Lycanthro - Lycanthro EP

Artist: Lycanthro
Release Title: Lycanthro EP
Year: 2017
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Power/Traditional Heavy Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Crucible
2. Into Oblivion
3. Break Through the Fire
4. Ride the Dragon

Bringing their classic influences to the front, Canadian heavy metallers Lycanthro have come together to forge one of the most appealing and intriguing love-letters to the classic metal sound of the 80s with a strong, classy-sounding release. Coming together to usher their debut EP, the group releases this first glimpse of their sound with this self-released effort January 8, 2017.

Coming straight out of the 80s, the groups’ obvious and burgeoning love-letter to the old-school style of metal becomes quite apparent from the start. Firing off tight, explosive lead rhythms full of galloping tempos and brimming with up-tempo melodies, there’s such an entertaining display of old-school rhythms on display here. With the majority of these tracks allowing the riffing to feature stellar marching gallops or tight, furious speed metal-style picking, it allows this to really cement their old-school leanings once the group begins exploring a fine mid-tempo chug that develops an interesting bridge between the grand speed metal stylings and the different traditional metal gallops that all works together into a grand and glorious old-school homage. The fact that there are only a few tracks here does come up as a minor problem as it’s just getting interesting when it really just ends and there’s the feeling that you could’ve wanted more quite easily. Likewise, there’s the raw and pretty obvious low-budget feel to the recording that might rub some the wrong way as that does limit some of the old-school influences in the fuzz from the recordings, but that doesn’t pose as big an issue as the overall brevity.

While not as big or grand as it should be due to the obvious limitations of the budgeting constraints involved here, there’s still plenty to like here in terms of old-school style power/traditional heavy metal on display for fans of this particular style to pay attention to in the future.

Score: 70/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://lycanthro.bandcamp.com/releases

Striker (Ca) - Striker

Artist: Striker (Ca)
Release Title: Striker
Year: 2017
Label: Record Breaking Records
Genre: Retro Heavy Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Former Glory
2. Pass Me By
3. Born to Lose
4. Cheating Death
5. Shadows in the Light
6. Rock the Night
7. Over the Top
8. Freedom's Call
9. Curse of the Dead
10. Desire (Ozzy Osbourne cover)

Still flying the banner of the old-school, the Canadian heavy/power metallers Striker have adopted a slight change of pace in their sound as the band has gone a more streamlined, straightforward burst of their trademarked old-school sound. With a quick turn around to their new release nearly a calendar year from the last effort, the groups’ self-titled fifth full-length is released February 24, 2017 on their own Record Breaking Records.

Despite the slight sonic shift present, it’s still obvious the band is intent on going through their stellar old-school style here which remains prominent throughout this one. No longer featuring wild, lengthy rhythms or expanded instrumental sections as instead they go for a simple series of charging riff-work and straightforward patterns that go more for solid beat-downs than anything else throughout here. The same high-energy attack is still there, making for a much more energetic and engaging time here with the album simplifying matters without offering up much of a change in their formula bringing this one along quite nicely. It does offer a few minor stumbling blocks in places here where it slips in lighter rhythms and melodies from their power metal style that makes for quite a striking contrast against the raging traditional metal elements elsewhere throughout here, and it seems as though these were just the odd misshapen rhythms due to the rather strong manner they accomplished this work in the past so to suddenly see it lowered in this manner could very well be a minor fluke of the album. Still, it’s a noticeable flaw here and does bring this one down somewhat slightly even with so much else to like throughout here.

While featuring a few minor missteps here with the lighter melodies not generating the kind of enjoyment as their heavier tendencies, this one still packs in more than enough to like here with the streamlined style working more often than not and making for a nice addition to any fan of their past work or revivalist heavy metal acts.

Score: 92/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/striker4

Valfreya - Promised Land

Artist: Valfreya
Release Title: Promised Land
Year: 2017
Label: Independent/Self-Released
Genre: Melodic Folk/Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Horizon
2. Odin's Fury
3. Mortal Supremacy
4. Pandemonium
5. The Icelanding Sagas
6. Shame and Despair
7. Peuple du nord
8. Promised Land
9. The Choice
10. Warlords
11. Evolution
12. Undying Tale

Trying to harness their sound, Canadian folk/black metallers Valfreya have spent many years being able to hone their unique and engaging mix of folk and black metal together in a fine mix of styles that continue to show inspiration and influence from Norse mythology. Having dominated the live scene in the interim, the group finally returns from a five-year gap with their self-released sophomore effort January 10, 2017.

Coming across immediately, the band offers a stellar outpouring of their chosen style as they offer some of the finest concoctions of their style as they can. The major focus here is on the tight, lock-step riffing that manages to simultaneously merge their stuttering folk leanings chugging along with the stellar tremolo-picked melodies of their black metal side. This framework makes the material here come off with a highly appealing side as the folk-driven black metal is tinged with nice symphonics to complete an engaging overall atmosphere that captures the epic spirit involved in the conceptual storyline running throughout the album. Given that this epic splendor results in the vast majority of the album containing a rousing, bombastic feel throughout this is played at a bouncy, up-tempo pace that perfectly suits the album’s given themes and manages to give this a strong, stylish and engaging tone that makes for a really enjoyable listen. The biggest issue here is that the album tends to come off rather stuffed and full, especially in the later half where it’s simply more of the same being presented here since this one doesn’t really offer up too much all that different from the vast majority of the other tracks here which means that the album runs together and becomes hard to distinguish from itself quite easily. However, this isn’t that big of a detriment with all the enjoyable material present elsewhere.

Although it’s a little bit longer than what it really should be, the fact that there’s far more to enjoy about this one with its strong mixture of raging folk tunes and fiery black metal rhythms makes this one a fine choice for aficionados of folk-influenced black metal or this type of material in general.

Score: 90/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://valfreya1.bandcamp.com/

Flidais - Kazador EP

Artist: Flidais
Release Title: Kazador EP
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Progressive Power Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Traffic
2. Pinnacle
3. High Stakes
4. Hunter
5. Resolve
6. Missing

Continuing to hone their craft, Canadian progressive power metallers Flidais have comprised their central style of galloping power metal full of tight, bright melodies that are merged together with deft ease and execution that was a part of their original style. As original members Jordan Litt on guitars and Chris Darmanin on drums have left with only the latter being replaced by Ryley Swatman, the group’s new EP is original self-released December 2, 2016.

This here is quite the enjoyable release mainly due to the rather enjoyable nature of the band really offering quite an impressive attack here. Built upon the swirling, challenging progressive-tinged riffing that’s quite impressive how it manages to go for the variety of work overall here, is due to the bands’ insistence on featuring the riffing more as a straightforward gallop while still featuring plenty of challenging rhythms and patterns which give it a strong progressive bent. With this given a strong boost by the strong melodic outpouring throughout here due to the tight riffing and strong accents placed within the music, on the whole, this one carries itself pretty well here and doesn’t really strike as too detrimental in too many areas as the riffing is strong, the melodies are bright and the varied attack makes this one quite enjoyable. There’s one element that could use some minor touch-up in here which is the album’s tendency to stay within quite familiar stylings to each other so that a vast majority of the songs are blended together into the same general sound of challenging, churning riffing and bright melodies that sound good yet doesn’t strike as any kind of distinctive voice here due to the repeat style featured. It’s not a big detriment but it is there.

Though only hurt here somewhat by the relatively small aspect of their music with the commonly-used riff-work and rhythms making it blend into itself quite easily, it’s not nearly enough to let this one loose itself into that flaw and comes off rather nicely for fans of bright, melodic power metal or progressive-minded fans of the genre.

Score: 88/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://www.facebook.com/FlidaisMusic/

Malacoda - Ritualis Aeterna EP

Artist: Malacoda
Release Title: Ritualis Aeterna EP
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Power/Gothic Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Penny Dreadful
2. I Got A Letter
3. Pandemonium
4. The Wild Hunt
5. Linger Here
6. There Will Always Be One

Containing a lot of the same elements, Canadian gothic metallers Malacoda have further expanded their dark gothic vision by including even more literary and visual influences into their sound since their previous release. As the lineup is now rounded out with the addition of keyboard virtuoso Jonah Weingarten into their ranks, the groups’ new EP is self-released December 2, 2016.

This here comes off as a rather strong and impressive release that has plenty of strong work at play here with the rather disparate elements coming together into a strong whole. For the most part here the band is clearly adept at delving into the grandiose Gothic imagery present here which is quite strong and prominent featuring plenty of the swirling riff-work, the utterly dramatic blend of rhythms here that delve from progressive-styled groove to bombastic symphonics overlaid with plenty of melodic interludes and a variance in the tempos all come forward into making this one flirt incredibly heavily with the dark romantic vibe present in the genre. These here work incredibly well for the band, but the fact that there’s not a whole lot else really going on here does affect this one as the band seems to just simply pound through their signature sound but that’s about it. It’s adept at their stylistic variation within the style, but otherwise, it’s just a mostly bland offering that never really reaches any kind of impressive  riffing that really comes off as quite bland without having any more impressive rhythms involved. On the whole, this is a competent if uninspired effort.

Though this one has some decent work involved, there’s not a whole lot else with this one going on that makes this one feel quite bland overall in terms of performance that this one really only seems worthwhile for the most devout and hardcore gothic/power metal fans or followers of the band members’ previous bands.

Score: 60/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://malacoda.bandcamp.com/album/ritualis-aeterna

Ruptured Birth - Transmutant

Artist: Ruptured Birth
Release Title: Transmutant
Year: 2016
Label: CDN Records
Genre: Brutal/Slam Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Saprogenic
2. Strogg
3. Projectile Copremisis
4. Blood Siren
5. Nuclear Marauders
6. The Shape
7. Transmutant
8. Vomit Drop
9. Unnatural Selection

Formed in the summer of 2014, Canadian slammers Ruptured Birth have quite quickly taken a prominent role amongst the community by offering a highly-competent science fiction-based attack to their tight, technical slam-infused brutality. Quickly releasing their first EP and now joined by Aaron Cividino handling bass guitar duties, the quartet issues their debut full-length September 28 on CDN Records.

From the very start here, the band clearly and quite comfortably takes their technically-proficient brand of brutal death metal and slam through a very engaging whole. Offering forth a never-ending whirlwind here of tight, pummeling slams and breakdowns fueled through a ferocious blend of dexterous riffing, slow lurching crawls and a fine sense of blasting drumming to compliment the fine slams featured throughout the rhythms here. Still, there’s a more impressive focus here on introducing all these fine slams to a science fiction aesthetic that’s built more upon far more technical and twisting rhythms that drops the slamming pretence for quite more straightforward brutal death here, and these result in far more superior and enjoyable elements by wrapping around quite a bit more enjoyable elements within their basic framework-style slams and tight, chugging rhythms, and with the technical and the brutal landing together side-by-side this is quite an enjoyable release. There’s very little about this music that’s all too original or brings about any additional revelations within the music, which isn’t a terrible facet to this one but it gets extrapolated here with the endless overlong closing epic that doesn’t really do much for the album as a whole here with the nonsensical sci-fi leanings and pointless meandering that stretches the song out way past the fifteen-minute mark. It’s really the only thing otherwise that holds this one back with all the other enjoyable elements on display.

While it does get docked somewhat for some rather questionable overlong material in an otherwise enjoyable and vicious album, that doesn’t really deter this one all that much as the vast amount of enjoyable work on display here makes this quite an appealing and worthwhile effort for slam fans or brutal death metal in general.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.cdnrecords.com/product/ruptured-birth-transmutant-arachni-supremacy-mcd-as-bonus-tracks/

Red Cain - Red Cain EP

Artist: Red Cain
Release Title: Red Cain EP
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Melodic/Progressive Heavy Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Guillotine
2. Dead Aeon Requiem
3. Hiraeth
4. Unborn

Born as an industrial/gothic act in 2012, Canadian heavy metallers Red Cain quickly moved away from this style into a more melodic metal act inspired by the European acts in the style following the introduction of orchestration guru William Lancaster and multi-instrumentalist Rogan McAndrews into the groups’ core ranks. With the line-up solidified and ready to go, the groups’ self-released debut EP was originally released November 25, 2016.

From the outset, the band sets up a rather intriguing mix of molten progressive rhythms and tons of charging melodic rhythms that make for quite an intriguing and enjoyable time here. There’s plenty of incredibly fun and enjoyable riff-work here with the main focus on driving progressive rhythms that contain plenty of challenging patterns skillfully interwoven with bright melodic outbursts, featuring plenty of tough rumbling underlying rhythms and a sense blend of dynamics throughout here with the intervening symphonic orchestrations providing this one with the backbone upon which the fiery mid-tempo grooves produced by the progressive-tinged riff-work balances out quite nicely. It works as a fine set-up for the bands’ proper introduction here with this one really exploring all facets of their work quite nicely, and with the lengthy tracks allowing for these to come through it gives off quite an impressive feel and tone throughout here though the band still employs one minor piece that does come out here. There’s quite ample evidence here that the group is much more comfortable and able in the stronger, more vibrant sections of their sound and really haven’t tackled the slower, more dragging tempos yet as these are much more of pain to get through when the band stops and attempts to go for the plodding sections that just drag on endlessly and stretching this one out more than it really should, and even this isn’t that bad due to being a debut offering here. Otherwise, there’s not much to dislike here.

With only a minor stumbling block and not even that detrimental of one anyway, the album’s much greater enjoyable factors here with the stronger sense of melodies interwoven with progressive rhythms make this one quite a worthwhile and appealing act to watch for fans of melodic or progressive heavy metal.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://redcain.bandcamp.com/album/red-cain-ep

Barrow Wight - Kings in Sauron's Service

Artist: Barrow Wight
Release Title: Kings in Sauron's Service
Year: 2016
Label: Heavy Chains Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. No Sleep till Gondor
3. Osgiliath
4. The Cult
5. Grond
6. Knights in Saurons Service
7. In League with Sauron
8. Dwimmerlaik
9. Harrower of the Dark
10. The Palantir

Founded in 2006 by high-school friends, Canadian metallers Barrow Wight have quickly taken the band’s sound to a venom-charged, reverb-fuelled heavy metal punk nightmare through the years as they’ve refined and honed their sound. With two years of work touring and preparing material having secured a stable line-up comprised of Antero on vocals/bass, Akiva on guitar, and Ace on drums, the group prepares their debut effort September 30, 2016 on Heavy Chains Records.

As evidenced by their thematic imagery, the group is quite clearly at home employing fantasy-style work here to their simplistic dirty heavy metal style. The riff-work takes plenty of cues from straightforward punk-laced early traditional metal as the chug-heavy rhythms and unvarying style make for a rather simplistic style of attack while being augmented by rumbling bass-lines and pounding, straightforward drumming that doesn’t deviate from the norm all that much, keeping this one solely one-note throughout here in terms of presenting rocking, high-energy punk rhythms within simplistic heavy metal. As that becomes the most prominent aspect of this one, though, that leaves the album so simplistic and single-minded that it really does this a disservice by simply offering only slight tempo deviations for any kind of variety and on the whole there’s just not a whole lot of really engaging material here once it lets the tricks of the trade be presented. There’s not a whole lot really wrong with this attack, which does come off rather nicely here due to the influx of rumbling heavy metal and fiery riff-work throughout the album, but it’s just way too simplistic to really count with the short and to-the-point running time of the majority of the tracks certainly not doing that any favors, though this here does get a slight pass for not only being a debut release from the group and a chance to rework that could be highly beneficial in the future.

Though there’s some solid work at times here, the fact that there’s just not all that much work here that really brings this one up from the mediocre realm ends up causing this one to mostly appeal to die-hard fans of the dirty rocking style or those that really enjoy the other facets of the band on display throughout here.

Score: 80/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.heavychainsrecords.com/shop/cds/barrow-wight-kings-in-saurons-service-cd

Endemise - Anathema

Artist: Endemise
Release Title: Anathema
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Symphonic Black/Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Nocturne
2. Anathema
3. Blackening
4. Procreator
5. Fragments in Stone
6. Soma
7. Come Serene Dark
8. Fragments in Flame

Managing to offer more of the same, Canadian symphonic black/death metallers Endemise have contributed to their main style of attack throughout their career which really brings a new showcase for their grand sound. With a three-year gap between releases that sees Graham Murphy settling into the second guitarist role for the group, their third full-length album was originally released October 28, 2016 on Maple Metal Records.

From the start this here finds itself contained within a fine mixture of the two main genres featured by utilizing a strong display of swirling black metal amidst the predominantly death metal stylings here. Featuring the keyboard-laced symphonics for the most part here with plenty of utterly bombastic and dynamic rhythms that offer the grandiosity typically found here, and then wrapping it all in a truly engaging and wholly appropriate black metal series of stylings that make for a rather impressive contrast. The near-Gothic stylings here with the grandiose drumming stylings and full-on orchestrations add another fine layer alongside the swirling tremolo rhythms and generate plenty of truly enjoyable elements with some fine melodic leanings throughout here, and these leave this one somewhat enjoyable. While these are quite fun, they bring up the album’s main problem here which comes from the fact that there’s just not a lot of really strong and varied series of rhythms throughout here which really tends to make this go by without really finding out where you are in the album as a whole.that lowers this one somewhat. Despite unleashing a strongly-performed album for the most part, there’s just not a whole lot really here to give this much of a coherent style or identity as it’s just not all that dynamic to really make a different impression here. It’s what really holds this one back even with the positive elements.

Though it’s got some positive work throughout here with the strong orchestral elements and some energetic work at times, there’s still plenty of work here that drags this down enough to really leave this one for the most undiscerning fans of symphonic black or death metal for the most part as most others should heed caution with this one.

Score: 76/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://endemise.bandcamp.com/album/anathema

Untimely Demise - Black Widow

Artist: Untimely Demise
Release Title; Black Widow
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: German Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Forgotten in Time
2. Enslaver
3. Black Widow
4. Cancer of the Heart
5. Anticolonizer
6. Calling Me Back from the Light
7. Sickening Repression
8. Holy Man
9. Anticolonizer (Shawn Drover Drums)

Advancing their style with every release, Canadian thrashers Untimely Demise have certainly advanced quite rapidly towards their chosen style of homaging the German style of old-school thrash while spicing up the pot with plenty of other extreme elements. With powerhouse drummer Bryan Newbury joining the group, the trio prepares it’s third full-length effort was independently released May 28, 2016.

As has been the case for their career, the main element present here is the bands’ celebration and admiration of the German school of thrash as they manage to whip through plenty of frantic and ravenous patterns here that take that to heart.  Full of tight, stylish and heavy thumping patterns that are graced nicely by frantic technical rhythms in their patterns that are far more challenging and complex than anything they’ve done before which adds to the album’s overall sense of dynamic heavy thrashing that is straight from that overall mode of attack. By accompanying these rabid, technical thrashing with an utterly explosive sense of melodic prowess by not only sprinkling in melody-driven soloing and plenty of harmonic accents to the tracks but also managing to add to the driving main rhythm itself there’s such an overall sense of melodic firepower displayed alongside a ravenous full-throttle approach to the tracks here that makes up the majority of the tracks here. It’s such a thumping, heavy-handed approach that treads the fine line between brutalising with it’s attack and overdosing on melodic accents that it hits hard, charges forward with utter impunity and offers the perfect breathing room in their rhythms which is such a devastating impact that it’s simply overpowering on nearly all fronts and becomes a nearly-perfect sonic assault. The only effort that holds this from being utterly perfect is the re-recorded track at the end which features a different drummer, and while being one of the album's highlight tracks originally the change in tone is noticeable and does affect the momentum of the rest of the album. It's so minute, though, that it barely registers against the blistering rest of the album.

With such a powerful and utterly dominating effort that it creates a near-perfect blend of ravenous full-throttle thrash German with plenty of strong melodic accents, they make this an essential release for those into any form of old-school or German thrash in particular, but it’s really hard not to find any thrasher that won’t find something to utterly love here.

Score: 99/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://untimelydemise.bandcamp.com/

Infrared - No Peace

Artist: Infrared
Release Title: No Peace
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Old-School Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Inframental
2. T.O.C.
3. No Peace
4. My Good Will
5. Social Science
6. Cliche
7. Some Kind of Disease
8. Down Below
9. Untimely Storm
10. Thoughts Caught (In Between)
11. In Search of...

One of the scenes’ greatest comeback stories, Canadian thrashers Infrared have finally followed through on the premise of their debut demo after twenty-seven years of being away from the music scene with their reformation several years ago. Now after two years of additional rehearsals to provide the finishing touches to their tracks, the group finally prepares it’s full-length debut independently-released March 25, 2016.

As befits their old-school stance, the band clearly adopts a straightforward and unwavering old-school tone and approach that’s influenced quite heavily from their peers in the scene during the initial run of the band which is basically simple crunchy Bay-Area thrash throughout this one. The choppy rhythms, explosive melodic breaks and varied tempo changes that run from tight gallops to heavy, chugging mid-tempo charges manage to effectively evoke that old-school feeling for the main part of the album which gives it a startling consistency during the tracks with the group able to keep the main charge rather consistent and powerful. That it manages to even weave along a more consistent old-school feel in the varying tactics that were employed back then with swirling melodic intros, dynamic tempo changes and a variety of different riffing tactics that offer up relaxing epic moods during sections in the tracks before offering up charging full-throttle breaks creates a wholly effective atmosphere for the most part that does provide this one with it’s main flaw here. The fact that it does play so close to the vest of so many ravenous thrashing bands in that style gives this one a rather familiar feel that plays like countless other bands in the revival or even of the old-guard still charging along that it can feel quite familiar and like it’s going through the motions overall which does crop up throughout here from time to time. Strangely, though, this here manages to feel part of the albums’ charm as this actually was a band around during that time and doesn’t really affect it that much.

Though it can play itself a bit too close to the old-school tone and feel quite often in here, the major factor going for this one in that the band did form during that time and are only now through circumstance finally getting it out overrules that by and large which makes for a rousing and thoroughly enjoyable release for anyone into the old-school thrash scene in general.

Score: 90/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://infraredmetal.bandcamp.com/

Torrefy - The Infinity Complex

Artist: Torrefy
Release Title: The Infinity Complex
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Planck Epoch
2. The Singularity
3. Hypochongea
4. Blinding the Beholder
5. Thrashist Dictator
6. Killed to Death
7. Infinity Complex
8. Celestial Warfare
9. Trial by Stone

Exploding leaps and bounds in a few years, Canadian thrashers Torrefy have showcased a remarkable and obvious growth from their previous work by enhancing many of their positive traits while largely abandoning many of the weaker elements. Offering up a new celestial-thematic concept within the album which matches the epic scope of the material, this second full-length is independently released August 19, 2016.

As the last album clearly showed, the bands’ initial approach of simplistic thrash has been largely jettisoned in favor of a more progressive-tinged affair that allows for a more obvious technical showcase than originally appeared here. The riffing is strongly complex and much more challenging than the original’s simplistic approach that didn’t really leave this one much room to really explore their more enjoyable patterns that were present. Here, this one allows the band to explore a much more prominent and obvious series of rhythm changes with the group able to go from a more simplistic sprawl to a generous mid-tempo gallop and then onto a full-on blitz of charging, challenging riff-work that’s quite impressive as the improvement and advancement in this area is exceptionally evident and displayed across the album as a whole. Still, there’s the one issue that wasn’t fixed in that the lead singer isn’t the most appropriate for the type of material played here with his hoarse, snarling rasps wholly at odds with the rest of the music here with the shrieking seemingly more in tone for a black metal album than a true thrash-style work which this one is. Even with this factor, the album’s main factor lowering it is the exceptionally bloated and somewhat overlong tracks here which are quite longer than what they really should be as the album seemingly goes on far longer than what is necessary. The riffing is seemingly endless and really has no need to be this long as the album clocking in around the forty-five minute mark would’ve given this a huge boost. While these here do make this one somewhat lower, it’s still a huge, marked improvement over the original.

Despite being a touch too big for what it’s trying to go for, this here is such a markedly improved album that changes up their old simplistic formula for a more challenging and progressive side that might need some ironing out some more considering the change, and really leaves this one for progressive-minded thrashers or fans of the band in general.

Score: 88/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://torrefy.bandcamp.com/album/the-infinity-complex

Expired Utopia - Expired Utopia EP

Artist: Expired Utopia
Release Title: Expired Utopia EP
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Progressive Power Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Chasing a Tattered Flag
2. Defining the Gods
3. Expired Utopia

Comprised of scene veterans, Canadian progressive power metallers Expired Utopia were initially born from a mutual love of power metal with a vast and unique style ranging from symphonic to progressive and everything else in between. Bringing these influences to the forefront of their first release, the groups’ self-titled debut EP was originally released August 25, 2016.

For the most part this here is certainly whipped around the frantic, technical riff-work usually featured here with the album’s varied approach and dynamic patterns holding this one up throughout the tracks here. There’s a great sense of technical work here changing through a series of dynamic rhythms that soar through a grand series of strong, melodic rhythms and tight, pounding rhythms that all feature the strong technically-proficient riffing alongside it. Graced with occasional mid-tempo chugging that adds a strong melodic charge to these compositions, there’s a generally strong and imposing framework for the material here that generates the kind of dynamic patterns and melodic accessibility required for the genre.given that this is a bands’ debut offering, it’s not a hugely detrimental factor but there’s a sense of meandering riff-work and a lack of focus here on the tracks as they tend to go on simply feeling that’s what’s required to be in the genre through their influences and at times this makes the album seem like a chore to get through despite only getting three tracks. Though this can be refined and honed in the future, it’s still a factor here.

Though it gets into some problematic areas here with the overdrawn riffing not really going for the tight, clean work of their predecessors it has more than enough that does work here that with some minor refining this could be another solid and enjoyable band for fans of technical/progressive power metal or epic metal in general.

Score: 73/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://expiredutopia.bandcamp.com/

The Projectionist - The GallowForest Eulogy EP

Artist: The Projectionist
Release Title: The GallowForest Eulogy EP
Year: 2016
Label: Appalachian Noise Records
Genre: Depressive Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The GallowForest Eulogy
2. Automaton Stare
3. Apex of the Void
4. Wyvern Termite
5. Imagined Fortress Made to Give Way

Coming together just last year, Canadian black metallers The Projectionist have quickly set-up themselves to be a prolific act in the genre with not only a full-length album but this new EP to be released shortly afterward. Carrying on their unique brand of depression and solitude to the traditional black metal aesthetic, this is officially released August 6, 2016 on Appalachian Noise Records.

This here is quite a decent and overall fine if minimalist black metal effort. A lot of this one is based around the repetitious and droning riff-work where it’s mostly based around light strumming with a decidedly raw edge to things, making for a simplistic edge with this one taking the same general arrangement on throughout the entire effort. The minimalist nature and plodding tempos here really tend to highlight the album’s depressive tone and arrangements quite well, going for the helpless, atonal vibe that’s been a consistent part of what they’ve been about from the beginning, which really carries on with the squealing, wailing vocals that really add to the whole depressed and lonely atmosphere typically found in the genre. That in itself is the biggest advantage and problem associated with this one, as there’s not much else on display here beyond this slow, plodding and somewhat lifeless melancholic material that expresses such a misanthropic nature that might not be for everyone. This is such a strictly limited appeal effort that it’s relatively impossible not to get others into what’s going on here, generating little else to others beyond what is there only for the genre’s die-hard fans that it’s likely going to be a dull, rather bland effort for most.

Though there’s some generally appealing material on display, the fact that it’s such a rather one-sided affair with little else worthwhile here for others that in this sense the only appeal here to be found is for the depressive black metal fanatic while all others should heed caution or outright avoidance in this case.

Score: 65/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://thetrueprojectionist.bandcamp.com/releases

Survival Instinct - Survival Instinct

Artist: Survival Instinct
Release Title: Survival Instinct
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Antichrist Vatican
2. Ascension of the Beast
3. I Will Never Die
4. Eternal Brutality
5. Emptiness
6. Hellocaust
7. Faking Life
8. Rotten
9. Tell 'em

Coming together in 2013, Canadian thrashers Survival Instinct quickly managed to produce an EP release about a year later and have spent the remaining time forging their live reputation with scores of gigs and tours of their homeland. Now, two years have past and the band is ready to unleash their full-length debut, independently self-released August 20, 2016.

Taking plenty of cues from the Bay-Area style of attack,the main riffing attack here is taken along through the usually tight, crunchy patterns offered in that mode of attack which greatly benefits this one with the ability to offer up a nice amount of differing rhythms as the loud, biting guitar riffing is a dominant aspect to this one. Offering that explosively crunchy, fast-paced rhythm attack in conjunction with some rather nice mid-tempo work it creates a thumping, fiery atmosphere that really echoes the sound and vibe from that particular breed of the genre where it mainly offers up that mid-tempo crunch patterns with the occasional burst into a light chug style of riffing which comes from keeping this one steady, straightforward and unwavering in their attack. That does bring up the main strike against this one in the fact that there’s just nothing all that original on display here, running through the exact same general rhythms and patterns that were part of the Bay Area scene so much so that it doesn’t really offer up any kind of deviation from these arrangements which just seem to carry on throughout here. That really keeps this one down, as well as the fact that the rather simplistic riff-work is kept pretty cluttered where it doesn’t really generate the kind of infectious energy or enthusiasm that it really needs with the continuous mid-tempo paces and leaving the bands’ spurts into up-tempo fare to come in brief spurts overall. There’s not as much energy it develops here that overall it could’ve, and it basically sounds way too complacent on running through the past while not often enough generating the kind of energy it should’ve.

While there’s some flaws to be found here, some of that is inherently made out to be nothing more than just debut jitters and is somewhat forgivable while others aren’t as much and really do leave this one solely for the most undemanding of revivalist thrash aficionados or those that prefer a more mid-tempo pace to their typical thrash crunch.

Score: 74/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://survivalinstinct.bandcamp.com/album/hells-angels

Idolatry - Visions from the Throne of Eyes

Artist: Idolatry
Release Title: Visions from the Throne of Eyes
Year: 2016
Label: Humanity's Plague Productions
Genre: Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Visions from the Throne of Eyes (Pt. I)
2. Thunder from the Depths
3. Satanas häxan
4. Anachronistic Might of Spellcasting
5. Cathartic Expulsion of Shrieking Sorrow
6. Visions from the Throne of Eyes (Pt. II)
7. Tiamatic Winds
8. Illuminated Ominous Darkness
9. Imperator Nero Murmurationis Hortum

From the frozen north of Edmonton, Canadian black metallers Idolatry developed a ferocious reputation in their homeland on the strength of a vicious self-titled EP and numerous live performances over the years. Having honed their craft into a splendid Satanic brew, the quintet finally prepares their debut effort  on March 25, 2016 via Humanity's Plague Productions.

This here is a rather dynamic and mostly impressive effort that centers around the album’s overly simplistic riffing which marches forth with their traditional tremolo riffing. The cold, haunting atmosphere from these sprawling rhythms meshes incredibly well with the more simplistic and straightforward arrangements here and manages to bring about the colder atmospheres as it buzzes along at the faster tempos, while also allowing for the inclusion of melodic accents to bring out that frosty vibe even further. When given a more majestic, slower-paced feel here is where the album starts to stumble here as rather than effectively capture that slow, lurching crawl famous in most old-school black metal instead it just seems as though the band is devoid of energy and instead stumbles along half-heartedly which doesn’t seem to be the intended tone. Considering this is a debut effort, that has some leeway for it, but a little less forgivable is the somewhat jarring drumming which is quite busy at times and placed quite loud in the overall mix resulting in a constant clattering sound in the background that doesn’t really augment the music all that well even if the patterns and performances are played to perfection. It really just needed to be reigned in slightly, though overall it’s not all that bad of an effort at all.

Though there’s some minor debut jitters which is to be expected here, there’s still more than enough to really get out of this one that there’s a lot to like for fans of the frosty, slightly chaotic old-school black metal in this one though those who aren’t really forgiving of the flaws here should heed caution somewhat.

Score: 82/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://idolatryblackmetal.bandcamp.com/album/visions-from-the-throne-of-eyes

Assassin's Blade - Agents of Mystification

Artist: Assassin's Blade
Release Title: Agents of Mystification
Year: 2016
Label: Pure Steel Records
Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Agents of Mystification
2. Herostratos
3. The Demented Force
4. Dreadnought
5. Autumn Serenade
6. Transgression
7. Nowhere Riders
8. Crucible of War
9. Frosthammer
10. League of the Divine Wind
11. Prophet's Urn

A wholly international act consisting of Canadian and Swedish musicians, heavy metallers Assassin’s Blade was formed in 2014 by Jacques Bélanger of Exciter fame who teamed with a dazzling pair of Swedish musicians, David Stranderud and Peter Svensson. When drummer Marcus Rosenkvist joined the band permanently in 2015 soon thereafter the band unleashed it’s debut offering on April 29, 2016 through Pure Steel Records.

For the most part this here is a fantastically old-school recording, comprising mostly of straightforward heavy metal material clearly in that sphere of influence. Tight, swirling trad-metal workouts are the main course here, running through rather impressive mid-tempo sections here while still allowing the band to switch-up proceedings quite nicely here when it switches over into other creative realms. Also managing to go into far more majestic, mid-range tempos here where it forsakes those tight speed-packed arrangements for more of a plodding mid-tempo series of rhythms that are far more relaxed and instead march along at an even-handed chug with the steady rhythms keeping it all in line. This is on the whole a really appealing arrangement for the most part, even aiding along by the fine guest musicians who provide extravagant and ripping soloing throughout most of the tracks as well as the explosive vocal-work. Indeed, there’s plenty of enjoyable work throughout here, this one does manage to stumble across one problem where the album goes into a dry spell music-wise in the mid-segment. There’s plenty of times in those tracks where it really could’ve turned up the speed more than what happens here, and the majority of those tracks in that section are based on the mid-tempo style of work instead and aside from that drop-off it really reinforces the idea of this one running through the same riffs and patterns. This is a rather troubling section that does come through mainly from the group’s inexperience, and should be remedied in time as they continue.

While there’s some minor flaws to be had here with the somewhat detrimental rhythms running into the same patterns, there’s plenty to like here in the classic heavy metal sound otherwise that it does come off more for that old-school heavy metal crowd or fans of the creative members involved who can look past the flaws.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.puresteel-shop.com/ASSASSINS-BLADE-Agents-of-Mystification

Reanimator (Ca)/Soul Collector (Pol) - In Union We Thrash split

Artist: Reanimator (Ca)/Soul Collector (Pol)
Release Title: In Union We Thrash split
Year: 2016
Label: Defense Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Soul Collector - It Is Time (Intro)
2. Soul Collector - The Pledge
3. Soul Collector - Never Enough
4. Soul Collector - 1968
5. Reanimator - Peaceful Eradication
6. Reanimator - Beyond That Burning Mask
7. Reanimator - The Abominautor
8. Reanimator - The Mosh Master
9. Reanimator - Rush for the Mosh
10. Reanimator - Tempted by Deviance

Two of the better revivalist thrash-scene efforts, the Canadian Reanimator and the Polish Soul Collector are among the more impressive and engaging acts in this crowded market that keeps growing by the day. This new split release, released April 16th, 2016 on Defense, gathers ten tracks, four new compositions from Soul Collector and six from Reanimator, with four of their better tracks from their last release alongside two new efforts, brings together a lot to like from both bands.

First up is Soul Collector, and they immediately bring out their best work here with a rabid, snarling attack centered on their vicious riff-work and dynamic rhythms for a truly old-school workout. Based on tight, swirling thrash riffing and plenty of crunchy patterns at dizzying full-throttle tempos augmented with plenty of furious drumming propelling the material along incredibly well, there’s so much sonically to enjoy here that this quickly gets infectious and highly enjoyable as this provides epic arrangements and solid tempo changes like a truer old-school thrash act. This shows off the fact that they’re able to offer a tight plodding epic that builds into a ripping full-throttle thrasher, a more mid-tempo crunch style attack or the straightforward thrasher, and it’s quite enjoyable. They’re not the most unique or original act in the genre, which isn’t a big deal since so many bands are content to really play off the same playbook as it each other, but here the infectious energy and tight performances are more than enough to counter that. It’s really a shame there’s only the three true tracks here with them getting the instrumental intro, but it’s not a major gripe against them and they’re easily the best band here.

Next, Reanimator bursts forth with their more chaotic bent on retro thrashing as this one really lets their ripping Bay-Area riffing take center-stage. Tight, vicious and crunchy with just the right blend of chaos-driven anarchy in the arrangements that provides solid framework here to really showcase their intensity, on the whole this here is rather enjoyable and dynamic while really bringing out a more looser sense of reckless energy in their rhythms that’s quite enjoyable for the most part. The main thing here is the fact that there’s only two original  tracks by the group and then slapped on four of their best tracks from the last release which seems a little lazy here. The other group took the time to compose some original material and while they came up with three plus the original, the epic arrangements provided there don’t quite match up to the work here since their shortest track is still longer than anything on this half of the split, and that really tends to make their side feel like it’s going through the motions more than anything. The music is good, but it’s so familiar because of the repeat performances that it lowers the release slightly.

Though this one does seem to come off a little lower than it really should’ve because of the repeated tracks against the original compositions on display, the fact remains that there’s still so much to really like here that this is a no-doubt inquiry for fans of either band as well as revival thrash fanatics of any kind.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.defense.8merch.com/soul_collector_reanimator_in_union_we_thrash-id9115

Mortillery - Shapeshifter

Artist: Mortillery
Release Title: Shapeshifter
Year: 2016
Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Radiation Sickness
2. Age of Stone
3. Bullet
4. Mantis
5. Black Friday
6. Wendigo
7. At the Gates
8. Torture
9. Shapeshifter

Hailing from Alberta, Canada, Mortillery has not only remained remarkably consistent regarding their line-up but also in terms of releases gaining in quality each time out. Following two quality releases in their discography already, this third effort from the group, released May 27, 2016 from Napalm Records.

As has been the bands’ crux from the beginning, there’s an extended and pronounced old-school feel running throughout the album as the main focus on offering thrashy, speed-drenched heavy metal rhythms tends to become the primary focus. Propulsive, tightly-wound riffing, scorching soloing and thumping drumming take center-stage which effectively recalls the old-school thrash scene to a fine extent here coupling those hard-hitting traditional patterns with the fiery excess, aggression and flavor of thrash. As well, the inclusion of the more traditional metal rhythms manages to keep this one engaging when it dips down into a heavy, plodding mid-tempo chug fully showing off a rather fine and heavy style quite well outside of the thrash patterns. Given a great, energetic production-job that highlights those spindly old-school melodies quite well and the album has a lot to like. Though this frantic thrashing certainly works well for the album, there’s the first of several minor flaws cropping up because of that. With the main focus here as fervently mixed with the two styles, it struggles to keep the energy going completely throughout the mid-tempo work and that causes this to stumble somewhat. The need for simplistic riff-work and choppy arrangements are bad enough, but to augment it all with high-pitched banshee wailing vocals completely kills the mood dead as it’s just so completely against the remaining influences present that desperately trying to enhance the energy when it’s not there does give this some decidedly odd moments. Likewise, that brings up the vocals in general which seem really ill-suited for this type of work as they’re draining in pitch, decidedly one-note in general performance and despite the enthusiasm in their reading seem too light to match the hard-hitting work here. Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot that holds this back.

Though there’s a lot of rather fun and engaging work to be had here with this one’s old-school charm, there’s a few minor stumbling blocks out there that does hold this back enough that it’s really mostly worthwhile to more devout revival-era thrash fanatics or those who’ve been able to live with their work in the past.

Score: 91/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.mortillery.com/apps/webstore/products/show/6869026

Astral Path - An Oath to the Void

Artist: Astral Path
Release Title: An Oath to the Void
Year: 2016
Label: Avantgarde Music
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Maroon Sea
2. An Oath to the Void
3. Between Appalachia and the Shield
4. A Virulent Delusion
5. To Vega... Nebulous Anatomy

The debut album from Canadian atmospheric black metallers Astral Path offers a decent enough spin on this particular style in the genre as they go about launching their career. This here is based around traditional tremolo riff-work with plenty of swirling melodic keyboards weaving along throughout the tracks which adds a fantastic atmosphere here with the ability of the tracks leads to a celestial ambiance that coincides with the riffing arrangements. This is highly pleasing and engaging which makes for a great time here as the central basis for their work is nicely fused with the fiery traditional tremolo riff-work alongside the rather engrossing atmospheric melodies added together. There’s a rather big stumbling block here with this effort in that the album’s rather simplistic nature doesn’t really offer up a strong sense of variation within here as the album can run through tracks that can tend to feel as though it’s one-note. That’s mostly apparent in the one rather bland track that doesn’t go anywhere because all it does is just run through the same rhythms and melodies for the entirety of the track without doing anything new or varied with it, and it’s quite apparent in the album as a whole elsewhere even with that being the greatest singular example. As well, there’s the short running time as there’s only five tracks which can be quite a shock with the sudden ending, but otherwise there’s a lot to like here.

The tracks here aren’t really that bad and play well within the genre. Opener ‘Maroon Sea’ takes an extended synth-driven celestial riff that turns into driving swirling tremolo riff-work and frenetic drumming charging along the melodic rhythms running along throughout the steady pace as the swirling atmosphere driven throughout the final half makes for a strong opening impression. The Void title track takes simple swirling riff-work and plodding, simplistic drumming as the atmospheric riffing and celestial melodies weave throughout the series of droning rhythms carrying out throughout the extended patterns as the crashing riffing continues into the extended droning finale for a strong if somewhat repetitive effort. ‘Between Appalachia and the Shield’ uses the faded celestial synths crashes into a rather simplistic series of plodding melodic tremolo riffing as the simplistic melodies and steady rhythms carry on throughout the mid-paced riff-work leading into the light ambient celestial-inspired final half for a long, drawn-out and mostly dull offering. ‘A Virulent Delusion’ features immediate blasting drumming and ferocious tremolo riff-work running along through a frantic pace with the buzzing celestial melodies driving into the slow-down section with the light riffing and steady rhythms holding on throughout the final half for a rather enjoyable effort. Finally, album-closer ‘To Vega... Nebulous Anatomy’ uses an extended crackling fade-in intro that gives way to searing tremolo riff-work and frantic drumming whipping through a series of driving paces as the swirling melodic riffing turns into an extended section of atmospheric rhythms and light melodies before firing back into the frantic energy for the finale for yet another solid effort that ends this on a fine lasting impression.

Though the length is the clear-cut issue here, this is still a solid enough representation of the genre that does what the style provides without much change-up and makes for a solid if non-essential listen for aficionados of the style while those looking for more traditional style should heed caution.

Score: 75/100

Does it sound good to you? Order it from here:
http://astralpath.bandcamp.com/