Let’s ride into the battlefield to the sound of this true locomotive of old school Heavy Metal masterfully crafted by one of the most electrifying names of the current scene.
Flying the flag for refined Heavy Metal since their inception back in 2009, always influenced by metal titans the likes of Motörhead, Dio, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Mercyful Fate, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own unstoppable force Lady Beast returns to action five years after their latest full-length opus The Vulture’s Amulet, and four years after their striking EP Omens, with a brand new album entitled The Inner Alchemist, continuing to melt our faces with their sturdy aesthetic, authentically 80’s-entrenched Heavy Metal that struts and gallops with equal aplomb. Recorded by Jason Jouver, mastered by Yavé “Rust” Rodriguez, and displaying an ass-kicking, evocative artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, The Inner Alchemist is a true locomotive of old school metal music masterfully crafted by frontwoman Deborah Levine, guitarists Andy Ramage and Chris Tritschler, bassist Amy Bianco, and Adam Ramage, offering more of their high-octane music infused with swords and sorcery.
The scorching riffs by Andy and Chris rev up the band’s metallic engine in Oracle’s Omen, a true banger where Deborah already distills her soaring vocals for our total delight; whereas their Power Metal vein pulses stronger than ever in Through the Eyes of War, with Adam dictating the song’s electrifying pace supported by the classic bass lines by Amy, being therefore recommended for some fun inside the mosh pit. The band then delivers an overdose of Heavy Metal magic in the title-track Inner Alchemist, a headbanging hymn where the rumbling kitchen by Amy and Adam is perfect for Deborah’s piercing vocal lines, morphing into Starborn, which offers our avid ears a serene, melancholic start in the best Iron Maiden way possible, then evolving into a more Judas Priest-inspired sound until the end.
Their feast of old school, no shenanigans sounds goes on in full force in Crone’s Crossroads, a frantic, in-your-face display of Heavy Metal where Adam hammers his drums nonstop while the riffage by Andy and Chris exhale fire and power; and their NWOBHM side explodes majestically in Feed Your Fire, where their caustic riffage and solos, as well as their fast-paced beats, match flawlessly with Deborah’s epic roars. Witch Light is an instrumental tune that sounds fairly decent, although I still prefer any song with Deborah’s vocals like what happens in The Wild Hunt, where she declaims the song’s lyrics beautifully supported by the galloping sounds blasted by her bandmates. Last but definitely not least, it’s pedal to the metal in the thrilling Off with Their Heads, sounding thrashy at times thanks to the infuriated riffs by Andy and Chris, therefore putting a wild conclusion to such a breathtaking album.
After all is said and done, you’ll notice that not only The Inner Alchemist is a pure Lady Beast album, but also that the production on the album beautifully highlights their heaviness, turning it into a special milestone in their already solid career. Having said that, Deborah and her henchmen are waiting for you to join them in the battlefield by following them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, by streaming their epic creations on Spotify, and of course by grabbing a copy of the breathtaking The Inner Alchemist from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It’s time to ride through the vast realm of heavy music alongside Lady Beast to the sound of their newborn opus, keeping the flames of classic Heavy Metal burning for all eternity and, therefore, fueling the band to keep blasting our ears with more albums like The Inner Alchemist in the foreseeable future.
Best moments of the album:Through the Eyes of War, Crone’s Crossroads, Feed Your Fire and Off with Their Heads.
Worst moments of the album:Witch Light.
Released in 2025 Dying Victims Productions
Track listing 1. Oracle’s Omen 4:08
2. Through the Eyes of War 3:47
3. Inner Alchemist 3:48
4. Starborn 6:56
5. Crone’s Crossroads 3:27
6. Feed Your Fire 4:37
7. Witch Light 2:19
8. The Wild Hunt 3:28
9. Off with Their Heads 3:09
Band members Deborah Levine – vocals
Andy Ramage – lead guitar
Chris Tritschler – rhythm guitar
Amy Bianco – bass
Adam Ramage – drums
The global legends of pure fucking metal return with their twelfth studio album, capturing the essence of the band in its collection of vicious, high-energy rippers.
Legends of pure fucking metal for nearly 30 years, Melodic Death Metal outfit Arch Enemy returns to the battlefield with their twelfth studio album, entitled Blood Dynasty, the follow-up to their 2022 beast Deceivers. Recorded and mixed by Jens Bogren and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, produced by the band’s own Michael Amott and Daniel Erlandsson, and featuring a creepy artwork by Alex Reisfar, Blood Dynasty captures the essence of Arch Enemy in its collection of vicious, high-energy rippers without sounding outdated, always looking forward, therefore showcasing all the talent and passion for heavy music by frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz, guitarists Michael Amott and Joey Concepcion, bassist Sharlee D’Angelo, and drummer Daniel Erlandsson.
An imposing, epic intro suddenly explodes into Dream Stealer, with Michael and Joey sounding venomous armed with their axes while Alissa fires some of her deepest guttural roars ever. Needless to say, I would love to see and hear more of this more violent side of Arch Enemy. Then Daniel keeps pounding his drums in Illuminate the Path, sounding modern yet loyal to the band’s Melodic Death Metal roots; followed by March of the Miscreants, another violent and visceral display of heavy music by the band led by the blistering riffs by Michael and Joey, and A Million Suns, a solid composition by the band showcasing the trademark riffs and solos by Mr. Michael Amott. And it looks like the band wanted to get back to their most aggressive vibe in the album, with Don’t Look Down being the perfect example of that.
The second part of the album starts with the sinister interlude Presage, getting us pumped for Blood Dynasty, with Alissa barking the song’s lyrics (“Cracks in the ice below our feet / Our own worst enemy on all fronts / A strategy of self-deceit? / A hornets nest, about to be released”) amidst an overdose of classic Arch Enemy. Paper Tiger also sounds ruthless, from its in-your-face intro declaimed by Alissa (“See no, hear no / Speak no evil / We are each our own devil / And we make this world our hell”) to its galloping pace led by Sharlee and Daniel, reeking of old school Melodic Death Metal for our total delight. I personally think there was no need for a ballad like Vivre Libre in the album, and although Alissa does a decent job with her potent clean vocals, the song sounds generic and out of place; whereas The Pendulum alternates between more cadenced moments and a fast-paced rhythm with elements of the Heavy Metal by Iron Maiden (and even some nuances of Power Metal). And lastly, there’s nothing better than a true banger to end the album like Liars & Thieves, with Daniel hammering his drums frantically while we all slam into the pit like true metalheads.
“This is our 12th studio album, and the rule of metal is that you’ve got to keep trying to say the same thing, but in slightly different ways!” says Michael Amott. “There’s a degree of familiarity in our sound, which I don’t see as a problem because we’re playing the music we love. But obviously we’ve got to throw a couple of curveballs in there each time, a few new interesting things to spice it up a little bit. How do you get people talking about your record when it’s the 12th one, you know?” Well, Mr. Amott is absolutely right, as all bands need to reinvent themselves once in a while to avoid getting repetitive or dull, and let’s say Arch Enemy have more than succeeded in doing that so far, with Blood Dynasty sounding strong from start to finish. You can find more information about the band and their tour dates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, get ready to rock to their new album on Spotify, and of course purchase it by clicking HERE, helping Arch Enemy stay atop of the world as the leaders of the Melodic Death Metal movement since their inception.
Best moments of the album:Dream Stealer, March of the Miscreants, Paper Tiger and Liars & Thieves.
Worst moments of the album:Vivre Libre.
Released in 2025 Century Media
Track listing 1. Dream Stealer 4:29
2. Illuminate the Path 4:48
3. March of the Miscreants 4:49
4. A Million Suns 3:45
5. Don’t Look Down 4:07
6. Presage 0:47
7. Blood Dynasty 3:51
8. Paper Tiger 3:56
9. Vivre Libre 4:07
10. The Pendulum 3:42
11. Liars & Thieves 4:20
Band members Alissa White-Gluz – vocals
Michael Amott – lead guitars, backing vocals
Joey Concepcion – lead guitars, backing vocals
Sharlee D’Angelo – bass
Daniel Erlandsson – drums
Let the battle commence to the sound of the striking third studio album by this German Heavy Metal brigade.
Having emerged from the ashes of a band named Wolven back in 2021, Cologne, Germany-based Heavy Metal brigade WarWolf is back for the attack with their third studio album, titled The Final Battle, the follow-up to their 2023 opus The Apocalyptic Waltz. Produced, mixed and mastered once again by Grave Digger’s own mastermind Chris Boltendahl at Graveyard Studio, the new album by frontman Andreas von Lipinski, guitarists Frank Noras and Peter Müller, bassist Florian Abegg and drummer Holger Bloempott offers exactly what a fan would expect from the band and even more, showcasing “Maiden-esque” influences with a slight Teutonic Metal touch, but this time rawer and more honest then ever.
The opener Eye of the Storm is simply fast, furious, striking, and showcases metallic lyrics for our total delight (“In the heart of chaos / Where tempests collide / Beneath the shadowed clouds / Where fears reside / An eye of the storm / A glimpse into the night / Where wars unfold / And souls take flight”), followed by Burning Skies, another slab of old school Heavy Metal where Frank’s soaring vocals are nicely boosted by all backing vocals. In The Lycan Empire, the title of the song matches perfectly with not only the band’s name but also with their traditional Heavy and Power Metal sound, whereas Fight the Invaders is not a very exciting song, not to mention it’s a long one too, despite the solid job done by Frank and Peter on the guitars. A New Hope presents a much more exciting sonority led by the galloping bass and drums by Florian and Holger, sounding very Iron Maiden-ish in the end.
Andreas continues to lead his bandmates with his soaring vocals in Time Stands Still, offering more of the band’s classic Teutonic Heavy Metal, with their riffs sounding sharp and vibrant; whereas serene guitar lines kick off the seven-minute aria The Dark Emperor, an ode to the NWOBHM with a German twist, led by the classic drumming by Holger, flowing into the headbanging tune Blood & Ice, a beautiful fusion of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock where the guitars by Frank and Peter are spitting fire. The second to last track of the album is a full-bodied, detailed nine-minute tune titled The Final Battle, starting in a serene acoustic manner, and alternating between heavier moments and deep introspective passages; and as the battle seems to be finally reaching its end, the band offers a soothing ballad titled The War Is Over, overflowing melancholy and grief.
In addition to all that, all songs have a continuous story so The Final Battle can be called a concept album, though each song can also stand on its own, and you can experience that metallic adventure by WarWolf by purchasing a copy of the album or streaming it as many times as you want by clicking HERE or HERE. You can also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things WarWolf (including their tour dates, like their upcoming European tour alongside the mighty Grave Digger), and stream their awesome music on any streaming platform like Spotify. Because the battle rages on, and the Teutonic beast WarWolf is definitely ready to fight by our side armed with their new album of undisputed, classic Heavy Metal.
Best moments of the album:Eye of the Storm, A New Hope and Blood & Ice.
Worst moments of the album:Fight the Invaders.
Released in 2025 Metalapolis Records
Track listing 1. Eye of the Storm 5:37
2. Burning Skies 5:04
3. The Lycan Empire 5:36
4. Fight the Invaders 8:23
5. A New Hope 5:41
6. Time Stands Still 4:05
7. The Dark Emperor 7:04
8. Blood & Ice 4:02
9. The Final Battle 8:52
10. The War Is Over 5:06
Band members Andreas von Lipinski – vocals
Frank Noras – guitars
Peter Müller – guitars
Florian Abegg – bass
Holger Bloempott – drums
A manifesto of pure, unfiltered old school German Heavy Metal masterfully brought into being by one of the most important bands in the history of the genre, going back to their raw and energetic roots.
Back to the roots or back to the future? No matter how you call it, Teutonic Heavy Metal masters Grave Digger have recorded the first album of their undisputed career completely without keyboard passages, entitled Bone Collector. Produced, mixed and mastered at Graveyard Studio, displaying a killer AI-generated artwork, and featuring for the first time ever guitarist Tobias Kersting, the follow-up to their 2022 album Symbol of Eternity finds its way back to long forgotten trademarks, showcasing all the passion for heavy music by the iconic frontman Chris Boltendahl alongside the aforementioned Tobias Kersting on the guitar, Jens Becker on bass, and Marcus Kniep on drums.
A dark, somber intro suddenly morphs into a high-octane Heavy Metal beast titled Bone Collector, with Marcus hammering his drums manically supported by the slashing riffs by Tobias while Chris’ vocals exhale pure metal as usual. The breathtaking The Rich, the Poor, the Dying is even faster and more infuriated than the opener, with Tobias and Marcus once again sounding inhumane with their respective riffs and beats, not to mention the song’s amazing Thrash Metal vibe; and the rumbling bass by Jens kicks off the also heavy-as-hell Kingdom of Skulls, transpiring old school Grave Digger for our total delight. The Devil’s Serenade is the perfect soundtrack for a wild road trip, with Tobias and Jens slamming their stringed axes in the name of our good old Rock N’ Roll, followed by Killing Is My Pleasure, another one of the previously released songs, offering a blast of first-class pure, unfiltered Heavy Metal recommended for some action inside the pit; whereas the riffs by Tobias continue to pierce our minds in Mirror of Hate, maybe the weakest (or perhaps I should say “the least strong”) song of the album.
In Riders of Doom we can easily notice that the name of the song is not in vain, as there’s a huge dosage of cryptic doom flowing from all instruments, in special from Jens’ massive, metallic bass lines, resulting in a true headbanging, horns raising metal extravaganza; and get ready to head into the battlefield (aka the mosh pit) together with Chris & Co. to the sound of the furious Made of Madness, a lecture in Heavy Metal with a strong thrashing base where Chris once again sounds superb on vocals, all spiced up by an ass-kicking solo by Tobias. Graveyard Kings brings forward more of their thrilling fusion of Heavy and Power Metal, keeping the album at a high level of heaviness and rage, and the quartet still has a lot of fuel to burn in the incendiary Forever Evil and Buried Alive, a flawless depiction of the power and importance of the music by Grave Digger to the history of Heavy Metal. Lastly, the album ends with the six-minute doomed tune Whispers of the Damned, with Marcus pounding his drums in the name of absolute darkness.
Raw, brutal, honest and yet catchy, Bone Collector is a manifesto of German Heavy Metal, old school at its best, without rust and patina, no self-copying and always authentic. This is how the band’s new work can be described, going back to their roots, but still sounding energetic, fresh and multifaceted, and you can get in touch with the band and stay up to date with all things Grave Digger, including their upcoming 45th anniversary tour, by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course be part of their metallic legacy by purchasing Bone Collector by clicking HERE or HERE. Those veterans are more than ready to dig your grave and collect your bones to the sound of their new album, keeping the fires of their undisputed Heavy Metal burning for many decades to come.
Best moments of the album:Bone Collector, The Rich, the Poor, the Dying, Made of Madness and Forever Evil and Buried Alive.
Worst moments of the album:Mirror of Hate.
Released in 2025 Reigning Phoenix Music/ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records
Track listing 1. Bone Collector 4:19
2. The Rich, the Poor, the Dying 3:25
3. Kingdom of Skulls 3:45
4. The Devil’s Serenade 4:01
5. Killing Is My Pleasure 3:29
6. Mirror of Hate 4:43
7. Riders of Doom 4:55
8. Made of Madness 3:59
9. Graveyard Kings 4:13
10. Forever Evil and Buried Alive 3:34
11. Whispers of the Damned 6:16
Band members Chris Boltendahl – vocals
Tobias Kersting – guitar
Jens Becker – bass
Marcus Kniep – drums
Let’s join this Swedish melodeath juggernaut in their march of the unheard to the sound of their incendiary sophomore album.
Gothenburg, Sweden’s own Melodic Death Metal outfit The Halo Effect may have begun as five old friends just making music for fun, but they’re now one of the most beloved new bands in Heavy Metal. Now in 2025 fans of bands like Dark Tranquility, Insomnium and Soilwork have a lot to celebrate with March Of The Unheard, a triumphant successor brimming with everything that made their 2022 debut Days of the Lost an instant breakthrough, showcasing all the talent and passion for heavy music by frontman Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, Grand Cadaver, Cemetery Skyline), guitarists Jesper Strömblad (Ceremonial Oath, Cyhra, Dimension Zero) and Niclas Engelin (We Sell The Dead, In Flames), bassist Peter Iwers (Fleetburner, In Flames), and drummer Daniel Svensson (In Flames, Diabolique).
Their Swedish melodeath vein pulses harder than ever in the opener Conspire To Deceive, with Jesper and Niclas slashing their axes in the best Scandinavian style, followed by Detonate, which will work majestically if played live, a pedal-to-the-metal creation by the band where Mikael’s roars and Daniel’s beats match flawlessly; and there’s no sign of slowing down at all, as the quintet continues to distill their Melodic Death Metal attack in great fashion in Our Channel To The Darkness. Then investing in a more cadenced, traditional sound, it’s time for Cruel Perception, led by the classic drums by Daniel, followed by What We Become, one of those songs perfect for some sick headbanging thanks to the pounding drums by Daniel, supported by the metallic bass lines by Peter.
After that, we face the epic, imposing interlude This Curse Of Silence, working as an intro to the title-track March Of The Unheard, offering our avid years an overdose of first-class Melodic Death Metal with nuances of classic Heavy and Power Metal. Needless to say, Mikael is once again bestial on vocals, which is also the case in Forever Astray, another great option for banging our heads while the band’s guitar duo continues to deliver sheer electricity form their sonic weapons. A grim start then evolves into another massive feast of hammering drums and sharp riffs in Between Directions, albeit not as powerful as the other songs; whereas in A Death That Becomes Us the band gets back to a more ferocious yet very melodic sonority, with Mikael leading his horde in another strong candidate for their live performances. There’s more classic Swedish metal music for the masses with Mikael roaring to the riffage by Jesper and Niclas in The Burning Point, before the album ends with the stunning Coda, an atmospheric and epic outro that puts a climatic conclusion to the entire record.
After all is said and done, March Of The Unheard isn’t just another opus of Gothenburg melodeath; it announces that The Halo Effect still have fresh ideas for the genre, 30 years after their members helped catapult it to international acclaim. Now united under one banner, they are gunning for global success once again, and you can know more about the band and enjoy their classy music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their music on Spotify, and of course by purchasing their new album by clicking HERE, joining The Halo Effect on their exciting and metallic march of the unheard.
Best moments of the album:Detonate, What We Become, March Of The Unheard and A Death That Becomes Us.
Worst moments of the album:Cruel Perception and Between Directions.
Released in 2025 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. Conspire To Deceive 3:57
2. Detonate 3:58
3. Our Channel To The Darkness 3:29
4. Cruel Perception 4:04
5. What We Become 3:47
6. This Curse Of Silence 2:01
7. March Of The Unheard 2:59
8. Forever Astray 3:41
9. Between Directions 4:29
10. A Death That Becomes Us 4:07
11. The Burning Point 3:48
12. Coda 3:54
Band members Mikael Stanne – vocals
Jesper Strömblad – guitars
Niclas Engelin – guitars
Peter Iwers – bass
Daniel Svensson – drums
“Fans still compare me to Bruce Dickinson. I have people coming up to me and saying, Don’t you know that could’ve been you? And I tell them, That was me! I just didn’t want it..” – Paul Di’Anno
It’s hard to put into words the loss of our beloved Paul Andrews (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024), better known by his stage name Paul Di’Anno, one of the most iconic musicians in the history of heavy music, helping Iron Maiden be what they’re today by giving that edgier vibe to the albums Iron Maiden and Killers, therefore influencing all future generations of musicians not only in Heavy Metal, but also in Punk Rock and Rock N’ Roll. He was a legend and will be sorely missed by anyone who loves good music. There’s not much we can do at The Headbanging Moose to honor his life and work, but we’ll keep celebrating heavy music in his name for as long as we can. I wish he could have played one final show in Toronto so Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I could have registered such a unique moment in the city, but unfortunately time is not always in our favor. Anyway, it might be a very sad year to the metal community worldwide with an irreplaceable loss like that, but heavy music lives on, and that’s why here we have once again The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2024, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, to keep the spirit alive and keep raising our horns to countless metal musicians like our great Paul Di’Anno.
1. Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (REVIEW) Nothing can stand in the way of the Metal Gods as they raise the invincible shield of Heavy Metal.
Best song of the album: The Serpent and the King
2. Werewolves – Die For Us (REVIEW) Australia’s most savage beast is back with their fifth studio opus, a lecture in Death Metal perfect for beating anyone back to life.
Best song of the album: Spittle-Flecked Rant
3. Aborted – Vault of Horrors (REVIEW) These Death Metal and Deathcore beasts open their demonic vault of horrors to bring brutality, gore and evil to our damned souls.
Best song of the album: Death Cult
4. Necrowretch – Swords of Dajjal (REVIEW) This French Blackened Death Metal horde returns blacker than ever with a magnificent opus dedicated to the Islamic Antichrist.
Best song of the album: Vae Victis
5. Gaerea – Coma (REVIEW) The torchbearers of present-day Black Metal arise again, erupting with intensity, casting forth black ashes over the world.
Best song of the album: Coma
6. Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere (REVIEW) Blood Incantation offer us all two sensational compositions that are as confounding as they are engaging in their scope.
Best song of the album: The Stargate [Tablet I]
7. Benighted – Ekbom (REVIEW) Let’s dive into the auditory abyss with this Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore entity armed with their newborn beast.
Best song of the album: Fame of the Grotesque
8. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Opera (REVIEW) One of the torchbearers of Symphonic Death Metal worldwide returns with their strongest opus to date.
Best song of the album: I Can Never Die
9. Arhat – Secrets of Ancient Gods (REVIEW) The newborn spawn by this Ukrainian horde will take you on a journey into the world of ancient gods and mysterious rituals.
Best song of the album: Abyss of Flame
10. Grand Magus – Sunraven (REVIEW) Sweden’s own Heavy and Doom Metal institution is back with a new collection of battle hymns inspired by the tale of Beowulf and Grendel.
Best song of the album: Skybound
And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:
11. Ecclesia – Ecclesia Militans (REVIEW)
12. The Last of Lucy – Godform (REVIEW)
13. Rotting Christ – Προ Χριστού (Pro Xristou) (REVIEW)
14. Rage – Afterlifelines (REVIEW)
15. Ingested – The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams (REVIEW)
16. Blaze Bayley – Circle of Stone (REVIEW)
17. Striker – Ultrapower (REVIEW)
18. Kerry King – From Hell I Rise (REVIEW)
19. Accept – Humanoid (REVIEW)
20. Hiraes – Dormant (REVIEW)
In addition, as I always like to say, sometimes a band doesn’t need to release a full album to kick some ass, and that’s why we also have our Top 10 EP’s of 2024 to show that sometimes less is more, or maybe I should say, less is heavier!
1. Rifftera – Coda (REVIEW)
2. Trollwar – Tales from the Frozen Wastes (REVIEW)
3. Atavistia – Inane Ducam (REVIEW)
4. Ways. – Are We Still Alive? (REVIEW)
5. Enforced – A Leap Into The Dark (REVIEW)
6. Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (REVIEW)
7. Onslaught Kommand – Visions of Blood and Gore (REVIEW)
8. Golgothan Remains – Bearer of Light, Matriarch of Death (REVIEW)
9. Infernalivm – Conquering the Most High (REVIEW)
10. Dragoncorpse – Fall of House Abbarath (REVIEW)
Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2024? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show!
Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2025!
In the end, there’s no Christmas-inspired song this year, nor anything festive like that, but I’ll leave you with the official video for one of the most important songs ever recorded by Iron Maiden, one with a strong punk and thrash vibe, with the one and only Paul Di’Anno on vocals. Let’s raise our horns to him forever and ever, my fellow metalheads! RIP legend!
This international Powercore army is back into the battlefield armed with a brand new EP, taking their already innovative, energetic sound to a whole new level.
Back into the battlefield and armed with a brand new EP entitled The Fall of House Abbarath, International Symphonic Deathcore/Power Metal dynamos Dragoncorpse took their already innovative, energetic sound, plus all feedback gathered from the release of their 2023 debut EP, The Drakketh Saga, to heart and used it to refine their approach in their new release. Produced by the band itself alongside Matt Schmidt, who was also responsible for all mixing and mastering, and displaying a killer artwork by Avellustration, the new EP by Mardy Leith on vocals, Kris Chayer on the guitars, Noah Nikolas Laidlaw on bass, Justin Gogan on drums, and Mark Marin on all orchestrations takes place in the space between “Sunlover” and “Blood And Stones” (both songs from The Drakketh Saga), offering a heavy yet very melodic sound perfect for admirers of the music by Dragonforce, 3 Inches of Blood, Nekrogoblikon, Lorna Shore and Brand of Sacrifice, among others.
An Introduction To [HEROISM] is a wicked spoken track that introduces the listener to Dragoncorpse’s realm of dragons, warriors and battles, exploding into the heavy and epic Welcome Home, where Mardy delivers his Deathcore-infused vocals supported by the riffs by Kris and the whimsical orchestrations by Mark, followed by I Live… AGAIN!, even more infuriated and heavier than the previous song, with the pulverizing beats by Justin inviting us all to head into the battlefield together with the band, showcasing a great balance between harsh screams and Power Metal clean vocals. A Quest For Truth starts in a weird dancing way, almost sounding pop, but quickly morphing into another Power Metal attack by Dragoncorpse with all background keys and visceral gnarling enhancing its punch. Then featuring guest vocals by Lauren Coleman we have Whisper on the Wind, a dark and enfolding ballad (if we can call it this way) that soothes our souls before their last metal aria titled Fear and Hunger, showcasing a venomous riff and bass attack by Kris and Noah while Justin keeps hammering his drums in the name of heavy music (and dragons).
“For new fans, I believe we’ve added more elements of deathcore and power metal while adding more excitement into the music for an authentic listening experience like no other band,” Noah explains. “We put a lot of emphasis on the atmosphere of the music,” adds Justin. “Throughout the entire EP there is a medieval theming that resonates in the music that keeps the tracks feeling refreshing and fun. With the addition of Mark on keys/orchestration, he brought with him a completely different approach to songwriting that I am sure fans are going to appreciate!” Hence, if you want to experience all that sonic madness brought into being by this multinational entity from Australia, Canada and the United States, you can purchase The Fall of House Abbarath from their own BandCamp, from the Shattered Earth Records webstore as a CD or as a vinyl, as well as by clicking HERE. Also, don’t forget to start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream more of their music on Spotify, letting their Powercore invade your ears as you prepare to march into battle to fight dragons and, of course, to raise your horns to one of the most unique bands of the current scene.
Best moments of the album:I Live… AGAIN! and Fear and Hunger.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Shattered Earth Records
Track listing 1. An Introduction To [HEROISM] 3:22
2. Welcome Home 3:15
3. I Live… AGAIN! 3:55
4. A Quest For Truth 4:38
5. Whisper on the Wind 3:49
6. Fear and Hunger 3:59
Band members Mardy Leith – vocals
Kris Chayer – guitars
Noah Nikolas Laidlaw – bass
Justin Gogan – drums
Mark Marin – orchestration
Guest musicians Nick Miller – guitars on “I Live… AGAIN!”
Lauren Coleman – vocals on “Whisper on the Wind”
Our metal lady of this very special month of October is not called Melissa, she won’t break the oath, and she’s definitely not an uninvited guest. What she will certainly do is kick your damned ass mercilessly to the sound of her rumbling bass, as she was born to sin in the name of our good old Rock N’ Roll. Her name is Rebecca Baldwin, better known as Becky Baldwin, the unstoppable bass player for British Heavy/Thrash Metal act Fury, for the iconic Danish Heavy Metal coven Mercyful Fate, for British Punk Rock band Hands Off Gretel, and of course one of the most famous members of the IMFC, or the Iron Maiden Fan Club. Having said that, get ready to bang your heads and raise your horns together with one of the most badass bass players of the current metal scene worldwide while The Headbanging Moose celebrates 11 years of existence.
Born on April 6, 1991 in Trowbridge, the county town of Wiltshire, England, Becky used to play the piano when she was a child, later picking up the bass as a teenager and beginning to perform with bands at school. In 2009, she moved from Trowbridge to Bristol to study at BIMM Music Institute and became closely involved in the local music scene. Moreover, she holds a BA Honours degree in Professional Musicianship, and now lives in the birthplace of Heavy Metal, Birmingham, a major city in England’s West Midlands region, where metal titans like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Napalm Death saw the light of day. An energetic live performer and an efficient recording musician who specializes in fingerstyle bass guitar playing, Becky has performed approximately 100 gigs per year since 2012 all over Europe and into the United States, offering her skills for a wide variety of bands including covers and original bands from genres ranging from metal to folk, urban, funk, pop, jazz and more.
At the end of 2017, following a tour where she filled in on bass, Becky joined Worcester, England-based Heavy/Thrash Metal maniacs Fury, having recorded with the band so far the albums The Grand Prize, in 2020, followed by a 2021 live album titled The Grand Prize… Live, and more recently the album Born to Sin, in 2022, as well as several singles including an acoustic version of Dragon’s Song, in 2023, and a re-recording of the song Prince of Darkness, from their 2014 debut The Lightning Dream, earlier this year. Those albums and singles can be found on Spotify or any other streaming platform, and you can also enjoy their official videos on YouTube for the songs Prince of Darkness, If You Get to Hell First, Hell of a Night, and Nowhere To Be Seen, among others. Currently formed of Becky on bass alongside vocalist Nyah Ifill, vocalist and guitarists Julian Jenkins, guitarist Tom Atkinson, and drummer Tom Fenn, the band is always taking stages by storm live as you can see in their official tour page, keeping the spirit of Heavy Metal alive whenever they hit the road.
It was back in 2022, more specifically during Bloodstock, when Becky was waiting to see Mercyful Fate live for the first time in her life, that she was called backstage to meet the band, when she was told that they needed a fill-in bass player for an upcoming North American tour, and that they had seen her bass covers she posts online and thought she would be a good fit for the job. “I had been a fan of Mercyful Fate since my teens, so watching them live, meeting them, and being offered a temporary job with them all in the same day was pretty insane! The tour was unbelievable, definitely a period of time I’m very grateful for!” After that experience playing live with the band in 2022, Mercyful Fate recently announced earlier in 2024 they have officially recruited Becky as a permanent member, making her the first woman to hold the position in the band’s history. “I guess the idea was floating around for a while, but it’s quite recent still, the news that I was going to be permanent in Mercyful Fate,” mentioned Becky in one of her interviews.
Becky also said she’s confident about injecting her own flavor into the basslines for their upcoming album. “I think the songwriting is still gonna be very much King Diamond and Hank Shermann kind of heading up most of that, but definitely writing bass lines. I’ve studied all of Timi’s bass lines very meticulously now, and so I really feel like I can bring some of that into the new bass lines for the next record.” Hence, if you want to take a look at Becky’s playthroughs of classics by Mercyful Fate, you can find on her YouTube channel her videos for Curse of the Pharaohs, A Dangerous Meeting, Black Funeral, Melissa, and Come to the Sabbath, among others, as well as this interview with The Metal Voice where she discusses how she joined the band.
As mentioned, Becky is also the bassist for UK’s own Punk Rock band Hands Off Gretel, and although the band has been on some sort of hiatus since 2021, I believe we can except news from those girls and guys anytime soon, and if you want to enjoy their music while waiting for something new from the band you can check their official YouTube channel, including their fun video for the song S.A.S.S. Apart from Hands Off Gretel, you can find recordings of Becky with her past bands or as a guest musician, some as an online collaborator. For instance, she was part of a Bristol-based Power Metal band named Control the Storm between 2010 and 2016, having recorded with them their 2011 demo and the 2015 album Beast Inside; played bass for a Cardiff, Wales-based Heavy Metal band named Triaxis from 2014 to 2018, recording with them the 2015 album Zero Hour; and played bass with the bands Dorja, from 2015 to 2019, IDestroy, from 2014 to 2018, and Metro 13, between 2013 and 2014 (and you can find lots of videos of Becky playing with those bands on the media page of her official website). In addition, she also played bass live with a band named Proscenium, in 2016, she can be found as a guest bassist for Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse, or simply Warhorse, having recorded with them the songs Warhorse, Get Get Ready, Go, Stop the War, Here Comes the Night, and Forever Bound, all from their 2024 album Warhorse, and she has also recorded sessions for Total Guitar magazine and the Rockschool exam board (now renamed RSL Awards).
As a renowned member of the IMFC – Iron Maiden Fan Club, Becky was featured on a segment of the website called “Fan of the Week”, where she discussed a little about her passion for the boys. “My family home started getting music channels and Maiden were one of the first classic metal bands I came across. Their music videos for Number of the Beast, Run To The Hills and Can I Play With Madness were on regular rotations on my favourite channels and shows. A few years later I met a friend at school who was a huge fan and showed me more of the back catalogue,” commented Becky, who also said that she saw them live for the first time when she was only 15, in December 2006 on the A Matter of Life and Death tour in Cardiff. “I loved the show, I had never seen visuals and energy on stage like Maiden have. But as a first timer at a Maiden concert I had wished they would play the classics that I had wanted to see for years. Now, I would love to watch them play a full A Matter of Life and Death concert! I guess everyone wants to see their favourites live some time, and when you’re young it’s hard to time it right for your first gig experience!”
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A fan of the band since 2003, with her first album being Fear of the Dark and her favorite song being The Clansman, Becky has already seen them live a few times, including Sonisphere UK in 2010, Hellfest France in 2014, Download UK 2022, and The Future Past Tour in Birmingham this year. Furthermore, she seems to know exactly what makes Iron Maiden so special. “I think it’s the story telling, the history and interesting lyrical subjects that set them apart from every other great metal band. There are loads of bands with equally talented musicians, but something about this formation of people just works. They have a knack for making the lyrics fascinating as well as memorable, and the music catchy enough make you want to join in. And the bass is really loud and has fun parts, which does a lot for me!” Not only that, Becky and her Fury have also played at the Cart & Horses, the birthplace of the band. ” Playing the Cart & Horses ‘The Birthplace of Iron Maiden’ is always a special one for us. It’s a lovely bar full of cool memorabilia, and I love that they have made the basement a dedicated space for live rock music – the area really needed it. The show was completely sold out, and despite some sound issues, everyone seemed to have a great time. I hope the place gets more support as a venue, from both the public and continued support from Maiden themselves!”
A proud endorser of D’Addario Strings, Neural DSP modelers, Darkglass Amps and Alperious Pickguards, Becky owns some really cool equipment, including a Rickenbacker 4003, a Rickenbacker 4001, a Fender Deluxe Jazz V (5 string), a Danelectro Longhorn, a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, a Darkglass AO900 Head + DG212N Cabinet, and D’addario NYXL Strings. “I have six basses altogether, my favourite is my 1977 Rickenbacker 4001, customized with a Seymour Duncan pick up. A lot of people think it’s wrong to modify vintage instruments, but I love that bass and enjoy making it unique in any way that I can.”
She obviously loves Steve Harris, saying he is an iconic bassist and songwriter, and that as a metalhead it’s impossible to escape his influence. “Maiden is one of few bands of their style to keep their bass mixed audibly, and for that I salute them! For a new bass player it can be so hard to figure out what you’re supposed to do, how to play a song when you can’t really hear much. Not a problem for Maiden! Steve certainly influenced my heavy plucking finger style, and I love the chords he does to accent some beats, which most finger style players would avoid. And of course, the occasional bass solo is the icing on the cake!” And if you want to witness her passion for the boys, you can watch this amazing bass playthrough of the classic The Number of the Beast on her YouTube channel, where she uses a Rickenbacker 4001 fitted with Seymour Duncan pickups, strings from D’Addario (NYXL. Gauge 45-105), Microtubes X Ultra, and a scratchplate by Alperious Pickguards.
Becky also teaches bass playing and has a few tutorials on YouTube and on her Patreon, saying she has a few online students doing live Zoom lessons. “I love teaching Maiden basslines, recently I was teaching a student Powerslave which is one of my favourites to play,” said our talented metalhead, who’s also a co-founder of a specialist private tuition company called Bristol Rock Centre, which runs a teaching and rehearsal studio in Mangotsfield, leading workshops with that company. Not only that, she has also aided exam board Rockschool in the writing and proofing of tuition and exam books including Let’s Rock Bass, the Popular Music Theory collection and the 2014 Vocal syllabus, also leading workshops with Rockschool, and having given lectures at BIMM Bristol, ACM Birmingham and Access Creative College. Furthermore, she has received tuition from top musicians such as Stuart Clayton (Carl Palmer Band), Damon Minchella (Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller) and Jim Barr (Portishead, Get The Blessing).
And last but not least, for a number of years Becky was an active member of the Musician’s Union Wales & South West England Regional Committee and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, representing female musicians. As you can see, Becky has been living and breathing music for her entire life, always ready to rock and to support new musicians, and with her undeniable talent and charisma she’s definitely going to become one of the references in bass playing in the world of heavy music really soon. In other words, let’s keep enjoying the thunderous bass by Becky (and you can also support her by purchasing her merch on Big Cartel, or by clicking HERE to know more about her career and her music), and may she keep spreading her wings to all four corners of the earth with Fury, Mercyful Fate, or any other band that’s lucky enough to have her as their bassist.
The Metal Gods proudly raised the Invincible Shield in Niagara Falls on Saturday night in a celebration of the beauty and glory of our beloved Heavy Metal.
If you’ve never seen a concert at the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, go check their calendar and don’t miss the chance of visiting one of the best venues of the current Canadian landscape. It’s a beyond phenomenal venue with a great seating chart and excellent view from wherever you end up seating (or standing, if the concert you attend saves some space upfront for a small pit), therefore the perfect choice for the one and only Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST, plus their more-than-special guests SABATON, to kick some serious ass during the second show of the new leg of the Invincible Shield Tour North America 2024. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi (who by the way had his photos shared by the Metal Gods themselves on their official Instagram) were obviously there to worship the Metal Gods in another night of the purest form of heavy music you can think of, and let me tell you that the show was beyond memorable, simply mind blowing from start to finish.
Once again, Swedish Power Metal brigade SABATONwas the chosen band to warm up the avid Priest fans at a sold out OLG Stage, showing how strong the partnership seems to be between the two bands. Not only that, Sabaton are also becoming a fan-favorite worldwide, attracting countless fans to the show at the Falls this Saturday, and once they started playing it became crystal clear why they’ve already gathered such an immense fanbase. The band spearheaded by the charismatic Joakim Brodén was on fire during their entire show, delivering a solid hybrid of Heavy and Power Metal infused with warlike themes. Songs like Ghost Division, Stormtroopers, and in special the last three songs, Primo Victoria, Soldier of Heaven and To Hell and Back, inspired all fans at the venue to jump up and down nonstop, to raise their fists and horns, and to singalong all songs with Joakim and his henchmen, all of course boosted by a stage that transpired wars and battles. If you’re seeing any concerts of this tour, make sure you arrive in time for Sabaton even if you know nothing about them, because their live performances are as explosive as a hand grenade.
Setlist The March to War
Ghost Division
The Last Stand
Swedish Pagans
The Red Baron
Bismarck
Stormtroopers
Carolus Rex
Resist and Bite
The Attack of the Dead Men
Primo Victoria
Soldier of Heaven
To Hell and Back
Band members
Joakim Brodén – lead vocals, keyboards
Thobbe Englund – guitars, backing vocals
Chris Rörland – guitars, backing vocals
Pär Sundström – bass, backing vocals
Hannes Van Dahl – drums, backing vocals
After a quick break, it was time for the Metal Gods JUDAS PRIESTto raise the Invincible Shield for the second time on this leg of the tour, one day after their also ass-kicking concert in Montreal, and let me tell you that what I had the pleasure of witnessing in Niagara Falls this Saturday was one of their best performances ever. After the flag dropped during the intro to Panic Attack, it was a wild and frantic feast of undisputed Heavy Metal by Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis, leaving every single person at the OLG Stage absolutely disoriented after all was said and done. As a result, the fans at the pit went completely mental from the very first second of the show, igniting some sick mosh pits until the very end, something not so common for a band like Judas Priest. Well, when you start the show with some fast-paced masterpieces like Panic Attack, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Rapid Fire, Breaking the Law and Riding on the Wind, I think it’s fair to expect some action in the pit. To be fair, the pit during Rapid Fire was so intense it looked like a Death Metal pit, just to give you an idea of how rowdy the crowd was.
I believe there are three reasons for the band to be so tight, so heavy and so precise at this point of their 50-year career. First and foremost, Mr. Rob Halford, the one and only Metal God, the heart of the band, is delivering stellar vocal performances night after night at the age of 73, something so unbelievable it makes me wonder if he’s an actual god. I mean, guys like Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson are definitely role models for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy and fun life after you turn 60 or 70. In other words, if I get to Halford’s age with one fifth of his energy, I’ll be a very happy man. Second, Richie Faulkner is now the soul of Judas Priest, blasting our ears with his electrifying riffs and solos nonstop, which I’m sure makes Glenn Tipton very, very proud of how he’s helping carry the band’s legacy forward. And third, Scott Travis continues to hammer his drums majestically, becoming the band’s engine, and all that power and speed always translates into more action on and off stage.
Even the slower songs like Love Bites and Crown of Horns brought a lot of energy to the show, plus of course some heavy classics like Sinner and Turbo Lover; however, as expected, it was during the most hard hitting songs of the night, their new anthem Invincible Shield and the most metal song of all time, the unparalleled Painkiller, that the crowd had the biggest reactions of the entire show, with the pit during Painkiller going out of control to the point there were almost a few fights inside of it. It was a beautiful, memorable moment by a band that is not only celebrating 50 years of Heavy Metal, but that is the ultimate depiction of Heavy Metal. For instance, when a renowned guitarist like Rob Barrett of Cannibal Corpse is in attendance of the show as a fan, you can have a good idea of the importance of Judas Priest to the world of music. The encore with the timeless classics The Hellion/Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather and Living After Midnight simply proved that, and it didn’t matter if it was a 60, 70 or 80-year old veteran or a three-year old kid (who not only got the sunglasses of the vocalist for Sabaton, but also a pick, a setlist, and a special post on Instagram by Judas Priest), everyone at the OLG Casino was mesmerized by the Metal Gods in another celebration of the beauty and glory of Heavy Metal.
Setlist War Pigs (Black Sabbath song) Invincible Shield Tour Anthem
Panic Attack
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Rapid Fire
Breaking the Law
Riding on the Wind
Love Bites
Devil’s Child
Saints in Hell
Crown of Horns
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
Victim of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller
Encore:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight We Are the Champions (Queen song)
Band members Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums
Get ready for a night of fierce metallic sounds born in sweaty nightclubs, packed house parties, and DIY warehouse shows, a retrospective of the Atlanta metal underground from 1982 to 1999.
Deep from the vaults, Boris Records and Deanwell Global Music are unleashing the vinyl and digital versions of Surrender to Death: A History of the Atlanta Metal Underground Vol. 1, a retrospective of the Atlanta metal underground from 1982 to 1999. Spanning two decades of local bands, studio projects, and touring heavyweights, Surrender to Death showcases over 20 bands, ranging from the early days of traditional Heavy Metal to gory basement Death Metal to second-wave Black Metal, far from the better-known scenes in the Bay Area and New York and Florida. Over half a decade in the making, featuring original recordings sourced directly from the bands (with all tracks remastered from various sources by Jessica Thompson Audio), and displaying a sick artwork by Brian Warner (aka Esayde or Total Weirdoh), this ass-kicking compilation will give you a glimpse of the Atlanta metal scene’s depth and its awesome and sometimes truly bizarre takes on the genre and all of its sub-genres.
Side A of the first vinyl starts way back in 1982 with Strangers, the opening track of the self-titled album by Messendger, presenting a great fusion of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock where the trio delivers fierce riffs and beats, and with their vocal lines also sounding electrifying; followed by Lucifers Eyes, by Fortnox, another beast from 1982 offering us all a powerful blast of old school Hard Rock. Fast forward a few years to 1990 and we face the Power/Thrash Metal by Atlanta’s own Ghost Story, with the song What Few Even Dare, from their 1990 demo The Image and the Reality, also presenting hints of Death and Speed Metal in its riffs and drums, whereas in 1988 a Thrash Metal band form Georgia called Necropolis released the album Contemplating Slaughter, and from that album we have the song Waters of Lathe, showcasing the amazing raspy vocals by Keith Charron.
It’s time to kick off side B of vinyl number one with Rock You, by MX, another old Heavy Metal/Hard Rock outfit from Georgia from the early 80’s, delivering sheer adrenaline and electricity through their fiery riffs and unrelenting attitude, and let’s continue our journey though the 80’s with Sinister Angel and the song Street Light Glamour, from their 1984 self-titled EP, where you can sense elements from early Judas Priest in their sound as well as harsher thrash and death nuances. Then in 1991 the Augusta, Georgia-based Heavy/Power Metal band Legion released the album Darkness, and from that album comes Evil Mind, with a sensational vocal performance by Loy Mitcham, followed by Reflected Fear, by Kinetic Dissent, more inclined to classic Thrash Metal, a song from their 1987 demo The Fall of Individualism, bringing forward an amazing guitar work by Stephen Danyo. In the song Til Death Do Us Part, from the 1989 demo Overloaded, by Dark Overlord, the music exhales the same rebelliousness from the early days of Exodus, or in other words, it’s a fantastic option to slam into the pit like a true metalhead, while Metal Merchants, from the 1985 cult album Tales of Terror, by Hallows Eve, is an explosion of Thrash and Speed Metal led by frontman Stacy Andersen, also perfect for some sick mosh pits.
Unblessed, one of the first Death Metal bands from Georgia, kicks off side A of the second vinyl with When it Bleeds it Pours, from their 1998 demo, already blasting that harsh, vicious sound that became a staple in today’s Death Metal scene, whereas Sixteenth Chamber, released in the 1995 demo Oh Come All Ye Faithful… Tonight We Feast, by Lestregus Nosferatus, presents those truly evil vocals we love in extreme music, not to mention the heaviness of their riffs. We’re then treated to Pray to Death, by ROT, from the 1990 demo Diabolus (The Unholy Rot), offering our putrid ears more of Atlanta’s own blend of classic Death Metal to inspire us all for some vigorous headbanging, followed by Avulsion with the song Inexorable Suffering, from their 1994 demo of the same name, enhancing the city’s ferocity in the scene, sounding slow, evil and, therefore, definitely not recommended for the lighthearted. Gates Of Emptiness, from the 1997 demo Twilight Eternal, by Dawn of Orion, is an overdose of classic Death Metal, with the harsh vociferations by Myke Jamison sounding insane, and things get even darker in Metaphorical Ithaca, by Haborym (a Hebrew synonym for Satan), mixing Black and Death Metal in an utterly demonic chant from their only demo released in 1995.
Finally, side B of the second vinyl brings to us all The Righteous Shall Fall, by Tragic Demise, displaying one of the most primeval sounds of the entire compilation, sounding like creatures arising form the pits of the underworld while again showcasing classic Death Metal beats for our total delight. Then the band Demoncy blasts a more Black Metal-inspired sound in Winter Bliss, from their 1999 album Joined in Darkness, with their Stygian, cryptic harsh vocals and a beyond raw sound quality giving it a more-than-infernal vibe. Necroflesh then offers a brutal slab of old school Death Metal in Scream, from their 1997 demo, where their guitars sound as caustic and sharp as possible; followed by the song Synthesis of Rebirth, taken from the 1996 demo of the same name by Procostimus, another band blending Death and Black Metal in their music where Greg King shows no mercy for our souls with his grim vocals and drums. Darkened Skies, the second band deeply rooted in old school Black Metal, delivers their share of obscurity and evil to the masses like a creature lurking in the dark in Reign of Radulescu, before Vastion, one of the first Technical Death Metal bands from Atlanta, crushes us all like insects in Ensuring Your Death, from their 2000 album Closed Eyes to Nothing, sounding absolutely wild and bestial until the very last second.
Part of “Georgia Historical Metal Archive Series” by Deanwell Global Music and volume 2 of “Atlanta Metal Underground Archive Series” by Boris Records, Surrender to Death can be described as a night of fierce metallic sounds born in sweaty nightclubs, packed house parties, and DIY warehouse shows, and you can experience all those decades of first-class music made in Atlanta by purchasing a copy of the album from the Boris Records’ BandCamp page, from Deanwell Global Music’s BandCamp page, or by clicking HERE, and let me tell you the package that those guys put together is brilliant, including the double-vinyl (available in four different color options) with a gatefold jacket, an 11×17 double-sided insert containing bios and photos of each band, a sticker, random repro band flyers, and an 18×24 full color poster. This is heavy music, this is Atlanta, and I honestly can’t wait for the next volume in this beautiful tribute to one of the most prolific scenes of the North American underground.
Best moments of the album:Kinetic Dissent – Reflected Fear, Dark Overlord – Til Death Do Us Part, Dawn of Orion – Gates Of Emptiness, Procostimus – Synthesis of Rebirth and Vastion – Ensuring Your Death.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Boris Records/Deanwell Global Music
Track listing 1. Messendger – Strangers 5:44
2. Fortnox – Lucifers Eyes 3:44
3. Ghost Story – What Few Even Dare 4:28
4. Necropolis – Waters of Lathe 5:23
5. MX – Rock You 3:48
6. Sinister Angel – Street Light Glamour 4:16
7. Legion – Evil Mind 3:25
8. Kinetic Dissent – Reflected Fear 3:26
9. Dark Overlord – Til Death Do Us Part 2:56
10. Hallows Eve – Metal Merchants 3:21
11. Unblessed – When it Bleeds it Pours 4:34
12. Lestregus Nosferatus – Sixteenth Chamber 3:47
13. ROT – Pray to Death 3:40
14. Avulsion – Inexorable Suffering 3:41
15. Dawn of Orion – Gates Of Emptiness 2:58
16. Haborym – Metaphorical Ithaca 3:39
17. Tragic Demise – The Righteous Shall Fall 3:33
18. Demoncy – Winter Bliss 3:47
19. Necroflesh – Scream 3:56
20. Procostimus – Synthesis of Rebirth 4:44
21. Darkened Skies – Reign of Radulescu 3:15
22. Vastion – Ensuring Your Death 2:19
Flying the flag for refined Heavy Metal since their inception back in 2009, always influenced by metal titans the likes of Motörhead, Dio, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Mercyful Fate, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own unstoppable force Lady Beast returns to action five years after their latest full-length opus The Vulture’s Amulet, and four years after their striking EP Omens, with a brand new album entitled The Inner Alchemist, continuing to melt our faces with their sturdy aesthetic, authentically 80’s-entrenched Heavy Metal that struts and gallops with equal aplomb. Recorded by Jason Jouver, mastered by Yavé “Rust” Rodriguez, and displaying an ass-kicking, evocative artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, The Inner Alchemist is a true locomotive of old school metal music masterfully crafted by frontwoman Deborah Levine, guitarists Andy Ramage and Chris Tritschler, bassist Amy Bianco, and Adam Ramage, offering more of their high-octane music infused with swords and sorcery.
After all is said and done, you’ll notice that not only The Inner Alchemist is a pure Lady Beast album, but also that the production on the album beautifully highlights their heaviness, turning it into a special milestone in their already solid career. Having said that, Deborah and her henchmen are waiting for you to join them in the battlefield by following them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, by streaming their epic creations on Spotify, and of course by grabbing a copy of the breathtaking The Inner Alchemist from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It’s time to ride through the vast realm of heavy music alongside Lady Beast to the sound of their newborn opus, keeping the flames of classic Heavy Metal burning for all eternity and, therefore, fueling the band to keep blasting our ears with more albums like The Inner Alchemist in the foreseeable future.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 