#17 - Top of 2018

Heavy Generation - The Spirit Lives On (SlipTrick Records)

Fans of Italian heavy metal unite! Heavy Generation gallop from Lombardy with their first album to bring us the Heavy Metal we deserve. "Born to Rock" blasts its way through getting you pumped for what will follow, which is "Fire Steel Metal", one the heaviest and cheesiest tracks of the year with an amazingly catchy chorus along the suitably over-the-top vocals by Ivan Giannini and an awesome guitar interlude by Fabio Cavestro (don't miss out the equally over-the-top video clip)! "No Control" is a more classic speedy heavy metal song with a short musical interlude packed in just over 3 minutes. "Blood and Sand" adds a more epic twist to the album singing about "immortal glory" while "Heavy Generation" picks up the pace giving us a great sing-along chorus. "Path of Denial" is the surprise of the record as it starts on with a more brooding attitude and lyrical theme but turns out into an epic chorus that should be heard in the highest volume possible as Ivan's high pitched vocals will make you wanna sing along! Speaking of epic, "My Spirit Lives On" has an amazing intro perfectly combined with a groovier chorus. Fear not, there are more heavy tracks left, including the personal favourite "Odin" which starts with a foreboding and epic voice-over that is followed by some great heavy metal drums by Marco Stefani! The album wraps up with the Manowar-esque "March Until the Grave" (with its awesomely epic interlude & "warrior's" narration) and the heavier drum-based "No More Mercy" that finishes with a blasting guitar solo and a thunder! "The Spirit Lives On" is a promising first release by Heavy Generation that will leave you pumped for their next heavy metal album!



94.8/100

Below are the official music videos for "Path of Denial" and "Fire Steel Metal".

#18 - Top of 2018

Grill - The Eternal Presence (828182 Records DK2)

Do you enjoy prog jamming with Jazz/fusion mixed in for good measure? Do you find contemporary music uninspiring?  Do you long for songs that you have no idea where they are going but you are nevertheless going to enjoy the journey? Do you thing that the current direction of Opeth is not progressive enough? Then GRILL is truly the band for you!
The quartet hail from Sydney, Australia and, beyond that very few things are known about them.  Album opens with "Heart of the City", which truly feels like at times like a free-flow jam from the band . Follow up "Circadian Patterns" sets off with true vibes of  Psychotic Waltz in its unusual rhythms, before going full fusion and loosing itself briefly, before resurfacing triumphant.  "Waking Dreams" kicks off almost like a power ballad, before going epic metal (!) with an awesome shrieking bridge, killer riffing and a catchy melodic chorus, while at the same time retaining a prog rock core. I know it sounds weird but it is the god honest vibe of the song and god-damn it sounds awesome. Follow-up "Aether", is an almost acoustic instrumental prog piece, very reminiscent of the opener in its experimental and jamming attitude. Finally, the closing composition "Voyager" is the most Opeth-esque composition of the album, which however still manages to experiment and break new ground with ever-changing tempos and moods, managing to close one of the most challenging and fresh prog releases of 2018 in a triumphant manner. Keep em coming Maestro!


94.7/100

Below you can stream the entire album from the band's youtube page. If you enjoy it, you can support the band in their bandcamp here.

#19 - Top of 2018

Psychework - Karelian Hills (Ranka Kustannus)

Symphonic Heavy metal has been an oft maligned genre, with bands essentially playing pop sprinkled with heavy guitars often claiming to be part of a genre, which has essentially become a term signifying lack of quality. Fear not gentle reader! For Psychework have put METAL back in the Symphonic/Atmospheric genre. Their truly seminal work "Karelian Hills" is only their second album, and although I never heard the band or their label, from the first second of opener "Siege" I was hooked. The dramatic Vocals of  Antony Parviainen, along with the sound samples and epic catchy chorus, let you know that this is not a run of the mill band. This is further verified by the second track "Phantoms White" with epic moments  mixed with  pinches of black metal twists and turns."Karelian Hills" is an epic crescendo, "Fire Still Burns" is a silent moment of contemplation, "Ghost Patrol" is a power metal hymn and finisher "There Beyond" is a theatric/avant-guarde piece of symphonic perfection. Once the album finishes you are left wondering how you have not heard of Psychework yet and, more importantly why the hell these guys are not a household name yet!

94.5/100

Below is the music video for "Siege"

#20 - Top of 2018

Angel of Damnation - Heathen Witchcraft (Shadow Kingdom Records)

Angel of Damnation are essentially a side band of Gerrit P. Mutz (vocals/bass, ex-Battleroar, Sacred Steel, Dawn of Winter) and Daniel Chicos (guitars, Nocturnal, Front Beast). In their  second attempt, "Heathen Witchcraft",  they continue on the same path of unrelenting Candlemass-esque epic doom which is truly their bread and butter. Recently signing to a bigger label allowed the band to access a wider array of doom fans and this second release became a trademark of quality for doom metal in 2019, combining monolithic slow riffing with the epic vocal colours of Mutz. Opener "Brimstone Sorcery" sets the tone with slow paced rhythms, brilliantly juxtaposed to the epic vocals. "Dragged to the Torture Wheel" is more groovy without deviating from the formula, while "Gospel of the Servant(The Damnation of Gehena)" is clearly influenced by "Ancient Dreams" in terms of lyricality and melodic synchronisation. "Heathen Witchcraft" is one of the slower and doomier tracks you can hear anywhere, slowly building among whispers and screams but lacking a release valve, ultimately leading to internal despair. "Lord of the Seven Churches" reveals a more Pentagram-esque influence on the band, which is necessary to alleviate the abysmal weight of its predecessor. Finally, the album concludes with the EPIC "Tear off the Veil off the Sun", which is more in line with the epic metal sensitivities of Mutz and less within the expectations of the album, but remains an excellent track which not only showcases a different side of the band but also closes a very heavy doom album on a positive note, which some times is all a poor man can ask. An album certainly for not all moods, but definitely worth a spin when you are in for some real doom metal!

94.2/100

Below is the audio for "Tear off the veil off the Sun"