Reviewed: July 2020 Released: 2020, Fighter Records Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes Greyhawk’s debut album, Keepers of the Flame, out now via Fighter Records, is an absolute treat for any heavy metal fan, and a stalwart reminder of just why we love this genre in the first place. This is…
Traditional metal
Torchlight Parade – Torchlight Parade
Reviewed: July 2020 Released: 2020, self-released Rating: 3/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes To say an album rocks is almost always a resounding and succinct form of praise. And Torchlight Parade’s self-titled debut certainly -does- rock. The problem is that’s more or less all it does. The band is certainly very clear…
Northern Crown – In A Pallid Shadow
Northern Crown – In A Pallid Shadow Reviewed: June 2020 Released: 2020, Bandcamp Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz Since their formation in 2013, Ft. Lauderdale’s Northern Crown have been independently releasing some of the most vibrant, epic doom metal that you’ve probably never heard. IN A PALLID SHADOW is the…
Wolftooth – Valhalla
Reviewed: June 2020 Released: 2020, Ripple Music Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes Do you like the classic sound of the early albums of The Sword or Mastodon? Then Wolftooth have got you covered! That sound much more dismissive than it’s intended to, though the score given should help offset that.…
Sölicitör – Spectral Devastation
Reviewed: May 2020 Released: 2020, Gates of Hell Records Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes “If it ain’t broke…” Oftentimes, the classics are classics for a reason, and that goes for styles as much as specific bands or albums. Traditional, classic heavy metal worked and captured so many people’s imaginations for…
Cirith Ungol – Interview with Robert Garven
Interview with Cirith Ungol – Robert Garven (drums) Interview by Kieron Hayes www.facebook.com/cirithungolofficial cirithungol.bandcamp.com/ twitter.com/CirithU www.instagram.com/cirithungolband/ First of all, I’m sure you hear it a lot but a hearty welcome back! I was so excited when I heard Cirith Ungol were back and making music again. What inspired the reunion?…
Haunt – Mind Freeze
March 2020 January 10th, 2020 / Shadow Kingdom Records Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine I have become quite a fan of Haunt since their first full-length release, 2018’s BURST INTO FLAME. From that release until now, it seems that Haunt has not taken a break since releasing a…
Angel Witch – Angel of Light
Reviewed: January 2020 Released: 2019, Metal Blade Records Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: Jack Merry Angel Witch are a British heavy metal band which formed in London in 1976, and they became a part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement alongside the likes of Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Venom. The group recorded…
Human Fortress – Reign of Gold
Reviewed: January 2020 Released: 2019, AFM Records Rating: 3/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes Human Fortress are another of those bands I’ve seen mentioned a lot, but never really dipped my toes into properly. With their 6th studio album, Reign of Gold, it’s time to change that and see if I’ve been…
Savage Master – Myth, Magic and Steel
Savage Master – Myth, Magic and Steel Reviewed: November, 2019 Released: 2019, Shadow Kingdom Records Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz Break out the whips and chains, because Savage Master is about to get medieval on your ass. With cover art inspired by the great Frank Frazetta and 9 new tunes…
Fretless – Damnation
Reviewed: September 2019 Released: 2019, Pure Steel Records Rating: 2/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes There’s absolutely nothing wrong with basing your sound around something that came before. If you have a set of favourite bands, a favourite genre, and really would love nothing more than to recreate that same kind of…
King Diamond + Batushka @ K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen
King Diamond + Batushka @ K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen 10th August 2019 Review by Kieron Hayes King Diamond. The man needs no introduction, he’s about as legendary a (living) figure in the world of heavy metal as you can get. He’s also been on my must-see concert bucket list for about…
Nightbound – Nightbound (EP)
July 2019 Released: May 15th, 2019 / Awakening Records Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Reviewer: John Haseltine It is actually pretty cool when you come across a new band that is so inspired / influenced by a genre (NWOBHM), that when you hear their music one would think that they…
Black Magic – Wizard’s Spell
Reviewed: May 2019 Released: 2019, Dark Essence Records Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes Fancy a musical trip back to 1983? Black Magic have got you covered! Black Magic make no secret of who they are and what they do, it’s evident right from the first note of Wizard’s Spell: this…
Herman Frank – Fight the Fear
Reviewed: March 2019 Released: 2019, AFM Records Rating: 3/5 Reviewer: Kieron Hayes Former Accept guitarist Herman Frank has been on a bit of a roll recently. He went solo in 2008, and since then has released a trio of well-received slabs of solid classic metal: Loyal to None (2009),…