New Release Highlights: 21st July 2017

Band: Shattered Sun 
Album: The Evolution of Anger
Genre: American Melodic Death Metal

Shattered Sun's first album, 2015's Hope Within Hatred was a more than respectable debut offering, but the Texan sextet have really found their feet on their sophomore release, The Evolution of Anger. With a sound based firmly in the American Melodic Death Metal camp and which is reminiscent of bands like Shadow's Fall, All That Remains, Trivium, Wovenwar and God Forbid, Shattered Sun have the potential to reach a substantial audience and luckily for them, they have the songs to match. I recommended these guys strongly a couple of years ago and I am doing the same again now. If you are a fan of any of the bands mentioned above, this album is an essential addition to your collection. One of the highlights of the year for me. It's hard to pick a song to recommend, but I'll go with Out For Justice.
    
Track: Out For Justice

Band: Tau Cross
Album: Pillar of Fire
Genre: Thrash / Crossover / Crust / Punk / Metal

Another sophomore album, this time in the form of Pillars of Fire by the criminally underrated Tau Cross. Featuring members and ex-members of Amebix and Voivod, you already know that this is going to deliver. Although their sound has its roots in the Crust Punk of Amebix, there are also elements of Goth Rock, Thrash Crossover and even the primitive Heavy Metal of Motörhead. Raw, stripped down and fucking brilliant! Tau Cross have done it again.

Track: Killing The King

Band: Wintersun
Album: The Forest Seasons
Genre: Symphonic Melodic Death Metal

The much-maligned and ridiculed Wintersun, the vehicle for Finnish multi-instrumentalist, Jari Mäenpää (formerly of Ensiferum), have finally released their third album after 5 years of public spats with record labels, almost comical displays of arrogance by Jari and finally a ludicrous (yet ultimately successful) crowd-funding campaign. For those of you who still care about Wintersun, a band which has spent 13 years squandering the success and praise earmed for its 2004 debut, the questions I'm sure you want answered are, is it worth the wait and does it live up the hype? Well, yes. Yes it does! This is multi-layered and complex. In other words, exactly what you want from Wintersun. All is (almost) forgiven.

Track: Awaken From the Dark Slumber

Folk Metal: Introduction

Like all genres of music, Folk Metal falls afoul of the dreaded over-saturation issue. There are so many half-arsed Metal bands out there who think sticking a flute, violin or – heaven forbid – a synthesizer over their poorly played, badly written songs will hide their flaws and make them Folk Metal as opposed to just another forgettable pub band. In my estimation I’d say that for every good band, there are 8 or 9 bad ones, which can be daunting for fans of the sub-genre looking for new music to listen to. Luckily for those people, and I think there a few in this group, I have made the somewhat stupid decision to take on the monumental  challenge of trawling through every single band I can find (so far it sits at well over 1000, but I know there are more out there waiting to be discovered) to compile a top 40 album list, a best bands list, a best songs list and underrated bands list, much as I did with Grunge, although that being as it is, a pretty much dead 25 year old genre, was relatively easy, yet it still took me around two months to do. 

What complicates things a little more is where to draw the line of what is considered to be Folk Metal. Is it the use of traditional folk instruments, is it the lyrical themes, is it using “Folk” melodies or is it something more difficult to put your finger on, like an idea or an attitude. Can bands without an overtly Folk sound be considered to be Folk Metal if they themselves identify with the scene? 

As it stands, Folk Metal can already be broken down into a number of recognisable sub (sub) genres including Celtic, Medieval, Viking, Pagan and so forth, so after considering this little quandary for a while, I decided to base my lists on how the bands sound. Simply put, if they “sound” like they are using Folk instruments and melodies, they are in. As always, there were a number of bands that were a little difficult to categorise, such as Moonsorrow, Vreid and Enslaved, so I will, time permitting, be compiling a separate Pagan Metal list at a later date which will include the aforementioned bands and their ilk as well as harsher Pagan Black Metal acts which may not have such an obvious Folk sound, but identify themselves as part of the wider scene. Some bands, including Thyrfing, will make both lists as their earlier material was definitely Folk / Viking Metal, but their recent releases are more Pagan Black Metal.

I hope this is something that is of interest to at least a few of you, but I suppose the bottom line is that it is something I am very interesting in doing for myself, so it's really a labour of love. If only a couple of you find it useful then I will be happy with that. 

I think I've rambled on quite long enough now, so I'll wrap it up by saying that this project may take a little time, but I will posting as and when I have something ready.

New Release Highlights: 7th July

Band: Ereb Altor
Album: Ulfven
Genre: Viking / Pagan / Folk Metal

With a sound akin to fellow countymen Bathory, Thyrfing, Månegarm, Vintersorg and occasionally Candlemass, Sweden's Ereb Altor follow a long line of quality Viking / Folk / Pagan Metal bands and are themselves, well established scene veterans. That said, they have always failed to make a real impression on me. Until now. The band's new (and 7th) album Ulfven is a superb release and has not only earned a defiinte spot on my year end list, but has also already become a firm favourite of mine in the Folk Metal sub-genre of which I am a huge fan. After 14 years Ereb Altor have finally made their mark.

Track: En Synd Svart Som Sot

Band: Decapitated
Album: Anticult
Genre: Death / Groove Metal

The Polish veterans are back and are continuing to evolve, with the old-school Vader-worshipping of old being stripped back more and more with each subsequent release, giving way to a modern and polished Groove Metal sound. I may in the minority, but in my opinion they are a better band for it.

Track: Kill The Cult

Band: Melvins
Album: A Walk With Love and Death
Genre: Alt-Rock

Ever-reliable Alt-Rock oddballs, Melvins are as prolific as ever, with AWWLAD being the band's third album in just over 12 months (and that's without taking side projects into account). They may well have been key in the formation of the Grunge scene of the late 80s / early 90s (as well as Stoner Metal), but their quirky style ensured that they never quite fit into any specific niche, which makes them all the more wonderful. Cherish them.

Track: What's Wrong With You

Band: River Black
Album: River Black
Genre: Modern Metal / Groove Metal

With a sound probably best described as Modern Metal (you already know if it's for you), River Black aren't breaking any new ground, but I've definitely heard far worse. There are some really good songs on here and it's a solid release, but I can't help feeling there is lost potential. There are tantalising tastes of the beast it could have been and while River Black falls a little short of the expectations I had for former members of Burnt By The Sun and Revocation it is still, a respectable debut. Here's hoping album number two knocks the world off its Axis!

Track: Low

New Release Highlights: 30th June 2017

This week was a bit thin on the decent new release front and the ones I have listened to are a mixed bag of styles. Nonetheless, these might well be worth your while.

Band: Cellar Darling
Album: This is the Sound
Genre: Rock

I had high hopes and expectations for Cellar Darling -  formed by a trio of ex-Eluveitie musicians - and I am very pleased to report that this album was definitely worth the wait. I suppose it would be classified as Folk Rock, but that doesn't really do this album justice. The unique sound of the Hurdy Gurdy looms over the entire album earning it originality points from the off and when you add Anna Murphy's sublime voice and some solid songs to the mix, This is the Sound is a solid debut offering from one of the genres more interesting bands. That said, the album is a little too long and sometimes seems to meander, but I can forgive that.

Track: Avalanche

Band: Stone Sour
Album: Hydrograd
Genre: Rock / Modern Metal

Whatever your thoughts on Stone Sour it's hard to deny that the band can pen a damn fine tune. It's just a shame that they don't have better quality control as that one great album you just know they have in them remains tantalisingly out of reach. As with previous releases, Hydrograd has some great tracks, some decent tracks and a lot of filler. Fans of the band are unlikely to be disappointed, but for the rest of you, maybe wait for a best of.

Track:Song #3

Band: Vintersorg
Album: Till Fjälls del II
Genre: Folk / Prog Metal

Vintersorg have declared this album to be a return to their roots and have even called it Till Fjälls del II. Releasing a follow up to an established classic is fraught with risks, but Vintersorg have pulled it off with aplomb. Yes, their contemporary sound is probably more akin to Prog than the icy Black Metal of old, but Till Fjälls del II is a triumph and a benchmark album for the genre.

Track: Fjällets Mäktiga Mur

Band: Ye Banished Privateers
Album: First Night Back in Port
Genre: Pirate Folk / Punk

On first hearing Ye Banished Privateers, I  doubt that the Swedish city of Umeå would be the first place to spring to mind. This rather odd band play a Punk-tinged take on Irish Folk and pirate-themed shanties and while they are undoubtably a lot of fun, you probably won't make it past the first 3 or 4 songs. YBP are little more than a novelty act, but hey, in a small pub somewhere, with the ale and rum flowing, I can imagine that they would be just the ticket.

Track: I Dream of You

New Release Highlights: June 23rd 2017

Band: Goatwhore
Album: Vengeful Ascension
Genre:Death/Black/Thrash

US Extreme Metal veterans, Goatwhore continue their evolution as they tone down the Black Metal of early releases, in favour of a more groove-laden Thrash/Death Metal sound. If you're late to the party, don't worry, the night is still young.

Track: Mankind Will Have No Mercy

Band: Powerflo
Album: Powerflo
Genre: Nu-Metal / Hardcore

Do you yearn for a return to those heady days of Nu-Metal Dominance? No, neither do I and I'd say that this "Supergroup" featuring members and ex-members of Cypress Hill (Sen Dog), Fear Factory (Christian Olde Wolbers), Downset (Roy Lazano) and Biohazard (Billy Graziadei) is at least a decade out of date. That said, it isn't at all bad and actually gets better the more you listen. It's not likely to set the world on fire, but it's a decent, fun, throwback record.

Track:  Crushing That

Band: Mutation
Album: Dark Black
Genre: Noise

Mutation really couldn't be any further from the radio-friendly, mainstream-bothering Brit Rock of The Wildhearts, but Ginger shows, yet again, that there are many strings to his musical bow. The wonderfully dischordant racket will either be a hallelujah moment for you or you'll hate it. Forget the corpse-painted Black Metal fools, this is gleefully subversive, real extreme music.

Track: Hate

Band: Municipal Waste
Album: Slime and Punishment
Genre: Thrash / Punk / Hardcore

US Thrash throwbacks were doing the new generation "nostalgia" thing years before their contemporaries and that they are still here where most of the others have fallen by the wayside is testament, not just to their passion, but to their no-nonsense, no-frills take on 80s Thrash. They have the authenticity that other wannabes lack and deliver a potent mix of Thrash, Punk and Hardcore that makes you want to headbang and drink beer. At the same time.

Track: Amateur Sketch