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1000 results for “Punky_John”
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Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) and punk rock icon Johnny Thunders at Jerry Nolan's birthday Party, Max's Kansas City, May 7, 1980
#punk #punks #punkrock #punklegends #johnnythunders #chrissiehynde #jerrynolan #punkrockhistory
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Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) and punk rock icon Johnny Thunders at Jerry Nolan's birthday Party, Max's Kansas City, May 7, 1980
#punk #punks #punkrock #punklegends #johnnythunders #chrissiehynde #jerrynolan #punkrockhistory
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Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) and punk rock icon Johnny Thunders at Jerry Nolan's birthday Party, Max's Kansas City, May 7, 1980
#punk #punks #punkrock #punklegends #johnnythunders #chrissiehynde #jerrynolan #punkrockhistory
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Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) and punk rock icon Johnny Thunders at Jerry Nolan's birthday Party, Max's Kansas City, May 7, 1980
#punk #punks #punkrock #punklegends #johnnythunders #chrissiehynde #jerrynolan #punkrockhistory
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51 years ago
The first photograph of the Sex Pistols (Johnny Rotten, Glen Matlock, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook) in the backyard of a pub where they rehearsed in Chiswick, London, in August/September 1975.
Photo by John Gray
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #sexpistols #punkrockhistory
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Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) and punk rock icon Johnny Thunders at Jerry Nolan's birthday Party, Max's Kansas City, May 7, 1980
#punk #punks #punkrock #punklegends #johnnythunders #chrissiehynde #jerrynolan #punkrockhistory
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Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers performing at the Village Gate in New York City on August 19, 1977.
Photo by Ebet Robert
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #johnnythunders #theheartbreakers #history #punkrockhistory
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50 years ago
Johnny Ramone, Tommy Ramone, Joey Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone of The Ramones on stage at CBGB’s, NYC. September 1976.📸 © Bob Gruen
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #ramones #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory #50years
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50 years ago
Johnny Ramone, Tommy Ramone, Joey Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone of The Ramones on stage at CBGB’s, NYC. September 1976.📸 © Bob Gruen
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #ramones #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory #50years
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50 years ago
Johnny Ramone, Tommy Ramone, Joey Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone of The Ramones on stage at CBGB’s, NYC. September 1976.📸 © Bob Gruen
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #ramones #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory #50years
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50 years ago
Johnny Ramone, Tommy Ramone, Joey Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone of The Ramones on stage at CBGB’s, NYC. September 1976.📸 © Bob Gruen
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #ramones #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory #50years
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In memory of John Graham Mellor aka Joe Strummer, born on this day in 1952 in Ankara, Turkey.
Photo by Arthur Steel
#punk #punks #punkrock #joestrummer #theclash #history #punkrockhistory #otd
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45 years ago
Joe Strummer and John Peel at a Wimpy bar in Piccadilly Circus, London in July 1981Photo by Justin Thomas
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #joestrummer #theclash #history #punkrockhistory
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50 years ago
Siouxsie Sioux & Steve Severin, John Ingham (standing) and Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols as captured by Ray Stevenson in August 1976, after the “Screen on the Green” punk concert in Islington#punk #punkrock #punklegends #50years #history #punkrockhistory #otd
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I’m motivated to use the transcript to this podcast episode to develop the chorus and melody to a #punk rock song: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-john-vervaeke/id1680606350
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50 years ago
Johnny Ramone, Tommy Ramone, Joey Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone of The Ramones on stage at CBGB’s, NYC. September 1976.📸 © Bob Gruen
#punk #punks #punkrock #oldschoolpunk #punklegends #ramones #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory #50years
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex WaveSpiral 🌀 (Post Punk & Classical New Wave)
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🎵 Daryl Hall & John Oates - Out of Touch▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
50 years ago
Patti Smith, Lou Reed, John Cale and David Byrne at the Ocean Club in NYC, July 1976.
Photo by Bob Gruen
#50years #punk #punks #punkrock #punklegends #history #punkrockhistory
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Recorded #OnThisDay 43 years ago:
The Luddites - Peel Session 1983
The complete session recorded by The Luddites on 10 September 1983 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and broadcast on the 19th of that month.
Tracklist:
1. Just To Return (0:13)
2. 7733 (3:44)
3. See These (7:00)
4. Letters (10:33) -
Recorded #OnThisDay 24 years ago:
The Hives - Peel Session 2001
The complete session recorded by The Hives on 22 October 2001 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and broadcast on 21 November 2001.
Tracklist:
1. Howlin' Pelle Talks To The British People (0:07)
2. Barely Homosapien (2:37)
3. Hate To Say I Told You So (4:26)
4. Lost And Found (7:49)https://vibracobra23.blogspot.com/2012/06/hives-peel-session-2001_19.html
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Le podcast est là : https://pyongyangcityrockers.wordpress.com/2026/08/19/평양-city-rockers-447-pop-electro-et-cafouillages-19-08-2026/
Ça cafouille ça cafouille dans le Pyongyang City Rockers #447, enfin bon on y arrive quand même en vous assaisonnant un peu dans tous les sens : hardcore punk (#Haemers, #FireMe!, #Düsentroop), synth / electro / boîte à rythme (#Schlaasss, #Asylum343, #JohnnyNotebook, #BoyHarsher), power pop (#TheWayfarers, #Clubs), crystalcore en avant-première (#BengBengCocktail), motörchose (#KillerKin), oi! (#Junto), hip hop (#SelektahKolektiboa), sans oublier les antiquités (#LaSouris, #FritesModern)... Merci !
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Le podcast est là : https://pyongyangcityrockers.wordpress.com/2026/08/19/평양-city-rockers-447-pop-electro-et-cafouillages-19-08-2026/
Ça cafouille ça cafouille dans le Pyongyang City Rockers #447, enfin bon on y arrive quand même en vous assaisonnant un peu dans tous les sens : hardcore punk (#Haemers, #FireMe!, #Düsentroop), synth / electro / boîte à rythme (#Schlaasss, #Asylum343, #JohnnyNotebook, #BoyHarsher), power pop (#TheWayfarers, #Clubs), crystalcore en avant-première (#BengBengCocktail), motörchose (#KillerKin), oi! (#Junto), hip hop (#SelektahKolektiboa), sans oublier les antiquités (#LaSouris, #FritesModern)... Merci !
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Le podcast est là : https://pyongyangcityrockers.wordpress.com/2026/08/19/평양-city-rockers-447-pop-electro-et-cafouillages-19-08-2026/
Ça cafouille ça cafouille dans le Pyongyang City Rockers #447, enfin bon on y arrive quand même en vous assaisonnant un peu dans tous les sens : hardcore punk (#Haemers, #FireMe!, #Düsentroop), synth / electro / boîte à rythme (#Schlaasss, #Asylum343, #JohnnyNotebook, #BoyHarsher), power pop (#TheWayfarers, #Clubs), crystalcore en avant-première (#BengBengCocktail), motörchose (#KillerKin), oi! (#Junto), hip hop (#SelektahKolektiboa), sans oublier les antiquités (#LaSouris, #FritesModern)... Merci !
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Recorded #OnThisDay 48 years ago:
U.K. Subs - Peel Session 1978
The complete session recorded by the U.K. Subs on 23 May 1978 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and broadcast on the 31st of that month.
Tracklist:
1. I Couldn't Be You (0:07)
2. Tomorrow's Girls (2:09)
3. Disease (4:27)
4. C.I.D. (5:48)
5. Stranglehold (7:38)https://vibracobra23.blogspot.com/2012/05/uk-subs-peel-session-1978.html
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Yes I believe him, dressed up like a member of The Specials (maybe sax 🎷 player?), and those punk rock skateboarder Vans that he's sporting with the suit.
Even the Sex Pistols were bankrolled merely to showcase their manager Malcolm McLaren's clothing boutique at 430 King's Road in London.
One of my exes was a pre Goth death metal chick with relatively short pink hair and that pasty white corpse like makeup in a different, classy lingerie ensemble everyday of the week ( It helped that she worked at Frederick's on Hollywood Blvd).
If what John Waters is quoted as saying has any weight (and I believe he's spot on) it's that the antisocial movement of the previous decade will be largely found to be insignificant and forgotten because they had no particular and unique fashion sense of their own to remember them by.👋💀
#tallship #heavy_metal #punk_rock #new_wave #forgotten_Gen #music #fashion #lifestyle
⛵
RE: https://mas.to/users/mythologyandhistory/statuses/117176052087304300
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Yes I believe him, dressed up like a member of The Specials (maybe sax 🎷 player?), and those punk rock skateboarder Vans that he's sporting with the suit.
Even the Sex Pistols were bankrolled merely to showcase their manager Malcolm McLaren's clothing boutique at 430 King's Road in London.
One of my exes was a pre Goth death metal chick with relatively short pink hair and that pasty white corpse like makeup in a different, classy lingerie ensemble everyday of the week ( It helped that she worked at Frederick's on Hollywood Blvd).
If what John Waters is quoted as saying has any weight (and I believe he's spot on) it's that the antisocial movement of the previous decade will be largely found to be insignificant and forgotten because they had no particular and unique fashion sense of their own to remember them by.👋💀
#tallship #heavy_metal #punk_rock #new_wave #forgotten_Gen #music #fashion #lifestyle
⛵
RE: https://mas.to/users/mythologyandhistory/statuses/117176052087304300
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Yes I believe him, dressed up like a member of The Specials (maybe sax 🎷 player?), and those punk rock skateboarder Vans that he's sporting with the suit.
Even the Sex Pistols were bankrolled merely to showcase their manager Malcolm McLaren's clothing boutique at 430 King's Road in London.
One of my exes was a pre Goth death metal chick with relatively short pink hair and that pasty white corpse like makeup in a different, classy lingerie ensemble everyday of the week ( It helped that she worked at Frederick's on Hollywood Blvd).
If what John Waters is quoted as saying has any weight (and I believe he's spot on) it's that the antisocial movement of the previous decade will be largely found to be insignificant and forgotten because they had no particular and unique fashion sense of their own to remember them by.👋💀
#tallship #heavy_metal #punk_rock #new_wave #forgotten_Gen #music #fashion #lifestyle
⛵
RE: https://mas.to/users/mythologyandhistory/statuses/117176052087304300
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Hi. This is one of my albums I'm the most proud of. It owes as much of a debt to the Radiophonic Workshop, Tristam Carey and early electronic post-punk as it does to 80s electro, acid house and detroit techno. Odd ambient squiggles, atmospheric electronica, a John Carpenteresque soundtrack and some whimsy.
#electronica #freemusic #welshmusic #bandcamp #RadiophonicWorkshop #Electro #ambient #cardiffmusic #AnalogueSynth
It's a free download if you want it; in any digital format. https://dxiii-recordings.bandcamp.com/album/audition -
Ava Mendoza/Gabby Fluke-Mogul/Carolina Pérez – Mama Killa Review
By Angry Metal Guy
By: Nameless_n00b_601
The more experimental a piece of music is, the harder it must work to ground its artistic expression in an emotional or compositional core. Dazzling displays of aural innovation or sonic provocation still need a conceptual throughline—something for even the most open-minded listener to latch onto. As a fan of more “challenging” styles, I find there’s a fine line between music that feels like “artistic expression for its own sake” and music that offers “engaging tunes I actually want to listen to.” Mama Killa is the debut improvisational collaborative album from a trio with an impressive musical pedigree, consisting of guitarist Ava Mendoza (Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet, Unnatural Ways), violinist Gabby Fluke-Mogul (Zoh Amba, Ivo Perelman, William Parker), and drummer Carolina Pérez (Hypoxia, Castrator). Named after the Incan goddess of the moon, the album promises “eight tracks of high-volume, riff-based guitar-violin improvisation bolstered by thunderous drumming.” Can this newly formed power trio avoid the common pitfalls of experimental music and deliver over 50 minutes of compelling, instrumental free jazz?
Mama Killa offers a set of compositions that resist easy classification. While “free jazz” is likely the closest label, the sound here is a novel fusion of dissonant aesthetics, ambient impulses, Afro-Latin grooves, and avant-garde metal. I’d point to John Zorn’s more metal-focused offerings, or the most recent Mamaleek albums as potential antecedents, but Mama Killa truly sounds like nothing else. Each player draws from their unique background to craft performances that exist at a stylistic crossroads. Mendoza’s guitar work ranges from off-kilter psychedelic blues riffs, effects-heavy noise, and introspective drone, punctuated by ethereal, tremolo-picked leads. Her ingenuity is matched by Fluke-Mogul, whose violin playing is both versatile and unpredictable. She uses an array of techniques and effects pedals to summon everything from shrieking wails to rhythmic plucking and somber melodies. Pérez, meanwhile, brings her death metal roots to the drum kit, incorporating double bass gallops and anchoring the string players with a solid, rock-oriented foundation. While her style may lack the finesse and tight precision of a traditional jazz drummer, her command of dynamics, fluidity, and aggression elevate the string pyrotechnics of her bandmates.
The album and its track list are held together by a close attention to dynamics, allowing the listener to distinguish peaks from valleys in what might otherwise feel like formless terrain. High-intensity, riff-driven tracks like raucous opener “Puma Punku,” the black metal-tinged “We Will Be Millions” and the krautrock-inspired “Nowhere but Here” are spaced out by slower, more contemplative pieces that highlight different elements of the trio’s artistry. “Trichocereus Pachanoi” places Pérez in the spotlight with an undulating drum solo that eventually gives way to Sunn O)))-like waves of guitar drone—a motif expanded in the tense and unsettling “Mama Huaco.” Meanwhile, “Partera Party” centers Fluke-Mogul, who begins with a sparse, exhilarating violin solo before easing into an almost playful groove once the drums enter. This sense of contrast lends Mama Killa a strong pacing. Whenever the trio’s intensity hits a peak, it is soon tempered by several minutes of minimalist reflection. While some of the quieter moments occasionally linger a bit too long, the album overall offers a surprisingly well-balanced listening experience, especially for a genre so rooted in unpredictability.
It helps that Mama Killa features a raw, no-frills production style that not only highlights its careful use of dynamics but also brings sonic clarity to its adventurous performances. Legendary engineer Martin Bisi (Sonic Youth, Swans, Boredoms) captures everything from the subtle hiss of Mendosa’s amps to the soft timbre of Pérez’s cymbal wash, placing the listener firmly in the room without relying on studio tricks that might dilute the emotion of these pieces. This allows the gorgeous violin melody of “Amazing Graces” and the slow-burn, post-rock build of the closer “Mama Coco” to truly resonate. Unfortunately, the production does highlight a somewhat weak vocal performance on 2 tracks (“Puma Punku” and “Nowhere but Here”), where improvised blackened yelps appear to distract from the stellar instrumental parts. This is ultimately a small complaint, but it does detract slightly from an otherwise impressive work.
Mama Killa is an exciting debut that manages to both chart new sonic territory and entertain while doing so. It certainly stands as a challenging work which listeners might not be keen to partake in regularly, but for those willing to embark, Mama Killa offers a unique and varied work of experimental music with a sly thematic core. It’s an album where each contributor’s artistic voice is clearly discernible, and their cohesion elevates this collection of improvised music beyond typical genre pitfalls. If the trio finds time amid their busy musical schedules to release another project, it will be exciting to see how they might further develop an already compelling formula.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: Lossless
Label: Burning Ambulance Music
Website: mendozaflukemogulperez.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: July 11th, 2025#2025 #AvaMendozaGabbyFlukeMogulCarolinaPérez #Castrator #FreeJazz #Hypoxia #JohnZorn #Jul25 #Mamaleek #Progressive #Review #Reviews #Sunn #SunnO_ #Swans
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Stuck in the Filter: April 2026’s Angry Misses By Kenstrosity
The storms persist, but now it’s getting hot! Steam roils inside the filter ducts as my minions scald themselves in the pursuit of moderately valuable nuggets. Will they succeed before they cook like so many broccoli florets? Only time will tell.
Dead or alive, I’ll make sure these lazy louts deliver their semi-precious lodes. So be thankful, and BEHOLD!
Kenstrosity’s Mountainous Member
Volcandra // Beyond the Will of Mortals [April 24th, 2026 – Prosthetic Records]
Who knows why we don’t get promo sometimes? Countless times I’ve been faced with great anticipation for a new record by a band I was keeping tabs on, and countless times, for unknown reasons, promo never came. Louisville melodic black/death quartet Volcandra now enter those ranks with the unsent Beyond the Will of Mortals. Picking up where The Will of Ancients left off, Beyond the Will of Mortals expands in scope and scale, eliciting a grandeur in composition that recalls the epic yarns spun by Foretoken, Hath, and Astralborne, but with the thrashing sensibilities of Antiverse and Skeletonwitch. Leading the charge in stunning fashion, “Beyond the Will of Mortals” and “Marauders of the Cosmic Vortex” explode with a visceral burst of energy built around high-octane riffs, screaming solos, and majestic melodies. Dave Palenske in particular acquits himself admirably, expanding his vocal range far beyond the expected, foraying into scorching screams and subterranean gutturals with excellent technique and charisma (“Venom March Enchantress”). But the rest of the band easily keeps up, deftly trading blows between power metal-ready gallops, violent swings into thrash territory, and all manner of other pyrotechnics to make Beyond the Will of Mortals Volcandra’s most versatile and varied offering yet. To some, this may create a disjointed experience as rippers like “Mage of Fabled Sorcery” contrast in pacing and personality to its neighbors. However, with repeat listens that effects dissolves, making more room to appreciate how much fun this record really is. The back half capitalizes on that effect, unleashing lean and mean banger after banger to leave you salivating for another round (“Within the Webs,” “Infinite Decadence”). In sum, Beyond the Will of Mortals is a fine, invigorating inclusion into anyone’s rotation; so if you missed it, get on it now!
Creeping Ivy’s Punkyard Dogs
Dead Bob // Nothing Changes Everything [April 21st, 2026 – Wrong Records]
In The Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal, Martin Popoff describes Wrong (1989) by Nomeansno as ‘the mightiest merger between the hateful aggression of punk and the discipline of heavy metal’ (316). Essentially, Popoff affixed to Wrong AMG’s Iconic label: 10/10.1 For readers perhaps unfamiliar with Nomeansno, my best follow-up on Popoff’s portrayal is that the band—formed in 1979 by the Wright brothers (Rob on bass/vocals, John on drums/vocals)—sounds like The Minutemen hijacked a Voivod. After an incredible eleven-album run, Nomeansno officially retired in 2016. Why am I wasting my word count with this history lesson on the greatest Canadian punk band of all time? Because Dead Bob, John Wright’s solo project, released its sophomore album this April. Whereas Life Like fulfills the vision of one man, John enlisted a band for Nothing Changes Everything. Bookending the album are the last two songs John co-wrote with Rob. The techy guitar/bass interplay of lead-off “Centre of the Universe,” as well as the pounding rhythms of closer “No Fun (Alt Mix),” come closest to the punk/metal hybridity of vintage Nomeansno. Between these tracks, the album gets increasingly weird (which is to say, it gets increasingly ‘punk,’ in the word’s original connotation). “Nothing Changes Everything” deploys horns, “Hard is Hard” mixes art/surf rock, and “The Present” sprinkles psychedelic guitar leads over pulsing synths and tribal percussion. If you’re a fan of avant-garde music in a compact package, you can’t go wrong with Nothing Changes Everything.
Poison Ruïn // Hymns from the Hills [April 3rd, 2026 – Relapse Records]
Whilst reading Tyme‘s (excellent) review of Twin Serpent’s (super fun) True Norwegian Blackgrass, a member of the commentariat reminded me of how much I enjoyed Poison Ruïn’s latest offering upon a first listen. That comment got me to revisit Hymn from the Hills, and I’m glad I did. To sell these Philly post-punks to the AMG Faithful, I’ll point out a few things: they’re signed to Relapse Records, they curate a medieval aesthetic (which includes deploying dungeon synths), and the new record was mastered by Arthur Rizk. In addition to liberal metal elements, Poison Ruïn occasionally stride with rock n’ roll swagger (“Hymn from the Hills”), with primary visionary Mac Kennedy channeling Blue Öyster Cult in his role as singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter (“Lily of the Valley”). “Eidolon” perfectly exemplifies the band’s hybridity, mashing up the melody of “Layla,” the propulsive drive of Hüsker Dü, and the rhythmic punctuations of “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” This may sound like a critique, but it’s not; Poison Ruïn excels at mixing punk, rock, and metal into their own arthouse concoction. Metal purists might have to wait until the end of the album, though, to have their fancy truly tickled. But wait, they should, as “Sleeping Giant (Interlude)” offers funeral doom content in a punk-sized package, while closer “The Standoff” gets moving with a wicked blast beat. I’ll definitely be heading for these post-punk hills more and more throughout the year.
Scimitar // Scimitarium II [April 24th, 2026 – Crypt of the Wizard]
Scimitar’s first song receptacle was one of my favorite debuts of 2025. On Scimitarium I, this Danish five-piece served up a scintillating selection of ‘black occult rock,’ combining the caustic fervor of Malokarpatan with the psychedelic haze of Blue Cheer, topped off with a post-punk flavoring of Joy Division. A year later, this Copenhagen cutter returns with Scimitarium II, a follow-up that satisfyingly mirrors the album-art format of its predecessor. Whereas Scimitarium I demonstrated range marred a bit by roughshod production, volume II sounds much sharper, slashing and dashing for a lean 40 minutes. The opening title track introduces our combatants: the dexterous drumming of CCsquele; the counter-melodic bass of Olle Bergholz; the sinister guitar fury of Johan L. Ekstrand and Anders M. Jørgensen; and finally, the commanding vocals of Shaam A.2 From there, the album rips through a trio of unrelenting ragers that feel like they can fall apart at any minute but miraculously hold together. “Through Lava Lit Roads to Lavilenda, Pt. II” offers the only reprieve, spotlighting Shaam’s dynamic range and impressive timbre. Closing out the collection is “Mobula Mobular,” a 13-minute monster built around a doomy riff whose chromaticism lurches upward and downward, to hypnotizing effect. If Scimitar can marry the ambition of I with the ferocity of II next time around, they’ll have a blackened-trad killer on their hands.
Andy-War-Hall’s Dandy Score Haul
Elegant Weapons // Evolution [April 24th, 2026 – Exciter Records]
Everything about Elegant Weapons and the super group’s sophomore record Evolution is a misnomer. Evolution is a high-octane slugfest of tried-and-true heavy metal-leaning hard rock, and Elegant Weapons swing, punch, and bite through it with everything but grace. Is this a problem? When Richie Faulkener’s (Judas Priest) riffs are as groovy and burly as ever and his solos as grin-inducing, Ronnie Romero’s (ex-Rainbow, ex-Michael Schenker Group) voice is booming as it is, and when Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep) and Christopher Williams’ (Accept) bass and drums respectively, carry as tight a pulse as they do on Evolution, not at all. When it all coalesces into uber catchy fist-pumping anthems like “Bridges Burn,” “The Devil Calls,” and “Shooting Shadows,” especially so. Evolution is easy-peasy listening, and Elegant Weapons’ chemistry and knack for hookcraft make its near hour-long runtime fly by, as well as ease the cringe of the hyper-Boomeristic lyricism on “Generation Me.” They also manage to make fairly stock power ballads in “Come Back to Me” and “Keeper of the Keys” feel affecting, driven by a viral vocal presence and emotive, timeless guitar soloing. Evolution is fun, and Elegant Weapons are sharp. ‘Nuff said.
Demon Spell // Blessed Be the Dark [April 24th, 2026 – Dying Victims Productions]
Creeping from an obscure, ancient, and sinister darkness, Sicily’s Demon Spell have conjured a shadow-cast era of heavy metal’s history back to the light of day with their debut Blessed Be the Dark. Wielding the evil auras of Mercyful Fate and Witchfinder General, Demon Spell play an early-80s melange of early thrash, occult rock, and NWoBHM riffcraft and swagger. Blessed Be the Dark is driven by excellent performances. Vocalist Federico Fano’s falsetto wails evoke King Diamond at his best on “As Lucifer Smiles” while drummer Dario Casabona drops slick, pummeling fills over “Curse of the Undead.” Sinister melodies and atmospheres abound on Blessed Be the Dark, with “The Tolling” and “Hexes and Horrors” driving home a vintage horror aesthetic while tearing it up with blistering heavy metal. Blessed Be the Dark also just sounds pleasantly old. Demon Spell’s guitars and bass sound pulled straight from 1981, complementing their retro songcraft perfectly. Blessed Be the Dark sounds like the night come alive, a fast, fun, and delightfully dark exploration of the kinds of heavy metal that gave your grandma panic attacks back in the day. Fall under the Demon Spell today!
Grin Reaper’s Grim Goodies
Nervosa // Slave Machine [April 3rd, 2026 – Napalm Records]
For a band releasing their sixth album in twelve years, Nervosa sounds remarkably vital. Staying the course with a dozen tracks of their signature death/thrash, Slave Machine burns through forty-three minutes of whammy dives, soaring leads, and all-around thrashy goodness. Writing tunes that pay homage to Sepultura (“You Are Not a Hero”), Kreator (“Ghost Notes”), and Sodom (“The Call”), Nervosa bludgeons with blunt-force drama while touting slick riffs and venomous melodies. Slave Machine opens with “Impending Doom,” a stirring salvo that Arch Enemy wishes they’d written, and from there Nervosa hints at the familiar without ever straying from their own lane. “Hate” starts with a riff that simultaneously reminds of Maiden’s “Flash of the Blade” and System of a Down’s “B.Y.O.B.” before spiraling into vaguely In Flames-tinged melodeath. Meanwhile, “Crawling for Your Pride” and “Beast of Burden” draw from the viciousness of mid-aughts Soulfly. Over and over, Nervosa pulls from known sources, yet bakes enough novelty into their songwriting to sound fresh and pummeling. Those intimate with Nervosa won’t find many surprises here, but are in for a treat. If this is your first encounter with these Brazilian badasses, gird your ears and strap in—welcome to the Slave Machine.
Kõdu // Kirjad Sõgedate Külast [April 20th, 2026 – Antiq Records]
Five years after delivering debut Unusta Kõik, Estonian outfit Kõdu graces us with their sophomore album. Translated as ‘Letters from the Village of the Blind,’3 Kirjad Sõgedate Külast details the sordid ruination of a backwoods village, relating its narrative aspects through a series of letters where each song chronicles a different villager’s perspective.4 Kõdu grounds the lyrics in their native language, drawing from nineteenth and twentieth-century Estonian poets for inspiration. Despite the depth of the macabre backdrop, I never would have taken the time to learn more if Kõdu’s music hadn’t entranced me from the outset. Slow-burn black metal abounds on Kirjad Sõgedate Külast, recalling Dødheimsgard’s shifting moods (“II”) and eclectic instrumentation (“III”) muddled with Wayfarer’s rustic arrangements (“VI”) and Emperor’s dramatic flair (“V”). Musically, Kirjad Sõgedate Külast conjures lush soundscapes (“VII”) through considered songwriting, expertly balancing black metal discharges with melancholic passages that give moments just the right amount of time to bludgeon or breathe before pivoting. I regret not getting the chance to review Kõdu’s latest in full, because the folk magic they weave on Kirjad Sõgedate Külast deserves fanfare and kudõs aplenty.
ClarkKent’s Epic Elegy
Bloody Valkyria // Requiem – Reveries Of The Dying [April 3rd, 2026 – Northern Silence Productions]
Bloody Valkyria, the product of Finland’s Jere Kervinen, peddles in the same sort of epic symphonic/folk black metal that the likes of Ancient Mastery, Stormkeep, and Moonlight Sorcery dish out. Kervinen’s emotionally charged project appears inspired by a personal loss, and you can feel his passion in the emotional outpouring of his music and lyrics. On the epic opener, “Symphony of Silence,” Bloody Valkyria reveal their capability with the patient slow burn. There’s the natural, serene ambience of animal sounds, strings, folky flutes, and then a sudden explosion of riffs and blast beats. And boy does Kervinen write some extraordinary leads, which makes his slow-burn approach all the more rewarding. Each song contains a well-earned hooky riff/trem that holds its sway over you even as the song grows into more thoughtful serenity. Reading along with Kervinen’s poetic, touching lyrics makes the experience all the more poignant as he ruminates on death and the meaning of life. The grief by the end, as he sings about his “beloved north” and a desire for its/her embrace, is palpable. This is a beautiful record that may be too good for these dirty filters, but I just couldn’t risk it getting lost in the shuffle of the chaos that is the end of year.
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