rock/metal albums
Album Review: Felicia – Feel Good Songs For Oblivion
It was the middle of May 2020 when Felicia released her first musical exploits to the world, in the shape of ‘Felicia and the Gammon Lumps’. Now, almost two years later, comes the full-length Felicia album, to be released (of course) on Valentines Day this year. Opening with a suitably alt-metal double-kick drum instrumental-avec-samples, ‘Feel …
EP review: The City Kids – City Kids EP
The City Kids; low down, gruff, n’ dirty, with enough of a smattering of pop-harmonies to ear-worm their way into your head and refuse to leave again. That’s pretty much the TL:DR of the debut album by this rag-tag collection of reprobates, which featured as guests, amongst others, legends like Kory Clarke of Warrior Soul …
Album Review: Johnossi – Mad Gone Wild
If you’ve not heard of Johnossi before, the Swedish rock duo – consisting of guitarist/vocalist John Englebert and drummer Ossi Bonde – are already six albums and a Grammy Award down and with this, their seventh record, the duo have dug deep into their own psyches and imaginations to realise something part-concept album, part catharthis, …
EP Review: Foxhaunt – Mindset
Hailing from York, England, Fowhaunt are comprised of Ollie Swift (Vocals), Thom Clayton (Guitar), Nick Dawson (Bass), and Jamie Scott (Drums). The band have released their 5 track EP ‘Mindset’. An explosive start with first track ‘Enemy’. Emotive vocals over palm muted riffing will always be a winner and the boys do this very well …
Album Review: Venom Prison – Erebos
Venom Prison began as a collaboration between Russian-born vocalist Larissa Stupar and guitarist Ash Gray with the line-up rounded out by guitarist Ben Thomas, bassist Mike Jefferies and drummer Joe Bills. They have carved an uncompromising space for themselves over the course of two full-length albums, “Animus” (2016) and “Samsara” (2019) with 2020’s “Primeval” reinvigorating …
Album Review: Warrior Soul – Out On Bail
Ok. For those new to the party (sorry, ‘work event’), back in the late ’80s and early ’90s there was Warrior Soul, and a trio of quite frankly stunning records – 1990’s ‘Last Decade Dead Century’, 1991’s Drugs, God, And The New Republic’, and 1992’s ‘Salutations From The Ghetto Nation’. How many rock bands can …
Album Review: Boris – W
In July 2020, Tokyo experimental metal trio Boris released ‘NO’, their fastest, loudest, heaviest album for several years, one that eschewed the drone metal elements of much of their recent material and re-embraced the hardcore punk influences of their early work. The album was hard, fast, and unsubtle, made for rip-roaring countryside driving music, and …
Album Review: Matt Baber & Richard Wileman – Baber Wileman
Richard Wileman’s 2020 album, ‘Arcana’ was a melodic yet unnerving gothic treat, with a Hammer Horror, Wicker Man vibe. This new offering continues in a similar vein, a collaboration with Matt Baber of Sanguine Hum. They had previously worked together in 2011, on a track (Mondo Profondo 1) for Wileman’s earlier incarnation, Karda Estra. This …
Album Review: Converge and Chelsea Wolfe – Bloodmoon: I
One of 2021’s most satisfying post-metal albums.
Album Review: Khemmis – Deceiver
Heavy doom metal masters Khemmis have released their fourth full length studio album, ‘Deceiver’, via Nuclear Blast Recordswhich has been nearly three years in the making. With a title that reflects the internal struggles that many of us battle in our daily lives, Deceiver is a ferociously honest and appetisingly raw piece of musical artistry. …