A chilly March night in the Welsh valleys and an impromptu trip down to one of David O’Neill’s favourite venues to catch three bands who were new to him, and probably most of ÜR’s readership apart from those with their ear to the cobblestones of the south Wales scene… but that’s what the website that excites is all about, isn’t it? Bringing new, undiscovered talent to a wider audience.
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Regular ÜR readers know that, when it comes to live albums, bossman Monk generally can take them or leave, and also have quite a sceptical attitude to same. How many of them are actually “live” in the truest form of the word? The annals of this dirty ol’ artform we call rock ‘n’ roll are littered with tales of so-called “live” albums having been subjected to hundreds of hours of studio overdubs and other assorted trickery. Guns N’ Roses anyone? Or how about Judas Priest? Or Sabaton, who actually admitted that all the music on their 2016 ‘Heroes On Tour’ opus was re-recorded ‘cos the sound engineer fucked up the original recording? So, forgive our mainman if he approaches such offerings with something of a lingering doubt in the back of his mind…
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Originally released back in 1993, and oft regarded in speed/thrash metal circles as one of the lost gems of the genre, this long-deleted debut (the Ohio band had released three demos under a previous incarnation, which went by the name of Torment) has been given something of a 21st Century make-over, primarily to mark Ritual’s imminent inaugural trip to this side of the big pond known as the Atlantic Ocean.
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It doesn’t matter how many times you hear about metal being a global phenomenon, there’s something inherently fascinating about finding bands from some of the most far-flung, unique places on earth. Doubly so when that place happens to be Tel Aviv, and the band pioneer some of the fiercest black metal this side of Darkthrone. Meet Dim Aura, the Israel-based black metal band who first emerged in 2010 but are just now making their first major moves on the international metal stage with the release of their second full-length, ‘The Triumphant Age of Death’.
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The Machinist, founded in 2012, are a ferocious foursome from New York. As an all-rounder, it’s easy to say that they align with the death metal genre. However, the new album, is truly dynamic and diverse, mixing a variety of genes together. They bring a unique sound that will send shivers crawling down your spine. As someone who was not very aware of the band previously to this, on a first listen I have instantly become a fan, and our youngest team member has no doubts the release will place a spotlight onto them. ‘Confidimus in Morte’ offers something for everyone, an album which needs to be on your radar.
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