Emerging hungrier than ever from San Francisco, California, these Bay Area Thrash legends welcome back frontman Rob Dukes and unleash upon us ten of their most diverse, anthemic emissions to date.
Emerging hungrier than ever from the thrashing city of San Francisco, California, Bay Area Thrash Metal legends Exodus welcome back the unrelenting frontman Rob Dukes, who had previously recorded with the band the albums Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005), The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A (2007), Let There Be Blood (2008), and Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010), to continue their path of devastation 16 years later with the thunderous Goliath, their twelfth studio album and the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Blood In, Blood Out (2014) and Persona Non Grata (2021). Produced by the band itself, recorded by Juan Urteaga, Mark Lewis and Jesse Fioren, mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis, and displaying a classic thrashing artwork by Pär Olofsson, the newborn beast by Rob Dukes on vocals, Gary Holt and Lee Altus on the guitars, Jack Gibson on bass, and Tom Hunting on drums reinforces the band’s eternal foothold at the top of the Thrash Metal hierarchy with ten of their most diverse, anthemic emissions to date.
You know the album will be insanely dark and heavy after listening to the initial riff in 3111 (and don’t forget to check the uncensored version of the official video), with Rob delivering his trademark demented vocals, adding endless rage and violence to its already visceral lyrics (“Plazas of carnage, bloody rewards / Fields of poppies, gifts from the lord / Act with the Devil, piling dead / Ransom slaying, payment in lead”). It’s then time to open up the pit and get your position for a killer wall of death in Hostis Humani Generis, a Latin legal phrase meaning “enemy of mankind,” with Gary and Lee sounding ruthless with their scorching riffage; and featuring the iconic Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain) on guest vocals, Tom dictates the pace with his hammering beats and fills in The Changing Me, offering over six minutes of pure thrashing heaviness. The band then fires sheer electricity in Promise You This, perfect for some action inside the circle pit while Jack pounds his bass nonstop, followed by the title-track Goliath, just as massive as its name, with Rob once again vociferating the song’s devilish words manically (“Enormous entity / Who feeds on doubts and fears / Colossal creature / Lying dormant all these years / His slumber now disturbed / He begins to rise / He’s here to end our suffering / To see us euthanized”) while guest Katie Jacoby and her strings bring a touch of dark beauty to the overall result.
It’s then pedal to the metal in the venomous Thrash Metal onrush entitled Beyond the Event Horizon, with Tom’s rumbling beats and fills walking hand in hand with another demented riff-attack by Gary and Lee, who also fire their usual striking solos for the absolute delectation of us thrashers from all over the world. 2 Minutes Hate is another song perfect for headbanging like a metalmaniac, with Rob barking rabidly while his bandmates deliver a melodic and classic Thrash Metal extravaganza; and it’s impressive how the band can easily incorporate elements of modern heavy music into their old school Thrash Metal just like in Violence Works, with its beautiful title being complemented by the piercing and thunderous stringed attack by Gary, Lee and Jack. Summon of the God Unknown is a cadenced tune by the band offering their scathing sonority and rebellious lyrics and vibe, with its second half blending Thrash Metal with elements of Southern Rock and Metal, and let’s close the album with a massive circle pit fueled by the band’s unstoppable thrashing riffs in The Dirtiest of the Dozen, also presenting Tom’s undisputed, classic drumming and the always visceral roars by Rob until the song’s devastating ending.
In the end, Goliath beams with the explosive authenticity that has set Exodus eons apart from their peers since the release of their 1985 groundbreaking debut Bonded By Blood and, 40 years later, they’re steadfast in their refusal to settle for the safety of mediocrity, fearing nothing and no one and continuing to forge their trademark just as resolutely as they did in their fruition. I honestly don’t believe there’s a single metalhead out there who doesn’t know Exodus, but just in case don’t forget to check what those thrashers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their masterful creations on Spotify, and to grab a copy of the colossal Goliath from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Welcome back, Mr. Rob Dukes, and thank you for inspiring us to slam into the pit like maniacs together with Exodus. You guys are the undisputed Goliaths of Thrash Metal, no questions asked.
Best moments of the album:Hostis Humani Generis, Beyond the Event Horizon, 2 Minutes Hate and The Dirtiest of the Dozen.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Napalm Records
Track listing 1. 3111 4:08
2. Hostis Humani Generis 5:21
3. The Changing Me 6:14
4. Promise You This 5:19
5. Goliath 5:04
6. Beyond the Event Horizon 5:16
7. 2 Minutes Hate 4:55
8. Violence Works 4:49
9. Summon of the God Unknown 7:54
10. The Dirtiest of the Dozen 5:09
Band members Rob Dukes – lead vocals
Gary Holt – guitars
Lee Altus – guitars
Jack Gibson – bass, backing vocals
Tom Hunting – drums
Guest musicians
Peter Tägtgren – vocals on “The Changing Me”
Katie Jacoby – strings on “Goliath”
The axe of Heavy Metal is about to strike to the sound of the debut album by this American supergroup, a timeless, earth-shaking beast of a record and an instant classic.
An American Heavy Metal supergroup featuring former Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze, guitarist Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Slower), bassist Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral), and former Pentagram drummer Pete Campbell, Axe Dragger are unleashing upon us all metalheads, heshers and headbangers their self-titled debut album, delivering old school, 80’s-inspired heavy music in the vein of Judas Priest, Dio, Armored Saint, and Iron Maiden. Mixed by Brian Scheuble (Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails) mastered by Dave Collins (Metallica, Soundgarden), and displaying a killer artwork by Seldon Hunt, Axe Dragger is a timeless, earth-shaking beast of a record and an instant classic, adorned with a modern weight and grit.
Terry doesn’t waste any time and begin distilling his raspy, soaring vocals in Axe Dragger, and the song that carries the name of the band is indeed a metallic beast perfect for some wild headbanging. Then Fredrik and Pete rev up the band’s thunderous machine in Give You The Rope, a Judas Priest-infused tune spiced up by a striking solo by Bob, followed by Fight Another Day, a strong candidate for their live performances (if they start touring, of course), with elements of the Southern Rock and Metal by Pantera giving it a badass vibe. Iron Rider is (surprise, surprise) a song for lovers of the fast lane, as if Iron Maiden and Motley Crüe had a bastard son, with Bob taking the lead with his caustic riffage supported by Pete’s hammering drums; whereas Eat Me From The Inside is by far the most generic of all songs, falling flat after a while despite the visceral riffs by Bob.
Then back to a more ferocious mode the quartet fires Shock ‘Em Dead, with the bass lines by Fredrik punching us hard in the head while Terry keeps delivering his unparalleled vocals, and they truly thrive when they go full 80’s Heavy Metal, which is the case in El Toro, a no shenanigans, in-your-face aria showcasing another excellent performance by Terry while Pete dictates the song’s horns raising pace. The band invests in a massive Southern and Sludge Metal sonority in The Damned Will Cry, as heavy and melodic as it can be, and if you love the guitar attack by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest you’ll have a great time listening to Fire In The Madhouse, with Pete showing no mercy for his drums. Lastly, the band closes the album with an overdose of epic sounds in the form of Death Is Calling My Name, an ode to our beloved Rock N’ Roll.
“I’d been in touch with Pete Campbell for a while about trading riffs, drum beats, and ideas. I’ve also been teaching a student over FaceTime for a couple of years who wants to learn old Riot, Judas Priest, and DIO – and that really lit a fire under me to start writing an old-school heavy metal project. So Pete and I started sending riffs and beats back and forth, and once we had a few solid tunes, we brought in Terry Glaze and Fredrik Isaksson. The first song Terry sent back was Axe Dragger and Pete and I completely lost our minds. From there, we were all fired up, and over the course of a year, we put together this record. It’s a pure reflection of early ’80s heavy metal – and I hope you dig it. For the guitar geeks out there, this record is loaded with harmonic minor modes à la Powerslave-era Iron Maiden,” commented Bob Balch about the genesis of the supergroup, and if you want to know more about those talented veterans you can find them on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify, and grab your copy of their incendiary debut from Ripper Music’s Big Cartel (on CD or vinyl for US customers), webstore (for EU customers), or BandCamp (digital and physical worldwide). The axe of Heavy Metal is about to strike hard and fast with the debut by Axe Dragger, and you better get ready because those guys will take no prisoners in their quest for heavy music.
Best moments of the album:Iron Rider,El Toro and Fire In The Madhouse.
Worst moments of the album:Eat Me From The Inside.
Released in 2026 Ripple Music
Track listing 1. Axe Dragger 3:27
2. Give You The Rope 3:21
3. Fight Another Day 3:53
4. Iron Rider 3:52
5. Eat Me From The Inside 5:01
6. Shock ‘Em Dead 4:11
7. El Toro 3:06
8. The Damned Will Cry 4:22
9. Fire In The Madhouse 4:29
10. Death Is Calling My Name 4:48
Band members Terry Glaze – vocals
Bob Balch – guitar
Fredrik Isaksson – bass
Pete Campbell – drums
Get ready to rock together with this UK brigade and their debut album, leaning into life’s recognizable moments with tongues firmly in cheeks.
Playing the kind of Heavy Rock that grew up on Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith and Dio, with a focus on big hooks rather than nostalgia, UK’s Hard Rock brigade Toys That Bïte is unleashing upon humanity their debut album, titled You Have Been Warned. Recorded by the band itself and engineered and mixed by Ben Turner at Axe & Trap Studios, and mastered by Romesh Dodangoda at Long Wave Studios, the debut by Adam “AJ” Stanley on vocals, Karl Bauers and Dave Rivett on the guitars, Jason “Shep” Sheppard on bass, and Terry “Tezza” Anderson on drums leans into life’s recognizable moments with tongues firmly in cheeks, offering an overdose of twin guitars, punchy tempos and choruses built to be shouted back.
Those old school rockers rev up their engines in style and hit the road with Toys That Bïte, with AJ taking the lead with his alcohol-infused rockin’ vocals; and presenting the galloping rhythm made famous by bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, with of course Shep and Tezza stealing the spotlight, we have Genius Level Stupid, followed by The Devil Took My Heart, sounding like a song taken from the classic album Turbo, by Judas Priest, mixed with influences from the 70’s while Karl and Dave slash their axes mercilessly. Tezza then hammers his drums in the Rock N’ Roll party Last Train To Hell, making it impossible to stand still to such a thrilling tune, a wild ride where their riffs and solos exhale the essence of the genre. Ladies Of The Night offers another travel back in time to the glory of the 80’s, a song clearly inspired by the Sunset Strip sound, whereas Tits (Makes Him An Animal) showcases a weird name for a song, a bit too sexist, but if you don’t worry too much about it the song is quite entertaining.
Then presenting elements from Sludge and Southern Rock and Metal, the band invests in a more cadenced, yet extremely heavy tune titled Little Black Book, showcasing the power of the riff by Karl and Dave. Shep and Tezza once again craft a rumbling kitchen perfect for an avalanche of riffs in Hit That Like, while AJ delivers those classic, in-your-face Hard Rock vocals tailored for singling along with the band; and they keep firing their blend of classic Hard Rock with a strong Rock N’ Roll vein in Gentleman’s Club, with its backing vocals offering a nice support to AJ throughout the entire song, not to mention their incendiary guitar solos. Let’s keep on dancing the night away together with Toys That Bïte to the sound of Psychopath, also highly recommended for hitting the road (just be careful with the speed, of course), whereas the album closes with their ode to the art of drinking, Pour Me A Whiskey, of course presenting a powerful Southern Metal core, with its background keys elevating the song’s epicness considerably.
The rockin’ crew of Toys That Bïte can be found on Facebook and on Instagram, and I’m sure they’ll love to hear what you have to say about their music, and don’t forget to also subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and put your hard rockin’ hands on You Have Been Warned by clicking HERE and selecting your favorite version of the album. AJ, Karl, Dave, Shep and Tezza are ready to kick some asses armed with their debut album of sheer Rock N’ Roll, and you better get ready for their sonic attack because those toys definitely bite.
Best moments of the album:Toys That Bïte, Last Train To Hell and Hit That Like.
Worst moments of the album:Tits (Makes Him An Animal).
Released in 2026 Dr. Johns Surgery Records
Track listing 1. Toys That Bïte 3:52
2. Genius Level Stupid 3:27
3. The Devil Took My Heart 4:02
4. Last Train To Hell 3:45
5. Ladies Of The Night 5:10
6. Tits (Makes Him An Animal) 3:06
7. Little Black Book 4:41
8. Hit That Like 3:42
9. Gentleman’s Club 3:47
10. Psychopath 3:32
11. Pour Me A Whiskey 4:57
Band members Adam “AJ” Stanley – vocals Karl Bauers – guitars, backing vocals
Dave Rivett – guitars, backing vocals
Jason “Shep” Sheppard – bass
Terry “Tezza” Anderson – drums
Beholden to no one, and with nothing left to prove, these Groove Metal titans are unleashing upon us all their tenth studio album, as we all head into oblivion.
Beholden to no one, and with nothing left to prove, Richmond, Virginia’s own Groove Metal titans Lamb of God are back with album number ten in their undisputed career, the hard hitting Into Oblivion, following up on their critically acclaimed VII: Sturm und Drang (2015), Lamb of God (2020), and Omens (2022). Produced and mixed by longtime studio collaborator Josh Wilbur, and recorded across multiple locations tied closely to the band’s identity, the new opus by the iconic frontman D. Randall “Randy” Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Art Cruz finds the band embracing their position as modern metal veterans. The ten-song collection references the band’s roots, doubles down on their signature groove, and expands their approach, resulting in an album that feels both deliberate and untethered.
In the opening track Into Oblivion we already see Randy deliver his trademark acid lyrics (“I – I am the chaos / I am the voice you can’t unhear / Strife and betrayal / I am the war re-engineered / In a life far worse than death / I am the thief that steals your breath”) while the music is heavy, atmospheric and enfolding thanks to the hammering drums by Art and the always sharp riffs by Mark and Will; and it’s then pedal to the metal in the best Thrash and Death Metal style in Parasocial Christ, with Randy vociferating rabidly as usual accompanied by the metallic riffs and solos by the band’s unstoppable guitar duo. The rumbling bass by John sets the stage for another vicious attack by Lamb of God entitled Sepsis, a neck breaking aria of first-class Groove Metal, followed by The Killing Floor, a demented song perfect for igniting a maniacal circle pit, with Art crushing his drums like there’s no tomorrow. And after such a thunderous tune it’s time for the dark ballad El Vacío, where Randy delivers deep, passionate clean and harsh vocals.
St. Catherine’s Wheel offers more of their trademark (and utterly headbanging) sonority led by the visceral riffs by Mark and Will, supported by John’s menacing bass, whereas Blunt Force Blues brings to our avid ears another round of their acid words growled by Randy (“Here comes another enemy / A goddess standing on the wall / For all the men doomed to die / An alabaster beauty sweats / Paints the currents black, they must ride / Last breath decays / Do you hear?”) while Art’s drums dictate the song’s bludgeoning pace and vibe. The band continues to hammer their sonic weapons of mass destruction in Bully, also presenting elements from Southern Metal added to their core groove madness, followed by A Thousand Years, a mid-tempo aria as grim and obscure as it can be, with Randy declaiming the song’s devilish lyrics rabidly from start to finish. Lastly, they invite us for one final slam into the pit to the sound of Devise / Destroy, a venomous beast of Groove Metal where their scathing riffs and pounding drums match perfectly with Randy’s enraged roars.
“For me, the album is about having the space to breathe creatively and not feeling like we have to keep up with any trend or expectation,” said Mark Morton. “It feels nice to be untethered from any agenda beyond rallying around the notion of, ‘Let’s just make music that we think is cool,’ which is really where it all started.” Randy Blythe also explained why the band decided to name the album Into Oblivion. “Because that’s where we’re heading. In general, the album is about the ongoing and rapid breakdown of the social contract, particularly here in America. Things are acceptable now that would’ve horrified people just 20 years ago.” We’re living dark times indeed, and you can join Lamb of God in their daily fight against all that’s wrong in our rotten society by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by checking their acid videos on YouTube, by streaming their incendiary discography on Spotify, and of course by purchasing their first-class new album from their own webstore or from the special Into Oblivion website. In the end, as we’re all heading into oblivion like Randy said, at least let’s go down in style, raising our horns to one of the best metal albums of the year.
Best moments of the album:Parasocial Christ, The Killing Floor, Blunt Force Blues and Devise / Destroy.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Century Media Records/Epic Records
Track listing 1. Into Oblivion 3:34
2. Parasocial Christ 3:20
3. Sepsis 3:38
4. The Killing Floor 4:16
5. El Vacío 4:17
6. St. Catherine’s Wheel 4:05
7. Blunt Force Blues 4:11
8. Bully 4:13
9. A Thousand Years 3:53
10. Devise / Destroy 3:49
Band members D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums
Lionesses are the primary hunters in a pride, working together to bring down prey, and are faster and more agile than males. And in this cold and dark month of December our lioness Aleksandra “Lioness” Stamenković, guitarist for an array of awesome metal bands including Jenner, Frozen Crown, Chaos Rising, and Sigma Epsilon, will shred her prey to pieces armed with her scorching riffs and solos, as our metal lady of the month. Having said all that, get ready for a wild ride together with Aleksandra and her unstoppable axe, bringing absolute fire to The Headbanging Moose and, therefore, leaving you completely disoriented and eager for more of her first-class music. The days might be getting shorter, and the nights are surely getting longer this time of the year but, in the end, that’s the perfect environment for Aleksandra to hunt us down and to crush our damned souls with her electrifying blend of Heavy Metal magic.
Born on August 5, 1996 in Belgrade, the capital of the southeast European country of Serbia, Aleksandra is the younger sister of Marija Dragićević, the drummer for one of her bands Jenner, showing the talent and passion for heavy music runs wild in their family’s DNA. She was first interested in music back in 2011 when she was 13 years old, saying she wanted to play bass guitar, but as she couldn’t afford one she used to borrow it from one of her sister’s friends. However, she said that “destiny” decided she was going to become primarily a guitarist in 2013, having bought her first guitar back then, therefore starting her journey in heavy music.
Although she’s a renowned musician in the world of Heavy, Power, Thrash and Speed Metal, Aleksandra also nurtures a deep passion for medicine and graphic design, having graduated from the Faculty of Medicine from the University of Belgrade in September 2021, and becoming a certified nutrition coach, combining her artistic passion with a commitment to promoting healthier lifestyles. And yes, she’s THAT smart and intelligent. In addition, although she mainly writes original songs, she started a YouTube channel back in 2020 where she posts covers of her favorite songs, like for example Into the Lungs of Hell, by Megadeth, Abigail, by King Diamond, and Coma of Souls, by Kreator, among several others, and apart from the usual social media you can also find her on Linktree, Patreon, and Big Cartel.
It was in December 2013 when the indomitable Stamenković Sisters founded in Belgrade the ruthless Speed/Thrash Metal beast known as Jenner, from the ashes of a Glam Metal band they had named Cat O’ Nine Tailz, in which she played bass, and that disbanded after two years. Aleksandra started playing the guitar back then, and with the support of Marija they started searching for two guys to play with them to form a band in the vein of Madam X, but they ended up meeting two girls instead, vocalist Anđelina Mitić and bassist Jana Bacić, and so Jenner was born. Named by Aleksandra after Dr. Edward Jenner (1749 – 1823), an English physician and scientist known as the “father of immunology” for creating the world’s first vaccine, which was for smallpox, the girls started playing covers of their favorite bands including Warlock, Judas Priest, Grim Reaper, and Saxon, and as a year later they became more interested in Thrash Metal they started playing covers of Agent Steel, Exodus, and Anthrax, just to name a few, as well as they started writing their own songs.
After a few lineup changes, the band is now a trio formed of Aleksandra on vocals and guitar, Marija on drums, and Anja Mirković on bass. Under different lineups, but always with Aleksandra and Marija in their formation, Jenner released a demo back in 2015, their debut full-length album To Live Is to Suffer, in 2017, the EP The Test of Time, in 2020, and their sophomore opus Prove Them Wrong, in 2024, with Aleksandra becoming responsible for the band’s vocal duties starting in 2019, as you can see in their 2020 EP and their 2024 release. Not only that, she also took care of the design and logo of their 2017 debut, and of their 2020 EP, expanding her skills even further as a musician and as an artist. You can enjoy basically their entire discography in places such as YouTube, Spotify, and BandCamp, and of course have an absolute blast with their official videos for songs like Night Without Dawn, The Test of Time, Never Say Die, and No Time for Prayer, among others. Moreover, don’t forget to check Beacons for all things Jenner.
Aleksandra has also been part of two other amazing bands for a few years, those being Sigma Epsilon and Chaos Rising. Regarding Belgrade-based Sigma Epsilon, the band has been delivering a more straightforward, no shenanigans blend of Thrash Metal since its inception back in 2014, when a few members of a Serbian band named Prisoner, those being her boyfriend Emil Ivošević on vocals, Stefan Tomić on the guitar, and Nikola Simonović on drums, left the band and started creating their own music. It was only after Aleksandra joined them that they released their first offering, the 2019 EP Svi putevi vode do smrti (or “all roads lead to death” in English), followed by the 2021 single Ruka koja mrda usta, or “the hand that moves the mouth.” She mentioned in one of her interviews that the band is working on a new conceptual album, but until then simply go to BandCamp or Spotify to enjoy their existing songs, and also go check the official videos for the songs Svi putevi vode do smrti, Kap, and Trofej.
The metal machine Chaos Rising is a collaborative international metal project formed back in 2019 open to every female artist interested in metal music, with the project’s participants and guests offering an amalgamation of styles from Groove and Thrash Metal to traditional Heavy Metal and also Melodic Death Metal. It’s indeed a phenomenal initiative showcasing the power of women in heavy music, and if you don’t have enough time to check all of their songs on BandCamp or Spotify, you must at least listen to the song with our dauntless diva on the guitars, the excellent Prisoner, also featuring Miss ScarRed (Germany) on vocals, Catherine Fearns (Switzerland) on the guitar, and Stéphanie Nolf (France) on bass and drum programming.
Furthermore, starting now in 2025 she has also become one of the guitarists for Italian Power Metal warriors Frozen Crown, joining the also indomitable girls Giada Etro on vocals and Alessia Lanzone on the guitar, as well as Federico Mondelli on guitars, keyboards and vocals, Francesco Zof on bass, and Niso Tomasini on drums. Having already played with Frozen Crown during the summer festivals this year, Aleksandra is already fired up to start working with the band on their future releases, and the band is also extremely excited to have her as a permanent member. “Some may question our decision to include in the band someone who was born so far away from us, in a non-EU country, even! Truth is, you don’t choose your family – you build your own. Aleksandra appeared in a pretty challenging situation, and helped us go through both the shocking realization of Jade’s health conditions and the sudden line-up shake, motivating us and gracing us with her enthusiasm. Her incredible dedication, humility, and constant positivity proved we have just found the perfect fit, and after working together for a while, it just ‘feels right’ to start this new chapter with her, and to entrust her with the Crown and the Sword,” commented the band.
If that’s not enough for you, you can also find Aleksandra as the guitarist for Slovenian Heavy Metal beasts Hellcats from 2017 to 2022. “In 2017 Hellcats needed a female guitarist to play with them in Arena Stožice where they would be supporting Slovenian punk band Pankrti on their 40-year band anniversary. They couldn’t find someone closer, so they asked me. At first I thought that it will be only for that concert, but we got along nicely, and I really liked them as people and as musicians,” commented the lioness. In addition, Aleksandra also played bass live with Serbian Melodic Death Metal band Nemesis a couple of years ago, and with the aforementioned Serbian Speed/Thrash Metal band Prisoner back in 2017.
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Not only that, you can also find Aleksandra shredding her guitar as a guest musician in the song Open Your Eyes, from the 2025 album Retribution, by Hungarian Heavy/Power/Speed Metal band Burning Sun; in the song Cimmeria, from the 2023 compilation By This Sword We Rule: A Decade of Steel, by Serbian Epic Heavy/Power/Doom Metal band Claymorean; in the songs We Fight Like Lions and Fear and Regret, from the 20187 EP II/III/IV by Serbian Stoner/Sludge/Southern Metal band Superhammer; and in the song Creatures from the Depth, from the 2019 album Monuments of Fallacy, by Croatian Thrash/Death Metal band War-Head. She has also played with other bands including Realma and Black Widow Conspiracy, has collaborated with several brands such as Harley Benton, Blackfire Pickups and Safari Pedals, and she is a proud partner with Guitar Pro, Guyker, Drop Strap, Playtronica, Ordyh, and Enya Music, aligning with companies that support her music and gear choices.
Her idols and influences are what anyone would except from an avid thrasher like Aleksandra, including some of the most important names in the history of Thrash Metal like Megadeth, Anthrax, and Testament, all playing a crucial role in her style and career, of course. Moreover, when asked which attributes a brand new Speed or Thrash Metal band should have in order to become unique and successful, her answer was exactly what we all want to hear from hardworking metal musicians like her. “People need to make music the way they feel. It doesn’t matter what genre it is, because listeners can recognize energy and sincerity, even when it comes to metal,” she said, and when asked what would be her ideal live show when performing as a band, she also focused on the importance of feeling you’re doing things right. “I’m not sure there’s an ideal performance. What is important is the feeling on stage. And for that to happen I just need to have no technical problems on stage. I’m not asking much.”
As a huge supporter of the underground, and of course as a proud Serbian, Aleksandra was asked not too long ago about the current scene in her homeland, including bands, fanzines, webzines and anything else connected with heavy music. She said that, unfortunately, the situation looks “complicated” as despite the fact there are tons of excellent bands in Serbia, very few webzines promote them, and therefore very few people attend their concerts. Well, let’s say that’s not an issue exclusive to Serbia, as everywhere you go you’ll face the same lack of proper support, with very few kids these days getting into heavy music and succumbing to to the most generic playlists shoved down their throats via all types of social media.
Aleksandra also proved to be an old school metalhead, maybe like Accept would say, an “analog woman”, as she simply loves when an album is released as a vinyl and/or cassette, supporting the revival of those formats (although she said she prefers CDs because they’re more practical). “I’m not a collector myself, but I have some old vinyl and cassettes which I inherited from my mother and I’m really happy that I had an opportunity to have my music on vinyl and tapes,” she commented. Furthermore, when asked about the impact of digital platforms on the careers of bands and artists, she said that Bandcamp for instance helps a lot, but it shouldn’t be the only way of promoting and selling music. “I still haven’t tried other platforms, but I can notice that they’re widespread. I think the ideal way I promote bands is combining all the available methods,” said our unstoppable lioness.
She was also asked in one of her interviews about the greatest satisfaction that music has brought her, and her answer was once again beyond awesome. “The fact that I achieved my goal. My goal was to have at least one physical release of my music, a CD that I’ll be able to show to my children and grandchildren one day. To have something behind me that other people will be able to see and hear and maybe find themselves in it. To inspire others.” Aleksandra also prefers working with a label instead of going full DIY because she believes there are several things she couldn’t do on her own, like a full-bodied promotion of her albums and tours, which makes sense as she can put all her focus on making music, and that’s what really matters in the end.
Lastly, when asked about what a band should sacrifice in order to be successful, and if she has ever sacrificed anything in her life for a better future of her bands, she mentioned she had to reconsider many times what she wanted with the band and whether it was worth it. “In the end, I decided to dedicate myself to education and family, and for the band to be my hobby. Because of that decision, we often have to sacrifice the time we would spend with the family or learning to have a rehearsal or a gig.” To be fair, at least it looks like she’s been able to balance everything quite well in recent years, managing multiple bands, projects and other aspects of her life, always delivering to us avid fans high quality heavy music, and may our unrelenting lioness keep roaring for many decades to come for our absolute delight.
Putting a foot back into the roots of the band’s inception, these American veterans return to the battlefield with their striking fourth full-length opus, turning the failure of all into first-class Thrash and Groove Metal.
Putting a foot back into the roots of the band’s inception, New Orleans, Louisiana’s own Thrash Metal veterans Exhorder return to the battlefield with their striking fourth full-length opus, titled Defectum Omnium, the Latin phrase for “the failure of all”. Produced by the band itself, mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by Travis Smith of Seempieces Design Studio, the album is highly recommended for fans of Dark Angel, Nuclear Assault, Exodus, Death Angel, Testament, Machine Head, and Pantera, among others, with the band currently formed of Kyle Thomas on vocals and guitars, Jason Viebrooks on bass, and Sasha Horn on drums now being joined by former Cannibal Corpse heavyweight guitarist Pat O’Brien, just to give their sound an even edgier and more austere taste.
Let’s slam into the pit like true metalmaniacs to the sound of Wrath of Prophecies, a Pantera-infused onrush of thrashing sounds led by the piercing riffs by Kyle and Pat, kicking things off in an amazing way, followed by Under the Gaslight, a more cadenced, Groove Metal-ish tune by Exhorder recommend for some vigorous headbanging to the massive beats by Sasha and the always visceral roars by Kyle. Forever and Beyond Despair offers us then absolutely acid lyrics (“Designs of murder ending all / Last call, then curfew comes / Take your meds and go / The gods bring on the wars / Send the troops, let ’em burn / The girls will work butter churns, all pregnant with babes”) amidst a fusion of Thrash Metal, Hardcore and Punk Rock, whereas letting their Southern Metal vein pulse harder than ever we face The Tale of Unsound Minds, with Jason and Sasha delivering sheer heaviness and groove through their devilish kitchen. After that we have Divide and Conquer, another Thrash and Groove Metal feast by the quartet where their riffs and solos sound striking, meaning it should work really well if played live; and an eerie intro quickly explodes into the venomous Year of the Goat, a slamming tune that will invite us all into the circle pit to the rumbling bass by Jason.
After a slower yet still heavy-as-hell start, the band will will hammer your heads mercilessly in Taken by Flames, offering modern-day Thrash Metal overflowing rage and insanity, all led by the boisterous beats by Sasha; and get ready for over seven minutes of darkness in the form of Defectum Omnium / Stolen Hope, starting in a hypnotic way before the band comes ripping with a venomous mid-tempo attack, with the riffage by Kyle and Pat penetrating deep inside our damned souls. It’s then time for some pure American hatred flowing from all instruments in Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well, with their riffs, bass jabs and blast beats generating the perfect ambience for some wild circle pits and crowd surfing; followed by Sedition, bringing forward three minutes of savagery and brutality blasted by the quartet, once again offering our avid ears an overdose of dirty riffs, raspy vocals and demolishing drums, and they keep destroying our cranial skulls with their visceral Thrash Metal in Desensitized, where the enraged growls by Kyle walk hand I hand with the unstoppable beats by Sasha. Last but not least, they present another shot of their hybrid of Southern Rock with Thrash and Groove Metal in Your Six, feeling sluggish, dirty and inebriate until the very last second.
Exhorder are not in a good mood throughout the entire Defectum Omnium, and of course that’s an amazing thing when it comes to violent and frantic Thrash Metal. Hence, don’t forget to start following those American thrashers on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, to stream more of their wicked music on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase a copy of the incendiary Defectum Omnium by clinking HERE or HERE. The entire world as we know it has failed miserably, and that’s exactly what Exhorder needed as fuel for their fulminating new album, keeping the fires of heavy music burning bright while our rotten society comes to its inevitable end.
Best moments of the album:Wrath of Prophecies, Year of the Goat and Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well.
Worst moments of the album:Under the Gaslight.
Released in 2024 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. Wrath of Prophecies 4:14
2. Under the Gaslight 4:21
3. Forever and Beyond Despair 3:03
4. The Tale of Unsound Minds 5:01
5. Divide and Conquer 2:38
6. Year of the Goat 3:27
7. Taken by Flames 5:19
8. Defectum Omnium / Stolen Hope 7:13
9. Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well 6:46
10. Sedition 2:56
11. Desensitized 4:59
12. Your Six 4:28
Band members Kyle Thomas – vocals, guitars
Pat O’Brien – guitars
Jason Viebrooks – bass
Sasha Horn – drums
Guest musicians Rick Wartell – guitars
Bruce Franklin – guitars
Sully Erna and his henchmen will light up your sky to the sound of their thrilling (but unfortunately) final studio album.
Produced and engineered by Andrew Mudrock, mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, and mixed by Dave Fortman, the excellent Lighting Up the Sky is not only the eight studio album by Boston, Massachusetts-based Alternative Rock/Metal titansGodsmack, released five years after their last studio album When Legends Rise (therefore making it the longest gap between two of their studio albums), but it’s also the final one by vocalist and guitarist Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill and drummer Shannon Larkin. And let me tell you that if that’s it for Godsmack at least in terms of releasing new albums, they’re definitely going out with a bang.
Sully blasts his Moog synthesizer to generate a magical atmosphere in You and I, kicking off the album on a high note and delivering classy Hard Rock led by the groovy bass by Robbie, whereas Red White & Blue can be considered their tribute to their homeland, also presenting an amazing guitar job done by Sully and Tony, inspiring us all to raise our fists while Shannon smashes his drums in the best rockin’ way possible. In the first single of the album, the trademark Godsmack tune Surrender, we face their usual acid lyrics (“You’ve always told me / That you know me / But you don’t really know me at all / You just played me and betrayed me / And showed no sympathy at all”) amidst a pure Rock N’ Roll sound, and the quartet doesn’t let the energy level go down by offering more of their electrifying music in What About Me, showcasing another solid kitchen by Robbie and Shannon. And Sully takes care of all acoustic guitars, drums and keyboards in Truth, a beautiful ballad overflowing melancholy and passion.
Back to their more visceral mode we have Hell’s Not Dead, blending elements from Southern Rock and Metal to their core essence and sounding very catchy and vibrant. Needless to say, it will work perfectly if played live during their upcoming tour, while in Soul on Fire the lyrics couldn’t have been more Rock N’ Roll (“In the end / There will come a time my friend / I’m gonna break you wide open / I didn’t see this side unfolding / Hey, I can’t wait for you to make up your mind / I need to take you every time / I’m self destructing”), with the quartet once again kicking some ass with their incendiary sonic weapons in a lecture in modern-day rock music. Let’s Go is perhaps the most generic of all songs, including its instrumental parts and lyrics, albeit it still carries the band’s characteristic sonority in it, whereas exhaling the purest form of the music by Godsmack we can think of, Best of Times is a journey back in time to their early days led by the classic beats by Shannon and the piercing riffage by Tony. The second ballad from the album, titled Growing Old, sounds very introspective and dark thanks to another stylish performance by Sully not only on vocals but also on the piano; and closing the album we have the title-track Lighting Up the Sky, showcasing a fantastic stringed duo by Tony and Robbie, adding endless groove and harmony to the music. In other words, Godsmack definitely know how to hypnotize us with their catchy riffs and lyrics, and this is a really good example of that.
“We’ve enjoyed decades of doing this and we’ve sacrificed a lot of time. But the reality is – and I say this with zero ego – we’re at 27 top 10 (Mainstream Rock Airplay) singles, 12 No. 1s (including ‘Surrender’ from the new album). We could pull three or four more off this new record – it’s a strong record, we feel. That means we could do back-to-back nights in an arena, play 15 songs each night and never play the same single, let alone deep cuts. That’s a helluva place to get to…so you think, how much more do we need?,” commented the band about Lighting Up the Sky (and you can see more details about that HERE), which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify. Moreover, you can also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram (if you don’t already do so), subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and videos, and of course purchase their thrilling new album by visiting their official website or by clicking HERE. The band already said that although this is their last studio album they’ll keep touring for the foreseeable future, but of course after listening to Lighting Up the Sky several times already I’ll surely miss new music by Godsmack. Well, at least I can always light up the sky to the sound of all of their creations, including their last and amazing album, right?
Best moments of the album:You and I, Red White & Blue, Soul on Fire and Lighting Up the Sky.
Worst moments of the album:Let’s Go.
Released in 2023 BMG
Track listing 1. You and I 5:16
2. Red White & Blue 4:04
3. Surrender 3:40
4. What About Me 3:55
5. Truth 4:33
6. Hell’s Not Dead 4:50
7. Soul on Fire 4:05
8. Let’s Go 5:40
9. Best of Times 3:36
10. Growing Old 5:01
11. Lighting Up the Sky 4:46
Band members Sully Erna – vocals, guitar, Moog synthesizer on “You and I”, acoustic guitars, drums and keyboards on “Truth”, backing vocals, organ and piano on “Growing Old”
Tony Rombola – lead guitar
Robbie Merrill – bass
Shannon Larkin – drums
Liechtenstein’s own one-man Gothic and Doom Metal band returns with the second part of his four-album concept, surrendering to inner preferences and being less and less controlled by material or negative things.
Formed in 2018 in Triesen, the third largest municipality of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Gothic/Doom Metal one-man army Black Reuss has just released the second part of his four-album concept, entitled Journey, the follow-up to his 2021 album Metamorphosis and a preparation for the upcoming albums Arrival and Death. The man behind Black Reuss, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Maurizio Dottores, is at home in doomy Heavy Metal with a touch of melancholy and a certain heaviness that has accompanied him in some chapters of his life, with Journey being about surrendering to inner preferences and being less and less controlled by material or negative things, being therefore highly recommended for admirers of the doomed music by Paradise Lost, Type O Negative, Katatonia and Black Sabbath, among others.
Eerie, futuristic sounds ignite the atmospheric Exodus, with Maurizio wasting no time by distilling his trademark fusion of Gothic Rock and Metal while firing sharp riffs from start to finish, and switching gears to a more sinister vibe thanks to his tribal beats and minimalist guitar lines we’re treated to Dejection, living up to the legacy of classic Doom Metal. Moreover, Maurizio’s deep vocals add a touch of anguish to the overall result, whereas experimenting with more unconventional sound and elements it’s time for the somber Egression, where Maurizio does a great job with both his riffs and bass lines; followed by the bold, atmospheric and pensive Hole, where its sonority will embrace you in the name of Gothic and Doom Metal and with Maurizio’s riffage and beats bringing forward sheer heaviness. Slowing things down a bit we have the Gothic Rock feast Fail, where once again Maurizio is on fire armed with his rumbling bass, adding endless groove to the music, while a beyond sinister and atmospheric start evolves into a Gothic Metal extravaganza in Deep-Seated, with Maurizio’s introspective, deep vocals and low-tuned bass lines beautifully darkening the skies, also presenting hints of Southern Rock and Metal for our total delight.
Drinking from the same obscure fountain as renowned acts the likes of Moonspell, My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost, Maurizio brings forth sheer doom in Regression, another first-class composition showcasing sluggish beats and riffs enfolded by an ethereal ambience, and it’s then time for a headbanging tune entitled Dependence, where Maurizio slashes his guitar in great fashion while his beats bring an extra kick to the song, being clearly inspired by the 80’s Gothic Rock scene (and a recommended addition to your road trip playlist, by the way). Integrity keeps the album at a high level of energy and doom, with Maurizio adding a phantasmagorical vibe to it with his keys while his guitar work sounds very melodic and sharp as usual; and the last two songs of the album are also the longest ones, starting with Affection, a slow, reverberating composition that exhales pure Doom Metal with his guitar solos being a thing of beauty, flowing into the pensive and grim Redemption, an atmospheric nine-minute aria where Maurizio declaims the song’s lyrics with tons of anguish while its instrumental pieces are simply spot-on, consequently putting a delicate but impactful ending to the album.
While we wait for the third and fourth chapters in the musical adventure crafted by Maurizio Dottores and his Black Reuss, we can definitely have a very good time enjoying Metamorphosis and of course Journey, which is by the way available in its entirety on Spotify, and you can also show your utmost support to this interesting one-man band from Liechtenstein by following him on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to his YouTube channel, and obviously by clicking HERE and purchasing your favorite version of Journey. What’s next for Black Reuss? How will Arrival and Death sound in comparison to Metamorphosis and Journey? The wait for those questions to be answered is one of the most compelling parts in the music by Maurizio Dottores, a man that’s definitely placing Liechtenstein in the map of heavy music with his unique creations.
Best moments of the album: Hole, Deep-Seated and Dependence.
Get ready to bang your heads nonstop to the debut album by this Bavarian act, offering powerful Teutonic material forged in the gloriously timeless style of early Accept, Warlock and Running Wild.
Formed in 2018 in Aschaffenburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany, and after a few lineup changes, the talented Heavy Metal squad Böllverk has finally unleashed their debut effort, entitled Heading For The Crown, offering pithy, refreshing and powerful Teutonic material forged in the gloriously timeless style of early Accept, Warlock and Running Wild for the old school-addicted battlevest banger fraction. Currently comprised of Svenja on vocals, Zahn and Raphi on the guitars, Tim on bass and Angelo on drums, Böllverk are on absolute fire in Heading For The Crown, with the classic artwork by Bastian Kraus and the sharp recording, mixing and mastering by Rolf Munkes at Empire Studios giving an even stronger vibe to the entire album, inspiring us all to head into the battlefield together with the band in the name of our beloved old school Heavy Metal.
The incendiary guitars by Zahn and Raphi kick off the pure, unfiltered Heavy Metal tune Ask The Angel, Listen To The Devil, an awesome way to start the album with the galloping drums by Angelo walking hand in hand with the 80’s-inspired vocals by Svenja, and more of their fusion of the classic music played by Iron Maiden, Accept, Judas Priest and Warlock is offered to us all in Let’s Ride Till Dawn, with the band’s guitar duo dictating the rhythm with their spot-on riffs and solos. Good Morning Rock’n’Roll is one of those “breakfast songs” highly recommended for all metalheads worldwide, bringing forward a beautiful hybrid of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock where Svenja’s piercing vocals are complemented by the raspy, Motörhead-infused roars by Zahn; whereas the title-track Heading For The Crown is an in-your-face, straightforward metal extravaganza led by the crushing drums by Angelo, supported by the rumbling bass by Tim.
Zahn’s evil roars boost the high-pitched screams by Svenja in The 7th No (IS A KO), another Hard Rock feast where the sound of the guitars will slash your ears mercilessly, and it’s time to bang our heads nonstop together with Böllverk in Master Of Thunder, another sharp, no shenanigans creation by the quintet showcasing a heavy and melodic kitchen by Tim and Angelo. Then venturing through the realms of Southern and Stoner Metal the band offers us all Live Fast, with Zahn taking the lead on vocals. It’s a good song, but it lacks the epicness of the rest of the album, though. Zahn keeps screaming in Next Level Of Service while Svenja fires her trademark Doro-inspired vocals lines, all spiced up by another round of their flammable riffs and thunderous bass lines, and last but not least, we’re treated to more of their rumbling Heavy Metal in the form of Someday We Will Die, clearly inspired by the classics from the NWOBHM and, therefore, ending the album on a thrilling note.
You can get to know more about Böllverk by following those Teutonic metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all of their news, tour dates, plans for the future and so on, and you can also send them your feedback about their music as I’m sure the entire band would love to hear from you. In addition, in order to show your support and appreciation for ass-kicking underground German metal you should definitely purchase a copy of Heading For The Crown from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as stream the album in its entirety on Spotify. Böllverk didn’t need to reinvent the wheel with Heading For The Crown to sound awesome, showing how powerful Heavy Metal still is and, of course, not only pointing to a bright future ahead of the band, but also providing us metalheads with one more excellent reason for keep banging our heads until the very end.
Best moments of the album: Ask The Angel, Listen To The Devil, Good Morning Rock’n’Roll and Someday We Will Die.
Worst moments of the album:Live Fast.
Released in 2022 Independent
Track listing 1. Ask The Angel, Listen To The Devil 6:05
2. Let’s Ride Till Dawn 3:27
3. Good Morning Rock’n’Roll 4:25
4. Heading For The Crown 4:49
5. The 7th No (IS A KO) 4:37
6. Master Of Thunder 6:26
7. Live Fast 4:20
8. Next Level Of Service 3:56
9. Someday We Will Die 5:50
Band members Svenja – vocals
Zahn – guitars, vocals
Raphi – guitars
Tim – bass
Angelo – drums
Eternal darkness is covering my eyes and penetrating me…
Dark skies are over us all once again here on The Headbanging Moose thanks to the raw and visceral Black Metal crafted by a multi-talented woman who will undoubtedly blacken our hearts even more. Hailing from Rivne, a historic city in western Ukraine located over 300 kilometers to the west of the country’s capital Kiev, she’s not only an amazing Extreme Metal vocalist, but she also plays all instruments including lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, bass and drums for her stunning one-woman Occult and Depressive Black Metal project entitled Ieschure. Her poetic name, Lilita Arndt, adds an extra touch of beauty to her unique creations, and you’ll be more than pleased with her music, her view of Black Metal and how she incorporates all her influences into each one of her songs.
Lilita’s interest in writing and playing music began at a very early stage of her childhood, when she started to write lyrics and later tried to create simple melodies for them on her acoustic guitar, which by the way was her very first instrument, then learning how to play keyboards (followed by all other instruments she currently knows), all self-taught and never having any sort of formal or structured music lessons with anyone. After taking part in different projects as a singer, including an old acoustic project called Embrace of Hedera from 2007 until 2015 which played melancholic, dark and romantic music with acoustic guitars and clean female vocals (and with whom she recorded the album The Castle On The Rolling Hills in 2015), Lilita wanted to explore new territories by creating her own music with her own melodies, lyrics, singing and atmosphere, being the mastermind of her own project and experimenting with melodies and vocals, the main reason why she decided to found her own solo project Ieschure back in 2015.
A word chosen by Lilita after the whole album The Shadow was finished in 2017, Ieschure has the project’s name related to occult things and the meaning of this word is really important for her, although our multi-talented musician prefers it to be known only by herself. Dealing with classic Black Metal lyrical themes such as occultism, witchcraft and death, and using a serpent as her symbol (more specifically as a primitive symbol of power and wisdom but at the same time representing death and damnation), this one-woman Black Metal force has already released an array of bold, captivating albums since the project’s inception in 2015, those being the aforementioned full-length opus The Shadow, in 2017, the EP’s Cold Stars of Eternity and Phantoms of God, in 2020, and more recently the split album Witch’s Consecration, now in 2021, with Brazilian Black Metal horde Promethean Gate. If you want to have a very good taste of how breathtaking the music by Ieschure is, you can enjoy some awesome songs online such as Eternal Agony, Mystic Schizophrenia and Phantoms Of God, or simply go to BandCamp, to Big Cartel and to Spotify (or click HERE) to stream and purchase all of her wicked creations.
Not only the woman responsible for all vocals and instruments in all of Ieschure releases, Lilita also handles all recording, mixing, mastering, lyrics and layout of the albums, which is absolutely in line with her initial dream of having a project of her own. In addition, Lilita has also collaborated in several albums from other bands, with the most memorable for her to date being singing with the bands Detention and Restless. For instance, she recorded vocals for the songs Nidhogg(from the album Lost Souls in a Godless World) and Wolf’s Head (from the album The Battle of Tara) by American Doom/Stoner/Southern Metal band Black Mountain Thunder, both in 2015; vocals for the song The Face of God, from the 2015 self-titled album by American Stoner/Doom Metal band Clawhammer; vocals on the 2014 album Marginal, by Kazakh Depressive Metal band Detention; vocals on the song Rurel, from the 2018 self-titled EP by Italian Black/Folk Metal band Dovrefjell; backing vocals on the songs Spiritueller Selbstmord, from the 2014 album Verwüstung, and Wenn Die Sterne Nicht Mehr Scheinen, from the 2014 EP Horizont, by Ukrainian Black Metal/Ambient band Moloch; vocals on the 2017 album Funeral Impressions, by Italian Funeral Doom Metal band Restless; and vocals on the song Bride of Winter, from the 2016 album Forgotten Tales, by Italian Black Metal band Waldweg; not to mention the cover art for the 2019 EP The Wanderer, by Tuskish Atmospheric Black Metal band Akrunant.
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Regarding her first experiences with Heavy and Black Metal, Lilita mentioned in one of her interviews that she began listening to popular metal bands when she was a teenager, becoming more and more interested in the underground and, consequently, getting attracted to the world of Black Metal. In her opinion, Black Metal is not just a music style, but a dark side of art, an irrational fusion of music, theatre and philosophy, full of paradoxes and concentrating the strongest emotions, hatred and some perverted love to life, which is the main reason why she considers it perfect. She complemented by saying that she has felt the presence of hidden forces in the world since she was a little child, gradually getting more interested in those and in occultism, also saying that realizing that she will die some day was what truly attracted her to that. Apart from drawing inspiration from the works of renowned occultists the likes of Aleister Crowley, Eliphas Levi, Stanislas de Guaita and George Gurdjieff, she also enjoys reading and studying about her work as a designer, all forms of art, mythology, psychology, history, travelling and everything that can give her new knowledge about the world. And in terms of what inspires the music by Ieschure the most, she mentioned Black Metal behemoths such as early Urfaust, Behexen, Rotting Christ, My Dying Bride, Opeth and, above all, Burzum, as his music embodies the ideas of misanthropy and loneliness in the best way imaginable according to our sinister diva.
When asked about her vocal style and technique, Lilita said that her screaming vocals were influenced by classic Black Metal bands, whereas for clean vocals she gets her inspiration from non-Black Metal music, as for example Julie Christmas, her favorite female singer of bands like Battle Of Mice and Made Out of Babies, and Free Dominguez, of Kidneythieves. In addition, regarding her songwriting process, Lilita said the first thing she does is many improvisations on the guitar at her home studio, recording various ideas, listening to them again at a later stage, and if she finds any of those ideas interesting enough she rerecords them to include all other instruments. Also, she complemented by saying most of her time in that process is taken by the lyrics writing process, as she can rewrite those many times and do various vocal improvisations to find the best version, finally rerecording everything.
As a true admirer of the underground, in special the first wave of Black Metal bands, their sound and atmosphere, as well as old Doom Metal, Lilita also said that although she doesn’t listen to a lot of bands from the Black Metal scene in her homeland Ukraine she knows there are several bands and projects in the country who create true underground music, always prioritizing the music instead of fame or money. However, she said she cannot compare herself to any of those bands, as she tries to go her own way with her own opinion about music. In addition, she also mentioned in one of her interviews that she doesn’t usually attend concerts, as for her personally the best way to listen to music is to listen to it in her headphones.
Lastly, when questioned if one day Ieschure will become a full-bodied group with other members joining her, Lilita said that, although she’s always open to change, she doesn’t think that’s a possibility for now. Furthermore, she mentioned that if one day she finds that a good alternative for embodying her ideas she will definitely try working with other musicians, as long as of course they’re sincerely interested in music and follow similar or the same ideas as hers. In the end, it doesn’t matter if she continues to create music as a lone she-wolf or if she finds the perfect lineup for Ieschure, our beloved metal witch will keep experimenting with melodies and vocal styles while always keeping an evil Black Metal atmosphere in the background, playing raw and devilish sounds for our total delectation in the name of darkness, death and the occult.
“For me black metal is really a dark side of Art. It’s not just a music style. Mixture of music, theatre and philosophy, more irrational than other music styles, full of paradoxes, concentrating the strongest emotions, hatred and some perverted love to life. That is why it is perfect.” – Lilita Arndt
Emerging hungrier than ever from the thrashing city of San Francisco, California, Bay Area Thrash Metal legends Exodus welcome back the unrelenting frontman Rob Dukes, who had previously recorded with the band the albums Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005), The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A (2007), Let There Be Blood (2008), and Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010), to continue their path of devastation 16 years later with the thunderous Goliath, their twelfth studio album and the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Blood In, Blood Out (2014) and Persona Non Grata (2021). Produced by the band itself, recorded by Juan Urteaga, Mark Lewis and Jesse Fioren, mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis, and displaying a classic thrashing artwork by Pär Olofsson, the newborn beast by Rob Dukes on vocals, Gary Holt and Lee Altus on the guitars, Jack Gibson on bass, and Tom Hunting on drums reinforces the band’s eternal foothold at the top of the Thrash Metal hierarchy with ten of their most diverse, anthemic emissions to date.
In the end, Goliath beams with the explosive authenticity that has set Exodus eons apart from their peers since the release of their 1985 groundbreaking debut Bonded By Blood and, 40 years later, they’re steadfast in their refusal to settle for the safety of mediocrity, fearing nothing and no one and continuing to forge their trademark just as resolutely as they did in their fruition. I honestly don’t believe there’s a single metalhead out there who doesn’t know Exodus, but just in case don’t forget to check what those thrashers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their masterful creations on Spotify, and to grab a copy of the colossal Goliath from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Welcome back, Mr. Rob Dukes, and thank you for inspiring us to slam into the pit like maniacs together with Exodus. You guys are the undisputed Goliaths of Thrash Metal, no questions asked.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 