Author: UberAdmin

Mike LePond’s Silent Assassins – ‘Whore Of Babylon’ (Silver Lining Music)

Mike LePond’s Silent Assassins – ‘Whore Of Babylon’ (Silver Lining Music)

Posted by | Jun 25, 2020 | ,

The name Mike LePond will be well known to ÜR’s more metallic-minded readers, as he has served for the past 20 years as the bass driver of ÜS symphonic metal titans Symphony X. Having released his debut solo album in 2014, he subsequently appended the title of same to his own name to mould the moniker under which he has now delivered this third self-led opus, which once again sees him employing the now time-honoured power metal combination of historical themes and big-ass anthems, and doing so with the affluent ease you would expect of a musician of such pedigree.

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Toby And The Whole Truth – ‘Ignorance Is Bliss (25th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition)’ (Jepsongs Recordings)

Toby And The Whole Truth – ‘Ignorance Is Bliss (25th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition)’ (Jepsongs Recordings)

Posted by | Jun 25, 2020 | ,

There is a saying about some things being better left unsaid. Equally, there are some things which, once said, should never be repeated. And that latter point, to be brutally honest, is the crux of Monk’s issue with this, the first of Toby Jepson’s post-Little Angels album, which has now been remastered and is about to be re-released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of its initial appearance.

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Grey Daze – ‘Amends’ (Loma Vista Recordings)

Grey Daze – ‘Amends’ (Loma Vista Recordings)

Posted by | Jun 24, 2020 | ,

It would be extremely easy to dismiss this, a collection of songs written by Chester Bennington and previously only recorded as a series of demos with the members of the high school band of brothers he briefly fronted before going on to find his ultimately-doomed international stardom as frontman of nu-metal superstars Linkin Park, as something of a belated money-spinner, a cashing-in on the memory of a fallen hero. But, that is to do a severe injustice to this project, which genuinely captures a moment in musical history and brings it back to startling, poignant life in a way in which its progenitor no doubt would be justifiably proud, as Monk explains…

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Förgjord – ‘Laulu Kuolemasta’ (Werewolf Records)

Förgjord – ‘Laulu Kuolemasta’ (Werewolf Records)

Posted by | Jun 24, 2020 | ,

Let’s get one thing out of the way – if you’re not a fan of necro, lo-fi black metal with minimal production values and bloodthirsty intent, turn away immediately and don’t look back. Finland’s Förgjord, much like their brethren in Behexen and Horna, started up in the mid-90’s when the infamous second wave of black metal was already retreating back to the shadows and bands with more accessible versions of the genre like Dimmu Borgir would go on to actual careers and financial reward. With only a couple of demos recorded since that time, Förgjord only really began their recorded career in 2008 with the turbulent ‘Ajasta Ikuisuuteen’ and have found a solid fan-base and their own path over the following three records.

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Atavist – ‘III: Absolution’ (Candlelight Records)

Atavist – ‘III: Absolution’ (Candlelight Records)

Posted by | Jun 23, 2020 | ,

Manchester’s Atavist are in their 16th year as a band, with only two full-length releases to their name that have both made substantial waves in the underground. With a sound rooted heavily in funeral doom and a whole lot of heart, they tend to speak to those who are looking for melancholy, personal music that evolves slowly through emotion. With a slow-paced, intensely heavy palette offset by strings and acoustic passages, their music becomes a journey of self-exploration, and ‘III: Absolution’ embodies this spirit completely.

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