From their bio: American heavy metal supergroup Axe Dragger (featuring current and former members of Fu Manchu, Pantera, Dark Funeral, and Pentagram) team up with Metal Injection…. Born from the long-distance communion of Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch and ex-Pentagram drummer Pete Campbell, the project achieved legendary status with the additions of original Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze and Dark Funeral bassist Fredrik Isaksson.

So while a bunch of us writers were figuring out who would review a band with quite a name like this, I took one for the team, never having heard them before. I sure am glad I did. This debut album combines all the original elements of the origins of Heavy Metal. This debut is rooted in pure 80’s metal bliss. From the power metal-y galloping melodies of Iron Maiden to Priest, Manilla Road, and Armored Saint, I gotta tell you, this album rules.

The world gets smaller every day. So I post on their page, I would be doing a review for our site, and the band responds, is this the same Frank Rini from Internal Bleeding? I said I was, and then they responded they were big fans of my vocal work – so I chest pounded a little bit and then cranked the album even more; very cool moment. These are 10 original songs in 40 minutes – so put on that battle gear and let’s ride that Rainbow in the Dark and March towards the Saint together on this review.

The band name song erupts with a monstrous power metal scream, and you know this is gonna be a good one. Very catchy vocal tones and the band name is screamed multiple times… ‘Axe Dragger…ALWAYS CREEPING AROUND, CREEPING AROUND!!’. I mean, it does not get more metal than that. Excellent pounding metal, played with chest thumping pride. The musicianship is really good, and we get a neat classic guitar solo in the middle of the song. There is a lot of Manilla Road and Dio influence in this song, and it only gets better from here on out. “Give You The Rope” is up next with its quicker pace and catchy chorus repeating ‘Gonna Give You The Rope’. A terrific guitar solo erupts, and then the chorus comes in with some extra guitar melodies. The rhythm section works well, and it’s all tight-sounding.

“Iron Rider” has 1985 written all over it. We even get a little influence ala RATT, on this with the vocal lines, and on the verge of hair metal, but not quite there. That’s how I looked at RATT. They always skirted the line, but they were heavier than hair metal bands, so they always had one foot in that scene. This song even absorbs a little Raven to their sound, especially in the vocal department, and the song is up beat and you can’t help but smile while this song is played. The song slows down, and we are gifted with another terrific guitar solo and if you’re not holding up your metal horns during this moment, then I need to walk you into my Metal 101 class that I instruct on Mondays from 2pm-11:59 pm, weekly. “El Toro” is a quicker-paced song, getting right into that power metal galloping action. More creative vocal lines with catchy hooks and guitar melodies. The bass guitar is in there, but not heavily mixed in, it’s there just enough.

“Death is Calling My Name” ends this debut album, and if you are not envisioning DIO (RIP) crawling through a castle with a sword, bigger than him, then you do not know your classic metal. This has a crawling, deliberate pace, where I can envision the band and fans headbanging in unison. Vocals are spoken/whispered to add atmosphere, and then more of the metal vocals come forward as the song reaches certain crescendo spots. More guitar solos erupt, and a little King Diamond scream gets thrown in for good measure.

Heavy Metal has always been about imagery, and the band actually has a great logo to go along with their tongue-in-cheek band name. The album cover…well come on….if that demon showed up on my doorstep I would give it the middle finger and say “Hey bruh, I ain’t taking you seriously”…then said demon would shamefully walk away from my home with his head draped in dejection. Poor ‘lil fella.

Outside of the cover this debut album is outstanding. It sounds like it was recorded in 1985 and crafted with a 2026 production. This sounds organic, and the musicianship is pure with unbelievably catchy songs. I would expect nothing less, given who is in the band. Here is the perfect tour, if Axe Dragger came out in 1985: Dio, Armored Saint, Manilla Road, Omen, Axe Dragger. Scorching and true metal, and I really hope this is not a one-and-done album. What the hell are you waiting for?!? Go and get this album now, or “The Damned Will Cry”.

Living somewhere between Black Sabbath’s more upbeat tracks (“Children of the Grave”, “Paranoid”, and “Children of the Grave”) plus a small bit of Candlemass sprinkled with a dash of Confessor (remember them?) Distorted Reflection is carving itself a sizeable niche in the world of Doom Metal.

Track numero uno starts off with some haunting synths before “3000 A.D.” grabs you with a spiked gloved hand and then pounds the life out of you with methodical riffing and thunderous drums. This isn’t a Funeral Doom album (fortunately) so there aren’t any moments where they let the China cymbal ring out and get too out of hand. Things jog along quite well with no slogging down. This is an early contender for Doom album of the year, but I don’t want to be premature either.

“My Second Father” has a bit of a bouncing, Power Metal feeling to it and it’s mostly from the main riff that strides into the fray. Maybe it’s just me… oh, and the guitar solos are rabid as fuck, just throwing it out there. Things keep going with the upbeat “Gates of Paranoia”, and this is another mid-paced crusher sporting some killer double bass courtesy of Thomas Zen, it lurches forward and runs into the sort of Middle Eastern melodies in “Love on Earth” with yet another barn burning solo.

“Asphyxiating” has that vibe that made bands like Trouble, St. Vitus, and even Pentagram (to a certain degree) so popular and skyrocketed their respective careers. Then there’s my favorite track on the whole album. “Certain Death” comes raging, yes, I said that, this bastard is a scorcher. Almost Death Doom territory by fucking God! “Diminished”, meanwhile, has the blast radius of a slowly falling nuclear bomb. It’s soooo slow and methodical, the chorus is also suitably epic, as should be expected.

“Tower of Dreams” kicks off with this crazy-cool riff, and then there’s Kostas’ vocals on the chorus soaring over everything like a fucking eagle. “Forecourt to Death” is a 47-second Fates Warning-ish instrumental that is followed by the formidable “The Final Attempt”… this one is HEAVY. It’s tracks like this that got me in love with Doom to begin with. “Morbid Reality” is the final bludgeoning you’ll receive from Doom Zone, and it’s a track that could have been on Celtic Frost’s Into the Pandemonium; a sort of experimental track, either way it’s a fun as fuck song indeed.

The production is suitably tuned to be soul-crushing and the guitar tone is savage as Conan’s axe. The whole thing has got a bottom end so fat that it’s sexy.

Heed my words when I say if you’re looking for something different from within the Doomsphere (it’s a word… not really). For you bell-bottom wearers that love the sounds of Trouble, Pentagram, High on Fire, and Tribunal. Get this because Doom Rules Eternally!

The band consists of: Count LaFey – Guitars, Wicked Ischanius – Keyboards, Oskari Räsänen – Drums, Jarno Koskell- Bass, Jari Kourunen – Guitars , and Jarno Saarinen Vocals. The band’s second album, Into a Dark Divinity, was released in 2017, so since then the newcomers are the singer, bassist and second guitarist Jari. They all add their own flair, and their sound remains intact with new singer Jarno Saarinen, having one helluva set of pipes.

“Vision Divine” starts the album with those keys, and it’s so incredibly catchy. Jarno’s vocals have a strong Ozzy vibe, which is A OK with this guy. He has a very similar tone. The chorus: “I see you – demon of the dark night. I see you – sister of the moonglide. I see you – demon of the dark night sister of the moonglide. I see a vision divine”, is truly wonderful and shows the banner of heavy metal is strong among these smaller acts. They know how to write memorable and catchy moments, just like all the legendary acts. There is quite a neat drum solo towards the end of this song, and the main guitar riff, throughout this song, makes this one of the best song openers I have heard in some years.

“Lucifer Shrine” is a great song title and continues the catchiness from the previous tune. There is a grandiosity to this song, calling to mind Ghost, who are a pretty big influence on Mausoleum Gate, but think older Ghost, the first three albums. Picture the way the chorus would hit, catchy riffs, and then the keys hit with the vocals. When Ghost does this live, the lights light up in a big spectacle. That’s what we have going on here, and it’s terrific. Around the four-minute mark, get ready for the keyboard solo. It’s awesome. That’s where The Doors’ influence comes in, since this act has the keys mimicking an organ. The chorus is catchy, and this song is just amazing.

The album is six songs in like 38 minutes. It’s how all their albums are, with not a lot of songs, but they pack in the punch. “Witches Circle” is eight minutes and closes the album out. This ending song has a doomy opening, which is very catchy, and then it becomes softer. The isolated vocals are depressive as he sings the song title a few times, along with the other lyrics. The tone is catchy during this softer moment, which lasts several minutes. As the music gets louder, we are greeted with an instrumental reprise that takes us to the end. The instrumentation is super catchy and has a lounge music vibe, as the vocals return, in more of a whispered fashion, and the song trails off.

Mausoleum Gate is an incredible band, and Space, Rituals and Magick, in many ways, for me, is a magical heavy metal album. The album has the hooks, catchiness, production value,s and everything you want in a heavy metal album. All their album covers have similar designs and colors, and have a psychedelic vibe. This band rocks!!!

Allow me to elaborate. This album doesn’t allow you to be seated while listening to it. It demands that you move around; dance, play air guitar, head bang… whatever you need to do to stay moving.

So from the first track, “It Takes Two to Tango” the album swaggers like a confident wolf stalking prey, and this song is the bloody result. These are fat riffs with a solo that unleashes Hell. To say that it feels like an Accept track is an understatement, but it’s whatever at this point. Udo Dirkschneider is known for Accept. Period.

“Babylon” is the powerful title track, and it is huge. I love the Middle Eastern melodies, and the coolest thing about this album is that it delves into different styles together, and they all gel surprisingly well.

That’s where these guys built a fortress of immense magnitude. Those riffs that are fatter than the Sphinx’s head power through “Hellbreaker” with it’s chorus that’ll be huge on a festival sized stage and “Time to Listen” has another set of deadly weapons in store with a riff that strides into your kitchen and steals your beer while the drums and bass act as the goons holding you back and beating you down.

“Strangers in Paradise” is a ballad… Manuela “Ella” Bibert sounds phenomenal here against Udo and his gritty rasped vocals, there’s some Flamenco that goes on, and it’s all romantic as fuck. Not being a huge fan of ballads is my own problem.

“Dead Man’s Hand” is hands down (pun intended) my favorite track on Babylon. It’s got this infectious rhythm that reminds me of, wait for it… Fleetwood Mac, if they played NWOBHM. This song swings like a horny monkey, and I can’t get enough of it. Just check out the chorus and you’ll see what I’m talking about. So how do you top a song like that? With another catchy, hook filled track, that’s how! Enter “The Law of a Madman” that verse to the chorus? Fucking brilliant and the song has more of those big, fist-pumping, festival-sized moments than you can shake a stick at. Hippopotamus-sized riffs, holy shit!

The production on Babylon is solid. Every note, snare hit and bass line pops out at you with such force that you move around like a fish on a what? HOOK! “Metal Sons” doesn’t even give you a chance to breathe before you’re being savagely beaten up by the stomping grounds of the Metal Gods; it’s a Judas Priest-sized track that brings the 80s glory days back to memory. Twin guitars, and there’s also a moment where they do an effect on Manuela’s vocals that sounds phenomenal. It’s either this track or “The Law of a Madman”… either way, it is a crazy killer addition to an already badass song.

“Propaganda” pumps out the jams from the get-go and doesn’t slow down for a second of its 4:48-minute run. No matter what project he touches, Udo brings Metal with him. The next track is “Blindfold”, it’s another epic one too, with Manuela delivering a powerhouse performance, and when everyone is gathered and singing, her angelic voice soaring over everything in its way.

“Batter the Power” and “Beyond the End of Time” round out the album good and proper. The former is a gut-punching, stomper of a song that’ll leave you bloody on the floor, battered like a fish. The latter is a gorgeous tapestry of Iron Maiden meets Judas Priest and Accept; a rip-roaring good time, and that’s what Babylon is in a nutshell.

To do a for fans of section seems a bit redundant, so I’m only going to mention Saxon and UDO because who else is going to sound like this but UDO the band? Anyway, go and get it and be rocked like the 80s never ended.

Hailing from Peñaflor/Talagante, Santiago, Chile, these four psychos play their brand of brutality in the vein of yes, like I said, Walls of Jericho era Helloween, and they’re pretty fucking good at it.

It’s a good thing too because this is their debut full-length after releasing the Apocalyptic Warriors demo (2012), Prophecy of Tomorrow EP (2014), Ashes of Glory Single (2017), The Sacred Flame EP (2020), and then A Journey’s End Compilation (2022), and now they’ve resurfaced, I guess you could say.

Whatever the case, The Quest for the Sacred Melody is a cracking good album heavily influenced by the likes of Helloween, Blind Guardian, and Sanctuary.

From the first track, “Wielders of Dark Wisdom”, Armoured Knight hit you with a spiked gauntlet to your face. It’s an unrelenting opening salvo, with even the production echoing the glorious tone of the ’80s.

“Age of Speeches” brandishes that Walls of Jericho influence like a scepter; the tone on this track ratchets up the 80s vibes to eleven in terms of speed and precision riffs. It’s a shredding track, and that’s just one great moment on The Quest for the Sacred Melody; be sure that there are many to come.

“Endless Light” starts off with this crazy-cool riff that rings out until the song starts marching along. It has a massive Sanctuary feeling to it, especially their Refuge Denied record. “Forgotten Grace” comes out swinging with a badass riff that keeps the speed at Mach ten and has more of a Blind Guardian feel to it. It’s a face shredder that demands full-on headbanging.

“Run From Here” is suitably fast and heavy as a pair of iron balls. These choruses are huge, these riffs are fat as fuck, and vocalist José Tapia has pipes for days! I swear to fuck, this is an incredibly enjoyable debut album, and I’m looking forward to their next already.

“Oath of the Sacred Melody” features this amazing solo section at the midway point that is so sick that you have to hear it for yourself. It’s another sort of Blind Guardian meets Gamma Ray thrasher that’s got some killer ambient effects going on in the background as well, adding some emotion to the song.

Last two tracks “Behind the Mask” and “Guardians of the Stargates”, the former being a roller-coaster ride that hits like a ton of bricks, it’s so ridiculously fast that it slams into the latter like an out-of-control freight train. That one is a mid-paced thrasher that goes for broke, heading for the finish line.

As far as debut albums go, The Quest for the Sacred Melody is one of the best I’ve heard this year, I’m not even fucking lying. This is for the people who love Helloween, Sanctuary, Blind Guardian and Gamma Ray (because why not?!)

Go forth and obtain a copy of this powerful Thrash Metal album!

I’ll admit, though, the band’s last two WWI-themed efforts, The Great War and The War to End All Wars, didn’t really do it for me. They were both decent efforts, but had a lot of filler, a signature of Sabaton albums where they either deliver absolute bangers or some forgettable duds. And while Legends, has a similar MO, it’s better than the last two efforts, but still has some absolutely fucking banging tracks with some predictable filler.

Maybe the move on from a singular topic in the grim subject matter of WWI to their more traditional, varied military and historical themes of battles and personas from The Templar Knights, The Ronin, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, and Vlad the Impaler has reenergized Joakim Broden and co., as Legends is a little more banger than filler, with tracks that deliver the band’s trademark catchy, epic choruses and choirs/synths.

“Templars” opens with a strong number and a stern, marching chorus, and is up there with one of the band’s more memorable, catchy, better tracks, as are “Crossing the Rubicon”, “I, Emperor”, “Maid of Steel”, Iron Maiden-ish “The Duelist”, and fucking brilliantly catchy, marching album closer “Til Seger”, with its classic Sabaton key change (and a pace and verse similar to “Gott Mitt Uns”), which has jumped right up there with “Winged Hussars”, “Got Mitt Uns”, “Aces in Exile”, “To Hell and Back”, “7734” and “The Last Stand” as my go to Sabaton tunes.

But as with all their albums, tracks like “A Tiger Among Dragons”, “Impaler”, “Lighting at the Gates” and balladic “The Cycle of Songs” are totally skippable, and certainly won’t convert anyone to being a Sabaton fan if they are not already a fan of the band’s distinctly divisive power metal.

“TIL SEGER!!!!!!!”

The brief “Wing Chun” intro is beautifully constructed to Asian stylized music of yore, then right into “Black Sefirot”. This song has a great bass guitar opening sequence and the sounds accompanying it are magical sounding. The music gets into a gallop with scorching guitar solos and Alex Sciortino and Ray DeTone provide a great guitar duo indeed. Alex can reach those high vocals like you would not believe. He is incredible. Check out the highs as he screams the song title. The music while sounding fresh, really pulls from 80’s power metal in many ways. Definitely Iron Maiden and Helloween are some major influences on this act. This is a fun song to open the album with. The production is not overly produced and has an excellent organic feel to it.

The title track has a great opening drum segment that gets faster as Hal Aponte helps tie in the rhythm section. He’s originally from Long Island’s Cold Steel – talk about a blast from the past, from my neck of the woods. Another big surprise with this band you might be unaware of is John Gallagher from UK’s long time running Raven is the band’s bassist as well as providing vocals too. He is terrific on this and towards the end of this fast power metal song the guitar solos kick ass alongside some ruthless drum rolls, then back into the galloping.

“Craze of the Vampire” packs a crash-bang wallop with the opening guitar segment. It’s melodious and so damn catchy. The song gets into a great 80’s metal gallop with those power metal moments as well as the vocal tracks. There is some killer bass guitar playing and strumming going on all over this song, and the song takes on a jam session sequence for a bit where the isolated bass guitar comes rolling in and more guitar solos erupt. The excellent vocals return towards the end of the track and I like how the band ends this song.

“Frozen Solid” sounds like it was lifted from 1985 with the soaring guitar riffs and terrific, slower-paced moments. The sounds on this album also have an influence from Manilla Road as well as Omen. I notice some Battle Cry moments from Omen’s classic debut. The song then kicks things up a notch with the gallop and the 2.46 drum rolls, then right into the power metall-y faster moments, more like speed metal, really reminds me of King Diamond to some degree. Excellent guitar solos and the song continues in the speed metal pattern until the end of the song. SOOOOOOOO killer!!!

Chasing the Dragon is such a killer power metal album and as great as their debut was this bests it. The harmonies, melodies, and song structures push this album into the stratosphere. So catchy, and Helms Deep truly knows how to deliver great music and song writing. Hopefully, the band gets to tour and showcase their skillset and bring this music more to the masses.

San Francisco’s Nite emerged right smack dab in the middle of that pandemic abyss in 2020, and for a new band trying to make it’s mark on the world of Heavy Metal in the middle of such weird times, I certainly came away hugely impressed with their debut album Darkness Silence Mirror Flame, a simultaneously catchy and raw throwback of a record that culled equally from the traditional sounds of Judas Priest and Diamond Head, as it did from the epic, blackened soul of Bathory. It was as confident and self-assured a debut as I can remember, and certainly set the stage for what was sure to be an impressive career moving forward, proven by a pretty quick step up from the smaller (but no less great) Creator-Destructor Records, to the big boys at the legendary Season of Mist for their sophomore follow-up, Voices of the Kronian Moon – an ambitious concept album that was also written during the grips of the covid pandemic. Truthfully, while I still do dig that record and at the time saw it as a step forward for the band, over time I kept finding myself going back to their debut far more often than I did Voices. Something about the more raw, potent energy of Darkness… just held a tighter grip on me.

I bring all of this up because a funny thing happened after releasing those two albums: Nite got on the road, in front of way more crowds, and started learning something about how those records translated to a live setting – started figuring out what really worked and what really didn’t in that kind of setting. And I’m delighted to say that those lessons were put to extremely good use, because the energy that seemed to maybe go a bit missing on their last record? It’s back. In a big way. Cult of the Serpent Sun, put simply, fuckin rules.

From the jump on the album’s title track, there is a noticeable sense of increased urgency and confidence that practically oozes off the opening guitar lick, and what follows is truly a standout moment of the band’s career to date. The deep, chanting “OOFs” drip with malice, and even lead man Van Labrakis, whose vocals I felt were maybe a bit too one-dimensional on their previous effort, carry more assertive tone this time around. He hasn’t exactly transformed into a vocal virtuoso here, but there’s an extra depth to his growling rasp that does a much better job of grabbing your attention and making sure you know he means business this time around. Everything just feels like there’s more bite – even the fantastic riffing and solo work, which have been the band’s strongest qualities to this point, are taken to new heights, helped by a fantastic mix that sees every individual performance by the band coming through crystal clear and with real purpose.

Follow-up “Skull” proves the band’s goal of making sure these songs will carry over beautifully into a live setting, is no joke. The tight, focused, even at times (dare I say) simple delivery makes for an incredibly fun track that’s so easy to latch on to and enjoy just for the quality of the musicianship on display alone. The chugging main riff, the brilliantly harmonized guitars of the pre-chorus, and the absolute doozy of a guitar solo here – none of them are going to blow you away with insane technicality, but each will put a devilish grin on your face as you bask in their unquestionable glory. If the opening track was a new benchmark for the band, “Skull” simply takes it up a peg and sets the tone that Nite are not fucking around here, proven AGAIN immediately on “Crow (Fear the Night),” which harkens back to their fantastic debut, but just sharpens every edge just a little bit more. And you can’t can’t help but get caught up in this sing-along chorus, making for an epic, anthemic track assured to become a fan-favorite at every gig.

But it’s not all aggression on Cult of the Serpent Sun, either. “The Mystic,” perhaps appropriately, is a haunting affair – opting instead to create a dreadful atmosphere, lead by some cleaver vocal manipulation that truly does make Labrakis sound every bit some creepy, mysterious mystic hidden away in some dripping cave. It gives me goosebumps in the best way, proving the band is still more than willing to continue expanding their sound and go in some interesting new directions. The same can be said with “Tarmut,” which blends in a little more of the band’s Heavy Metal aggression, but still delivers a diverse, layered effort that showcases the band versatility without sacrificing the band’s signature tone. Also, the bluesy, evocative solo here is just phenomenal, brimming with real emotion and heart that you can’t help but get kinda swept away with.

But at the end of the day, it’s the anthems that are the real showstoppers here. The energetic, almost upbeat dual guitar attack of the mighty-as-fuck “The Last Blade” owes as much to the likes of Thin Lizzy and Molly Hatchet as it does to the best of Judas Priest and Saxon, making for a real throwback classic that, somehow, again marks yet another high point in the band’s career (and a new personal favorite). That whole feeling of being in a sweet-as-hell wizard and dragon-painted van, blasting down the highway that I felt on the first album? It’s back in spades, and that’s even before getting into the absolute glory that is “Carry On,” packed with soaring, epic riffs and driving drums that make you want to stamp down even harder on the accelerator and throw every bit of caution to the wind. I needed these tracks in my life. I needed this album.

What I’m getting at though all of this, if you couldn’t already tell, is that Cult of the Serpent Sun is every bit the celebration of all things heavy metal promised on the band’s first album, but delivered with the kind of gusto and confidence of a band who firmly knows who they are and what they’re about, and we should all be grateful just to be here to hear it all come together. This album is an absolute triumph, and unquestionably positions Nite as one of the premiere flag wavers of the new Heavy Metal scene. Join the cult and enjoy the all the fruit that it bears.

Anyway, I’ve been trying to figure out how to go about composing this review. If you know the story of, Accept then you know the story of their venerable ex-lead vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. He formed UDO after leaving Accept, and its taken 40 years for the anniversary of Balls to the Wall to see the light in a fresh, new way; re-mastered versions aside this is the best version of this classic hands down.

Balls to the Wall RELOADED features a veritable laundry list of guests from Heavy Metal royalty including Biff Byford of the mighty Saxon and the always amazing Doro Pesch (ex-Warlock) to name just two. New life has been breathed into a landmark release and it all starts with the title track. If you thought that opening riff was big before, hold on to your shoes because you’re going to be blown out of them. Featuring Joakim Brodén of Sabaton it’s a fucking massive upgrade to an already classic song.

“London Leatherboys” features the aforementioned Mr. Byford and this is where I experienced a complex revelation. Hearing this in a new light after loving it for so long makes me enjoy it even more. Their part Iron Maiden, part Judas Priest delivery is brought out mightily.

The history of Heavy Metal is built on a pantheon of great riffs. Balls to the Wall RELOADED features powerhouse renditions of “Take it Back” featuring Mille Petrozza from the mighty Kreator and “Head Over Heels” featuring Nils Molin (Amaranthe, Dynazty).

Michael Kiske has always been a favorite vocalist and his delivery on “Losing More Than You’ve Ever Had” lends to the heartbreaking emotions in the song. Then there’s “Love Child” featuring Ylva Eriksson (Brothers of Metal) doing a killer vocal interplay with UDO.

This album makes me wonder if other RELOADED versions will be released, namely Metal Heart and Restless and Wild. Time will tell but for now Balls to the Wall RELOADED is delivering the 80s goods with 2000s style punch.

Rounding out the rest of the album we find “Turn Me On” with guest work of Danko Jones adding monstrous power and it’s followed by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame helping out on “Losers and Winners.” “Guardian Of The Night” features powerhouse vocals from Tim “Ripper” Owens and the closing track “Winter Dreams” hits a haunting vibe with Doro Pesch on guest vocals, she sounds phenomenal and finishes off Balls to the Wall RELOADED in epic fashion.

Balls to the Wall RELOADED is a great re-imagining of the original. Dirkschneider’s core band is on fire here and they make this classic album sound bigger, better and heavier than before. Pick it up and be rocked all over again!

That was the 80s. They released a couple of other albums and then broke up. They got back together again in 2016 after releasing Psycho, Psycho in 2004. They have been active since 2016, releasing a compilation of rarities in 2019.

Here we are in 2024. A contentious year already, but it’s been bearable with the fantastic albums that have been released so far. Anyway, Jeopardy Room is a fucking blast! The production is courtesy of Morrissound in sunny Florida where Nasty Savage began and therefore influenced the Florida Death Metal scene.

“Invocations” is the instrumental that leads into the brutality of the title track “Jeopardy Room” with one of the best lyrics “you’re Satan in high heels “! It’s ridiculous fun and gets the head moving right away. There’s a boom banging in the form of the single “Brainwashed” and the fist-pumping mania of “Southern Fried Homicide”.

The next song is “Witches Sabbath” a track I first heard on a Slayer bootleg from a show they played at the New Loft in Baltimore in 1984. So this whole goddamn time, I’m thinking it’s a Slayer song … fuck my life. It is what it is and it settles my quandary (after how many fucking years). I have loved the song and I’m super pleased that it’s included and updated.

“Schizoid Platform” and “Aztec Elegance” are the center tracks and both are solid, heavy-hitting numbers that are lethal razors on Jeopardy Room. The riffs are fatter than a bull on a tricycle and it doesn’t get old or start to wear on the ears. I listened to this creature from the Florida swamps for three fucking hours, I know the majority of the lyrics and that’s due to “Nasty” Ronnie’s vocal delivery; it’s biting and completely understandable which makes it easier to enjoy the album because singing along brings you closer to the feeling of the music because it’s part of you now.

“Operation Annihilation” is another fun and thrashing song, but it’s “Blood Syndicate” that starts with a chick going to town with a vibrator, fucking moaning and everything, it’s not exactly a song to get busy to, but that chick from the beginning keeps going through the whole song like a trooper.

“The 6^th Finger” is a killer instrumental with some modern Death Metal tremolo picked riffs and it starts punishment straight away. It’s a 4:22 beating that you know you’ve survived when the final meter of violence comes in the form of “Sainted Devil”. A great way to close out such a surprising album as this.

Jeopardy Room represents another great return to form, much like Atrophy they came back to show how it’s done. Now if only Laaz Rockit would come out of hiding and bring Hallow’s Eve along for shits and giggles, (as long as they don’t play Monument)… kidding aside, grab Jeopardy Room and show 80s Thrash some love, you won’t be disappointed.

This is their eighth album overall.  Their first two albums, Court in the Act and Suspended Sentence as well as their Into the Future EP – all released in the 80’s are still untouchable.  What is befitting of this album and band name is that it was released on Friday the 13^th.   10 songs in 44 minutes the band has streamlined the process a bit with no songs reaching the five-minute mark.

“Frantic Zero” starts things off with a blustery guitar solo and epic metal build-up going right into an excellent metal riff then right into the NWOBHM/Speed Metal style.  The galloping is intensely awesome and Brian Ross’ vocals after all these decades show no sign of letting up and his tone is still original all these decades later.  Excellent guitar solos continue to erupt all around us and the guitar duo of Steve Ramsey and Russ Tippins is still sorely overlooked in metal today.  They are excellent.  More guitar soloing and galloping going on.  The production though is a tad on the thin side.  This detracts during the galloping moments.

This is highly evident on the next song “Era (The Day Will Come)”.  The galloping pace is great, the music is well-played – that is not the issue.  These parts do call for a bit of a stronger production.  The sound sounds a little too garage-style.  The production here is a step down from their last four releases, for sure.  The backing vocals and guitar harmonies truly take center stage in this song.  Many catchy passages and the guitar tone has an organic dirty sound to it.  There are some synths towards the end of the song as well, this adds ambiance to the metal.  Very cool idea.

“Martyrdom” starts with some excellent guitar soloing and the song continues this way in a mid-pace rhythm with some very good drumming courtesy of Sean Taylor.  Those catchy guitar harmonies return and are excellent and a great choice for the band to return to these moments.  The chorus is catchy and melodic.  Graeme English gets to shine with his bass guitar with an isolated bass guitar moment in the middle of the song before the song brings forth more guitar solos.  The mid-paced speed is excellent for this song and those darn harmonies return again towards the end of the song and I find myself playing air guitar every damn time when this part comes on.  I love it.

“Turn the Tide” brings back the speed with the fast NWOBHM speed and excellent isolated guitar riffs occur right before the speed metal part takes the listener for a ride.  The guitar work is impeccable and this song has a lot of headbanging moments.  There are some excellent guitar solos piped in louder with the mix during the faster moments and the vocals come in at the right time, as the song slows down toward the end.  The song title was sung several times and Brian getting into some extremely high registers.  I’m like how can he still do that??  Impressive.

Songs in Crimson is a very good album by Satan.  I find this album a bit less catchier than their past releases and the production, being thin, takes away from the power, that could be achieved if this was punchier.  I do enjoy the overall organic nature of the recording and the band continues to get better musically speaking.  I just feel the band could have done a bit better on this album.

“Eternal Hammerer” starts things off with an amazing guitar tone, that screams epic greatness.  If you like bands such as Eternal Champion and or Visigoth, especially in the vocal department Phaëthon must be on your radar, NOW.  This song picks up speed with quite a variety of vocal tones and you can tell this band is having a lot of fun.  This song moves and has soaring vocal and guitar melodies all over this album opener.  The song mixes in a lot of power metally speeds and this is only a three-and-a-half minute tune, yet it feels more epic than you can imagine.

“Vanguard of the Emperor” is up next starting with a great mid-paced moment with extraordinary guitar harmonies and the guitar tone is super catchy with excellent vocal moments and chorus.  The main riff stays the course and the vocals get a little deeper among all the music, with some atmospherics at the three-minute mark.  One would expect these moments with this style of metal.  Soft acoustic moments with piped-in sounds and spoken word moments, as the drums provide the necessary backdrop as the vocal arias in the background get louder.  After this moment we are treated almost to an homage of a musical style one not too far removed from the first two Iron Maiden albums.  The ending of this song with the vocals and guitar harmonies, are stunning.  At over six minutes there is a lot crammed into this one and the song lengths vary quite a bit.

“Blasphemers” at  four minutes is my favorite song on the album, with the epic buildup with the rhythm section thumping, of Aees on bass, Decado on guitar, vox, keys, Vrath on guitars/vox and Oskarath on drums.  The isolated guitar riff, with soft drums in the background continue to build and build and then explode into an epic power metal speed.  The vocal tones and chorus with the song title being sung, is quite honestly the catchiest piece in metal, for 2024, in my opinion. The song slows then rips back into the power metal speed with a killer guitar solo towards the end of the song.  I love that the band continue to go back to the chorus, vocal tones and guitar harmonies, several times throughout.  This song will become embedded in your brain for days on end.  I have had this album for a few months, prior to release, and I have listened to this so many times, with pressing repeat so many times on this track, I lost count after 50x, no joke.

The title track at close to 10 minutes ends this fascinating album.  The song brandishes more of an epic heavy metal/doom-style structure before the mid-paced moments take center stage.  There are quite a lot of nods to old-school NWOBHM moments, like early Maiden as well as the first Angelwitch album.  The ending with the bashing of the drums and the vocals and guitars is a thing of beauty.  This album cover is excellent and goes well with the song titles.

The production is organic and not overly produced.  This has a warmth to it and never sounds plastic.  Wielder of the Steel is a stunning debut album by Phaëthon.  The spirit of metal runs high with this band and from the birthplace of Heavy Metal, of all places.

“Destination: Morgue” is a very brooding opening instrumental.  Extremely doomy and very horror-influenced.  Excellent to open with this, and it’s short and goes right into the title track.  “Children of the Morgue” opens with a sound not too far removed from their most melodic album, Supernatural Addiction.   This title track would not have been out of place on that album, as the opening guitar harmonies are quite excellent.  The speed is the perfect old-school death thrashing speed the band is known for with Amos Rifkin, laying down some great drum rolls.  King, is on fire, as his vocals show no sign of ageing, and they’re quite strong.  The band crafting one of their most catchy choruses in recent memory, this will be the perfect live opener for the band.  Excellent stop and start riffing and a middle section with kids’ voices and then right into a very melodic moment equipped with great guitar solos.  Truly an excellent opening song, destined to become a classic in the Deceased memory bank for years to come.

“The Grave Digger”, is the longest song at a whopping 8.40 and begins as a slow burn.  Excellent guitar riffs to open this slow creepy crawler song.  The main guitar riff is quite catchy and played expertly with Mike Smith and Shane Fuegel riffing like machines.  Les Snyder is still listed on bass, but I am unsure, if he played bass on this?  The song picks up the pace with an excellent shift in the tempo department and it’s a bit off-kilter at first with the melodious riffing happening.  It’s a jam session until King’s vocals come in over the fast part.  The guitar riff over this faster section is once again truly memorable with a nod to the gods of Heavy Metal past with homages similar to NWOBHM during this speedy passage.  I notice a bit of old school Maiden on these faster gallops and that make me grin from ear to ear.  The melding of Death/Thrash/Heavy Metal throughout this album is stunning.  The galloping speed slows down around the 6.15 mark, breaking into that opening brooding pace, which the song started with.  There are several well-crafted riffs across this song and it’s pleasing to this writer to see Deceased return to yet another catchy riff, on this song.  It makes the song and these moments increasingly memorable.

“Brooding Lament” is pure death thrashing madness from beginning to end and not including the interludes is the shortest song at 4.22.  I love how out of the starting gates this song is SPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDD!!!  There are some slower moments and a lot of jamming out with this song.  King’s vocals are quite aggressive on this song.

I am still absorbing this latest Deceased album – there is a lot going on.  Ghostly White is one of my top albums from the band and right out of the sleeve this album was played non stop and still is for me.  Children of the Morgue is taking me a bit longer and I’ve had the album for over a month.  This has a great organic production and the song titles and sounds go perfect with the unsettling album cover.  Keep looking at this cover as you will find new things drawn in with each glance.  That is how the music is, there are a lot of riffs and a lot to absorb.

This is another strong album from Deceased who have a full album discography of not one dud.  That is tough to do, but King and the rest of the band continue to Up The Tombstones!!! Time and time again.  Great album from Deceased!!

I have enjoyed all their prior albums a lot, although I did feel their 2022 album Where Madness Dwells, slightly suffered in the production department and the hooks were not as prevalent as prior material.  That has been corrected with Kingdom Torn Asunder, which is one of their best releases.

10 songs in 50 minutes “Blood and Honor” is a scorching opening song with its galloping power metal speed.  Andrew D’Cagna is still helming the band, but he does it all.  He does have some guests and has a live line-up, but his vocals are arguably the best with this new album.  Phenomenal old school nods to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and Helloween with this opening track speeding forward pretty fast.  This reminds me of 1987, in Germany with all the heaps of power metal bands from that area.  Whether it was Helloween, Scanner or Angel Dust, new bands were popping up all the time.  This is one of the strongest songs opening any of their albums!!

“Soul Survivors” is a slower song with extraordinary guitar harmonies and super catchy vocal tones,  Andrew can still reach those highs without issue, incredible and the guitar playing here, is the best for any Ironflame album.  Epic Heavy Metal done right!!  There is a great guitar solo towards the end of the song with a bit of galloping speed to round this song out, the right way.  “Standing Tall” brings the speed back, after some excellent songs, such as “Majesty of Steel”, with its epic sound, in only four-and-a-half minutes.  “Standing Tall” is fast and then slows down a bunch to bring in excellent guitar melodies until that speed returns and it’s just pure galloping power metal fun!!!  Excellent vocal harmonies too and this a terrific song, with some gang vocals, and the song just sounds big!!  So many creative twists and turns in this 5+ minute tune.  There is more speed with “Riding the Dragons” and while listening to this you should be watching Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon for the full experience.  This song reminds me of Visigoth, in many ways.  Epic, melodious with multiple twists and turns with the varying tempo shifts.

The last two songs are bonus tracks, “Cold Flesh Falls” and “Exile of the Sun” have different production values.  Maybe these were left on the cutting room floor for a reason.  I am happy to have the bonus songs, however they’re actually not as good as the rest of the album.  These are slower, more atmospheric pieces of metal.  Still cool to have them.  Overall Kingdom Torn Asunder is produced excellently and it just sounds massive.  The songs hit harder and are played with more gusto than their last album and this is a very memorable album.  Ironflame is a terrific band!!

I also feel ever since Bush was let go from Anthrax, although still with Armored Saint, he always wanted to get back into the thrash metal genre.  I heard the Bush lead Anthrax and seen him live with them, but for me Joey Belladonna was and is the true Anthrax vocalist.  However, I respect to Bush because he was in Anthrax for quite a long period of time, with that being said I feel Category 7 is the perfect style of band for him, with wanting to play heavier music than Armored Saint.

With an average run-time of 51 minutes and 10 songs, the band has stuffed a lot of metal in here, it’s a rather long album, however with the cool-ass album cover and great production this is a pretty fun album.  “In Stitches” starts with a tight AF opening thrash rhythm section with Bittner’s drums sounding venomous, just like with Overkill, and the riffs are excellent with the thrash metal leanings, as the speed takes over.  The song slows down and the vocals of Bush come in during the mid-paced moments with his signature melodic metal vocal crooning.  He gets more aggressive and the song again speeds up with quality guitar solos and terrific off-kilter double bass drums over the thrash part.  Vocal lines are creative and pretty catchy – I enjoy those first 2 Armored Saint albums by the way.  Great melodic guitar soloing happening towards the end of the song and then Bush laying out a long scream.  Wow!!  Call me impressed, especially as the thrash speed returns toward the end with the variety of thrashing and sound effects, this is a killer opening track and the best one and most extreme one on the record.

“Land I Used to Love” is up next and is more of a mid-paced melodic type of thrash metal cruncher.  The vocals are pretty melodic in places, and the chorus moments and vocal lines are well thought out and extremely catchy.  Hey if I can remember the tones and riffs then these are the albums I will frequent much more.  This is a cool song, with a lot of guitar harmonies as well.

“Waver at the Breaking Point” is a speedier number, rather than many of the prior songs.  This has excellent opening drum rolls and double bass action.  Once the vocals come in over the drums and gang shouted vocals I am like, right on mutha fuckas!!  The song goes in a melodic direction with a lot of guitar solos and then a galloping thrash metal attack.  This moment is furious and calls to mind 1988 as I hold my horns high and begin to skank and thrash around the neighborhood, like an idiot.

The band closes the album with the over 8 minute….oofa…instrumental “Etter Stormen”.  You all know how I feel about instrumentals.   Not a huge fan of these suckers.  Now while this instrumental is hellaciously long, there is so much guitar shredding going on it’s insane.  If you’re a fan of like Joe Satriani, Tony MacAlpine, Cacophony, or that type of shredding, you will love this song.  I think it’s about 5 minutes too long, however, the talent displayed here is noodly, impressive, and well..vocals would not have fit on this, at all.

Category 7’s debut album is fun.  I would not quite call them a full-on thrash metal band, because the speed just is not there, but this is heavier than traditional metal.  A metal band with melodic thrash leanings – there you go.  I really wanted faster songs, honestly, because the sound, production and riffs, really scream for those faster songs.  There are numerous sections on this I’m like, snap, that should be a full on thrash attack, but the band continues with their mid-paced moments.  At the end of the day, this is still a good metal album and I look forward to their future recordings.

2024 has been a friggin’ WILD ride for the world of metal and extreme music. Like it or not, the spotlight has perhaps never shone brighter on our little deranged corner of the music world than it is right now. Ignore for a moment legendary stalwarts like Metallica, Iron Maiden or even Slipknot who’ve had literal decades to build worldwide success, and look to more recent phenoms like Spiritbox and Sleep Token who have appeared on some of the industry’s biggest festival lineups and making genuinely impressive waves on Billboard’s Top 200 list (regardless of your personal opinion of either act, it’s still alarming to see these two on a list where the next heaviest representatives are The Black Album and System of a Down‘s Toxicity). And it’s not even just the acts more willing to embrace a poppier, more radio friendly sound, either – with bands like Lorna Shore and Knocked Loose bringing a level of intensity and extremity to bigger audiences than anyone would have thought possible even 10 years ago. Think whatever way you want about either of those bands, objectively they would both be utterly terrifying to the non-metalhead.

Of course, with this increased attention comes a wave of the uninitiated, folks who have neither the context or understanding of what exactly it is they’re hearing. As such, we now have folks on twitter discovering Cannibal Corpse and summarily trying to “cancel” them once they’ve read some of their lyrics . And now, perhaps even more famously, MAGA types have been using Gojira‘s performance at the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony as part of proof that the International Olympic Committee is in fact a cabal of Satanists looking to spread propaganda to an international audience.

I know that these are outrageously irrational people, but it’s goddamn 2024. I can’t believe this is a real plot line happening in the world. Never mind the fact that I haven’t heard a peep from anyone complaining about Anthony Kiedis (The Red Hot Chili Peppers), who has VERY openly admitted to unknowingly, AND THEN KNOWINGLY fucking a 14 year old girl when he was in his 20s, being in the closing ceremony – the fact that folks think they gotta worry about GOJIRA? Who are only a vague threat to poachers? No. I won’t have this.

What I propose is this – Go right ahead and bring out Snoop, Dre, Kendrick Lamar, any and all of the LA rap elite to represent the host city for the 2028 ceremony. This is fair and good. But this isn’t just about LA, IT’S ABOUT AMERICA, GOD DAMN IT. Fuck rolling out Weezer or Maroon 5 or the live, rotting husks of Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses. You really wanna get people’s attention? Let’s get real weird with it. Let’s lean all the way in to this new Satanic panic, fly over to the other coast, and bring in South Carolina’s heathen horde of Black Thrash, Demiser to show the world a real dose of goat-headed, unabashedly American fury.

U-S-A! U-S-A!

For those unaware of my personal love for these southern sons, Demiser released my absolute favorite album of 2021 with Through the Gate Eternal. Hell, I feel pretty comfy calling it one of my favorite albums of the last decade. It’s not that Demiser are necessarily bringing anything new to the table, it’s just the conviction and energy with which they delivered their brand of Blackened Speed and Thrash that won me over completely, and it’s remained a constant presence in my rotation ever since. So now in comes the ever-important sophomore album which is always forced to face increased scrutiny and expectations – and without wasting any more of your time with my nonsense I will tell you this meets, and exceeds every single one of them. In a world gone fucking bonkers, I think I can comfortably rely on Demiser to continue bringing the goods.

Working in their favor is the tongue-in-cheek attitude that made Through the Gate Eternal so endearing. Slave to the Scythe, if anything, leans further into the fuck-all mindset of blistering guitars, hellish themes and pedal-to-the-metal delivery. It’s a clinic in not taking yourself too seriously AS SERIOUSLY AS FUCKING POSSIBLE. Opener “Feast” comes barreling out the mouth of hell like an absolute fiend, going right back to the well of familiar scorching riffs and ostentatious leads that seem to take the very idea of “balls out” in it’s most literal sense. I can only imagine a lot of on-stage thrusting going on with guitarists Gravepisser and Phalomancer as the dive bomb away on your eardrums with reckless abandon. And of course they haven’t abandoned the anthemic, metal-as-hell bridges the band is so good at delivering. There’d be riots if they had (or at least one. By me). I don’t care how simple it is, when they break that shit down with a bellowing “OUGH” at the 2:33 mark,” it makes me feel all sorts of ways I’m not sure you really want me to divulge. If it doesn’t fill you with the same kind of headbanging, chest-swelling fizz as it does with me, I’m not sure we have much to talk about moving forward.

The mayhem does not let up for one second, either (save for “Interlude” which is honestly just a very considerate intermission to let you collect yourself, maybe grab a cig). Title track “Slave to the Scythe” hits with all the hell-born fury of a demon horde, armed with yet another cache of killer riffs and screaming guitar solos, but still never venturing so far as to question whether the band is in on the joke. Even if you think the band has lost the plot, “Carbureted Speed” will change that immediately. When asked, guitarist Gravepisser says the song is about “doing cocaine and riding choppers.” That’s it. There’s no subterfuge, there’s no beating around the bush, it’s an old school thrash anthem about being blitzed out of your skull and bombing down the road hailing the gods of leather and steel. I’m compelled to say I am not here to condone these acts, but the track is just as as balls-to-the-wall fun as the subject matter calls for, the kind of thing that would give Lemmy himself a smirk and a stiffy (despite all the whisky and coke… and coke). To that end, “Phallomancer the Phallomancer” continues the band’s tradition of biographical tracks (See “Demiser the Demiser” from Through the Gate Eternal), which buries the accelerator into the floor even further, pummeling with the sort of breakneck speed that only further incites visions of circle pits and hailing gunfire. It’s metal for the sake of metal and nothing more, and it’s all the better for it.

The album’s second half following “Interlude” does perhaps lean a little further into the darkness. Less “We’re gonna fucking rage and probably die together in a glorious fire bomb of carnage” and a little more “Hi I’m here to murder you,” if you will. But still in a super fun way! The guitar tones of “Total Demise” and the mighty-as-hell closer “In Nomine Baphomet” cut with just a little more bite and sinister intent, reminding the listener these are still some dudes not to be taken lightly, that as campy and grin-inducing as the whole package may be, the band’s edge is still plenty sharp to cause you a whole mess of problems. Granted, “Hell is Full of Fire” still begins with an outrageous falsetto and familiarly finger-shredding riffage, but we’re getting right down into the guts of demonic warfare – of asserting all of Hell’s thunderous force over the God-fearing and holy. Everything your mom ever told you about the perils of Heavy Metal – it’s all here in full, blasphemous glory, and it’s making no apologies for it. I love it more than words can really express.

I’ll admit this much – you’re going to listen to Slave to the Scythe and likely think “this really didn’t merit this long a review.” You’re not wrong. But  damn it, I just can’t help myself – this album just has me to hyped to be too business-like in this review. No, the band have not expanded upon any of the ideas presented from their first album. Yes, this is a good thing. Demiser is letting their freak flags fly baby, and I’m fucking here for it. I will continue to be here for it as long and far as this coke-binged, heathenistic ride will take them. If the world is suddenly more interested in peering into the darker corners of the Metal world, then I say lets blast the doors off and let them come get a load of this shit. Who knows what kind of hell on earth it could unleash.

For me, their 1984 s/t debut will always be my favorite of theirs.  It was evil.  I remember my brother getting it on vinyl and for that time period the album cover and music was evil metal.  That album had an early Mercyful Fate influence and each song was better than the last.  Phenomenal.

Their other ‘80’s albums Dominator and A Sultan’s Ransom saw the band shift gears away from the dark imagery and music.  They embraced the NWOBHM/Power Metal style fully on these releases and both of these albums are incredible.  Still, for me, these three 80’s albums are the best material, from the band.  Of course with the line-up shifts, especially in the vocal department, the shift was inevitable.  The band then split.  When the band returned with their Eye of the Sun comeback album, in 2006, Lee Payne, on bass, was and still is the only original band member.  Throughout these years with the various albums released, the band has remained with the NWOBHM/Power Metal Sound.  The albums have been and still are impressive.

Heathen Cross is their ninth proper studio release, and current Jag Panzer vocalist,  Harry Conklin debuts on this album. 10 songs in 42 minutes.  After a brief instrumental, “Redeemer” erupts with soaring vocals and it’s a mid-paced metal song.  Catchy chorus and excellent guitar riffage across this song, with snappy drums and double bass action.  It’s a good song, with commercial appeal.  It’s also a pretty happy sounding song, which I am ok with.  “Do What Thou Wilt” has a bit of an evil start to it with the guitar riff taking us back to their debut album, if you can believe it.  The song is mid-paced and the album is a slight departure from their last album, Time Assassin, whereas that album upped the speed and had quite a bit of speed/thrash metal combined with higher velocity power metal.

“Darkest Before the Dawn”, captures those moments and finally gets things moving a bit faster with some nods to quicker, paced old school Iron Maiden.  Check out those opening guitar melodies to see what I am speaking of.  The song gets faster with an awesome gallop and the riffing and drumming is much more aggressive in this song.  This song has excellently crafted vocal tones combined with a terrific rhythm section.  The guitar soloing happening toward the end is excellent, as is the galloping power-thrashing attack.  Before you can catch your breath “Vendetta” rips through the speakers in pure speed/thrashing mania.  The power metal influence is never abandoned, however, this song is another highlight on this record.  Ash Baker does some cool drum rolls and the deeper vocoder vocal effects are a nice addition.

‘Frost and Fire” has a very modern-day Judas Priest edge to it, with it moving along swiftly and the song has some nice tempo shifts.  There is an atmospheric section toward the end with some great guitar soloing happening.  I also want to point out we also have keyboards across this sucker, from Chris Dando, and they are a nice addition on a variety of songs.  “The Summoning” ends the album and at six minutes is the longest song.  Beginning with a brooding opening Chris Coss and Luke Hatton ensure the listener you will remember their guitar riffs!  This is an epic power metal song.  The tempos are all over the place, with mid-paced and atmospheric moments.  There are galloping sections which are definitely headbang worthy.  Strong song to end the album.

Heathen Cross is a well-crafted album from Cloven Hoof, and at this point, they are carrying that NWOBHM/Power Metal Flag high and mighty.  I would have liked a few more galloping numbers, but aside from that this is quality metal with a punch in the production department.  If you have been a fan of Cloven Hoof, throughout the years, you will enjoy this album quite a bit.  Damn fine metal!

“Forked Tongue Revival” opens the album with a monstrous classic Black Sabbath riff, and when I refer to Sabbath, in WyndRider’s sound, I refer to the first 6 Sabbath albums, since that is what the band seems to be aiming for, as well as some other similar styled bands, presently playing this sort of music, like Trouble, Kryptograf and some other bands.  Back to this kicking riff……it then slows down, very softly with Chloe’s almost shoegaze-style vocals coming in as she croons away…it’s excellent, as is the chorus moment and tone.  Along with the main guitar riff, this moment is extremely catchy.  There is some excellent guitar soloing going on midway into the song and these moments really feel like they were drafted in the 70’s.

“Judas” has such a butt-stomping opening guitar riff, slow, brooding, heavy and truly classic.  Chloe’s vocals are very loungy on this song, and help in making the connection into stoner doom metal.. she has quite a nice range of vocals.  Not screaming, or aggressive, they’re pretty calm and chill, and go quite well with the vibe the band creates.  The 3.58 rhythm section is bonkers heavy with the soloing erupting and this part moves awesomely, then the vocals come in and that jamming goes on until the end of the song.  A very strong moment on this album.

Ending with the 7+ minute song “The Wheel”, this is depressive, yet heavy doom, at its very modern-day best.  Sounds like something that could have been on Sabbath’s classic Paranoid album.  Soooooooooo very catchy, as are the rest of these songs.  Robbie Willis knows how to craft those guitar riffs and Josh Brock can hit those drums slowly and precisely to keep the pace.  Joshuwah Herald’s bass guitar is there and present, adding to the undercurrent of heaviness, especially when Robbie rips into a guitar solo.  This is how you end an album….one that is doom/stoner metal that is…doomy, heavy drenched in a 70’s depressive atmosphere.  Live WyndRider need to dress the part—the guys need to grow sideburns, have bushy long hair and massive caterpillar mustaches and Chloe needs to throw some beads around her neck, on her wrists and they all need to come out live wearing bell bottom pants!

Revival is one helluva 2024 release and WyndRider are an exciting new metal band on the scene playing a sort of doom metal with numerous nods to classic bands, however offering up their own take on it as well, with some of the loungy moments happening across this.  And check out this killer artwork adorning the album cover!!  Killer album and band!

The influence of King Diamond is still there with the galloping speedy moments which will call to mind the Abigail/Them time period, however, the band has branched out as you will hear influences ranging from Sabbath to Maiden to Priest.  I had never heard about this band until very recently and have been playing this sucker around the clock.  As with the King Diamond era influence this King of Pain debut album happens to be a concept story about some serial killer, what is real, what is not, a ghost of a child and all sort of convoluted madness, one would come to expect with a creepy ass old school house adorning an album cover.

The title track starts things off with a creepy kid’s voice muttering a nursery rhyme and disjointed piano keys.  The music starts soon thereafter and definitely has an early King Diamond style to it with the thunderous double bass and the guitar solo coming in reeks of KD worship and the dual-layered vocals help out with that influence.  The song slows down and definitely has that mid-80s European galloping heavy metal style down, which also contains a big NWOBHM topper to go along with it.  The guitar riffing is fantastic, and the drumming sounds on point with some of the drum rolls and the chorus has some catchiness to it, with the title track repeated multiple times.  More guitar soloing enters the picture and the song picks up that galloping speed metal momentum, just like vintage King Diamond, towards the end of the song.

“Inside the Walls” starts next, seamlessly, from the opener and gets into a kick ass thrashy pace!  Many guitar solos on this and the lyrics take on a darker more compelling tone with lyrics ranging from being chopped up into pieces and the young girl, I would assume, calling out for her Father.  Again each song, starts with a slight intro, like clapping thunder etc and the next song begins quickly, so there is no space between and as a conceptual approach this works extremely well.. think of each song as a chapter to a book.  This song has some nice poly-rhythmic opening drumming going on before the song gets into a nice gallop with vocalist Steven Crow showcasing his range.  He actually has a vocal style that would not be out of place on a power metal album.  He can snarl those vocals when he wants and some of the vocals should be snarled a bit more, in my opinion, during more of the dark subject lyrics being belted out.  They just do not scream high vocals during those moments.  This song has a lot of epic layering of vocals and a multitude of guitar melodies.  During some of the galloping speeds, the singer has a bite to him, which calls to mind classic SF Bay Area thrash metal vocalist, Russ Anderson, from Forbidden, I really enjoy this style quite a lot.

“Angel in Flame” is the longest song at seven minutes and starts out softly and stays in a slow – midpace speed for the song’s duration and has some very cool classic heavy metal guitar solo action rapping us upside our head.  This song is the perfect placement in the track list, with all the quicker paced and more intense songs coming before and this song is epic and has a very classic metal sound to it, like maybe a power ballad type of thingamajig happening.  The rest of the songs across the album are all quite good and really help tell the story the band is going for and each song title coincides nicely with how the song is written and how the pace of the track is played.

The Headless Ghost are an exciting up and coming metal band and King of Pain is an excellent debut album.  Along with the excellent artwork and band logo the band backs it up with their high quality musicianship and what more could you really ask for in a metal album?  Check this act out now!!

Funeral for a King is 9 songs in 43 minutes and this sees the band streamline their songs a bit; however out of the 9 songs, two are instrumentals and you all know my disdain for instrumentals on albums.  On this one is an interlude several songs in and the title track opening the album is actually a true instrumental.  The music is excellent, make no mistake about that, but for me, opening an album with an instrumental does not work as well as let’s say just opening with a regular song to get things going, therefore “Bushido”, the next track should have been the opener.  I enjoy the isolated drum and bass guitar opening prior to the guitars coming in and Ms. Pinion’s vocals, once again……are on fire.  Her voice is exceptional with her variety of tones.  In terms of epic doom metal, her vocals are some of the best out there in my opinion and in many sections this album sounds to me like early Solitude Aeturnus.  Various guitar melodies and dual-layering of vocals on this song are the stand out moments.  About midway in the doom really hits slower and plods and some homages to ancient Candlemass are highly evident and swoon quite spectacularly, with some nice double bass action coming through as the song picks up to a mid-paced crushing heaviness.

“The Bargain” is up next with a plethora of vocal aria’s to open this plodding doomy number.  This slow heavy plod, calls to mind Morgion, from Rhett’s past, in some respects, before the song picks up the pace with an epic stylized metal attack.  Ok, let me stop right here to say if possible, if they want to Stygian Crown needs to tour and a perfect tour for them would be alongside some epic bands, such as: Visigoth, Eternal Champion, and Greyhawk.  I really think this tour package would be stellar..Regardless of that bucket list tour for me, this song is ultra-heavy with memorable riffs.  The riffing on this album is even stronger than the debut album and just like that album the riffs are easy to make out, even with how heavy they are.  The strong production on this album also assists in that aspect.

The album ends with “Strait of Messina” where the doomy plod opens and the beautiful vocals come in with Pinion sounding eerily similar to classic and best Candlemass vocalist Messiah Marcolin, with this song having a very Ancient Dreams type of sound..the main guitar riff is like a 20lb hammer sledgehammering away at your skull again and again and again and again until you have been hammered into the ground like a rusty old ass nail.  The song picks up with an epic buildup and trudges along with soaring vocals, guitar melodies and the undercurrent of the bass guitar is present. This is the way you end an epic doom metal album, folks.

Stygian Crown’s Funeral for a King is a damn fine doom metal album with epic and bombastic vocals and creative song structures with veterans from the scene, I would expect nothing less.  Rhett-you done good, my brother.  All the musicians in top form on this album and if you enjoy doom metal, with nods to epic heavy metal, or just really damn good heavy music, you will thoroughly enjoy this kick ass metal album!!

Phil Ross played bass for Manilla Road from 2016-2018 and was on the last full-length album, To Kill a King, in 2017.  Manilla Road brought in Bryan Patrick (one of them double first name jobs) as their drum tech in the 80’s, then joined as a live vocalist and at the start of the 2000’s became a full time member.  This took some of the pressure off Mark when playing live and singing, and the 2 would switch off singing live and eventually, Bryan became their main live vocalist and was on the studio albums, along with Mark still singing on them, from 2001 up until the end of Manilla Road.

Rounding out this stunning album, from Germany, Neudi, on drums, and Eric Kaldschmidt on guitars.  Phil is in the band Ironsword with Neudi and Neudi and Eric in the NWOBHM band Jameson Raid – so there are many connections that brought forth Sentry and if you were a Manilla Road fan, well Holy Poop on a Stick – you will be floored with this debut album, which I never realized the band, have been around since 2019, but this is their first release.

8 original songs and an unreal cover song of the classic Candlemass tune Incarnation of Evil round out this close to an hour length debut album.  “Dark Matter” opens things up with some killer drumming, truly, it’s like a drum solo and the music in the beginning almost sounds like it’s going to be a full-on thrash metal song, but it settles down once Bryan’s searing vocals come in and he sounds incredible with his tones-this bastid has not missed a beat and then the song breaks into an NWOBHM fast gallop and then slows back down.  The vocal phrasing and tones are extremely soaring and catchy and the guitar work….well captures the true spirit of Mr. Shelton.  Excellent melodic with power metal guitar riffing and the rhythm section sounds like a band that has played together for quite some time.

“The Haunting” is up next and has some nods to ancient Candlemass, hence them covering a song, by them, from the Ancient Dreams era.  Bryan even has some Messiah Marcolin vocal crooning going on and this song really sounds like Candlemass circa 1988, in vocals as well as the tone and pacing of the guitar.  Close your eyes, listen to this song, and you will hear what I am saying.  Excellent epic song with a lot of classic doom metal thrown in.

“Heavensent” starts with a slow buildup, some thunder noises, and then the song begins with beautiful yet very emotive vocals and the bass and guitar work is exceptional.  The opening cymbal hits are also the perfect addition.  Bryan’s tones are spot on with soaring vocals and gruff moments at times.  This song could have been on the best Manilla Road album – Crystal Logic.  It has those haunting and emotive guitar melodies as the song continues along.  The main vocal chorus moments are some of the best I have heard, since well….Manilla Road.  This is the best song for 2024, hands down.  I press repeat quite a lot on this track. You are going to want to hold up your horns when listening to this and if the band ever plays live, this must be in their live set.  This song sends chills down my spine when I hear those main chorus moments and I admit to being a little teary-eyed when listening to this song, because it soooo reminds me of something Mark Shelton would have written.  It’s a beautiful song.

“Valkyries (Raise the Hammers)” and “Awakening” are quicker-paced numbers that have varying tempo shifts and then there are the more classic power metally/NWOBHM/doom metal moments on songs like “Funeral” and “Black Candles”.  The production is excellent and the mix captures everything you would want to hear on an album of this magnitude.

Sentry keeps the spirit of Mark Shelton and Manilla Road alive and there are many original ideas on this debut album.  I would love to see this band live…but unsure given the band members varying locations.  As a release for 2024..this is the sleeper hit this year.  Came out of nowhere and has been in constant rotation ever since.  AOTY??  I am unsure, but at the very least will be in my upper tier of releases, when 2024 comes to a close.  This is a brilliant album!

Judas Priest makes metal not just for us seasoned folks, but for the younger audiences as well, and while Maiden are stuck in this rut of exceedingly long double albums Judas Priest, ever since Angel of Retribution back in 2005, have been intent on recapturing that Painkiller Priest era, and they have succeeded.  BTW, I do like the non-Halford era albums, Jugulator and Demolition…so there.  The last Priest album, Firepower, from 2018, jumped out of the starting gates and with various components of massive metal moments, speed/thrash moments and moodier sections, that is one of the finest albums the band has done.  Not wanting to rest on their laurels The Metal Godz, with Invincible Shield, may have delivered one of the last great Heavy Metal albums of our time.  I say this with peace and love, but knowing several of the band members well into their 70’s will they ever release another album??  If not, who gives AF, because from start to finish this album smokes….and kicks the ever living crap out of the last Maiden album..not even close.  This album is aggressive and produced beautifully.

“Panic Attack” starts with an atmospheric buildup of Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner’s guitars and probably Richie did all the rhythm work, I would assume.  Once the music hits, it’s pure Heavy Metal and Rob Halford, sounds possessed with his vocals and Scott Travis continues to make a believer out of us all as to why he is still one of the greatest metal drummers of all time. Ian Hill’s bass is audible and serviceable as well.  The guitar soloing going on is fantastic and the chorus is catchy and snappy.  How does Halford still hold out those highs?????  The speeding thrashing attack towards the end of the song with the chorus then back to the mid-paced and soloing is outstanding.  This will be their live song opener for their tour, no doubt.

“The Serpent and the King” is up next with a similar mid-paced metal anthem like the album opener.  This song moves to the point that this is circle-pit worthy, no shit, I kid you not.  Excellent drum rolls and the guitar solo at the 2.30 mark will shred your skin from top to bottom.  There is a killer slow-down groove moment as well and with that brutal double bass ending and Halford letting loose with a scream…one cannot catch their breath until the title track choke slams you with the next song. This song moves….. mid-paced, but quicker than the last two songs and Halford singing like a man possessed.  The layered chorus moments are spectacular.  This song has some metal moments pulling from all of their albums and the rhythm section is bludgeoning.

“As God Is My Witness”, with that opening guitar slide and right into the bludgeoning proto mid-paced speed metal attack, brings in that Painkiller element and this is one of the best songs Judas Priest has done in recent memory.  The chorus is epic and slows down the song and then back into that crushing metal attack.  That isolated guitar riff at the 1.15 mark returns and BOOM…right into that bludgeoning attack.  Played live this song could lay everyone out in 0.0 seconds.  The song picks up a little thrash gallop and just beautifully played and more of that guitar slide action going on.  This song owns, from start to finish.  This edition has 3 extra songs and they fit great on the album.

“Fight of Your Life” is poppier metal and “Vicious Circle” is an epic and killer metal song and at only 3 minutes the band fits a lot into this song.  “The Lodger” has some great lyrics, “Vengeance is miiiiinnneee, said The Lodger”….so catchy and this moment is a shout-out to my close friend Jason “Slips Majinsky”, he worships this new Priest and really enjoys this song.  This is a great slow brooding number and is similar in nature to the regular edition album closer “Giants in the Sky”.  Across the album, there are slower moments such as “Crown of Horns”.  It’s a moody song, with still some bombastic vocal and musical moments.

Judas Priest’s Invincible Shield comes in various editions and this deluxe hardcover has an expanded booklet and the 3 extra songs.  The presentation matches the music – it’s incredible.  This album has it all, true Heavy Metal, with nods to all of the Priest era material, from metal anthem moments, slow and brooding sections and then that proto speed/thrash metal they ushered in with the 1990 untouchable Painkiller album, saw them on that killer tour.

This is a metal album for all age groups and keeping the average song length to four and a half minutes showcases a band knowing how to hit the fans square between the eyes and not bore them.  It’s one of the strongest Judas Priest albums of all time…and one of this year’s very best albums.  To me, no it is not better than Painkiller.  But remember I have been listening to that album for decades and I cannot make that jump so early in the release of this album, to make such a claim.  But as one of the more “extreme”, if you will, Judas Priest albums, Invincible Shield fits perfectly with the Halford-led Painkiller, Angel of Retribution, and Firepower albums.  Scorching, memorable, and expertly played Judas Priest has returned to kick our asses once again.  Buy or Die!!

Sometimes an album is a slow burn, taking some time and considered effort to truly appreciate. Others come right out the gate and demand your attention through sheer exuberance and force of will. Showdown from North Carolina’s Mega Colossus is very much the latter. Giving this album a first listen is like opening a door and being greeted by a year-old golden retriever – pure, raw energy and smiles abound, whose only intention is OH MY GOD HI HELLO LOOK AT THIS BALL DO YOU WANNA PLAY HOLY CRAP LETS GO FOR A WALK NO LETS GO RUN IN THE WOODS DO YOU LIKE CHEESE ITS MY FAVORITE LETS BE BEST FRIENDS.

From the jump its an exercise in having a good goddamn time and shredding faces with epic, vibrant riffs and fantastic, everything-you-got vocals, with opener “Fortune and Glory” rampaging ahead with the same infectious energy of Tower Hill‘s Deathstalker or Maule‘s self-titled debut, and pairing it with early Rainbow‘s legendary knack for earworm melodies and epic song structures. It’s a friggin’ RIDE, with killer guitar leads giving you every reason to air guitar along like an absolute lunatic, especially when you get to the song’s face-melting solo and bridge that would probably make Glenn Tipton himself stand back in admiration. If this track doesn’t get you instantly hooked, I dunno man. Life doesn’t have to be so hard, ya know?

And you’ll be glad for getting so attached so quickly, because Showdown rewards you with track after track of incredibly high-quality work. “Outrun Infinity” keeps the momentum going all the way forward, ripping out another banger solo right out the gate, and continuing their trend of high energy riffing and enthusiastic vocals en route to another track built to put a dumb smiles on your face. That’s all the band wants to do! Shred killer riffs and make you happy. To that end, the band make no bones about the fact that they are not going to shy away from massive hooks, and why the hell should they given how brilliant they are at writing them? Where their last album Riptide took a decidedly more aggressive approach (while still being incredibly fun), Showdown greets the listener with noticeably warmer, happy-go-lucky tones (hence, the Golden Retriever reference), and the hooks here match the vibes – epic, memorable and immensely repeatable. The earworm refrain of “Grab the Sun” won’t leave your head anytime soon, and the final 2 and a half minutes is pretty much serotonin in audio form, layered with the kind of heroic guitar melodies that belong at the end of every sports film when the team of overmatched misfit scrappers steal victory from the evil antagonists. I practically feel like I’m being carried away on the shoulders of my overjoyed teammates. It rules.

Mega Colossus also bucks recent NWOTHM trends by embracing a beautifully robust, fully modern production on Showdown, and we should all be thankful for it. The guitar work laid out by guitarists Bill Fischer and Chris Millard is too good to get lost in a muddled production job just for the sake of “aesthetic choice,” and letting drummer Doza Mendoza’s mighty kick pulse true through the speakers accentuates every note perfectly. This is not an album you’ll grow weary listening to, rather you’ll grow more and more emboldened to jump atop your couch or work desk with every track and sing along with unabashed gusto. The multi-vocal attack on the album’s title track, led by lead singer Sean Buchanan’s impressively crisp, expressive chops will carry you to the highest of highs, without a single missed note or melody to be found. In fact, everything about this album seems to be done mindfully and with purpose – they may not necessarily be pushing their own boundaries with Showdown or even taking your through a complex musical journey here (Aside from the relatively more tame “Wicked Road,” there’s pretty much one vibe here and it’s all fast and fun all the time), but nor are the band overstaying their welcome to risk becoming stale, either. At 6 songs, this certainly borders on “is this an EP?” territory, but the 37+ minute run time packs just the right amount of punch to leave you feeling fully engaged and satisfied by the time it’s finished.

The fact of the matter is, Mega Colossus already have a really damn good catalog of releases under their belt. Anyone who’s followed this act from all the way back to 2006’s .​.​.​and the Rift of the Pandimensional Under​-​God (back when they were known as just just regular, run-of-the-mill Colossus), up to 2021’s Riptime will already know the level of quality this band has shown capable of. Unfortunately, where the music has always been fantastic, the band has struggled to maintain a consistent identity in nearly every other facet of this project. Yeah, I know, the music should be all that matters at the end of the day, but a quick glance back and you see seven releases, all boasting vastly different band logos, all with stylistically very different album art. Naysay all you want, I guarantee that’s gone a long way to keeping this band as under-the-radar as they’ve remained for the last 17 years, which is simply criminal given the brilliant musicianship and songwriting the band have once again displayed on Showdown. Marketing matters! I only mention this because I’m hoping their new home with Cruz del Sur Music (the unquestioned standard-bearers for modern Heavy Metal output) will help alleviate these cosmetic issues, and help finally propel Mega Colossus to the level of recognition and notoriety they absolutely deserve. Do your part and get your hands on this doozy ASAP.

You’re fucked. Game over.

But just as you’ve accepted your inevitable fate – *CRACK* – the most unlikely of sounds somehow cuts through the chaos. It seems to stop time itself, brings the battle to a sudden, screeching halt. The attention of every still-living soul has now turned completely to face the source of this disturbance. And there, holding a freshly-opened White Claw, stands the husky, aviator-clad hero no one saw coming. A killer clown with a grin as big as their beer-swelled gut, and jeans cut down so short you can only hope and pray his briefs are up to the task of keeping any prized jewels from making a surprise appearance.

Just when you thought the battle was over – it turns out the party was just getting started.

This, brothers and sisters, is the Tower Hill experience. Let’s. Fucking. GET IT.

I know that I am part of probably a very small group of people who have been waiting with bated breath for these Alberta-born warriors to drop this, their first full length following 2021’s incredibly fun and endearing Fighting Spirits EP, an understandably under-the-radar release that, nevertheless, packed a punch much greater than it had any right to. In just 3 songs, anyone lucky enough to stumble across that modest offering could not help but get swept up in the raucous, all-in energy of R.F. Traynor’s (at the time responsible for every aspect of Tower Hill‘s music) performance – especially on the brilliant, light-hearted “The Claw is the Law,” which presented the world with the White Claw-guzzling metal anthem literally no one asked for. It is every bit as dumb as it sounds, and yet I will defend ’til the end of days that we’re all better off for having it exist.

Even better – anyone new to Tower Hill doesn’t even need to go back to that debut EP to enjoy those three tracks (rounded out by the equally excellent “Fighting Spirits” and “Antigone”), because they’ve all been re-recorded here, now with a full band in tow (Personally I suggest going back just to compare the two recordings because I’m psychotic like that, but I digress)! I’ll admit, this gave me some hesitation because sometimes a band will do this because those original songs are much better than anything they’ve come up with since, but I’m happy to report this is not remotely the case here. Deathstalker is filled to the brim with high energy bangers that meet at the crossroads of Traditional Heavy Metal and Power Metal, not the least of which coming from opener “Deathstalker” which sets the tone right away with a commanding and highly entertaining vocal performance (processed as some of the higher-register falsettos may be), and picking right back up again where the EP left off with some fan-freaking-tastic guitar work that put “fun” at the highest priority, a core pillar of what makes the Tower Hill sound. Soaring, Maiden-inspired melodies, sharp, head-banging riffs from the schools of Judas Priest and Rhapsody, and some more-than-capable leads that could stand tall and proud with any modern masters of the genre. It’s a fantastic start that leads beautifully into the first re-recording, the aforementioned ode to hard seltzer “The Claw is the Law.” If it’s your first experience, strap in, because it’s just a goddamn doozy that will have you screaming along with the earworm chorus on first listen. I mean, just look at this shit:

“Ain’t no laws tonight!
Metal on our side!
Ain’t no laws tonight,
When you’re on the claws!”

I will shotgun 8 ‘claws and run through drywall for this band. I will become an absolute menace.

While certainly the other re-treads “Fighting Spirit” and “Antigone” both carry the same kind of no-holds-barred, full-throttle energy, some of the new tracks show that Tower Hill aren’t just a one trick pony. While certainly not lacking in potency, “Kings Who Die” takes a much more measured approach. The riffs and melodies are every bit as mighty, but here the band adds some really nice groove to the mix – the changeup in timing and tempo making for a much more dynamic listening experience as you make your way through the album. It’s still fun as all get-out, but it feels slightly more calculated, showing that underneath the joyous vibes that permeate most of the album, beats the heart of a band that still deserves to be taken seriously. That trend continues with “In at the Death,” which presents an even slower, more meticulous attack that displays a sense of maturity you’d be forgiven for not knowing the band were capable of. I admit, on first listen it came across slightly off-putting, if simply because it felt out-of-place with the rest of the Tower Hill experience, but with every repeated listen I’ve grown to appreciate it more and more. Tower Hill no longer just feels like a cheap thrill, there’s some real meat on the bone here.

BUT, if that emotional low point ruins your vibe, fret not, because balance is restored with the duo of “All the Little Devils are Proud of Hell” and “How Am I,” both of which showcase the band’s newer sense of relative maturity without sacrificing any of the innocence and vibrance promised on the Fighting Spirits EP. The Eddie Van Halen-inspired soloing of the former is enough to have you breaking out in air guitar hysterics, and the latter is a work of pure Judas Priest worship of the highest order that will again have you pumping your fists in the air with it’s anthemic glory. And this, really, is where Tower Hill has established its identity – it’s not in the originality of the work, nor is even in it’s quality (high as it certainly is, it’s not like there’s a shortage of high-quality similar releases out there to be found), it’s in the sheer exuberance of the delivery. Where Eternal Champion is the stern, no-nonsense field general barking orders and crushing enemies with precision attacks, Tower Hill is the goofy, chaotic, probably drunk goblins swarming the battlefield with absolutely no regard for personal safety or sense of self-preservation. You get the sense that every solo and soaring melody is performed with their tongues out, a knowing wink given over their lowered aviators saying “yeah, this is fuckin’ rad, my dude.” And it is. It’s fucking RAD.

I genuinely hope the sense of fun at the center of Tower Hill is never lost. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being the party boys of the Heavy Metal fight for supremacy, and I can’t think of anyone who fits the bill more naturally. I’m so happy to say that for once, an album I had so heavily anticipated ended up completely knocking it out of the damn park, because Deathstalker is a pure joy from start to finish, and easily one of the most fun record of the year for me. It’s pretty much everything I wanted it to be, and I can’t wait to see where these friggin’ animals go from here. If you’re at all a fan of Traditional Heavy Metal, there is absolutely a place in your life for this record.

Interesting, yeah. Thirteen tracks of Goth infused metal  with enough other genres that there’s literally something for every taste. Because at one point they’re Black Metal, then some sort of lunatic Mercyful Fate meets Ghost’s Infestissumam (my favorite album from them so that makes this right up my tree.)

“The Way (Intro)” is how they get underway. It’s a soaring and magnificent track, and it segues into “Perfidy II: The Weight of Guilt”. Admittedly I didn’t like this song at first, something about it was bugging the shit out of me, so I listened HARD, and it suddenly clicked for me, so after that all was well. The star of this album is Ganiela Ganeva and her magnificent voice. When combined with Dimitar Naydev and his raw vocals they are unstoppable.

The first half of the album is noticeably King Diamond-ish, his Abigail and Them albums respectively, but after the whirlwind of “Master of the Fade” they do some totally unexpected shit and on “Sign of Armageddon” they go full on Go-Go boots at the end of the track and goddamn if it doesn’t swing like a corpse on a meat hook. I literally became a dancing fool with this song.

This is an incredibly fun album, from start to finish. It’s a long one too; 1:13:16, don’t let that deter you because it’s worth every second. “Insight” continues that demonic Watusi, while “Under the Black Sea” churning within a vortex of menace where nightmare creatures haunt the shadowed depths.

The production is awesome, allowing each instrument to shine. I’m not sure where Outer Rim II: Saaren Gammar was recorded; etc. But a great job was done with this album.

They show some more Ghost rhythms on “Green Eyes of Temptation”, the super heavy and crushing “Wrath of Hades” and the massive “the Forsaken.”

Let me tell you friends and neighbors, Ghost Warfare bring the riffs, I haven’t really mentioned them but they are beefy as fuck, the drums are like rolling thunder courtesy of Diyan Georgiev and the guy bringing those riffs is Georgi Latev. This is a band you need in your life.

“Hire Gods” has a killer riff that drives the song to the insane solo, galloping towards “Gone” and the Demons and Wizards style epic “Legacy of Renn.” The 8:42 minute “Comprehension (Flight of the Fallen)” a soaring Raven of a song and perfect closer to this absolutely marvelous album.

Seriously though, constant reader. Ghost Warfare are a band that needs your attention and support. I wonder who would like this… fans of King Diamond/ Mercyful Fate for sure, Ghost (early days Opus Eponymous and the aforementioned Infestissumam). There’s literally something that will appeal to those who seek out new Metal that wears a deadly heart on its bloodied sleeves.