Do you remember 1997’s album The Dark Command – the album Exciter released in the darkest period for old school metal? If you are a fan of one of Canada’s all-time greatest bands, then you should, because this album was an amazing display of speed metal awesomeness when no one expected it and, also, introduced..
SAMSON – BRIGHT LIGHTS: THE ALBUMS 1979-81 (HNE)
You remember Samson, right? Sure you do, the band which Bruce Dickinson was in before he left to join Iron Maiden and make history. If that describes your first thoughts about the band, and maybe your only ones, then you’ve got a lot in common with a whole lot of listeners, rock fans or no,..
SACRED REICH – Awakening (Metal Blade Records)
It has been a long wait for Sacred Reich to return to studio activity – 23 years to be exact – and while watching the resurgence in thrash and bands from a seemingly bygone era become powerhouses again there always seemed a missing piece without Sacred Reich. As part of the second wave of thrash,..
Drawn By Evil – Another Sin, Another Life (Black Sunset/ MDD)
Known until recently under the name of Ignition, with even an album (2017’s Psycho) released, now these Germans return with a new name, a new album and the intention to create something different and better. Another Sin, Another Life will be released on September 27th and features 12 songs that consciously step away from the..
Screamer – Highway Of Heroes (The Sign Records)
A second review this week of a Swedish old-school metal band – that speaks a lot, doesn’t it (including of the reviewer’s obsession with the genre)? This time it is Screamer we are talking about, who will be releasing their fourth full-length album on October 11th. Highway Of Heroes comes with a really vintage-looking cover..
Ram – The Throne Within (Metal Blade Records)
Swedish old-school metallers Ram have not only been carrying the torch of trad metal for two decades, but can be safely pointed as one of the several young bands that initiated the so-called New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal at the start of the new millennium, with their 2003 EP Sudden Impact. The Throne Within..
ISSUN – Dark Green Glow (Spinnup)
Compared to its size, Germany seems to have under achieved in terms of its contribution to rock music, with only the Scorpions becoming truly global stars. That heavy rock tradition has continued with bands such as Accept and Helloween but looking in the progressive space then the ground starts to look a little thin. RPWL..
TOOL – FEAR INOCULUM (RCA)
Tool : Fear Inoculum – Is stasis the new Prog? 13 Years. There’s no real point starting with anything else. 13 Years. If you were a Tool-loving crocodile who’d had a mosh-happy childhood to 10,000 Days, you’d have gone to your grave without hearing anything new from Messrs. Carey, Jones, Keenan and Chancellor. (although as..
Crypt Sermon – The Ruins of Fading Light (Dark Descent Records)
2019 is already an epic doom metal revelation with new albums from both scene veterans Candlemass and new hopefuls Crypt Sermon. The latter, coming from Philadelphia, already made more than good impression with debut Out of the Garden, which came out in 2015. Four years of touring and fine-crafting their art have led us to..
PHIL MANZANERA – Diamond Head (Voiceprint)
In late 1974, Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera began thinking that the time might be right for him to record a solo album. When he eventually elected to do so, in December of that year, he did what would perhaps not have been most people’s first idea: he recorded two at the same time. While..