ALBUM REVIEW: Wall - Brick by Brick

Having been severely aurally beaten several times in recent years by Bloodstock main stagers Desert Storm, the temptation to go another round with only two of the band, brothers Ryan & Elliot Cole in their new instrumental project Wall seemed a no-brainer. 

The decision was a good one. 13 tracks spread over 55-minutes sounds decent, but throw in a Sabbath riff or twenty, some rolling drums, and you’ve got a cascading torrent that rarely lets up. Certainly not the gentle alarm clock which eases you slowly out of bed. Wall have thrown in a couple of covers, including the kings of instrumental stoner rock, the much-missed Karma to Burn, whose track Nineteen gets the Royal treatment. Brick by Brick stems from the brothers’ pandemic experiences, when they were furloughed and locked in a small flat together. They’ve channelled this into a rolling, powerful album that follows their debut EPs and appearances at Bloodstock Open Air, Desertfest London, Masters of the Riff as well as a smattering of European shows and festivals. 

It’s unsurprising that Elliot Cole provides a list of artists who influenced the release. “Torche, High on Fire, Elephant Tree, and The Sword were on heavy rotation a lot. I also was listening to a fair bit of Power Trip at the time too. But as well as the rock/metal stuff, we were listening to Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Radiohead which helped in a way with some of the more spacey & ambient sections on the album”. 

And that’s a true statement, for although Wall crush with an ease and power which is almost dangerous, they also draw in other influences that should alleviate from the sheer wall of intensity that the Cole brothers seem to produce with ease. Songs like Legion, Wrath of the Serpent and the magnificently named Filthy Doner Kebab on a Gutful of Lager all hit with a piledrive force. Throwing in the ultimate tribute the riff, we get a faithful version of the Sab’s Electric Funeral to finish off. Suitably doom ridden, it’s the ultimate flourish on an album by a duo who initially started out as a side project. 

The last words to Wall on single Masking My Contempt. "We are really excited to release the debut album Brick by Brick & Masking my contempt is the first new piece of music in about 2 years (since the Wall vol.2 EP) The song Masking My Contempt starts with a sample from an amusing scene, that is taken from a film we like called American Beauty. The scene is where Lester Burnham blackmails his boss for over a year’s salary. We have said for years that it would make a cool intro to a song, and to kick in with a big groovy riff after it. The title of the song is clearly taken from the sample, and the rest of the track was built around that first riff. Masking my Contempt switches between a 6/8- and 4/4-time signature. There are only 3 riffs in the whole song, and some bluesy slide guitar overdubbed … it's short and sweet and what we set out to achieve with this first single.”

Brick by Brick is released on 30th August via APF Records.

Review by Hutch

Band photo from https://www.facebook.com/wallukrock

SINGLE REVIEW: Exaust - B.T.C (Bite the Curb)

Ragged, jagged, raw and chaotic. That's how you'd have described thrash metal in the early 1980s. A spiky rallying call against the establishment, full of piss and spit, with little respect for those who put them down. The Bay Area epitomised that aggression, although each country brought its own edge to the genre. 

40 years since those heady days, the feelings remain and as each generation steps up, more bands look back rather than forward. With an average age of 18, Cwmbran's Exaust are certainly full of anger. But then, they are from Cwmbran. They're about to release their single B.T.C. (Bite the Curb) and one listen makes it obvious where the influences for this quintet are from. It's Exodus, Vio-Lence, Slayer and Sepultura that have been on these lads playlists for sure. 

What's it about? "BTC (or Bite the Curb) is a track full of drive, aggression and hate. It fits how we as young people feel with the state of some entitled people in the UK and we want to show them a piece of OUR MINDS!! We want you to feel the passion of hate as we do when you listen to this track as we unleash our emotions through the music!" 

Played with a passion and fire that you would want a group of this age to possess, B.T.C does nothing that is original. It's held together with cheap tape, feels like it could all come undone at any minute, and careers along at high tempo. Throw in the shouty vocals and gang chants, and you have thrash metal by numbers. And perhaps that's the attraction of this single. It's just done with that early grit when you feel you can conquer the world. Give it a listen, and see what you think.

Lyric video by UK Thrashers

Review by Hutch

ALBUM REVIEW: Krysthla - The River

"Few albums have been more anticipated than the third release from possibly the best UK metal band around today …” 

My words from my review for Musipedia of Metal in July 2019, when Worldwide Negative arrived in the in-box. The band were on a roll, with a memorable set on the Ronnie James Dio at Bloodstock Open Air weeks later another huge highlight in a journey that has been in train since 2012. 

Since then, it’s been a time of change for the band, with personnel shifting out and in. But having regrouped and refreshed, the Northampton five-piece are back with The River, and I’ll tell you now, you’ll need your seatbelt buckled, for this is one wild ride that bucks and throws from start to finish. But that only tells a small part of the story, for although Krysthla has retained every piece of intensity that has always pulsed beneath a seemingly calm exterior, there are some curve balls lurking within this monster of a release. 

Not the exceptional drumming of Liam Turland, who hits speeds that leaves one scratching the head at times, such as the opening section of Disfigurement of Pain or first single Unto the Loveless. No, Turland is a beast who brings an unstoppable battery to the engine room, locking in tight with new(ish) bassist Jake Coles, hardly a novice himself with a CV that includes Eviscerate Carnage, Reaper X and Disinherit. No, it’s the subtle flicks and tricks that explode from the shadows, bringing new elements to the band’s already hybrid sound that has always been challenging to label. The technical aspects remain firmly rooted deep in the psyche, the explosive pace features in every track, and Adi Mayes guttural roars that reach deep into your soul and rip out your very being are more aggressive and ferocious than ever. It’s the brief moments of calm, measured passages that provide space, allowing the sonic melodies and richness that sits just below the surface to emerge. 

Dive in deep to the second track, Reborn in Seclusion and you’ll wonder what I’m talking about, for the first five-minutes of this nearly nine-minute sprawling masterpiece is as blistering in tempo and temperature as anything the band has ever released. But then we hit it, a passage of play that sees the band show a more organic sound, with swirling, mesmerising guitar work from Tom Kelland and Neil Hudson, providing an early opportunity to breath, before the band slowly ramp up the energy levels once more towards the conclusion. It’s a song that symbolises the evolution of Krysthla, and something that is just a bit special. 

Once again, it’s Hudson that has taken the production duties, using his initiate Audio and Media Recording studio to wring everything out of the band. There’s the explosive eruption of Unto the Loveless, which we’ve covered already in these pages, the bruising bass and crushing breakdowns of Limerence that switch styles, all angular and jagged elements that are both uncomfortable yet welcoming in a slightly unreal way. It’s got more spice that a chili farm and leaves a taste that burns just as fiercely. When the Blade Meets the Bone doesn’t really need any description, for it’s the aural equivalent of the title, savage and slightly unnerving, with a harrowing black metal riff that underpins the whole song. 

Talking of riffs, penultimate song Universal Confines contains one of the most addictive riffs on the whole album, a real delightful groove that gets the head nodding, if that is allowed with Mayes’ continual roar that permeates the airwaves. His snarling rage is almost uncontained, and I’m desperately looking forward to seeing how this translates to the live setting. Universal Confines is unwilling to be categorised, instead missing a myriad of genres into one heady, whirlpool of a track that sees the clean vocals of Hudson that I welcomed on Worldwide Negative. Harmonies on a Krysthla album? You better believe it. This track is an absolute belter, accelerating to Mach 3 at times in a tempest of power and vibrant energy that captures the essence of the band. Another evolving song that flows with what feels like its own life force, the very creativity of the track seems to develop as you listen. 

And when you think you might have opportunity to draw breath, the finale hits you. The title track, a glorious seven-minute epic simply takes that breath away. A truly sonic soundscape that smoulders before igniting with a blast, throwing in the band’s progressive tendencies into the pot and spewing them out in an organised yet beautifully chaotic way. If Reborn in Seclusion was the symbol of Krysthla, then The River is the song that was forged in fire to lead the charge into the next chapter of the band. The River is no instant record. You need to spend time with it. I’m waiting for the CD to arrive and the opportunity to explore the lyrical content. But it’s already got enough hooks to secure a top ten place in 2024. It’s only going to get better with further plays. It’s time to welcome back a band who have taken their time and have created a masterpiece that will take some beating.

Review and live photo by Hutch

Order The River here

ALBUM REVIEW: Avmakt - Satanic Inversion of ...

Once you press play on this debut Avmakt album, you will immediately be taken to Norway, which must be seen as a positive for this band, which includes members from Aura Noir, Obliteration, and Condor.

The Satanic Inversion of…. keeps to a traditional path. Dark, evil, and haunting tunes blast around, with the drumming taking a prominent position on this recording. Many of the tracks tear and beat the listener in an Early Darkthrone style, something not missed by Fenriz himself. Peaceville Records were quick to follow and Avmakt were promptly added to Peaceville’s black metal compilation Dark Side of the Sacred Star, which was released at the end of 2022. 

The Name Avmakt means “powerlessness”, the sense of being overwhelmed and not able to have any influence, without choice, voice, or hope. These six tracks manage to create this experience with blast beats and raw guitar work. The whole aura around these tunes is stripped down icy cold darkness. Sections do slow down to carry the riff for a time, but the atmosphere never really leaves the ruinous evil one which is created. There is no technical showing off or musical wizardry on show here, just a good solid lump of metal, both dark and stripped down. The speed is mainly fast and ripping, while the vocals never stray into the clean realm, giving the whole album its old-school feel. 

I am sure this was the goal once the writing of this album began, with the band and upcoming fans seeing this as a masterclass and triumph in this genre. All six tracks will appeal to any black metal fan who yearns for the traditional days of old, although the album does sound quite fresh in its delivery, a difficult task to achieve.

“Underground metal the way it should sound returns to Kolbon!” Fenriz (Darkthrone)

Review by Neil 'Thrashtash' Bolton

LIVE REVIEW: Forbidden & Tortured Demon, Rebellion, Manchester 15/08/24

The Massacre of Manchester is the advertising line for tonight. Following on from playing the main stage at Bloodstock and doing a meet and greet at the Salisbury the night before the gig, Forbidden were ready to play their first headline show in the UK for 15 years. 

Opening the show, local thrashers Tortured Demon. Talk about a dream support slot!! They blast through an 8-song set with power and lots of enthusiasm. Rise Of the Lifeless is quickly followed by Virtual Death and Conflict of Interest. They then slow things down a little with Disfavour. This was only a brief respite before smashing into The Invasion and In Desperation’s Grip. A quick change of guitars and they are ripping the faces off the crowd with Global Threat. The set ends with A Knee to The Face. What a great well played set from these local youngsters. 

We have 40 minutes to wait and get out breath back before the headliner’s hit the stage. A dream set of pretty much everything from the first two albums followed. The crowd lap it all up!! It was always going to be challenge taking over from Russ Anderson, but Norman Skinner just nails it, even the high notes. Follow Me opens things up quickly followed by Off the Edge, bringing back memories from the 89 tour with Sacred Reich. Twisted into Form is next, quickly followed by March into Fire and Feel No Pain. 

There's a bit of confusion next as Craig notices Forbidden Evil isn't on the set list. They can't not play that can they!! As Good as Dead segues into Step by Step. This gets the pit going and a few stage divers take their chances, albeit a bit later than I expected. Craig and Dan then play Infinite, instead of just a playback through the PA. Flowing straight into Out of Body. Through Eyes of Glass, my favourite song of theirs is almost the end. Chalice Of Blood is the obvious finale but part way through they burst into Overkill by Motorhead. “Last chance to dance” screams Craig, as they blast back into Chalice. 

What an awesome old school night of thrash and I’m glad to say … I WAS THERE!!!

Review by Dez Coley.

EP REVIEW: Morgue Terror - Violent and Murderous Thoughts

Buffalo, New York Death Metal bruisers Morgue Terror, offer up their second EP, Violent and Murderous Thoughts, the first to feature an actual drummer, and continue their horror themed music from January’s self-titled debut. 

This EP offers us five songs, four based on sadistic serial killers, and one on a debauched abusive sect. The EP feels like they have listened to all the great nineties Death Metal acts and cherry picked some of the best bits to imitate. 

The riffs of Dave Jurenovich are chunky, sometimes angular and brutal, often discordant and almost sound out of tune. The bass of Steve Lipka is pounding and really helps propel the songs along, the drums of Dustin Klimek (ex-Full of Hate) change tempo often, sometimes thrashy, other times almost hitting Grindcore speeds, and everything in-between. The vocals of Steve Lipka are impenetrable and very guttural, like early Obituary or Cannibal Corpse, but this doesn’t detract. 

Check out single Neanderthal if unsure if this is for you. It features the guest vocals of Entheos vocalist Chaney Crabb, not easily differentiated from Lipkas’s own style, but certainly enough to give you a taster. If you like Old School Death Metal, give this a try. I did and I liked it!

Violent and Murderous Thoughts is self-released on 23rd August. 

Review by Andrew Matthews

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air, Catton Hall, Derbyshire 08/08/24 - 11/08/24

This is not a comprehensive review of the weekend from a team of media savvy writers and togs. It’s a collective of fans who were at the festival and who have spent time reflecting on their favourite performances over a stacked and packed weekend. We move onto Sunday and the last day of a great weekend. 

Nursing a bastard of a hangover, Soen were the perfect way to soothe myself into the day with their melodic, melancholic, and emotional brand of progressive metal. This was still hard hitting stuff with chunky riffs and powerhouse drumming from ex-Opeth drummer extraordinaire Martin López, interspersed with calm, melodic moments with guitarist Lars Åhlund switching to keyboards. However, everyone was focused on frontman Joel Ekelöf whose stunning voice was simply captivating. It may have been a short set due to the time of day but Soen definitely won over some new fans with stunning renditions of songs such as Martyrs and Antagonist whilst the beautiful Lotus had many in the crowd in tears. A stunning way to shift the cobwebs away early on in the day. 

It may have been the fourth day of the festival and most people were tired and aching but Beast In Black were determined to bring the party to the Bloodstock crowd. Their brand of European power metal channels classic 80’s pop as well as Eurobeat's and the band are pretty much Eurovision in metal form with songs catchier than the latest wave of Covid, bearing hooks that bore their way into your subconscious, ensuring that you are humming their songs weeks later. The band  were visibly having the time of their lives, with massive grins all round and the joy was infectious with a crowd hungry for a good time. People were bouncing around or having a good old dance to party tunes including Power Of The Beast, Sweet True Lies and One Night In Tokyo. It was cheesier than an explosion in a Cathedral City factory but that is the charm of this band. Not to be taken at all seriously, but a  dose of fun in a genre that can be too focused at times. 

Mid afternoon on a hot sunny day The Gallogate Murders took to the EMP stage, which was very full. The bands eclectic mix of Celtic punk and metal had the crowd bouncing from the beginning. I don't recall seeing any other bands over the weekend playing a mandolin and penny whistle along with guitars, bass etc. The set started with Laoghaire followed swiftly by Labyrinth Alley and Wreckhead Wedding. Plenty of banter from frontman Tom and the crowd responded. Part way through they part the crowd....not for a wall of death, but a Ceilidh dance off!! The set finished with Only the Bastards, bags of party poppers and a confetti cannon set off. Great fun!

Much like their countrymen Rotting Christ, the music of SepticFlesh is more suited to a dark, indoor venue rather than blazing hot sunshine. This did not deter either the band or the audience though. SepticFlesh are one of the best live acts in extreme metal with their atmospheric, symphonic and brutal sound ensuring the crowd is either in absolute awe or running around in a circle pit. The enthusiasm of frontman Spiros is infectious, addressing the crowd as “my friends” multiple times throughout the set (there is an infamous SepticFlesh drinking game based around Spiro’s crowd interactions should you dare to try it), but his affable and enthusiastic stage presence sits alongside one of the most ferocious roars in death metal. 

The music of SepticFlesh has a heavy symphonic element which of course was in the form of a backing track this time round (the logistics and costs of bringing a full symphony orchestra to a festival for a 45 minute set are nonsensical). Still it mixed nicely into the live death metal performances and songs such as Portrait Of A Headless Man, Hierophant, Anubis and Dark Art were sublime. 

Returning to the festival after their hugely successful Sophie stage headlining performance were The Night Flight Orchestra though this time promoted to the Ronnie James Dio main stage. Despite being a band formed of metal guys from various Swedish metal bands, The Night Flight Orchestra brought their love of classic AOR and vintage pop to the Bloodstock crowd. With blazing sunshine and plenty of beers in hands, this was the perfect party band for a Sunday afternoon and whilst initially hesitant the crowd soon got into the spirit of things with plenty of singing along and copious amounts of dancing. Whilst better known as the frontman of melodic death metal band Soilwork, Björn “Speed” Strid is a flamboyant frontman bedecked in cape and knowing how to get the crowd moving and singing along to catchy numbers which included Divinyls, Satellite and Burn For Me. The show was brought to a close with the retro rocking of West Ruth Ave, the band ensuring that the crowd descended into one huge conga train. It was truly a sight to behold with hundreds of heavy metal fans doing a conga around the arena and a moment that I hope was caught on camera by the film crew at the festival. It was big, dumb, and cheesy but The Night Flight Orchestra were the most tremendously fun band of the weekend. 

Another old school thrash band making an extremely long overdue return to the UK were blistering California thrashers Sadus. According to Setlist.fm, their last UK show was way back in 1991. 

Sadus were determined to make sure they left a mark and that they did with one of the most furious sets to grace the Sophie Lancaster stage all weekend. There were plenty of songs from the band’s new album The Shadow Inside which were crushing and aggressive, but it was the band’s old school material which got the biggest response and the most furious pit action with Sadus Attack, Hand Of Fate and Certain Death challenging the most ardent thrasher to bang their head in time with the crippling speed and aggression being at insane levels. Frontman and guitarist Darren Travis hasn’t lost his caustic snarl in the ensuing years whilst drummer Jon Allen played with such intensity it seemed like he might spontaneously combust at any time. It was really cool to see all the Forbidden guys at the side of the stage watching with shit eating grins and banging their heads showing that the comradeship amongst the veteran thrashers is still just as strong in 2024 as it was back in 1988. 

The sun is out and backing the audience as they wait in anticipation for the band about to come out on the main stage. Carcass are now one of the pioneers of grindcore, and British death metal. The band, hailing from Liverpool, have been around since the mid-1980s. It was the breakthrough album Heartwork that propelled them to the spotlight which is where they remain. The intro tape starts and the band enter the stage, opening the set with Buried Dreams from Heartwork. Original members Jeff walker and Bill Steer look as cool as ever. The songs are still dark and brutal, with Walker's vocals still sinister and brooding. Steer struts round the stage like a real guitar hero. Incarnate Solvent Abuse, Under the Scalpel Blade and This Mortal Coil sound as good as they ever have and the autopsy and syphilis visuals on the big screen make the songs even more uncomfortable to watch. The crowd are going wild with a constant flow of crowd surfers are transported to the open arms of the calm, happy and well trained staff who gently carry them over the barrier. The skipping ring is in full flow. Highlights for me are Blackstar, Pyosisified , and obviously Heartwork and tools of the trade get the crowd bouncing, and the set closer Reek of Putrefaction leaves everybody wanting more, they leave proving they are still leaders in the metal world, and in my eyes would be very worthy headliners.

Each time Amon Amarth returns to Bloodstock, they raise the stakes and put on an even bigger show. The Viking metallers have become a regular fixture in the Bloodstock line-ups with this being their fifth appearance at the festival and their second headlining show, but they have lost none of their potency. The adoration of the band by the Bloodstock masses has not dimmed one bit with one of the biggest, loudest and most enthusiastic crowds of the entire weekend. The stage show seems to get bigger each time that Amon Amarth appear as well, with an impressive stage set with a huge Viking helmet at the centre, various platforms and massive visuals and lightning. 

Of course there was an insane amount of fire and pyrotechnics as well as Viking reenactors hitting seven shades of shit of each other on stage. It was truly a headline worthy performance and a colossally epic way to bring main stage proceedings to a close. The band clearly love playing Bloodstock and frontman Johan Hegg was grinning like a Cheshire cat throughout the whole show and that love was reciprocated by the crowd who sang loudly, crowd-surfed, and moshed their way through the 90 minute set. And of course, there was the Viking rowing which is now a fixture of Amon Amarth shows but which was born at Bloodstock and so there was a record attempt at the biggest Viking rowing during the epic Put Your Back Into The Oar. It hasn’t been announced to date if the record was broken but it was a mighty fine attempt and looked absolutely glorious. 

Fans of the older Amon Amarth material may have been disappointed by the lack of old school songs but the set was littered with crowd pleasers including Guardians Of Asgard, The Pursuit Of Vikings, Raise Your Horns and Twilight Of The Thunder God plus a few deeper cuts such as Under The Northern Star and personal highlight Tattered Banners And Bloody Flags which sounded absolutely massive. A huge sound, colossal stage show and gargantuan setlist ensured that the Ronnie James Dio stage ended proceedings in magnificent style and shows that Amon Amarth, whilst sounding a bit safe on record these days, are still a fearsome live act and one that this reviewer would happily watch again and again and again. 

Reviews:

Carcass - John Caffrey

The Gallogate Murders - Dez Coley

Soen, SepticFlesh, Sadus, The Night Flight Orchestra, Beast in Black, Amon Amarth - Richard Oliver

Photos:

The Gallogate Murders - Dez Foley

The Night Flight Orchestra, Carcass - John Caffrey

SepticFlesh, Soen, Sadus, Amon Amarth - Hutch

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air, Catton Hall, Derbyshire 08/08/24 - 11/08/24

This is not a comprehensive review of the weekend from a team of media savvy writers and togs. It’s a collective of fans who were at the festival and who have spent time reflecting on their favourite performances over a stacked and packed weekend.  We move onto some favourite sets from Saturday. 

It had been a long time since Bay area thrash legends Forbidden had graced UK shores and with a new revamped line up expectations were high amongst the thrashing hordes at Bloodstock.  Thankfully the band did not disappoint; in fact I think there was an air of disbelief at just how damn good Forbidden were.  With a set purely comprising material from their two classic albums Forbidden Evil and Twisted Into Form it took no time at all for pits to start swirling, hair to start flying around (mainly mine) and necks to be given a severe workout.  Former frontman Russ Anderson is a tough one to replace so all eyes and ears were on Norman Skinner who delivered on all fronts and wowed the old school thrash maniacs with perfect renditions of songs such as Step By Step, Forbidden Evil and Through Eyes Of Glass.  

Equally, guitarists Craig Locicero and Daniel Mongrain (who had only joined the band two weeks prior to this show) wowed with a barrage of savage thrash riffage and a bevy of delicious lead solos whilst drummer Chris Kontos battered his kit into absolute oblivion.  Unfortunately, technical issues meant a late start and the set had to be cut short a song meaning we were deprived of Chalice Of Blood but what we got was a masterclass in old school thrash metal and proof that Bay Area thrash is just as potent now as it was in the 1980’s.

Deicide have a reputation amongst UK audiences for cancelling shows and with prior tours and festival appearances getting axed, there was an air of trepidation over whether this set would actually happen.  Thankfully and extremely overdue, Deicide made their Bloodstock debut with a ferocious set of Satanic old school death metal.  There was little in the way of interaction with only a few words from the band’s infamous frontman Glen Benton with the music very much being the focus and despite the band dropping a new album this year, this set was very much an old school one. Once Upon The Cross, Sacrificial Suicide, Satan Spawn, The Caco-Daemon and Dead By Dawn ensuring old school death metal fans had an all you can eat buffet of blasphemous ferocity.  Razor sharp riffage, guttural roars and the quite frankly insane drumming of Steve Asheim really ensured that this short but sweet Deicide set was well worth the wait.

I had been looking forward to watching Combichrist again. I love dark wave industrial bands and was intrigued how they would go down at a metal festival. After the inevitable intro track the band bounded on stage in their industrial uniforms and makeup. The tent was only half full at this stage but that didn't matter as the brutal dance beat live drums by Dane White, over laden with drum loops and keyboards and bass by Elliot Berlin came crashing in. Heavy Guitars from Eric 13 and Jamie Cronander completing the band's intensive industrial sound.

Opener Planet Doom is as heavy as anything else over the weekend, one of several taken from the band's new album CMBCRST. It is a more metal sound than previous albums with the addition of a bigger guitar sound and less electro than previous gigs I have seen. Andy LaPlegua's vocals are harsh with a slight distortion. The heavy industrial beats carry on throughout this brutal set which has hints of Ministry.  Tracks Compliance and Children of Violence bounce along with LaPlegua's swaggering around the stage, allowing Eric 13 and Cronander room to throw all the shapes. Three songs in and I look around to see the tent is packed, the pit is bouncing and the skipping ring is on overdrive. Bloodstock seem to be loving the first appearance by the band since 2018. 

The set continues with Sonic Witch and Heads Off, with Modern Demon bringing a hint of the electronica side of Combichrist with more driving dance beats and those Ministry style guitars. D for Demonic blisters through and closes the show, leaving the front part of the audience in a frenzy, dripping wet in sweat and cheering for more. Hopefully more of this type of industrial metal will be added to the bloodstock family. 

Wooden Pints and Man with A Plan opened Korpiklanni’s headline set in the Sophie Tent to a stoked and packed crowd. Gotta Go Home, the Boney M tune brings more party joy and creates an awesome atmosphere. The Finns fun drinking songs have the crowd jumping around and they probably will be fighting and dancing 'til the morning. Beer Beer closes the set to a very full and happy Sophie tent.

Reviews:

Forbidden & Deicide by Richard Oliver

Combichrist by John Caffrey

Korpiklanni by Dez Coley

Photo:

Korpiklanni - Des Coley

Forbidden, Deicide & Combichrist by Hutch

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air, Catton Hall, Derbyshire 08/08/24 - 11/08/24

This is not a comprehensive review of the weekend from a team of media savvy writers and togs. It’s a collective of fans who were at the festival and who have spent time reflecting on their favourite performances over a stacked and packed weekend.  We move onto some of our personal highlights from Friday. 

It’s Brazilian thrashers Nervosa who are first on Friday. Signed to Napalm Records, the band have changed line-ups several times but have also released five albums since their formation in 2010. They open with the blistering Seed of Death, the quiet harmonics of guitarist/vocalist Prika Amaral and guitarist Helena Kotina lead into the driving drums of new drummer Gabriela Abud and thundering bass of Hel Pyre. The thrash metal riffs flow into a more traditional feel, with the band’s evident influences crossing from a diverse pool ranging from Sepultura to Girlschool. The band look comfortable on the main stage, fully owning the space. The songs move along at pace, a pleasing combination of brutal delivery with catchy hooks. Masked Betrayer and Guided by Evil are standout tracks. Prika’s vocals are harsh but beautiful in their own way, and certainly make the band stand out above their peers. A new band for me, I had never heard of Nervosa before, but have already bought their last two albums, and very much look forward to seeing a full set sometime in the future. 

I first saw Green Lung on the Sophie stage in 2021and really enjoyed them. Since then, I have seen them a few times at various festivals. This was by far the best I’d seen them though, with the band appearing more relaxed and at ease with their stage presence; they are soon able to exploit the larger stage to full advantage. The opener The Forest Church from their latest album, This Heathen Land sounds great, with singer Tom Templar owning the stage. He struts around like any of the best frontmen, something he is quickly maturing towards. The band sound at their absolute best with the combination of bassist Andrew Caves and Joseph Ghast’s driving percussion pushing the music forwards in total harmony with drummer Matt Wiseman. This combination makes a blistering rhythmic force. The minimal guitars from Scott Black give the song a stoner vibe. The set drives along in the same way songs with Old Gods and the powerful Mountain Throne, whilst Song of The Stones brings Ghast to centre stage as he beats out a rhythm and sings the main body of the song with Templar adding harmonies and backing vocals. Overall, the song choices are great, six of the seven drawn from This Heathen Land, and although the subject matter isn’t my thing Green Lung are on top form and draw one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. 

For all the various subgenres and different sounds within the metal sphere it is always satisfying when a band strips it back to basics and plays the heavy metal of yesteryear. That band is Grand Magus who invoke the spirit of Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Manowar in their no-nonsense heavy fucking metal. For a three piece, the band possess a thunderous sound and let the music do the talking, with classics such as I, The Jury, and Steel Versus Steel ensuring heads were banged into oblivion. 

New song Skybound sounded amazing and shows great promise for the upcoming album from the band in October. The Bloodstock crowd love a good singalong and set closer Hammer of The North provided that opportunity, with the crowd singing the melody at the top of their voices long after the band had put their instruments down. It was one of the most spine tingling and epic moments of the festival weekend. 

Hellenic black metal legends Rotting Christ have been doing this for over 35 years and their live show is a fine tuned and epic experience. A ritualistic involvement as much as a metal concert, the band incorporate chants and choirs into their gothic melodic black metal and it was nigh on impossible not to get caught up in the atmosphere of the performance despite the blazing sunshine. The band focused mainly on their latter-day material with songs such as P’unchaw Kachun - Tuta Kachun, Demonon Vrosis and Grandis Spiritus Diavolos ensuring arm hairs were standing on end. This sort of music usually works better in a dark indoor environment rather than in the (rare) British summer sun, but the band ensured their atmosphere blacked out the summery weather conditions. 

Much like fellow countrymen Grand Magus, Wolf perform heavy metal of the old school variety. In fact, you could consider them the band that kick started this NWOTHM (New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal) movement that is providing killer retro metal sounds to the masses in 2024. The band had only just made it to the festival in time due to lost luggage, but they channelled the stress and urgency of their situation into a blistering performance and probably the best set I’ve witnessed the band play. Fist banging heavy metal was the script and Wolf duly delivered with a powerhouse set loaded with anthems including Shark Attack, Skull Crusher, Voodoo and Speed On goading the masses in the Sophie Lancaster tent to sing along and bang their heads. For old school metal fans this set was a real treat. 

The highlight of the day for me were Hatebreed celebrating their 30th anniversary. The band take the stage as a video of famous and influential artists plays. The video is a tribute to the band, so they had a lot to prove. From the opening track To the Threshold to the last note of the crowd pleasing I will be Heard the band play their socks off. Jamie Jasta bounces round the stage spiting the lyrics to each song with the same venom he had when I saw them 20 odd years ago. 

Bassist Chris Beattie constantly spins and jumps whilst keeping the beat, and guitarists Frank Novinec and Wayne Lozinak know all the shapes and fire out the tunes as aggressively as always. Matt Byrne’s drumming holds the well-honed machine together. The set is full of crowd pleasers which gets the audience into the frenzy; the band are orchestrating expertly. A Call for Blood, Empty Promises and Betrayed for Life stand out and get the pit wound up tight. Halfway through the set Hatebreed pull out a special treat with a blistering cover of Slayer’s Ghosts of War which sees the crowd explode and the pit erupt into a frenzy, yet everywhere I look, everyone has massive grins on their faces. The addition of a massive Hatebreed ball entertains the crowd but for me the set of their greatest hits is much more pleasing as we all sing / shout along to Tear It Down, Perseverance and Honour Never Dies, and as the last notes of I Will Be Heard closes the show we are left fulfilled but wanting more. 

The band have just shown that they are still needed and still relevant and still angry. I have seen the band many times, but this was one of the best. Roll on a proper tour so we can see the full set and watch this masterclass of hard-core crossover again. 

After plenty of fist banging and skull crushing metal throughout the day, it was time to take it down a gear and Icelandic hard rockers The Vintage Caravan provided a much-needed breather with their retro and bluesy style of vintage hard rock. Not to say these boys didn’t rock the hell out of the Sophie Lancaster tent, but their set’s hard rockers were interspersed with calmer bluesy numbers which were just perfect for a late summer’s evening. 

Again, for a three piece they create some severe volume, and the band are an incredibly tight unit especially considering they had stand in bassist Matti for these shows. His performance was so good he felt like he had been playing in the band since the very beginning. Songs such as Crystallized, Babylon and On The Run were the dose of classic rock that was perfectly suited for the time of day, and accompanied by an ice cold pint, it was utter perfection.

Reviews: 

Nervosa, Green Lung & Hatebreed - John Caffery

Grand Magus, Rotting Christ, Wolf & The Vintage Caravan - Richard Oliver

Photos:

Hatebreed & Green Lung - John Caffrey

Nervosa, Grand Magus, Rotting Christ & The Vintage Caravan - Hutch

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air, Catton Hall, Derbyshire 08/08/24 - 11/08/24

This is not a comprehensive review of the weekend from a team of media savvy writers and togs. It’s a collective of fans who were at the festival and who have spent time reflecting on their favourite performances over a stacked and packed weekend. We start on Thursday with Richard's review of headliners Evergrey. 

This was the headline set that very nearly didn’t happen with the band suffering horrific flight delays and the loss of all their equipment. Thankfully arriving at the festival in the nick of time and with borrowed gear, Evergrey brought their A game to the Sophie Lancaster stage with a stunning set of dark and melodic metal. All setbacks and stress seemingly fuelled the band to deliver a set that was one of the clear highlights of the weekend, with passionate performances all round, and frontman Tom Englund in stunning form. 

The set was mainly based around their more recent material (bar a stunning A Touch Of Blessing) but when the band has released some of their finest albums later in their career it was hard to argue with what was played, with songs off latest album Theories Of Emptiness sitting comfortably alongside set staples such as Eternal Nocturnal, Distance and King Of Errors. When announced, Evergrey were seen as a bit of an unusual choice for a Thursday night headliner, their melancholic metal not fitting the party night theme but the Swedes proved themselves wholly worthy of the slot and easily won themselves a large amount of new fans, whilst ensuring this reviewer had a hoarse voice for the rest of the weekend.

Live photos by Hutch (https://www.facebook.com/hutch224)

LIVE REVIEW: KK's Priest / Tailgunner - Tramshed, Cardiff 19/08/24

Sunday evening in the Welsh Capital and a steady stream of punters make their way to the Tramshed in Cardiff’s inner city on the Riverside / Grangetown border. A now well-established venue with a capacity of 1000, tonight sees two bands at very different stages of their careers, but both following the same pathway in terms of sound and attitude. 

If you’ve not caught a listen to Guns for Hire, the debut album by Tailgunner, then it’s something that you may wish to rectify. Bringing heavy metal back to the masses, one fan at a time is the band’s motto. Live, they’ve been relentlessly touring since Guns for Hire was released. They’ve just played the Sophie Lancaster Tent at Bloodstock in front of around 4000 fans, whilst they are just as comfortable around the corner playing to 35 hardy souls at Fuel Rock Club. 

The strains of Zorba the Greek announce the band’s arrival on stage, and for the next 45 minutes the band deliver with high energy and a powerful, passionate performance which wins over most in the crowd new to the band. They draw as usual from their limited catalogue, but it’s all good as we sing along to the title track, the impressive Crashdive, and White Death. It’s a frantic set, for the band don’t stop moving about, and at times it’s hard to keep up. 

Main culprit is bassist Thomas Hewson, a frenzied player in the style of Steve Harris and Pete Way, whose looks he also has modelled. He’s not there yet of course, but Hewson’s driving desire is important in the band’s progress. He links in well with the main engine of the band, Jani Pasanen, who has only joined the band this year. The dual guitars of Rhea Thompson and Zak Salvini battle it out, notably in their version of In the Hall of the Mountain King, whilst singer Craig Cairns has rock star written all over him. It’s a blistering set, with added props during Revolution Scream. 

For those who have seen Tailgunner before, one of the questions would have been “are they going to play Painkiller”. The answer is met with “no”, as they sensibly switch to Dio’s Don’t Talk to Strangers. Entertaining and enjoyable, it’s another marker in the band’s development and it’ll be interesting to see how the Stonededead crowd responds on Saturday. 

I’ll admit to being unimpressed by the two albums that KK’s Priest have released to date. Over-produced, cliché ridden and somewhat uninspiring in titles, they didn’t do much for me. Having seen Judas Priest twice this year and having spent some time with Invincible Shield which is possibly their strongest album of all time, it was with some trepidation that I waited to see what happened. I needn’t have worried. KK’s Priest took the gauntlet the upstarts in Tailgunner had thrown down and slapped them back across their cherubic faces with a strong 90-minute set that included songs from both albums and a decent selection of Priest classics. 

The crowd has swelled although Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens is still scathing about the promotion of the show. They enter with their dramatic and gloriously over the top intro which introduces each of the band members KK Downing hits the stage and starts the riff for the magnificently macho Hellfire Thunderbolt. From here it’s a raging torrent of heavy metal that demands audience engagement. 

The new stuff sounds great, much better than on record, whilst Priest classics like Ripper, a massive Sinner and Night Crawler as well as Burn in Hell all go down a storm. But it’s the gorgeous version of Before the Storm from Killing Machine, which is being played for the first time live that grabs the attention of everyone in the room. It’s stunning and worth attending just to hear it. 

Ripper isn’t my favourite singer, but he goes a mile towards impressing me with a massive performance. Elsewhere, the energy of bassist Tony Newton matches that of junior Hewson, whilst the combination of Downing and AJ Mills provides a stellar axe attack. Inevitably it’s Breaking the Law and Sinner that close the main set, before a rousing Raise Your Fists concludes things. With KK’s Priest also at Stonedead, this performance has gone a huge way to ensuring that I see them again … soon!

Review and photos by Hutch