Gloryful: Cult Of Sedna (Massacre Records)
Fourth album from the German power metal act sees them explore heavier sounds than on their previous three ramping up the speed metal sound of their early years as guitarist Jens Basten, drummer Hartmut Stoof and bassist Daniel Perl bring the snarling riffs and fast paced rhythms nearly always giving way to Adrian Weiss who makes magic with his six strings. Teutonic power metal has always had a bit more grunt than many of its predecessors and Gloryful has always produced strong material Brothers In Arms continues the bands knack of writing fist clenching anthems that will get you shouting it back at the top of your lungs. The bands motto is 'keep it true' which is evident with their no nonsense approach to the genre, as the styles move between rampaging speed The Hunt and stomping rockers like When The Union Calls On Me mean that you never get bogged down in boredom. Singer Jonny La Bomba gets to show off his vocal prowess with gritty power. Cult Of Sedna is German power metal at its most aggressive. 7/10
Aephanemer: Prokopton (Primeval Records)
Scandinavian melo-death is one of those things that requires a genre all of it's own, bands like Dark Tranquility, Soilwork, Scar Symmetry and even Amon Amarth all have a similar unique style that makes them instantly identifiable. It also means they are imatatible so that's what Martin Hamiche did in 2014 in the French city of Toulouse, he started the band as a one man project releasing an EP before getting some other musicians to form the band proper who released the debut album Memento Mori, establishing themselves as a force in the melo-death world. In the lead up to this album the line up changed again and the band also played Wacken Open Air last year. So now the four piece have made this second record with some melodic death royalty involved as Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquility) designed the album cover, with Dan Swanö and Mika Jussila producing.
It means that this album positively zings every note is audible from the soaring lead guitar lines of Martin to the galloping rhythm section of Mickaël, Lucie and Marion who have that particular blend of death metal ferocity and power metal melody. The Sovereign is the first real welcome to the record as the riffs come thick and fast, Marion barking like a cross between Johan Hegg and Angela Gossow. Synths and orchestrations come through the tracks as well (Dissonance Within) fleshing them out as more than just standard death metal, if I had a criticism I'd say that I would like to hear Marion sing clean a little more but when you've got tracks such as Bloodline and the bouncy Back Again it's a mild gripe. If you are still mourning the loss of In Flames to the alt-metal crowd then blast a bit of Aephanemer to cheer you up. 8/10
Trep: Lucian EP (Self Released)
South Wales prog/rock/metal trio Trep impressed our writer Alex when he saw them in Fuel Rock Club, so when their EP came to MoM Towers it was only right that we gave it a listen. This EP is the first part of a conceptual piece telling a story of a future that may come, according to the press the album deals with "dystopia, a dictatorship and the use of technology for a chance at a better world, but at what cost" With this in mind then it's time to actually listen to the EP opening with Silence The Crows it's been around as a single for a while and it gives you your first taste of the groovy heaviness kicking off with some Tool vibe, however next is the melodic The Time You Have Lost which blends Breaking Benjamin with Muse and It'll Never Happen brings some great guitar solos as Architect ramps up the heavy. Trep are Rhys Evans (vocals/guitar), Sam Green (bass/vocals) and Max Hill (drums/vocals) and their fusion of styles wrapped up with modern progressive touches it's a complex but welcoming listen, that sets up for part 2, they will be playing venues near you soon so keep an eye out! 7/10
Warish: S/T (RidingEasy Records)
Warish is the new band from Riley Hawk, the son of Tony Hawk, his other band is the stoner rock project Petyr. This one isn't stoner rock, Warish has a bit more grunt it's got a punky edge to it which has led to the band to be compared to Incesticide era Nirvana were crossed with Static Age era Misfits, it's frantic, fuzzy stuff with Riley's vocals massively effect-laden vocals and Melvins-esque guitar riffs as Bruce McDonnell smashing the shit out of his kit. At just 11 minutes long it doesn't outstay it's welcome but it runs away with evil sounding horror/grunge/punk rock n roll unlike Riley has ever done before. Fair play to him he could easily sit on his surname and his own skateboarding prowess but he seems to enjoy creating music that's as diverse as it is exciting. Get a little Warish for 11 minutes of bluster. 7/10
Fourth album from the German power metal act sees them explore heavier sounds than on their previous three ramping up the speed metal sound of their early years as guitarist Jens Basten, drummer Hartmut Stoof and bassist Daniel Perl bring the snarling riffs and fast paced rhythms nearly always giving way to Adrian Weiss who makes magic with his six strings. Teutonic power metal has always had a bit more grunt than many of its predecessors and Gloryful has always produced strong material Brothers In Arms continues the bands knack of writing fist clenching anthems that will get you shouting it back at the top of your lungs. The bands motto is 'keep it true' which is evident with their no nonsense approach to the genre, as the styles move between rampaging speed The Hunt and stomping rockers like When The Union Calls On Me mean that you never get bogged down in boredom. Singer Jonny La Bomba gets to show off his vocal prowess with gritty power. Cult Of Sedna is German power metal at its most aggressive. 7/10
Aephanemer: Prokopton (Primeval Records)
Scandinavian melo-death is one of those things that requires a genre all of it's own, bands like Dark Tranquility, Soilwork, Scar Symmetry and even Amon Amarth all have a similar unique style that makes them instantly identifiable. It also means they are imatatible so that's what Martin Hamiche did in 2014 in the French city of Toulouse, he started the band as a one man project releasing an EP before getting some other musicians to form the band proper who released the debut album Memento Mori, establishing themselves as a force in the melo-death world. In the lead up to this album the line up changed again and the band also played Wacken Open Air last year. So now the four piece have made this second record with some melodic death royalty involved as Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquility) designed the album cover, with Dan Swanö and Mika Jussila producing.
It means that this album positively zings every note is audible from the soaring lead guitar lines of Martin to the galloping rhythm section of Mickaël, Lucie and Marion who have that particular blend of death metal ferocity and power metal melody. The Sovereign is the first real welcome to the record as the riffs come thick and fast, Marion barking like a cross between Johan Hegg and Angela Gossow. Synths and orchestrations come through the tracks as well (Dissonance Within) fleshing them out as more than just standard death metal, if I had a criticism I'd say that I would like to hear Marion sing clean a little more but when you've got tracks such as Bloodline and the bouncy Back Again it's a mild gripe. If you are still mourning the loss of In Flames to the alt-metal crowd then blast a bit of Aephanemer to cheer you up. 8/10
Trep: Lucian EP (Self Released)
South Wales prog/rock/metal trio Trep impressed our writer Alex when he saw them in Fuel Rock Club, so when their EP came to MoM Towers it was only right that we gave it a listen. This EP is the first part of a conceptual piece telling a story of a future that may come, according to the press the album deals with "dystopia, a dictatorship and the use of technology for a chance at a better world, but at what cost" With this in mind then it's time to actually listen to the EP opening with Silence The Crows it's been around as a single for a while and it gives you your first taste of the groovy heaviness kicking off with some Tool vibe, however next is the melodic The Time You Have Lost which blends Breaking Benjamin with Muse and It'll Never Happen brings some great guitar solos as Architect ramps up the heavy. Trep are Rhys Evans (vocals/guitar), Sam Green (bass/vocals) and Max Hill (drums/vocals) and their fusion of styles wrapped up with modern progressive touches it's a complex but welcoming listen, that sets up for part 2, they will be playing venues near you soon so keep an eye out! 7/10
Warish: S/T (RidingEasy Records)
Warish is the new band from Riley Hawk, the son of Tony Hawk, his other band is the stoner rock project Petyr. This one isn't stoner rock, Warish has a bit more grunt it's got a punky edge to it which has led to the band to be compared to Incesticide era Nirvana were crossed with Static Age era Misfits, it's frantic, fuzzy stuff with Riley's vocals massively effect-laden vocals and Melvins-esque guitar riffs as Bruce McDonnell smashing the shit out of his kit. At just 11 minutes long it doesn't outstay it's welcome but it runs away with evil sounding horror/grunge/punk rock n roll unlike Riley has ever done before. Fair play to him he could easily sit on his surname and his own skateboarding prowess but he seems to enjoy creating music that's as diverse as it is exciting. Get a little Warish for 11 minutes of bluster. 7/10