Tag Archives: heavy metal

Features, Reviews

Fear Factory, Crystal Lake, Hate & The Nocturnal Affair Rock Rock City!

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We headed to the legendary Rock City in Nottingham the other day for an absolutely stacked night of fantastic metal bands! The variety was amazing, from the legendary industrial headliner to the more pop-metal opener to some straight-up blackened death metal, and had me bouncing and singing along all night. There was no way we weren’t telling you just how awesome of a show it all was!

First up were our new friends The Nocturnal Affair. Having been a fan of them for a couple of years now, it was great to finally see them, and they certainly didn’t disappoint! They surprisingly came off heavier live than on track, but that may have been because of the stellar sound, a fixture of the whole evening. Still, Brendan’s voice was as great at the screams as his powerful cleans, and the band played their asses off around him. They had a pretty long set for an opener too, squeezing in plenty of their hits like ‘Cross Me Out’, ‘Choke’ and new fan favourites ‘Oxygen’ and ‘Place in Time’. And, of course, we still got their fantastic Haddaway cover to close. It was the perfect way to open a night like this; high energy, heavy and yet plenty melodic. I already can’t wait to see them again!

The pace changed rather dramatically when Hate took the stage. Having listened to their last album plenty I knew exactly what to expect, and it was fucking awesome! It was a full frontal assault from start to finish, and the band performed it masterfully. I loved the effort put into the appearance, not only the corpse paint that fit the vibe so well, but the mic stands were awesome and they even had some cauldrons on stage just for dressing, adding so much to the show. The setlist was awesome, too. From the very best of Bellum Regiis to their heavy hitters in ‘Erebos’ and ‘Rugia’, they blasted through a really great six tracks, all of which flowed perfectly into each other. And, for a black metal-adjacent band, there was a surprising amount of crowd interaction too, all of it being great. This is the type of music I think is so perfect for a live setting, and Hate blew me away with their set!

Next up were the mighty Crystal Lake. Bringing a metalcore flavour to the evening, they were another band I was highly anticipating seeing for the first time. They’re another band with a truly excellent recent release, so to hear some of it live was really awesome! Then, on top of that, we still got the best of Helix and even a couple of their earlier tracks, rounding out their setlist perfectly. Given how new to the fold frontman PK is, he fit in with the rest of the band perfectly, them geling and it feeling like a completely natural pairing. He is already a veteran of the scene from Prompts; his live vocals and performance both being awesome, and the energy he has brought back to Crystal Lake is amazing. And don’t get me wrong, it takes away nothing from the rest of the band, YD and co. playing and performing like they had something to prove through their whole set. The crowd were surprisingly slightly light, especially around the least active pit the world may have ever known, but it didn’t at all lessen my enjoyment. This is one of my favourite sets of the whole year, and I need to see them again ASAP!

And just like that we reached our headliners, Fear Factory. The only band on the bill I’d actually seen before, it didn’t at all lessen my excitement for their set. And my gosh, what a set it was! A full 17 tracks spanning much of their impressive career, from their debut album to their recent single. And, it was all played to perfection! ‘Roboticist’ is a fantastic new addition to their repertoire, but the classics like ‘Replica’, ‘Linchpin’ and ‘Powershifter’ are all firm crowd favourites, and the place got LOUD for them. It is a bit of a shame we didn’t get anything off their last album, but even getting a track off Genexus was a surprise and pretty fucking awesome!

As for the band themselves, they killed it throughout the full 90-odd minutes of their time on stage. You would not think this band formed all the way back in ’89, the way Dino throws himself around and still plays. And the rest of the band, even if they are all recent editions around him and a little more ‘hired guns’ at this point, all kill it too! Milo is a natural frontman for the band, sounding as close as dammit to Burton did back in the day, and is an excellent frontman in his own right. All four of them work together perfectly too, putting on a great, straight-forward show between them all! It’s damn impressive for a band to keep me hooked for that long by just their playing, but they did just that. Another fantastic set to close out the night!

And there we have it, folks. A night packed to the brim with awesome metal music, at one of the best venues in the country. Every band knocked it out of the park, somehow making me an even bigger fan of each of them in the process! I cannot recommend any of them enough, both live and on track, and I am very much desperate to see them again soon. To an amazing night!

Interviews & Features

Fireflame: ‘We can’t wait to push our sound even further!’

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We chatted to the rising stars of Japanese heavy metal, Fireflame, about their debut full-length and future plans. Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

We define our sound as Modern Heavy Metal, which strives for a seamless fusion of classic 80s heavy metal and modern metalcore. We dislike being boxed into a single specific subgenre. Rather than simply mimicking the past or sounding overly modern, we pursue a style where both worlds are perfectly balanced and blended.

The album’s been out a couple of months now, it seems to have gone down really well! Is there a particular theme or story behind the album, or is it more that each track is its own story? 

The album is actually built as a cohesive concept! Excluding the bonus tracks, all 12 main songs are interconnected, telling one continuous story from start to finish. Central to this narrative is the overarching theme of “the persistent inner fire within those who continue to fight for something they cannot give up.”  Through this story, we wanted to convey a powerful message about facing adversity and refusing to bend, no matter what obstacles stand in your way!

What is your songwriting process like?

The main process usually begins with Connie Flames (Ba) and myself (FireRay, Gt) putting together rough demos. Once we have those initial demos, we bring them straight into the rehearsal studio. 

We jam and play through the songs together as a full band, shaping and refining the arrangements and details on the spot. It’s through this hands-on studio session work that everyone’s ideas and energy come together to give the final song its full form.

Is there more writing going on already?

Yes, absolutely! We’ve actually already completed 3 brand new tracks, and we have several more demos in the works! 

Even though our 1st album Force Against The End was just released, we’re already focused on and excited about the next album. We can’t wait to push our sound even further!

Do you have a busy rest of the year and start of 207 planned with live stuff?

Now that our debut album is finally out, we’re currently planning a tour and getting ready to hit the road. It’s definitely going to be a very busy and exciting time for us!

What is the heavy metal scene like in Japan? I feel like I’m starting to see more and more bands from the country!

Compared to its peak, heavy metal definitely isn’t in the mainstream spotlight here anymore, and honestly, our hometown scene in Osaka has declined quite a bit. 

However, we have amazing bandmates of our generation who share the same passion, as well as inspiring seniors who support us. Because of that, I truly believe we can rebuild and reignite the scene from here and we want to be the band leading that charge!

You’re quite active on social media, do you have any advice you could give bands just starting out, in that regard?

Honestly, we don’t really have advice to give because we’re still just a starting-out band ourselves! Haha. 

But if there’s one thing, it’s simply to keep doing it over and over again. Just put content out there constantly, stay active, and keep pushing without overthinking it!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring with you?

Supporting heavy metal legends like Loudness, Judas Priest, or Bullet For My Valentine would be an absolute dream come true and it’s something we are determined to make happen! 

As for who we’d bring with us, we want to bring everyone who has supported us on this journey. It sounds like a big dream, but we’re going to make it reality!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?

That’s a tough one! But the first song that came to my mind is “Painkiller” by Judas Priest. To me, it’s the ultimate heavy metal anthem from the legendary drum intro to the relentless riffs and twin guitars, it completely defines what heavy metal is.

Reviews

Night Is Calling: Dominum Return with their Massive Third Album!

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Here we go, guys. One of my favourite bands currently and one of my most anticipated albums of the year, there was no way I wasn’t diving head first into this when it came across my emails. For those of you who don’t know, we loved their last couple of albums. Like a lot! They are one of the most promising bands in the heavy/power metal scene today, and have worked their asses off to get every opportunity they’ve gotten. The singles so far have been awesome, and I can’t wait to see what Dr Dead and his zombies have in store for us this time!

Opening on the one-two punch of their first two singles from this cycle, the album goes hard right from the jump! Now, I’ve already gushed over both tracks plenty in our reaction video to them, but I’d happily do it again! ‘The Circus is in Town’ is chaotic, heavy brilliance, and exactly what you’d expect as a fan of the band. However, that breakdown did take me by surprise, and is EXCELLENT. Meanwhile ‘Doctor Doctor’, while a little lighter and more AOR-based, is an awesome track in its own right, and that chorus has been stick in my head since I first heard it! Both are fantastic tracks in their own right, and up there alongside the very best of the bands previous output.

The first album track of the release, ‘Children of the Night’ is another grandiose, heavy power metal track, full of awesome riffing and catchy vocal melodies. The dynamics of the track are fantastic, dropping down for the first part of the verse, building more and more into that expectedly awesome, massive chorus. Dr Dead once again proves that he is one of the most underrated vocalists and writers in the game today, him certainly being a highlight of the track. However, the rest of the band kill it too, working their asses off throughout. All the backing vocals and harmonies only add to the hugeness of the vocals, making so very catchy. And we get a fantastic guitar solo tucked away in the middle of this, technical but also packed full of emotion, fitting the track perfectly. It’s bound to be a big crowd favourite live, and is yet another huge early album highlight!

The theatrics return for ‘Nosferatu’, that riff and melody being incredibly circus/folky in the best way. It follows a similar structure and formula as the previous tracks, but is done in such a fantastic way that it’s impossible not to get hooked in. It’s heavier generally than the previous couple of tracks, very much reminding me of the likes of Hammerfall and Dream Evil. The chorus isn’t as massive, but the whole song, from verse to bridge, is full of hooks. The ‘lie lie’ bit in the middle is excellent, and I love the growl at the end of the first chorus. It’s folk metal in a really fantastic way, and yet still feels like a song only Dominum could really make.

The other two singles from the album, ‘Dark Melodies’ and the title track, were excellent choices for pre-release songs. The former slows things down, it still having the heaviness and distortion but is also piano-led. It’s a beautiful track that once again highlights Dead’s vocal range perfectly. The writing of the track is incredible too, the instrumentation fitting the tone and themes to a T. The piano and vocal parts are perfect, and it explodes into another infectiously catchy chorus. It’s a truly excellent song and one that easily makes our playlist. Then, the latest single, features the amazing Battle Beast, and is another fantastic track. It brings the heaviness back, it being a typical Dominum track in the best way. Marina’s vocals are phenomenal on the song too and fit perfectly alongside Dead’s. Their harmonies are amazing, and it only makes the chorus even more massive. It’s a typical radio formula, but a fantastic power/symphonic metal track, and another that is well worth checking out!

Back to the album tracks, songs like ‘Jack the Ripper’ , ‘Devil’s Son’ and ‘I Don’t Drink Wine’ are more typical Dominum tracks. That is no way a bad thing; simply that they are exactly what I’d expect from this album and the band. It’s all heavy instrumentation and massive, catchy choruses with so much amazing harmonising. The latter is a particular favourite of mine, even if all are a little more “album track”-like than the previous songs. All are great in their own right though, fitting in with the rest of the album perfectly!

The now obligatory cover song for a Dominum album this time went to the MJ classic ‘Thriller’. As usual, they put their own heavy metal spin on the track, it fitting the tone of the album perfectly. And, thematically, it fits the band and their story perfectly, too! It’s a fantastic song to begin with, and this is just as enjoyable a version of it, honestly! The mix in particular on this track is amazing, it sounding huge and everything getting it’s time to shine and being so clear. It’s a really great addition to the album, and putting it this late in the album breaks things up perfectly.

‘Endzeit’ closes the album rather fittingly. Not only is it thematically a great finale, but it also draws together elements of just about every other track that came before it. A low intro into a massive, stomping folk-metal riff. The huge, uplifting chorus designed to play to huge festival crowds around the world. An awesome (albeit shortish) guitar solo. An epic, grandiose feel throughout, especially by the end. It’s excellent, and draws the album to a conclusion in the best way possible. Oh, and it’s a great song in its own right! It’s another huge highlight on an album honestly full of them!

We also get a couple of cheeky bonus tracks tucked away at the end; an acoustic version of two of their hits off their last two albums. Both ‘Don’t Get Bitten by the Wrong Ones’ and ‘Hey Living People’ fit somehow just as bad in this arrangement as they do with a full electric band, and it adds another, more sombre feel to both songs. Once again, Dr Dead’s vocals are the focal point, and the range and emotion on display through the songs from him honestly blew me away. If you like the previous two albums, give these a listen, they really frame both songs in an excellent new light. And goddamn, the size of those vocals on ‘Hey Living People’… *chefs kiss*.

Overall: How is it possible that this band just keeps getting better? Y’all know I’m a huge fan of their last two albums, but this somehow feels like a leap forward yet again; taking the very best parts of those two releases and moulding them together perfectly. It’s a huge release from start to finish, there being so many phenomenal tracks on here that stand out among the very top of their repertoire. Hell, there truly isn’t a bad song throughout. And, just to gush over it again, the production throughout is absolutely stellar. It’s no surprise the band are becoming as massive as they are; their talent and hard work is more than paying off, and their music really does speak for itself. Check this out, no matter what you are into, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do!

The Score: 9.5/10

Reviews

Goliath: Exodus Return With Album Number 12!

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The whopping 12th studio album from the godfathers of thrash metal (and first under Napalm Records), this has been an album we’ve been excited for for a while! We absolutely LOVED their last album, and the fact that it has been nearly five years since then is insane. And, most long term readers here by now should know that I’m a big fan of thrash, so I have been eagerly waiting to dive into this since I got the email. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Starting off with a menacing, heavy riff, ‘3111’ builds perfectly through the solid drums and multi-layered guitars. After well over a minute, it all fades out to a thrash riff that just screams Garry Holt. And just like that, we’re balls-to-the-wall, right into an explosive first verse. I have to admit, for a second I’d forgotten that Zetro had been let go from the band last year, so Rob Dukes’ vocals were almost a jumpscare. However, as much as I love Zetro’s vocal sound, there’s just something about the heaviness that Dukes brings to the table that is hard not to enjoy! It fits the instrumentation perfectly here, and the verse leads quickly to an awesome, surprisingly catchy chorus where Dukes really gets to shine. With the almost call-and-response vibe, it’s going to be a firm fan favourite, that’s for sure. It’s giving off a mixture of Tempo of the Damned and Exhibit B, and I am very much here for it! Then to my shock, we head into an extended solo, the playing almost reminding me of Kerry King. And the riff acts as an outro, some more great vocals coming in at the end to take us home. Honestly, I loved this, and it felt like it was over far too fast. It certainly left me wanting more!

The brutal pace continues perfectly through ‘Hostis Humani Generis’. After a big intro, it explodes right into the thrash the band is so very well known for, giving us at least three incredible riffs in quick succession. It’s another track with a solid minute before we get to the vocals, but that’s completely fine when the instrumentation is so dam good! The verse is fun and the energy stays high through the chorus, full of venom and attitude. It’s nothing if a lot of fun, and a track that I desperately want to be in a pit to live! And, not only that, but we get an absolutely incredible guitar solo tucked away in the middle of this! And, the fact that it’s broken up by awesome riffing, ‘Hangar 18’ style, just makes it even better! It’s another great, heavy thrash metal song, and feels equal parts both old school and modern Exodus rolled into one!

The riff that opens ‘The Changing Me’ is really interesting, alternating between an isolated, higher guitar and an all-out assault from all instruments. It soon once again builds perfectly, adding in more and more elements and epicness until we get a fantastic main riff. It’s the closest thing to classic Exodus we’ve had so far; simple yet heavy and incredibly effective. From the verse to the pre to the MASSIVE chorus, it’s all so good! The chorus in particular is surprisingly awesome, with the multi-layered vocals adding plenty of catchiness to it. It almost has an extreme metal feel to it, which I loved! And, of course, we get another technical masterclass of a solo from Mr Holt! And not just in the usual bridge section either, as we get an epic outro solo added in for good measure, Dukes’ amazing screams ringing in over the top. It’s an incredible song, and one that easily makes our playlist!

The high energy continues fantastically through ‘Promise You This’, ‘Beyond the Event Horizon’ and ‘2 Minutes Hate’. While all are fantastic thrash songs in their own right, they all had a pretty similar vibe and pace to them, so it’s hard to say much without repeating myself over and over. I did, however, enjoy them slowing things down in the middle of ‘Beyond…’, it somehow making the track even heavier! All are good songs in their own right and well worth a listen, with ‘Beyond…’ itself being a firm album highlight. But I can’t say much more without coming across as a Holt and Dukes fangirl!

The album’s title track slows things down a little, perfectly placed to do so in the middle! From the steady drums and droning bass intro to the guitar coming in over the top of it perfectly to Rob’s vocals soon adding yet another level, it’s all excellent! It almost has a doom metal edge to it, a great change of pace to the balls-to-the-wall thrash so far. It may piss off a select few of their audience, but I love them changing up the pace here, and they do this style just as well as the faster stuff! I love that it stays at the plodding pace throughout too, and it results in maybe my favourite guitar solo on the album, to boot. And, on top of that, we get some strings behind the solo, as if it wasn’t already epic enough! It’s another big highlight of the release!

The final three tracks are more of the classic Exodus stuff. ‘Summoner of the God Unknown’ starts a touch slower than each track either side of it, but is also an epic, eight-minute journey through the very best the band have to offer. It’s a downright evil track packed full of some of the best riffs on the album, and gives off big Seasons in the Abyss vibes. Because of this, as good as the other two songs are, they do pale just a touch in comparison. They are good songs I’m their own right, and ‘Dirtiest of the Dozen’ is a fitting, very Exodus closing track, the lyrics being the best on the album. However, ‘Summoner…’ is something special, honestly. It’s a definite album highlight, and maybe a career one too. And, while ‘Violence Works’ maybe the most “album track” song of the bunch, ‘Dirtiest of the Dozen’ is also a banger well worth checking out!

Overall: I had a great time with this! It’s a damn good, heavy metal album chocked full of plenty of thrashing riffs and drums and some amazing vocals. There are some great tracks on here too, ones that I will happily be revisiting again plenty in the coming weeks and months. If you are into the band you will absolutely have a good time with it! However, something about this felt ever so slightly off for me, though I have no idea why. Maybe it will occur to me or even grow on me with more listens, but it didn’t quite feel up there alongside the likes of Testament or even Saxon and Priest in terms of memorable new stuff. It’s good for ‘new’ music from Exodus, but doesn’t feel like it will quite hold up in a few years. Still, I had a good time listening, and it’s certainly not bad!

The Score: 8/10

Reviews

Into Oblivion: Lamb of God’s Best Album in Years?

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The whopping 10th studio album from the NWOAHM titans is arriving to a lot of hype this coming Friday. Being a fan of the band for well over a decade at this point, and having heard a couple of the singles, I have to say I have been DAMN excitedly waiting to hear it. After a couple of surprisingly mixed-received albums (among the fans, critics love them), they return after four years with what seems to be a sound a bit closer to their 2000s work. We got the chance to check this out a little early, and of course jumped at the chance! So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!

The title track is one we are very familiar here at Overtone already. I’ve gushed about it plenty already in my reaction video, and have listened to it plenty since. It’s the perfect way to introduce the album, and as I mentioned in said video, does feel like an immediate return to form for the band. And I’m saying that who was a fan of their last couple of releases, too. However, this has a real old-school LoG vibe to it, from the riffing to Randy’s vocals to the amazing drumming, it’s all fantastic! It’s like I was transported back to when I first discovered and got into them properly with Sacrament (I’m old, I know!) and I loved every second. They never lost it, but feel like they’ve found it again anyway, just adding it on top of the rest! It’s an amazing song, and a huge early-album highlight!

‘Parasocial Christ’ explodes in with heavy riffing and screaming immediately, keeping the energy flowing excellently. The balls-to-the-wall opening opens out a little for the second half of the verse, giving it more of a groove metal feel. It’s a perfectly chaotic song that all feels like it builds up more and more into its eventual chorus, coming nearly halfway into the track! And, it’s a damn good chorus, to boot, and followed up by an amazing (if all too short) guitar solo! It’s just a damn good heavy song, and Randy’s growls towards the end are FANTASTIC, really drawing the track together perfectly. Two for two on excellent songs, so far!

Single ‘Sepsis’ opens on a dirty, heavy bassline, backed amazingly by the steady drums. We get some ever-great spoken word stuff over the top from Randy to build it up even more. The guitars come in and the vocals turn to screams, but it still stays at the same steady pace and level, feeling ominous and still building, and soon drops back again. I love the steady, plodding pace of the first half of the track, especially after two thrashier ones. However, it still feels damn heavy, and so very Lamb of God. And it still grows more and gets to more of their core sound in the second half. And, it’s all seems to be a buildup to that awesome drop-out to Randy’s scream into that HUGE breakdown, it hitting so hard and being really masterful writing. Said breakdown runs for the rest of the track too, acting as the perfect closer. It does one of my pet peeves of fading out, but even then it’s that amazing I don’t have too much of an issue with it. It was an interesting choice for a single, but it’s a damn good track in its own right, and definitely another highlight!

A low, menacing riff introduces ‘The Killing Floor’ before it goes right back into their breakneck, heavy pace! It’s classic Lamb of God in the best way. The same could be said for recent single ‘Blunt Force Blues’ and ‘Bully’. All are fantastic tracks in their own right and fit the tone and flow of the album perfectly. They are well worth checking out, and are only grouped together here to make the article more manageable as otherwise I’d be repeating myself a much and coming across as even more of a fangirl than I already am!

‘El Vacío’ slows things down perfectly at the halfway mark of the album. A clean, almost Tool-like riff kicks things off, with some low, clean vocals, something Randy has incorporated masterfully in recent years. Even when it explodes in with the distortion and heaviness for the chorus, it still stays at a slower pace. It kinda feels like the ballad of the album, and placed arguably perfectly within it. It’s a style that few can pull off as successfully as LoG, with the only that immediately springs to mind being Malevolence. However, I’d put this up there with any track they’ve put out in this vein, that’s for sure! It’s a really interesting song, and honestly one that pretty easily makes our playlist!

‘St Catherine’s Wheel’ is another interesting track. It’s insanely fast, but also has an arrangement more like a Gojira song than anything else. The dynamics throughout are wild, starting with distant drums and guitar, going hard for seconds, before dropping out to the high riffing, awesome drumming and vocals. Don’t get me wrong, it builds up to some CHUNKY LoG style stuff pretty quick, but changing it up is always highly appreciated. The chorus is awesome too, heavy and catchy in equal measure, and one of my favourite on the album! And the riffing behind it… *chefs kiss*. I mean, the riffing through the whole track is amazing, as the breakdown/bridge is also excellent. To I’m sure no shock at all, I loved this song, and it’ yet another that I’d urge anyone reading this to check out!

The final two songs, ‘A Thousand Years’ and ‘Devise/Destroy’ are both once again bangers in their own right. The former is a more plodding, groove metal number that has some of Randy’s best ever clean vocals, as well as some absolutely phenomenal screams. Then you have the closer that is just as balls-to-the-wall as the opening couple of numbers, bringing the album full-circle excellently. It’s heavy, full of attitude and once again has some incredible riffing and a great chorus. Both are two more huge highlight tracks on an album honestly full of them!

Overall: Going into this expecting big things after a couple of the singles, this somehow blew me away even more than I’d hoped for! It has plenty of old-school Lamb of God moments, but also has some stuff that is more akin to their more modern sound, though done in such a way that it feels heavy, dark and more like them than ever. The change of their logo wasn’t just done because it had been a while; it feels like a bold new chapter of the band, and I am all for it! It feels like a culmination of everything that has come before it, with a sprinkling of modern, new sounds added on top to fantastic results. If you have ever at all been a fan of the band or the style, this is an absolute must-listen!

The Score: 9/10

Reviews

The Genghis Khan EP to End All Genghis Khan EPs: Nanowar Return as Silly and as Amazing as Ever!

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The Italian power parody metal band have gained a lot of momentum and a cult following over the last few years, including us here at Overtone! Not only did we love their last album, but had the pleasure of seeing a lot of it live, too. So, to say expectations around this EP are pretty high would be a bit of an understatement. Still, I have no doubt the band will deliver, and am excited to dive in and check it out!

The (I guess) title track opens things up in pretty epic, Nanowar fashion. Some great vocals, backed by some ambient sounds, builds rather perfectly, especially when the guitars and drums come in. The band immediately infuse the comedy too, fitting in far too many words and syllables and getting a chuckle out of me. Still, the lyrics are fantastic though, and it instantly gives Iron Maiden history teacher vibes! It all builds to an awesome Egyptian-style, heavy riff, and we even get a return of some screams from them for the first time in a while, sounding awesome. A typically massive chorus is another high point of the song, firmly routing the band in their power metal roots, still. And of course, we get some awesome soloing in the middle, showing off why Mohammed is one of the most underrated players around today. It’s silly, epic and fantastic in a way that really only Nanowar can!

To my shock, ‘Feet & Greet’ immediately changes the tone, leaning more into an electronic-based intro, giving off not just industrial metal vibes, but clearly very much inspired by Rammstein. It also features some fantastic screams from the incredible Mikael Sehlin of Amaranthe. He fits the band and sound like a glove, and I love the alternating between them and the cleaner, robotic vocals. And, of course, it’s got another infectiously catchy chorus, one that I immediately want to see live! The lyrics are as silly as you’d expect from the band, and honestly that bridge had me laughing out loud. It’s another absolutely incredible song, and one that easily makes this years playlist!

‘IRIDE’ changes pace a little again, fully leaning into the cheesy power metal stuff. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still some heavy Priest in there, but it’s much more Dragonforce. Not that any of that is a bad thing! It’s the closest to their older music, I’d say, but it’s still a damn good song. If you like a more straight-forward sound, this is definitely a song for you! Then the closing track, ‘Kotlin’, stays power metal, but a lot more Sabaton in its tone. It’s another fun track, but isn’t quite as quirky as the first two. They’re just different, and it’s great that Nanowar can do both so well! They’re also both so damn catchy!

Overall: This is an awesome little release! All four songs are awesome, with the first two being up there with anything they’ve put out recently. I’m impatiently waiting another full-length release from them, but this is very much a great way to fill the time before that happens. If you are at all into the band power metal in general, check this out, as they are far more than just a comedic band at this point! And truly, we now cannot get another Genghis Khan EP.

The Score: 8/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Lord of the Lost, Zero 9:36 and More!

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Week two of the Overtone year is a heavy one, with plenty of awesome metal (and one electro) to check out. Let’s dive in!

Lord of the Lost: OPVS NOIR Vol. 2

The follow-up to August’s part 1, this release follows that up pretty perfectly. They very much feel like the same project, having a similar tone and vibe, and once again it’s one hell of a LotR record! The heaviness and epicness continues, especially with the Lena Scissorhands-featuring ‘Would you Walk with Me Through Hell?’. Between Lena, Käärijä, IAMX and League of Distortion, there are a good few features on the album, all as good as the last! However, the other songs are just as good too, with ‘The Last Star’ and ‘Scarlight’ also being massive highlights. The whole album is great though, and doesn’t feel like 45-minutes at all, going by in a flash. I never quite got into the band aside for a few songs here and there, but this release has really won me over to them, and proved that actually, taking some time to write some good music instead of feeling the need to pump out an original studio work yearly has upped the quality of their output. Who’d have thought it, ey? It’s a very easy 8.5/10 from us, and my plan after this weekend is to listen to both volumes one after another, I have a feeling it’ll be a great time!

Zero 9:36: They Were Always Here

This is a really interesting release! Alt-metal in the broadest sense, this covers all manor of bases under that sphere. The closest thing I’ve managed to compare it to is ‘Animals’-era Architects, with some occasional Hyro the Hero or even Eminem thrown in for good measure! It makes for an incredibly interesting listen and, at only 22-minutes, it’s hard-to-stop ride from start to finish. Whether it’s heavy riffing and aggressive vocals or more of a slower, radio-friendly sound, it really has a bit of everything, packed right into a concise release. ‘System’ is a huge early highlight, as are tracks like ‘Here to Bleed’ and the Ekoh-featuring ‘Withdrawals’. It’s not going to be for everyone as it is a very modern sound, but I loved it! Continuing to blend hip-hop and electronic elements into metal and hard rock is making things so interesting and unique, and Zero has that here in spades. He’s already created a big name for himself across his back catalogue, and adds to it perfectly with this addition. It’s another very easy 8.5/10, check this out if you are at all interested!

Zkeletonz: Marmalade

The first album from the disco-style electro artist isn’t normally the sort of stuff we cover, but this was a damn fun listen and has me a little obsessed with them! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and surprisingly gave me big Basement Jaxx vibes throughout, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! And, at less than half-an-hour, it’s another incredibly easy listen. From the opener to ‘Out!’ to ‘Wild for the Weekend’, there are plenty of highlights here. My only issue is that it does get a touch samey after a while, though with this sort of music I’m not sure how to solve that. And still, I didn’t have a bad time listening to any of it! A damn solid 7/10 from us, and certainly an album I’ll be revisiting in the future.

Volumes: Mirror Touch

The first new album from the metalcore quartet in over four years, and this thing goes hard. The band very much didn’t lose their heaviness or technical prowess in the time between releases, this thing being dialled up to 11 on both! Right from the offset, ‘Sidewinder’ is awesome, and is followed up perfectly by ‘Bottom Dollar’. The crazy low guitar riffs and solid drumming is an awesome combo, especially with the synth in the back too, the great screams just adding to them even more! Then you have tracks like ‘S.O.A.P.’ and ‘em’ that are definite highlights too. Sadly, it does drop off a touch in the middle, going down more of a slower, lighter modern metalcore route, but very much brings itself back on track towards the end! It’s still a damn solid album overall, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone into a modern metal sound. A very easy 8/10 from me!

Dragon Throne: Tale of the Two: Dawn

The power metallers didn’t hesitate to drop part two of their collection, did they? This dropped barely a month after Dusk, and continues on perfectly from said release! And you’ve already seen how much I enjoyed that album, so to have this continue on that great path is awesome. ‘Dragon Empire’ is one of the best opening tracks of the year, while the rest of the album follows it with a similar level of energy and quality. There truly isn’t a bad track on this album and, combined with the other part, makes for practically the perfect power-infused heavy metal release! Somehow I only gave the last one 7.5/10, but this one and as a whole piece between the two, I can’t give it any less than 9/10! If you are at all a metal fan, check this out ASAP, you’ll surely love it as much as I do!

Black Pig Meat: Symbiotic Dream

This is an absolutely incredible instrumental release! It’s always harder to shoehorn instrumental stuff into a specific genre, but it definitely feels prog/djenty for the most part, the odd bit of shoegaze thrown in for good measure. It’s chaotic but somehow all fits perfectly, ebbing and flowing incredibly well. Much is the case it seems this week, it will be a divisive release, with a lot understandably not getting into instrumental stuff. Heck, I struggle at times, but found this one so packed full of talented playing and composition I couldn’t stop listening! ‘Sizo’ was a big highlight, as was ‘Sóbole’. And while the closer, as great as it is, does go on a fair bit, it’s still a fun listen. It’s a great album to get high and listen to on your own in the dark, or if you’re a musician (interchangeable, clearly). Not something I’d revisit often but a damn good release, and a solid 7/10!

Reviews

A New World Rising: Rage Return with an Incredible New Album!

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The German heavy metallers return with album number 27, just one year removed from their gargantuan double release, Afterlifelines. As you can see, we loved that album, so when this came across our desk we were of course going to be checking it out too! I love the European style of thrash and heavy metal, and cannot wait to hear another, slightly shorter release from the band this time around!

The title track is a short intro track, building up perfectly into the explosion of ‘Innovation’. A thrash riff bursts in, soon backed up by the lightening fast drums. Peavy’s powerful vocals soon come in over the top, fitting the energy of the track perfectly. Immediately has modern Testament vibes in the best ways. It also all builds up into a surprisingly massive, catch chorus. It maintains its heavy thrash roots but that chorus almost gives it a power metal edge. And of course, we get a blistering, awesome guitar solo, complete with even some phenomenal harmonised sections, and the breakdown riff in the middle of it all is incredible! It’s everything great about this sort of style of metal, and it’s an absolutely perfect way to start the album off!

‘Against the Machine’ keeps the energy high with a huge thrash riff right out of the gate. It follows a similar framework to the previous track, going hard but dropping back a little for an arena-filling chorus, the band doing the style so well. I like that it also drops down for the bridge, building up again in a pretty modern metalcore way. It leads to a fantastic breakdown, almost djent in its guitar work, and then an equally awesome guitar solo! It’s yet another awesome track, and one that easily makes it onto our playlist!

‘Freedom’ has a bit more of a groove metal feel to it, and the lyrics are fantastic, fitting the current world climate perfectly and putting a great message out there. The same could be said for ‘Next Generation’ and the awesome ‘Paradigm Change’. All are groove-filled, metal greatness, and all have some good emotion and meaning behind the tracks. The latter in particular is another huge album highlight, and up there among some of my favourite songs from the band, honestly. All of them are great tracks and worth checking out if you are into the more Prong style of metal!

Meanwhile, tracks like ‘We’ll Find a Way’, ‘Cross the Line’, ‘Leave Behind’ go for more of a metalcore sound to them, metallic, memorable riffing, some Parkway-esque guitars in the latter and even some screams and breakdowns in the other two! It’s another three awesome tracks that once again give a little more variety to an album that so far has done a fantastic job of holding my attention throughout. ‘Cross the Line’ is probably my favourite of the three, probably because it’s the heaviest, but they are all good songs and once again worth checking out. All of them are the exact sound that is right up my street, growing up in the metalcore boom, so of course I love them!

‘Fire in your eyes’ is the slower, ballad track of the album. It still has some heaviness and distortion to it, but is notably subdued, and filled of some amazing clean and acoustic guitaring. It also has a now-expected epic, infectiously catchy chorus, and some more amazing lead guitaring throughout for good measure! My only slight gripe is the fade-out, though it even kinda fits with the track so it’s hard to complain about really. And, this song is perfectly nestled between the previous few tracks I’ve mentioned, breaking apart the pacing and energy perfectly, making this album incredibly easy to listen to in one sitting. Great stuff!

There’s a bit more of an industrial/nu/early 2000s metal with ‘Fear Out of Time’. Having said that, it also has slight elements of Trivium to it, which I LOVE. Once again, an excellent change of pace and yet another sound that the band do so well! It still has the bands typical heaviness to it too, it still being distinguishable as Rage despite the slight change in tone. Honestly, it’s an easy highlight of the album, being maybe my favourite song on it and up there alongside my favourite from the band’s catalogue. They are so insanely talented at songwriting and playing, and that is so evident here and throughout this release!

‘Beyond the Shield of Misery’ brings back the bands typical European thrash sound, while the closer recreates maybe the bands biggest hit for the modern year, being a surprisingly excellent addition to the album as it’s still very relevant today! Both are awesome songs and bring the album back to their signature sound to close things out perfectly. Two more well worth checking out, even if you’re familiar with the latter already!

Overall: This is an amazing album! As much as I enjoyed their previous release, this one felt more concise yet more varied, and made for a far easier listen. There isn’t a bad song throughout, and some are true standout tracks! It’s insane that after four decades the band are still going this hard, but it’s a true testament to the talent for Peavy and co. If you are at all into the band or genres, I cannot recommend this enough!

The Score: 9/10

Reviews

Fangslinger, Silk Spinster and Sam Barber: EPs Galore!

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Another week and some more awesome EPs for us to check out! The perfect blend of country and metal, let’s check it out! 

Fangslinger: We Are the Night

The gothic, vampire cowboys have been gathering a lot of momentum over the last nearly year since they started, and it has all culminated in this awesome five-track EP! We’re very familiar with the band at this point, and have been eagerly anticipating this release since its announcement. Heck, I have the pre-order special edition with a signed note and personal video message.

So, thank god it’s a bit good, right?! Opening on the fantastic new single before taking us on a dark-Western trip through their previous four, there certainly isn’t a bad track amongst them! Every song is as good as the last. It’s an awesome combination of Hellyeah, Avenged Sevenfold and Brantley Gilbert, and all three band members work their ass off throughout, having plenty of time to shine individually and together. It’s 21-minutes that is a must to check out for anyone into rock, country, metal, or heck, just music in general! What an incredible debut, and highlights everything that the band do so well. It feels fresh and new and innovative, yet familiar enough to get anyone doubtful into it. There’s a reason they are gathering some steam already, and this release will only push them up another level again. I can’t give it anything less than 10/10!

Sam Barber: Music for the Soul

The new EP from the breakout country star, and follow-up to 2024’s Restless Mind, is honestly a bit of a banger! It’s very current in its sound, giving off that indie/Americana edge to country music in the same vein as Wyatt Flores, Evan Honer and Zach Bryan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty samey like the album was, but when it’s a quarter of the length it makes it a lot easier to digest. It meant that, while each song was slower, each felt like the very best of the best Sam had to offer; being packed full of epicness and emotion. Particular highlights for me are the opener/title track, ‘Same Sad Shit’ and ‘Home Tonight’. Some of the rasp in his vocal delivery at times honestly gave me goosebumps, and some of his lyrics are incredible.

It won’t be for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I had a far better time with this than I did his album. If you’re into the general style he plays, this is well worth checking out! A solid 8/10!

Silk Spinster: Self-Titled

The UK heavy metal revivalists are another one with a debut EP this week, and another one that knocked it out of the park with their release! It’s exactly what you’d expect from the genre, a fun romp through awesome riffing, great soloing and some catchy melodies. Tracks like the title one, ‘White Lines’ and ‘Rockstar’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the EP! The band are all incredibly talented and will go insanely far if they can break into the still-booming NWOCR scene. It’s infectiously fun metal with a slight sleaze edge to it, and I’d recommend to anyone even slightly curious! Another very easy 8/10 from us!

Features, Reviews

Trowsholm, LN and Reliquia Rock Scruffy Murphys!

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A day after our trip to Download (not reviewing it, it feels weird to review one day of a three day festival) we headed up to Birmingham for a night of folky, dark metal goodness. Three awesome bands packing out a small, hot venue that’s been recently refurbished and reopened; it was set to be a good night! Let’s dive into all three and let y’all know just how awesome they were!

Kicking off the night were the gothic metallers Reliquia. They were the only band I hadn’t checked out beforehand, but they came away with a big new fan in me! They’re a sort of style I love; the epic, dark, gothy-doom sound, and reminded me a lot of bands like My Dying Bride. It had all the best elements of doom and black metal, but also sounded pretty unique. And for a venue as small as it was to get a sound as massive as the band produced was amazing, so big props to the sound guy as well as the band for producing a great show. The band are all hugely talented, playing perfectly along with their organ-and-bass backing track as well as writing some awesome songs. And they really grew into their performance, too. They seemed a touch nervous at first, but as the packed room got more into it so did the band, with Gregg in particular being a great frontman by the end. He also had some of the best live vocals I’ve heard in a while; from low singing to awesome screams they were all great. As I said, they won me round pretty quickly into a new fan, and I’d recommend checking them out if you haven’t already!

Next up were the reason we were there, the incredible LN. After seeing them at Winters End back in February and falling in love, we knew we had to see them again ASAP. To the shock of I’m sure no one, we once again were blow away by the band! They’re one of the most interesting bands in the UK underground scene today, as well as being one of the best live bands around. Their studio work is phenomenal and translates perfectly live, especially in such an intimate setting. There was no denying the crowd were there for them, and they played off it perfectly. Heck, they even got a pit going, which I was not expecting at all! LN is such an engaging and magnetic frontwoman, having the crowd in the palm of her hand throughout. Everyone else also put on a great show though, as well! From their popular older stuff to new preview songs and latest single ‘Hellfire’, it was a fantastic set, too. They band are clearly going to go far fast, and it’s so cool seeing them in these small venues before they blow up! 

Headlining the night were Scotlands own Trowsholm. Right off the bat it was an interesting collection of people; a viking, a wizard, someone in a matching short, shirt and bucket-hat combo and a thrasher… seems like the start of a bad joke! However, it made for one hell of a party mood right from the offset, and the band kept said mood high through the whole set. They were potentially the heaviest band of the night, and at very least the highest energy and paced, and it made for an awesome headline set! It felt almost like a heavier Alestorm, so impossible not to love! They travelled far to be at the gig and made sure it was worth it as they put on a show from beginning to end. They were the least ‘my thing’ of the night but I still had a blast, as did the still-packed-out crowd around me! They were polished and professional while still feeling fun and more light-hearted, and I can’t recommend them enough!

Overall, it’s was an absolutely amazing night of live music! All three bands knocked it out of the park and fit so well on the same bill together. I cannot recommend seeing all three of them enough if they come close to where you are, and I already want to see all of them live again already! And plus, shoutout to the venue, which was awesome, and is helping keep rock and metal alive in one of the most important cities for it!