It is very cathartic to see something burning and knowing it is supposed to. That is the precise feeling that Daniel Bohn, in his song Bonfire, captures: the destruction that is an intentional precursor of a new beginning, the chaos that is controlled and turns suffering into strength. The St. Louis artist has created something which is both ancient and […]
METAL/Review Brian Hunsaker– Haunted
There is something truly cathartic about heavy metal in its finest form- when it can turn personal demons into sonic catharsis- and that is exactly what is done in Brian Hunsaker and his song, Haunted. The metal veteran out of the Seattle area has produced something that is cinematically epic yet also very personal, making a song that sticks with […]
METAL/Review Nordstahl– Mjölnir
There are moments when a song doesn’t just play—it erupts. Nordstahl’s “Mjölnir” is one of those rare tracks that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go, demanding your complete attention from the first crushing note. The industrial metal outfit has crafted something truly special here. The vocals hit like a sledgehammer to the chest, carrying a weight […]
METAL/Review Nordstahl – Ragnarök in Berlin
Occasionally an album comes along that is more of a needed corrective than a form of entertainment, and Nordstahl with Ragnarok in Berlin is just such a no holds barred artistic statement. Conceived of in frustration at the general apathy and intellectual dishonesty, this industrial metal project uses the weapon of Norse mythology to deal some of the most pressing […]
ROCK/Review VaterSon – These city streets
There is something kind of special about seeing a father-son musical collaboration and VaterSon with the track These City Streets shows that blood can indeed be thicker than water in terms of rock and roll chemistry. This Malmö-based Swedish duo have created a sound that is simply massive considering the fact that there are only two of them, and they […]
METAL/Review WizardX – Monster Mind
It feels so freeing to experience an artist who does not feel like they needs to make excuses to take up space, and WizardXs Monster Mind is a rallying cry to all of those who have ever been told they are too much. It is not merely another genre-bending exercise, it is a highly choreographed sonic revolution that turns individual […]
METAL/Review Max Chaos – Ride The Wave
There are cases when a artist appears out of nowhere, and right away captures the attention because of the power of will and raw talent. Max Chaos does just that with his debut, Ride The Wave, a rip-roaring dispatch of unabashed bad-assery that knocks a person in the nose with adrenaline and leaves them wanting more. The first thing that […]
METAL/Review Apeiron Bound – Firmament: Redux
It is something deeply touching to see a band grow and still remain themselves. Firmament: Redux by Apeiron Bound is an interesting piece of insight into the way that the group has evolved since their first album, Multiplicity, and the outcome is nothing less than amazing. The first thing that catches your ear is the dynamic interchange of rough and […]
METAL/Review Gus Defelice – The Sound of Inevitability
The Sound of Inevitability by Gus Defelice serves as a spectacular concept album which delivered an extraordinary musical experience to me. As soon as I pressed play the album instantly led me to an elaborate sonic realm that Gus masterfully constructed. His guitar skills remain insane throughout the album because every musical note joins harmonies and melodies with exceptional purposeful […]
METAL/Review OLIVE DARES THE DARKNESS – In the Club (The Welcoming Banned From the Club Mix)
“Welcome to the Club” from Olive Dares the Darkness brought a whirlwind of nostalgia as well as a sense of intensity the moment I pressed play. The first riffs reminded me of the beats from the early 2000s. Melodic metalcore is what they would be referred to as. This type of aggressive yet soaring melodious metal is what made me […]
METAL/Review AWAITING ABIGAIL – Bad Mind
Awaiting Abigail’s “Bad Mind” was like feeling a sledgehammer hit my soul. From the first blistering riffs, this Dallas metal band had me hooked. Abigail Hill’s voice is incredibly stunning. She is powerful yet vulnerable, raw yet refined. Her soaring melodies cut straight to the heart as she lays bare the anguish of battling mental illness. I was utterly blown […]
METAL/Review GUS DEFELICE – Starlight
Gus Defelice, an Italian talent residing in London, has outdone himself once again in his latest instrumental project “Starlight.” As a longtime fan of progressive metal, it is easy to get lost in the depths of the cosmos he has created.Even the opening atmospheric swells set the mood brilliantly, Gus demonstrates why he is such a major figure in instrumental […]
ROCK/Review TALK IN VAIN – Distant Land
To start, I have to admit, the Swedish rock duo Talk in Vain absolutely came to demolish with their new single “Distant Land”. From the beginning, I want to mention that this genre-defining, destructive song I adore was released by songwriter Magnus Hellman and vocalist Jessica Lindman. If you appreciate the dips and dives of bigger, noisier rock, then you […]
ROCK/Review AWAITING ABIGAIL – Falling Under
Awaiting Abigail, a rock band from Dallas, has released a single that defies normal post-grunge expectations with Falling Under. The track is a sonic portrayal of intricacies of dysfunctional relationships and is delivered with an appropriate and substantial amount of raw emotionality. The front-woman Abigail Hill displays the ruthlessness of a warrior alongside achieving smooth transitions into a soft ethereal […]
METAL/Review GEBRÜDER MANNS – Sick Stuff
German nu metal act Gebrüder Manns is back with a blistering new anthem in “Sick Stuff.” guitar, bass and drums comprise the band, which features founding member Annika Manns on guitar, vocals from Marie Nielsen, and Karin Schroeder on bass, and Sabine Ahlbrecht on drums, all accompanied by a ferocious, rage-laced, groove heavy, socially conscious lyricism. Right from the first […]
METAL/Review HAIL TO THE NORTH – Not by Myself
Amidst the sea of generic hard rock releases we have been lucky to receive a thunderous breath of fresh air in the form of Hail to the North’s new single, “Not by Myself”. Combining their various musical backgrounds into a wholly original sonic concoction, part blistering hard rock, part progressive metal, part soaring melodic bombast, this powerhouse Canadian band, featuring […]
METAL/Review GUS DEFELICE – Black Cloud
Gus DeFelice’s latest instrumental opus “Black Cloud” is a cinematic tour-de-force that cements his place among modern progressive metal’s most ambitious storytellers. The track is the fourth single from his forthcoming conceptual juggernaut The Sound of Inevitability, and serves an intricate narrative through sheer sonic force. Transcending the bounds of conventional metal songcraft, his ability to weave together complicated tapestries […]
METAL/Review DANIEL BOHN – Failure
In the ever-evolving landscape of modern metal, few artists possess the emotional rawness and musical dexterity of Daniel. The St. Louis-based performer’s single, “Failure”, is a tour de force of cathartic vulnerability and forward moving intensity, taking on the most human struggle of trying to meet the expectations of others with both unflinching honesty and technical acumen. Daniel’s vocals, powerful […]
METAL/Review GUS DEFELICE – Luring Depths
Gus Defelice doesn’t just shred—he bleeds. This most recent single ‘Luring Depths’ from the Italian multi-instrumentalist and producer is an exercise in taking real emotional intensity and turning it into a pure language of head banging riffs and skull rattling rhythms. Right from the thunderous opening salvo it’s clear we’re in a richly immersive sonic world of Defelice’s own haunted […]
METAL/Review DELIGHTFUL DELUSION – The World Can Wait
The Stockholm based metal band Delightful Delusion with their latest single “The World Can Wait”, delivers a heavy and accessible package about self acceptance and living authentic, from the first verse you feel the message loud and clear, forget what society says and accept right here and now. This sentiment strikes a ringing bell in today’s often unbelievably judgmental, messy […]
METAL/Review TOO SICK TO PRAY – Meet Me At The Gates
Ventura-based metal outfit Too Sick To Pray tear it up on ‘Meet Me At The Gates,’ the blistering debut single that introduces them into the world without an apology for their unapologetic blend of old school thrash influences and modern aggression. From the first opening riff you realise this band aren’t just toe dipping into the metal scene, these guys […]