#high-spirits — Public Fediverse posts

As its creators dare, modern metal music holds the unique position of having decades of realized and celebrated sounds to guide it. Whether it’s the harmonized crunch of Iron Maiden, the forlorn, minor-scale weeping of Paradise Lost, or the twisting, chiming builds of Fates Warning, classic styles like these build a world that transcends the simple attachment of a good chorus or solo. And in the lineage of NWOBHM fury, gothic sorrows, and progressive tinkering, Mark Sugar roots his long-running prog-ish, doom-ish, always heavy Black Sites project. Album after album, Sugar has explored his wide range of musical influences to capture that hard-to-attain feeling of nostalgia without ever being comfortable living in the shadow of any one band. Does For Eternity, then, as installment number five, cement the growing legacy of this recognizable Black Sites synthesis?

Like a worn body, scuffed pickguard six-string, Black Sites has aged with a trustworthy action in its idiosyncratic and progressive foundations. As our beloved DANG once noted, earlier albums like Exile felt like a playlist of Black Sites’ favorite metal songs recreated in the Black Sites fashion—far from a misstep when the material is as quality as Sugar and co. produce. 2021’s Untrue began the path toward a more controlled vision. But then with an extra rhythmic flashiness, 2023’s The Promised Land? saw Black Sites taking greater risks on complex, longer-form tracks contrasted with slower, crowd-ready bangers. On that latter endeavor, For Eternity doubles down and adds an even more ’80s-loaded riff flair. In the construction of tracks like “Giving Up the Ghost” and “Silent Wars,” it doesn’t take much effort to hear the homage to the deadly and moody axe-led precision of classics like Dio’s “The Last in Line” or Ozzy Osbourne’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel.” Yet in the presence of these touchpoints, Black Sites never loses its course down Sugar’s own expression of heavy metal appreciation.

Throughout For Eternity, a thundering momentum defines the Black Sites attacks. In well-paced bursts of four-to-six-or-so minutes, trademarked open string punctuation in melodies finds weight in power chord progressions, tom-heavy drum drives, and growling, thumpy bass struts.1 For those desiring a pick scrape to pull-off riff-fest, “Above Soil, Beneath Sky” and “Silent Wars” stand at attention to raised horns. And if it’s Sugar’s nimble fingers ripping between muted crunch and piercing, melodic solo work, “Aquarius Betrayed” and “When Prophecy Fails” provide all the nimble fretboard action one could ask for in this context. Whatever the mass of metal movement, Sugar’s slithering and workmanlike warble push and pull on unexpected beats with a relatable melancholy dressed as attachable choruses. While never as bright and boisterous as new co-conspirator Chris Black and his work in High Spirits, this iteration of Black Sites, no matter the tempo, plows through every bar with heavy metal purpose.

In coordination with this honed songcraft, a touch more production panache helps For Eternity wear a bigger presence than its predecessors. The Dan “The Man” Swanö mix/master effort emboldens Sugar and new axe-partner Lee Smith (Professor Emeritus) to find a warmth in tone and classy fullness in reverb that let precise pedal action and pickup shifts feel swift, seamless, and vibrant (“When It Calls,” “Aquarius Betrayed,” “When Prophecy Fails”). And despite the diversity in total attack that each song presents, a uniformity in staging helps Sugar’s sneaky array of snippy licks stick to memory no matter how intense the main refrain or soaring the solo can be (“Aquarius Betrayed,” “Above Soil, Beneath Sky,” “Silent Wars”). Again, the veteran conductor Chris Black (Dawnbringer, High Spirits, ex-Pharaoh) as a co-producer unlocks fine details like gentle synth backings and sneaky vocal layering that add depth and tension to moody intros and triumphant crescendos (“When It Calls,” “Aquarius Betrayed,” “Unanswered for Eternity”).2 Every choice matters, and every choice elevates what For Eternity has to offer.

With this level of calculated prowess, however, For Eternity doesn’t pack any surprises, or rather, doesn’t expand the Black Sites playbook by any significant value. But novelty for the sake of achieving novelty isn’t necessary for an album to succeed. As the fifth step in the Black Sites journey, For Eternity strikes with finesse. And sticking to a tested and refined palette of hooky, hammering, and harmonious heavy metal, Sugar has delivered an experience that, while easy to digest, unfolds new layers with each successive listen.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-Release
Websites: blacksites.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blacksites
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

As its creators dare, modern metal music holds the unique position of having decades of realized and celebrated sounds to guide it. Whether it’s the harmonized crunch of Iron Maiden, the forlorn, minor-scale weeping of Paradise Lost, or the twisting, chiming builds of Fates Warning, classic styles like these build a world that transcends the simple attachment of a good chorus or solo. And in the lineage of NWOBHM fury, gothic sorrows, and progressive tinkering, Mark Sugar roots his long-running prog-ish, doom-ish, always heavy Black Sites project. Album after album, Sugar has explored his wide range of musical influences to capture that hard-to-attain feeling of nostalgia without ever being comfortable living in the shadow of any one band. Does For Eternity, then, as installment number five, cement the growing legacy of this recognizable Black Sites synthesis?

Like a worn body, scuffed pickguard six-string, Black Sites has aged with a trustworthy action in its idiosyncratic and progressive foundations. As our beloved DANG once noted, earlier albums like Exile felt like a playlist of Black Sites’ favorite metal songs recreated in the Black Sites fashion—far from a misstep when the material is as quality as Sugar and co. produce. 2021’s Untrue began the path toward a more controlled vision. But then with an extra rhythmic flashiness, 2023’s The Promised Land? saw Black Sites taking greater risks on complex, longer-form tracks contrasted with slower, crowd-ready bangers. On that latter endeavor, For Eternity doubles down and adds an even more ’80s-loaded riff flair. In the construction of tracks like “Giving Up the Ghost” and “Silent Wars,” it doesn’t take much effort to hear the homage to the deadly and moody axe-led precision of classics like Dio’s “The Last in Line” or Ozzy Osbourne’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel.” Yet in the presence of these touchpoints, Black Sites never loses its course down Sugar’s own expression of heavy metal appreciation.

Throughout For Eternity, a thundering momentum defines the Black Sites attacks. In well-paced bursts of four-to-six-or-so minutes, trademarked open string punctuation in melodies finds weight in power chord progressions, tom-heavy drum drives, and growling, thumpy bass struts.1 For those desiring a pick scrape to pull-off riff-fest, “Above Soil, Beneath Sky” and “Silent Wars” stand at attention to raised horns. And if it’s Sugar’s nimble fingers ripping between muted crunch and piercing, melodic solo work, “Aquarius Betrayed” and “When Prophecy Fails” provide all the nimble fretboard action one could ask for in this context. Whatever the mass of metal movement, Sugar’s slithering and workmanlike warble push and pull on unexpected beats with a relatable melancholy dressed as attachable choruses. While never as bright and boisterous as new co-conspirator Chris Black and his work in High Spirits, this iteration of Black Sites, no matter the tempo, plows through every bar with heavy metal purpose.

In coordination with this honed songcraft, a touch more production panache helps For Eternity wear a bigger presence than its predecessors. The Dan “The Man” Swanö mix/master effort emboldens Sugar and new axe-partner Lee Smith (Professor Emeritus) to find a warmth in tone and classy fullness in reverb that let precise pedal action and pickup shifts feel swift, seamless, and vibrant (“When It Calls,” “Aquarius Betrayed,” “When Prophecy Fails”). And despite the diversity in total attack that each song presents, a uniformity in staging helps Sugar’s sneaky array of snippy licks stick to memory no matter how intense the main refrain or soaring the solo can be (“Aquarius Betrayed,” “Above Soil, Beneath Sky,” “Silent Wars”). Again, the veteran conductor Chris Black (Dawnbringer, High Spirits, ex-Pharaoh) as a co-producer unlocks fine details like gentle synth backings and sneaky vocal layering that add depth and tension to moody intros and triumphant crescendos (“When It Calls,” “Aquarius Betrayed,” “Unanswered for Eternity”).2 Every choice matters, and every choice elevates what For Eternity has to offer.

With this level of calculated prowess, however, For Eternity doesn’t pack any surprises, or rather, doesn’t expand the Black Sites playbook by any significant value. But novelty for the sake of achieving novelty isn’t necessary for an album to succeed. As the fifth step in the Black Sites journey, For Eternity strikes with finesse. And sticking to a tested and refined palette of hooky, hammering, and harmonious heavy metal, Sugar has delivered an experience that, while easy to digest, unfolds new layers with each successive listen.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-Release
Websites: blacksites.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blacksites
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

#HighSpirits einfach die Lilalaunebären (in schwarzweiß) des Heavy Metal.

#HighSpirits einfach die Lilalaunebären (in schwarzweiß) des Heavy Metal.

New York City Center Encores! Season To Include All-Black ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ Starring Billy Porter
#News #BatBoyTheMusical #BillyPorter #Broadway #Encores #HighSpirits #LaCageAuxFolles #NewYorkCityCenter #TheWildParty

https://deadline.com/2025/06/new-york-city-center-encores-season-2026-1236429543/

New York City Center Encores! Season To Include All-Black ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ Starring Billy Porter
#News #BatBoyTheMusical #BillyPorter #Broadway #Encores #HighSpirits #LaCageAuxFolles #NewYorkCityCenter #TheWildParty

https://deadline.com/2025/06/new-york-city-center-encores-season-2026-1236429543/

Nite – Cult of the Serpent Sun Review

By Steel Druhm

The wise and worldly Don Dokken taught me long ago that one should never unchain the night. Growing up, I’ve done my best to live this crucial truth. Unfortunately, no one ever told me what to do about Nite, the odd heavy metal project birthed by members of Dawnbringer, High Spirits, and Satan’s Wrath. Their 2020 Darkness Silence Mirror Flame debut was an intriguing mash-up of classic 80s and trve metal with a decidedly blackened edge courtesy of vocalist Van Labrakis (Satan’s Wrath). Their enthusiastically retro sound borrowed heavily from Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden, and of course, Dawnbringer, but sometimes the fit between the music and the vocals didn’t work. They smoothed things out somewhat for 2022s Voices of the Kronian Moon, but nagging issues still held them back. Now third platter Cult of the Serpent Sun is upon us, and they haven’t tweaked their sound so much as honed it into a more imposing weapon. Does that portend good things for those who dwell in the Niteside eclipse?

I’ll say this for Nite: they’re determined to stick to their original concept and find ways to make you love it. While I’ve always enjoyed the core of what they do, the extraordinarily one-note black metal rasps by Van Labrakis were a huge drag on the material. The vocals haven’t changed on Cult of the Serpent Sun, but Nite’s ability to write compelling song with a fuck ton of excellent guitar parts has finally allowed them to overcome the vocal shortcomings. The album plays out like a collaborative jam session between Mercyful Fate, The Night Eternal, Grand Magus, and Dawnbringer, and the guitar work is lusty, mighty, and glorious from start to finish. Cuts like “Skull” throw so much Grand Magus-esque guitar splendor at the wall that you can’t resist gobbling up everything that sticks, and Labrakis’ rasps now add character instead of sounding out of place. “Crow (Fear the Night)” is an impossible song to dislike. The stellar guitar work from Scott Hoffman (Dawnbringer) and Labrakis is out of this world and exactly what makes metal so damn intoxicating. Just listen to all the cool, badass shit they do throughout the song and feel your back hair grow in appreciation.

Elsewhere, “The Last Blade” manages to blend the hard rocking energy of early 80s act like Keel and Y&T with trve vintages like Dawnbringer and Grand Magus for a wild ride into nostalgia. “Carry On” sounds like The Night Flight Orchestra showed up to help In Solitude and/or The Night Eternal add 80s radio rock energy to their typically Mercyful Fate-worshipping material. It’s just an uber-cool tune that gets you fist-pumping and air-guitaring in equal doses as Manowar look down upon you approvingly from their Airbnb at Crom’s Mountain of Steel. The high point is the ginormously epic closer “Winds of Sokar,” where all the honor and valor of Bathory’s Viking era bleeds forth over you in a red geyser of grandeur. You WILL love this song or be judged harshly at the gates of Valhalla by me or some other ape-like security goon. So what are the downsides? A few songs go for mood over hard rocking, and though nothing is skippable, “The Mystic” plays out like a lost piece to the soundtrack to Conan the Barbarian, and it’s too restrained despite its ample machismo. “Tarmut” suffers a similar handicap, with atmosphere superceding badasserey. At a very lean 36 minutes, Cult is a quick, vital listen, though it may take 2-3 spins to fully implant its hooks. Once it does, though, there’s no going back.

Cult is a guitar-lovers wet dream. Hoffman and Labrakis hold nothing back and go deep into the heart of classic metal for an endless series of cutting riffs and shining harmonies. The riffage ranges from edgy, to melodic to heroic, and you will hunger for more, no matter how high they stack the fretboard buffet. Nearly every song features exceptional guitar work and memorable pieces, and the spirit of metal’s golden age lives loudly in the writing. Oh, the sweet, sweet jammage! Van Labrakis’ vocals are the same monotone snarl as before, but somehow, he seems less of an impediment and injects the right amount of oomph to the songs. Would Nite be better with an actual singer? Yes, but three albums in, this is the Nite show, and it’s improving with every release. An additional hats off to the slick drumming by Patrick Crawford, who drives the songs right through your fucking head with propulsive kit thumps.

I expected to be whelmed by Cult of the Serpent Sun and report that I loved the music but not the vocals. I do love the music, and now the vocals don’t bother me as much. This is a very entertaining slab of retro metal that spans multiple genres, and it has truly great moments that I’ll be spinning for a long time. It also exudes a level of coolness that’s hard to resist. Maybe it’s okay to unchain the Nite? I better ask Donny first, though.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Season of Mist
Websites: nitemetal.com | nitemetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/nitemetal
Releases Worldwide: March 14th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AmericanMetal #CultOfTheSerpentSun #DarknessSilenceMirrorFlame #Dawnbringer #GrandMagus #HeavyMetal #HighSpirits #Mar25 #MercyfulFate #Nite #Review #Reviews #SatanSWrath #SeasonOfMistRecords #TheNightEternal #TheNightFlightOrchestra #VoicesOfTheKronianMoon

Peter O'Toole was a god tier drunk

#HighSpirits

Peter O'Toole was a god tier drunk

#HighSpirits

Almost on our way to 'Hell Over Hammaburg'! First #Festival of the season in one of the coolest cities of Germany. #Hyped

#HeavyMetal #ThrashMetal #DoomMetal #HardRock #Live #Hamburg #Markthalle #Concert #HellOverHammaburg #HighSpirits #Stallion

#30DaySongChallenge

Day 3: A song that reminds you of summertime

High Spirits – Another Night In The City

#HighSpirits #AnotherNightInTheCity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iHRAnIA2Yw

#30DaySongChallenge

Day 3: A song that reminds you of summertime

High Spirits – Another Night In The City

#HighSpirits #AnotherNightInTheCity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iHRAnIA2Yw