TOXIC HOLOCAUSTFrom The Ashes Of Nuclear Devastation Relapse (2013)Rating: 5/10 For those of you unaware of whom Toxic Holocaust is, well, I’d say that you’re missing out on a minor treat with their fiery brand of revival thrash. Portland, Oregon-based Toxic Holocaust was very much part of the early 2000’s thrash revival, hitting the scene […]

CHOSENResolution Self-released (2013)Rating: 8/10 Considered by many to be a melodic death metal act, Ireland’s Chosen are clearly more than that – combining nu-metal aesthetics with polished and at times technical deathcore – particularly in the vocal angst of Paul Shields who provides the often epileptic guitar grind alongside percussionist David McCann. I have to […]

REX BROWN – Dragging The Waters Anthony Morgan March 2013 Rex Brown Bassist Rex Brown – formerly of Texan metallers Pantera and currently of metal supergroup Kill Devil Hill – was queried regarding the possibility of an autobiography by Edinburgh, Scotland-based author Mark Eglinton, who the musician had worked with previously. This initial query would […]

WORMEDExodromos Willowtip (2013)Rating: 8/10 And so the Spanish weirdsters return – Wormed being one of the most jarring experiences of my life, combining spectacular complex arrangements with downright bizarre vocal blurs and everything else in between. How does one describe the aural rape of an album like Exodromos, particularly the vocals of Phlegeton whose throaty, […]

CARVED Release Debut Studio Album ‘Dies Irae’ March 26th, 2013 La Spezia, Italy-based death metal group Carved issued debut full-length studio album Dies Irae on March 26th, 2013 through Bakerteam Records. The outing was cut and mixed in Italy, while mastering duties took place at Chartmakers Studio in Finland. The track listing was as follows; […]

STRYPERSecond Coming Frontiers (2013)Rating: 8/10 The yellow and black is back! Oh how we knocked, pounded and ridiculed Stryper back in the 80s. Us teenagers were a moronic lot; our jackets daubed in satanic imagery, Stryper were simply an easy target with their pompous, Christian brand of lightweight metal. The facts were of course that […]

IN-GRAVEDIn-Graved Svart (2013)Rating: 8/10 Alongside Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Witchfinder General and Trouble, Pentagram were without doubt one of doom metal’s pioneers, a band so authentically oaken and made all the more evil by that distinctive Victor Griffin guitar sound. Now, the great riff monster is back with a new project, In-Graved. Forget the countless […]

PRETTY MAIDSMotherland Frontiers (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 If anyone has heard the lead single ‘Mother Of All Lies’ then you’ll know what type of hard rock extravaganza you’re in for. The last Pretty Maids opus, Pandemonium (2010), was a rewarding heavy metal experience, and Motherland follows suit as a clean-cut, well-polished metal album. Personally, I still prefer […]

MOSSHorrible Night Rise Above (2013)Rating: 5/10 Another bunch of doom mongers from Lee Dorrian’s Rise Above roster. Horrible Night is the first Moss studio record for some five years, following on from their cloggy second opus Sub Templum (2008). The soggy UK trio of Olly Pearson (vocals), Dominic Finbow (guitar) and Chris Chantler (drums) are […]

HYPOCRISYEnd Of Disclosure Nuclear Blast (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 Formed in 1990, Sweden’s Hypocrisy have become one of those “in the know” favourites over the years. Starting off their career as pure, savoury death metal, by the late 90s the band had incorporated enough melody into their guitars that they ended up as a foundational brick in […]