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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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…
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!
Another week, some more awesome new music to dive into. You know the drill by now!
Chelsea Wolfe: She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
The goth/folk singer-songwriter released her seventh studio album last week, and first since 2019. It’s the biggest gap between releases she’s ever had, and in that time it’s clear she’s used it to evolve her sound. Sure, it definitely still has the gothic elements to it and is very experimental, but has a lot more of an industrial/electronic leaning than a folk one. It was slightly disappointing personally, as I love some good dark folk stuff.
However, don’t get me wrong, while it isn’t necessarily my thing, it’s still a good album! It’s like if Stevie Nicks went goth and started singing over less-heavy NIN tracks. Songs like ‘House of Self-Undoing’ and single ‘Dusk’ are good, but never quite hit that high I’d want. It’s a whole album of building up and teasing a drop that never comes. I completely get the appeal of this type of music and I know a lot will love this album, but it isn’t particularly my thing. 4/10
Infected Rain: TIME
We’ve already reviewed this awesome album! Check it out here!
Tyler Ramsey: New Lost Ages
Ex-Band of Horses guitarist Tyler Ramsey returned with his fifth solo album on Friday. It’s some solid indie rock, for sure. Much like Chelsea above, it’s not really my sort of thing, but I can definitely hear the appeal. I liked when it took more of a folk approach to the sound on tracks like ‘Fires’ and ‘Flare’. It’s not a bad album at all, and if you’re a fan of this sort of music I’m sure you’ll find a lot to love. It’s a great album to put on on a road trip or in the background and just chill out to. It’ll probably grow on me with another couple of casual listens, but for now it gets a 5/10 from me!
Metal De Facto: Land of the Rising Sun, Pt. 1
The Finnish power metal titans have gone from strength to strength in their short careers so far. This is their first full length release since their debut year, and with it being a part 1, the band clearly have big things planned for its release.
Part 1 is a pretty good start, that’s for sure! It’s closer to Dragonforce than Sabaton or Powerwolf, but the instrumentation throughout is off the charts. Tracks like the opener, ‘Heavier than a Mountain’ and ‘Tame the Steel’ demonstrate this and are clear highlights of the album. However, the power metal is so saturated right now and there are so many incredible bands and artists. This is a good album, but I do think it will struggle to cut through the same way that other bands have. Still, it’s packed full of great tracks and I look forward to hearing where the band go with it in part two! For now, it gets a 7/10 from me!
Jack J Hutchinson: Battles
Jack is back with a follow-up to 2022’s The Hammer Falls. We enjoyed that record a lot, so I’m excited to see where he goes to follow it! Honestly, I think I like it even more than his previous album! ‘Constellations’ is one hell of an opening track, followed perfectly by the awesomely heavy ‘Days Are Gone’ and the fantastic single ‘Bullets’. Other heavier tracks like ‘Overdrive’ are also highlights, while slower, lighter tracks like ‘Road to Hell’ or ‘Stay With Me’ break up the album perfectly and are just as good! It’s an incredibly varied album that never once gets boring, and held my attention perfectly through a full listen.
There truly isn’t a bad track on the album, and it’s arranged brilliantly. Jack has already been growing quite a name for himself in the UK rock scene, and this may be his best album yet and the one to push him even more into the mainstream. I’m gonna be spinning this album a lot in the coming weeks and months; I can’t get enough of it! 9/10
Night Slasher: Self-Titled
Dubbed ‘black speed metal’, I can most definitely hear all of that in this album. It’s chaotic in the best way possible. It’s very much the perfect blend of early Venom and Exodus. Heck, it is the closest thing to Black Metal I have heard outside of that album. However, it does have a sense of fun and attitude in amongst the darkness that black metal has never quite had. Opener ‘Ice’ is the perfect encapsulation of what the band are about and their sound, while tracks like ‘Clyster Lizard’ and ‘Pit of Hate’ are definite highlights. It almost has a Motorhead feel to it with the drums and rock ‘n’ roll riffing, too.
It’s certainly interesting and not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it! Much like with Hellmann the other week, it’s weird enough to catch and hold my attention throughout. This year seems to be an experimental one for metal and I am all for it! Maybe this will finally help me get into black metal fully! Why can’t all the genre be like this? There isn’t a bad track on the album, and for those who like things heavy, check this out! 8.5/10
The Castellows: A Little Goes a Long Way
Now, Spotify classifies this as an EP, but it’s seven tracks long so I’m counting it as an album. Plus, we don’t have any country this week, and I run this site and can do what I want, so… bite me 🤷
This is the trio of sisters’ first release that isn’t a single, so there’s a fair bit of pressure on them to deliver. Especially when they exploded onto the scene last year with their debut single, already signed to Warner Music Nashville, and are pushing up to half a million Spotify listeners already. So, does this release live up to the hype?
Yes. Yes it does. It’s neotraditional country done perfectly. Lily’s vocals fit over the simple, chilled-out instrumentation perfectly while the harmonies from the other two are incredible. And the guitaring and banjo playing from Eleanor and Powell, respectively, are awesome. I’m not sure who the rest of the band are on the release, but they also do an amazing job. It’s impossible not to love all seven tracks, as they are all just as good as each other. It’s impossible to pick just a couple of highlight tracks. If you are into country, check this out immediately, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do! It’s the perfect chilled out country-Americana album. These girls have a future as bright as the sun, and I can see them playing huge venues in the US and UK in no time. 10/10
tAKiDA: The agony flame
The Swedish post-grunge/alt-rock band return with their 10th album. Somehow I wasn’t familiar with the band before sitting down to do this review. That shall change immediately, as I loved this album. As soon as that amazing, MASSIVE chorus hit in opener ‘Third Strike’ I was hooked completely for the rest of the album. It’s like the perfect combination of early Shinedown and Frail, and I am all for it. I also hear vague power metal influences throughout. Heck, there’s even some comparisons I was drawing to Those Damn Crows; however intentional from either side I’m unsure! It all blends together into a perfect radio-rock soundscape of great guitaring, incredibly catchy vocals and all-round awesome writing. Other highlight tracks include ‘Sickening’ and the truly epic ‘Sacred spell’.
There isn’t a bad track on the album. I could have easily put any of them on the playlist as they are really all highlights on their own. My only slight complaint about the album is that they all have a similar feel and slow-ish pace. In isolation they are fantastic, but together it does get into slight slog territory by the end. There is some difference, but a more up-tempo or heavier track would have been nice to breakup the early 2000s ballads. Still, it’s a small complaint when the tracks are all this good! 8.5/10
Razor Attack: Self-Titled
The debut album of the NWOBHM/power metal four-piece finally dropped last Friday. Firstly, to address the elephant in the room, I’m not a fan of the artwork. The logo looks sick, but the razor blade looks pulled from an early 2000s flash game. That aside, it’s a pretty sick album! The band are clearly talented in both playing and writing songs. Tracks like their lead single ‘Armageddon’, ‘Endless Dreams’ and ‘The Righteous Fight’ are all massive highlights. It all has a very modern-day Maiden feel to it, with a touch of epic power metal sprinkled on top. I do have to say the production could be a touch better on it, but as a debut album it’s hard to get that sort of touch or budget on it first time! As I said, they’re good tracks, and with the right production and mix, this could be up there with some of the best in the genre today. For now, it gets a solid 7/10 from me!
Morbid Saint: Swallowed by Hell
Then Wisconsin thrash-death metal band are on their third studio album, and second since their 2010 return, and show no sign of slowing down. This is a brutal assault to your ears for it’s full 45+ minute runtime, and it’s awesome. If you are into the likes of Slayer or Kreator, you’ll most certainly love this. Tracks like ‘Burn Pit’ and ‘Bleed It Dry’ are personal favourites of mine. Honestly, it’s hard to find much to say about the album as it is so similar, and hardly a new and innovative formula. If you are into thrash or death metal, check this out, you are bound to not be disappointed. And I’m glad that this band are still making music, as they have one of the most sporadic discographies and touring histories ever. It’s a fun album, and easily gets a 7/10
Continuing on with our top albums of the year, let’s go through the next 20!
80: Tidal Wave – The Lord Knows
Time for some glorious sludgy/stoner/doom rock. The second album from the Swedish band build and improve on their debut in every aspect. From the excellent riffing to the perfectly fitting vocals to the overall feel of it, the band have really nailed their sound with this one. And, of course, it’s chocked full of incredible tracks.
It’s got a heavier edge compared to a lot of music around its genre, too. It’s like if Queens of the Stone Age and Black Label Society had a beautiful, high baby. It got a very deserving 9/10From us, and I cannot wait to hear more from this band in the future. If you’re into the sludgy stuff, you may wanna check this out!
Listen to: End of the Line, Marijuana Trench and By Order of the King
79: Darius Rucker – Carolyn’s Boy
The country star has come a long way since fronting Hootie and the Blowfish. He’s arguably become a bigger name since, and this album really solidifies that concept and his sound and position in the music scene. This is a damn good country album. It’s got a very early 2000s country feel to it. Sure, it gets a bit ‘old man yells at clouds’ at times with its lyrics, but that’s practically expected now from any non-new country artist. And there’s still a lot of genuine emotion throughout the release, too. There are plenty of incredible ballads just as much as there are more upbeat stadium-country songs.
Eight solo albums in and Darius is still showing us how incredible his songwriting ability truly is. I gave him a 9/10 when I first reviewed it and after listening back through the album yet again, I definitely agree with that score!
Listen to: Beers & Sunshine, Fires Don’t Start Themselves and Same Beer Different Problem
78: Extreme – Six
One of the biggest names in 90s rock returned this year with their first new album in a decade and a half. The hype was pretty massive for the album, especially after the first couple of singles were released. So, why is it this low on the list? Two words: ‘BEAUTIFUL GIRLS’. I can’t remember the last time one track ruined the credibility of an album quite so much as that song. It’s god awful.
Having said that, there are some all-time great Extreme tracks on this album. I’d put the first three tracks up there with any other popular Extreme song, either. Tracks like ‘SAVE ME’ and ‘THICKER THAN BLOOD’ are also awesome. It’s really the slower tracks that let this album down, trying to still recapture their ‘More than Words’ success, to varying quality. And yeah, fuck ‘Beautiful Girls’. Bad pop tripe.
So yes, a rather mixed bag of a release, which is why it sits lower than it could have. But still, a good half the album is awesome, and if you’re a fan of the band or their style, you need to check it out! It got an 8.5 from me, and I stand by that pretty heartily!
Listen to: #REBEL, RISE and THICKER THAN BLOOD
77: Jelly Roll – Whitsitt Chapel
Though Mr Roll has been around for a few years now, 2023 has very much his breakout year. While a lot of that has been due to his Corey Taylor/Spencer Charnes level of features on other artists’ songs, this album is also a huge part of that. Drawing together his love of country, rock and hip hop into a beautiful blend of music is always risky, but it’s pulled off very well here. And, unlike a lot of country this year, it’s not too long! 13 tracks is perfect.
There is a lot to love here for fans of any of the genres I listed above. And whether it’s Brantley Gilbert, Yelawolf or the incredible Lainey Wilson, the guest’s he has throughout are a perfect fit for his style and the songs. And there is so much variety throughout that it never once gets boring or a slog. This is very much a breakout album, and easily deserves the 8.5 it got from us, if not more! I cannot wait to hear where he goes next!
Listen to: Halfway to Hell, The Lost and Save Me
76: The Black Skeleton – The Rear View
This band have such an interesting and unique blend of styles, it’s impossible to categorize them as anything other than simply ‘rock’. 80s pop rock? Check. 90s Alice In Chains-like grunge? Check. Red Hot Chili Peppers? Check. Stadium rock ballads? Check. And yet, throughout all of that, it still all sounds distinctly like the same band.
I stand by everything I said in my review. The whole album is packed full of incredible, different songs, so as a musician fan (which I’m sure you are if you’re here), you should check this out. The first on this list to get a 9.5/10 and for good reason!
Listen to: Swear, The Rear View and Puppy Run
75: When Rivers Meet – Aces Are High
Some more swaggering bluesy country rock now, this time a married duo out of Essex. As I’m sure you’ll be aware by now, if it’s on this list, it’s a great album! However, the fact that the band can get this much sound from just the two of them is insanely impressive. And the combination of sounds and genres is infectiously enjoyable. Both their vocals are top notch throughout and play off each other perfectly, too.
If you’re into country or rock at all, this is definitely the album for you. And the fact that it’s 10 tight, fourish minute tracks means that it really is all killer and no filler. The band have gone from strength to strength the last few years or so, and this album has really cemented them as a powerhouse in the scene. We gave it a very deserving 9/10, and they’re another band that I can’t wait to see get even bigger in the years to come!
Listen to: Seen It All Before, Golden and Perfect Stranger
74: Arch Blade – Kill the Witch
Time for some more modern NWOBHM-style music, and I for one can’t get enough of the resurgence of the sound recently. At least in the UK and US, anyhow! Plus, they’ve only been together for four years now, so for the band to be putting out this high quality of music, especially as a debut album, is impressive to see.
The band do their sound very well. I know a couple of the members have been around the scene for a good few years now, but the talent of them to come together to make this level of music is undeniable. If you’re into Iron Maiden or Painkiller-era Judas Priest, this album feels like it’s created for you. Whether it’s slower, cleaner stuff or a more thrashy pace, they do it all so well. It was another deserving 9/10from us!
Listen to: Kill the Witch, House of Dreams, Factory of Sin
73: Rancid – Tomorrow Never Comes
It pains me to put this band so low. I fucking LOVE Rancid. One of the many sounds of my childhood. And their first album in six years is a good one. Hence why it’s on this list. I’d honestly put the title track up their with their greatest hits. I’ve had it on a lot since it’s release. However, the rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to that lofty height, in my opinion.
Having said that, it’s still a Rancid album, so it’s still awesome. They are one of the modern kings of punk for a reason, and the album has the perfect mixture of fun and attitude to it. As an album as a whole it’s amazing, I think I’m just disappointed still that so many of the tracks are under two-minutes. But still, it’s hard not to have a smile on your face when you listen. It came out on the busiest week of the year for music and still got an 8.5/10from me, so that should say a lot! There isn’t much punk on this list (SPOILER), so if you’re into the genre, listen to this!
Listen to: Tomorrow Never Comes, Devil in Disguise and Drop Dead Inn
72: Nothing But Thieves – Dead Club City
I did not expect to love this album as much as I do. I’d never really given the band a chance before, having seen them on Reading and Leeds line-ups and that was about it, so figured they weren’t very ‘rock’. Arguably, they aren’t. But, on the other hand, they are more-so than I had thought coming in. And, regardless, this is a great album. I’ve described it before as how I wish Twenty One Pilots had evolved, and I stand by that comment whole-heartly. It’s electro-infused pop rock, and it’s awesome.
I know this album and style overall certainly isn’t for everyone. However, it’s a solid album and more than deserves to make it onto this list. It’s full of great tracks that pretty much all vary, making for an interesting, fun listen. And there’s enough rock in here to keep everyone but the die-hard metalheads happy, I’m sure. It was an easy 8.5from us, but it may be even higher now!
Listen to: Welcome to the DCC, Keeping You Around and Pop the Balloon
71: HARDBALL – Self-Titled
A rare modern grunge album now, and a damn good one at that. The band are the perfect blend of Nirvana and Seether, for the most part. I say that because the longer the album goes on, the heavier it gets. There are not only hints of metal, but of doom, which is a lot of fun and really interesting merged with grunge. It’s definitely not for everyone, but I really loved listening to it and have checked it out multiple times since it was first released. We gave it a whopping 9.5/10 in our review. But honestly, being someone who was raised on Nirvana from an early age, it’s hard to deny how not only great this album is but hopefully how important to the genre it will be moving forward!
Listen to: Just a Tree, Chili and Talk to Me
70: Electric Boys – Grand Explosivos
Goddamn, I love this band. They deserve to be so much bigger than they are. The funky bluesy rock Swedes proved that yet again with another incredible release. They’ve been one of the most consistently great 80s bands in terms of releases since their reunion in 2009, and this may be the best of them yet. Every track is a lot of fun, it’s 35 minutes of bouncy, swaggering awesomeness. They’re an effortlessly cool band, even at their age, and should be absolutely massive. It got a 9/10from us, and I’ve not stopped listening to it since September.
Listen to: When Live Treats you Funky, Domestic Blitz and The Great Believer
69: Liv Sin – KaliYung
Time to boarder on power metal now, this album being a very epic heavy metal offering. It’s got a very European style to the sound (which makes sense given that they’re Swedish), giving off a blend of Doro, Powerwolf and Scorpions. And honestly, the heavier bits are where the album shines the most. The big riffs and screams are INCREDIBLE and won me over to this band on their last release, building on it perfectly with this one.
The album is chocked full of amazing songs, there not being a bad one on it. Much like a lot of this list, I really wish I could put this higher up. It’s an amazing release and really feels like the culmination of what they’ve done until this point. It got an 8.5/10 from us way back in January when we reviewed it. However, I’d easily push it up to a 9 now, as I still listen to a lot of it now, months later.
Listen to: King of Fools, Virus and Forget My Name
68: Miara – Hungering Inside
Somehow it’s been a little while since we’ve gotten this heavy on this list. However, this year has really been a resurgence of my love of melodeath/metalcore, and this album is one of the big reasons for that. Yet another phenomenal debut album on this list, the Italian band have found their sound immediately and performed it incredibly well. They’re one of my favourite new heavy finds of the year, and I think they’re going to be massive sooner rather than later if this release is anything to go by. It was another VERY easy 9/10 from us! Check this out immediately!
Listen to: Hungering Inside, The Gate of Hell and My Will Dominates
67: Green Lung – This Heathen Land
One of the rare entries onto this list that I didn’t write myself, rather my wonderful fiancé Jade did. However, seeing how much she loved it and being a fan of stonery, doomy rock, I checked it out and fully agree with her! It has maybe the best song they’ve done as an opener, channelling the best of Ghost energy. The rest of the album has more of a traditional, slightly heavier sound to it, but there are still elements of Ghost throughout that I love. It’s like theatrical stoner/doom, and I honestly can’t get enough.
Jade gave this album a 9/10 and I feel inclined to agree with her. It’s a solid album from front to back, and their sound is perfected from their previous releases. The band are a staple of the UK stoner rock scene, but I feel this album is set to catapult them across the globe!
Listen to: The Forest Church, Maxine (Witch Queen) and The Ancient Ways
66: Lauren Morrow – People Talk
I first discovered Lauren at the Long Road back in 2022. I became a big fan after that and was pretty hyped for this release. It didn’t at all disappoint, either. It’s the perfect chilled-out, old-school country album. Think a slower, more emotion-filled Dolly Parton. It’s very similar to Cam, who is easily one of my favourite artists of the year.
If you like your slower, more stripped-back country/folk music, this is the album for you.I gave it a 9.5/10 when I reviewed it back in March, and fully stand by that score today!
Listen to: It’s You, Looking for Trouble and Leona
65: King Abyss – Snake Oil
Thrash time, and this time a band from the same city as us, which is always exciting! These guys have had one hell of a year, and this album is very much a testament to that. It is an incredibly impressive thrash/death album. The riffing is incredible, the screams heavy and the production thankfully great. And, it’s so refreshing to hear a slower track like ‘Distain’ on a modern trash record. So many bands go balls-to-the-wall through, while this is a dark, Slayer-like masterpiece. we gave it an easy 9/10, and it’s one of the best heavy debuts of the year!
Listen to: Distain, Eyes Always Watching and Weapons of Mass Destruction
64: Degenerator – The Abyssal Throne
Maybe the most recent album on this list, being released only last month. It’s a masterpiece of atmospheric prog rock, though. It transitions from quieter, Tool-like parts to fuzzy desert rock to moody 2000s post-grunge with ease, the sounds surprisingly made for each other here. It may sound cheesy, but honestly this album is an experience. It’s made to be listened to in full while sat in a dark room on your own. I should know, I tried it. It’s one of the most atmospheric albums I’ve heard, end of, and honestly most of it isn’t even that proggy. It’s dark, brooding alt rock, and I love it. No matter what music you like, stop what you’re doing (wait, no, read our content first, of course) and listen to this album! We gave ita very easy 9/10.
Listen to: Finality, Hiraeth and The Day that Never Comes
63: Krashkarma – Falling to Pieces
More awesome metalcore, and this time from an insanely talented duo. It’s an incredible feat to write and perform all this between them both, especially when it’s all rather technical and insanely well written. There is plenty of heaviness throughout, while the melodic nature of the genre makes for a pretty catchy nature throughout. It’s equal parts In This Moment, Static X and bands like Fit for a King or Wage War.
For those of you into the more accessible side of heavy music, this is definitely for you. The duo have been going for a while now but this is my favourite release from them yet. I gave it an 8.5 when I first reviewed it but it’s easily gone up now!
Listen to: Falling to Pieces, Survive the Afterlife and Shut Up
62: Theory of a Deadman – Dinosaur
What a return to form this album is. After a rather badly received and generally poor previous release, Theory are back with a vengeance with Dinorsaur. For a start, the band return to their original heavier radio-rock sound, and the album is just packed full of great tracks. And it was nice to hear the return of their tongue-in-cheek more lighthearted bitchy songwriting on a few of the tracks, like ‘sick’. Sure, some of it is a tad cringy, but I feel like that’s kinda the point.
I was a big fan of this band in my teens and hearing them get back to this sound and quality just makes me happy. Sure, we gave it a 7.5, but it’s my list and I can do what I want, so it’s here! It’s a good album, I’d highly recommend checking it out!
We saw them live too! Check out our review of it here!
Listen to: Dinosaur, Medusa (Stone) and Ambulance
61: Evile – The Unknown
The final entry in this week’s part is more amazing UK thrash. When the band reformed a few years back, I was massively excited as I was a big fan as a kid. I have to admit their return album didn’t do a whole lot for me. This however… fuck, it’s a damn good metal album. The band almost step away from the genre for parts of this, it all having more of a doom/sludgy metal vibe. It’s a really cool sound and a phenomenal evolution. And yet there is still plenty of fast paced stuff too for the thrash fans!
If you’re a fan of the band, or of thrash, sludge or death metal, this album is a must for you to check out. It got an easy 9/10 from me back when it was released, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since!
Listen to: The Unknown, When Mortal Coils Shed and At Mirror’s Speech
