"If I could survive to live one more time
I wouldn't be changing a thing at all
Done more in my life than some do in ten
I'd go back and do it all over again..."
One of the most celebrated cult acts from the Argentinian scene is back with a brand new EP, offering us all a rusty-cage raw, drugged-out and dark fusion of Stoner, Sludge and Doom Metal.
A cult band in the Stoner and Doom Metal scene, Paraná, Argentina’s own Sahara released two celebrated studio full-length albums as well as a live album and a split with Mephistofeles before involuntarily disbanding in 2019. However, with the help of Mephistofeles members Gabriel Ravera on bass and Ivan Sacharczuk on drums, Sahara’s founder, vocalist and guitarist Martin Ludi decided to continue with the band, firing on all cylinders now in 2021 with a brand new four-track EP fittingly titled The Curse, the result of what Sahara have become and a hint of what the future holds for the band. Recorded at Evil Fidelity Studios on tape by John Follador and mixed by Dangerous, The curse offers fans of the genre a rusty-cage raw, drugged-out and dark fusion of Stoner, Sludge and Doom Metal that sounds at he same time punkish and impossibly catchy, proving the band’s comeback is not a curse, but in fact a blessing to the South American underground.
Vile and dirty from the very first second, the trio smashes their instruments flawlessly in the 70’s-inspired opening tune Hell on Earth, showcasing an amazing job done by Ivan with his old school drumming while Martin fires at the same time devilish riffs and Ozzy Osbourne-ish vocals; whereas the low-tuned, crude bass by Gabriel kick off the venomous Altar of Sacrifice, bringing to our ears more of their classic Doom Metal (not to mention the sick guitar solos by Martin), being tailored for admirers of damned and sharp doom. Following such obscure creation, Gallows Noose has a mysterious and hypnotizing vibe found in the music by Black Sabbath and Candlemass while also presenting elements from Psychedelic Rock, with Martin and Gabriel being in absolute sync with their stringed weapons by darkly jamming like there’s no tomorrow. Lastly, closing the EP it’s time for an instrumental extravaganza in the form of the title-track The Curse, where the bass punches by Gabriel will smash your heads mercilessly accompanied by the Stoner and Doom Metal beats by Ivan.
Like a violent phoenix arising from the ashes, Sahara are back in action stronger than ever with their newborn spawn The Curse, reclaiming their throne as the kings of doom in the Argentinian scene and, of course, aiming at spreading their damned wings and reaching new heights in the world of heavy music. Having said that, don’t forget to start following Martin and his henchmen on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates (if we’ll ever have those again, of course), more of their music and other nice-to-know info about the band, and above all that, to grab your copy of The Curse from the Regain Records’ BandCamp page or from the Shadow Records’ webstore, showing everyone you’re a true servant of doom and, therefore, allowing Sahara’s Stygian curse to haunt your soul for all eternity.
Best moments of the album: Hell on Earth.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Regain Records
Track listing 1. Hell on Earth 4:57 2. Altar of Sacrifice 3:00 3. Gallows Noose 6:13 4. The Curse (Instrumental) 2:53
Band members Martin Ludi – vocals, guitar Gabriel Ravera – bass Ivan Sacharczuk – drums
Bang your heads to the new EP by this amazing Canadian Modern Metal crew, reflecting a turn to darker sounds and grittier vocals while still preserving the spirit of what makes the band who they are.
Formed in 2015 in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta, from the ashes of a previous project named Fiction of Fate with the desire to fuse a metal sound with clean technical vocal stylings in a way that is both beautiful and beastly, Modern Metal outfit Juliet Ruin has just unleashed upon us all a new EP titled Dark Water, following the band’s 2019 critically-acclaimed album Old Stardust, Love and Chaos. Comprised of Jess Fleming on lead vocals, Kent Geislinger and Wesley Rands on the guitars, Cody Reid on bass and Jesse Bauman on drums, Juliet Ruin are highly recommended for fans of the music by Jinjer, Infected Rain, The Agonist, Butcher Babies and so on, with their new EP reflecting a turn to darker sounds and grittier vocals while still preserving the spirit of what makes the band who they are, all spiced up by the first-class production, mixing and mastering by Diego Fernandez (who also plays the guitar as a guest in the title-track, by the way) and the enfolding artwork by Brandy Black. “The listening experience we are going for is a hard-edged, but catchy experience with lyrics you can shout in anger, but also it leans positive on message,” said the band about their newborn child.
The vicious bass by Cody sets the tone in the Alternative Metal hurricane Dark Water, with Jess bringing forward a fusion of the pop vocals by Shirley Manson (of Garbage) with visceral Melodic Death Metal growls, boosted by the awesome guitar job by Kent, Wesley and guest Diego Fernandez. Then sheer poetry flows from the celestial lyrics (“Banish me like burned down planets / Write my fate with sparkling lies / I am the universe you’re just one sky”) found in Cosmic Vertigo, while Jesse smashes his drums in great Alternative Rock and Metal fashion, therefore inviting us all to headbanging together with the band; followed by Fake Stigmata, considerably heavier and darker than its predecessors, with Jess being on fire with a passionate vocal performance supported by the massive and groovy wall of sounds by her bandmates, in special Cody and his metallic bass jabs. Lastly, it’s time for more of their hybrid of Groove Metal with Metalcore and Alternative Rock in Might, showcasing a delicate but at the same time grim side of the band, with Kent and Wesley firing classic, incendiary riffs throughout the entire song.
When Jess and the boys from Juliet Ruin said their new EP Dark Water would bring forward an edgier and angrier side of the band, they were not kidding at all. This talented Canadian quintet made sure the EP title was not chosen in vein, investing in a much darker sound and pointing to a bright future ahead of them. Hence, if you want to know more about such up-and-coming crew hailing from Canada, go check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music and watch their videos on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, grab your copy of Dark Water from their own BandCamp page or from Apple Music, showing your utmost support to the Canadian underground. Juliet Ruin are inviting us all to sail through darker waters together with them in their new EP, and based on the high-quality of each of its four tracks I’m pretty sure that journey with the band will not only be thrilling, but it will also (and fortunately) last for a long time.
Best moments of the album: Dark Water and Cosmic Vertigo.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Independent
Track listing 1. Dark Water 4:47
2. Cosmic Vertigo 4:08
3. Fake Stigmata 4:54
4. Might 4:16
Band members
Jess Fleming – vocals
Kent Geislinger – guitar
Wesley Rands – guitar
Cody Reid – bass
Jesse Bauman – drums
Guest musician Diego Fernandez – guitars on “Dark Water”
Comprised of four Canadian musicians who share the same passion for heavy music, this newborn and fully virtual Sludge Metal entity is ready to show us all the power of the riff with their debut EP.
Formed during the first pandemic lockdown, Canadian Sludge Metal project Grale is comprised of musicians who share a friendship with artist and producer Greg Dawson (guitarist for Canadian Doom Metal beast Olde) and a love of heavy music. Already an all-star unit featuring the aforementioned Greg Dawson on the guitars, Daniel Allen (of Indian Handcrafts) on vocals and guitars, Mark Rand (of Cross Dog) on bass and Kevin Farmer (of The Compound) on drums, Grale also enlisted contributions from members of metal heavyweights Sacrifice, Revocation and Gargoyl to elevate their “pandemic project” into a fully-fleshed and ferocious five-song assault, their debut EP entitled AGITACIÓN. Recorded at BWC Studios by Greg (who was also responsible for all mixing and mastering), Bandage A/V by Mark, Farmer Sound by Kevin and The Bethlab by Daniel, each song from the EP evolved from one good riff, with the band creating and collaborating remotely, focused on forging an organic new sound that would have followers of High on Fire, Motörhead or Judas Priest banging their heads in approval.
And guest vocalist Rob Urbinati (of Sacrifice) lends his enraged roars to Grale in the opening tune Meth Aggressor, making a dynamic duo with Daniel while the music showcases a visceral fusion of Death and Sludge Metal led by the massive riffs by Daniel and Greg, and with Kevin pounding his drums in great fashion. Then in No Justice For All the quartet brings forward a Mastodon-inspired sound (which means a more Progressive Metal vein, of course) where Daniel keeps vociferating nonstop accompanied by the low-tuned, rumbling bass by Mark and the always hammering beats by Kevin; whereas Grale slow things down considerably, investing in an old school Doom Metal sonority in The Blade, featuring guest guitar solos by Luke Roberts (of Gargoyl and Battlebear) and David Davidson (of Gargoyl and Revocation), with Daniel and Greg being once again merciless, worshipping the power of the riff with their guitars. The Emptiness Project is another dense and aggressive Sludge and Stoner Metal tune blasted by the quartet where all instruments are in absolute sync in the name of madness, with the piercing sound of the guitars walking hand in hand with the groovy bass jabs by Mark, and lastly, back to a more Progressive Sludge Metal sound, Grale offers us all the heavy and thrilling Terror Control, presenting visceral, raspy vocal lines, slashing riffs and crushing drums, therefore putting an awesome ending to the EP and leaving us eager for more of their sick music.
I’ve already seen countless bands and artists releasing awesome material during this never-ending pandemic, but I must admit what the guys from Grale did together is beyond impressive taking into account they never even met in person to create their songs, rehearse or record them. If you’re curious to know how four guys from four different locations sound together in this virtual world we’ve been living in, simply go check the full EP on YouTube and on Spotify, and if you like what you see don’t forget to show them your support by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course by purchasing AGITACIÓN from their own BandCamp page (or click HERE for all places where you can get to know more about the band and purchase their music). In such difficult times, heavy music once again conquers all, uniting not only us fans but also talented musicians from all over the world (or in the case of Grale, from here in Canada) and keeping us sane until the pandemic is finally over. And I it takes even longer for this madness to finally end, at least we can rest assured the guys from Grale are among us to prove once and for all there’s nothing more comforting than the power of the riff.
Best moments of the album: Meth Aggressor and The Emptiness Project.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Independent
Track listing 1. Meth Aggressor 4:31 2. No Justice For All 3:24 3. The Blade 4:04 4. The Emptiness Project 4:13 5. Terror Control 5:25
Band members Daniel Allen – vocals, guitar Greg Dawson – guitar Mark Rand – bass Kevin Farmer – drums
Guest musicians Rob Urbinati – vocals on “Meth Aggressor” Luke Roberts – guitar solo on “The Blade” David Davidson – guitar solo on “The Blade”
Born and raised in Madison, the capital city of Wisconsin, but currently residing in “Sin City” Las Vegas, Nevada, the multi-talented Mary Zimmer, our metal chick of the month of April, is ready to set the world of heavy music on fire with her unique vocal range, stunning looks and ass-kicking onstage performance, proving why she was chosen in 2019 to become the frontwoman for Sacramento, California-based Power Metal unity Helion Prime. Not only an accomplished vocalist who can do both clean vocals and harsh screams, known for her work with bands the likes of Luna Mortis and White Empress (not to mention her years as a touring member of Helion Prime from 2018 to 2019), Mary has also been a vocal coach and instructor for more than a decade, a session musician for some amazing underground bands, and a YouTuber who discusses about singing, screaming and music theory, as well as reviews and reaction videos. Put differently, Mary Zimmer is just awesome, and I bet you’ll have a very good time knowing a little more about such skillful musician here on The Headbanging Moose.
A classically trained singer who has a Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Mary has also studied additional techniques to shout and sing with The Zen of Screaming creator, Melissa Cross, allowing her to showcase all her vocal skills in bands from different styles as aforementioned, as well as her studies in audio engineering. “I got my degree in classical music fairly young at the age of 22. Even after my music degree, I did an absolute ton of research on the anatomy of the voice and tried to absorb all of the information that’s available out there,” commented Mary on her passion for technical singing. Long before joining Helion Prime, Mary was the vocalist for a band named A Touch of Evil between 2001 and 2002; for an American Folk/Gothic Metal/Ambient group named Earthen; for American Progressive Metal act Luna Mortis (and its previous incarnation The Ottoman Empire); for a band called Santa Marta from 2016 to 2019; and for American Extreme Symphonic Metal outfit White Empress from 2013 until 2016.
Perhaps the two most interesting projects she was involved in her pre-Helion Prime days are Luna Mortis and White Empress, with whom she recorded some excellent material and official videos. Let’s begin talking about Luna Mortis, formed in 2002 in her hometown under the name The Ottoman Empire, and as the vocalist for The Ottoman Empire she recorded the album Way of the Blade, in 2006, and the EP The Answer: Does Not Exist, in 2008. Then after the change in the band’s name to Luna Mortis still in 2008, Mary recorded with the band the 2009 album The Absence, presenting a much stronger sound and polished production compared to the band’s two previous releases. You can enjoy online the official videos for the songs Forevermore and Anemic World, and if you think Luna Mortis will be back in action one day, well, after their reunion back in 2013, which was not as great as the band itself expected as they had several internal issues (shortening the reunion considerably), and as mentioned by Mary herself, it was a failed experiment and she can pretty much guarantee they won’t try to reunite again. After Luna Mortis, Mary said she’s a completely different person on many levels, having changed mentally, emotionally, physically, visually and vocally, as you’ll be able to notice in White Empress.
It was in 2013 under the moniker “White Empress” (and later as Mary Z) that our unstoppable diva helped to found the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Extreme Symphonic Metal unity White Empress, having recorded a self-titled EP in 2014 and the full-length opus Rise of the Empress that same year (containing the four songs from the EP plus other original tracks). When asked about the concept of White Empress, Mary said that the band was band based around the character of the White Empress herself, an empowering and a feminine power in her own right, representing the individual inner strength and power we all have within, with the original concept being created by the band’s founder Paul Allender (better known for his superb work with Cradle of Filth for over two decades). If you want to have a quick and incendiary taste of their music, you can enjoy the official video for the awesome song Darkness Encroaching.
Mary can also be seen lending her powerful voice to different bands and projects as a guest vocalist, on top of her years as a live member of Helion Prime as mentioned before. For instance, she recorded the harsh vocals for the song Goodbye to Farewells, from the 2021 album Psychosomatic by Austin, Texas-based Progressive/Power Metal band Immortal Guardian; and vocals as “President Fox” on the 2019 self-titled album by Brooklyn, New York-based Symphonic/Progressive Metal project Valcata. Not only that, Mary was also involved in the recordings of the 2018 eight-track demo The Remains of Judgment, by Madison, Wisconsin-based Death Metal act Burial of an Era, showing another side of our multi-talented musician (and we’ll talk more about her technical skills shortly). When asked about how she became a session musician, Mary said that the fact she already had the skills necessary to record her own vocals, plus her business professionalism, made it easier for people to trust and hire her, complementing by saying that it’s important to choose if you want to be an in-person guest musician or if you want to learn how to record yourself at home and work worldwide, which of course demands some investments that can be a bit expensive for beginners.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Regarding her career with Helion Prime, after joining the band as their full-time frontwoman Mary recorded the album Question Everything in 2020 with the band, currently comprised of our electrifying diva on vocals together with guitarists Jason Ashcraft and Chad Anderson, bassist Jeremy Steinhouse and drummer Alex Bosson. When asked what attracted her to Helion Prime in first place, she said she learned to love the guys from the band during her two years as their touring singer, enjoying singing their material, and finally deciding to join forces with them after it became logistically difficult for their previous singer Sozos Michael to be involved as needed. As Question Everything contains several songs that work as tributes to influential names in the history of science, Mary was asked which one of those people was her favorite one to sing about. “I think my favorite is Katherine Johnson. She’s the subject of the song Madame Mercury. Her story really speaks to the successes people can have against daunting odds, and she’s certainly an inspiration to folks all over the world,” said Mary, providing some inspirational words to us fans.
As already mentioned, Mary is a famous YouTuber who runs her own channel called VoiceHacks, providing singing and screaming tutorials for beginner to advanced vocalists, teaching private lessons, and training people in a variety of techniques. “I kind of became a YouTuber by accident. I’m a vocal coach and vocalist first and foremost who kind of ‘fell’ into YouTube as a result of using it as a hosting place for my tutorials and other resources for the people I teach,” commented Mary in one of her interviews, also saying that “I’ve been doing all lessons online since 2013 because physical in-person lessons are out of date and relatively impractical. Most people prefer not having to leave home for their lessons.” If you explore her YouTube channel, you’ll find several videos with important tips on how to preserve your voice while doing harsh vocals, how to reach the right key, how to fix “easy-to-correct” mistakes a lot of singers and producers make in the studio, and so on. For example, did you know that getting vocalists to aim upwards into the microphone while recording is not a good idea? “It’s way easier for a singer to sing a high note while looking DOWN! This being the case, I want all engineers to stop putting the microphone above the singer, and instead to place it straight in-front, or slightly below their mouth at a 45-degree angle,” said our talented vocal coach.
As usual, such important woman to the world of heavy music was asked several times about her view of women in metal, and her answer to that question focuses on the respect she gets as a musician instead of hearing things like “you’re a chick in a band, you’re a novelty”, also saying you don’t have to be a super model to be a great vocalist, although she truly enjoys all types of singers in the end. “I think there are a lot of particularly glamorous metal singers, I think… Simone Simons (Epica), Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish), there is a lot of glamorous metal singers but then you also have your ones that just came in their t-shirt and jeans like Anneke (van Giersbergen) from The Gathering you know?” She also mentioned in one of her interviews when asked about the fact the recording industry is a heavily male-dominated business that it still astonishes her that all these years later she’s still one of the only women who knows anything about recording, albeit she doesn’t see it as a masculine or physically challenging task.
There were also three other interesting topics where Mary was asked to provide her insights on, those being the evolution in the music industry, what a manager can offer a band that’s proactive aside from contacts, and all environmental issues the world is facing. Mary said that what has changed most is the evolution from physical product to monetized music listening streaming and that has been a very positive change for all musicians everywhere, and she personally vastly prefers living in the digital era of music now. “It’s an utterly fantastic time to be a musician. There are so many resources at our fingertips. The only limit is our attitude, willingness to educate ourselves about the new music industry landscape and tools, and writing good music. That hasn’t changed, even with all the abundant opportunities for musicians, the songs still have to be good.” Regarding the need for a band manager or not, Mary said that there are good managers out there that have a good business sense, that are rooted in the genre that the band is playing and they have contacts and connections they can work on the band’s behalf to deal with publicists, tour planners, other things and just sort of be the mouth for the musician, and of course, that can be the a neutral face when dealing with people, avoiding exposing the band to negative feedback and opinions (in a good way, of course). And lastly, in regards to the way mankind is treating the environment, she said that she has three degrees in varying areas of Renewable Energy and from that education she has learned that sustainability is necessary for human survival. “The earth is a finite sphere with a finite amount of resources – a finite amount of matter and energy. If we seek to live on a habitable planet, we must find totally 100% sustainable ways to live. Unsustainable practices shouldn’t even exist. I am a huge renewable energy advocate, as it is the most logical, safe, sustainable, abundant means of powering humanity,” suggesting we all watch the video or read the book Cradle to Cradle and learn about sustainability and how it changes the world and the environment.
If you want to have fun together with Mary, you can find several excellent interviews online with her as for example this one for Musican’s HQ podcast, episode 23; the one she did together with Helion Prime’s own guitarist Jason Ashcraft for Rustyn Rose from Metalnation where they discussed their new album Question Everything, Ronnie James Dio, special guests and the impact of Covid-19 on the music industry, among other topics; and this one for Audible.com where she discusses about her YouTube channel VoiceHacks. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to let Mary Zimmer and her powerful voice penetrate deep inside your soul in the name of Heavy Metal? I’m sure Mary will love to hear from you and to get your feedback on her undisputed work as the great vocalist she is.
“I don’t think that metal is an intentionally sexist genre, I think metalheads are pretty broad thinking people and I think that most of them will give you a shot. If you can play you can play if you can sing you can sing. And it doesn’t really matter to a lot of them if you’re a woman or a man.” – Mary Zimmer
The man who will live for a thousand years returns with the 11th studio album in his undisputed career, inspiring us all to fight the war within us and to take our future in our own hands.
In celebration of our 1000th review here at The Headbanging Moose, there’s nothing more appropriate than reviewing the brand new opus by the man who will live for a thousand years, the indomitable Heavy Metal fighter Blaze Bayley. Moving forward from the success of his Infinite Entanglement trilogy released in three consecutive years (Infinite Entanglement in 2016, Endure And Survive in 2017, and The Redemption of William Black in 2018), Blaze and his loyal Absolva henchmen Chris Appleton on the guitars, Karl Schramm on bass and Martin McNee on drums are unleashing upon humanity the awesome War Within Me, the 11th studio album in his extensive solo career which started with his legendary Silicon Messiah album in the year 2000. Mastered by Ade Emsley at Table of Tone Mastering Ltd., and featuring another striking artwork by Spanish artist Alberto Quirantes of Akirant Illustration, War Within Me is not a concept album but does include a positive thread throughout. In Blaze’s own words, “This is an album that I want to put on and feel very positive about. Whatever song you choose there’s some good feeling about it. As fans of metal music we tend to be damaged, strange and different in some way and this album is (as I say in my live intro to the song ‘Futureal’) about taking your future in your own hand. It’s one of the things that really connects with people at my live shows.”
The slashing riffage by Chris ignites the high-octane, pure Heavy Metal anthem War Within Me, with Blaze powerfully declaiming the song’s meaningful and inspirational words as usual, resulting in a sensational option for singing it along with Blaze & Co. while hitting the highway. Following such powerful tune, we have the also breathtaking 303, inspired by the No. 303 Squadron RAF, one of two Polish squadrons to fight during the Battle of Britain along with squadron 302, of 16 total Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Musically speaking, it’s another metallic feast where Karl and Martin kick some serious ass with their rumbling kitchen, not to mention the trademark guitar lines by Chris. And more of Blaze’s incendiary and energetic metal music comes in the form of Warrior, where Chris and Karl make a dynamic duo with their stringed weapons in a straightforward Heavy Metal extravaganza with some welcome Power Metal elements; followed by Pull Yourself Up, a rhythmic and stunning metal hymn from the bottom of Blaze’s heart to all metalheads out there, inviting everyone to walk and sing with him, accompanied by the sharp riffs by Chris and the marching beats by Martin. Then the entire band is on fire in another classic display of old school NWOBHM entitled Witches Night, where it’s impossible not to raise our fists together with Blaze during the song’s chorus, also showcasing a slashing performance by Chris on the guitars.
18 flights, 15 shows, 6 countries, 1 earthquake. That’s the story Blaze masterfully tells us in 18 Flights, narrating his adventures in January 2019 when there was an earthquake while the band was on stage at a very special gig organized by fans in Coquimbo, Chile called Blaze Fest. What a fun and thrilling way to tell that story through his undisputed Heavy Metal, I might say, whereas in The Dream of Alan Turing the unstoppable Blaze pays homage to the famous English scientist highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science and, of course, the music couldn’t have sounded more exciting, with Chris piercing our ears with his sick solos. Then it’s time to pay another tribute, this time to Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla, best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system, with The Power of Nikola Tesla, a kick-ass tune where Blaze and his bandmates generate an electrifying ambience that matches perfectly with the song’s theme. And how about one more tribute to a great personality the likes of English theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Stephen Hawking? That’s what Blaze has to offer in The Unstoppable Stephen Hawking, investing in a more epic, galloping rhythm, with the pounding drums by Martin dictating the pace while Blaze delivers his trademark vocals in great fashion. And last but not least, a final message of hope and positivity from the band is provided to us all in the closing tune Every Storm Ends, starting in a melancholic, acoustic way before evolving into a dark and metallic feast that flows smoothly until its delicate finale.
There’s no excuse not to follow the man who would not die Blaze Bayley and his talented bandmates on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course to stream all of his vast catalogue on Spotify (like I enjoy doing a lot on my free time). However, War Within Me is such a great album of classic Heavy Metal that it truly deserves to be part of the collection of anyone who considers him or herself a true headbanging bastard, and you can add it to your personal pile of ass-kicking albums by purchasing it from Blaze’s own webstore, as well as from an array of locations including Napalm Records, Season of Mist, HHV, Record Shop X, EMP, Apple Music and Amazon. Having said that, what are you waiting for to fight the never-ending war within you alongside Mr. Blaze Bayley? The time is now to fight for what’s yours and to take your future in your own hands, as Blaze himself likes to say, always to the sound of our beloved Heavy Metal.
Best moments of the album: War Within Me, 303, Pull Yourself Up and 18 Flights.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Blaze Bayley Recordings
Track listing 1. War Within Me 4:12
2. 303 3:19
3. Warrior 3:45
4. Pull Yourself Up 4:45
5. Witches Night 4:57
6. 18 Flights 3:45
7. The Dream of Alan Turing 2:47
8. The Power of Nikola Tesla 3:11
9. The Unstoppable Stephen Hawking 6:00
10. Every Storm Ends 5:08
Band members Blaze Bayley – vocals
Chris Appleton – guitars, backing vocals
Karl Schramm – bass, backing vocals
Martin McNee – drums
Nature will prevail to the sound of the first full-length album by this multi-talented one-man project based in Germany, offering us all what can be called the “New Wave Of Black Eco Metal”.
After four years in the making, One Inch of Peace, the first full-length opus by Ruhrpott, Germany-based Melodic Black Metal one-man army Through Chaos & Solitude (also known as TCAS KVLT), finally saw the light of day on the first day of spring this year, offering us fans 35 minutes of what the project’s mastermind Tim Rule likes to call the “New Wave Of Black Eco Metal”. Mixed & mastered by Dennis Israel at Clintworks Mixing and Mastering, and with the help of Simon Castigator and Delio Soro on drum programming and Matze Castigator on synths recording, One Inch of Peace is a huge step forward in the career of the multi-talented Tim, not only representing the long-awaited return of Through Chaos & Solitude after the project’s debut EP The Thawing Winds Of The Morning Sun, but also being extremely recommended for admirers of the whimsical music blasted by renowned acts the likes of Woods Of Ypres, Alcest and Agalloch.
Cinematic and enfolding from the very first second, the lyrics in A Heart Is Heavy (Tonight In The North) reek of poetry (“To write it down and to face it is to truly test our fears and beliefs / It’s so humbling to write something in strength and conviction / Only to later fear what you have created / Because it hurts too much, oh it is too close”), with Tim roaring and growling nonstop while firing razor-edged riffs at the same time, and with the programmed drums sounding truly organic. Then starting in a pensive, acoustic way, the title-track One Inch Of Peace brings forward Tim’s trademark fusion of the aggressiveness of Black Metal with smoother and more melodic sounds, also displaying hints of Blackened Doom in its core sonority. In other words, it couldn’t have sounded more infernal and acid than this, whereas venturing through the progressive lands of Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Black Metal and Post-Metal, Tim offers our ears the ethereal The Integrity Of Nothingness Versus The Fragile Beauty Of Life, where he showcases a great balance of clean vocals and deranged screams, flowing into the melancholic My Heart Is In Your Hands, where Tim alternates between sharp riffs and semi-acoustic passages, resulting in an even more atmospheric creation than its predecessors. And lastly, the bonus track Of Walking An Alley Lined With Oaks (Nature Always Wins), previously released in 2018, blends the beautiful sounds of nature with Tim’s introspective and multi-layered Black Metal in a beyond stunning ending to the album.
It’s a pleasure seeing the evolution in the music of Tim Rule and his Through Chaos & Solitude in his new album One Inch of Peace, available in full on Spotify, and if you also want to show your support to the underground you should start following the project on Facebook and, of course, purchase a copy of the album from his own BandCamp page, from the Bound By Modern Age Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, or from Apple Music. One of the song titles already states that “nature always wins”, and I couldn’t agree more with that. Add to that the fact that Black Metal has always had a deep connection with nature, always against the evils of men, and there you have the perfect recipe for a great album of atmospheric and dark music just like what Tim unleashed upon us all in his new album of stunning Black Eco Metal.
Best moments of the album: One Inch Of Peace and My Heart Is In Your Hands.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Bound By Modern Age Records
Track listing 1. A Heart Is Heavy (Tonight In The North) 9:12
2. One Inch Of Peace 9:42
3. The Integrity Of Nothingness Versus The Fragile Beauty Of Life 7:05
4. My Heart Is In Your Hands 9:26
Bonus track 5. Of Walking An Alley Lined With Oaks (Nature Always Wins) 7:58
Band members Tim Rule – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards
A primordial feeling of anguish speaks through five Croatian musicians and the dissonant fusion of Black, Death and Doom Metal found in their brand new EP.
A primordial feeling of anguish speaks through five musicians hailing from Zagreb, Croatia that gathered around a vision of perpetual struggle of critical reason against the pale, gray and uninspiring surroundings. That’s the core essence of the dissonant Black, Death and Doom Metal entity known as Muka, who are among us to arouse and awake our humanity, our striving for freedom and rejection of false existence, flawed idols and deceptive personalities. Comprised of Ivan Borčić on vocals, Edin Karabašić and Goran Tatalović on the guitars, Stjepan Dianić on bass and Marin Lelas on drums, Muka are unleashing upon our rotten society their third EP, entitled Patologija Poniznosti (or “the pathology of humility” in English), following up on their 2017 EP Sveta Stoka. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Filip Pacak, and displaying a raw and stylish artwork by Jelena Murk, Patologija Poniznosti will penetrate deep inside your soul mercilessly throughout its 25 minutes of extreme music styles fused in a special and vile atmosphere, positioning it as Muka’s strongest release since their inception in 2012.
Blending the heaviness of Doom Metal with the aggression and darkness of Black and Death Metal the band fires the Stygian hymn Idolomantis Diabolica (“an idol man of diabolics”), with Ivan roaring like a true demon while Edin and Goran extract sheer sulfur form their guitars; whereas the rhythmic beats by Marin together with the rumbling bass by Stjepan kick off the Blackened Doom-inspired tune Unatoč Svemu (“in spite of everything”), gradually evolving into a demented sonic beast with Ivan vociferating the song’s Croatian words darkly and rabidly. Čezneš, or “you disappear”, is another headbanging, grim creation by Muka, with Marin and Stjepan making our heads tremble while Edin and Goran slash their stringed weapons extracting minimalist but extremely acid riffs, and a neck-breaking, venomous sound permeates the air in U Zabludi (“mistaken”), bringing forward hints of Post-Metal to the band’s core Black Metal and showcasing an amazing job done by Marin behind his drum set, while his bandmates fire endless dementia and hatred through their strings and screams. Finally, their last breath of evil and obscurity comes in the form of Ljudi (which translates as “people” or “men”), where the strident guitars by Edin and Goran walk hand in hand with the metallic bass jabs by Stjepan, concluding the album on the most insane and disturbing way imaginable.
As aforementioned, Patologija Poniznosti, which can be enjoyed in its entirety on Spotify, is by far Muka’s heaviest and most detailed release to date, pointing to an even brighter future ahead of those Croatian metallers. Hence, don’t forget to give them a shout on Facebook, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their cryptic creations, and to grab your copy of their new EP from their BandCamp page, from the No Profit Recordings’ BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon. You don’t need to speak or understand Croatian to capture the message and vibe of the music by Muka, which just proves how sharp and piercing their sound can be. Simply hit play and immerse yourself in a world of despair, inner struggles and pain, courtesy of five talented musicians who definitely know how to turn all of those negative and somber feelings into first-class extreme music.
Best moments of the album: Idolomantis Diabolica and U Zabludi.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Independent
Track listing 1. Idolomantis Diabolica 6:00
2. Unatoč Svemu 5:30
3. Čezneš 5:02
4. U Zabludi 3:39
5. Ljudi 5:33
Band members Ivan Borčić – vocals
Edin Karabašić – guitar
Goran Tatalović – guitar
Stjepan Dianić – bass
Marin Lelas – drums
These vicious Polish troopers are ready to spread the flames of war and conflict in a death and doom inferno armed with their brutal debut opus.
Founded in 2016 in Warsaw, Poland with the sole purpose of waging war, a five-men Death Metal squad known as Chainsword is ready to spread the flames of conflict in a death and doom inferno armed with their debut opus, entitled Blightmarch, living up to the legacy of renowned acts the likes of Unleashed, Bolt Thrower and Benediction, among several other Death Metal giants. Mixed, mastered and reamped by Haldor Grunberg at Satanic Audio, and displaying an old school, warlike artwork by Argentinian draftsman and painter Wilson Germán Arrieta, Blightmarch will invite you to head into the battlefield alongside vocalist Herr Brummbär, guitarists Sarin Spreizer and Herr Hornad, bassist Wutender Ente and drummer Herr Feldgrau, turning into ten first-class Death Metal tunes all the darkness, hatred and violence of war.
And those troopers are ready to pulverize us all with their heavy artillery in the opening tune Ost Front 1943 – Stalingrad, where Herr Brummbär vociferates like a demonic entity while Herr Feldgrau blasts his drums in great Death Metal fashion, kicking off the album on an infernal note; whereas in Spinehammer the band’s guitarists Sarin Spreizer and Herr Hornad fire unrelenting Thrash and Death Metal riffs for our total delight, resulting in a fulminating tune perfect for slamming into the pit (not to mention Herr Brummbär sounds even more demented on vocals), followed by Horus, the Chosen Son, where we’re treated to austere words barked by Herr Brummbär (“The foundation of terror / The shadow of torment / When hate consumes / the souls of man / It now is my mission / My final conquest / The right hand of chaos / That I become”) accompanied by the thunderous kitchen by Wutender Ente and Herr Feldgrau. More of the sick riffage by Sarin Spreizer and Herr Hornad permeates the air in the obscure Death Metal hymn Ost Front 1942: Moskau, with the rhythmic beats by Herr Feldgrau inviting us all to crack our necks headbanging like maniacs, and another Stygian wall of sounds smashes our senses in the vile Dead Hand Call, where Chainsword’s guitar duo not only keeps delivering sheer violence through their riffs, but also through their sick solos.
Bringing elements from Thrash and Groove Metal to their core malevolence, Chainsword will destroy anyone who crosses their path in Exterminatus, a lesson in Death Metal showcasing a brutal drumming by Herr Feldgrau amidst tons of groove and harmony blasted by the band’s stringed trio, and there’s no time to breathe as they continue their ode to violence and war in Daemonculaba, a true headbanger where Herr Brummbär roars and growls manically, always supported by the visceral riffs and bass jabs by his bandmates. Then featuring guest guitarist Cheesy Dude (aka Piotr Sadza of Belzebong and Weedpecker) and guest vocalist Nun (aka Lech Kowal of Sun No More), the title-track Blightmarch is as vile and demonic as its predecessors, keeping the album at a high level of animosity, whereas their war-like Death Metal keeps crushing our skulls in Dreadquake Mortar, sounding heavier-than-hell and demented from start to finish, with Herr Brummbär stealing the spotlight with his grim guttural lines. Lastly, we face 06.08 9:15, with the name of the song representing the date and time when the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, August 6, 1945 at 9:15am. Musically speaking, it’s another old school, vicious Death Metal onrush to end the album in the heaviest and darkest way possible.
In case you’re curious to know how Chainsword’s hybrid of Death Metal and war sounds in Blightmarch, you can stream the album in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true Death Metal soldier you should definitely purchase the album from Chainsword’s BandCamp page, from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore, or from Apple Music. Also, in order to properly enlist in their army of extreme music, simply follow them on Facebook and on Instagram for more of their music, news, tour dates and everything else surrounding Chainsword in the battlefield. Having said that, what are you waiting for to put your dirty hands on such pulverizing album of Death Metal made in Poland? Let’s all join the attack!
Best moments of the album: Spinehammer, Exterminatus and Daemonculaba.
Worst moments of the album:Horus, the Chosen Son.
Released in 2021 Godz ov War Productions
Track listing 1. Ost Front 1943 – Stalingrad 4:03
2. Spinehammer 3:30
3. Horus, the Chosen Son 4:24
4. Ost Front 1942: Moskau 4:19
5. Dead Hand Call 3:37
6. Exterminatus 4:56
7. Daemonculaba 4:31
8. Blightmarch 3:42
9. Dreadquake Mortar 3:51
10. 06.08 9:15 5:15
Band members Herr Brummbär – vocals
Sarin Spreizer – guitar
Herr Hornad – guitar
Wutender Ente – bass
Herr Feldgrau – drums, vocals
Guest musicians Cheesy Dude – guitars on “Blightmarch”
Nun – additional vocals on “Blightmarch”
Get ready to rock to the debut album by four young musicians hailing from the UK, offering us all ten electrifying songs dealing with the struggles of growing up in the digital age of expression.
Formed early in 2016 by Alex Mancini, then aged 15 as lead singer, and four friends from the Music and Performing Arts Service in Salford, a large English town directly west of Manchester city center, Bolton-based Hard Rock outfit Unknown Refuge offers an accomplished, mature sound and performance that will set your fillings on edge despite the young ages of its members, those being the aforementioned Alex Mancini on vocals and bass, Jack Tracey and Harry Skinner on the guitars, and Morgan Deveney on drums. Now in 2021 it’s time for such promising act to unleash upon us their debut album, entitled From The Darkness, a 10-track electrifying opus showcasing forward-thinking from those young rockers and demonstrating laser-sharp musicianship accompanied by thoughtful songwriting, telling the evolution of a songwriter’s life growing up as a teenager, the personal interests during those years as well as capturing some of the struggles faced while growing up in the digital age of expression.
The cinematic, obscure intro From The Darkness sets the stage for the quartet to kick some ass in To The Light, where Jack already fires a sick guitar solo as his welcome card, accompanied by the classic vocals by Alex and the rhythmic beats by Morgan, blending the most incendiary elements form Hard Rock, Rock N’ Roll and old school Heavy Metal. Then with Alex’s menacing bass and Morgan’s heavy beats generating a thunderous ambience, the band fires the old school feast titled Kicked To The Floor, highly recommended for fans of the modern rock and metal music crafted by Alter Bridge; and it’s time for the boys to put the pedal to the metal and blast a Motörhead-fueled rockin’ tune titled Battle Hymn, showcasing slashing riffs by Jack and Harry while Alex leads his crew with his straightforward vocals and thunderous bass punches. And Shadows is another great composition by Unknown Refuge, bringing elements from the music by Volbeat and Godsmack to their core Hard Rock, with Morgan pounding his drums mercilessly nonstop.
Presenting hints of 80’s Heavy and Progressive Metal, which only proves how versatile the band is, Palace Walls is slightly darker than its predecessors, with Jack and Harry showcasing another awesome job on the guitars, not to mention how smoothly Alex’s vocals flow from start to finish, whereas razor-edged riffs ignite the also fun and vibrant Wall Of Lies, once again blending the past and present of rock music and with its thrilling pace being led by the rhythmic drumming by Morgan. Following such entertaining song, we face another round of their kick-ass modern-day Hard Rock in If The Gods Be Good, with Alex being supported by the band’s classic backing vocals, therefore being perfect for hitting the road or raising your horns on the dance floor. And speeding things up a bit, the quartet fires the Godsmack-inspired extravaganza I’m Not A Bad Guy, offering a hybrid of Alternative Rock and Metal with old school thrash the likes of Metallica, also with Jack and Harry being on absolute fire from start to finish. And last but not least, old school, epic riffs kick off the closing tune titled Journey, with its headbanging rhythm and dense atmosphere being exactly what Alex needs to declaim the song’s pensive words, putting a climatic ending to such powerful album of Rock N’ Roll.
It’s quite easy to join the boys from Unknown Refuge in their quest for Rock N’ Roll. All you need to do is follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and above all that, grab your copy of From The Darkness from their own BandCamp page or Big Cartel (where by the way you’ll find an amazing bundle containing a CD, a charcoal grey Unknown Refuge shirt and four beer mats), or from Apple Music. Growing up as a teenager anywhere in the world nowadays is a true pain in the ass, but there’s nothing better than our good old Rock N’ Roll to guide us through such difficult times, just like what Unknown Refuge did in their debut album. That being said, how about hitting the dance floor to the high-octane music found in From The Darkness? It doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager or a grown-up, that will definitely make your day a lot better.
Best moments of the album: To The Light, Battle Hymn and I’m Not A Bad Guy.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Independent
Track listing 1. From The Darkness 1:09
2. To The Light 5:09
3. Kicked To The Floor 4:56
4. Battle Hymn 5:04
5. Shadows 3:32
6. Palace Walls 4:46
7. Wall Of Lies 3:23
8. If The Gods Be Good 3:14
9. I’m Not A Bad Guy 3:10
10. Journey 5:16
Band members Alex Mancini – vocals, bass
Jack Tracey – lead guitar
Harry Skinner – rhythm guitar
Morgan Deveney – drums
The unstoppable “Balfour Brothers” are back in action with another explosion of old school, electrifying Hard Rock and Heavy Metal from their ethereal new album.
After three years in the making, including delays in the recording process due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ethereality, the brand new album by Belfast, Northern Ireland-based Hard Rock group Maverick is ready to see the light of day, bringing to our avid ears all of the trademark elements that helped the “Balfour Brothers” David (vocals) and Ryan (guitars) to conquer the hearts of admirers of old school rock and metal music from all over the world. Combining the catchy, hookline oriented songwriting from their 2016 album Big Red with the heaviness of their 2018 opus Cold Star Dancer, and featuring a beautiful artwork by Ukrainian artist Cardaan, Maverick is indeed an ethereal album of Rock N’ Roll, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, resulting in the strongest effort to date by David and Ryan together with their bandmates Ric Cardwell on the guitars, Richie Diver on bass, and newcomer Jason-Steve Mageney on drums.
Falling already kicks off in full force to the piercing vocals by David in a stunning display of classic Hard Rock by Maverick, reminding me of the golden years of Skid Row, Def Lepard and all of our 80’s Hair Metal heroes; and Ryan and Ric keep slashing their strings in great fashion in Thirst, another very melodic and electrifying tune with Jason kicking some ass with his old school beats, being perfect for any Rock N’ Roll party from all around the world. Never is a thrilling song for hitting the road with your loved ones, showcasing the always soaring voice by David supported by his bandmates spot-on backing vocals, while Richie and Jason are in total sync with their respective bass jabs and stylish beats, whereas in Switchblade Sister we’re treated to old school Glam Metal lyrics (“I know / I’m never number one when you need someone to hold you / But I’ll do just fine / Can’t help / But laugh when I hear your excuses / Can only think of me as a list of uses”) boosted by a vibrant sound crafted by all band members. And piercing guitars ignite the Melodic Rock tune Bells Of Stygian, keeping the album at a high level of adrenaline while Jason continues to pound his drums nonstop.
It’s time for more of their 80’s-fueled hybrid of Rock N’ Roll and Heavy Metal in the form of Angels 6, where the entire band kicks some ass with their sharp instruments, with David and Ryan stealing the spotlight with their top-of-the-line vocals and crisp riffs and solos, respectively, whereas classic guitars permeate the air in The Last One, a well-crafted semi-ballad that can be played on any radio station worldwide, despite not being as exciting or detailed as the rest of the album. Then in Dying Star the band gets back to a more rockin’ sound, overflowing electricity with the band’s stringed trio providing David all he needs to shine on vocals once again, including a sick guitar solo, while in Light Behind Your Eyes, another ode to traditional Hard Rock and Heavy Metal by Maverick, Jason’s intricate and rhythmic beats dictate the song’s pace while Richie brings thunder to the music armed with his metallic bass. And lastly, the quintet blasts one final round of their undisputed Hard Rock in Ares, with David’s vocals sounding truly inspirational while the band’s riffs and beats keep the atmosphere as vibrant and harmonious as it can be.
When the band itself mentioned Ethereality is their strongest effort to date, well, they were not kidding at all. This is one of those precious gems of the underground that deserves our full attention and admiration, playing it on an endless loop in the name of our good old Rock N’ Roll. Hence, if you want to know more about Maverick, their music, tour dates and plans for the future, I highly recommend you start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their Youtube channel, stream more of their awesome music on Spotify, and of course buy a copy of Ethereality from their own BandCamp page or Big Cartel, or from the Metalapolis Records’ webstore in regular CD format or as a very special black vinyl + CD bundle. The album title says it all as the word “ethereal” means “extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world”, with my only adjustment to that would be on the “delicate and light” side, because what Maverick did in their new album is beyond heavy and electrifying, exactly what we all crave in old school rock and metal music.
Best moments of the album: Falling, Switchblade Sister and Angels 6.
Worst moments of the album:The Last One.
Released in 2021 Metalapolis Records
Track listing 1. Falling 4:07
2. Thirst 3:49
3. Never 3:55
4. Switchblade Sister 3:53
5. Bells Of Stygian 3:57
6. Angels 6 3:44
7. The Last One 3:55
8. Dying Star 3:48
9. Light Behind Your Eyes 4:00
10. Ares 4:28
Band members David Balfour – vocals
Ryan Balfour – guitar
Ric Cardwell – guitar
Richie Diver – bass
Jason-Steve Mageney – drums
A cult band in the Stoner and Doom Metal scene, Paraná, Argentina’s own Sahara released two celebrated studio full-length albums as well as a live album and a split with Mephistofeles before involuntarily disbanding in 2019. However, with the help of Mephistofeles members Gabriel Ravera on bass and Ivan Sacharczuk on drums, Sahara’s founder, vocalist and guitarist Martin Ludi decided to continue with the band, firing on all cylinders now in 2021 with a brand new four-track EP fittingly titled The Curse, the result of what Sahara have become and a hint of what the future holds for the band. Recorded at Evil Fidelity Studios on tape by John Follador and mixed by Dangerous, The curse offers fans of the genre a rusty-cage raw, drugged-out and dark fusion of Stoner, Sludge and Doom Metal that sounds at he same time punkish and impossibly catchy, proving the band’s comeback is not a curse, but in fact a blessing to the South American underground.
Like a violent phoenix arising from the ashes, Sahara are back in action stronger than ever with their newborn spawn The Curse, reclaiming their throne as the kings of doom in the Argentinian scene and, of course, aiming at spreading their damned wings and reaching new heights in the world of heavy music. Having said that, don’t forget to start following Martin and his henchmen on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates (if we’ll ever have those again, of course), more of their music and other nice-to-know info about the band, and above all that, to grab your copy of The Curse from the Regain Records’ BandCamp page or from the Shadow Records’ webstore, showing everyone you’re a true servant of doom and, therefore, allowing Sahara’s Stygian curse to haunt your soul for all eternity.
Formed in 2015 in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta, from the ashes of a previous project named Fiction of Fate with the desire to fuse a metal sound with clean technical vocal stylings in a way that is both beautiful and beastly, Modern Metal outfit 
When Jess and the boys from Juliet Ruin said their new EP Dark Water would bring forward an edgier and angrier side of the band, they were not kidding at all. This talented Canadian quintet made sure the EP title was not chosen in vein, investing in a much darker sound and pointing to a bright future ahead of them. Hence, if you want to know more about such up-and-coming crew hailing from Canada, go check what they’re up to on 
Formed during the first pandemic lockdown, Canadian Sludge Metal project 
I’ve already seen countless bands and artists releasing awesome material during this never-ending pandemic, but I must admit what the guys from Grale did together is beyond impressive taking into account they never even met in person to create their songs, rehearse or record them. If you’re curious to know how four guys from four different locations sound together in this virtual world we’ve been living in, simply go check the full EP on 
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 