Reviewed: May 2021 Released: April 2021, Frontiers Records S.R.L. Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: Buddy H There are certain dynamic duos in life that are just meant to be together: Batman and Robin, Mac and Cheese, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Ren and Stimpy, Plant and Page, etc… One important duo that should,…
Album Reviews
Smith/Kotzen – Smith/Kotzen
Reviewed: May 2021 Released: March 2021, BMG Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: Buddy H When I first heard that Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen were teaming up for an album, my knee-jerk reaction was, “Hmmm. I’m not sure how that’s going to work.” We all know Adrian Smith’s remarkable body of work…
Artillery – X
Reviewed: May, 2021 Released: May 7, 2021, Metal Blade Records Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead Veteran Danish thrashers have returned with their first album since the passing of long time guitarist, and brother of bandmate Michael, Morten Stützer in 2019 and and their tenth album since forming in 1982.…
Akiavel – Vae Victis
Reviewed: May, 2021 Released: April 23, 2021 Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead Trying out modern melodic death metal can me tricky sometimes. Sometimes there is a little too much core in there somewhere….enough to turn me off usually. Thankfully that is not all modern melo-death bands. France’s Akiavel manage…
Labÿrinth – Welcome to the Absurd Circus
Reviewed: May, 2021 Released: January 22, 2021, Frontiers Records Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead Italian power metal giants Labÿrinth have been one of my favorite bands since first discovering their 1998 masterpiece, RETURN TO HEAVEN DENIED. The band once had Fabio Lione of Rhapsody (of Fire) fame in it’s…
Against Evil – End of the Line
Reviewed: May, 2021 Released: May 14, 2021, Doc Gator Records Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead I was always told, “Never judge a book by it’s cover.” Those are tough words to live by, sometimes. I’ve bought many a metal album based solely on album art and/or logo. Most of…
Angelus Apatrida – Angelus Apatrida
Reviewed: May, 2021 Released: February 5, 2021, Century Media Records Rating: 4.5/5.0 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead Modern thrash can sometimes be a polarizing subject. Sometime around late 2014 and early 2015, I somehow started discovering bands that carried the thrash torch loud and proud. What I found a lot of…
Bongzilla – Weedsconsin
Bongzilla – Weedsconsin Reviewed: May 2021 Released: 2021, Heavy Psych Sounds Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz Nothing happens quickly when you’re high, or at least that’s what I’ve been told… WEEDSCONSIN is the first full length in 16 years from stoner legends Bongzilla, and in a surprising twist of fate,…
Animal Schoolbus – Going To Grammy’s House 2021 Remix
Animal Schoolbus – Going To Grammy’s House 2021 Remix Reviewed: May 2021 Released: 2021, Lawnmower Jetpack Records Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz Every band needs a gimmick, even in grindcore. Maybe it’s funny outfits like Birdflesh, maybe it’s wearing blood soaked scrubs like Hemorrhage or General Surgery. Or Maybe it’s…
Mythic Sunship – Wildfire
Reviewed: May 2021 Released: 2021, TeePee Records Rating: 1/5 Reviewer: Graeme Smith When someone mentions the word ‘Jazz’ I normally run to the hills. Today’s offering is a band from Denmark called Mythic Sunship who produce psychedelic music combining rock with free-jazz experimentation. The omens were not good although by…
Binary Creed – Inferno Part 1
Reviewed: May, 2021 Released: 2021, Stefan Rådlund & Rickard Thelin Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: Erich Umeå, Sweden’s Binary Creed are set to return with their first release since 2016’s A BATTLE WON. INFERNO PART 1 is the first of two planned releases this year, with the second part expected late in…
Bewitcher – Cursed Be Thy Kingdom
Bongzilla – Weedsconsin Reviewed: May 2021 Released: 2021, Century Media Records Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz In 1983, Motorhead, Venom, and Mercyful Fate had a heavy metal threeway whilst Angel Witch’s self titled LP provided the most romantic of soundtracks. Some say that it happened either in a greenroom at…
Quick Jabs for May 2021
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”. The Beast Of Nod – Multiversal March 29th,…
Shamael – Melancholie der Engel
Reviewed: May 2021 Released: 2021, Negre planY Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Kira Levine Raffaele Galasso’s one-man band Shamael was founded in Italy, last year (2020). He is also a member of Gardenija and Nightcrush. Melancholie der Engel is the debut full-length from his solo funeral doom project, co-released by Negre PlanY…
Solanum – Ruled By The Cruel
Solanum – Ruled By The Cruel Reviewed: May 2021 Released: 2021, HPGD Productions Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz As I’ve previously recounted, I’m kind of ambivalent to the whole crossover scene, but when it’s good, it can be really good. Take the first No Mercy album, anything from late 80’s…