#tradmetal — Public Fediverse posts

Thunder rattles the ducts as my minions trudge through heated aluminum and flimsy copper to clean out the detritus left by endless storms. Sometimes I wonder if I should invest in a “health plan” for them to offset the debilitating turnover resulting from various mortal injuries and gruesome deaths this work incurs. And then I think again, and realize that would be a waste of “profits.” There will always be more dummies willing to dive in with the promise of treasure sparkling in their eyes.

Aaaaannnnyyyyway, nobody lost limb or life in the Filter today, but we did manage a decent haul. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Burning Bastion

Forsmán // Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur [June 26th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Iceland is where all the cool black metal kids sit. Smeary corpse paint, cloaks, throaty roars, somehow simultaneously wet and dry snare tones, and hooky riffs surrounded in lower-pitched tremolos make the Icelandic scene almost instantly recognizable. Forsmán are no exception, the young foursome abiding by the genre blueprint—in a similar way to bands like Svartidauði and Helfró—on remarkably professional debut Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur. A deathly kink lightly twists blasty riff freakouts (“Drottinn fyrirgefur allt,” “Valdníðsla”), but when they land their impact cracks the earth underfoot. A dissonant drama further characterizes Forsmán’s black metal core to scaffold riff-driven measures and off-kilter rhythms, and yet everything remains accessible and easily digestible (“Svartir svanir,” “Andvana,” “Barmafylltar fjöldagrafir”). While Forsmán aren’t attempting to redefine the style with this debut, they do earn a spot alongside the genre’s best with tight performances, fiery riff-forward writing, and a writhing personality that is vicious as much as it is beautifully expressed (“Kynjamyndir”). In short, Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur should not be missed, as it represents with great merit the high quality I’ve come to expect from the modern Icelandic black metal scene.

Owlswald’s Sunlit Secret

Entropist // The Vision [June 26, 2026 – Self Released]

Denver progressive death metal quintet Entropist is the very definition of a Stuck in the Filter unearthing. Their debut album, The Vision, slipped through the cracks amid our June promo flood and resurfaced too late for a standard review. Time to make amends. Mixed and mastered by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist), The Vision showcases a group brimming with talent and ambition.1 Blending death with elements of progressive metal, psychedelic rock, metalcore, jazz, and classical, The Vision is a melting pot of influences that thrives on vivid atmospherics and an effective dual-vocal approach from Parker Kitching and guitarist Solomon Smith, creating a sound that is adventurous and rewarding. “Intense Warmth” opens with a bout of hypnotic throat singing that morphs into layered croons. “Desert of Limbo’s” crawling melodies evoke Haken. Elsewhere, “The Ritual’s” eerie atmosphere and its intense bridge throw serious Aeolian-era The Ocean vibes, while “Devour Us” delivers exotic acoustic guitar and violin passages before closing with a swaggering groove and a contorted solo. “Creation” proves what Entropist is capable of when all the pieces lock together. Packed with Exoplanet-like riffs, alternating growls and soaring vocals, and a heaving half-time groove, the track’s eclecticism and momentum never let up. Not every experiment lands—”Revelation” and the aptly named “Wandering” lose sight of their destination—but there’s too much talent and creativity here to ignore. The Vision may be far from flawless, but it’s without a doubt an impressive debut.

Spicie Forrest’s Mathy Morsel

eleventwelfth // 11 [June 26, 2026 – Angular//Momentum Records]

Do you remember when Sithu Aye released that Senpai series?2 Airy, engaging, and wildly emotive, I’ve been chasing that sound ever since. eleventwelfth’s newest LP, 11, scratches that itch as it hasn’t been scratched in years. Part one in a concept duology3 that will serve as the Jakarta, Indonesia-based foursome’s sophomore offering, 11 follows its protagonist as they reckon with the necessary sacrifices one must make in pursuit of a dream. Largely rooted in indie and math rock, 11 unfolds in three acts filtered through aviation metaphors. Hopeful and tender melodies dance on strings like the wind through tall grass (“far away from here,” “collision”), while vocals effortlessly swoop and soar like an albatross on ocean air currents. 7-minute closer “communicate” swells inexorably, wind gathering under its wings until, at the midpoint, it takes off in a beautiful moment of catharsis. Synths and electronic elements evoke Porter Robinson’s Nurture in their gentle and ineffably nostalgic movements (“navigate,” “to fathom the throes”). When eleventwelfth leans into their Reliant K’d rock side, as on “ascending faster than before,” “fear of what’s beyond,” or “last here all alone,” 11 moves as if in a flow state—somehow simultaneously approaching lightspeed and locked in a timeless moment. This certainly isn’t the heaviest thing you’ll hear this year—it might be the lightest—but for those who know what it means to risk it all on hopes and dreams, 11 is not to be missed.

ClarkKent’s Energetic Inputs

Finsmoonth // Chrysalis of Astral Tears [June 13th, 2026 – Disaster Records]

Indonesia’s Finsmoonth puts on a clinic of melancholic atmospheric black metal with some first-rate tremolos and affecting performances. They partake in an aggressive, melodic form of the genre that’s similar to Walg in its relentlessness. Icy cold blast beats pummel your ears while the melodic tremolos prove a soothing balm wrapped in melancholy. The two guitarists, Zulk Adhe and Irwin Ranto, are tremolo wizards, serving quality leads on each song. My favorite, “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” displays Finsmoonth’s ability to build up to powerful emotional climaxes. Tino Guruh proves an effective and consistent vocalist. His blackened rasps form the emotional core, and on “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” he breaks into agonized cries that are just heartbreaking. The passing of the band’s bassist, Maulana Fachrul, less than two months ahead of the release of Chrysalis of Astral Tears adds further to the poignancy. Fachrul puts on a first-rate performance, with some stellar lonesome instrumental stretches on “An Endless Depth,” as well as a bit of smooth jazz noodling towards the end of “Foliage of the Wings.” If Indonesian black metal reminds you of Pure Wrath, then it might not be a surprise to learn that Januaryo Hardy contributes the cleans/chants, and even his wife, Isa Bellum, has a couple of small parts. I don’t know what’s going on in Jakarta to make these artists so sad, but they’re writing some damn fine music.

Inherits the Void // The Silent Abscission [June 19th, 2026 – Avantgarde Music]

France’s Antoine Scholtès has been quite busy since forming his solo black metal project, Inherits the Void, in 2020. Thus Spoke had kind words for the previous two, 2023’s The Impending Fall of Stars and 2024’s Scars of Yesteryear, comparing the former to the atmospheric meloblack of Mare Cognitum. This time around, Scholtès brings along some friends, including Romain Negro (Apolaustic, ex-Stortregn) to helm the mic. Romain brings a much more aggressive blackened edge to the vocals, cracking with a relentless energy. Scholtès still contributes backing vocals, and a mysterious Nicolas S. sings cleans on a couple of tracks, including a great soaring bit on the finale, “Inherits the Void.” The Silent Abscission feels a touch more aggressive than what Inherits the Void generally plays. Between the blast beats, furious tremolos, and Romain’s blackened assault, there’s a sense of constant kinetic motion. It’s true that some of this stuff can blend together, but there’s plenty of great melodies to keep it enjoyable from start to finish. While Scholtès continues to use synths and arpeggios as brief reprieves from the blast beat attack, he also invites Kevon S. to play some sax (“Wrath of the Endless Sea,” “Inherits the Void”), bringing to mind Burial in the Sky or White Ward. The Silent Abscission is yet another impressive outing in Inherits the Void’s discography, with Scholtès showing that he’s willing to take some risks in order to make things more interesting.

Grin Reaper’s Nocturnal Nuggets

Hecate // Comment Est la Nuit? [June 12th, 2026 – Self Released]

Since forming in 2009, French ensemble Hecate has steadily released reliable and trve black metal. Fourth album Comment Est la Nuit?4 serves as my introduction to the act, and after visiting earlier albums I’m confident that their latest is their greatest (so far).5 Where debut Chronicles d’un Autre Temps sounds more modern (think 1349 or Watain), subsequent albums gravitate towards raw production that radiates early second-wave energy. Comment Est la Nuit? perpetuates this aesthetic, though Hecate adorns it with classical frills that I find irresistible, such as their seamless integration of piano, flute, and cello with gusts of piercing tremolos and grating rasps. Though Comment Est la Nuit? remains solidly rooted in black metal, the keys function as a core component like never before. Each time I listen, Hecate reveals new facets that only get better with familiarity. The intro to “Aubes aux pâles salives” begins with a beautiful piano refrain supported by clean guitars and a subtle bass thread before tumbling into distorted trems that bear the same melodic framework. Likewise, the range of “Hymne au clair de lune” batters listeners between scathing muscle and delicate respites. I don’t expect Comment Est la Nuit? to change opinions about black metal, but those who enjoy it will find Hecate has written an engrossing experience that wonderfully details the rhythms of the night.

Stormkeep // The Nocturnes of Iswylm [June 12th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Like many, I eagerly awaited a full-length follow-up to Stormkeep’s magnificent debut Tales of Othertime, uncertain if or when it would arrive. Because the band’s other projects consistently enrapture me (Wayfarer and Blood Incantation, in particular), I never worried whether the Denver, Colorado collective’s sophomore platter would satisfy the promises made by Othertime. And while I’m not convinced that The Nocturnes of Iswylm reaches the heights the debut, Stormkeep still unleashes goodies aplenty that litter Nocturnes three-quarters of an hour. Gone are the instrumentals from Tales of Othertime—instead, Stormkeep dials down the cinema in favor of more straightforward meloblack, although drama still seethes beneath the surface. String embellishments dot the arrangements (“The Taste of Immortal Blood,” “Imperious Sanguine Eroticism,” “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh”), imparting dramatic flair and a welcome dimension to Stormkeep’s fantastical atmosphere. And like the cover art, The Nocturnes of Iswylm embraces darker textures that wrestle in doleful gloom, engendering a subtler experience that took time to sink in and appreciate. While this approach doesn’t ply the same epic theatricality as the debut, The Nocturnes of Iswylm nonetheless worms its way into ears and hearts with nefarious glamours that crackle with danger.

Belarus Beaver // Grind af den Brune Bäfver [June 17th, 2026 – Self Released]

Sweden plays host to many metallic endeavors, and I often feel like I’m picking up secondhand geography lessons as a result of listening to its exports. Belarus Beaver, then, supplies a toofer, as they began their journey in melodeath mecca Gothenburg before settling down in Jönköping (also home to Hällas, Rexoria, and Narnia). Rather than progressive rock or power metal, though, Belarus Beaver obliterates listeners with a bucktoothed bombshell of devastating deathgrind that’s at once savagely br00tal and pure fun. Also, it’s all about beavers. On fourth album Grind af den Brune Bäfver, Belarus Beaver weaves together groove-laced blasts with industrial trimmings that recall a mixture of early Anaal Nathrakh (“I Want to Pet a Beaver”) and Exhumed (“Den Gnagande Plågan,” “Begravd i en Flod”). Occasionally, though, Grind af den Brune Bäfver reaches for a twist in their songwriting repertoire that uplifts the music, like the Eastern stringed instrument at the beginning of “Urbävern” or the unexpected melodic guitar support midway through “Mutated Beaver Moose.” These moments and others like them elevate Grind af den Brune Bäfver above sheer novelty, and if you’re not sold on Beaver fever, you’re missing out. So let your hair down and give yourself over to the Grind—it’s dam fun.

Creeping Ivy’s Classic Catch

Dead Kosmonaut // Retrospectre [June 26th, 2026 – Edged Circle Productions]

Dead Kosmonaut conceived a perfect title for their third album. Since 2014, this Swedish quintet has been molding traditional heavy metal hearkening to the late 70s and early 80s. This style—the first wave of metal itself—haunts any and every musician in the genre with aspirations of crafting something trve. With the specter of retro metal hanging over the band’s collective head, Retrospectre delivers 38 minutes of classic goodness, imbued with a somber longing. Dead Kosmonaut is a well-credentialed crew, starting with guitarists Fredrik Folkare (ex-Necrophobic) and Peter Hallgren (Sorcerer), who dole out irresistible guitarmonies and audacious solos in the spirit of Iron Maiden (“Out of the Shadow Rising”). The rhythm section, comprised of bassist Mattias Reinholdsson and drummer Henrik Johansson (both ex-Book of Hours), punches through the mix with power and a bit of grit (“Wake of Aquarius”). And of course, vocalist Per ‘Hellbutcher’ Gustavsson shines, trading his black metal bona fides for commanding cleans that drive some damn fine choruses (“View from the Future”). Lyrically, the album especially develops its theme of retrospection in the latter half, with songs about aging (“Eyes Grow Old”), defeat (“The Battle is Over”), and the inexorable march of time (“The Retrospectre”). Retrospectre will certainly scratch any itches for timeless, classic metal, but Dead Kosmonaut have enough talent, character, and craftmanship to make their third offering more than mere nostalgia.

Thunder rattles the ducts as my minions trudge through heated aluminum and flimsy copper to clean out the detritus left by endless storms. Sometimes I wonder if I should invest in a “health plan” for them to offset the debilitating turnover resulting from various mortal injuries and gruesome deaths this work incurs. And then I think again, and realize that would be a waste of “profits.” There will always be more dummies willing to dive in with the promise of treasure sparkling in their eyes.

Aaaaannnnyyyyway, nobody lost limb or life in the Filter today, but we did manage a decent haul. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Burning Bastion

Forsmán // Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur [June 26th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Iceland is where all the cool black metal kids sit. Smeary corpse paint, cloaks, throaty roars, somehow simultaneously wet and dry snare tones, and hooky riffs surrounded in lower-pitched tremolos make the Icelandic scene almost instantly recognizable. Forsmán are no exception, the young foursome abiding by the genre blueprint—in a similar way to bands like Svartidauði and Helfró—on remarkably professional debut Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur. A deathly kink lightly twists blasty riff freakouts (“Drottinn fyrirgefur allt,” “Valdníðsla”), but when they land their impact cracks the earth underfoot. A dissonant drama further characterizes Forsmán’s black metal core to scaffold riff-driven measures and off-kilter rhythms, and yet everything remains accessible and easily digestible (“Svartir svanir,” “Andvana,” “Barmafylltar fjöldagrafir”). While Forsmán aren’t attempting to redefine the style with this debut, they do earn a spot alongside the genre’s best with tight performances, fiery riff-forward writing, and a writhing personality that is vicious as much as it is beautifully expressed (“Kynjamyndir”). In short, Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur should not be missed, as it represents with great merit the high quality I’ve come to expect from the modern Icelandic black metal scene.

Owlswald’s Sunlit Secret

Entropist // The Vision [June 26, 2026 – Self Released]

Denver progressive death metal quintet Entropist is the very definition of a Stuck in the Filter unearthing. Their debut album, The Vision, slipped through the cracks amid our June promo flood and resurfaced too late for a standard review. Time to make amends. Mixed and mastered by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist), The Vision showcases a group brimming with talent and ambition.1 Blending death with elements of progressive metal, psychedelic rock, metalcore, jazz, and classical, The Vision is a melting pot of influences that thrives on vivid atmospherics and an effective dual-vocal approach from Parker Kitching and guitarist Solomon Smith, creating a sound that is adventurous and rewarding. “Intense Warmth” opens with a bout of hypnotic throat singing that morphs into layered croons. “Desert of Limbo’s” crawling melodies evoke Haken. Elsewhere, “The Ritual’s” eerie atmosphere and its intense bridge throw serious Aeolian-era The Ocean vibes, while “Devour Us” delivers exotic acoustic guitar and violin passages before closing with a swaggering groove and a contorted solo. “Creation” proves what Entropist is capable of when all the pieces lock together. Packed with Exoplanet-like riffs, alternating growls and soaring vocals, and a heaving half-time groove, the track’s eclecticism and momentum never let up. Not every experiment lands—”Revelation” and the aptly named “Wandering” lose sight of their destination—but there’s too much talent and creativity here to ignore. The Vision may be far from flawless, but it’s without a doubt an impressive debut.

Spicie Forrest’s Mathy Morsel

eleventwelfth // 11 [June 26, 2026 – Angular//Momentum Records]

Do you remember when Sithu Aye released that Senpai series?2 Airy, engaging, and wildly emotive, I’ve been chasing that sound ever since. eleventwelfth’s newest LP, 11, scratches that itch as it hasn’t been scratched in years. Part one in a concept duology3 that will serve as the Jakarta, Indonesia-based foursome’s sophomore offering, 11 follows its protagonist as they reckon with the necessary sacrifices one must make in pursuit of a dream. Largely rooted in indie and math rock, 11 unfolds in three acts filtered through aviation metaphors. Hopeful and tender melodies dance on strings like the wind through tall grass (“far away from here,” “collision”), while vocals effortlessly swoop and soar like an albatross on ocean air currents. 7-minute closer “communicate” swells inexorably, wind gathering under its wings until, at the midpoint, it takes off in a beautiful moment of catharsis. Synths and electronic elements evoke Porter Robinson’s Nurture in their gentle and ineffably nostalgic movements (“navigate,” “to fathom the throes”). When eleventwelfth leans into their Reliant K’d rock side, as on “ascending faster than before,” “fear of what’s beyond,” or “last here all alone,” 11 moves as if in a flow state—somehow simultaneously approaching lightspeed and locked in a timeless moment. This certainly isn’t the heaviest thing you’ll hear this year—it might be the lightest—but for those who know what it means to risk it all on hopes and dreams, 11 is not to be missed.

ClarkKent’s Energetic Inputs

Finsmoonth // Chrysalis of Astral Tears [June 13th, 2026 – Disaster Records]

Indonesia’s Finsmoonth puts on a clinic of melancholic atmospheric black metal with some first-rate tremolos and affecting performances. They partake in an aggressive, melodic form of the genre that’s similar to Walg in its relentlessness. Icy cold blast beats pummel your ears while the melodic tremolos prove a soothing balm wrapped in melancholy. The two guitarists, Zulk Adhe and Irwin Ranto, are tremolo wizards, serving quality leads on each song. My favorite, “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” displays Finsmoonth’s ability to build up to powerful emotional climaxes. Tino Guruh proves an effective and consistent vocalist. His blackened rasps form the emotional core, and on “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” he breaks into agonized cries that are just heartbreaking. The passing of the band’s bassist, Maulana Fachrul, less than two months ahead of the release of Chrysalis of Astral Tears adds further to the poignancy. Fachrul puts on a first-rate performance, with some stellar lonesome instrumental stretches on “An Endless Depth,” as well as a bit of smooth jazz noodling towards the end of “Foliage of the Wings.” If Indonesian black metal reminds you of Pure Wrath, then it might not be a surprise to learn that Januaryo Hardy contributes the cleans/chants, and even his wife, Isa Bellum, has a couple of small parts. I don’t know what’s going on in Jakarta to make these artists so sad, but they’re writing some damn fine music.

Inherits the Void // The Silent Abscission [June 19th, 2026 – Avantgarde Music]

France’s Antoine Scholtès has been quite busy since forming his solo black metal project, Inherits the Void, in 2020. Thus Spoke had kind words for the previous two, 2023’s The Impending Fall of Stars and 2024’s Scars of Yesteryear, comparing the former to the atmospheric meloblack of Mare Cognitum. This time around, Scholtès brings along some friends, including Romain Negro (Apolaustic, ex-Stortregn) to helm the mic. Romain brings a much more aggressive blackened edge to the vocals, cracking with a relentless energy. Scholtès still contributes backing vocals, and a mysterious Nicolas S. sings cleans on a couple of tracks, including a great soaring bit on the finale, “Inherits the Void.” The Silent Abscission feels a touch more aggressive than what Inherits the Void generally plays. Between the blast beats, furious tremolos, and Romain’s blackened assault, there’s a sense of constant kinetic motion. It’s true that some of this stuff can blend together, but there’s plenty of great melodies to keep it enjoyable from start to finish. While Scholtès continues to use synths and arpeggios as brief reprieves from the blast beat attack, he also invites Kevon S. to play some sax (“Wrath of the Endless Sea,” “Inherits the Void”), bringing to mind Burial in the Sky or White Ward. The Silent Abscission is yet another impressive outing in Inherits the Void’s discography, with Scholtès showing that he’s willing to take some risks in order to make things more interesting.

Grin Reaper’s Nocturnal Nuggets

Hecate // Comment Est la Nuit? [June 12th, 2026 – Self Released]

Since forming in 2009, French ensemble Hecate has steadily released reliable and trve black metal. Fourth album Comment Est la Nuit?4 serves as my introduction to the act, and after visiting earlier albums I’m confident that their latest is their greatest (so far).5 Where debut Chronicles d’un Autre Temps sounds more modern (think 1349 or Watain), subsequent albums gravitate towards raw production that radiates early second-wave energy. Comment Est la Nuit? perpetuates this aesthetic, though Hecate adorns it with classical frills that I find irresistible, such as their seamless integration of piano, flute, and cello with gusts of piercing tremolos and grating rasps. Though Comment Est la Nuit? remains solidly rooted in black metal, the keys function as a core component like never before. Each time I listen, Hecate reveals new facets that only get better with familiarity. The intro to “Aubes aux pâles salives” begins with a beautiful piano refrain supported by clean guitars and a subtle bass thread before tumbling into distorted trems that bear the same melodic framework. Likewise, the range of “Hymne au clair de lune” batters listeners between scathing muscle and delicate respites. I don’t expect Comment Est la Nuit? to change opinions about black metal, but those who enjoy it will find Hecate has written an engrossing experience that wonderfully details the rhythms of the night.

Stormkeep // The Nocturnes of Iswylm [June 12th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Like many, I eagerly awaited a full-length follow-up to Stormkeep’s magnificent debut Tales of Othertime, uncertain if or when it would arrive. Because the band’s other projects consistently enrapture me (Wayfarer and Blood Incantation, in particular), I never worried whether the Denver, Colorado collective’s sophomore platter would satisfy the promises made by Othertime. And while I’m not convinced that The Nocturnes of Iswylm reaches the heights the debut, Stormkeep still unleashes goodies aplenty that litter Nocturnes three-quarters of an hour. Gone are the instrumentals from Tales of Othertime—instead, Stormkeep dials down the cinema in favor of more straightforward meloblack, although drama still seethes beneath the surface. String embellishments dot the arrangements (“The Taste of Immortal Blood,” “Imperious Sanguine Eroticism,” “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh”), imparting dramatic flair and a welcome dimension to Stormkeep’s fantastical atmosphere. And like the cover art, The Nocturnes of Iswylm embraces darker textures that wrestle in doleful gloom, engendering a subtler experience that took time to sink in and appreciate. While this approach doesn’t ply the same epic theatricality as the debut, The Nocturnes of Iswylm nonetheless worms its way into ears and hearts with nefarious glamours that crackle with danger.

Belarus Beaver // Grind af den Brune Bäfver [June 17th, 2026 – Self Released]

Sweden plays host to many metallic endeavors, and I often feel like I’m picking up secondhand geography lessons as a result of listening to its exports. Belarus Beaver, then, supplies a toofer, as they began their journey in melodeath mecca Gothenburg before settling down in Jönköping (also home to Hällas, Rexoria, and Narnia). Rather than progressive rock or power metal, though, Belarus Beaver obliterates listeners with a bucktoothed bombshell of devastating deathgrind that’s at once savagely br00tal and pure fun. Also, it’s all about beavers. On fourth album Grind af den Brune Bäfver, Belarus Beaver weaves together groove-laced blasts with industrial trimmings that recall a mixture of early Anaal Nathrakh (“I Want to Pet a Beaver”) and Exhumed (“Den Gnagande Plågan,” “Begravd i en Flod”). Occasionally, though, Grind af den Brune Bäfver reaches for a twist in their songwriting repertoire that uplifts the music, like the Eastern stringed instrument at the beginning of “Urbävern” or the unexpected melodic guitar support midway through “Mutated Beaver Moose.” These moments and others like them elevate Grind af den Brune Bäfver above sheer novelty, and if you’re not sold on Beaver fever, you’re missing out. So let your hair down and give yourself over to the Grind—it’s dam fun.

Creeping Ivy’s Classic Catch

Dead Kosmonaut // Retrospectre [June 26th, 2026 – Edged Circle Productions]

Dead Kosmonaut conceived a perfect title for their third album. Since 2014, this Swedish quintet has been molding traditional heavy metal hearkening to the late 70s and early 80s. This style—the first wave of metal itself—haunts any and every musician in the genre with aspirations of crafting something trve. With the specter of retro metal hanging over the band’s collective head, Retrospectre delivers 38 minutes of classic goodness, imbued with a somber longing. Dead Kosmonaut is a well-credentialed crew, starting with guitarists Fredrik Folkare (ex-Necrophobic) and Peter Hallgren (Sorcerer), who dole out irresistible guitarmonies and audacious solos in the spirit of Iron Maiden (“Out of the Shadow Rising”). The rhythm section, comprised of bassist Mattias Reinholdsson and drummer Henrik Johansson (both ex-Book of Hours), punches through the mix with power and a bit of grit (“Wake of Aquarius”). And of course, vocalist Per ‘Hellbutcher’ Gustavsson shines, trading his black metal bona fides for commanding cleans that drive some damn fine choruses (“View from the Future”). Lyrically, the album especially develops its theme of retrospection in the latter half, with songs about aging (“Eyes Grow Old”), defeat (“The Battle is Over”), and the inexorable march of time (“The Retrospectre”). Retrospectre will certainly scratch any itches for timeless, classic metal, but Dead Kosmonaut have enough talent, character, and craftmanship to make their third offering more than mere nostalgia.

Thunder rattles the ducts as my minions trudge through heated aluminum and flimsy copper to clean out the detritus left by endless storms. Sometimes I wonder if I should invest in a “health plan” for them to offset the debilitating turnover resulting from various mortal injuries and gruesome deaths this work incurs. And then I think again, and realize that would be a waste of “profits.” There will always be more dummies willing to dive in with the promise of treasure sparkling in their eyes.

Aaaaannnnyyyyway, nobody lost limb or life in the Filter today, but we did manage a decent haul. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Burning Bastion

Forsmán // Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur [June 26th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Iceland is where all the cool black metal kids sit. Smeary corpse paint, cloaks, throaty roars, somehow simultaneously wet and dry snare tones, and hooky riffs surrounded in lower-pitched tremolos make the Icelandic scene almost instantly recognizable. Forsmán are no exception, the young foursome abiding by the genre blueprint—in a similar way to bands like Svartidauði and Helfró—on remarkably professional debut Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur. A deathly kink lightly twists blasty riff freakouts (“Drottinn fyrirgefur allt,” “Valdníðsla”), but when they land their impact cracks the earth underfoot. A dissonant drama further characterizes Forsmán’s black metal core to scaffold riff-driven measures and off-kilter rhythms, and yet everything remains accessible and easily digestible (“Svartir svanir,” “Andvana,” “Barmafylltar fjöldagrafir”). While Forsmán aren’t attempting to redefine the style with this debut, they do earn a spot alongside the genre’s best with tight performances, fiery riff-forward writing, and a writhing personality that is vicious as much as it is beautifully expressed (“Kynjamyndir”). In short, Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur should not be missed, as it represents with great merit the high quality I’ve come to expect from the modern Icelandic black metal scene.

Owlswald’s Sunlit Secret

Entropist // The Vision [June 26, 2026 – Self Released]

Denver progressive death metal quintet Entropist is the very definition of a Stuck in the Filter unearthing. Their debut album, The Vision, slipped through the cracks amid our June promo flood and resurfaced too late for a standard review. Time to make amends. Mixed and mastered by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist), The Vision showcases a group brimming with talent and ambition.1 Blending death with elements of progressive metal, psychedelic rock, metalcore, jazz, and classical, The Vision is a melting pot of influences that thrives on vivid atmospherics and an effective dual-vocal approach from Parker Kitching and guitarist Solomon Smith, creating a sound that is adventurous and rewarding. “Intense Warmth” opens with a bout of hypnotic throat singing that morphs into layered croons. “Desert of Limbo’s” crawling melodies evoke Haken. Elsewhere, “The Ritual’s” eerie atmosphere and its intense bridge throw serious Aeolian-era The Ocean vibes, while “Devour Us” delivers exotic acoustic guitar and violin passages before closing with a swaggering groove and a contorted solo. “Creation” proves what Entropist is capable of when all the pieces lock together. Packed with Exoplanet-like riffs, alternating growls and soaring vocals, and a heaving half-time groove, the track’s eclecticism and momentum never let up. Not every experiment lands—”Revelation” and the aptly named “Wandering” lose sight of their destination—but there’s too much talent and creativity here to ignore. The Vision may be far from flawless, but it’s without a doubt an impressive debut.

Spicie Forrest’s Mathy Morsel

eleventwelfth // 11 [June 26, 2026 – Angular//Momentum Records]

Do you remember when Sithu Aye released that Senpai series?2 Airy, engaging, and wildly emotive, I’ve been chasing that sound ever since. eleventwelfth’s newest LP, 11, scratches that itch as it hasn’t been scratched in years. Part one in a concept duology3 that will serve as the Jakarta, Indonesia-based foursome’s sophomore offering, 11 follows its protagonist as they reckon with the necessary sacrifices one must make in pursuit of a dream. Largely rooted in indie and math rock, 11 unfolds in three acts filtered through aviation metaphors. Hopeful and tender melodies dance on strings like the wind through tall grass (“far away from here,” “collision”), while vocals effortlessly swoop and soar like an albatross on ocean air currents. 7-minute closer “communicate” swells inexorably, wind gathering under its wings until, at the midpoint, it takes off in a beautiful moment of catharsis. Synths and electronic elements evoke Porter Robinson’s Nurture in their gentle and ineffably nostalgic movements (“navigate,” “to fathom the throes”). When eleventwelfth leans into their Reliant K’d rock side, as on “ascending faster than before,” “fear of what’s beyond,” or “last here all alone,” 11 moves as if in a flow state—somehow simultaneously approaching lightspeed and locked in a timeless moment. This certainly isn’t the heaviest thing you’ll hear this year—it might be the lightest—but for those who know what it means to risk it all on hopes and dreams, 11 is not to be missed.

ClarkKent’s Energetic Inputs

Finsmoonth // Chrysalis of Astral Tears [June 13th, 2026 – Disaster Records]

Indonesia’s Finsmoonth puts on a clinic of melancholic atmospheric black metal with some first-rate tremolos and affecting performances. They partake in an aggressive, melodic form of the genre that’s similar to Walg in its relentlessness. Icy cold blast beats pummel your ears while the melodic tremolos prove a soothing balm wrapped in melancholy. The two guitarists, Zulk Adhe and Irwin Ranto, are tremolo wizards, serving quality leads on each song. My favorite, “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” displays Finsmoonth’s ability to build up to powerful emotional climaxes. Tino Guruh proves an effective and consistent vocalist. His blackened rasps form the emotional core, and on “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” he breaks into agonized cries that are just heartbreaking. The passing of the band’s bassist, Maulana Fachrul, less than two months ahead of the release of Chrysalis of Astral Tears adds further to the poignancy. Fachrul puts on a first-rate performance, with some stellar lonesome instrumental stretches on “An Endless Depth,” as well as a bit of smooth jazz noodling towards the end of “Foliage of the Wings.” If Indonesian black metal reminds you of Pure Wrath, then it might not be a surprise to learn that Januaryo Hardy contributes the cleans/chants, and even his wife, Isa Bellum, has a couple of small parts. I don’t know what’s going on in Jakarta to make these artists so sad, but they’re writing some damn fine music.

Inherits the Void // The Silent Abscission [June 19th, 2026 – Avantgarde Music]

France’s Antoine Scholtès has been quite busy since forming his solo black metal project, Inherits the Void, in 2020. Thus Spoke had kind words for the previous two, 2023’s The Impending Fall of Stars and 2024’s Scars of Yesteryear, comparing the former to the atmospheric meloblack of Mare Cognitum. This time around, Scholtès brings along some friends, including Romain Negro (Apolaustic, ex-Stortregn) to helm the mic. Romain brings a much more aggressive blackened edge to the vocals, cracking with a relentless energy. Scholtès still contributes backing vocals, and a mysterious Nicolas S. sings cleans on a couple of tracks, including a great soaring bit on the finale, “Inherits the Void.” The Silent Abscission feels a touch more aggressive than what Inherits the Void generally plays. Between the blast beats, furious tremolos, and Romain’s blackened assault, there’s a sense of constant kinetic motion. It’s true that some of this stuff can blend together, but there’s plenty of great melodies to keep it enjoyable from start to finish. While Scholtès continues to use synths and arpeggios as brief reprieves from the blast beat attack, he also invites Kevon S. to play some sax (“Wrath of the Endless Sea,” “Inherits the Void”), bringing to mind Burial in the Sky or White Ward. The Silent Abscission is yet another impressive outing in Inherits the Void’s discography, with Scholtès showing that he’s willing to take some risks in order to make things more interesting.

Grin Reaper’s Nocturnal Nuggets

Hecate // Comment Est la Nuit? [June 12th, 2026 – Self Released]

Since forming in 2009, French ensemble Hecate has steadily released reliable and trve black metal. Fourth album Comment Est la Nuit?4 serves as my introduction to the act, and after visiting earlier albums I’m confident that their latest is their greatest (so far).5 Where debut Chronicles d’un Autre Temps sounds more modern (think 1349 or Watain), subsequent albums gravitate towards raw production that radiates early second-wave energy. Comment Est la Nuit? perpetuates this aesthetic, though Hecate adorns it with classical frills that I find irresistible, such as their seamless integration of piano, flute, and cello with gusts of piercing tremolos and grating rasps. Though Comment Est la Nuit? remains solidly rooted in black metal, the keys function as a core component like never before. Each time I listen, Hecate reveals new facets that only get better with familiarity. The intro to “Aubes aux pâles salives” begins with a beautiful piano refrain supported by clean guitars and a subtle bass thread before tumbling into distorted trems that bear the same melodic framework. Likewise, the range of “Hymne au clair de lune” batters listeners between scathing muscle and delicate respites. I don’t expect Comment Est la Nuit? to change opinions about black metal, but those who enjoy it will find Hecate has written an engrossing experience that wonderfully details the rhythms of the night.

Stormkeep // The Nocturnes of Iswylm [June 12th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Like many, I eagerly awaited a full-length follow-up to Stormkeep’s magnificent debut Tales of Othertime, uncertain if or when it would arrive. Because the band’s other projects consistently enrapture me (Wayfarer and Blood Incantation, in particular), I never worried whether the Denver, Colorado collective’s sophomore platter would satisfy the promises made by Othertime. And while I’m not convinced that The Nocturnes of Iswylm reaches the heights the debut, Stormkeep still unleashes goodies aplenty that litter Nocturnes three-quarters of an hour. Gone are the instrumentals from Tales of Othertime—instead, Stormkeep dials down the cinema in favor of more straightforward meloblack, although drama still seethes beneath the surface. String embellishments dot the arrangements (“The Taste of Immortal Blood,” “Imperious Sanguine Eroticism,” “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh”), imparting dramatic flair and a welcome dimension to Stormkeep’s fantastical atmosphere. And like the cover art, The Nocturnes of Iswylm embraces darker textures that wrestle in doleful gloom, engendering a subtler experience that took time to sink in and appreciate. While this approach doesn’t ply the same epic theatricality as the debut, The Nocturnes of Iswylm nonetheless worms its way into ears and hearts with nefarious glamours that crackle with danger.

Belarus Beaver // Grind af den Brune Bäfver [June 17th, 2026 – Self Released]

Sweden plays host to many metallic endeavors, and I often feel like I’m picking up secondhand geography lessons as a result of listening to its exports. Belarus Beaver, then, supplies a toofer, as they began their journey in melodeath mecca Gothenburg before settling down in Jönköping (also home to Hällas, Rexoria, and Narnia). Rather than progressive rock or power metal, though, Belarus Beaver obliterates listeners with a bucktoothed bombshell of devastating deathgrind that’s at once savagely br00tal and pure fun. Also, it’s all about beavers. On fourth album Grind af den Brune Bäfver, Belarus Beaver weaves together groove-laced blasts with industrial trimmings that recall a mixture of early Anaal Nathrakh (“I Want to Pet a Beaver”) and Exhumed (“Den Gnagande Plågan,” “Begravd i en Flod”). Occasionally, though, Grind af den Brune Bäfver reaches for a twist in their songwriting repertoire that uplifts the music, like the Eastern stringed instrument at the beginning of “Urbävern” or the unexpected melodic guitar support midway through “Mutated Beaver Moose.” These moments and others like them elevate Grind af den Brune Bäfver above sheer novelty, and if you’re not sold on Beaver fever, you’re missing out. So let your hair down and give yourself over to the Grind—it’s dam fun.

Creeping Ivy’s Classic Catch

Dead Kosmonaut // Retrospectre [June 26th, 2026 – Edged Circle Productions]

Dead Kosmonaut conceived a perfect title for their third album. Since 2014, this Swedish quintet has been molding traditional heavy metal hearkening to the late 70s and early 80s. This style—the first wave of metal itself—haunts any and every musician in the genre with aspirations of crafting something trve. With the specter of retro metal hanging over the band’s collective head, Retrospectre delivers 38 minutes of classic goodness, imbued with a somber longing. Dead Kosmonaut is a well-credentialed crew, starting with guitarists Fredrik Folkare (ex-Necrophobic) and Peter Hallgren (Sorcerer), who dole out irresistible guitarmonies and audacious solos in the spirit of Iron Maiden (“Out of the Shadow Rising”). The rhythm section, comprised of bassist Mattias Reinholdsson and drummer Henrik Johansson (both ex-Book of Hours), punches through the mix with power and a bit of grit (“Wake of Aquarius”). And of course, vocalist Per ‘Hellbutcher’ Gustavsson shines, trading his black metal bona fides for commanding cleans that drive some damn fine choruses (“View from the Future”). Lyrically, the album especially develops its theme of retrospection in the latter half, with songs about aging (“Eyes Grow Old”), defeat (“The Battle is Over”), and the inexorable march of time (“The Retrospectre”). Retrospectre will certainly scratch any itches for timeless, classic metal, but Dead Kosmonaut have enough talent, character, and craftmanship to make their third offering more than mere nostalgia.

Thunder rattles the ducts as my minions trudge through heated aluminum and flimsy copper to clean out the detritus left by endless storms. Sometimes I wonder if I should invest in a “health plan” for them to offset the debilitating turnover resulting from various mortal injuries and gruesome deaths this work incurs. And then I think again, and realize that would be a waste of “profits.” There will always be more dummies willing to dive in with the promise of treasure sparkling in their eyes.

Aaaaannnnyyyyway, nobody lost limb or life in the Filter today, but we did manage a decent haul. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Burning Bastion

Forsmán // Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur [June 26th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Iceland is where all the cool black metal kids sit. Smeary corpse paint, cloaks, throaty roars, somehow simultaneously wet and dry snare tones, and hooky riffs surrounded in lower-pitched tremolos make the Icelandic scene almost instantly recognizable. Forsmán are no exception, the young foursome abiding by the genre blueprint—in a similar way to bands like Svartidauði and Helfró—on remarkably professional debut Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur. A deathly kink lightly twists blasty riff freakouts (“Drottinn fyrirgefur allt,” “Valdníðsla”), but when they land their impact cracks the earth underfoot. A dissonant drama further characterizes Forsmán’s black metal core to scaffold riff-driven measures and off-kilter rhythms, and yet everything remains accessible and easily digestible (“Svartir svanir,” “Andvana,” “Barmafylltar fjöldagrafir”). While Forsmán aren’t attempting to redefine the style with this debut, they do earn a spot alongside the genre’s best with tight performances, fiery riff-forward writing, and a writhing personality that is vicious as much as it is beautifully expressed (“Kynjamyndir”). In short, Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur should not be missed, as it represents with great merit the high quality I’ve come to expect from the modern Icelandic black metal scene.

Owlswald’s Sunlit Secret

Entropist // The Vision [June 26, 2026 – Self Released]

Denver progressive death metal quintet Entropist is the very definition of a Stuck in the Filter unearthing. Their debut album, The Vision, slipped through the cracks amid our June promo flood and resurfaced too late for a standard review. Time to make amends. Mixed and mastered by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist), The Vision showcases a group brimming with talent and ambition.1 Blending death with elements of progressive metal, psychedelic rock, metalcore, jazz, and classical, The Vision is a melting pot of influences that thrives on vivid atmospherics and an effective dual-vocal approach from Parker Kitching and guitarist Solomon Smith, creating a sound that is adventurous and rewarding. “Intense Warmth” opens with a bout of hypnotic throat singing that morphs into layered croons. “Desert of Limbo’s” crawling melodies evoke Haken. Elsewhere, “The Ritual’s” eerie atmosphere and its intense bridge throw serious Aeolian-era The Ocean vibes, while “Devour Us” delivers exotic acoustic guitar and violin passages before closing with a swaggering groove and a contorted solo. “Creation” proves what Entropist is capable of when all the pieces lock together. Packed with Exoplanet-like riffs, alternating growls and soaring vocals, and a heaving half-time groove, the track’s eclecticism and momentum never let up. Not every experiment lands—”Revelation” and the aptly named “Wandering” lose sight of their destination—but there’s too much talent and creativity here to ignore. The Vision may be far from flawless, but it’s without a doubt an impressive debut.

Spicie Forrest’s Mathy Morsel

eleventwelfth // 11 [June 26, 2026 – Angular//Momentum Records]

Do you remember when Sithu Aye released that Senpai series?2 Airy, engaging, and wildly emotive, I’ve been chasing that sound ever since. eleventwelfth’s newest LP, 11, scratches that itch as it hasn’t been scratched in years. Part one in a concept duology3 that will serve as the Jakarta, Indonesia-based foursome’s sophomore offering, 11 follows its protagonist as they reckon with the necessary sacrifices one must make in pursuit of a dream. Largely rooted in indie and math rock, 11 unfolds in three acts filtered through aviation metaphors. Hopeful and tender melodies dance on strings like the wind through tall grass (“far away from here,” “collision”), while vocals effortlessly swoop and soar like an albatross on ocean air currents. 7-minute closer “communicate” swells inexorably, wind gathering under its wings until, at the midpoint, it takes off in a beautiful moment of catharsis. Synths and electronic elements evoke Porter Robinson’s Nurture in their gentle and ineffably nostalgic movements (“navigate,” “to fathom the throes”). When eleventwelfth leans into their Reliant K’d rock side, as on “ascending faster than before,” “fear of what’s beyond,” or “last here all alone,” 11 moves as if in a flow state—somehow simultaneously approaching lightspeed and locked in a timeless moment. This certainly isn’t the heaviest thing you’ll hear this year—it might be the lightest—but for those who know what it means to risk it all on hopes and dreams, 11 is not to be missed.

ClarkKent’s Energetic Inputs

Finsmoonth // Chrysalis of Astral Tears [June 13th, 2026 – Disaster Records]

Indonesia’s Finsmoonth puts on a clinic of melancholic atmospheric black metal with some first-rate tremolos and affecting performances. They partake in an aggressive, melodic form of the genre that’s similar to Walg in its relentlessness. Icy cold blast beats pummel your ears while the melodic tremolos prove a soothing balm wrapped in melancholy. The two guitarists, Zulk Adhe and Irwin Ranto, are tremolo wizards, serving quality leads on each song. My favorite, “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” displays Finsmoonth’s ability to build up to powerful emotional climaxes. Tino Guruh proves an effective and consistent vocalist. His blackened rasps form the emotional core, and on “Embers at Ethereal Dawn,” he breaks into agonized cries that are just heartbreaking. The passing of the band’s bassist, Maulana Fachrul, less than two months ahead of the release of Chrysalis of Astral Tears adds further to the poignancy. Fachrul puts on a first-rate performance, with some stellar lonesome instrumental stretches on “An Endless Depth,” as well as a bit of smooth jazz noodling towards the end of “Foliage of the Wings.” If Indonesian black metal reminds you of Pure Wrath, then it might not be a surprise to learn that Januaryo Hardy contributes the cleans/chants, and even his wife, Isa Bellum, has a couple of small parts. I don’t know what’s going on in Jakarta to make these artists so sad, but they’re writing some damn fine music.

Inherits the Void // The Silent Abscission [June 19th, 2026 – Avantgarde Music]

France’s Antoine Scholtès has been quite busy since forming his solo black metal project, Inherits the Void, in 2020. Thus Spoke had kind words for the previous two, 2023’s The Impending Fall of Stars and 2024’s Scars of Yesteryear, comparing the former to the atmospheric meloblack of Mare Cognitum. This time around, Scholtès brings along some friends, including Romain Negro (Apolaustic, ex-Stortregn) to helm the mic. Romain brings a much more aggressive blackened edge to the vocals, cracking with a relentless energy. Scholtès still contributes backing vocals, and a mysterious Nicolas S. sings cleans on a couple of tracks, including a great soaring bit on the finale, “Inherits the Void.” The Silent Abscission feels a touch more aggressive than what Inherits the Void generally plays. Between the blast beats, furious tremolos, and Romain’s blackened assault, there’s a sense of constant kinetic motion. It’s true that some of this stuff can blend together, but there’s plenty of great melodies to keep it enjoyable from start to finish. While Scholtès continues to use synths and arpeggios as brief reprieves from the blast beat attack, he also invites Kevon S. to play some sax (“Wrath of the Endless Sea,” “Inherits the Void”), bringing to mind Burial in the Sky or White Ward. The Silent Abscission is yet another impressive outing in Inherits the Void’s discography, with Scholtès showing that he’s willing to take some risks in order to make things more interesting.

Grin Reaper’s Nocturnal Nuggets

Hecate // Comment Est la Nuit? [June 12th, 2026 – Self Released]

Since forming in 2009, French ensemble Hecate has steadily released reliable and trve black metal. Fourth album Comment Est la Nuit?4 serves as my introduction to the act, and after visiting earlier albums I’m confident that their latest is their greatest (so far).5 Where debut Chronicles d’un Autre Temps sounds more modern (think 1349 or Watain), subsequent albums gravitate towards raw production that radiates early second-wave energy. Comment Est la Nuit? perpetuates this aesthetic, though Hecate adorns it with classical frills that I find irresistible, such as their seamless integration of piano, flute, and cello with gusts of piercing tremolos and grating rasps. Though Comment Est la Nuit? remains solidly rooted in black metal, the keys function as a core component like never before. Each time I listen, Hecate reveals new facets that only get better with familiarity. The intro to “Aubes aux pâles salives” begins with a beautiful piano refrain supported by clean guitars and a subtle bass thread before tumbling into distorted trems that bear the same melodic framework. Likewise, the range of “Hymne au clair de lune” batters listeners between scathing muscle and delicate respites. I don’t expect Comment Est la Nuit? to change opinions about black metal, but those who enjoy it will find Hecate has written an engrossing experience that wonderfully details the rhythms of the night.

Stormkeep // The Nocturnes of Iswylm [June 12th, 2026 – Vesperian]

Like many, I eagerly awaited a full-length follow-up to Stormkeep’s magnificent debut Tales of Othertime, uncertain if or when it would arrive. Because the band’s other projects consistently enrapture me (Wayfarer and Blood Incantation, in particular), I never worried whether the Denver, Colorado collective’s sophomore platter would satisfy the promises made by Othertime. And while I’m not convinced that The Nocturnes of Iswylm reaches the heights the debut, Stormkeep still unleashes goodies aplenty that litter Nocturnes three-quarters of an hour. Gone are the instrumentals from Tales of Othertime—instead, Stormkeep dials down the cinema in favor of more straightforward meloblack, although drama still seethes beneath the surface. String embellishments dot the arrangements (“The Taste of Immortal Blood,” “Imperious Sanguine Eroticism,” “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh”), imparting dramatic flair and a welcome dimension to Stormkeep’s fantastical atmosphere. And like the cover art, The Nocturnes of Iswylm embraces darker textures that wrestle in doleful gloom, engendering a subtler experience that took time to sink in and appreciate. While this approach doesn’t ply the same epic theatricality as the debut, The Nocturnes of Iswylm nonetheless worms its way into ears and hearts with nefarious glamours that crackle with danger.

Belarus Beaver // Grind af den Brune Bäfver [June 17th, 2026 – Self Released]

Sweden plays host to many metallic endeavors, and I often feel like I’m picking up secondhand geography lessons as a result of listening to its exports. Belarus Beaver, then, supplies a toofer, as they began their journey in melodeath mecca Gothenburg before settling down in Jönköping (also home to Hällas, Rexoria, and Narnia). Rather than progressive rock or power metal, though, Belarus Beaver obliterates listeners with a bucktoothed bombshell of devastating deathgrind that’s at once savagely br00tal and pure fun. Also, it’s all about beavers. On fourth album Grind af den Brune Bäfver, Belarus Beaver weaves together groove-laced blasts with industrial trimmings that recall a mixture of early Anaal Nathrakh (“I Want to Pet a Beaver”) and Exhumed (“Den Gnagande Plågan,” “Begravd i en Flod”). Occasionally, though, Grind af den Brune Bäfver reaches for a twist in their songwriting repertoire that uplifts the music, like the Eastern stringed instrument at the beginning of “Urbävern” or the unexpected melodic guitar support midway through “Mutated Beaver Moose.” These moments and others like them elevate Grind af den Brune Bäfver above sheer novelty, and if you’re not sold on Beaver fever, you’re missing out. So let your hair down and give yourself over to the Grind—it’s dam fun.

Creeping Ivy’s Classic Catch

Dead Kosmonaut // Retrospectre [June 26th, 2026 – Edged Circle Productions]

Dead Kosmonaut conceived a perfect title for their third album. Since 2014, this Swedish quintet has been molding traditional heavy metal hearkening to the late 70s and early 80s. This style—the first wave of metal itself—haunts any and every musician in the genre with aspirations of crafting something trve. With the specter of retro metal hanging over the band’s collective head, Retrospectre delivers 38 minutes of classic goodness, imbued with a somber longing. Dead Kosmonaut is a well-credentialed crew, starting with guitarists Fredrik Folkare (ex-Necrophobic) and Peter Hallgren (Sorcerer), who dole out irresistible guitarmonies and audacious solos in the spirit of Iron Maiden (“Out of the Shadow Rising”). The rhythm section, comprised of bassist Mattias Reinholdsson and drummer Henrik Johansson (both ex-Book of Hours), punches through the mix with power and a bit of grit (“Wake of Aquarius”). And of course, vocalist Per ‘Hellbutcher’ Gustavsson shines, trading his black metal bona fides for commanding cleans that drive some damn fine choruses (“View from the Future”). Lyrically, the album especially develops its theme of retrospection in the latter half, with songs about aging (“Eyes Grow Old”), defeat (“The Battle is Over”), and the inexorable march of time (“The Retrospectre”). Retrospectre will certainly scratch any itches for timeless, classic metal, but Dead Kosmonaut have enough talent, character, and craftmanship to make their third offering more than mere nostalgia.

Live roundup #46

We are back with another live roundup showing you some of the best gigs and festivals coming up in the near future! Buying in advance both supports bands and festivals helping to make sure shows go ahead! So what are you waiting for, go and grabs some tickets!

What your gig featured?

If you would like to have your gig featured here please drop us a message on our socials or email [email protected]!

#1 Metal Warriors

More info: Crush The Neophytes

#2 Warsenal + Support

More info:https://www.facebook.com/thesceptermetal

#3 Friday 13th

More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1389987619387082/

#4 Konquest + Hounds

More info:https://fb.me/e/4etNG7Cj9

#5 Transylvania + Voidgazer

More info:https://fb.me/e/k3HdfAh7K

#6 Legions of Metal

More info:Legions Of Metal Festival

#7 Keep It True Legions – Leather Nunn

More info:https://keep-it-true.de/tickets/

#8 Iron Echo

More info:https://www.facebook.com/IronEchoMusic

#9 Blades of Steel 2026

More info:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092567051166

#10 Hyena

More info:https://www.reservix.de/tickets-hyena-destroy-the-human-race-world-tour-euro-strike-2026-in-moerlenbach-live-music-hall-weiher-am-26-3-2026/e2498379

Nuevo videoclip de DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG: “Propaganda” ya está disponible y vuelve a poner el foco en el lado más directo de “Babylon”. Dale al play y cuéntanos: ¿es de lo mejor del disco?
#dirkschneider #theoldgang #datog #udodirkschneider #accept #heavymetal #metal #metalvideo #newvideo #babylon #reigningphoenixmusic #germanmetal #classicmetal #tradmetal #heavymetalmusic #metalheads #riff #doblebombo #hammondorgan #propaganda

https://rockandblog.net/dirkschneider-the-old-gang-estrenan-el-video-de-propaganda-tema-clave-de-babylon/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Band of the day: Angel Sword (Finland)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dms0PctjVk

Band: Angel Sword

Country: Finland

Label: Dying Victims Productions

Members: Jerry Razors – Vocals, Guitars Lightning Mike – Guitars Eviltaker – Bass Alexander Depraved – Drums

Album: World Fighter

Track Info: 1. Vigilantes 00:00 2. Weekend Warrior 03:20 3. Dangerous Games 08:00 4. Church of Rock 11:39 5. Powerglove 15:35 6. Against All Odds 18:18 7. Afterburn 22:28 8. World Fighter 26:42

Angel Sword is a heavy metal band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 2010. Channeling the energy of the golden era with sharp riffs and uncompromising attitude, the band has carved out a place in the modern scene while staying true to traditional heavy metal roots. With releases ranging from their early demo Where We Are Going You Cannot Come to full‑length albums like Rebels Beyond the Pale, Neon City, and World Fighter, Angel Sword continues to uphold the spirit of classic metal while pushing forward with their own identity.

Links

Bandcamp: http://angelsword.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelswordmetal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelswordmetal

Label: https://www.facebook.com/dyingvictimsproductions

#angelSword #BandOfTheDay #dyingVictimsProductions #HeavyMetal #NewWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #NWOTHM #thenwothm #tradMetal #worldFighter

Band of the day: Angel Sword (Finland)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dms0PctjVk

Band: Angel Sword

Country: Finland

Label: Dying Victims Productions

Members: Jerry Razors – Vocals, Guitars Lightning Mike – Guitars Eviltaker – Bass Alexander Depraved – Drums

Album: World Fighter

Track Info: 1. Vigilantes 00:00 2. Weekend Warrior 03:20 3. Dangerous Games 08:00 4. Church of Rock 11:39 5. Powerglove 15:35 6. Against All Odds 18:18 7. Afterburn 22:28 8. World Fighter 26:42

Angel Sword is a heavy metal band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 2010. Channeling the energy of the golden era with sharp riffs and uncompromising attitude, the band has carved out a place in the modern scene while staying true to traditional heavy metal roots. With releases ranging from their early demo Where We Are Going You Cannot Come to full‑length albums like Rebels Beyond the Pale, Neon City, and World Fighter, Angel Sword continues to uphold the spirit of classic metal while pushing forward with their own identity.

Links

Bandcamp: http://angelsword.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelswordmetal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelswordmetal

Label: https://www.facebook.com/dyingvictimsproductions

#angelSword #BandOfTheDay #dyingVictimsProductions #HeavyMetal #NewWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #NWOTHM #thenwothm #tradMetal #worldFighter

Helvetets Port: Tomas Ericson on inspiration vs influence

The Nwothm

I am sometimes asked the question of what has inspired or influenced Helvetets Port’s music. I am sure these terms are interchangeable to some, but to me the question has made my brain rev up to a higher degree than I expected. Perhaps because I have felt there is a difference that I should take more seriously in order to answer the question. In this article I would like to make a distinction between inspiration and influence: the former is something that can act as a “muse”, or something which you strive for, even if it is not necessarily heard in your music. Whereas influence is something that could be more clearly heard, or an “inspiration that has broken through” if you will. Let us start with five sources of inspiration and why it stays on that side of the fence:

Thor (CAN) – Unchained (1983) and Only the Strong (1985)

This is peak efficiency in songwriting. The songs are straightforward and catchy without being cheerful or predictable. I often see my songs getting out of hand when it comes to complexity and abstruseness at the writing stage, and then I try to think “more Thor”. No one could do it quite like them though. They could get seriously epic and heavy with the same simplicity in songs like When Gods Collide and Ride of the Chariots, and it is genius level.

Killen (USA) – Restless is the Witch (1989)

This is perhaps not so much a direct musical inspiration, rather a “heavy metal-philosophical” one. On this cassette, particularly on the two songs that are unique for this release – Birth of a King and The Resurrection/Vampire – Killen demonstrate the ways in which you can warp heavy metal to its limits while still being impervious of accusations of deviating from trueness. And, check out the video of “Scream in the Night” on Youtube for some serious overall coolness inspiration. Their full-length album from 1987 is also a major lesson in giving zero fucks.

Witch Cross (DEN) – Fit for Fight (1984)

In heavy metal there are two overarching themes with their respective moods, from which all sub-themes stem. The old and the new (well, 80s new). The old is the ancient or medieval; fantasy, the epic stuff. The new is the (80s) contemporary, nightlife, street level stuff. And although Witch Cross can excel in the former (especially on some older demo stuff) it is in the “new” category where they truly set the ultimate mood. The first minute of “Light of a Torch” and “Face of a Clown” is like the equivalent of 100 Stranger Things first seasons. It’s all you need if you want to get in the mood to make neon light music – but never to be equalled.

Tyrant (Gloucester, UK) and Tyrant (Mansfield, UK)

For two bands with the same name from the same country to be inseparable regarding the same kind of inspiration is a cosmic fluke. But there they stand, as the two most important bastions of the medieval sub-theme of the “old” category. One of them only having recorded two songs. Listen to a few Tyrant songs and you have bathed yourself in enough medieval melancholy to subtract a few hundred years from the atmosphere of the music you write next. Highlights if I have to choose: “Day of the Knight” and “Shadows of the Night”.

Overkill (Winnenden, GER) – Demo (1984)

It is difficult to be directly musically influenced by these Germans, perhaps because all the songs are so different from each other, but each superb in their own way. Heavy Metal Forces, the catchy anthem; The Iron Sword, the medieval epic song and Killers in the Dawn, a number that surpasses the meanness of all thrash metal while being classic heavy metal. They are a major inspiration when it comes to varying your songs without losing the core, and also to try and change your vocal colour depending on the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBxKivzih7I

And here are five sources of influence and it turns out to be a somewhat patriotic list:

Gotham City (SWE)

The elephant in the room, the influence of all influences! Notwithstanding the music, the sharp-sighted can probably tell that our logo and the artwork to our first single are heavily influenced by Gotham City. They are the main reason I got into obscure heavy metal and the main influence to start Helvetets Port. Their music has the perfect blend of coolness, quirkiness and regalness. Right now I am working on a song which is especially influenced by them, called “We Played Heavy Metal”.

Heavy Load (SWE)

There is always a bit, small or big, of Heavy Load and especially Ragne Wahlquist in one’s guitar playing, singing and songwriting. It is as though their work is the template for heavy metal. When you sit down with a guitar, there is always this little quick subconscious process in your head of “what is guitar playing all about?” in order to get your bearings as to what you are about to do with that strange object in your lap. And that subconscious backdrop is made by Heavy Load. The melancholy and earnestness, the E minor riffs that can always lead to greatness.

Kim Sixx (DEN) – Demo 1984

Kim Sixx in my opinion have the most commendable mix of guitar playing “tools” out of any band. There is perfect division of riffs, rhythm, licks, solos and melodies. Of course not only the division but the way it is played. This, and the fact that they might be the most true template of a classic heavy metal band imaginable, is a huge influence and inspiration. On a song like “Ruled with an Iron Hand”, I tried to summon the guitar practices of Kim Sixx.

Rising (SWE) – The Show is Over (song from the “Just One Bite …” demo 1984)

Now I am going to talk about a couple of songs that have distinct parts that have left an everlasting impression and which I feel I can never really fully explore, an itch that never goes away. For this Rising song it is about the very end, where it is almost like they are starting a new, awesome song and then it stops. It is the ultimate risky “kill your idols” technique in songwriting, creating a yearning that you as a songwriter want to almost fulfill but not quite. This I tried to recreate in the ending of “Cry of the Night”.

Zone Zero (SWE) – Evil Dream (B side from the “Heavy Metal” 7″ 1982)

With the Zone Zero song it is a similar deal in changing parts, but a more abrupt change and preferably more in the middle of the song. The time I first heard the tempo change in Evil Dream might be the most significant listening experience in my life and I get goosebumps just thinking about it. It shows that if you have written a cool part you can just brute force it into whatever place your heart feels like. Having it become as mind-blowing as in Evil Dream is a different matter though. Some places where I have attempted it is for example in “The Invincible” when the lone riff starts, and “Stan Brinner” when the final kind of chorus starts, and many more. Basically, whenever there is a part change that is not very “natural”, the spirit of Evil Dream looms over it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPgrKjyJrqM

Conclusion by TheNwothm

For Tomas Ericson, Helvetes Port is shaped by inspiration that sparks imagination and influence that leaves its mark in sound. Together they create a vision that balances tradition with individuality, keeping the old spirit of heavy metal alive in a unique way.

How do you see it? Does heavy metal thrive more on unseen muses or on the influences we can clearly hear? Let us know!

Photo Credit: Sabrina (Visual_Evidence) 

#heavyMetal #helvetetsPort #inspirationVsInfluence #newWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #nwothm #thenwothm #thenwothmCom #tomasEricson #tradMetal #traditionalHeavyMetal

Helvetets Port: Tomas Ericson on inspiration vs influence

The Nwothm

I am sometimes asked the question of what has inspired or influenced Helvetets Port’s music. I am sure these terms are interchangeable to some, but to me the question has made my brain rev up to a higher degree than I expected. Perhaps because I have felt there is a difference that I should take more seriously in order to answer the question. In this article I would like to make a distinction between inspiration and influence: the former is something that can act as a “muse”, or something which you strive for, even if it is not necessarily heard in your music. Whereas influence is something that could be more clearly heard, or an “inspiration that has broken through” if you will. Let us start with five sources of inspiration and why it stays on that side of the fence:

Thor (CAN) – Unchained (1983) and Only the Strong (1985)

This is peak efficiency in songwriting. The songs are straightforward and catchy without being cheerful or predictable. I often see my songs getting out of hand when it comes to complexity and abstruseness at the writing stage, and then I try to think “more Thor”. No one could do it quite like them though. They could get seriously epic and heavy with the same simplicity in songs like When Gods Collide and Ride of the Chariots, and it is genius level.

Killen (USA) – Restless is the Witch (1989)

This is perhaps not so much a direct musical inspiration, rather a “heavy metal-philosophical” one. On this cassette, particularly on the two songs that are unique for this release – Birth of a King and The Resurrection/Vampire – Killen demonstrate the ways in which you can warp heavy metal to its limits while still being impervious of accusations of deviating from trueness. And, check out the video of “Scream in the Night” on Youtube for some serious overall coolness inspiration. Their full-length album from 1987 is also a major lesson in giving zero fucks.

Witch Cross (DEN) – Fit for Fight (1984)

In heavy metal there are two overarching themes with their respective moods, from which all sub-themes stem. The old and the new (well, 80s new). The old is the ancient or medieval; fantasy, the epic stuff. The new is the (80s) contemporary, nightlife, street level stuff. And although Witch Cross can excel in the former (especially on some older demo stuff) it is in the “new” category where they truly set the ultimate mood. The first minute of “Light of a Torch” and “Face of a Clown” is like the equivalent of 100 Stranger Things first seasons. It’s all you need if you want to get in the mood to make neon light music – but never to be equalled.

Tyrant (Gloucester, UK) and Tyrant (Mansfield, UK)

For two bands with the same name from the same country to be inseparable regarding the same kind of inspiration is a cosmic fluke. But there they stand, as the two most important bastions of the medieval sub-theme of the “old” category. One of them only having recorded two songs. Listen to a few Tyrant songs and you have bathed yourself in enough medieval melancholy to subtract a few hundred years from the atmosphere of the music you write next. Highlights if I have to choose: “Day of the Knight” and “Shadows of the Night”.

Overkill (Winnenden, GER) – Demo (1984)

It is difficult to be directly musically influenced by these Germans, perhaps because all the songs are so different from each other, but each superb in their own way. Heavy Metal Forces, the catchy anthem; The Iron Sword, the medieval epic song and Killers in the Dawn, a number that surpasses the meanness of all thrash metal while being classic heavy metal. They are a major inspiration when it comes to varying your songs without losing the core, and also to try and change your vocal colour depending on the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBxKivzih7I

And here are five sources of influence and it turns out to be a somewhat patriotic list:

Gotham City (SWE)

The elephant in the room, the influence of all influences! Notwithstanding the music, the sharp-sighted can probably tell that our logo and the artwork to our first single are heavily influenced by Gotham City. They are the main reason I got into obscure heavy metal and the main influence to start Helvetets Port. Their music has the perfect blend of coolness, quirkiness and regalness. Right now I am working on a song which is especially influenced by them, called “We Played Heavy Metal”.

Heavy Load (SWE)

There is always a bit, small or big, of Heavy Load and especially Ragne Wahlquist in one’s guitar playing, singing and songwriting. It is as though their work is the template for heavy metal. When you sit down with a guitar, there is always this little quick subconscious process in your head of “what is guitar playing all about?” in order to get your bearings as to what you are about to do with that strange object in your lap. And that subconscious backdrop is made by Heavy Load. The melancholy and earnestness, the E minor riffs that can always lead to greatness.

Kim Sixx (DEN) – Demo 1984

Kim Sixx in my opinion have the most commendable mix of guitar playing “tools” out of any band. There is perfect division of riffs, rhythm, licks, solos and melodies. Of course not only the division but the way it is played. This, and the fact that they might be the most true template of a classic heavy metal band imaginable, is a huge influence and inspiration. On a song like “Ruled with an Iron Hand”, I tried to summon the guitar practices of Kim Sixx.

Rising (SWE) – The Show is Over (song from the “Just One Bite …” demo 1984)

Now I am going to talk about a couple of songs that have distinct parts that have left an everlasting impression and which I feel I can never really fully explore, an itch that never goes away. For this Rising song it is about the very end, where it is almost like they are starting a new, awesome song and then it stops. It is the ultimate risky “kill your idols” technique in songwriting, creating a yearning that you as a songwriter want to almost fulfill but not quite. This I tried to recreate in the ending of “Cry of the Night”.

Zone Zero (SWE) – Evil Dream (B side from the “Heavy Metal” 7″ 1982)

With the Zone Zero song it is a similar deal in changing parts, but a more abrupt change and preferably more in the middle of the song. The time I first heard the tempo change in Evil Dream might be the most significant listening experience in my life and I get goosebumps just thinking about it. It shows that if you have written a cool part you can just brute force it into whatever place your heart feels like. Having it become as mind-blowing as in Evil Dream is a different matter though. Some places where I have attempted it is for example in “The Invincible” when the lone riff starts, and “Stan Brinner” when the final kind of chorus starts, and many more. Basically, whenever there is a part change that is not very “natural”, the spirit of Evil Dream looms over it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPgrKjyJrqM

Conclusion by TheNwothm

For Tomas Ericson, Helvetes Port is shaped by inspiration that sparks imagination and influence that leaves its mark in sound. Together they create a vision that balances tradition with individuality, keeping the old spirit of heavy metal alive in a unique way.

How do you see it? Does heavy metal thrive more on unseen muses or on the influences we can clearly hear? Let us know!

Photo Credit: Sabrina (Visual_Evidence) 

#heavyMetal #helvetetsPort #inspirationVsInfluence #newWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #nwothm #thenwothm #thenwothmCom #tomasEricson #tradMetal #traditionalHeavyMetal

Helvetets Port: Tomas Ericson on inspiration vs influence

The Nwothm

I am sometimes asked the question of what has inspired or influenced Helvetets Port’s music. I am sure these terms are interchangeable to some, but to me the question has made my brain rev up to a higher degree than I expected. Perhaps because I have felt there is a difference that I should take more seriously in order to answer the question. In this article I would like to make a distinction between inspiration and influence: the former is something that can act as a “muse”, or something which you strive for, even if it is not necessarily heard in your music. Whereas influence is something that could be more clearly heard, or an “inspiration that has broken through” if you will. Let us start with five sources of inspiration and why it stays on that side of the fence:

Thor (CAN) – Unchained (1983) and Only the Strong (1985)

This is peak efficiency in songwriting. The songs are straightforward and catchy without being cheerful or predictable. I often see my songs getting out of hand when it comes to complexity and abstruseness at the writing stage, and then I try to think “more Thor”. No one could do it quite like them though. They could get seriously epic and heavy with the same simplicity in songs like When Gods Collide and Ride of the Chariots, and it is genius level.

Killen (USA) – Restless is the Witch (1989)

This is perhaps not so much a direct musical inspiration, rather a “heavy metal-philosophical” one. On this cassette, particularly on the two songs that are unique for this release – Birth of a King and The Resurrection/Vampire – Killen demonstrate the ways in which you can warp heavy metal to its limits while still being impervious of accusations of deviating from trueness. And, check out the video of “Scream in the Night” on Youtube for some serious overall coolness inspiration. Their full-length album from 1987 is also a major lesson in giving zero fucks.

Witch Cross (DEN) – Fit for Fight (1984)

In heavy metal there are two overarching themes with their respective moods, from which all sub-themes stem. The old and the new (well, 80s new). The old is the ancient or medieval; fantasy, the epic stuff. The new is the (80s) contemporary, nightlife, street level stuff. And although Witch Cross can excel in the former (especially on some older demo stuff) it is in the “new” category where they truly set the ultimate mood. The first minute of “Light of a Torch” and “Face of a Clown” is like the equivalent of 100 Stranger Things first seasons. It’s all you need if you want to get in the mood to make neon light music – but never to be equalled.

Tyrant (Gloucester, UK) and Tyrant (Mansfield, UK)

For two bands with the same name from the same country to be inseparable regarding the same kind of inspiration is a cosmic fluke. But there they stand, as the two most important bastions of the medieval sub-theme of the “old” category. One of them only having recorded two songs. Listen to a few Tyrant songs and you have bathed yourself in enough medieval melancholy to subtract a few hundred years from the atmosphere of the music you write next. Highlights if I have to choose: “Day of the Knight” and “Shadows of the Night”.

Overkill (Winnenden, GER) – Demo (1984)

It is difficult to be directly musically influenced by these Germans, perhaps because all the songs are so different from each other, but each superb in their own way. Heavy Metal Forces, the catchy anthem; The Iron Sword, the medieval epic song and Killers in the Dawn, a number that surpasses the meanness of all thrash metal while being classic heavy metal. They are a major inspiration when it comes to varying your songs without losing the core, and also to try and change your vocal colour depending on the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBxKivzih7I

And here are five sources of influence and it turns out to be a somewhat patriotic list:

Gotham City (SWE)

The elephant in the room, the influence of all influences! Notwithstanding the music, the sharp-sighted can probably tell that our logo and the artwork to our first single are heavily influenced by Gotham City. They are the main reason I got into obscure heavy metal and the main influence to start Helvetets Port. Their music has the perfect blend of coolness, quirkiness and regalness. Right now I am working on a song which is especially influenced by them, called “We Played Heavy Metal”.

Heavy Load (SWE)

There is always a bit, small or big, of Heavy Load and especially Ragne Wahlquist in one’s guitar playing, singing and songwriting. It is as though their work is the template for heavy metal. When you sit down with a guitar, there is always this little quick subconscious process in your head of “what is guitar playing all about?” in order to get your bearings as to what you are about to do with that strange object in your lap. And that subconscious backdrop is made by Heavy Load. The melancholy and earnestness, the E minor riffs that can always lead to greatness.

Kim Sixx (DEN) – Demo 1984

Kim Sixx in my opinion have the most commendable mix of guitar playing “tools” out of any band. There is perfect division of riffs, rhythm, licks, solos and melodies. Of course not only the division but the way it is played. This, and the fact that they might be the most true template of a classic heavy metal band imaginable, is a huge influence and inspiration. On a song like “Ruled with an Iron Hand”, I tried to summon the guitar practices of Kim Sixx.

Rising (SWE) – The Show is Over (song from the “Just One Bite …” demo 1984)

Now I am going to talk about a couple of songs that have distinct parts that have left an everlasting impression and which I feel I can never really fully explore, an itch that never goes away. For this Rising song it is about the very end, where it is almost like they are starting a new, awesome song and then it stops. It is the ultimate risky “kill your idols” technique in songwriting, creating a yearning that you as a songwriter want to almost fulfill but not quite. This I tried to recreate in the ending of “Cry of the Night”.

Zone Zero (SWE) – Evil Dream (B side from the “Heavy Metal” 7″ 1982)

With the Zone Zero song it is a similar deal in changing parts, but a more abrupt change and preferably more in the middle of the song. The time I first heard the tempo change in Evil Dream might be the most significant listening experience in my life and I get goosebumps just thinking about it. It shows that if you have written a cool part you can just brute force it into whatever place your heart feels like. Having it become as mind-blowing as in Evil Dream is a different matter though. Some places where I have attempted it is for example in “The Invincible” when the lone riff starts, and “Stan Brinner” when the final kind of chorus starts, and many more. Basically, whenever there is a part change that is not very “natural”, the spirit of Evil Dream looms over it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPgrKjyJrqM

Conclusion by TheNwothm

For Tomas Ericson, Helvetes Port is shaped by inspiration that sparks imagination and influence that leaves its mark in sound. Together they create a vision that balances tradition with individuality, keeping the old spirit of heavy metal alive in a unique way.

How do you see it? Does heavy metal thrive more on unseen muses or on the influences we can clearly hear? Let us know!

Photo Credit: Sabrina (Visual_Evidence) 

#heavyMetal #helvetetsPort #inspirationVsInfluence #newWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #nwothm #thenwothm #thenwothmCom #tomasEricson #tradMetal #traditionalHeavyMetal

Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review

During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #2025 #4.0 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #Entertainment #Heather&Hearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #UK #UnitedKingdom #WishboneAsh
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/21168/

Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review

By Angry Metal Guy

During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.

Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.

Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.

But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4

Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.

This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.

Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh

Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review

By Angry Metal Guy

During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.

Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.

Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.

But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4

Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.

This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.

Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh

Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review

By Angry Metal Guy

During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.

Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.

Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.

But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4

Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.

This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.

Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh

Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth Review

By Angry Metal Guy

During the 16 years that AMG has been a thing, I have criticized the trend of reaching back for the sounds of yore and creating high-fidelity copies. Dubbed “Nostalgiacore,” I regularly razzed Steel Druhm about his obsession with his lost glory days and heartily rolled my eyes at Rethrash. I thumbed my nose at the 3,500 bands a week we were getting in 2015, wearing bell-bottoms and writing Black Sabbath riffs 45 years after Black Sabbath was released; each rehashing blues rock as though originality was a four-letter word and fuzz pedals were personality. But recently, perhaps sick of the downward spiral towards the ever more “atmospheric” and “brutal,” I have found the simple pleasures of “good, honest heavy metal” calling to me. First, it was Wytch Hazel, then it was Grendel’s Syster. Now, it’s Phantom Spell’s Heather & Hearth.

Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters singer and guitarist Kyle McNeill.1 A multi-instrumentalist, studio magician, and eminent purveyor of nostalgiacore,2 Phantom Spell calls back to the days of Steel Druhm‘s youth, when men were men and rockstars could play instruments. When songs were melodic and catchy, but the guys writing them had all studied piano since the age when their moms could smack them upside the head with impunity, so they were good at music, if, admittedly, slightly traumatized. And Phantom Spell hews close to this tradition, featuring what sounds like a fully functional ’70s prog unit. Strong drums and earthy bass rumble beneath lightly distorted guitars—liable to drop into harmonies at any second, exposing the rhythm section. It calls to mind Manilla Road and Kansas, Wishbone Ash, or even early Iron Maiden. But when the Hammond kicks in on opener “The Autumn Citadel,” I get flashbacks to The Summer of Camel.

Like its musical forebears, Phantom Spell pops because of its composition and vocals. McNeill has an ear for classic prog structures—shifting time signatures, dueling guitar leads, and that organ that instantly dates the sound—but what elevates Heather & Hearth is how he binds these elements to purposeful songwriting. The record never feels like a pastiche; instead, it plays like a Tolkienesque love letter written in the margins of well-worn records, borrowing vocabulary but constructing its own syntax. Tracks like “A Distant Shore” and “Siren Song” fuse supple melodic phrasing with rhythmic variation, while “Evil Hand” twists in a familiar rock chassis that both evokes Tom Petty’s classic “Refugee” and Opeth. McNeill’s range—from his surprisingly strong low register (reminiscent of Eric Clayton from Saviour Machine [“The Autumn Citadel”]) to his cherubic high end—carries emotional weight without ever rubbing shoulders with cheesy. He layers harmonies like someone who grew up singing along to Leftoverture or The Snow Goose, and he knows when to pull everything back to let a bass groove breathe. Heather & Hearth is littered with excellent choices that suggest a composer with taste. McNeill understands balance and crafted an album that features it.

But no record truly pops without top-notch production. One of the genuine strengths of Heather & Hearth is a strong sense of balance. I’m reminded of Exile by Black Sites, where traditional hard rock composition and perfectly balanced production combined to create a live feel. So too, McNeill picks his spots, never overloading the mix or betraying the illusion of a live band.3 His production lends to the realism of the production by leaving the bass and drums as exposed elements when keys and guitars drop into harmonies (“Evil Hand,” for example). The feel is classic and beautiful, showing off the perfect balance that he’s struck with the tone. Some of this feels like an illusion, however. When listening closely to the harmonies, for example, in the gorgeous bonus track “Old Pendle,” they sound inhumanly tight, which suggests careful and aggressive processing.4

Taken as a whole, I particularly appreciate Heather & Hearth’s structure. Clocking in at about 37 minutes, the record is bookended by two 11-minute songs and filled in with shorter tracks. The composition ebbs and flows between the energetic and the melancholic and fragile. These mountains and valleys are both a strength and a weakness. For me, McNeill reaches his peak when he’s moving and shaking. There is an undeniable energy when the bass and drums are pulsing and he’s throwing off shackles, harmonizing guitars, and driving the music forward. The other side to Phantom Spell is achingly beautiful, and things I love on their own. But the strength of the album is its strong proto-metal heart, and I wish I could hear it beating a little louder throughout.

This is a great record, and the only thing left for Heather & Hearth to prove is that it has staying power. From the opening “bew bew bews” of the organs, to the *insert nature sounds here* that close the album out, Heather & Hearth is a triumphant exploration of songwriting. From the melodies to the solos to the amazing harmonies, Phantom Spell sounds like a band with huge aspirations. For that reason, it is actually a little disappointing that it’s a solo project. In my listening notes, I wrote: “My god, imagine finding five dudes who could sing these harmonies live in 2025.” Phantom Spell makes me genuinely long for a time when it would have been impossible for Phantom Spell to exist. And while that’s an amazing success, it’s a bittersweet one.

Rating: Great!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kb/s CBR MP3s
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Websites: phantomspell.bandcamp.com | http://linktr.ee/phantomspell
Release Date: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #40 #BlackSites #Camel #CruzDelSurMusic #HeatherHearth #IronMaiden #Jul25 #Kansas #ManillaRoad #NWOTHM #Opeth #PaleCommunion #PhantomSpell #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #SaviourMachine #SevenSisters #TomPetty #TradMetal #WishboneAsh

Noble Beast – Noble Beast
#Metal #PowerMetal #TradMetal #TraditionalHeavyMetal #USPM #Minneapolis
CC BY-NC (#CreativeCommons Attribution Non Commercial) #ccmusic
https://noblebeastofman.bandcamp.com/album/noble-beast

Noble Beast – Noble Beast
#Metal #PowerMetal #TradMetal #TraditionalHeavyMetal #USPM #Minneapolis
CC BY-NC (#CreativeCommons Attribution Non Commercial) #ccmusic
https://noblebeastofman.bandcamp.com/album/noble-beast

Noble Beast – Noble Beast
#Metal #PowerMetal #TradMetal #TraditionalHeavyMetal #USPM #Minneapolis
CC BY-NC (#CreativeCommons Attribution Non Commercial) #ccmusic
https://noblebeastofman.bandcamp.com/album/noble-beast

Grendel’s Sÿster – Katabasis into the Abaton [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

By Angry Metal Guy

Grendel’s Sÿster’s Katabasis into the Abaton (out August 30th, 2024 from Sur Del Cruz Music [Bandcamp]) caught me off guard. Unlike other members of the Angry Metal Guy staff—such as the venerable, self-aware ape suit they call Druhm who’s just one death away from actually running this show if anything should happen to me—I am not a sucker for just anything that sounds old. Such things do not remind me of my wasted youth, and thus do not earn nostalgia points.1 I was, therefore, thoroughly surprised that, upon listening to Grendel’s Sÿster vicariously through an ill-fated n00b review, I fucking loved it. Billed as “epic metal”—a sound that ranges between “Man do we love Bathory” and, apparently, Grendel’s Sÿster—this German four-piece drops metal that reeks of patchouli and “Atomkraft? Nein, Danke!” to surprising effect. The core of Grendel’s Sÿster’s sound is the combination of fuzzy guitars, bubbly p-bass, and boxy drums into something that will undoubtedly call to mind the ’70s hard rock of your choice: Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy or nostalgia merchants like Gygax. You know the comps; blend guitar-driven rock with folksy vibes and you have Grendel’s Sÿster nailed down (pretty much).

What differentiates Grendel’s Sÿster from other nostalgiacore acts is twofold: first, unusually catchy hooks (“The Plight of the Sorcerer,” both the start-and-stop intro riff and the gorgeous outro or “Rose Arbor” in its classic gallop and simple melody), and second—and more importantly—is vocalist Caro’s unique voice and delivery. Rather than sounding like a classic metal vocalist, Caro’s approach feels like punk. This punky feel results from her unaffected—that is, forceful and clean with no vibrato—delivery, where she sometimes seems like she’s almost barking melodies in a clear Oxford-via-Stuttgart accent in English. Over catchy, short, and energetic songs, Caro gives Grendel’s Sÿster an edge that vocally evokes X-Ray Spex or Elastica and—when mixed with the folky tendencies in songs like the aforementioned “Rose Arbor”—Flogging Molly. Caro navigates folk (“Golden Key [Won’t Fit]”), metalesque vocal choirs (“Night Owl’s Beak”), and something more dour and ominous (“The Fire That Lights Itself”) with aplomb. But she is at her best when giving unexpected attitude over Grand Magus riffs (“Cosmogeny”).

Katabasis into the Abaton taken as a whole combines energetic performances with unique writing—and an old-school, live feel that works for some, but won’t work for others—but that got under my skin almost immediately. Crazily, I’ve been back to this album repeatedly and can’t seem to quit it. Check the Bandcamp and you’ll get both a German and English version. I can’t decide which I like better, but I do like this record a lot but can’t be trusted to write TYMHMs anymore. This is at least a very good record by my reckoning and should appeal to both folk metal dorks and classic rock/metal retrodorks.2 Give Grendel’s Sÿster its due, this is a damned fine debut album.

Tracks to Check Out: ”Cosmogeny,” “The Plight of the Sorcerer,” “The Fire That Lights Itself” – but really, there isn’t a weak track on here.

#2024 #Aug24 #CruzDelSurMusic #Elastica #FloggingMolly #GrandMagus #GrendelSSÿster #Gygax #HeavyMetal #JethroTull #KatabasisIntoTheAbaton #ThinLizzy #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2024 #TradMetal #WishboneAsh #XRaySpex

Grendel’s Sÿster – Katabasis into the Abaton [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

By Angry Metal Guy

Grendel’s Sÿster’s Katabasis into the Abaton (out August 30th, 2024 from Sur Del Cruz Music [Bandcamp]) caught me off guard. Unlike other members of the Angry Metal Guy staff—such as the venerable, self-aware ape suit they call Druhm who’s just one death away from actually running this show if anything should happen to me—I am not a sucker for just anything that sounds old. Such things do not remind me of my wasted youth, and thus do not earn nostalgia points.1 I was, therefore, thoroughly surprised that, upon listening to Grendel’s Sÿster vicariously through an ill-fated n00b review, I fucking loved it. Billed as “epic metal”—a sound that ranges between “Man do we love Bathory” and, apparently, Grendel’s Sÿster—this German four-piece drops metal that reeks of patchouli and “Atomkraft? Nein, Danke!” to surprising effect. The core of Grendel’s Sÿster’s sound is the combination of fuzzy guitars, bubbly p-bass, and boxy drums into something that will undoubtedly call to mind the ’70s hard rock of your choice: Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy or nostalgia merchants like Gygax. You know the comps; blend guitar-driven rock with folksy vibes and you have Grendel’s Sÿster nailed down (pretty much).

What differentiates Grendel’s Sÿster from other nostalgiacore acts is twofold: first, unusually catchy hooks (“The Plight of the Sorcerer,” both the start-and-stop intro riff and the gorgeous outro or “Rose Arbor” in its classic gallop and simple melody), and second—and more importantly—is vocalist Caro’s unique voice and delivery. Rather than sounding like a classic metal vocalist, Caro’s approach feels like punk. This punky feel results from her unaffected—that is, forceful and clean with no vibrato—delivery, where she sometimes seems like she’s almost barking melodies in a clear Oxford-via-Stuttgart accent in English. Over catchy, short, and energetic songs, Caro gives Grendel’s Sÿster an edge that vocally evokes X-Ray Spex or Elastica and—when mixed with the folky tendencies in songs like the aforementioned “Rose Arbor”—Flogging Molly. Caro navigates folk (“Golden Key [Won’t Fit]”), metalesque vocal choirs (“Night Owl’s Beak”), and something more dour and ominous (“The Fire That Lights Itself”) with aplomb. But she is at her best when giving unexpected attitude over Grand Magus riffs (“Cosmogeny”).

Katabasis into the Abaton taken as a whole combines energetic performances with unique writing—and an old-school, live feel that works for some, but won’t work for others—but that got under my skin almost immediately. Crazily, I’ve been back to this album repeatedly and can’t seem to quit it. Check the Bandcamp and you’ll get both a German and English version. I can’t decide which I like better, but I do like this record a lot but can’t be trusted to write TYMHMs anymore. This is at least a very good record by my reckoning and should appeal to both folk metal dorks and classic rock/metal retrodorks.2 Give Grendel’s Sÿster its due, this is a damned fine debut album.

Tracks to Check Out: ”Cosmogeny,” “The Plight of the Sorcerer,” “The Fire That Lights Itself” – but really, there isn’t a weak track on here.

#2024 #Aug24 #CruzDelSurMusic #Elastica #FloggingMolly #GrandMagus #GrendelSSÿster #Gygax #HeavyMetal #JethroTull #KatabasisIntoTheAbaton #ThinLizzy #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2024 #TradMetal #WishboneAsh #XRaySpex

Gary Alcock reviews the new album from HammerFall - Avenge The Fallen, out this week from Nuclear Blast: ow.ly/tNaf50STAwT #review #heavymetal #tradmetal #metal 🤘🤘

Gary Alcock reviews the new album from HammerFall - "Avenge The Fallen," out this week via Nuclear Blast: https://buff.ly/3SFIm5K #review #heavymetal #tradmetal #metal 🤘🤘

Flamekeeper – Flamekeeper Review

By Kenstrosity

Our mischievous promo handlers love to play mind games with us lowly writers, practicing to deceive us by teasing with unexpected genre combinations. Labels and bands do this equally as often. The reasons behind this trend are legion, I’m sure, but in every case it’s a double-edged sword. On one side, it grants us the privilege of discovering killer tunes we might not have otherwise considered. On the other, we occasionally encounter something that fails to deliver on the promise of something novel and unique. Italian/Swedish one-man trad/heavy newcomer Flamekeeper captured me with an alluring combo of power metal, heavy metal, and black metal tags. A genre-bending mind-fuck like that I could never resist, and so I snapped up their self-titled debut LP without hesitation. To my slight dismay, what I thought would be an exciting mashup turned out to be merely a mixed bag.

Believe it or not, we’ve covered Flamekeeper mastermind Marco S. before, under his blackened death metal project Demonomancy. It stands to reason, then, that Marco knows what black metal sounds like, but there is almost no trace of it in Flamekeeper. An occasional dalliance with quicker gallops verifies some measure of power metal heritage as well, but at the core this music is tailor-made for raising swords and pumping chests in the traditional way—think less Morgul Blade and more Manowar. Despite heavily accented vocals, Marco proves himself a competent singer for this style. His smooth, but understated baritone complements the simplistic but highly effective instrumentation behind him. His sense of rhythm—as displayed through his choice of beats, bass guitar work, and vocal cadence—elicits just the right kind of triumphant swagger to give each of these nine tomes respectable motivation. Somewhat predictably, and despite similarities to the music of trad metal legends on the surface, Flamekeeper can’t hold a candle torch to those classics, though it does an admirable job at steel worship nonetheless.

In fact, one of Flamekeeper’s greatest strengths is memorability despite its rather generic nature. Opener “New Wild World,” slightly awkward lyrics and all, emits an irresistible charm that allows it’s chorus to lodge in the grey matter. The unexpected recall to Shocking Blue’s “Venus” in the title track similarly secures its permanent installment in my memory. “Raise the Banner” features some of the album’s strongest percussion, leads, and riffwork, but Marco’s spitfire verse work steals the show instantly with its clarity and accuracy. The album’s true highlight, however, is penultimate track “As One with Light.” Using this opportunity to flex epic metal musculature, Flamekeeper soars in this track with highly effective vocal and guitar leads, thrashy power metal rhythms, and a killer chorus, resulting in an unqualified heavy metal triumph.

Regrettably, Flamekeeper’s approach is far too reserved to make the meteor impact I think Marco intended with this record. Epic metal requires a certain undeniable grandeur and sense of scale to complement traditional metal’s adventurous and eager spirit. Think about bands like Sorcerer and Manilla Road, who each set souls ablaze across the world. This phenomenon is no accident; deliberately gigantic sound, gutsy performances, and a seemingly limitless thirst for battle and victory define the style and inform the standard by which genre standouts earn their names. With Flamekeeper, a distinct lack of all three of these qualities leaves me almost totally unmoved, with the exceptions of “Raise the Banner” and “As One with Light.” These highlights alone awaken the red-blooded warrior that lives in me as it does in all of us, but even then, they don’t make that warrior feel powerful enough to take on whatever the world dares throw my way.

Instead of empowering and enlivening me as a listener, Flamekeeper leaves me terminally starving for more POWERS. While this debut is, for the most part, enjoyable on casual spins, it fails the mission statement of epic, traditional metal. In my mind, a record of this type needs to make me feel absolutely invincible, as a paragon of battle-hardened strength and fierce will. Flamekeeper, on the other hand, feels almost tentative, uncommitted to achieving ultimate victory at all costs. A fine proof of concept for Marco, but nothing greater at this time.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Invictus Productions
Websites: facebook.com/flamekeeperofficial | flamekeeper.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: May 10th, 2024

#25 #2024 #Demonomancy #Flamekeeper #HeavyMetal #InvictusProductions #ManillaRoad #Manowar #May24 #MorgulBlade #Review #Reviews #ShockingBlue #Sorcerer #SwedishMetal #TradMetal #TraditionalMetal

Flamekeeper – Flamekeeper Review

By Kenstrosity

Our mischievous promo handlers love to play mind games with us lowly writers, practicing to deceive us by teasing with unexpected genre combinations. Labels and bands do this equally as often. The reasons behind this trend are legion, I’m sure, but in every case it’s a double-edged sword. On one side, it grants us the privilege of discovering killer tunes we might not have otherwise considered. On the other, we occasionally encounter something that fails to deliver on the promise of something novel and unique. Italian/Swedish one-man trad/heavy newcomer Flamekeeper captured me with an alluring combo of power metal, heavy metal, and black metal tags. A genre-bending mind-fuck like that I could never resist, and so I snapped up their self-titled debut LP without hesitation. To my slight dismay, what I thought would be an exciting mashup turned out to be merely a mixed bag.

Believe it or not, we’ve covered Flamekeeper mastermind Marco S. before, under his blackened death metal project Demonomancy. It stands to reason, then, that Marco knows what black metal sounds like, but there is almost no trace of it in Flamekeeper. An occasional dalliance with quicker gallops verifies some measure of power metal heritage as well, but at the core this music is tailor-made for raising swords and pumping chests in the traditional way—think less Morgul Blade and more Manowar. Despite heavily accented vocals, Marco proves himself a competent singer for this style. His smooth, but understated baritone complements the simplistic but highly effective instrumentation behind him. His sense of rhythm—as displayed through his choice of beats, bass guitar work, and vocal cadence—elicits just the right kind of triumphant swagger to give each of these nine tomes respectable motivation. Somewhat predictably, and despite similarities to the music of trad metal legends on the surface, Flamekeeper can’t hold a candle torch to those classics, though it does an admirable job at steel worship nonetheless.

In fact, one of Flamekeeper’s greatest strengths is memorability despite its rather generic nature. Opener “New Wild World,” slightly awkward lyrics and all, emits an irresistible charm that allows it’s chorus to lodge in the grey matter. The unexpected recall to Shocking Blue’s “Venus” in the title track similarly secures its permanent installment in my memory. “Raise the Banner” features some of the album’s strongest percussion, leads, and riffwork, but Marco’s spitfire verse work steals the show instantly with its clarity and accuracy. The album’s true highlight, however, is penultimate track “As One with Light.” Using this opportunity to flex epic metal musculature, Flamekeeper soars in this track with highly effective vocal and guitar leads, thrashy power metal rhythms, and a killer chorus, resulting in an unqualified heavy metal triumph.

Regrettably, Flamekeeper’s approach is far too reserved to make the meteor impact I think Marco intended with this record. Epic metal requires a certain undeniable grandeur and sense of scale to complement traditional metal’s adventurous and eager spirit. Think about bands like Sorcerer and Manilla Road, who each set souls ablaze across the world. This phenomenon is no accident; deliberately gigantic sound, gutsy performances, and a seemingly limitless thirst for battle and victory define the style and inform the standard by which genre standouts earn their names. With Flamekeeper, a distinct lack of all three of these qualities leaves me almost totally unmoved, with the exceptions of “Raise the Banner” and “As One with Light.” These highlights alone awaken the red-blooded warrior that lives in me as it does in all of us, but even then, they don’t make that warrior feel powerful enough to take on whatever the world dares throw my way.

Instead of empowering and enlivening me as a listener, Flamekeeper leaves me terminally starving for more POWERS. While this debut is, for the most part, enjoyable on casual spins, it fails the mission statement of epic, traditional metal. In my mind, a record of this type needs to make me feel absolutely invincible, as a paragon of battle-hardened strength and fierce will. Flamekeeper, on the other hand, feels almost tentative, uncommitted to achieving ultimate victory at all costs. A fine proof of concept for Marco, but nothing greater at this time.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Invictus Productions
Websites: facebook.com/flamekeeperofficial | flamekeeper.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: May 10th, 2024

#25 #2024 #Demonomancy #Flamekeeper #HeavyMetal #InvictusProductions #ManillaRoad #Manowar #May24 #MorgulBlade #Review #Reviews #ShockingBlue #Sorcerer #SwedishMetal #TradMetal #TraditionalMetal

Triumpher – Storming the Walls [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Kenstrosity

As a sponge, I am not usually picky about what music I absorb. I often find my way to liking anything if it clicks the right boxes. For some reason, though, I’m pickiest about traditional heavy metal, both classic and modern. I rarely like anything that falls under the stock “heavy” umbrella, instead preferring things that are hybridized with other, more extreme fare. Luckily for me, Triumpher are here to help raise my sword to full might with their immense, astoundingly compelling debut Storming the Walls, released in March of this year.

If you want hair on your chest, you want to listen to bands like Greece’s Triumpher. Heeding the same warrior’s call as trad metal legends Manowar, Triumpher use a blackened, Bütchered blade to slay their enemies and conquer lands. A light Gothic touch further endarkens these epic battle anthems to form a fiery record chock full of fist-pumping riffs, unholy Judas Priest-esque vocal acrobatics, blackened tremolos, and dramatic baritone choirs. Most songs take on a marching beat, but the occasional freakout, shred, and blast affords Storming the Walls a greater sense of peril that threatens its audience with summary destruction. These are tunes for the mighty, for those in search of wictory and wengeance!

Opening suite “Journey/Europa Victrix” introduces its audience to Triumpher’s extensive arsenal of steel. Rasping wails give in to a bombastic, blood-boiling war cry that would motivate even the most cowardly peasant to the field of battle. Muscular riffery follows as “The Thunderer” and “Storming the Walls” usher in an exciting assortment of gallops, trem-picked melodies, hooky verse and chorus work, and stomping beats. In Storming the Walls’ midsection, songwriting dynamics reign supreme as highlights “I Wake the Dragon (Promachos)” and “Esoteric Church of Dagon” rip and roar with all of the unchecked fury of an enraged draGONE. Swerving between epic arena fanfare and vicious blackened speed, these songs expand this record’s scope and scale to continental proportions. Numbers like the gothic, yet thrashy “Divus De Mortuus” and the thoroughly doom and black metal-inspired “Epitaphios” carry the album’s immense momentum straight into closer “The Blazing Circle.” Yet another album highlight, this closer holds what might very well be the most memorable send-off for a heavy metal album all year. Its infectious chorus is sure to light a fire in your soul, a fire that calls to that replay button with unfettered lust.

More important than the strength of this album’s individual parts is their sum. While arguably a bit overlong at fifty-three minutes, Storming the Walls takes its heavy metal heritage and elevates its with a unique voice while maintaining a cohesive character throughout the entire runtime. Furthermore, excellent transitions both inside and between songs make this record a joy to spin from front to back in a single sitting. That’s really the best way to experience the album, so intimately tied are its various components.

Triumpher’s concept and musical core stand out amongst a crowd of stock trad worship acts, thanks to remarkably well-conceived writing and disarming execution. Rare is the debut record as compelling as this, but there’s no denying Storming the Walls’ POWERS. If you missed it, remedy your ignorance with haste.

Tracks to Check Out: ”The Thunderer,” “Mediterranean Wrath,” “I Wake the Dragon (Promachos),” “The Blazing Circle”

#2023 #BlackMetal #Bütcher #EpicMetal #HeavyMetal #JudasPriest #Manowar #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #StormingTheWalls #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2023 #TradMetal #TraditionalMetal #Triumpher

Triumpher – Storming the Walls [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Kenstrosity

As a sponge, I am not usually picky about what music I absorb. I often find my way to liking anything if it clicks the right boxes. For some reason, though, I’m pickiest about traditional heavy metal, both classic and modern. I rarely like anything that falls under the stock “heavy” umbrella, instead preferring things that are hybridized with other, more extreme fare. Luckily for me, Triumpher are here to help raise my sword to full might with their immense, astoundingly compelling debut Storming the Walls, released in March of this year.

If you want hair on your chest, you want to listen to bands like Greece’s Triumpher. Heeding the same warrior’s call as trad metal legends Manowar, Triumpher use a blackened, Bütchered blade to slay their enemies and conquer lands. A light Gothic touch further endarkens these epic battle anthems to form a fiery record chock full of fist-pumping riffs, unholy Judas Priest-esque vocal acrobatics, blackened tremolos, and dramatic baritone choirs. Most songs take on a marching beat, but the occasional freakout, shred, and blast affords Storming the Walls a greater sense of peril that threatens its audience with summary destruction. These are tunes for the mighty, for those in search of wictory and wengeance!

Opening suite “Journey/Europa Victrix” introduces its audience to Triumpher’s extensive arsenal of steel. Rasping wails give in to a bombastic, blood-boiling war cry that would motivate even the most cowardly peasant to the field of battle. Muscular riffery follows as “The Thunderer” and “Storming the Walls” usher in an exciting assortment of gallops, trem-picked melodies, hooky verse and chorus work, and stomping beats. In Storming the Walls’ midsection, songwriting dynamics reign supreme as highlights “I Wake the Dragon (Promachos)” and “Esoteric Church of Dagon” rip and roar with all of the unchecked fury of an enraged draGONE. Swerving between epic arena fanfare and vicious blackened speed, these songs expand this record’s scope and scale to continental proportions. Numbers like the gothic, yet thrashy “Divus De Mortuus” and the thoroughly doom and black metal-inspired “Epitaphios” carry the album’s immense momentum straight into closer “The Blazing Circle.” Yet another album highlight, this closer holds what might very well be the most memorable send-off for a heavy metal album all year. Its infectious chorus is sure to light a fire in your soul, a fire that calls to that replay button with unfettered lust.

More important than the strength of this album’s individual parts is their sum. While arguably a bit overlong at fifty-three minutes, Storming the Walls takes its heavy metal heritage and elevates its with a unique voice while maintaining a cohesive character throughout the entire runtime. Furthermore, excellent transitions both inside and between songs make this record a joy to spin from front to back in a single sitting. That’s really the best way to experience the album, so intimately tied are its various components.

Triumpher’s concept and musical core stand out amongst a crowd of stock trad worship acts, thanks to remarkably well-conceived writing and disarming execution. Rare is the debut record as compelling as this, but there’s no denying Storming the Walls’ POWERS. If you missed it, remedy your ignorance with haste.

Tracks to Check Out: ”The Thunderer,” “Mediterranean Wrath,” “I Wake the Dragon (Promachos),” “The Blazing Circle”

#2023 #BlackMetal #Bütcher #EpicMetal #HeavyMetal #JudasPriest #Manowar #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #StormingTheWalls #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2023 #TradMetal #TraditionalMetal #Triumpher

Day 14

12th on my top 25 albums list is Dreamkiller by Sumerlands

Nobody is more surprised than me to find a trad metal album so high on my end of the year list. However, the ridiculously catchy riffs and sweeping orchestral soundscape had me hooked from the first listen.

#AdamsAlbumAdvent #AOTY #AOTYAdvent #tradmetal #heavymetal