Category Archives: Pure Metal/Album reviews

Napalm Records – Out Now. As the birthplace of Black Sabbath, Great Britain has always been the ultimate breeding ground for Doom Metal bands, so the fact that Doom/Stoner trio Conan also hails from the Albion is no great surprise. … Continue reading →

Season Of Mist [Release 25.4.2014] Controversy and instability have characterised Norwegian Black Metal pioneers Mayhem since their very inception back in 1984, so when long standing guitarist Blasphemer decided to leave the fold after thirteen years of active service nobody … Continue reading →

Napalm Records – Out Now. Press releases are like propaganda leaflets: they allow you quick access to information otherwise unattainable, but by nature they are massively biased and their accuracy questionable. Normally I try not to pay much attention to … Continue reading →

Indie Recordings – Out Now. The start of 2014 has been quite exciting as far as new music is concerned as most of the albums I have been asked to review have been by bands whose work I have never … Continue reading →

Inside Out – Out Now. Canadian quintet Incura I have only just discovered, through their same-titled debut release, but the fact that they are releasing this work under the moniker of Inside Out was enough to make me jump up … Continue reading →

Steamhamer/SPV – Out Now. When you think of the San Francisco Thrash Metal scene, the very first band name that springs to mind is that of Metallica, closely followed by Exodus and Slayer. It takes a pretty knowledgeable and devoted … Continue reading →

Kscope – Out Now. The description by a well respected UK Rock magazine of Gazpacho as “Norway’s best kept Prog secret” is one that truly baffles me, not because I do not share the enthusiasm and excitement for the music … Continue reading →

Svart Records – Out Now. Sami Albert “Witchfinder” Hynnien is a much loved figure, especially in the Doom Metal scene, as, under the Reverend Bizarre moniker, he recorded some of the catchiest, dirtiest and, face it, funniest compositions of said … Continue reading →

Metal Blade – Out Now. There isn’t a single person I know who’s into underground classic Metal (and believe me when I say I know quite a few people so inclined), who hasn’t tried at some point or another to … Continue reading →

Season Of Mist – Out Now. Ask any fan of the US Progressive Metal trio Cynic if six years is a very long time to wait for the release of a new album from their beloved band and chances are … Continue reading →

Svart Records – Out Now. Even though we live in the information age, there’s not much out there in English on the Sludge Metal outfit Loinen – a totally different case altogether if one possesses a decent command of Finnish. … Continue reading →

Aeolian Empire – Out Now. Two years after they were first formed, Portland-based Sludge/Stoner/Doom metal merchants Towers had to face a massive problem, the departure of their then guitarist. How did they decide to deal with this? In a way … Continue reading →

A389 Recordings – Out Now. I did not make much of  a link to the debut release by a band called Shin To Shin when I first spotted it in my Inbox, since the name was totally unfamiliar to me … Continue reading →

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Some artists are so unbelievably driven that even what seem to be insurmountable problems cannot stop them from achieving their goals. Nergal, founding member and leader of the Polish extreme Metal quartet Behemoth, is the … Continue reading →

Massacre Records – Out Now. The idea of working with a record label is still quite appealing to most young Metal bands out there, with the most eager ready to enter the best possible recording studios even before the ink … Continue reading →

Massacre Records – Out Now. In the twelve or so years since I moved from my native Greece, a revolution of sorts has taken place in the local Metal scene. Whereas in the early to mid 90s it would be … Continue reading →

Massacre Records – Out Now. German Heavy/Power Metal quartet Stormwarrior are a well known entity to fans of late 80s Metal. During the last fifteen years they have recorded a decent number of high velocity tunes, some with the assistance … Continue reading →

Century Media – Out Now. Three years ago a rebirth of sorts took place in the camp of Iced Earth, one helped by the bringing into the fold of a very charismatic front man named Stu Block – a young … Continue reading →

Inside Out – Out Now. ‘Super groups’ are complicated affairs. What some treat with deep suspicion as nothing more than vanity projects, others see as a way for musicians to indulge in ideas unsuited to their day jobs. There is, … Continue reading →

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Having fronted Swedish Stoner Metal legends Spiritual Beggars for eight whole years (2002-10), guitarist/vocalist Janne “JB” Christoffersson decided to change course and move into more ‘classic’ musical territory by forming his very own heavy power-trio … Continue reading →

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Theatrics and Rock music have been enjoying a symbiotic relationship for many years and it is this interesting partnership that is often responsible for the atmospheric and lyrical themes of our beloved music. With legends … Continue reading →

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. It’s been seventeen whole years since Max Cavalera, singer and rhythm guitarist of the Brazilian Thrash Metal combo Sepultura, decided to end his working relationship with the band he helped form in Belo Horizonte back … Continue reading →

Candlelight Records – Out Now. 2008 was a very important year for fans of old school Death Metal as it marked the return on active service of the Dutch Death Metal quartet Pestilence – a unique and technically outstanding outfit … Continue reading →