Warleggion - Knock Me Down

This is an interesting one. The Brazilian metal scene has obviously been turning out heavy metal gems for years. The latest offering in this cycle is the debut full length from Warleggion. Coming two years after their EP, Warleggion, the band has found a few interesting steps forward that set them apart as one of the great true metal bands to come from their country in recent years. While they are certainly some moments that border on the corny, and as a general rule the production is a bit muddy, this is still a very fun listen for metalheads of all stripes. 

There is a certain magic to the hammy side of the band. Yes these moments won't please metal purists, but I don't get the sense that is Warleggions goal. What these guys are trying to do is right heavy metal that is fun and over the top. They tell tales of battles and honor. Days of yore when grand things happened. It provides a nice escape from the ongoing misery that is the Coronavirus pandemic. It's so fun to sink your teeth into the magic of this record and just take a break for a little while. Take the time to enjoy the grandiose weirdness and fun atmospheres that Warleggion so eagerly bring. This is a very earnest record and one that will have fans of the genre enamored. 

Yes, there are tropes here that you've heard before but the tropes are awesome. As a general rule the talent is solid though and with some cleaner production in the future they will be able to position themselves to become something even greater. Warleggion is a strong first offering and one that tells us the band is in a position to start to do more soon if they keep at it and stay serious. There are stripped back elements that need polishing, but in so many ways, Warleggion remind us here why heavy metal is the law - no matter where you're from!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/Warleggion/

Witching Hour - ...And Silent Grief Shadows The Passing Moon

You would think for a band who started distinctly in the blackthrash field that a switch towards more traditional forms of metal might be a complete left hook, and yet osmehow it isn't. In fact the musical twists and turns of Witching Hour throughout their twelve year career have always been strangely fascinating and a fitting testament to all that hte band has been able to accomplish. Despite having crafted a record though that certainly tips the cap to old school forms of heavy metal the record still is not without its share of black thrash elements.

My problem with ...And Silent Grief Shadows The Passing Moon is more that the overall execution feels weak. the solos do not stun and the guitar tone leaves something to be desired. That being said I get the impression that some of this was for effect. The pure metal magic of Witching Hour seems to thrive best in how atavistic it is and how dedicated it is in its look back to the past. While elements of Manilla Road or Heavy Load are not influences you might expect to see in a German thrash band here we are, this is a group who have managed to evolve their sounds and bring in weird and fascinating new elements to make for some exciting listening. 

...And Silent Grief Shadows The Passing Moon is an interesting listen, one that really is not afraid to dedicate itself to metal rearview mirror. While I'm not totally sold on the disparate musical elements used here it definitely does a good job of fusing old traditions with modern more aggressive sounds. Rip roaring and fun, tracks like As I Walk Among Sepulchral Ruins speak to the sort of bloodthirsty inner fifteen year old that allows metal to keep thriving. Crazy, a little bit ridiculous and faster than over the top, Witching Hour know exactly what they want to deliver. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/WitchingHourThrash/

Owl Maker - Paths Of The Slain

Straight from the voids of Connecticut comes Owl Maker, a metal band with spunk, moxie, a hard rocking sense of purpose. There is something strangely addictive about Owl Maker and what they bring to the table with their debut offering Paths Of The Slain. This is a band who understand the inherent fun of rock and roll and deliver it with a sense of grace and style. For a hyped up heavy metal dweeb like me it's hard not to be mesmerized by the grand creation laid out here, in all of its triumphant six tracks.

Of course this is still a debut release, the production isn't as full as I might like. The songwriting, while usually fairly punchy, doesn't always feel super developed. It's a huge part of what makes this particular offering so fascinating. These guys understand the magic and triumph that heavy metal can have and there is something strangely addictive about even their corniest moments. Each member is individually so talented and they are just starting to really bring everything together. It turns them into a band who aren't just rock and rollers. They are gods in the making. But with an emphasis on 'in the making'. I'm curious to see how these guys develop with more time spent in the studio and stronger production, because the potential is delicious. 

Paths Of The Slain is the sort of record that heavy metal bands use as the jumping off point for triumphant careers. It shows us the inherent musicality of the group, their raw talent and why so many people in their local scene have dug so deeply into them. Then they bring in layers of rich orchestrations and potent songwriting, never daring to overstay each songs welcome but instead There is something undeniably fun about the huge choruses, shreddy solos and tight riffs. If you're looking for metal - you've come to the right place. 

Find the on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/owlmakermetal/

Magick Touch - Blades, Chains, Whips And Fire

Regular readers know that I've always loved wild ass rock and roll and these Bergen based heavy metal maniacs only serve to add to that love. this power trio deliver uncompromising and very fun hard rock, roaring out of the speakers with a wonderful sense of swagger and the understanding that no matter what you do they simply don't give a fuck. they will beat your face in and remind you time and time again why you got involved in this music in the first place. With top notch concepts, powerful choruses and great execution this is an addictive listen.

There is a certain sublime poetry to the songwriting here. the bluesy solos are warm and well delivered. The riffs have a rip roaring majesty that serves to make them strangely wholesome. But it's the choruses where the real money is. Multi layered, often shouted and gloriously fucking organic Blades, Chains, Whips and Fire is the sort of album that you are always going to want to sing along too. It's an album that comes at you a little bit over the top to be sure, but that's a key part of the appeal. You're not just listening to a band, you're sinking your teeth into something potent and beautiful.

I think there is something that will always appeal about a rock and roll record that appreciates the sheer simplicity and fun of the genre, that drives forward not because the band is trying to emulate old heroes but simply because it has to be this way, there is no other path forward. That's how I feel about Blades, Chains, Whips and Fire, it's a record that remains vibrant because it is organic and by being organic it reminds us time and time again what makes a rock and roll record such a valuable piece of art in the first place.

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/magicktouch/

Motorhead - Under Cover

So here comes the second of countless inevitable post humous Motorhead releases. I mean it's to be expected, Lemmy was an icon across all of rock and roll and there is a lot of money to be made. Simultaneously the releases thus far have all been rather tasteful, tributes to the great man rather than an attempt to cash in. This latest offering Under Cover is actually something that I have wanted for a long time, a veritable best of of Motorheads many covers. Always one of my favorite parts of the band, Under Cover is a serviceable testament to this side of their storied history.

Now I say merely serviceable for a few reasons. Motorhead recorded dozens of covers throughout their career, including a few truly beloved ones that aren't documented here, like Enter Sandman and of course Louie Louie. It also might have been cool if they had included the track R.A.M.O.N.E.S which was actually a Motorhead song the Ramones went on to cover. Still, as a document of one of the sillier sides of this band Under Cover is a masterful release. While yes I would have liked to have seen a little bit more set up from these guys I certainly think that this might be the very best that we are going to get.

It's kind of funny to me that Motorhead have so much recorded cover material that thjey can make a best of out of that alone, but that also speaks to how much goddamn music Lemmy wrote during his life. The beauty of Under Cover is the simple fact that it covers every side of the Motorhead experience, from straight up rockers like Whiplash, exciting collaborations like Starstruck and then mournful and more powerful tracks, most notably the sole new offering here, the cover of David Bowie's Heroes. Something that should appeal to more than just a completionist Under Cover is a motherfucker of an album I certainly will be coming back to.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMotorhead/

Tau Cross - Pillar Of Fire

So I know it's sacrilege to even imply that a band might be better than Motorhead but if there ever w as a band who had a shot at it it's Tau Corss. This is a group who take all of the core concepts of Motorhead and bring in more than a little of their own weirdness in order to craft something truly special. Fusing members of Voivod, Amebix, Misery and War//Plague the band has put out a truly stunning piece of art with Pillar Of Fire. There is a sort of ballsy magic here reminiscent of the best Motorhead songs but also a tendency towards ballads which reminds me of some of the most poignant.

The raw energy represented with Pillar Of Fire is a lot of fun to dig in to and the power of the arrangements is surprisingly strong. For a band that you think would just want to play crusty thrash beats they can create some incredibly deep compositions. With touches of guitar harmonies, angular riffs and potent song structures, Pillar Of Fire impresses time and time again with a rich sund that you just want to bury your head in. The gnarly fucked up rock and roll side of things only serves to accentuate the magic of the crust punk leanings and the fact that things are so nicely put together only serves to make the album endlessly fucking addictive.

A project quite unlike anything that the core members have belonged to in the past but also one that makes a surprising amount of sense Tau Cross have a sound that is wholly their own but also something that any fan of heavy metal could connect to. Pillar Of Fire crunches forward time and time again with tracks that can't help but make you smile, but also that encourage you to think. Building on the old masters to craft something grand, it's hard not to fall in love with what Tau Cross have done here.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/TauCrossOfficial/

Boris - Dear

Boris is one of the most fascinating, diverse and important bands of the last 25 years. These Japanese freaks have built a reputation of being able to dabble in, and consequently master, just about any style of music you can think of. Yet this latest offering Dear sees Boris doing what they do best, incredibly heavy, ambient, droning doom metal that haunts the listener with the depth of its sound and its ability to hint at bold new futures. There is something wonderfully devastating about this record that will hant you for years to come.

It's hard not to get lost in the cascading waves of sound that define Dear. It's a record which can devastate and charm you, almost at the same tie. The soaring clean vocals are contrasted by terrifying growls and strange ambient moments are beaten down with crushing guitars and that legendary Boris bottom end. Distinctly less experimental than their last few releases this feels a bt more like Boris tackling a straight doom record. The monolithic crunch of a song like Deadsong can't help but to stun and as you delve ever deeper into the sonic effigies wrought into the record it becomes harder than ever to separate yourself.

Once you give in to all that Dear holds dear you start to get a new grasp on Boris. Their years of experimentation and breaking boundaries all feels natural, especially in the light of this record, one which strips back a lot of their edgier moments and channels it through a doom record of the sort that only Boris could truly craft. Dear is going to break your teeth but it's also going to enchant you and force you to remember that no matter what happens in this crazy old universe of ours, Boris will reign eternal.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/borisheavyrocks/

Marzi Montazeri - The Uprising

I've always felt like Tim Ripper Owen never quite got the love he deserved, despite the incredible range his voice has always displayed and his ability to unleash sonic justice across all manner of records. The latest creation from the Iranian by way of Texas guitar master Marzi Montazeri,The Uprising is four tracks of wildly energetic rock and roll from a bunch of dudes who have come to define the scene that they live their lives by. Over the top and unafraid to poke fun at itself, this can't help but to be a good time. 

While The Uprising certainly plays with a lot of standard heavy metal tropes there is a certain trademark grit that Montazeri puts on the record that you can't help but to embrace. The hints of Pantera and other 80s and 90s shreddy heavy metal bands are palpable throughout and help to give the record such a unique taste. There is a certain sense of rock and roll triumph that helps to make this album so enjoyable, and though many of the touches are predictable they are also exactly where you want them. It means that this album can't help but to have you going home with a big Texas smile on your face. 

Marzi Montazeri understands exactly what his public wants. Sure this is a far sight removed from his work with Phil Anselmo And The Illegals and the bands dalliances in insanity, but there is still something to identify with here. This is a record for the everyman, the guy who just wants to go out slam some beers and appreciate top notch guitar work. I just wish their were a few more tracks here so the music could really get a chance to breathe and help push The Uprising to a whole new level. I'm sure there's more to come and can't wait to embrace all that the band have laid out. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/marziarmy

Dreaming Dead - Funeral Twilight

Los Angeles s a weird city. There's a lot of music that comes out of there that just...isn't good. It's a city where people have big dreams but don't seem to realize that there is a very basic sort of nihilism that pervades the entire thing. Dreaming Dead confront this head on with their music - their latest offering Funeral Twilight is a fitting reminder of the domineering power of their sound, filled with Death and oldschool melodeath worship but also hinting at a bold future for one of my favorite metal subgenres.

Funeral Twilight is beautiful in its roughness. It is a record that crashes forward crazily and has the sort of stripped back garage level production that helps to give this sort of music legitimacy. Dreaming Dead understand the fire that burns behind any good melodeath band and they infuse their sound with a heavy dose of exactly that. The chunkiness of the riffs makes them easy to dig in to and the twisted vocals, reminiscent of late period Death add a nice little spice to the songs. It makes Funeral Twilight the sort of melodic death metal record that you can really sink your teeth into and revel in.

It's easy to fall into the grooves of Funeral Twilight there is something distinctly human about the riffs and the searing might behind a track like Widowed makes it hard not to want to come back for. Given the relatively short run time on top of all of this Dreaming Dead have made an album that is an addictive fucking listen, one that you are going to want to keep coming back to because it is bite size and  easily digestible, but complex enough that there are layers to be picked apart even after the first handful of spins. Get on it.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/DreamingDeadBand/?fref=ts

Undrask - Battle Through Time

Man - It's Christmastime, I'm back at my parents, I've got to run off to do some family activities or whatever the fuck soon and off to Florida for more bonding tomorrow. Yet we here at Two Guys never stop blogging - so we bring you Undrask's latest, Battle Through Time. Coming at you with some fairly par for the course, if really well done melodeath fare, this is a band who fans of early In Flames, Soilwork and maybe even Starkill will love. Undrask understand the sheer of bombast, making this release a wonderful time.

In many ways the sheer sense of fun and the inherent drama behind the music here makes me think of Dethklok. The structures of the songs seems to be based around these powerful build ups with the occasional flashy solo coming in to add even more flavor. Angular riffs abound with harmonies falling into place all across this record. It makes for a good time even if the ideas do get a bit predictable. As a whole Battle Through Time provides a fair amount to sink your teeth into but at times it feels like it's lacking true substance. Maybe it's the thin production or the merely average vocal performance but I feel like Undrask could do a lot more.

That being said - there is something strangely addictive about this album. There's a reason I'm already on my third listen after all! While Undrask certainly don't seem ready to take the world by storm they definitely have a lot of potential and the driving magic behind songs like Champion Of Dawn speaks to all that they are capable of. Undrask deliver riffs that are inspiring at best and In Flames-esque at worst, that seems pretty rad to me! Point being - watching this band develop will be exciting, they have potential for days and a lot of ways they could expand.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/undrask/?fref=ts

Dealer - Billionaire Boys Club

Dealer are the sort of fuzzed out rock and roll band who speak volumes to the power of the scene right now. There crazed chords, balls out progression and willingness to just sit back and jam is stunning. The pounding grooves of their new record Billionaire Boys Club reflects the punk rock magic that has always defined this band and gives us something to really sink our teeth into. Yeah it's stripped back and sounds like a group blowing up in a garage, but it's a really fucking good group blowing up in a garage.

From the first you know what you are going to get with Dealer, the first song on the record, AM Gold pretty definitively showcases what this band is all about. It lends a certain monochrome intensity to Billionaire Boys Club that is at once the bands greatest strength, inasmuch as it lets us really sink our teeth into the sheer riffage, but also a weakness because it feels like Dealer could do so much more. That being said, with their relatively limited palate they manage to pull off some truly cool feats of sound with epic solos and blazing drums bashing you all the way back to the 70s, but with production and influences that feel very 2016.

Billionaire Boys Club is, if nothing else, an incredibly tasty record. The punching assault of these songs is addictive and the bands ability to crash into your skull and showcase all sorts of weird and exciting frills is fascinating. Dealer have a sort of trademark throb that makes it hard not to keep from falling in love, they have a pulse that is titanic and bass driven creating a bottom driven sound that every heavy metal maniac will love but which can also find a place in the hearts of punks and old school rock and rollers.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/dealerrips/

Sepulchral Curse - At The Onset Of Extinction

Sepulchral Curse is one of those death metal bands who seem to understand, and be truly in love with the dungeon side of the genre. Their latest offering At The Onset Of Extinction while often sitting on the cutting edge of underground death metal revels in basement productions and hints at black metal madness in order to create a sonic experience that borders on terrifying. This is the sort of band who embrace the inner evil and drive forth with a demented rage that makes even the gods want to turn away in disgust.

There is a lot to love in the grinding madness of these songs, in some ways it reminds me of underground darlings Torture Rack and Vermin Womb. While Sepulchral Curse may not be quite as developed as those bands the base concept is definitely there. At The Onset Of Extinction grinds away at the bone, forcing you to embrace fucked up realities and making you grind and bear it. Sepulchral Curse understand the forward motion that makes this kind of music work and have me utterly, and strangely entranced. It's hard to turn away as you watch the end of all things come apart around your eardrums.

Sepulchral Curse have clearly studied their Slayer, and are obviously in love with Asphyx, these are just the things that color their sound and add an almost lighthearted throwback element to the music. At The Onset Of Extinction sees the band grinding away, cracking skulls and taking no prisoners but instead drowning in the blood of their victims. This is blackened death metal for the modern age, looking back at past triumphs but showing us that, despite what many of us may think, the best is yet to come.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/SepulchralCurseDM/

Oni - Ironshore

Now this is something a little different in tech death. While the band kicks off their latest offering Ironshore with stunning technical riffs and brutal growls they immediately turn around and show that Ironshore has a hell of a lot more to offer with potent vocals. Oni stand at a sort of crossroads between prog a la Dream Theater and fucked up evil technical death metal. It makes Oni a far easier band listen too than what many of their contemporaries are doing but also shows us that Ironshore could be the future of tech death.

I think the important thing to realize is that unlike many of their peers in tech death bands who try to include cleans they are not going the pop route, nor are they going the Cynic etc route. Instead they seem genuinely enamored with modern prog and unafraid to occasionally add a dash of the 80s stuff for good measure. The layering of cleans and growls on top of that, as seen in tracks like Eternal Recurrence and found throughout the album builds on the idea that Oni is the future of tech death and prog metal. These guys aren't necessarily breaking new ground but they are doing this type of music better than almost all of their peers.

There is a very real and sort of subdued magic to Ironshore. This is an album that repeatedly hints at darker futures and weird soundscapes. It shows us time and time again that there are weird new grounds to break in prog and suggests that Oni are going to be around for a good long while. Unafraid of fusing Lamb Of God with Infant Annihilator and Dream Theater with Obscura Oni have proven that they are pushing exciting new boundaries and their future can't help but to be bright. Dig in to it you guys, things will only grow from here.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/TheOniBand/

Ranger - Speed & Violence

Man you gotta love speed metal, especially when combined with thrash, power metal and even a touch of NWOBHM as we see on Ranger's latest offering, Speed & Violence, a record that offers exactly that. There is an infectious sense of fun about Speed & Violence as the band tramples forward and offers us a glimpse into a group who love the twisted magic of a sound that god forgot. They revel in the blood and craft high powered odes to thrashing your way across the globe in every sense of the term.

While Bonded By Blood era Exodus is perhaps the biggest and most obvious musical reference point here Ranger offer far more than just that. In some ways they feel like a thrash metal version of bands like Skull Fist. They careen forward extolling the virtues of heavy metal and gleefully navigating the same sort of demented fantasy world that makes the sonic holocaust of this type of music so appealing. There is an angular magic to the blazing riffs here and the gang vocals that seem to dominate the choruses add a sort of 'brothers in metal'-esque magic to the record that you can't quite separate yourself from.

After a long day sometimes you need some good old Finnish heavy metal to drive the nail home. The nervous energy tightly contained in Speed & Violence is addictive and it shows us a world where we all can dig in and fall in love. The latent power and burning might of this band is something you can't easily forget. They tear into the listener and pummel you with galloping rhythms full of the selfsame energy that made us all fall in love with this music in the first place - get into it or just pack up and go home.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/rangerheavymetal/?fref=ts

Soothsayer - At This Great Depth

Man, as you all now, I love me some doom metal, especially when it plumbs strange new atmospheres and hints at soundworlds just beyond the realm of human comprehension. Soothsayer are the sort of band who grasp the quintessential magic of this band and remind us with At This Great Depth that there is a ton to be done in doom. Sure they don't deviate too far from the modern polemic but that doesn't mean that they haven't created something truly exciting. The understated poetry of this new release is strangely addictive. 

At This Great Depth is the sort of punishing aural nightmare that leaves you gasping for breath at times, but one that also opens up vast expanses of sound and shows us exciting things that are often forgotten. Though Soothsayer definitely delve into that which should not be, they also have found a niche for music that is simply powerful and grandiose in scale. At This Great Depth has a sort of antediluvian magic to it. It's an album that speaks in simple poetic phrases and then works its way up to crushing, face melting moments of what can feel like blunt force trauma, choking you out and forcing you to swallow.

I really love the rising and falling swells of sound that define At This Great Depth, it sort of adds to the nautical suggestions from the cover art and the album title. It's interesting to explore these two tracks and appreciate all that they have to represent. I like that the album clocks in at less than half an hour, it gives the songs a bit more weight and encourages repeat listens. At This Great Depth will draw you in ever deeper and show you that Soothsayer are the real deal, some of the great doom composers of our time.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/soothsayerdoom/?fref=ts

Hierophant - Mass Grave

Hierophant are one of those bands who have always understood the power of the underground. They are the sort of band who not only rock and roll, but also incinerate their victims. It's rare to find a death metal band who so perfectly capture the polemic and also force you to suffer so bleakly. Their latest offering Mass Grave features some wonderfully sick art and shows all that these Ravennan masters can offer. Their trademark crunch is delicious and drives forward with the same sort of bitterness that has always defined this music.

Mass Grave has the sort of massive wall of sound that this kind of death metal needs to properly perpetuate itself across the ear. The crushing stomp of a song like Sentenced To Death is undeniable, and the bands tendency for shorter songs (Except of course for the closer, the epic Eternal Void) helps to keep Mass Grave fresh throughout. It's easy to get lost in the bands infectious grooves, there is something vaguely hypnotic about the suffocating might of a song like Sentenced To Death. Not only does it showcase the bands songwriting process but also their potential to move forward through the ages.

There is something for every fan of underground music on Mass Grave. If you appreciate the more intellectual stuff you have some eerie atmospherics and obviously the top notch, and very full sounding production. If you just want to get your throat ripped out and destroy some guy in the pit then you only need to listen to Trauma to realize that these guys understand the fundamental power of the genre. Hierophant is the sort of band who could unite the world of death metal and choke us out, one downtuned power chord at a time.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/HIEROPHANTKVLT/?fref=ts

Civil War - The Last Full Measure

I'm not entirely sure how or why a bunch of Swedes, some of whom used to be in Sabaton decided to form a power metal band that sings about the Civil War, but what I do know is that it is utterly rad. The Last Full Measure is the sound of bold men going to war, running out triumphantly and getting shot down. This is an album that can't help but to charm, a record that is a blast to listen too and has all of the trademark bombast that has made so many fall in love with the band in the first place. This is war themed power metal at its finest.

It's easy to get into The Last Full Measure, after all, you have no end of big choruses, powerful solos and top notch arrangements. Civil War understand the underpinnings of power metal and it's exciting to watch them drive forward from song to song is delicious. The Last Full Measure is a logical step forward for Civil War but also one that shows us that there is a lot of growing left to do for the band. They have used this album as proof that they refuse to be written into a corner and instead will use potent riffs and tight rhythms to drive their way to victory. So sure it's anachronistic, but it fucking works.

The Last Full Measure has a high powered sense of fun that is going to keep you coming back. In a world where so much metal is super serious and part of a larger, darker reality Civil War just want to have a good time, raise their fists to the sky and show us that it's heavy metal or die. Power metal is like a refreshing blast to the past and a reminder that there still is hope in this crazy old universe of ours. Despite everything we can keep on keeping on and remember that no matter what, 1860's history can ring true and eternal.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Civilwarsweden

Darklands, Aneurysm, Tournament & Tower at Shea Stadium

Another night, another show, Bushwick is one of my favorite places to see a show - especially in that neighborhood around the old Acheron, that walk home certainly invokes the memories. As is - Shea Stadium is a very exciting little venue tucked away in one of the countless warehouse spaces that defines that area. So when you get the opportunity to attend the record release parties of two solid bands in one night, Tournament and the almighty Tower you start to see that you are on track for rock and roll salvation. 

Darklands where up first playing a wonderfully suburban brand of pop punk, unafraid to dip into vats of noise and worship the old masters. This is the kind of pop punk that captures the original spirit of the genre, it may not be quite as pissed off as some of their predecessors but that's okay. Instead we get music tailor made for VFW's and back rooms in alternative coffee shops. It certainly tapped into a bit of nostalgia in me. Though they didn't play for long it was hard not to vibe out to what they had done here and made me want to dive back into those old bands, to spin that Menzingers vinyl and look back on our collective youth. 

I was pleasantly surprised by Aneurysm who sound like what would happen if Clutch had debuted on Subpop in 1990 and wanted to be a hardcore band. What I'm trying to say is that Aneurysm exist at a perfect crossroads of rock and roll, hardcore and old school grunge. It's groovy and powerful but also vicious enough to keep you on edge. Aneurysm comprehend the burning magic of rock and roll in all of its formations and grow it in their own, very special and powerful way. This is a band who are riding a powerful wave of rock and roll and seem to be hinting at far better things to come in the very near future. 

The first highlight of the night was Tournament - though I'd never seen them before I was certainly impressed by their latest release Teenage Creature. They deliver some powerful and wonderfully dirty brand of rock and roll that can't help but to resonate. There is a very human pulse to Tournament's music and the deeper you delve into what they have refined the harder it is to turn away from their waves of sound. They draw you in and refuse to let you out of the otherworldly coffin they create. This is cleansing and pure rock and roll at its finest - destined to keep you on the edge of your seat and in love. 

Of course the true triumph of the soiree was Tower, the band who I am quite convinced were sent from the heavens to save rock and roll. This is a band who have the stage presence, the songwriting chops and the sheer manic energy to make the entire genre seem worth it again. In a world where rock and roll often seems flaccid and boring Tower come screaming out with wicked guitar solos, a vicious frontwoman whose voice fucking sparkles and a rhythm section that pushes harder than you thought possible. This is a band who invoke the true spirit of rock and roll, and if they sold their souls for rock and roll I wouldn't be surprised. People go apeshit over Tower and they might be the band to take this entire degenerate scene to a whole new level.

As I walked home I kept repeating to my roommate, "Holy fuck, wasn't Tower amazing?" jumping up and down, unable to contain my excitement. They are the most potent live band I have seen in years and overshadowed everyone else to grace the stage - despite very capable performances on all fronts. Shea Stadium was the perfect venue for this shindig, not only did it remind me of the first time I saw Tower at the Acheron, it also came apart at the seams, showing us that this Brooklyn scene will last for now and forever. 

Find the bands on Facebook!

Darklands: https://www.facebook.com/drklndspvd/?fref=ts

Aneurysm: https://www.facebook.com/Puritancandy/?fref=ts

Tournament: https://www.facebook.com/TOURNAMENTBAND/?fref=ts

Tower: https://www.facebook.com/TOWERnyc/?fref=ts

Sanhedrin, Cauldron and Satan at Webster Hall

Man - your first show back after tour is always a weird experience, especially when you have a lineup as stacked as this one with a killer local, one of your favorite bands who grind away on the road and old school legends. Add in a venue as great as Webster Hall a venue that is both legendary and excellent. It's the kind of place that makes live music work, everything about the venue is ideal for heavy music, especially the Marlin Room which provides couches, great views and top notch sound. This was a fitting return to New York City's triumphant scene.

Sanhedrin are a really exciting Brooklyn based act who find a weird, but surprisingly good balance between space rock and speed metal. There sense of dark and light, while still being polished, is really solid. They have a sort of authoritative rock and roll swagger that hints at great things to come. Yeah they were a bit limited with a limited set in an early time slot, but it doesn't take from the fact that Sanhedrin truly understand the power of rock and roll. This is a band who are going to go for the throat and remind you time and time again that this is exactly what the Brooklyn scene so often needs, a dose of reality.

I've loved Cauldron for years now, and I was thrilled to see that they would be playing some deep cuts - a special treat from a band who thrive on them. Asides from their stunning set closer of "Chained Up In Chains" Cauldron leapt from peak to peak, showcasing all different sides of their discography and playing a handful of songs that I never expected to see them play live. Perhaps best of all, guitarist Ian Chains seems to have largely recovered from the terrifying car accident that the band survived earlier this year. Cauldron prove that the power of rock and roll is infinite and we will always fight on.

I'm not as familiar with Satan's work as I maybe should be, but it's always fun to watch these old NWOBHM bands tear it up, especially when they get to play in front of a crowd of adoring fans. Watching Satan play, a band who has been through so much and around for so long it's obvious that these guys are something special. As they perform you see the years come away and despite the shoddy sound (Or perhaps because of it) you start to feel like you are in a dingy English pub in the early 80s. Last night in New York City Satan captured the music of a movement and it was triumphant.

And so the evening came to a close. I had a cold and had to make my way through that cold unforgiving New York City night back to the gentle streets of a Brooklyn ghetto. Sanhedrin, Cauldron and Satan all hint at an older era of bands - one that many people say is gone, but I disagree. I still think there is hope for rock and roll and we need folks like these to help move it forward. Embrace the darkness, observe the fucked up majesty, and bury yourself in the combined discography of bands who truly 'get it'.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Sanhedrin: https://www.facebook.com/sanhedrinband/?fref=ts

Cauldron: https://www.facebook.com/CAULDRONmetal

Satan: https://www.facebook.com/officialsatanpage/?fref=ts

Superjoint - Caught Up In The Gears Of Application

Superjoint are the one and only - the masters of their own reality, the dudes who are going to take the genre to a new level and who play by their own rules. After an extended period of bullshit, Mr Anselmo seems to have come through on top - ready once again to champion his unique brand of no bullshit heavy metal. Caught Up In The Gears Of Application is the sort of metal record that showcases the strongest sides of the genre and shows us that there is a bold future for a band who is putting out their first record in 13 years.

Phil is obviously the focal point of this record, his vocal delivery is stunning, showing off all sides of his range over powerful, grindy riffs that have a sense of forward momentum that is entirely their own. Caught Up In The Gears Of Application is a truly exciting record, an album that explores new sides of the Superjoint sound but also uses that old fashioned New Orleans groove. Superjoint has put together an album that pushes forward relentlessly and refuses to make compromises. Phil brazenly calls out his detractors and shows that no matter what madness surrounds him he will grab it by the motherfucking throat.

So feel the punch in the gut, get caught up in the punishing madness, suffocate on the bloody stump and let yourself suffer under the strain. Caught Up In The Gears Of Application is exactly what it needs to be, raw, vicious and unrelenting. Everything that has made the Phil Anselmo projects great over the past few years is represented here and it shows us that this man is one of the truly great forces in metal. This is a band who grind forward, now and forever. Ready to hit the road and make us suffer maybe it's these guys who will make America great again.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Superjoint-7066758901/?fref=ts