Written by: Blackie Skulless
Canada’s Spell have been around for over a decade at this point, and considering that they play a style of modern heavy metal that I often take to easily, it’s amazing that it took this long for them to hit my radar. Their brand of occult metal often dabbles in the doom, traditional, and gothic pools, but their latest album seems to put heavier emphasis on that latter tag. Titled Wretched Heart, this one may just be a bit divisive in how it cools some of the engines. Fortunately for me, I’m a fan of precisely that. No stoppage of heavy riffs reveal themselves at any point, but melancholic undertones dominate the otherwise straightforward stomps quite consistently. For some tracks, synthesizers are added not simply as a vibe-setter but as a melody driver. Often, this can make or break something, but I truly think it compliments the bigger picture rather than distracting from it. What matters most is that the haunting but clean vocal style fits every mood conducted in Wretched Heart, working as the *ahem* beating heart of the record.
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Written by: The Administrator
On January 1st, 2025, whilst writing a premiere for Am I in Trouble's excellent debut album Spectrum--after previously premiering two singles and reviewing a third, no less--I knew in my heart of hearts that I was not done writing about Am I in Trouble's excellent debut album Spectrum. After all, it still qualifies (spoilers!) for and merits an appearance on my (forthcoming) Favorite Album Art of 2025 and Favorite Albums of 2025 list, neither of which have been published for a variety of very real reasons. But, despite assuming that my past and future wordsmithery regarding Am I In Trouble's excellent debut album Spectrum was thoroughly mapped, I was wrong, for another Spectrum was made. In a manner of speaking. Enter Facets, a remarkably cohesive 15 track remix and/or re-imagining that presents "the seven songs of Spectrum explored, stretched, condensed, lightened, darkened, ripped apart, and stitched back together." Facets notably features a massive roster and an updated color palette for modern times. It serves, as it must, as a celebration of the original album's successes. A victory lap of sorts. But it also represents a broader sense of collaboration germinated both by the lesser-known annals of avantgarde metal and the fertile soils of the Ampwall community. Am I in Trouble's solo visionary Steve Wiener has used this project as a platform to "come together to find different shades and hues within the spectrum." Very cool idea; very cool execution. By overtly embracing remix culture, Facets demonstrates an exploratory drive, a creative mindset, and an openness to community that far more metal bands, in my humble opinion, should actively strive towards. I'm very pleased to present here today, in its lengthy entirety, Am I in Trouble's Facets several days before official release. Look for it on June 5th from SHIFT+CTRL Music. In the meantime, check it out below! I'll be waiting with ample wordcount, as always, on the other side.
How best, I have asked myself many times whilst preparing this premiere, to write about a 15 track album representing the reimagining of as many artists? The inevitable conclusion was: write about it all, obviously. At extreme risk of penning a review that takes longer to read than the album's mighty 1hr 25min runtime, I shall limit myself to one (1) sentence per track. Let's get into it, shall we?
Things start off on a lovely and tranquil note with the Ed Herbers helmed "Seafoam," which feels to me like the smooth sea-worn seaglass a beachcomber might find decades after the bright shard of "Green" was cast into the surf. This sense of calm is swiftly interrupted by the chiptun'd (and intensely sick) "Cobalt," which ramps up the speed and aggression to the exact levels of chaotic freneticism you almost certainly expect from Gonemage. Negative Agent keeps the genre whiplash rolling with a chanting and industrialized version of "Red," injecting the track with an extra dose of misanthropic violence and vitriol that the title "Scarlet" simply can't avoid implying. Next up, Imrryr (who previously impressed on Gray EP's "Obsidian") presents "Pearl," which leans into the airy angelic grandness of "White" without becoming untethered from the blackened aspects of the original. The following feel-good bop embodied by Adventsong's "Xanthous" continues embellishing the lighter side of AIiT?, taking cues from the intrinsic radiance of "Yellow" while amping up the percussion and apricus sun-drenched energy. Onward! "Rouge," an AIiT? solo effort, brings a blushing bombast to the proceedings, acting as a impassioned companion piece to the original material and a smart switch into more aggressive territory. And, speaking of aggression, Voidscan's dynamic and hostile "Onyx" is up next, utilizing Alex Loach's acidic blackened tone to great effect and very possibly clearing the high bar set by Gray EP's "Opal." Exit Chamber slows things down with the mighty droning atmosphere of "Crimson"--not the direction I was originally anticipating for a "Red" reimaging, but this track serves a notably monolithic role in the tracklist. Next up is Sylfvr's more vivacious "Viridian," which provides a little whimsy via some exceptionally charming fantasy synth. MEGAFAUNA's genre-mashing electro-frenzy cyber-infused "Fuchsia," much like the original "Pink," seems to find substantial joy in walking the delicate line between the cheerfulness and the abject horror represented by its subject matter. Moving along, "Snow," Chipped Topaz's take on "White," builds drum-forward growling menace around that delightful pure-driven melody before fading into bliss. Jude Kerr's "Canary" turns up the brightness and birdsong and sense of frolic present in "Yellow," nearly quadrupling the runtime without ever dragging the whimsy beyond a breaking point. The end approaches! In a true feat of well-executed excess, Witchtᴉde's "Fuchsia" somehow exemplifies every element of the original, delivering both clapping production and winding guitars alongside a significant cast of vocal stylings. The penultimate track "Fern" maintains the circus-like jubilance of "Green," but builds the ditty into a bit of a lush rocker--I was previously unfamiliar with Raccoon Fink, but will be checking 'em out post-haste on the basis of this exellent track. Finally, the closer "Yellow + Blue = Green," an appropriately entitled amalgamation brought to life by Petridisch, is a dreamy and otherworldly long-form 10+ minute affair that reflects the lushness of its inspiration's component parts--a fitting outro to a project that respects source material without ever being afraid to strip it down and stretch it out. Facets is truly is a curatorial masterclass. As should be apparent, this project is exceedingly diverse from a musical perspective, representing a wide range of sounds and aesthetics that somehow always compliment and never clash with the the original vision. On paper the deliberately eclectic genre conglomerate shouldn't work, or at the very least shouldn't mesh. But it does, and the resulting listening experience is quite the aesthetic journey. Listening to multiple iterations and reinventions of each track allows the Spectrum audience to recontextualize their relationship with the familiar while simultaneously exploring new artists and genres. Beyond what the album sounds like, however, Facets also represents a creative ethos that I have a profound admiration for. Steve has found a way to extend his album's lifespan without the re-imagining ever feeling like a marketing gimmick or a promo hack. It is a project, not a product. The longevity never feels forced. The collaboration at the heart of Facets allows the album to fulfill its own purpose, independent of the typical "practical" reasons that one might release a remix album. And yet! Here I am, many, many months after the initial release of Spectrum, experiencing Am I in Trouble? with a vested and perhaps even revitalized interest. Ignoring the pull of the promo pit for days and weeks. Writing about "Red" (or variations thereof) with the same enthusiasm as I was literally 653 days ago. That alone is worth applause! Am I in Trouble? - Facets will be released June 5th, 2026 via SHIFT+CTRL Music 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Taking one look at the second full-length by Spain’s Rave In Fire, I had a gut feeling this would be yet another retro-glazed cyberpunk themed “throwback” heavy metal outfit that we get so many of today. Neon colors, typical titles, and an ‘80s aesthetic gives one of the most predictable vibes we’ve always seen. One could say I didn’t exactly have high hopes going into Square One blindly, having not heard the first record at that point. But as the saying goes, I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, because I’ll be damned if this didn’t absolutely smoke! True, on a stylistic front, things fit that description, but it rises above anything I’d call generic. Elaboration in songwriting as well as taking varied directions that never stray from the retro vibe they’re so clearly going for helps elevate Rave In Fire tremendously. In several spots, melodies with a warm touch reflect earlier glam metal sensibilities that flow so nicely into the harder sections. Layered leads that match the clean and powerful aura of the frontwoman’s equally clean vocals come off nice and sharp, with polished production helping them stand out rather than blend in with their peers. The fact that the songs themselves are so memorable is what truly takes this to greater heights. 
Written by: The Administrator
As established, I'm a fan of MEGAFAUNA. Referring, of course, to the marshdwelling experimental artist, and not real-life megafauna, which are frankly very frightening. But where MEGAFAUNA is often despair-prone and scary and anxiety-inducing, all too happy to feed a fear of the dark, xadaa's other project Grumm Trencher is a little more... comfy. It leans into a relaxed woodland vibe, and, even at its most urgent and chaotic, there is a warmth that reverberates. I really enjoyed the sound and worldbuilding that went into Grumm Trencher's On the Culinary and Necromantic Uses for Various Species of Mushroom, and the followup wintery "Beira" single was extremely evocative. The project has a great track record. As such, the prospect of new Grumm Trencher was cause for celebration, once I wrestled it free from the all-hungry maw of the promo pit. And so here it is: new Grumm Trencher. The Bat and the Hellebore, which we are pleased and honored to present here in full, will see full release on April 24th. This is an album that tells the story of a little brown bat and a big adventure, and with a description so short and sweet, I feel like I'm doing a disservice to said album by continuing to write words instead of just leaving it at that. But I am nothing if not annoyingly wordy, and so shall discuss The Bat and the Hellebore in detail below. Hit play on your way down. We'll meet again, as always, on the other side. 
Written by: The Administrator
I strongly suspect that every single reader of this review will agree that The Recreant is a remarkably easy sell. Alicia Cordisco and Ruby Rockatansky, neither of whom need introduction 'round these parts, join forces to deliver a crusty grindy crossover thrash Transgressive sister/spin-off project. The Recreant promises stripped-down spite, and features an overt Napalm Death reference right there in the album title. I mean...'nuff said, right? I invite anyone to take a deep dive into the bottomless maw of the Sleeping Village's promo pit; you'll be hard-pressed to find a more invigorating elevator pitch. And yeah. Holy shit. The Recreant, I am pleased to say, more than delivers on its implicit promise. Upon first exposure to the gloriously incendiary advance singles, I commented "oh, this goes capital-letter HARD hard." After many, many listens, I can't agree more with this initial assessment. The Code is V... Outlive the Code exudes hardness with a stomping gravitas and a sense of authenticity that simply can't be manufactured. It is sneering and tough in a fashion that feels tangible and profoundly badass. It thrums and erupts with pugilistic physicality. It is the pinnacle of rage, a snapshot of the precise moment that fury transcends. It is outspoken and honest and assertive. It is raw and exposed. It is a throat-rending battle cry, and it goes hard. I cannot (re)iterate this enough. It. goes. so. fucking. hard. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Hellripper is so much fun, because they’re another one of those bands that broke early ground amidst my true deep dives into modern and extreme metals, and getting to analyze a band of “my generation” in real time over the years is something that I consider an honor. Or, maybe that’s just my way of coping with the fact that I’m now 30, and I could barely drink legally when Coagulating Darkness came out. Regardless, what matters most is that upon reaching full-length number four, the Scottish one-man show has shown zero signs of stagnating despite playing a pretty safe genre. Coronach is all the more evident of this, with a new and, might I say, far more original logo to go with it. A few years back, Hellripper (smartly) stepped away from the black/thrash basics and evolved into a more black metal focused project. They still worked in many a thrashy chop but ultimately delivered crushing blastbeats, a harsh atmosphere, tremolos, and a vicious flair that abandoned the goat-worshiping safety net of yesterday. Here we get an evolution of that, less so in taking a more “traditional” black metal direction, and more in emphasizing technicality and unconventional writing. In fact, I may even say that the thrash hints even came back a little more prominently, but under proverbial new management. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
It’s no secret that a couple years ago, Cruel Force rose from the ashes of their former selves and crafted something that truly resonated with many listeners. By tightening up the songwriting and breaking the typical mold of the black/speed predictability, these Germans allowed themselves to stand out far above their peers. This year, Haneda sees a continuation of this evolution, not only on the songwriting front but also in a stylistic way. In many ways, Cruel Force is going the exact direction that they had hinted at with Dawn Of The Axe. A notable feature was that the “blackened” aspect of the last record almost felt like it was being lifted from time to time, matching the injection of melody that didn’t exist as much prior. We see a similar vibe under the misty, echo-tinted production that allows the drums to pop really hard without feeling too raw. In other words, the blackmosphere lingers while other facets that made this fall in that camp fall away. This pairs nicely with the evolved vocals that now avoid anything harsh or raspy so one can more easily call this a full realization of a modern speed or thrash metal record that dodges any generic production nonsense. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
After Midnight Assassin cemented Sadistic Force as a true, *ahem* force to be reckoned with, and not just another decent black/thrash outfit that checks all the boxes, it does make one wonder how much more they can evolve. If sticking to the same dynamic formula is the move, then the truth is not too much. This didn’t stop the Texans from attempting several steps forward, and if anything, their recent EP of last year is a testament to that. Titled Morbid Odyssey, they’ve taken a similar general idea and cleaned it up a bit, all the while injecting some pretty extreme fervor in several ways. Before even noting the differences in execution, the production alone would have felt like a pivot elsewhere, and I’ll be damned if it didn’t make things sound bigger. Sneaking in melodies and nods to more traditional metal influence is still present, but the drums feel far more ferocious this time around, and the riffs far thicker and marshier. Thus, while I’d still call this a black/thrash effort at its core, Sadistic Force made themselves sound heavier, with more might behind the kicks. It’s like what would happen if you asked a death metal artist to play this genre instead. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Upon a simple look, Leatherhead is one of those bands you can almost immediately predict what you’re in for; campy, horror themed traditional metal. By this point, this style is kind of a dime a dozen, but if it only costs a dime then perhaps its worth it. The Greeks’ second record is the one that snagged my attention, titled Violent Horror Stories, in case you needed yet another indicator of the subject at hand. More importantly is the fact that as straightforward as this outfit is, there are some distinguishing features that made me actually want to revisit. For one, there’s a heavy emphasis not only on speed metal construction, but a certain oomph that hearkens back to the USPM movement of the ‘80s, complete with thick layers coating the speedy riffs and a powerful falsetto frontman. Moreover, despite the shorter runtime, there’s a decent ear for hook placement and variation that prevents any stagnance. Thus, as predictable as you were expecting an album that looks like this, and an opening track titled “V.H.S.” to sound, you may be a little surprised yourself.  Written by: The Administrator
It feels special to become aware of a band upon the release of their first single. This is especially so when said single (along with the total audio/visual package of the accompanying music video) is so blatantly intriguing. So exciting. So fresh. Wince and Frisson's chaotic and disquieting KÄRRHÄXAN was, arguably, the perfect first single. The listening/watching experience set the tone for an album rollout extremely well. After writing about said track, I have found myself revisiting the music video quite frequently to extract more of that delightful electrical feeling I had upon initial exposure. But! After witnessing a debut, it feels even special-er to be invited to premiere a band's second track (plus music video). Which brings us to today's track (plus music video) in question. The ritualistically entitled Liftoach Pandemonium is embedded below, available for your listening pleasure/intrigue/discomfort several days before official release. As always, we'll be waiting on the other side of the fold, long-winded analysis and words of recommendation presented proudly. Check it out! |
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