Everybody’s favorite workaholic Trevor Church returns with yet another full-length release from Haunt, just a few months after Flashback, which came out last June. Titled Beautiful Distraction, the fourth proper album from Haunt, once again puts on display the band’s greatest strengths. This is an encapsulation of Trevor’s DIY ethos and his passion for true,..
Pounder – Breaking The World (Shadow Kingdom Records)
In case you don’t know that already, Pounder is the band where Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) expresses his love for old school, pure heavy metal. The line-up is rounded-up by the equally talented Tom Draper (guitars, Carcass), and Alejandro Corredor (bass, Nausea). Pounder’s debut full-length Uncivilized came out in 2019 and impressed by ticking all..
Viral – Viral (self-release)
Swedish newcomers Viral are one of the examples to prove that sometimes, you can actually judge a book by its cover. The beautiful artwork and stylish logo immediately draw the attention and scream classic heavy/power metal. The surprise actually comes from the first few minutes of music, when one realizes Viral have much more in..
Saber – Without Warning (Church Recordings)
Saber is a relatively new band from Los Angeles, which we can safely put in the NWOTHM sub-genre. The band first released the speed metal flavored single Speed Racer in 2019, and in June 2020 “upgraded” it with another song in the new single Strike Of The Witch. This is the moment when Trevor William..
Witchtower – Witches’ Domain (Unsilent Tombs Records)
70% Maiden, 10% Angel Witch, 10% Mercyful Fate and 10% something of their own – this is the easiest way to describe the sound of Spanish old-schoolers Witchtower. Their debut EP from 2013 Return to the Witches’ Castle was praised and promoted by Fenriz on his radio show and deservedly so. Almost 7 years later,..
Haunt – Mind Freeze (Shadow Kingdom Records)
Trevor Church (Haunt’s leader and frontman/guitar player) is one busy man. For a period of two and a half years, his band Haunt has already (including this forthcoming album on January 10th) released three full-length albums, two EPs, one single and two split singles. When you obviously love what you do, this is not as..
Hysteria – Night Closing In (Church Recordings)
Well, this certainly looks like a match made in …. hm… (heavy metal) heaven? Hysteria is not a new band, but a thrash project of drummer Mike Smith and vocalist and guitarist Jake Nunn (both from Hell Fire), which has self-released two albums so far, the last one of which – as far back as..
Assassin’s Blade – Gather Darkness (Pure Steel Records)
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..
OLD-SCHOOL METALLERS HAUNT TO RELEASE TWO SPLIT 7-INCHES
Workaholics Haunt, from Fresno, California, are preparing to release two separate 7″ split records, one with fellow statesmen Fortress and the other – with London’s own heavy metal force Seven Sisters. Both splits will be self-released on December 30th and are now available for pre-order at Haunt’s bandcamp site, where you can also listen to..
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..