AVALON Astral Claw EP High Roller (2026) Rating: 5/10 Obviously these German rockers didn’t check to see if any other bands, past or present, had the same moniker. I found at least ten other bands called Avalon, but this clan has certainly done its best to suggest they’ve been around a lot longer than 2019. […]
ZEPTER Zepter High Roller (2026) Rating: 8/10 Here’s another band channelling a traditional metal aesthetic and actually succeeding. I’m often commenting on how the metal genre is getting clogged with throwback sound-alike’s, bands aping the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal vibe in look and groove, but so many just look contrived. Zepter, meanwhile, are […]
LEATHERHEAD Violent Horror Stories No Remorse (2026) Rating: 8/10 Probably not named after a town situated within the English county of Surrey, this Leatherhead is a Greek metal act that’s been on the scene for just a few years. Formed in 2022, Leatherhead released their self-titled debut album in 2024 and now returns with this […]
WORM Necropalace Century Media (2026) Rating: 9/10 The ever evolving Worm has shifted from its blackened death-doom style to a 90s second wave of black metal worship with this, the North American band’s fourth full-length trip. With cover art that nods towards Necromantia’s 1993 classic, Crossing The Fiery Path, Worm circa 2026 takes inspiration from […]
GREYHAWK Warriors Of Greyhawk Cruz Del Sur Music (2026) Rating: 8.5/10 The cover art of this album takes me back to the glorious 80s when, as a young metalhead, I became obsessed with J.R.R. Tolkien and all things pertaining to goblins, elves, orcs and wizards. In the heavy metal domain such subjects remain predominant as […]
MAYHEM Liturgy Of Death Century Media (2026) Rating: 8.5/10 To fully understand and appreciate the truly mesmeric quality of the legendary Mayhem one must ignore the cold mists of their past. While the Norwegian band’s classic 1994 opus De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas remains embedded in folklore, the Mayhem of today, and the last few decades, […]
TAILGUNNER Midnight Blitz Napalm (2026) Rating: 6.5/10 UK metalheads Tailgunner have been somewhat underwhelming when it comes to their releases. Debut 2022 EP Crashdive garnered a cult following, but in my opinion it did little outside of its bar room brawn. Admittedly, the combo upped their game slightly for 2023 full-length Guns For Hire, but […]
MÄDÄTYS Kuoleman Ulottuvuudet Iron Corpse / Caligari (2026) Rating: 8/10 Vying for space among Finland’s unearthly death metal hordes is Mädätys, a foursome which formed in 2021 out of Oulu. The mob merges death n’ doom, the result being eight tracks which spiral into the cavernous regions of old Incantation. From fast cold blasts of […]
WICKED SMILE When Night Falls No Dust (2026) Rating: 8.5/10 When Night Falls is the second full-length platter from Melbourne, Australia-based combo Wicked Smile. Lead by vocalist Danny Cecati, the line-up also features the tag team axe attack of Stevie Janevski and Dave Graham, while bass duties are carried out by Tom Nugara and percussion […]
