Sylosis: Cycle Of Suffering (Nuclear Blast) [Matt Bladen]
It looked as if Sylosis were done, put on a hiatus as frontman/guitarist/writer was asked to join modern metal act and world beaters Architects after the tragic death of their guitarist and principal songwriter Tom Searle. He contributed along with Dan Searle as songwriter to the bands most recent effort Holy Hell which was an album full of grief but a fire and focused driven by the loss of their friend. Now as I said after joining Architects the prospect of new Sylosis effort dwindled as their last release Dormant Heart came out in 2015, it was the culmination of the bands evolution from the stagnating metalcore scene into progressive turbo thrash titans. Maybe it's Middleton's ability to play soemthing a bit different in Architects but the anticipated return of Sylosis has once again brought a new vigour, the songs on this record are more direct and abrasive, nothing lasts longer than five minutes but they pack in riff after face melting riff.
There has been a lineup change too with bassist Conor Marshall (Conjurer) and drummer Ali Richardson (Bleed From Within) bringing their own style and influence to the record. So have they changed anything with this return? Well yes and no. From the opening it's abundantly clear that all the classic Sylosis sounds are here, though apparently the band have moved away from playing in E standard to D Standard, if you didn't know what that meant then don't worry as Empty Prophets will get your head banging with some ultra-modern thrash metal, Middleton's riffs are sharper than a Katana and as noted Richardson's drumming adds a new dimension. I Sever keeps the speed going after a it's acoustic opening but it has an emphatic chorus that will be sung back as loudly as possible should they tour this record (here's hoping).
It's not just the overall heaviness on this record that impresses on this album, the little things like the flourishes on the title track, the passionate performances, the acoustic layering on Arms Like A Noose as well as the technical nuances all make this record a must listen. Praise whatever deity you worship, Sylosis are back pushing thrash metal to its limits. Magnificent! 9/10
Anchor Lane: Casino (R7 Records) [Paul Hutchings]
This album worked its magic on me from the opening strains of Blood & Irony. The Glaswegian four-piece’s debut album is an assured, confident 35 minutes of quality rock which blends the groove of Queens Of The Stone Age (Blood & Irony) with the gritty blues rock of The Temperance Movement (Voodoo) and perfect melancholic qualities of Shell Of Me. Repeated plays of Casino are essential, such is the impact of each track. The title track stomps away, a chunky riff with a funky feel that hits all the right spots, and it’s no surprise to discover that Ricky Warwick (The Almighty, Black Star Riders) had a hand in some of the writing.
It looked as if Sylosis were done, put on a hiatus as frontman/guitarist/writer was asked to join modern metal act and world beaters Architects after the tragic death of their guitarist and principal songwriter Tom Searle. He contributed along with Dan Searle as songwriter to the bands most recent effort Holy Hell which was an album full of grief but a fire and focused driven by the loss of their friend. Now as I said after joining Architects the prospect of new Sylosis effort dwindled as their last release Dormant Heart came out in 2015, it was the culmination of the bands evolution from the stagnating metalcore scene into progressive turbo thrash titans. Maybe it's Middleton's ability to play soemthing a bit different in Architects but the anticipated return of Sylosis has once again brought a new vigour, the songs on this record are more direct and abrasive, nothing lasts longer than five minutes but they pack in riff after face melting riff.
There has been a lineup change too with bassist Conor Marshall (Conjurer) and drummer Ali Richardson (Bleed From Within) bringing their own style and influence to the record. So have they changed anything with this return? Well yes and no. From the opening it's abundantly clear that all the classic Sylosis sounds are here, though apparently the band have moved away from playing in E standard to D Standard, if you didn't know what that meant then don't worry as Empty Prophets will get your head banging with some ultra-modern thrash metal, Middleton's riffs are sharper than a Katana and as noted Richardson's drumming adds a new dimension. I Sever keeps the speed going after a it's acoustic opening but it has an emphatic chorus that will be sung back as loudly as possible should they tour this record (here's hoping).
It's not just the overall heaviness on this record that impresses on this album, the little things like the flourishes on the title track, the passionate performances, the acoustic layering on Arms Like A Noose as well as the technical nuances all make this record a must listen. Praise whatever deity you worship, Sylosis are back pushing thrash metal to its limits. Magnificent! 9/10
Anchor Lane: Casino (R7 Records) [Paul Hutchings]
This album worked its magic on me from the opening strains of Blood & Irony. The Glaswegian four-piece’s debut album is an assured, confident 35 minutes of quality rock which blends the groove of Queens Of The Stone Age (Blood & Irony) with the gritty blues rock of The Temperance Movement (Voodoo) and perfect melancholic qualities of Shell Of Me. Repeated plays of Casino are essential, such is the impact of each track. The title track stomps away, a chunky riff with a funky feel that hits all the right spots, and it’s no surprise to discover that Ricky Warwick (The Almighty, Black Star Riders) had a hand in some of the writing.
There is subtle melody laced throughout the album, and we even get Warwick’s backing vocals on Dead Run, one of the more raucous tracks here which has the distant Rival Sons tint. Produced by Toby Jepson (Wayward Sons, Little Angels) in the Midlands Vale Studios, Casino is a fabulous rock album. Conor Gaffney’s clean vocals fit the sound perfectly, guitarist Lawrence O’Brien knows his way around the fretboard and there is a concrete yet flexible style with rhythm duo Matthew Quigley (bass) and drummer Scott Hanlon. There are many hundreds of new hard rock albums released every year. Anchor Lane have pushed into the top division with ease. 8/10
Svart Crown: Wolves Among The Ashes (Century Media) [Matt Bladen]
Jean-Baptiste Le Bail was inspired to write this album after witnessing the Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan, nicknamed the Door To Hell, Le Bail pondered about karma and nature overwhelming us much like it has done with this natural phenomenon. What came next was a period of rebuilding as Le Bail was left by himself after their previous record meaning that he had to reform the band. He brought in former drummer Nicolas ‘Ranko’ Muller and long serving guitarist Clément Flandrois to rejoin the band, recruiting Julien Negro on bass and vocals as a fresh addition. Opening with the last speech by preacher Jim Jones before the mass suicide of his cult, Thermageddon is a thunderous kick off to Wolves Among The Ashes a full of black metal drumming and roared vocals there's hints of Akercocke as it breaks down to a crunching middle section.
Le Bail and Flandrois share and shift the tremolo picking exploding into solos towards the end, moving into Art Of Obedience which is slower, more deliberate, almost oppressive. There are numerous stylistic additions to the Svart Crown sound on this record, with the black metal ferocity, industrial pounding, some ambient sounds as well on the dark Deftones-like Down To Nowhere. You can hear that this album has been laboured over, lots of time has been spent crafting these 8 explosive tracks. However it's vocally where things really get exciting as there is now variation the record with all four members contributing to the vocals though Le Bail gives his best performance of any of their albums. Wolves Among The Witches is a welcome return from the edge of collapse for Svart Crown, there is no way they'll be heading through the door to hell now, this is the ascension of Svart Crown. 7/10
Berzerker Legion: Obliterate The Weak (Listenable Records) [Paul Hutchings]
One of the last releases of January 2020, Obliterate The Weak is a crushing death metal release which focuses on how religion is poisoning the world, thousands of years since its creation. Berzerker Legion is another collective of extreme metal legends. In this case, Tomos Elofsson (Hypocrisy), vocalist Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath), Alwin Zuur (Asphyx), drummer James Stewart (Vader) and Dark Funeral bassist Fredrick Isaksson. Unsurprisingly, it is a blisteringly heavy release, with Stewart’s precision drumming one of several high points. Taking the pace from full out blast beat to sludgy doom style funeral march speed, there is little to complain about on this album. Anchoring the engine room alongside Stewart, Isaksson does an admirable job, his bass lines present without imposing.
Svart Crown: Wolves Among The Ashes (Century Media) [Matt Bladen]
Jean-Baptiste Le Bail was inspired to write this album after witnessing the Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan, nicknamed the Door To Hell, Le Bail pondered about karma and nature overwhelming us much like it has done with this natural phenomenon. What came next was a period of rebuilding as Le Bail was left by himself after their previous record meaning that he had to reform the band. He brought in former drummer Nicolas ‘Ranko’ Muller and long serving guitarist Clément Flandrois to rejoin the band, recruiting Julien Negro on bass and vocals as a fresh addition. Opening with the last speech by preacher Jim Jones before the mass suicide of his cult, Thermageddon is a thunderous kick off to Wolves Among The Ashes a full of black metal drumming and roared vocals there's hints of Akercocke as it breaks down to a crunching middle section.
Le Bail and Flandrois share and shift the tremolo picking exploding into solos towards the end, moving into Art Of Obedience which is slower, more deliberate, almost oppressive. There are numerous stylistic additions to the Svart Crown sound on this record, with the black metal ferocity, industrial pounding, some ambient sounds as well on the dark Deftones-like Down To Nowhere. You can hear that this album has been laboured over, lots of time has been spent crafting these 8 explosive tracks. However it's vocally where things really get exciting as there is now variation the record with all four members contributing to the vocals though Le Bail gives his best performance of any of their albums. Wolves Among The Witches is a welcome return from the edge of collapse for Svart Crown, there is no way they'll be heading through the door to hell now, this is the ascension of Svart Crown. 7/10
Berzerker Legion: Obliterate The Weak (Listenable Records) [Paul Hutchings]
One of the last releases of January 2020, Obliterate The Weak is a crushing death metal release which focuses on how religion is poisoning the world, thousands of years since its creation. Berzerker Legion is another collective of extreme metal legends. In this case, Tomos Elofsson (Hypocrisy), vocalist Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath), Alwin Zuur (Asphyx), drummer James Stewart (Vader) and Dark Funeral bassist Fredrick Isaksson. Unsurprisingly, it is a blisteringly heavy release, with Stewart’s precision drumming one of several high points. Taking the pace from full out blast beat to sludgy doom style funeral march speed, there is little to complain about on this album. Anchoring the engine room alongside Stewart, Isaksson does an admirable job, his bass lines present without imposing.
It’s Pettersson’s striking guttural vocals that stand front and centre, bursting with energy and a devilish delivery which surely ranks him alongside those at the very top of their game in the death metal world. Adding the frantic and punishing heavy riffage of two of death metal’s behemoths provides the final ingredients. There is little let up from the intro track, Rise Of The Berserkers, the demanding title track, the slower at times almost funeral delivery of The King Of All Masters (reminiscent of Amon Amarth at their peak) and the concluding In The Name Of The Father which wraps up a very impressive 44 minutes with a final bludgeon across the head. Little more can be added. This is a striking release in every aspect. 8/10