Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

4th album in, and Mercenary is still going strong. Their albums are quite remarkable in the metal community. Pretty much everything is in high quality. And their sound never ceases to progress! Their unique sound has stirred up another perfect masterpiece. Mercenary continues to be the respectable ensemble they are with this gem that is The Hours That Remain. The music also shines with its production that allows easy clarity for the instruments. Everything's perfectly produced and your mind can focus on the music without any troubling thing.

Once again, the band are incredible masters of melodeath with progressive/power metal tendencies. The vocals are quite unique here. Kral left the band right before the album was to be recorded, and while producer Jacob Hansen took over on bass, clean vocalist Mikkel Sandager decided to test out his growling/screaming abilities. His harsh vocals are so perfectly kick-A that I wish he could do them full-time, though I also enjoy his beautiful singing voice and I don't want that to get strained.

Harsh vocals help define the band's sound in "Redefine Me", though just so Mikkel can still have his clean falsetto, the harsh vocal role is given to Björn "Speed" Strid of Soilwork just for that song. "Year of the Plague" is where Mikkel starts doing the harsh vocals on his own. "My World is Ending" is one of my favorite songs from this band and album, which is interesting because it's more focused on clean singing and adding a fair amount of keyboard melody. Another one of the best songs here is "This Eternal Instant", an instant classic in the heavier side of melodeath.

Next song, the 8-minute "Lost Reality" has nice keyboard atmosphere. Same with "Soul Decision", another great heavy highlight with some more harsh vocals. And again in "Simplicity Demand", though a little more simplistic.

"Obscure Indiscretion" is another song with much less harsh vocals. "My Secret Window" is another total standout, with relentless greatness striking the listener in every direction. The closing title track has some zesty synths and piano within the heavier instrumentation. The track is 7-minutes long, but it is followed by a hidden one-minute outro with the last bit of piano and singing.

The success is still going! The stellar sound has slightly improved from 11 Dreams and is able to maintain the perfect glory of Everblack. They continue to level up their greatness that would decrease in later releases while staying strong. Any metalhead should get The Hours That Remain. A fantastic confident offering of epic melodeath!

Favorites: "Redefine Me", "My World is Ending", "This Eternal Instant", "Soul Decision", "My Secret Window"

After a well-done thrashy debut First Breath, their second album Everblack is a masterpiece in which power metal elements are seamlessly added to their dominant sound of melodeath. Epic and extreme can truly fit well together! They would continue the sound in their subsequent albums though with more modern influences later on. And one of those albums show that the band never cease to amaze their fans...

11 Dreams, like the rest of the band's discography, has been with me for about a week, and I'm already hooked for some more listening to come. A lot of this album is f***ing kick-A! Barely any song here is in bad shape, all in top-notch quality.

The intro "Into the Sea of Dark Desires" has haunting keyboards sounding straight out of a fantasy/horror movie. Then "World Hate Center" unleashes heavy anger that will live in your mind in a week, which I've experienced after hearing it for the first time. Great riffing worth moshing and headbanging to, along with total vocal rage, "Now do you feel respectable on the cross?!" The title track is another great track, though different from the first song. The greatness reaches its highest point right in the middle with a searing solo. "reDestructDead" blends together the brutal melodeath of the first full song with the pieces of symphonic power metal from the second. Another solo appears in the middle in a faster tempo, one of the many things making that song another highlight.

The next track "Firesoul" is quite a ride. Serene female singing appears during the last couple minutes, performed by Monika Pedersen who would later join Sirenia for one their albums. Lots of great piano melody too. Then we have a good memorable standout in "Sharpen the Edges". Lots of creepy drama from the piano and lyrics that wouldn't sound too far off from Misfits. The slow riffing stays heavy and twisted all the way through. Another memorable track "Supremacy v2.0", is filled with kick-A melodeath and a sequel to a song from their 1996 EP. Some more of the slow riffing has great synergy between the two vocalists. A well-constructed epic worth repeated listens!

After that, we have "Music No Stop", a cover of the song by Swedish pop rock band Kent. Metal purists might think "What the f***?!?" when hearing this cover, but the truth is, they turned a pop sh*t-hit into a real metal song. And that's how I like these kinds of covers! "Falling" swings into fast groove/thrash while having more of Mikkel's vocals and another guest appearance by Monika Pedersen in the background. "Times Without Changes" is a 3-minute piano ballad, and the only song in this album to feel even slightly out of place. It segues to the mind-blowing finale "Loneliness". Right from first listen, it's my favorite track of the album. The guitarwork is unbelievable. The drums have a steady pace. And the vocals sound so perfect! I can actually sing and growl quite well, but while I can imitate Kral, I can't quite reach the range of Mikkel. I might still have a fun time covering this song with some of the best lyrics in metal. I highly suggest listening to that glorious song of PURE METAL POWER!!!

I think it's clear that the band is spicing up melodeath with some bits of Stratovarius-like power metal coming from clean vocals and keyboards performed from the heart. Whether or not you're a fan of melodeath, you're bound to enjoy the h*ll out of this album. 11 Dreams is every metalhead's dream!

Favorites: "World Hate Center", "reDestructDead", "Sharpen the Edges", "Supremacy v2.0", "Loneliness"

Not many bands can reach enjoyable perfection at just the second album, but Mercenary has done just that! Everblack knocked their debut First Breath off the throne, having switched from a thrashy melodeath band to melodeath with power metal influences. Giving the band that melodic boost is brothers Mikkel and Morten Sandager. Mikkel has some of the most skillful clean singing I've heard, and Morten is talented with his dark keyboard work.

As for the rest of the lineup, Kral can handle the bass well and perform death growls clear enough for you to hear the lyrics. Guitarist Jakob Mølbjerg has riff-tastic skills. One-time guitarist guitarist Signar Petersen shreds all the way with his soloing. And drummer Rasmus Jacobsen... Well, although he has the potential to crash and blast like any other aggressive drummer, he rarely does that. His more rock-ish technique is quite great but unfitting, subtracting a percentage point away from total perfection. Maybe it has something to do with his lack of commitment with the band that got him fired after this album and replaced by the more passion-powered Mike Park Nielsen.

The album starts with a short spooky intro to get anyone pumped, though it seems to consider the September 11 attacks the start of "World War III". Then it launches into the thrashy title track where you can hear the Sandager brothers' power metal-ish contributions for the first time. "Seize the Night" has a bit of hardcore groove which, combined with the usual melodeath, sounds like Shadows Fall at that time. The epic "Screaming from the Heavens" has the best of the album's sound.

"Dead.com" rocks out with some of the best melodeath that you can also find from bands like Kalmah, Dethklok, and Sylosis. Some of the greatest soloing can be found in "Darkspeed". Though it's not as dark as "Bloodrush". And even darker still is "A Darker Shade of Black".

Kral's growls and Mikkel's cleans shine the most together in "Bulletblues", especially in fantastic vocal duels. I also love its ending guitar solo. "Rescue Me" has melodic riffing that might've planted a seed for modern metalcore bands like August Burns Red and Demon Hunter. "Alliance" is one more thrash song before ending with a spooky outro. "Nothing's What It Seems" is a bonus epic that's quite awesome except when it abruptly cuts off at the end. That's fixed in the remastered version by fading out.

All in all, Everblack is an epic recommendation for open-minded metalheads like myself. It's actually not until their next album 11 Dreams, when the band is signed to Century Media, that they become more popular. Still, Everblack is the true start to the Mercenary we know, and any metal fan should get it for pure metal glory!

Favorites: "Everblack", "Screaming from the Heavens", "Dead.com", "Darkspeed", "Bulletblues", "Nothing's What It Seems" (remastered)

Formed in 1991 and having released 3 demos throughout the decade, melodeath fans get to witness the FIRST BREATH of Mercenary with their debut album. Unlike their later power metal-influenced albums, First Breath takes on a more thrashy melodeath sound. The band didn't have a full-time keyboardist and clean vocalist yet, and Henrik "Kral" Andersen (bass, growls) led this deathly quartet. The raw sound adds to this album's superb uniqueness!

What you can expect in this album includes brutal death growls, melodic thrashy guitar, and decent drum blasts. Kral sounds like a monstrous menace, and that's a compliment for death growlers. The music sounds darker and more violent than any of their subsequent releases.

"Symbiotic" kicks off the album with a more melodic take on old-school Death. "World Wide Weep" has more of a hardcore groove, but one you can really headbang to. Next song "Horizon" is a wonderful 8-minute epic. You can hear beautiful vocals by Irene Poulsen and mystical keyboards by Jakob Sivsgård, almost foreshadowing what the band would add from their next album onward. "Master Game" has impressive bass and soloing.

"Perceptive" has a similar vibe to late 80s Pestilence but more melodic. "Graveart" has some beautiful melodeath that Omnium Gatherum would later have, then ends with battle sounds similar to Braveheart. "Next to Nothing" has more of that impressive soloing. "Demon8" sounds more haunting in some places, and has some more keyboards.

"Watching Me" almost reminds me a bit of Dethklok. "Alternative Ways" has some slight alt-metal before becoming thrashy. "Sister Jane" is a lovely soft ballad to end the album, and it has more of the clean vocals Irene Poulsen, as well as Kral attempting to do his own singing in the duet. After 45 seconds of silence, we have the bonus track "Supremacy" from the band's 1996 EP. Although this is melodeath, the harmonics sound like they could've been used by Machine Head or Nevermore. That said, I like it.

All in all, First Breath is a brutal powerful start to Mercenary's journey. There's no way an exceptional album like this can be recreated by the band after the lineup and sound changed a lot, with only rhythm guitarist Jakob Mølbjerg still around. Any melodeath fan should start with this album before the rest. A near-perfect raw classic!

Favorites: "Horizon", "Master Game", "Graveart", "Next to Nothing", "Sister Jane", "Supremacy"

In 1986, punk legends Black Flag split up. Less than a year later, former vocalist Henry Rollins formed a new band, Rollins Band. After two post-hardcore albums, he decided to turn their sound into a progressive form of alternative metal in the 3rd album...

1992's The End of Silence showed a new era for the band since getting signed to Imago Records. Prolific producer Andy Wallace helped bring life to the production and gave Rollins' vocals a chance to be in front of the line of the compact sound. His once-punk-filled audience has expanded to more than just that. The album attacks with his well-focused writing that would make anyone outside the Black Flag fanbase want more.

First track and single "Low Self Opinion" has the menacing vocals of Rollins as he sings his vicious lyrics. All that continues on in the next song "Grip". Then "Tearing" is another excellent single. It has caused Rollins' work to spread to MTV and metalheads. I didn't need "You Didn't Need", which sounds closer to the earlier punk of Black Flag.

Then the band switches gears to a more progressive sound with "Almost Real". They switch back and forth between the slow march of Godflesh and the mid-tempo pace that Mushroomhead would later have, while obviously not having any of those bands' industrial aspects. "Obscene" has a little more progressiveness, and I guess that's part of the spark needed for later progressive bands like Sikth. "What Do You Do" is another long track, but shorter than the previous two, lasting 7 and a half minutes, and it has really foreshadowed many bands and artists imitating the instrumentation and vocals.

"Blues Jam" is right in the name, a 12-minute blues jam. However, that's way too long and improvisational. Rollins' vocals seem to flop a bit, but the soloing by Chris Haskett work well as the best part of the track along with the doomy atmosphere. Literally the Black Sabbath "Warning" of this album. "Another Life" rocks out as another alt-metal piece. The closing epic "Just Like You" hits hard and progressive for 10 minutes, leading up to a final slow chant of "RAGE!... RAGE!... RAGE!... RAGE!..."

The former vocalist of Black Flag, Henry Rollins made a solid alt-/prog metal album with his band. The End of Silence opened the gates for metalheads and alt-fans to explore the music created by this talented man from the 80s punk scene....

Favorites: "Low Self Opinion", "Tearing", "Almost Real", "What Do You Do", "Just Like You"

Bad Omens' second album Finding God Before God Finds Me is a perfect example of modern alt-metal with elements of the metalcore from their 2016 debut. We have come to their 3rd album The Death of Peace of Mind where they continue their alt-metal path with more electronic influences then before. This shall be a solid ride! Just tell the naked cover model that what she's doing can't be good for her back.

The ambitious sound will surely win some fans in the rock/metal realms in The Death of Peace of Mind. They even got a surge of popularity from one of their songs being used a lot in TikTok, probably as much as Lorna Shore's "To the Hellfire".

Synth-filled atmosphere opens "Concrete Jungle" that leads into a breakdown where the nu metal of early Linkin Park and the metalcore of Polaris collide. This vibrant mix of influences works in great shape. "Nowhere to Go" has a faster tempo, but Noah Sebastian's vocals remain soft yet widely-ranged. It starts as a hard rocker before exploding into their earlier metalcore again. The electronic-infused chorus in "Take Me First" and its clean vocals take the band's sound closer to Bring Me the Horizon, which isn't unusual. A little disappointing, but still OK. I'd like to talk about the interesting title track which begins with soft electronic atmosphere before the guitar riffing starts rising in heaviness, leading up to a furious breakdown to complete the transformation. "What It Cost" is a short electronic chill-break.

"Like a Villain" is the album's first single in which all the earlier elements come together. There's no denying how anthemic that track is with its catchy chorus and a metallic take on the alt-rock sound of Amo-era BMTH. This song WILL infect your mind! "Bad Decisions" departs from the band's metalcore roots much further with nothing but clean vocals and atmospheric synths. It's actually where Noah Sebastian performs some of his best, most widely-ranged vocals yet. "Just Pretend" starts slow, but when the drums and guitars kick in, Noah lets out all of his vocal emotion. The heavier action will keep you on your seat. As amazing as that song is, I'm both surprised and not about this song's presence in TikTok boosting the band's fame. Another song worth mentioning is "The Grey", heavy while relying on electronics. The insane bridge after the chorus shall reside in your mind. But then things take a bit of a downturn in "Who Are You?"

"Somebody Else" is a bit forgettable while not affecting the album's high rating. "IDWT$" is fine, but it's basically BMTH plagiarism. "What Do You Want From Me?" has a bit of heavier potential, but the synthwave-like beats don't really light up my heart. The greater side of the album returns in "Artificial Suicide" that attacks with a Mick Gordon-esque storm of electronics and guitars, staying strong alongside experimental ambience. The final track "Miracle" takes on the last bit of Amo-era BMTH in the glitchy synths. Then Sebastian screams his way into a climatic breakdown to show that they still have their metalcore roots.

In the end, you have quite a packed experience that can work well in live performances for many of its songs. Bad Omens continues to bring their career to a more global light as they create music for the modern metal masses!

Favorites: "Concrete Jungle", "The Death of Peace of Mind", "Like a Villain", "Bad Decisions", "Just Pretend", "Artificial Suicide", "Miracle"

I have a lot to find in modern metal. I have my own journey of discovering as many modern metal as I can to expand my collection. They started off with more of a metalcore sound in their solid 2016 debut while adding in their later fantastic alt-metal sound. Having been signed to Sumerian Records and going on different tours and shows, no wonder they're able to mark their modern metal territory. And their second album continues to seal that deal!

Finding God Before God Finds Me came out in 2019 and fans were prepared for the question, is there hope? Well, the Bring Me the Horizon vibes are more prominent, and while many listeners were turned off, it made things much better for me.

"Kingdom of Cards" practically starts where the previous album ended with "The Fountain". There isn't any thunderous metal riffing, but it shines with anthemic beauty, a bit like early 2010s Linkin Park but greater (no disrespect to Chester Bennington, RIP). It is a pleasant start to the journey, and I enjoy the vocals by Noah Sebastian. "Running in Circles" is quite great, but while it's not weak in any way, it's my least favorite track here. The BMTH influences are so apparent, that it sounds like an outtake from Sempiternal. Not a totally bad things, but other listeners may digress. "Careful What You Wish For" is the album's first single, released a year prior. That well-thought track is worth every penny! "The Hell I Overcame" follows as another good track. It brings back the heaviness of their debut with natural vocals and production.

Surprising you hard is "Dethrone", the heaviest track in the album. In contrast to the clean soft tracks, that one has Emmure-like moshing moments to make it clear that Bad Omens can be considered metal. "Blood" is another heavy hitter, with less focus on clean singing, unless you count the deep viking-like chanting, "IT'S IN OUR BLOOD!" The powerful strength for their more brutal side is really prevailing. Then as you can hear in "Mercy", everything calms down again for something similar to BMTH's softer tracks.

"Said & Done" is where the band continues to evolve. It's more of a melodic rocker with sweet soloing. The vocals again show some similarity to Bring Me the Horizon, while both stand far away from each other in each side of the unburned bridge. "Burning Out" is a true hit. The vocal melodies are totally worth singing along to. "If I'm There" has sweet uplifting melody to end this 10-track adventure. Well, 13 tracks if you count the deluxe reissue, but those bonus tracks aren't as strong and perfect as the original album, except their wonderful cover of Duran Duran's "Come Undone".

Bad Omens has brought on a lot more of a fresh alt-metal sound to go with some of their earlier metalcore. While their debut has powerful songs, Finding God Before God Finds Me has more complete maturity with true gems all over. They shall keep moving forward!

Favorites: "Kingdom of Cards", "Careful What You Wish For", "Dethrone", "Blood", "Burning Out", "Come Undone" (Duran Duran cover, bonus track)

Bad Omens is not your average alt-metalcore band. They've made it big with their sound, especially in their latest album The Death of Peace of Mind that had one of its singles launched into popularity by TikTok. The band would also collaborate with pop star Poppy for an industrial metal track featuring only her vocals. But before we get to their new famous era, we have to start in the beginning with their 2016 debut...

The earliest hype around the band came from the pre-release singles. Some say they were inspired by Sempiternal-era Bring Me the Horizon, others say they're a straight-up copy. But no matter what they say, this album is still a great start to their career.

"Glass Houses" begins it all in a heavy bang. They can make a catchy chorus without causing the pop to pop up. Sure the style and lyrics are similar to Bring Me the Horizon but they're able to not cause any cringe and instead add slight improvement. "Exit Wounds" is another great metalcore track, and I'm sure other fans of the style would agree. You can start to hear the band's melodic side in "The Worst in Me". Now "FERAL" has potential to be in a soundtrack for a movie similar to Queen of the Damned.

Soft melancholic moments can be heard in the relaxed "Enough, Enough Now". Then "Malice" has faster speed and unclean vocals, with occasional piano leftover from the previous track. Whitechapel/Periphery influences can be found in "Hedonist". This release would've been better without "Broken Youth" which is more of a filler than a banger.

"Crawl" tones down everything into something soft enough to end up in a Studio Ghibli film soundtrack. It's still a beautiful highlight though. "The Letdown" attempts to sound like an anthem, but becomes more of an emo letdown. "Reprise (The Sound of the End)" has the usual metalcore heaviness, but it fails to stand out well. The finale "The Fountain" may not be metallic, but it's strong clean anthem with tribal drums and flutes. It ends the journey with ethereal diversity, an anthemic hit to live on forevermore...

H*ll, if any new band can make a solid debut like Bad Omens' self-titled album, they have a monumental future ahead of them. This metalcore album marks the start of Bad Omens' good journey through alt-metal fame....

Favorites: "Glass Houses", "Exit Wounds", "The Worst in Me", "Hedonist", "Crawl", "The Fountain"

Mutoid Man is perhaps one of the most diverse metal bands I've encountered. I'm not kidding when I say that you can over a dozen different genres in one offering. And everything is executed perfectly, so that's a rare bonus for a band of different styles. They can change colors like a chameleon while roaring like a lion. A chamelion! I wouldn't have discovered this fantastic band if not for one of my outside-world metalhead friends.

Indeed this blend of metal and classic rock will blow you away by sounding both catchy and heavy. War Moans continues the many terrific treats Mutoid Man has, with a bit of pop added to the mix just subtly.

Opening the album is "Melt Your Mind", with riffs and rhythms racing through alongside catchy vocals. This is pure classic heavy/speed metal not too far from Motorhead. "Bone Chain" continues that style, crashing along with more of the rough riffs and rhythms. "Micro Aggression" has rapid pulverizing drumming to give the speed metal sound some aggressive hardcore/thrash treatment. "Kiss of Death" is the first song in the album to have the slower bluesy stoner side of the sound. The guitars are heated up with the signature stoner fuzz. The drums can still sound intense without the speed, thus adding more balance to the overall sound of the album. Not many stoner metal songs stand out as a highlight for me, but that one does.

Following up is "Date With the Devil" that adds in some sleazy hard rock to their stoner metal then ends with a progressive breakdown. Back into the hardcore/speed metal side is the aptly titled neck-breaking whiplash of "Headrush" that gradually becomes more progressive, kinda like what Cave In used in Jupiter but more metallic. "Irons in the Fire" can be considered a wicked combination of the heavy metal of Iron Maiden and the speed/stoner metal of High on Fire. Then we reach the climatic title track that has more of the speed/thrash metal of Megadeth, even having former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman pull off wild shredding. Incredible!

"Wreck and Survive" takes on more progressive moods while crawling through bluesy stoner metal. You can hear the immense beauty of Chelsea Wolfe's guest vocals. "Afterlife" starts off with some stoner melody then launches into solid chaotic thrash/speed metal in the verses. "Open Flame" continues that sound with intense progressive punches. Finale "Bandages" may surprise some as a stoner/gothic doom ballad with emotional depth and background vocals by Chelsea Wolfe. So beautiful and somber!

War Moans is filled with the wild diverse fun you can expect from Mutoid Man. Everything heavy and catchy is in a perfect blend. They know how to reach higher heights with their sound of sounds. And there's plenty more where this came from!

Favorites: "Melt Your Mind", "Kiss of Death", "Irons in the Fire", "War Moans", "Wreck and Survive", "Bandages"

Mutoid Man made their unexpected entrance to the metal realm as a side-project of Cave In frontman Stephen Brodsky and Converge drummer Ben Koller. Since their 2013 EP Helium Head, they've written songs with stellar energy, colossal riffs, and lots of different styles assimilated into one. I'd like to once again thank one of my metalhead friends in the outside world for sharing a song from one of their later albums that got me interested in this band. Lots of songs are sweetened with catchy melodies and spiced up with heavy riffs, and HOLY SH*T, their diversity goes far beyond bounds!

This expanding spirit of the band is exhibited in their debut full album Bleeder for an adventurous experience, created by Brodsky, Koller, and then-bassist Nick Cageao. Even though Cageao is typically known as "that guy at Brooklyn’s St. Vitus Bar", anyone in the metalcore community knows Brodsky and Koller's proudest achievements with their respective main bands. Bleeder shows the band's hammering blend of different genres from rock, metal, and hardcore all in one place.

First track and single "Bridgeburner" starts the album with some groovy heavy/stoner metal before ending with a progressive breakdown. Another single "Reptilian Soul" launches their hardcore/hard rock/prog-metal influences forward. "Sweet Ivy" has the perfect idea of adding doses of psychedelia to the pummeling stoner progressiveness.

Covering Cave In's different eras is "1000 Mile Stare" from their ongoing progressive sound to a bit of their earlier metalcore. "Surveillance" has the progressiveness of Meshuggah without ever resorting to djenty instrumentation. As with the previous track, Brodsky's vocals range from clean to growling to even a high scream, all in a metalcore vibe. Another under two-minute track, "Beast" perfectly unites progressive metal with hardcore/speed metal as the leads and rhythms strike each other for dominance. The sharp "Dead Dreams" once again pushes forward their stoner sound while shoving in some punishing sludge metal in the breakdown.

"Soft Spot in My Skull" once again offers a combination of Megadeth-like speed metal and the progressiveness of Cave In while adding some funky jazz fusion. "Deadlock" battles it all out in stoner/progressive/thrash metal. A tight bridge lets the riffs punch through and Brodsky screams his way into complex sections. The title epic is the band's longest song at nearly 6 minutes. Brodsky's vocals and guitars, Cageao's bass, and Koller's drums unite for some bluesy stoner metal gone progressive.

It seems like Mutoid Man has proven us that the band members can perform more than just the metallic hardcore days of yore, with something heavily diverse and mature. They can control the chaos as their sound travels practically everywhere from Hendrix to Botch ("All Along the Botch Tower", lol). Nothing more unique than that!

Favorites: "Sweet Ivy", "1000 Mile Stare", "Beast", "Soft Spot in My Skull", "Bleeder"

With a highly diverse style, Amaranthe's exact genre is subject to debate. It's unknown how this band ended up associated with symphonic metal, but it may have something to do with this other band of founding guitarist Olof Morck, symphonic power metallers Dragonland. While I can't deny their blend of trance/symphonic/melodic metalcore, the best way to describe them is modern pop metal. Within Temptation has also seemed to switch that style recently after over two decades of their own symphonic metal sound. Amaranthe have a lot to pull off in their next adventure. The Catalyst is the first album in 4 years since 2020's Manifest. The reason for a long wait can either be due to the sh*tty pandemic or the fact that harsh vocalist Henrik Englund left the band. But the wait is worth it! The fans can consider this is a nice two-months-late Christmas gift...

The Catalyst might just be the band's first album where they stay true to the symphonic metal association they seem to have. Bombastic symphonic synths have been added to their catchy futuristic style. That's actually good because there's more diversity than just swinging through their own attempts at cheesy electronic anthems, and it brings back the heavy glory to their earlier trio of albums from the first half of the 2010s. The crushing growls of their new harsh vocalist Mikael Sehlin fit greatly with the divine clean duo of Elize Ryd and Nils Molin, and Morck's writing. Almost every song has memorable impact, all making The Catalyst and offering of diverse joy.

The title opener already hints at the symphonics in the first 45 seconds, then escalates into the usual blend of brutal heaviness and pop melody. Electronics soar through alongside the powerful vocal trio. It's the album's longest song at only 3 minutes and 40 seconds, and they used the short length wisely with energetic hooks. "Insatiable" continues the pop metal power as a potential hit to sweep the globe. "Damnation Flame" stuns listeners with its anthemic chorus and more prominent symphonics, shining the most in the spooky carnival mid-section. "Liberated" is a more straight track that seems to throw back to the somewhat mundane formula of the late 2010s. But don't worry, the rest of the album would make up for that minor downfall.

The driving "Re-Vision" breaks through hard with vocoder and the harmony of the vocal trio. A perfect standout! Next up, "Interference" storms along with the usual electro-trance metal. "Stay a Little While" is the ballad of the album, with heartful symphonics and a lovely duet between Ryd and Molin. A nice break from the more modern electro-infused heaviness. Groove-powered "Ecstasy" has more of the driving energy. The one thing I would consider odd there is Mikael's Rob Zombie-like growl-rapping. Clearly he inherited some of that GG6 experimentation from Henrik Englund.

"Breaking the Waves" is a true symphonic trance metal anthem, in which the instrumentation is layered with tons of electronics and classical symphonics, as the synergy of clean and harsh vocals sail smoothly. So heavy and theatrical! "Outer Dimensions" is another blazing futuristic anthem. "Resistance" has techno-mosh fire and fury. It's quite triumphant for a song that's just slightly under 3 minutes in length, and it shall please even metal purists. "Find Life" is as an earlier single from before the band hired Mikael.

The best of Amaranthe since Massive Addictive has been greatly displayed in The Catalyst. This can certainly get you pumped when you're feel down. An essential album for anyone up for what sounds like pop hits gone metal, and that's no insult!

Favorites: "The Catalyst", "Damnation Flame", "Re-Vision", "Breaking the Waves", "Outer Dimensions", "Resistance"

Last year (as of this review), sometime after I made another attempt of cutting contact with power metal, I met a new outside-world friend of mine who is in a band and enjoys heavy/power metal. Thanks to him, I discovered some new power metal bands I haven't heard before like Beast in Black (though it was my brother recommending one of their songs to me that peaked my interest), Tungsten, and of course, Grailknights!

This band I would've loved to bits if I was in my stronger power metal phase 10 years ago, and this album would've been no exception. It's a pretty great album for those who wish to explore superhero-ish medieval fantasy in metal.

"Into the Abyss of the Grail" is a battle-ready intro with synthesized brass/orchestra not too far off from the RuneScape soundtrack. Then the first actual song "Pumping Iron Power" is filled with anthemic power metal. No matter how the cheesy the blend of 80s synths and metal instrumentation sounds, you'll be all pumped up and headbanging in no time. Guest vocalist Joakim Brodén of Sabaton provides his signature baritone vocals for perfect contrast with Sir Optimus Prime's tenor voice. "Cthulhu" sounds closer to classic heavy metal while continuing the one-two punch leveled up by heavy riffing and a catchy chorus worth singing along to. "Black Spider’s Web" emphasizes the guitars more than the keys. The heavy instrumentation all leads up to the breakdown where the knight battles that giant spider.

"Grailskull Asylum" continues that spooky horror vibe with its synth intro. The more extreme instrumentation and harsh black metal-ish vocals will certainly get fans of the band's earlier melodeath sound excited, while having the Helloween vibe in the lyrics and the more melodic parts. "March of the Skeletons" fits well for a fantasy-themed Halloween dance party. Clean and harsh vocals continue to blend well together, while the marching breakdown has great potential in a live show. "Shadow of the Mountain" is another heavy/power metal highlight, even sneaking in a powerful melodic scream! "Laser Raptor 3D" has catchy 80s laser synth fitting greatly with the metal heaviness.

"Ghost Town" travels further down the past to the 60s with Western-style guitar and drums galloping like a horse. Nice guitar soloing there! Next up, "Book of a Hero" is the closest thing we have to a ballad. Though it's more of an OK attempt at clean cinematic folk as the hero rides off into a perilous journey. The title finale rises from soft whispers into an epic headbanging assault of guitars and synths, with lyrics to sing along to all the way up to the final march.

I can't say I would ever love Grailknights as much as I would have 10 years ago, but this is a prime example of the fun side of power metal done right. I will have to thank my outside-world friend for his help in reviving part of my power metal interest, and he and I can have a good power metal time....

Favorites: "Pumping Iron Power", "Cthulhu", "Grailskull Asylum", "Shadow of the Mountain", "Knightfall"

Genitorturers is a band I never thought would intrigue me, considering their notorious BDSM themes in the music and shows. However, their 90s material is actually worth enjoying and listening to, at least remotely. But how does their comeback album Blackheart Revolution work out? Not quite as well...

I shouldn't be too surprised. After all, they were trying to restore their earlier provocative imagery, but it was a sign that they needed to move on with the times. Their dance-y industrial/alt-metal sound does not have the same spark in the 2000s as it had in the 90s. Around that time, people had already moved from the latex and leather aesthetic, and the only people to still get their ideas were the band's die-hard fans.

"Revolution" starts the album with some rock crunch, but the depth just isn't the same as it was in their earlier material. The next track "Kabangin' All Night" isn't too bad, but it has too much of a rockabilly sound. "Devil in a Bottle" totally rocks out with its Rob Zombie vibe and makes up a lot for the album's earlier fails.

"Louder" is a KISS-like rock-out anthem to get you pumped. I enjoy the nice soloing there. Then we have another nice alt-ish anthem in "Falling Stars" that's more melodic while still heavy. The guitar distortion of their 90s material is blended with an old-school rhythm that can easily be tapped by tambourine. "Take It" has some more of the catchy heavy rock melody that has made a little optimistic about where this album might lead. Unfortunately, the next track "Confessions of a Blackheart" goes to back to the album's lower quality, trying its hardest to show Gen's spooky persona but ends up falling flat.

I don't wanna talk much about "C*m Junkie", which is just a techno-pop sh*tter. They were so much better than that! However, "Vampire Lover" restores the album's earlier greatness with the best Gen's gothic vocals. "Tell Me" is another perfect rocker that I think any rock/metal fan should at least try. iTunes bonus track "2 Faced Traitor" is rather pointless, being another dance track that's 4 minute long, followed by 6 minutes of silence.

All in all, the stylistic tendencies of Genitorturers were not fully fulfilled in Blackheart Revolution. Having not grown well and losing some relevance in their sound, this is only for the true longtime fans of this band. The new fans would wonder where the band's spark has gone....

Favorites: "Devil in a Bottle", "Falling Stars", "Take It", "Vampire Lover", "Tell Me"

OK, an EP may not be the best way to discover a band, but it's what I've chosen after stirring up some curiosity from the stoner/speed metal sound of Mutoid Man's new album Mutants and that band's new bassist being part of this one. And it really paid off! I never knew until now how perfectly mesmerizing it is to blend stoner/sludge metal with speed/thrash metal, despite me going the Straight Edge-like path of staying away from drugs (you know what the deal is about stoner rock/metal).

High on Fire has been active for over 25 years and inspired many metal bands including Mastodon who first formed in one of High on Fire's earliest shows. This Oakland band won a Grammy award for the title track of their 2018 album Electric Messiah, so what's next? A 3-track EP consisting of an instrumental and two covers, that's what!

Bat Salad starts with its title instrumental which, as if the title's reference to that Black Sabbath instrumental isn't enough, pays great tribute to that band with blend of sludgy heavy/stoner metal. Absolutely nothing wrong there! The band's cover of "Into the Crypts of Rays" by Celtic Frost (whose album cover for To Mega Therion is parodied for the EP) does proper justice to that band's earlier sound and is an excellent cover, sealed by the gravelly voice of frontman Matt Pike (also the guitarist for Sleep). Another cover, "Don't Bother Me" from Bad Brains' demo album Black Dots is another terrific thrashy cover that shall certainly delight fans of that band.

So what we have is a stoner/sludge instrumental and two thrashy cover songs. The two sounds aren't combined together, but when put into the same EP, they perfectly fit side by side. Totally worthwhile and smashing for a short EP!

Favorites: all 3, but I certainly enjoy the title instrumental

Some of the best albums I've encountered come from bands that have been around for a long time, like a decade or a few. I never heard a song from this band until an outside-world friend showed me one that was a total rocker (we will get to that soon). Boy, was I hyped up! Here we have guitarist/vocalist Stephen Brodsky (Cave In), drummer Ben Koller (Converge), and bassist Jeff Matz (High on Fire). Talk about a powerhouse lineup! Mutoid Man has often been considered a stoner metal band, and well, I won't say that's inaccurate, but their sound is more like a hodgepodge of different styles, ranging from rockin' and rollin' to heavy and doomy.

Mutoid Man first formed in 2012 as a collaboration project between Brodsky and Koller. They've really driven through in the guitars and drum rhythms, not to mention how pulverizing ex-bassist Nick Cageao sounds when he plays his instrument. Brodsky knows how to make sure his vocals catch up with all that heavy technical speed. The lineup created two albums, Bleeder and War Moans, released in 2015 and 2017. Then after a Covers EP in 2018, not much activity spawned from the band. The members focused on their respective main bands, with Brodsky mourning the loss of his Cave In bandmate bassist Caleb Scofield (RIP). In 2023, one year after Cave In's Heavy Pendulum, Mutoid Man make their comeback in their new album Mutants, with Matz joining in as their new bassist.

Blasting off this kick-A offering is the energetic "Call of the Void", the song my outside-world showed me that made me up to checking out this album. The band sprint guitar screeches and drum tapping as Brodsky lets out more of his emotion to cope with the grief from the fallen bassist who is Scofield. Beach Boys-inspired choral melodies and hyper technicality are blended together at ease in this hard rock/speed metal piece of art. "Frozen Hearts" is another haunting highlight with darker lyrics, "I don’t wanna know anything right now, 'cause I would probably go anywhere right now". Lots of brooding speed/hardcore darkness there! Then we really slow down in "Broken Glass Ceiling" for some mid-tempo stoner metal in the groovy verses before speed up for some more of the thunderous hardcore/speed metal, heavy as ever. So far, we have a lot of hardcore speed going on, only slowing down for their stoner sound when necessary. And there's more of this diversity to come...

"Siren Song" is another top-notch highlight. It offers a bombastic blend of stoner metal and Sabbath-esque heavy metal with some technical speed and progressiveness at times. The catchy lyrics fit well with the synergy the musicians have. "Graveyard Love" returns to the hardcore/speed metal, sounding like a more metallic Ramones to go with the fun lyrics. The heavy sludgy "Unborn" is a total stoner head-beater that soon speeds up into one of the more progressive tracks, similar to early Mastodon.

Then "Siphon" kicks off having some of the math-ish metalcore instrumentation of Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan then continues on in progressive/sludge metal again as the vocal harmonies and growls blend together. "Demons" has more of an old-school hard/pop rock vibe that then becomes more progressive to hook you up in a whirling banger. "Memory Hole" is a straight stoner/sludge metal song. It's quite good, though a little more of a silver gem in golden treasure. The 6-minute finale "Setting Sun" summarizes everything in this album, starting with slow stoner metal, then speed up into the usual hardcore speed, with lots of progressiveness added when necessary.

Mutoid Man have provided a special delivery of stoner/hardcore/speed/progressive metal! There are so many high points spawned from the consistent flow of Mutants that makes me want more from this band. It's awesome enough that Koller and Brodsky, already two legends from the metalcore scene, know how take care of business together, but Matz is the missing piece of the puzzle for their masterpiece of solid power. Hope you're in for an incredible trip through a strange yet exciting universe!

Favorites: "Call of the Void", "Frozen Hearts", "Siren Song", "Siphon", "Setting Sun"

Less than a year after Between the Buried and Me's Colors II, another sequel comes in; Neurotech's Symphonies II! Neurotech is perhaps one of the most prolific yet relatively unknown cyber metal projects besides Mechina. After returning from hiatus with his previous album Solace, Neurotech founder Wulf was determined to make something ambitious, another Symphonies collection. The way he makes these Symphonies albums is, he releases 4 long grand instrumental epics that are dubbed, you guessed it, "symphonies" as singles, and then releases a collection of them. And unlike his first collection, in which each symphony was released once per year, for his second collection, he released one symphony per month, and that has really caused his listeners to be excited and pumped up for this offering...

Also different is the length of each track. Symphonies I had really lengthy epics that are each an average 17 minutes long. In Symphonies II, each symphony is EXACTLY 10 minutes long! That's quite impressive, though not as much as David Dobrik making each of his YouTube videos an exact length of 4:20. If you're aware of the typical style of Neurotech, you know there's gonna be the usual ambient electro-industrial metal sound going on. However, to accompany the whole "symphony" vibe, the vocals are entirely absent and replaced with symphonic strings and synths. Still you can hear the metal blasts expected from the guitars, bass, and drums.

Rolling into epicness right away is "The Prophetic Symphony". I can truly connect with the strength spawned with the keyboard synths in the first third, the heavier metallic instrumentation blasting through in the second third, and emotional violin and percussion to start the final third. All the elements fit their respective tones and produce something beautiful. "The Seraphic Symphony" is heavier, blasting in with fury after a minute of climatic synths.

"The Draconic Symphony" has some more strength to feel, but the speedy blasts blended together with laser-powered electronics ends up a bit repetitive. Finally, the riffing tones and melodies in "The Messianic Symphony" is much nicer. Guitars are more prominent and play out better together with the electronic keyboards. Fantastic!

All in all, Symphonies II is what the second decade of Neurotech needed after having already done Symphonies I in the first decade. Although a couple symphonies in the middle sound a bit odd in places, the collection continues this unique approach Wulf has taken for his project. I would be happy to hear an edition of this with vocals and lyrics. But of course, the beauty lies in the sounds of the music. The music of a symphony....

Favorites: "The Prophetic Symphony", "The Messianic Symphony"

So, where do I begin when describing such an ambitious band? Mechina is known for their series of concept albums and singles with a massive saga covering them all. Think about it like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe combined and played out like Rhapsody of Fire's conceptual sagas. Their 2005 debut The Assembly of Tyrants started off as a one-off story, but their second album Conqueror, released over 5 years later, started turning the story into a saga. The mastermind behind this project, Joe Tiberi can perform digital guitar and construct epic orchestration to flow well with the storyline in a bombastic style of extreme djenty symphonic/cyber metal!

Acheron continues their style in logical creativity. Their ambitious motive was a risk that paid off almost entirely well. Here we have the djent pioneered by Meshuggah, blended with the progressive groove of Xerath, the industrial tendencies of Fear Factory, and the cinematic symphonics of Two Steps From Hell. The rhythms and percussion band together with the riffs and keyboards for a unique combination that sometimes breaks into different territories. And f***ing h*ll, Tiberi's sonic guitar is really what the instrumentation needs as the engine for the machine. It is all in digital construction, and in many strings of the guitar, maybe beyond 8, like 9? 10?! The notes shall devastate and never drone, all in the equality of sound...

"Proprioception" is one of the best ways to open an album. There isn't any technical music, but rather a scene that sounds fresh out of an epic sci-fi movie that builds up and gets you geared up for the action, as a true concept album would. The engines ignite and the spaceship blasts off in "Earth-Born Axiom", an extensive epic in which electronic synths and cinematic orchestra prevails over the heavy djent instrumentation. Tiberi knows how to combine all that with a landscape of sci-fi dystopia that Neurotech can also achieve. "Vanquisher" is another powerful highlight, this one working well separately from the concept as a pre-release single. I don't know if they perform live concerts, but "On the Wings of Nefeli" would certainly be an interesting setlist staple. The female chanting and simple yet epic keyboards and in full prominence while the riffs have their moments, all that could easily fuel up the live crowd.

"The Halcyon Purge" sounds ominous from the name. It has some of the best writing I've heard in the album with emotional diversity. The haunting chorus is sung by Mel Rose, who first appeared in the non-album single "To Coexist is to Surrender" and would become a full-time member in subsequent albums. Absolutely spine-chilling! It's interesting how the shortest non-interlude song has the best lyrical writing. The instrumental "Lethean Waves" has nearly the same length as the previous track, but as cinematic as it is, it's rather pointless and doesn't have much value. That kinda reduces the high quality the album has. Regaining balance is "Ode to the Forgotten Few", though despite Mel Rose's vocals sounding serene, they can be tiring. Nonetheless, kudos to Tiberi for expanding his boundaries with more than just hammering heaviness.

"The Hyperion Threnody" is a massive beast of an almost 10-minute epic that works as the soundtrack to a massive space battle. There's a lot of epic power in both the title and the song that's nothing but true galactic carnage. This extensive track is so interesting and prevails as a glorious highlight. The more obvious interlude "Adrasteia" is another atmospheric track, and it's a bit boring and purposeless as well. All it's good for is being the soundtrack to a video game's main menu. "Invictus Daedalus" goes all-out fast and furious, but a bit of the interest factor has worn off. Closing this interstellar adventure is "The Future Must Be Met", a good outro but nothing worth mentioning.

And just like that, we have a bold ambitious offering with profuse variety. Acheron is a journey through the greatness of combining electronics, symphonics, and metal into one. Tiberi has had great potential that he has fulfilled and has kept his ideas going through more of his works. Although I probably would've enjoyed this more when I still into highly epic melodic styles of metal, and the second half could've been improved, Acheron has memorable moments that shall last through time, space, and reality....

Favorites: "Earth-Born Axiom", "Vanquisher", "On the Wings of Nefeli", "The Halcyon Purge", "The Hyperion Threnody"

I'm not gonna lie, when I initially gave the new Persefone EP some listening, I thought I was hearing their melodic deathly progressive metal in full force, enough to give it 4.5 stars. But now that I've listened more thoroughly for the sake of reviewing, let's just say, the rating dropped a full star. This is the band's usual sound shining throughout their discography, so what went wrong?...

The problem here is the vocals (by new vocalist Daniel Rodriguez Flys, replacing longtime vocalist Marc Martins Pia) and the riffing. They both often sound closer to metalcore (though not enough for The Revolution). Now I love metalcore, and I know where the genre should stand. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Even during the intro, "Sounds and Vessels", the unfitting modern influences cause things to go down in sh*t with pointless filter. The first full song "One Word" makes up for that hard, and the clean chorus is a much better representation of their metalcore-ish experimentation. "The Equable" also has that kind of chorus but more unstable. There's more of the usual deathly progressive chaos going on, but when it's blended with the metalcore-infused riffing, things can sound a bit out of place. Of course, the guitarwork can still be good at times when it's performed more properly.

The best riffing comes on in the title track. Here we have some great guitar soloing to level up the surrounding riffing and give the EP some redeeming value. This definitely throws back to the band's better earlier material. Although the verses and choruses can sometimes get me ticked, they're still at their best here. The cleans should've been slightly reduced though. "Abyssal Communication" is a cool outro, but I should say no more.

Lingua Ignota: Part I is slightly disappointing compared to the band's previous releases, even Metanoia. It's not horrible, but it doesn't show the strength Persefone had early on. While there are a couple highlights, this new blend of deathly progressive metal with metalcore elements, which sounded cool in theory, better be improved for Part II....

Favorites: "One Word", "Lingua Ignota"

Stortregn started off as a melodic black/death band before dumping most of their black metal elements for more of a progressive/tech-death style. Their new album Finitude sealed their sound, and even more so since their signing to The Artisan Era, a record label that has published dozens of releases of technical death metal or symphonic black metal. Lots of melodic shredding to be found in this offering!

Finitude is the 6th full-length by this Swiss band, and it has some solid high-quality detail. Many of the songs are quite excellent and have brought this extreme technical style up for its fans to be pleased.

Crashing in is the title opener, with a great amount of furious shredding and flamenco-style soloing. "A Last Battle Rages On" indeed rages on in high aggression, perhaps higher than most people would expect. Expect the unexpected! Standing out well is "Xeno Chaos" that bursts out more than a human-killing Xenomorph (unrelated). It truly is special as the progressive tech-death rises up in melody.

Flamenco elements continue to cover tracks like the blazing "Cold Void" in the acoustic outro seguing into the next track. The blistering "Rise of the Insidious" has more of that neoclassical soloing going on beyond belief.

The ominous doom in "Omega Axiom" begins to show a sign that the band is starting to slow down towards the end of the journey. I guess it is good for the band to steady themselves so they don't get tired out too much before a final impression. Well, that sign is highly true, as the stellar "De Inferno Solis" has killer blast-beats in contrast to the melodic guitars. "The Revelation" ends it all with the best shredding you can find here.

Here we have a polished melodic/progressive/tech-death album in which the band attempt to spice it up with elements from the outer music realms. It's almost like a more brutal Persefone on steroids, though a bit pompous here and there. All good as long as they know what they're doing....

Favorites: "A Last Battle Rages On", "Xeno Chaos", "Rise of the Insidious", "The Revelation"

Adding symphonic/black metal elements to deathcore was something barely existent in the late 2000s/early 2010s. In the mid-2010s when Winds of Plague started fading out of activity, and Make Them Suffer and Betraying the Martyrs discarded their earlier deathcore roots, it seemed like that idea was going to die out. But then the late 2010s saw the rise of Shadow of Intent and Lorna Shore, with the latter causing a massive spike up in the early 2020s, and spawning a league of younger bands of that style...

Alongside Mental Cruelty and Dragoncorpse, Drown In Sulphur has entered the symphonic blackened deathcore league with their second album Dark Secrets of the Soul! Deathcore brutality has been placed together with technical complexity and symphonic melody.

"Adveniat Regnum Tuum" (Thy Kingdom Come) is a disturbing intro of alien noises. Odd start there. Then a crushing modern blackened riff commences in "Eclipse of the Sun of Eden" with spectacular growling vocals. "Buried by Snow and Hail" adds orchestral depths in contrast to the extreme heaviness. The drumming speed is absolutely nuts, and it's an important aspect for deathcore chaos.

Continuing the previous songs' direction, "Unholy Light" offers metallic breakdowns in the blink of an eye. Things change a bit in "Lotus", a dark ballad that starts acoustic then builds up in heaviness and emotion. The emotion bleeds into the title track before raging on in the riffs, vocals, and orchestration.

"Say My Name" is a more obscure track, while still being a perfect slow banger. The atmospheric "Vampire Communion" is a nice interlude to get you ready for the album's massive ending... Final track "Shadow of the Dark Throne" is the perfect summary of all the band has done in the album. This is spine-chilling symphonic blackened deathcore for only the bravest and/or darkest souls.

Drown in Sulphur's second album is both a dark and beautiful offering. Dark Secrets of the Soul proves the band's place in the symphonic blackened deathcore league. I say this disturbing yet underrated style of deathcore shall be in good hands as the decade progresses....

Favorites: "Buried by Snow and Hail", "Dark Secrets of the Soul", "Say My Name", "Shadow of the Dark Throne"

In my journey to find new and undiscovered releases, there have been many ups and downs. This also counts for releases that have been recommended to me. I always appreciate the help I receive for my journey, though reviewing them is always about giving an honest opinion. Sometimes I end up loving a band to bits (Ryujin), and sometimes not so much (xNOMADx). And this one is somewhere in between...

Circuit Circuit perform a promising sound of experimental mathcore. After their self-titled EP, they made another one, Body Songs. And here we have some great powerful mathcore that leans into nu metal.

Opening the EP is "I Dream the World Awake", with a guitar riff loop before vocals crash in. Then the guitar halts for a bit of drum tapping before exploding into total riff noise. The riffing basically mashes together the early 2000s eras of Converge and Linkin Park. "Slander Eats Slander" is the most nu metal-ish song here. The sound is once again blended with mathcore in the guitar groove to make this track quite haunting.

Single "Deleted Skin" has more of that punishing guitar groove. All of that groove leads to a destructive breakdown with screams of "STUCK IN MY HEAD?!? OF COURSE NOT, OF COURSE NOT!" How killer is that?!

"Blood in My Eye (Holy Human)", like the opening track, starts with a guitar riff loop that then squeals its way into speed. The vocalist's impressive range blasts in before another killer breakdown and some more riff crunch. Disorienting, but a better track for the band's nu metal-ish side. Then it segues into "Null", beginning with slow riffing from the bass and eventually guitars that continue to loop. "HOW POINTLESS IS IT?!?! THE END OF THIS WORLD WILL BE SOON!!!" A true chaotic mathcore attack!

Well this EP could do without the abrupt cut-off at the end. Nonetheless, Body Songs is a solid offering of nu-mathcore. Guitar grooves and shouted vocals have surely united two separate realms from the early 2000s in the present. The circuits these guys have will keep you wired....

Favorites: "I Dream the World Awake", "Deleted Skin", "Null"

At times when he's not recording or performing with his main band, Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has experimented with his own projects of different styles. Having been interested in black metal bands like Dark Funeral, Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir, and Emperor, he wanted to explore more of the genre. Heafy also used some of the mythological lyrical influences heard in Shogun and In the Court of the Dragon to set an interesting theme for Rashomon, here based on Japanese folklore...

The end result is a blackened progressive metal album that's basically a whole different Trivium! Alex Bent's drum skills are heard throughout the album alongside Heafy's vocals, guitars, and bass. Guitarist Corey Beaulieu and bassist Paolo Gregoletto appear each only in one guest appearance. Trivium's formula of heavy screaming verses and melodic clean choruses are around with thick guitars and technical drum blasts. Heafy has a lot of vocal confidence, especially in the cleans. Adding to the uniqueness is the epic Eastern folk influences later used in Ryujin. All part of the extreme prog channeling Heafy's inner Enslaved and Opeth.

The waltzing intro "Hakanaki Hitsuzen" (Ephemeral Inevitable) starts off the album with Eastern symphonics and choir, but it doesn't have the epic feeling that I got from the latest two Trivium albums. Pretty much the only major negative part here. But then we crash into "Kagutsuchi", an incredible piece of violent yet melodic blackened prog-metal. How did I not hear this until now??? "Ibaraki-Dōji" can be considered the project's theme song. Lots of kick-A gold as Heafy brings out his Ihsahn influences in the guitars and vocals. An excellent underrated song, though it can do without the softer bridge that covers the 3rd quarter of the track. Steering away from the Trivium direction a bit, "Jigoku Dayu" (Hell or High Water) sounds closer to some of Opeth's softer classics.

"Tamashii no Houkai" (Destruction of the Soul) is another perfect extreme highlight with an epic chorus. "Akumu" (Nightmare). has Polish lyrics growled by Nergal from Behemoth, but it later has a strange marching bridge riff. "Komorebi" (Sunlight Filtering Through the Foliage) has a similar but more satisfying progressive structure.

"Rōnin" is the climatic 9-minute epic of the album to hook you up high. There's a long folk bridge, and in the heavier sections, Heafy has given unclean vocal duties to Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. And HOLY F***!!! Gerard can perform memorable shrieking vocals more vicious than other black metal vocalists out there! One more heavy track, "Susanoo no Mikoto" has guest vocals by Ihsahn who also performed guitar in a couple previous tracks. "Kaizoku" (Pirate) is a fun accordion ballad to close the album.

Matt Heafy has not given up on his mythological ideas after In the Court of the Dragon. He used some of those ideas in the debut album of his own project Ibaraki. It has turned out well-done, though not as perfect as Trivium's 2020s albums. Rashomon has taken Trivium's incredible glory and gave it more adventure in its writing and lyrical theme of Japanese legends. I would probably have mixed feelings for this album if it came out when I was still a teenager who preferred melodic over extreme. The themes of Shogun have matured more in this project that shall be heard by any extreme progressive metal fan!

Favorites: "Kagutsuchi", "Jigoku Dayu", "Tamashii no Houkai", "Komorebi", "Rōnin"

My New Year's resolution, as it has been for the past few years, is to discover more metal music. And it's not easy when having to juggle between that, family, and writing books. Looking for new or undiscovered metal bands/releases is a never-ending journey that is worth precious time for me. Once I learn how to drive, I'll pop in some metal tunes and listen all the way on the road. Napalm Records has never ceased to amaze metalheads with their diverse roster. Many of my favorite metal bands are signed to that record, including this newfound favorite... RYUJIN!

Ryujin's self-titled album can be considered a debut album from a whole new band, but there's more history to uncover if you're curious about their previous incarnation Gyze and the band's founding brothers Ryoji and Shuji Shinamoto. Formed in 2009 as Suicide Heaven, the band changed their name after it was deemed inappropriate following the 2011 earthquake. Gyze had since made 4 albums throughout the 2010s, then in 2023, renamed themselves after the Japanese dragon god Ryujin and started making their first offering under their new moniker. I was not familiar with this "samurai metal" band or any of its incarnations until this album was recommended to me, and it just blew my mind! I might just head back to the death metal realm with this fantastic epic extreme blend.

The short intro "Hajimari" (The Beginning) begins the album with sounds of a battle in the Eastern Lands. Then the extreme thunder is unleashed in "Gekokujo" (Lower Door Extermination). The Eastern atmosphere blazes through the music, alongside the metal force of Shuji's drumming and Ryoji's guitar riffing/leads and screamed/growled vocals. More of the Eastern elements come in nice and early in "Dragon Fly Free". The catchy oriental flute shines over the riff rhythms of In Flames. A cool highlight worth repeated listening! The intro chorus of "Raijin & Fujin" already brings in a standout element for the album, the occasional guest vocals of none other than Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, who is also Ryujin's manager and producer. His clean singing give the band more of a power metal vibe to their thrashy melodeath than ever before, alongside the melodies and rhythms. Killer riffing, leads, and symphonics, help truly shape this masterpiece!

"The Rainbow Song" has more of Heafy's clean singing in a catchy mid-paced power metal tune. The singing takes the place of much of the usual growling, and the guitar melodies help make the song another winning highlight. Some more of the power metal side of the sound comes in the speedy "Kunnecup". Then "Scream of the Dragon" returns to the heavier melodeath, while having a soaring chorus. "Gekirin" (Search) blends a bit of the death metal of Pestilence with the epic symphonic melodies of Epica.

"Saigo No Hoshi" (The Last Star) is more of a radio ballad, but it's quite exceptional. The chorus actually hooks you up with memorable beauty. There's an English version of that song, which we will get to soon. The 7 and a half minute epic "Ryujin" can practically be considered the band's theme, not just in the title but also how it exemplifies the whole album's sound. "Guren No Yumiya" (Crimson Bow and Arrow) is a cover of the song by Linked Horizon for the anime Attack on Titan, and it has the same mighty power as Epica's cover. The aforementioned English version of "Saigo No Hoshi" has more of the vocal talents of Matt Heafy that you just gotta love.

I highly recommend Ryujin for anyone willing to hear epic Eastern metal. I have absolutely nothing to complain about for this perfect product of fresh ideas. You get to enjoy almost an hour of Eastern-folk-influenced melodeath/power metal. And if anyone that I recommend this album to say otherwise, what matters is, I had fun, and I want to play this some more. I feel like headbanging in joy right now. A true piece of Eastern metal!

Favorites: "Dragon Fly Free", "Raijin & Fujin", "The Rainbow Song", "Gekirin", "Ryujin", "Saigo No Hoshi" (English version)

Melodic hardcore/metalcore has indeed been underappreciated in the present when bands have gone the more djenty route. As rare as it would be to find an EP like this one from xNOMADx released in this decade, I personally don't think of On Skylines of Embers as the legendary classic that people in the future will consider it. It's quite decent, but it's missing the spark that similar-sounding bands had in the 2000s such as Shadows Fall, For the Fallen Dreams (especially their debut Changes), and Unearth.

The songs here are good with their melodic heavy riffing and vicious vocal fury, but not enough to make highlight territory. The one exception is the sick "Acephale", with its otherworldly riffing and clean/scream duet at the end, both marking this song a perfect gem. But the rest of the EP? Not really the best, but worth a try....

Favorites (the one highlight to really stand out for me): "Acephale"

The comic strip Pearls Before Swine has a book collection titled "Rat's Wars", with the cover parodying Star Wars. So I guess that's a good excuse for me find the name of this album amusing. However, the album itself is quite dark and serious...

Rat Wars followed the second part of Health's Disco4 album series from the previous year, and they've been known for their industrial/noise rock sound with influences from electronica and metal. The latter has been put forward more prominently in their new album, along with more cohesive focus from Slaves of Fear. The lyrical themes of trauma and lack of young love flow smoothly through the complex production.

"Demigods" begins the album as vocalist Jake Duzsik sings those lyrics while kicking through drum reverb and riff crunch. "Future of Hell" hammers through the fury of a futile search for a lost soul. The more aggro-technical "Hateful" has swift synth-work by Sierra. "(Of All Else)" segues in with some dance beats.

"Crack Metal" has a sound than can be considered like Nine Inch Nails but with more metallic torment. Still they're not afraid to blend their industrial metal with other genres. "Unloved" comes out almost like a Depeche Mode ballad. "Children of Sorrow" is a powerful jam of dark synthwave metal. It stands out with metallic riffing performed by Willie Adler of Lamb of God. Then "Sicko" follows as another highlight, sampling Godflesh's "Like Rats", specifically its noise-powered bridge ("You breed...like rats!!").

"Ashamed" has more emotional vocals by Duzsik and deep catchy synths. "(Of Being Born)" segues from there as a sweet yet ominous conclusion. "DSM-V" charges through with Rammstein-esque industrial metal rhythm. After using up their last bit of power, it all ends with the soft brooding "Don't Try", striking through intimate perfection.

I wouldn't say Rat Wars would make too high of an impact for the future of industrial rock/metal, but it sounds like they have what it takes. Personally, I think a few of the softer sections could use a little more oomph (NOT the NDH band) so I won't be easily distracted and can stay in attention. Almost two decades into their career, and Health is already branching out further into metal territory while discovering the darkness of one's mental health....

Favorites: "Future of Hell", "Crack Metal", "Children of Sorrow", "Sicko", "DSM-V", "Don't Try"

I didn't feel too bad about severing my ties with heavy/power metal. However, recently this band Beast in Black became popular among some of my metal-loving friends and even my brother who recommended one of their songs to me, so I knew I had to check out their music. I was blown away by the 80s pop-influenced synths, riffs, and solos by founder Anton Kabanen. He was part of a similar band that's more keyboard-focused and female-led, Battle Beast before he left in 2015. Now I can hear his masterful writing again in a different band. His stylistic antics can be heard in the brilliant new Dark Connection!

Ever since Kabanen left Battle Beast, that band ended up descending into a more hard rock-ish direction. Their earlier thunderous 80s-inspired metal would be brought back up by Beast in Black, though here they have a male vocalist named Yannis Papadopoulos with high Halford-like shriek-singing to go with his power metal delivery. The earlier synth prominence now takes on a cyber-electronic vibe, which fits well for the 80s sci-fi themes in many of the songs. You may already know that theme just from the cover art with the cyborg woman in a computer realm. The songs in the album focus a little more on atmosphere and don't force in too much heavy impact, and that's the kind of blend I'm looking for, with elaborate lyrics to match.

Opening this offering is "Blade Runner" (an obvious nod to a certain 80s sci-fi film) punches through with the fury of Kabanen's time with Battle Beast, adding in some Accept influences in the impressive vocals and guitar shredding, in addition to sweet keyboards. Having a little more groove is "Bella Donna", with more of the Accept-infused riffing combined with 80s techno-pop hooks to sing along to. "Highway to Mars" pays tribute to Total Recall with an anthem of rage and rave, as Yannis continues his power metal vocals delivery. The song title "Hardcore" made me think there would be some hardcore/metalcore influences, but NOPE, none of that. Still pretty cool though.

The techno-fueled single "One Night in Tokyo" combines the band's metal heaviness with ABBA-like pop synths that can almost fit well in Mortal Kombat. The slow long keyboard cruiser "Moonlight Rendezvous" has more of a synthwave vibe that sounds fresh out of a 90s sci-fi anime. Killer soloing appears in "Revengeance Machine". The technical speed goes wild in the power metal, enhancing the catchy melody of this band and genre. "Dark New World" continues the headbanging metal.

"To the Last Drop of Blood" is the song my brother recommended to me that finally made me cave in and explore what's all the rage between my metal-loving friends, to fantastic results! The 80s-rock-powered riffs and hooks punch through again with easy 80s action film potential. "Broken Survivors" has more of the 80s synth beauty. The serene symphonic closing ballad "My Dystopia" is actually one of the most memorable songs here. So beautiful! Two bonus tracks appear, starting with a cover of Manowar's "Battle Hymn", maintaining the smooth epic metal march and militant lyrics in a better fashion. Then another cover, this one of Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us". Yannis makes an impressive impression of the King of Pop's falsetto, though I'm a little surprised the original lyrics that were deemed derogatory to Jews were kept in.

What a massive perfect album Dark Connection is! This blend of melody and heaviness complete with 80s sci-fi vibes has made me up for another attempt in reviving my on-off relationship with power metal. Nothing can get more modern and retro simultaneously than this offering!

Favorites: "Blade Runner", "Highway to Mars", "One Night in Tokyo", "Revengeance Machine", "To the Last Drop of Blood", "My Dystopia", "Battle Hymn" (Manowar cover)

As someone who prefers melodic/technical death metal and other metal genres, I don't really consider brutal death metal my thing in most cases. MOST. With that said, I like this album. This is killer brutal death metal right here! Neuropath recorded two demos in 1995 before disappearing into oblivion, though those who have been in this website for a long while would know Daniel's journey in the decades since the band's demise.

Although there were a few recent shout-outs to the band and their music here, it wasn't until this album compiling the two demos was released by Sphere of Apparition Records in late 2023 that their material would finally hit the stores. And how can a more extreme metalhead not like this pure brutal strength!? All of the band's members are talented, though the two who really deserve the spotlight in my honest opinion are Daniel with his massive guitar skills and Mark Wangmann with his vicious death growls. The new mastering by Bjorn is certainly a true enhancement to the production.

This whole compilation works well as a powerful extreme journey, so describing its songs won't do them justice, though I can mention the songs I enjoy the most in the usual favorites section below. I would love it slightly more if I loved brutal death metal more. Still this is a great well-done example of the genre, and I'm not just saying it to be nice. Mandatory for Horde members and death metal fans in general! Great support comes with true rewards....

Favorites: "My Bleeding Mortality", "Copulation of Insanity", "Vulgar Rebirth", "Rectal Pulpation"

On December 15, 2019, Finnish melodeath legends Children of Bodom performed their final concert then split up, with 3 of the members taking the rights to the band name with them. Remaining members Alexi Laiho and Daniel Freyberg formed their own project Bodom After Midnight, which abruptly ended after the tragic passing of Laiho at the end of 2020. He was a rising star in the Finnish metal scene with his vocal fury and guitar wizardry. A Chapter Called Children of Bodom was released exactly 4 years after their final show which was recorded for the release, for fans of the band and melodeath to hear them perform for the last time...

The band really show their roots as they primarily play songs from their first 5 albums plus at least one song from each of their other 5. They know how to add elements of other genres in their Finnish melodeath. They can make things epic or electronic, without soiling the sound they're known for. Those, along with distinct melodies, are what really display the band's innovation.

Opening the show is "Under Grass and Clover" from their final album Hexed, which actually has the best lyrics I've heard from the band. The saddest too, considering the tragic circumstances the lyrics hinted at. Still that's incredible metal from Laiho and co. Heading straight into "Platitudes and Barren Words", you get a catchy chorus with a rare case of true rawness in Laiho's vocals. "In Your Face" doesn't waste any time loading up the riff crunch, slamming hard in your face! The earlier fans will truly headbang through the straight-on heaviness. Amazing metal blasting from the guitars without much of the fancy leads! "Shovel Knockout" seems to have some trouble getting up in the riffing that sounds uninspired. Despite that, there's excellent keyboard work. Don't let the humorous title of "Bodom Beach Terror" trick you. This is a serious fast-paced track that blends upbeat melody and crushing brutality. It really shows the band's sound at their best level.

The crawling atmospheric "Every Time I Die" is a true classic. It kickstarts the band's trend of adding at least one slower song to each release. Mid-tempo songs with distinct melody like that are true highlights, taking a break from the harmonic technicality for atmospheric melodic leads. It is an essential part of the melodic side of extreme metal that wasn't fully explored until Children of Bodom first entered the scene. "Halo of Blood" heads straight into some of the fastest black metal-ish riffing they could perform. The interesting "Are You Dead Yet?" starts off with thundering riffing sounding almost Egyptian, over pummeling drums. The verse riffing zooms through your head like a gunshot. "Blooddrunk" adds more prominence to the keyboards. Janne Wirman shows his amazing key evolution. "I Worship Chaos" is more repetitive, but the hooks are OK.

Getting things up better is "Angels Don't Kill" with thoughtful lyrics, though not too amazing. Still it's another well-placed ballad to break up the speedy intensity. For "Follow the Reaper", the leads in the chorus are definitely worth starting a moshpit. "Deadnight Warrior" jumps out of thunder into fast keyboards and guitars, as the harsh vocals make great contrast with those melodies through this fast pace. You'll definitely enjoy that killer neoclassical solo as much as I do. The more melodic-ish and spoken parts of Laiho's vocals is best exemplified in "Needled 24/7" to add great variety.

Henkka Blacksmith rolls in with some audible bass in "Hate Me". Taking the hate further is "Hate Crew Deathroll" which is so g****mn extreme and vulgar yet a true anthem. "Lake Bodom" has legendary keyboard/guitar dueling intro than is worth practicing anytime. The complexity is so intense, as is the rapid soloing from both instruments. The melodic "Downfall" is the final song performed in the concert. It shall be appreciated as kick-starting the band's atmospheric side that they had displayed ever since.

A Chapter Called Children of Bodom is truly the final chapter for perhaps the most iconic band of Finnish melodeath. They had truly shaped the scene since their inception 30 years ago. Their legacy is something we shall never forget!

RIP Alexi Laiho

Favorites (one track per album): "Under Grass and Clover", "In Your Face", "Shovel Knockout", "Every Time I Die", "Halo of Blood", "Blooddrunk", "I Worship Chaos", "Deadnight Warrior", "Hate Crew Deathroll", "Downfall"

Sum 41... One of the more popular punk bands... In Metal Academy?!? Who would've thought that was coming?! Well they have announced their intentions in spicing up their punk sound in metal, and 13 Voices has it all clear! Their upcoming final album Heaven :x: Hell will balance out their sides of the sound with their pop punk Heaven and metal Hell. The band will retire after a final tour, which almost didn't happen when frontman Deryck Whibley suffered from COVID-related heart failure and subsequently recovered.

Whibley is no stranger to almost reaching Death's door. While in the pre-production stage for this album, he nearly lost his life to liver and kidney failure caused by excessive drinking, ending up in a coma. That really caused his ability to walk and play guitar to take a toll, but he slowly regained those abilities. It was a fall and rise documented in 13 Voices, a comeback album of bleak intensity. If people thought 2004's Chuck was the heaviest the band has gone, the full power of 13 Voices is here to prove them wrong. Whibley, guitarists Dave Baksh and Tom Thacker, bassist Jason McCaslin, and drummer Frank Zummo shall take you on a rollercoaster ride of punk gone alt-metal!

Beginning this offering is the grim "A Murder of Crows", with slow dark punk similar to AFI. The political cynicism fits well for the bleakness of our world. Desperate anger sears through the fantastic "G****mn I'm Dead Again". I saw the music video for this on MTV and it adds to the killer power of the song. My own scenario for this would be an epic battle between punks and metalheads in a mosh pit as the band performs, especially during a whole minute of Bullet for My Valentine gone DragonForce guitar soloing. And there's more of their metal side to come... "Fake My Own Death" has more of the blazing heaviness mixed with beautiful emotion. Other new elements here include symphonic strings in "Breaking the Chain", another true anthem. Fans of the band's earlier punk sound can get a kick out of "There Will Be Blood".

The title track also stands out for fans of their earlier work, albeit their heavier side in Chuck. Yearning for emotion is "War", reaching for anthemic heights as Whibley details his sober fight for his life, and encouraging others having a similar problem to know they're not alone. Next up, "God Save Us All (Death to POP)" adds more atmosphere. Same with "The Fall and the Rise", which you know is about if you know the life-threatening sh*t Whibley went through. "Twisted by Design" is the band's longest song and their only one to surpass 5 minutes. The blend of punk and emotion is something already experienced in Linkin Park's The Hunting Party. Beautiful!

The deluxe edition comes with a few bonus tracks, starting with the short "Better Days". Then "Black Eyes" makes up for some of the losses in the album's quality. I never said the album is perfect, despite having many great tracks, but those two tracks could've actually made it better because of how great they are. Of course, I wouldn't say the same for the acoustic versions of "War" and "Breaking the Chain", which are OK but don't have the anthemic magic of the originals.

It seems like the band can really mix gloom, fun, and chaos in their metal-punk arsenal in 13 Voices. Whibley's battle to save his life has resulted in this album hitting hard with a lot of the drama and sincerity there is to offer....

Favorites: "G****mn I'm Dead Again", "Breaking the Chain", "13 Voices", "War", "Twisted by Design", "Better Days", "Black Eyes"

The Swiss masters of industrial metal have diversified their sound, starting off as black metal in the first 3 albums from the first half of the 90s, up until the style they're known for today. Reign of Light continues the heavy/melodic industrial metal blend first solidified in Passage and Eternal. Their skills are so appealing despite a more pop-ish direction here. They certainly started off their time in the 21st century quite well.

It should be said that most of the highlights in the album make up its first half. It's during the second half when the quality drops more than Eternal, with only a couple songs there being good. So let's begin with those better tunes...

The opening track "Moongate" is a pretty good start. Now as a Muslim, I know that when a relative tells me to say hi to my family for them, I say "Inch'Allah". That song has tense verses, but the chorus it builds up to is a slight letdown. Still it's a strong highlight. "High Above" seems to drag in the rhythm, while the oriental vibe from the female singing is enjoyable. The title track starts with keyboard synths before some heavy riffing. The chorus builds up from the verses and better and leads to a strong bridge.

Then comes "On Earth", having the most melody here, as he rhythm matches with the harmony. While having dreamy lyrics, the rough vocals balance them out. "Telepath" symphonic industrial metal sound bright and clear, in need of more attention than Rammstein. Unfortunately, the oriental elements in "Oriental Dawn" sound too pompous.

Next song "As the Sun" is a f***ing embarrassment. The 80s electro-synths are too cheesy, and Vorph attempts to sound like a rapper in the verses, but it doesn't work at all. We get one more highlight in "Further". Its slow relaxing sound is as great as the heaviness of the other standouts. Things get sinister in "Heliopolis". More of the oriental vibe starts things off before getting heavy. The female vocals once again add to that vibe. Final track "Door of Celestial Peace" isn't too bad, but I don't have much to say about it.

Despite the album's bumpy second half, Reign of Light has great heavy production. Samael knew how to make their atmosphere vary with more than just industrial, with the instruments and vocals dominating together. So come, step into the light....

Favorites: "Inch'Allah", "Reign of Light", "On Earth", "Telepath", "Further"

Hearing a single from the upcoming Madder Mortem album made me excited for that album and up for more of this band. The frontwoman Agnete M. Kirkevaag has a lot of talent within her vocals, and you can almost consider this band a metal resurrection of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Honestly, I would go mad if I don't have this band's music in my life! And their doomy debut brings me to a fantastic beginning of their discography...

The only thing I hate about this album is the fact that I overlooked this overlooked masterpiece. There are some people who aren't fans of female-led metal bands, thinking they're incapable of "real metal" and more focused on commercial success than actual talent. Now that kind of opinion is unfair, not to mention sexist. I don't listen to a lot of the more popular female-led metal bands like Nightwish and Epica as much as I used to, but the fact that those bands' lead vocalists are female is not even close to the reason. For Madder Mortem, their debut Mercury is pure creative heaviness, and Agnete M. Kirkevaag profusely enhances it with her vocal talent and lyrical originality.

From the start, "Undertow" opens the progressive doom gates. The more melodic "Under Another Moon" adds some subtle autumnal folk elements. Same with "He Who Longed for the Stars", as the doom has slower emotion.

Another album highlight is "These Mortal Sins" with its Trail of Tears-like faster gothic metal sound. "The Grinding Silence" sounds more obscure, yet it gives the distant sound a more mysterious atmosphere. It's a great balance between the soft acoustic piano and the heavy electric guitar. Another killer favorite here is "Loss", having catchy heavy rhythm to headbang to.

More of the heavy riffing appears in "Remnants", right in the face, after the rest of the instrumentation lurks around subtly yet sinisterly. "Misty Sleep" has more effective vocals from under the deepest depths, rising in forlorn grace. Agnete's brother guitarist BP provides occasional background vocals that sound deep in contrast to Agnete's vocal harmonies. Ending things eerily is "Convertion". The closing epic perfectly summarizes the desolate Autumn atmosphere of the album and artwork. The distorted guitars, technical doomy drums, soft acoustic guitars, dreamy keyboards, and calm yet powerful vocals are all there. Truly hypnotic!

Before their heavier progressive metal sound, Madder Mortem took on melodic progressive doom. With gentle vocals and ethereal riffing, Mercury would have no trouble being part of the rare progressive doom club that included Atrox, The Foreshadowing, and The 3rd and the Mortal's Tears Laid in Earth. I wouldn't say this album is gothic as some people would consider it, though it has the bombastic drama of the genre at some points. The album is from a time when gothic/doom's pinnacle decade of the 90s was reaching its end, as Paradise Lost and The 3rd and the Mortal already discarded their heavier roots, and Theatre of Tragedy and Type O Negative each made their last doomy album before a more mainstream sound. Madder Mortem ended that era with a bang. With Mercury's influential melancholy, this bleak sound shall never die!

Favorites: "Undertow", "These Mortal Sins", "Loss", "Misty Sleep", "Convertion"

A simple interesting experiment can sometimes lead to great success. Indian nu/rap metal band Bloodywood started as a cover band performing Bollywood hits. Then when Linkin Park released their first single from their pop-rock final album One More Light, "Heavy", the negativity that single received inspired Bloodywood to make a metal cover of it, considered "what Linkin Park's Heavy should have sounded like". Spawning international popularity as a result, Bloodywood recorded some more covers for their first release Anti-Pop Vol. 1. Fast forward 5 years, the band made their first original album Rakshak, a wild blend of revived nu metal with Indian classical music.

Anyone can appreciate any band by going to their live shows, but I can appreciate them as well at home by experiencing the full beauty of their music from the original studio recording. Rakshak certainly grants me that magic. Their formula of heavy groove-ish nu metal can entertain you when they add in their native influences. So if there's ever a Bollywood movie centered around a metal band, you know what you might expect in its soundtrack!

Feast your ears on the explosive "Gaddaar" (Traitor), a 5-minute metal monster of riffing and percussion worth partying to. The dynamic impact will bring life to the crowd in concerts, especially in breakdowns. "Aaj" (Today) follows with some EDM-gone-metal similar to Korn's The Path of Totality, albeit with mystical Indian flutes and more poppy hooks. There's no doubt at all that you'll enjoy "Zanjeero Se" (These Chains) and its Linkin Park-like emotion to break away from their more hardcore side occurring later on... The ravaging "Machi Bhasad" (Expect a Riot) is my favorite here. A friend of mine showed me that song, which got me into checking this album out. I gotta thank him for that!

"Dana Dan" (Give a Beatdown) takes on rap metal's earlier days with a modern technical spin. The band shall not be responsible for anyone getting injured when playing this song in live shows. Having a more traditional melody, "Jee Veerey" (Live Brave One) knocks off the heaviness a bit. Though they bring it back in the anthemic "Endurant".

"BSDK.exe" has more of a slam-deathcore vibe blended with trap beats that turns this party demonic. "Yaad" (In Memory) bites down with excellent emotion, though they're kind of behind on the punch some of the other songs have. Saving the album's grace is the noisy closing track "Chakh Le" (Rise Up). Once again, the modern metal revolution has allowed those Bollywood elements up in the front.

Although Alien Weaponry is my go-to band for blending modern metal with native influences, Bloodywood has displayed their own Indian nu/rap metal sound that shall make great history in the metal community. So how about that? Add your country's sounds to metal and watch the magic happen....

Favorites: "Gaddaar", "Zanjeero Se", "Machi Bhasad", "Endurant", "Chakh Le"

Industrial metal is not a genre that you would expect all metalheads to enjoy. Many of them often get turned away by the excessive amount of keyboards, riff repetition, and drum machinery that all leave no space for any guitar solos. I only just started loving industrial metal a couple years ago, and being the open-minded person I am, I've taken a dive into this brief side-project by Max Cavalera of Sepultura and Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel. 6 months after Chaos AD came the sole Nailbomb album Point Blank. The sound is an underrated blend of industrial groove with F***ING HARD THRASH!!! The aggressive riffing will definitely remind some of Sepultura's pre-Chaos AD albums!

Cavalera continues to display his political side, and I know some people aren't into politics. I'm not either, but I am familiar with it through the more hardcore bands I've listened to out there, and it fits well for the thrash madness. Although this industrial sound stands nicely between Skrew and Ministry at that time, the riffing is more varied than those two bands. All in the name of deathly thrash!

Right from the start, "Wasting Away" blasts through speedy riffing and Max's signature growls, "Carve your rights into your arm so that they don't get taken away". HOLY SH*T, that's the kind of raging hate you would expect from Arise. It has made me positive that the album is filled with more anger than I've ever heard before. Also great in the instrumentation is "Vai Toma no Cú" (Go Take It in the A**). Then "24 Hour Bullsh*t" continues blending Sepultura's thrash with the industrial metal of Godflesh. Same with "Guerrillas" which is another one of my favorites here.

"Blind and Lost" is a shorter song of energetic hardcore with a message of "F*** mentality". Electro-infused "Sum of Your Achievements" is pretty worthless. "Cockroaches" stands out as another favorite, having some of the highest quality here. "For F***'s Sake" continues the well-done industrial thrash mix. Absolutely fantastic instrumentation!

"World of Sh*t" brings out more of the industrial experimentation of O.L.D. at that time. The vocals in their cover of "Exploitation" by hardcore band Doom come out as weak, though the instrumentation continues to rage on. The punky attitude is maintained lyrically in "Religious Cancer". Screamed rants about church and religion flow through dark industrial metal. "Sh*t Pinata" does nothing for me at all. "Sick Life" has the last bit of industrial metal for me to enjoy. 10 minutes of silence lead to an awesome hidden jam.

In between the extremeness of Sepultura and the mainstream of Soulfly is an album full of f***ing aggressive riffing and a sh*t-load of killer industrial. You can't deny how much this Nailbomb album can kick a**....

Favorites: "Wasting Away", "Guerillas", "Cockroaches", "For F***'s Sake", "Religious Cancer", "Sick Life" (including hidden track)

It's a little tough finding a good Sphere band that didn't have a feature release last year, but ultimately I decided on the new album from this underrated band that never really gets talked about here often. Omen X continues the journey Turmion Kätilöt has had for 20 years, starting off on a perfect note with Hoitovirhe, plummeting down in quality in Perstechnique, and in subsequent albums, slowly climbing back up. The ascent continues with Omen X, another album in the perfect height of Universal Satan!

The band, consisting of vocalists MC Raaka Pee and Shag-U, guitarist Bobby Undertaker, bassist Master Bates, keyboardist RunQ, and drummer DQ, continue what MC Raaka Pee started with ex-guitarist DJ Vastapallo. All going according to plan in Omen X, their 10th album and second one released by Nuclear Blast.

"Totuus" (The Truth) kicks off the album hard with its trance-y industrial metal energy, with the vocals and riffs making a festive combo, though it makes me think too much of Electric Callboy. "Gabriel" has more of a marching pace. Aggressive vocals and cinematic keyboards fit together like a glove. "Vie se pois" (Take It Away) has ominous intro that leads to the music soaring through darkness.

The energetic "Pyhä kolminaisuus" (Holy Trinity) can get you excited with its catchy chaos from the electro synths and riff groove alongside background choirs. After that, "Puoli valtakuntaa" (Half the Kingdom) starts with soft melancholy then immediately launches into the usual riff/vocal aggression. "Verestä sokea" (Blood Blind) has some heavy groove to please some metalheads. Still staying effective despite entirely using Finnish lyrics, "Isä meidän" (Our Father) has some eerie children's choirs leading into aggressive insanity. Tell me it's not a dream!

The heavy fun "Sormenjälki" (Fingerprint) bounces through different riffs and keyboards for a great time, though the vicious vocals question its suitability for parties. "Käy tanssiin" (Go Dancing) has massive darkness as the keyboard melodies get their kicks. "Kun kesä kuoli" (When Summer Died) once again blends heavy rhythms with catchy beats that guide you into a spine-chilling chorus. Wrapping things up is "Kuolettavia vammoja" (Fatal Injuries) which, despite its softer vibe, is a perfect way to go out.

Without a "To Be Continued" track, this raises some questions, like is Omen X the last part of the band's saga since Technodiktator? Will there ever be more? I hope so. And I already have that hope since becoming fully ready for this band just a few months ago. There's no doubt Omen X will get you hooked into dance-y industrial metal. Party on!

Favorites: "Gabriel", "Pyhä kolminaisuus", "Verestä sokea", "Sormenjälki", "Käy tanssiin", "Kuolettavia vammoja"

The previous Turmion Katilot album Universal Satan marked their first album with new co-vocalist Shag-U joining the team consisting of Mc Raaka Pee, Master Bates, Bobby Undertaker, RunQ, and DQ who have all banded together since the 2000s. They've toured in different countries and with other bands from their country like Beast in Black and Nightwish. These guys will get you pumped up, that's a warning. A Global Warning! Especially with the unique lyrical blend of philosophical and partying.

Global Warning is an album title that's almost relevant to the world at the time, though the album was written and recorded before the pandemic. Despite the English title, all songs are sung in Finnish. I may have trouble understanding the lyrics without translating, but the music and vocals are highly enjoyable enough to not make that a big issue.

The fantastic "Naitu" (Married) is a fast, catchy, and bad-a** starting highlight with some oriental folk elements. There's some amazing industrial-trance metal to love here! "Kyntövuohi" (A Plow Goat) plows through in heavy darkness and pummeling drumming. "Sylkekää siihen" (Spit on It) starts off sounds like a dark twist to a nursery rhyme as keyboards and drums rise up for you to dance to the beat. The brutal vocals make an astonishing contrast with the cinematic classical strings and choirs. "Viha ja rakkaus" (Hate and Love) has a bit of Rammstein vibe, and would be even more like that if it was sung in German. The dark vocal duo shines well here. And you can hear more of that aspect in "Turvasana" (Safe Word).

"Kuoleman juuret" (The Roots of Death) keeps the vocal strength going further with more brutal energy than Rammstein. Also part of the songwriting team, keyboardist RunQ (Janne Tolsa) performs golden melody in the chorus. "Syvissä vesissä" (In Deep Waters) is a good throwback to the band's earlier material from the 2000s. "Sano kun riittää" (Say Enough) might fool you into thinking this might be a ballad in the first half-minute, but then it descends into darkness in the vocals, guitars, and keyboards, all while maintaining the dance beat. "Jumalauta" (Oh God) has more of the humor of Rammstein while staying catchy.

"Revi minut auki" (Tear Me Open) once again takes you back to the band's beginnings, especially their debut Hoitovirhe with the perfect spark of their earlier sound. Perfect for party rocking, despite the lyrics I don't dare to mention. "Syntisten laulu" (Song of sinners) starts off sounding dark and sinister in the guitars, though the keyboards have more uplifting light. "Ikävä" (Tedious) greatly mixes together dance-y hypnotic keyboards with dark brutal guitars. The rough vocals here make up for the otherwise monotone chorus just chanting the song title. "Mosquito à la carte (To Be Continued 5)" continues the experimental "To Be Continued" closing tracks, this one starting with what sounds like Spanish flamenco before launching into more of the Rammstein-like sound. In terms of the saga, I say this song is in mid-quality between the poor half in Technodiktator and Diskovibrator and the better half in Dance Panique and Universal Satan. It's also the last song of the saga, since their next album Omen X doesn't continue that trend.

The aforementioned warning depicted in Global Warning is more than just a warning. It's a promise that's been rightfully fulfilled. Another commendable recommendation for anyone in the industrial metal Sphere!

Favorites: "Naitu", "Sylkekää siihen", "Kuoleman juuret", "Sano kun riittää", "Revi minut auki", "Ikävä"

Dance Panique continued the phenomenal Finnish industrial metal sound of Turmion Katilot. However, it turned out to be their last one with longtime vocalist Spellgoth (the band's other vocalist besides MC Raaka Pee), who left the band in the time between the 2017 album's recording and release. He wanted to focus on his black metal Horna and general Satanism, but he's still with Turmion Katilot as a graphic designer. Later that year, they found a new singer with the stage name Shag-U (a name as ridiculously entertaining as MC Raaka Pee). With their new co-vocalist, the band got to work on their new album, one that should really hit universal acclaim, Universal Satan!

You know how after my least favorite Turmion Katilot album Perstechnique, they started regaining their earlier strength in subsequent albums, each one stronger than the last? Universal Satan is mighty as h*ll, and they're finally back to perfection of Hoitovirhe! This may have something to do with Shag-U having heavy vocal skill, almost more than that of Spellgoth. He and MC Raaka Pee can certainly team up to guide the instrumentation that's heavier and more violent than ever.

"Verenperintö" (Blood Inheritance) starts off with spooky organ and the first glimpse of Shag-U's vocals, then launches in the band's usual dance-y industrial metal. "Itseensäsekaantuja" (Self-Interfering) is worth letting the crowd dance along. Single "Sikiö" (Fetus) is one of the best songs I've heard from this album and the band's discography. Holy h*ll, what a total gem, and a genuine reason for the album's full 5-star rating! The only track better than that is "Love is Dead", all vicious and out for blood. Like a wolf, the song grab you by the neck and never let go from start to finish. The instrumentation thunders through alongside the excellent vocal duo. With upbeat music and English lyrics to desire, you can't skip it!

"Viimeinen matka" (Last Journey) has some fast melodeath riffing you can almost hear from Omnium Gatherum and Persefone, but the sound is mostly a more melodic take on the industrial metal of Mnemic. Another gem is "Helvetin torvet" (Horns of Hell). You can hear some of the most diverse lyrics from the band, all fitting well with the music they're known for. What "Rangaistus" (Penalty) has is catchy melody that the band can perform without any shame. Also great and powerful is "Suurempi voima" (Greater Power), a strong industrial metal march.

"Saatanan siunaama" (Blessed by Satan) is another true blessing. The second track here with English lyrics is the fun "Faster Than God", which is the first ever track I found from this band when assembling the Sphere playlists. I enjoy it, but it's overthrown by the earlier highlights. A special track, "To Be Continued 4 Je T'aime" (I Love You), experiments with jazz fusion, featuring Finnish actor Heikki Kinnunen. A wonderful work of art, though I like the previous album's "To Be Continued" track slightly better.

Universal Satan has surpassed the previous trilogy of Turmion Katilot albums and is their best album since Hoitovirhe. This highly recommendable offering would certainly make it close to the top in my best metal albums of 2018. Whether buying or downloading, you just gotta get it!

Favorites: "Sikiö", "Love is Dead", "Helvetin torvet", "Suurempi voima", "Saatanan siunaama", "To Be Continued 4 Je T'aime"

Turmion Katilot is still on an ongoing journey with their Finnish industrial metal sound. They started off gloriously with their debut Hoitovirhe and since went on a steady path to keep their greatness going, with the only slight drop in quality being their 4th album Perstechnique. But now it sounds like the band is slowly building back up to the perfection of Hoitovirhe, and this album Dance Panique is get real close!

Finding out info about different bands and albums used to be difficult, but thanks to YouTube and the evolution of the internet, practically everything about them is provided right where anyone can access. 2017 barely arrived when the band already released two singles, one of which ("Itämaan Tietäjä" (Knowledge of the East)) is only a separate single. Dance Panique was released in March, after a one-month delay due to MC Raaka Pee getting sick. Another amazing album! After the electro-dance-y Technodiktator and Diskovibrator, Dance Panique brings back a lot of the earlier metal heaviness, enough to be the missing link between Hoitovirhe and Pirun Nyrkki.

The title track is so mystical! The electro-dance and industrial metal sides are in a perfect blend. With gravelly vocals and driving rhythms, it's an unforgettable experience. "Veren maku" (The Taste of Blood) starts with some heavy drop-C riffing to remind me of Shadows Fall, but the rest of the song is the usual industrial metal. The one pre-release single that made it to this album, "Surutulitus" (Fireworks) has many great details.

Representing a bit of a downside is "Kyynelten tanssi" (Dance of Tears) which is a little more mediocre but doesn't affect the album's high quality. "Uhriveri" (Sacrificial Blood) may seem like an extreme metal song title, but the actual song is nothing like that. Beautiful melodies make "Vihko" (Booklet) another standout.

"Pienet pirut" (Little Devils) continues the dance-y industrial metal sound similar to Deathstars. "Viha" (Anger) is good in some parts, but a bit monotonous in others. If that song and "Kyynelten tanssi" was given some improvement, this album would've been perfect. "Kuoleman marssi" (Death March) has some more industrial experimentation like Motionless in White at the time. "To Be Continued Act 3" is much better than the first two acts, sounding more like a real song or epic. Nothing bad about that one at all!

Dance Panique can very well surpass Technodiktator while still inches behind the perfect glory of Hoitovirhe, though they would actually get there as we roll into the new decade. This really made the band's mark in industrial metal in 2017. Recommended for all fans of the genre!

Favorites: "Dance Panique", "Surutulitus", "Vihko", "Pienet pirut", "To Be Continued Act 3"

The first 3 Turmion Katilot albums, especially their debut Hoitovirhe, already showed the band's sound soaring sky high. Then a bit of the quality dropped in Perstechnique. And after that, Technodiktator made a promising boost back up to the greatness of their starting trilogy. They've proven that metal and techno synths can fit together like a glove. What can be greater than that?

Well, there were some fans fearing the possibility of the band discarding much of their industrial metal for a more electro-dance sound, since Technodiktator had more electro prominence. But once this album Diskovibrator came out in 2015, there's no longer a reason to worry! Their earlier industrial metal roots are put together with the electro-dance aspects that they've had lately. The album managed to reach the top of the Finnish Charts. They are #1! The strengths of their previous album and Hoitovirhe have stirred up a balanced blend of electro-industrial dance-metal, with each side of the sound deserving its place up front.

Kicking things off with an impressive song is "Kirottujen karnevaalit" (The Carnival of the Damned). "Aina arki" (Always Working) has the usual industrial action to expect from the band. "Hyvissä höyryissä" (Good Buzz) is more emotional and experimental. At times you can hear what sounds like dark rockabilly. The idea of borrowing different styles has worked out much better and spawned another standout.

"Sinä saatana" (You B****rd) turns out to be another pleasant hit. "Ranteet auki" (Slit Wrists) has more atmosphere, though it loses a bit of originality. "Lataa ja varmista" (Lock and Load) is another strong track from this band.

"Hiiltynyt runko" (The Charred Trunk) has some lyrics worth hearing, while shining in the keyboards and synthesized choir. My ultimate favorite in this album is "Vastanaineet" (Just Married). It's filled with steady speed that works well for their sound. "Sinulle" (For You) can be considered a love song, though it's not a ballad. "To Be Continued Act 2" is not as bad as Act 1. It's more bearable throughout its nearly 8-minute length, and it doesn't have 4 minutes of Finnish dialogue. Nonetheless, it's still not the best.

Lumpy parts aside, Diskovibrator is another excellent album. The blend of industrial metal and electro-dance is back to evenness after bringing back a bit of the former. Another superb offering for anyone on the search for dance-y electronics in metal!

Favorites: "Kirottujen karnevaalit", "Hyvissä höyryissä", "Lataa ja varmista", "Hiiltynyt runko", "Vastanaineet"

At this point, Turmion Katilot released 4 albums in which each one reached higher into the Finnish charts while losing a slight bit of appeal. The band was determined to keep climbing up to the charts, but their mission and their career was almost cut short by a near-disaster for one of the band members...

December 2012 may not be the end of the world, but it almost was for vocalist Petja Turunen who suffered a stroke that caused the band to take a break for over a month for MC Raaka Pee to recover from that health-scare. Then they went back onboard to record a new album released later on in 2013. Technodiktator hit #4 in the Finnish charts, but is it worse than Perstechnique? Nope! It is stronger than U.S.C.H!, and having the band's best sound since Hoitovirhe. Not reaching the debut's perfection, but very close.

Opener "Silmät sumeat" (Blurry Eyes) is a great track to start, and it's hard not to see its appeal. "Antaa palaa" (Let It Burn) maintains the intensity while in a slower tempo. With that, there's more emotion with the techno-synth-filled instrumentation. Everything's balanced here, except for the odd usage of saxophone that's not used often and it just comes out of the blue near the end. "Nimi kivessä" (Name Engraved in Stone) once again has what the previous song has but slower. The instrumentation focuses less on the techno-synths that only support the heaviness in the drums and guitars. It's a bit overwhelming, but not shocking.

The track that I consider my favorite here is "Pyhä maa" (Holy Land). This is a fantastic track I would revisit quite often as the techno beats are blended well with some of the heaviest riffing by the band. "Jalopiina" (Noble Torment) is a bit strange. It takes on a more Wild Western vibe in the drums and guitars, and sometimes they would teleport to the Eastern Lands within the instrumentation. If there was a music video for that, it would show the band travelling to different edges of the world. "Elävä koneeksi" (Living into a Machine) shows the band make a perfect tribute to 90s dance, combined with fast relentless metal instrumentation. The beat would sweep you away all over the dance-floor like a moshing tornado.

"Rehtori" (Principal) is where things get even stranger. The speed changes happen in bizarre times, going from fast to slow in no time flat. A bit of a hiccup there but still fine. I would say the same about the lyrics that seem to be about school principals. "золото/Beibe" (Gold/Baby) is one of the best examples of the band's industrial metal here. "To Be Continued Act 1" is a bit confusing. Not just in the name, but it's also the band's longest song. Now I like long epics, but I prefer the edition without the 4 minutes of Finnish dialogue in the middle of the song, and even then, they should've shortened the rest to around a length of 6 minutes.

If we're only counting the first 5 Turmion Katilot albums, Technodiktator would be my second-favorite behind Hoitovirhe. They throw back to the best aspects of the debut while having their heaviest work at that point. This would certainly fit well in both a nightclub and a metal concert, and it's guaranteed that you would move to the music. Keep calm and party on!

Favorites: "Silmät sumeat", "Antaa palaa", "Pyhä maa", "Elävä koneeksi", "золото/Beibe"

Turmion Katilot made it big with their earlier fanbase via their first 3 albums. They mark an amazing start to their journey, with their debut being the best of the trio. Alas, things end up getting a bit bumpy when they reach album #4...

Perstechnique was released in early 2011, and it's tied with their previous album U.S.C.H! as their highest album in the Finnish charts. It's strange how the higher charting the band's earlier albums are, the less appealing it is for me. However, there's nothing totally wrong with Perstechnique, it's better than albums by some bands from the alt-side of metal. I just think there isn't as much impressive fury as in their surrounding albums. My least favorite Turmion Katilot album, but still great.

The opening track "Grand Ball" is my favorite here. While the bizarre lyrics from their previous album return, they sound better and add in a better dose of humor. The theatrical vibes of OOMPH!/Rammstein give "IHMISIXSIXSIX" more life with cyber-powered riffs. "Suolainen kapteeni" (Salty Captain) enhances their industrial metal sound with both the symphonic keys of Alestorm and a bit of the 8-bit synths of Sky Eats Airplane. "Hanska" (Glove) has more brutal heaviness and speed that greatly contrast with retro synths like destruction taking over an 80s movie scene.

"Hellbound Earth" unleashes some more of the dance-y industrial metal like a nightclub in Hell. "Lapset ja vanhemmat" (Children and Parents) has more of the cyber wrath of love and fire. The metal is replaced by pure electro-dance in "Herran toinen tuleminen" (The Second Coming of the Lord) for something more festive.

Having more of the stereotypical catchy industrial metal is "Verta sataa" (Raining Blood) that fuels the cyber sounds of The Kovenant and Deathstars. "Rukoukset rattoisat" (Merry Prayers) has pretty much all of the industrial metal you can already hear in bands like PAIN, In This Moment, Motionless in White, and Circle of Dust. Another awesome highlight! Finally, "Vedetäänkö vai ei?" (Should We, or Not?) is a bit anticlimactic and it indeed makes you wonder if they should stay in their path...or not.

As I've said, there's not much about Perstechnique that's bad, though it still remains my least favorite one by Turmion Katilot. I would recommend it for fans of the band and industrial metal, but no one else....

Favorites: "Grand Ball", "IHMISIXSIXSIX", "Lapset ja vanhemmat", "Verta sataa", "Rukoukset rattoisat"