SYK - eartHFlesh (Season Of Mist) [Mark Young] SYK has just dropped what I consider to be one of the albums of the year. Seriously. This is next-level extreme metal that demands your attention, and in return, they will reward you with 8 songs that are god-tier in execution. I Am The Beast starts, chord stabs gradually building in volume as a powerful vocal announces the coming of what is initially expected to be a full-on onslaught. Wrong footed, SYK go for an arrangement that reminds of Perfect Strangers, that measured drum beat that is carried until changing gear, upping the bpm ..read more

Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (Pure Noise Records) [Mark Young] Well, that was intense. Knocked Loose drop their own version of a thermonuclear device with You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To and in no uncertain terms shows that THIS is how you do hardcore in 2024. The briefest moments of calm as Thirst comes in with chiming opening notes are just laid to waste as they just stomp a giant hole in your ears. As soon as you have gotten to grips with it, it’s gone and Piece By Piece is there, mopping up the blood and debris. The sound they have here is immense, I mean ..read more

Sebastian Bach - Child Within The Man (Reigning Phoenix Music) STOP THE PRESSES! Sebastian Bach has released his first solo album in 10 years and shocker! It's bloody good! The former and possibly future frontman of Skid Row has always been a controversial figure, talented but controversial. In the PR that accompanies this new album he's described as a singer, songwriter, author, Broadway Star and actor, which may sound like a Garth Marenghi quote. But accuratley describes one of the most distinctive voices in rock music he's also starred in Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical, The Rocky Horror Pi ..read more

Deicide - Banished By Sin (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Charlie Rogers] Straight Outta Satan’s Armpit, Florida, Deicide’s 13th album is just under 40mins of straight up high tempo, aggressive death metal. No fannying around with different styles, feels, or atmosphere, the Tampa based Jesus dislikers have a distinct style that consists of blisteringly fast riffs, soaring guitar leads, and punishing blastbeats.  Deicide have been around for longer than I have, but there seems to be no sign that they’re ready to hang up the death metal chops and start a more laid back project anytime soon. Whi ..read more

Allen's Hand - Chicken King (Self Released) A cult boyband dedicated to the one true Chicken King, Allen's Hand are a bunch of Athenian virtuosos playing a really weird album of music that is full of 90's and early 2000's trappings.  They formed in 2008 and have released two albums before this one coming back in 2022 they wrote what was to become Chicken King an very, very eclectic record, that is never easy to categorize but manages to cram in tonnes of genres, including metal, rock, jazz and funk. Figurine brings radio friendly American post-grunge balladry, R3D3 putting battering m ..read more

Meden Agan - My Name Is Katherine (Sleaszy Rider Records) The fourth album from Athenian symphonic metal band Meden Agan is a concept album based on singer Dimitra Panariti's novel of the same name. Released at the same time as the album it deals with the titular character of Katherine who battles inner demons in 1950's Greece, around this a love story adventure and horror and the musical accompaniment to the whole book is this new record their first since 2018. Meden Agan's music puts together Gothic, symphonic and progressive metal Panariti's vocals are the main element of the bands appeal ..read more

My Silent Wake - Lost In Memories, Lost In Grief (Ardua Music) [James Jackson] As with all genres and classifications, you envision a certain aesthetic, a certain sound or style that immediately lets you know what you are getting into.   The press sheet that comes with My Silent Wake’s latest album, describes the band’s material as Epic/Doom Metal and there are plenty of Doom elements, particularly on the intro to the track Lavender Garden; When You Look Back and The Last Lullaby are great examples of Doom, the latter holding fast to the tradition of lengthy tracks. No Time is another g ..read more

FM - Old Habits Die Hard (Frontiers Music Srl) 40 years at the forefront of British AOR, FM can be considered legends of the game. Still led by Steve Overland, his smoother than silk vocals and fluid clean guitar lines, they have listened through their most popular albums, have attempted to recreate the 'best' elements of these albums to properly celebrate the band. It hasn't been all plain sailing however keyboard player Jem Davis was diagnosed with cancer, but has since had the all clear and former guitarist Chris Overland, co-founding member of the band passed away suddenly so this delayed ..read more

Roadburn Festival, Tilburg, The Netherlands, 18-21.04.2024 https://roadburn.com/ This year Roadburn celebrates 25 years of “redefining heaviness” and championing the cutting-edge of underground heavy music. It started out as a zine by Walter Hoeijmakers, whose generous and open-minded approach to new music and its grassroots communities is still the beating heart of the festival. Since 1999, Roadburn has grown from a small sporadic event to a four-day multimedia experience woven into the fabric of Tilburg city that includes live music held anywhere from 3000-cap main stages to intimate jazz ..read more

Ten Ton Slug - Colossal Oppressor (Self Released) [Matt Bladen] It's been a long time coming, a few previous releases, a trail of slime right across their native Ireland, the UK and continental Europe, with a show at Maryland Doom festival coming this year, but it culminates with Colossal Oppressor the debut album from Connemara's Ten Ton Slug.  Conjure up in your mind the sound a ten ton slug would make, I think you'll find it's pretty close to the cavernous, monstrous crawl that this band deliver, if Electric Wizard eased off on the weed and jammed some Eyehategod, Ten Ton S ..read more