This is a new monthly section where we will post an assortment of shorter reviews for albums that we have checked out or may have missed out on previously. The reviews are short and to the point, thus the tile “Quick Jabs”. Black Tractor – The Wonders Of The Invisible…
Stryper – Even The Devil Believes
October 2020 September 4th, 2020 / Frontiers Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Here we have the latest album, EVEN THE DEVIL BELIEVES, by none other than the mighty Stryper. Yep, I said it! Stryper is a band that does not need any introduction if you have been around…
Raven – Metal City
October 2020 September 18th, 2020 / Steamhammer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine There is no denying the influence and impact Raven’s early albums had on the hard rock and metal community in the ’80s. Early ’80’s that is. Raven was right up there as one of my…
Torch – Reignited
October 2020 September 25th, 2020 / Metalville Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine The year was 1985 or maybe even in 1986. I had a few dollars in my pocket and nothing better to do than head over to the local record store to flip through the bins. I…
Manticora – To Live To Kill To Live
September 2020 August 28th, 2020 / ViciSolum Productions Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine The mighty Manticora are back with their second conceptual installment of Lars F. Larsen’s horror novel to which is the title of the band’s last effort, TO KILL TO LIVE TO KILL. I do believe…
Dee Snider – For The Love Of Metal LIVE
September 2020 July 31st, 2020 / Napalm Records Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Dee Snider needs no introduction in the world of heavy metal or hard rock. If, by now, you do not know the man himself or his contributions to hard rock/heavy metal, you need to have…
Bear Mace – Charred Field Of Slaughter
September 2020 August 14th, 2020 / Self-Release Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Bear Mace has been turning heads in the death metal community for a few years now. Formed in 2012 in Chicago, U.S.A., their brand of death metal harkens back to the genre’s earliest conception. I am…
Demolizer – Thrashmageddon
September 2020 September 11th, 2020 / Mighty Music Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine DEMOLIZER, formed in 2018 in Copenhagen, Denmark, plays a gut-crushing, hard-hitting, and unfiltered style of thrash metal that will have you “picking up your teeth with crushed fingers after barely surviving the pit.” There are…
Evilcult – At The Darkest Night
August 2020 June 6th, 2020 / Awakening Records Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Evilcult metal! With a name like this and a cover like that, only one thing comes to mind. Pure thrash metal, right? For the most part, yes. But of course, these days, we must…
Guardian Of Lightning – Cosmos Tree
August 2020 July 17th, 2020 / Eclipse Records Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Guardian Of Lightning has unleashed their powerful debut, COSMOS TREE, to the masses. These guys are an upstart out of Sao Paolo, Brazil, forming in late 2017. Their mission? To create a sound that…
October Falls – A Fall Of An Epoch
August 2020 May 30th, 2020 / Purity Through Fire Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Many of you out there may have an inkling of the band in question here. Many of you may not, as I too have not been fortunate enough to come across October Falls…
Torrefy – Life Is Bad
June 2020 July 1st, 2020 / Self-Release Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine When it comes to genre-bending or including several styles of music to classify a band’s sound, it can go either one of two ways. There tend to be some bands that try a bit too hard…
White Crone – The Poisoner
June 2020 February 23rd, 2020 / Self-Release Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine “Lisa Mann made a career as an award-winning blues artist, but never lost her love of metal music. Growing up in the mosh pits of the 1980s, she was inspired by bands such as Iron Maiden,…
Withering Surface – Meet Your Maker
June 2020 June 19th, 2020 / Mighty Music Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine Initially forming in 1993 in Næstved, Denmark, Withering Surface was at its height, one of the most successful Danish melodic death metal bands at the time. The band released four albums. A couple with…
Stallion – Slaves Of Time
Reviewed: May 2020 Released: February 28th, 2020 / High Roller Records Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine We have another blast from the past for your metal hearts. That statement is about as played out as any these days. With the surge of traditional or classic metal sounds by…