Defiant RAM stand with pure heavy metal running through their veins on new album Against

Fuck the trends and sub-genres, is it heavy metal is the real question? And, from Sweden there is proof that there is pure heavy metal alive and well, without the pretence.

RAM set out to prove they play the sort of heavy metal those of a certain age regard as the golden age on new album AGAINST. But any age should immerse themselves in this album,

Look, there those who look down their gatekeeper noses at this type of straight forward heavy metal: well they fuck off and cry into their Sleep Token pyjamas.

It may have taken seven years after the iffy The Throne Within but the extended hiatus seems to have re-focussed RAM; the press release accompanying the album explains some of the new guitar set-up and studio, but it is enough to say they sound great.

Riffs and solos stand proud and only once or twice do they overwhelm, the rest of the time, such as on the speedy 'Abattoir' they pick their way through the song structure with aplomb.

What is most impressive across the album is the cohesion in the writing: if there is a statement to be had about how good this is it is on Rising Again'. It is the sort of song that would have had mid-80s record execs creaming their soiled pants with their corporate cum.

That is not to say that any part of this album is dated. Rather this RAM wearing their influences on their sleeves, and putting their own fresh spin.

Against is an album that lyrically delivers defiance. They are a heavy metal band and that is it. The title track is a stand despite what they say is 'overwhelming opposition',  The Orwellian inspired '1984' is a modern take on the classic with Oscar Carlquist stating that the dystopia is reality right now.

In spite of the serious themes Against is an enjoyable album, maybe because it harks back to an era when you could merge serious words and a narrative.

So, while there are those who will dismiss RAM as throwbacks, they are missing the point. On Against they have stuck a middle finger up to those listening to the streams for one 'fashionable' songs, yeah go listen to Ghost and talk about how they are so edgy. About as an edgy as a butter knife while RAM stand with their metal switchblade ready to cut through the crap.

RAM are Rising Again.

Against is out on Metal Blade Records now.

Graveyard return to their rock roots on new album Fever

Sometimes you need to go back to your roots to discover who and what you are, and the same holds true bands. After three years Graveyard seem to have thrown off the hooks left in their flesh after Six with new purpose on latest release 'Fever'.

This is an album steeped in what earned the Swedish band their reputation, but it is no measure trading on the past, with an intense fresh perspective on songs saturated with riffs and melodies.

A dozen tracks to make sure that the Gothenburg band can assert themselves as relevant. And, to provide pure listening pleasure; sometimes we forget that playing and listening aer meant to be enjoyable.

From  'A Better Cut (Note to Self)' provision of melodies and singalongs, through to the mournful 'Dead Note' Graveyard have proven that the fire that ignited them 20 years ago still lives in their belly. Maybe they just needed to remind themselves.

That is evident from the band's statement accompanying the release."Even with the teeth of hopelessness snapping at our asses and all the smoke and mirrors of our time telling us we got no future. Come what may."

Fever displays influences writ large from Sabbath, the blues, and the need to get down  to pure hard rock.

There are some albums that grow on you, and Graveyard have delivered their seventh album that has the ability to generate songs that catch you and on subsequent listens reveal more treats.

Fever is released on Nuclear Blast on October 9th.

AWAP challenge again riding the Clown Carousel

 For those not in know AWAP stands for Ant-Walking Alligator People, a term and its abbreviation given to those that survived the atomic bombs that dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 with horrible deformities and cancers.

So, if you are a band with a political stance that veers towards a political stance that is anti-war, and shines a light on social injustice then the band's name it is a statement in itself, a statement writ large on their latest EP, Clown Carousel.

Three tracks crammed with punk, thrashy riffs that is redolent of the time when Crass and the likes burst into the mainstream consciousness by annoying the record executives by being an underground movement they couldn't control.

That's not to say AWAP will have the same impact, but the East Anglian five piece set their stall out here as one you can puck the fares of anarchy and invective from.

'Panikos' is the insistent in-your-face no frills opener, and that insistent, tight instrumentation that continues on 'Cargo' as vocalist Matt Mason asks 'Can you see me, can you hear me' over a cacophonous charge.

Tittle track 'Clown Carousel' takes the punk energy, bundles into a tight post-metal ball and hurls it at the listener, with a challenge to learn from the mess of the world's so-called leaders: 'who the fuck are they to know',

It is the track that sets AWAP ahead of many in what is a crowded space. The energy and almost frantic pace of Panikos and Cargo are harnessed to produce a track that has precision and fury.

Clown Carousel is released, independently on October 9th.

Trivium release new song/video Dead Inside Of Me ahead of spring tour with In Flames

 Those chipper chappies Trivium today (September 16) released a new track from their  forthcoming album, Dead Inside of Me. And quite a wee cracker it is.

Come April they'll be whizzing round the U.K. as well as an Dublin date as well as a clatter of European dates with In Flames, Paleface Swiss and Vola. No doubt more tracks will be released before the tour. But for now Dead Inside of Me shall have to suffice. It is available on the usual streaming platforms, butt if you can't be bothered to search fr the video, scroll down to the bottom of the post.

Meanwhile here is some of the blurb about the track and song...
Today, the band shares the official video, directed by Pavel Trebukhin. It's a creepy journey into the darkest depths to which the human psyche can plummet.

"'Dead Inside Of Me' was a song that came together at the end of a long day of writing new music last summer. It started with a riff I'd had kicking around for five or six years called 'Slam,' looping over a simple groove," explains Gregoletto. "A lot of the most fun song ideas come from blending two contrasting ideas together. Take a death metal riff and play it like a stadium rock song.

"Let the screaming and singing weave together until they feel like one voice. Being able to explain the idea that simply as the song was coming together helped keep us laser-focused and on track to see the vision through to the end."

He finishes, "The song was loosely inspired by the Japanese concept of honne and tatemae — the tension between your true inner feelings and the mask you present to the outside world to hide them."

Tickets are available for all dates can be bought here:

Mon 29th Mar - IE - DUBLIN 3Arena *

Wed 31st Mar - UK - GLASGOW The OVO Hydro *
Fri 2nd Apr - UK - MANCHESTER Co-op Live *
Sat 3rd Apr - UK - LONDON Alexandra Palace *
Sun 4th Apr - UK - CARDIFF Utilita Arena Cardiff *

Anthrax release pent up fury on Cursum Perficio - a defining album for the NYC thrashers

It is 25 years since Anthrax returned to form, surprising the doubters, with Worship Music. That was on September 11, 2011. On September 18, 2026 they will release Cursum Perficio. And, again the doubters of the band's place in the pantheon of thrash greats will be forced to shut up.

Of course, there will be always those who criticise anything via social media but they can fuck right off and let the rest of us revel in the 54 minutes of metal excellence.

It could also be said that it is a step up from 2016's For All Kings. It has more edge, and more aggressive feel.

The lead singles 'It's For The Kids' and 'The Edge of Perfection' will already be familiar t many, but it is worth noting that they represent a neat summary. Bracketing the album (leaving aside the short instrumental into( they showcase where Anthrax are in 2026. It's For the Kids is a furious four-minute thrasher with quarter notes tight riffs and drumming that veers between speed and off beats to create tension.

Edge of Perfection has elements that would not feel out of place on Worship Music, with contemplative elements and a melodic intensity liberally applied to emphasise the reflective lyrics.

Created in the wake of the pandemic, this is a collection of songs that feel like four friends found their feel for what they enjoy. 'NYC 93' recalls early Anthrax but with 2026 aggro added in.

Produced by Jy Ruston and the band the overall sound is well balanced, bright but with enough bottom end to make sure rumble reverberates.

We all know that Anthrax can do the business, but the stable footing of that playing comes with a sense of the five-piece finding the illusive equilibrium of flair and precision. But most of all there is a sense of enjoyment captured in the furious playing.

Cursum Perficio is one of those rare beasts in modern music, an album that deserves a full play each time, rather than picking one or two songs to stick onto your streaming playlist. Whether it be 'T.O.M.B. Everybody's Got A Plan' or 'The Long Goodbye' they stand as great songs, but the entire album has a flow. 

The sense or urgency was reflected by Scott Ian when he said: "We were supposed to make this in 2020, but the universe had other plans for everyone. After the Pandemic, we got to be a band again. When we started working on the record, we were just happy to be in a room together. It was so exciting that it was like being reborn in a way. All of that energy and emotion went into the music. The fear of being forced out of our lives and the joy of coming back together are present."

The official blurb for the album claims this is Anthrax's Magnum Opus, which is perhaps a little unfair on their back catalogue's achievements, but this is a band that knows that where it not for the 

foundations set, they could not be where Cursum Percficio stands today.

With that said it comes with a slight fear that this a closing chapter. The title track's refrain that 'the journey's over', and the translation of Obscurum Perficio is 'I accomplish the course'.

Charlie Benante said: “When I found out what the phrase meant, it immediately clicked with me. We aren’t saying this is our last record, but our journey has come to an end. I believe we’ve completed the task."

After 45 years in the business no-one could begrudge them hanging up their spurs, however that statement about completing the task.

Whether it is the end or not Obscurum Perficio is a landmark for the band, 54 minutes worthy of revelling in and rejoicing in its power.

Obscurum Perficio is available now on Nuclear Blast in the UK, and Megaforce in the USA.

The Crawling prepare to release two-track EP What We Leave Behind

 There has been an abundance of cheeriness with the sunshine and general enjoyment of summer. Even the farmers and happily looking forward to late summer showers.

But fear not, coming along to bring a dose of misery and negativity The Crawling have a new two-track EP, What We Leave Behind to bring contemplation of the malignancy of memory...

Now back in the far distant land of browsing record shop shelves a two-track was referred to as a single with an A and a B side. An EP was generally something with a really long song, or a third track. Maybe we are just old, and after all no-one gives a shit about the past so we'll let that slide (after having mentioned it).

Anyway, come October 2nd The Crawling will bring their non-cheery excellence to make sure autumnal nights are dismal and dreary, devoid of delight.

Below you'll find links to pre-order, and the trailer video, because that is the sort of caring site we run. Without further ado here is what the official blurb is from The Crawling:

"Northern Irish death/doom trio The Crawling return with What We Leave Behind, a two-track EP examining nostalgia, regret and the damage caused by living in the past.

"Built around the central idea that “Nostalgia is not a memory; it is a malignancy,” the release explores the point where reflection becomes fixation and the past begins to consume the present.

Opening track “A Song to Nurse the Sickness” examines the deliberate preservation of old wounds - the repeated return to memories, choices and experiences that should have been allowed to settle.

“Bound to the Negative [Requiem]” is a complete acoustic reconstruction of the track originally released on 2023’s All of This for Nothing. Its form has been entirely reshaped, while its meaning and outcome remain unchanged, reflecting the way memory repeatedly reworks the past without altering what actually happened.

“The EP is an acknowledgement that the past is behind us. We spend too long lamenting what has been, rather than being mindful of the present and the joy it can bring. Then, when we finally realise time has slipped away, we begin mourning that as well. The constant mourning of time is a sickness.”
– Andy Clarke (vocals/guitar).

The EP follows 2023’s All of This for Nothing and 2026 live release Live in Belfast MMXXIV. Across a decade of live activity, The Crawling have appeared at Bloodstock Open Air, Inferno Metal Festival, Incineration Festival, MetalDays and Siege of Limerick, and have shared stages with Carcass, Winterfylleth, Gaerea, High Parasite and others.

What We Leave Behind arrives 2 October 2026 through Grindscene Records on digital, CD and limited cassette.

Pre-orders are live now via Bandcamp, alongside new T-shirts, longsleeves, sew-on patches and limited Collector Editions."

Hard rocking weaving its way to Ballymena creatives festival

 Whether you are a fan of rock, metal, or even ska punk an eight-hour celebration of creativity is taking place on Ballymena on August 15th.

Among featured acts are Black River Myth, Consolers, Somehow Sentient. and Ragewolf.

Enough waffle below is the press release from the Woven Music and Arts Festival.

A new grassroots festival celebrating live music, visual art and independent creativity is coming to Ballymena on Saturday, 15 August, as Braid Rhythm Sessions launches the inaugural Woven Music & Arts Festival.

Taking place from 2pm to 11pm at the BT Club, Church Street Arcade, the festival has been created to showcase the wealth of creative talent in Ballymena while also welcoming musicians and artists from across Northern Ireland for a day of music, art and collaboration.

Behind the festival is Braid Rhythm Sessions, a collective brought together by a shared passion for live music, creativity and community. Made up of musicians, music lovers and event organisers, the group was founded on the belief that independent artists deserve more opportunities to perform, collaborate and reach new audiences.

Through live events and creative projects, Braid Rhythm Sessions has grown into a community dedicated to championing grassroots talent and supporting the people behind it.

The launch of the Woven Music & Arts Festival marks the collective's most ambitious project to date. More than simply a music festival, Woven has been designed as a celebration of creativity in all its forms, bringing together musicians, artists and audiences in one welcoming space.

Inspired by Ballymena's proud textile heritage, the festival takes its name from the idea of weaving together different creative threads. Just as individual strands combine to create something stronger, Woven aims to bring together music, art and community, celebrating the creativity that continues to shape Ballymena today.

Visitors can look forward to a full day of live music, headlined by Airies Air, with performances from Consolers, Black River Myth, Muted Tweed, Arc Dakota, Rage Wolf, Deadly Sons and Musicians Collective, alongside many more artists representing a broad range of musical styles.

While many of the performers are based in Ballymena, the festival also welcomes musicians from across Northern Ireland, creating a line-up that reflects the strength and diversity of the region's independent music scene. Woven has been carefully curated to encourage people not only to enjoy great live music but also to discover new artists, experience different forms of creativity and connect with the people behind the work.

Anthony from Braid Rhythm Sessions said:

"Woven has grown from a shared belief that Ballymena is home to an incredible amount of creative talent.

We wanted to create a festival that celebrates the musicians, artists and creative people who make our town such a vibrant place.

"It's about much more than live music. It's about bringing people together, creating opportunities for artists to be seen and heard, and giving audiences the chance to discover something new. We're proud that so many Ballymena artists are part of the line-up, while also welcoming musicians from across Northern Ireland.

"We hope people leave having discovered a new favourite band, met local artists and, above all, feeling proud of the creativity that exists right here in Ballymena."

At its heart, Woven is about community. Braid Rhythm Sessions believes thriving creative communities are built by giving people opportunities to perform, exhibit, collaborate and support one another. By bringing together established artists, emerging performers and local audiences, the collective hopes to play a part in strengthening Ballymena's growing cultural scene.

Whether visitors come to support friends and family, discover a new favourite band, browse original artwork or simply enjoy a great day out, Woven has been designed as a welcoming festival where everyone can experience the very best of grassroots creativity in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Although this is the inaugural Woven Music & Arts Festival, Braid Rhythm Sessions hopes it will become an annual celebration that continues to grow while remaining true to its grassroots ethos of supporting independent artists and creators.

The Woven Music & Arts Festival takes place on Saturday, 15 August, from 2pm to 11pm, at the BT Club, Church Street Arcade, Ballymena.

Physical tickets are available from the BT Club, while digital tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.

Anthrax ramp up new album anticipation with release of Edge of Perfection

 It has been talked about, the social media posts have been coming  thick and fast about it and now with a firm release date for Cursum Perfectio Anthrax have released, a new single 'Edge of Perfection' and accompanying video.

And for those of us of a certain age it once again confirms the East Coast thrashers as the torch bearer of intelligent metal that leaves all stomp, stomp, stomping.

Below is the official press release from Nuclear Blast, with the video at bottom of the post. You can also listen on all major streaming platforms.

And 10 years of a wait since the release of For All Kings, the translation of the album title better not be a swan song for the band.

ANTHRAX have released 'The Edge Of Perfection', the second single from their long-awaited 12th full-length studio album Cursum Perficio out September 18 via via Nuclear Blast Records and Megaforce Records (North America).

The new single is highlighted by clean guitar echoes and cymbals that gently shake until a blastbeat blows open the doors. Guitars buzz like a motorboat on the River Styx, making waves through the darkness. In their wake, a crushing rhythm trails the melody of lead singer Joey Belladonna’s lament, “My heart breaks…I’m on the edge…I’m on the edge of perfection.” 

For the video, the multi-GRAMMY® Award-nominated New York hard rock titans - Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie Benante (drums), Frank Bello (bass), Joey Belladonna (vocals), and Jonathan Donais (guitar) - teamed up with director and Academy Award-winner Joel Harlow (Star Trek and Alice in Wonderland) to create a spectacular cinematic experience that takes the hero from a dream into an evening of magic where he encounters underworld evil, interspersed with live performance footage. The clip includes appearances from martial artist Wes Scarpias, actress Ashley Edner-Tancharoen, actor Troy James, actor and Academy-Award winning make-up and special effects creator Rick Baker, actor Rod Maxwell and actor Fedor Steer. 

“It’s the apex predator of Anthrax songs,” grins Ian. “I think it’s the best song we’ve ever written and the best thing I’ve ever been a part of creatively. What’s the most powerful emotion that moves me more than anything? Of course, it’s love. Nothing moves me like the deep feeling that I get from my wife and son. I’m living on that edge for the rest of my life. This is mine, but there are a lot of ways to ruin it. I’ve ruined it in past iterations of my life, but it got me to where I am. Love is perfection, and I like being on the edge of it. I don’t want everything to be about all of the same shit. This record has a whole bunch of love, a whole bunch of fun, and a little hate.” 

Cursum Perficio marks the band’s first record in ten years since 2016’s For All Kings, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The phrase Cursum Perficio is Latin for “My journey has come to an end,” “My journey is over,” or “I complete my journey.” It proves apropos for such a complete body of work.  

The band dove into recording Cursum Perficio in earnest during 2022, working out of Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles. They carefully pieced together what would be this magnum opus, mining their history with reverence, delivering on fan expectations tenfold, and broadening the scope of their signature sound. Produced by Jay Ruston and ANTHRAX, the result is an album that’s as angry, aggressive, and alive as their most celebrated fare. 

The album is available to pre-order in a variety of formats.

 

 

Maverick return with new single and new line-up

 Northern Ireland hard rockers Maverick have released a new single and unveiled a new line up to return with their first new release in more than two years.

‘We Can Rise’ is put now on Metalapolis Reords, and is on all major music streaming platforms and Youtube.

Long-standing stalwarts of the Northern Ireland hard rock scene, the single is the first release from a re-jigged line-up. Former Crazy Lixx drummer Joél Cirera is now part of the Maverick family. The previous drummer Mike Ross has taken up bass duties.

After five albums and an EP this is the first time Maverick have collaborated with external songwriters. Crazy Lixx’s guitarist Chrissie Olsson and renowned Australian songwriter Darren Phillips.

The result bears all the trademark Maverick elements of hooks, riffs and a chorus that will have fans singing along with.

In the words of their label We Can Rise is ‘Blending the reckless spirit of their early days…his is a bold new chapter without forgetting where it all began’.

Released with an accompanying video it is certain to add to the 400,000 streams the band has accumulated on top of their album sales.

Singer David Balfour, commenting on Facebook, said it was a huge milestone for the band.

“We have returned after almost three years with a brand new song,” he explained. “The lyrics are meaningful for us in the band on many levels, but the most important thing for me personally was being trusted by the awesome Chrissie Olsson and Darren Phillips to ‘Maverick-ize’ their great song and also to be able to have my wonderful and ridiculously talented fiancé Sara work with me on the song…

“This song is for everyone who has ever listened to us, shared our music and stood by us through all of these years and tears.”

Listen to We Can Rise through this smart link.

Indominus release Black Lake video ahead of Celestial Sanctuary support slot

Those cuddly metal fiends, Indominus, have released a video to accompany their single 'Black Lake' just weeks ahead of a support slot for Celestial Sanctuary.

Matching the intensity of the single (review here) the video echoes the sentiment of the song, featuring black and white images of both the band and a turbulent sea, pummelling shore. 

The timing is fortuitous, given the forthcoming show, enabling gig-goers to familiarise themselves. (Full video below.

The Celestial Sanctuary show is at the Voodoo on Thursday, August 6th, with Insidious Void. Now that is a crushing show.

 

Evergrey new single from forthcoming album ahead of November Belfast date.

Sweden's Evergrey new single has been released ahead of the new album and a November Belfast date.

'A Burning Flame', featuring Michael Stanne, is from Architects of the New Weave, which will be released on June 5th.

The band play the Belfast's Limelight 2 on November 11th, with tickets on sale (link below)

Napalm Records release, (video (below) details the story of the new single.

Swedish progressive metal masterminds Evergrey release the final glimpse of their new album, Architects Of A New Weave, out 5th June, 2026 via Napalm Records. 

The new single 'A Burning Flame', where frontman Tom S. Englund is joined by fellow Gothenburg icon Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect, Grand Cadaver, Cemetery Skyline) in vocal duties; the voices of the two scene legends intertwine compellingly, building a new yet comfortingly recognisable Evergrey sound. 

Tom S. Englund said about the new single: “We’re truly excited to release our new single, ‘A Burning Flame,’ featuring our friend and respected colleague Mikael Stanne. It’s an absolute honour to have him lend his voice to an Evergrey song.

"For us, this is the heart and soul of being a musician - building meaningful connections that reach new hearts through music. Every guest we’ve welcomed over the years has expanded our universe in the most beautiful ways, opening the door to new listeners and deepening the journey we all share.

"It’s a privilege we never take lightly. 'A Burning Flame' is a powerful, catchy duet shaped by genuine mutual inspiration.

"Mikael and I let each other’s melodies guide the next lines, allowing the song to grow into a seamless, ever-flowing river of emotion. To me, it feels like a dark yet profoundly beautiful conversation - raw, honest, and full of life.”

Pre-order Architects Of A New Weave here.

Tickets for the Belfast show are available here.

Iron Heart return to usher us into their wonderful world of madness

 By Jonathan Traynor

Have guitar, will riff, and worth the wait.

Iron Heart may have taken 11 years to release a new album but 2026 sees them follow up Revolution Calls with Welcome to the Madness.

And, for fans it has been worth the wait, 10 tracks that take everything you enjoyed about classic metal, modern metal then hits the refresh button to explode in your face.

There are more hooks in guitar and vocals, than a party of Cenobites ripping flesh.

Take, for example, ‘Never Kill the Soul’, or ‘Satan’ that elusive ability to write riffs than you can hum along to. Satan, in particular, takes the pace down allowing listeners to chant along that “Satan was an angel”.

However, what makes this collection more enjoyable than most is the sheer exuberance in all aspects of the songs. Even while dealing with deep lyrical themes there is a joy to be found in the totality of the packaging.

The production and mix bind the album in a fresh, bright sound that shouldn’t work in metal but does, enabling listeners to pick each element. ‘We Are Legends’ has that and has more than a nod to Stormzone. But then again Shawn has worked with that band and Harv...

This not a criticism,  just an observation that Northern Ireland is blessed with metal talent, thus there will be some crossover…new genre, Norn Iron metal excellence.

In honour of Welcome to the Madness there is a need to seek out this album on whichever digital platform you use, connect it to the loudest speaker you have, brace your neck, adopt your best air guitar pose, click play and accept the invitation to enter the madness, a madness that is glorious.

 

For no apparent reason here is a classic Evil Scarecrow song

 Anyone with a titter of wit enjoys Evil Scarecrow, even just for the giggles.

As we look forward to Bloodstock 2026 here is a classic piece of Scarecrow madness.

It's n place for a monk...

Exodus, Tailgunner new songs

After a while one get fed up with the clatter of crap clogging up your inbox. Desperate PR companies (and I worked in PR....)  The plagues of hyperbole...

And then in the burgeoning inbox pops a couple of songs that hit you, just right.... So below, are the Tailgunner song and video, and the new Exodus track. Buckle in...

And then there is Exodus...banned from Youtube for their video

EXODUS on '3111': "We decided to go hard with the leadoff single, ‘3111’. The song is about the narco killings in Juarez, and ‘3111’ is the estimated number of murders for 2010 alone."
 

see them below:

Behemoth release video for Nomen Barbarvm from The Shit Ov God

 Well everyone’s cuddly little black metallers, Behemoth have a new video out for ‘Nomen Barbarvm’ and its not too bad at all. No wonder they’re touring most parts of the world given the budget on this must equate to thousands of t-shirts alone. Still, it’s pretty entertaining.

Press release below with video at the end. And dear Mr Nergal, when will you release more Me And That Man songs?

Polish extreme metal pioneers BEHEMOTH have unleashed a visually captivating and fiercely thematic music video for their track ‘Nomen Barbarvm,’ a standout song from their critically acclaimed latest album, "The Shit Ov God".

The apocalyptic video, directed by Dariusz Szermanowiczr, features deeply symbolic visuals, including references to occult traditions and a deliberate subversion of religious iconography, consistent with BEHEMOTH's artistic mission. Expect high-level cinematic quality, utilising dramatic lighting, elaborate costumes, and special effects to create a dark, epic narrative

BEHEMOTH have several upcoming tours and festival shows in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, starting in early February. UK fans can catch their visually captivating set at Download Festival in June.

Nergal commented:

"“I create as I speak.” Isn’t that, in essence, Crowley’s “Do what thou wilt”- just cast in slightly different words? This idea became the lyrical leitmotif of 'Nomen Barbarvm', arguably one of the most melodic, yet also deeply groove-driven tracks Behemoth have ever committed to tape.

“In just a moment, we’ll be putting it to the test live on our upcoming tour. What you’re about to see is a music video we’re immensely proud of, created in collaboration with Group 13. But you already know what that combination means- uncompromising quality and a message in artistic vision that doesn’t compromise!"

Heavy darkness oozes from every pore of Survivalist on A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone

 Something mature and meaningful emerges

By Jonathan Traynor

…”every track feeds into a wider narrative of disconnection and the quiet, often painful process of learning how to survive in an increasingly isolating world.” Those are the words from the press release accompanying Survivalist release of A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone.

Such words in press release can usually be dismissed as hyperbole, any exaggeration deployed to attract the attention of bored writers scanning their inboxes. Not this time. That line hits the proverbial nail on the head, nearly with as much heft as the music.

Not that it is one dimensional. Indeed their own classification of their genre as ‘groovecore’, some for of a mix of deathcore, metalcore and hardcore does not really do this justice. Simply this is heavy, really fucking heavy.

But not one dimensional. For all the brutality there are moments that offer a glimpse at musical subtlety. Take, for example the keyboard outro of ‘Rot (Redux) and the following track ‘I, Tyrant’. The outro primes the ears for the buried melodies.

And, the concluding song, ‘How Do I Stop Thinking About Death’ is a plaintive cry, echoing some of the elements of Whitechapel’s Kin album. And that is not a criticism,

Fearless use of samples and other-worldy textures means the heavier dominance of the album is never just a random crush.

As a statement A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone – the song and the album in totalis a stomp to cement their place. Fierce and unswerving confrontation of tough subjects, whether they be mental health, loneliness and the loads of living life in an uncaring world.

Each song offers catharsis amidst the fury. Deathbed, featuring Alex Koehler, exemplifies the approach. Less a punch in the face, more a firm hand gripping you and saying ‘Yes, you are not alone’.

Musically, the low-end rumbles with an intense sense of menace as Rhys (drums) and Lee (bass) pound out odes of ominous heaviness, added to by Nick’s guitar riffing as if the sheer existence of life is under threat.

Like most harsh vocalists sometimes it takes a couple of listens to grasp the meaning, but as demonstrated throughout he can turn his voice to melody and clean singing, such as on Weaponised God Complex.

However, it might take some time to hold on to the rap and samples of Speak Up Louder. There is nothing wrong with it per se, just it sticks out a little.

That said it is a minor gripe on an otherwise glorious extreme metal album. Dump all the core this and core that, cast labels aside and wrap you ears around Surivalist’s growing into a meaningful, mature Belfast band. And, heed their message, you are not alone.

A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone, today, Friday, January 30 via Seek & Strike Records.