Blind Channel - Exit Emotions (Century Media Records) [Zak Skane]
From the opening track, the band do not mess about, we get hit in face with fuzzy djenty douncy riffs, foot stomping drum beats, but what already grabs my ear about this band, is their nostalgic vocal delivery along with additional layers. The vocals produced with this nostalgic element of autotuned produced vocals that remind me of the mid 2000s screamo bands like Breathe Carolina, Pierce The Veil and old school Asking Alexandria especially the electronic beats being played along the verses. It especially hits the nostalgic heart strings when the Where's The Exit featured your classic 2000’s metalcore styled breakdowns.
From the opening track, the band do not mess about, we get hit in face with fuzzy djenty douncy riffs, foot stomping drum beats, but what already grabs my ear about this band, is their nostalgic vocal delivery along with additional layers. The vocals produced with this nostalgic element of autotuned produced vocals that remind me of the mid 2000s screamo bands like Breathe Carolina, Pierce The Veil and old school Asking Alexandria especially the electronic beats being played along the verses. It especially hits the nostalgic heart strings when the Where's The Exit featured your classic 2000’s metalcore styled breakdowns.
Deadzone provides some industrial elements with it’s digitech whammy fuzzed riffs and boxy sounding electronic drum beats. Following this we get the barking but short, sweet and catchy Wolves In California whilst the break up anthem of XOXO contains swaggered rapping, distorted catchy vocal lines and rumbling breakdowns. To close the first half of the album their ballad Die Another Day provides us with lo-fi pianos lines, vocal trade off with their female guest vocalist and some uplifting heart on your sleeve lyrics.
The opening track on the second side of the album Phobia explores the dark isolating natures of metal health whilst also making it sound like a scene kids party anthem. Other highlights of this album are the frat/f*ck boy lyrics and the returning of the low tuned riffs of Not Your Bro, whilst Flatline give some Electric Callboy styles euro dance beats and 80s/90s synth sounds. Their closing track One Last Time…Again gives us layers of low pitched vocal layers, throbbing dance beats and gang chanted choruses.
From track to track Blind Channel have effortlessly explored various lyrical topics from surreal to cheesy whilst effortlessly keeping to it’s formulaic party rock approach. For fans of Breath Carolina, Electric Callboy and The Hollywood Undead. 8/10
Steel Rath bring their second album Prayers Of War which is the follow up to 2021’s eponymous debut and it’s one that reaches deep into the heavy metal play book.
It maybe that the saving grace is that Coimbra can’t match Bruce or Blaze in anyway, shape or form, and the slightly off-key vocals do tend to draw attention from the music. There are plenty of times where the singing does echo Dickinson, and occasionally the German ensemble as well, and you could view that as a compliment in many ways.
There are variations. Hammer Grinder is more traditional heavy metal, whilst there are several breaches of the power metal boundaries, such as the epic finale, Secrets Of Steel. I feel that this is an album that could be much better, if the band would allow their own direction to take hold, rather than adopting every cliché in the book. It may be that their Brazilian roots don’t allow that.
Volcandra - The Way Of Ancients (Prosthetic Records) [Matt Bladen]
Another week another band inspired by swords and sorcery creating a concept record inspired by Diablo video games, Conan, Clash Of The Titans et al. However put your loincloth away as this isn’t Manowar-like power metal, Louisville band Volcandra play something closer to melodeath, with black metal and thrash inspiration too. The Way Of Ancients is their second album and again the story driven approach takes us to snow-capped mountains, epic battles and magical creatures.
Another week another band inspired by swords and sorcery creating a concept record inspired by Diablo video games, Conan, Clash Of The Titans et al. However put your loincloth away as this isn’t Manowar-like power metal, Louisville band Volcandra play something closer to melodeath, with black metal and thrash inspiration too. The Way Of Ancients is their second album and again the story driven approach takes us to snow-capped mountains, epic battles and magical creatures.
They are labelmates and have toured with Tómarúm, who released one of my favourite albums in 2022, so that’s a positive for me without even hearing a note. These tours have honed their skill live so in 2022 they settled down into writing another tale of fantasy that is all about escapism both through the lyrics and the music, production happening throughout 2023. Vocalist/lyricist Dave Palenske had a desire to continue their conceptual approach, so wrote the overarching story, which he squawks, snarls and shouts.
While the band tried to match it to music, increasing the black metal style a bit more on this album to move towards Wintersun of Cradle Of Filth, as the harmonised tremolo riffs of River Jordan and Jamie DeMar and blasting drums of Mike Hargrave are joined by choirs provided by Oubliette’s Emily Low, the guttural punch of Andrew Casciato’s bass strong on Fouled Sanctity’s galloping middle section and on the title track. Volcandra have made their second album a bit dark, moving toward extreme metal a bit more but still containing the fantastical storylines and melodic guitar styling. 8/10
Waste A Saint - Ravenous (All Good Clean Records) [Rich Piva]
There is no shortage of killer stoner/doom with great female vocalists. Another band throwing their hat in this ring is Waste A Saint from Norway who play a super up-tempo, catchy brand of stoner rock that will surely appeal to those who dig such things. Ravenous is the band’s second full length and is a nice step forward for Waste A Saint. The band packs a lot into its crisp 28-minute run time, so there is no time for messing around on these seven killer tracks.
While the band definitely leans towards the stoner side of things, I can’t help but to hear a lot of 90s punk and heavy alternative in the seven tracks. I am going to throw some somewhat obscure bands out there but think of bands like Tilt and Discount (Google them) as reference points. Throw the band on a tour with Neptune Power Federation or Wytch and they would fit in nicely there too. Vocalist Bogey has a killer voice with a bit of echo on it that is the driving force on Ravenous, with the opener, Schizofriendia being a great example. The vocals are right up front but are nicely surround by some nice and fuzzy hard rock.
While the band definitely leans towards the stoner side of things, I can’t help but to hear a lot of 90s punk and heavy alternative in the seven tracks. I am going to throw some somewhat obscure bands out there but think of bands like Tilt and Discount (Google them) as reference points. Throw the band on a tour with Neptune Power Federation or Wytch and they would fit in nicely there too. Vocalist Bogey has a killer voice with a bit of echo on it that is the driving force on Ravenous, with the opener, Schizofriendia being a great example. The vocals are right up front but are nicely surround by some nice and fuzzy hard rock.
Sore Spot is where I really hear the 90s punk stuff come out. This song could have been on the Warped Tour circa 1994 (this is a compliment) and is quite the ripper. I get the same vibes from the also ripping C.M.T.L. and I love the fuzzy and fast guitar work on this one too. Femme Fatale gets a bit chunky and reminds me a lot of the most recent Wytch album which is a nice tart to strive for. Dryads starts out sounding like an STP song in all the best ways and leans way more on the alt rock side of things, with the vocals creating more of a heavy yet dreamy state and the next one, Avoid My Wits is in the similar style and just as good. I love the bluesy feel on the closer, Aeronaut, that also incorporates some of that 90s alt rock as well as some psych vibes too.
The sheer volume of good to excellent stoner rock out there today can be intimidating, so when you throw something like 90s pop punk and alt rock into the mix you tend to be able to stand out amongst the throngs of bands playing today. Waste A Saint does a great job of incorporating these additional elements to the stoner rock goodness to bring a pretty short and sweet little ripper with Ravenous. 7/10
Steel Rath – Prayers Of War (Alone Records) [Paul Hutchings]
The sheer volume of good to excellent stoner rock out there today can be intimidating, so when you throw something like 90s pop punk and alt rock into the mix you tend to be able to stand out amongst the throngs of bands playing today. Waste A Saint does a great job of incorporating these additional elements to the stoner rock goodness to bring a pretty short and sweet little ripper with Ravenous. 7/10
Steel Rath – Prayers Of War (Alone Records) [Paul Hutchings]
Steel Rath bring their second album Prayers Of War which is the follow up to 2021’s eponymous debut and it’s one that reaches deep into the heavy metal play book.
Musically, it’s impossible to avoid the Iron Maiden / Helloween comparisons, for there is no doubt that Steel Rath worship at the temple of those behemoths. This is more Maiden in the 80s than the progressive, elongated songs that the Irons tend to deliver today. It’s full of dual guitar harmonies, plenty of riffs that Murray and Smith would deliver, and a bass/drum combination that anchors in much the same way as Messrs Harris and McBrain. We’ll get to the vocals shortly.
The band has changed the rhythm section in time for this album, with new players Jiulio D Cesar and Andre Ranhel slotting in alongside original members Alex Livas and vocalist / guitarist Bruno Coimbra.
Musically, this is solid, it’s definitely listenable, despite the obvious plagiarism that has taken place. But music is in the ear of the beholder, and I can see some telling me that the band should be given a break.
Musically, this is solid, it’s definitely listenable, despite the obvious plagiarism that has taken place. But music is in the ear of the beholder, and I can see some telling me that the band should be given a break.
Whilst I am in favour of that wherever possible, there are times on this album where Iron Maiden come bursting through so clearly that it’s impossible to avoid playing Name That (Maiden) Tune. The title track for example, has elements of Caught Somewhere In Time and Wasted Years running through it. It’s well performed though, and I’m not knocking the band’s ability to gallop along.
It maybe that the saving grace is that Coimbra can’t match Bruce or Blaze in anyway, shape or form, and the slightly off-key vocals do tend to draw attention from the music. There are plenty of times where the singing does echo Dickinson, and occasionally the German ensemble as well, and you could view that as a compliment in many ways.
There are variations. Hammer Grinder is more traditional heavy metal, whilst there are several breaches of the power metal boundaries, such as the epic finale, Secrets Of Steel. I feel that this is an album that could be much better, if the band would allow their own direction to take hold, rather than adopting every cliché in the book. It may be that their Brazilian roots don’t allow that.
Regardless, there is plenty to enjoy here, providing you like traditional heavy metal played very much to the blueprint that Iron Maiden laid down over 45 years ago. 6/10