UADA : "Interwoven"

 

The idea that the band has to record an acoustic version of one song from each album works for me, as I think a good song will be a good song no matter the context in which it is played. You should write heavy music with acoustic guitars to begin with, rather than just hide behind volume and distortion. The bones of the song have to be there. 'Djinn" displays this well, though it reminds me a little of Fields of the Nephilim. Which is a compliment, since they are one of my favorite bands. However, depending on where the note falls in his upper register, they become a little pitchy. But overall, the song works.

"Devoid of Light" has a more country feel to the guitar. It's funny, as it shows the link between Scottish and Irish folk with bluegrass. It is darker than the first song, which I appreciate. Jake Superchi employs a more Nick Cave-like croon here. Midway, it switches gears, emulating the way the riffs in their music shift. "The Dark" swings more than traditional folk. The complex arrangement feels more proegressive in this context. He sings in a lower, droning voice for this one. Midway into the song, it feels more likea jam. It's clear he is a better guitarist than singer, but he is decent enough as a singer here.

The dance is more of a jig for "The Purging Fire' which sounds like it could have come from "The Witcher" soundtrack. The low baritone vocals are more along the lines of King Dude. They work better when layered. The Rome cover should have been a Nick Cave cover. The cover of Nirvana's works better when taken into a darker direction. The chorus is more haunting, and the cello works well here. Though on the second version, they answer the question of how Nick Cave would sing this. I appreciate what is being done here; the sounds are familiar, but the intentions are something more that black metal bands should try. Dropping on Eisenwald Records. 

Heave Blood & Die : "Burnout Codes"

When it comes to punk, there are not many bands doing something new. The genre largely follows the dictates of a dozen bands from the late 70s / early 80s and follows that blueprint. Odd for a genre that values non-conformity. Norway's Heave Blood and Die, brings synths to the party to divert their course away from the punk rock rule book. The attitiude is still there, but it's tempered by droning grooves. Originally released in 2024 on a Scandinavian label, they are being unleashed upon the rest of the world by Ardous.

The only traditonal punk influence that breaks the surface is Black Flag, who were, in their own right, more experimental than people give them credit for. The vocals create a similar burly blustering as the lyrics are bellowed with biligerence. You do not hear their post-punk side until the more sardonic tension of "Stress City". It becomes apparent that these guys are also fans of Killing Joke, which is fine by me. 

"Mjelle" is a little darker. The bass line keeps the song in motion. Female vocals are more noticeably layered over the verses to "Things That Hurt." "Heatwave 3000" finds them back in a more apocalyptic Killing Joke mode. The synths hold an interesting place in this arrangement. The vocals are also more aggressive. "Seen It All" ends things with a gloomier march and more emotive vocals.  I will give this one a 9.5, great songwriting, though a similar mood to some of the songs. This is a must for fans of modern post-punk. 

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Six Feet Under : "Next to Die"

 

I go into these albums with low expectations. Chris Barnes' vocals improved on the last album, but before that, these guys were scoring in the 6.5 range here. Not terrible, but not blowing minds by a long shot. Let's see what they are bringing here. The opener does not find them pouring on the speed, chugging with purpose. Barne's vocals in decent form, not Corpsegrinder power, a solid guttural growl. "Destroyed Remains" starts off feeling more like a Cannibal Corpse song, before finding its groove. "Mister Blood and Guts" is in an older, more straightforward direction. The lyrics are articulated in a clearer manner.

"Mutilated Corpse in the Woods" finds him reverting to a more muffled growl. It moves with faster attack, but not blasting speed, so call that a win. "Unmistakeable Smell of Death" is run-of-the-mill death metal, falling in the bounds of what you expect, the first song that felt like filler. There is more energy in the darker "Wrath and Terror Takes Command." The purposeful intro sets up the verse well, as the vocals go deeper tonally and in the mix. The chorus of "Skin Coffins" is catchy enough to work. I do find myself having to go back and re-listen to songs, as they begin to run together. What I do like is the fact that they are using almost doomy riffs to complement the more evil focus of the lyrics. This is not to say they do not revert back to their old ways, which you can hear on "Naked and Dismembered". 

They are more deliberate on the title track, which benefits from a deliberate chug. The last song is the best, because it finds them stepping out d by dropping the distorted and expected metal drumming in favor of something darker and more unsettling. They took a chance, and it paid off. I will give this album a 9. I think switching things up worked out well for them, and this is the best album I have reviewed yet by them on par with the first few albums from the 90s.Drops April 12th on Metal Blade.

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Bringers of Death : "Sulphur"

 

Jeff Wilson of Chrome Waves has a blackened death metal project with the drummer from Acid Bath/Goatwhore, that is as ripping as you might expect, given Jeff's prior work in Nachtmystium and Wolvhammer. After the opening assault, things get into a more purposeful throb, and a darker mood is created that carries ample atmosphere. In fact their is a low croaked vocal on "First Born of the Dead" that helps to give things a different vocal color than what you expect from this sort of thing.

Given that the guitarist from Acheron and the bass player from Usurper are involved, it is more melodic and experimental than expected. It does still build up into an aggressive explosion of sound, which is fine as they have already established a dynamic contrast. "Sacred Heart of the Abyss" launches off in a more feral blasting. Ben from Goatwhore also appears on this song. It works for what it is.  Oddly, the title track is an interlude. 

"Flower Bloom From the Prophet's Skull" has more purpose. Though on these last two songs, you can hear where the Nachtmystium influence takes over as they both work off a hypnotic throb, so much that it seems like one drifts out of the other with a melodic theme running through the guitar lines of both songs, making them feel connected. I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me, I like the mood it creates and appreciate the darkness invoked here, rather than just a bunch of blast beats beating you in the ears.

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Restless Spirit : "s/t"

 I approach traditional heavy metal coming out in 2026 with trepidation. I am often afraid it will sound too much like power metal. This would make it too happy for me, with more emphasis on solos and yodels that go nowhere. This might seem odd considering how some of my favorite bands are Iron Maiden, Dio, and King Diamond.  All of whom employ dramatic yodelling, but in a darker, more serious manner. This band gets it right on the opening track, which finds powerfully sung vocals that do not get mired down in silliness. 

They pack a more aggressive punch on the second song. They are also going for a more retro warmth in the production than everything reverbed out. The vocals are belted with a great deal of balls to them, and focused on melodies more than just swinging for the fence, trying to make each note more operatic than the last. They work off more of a stoner groove for "Red of Tooth and Claw". "Desire Lines" makes me think of Only Living Witness with its catchier riffing. 

"Desolations Wake" is more driving. I like how the vocals are produced here as well. "Time's Distance" finds a proggy nuance wrapping around the intro riff, before things get down to business, with an energy similar to the opening track. "Phantom Pain" has a more stoner swagger before ebbing down into a moodier place to give the vocals room. It also has the most psychedelic moments of the album. I will give this album a 10 as it excels at navigating this style of metal, which holds classic crunch without sounding dated or being too happy and anthemic. Fans of bands like the Sword should, without question, give these guys a shot. It not mellow out weed music but bang your head weed music. 

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The Ghoulstars : "the Dark Overlords of the Universe"

 

This band from Finland plays an upbeat brand of shock rock that opens with a gritty throaty anthem that makes you think they are going in a more Lordi direction. Then things get darker for "the Dead in Purgatory."  As far as horror goes, it's more in the light-hearted side, like if a rock band were playing at Disney's Haunted Mansion. Vocalist Arthur Thure is more versatile than just a leather-lunged howler. There is nothing all that original about what they are doing here, but it does have a charm. Until we hit the thunderkissed chug of "the Brain that Wouldn't Die," the use of samples is the only part that brings White Zombie.

Four songs into the album, it fees like they are sonically closer to post-Brockie GWAR mixed with the 69 Eyes, as I am sure fans of both those acts will find plenty of Halloween fun that is up their alley. "Graverobbers From Outerspace" has more of a Misfits feel, though the vocals are grittier.  "The Wolfman" might be one of my favorite movies, but this song is not my favorite on the album, as it's more aggressive but not as catchy. There are some decent riffs in it, but cool riffs alone does not make a good song, is the motto here. 

"The Ballad of the Cursed Bandits" is not a ballad at all, though that should not be a surprise considering the album up to this point has been paced more like Motorhead-style thrash than not. The more brooding metal mood of "Vampire" works for me better, which makes snese as I prefer vampires to werewolves. Most of these guys are in death metal bands aside from this band in fact the bass player was in Hooded Menace, so some of that influence comes out on the last song  I will give this an 8.5, as I like where they are going with this since horror movies and metal are pretty much what I am about, but with that said I personally already have a ton of bands that fill that need for me , as these guys are almsot too happy for my taste, these guys would be a great entry point for younger European auidences that are just discovering that sort of thing. They care about songwriting and set the stage with a fun mood. Drops on Season of Mist on May 15th.

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gif. from god : "Dissimulation"

From the hype around this band, I went into this album expecting it to be totally unhinged, unlike anything I had heard before. It's pretty straightforward grindcore, with death metal trading off with higher-pitched screamed vocals. The second song finds a mathieir angular form of acrobatics touching the riffs, but nothing mind-bending. Are they fairly scathing andd rabid? Yes, but what grindcore band is not? "Life Like a Sickness" blends a cacophanous riff with hardcore chugging. 

"Turn From the Ruin" offers more melodic tones to better craft an actual song with, which also brings a crusty black metal sound to the mood.  'A Fucked Up Face' is a harsher outburst that focuses on the feral gnashing of teeth. This is carried over into "Your Sorrows Pin You to this Place", though there is a little more of an angular edge and purpose to the pounding. "A Gift From God' works for me as it is darker and more melodic, so in my wheelhouse. 

"Volatile Simian Nervous System" finds them back in the chaos, a little more atmosphere, and not just them attacking you. They revert to their more emo sidde which I enjoy with "Burnt House Horizon."They toy with a more dissonant vision of hardcore toward the end of the album with a dash of grindcore tossed in, a little like Portrayal of Guilt's early work, but not as dark. They close the album by getting back to their grindcore roots. I will give this album a 8, as I appreciate what they are doing but already have this need met in my life by bands who do it better, but for fans of experimental grindcore this is worth your time.Dropping April 16th on Prosthetic Records.

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