Spirit Mother : "Thistle"

 

We've entered the era when the lines between stoner rock and grunge have become blurred beyond recognition. The drugged-out swagger the vocals croon to recalls Queens of the Stone Age, but there is also plenty of 90s Seattle in here. Screaming Trees being the most obvious link between the two, though Grohl did play drums briefly for Josh Homme and friends. It's not metal metal, though they can put some weight behind the chords as needed. As hoped, there is a downtrodden undertone to the mood. "Violent  Son" has the darkness of looming dusk creeping in its brooding mood. It also steps away from what was coming across as their primary influence to allow you to hear who they are behind that. 

Their identity is further revealed with the more grunge side of "Coat of Arms" .It finds them swinging for the fences with a mroe emoted chorus that finds the singer reaching up into his head regiter. Not the most refined set of pipes, but it puts a great deal of feeling in the notes he does sing that is worth something. Traditonally here this post-grunge revival sort of thing does fairly well, as bands like All Them Witches, Black Foxxes, and O Zorn were all warmly received here as they are dark and familiar enough. A song like "Narrows' shows some common ground with the more introspective side of a band like Soundgarden, along with some country influence sneaking in the back door. This is the band's third album, so they clearly have a handle on what they want to do, if not a better idea of how to get there. ey 

They kick out a raw, gungey cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath"  they vocals are more aggressive than they have been earlier in the album. I like how they layered the guitar here. The album begins to fade into background music by the time I get to "Good Faith," forcing me to go back and give another listen. It has a balance of hypnotic throb and jangling amble. Nailing the vibe of the 90s, but still relevant in 2026. While Crux" is more of a rocker, the Whishift to higher energy sacrifices some of the mood. If you are noticing that vibes and mood are being mentioned alot it's because that is the coolest thing this band has going, but that alone is worth a great deal.

There are a few instrumental interludes that I am ignoring for the purpose of this review. "Stranger, You Are" gets back to the meat of the matter and finds that their setting the tone for the trippy, brooding is their strength. "Odetta" is another song that shows mood is king for this album as the vocal melody is wonderfully surreal. The title track is a little more rock but a good balance of the vibes and dynamics that work best for them. I will round this album up to a 10 and see how it grows on me , as it sheds its Queens of the Stone Age influence a couple of songs in to hit some really fantastic moments that balance the album as a whole out. It drops September 4th .

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Flotsam & Jetsam : "Rats in the Temple"

 

This seems like it is the same line-up from the last album so we are in for a solid ride. They are not trying to recreate "No Place For Disgrace" but are moving forward. Ken Mary, who played drums on the heaviest Alice Cooper album "Raise Your Fist and Yell," really propels the opening track. "Damnation' does have more of a traditional thrash riff, which brings back fond memories without hampering them from engaging in 2026. His sung vocals are pretty catchy, and of course there is the noted lack of falsetto wailing, which he has left to King Diamond years ago. 

"Absolution" charges forward with an aggressive chug. The formual seems to lie in how they set up the chorus, and the verses are varied levels of thrashing heaviness, which works for me. There is some tight chugging that is top-tier thrash here."Blame the Knife' is the hookiest song so far, though we are only four songs into the album but this is going to be the bar they set for themselves here. The "breakdown" section before hte solo is pretty awesome. The title track indulges in some melodrama for the intro. There is some interesting production choices in how the vocals are layered here. 

"The Ghost Behind My Door" displays how modern metal production can fuse with timeless thrash. At 61 years old, Eric's voice sounds great. This carries over into "First on the Spike:  His vocals are more aggressive on this one. Prodiuction wise it seems like the layers of vocals are more plentiful on this album. It is hard to argue with results I have not seen these guys live since the 90s so who knows if he can pull it off. He does always put his voice in the right place on this album. They slow things down a little going into "The Edge of Nowhere"  but build it back up to hyper thrashing speed on the verse. 

The bulk of the album, they have kept the double bass flowing so by the time we get to "Last Rites," I begin to wonder if they are going to shift the dynamics, and the answer is no. Things stay catchy enough to make it forgivable that they won't take their foot off the gas, and for thrash, I guess that is what some people want. The bass emerges to give "A Taste for War" a backbone and shift away from the more straightforward thrashing. This gives Eric more room to sing, as the drums drop the bass to a tribal pound on the verses. "Her Blood Your Pain" benefits from catchy vocals. The guitar harmonies are somewhat Iron Maiden-like. 

"Anthem For the Broken" has a more power metal-feeling chorus to contrast the grittier thrash of the verse. I would not call any of the songs filler but this one does not grab me as firmly as the others up to this point have. The last song might have the heaviest riff of the album driving it, which makes sense, though it is balanced with a more melodic passage for the verse. I will round this one up to a 10; it's as [perfect of an album as you could ask these guys for in 2026. It drops August 28th on NapalmRecords. 

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Black Spikes : "Ydos"

 

Here is the sophomore full-length from this Lithuanian metal band, which falls somewhere between a more atmospheric take on metalcore; some more mainstream elements in their grooves come closer to nu-metal. Most reviews are my first listen through an album; this is my second pass through, which was needed to give it my full attention, as there is a great deal going on here. The more atmospheric parts are likea less folky Myrkur. But the punch and crunch seem to be the main objective of this band, which for a metal band makes sense.

There is a great deal of bounce to "MELAS"; it is more intense than the first song. There are electronic elements in play, and at times, it makes me think what it might sound like if Yolandi sang for Spiritbox. The vocals are sometimes phrased in a more rapped fashion.One thing this means is that is very relevant to today's musical climate.  "Mara" finds this falling in a more staccato groove but still aligns with what I said previously. They are very consistent, and within a few songs we shall learn if this is due to being stuck in a formula, but at this point in the album it still works, though all the screams sound the same. There is a blast beat at one point in the song, so people will start referring to it as black metal since they wear makeup. Their drum is on point. 

By the time we get to "Zelvar," I've figured out they are singing in their native tongue. They have also established their sound and are flipping around the varied elements to switch up the songs; the sing-song atmospheric vocals contrast the djent-like crunch and screamed vocals. "Revana" finds the angular crunch leading into a hip-hop groove. The Spiritbox vibes are back again, at times more surreal. "Apatija" is where things start to run together and I have to go back once again and pay closer attention. The chanted choir-like vocals lead into the slower crunch of guitar that builds.. "Aurea" finds them really taking the dynamic shifts to extremes, but it works well.

"Senas Demonas" is one of the heavier riffs of the album and one of the more accessible songs to mainstream metal audiences. "Dulkes" is very intentional in it's heaviness.. This is balanced out with some groove. Overall I really enjoyed this album I will give it a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. It drops on Napalam Records.August 28th.,   

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Kamelot : "Dark Asylum"

The 14th album by the band finds them leaning further into conceptual grandiosity. With a bigger symphonic sound. Their last album The Awakening," was disappointing, as it was filled with melodramatic power ballads and only earned 7.5, which, considering what they have proven themselves capable of  is more of a letdown than that score might suggest. However, they are still at the top of the game for a genre that can get mired down in flowery layers of synths and orchestras.  The opening song "Ashen World  " is heavier. It features death metal vocalist Ignacia Fernandez, who created a bit of a buzz for winning Miss Chile. She is lower in the mix, so hard to get a grasp of her vocal power. The title track is too anthemic for its own good and the chord progressions feel too happy for my taste.  It compromises their brand and identity by sounding like everyone else.

In many ways, you can hear on "Sanctuary" how they are making many of the same mistakes Dream Theater did over the years by sounding more like something Andrew Lloyd Webber might have written, instead of making metal. Though this works better than the previous song. They redeem themselves a bit with "One Last Masquerade" . Tobias Sammet from Avantasia lends his voice; he sounds better than he has sounded on his band's albums, and these guys find more grit in the verse riffs. The chorus flirts with the kind of power metal cheese I am not a fan of, but overall the song balances out.  "Ivey, My Dear" finds them reverting to ballads; this one has almost more of a folk metal feel, emphasis on folk.It's ok for what it is but I can see this opening the door to the mistakes made on the last album. 

Then things begin to get hit or miss. Where "Godlike Alchemy " works with more grit, they seem to dial into their formula for the more predictable "The Sleeping Mind". Then we are back to metal with the chug of "Kaleidoscope", that recalls the "Ghost Opera" and "Black Halo" era of the band. I'm ok with some of the more melodic ballad songs if they are done right; "Enigma" serves as a good example of what works for them. While "Cassandra's Disease" is not a ballad, it lacks the aggression needed to give metal its balls. "The Puppet King" gains their footing until hitting some of the genre tropes in the chorus. I will give this album a 9, it's unlikely that I am not going to listen to one of their earlier albums over this when I am in the mood, but for their fans who do not need them to be at their heaviest and listen to symphonic power metal regularly, this will exceed expectations and is a much better direction for them than their last album. It drops on Napalm Records on August 28th

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Harlott : "Exsequiis"

 This Australian follows the thrashing path laid down by Exodus back in the 80s but plays it while using a big modern guitar tone that delivers a great deal of crushing density. The vocals are more "Fabulous Disaster" than "Bonded By Blood". They weave a great deal of crunchy mosh riffage into the four minutes of the first actual song. Truth be told, Exodus doesn't even sound like this now, though these guys do speed things up into a blast beat at times as they are focused on the hyper-aggressive side of the genre, but still deliberate. With "Messiah Simplex," they push this in a more Slayer-like direction. Though the mean hooky riffs come through again for them. 

"Trial By Liar" leans into the punk influence of the genre, at tit lurs the line between what is hardcore and what is thrash. I like the way the vocals are produced on this song. Power Trip better not wait around too long to release their comeback album, or these guys might claim the vacant spot. Things get darker for "the God That Knows No Name". The chugged riff that is the backbone of this song is more deliberate. The vocals come closer to actual singing on the bridge. This is the album's best song so far. They pour on the speed for "Kleptogenesis," which is less enthralling. It reminds me of Slayer's more punk newer phases.

There is more groove to " A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits". The guitar solos here are pretty tasteful and add melody to the song. "The Joyful Strain" marries Exodus-like grooving verses to an Accept-tinged chorus, though Accept was obviously an influence on Exodus to begin with. "Ending" finds more purpose in their chugs as the riff carries more of a hook, before they pour on the thrashing speed. In some ways it also makes me think of old Atrophy. There are a few passages that carry more of a groove heading into the verse, but a less defined chorus. The producer was aware of their vocal limitations, as the more sung vocal sections are layered or effected.

"Vice Borne" finds things running together at a high speed and working off a similar formula as the previous song. But it is still pretty effective. The title track closes the album and pulls off what they have shown works for them but given a more epic scope with a bigger refrain taking the song out.  I will give this one a 9, as the second half of the album tends to take on a more uniform feel as they give in to the need for speed, but it still works and they care about songwriting, which is better than just caring about trying to recapture the 80s feel for nostalgia, making forward-thinking thrash a commodity.Drops September 11th on Metal Blade.  

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NØ MAN : " Between the Sword and the Neck"

D.C has been an iconic birthplace of American hardcore, so it's easy to hear where this band is taking its cues from.  Led by the pain screams of Maha Shami, anger is the primary focus of this brand of crusty hardcore. To some extent, they have their own sound, though it's easy here where this intersects with their varied influences. On a song like "Moan" where they bring things to a more deliberate churn that creates its own creepy atmosphere, they are at the height of their songwriting powers, and this is a direction they need to move things in since anyone can just do angry.  Regular readers should know I do not care about what you are angry about as long as you are convincing and not preaching at me. 

"Pregnant Heart' finds them circling themselve with a more indie rock melody drifting in the background of the screaming. 'They Have Names" is another angry explosion that does not take a breath until two minutes in. There is a more interesting beat to "Murmur," though at this point the vocals are feeling like a one. The guitar line carries darker dissonance that works well. A more metallic riff empowers "Runs Faster and compensates for the limited range of Shami's scowl. 

"In Tongues" finds their drummer once again saving the day by switching it up. The screaming begins to lose its caustic effect at this point, but the band carries on. The spoken word piece after this is non-essential listening when it comes to this album. Their drummer is pretty outstanding at setting the tone and allowing the guitar to just color in the blanks. They remind me of the Body in that they are a bandd with a great deal of potential, but the vocals are not only obligatory in the songwriting, but the most abrasive part of their sound, making them an acquired taste. I thiink Dylan Walker from Full of Hell would murder these songs. But this is what we have; I will give it an 8 if anger is what you look for in hardcore, and you feel the need to liten to it after watching the news, then this album is for you. It drops October 30th on Iodine Records. 

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HOLISSSTIK : "Chapter 1: This Endless Solitude"

 

This project emerged from Norway's Manes, which was pretty experimental to begin with, so this is not a huge leap. Stepping away from metal, but not forgetting to pack the guitars, there are some organic rock elements still in place. Female vocals that remind me of the Gathering sail along the opening track. Anna Murphy of Cellar Darling sings on this album, but there is a wide range of collaborators who contribute to a very expansive Massive Attack-like feel. It is not metal but aggressive for electronic music, though not industrial either, as it is too layered with atmosphere and not the kind of staccato stomp that genre works off.

"Projections" is even more dream-laden. It feels like if you took a nap while tripping and could not tell if you were asleep or still dreaming. This sounds cool, but it is more about the surreal sound than a song that hooks you in and gets stuck in your head. "Obsession Six" simmers in its ambiance a bit; it reminds me a little of Psychic TV. , Though the guitars have more of a metallic sheen. Then the patter of some manner of percussion resembles a blast beat bubbling under it. Hey, it's Norway. Hard to avoid all black metal influence, the more experimental years of Ulver could be a fair point of comparison. 

The cool robot vocals make up for the fact it's an atmospheric song; they are just kind of jamming out. I was also obsessed with the song "Mr Roboto." There is more form and function to "Would You Take This Heart" before they drift off into the abstract again for "Behind Me". There is a heavier element that is raging from within the song but does not have the sonic heft to get hte point fully across. They close the album with "This Endless Solitude". The song opens in a more introspective floating that finds layers of vocals creeping in along with a hypnotic electronic pulse. This vibe summarizes the album well as it displays a very fluid mix of electronic elements and organic rock instruments. I will give this a 9 as it excels at capturing the mood here. It drops on Season of Mist on August 14th. 

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