Category: Reviews
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Ghost – Impera Review
Both on ears and paper is undeniable Impera is an enormous record, probably Ghost’s best to date. Well executed, well produced and incredibly catchy to the point most tracks can stick for days. To accomplish that Tobias Forge has managed to take bits of Metallica, Def Leppard or Van Halen, added ABBA, and then written…
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Fugitive – Maniac Review
Not much to say here: While Fugitive’s music can be described as standard old-school thrash with a crossover approach, their debut EP is grooving enough to make you headbang through its whole length. Riff driven, the key point is the chemistry between the Blake Ibanez (Power Trip) / Victor Gutierrez (Impalers) guitar duo Seth Gilmore’s…
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Kreator – Hate Über Alles Review
Kreator add a blend of NWoBHM and melodeath to their formula. The later was already present in Gods of Violence (2017), and while it arguably works injecting freshness to the classic act, feels like thrash predominant pieces such as the title track still work best. Those are reminiscent of the Extreme Aggression (1989) or Coma…
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In Flames – Foregone Review
Finally, a new In Flames album that doesn’t suck! Thirteen years and five albums after Jesper Strömblad was fired, this and maybe Sounds of a Playground Fading (2011) are the only listenable albums these guys from Gothenburg have produced. The five (!) singles released are pretty much the best part, being the rest merely acceptable.…
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Crisix – Full HD Review
Agents of mosh Crisix are back with their trucker caps and skateboards ready to make you bang your head and this time even dance. Their previous cover album Sessions #1 – American Thrash (2019) has made them more confident while replicating / evoking thrash classics. »Full HD« comes in 11 slices of well written but…
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Mantar – Pain is Forever and This is the End Review
Erinc (drums) and Hanno (vocals, guitars) are back with their most accessible (and yet still extreme) work to date. The approach is the same blackened doom-ish punk but presented in a way more modern and fresh way that fits the extreme alternative metal moniker. This is a huge step up from the solid but banger-lacking…
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Lord Vigo – We Shall Overcome Review
Second part in a trilogy, prequel to the excellent Blade Runner-inspired Danse de Noir (2020), and a direct sequel to Rush‘s 2112 (1976) masterpiece. The music itself follows the poppy and futuristic epic doom metal presented in the previous record, with clear influences from bands such the mentioned Rush or the underrated Tony Martin-era Black…
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Darkthrone – Astral Fortress Review
Way past the Unholy Trinity and far from the sound that made them popular, Darkthrone don’t give a fuck what others have to say about their music endeavours. They just record whatever they feel like and maybe that’s the reason why they have been relevant for over 35 years and they still are. Forever changing,…
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Sigh サイ – Shiki Review
Sigh bring significant changes to their sound with »Shiki«: Guitarist You Oshima has been fired and replaced by session soloist Frédéric Leclercq (Kreator), adding leads to every track. The drums have been recorded by Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Raven) and sound sharp and energetic. It feels much better written as a whole, with Mirai’s vocals…