Metallica "Load" (1996)

 After the monumental success of the self titled "Black Album", the legendary Metallica took five years to find an artistic stride to new territory. Despite them selling multi-platinum copies and bringing hordes of new fans to the Heavy Metal culture, their back to back Load and Reload records have been the mockery of metalhead snobs from then till now. The sad reality is I was once one of them. Thankfully my journey of music discovery has led me to a place where I want to hear what the artist is about and not just what I think will satisfy my taste buds.

Metallica were right there at the formation of my passion for music, my first and still favorite record of theirs, Ride The Lightning, carved my passion for this music and being a young teen with Christmas on the horizon I had a chance to scoop up more. Visiting the local record shop I was captivated by the covers of Load & Reload and picked them as my next Metallica records, so imagine my disappointment not to hear more of that fast, dark and sleek Thrash Metal! Unfortunately that sour first experience and the rarity of encountering fans that liked these records solidified my opinion that they were garbage... I owe a big thanks to the "That's Not Metal" podcast for prodding back to these records, their epic ten hour talk covering every inch of history in detail and heaped praise on this period of the bands history. With the fire stoked again for this band Load has been on heavy rotation and with mature ears I can join them in their praise of a truly excellent musical period for the band.

Where the old guard may moan that the Thrash roots are gone, Metallica have moved on, evolving into a mature beast that channels the energy of old into hefty, momentous grooves and power throttling drives of weighty riffage that erupts among a band expanding their horizons. Broadening their pallet, the four horseman let the sounds of Blues, Country and Hard Rock accent the guitar tones, steady the pace to a strut and shift the "heavy" to the grooving backbone as their new expressions become a focal point. Songs like "Ain't My Bitch", "2X4" and "Wasting My Hate" stick to their guns but the rest of the record flourishes with the new pallet.

Hetfield has to be given major props for his performance on this record. If the riffs weren't hard, thick and jiving enough, his vocal performance soars on many moments of the record with fantastic harmonious deliveries that will have you singing along. His mannerisms, the "ooh"s and "yeah"s reach a new level of infectious attitude and enthusiasm for his art which just pours out on this record, most likely due to turning inwards for inspiration. The social, political commentaries of past are void, with practically every track carrying an introspective edge in his words. Like with the range of energy these songs carry, James matches it with endearing performances, like the emotional, ranged, Country power ballad "Mama Said" to the grit and gusto of the grisly "Poor Twisted Me".

At nearly eighty minutes the album is loaded, mind the pun, by a band producing gold that might of needed some refinement, one or two less favorable songs trimmed, some unnecessary length on tracks too but the reality is the atmosphere and drive Load has keeps its excitement from start to end. Maybe this lost treasure trove from one of my favorite bands is just too much for me at the moment as I haven't wanted to skip by a second of this yet. I think the variety the record offers has much to say, flexing chunky heavy grooves between diversions into Blues and Country let the songs wind into different territories all while maintaining the grit of the biker gang persona that resonates. Free spirit on the road man.

Production wise, we have an authentic aesthetic. You can feel the heat, sweat and sand of dusty winds and hot climates. Lars's drum kit is snappy, sharp and piercing, every strike is heard and his patterns are as always a strong fitting for Hetfield. Kirk and Jason sound somewhat underutilized, his fifteen years in the band leading to a criminal lack of creative input that finds most of the baselines backing the guitar with a warm, thick mirroring in the base that provides a meaty thud when James gets into the heavier riffs. Kirk's solo's haven't left much of a mark on me, his roll is heard emphasizing the accent and tone Metallica are coming from but his leads never overtook the expressions of Hetfield who drives everything forward with his riffs and singing.

If I were to be critical of anything it could never be the artwork, the change in image the band undertook. Metallica aimed to reinvent themselves and that's exactly what musicians should do when it calls for it. Retrospectively I can see how turning the axis on whats of expected of Metal music is so important for the genre to evolve and perhaps their choices here have had unfounded influences on the shape of modern Metal. Its quite the shame that none of these songs grace the live show anymore. This is a fantastic period for the band, evolving their artistic expression and hitting the mark in the process. Now to binge on Reload!

Favorite Tracks: Until It Sleeps, Bleeding Me, Cure, Mama Said

Rating: 9/10

Winds Of Plague "Blood Of My Enemy" (2017)

I checked out from this band pretty much immediately after their attention grabbing debut album had worn out its attention span. After a shoddy demo record the group got signed to Century Media and bolstered the symphonic aspect to their sound, setting them aside from other Deathcore bands at the time. Crunching breakdowns, filthy screams and empiric symphonies collided to form a cheap and flashy sound that would have you for a few listens. Over the years they have become a mockery to critics and this newest release will probably be no exception. Bar founding singer Johnny Plague, a complete line up change could of given the band a chance to evolve but its business as usual, the same music they were making a decade ago.

Blood Of My Enemy isn't awful but its constantly swirling in mediocrity where moments of chemistry found between the tight chugging guitar and rich orchestral synths are continually dispelled by the arrival of Johnny's tone deaf vocals and impact-less gang shouts. Its a solid sounding record where the modern production gives room for the instrumentals to vibe easily in their audibility. Crisp, snappy drums drive the rounded guitars which deploy a variety of riffing styles stretching from choppy thrashing, to mid tempos grooves and slower chord led passageways. The synths bring cultural echos and atmosphere fit for epic battles as they stitch in sounds around the guitars direction, occasionally coming with Gothic tones that accent and expand the sound otherwise not heard.

On there own we would have a reasonable record but like with their debut there is something about Johnny Plague I just don't vibe with. His scream is always fretting on the same anger with a lack of range or inventiveness in his delivery. A lot of shifts and turns hinge around his break out screams and gang shouts which continuously dispel any charm the instrumentals where building. His lyrical style focuses entirely around the "life is war", "stand your ground" hardened mindset heard in Hardcore music but the constant grotesque swearing and obsession with pairing it to actual war leads it into the unfortunate territory of "cringe" lyrics given his committal to lines like "I will give my life on the battlefield, drowning in the blood of my enemies". Simplistic language, a lack of depth and turning the same idea over and over tires instantly.

There is merit in the instrumentals but the whole vocal aspect is awful. A guest feature on the title track shows how much better this could be with someone else, I believe the voice is Courtney LaPlante formerly of Iwrestledabearonce who elevates the song. This record is massively hindered by its lead member, who is employing the same ideas that faded away ten years ago. There's more shuffled and rearranged breakdowns running on empty, sounding flat and lackluster when they jump into a song. Poor record, doubting I will be back again.

Rating: 3/10

Drudkh "Microcosmos" (2009)

I enjoyed the Ukrainian bands latest release Somewhere Sadness Wanders. Intrigued by their dense, stoic sound I turned to what some fans say is their finest moment, the seventh album, Microcosmos, which I unfortunately didn't find a connection deserving of such praise. My experience of this record is mostly mediocrity with an exceptional moment of soaring epic between a hardship of forms broken by a raw, visual Slavic folk instrumentation in the acoustic oriented moments that interlink long passageways of thick, grisly guitars that span four lengthy ordeals.

Moody cold winds, overcast skies and vast forests stretching the mountains as Drudkh capture the bleak yet beautiful side of Eastern European countrysides with their thick wall of tonal noise. The ever present drone of dense, chromatic guitars haze over clunky, muddied baselines as the drums do an industrious job of holding it together with on a kit that rattles and rumbles as if its bursting at the seems, ready to fall apart. Singer Thurious snarls and shrieks in his native tongue at regular measures with a helping amount of reverberation that bleeds his shouts into the fog of guitar distortion.

The songs grind and groan as unapologetic riffs carry the burden of continuing forward on these nine minute plus epics. They carry a hardship as bluesy woes cry from the harmonization buried in its tonal thickness. No flashy tricks, or stunts shift the music in unexpected directions or uplift the weight, "Ars Poetica" finds respite in the rumbling of a gentle snare drum alongside a folk like acoustic plucking as the song rests its tired feet for a moment. Its a continuous journey of hardship with only the occasional break for something a little more excitable, the albums longest song "Decadence" drags us through the dark to the eight minute mark for a gleaming moment of triumph and relief as the song reaches a satisfying peak with its soaring riff of victory.

Flashy electric guitar solos arise in short bursts on these songs. With a more conventional tone and flair they seem a little out of place however one can hear that's not what the band were going for. They have sorrow, grief and pain in their call but the tone feels unequal to the music and they stuck out like a sore thumb for me. The atmosphere this records holds is strong and rigid, vivid and engulfing but its wasn't quite to my taste, it leans to far into the struggle with not enough rest from the ruin.

Favorite Song: Decedance

Rating: 5/10

Cradle Of Filth "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay" (2017)

The twelfth chapter of Cradle's legacy has been unleashed with another upturn in form that feels almost bizarre for Danni Filth's band who for the first time in their twenty six years release consecutive records with the same lineup of musicians. Hammer Of The Witches received a lavish amount of praise that I was equally impressed with, yet surprised to hear them turn it around after decades of patchy releases since their best output back in 1996. With Cryptoriana I again find myself taken back by how little there is to fault here, the real disappointment is in the familiarity of their sound, after fifteen years as a fan their isn't much of a surprise or freshness left.

Cradle don't venture much beyond their comfort zone, the guitars usher in the occasional thump of groove or tinges of Post-Metal in shredded tremolos but otherwise they stick to their guns. Eight tracks of solid songs around seven minutes play like back to back mini epics, well constructed songs with plenty of twists and turns, returning melodies and theatrics that end in satisfying conclusions. This lineups chemistry pulls together the best of their musical ideas, flushing out the mediocrity and settling for nothing less... for the most part, it has to be said the last two songs do drag a little in comparison.

They might be executing the same ideas heard plenty times over in their old records but the quality is undeniable, tight performances executed on a crisp production sounds gorgeous. It may be aesthetically pleasing but its true charm is in the inspiration. Genuine and passionate, the gleam of romanticized gothic melodies weave these songs together between there wanderings into the darkly shadows that manifest in metallic mania. Theatrical, vivid and bold each so is an adventure waiting to be known! Everyone gives a fantastic performance and the result is arguably their best in nearly two decades! I do however hope in the next release they could experiment a little! Cradle's defining sound has barely evolved a fraction over the years.

Favorite Tracks: Achingly Beautiful, Wester Vespertine, The Seductiveness Of Decay

Rating: 7/10

Wolves In The Throne Room "Thrice Woven" (2017)

Hailing from Olympia Washington, the Weaver brothers offer us their sixth full length release since forming the band back in 2003. It is their first Black Metal release in six years given that their last, Celestite, was an electronic astral ambience piece and is also the only record of theirs Ive heard before this one, so I go into this one with fresh ears and an appetite for the rich and soothingly dark atmosphere in store.

Thrice Woven hasn't formed a particular vision in my mind, instead different shades and tones illuminate the passing of time as the temperate becomes tempered into different forms. Although the shifts in sound have some flow, they measure against one another with distinctions that remind me fondly of other artists. "Born From The Serpant's Eye" has echos of Panopticon with its folk like undercurrent, resonating in the buried, sombre melodies that have cultural inflections. That opening passage transitions into traditional darkness, shredding fast riffs under pummeling blast beats before breaking for a quieter, calmer interlude. Eventually it finds its way to the passing of sludgy, mammoth guitar riffs wailing demonic groove under a howling scream of evil, a real highlight in the record.

Consisting of five tracks, the flow disrupting interludes really make it feel like a couple of songs were unnecessarily stitched together although the lyrics may offer some context there. The featuring of sublime female vocals in two melancholy interludes have such a spellbinding quality that the records angle is transformed entirely in these moments as we are lifted from the darkness to another realm of beautiful moonlit wonder. "Angraboda" has this interruption too, although made memorable by an awful inclusion of guitar feedback, it cuts into an eerie silence marked by a lonely melody similar to that of Burzum before returning to Metal, bouncing a slow plodding riff between a colossal scaling riff that ascends with median blast beats. "The Old Ones Are With Us" again has a familiar distinction, its opening passage with shimmering, lonely melodies reminiscent of I Shalt Become.

My favorite moment comes on the closing track with its utterly menacing "breakdown", half time drums, the crashing of some hideous cymbal screaming away under slow, punishing, sludgy guitars makes for a memorable moment in a record loaded with good music. Unfortunately it doesn't come together with a grander sense of self. All the shifts in tone and intensity don't amount to a bigger picture or even progress with a sense of direction, instead it feels like a string of musical ideas pulling each other along. Its still a very enjoyable record but no one song felt commanding as a whole.

Rating: 6/10

Humanity's Last Breath "Detestor" (2016)

Their name alone gives you an insight to the punishment awaiting. Hailing from Sweden this five-piece outfit push metallic bludgeoning to new insidious lows with a name to stick like a thorn in your mind. It captivates fatality with a simple expression, no need for any repulsive or repugnant language as so many extreme bands go for. The music too will also set them aside from the competition with what Id describe as approaching upon an inevitable "Post-Deathcore", stripping out the worst tropes from the sound and pushing whats left further down the rabbit hole of ruthless pummeling noise abuse.

The five songs that make up this short release do wonders in the immediacy. Deep rumbling guttural vocals, roaring with intensity over disgustingly down tuned monstrous guitar tones making a textural treat of punishing aesthetics to wallow in as the erratic interpolation of split second harmonic squeals and bleeding screeches will have one dizzying in despair. Its technically impressive and proficient but loaded with a dose of groove if you enjoy hearing open string chugs fretted violently in tandem with the swing and sway of grizzly drums, pounding with a vision of utter brutality.

In the long run less of this Djentmare, see what I did there? "Djent" plus "nightmare", sticks in the mind. For all its punishing heavy and sporadic violence, little melody or purpose beyond the obvious emerges. The individual grooves, riffs and guitar work become a shadow of the overall beast. Impressive in its moment but not lasting. In the days Ive been enjoying this, I can't recall a riff jumping back at me or something being lodged in the mind. Instead a couple of impressive ideas leave a mark, like the title track that drops in a wretched, harrowing, shrill scream behind a macabre "break down" of sorts. The scream gives a real sense of a human soul shocked to the core.

The guitars with their mammoth textural tones, gritty, loose and sludgy are so well preformed they are paradoxically tight, sharp and precise too. They make a strong impression whereas the vocals feel commonplace, atypical screams and timings. The drums are very accommodating of the other instruments, always syncopating and doing little to be in the forefront bar the occasional foray into blast beats. Its a bitter sweet record, enjoyable now but not lasting. This band have serious potential but are limiting themselves with the conventions of Extreme Metal and Deathcore.

Rating: 4/10

Kauan "Kaiho" (2017)

Their former release, Sorni Nai, was a riveting listen, an emotional journey of stunning peaks and swerving valleys born from a wealth of inspiration based around the mythic Dyatlov Pass incident. The record is a complete entity that blossoms into a cinematic soundscape, leaving a resounding impression on me that is still unwavering. The Russian five piece are back with their seventh and first self published record, "Kaiho" which has unfortunately disappointed to no fault of their own.

Listening back through their discography the band always had a unique, soft and sombre tone, slightly cultural but distinct and melodically persuasive. Over the years the Doom Metal tropes of snarly, guttural vocals and slow, sluggish distortion guitars, heard on Lumikuuro, gave way to the lighter, artistic, richer sounds of Post-Metal which heavily complimented their melodic side. Its wasn't uncommon for these tropes to subside entirely, in fact the majority of their music has mostly been made up of the "clean" passageways which this album naturally embraces with a move away from its Metal roots.

"Kaiho" is the heart of their melancholy put out to bear. Long drawn out movements of sorrowful strings and soft airy synths paint the glorious, yet gloomy atmosphere for vulnerable singing and delicate melodies to play out. Its pace is temperate, treading on ice as every song drops with the softness of snowfall in a setting of pure ease for the listener. Everything is calm, soothing and gloriously relaxing with plenty of room for introspection and reflection as this serene sombre takes hold.

For all its slow and delicate, beautiful composition, every song is meandering, wandering without direction. The lack of urgency or event steadily drains it dry as the album draws onward without a sense of meaning or story, little feels unfolding or even heading anywhere and so the subtlety and softness fades from focus and each song feels like a point without destination. Only "Kasvot" musters a sense of something grand ironically from shimmering Post-Metal guitars resonating with the airy synths. Its a rare moment for the record as most the guitars are slowly plucked acoustics, any distortion found is heavily buried under already gentle instrumentation. Aesthetics, mood and tone are spot on here but the lack of event or direction, change in pace or upturn in mood has this record seeping out of focus, leaving each song feeling like the last.

Rating: 6/10

Erang "The First Age" (2017)

The vast and rapid output of Erang continues, a man with an unwavering inspiration for the vision of his kingdom brings us another installment, the forth this year? Seventeen in total? I'm loosing count but alas, The First Age may suggest a return to roots but his evolution as a composer sounds aroused and fertile on a handful of songs littered among a cast of temperate mood setters. Years of experience have blossomed into a craft for intertwining layers of simple melodies on reverberated instruments that hits home every time, commonplace yet spell bounding in the right mood. The First Age is memorable for its strongest tracks which jump of a track listing that doesn't stick to one direction.

A loose concept of returning is presented with the albums titles and knowledge of the various ages within the kingdom. Album opener "1986" has Erang narrating a diary entry under the downpour of soft rain as an industrious click clack bustles away on the typewriter. As his entry draws to an end a storm erupts, leading us on a retroactive journey, replaying clips and soundbites from past records as we swirl through a portal of sound, ending on the first Erang song "Another World, Another Time".  The concept of returning to the origin is explained but thrown off balance as a couple of tracks, notably the gloomy yet enchanting tones of "All Kings Must Die" & "Everything Is A Lie", deliver the ancient wonder of more traditional Dungeon Synth sounds, both their aesthetics and theme strike close to the classic Trolldom by Lord Lovidicus. Its found again later in the record but Erang's inclination to richer, luscious sounds has the vibes expanding into different crevasse.

"Birth Of A Shadow" hits a ghastly, dark note as graveyard bells ring out over a fog that creeps in as the night falls and we fall witness to harrowing screams and roars emerging from pain over the mischievous chanting of bells. Its cinematic, gripping, the music paints a scene to embellish in, one of his best. Followed by "La Nuit Noir" we change direction with another wave of inspiration as a stunning piano piece cries out its burden of mortal agony on crimson chords. Its lead hand far more developed than usual, given fluidity to break to conventional loops that dominate the music.

For me the record is marked by standout tracks, "Escape The Lonely Madman" another that needs mentioning for is slow and grueling of withering dread that collapses into ancient eastern cultural sounds that has one envisioning trade and travelers indulging under the desert stars, the shimmering of fires lighting their midnight engagements. The best of this record seems to be pulling from different sources and I'm not sure how I feel about that, the opening sets it up to be a nostalgic rewind which I didn't feel past a few tracks, on the other hand its an excellent set of songs where Erang continues his progression as an artist, yielding more fruits of the labor than ever. On a final note I just have to say the synth in "Unmasking" very similar to the Concrete Jungles game soundtrack, took me a while to make that connection, very similar synth instrument, had to boot up the game to confirm it.

Favorite Tracks: All Kings Must Die, Escape The Lonely Mountain, Birth Of A Shadow, La Nuit Noire, Unmasking The Dead Oracle.

Rating: 7/10

Marilyn Manson "Heaven Upside Down" (2017)

There's little bad to say about Marilyn Manson's tenth record. I could get critical and say it gets off to a moderate start but as the wheels get spinning, they don't slow down! Best known for his culture shock records Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals, Manson has seen a steady decline in recent years that got turned around with The Pale Emperor, a change of pace, an introspective artistic piece that turned his observational musing inwards. I was sorely disappointed at first, "Heaven Upside Down" was not continuing in that direction but with each passing listen it grew on me substantially. He may be approaching his 50s but the fire for his breed of intelligent rebellion still burns bright in this fellow.

The most obvious comparison for this change of pace is the Antichrist Superstar era. The vibes, instrumental aesthetics and attitude is similar in many spots with a helping dose of anger and aggression. His poetry is witty, sharp as a blade with cutting lines like the opening "fuck or fight" on "Jesus Crisis". I could make lists but this is Manson, his reputation needs no examples, hes on his best game here with cracking lyrics that turn in on themselves as the words unfold. His ability to write and deliver hooks elevates the instrumentals as you'd expect them to do but always catches you off guard.

Instrumentally things start off aggressive with crunching guitars leading the songs. Dirty, Industrial thumping riffs on steady repeat. "Tattooed In Reverse" experiments with gritty, buzzing baselines and sharp, often shrill oscillating synths for a rattle house of dystopian blues. "Saturnalia" Is the turning point, the music becomes expansive with echoes of The Pale Emperor distance the aggression for spaces to breath in as the moods start to flow. Its as the album winds down from its aggressive start that I find myself captivated, Manson's chemistry with his band mates seems to electrify as his performance resonates with lyrics carrying the burden of dramatic emotions.

This albums flow is a strength played to. It starts with a bang to lure you in and steadily evolves into a much deeper record. The density of the instrumentals, aided by rich electronics, plays to the versatility Industrial music can provide as the songs collectively share a space with quite a variety of textures and flavor to throw your way. It can shred distortion guitars and find its way to bustling acoustics too without loosing the heretic energy. Everything comes together on this record, the group are on fire and give us the all killer no filler treatment. I will leave this post with a favorite lyric I can't get out my head. "And I tried to look inside you, but ended up, looking through you, now you try to tell me, your not a ghost!".

Favorite Tracks: Say10, Saturnalia, Jesus Crisis, Heaven Upsidedown, Threats Of Romance

Rating: 7/10

Chelsea Wolfe "Hiss Spun" (2017)

American singer songwriter Chelsea Wolfe has had my ear for a while now. Her stunning Pain Is Beauty has been a standout record in recent memory but like all great artists, she continues moving forward and evolving with each record, which doesn't always yield success. Her feature on the title track of Russian Circle's Memorial seemed like a perfect match, something I craved to hear more of and her last release Abyss gave us that collaboration. Oddly it didn't resonate with me and this newest release, Hiss Spun, sounds exactly like what I hoped that pairing could accomplish. This time Chelsea features Troy Van Leeuwen from Queens of the Stone Age who composes monstrous Post-Metal guitars to bring weight and atmosphere to Chelsea's haunting presence.

With calms before storms we tepidly breathe, recover and anxiously await the lurking dread that's always present. One song after another has us in its grasp of haunting sorrow, and unsettling unease before unleashing the ugly, disturbed, mammoth walls of sound that drown us in its thick, dense and meaty persuasion of sludgy, wailing guitar noise. They bleed at the seems, burgeoning with gritty texture, turning eerie atmospheres to nightmares in there wake. With a swarming intensity the layers of sound flesh out dizzying moods as floods of Post-Metal guitars descend upon the listener in sudden, violent eruptions, sometimes with a little build up.

Chelsea's soft and pain felt voice finds its setting here with familiarly dark and harrowing instrumentals of baron percussion, eerie reverberated acustic instruments and piano chords of dread. Its set to new extremes with truly massive guitar distortions as most the songs find a pace to proceed to an unleashing of dense Post-Metal guitars stacked with sludging rumblings of guitar noise that occasionally have a semblance of groove but mostly thunder away a monotone driving of momentum.

 The chemistry is sublime, when it roars Chelsea's voice transforms from the weak, vulnerable, tortured soul to a fierce, empowered beacon of bitter strength. It comes in measures and always with an ear for aesthetics, her voice often discernible in a ghostly wash of reverberation. The compositions all feel linear, expanding and growing in one direction, taking us on a journey through her pain and inner darkness. A couple of tracks don't feel to dissimilar to previous work, her vocal style showing some boundaries in places as they echo old songs.

Hiss Spun is a maelstrom of noise, numbing you with its bludgeoning rumble of sludge guitars that decimate in the eye of its storm. The shadowy calms between hold us captive as the inescapable approaches. A fine record with vision, stunning execution and little to flaw, possibly her best to date? Id say it comes down to taste, I personally love the electronic variety on Pain Is Beauty but adore the overwhelming experience these forty eight minutes of smothering whisk you into.

Favorite Tracks: Spun, 16 Psyche, Vex, Offering, Static Hum

Rating: 8/10

Prophets Of Rage "Prophets Of Rage" (2017)

Rage Against The Machine are back! This time under the guise of Prophets Of Rage, with Zack De La Rocha sidelined and replaced by Hip Hop legends Chuck D and B Real. Ive been excited for this record ever since Download Festival where I saw them rock the stage playing plenty of Rage classics between a couple of original songs. Their debut EP "The Party's Over" released last year was not to much to rave about but enough to get the hype going and introduce to the new line up to Rage fans.

This record isn't here to throw creative surprises our way, the five are here to give us another dose of that fantastic politically charged sound Rage unleashed back in the nineties. Tom Morello's guitar work has been frozen on ice, unleashing riff after riff of those classic overdriven tones that rock hard grooves to move a crowd and plenty of his fantastic noise driven aesthetics, sounding like a scratching DJ on the decks during his solo's and fleshing out the tracks with flavorful flashy sounds.

The chemistry of the three is essential and they have no problems making it work. The bassist steps up with bright thumping grooves when Morello takes to noise, example "Fired The Shot", amazing duality at work. The loud, thudding drumming is there to turn up the intensity when the big riffs drop in and keeps things lively and moving inbetween. Chuck D is a commanding presence as the front man, his vocal style a perfect fit for the politically minded stance of the band. Alongside him B Real, as much as I love him and Cypress Hill, does sound a little off on a few tracks although he does provide a favorite moment as he lifts LL Cool J's classic flow for an anti-cop statement on "Take Me Higher". That song and "Legalize" do mark a weaker vibe on the record when toning down the traditional sound for something with a more laid back flavor, the instrumentals just don't quite excite the same way.

Its not a consistent record, you can enjoy it immensely from front to back but when it bangs its worthy of Rage's classics. "Hail To The Chief" and "Unfuck The World" simply set the bar to high for other songs on the record, the result is peaks and valleys. The political topics are as to be expected, plenty of food for thought to mull over but the real winner is in the fantastic hooks a couple of tracks drop in the choruses, packing the point into great lines to sing along to at the live shows. Classic Rage is present on this record in full force but only for a few songs.

Favorite Tracks: Unfuck The World, Living On The 110, Hail To The Cheif, Fired A Shot, Who Owns Who

Rating: 7/10

Enter Shikari "Take To The Skies" (2007)

Its unbelievable to think ten years have flown by but that's life. "Take To The Skies" is the unleashing of our local band Enter Shikari onto the world. Ive seen this band go from the school down the road to headlining festivals and this album is a personal one, loaded full of fond memories and strong emotions. It was a big event, we got to see some of their pivotal shows around that era including their Download performance of the same year in the big blue tent which was absolutely rammed and loaded with mosh pits.

It's no masterpiece but a personal triumph for fans of Enter Shikari, a band you can truly adore if they push your buttons. "Take To The Skies" had no surprises, the culmination of their best songs from years of utterly relentless touring are polished and fined tuned alongside three or so new tracks. Its all glossed up with album quality production and a reworking of the electronics to flesh out all their songs with which raving synth lines that bleed into the interludes lined between a handful of tracks.

In retrospect the lack of subtly on this record is a charm the band would grow with time to gleam upon. The raw fusion of Hardcore throw downs and rampant rave electronics is undeniable in the wake of their youthful energy and inspired charisma. Its never gotten old, the fantastic chemistry to create energetic, uplifting and fun music with a real backbone of feeling and lead them into explosions of aggression with grooving beat downs and guitar chugging breakouts that would always get a crowd moving. Seeing the path they have taken, it becomes apparent how simplistic some of the compositions are but Shikari pull it off with a stroke of inspiration that you cant criticize given its authenticity.

The albums flow is flawed, It gets of to a wild start with fan favorites and two new tracks then the interludes break up the flow and the second half unwinds at a different pace, leading to the fantastic "Adieu" with would showcase the genius to expect of this band leading forward. It ends with the explosive "Ok, Time For Plan B" after its infectious build up, a great choice to end on before the closing tracks echos of the albums opener. It gives the record somewhat of a compilation vibe given the attachment of knowing most the music before its release and I'm not sure if the interludes were an attempt to create a bigger picture with the record as a whole but I never felt it succeeded in doing that, if it was the intent.

 Its the music that's wonderful and the years gone by make me realize how foundational they were as songwriters then. Singer Rou's screams and shouts are so fitting of the scene at that time and stylistically raw. The synths are accents of the tone, not woven in but aligning with the music and in many cases leading it. The beat downs are again atypical of the scene yet executed with an edge of creativity and always in the direction of the music, never rumbling out of nowhere and always feeling like an essential part of the music. Its truly fascinating and speaks volumes to the music these guys would write with their currently best record "The Mindsweep".

I adore this record and trying to be objective I wouldn't consider it a classic but on a personal level the nostalgia, adventure and fun of the time are deeply connected to the music and Shikari will always hold a special place for all the amazing memories. I think even back then we knew this band would be special forever to come. I little gutted now I missed the anniversary show this year but I will see them soon and forever be revisiting this wonderful record. On a final note I think its fitting to point out this record was an independent release on their own record label and their DIY ethic speaks volumes to the passion they have that you can hear running through this album.

Rating: 10/10

Drudkh "Somewhere Sadness Wanders" (2017)

Many years back in my early days of Black Metal discovery I remember Drudkh as one of the first bands I heard branching out from the traditional aggression and satanic oriented sound. Perhaps with a strong influence from Burzum their journey into low fidelity textural guitar distortions brought about a sense of naturism, atmosphere and natural beauty. At the time it was a really odd experience but Id never stuck with the band despite holding them in high regard, they just slipped my mind at the time. All these years later I tune into there latest EP and I'm greeted with a reminder of how we learn music, the textures, melodies, structures and inspiration. This was once a challenging band for me, yet now its a welcoming pleasure. Drudkh are a Ukrainian band who formed in 2002 and have since released ten full lengths and this is the latest of six EPs.

Opening with "All Shades Of Silence" we are hurtled into an immediate wall of sound, thick and textural with shrill melodies bleeding from distortion wrapped in the thunder of blast beats and driven by a pounding baseline. In rather primitive yet effective song structuring this drone of darkness breaks to reveal the light with a shift to another short repeated section of dual guitar work, scaling tremolo picking and churning power chord ripping working off one another in tandem. These simple shifts lead the song into a stark and bleak minimalist composition on the keyboards, a cosmic glimpse as astral synths draw out their spacious tones over a buried, mysterious clicking. In its final phase the song finds its way back to a far more expansive Black Metal tone with Post-Metal guitar leads and an adventurous baseline rumbling up and down the fret board. Its a song that conjures an Ethereal setting, rich in atmosphere, with the harsh contrast of mother natures cruelty through ripping guitar distortions. The second song is more of the same, big blocks of arrangements on repeat, changing up every minute or so, shuffling back and forth and around the five minute mark jumping to an excellent climatic break with heathen chants over the shift in musical intensity.

The music is fantastic, fast, intense yet soothing, indulgent and wondrous in that typically Black Metal way. The guitar texture and riffs are much to my taste but the one thing I couldn't get out of my mind were the song structures. Each song seemed to play of the shifting of the short sections on repeat. Each had four to five each with some variations that made up over twenty minutes of music. Despite seeming simplistic, its extremely effective! Solid record, I have no excuse now to not give them more attention.

Rating: 5/10

Mastodon "Cold Dark Place" (2017)

Hot of the back of the desert sun soaked "Emperor Of Sand", American Sludge Metal rockers Mastodon bring us four songs I hoped were b-sides from their album released earlier this year. I say that because It has grown on me greatly over the months, Mastodon have the experience and talent to write music with depth that lasts. The same could be said of these four songs however, as the title suggests, they have moved on from the warm summery sound into a "Cold Dark Place", with exception to "Toe To Toes", that song would fit snugly into Emperor Of Sand.

Climate, temperature and luminosity are highly suggestive ideas in music. The record certainly kicks off with a chilling tone, its quaint aesthetics let bustling acoustics resonate of a flute line as the song jumps straight into its moment with earthly singing, the two voices chiming with a catchy quirkiness given the sombreness setting. Its a spooky, ethereal place we drift through with an odd moment of Funk as a upbeat jive manages to penetrate this melancholic place as the song unleashes its guitar solos. The groove is rather reminiscent of CKY given the style of singing and flexing riff beneath.

"Blue Walsh" and "Cold Dark Place" are in the same realm of eerie, dark melancholy without any heavy or blunt metallic riffage. Everything is a tapestry of thoughtful riffs layers to resonate and on the first mentioned song, a rather soothing, relaxing atmosphere is conjured with strong plentiful reverberation on the vocals the drifts over the instrumentals like a graceful ghost lost in memory.

Unfortunately, this is Mastodon and so the spell of our three darker tracks are often interspersed with technically dazzling riffs that scale the fret board with pace but in doing so break the spell of this shadowy, chilling setting. The same could be said of the solos too, when the distortion picks up and the more human Rock elements come to the front, it pushes the sombre setting out of mind. I really have enjoyed this record but its kind of bitter sweet as they don't fully embrace the mysterious atmosphere they create on three of the four songs.

Favorite Tracks: North Side Star, Blue Walsh, Toe To Toes

Rating: 5/10

Septic Flesh "Codex Omega" (2017)

Greek veterans Septic Flesh have been at it since the early nineties and "Code Omega" is their tenth full length release and what a fine record it is! Being relatively unfamiliar with the band I don't know a lot about them bar an obscure EP I happen to really like. They play atmospheric and symphonic Death Metal with touches of other extreme sounds identifiable in the constructs of their sound. The symphonic elements of this record are exceptionally fleshed out, mind the pun. It borders on orchestral as the rich tapestry of music compliments the already high fidelity Metal production.

The band generally arrange the strings and symphonies around the rhythm of thunderous drums that pound tribal grooves in tandem with the monstrous thickness of the distortion guitars. When they are stripped back the orchestration arises to fill the gap and in turn dials it down when the guitars take lead. This rather mechanical sounding approach works ever so well as the melodies, grooves composed compliment each other well and work towards the same overall theme and sense of atmosphere, allowing them to be inherently different and playing to the strengths of whats needed in the progression of the songs.

The majority of these songs unfold like epic battles, the sirens of war call out alongside the crushing onslaught of chugging guitars and battering blast beats. Singer Antoniou roars his deep growling guttural words like a battle cry. Climatic break outs and shifts in direction create a true sense of direction as they spark the imagination to what events are unfolding in this cinematic experience. Its not all brutality and bludgeoning, bursts of light creep in as breaks to melodic lead sections are graced by the capable and authentic clean vocals of guitarist Vayenas.

There is little to falter, fantastic, sublime production brings crisp and bright instruments together in an extreme setting. My only complaint would be the occasional lack of charm, "Faceless Queen" chugs out a monotone syncopated groove with an incessant jolting of strings. It makes its point, creating a state of immanent fear and danger but does so with blunt force and a few other moments like this felt like the craft slipped for a moment. Otherwise its a sturdy collection of songs with the acoustic guitar lead "Trinity" closing the album on a throwback to the "Eldest Cosmonaut" EP I am fond of. This is probably because its the only other record of theirs I know!

Favorite Tracks: Martyr, Enemy Of Truth, The Gospels Of Fear, Trinity

Rating: 7/10