Tag Archives: heavy metal

Album Review – Jupiter Hollow / Odyssey EP (2017)

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A young Canadian duo ready to bring fans of complex music a spacey, experimental and refreshing experience with their excellent debut EP, bursting with high-quality heaviness and progressiveness.

Rating4

ep-cover-odyssey-jupiter-hollowWhen two very young and promising Canadian musicians unite in the name of Heavy Metal and Rock N’ Roll, focusing all their developing talent and crescent passion for heavy music into their compositions, the result is always interesting to say the least. That’s the case with Progressive Rock/Metal duo Jupiter Hollow who, since their inception in the summer of 2015 in the city of Barrie, in the province of Ontario, Canada, are ready to bring fans of complex music a spacey, experimental and refreshing experience, reminding listeners of bands like Tool, Pink Floyd, A Perfect Circle and Rush. And if you enjoy that fusion of heaviness and progressiveness, you definitely should take a shot at their excellent debut EP, entitled Odyssey.

Jupiter Hollow are Grant MacKenzie (21), who plays guitar, bass and synth for the band and started his music career over 8 years ago at the age of 12, sitting in his basement watching the 2009 movie Rock Prophecies, and Kenny Parry (18), who started in music at the young age of 2, setting up pots and pans like a drum set and banging away. Now as Jupiter Hollow the two musicians use technology to their advantage, allowing them to perform with a dominating stage presence while captivated their audiences with their unique sonic journey, consequently catching the attention of the music industry in Toronto. The band then plans on releasing a full-length album titled AHDOMN, giving a short and sweet taste of what they’re capable of delivering in their debut EP, which I’m sure will please your ears avid for high-quality heavy music.

In the first of the five tracks of the EP, named Deep In Space, classic Rock N’ Roll lines are blended with modern Progressive Metal, with Kenny sounding a lot like the iconic Geddy Lee in his prime time (all fans of Rush need to listen to this awesome tune). This song has a beautiful melody with an impactful instrumental, especially the bass lines by Grant and the complex drumming by Kenny. Psychedelic and atmospheric, Ascending is a smooth and passionate ballad that will touch your soul before Hades Heart brings more of the band progressiveness in the form of a classic Rock N’ Roll power ballad. This dynamic Canadian duo knows how to add poetry to their music (“Piece by piece we sit in the sand / On separate beaches / Staring at the same star we fell in love beneath / Travelled once around in each other’s touch / Once alive on an honest trip / My psyche lies and kills your grip / Just give me gas and I’ll light it up”), with a soulful guitar solo by Grant inserted in the music to add more electricity to such inspiring composition.

grant-_-kenny-sandra-beattyOver 50 Years is where they let their Dream Theater vein take the lead, blasting more metallic and thunderous lines through their guitar and bass, again with those eccentric lyrics we always expect in progressive music (“It’s been too long / Since anyone’s tasted sweet sugar on that beach / With everyone facing death / Sinfully stricken poison pet / You say: “These are our people you prick” / These are our fucking people”, I don’t care. / I can’t be associated with you”). The heavier and more intricate riffs by Grant set the stage for Kenny to fire some harsher vocals, turning this into the most exciting composition of the EP in my humble opinion. And the title-track Odyssey, the fifth and final act of this solid album, provides the listener a futuristic voyage through the realms of Progressive Rock and Metal, with the clean vocals by Kenny emanating strong emotions in a James LaBrie-style, while Grant does an amazing job with his minimalist but powerful guitar and bass until the song’s eerie ending.

For every Justin Bieber that’s born in our home and native land Canada, heavy music fights back with a Kenny Parry and a Grant MacKenzie, keeping a necessary balance in our multicultural ecosystem. With that said, if you want to avoid any disruptions in our beautiful Canadian environment, I suggest you go support Jupiter Hollow through their official Facebook page, listen to their fine music and more at their YouTube channel (where you can also stream the full EP), and obviously purchase Odyssey through their official website or BandCamp, on iTunes or on Amazon. If these two young musicians can deliver such excellence in music at a very young stage of their careers, imagine what they will be able to provide with the proper support from fans like you in the coming years?

Best moments of the album: Deep In Space and Over 50 Years.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 Independent

Track listing
1. Deep In Space 5:06
2. Ascending 2:52
3. Hades Heart 4:30
4. Over 50 Years 5:05
5. Odyssey 5:50

Band members
Kenny Parry – vocals, drums, synth/keys
Grant MacKenzie – guitar, bass, synth

Metal Chick of the Month – Sasha Zagorc

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Heavy metal lives in me!

If one day you have the pleasure of visiting the stunning country of Slovenia (in case you haven’t done so already), you’ll be able to admire several distinguished attractions such as the unique Postojna Cave, the awe-inspiring Lake Bled and the Bled Castle, the Škocjan Caves and, in case you have just one single day in the capital Ljubljana, you can have a relaxing walk through the city’s charming streets and savor the exquisite tastes offered by all of its fancy restaurants. Hence, as a tribute to this wonderful country, to its culture and its people, there’s nothing better than kicking off another year at The Headbanging Moose than with the gorgeous and “louder than hell” Slovenian bassist Sasha Zagorc (or Saša Zagorc in proper Slovene), the songwriter, manager and leader of Slovenia’s own all-female Heavy Metal band Hellcats.

Born on July 22, 1986 in the city of Ljubljana, Sasha started playing classical guitar at a very early age in music school together with her sister Sonja Zagorc, the drummer for Hellcats, who at that time was studying flute. When they finished music school, Sasha switched from classical guitar to bass guitar (also playing in a few local bands) and her sister from flute to drums (quite a change in terms of noise and impact), and then they decided to form their own all-female band. Well, I guess you know what happened next, and that’s where our tribute to this blonde bombshell will be focused on through the next few lines. Are you ready to rumble to the sound of the Heavy Metal by our headbanging diva Sasha and her kick-ass bandmates?

Apart from Sasha on bass guitar and backing vocals, and her sister Sonja on drums, the first all-female metal band from Slovenia is also formed by Katja Mavec on guitars and Dasha Makuc on vocals. The name of the band, which combines femininity with a strong Heavy Metal attitude, was suggested by a friend of Sasha who’s also a musician and an airplane aficionado. He named the band after the Grumman F6F Hellcat, a carrier-based fighter aircraft. Formed in their hometown Ljubljana in 2003, it wasn’t easy for the Hellcats to find many female musicians due to the small size of the Slovenian music scene, a country of only 2 million habitants. However, due to Slovenia’s high level of development, even metal music (a genre usually relegated to the underground as opposed to pop and folk music) has its space in the country’s rich culture, with MetalDays (formerly known as Metalcamp), a huge festival held annually in the city of Tolmin, being the driving force of Heavy Metal in Slovenian soil.

Despite being on the road for over 10 years, Sasha and the Hellcats have only recorded two albums so far, the first being their self-titled EP Hellcats, in 2011, followed by the full-length album Divja Pot (named Warrior Princess in the English version) in 2013. That doesn’t mean they don’t have enough material already for a powerful live concert, which seems to be the thing they love the most in life. The band has already performed in several festivals such as Metalcamp in Slovenia, Viva la Pola festival in Croatia, Metal Franconia in Germany, and several TV and radio shows. For instance, in 2012 the Hellcats were invited to tour Russia, where among all the cities they played their most memorable moments were being one of the main attractions at the female bands rock festival named Zheleznye Devy (or “Iron Girls”), in the city of Kaluga, and performing at the music festival named Jelen Demofest, in Banja Luka. Hellcats achieved 4th place among more than 400 groups, becoming the highest placed foreign band ever at the festival.

If you want to see the lovely Sasha in action together with the Hellcats, there are a few official videos on YouTube in both Slovene and English, those being the Power Metal tune Steelrider (or Divja Pot in Slovene), the sexy Demons Dreams (or Sanjam Demone), the high-octane song Now Is My Time (or Prerojena), and the kick-ass hymn I Am (or Naprej). As a huge admirer of old school Heavy Metal, I personally prefer their more straightforward compositions, which emanate electricity, blood and passion. How not to get thrilled to the sound of Proud To Be Loud or Hellcats, or even better, to their first ever single and best song to date, the awe-inspiring Heavy Metal? The song’s Manowar-inspired lyrics (“Heavy metal lives in me / The hell between will set me free / Heavy metal lives in me / The ones who fake it can just leave”) are a thing of beauty. In addition, there are even a few live videos of those awesome songs online, as for example these live versions of Hellcats and Heavy Metal, recorded in 2013, and if you want to have a delicious overdose of Sasha you can take a look at this YouTube playlist, where you’ll find all official videos, some live performances, interviews, and special covers by Hellcats of icons such as Judas Priest, Doro and AC/DC.

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Perhaps the most organic and crisp performance available online by the Hellcats is their participation in a radio show called Metalmorfoza on November 15, 2014 at the Studio Hendrix for a radio station named Radio Koper. In case you do not have enough time to watch the full show, you can get a taste of the amazing rumbling bass lines by Sasha in the song Vladar Noči, live at that same program. An alternative way to enjoy the music by the Hellcats is on a program called Na Sceni, recorded on October 29, 2013 at the Slovenian channel RTV 4, but let me warn you that if you do not speak Slovene the only thing you’ll be able to understand is the music and nothing else.

Our unstoppable bass player has always been a metalhead, always wearing her own black leather clothes anywhere she goes, being highly influenced by heavy, thrash and hard rock behemoths like Pantera, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica and AC/DC, among others. Shasa mentioned in one of her interviews that she and her sister grew up listening to those bands, helping them to become who they are today. She also mentioned her biggest motivation to write music is life itself, with their compositions being filled with optimism, energy, love, passion and strength. When asked about which language she prefers singing, if English or Slovene, Sasha said they let their emotions lead them, it doesn’t matter if it’s in one language or another, all depending on which one better suits the message and feeling of the music. As an example, she cited the single Heavy Metal, sung entirely in Slovene and being a big success among metalheads all over the world.

Having a band provides our blonde metaller some well-deserved relaxation, and she loves going on tour with her best friends. Sasha said it’s not hard for them to keep the band going forward, as they love what they do. That’s the main reason why during the auditions for the missing band members when the band started, she and Sonja were not only trying to find the right musicians, but they were also looking for good personalities to get along with and to become friends with as well. In her own words, she thinks this is very important for female bands, because “girls like to chat more than guys”. You can take a listen at a short clip with Sasha HERE, where she talks to BBC about how challenging it is to maintain an all-girl metal band, and if you want to know more about her role in the band and how she learned to headbang, among other topics, click HERE for a 30-minute interview with Sasha and the unparalleled bassist Doris Yeh (Chthonic). For instance, did you know Sasha is a professional architect and graphic designer, as at least for now Hellcats cannot make a living out of music itself?

When asked about how she envisions her career with the Hellcats in the next five to ten years, Sasha provided an answer that, albeit a little cliché, is exactly everything we want to hear from a true Heavy Metal band anytime, anywhere. “In the next five to ten years from now we see Hellcats touring and performing on big stages and to be more and more successful every year and to have more and more fans. Our biggest wish is to tour the Europe first and then go to the USA”, said our metal diva. Let’s hope her dreams come true, and that she includes Canada on her tour when the Hellcats come to North America, or we will riot.

Sasha Zagorc’s Official Facebook page
Hellcats’ Official Facebook page
Hellcats’ Official Twitter
Hellcats’ Official Instagram

“Our music is about love, desires, passion and strength. Our songs are filled with optimism and energy. We have a lot to tell and we want people to feel good when they listen to our music.” – Sasha Zagorc

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2016

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“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” – David Bowie

The unexpected death of the most badass musician in history, Motörhead’s heart and soul Lemmy Kilmister, on December 28, 2015 was a harbinger of all the bad, shocking and revolting things that would turn the year of 2016 a true nightmare for mankind. That dark prophecy was confirmed less than two weeks later, more specifically on January 10 when we lost another true star in rock music to cancer, the unparalleled chameleon David Bowie, just two days after the release of his final masterpiece Blackstar. If that was not enough to make 2016 a miserable year, we also had to endure the passing of other icons who, despite not being metal, have always inspired countless bands and artists in heavy music. We lost Prince, Leonard Cohen and Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), to name a few, all irreplaceable losses to music in general. In addition, important names in the history of Heavy Metal also left us in 2016, such as Nick Menza (Megadeth) and Jimmy Bain (Rainbow, Dio), not to mention the disbandment of amazing groups like Eths (who are by the way part of our top 10 this year), Crucified Barbara and Bolt Thrower. And I’m not even going to talk about all other types of disasters and tragedies that happened all over the world, as the list is too macabre and grievous to be remembered in full.

Fortunately, 2016 was considerably generous for us headbangers in terms of the quantity and quality of albums released throughout the entire year, especially for diehard fans of old school Thrash Metal. Except for Slayer and Exodus, all other prominent names in Thrash Metal blasted the world with their high-speed, thrilling music, led by another superb album by Testament. Even Metallica released a decent album this year, just to give you an idea of how fruitful 2016 was for this rebellious type of music. Having said that, it’s time for The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2016, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums. And even if 2017 is as hideous as 2016, let’s never forget the wise words by Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Ted “Theodore” Logan. Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!

testament_brotherhood-of-the-snake1. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake (REVIEW)
Join the Brotherhood of Thrash Metal spearheaded by one of the heaviest, most technical and most electrifying bands on the entire planet.
Best song of the album: The Number Game

cover2. Charred Walls Of The Damned – Creatures Watching Over the Dead (REVIEW)
A magnificent lecture in Heavy Metal by four electrified beasts.
Best song of the album: As I Catch My Breath

Cover3. Eths – Ankaa (REVIEW)
One of the most prominent and innovative French bands of all time returns with a true masterpiece of complexity, darkness and heaviness.
Best song of the album: Nefas

cover4. Primal Fear – Rulebreaker (REVIEW)
Who said rules must be broken for a metallic eagle to spread its wings and soar high in the skies of heavy music?
Best song of the album: Rulebreaker

megadeth_dystopia5. Megadeth – Dystopia (REVIEW)
And the dystopian world portrayed in the brand new album by the iconic Dave Mustaine and his Thrash Metal army is beyond awesome.
Best song of the album: Lying In State

abbathsoloface_6386. Abbath – Abbath (REVIEW)
The one and only Abbath takes a new step in his career with a brand new band an album.
Best song of the album: Fenrir Hunts

death angel_the evil divide7. Death Angel – The Evil Divide (REVIEW)
Fast and furious anthems, dark mid-tempo songs, austere lyrics and endless stamina. This is how Thrash Metal should always be done.
Best song of the album: Hell To Pay

anthrax_for all kings8. Anthrax – For All Kings (REVIEW)
A classy and electrifying Thrash Metal album especially crafted for all of us, the real kings of heavy music.
Best song of the album: Breathing Lightning

front9. Axel Rudi Pell – Game of Sins (REVIEW)
You might be a sinner, but don’t be a fool and go relish another magnificent album by Mr. Axel Rudi Pell and his loyal henchmen.
Best song of the album: Falling Star

nervosa-agony-201610. Nervosa – Agony (REVIEW)
Brazil’s meanest power trio returns with another marvelous blast of their kick-ass high-octane Thrash Metal.
Best song of the album: Theory of Conspiracy

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Blaze Bayley – Infinite Entanglement (REVIEW)
12. The Silent Rage – The Deadliest Scourge (REVIEW)
13. Neverworld – Dremasnatcher (REVIEW)
14. Ancesttral – Web Of Lies (REVIEW)
15. Front – Iron Overkill (REVIEW)
16. Dö – Tuho (REVIEW)
17. Be Under Arms – Doomed To Life (REVIEW)
18. SystemHouse33 – Regression (REVIEW)
19. Gojira – Magma (REVIEW)
20. False Coda – Secrets and Sins (REVIEW)

As in Heavy Metal the artwork is just as important as the music itself, like what always happens with bands such as Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, KISS and tons of other metallic titans, we decided to list the Top 10 Cover Artworks of 2016. There are several reasons for an album art to be considered outstanding, such as its strong connection with the music like Iron Maiden’s Powerslave, its visual impact (usually associated with its controversial content) like Slayer’s God Hates Us All, or its perfect minimalism and finesse like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. Do you agree with our list?

1. Anthrax – For All Kings [by Alex Ross]
2. Primeval Mass – To Empyrean Thrones [by Karmazid]
3. Witches Of Doom – Deadlights [by Carlo Muselli]
4. Ragehammer – The Hammer Doctrine [by Robert A. von Ritter]
5. Howls Of Ebb – Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows [by Agostino Arrivabene]
6. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake [by Eliran Kantor]
7. Henriette B – Tales of Reality (EP) [by Pierre-Alain D.]
8. Skáphe – Skáphe² [by H.V. Lyngdal]
9. Diabolizer – Apokalypse (MCD) [by Robert A. von Ritter]
10. Hostis – Hostis [by Zvonimir Grabić & Milena Nićić]

Rest assured in 2017 we at The Headbanging Moose will keep providing you the best of the underworld of Death, Thrash, Black, Symphonic, Epic, Power Metal and all other genres and subgenres of heavy music, as well as our view of the biggest names worldwide. There are already brand new albums confirmed for 2017 by Kreator, Sepultura, Grave Digger, Battle Beast and more, which means at least musically the new year promises to be really good. Thank you very much for your precious time, and keep on rockin’! Au revoir!

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2017!

Well, before we go, here’s a special gift from Iron Maiden to all metalheads all over the world… A nice festive yule log fireplace to keep our hearts warm during the entire season!

Album Review – +MROME+ / Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell (2016)

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If you’re eagerly looking for truly independent music in the world of Heavy Metal, this idiosyncratic Polish project will satisfy your craving with their fresh and unorthodox experimentations.

Rating5

mrome_ncotrohThe last review of the year is the epitome of independent metal, something we at The Headbanging Moose truly love to support, being absolutely raw, anti-mainstream, not interested in promoting band members and not interested in touring at all. Founded in the now far, far away year of 1995 by a group of teenage friends in the city of Andrychów, located in Southern Poland,  Death/Black Metal project +MROME+ was reborn in 2009 after almost a decade of silence, finally releasing as a duo now in 2016 the idiosyncratic album Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell.

+MROME+ produce their music in their own primitive studio in complete isolation from the local scene, with their only principle being that every new recording is a new start for the band, a new stage, keeping things as different and interesting as possible, and they do that by not labeling their music nor sticking to a predetermined formula. If you take a listen at their collection of demos from 1997 to 1999 baptized as The Basement Sophisma, you’ll see how versatile +MROME+ are, ranging from devilish extreme music to unique cover version for non-metal classics such as Faith No More’s “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, and in Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell the band continues with their heavy experimentations, always pushing their creative boundaries further and further.

When the opening track Colors begins, you’ll be facing a crossover of Death, Sludge and Progressive Metal, with its bass lines rumbling in your face, while Key V transpires aggressiveness through his harsh vocals and P provides the right amount of heaviness and intricacy behind his drums. Then +MROME+ turn up the heat and blast a dark and vile Death Metal composition titled Crush the Moon, sounding amazingly underground and powerful. It has an old school punch thanks to its catchy chorus and melodious, angry guitars, being in my opinion one of the best songs of the whole album. And in Migration Cult we have a great fusion of Death Metal and Rock N’ Roll, with its flammable Thrash Metal riffs complementing Key V’s deranged representation of the song’s wicked lyrics (“Marching far south from Eden / There is still something what push us on / Missing primal fixations / Will we abandon the code / The Holy Fuck”).

How the Gods Kill is an awesome tribute to one of the most eccentric musicians of all time, the one and only Danzig, keeping up with the obscurity of the original version with the low-tuned and menacing sound of bass guitar paving the path for an explosion of evil Heavy Metal. Following that superb cover song, Trust brings forward more of the band’s uproarious Death Metal with Key V and P delivering straightforward heavy music to our ears in a compelling way, whereas Generation Anthem is heavy and distorted music from the pits of Hell. Furthermore, the duo seems to love those menacing mid-tempo songs, firing blazing riffs and fierce beats nonstop. But just when you think the band is going to stick to some sort of formula they fire Piss & Laugh, showcasing a somber rhythm inspired by Dark Metal with the Blackened Doom guitars and the deep gnarls by Key V enhancing its damned atmosphere. At this point of the album, you’ll realize that calling +MROME+ just as Death or Black Metal is an understatement of their musical range and capabilities.

mromeOnce again bursting poetry and madness through the lyrics (“Monstrous iron worms / Feeding on fire / And flash / Choke the ground / March against the dawn / East from nest of crow / Days of hunger / Lions hunt”), Locust Follows Word presents a berserk intro followed by more thunderous bass lines and a grumpy attitude, with all additional elements in the background helping in strengthening the musicality considerably. The second to last blast of underground metal by this interesting project, titled Magister Figurae Morte, will kick you in the face with its pounding drums and energetic riffs in this solid display of ruthless metal from darkness, before The Arsonist closes the album majestically, with Key V impersonating the arsonist himself by setting fire to the musicality with his growls and riffs. In addition, P accelerates his beats to a traditional Black Metal style, generating a high-end feast of hellish music with a climatic ending.

+MROME+ do not have a Facebook page, a Twitter account or any other type of social media. As previously mentioned, it’s all about their music and the concept behind it, which means all things +MROME+ are summarized to their BandCamp page in the form of heavy music, with Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell being their newest sonic experiment, but not their ultimate one at all. Fans of truly underground metal will hear more about +MROME+ in a not-so-distant future for sure, as they’re already recording Roi-de-Rats, their next full-length opus. Well, I’m already eager to see what Key V, P and the band’s original bassist (who has just rejoined the project after all these years) will offer from their arsenal of extreme and primeval music.

Best moments of the album: Crush the Moon, How the Gods Kill and The Arsonist.

Worst moments of the album: Generation Anthem.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Colors 4:03
2. Crush the Moon 4:33
3. Migration Cult 3:31
4. How the Gods Kill (Danzig cover) 5:46
5. Trust 4:09
6. Generation Anthem 3:45
7. Piss & Laugh 4:24
8. Locust Follows Word 3:48
9. Magister Figurae Morte 4:32
10. The Arsonist 6:18

Band members
Key V – vocals, guitars
P – drums

Album Review – Rage / The Devil Strikes Again (2016)

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One of the biggest exponents of the German Power Metal scene strikes again with more of their enraged and metallic music.

Rating4

rage_the-devil-strikes-againFormed in 1984 by the iconic Peter “Peavy” Wagner, German Power Metal institution Rage are not even close to call it quits after over 30 years alive and kicking based on the energy flowing from their brand new album, titled The Devil Strikes Again, the 22nd studio installment in their monstrous career and another excellent sample of how exciting German Metal has always been despite all the changes in the world of music we’ve been witnessing. It might not be the best album of their career, but it still has that amazing vibe and punch that elevated Rage to the status of Power Metal icons in their homeland Germany as well as worldwide alongside bands such as Grave Digger, Running Wild and Blind Guardian.

The artwork by German artist Karim König is already a good indication of what you’ll find in The Devil Strikes Again: raw, honest and furious Rage-style Power Metal, with no shenanigans or any other “artificial ingredients”. In addition, although this is the first album to feature the power trio formed by Peavy on bass and vocals, Venezuelan musician Marcos Rodríguez on guitars (who by the way met Peavy on Rage’s 30th anniversary tour, when his own band Soundchaser were the support band for part of the tour) and Greek sledgehammer Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums , that doesn’t mean their instruments are disconnected at all. Quite the contrary, spearheaded by Peavy, The Devil Strikes Again gives the sensation they’ve been together for decades due to its cohesiveness and overall quality.

Kicking off this heavy album we have the title-track The Devil Strikes Again,  an enraged storm of Power Metal made in Germany, fast and berserk just the way we love, where Lucky starts blasting his drums before Peavy comes firing his unmistakable raspy screams. Well, with that devilish name I couldn’t expect anything less badass than this. My Way is another classic Rage tune with the grim guitar riffs by Marcos giving a touch of modernity to it, boosted by its addictive chorus flawlessly sung by Peavy, who also rumbles his bass like no one else; whereas Back on Track sounds taken from an old Rage album, being recommended for admirers of  old school German Power Metal due to its very traditional fast-paced rhythm, not to mention its melodic vocal lines that prove Peavy is just getting better with age.

The Final Curtain is slightly generic compared to the previous tracks but still a good listen, with the metallic guitar sound by Marcos (including his nice solos) being the main ingredient of the song, followed by War, one of the most thrilling of all songs of the album. Overflowing Heavy Metal and adrenaline, this sensational tune presents a brutal intro followed by a sinister break, with Peavy grasping the song’s acid lyrics powerfully (“In the eyes of the big global players everything’s alright, / It’s their god-given right to abuse us, / So thank you and good night. / In the world’s biggest money machine / They’re delivering the fuel. / Let there be some collateral damage, / That’s their pervert rule, / Yes, that’s their perfect rule.”).

rage-2016In Ocean Full of Tears we’re treated to a thunderous hymn for hitting the road that epitomizes the contemporary sonority by Rage, with Peavy and Marcos delivering sheer metal through their strings, in special the soulful solos by Marcos. They don’t lose a single second and continue their Power Metal extravaganza in Deaf, Dumb and Blind, which follows a similar structure as the previous tune (meaning more high-end metal for us fans). Besides, if you’re a guitar player no matter your style, you’ll simply love the job done by Marcos on this song. And living up to the legacy of the sharper and more visceral German Metal created by Rage and their countrymen Grave Digger and Running Wild, Spirits of the Night brings forward cutting riffs and an old school chorus, with Peavy’s vocals being effectively supported by the song’s potent backing vocals.

The obscure Times of Darkness offers the listener tons of heaviness, but it gets a bit repetitive as time goes by, falling flat after a while even with the potent Doom Metal beats provided by Lucky. On the other hand, the almost 6-minute song The Dark Side of the Sun is by far the most progressive and complex of all tracks, with its blackened lyrics (“In my nightmares, when I die, / I just see my long forgotten, breaking eyes. / I’m afraid I lived a lie, / My life’s challenges, I never did reply. / All so many doors I haven’t tried, / All those wasted chances, ’cause I was afraid. / All the people that I never reached a hand, / ‘Til it was too late, I’m on my final stand.”) matching perfectly with the aggressive musicality crafted by Peavy and his crew. And in case you purchase the Digibook Edition of the album, you’ll get an awesome bonus CD containing three brand new B-sides and three fantastic covers for classics by Skid Row, Rush and Y&T, with Slave to the Grind being the most gripping of them. It might not be as perfect as their versions for “The Trooper” and “Jawbreaker”, but it’s truly electrifying, with Peavy’s vocals fitting the music perfectly.

In summary, the unstoppable Rage, one of the biggest exponents of the German Power Metal scene (although we can say that today they’re only one third German, right?), strike again with more of their infuriated metal for our total delight, pointing to a bright future with this new band lineup without a shadow of a doubt. You can enjoy The Devil Strikes Again even if you’re not a fan of traditional heavy music from Germany, which proves once again that bands like Rage and musicians like Peavy don’t just generate music, they go far beyond that threshold, breathing more adrenaline and power into our everyday lives. And that’s what real metal is all about.

Best moments of the album: The Devil Strikes Again, My Way, War and Slave to the Grind.

Worst moments of the album: The Final Curtain and Times of Darkness.

Released in 2016 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. The Devil Strikes Again 4:25
2. My Way 4:23
3. Back on Track 4:23
4. The Final Curtain 4:13
5. War 4:24
6. Ocean Full of Tears 4:04
7. Deaf, Dumb and Blind 4:18
8. Spirits of the Night 4:52
9. Times of Darkness 5:21
10. The Dark Side of the Sun 5:56

Digibook Edition bonus CD
11. Bring Me Down 5:01
12. Requiem 3:55
13. Into the Fire 5:25
14. Slave to the Grind (Skid Row cover) 3:24
15. Bravado (Rush cover) 4:36
16. Open Fire (Y&T cover) 4:38

Band members
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Marcos Rodríguez – guitars, additional vocals
Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos – drums, additional vocals

Album Review – Titanium / Atomic Number 22 (2016)

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This prosperous five-piece act from Poland brings to us all the strongest element in the world in the form of beautiful Melodic Power Metal.

Rating4

titanium_atomic-number-22In case you didn’t already know, titanium is a chemical element with symbol Ti and atomic number 22, recognized mainly for its high strength. However, since 2010 this metallic element has also been a very important part of the Polish Metal scene, being represented by the skillful Melodic Heavy/Power Metal squad Titanium who released this September their second full-length album, cleverly entitled Atomic Number 22. After listening to this high-end album, you’ll realize titanium is not only very strong, but also extremely melodious, invigorating and brisk.

Formed in late 2010 by Pathfinder guitarist Karol Mania in Ostrów Wielkopolski, a city located in central Poland, Titanium have been on a constant rise since their inception, having released an EP entitled We Come to Rock! in 2012 and their self-titled full-length album the following year.  Now in 2016, Atomic Number 22 not only cements Titanium as one of the most promising bands from Poland, but also sets a new era for the band with Ukrainian singer Konstantin Naumenko (from Kiev’s Power Metal band Sunrise) taking the microphone and elevating the strength and epicness of the band’s already powerful musicality.

You better be ready for the Heavy Metal battle ignited by the title-track, Atomic Number 22, with the flawless connection between guitars and keyboards reminding me of Scandinavian Metal bands such as Stratovarius and Battle Beast, not to mention its superb backing vocals supporting Konstantin in this upbeat hymn. In addition, I have to admit I honestly can’t think of lyrics that sound more metal than this (“Atomic number 22 the father and the thunder / We’re coming right for you / Atomic number 22 no compromise just metal / Titanium comes for you”). And there’s no time to breathe as Titanium keep firing pure Melodic Power Metal for us in World of Contradictions, where drummer Filip Gruca dictates the rhythm with his fast beats and fills while the band’s guitar duo comprised of Karol Mania and Jaroslav Bona delivers those traditional riffs and solos we all love in Power Metal. Slower but more melodic and thrilling, Torn Reality brings forward heavy guitar riffs inspired by Hard Rock from the 80’s mixed with contemporary Melodic Metal, with another spot-on performance by Konstantin and an interesting ending with smooth piano notes and a melancholic vibe.

Defusive Skies is pure Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, overflowing harmony and being probably one of Filip’s favorite songs due to its speed, with Karol and Jaroslav sounding simply amazing with their intricate solos; followed by Time Is Out, where we’re treated to a feast of sheer Melodic Metal. Once again, Konstantin keeps amusing us with his potent high-pitched vocals while Karol and Jaroslav set fire to the music through their unstoppable guitars. One Single Night, another track highly inspired by Melodic Metal from Finland, showcases a pleasant melody with the heavier punch of Power Metal enhancing its electricity, whereas the headbanging tune Guardians of Might, featuring  guest singer Piet Sielck (kicking some serious ass as he always does with his marvelous band Iron Savior), is a very traditional composition that couldn’t sound more metallic, in special due to its inspiring chorus (“In our realm We are one / Like the blazing stars will shine forever / We’re the saviors, guardians of might / We deny the fate”).

titanium-2016Future of Mankind, the longest of all tracks, is a Melodic Power Metal extravaganza with a cheerful vibe and a great balance between the main vocals by Konstantin and all backing vocals. Moreover, the musicality never slows down, keeping the level of energy always at its peak in this lesson in melodious music for fans of the genre. The last song of the regular version of Atomic Number 22, titled The Way of the White Flag, is another explosion of Melodic Metal thanks to its fast-paced drumming and truly harmonious vocal lines. Furthermore, bassist Szymon Szydłowski delivers some rumbling uppercuts while both guitarists are absolutely on fire with their fantastic riffs and solos. In case you go for the Japanese edition of the album, you’ll be nicely rewarded with Titanium’s cover version for Eagleheart, one of the biggest classics by Melodic Metal heroes Stratovarius. Very different from the original version, the band managed to switch the original base of this metal hymn to their own musicality without losing the song’s uplifting essence.

Titanium are waiting for you at their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and you can put your hands on the strongest and most melodic element in the world of heavy music at Amazon (exclusively at their Japanese store) or also at Discogs. This beautiful display of Melodic Power Metal will enliven your toughest days without a shadow of a doubt, proving one more time the sensational effect high-quality heavy music always has on our hearts and souls.

Best moments of the album: Atomic Number 22, Torn Reality and Guardians of Might.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Avalon/Marquee

Track listing
1. Atomic Number 22 5:50
2. World of Contradictions 4:45
3. Torn Reality 5:57
4. Defusive Skies 5:13
5. Time Is Out 4:00
6. One Single Night 5:37
7. Guardians of Might (feat. Piet Sielck) 4:50
8. Future of Mankind 8:52
9. The Way of the White Flag 4:01

Japanese Edition bonus track
10. Eagleheart (Stratovarius cover) 5:30

Band members
Konstantin Naumenko – vocals
Karol Mania – guitars
Jaroslav Bona – guitars
Szymon Szydłowski – bass
Filip Gruca – drums

Guest musician
Piet Sielck – additional vocals on “Guardians of Might”

Album Review – False Coda / Secrets and Sins (2016)

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A lesson in progressiveness and feeling by a five-piece Greek band that brings forth a classy fusion of different musical styles, highly recommended for fans of top-of-the-line Heavy Metal.

Rating4

album-coverI think I’ve never faced a boring band from Greece to review here at The Headbanging Moose, and Greek Progressive Metal act False Coda is no exception to that. Formed in 2009 in Athens by brothers Andreas Milios (drums) and Vasilis “Bill” Milios (guitars), this five-piece band brings forth a marvelous fusion of genres and subgenres of heavy music, including Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, Power Metal and Doom Metal, among many others, as well as other styles such as classical music, never getting tiresome or repetitive even playing songs that go on for over eight or nine minutes. Quite the opposite, it looks like the longer their compositions are, the more exciting they get.

However, it was only in 2014, after considerable lineup changes, that False Coda were able to release their debut album, entitled Closer to the Edge, which received excellent reviews from magazines and webzines from around the globe. And that positive feedback fueled those Greek metallers with confidence for more, culminating with the release this year of their brand new album Secrets and Sins, a lesson in progressiveness and feeling featuring Stefanos Zafeiropoulos as their new lead singer, a classy artwork by French artist Nihil, world-famous guitarist Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, Nevermore) with a special solo for one of the album songs, and of course an infinite amount of first-class heavy music.

An exotic and pleasant intro with elements from the East ignite the excellent Throne Of Blood, an upbeat heavy music composition with cutting guitar lines and a high dosage of complexity the likes of Dream Theater, with the keyboards by Lefteris Kapetanios sounding sharp and exciting throughout the whole song (and as you’ll see, throughout the whole album as well). Moral Compass brings forward more intricacy and metallic sounds to us fans of Progressive Metal, where Bill showcases all his abilities with his stringed weapon while the vocals by Stefanos remind me of both Matt Barlow and Stu Block (Iced Earth), adding an extra touch of violence to the overall result; whereas in New Paradigm a gentle intro flows into pure progressiveness, morphing into a song that could easily be played on any rock n’ roll station with highlights to the spot-on performances by Stefanos on vocals and Nick Pogkas with his groovy bass lines.

false-codaThe title-track Secrets and Sins couldn’t be more imposing and symphonic, a feast of tempo changes, beautiful solos and tons of heaviness flowing from all instruments, sounding as if Dream Theater merged with Iced Earth in the most effective way. Needless to say, it’s one of the best songs of the album, highly recommended for some good headbanging. Flickering Lights, despite having an amazing intro and some interesting moments (in special the solid riffs by Bill), is not as captivating as the rest of the album, sounding a bit generic compared to the other songs. And Monolith, perhaps the darkest of all songs, is also one of the most thrilling, with its dense ambience and the theatrical vocals by Stefanos, together with the powerful Doom Metal-ish beats by Andreas and the sensational solo by guest guitarist Jeff Loomis, making listening to it simply mandatory to any fan of modern and organic Heavy Metal.

The multilayered Moment, with its rumbling bass lines and eerie atmosphere, is the longest of all tracks and, thanks to that, it’s also the song where the band had the highest amount of freedom to showcase all their creativity and passion for heavy music, with highlights to the final guitar solo by Bill, while The Truth Lies, a passionate power ballad by these talented Greek metallers, presents another sensational job done by the guitar/keyboard duo comprised of Bill and Lefteris, enhancing the song’s appeal. Furthermore, I simply love the smooth break with the piano notes, bringing a good balance to the heaviness of the rest of the song. And lastly, California is a very innovative way to finish such powerful album, a beautiful ballad with elements from Blues added to the musicality, tailored for listening to it together with your significant other as he or she will surely enjoy the moment a lot.

You can get more details on False Coda through their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud, with the sophisticated Secrets and Sins being available at their BandCamp page, on iTunes or on Amazon. As aforementioned, several distinct Greek bands from different genres and styles have already been reviewed by The Headbanging Moose, and none of those were even close to being boring. Now we can definitely add False Coda to this select Hellenic team, hoping that their music can travel the seven seas and reach the ears of headbangers avid for high-quality Heavy Metal all over the world for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Secrets and Sins, Monolith and The Truth Lies.

Worst moments of the album: Flickering Lights.

Released in 2016 Freia Music

Track listing
1. Throne Of Blood 6:06
2. Moral Compass 6:11
3. New Paradigm 5:37
4. Secrets and Sins 8:25
5. Flickering Lights 4:09
6. Monolith (feat. Jeff Loomis) 5:29
7. Moment 9:20
8. The Truth Lies 6:03
9. California 3:36

Band members
Stefanos Zafeiropoulos – vocals
Vasilis “Bill” Milios – guitars
Nick Pogkas – bass
Lefteris Kapetanios – keyboards
Andreas Milios – drums

Guest musician
Jeff Loomis – guitar solo on “Monolith”

Accessories Review – Iron Maiden 2017 Calendar

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Are you ready for the 2017 round of the kick-ass The Book Of Souls World Tour? You’ll need this neat and classy calendar to keep track of all those dates, not doubt about that.

Rating5

00_iron-maiden-calendar-2017As we’re reaching the end of a year full of highs and lows not only in heavy music, it’s about time we get ready for 2017, because if the new year brings us just half of the intensity of 2016 we’ll certainly have a ton of work to do to survive all the issues and hassles of our modern-day society. Well, nothing better than having a badass calendar to at least plan our year in a decent manner, right? Having said that, it’s time to review (and obviously purchase) the Iron Maiden 2017 Calendar, the brand new edition of the famous kick-ass calendar by Heavy Metal heroes Iron Maiden. And finally, after my complaints about the previous edition of it, we’re treated to a calendar featuring images from the highly acclaimed The Book Of Souls 2016 World Tour.

Once again the calendar was produced by Danilo Promotions Limited, displaying as expected very similar dimensions (42 x 29.7 x 0.4 cm) and weight (358 g) to all previous editions. Despite not having any new Eddies from The Book Of Souls’ Mayan theme, except for the one in its front cover, the selection of exclusive photos from this year’s tour is excellent, with the months of May, September and November making me want to travel back in time to March this year, when I had the indescribable pleasure of witnessing the most awesome band in the world mesmerizing the cities of Montreal and Toronto here in Canada with their unique and flammable Heavy Metal.

There are several physical stores and websites where you can grab your copy of this already traditional calendar, like at the Iron Maiden official webshop, at Danilo.com, at your country’s Amazon website such as the ones in Canada and in the United States, or at the Calendar Club’s UK webstore. The price is very reasonable considering the high quality of the material and of course its content, costing between 6 and 12 US Dollars depending on where you buy it, plus taxes and shipping costs.

iron-maiden-official-2017-calendar-square-global-multilingual

Iron Maiden 2017 Square Global (Multilingual Edition)

One thing I “forgot” to mention in the reviews for the previous editions of the calendar was the existence of the square version of it, but as this year both the regular and the square versions follow the same pattern and theme, I thought it would be a good idea to add it to the review. The Iron Maiden 2017 Square Global (Multilingual Edition) costs a little more than the regular version, being priced at around 15 US Dollars, and it’s just as classy and beautiful as its rectangular sibling. You can find this one for sale at Amazon, at Calendars.com, at the Calendar Club’s Canadian website, among other locations. As The Book Of Souls 2017 World Tour is just around the corner, I’m sure this awesome calendar will be very helpful in keeping all those dates in Germany, England and Scotland (and probably in more cities to be added to the tour) perfectly registered for you while you listen to The Book Of Souls for the millionth time, getting ready for another round of flawless performances provided by Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Janick Gers and Nicko Mcbrain. Just remember to hang your calendar really high on your wall so you’ll have to “climb like a monkey” every single time you need to change its month.

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Album Review – Atonismen / Wise Wise Man EP (2016)

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Enjoy a feast of dark, symphonic and dense metal music, crafted by a talented Russian multi-instrumentalist and his loyal and dynamic duo of guitarists.

Rating4

coverOriented in Dark Metal on one side and chamber music on another, Russian metallers Atonismen will surprise you with the density, professionalism and comprehensiveness of their music. Formed earlier this year by Russian singer and multi-instrumentalist Alexander Orso in the charming and historical city of Saint Petersburg, Atonismen fire a precise amalgamation of the darkest elements from Doom and Gothic Metal with choir-like sounds and an epic atmosphere surrounding everything in their debut EP, titled Wise Wise Man, offering the listener a unique experience in heavy music and a journey through the realms of Symphonic Metal.

The high level of professionalism in Wise Wise Man can be noticed not only through the amazing skills of Alexander and his crew, but also on the overall production of the album, very crisp and full of layers thanks to the top-notch job done by Russian musician Sergey “Lazar” Atrashkevich (Arkona), who produced, recorded, mixed and mastered the EP at CDM Records. And the band is already reaping the rewards of such dedication to their music, supporting renowned bands such as The 69 Eyes, Sonic Syndicate and Graveworm in Moscow, and joining the tour of well-known Russian folk band Izmoroz in their homeland. After taking a good listen at the eight distinct tracks of Wise Wise Man, you’ll see they more than deserve that recent but amazing success.

In the excellent Almagest, an atmospheric intro explodes intro bold Symphonic Metal with hints of Black and Pagan Metal added to  increase its epicness, with keyboards and drums leading this electric tune while Mr. Orso blasts his strong and powerful voice perfect for this type of music. Their Dark Metal vein gets stronger in the mesmerizing composition Sorry, where guitarists Alexander Senyushin and Child Catherine beautifully add the word “metal” to it through their potent and aggressive riffs. Furthermore, Mr. Orso is a wrecking machine on drums, delivering exactly what heavy and atmospheric metal music needs to be great. My Tale brings forward a beautiful dose of melancholy to the album, with Mr. Orso also thriving with his passionate clean vocals while a dark ambience embraces the listener in this lovable power ballad, not to mention the potency provided by the astounding guest choir Silver Voice.

atonismenThe title-track Wise Wise Man is a full-bodied Dark Metal song the likes of Moonspell with vicious guitar lines by the stunning Child Catherine and the competent Alexander Senyushin, again with keyboard notes bringing more mystery to the musicality; whereas Wiegenlied, the German word for “lullaby”, is a somber ballad full of traditional folk elements and an eerie rhythm that enfolds the listener before a sonic havoc named In Timeless Clamor comes crushing mercilessly. The metallic bass lines by Mr. Orso and the flammable riffs by the band’s guitar duo are amazingly heavy, sounding almost like sheer Black Metal at times, with vocals reminding me of the iconic Fernando Ribeiro thanks to their passion and violence. And I’m not sure if the last two songs can be considered bonus tracks or not, but we’re treated to two alternative versions for the title-track “Wise Wise Man”. The dark mix is very electronic and could easily be part of the soundtrack of a movie or played at a Halloween party, while the industrial mix is an upbeat and thrilling blend of heavy and electronic music, another perfect choice for providing a horror flick an extra touch of wickedness.

Enjoying and supporting the symphonic and extreme creations of Atonismen is quite easy, as all you have to do is visit their Facebook, VKontakte, YouTube channel and SoundCloud, as well as buy your copy of Wise Wise Man at their official BandCamp page. This feast of dense and symphonic Extreme Metal, beautifully engendered by Mr. Orso and his loyal guitar duo, was made to be relished and admired by all fans of the dark side of music, cementing a very promising start in their career in Heavy Metal.

Best moments of the album: Sorry and Wise Wise Man.

Worst moments of the album: Wiegenlied.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Almagest 7:31
2. Sorry 7:21
3. My Tale 8:51
4. Wise Wise Man 5:29
5. Wiegenlied 3:50
6. In Timeless Clamor 5:13
7. Wise Wise Man (dark mix) 5:51
8. Wise Wise Man (industrial mix) 5:30

Band members
Alexander Orso – all instruments, vocals
Alexander Senyushin – guitars
Child Catherine – guitars

Album Review –Metallica / Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016)

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A lot better than anything this iconic band has released in the past 25 years, but still way below what they can truly offer to the world of Heavy and Thrash Metal.

Rating6

metallica_hardwired-to-self-destructReviewing an album by American Thrash Metal icons Metallica is never an easy job. This is a band that has an enormous potential to deliver the most amazing metal you can think of, but due to several external and internal factors they keep launching below average albums since their highly acclaimed (but not as good as people say) Black Album back in 1991, and because of that the reviewer is always confused trying to find a good reason for not criticizing the album too much and for not comparing it to classics like Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning. Well, here we go again with Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, their tenth studio album (I can’t believe I’m counting the abominable St. Anger as an album) and another perfect example of how the band doesn’t seem to care anymore about crafting truly remarkable music.

Hardwired… to Self-Destruct is their first studio album in eight years following their 2008 release Death Magnetic (an album I personally cannot distinguish one song from another, but that at least can be considered Heavy Metal), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band’s career. Let me be very honest with you, I had some good expectations with this album even not being a huge fan of the band, and after they released the first single, the excellent “Hardwired”, I really thought they would be back to their amazing Thrash Metal mode from the 80’s. However, after listening to the entire album, I felt a little tricked by the band, with a frustrating feeling of “so you guys released your most aggressive song as a single, but the rest of the album is quite slow and boring, uh?” In other words, it might be by far their best and most cohesive album since 1991, but that doesn’t say much taking into account their most recent releases are all pretty tedious.

As already mentioned, in the heavy and fun Hardwired a nice, thrashy start flows into classic Metallica, not as visceral as their metal hymns from Kill ‘Em All and Ride The Lightning but still pretty good and violent. Mr. James Hetfield sounds in pretty good shape with his trademark angry vocals, while Kirk Hammett fires some amazing riffs and solos inspired by old school Thrash Metal. This is the best song of the album by far, and unfortunately after that the album is just a sea of uninspired and generic metal, starting with the tasteless Atlas, Rise!, where a promising intro fades into an annoyingly repetitive rhythm. Despite some good moments and another decent performance by James on vocals, it’s way too lengthy for the lack of tempo changes and variations, in special the extremely basic and uninspired drums by Mr. Lars Ulrich. After two minutes, it sadly becomes that type of ambient or background music that you don’t really pay attention to, it’s just there. Not sure if it was on purpose or not, but the main riff in the following tune, Now That We’re Dead, sounds like an exact copy of the all-time classic “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”  by Judas Priest, but obviously this is not going to become a classic like that, not in a million years. Once again, it’s extremely repetitive and unexciting, going on for grueling seven minutes.

We finally get the “old school Metallica” promised by the band for this album in Moth into Flame, which together with the opening track is the best thing they’ve done since the fast and furious song “Fuel”. I love the sound of both guitars and the thunderous bass by Rob Trujillo during the whole song, not to mention that even Lars has a pretty solid performance in this high-octane tune. In Dream No More, they tried to copy their own classic “Sad But True”, but what we get instead is just a boring imitation of it as if Avenged Sevenfold decided to go full Metallica like they almost did in Hail to the King. Furthermore, Lars makes me cringe with his amateur and disconnected drumming in this horrible song, which is also the case in Halo on Fire, undoubtedly one of the most wearisome of all songs. Why this atrocity has excruciating eight minutes is beyond my knowledge, with just a few good guitar lines being enjoyable while everything else seems to be leftovers from Load and Reload. Although James tried hard to add some electricity to it on vocals, there wasn’t actually much he could do about it.

metallica-2016Confusion brings forward a marching intro that had an enormous potential for becoming an amazingly heavy and dark hymn, and despite not reaching that level of awesomeness it’s still a pretty decent composition which would have been a lot more effective if slightly shorter. Then Metallica offer us the unstable ManUNkind (which official video is supposed to be a “tribute” to Norwegian Black Metal masters Mayhem), with an Iron Maiden-ish vibe in the beginning that suddenly turns into another average composition that doesn’t do good or bad for the album showcasing the same basic performance by Lars, sounding like a lazy jam session instead of a real song. Rob fires some powerful bass lines in the above average Here Comes Revenge, with the guitars by James and Kirk also providing some extra energy to it. Elements from Black Album mixed with Load and Reload are found everywhere in this song, and albeit this is not the best Metallica are capable of doing, at this point of their career I’m more than fine with it.

Am I Savage? might be another generic tune, but at least it’s fuckin’ heavy thanks again to the job done by Kirk and Rob with their strings, and despite never really taking off it’s still enjoyable if you’re a fan of darker compositions like I am; whereas their tribute to the one and only Lemmy Kilmister, entitled Murder One, might have “One” in its name and even hints of one of the band’s biggest classics here and there, but it falls flat with nothing really outstanding to offer the listener except for some potent punches by Rob with his bass. Last but not least, we’re treated to one final blast of real Metallica in Spit Out the Bone, a bit sloppy at times and again too lengthy, but at least it has the fury that helped put this band on the map of heavy music decades ago. James sounds so much better when he’s angry, and perhaps this is what the band needs to do to cover all the issues with Lars’ drumming by sticking to the most primeval form of Thrash Metal.

I’m pretty sure there will be many diehard fans of Metallica thanking the gods of heavy music for Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (you can watch the official videos for every song on their YouTube channel), but for me, after listening to the whole album a few good times with an open heart, nothing ever truly clicked; it’s still way below their potential to generate stunning heavy music. Of course it has its good moments, in special when they cut the crap, speed things up and play straightforward heavy music the way we all expect, but the absurdly inflated length of most songs and the complete inability of Lars to provide any hint of intricacy on drums (Metallica definitely need a REAL drummer; even German a capella metallers Van Canto have one) ended up dragging the overall quality of the album down considerably. In other words, you can have some fun listening to Hardwired… to Self-Destruct a few times, but just like everything else released by Metallica in the past 25 years, it will soon become just another lost item in your dusty collection of albums.

Best moments of the album: Hardwired, Moth into Flame and Spit Out the Bone.

Worst moments of the album: Atlas, Rise!, Dream No More, Halo on Fire and Murder One.

Released in 2016 Blackened Recordings

Track listing
Disc 1
1. Hardwired 3:09
2. Atlas, Rise! 6:28
3. Now That We’re Dead 6:59
4. Moth into Flame 5:50
5. Dream No More 6:55
6. Halo on Fire 8:15

Disc 2
1. Confusion 6:43
2. ManUNkind 7:17
3. Here Comes Revenge 6:30
4. Am I Savage? 6:29
5. Murder One 5:45
6. Spit Out the Bone 7:09

Band members
James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitars
Kirk Hammett – lead guitars
Robert Trujillo – bass
Lars Ulrich – drums