Coltre: Under The Influence (Self Released) [Grace Headley]
Under The Influence is the debut EP of NWOBHM inspired three piece Coltre, and what an entrance into this brave new decade they have made. ‘Coltre’, Italian for ‘blanket’ or ‘shroud’, reflects the moody album art and title of this offering; from this alone we are promised an air of oppression wrapped in a classic heavy metal bow.
The first track, Lambs To The Slaughter, opens with a wailing guitar astride a funeral dirge which sets the previously stated mood immediately. This gives way to a catchy, Maiden-inspired gallop and clear, confident vocals from Stamigna. The harmonies that punctuate this track are particularly pleasing, and unfortunately seem to dissipate as the EP progresses. Lambs benefits greatly from an almost stoner-doomlike interlude towards the end of the track, invoking a hypnotic downward spiral of a brooding nature that compliments the NWOBHM style very well. Opening with a horror movie shriek, their second track and single release Crimson Killer transports the listener right back into the seedy world of Di’Anno era Maiden and is an absolute joy.
The third track, Plague Doctor, unfortunately is where this EP stumbles; this track attempts an almost proglike transformative quality that ultimately becomes excessively gloomy, muddy and repetitive. That said, the talent behind Stamigna and his axemen Sweed and Schreck shows through both here and into the final instrumental track On The Edge Of The Abyss; a sweeping journey in heavy metal with a cheeky stoner touch, this is truly a track to rip a sweet bong hit to and enjoy the ride. Under The Influence starts strong and ultimately has weak legs, but nevertheless is an honest heavy metal EP, and in a sea of bands trying to be the next Slayer, this is refreshing. 6/10
Xenobiotic: Mordrake (Unique Leader Records) [Manus Hopkins]
To describe it in one word, Xenobiotic’s Mordrake is captivating. Meaning, it’s impossible to not listen to. The immersive, complex music demands attention from its listener, but the high-maintenance nature of this record isn’t a bad thing at all. While it’s something you have to fully devote your attention to, it’s not a chore to do so by any means. The record is mesmerizing all the way through, and while it’s disappointing when it’s over, the album doesn’t get old on any number of relistens. In a world where rock music has gone largely stagnant and uniform, it’s exciting to hear modern metal bands paving new ways for their music. Xenobiotic is only two albums in, but are already proving they should be a relevant staying force in metal, at least through the 2020s. 9/10
Dreambleed: We All Bleed Red (Self Released) [Liam True]
I’ve never been a huge fan of Symphonic Metal, with all the classical influences it isn’t really for me. Dreambleed however, may change that in time as We All Bleed Red does start to grow on you after some time of listening to it. From the outset the band is on point with everything, with the vocals of Manolis soaring like a resurrected phoenix from the ashes, and the duel guitars from both Kryriakos & Mike sounding like a battle for supremacy on who has the best sounding solo’s and crunchier riffs. The thing I find most unusual on the record is the amount of usage of both Electro & Techno samples, not something you find on a Symphonic sounding album, but it works greats and brings the album together almost to make it sound tighter and that more heavier than it already does. The album itself isn’t bad by any means, but it does need a little work to make it sound bigger and to garner a bigger audience within that growing genre. They have the right sound, they just need to take it in the right direction. 6/10
Sectile: Falls Apart (Silver Moon Records) [Matt Bladen]
Wow this has taken a while, finally I've found another band who will prick up the ears of any Coheed/Karnivool fan, think high nasal vocals, groove heavy prog metal riffage and strong hooks. This Irish five piece are a very modern sounding act who to me sound an awful lot like the band 3, an American band who have a very cult following. Sectile sound a lot like them especially vocally, musically there is great depth with Leprous another sound reference, mainly on the dramatic Black Cloud which brings some hammering piano at the end before Boreal Void brings some driving heavy rock and again a hook that could land a whale. Daggers brings some jazzy riffs and a load of attitude. The album ends with the atmospheric Dying Of The Lights: Purpose/Silence/Aethernity a 12 minute three part epic which really shows what Sectile can do as a band. Falls Apart is a record with some well realised modern progressive music. 7/10
Under The Influence is the debut EP of NWOBHM inspired three piece Coltre, and what an entrance into this brave new decade they have made. ‘Coltre’, Italian for ‘blanket’ or ‘shroud’, reflects the moody album art and title of this offering; from this alone we are promised an air of oppression wrapped in a classic heavy metal bow.
The first track, Lambs To The Slaughter, opens with a wailing guitar astride a funeral dirge which sets the previously stated mood immediately. This gives way to a catchy, Maiden-inspired gallop and clear, confident vocals from Stamigna. The harmonies that punctuate this track are particularly pleasing, and unfortunately seem to dissipate as the EP progresses. Lambs benefits greatly from an almost stoner-doomlike interlude towards the end of the track, invoking a hypnotic downward spiral of a brooding nature that compliments the NWOBHM style very well. Opening with a horror movie shriek, their second track and single release Crimson Killer transports the listener right back into the seedy world of Di’Anno era Maiden and is an absolute joy.
The third track, Plague Doctor, unfortunately is where this EP stumbles; this track attempts an almost proglike transformative quality that ultimately becomes excessively gloomy, muddy and repetitive. That said, the talent behind Stamigna and his axemen Sweed and Schreck shows through both here and into the final instrumental track On The Edge Of The Abyss; a sweeping journey in heavy metal with a cheeky stoner touch, this is truly a track to rip a sweet bong hit to and enjoy the ride. Under The Influence starts strong and ultimately has weak legs, but nevertheless is an honest heavy metal EP, and in a sea of bands trying to be the next Slayer, this is refreshing. 6/10
Xenobiotic: Mordrake (Unique Leader Records) [Manus Hopkins]
To describe it in one word, Xenobiotic’s Mordrake is captivating. Meaning, it’s impossible to not listen to. The immersive, complex music demands attention from its listener, but the high-maintenance nature of this record isn’t a bad thing at all. While it’s something you have to fully devote your attention to, it’s not a chore to do so by any means. The record is mesmerizing all the way through, and while it’s disappointing when it’s over, the album doesn’t get old on any number of relistens. In a world where rock music has gone largely stagnant and uniform, it’s exciting to hear modern metal bands paving new ways for their music. Xenobiotic is only two albums in, but are already proving they should be a relevant staying force in metal, at least through the 2020s. 9/10
Dreambleed: We All Bleed Red (Self Released) [Liam True]
I’ve never been a huge fan of Symphonic Metal, with all the classical influences it isn’t really for me. Dreambleed however, may change that in time as We All Bleed Red does start to grow on you after some time of listening to it. From the outset the band is on point with everything, with the vocals of Manolis soaring like a resurrected phoenix from the ashes, and the duel guitars from both Kryriakos & Mike sounding like a battle for supremacy on who has the best sounding solo’s and crunchier riffs. The thing I find most unusual on the record is the amount of usage of both Electro & Techno samples, not something you find on a Symphonic sounding album, but it works greats and brings the album together almost to make it sound tighter and that more heavier than it already does. The album itself isn’t bad by any means, but it does need a little work to make it sound bigger and to garner a bigger audience within that growing genre. They have the right sound, they just need to take it in the right direction. 6/10
Sectile: Falls Apart (Silver Moon Records) [Matt Bladen]
Wow this has taken a while, finally I've found another band who will prick up the ears of any Coheed/Karnivool fan, think high nasal vocals, groove heavy prog metal riffage and strong hooks. This Irish five piece are a very modern sounding act who to me sound an awful lot like the band 3, an American band who have a very cult following. Sectile sound a lot like them especially vocally, musically there is great depth with Leprous another sound reference, mainly on the dramatic Black Cloud which brings some hammering piano at the end before Boreal Void brings some driving heavy rock and again a hook that could land a whale. Daggers brings some jazzy riffs and a load of attitude. The album ends with the atmospheric Dying Of The Lights: Purpose/Silence/Aethernity a 12 minute three part epic which really shows what Sectile can do as a band. Falls Apart is a record with some well realised modern progressive music. 7/10