METALLICA - HARDWIRED

I'm not huge on the idea of downloading shit for free (sure we've all done it) .... especially from bands that I really love and respect. I couldn't help myself on this occasion and decided to get a sneaky look at what I think will be the biggest album of the year in the metal and possibly the rock and roll universe. No doubt I'll go out and buy the "ultra deluxe" version of the release within days of it coming out anyway, so there's no need to panic about Lars Ulrich's bank account going thin on my account.

The album opens with "Hardwired to Self Destruct" which has been leaked extensively by the band itself. It's a blistering return to form an it keeps going for most of the 80 minute duration of the release. This song is probably a little more intense than most material on the album but over all its a heavy affair and more importantly very coherent as a release. I don't believe in going into individual tracks but the album as a whole on an initial listen  is a nicely varied slab of metal with material drawing in feelings from "Master of Puppets / ...And Justice for All" combined with some of the "Load" era material but at the same time continuing on from the "Death Magnetic" release.  That may not make much sense but that's the feeling I got from it. The songs themselves are epic riff fests, very intricately arranged and multi-layered guitars, crushing riffs and some really tasty guitar solo's courtesy of Kirk Hammett.

James Hetfields voice has matured and progressed beyond anything he's done before in my opinion. Some of the trademark barking is there but the voice is much more refined and tuneful that its ever been. The songs themselves are mostly quite long epic affairs with many highs and lows. Over the 80 minutes I will say a couple of songs at the end of the album started to feel a bit long and drawn out but I'm not sure if I was mentally worn out, or the beers I'd had on commencement of the album started to take its toll.... but for the most part it kept my attention the whole way through with the exception of the second last song or so.....  but to be fair 80+ minutes for an album is a big ask.

Overall.... the anger is back, the speed is back, the shred is back and this album really should blast them back into the forefront of heavy metal with the seasoned headbangers and newcomers alike. GO OUT AND GET IT AS SOON AS YOU CAN!

Of course, due to the EPIC nature of this release i'll post an update on what I think about it in a couple of weeks and a few more listens! STAY TUNED!!!

For more great heavy metal reviews: look up http://www.metalmixtape.com and give us a like on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/metalmixtape

ON THE RADIO!!!!

I had the pleasure of getting on the local radio station to talk metal on  Chromatic Death on 2XXFM last Monday basically just reminiscing about the good old metal days in my hometown of Canberra (Australia) in the 1990's! The good folk at the station were kind enough to record it, so for your listening pleasure here's a link if any of you want to either stream it / download it or whatever .... I get in around 30-40 mins into the set but its all good stuff so give it a listen!

Download link for the podcast

OBSCURE CHAOSZINE - Awakening the witch part 1 (compilation review)

This is a fantastic idea from the brains behind obscure chaos zine - it is a show case of 21 great bands from around the world playing underground metal be it death, black or power metal who have all donated a track for inclusion on this great digital download comp which is available (free.. so you have nothing to loose!) at http://www.obsucrechaoszine.bandcamp.com the songs can be downloaded as a huge comp or one at a time but I have to say the quality is generally pretty high with all the bands so it's definately worth downloading the whole thing. A lot of fans may not like everything on here as it covers a wide range of metal but for those that can listen with an open mind its definitely worth it.

The highlights for me were Hecate Enthroned, Axemaster, Christfuck and Prime Evil who are in their own rights reasonably well known bands at their respective styles of metal that they do, not only adding great songs to the mix but a sense of bigger credibility to the compilation. Overall the standard of music is pretty high with only a couple of bands falling short in
production, but to be fair that would be expected to some degree with an underground music compilation... the only thing I can say is go visit the site and download it for yourself and you'll undoubtably find at least a couple of new treasures and bands to check out.

From a business point of view the concept is fantastic too.... with 21 bands involved if all members of the band get together to share it and promote it the reach on social media for everyone would be fantastic! Hopefully it raises the profiles of everyone involved! It will be interesting to get back in touch with the creators of the concept in a few months and see how the concept has done for everyone.
 

NORTHERN CROWN - THE OTHERS (2016)

NORTHERN CROWN - THE OTHERS (2016)
(originally appearing in AEA zine)

This was a very pleasant suprise! Again, a band I'd heard nothing of previously, to be fair this is their debut album after having released an ep a couple of years previous. This album contains some very accomplished songwriting and musicianship for a debut album so im not sure if the members have had previous bands or not but either way what you have here is a very easy to listen to slab of music. The bands website and promo describe them as "doom" but I have to say I wouldn't agree with them on that , There are some slow chuggy doom parts but it's a hard one to categorise as it fits within the traditional metal and prog genres with hints of black metal, maybe it has a more 'goth' feel to it. They might even be considered the 'pink floyd' of heavy metal. Categorisations aside, the songs themselves tend to be on the longer end of the scale with some great metal riffs and some very trance inducing soundscapes utilising keyboards and other insturments rather well also utilising some aspects of electronic music and some very tasty clean melodic moments... It makes for great chillout music, great for listening to in the dark or falling asleep to. The riffage while slow is never boring, there are many trance like parts invoking images of ancient rome, or Sumerian/Middle eastern passages where the guitars/keys/wind instruments mix together perfectly. The vocals are simply superb, solid metal clean vocals (to my ears reminiscient of john bush from Anthrax) with a hint of power metal and occcassional death metal moments. Over all it suits the production of this album and the mood they are trying to create. The lads have succeeded in creating something special here and they should feel proud of themselves! I really hope this release raises the band into the next level of contenders for the metal throne.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES - WORLD GONE MAD (2016)

Suicidal Tendencies front man Mike Muir has long been an icon of the skate / thrash / punk scene and
it's great to see him return to form with a new album that brings back the aggression of the past whilst still staying relevant to today.

I'll be honest in saying that while I loved the "Lights... Camera... Revolution" Era and before....  I haven't had a lot of time for them since the "Suicidal for Life" era as I felt they regressed into a state of semi-retardation lyrically and musically it all seemed to dissolve into eclectic mess. It is with great joy that I can say I can listen to Suicidal proudly without having a brain anuerism or wishing for it to be 1989 again

This new album features long time Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and I wonder if this was the missing ingredient in making this band great again. His drumming is as tight as the proverbial "nuns nasty" and Dave gets to show off not only what a great metal drummer he is, but his fusion / jazzy chops and sense of timing is amazing. He is a great and versatile drummer and gets to show it off to great effect on this record. More importantly he pins down the music brilliantly weather they are winding through a funky jazzy guitar solo, or a crushing thrash or punk riff or a blazing guitar solo it always feels solid and in time. Hail Lombardo!

The other musicians on this record (I have no real idea who they are) are great too.... lots of great thrashy / punky riffs reminiscent of all era's of past Suicidal Tendencies, funky slappy bass lines abound and even the shredding solo's that old guitar player Rocky George was famous for have made a return with this new lineup

Overall its a great record and returns the once mighty Suicidal Tendencies to being relevant and metal again!  

for more great reviews go http://www.metalmixtape.com

 

SOUTH COAST METALHEADS.COM

Just got the site for the "South Coast Metalheads" live and running. If you're from that area of Australia or just interested in whats going on down there check out the site and if maybe even sign up to the forum and chat with like minded metalheads

Check it out http://www.southcoastmetalheads.com

If anyone else reading this needs a website done feel free to contact me on clickoncanberra@gmail.com or look at the website http://www.clickoncanberra.com for an idea of pricings and options available (of course if you're a metalhead I'll cut you a good discount)

CD Review: THE NIGHTSTALKER - All For A Promise

THE NIGHTSTALKER - All For A Promise (Wolfshade Recs)

(originally featured in AEA ZINE )

http://www.facebook.com/Thenightstalkerofficial

I did not know anything of this band, The Nightstalker. So I had no expectations other than the bleak foreboding imagery used on their social media. Upon immediate listen I was quite happy to hear a melodic base to the songs reminiscent of various era's of Paradise Lost and maybe some Sisters of Mercy. Nice guitar work and very tasty melodies, with a very pop sense about them. Two things stand at opposites with these tasty melodies, one being the "necro" black metal styled vocals and the “kvlt as fvck” production. I have to say I liked the contrast between the black metal styled vocals and goth rock music.... but I think maybe a lot of people would have trouble with it. Also the production is fairly “live, recorded in a dungeon” style black metal production which also adds an original but gritty feel to it, which in many other bands would take away from the sound... it strangely adds to it here. All in all the songs invoke a rather hypnotic trance like state which I would quite happily fall asleep to. The Nightstalker have a great command of melodies and their songwriting sensibilities come across very well in this music. I would like to hear them again on forthcoming releases with an improved production which I think they could really go somewhere with but at the same time part of me wants them to keep the gritty production they have here, as it really works! I eagerly await whatever these guys do next. 

-Reggae 

 Tracklist: 
1. But not in Me 
2. Sergent Mattennen 
3. Fight Under the Rain 
4. The Purgatory 
5. The Diversion 
6. The Prisonners Eescape 
7. I Miss Her 
8. The Choice 
9. In the Heart of Limbo 
10. Army of Darkness