RivetSkull - Washington State traditional heavy metal based on classic rock

Washington State's RivetSkull in 2022 revamped their 2020 album with some other songs and changed the name slightly to Trail of Souls: Samsara. They play classic-rock heavy metal with foundations in the 1970s and 1980s. Listening to this album the feeling is not too different from listening to latter-day Iron Maiden or Deep Purple: midpaced songs focused more on melody and mood than speed. Quality is more important than anything else. Anyway, there is one thing that certain people might not know but that Washington State bands like RivetSkull (and Metal Church) have tried to educate us about: Aerosmith. Basically, anyone that grew up in the 1980s (and after) whenever they think of Aerosmith they think of a bunch of American rock music buffoonery with some stupid, stupid and often sappy songs. However, in the 1970s there was a time when Aerosmith played good hard rock, the heavy metal of the 1970s. This idea has almost been completely lost. RivetSkull and Metal Church are aware of this and have sought to tell heavy metal audiences to look into early Aerosmith. Metal Church has covered the song "Toys in the Attic" and RivetSkull here covers "Kings and Queens." Essentially, RivetSkull and Metal Church are telling people to look into the first five Aerosmith albums. For example, the original "Kings and Queens" sounds like classic rock 1970s heavy metal with a bit of an epic feel, for that time. There is a reason why RivetSkull has covered the song: Aerosmith is dismissed by serious heavy metal fans as a joke/stupid band with nothing to offer. Really, who can blame the fans for thinking this way? For 40 years Aerosmith has been a joke. Well, in the 1970s that band was different.

RivetSkull says that they are "bringing the past into the future" with their traditional heavy metal. Listen to the album and hear how they go about it. Of course, you'll want to hear the Aerosmith cover. By the way, another band that has covered Aerosmith is Testament. No surprise, they covered a 1970s song, too.

Trail of Souls : Samsara by RivetSkull

https://www.facebook.com/RivetSkull/

Aerosmith - Kings And Queens

Pier Gonella - guitarist extraordinaire new album coming in 2023

The Italian guitarist workaholic is at again. Besides his work with Athlantis, Mastercastle, Necrodeath, Odyssea, Perseo Miranda, Vanexa, Verde Lauro, Wild Steel, Amazing Maze, Bellathrix, Labÿrinth and Synthphonia Suprema, he has a band under his own name Pier Gonella. In April 24th, 2023 they will have a new instrumental album called 667 with nine tracks. This follow up the 2020 album Strategy. The band is Peso (Necrodeath) on drums and Giulio Belzer on bass.

Check out what Wikipedia shows about Pier: "Pier Gonella began playing guitar at the age of 15, following his passion for such bands as Scorpions and Deep Purple. From 1993 to 1997 he studied jazz guitar in many Italian schools. He could not finding any rock guitar teachers, so he studied rock guitar by himself. In particular he studied scores of many of his guitar heroes such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, Vinnie Moore, Joey Tafolla and many others. He studied music theory and, in June 1998, received the diploma of "Teoria and Solfeggio" at the Conservatory of Music 'Nicolo' Paganini' of Genoa. He also enrolled and studied 4 years of basson."

Wikipedia has more information. Anyway, listen to this song from the previous album. Here is a photo of the discography listed on Wikipedia.

Pier Gonella - Strategy - Official Videoclip

Pier Gonella "Strategy" by Diamonds Prod

https://www.facebook.com/piergonella

www.piergonella.com

Squirrel Hands - fellas, I like the sound, but I gotta have some cowbell

Squirrel Hands is a Washington State non-experimental, non-prankster metal band. With a name like that, you might expect something unusual or ridiculous. Actually, it's just good ole American groove for jamming and nodding your head while you drink a few cold ones on a Tuesday night at the local bar watching this hairy-and-smelly-winning-American-groove machine. They probably like Black Label Society and Pantera and that type of American sound. You see? Squirrel Hands does not sound like Primus nor Faith No More nor Insane Clown Posse nor banjo New Orleans possum blue grass jazz. It's groove metal for the groove-loving Americans, and man, these American people here in the U.S. they surely love their groove metal, don't they?! Say it, baby, say it: Squirrel Hands! Bruce Dickinson, yes, the Bruce Dickinson would enjoy producing this band, too, but I think that he might want to hear some cowbell. Gotta have some cowbell, baby. Bruce Dickinson has a fever for Squirrel Hands and the only prescription is more cowbell.

Emperor by Squirrel Hands

https://www.facebook.com/squirrelhands/

Encountered - - trippy doom hazy heavy, oh forget it, I give up, this is messed up Washington/Oregon stuff

Encountered is a Washington State and Oregon State alien doom worship slugfest of grooves with screams and samples. The vocals might make you think of black metal, and the guitar would make the hippies reminisce about Vanilla Fudge, Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Mountain and all those sounds of old bluesy groove heaviness. Isn't there a series on television about alien visitors from millenia ago? I think that Encountered could be, like, the theme music for that show and all those shows about aliens from outer space. This band might also really like ghosts. I do not know for sure, but it seems like they might like aliens and ghosts. Oh, and swamps, too. They might enjoy the idea of alien ghost swamp doom and that's what they do. They're crazy and that's what crazy alien ghost swamp loving doomsters do; they do stuff just like this. Man, things are getting weird around Oregon and Washington. It's must be the lack of sun. Makes people crazy. Please help.

Materials by Encountered

Mors Navis - robotic metal from the long time past of the old extinct future

Metal Archives shows this entity as a Washington State band playing a type of black and power metal hybrid. On Facebook they say about themselves: "A metal fueled Space Opera of epic proportions. Board the ship or get left behind." On Metal Archives the personnel is listed as: Aaron Weed (bass, keys, synth, trombone, vocals, orchestra); Jason Roberts (drums; Phobia, ex-Aghori, ex-Burning Leather, ex-Fall of the Bastards, ex-Splatterhouse, ex-Night Nurse, ex-Askevault, ex-Vastation, ex-Lord Gore (live), ex-Menacer, ex-Dekapitator, ex-Terokal); and Zach Mech (guitars, vocals, keyboards). The sound is a rather harsh futuristic neosymphonic extreme metal with some melodic hints. Perhaps imagine Transformers playing neosymphonic extreme metal and that might give you an idea of what to expect. Yup, it's pretty weird but not to you because you live in the future with your robot army and downloaded memory living in the body of a cyborg. To you, this is what you call oldie rock and roll from the good ole days of your ancestors.

Incipit by Mors Navis

https://www.facebook.com/mors.navis/

Enemy Mine - traditional heavy metal in Washington State, U.S.

I do not remembering having heard this Washington State band before. Enemy Mine, according to Metal Archives, has an EP from 2019 and another one in 2021. They play traditional, no-keyboards heavy metal, the type that some German fans refer to "U.S. metal," meaning old-school, blue-collar, no-nonsense heavy metal. It's dive bar heavy metal for the fans that like to go the local bar and check out local metal bands rocking out in front of a home crowd just for the love of rock and roll. Check out their 2021 EP below.

I have other Washington State bands to tell you about. Maybe tomorrow.

Veni. Vidi. Vici. by Enemy Mine

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100029145647711

Limuria - progressive power metal in Washington State, U.S.

There are a bunch of Washington State, U.S. bands and projects that I have not told you about yet. This is one. I came across them on Metal Archives, but I do not know much about them. Metal Archives shows an album in 2021 and another one in 2022. The two members (Ralph Serrano and Eddie Serrano) apparently are also associated with other acts: Heaven on Fire, Ruido Instinto, and Tragic Prophecy. Anyway, check out this melodic project. The song below apparently features Stu Block (Into Eternity, The Midgard Project, Iced Earth, Omega Crom) on vocals.

The Scarlet Season by Limuria

https://www.facebook.com/limuriamusic/

Archmage - melodic power metal/instrumental melodic metal

Archmage

Kingdom of Light

January 28th, 2022

Archmage is a U.S. melodic project based in the states of New York and Washington consisting of Jesse Berlin from the Seattle area traditional heavies Greyhawk and New York-based Andrew von Gutfeld, who is credited with composing the songs. Archmage music works with the genres of power, neoclassical and melodic in general. Both Metal Archives and Bandcamp show three releases (a 2018 album, 2018 EP, and the 2022 album), but YouTube shows additional EPs and albums. In fact, I think that I count as many as nine additional EPs/albums, although I am unable to say how accurate that statement is because I only really know the three recordings on Bandcamp. However, I have been listening to the other recordings and I have been entertained by the new-to-me recordings that I have been hearing. The majority of Archmage music is instrumental. The main thing that I like about Archmage is the focus on songwriting. Melody is very important in the sound of this entity. One album of theirs that is not instrumental is 2022’s Kingdom of Light featuring Davide Spalla on vocals. As already mentioned, the overall appeal of the music is the sense of melody; sometimes it feels neoclassical, sometimes very power metal, at others shreddy, but within song structures, not just skills demonstration. However, with Davide Spalla on vocals the sound is that of traditional melodic songwriting. Undoubtedly more fans will like the music with singing than without, given that people prefer singing to instrumental music. Really, either way you can’t go wrong with Archmage if you want melody. Apparently, there is a whole lot more music available than shown by Metal Archives and Bandcamp.

Kingdom of Light by Archmage

https://www.youtube.com/@archmagepowermetal

Adam Bomb USA/EU Tour Dates 2023 (Seattle, Everett, Tacoma included)

Adam Bomb USA/EU Tour Dates 2023

"Adam Bomb was born sometime in 1963 and grew up in Seattle, where, in his early teenage years, he played guitar in a metal cover band called Tyrant. The band featured an equally peach-fuzzed Geoff Tate, future Queensryche front-falsetto, vox. Two years later, he joined legendary Seattle hard-rockers TKO. Adam Bomb signed to Geffen in 1984 and released Fatal Attraction a year later."

https://www.facebook.com/adambomb2020

https://adambomb.bandcamp.com

Adam Bomb - I Want My Heavy Metal (1985) From The Album Fatal Attraction

Tom Smith’s Bday Bash in Everett, Washington

Tom Smith’s Bday Bash!

Tom “Uncle Bud” has given to the local music scene for decades, so its time to give back to one of the most supportive people in the scene!

DOORS 7PM

MUSIC 8PM

Ripoff 8PM

Cryptamnesia 9PM

Deadbeat Blackout 10PM

The Wreck'd 11PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023 AT 7 PM

Tom Smith’s Birthday Bash @ Tony Vs Garage | The Wreck'd, Deadbeat Blackout, Cryptamnesia & Ripoff Tony Vs Garage

https://www.facebook.com/events/1138394340130578

Orator - new EP by Washington state tech-death perpetrators

There is a new EP by Washington state, U.S. tech-death band Orator. The Burden of Existence is three songs in the warp speed dazzling style to induce hypnosis. One way to think of this music is that skilled guitar playing what listeners expect and that is what they are going to get. The growling vocals and blasting rolls everything up into a whirlwind of speed. Interestingly, there are some hints that they incorporating some slower segments (a pinch of melody!) for a varied listening experience while still keeping the music technical extreme metal.

The Burden of Existence by Orator

https://www.facebook.com/oratorseattle/

Enterprise Earth - The World Without Us (official video)

YouTube says that eight days ago the Washington state, U.S. band Enterprise Earth released a new video called "The World Without Us" from the 2022 album The Chosen. Wikipedia, for your information, describes this band as "deathcore." Is this song "deathcore"? Hear it for yourself and see if you agree. At any rate, the band has released four albums (2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022). On Facebook it says that they recently did a tour in Europe with 20 out of the 25 shows were sold out for them. At this point they say that they plan to work on their next album. Of course, if you like the song, visit their Facebook page for more news and information about this Washington band.

Enterprise Earth - The World Without Us (official video)

https://www.facebook.com/enterpriseearthband

Frozen Crown - Call Of The North (official video)

Italian power metal band Frozen Crown has a new video named "Call of the North." The song comes from the upcoming album Call of the North on March 10 on Scarlet Records. Below is their previous album called Winterbane from 2021.

FROZEN CROWN - Call Of The North (official video)

Call Of The North by Frozen Crown

Winterbane by Frozen Crown

https://www.facebook.com/frozencrownofficial

Eden Weint Im Grab "GeysterGaleere" (official video)

Here is a new video by the long-running gothic metal avantgardists Eden Weint Im Grab (Germany). On YouTube it says that the new album Apokalypse Galore will be out on March 24th, 2023. Below is their 2019 album Tragikomödien aus dem Mordarchiv if you would like to hear more.

Eden Weint Im Grab "GeysterGaleere" (Official Video)

Tragikom​ö​dien aus dem Mordarchiv by Eden Weint Im Grab

My Veins - thrash/core from Madagascar

Metal Archives shows only a 2019 EP called Terror Zone by My Veins (Madagascar; 2017 [as Guren], 2017-2019, 2020-present). I have not been able to locate the recording on Amazon Music nor Bandcamp nor iTunes, but maybe it is available on other music services that people use. However, the songs are available on YouTube (just type “My Veins Terror Zone”), which is where I have heard them. They sound like a young band playing the music that excites them, grooving metalcore/thrash/crossover with shouted vocals. I do not know if there is more recent music. They seem have a Facebook page, although it is a strange one because it seems to be more of a page for anime or video game fans, but they do have a video of the band in action, too. Let’s hope there is more music in the future and see what happens.

https://www.facebook.com/veins.metalband/

MY VEINS - KOZY | Official Audio Stream

Ouija - black metal from Spain

Ouija

Fathomless Hysteros

December 26th, 2022

Negra Nit Distro

The third album Fathomless Hysteros by Ouija (Spain; 1994 [as Levia]), 1995-1997, 2009-present) embodies the act’s tradition of headbanging black metal. Their 1997 debut full-length album Riding into the Funeral Paths established a foundation of raging, classic-style black metal. Times change and technology changes, and the music nowadays reflects the knowledge and experience acquired over the years. For example, that first album was prototypical, from the guitar work to the shrieking to the high-speed drumming, as close to ideal in this particular genre in those days. What is different nowadays? The vocals have become a lower, more brutal scowl (within a black metal context) and the guitar sound is thicker, fuller. Whereas the early material sounds more necro, melodic and not as heavy as today, the current sound is a more muscular speeding trucking sound, with some important midtempo contrasts; less atmosphere, more upfront energy. Regardless of the differences in production, Ouija represents with the same intentions seeking to start an immediate reaction in the audience. Is it possible to sit there and hear Ouija’s music and remain motionless? They are betting that the fans of the genre will not be able to avoid banging their heads in approval. Interestingly, on this recording, of the seven songs (40 minutes total), one song is from the 2013 sophomore album Ave Voluptatis Carnis and one from 1997’s Riding into the Funeral Paths. Decades later, headbanging black metal is still the number one priority.

FATHOMLESS HYSTEROS by OUIJA

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063462515530

Antitheus - death metal in Washington State, U.S.

Washington state extreme band Antitheus began 2023 with their debut album called The Faults of Our Kind. This death metal act has a recording from 2014 and a single from 2016, so it looks like it's been a while since they last released music. I only came across this new recording very recently. I am still listening to it. It is contemporary, energetic death, with lower, brutal vocals and blasting speeds, although there is a bit of melody here and there. Overall, big energy is the general vibe of the 41-minute album. Listen to it and let's give it some time for the mind to put the pieces together and see how it sounds some months from now. It does sound like an unrelenting wave of energy and harsh vocals. Death metal fanatics will be the target audience for this Seattle area entity.

The Faults of Our Kind by Antitheus

https://www.facebook.com/AntitheusBand/

Celestial Wizard - - Ice Realm (official video)

"Ice Realm" comes from the second album Winds of the Cosmos by U.S. band Celestial Wizard, a group that combines elements of melodic and extreme genres for a sound that is something like heavy metal melodeath. They are based in the state of Colorado, in the Denver area, and are signed to Scarlet Records (Italy). Their debut album is from 2018, but their origins seem to go back to 2011 when they were called Solarfall. If you like the sound of the video, consider checking out the album. Below is the link from Bandcamp, and the album should be available on the other platforms by now because it was released on the 20th of January, 2023. Fans of melodic and growling voices in the same songs with melodic guitar work may find that Celestial Wizard is doing the combination that they have been looking for. It is not a super crazy salad mix of genres, it's mostly two genres working together and providing something a bit new to audiences that have not heard this band before.

CELESTIAL WIZARD - Ice Realm (Official Video)

Winds Of The Cosmos by Celestial Wizard

https://www.facebook.com/CelestialWizardOfficial/

Tone Glass - Florida Man Delivers Instrumental Album; No Alligators Found

When the Sky Falls is the 2023 debut full-length album by instrumental guitarist Tone Glass (Florida, U.S.). This is a solo album done with the help of technology, as it says on Bandcamp, "My First Completely solo record. Drums, bass, and orchestra instruments are computer generated, but all guitars are me!!!" Bandcamp also says that the album was released on January 18, 2023. The music is instrumental melodic death metal and U.S. metalcore. Given that the album is rather new, I am still listening to all 54 minutes of it, but so far the guitar playing is certainly a good listen. The riffs are good and the soloing is fun. The compositions focus on songs, overall, and the shredding is there, but it is not music for musicians and even a no-skills, no-talent, average person like myself can easily understand the music as songs, not showoff meandering tracks. I am entertained, gladiator.

*No alligators were harmed in the making of this album.

When The Sky Falls by Tone Glass

https://www.facebook.com/people/Tone-Glass/100086555400612

Black 7 - Driven (official video)

The instrumental melodic project Black 7 (Germany) is ready to follow up 2021's 14-track album Look Inside with 2nd Chapter. The new song is called "Driven" and it is a song that is good for listening to music, and especially good, melodic guitar playing, without having any distractions like vocals and other things that take away from the listener's concentration away from guitar. In short, fans of guitar melodies and instrumental guitar albums should consider looking into what Black 7 has to offer. It's the type of music that allows you pretty much to do anything, from working out at the gym, doing homework, studying for exams, meditation or prayer, yoga, washing dishing, jogging, walking the dog, driving, riding the bus or practicing your dyn-o-mite lethal nunchuck skills for the upcoming tournament in Snohomish County.

I have not heard the new album, but the previous album is available below.

Black 7 - Driven (official video)

Look Inside by Black 7

https://www.facebook.com/Blacksevengermany/

Dreams of Gray - melodic death metal from Chicago, U.S.

Dreams of Gray

The World After

January 2nd, 2023

Chicago’s newest export is a three-song recording by vocalist/guitarist Luis Rivera, from the long-running band Abolisher. Some fans in the Chicagoland area may be acquainted with Abolisher from their gigs and their 2001 recording Lament the Season, which I enjoy coming back to from time to time. Word has it that Abolisher has been rehearsing again. We’ll have to wait and see what happens on that front. On the other hand, Dreams of Gray is already up and running. The vocals are growled for the most part, tending to go for a lower, brutal-tone style while retaining some intelligibility. It’s necessary to say “for the most part,” because there are melodic vocals in some spots, generally done in a supporting role to the growling, but sometimes the melodic vocals come up to the front alone or it might be a line/verse of melodic vocals. Musically, one can detect the thrash foundation of the guitar, tuned down a bit, for that headbanging style of melodic death metal. There are some cool moments of melodic riffing and hooks, and some nifty guitar soloing. Furthermore, some signs point to a desire to expand, like on the slower moments in the third song “The World After,” a track that follows its own path, going towards melancholy, a different side of the project’s sound. Besides Rivera on guitars and vocals, this recording features Phil DiCiccio on drums and Marcin Palider (Poland) on bass, while Maria Kosma (U.K.) took care of the bass on the song “Life in Gray.” Lastly, the lyrics are of a personal nature and open to interpretation, done in an intelligent way. Listeners will tell that grief and loss, as well as deception, play an important part in the perspectives on here. Overall, fans of classic-style melodic death metal might be pleasantly surprised by the quality of this entity’s contemporary interpretation of the genre.

The World After by Dreams of Gray

https://www.instagram.com/dreamsofgray/

https://www.youtube.com/@Dreamsofgray

Twilight Zone - heavy metal from Italy

Traditional hard-rocking heavy metal band Twilight Zone (Italy) began as far back as 1990, under a different name (Stigma), but by 1993 they adopted their current name. They did demos in the 1990s and 2000s and recorded a split in 2010. It was not until 2014 that their debut full-length album came out. In 2022 their second album called Visions of Freedom was released. This most recent album is the one with which I am familiar. Wearing proudly a Thin Lizzy t-shirt in their band photo, they are a band that looks for inspiration in the 1970s and 1980s. It's not really a Judas Priest/Iron Maiden/Scorpions type of heavy metal, but rather a somewhat more classic rock approach to their heavy rock while still sounding like a heavy metal band. Of course, they have rockers on the album, but they also work with other moods not just faster rocking tracks. For example, sometimes they slow things down for some more melodic moments and some bluesier segments. There is not a sense of band working with a strict formula; they are taking their influences and giving them their own interpretation. One thing is clear: they sound experienced in their blue-collar rocker heavy metal approach and they prefer to a more old-school sound, and not a super computerized style of sound. In fact, some of the members are or have been in thrash and speed metal bands, so they definitely can play other genres. For this band, they make speed less of a priority and let their older classic rock and heavy metal songwriting skills out in the open.

Recommend if you are curious to hear an Italian band go for a more traditional, less poppy, less robotized sound in their heavy rock.

Visions Of Freedom by TWILIGHT ZONE

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063679291697

Wintermorph - melodic black metal in Russia

Very recently the Russian black metal duo Wintermorph contacted me on Facebook to let me know about their three-song recording called Flames. The total duration time is a bit over 17 minutes. Alex Evensen (from the instrumetal black metal project Frostnatt) takes care of the instrumentation and lyrics while the vocals are done by N. Yesterday and today I have been listening to the three songs. Die-hard fans of tremolo-focused melodic black metal may find the recording to be in their field of preferences. In my opinion, the guitar work, and in particular the melodic black metal melodies (tremolo picking), is a highlight. Of course, the rest of the music, whether it's the prototypical black metal shrieking or the keyboards, has to work for the songwriting to be pleasing. There are some sad or morose feels in the background that sometimes come forward a bit more, making the music seem a bit more moody while still maintaining the overall general style of melodic black metal.

The lyrics are in Russian and seem to concern nature, land and history in a general way. Looking at the lyrics with an online translator does not reveal lyrics about the typical U.S. or Western European clichés with Venom-descended lyrics. Read for yourself a sample from the songs. This is a translated version, of course, because I do not know Russian.

Under the glow of sunset, through the lines of branches -

The forest is shrouded in a veil, the wind beats from the steppes.

My long trail is tangled - the path is hidden among the shadows,

Only the darkness on the horizon becomes blacker.

Under the summer heat and smoke of fires,

Under the tears of autumn and bird's play,

Through the needles of cold and blizzards, rage -

The hordes have overtaken my native land.

I left my house in deep sadness,

In one of the harsh winters for the motherland.

The rabble and the mob shouted at my back:

"Themselves did not live and we will not give you!"

Through the impenetrable darkness of the dense forest,

Voices lead us along the animal path.

And there will be no place for nobility -

While above us the bottom of the spit.

Under the summer heat and smoke of fires,

Under the tears of autumn and bird's play,

Through the needles of cold and blizzards, rage -

The hordes have overtaken my native land.

I left my house in deep sadness,

In one of the harsh winters for the motherland.

The rabble and the mob shouted at my back:

"Themselves did not live and we will not give you!"

A long time ago - we were one,

But the road to the east separated us.

He made many of us different,

The light of the heart that shone for the ancestors has faded.

Flames by Wintermorph

https://www.instagram.com/wintermorphofficial/

Expiatoria - gothic doom from Italy

Expiatoria

Shadows

Diamonds Prod.

November 4th, 2022

The Italian doom band Expiatoria's first recording, according to Metal Archives, was done in 1987. I cannot seem to find that first self-titled demo on YouTube, but their second demo (1991) Tribute to Death is on YouTube. The demo sound quality is not a problem for me because the songs are good. It's heavy, classic-style doom heavy metal. It's not super slow, it's just that it is not full-on heavy metal speed. Candlemass fans would understand Expiatoria. Their 1992 demo is also on YouTube. It is called Symphonies of Decomposed Human Flesh. In this case, the demo's low quality of the recording is just too low to hear the music. It's not the kind of recording that does any favors to the band and I would think it's good to have it documented as evidence of the band's work in the past, but I would not recommend the demo to anyone, not because the songs are bad but rather because the sound quality is lower than bad.

If that had been the band's last recording, it would have been a sad statement, a sad way to end. In 1996 the band ended, according to Metal Archives, only to return with an EP in 2010 and another EP in 2018.

In 2022 their newest album is called Shadows. I am not knowledgeable enough to express an opinion on the personnel. There have been lots of people in and out of the band, given that this entity began and was active in the 1980s. The band has told me that the Malachina brothers (see below) are the two founders and have been in the band since 1987.

Metal Archives shows this line-up:

Giambattista Malachina (bass)

Massimo Malachina (guitars)

Flux (keyboards)

David Krieg (vocals) [Hexenfaust, Loculo, Progeria, Soul of Enoch, Tony Tears, Neith, ex-The Lifeless, ex-Hastur, ex-Malignance, ex-Ignis Fatuus, ex-Kathekon, ex-Lux Obscuritatis]

Edoardo Napoli (guitars [2018-present]) [Flegias, ex-Edoardo Napoli, ex-Honourblast, ex-Sick Therapy Armageddon, ex-Damnation Gallery, ex-Vereor Nox]

Enrico Meloni drums (2022-present) [Ikitan, The Healing Process, ex-Save Energy!].

What about the music on this album?! Well, I would say that it is gothic doom heavy metal or music based on heavy metal, a doom type of heavy metal, a doom and horror type. Maybe it's an Italian thing. Some of these older Italian bands have a thing for horror heavy metal, and that's here, in some ways in the creepy vibes looming around the doom. However, before people get the wrong idea, let's clarify what this is not. It is not traditional, steel-and-leather hymns heavy metal. It is not horror metal, not goblins, witches and movie samples horror heavy metal. It is not even doom in the sense that fans here in the United States imagine: it's not sludge, not Sabbath-worship, not stoner-doom.

This has too many other things going on to be "pure" doom or "pure" anything. Those "other things" are probably the gothic elements. The old-wizard vocals and the overall creepy vibes throughout the album. It is plenty of midtempo and slower moods, and it is plenty of sad, melancholic feels, too. Come for the doom, stay for the funeral feeling. It's doom with dimensions of strange and weird tales.

Shadows by ExpiatoriA

https://www.facebook.com/ExpiatoriA

Leather - We Are The Chosen (official video)

Below is a video from the latest Leather album called We Are the Chosen. This is the follow-up to the 2018 album called II. Leather Leone is known to fans of traditional heavy metal for her work with Chastain, for which she has sung from 1984 to 1992 and then again from 2013 to the present. At this same time the band Leather has been more active. The latest album was released on November 25th, 2022.

Leather - We Are The Chosen (official video)

https://www.facebook.com/LeatherLeone

Izthmi - prog extreme metal in Washington state, U.S.

Izthmi is a prog extreme metal group in the state of Washington, U.S. Post-metal, prog metal and atmospheric metal are all important elements in their sound, including some influences from black metal that can be heard throughout their songwriting. While featuring mostly shrieking-style vocals, the music lends itself to long passages of proggy vibes, including extended segments of instrumental music that allows lots of guitar playing to shine through. Here and there, they launch into blasting speeds, but that is not their main point of operation. In comparison, mellow or sad segments are a more crucial trait for them.

Below is their 2022 album. Previously they issued their debut album in 2020.

Leaving This World, Leaving It All Behind by Izthmi

https://www.facebook.com/Izthmi/

Overthrust / Chovu split album "African Warriors"

Check out this new split album by Chovu (Kenya) and Overthrust (Botswana). It was released on November 29th, 2022. While Overthrust is characterized by a death metal crunch and brutality in their sound, Chovu is a bit stranger and ghostly in their twisted interpretation of black metal-inspired sound. It's an interest contrast of two different styles brought together. Overthrust is a long-running act since 2008 and Chovu began in 2018.

OVERTHRUST (BOTSWANA) / CHOVU (KENYA) - AFRICAN WARRIORS SPLIT ALBUM

https://www.facebook.com/Chovuband

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044718112440

Elisa C. Martin - No Fear (official music video)

The veteran singer of power metal Elisa C. Martín (Spain) recently published a new video called "No Fear" on YouTube. The track comes from the solo album Nothing Without Pain. She sings for the band Hamka. She is also known for her work with Dreamaker and Dark Moor, in addition to other bands and projects. The album Nothing Without Pain is out now and should be available on your favorite streaming services.

I missed the boat on this album and have not had a chance to listen to the entire recording until now. It came out on November 25th, 2022. I enjoy her strong singing voice and the melodic tones present on this new album. By the way, the new album is along the lines of contemporary melodic heavy metal, within the framework of adult contemporary heavy metal with more groove and midtempo/uptempo rocking energies.

⭐️ Elisa C. Martin - No Fear (official video clip)

https://www.facebook.com/elisacmartinsinger

Frostnatt (Russia) - instrumental melodic black metal

Frostnatt

Dette stedet kjenner bare kulden

November 25th, 2022

Alex Evenson recently contacted me to tell me about his instrumental melodic black metal project Frostnatt (Russia). Metal Archives shows 2019 as the starting year. According to the information on said site, there were two EPs in 2019, another two EPs in 2020, an album in 2021 and now in 2022 there is this newest EP of five songs in about 28 minutes. I have been listening to it as an entire recording, which is very pleasing to the ear, so much in fact that my child came into my office while this recording was playing and was quickly humming along to the guitar melodies. Of course, without the extreme metal shouting, the music takes on another life of its own. Certain listeners hear black metal, but it is just as likely that other people hear uptempo, melodic, pleasing guitar music. Whether a fast segment, a slower part or a sequence of blasting speed, the overall melodic feel of the songwriting takes over the listening experience and it is those melodies that catch the listener’s attention. Given that there are no vocals, the melodies have to be at the center and have to be good in order for this project to work. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well the songwriting and the melodies are communicated to the listener.

Dette Stedet Kjenner Bare Kulden by Frostnatt

https://www.facebook.com/frostnattofficial/

Die Entweihung - extreme metal in Israel

Die Entweihung is the solo project of Belarus native Denis Tereschenko who now resides in Israel. According to Metal Archives, the project began in 2007. The newest album is called Strict Regime Country, a commentary on the political situation in Belarus. Tereschenko is a hard-working musician devoted to the craft of do-it-yourself, mostly in the realm of melodic black/thrash/death in broad terms without necessarily staying squarely within the limits of a subgenre. Given the numerous albums and the experience gained, Tereschenko shows a certain confidence and skill in the way that the music allows room for melodies to roam free and for other smaller elements to make their presence felt, be it a bit of a prog vibe in some places or having some guests to add some other voices and a couple of guitar solos. For the sake of convenience, if I had to make a general statement on the overal sound, I would say that it is melodic, somewhat prog, midtempo black metal-influenced music.

It is the 11th album. That's not counting demos and EPs, of which there is a handful. As you can imagine, I am not familiar with all those previous recordings, of course. However, I have been listening to this latest album and that's the one I have been describing, which shows that it is not a beginner's recording but rather someone that has been at it for years.

Strict Regime Country by Die Entweihung

https://www.facebook.com/entweihung