![]() Written by: Blackie Skulless Oh boy, just what we need! Another heavy metal act sharing a name with like ten other bands! Actually, that’s precisely what we need. Switzerland’s Amethyst is pretty new to the game, taking fruition only a couple years ago and giving us a short EP in that time. Earlier in 2024, they dropped their first full-length that took the community by storm pretty quickly. As we wrap up the year, I can say that Throw Down The Gauntlet is definitely worthy of some praise. On the surface, Amethyst packs together the things that I loved about Canada’s Freeways and Norway’s Flight, while adding a layer of metallic boost. In other words, the very foundation of this record pretty much avoids anything overly heavy, trading that angst for melody, soft vocals, and bouncy grooves. Yet, the riff structures themselves could easily be traced to the influences of the ‘70s metal acts, fitting in with cleaner blows not unlike Scorpions or perhaps Rainbow. I know, I basically just described the band’s sound by using derivatives of other bands, which should tell you that it isn’t the most original take on the genre.
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Written by: The Administrator
Greetings, dear reader! Before you read any further into this review, I implore you to hit play on "A Thousand Swords," the opening track on Legendarium's mighty new album. There's a handy embed located below for your convenience. Let it ride while you read! So. When one opens with a barn-burning riff of this caliber, the listener is inevitably left to wonder: was anything kept in reserve? Was the eternity of this album's guitar power unleashed in one glorious display of incendiary fury? What could possibly follow? In the case of For Eternal Glory, there's quite a few places left to venture. Nominally operating under the elusive "powerdeath" tag, Legendarium has built a unique aesthetic over the years that incorporates a variety of sights and sounds from a diverse palette of genres, ranging from melodic death, to power, to folk, to heavy metal. The primary influence of classic melodeath à la Ensiferum or At The Gates is readily apparent in the hefty riffcraft and the inclusion of gruff harsh vocals. There's a gallop at play, evoking the glory of NWOBHM without ever fully abandoning those death-ier influences. However, while undoubtably a guitar album, For Eternal Glory never feels caged in nor exclusively defined by the dominance of Laurence Kerbov's superb riffcraft. The album's overall aesthetic often leans into the epic atmosphere, fantastical environs, and general positivity championed by many a power metal band. Expansive keys and even a tin whistle inclusion courtesy of Jared Archon grace the album with a certain levity. And all the while, the punky bounce and vocal sneer that dominated earlier efforts permeates, injecting the whole affair with a foot-stomping momentum. ![]()
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Over the last couple of years, the North American heavy metal outfit Traveler has made a pretty strong impression in my endless hunger for traditional metal. While their debut was a solid start, it was the second record Termination Shock that fully sold me on the band. Naturally, I was really excited to see that a new one dropped earlier this year. Prequel To Madness admittedly took me a second to grasp onto, but as I’ve revisited over the months, it has grown on me significantly. The easiest explanation would be that prior to this, Traveler simply used a straightforward but hooky formula that was given more of an identity the second time around. For round three, I would argue that they’ve landed entirely on power metal territory, with flavors of the gritter U.S. style and the melodic, clean European style showing at times. This isn’t the first time that emphasis was placed on a heavier push, but man, do they ever unload the proverbial artillery here. Breakneck speeds, pummeling drums, and layers upon layers of guitar and bass combos leave no room for lightweight attacks. Even vocally, while higher falsettos and sharp shrieks aren’t foreign to the band, they move through this with more purpose than before. ![]()
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Cruel Force has touched my radar a few times over the past couple of years. The German black/thrashers dropped two albums nearly fifteen years ago before splitting up, and while they made a serviceable enough take on the genre, it really never stuck to me. Fast-forward to over a decade later, and they came back with a vengeance, dropping Dawn Of The Axe, changing my mind about everything I just said. What was a nice soil that grew few worthwhile fruits now harvests an entire garden. Stylistically, they wouldn’t veer too far away from this initial idea, but any sharp edges get deburred and the thrashy attitude feels refined into something reminiscent of an ‘80 speed metal foundation. Similarly, vocals with a deeper snarl but a far more concise delivery are tacked on, almost feeling similar to Zetro from Exodus. Echoed production helps everything, giving a reverberated tone to the drum kicks pairing wonderfully with the vocals. Meanwhile, the bass licks are rather bouncy, providing extra kick beside the sharp riffing. Oftentimes, overdoing this can ruin a solid record, but that’s not the case here. The end product is a far more mature outing that almost lifts the “blackened” element away as well, leaving only remnants, but still holding onto their aggressive oomph. ![]()
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Given the hype that’s been circulating around Tyran in the realm of traditional metal dweebs like myself, I was certainly eager to check them out. The appealing album artwork spurred that on even more, making me want to lend an ear immediately. Not to be confused with Iran’s capital city Tehran, the Bavarian dudes have only been around for a few years, and 2024 would see the year they drop a full-length. Following two singles, it realized itself in the form of Tyran’s Oath. At first glance, you’ll find exactly what one would expect. Speed metal riffing, high falsettos in the realm of King Diamond, and a generally clean overlay can easily sum up the entire album in the most basic sense. What’s less obvious is that most of the record avoids the mythical, magical, or historical angle you may anticipate, and prefers to focus on classic ‘80s strong-man themes around heavy metal and machinery. Stylistically, it’s also straight to the point without any hints of power metal or epic metal flavoring. Most changes in any dynamic are as simple as some songs slowing it down a little, like in “Thrill Of The Chase,” a melody-heavy tune. ![]() Written by: Blackie Skulless Seeing that ol’ Bruce hasn’t put out a solo effort since 2005, and that the latest Iron Maiden record didn’t exactly blow me away, I was a little unsure of what to expect from The Mandrake Project. As time passes on and veteran musicians struggle to keep the capacity going, it often tends to fall into the “hit or miss” category. But, more often than not, more time between records will work to your advantage. Bruce Dickinson further solidified this idea, as his latest effort truly did blow me away. The Mandrake Project is a culmination of many things not too unordinary for the British frontman, meaning its magic doesn’t rest in anything new. Rather, this is an exceptional exercise of tactics that he had mastered between his own career and his several decades in Iron Maiden alike. Modern production values with deep distortion on the riffing works entirely to this album’s advantage, all the while sneaking in a hefty amount of raw emotion and beautiful story-telling. Writing a record that focuses on only one of these properly is impressive, let alone all of them. ![]()
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Leave it to Trevor to take me out of review retirement, huh. Year after year, I have found myself writing (at least) a review for Haunt annually. Anybody who has followed me knows how much I love everything from Mind Freeze and before, and how much I love different things about each following record without my mind needing to be blown. Well, I guess Dreamers is the one to break that trend, because boy do things actually take a turn here! Not to say that Haunt has stepped away from the heavy metal genre, but this is the most significant deviation from their classic core that we’ve gotten thus far. Rather than being another cut of stripped-down traditional metal with mildly varying toppings, this lifts up different layers to take the forefront. Strangely, the vocals and guitars swap taking a backseat despite still being a vital ingredient, depending on the track. The drum clashes pop harder than ever, and the synths feel like a tool to cast a mistier atmosphere rather than being another outlet for melody like on former records. ![]() Written by: Crypt Tender Another edition of ON THE HORIZON? The fact that this oft-forgotten segment is experiencing a sudden limelight indicates that A. there is a lot of good music in the pipeline, and B. we inhabitants of the Sleeping Village have tapped into a mystic pool of motivation, becoming, I can only imagine, annoyingly prolific in the process. We have a strict policy that any crypt-related items are sent directly to me, the illustrious and revered Crypt Tender [break for polite applause, sounds of fearful admiration]. As such, the entities that oversee the promo pit have gifted me this release announcement and accompanying lead single from heavy metal doomsters Crypt Sermon. I haven't yet had the pleasure of drinking deep of the forthcoming The Stygian Rose, out June 14th from Dark Descent Records, but I have played "Heavy Is The Crown of Bone" no fewer than ten times since receiving. Which, if we're being honest, makes me a bit of an expert on the matter. ![]() Written by: Sabrina TVBand It’s about time I put my cards on the table; I’m not a big fan of Bruce Dickinson. I have an appreciation for many Dickinson Iron Maiden songs, but like Klaus Meine I find that Dickinson has a voice that becomes grating after a few minutes. He also has an aggressive and very British nerdy goofball energy. I realize I’m mostly alone in having this opinion, but I stand by it. The Di’Anno years of Iron Maiden have been overshadowed by the subsequent Dickinson years in a big way, but Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut is still one of their stronger albums. Di’Anno is known for being a more limited vocalist than Dickinson, but within that limited range I find his voice to be a lot more enjoyable. |
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