CD

The first time we’ve heard from this band, A Pale Horse Named Death, was in 2011. Former drummer of Type O Negative, Life Of Agony, Sal Abruscato started this band. He has been hiding three things for us a long time; that he can play guitar, that he’s a pretty good vocalist and that he can write songs.

Sal Abruscato and Matt Brown have followed 2011’s incredible introduction, which keeps the band’s patented signature formula of slow, deliberate sludge and head- down doom in tact.

Valient Thorr come from North Carolina and were founded in 2000. Although they had been very busy and Our Own Masters is already their sixth album, I wasn't familiar with their music so far. But listening to the twelve songs on the new record has been a positive experience. Valient Thorr are a punk'n'metal band that sounds like a crossbreed of Zen Guerilla, Baroness and Pennywise The melodic component plays an important role in most Thorr's songs.

When I started reading the info on this band, I was thinking this might just be another band fishing in the same pond.  By which I mean it could have been another copycat of bands like Nightwish, Epica or one of those other bands in the symphonic – progressive – traditional – power metal genre.

Nocturne hail from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. of A., and it is a solo-project by Dan Klein, who did record everything, instruments and vocals. The debut is called Ave Noctem and lasts for forty five minutes.

King Parrot is a thrash and grind metal band from Australia and was formed by three ex-members of “Watchdog Discipline” (White, Lacey and Rizzo) plus Young from Stiff Meat and Cockfight Shootout bassist Slattz. The band fired off an EP in short order and quickly became firmly established as an energetic and punishing live force.

Jeff Lynne is best known for his work with Electric Light Orchestra, shortened ELO.  But he has also done some solo work, and this is where ‘Armchair Theatre’ comes from.  This Frontiers release actually is a re-release of an album that has been out of print for a decade or so.  Frontiers have added two previously unreleased tracks however.

I Klatus is an interesting concept. Essentially the brainchild of one man known as guitarist/vocalist/visual artist Tom Denny with enlisted help from various guest musicians all over the Chicago doom scene such as Chris Wozniak (Lair of the Minotaur, Earthen Grave), John Bomher (Yakuza, Indian) Leon del Muerte (Intronaut), Bruce Lamont (Yakuza) and others, the band's output must be heard to really be understood.

It's safe to say Havok has one goal: 'Thrash 'til death'. These denim and leather-clad metal warriors have quickly released their sophomore album Unnatural Selection. Much like last year's excellent Time is Up, Unnatural Selection finds Havok fast, frantic and damn near flawless. Yes, much on Unnatural Selection will echo elements of Sacrifice, DRI, Slayer, Kreator, and others but phantom lord, can these Denver lads play thrash!

Gloryhammer is, so to speak, the brainchild of Christopher Bowes, mastermind of Alestorm.  But mind you, this album has no similarities to what he does with Alestorm. He wrote the music for this album, and played the keyboards on it.  For the vocals he enlisted the aid of Thomas Winkler (Emerald), who did a great job.

First impressions of Eldkraft will leave many metal heads bewildered and confused as they try to decide whether to stick with, this the band’s first album Shaman. Not because it’s a barrage of noise but because this isn’t exactly your run of the mill metal.