Graveripper are a three-piece thrash combo from Indianapolis. They make a lovely noise. They hit the thrashing trail back in 2019 and have released an EP with the catchy title of ‘Radiated Remains’. They followed that up with a full-length LP – (Seasons Dreaming Death).
This latest effort, ‘From Welkin to Tundra’ is a full-on monster of an album. I can hear a plethora of influences, from Death to Iron Maiden, there’s even a hint of Lemmy and the boys in the mix. Add in some classic Venom and you’ve got a good idea of how Graveripper sound.
The atmospheric intro ‘Welkin, Now Tundra’ kicks off the album in style before the sledgehammer ear assault of ‘Bring Upon Pain’ shows you what Graveripper are capable of. Drummer Nick James plays an absolute blinder; it’s exhausting just listening to his barrage of double kick drums and blast beats. ‘Hexenhammer’ takes into Morbid Angel territory, guitarist/vocalist Corey Parks spits out the lyrics with power. Death’s Cold Embrace is another face melter, Parks is a very competent guitarist, and he shows off his chops here.
‘Sanctioned Slaughter’ has echoes of early Machine Head, crunchy riffs and more astounding drumming from James. ‘Hounds From Hell’ shows that there’s no slowing down, another belter of a track. New Gods, New Masters is another showcase for Graveripper’s obvious talents, including a fantastic mid-paced neck stretcher of a riff.
‘…And Now It’s Dark’ has more of a punk feel, Discharge come to mind. ‘Bullet Laden Crown’ starts with a melodic riff before we head off to full on metal mayhem again. Awesome stuff. The album concludes with ‘Burning Barren Plains’ which gives the listener another sonic assault.
‘From Welkin to Tundra’ is a fantastic album. I loved every minute. I look forward to hearing more of Graveripper. The album is released on October 17th. Go and grab a physical copy if you can!
Indian thrash mongers Carnage Inc. have been around since 2011. They have built up a steady following through gigging intensely. Carnage Inc. have released an EP and a full album in the form of Tenebris, which was unleashed in 2019.
The band’s latest effort is a self-titled EP consisting of five tracks of molten metal. Carnage Inc. sounds like a combination of early Anthrax, Exodus and Testament, and there are tinges of more traditional heavy metal; Judas Priest, Savatage and Queensryche come to mind.
There are some absolute bangers on display here. The band are more than competent musicians, and they can write a metal tune or two. Pounding double kick drums, crunchy riffs and tasty guitar solos are the order of the day. The tracks are well constructed with great production. Epik is my favourite song on the EP. It reminds me of Fistful of Metal era of Anthrax with its raw production and full-on headbanging effect. I’ve played the EP many times since sitting down to review it. It really is fantastic. I’m off to check more of Carnage Inc.’s back catalogue!
If you love your ‘80s metal, be sure to check out Carnage Inc. and you’ll see that thrash is alive and thriving. Horns up!
Hailing from Sydney, hardcore sluggers No Apologies have been around for almost two decades. Their latest effort – Life is a full-on assault on the senses. Imagine if Biohazard, Sick of it All, Pantera and Life of Agony had a bastard child. That’s exactly what No Apologies sound like.
The songs kick you in the guts, huge riffs, pummelling drums, gang vocals a plenty and break downs that had this scribe headbanging away like a maniac. Fucking fantastic. Opening track, Womb Birth kicks off with an atmospheric intro before we are off into a monster of a track. The title track is another face melter, brutal! Every track is superb; the production compliments the bands style perfectly.
No Apologies have created something special here. The album takes the listener on a journey with tales of mortality, life’s ups and downs, and to the depths of despair. All woven together with style. It’s in my top 10 albums of 2025.
Life is out now on Last Ride Records. Go and get it, you won’t be disappointed.
Dutch thrashers Mass Deception have been around since 2015 and have released three albums full of riffage. 2025 sees the release of their latest effort: Resurrections.
The album takes me back to a glorious time in heavy metal history, the late ‘80s. Think Flotsam & Jetsam, Testament, Sacred Reich, Sepultura, peak Metallica, and a little bit of Among the Living era Anthrax and you get an idea of what Resurrections sounds like. We get some stupendous riffs, mosh parts a plenty, and superb performances. Opener Gain of Function hits like a ton of bricks, no messing around, just full-on thrash loveliness. The breakdown riff in the middle part of the song is sublime. It had me pulling that thrash gurning face.
Selling Souls! Buying Lies! has a feel of classic Annihilator with its staccato riffs and double bass drums. Menticide starts with a melodic feel before we get more huge riffs. The production of the album is perfect, and it’s refreshing to hear the instruments sound real. No processed drums (I hate that!) and the album really does sound like it’s from the ‘80s.
Metropolis is a little interlude that could be a John Carpenter written theme from one of his films. Fantastic! 1984 kicks us back into thrasher territory with some fantastic twin guitar work from Waltmans and Banziger. Drummer Sanders plays a blinder throughout the album, his double kick drums blaze through the tracks.
The Road to Hell Leads to Rome has a more traditional heavy metal feel, with nods towards classic Judas Priest. Lyrics about religious hypocrisy are the order of the day here. Saturn is another moody instrumental piece, Ruins of Dominion highlights vocalist John Klaus, his vocal style fits perfectly in the framework of Mass Deception.
Blue Flame of Anger shows us a more melodic aspect of the band. We get some Helloween style guitar melodies as well as more Priest influenced metal. More superb drum work here from drummer Sanders. My favourite track from the album is V, superb chunky riffs, a short instrumental passage, but it’s so well done.
Resurrections is a fantastic listen, really well written songs executed in style. Get your ears around this, you won’t be sorry.
The Canadian kings of technical thrash metal, Annihilator, have been on my radar ever since I saw the video for Alison Hell on Headbanger’s Ball back in 1989. Their blend of thrash, prog, and a touch of classical gripped me from the start. I bought their debut, Alice in Hell, as soon as I could get my grubby hands on it. I played it to death, but it was their next album, ‘Never Neverland’, released in 1991, that propelled Annihilator into the big leagues. I saw the band supporting Judas Priest in Newport, and their performance cemented my love for the band. These 2 albums are still considered their best releases, their next effort, 1993’s Set the World on Fire, had its moment,s but the line up changes seemed to be the beginning of the band becoming guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Waters’ solo projects, with him taking full control of Annihilator’s output. This was the band’s last release on Roadrunner Records.
We are now getting a revival of the band’s catalogue from the years 1994 – 1997 called The Annihilator Years 1994 – 1997 (catchy title, eh?) This was still a productive time for Annihilator despite the constant line-up changes and new record companies.
By the time we get to 1994 King of the Kill Jeff Waters had taken over on vocals, producing, and recording every instrument apart from the drums, which were recorded by Randy Black. Waters does a fine job, too. There are some fantastic songs on the album, including the title track, 21, Annihilator, Fiasco and my favourite track on the album, the Box. The remastered albums sound great; the tracks literally jump out of the speakers. We also get some demo tracks here, which are a nice insight into the creative process.
Refresh the Demon was released in 1996 on Music for Nations, and it contains one of my all-time favourite Annihilator tracks, Syn. Kill 1, what a tune that is! I do have a soft spot for this album, even though it isn’t held in such high regard as the earlier albums. The hilariously tilted The Pastor of Disaster is another highlight alongside Ultraparanoia. Refresh the Demon is an album that deserves another airing. A real solid metal album that holds up well.
I never delved into the next album, ‘Remains’ at the time of release in 1997, but bloody hell, I wish I did! It’s superb. Heavy, fast, with a touch of the industrial sound that was everywhere at the time. Tricks and Traps is a classic Annihilator track, crunchy riffs, pounding double bass drums, not sure if a drum machine was used here? Murder, Never Forget, Reaction, and the amazing Dead Wrong are some choice cuts from the album.
On the More Noise Vol.1 bonus CD, we get a real glimpse into the creative process of the albums in this era of Annihilator. Bonus tracks, demos and live tracks make a great addition to the albums. The 90s were an amazing time for metal despite the consensus that grunge killed it all. These albums by Annihilator are proof that metal was alive and well. These releases are the first of more remastered and revisited albums in the extensive Annihilator back catalogue to come.
If you’ve never heard these albums before, or if you are thinking of adding these shiny new versions to your Annihilator collection, go ahead, you won’t be disappointed.
I became aware of the wonderful Sergeant Thunderhoof when I reviewed their superb last LP This Sceptred Veil back in 2022. That album was in my top ten of that year and has been on heavy rotation at Kendrick towers ever since. I love the band so much that I bought all their material up to that point.
To say I’ve been looking forward to the follow up to TSV is very much an understatement. The band released a single: ‘Blood Moon’ recently and it’s a superb taster of what’s to come on their latest long player: The Ghost of Badon Hill. This time around, we get a concept album based on their native Somerset history and mythology. Based on a real-life battle between the Britons and the Anglo Saxons at Badon Hill in Bath, the album delves deep into some fascinating folklore.
The band really have excelled themselves here. The songs are shorter and have more impact while giving us the trademark Sergeant Thunderhoof sound. Dan Flitcroft’s vocal performance is his best so far. Wonderfully atmospheric and powerful when needed. We get plenty of huge riffs courtesy of Mark Sayer and Josh Gallop. If you love Sabbath, Cathedral and Paradise Lost, I guarantee you’ll love Sergeant Thunderhoof.
The production from Gallop is perfection. The album is only six tracks long to ensure the vinyl release is a single LP, but this works so well in the execution of the songs as a concept album. Opening track Badon sets the album up perfectly, wilting acoustic guitars and gentle vocals build up to some beautiful riffing and the vocals simply soar. The rest of the album follows on in spectacular fashion, it really is superb. I honestly can’t recommend this band enough. Just go and find out for yourselves what you’ve been missing. You can all thank me later!
The Ghost of Badon Hill is released on Nov 15th, 2024, and is available to pre order now on CD, limited edition vinyl, and on all major streaming platforms.
November is almost done and we can all get on the eggnog but before that there is time to squeeze in a right mixed bag of new singles and videos. From Kenny’s write-up of the brand new Valhalla Awaits track through some classic punk and pub rock to some balladeering and pop songs for you to get your heads around, Go check them out. But hold on Those cheeky chaps The Sensible Gray Cells begin the Crimbo madness before we unleash December’s festive tunes…Enjoy…
Valhalla Awaits – Is There Anybody Out There? (VA Records) The long-awaited new single from Welsh wonders Valhalla Awaits is finally unleashed and it’s been worth the wait. The band have been busy in the studio adding the finishing touches to their latest EP which will be released soon. The guys have had a busy summer with various festival performances, following on from their support slot with fellow Welshmen Those Damn Crows on their UK tour earlier in the year.
This taster from the EP has all the VA trademarks: A fantastic vocal performance, melody, riffs, tasteful guitar solos, powerhouse drumming and crystal-clear production values. A mid paced track full of atmospheric guitar melodies courtesy of Rhys Carter and Chris Green, a rock-solid performance from drummer Snoz Lawrence leaves bass player Sam Kilby to hold it all down on the bass front. The track builds beautifully and climaxes with some stunning guitar work.
Yet again, vocalist Andrew Hunt plays an absolute blinder. His velvet tones soar over the music with ease while giving us an ear worm of a chorus that has been in my head ever since my first listen to the track. The band just go from strength to strength, and I can’t wait to hear the EP and catch the lads in a live setting soon. Bravo guys!!
The track is available to stream/download now wherever you listen to your music. Author: Kenny Kendrick
The Sensible Gray Cells – ‘A Stupid Xmas’ (Damaged Goods Records) I couldn’t think of a better person to release the first christmas single than the good Captain and his Sensible Gray Cells. Join with them in celebrating all things that are daft and frustrating about the festive season. The band’s Xmas ditty ‘A Stupid Xmas’ captures everything you love to hate about this special time of year. It also has the catchiest chorus since Slade and Wizzard ruled the charts! The B side is classic Sensible a gentile romp with soe neat guitar work ably backed by Paul Gray and Marty Love.
***VINYL FANS TAKE NOTE*** A certain number of records will have a deliberate mistake hidden.. well, somewhere or other – a jolly wheeze inspired by some of those old Stiff Records ‘instant collector’s item’ mispressings. We won’t say anymore!
Christmas / Mrs. Anthrope – Split 7 (Self Release) Christmas drop their 19th release with this split 7″. The band are full of snot and anger on their side ‘Armageddon’ whilst the lyrics might be apocolyptical the music shows a way more melodic and softer side of Christmas and it really works for the band with a most excellent record. I certainly wasn’t expecting such a melodic gang vocal on the chorus. Also from St Wendel Mrs. Anthrope is a new band with their first song right here. ‘Squeezy Brains’ is a fast banger that just makes you wanna dance! oh and break stuff. Its punk rock baby and it rocks! Can’t wait to hear more from these guys as its always great to have new music from new bands. Great single!
FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES – ‘Brambles’ (International Death Cult / AWAL) second song to be taken from their forthcoming album ‘Dark Rainbow’. With a palpable sense of foreboding and menace, and arrives as something of a plea for a perfect love With the first half of the song being some dark ballad like song it then enters a darker twist before some lush strings and hushed vocals. A melodic pop song from Carter moving in a different direction than I was expecting keeping fans on their toes.
Faz Waltz – ‘Rave A Comin’ (Spaghetty Town Records) Oh baby its coming on like the bastard children of Little Richard and Jerry Lee with its boogie woogie piano leading the way on Rave a Comin. Its full tilt get your party pants on and lets go. The B Side isn’t far behind with a trad bop n roll with plenty of swing. Pure Rock n Roll nothing more nothign less. Expect a new album in the early part of 2024 and on this evidence expect a whole bunch of Rock n Roll kids. Great stuff. Horns a honkin and ivorys tinkling get these cats on tour with Jim Jones Allstars or would that be Rock n Roll overload?
Jim Bob – ‘This Is My Mix Tape’ (Cherry Red Records) Hot on the heels of his most excellent long player released earlier this year Jim Bob has knocked together a 10″ EP of four classic covers from ‘Are Friends Electric’ to ‘Pretty In Pink’ but he also entertains a Squeeze cover and Dexys ‘Gino’. Of course, its quality its Jim Bob and he’s been in a rich vein of form as of late and this only adds to his quality catalogue and will have fans old and new beaming with his take on some pretty classic tunes. This might be his first mixtape but I hope it won’t be his last. I can think of a follow-up bunch of tunes right off the bat Go Jim Bob.
Greg Kuehn – ‘Medicine Man’ (DC-Jam Records)Greg Kuehn, (TSOL keyboardist and prolific composer) is releasing “Medicine Man” the first single off his upcoming EP on DC-Jam Records. ‘Medicine Man’ is a song about recovery and mental illness, a subject close to Greg’s heart. He has been in recovery for nearly 30 years. TSOL fans tak e a breath because this is a dark ballad from Greg but its dark and soulful and sincere. but most of all its damn good.
Bob Vylan – ‘Hes A Man’ (Ghost Theatre) Taken from the upcoming album ‘Humble As The Sun’ which is out in April of 2024. With just one vocalist (Bobby) and one drummer (Bobbie) they have created a unique and ever evolving sound, one that crosses styles and genres, doing away with the traditional and embracing new and uncharted sonic dimensions. They incorporate these styles within their music in an attempt to bridge and blend genres and subcultures together. It is this very unique style and sound that has found them embraced by rock, rap, punk, dance and alternative crowds alike.
Golem Dance Cult – ‘Ghost of Las Vegas‘ Taken from the bands latest album ‘Legend of the Bleeding Heart’. The idea was related to how we can feel alone even (especially) when surrounded by other people, like ghosts roaming in a casino…. in Las Vegas. The duo take chances and aren’t afraid to mix it up on their records but its sharp, captivating and interesting concepts. Besides if you don’t like a bit of Goth then getoutofhere. Here at HQ we love a bit of sparse bbuzzsaw guitar and low range vocals. Check it out.
Penny Rich ‘PC’ (self Release) Cardiff-based noise punks release a studio take and live version of ‘PC’ and it’s angry as fuck and comes out of the speakers swinging so get your dukes up and protect yourself. With a throbbing growling bass rumble, psychotic vocals, and that Grungy Punk riffage that served the likes of Nirvana really well. One to look out for for sure and hopefully I can catch them live soon and see how this brawler comes across – gumshields at the ready.
Johnny Moped – ‘Lockdown Boy’ (Damaged Goods Records) the loveable Lodon boys knock out a tuneful ragged slice of pub rock and they do it so well. Before you’ve heard it through once you’ll be spilling beer and singing along in your mates face with your arm tight around his neck moments before you either get turfed out of the boozer or you stumble and fall. Cheers guys its a belter and leaves me feelign warm and nourished. ‘The Other Side’ no the other side is like they left the tape running when they’re having a chat before the band kicks in with a short sharp burst of energy before fading away – strang? Yup but its Johnny Moped go check it out
When I started writing this review I tried to think if there are any thrash metal bands from Ireland that I had heard of… I couldn’t think of any, and a quick Google search didn’t help. Interesting that I had sitting in my lap the new album from Dublin based thrashers Unmaker. ‘Limb From Limb’ has one foot in the glory days of thrash, the band wear their influences on their (leather studded) sleeve, I can pick up early Sepultura, Kreator, and Possessed vibes throughout the album.
Opening with the brutal ‘To War’, Unmaker show that they mean business from the off. Crunching staccato riffs, pulverising drums and shouty vocals make the perfect blend for some old school sounding FRASH!! Drop Dead is a bouncier affair with a more atmospheric approach. The title track brings us back to more breakneck riffs and some double bass gymnastics from drummer Jake.
The album is very engaging, it really grabs you from the start and makes sure that you pay attention to what’s going on. ‘Control’ has a more modern feel with a nod to Bullet For My Valentine. The instrumental Point Break starts off with some dreamy guitar work and works its way up to some impressive guitar soloing from guitarist Sean.
The second half of the album kicks off with the Machine Head-tinged Rise, another impressive track with the band showing how well they work as a unit. ‘False Disciple’ highlights vocalist Aaron, he has a touch of Billy Milano in his delivery. The album closes with the epic ‘Breathe’.
Unmaker have done themselves proud here, a strong album that definitely puts Irish Thrash on the map!
Toronto noise mongers Deadwolff (yes there’s two f’s) have released their debut album ‘Heavy Rock ‘N Roll’, after the band’s debut EP came out digitally which caught the ear of RPM Online.
Shortly after, Deadwolff signed with Metal Assault Records, based out of Los Angeles, and released their debut EP on cassette, which sold out. As of recently, Deadwolff has been touring throughout Canada, bringing their catchy hooks, and eccentric live show to the masses. Building momentum quickly, Deadwolff sought out and was noticed by Golden Robot Records and there’s plenty to love about it. If you’re a fan of the Ramones, Motorhead, AC/DC and Airbourne then you’ll love Deadwolff. So what if vocalist/bassist Tommy Wolffe cant sing for toffee? It just adds to the charm of the band, Wolffe’s bass is a little too high in the mix for my liking but that’s totally subjective. More drums please!!
Deadwolff has songs about gangs, booze, and women. They certainly won’t win any prizes for being literary geniuses. The music is head down, arse up heavy rock. You get what it says on the tin. A good fun, rough-and-tumble album with some ropey production. I love it! A great soundtrack to a Friday night booze-up. You can smell Deadwolff just by listening to them. They stink of a combination of sweat, bad breath, whisky, cigarettes, and well-worn leather jackets. Big up Toronto Hard Rockers they know what time it is. It’s time to rock!
Go and give Heavy Rock ‘N Roll a spin, you can thank me later.
I’m pretty sure most of us…ahem…. more mature metal heads would never have thought that 40 years on from the latter days of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, two of the most prominent and important bands from that movement would still be around today. We certainly couldn’t have imagined that they would still be releasing new material and putting on the kinds of performances that I was fortunate enough to witness in the grand surroundings of St David’s Hall in Cardiff tonight.
It’s a travesty that Midlands based metallers Diamond Head never reached the dizzy heights that they were so deserving of. Similarly to Welsh legends Budgie, Diamond Head owe a lot to a certain thrash band from the San Francisco Bay Area who, as we all know covered some of their back catalogue and introduced a whole new generation of metal fans to the brilliance of Diamond Head. In 2022 Diamond Head are still a force to be reckoned with. I caught their set at this year’s Steelhouse Festival, and they were amazing. I was anticipating another banging performance this evening and they certainly didn’t disappoint!
With a short forty-five-minute set, they made sure that all eras of the band’s history were covered. The setting of St David’s Hall as a venue for a metal gig is always a risky choice with its set up of seating only. This had a detrimental effect for the first few songs of DH’s set with a lukewarm crowd who seemed to be restricted in building some momentum. Frontman Rasmus Bom Andersen does a sterling job of whipping up the crowd and he has a fantastic stage presence along with an extremely powerful voice. By the time we get to the three song closers of It’s Electric, Helpless and Am I Evil? the place is absolutely bouncing with everyone up on their feet, headbanging and horn throwing like their lives depended on it. Guitarist Brian Tatler still holds an impressive figure with his Flying V being wrangled to squeeze out every tasteful solo and gigantic riff. The rest of the band are no slouches either, an extremely impressive set, my only complaint is that it could have been a bit longer.
I know I’ve probably bored you all with this before, but I really can’t emphasize enough how important Saxon are in my musical development. At the age of thirteen, football was my passion and even though I religiously watched Top of the Pops every Thursday and listened to the charts on a Sunday, I didn’t find my calling until a boy I was in school with called Tim made me a tape of the Saxon compilation Strong Arm Metal. I had never heard music like this, and I was instantly in love. Pete Gill and Nigel Glockler are up there with my biggest drum heroes, and they inspired me to pick up a pair of sticks and start my own musical journey. Thank you so much Saxon, and Tim of course!
I was lucky enough to review Saxon’s latest album Carpe Diem earlier this year for this fine online magazine, (unbelievably their 23rd studio album) and loved it straight away. Some of their strongest material has been released in the last ten years or so and they are playing better than ever. I also saw Saxon at the Steelhouse festival in the summer when they graciously stood in when a certain guitarist who used to be in Kiss cancelled his performance. Saxon were on top form and played a blinder even with some of the band suffering from Covid at the time. They really are a class act.
The room is noticeably fuller by the time the band stroll onto the darkened stage to the sound of the stirring intro of the Carpe Diem album, and with a thunderous drum intro from Mr Glockler, we are off into full force Saxon at their best. They really put newer acts to shame with their boundless energy. Tasmanian Devil lookalike Nibs Carter literally doesn’t stop all night, running around furiously headbanging and jumping around like a teenager. The supremely talented Nigel Glockler is a delight to watch, his huge drum kit being battered for all its worth, and double bass drum barrages a plenty. Superb! The ever-present duo of Paul Quinn and Biff Byford are loving every minute and Biff’s voice sounds incredible. Doug Scarratt will forever be the new boy even though he’s been in the band since 1995, his guitar style and stage presence suit the band perfectly.
The set is a combination of new tracks from Carpe Diem, some old favourites, and some tracks they don’t play too often. It was great to hear Thin Red Line and Metalhead mixed in with Dallas 1PM and Heavy Metal Thunder. When Biff asks the audience which song they would like to hear out a choice of three, he jokes that they could probably do a week’s residence in Cardiff and play a different set every night… we might just hold you to that Biff! We end up with a fantastic rendition of The Eagle Has Landed which showcases Carter’s bass playing beautifully. The equally impressive sound mix and light show really highlights the atmosphere for this tune.
They pull out all the heavy hitters for the tail end of the set, And the Bands Played On, Wheels of Steel, a rousing performance of Carpe Diem highlight The Pilgrimage along with a Strong Arm of the Law/Solid Ball of Rock medley which leads seamlessly into their ‘should have been a number one single’ 747. We all witness a lovely moment during Denim & Leather when Biff catches a battle vest that a crowd member throws at him. He wears it until the guitar solo and then signs it and throws it back to the ecstatic fan. Quality. They close with Princess of the Night and confirm yet again that Saxon really are up there with the best in the world of metal. Looking around at the audience, it was great to see how many young people were in attendance wearing Saxon, Motorhead and Maiden shirts having the time of their lives. Bands like Saxon have worked so hard to maintain their roots as a true heavy metal band in every sense of the word. They deserve all the respect and success that continues to come their way. As Biff once sang: ‘Give us the stage, turn on the lights, fire up the sound, we’ll rock the nations’. They certainly stay true to their word.
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