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Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-7th-guild-triumviro-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The 7th Guild – Triumviro Review</a>By KenstrosityTo compare your band to The Three Tenors is a bold move, to say the least. By making this connection, you inherently pit yourself against three of the greatest opera singers of their time (at the very least three of the most well-known). Yet, this is exactly how <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/skeletoon-the-1-21-gigawatts-club-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SkeleToon</a>‘s Tomi Fooler describes his freshly minted supergroup, The 7th Guild, in anticipation of their debut full-length Triumviro. Boasting his own voice in tandem with Giacomo Voli (<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/rhapsody-of-fire-challenge-the-wind-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rhapsody of Fire</a>) and Ivan Giannini (<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/vision-divine-destination-set-to-nowhere-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vision Divine</a>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/derdian-dna-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Derdian</a>), Tomi’s latest project attempts a symphonic power metal triple threat of the same legendary caliber as the aforementioned Tenors. It takes gumption to attempt that feat. Can The 7th Guild win over the Kendom?The short answer is no. With nothing substantial to distinguish this project from the pool of power from which it draws deep, Triumviro proffers a particularly earnest and passionate form of overblown, hyper-melodic symphocheese. Positivity and bleeding heart melodramatics abound, surrounded by a blunderbuss of horns, keys, strings, and a too-thin layer of guitars hell-bent on proselytizing the virtues of the power chord. Unlike equally opulent acts like <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/twilight-force-at-the-heart-of-wintervale-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twilight Force</a> and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fellowship-the-skies-above-eternity-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fellowship</a>, The 7th Guild epitomizes the generic at every stage, so much so that at times, it is difficult even to distinguish any of the three vocalists from each other (save for one member who possesses an especially nasal, though not altogether unpleasant, tone). Nonetheless, it’s a formula that works and has worked for decades, which means that despite myself, Triumviro thrust a few of its best moments deep in my brain.The 7th Guild are at their best when singing in their native Italian. Lush as the most richly layered <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fleshgod-apocalypse-opera-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fleshgod Apocalypse</a> magnum opus, “La Promessa Cremisi” revels in decadent vocal layers, a million heavily rolled ‘r’s, cinematic orchestrations, and a sky-high soaring chorus riding on the rippling back muscles of a classic power metal gallop. Insertions of Italian scattered throughout the excessive “Glorious” help offset its cringe-inducing, but sticky “YOU’RE MAKIN’ ME GLOOOOOOOOOORRRRIIOOOOUS” refrain. “In Nomine Patris” exudes regality in its fanfare, marching forth with an operatic pre-chorus followed immediately by a triumphant chorus that would be right at home on any Twilight Force epic. As if this wasn’t enough, a delightful high-octane guitar solo launches the final third in dramatic fashion, giving the final chorus the momentum it needed to justify its inclusion in the song’s six-plus-minute span. It is moments like these, among a few others spotting this forty-eight-minute runtime, that make Triumviro enjoyable and fun, at least for a moment.Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of Triumviro’s successes are ephemeral, too easily overshadowed by lackluster power metal sullied further by saccharine writing and unchecked vocal exhibitions. Ballad “Time” is delicate and fluffy, but having three singers of functionally identical tone and range wailing in concert with the soaring lead guitar flattens the entire piece to the point of collapse. A total lack of tonal and textural depth persists throughout the back half of the record, continually fumbling moves that could’ve made a lasting impression. “Guardians of Eternity” borders on annoying, its vocal layering creating cacophony as one singer chooses to hold notes longer than the rest at arbitrary points, while another comes in a fraction too late to line up properly in the arrangement. Later on, one of the vocalists makes an unhinged choice attempting an operatic run in the style of Tarja Turunen. Not only does this moment clash against already tepid songwriting with its poor execution, but it also illustrates the competitive, rather than cooperative, nature of The 7th Guild’s vocal performances. Furthermore, this egregious showboating behavior puts a spotlight on the oversimplified, underutilized metallic instrumentation in the background, as demonstrated by the overwrought “The Metal Charade.” Closer “Fairy Tale” doesn’t fare much better as the over-performed, nasal balladry dominates the soundscape with questionable choices and strained reaches, all in the name of bombast.The most damning aspect of The 7th Guild’s troubled debut is the impression it leaves with this listener. After the dust settles and I lay Triumviro to rest, I breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Its first five songs aren’t that bad, and two of those are arguably good. But even those can’t escape the problems pervading the entire record. Moreover, its second half is a clinic on what not to do, from writing to performance, on a symphonic power metal record. In short, right now The 7th Guild are closer to The Three Tricksters than The Three Tenors. Rating: Bad DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 160 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="http://www.scarletrecords.it/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> Website: <a href="http://facebook.com/the7thguild" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/the7thguild</a> Releases Worldwide: February 21st, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/15/" target="_blank">#15</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/derdian/" target="_blank">#Derdian</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/feb25/" target="_blank">#Feb25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fellowship/" target="_blank">#Fellowship</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/italian-metal-metal/" target="_blank">#ItalianMetalMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/rhapsody-of-fire/" target="_blank">#RhapsodyOfFire</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/skeletoon/" target="_blank">#Skeletoon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/symphonic-metal/" target="_blank">#SymphonicMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-7th-guild/" target="_blank">#The7thGuild</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-three-tenors/" target="_blank">#TheThreeTenors</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/triumviro/" target="_blank">#Triumviro</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/twilight-force/" target="_blank">#TwilightForce</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/vision-divine/" target="_blank">#VisionDivine</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dragonknight-legions-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dragonknight – Legions Review</a>By Eldritch ElitistA not-insignificant number of my favorite power metal acts are “noun noun” bands. Power Quest. Twilight Force. Fellow Ship. There’s something about smashing two overwrought people, places, and/or things together that perfectly fits power metal’s prerequisite for excess, and Dragonknight is one of my favorite band names to come out of the genre in recent memory. I’m a little less enthused that their identities are hidden behind their confusingly uniform, copy-paste Slipknot masks<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dragonknight-legions-review/#fn-210308-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a>, but between their ludicrously opulent logo and Legions’ hilariously literal cover art, Dragonknight is one of the more immediately striking power metal acts to debut on Scarlet Records. Of course, with Frozen Crown and Fellowship being alums from the same label, the bar is set in the stratosphere; as Legions shows, that bar is not easily reached.Explaining what DragonKnight sounds like would be markedly less expeditious than describing who they sound like, as Legions sees the band feasting upon a veritable buffet of inspirations. A bespoke influence seemingly accompanies each track; Gloryhammer (“Dead Kings in the Grave”), Beast in Black (“Sword of the Northern Lights”), and mercifully not Alestorm but rather Running Wild (“Pirates, Bloody Pirates!”) serve as some of Legions’ more obvious sources of inspiration. While DragonKnight’s aesthetic varies widely across this album, it’s all tied together with an overarching symphonic flair that keeps the proceedings from sounding overly disjointed. Moreover, Legions sounds technically competent and professional, traits which should be a given but are too often scarce in the genre. For many power metal fans, the level of execution alone may be satisfying.Dragonknight may presently be more concerned with emulating the successes of modern power metal than innovating the game. Still, I also get the sense that the band had a ton of fun making Legions, so it manages not to tip my cynicism meter to the red. I do, however, find myself increasingly annoyed with this album for a potentially more damning reason: It’s just kinda bland. There are certainly highlights between “The Imperator”‘s Dream Evil-goes-symphonic march and “The Revelation<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dragonknight-legions-review/#fn-210308-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a>“‘s condensed galloping rush, but much of Legions lacks urgency and excitement. Instrumental flair is absent outside of the frequently excellent guitar solos, and while the melodies are generally pleasant, Dragonknight fails to capitalize on their solid foundation with the giant melodic swings that define the genre. Legions isn’t forgettable, per se, but it fails to make an impression where it matters most.Legions hits me with all the force of a lukewarm bucket of water at least in part due to its production choices. The album sounds quite nice from a technical perspective, carrying a meatier low-end presence than most power metal records allow which effectively balances the symphonic bombast. The instruments themselves, however, lack tonal character, their generic metallic edge failing to cut through the swaths of synths. Singer and sole named member Lord Salo Khan (Mikael Salo, Everfrost<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dragonknight-legions-review/#fn-210308-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a>) also lacks power in many scenarios, with his voice failing to deliver a convincing presence of power in Legions’ most melodic tracks, namely “Storm Bringer.” At other times, however, he excels; the conviction with which he delivers the lyric “Sailing ships with great dexterity!” goes a long way in making “Pirates Bloody Pirates!” another early highlight of Dragonknight’s career.I reference Dragonknight in context with a hypothetical future as it’s one that I hope comes to fruition. Their debut left me with a stronger first impression than this review and its score implies, but I ultimately found Legions lacking in staying power, my mind struggling not to wander towards the dozens of better records it reminds me of as I ventured past my first couple of spins. Dragonknight has the talent and songwriting chops to excel on future outings, but they need to work on identifying and honing their strengths rather than spreading themselves thin with an overly ambitious scope. If Dragonknight can succeed in this regard, they may well find themselves on equal footing with their peers. As it stands today, they are a decent imitation of their influences, but sincere flattery can only carry them so far. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://scarletrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/album/legions" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/album/legions</a> | <a href="http://dragonknightband.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dragonknightband.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/dragonknightband" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/dragonknightband</a> Releases Worldwide: January 17th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/alestorm/" target="_blank">#Alestorm</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/beast-in-black/" target="_blank">#BeastInBlack</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dragonknight/" target="_blank">#Dragonknight</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dream-evil/" target="_blank">#DreamEvil</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/everfrost/" target="_blank">#Everfrost</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fellowship/" target="_blank">#Fellowship</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/finnish-metal/" target="_blank">#FinnishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/frozen-crown/" target="_blank">#FrozenCrown</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/galneryus/" target="_blank">#Galneryus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gloryhammer/" target="_blank">#Gloryhammer</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/legions/" target="_blank">#Legions</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-quest/" target="_blank">#PowerQuest</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/running-wild/" target="_blank">#RunningWild</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/slipknot/" target="_blank">#Slipknot</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/twilight-force/" target="_blank">#TwilightForce</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thy-kingdom-will-burn-the-loss-and-redemption-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thy Kingdom Will Burn – The Loss and Redemption Review</a>By Dr. A.N. GrierScarlet Records have been around for some time, quietly snatching up every power, symphonic, and corset-core outfit in Italy. Why are there so many of these acts in a country of its size, you ask? I-a have-a no idea-a. So, it was a great surprise when I picked up this rando from their label, neither Italian nor any of the aforementioned genre abominations. Thy Kingdom Will Burn hails from the frozen wastelands of Finland and plays sad-boi melodic death metal. Like neighboring melodeath elite, Thy Kingdom Will Burn sports the genre standards of bands like Insomnium and Dark Tranquillity while tapping the vein of old-school At the Gates. Don’t expect any new directions or genre-shaping songwriting decisions, but they’re solid at what they do. Having only released LPs since 2021, it’s surprising (and maybe a little scary?) that The Loss and Redemption is the band’s third album. Regardless, this little prolific band is here to shed tears, shred balls, and possibly recruit a new fan.One thing that can be said about Thy Kingdom Will Burn is that they are an acquired taste. Not in a negative way because there are plenty of bands like that. But, many of the transitions between gruffs and cleans can be jarring at times, though the diversity is pleasing with the different flavors of cleans. If you dislike the forced gruffs of Trivium’s Matt Heafy, you’ll have some difficulty here. They aren’t identical but it’s pretty damn close. That said, they’re good at writing passionate, melodic pieces. The band continues to find their voice and The Loss and Redemption is their best record yet. So, get the tissues ready, stretch that neck out, and prepare for things you’ve heard before that still might have you wrinkling your brow.“Perpetual Void” is a strong song from the band and a great way to kick off the album. It incorporates many of the individual techniques you’ll hear throughout the album but into a single song. Opening with a melodic introduction, it settles into a groove before those previously mentioned snarls hit the ears. As the track rises and falls, building the atmosphere, we find a gentle, bass-led passage that precedes the erupting, memorable chorus. In six minutes, you’ll traverse passionate sections, happy-go-lucky interludes, and a stargazing chorus that grows stronger as it goes. “Sydänyö” bookends the album by taking elements from the opener and emptying the pantry. While the song swirls in and out of melodic passages, using clean guitars to set the mood, it also includes one of the band’s heaviest riffs. Toss in some folkiness, orchestration, and piano to offset the concrete-cracking drive of the song, and your heart will ache as much as your head will bang.By the time you get to the closer, you’re used to the folky elements of The Loss and Redemption. But, I was not prepared for the extent of it in “Obscure Existence.” It’s great, and I love it. But coming off “Perpetual Void,” I did not expect the folkery and upbeat gallop that eventually transitions into some Dark Tranquillity territories. This song is also the first introduction to the album’s piano usage, which is quite pleasing to the ears. These surprises kept me inspired enough to spin the album again. However, some surprises do not work. Case in point, “Forever in Dark.” This gorgeous song didn’t deserve the spoken-word segments that derail the beautiful flow and heart-wrenching chorus. That said, the build and final iteration of the chorus is worth it—even if I cringe with each spoken-word interlude that corrupts its beauty.There are plenty of other highlight moments in The Loss and Redemption, but not everything works in the confined structure of a song. “Martyrs of Killing Floor”<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thy-kingdom-will-burn-the-loss-and-redemption-review/#fn-210149-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> has a lot of promise, but with all its mood shifts and bizarre lyrics, I’m left waiting for it to end. “Suffering Sky” has its moments but drags on too long and the chorus is boring. Dropping this track would have helped the flow and omitted almost six minutes of the album’s nearly fifty-minute runtime. All in all, The Loss and Redemption sees Thy Kingdom Will Burn continuing to grow as a band. The songwriting is their strongest, but most sinks only hold so many dishes.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thy-kingdom-will-burn-the-loss-and-redemption-review/#fn-210149-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> If the band can reel in some of the chaotic qualities of their song structures, Thy Kingdom Will Burn could be a strong contributor to the melodeath world. While Scarlet Records needs to send me some 320 kbps promos, the dynamics of this record are lush, letting you hear nearly every instrument and the individual orchestral elements. If you like melodeath, you might find something worthwhile in The Loss and Redemption. Rating: 3.0/5.0 DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://scarletrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://thykingdomwillburn.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">thykingdomwillburn.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thykingdomwillburn/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/thykingdomwillburn</a> Releases Worldwide: January 17th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/at-the-gates/" target="_blank">#AtTheGates</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dark-tranquillity/" target="_blank">#DarkTranquillity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/finnish-metal/" target="_blank">#FinnishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/insomnium/" target="_blank">#Insomnium</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-loss-and-redemption/" target="_blank">#TheLossAndRedemption</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/thy-kingdom-will-burn/" target="_blank">#ThyKingdomWillBurn</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/interview-with-fellowships-matthew-corry-and-callum-tuffen/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Interview with Fellowship’s Matthew Corry and Callum Tuffen</a>By Eldritch ElitistAnyone who knows me will know that I attended 2024’s Mad With Power festival in Madison, Wisconsin for one reason: Fellowship. While the opportunity to engage in lowercase fellowship with various friends and colleagues was enticing, I also couldn’t pass up the opportunity to experience the Fellowship: England’s rapidly up-and-coming power metal band, and an act that has been very special for me since their earliest days, performing their first-ever show in North America. Likewise, I wasn’t about to miss my chance to sit down with Matthew Corry (vocals and lyrics) and Callum Tuffen (drums and songwriting) and pick their brains about what makes Fellowship tick. On the day prior to this interview, I was fortunate enough to witness the band debut three new songs alongside the cover art and tracklist for their upcoming sophomore record, The Skies Above Eternity, which gave us much more to talk about than I had anticipated.I was escorted backstage to meet Matt and Cal (by none other than Ty Christian, vocalist of Lords of the Trident and founder of Mad With Power), and was genuinely surprised to find that Matt, the little hobbit man who lives in my phone and sings directly to my soul through my earbuds, is basically as tall as I am – and I’m 6’3”. He and Callum greeted me as warmly as one might expect from a band famous for songs of camaraderie and self worth. When I told Matt that he and I had spoken on occasion through Twitter DMs, he responded with a delightfully genuine “Oh, right! Eldritch Elitist!” in what might be the highlight of my tenure at this blog. We then shuffled into a small, hot interview room; what follows are Matt and Cal’s own words, lightly edited for the sake of clarity and flow. I began by asking Matt and Callum how they came to headline an overseas festival with nothing but a debut LP under their belt.Callum: “I spoke with Ty a bit about this. They like to bring in the bands that haven’t really “made it,” so I think that’s part of it. We’ve known Ty for quite a while, and he’s probably one of the most supportive guys in power metal today.”Matt: “From what I’ve heard, a couple of years ago, shortly after our Fellowship EP first came out, people were already trying to get Fellowship over here. They saw Ty as “the method” for getting Fellowship over here within a couple of years, as opposed to having to wait five or six years for us to get big enough to be viable. They just kept poking Ty, and Ty, being the wonderful human that he is, said ‘you know what? Let’s try it.’ He emailed us and asked ‘are you guys up for it?’ And hell yeah, we were up for it!”Callum: “I always had this fear that it wouldn’t actually happen, but here we are.”Ty himself had actually covered Fellowship’s “Glint” on Lords of the Trident’s YouTube channel, long before they had signed to Scarlet Records or recorded their first LP. Matt has a small cameo in that video, so I’m curious whether that video happened before talks began for Fellowship to join the Mad With Power roster.Matt: “Yeah, that was way before. After ‘Glint’ came out, Ty messaged us, initially saying how much he loved the song, and if we would mind if he did a cover of it. I sent him some files and he did the cover, which blew us away. I think that was the first…”Callum: “It’s just crazy good, isn’t it?”Matt: “Yeah, so good, and it was the first sort of ‘proper’ vocal cover of any of our stuff – which is difficult stuff. So there were immediately ‘buds for life’ kind of vibes. And then he started talking about the New Wave of Nice Metal Buds, which is so our vibe: positivity, support, all that jazz. And after that, I did a little opera video with him, for fun, and I got to show my cat to the internet. Around a year later, he emailed us saying ‘it’s time.’”The New Wave of Nice Metal Buds that Matt refers to is Ty’s code of conduct, by which the festival is operated. It was created to promote kindness, inclusivity, and mindfulness within the Mad With Power community, and applies to the bands and fans therein. While it’s difficult to say whether this code of conduct is responsible for the festival’s atmosphere, it should be noted that the Mad With Power experience is indeed one of utmost positivity. In other words: The vibes are on point.Since Fellowship’s inception, I’ve found it remarkable how well they balance their atmosphere of utmost sincerity against the cheese and excess of power metal, especially when similar bands – most notably Twilight Force – conduct themselves as if they are “in” on a shared joke with their audience. Cal and Matt had clearly considered this contradiction, as it stems from their unique songwriter-lyricist partnership.Callum: “So… When I say Twilight Force is a huge inspiration for me, they’re not the only ones. In power metal, yeah, of course, they’re an inspiration for me. But I take a lot of inspiration from other bands. I don’t know if you’d pick up on the influence from our songs, but there are elements from bands like early Avenged Sevenfold, and a lot of older pop stuff, like Elton John and ABBA. I try to get across that it’s never meant to be ‘jokey,’ but at the same time, I wanted to make people feel happy, the way that kind of music makes me feel. All I can do is put out the best stuff I possibly can, that makes me feel good, and hopefully, it comes across that way to everyone else.”Matt: “I think lyrically, this is one of those unique musical combos that I don’t think either me or Cal really expected, or would have sought out naturally. Cal’s music is not the type of thing that I would ever write, and I don’t think my lyrics are really the type of thing that Cal would immediately go for. But once we ended up putting them together, it became this symbiotic marriage. We never thought it would go crazy the way that it has, we never dreamed of coming to the States or anything when we first collaborated. I think the first thing we ever did together was record ‘Glint.’ That was almost like my trial for the band, in a way. And after the day of doing it, we just sort of sat around a pub. None of us had a drink, we just sat around a pub.”Callum: “I think that was in London.”Matt: “Yeah, that was in London! And we were just like… ‘Yeah, we made something really cool, didn’t we?’ When I first came into power metal – because I wasn’t into power metal, I am now, but I wasn’t at all when I joined the band – the music that everyone was making, and that Cal had sent me, was just so fundamentally uplifting. I didn’t want to take anything away from that. Cal has such a unique ability to convey really complicated emotions. There are a lot of really happy bits, and really sort of tense bits in Cal’s music, but because it flows so freely between them, it feels like just giving it one emotion would cheapen it somehow. So that desire to take it seriously, I think, is where we really align.”I am intrigued by Matt’s mention that the recording of “Glint” was his first act as a member of Fellowship, and wonder aloud whether that recording was the version that made it onto their EP, and eventually their debut LP.Matt: “Yep.”Callum: “Mmm…”Matt: “No?”There is a bit of back and forth between Matt and Cal at this point about whether the adjustments made after the initial recording constitute a “different version” of the song, but their ultimate consensus is that what we hear on the record is what was recorded on day one. What’s even more interesting is that the rest of the band had never met Matt before that day. The official recording we have of “Glint,” as I see it, is the true beginning of Fellowship as we know them today.Looking from the past to the future, I steer the subject to the newly announced album, The Skies Above Eternity. Specifically, I was curious about the press release’s mention of direct inspirations from the Japanese power metal scene, and how those ideas were incorporated while staying true to the Fellowship sound.Callum: “So obviously, being such a huge power metal fan, I stumbled deeply into the Japanese realm, and I grew to love a lot of what they do harmonically. In my opinion, they do things quite differently from European and American power metal. They do a lot more intricate things, and they also delve further into neoclassical elements. I wanted to take a lot of influence from that and try to apply it to our sound without it being forced, if you know what I mean. And it wasn’t only power metal. I was listening to Japanese pop, and weirdly enough, they also do the same sort of harmonic things that are done in Japanese power metal; bands like YOASOBI, and other J-Pop artists. I tried to apply that harmonic style to our sound. We do it especially in ‘Hold Up Your Hearts (Again),’ and in ‘The Bitter Winds.’ That’s a real Galneryus-style song.”At this point, I can’t help but remark that Galneryus is my favorite band, and – having heard “The Bitter Winds” live the day prior – that there are moments that remind me of Galneryus tracks like “Angel of Salvation.”Matt: “Every time we’re in the car together, Cal tries to get me more and more into Galneryus. And every time we leave the car, I do add a Galneryus song to my Spotify playlist. I haven’t gone hardcore yet, but at the rate we’re going, I’ll get there. ‘Angel of Salvation’ was the first one Cal showed me where he was like ‘THIS.’Matt makes an enthusiastic hand gesture to express Cal’s intensity towards Galneryus, implying a level of excitement with which I am all too familiar.Branching off from our discussion of Japanese music, I ask Matt and Cal if there are any ideas on the upcoming album that feel risky, or that fans might not be expecting.Callum: “Yes.”Matt: “Yeah, definitely. I think after album one, we really wanted to make sure that… personally, I really don’t want Fellowship to be one of those bands that finds success with a sound and then never moves on. But I really want to make sure that we always have that fundamental joy that pervades the sort of “core” of what we do in everything. And I want – just personally, lyrically – I would love for each album to have just a slightly different ‘flavor’ of how we convey that joy, like ‘what’s an element of that joy we’re really tackling?’ The first album was very much about self-affirmation and self-discovery, finding oneself. This album is a lot darker. We have a song called ‘Victim,’ which, I think a year ago, no one would ever have predicted as a song title coming out of our band.”EE: “It stood out to me when I was looking at the tracklist.”Matt: “Yeah. This is ‘Light through the darkness,’ essentially. If I were to say there’s an overarching theme to this album, it would be that you can find joy in every situation, no matter how bleak it is. And finding that joy is worthwhile in and of itself, no matter how hard it seems, or how hard it is. Life is worth living, shortly. And ‘Victim’ is one of the songs where it most paints a picture that is very bleak, but finds a sort of ray of light in the middle of it.After Matt remarks on finding different “flavors” (or “flavours,” as he puts it) of joy, I ask about the contrast of the bright, orange cover from The Saberlight Chronicles, and whether the darker, purple cover of The Skies Above Eternity was an intentional choice to help fit its more dour lyrical tone.Callum: “There are a couple of things I wanted on this cover. I wanted… I wanted a…”Cal pauses in search of the right words.Matt: “Can you tell these were long conversations?”Callum: “I wanted a cool looking castle, in the background -”Matt: “He’s obsessed with the castle!”Callum: “In the background! I also wanted purple – it suits the sound. I don’t really know why, I just feel like it suits the sound.”Matt: “He’s not actually synesthetic, but Cal has so much color association. He’ll make a song and I’ll have a first pass, lyrically. Often, we end up in a conversation – I think it happened two or three times on this album – where something was close to the vibe, but it didn’t quite match what was in Cal’s head. And pretty much every time, he says “this song is blue,” or “this song is purple,” and that actually really helps me in terms of finding that vibe. The album art was very much a reflection of that. We actually had two passes of the album art this time, so if you buy the vinyl, you’ll see an early attempt at sort of finding the right vibe on the inner sleeve.”Callum: “I just absolutely love this album art. To me, everything matches.”Matt: “Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s amazing, Péter Sallai’s work.”Callum: “Going back to the question, though, you obviously had ideas for the album art as well.”Matt: “Yeah. There is a story behind every Fellowship album, and I’m hoping that I will find the time that there always will be. I obviously want the songs to stand on their own. But if we can have little bits of the lyrics which find their way into the creation of the front cover, and we combine that with the vibe that Cal can create with the music – which is very purple on this album! – we get that. You’ve got this really cool magic star thing being shattered by a warrior. It’s very evocative of a ‘battling against something difficult in a wasteland’ kind of emotion. We’re really excited, it’s really cool.”I agree with Matt and Cal that the art is fantastic – to the point where I had bought a shirt featuring the album’s artwork the day before, without having heard a single note of it. As Matt touched on the story for the new album’s concept, I ask if there would be any extra media materials accompanying the record, such as the novella Matt wrote to accompany The Saberlight Chronicles.Matt: ”There will be a novella for every album that we do. I am committed to saying that. I really mostly say that just to make me do it. But yeah, there is a novella coming for this album. It’s going to be very, very different from the first one. The band hasn’t read it yet, because it’s not finished yet, but… it will be! As soon as I can, I’m finishing it. It’s pretty much done.“Everything in Fellowship… firstly, it is worth saying that all of the story stuff is very consciously in the background. The origin of the novella is as a writing tool, to keep album one lyrically fresh, and it just sprawled into a novella. I love that idea, so now we’re doing it every time. Everything exists in the same universe, where the characters of Fellowship are represented in the prologue and epilogue of every book as storytellers. Each album is then a story that we tell, which will have unique characters, and will have unique ideas. And the bookends are the tale of the Fellowship itself, which is a set of immortal storytellers, cursed to tell every story from history, that they experience whenever they are asked.”I had planned at this point to ask Brad Wosko, the band’s lead guitarist, about the challenges that come with adapting the guitar parts of former lead guitarist Sam Browne (who is still a studio member, but no longer performs live) to his own playstyle. It says a lot about how in sync the members of Fellowship are that Matt is able to provide a detailed answer on Brad’s behalf.Matt: “Firstly, huge props to Brad, he’s worked so hard over the last couple of years.”EE: “I could tell.”I’m referring here to Brad’s performance at Mad With Power, where he played most of the solos with incredible accuracy, in relation to how Sam Browne recorded them on The Saberlight Chronicles.Matt: ”Nowadays, Brad is our lead guitarist, for sure. In the studio, Sam plays the lead on his songs, and Brad plays the lead on all of Cal’s songs. That’s the division. A lot of the shapes that Sam chose to play for album one, because they suit his fingers, don’t suit the way Brad plays, so he’s had to move things around a lot. And some things are really awkward for him, whereas they were okay for Sam. And some things that were awkward for Sam are really fine for Brad. One of the things he’s talked about specifically was the solo for “Saint Beyond the River,” which was the song that I wrote. I’m not a guitarist, and the solo that I got Sam to play was, note for note, what I wrote. And when Sam did it, he said “You’ve not written a possible part, this is the closest I can get.” And that’s because the shapes just weren’t what Sam is used to, it’s not how Sam plays. But weirdly enough, it is exactly how Brad plays. That was one of the solos that he took like a duck to water. So stylistically they’re very different, and Brad has had to adapt to a lot of those shapes on the guitar.”To follow up, I ask whether Brad’s taking of the lead guitarist role had any impact on the writing of the new record, as it sounds like that might be the case.Callum: “Actually, it hasn’t. We knew long ago that Sam wasn’t playing with us live, before we’d begun writing album two. I wrote the solos for my songs for most of album one, and that’s kind of applied to album two. I haven’t really changed anything.”Matt: “There are little bits and ideas that Brad has contributed.”Callum: “Yeah, he has. There’s a few little bits he’s added, but the majority, 90%, is the same sort of thing I was doing before. I just gotta write what sounds good to me.”I had also intended to ask the band’s new bassist, Ed Munson, about the role he played in shaping The Skies Above Eternity. From my perspective, Ed’s energetic stage presence bolsters the Fellowship ethos of joy and camaraderie, so I go ahead with asking Matt and Callum about the ways in which he had impacted the band’s compositional and studio practices.Matt: “I don’t think we can actually answer this question.”EE: “Okay.”Callum: “I can say something. It’s a similar thing to Brad’s solos; he’d get the songs, and he has added his own parts. There are things that I, not being a bass player, would not know. So he would add slides and these little intricacies across the songs, which I wouldn’t even think to do.”Matt: “They give the songs life, y’know. More life.”Callum: “Yeah, for sure. I think he has, especially with the songs I’ve written, one hundred percent improved them with small, little bits. Any small improvement is a good thing.”Matt: “There’s also just the fact that Ed is a joyous human to be around. He’s such a friendly guy. Most of the time, it’s just sort of me and Cal in the studio, we do a lot of that stuff together, as a symbiotic pair. But he’s just so happy and fun that it makes being in a band easy a lot of the time. I think that does probably have some effect on the music. Where I can’t tell you.”At this point, I ask Matt and Cal if they can speak for a moment on their experience working with the late Phillipe Giordana of the French power metal band Fairyland, a band I’ve been listening to for as long as I’ve been a fan of the genre. Giordana passed away in 2022, after having contributed keyboards to “The Frozen Land,” the Japanese bonus track from The Saberlight Chronicles.Callum: “He… yeah, he was such a friendly guy. We were a new band in the scene, and he stumbled upon us from ‘Glint’, from our EP. And he would just be messaging us all the time, even at 2 AM, just to have a conversation about anything.”Matt: “He was the first person who was in power metal proper to really believe in us, other than Lynd<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/interview-with-fellowships-matthew-corry-and-callum-tuffen/#fn-206537-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a>, who you sort of knew beforehand.”Callum: “Yeah.”Matt: “And that enthusiasm is so infectious. And he was so kind and lovely, and one of the first things he ever said to us was ‘If you ever need a keyboard player, I would be beyond honored to do something.’ We’d written the entire album at this point, and then we realized we needed a Japanese bonus track. We didn’t know this beforehand. We wrote the Japanese bonus track, and we said ‘we gotta have Phil on it.’Callum: “He just wanted to collaborate so badly, and we said “this is the perfect song,” with the dueling solos between him and Sam.Matt: “We gave him the song, and he got so excited. I get really emotional talking about that, because… Yeah, he was just, I’ve never seen… We didn’t speak to him in person or anything, but he was so excited, like a child in a candy shop kind of excitement. And he blew it out of the park, and he kept talking about it afterwards, the year on.”Matt and Cal’s memories of Phil are genuinely touching, but I steer our chat back to lighter topics, as the last thing I want is to cast a rain cloud over the day of two musicians who I massively respect. I ask them whether there are any guest collaborators on the new record.Matt: “No, I don’t think so.”Callum: “No, there actually isn’t.”EE: “Okay.”Callum: “It wasn’t a thing where we said ‘we don’t want any guests.’ I guess we…”Matt: “I think this album kind of – stop me if I’m going off-patch – but for me I felt like this album needed to be a statement from us, in a way, where album one did really well and came out of nowhere. I think we very much wanted to prove something with album two.”EE: “That it’s not a fluke?”Matt: “It’s not a fluke, absolutely. And I think that just made us dive into ourselves, as it were.”Callum: “You mean, don’t rely on someone else to prop ourselves up.”Matt: “Yeah, exactly.”On that note, I ask Matt and Cal whether they had a wishlist of musicians they would like to collaborate with, encouraging them to dream big.Callum: “I would love for Lynd to do a solo on a song, from… well, ex-Twilight Force. Syu from Galneryus would be awesome. We were in contact with Herman Li<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/interview-with-fellowships-matthew-corry-and-callum-tuffen/#fn-206537-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> for a little bit, a few years back. We haven’t heard from him in a while, but that would be awesome.”EE: “He left a comment on your original music video, I remember that.”Matt: “Yeah! He watched it on stream, we were honored. It was so cool.”Callum: “I’ve said three, Matt.”Matt: “Yeah, I think from my perspective, there’s a load of vocalists who I would love to work with, who would add something – maybe like a character or something on a future album, who I think would just mesh really well with my voice. I would probably go a little bit outside of power metal to find some of those voices. So, I’m not sure it’s ever happening, but someone like Maisie Peters, who’s a… real shot in the dark, off the wall. I just really like her voice. Moron Police are my favorite band of all time, so I’d love to work with their vocalist, who’s also an incredible guitar player, by the way. And then within power metal, I’m super good friends with Sozos Michael, so I think that’s the one. If anything’s going to happen, it would be with him. I’m doing stuff with him on Eons Enthroned, and I would just love to have him on a record sometime.”EE: “Gotcha. Is there…”Matt: “And Cal has no idea who the first two people are.”Callum: “No, not a clue!”Continuing the topic of dream collaborations, I ask Matt and Cal whether there are any artists who they would love to tour with someday.Matt: “It’s really typical to say DragonForce… It’s not because they’re huge, but because we’ve spoken to Herman. He seems super chill, and he’s been really supportive of us, and it would just be nice to actually support him – like, literally support him in return, and do what we can. That would be really cool.”Callum: “A band that’s recently started touring the world – which is awesome, I love it, because it doesn’t usually happen with Japanese bands – Lovebites. That would be awesome to do, because I’m quite a big fan of them. They’re a bit more on the thrash-y side with some of their stuff, but you don’t really see Japanese bands coming out to tour the world. But they’re doing well, and that would be great.”Matt: “That would be such a fun concert, I think.”To get a bit more granular with a subject they had briefly touched on already, I ask Matt and Cal how they balanced challenging themselves creatively with The Skies Above Eternity, while still delivering more of what people love about Fellowship’s first album.Callum: “I always challenge myself by, for example, when I was talking about the Japanese style of music – not necessarily even power metal, as I said, with bands like YOASOBI – trying to incorporate that sort of sound into power metal, where it hasn’t necessarily been done. Some Japanese power metal bands, like Galneryus, obviously, already do that. But outside of Japan, you don’t really hear that sort of thing. Once again, with ‘Hold Up Your Hearts (Again),’ there’s a lot of harmonic aspects in that which were a bit experimental, but I think it’s worked out.”Matt: “The pre-chorus harmonies that you wrote, they’re really cool and different.”Callum: “I mean, the whole thing, there’s a lot of experimental stuff in there.”Matt: “I just have a really long list of cool words I want to use on my phone.”The three of us burst into laughter at this – Matt being the first to laugh, in self-deprecating fashion.Matt: “I think I’ve said this a bunch of times in different interviews, but for me, the thing that is most important when I approach a song, is marrying the narrative and lyrical content to the music. It’s very much about how the music is the core of everything, and everything I do is a reaction to that, so that it meshes, it flows, it works together. And this means that the first thing I do, before I’ve started any words for a song, is think about how that song thematically evolves, just purely musically. And I think that sort of keeps things fresh. Because as long as the music is evolving, then I will evolve with that music. And I think Cal, in that sense, pushes me a lot…”Callum: “Yeah.”Matt: “… to come up with new things and interesting ideas.”Callum: “I’m always coming across new artists that I like, and as I said, it’s just trying to take some ideas from what they might use, which you don’t typically hear in power metal, and trying to fit it into power metal.”EE: “Yeah, inspiration can come from anywhere. I mean, what is power metal if not just metal with more pop in it?”Matt and Callum: “Yeah!”EE: “I almost didn’t ask this question… but I’m going to, just for fun.”Callum: “Go.”During the previous night’s show, while Fellowship were three songs deep into their set, Matt made an unfortunate flub when he addressed the crowd as “Michigan,” rather than “Madison.” He immediately caught and corrected his error, and proffered an apology to the audience after the song had ended, claiming that he had failed out of geography in school. I decided to offer Matt an opportunity to redeem himself while having a little fun in the process.EE: “Matt, did you really fail out of geography?”Matt: “Uh, I… I didn’t actually get an F, but I got such low grades consistently that my teacher disliked me, to the point where she actually said in a class that she would not accept me taking geography at a GCSE<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/interview-with-fellowships-matthew-corry-and-callum-tuffen/#fn-206537-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a> level. That is not something that teachers are supposed to or allowed to do! I really annoyed my geography teacher, because I just… it was not my bag. Was not my bag. So no, I did, genuinely. I grew up thinking that Dover was North of where I live, and Dover is literally the lowest part of England, so…”Callum: “Is this why you’ve learned so much about American states now? We were coming here, so you just learned…”Matt: “Yeah, yeah, it is. I don’t know which one I’m in, but I know enough about them.”Callum: “Okay, Mister Michigan.”Matt lets out an exaggerated wail of social anguish at Cal’s jab.EE: “I was talking with Angry Metal Guy after your set – who I think you met yesterday – and he said ‘I feel so bad for Matt, because Matt’s probably going to be thinking about that once a week forever.’”Matt: “Yeah, yeah. There is literally a Simpsons joke about somebody doing that, and… grr. I can’t get over that one.”EE: “From the perspective of an audience member, and all the people who were around me, everyone just thought it was super funny and a very honest mistake, and no one thought anything of it.”Matt: “I’m really, I’m really… really glad. If I made that mistake in England, I would probably be booed off stage.”With a band-aid slapped on Matt’s wounded pride, I proceed to wrap up our chat in an unpredictable, innovative fashion: By asking about Fellowship’s plans for the foreseeable future.Matt: “So, we have a couple shows booked later this year. We’re doing another sort of mini-tour in the U.K., and we’re headlining this time, which should be super fun. We’re playing Edinborough… and two other places which I could look up, but are not in my brain right now. I want to say Manchester and London.”Callum: “Yeah, that’s correct.”Matt: “Yeah, it is Manchester and London.”Callum: “We’ve got two German festivals.”Matt: “Just after Christmas?”Callum: “Yeah.”Matt: “And then we’re playing Epic Fest next year, which we have been re-booked for. Which is such a cool thing for us, because we played there this year, and we were on such a small stage that a lot of people were disappointed they couldn’t see us. So they’ve booked us again for next year on a bigger one! Which is really, really cool, and just validating for us, I think.”Callum: “We also have… I’ve started, I’ve got ideas already for album three.”Matt: “Oh, don’t promise that so soon, Cal!”Callum: “There’s ideas in the bank, there’s some ideas already. They’re not finished, but the base stuff is there.”Matt: “We’re gonna start getting the “When’s album three” cries before we’ve even dropped album two!”With that, I thanked Matt and Callum for their time before being given the friendliest handshakes I’ve ever received. If you’d like to hear an utterly wholesome and genuine power metal record that combines elements of Galneryus, YOASOBI, and ABBA, you can catch The Skies Above Eternity, releasing on Scarlet Records on Friday, November 22nd. Fellowship’s third album will follow shortly thereafter. Cal promised.<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/abba/" target="_blank">#ABBA</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/avenged-sevenfold/" target="_blank">#AvengedSevenfold</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blog-post/" target="_blank">#BlogPost</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dragonforce/" target="_blank">#DragonForce</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/elton-john/" target="_blank">#EltonJohn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/eons-enthroned/" target="_blank">#EonsEnthroned</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fairyland/" target="_blank">#Fairyland</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fellowship/" target="_blank">#Fellowship</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/interview/" target="_blank">#interview</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lords-of-the-trident/" target="_blank">#LordsOfTheTrident</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lovebites/" target="_blank">#Lovebites</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/maisie-peters/" target="_blank">#MaisiePeters</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/moron-police/" target="_blank">#MoronPolice</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/twilight-force/" target="_blank">#TwilightForce</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/yoasobi/" target="_blank">#YOASOBI</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Veonity – The Final Element Review</a>By Steel DruhmWritten by: Nameless_N00b_90Do you believe power metal has become “too soft and synth-based?”<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/#fn-206048-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> Then Veonity has the solution for you—their sixth full-length album, The Final Element. These Swedes have been offering up their brand of late ‘90s power metal since 2013.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/#fn-206048-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> And in 2020 Twelve covered their fourth album, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-sorrows-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sorrows</a>, noting that it was “a solid and enjoyable slab of power metal.” Veonity has undergone some crucial changes since they last graced these hallowed halls, notably the addition of vocalist Isak Stenvall (Lancer), which allows former vocalist Anders Sköld to focus solely on guitar. With the extra firepower that Stenvall provides, Veonity hopes to get you pumped up for their epic saga of power metal anthems.The Final Element tells an epic fantasy tale, and the focus on narrative drives the album’s tone. Much of the story has the protagonist overcoming an obstacle or finding success, and the rousing music mirrors these themes. There’s a joyful mood reminiscent of what Fellowship plays on <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fellowship-the-saberlight-chronicles-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Saberlight Chronicles</a>. Some of these good feelings come from guitar riffs playing high, uplifting notes (“Carry On”, “Heart of a Warrior”). Stenvall is the main driver of these good feelings, though. He sings with such gusto on “Chains of Tyranny” that you can’t help but feel your spirit soar with the cry “Together we’ll break the chains of tyranny.”<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/#fn-206048-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a> While Veonity isn’t billed as a Christian act, Christian imagery dominates much of The Final Element, which explains why Stenvall sounds so blissful relaying “My sacrifice will fulfill my destiny” and later invoking a Christ-like figure who will “Forgive all… sins” (“The Fifth Element”). He sounds downright angelic as the album reaches its conclusion, and he’s eventually backed by a choir that evokes the pearly gates of heaven.The introduction of Stenvall as lead vocalist brings a significant change to Veonity’s sound. While Stenvall lacks Sköld’s vocal diversity, he’s a much better singer. His higher register is reminiscent of Fellowship’s Matthew Corry,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/#fn-206048-4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a> and it brings a bouncy lightness to The Final Element. It’s not just the singing that’s improved, but Sköld and Samuel Lundström’s guitar work feels more energetic. They often let loose with furious shredding à la Dragonforce, setting a stirring tone early on and keeping a rollicking melody to accent Stenvall’s singing. Joel Kollberg’s double-kick drumming has some serious punch, turning your head into a speed bag when the pace grows frenetic. The bass (Kristoffer Lidre) sadly gets lost in the mix, but it sometimes rears its groovy head, like early in “Warrior’s Code.” Outside of the synths in the brief intro track, this is no-frills, meat ‘n’ taters power metal.Veonity relies heavily on traditional song structures. It’s as though they’ve studied Songcraft 101 in as much depth as I’ve had to study Angry Metal Guy’s Guide to Not Sucking Anymore.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/#fn-206048-5" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">5</a> All songs follow a classic (if formulaic) intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and finally, the chorus repeated a whole bunch. Writing within a time-tested formula isn’t necessarily bad, but it does put some constraints on the music. For one, Veonity heavily reins in their solos during the bridge, and while this helps fend off bloat, I miss the extended wankery that noted wanksters Ascension and Dragonforce employ. Cutting at least one rendition of the chorus in favor of lengthier solos would help the songs feel less repetitive. However, The Final Element has plenty of catchy choruses, and the use of a repetitive formula builds stronger anticipation when the songs hit their peaks. Writing within rigid structures also keeps the album nice and tight at 44 minutes.At the conclusion of his review of Sorrows, Twelve wrote that “Veonity have a lot to offer the wonderful world of power metal.” Four years later, that’s even more true. Veonity has successfully revitalized its sound with fast and furious energy, vigorous guitar solos, and a fresh vocalist. The Final Element proves that you can stick to the moist bread-and-butter basics and still have a good time. Veonity may not top the masters of joyous power metal, but at least they give impatient Fellowship fans something to tide them over until The Skies above Eternity drops in late November.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veonity-the-final-element-review/#fn-206048-6" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">6</a> Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s CBR MP3 Label: <a href="https://scarletrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> | <a href="https://scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/music" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> Websites: <a href="http://veonity.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">veonity.com</a> Releases Worldwide: October 18, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ascension/" target="_blank">#Ascension</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dragonforce/" target="_blank">#DragonForce</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fellowship/" target="_blank">#Fellowship</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/italian-metal/" target="_blank">#ItalianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/oct24/" target="_blank">#Oct24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-final-element/" target="_blank">#TheFinalElement</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/veonity/" target="_blank">#Veonity</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fellowship-the-skies-above-eternity-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fellowship – The Skies Above Eternity Review</a>By Eldritch ElitistIf there had never been a second Fellowship record, I would have been okay. Obviously, I wanted another Fellowship record—and, ideally, biennial releases from England’s premiere life-affirming, self-worth-preserving power metal outfit—but I’ve known since the first time I heard The Saberlight Chronicles that there would never be another Fellowship record like it. Not only would their sophomore album be unable to re-invoke the wonder I felt upon hearing a full-length Fellowship release for the first time, but it would also be nigh impossible for them to recapture the exact vibe of that record after two years of added experience.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fellowship-the-skies-above-eternity-review/#fn-206563-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> Not that I would want them to. Ideally, subsequent Fellowship records will evolve in a variety of directions, all while still channeling their unmistakable and unbreakable sense of joy. Enter The Skies above Eternity, where—<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p75OnvNL-HY" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">as prophesied</a>—the Fellowship has grown.As it turns out, the most efficient way for Fellowship to absolve any fears that their sophomore record might fail to capitalize on the strengths of its predecessor is to open with the best power metal song of the year. The winkingly titled “Hold up Your Hearts (Again)” is the ideal power metal opener, excising all chaff and cutting straight to the most giddily melodic lead guitar riff imaginable. The flow and feel of this track are replicated in many of The Skies above Eternity’s best cuts (namely “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HddC-4IA5rs" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dawnbreaker</a>,” “Eternity,” and “World End Slowly”). It took me a while to pinpoint where exactly I’d heard this vibe, but once I realized, it could not be denied: these tracks all invoke the hype-building structure of an excellent anime opening. It may sound silly, and perhaps even cringe if you are a joyless husk given human form. However, if you’re familiar with anime tropes, and you close your eyes during the opening of these songs, you can practically see the logo drop. This feels like a conscious choice to differentiate the feel of a Fellowship song from their contemporaries. Thanks to the band’s ever-boundless optimism, they pull it off without losing so much of a hint of their established charm.Efficiency is the operative word when it comes to The Skies above Eternity’s pop-oriented structure; excluding the instrumental outro “Memories on the Wind,” the album barely breaches forty minutes. While I don’t think this is a better record than The Saberlight Chronicles, it is nearly as good, with The Skies Above Eternity’s main strength over its predecessor being its digestibility and replayability. Where Saberlight was something of a marathon at sixty-two minutes, Skies is compulsively replayable, and its songs are every bit as excellent (though it did take some time for the training montage-worthy “King of Nothing” to fully grow on me). My only criticism, then, is an unconventional but glaring one: it feels like it’s missing a track. The infectiously bouncy “A New Hope” is a bit of an odd closer, but one that would make much more sense if it were preceded by a darker, more bombastic track in the vein of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APUG-B-dpK4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Avalon</a>.” As it stands, The Skies above Eternity feels somewhat anticlimactic.Speaking of “darker,” the announcement for The Skies above Eternity advertised a darker direction for Fellowship. This darkness manifests in a purely lyrical fashion; these songs cover notably more difficult subject matter, with “World End Slowly” in particular addressing the search for solace in the face of an imminent and untimely death. Yet Matthew Corry’s lyrics still manage to kindle hope in a wonderfully poetic fashion, preserving Fellowship’s essential, unshakeable optimism. Corry’s literal voice has evolved as well, with his intense delivery in “Eternity” being my favorite performance from him to date. The band flexes more technical muscle than ever despite multiple lineup alterations; The Skies above Eternity is a riffier experience, with more colorful texturing in both its composition and drummer Callum Tuffen’s kitwork. While former lead guitarist Sam Browne retains a studio presence, Brad Wosko has taken up the bulk of the lead work and proves himself to be every bit as proficient. It should be said as well that incoming bassist Ed Munson delivers one of my favorite bass performances of the year in the verse of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsMA2tRQSP8" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Victim</a>.”The Skies above Eternity is not an experience on the same level as The Saberlight Chronicles, and—at least from my perspective—it was never going to be. That being said, thanks to its condensed runtime and a stronger sense of instrumental muscle, I find it likely that a sizable chunk of Fellowship’s audience will see it as the superior album. Regardless of where one stands with their abbreviated ranking of Fellowship records, I cannot imagine any previously established fan of Fellowship being disappointed with The Skies Above Eternity. It may not have the same impact on the scene as Fellowship’s debut, but it is vital to their discography. This record doesn’t just confirm that Fellowship’s initial success was anything but a fluke; it assures me that they both understand and have preserved what made them so special in the first place. Rating: 4.0/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s CBR MP3 Label: <a href="http://www.scarletrecords.it/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://fellowshipmetal.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fellowshipmetal.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://fellowshipmetal.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fellowshipmetal.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/FellowshipUK" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/fellowshipUK</a> Releases Worldwide: November 22nd, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/english-metal/" target="_blank">#EnglishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fellowship/" target="_blank">#Fellowship</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nov24/" target="_blank">#Nov24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-skies-above-eternity/" target="_blank">#TheSkiesAboveEternity</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/krilloan-return-of-the-heralds-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Krilloan – Return of the Heralds Review</a>By Steel DruhmAs I began my listening sessions with Sweden’s Krilloan and their second album Return of the Heralds, I reflected on how rarely I review power metal.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/krilloan-return-of-the-heralds-review/#fn-203227-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> That’s partly because we don’t get much of it in the promo sump these days apart from grizzled olde dawgs like Hammerfall and Powerwolf. It seems to be a genre in decline with fewer bands stepping forward to hoist the yellow banner of Cheese Whizardy. That’s a shame too, because as much as we mock power metal for its frilly, sugary excesses, it can be among the most embiggening metal styles when executed properly. Now comes Krilloan with badass Castlevania-esque cover art and a style blending classic Euro-power with traditional and trve/epic elements. At times you’ll hear traces of the early Euro-power stalwarts, late wavers like Lost Horizon, and even grandiose operators like Blind Guardian. Ambitions may be king-sized, but a lot can go wrong when you reach for the stars. What fate awaits the starry-eyed Krill-Monger?With a shocking lack of over-the-top intro nonsense, Return of the Heralds leaps directly into the fray with “Atlantean Sword,” which is the most standard-issue Euro-power tracks on offer here. It smacks of the bombast of Italian cheddar warriors Domine and also bears a strong similarity to the early days of Sonata Arctica, in no small part due to Alex VanTrue’s Tony Kakko-adjacent delivery. It’s a lively song full of galloping, sword-swinging energy with a Conan the Barbarian theme, though it suffers from sounding like a million other power metal nuggets. After that, Krilloan start to play with outside influences. “Kings of The Iron Hill” dials up the traditional metal influence for a more muscular sound, and “Blood & Fire (Born on a Battlefield)” goes even further, bringing trve metal aesthetics into play for a rougher, meaner approach that suits the Conan storyline. Heavy riffs drive the attack forward as war chants punctuate the storytelling in a Manocentric way. I especially appreciate how Krilloan borrows from the immortal soundtrack of Conan the Barbarian for maximum glory riding.As Heralds unspools, Krilloan get heavier and more aggressive and this is when they’re at their best. “Hammer of Wrath” is like Domine mixing DNA with Paragon, making for a more impactful sound and the chorus is righteous. “Avenging Sun” goes even harder, channeling trve acts like Ancient Empire and Ironflame for added machismo. The Blind Guardian worship gets real on the folksy “The Kingkillers Tale” as VanTrue pulls off a scary accurate Hansi Kürsch impression, and late album cut “We Burn” seasons Amorphis-like guitar bits throughout a wild battle anthem full of piss and vinegar. While the writing is a bit uneven, no song is bad or disposable. The performances are impressive and the band wisely keep the songs short and tight with only one reaching the 5-minute mark. This along with a tight 40-minute runtime makes Return of the Heralds an easy spin with some high points.Talent abounds in Krilloan and I’m especially impressed by Alex VanTrue’s vocals. The man is a chameleon with a big range, channeling any number of notable power metal luminaries. He can hit the high notes but does so sparingly and has a good ear for hooky vocal lines and patterns. He sells the material well and keeps the listener involved. Steve Brockmann and Klas Holmgren are talented guitarists capable of driving a song with solid riffs and soaring when solo time is nigh. Marco Ignacio Toba’s bass is present and involved, and Christoph Brandes powers the music with booming double-base runs and thundering kit work. Krilloan possess the ability needed to rock the power genre and when their writing is at its peak, good things happen.Return of the Heralds is a good power metal album that sometimes threatens to become more. With more consistent writing and a drift away from the generic elements of the Euro-power sound, Krilloan have real potential. I’ll be watching to see what they do next since good Euro-power is pretty scarce these days. Worth a loud spin with sword held high. Rating: 3.0/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://scarletrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KrilloanOfficial" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/krilloanofficial</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/krilloan_official/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">instagram.com/krilloan_official</a> Releases Worldwide: September 20th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blind-guardian/" target="_blank">#BlindGuardian</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/domine/" target="_blank">#Domine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heavy-metal/" target="_blank">#HeavyMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/krilloan/" target="_blank">#Krilloan</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lost-horizon/" target="_blank">#LostHorizon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/return-of-the-heralds/" target="_blank">#ReturnOfTheHeralds</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sep24/" target="_blank">#Sep24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sonata-arctica/" target="_blank">#SonataArctica</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stuck in the Filter: June 2024’s Angry Misses</a>By KenstrosityManaging this Filter is a full-time job. Or it would be if I paid anyone, or got paid myself. I doubt anyone in this godforsaken facility has seen a greenback in the last two decades.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> Nonetheless, I grabbed my clipboard and my flogger and I made my way to the lockers, where my dutiful minions await my first order of each day. It’d been a minute since we cleared out the ducts in the south wing of AMG Headquarters, so that’s where I ushered my team first. The poor souls shivered at the thought of tackling a highly neglected section of the system. But, as always, work needs doing and this is the work.At long last, just when I started considering replacing my whole crew outright and leaving the current one for dead, they returned, battered and winded, but alive. And they brought wares! O blessed day! Without further ado, I bring you our June Filter! Kenstrosity’s Medieval Mutton <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aklashmusic" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aklash</a> // Reincarnation [June 20th, 2024 – Self Release]Proving the unlikely flexibility of black metal as a medium, tales of knights, castles, and fantastical clashes of class marries with charred extremity so effortlessly that it comes at no surprise to me how UK Medieval melodic black metal troupe Aklash came to be. Kicking fourth record Reincarnation off with an incredible one-two punch, “Reincarnation” and “Communion with Ghosts,” Aklash’s melodic black metal-meets-<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/vulture-industries-ghosts-from-the-past-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vulture Industries</a>-meets-Modest Mouse-meets-<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/aether-realm-tarot-things-you-might-have-missed-2017/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Æther Realm</a> concoction charms its way deep into my very being. These songs, burgeoning with lush compositions, incredible guitar work, and multifaceted personalities, evoke imagery of the ancient and the arcane so vividly that it often feels like traveling through time in an alternate universe of magic and mirth. The rabid “Babylon” takes this initial salvo and stabs yet another 1,200cc of pure adrenaline into my veins.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> As my neck swings and spirals with great velocity, giant mugs of mead spontaneously manifest in both fists. What is a sponge to do but imbibe? Against all odds, such infectious energy sustains into the magnificent closer “My Will Made Manifest,” making this record a wall-to-wall festival of sound. If it weren’t for a couple of frilly interludes and the teensiest spot of bloat in a couple of places, I could see Reincarnation growing into a year-end contender. In the end, it might do just that. Thus Spoke’s Forgotten Findings<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557511479684" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cainites</a> // Revenant [June 21st, 2024 – <a href="https://scarletrecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a>]It was once rumored across Eastern Europe that those who rebelled against the Orthodox church were cursed to become vampires after they died. Revenant, however, follows an Orthodox priest, whose induction into the class of bloodthirsty monsters happens irrespective of his religious devotion. Crafting a spooky tale with Scandinavian-inspired melodeath and flourishes of synthy blackened death, Italian duo Cainites strike a little like a less-polished <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tribulation-down-below-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tribulation</a>, but with bags of their personality. These guys know how to write a riff that shivers its way up your spine (“Theotokos,” “God’s Wrath,” “Redemption”) and dance around in your belly (“Darkness Awaits,” “Forgive Our Sins”), and damn, can it be catchy. Using a dueting mixture of growls and moaning cleans, choruses jam their way into your brain and don’t budge (“Vampire God,” “We Lost Our Sanctity”), amplifying the gleefully malicious bounce of the riffs with tongue-in-cheek melodrama. Solos have just enough yearning depth while staying grounded with a gritty tone, and not outstaying their welcome. The album generally treads the line well between camp and serious, discounting, perhaps, the extended spoken-word Bible recitation where God curses Cain (“Cainites”). In all, it’s a very good time and only grew on me the more I listened. One to check out for true fans of melodeath.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/inheritsthevoid/?ref=page_internal" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Inherits the Void</a> // Scars of Yesteryears [June 21st, 2024 – <a href="https://avantgardemusic.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Avantgarde Music</a>]Scars of Yesteryears took me so much by surprise that I had to be informed by another staff member that it even existed. Having reviewed last year’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/inherits-the-void-the-impending-fall-of-the-stars-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Impending Fall of the Stars</a>, and finding it quite an uplifting piece of melodic black metal, I was keen to see where the project had gone, musically, in the intervening time. The answer is nowhere, but that’s not entirely negative. This is still soaring (“L’effigie Du Déclin”), epic (“Scars of Yesteryear,” “L’eternelle Course Des Astres”), blistering (“Celestial Antler”), and sometimes beautiful (“The Endless Glow of Twilight”) meloblack. With lightning-fast and stormily dynamic riffing and enough of a melodic through-line to keep things going. The highs are not as high as they were on the previous record, the slower moments lacking the atmosphere and grandiosity that former work showed (though coming closest on “L’eternelle…” and “The Endless…”). However, the whole feels more consistent and steady, with the first half whizzing by on the tailwind of “Celestial Antler,” “The Orchard of Grief,” and “Ashes of Grievance”‘s bubbling energy, and the second dipping in intensity only to be saved by the final couple of tracks. Above-average, fiery meloblack, and worth taking for a spin even if it won’t be making any lists. Dear Hollow’s Dumpster Disturbance <a href="https://www.bilmuri.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bilmuri</a> // American Motor Sports [June 28th, 2024 – Self Release]Everyone loves easycore.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a> In an alternative universe where easycore is a natural progression of pop country rather than pop/punk, it becomes an international treasure and that treasure is American Motor Sports. Of the crabcore alum of Attack Attack!,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-5" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">5</a> Johnny Franck is least likely to be featured on Octane Radio,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-6" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">6</a> as the Bilmuri project has been a means for musical exploration since his departure. Offering the most streamlined homage to the three M’s (‘Murica, memes, and the Midwest), get ready to crank your hog to ten songs of heartbreak, beer, and landscaping through arena pop country with needlessly heavy djent guitar riffs – alongside Franck’s signature insanity coursing through all the movements. From the deathcore-meets-honkytonk and sub drops of “Better Hell” and “Spinnin’ You Around,” the blaring and sexy sax solos of “2016 Cavaliers (Ohio),” “Straight Through You,” and “Drunk Enough,” the blazing fiddle of “Talkin’ 2 Ur Ghost,” to the Kevin James breakdown call out of “Emptyhanded,” Bilmuri creates an infectious blend of the safely predictable and the utterly apeshit. It features guest artists from country scenes (Dylan Marlowe, Mitchell Tenpenny) and indie pop spheres (Knox, Arizona) who all add yearning and theatricality to Franck’s already emotive performances. American Motor Sports is twenty-eight minutes of catchy melodies, scathing grooves, and tastefully tragic lyrics with a penchant for memes. We’re all supposed to hate it, but much to my assigned promos’ dismay and Steel Druhm‘s chagrin,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-june-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-201200-7" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">7</a> I haven’t been able to listen to much else. Dolphin Whisperer’s Maritime Musing<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HouleOfficiel/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Houle</a> // Ciel Cendre et Misère Noire [June 7th, 2024 – <a href="https://lesacteursdelombre.net/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions</a>]We all know that black metal hits harder when it’s actually something else wrapped in a blackened and shrieking package. France’s Houle offers Ciel Cendre et Misère Noire as a one part <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-iron-maiden-iron-maiden/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iron Maiden</a>, one part <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/immortal-war-against-all-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Immortal</a>, and two parts unstoppable siren screaming as vocalist Adsagsona shreds throat through each of the blazing numbers on this debut (minus the beer-swinging sailor intro). Her ear-stabbing cries tally high, and if it weren’t for her glottal punishments and accompanying guitarists’ breaks into tremolo melodies, tracks “Sur Les Braises de Foyer” and “Sel, Sang et Gerçures” could be instead the backdrops to something of the dark power metal world, replete with Maiden bass gallop and anthemic flair. She has a fine narrative croon too, but it’s her flagrant vocal flayings that sell the extremity of what Houle packs as ballast. With terraced guitar lines and thrashed-out drum breaks (“La Danse du Rocher,” “Mère Nocturne”), Ciel Cendre has the forward energy of battle and doesn’t let go to the very end, joining bands like Aorlhac and Passièsme in the modern melodic black metal field fit for castle raids. But as long-form closer “Née des Embruns” reinforces with calls of the ocean in its open and fade, Houle attacks from the sea. En garde! Mark Z.’s Musings<a href="https://www.facebook.com/200StabWounds/?eid=ARBzEfZwmKJ_MAFrLvTQdr10_TXxRAnHrddQRVrqDHMl8QhP3g6RtNZGqAwezHu04lLHarCWUER0q_m3&fref=tag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">200 Stab Wounds</a> // Manual Manic Procedures [June 28th, 2024 – <a href="https://www.metalblade.com/us/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Metal Blade Records</a>]Following a rapid rise to fame during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ohio death metal troupe 200 Stab Wounds thrust their <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/200-stab-wounds-slave-to-the-scalpel-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Slave to the Scalpel</a> debut onto the masses in 2021. While I was about as mixed on that one as Felagund was, their second album Manual Manic Procedures has proven these wounds cut far deeper than originally thought. The beefy chugs that the band has become known for are still here in full force, but now they’re paired with sharper hooks and a heightened sense of maturity. On Procedures, you’ll hear acoustic plucking, immense Bolt Thrower riffing, grooves that will blow your guts out, and even some melodic death metal influence—and that’s just on the first song. The band also knows when to give you a breather, be it a well-placed atmospheric instrumental (“Led to the Chamber / Liquefied”) or an extended ride on a great groovy riff (“Defiled Gestation”). With a monstrous guitar tone, plenty of killer moments, and a track flow that’s smoother than liquefied human remains, Manual Manic Procedures feels like modern death metal coming into its own.<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/200-stab-wounds/" target="_blank">#200StabWounds</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aklash/" target="_blank">#Aklash</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-motor-sports/" target="_blank">#AmericanMotorSports</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aorlhac/" target="_blank">#Aorlhac</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/arizona/" target="_blank">#Arizona</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/attack-attack/" target="_blank">#AttackAttack</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/avantgarde-music/" target="_blank">#AvantgardeMusic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aether-realm/" target="_blank">#ÆtherRealm</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/beartooth/" target="_blank">#Beartooth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bilmuri/" target="_blank">#Bilmuri</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackened-death-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackenedDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bolt-thrower/" target="_blank">#BoltThrower</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cainites/" target="_blank">#Cainites</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ciel-cendre-et-misere-noire/" target="_blank">#CielCendreEtMisèReNoire</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dylan-marlowe/" target="_blank">#DylanMarlowe</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/french-metal/" target="_blank">#FrenchMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/houle/" target="_blank">#Houle</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/immortal/" target="_blank">#Immortal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/inherits-the-void/" target="_blank">#InheritsTheVoid</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/iron-maiden/" target="_blank">#IronMaiden</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/italian-metal/" target="_blank">#ItalianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jun24/" target="_blank">#Jun24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/knox/" target="_blank">#Knox</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/les-acteurs-de-lombre-productions/" target="_blank">#LesActeursDeLOmbreProductions</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/manual-manic-procedures/" target="_blank">#ManualManicProcedures</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/medieval-black-metal/" target="_blank">#MedievalBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-black-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/metal-blade-records/" target="_blank">#MetalBladeRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mitchell-tenpenny/" target="_blank">#MitchellTenpenny</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/modest-mouse/" target="_blank">#ModestMouse</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/of-mice-and-men/" target="_blank">#OfMiceAndMen</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/passiesme/" target="_blank">#Passièsme</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reincarnation/" target="_blank">#Reincarnation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/revenant/" target="_blank">#Revenant</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scars-of-yesteryears/" target="_blank">#ScarsOfYesteryears</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/self-release/" target="_blank">#SelfRelease</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/stuck-in-the-filter/" target="_blank">#StuckInTheFilter</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tribulation/" target="_blank">#Tribulation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/uk-metal/" target="_blank">#UKMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/vulture-industries/" 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Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/verikalpa-tuomio-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Verikalpa – Tuomio Review</a>By Angry Metal GuyTuomio is the fourth full-length LP from Finnish extreme folk metallers, Verikalpa. Back in ’20,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/verikalpa-tuomio-review/#fn-200306-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> I reviewed—and thoroughly enjoyed—Verikalpa’s sophomore platter <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tymhm2020-verikalpa-tuoppitanssi-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tuoppitannsi</a>. The thing that stood out to me about the record, and its follow-up <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-januarys-angry-misses-2/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tunturihauta</a>, was how much it felt like the band was carrying forward the impeccable vibes from Finntroll’s earliest contributions, but without setting their stamp on it. Still, the writing popped and the sound satisfyingly scratched an extremely specific itch. As I wrote at the time, they bore “the accordion of tradition to the sauna of the metal gods, so that we might have something new to listen to while we drink.” But, let’s be honest, “competent but derivative” is not the praise anyone is looking for when they create music. And so one wonders, four years after my initial exposure, is that the only contribution Verikalpa had to make? Like its predecessors, Tuomio has a familiar sound that’s easy to love. Verikalpa plays speedy, sometimes galloping or even blasty, melodeath with <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Verikalpa-Car-Salesman-Meme.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">as much harmonic minor as the songwriters can pump into the riffs</a>. The band, made up of two Jussis (guitars and keyboards), two Samis (guitars and bass), a Jari (drums), and a Jani (vocals) play tight, energetic metal that calls upon their Finnish brethren, but without the pretensions of a Wintersun or Turisas. Their compositions aren’t complex, they’re not borrowing sounds from Japanese instrumentation, and don’t require quantum computing to play on a computer. And their scope is not one with epic aspirations. Instead, Tuomio works almost exclusively in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_signature" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">simple time</a> but does so with loads of pathos, driven on by majestic and sticky melodies carried on guitar or keys reminiscent of Turisas’ debut album. This makes it easy to drop into comfortable grooves, with the snare on two and four and machine gun kicks whipping at the Jussis’ and Samis’ backs. And firmly planted in that familiar Finnish sound, Tuomio delivers the bangers in spades. Verikalpa vacillates primarily between speedier, driven passages that will annihilate unsuspecting crowds live (“Arvon tuomari,” “Noijan sauna”), and the kind of mid-paced tracks (“Laulava vainaja,” “Hakkaa hakkaa,” or the bridge on “Sammalsynti”) that can so often get sleepy if not perfectly executed. But Tuomio finds Verikalpa increasingly mastering their craft, balancing these different speeds, with every riff hitting home—and a seemingly innate understanding of when to slow it down or speed it up to keep a listener interested. Every song on Tuomio features sharp hooks, interesting variations upon themes, and tight execution. One major difference from the previous albums is that Tuomio is mixed and mastered by Pasi Kauppinen, of Sonata Arctica. Pasi’s approach gives them exactly the kind of crisp, and balanced mix that the band needs. And while it could be criticized as dated, it clocks in at a surprising DR of 8 and it fits the music perfectly. Pasi’s touch does the job of getting out of the way of the songs to allow the composition to speak for itself.And it’s the composition throughout Tuomio that makes it clear how Verikalpa has begun to differentiate itself. One of the band’s most defining tendencies is playing key melodies in unison. That is, the bass, keys, and guitars are all playing the same thing, which sometimes gives it a punky energy. While this could be boring, it has the counterintuitive effect of creating a melodic blunt-force trauma. As a lover of big, epic sounds, I tend to lean away from bands that work with punky energy or ‘simplistic’ writing. But Verikalpa understands that songwriting is a balancing act, making the band’s very specific and well-considered use of harmony extremely effective. After several listens, I began realizing that I was perking up at these perfect moments, like in “Tulimerten taa,” where <a href="https://youtu.be/XedblKE4quQ?si=68wzKeXvHQ98sdr3&t=15" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the harmonies come in</a> (YouTube link, plays 15ish second clip), or the pre-chorus in “<a href="https://youtu.be/J454QmUWl6E?si=U2db1zYqbja47FhV&t=73" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Laulava vainaja</a>” (1:13) where the guitars suddenly deviate out of unison into an abbreviated lead, which adds a tight flare. What feels unsubtle becomes the band’s best compositional trick. Less turns out to be more.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/verikalpa-tuomio-review/#fn-200306-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> This also gives the impression that Verikalpa has begun opening things up a bit more compositionally, experimenting with better orchestration and slightly carnivalesque sounds (“Maat hauraan hautaa,” the bridge in “Veritonttu”). It’s playful, but it’s worth taking 100% seriously. Ultimately, Tuomio’s combination of a maturing band that’s developing its sound and a production that lets their excellent ideas and melodies shine creates what is easily one of the most enjoyable listening experiences I’ve had this year. Tuomio is an album without a bad song and that finds Verikalpa making major strides to come into its own. Even at 55 minutes long, I never think about the album’s length when I’m listening to it. It’s just fun hearing Verikalpa develop, and while their sound is still undeniably indebted to the Finnish scene from 20 years ago, Tuomio is helping them plant their flag. So, sure, Verikalpa continues to bear the accordion of tradition to the sauna of the metal gods. But in 2024, they no longer only do so as supplicants. Rating: Very good (and getting better!) DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: V0 mp3 Label: <a href="https://scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tuomio" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.verikalpaofficial.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">verikalpaofficial.com</a> | <a href="https://scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tuomio" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/verikalpa" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a> Releases Worldwide: April 19th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/apr24/" target="_blank">#Apr24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blog/" target="_blank">#Blog</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/finnish-metal/" target="_blank">#FinnishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/folk-metal/" target="_blank">#FolkMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sonata-arctica/" target="_blank">#SonataArctica</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tunturihauta/" target="_blank">#Tunturihauta</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tuomio/" target="_blank">#Tuomio</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tuoppitannsi/" target="_blank">#Tuoppitannsi</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/turisas/" target="_blank">#Turisas</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/verikalpa/" target="_blank">#Verikalpa</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/wintersun/" target="_blank">#Wintersun</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/drown-in-sulphur-dark-secrets-of-the-soul-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Drown in Sulphur – Dark Secrets of the Soul Review</a>By Dear HollowI’m gonna be an insufferable hipster about this one: I’ve been listening to blackened deathcore before Lorna Shore made it cool. Hell, I was listening to the style before Will Ramos made Lorna Shore cool. Bands like The Breathing Process, early Make Them Suffer, and Dark Sermon were all rattling off their own takes on spooky corpse-painted Hot Topic-core in the early 2010s before some Hot Topic frequenter said “ooooh” and nabbed that Watain t-shirt they have on display while manically making pig noises to emulate “To the Hellfire.” Here we meet Drown in Sulphur, an Italian blackened deathcore act, who attempts their own spin on kvlt-y brutality.Largely the problem with much of blackened deathcore is which blackened muse they worship – it ends up being mostly Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth. As such, blackened deathcore can often be distilled into the definition “deathcore with symphonic synths” much of the time. Despite their attempt at conjuring the undead frigid atmosphere of 90’s second-wave, Drown in Sulphur largely falls into this category. Sophomore effort Dark Secrets of the Soul is all about exploration of the darkness of human nature, and while cloaked in brutality and opaqueness, there is a heart of beating melody that courses through its best. Ultimately, thanks to Dark Secrets of the Soul’s blend of melody, brutality, and atmosphere, Drown in Sulphur has promise.The Italian collective’s bread and butter is crushing deathcore a la the classic Suicide Silence and Carnifex palette, balanced by dramatic synthwork, frenetic and multifaceted guitar work, and manic blastbeats and plods. Tracks like “Buried By Snow and Hail,” “Unholy Light,” and closer “Shadow of the Dark Throne” balance these elements beautifully, melodic motifs grounding the exploration into funereal dimensions with punishing viciousness, tasteful synths, and bouncy riffage. The corpse-painted elephant in the room is breakdowns, which Drown in Sulphur utilizes as moments of punishing clarity that feel like a reprieve from the symphonic saturation beatdown. Refusing to be pegged as a one-trick pony, the more meditative melodies of “Lotus” and “Dark Secrets of the Soul” are powerful and dynamic, guiding the movements to truly punishing pinnacles – even if the clean vocals of the former are hit or miss. Widely interspersed wailing guitar solos are largely successful, capitalizing on track growth, while vocalist Chris “Christ” Lombardo offers a filth-encrusted bellow and occasional shriek that adds to the dark atmosphere – a similar tone to Cabal’s Andreas Bjulver.The glaring issue with Dark Secrets of the Soul is like many akin to the symphonically inclined -core abusers: monotony and saturation. Like Betraying the Martyrs or Ovid’s Withering’s weaker offerings, Drown in Sulphur regularly toes the fine line between drama and excess, leaning periodically into the latter. Tracks like “Eclipse of the Sun of Eden” and “Say My Name” are all-out bombasts of symphonic saturation and monotonous deathcore brutality that simply extend for far too long, the sense of overwhelm giving way to undeniable boredom and the sound overstaying its welcome. While intro “Adveniat Regnum Tuum” sets the tone nicely with distorted vocals and dark ambiance, interlude “Vampire Communion” serves no purpose, as follow-up “Shadow of the Dark Throne” features its own slow-burning crescendo anyway. While “Lotus” and “Shadow of the Dark Throne” offer some of the best melodies and balance of the album, questionable grungy cleans add a question mark to the former while a slam-influenced slog pumps the brakes on the latter’s momentum, a moment that is blessedly brief.I’m unsure if Drown in Sulphur quite accurately embodies the “blackened deathcore” moniker as much as the “deathcore with synths” vibe. And that’s okay, because Dark Secrets of the Soul is a rock-solid deathcore album with a melodic thread woven into its infectious energy. While it can get too much periodically, and there are enough questionable decisions made to damage the album’s longevity, it remains a fun listen with plenty of dark atmosphere and filthy pummeling to spare. The “kvlt” is more an aesthetic than a sonic choice, but Dark Secrets of the Soul is tasteful and punishing enough to give Drown in Sulphur another spin or two. Rating: 3.0/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://scarletrecords.it/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scarlet Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://drowninsulphurofficial.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">drowninsulphurofficial.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wedrowninsulphur/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/wedrowninsulphur</a> Releases Worldwide: January 12th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/betraying-the-martyrs/" target="_blank">#BetrayingTheMartyrs</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackened-deathcore/" target="_blank">#BlackenedDeathcore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cabal/" target="_blank">#CABAL</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/carnifex/" target="_blank">#Carnifex</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cradle-of-filth/" target="_blank">#CradleOfFilth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dark-secrets-of-the-soul/" target="_blank">#DarkSecretsOfTheSoul</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dark-sermon/" target="_blank">#DarkSermon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/deathcore/" target="_blank">#Deathcore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dimmu-borgir/" target="_blank">#DimmuBorgir</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/drown-in-sulphur/" target="_blank">#DrownInSulphur</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/italian-metal/" target="_blank">#ItalianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan24/" target="_blank">#Jan24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lorna-shore/" target="_blank">#LornaShore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/make-them-suffer/" target="_blank">#MakeThemSuffer</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ovids-withering/" target="_blank">#OvidSWithering</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarlet-records/" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/suicide-silence/" target="_blank">#SuicideSilence</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-breathing-process/" target="_blank">#TheBreathingProcess</a>

🤘 The Metal Dog 🤘<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TheMetalDogArticleList" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TheMetalDogArticleList</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BraveWords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BraveWords</a> BURDEN OF GRIEF Debut "A Daydream Of Sorrow" Music Video German death / thrash metal band, Burden Of Grief, have released a video for "A Daydream Of Sorrow", the new single from their upcoming eighth studio album, Destination Dystopia...<a href="https://bravewords.com/news/burden-of-grief-debut-a-daydream-of-sorrow-music-video" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://bravewords.com/news/burden-of-grief-debut-a-daydream-of-sorrow-music-video</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BurdenofGrief" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BurdenofGrief</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/ADaydreamofSorrow" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ADaydreamofSorrow</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Debut" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Debut</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MusicVideo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MusicVideo</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/NewMusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NewMusic</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MelodicDeathDoomMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathDoomMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/FinnishMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FinnishMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/ScarletRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ScarletRecords</a>

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