Nita Strauss - Call Of The Void (Sumerian Records)
Since the release of her previous solo album Controlled Chaos in 2018. 'Hurricane' Nita Strauss has left Alice Cooper's band, joined Demi Lovato's rock band, then rejoined Cooper's, this constant stream of tourong means that Call Of The Void is a labour of love, having taken a long time to produce, it mkre than stacks up to Controlled Chaos as her signature Ibanez guitar is used to devestating effect on 13 brand new songs.
Since the release of her previous solo album Controlled Chaos in 2018. 'Hurricane' Nita Strauss has left Alice Cooper's band, joined Demi Lovato's rock band, then rejoined Cooper's, this constant stream of tourong means that Call Of The Void is a labour of love, having taken a long time to produce, it mkre than stacks up to Controlled Chaos as her signature Ibanez guitar is used to devestating effect on 13 brand new songs.
Like the last one there's a plethora of guests adding vocals and guitar to the record the most notable player being Marty Friedman on final song Surfacing. The instrumental tracks are blistering, Strauss showing why she's so in demand as a player, duelling with Friedman and leading her band admirably. For those of us that don't know the difference between a legato and a Cornetto the songs with vocals will be more appealing as they stick to the 'traditonal' songwriting template. Each song takes a life of it's own depending on the singer. Strauss' own favourite being The Golden Trail which features Anders Fridén from her heroes In Flames.
It's written to be full of Gothenburg melodeath riffs and solos, while theres plenty of hard rocking with tracks featuring Alice Cooper, Lzzy Hale and Dorothy, some more heaviness as Alissa White-Gluz and Chris Motionless add vocals while there's bounce for David Draiman, all of these put with some absolutely insane shredding on instrumentals that are written as songs without vocals but not without a voice of their own. A labour of love Call Of The Void is yet another varied, virtuoso metal album from one of the most in demand and talented guitarists around today. 8/10
Edenfall - To Gaze Longer At The Earth (Self Released)
With a title derived from Menologium a tenth century poem about the seasons and the saints feasts; To Gaze Longer At The Earth (Wyle syððan leng grund behealdan), is the third album from folk horror metal band Edenfall. Lyrics that deal with Anglo-Saxon Folklore, witchcraft and the natural world, this is Dark Ages stuff here people. They haven't released a record since 2014, the band having been in a sort of exile, since the departure of drummer Marcelo in 2014, his return in 2019 made the creative side of the band, still led by founders Rob George (guitar/vocals) and Clare Webster (vocals/harp), reactivate and writing began for this third album with TJ Higgs joining on bass, Edenfall are rounded out by Sean Brazil on guitar.
Based around poetry (thus the title), there's a sense of the magisterial or the mystical, musically coming from the extreme/melodic mix of gothic/doom bands such as Draconian or the Peaceville Three but also Cradle Of Filth or bands such as Tristiana. Forest Of Veils is a direct introduction to Edenfall for anyone who has never heard their music before, classic metal lead guitars, gothic synths/keys, harsh growls and soaring operatic highs, it's Edenfall of old, a reintroduction so to speak. Penumbra detracting down towards a more black metal root with the tremolo picking and blastbeats, the vocals are stunning here bloodcurdling screams and growls juxtaposed by the choral cleans, the pace relentless.
The songs here are all quite long, only one, Womb Of Winter, is below 6 minutes and it is a intro almost for the colossal To Howl At An Orbless Sky. Going back though and Altar Of Grief is a liturgy with acoustics from Skyclad as the doom returns on Of Wand And Moon, the acoustic guitars providing the first layer to all of the songs here even when they're not as audible as they are on say Oaken, they are still right at the bottom of all the recordings as if they've just built the heavy layers above their folk origins.
Edenfall return with their most accomplished album yet, To Gaze Longer At The The Earth is an album where extremity and beauty go hand in hand. 8/10
Suspiriorum - Suspiriorum EP (Self Released)
Occult/B-Movie inspired rock from Texas now as Suspiriorum release their debut EP, but you may not be able to pick out much in the way if American influences, perhaps the proto-metal grooves of BÖC and Coven as they move towards the glut of modern bands such as Lucifer. Throught the PR for this band Goblin are mentioned and the progressive soundtracks of the Italian band are very key to the vision of Suspiriorum.
Woozy atmospherics, spliced with spoken word cuts from B-Movies that never existed as the psych haze of Gong is also important. Joseph Maniscalo is the founder of the band, the former bassist of Hinayana, he takes bass and synth here adding Tim Driscoll on lead guitars (Runescarred, A Good Rogering), Suzy Colca on vocals (Witchcryer, Temple of Love), Steve Colca on rhythm guitars (Destroyer of Light, Temple of Love) to complete this prog rock throwback.
Just four tracks, this EP encapsulates what Maniscalo wanted when he created this project, the creeping Regina di Sangue, shifting into the organ driven proto-metal of Mother Suspiriorum, the final one of their own tracks is The Dark Knows the harder edge bringing a wider remit for the band. The final song is a cover of I Love The Night by BÖC, sticking to the original it's a neat closer. I'll be interested how Suspiriorum follow this with a full length as they have several avenues they can go down. 7/10
Edenfall - To Gaze Longer At The Earth (Self Released)
With a title derived from Menologium a tenth century poem about the seasons and the saints feasts; To Gaze Longer At The Earth (Wyle syððan leng grund behealdan), is the third album from folk horror metal band Edenfall. Lyrics that deal with Anglo-Saxon Folklore, witchcraft and the natural world, this is Dark Ages stuff here people. They haven't released a record since 2014, the band having been in a sort of exile, since the departure of drummer Marcelo in 2014, his return in 2019 made the creative side of the band, still led by founders Rob George (guitar/vocals) and Clare Webster (vocals/harp), reactivate and writing began for this third album with TJ Higgs joining on bass, Edenfall are rounded out by Sean Brazil on guitar.
Based around poetry (thus the title), there's a sense of the magisterial or the mystical, musically coming from the extreme/melodic mix of gothic/doom bands such as Draconian or the Peaceville Three but also Cradle Of Filth or bands such as Tristiana. Forest Of Veils is a direct introduction to Edenfall for anyone who has never heard their music before, classic metal lead guitars, gothic synths/keys, harsh growls and soaring operatic highs, it's Edenfall of old, a reintroduction so to speak. Penumbra detracting down towards a more black metal root with the tremolo picking and blastbeats, the vocals are stunning here bloodcurdling screams and growls juxtaposed by the choral cleans, the pace relentless.
The songs here are all quite long, only one, Womb Of Winter, is below 6 minutes and it is a intro almost for the colossal To Howl At An Orbless Sky. Going back though and Altar Of Grief is a liturgy with acoustics from Skyclad as the doom returns on Of Wand And Moon, the acoustic guitars providing the first layer to all of the songs here even when they're not as audible as they are on say Oaken, they are still right at the bottom of all the recordings as if they've just built the heavy layers above their folk origins.
Edenfall return with their most accomplished album yet, To Gaze Longer At The The Earth is an album where extremity and beauty go hand in hand. 8/10
Suspiriorum - Suspiriorum EP (Self Released)
Occult/B-Movie inspired rock from Texas now as Suspiriorum release their debut EP, but you may not be able to pick out much in the way if American influences, perhaps the proto-metal grooves of BÖC and Coven as they move towards the glut of modern bands such as Lucifer. Throught the PR for this band Goblin are mentioned and the progressive soundtracks of the Italian band are very key to the vision of Suspiriorum.
Woozy atmospherics, spliced with spoken word cuts from B-Movies that never existed as the psych haze of Gong is also important. Joseph Maniscalo is the founder of the band, the former bassist of Hinayana, he takes bass and synth here adding Tim Driscoll on lead guitars (Runescarred, A Good Rogering), Suzy Colca on vocals (Witchcryer, Temple of Love), Steve Colca on rhythm guitars (Destroyer of Light, Temple of Love) to complete this prog rock throwback.
Just four tracks, this EP encapsulates what Maniscalo wanted when he created this project, the creeping Regina di Sangue, shifting into the organ driven proto-metal of Mother Suspiriorum, the final one of their own tracks is The Dark Knows the harder edge bringing a wider remit for the band. The final song is a cover of I Love The Night by BÖC, sticking to the original it's a neat closer. I'll be interested how Suspiriorum follow this with a full length as they have several avenues they can go down. 7/10
Froglord - Sons Of Froglord (Swamp Music)
With more music and lyrics interpreted from The Book Of Amphibian, this ancient tome telling of the mighty Froglord, with deathray vision and ectoplasmic slime, he awakens every 10,000 years from the mystic swamp to bring balance and destroy his opponents. Channeled through the musical talent of one man based on Bristol, the band were a Lockdown Project that took on a life of it's own. Two previous studio albums, two EPs, a single and split with Bog Wizard have come before this recoed but after their impression in the Bristol M2TM and on the stage at Fuel I had to check out this third full length.
Set 500 years before ascension, Son Of Froglord, has the Wizard Gonk searching for the Forbidden Road Raisins, his visions telling him to wait for the coming Froglord. Whatever you think of the concept, the music is bloody good, grooving Sabbath Worship, with the dirtier riffs of Clutch and Lacertillia (who are of course reptiles), with the woozy psych of Monster Magnet (Road Raisin). The vocals have a southern affectation that are part Neil Fallon (Collapse) part Zak Wylde (Wizard Gonk) as these psych riff fests will draw you into the stories of the Froglord.
If (like me) you haven't heard any previous Froglord releases, and to be honest they have made lot of them since 2020, then you can definitely start with Son Of Froglord as it's a great stoner record that closes with a distorted cover of Born On the Bayou by CCR, what else could you want! 8/10