Back catalogue: Metal

Review: The ninth full-length from Norwegian black metal mainstays, Kampfar, marks their first full-length since 2019's excellent, 'Ofidians Manifest' and further exemplifies their timeless penchant for macabre, frosted soundscapes delivered with seamless cohesion. 'Til Klovers Takt' serves as a sonic journey across the snow-capped Scandanavian landscape with its coalescing of atmospheric tranquillity and malodorous heft, complete with pummelling blast beats, unnerving tremolo picking and anguished vocals that often trade caustic howls for occult-inspired folkloric chants, channelling the history and nature of their home in the most serene yet abrasive forms possible.

Review: The eighth full-length from Canadian noise-rock indebted industrial hardcore behemoths, KEN Mode, is arguably one of their most visceral offerings to date. Taking influence from the likes of Nine Inch Nails and Einsturzende Neubauten, as well as exuding more sonically familiar inspiration from Botch and Converge; 'Null', is a masterclass in combining the ugliest aspects of disparate forms of aggressive styles to conjure a caustic, audible assault. In the four long years since its predecessor, 'Loved', the world has become a much uglier, unfriendly place, and these malevolent, crushing pieces reflect this with arresting specificity.

Review: Fans of twisted sonic bedlam rejoice as the drone-doom supergroup of James Plotkin, Alan Dubin (OLD), Tim Wyskida (Blind Idiot God) and Stephen O'Malley (Burning Witch, Sunn O)))) have surprise released a brand new full-length titled To Be Cruel. Their first LP since 2009's Clean Hands Go Foul restores every inch of the malevolent, industrial-tinted noise-doom that originally made Khanate such an underground darling of early 21st century experimental and extreme metal. While no official reunion or tour dates have been announced, the band have revealed that all four previous albums would be receiving the reissue treatment in the near future, delighting avid followers of aurally debauched soundscapes the world over.

Review: Killswitch Engage were late to the party in terms of NWOAHM - or New Wave of American Heavy Metal. The movement started in the mid-1990s, borrowing the name from British heavy metal new wave of the late-1970s, and was determined to offer a rawer, less caricatured take on a sound which, by this point, was running out of ideas/steam/cocaine. Despite arriving a few years after all that kicked off, this Massachusetts outfit quickly rose to become one of the most prominent in the scene, and 23 years on remain inescapable. A leading force in the development of metal core, their sound is huge, ferocious, cacophonous but also melodic, citing influences ranging from Iron Maiden to Van Halen, not to mention Mike 'Faith No More' Patton. Ultimately, though, they've carved out their own thing, which is laid bare in all its sweaty, juggernaut glory on this - the band's first ever officially released live recording.

Review: Boston based psych/sludge/doom (riff monster) supergroup KIND boast a line up made of members featuring Matt Couto (ex-Elder), Tom Corino (ex-Rozamov), Craig Riggs (Roadsaw) and Darryl Shepard (ex-Black Pyramid) and finally return with their trudging, groovy third full-length Close Encounters. Following on from 2020's exceptional Mental Nudge, the material here sways from embracing their 70s indebted psychedelic roots to the more bombastic sludge metal motifs of the modern era, yet kept at a delicate precipice by the unashamedly retro vocal delivery.

Review: Taking its name from the 2022 record, Requiem, Korn return one year on from their last LP, finished during the pandemic then held on to until people stopped banging on about viruses and vaccines as much, Requiem Mass is a recording of the band's livestream event from Hollywood's United Methodist Church in Los Angeles. A focal point of which was 'Worst Is On Its Way', arguably the fan favourite track from the most recent studio effort.

Those who were watching, or have seen subsequently, will remember the performance well. That moody, candlelit stage, orchestra set in the backdrop with metal titans front and centre. You might not necessarily see that here, because this is an EP not a visual product. But the sense of atmosphere and listening to one of dark rock's most impressive outfits in full flow is unmistakable.

Review: Opening on the grinding powerhouse of 'I', Kosmik Sun present three tracks of epic, cinematic heavy rock-metal which gives a nod to the likes of Mogwai and Explosions In the Sky. Albeit here things seem to have taken more of an influence from darker places, with each part of the triptych casting an eerie spell over the listener, transporting them to psychedelic, doom-laden otherworldly places. The side project of German aficionado Eugen Kohl, best known for the Crypt Witch project, Kosmik Sun also features members of Coven Spell and Devil Leaf, which, if nothing else, should let any newbies know exactly what they're in for. Steeped in deep stoner atmosphere, not to mention exceptional, gritty musicality, this is intensity for thinking people and it never lets up.

Review: Swiss hard rock and heavy metal band Krokus are one of the outfits with a cult following who worship their every move. As such this Best Of might not be for them but instead serves as a great overview for newly curious fans. Stayed Awake All Night / The Best Of Krokus compiles their greatest hits and most lively rock riffs from tunes they made between 1982 and 1986 and it originally came in 1989. It shows them to be a band who know how to write a hook and thrash out a rhythm and sits them up there alongside the likes of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.