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Album Review – Rage / Afterlifelines (2024)

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One of the pillars of German Power Metal strikes again with an intense and unforgettable musical experience in the form of a double album  presenting their broad artistic range, from hard, fast and thrashy to anthemic, symphonic and lavish.

In addition to a new band biography to celebrate their 40th anniversary, to be released in October, the year of 2024 sees German Power Metal legends Rage unleash a majestic 94-minute double-album titled Afterlifelines, the 26th opus in their impressive career consisting of regular recordings by the trio on the first album, ‘Afterlife’, while a classical orchestra performs the second album, ‘Lifelines’. Produced by Rage at their own Lucky Bob Studio, mixed and mastered by Manuel Cohnen, and displaying a striking artwork by Karim König, the new album by the iconic Peter “Peavy” Wagner on vocals and bass, Jean Bormann on the guitars, and Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums is an intense and unforgettable musical experience blending Heavy, Speed and Power Metal with orchestral elements, presenting Rage’s broad artistic range, from hard, fast and thrashy to anthemic, symphonic and lavish.

A melancholic, cinematic intro titled In The Beginning kicks off the first album ‘Afterlife’, setting the stage for the trio to crush our souls with the metalized End Of Illusions, with Jean shredding his axe in great fashion while Lucky hammers his drums nonstop, offering Peavy exactly what he needs to roar like a beast; followed by the first single of the album, Under A Black Crown, which sounds like classic Rage (and sounded even more incendiary when they played it live at Lee’s Palace here in Toronto on March 4, by the way), with their melodic riffs and rumbling bass matching perfectly with Peavy’s boisterous vocal lines. Sean doesn’t stop slashing his strings in the title-track Afterlife, another headbanging tune by Rage that will inspire all fans to raise their fists together with the band, whereas Dead Man’s Eyes couldn’t have sounded more Rage than it already does, with Peavy sounding awesome with his potent voice as usual while Lucky keeps blasting his drums in the name of Power and Thrash Metal; and they keep delivering sheer heaviness and melody in Mortal, with the song’s pounding drums and dark riffage being perfect for some evil headbanging.

Toxic Waves is a more generic song that albeit sounding well crafted and harmonious, doesn’t add much power to the rest of the album; then get ready for a hurricane of Teutonic Power Metal titled Waterwar, offering classic Rage with hints of Thrash and Speed Metal for our total delight, spearheaded by the visceral roars by the one and only Peavy. It’s pedal to the metal with another fast-tempo tune titled Justice Will Be Mine, where the trio keeps the speed and energy levels truly high in a breathtaking ode to Power Metal; and those three fantastic musicians don’t show any mercy for our necks in the also rockin’ feast titled Shadow World, where Sean steals the spotlight with his sick riffs and solos. Finally, following a similar pattern as the previous song, Life Among The Ruins is a straightforward Rage extravaganza where Lucky once again sounds thunderous on drums, as well as Peavy armed with his metallic bass, putting a beautiful ending to the first album.

It’s time to switch gears to ‘Lifelines’, starting with the symphonic yet extremely heavy Cold Desire, reminding me of some of Rage’s old songs where they played together with the Lingua Mortis orchestra, followed by Root Of Our Evil, another striking fusion of the band’s raw, unfiltered Heavy Metal with background orchestrations where Peavy is on fire with both his raspy vocals and rumbling bass, resulting in a true metal hymn. In Curse The Night the orchestrations sound even more imposing, adding an extra touch of epicness to Rage’s sonority, whereas more of the trio’s galloping sounds is offered to our avid ears in One World, albeit not as exciting and feeling bland at times. They continue to blend the savagery of old school Power Metal with the melody of Heavy Metal in It’s All Too Much, a guitar-infused feast led obviously by Jean.

Dying To Live offers a smoother side of Rage, with Peavy hypnotizing us all with his passionate vocals supported by the whimsical, enfolding sounds crafted by Jean and Lucky; and an epic start gradually evolves into a fusion of orchestral music and Rage’s trademark Power Metal sounds in The Flood, perfect for singing along with Peavy, who delivers deep, intense vocals during the entire song. Be prepared to be dragged into Rage’s lair for all eternity to the sound of the nine-minute aria Lifelines, a multi-layered, bold creation by Peavy and the boys overflowing deep emotions amidst a powerful sound full of classic riffs, pounding drums and killer vocal lines. Moreover, this is another Lingua Mortis-like composition where metal meets classic in a stunning way, while the cinematic Interlude offers longtime fans of the band some “Easter eggs” from their old orchestral creations such as “From the Cradle to the Grave”, preparing us all for one last musical voyage titled In The End, an introspective, climatic song that closes the album on a high note with Jean kicking ass with his riffs and solos, while Peavy once again declaims the song’s lyrics with endless passion.

RAGE Afterlifelines Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset

Two weeks after the arrival of the album, Rage will embark on a major European tour starting April 13, with shows and festival appearances in Japan and European countries and regions such as Germany, Austria, Greece, Poland, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Spain and Scandinavia, meaning 2024 is set to be a real Rage year. Hence, don’t forget to follow one of the pillars of German Heavy and Power Metal on Facebook and on Instagram to keep track of all of their upcoming shows, stream all of their amazing albums on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Afterlifelines by clicking HERE, including the limited edition deluxe boxset containing tons of amazing items such as a nine-track bonus CD titled “Live At Summer Breeze 2023”. There’s no better way to celebrate 40 incredible years on the road than with over 90 minutes of kick-ass Heavy Metal like what Rage have to offer us all in Afterlifelines, and if it’s not too much to ask, I really wish the band keeps embellishing the airwaves with their powerful music for at least another 40 years.

Best moments of the album: From ‘Afterlife’, the songs End Of Illusions, Under A Black Crown and Waterwar, while from ‘Lifelines’, the songs Cold Desire, Root Of Our Evil and Lifelines.

Worst moments of the album: Both albums are amazing, but maybe the songs Toxic Waves and One World sound and feel a little tiresome compared to all others.

Released in 2024 Steamhammer/SPV

Track listing
CD 1 Afterlife
1. In The Beginning 1:31
2. End Of Illusions 3:48
3. Under A Black Crown 4:00
4. Afterlife 3:45
5. Dead Man’s Eyes 3:24
6. Mortal 4:04
7. Toxic Waves 3:36
8. Waterwar 3:42
9. Justice Will Be Mine 4:35
10. Shadow World 3:22
11. Life Among The Ruins 4:06

CD 2 Lifelines
1. Cold Desire 3:59
2. Root Of Our Evil 4:02
3. Curse The Night 3:34
4. One World 4:24
5. It’s All Too Much 5:11
6. Dying To Live 4:51
7. The Flood 3:56
8. Lifelines 9:54
9. Interlude 2:43
10. In The End 3:23

CD 3 “Live At Summer Breeze 2023” Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset Exclusive
1. Resurrection Day
2. Solitary Man
3. End Of All Days
4. Great Old Ones
5. Straight To Hell
6. Nevermore
7. Refuge
8. Higher Than The Sky
9. Don’t Fear The Winter

Band members
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Jean Bormann – guitars
Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos – drums

Guest musician
Marco Grasshoff – string quartet arrangements, orchestrations, strings, wind instruments, piano

Interview – Peter “Peavy” Wagner (Rage)

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Let’s fly higher than the sky in this exclusive interview with Mr. Peter “Peavy” Wagner, the mastermind behind German Power Metal institution Rage, where he talks about his first-ever tour in Canada, the band’s 40 years on the road, their upcoming new album, and more.

Peter “Peavy” Wagner (Rage)

The Headbanging Moose: Thanks a lot for your time, Peavy! My first question will be very straightforward, and I bet it’s exactly what every Rage fan in Canada wants to know. How excited was the band to visit Canada for the first time ever, how was the planning of this mini-tour, and why did the band take so long to come to Canada? Also, why didn’t you play in the US this time?

Peter “Peavy” Wagner: Well, we liked it very much, thanx to the fans for a great time. I don´t know why it took so long to do that, that’s a question for our bookers and the Canadian promoters. Touring the US is very difficult and immensely expensive nowadays, just the working permissions cost a fortune, that makes businesswise not really sense for us…

THM: It’s always a pleasure seeing an amazing band like Rage celebrating 40 years on the road, and of course your setlist during your current festive tour is beyond fantastic. You mentioned during your show in Toronto that you had to choose the setlist from over 100 songs, so what was the process or idea behind the final setlist on this tour?

Peavy: We simply tried to bring material from the different time Eras and from the most popular albums. Of course its hard to satisfy everyone, I just hope we found a good mix…

THM: Since the band’s inception in 1984, Rage have got used to playing in giant European festivals like Hellfest and Wacken Open Air, but also in smaller venues like Lee’s Palace in Toronto. How does it feel to play in small venues as compared to festivals? What are the things you love the most about those more intimate places?

Peavy: The most important thing about gigs is the exchange of that amazing energy, no matter what situation you play. It felt great to have such enthusiastic fans, they gave us a fantastic time!

Rage @ Lee’s Palace

THM: You also mentioned during the show in Toronto you’ve known your amazing drummer Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos since he was a little kid. Could you tell us more about that friendship, and how he finally ended up becoming the drummer for Rage?

Peavy: Lucky was 15 when he started to take drum lessons with Rage’s drummer Chris Efthimiadis in 1988, later he became his drum technician, he toured with us through the world for some years, we always kept our friendship alive. When I needed help to rebuild the band in 2015 I asked him, firstly for management support, later also to be the band’s drummer.

THM: I honestly can’t wait to listen to your upcoming album Afterlifelines, which as far as I know is going to be a double album where the first half is made up of more direct metal songs, while the second half has some orchestrations involved. What details could you tell us about the album, and once it’s released, are you going to replace any songs from your current setlist with new ones like you replaced From the Cradle to the Grave with Under a Black Crown this year?

Peavy: Yes, it´s 21 new titles in about 94 minutes of music, we span a line between heavy stuff to some epic and orchestrated longtrack, finding a climax to the end of the album. Surely we will integrate more new stuff to our future setlists.

Rage Afterlifelines BandCamp

THM: I love the fact that the lyrics to all Rage songs have a deeper meaning, like for example End of All Days and Back in Time. What can we expect in the lyrics from Afterlifelines? Are you going to talk about any specific topics in the album, will there be a concept behind any of the parts of the album, or is it going to be a more straightforward Rage release this time?

Peavy: There’s a red line going through all the songs. On our last release “Resurrection Day” I told the story of mankind’s cultural evolution from stone age to now, causing several problems we have to face today. On “Afterlifelines” I continue the story as a fictional, dystopic view in the future of the next hundred years. Still I believe that man has the abilities to solve those problems, so it must not come like in that story.

THM: What are your best memories from this short but sweet Canadian tour? Are there any new Canadian bands and artists you just got to know, and what are your top Canadian bands of all time?

Peavy: Yes, we had really good supporting bands this time! Thanx to all. My all time faves from Canada are of course Rush, I love their music since my teenage days. Also there’s of course a lot of other great bands, like for example Annihilator…

THM: You’ve been playing with only one guitarist for quite some time, maybe since Unity was released back in 2002. Why have you decided to “get rid” of a second guitar in the band’s formation, and do you think one day you’ll get back to having four band members with a second guitarist added to the band?

Peavy: Actually Stefan Weber is not really out of the band. Due to some serious personal problems he is taking a break from working with us for some time. The door is open for him to join in again, as soon as he’s ready…

THM: What does the future hold for Rage? I mean, you have a killer new album out soon, you’ve been kicking ass on stages worldwide for the past 40 years and so on, but what’s next for the band after reaching such an important milestone in your career?

Peavy: Besides of continuous touring an Festival Appearances this year we will release a band biography, that´s planned for October this year.

Rage

THM: Let’s play a fun game before the end of the interview called “The Time Capsule”. Please list 10 songs from 10 different bands or artists to be saved in a time capsule for all future generations, and let us know why you selected those.

Peavy: 1. Toccata and Fugue in D minor/J.S.Bach, 2. Free Will/Rush, 3. I Saw Her Standing There/The Beatles, 4. Ace of Spades/Motörhead, 5. Temple of the King/Rainbow, 6. You Really Got Me/The Kinks, 7. Prophet´s Song/Queen, 8. Blue Suede Shoes/Elvis Presley, 9. Ballad of Easy Rider/The Byrds, 10. Speed King/Deep Purple. Because I like those!

THM: Thank you very, very much again for the interview, Peavy! Please feel free to send your final thoughts and considerations to our readers, and of course, your final message to all Canadian fans who attended your concerts in Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City!

Peavy: Thanx to all of the fans for their true support! See you again, Metal forever!

Links
Rage Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | BandCamp | Linktree

Concert Review – Rage (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 03/04/2024)

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One of the pillars of German Power Metal took the city of Toronto by storm for the first time ever to celebrate their headbanging, hellraising 40 years of career.

OPENING ACT: C.O.P. UK

Monday night was simply perfect in Toronto, with no snow or rain, lots of sunshine with temperatures above +10oC, very little traffic, and of course a lecture in Heavy and Power Metal at Lee’s Palace as C.O.P. UK and RAGE kicked off the Canadian leg of their 40 Years in RAGE – 4 Decades of Heavy Metal Tour 2024, celebrating four decades of one of the most important bands to ever arise from the German Power Metal scene. Brought to Canada by Lucky Bob Music Agency, it’s somehow weird that Rage are only playing in Canada and not in the US (which is why there was even a guy from Michigan who drove eight hours to see the show here in Toronto), and I don’t know exactly how the promotion of the tour was done because the crowd was much smaller than expected. Maybe because it was a Monday, the worst day in the world for anything as Garfield would say, or maybe tons of fans had zero idea Rage was playing in the city for the first time ever (and I saw some comments online from fans in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec complaining about the lack of information about the tour). Anyway, the concert was fantastic, as well as the sick photos taken this time by my friend Ryan Miles Leblanc.

After a HUGE delay for the doors to open due to some technical difficulties, as apparently they didn’t have an adapter to convert something from EU to Canada, Sheffield, England-based Heavy Metal/Hard Rock act C.O.P. UK, or Crimes Of Passion if you prefer, hit the stage at around 9:30pm for a solid performance to warm up the fans at the venue for Rage. Formed in 2005, the band led by the charismatic vocalist Dale Radcliffe distilled a traditional blend of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock with hints of Glam and Hair Metal, with songs like Love Is To Die For and Catch Me If You Can sounding amazing live, plus their electrifying cover version for Journey’s classic Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), which in Dale’s words, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know them, everyone loves a little bit of Journey. I was impressed with the band and just wish they had more releases available for streaming everywhere, because for example on Spotify you can only find their 2018 EP Keep on Moving. Their music is awesome and they deserve more attention from all of us metalheads not only in Canada, but anywhere where good music is appreciated.

Setlist
The Core
My Blood
Love Is To Die For
Body & Soul
Stranger Than Fiction
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (Journey cover)
Catch Me If You Can
God Made Me Your Angel

Band members
Dale Radcliffe – vocals
Jean Bormann – guitars
Henning Wanner – keyboards
Scott Jordan – bass
Kev Tonge – drums

RAGE

It was already 10:30pm, which is really late for any show to start in Toronto by the way, when German Power Metal titans RAGE kicked off their flawless performance on stage, obviously led by the iconic Peter “Peavy” Wagner on vocals and bass, supported by Jean Bormann on the guitars (and yes, he’s the same guitarist from C.O.P. UK, but I think he was just supporting C.O.P. UK as his main band is Rage), and Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums. And let me say it was a dream come true for all Torontonian fans of the band who attended the concert because their celebration of 40 years indeed included songs from their entire and vast career, kicking things of with the excellent Resurrection Day and going through all of their albums, with songs like Solitary Man, Black in Mind, Back in Time and My Way inspiring everyone for some good headbanging and fist raising. I personally think Peavy’s microphone was a bit low, but even so it was amazing to see his raspy, loud vocals permeating the air at Lee’s Palace Monday night.

One of my favorite songs of the night, and probably also of most fans at the venue, was undoubtedly End of All Days, and it was visible how some dudes in the crowd were having the time of their lives while the trio kept kicking some serious ass on stage during such masterpiece. My only “complaint” about their setlist was not seeing the darkly beautiful “From the Cradle to the Grave” live, as it was replaced with their new song Under a Black Crown (from their upcoming album Afterlifelines, to be released on March 29 this year), but the new song is also amazing, you know what I mean? Well, Peavy even mentioned during the show that they had over 100 songs to create their setlist (all available on Spotify, by the way), a tough job for them, but a pleasure for all of us when the setlist comes together. An when you end a concert with the pulverizing Don’t Fear the Winter and the all-time classic Higher Than the Sky, you know how happy your fans will be. Hopefully the lower-than-expected attendance won’t stop Rage form coming back to Toronto in the near future, because after seeing what Peavy and the boys are capable of Monday night, I must say the city of Toronto needs another blast of their Teutonic Power Metal.

Setlist
Memento Vitae (Overture)
Resurrection Day
Great Old Ones
Solitary Man
Nevermore
Black in Mind
Refuge
Back in Time
Shadow Out of Time
My Way
End of All Days
A New Land

Encore:
Under a Black Crown
Don’t Fear the Winter
Higher Than the Sky
Tomorrow’s Yesterday (Instrumental)

Band members
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Jean Bormann – guitars
Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos – drums

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Album Review – Smorrah / Welcome To Your Nightmare (2024)

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A gripping journey into the dark abysses of human psychology in the form of first-class Death and Thrash Metal madei n Germany.

Taking the listener on a gripping journey into the dark abysses of human psychology, leaving you hardly any time to catch your breath, Gelsenkirchen, Germany-based Death/Thrash Metal squad Smorrah Is unleashing upon us all their first full-length album, titled Welcome To Your Nightmare, following up on their 2018 EP The Evil Within. Produced, mixed and mastered by Michael Streckbein and Smorrah at Vyrah Studios, and displaying an 80’s and 90’s-inspired artwork by Timon Kokott Artwork, the new release by vocalist Marius Wegener, guitarist Daniel ‘Pumper’ Hartmann, bassist Christian ‘Kraje’ Krajewski, and drummer Raphael Swierczynski is a hard-hitting thrash and groove beast highly recommended for fans of Pantera, Sepultura and Exhorder, among others, representing a huge step forward in their career.

Like a scene taken from a horror movie, an obscure intro suddenly explodes into a visceral sound led by the harsh and piercing roars by Marius in Welcome to Your Nightmare, while his bandmates bring an avalanche of Groove Metal to the song. Then investing in a more direct thrashing sonority, it’s time to slam into the pit to the sound of Dead Snake Eyes, with the nonstop drums by Raphael and the slashing riffs by Daniel taking the song’s animosity to a whole new level; followed by Age of Decay, even more demented and vile than the previous songs, once again showcasing the infuriated Death Metal riffs by Daniel and the always sick growls by Marius. The band slows things down a bit while sounding heavier and more obscure in Killing Spree, with Raphael smashing his drums supported by the low-tuned, menacing bass by Christian; and maybe Hope Dies Last, but Thrash Metal will never die, with the band offering us a furious and incendiary attack that should ignite some fun circle pits during their live concerts.

Get ready to bang your head nonstop while raising your horns to Buried Underneath, an old school, 80’s-infused Thrash Metal extravaganza spearheaded by the classic riffs by Daniel where not a single space in the air is left empty; whereas once again blending the heaviness of Death Metal with the rebelliousness and austerity of Thrash Metal the band brings forward Death Awaits, with Marius deeply vociferating like a demented beast while Daniel kicks ass as usual armed with his riffs and solos, flowing into Evil Betrayal, another modern-day Death and Thrash Metal attack by the quartet reminding me of some of the most recent creations by bands like Nervosa, Torture Squad and Sodom, with Raphael showing no mercy for our necks with his crushing beats. Lastly, let’s enjoy over six minutes of darkness, introspection and insanity in When the Tide Comes In, where the harsh vocals by Marius transpire rage and fury, always accompanied by the unstoppable, violent sounds brought into being by his bandmates while also alternating between more melodic moments and pure savagery until its epic finale.

If you have what it takes to face the unstoppable mosh pits generated by Smorrah in their new album Welcome To Your Nightmare, you can grab a copy of it directly from the band’s own BandCamp page or from the Sick Taste Records’ Big Cartel, and don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, and to stream more of their music on YouTube and on Spotify. The guys from Smorrah are eagerly waiting to welcome us all to our worst nightmare with their new album, and if you consider yourself a true lover of contemporary Death and Thrash Metal, I’m sure you’ll have a very good time even with the psychological torment you’re about to endure.

Best moments of the album: Dead Snake Eyes, Hope Dies Last and Evil Betrayal.

Worst moments of the album: Welcome to Your Nightmare.

Released in 2024 Sick Taste Records

Track listing
1. Welcome to Your Nightmare 4:51
2. Dead Snake Eyes 4:45
3. Age of Decay 5:54
4. Killing Spree 3:58
5. Hope Dies Last 3:45
6. Buried Underneath 5:40
7. Death Awaits 5:00
8. Evil Betrayal 5:19
9. When the Tide Comes In 6:25

Band members
Marius Wegener – vocals
Daniel ‘Pumper’ Hartmann – guitars
Christian ‘Kraje’ Krajewski – bass
Raphael Swierczynski – drums

Album Review – Orphalis / As The Ashes Settle (2023)

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Counterbalancing Technical Death Metal with brutal elements, this ruthless Teutonic horde will crush your senses with their beautifully tempered, vibrant and energetic new album.

Counterbalancing Technical Death Metal with Brutal Death Metal elements, Dortmund, Germany-based outfit Orphalis might have found the perfect stylistic balance for the kind of music they are playing on their fourth full-length album, titled As The Ashes Settle, sounding astonishingly fluid given its dynamic and multifaceted nature. Displaying another sinister artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, As The Ashes Settle is a beautifully tempered, vibrant and energetic album that is bound to leave an indelible mark in the style, all masterfully crafted by Thomas Szczecina on vocals, Jens Dürholt and Morten Formeseyn on the guitars, Thomas Köhler on bass, and Phillip Hatcher on drums, being therefore recommended for fans of Benighted, Cutterred Flesh, Aborted, and Enragement, among several others.

The title-track As the Ashes Settle is a fantastic hurricane of brutality blasted by Orphalis where Thomas Szczecina roars in great fashion supported by the technical yet violent drums by Phillip and the scorching riffs by Jens and Morten, whereas Ritual of Conflagration sounds as infernal and detailed as the opening track, resulting in another lesson in Technical Death Metal by the quintet where Thomas Köhler and Phillip craft a thunderous and menacing atmosphere with their respective bass and drums. The unstoppable Jens and Morten deliver sheer electricity, fury and insanity through their riffs and solos in Watch Them Descend, a lecture in Death Metal that will please all fans of the genre; followed by The Wolves Draw Near, absolutely demolishing from the very first notes delivered by Jens and Morten, being therefore perfect for slamming into the circle pit while Thomas Szczecina’s guttural roars get deeper and more demented as time passes by. And investing in a more technical and intricate sonority without forgetting to add their trademark aggressiveness to the music we have An Effigy to Humanity, where Phillip is once again bestial behind his drums.

Such unrelenting Teutonic horde keeps hammering our cranial skulls mercilessly in Staring into Ruin, with their strident, piercing riffs walking hand in hand with the low and thunderous kitchen by Thomas Köhler and Phillip. Then after the unnecessary electronic interlude Moon Supremacy the band returns in full force with From Shadows Arisen, a neck-breaking extravaganza where the guitars by Jens and Morten couldn’t have sounded any heavier, or in other words, it’s first-class Brutal Death Metal with some welcome progressive elements. There’s no sign of slowing down as their technical yet visceral sounds keep coming strong in Labyrinth Configuration, showcasing another vile vocal performance by Thomas Szczecina; while the second to last song of the album, titled To Embrace Defeat, is also perfect for headbanging like a metalmaniac, with their fulminating riffs and beats darkening the entire atmosphere for our total delight. Lastly, get ready to be crushed into tiny pieces by Orphalis in Crowned in Hatred, starting in a grim, obscure manner before exploding into more of their Technical Death Metal. Furthermore, Thomas Szczecina leads his horde with his inhumane, deep growls, not to mention how metallic the bass by Thomas Köhler sounds.

In summary, Orphalis know exactly how to explode our senses with their refined hybrid of progressiveness and brutality, and As The Ashes Settle is the perfect depiction of the top-notch quality of their work. Hence, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, to stream all of their wicked creations on Spotify, and above all that, to add the breathtaking As The Ashes Settle to your personal (and devilish) collection by purchasing a copy of it from their BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon. As The Ashes Settle is a beast of an album highly recommended for anyone who loves Death Metal, it doesn’t matter if it’s old school, modern, technical or brutal, leaving us eager for more of the pulverizing music by one of the most interesting names of the current German scene hands down.

Best moments of the album: As the Ashes Settle, Watch them Descend and Crowned in Hatred.

Worst moments of the album: Moon Supremacy.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. As the Ashes Settle 4:34
2. Ritual of Conflagration 3:58
3. Watch Them Descend 3:35
4. The Wolves Draw Near 4:21
5. An Effigy to Humanity 4:01
6. Staring into Ruin 4:33
7. Moon Supremacy 0:57
8. From Shadows Arisen 3:34
9. Labyrinth Configuration 3:46
10. To Embrace Defeat 4:58
11. Crowned in Hatred 4:48

Band members
Thomas Szczecina – vocals
Jens Dürholt – guitars, backing vocals
Morten Formeseyn – guitars
Thomas Köhler – bass
Phillip Hatcher – drums

Album Review – Dysease / Era of Decay EP (2023)

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A new Progressive Death Metal entity from Germany is armed with their debut EP, leading us all to a dystopian world that lets us dive into a universe of atrocities, (im)mortality and miseries of our modern-day society.

Formed in 2018 by former members of Iuramentum, Skin Harvest, Morok and Defector in Siegen, a city in Germany in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia, the five-piece Progressive Death Metal act Dysease is dedicated to creating dark and haunting sounds by blending brutal riffs, catchy refrains, and progressive and thrash elements while prioritizing groove and atmosphere to immerse listeners in a dystopian ambiance. Now in 2023 the band formed of René “Wolles” Ax on vocals, Pätrick L. and Rafael G. on the guitars, Dimitri V. on bass, and Lukas Fenster on drums will attack your senses with their debut EP, entitled Era of Decay, leading us all to a dystopian world that lets us dive into a universe of atrocities, (im)mortality and miseries of our modern-day society, all embraced by the first-class, sharp production, mixing and mastering by the band’s own bassist Dimitri V., making the album’s atmosphere and vibe even heavier and more menacing.

A song about the problems in dealing with nature, and the revenge of nature on man, the opening track Unfurl The Plague is a demonic, heavy-as-hell display of Death Metal where René roars deeply nonstop, presenting a serene break before the band returns with their pulverizing sounds, flowing into the interlude Prologue, exhaling melancholy and setting the stage for the infernal Manufractured, based on the 2013 movie Elysium, where a future fictional dystopian world is described, while musically speaking Lukas crushes his drums mercilessly supported by the incendiary riffs by Pätrick and Rafael, being highly recommended for some classic headbanging. Then dedicated to all dictators hungry for power who act against the will of society and are ultimately overthrown, the band brings forth six minutes of Doom Metal-infused obscurity titled Deterrence By Brutality, with Dimitri and Lukas making our skulls tremble with their respective bass and drums, not to mention how demonic the guttural vocals by René sound. Lastly, we’re treated to the menacing The Staring Eye, dealing with the “locked in” syndrome described from the point of view of an affected person, showcasing the always somber riffage by Pätrick and Rafael and, therefore, putting a climatic and absolutely savage ending to the album.

A brand new entity in the world of extreme music, the guys from Dysease are waiting for you on Facebook with news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, and on YouTube with more of their music and videos. However, in order to properly welcome them to our beautiful underground scene, you should definitely purchase a copy of the album from Apple Music or from Amazon, stream it in full on YouTube and on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Dysease. As the band mentions in their amazing debut EP, we’re indeed living in an era of decay, where our society is falling to pieces and everything that’s wrong and evil is taking over the world. Well, at least we have the striking metal music by bands like Dysease to keep us entertained until our inevitable end.

Best moments of the album: Manufractured and The Staring Eye.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Unfurl The Plague 5:39
2. Prologue 0:31
3. Manufractured 5:13
4. Deterrence By Brutality 6:03
5. The Staring Eye 4:25

Band members
René “Wolles” Ax – vocals
Pätrick L. – guitars
Rafael G. – guitars
Dimitri V. – bass
Lukas Fenster – drums

Album Review – Brimstone Gate / Return from the Brimstone Portal (2023)

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This Teutonic army will attack your senses with their debut album, paying tribute to 90’s Black and Death Metal from Norway, Sweden and England while also presenting some modern influences.

Formed in 2020 in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Hamm, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Black/Death Metal horde Brimstone Gate has just unleashed their debut album, entitled Return from the Brimstone Portal, paying tribute to 90’s Black and Death Metal from Norway, Sweden and England while also presenting some modern influences. Recorded by the band’s two founding members Carsten Nachtigall and Michael Gruen, mixed and mastered by Michael “Obelxxx” Elsner, and displaying a classic artwork licenced by iStock and re-worked and designed by Michael Gruen, Return from the Brimstone Portal is recommended for admirers of the music by Belphegor and Zyklon, showcasing all the talent and hard work by Simon Stellmacher (Niflhel) on vocals and bass, and Carsten Nachtigall (Niflhel) and Michael Gruen (Niflhel, Deathstruction) on the guitars and drum programming.

Cinematic, somber and atmospheric from the very first second, Beyond the Gate works as an intro to a horror movie, dragging our souls to the Stygian lair ruled by Brimstone Gate in Return from the Brimstone Portal, exploding into a technical yet visceral form of Death Metal with Simon roaring like a beast, therefore adding an extra dosage of dementia to the overall result; and the guitars by Carsten and Michael bring fire to their music in Voices of the Dead, accompanied by the song’s massive beats in another solid display of German Death Metal. Then spearheaded by the venomous screams by Simon we have Emperor of the Painful Realm, sounding infernal from start to finish to the song’s hammering drums.

The second half of the album begins with another bestial creation by the quintet named Path to Your Liberation, offering Simon’s rumbling bass and the always scorching riffs and solos by Casrten and Michael, and it’s then time for a neck-breaking extravaganza entitled The Void Darkened, displaying the band’s usual savagery spiced up by another demonic drum explosion. There’s no time to breathe as those Teutonic metallers keep darkening the skies with their fusion of Black and Death Metal in Death Arises in the Wind, showcasing more of their piercing, dirty riffs; whereas closing the album it’s time for the six-minute tune Lost Nightsun, sounding bold and austere while led by the deep roars by Simon, albeit a bit too lengthy in the end.

The new opus by Brimstone Gate is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you’re an admirer of extreme music with an epic background story you can purchase a copy of the album (and consequently show all your support to the underground scene) directly from their own BandCamp page. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for tour dates, news and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their incendiary music. Those German metallers are on absolute fire in Return from the Brimstone Portal, the first step in their promising career, and an amazing display of the always entertaining Black and Death Metal scene from one of the meccas of heavy music worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Return from the Brimstone Portal, Emperor of the Painful Realm and Path to Your Liberation.

Worst moments of the album: Lost Nightsun.

Released in 2023 ADG Records

Track listing
1. Beyond the Gate (Intro) 1:33
2. Return from the Brimstone Portal 5:00
3. Voices of the Dead 4:37
4. Emperor of the Painful Realm 4:11
5. Path to Your Liberation 5:26
6. The Void Darkened 5:12
7. Death Arises in the Wind 5:36
8. Lost Nightsun 6:26

Band members
Simon Stellmacher – vocals, bass
Carsten Nachtigall – guitars, drum programming
Michael Gruen – guitars, drum programming

Live lineup
Dominik Zillmann – vocals
Carsten Nachtigall – guitars
Michael Gruen – guitars
Robin Vieler – bass, backing vocals
Daniel Müller – drums

Album Review – Xandria / The Wonders Still Awaiting (2023)

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It’s time to embark on an exciting journey to experience a world of sound never heard before in the universe of the German masters of Symphonic Metal.

The time has finally come to dive into new adventures. Six years after the release of Theater of Dimensions, Bielefeld, Germany-based Symphonic Metal masters Xandria are finally back in action with a brand new opus, titled The Wonders Still Awaiting, the eighth studio album in their career, and the first to feature the Greek goddess Ambre Vourvahis on vocals, Rob Klawonn on the guitars, Tim Schwarz on bass, and Dimitros Gatsios on drums, alongside the band’s mastermind Marco Heubaum. Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and displaying a stylish artwork by Zacarias Guterres, The Wonders Still Awaiting presents 13 tracks in total, clocking at over one hour of music, sounding harder, darker and more epic than all of their previous efforts while holding an intimate setting and range of emotions at the same time. Next to a 40-piece classical choir, authentic Celtic instruments represented by renowned musicians as well as delicate violin and cello contributions, the album is topped by the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir, which marks the first collaboration of this kind in the band’s history.

Gentle keys kick off the opening tune Two Worlds, evolving into a Symphonic Metal feast led by the classy riffs by Marco and Rob and, of course, the striking vocals by Ambre. It’s indeed a beautiful way to start their metallic voyage, whereas  Dimitrio pounds his drums accompanied by the rumbling bass by Tim in Reborn, alternating between heavy moments and gentle passages, sounding absolutely solid from start to finish. Then we’re treated to You Will Never Be Our God, featuring the one and only Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) as a guest vocalist, making a powerful duo with Ambre supported by her bandmates with their precise riffage, bass lines and beats, followed by the title-track The Wonders Still Awaiting, also showcasing a perfect sync between Ambre and the band’s guitar duo, exhaling epicness and adventure. After that, it’s time for a fast and thrilling Symphonic Metal aria titled Ghosts, with the band’s groovy kitchen formed of Tim and Dimitrio kicking some serious ass, and Your Stories I’ll Remember, a charming ballad with touching lyrics declaimed by Ambre (“I have walked this path with you until you’ve gone on your own / And I hope you’ve heard me still when I have said farewell / You will always be a part of what I have become / And whenever I close my eyes I think back of this time”). Then we have My Curse Is My Redemption, presenting another serene start with stylish background elements, flowing smoothly to the stunning vocals by Ambre.

Illusion Is Their Name is another heavy and thunderous Symphonic Metal beast by Xandria, one of the best songs of the album thanks to its endless electricity, piercing riffs and blast beats, followed by another mesmerizing ballad led by Ambre entitled Paradise, with Marco’s and Rob’s minimalist guitar lines adding an extra touch of darkness to the overall result. Let’s all bang our heads together with Xandria in Mirror of Time, uniting their past, present and future in a fierce and entertaining way, sounding and feeling very detailed and dense until the very last second, and there’s no sign of the band slowing down as they bring forward another full-bodied, intense song titled Scars, with its orchestrations walking hand in hand with Ambre’s passionate vocals. Their second to last aria, titled The Maiden and the Child, embellishes the airwaves with a symphonic and vibrant sonority, with Dimitrio dictating the song’s inspiring pace while their guitars overflow heaviness and potency, before their musical journey ends with Astèria, offering poetic, epic lyrics declaimed by Ambre (“I came from far away to save my soul / To flee this war I have always known / Followed paths away from this / The guns, the suffering / This is not the homeland that we need / Bleeding in vain”) while her bandmates generate a wall of symphonic and orchestral sounds that elevates the album’s impact and reach considerably, or in other words, it’s a fantastic story told by Xandria through their music.

Rich in different styles and genres, the excellent The Wonders Still Awaiting comes close to a movie score, sending its listener on an exciting journey to experience a world of sound never heard before in the universe of Xandria. Hence, you can experience all that by streaming the full album on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE or HERE. It’s indeed great to see a band like Xandria getting back on track after such turbulent times in their career, and I’m sure the band would love to hear your thoughts on their new music on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also subscribe to their official YouTube channel. Let’s all hope that Xandria have finally reached their desired and, more important than that, stable shape and form, because after seeing what Ambre can do for the band they simply cannot afford to lose her. It would be a total disaster, I might say. Anyway, at least for now Xandria are not only alive and kicking, but their new album will undoubtedly become a reference in the genre, inviting us all to join them in epic adventures only Symphonic Metal can provide us with.

Best moments of the album: You Will Never Be Our God, Ghosts, Illusion Is Their Name and Astèria.

Worst moments of the album: My Curse Is My Redemption.

Released in 2023 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Two Worlds 7:08
2. Reborn 5:13
3. You Will Never Be Our God 5:11
4. The Wonders Still Awaiting 4:59
5. Ghosts 5:26
6. Your Stories I’ll Remember 6:21
7. My Curse Is My Redemption 5:03
8. Illusion Is Their Name 5:07
9. Paradise 5:02
10. Mirror of Time 6:41
11. Scars 4:07
12. The Maiden and the Child 4:54
13. Astèria 9:08

Band members
Ambre Vourvahis – vocals
Marco Heubaum – guitars, keyboards, programming, backing vocals
Rob Klawonn – guitars
Tim Schwarz – bass
Dimitrio Gatsios – drums

Guest musicians
Ralf Scheepers – vocals on “You Will Never Be Our God”
Ally Storch – violin, cello
Johannes Schiefner – uillean pipes
McAlbi – low whistle
Luki Knoebl – orchestral arrangements
Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir – choir

Album Review – Lifetaker / Der letzte Raum (2022)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

Prolific Grind/Hardcore/Sludge quartet Lifetaker have returned with a sophomoric full length album entitled Der Letzte Raum (“The Last Room”) which will see the light of day later this month on an impressive looking LP, put out via Black Omega Recordings.

If you are going to call yourself Lifetaker you damn sure best have a sound to match the statement, and these German chaos merchants go about proving their mettle over the course of fifteen short sharp bursts of violence incarnate. I’m not massively well versed in either Grindcore or Hardcore so I’ll instead spend my time telling you how the album sounds rather than trying to unpick the bands myriad influences.

And what it sounds like is what I imagine having your face forcibly dragged along a cobbled street at a hundred miles per hour might sound like. A violent uncontrollable maelstrom of bludgeoning beats, Buzzsaw riff-age and a vocal style from the gutters, spewing forth bile and spite at every available moment. And yet at times Lifetaker produces moments of pure unadulterated fist pumping madness such as the delightfully catchy Kehlbiss or the equally as fun sounding Kadaverstille which are surely destined to be pit favourites at any upcoming shows that the band grace.

An absolutely banger of an album from start to finish; chaotic and carnage filled, viciously spiteful and intoxicatingly gratifying. Like a Panzer tank belligerently bulldozing your house and making you ask for more! Plug this directly into my veins and leave me to it!

Released in 2022 Black Omega Recordings

Track listing
1. Bunkerjugend 1:33
2. Patrizidprotokoll 2:31
3. Fleischwolf 1:37
4. Strafisolator 1:11
5. Alpha Antichrist 1:02
6. Kehlbiss 1:05
7. Störfunk 0:49
8. Kadaverstille 1:25
9. Blutopfer 2:05
10. Gottgeburt 1:22
11. Madenvolk 0:55
12. Schlafparalyse 1:42
13. Tempelfaust 1:49
14. Vernichtungstanz 2:22
15. Gamma Mörser 2:15

Band members
Konstantin – vocals
Alex – guitars
Gerrit – bass
Nico – drums

Links
Lifetaker Facebook | Instagram | Linktree | Spotify | BandCamp | YouTube

Album Review – Blind Guardian / The God Machine (2022)

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Seven years after the release of Beyond The Red Mirror, the most respect German Power Metal bards of all time make a brilliant return with their breathtaking twelfth studio album.

Seven years after the release of Beyond The Red Mirror, the multi-talented German Power Metal bards Blind Guardian make a brilliant return and compensate for the waiting time with their new studio album, entitled The God Machine, the twelfth in their undisputed career. Produced, recorded and engineered by Charlie Bauerfeind and Thomas Geiger, mixed by Joost van den Broek and Jos Driessen, mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde, and displaying a classy artwork by Peter Mohrbacher, The God Machine brings everything we learned to love and more in the music by frontman Hansi Kürsch and his henchmen André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen on the guitars, Frederik Ehmke on drums, and session musicians Barend Courbois on bass and Thomas Geiger on keyboards, with each song having its lyrics based on a specific novel, play, series or milestone in their personal lives, such as The Kingkiller Chronicle, Battlestar Galactica and American Gods. “We didn’t want to rehash our style from 1995, but on the other hand we didn’t want to have to continue on our current path forever. The God Machine is a new beginning for us. We’re putting everything back to square one and return to certain patterns that we neglected a bit on previous releases. Look forward to an album that is straighter, more aggressive, but always blessed with highly infectious melodies and hooks,” commented Hansi about the band’s new opus.

The rhythmic riffs by André and Marcus set the stage for the epic Deliver Us From Evil, with Hansi distilling his trademark, powerful vocals from the very first second in a pure Blind Guardian sound with no shenanigans, or in other words, this will be a fantastic opener for their upcoming concerts. In Damnation we’re treated to cryptic words darkly declaimed by Hansi (“They’re like ghosts / The ancient ones / Burning blue’s their sign / It’s all true / Hush don’t cry / Better hide”) while his bandmates deliver first-class Power and Heavy Metal nonstop in a journey back in time to the band’s early days; followed by Secrets Of The American Gods, which starts in a beyond epic, majestic manner before exploding into another headbanging, symphonic Power Metal aria, being therefore tailored for their live setlists. And it’s then time for another explosion of visceral Power Metal by the bards entitled Violent Shadows, where Barend and Frederik’s kitchen offers the band’s guitar duo the perfect atmosphere for their wicked riffs and solos.

Life Beyond The Spheres displays solid instrumental and vocals, albeit it lacks the same punch as its predecessors. The keys by guest Joost van den Broek are spot-on, though, enhancing the song’s kick. Then speeding things up and delivering a beautiful fusion of heaviness, epicness and violence the band brings forward Architects Of Doom, where Frederik dictates the pace while Hansi continues to stun us all with his unparalleled vocals; and Hansi mesmerizes us once again in Let It Be No More, starting in a serene, pensive manner and evolving into a bold and beautiful sonority where André pierces our souls with his guitar solo. The fantastic Blood Of The Elves brings to us listeners powerful lyrics (“Honor, it’s easy to dispose / In this darkest hour we’re alone / From behind closed doors it aims for her / Magic’s reaching out to draw her in / To the eye of the storm / The storm”) spiced up by a traditional, straightforward sound that will please all fans of the band, whereas just like a sinister, climatic ending of a fantasy movie we’re treated to the hammering Destiny, a great way to conclude another sensational work by Blind Guardian showcasing their characteristic vocals and riffs enfolded by gorgeous background elements.

Blind Guardian The God Machine Nuclear Blast Mailorder Vinyl Boxset

Such masterpiece of German Power and Heavy Metal can be appreciated in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but if I were you I would certainly click HERE or HERE to purchase the physical edition of the album, including the superb Nuclear Blast Mailorder Vinyl Boxset, limited to 1,700 copies, which comes with a crystal-clear double LP with red inkspot and black splatter in a gatefold with 24-page booklet, a digipack CD, a board game, a slipmat, a signed card, a sticker and a postcard set. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates, and to stream all of their amazing videos and albums on YouTube and on Spotify. In summary, seven years between two albums feels like an eternity for us fans when the band in question is as amazing as Blind Guardian, but the wait was certainly worth it as The God Machine proves why such German metal machine is so respected and admired in the world of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Deliver Us From Evil, Damnation, Violent Shadows and Blood Of The Elves.

Worst moments of the album: Life Beyond The Spheres.

Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Deliver Us From Evil 5:21
2. Damnation 5:20
3. Secrets Of The American Gods 7:28
4. Violent Shadows 4:17
5. Life Beyond The Spheres 6:02
6. Architects Of Doom 6:20
7. Let It Be No More 4:48
8. Blood Of The Elves 4:37
9. Destiny 6:46

Nuclear Blast Mailorder Edition, Vinyl Boxset bonus tracks
10. Life Beyond the Spheres (Cyber Mix) 6:07
11. Destiny (Lead Guitar Version) 6:42
12. Let It Be No More (Heavy Vocals) 4:49

Band members
Hansi Kürsch – vocals
André Olbrich – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Marcus Siepen – rhythm and acoustic guitars
Frederik Ehmke – drums

Guest musicians
Barend Courbois – bass (session)
Thomas Geiger – keyboards, effects (session)
Joost van den Broek – keyboards on “Life Beyond The Spheres”
Marcela Bovio, Marjan Welman, Olaf Senkbeil, Hacky Hackmann & John “Jaycee” Cuijpers – backing vocals