Iron Fire – Beyond The Void (2019) – Iron Fire have returned with an explosive new album that combines thrash with power metal in a way that I think is highly notable. I wasn’t exactly crazy about their previous effort, but this is definitely a push in the right direction. The opener and title track starts the disc out on the right track with not only a catchy chorus, but some unexpected harsh vocals, which might not be a bad thing every once in a while. This would give Iron Fire a mid-era Mercenary sound, kind of like that 11 Dreams album I used to love so much as a teenager. “Final Warning” comes in with a hefty crunch and yet another catchy chorus. The previous cut didn’t deliver much in the solo department, but this one does. “Cold Chains Of The North” is very much in the same vein, while “Wrong Turn” offers a hell of a lot more to chew on, especially in lieu of it’s guitar solo. This one hit me like a freight train and definitely succeeds where the last two tracks didn’t quite make the cut. “Bones and Gasoline” is noticeable right from it’s opening riffs, carrying a little bit of early Metallica with it. The chorus here is also just as noticeable and I love the drum fills just after it. Again, they’re adding bits of Metallica here but offering a better package than the aforementioned did just a few years ago with Hardwired. You’ll still hear bits of harsh vocal here too, which adds spice to the performance. Obviously latter-era Testament had a role to play in influencing these guys. However, I can think of many AOR acts that might have influenced some of these choruses, quite like the one on “Old Habits Die Hard.” We also have “Judgement Day” which I’d consider to be the album’s major ballad. The song is actually about time being quite short on this earth and how one should appreciate even it. It also mentions creating a time machine to bring the frontman back to a simpler time. Having seen the state of the world lately, I’m definitely welcoming that idea. Putting it simply, I’m quite pleased with this one and feel that it is leagues above their previous record, Among The Dead. Iron Fire mixes hard-hitting thrash metal with sugary choruses and powerful ballads to make one of the biggest surprises in the genre this year. If you passed this one up, I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(12 Tracks, 44:00)
8.8/10
Stellar Master Elite – Hologram Temple (2019) – The latest effort from Stellar Master Elite, Hologram Temple seems to be more influenced by pounding death metal than some of their previous releases. When I mean pounding death metal, I mean that more often than not, the formula can be quite thick and grueling, almost like a sort of industrial death/sludge. Opener “Null” definitely gives this impression, making me think of Thanos a little. Black metal injections still occur, but this thicker direction definitely seems like a step in the right direction for the band and you’ll really want to get some bass heavy headphones for this one, as the record truly delivers in it’s amount of raw distortion. Even the blackened portions of this album feel deathier than normal and again, that makes me think of conquest and the blackness of space. Sometimes we’ll even hear bits of synth, which again give me that feeling of being on a spaceship out in the middle of the void. Like that black hole we just discovered a few weeks ago. This record feels like that. Most of all, I like the fact that this disc doesn’t come off too much like standard death or black metal, bringing in an unforeseen influence in this deep, sludgy, black hole kinda feeling that I get. The songs are also quite long as well, only further beefed by the inclusion of distinct atmosphere. Some may find that they are too droning for the pummel we expect from death metal, but understand that atmospheres, particularly spatial atmospheres have always been very important to the band and that can also be said for this release. If you really love the atmosphere, then you’re going to love the finale, “Tetragon” which is nearly a full fifteen minutes of just that, along with slight metal portions. I could personally take or leave them (kind of spoils the atmosphere, we didn’t really need those blast beats) as the record is already chock full of metal as is, but I understand that extreme metal is a large part of the act as well. For those who just can’t get into the death metal or atmosphere portions that are so lovingly prominent in this band/DMT trip, I might recommend “The Beast We Have Created” which throws back to a Now, Diabolical style Satyricon. That’s about as black metal as we’re going to get here and I’m fine with that. You know how it is these days, if you go too far black metal then you run the risk of being called a Nazi by greedy publications looking to make money in our current social media clickbait economy that was once called journalism. That being said, I think that Stellar Master Elite have once again showed that they’re a band worth taking notice of and fans of death metal and spatial industrial are going to love Hologram Temple.
(9 Tracks, 61:00)
8.5/10
Battle Beast – No More Hollywood Endings (2019) – Power metal with a womanly vocal edge, Battle Beast really surprised the heck out of me with this one and I think that’s because it draws some inspiration from eighties pop music, which I absolutely love. The synths are also apparent here as you’ll notice with “Unfairy Tales.” Yes, it is very much a pop-influenced metal record and perhaps I am a bit biased here, but unlike some other modern acts of this style, Battle Beast decided to put their music through a time machine. This makes me think of Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar and several other artists from that time period that I don’t feel will ever be topped. Just listen to those riffs in “Endless Summer” and you’ll know why I have such a nostalgia boner for this album. As you become an older person, you start to long for the pieces of your past and No More Hollywood Endings does that for me. It’s proof that The Grim Lord is getting old, but I would also hope that you’d give it a chance if you’re tired of pop metal bands deliberately copying off the current mainstream pop music scene, which I feel is soulless garbage. Then we have “The Hero” which is nearly synthwave rock and makes me want to jump into a DeLorean even more than the previous number. “Piece Of Me” comes out of nowhere with a sort of angsty pop influence that reminds me of current era In This Moment and pulls back from the eighties influence that I was digging earlier. But I’m sure it’ll be good for the radio. “I Wish” is a classical ballad, which I certainly can’t find fault with, though isn’t my cup of tea. “Raise Your Fists” features a folk-influenced power metal vibe, though it’s nothing I haven’t heard before. “The Golden Horde” comes off as the classic power metal cut even though it begins on a very odd club-techno node. I see what they’re doing here, but some of these experiments impress me while others leave me scratching my head. “World On Fire” finally brings us back into the eighties synth influence, while “Bent and Broken” throws us another ballad. Thankfully, the disc ends on a fiery Priestly vibe with “My Last Dream.” From the title alone, you might expect this to be another ballad; though I can assure you that it is not and comes off as a wonderful way to end a rather solid disc. Ultimately, I found the majority of No More Hollywood Endings to be a rather noteworthy release and it definitely separates itself from other releases where modern pop is such a mainstay. I can’t say that I really enjoyed the crass “Piece Of Me” but there’s a little something for almost everyone here and that’s where the main draw of the record will be found. I’m just thankful that Battle Beast are trying not to sound like everyone else in this industry. I’m not sure if that’s just due to experimental curiosity or desperation on their part, but it certainly worked for them more often than not.
(13 Tracks, 55:00)
7.5/10
Sworn Enemy – Gamechanger (2019) – If you’re looking for a vulgar punch in the fucking mouth that doesn’t come from Pantera, Sworn Enemy is just the dose of hardcore that you need. These guys take from the old school and that means they don’t care who doesn’t like what they have to say. In all honesty, these guys make a soundtrack fit for beating the shit out of someone, especially if they deserve it and from the sound of “Prepare For Payback” they’re not looking for remorse. If Five Finger Death Punch actually had some balls, they would be Sworn Enemy. I’m really glad that this genre still exists and bands that literally go out there and say “fuck you motherfucker, I’m going to beat your ass” are still prevalent in society, Obviously, if you have anger issues and this kind of music won’t push you towards acting out on them, Gamechanger could be a real form of therapy. I’m sure it is for the band, and you’ve got to give them proper respect for adding some guitar solo sections into the breakdowns. Now, you can consider this approach a bit meat headed, but we do need a least some meat. masculinity and testosterone in western society or we’re going to find ourselves easily crushed by a country that does still have all of these things. Men are supposed to lift heavy things after all, it is what we’re biologically built for – and this kind of music is just the thing for those looking to pump some iron in the gym. I’m definitely reminded of Hatebreed who are another one of my favorite acts along with Pro-Pain and Biohazard. One can say that I’ve always been into this kind of music, it’s the hormonal equivalent of injecting steroids as far as I’m concerned and will get anyone pumped for a fight. Preferably in a ring or the octagon though. And then you have “Justify” which is about the corrupt and crooked justice system that we have in this society, a reason why so many good men are thrown and jail and have their entire lives thrown away in the process. We really do need prison reform in this country, as well as political reform in general. The people that we put in charge of our best interests are lying snakes that are only in it for themselves. Listen to that line, “We lose while your pockets get fatter, but to you do our lives matter?” And no, they don’t. This one kind of burns me up a bit, so we’ll go onto the next one. As I’ve gotten older, my fuse has gotten shorter. There are definitely more positive nodes on here like “Selling A Dream” but even those cuts are delivered like a sledgehammer to your balls and I’d expect nothing less. From one of the few bands that I can ever remember writing a song that detailed how much mainstream music sucked, Gamechanger is definitely Sworn Enemy doing what they do best. They are one of my favorite bands in what’s left of the hardcore scene these days and they don’t beat around the bushes with their lyrics, which has always been the appeal for me. Twenty years later and these guys haven’t changed a bit. If you’re missing testosterone in your life, then definitely pick up a copy of Gamechanger. It may very well be a gamechanger in your life.
(11 Tracks, 38:00)
8/10
Mirror Of Deception – The Estuary (2018) – This album was submitted to me a few months back and I’m just now getting around to it, but trust me – I’ve greatly enjoyed this one and I hope that the band doesn’t mind a late, highly positive review. The first time I heard “Orphans” I had to play it two more times, I simply couldn’t get enough of it. There’s indeed a folky sense of sorrow here, coupled with a doomy bass thump. Mirror Of Deception feels like Primordial with a tad bit of early Skyclad, a large chunk of The Lord Weird Slough Feg and even a chunk of Paradise Lost for good measure. The Estuary is definitely melancholy, though not a complete tear-jerker as it definitely pounds with enough groove to properly bang your head. “At My Shore” further carries with it that sense of melancholic doom, almost into atmosphere realms which only serve to delight me further. Out of many discs, I certainly found something here and I’m saying that less and less with current music. It’s worth noting that Mirror Of Deception are Germany’s longest running traditional doom metal act and with such high scores (barring their previous album, A Smouldering Fire so I’m not sure what happened there but it appears that the reviewer just didn’t care for the band to begin with and that always unfairly skews reviews) in their discography, it definitely goes without saying that you need to check out the previous albums if you haven’t done so already. Michael Stifferman’s vocals seem to be one of the most potent parts of this band, which decorate their somber riff melodies quite beautifully. Stifferman and guitarist Jochen Fopp have been in this band since it began and that’s saying something. Sure, they took a brief hiatus and let go of a few members, but the record doesn’t show any signs of slacking. While some sections can be rather plodding, it is doom and we have to expect that. Plodding naturally comes with the territory, especially when this is on the more melancholic side of things. I don’t feel that doom fans will have an issue with this disc and would definitely consider it worth a listen.
(8 Tracks, 44:00)
8/10
Eli Litwin – The World Now (2019) – Eli Litwin may have members from John Frum, but that doesn’t mean that I loved the performance here even half as much. Obviously John Frum was a more experimental take on death metal, which I absolutely loved; but I’m no quite sure what this is actually supposed to be. Though I’m quite certain it is some level of electronica, it doesn’t even seem to suit my palette on that level. Since I am not quite a fan of this project, instead of just trashing it to all hell, I’m going to talk about the portions that I did find interesting. Opener “Stay” is quite interesting in it’s mix of synth and acoustics, I find a lot of chiptune influence throughout the whole album. It seems like Throbbing Gristle could be an influence as “Leave This Land” seems to indicate, though mixing acoustics, death metal and chiptune all at the same time seems like it may have lost me completely. It almost feels like they’re just throwing paint at the wall and seeing what sticks. These kinds of albums can be hit or miss respectively and I felt that The World Now was a bit of both. A clean autotuned vocal approach joins DnB on “Rising Tides” as things begin to go a bit Mega Man and then vocaloid. I almost feel like I’m hearing harsh screams and Hatsune Miku at the same time, which is no issue as I have a figurine of her on my shelf. Somehow or another a guitar solo creeps in, but it feels slightly synthesized in sections and I’m thinking of King Of Fighters themes. It’s also cut off, which is a paddling in my opinion. I can’t stand when artists are cut off mid-solo. What in the hell is going on in “Unholy?” Sure, it starts out well enough, but then there’s a mixture of cleans and synths and growls and whatever else. Are they trying to be Boris? Closer “Loathsome” just features every damn thing, starting out again on a rather calm note before some guy throws everything but the kitchen sink through the studio windows. It’s rather beautiful for a couple of minutes, but then it rolls into a mixture of electronic chiptune metal stuff and a couple of electronic blast fills that make me curious to their plugins. When all is said and done, I think to myself, “Well, that was decent enough” and am hoping that they mix be able to mix things a bit better cohesively next time around. It’s a nice experiment, but it’s definitely no John Frum.
(5 Tracks, 28:00)
6/10
Bloodbound – Rise Of The Dragon Empire (2019) – I’m not quite sure what kind of band Bloodbound want to be anymore, as they’ve had about seven-hundred different style changes since their debut. This time it seems to be more of a symphonic power metal with folk elements, but not quite like the Rhapsody influence of their previous album War Of Dragons, which I thought might have been their death knell, to be honest. Yet, these guys are still kicking with a whole slew of new material for me to cover. The opener and title track certainly feels like Sabaton as does “Slayer Of Kings.” However, they’re really starting to get the formula down and “Skyriders and Stormbringers” is just one example of that perfection. “Magical Eye” continues that approach, almost bringing with it a current era Edguy feeling. There’s definitely some classic heavy metal influence injected here which helps to give these pieces a little more testosterone and less of the sparkly stuff that we hear in power metal these days. Sure, they’re singing about knights, dragons, magic and wizards, but at least there’s a thumping bass end to give more brevity to the performance than the shimmering keys. Don’t get me wrong, the keys are just as important to this album as they would be to any symphonic power metal disc, but I’m glad that there are noticeable grooves and even a few guitar solos. “Blackwater Bay” continues the incredibly bombastic and rather hefty folk influences, while “Giants Of Heaven” continues to keep it hard and heavy. Again, I’m truly thankful for the fact that Bloodbound decided to tune down the pomp a little bit as they were rolling too far into Sonata Arctica territory and that’s just way too flashy for me. Rise Of The Dragon Empire gives us a proper amount of pomp, but doesn’t go too far overboard. Even if it sounds a lot like Sabaton, at least they’ve got the formula down and I’m quite certain that Sabaton fans will have picked this one up already if they haven’t done so yet. I can’t really knock the band for performing a style in this genre that is very popular right now and at least they’re putting their own touches on it. That’s something I just can’t say about a metric ton of bands right now. I’m actually quite happy with Rise Of The Dragon Empire, but In The Name Of Metal will still remain my favorite record in their discography.
(11 Tracks, 45:00)
8/10
Iron Savior – Kill Or Get Killed (2019) – I’d almost forgotten that Iron Savior released a new one this year until I looked at my extensive backlog. Blind Guardian fans will be especially happy to hear this one, especially judging from how great the opener sounds. If the vocal performance doesn’t do it for you, the guitar solo definitely will. I’m certainly getting a Nightfall Of Middle Earth feel here and that excites me greatly. However, Iron Savior are capable of many sounds and styles beyond that which is why I love to see the classic heavy metal pumping through “Roaring Thunder.” They continue that approach with “From Dust & Rubble” and the killer “Sinner Or Saint” which just continues the awesome heavy metal onslaught. There just doesn’t seem to be a dud anywhere on this album, with a vocal performance that knocks it way out of the park every time. Not to mention the incredible guitar acrobatics, which even rival Blind Guardian’s early work. Now maybe the rest of Kill Or Get Killed isn’t quite as bombastic as it’s opener, but I’m not going to complain about a memorable heavy metal performance. Not everything has to be synths and grandeur after all, and that’s what Iron Savior went with this time around. However, there is an unexpected piece called “Until We Meet Again” which spans nearly to the eight minute mark. It is there that we’ll hear a smidgen of synth and possibly even some vocal effects which work to illustrate a story. The song also has a defined eighties rock nature and tinges on AOR except for yet another notable solo piece. This album is chock full of them and every single one is excellent. In the end, there really isn’t anything negative that I have to say about this one, as Kill Or Get Killed definitely stacks up as one of Iron Savior’s best, one among a sea of great power metal classics for the modern generation. If you love Blind Guardian and classic, thunderous heavy metal tunes, then you’re going to find exactly what you’re looking for here. This might be pushing it a little, but I personally think that Iron Savior are doing a better job of that Blind Guardian formula than the aforementioned are currently. Everything that I’ve missed from Blind Guardian’s current recordings I’m finding here and that should tell you something.
(10 Tracks, 49:00)
9/10