When Naglfar mastermind Kristoffer Olivius first set about laying the dusky, deliciously visceral foundations for what would eventually become this post-apocalyptic epic of an album, who could have possibly anticipated the catastrophic turn of events that would follow a mere two years later? But despite that which concrete, indisputable fact must logically dictate, there’s a nonetheless eerie timeliness about the unveiling of this darkly prophetic body of work, as if certain cosmic energies were already beginning to align long before COVID-19 began ravaging humanity from the inside out. Indeed, it seems that every conceivable inch of this complex and violently lacerating body of work was all but purpose-built for the uncommonly bleak new century in which we find ourselves.

With its elegantl...

Unless you have the incredible misfortune to be this generation's children, your parents will have awesome music taste. Think about it. They had the chance to see Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Status Quo, Genesis, Rush – all in their prime and pomp, when they were producing their best work. If you're in your mid-30s, what have we got? Some wallet chains, Criminal Damage jeans the size of a tent and the soaking power of top tier kitchen roll, and a few vague embarrassed memories of Korn and Limp Bizkit, before we started to explore the bands that (deny) they influenced them. Aside from a feeling of nostalgia, what feelings do they invoke?

Right, that's enough embarrassed sniggering and shuffling of feet now. The point of this preamble is not to decry a musical dead end, but to ce...

If there’s two things we can always be comfortably assured of in these increasingly bleak and uncertain times, it’s that: a. Katatonia will always produce unerringly brilliant and darkly absorbing audio and b. that, for at least the past decade or more, music critics will seemingly never tire of reminding us that the aforementioned legendary collective “really isn’t a metal band any more”. Presumably just on the off-chance that the many genre-obliterating stylistic shifts and incarnations underpinning the Swedes’ illustrious, 29 year career may have somehow miraculously escaped our attention. Worse still is the likely assumption that, in this apparent “mellowing” of sound, something of their former ‘edge’ or artistic credibility may have somehow been irrevocably compromised in transition....

Even the most avowed urban dweller among us can be a tree-hugger on occasion. Despite our loves of city living, of gigs and bars and bright lights, who among us wouldn't turn down the chance to escape into the woods, and to hear the whisper of the winds through the leaves and feel all the anxieties of modern life fall away? Especially now with many of us quarantined in our homes, and many routines disrupted in the face of a very global pandemic; the closest to the collapse of the modern world as we've known for generations.  Perhaps it's all the spare time to contemplate and philosophise that means Hexvessel is more listenable than ever on 'Kindred', their latest incantation of throwback folk mysticism now clashing with an ever-modern world.

For the last decade the Finnish musicians have ta...

Egyptian death metal sect Scarab make music that tells a story. Brimming with atmosphere, melody and drama; every scorched blastbeat and pounding note echoes with all the mystery of desert sands and deadly curses steeped in forgotten lore.

Hailing from Cairo, Scarab have been plying their violent delights since 2006 and the lyrics and song structures are infused with the philosophy and myth of ancient cultures. If you like Nile or any other bands of similar ilk; it’s safe to say you will adore Scarab. With more of an old school edge and the advantage of being raised in the history-soaked land itself, Scarab’s convulsive fits of ear-blitzing death have a much grittier, more profound feel than that of their North American counterparts.   

Stealing inspiration from the depths of Egyptian m...

We face a dilemma when we choose what music to listen to. Do we go for the visceral enjoyment that speaks to the general instinctual unconscious, or something that challenges the intellect in some way? Thus exists the average metal fan, never quite knowing what they want, in a constant state of flux. Happily, Beggar are here to show you don't have to be choosers when it comes to this sort of thing, combining lyrical themes inspired by Freud's 'Beyond The Pleasure Principle' where response to traumatic events resurface in compulsive behaviour together with a musical attack that's as satisfying at blowing eardrums as it is at blowing minds. It shouldn't really come as any surprise though, since the London foursome have had a string of EPs which have pretty much broken down crust into more in...

Great, just fucking great. We're on lockdown because of coronavirus, the sun is shining and live music is off the cards for the time being. Bollocks bollocks bollocks. And to add to the annoyance, Dripback are back! Yup, the stalwarts of the London metal scene, who shook up the start of the decade with 'Inhaling The Ashes' and 'Failed Futures' are now back after six years with more crossover metal goodness and railing against a world of liars and hypocrites. And there's plenty of those about more than ever.

For those of you who are ignorant of Dripback, they are death metal without the pretentious, hardcore without the clichés and grindcore without the monotony. All the good stuff in other words, with the feeling of a bunch of good-natured mates who'd dislocate each others' should...

In the spirit of the ancient symbol of a serpent swallowing its own tail that inspires their name, Dawn of Ouroboros craft the perfect equilibrium between the creative and destructive tendencies of extreme metal.

A blackened progressive act blending apocalyptic atmospherics with the range and skill of technical death metal, Dawn have a refreshingly original sound for such a relatively recent band to the scene. Arising like a burnished sun from San Francisco’s beautiful Bay Area, in a dazzling aurora of glossy promotional shots and highly stylised video promos, this newborn may look pretty - but it has venom in its bite. The potent blend of gorgeous melody and cataclysmic rage showcased in debut single 'Sorrow’s Eclipse' have already left the metal world waiting with baited breath for their...

Permit this review to open with complete frankness: ‘Be Your Sins’, track eight of nine on ‘Summerland’, sounds exactly like Ghost. Every bit of it. The staccato riffs, keep-it-simple-stupid drumming, ethereal tone, shrill vocals and yes, a keyboard solo – all of this sounds like a prime beefy cut from the ‘Meliora’ sessions, carelessly dropped by one band and picked up by another years down the line.

Only the “Satanic” sheen is missing, and how much that matters to you, dear reader, is down to your own aesthetic, your personal taste for a little goofiness and camp. Because make no mistake, ‘Be Your Sins’ is a darkly fantastic rock song in its own right, easily the best track on the album and the reason to finally discover Dool if you’ve not already done so. You see, this album doesn’t act...

Even as this review is being penned, it is hard to ignore the ghoulish presence that hangs over this album, and everyone who may or may not actually hear it. At time of writing, singer Chuck Billy is sick with COVID-19, and no pretence to an "objective" look at this record stands up to that knowledge, or the global impact of the disease. This, mind you, is not intended to work on anyone's anxiety about Billy (a proven tough egg in medical matters, after all) or the crisis. It's merely and sadly the lens through which our music, our stories and our connection must now be forced.

The thing is, though, that in Testament's case, such a lens can only sharpen what they already have to say. That's the best aspect of Testament; coherence. They are very good storytellers, lyrically and musically, wh...