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Interviews & Features

Beyond Salvation: ‘It is kind of quite a team effort, but it’s also very DIY!’

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We chatted to the amazing Beyond Salvation the other week about their debut album, their live schedule and the state of the scene. Check it all out below!

Your album was released just over a week ago now [at the time of recording]. What’s it like to finally have your debut out?

Arun: Yeah, it’s pretty special. It’s kind of something we’ve been working towards for a long time. We do this in our spare time and we do it when we can, but it’s a labour of love. It is something we took a lot of care and a lot of attention over and we’re really, really proud of it. And so to finally have it out in the world is pretty special, actually. I stayed up until midnight and like went on Spotify and Amazon Music and waited for it to sort of come out. And it was like, oh, wow, it’s all there!

John: It’s quite surreal, actually. We’ve been working on this for a long time. And we always knew it would take… I don’t know… I felt like we felt that sort of like stereotypical, ‘we’re going to put an album out and it won’t take that long’. And then it took forever. But there’s been loads of good reasons why. And we’ve done releases in between. And I think then that sort of summed up this testament to how strong we feel about these songs; because we wrote these songs a long time ago. And I just love writing new stuff all the time. So for me, especially when I’m always writing stuff in the background, to still be so convinced of these songs that have lived with us for a bit, it makes me feel the flip side to what I’d usually be. Like, really convinced they are the songs they should be and sit together and just dead, dead, dead proud of it. And it’s like, I feel like it’s a bit like a tattoo, a real timestamp over the last five years of what we’ve been through.

It’s a passion project, isn’t it? And we’ve had line-up changes. If you take the very first song, ‘Incarcerate’, that’s with our old drummer, old bass player, which is mental. And then, yeah, that ended up being a single! So, yeah, a relief in a most positive way possible!

What went into the decision to do an album?

Arun: I actually think the reason we chose to do it as an album was actually artistic, so it was us, because if you look at our history kind of up to now, we’ve always released singles and EPs and, you know, we’ve done loads of those sorts of things. But we didn’t want to break this block of songs up. Like, there have been conversations between me and John about splitting the album into two and releasing it as two EPs or dropping a single here or there. But we feel really strongly about the album and it flows, particularly when I think the lyrics started being penned by John. The story it was telling… it’s not a concept album, but it is conceptual in its sort of flow. We didn’t really want to break that up. But I think it is just the strength of the songs. We just felt, no, these songs need to come out together as a block, as an album.

And although we’re told that the industry does push us towards singles and EPs and the frequency from the listener’s point of view, I think, from the other side, albums are still preferred. And again, maybe we’ve got a bit of an old school mindset in that. If I see a new song come out by a band, ‘I’m like, oh, that’s great. Right, when’s the album out?’ It’s still a bit of a stamp in time. Maybe that’s a little bit more of a metalhead way of thinking as well!

I’ve noticed it does feel like it’s a little easier to get a tour and do the festival circuit when you have an album as opposed to just the odd track.

John: Yeah, definitely. I think if I checked out a band that they hadn’t got an album that I could just invest in, I’d be a bit like, really? So, it still ticks that box for me. But, that’s me. It’s just constantly not trying to constantly say, oh, is it because I’m old? It’s just like, it’s a good body of work, you know, it’s a good way to get a good cross-section of a band. I’m not dissing singles or EPs at all. I think they’re great. They’re a great way to kind of dip your toe in. But I think particularly in metal, there is that thing of people like to invest and immerse themselves in the music. I would have a guess that probably doesn’t happen in R&B. I don’t know. Maybe it does. But, you know, particularly in metal, there is that sort of thing.

What’s the writing process like for you guys? Has it evolved as new members have joined?

Arun: There’s a general framework. Basically songs start either from John or from me. And they usually start with riffs. And often, like me and him, we’ll tend to sit back and forth between us. It’ll either be a verse idea or a chorus idea or something from me or from him. And then we’ll send it to the other person. That might spark some ideas. We’ll send it back, send it back. And we’ll sort of put a very rough but not final at all structure together just in a demo just so we can listen to it. And then we’ll send it on to the band. And then we’ll bring it into the room and the guys will have their ideas. Bringing Owen on board, he’s got some really good ideas for grooves and things that will lift certain parts in certain ways, which John and I don’t think of because we’re not drummers. So there’s definitely ideas from them. Sometimes we find the recording process can be a bit creative as well. We’ll sometimes, you know, we won’t change structures necessarily, but how something’s played or whether a fill goes in a certain place, for example, might change depending on when we record it. So, it is kind of quite a team effort, but it’s also very DIY.

Do you guys have a favourite track from the album?

John: Like you say, you’ve had them for a few years in the chamber now, so it might have changed since you first wrote them. I also had the reactions to the songs and people doing, like, little top threes really, really cool and really interesting. And it being really, like, quite broad, like, it seems to have been, like, a really different mix, which is really cool. So, that kind of spreads it across the album. And then, I think, I don’t know, emotionally attached, I’ve got a different, probably, stance because there’s lyrics in there, aren’t there? And they’ve changed and developed over time. And I think I’ve written some songs in the past where I’ve written them about someone else. And then you fast forward two years and suddenly realise I’m relating them to even more than when I wrote them about a friend or a loved one or something like that. And that’s happened on numerous occasions. The single we put out called Aftermath is a really good example of that, but that’s definitely happened on a few of these. So, yeah, I don’t know, but I think if I had to pick one for me, I think it’d just be the final nail. Like, it’s that kind of sad but true sort of groove, headbang, but it still goes fast and heavy.

Arun: for me, I think it really depends what day you ask me, because it’ll be almost a different song every day. But if I had to pick just one, it’d probably be Broken Reflections. But I’m also very, you know, I really like The Storm. The Storm means a lot. I think that’s quite a good indication of where we might be going. Yes, I think. And it was quite collaboratively written, which I quite like as well. that song is quite a few people picked up on that. And I feel like at the moment it’s not one of the singles, so it’s not been one that’s pushed in people’s faces. So the few of the people that have checked out the album for them to zone in on that song is quite cool.

Do you have a busy rest of the year show-wise in support of the album?

Arun: Yeah, we’ve got a few. So the main thing that we’re pushing quite a lot is on the 18th of July, we’re doing what’s essentially an album launch show. And it’s kind of the closest thing to an evening with Beyond Salvation. But what we’re doing is we’re playing the entire album in full from start to finish. And then some old songs at the end as well. So that’s the one we want to push the most. Yes. But aside from that, we are doing a few shows around the country. we had to take a conscious decision to go, right, we’ve got to fucking stop gigging. Yeah. We’re going to get this album finished. that’s been something that we’ve not done much of. So hopefully it’ll all work out like a perfectly oiled machine. We’ve got this album. We can push that. We’re going to be dotting around the country with some great bands.

John: What’s going to be really cool about the gigs this year. So until this point, we’ve constructed sets in a certain way with, as any band does, which is largely from your released music and particularly with what you’re promoting at the time. Live, we have played Incarcerate a few times, not since we released it as a single. We played it back in 2021, actually. But we haven’t really played any other song off the album live before. We didn’t want to fall into that trap of like just playing new stuff and getting excited about it and then no one can buy it. But actually, when we start writing sets for the gigs coming up, we’re going to be primarily, it’s going to be new for us, actually, because, you know, we’re going to have to write new sets that we’ve not done before.

What do you guys make of the music scene in the UK at the minute?

John: I think we’re spoiled in Manchester because it’s brilliant! I was talking COVID. It’s quite weird now because it’s half a decade ago. But like, the band started like four or five years before COVID. And it was interesting to come back after COVID and then suddenly you’ve got this like whole fresh generation younger bands suddenly coming out and feeling like they’re already like, Tortured Demon would be a really obvious example. But yeah, I think Manchester genuinely were like pretty spoiled because a lot of the gigs get a really, really good turnout for like an underground scene. So that’s really nice. And then broader… I don’t think we’ve had good gigs. We’ve had iffy gigs. So it’s just one of those where I’m really, really intrigued, excited, curious to see what this back half of the year holds. But I mean, particularly with stuff like Metal to the Masses that happens around the country for Bloodstock that gets such a good reaction. I mean the Manchester Metal to the Masses final was the weekend just gone and was rammed from the second the doors opened. I also know that other ones around the country get really, really busy as well. I think I saw like one or two of them were sold out a couple of weeks before the finals, a couple of weeks before the actual date. It’s almost like are there more bands than fans now?! That’s got to be a good thing, right? Because it means more people want to have a go. More people are feeling inspired.

Arun: Also, I think these days, some of my very, very favourite bands are British. Not even just like, oh, I like it because they’re from the UK. Like, they’re genuinely some of my favourite music that I’ve listened to lately. I remember being a teenager growing up. I don’t want to name anyone, but it was all America bands that were like, the ones. Do you know what I mean? It just meant nothing really from the UK seemed to click with me at all. I would say growing up, obviously you had your UK pioneers, like your Judas Priest and your Black Sabbaths and stuff, but we were a little young for when they first came on the scene! But growing up, all my favourite bands were American, and quite a lot of them still are, but there are lots of really, really cool British bands. Everyone seems to, you know, kind of go along to each other’s gigs and everyone’s pretty supportive. And it’s, yeah, it’s quite a nice vibe at the minute.

You guys are quite up on the whole social media thing, any advice you could give to bands just starting out?

John: You’ve just got to do it! Arun’s more the daddy on this and the guys we’ve been working with from DC Sound Attack have been a massive help and stuff. But try and make it as fun as you can. But you know what, I have really fucking funny, happy, fond memories of just me and the guys trying to pull things together to try and get content together. So you know what, just be genuine, I think. Be yourselves and have fun with it. But unfortunately, it’s like a necessary evil.

Arun: Planning ahead actually works really well. And you know, we’re doing this for the music, so the music’s still got to be really good. You don’t want to let the music suffer because of the content you’ve got to create.

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: All American Rejects, Periphery and More!

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The usually stacked week of new music for us to check out, from metal to country to rock! Let’s get right into it!

The All-American Rejects: Sandbox

Somehow this is only the fifth album from the alt/pop rockers, and their first since 2012’s Kids in the Street. A lot has changed in 14 years, both in the music industry and in the band itself. Heck, the world experienced Humpadoo since their last release! So, to say there’s been a fair bit of hype around this release may be an understatement. I’m a fan of the band and have been since my childhood, so I’ve certainly been excited about the prospect of new music from them, even if the singles have been slightly hit or miss…

The album as a whole is reflected rather perfectly by the singles. None is bad, per-say, but there definitely tracks that I love and ones that I am not as into. Singles like ‘King Kong’ and the title track are great, as are songs like ‘Eggshell Tap Dancer’ and ‘Staring Back at Me’ are also big highlights. However, there are a few that, while good, I can take or leave, personally. The songwriting and style has matured (of course, Tyson and co aren’t in their 20s any more), getting a little darker, more indie and more introspective. It’s at least interesting to hear this side of the band, while there’s enough of their older sound to keep their OG fans interested. I feel like as an album it may take more than a couple of listens to get into fully, and it may grow on me even more in that time. However, for now, I had a good time with it, and it gets a solid 7/10

Periphery: A Pale White Dot

Following up 2023’s critically acclaimed V, the djent masters followed it up on Friday with, you guessed it, their eighth studio album (go figure). It’s more of exactly what you’d expect from the band; heaviness, plenty of catchy melody, crazy arrangements and technicality off the charts. They very much keep their title of ‘your favourite metal bands favourite metal band’, at least from a playing perspective. Heck, their OG fans, the ones Miss Sabrina Carpenter sings about, hate it, so that should be enough of a glowing recommendation as is! They cover just about every base of their song across a brief-for-them 47 minutes, and it’s hard not to be blown away by it! Tracks like ‘Talk’, ‘Heaven on High’ and ‘Everyone Dies Alone’ are all personal highlights. However, the whole album has a great flow to it, going by surprisingly quickly.

It still blows my mind that the band aren’t bigger, even with them being quite a niche sound. However, this is honestly up there alongside their best stuff, in this writers humble opinion, and could easily push them up to another level. If you are a fan of the band, or the genre they all-but created, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP! It’s clear the impact they’ve had on the genre, with a lot of bands taking inspiration from them, but no one does it quite like Periphery. It’s a step above Djent is Not a Genre for me, and will certainly be in my regular rotation for the next few weeks. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!

Robin Beck: Living Proof

The first new album from the AOR singer in nearly a decade, and it’s yet another banger! The title track/opener is the perfect introduction, while songs like ‘Karma’ and the catchy-as-anything ‘Na Na Na’ are other big highlights. The whole album is great though, being solid all the way through and going by in a flash. It’s insane that a woman in her 70s still has this powerful and amazing a voice, and the songwriting around it is just as excellent. It’s insane to me that she wasn’t a bigger name in the US or the UK back in the day, as she’s always put out bangers. However, I’d put this up there alongside any of her previous stuff, so hopefully this will finally be the album to push her to that top level. I’ll be spinning this release plenty moving forward, and would recommend it to anyone into the softer, anthemic side of rock, get this in your ears immediately! A damn solid 8/10 from us!

49 Winchester: Change of Plans

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.

Pro-Pain: STONE COLD ANGER

I’m sorry, but this is fucking EXCELLENT. The first new studio release from the hardcore thrashers in over a decade, and the quartet show that they have not lost even a fraction of a step in that time. The guys are PISSED, and it makes for a raw, angry and fantastically written record. The opener sets the tone excellently, and it’s almost impossible to pick highlights as every song is as good as the last! The only slight weak-link for me is ‘UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU!’, as it leans more into the punk/hard rock territory with the riffing, but it does have some of the best lyrics on the release. How they aren’t at the top of the heavy world I’ll never know, as they’ve always had an incredibly solid back catalogue. Maybe them returning after some time away from the studio will finally get them more of the recognition they very much deserve! All four of them are so incredibly talented, from the riffing to the drumming, vocals to the lyrics to the arrangement. It’s nestled perfectly between Hatebreed, Machine Head and American Headcharge, and I loved every second! I’m so glad they’re back, and I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10. Check this out immediately!

The Karma Effect: Cruel Intentions

Album three from the NWOCR stalwarts honestly may be their best yet! They take inspiration from the early originators of the scene, as well as the expected 70s and 80s influences, and build it all into something uniquely their own. From the opener to ‘Raised on Rock N Roll’, ‘Bad Manners’ to ‘Waiting on a Miracle’ to the closer, the release is packed full of incredible songs. The whole thing has not only a driving stomp and swagger to it, but a sense of urgency to it. It feels like the band have a chip on their shoulder, something to prove, and it makes for fantastic listening. They seem as cohesive as ever, with every band member working their asses off and getting plenty of time to shine. They have already been fast-rising, but this release will surely push them to even greater heights! An incredibly easy 9/10 from us!

Russel Jamie Johnson: Self-Titled

This is a damn good debut album! Nestled somewhere between blues, soft rock, indie and soul, it’s a sound that feels like it’s made a big comeback in recent years, and I am all here for it! His vocals are good and his lyrics are fantastic, both combining together to create a fun, emotion-filled listen throughout. Tracks like ‘Who We Used to Be’, ‘Come for a Drive’ and the closer are all excellent and personal highlights. However, while none of the tracks are bad, I do think even at it’s short-ish runtime, it does drag just a touch in the middle. A lot of the songs sound similar in terms of style and pacing, so while all are great in their own right, I think I’d take them as individual tracks over an album as a whole, on occasion. Though, when it’s all so well written, it’s a rather small complaint, really! If you’re into any of the genres I’ve mentioned, this is well worth a listen, and I’ll certainly give it another try at a full-listen soon; it very well grow on me even more! However, until then, this gets a solid 7/10

Acid Reign: Daze of the Week

I’m being treated, I never get two thrashy albums in the same week any more! It’s been a little while again, with their last studio work, The Age of Entitlement, coming out back in 2019. However, it’s another stellar thrash album! From the title track to ‘Alonely’ to single ‘Sorrowsworn’, there’s some truly awesome stuff on here. Heck, there really isn’t a bad song throughout. If you’re a fan of the genre I’d definitely recommend checking this out, it’s a good classic throwback release to its 80s/90s heyday. The band are all damn talented musicians and songwriters, and have crafted one of their strongest releases to date with this. I’ll definitely be spinning this again in the weeks and months to come, and it gets a very solid 8/10 from us!

CASANDRA: ISLA TRANQUILITA

The follow-up to her 2025 self-titled album, this brief EP is a great, chilled-out slice of alt-pop. While not typically my sort of thing, I found myself enjoying it a lot! Her lyrics and delivery are phenomenal, being a tribute to her late great aunt, and it all juxtaposes well with the lighter, bright instrumentation. The opener and ‘SOLUTION’ are personal favourites, but the whole EP is so well put together and goes by in a flash. If you’re at all interested, I’d definitely recommend giving it a spin, you might be surprised like I was! A rather easy 7.5/10 from me!

Best Band: The People’s Club

The energy and vibe put forth by the band name very excellently reflects the style of this album. It’s a chilled out, fun and silly 41 minutes of punk, and I’m all here for it! Heck, even the artwork perfectly fits the tone of everything; the MS Paint-style of all of their albums is honestly incredible. Musically, it won’t be for everyone, but I actually had a blast listening to this, the band have a new fan in me! It feels a little Mighty Boosh in the best way possible. From ‘Bog House’ to ‘Head Full of Juice’ to ‘Another Decay’, there’s some definite highlights, too. And, while none of it is bad, it does drag a little towards the end, with it all being pretty similar in vibe and pace. Still, as I said, it’s a good fun listen, and worth giving a try if you’re into a more old-school punk vibe. 6.5/10

Braxton Keith: Real Damn Deal

Somehow this is the debut album from one of the biggest rising stars in country today. I have to admit I’d seen the name around a fair bit but had never had the chance to check him out, so always figured he’d been around longer than he has been. It’s easy to hear why he’s such a fast success, though! This is a fantastic traditional country album! Right from the opener I was hooked, and wasn’t let go for a solid nearly hour. Songs like ‘I Dreamed You Dreamed of Me’, ‘Little Bit by Little Bit’ and ‘Prescription’ are all big other highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a touch long, and certainly lulls a little at times due to its generally slower pace. However, each track on its own is excellent, and the top songs are truly excellent. If you’re a fan of an old-school country sound akin to Zach Top or Riley Green, this is an absolute must of an album for you! I’ll be spinning at least a good chunk of it again pretty regularly, and give this a pretty solid 8/10

Shakey Graves: Fondness, Etc.

Album five from the Americana artist is a beautiful, bittersweet release. It’s a chilled-out, stripped-back affair, especially compared to a lot of stuff on this list, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with it from the very first track. It feels dark yet somehow also uplifting and relaxed in equal measure, and really feels like a vibe that only Shakey can do. Songs like ‘When the Love is New’, ‘The Boilermaker’ and the closer are all fantastic and big personal highlights. However, the whole album just has such an excellent flow to it, even having a couple of instrumentals across its short, nine-track run. It’s the kinda thing to throw on and just sit back and relax to, or you can really dive into the incredible lyrics and get lost in them, too. No matter how you consume the album, it’s a great release into the indie-Americana world. I can’t wait to see him live later this year, and will certainly be listening to this plenty in the run up to that. I can’t give it any less than 7.5/10, and it’ll probably grow on me more with more listens!

Frozen Sand: Fractals: A Light Among Shadows

Album two from the prog metallers follows up on their debut that dropped nearly a decade ago. Continuing on the Fractals monicker and theme though, it very much feels like the perfect continuation. It’s also nearly an hour of brilliant technical playing, heaviness and some damn catchy, melodic vocal lines. In other words, the perfect prog metal release! Also, it’s another album that is absolutely stacked from front-to-back, there not being a bad song throughout and it begging to be listened to in full. However, ‘Fracture’ itself is absolutely amazing, being one of my favourite metal tracks of the year so far, honestly. The band are so darn talented and if this album doesn’t push them to many more ears globally, that’s actually a crime. It’s a pretty ballsy move to put out a prog metal album the same day as Periphery does, but honestly I think these guys do it even better! The riffing is utterly phenomenal, and everything from the drums to the screams to the powerful cleans all compliment it so well! This thing is amazing, and gets an easy 9/10 from us!

Toria and the Terror: The Operating Table

This trio of fuzzy horror-punk tracks is a great collection that immediately leaves me wanting more! I absolutely love that it’s a style that is coming back in a big way the last couple of years, especially with female vocals, immediately reminding me of The Darts. This is definitely up there alongside that album in terms of quality, all three tracks being as good as the last, and having just such a campy, cool energy to them. And, between the vocals, the instrumentation and the arrangement, it’s all so good, and all fits together to make the perfect horror vibe. In case you couldn’t tell, I loved this! The band have a big new fan in me, and I’ll be listening to them a lot moving forward! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, great stuff! Now I just need a full album…

Interviews & Features

Violent Omen: ‘My emotions are very positive because this is a huge event in my musical life!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to Serg MP, bassist and vocalist of the technical thrash Ukrainians Violent Omen! Check it out below as we talk about their reunion after a decade, writing new music and hopeful plans for the future!

Firstly, what prompted the reunion of the band after all these years?

I had a conflict with drummer Yuri and guitarist/vocalist Dmitro. In fact, it wasn’t something spontaneous, because it had been building up for a long time. A band is like a family, and sometimes there are moments of crisis between members, so it would have happened sooner or later because there were misunderstandings and hidden resentments towards each other. Since we were still young and inexperienced, these misunderstandings turned into a huge public scandal and mudslinging. Now, with the passage of time, Yuri and I deeply regret allowing this to happen, because the band was at its peak with three albums and had great prospects, but unfortunately, we destroyed everything ourselves. Ten years later, I happened to meet Yuri near my home, and we were able to talk and resolve all our issues from the past. After that, we decided to create a new death metal band, Tria Prima, and only then did the idea of reviving Violent Omen come up. I hadn’t seen or spoken to Dmitro since 2014, when he left the band. When Yuri suggested that they get back together, he refused and said that he was ashamed that he had been involved in it and had accidentally ended up in Violent Omen. Dmitro was always strange, so I’m not surprised by his response.

‘Path of Illumination’ has not long dropped, what can you tell me about the track?

The new single is based on the book Angels and Demons by American author Dan Brown. Angels and Demons is a fascinating journey into a world of mystery and intrigue. I had this idea back in 2014 for a new album, but as you can see, it took more than 10 years to realise it, but better late than never. In fact, we planned to make another song the first single, but due to problems with electricity in the country caused by rocket attacks, our plans changed, because everything was already ready for the track ‘Path of Illumination’, and we really wanted to release our single on the band’s 17th anniversary, because it was very important and symbolic for us. In part, this track reflects the direction, and in part it doesn’t, because we ended up making all the songs on the album different so that they wouldn’t sound alike, and you’ll hear that for yourselves later, but at the same time, this track shows our crazy thinking, which is also present in other songs on the album.

How does it fit onto the album as a whole? Is there a certain theme or story behind the album?

No, it’s not a concept album, and each song is about a different topic. I am inspired by various topics, from the Aztecs to Japan’s Unit 731. I am very fond of history and its colorful characters. For example, the new album will feature songs about Billy Milligan and Killdozer, and each of these characters has their own dramatic fate that captivates you with its details and outcome. Incidentally, my inspiration for lyrics is similar to Steve Harris (Iron Maiden). The most interesting thing is that I never tried to imitate him in this regard; it just happened that way. I remember watching the movie Inception and being so impressed that I couldn’t wait for it to end so I could sit down and write the lyrics, and it happened many times with other songs. It’s cool when inspiration for ideas comes spontaneously and out of nowhere.

What’s it like getting together and playing in a room again after all these years?

My emotions are very positive because this is a huge event in my musical life. A lot of time has passed, more than 10 years, since I left the band, and there were still many unresolved issues within the band itself and between the members. But as you can see, time heals everything, and fate itself leads you to the right decision at the right time. To be honest, I thought it would never happen, but I was wrong. It will be very exciting to see the reaction of our fans when the long-awaited album is released! I am very pleased that this has happened!

Is the writing process still the same for the band now compared to back in the day?

No, because we have a new guitarist, and thanks to the new experience I have gained over the last 10 years, we have developed a new structure and approach to new music, which has become more sophisticated and professional. Previously, we took a simpler approach, especially to arrangements, but now we work hardest on arrangements to make them our strong point in music. Also, in the past, it was a completely different time, and we were younger and less experienced, but now we take this very seriously.

Do you have a favourite track on the upcoming album, and if so why?

I like all the songs in their own way, but I would probably single out the song ‘24th Faces of Lunacy’ about Billy Milligan. The song turned out to be my favourite crazy style in every way. It was the first song I wrote for the album, and it remained almost 90 per cent unchanged because it was already so cool and ready. It has everything! Two bass solos, a cool intro guitar solo, crazy vocals, technical and difficult riffs, as well as killer drums that bring it all to a climax. This song also has a special schizophrenic atmosphere!

Do you plan on doing some live shows to promote the album once it’s released?

There are no concerts planned for the near future because the country has been at war for four years now and there are no favorable conditions for this. Maybe in the distant future we will do some kind of tour if the opportunity arises. In the past, when times were better, we performed a lot and we didn’t have a single plan for preparing for concerts. Since we are a non-drinking band, we didn’t get drunk before concerts, but simply went on stage sober, put on a great show, and went to rest. Sometimes, right before the performance, I would play a couple of songs by Dark Angel or Raven on my player to get energized before the show.

Do you have a five year goal for the band moving forward?

Not really, because we’ve already done something unreal and recorded a new album. For us, the band isn’t a job, it’s more like an expensive hobby, so we don’t have any obligations, contracts or business models. But it would be nice to record another 1 or 2 albums in the next 5 years, that’s a realistic goal to achieve. Time will tell, but we are living in wartime and anything can change, and then there will be no time for the band.

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

For us, going on tour in Europe is already a dream, because it’s a complicated operation for a band from Ukraine without a big label. It would be cool to go on tour with Atheist or with our Luxembourgish friends Fusion Bomb, that would be awesome! There are many great bands that I’ve been friends with for years, and it would be great to go on tour with many of them and have a blast. Tour life is always fun!

If you could have written a song from history, what would it have been and why?

Almost all of my songs are about history, so they’re already written! And if we’re talking about something new that I haven’t gotten around to yet, I’d like to write a song about the Unabomber. Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski (1942–2023) was an American mathematician, social critic, and terrorist known as the “Unabomber”. He conducted a 17-year mail-bombing campaign (1978–1995) targeting people involved with modern technology, killing 3 and injuring 23, driven by an anti-technology ideology detailed in his manifesto I recently watched a cool series about him based on real events, and it made a big impression on me. So maybe you’ll hear a song about him on the new album, but I can’t promise anything.

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

Interviews & Features

Brainwave: ‘Ill Intent deals with a general dissatisfaction with the state of the world, but also a sense that you can conquer your doubts and prove your detractors wrong!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to New Zealand’s new breakout thrash/hardcore band Brainwave. Check out as we talk to them about their debut album, recent tour and future plans!

How would you describe your sound?

We recently found aYouTube comment saying that Brainwave sounds like a hardcore Toxic Holocaust, so we’ve picked that up and run with it!

The early influences on Brainwave were bands like Judiciary, Power Trip, No Warning – hardcore and crossover coming out of Texas, the North East U.S., and Canada.

Those influences are still with us, but we’ve also been trying to incorporate more melodic elements without going full stadium metal. We want to push both the metal and hardcore elements of our sound to the extreme.

What’s it like having your debut album out? What went into the decision to put out an album over another EP?

It’s been great to get the album out. It took about two years of sweet and blood and it means a lot to all of us.

From our perspective, doing an L.P. was really the next logical step. It was the only way to progress our sound and dig into all the influences and elements we wanted to draw out. E.P’s are great, but we needed something that allowed us more space and room for expression.

Is there a particular theme to the album, or any individual stories you want to talk about from it?

There are definitely some themes that come through the album. We were all facing some challenges during the writing process, at work or in aspects of our personal lives, and the album became an outlet for those struggles. Things like not achieving the goals we wanted in life, feeling disconnected, isolated, and atomised. This is also all of course in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic and the polarisation that had wrought. Society itself seemed to be breaking down. Songs like ‘Lost My Way’ and ‘Never Be The Same’ confront these themes.

We were also all profoundly affected by the genocide being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the state of Israel and the escalation of violence in the West Bank. It was frustrating that many people we’d looked up to had failed to recognise that daily horror and systemic forces pushing the region to the brink.

Overall, Ill Intent deals with a general dissatisfaction with the state of the world, but also a sense that you can conquer your doubts and prove your detractors wrong and, hopefully, make things slightly better in the process.

What is the writing process like for the band?

Generally Joram (guitar) will fire some riffs through and we will try and shape those into a song in the practice space. Often we will partly finish a song then move on to another idea and circle back later once we need to really hone the ideas. 

‘Never Be The Same’ is a good example of this method. There is a riff that comes in at around 1:40min that we were playing as an intro to our set when we toured with Lucre in 2024. We thought that would be the start of a song, but as we wrote and reworked things, it felt natural to use it as a kind of beat switch part way through the track. Lewis Noke-Edwards, who produced, mixed, and mastered the album, then had the idea of adding a super slow breakdown after the riff, and Joram added vocals to really kick this track up a gear. It’s definitely a band favourite.

Seen you’ve had a busy month with shows, how’s the tour been going?

Yeah, we’ve just wrapped up our release tour. It’s been amazing, hella fun!

It was our first time playing in the South Island (we’re a North Island based band), so that was really cool. And it was great to have our friends Martial Law on all five shows. 

We’ve been pretty active in Wellington for a few years, but to go outside our city and see people singing along, throwing down, and generally having a great time has been really gratifying.

What’s the scene like over there? Seen a good few bands coming through from your area recently!

The New Zealand hardcore scene is really strong right now. As well as great bands there are a bunch of people all over the country putting on shows and working hard to bring bands here from overseas. The community in general is in a really good place.

Huge shout out to all the bands that featured on the record – Molosser, Lucre, Martial Law, and Xile.

Also shout out all the bands that we shared the stage with on our release tour – Shuv-it, Visions ov Hell, Standover, Shuriken, Cryfor, Only You, Kisser, Virginia Dry, Strap, Moment of Truth, MoneySock, Dredge, and Nuclear Blunt.

Got a busy 2026 planned? Any hope to come over towards Europe?

Damn, we’d love to get over to Europe if possible! We’re pretty seriously discussing how we can make something happen over in Australia in 2026. Apart from that, I think we are all keen to get back into writing again.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of?

Ossh, what a question!

For us, it would be about who we could learn the most from watching every night. We’re all really excited by what is happening over in Australia at the moment. Obviously the peak of that right now is Speed, but there are so many other great bands from there we’d love to play with – Iron Mind, Horsepower, Feel The Pain, and Dizdain just to name a few. All bands that are in the game not just for themselves, but their scene and community, too!

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

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Once Awake, 1000 Scars and King Abyss Rock the Vic!

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We don’t cover enough live metal at Overtone, so when we cover any it’s hard not to fall in love with it. This show was no exception, as we had three incredible thrash/death/deathcore bands roll through Derby’s legendary Vic inn for very much a night to remember! And somehow, I’d not seen any of them live before, so I was excited to head down!

First up were the local(ish) aggressive thrash upcomers from Staffordshire, King Abyss. I’ve been a fan of them for a good while now, so when I saw them announced for the show I was pumped. They didn’t disappoint in the slightest, either! Being a surprisingly perfect blend of Megadeth, Death and Raging Speedhorn, they more than packed a punch, and their talent is off the charts. Dom is an underrated vocalist and frontman, showcasing not only some incredible screams, but more energy in their short set than I think I may have had in my entire life. And some of Sam’s leads and solos blew me away; another criminally underrated musician that needs to be recognised more. And the band very much played their hits too, all my very favourites from their album. They even teased new music, which I am already buzzing for. What an incredible way to open the show!

Next up were the band I was least familiar with, 1000 Scars. However, they were fucking awesome, and have a new fan in me, for sure! Firstly, they didn’t have a bassist, which was fucking wild, especially when the singular guitar filled out the sound enough that it didn’t even feel like it was missing. The band also had a slight hardcore/crossover thrash edge to the general death metal sound they had, which I also found fascinating and enjoyed a lot. The band were slightly less energetic than Abyss, but still had a great stage presence and felt very together and professional. The band have clearly been doing this a while as it felt like watching a well oiled machine, and an angry one at that! I loved their sound and have listened to them a fair bit since coming away from the gig. Another great band!

Then, after a brief changeover, the mighty Once Awake took to the stage. Hailing from all the way, way North (Norway, to be precise), this was one of the stops on their UK tour, and by the sound of it it’s been one hell of a tour, so far! They immediately had a more epic feel to them, having backing tracks to add layers, extra strings and synths etc. And yet, all of that, and still no bassist in sight. However, again, the band sounded awesome and full, the two guitarists working over time and sounding incredible together. And they all put on a hell of a show, all having plenty of charisma and stage presence, despite the slightly lacking crowd. And, as for the setlist, it was awesome. I’ve recently gotten into the band from their new album, and we had a healthy dose of that alongside the hits from their previous few. It was the perfect melodeath setlist, honestly, and they had the crowd in the palm of their hand throughout their entire set. The band are destined for big things, and the fact that they are able to tour different countries really proves that they have what it takes to make it massive. I cannot recommend them enough, one of my favourite live sets of the year so far!

So there you have it, folks. Three incredible bands at a great small, local venue, and it was even free entry! I cannot recommend any of the bands enough, either on track or live. If you are at all into metal, these are all must listens, all for different reasons and sounds, too! Even though it wasn’t exactly a packed house, every band put their all into the show, and I had a great night. If they play local to you any time soon, be there!

Reviews

Confyde and Sidewinder: EPs Galore!

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Another few amazing EPs for us to check out this week, let’s dive straight in!

Confyde: A Coward’s Stitches

I’ve loved this quirky metal band for a while now, and that love absolutely carries on through to this EP! The obvious System of a Down influence is there, especially with Martin singing in a tribute to them for a while, but there’s also plenty of Mr Bungle elements to it with just how experimental it all is. The opener/title track alone jumps about all over the place, but in the best possible way! I would say it’s a big highlight of the release, but honestly the other two tracks are just as excellent as this one! There’s just a hint of his old band, Emperor Chung, running through it all which I absolutely love too, as I miss that band a lot! The lyrics throughout are great as well, with the almost ballad-like ‘Once Broken’ being a particular highlight in that regard. Then you have the Ren-esque, proggy and emotional ‘Hxppy Nxw Yxxr’ to cap things off perfectly.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to be for everyone. However, I loved it, and if you’re into the more experimental side of modern metal, I can guarantee you will too! I’ll certainly be listening to this again a fair bit over the next few weeks, and it gets a solid 8.5/10 from me!

Sidewinder: March of the Eternal Heretic

This was described to me as “bruising thrash/hardcore”, which sounds like exactly what I need in 2025. After listening to it, that was confirmed to be correct; I loved this! It’s a 15-minute full-frontal assault of fast, heavy metal, and it was excellently written, performed and mixed. For the second time on this list, it’s impossible to pick out highlights, it’s all as good as each other. It honestly feels like the natural evolution of thrash in general, and I’m all for bands sounding like this in the genre moving forward! I was so close to pitting in my own kitchen. It again won’t be for everyone, but if you’re to the quick, heavy, angry stuff, I cannot recommend this enough. I am desperate to see this live, and given that they’re near Leeds hopefully I can soon! This gets an easy 9/10!

Reviews

Inside the Sickened Mind: Thrasherwolf Blow the Roof Off with their Second Album!

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The underground thrash legends Thrasherwolf are set to release their highly anticipated second album this coming Friday. I’ve been a fan of the band a few years now, and a huge fan of the genre since my youth, so I knew I just had to review this in full. Plus, the single we checked out already (more on that below) was amazing, so I can’t wait to hear the rest!

The album starts off with a bang with ‘Final Act of Aggression’. The lightening quick riffing brings me mentally to the 80s Bay Area scene in all the best ways. The vocals fit perfectly over the top, giving off more Kreator vibes than anything else. The chorus is also surprisingly catchy for the style of music, plenty of places for crowds to get involved and chant! Having said that, it’s rare that bands in the thrash scene feel dangerous these days, but Thrasherwolf certainly have that fantastic edge and aura to them (live too). It’s refreshing, and great to see. The quick bit around the middle mark with the vocal stabs being in time with the drum hits is incredible and so very well written. It only emphasises the speed and aggression going on in all the best ways. Honestly, this song is incredible, and such a good way to open the album. It easily makes our playlist!

We are already more than familiar with the awesomeness that was the album’s lead single. ‘G.B.H’ is a masterclass of old-school thrash, and a true demonstration of the entire band’s insane playing abilities. The tempo changes from drummer Zaq is honestly genius, while Dan’s vocals and guitaring are up there with any other thrash icon. And, on top of that, it’s another catchy track with some fun lyrics. If you want to check out me gushing over it even more, see the video below. I’ve barely stopped listening to it this week!

‘Hanging House’ of course keeps the speed and aggression turned up to 11. We’re only three tracks in and already my neck is starting to hurt from headbanging, this isn’t good… It’s another awesome Kreator/Slayer style thrash song though, the riffing being a massive highlight alongside the vocals and, of course, the blistering soloing. It’s just damn good thrash metal played to the very highest standard by the band, and another incredible song!

‘Scream Till Death’ has a bit of a slower, more stomping pace, and gives off way more Ride the Lightening era Metallica vibes than the other tracks so far. Even when it speeds up massively, there are still hints of the metal gods in there. It’s another amazingly fun thrash song, though, especially with the chorus harkening back the slower riffing. The bridge, while a touch cheesy, is also 80s thrash to a tee and is so good. Heck, we even get a drop-out to just bass, which was awesome and created such a great dynamic near the end of the track. I cannot get enough of this album, and clearly it shows in this review!

“They can all suck the massive dick that I have” is some Slipknot’s ‘Get Out’ levels of hilarious, crazy lyrics, and I’m all here for it. ‘Shameless Loser’ is yet another awesome thrash track. Most of the rest of the tracks are, tbh. Both ‘Consumed’ and ‘Inside the Sickened Mind’ are excellent examples of modern, heavy thrash metal with an old-school edge. The only reason I’m not talking about them separately is so I don’t gush over the same things over and over and make this a real repetitive, boring review to read. However, I’d recommend all three tracks as much as I possibly can! Shout-out to the latter track though, which is a whopping seven-plus minutes in length and makes full use of it. An amazing drop-out in the middle to a truly evil clean (then dirty) guitar melody, building up perfectly more and more on top. *chef’s kiss*

Before the epic title track, we get the only change/slowing of the pace of the album in ‘Haunted’. As blasphemous as it is for some thrash fans, I always like it when thrash bands slow down and do a darker almost-ballad. And this track is really no exception. The clean, simple, haunting (pun intended) guitar riff to open sets the track up perfectly, giving way to a rather epic distorted one. The dynamics of the track are perfect, with plenty of changes around each part. Daniel’s vocals fit just as perfectly over this as it does the angrier stuff; a true testament to his talents. And yet again, it’s another incredible, infectiously catchy chorus. And we still have time for a blistering, awesome guitar solo to boot, and I love it when it followed the main melody at times too. This song is AMAZING, and another massive highlight of the album.

Overall: Goddamn, what a sick album! I’m not sure how much of it is me feeling starved of old-school-feeling thrash, but fuck man, I can’t get enough of this album. Every track is amazing, and the whole thing will be making it onto my personal playlist when it’s out. I cannot recommend this enough not just to thrash fans, but just metal fans in general. The band have really come into their own with this release, showing why they should be the future of heavy music, at least in the UK, and their take-no-prisoners attitude will surely get them to that point. This is gonna be very high on our list of albums of the year come December, and I can’t give it any less…

The Score: 10/10

Reviews

A Quiet Country: Did Scarefield Release One of the Best Debut Albums in their Genre?

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I am first going to preface this review by saying I have never heard of the band before. However, they tout themselves as thrash/power metal, two genres that I love, and this album is an ode to 80s horror, which I also love, and seems like a match made in heaven. It released back in February and I sadly missed it, but am excited to dive into it now and see what I missed out on!

Opener ‘Ancient Evil’ sets the tone for the album perfectly. Opening on not one or two but three early-Metallica-esque riffs in a row, the band set up their 80s inspired thrash sound perfectly. The vocals soon come in over the top, fitting the genre and style perfectly. It’s low and powerful and yet the melodies are catchy as hell. The backing vocals add to the catchiness too, complimenting the lead awesomely. And the chanting in the chorus was great too. I only wish it ran all the way through, not stopping after the first couple of bars! The bridge was simple yet effecting, letting the guitars showcase their impressive rhythm skill. However, the real highlight is the drummer, who’s insane double-pedal work throughout the whole track blew my mind a little bit. He really worked his ass off! Then a final chorus takes us home in style. This was a fantastic way to open the album, showcasing exactly what the band are like from a style and sound perspective.

‘Dead Center’ keeps the tempo and energy high. It’s more of the same but that is anything but a bad thing. If anything, the higher vocals are even better and more impressive than the lower ones, especially when the backing vocals come in behind. While I enjoyed the riffs in the previous track more, this song is amazing overall, and has slightly more of a radio-friendly feel to it. And we got a technical masterclass of a guitar solo tucked in the middle. Plus, it leads directly and perfectly into the drop-out to just vocals, which I also loved. Everything about this song is amazing, and it easily makes our playlist!

The acoustic guitar in the opening of ‘Alter of Fear’ was a really interesting touch that I LOVED. It’s a shame it didn’t play a bigger part in the song after that. However, it’s still a quirky addition to the track that could be considered a risk, yet massively payed off! However, it does herald the slightly lighter tone the track has, that certainly made for an interesting listen. While still firmly grounded in thrash, this had much more of a NWOBHM feel to it than the previous tracks. It wasn’t a total change of pace, but different enough to stand out and be another great listen. It actually really reminded me of Trivium’s The Crusade album, which (controversially) I loved, and I love this song too!

‘Spectre’ also then changes the pace yet again, while again still maintaining the band’s root sound. This one has more of a stomping groove metal edge to it, kinda like Prong’s recent stuff. I love the slower pace to it, and the riffing and vocals all fit it perfectly. Heck, we get some harsher vocals and screams in this as well as the melodic cleans, both sounding just as good as each other. We get plenty of awesome guitar work in the bridge too, as is expected from the band at this point. It’s another incredible song, and another that sneaks its way onto our playlist!

Things slow down with ‘Child of the Corn’. It starts as an acoustic ballad of a track, and a brilliant one at that. The vocals almost remind me of Aaron Lewis, giving it all an interesting, great alt-rock edge to it all. And once again, the vocal harmonies are incredible. The instruments slowly build in more and more; drums, bass, some awesome electric lead guitar before the distortion kicks in and the energy shifts and the track kicks into full gear and back into thrash. It’s awesome, and shift is masterfully written and performed. The chorus is heavy but still catchy, the vocals again hitting some impressively high notes. It drops back down around the midpoint, building back up perfectly into an epic finale. It’s another amazing track, and the third to make it onto our Spotify with ease! I’d recommend this song to anyone!

As expected, the thrash comes back in full force with ‘God of Terror’. However, that little bit where it drops back to acoustic guitar was awesome, not only giving it some awesome dynamics but giving off theatrical, Nightmare before Christmas vibes. Again, I’d loved for the band to have revisited the idea later in the track. However, it is still a great song, with some amazing lead guitar work, a catchy chorus, and once again the drummer working overtime!

The rest of the album is pretty interesting, too. Tracks like ‘Primitive Shadows’, ‘Shiver’ and the closer are all heavy, awesome thrash songs that are just as good as any other on the album. However, surprisingly both ‘Dreams’ and ‘Always’ slow things down again, and rather brilliantly I might add. The former falls somewhere between an early 2000s metalcore ballad and something Queensryche would put out, and I’m all for it. The guitaring is a really highlight of the track, but the vocals throughout are also incredible. Meanwhile, with the focus on the acoustic guitar (finally for a full track, yey!) it almost gives off more Coheed and Cambria or Breed 77 vibes. Both are awesome songs in their own right, and well worth checking out!

Overall: I loved this! I went in with no expectations and was honestly blown away. It’s exactly the sort of style and sound I love, and as such I loved every single song on it. There isn’t a bad track on this album, and almost every one stands out as on its own and as a highlight. If you’re a fan of thrash, metalcore, or just metal in general, check this out, you’re sure to love it as much as I did. I’d almost mad at myself for not finding this on the day it was released, but I’m just glad I have it now and will certainly be listening to it a lot over the coming weeks and months. The band have a big new fan in me, and this album will certainly be up there in the albums of the year discussion come December!

The Score: 9.5/10