Heaviness is a concept that doesn’t necessarily require sounds that batter your senses in order for that state to be achieved. You also can pay an emotional toll that makes it feel like you’ve been battered by unforgiving black waves, pushing you to your brink, sparked by sounds that feel like they’re here to soothe. Yet, reality proves the opposite.

It’s not that you can’t absorb dream doom power Iress and not let yourself fade into tranquility, but once you hear the words and intent of their music, especially what makes up their intoxicating second full-length “Sleep Now, In Reverse,” you’ll realize you taken a path to something more sinister. Their gazey energy dressed in doomy colors stands apart from most heavy music bands, and they’re one that could find followers in metal and so many other territories. The band—vocalist Michelle Malley, guitarist Graham Walker, bassist Michael Maldonado, drummer Glenn Chu—unleashes 10 tracks and 50 minutes that, while often softer and more delicate sounding, always leave room for thunder and pain. Malley’s ethereal singing and pointed words make you realize you’re in the middle of a quiet storm with the music providing the ideal setting, lulling you into wonder that feels perfect in the nighttime but always jerks you out of any comfort zone. This record is moving and menacing, an incredibly strong musical statement.

“Falling” eases its way into your mind, the singing icing wounds, a shadowy edge getting sharper as Malley levels, “Always waiting for you to call my name.” The playing falls and teases, the words are darts, and that seeps into slumber that feels transformative. “Ever Under” feels grungy at first, delicate singing  lathering with heart, the chorus rushing over you. “I know what it feels like to be broken,” Malley sings, softer melodies snaking underneath, disappearing into the unknown. “Mercy” emerges with a heavy emotional pall, the pace driving as Malley admits, “I don’t want to go, I don’t want to stay.” The singing rises, as does the tempo, sending sparks before pulling back, sounds simmering in an eerie strangeness. “Leviathan (The Fog)” plods and moves with a calculated plot, eventually landing some punches as the bruising arrives. “Didn’t want to go, sick obsession,” Malley repeats, working its way down your spine, mixing into a deep fog and eventually fading away. “Lovely (Forget Me Not)” is a little thornier, guitars dripping and leaving a sheet of uneven ice, the playing getting a little dirtier. The melodies swell before becoming more fluid, guitars blending into a ghostly gaze.

“The Remains” is cloudy and pillowy, the verses gripping your mind, the chorus warming up as the guitars soar. The playing gets a little tougher, swinging through fire, digging in and drubbing with a newfound force, churning your sore muscles. “In Reverse” bleeds into the picture, deep calling feeling like it’s emerging from your sleep, the guitars elevating the temperature as the drums clash. The pressure eases for a moment, guitars falling like sheets of rain, the singing echoing and mesmerizing, flowing directly into the shores of “Knell Mera.” Grimy playing clogs your veins as guitars melt and drizzle, making the aura feel surreal. There’s even a level of peril crawling underneath this being, swinging back and trudging, Malley demanding to know, “Will you take it over me?” “Sanctuary” starts clean, but the vocals give off a foreboding sense, Malley jabbing, “You broke me in two,” before warning, “I see red.” The melodies snake through murky waters, Malley calls, “You said I’m not what you wanted,” as the hurt and disappointment revels in blood. Closer “Deep” starts basking in shadows, guitars plucked over hushed singing, Malley pleading, “Take it easy … on me.” Electric impulses rise to the surface as the darkness emerges again, slowly letting this minimalist dream fade, the wounds you sustained trying to congeal.

Iress pull no punches on “Sleep Now, In Reverse,” using the surreal energy of their doom glaze to send unsettling energy down your spine. It’s not the heaviest record from a decibel standpoint, but you will feel every word and ride every ripple of this gloomy sojourn. Iress have been a mesmerizing force ever since they arrived, and as they build new blocks on their foundation, their prowess and muscle grow in leaps and bounds.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/weareiress

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://www.dunealtar.com/products?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search=iress

Or here (Europe): https://deathwishinc.eu/collections/church-road/products/iress-sleep-now-in-reverse

For more on the label, go here: https://www.dunealtar.com/

And here: https://churchroadrecords.com/

Being a person looking at half a century on Earth, the bulk of that time I have been an unabashed lover and defender of heavy metal. The roots, to me, always will be the biggest part of that passion, and my first sub-genre of obsession was power metal. Maiden, Helloween, Priest, and Queensrÿche were gospel to me, and actually, they still are.

Long-running power revivalists Ironflame have been at it for almost a decade now, and they have paid homage to those classic sounds. Their great fifth record “Kingdom Torn Asunder” is upon us, and if you have that hunger for this style, prepare to be overfed. In a good way. Oddly enough, this record was written and recorded before their 2022 album “Where Madness Dwells,” so it’s both a continuation and a look back, in a way. But it is chock full of incredibly catch power metal that is the calling card of this band—vocalist Andrew D’Cagna (Icarus Witch, Nechochwen), guitarist/vocalist Quinn Lukas, guitarist Jesse Scott, bassist James Babcock, drummer Noah Skiba—and if you also happen to be a fan of fantasy storytelling and the best of classic metal tropes, then you’re right at home alongside me.

“Blood and Honor” is a rousing opener with a flurry of guitars, D’Cagna’s soaring voice, and crushing energy filling your veins. Strong soloing floods over as the pace stampedes, references to Valkyrie and her love of battle pump, vowing for revenge for the father’s death as the track slams shut. “Soul Survivors” is on fire out of the gates, thrashing and driving, the power metal passion palpable. “This destiny awaits us,” D’Cagna calls over the punchy chorus, the guitars taking on a folkish bend even though they’re electrified as hell, lapping with waves of devastation. “Majesty of Steel” feels like it was inspired by “Lock Up the Wolves” era Dio as this track is about driving fast in an old, classic car, D’Cagna declaring, “You’re the beast behind the wheel.” The tempo charges as the guitars bubble with glory, the chorus rushing back before the final moments leave tire burns. “Mistress of Desire” has a strong start, churning as the singing explodes, D’Cagna pushing his voice even higher on the chorus. Guitars take control as D’Cagna wails, “Her blackened wings will take you higher,” as the band chugs and lands a few more savage blows.

“Standing Tall” shows more aggression, the guitars working into a lather, the double-kick drums pulverizing your chest. The warning to prepare for war is in the air, guitars engulfing and increasing the temperature, the bravado overflowing as D’Cagna declares, “On us you can depend.” “Sword of a Thousand Truths” is crunchy, but the pace pulls back a bit, more of a mid-tempo, but still heavy piece that chews muscle. Warmer guitars lather as D’Cagna calls, “Hear the screams of 1,000 men dying to be free again,” landing as the fuel scars and leaves exhaust behind. “Riding the Dragons” again reminds of Dio, which will draw no complaints. The urgency to join the battle is apparent, and the punchy verses lead to a chorus that makes your blood race. There’s a classic metal feel to a lot of this, and the soloing reminds me of the early days of power metal, finally settling into ash. On the vinyl version, “Shadow of the Reaper” is your finisher, stomping prone bodies, the guitars racing as the singing feels a bit more restrained. “It’s time to close your eyes and let yourself go,” D’Cagna prods as you’re deeply immersed, guitars taking final control, lathering and leaving burn marks. “Cold Flesh Falls”  is the first of two CD bonus tracks, and it feels like it could belong with anything on the first eight songs, but “Exile of the Sun” is something different. With its slow, mystical aura, it actually would serve as a nice change of pace in the middle of the LP version, and it’s an elegant, classic power metal dose of emotion.

Ironflame always will have a soft spot with this power metal, um, kid, and “Kingdom Torn Asunder” is a perfect serving of what this band does best. Power metal has taken a back seat to death, doom, and black metal, but it is anything but a dead concept, as this band proves yet again on this rousing display. This is heavy metal at its finest, in its most original form, and for someone like me who has spent more than three decades indulging in these sounds, it reminds me why I feel in love with this stuff in the first place.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/IronflameUSA/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.hrrecords.de/HRR-RELEASES

For more on the label, go here: https://www.hrrecords.de/

Saying a record is a perfect way to ensure you slip into unconsciousness on your way to strange and fulfilling dreams might sound like an insult. It’s definitely not. I’m a person who likes to fall asleep listening to cosmic black metal playlists because the sounds relax me, and as much as they also can get my blood flowing, they can serve dual purposes.

“Dawn and All That Follows” is the fifth record from Bay Area post-metal power Mountaineer, and as they develop their sound, they dig further into that terrain where their music equally can rouse and calm you. Ever since their start in 2015 and first full-length, 2017’s “Sirens & Slumber,” the band—vocalist Miguel Meza, guitarists Clayton Bartholomew, Forrest Harvey, and Isaac Rigler, bassist Dillon Variz, drummer Jordan Norton—has been on a journey to refine their sound. On this eight-track, 48-minute album, the playing is more delicate and definitely has that early morning, pre-dawn vibe where you wake suddenly and then slip back into a dream state that carries you until sunlight strikes. It’s moving and powerful, a massive statement from a band that isn’t afraid to mix softness in with their heavier sounds.

“Cradlesong” opens in fluid dreaming, Meza calling, “Are you sleeping? Are you awake?” as the band works into medicinal numbness. The playing is lush and vibrant, the pace picking up as Meza reiterates his questions as if prodding someone, the guitars catching fire and working into “Hypnos” that drives with gazey power. At times pillowy, at others churning, the singing glazes, and everything pulses with energy. The playing picks up, the hits land heavier, and the vocals spreads kinetic energy, finally bleeding away. “Prism” gets off to a clean start, the singing rushing, the playing developing at a slower pace so that the drama can soak into your pores. The singing bursts as the playing follows suit, soaring toward the sun, the power jolting through melody, a final gust cresting and lapping back to sea. “Dawn and All That Follows” is dark and hazy, the vocals easing through warm pockets, and then shrieks rain and dice flesh. The pace takes chances as the growls smear, the playing settling into dreaminess, the calls easing as the final moments ice your brain.

“Testimonial” drips with freezing precipitation before the power bursts, strong singing rousing as the playing grows increasingly doomier. “I keep falling further and further away from myself,” Meza calls, wrenching with emotional intensity, repeating the call as frigid keys fall like daggers. “You Will Always Be One of Us” has guitars bending and a foggy feel, slower playing and softer singing landing, and then heaviness emerges and quakes the earth. Electricity pulses through your body as the emotion floods over, pummeling with fire and angling into “Dark Passenger” that echoes with siren-like noises. The playing is burly, shrieks sending jolts, the guitars liquifying and giving off a strange mist. The pace calms a bit before bursting anew, the energy surrounding you with impenetrable darkness, coming to a raucous end. Closer “Parallels” brings stinging guitars and rushing singing, pulling at your heart. The guitars rise and scar before pulling back, the leads layering as each level adds passion, Meza singing, “This moment can last forever,” as acoustics flood and fade.

“Dawn and All That Follows” is a record that took me a few tries to really absorb what is going on here, but once I did, the ride took me somewhere that my brain didn’t realize was possible. Mountaineer slowly have been moving toward this point over their run, and this new phase feels natural and stimulating, capable of even more exciting adventures in the future. It also doesn’t hurt that the music can wash over you and soothe frayed nerves, giving you a dose of heaviness while basking in energies that numb the senses.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/mountaineerbayarea

To buy the album, go here: https://www.athousandarmsstore.com/collections/mountaineer

For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/athousandarms

I really dislike taking about heavy metal in any depth with anyone who doesn’t really know me, because it never goes well. Usually I get, “Oh yeah, I like Disturbed,” and we’re not even on the same planet. It’s also a challenge when I mention death metal and the assumption is these are cave people who can’t play a lick. Again, not my favorite situation.

Anyone who thinks death metal bands are a bunch of brutes who can’t play their instruments can get a heavy education from Laceration on their punishing, yet technically proficient second record “I Erode.” Sure, there are plenty of other bands that can handle that task, but we’re talking Laceration today, and anyone who takes on this nine-track, 32-minute scorcher will have to admit their foolishness. The band—vocalist/guitarist Luke Cazares, guitarist Donnie Small, bassist Eli Small, drummer Aerin Johnson—follows in the footsteps of like-minded beasts such as Death and Morbid Angel as a force that can grind your face in ugliness and blood but also have the chops to leave you heaving.

“Degradation (Intro)” opens with synth beams hovering, eeriness spreading like a noxious cloud and breaking over “Excised” that lands heavy blows as death reigns. Growls hammer as the guitars increase the steam, with exploratory leads giving off a bit of a sci-fi edge. The pace then changes and drubs, howls slashing as the playing batters to a finish. “Sadistic Enthrallment” opens with a clip from “Hellraiser” before the playing bludgeons, punishing with coarse growls and ripping fire. The playing encircles as destruction is amplified, and precise, laser-sharp soloing cuts a hole in muscle, stampeding on its way out. “Vile Incarnate” opens with a speedy jolt, an aggressive push grinding teeth and bone. Throaty howls lacerate as the guitars go off, thrashing and trudging, the leads speeding through the night sky. “Dreams of the Formless” is a classic-style metal instrumental, acoustics initially setting the stage before electricity engulfs. Elegance and steam build as the playing takes you through decades of metal history, leaving a bloody taste in your mouth.

“Carcerality” punishes and splatters, drums laying waste, the guitars on a massive attack, melting with heat and speed. The soloing is sharp and furious, making your head spin as everything comes to a rousing finish. “Strangled By Hatred” attacks from the bell, landing heavy blows and chilling with the howl of, “Never to let go!” The guitars open up and consume, full-bodied insanity barreling down a hill, the insanity driving to a hellish conclusion. “Impaling Sorrow” is a total assault that scrambles brains and the signals inside, chugging and brutalizing as eyes are blackened easily. Growls smash as the technicality goes to a new level, the pace battering to a vicious end. The closing title track crushes, the gas pedal hammered, entangling with thrashy intent. Strong leads go on an adventure and drag you along, and vibrant colors are dashed all over the carnage. The bruising multiplies, guitars glow as dual melodies strike, and the embers fade slowly.

“I Erode” is a dazzling display of classic death metal splashed with modern blood, and Laceration waste no time making their statement on this devastating second record. It’s properly brutal, but it’s also a fascinating listen as they explode with musical prowess and tenacity that goes beyond simple skullduggery. Whether you’re new to the game or have been dining in death’s halls for decades, everyone can come together over this platter and feast to your heart’s content.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/lacerationofficial

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/laceration

For more on the label, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

It’s easy to get caught up in the drama that surrounds this world, and with our political and societal volatility increasing by the hour, it would be nice to escape this plane to head somewhere else for a while. Is there somewhere else? We might never know in our current form, but the idea has been around forever, and who’s the say this world is the end?

Slovakian black metal force Ceremony of Silence examine that very concept and others on their thunderous second record “Hálios,” which is a motherfucker. This seven-track bruiser is served just right, a thick and blackened dose of death metal that might remind a bit of Ulcerate but brawls in different directions. This album contemplates the idea of our place in the universe, the illumination of the great star around which we revolve, and, in their words, a reenacting of “the old stories inspired by the essence of the ancient Indo-European mythology, entwined in the obscure visions and dreams.” It’s a lot to consider, but this band—vocalist N., guitarist/bassist/vocalist Viliam Pilarčík, drummer Matúš S. Ďurčík—makes the venture one in which you’ll want to engage, and their utter ferocity is enough to pull you into a place you’ll never want to leave.

“Primaeval Sacrifice” instantly rips everything to shreds, scrambling brains with vicious growls and a force that quakes the earth. The melodies snake through soot, combusting with beastly growls as the playing drills into the earth, drawing lava and trudging to a burly end. “Serpent Slayer” drives and roars, peeling back flesh as dizzying playing makes you lightheaded, grisly growls continuing that disorientation. The pressure continues to dig into muscle, increasing the heat as it goes to dangerous levels, the guitars lathering as the molten rock continues to flow at an inescapable pace. “Moon Vessel” bathes in humidity as the riffs jerk, and the low end smashes with concise abandon. The drums pound away as the smearing vocals spread ash down your throat, letting sounds hang in the air and haunt, finally submitting to echo. “Eternal Return” is a short, blunt track with guitars stinging, growls festering amid an ashen atmosphere, clouds eventually blocking out the sun.

“Light Runs Through Light” pulverizes, blistering with seismic force, the growls burying all hopes as the bludgeoning hits dangerous levels. The curdling heat gets more oppressive as the music tangles and explodes, wrenching as the drums combust, the growls scorch, and cosmic confusion is at its apex. “Perennial Incantation” smashes its way in, the leads hinting every so slightly at melody, the pace ripping and pulverizing, sounds hovering as the roars increase in intensity. The chaos bewilders and wrecks, guitars branching out, the thick steam bath robbing you of consciousness. Closer “King in the Mountain” slays, thrashing with start/stop mashing, drubbing with a force that does not have your well being in mind. Gargantuan hell is unleashed, sinew pushing through open wounds, a psychedelic echo making you wonder about your sanity. Eeriness thickens and then erupts, tearing holes in the earth, bending time at its will, expiring in a thick halo of exhaust.

Ceremony of Silence capture the brutality and mystery of trying to branch into another dimension, pushing your limits elsewhere as your corporeal form battles modern struggles. “Hálios” reaches into mysticism and the heavens with a battering ram, a record that feels like it is trying to dislodge the core of the earth and jettison it into the stars. This is a mighty, alluring work, an album that leaves you battered but profoundly more connected to this world and the next.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/ceremonyofsilence

To buy the album, go here: https://www.willowtip.com/store/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.willowtip.com/home.aspx

Love and intimacy don’t come up a whole lot with the records we write about here and with the bulk of heavy music releases that arrive each year. The earlier days of heavy metal would entertain these topics more regularly, but as this form of music has gotten darker and more dangerous, these themes have gone by the wayside.

Dutch power Vuur & Zijde (translates to “fire and silk”) brings that long-forgotten theme back into our consciousness on their great debut “Boezem” (translates to “bosom”), a nine-track, 46-minute full-length. Conditional and unconditional love, intimacy, and the bonds of motherhood are major parts of this record, which is something you won’t find in many other places. The band—vocalist Famke Canrinus, guitarist/synth player Nicky Heijmen, guitarist Carmen Raats, bassist Sylwin Cornielje, drummer Richard Japenga—bring experience from other metallic units including Terzij de Horde, Silver Knife, Witte Wieven, Grey Aura, and others, though they have evened out their more black metal strains and colored them with various shades of grey. There is a deep post-punk vibe interwoven into these songs, and they could just as easily find favor among metalheads as they could a goth audience or someone into Cocteau Twins. Canrinus’ vocals are sung in Dutch and Frisian, a language still spoken in a few Dutch and German areas.

“Onbemind” is gothy and hazy, Canrinus’ singing chilling flesh, eventually exploding and gushing with new energy. The drums blast as a gazey wonder spreads, the singing adding grey hues, punching and melting into a hum. “Zusterzon” brings darkness amid bending basslines, the singing luring you into a trap. Cloud coverage increases as Canrinus’ vocals numb, the moodiness lurking consistently, the tempo staying active and pumping blood until every element settles into ash. “Ús” is dreary as the singing chills, guitars dripping and creating a mist, gliding through the shadows. The playing hypnotizes, Canrinus’ words coursing through veins, and then the sounds corrode, the pressure thickening before dissolving. “Onbemind” brings a vibrant pace, the playing charring as the guitars thicken, the singing sweeping through dimensions. A catchy, driving pace gets the waters flowing with greater force, the playing overtaking with colors before splitting into static.

“Kuier” opens amid nighttime keys, a cold wave going through you as speaking sends strange sensations, the fog thickening as rain lands harder, compromising your vision. Weirdness eats away at your psyche, red and orange hues brushing the horizon. “II” has guitars playing tricks, the singing glazing, and the smearing melodies reminding of the glory days of the 4AD label. Synth zaps as the bass recoils, Canrinus’ singing again carrying the emotion, encircling into a frosty landing spot. “Nest” punches harder, a more metallic approach increasing the thorniness. Strong vocals prod as the guitars get mightier, the playing haunting as the echoes ring out, the backbone solidifying, a stirring tempo taking over as the final strains bleed away. “Adem” has a strong post-punk vibe, the bass chugging as the guitars get more devious. An icy strangeness works through your cells, the tempo getting your adrenaline going, the guitars merging with an oncoming storm. Closer “Naakt” brings a guitar haze and belting singing, the playing basking in a fog as the pace buzzes. The heat increases as the vocals dig their claws into muscle, the bass doubles down, and spirited woah calls create sparks, slowly dissolving into dreams.

Vuur & Zijde not only branch further than any metallic boundaries, they also refuse to back down from genre cliches by embracing the themes of love with enthusiastic darkness. “Boezem” certainly plays well in heavier music spaces, but there’s so much more going on here, a rushing world where nurturing and intimacy are embraced, celebrated, and put on full display. This is an exciting, shadowy record and band that, even if the language barrier prevents you from understanding the words, the emotion and themes easily get past all of that and give you a new understanding of what’s possible in heavy music.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/vuurenzijde

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://us.spkr.media/us/Artists/Vuur-Zijde/

Or here (Europe): https://en.prophecy.de/en/Artists/Vuur-Zijde/

For more on the label, go here: https://en.prophecy.de/

The darkness can be an incredibly terrifying force, and it’s something that has haunted people for generations as the worries of demonic creatures lurking mounts. But it can be a beautiful, calming presence, a place where one can rest, contemplate the future, or just enjoy lightless wonder.

 Daniele Vergine, the sole force behind black metal spirit Occulta Veritas, pays homage to the absence of light on “Irreducible Fear of the Sublime,” a 6-track, 32-minute excursion into the deep. This is a brutal, yet mind-altering adventure that can overtake you and push you to contemplate a force perhaps not further considered before. The playing is exhilarating and forceful, pushing you to the limit of your personal comfort and perhaps digging into some long-held fears that haven’t reared their head in some time.

“The Mirror Stage” opens warmly, luring you into a false sense of security before guts are ripped from body cavities, shrieks raining down amid rubbery, weird, prog-fueled madness. “The Sacred Horizons of Totality” is fluid, screams rampaging, the leads sprawling and increasing the already thick humidity. Animalistic playing and coarse growls head into blinding fury, and that’s overtaken by a horrifying, yet trippy onslaught that eats into your psyche before fading. “Metonimia” unfurls blistering guitars, smearing howls, and an attack that never feels like it relents. Progressive waters bubble over as the playing haunts, peppering with scathing blows before bleeding away.

“S(A)” is a strange change of pace, a cosmically freezing piece that hovers overhead like an alien craft, wordless calls feeling like they’re transmitting a message from beyond. The playing is spellbinding and detached from this plane, draining into the stars. “Bound to Incompleteness” basks in echoing shrieks, and a driving, trudging pace, the playing utterly ambushing. A wild spirit runs through this track, feeling bizarre and disorienting, disappearing and mixing into the night sky. The closing title track opens with sharp screams, tangling leads, and a bloody, yet haunting adventure into the unknown. The playing bleeds and causes the room to spin, the pace chugs, the guitars pick up the intensity, and wordless calls falls like ice daggers to the earth.

Basking in the darkness and its rich beauty is a theme that’s all over “Irreducible Fear of the Sublime,” and while it’s properly crushing, Occulta Veritas weave in the proper adulation and awe for a force that cannot be toppled. The playing here is heavy and the proper amount of beastly, an album that is perfectly portioned and designed to enhance the sense of mystery. It’s a record that will keep you up at night so you can show admiration for a serene blackness that can trigger panic as easily as calm.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/OccultaVeritas/

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/

Or here (Europe): https://metalodyssey.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/

The current societal and political climate in our world, not to mention the actual climate, are harrowing. We’re teetering on the edge of full-blown fascism, and here in the United States, we’re coming off one of the most sobering, terrifying weeks in a long time as we watch law and order in this land fall to the clutches of religious and right-wing fanaticism.

Germany’s Uprising has been on the musical frontline since the project started a decade ago, and its mastermind W also has been an integral part of Waldgeflüster, another band that’s battled social and political forces for years. Uprising’s new full-length “III” continues that effort, and over six blazing tracks and 40 inspired minutes, we are thrown full bore into melodic, but forceful black metal that refuses to give an inch and unabashedly throws the bullshit back into the face of a budding power structure that wants to strangle freedom. Joining W is drummer Austin Lunn (the power behind the mighty Panopticon), and the force is sweltering and catchy, a defiant fist into an enemy that thinks we’re a pushover.

“Eternal Mantra” launches with fire and emotion, ripping hard as the playing takes a hold of you and scorches with its passion. Lyrically, there are callouts to the endless class war artificially tilted toward the rich as the playing pounds, spacious singing coming in and adding a new texture. The guitars blaze as a glorious gust slams shut the gates. “Uprise III” continues a path that started on the band’s self-titled debut, and here the guitars are spindly, the pace trudging, the howls scarring. Melodies flood as clean singing bellows, nasty howls following up with nasty precision, the drums punishing. Poison darts are thrown at selfishness and embraces the strive for social justice, the playing shaking before fading into a current. “Raise a Glass” simmers in organs before the tempo erupts, growls crushing, fiery and colorful playing flooding over. Shrieks and singing rush over the chorus, black metal-style violence swirls, and a jarring force flattens every bone in your body.

“A Message to the Hypocrites” drills, the screams digging into the earth, the riffs speeding and slipping into tornadic fury. Vicious playing and forceful hammering make for an unbeatable team, growls ripping as defiant calls leave bruising and burns all over the enemy. “While the World Is Burning” fades in, churning as the pressure builds, shrieks charring as the tempo becomes an even bigger menace. News clips about the threat of climate change and quotes from serial felon Donald Trump denying the issue not only can make your blood boil but also make you want to take up arms. Someone better. “Deny the past, deny the reasons,” W wails furiously, trying to hammer home a desperate measure as rageful melodies burn into the ground. Closer “Brace Yourself” is molten, engulfing you in a devastating force that slips into vicious melodies and harsh howls. Guitars swelter as the pace blisters, W singing, “You will know sorrow before this is over,” a sobering thought going into an ideological battleground. The final moments stab toward the oncoming wave of tyranny, the wash of acoustics cleansing wounds and pushing the fight.

We live in a dangerously changing world, and while I see the rot settling into America, I know that it’s not going to stay restrained to this land. Uprising have been at this struggle for years, even before this venture came together, and “III” is a battle cry, the metallic equivalent of storming the gates of the enemy with only victory in mind. Tyranny looms largely over us, but the war is far from over, so the fight must continue.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/uprisingblackmetal

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.aoprecords.de/gb/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.aoprecords.de/

It’s easy to feel like you’re alone, especially when hard times strike. Or when you experience failure or loss. All we truly know is our own perspective, and it’s very understandable to get lost in the negativity and the feeling that everything is piling on our chest. Maybe it is, but to be able to share that burden with someone else can make the lift a little easier.

That’s the primary theme of “The Promise of Rain,” the second record from experimental black metal force Scarcity, and it’s a collection that fucks with one’s brain based on the sonic assault that attacks you from moment one. But ultimately, the messages here are encouraging, even uplifting if you grasp the point that suffering and struggling does not have to be an individual sport. The newly expanded version of the group brings together artists who worked with such diverse forces as Pyrhhon, Depravity, Sigur Ros, Krallice, and Glenn Branca Ensemble, and this band—vocalist Doug Moore, guitarists Brendon Randall-Myers and Dylan Dilella, bassist Tristan Kasten-Krause, drummer Lev Weinstein—pours everything into these six tracks and 40 minutes of mind-tangling madness. It’s a much difference concept than what we heard on debut “Aveilut” and shows a different side of this beast that has an enthralling future ahead of them.

“In the Basin of Alkaline Grief” almost immediately induces panic, manic guitars playing in a non-stop loop that makes your mind topple, Moore’s shrieks matching the insanity flowing through the space. It feels like an emergency siren gone wrong, the fury increasing, wails boiling, and a thick haze enveloping. “Scorched Vision” runs 11:25  and launches with encircling guitars, chaotic energy meeting with a psychotic front, dizzying heaviness making the room spin out of control. Gutting, corrosive howls mix in with the chugging, trudging playing, the bass clobbering as the intensity ramps up all over again. The playing tingles and strikes amid group calls, an electric riff buries itself behind the wall of sound, and the uneasiness bleeds into instrumental cut “Subduction.” There, the bass plods, and the increasing heat makes everything steadily more uncomfortable. A smokescreen thickens as the guitars take on tornadic chaos, ending in a gasp of exhaust.

“Undertow” continues the guitars from the opener that feel like they’re trying to peel open your skull, shrieks raining down, other calls feeling detached from reality. The guitars agitate before a brief calm settles in, and the bass slithers from there, coarse growls picking open scabs. “Venom & Cadmium” arrives with an enthusiastic riff, shrieks raining fire, and the playing digging in further, group calls rousing you and forcing your attention. The pace keeps drilling deeper, nasty calls lacerating, the tempo slicing in place, aching as you pour sweat from the humidity. A strange glaze accumulates and hangs over everything, an unsettlingly dream passage fading softly. The closing title track erupts with gurgling growls and a mangling energy, the agony multiplying dangerously. The band stokes progressive fires, the path toying with you, frenzied guitars splattering alongside sickening wails that emit power. The bass ripples as apocalyptic energy increases, settling into a fog and expiring.

It’s easy to feel alone in our grief and struggles, but most of us are a part of an interwoven support system that gives us strength when we’re at our lowest. “The Promise of Rain,” while threatening sounding at first, also is a reminder to not get too ensconced in our pain and agony as we have other people around us who can help with the burden. No one’s life ever will be easy, but with reminders like these (as terrifying as they may sound), hopefully more people will remember to reach out and ask for a hand in facing turmoil.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/scarcity.noise

To buy the album, go here: https://nowflensing.com/collections/flenser-releases

For more on the label, go here: https://nowflensing.com/

Every day we’re faced with decisions, and some of them have greater weight than others. Take, for example, having to make a call about something that will benefit you but will do harm to another person. Do you do it anyway? A lot of people would do that, and we see that every day with every government around the world. Is choosing evil worth it in the end?

Canadian doom power Occult Witches tangle with making evil decisions, Satan, and all things dark and mysterious on their fourth record “Sorrow’s Pyre.” Over nine tracks, the band—vocalist Vanessa San Martin, guitarist Alec Marceau, bassist Danick Cournoyer, drummer Eliot Sirois—weaves together tales about different characters and the challenges that they face. Tying it all together is the idea of whether there is merit in making a decision based in evil, and how that is balanced with instead choosing a more honorable path.

“Intro” opens with birds calling and footstep crunching, leading into “Malice” that dawns gently as guitars trickle. Then the power strikes, San Martin’s singing unfurling and catching fire, the playing buzzing with command. The guitar work blows up with attitude, delving into classic metal terrain, driving everything to a massive finish. “Tumbling Through the Dark” unleashes psychedelic lightning, the guitars taking on a bluesy edge, the vocals pushing as everything turns darker. The pace picks up, and the guitars emit smoke, a twin-style attack bringing on a Maiden-like shine. “Faustian Bargain” is warm and hypnotic, the singing scathing, powerful blasts adding tumult to the otherwise sultry aura. The shadows thicken as the soloing goes off, conjuring spirits and emotion, gently melting into mystery.

“Flesh and Bones” rampages and throws stiff punches, great guitar work torching, the playing calming down as a spoken passage haunts. The pressure rises as the attack gets more aggressive, the guitars taking on a ferocious tone, calls echoing out into the night sky. “Interlude in E-Flat Minor” has plinking guitars and rustic acoustics, the tempo picking up and getting jazzier, basking in cold waters. “The Fool” sparks as the singing swells, bluesy heat wilting flesh, the melodies booming and making blood race. Guitars vibrate as everything builds to a stampede, sending energy through your veins and trudging to a finish. “Sorrow” traces its steps, jabbing your ribs, the guitars scaling to new heights. “Sacrifice is what they want from us,” San Martin sings with booming power, the playing agitating and turning into a molten force, crushing to the final moment. Closer “Bluesman (Sunrise Cocaine)” is a barnburner, especially for Marceau whose guitar playing here melts faces. San Martin’s singing matches the intensity as the track takes off, hurtling through intense heat, feeling playful and spirited as everything comes to a massive end.

The strange thing about people making evil decisions is so many commit those acts due to their so-called faith. The characters on these blazing songs on “Sorrow’s Pyre” faced similar circumstances, and not all came out of it in a better condition than they were in when things started. Occult Witches bring a classic doom sheen to these timeless ideas as we’ve been struggling with doing the right thing from the start, and we likely will face that battle until humanity’s last days.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Occultwitches

To buy the album or for more on the label, go here: https://blackthroneproductions.com/en-us