Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i Metal Hammer UK

ANDY FORD PHOTOGRAPHER We threw an ambitious brief at Andy for his photoshoot with Vessel – and boy, did he over-deliver. We still don’t know much about the mysterious Sleep Token frontman (how does he take his tea?!) but we now know he’s not afraid of snakes. SIAM SNAKE Probably the closest anyone’s ever got to Vessel, Siam seemed pretty chill about being in the presence of a revered enigma. This year’s Sleep Token album is called Take Me Back To Eden… wildactors.co.uk geddit? Big thanksssss to the folk at SEAN SCANLAN WRITER Sean has been writing about music for two decades, and has interviewed everyone from the Beastie Boys to Swans. This month he went to watch Dharma, the Taiwanese Buddhist metal band who have a nun in their…

Evanescence’s Amy Lee was at one of the many awards ceremonies she attended back in the first half of the 2000s when she was approached by a fan. This wasn’t unusual in itself, except this fan happened to be rapper and mogul P. Diddy. “He said, ‘I love your album, I listen to it when I work out,’” Amy tells Hammer today. “And I was like ‘Really? That’s awesome!’ That was surprising to me. You know who I am? That’s weird.” Weird is right. Just a couple of years earlier, Amy had been a shy, aspiring singer and songwriter who had played no more than a handful of times with the band she’d co-founded as 13-year-old almost a decade earlier. And now here she was, getting star-spotted by hip hop…

Across Emergent’s nine labyrinthine tracks, Autarkh throw all manner of ideas into the cybernetic blender, resulting in some captivating soundscapes. With pulsating electronic beats and dystopian industrial chords, the band build an ethereal wall of sound on Open Focus and Eye Of Horus. Michael Nienhuis’s acclaimed previous band, Dodecahedron, come to mind on the jarring Duhkha and Trek’s troubling undercurrents. While his vocals fit the avant-garde delirium of Countless Kaleidoscopes, his thin screams rarely complement the more melodic excursions. Much like Autarkh’s 2021 debut, Forces In Motion, Emergent often resembles a jam session with little cohesion or tangible weight to tie its bright moments together. ◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Igorrr, Imperial Triumphant, Dodecahedron ADAM BRENNAN…

Underground enigmas oozing Lovecraftian dread, Cruciamentum are aimed squarely at the death metal purist. Obsidian Refractions is brutal, technical and has all the other unsavoury qualities fans of the dark and extreme demand. But it is the gently disorientating undercurrents of something else, something wicked and unknowable, festering away between the pitch-black lines that make these songs so hypnotic. Equally warped and compelling on the succinct eruption of Abhorrence Evangelium and the excoriating, blasphemous lava flow of epics Charnel Passages and Drowned, Cruciamentum ensure that every riff leaves a scar. Best of all, Necropolis Of Obsidian Mirrors does an exquisite job of providing a soundtrack for the ceremonial opening of Hell’s gates. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Entombed, Baest, Obituary DOM LAWSON…

In the opaque realm of black metal, legions of artists dwell in total obscurity due to a woefully misguided urge to rehash tried and trve formulas. Enigmatic artist Efraah Enhsikaah’s debut album doesn’t necessarily break new ground, but his wellexecuted vision is enough to break free from the pack. Each track is an exquisitely crafted symphony of chaos and tranquillity. Letharia Vulpina oscillates between frigid stillness and turbulent fury, epitomising the album’s brooding character. Budgeting For Betrayal is a pummelling salvo of traditional black metal with driving riffs and hammering blastbeats, while Cold Blood And Broken Teeth conjures rumbling emotional turbulence, treading a fine line between rawness and finesse. Efraah’s ability to meld atmospheric elements with traditional black metal motifs is his ace, lending each composition a distinct, palpable identity.…

Dying Wish are one of the most exciting bands to emerge from both sides of the hardcore/metalcore divide in recent years. If their 2021 debut, Fragments Of A Bitter Memory, was a stellar opening statement, Symptoms Of Survival takes everything that was great about it to the next level. Exactly 15 seconds into the title track, the band have already issued the biggest mosh call of the year and things only escalate from there, with Watch My Promise Die and Tongues Of Lead recalling both Knocked Loose and At The Gates while making the sound absolutely their own. Closer and single Lost In The Fall soars towards the bleakest of horizons, completing a masterclass of melodic brutality. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Knocked Loose, Killswitch Engage, At The Gates DANNII…

After two decades, you know what to expect from Gama Bomb: high-octane thrash with tongue wedged firmly in cheek. Bats follows that premise, but with a few curveballs served up for good measure. Opener Egyptron comes on like an Iron Maiden epic, with a guest rap from 80s electro/hip hop pioneer The Egyptian Lover. The classic metal elements make sporadic appearances throughout, with Rusted Gold and the anti-religion pun-fest of Secular Saw throwing out shiny melodies and chunky trad riffs. But then the spooktacular Materialize and Living Dead In Beverley Hills grab you by the ghoulies in a familiar, thrashing way. It’s big, dumb fun, which is exactly what you want from GB. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Municipal Waste, Tankard, Iron Maiden PAUL TRAVERS…

The third studio album from Michigan duo Tyler Tate and Lee Albrecht is profound metalcore done right. Rather than dwell on the past and events that led the two to become the only remaining members of Hollow Front, Tyler and Lee got to work recording and mastering the album together, which saw Tyler taking on clean and harsh vocal duties for the first time. The result is an impressive, cathartic experience that switches from gritty, determined screams (as demonstrated on Crash & Burn) through to the ethereal harmonies displayed on Stay With Me. The songwriting does struggle for the lack of more input, though, as some tracks, such as Underpressure and Breaking Teeth, become repetitive, relying on a pattern that needs more variation, which the two have the talent…

They say that oppressive regimes, life in the shadow of inadequate social systems and hurtful politics creates the sort of anger that leads to superior art. Florida – America’s geographical flaccid penis – may be the land of sun and sand, but since 2019 the state has been inching ever closer to full-blown fascism on a daily basis. That the lashing-out of kinetic, crusty hardcore punk and grinding metal of Tampa’s Horsewhip hails from the same place where the powers that be are burning books and curtailing basic human rights should come as no surprise. With new guitarist Dave Teten delivering a violent volley of riffing via particularly punchy low-end thunder, the d-beating likes of Cutting Through and Buried serve notice that the populace is pissed, seething and wielding…

Having started as a solo black metal project with elements of blackgaze and post-rock, Jord’s third album now finds founder Jörgen Ström as part of a trio. Mixing tales from Swedish folklore with the struggles of modern-day society, Tundra is often as chilling as the titular biome, with Mara and Snöffödd painting vast soundscapes via harsh vocals, occasional blastbeats and expansive guitar tones. However, these are frequently offset by moments of unexpected, melodious warmth, like the gorgeous guitar solo in Själens Död and The Fall’s piano-led second half. Jord may now have two more members, but their music remains captivating. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Enslaved, Alcest, Katatonia ELLIOT LEAVER…

Yet another new death metal band to get excited about, Plaguemace get everything right on Reptilian Warlords. The Danes are avowedly old school, with a penchant for riffs that scrape and churn like Obituary or early Grave. Lethally effective, utilising an imperious mid-tempo, they fill songs like Carnivore and Impenetrable Leather with bulky, primitive grooves and berserker energy. Cavedweller’s Soliloquy is a monstrous piece of filth-ridden songcraft, with a tar-thick atmosphere that wrings pints of liquid horror from some of this year’s heaviest riffs. Bolstered by a production that expertly balances foulness and force, Ambrosia is particularly stunning. A suppurating, blackened sprawl, it adds dark depth to an already deliriously heavy and twisted debut. Bonus hails are awarded for songtitles like Cannibalicious and gleefully eye-popping artwork. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS…

Night Crowned claim to be taking blackened death metal to bold new places, but on Tales their quest only ever leads them through well-trodden territory. De Namnlösa opens the album with a stomping death metal march, then accelerates into blastbeats with some melodic lead lines before breaking into a symphonic bridge. It’s basically Lorna Shore without the breakdowns, and what these Swedes add to that formula has long been rendered clichéd. She Comes At Night adds folk frills and, as with Lupus Luna, clashes growls with operatic female vocals à la Cradle Of Filth. There’s no shortage of sweltering guitar athletics, but Tales feels more like an album ticking off a checklist of conventions than a genuine artistic statement. ◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Lorna Shore, Necrophobic, Havukruunu MATT MILLS…

KILL THE KING Kill The King SELF-RELEASED Modern-sounding but classically inspired political thrash from India. This debut is caustically raw, but with precociously adept musicianship, and its raucous staccato chops will make your head bang: fact. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ CHRIS CHANTLER NAIL WITHIN Sound Of Demise MASSACRE These Israeli metallers return with a well-crafted slab of melodic death and thrash a mere two decades after their debut. A guest appearance from Sodom’s Tom Angelripper is a welcome bonus. ◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐☐ PAUL TRAVERS TARIOT Drag Me To Hell OUT OF LINE MUSIC This Singapore quintet recently supported Alpha Wolf, and here they blast through frenetic riffs, crashing drum fills, and roaring vocals to instantly grip you by the throat and keep you hooked. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ CHERI FAULKNER…

As 1,500 people call his band’s name – which serves, after all, as its own readymade chant – Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs frontman Matthew Baty looks genuinely overwhelmed. A decade ago they were playing warehouse squats and now they’re on the verge of becoming, if not exactly a mainstream hit, one of the biggest cult noises in the murky British underground. Not that this burgeoning popularity does BONNACONS OF DOOM much good, as a ridiculously early start time means their masked psychedelic soundscapes play to a largely empty room. This is rectified by the time LAMBRINI GIRLS unleash their raucous and jubilant queer-punk on a wholly embracing audience and, as PIGS x7 take over, the Ritz is rammed. If Freddie Mercury and the Jesus Lizard’s David Yow…

THE ARCH, BRIGHTON As the sun sets, the party starts on the south coast. UNDEATH kick off tonight’s festivities and it’s clear that the death metallers are living their best lives. As they rip through Lesions Of A Different Kind with frightening brutality, frontman Alexander Jones’ Cheshire Cat-like joy is infectious. Hardcore crew GEL swiftly follow and Sami Kaiser paces the tiny stage like a caged bear, while the rest of the band stomp through their raucous arsenal. Their future is brighter than the lightbox that bears their name. For more than 20 years, party-starters MUNICIPAL WASTE have been penning crossover thrash songs to mosh like hell to, and the likes of Sadistic Magician, Wave Of Death and Headbanger Face Rip turn the crowd into a mass of flailing limbs.…

GOING VIRAL WITH a cover of The Yogscast’s Diggy Diggy Hole is an unusual way for your career to take off, but that’s exactly what happened to ‘dwarf metallers’ Wind Rose. The Italian quintet theme their power metal around fantasy’s favourite miners, and on their latest tour they’ve enlisted a brace of fellow fantasy devotees to open for them. Citing lyrical themes of battles and George R.R. Martin, Floridians SEVEN KINGDOMS sound almost exactly like you’d imagine: epic power metal and wails of “Yeah!”, though they throw in the odd thrash riff for good measure. To their credit, the room is heaving by the time they’re on, with fists pumping for the big choruses. It’s a set chock-full of squealing solos, towering melodies and plenty of cheese. Germany’s ALL FOR…

It’s testament to the enduring power of old-school death metal that the Underworld is already packed with a largely young crowd for a support who recently released their first album in 12 years. VOMITORY’s talent for dense, precision-tooled utter fucking mayhem is undimmed. Drums clatter and splatter like a thousand heads fried up as popcorn kernels, and whether it’s raging older tracks like Revelation Nausea, or those from All Heads Are Gonna Roll bringing in a juddering, grindcore groove, they’re relentless to the point of overwhelming, getting an equally rabid response. By rights, VADER should be afforded the same renaissance and recognition that Kreator have had of late. As much as they’ve epitomised their own scene, tonight proves not just how much scope there is yet to be excavated from…

When you played London’s Scala in 2022 without co-founder Mick Kenney, there was uncertainty about whether Anaal would continue. What’s the plan going forwards? “Some work that Mick did during the pandemic really took off, and basically takes up all of his time. After releasing [2020’s] Endarkenment, it felt like we hadn’t done justice to our work. There was just no prospect of Mick being available for live stuff, but it’s good for me personally to try and work some of this [material] out of my head.” How did it feel on the night? “Well, it was a one-off plan [to have a stand-in for Mick], but the response was positive. Mick and I had a chat, and the feeling was that we didn’t want to say that that was…

IN 2017, I heard a track called Calcutta by a band called Sleep Token. Building and building, it exploded into a satisfyingly djent conclusion. I was hooked, and put it on our covermount CD. The following year, we nominated them for Best New Band at our Golden Gods awards. We knew right away they were something special – but we couldn’t have predicted this. Five years on, and Sleep Token have become a true phenomenon, with a fandom to rival the likes of Ghost. There are countless guesses over masked frontman Vessel’s identity and personality, speculation about the band’s symbolism and artwork, and even a contingent of thirsty fans. But unlike Papa, Vessel remains anonymous. Ahead of Sleep Token’s show at actual Wembley Arena in December, we packed staff writer…

SWEDISH POP-METALLERS AMARANTHE have spent the last 15 years smashing genres together. Now, on their seventh album, they’re continuing to take their vivid blend of power metal, sparkling Eurovisionesque pop and thunderous EDM to the extreme. As singer Elize Ryd tells us, upcoming album The Catalyst will be their biggest, most diverse album yet. You’ve announced The Catalyst is coming in February 2024. Where are you at with recording it? “It’s actually already finished, 100%.” So now you have to sit on it for another few months? “I know, right? We thought we’d have more time to finish the mixing process because that’s usually what takes time, but our label, Nuclear Blast, wanted to have it available for pre-order already. We skipped our vacation just to make sure that we…

IF THE BEST new music tends to catch you unawares, hearing metallic hip hop act UnityTX for the first time is like opening the door to a surprise party and getting a party popper to the face. The band’s mix of rap, hardcore, industrial and nu metal allows them to blend earworm catchiness and effortless groove with juddering, hip-stomping heaviness to exhilarating effect. Having honed their craft for the best part of a decade and lit up stages alongside the likes of Silverstein, Deez Nuts and The Acacia Strain, they’re now preparing to take on the world -and make a positive change while they do it. “My whole motive was to open the door for kids who look like me,” says UnityTX frontman Jay Webster. “It’s alienating to be in…

Conjuring an atmosphere that falls somewhere between the ancient and the dystopian, Flemish five-piece Briqueville’s fourth album shudders with unease as it combines dark post-rock, bleak electronica and eerie field recordings. Inspired by the discovery of a murder that once took place at their practice space, their brooding, conceptual approach manifests in the robes and masks they don even while practising. After the slow build to bombast of Akte XVI, the bass lumbers loosely on through pensive guitar hypnosis and scythes of industrial electronica on Akte XVII. Deeper into IIII, the storm eventually breaks, revealing a shimmering post-rock expanse. It’s the sound of a band with a penchant for the dismal finding joy through creativity. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Year Of No Light, Pothamus, Slomatics TOM O’BOYLE…

Who’s up for some carnal liberation? In a burst of gruelling heavy metal and glistening theatricality, Dogma are luring listeners into their lair of sensual salvation. The nun quartet’s debut absolutely oozes sin, resulting in a ridiculously melodramatic, power metal-tinged triumph. Documenting a fall from grace, the initially angelic, butter-wouldn’t-melt innocence of opener Forbidden Zone is quickly purged. As they stray further from purity, the sound is consumed by ravenous instrumentals; My First Peak’s filthy riffs and moans feed into the flurrying, lustful Made Her Mine, as the nun-gonerogue seduces others in her convent. From the feather-light Be Free to the gloriously anthemic Father I Have Sinned, Dogma is a glorious, diverse howl of tongue-in-cheek heresy. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Ghost, Alice Cooper, In This Moment EMILY SWINGLE…

Featuring current and former members of Kowloon Walled City, Early Graves and others diving headfirst into the Dischord and Gravity Records catalogues, Ex Everything are waving a chaotic banner. Andre Sanabria may spit out the lyric ‘Sometimes I lose my temper / Just to pass the time’ in lead-off track The Reduction Of Human Life To An Economic Unit, but there’s nothing casual about the manner in which this quartet zero in on the prickly combination of twangy, saloon doorkicking guitars and alowend rumble designed to drain bowels at 50 feet. Fortunately, all that bonerattling tonal heaviness has a populism breathed into it. Even those not normally attuned to irascible noise rock will notice the keen sense of melody in the spidery Detonation In The Public Sphere and the danceable…

Death metal’s latest trend has hardcore kids tacking moshpit muscularity onto the madness Possessed christened back in 1984. Fresh off the success of 2019’s The Grand Descent, and vocalist/guitarist Mark Whelan surviving cancer, Fuming Mouth have progressed beyond the battle-scarred-hill rumble of classic Earache. They now include melodic odes to cheating death like Kill The Disease, the prog flirtations of Postfigurement and Leaving Euphoria, and the raw sewage sonic assaults of Disgusterlude and the title track, driven by Mark’s undimmed ferocity. That it’s all tied together with well-phrased leads and strong arrangements makes this both a vengeful return and a powerful statement moving forward. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Bolt Thrower, Frozen Soul, All Out War KEVIN STEWART-PANKO…

BEX Scum EP SCRUFF OF THE NECK With an acerbic attitude and stomping DIY sensibilities, this introductory snarl from nu punk cherry bomb Bex is a scrappy, antagonising war cry for fellow misfits. Oozing personality, it hints at fiercer feats to come. ◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐☐ EMILY SWINGLE THE DIALECTIC Crawl To The Throne SEEK AND STRIKE The fourth EP from this Texan deathcore quartet comprises five tracks of pummelling breakdowns and the nastiest of guttural vocals. There’s no wheel-reinvention here, but it’ll have you gurning like an idiot throughout. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ ELLIOT LEAVER PLAGUESTORM Empty Eyes NOBLE DEMON This solo project of Buenos Aires multi-instrumentalist Sebastián Pastor presents a generic but exhilarating take on melodeath. Fans of 90s In Flames and The Haunted should be well sated by the title track’s machine-gun riffing.…

Four sets of final texts across different periods of time is the inspiration behind the second album from this Oslo-based progressive black metal band. Its concept could have backfired were the subject matter not dealt with so sensitively, as vocalist Sondre M. Svalastog attempts to get into the mindset of his protagonists. Musically, Death Poems is just as ambitious as its concept, as heavy layers of synthesised strings and classical instrumentation provide light to the blastbeats and demonic vocals. The production lets things down slightly in the album’s heavier moments, sounding slightly thin for an album with such grand aspirations, but all in all, Death Poems is a committed work that any fan of progressive black metal should check out. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Enslaved, Winterfylleth, Voices REMFRY DEDMAN…

Formed in 1986 and led by their magnificently named Wildness Perversion, these occult-loving blackened heavy metallers are in spellbinding form on their sixth album. Drawing on early metal, thrash and doom, Black Mirror is a tasty witches’ brew inspired by past lives, parallel worlds and premonitions. Unashamedly in the thrall of Mercyful Fate, the Italians’ latest is their catchiest yet, and it’s a hook-laden romp loaded with rapier riffs, rasped vocals and fretboard acrobatics. Restless Death opens proceedings with a bang and is packed with old-school gallops, tinkling pianos and a chilling performance from Mr. Perversion that would give Oranssi Pazuzu sleepless nights. Rattle Breath also impresses thanks to a gloriously retro bass sound and some clean vocals, as does the grandiose and gloomy title track, which affirms there’s…

RILE Pessimist CHURCH ROAD Salt Lake City trio wrangle new shapes from their hardcore base Given that this new Salt Lake City hardcore trio feature Cult Leader bassist Sam Richards on guitar and vocals, Rile’s debut album is unsurprisingly caustic as fuck. What is surprising is just how dynamic it is. The ferocious one-two punch of Dead End and Climb Out opens the record on a hectic note, dishing out dizzyingly technical Dillinger-esque riffs atop rambunctious hardcore punk rhythms. But from then on, Pessimist broadens out in a number of different directions. The stomping Hidden From Light, for instance, recalls the metallic noise rock of the last Helpless album, while the atmospheric, melodic epic Stone Tapes could have come straight from the Converge and Chelsea Wolfe collaboration. A very…

THERE AREN’T MANY artists who could come to London’s 600-capacity Dome and sell it out despite having only released a single four-track EP, roughly 15 minutes in length. Better Lovers are quite a special collective, though. Consisting of three parts Every Time I Die, one part The Dillinger Escape Plan and one part Fit For An Autopsy, they were always going to obtain cult status. The challenge is living up to the lofty expectations that are immediately placed on them. Blackpool’s BLANKET are here to warm everyone up. Except… they don’t. Where the majority of this crowd are here for crushing metallic hardcore and swerving, math-metal twists and turns, Blanket meld Deftones’ more ambient leanings, grungy guitars and Slowdive-esque walls of noise. For all their atmospheric qualities, they’re not the…

AS ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY Hall begins to teem with fans, there’s a distinct sense that something special is set to unfold tonight – a transformation from old to new. Kristin Hayter is here to lay her Lingua Ignota alias to rest, alongside many songs that, up until now, have been used as a cathartic outlet for healing through the horrors of abuse. This new era will see her take on the title of Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, with the imminent release of her new album, Saved! A sense of dark melancholia is laced through much of the evening, appearing first via the artful torment of Chicago’s HIDE, an electronic duo who introduce their set with two minutes of maniacal laughter. Levelling out the unease with her acclaimed virtuosic talents is JO…

THE 12-DATE ANTIPODEAN Numetal Mayhem tour promises ANDERS COLSEFNI, Slipknot’s original vocalist/co-founder, will perform Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. – the band’s self-distributed debut record, released on Halloween in 1996 – from start to finish. Then, ex-Mushroomhead vocalist Waylon Reavis will play some classic tracks from his former band alongside hits from his current band, A Killer’s Confession. Anders has dedicated these performances to his “fallen brothers”, late Slipknot members Joey Jordison and Paul Gray, and experiencing this set of songs live for the first time in 27 years is a thrilling prospect. As industrial clangs, hisses and werewolf howls set the scene, Anders’ masked-up backing band, dubbed The Feeders, promenade through the audience resembling a Halloween parade before launching into Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.’s opener, Slipknot. After shoving his way…

THREE BANDS DEALING in various levels of pomp, fantasy and historical wish-fulfilment aren’t the most obvious choice of support for a renowned industrial metal act, but no one’s gone broke by getting metallers to shout “Hey!” or have a communal jig, and it ensures an air of celebration that builds up steadily through the night. But even if the 5.30pm start means the Matt Heafy-managed RYUJIN – formerly Gyze – have a small crowd to feed off, there’s not a huge amount of energy coming from the stage. For all their Trivium and Turisas-hijacking gallops, frontman Ryoji Shinomoto’s fret wizardry, backing tapes of epic Japanese melodies, and samurai-inspired stage clothes, it feels like all their musical building blocks are so well-established that there’s no scope to project or conjure any…

Over the past quarter century, Erik Danielsson has led the uncompromising force that is Watain from Swedish underground upstarts to standardbearers and unruly ambassadors for the modern black metal scene. Rather than weekend Satanists taking pot-shots at Christianity along the way, they’ve become one of those rare, walk-it-like-they-talk-it instances where art and life have become inseparable, their philosophy of transgression and search for forbidden knowledge embodied by their signature, and much copied, aesthetic of fire and blood. Lots of blood, drenched over the band onstage and used as particularly pungent incense to the disgust of venue managers and even some of their most ardent fans. Unavoidably, they’ve generated controversy along the way. They’ve had gigs cancelled by Christian protest groups, and in 2018, they parted ways with live guitarist Set…

★★★★★ FROM THE ARCHIVE ★★★★★ The heart of grunge. This is what Mudhoney are, and this is what Mudhoney always have been. From inspiring a generation of rock fans to grow their hair long and freak out to their anthemic debut single, 1988’s Touch Me I’m Sick, to spitting liquefied anger about the Trump administration on 2018’s Digital Garbage, to being as pissed off – if not more – on latest album Plastic Eternity, the Pacific Northwest band are always rocking the good rock. “They’ve been solid since day one,” remarks Tom Hazelmyer, founder of Minneapolis hardcore label Amphetamine Reptile. This is true. In a world where racist charlatans and blowhard bullies are given free rein to rule and ruin people’s lives, Mudhoney still abide. In 1988, Mudhoney’s dirty, highly…

Chris Reifert and his crew are the death metal equivalent of the Ramones, each album unleashing more of the same. Yet while Autopsy’s 10th album closely follows last year’s Morbidity Triumphant, it rewards the band’s diehard fans with extra elements. Throatsaw’s primitivist slab and the heavy Sabbathian vibe of Well Of Entrails are no surprise, and Chris still pens some of the most disturbing lyrics around. But Ashes… is enhanced by a more bombastic vibe and a bigger production, while the bass noodling of newcomer and co-producer Greg Wilkinson adds an extra level of sickness to the deathly mire. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Death, Master, Trouble OLIVIER BADIN…

After spending the best part of a decade leading an old-school DM revival, these Belgians have had a change of heart. Fuelled by an urge to forge their own path, Cursed Mortality is more of an evolution rather than a revolution and sees the quintet fortify their early Entombed-esque sound with more melodies, grooves and dynamics. Simon Duson debuts some clean vocals to complement his growls and howls, and his powerful performances on the prog-tinged Replicant and the haunting and heavy title track are full of emotion. An ambitious and exhilarating offering, Cursed Mortality is the sound of a band reborn. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Entombed, Baest, Obituary EDWIN McFEE…

Devised as a farewell gift for departing drummer Micha Haring, Visions… sees gothic psych types Dool on fine form among the hallowed hallways of Rotterdam’s historic Arminiuskerk. Weighted toward their Summerland LP, Visions… also includes a couple of cuts from their 2017 debut and their cover of Killing Joke’s Love Like Blood to make for a wellrounded set. Here the music is boiled down to its essence: lithe, lush and sinuous, with Raven van Dorst’s voice evoking images of snakes crawling across black velvet. Dool demonstrate effortless poise and control as they marshal a spiralling sense of drama, and, if it serves mainly as a tide-me-over, this recording also provokes deep envy towards those lucky, wandering souls who attended the gig in person. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: The Devil’s…

You might expect a supergroup featuring members of Amebix, Discharge and Nausea to produce the filthiest crustpunk. But it’s Amebix’s reinvention with 2011’s sprawling Sonic Mass that serves as a jumping point for False Fed. Let Them Eat Fake treads much closer to moody post-punk, with ex-Amebix guitarist Stig Miller churning out reverb-soaked peals of guitar while drummer Roy Mayorga (Amebix, Nausea, Stone Sour) lays down a dirge-like beat. Discharge vocalist Jeff Janiak is the biggest surprise, mixing his glass-gargling growl with a gothic croon and spokenword passages. At their hardest they hit like early Killing Joke, but this is more about atmosphere and a dark, dank feel. ◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Killing Joke, Amebix, Fields Of The Nephilim PAUL TRAVERS…

Given the stranglehold Scandinavia has on epic melodeath, it’s peculiar when those from further afield do a sterling job of both replicating and putting their stamp on it. Five years on from their debut, Order Divine, Texans Hinayana exemplify this idiosyncrasy, with Shatter And Fall evoking images of the forests, fjords and folklore from far beyond the Lone Star State’s borders. The doom-tinged melancholy of opener Slowly Light Collides and How Many Dreams live up to the calibre of Insomnium’s iconic Above The Weeping World, with the soaring leads and subtle melodies conjured by Casey Hurd and Erik Shtaygrud making their mark. But while Hinayana prove they can deliver the windswept heroism, Lost To Flame’s jaunty riffs and The Answer’s unsettling keys see the latter half of the album…

Gold Tooth Guru is the debut album from this unique Louisiana quintet fronted by multi-talented MC Milly and clean vocalist Nick ‘Neeco’ Trahan. Describing HourHouse as rap-metal would do them a severe injustice. They are heavy AF and as much of a melting pot of sounds as the charismatic city of New Orleans that they grew up in. Part gritty, part playful, part raucous and part mellow, their music alluringly meshes hip hop, trap and extreme metal. Blistering standouts like Swarm, featuring Left To Suffer’s Taylor Barber, Lsd and Bodybag Musik, featuring Shaolin G, neatly blend fierce fretwork with screams, snarls and cool verse. Meanwhile, 6Flow boasts a bit more groove, Parasyte braves a clean chorus and Ride has a sexy throwback vibe. There is barely a weak track to…

Having endured a decadelong struggle to get to this point, with the final months of recording seeing a revolving door of vocalists, Master’s Call’s debut has proved worth the time and turmoil. As well as being cloaked in an ominous atmosphere, their blackened death metal is built on a deliberate groove that helps the likes of All Hope In Fire and Beyond The Gates bury themselves in the subconscious. The Serpent’s Rise and Blood On The Altar’s epic melodic bridges are soon engulfed by the nefarious riffs of Dave Powell and John Wilcox, with the latter also stepping up to last-minute vocal responsibilities with commanding aplomb. The galloping Pathways concludes a new path well worth retreading. ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼☐☐ FOR FANS OF: Behemoth, Satyricon, Sinsaenum ADAM BRENNAN…

After thriving in the underground for almost two decades – not to mention having their logo immortalised on the cover of Darkthrone’s Circle The Wagons – this Boston postmetal/sludge quartet have been snapped up by Metal Blade for their fifth full-length. Clocking in at a relatively streamlined 41 minutes, it still retains the windswept, cinematic quality that’s made their music so endearing. Check out the way Memories Like Stone builds steadily from twinkling atmospheric soundscapes into churning doom riffs, before some scorching classic rock leads erupt out of the mire. Morne certainly aren’t your average post-metal band. There’s a robust, crusty vitriol running throughout this album that recalls Amebix at their most aggressive, without compromising the band’s subtler, more atmospheric tendencies, making for their most refined and powerful outing…

Although FIVE THE HIEROPHANT win over London with their combination of ominous sax and hard doom riffs, oddly it’s tonight’s headliner who feel more like underdogs than their support. SHINING’s latest album, Animal, saw the jazz-metal idols fall into numbskull hard rock and shatter their momentum. The Underworld is barely half-full when the Norwegians show up, but thankfully they’ve gone back to playing the music that made everybody here a fan to begin with. 2010 magnum opus Blackjazz is performed in full, and it’s a throwback that the band are clearly passionate about, given the meticulously rehearsed musicianship andsinger/ guitarist/saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby’s rock star charisma. The frontman has everyone snarling and headbanging during The Madness And The Damage Done, then his band make callus-destroying 10-minute odyssey Blackjazz Deathtrance appear effortless.…

DEVIL’S DOG, BIRMINGHAM Tech metallers PULSE do their hometown proud as they supply plenty of angular riffs, flecks of nu metal and the occasional two-step in their polyrhythmic assault. Now just over halfway into their headline tour, VEXED are celebrating another win with the news of their Anti-Fetish track being longlisted for a Grammy. They open with that song’s colossal, pitch-bending riff, an early laptop mishap failing to dampen spirits. Chaos swallows the room as they tear through We Don’t Talk About It anda furious Hideous, while Lay Down Your Flowers’ glitching breakdown is terrifying. Willem Mason-Geraghty’s snare bombs detonate with bonecrushing force, and Megan Targett’s gutturals and shrieks could flay skin from bone. But it’s her melodies that really send the likes of Trauma Euphoria into the stratosphere. The…

It’s 10 years on from the release of Devil Sold His Soul’s third album, Empire Of Light, and tonight it’s to be played in full. Even if the room isn’t packed out for the London post-hardcore crew, there’s a healthy cluster of fans ready to bask in the glory of a record they hold near and dear. Opener No Remorse, No Regrets kicks things off on a high, the graceful ambience swelling before breaking into howling vitriol. You can hear the roots of many a metalcore act throughout, each track’s juxtaposition of bruising pain and soft post-metal textures as poignant as ever. Recent line-up changes only heighten the dynamic ebb-and-flow; when dual vocalists Ed Gibbs and Paul Green growl in harmony, Empire Of Light feels revitalised. “The worst thing about…