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  1. Game Over – When Darkness Falls Review By Owlswald

    Here it is. My first repeat customer. Last April, Italian five-piece Game Over blindsided me with their sixth LP, Face the End, a love letter to ’70s and ’80s horror flicks and coast-to-coast prime-era thrash. Even with some uneven songwriting, a refreshed lineup helped them carve out a newly honed sound that balanced thrash’s timeworn genre tropes with a punchy, aggressive energy that hit all the right notes. Well, color me surprised again. Just a little over a year later, Game Over returns with their seventh album, When Darkness Falls, and a first glance suggests we’re in for more of the same. Anytime a band releases albums in such quick succession, though, I get wary. Will the songwriting suffer? Is this a case of having too much material for their own good? Will it bring the same fun factor as Face the End?

    When Darkness Falls picks right up where Face the End left off, offering a heaping plate of thrash comfort food. It’s the kind of thrash made for tearing around town in your beat-up van with the stereo cranked and a case of cheap beer rattling around in the back. These tracks are stuffed with enough sing-along gang vocals and high-octane energy to get any metal fan to pump their fists in time with the riffs. Game Over pull from both ends of the classic thrash spectrum. “Fight For Your Mind” and “Two Souls One Flesh” channel strong Testament vibes, while “Break Away” does its best early Exodus impression with its “Toxic Waltz” swagger. Elsewhere, Anthrax’s East Coast party atmosphere roots “Scream It Out” and “Self Denied,” balancing their aggression with a sense of fun and accessibility. And while the horror-themed lyrics are tropey as hell, they fit Game Over’s approach so naturally that it’s hard to hold any real complaints.

    Game Over’s brand of thrash is almost guaranteed to be a blast live, but its familiarity underscores both When Darkness Falls’ strengths and its limitations. The quartet writes solid, entertaining material that hits exactly where it aims, yet it rarely pushes beyond the safety of the genre’s borders or tests how far their sound could stretch. Outside of “What Fate Brings” and “Curse of Strahd,” as well as closer “Command to Die” which drags somewhat in energy and songwriting, the album’s tracks are appealing and well executed, but so safe that they raise questions about the group’s appetite for evolution. A few calculated risks here and creative detours there could have elevated When Darkness Falls to the next level. Still, the old saying “a classic never dies” applies. Game Over know how to deliver and across the record’s brisk 33 minutes I found myself often nodding along, swept up in the abrasive riffs and infectious energy of “Scream It Out,” “Fight For Your Mind,” “Self Denied” and “Two Souls One Flesh” without a care in the world.

    Game Over continues to run through vocalist Danny Schiavina, who remains one of the band’s strongest assets. Shifting effortlessly between gritty and menacing roars (“Beneath the Ground,” “Curse of Strahd”) and the soaring, Belladonna-esque proclamations of “Break Away,” Schiavina gives When Darkness Falls a dynamic spine and is a force to be reckoned with. He leans less on his higher register here than he did on Face the End, and he’s not pushed quite as forward in the mix as I would have liked, but his performance suits the heavier, more direct approach of the songwriting all the same. The gang vocals also add punch and immediacy, even though they are overutilized. Now the sole guitarist after Alessandro “Sanso” Sansone’s departure, Luca “Ziro” Zironi, comes armed with a formidable ax, firing off power chords, relentless down-picking, and sharp solos that fuel When Darkness Falls with brute force.

    When Darkness Falls delivers exactly what it sets out to do. It’s a familiar platter of loud, well-executed thrash served with enough charm and muscle to satisfy the loyal denim faithful still craving the nostalgic bite of olde. After two very similar records in such close succession, though, I’m hoping Game Over develops some new tricks because that’s what ultimately keeps When Darkness Falls from reaching greater heights, and at this point, we know the cut of these Italians’ gib.

    Rating: Good
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
    Label: Scarlet Records
    Websites: gameoverofficial.bandcamp.com | gameoverofficial.net | facebook.com/GameOverThrashMetal
    Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

    #2026 #30 #Anthrax #Exodus #GameOver #ItalianMetal #Review #Reviews #ScarletRecords #Sep26 #Testament #ThrashMetal #WhenDarknessFalls
  2. Game Over – When Darkness Falls Review By Owlswald

    Here it is. My first repeat customer. Last April, Italian five-piece Game Over blindsided me with their sixth LP, Face the End, a love letter to ’70s and ’80s horror flicks and coast-to-coast prime-era thrash. Even with some uneven songwriting, a refreshed lineup helped them carve out a newly honed sound that balanced thrash’s timeworn genre tropes with a punchy, aggressive energy that hit all the right notes. Well, color me surprised again. Just a little over a year later, Game Over returns with their seventh album, When Darkness Falls, and a first glance suggests we’re in for more of the same. Anytime a band releases albums in such quick succession, though, I get wary. Will the songwriting suffer? Is this a case of having too much material for their own good? Will it bring the same fun factor as Face the End?

    When Darkness Falls picks right up where Face the End left off, offering a heaping plate of thrash comfort food. It’s the kind of thrash made for tearing around town in your beat-up van with the stereo cranked and a case of cheap beer rattling around in the back. These tracks are stuffed with enough sing-along gang vocals and high-octane energy to get any metal fan to pump their fists in time with the riffs. Game Over pull from both ends of the classic thrash spectrum. “Fight For Your Mind” and “Two Souls One Flesh” channel strong Testament vibes, while “Break Away” does its best early Exodus impression with its “Toxic Waltz” swagger. Elsewhere, Anthrax’s East Coast party atmosphere roots “Scream It Out” and “Self Denied,” balancing their aggression with a sense of fun and accessibility. And while the horror-themed lyrics are tropey as hell, they fit Game Over’s approach so naturally that it’s hard to hold any real complaints.

    Game Over’s brand of thrash is almost guaranteed to be a blast live, but its familiarity underscores both When Darkness Falls’ strengths and its limitations. The quartet writes solid, entertaining material that hits exactly where it aims, yet it rarely pushes beyond the safety of the genre’s borders or tests how far their sound could stretch. Outside of “What Fate Brings” and “Curse of Strahd,” as well as closer “Command to Die” which drags somewhat in energy and songwriting, the album’s tracks are appealing and well executed, but so safe that they raise questions about the group’s appetite for evolution. A few calculated risks here and creative detours there could have elevated When Darkness Falls to the next level. Still, the old saying “a classic never dies” applies. Game Over know how to deliver and across the record’s brisk 33 minutes I found myself often nodding along, swept up in the abrasive riffs and infectious energy of “Scream It Out,” “Fight For Your Mind,” “Self Denied” and “Two Souls One Flesh” without a care in the world.

    Game Over continues to run through vocalist Danny Schiavina, who remains one of the band’s strongest assets. Shifting effortlessly between gritty and menacing roars (“Beneath the Ground,” “Curse of Strahd”) and the soaring, Belladonna-esque proclamations of “Break Away,” Schiavina gives When Darkness Falls a dynamic spine and is a force to be reckoned with. He leans less on his higher register here than he did on Face the End, and he’s not pushed quite as forward in the mix as I would have liked, but his performance suits the heavier, more direct approach of the songwriting all the same. The gang vocals also add punch and immediacy, even though they are overutilized. Now the sole guitarist after Alessandro “Sanso” Sansone’s departure, Luca “Ziro” Zironi, comes armed with a formidable ax, firing off power chords, relentless down-picking, and sharp solos that fuel When Darkness Falls with brute force.

    When Darkness Falls delivers exactly what it sets out to do. It’s a familiar platter of loud, well-executed thrash served with enough charm and muscle to satisfy the loyal denim faithful still craving the nostalgic bite of olde. After two very similar records in such close succession, though, I’m hoping Game Over develops some new tricks because that’s what ultimately keeps When Darkness Falls from reaching greater heights, and at this point, we know the cut of these Italians’ gib.

    Rating: Good
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
    Label: Scarlet Records
    Websites: gameoverofficial.bandcamp.com | gameoverofficial.net | facebook.com/GameOverThrashMetal
    Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

    #2026 #30 #Anthrax #Exodus #GameOver #ItalianMetal #Review #Reviews #ScarletRecords #Sep26 #Testament #ThrashMetal #WhenDarknessFalls
  3. Game Over – When Darkness Falls Review By Owlswald

    Here it is. My first repeat customer. Last April, Italian five-piece Game Over blindsided me with their sixth LP, Face the End, a love letter to ’70s and ’80s horror flicks and coast-to-coast prime-era thrash. Even with some uneven songwriting, a refreshed lineup helped them carve out a newly honed sound that balanced thrash’s timeworn genre tropes with a punchy, aggressive energy that hit all the right notes. Well, color me surprised again. Just a little over a year later, Game Over returns with their seventh album, When Darkness Falls, and a first glance suggests we’re in for more of the same. Anytime a band releases albums in such quick succession, though, I get wary. Will the songwriting suffer? Is this a case of having too much material for their own good? Will it bring the same fun factor as Face the End?

    When Darkness Falls picks right up where Face the End left off, offering a heaping plate of thrash comfort food. It’s the kind of thrash made for tearing around town in your beat-up van with the stereo cranked and a case of cheap beer rattling around in the back. These tracks are stuffed with enough sing-along gang vocals and high-octane energy to get any metal fan to pump their fists in time with the riffs. Game Over pull from both ends of the classic thrash spectrum. “Fight For Your Mind” and “Two Souls One Flesh” channel strong Testament vibes, while “Break Away” does its best early Exodus impression with its “Toxic Waltz” swagger. Elsewhere, Anthrax’s East Coast party atmosphere roots “Scream It Out” and “Self Denied,” balancing their aggression with a sense of fun and accessibility. And while the horror-themed lyrics are tropey as hell, they fit Game Over’s approach so naturally that it’s hard to hold any real complaints.

    Game Over’s brand of thrash is almost guaranteed to be a blast live, but its familiarity underscores both When Darkness Falls’ strengths and its limitations. The quartet writes solid, entertaining material that hits exactly where it aims, yet it rarely pushes beyond the safety of the genre’s borders or tests how far their sound could stretch. Outside of “What Fate Brings” and “Curse of Strahd,” as well as closer “Command to Die” which drags somewhat in energy and songwriting, the album’s tracks are appealing and well executed, but so safe that they raise questions about the group’s appetite for evolution. A few calculated risks here and creative detours there could have elevated When Darkness Falls to the next level. Still, the old saying “a classic never dies” applies. Game Over know how to deliver and across the record’s brisk 33 minutes I found myself often nodding along, swept up in the abrasive riffs and infectious energy of “Scream It Out,” “Fight For Your Mind,” “Self Denied” and “Two Souls One Flesh” without a care in the world.

    Game Over continues to run through vocalist Danny Schiavina, who remains one of the band’s strongest assets. Shifting effortlessly between gritty and menacing roars (“Beneath the Ground,” “Curse of Strahd”) and the soaring, Belladonna-esque proclamations of “Break Away,” Schiavina gives When Darkness Falls a dynamic spine and is a force to be reckoned with. He leans less on his higher register here than he did on Face the End, and he’s not pushed quite as forward in the mix as I would have liked, but his performance suits the heavier, more direct approach of the songwriting all the same. The gang vocals also add punch and immediacy, even though they are overutilized. Now the sole guitarist after Alessandro “Sanso” Sansone’s departure, Luca “Ziro” Zironi, comes armed with a formidable ax, firing off power chords, relentless down-picking, and sharp solos that fuel When Darkness Falls with brute force.

    When Darkness Falls delivers exactly what it sets out to do. It’s a familiar platter of loud, well-executed thrash served with enough charm and muscle to satisfy the loyal denim faithful still craving the nostalgic bite of olde. After two very similar records in such close succession, though, I’m hoping Game Over develops some new tricks because that’s what ultimately keeps When Darkness Falls from reaching greater heights, and at this point, we know the cut of these Italians’ gib.

    Rating: Good
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
    Label: Scarlet Records
    Websites: gameoverofficial.bandcamp.com | gameoverofficial.net | facebook.com/GameOverThrashMetal
    Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

    #2026 #30 #Anthrax #Exodus #GameOver #ItalianMetal #Review #Reviews #ScarletRecords #Sep26 #Testament #ThrashMetal #WhenDarknessFalls
  4. Game Over – When Darkness Falls Review By Owlswald

    Here it is. My first repeat customer. Last April, Italian five-piece Game Over blindsided me with their sixth LP, Face the End, a love letter to ’70s and ’80s horror flicks and coast-to-coast prime-era thrash. Even with some uneven songwriting, a refreshed lineup helped them carve out a newly honed sound that balanced thrash’s timeworn genre tropes with a punchy, aggressive energy that hit all the right notes. Well, color me surprised again. Just a little over a year later, Game Over returns with their seventh album, When Darkness Falls, and a first glance suggests we’re in for more of the same. Anytime a band releases albums in such quick succession, though, I get wary. Will the songwriting suffer? Is this a case of having too much material for their own good? Will it bring the same fun factor as Face the End?

    When Darkness Falls picks right up where Face the End left off, offering a heaping plate of thrash comfort food. It’s the kind of thrash made for tearing around town in your beat-up van with the stereo cranked and a case of cheap beer rattling around in the back. These tracks are stuffed with enough sing-along gang vocals and high-octane energy to get any metal fan to pump their fists in time with the riffs. Game Over pull from both ends of the classic thrash spectrum. “Fight For Your Mind” and “Two Souls One Flesh” channel strong Testament vibes, while “Break Away” does its best early Exodus impression with its “Toxic Waltz” swagger. Elsewhere, Anthrax’s East Coast party atmosphere roots “Scream It Out” and “Self Denied,” balancing their aggression with a sense of fun and accessibility. And while the horror-themed lyrics are tropey as hell, they fit Game Over’s approach so naturally that it’s hard to hold any real complaints.

    Game Over’s brand of thrash is almost guaranteed to be a blast live, but its familiarity underscores both When Darkness Falls’ strengths and its limitations. The quartet writes solid, entertaining material that hits exactly where it aims, yet it rarely pushes beyond the safety of the genre’s borders or tests how far their sound could stretch. Outside of “What Fate Brings” and “Curse of Strahd,” as well as closer “Command to Die” which drags somewhat in energy and songwriting, the album’s tracks are appealing and well executed, but so safe that they raise questions about the group’s appetite for evolution. A few calculated risks here and creative detours there could have elevated When Darkness Falls to the next level. Still, the old saying “a classic never dies” applies. Game Over know how to deliver and across the record’s brisk 33 minutes I found myself often nodding along, swept up in the abrasive riffs and infectious energy of “Scream It Out,” “Fight For Your Mind,” “Self Denied” and “Two Souls One Flesh” without a care in the world.

    Game Over continues to run through vocalist Danny Schiavina, who remains one of the band’s strongest assets. Shifting effortlessly between gritty and menacing roars (“Beneath the Ground,” “Curse of Strahd”) and the soaring, Belladonna-esque proclamations of “Break Away,” Schiavina gives When Darkness Falls a dynamic spine and is a force to be reckoned with. He leans less on his higher register here than he did on Face the End, and he’s not pushed quite as forward in the mix as I would have liked, but his performance suits the heavier, more direct approach of the songwriting all the same. The gang vocals also add punch and immediacy, even though they are overutilized. Now the sole guitarist after Alessandro “Sanso” Sansone’s departure, Luca “Ziro” Zironi, comes armed with a formidable ax, firing off power chords, relentless down-picking, and sharp solos that fuel When Darkness Falls with brute force.

    When Darkness Falls delivers exactly what it sets out to do. It’s a familiar platter of loud, well-executed thrash served with enough charm and muscle to satisfy the loyal denim faithful still craving the nostalgic bite of olde. After two very similar records in such close succession, though, I’m hoping Game Over develops some new tricks because that’s what ultimately keeps When Darkness Falls from reaching greater heights, and at this point, we know the cut of these Italians’ gib.

    Rating: Good
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
    Label: Scarlet Records
    Websites: gameoverofficial.bandcamp.com | gameoverofficial.net | facebook.com/GameOverThrashMetal
    Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

    #2026 #30 #Anthrax #Exodus #GameOver #ItalianMetal #Review #Reviews #ScarletRecords #Sep26 #Testament #ThrashMetal #WhenDarknessFalls
  5. Game Over – When Darkness Falls Review By Owlswald

    Here it is. My first repeat customer. Last April, Italian five-piece Game Over blindsided me with their sixth LP, Face the End, a love letter to ’70s and ’80s horror flicks and coast-to-coast prime-era thrash. Even with some uneven songwriting, a refreshed lineup helped them carve out a newly honed sound that balanced thrash’s timeworn genre tropes with a punchy, aggressive energy that hit all the right notes. Well, color me surprised again. Just a little over a year later, Game Over returns with their seventh album, When Darkness Falls, and a first glance suggests we’re in for more of the same. Anytime a band releases albums in such quick succession, though, I get wary. Will the songwriting suffer? Is this a case of having too much material for their own good? Will it bring the same fun factor as Face the End?

    When Darkness Falls picks right up where Face the End left off, offering a heaping plate of thrash comfort food. It’s the kind of thrash made for tearing around town in your beat-up van with the stereo cranked and a case of cheap beer rattling around in the back. These tracks are stuffed with enough sing-along gang vocals and high-octane energy to get any metal fan to pump their fists in time with the riffs. Game Over pull from both ends of the classic thrash spectrum. “Fight For Your Mind” and “Two Souls One Flesh” channel strong Testament vibes, while “Break Away” does its best early Exodus impression with its “Toxic Waltz” swagger. Elsewhere, Anthrax’s East Coast party atmosphere roots “Scream It Out” and “Self Denied,” balancing their aggression with a sense of fun and accessibility. And while the horror-themed lyrics are tropey as hell, they fit Game Over’s approach so naturally that it’s hard to hold any real complaints.

    Game Over’s brand of thrash is almost guaranteed to be a blast live, but its familiarity underscores both When Darkness Falls’ strengths and its limitations. The quartet writes solid, entertaining material that hits exactly where it aims, yet it rarely pushes beyond the safety of the genre’s borders or tests how far their sound could stretch. Outside of “What Fate Brings” and “Curse of Strahd,” as well as closer “Command to Die” which drags somewhat in energy and songwriting, the album’s tracks are appealing and well executed, but so safe that they raise questions about the group’s appetite for evolution. A few calculated risks here and creative detours there could have elevated When Darkness Falls to the next level. Still, the old saying “a classic never dies” applies. Game Over know how to deliver and across the record’s brisk 33 minutes I found myself often nodding along, swept up in the abrasive riffs and infectious energy of “Scream It Out,” “Fight For Your Mind,” “Self Denied” and “Two Souls One Flesh” without a care in the world.

    Game Over continues to run through vocalist Danny Schiavina, who remains one of the band’s strongest assets. Shifting effortlessly between gritty and menacing roars (“Beneath the Ground,” “Curse of Strahd”) and the soaring, Belladonna-esque proclamations of “Break Away,” Schiavina gives When Darkness Falls a dynamic spine and is a force to be reckoned with. He leans less on his higher register here than he did on Face the End, and he’s not pushed quite as forward in the mix as I would have liked, but his performance suits the heavier, more direct approach of the songwriting all the same. The gang vocals also add punch and immediacy, even though they are overutilized. Now the sole guitarist after Alessandro “Sanso” Sansone’s departure, Luca “Ziro” Zironi, comes armed with a formidable ax, firing off power chords, relentless down-picking, and sharp solos that fuel When Darkness Falls with brute force.

    When Darkness Falls delivers exactly what it sets out to do. It’s a familiar platter of loud, well-executed thrash served with enough charm and muscle to satisfy the loyal denim faithful still craving the nostalgic bite of olde. After two very similar records in such close succession, though, I’m hoping Game Over develops some new tricks because that’s what ultimately keeps When Darkness Falls from reaching greater heights, and at this point, we know the cut of these Italians’ gib.

    Rating: Good
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
    Label: Scarlet Records
    Websites: gameoverofficial.bandcamp.com | gameoverofficial.net | facebook.com/GameOverThrashMetal
    Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

    #2026 #30 #Anthrax #Exodus #GameOver #ItalianMetal #Review #Reviews #ScarletRecords #Sep26 #Testament #ThrashMetal #WhenDarknessFalls
  6. Review: The Prince of Tennis Sweet School Festival Feels Like a Beginner Otome

    I wanted Konami’s first big localized otome game to be a Tokimeki Memorial: Girl’s Side Switch game. We…
    #Tennis #News #Europe #Japan #Konami #NorthAmerica #Reviews #ThePrinceofTennis:SweetSchoolFestival
    europesays.com/tennis/75775/

  7. Strong, South Korea! Bouncing Back From Game 1 Loss to Secure 3-1 Victory Against Vietnam

    ©INVEN On the 20th, Day 2 of the ‘LoL National Team Evaluation Match’ between South Korea and Vietnam…
    #EuropeSays #Korea #KR #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #Interview #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
    europesays.com/korea/161351/

  8. South Korea’s Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok to start in Day 2 match against Vietnam

    ©Korea e-Sports Association Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok, mid laner for the South Korean national LoL team, will start in…
    #EuropeSays #Korea #KR #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #Interview #Korean #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
    europesays.com/korea/161203/

  9. 10 New Titles at TGS: Japan Game Awards Future Division Ceremony Held

    ©INVEN The Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA), organizer of the Tokyo Game Show, held the Japan Game Awards…
    #EuropeSays #Japan #JP #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #Interview #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #Reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
    europesays.com/japan/94371/