HEXVESSELIron Marsh EP Svart (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 For those of you who’ve danced a merry jig around the esoteric fires of UK female-fronted Purson and the likes, then I’ve no doubt you’ll find something to savour with Hexvessel. Often described as Finnish folk-injected music, Hexvessel are in fact fronted by Englishman Mat McNerney, who also likes […]
VOODOO SIXSongs To Invade Countries To Spinefarm (2013)Rating: 6.5/10 Considering these guys were given the main support slot for Iron Maiden’s Maiden England 2013 European tour, I expected something far more exciting. Voodoo Six are a London-based British rock act who have released a couple of albums (2008’s First Hit For Free and 2010’s Fluke?), […]
ACOLYTEAlta Mordgrimm (2013)Rating: 7/10 Manchester, England’s Acolyte return with their debut full-length, Alta, after a successful run with their debut EP, Leng, released in 2011. The band were raised on thought-provoking metal acts such as Blut Aus Nord and Virus (Norway) and it shows, particularly in their guitar work and their atmospheric, non-operatic, approach to […]
DELAIN – Smalltown People Anthony Morgan May 2013 Charlotte Wessels Dutch symphonic metal act Delain issued its initial trio of full-lengths via Roadrunner Records, the albums in question being Lucidity (September 2006), April Rain (March 2009), and We Are The Others (June 2012), the latter’s release overseen by Roadrunner in select territories only. Warner Music […]
MY DYING BRIDEThe Manuscript EP Peaceville (2013)Rating: 9/10 After 2012’s oaken A Map Of All Our Failures Yorkshire’s finest doom mongers return to the fray with another staggeringly sombre EP that, like 2011’s The Barghest O’ Whitby EP, drags the listener into its squalid pit of sorrow. The Manuscript features four elegantly morose numbers, starting […]
PROCESSIONTo Reap Heavens Apart High Roller (2013)Rating: 8/10 Not to be confused with the German death metal act, this Procession actually began life in Chile but later relocated to Sweden, and like almost every other doom metal act on the planet have followed in the footsteps of Black Sabbath with their oaken sound. Interestingly however, […]
CEREKLOTHIn The Midst Of Life We Are In Death Hells Headbangers (2013)Rating: 8/10 I’ve never really known what a Danish death metal band sounds like? Sorry if I’m naïve here, but one can usually tell whether a band is from Sweden, or a certain part of the United States etc, but Cerekloth are a new […]
DELAINInterlude Napalm (2013)Rating: 8.5/10 Dutch symphonic metal band Delain were formed in 2002 by former Within Temptation keyboardist Martijn Westerholt and ex-To Elysium vocalist Charlotte Wessels. Interlude is an album for the fans that compiles new mixes, covers, live versions, and two new tracks that will not only satisfy those waiting for a new album, […]
