Immortal Guardian - Roots Run Deep (feat. Ralf Scheepers) [official music video]

Immortal Guardian

Roots Run Deep ft. Ralph Scheepers (Primal Fear) (single)

M-Theory Audio

22 March 2023

Power metal homerun hitters Immortal Guardian have a video for the song called "Roots Run Deep." Previously they have released four new songs, and this is the fifth one, with the grand plan of having the full-length album ready before the fall of 2023. As you will see, they have Primal Fear air raid siren Ralf Scheepers coming in from the bullpen for some guest vocals. The band seems to have started out Harlingen, Texas, U.S. in 2008, and now called Las Vegas home, and since their debut full-length album Age of Revolution they have substantially increased their batting average and continued with 2021's Psychosomatic. They are on the move again looking for that homerun. With five new songs available now, maybe that's exactly what they will do. Watch and see, with five innings down, do they have four more to bring the ducks home? The bases are loading nicely so far.

Immortal Guardian - Roots Run Deep (feat. Ralf Scheepers) [Official Music Video]

https://immortalguardian.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/igmetal

Century - traditional heavy metal from Sweden

Century

The Conquest of Time

No Remorse Records

21.04.2023

Classic-style heavy metal band Century (Sweden) did a demo in 2020, a single in 2022 and the time for the debut full-length has arrived. Interestingly enough, this is not yet a full band because it is Leo Ekström on drums and bass and Staffan Tengnér on guitars, vocals and bass. The album is nine songs in 36 minutes. The most appealing factor is their melodies. They prefer melodies that are not overly sweet. The singing is important, but this is riff and rhythm headbanging music. The singing fits the music, but it seems too secondary and could stand for Staffan to devote more time to that area, in addition to improving on the lyrics, as some of these lyrics are too typical and empty, and are there for Staffan to have something to sing, not something to express from the heart. Don’t let the constructive criticism fool you, I have enjoyed this album a lot and I appreciate their effort very much. Expect serious heavy metal with a tendency towards a melodic-ominous style.

The Conquest of Time by Century

https://www.facebook.com/centuryswe

Fifth Angel - When Angels Kill (official music video)

In case that you have not seen it, here is the latest video from the Washington State, U.S. melodic heavy metal band Fifth Angel (1984-1989, 2010, 2017-present). The song is called "When Angels Kill" from the upcoming album also titled When Angels Kill. If you like the new song, you might also enjoy the live recording found below the new video. In addition, if you do like both videos, maybe you will also have fun going back to the elegant, beautiful sound of the melodic heavy metal of the band in the 1980s. While we wait for the new album, there is a quite a bit of history to catch up on, right?!

Fifth Angel

When Angels Kill

Nuclear Blast

June 16th, 2023

1. Descent into Darkness

2. When Angels Kill

3. Resist the Tyrant

4. On Wings of Steel

5. We Are Immortal

6. Empire of Hate

7. Run to the Black

8. Seven Angels

9. Blinded and Bleeding

10. Kill the Pain

11. Five Days to Madness

12. Ashes to Ashes

13. The End of Everything

14. Light the Skies

FIFTH ANGEL - When Angels Kill (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Fifth Angel live | Rockpalast | 2019

Fifth Angel - Time Will Tell

https://www.facebook.com/fifthangelofficial/

Trip The Wire - "Hurricane" (official music video)

Trip The Wire

Trip The Wire

16 June 2023

Here are a couple of videos from Trip The Wire from the state of Washington, U.S. Their self-titled album is "retro" heavy rock. The music is back-to-basics of guitars, drums, bass and singing, and avoids distractions like background or samples or special effects. They sound like a band interested in playing these songs live similarly to the recording. Listeners should be able to hear the instrumentation relatively clearly because the band wants audiences to hear the songwriting and focus on the songs and the melodies. The band refers to their music as "hard rock," but it's heavy rock/heavy metal, not blues rock, because the guitars have a certain crunch to them, which comes out in selected places. One gets the impression that at least some members of the band like metal music, but they are not trying to be all-out headbanging metal. They prefer the variety and diverse songwriting of 1970s heavy rock. While a song like "In the Crossfire" might sound like traditional heavy metal, the other songs make it obvious that they want a bit more variety.

In the Crossfire 4:21

Anti Love 3:50

Hurricane 4:37

Zombie Child 3:33

Shine On 4:38

The Fire 4:52

Maybe Next Time 3:56

Outta My Hands 4:46

Never Enough 4:42

Step Nine 6:13

Trip The Wire - In the Crossfire (Live)

Trip The Wire - "Hurricane" (Official Music Video)

Hurricane by Trip The Wire

Decaying Crypt - Seattle death doom

Decaying Crypt

Demo MMXXI

September 23rd, 2021

So far it seems that there is only this 26-minute, five-track recording released by this Washington State, U.S. cavernous death doom band; they call themselves "old school death metal." Their interpretation of heavy consists of blasting, undeniable, full-speed-ahead moments that will bang those heads that do not bang, while the slow-motion crawling sections are an important part of their sound. Recommended for fans of Incantation and the bands that are the children and grandchildren of Incantation: the furious death metal and the slow parts. As long as the slow passages are acceptable to the listener, better yet, very enjoyable, Decaying Crypt's demo should be building up a small following (or maybe not so small, we'll see) of die-hard supporters of primal cave brutality.

DEMO MMXXI by Decaying Crypt

Vesuvian - melodic death metal from Seattle

Vesuvian

Emergence

April 9th, 2023

This month of April 2023, after two previous EPs, the Seattle melodic death metal band Vesuvian (2014-2015 [as Ocean of Obsession], 2015-present) has issued its debut full-length album called Emergence. At this particular juncture the band has arrived at a rather polished sound based on melodic extreme metal with a neosymphonic background, in addition to other elements, like some melodic singing and slower passages. I am not that familiar with the new album so far because I have only heard it one time as of right now, although I am now working on hearing it a second time. Having seen the band live, it’s nice to hear recorded some of the newer material that they have been telling audiences about. It is also nice to see the band get to the point where they sound like they are capable of making come to life the music that they hear in their minds as Vesuvian music. Back in the early days before they even changed their name to Vesuvian, they sounded like a young band working within metalcore-based sounds when they were just getting their feet wet. Nowadays they have grown in experience and they have come a long way towards a more professional melodic death metal sound.

Emergence by Vesuvian

https://www.facebook.com/Vesuvianmetal/

Infecting the Swarm - ultra brutal woof woof from Germany

Infecting the Swarm

Pulsing Coalescence

Lacerated Enemy Records

14 April 2023

When you are the band Infecting the Swarm, you always try to do the worst you can. Make your cacophony as fugly as possible, and sound you grabbed a bunch of Pantera records and you violently shoved them into a meat grinder, and the sound of the meat grinder chewing up and spitting out the shattered pieces is the sound of Infecting the Swarm. Goodness, this is as atrocious as it is marvelous: super-duper lowest-growled, eat-the-microphone vocals; animalistic barbarian drum blasting (programming?) and unmelodic, thick rhythms. Don’t show this music to your teachers! They will say, “Angie, oh, honey, I’m worried about you. I don’t think this music is appropriate.” They might call social services, animal control and the local Boys and Girls counselor to ask you if you are doing ok. Angie, you tell those fools that you are doing ok. Tell them, “Hey, you liked stupid fake so-called music like that Mr. big-butt rapper guy when you were young! You can’t judge me when you were dancing to Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer in your day! Now get out of my room and let me listen to Infecting the Swarm, alright?!” Friend, come this way only if you want to hear the most repugnant metal.

INFECTING THE SWARM – Pulsing Coalescence by Lacerated Enemy records

https://www.facebook.com/InfectingTheSwarm

Brutal Desire - melodic death metal/metalcore from Rio de Janeiro

Brutal Desire is a Brazilian metalcore/death metal band that began in 2016. Their 2019 EP, which shows some death metal with additional and various influences, is called Nec Spe Nec Metu, and it is shared here from YouTube. That music was with their previous vocalist Enrico Salvatore. Then, in 2019 their vocalist joined and her name is Isabelle Alexandre Nascimento. From what I can tell, they do not yet have a new album or EP, but they have recorded two singles in 2021, according to the information on Metal Archives. Their most recent direction is a bit more melodic, with a shock rock factor thrown in, coming across as melodic extreme metal of metalcore, death metal and other components. At any rate, below is the video for the 2021 single "Bloodshed." As of right now, there does not seem to be any more recent music. Let's wait and see if an EP or album is released at some point. On Metal Archives it shows that the band is rounded out by Oman Oado, who has been drumming with the band since 2016; and guitarist Daniel Sales who joined in 2019.

BRUTAL DESIRE -「BLOODSHED」Official Music Video

Brutal Desire - Nec Spe Nec Metu

https://www.facebook.com/brutaldesireofficialpage/

Narnia - "Wake up Call" video

The long-running power metal band Narnia (Sweden) released a new album in March called Ghost Town. Known for soaring vocals and an abundance of melodies, their trademarks remain in 2023. Sometimes their sound seems more prog power or neoclassical or traditional heavy metal, and in a way, it's all those things, and of course, plenty of direct power metal. If you are new to the band, Narnia takes inspiration from "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis. Sometimes their lyrics seem like stories, and the band prides itself on bringing a different, more positive perspective on life, based on Christian beliefs. Anyway, the bottom line is quality power metal, that's always been their goal and continues to be to this day. Check out the video from the album. This song is a pretty good representation of what the bands sounds like and of their lyrics.

1. Rebel 04:06

2. Thief 05:06

3. Hold On 04:05

4. Glory Daze 04:27

5. Descension 07:11

6. Ghost Town 03:43

7. Alive 04:02

8. Modern Day Pharisees 04:11

9. Out of the Silence 04:18

10. Wake Up Call 05:52

total time 47:01

NARNIA - WAKE UP CALL (OFFICIAL VIDEO WITH LYRICS)

https://www.facebook.com/narniatheband

Treedeon - sludge from Germany

This past March saw the release of the third album by Germany-based sludge purveyors Treedeon. Expect a super heavy psychedelic stoner guitar sound and screamed vocals that may seem furious, crazy or desperate, or all three. They love a massive sound of slow guitar and a wall-shaking rhythm section. Doom fanatics should have plenty here to entertain them. This is a twisted version of late 1960s pschedelic rock loaded up with weight of a couple of tons of anger. This ain't the summer love.

New World Hoarder by Treedeon

https://www.facebook.com/Treedeon/

Sölicitör - the Seattle speedsters are in Europe right now

Seattle speed metal leather rockers Sölicitör are in Europe now. If you have never their brand of speed metal, then check out the recording below. Of course, they have a lot more where that came from.

See this tour photo for the remaining dates. It looks like Germany and Holland are next.

All Debts On Death by Solicitor

https://www.facebook.com/solicitor.speedmetal/

Masses in Atrophy - Michigan deathcore/death metal

I never heard this Michigan deathcore/death metal band's 2019 recording A Blackened Gate Beyond The Stars when it was released. As it turns out, on April 10th on Facebook they posted that the band is over. This is the only recording shown on Metal Archives or Bandcamp. It is three songs in 11 minutes. To my ears, hearing this music for the first time, it seems like a deathcore band incorporating some prog/tech death elements into their music, and moving a lot closer to death metal, while some of the groove/djent sounds seem to be present to some extent. Hey, you never know, maybe they are finished or maybe not. This recording is not too shabby and it would not be surprising if they feel like they left some business unfinished.

A Blackened Gate Beyond The Stars by Masses In Atrophy

https://www.facebook.com/massesinatrophy/

Necronomicon - thrashing from Germany since 1984

Necronomicon

Constant to Death

El Puerto Records

April 28th, 2023

1. Constant to Death 02:57

2. They Lie 02:44

3. Redemption 02:52

4. Stored in Blood 03:28

5. The Guilty Shepherd 05:33

6. A Voice for the Voiceless 03:26

7. Black Rain 05:37

8. Children Cry Alone 02:07

9. Bloodrush 03:09

10. Down from Above 05:02

11. The Blood Runs Red 05:13

total time 42:08

The thrashing began in 1984 and soon in 1985 the Germans had two demos that were the basis for the 1986 self-titled debut album. While thrash in 1986 was already more polished and commercially viable, Necronomicon, having started later, tended to show some rawer traits, including on the 1987 sophomore album. By 1988, the sound had become tighter and more experienced. While their first two albums are fun second-tier albums, on their third one they seemed to step up their game. Unfortunately, some time was lost and their next album was released in 1994. Worse yet, it was not until 2004 that they released another album. Ever since then, however, they have been releasing albums in 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018 and now 2023. The main thing to know is that they are reliable thrash. It’s all here, the screamed vocals, the prototypical riffs, the guitar solos and the pounding rhythm section. There are no ballads, no love songs, no groove, just galloping thrash riffs of headbanging metal. The strength of this album is their ability to make their songs fun. The tight thrash has a bit of hooks, licks and melodies along with the speed, things to please the die-hard, collector-minded thrash fanatic. Nowadays only the singer guitarist Freddy remains from 1984. Metal Archives shows that Freddy is joined by Marco Lohrenz on bass since 2013, Rik Charron on drums since 2019 and Glen Shannon on guitars since 2019. As someone that still likes the first two albums and their other albums, too, I like the mentality and consistency that the band has shown throughout their career.

NECRONOMICON - They Lie (2023) // official Clip // El-Puerto-Records

https://www.facebook.com/necronomiconofficial

Tanith - classic rock heavy metal lives

Tanith

Voyage

Metal Blade Records

21 April 2023

The most prominent member of this British-American band is guitarist and vocalist Russ Tippins, active since 1979 with New Wave of British Heavy Metal band Satan (later named Blind Fury, then Pariah and then Satan again). They have Cindy Maynard on vocals and bass, and Keith Robinson on drums. Tanith is classic rock in the style of the 1970s, something in between the metal of late 70s Judas Priest and Scorpions, and the prog rock of Rush, Budgie, Deep Purple or Uriah Heep and other bands like that. They are certainly not headbanging metal, but they do a good job of rocking, and avoiding going off the deep end with the prog, avoiding long, meandering self-indulgence.

Tanith does not sound perfect. You know how 1970s bands do not sound perfect but real when you hear a Led Zeppelin, Mountain, Sir Lord Baltimore, Heart or Black Sabbath song? This is like that, not perfectly and clinically robotized. It sounds human and it is on purpose. Truth be told, if you listen to mostly computer heavy metal music, it takes a few listens for your ears, so distorted by the Milli Vanilli-style fraudulence of metal rock, to adjust to Tanith. In short, you can tell that this band intends to play this music live. On their debut album back in 2019 they sounded like they were on to a good thing. Indeed, they are in 2023.

Voyage by Tanith

https://www.facebook.com/TanithNYC/

Nightmare Endless - black metal from the U.S.

Nightmare Endless

Concretum Infernum

November 20th, 2021

First things first, turn the volume up, way up, friend, because it is the only way that this necro black metal recording can be heard correctly in order to be understood. Shrieking, wild vocals, an abrasive guitar sound, and a drum sound to match the sandpaper-on-skin cacophony. Once the listener gets past the bitter curtain of lo-fi cave sound, the actual music can be heard. At times the speed remains constant, like this duo is in their zone, and the extended segments of speed allow the listener to get more comfortable, during which the speed has not slowed down, but it feels like it for the listener because the extended segments of speed last a while and invite the listener to merge onto the highway of runaway speed. Speed up to merge! Listening to this recording you will notice that the drums are noisy, rambunctious and wild, and not robotic, mechanized and stiff. Can sampled drums sound this way? Can programmed drums sound this way, this “imperfect” and bonkers? Nowhere does this duo say who they are and what instruments they play, but this drum sound seems to have a certain personality and style, suggesting that perhaps this is not a computer but a black metal maniac behind the drum kit.

Thus, we can break down the 26 minutes of this recording as follows:

1. Autophobia (06:58) – blasting, raging black metal

2. Rotting Forest (05:29) – blasting, raging bm w/ midtempo middle part

3. Nex Maximus (07:41) – midtempo/fast bm w/ a bit more melody

4. Nox Somnium (05:15) – midtempo, most melodic raw black metal instrumental song

5. Outro 00:59 – slow guitar finish without drums, just guitar

Recommended for people looking for black metal that does not sound like a sham.

Concretum Infernum by Nightmare Endless

Greenwater - Tacoma stoner doom

Greenwater is stoner doom from Tacoma, Washington State, U.S. Five songs in 25 minutes, it does not take long to understand that the 1970s simple, heavy riffs are Greenwater's main way of doing things. They are from Tacoma but if someone said that they are from New Orleans it would seem pretty natural because there is a connection with the sound of bands like Down and Crowbar. There is lots of British and U.S. classic rock that echoes in the grooves of Greenwater. Fans of all things 1970s heavy rock may like what this band is doing on their first EP.

Greenwater EP by Greenwater

Kheshig - Tacoma, seriously, what are you doing?

Oh, blimey, mate, the Tacoma townsfolk are certainly bonkers, aren't they? Is there better evidence than Kheshig? Kheshig is either rubbish or brilliant. Next time you are taking the tube, get some Kheshig doom sludge going, and Bob's your uncle, you'll be quids in. It's one track, 25 minutes of faffing around the same basic riff as slowly as possible. Is this wally or genius? There may not be more than a couple riffs throughout the entire recording. Brilliant, innit? There are four previous EPs, but start with this one, and see if it's your cuppa or perhaps you want to run away. I blame all of this shenanigans on Electric Wizard. I blame Electric Wizard for many things, but I definitely blame Electric Wizard for this, too.

Mourning of The Witch by KHESHIG

Devangelic - blasting death metal from Italy

Devangelic

Xul

April 7th, 2023

Willowtip Records

The fourth album by the Italian band is instantly pleasing to audiences of blasting death. Equipped with very low, indecipherable growling, a plethora of blasting rhythm segments and warp-speed guitar blazing, Devangelic gets to the point quickly and stays on point. The first element to notice is the cool guitar work. Sharp and catchy, heavy both as a contemporary and a prototypical death guitar sound, it’s a fun listen of twisting, contorting, zigzagging unmelodic riffs. The second attraction is the songwriting. Compact and efficient, the 39 minutes go by rather quickly listening to the frenzied speed. How they manage to sound fun while going bananas on their instruments is a credit to the band. It’s not all blasting, either, as they have some slow, plodding com-ponents for some variety.

Unfortunately, the band has had some things that keep the death metal crowds from putting Devangelic at the top of their lists. They began with cartoonish, gimmicky artwork for their first album and the follow-up EP. They have moved towards more mythological ancient Middle Eastern topics; sadly, it is the hoax of Lovecraft/Crowley that some metal bands like. Surely, an Italian band should have no shortage of historical/mythological topics if they look towards their own history and mythology from the ancient Italian lands to today’s events, without treading the fraudulent path of the previously mentioned white supremacist, Nazi sympathizing self-appointed “prophets” of the 20th century.

The band needs better vocals. The vocalist seems all too pleased to turn in a just good, standard performance (who knows how much is real and how much is computer effects and auto tune and things like that). There is zero variety in the low growling. It is not energetic nor wild nor unpredictable; it’s just the same monotone, pretty-good “brutal” vocals. More creativity and more craziness is necessary. I would like to see the band to be less afraid to incorporate more guitar solos, more guitar in general, more intelligent and less nonsense lyrics, and much wilder, more unhinged and utterly savage vocals. Of course, I would appreciate it if they use real, live drums, too. Despite these criticisms, I have enjoyed this album. In the ten years since their humble beginning, they are one of the more entertaining bands in the field of blasting brutal death metal that I have heard this year.

Xul by Devangelic

[The first song streaming "Udug-Hul Incantation," a slow track, is not representative of the band's style. This track is a more basic, simpler song reminiscent of Nile's "Sarcophagus" (from 2002's In Their Darkened Shrines album), which also was not representative of that album.]

https://www.facebook.com/devangelic.official

Convergence - death metal from Spokane, Washington, U.S.

Check out this new death metal from the state of Washington, U.S. The name of the band is Convergence and it looks like this is their debut album called Extinction Level Event released on the 15th of March, 2023. Metal Archives shows that the band is:

Matt Browning (bass);

Cassidy Kleinman (drums) [Rutah, ex-Umbilical Cord, Corpse]

Mark Pettit (guitars)

[ex-Rancor, ex-Umbilical Cord, Corpse, ex-Rutah, ex-Nganga]

Jason Pilalas (guitars, vocals)

[ex-Umbilical Cord, Evolutions Per Minute]

I have not had a chance to hear the entire album, just some songs on YouTube. It looks like they some experience because of their involvement in other bands in the Spokane area. Let's hear more from this band, what do you say?! YouTube seems to have the entire album.

Effigy For The Dying

guitarist Pier Gonella (Italy) releases video for "Margarita" from new album

Italian guitarist Pier Gonella (Athlantis, Necrodeath, Odyssea, Perseo Miranda, Vanexa, Verde Lauro, ex-Amazing Maze, ex-Wild Steel, Pier Gonella, ex-Bellathrix, ex-Labÿrinth, ex-Maciej Podsiadło, ex-Synthphonia Suprema) has a video for the song "Margarita" from his new album 667. A multifacted guitarist skilled at a variety of genres, from extreme styles to melodic sounds, Gonella's work can go in many directions. As you can hear from the video, this album for the most part points in the direction of ear-friendly, instrumental guitar.

track list:

01 Margarita

02 667

03 Holy Water

04 Rock The Galaxy

05 Unforgettable

06 Make it Rock

07 Floor 666

08 Bonzo goes to Pitburg

09 Planet for Sale

Pier Gonella | Margarita

667 by PIER GONELLA

http://www.musicart.eu/buy667worldwide.html?fbclid=IwAR2D0qHOpbIKjC0jCmVZoJwqgUc9cm61ck24q_Dh2q3OlG_M9NsG_kPSsG4

U.S. traditional heavy metal Sanhedrin goes to Europe in April

U.S. traditional heavy metal rockers Sanhedrin are headed to Europe, with Germany and Holland on the schedule. It all begins on the 20th of April. To get more familiar with the sound of these New Yorkers, check out their most recent album Lights On (2022) below. Be sure to check their Facebook page for the latest information regarding this tour.

Lights On by Sanhedrin

https://www.facebook.com/sanhedrinband

Seattle will see dragon fire from the Lords of the Trident

"The most metal band on Earth" will be riding into Seattle on the 14th of April, 2023. Their name is Lords of the Trident and their music is so metal that even Manowar has asked them to "dial down the metal a bit" because it's "just too much sometimes" for 99.99% of metal warriors. A long, long time ago in 2008 the Lords of the Trident built their kingdom in the far away lands of the realm of Madison, Wisconsin, where the dragons rule over volcanoes of flowing magma, cheese and beer.

The Offering by Lords of the Trident

https://www.facebook.com/lordsofthetrident

https://www.facebook.com/events/754523816024596/?ref=newsfeed