental and Eastern influences, which sometimes makes it sound more like world music, which I'm not such a big fan of. Fact is that they begin the album with a instrumental song that is a pure Oriental/Eastern influenced piece.
But there',s actually some really good songs here, so I should not complain. And among the songs that I like are "The Hymn", which reminds me of early LED ZEPPELIN with a female Robert Plant on vocals. "Eastern Nightmare" is not so bad either, and "Rising Sands" is also very good despite the Eastern elements. "Eternal Ones" is a slow and epic song, but yet good, and for some reason it makes me think of early SCORPIONS (their 70s stuff). "The Turtle" is a heavy and majestic track that is also worth to mention. So now you know what you should listen to.
scarecrow-official.bandcamp.com/album/scarecrow-iii

RISING STEEL: Legion Of The Grave

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, Digital
"Legion Of The Grave" is the 4th full-length studio effort from this French band. And they say that they have returned to a more old-school heavy metal approach, but without losing the raw energy and intensity that have long defined their style. These tracks are done with precision, sharp riffs, commanding vocals and an organic production. They have a heavy and aggressive sound, which is described as a not so classic heavy metal sound. Although they draw strong influences from the 80s NWOBHM movement, there's elements of hard rock and thrash metal as well.
This sounds really good, so it's a very good album that they have made. Those who like heavy metal in the more powerful league should absolutely check this out.
ffm.to/risingsteellotg | rising-steel.fr | frontiers.it

RUST N' RAGE: Songs Of Yesterday

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, Digital
RUST N' RAGE is a hard rocking band from Finland, who draw inspiration from 80s legends like GUNS N' ROSES, JUDAS PRIEST, MÖTLEY CRÜE and DOKKEN. They add their own twist though, so they doesn't sound like they once did. Through lots of hard work and gigging, they have been starting to make a name for themselves in their homeland. But they are now ready to introduce themselves to the world.
I think of Swedish bands like CRASHDÏET and possibly CRAZY LIXX when I listen to this album. So if you like those bands, then you really have something to look forward to, because this is an album that's full of really strong songs. They have succeeded to take the good old sound into the present, and out comes something that feels fresh.
youtu.be/SFFvhf9q7rk | ffm.to/rnrsongsofyesterday | rustnrage.com | frontiers.it

DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG: Babylon

Reigning Phoenix Music on Oct. 3 - LP, CD, Digital

It's ages since the hungry days and the golden era for German singer Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O., DIRKSCHNEIDER, ex-ACCEPT), yet he keep on rocking year after year. Luckily he still has his voice and my respect, so no problem.
The songs that we get here is a other chapter though.. He has teamed up with Peter Baltes (bass, vocals; ACCEPT, U.D.O., DIRKSCHNEIDER), Stefan Kaufmann (guitar; ACCEPT, U.D.O.), Mathias "Don" Dieth (guitar; SINNER, U.D.O.), Sven Dirkschneider (drums; U.D.O., DIRKSCHNEIDER) and Manuela "Ella" Bibert (vocals). They released the first 3 singles between 2020 and 2021, and also released their first album. After a few years their second album, "Babylon", is here.
It sounds more melodic somehow than what we are used to when it comes to Udo, but then there's 2 other singers here to share vocals with. It's truly a varied material, but unfortunately the songs are not as strong as you could expect, and I was actually a little dissapointed the first times I heard this. But after listening some more it became a good album. So I guess it's the kind of album that need a few chances before you can tell if it's good or bad. But after a few chances you will probably, just like me, find out that there's many good songs here.
datog.rpm.link/babylonPR | reigningphoenixmusic.com

SIENA ROOT: Made In KuBa

Perception on Oct. 3 - 2LP, 2CD, Digital
Swedish heavy rockers SIENA ROOT deliver a double live album, which was recorded over 3 intimate nights in March 2024 at Germany's legendary Kulturbahnhof (KuBa) in Jena. This sounds like a true live album, without any extra stuff that's been added afterwards. It's simply organ, guitars and percussion, as well as Zubaida Solid's powerfully emotive vocals. The music is rooted in the 60s/70s sometime, and presents a wild mix of rock, hard rock and psych rock. But there's also elements of improvisation/jamming, jazz, blues and even folk music. They call it root rock. Some songs are of normal length (around 4-6 minutes), while others are very long (around 10 and a half to 11 minutes).
SIENA ROOT have been touring in Europe since the early 2000s. They have previously released 8 studio albums, 1 double live album and 3 7" singles.
perception.music | facebook.com/sienaroot

SCAM ONES: Hey Ho, Now We're Fucked

Studios13 - Digital Album
What this band have done is to use the music from old RAMONES classics, and then they write their own lyrics and play and sing with their own sound. I would guess that the guitar is down-tuned, while the vocals is harsh death vocals. A classic like "Judy Is A Punk" becomes "Danny Is A Freak" in this band's version. And "Do You Wanna Dance?" (which is a song from the 50s or 60s and not a original RAMONES song) is called "Do You Wanna Fuck..", while "Sheena is A Punk Rocker" becomes "Johnny Is A Motherfucker". So this is not serious at all, but probably very funny if you're around 12-24 years young. And no, I'm not that young, so I get tired of this pretty soon. And then there's as much as 18 tracks!
SCAM ONES is like a ferocious collision of punk rawness with death and thrash metal aggression. And RAMONES were never about hate, so this is just so wrong to me. They should do something more serious instead of destroying old classics by RAMONES. Make your own songs for example.
studios13.bandcamp.com/album/hey-ho-now-were-fucked

NekrOmatics: Place Of Indulgence

Prophetical Productions - CD, Digital
NekrOmatics is a pretty new duo, formed in early 2025. So this is the debut album from this extreme metal band, who blend symphonic, death and black metal with a raw, unrelenting edge. They deliver a soundscape that is both majestic and brutal. To me it sounds mainly like a black metal album, as it goes fast and is extreme. And the first times I heard this album it was a little too extreme (for some reason). But now that I have heard it a few times, it's actually not so bad at all, and not as extreme as I first thought. I would not say that it's an album for everyone though (but I guess that wasn't so hard to figure out as it's extreme metal that we talk about here).
Give this a try. You might like it.
propheticalproductions.bandcamp.com

MEZZROW: Symphony Of Twisted Souls

ROAR - Digital Single
Swedish thrash metallers MEZZROW deliver another great single. It's heavy yet energetic thrash in the old school that we get here. They blend razor-sharp riffs with a relentless energy, so it's just the way that I like it when it comes to thrash metal. This should really make you want to bang your head.
MEZZROW will release a new studio album, "Embrace The Awakening", on November 14, and that's where this song comes from. I think that the new album can be really interesting to hear, because what I have heard so far have been really good stuff.
mezzrow.rpm.link/symphonyPR | mezzrow.rpm.link/embracePR | mezzrow.black | roar-records.de

The MENDOZAZ: Late Stage 12 Gauge

Cartridge Heart - Digital Single
The MENDOZAZ is a punk rock trio from Toronto, Canada. This song is a first taste of their upcoming 8-song concept EP "The Completely Fictional History of This Great Nation of Canada", landing November 3.
This sounds very American and very 90s, like BLINK 182 or GREEN DAY for example. So we talk about what they call pop punk. And if that's something that you like, well then this is absolutely worth listening to, because this song is not bad at all. "The track delivers a satirical hit of jealousy, paranoia, and a questionable bromance cover-up, all wrapped in foot-tapping hooks and snotty harmonies", as the info says.
The band formed in 2017.
youtu.be/oB66bf-1V24?si=Khioqe6FoAp1ZaCV | cartridgeheart.com/artists/the-mendozaz

KASCK: Be Quick Or Be Dead

Kasck - Digital Single
This is not a IRON MAIDEN cover. But it's a quick little punk bastard that is over in 1:22.
KASCK is a thrash metal band from India, and they have previously released a EP, "Deal With The Devil". With this new song they bring even more speed, chaos, and energy to the table. It's a fast-paced, high-energy celebration of the global metal community, and it kicks ass. Fans of good old thrash and crossover from the 80s should be interested in hearing this.
youtu.be/dSVXpYVVM-8 | kasck.in

FM: Brotherhood

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, 2LP, Digital
British melodic rock legends FM has released their 15th studio album. And as usual they deliver their signature blend of hook-laden AOR and blues-tinged hard rock. But they also show us all that they still can deliver some good songs after all these years. This is in other words a good album that I guess all fans of the band, and melodic rock in general, will like a lot.
But yet this sounds like something that I have heard a thousand times before, so I can't hear anything that's extra good. But on the other hand there's not anything extra bad either. So in the end it's just a good album.
youtu.be/7XfBKC7mHvE | ffm.to/fmbrotherhood | fmofficial.com | frontiers.it

JACK THE JOKER: The Devil To Pay In The Backlands

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, Digital
If you have ever wondered what progressive metal really sounds like, then this band is giving you all a lesson with this album, which have all the well-known and typical ingredients that a progressive rock or metal album use to have. They might not do anything unique, and might not have found their own unique sound, but yet they are just as good as any other band in this genre. So yes, they are very good musicians and seems to know exactly what they are doing and how to do it. So in the end there's nothing to complain about.
JACK THE JOKER comes from the Northeast of Brazil, and this is their debut album. What might set them apart from other bands in this genre is the elements of maracatu, forró, baião and frevo (and I don't have a clue what any of it is, but probably Brazilian instruments). But the funny thing is that I have not thought about or heard that when I have been listening to this album (you might hear it though).
youtu.be/apmSXYZzRTs | ffm.to/jtjdevil | facebook.com/jackthejokerbr | frontiers.it

Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. III

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - LP, CD, Digital
Danish rock vocalist Mike Tramp concludes his "Songs of White Lion" trilogy with "Vol. III", a powerful and deeply personal tribute to the 1980s melodic hard rock scene and his former band WHITE LION. Because just as the first and second volume, it's re-recordings of song by WHITE LION that we get. And although it's old songs, they get a fresh sound here.
These 10 songs are all good and the finest kind of melodic hard rock, so there's nothing to worry about, just listen and enjoy.
ffm.to/miketrampwhitelioniii | miketrampofficial.com | frontiers.it

STRANGERS: Boundless

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, Digital
Spanish melodic rock band STRANGERS has released their 4th studio album, which they describe as "louder, bolder, and more intense than ever". It's heavier and more energetic, yet deeply rooted in emotional melodies, they say.
The band was formed in Madrid in 2012. After 3 albums there have now been some changes in the lineup. And what they have made doesn't sound so intense and heavy to me, but very catchy and melodic anyway. The songs are really strong and something that every fan of melodic rock must hear. This band seems to know exactly what they are doing, and both musicians and the frontwoman are very good.
youtu.be/EWhbV7U6VLY | ffm.to/strangersboundless | facebook.com/StrangersMelodicRock | frontiers.it

SWEET FREEDOM: Blind Leading The Blind

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, Digital
SWEET FREEDOM is a classic rock band from Sweden, which began as a solo project by Swedish keyboardist Jörgen Schelander during the pandemic, born from a clear artistic vision and DIY spirit that had long been brewing in his mind. The debut album, initially released with no promotion, gained surprising attention - even landing coverage in Sweden Rock Magazine as one of the year's top releases. By late 2022, the band evolved from a solo project to a full lineup under the name SWEET FREEDOM, reminiscent of how Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW became simply RAINBOW.
On this new album vocalist Matti Alfonzetti (SKINTRADE, JAGGED EDGE) steps in as frontman, replacing Stefan Nyqvist. And with him they are trying to reach new heights. And it's not impossible that they actually will succeed, because this is good stuff. Sometimes it sounds like melodic rock, but often with a vibe of classic rock from the 70s. There's many good songs on this album, so I really like what I hear. You should definitely give them a try.
ffm.to/sweetfreedomblind | facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082732782690 | frontiers.it

UNÉN: Forever Winter

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, Digital
This band hailing from Helsinki, Finland and play modern melodic metal. This is their debut album, which began to take shape in the spring of 2023, when lead vocalist Stina Girs joined the band. Musically, the album moves through driving melodic rock, cinematic progressive metal, and moments of haunting stillness. They are inspired by EVANESCENCE, but have their own identity and a more creative soundscape with some symphonic metal elements here and there. It sounds very ambitious and professional, like a band who would already have a few albums under their belt. So it would surprise me if these people have not been playing for a few years already in various groups.
This is simply a very good album, so it's absolutely worth checking out if you like it modern, melodic and professional.
ffm.to/unenforeverwinter | unenband.net | frontiers.it

FABRIKEN: Glömda Själars Land

BunkerProduktion Ltd. - MCD, Digital EP
It feels like it was a few years since I heard this Swedish band last time. But now they has released a new 5-track EP.
FABRIKEN features members from Swedish punk rock bands like ROLANDS GOSSKÖR, COCA CAROLA, KRYMPLINGS etc. The band formed in 2013, and after some changes they have had the current lineup since 2020. Their first 7 EPs was released through the veterans Beat Butchers, but this is the third EP that's been self-released.
The music is a pretty kind and melodic punk rock, that I think would fit perfect for fans of Swedish bands like COCA CAROLA and 23 TILL. And just like those bands, FABRIKEN sing entirely in Swedish. These 5 tracks are all very good, and absolutely worth to hear. I would even go as far as saying that this might be their best EP so far (but as I said in the beginning, it was a few years since I heard them last time).
ifabriken.com

CURSE OF CAIN: Achtung!

ROAR - CD, LP, Digital
This group is shrouded in mystery and looks like they would be from another dimension. This band seems to be a whole concept, where each track is a new chapter. It's said that the band's roots lie in a dystopian, futuristic world scarred by the Red War of 2076. And with this album we get the chance to take a look into their world and their life there. Now I might destroy the fun, but in fact they are a Swedish band who call their music movie metal.
I would describe this band's music as modern metal with much electronic elements (like that would make it more futuristic). And it sure doesn't sound like they would be from another planet. The guitars are heavy and powerful, and the vocals is mainly melodic. We get both male and female vocals, and there's as much as 3 singers. They have many good songs here, but everything might not be so interesting to listen to. Still worth a try if you like modern metal, no doubt about that.
curseofcain.se | reigningphoenixmusic.com/all-artists/roar-artists

BAKELIT: No Fear Of Drowning

FOSFOR Creation - Digital Album
Less than a year after their debut album, "Asleep Or Insane", was released, Swedish prog/art rock band BAKELIT return with another album, "No Fear Of Drowning". And there's not much action in this progressive art rock adventure, which also have elements of electronic music. There's 6 dreamy tracks in the softer school with a 70s vibe, yet fresh and not something that sounds old. These 6 songs are between 5:15 to 7:49 minutes long.
They seems to be good at what they are doing, but that doesn't help much when they don't have that extra good song. I would not say that this is bad, but it would surprise me if I ever would listen to this again. But if you feel like you want a soft musically adventure today, then give this a try.
facebook.com/bakelitband

ALCATRAZZ: Hiroshima Mon Amour (2025)

BraveWords Records - Digital Single
ALCATRAZZ has released another re-recording of a 80s song. This time it's "Hiroshima Mon Amour". The song is taken from the upcoming album, "Prior Convictions", that will be released on November 7. The album contains newly re-recorded versions of 9 1980s era ALCATRAZZ songs, all featuring new vocalist Giles Lavery, plus 2 brand new band compositions, "Transylvanian Requiem" and "Stand And Wait Your Turn". It also looks like there will be a brand new studio album in 2026.
"Hiroshima Mon Amour" is a favorite when the band play live, and I'm very sure that I have heard it before. But for some reason it doesn't sound familiar to me, which is a little weird (it's probably just me and my brain though). It's a o.k. song anyway, and it will probably get better the more I listen. I look forward to hear the album.
youtu.be/RNz5QAkbITc?si=k-j5L_5HbiVNMEwz | alcatrazzofficial.com | bravewordsrecords.com

RIBSPREADER: As Gods Devour

Xtreem Music on Sept. 30 - CD, Digital
This is the 11th album from these Swedish death metal veterans. And this is another band led by the legendary Rogga Johansson (PAGANIZER, MASSACRE, FURNACE, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, PUTREVORE, REVOLTING etc). The other 2 members are Håkan Stuvemark on lead guitar and Jon Rudin on drums.
"As Gods Devour" is said to be delivered with an even more brutal and rotten edge. If you like the other bands with Rogga, then the chance is very big that you will like this too. Because what they attack us with is a very familiar old school death metal, the kind of stuff that most of us like. It's a very good album anyway, and therfor worth checking out.
youtu.be/jqWSbKj37CQ?si=Tp85SHxeuJIJoeA7 | b.link/Ribspreader | xtreemmusic.com

FERAL STATE: II

Road To Masochist on Sept. 26 - LP, Digital
Out of Leicester, UK comes a d-beat hardcore/thrash/punk band called FERAL STATE.
When an album opens with a air raid siren, you know danger is brewing. And this band attacks with angry and energetic crust punk that shows no mercy whatsoever. The songs are short but effective and show exactly how it should be done. It's intense and almost chaotic, and there's not a single quiet moment. It's "an adrenaline infused speedball of rage, defiance, attitude and riffs", as the info says.
This album kicks you in the teeth, and doesn't stop until the last song is finished. But it could be worth some pain, because this is a really good album.
The band has previously released a string of split releases and a self-titled debut album.
facebook.com/FeralState666 | roadtomasochist.co.uk

LIGHTCHAPTER: Where All Hope Begins

Lightchapter Music on Sept. 26 - LP, Digital
LIGHTCHAPTER formed in Jutland, Denmark in 2020, and unites 4 seasoned metal musicians with a background in bands such as The BURNING, DIAMOND DRIVE, The HIVE MIND, and The SILENT LOW. The idea was to craft a distinctive sound, where they combined modern death metal with 80s synths and drum machines - a style that they call electro death metal. A couple of singles was released in 2020 before they released the EP "It All Ends Tonight" in 2022. It was followed by their first full-length album, "Time To Obey", in 2023.
Now their second album is ready to be released. And this album balances light and darkness, melody and heaviness. It's most of all a melodic death metal album, and it sounds really good, so those synths doesn't destroy the sound, but actually adds something. It might sound familiar, but at the same time they have found their own sound. Yes, this is absolutely worth a try.
lightchapterofficial.com

LAST RETCH: Abject Cruelty

Time To Kill Records on Sept. 26 - LP, CD, Cassette, Digital
LAST RETCH is a old school death metal band from Hamilton, Ontario in Canada. Their new album is said to be the band's most punishing and refined statement to date. It captures the raw energy of a band embracing its fury and focus with sharpened intent. The music is groove-driven and aggressive, while the lyrics channels the band's surroundings with mental illness, addiction, poverty and political abandonment. It's brutality fused with memorable hooks, you could say.
LAST RETCH formed in 2021. After a demo they released their debut album, "Sadism And Severed Heads", in 2023. It was followed by the "Ergotism" EP in 2024.
lastretch.bandcamp.com

OVERT ENEMY: Insurrection

Overt Enemy on Sept. 26 - CD, LP, Digital
OVERT ENEMY are said to return with their most powerful and aggressive work to date. The band hailing from Texas, and has carved a name for themselves in the global metal scene by blending gnarly Texas groove with relentless twin guitar attacks and a triple vocal assault. And on this album they has refined their sound, evolving into a band that draws on the energy of the past while pushing the boundaries of modern metal.
OVERT ENEMY is most of all a riff band, driven by guitar solos, raw intensity, and unapologetic metal fury. I guess we can call it something like modern Texas groove/thrash metal. The first song, "Resinated", is heavy. But after that there's more action. Think SLAYER's intensity mixed with the groove of PANTERA and SOULFLY, and you will get a pretty good picture of what this could sound like.
Well, this is not so bad, but not a masterpiece either. I guess they end up somewhere in the middle for me. But don't let that stop you from giving them a try.
overtenemy.com

KAMELOT: Ascension (1995-1998)

Noise Records - 3-CD, 5-LP
U.S. power metal band KAMELOT has released a Deluxe Box Set with their first 3 full-length albums - "Eternity", "Dominion", and "Siége Perilous". These 3 albums has never been released on vinyl before. But we also get some previously unreleased demo tracks as a bonus. And you will also get a 20-page full colour booklet and a full colour poster.
As there's as much as 37 tracks here, it takes a while to listen to all these songs. A few hours I would guess. But luckily it's really good stuff, so it's hardly hours of torture.
This box set showcases the origins of KAMELOT, from original vocalist Mark Vanderbilt's 2-album tenure all the way through to the introduction of long-term talismanic vocalist Roy Khan on his studio debut, "Siége Perilous", in 1998. It's absolutely worth listening to if you like power metal from the States, there's no doubt about that and not much else to add.
youtu.be/fT9PEZKAw1E?si=zLH0WYB9B9l2qEUv | noiserecords.net | kamelot.com

TALES OF DESTINY: Ashes Of Destiny

Tales Of Destiny on Sept. 26 - CD, Digital
TALES OF DESTINY is the journey of 5 teenagers who reunite 30 years later to bring their childhood dream back to life, still driven by the very same passion. Their new album, "Ashes Of Destiny", is a testament to 30 years of history, captured in a single album and delivered with conviction and devotion.
The band was forged in a small town in the shadow of Mont-Sainte-Anne, near Quebec City, in the heart of Beaupré in the mid-90s. Inspiration came from giants like IRON MAIDEN and ICED EARTH to SLAYER and CHILDREN OF BODOM. They hammers together the melodic foundations of power metal with the raw aggression of thrash, and out comes their own kind of metal. Yet it sounds very familiar.
What we get here is tracks from 1995 to 2010, which are getting new life. Fans of traditional power metal should enjoy this, because it's a very strong material that they have here. Not 1 single bad song on the whole album.
youtu.be/UPnCtUCFqq8 | talesofdestiny.bandcamp.com

DEMIURGON: Miasmatic Deathless Chamber

Transcending Obscurity Records on Sept. 26 - LP, CD, Digital
It's hard to not like DEMIURGON, as they play a kind of death metal that most fans of the genre should enjoy. It's brutal and intense, but never too extreme or too weak. It's also a bit technical, but never too much there either. They simply balance everything perfectly. But then they have over a decade of experience, so they should know how to do this.
DEMIURGON have made an album that sounds both old school and fresh at the same time. It's full speed ahead more or less all the way. This will fit like a fist in your face.
youtu.be/QmkNjj4W--o?si=yaFSff5cOS_p-Lun | demiurgon-label.bandcamp.com/album/miasmatic.... | transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com

CRIME: Cold Air

Metalapolis Records on Sept. 26 - CD
3 years ago CRIME was back with a new album, "Master Of Illusion", which was their first sign of life in 27 years. Now they are getting ready to release another album, titled "Cold Air".
I guess that we can describe this band's music as heavy rock/hard rock, a little like BONFIRE actually. Thanks to the heavy guitars it doesn't sound as much 80s as it probably could have. It's almost more 90s instead. Old school hard rockers is probably those who will like this most though.
We get as much as 14 tracks here, which is a little too much as they have no song that is extra good or different from the rest. Pretty good, but not much else.
metalapolis.eu | crime-band.de

AMORPHIS: Borderland

Reigning Phoenix Music on Sept. 26 - 2LP, CD, Digital
Finnish metal band AMORPHIS formed in Helsinki in 1990, and still features the original lineup (with a few additions). This band have not been afraid of exploring different genres of metal - from raw death metal roots to melodic, progressive and folk-tinged heavy rock, and far beyond. So it's a band with artistic freedom you could say.
"Borderland" is their 15th studio album, and it's said to be both a continuation and a reinvention of the band's legacy. This is a dynamic and diverse album, but most of all melodic, atmospheric and adventurous. But it's also melancholic, and they also have some heavy parts with harsh vocals. So they simply do whatever they want to, and it really works in this case, because AMORPHIS have made a really good album.
facebook.com/amorphis | reigningphoenixmusic.com

MORS PRINCIPIUM EST: Darkness Invisible

Perception on Sept. 26 - CD, LP, Digital
Finnish melodic death metallers MORS PRINCIPIUM EST return with their 9th studio album. It's filled with razor-sharp riffing, sweeping orchestration, melancholic harmonies, and relentless rhythmic precision. And for being melodic death metal, it goes really fast and is pretty brutal. At the same time it's almost epic and a little ambitious due to the symphonic elements and atmospheric parts, which makes this journey a little extra interesting somehow. This is absolutely a band who is doing their own thing, and they are doing it really good.
The band were founded in Pori in 1999, and are one of the longest serving Finnish melodic death metal bands.
perception.music | facebook.com/MPEofficial

PARADOX: Mysterium

High Roller Records on Sept. 26 - CD, LP
"Mysterium" is the 9th studio album by these German thrashers, and is said to mark a special milestone in the band's 44-year history, as founder and mastermind Charly Steinhauer not only played all stringed instruments, programmed the drums and sang, but also handled the production entirely on his own. Only the mastering was left to a other man, Patrick W. Engels.
The songs are thematically linked, without it being a classic concept work, and were all written by Achim "Dax" Hömerlein (ex-VENDETTA). They revolve around mystical stories and world events that have personally moved Steinhauer.
The music is heavy without being slow, but also powerful. This is not so bad, but I have heard better. Could still be worth a try though, no doubt about that.
Charly's focus remains on studio productions. In fact, he is already thinking about a follow-up album.
hrrecords.de | facebook.com/paradoxthrash

FEANOR: Hellhammer

No Remorse Records - CD, Digital
FEANOR hailing from Argentina, but this album is a global collaboration featuring musicians from across the world, including Mike Stark in Sweden, Thilo Herrmann (ex-RUNNING WILD, ex-GRAVE DIGGER) in Germany, Diana Boncheva in South Korea, EV Martel in Brazil, Gus Acosta and Emiliano Wachs in Argentina, along with contributions from many other talented artists in various countries. And among those musicians are people like Piet Sielck (IRON SAVIOR), Ross The Boss (ex-MANOWAR), David Shankle (ex-MANOWAR) etc. This brings a rich diversity of influences and styles to the project, but without losing the FEANOR sound.
The music is a mix of classic 80s heavy metal and 90s power metal, and there's lots of great songs here, so I can really recomend you to check this out. This band is doing everything right, but then there#39;s lots of talent in one place. What else I should write is unknown to me..
noremorse.gr | facebook.com/feanorband

DOOMHERRE: Dark Hand

Skatbo Records - Digital Single
Following the international success of their single "Stormfather", which has now surpassed 10,000 streams worldwide, Swedish doom metal force DOOMHERRE has striked again with the new single "Dark Hand". It's the third single from their sophomore album "Plaguelords", which will be out soon.
On this track they blend modern doom with a timeless, crushing heaviness. It's darkness and power at the same time, but yet hopeful somehow. A good song anyway, no doubt about that. The new album can be interesting to hear.
artists.landr.com/darkhand | linktr.ee/doomherre

Ola Englund: The Guillotine

Ola Englund - Digital Single
Swedish guitarist, songwriter, producer, YouTuber and lead guitarist of The HAUNTED, Ola Englund, has released a new solo single.
With that beginning you could think that it would be some electronic crap. But luckily there's some heavy guitars after a while. I would not say that this instrumental electro metal song is the most useful that I have heard though. Are people really listening to stuff like this? And if yes, can it really be fans of metal who listen to this? To me this is totally useless anyway.
youtu.be/-yXpa7zCpbM | olaenglundshop.com

MEMOIRA: Dollmaker

Memoira - Digital Single
MEMOIRA is a symphonic metal band from Finland, formed in 2007. They has previously released 3 albums and 6 singles.
This new single is loosely based on to the world of widely known fairy tale novel Pinocchio. It sounds dark and epic, and features both clean female vocals and some male growl. It's a good song, so it could be worth a try if you like majestic metal of the melodic kind.
This is a shorter version of the song. The full version of the song will be released later as part of an upcoming EP release.
(No link included, search for it)

ANGELES: Get It Done

Dark Star Records/Sony/Universal - Digital Single
This band might be veterans from the 80s, but the funny thing is that this doesn't sound so professional, but more like a new band. The raw 80s sound is there and also the energy. This song is pretty short, just 2:38 minutes, but it's absolutely not bad at all. So you should check it out if you want some raw hard rock n roll (which I call this).
youtu.be/QKYoJA3c4Go?si=1G1SSyw-y1ftttFY | angelesband.com

APPALOOSA: Get It Together, Kid

Appaloosa - Digital Single
This is what I call a power pop anthem!
APPALOOSA hailing from Seattle and is fronted by Erica Rose, a former member of the NYC punk and indie scene. This band deliver sharp songwriting, glam-tinged hooks, and punk grit with a melodic heart. This is a energetic and catchy little song, but it's also melodic.
I really like this song and wouldn't say no to some more. In other words absolutely worth checking out.
appaloosa2.hearnow.com | instagram.com/appaloosaseattle

BLACKWOOD: Release Me

Self-released? - Digital Album
BLACKWOOD is a quartet from Nashville, a city who have more than just country to offer. During the 2020s rock bands have began to take over instead, and can now be found in every corner and nightclub. And as you probably have figured out, BLACKWOOD is one of these rock bands. They play a modern kind of hard rock, and has been doing that since 2020. "Release Me" is their debut album.
It sounds like to me that their sound is built on classic rock and hard rock, but with a modern touch that doesn't really make them sound like the old bands. And that could have been a disaster for an old man like me, but somehow they make it work very good, so I like what I hear. Defintely a modern band worth checking out.
Now there's just 7 tracks here, so I would prefer to call this a mini album instead of a full-length album. And another thing is that I don't really know if this is self-released or not, but probably. I'm pretty sure that you can find it for streaming somewhere.

DECORATE. DECORATE.: Something To Hide

Target Records on Sept. 19 - Digital Single
This is the third single from the comeback album of Dansih post-punk band DECORATE. DECORATE. It's epic yet dark, melodic yet melancholy. In other words just like it should be when it's post-punk. But it might actually sound more like pop than rock music, and I guess that can be a small problem for some people. But I can tell you that you will miss something if you think like that, because this is a pretty good song. The question is if I would like a whole album with this though?
bfan.link/decdec-sth | targetgroup.dk

CROWNE: Wonderland

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - CD, LP, Digital
That this sounds a lot like other Swedish bands, like ECLIPSE and H.E.A.T for example, should not come as a surprise as this band is doing something similar to those bands. It's in other words timeless hard rock with much inspiration from the 80s that we get. The songs are very good and this is a really strong album. So this is absolutely worth listening to if you like hard rock from the 80s.
"Wonderland" is the third album from this supergroup, which features Alexander Strandell (ART NATION, LIONVILLE, NITRATE) on vocals, Christian "Kicken" Lundqvist (ex-The POODLES) on drums, Love Magnusson (DYNAZTY) on guitar, Jona Tee (H.E.A.T) on keyboard, and John Levén (EUROPE) on bass.
The song "Warlords Of The North" features a songwriting contribution from the legendary SAXON frontman Biff Byford.
ffm.to/crownewonderland | facebook.com/officialcrowne | frontiers.it

Mike Tramp: All Burn In Hell

Frontiers Music s.r.l. - Digital Single
Danish rock vocalist and guitarist Mike Tramp has shared his new reimagination of "All Burn In Hell" from the upcoming album "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III", due out on September 19 via Frontiers Music Srl. It's of course another song from his old melodic hard rock band WHITE LION, and it sounds really good. So it's not impossible that he have succeeded to make another great album with song by his old band.
Absolutely worth checking out if you like melodic hard rock.
youtu.be/KZlK2fvYD-o?si=GIJx70qLc92MCPZc | ffm.to/miketrampwhitelioniii

The GUILT: Naked On My Own

Icons Creating Evil Art - Digital Single
This is described as "a hard electro-punk anthem", but I think it sounds more electro than punk and actually not so hard. I can't deny that it has the energy and the swing though. So somehow they succeed to get away with it, and I'm pretty sure that this will make those who like to dance want to get up on the floor and shake loose. And then it feels good to know that they will dance to something good intead of the usual crap. I prefer to call this electro-post-punk instead of electro-punk though.
The new album, "Naked Rat Dance", will be released in January 2026, and this is the second taste of that record.
WARNING! The video contains bright flashing lights and should not be viewed by people suffering from epilepsy.
youtu.be/MVIGYwjpG_8?si=95aawnWMs4OYQw1r | facebook.com/theguiltsweden | icea.se

GODZILLA WAS TOO DRUNK TO DESTROY TOKYO: Sideral Voivod

Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records on Sept. 19 - CD, LP, Digital
Behind this long band name we can find a heavy fuzz rock band from Italy. Their music is described as "a kaleidoscopic collision of stoner grooves, acid-drenched riffs and chaotic sci-fi storytelling". It's a groove-heavy trip of 60s acid rock textures, monolithic fuzz and offbeat rhythmic breakdowns. This power trio deliver raw and energetic songs, and for some reason there's as much as 13 tracks on this album, when 8-10 would have been enough. Most songs are good though, so it's not such a big problem.
Fans of genres like doom, psych, sludge, space rock or any kind of heavy rock should be interested in what this band is doing.
youtu.be/AJvp0PQukNg | argonautarecords.com/shop | facebook.com/godzillawastoodrunk....

SÖLICITÖR: Enemy In Mirrors

Gates Of Hell Records on Sept. 19 - CD, LP, Digital
This band play classic 80s speed metal. 5 years has passed since their full-length debut, "Spectral Devastation", was released, but now the second album is finally ready to be unleashed (they has also released a few EPs). And this album is said to be more leather-bound, more aggressive, more powerful and more metal than ever, while it's also darker, more melodic, much more expressive, and personal. They blend in elements of heavy and thrash metal in their brew, and get a sound that's majestic but powerful. It's more heavy than fast, so this is almost more heavy metal than speed metal. It sounds good though, no doubt about that.
facebook.com/gatesofhellrecords | facebook.com/solicitor.speedmetal

NEW WORLD DEPRESSION: Abysmal Void

Testimony Records on Sept. 19 - CD, LP, Digital
This is the 7th studio album from these German death metallers. They started as a more death n roll band in 2005, but are nowadays a old school death metal band, with a dose of more groove, more atmosphere, and more depth on this album. Raw intensity and striking melodies is the winning concept here. At the same time they also have that heaviness, and it sounds very early 90s. So they are hardly doing anything new and unique, but what they do sounds really good to me anyway. So I would of course recomend you to give these guys a chance, because this is a damn good album.
lnk.spkr.media/newworlddepression-abysmal | facebook.com/testimonyrecords | facebook.com/newworlddepression

MERIDIAN: Meridian

From The Vaults on Sept. 19 - LP, CD, Digital
I don't really know why I think of IRON MAIDEN when I listen to this album, but maybe they could have sounded something like this if they were a modern band instead of old legends? It's heavy metal in the old tradition anyway, and not any modern metal.
MERIDIAN is a Danish band, formed in 2013, and this is their fifth studio album. It's self-titled to mark a rebirth with new singer Søren Adamsen (ex-ARTILLERY). His commanding presence and raw vocal style bring a harder edge to the band, which fits perfect now that they go back to the roots and a more 80s style.
With high volume, raw energy, melodic power and a rebellious attitude they will make you raise your fist in the air and bang your head. This is simply a damn good album with many strong songs. You can expect thunderous riffs, melodic choruses, and blazing guitar solos with echoes of the legendary bands of the 80s.
bit.ly/mrd-tgt | facebook.com/meridian.metal | fromthevaults.dk

WOLFHEART: Draconian Darkness II

Reigning Phoenix Music on Sept. 19 - 12&auot; EP, Digital
Finnish melodic death metallers WOLFHEART release a new EP with 5 tracks. 2 are brand-new recordings, 1 is a live track, 1 is a acoustic version, and 1 is a orchestral version.
The band formed in 2013, and they have so far released 7 full-length albums. Their music is said to reflect the stark beauty of the Finnish landscape: bleak yet poetic, cold yet emotionally resonant. Their songs often weave together themes of nature, conflict, and resilience, combining brutal melodic death metal with symphonic flourishes and a deep undercurrent of sorrow and strength. It's both frostbitten and ambitious at the same time, as well as massive and melancholic.
WOLFHEART are going on a European tour with BEFORE THE DAWN, SUOTANA and FULL HOUSE BREW CREW between September 20 to October 13.
reigningphoenixmusic.com | wolfheartmetal.com

VOLTSTORM: Break The Silence

L.B.C. Records on Sept. 20 - Album
British heavy metal band VOLTSTORM released their debut EP in 2022, and here's their full-length debut, which gives us a blend of NWOBHM, classic heavy metal and modern technical precision. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they sounds like the old legends we all like. But it's not impossible that you will like this anyway. Beacuse even if it's some modern elements in their sound, the traditional sound is also there. So they simply mix it very well, and out comes songs that are mainly good.
This is a heavy and powerful album, and it's worth checking out.
youtu.be/eoW8LnNIXNI?si=Hrkk3u4P2iEBFPu_ | voltstorm.co.uk | lbcrecords.co.uk

The THEANDER EXPRESSION: Chaos, Dreams & Love

Pride & Joy Music on Sept. 19 - CD
Swedish multi-instrumentalist Andrée Theander (CAP OUTRUN) is the man behind this band, which saw the light in 2013. On this album Chandler Mogel (CAP OUTRUN, DOUBLE VISION), Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE, ex-LYNCH MOB) and August Rauer (CREYE) appear as guests on some of the songs. Other musicians are Johan Ludvig Rask on drums and percussion, and Bob Fridzema on hammond organ.
The music is mainly AOR, but I would say that many of these songs could just as well be called melodic hard rock, sometimes with a bluesy element like in the 70s. A classic and timeless sound. And the songs here are of an extremely high quality, so this is an album that you would not want to miss. And there's not much else to say about that, because there's nothing to complain about as there's not 1 single bad moment on the whole album.
youtu.be/PQ4jh_RL2JM | facebook.com/theanderexpression | prideandjoy.de

HARTMANN: Twenty Times Colder

Sonic 11/Pride & Joy Music on Sept. 19 - CD, Digital
HARTMANN is a rock group from Germany, which is led by vocalist/guitarist Oliver Hartmann (ex-AVANTASIA, ROCK MEETS CLASSICS, PULSE). The debut album, "Out In The Cold", was released in 2005, and they are now celebrating its 20-year anniversary with a new album. It's 11 brand new songs and not a re-recording of the debut.
They continue to balance between guitar oriented classic rock and modern rock. It's melodic, so you could just as well call it melodic rock. As usual there's many really strong songs, so this album is easy to like as they are often topped with a really good chorus. And if you like their previous albums, then you should not be dissapointed when you hear this album. And if you have not heard them before, but like melodic rock music, then you should really give this a try.
prideandjoy.de

SISTER: Let Me Be Your Demon

Icons Creating Evil Art - Digital Single
Swedish metal band SISTER has dropped the third single from their upcoming album, "The Way We Fall", which will be available on November 21. This song features a guest appearance from vocalist Linda Varg, and it's probably best described as a power ballad, yet it's heavy and not so slow.
This is a good song, no doubt about that, and I think that the new album can be interesting to hear.
found.ee/LetMeBeYourDemon | sisterofficial.com | icea.se

SPRINTS: Better

City Slang - Digital Single
So, another single from Dublin based "punk" rockers SPRINTS. This song is taken from the upcoming album "All That Is Over", out September 26 via Sub Pop in North America and City Slang for the rest of the world. It's a laidback indie rock thing, which is not really my thing, but this sounds o.k. anyway. Not much else though, so I'm not really sure what I should think of the new album. A wild guess is that it won't be as good as their last album anyway.
sprintsmusic.com

UPCHUCK: Tired

Domino Recording Co - Digital Single
With a 2-minute blitz of scuzzy guitars and spitting vocals, Atlanta punks UPCHUCK attack our senses with a new single. It sounds good although it might not be a hit song. But it doesn't always have to be a hit to be good. And sometimes good is good enough.
Now I don't have much else to say about this track, but it's worth checking out if you like alternative punk (which I call this).

WALLS: We All Suffer

Walls - Digital Single
WALLS is a Belgian band, and this latest single is described as "a groovy, in your face experience that define us for who we are as a band". The music is a mix of nu metal and hardcore. The past meets the present in a shit heavy and powerful collision. Very macho and cool, but yet with melody and not just heavy riffing and screaming. A pretty good song and not much else to say.
The band will release a new EP, "Endeavour Of Destruction", on September 20.
wallscvlt.com

RÖD REVOLVER, DOSMER and BLÄCK at Tåget

Concert at Kulturföreningen Tåget in Borås, Sweden on September 13, 2025
It was many years since I was at a concert at Tåget here in Borås. So long ago that they have moved down to the city. It was also many years since I went to an all ages concert, which this was (so no alcohol). That means that about 90% of the audinece were kids, so I almost felt old (luckily I look much younger than I am).
A good thing was that you didn't have to buy a ticket in advance, just pay at the door. And another good thing was the price, just 50 SEK, which is a very old school price as you usually have to pay between 200-300 SEK for a concert nowadays. The bad things was that you had to climb up the stairs for an eternity to get to the right room, and finally there there's no sits at all, so you had to stand or just sit down on the floor (which is very punk of course). That there actually was a elevator was something they didn't tell me until I was going home after all the bands.
But let's talk a little about the bands then.. First out was the local band BLÄCK, which I saw twice as support act for VRÄVARNA last year. They did a good show as usual and play some kind of melodic punk with elements of metal here and there. Their songs are good, and a couple of them are even what you could call anthems, so they are worth checking out. I think their songs are just available digitally though, which is a minus for a old man like me.

After that my legs hurt so much that I had to sit down on the floor for a while, just like some of the kids did. But I went up again when the next band, DOSMER from Stockholm, started to play. And that is best described as an interesting experience I guess. They played what I would call noisey and loud teenage punk. Straight and simple, and sometimes even hardcore/punk. A funny thing is that the bassist had more distortion pedals than the guitarist (who had just 1) and a wah-wah. I don't think I have ever seen a punk band using a wah-wah before, and I have been to punk shows since the 90s. They were very intense and did a good show. The bassist and the drummer changed places with each other, and some songs were performed without bass. Maybe not the best band I have heard, but it wasn't bad anyway.

The last band was RÖD REVOLVER from Eksjö, and they were somehow on a totally different level compared to the other bands. Straight and simple 2-beat punk in the old Swedish tradition and lots of great songs. They did a really good gig and was without any doubt the best band this evening. The singer in particular did a great job by running back and forth and entertaining the audience in a good way. I really like this band, and I think their songs got some extra power and energy live. I can really recomend you to check out their MLP, "Lögnfabriken", which was released a couple of months ago on the bassist's label GrönPeppar Records.

Borås Mot Alla arranged the concert, you can find them on Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575140845128

VITTRA: Intense Indifference

Vittra on Sept. 19 - LP, Digital
Swedish melodic death/thrash metallers VITTRA deliver their second full-length album, where they combine heavy riffing with clear song structures, from classical melodic thrashing to more experimental shades. But most of all I would say that it's a pretty straight album that we have here, and a pretty classic sound.
I must have been thinking of some other band, because this was much, much better than I thought it would be, which was a nice surprise of course. They have really made an excellent album that they can be really proud of. This is something that you have to check out as soon as it's released.
The record includes several guest appearances, including John Lönnmyr (The NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA) who adds piano to a song, Bastian Thusgaard (SOILWORK) who contributes the shaker on 1 song and vibra-slap on another, and Linus Öhrn (VAKYRJA) who contributes backing vocals on several tracks.
linktr.ee/vittraofficial | vittraofficial.com

ABYSSALIS: Adaptation

Transcending Obscurity Records on Sept. 19 - CD, Digital
ABYSSALIS are said to blend various elements of contemporary death metal to get a sound that's technical, groovy, and riff-driven. It's also said that they have taken things up a notch with this latest release. The songs are fast, but not rushing through all the time. The vocalist vary his deep growls with acidic rasps. It might not be the best I have heard, but I still think it could be worth a try for those of you who like it brutal, because I can at least hear that they are far away from any amateurs.
The band have members from ESCHATON, UNALIGNED, FLESHBORE etc. And this release also includes their previous EP, "The Mountain".
youtu.be/vVgFrPZX_mw?si=h2ljlcJiHYpsj7b_ | abyssalis-label.bandcamp.com/album/adaptation | transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com

TREASONDOM: The Flesh Consumes The Mind

Defense Records/Maximed Records - CD, Digital
TREASONDOM hailing from the mountains of Transylvania, Romania, and have been delivering their violent sonic assault since 2017. They mix grind, thrash, death and crust with an acerbic and insightful lyrical approach, railing at the hypocrisy and selfishness of mankind. They has previously released a EP and 2 singles, but now their full-length debut is here, which is best described as a mind blowing cocktail of extremity and rage.
This band is an unstoppable force and an instant injection of adrenaline. We get one explosion after the other, frenetic drumming and extreme riffing. This is simply raw, brutal and aggressive. And as the songs are pretty short, 1-3 minutes, the album is over pretty fast.
treasondom.bandcamp.com | defensemerch.com | maximed-rec.cz

SUBLIME EYES: IV - The Serpent's Coil

Wormholedeath Records - Digital Album
This is a melodic death metal band from Norway. They mix brutality, melody, groove and energy, and the sound on this record is said to be more epic and powerful than ever. The band has taken the best elements of their previous releases and injected fresh inspiration. Chugging riffs, relentless drumming, epic soundscapes, blazing guitar solos, and ferocious vocals is the main ingredients.
This is actually not as melodic as melodic death metal bands use to be, but pretty brutal death metal instead. They seems to know what they are doing anyway, and it sounds good, so it could be worth a try.
SUBLIME EYES was formed in Stavanger in 2007.
youtu.be/iSvNAlG0hvc?si=EElg6Xz8k1fUw7bF | facebook.com/SublimeEyesBand | wormholedeath.com

POISON HEART: Love, Lies & Hard Times

Heavy Medication Records - LP, CD, Digital
POISON HEART is a punk n roll band from Warsaw, Poland. They have been active since 2010, and this is their 4th album. Among their influences are Scandinavian bands like TURBONEGRO, The HELLACOPTERS and GLUCIFER, as well as Detroit legends MC5. That can easily make you think that they would sound like a action rock band from Scandinavia. But this sounds more like some kind of street hard rock with punk attitude instead. But the energy is high and the music is raw and unfiltered. So it's not impossible that fans of action rock will like this anyway.
The songs tell stories of broken relationships, sleepless nights, and inner battles, marking the band's most personal and mature work yet. Most songs are in English, but 3 of the 10 tracks are in Polish.
"Poison Heart" is by the way a really good song by RAMONES.
heavymedication.com

NASTY N' LOADED: Day Is Gone

Nasty N' Loaded - Digital Album
NASTY N' LOADED is a heavy metal band with hard rock, punk and metal influences. The band was formed in Rio Grande in 2018, and a self-titled album was released in 2020. "Day Is Gone" is their second album.
They have a raw and aggressive sound, much thanks to the metallic sound of the guitars. It might not always sound so professional, but they seems to have the right passion anyway, and the songs are not bad at all. A small problem could possibly be that they don't have that extra good song or something that is different from the rest.
open.spotify.com/album/74F7EpTjjlBl7Sr7MUIje4

HATEFUL ABANDON: Threat

Sentient Ruin - LP, CD, Cassette, Digital
The first track here, "Nuclear Thread Worker", is pretty good post-punk, and the second track, "Shithouse" (brilliant title), is also o.k. with it's industrial post-punk sound. But I don't really know what happened after that, becuase the rest sounds more like some kind of apocalyptic, alternative industrial. And sometimes it's just electronic crap (or darkwave as they call it). And it gets worse for every song, which is sad as it began good. So no, this is not an album for me.
HATEFUL ABANDON hailing from Bristol, UK, and after 10 years of silence they are now back. Their sound is supposed to be a mix of post-punk and industrial, but they are also said to blend in anarcho and crust punk, black metal and darkwave into their own soundscape. Echoes of KILLING JOKE, JOY DIVISION, GODFLESH, AMEBIX, SWANS, COIL, RUDIMENTARY PENI, RAMLEH, etc., can all be heard here.
This duo has previously released 3 full-length albums between 2008-2014.
sentientruin.com/releases/hateful-abandon-threat

LEFT HAND BLACK: Left Hand Black 3 - Death Can't Keep Us Apart

The Circle Music - LP, CD, Digital
According to a post on the band's Facebook page, they has released this album a few weeks earlier (it was supposed to be released on September 22). It's only available as LP and CD as far as I can understand, so it seems like if you want to stream or download I guess you will have to wait a few weeks.
From Sweden comes this horror punk quartet. The band formed in the spring of 2019 on an island just outside Gothenburg, and consist of veterans of the local music scene. A self-titled album was released in 2020, and was followed by another album in 2022.
On this third album the music sounds just like you can expect it to sound. It's catchy and melodic punk rock in the old school drawing inspiration from iconic bands such as MISFITS, RAMONES and BAD RELIGION. Every song on this album is an anthem. They really prove that they can write excellent songs and that they should be a name on everybodys lips. Yes, this is an album that they can be really proud of.
We get as much as 14 tracks, but most of them are short - approxiamtely 1-2 minutes.
lefthandblack1.bandcamp.com/album/death-can-t-keep-us-apart | thecirclemusic.gr

The PLANET SMASHERS: On The Dancefloor

Stomp Records - LP, CD, Digital
This is the 10th album from Montreal ska punks The PLANET SMASHERS, and it features guest spots from Neville Staple (The SPECIALS), Charley "Aitch" Bembridge (The SELECTER), and Sara Johnston (BRAN VAN 3000).
With over 30 million streams and 3 decades of 2-tone swagger behind them, the band continue to deliver catchy brass-blasted, tongue-in-cheek white man ska. Fans of bands like The INTERRUPTERS, MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, REEL BIG FISH and The SPECIALS should enjoy this group. This record is packed with tracks that swing from break-up anthems to protest tunes to all-out party bangers. It's catchy, melodic and fun, and it's not easy to sit still when you listen to this.
This album is said to capture the raw joy and connection that has defined The PLANET SMASHERS since day 1. And it's a damn good record that they have made, so you should really check this out if you like ska and what they call ska punk.
stomprecords.com/bands/planet-smashers | planetsmashers.ca

A FOREIGNERS JOURNEY TO BOSTON: Faithfully

Curtain Call Records - Digital Single
This supergroup bring together 3 legendary AOR bands: FOREIGNER, JOURNEY and BOSTON. This tribute band is fronted by Brandon Miller (touring guitarist of ARTIMUS PYLE BAND and drummer of LYNYRD SKYNYRD). What the other members have done is unknown to me (so not much of a supergroup then), but they are: Andrew Lucas (guitar and vocals), Miranda "Dela" Sky (backup vocalist), Jim Mexdorf (piano, synth, organ, vocals), Michael Smith (guitar and vocals), Sam Wall (drums and percussion), and finally Joe Bass (bass and vocals).
If I get it right, this is a song originally done by JOURNEY. And I can't really figure out why they choose a weak ballad as a single, because it hardly makes me interested in hearing some more of this band. But if you would like to hear some better songs from FOREIGNER, JOURNEY and BOSTON, then this tribute band is currently touring in the States (but that's very far away from Sweden, where I live).
youtu.be/1SmxIEYYEhU?si=83EvUBjFl0URJ7wM | classicrocksymphony.net | curtaincallrecords.com

DE PROFUNDIS: The Gospel Of Rot

De Profundis - Digital EP
DE PROFUNDIS celebrate 20 years, and return with a new lineup and a brand new EP. New members are Stefano Bassi (vocals) and Simon McAuliffe (bass).
"The Gospel Of Rot" brings together 4 tracks of furious death metal and masterful musicianship. It's intense, hard-hitting and brutal, yet very good stuff. This is absolutely worth a try, and there's not much else to say about that.
The last song here is a cover of SEPULTURA's "Subtraction".
linktr.ee/deprofundisband

AIRBORN: Lizard Secrets Part Three - Utopia

Fighter Records on Sept. 16 - CD, Digital
This is the 7th studio album from this Italian heavy/power metal band. And it's also the concluding part of the "Lizard Secrets" trilogy of albums, records that explore the challenges of the future in a series of sci-fi tales, which began in 2018. These albums are said to include the strongest songs that AIRBORN have written. And after listening to this album, I'm ready to believe that it's true. Because the material on this album is extremely strong. I'm really impressed!
So if you're looking for high-quality melodic heavy/power metal in the classic tradition, then look no further, because this is it.
facebook.com/Airbornband | fighter-records.com

UNALIGNED: A Form Beyond

Transcending Obscurity Records on Sept. 12 - CD, Digital
UNALIGNED play technical death metal, and this is their full-length debut. The band features members from bands like WITHERED THRONE, DEMON KING, FLESHBORE etc. These guys offer a blackened and comparatively more atmospheric take on the technical death metal style. Fast parts are mixed with melodic breaks and so on. It's brutal and intense, but luckily they succeed to be on the right side, so it's never too much for me, but actually listenable.
youtu.be/MxFk5RrAzK8?si=RcxcuP1WsAvsksFb | unaligned-label.bandcamp.com/album/a-form-beyond | transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com

STARGAZER: Stone Cold Creature

Mighty Music on Sept. 12 - LP, CD, Digital
Norwegian melodic hard rockers STARGAZER have been around since 2008, and have previously released 3 albums. They blend classic rock roots with a modern sonic edge, and out comes a classic yet timeless kind of hard rock of a really high quality. This sounds just as good as the more well-known bands in this genre, so you should absolutely check them out, becuase there's not 1 single weak track on this album.
STARGAZER sounds very professional and experienced. They also seems to know how to make really good songs. They should be much bigger than they are.
bit.ly/star-tgt | stargazerofficial.com | mightymusic.dk

EXELERATE: Hell For The Helpless

From The Vaults on Sept. 12 - LP, CD, Digital
This is said to be EXELERATE's most mature and musically ambitious work to date - a concept album delving deep into the shadows of the human psyche. And the soundtrack to that is explosive power/thrash metal with soaring high-pitched vocals, whirlwind guitar solos, pounding drums, and sharp, propulsive bass lines.
This Danish band released their self-titled debut album in 2023, and now they return with their second album. And what they offer is a powerful hybrid of fast-paced thrash and melodic, anthemic power metal. The songs are said to be more ambitious and atmospheric than ever before, with sweeping arrangements and bold lyrical storytelling to match the emotional weight of the themes.
This is absolutely not bad at all. There's many good songs among these 10 tracks, so you should give it a try.
bit.ly/exe-tgt | exelerate.dk | fromthevaults.dk

CRUCIBLE: Hail To The Force

From The Vaults on Sept. 12 - LP, CD, Digital
Danish speed metal band CRUCIBLE presents their debut album, where they mix aggression with strong melodies and an epic heavy metal spirit. There's a wide range of inspiration, but it's mainly fast and loud. The energy is really high. It sounds like something from the 80s, but with a modern production. It's raw and real with a young hunger. I really like what I hear here, and you should really give these guys a chance, because I'm pretty sure that you will like them too.
Not much else to add..
bit.ly/cru-tgt | facebook.com/cruciblespeedmetal | fromthevaults.dk

NICOLAS CAGE FIGHTER: I Watched You Burn

Bleeding Art Collective/Blood Blast Distribution on Sept. 12 - CD, LP, Digital
NICOLAS CAGE FIGHTER is a 4-piece metal-driven hardcore act from Ballarat, Victoria in Australia. Their debut album, "The Bones That Grew From Pain", was released in 2022. And now they return with their second album, "I Watched You Burn".
It's hard and heavy with rushing riffs, blasting drums and screaming vocals, just as you can expect. And these guys are doing this very good, so it could be worth a try if you like metal/hardcore.
Bonus info: In early 2025, it was revealed in The Guardian (UK) that actor Nicolas Cage himself is a fan of the band, not only commenting that he thinks the band is terrific but also quoting some of the band's lyrics in an interview.
youtu.be/69Fkr5U6fJo?si=JPa_nJGbnOYOFSAZ | nicolascagefighter.com

FRUKTANSVÄRLD: Undan Kommer Ingen

Second Class Kids Records - LP, CD
Well, this Swedish punk band sounds exactly like they use to, so no surprises there. It's energetic and melodic punk rock in Swedish, what we call trallpunk here in Scandinavia. It sounds very traditional, like in the 90s. So fans of that should be very happy when they hear this, because they are doing it very good.
But although it sounds good, they have the same problem as many other bands in this genre. The album seems to last for an eternity as there's too many songs and not enough variety. I get full after half the album or something like that. 13 songs in 41 minutes should not be too much, and yet it is in this case.
secondclasskids.com

Vera Norea: Daughter Of Eve

Second Class Kids Records - LP, CD
Vera Norea could be seen as the odd bird on Swedish label Second Class Kids Records. While most of the other bands on the label play punk rock, she is doing something totally different and more alternative.
While her last album, "Carnival Dreams", had elements of tivoli music, this album is almost free from that. I want to place this somewhere between indie rock and post-punk, but I'm actually not really sure as there can suddenly be a song that's more like punk rock. And as the label never include any information (like a press release), I don't get any help there either. So it's a little hard to explain what this really sounds like. But let's say that if you're tired of the same old thing, then give this a try and you will get an interesting journey.
Unlike the trallpunk bands, Vera Norea have succeeded to make a varied material. Sometimes it's melancholy and sometimes there's more energy. Some songs are more interesting than others, but in general a good album.
secondclasskids.com

MäBe: Stilla, Vacker, Oändlig

Twofaced Productions on Sept. 12 - Digital Album

This is actually a little too silent to fit in here. Some kind of singer/songwriter in Swedish with a singer that reminds of the legendary Thåström (solo artist, ex-EBBA GRÖN, IMPERIET etc). But even if it's soft, it's actually not so bad. And just when you think that they are going to repeat themselves, they suddenly do something different instead. So I would say that this is hardly the usual pop singer/songwriter crap, but something much better and more interesting. They describe the soundscape as somewhere between dream and reality. Sometimes it can be more epic, a other song can be more dreamy, while a other track is more bluesy. An interesting album and worth checking out if you like softer stuff.
This is the 6th album, and the title of the album, "Still, Beautiful, Endless", is a pretty good description of what you're going to get.
orcd.co/stilla_vacker_oandlig | mabe.nu

YEAR OF THE GOAT: Trivia Goddess

Napalm Records on Sept. 12 - CD, 2LP, Digital
YEAR OF THE GOAT is a occult rock band from Sweden. It's 6 years since their last offering, but now their 4th studio album is here. And it seems to be inspired by the most harrowing moments in women's history. The music is dark but yet majestic and melodic, sometimes with a 60s/70s vibe and sometimes even catchy. It sounds really good, and I think that this could be a favorite for many different people - rockers, hard rockers, retro/vintage rockers, dark rockers, and maybe even goth rockers.
This is a pretty long album, but then some of the songs are around 7-8 minutes long. No song is too long though, which is good.
facebook.com/yearofthegoat | napalmrecords.com

WILLFIRE: Action Road Mayhem

Wormholedeath Records - Digital Single
WILLFIRE is a Finnish heavy metal trio. The band was founded back in 1998 by a group of close friends. Over the years the band went through several lineup changes, eventually solidifying into a power trio of founding members. In 2024 they completed their first full-length release, "Homebrewed Recordings", which will be released on September 19. And this song is a taste of that album.
This song is described as "a no-holds-barred anthem about living wild on the edge of society" - "It doesn't preach, it just throws you into the chaos and lets you enjoy the burn. Pure rock n roll mayhem with a tongue-in-cheek grin."
It's said that they blend 80s rock, modern metal, and blues. This song is best described as heavy metal rock n roll though. And it's a good song, so it could be worth a try.
youtu.be/I5K0Q1RwVwg?si=WkPVXUgDD6fUUS_T | orcd.co/hbralbum | facebook.com/Willfire | wormholedeath.com

SWEET: Sweetlife (reissue)

Metalville Records on Sept. 12 - CD, LP
Well, I can't say that this is one of the most interesting albums that I have heard with SWEET. And fact is that it just doesn't sound like SWEET when they play AOR (which they describe this as) instead of the good old glam rock that they are well-known for. I would not say that this is total garbage, but it's hardly any anthems either. It just goes in and out, so I can't remember any of these songs afterwards.
"Sweetlife" was originally released in 2002, and the lineup was Andy Scott, Steve Grant, Jeff Brown and Bruce Bisland. It has been out of print for a long time, but will now be available again on both CD and vinyl.
Next re-release with SWEET will be "Live At The Marquee", a live recording from 1986 at the legendary Marquee Club in London. That sounds more interesting to me. But more about that later..
thesweet.com | metalville-shop.com

SERPICO: Sweet Rebel Darling

Golden Robot Records - Digital Single
Finnish hard rockers SERPICO gives us another single, taken from their upcoming album, "Dressed In Flesh", which will be released on September 12.
This track is said to be "a celebration of freedom, free will, and raw, untamed rock energy". To me it sounds a bit darker somehow, but without being slow or heavy. It's a o.k. song anyway, no doubt about that, so I guess that new album could be interesting to hear.
orcd.co/sweet-rebel-darling | orcd.co/dressed-in-flesh | linktr.ee/serpico_official

NEPAL DEATH: Pilgrims & Psychonauts

Kali Psyche Records on Sept. 12 - LP
This is like the soundtrack to a acid trip along The Hippie Trail in India in 1972, but seen through modern eyes in the form of text and images from that time. And now they have made their fantasies about it come true through music and lyrics.
Over 30 musicians contribute to this sonic journey, including members of The SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES, ØRESUND SPACE SOLLECTIVE, EXORCIST GBG, and PAPIR. The result is a raw, melodic and ceremonial mix of analog synths, guitars, flutes, sitars and pounding percussion. In general a good album with mainly good songs. Among the highlights are tracks like "Polychromatic Route", "Freak Street Blues", "Sister Nirvana" and "She Demon".
NEPAL DEATH is a group from Sweden, and this is an album that every fan of psych rock should check out.
nepaldeath.com

Michael Sciuto: Edge (reissue)

Pride & Joy Music Classixx - CD
This really sounds like a product of the mid-1980s, but the funny thing is that it was actually released in 1999. Nobody have this sound today, with electric drums and funky bass. And I don't think anybody had it in the late 90s either. This production and sound might have been the latest shit back in the 80s, but nobody would make a recording like this and songs like this today. So why anybody came up with the idea of doing it in 1999 is a mystery to me. But with that said I can admit that there's some catchy and good songs here anyway, so this is not hopeless. But be prepared for a dated sound and production.
Michael Sciuto is a multi-instrumentalist based in USA. "Edge" was originally released through 7th Floor Records, and is said to draw influences from classic AOR. But to me this sounds more like 80s rock. And as I said earlier, it' very catchy and melodic.
This re-release also includes 3 bonus tracks, and is available in a limited edition of 300 CDs, which are only available via shop.prideandjoy.de while stock will last.

APOCALYPTIC SOCIETY: Instinctual Self-Slaughter

Apocalyptic Society on Sept. 5 - Digital Album
APOCALYPTIC SOCIETY hailing from Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. Although they formed in 2015, this is their full-length debut. They deliver a relentless fusion of progressive metal intricacy, thrash aggression and old school death metal brutality. Influences comes from such different acts as DEATH, CYNIC, HYPOCRISY, IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA. It's technical but not too technical. They seems to aim at a raw intensity instead, which I like as it makes it easier to listen to than some band who are extremely technical.
8 crushing tracks is what we get here, and it's a really strong album that they have made.
youtube.com/watch?v=kY6FK1RJga8 | apocalypticsociety.com

MAD DOGS: The Future Is Now

Go Down Records on Sept. 5 - LP, CD, Digital
Well, let's just say it at once: If you like The HELLACOPTERS, then you will also like MAD DOGS. These Italians are more or less a copy of the Swedish action rock pioneers. But it's not the early The HELLACOPTERS, but more like the later stuff. It's catchy and melodic, yet it's rocking. There are a few fast and raw numbers too though. And yes, it sounds just as good as their heroes, so this is definitely worth checking out.
MAD DOGS is a band from Italy devoted to rock n roll. After several lineup changes, they found stability in 2016 (if I get it right) and recorded the album "Ass Shakin' Dirty Rollers", which was released in 2017. "The Future Is Now" is their third full-length album, where we can find a sound that spans from Detroit via Sweden to Australia.
bfan.link/the-future-is-now-1 | facebook.com/maddogsrnr | godownrecords.com

DISTORTA: Deadman

Wormholedeath Records on Sept. 5 - Digital EP
DISTORTA debuted with "Devil In The Dust" in 2024, and it's now followed by the EP "Deadman", which features 5 tracks.
This band's music is a wild fusion of thrash, groove, death, and power metal, but is labeled as groove death metal. You will get massive riffs, pounding rhythms, and anthemic choruses. They mix the hard and heavy with melodic elements here and there (mainly in the chorus), and the vocals is harsh, but I don't know if I want to call this groove death metal. To me this is groove metal.
As they have done the recording by themselves, it sounds cheap and raw, almost like a demo, which has its own charm somehow.
They might not be the best band on the planet, but they are not bad anyway.
youtu.be/jcFLUGZddTo?si=7WEnY1hznttmjAcS | facebook.com/distorta | wormholedeath.com

ANTI RITUAL: 80 Years

Indisciplinarian on Sept. 5 - 7" EP, Digital EP
ANTI RITUAL is a noisey and raw hardcore/punk band from Copenhagen, Denmark. They has previously released 2 EPs and 1 album.
The title of this new EP, and its corresponding opening track, refer to the 80 years that have passed since the great defeat of fascism, and to the time it has taken for this destructive ideology to return to the political stage and once again poison people's minds and hearts in a chaotic world. Compared to previous releases, blast beats and grindcore have been completely cut away, with the focus instead turned fully towards d-beat, dissonance, and the band's epic guitar melodies.
Well, this is not so bad at all. To mix the noisey and raw with guitar melodies is a really good idea.
facebook.com/indisciplinarian

BABYLON A.D.: When The World Stops

Kivel Records - CD, (Digital next month)
Hard rockers BABYLON A.D. was originally formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1987 as The PERSUADERS. In 1989 they changed the name to BABYLON A.D. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1990, and if I get it right this is their 6th studio album.
They have some really good songs here, no doubt about that. Some are even extra good. But there's unfortunately a few too many of those softer songs, and 1 of them have a way too long piano outro, so I think it's just 1 of them that is good. But that's just a small problem when the rest is good, so don't be afraid of giving this a try.
BABYLON A.D. is obviously a band of the 80s, and still sounds like a 80s band after all these years. It's catchy and electrifying hard rock with melody.
The band is on tour in the UK from September 4 to 16. On September 20 they will be playing in Athina, Greece.
youtube.com/watch?v=mlyu7PSfu1w | kivelrecords.com | babylonadband.com

PARALYSIS: Spiral Of Suffering

Paralysis - LP, CD, Digital
New Jersey based PARALYSIS play a thrash/hardcore hybrid, and this is their third full-length album. It marks their most aggressive and refined effort to date they say.
This band is said to bridges the gap between classic thrash brutality and hardcore's raw, in-your-face attitude. They fire on all cylinders, loaded with feral energy, social venom, and no punches pulled. It's in other words hard and heavy stuff, yet very energetic.
PARALYSIS formed in 2014. Their debut album, "Life Sentence", was released in 2017.
youtu.be/hMWQWjuHlvc?si=X2wnepAe_qo6EmR_ | linktr.ee/paralysisthrash

SVARTSOT: Peregrinus

Mighty Music on Sept. 5 - LP, CD, Digital
Danish folk metallers SVARTSOT deliver their 6th album, and they also celebrate their 20th anniversary. This is said to be their most ambitious folk metal concept album to date, and all titles seems to be in Latin or something (it's hard to tell if they also sing in Latin as well or if it's Danish as usual, maybe both?).
Since last time they have parted ways with drummer Frederik Uglebjerg, and new drum boy is Rune Frisch. They continue with their signature sound by blending thunderous riffs and authentic folk melodies, which they top with harsh vocals. It's mainly powerful and raw, and not the happy kind of folk metal, but rather a hard kind of metal. Pretty good stuff.
bit.ly/svart-shop | svartsot.dk | mightymusic.dk

SPEED QUEEN: ...With A Bang!

High Roller Records on Sept. 5 - CD, LP, Cassette, Digital
I don't really get why you begin an album called "...With A Bang!" with an atmospheric intro that sounds more like pop than rock? Shouldn't you start with a big bang instead?
But after that little mistake it's absolutely some more action, as they deliver high-energy heavy metal in the good old tradition. And the next tracks continue on the same path. There's even a song that reminds me of early IRON MAIDEN.
SPEED QUEEN from Limburg in Belgium are not to be confused with the French band of the same name from the early 1980s. This band was founded in 2014, and has previously released 2 EPs. Now they will release their first full-length album.
And this my friends is an album with many strong and powerful songs. I really like this! The songs are full of passion and adrenaline. Definitely worth checking out for those who like classic heavy metal from the late 70s/early 80s.
hrrecords.de | facebook.com/speedqueenofficial

HUNGER: Ruler Of The Wolves

Jawbreaker Records on Sept. 5 - CD, Cassette, Digital
HUNGER deliver a 6-track EP rooted in classic heavy/speed metal. Built on a haunted, cursed vibe and inspired by the mid-80s sound, HUNGER blends sharp, memorable riffing with explosive vocals.
The EP begins with a 1:24-minute instrumental: mid-tempo riffing, dive-bombs, and a steady build toward full-on speed metal. And what follows is a full on sonic assault packed with energy. The sound is very old school and underground, and each song has something different to offer. It's honest and true, as well as raw. Very good stuff. So if you're a fan of speed metal from the 80s, then I can really recomend you to check this out.
Session drummer on this recording is Fabio Alessandrini (ANNIHILATOR, BONFIRE, ENFORCER). There's also a cover version of an obscure STORMWITCH song that was never recorded in the studio, just performed live.
jawbreaker.se

MORTAL SCEPTER: Ethereal Dominance

Xtreem Music on Sept. 9 - LP, CD, Cassette, Digital
MORTAL SCEPTER first formed in Dunkirk, France in 2012, and released their first EP, "As Time Sharpens The Sentence", in 2015. In 2019 they released their first album, "Where Light Suffocates". 6 years later they now return with their second album, "Ethereal Dominance".
These guys combine the golden elixir of violent thrash metal and the burning venom of primal death metal. These songs are packed with adrenaline and a hunger for blood. If you sit still to this, then you must be a psycho or something, because this should make you want to bang your head like a maniac.
They have in other words succeeded to make a raw and intense album with all the right ingredients.
facebook.com/mortalscepter | xtreemmusic.com

KORP: And Darker It Shall Become

Grind To Death Records on Sept. 5 - CD, Digital
Swedish old school black metallers KORP released their first album, "Until Eternity Calls", in 1997. They have been lurking around in the underground scene for decades with their mix of black, thrash and death metal. Surpsingly this is just their 4th full-length album, so they might not be the most active band (or maybe they have released plenty of EPs instead?). But when they finally release an album, they definitely show us all how it's supposed to be done. The energy is mainly high and the vocals aggressive, just like it should be. I simply don't have anything to complain about when it comes to this record. True black metal!
facebook.com/korpmetal | grindtodeathrecords.com

IMPERIALIST: Prime

Transcending Obscurity Records on Sept. 5 - LP, CD, Cassette, Digital
"Prime" is the follow-up to the "Zenith" album from 2021. Sci-Fi themed thrashy black metal is what we get from this band. These songs are said to be tighter and more intricate than ever before. With a clear and sharp sound they deliver their darkness with full force. It mainly goes fast, but there's also room for melodies, and they can also slow down once in a while.
I don't really know what it is that makes this band so special, but I really like what I hear here. This is an excellent album that you really should check out. Even death metallers should like this, becuase they also have some elements of that in their music.
Brutality with style.
youtu.be/TW0fm6V-DM0?si=--9w_0TmOY-R569i | imperialistus.bandcamp.com/album/prime | transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com

ETERNAL RETURNS: Let There Be Sin

Brutal Records on Sept. 5 - Album
This is like a compilation album where every track is different from each other. The first track is just a long intro, which last for 3 and a half minutes - Soft and atmospheric. The second track, "Sloth", is death metal. An when we comes to the third song, "Lust", then it's suddenly some stupid hip hop/metal instead. The 4th track is some kind of heavier metal with screaming vocals and a soft chorus with clean vocals, while the fifth is probably best described as heavier metal too, but becomes death metal after a while, and then a melodic chorus on that. After that it mainly continues in that way.
Yes, this is a very weird band to me, that doesn't really seems to know what they want to do. Or maybe they want to do a little too much? It's supposed to be death/thrash metal, but they obviously blend in many other genres as well, like melodic death metal, metalcore and groove metal. This is obviously not my kind of album, so I say no thanks. But if you want something modern and different, then you can try this.
ETERNAL RETURNS is a band from India, formed in 2010.
brutalrecords.com/eternal-returns

«August | Index | October»

Everything made by Blom since 2001