NECROGRINDERThe Bunty Man EP UKEM (2013)Rating: 5/10 Spawned from the industrial smog of Sheffield in the UK, Necrogrinder release their second EP, The Bunty Man, which comes three years after their 2010 debut eight- tracker, Mangled Fetus Insertion. Fans of brutal grindcore and slamming death metal will no doubt know what to expect from this […]

TUNGSTEN AXESwedish Iron Iron Shield (2013)Rating: 3/10 While I truly understand what Sweden’s Tungsten Axe are trying to do with their fist-pounding brand of retro metal, the debut opus from this armour-plated quartet is, to put it short and sweet, a “How Not To Do Heavy Metal” guide. When I first gave this new opus […]

COFFINSThe Fleshland Relapse (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 These Japanese gore-mongers haven’t released a full-length platter for a while. In fact, it’s been five years since their 2008 Buried Death opus, although some of their work, such as 2005’s Mortuary In Darkness, has seen a reissue more recently. Since 2008 however, they’ve collaborated on a number of split […]

SIRENIAPerils Of The Deep Blue Nuclear Blast (2013)Rating: 6/10 Founded by Morten Veland in 2001 after leaving Tristania, Sirenia present their sixth album, Perils Of The Deep Blue. The majority of the album was recorded at the Norwegian band’s own studio and produced by mainman Veland. Choirs and acoustic pieces were recorded in France while […]

STONE MAGNUMFrom Time… To Eternity R.I.P. (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 From the wilds of Indiana come doom metal quintet Stone Magnum. They have only one purpose in life – to play Black Sabbath-inspired slabs of molten doom rock. It’s as simple as that. If anyone clamped their ears on the band’s 2012 self-titled debut then you would […]

DARKANEThe Sinister Supremacy Massacre (2013)Rating: 8/10 Darkane, one of melodic death metal’s best kept secrets since 1999, return with their sixth studio album, The Sinister Supremacy. After falling into a bit of a lull with 2008’s Demonic Art, the Swedish band continued to tour before losing vocalist Jens Broman in 2011. Much to every fans’ […]

WOUNDInhale The Void FDA Rekotz (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 “Who are Wound?” I hear you ask. Well, they are a German death metal combo comprised of vocalist Schettler, guitarist Last, bass player Schulz and drummer Appel. Despite their rather bland moniker – after all, there are quite a few bands of the same name within varying musical […]

THE LAST WARNINGProgression Massacre (2013)Rating: 7/10 It seems as if thrash bands are coming from all manner of countries now. The Last Warning are very much part of the metal invasion that has been on the march since the late 90s after too many years in the doldrums. Thankfully, there aren’t many bands still left […]

QUEENSRŸCHE – Vindication Anthony Morgan June 2013 Queensrÿche (l-r): Scott Rockenfield, Michael Wilton, Todd La Torre, Eddie Jackson and Parker Lundgren Washington heavy metal outfit Queensrÿche underwent major upheaval during mid-2012. An April 12th group meeting was unattended by then vocalist Geoff Tate, a meeting which culminated in the firing of Tate’s stepdaughter Miranda, who […]

WARFECTExoneration Denied Cyclone Empire (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 The thrash revival band wagon seems to be on unsteady wheels as more and more bands hop on board in their quest to bring back the old school dynamics. One such band is Sweden’s Warfect, an intriguing three-piece who have moved on since their inception as Incoma, changing their […]