Author: UberAdmin

KMFDM – ‘Paradise’ (Metropolis Records)

KMFDM – ‘Paradise’ (Metropolis Records)

Posted by | Oct 9, 2019 |

Twenty-one albums into a 35-year career, its safe to say you more or less know exactly what you’re getting when industrial legends KMFDM come around with a new record. In a classic example of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ KMFDM continue to do exactly what they always have on ‘Paradise’, building a techno-tinged industrial metal record with heavy themes of disenfranchisement. However, our man Rich H reckons that, in many ways, it’s kinda funny that the dystopian sentiments you’d find on ‘Paradise’ actually feel like a lighter alternative to the ceaseless tide of bullshit we actually have to contend with each day, statements of “they plan to destroy you, they’re coming for you” on opener ‘K-M-F’ feeling trite when compared to the hateful bile you can find just by flicking on the news.

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Волчий Источник (AKA Wolf’s Source) – ‘Ремиссия духа’ (Goatowarex)

Волчий Источник (AKA Wolf’s Source) – ‘Ремиссия духа’ (Goatowarex)

Posted by | Oct 9, 2019 | ,

In its early days, black metal was an incredibly underground movement with bands often resorting to reputation and word of mouth alone in order to succeed in that secretive world. Naturally the only way to get real attention was through extremism, the music was extreme and often the deeds and beliefs of the band were on the same level. Thanks to the recent dramatisation of Lords of Chaos, everyone must be familiar with the stories of murder and church burning in the Norwegian black metal scene – but black metal goes far deeper than Norway, as Jonny B discovered when he took a trip down memory lane to a Russian gulag…

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The Irontown Diehards – ‘Linchpin’ (Self-Released)

The Irontown Diehards – ‘Linchpin’ (Self-Released)

Posted by | Oct 8, 2019 | ,

As Monk mentioned in a review of another Northern Ireland band just last week, it is a generally accepted fact that second albums are extremely difficult beasts. A band spends years crafting their sound, honing their material to make the most impressive first impression they possibly can, and then feel pressured into maintaining the momentum by immediately getting back into the studio. However, in common with their countrymen Conjuring Fate, The Irontown Diehards have waited quite some time following up their self-titled debut offering – more than four years in fact.

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Lacuna Coil – ‘Black Anima’ (Century Media)

Lacuna Coil – ‘Black Anima’ (Century Media)

Posted by | Oct 8, 2019 | ,

With their eighth studio album, Lacuna Coil have proven that, despite arguably treading water with their last two releases, they most definitely, and defiantly, know how to push the boundaries between  the symphonic and death metal genres as far as it is possible to do while still remaining true to the basic, underlying ethos of both sub-genres. But, once again, as they last displayed on the fantastic ‘Dark Adrenaline’, seven long years ago, they also display the fact that they are prepared to push the envelope as far as they can without it falling off the edge of the table…

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Wardress – ‘Dress For War’ (Fastball)

Wardress – ‘Dress For War’ (Fastball)

Posted by | Oct 7, 2019 | ,

They say that good things come to those who wait… well, Wardress founders Alex Gor (guitars) and Erich Eysn (vocals) have waited no fewer than 35 years to release their debut album, after originally getting together ‘way back in 1984, writing a bunch of tunes, recording a demo and subsequently going their separate ways… So, it perhaps understandable that now, having re-united and recruited a few additional band members, this album sounds very firmly rooted in the era in which these brothers in metal originally came together.

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