Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons - Exeter Review

With December around the corner, 2023's gigging calendar is coming to a close. I have two more shows left this year, which both take place this coming weekend, and then a few weeks without live music will follow until I head up to London in mid-January to catch Orphaned Land. I managed to get to a lot of different shows this year, many of which were excellent, and 2024 is also shaping up to be a good one - with lots already to look forward to. My final November show this year took place last night, though, and it followed only a couple of days after seeing Marillion put on a customarily excellent show at the Roundhouse in London. Few bands could match the majesty and prowess of Marillion, so it was perhaps fitting that I was following it up quickly with something rather different. Seeing another progressive rock band so soon after Sunday's Marillion show would have likely made the band who followed seem rather ordinary, but the raw power and heaviness of Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons was significantly different enough to limit comparisons between the two shows. In recent years, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons have become regulars on the UK touring circuit - as well as that of the rest of Europe. I first came across the band in 2016, when they played a set largely consisting of songs from Phil's (guitar/vocals) time with Motörhead at that year's Bloodstock Open Air, but I did not start following them properly until I saw them again at the 2018 iteration of Steelhouse Festival. By this point they had started to release their own material and I was grabbed by their snappy songwriting and powerful sound. I have followed the band ever since and have been to see them a few times locally in Devon and Cornwall - as well as a somewhat random show in Birmingham which replaced a postponed Trivium concert originally scheduled to take place on the same day. I have also caught them with other bands and last saw them back in February when they opened for Black Star Riders in London. Their headline tours generally include the South West, though, so I have managed to see them fairly often - and I headed up to Exeter yesterday to catch the band at the excellent Phoenix. They previously played at the venue in 2019, and put on a great show, so making the trip up to Exeter from Plymouth was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, though, the usually easy trip up the A38 was plagued with setbacks, including terrible traffic getting into the city centre itself and some road closures making the trip take around twice as long as it should have. By the time I got to Exeter and had had some food in the local Wetherspoons, which also seemed to be struggling with only one floor of the building open for business, the show had already started. I generally like to get to venues in time to catch full sets from all of the bands on the bill - but that was sadly not possible this time due to the aforementioned issues!

By the time I got to the venue, then, there was already a pretty healthy crowd gathered and the German five-piece Sweet Electric were around half way through their set. From what I saw of it, Sweet Electric put on a high-energy show - and showcased a relatively diverse sound which mined a number of 1970s rock seams. The song which they were mid-way through when I got into the venue had a bit of an AC/DC vibe, but later songs had a bluesier edge - and the last couple of numbers channelled some strong southern rock influences. With this disparate sound it was quite hard to get a handle on exactly what sort of band Sweet Electric want to be, but what they lacked in clarity they made up for in enthusiasm. The band's frontman barely stood still throughout their set and his raspy voice generally suited the material played - even if he felt a bit rough around the edges as a singer despite being an engaging presence. This summed up the band more generally, although in truth musically they were pretty tight - albeit with that looseness and love of a jam that many 1970s bands possessed. Most of the songs played were likely longer than they would have been if they had been recorded in a studio - and plenty of time was given over to explosive guitar soloing, with both of the band's guitarists impressing on that front. One song even featured a bit of a bass showcase and something a drum solo, so everyone had a moment in the spotlight. The crowd seemed to generally be into what Sweet Electric were doing, too, which is always nice to see. I cannot say that the songs really grabbed me, but the riffing and overall performance was a strong one packed with energy - and what I saw of the set was certainly a good example of no-nonsense hard rock which was welcome following the frustrating journey which preceded it.

Sadly, though, I cannot say the same about The Cards who followed. Featuring Saxon guitarist Paul Quinn (although perhaps that should say 'former Saxon guitarist' given that, following his 'retirement' from touring, he does not even seem to be featured on the band's upcoming album Hell, Fire and Damnation), I was keen to give the three-piece a try - but following a couple of songs it was clear that the bluesy rock band were not for me. Given Quinn's riffing on all of Saxon's albums, I was expecting something a bit better. I was not expecting The Cards to sound like Saxon, but I was expecting something more enjoyable and melodic - but the band's leaden sound really did not impress. Lumpy drumming, strange vocals, and some pretty average riffing and melodies from a guitarist who can do better summed them up - and I feel like The Cards are only getting the amount of attention they are because of their association with Saxon. Having attended many iterations of the Cambridge Rock Festival over the years, I have seen quite a few bands like The Cards - as the undercards often included a few bluesy trios. Most of those bands were forgettable and in truth The Cards were no better than any of those anonymous acts. I do not like being negative, but given who is involved The Cards should be better. I had hoped to come away from the show having discovered a new side to Quinn as a writer and guitar player, but the set ended up being a disappointment - which even a rather ragged cover of Saxon's Princess of the Night at the end could not salvage.

Thankfully things were about to get better, though, as after the stage had been cleared the lights went down and Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons powered through around 80 minutes of music which the large crowd lapped up from the off. Frontman Joel Peters has now been in the band for a couple of years and their first album to feature him, Kings of the Asylum, was released earlier in the year. Four songs from that album were played, but an older track, We're the Bastards, kicked off the set, and the fast-paced and anthemic track set the tone for most of what was to follow. The band sounded as powerful as ever with a great sound mix throughout. Peters' voice was clear and the guitar soloing of both Phil and Todd Campbell (guitar/vocals) cut through nicely. Phil really let rip during the solo section of current single Schizophrenia, whilst the first of four Motörhead songs featured, Going to Brazil, added some old-school rock 'n' roll energy to the night. As usual, the set was a pretty good mix of original material and nods with Phil's past with Motörhead. As the band have three albums and EP to their name at this point, though, I did feel that the set could have weighted a little more in the favour of their own material. I enjoy hearing the Motörhead songs, but I feel that the band could stand behind their own songs a little more - and a couple of strange covers featured later in the set only further cemented this view. That said, though, Born to Raise Hell is always treat to hear live, even if the crowd participation section part-way through was dragged out longer than necessary, and the groovy riff of Freak Show which preceded it leads one of the band's best songs. The new songs played shone, too, and I felt that a couple more from the strong latest album should have featured. The pounding Hammer and Dance certainly got the crowd going, particularly following the doomier Dark Days which was the set's only real slower number. Hammer and Dance is a great representation of the band's sound, though, and the chorus prompted quite a bit of singing. The first of the two aforementioned covers followed, with a rather straight rendition of the Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen feeling like an odd choice. Motörhead covered it of course, but I did not really need to hear Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons do it - and it seemed to start a bit of a fight in the crowd, too! High Rule and the ever-present Ace of Spades got things back on track, though, and one of the latest album's most anthemic pieces, Strike the Match, was a highlight of the latter part of the set. The main set then came to a close with David Bowie's "Heroes", a song I never need to hear again - whether by Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons or anyone else. I know that a cover of it was one of the last songs that Motörhead recorded before Lemmy's death, but that does not mean Phil and the boys needed to play it live. It felt quite flat to me and the main set finished in a limp fashion. The three-song encore which followed was more like it, though, with the rollocking Ringleader and one final Motörhead tune in Killed by Death restoring balance. It was left to one last new song, Maniac, to close out the night - and the profane track certainly got the crowd going, with everyone around me singing along. The setlist was:

We're the Bastards

Schizophrenia

Going the Brazil [Motörhead cover]

Freak Show

Born to Raise Hell [Motörhead cover]

Dark Days

Hammer and Dance

God Save the Queen [Sex Pistols cover]

High Rule

Ace of Spades [Motörhead cover]

Strike the Match

"Heroes" [David Bowie cover]

-

Ringleader

Killed by Death [Motörhead cover]

Maniac

My gripes with the setlist aside, I had a great time in Exeter with Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. The band always put on a powerful live show and they attract healthy crowds for that reason. There are always great atmospheres at their shows, despite the aforementioned fight, and it is great to see Phil still out there touring and putting in the graft following the demise of  Motörhead. He could have retired, but he clearly loves to go out and play shows - and his current band are real fixtures of the UK rock and metal scene at this point.

Marillion - London Review

I cannot say that I was expecting to see Marillion live in 2023. Following quite a significant European tour last year to support the release of An Hour Before It's Dark, which included a healthy amount of UK shows, I was expecting the band to take it relatively easy this year following a busy couple of years of writing, recording, and touring - and put their feet up after their handful of customary 'weekends' earlier in the year. When an, admittedly short, winter European tour was announced back in the summer, then, I was pretty surprised - in a good way. I had assumed that it would have been quite a while before I saw the band live again after last year's excellent show at the Eventim Apollo, but with two UK shows to choose from on the 2023 pre-Christmas jaunt it made sense to see them again for the eleventh time - and I opted to return to London to catch them at the Roundhouse just north of Camden. Having only been to the venue once prior to this year, my trip there to see Marillion was be my third visit of the year - having previously seen excellent shows there from Epica and Rival Sons. The pretty up-market venue seemed fitting for the Marillion of 2023, too, whom over the past decade or so have moved back up to the country's larger theatres than the clubs they had become accustomed to for quite a few years. It may not be as grand as the Royal Albert Hall or as historic as the Apollo, but the Roundhouse is certainly a bit different to many average venues - and is certainly a step up from the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, which was the band's London venue of choice for a number of years. Seeing them in 2023 would also mean that, with the obvious exception of 2020, I would have seen them every year since 2016 - which was at the aforementioned Forum in support of that year's Fuck Everyone and Run. With more shows in London, as well as trips to both Birmingham and Bath, it has been great getting to see the band live so often - as prior to 2016 my opportunities to see them were more limited, with an over-full show at Sheffield's Corporation being my only 'traditional' Marillion headline show up to that point. Given the relatively short nature of the tour, too, most of the shows sold out quite quickly. I do not think that the Roundhouse show had officially sold out, though, but when I looked on the venue's website the day before the gig the only tickets which were available were wheelchair-only spaces. With the UK's other show in Wolverhampton sold out, and most of the other European shows packed out, it just goes to show what a draw Marillion are again these days. They toiled away in small clubs for years, so really deserve this resurgence in popularity over the past few years - and all of the shows which I have attended since 2016 have been busy and have generated excellent atmospheres. What set the Roundhouse show apart, too, was the fact that it was a standing show. I think all of the Marillion shows I have been to in recent years, with the exception of the Forum show in 2016, have been all-seated affairs - with the possible exception of the Apollo show but I had a seat for it regardless. Marillion's music always seems suited for seated venues, but it was great to be able to get a bit closer to the stage this time - and I was about a third of the way back throughout the night which proved to be a good place to be.

Before Marillion's set, though, the growing crowd were treated to a gentle set from The Beggs Sisters - an acoustic trio made up of prog session bass master Nick Beggs and his two daughters. Whilst Nick was likely known to most of the crowd due to the various people he has worked with, the set was not really about him - as he played double bass to back up the acoustic songwriting of Lula and Willow. I am on record here as saying that I am not generally into acoustic support acts, and Marillion have become a bit lazy of late when it comes to their support acts in my opinion, but The Beggs Sisters had a bit more about them than the average such support act. Having three musicians and two singers on the stage likely helped, as it meant that the trio's music was a bit more involved than is typical. I usually tire of earnest singer-songwriters after a couple of numbers, but there was something a bit more whimsical about The Beggs Sisters' material - and the harmony vocals between the two sisters helped to give their songs an edge. The addition of the double bass allowed for a bit more of a rhythmic approach, too, which helped. The trio did not blow me away, but they were certainly one of the better acoustic support acts which I have seen recently - and the growing crowd certainly seemed to warm to them as their set went on, too.

I get the impression that quite a few of those in attendance had trouble getting into the venue - so I think Marillion delayed starting their set by 10 or so minutes to allow everyone time to get in and dry off. I got in relatively quickly early on, but the venue's entrance does not seem set up for large crowds - especially as they also insist on searching every bag and scanning everyone with a metal detector. I imagine a few people were annoyed with having to wait outside in the rain - but I am sure that when Marillion kicked off their set with The Invisible Man at around 8:40pm all of the ill feelings soon dissipated. This may be Marillion heresy, but The Invisible Man has never been a personal favourite - but each time I hear it or see the band do it live I enjoy it slightly more. They resurrected the trick of having frontman Steve Hogarth on the screen during the early portion of the song, too - before he strolled on in his suit and armed with a guitar at an opportune moment. This added an element of theatre to the early part of the show, but this aside the band tended to let their music do the talking. The sound mix within the Roundhouse was pretty much spot on throughout. The vocals were occasionally a little low in the mix when Hogarth was seated as his keyboard, but generally everything was well-balanced - with Steve Rothery's guitar perfectly cutting through the mix. This was evident during his solo in the epic ballad Easter, during which Hogarth often invited the crowd to sing. As the show was the last night of the tour, Hogarth seemed particularly upbeat - and spoke to the crowd quite a bit. The setlist was pretty up-tempo on average, too, with quite a few different songs compared to their other recent setlists. There was still plenty of room for the band's trademark atmospherics, though, with the Afraid of Sunlight deep cut Beyond You proving to be an early highlight. It was not a song which I had seen the band so live before, so the cinematic piece stood out - and it was followed by another live debut for me in the poppy Map of the World. The song is not exactly quintessential Marillion with its AOR edge, but I have always loved the song for its huge chorus. It prompted quite a lot of singing from the crowd, too, and as it is generally seen as a bit of a deep cut I imagine even the die-hards had not seen the song performed live too many times. Despite this catalogue-reaching, there was still time for a decent amount of the latest album to be played. I enjoyed hearing the album in full last year, but was glad this year to hear some of the material mixed in with a more diverse range of songs. Two of the longer-form songs made the cut last night, though, with Reprogram the Gene up first. The song's quirky lyrics and harder rocking tones certainly gave the set a kick energy-wise - and Hogarth was particularly animated during it.

This vibe continued on throughout Quartz which followed. It is one of the most angular songs in the band's catalogue - but it comes with a chorus which is very typical of the band's core sound. It was a great showcase for bassist Pete Trewavas, whose bass drove the song from the off, and it was also one of the few songs which gave prominence to touring percussionist Luís Jardim. I am still not convinced that Marillion are the sort of rhythmically-centred band which need a stand-alone percussionist, but Jardim's additions to Quartz were welcome - with Hogarth often joining in too to create a pretty heavy, stomping groove. The song was a great addition to the set, and it was the last out and out rocker for a little while - with the main set then coming to a close with two newer songs. The Crow and the Nightingale is one of my favourite songs from the latest album, so it was great to hear it live again. It contains one of Hogarth's most emotional vocals in years, and it is the sort of song which really showcases everything that is great about modern Marillion. Rothery's excellent solo received a round of applause as it came to an end, but overall the mood was one of reverence - and this then extended throughout the 15 or so minutes or Care which rounded out the main set. The multi-part piece shifted perfectly from its almost industrial opening to its soaring, string-led conclusion - and it featured a diverse performance from Mark Kelly (keyboards), with his mix of dense synths and melodic piano breaks. He is one of the best keyboard players in prog, though, but this consummate performance should not be taken for granted. Much of the band's recent material seems to stem from him, and Care brought the main set to a powerful close with an emotional coda from Hogarth. There was still time for more, though, and four songs followed in two encore sections. Soon after the band left the stage for the first time, the pulse of Splintering Heart started up, and the band really rocked through the older piece with venom. It is one of the band's best rockers, and Rothery's guitar was gritty as he launched into the trademark solo. An emotional Neverland brought the first encore section to a close - and many bands would have ended there, letting the closing guitar twangs of the piece act as a curtain call. Marillion are not many bands, though, and they came back for a couple more - dipping back into the past for a rousing rendition of Sugar Mice, which Hogarth let the crowd sing most of as is custom. It is always a treat hearing Rothery playing that solo, too, but the band had one last trick up their sleeves in the form of the heart-wrenching King - another personal favourite which always delivers live. It was the perfect way to bring the diverse set to a close - and the crowd loved every minutes of it. The setlist was:

The Invisible Man

Easter

Sounds That Can't Be Made

Beyond You

Map of the World

Reprogram the Gene - Part I: Invincible
Reprogram the Gene - Part II: Trouble-Free Life
Reprogram the Gene - Part III: A Cure for Us?

Quartz

The Crow and the Nightingale

Care - Part I: Maintenance Drugs
Care - Part II: An Hour Before It's Dark
Care - Part III: Every Cell
Care - Part IV: Angels on Earth

-

Splintering Heart

Neverland

-

Sugar Mice

King

Marillion shows are always special nights and last night was no different. It was great to see them again so soon after the last time and it was good that the setlist had been changed up quite a bit - including a couple of new ones for me and a few songs which I had not seen the band do for a while. I am not sure what Marillion's plans are for next year, but I imagine that it will be a relatively quiet year following this tour and the weekends which always take up so much of their time. On current form, though, I would not be surprised to see more activity from them - and I am sure that whenever they next tour I will be in attendance.

Sorcerer's 'Reign of the Reaper' - Album Review

I have been to quite a few festivals over the years and with each one I attend I come away having discovered at least one new band. They are always a great way to find out about new bands and to sample music which you would not otherwise listen to - as well as to see bands who otherwise might not have the pull to play in the UK on their own. The latter point likely applied at the time to the Swedish doom band Sorcerer - who made their UK debut at the 2022 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air. I saw lots of great bands at last year's Bloodstock, but perhaps my main overall discovery was Sorcerer. I had earmarked them to check out and had sampled a couple of their songs in advance of the festival, but their set on the Friday afternoon was my first genuine exposure to the five-piece. I was somewhat aware of the band's history, which involved an early incarnation releasing two demos in the late 1980s and early 1990s before breaking up without releasing anything officially, which also intrigued me. Their story reminded me a little of that of the now seemingly-defunct British band Hell, although without the tragedy behind Hell's original split, and it is always good to see a band finally making a go of it - especially as I understand that the band's early demos were somewhat revered in the underground at the time. 2015 finally saw the release of the band's debut album, then, with In the Shadow of the Inverted Cross launching Sorcerer proper after many years. Two further albums, 2017's Crowning of the Fire King and 2020's Lamenting of the Innocent, were released prior to the Bloodstock appearance which I enjoyed so much - and they further cemented the band's powerful, yet melodic, sound. I have been exploring doom somewhat in recent years and Sorcerer play a brand of doom which I really like. They are clearly from the same school of thought as their countrymen Candlemass - and there are certainly sound comparisons which can be drawn between the two bands. What sets Sorcerer apart for me, though, is that they seem to have a huge love for the Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath - and even covered When Death Calls on covers EP recorded during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Frontman Anders Engberg, who is the band's only 1980s-era member left at this point, sounds quite a lot like Martin at times - but the music is doomier than 1980s Black Sabbath. All of this is evident when listening to their newly-released fourth album Reign of the Reaper - which dropped last month. It is very typical of the band's work up to this point, but the album is a little shorter than their previous efforts - which gives it a bit more of a digestible and svelte feeling. Whilst Engberg may be the only classic-era member left in the band, fellow old boy Richard Evensand played drums on the album before leaving a few months ago - and founding bassist Johnny Hagel still contributes to the songwriting despite having essentially retired a few years ago. It is the band's second album with the line-up of Engberg, Evensand, guitarists Kristian Niemann and Peter Hallgren, and bassist Justin Biggs, then, although Evensand has since been replaced by Stefan Norgren (Eternal Oath; Faceshift; Seventh Wonder) - who featured in the band's recent videos.

For me, the album kicks off with one of its strongest cuts - the epic Morning Star. Evensand's marching drums open things up, with a heroic guitar lead, which sounds more power metal in nature, setting the tone for what is to come throughout much of this album. This is not monotonous doom, but instead a powerful and melodic sound which includes plenty of heaviness and atmosphere to create something suitably old-school. This song is not even all that slow, with Evensand's mid-paced double bass drumming driving another riff-led instrumental break as the first verse is approached - which then sees the song becoming a crunchier affair with Engberg's excellent vocals soaring above a punchy groove. This mix of heaviness and melody is a big part of what makes Sorcerer so enjoyable in my opinion; and this is a track that shifts in tone somewhat throughout - with the verses speeding up slowly as they move along, before the chorus slows the pace and goes for a much more typical doom approach. The chorus is more slab-like, but with chiming guitar melodies adding depth and Engberg's expressive and drawn out vocal melodies. There is a lot of excellent lead guitar playing throughout the song and the opening melody resurfaces a couple of times - before an up-tempo solo section sees both guitarists taking turns to shred, which culminates in some lightning-fast neo-classical runs. Biggs adds some harsh vocals to a slower closing section, which introduces a brief death/doom element to the band's generally more melodic sound - whilst choral vocals bring the track to an epic close. The title track follows and generally slows the pace down somewhat to go for a more traditional doom approach. There is a lot more atmosphere on show here and the piece is less overtly epic than the opening cut - with slow, murky riffing dominating early on, before Engberg starts to sing and the keyboards, from producer Conny Welén, take on more of a prominent role. Those Martin-era Black Sabbath comparisons are very apt here, and the verses could have sat on one of those late 1980s albums with ease - with the slow riffing having sufficient bite and the keyboards adding plenty of depth. The chorus is more melodic, but the overall vibe is retained. A smouldering guitar lead backs Engberg's vocals during the chorus and his vocal melodies sink into the brain after only a couple of listens despite the slower pace. Gothic choirs and demonic spoken word later fill a piano-backed bridge section, whilst the pace is then upped somewhat for another blistering solo section which adds some urgency to the creeping track. The harsh vocals teased in the previous song take on a more prominent role following the solo, too, but it is left to a reprise of the melodic chorus to see the song out.

Thy Kingdom Will Come ups the pace again and the song has a bit more of an urgency to it - with more of a hard-driving approach than either of the two previous cuts. The song has quite a bit of a NWOBHM influence on display at times, particularly during the verses which are no-nonsense heavy metal affairs that speed off with simple guitar patterns and some busy Evensand drumming. Being somewhat less involved than many of the other songs here is no bad thing, though, and it is great to hear the band just rocking out and paying tribute to some of their influences with an old-school arrangement. The epic chorus is very typical of the rest of the album, though, and it returns to something more doom-inspired thanks to the clean guitar depth and Engberg's heroic vocals. Three songs in and the album has already demonstrated quite a lot of variety, but Eternal Sleep shows a little more from the off with some mournful acoustic guitar notes over which Engberg soon starts to sing in a more restrained and emotional way than is typical. The song is not an acoustic-based, one, though, as after this intro it soon morphs into another quite traditional doom number - harking back to the band's older albums somewhat. The previous three songs have tended to focus on big choruses and a more melodic approach, but this song is less catchy in that sense - and instead seems to be going for a more atmospheric approach overall. The chorus feels less anthemic here and the guitar playing is a lot more restrained - letting the heavy chords hang and generally employing less of a lead-based approach. I tend to prefer it when the band go for a more melodic approach overall, which they seem to have refined further on this album, but there is still a lot to like about the more lumbering numbers such as this. Engberg's voice has plenty of space to breathe, particularly during the acoustic sections which resurface occasionally, whilst the overall atmosphere which the song creates is perfect for fans of epic doom. A shredded solo does see the pace upped somewhat, though, but this is a rarity in the context of the piece. Curse of Medusa returns to the more hard-driving sound of the early parts of the album, with Evensand's drumming leading the charge from the off - although there is also a strong atmospheric side to the piece, with Eastern-tinged strings providing the initial melodic hooks in place of traditional guitar leads. This approach works well, though, and it gives the song a bit of a symphonic feel. There are lots of keyboards and strings throughout the album, as is typical of many doom releases, but this song really dials up the grandeur - and this works well in the context of the dynamic song which shifts back and forth between faster verses and the slower chorus, which is another memorable one vocal-wise. The guitar soloing even feels a bit more epic, too. The phrases are still pretty fast, but the solos feel more lyrical than some of the more explosive moments found elsewhere - and this fits in with the majestic sound that the strings and Engberg's excellent vocals conjure up throughout.

Unveiling Blasphemy is another slower song, but it is one that does not let up when it comes to heaviness. There are no acoustic breaks or ballad-esque moments here, with the song instead being a full on doom track which is packed with ringing riffs, hard-hitting drumming, and a vocal performance which sees Engberg sounding a bit grittier than usual. He still soars as usual during the chorus, which feels a bit more expansive and atmospheric, but the verses feel heavier overall - which help the song to stand out. Again, though, this is a song that feels more of a hark back to the band's previous albums. There has definitely been more of a focus placed on big melodies on this album, but plenty of the band's core sound remains - and Unveiling Blasphemy is full of it, with another shredded solo adding some chaotic energy to what is otherwise a precise and teutonic riff-filled piece. The album's penultimate song, The Underworld, is also its shortest. As such, it is unsurprising that it is more of a ripper overall - with a much faster pace, plenty of double bass drumming, and a shredded intro guitar lead which nicely sets the tone for the next four or so minutes. There is less of an atmospheric approach taken here and there are plenty of traditional heavy metal tropes on display instead. The verses gallop along in a manner which distantly recalls Iron Maiden, whilst the band's guitarists take every opportunity to throw in a knotty lead - with plenty of extended guitar moments and short interludes. It is another song which feels less involved than some of the other pieces here, but as a moment of faster metal energy before the album comes to a close with something more typical I think The Underworld works well. The chorus is another pretty soaring moment, with Engberg delivering some more melodic vocal hooks, whilst the guitar solo section is filled with the excellent shredding which was teased throughout the song up to that point with the many lead breaks. The album then comes to a close with Break of Dawn, a much more typical doom song which slows the pace down again and goes for a more atmospheric sound. The keyboards take on a prominent role again here and they actually give the song a smoothness which helps it to stand out. There is plenty of big riffing here, but it does feel a little different to some of the other more overt doom pieces here despite there also being plenty of similarities. Whilst not a ballad, it has some ballad-esque vibes at times as it is not as in-your-face as some of the other pieces here. Engberg's voice again has a bit more room in the mix here and the presence of the keyboards does make the song sound big - but the arrangement is a bit more restrained and mournful overall, which is fitting given that it closes out the album. A short, acoustic-led section reinforces this vibe - and the guitar solo is more of a slow-burner overall, too. The song later closes out on some acoustic guitar melodies, too, which again is fitting - and the smoother doom piece ends the album on a high note with its somewhat more atmospheric approach. Whilst I am still fairly new to Sorcerer, as I have not fully digested all of their previous albums, I can say that, as things stand, Reign of the Reaper is my favourite thing that they have released so far. The greater emphasis placed on big melodies and the excellent approach to lead guitar is what makes the album stand out for me - and the slew of memorable choruses here make the album lodge in the brain after only a couple of listens. It is much more instantaneous than anything they have done before - and it is a great example of the epic doom sound that I really like.

The album was released on 27th October 2023 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Morning Star.

Dokken's 'Heaven Comes Down' - Album Review

Each year brings a few surprise releases, usually from veteran bands who have not released anything new for a long time. These albums often end up being some of my favourites of each year as it is always great when a band whom has been inactive on the recording front finally puts out something new. I look forward to these surprises each year, and one of 2023's such examples is Heaven Comes Down - the twelfth album from the California-based band Dokken. Whilst the band can trace their history back to 1976, Dokken as we know them were truly launched in 1983 - when their debut album Breaking the Chains was released worldwide, following early versions of many of the same songs dropping in 1981. Thanks to the band's melodic songwriting approach, the smooth voice of namesake Don Dokken, and the guitar heroics of George Lynch, Dokken became one of the premier American hard rock/metal bands of the 1980s. With a sound that was equal parts US power metal, hair metal, and melodic hard rock/AOR, Dokken never neatly fit in with any of the 1980s rock scenes. That said, though, they were successful and are well-respected as a result. Their first four studio albums and 1988's excellent double live album Beast from the East are as good as any other similar run of albums from the era, but I think that it is fair, and uncontroversial, to say that nothing which Dokken released after this initial run has ever hit the same heights. Like many bands who found success in the 1980s, the 1990s were not kind to them - with a couple of sub-par releases seeing them struggling to fit in. The break up of the classic line-up was actually the catalyst for improvement, though, and brief periods with Winger/Whitesnake's Reb Beach and Europe's John Norum produced some decent results as the band entered the 2000s. Nowadays, only Don remains from the band's classic line-up. Drummer Mick Brown stuck around until 2019, when he was not touring with Ted Nugent instead that is, but both Lynch and long-time bassist Jeff Pilson have been out of the band for many years at this point. Since 2003, though, Don's main musical partner has been guitarist Jon Levin - and the results of this collaboration have generally been pretty solid, with 2008's Lightning Strikes Again in particular being a stand-out. The past decade has not seen anything new from the band, though, even though Don repeatedly said in interviews that a new album was being worked on. As such, then, the release of Heaven Comes Down is not as much of a surprise as it could have been - but given how long Don had been talking about the album the fact that it has been released is a surprise in itself. It is the fourth collaboration between him and Levin - and the first since 2012's solid Broken Bones. It is the band's first album with bassist Chris McCarvill (X Factor X; Obsession; House of Lords) and drummer B.J. Zampa (Thunderhead; Wayne; House of Lords; Obsession; Munroe's Thunder; Peacemaker) - and officially the first without Brown (although it seems to be fairly common knowledge that he did not play on Broken Bones despite being credited). Musically, the album is similar to the band's other recent releases - but with perhaps a few more nods to the classic era. Levin's guitar playing is a little more fiery this time and the album overall has more of an impact as a result.

To get the obvious talking point out of the way first, it has been clear for year's that Don's voice has deteriorated significantly. He was never the most powerful singer, but his pleasing and emotional tone was a big part of the band's trademark smoothness. He still possesses this tone, but his range has diminished a lot - leaving him with quite a flat-sounding, husky delivery. Despite this, though, I actually think he does a good job throughout this album. He is aware of his limitations and the songs have clearly been written with them in mind. He still sounds like himself, though, despite his reduced abilities - and the album is an honest representation of Don as he is now, even if his long-time friend and the band's former bassist Mark Boals did help out with some backing vocals and harmonies. Moving onto the songs, then, this album gets underway in fine fashion. The opening two songs here are the album's lead singles, and they are classic-sounding Dokken pieces which fans of the classic era should enjoy. Fugitive is one of the strongest Dokken songs for a number of years in my opinion. It opens with some melodic clean guitars from Levin, which build up in a chiming and somewhat atmospheric manner, before he launches into more of a 1980s-inspired riff - and the song morphs into a hooky, mid-paced rocker. Occasional pinch harmonics and shredded melodies add some guitar heft, but generally the piece is riffy yet atmospheric - which provides a great bed for Dokken's restrained verse vocals. Despite his limitations his vocal melodies here are still memorable - and the verses feel pretty involved thanks to the varying guitar tones and the straight ahead vocal hooks. The chorus is a bit more upbeat, though, with Don pushing himself somewhat (helped out by Boals). The song's opening riff returns here, which gives the chorus more weight, but it is the main vocal hook which is likely to draw the listener in. A lengthy shredded solo from Levin recalls the style of Lynch somewhat, but Levin is very much his own man - and four albums in to his Dokken tenure he has made the spot his own. Gypsy is another excellent song - and it is one that ups the heaviness somewhat. Zampa's ride-led drumming and McCarvill's pounding bass lead the song from the off, whilst Levin's metallic riffing has more chug when compared to the melodic rock sheen of the previous cut. The verses do return to that sound a little, though, with less of a hard-hitting sound, but the choruses are very in-your-face - with the chugging from the intro returning and one of the album's more urgent vocal hooks sinking in nicely. Like the opening song, Gypsy has plenty of classic Dokken hallmarks throughout. The band's sense of melody is intact and there is plenty of high-octane shredding, too, which is fitting giving the riffy nature of the piece. The quality continues throughout Is It Me or You?, which opens with a mid-paced bluesy riff with a slightly funk edge. It recalls Extreme a little early on, but the song soon takes a more typical route - and, for me, it harks back a little to the last few albums. Levin's playing is certainly bluesier in general than Lynch's ever was and that gives songs like Is It Me or You? more of an organic edge. Don's huskier delivery suits rawer songs such as this, though, and it is a great addition to the album even though it perhaps does not channel the band's classic sound as much as others here.

Just Like a Rose feels more old-school, though, and it leans into the more melodic rock sound the band forged on 1985's Under Lock and Key. The riffing here is not as heavy as it has been up to this point, with the melodic chords feeling anthemic - whilst the opening guitar lead feels more cutting and less busy than some of Levin's other examples. Like many of Dokken's best melodic anthems, the verses here are made up of some excellent guitar arpeggios - which chime away in a pleasing manner behind Don's voice, whilst the rhythm section provide a suitable amount of bulk. Also like the band's other songs of this nature, it is very much built around its chorus. There are quite a few memorable choruses here, but the smooth vocal melodies and additional Boals harmonies allow for it to become a real earworm. There is nothing high-octane about this song at all, but many of Dokken's best songs of the 1980s exercised restraint. Levin's guitar solo builds on his opening lead, too, and it is one of the best-phrased here, with lots of aching melodies and perfect note choices to compliment the hooks elsewhere. I'll Never Give Up slows the pace down, but the mournful ballad is another strong cut. Like many more mainstream-sounding metal bands of the 1980s, Dokken have produced their fair share of ballads over the years - and this channels some of those past. Despite the fact that the sparser arrangement here shines more of a light than ever on Don's voice, his intact tone allows him to carry the song's emotional weight nicely. The chorus feels a little rockier, with some thicker power chords and punchier drumming, but the verses are very much in classic ballad territory with their chiming clean guitar melodies and Don's cracked voice. Levin's solo soars, too, and the melodic segment is one that builds somewhat over time - generally staying in a slower lane before exploding at the end. Saving Grace feels a little similar, but with a tougher overall approach. As such, the song does not feel like a genuine ballad - although there are certainly some slower moments and a more atmospheric overall approach. It is a bit like a mix of the album's previous two songs, then, but with a darker tone, too - and some of the riffing here recalls Deep Purple's Perfect Strangers a little in rhythm and impact. This gives the song a heavier edge despite the emotional and atmospheric vibe throughout - and the chorus contains a decent hook despite it not being as strong as many of those which came before it. Over the Mountain returns to something a bit more up-tempo - and the mid-paced track is welcome after the previous two slower numbers. It is not as good as the songs which opened the album, but it contains another decent chorus and there is plenty of strong riffing throughout from Levin. The chorus has a nice edge to it as a result, even if the verses are a little lacking in firepower, but the folky vocal melodies during the chorus are hooky - and weave in nicely around the bluesy riffing and Zampa's hard-hitting drumming. A shredded solo injects some pace into the album again and, despite not being an overall standout, the song adds positively to the album's second half.

I Remember slows things down again and returns to the hooky, ballad-esque sound of I'll Never Give Up. The song feels a bit more upbeat than the aforementioned piece, though, and there is more of a harder rock edge throughout thanks to McCarvill's prominent bass playing during the verses and a chorus which feels a bit more anthemic. The chorus here is similar in style to that of Just Like a Rose's in the fact that it was clearly written to be an earworm. The song feels built around the chorus, with the melodic guitar arpeggios of the verse leading up to the riffier chorus nicely, whilst the solo is another more well-phrased piece which lacks the shredding of elsewhere. This is very much an album whereby the first half is better than the second half, but nothing here is poor quality in my opinion - and I Remember is hard to get of your head thanks to its hooky chorus and accessible overall approach. Lost in You then goes for a heavier overall sound and it is the last track on the album which sees the band really rocking out. Levin's opening riff is busier than some of his efforts here and the lead-based approach of the riff give the track something of a kinetic energy as it kicks off. The overall arrangement is quite dynamic, though, with verses which generally operate at a slower pace - with chiming guitar chords adding colour to McCarvill's driving bass. The verses build in stature as they move forward, though, and as the chorus is reached the track feels heavier - with it upping this heaviness further and going for something more weighty overall, despite some more strong vocal hooks. A busy guitar solo from Levin is later in-keeping with the song's riffier and more hard-driving nature, too, and the flashier moments throughout help to give the album one last kick of energy before it closes out. There is one last song to go, though, as the album comes to a close with the acoustic piece Santa Fe. With acoustic guitars throughout by producer Bill Palmer, the genuine ballad is likely the most stripped back song in Dokken's catalogue. It is not very in-keeping with the band's typical sound, then, but I really like the mellow vibe in which the album closes - and Don sounds really heartfelt throughout, his vocal melodies sounding strong against the strummed acoustic guitars and occasional more melodic lead. In some ways, Santa Fe feels like Don saying goodbye. I am not sure if the band plan to release any more albums, but given the 11 year gap between Broken Bones and this one anything further seems unlikely at this point. The mournful acoustic piece feels like Don closing out Dokken's recorded output with something heartfelt and reflective - and if it does turn out to be Dokken's final song then it would be a nice way to end things. In many ways, though, I hope that this is not the end. I have enjoyed the Levin-era of Dokken, and Heaven Comes Down is a strong late-period release from the veteran band. There are enough memorable hooks and shredded solos here to please the band's fans; and Don's voice is not a hinderance, for me at least.

The album was released on 27th October 2023 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Fugitive.

Cirith Ungol's 'Dark Parade' - Album Review

It is always great when bands who have been away for a number of years return with a bit of a bang. This is what the California-based heavy/doom metal band Cirith Ungol did in 2020 when they released their fifth studio album Forever Black (which I reviewed here). It was their first album since they reunited in 2016 (after breaking up in 1992) and their first since 1991's Paradise Lost. Given that it was released during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Forever Black became a real favourite during the summer of 2020 for me. I had only started to get into the band when Forever Black was announced, so when the album dropped I was not all that familiar with their back catalogue. I am now much more familiar with Cirith Ungol's classic 1980s output, but Forever Black might be my favourite thing that the band have done. It channelled the best elements of their classic albums, but the concise runtime and excellent production allowed the songs to really shine - and considering that it had been 29 years since their previous album the veteran band, which still largely consists of classic-era members, sounded immensely fired up. There is no-one else out there who sounds like frontman Tim Baker, and his trademark roars and howls sounded as good on Forever Black as they did in the 1980s - and the return of Greg Lindstrom, albeit on guitar rather than bass, certainly added a bit of a songwriting boost. The only new face was bassist and Night Demon leader Jarvis Leatherby, who I think was instrumental in getting Cirith Ungol to reunite in the first place in 2016, provided some relative youthful energy, too, and seems to also be pretty active behind the scenes - with his enthusiasm likely a big part of why the band's reunion has been such a success. It is easy to say this in the social media age, but Cirith Ungol genuinely seem more popular now than ever. They were always a bit of a cult band in the 1980s, but since reuniting they have been recognised for their influence on the overall 1980s metal scene - particularly in the doom genre. As such, then, it is sad that things seem to be coming to a close. Recently guitarist Jim Barraza left the band for health reasons and not too long after this news they announced that 2024 would likely be the last year in which they toured. They have not ruled out further new material, but that makes the recent release of the band's sixth studio album Dark Parade special. It could end up being the band's final album but, following on from Forever Black, Cirith Ungol have delivered another memorable collection of songs. Whilst I do not think that the album is as hooky or as strong as Forever Black, Dark Parade is heavier and denser overall. The previous album felt designed to be concise and anthemic, whereas this latest released is much more doom-inspired and bleak - so is perhaps more in-keeping with the band's classic sound. Despite his recent departure, Barraza contributed to the album - and the same five who played on Forever Black feature here, with Baker, Barraza, Lindstrom, Leatherby, joined as always by founding drummer Robert Garven. Dark Parade was produced by Leatherby's Night Demon colleague Armand John Anthony, who will likely fill Barraza's shoes live, and with another classic Michael Whelan painting adorning the sleeve it very much sounds and looks the part.

Whilst much of the album moves at a slower pace, Dark Parade kicks off with a bit of a bang in the form of Velocity (S.E.P.). I am not sure what the acronym in the brackets means, but the song is a relatively fast-paced and heavy track which recalls the more in-your-face moments of Forever Black. The opening crunching guitar chug is pretty energetic and Barraza's lengthy opening guitar lead is packed full of melody and neo-classical turns. The band do not stand on ceremony, then, and the album races out of the blocks - and the chugging pace means that the song will likely become a live favourite on next year's final tour. Given how unique his voice has always been, Baker still sounds fantastic here. He has lost none of his unhinged tone and he really whips up a storm during the verses here - with his howls and wails soaring above the palm-muted guitar riffing and Leatherby's driving bass. The song does not really have a chorus, with Barraza's guitar melodies generally returning to provide breaks between each verse. The lead guitar playing throughout the album is excellent, and a fitting way for Barraza to bow out of the band. Both his lead breaks and his lengthy solo in this song are memorable and filled with catchy licks - and his melodic, old-school lead playing contrasts nicely with Baker's abrasive vocal style. The pace never really slows, either, and the burning song is a great way to kick things off. The album never really reaches such speeds again, though, with much of the rest of the material here being more mid-paced and ponderous. Relentless epitomises this, and the crunchy opening riff recalls early Black Sabbath somewhat - before another tight guitar lead provides an early melodic hook. Like the previous song, though, there is a lot of lead guitar playing from Barraza throughout. Some of his melody lines here take on more of a Middle Eastern feel, whilst the riffing overall is more slab-like - with him and Lindstrom chugging away nicely throughout, whilst occasional more arpeggiated melodies add depth. Garven's drumming adds a punchy, Vinny Appice-esque groove to the whole thing - and Baker sounds as good as ever whilst belting out the subtle chorus hooks. The main guitar solo here is another lengthy one, too, and the song also closes out with some great lead guitar playing. It may not be as hooky as some of the band's best tracks, but the overall grooves and the excellent guitar playing make it stand out. Sailor on the Seas of Fate is a bit more of a dynamic piece, as it opens with some delicate acoustic guitar melodies backed by the sound of wind and rain - before another lumbering riff kicks in, which slowly builds up whilst Baker adds some distant howling to create a haunting atmosphere. Once the main verse kicks in, though, the song sounds quite similar to the previous one - but it feels more doomy overall, with more space in the mix, and the guitars are less Eastern-tinged here. The riffing is less chugging, which allows a doomy atmosphere to settle in, and there are shades of the rawer end of Candlemass here - albeit with wilder vocals. The chorus feels pretty hooky despite its slow pace and strange vocal arrangement - but once again the guitars provide many of the main melodic hooks. There lead playing is less dominant here, but there are still some memorable sections, plus there is also a quite lengthy riff-based instrumental which sees the pace upped somewhat to add to the song's overall dynamic arrangement.

Sacrifice also starts as if it intends to be a bit more dynamic, with its brief flourish of opening classical guitar, but this vibe is short lived - and another lumbering riff soon kicks in, and the song morphs into probably the most out-and-out doom piece on the album up to this point. The classical guitar does occasionally resurface to act as a break when needed - but on the whole this piece is a slow-burning doom anthem with a main riff that has plenty of room to breathe and quite a few hard-hitting drum breaks. Garven might not be the flashiest of drummers, but there are a few moments in this song where he puts his stamp on it. A few unaccompanied drum breaks punctuate the riffing and he actually utilises quite a few different beats throughout - which is surprising given how straight ahead the song is arrangement-wise. Given the slower riffing here, Baker's voice has a bit more room to breathe - so he sounds more powerful than ever as he wails over the slow-burning grooves. Barraza's guitar solo seems to channel the melodic style of Tony Iommi, too and, whilst the lead guitar moments are fewer here, the lengthy solo part-way through the song is another excellent guitar moment. Looking Glass picks up the pace again somewhat following two much doomier pieces. It does not feel as energetic as the album's opener, but it feels more mid-paced and energetic overall - with the chugging riffing throughout having a bit more of a potency to it, which encourages Baker to sing with a bit more bite and energy. Arrangement-wise, though, the song is a bit of a strange one. It does not really have a defined structure, with one early lengthy vocal-led section soon giving away to what is easily the album's best guitar solo. There are lots of candidates for such here, but this song seems built to showcase this elongated guitar showcase. Barraza has really outdone himself on this album and this guitar solo is truly excellent. Is is a slow-burner and never really speeds up, but those who love more progressive and emotional guitar solos will love the melodic choices made here - and it turns the song from being somewhat strange to being one of the overall highlights here. More vocal-led sections follow the guitar solo and they generally follow the pattern of the opening moments - although there are a couple more twists and turns in the form of some interesting guitar riffs which break up the main vocal chunks. The album's title track follows, and it opens with a pretty memorable riff - with the song feeling more riff-based overall than the doomy chug which has characterised many of the other pieces here. There is still plenty of doom to be found, though, with much of the verses being pretty slow-burning, but the arrangement is a bit more dynamic overall. The main guitar riffing is interesting and the way that knotty little riffs break up each vocal line of the verses makes the song a bit more engaging than it may otherwise have been. I prefer my doom to be a bit more interesting overall, as otherwise it can get a bit monotonous for me. Cirith Ungol generally come up with ways to break up the status quo, though, and the riffing throughout this track does that - especially when the song speeds up right at the end.

Distant Shadows opens with what sounds like is going to be the most basic riff on the album, but the song soon grows around the chugging guitar pattern - with pulsing bass and drum accents opening things up nicely. Despite this, though, the song is one of the simpler pieces here from an arrangement perspective - and it is a pretty typical doom track overall. The main riffing throughout is heavy, yet there space in the mix again which allows the vocals to soar, whilst Garven's drumming is more percussive to create something of a strange groove. Given the relative simplicity of the guitar riffing, though, the song feels much more vocal-led. Baker always shines on the album, but I feel that the guitar playing throughout often steals the spotlight. This song firmly places the attention on Baker during most of its runtime, although there are still some strong guitar moments. A couple of harmony guitar riffs inject some power into the verses, whilst the expected guitar solo is a bit faster-paced than has been typical on the album - with Barraza including some flashier neo-classical runs and melodies throughout his expressive showcase moment. The doomy song then segues nicely into the album's closing number Down Below - which opens surprisingly slowly. Acoustic guitars and some subtle gothic backing vocals back Baker as he sings the opening lines. This creates a strong atmosphere early on, but once the song gets going it feels more typical of the rest of the album. I would have actually liked this intro section to have been expanded on somewhat - as it sounds quite different for the band. They are the sort of band who could likely pull of a lengthy track which incorporates lots of gothic, ballad-esque moments - and it would have helped the final song here stand out somewhat. The acoustic guitars do briefly return just before the wah-drenched guitar solo, but I feel their use could have been expanded upon further - particularly with how effective the choral vocals are during the song's intro. That being said, though, the song still does the band's classic doom sound proud. The aforementioned guitar solo sounds very bluesy and 1970s inspired thanks to the liberal use of effects and wah - whilst the mix of percussive drumming and punchy grooves keeps the song feeling heavy. It ends the album on a familiar note, then, but I do feel that the song was a bit of a missed opportunity to go all-out at the end - as there was the potential to create a much more lengthy and dynamic arrangement using the atmospheric moments teased throughout. If Dark Parade does end up being the band's last album, though, then Cirith Ungol will go out on a high. As I said earlier I prefer Forever Black due to its concise nature and bigger emphasis placed on anthemic choruses, but the doom and pace of this album feels more akin to the band's classic albums - and it certainly creates the intended atmosphere. It is a shame that it looks as if the band are winding down - but considering that no-one genuinely expected them to reunite in the first place this second era has been welcomed by metal fans - and I hope that they come back to the UK as part of their final round of touring so that I can get to see them live.

The album was released on 20th October 2023 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Looking Glass.

Within Temptation's 'Bleed Out' - Album Review

With the exception of perhaps Bullet for My Valentine, I am not sure that I can think of another metal band of a comparable size who suffer from a near-constant identity crisis in the way that the Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation seem to. Despite having been in the business since 1996, I am still not convinced that they know what sort of music they want to make - whilst at the same time, in recent years, being somewhat behind each trend they have flirted with. Having formed as more of doom band with gothic and symphonic trappings in the classic Dutch tradition of bands like Orphanage and early After Forever, which characterised 1997's Enter, they soon moved onto a more traditional symphonic metal sound which covered albums two through four. This sound brought the band considerable success, but since the release of 2007's The Heart of Everything they have been flitting from sound to sound with mixed results - often with quite lengthy gaps between each album. 2011's The Unforgiving saw the band adopt a more streamlined pop/alternative rock take on their trademark symphonic metal sound - and this mix really worked in my opinion. The album is one of my favourites from the band, and it showed that it is possible for the band to evolve successfully. Three years later, though, the messy Hydra (which I reviewed here) was a big disappointment. From the sheer amount of ill-fitting guest vocalists to the multiple dreary ballads, Hydra saw the band caught between a number of different camps. I saw them headline the 2015 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air the year after the album came out, and they seemed to somewhat be going through the motions - which was not helped by some pretty major technical issues towards the end of their set. It was my first time seeing them live, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but looking back it was not a great set. Following Hydra, too, the band underwent something of a stealth hiatus, and frontwoman Sharon den Adel has since stated that she and the band were going through a period of writer's block. I was surprised, then, when I enjoyed Resist (which I also reviewed here) quite a bit when it dropped in 2019. I saw them in 2018 a few months before it dropped, and they put on a much better show - and they seemed pretty fired up again. Whilst I have not revisited Resist recently, I played it quite a bit in 2019 and 2020. It showcased some different sounds again, but I enjoyed most of the songs despite it often diverting from the band's core sound quite significantly. It has now been four years since Resist, though, and for quite some time I was not expecting a new album from the band. Over the last few years, they have dropped a number of singles - and said in interviews that they were perhaps done recording albums in the traditional sense. They seem to have had a change of heart, however, as those singles along with some other tracks were recently released as the band's eighth album Bleed Out. Whilst only releasing singles may seem hip and trendy for the streaming generation, I think that the album as a format (whether physical or digital) is still considered important in the rock and metal worlds - and Within Temptation are not the first band to backtrack following such a move.

It is unclear, then, whether these songs were ever intended to sit together or not. Whilst the album is not as messy as Hydra, it certainly feels a bit pieced together - despite the fact that regular producer Daniel Gibson along with den Adel and road-retired guitarist Robert Westerholt are once again responsible for the songwriting here. I had not heard any of the songs before the album dropped, so all of these eleven songs were new to me - although for some much of this album may feel like old news. Despite having had the album for nearly a month at this point, I have not warmed to it asignificantly. It is the band's heaviest album, which is certainly interesting, but it is often heavy in that dry, tech metal way which feels a bit passé at this point. That being said, though, the album starts pretty strongly in my opinion. The opening four songs are some of the best material here - and We Go to War kicks things off nicely. A distant synth melody from Martijn Spierenburg opens the song up, before a crunching mid-paced guitar riff kicks in - and the drumming of Mike Coolen whips up a mechanical groove. The song does include some pretty big tech metal influences, but they are incorporated pretty well here - and the band's trademark symphonic metal sound is still present. The synths and gothic choirs bulk out the song, whilst den Adel sounds as good as ever during the more paired back verses which feature plenty of snaking bass playing from Jeroen van Veen. She might not be the most bombastic of symphonic metal singers, but she has always stood out for her emotional delivery and clean tone - and she lets rip a bit more during the chorus which sees the opening mechanical riff return. The chorus hooks are pretty strong, too, and it is one of the album's most memorable moments. A symphonic bridge section feels like a look back into the past somewhat, but on the whole it is a strong, heavy take on Within Temptation's recent forays. The title track follows and opens with a distant vocal from the chorus, before another djent-esque riff kicks in - but this vibe is pretty short lived this time, and instead the song actually feels like an old-school Within Temptation song that could have sat on The Heart of Everything. The guitars throughout the verses, when they get going anyway, are pretty crunchy, whilst den Adel switches back and forth between a delicate approach to compliment Spierenburg's synths and something more powerful for when the chorus kicks in. Like the previous song, the chorus is another strong one - and again it harks back to the band's classic era somewhat. The melodies are hooky and the keyboard and string work feel very bombastic in a manner which the band have not always been of late. Guitar fans will enjoy the riffy breakdown, but generally the song is on the lush side - which is welcome.

Wireless is a bit more modern sounding, but the mix of sounds does generally work. The main verse chug does feel a little forced and like an attempt to sound heavy, but the strong chorus delivers more classic-sounding Within Temptation melodies and there are some pretty catchy other guitar riffs elsewhere in the song. den Adel's emotional chorus delivery is what makes the song shine, though, and if the vocal approach had been different I perhaps would not have enjoyed the song as much as I do. She really shines despite the fat guitar presence trying to bury her in the verses - but the chorus is another stand-out moment. Worth Dying For is another pretty strong track and it is another that seems to hark back to the band's older sound. It is a pretty fast-paced symphonic metal anthem with a bombastic, string-backed intro and a lush overall sound which leaves behind many of the more modern metal trappings which have been heard up to this point. The synths are a good mix of bombastic strings and progressive rock-esque warmth, and the drumming of Coolen throughout whips up plenty of energy thanks to his use of double bass drum patterns where appropriate. I do not think that the song is as catchy as those which have come before, but it is the sort which shines thanks to its overall presentation. The chorus is a bit slower and more epic in nature, although the main synth hook is a bit overpowering, but for me this song is made by the faster verses and the driving main riffs. It also includes a guitar solo, which are a bit of a rarity in Within Temptation's catalogue. Whether it is played by Ruud Jolie or Stefan Helleblad it is unclear, but the pretty lengthy solo adds some additional metallic excitement to the energetic piece. Sadly, in my opinion, the album never reaches the heights of these first four songs again. Ritual harks back a bit to the alternative rock side of Resist, but it lacks the sharpness of the hooks of that album. It has a pretty decent chorus, which is drenched in synths and punchy drumming, but the rest of the song falls pretty flat in my opinion. It is interesting to hear such a prominent bass line during the verses and the band's trademark symphonic side is essentially absent entirely here - with strange synth lines and guitars that only chug along without adding much interest at all. The chorus hooks are quite strong, but for me the song lacks the band's usual power and bombast and does not offer anything significant in return.

Cyanide Love is somewhat similar, but it leans heavily into the tech metal riffing which featured earlier on the album. The opening poppy vocal hook feels very throwaway, and it contrasts significantly with the slow riff which soon takes over. In some ways it sounds like the band wanted to return to their gothic/doom roots but never quite committed to the idea - and instead tried to throw in some strange pop melodies and djent riffs into the mix. den Adel soars during another pretty decent chorus, but elsewhere she actually sounds quite strange - singing in a sappy and effected manner which recalls Die Antwoord of all bands. I could do without den Adel singing like that, but thankfully the chorus sees her singing in a more typical manner - which saves the song from being a total failure. The Purge feels a bit stronger and it opens with a pretty decent and hard-driving guitar riff which is backed by some punchy drumming from Coolen. After the strange previous couple of songs, it has more of an urgency to it and it does at least have some elements of the band's classic sound. The symphonics meld well with some flashy synths here and the guitars feel a bit more organic this time - leaving some of the tech metal dryness behind. Subtle choral arrangements add depth and, as seems to be a theme here, the chorus is another pretty strong moment. Lots of effort clearly went into the choruses here, but at least this song hangs together better - and does sound like Within Temptation despite some of the strange synth choices. It does have a good amount of energy, too, so outside of the early part of the album it is one of the overall highlights. Don't Pray for Me is another piece that sounds a bit like a leftover from Resist, but without the bite of the best moments from that album and some questionable chorus vocal interplay between den Adel and Gibson. He is featured vocally on a handful of songs on this album, but his generic pop/alternative rock additions to this song's chorus just feel cheap and unnecessary. den Adel is a great singer and she does not need to be backed up by some unmemorable and generic American radio rock-style vocals. For me these vocal additions give the song an untasteful overall vibe - and it sounds very synthetic and overproduced. The hooks are not that memorable, either, so it is one of the album's weakest overall moments for me - and it sums up some of the band's worst traits of the past decade or so in my opinion. 

Shed My Skin is better, although it does feature some more guest vocals - this time from Annisokay duo Rudi Schwarzer and Christoph Wieczorek. Thankfully, though, their vocal additions are more in-keeping with the overall song - and they generally support den Adel rather than clash with her. One of the two does take the lead during the one of the verses, but his smooth voice works quite well in the context of the song - and the big chorus works with everyone singing together. It helps, too, that the song is led by a great synth hook which easily lodges in the brain. It may not sound very typical of the band's sound, but the melody is a strong one - and it fits in with the song's overall frantic energy and occasional harsh vocal bursts. I am not sure why the band continue to insist on shoe-horning strange duets on each album, but Shed My Skin is one of the better ones in recent times - and it is much better than most of the odd match-ups from Hydra. Unbroken also features a similar synth melody, but overall the song feels more symphonic with a bigger overall sound and a mid-paced crunch which endures throughout. It does feel like the band have tried to include more of their trademark sound here, and the mix of fat guitar riffing and big synths works well within the context of the bigger-sounding piece. The main melodic motif is catchy, although the verses feel a bit less interesting - which is a bit of a shame. Thankfully the chorus is another big one, though, and the strident vocal hooks feel quite old-school and again hark back to the band's earlier albums. There are better songs here but it is another decent cut overall despite the weaker verses. The album then comes to a close with the strange Entertain You, which opens with some more awful vocals from Gibson - who sings in a pseudo-rap manner over some pulsing synths, before the song transitions to a relatively gentle verse with programmed drums and piano. The song feels a bit all over the place as a result, and this mood only intensifies when an upbeat and poppy chorus kicks in which sounds very bright and forced. The song feels like a bit of a cynical attempt to write a pop anthem, but it all just feels so pop punk from at least 10 years ago. Gibson's vocals are a terrible addition, and the overly sugary chorus sounds like nothing else on the album - so much so that the track might be my least favourite cut here. It is a bit of mess and sounds like a band desperate to be seen as cool - but it comes across a bit like your Grandad putting his baseball cap on backwards. It is a poor end to the album, then, but thankfully there are still some highlights. The first four songs here are excellent, and probably some of the best things the band have done since The Unforgiving, but are also quite a few missteps and some very questionable decisions were made. For me, the band really need to break away from Gibson. He has produced everything since 2004's The Silent Force, so has done some good work with the band, but the fact he only seems to be associated with Within Temptation is likely telling - and given the success of some of the band's early work why has he not been asked to work with anyone else? A change is certainly needed, though, and the band really need to decide what sort of band they want to be - as for the past decade they likely could not tell you.

The album was released on 20th October 2023 via Force Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Bleed Out.

The Rolling Stones' 'Hackney Diamonds' - Album Review

There are few bands who can genuinely be considered rock royalty, but The Rolling Stones are certainly one. Whilst rock and roll music existed before The Rolling Stones, they were likely one of the first bands to really dirty it up. Acts like Buddy Holly, and even The Beatles (at least early on), always sounded squeaky clean, but The Rolling Stones' love of down and dirty American blues added a rootsy side to their take on rock and roll - and arguably everything dirtier and heavier which followed can somewhat be traced back to the sharp riffing, gravelly vocals, and strutting grooves of The Rolling Stones. Formed back in 1962, the band have now been active for over 60 years. They have never split up in that time, despite something of a hiatus in the mid-1980s, and for many years they were very prolific. In recent years they have not released too much, but they have generally remained a pretty busy live act - especially considering the advanced ages of the band's main members now, as well as the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. Considering the extravagant and, at times, self-destructive lifestyle which some of the band members have led, too, it is amazing that The Rollings Stones are still around at all. Few thought that guitarist Keith Richards would make it to old age - and at the time of writing frontman Mick Jagger is 80. As with many acts who have not released a new album for a while, there were often rumours of a new studio album from The Rolling Stones. However, with the band's last release of original material, 2005's A Bigger Bang, coming 18 years ago, I am not sure that I ever really expected them to write anything new. They did release a blues covers album, Blue & Lonesome, in 2016, but earlier this year the band announced, at a press conference at the Hackney Empire in London, that they would be releasing their 24th studio album (26th for Americans, due to the strange, fragmented way that the band's early work was released in the US) Hackney Diamonds later in the year. I have never really been much of a fan of the band, but the release of a new Rollings Stones album felt like a bit of an event. I am familiar with some of their classic late 1960s and early 1970s albums, as well as most of their big hits, but they are not a band whose catalogue I have ever truly digested. Still, the thought of a new Rolling Stones album was quite an exciting one - so I got it pre-ordered, and I have been enjoying it since it dropped last month. Produced by Andrew Watt (California Breed), who was recently responsible for getting two surprisingly decent albums out of Ozzy Osbourne, Hackney Diamonds sounds like quintessential The Rolling Stones. There are some modern pop sounds and production techniques which surface throughout the 12 songs here, but the band's trademark growl and relative rawness largely sounds intact. Jagger sounds great despite his age, and the riffs of Richards and long-time fellow guitarist Ronnie Wood are as cutting as ever. Watts laid down the drums on two of the songs before his death, with long-time collaborator of Richards, the band's current touring drummer, and session ace Steve Jordan playing on the other 10. Former bassist Bill Wyman even contributed to one of the songs, too, although much of the bass playing here was split between Richards, Wood, and Watt. A few guest appearances add colour throughout, but these do not detract from the band's core sound - and generally Hackney Diamonds plays it pretty straight.

The first three songs here were all co-written by Watt, but generally the classic Jagger/Richards writing partnership reigns supreme throughout the album. The album kicks off with its lead single Angry, a pretty up-tempo and jagged rocker that is very much straight out of the band's classic songbook. Jordan's pounding drums open the album up, and the first of the many riffs here is very much in-character. Richards' staccato strumming fits perfectly alongside Jordan's groove, whilst the subtle bass licks often fill the gaps - with Jagger singing in something of a call-and-response with the main guitar hooks. The verses have an old-school feel, then, with long-time touring musician Matt Clifford adding some piano for depth occasionally, but the chorus is a bit more pop-orientated with a bigger sound and some subtle vocal harmonies. The Rolling Stones having a pop side is nothing new, though, and many of the choruses here are pretty catchy. This is the first big hook of the album, and Jagger sounds great as the guitars take on a slightly smoother sound. A brief, cutting, bluesy guitar solo returns to the song's harder rocking roots - but overall the mix of strident rock and pop smoothness is a good representation of what is to follow throughout the rest of the album. Get Close, the first of two songs here to feature Elton John on the piano, is not quite as brash as Angry, but it still has plenty of groove. Watt's bass and Jordan's drums lay down this groove from the off, whilst the guitars of Richards and Wood swirl around this interlocking, slightly Doobie Brothers-esque shuffle. There is less of a pop sheen here, too, and the chorus here maintains this bluesy groove - albeit with some subtle vocal harmonies adding depth to Jagger's howls. Jagger still sounds excellent despite his advanced years, though, and he cuts through the mix - with the chorus seeing him oozing a bit more emotion than is perhaps typical. Adding to the song's groove, some saxophone courtesy of James King later elevates the piece further - and it adds a little smoothness to the groovy little number. Depending On You, which is fleshed out by some Hammond organ courtesy of long-time Tom Petty sideman Benmont Tench, slows things down somewhat - with some chiming clean guitars opening things up, over which Jagger sings in a more whimsical manner. The track acts as the album's first ballad, but there is still lots of the band's trademark sound here. Clifford's piano joins the fray later, adding some strong barroom melodies, whilst Jordan's subtle drum patterns create another shuffle. Slide guitar and the aforementioned organ add plenty of colour, whilst a slow-burning guitar solo befits the slower pace of the ballad. Bite My Head Off returns to something more hard rocking, and it is the spikiest piece on the album up to this point. Driven from the off by the fuzzy bass playing of Paul McCartney (The Beatles; Wings), the snarling hard rocker creates another big groove early on - and largely rests on this thanks to the snappy guitar riffing and barrelling piano melodies throughout. Jagger sounds fired up here and, despite some pretty silly lyrics, he sounds like a man half his edge. His rough voice has always suited harder songs such as this, and the song shines thanks to his frantic and spitting vocal performance. A short bass showcase shines the spotlight on McCartney briefly, before a pretty up-tempo guitar solo is full of bluesy charm.

Whole Wide World reins it in somewhat, but the song is still pretty rocking. The opening guitar chugs are pretty tight and energetic, but this is a song where the band's pop side rears its head somewhat. This does not bother me, but some of the production techniques used during the chorus in particular do feel very modern - and perhaps clash a little with the band's core sound. Purists may take umbrage at this, but the band have often enjoyed a pop melody - even if some of the backing vocals and subtle synths here do feel a little forced. That being said, though, the chorus is very hooky - and it is hard not to get it stuck in your head despite the modern trappings. The rest of the song is classic Rolling Stones, though, with the simple guitar stabs creating that proto-punk energy that the band often embodied - whilst another excellent guitar solo helps to dirty up the piece despite the pop sheen which has been added to the chorus. Dreamy Skies slows the pace down again, and the song opens with distant acoustic guitar strumming and some pretty organic-sounding slide guitar. Despite the slow-burn of the song, those who found the pop additions to the previous track will certainly enjoy how raw this piece sounds. Jordan's drums are distant, and sound like they have been taken from a recording from the 1940s, whilst there are very few studio tricks used here. The guitars sound retro and full of bluesy character, whilst Clifford's piano and some more subtle Hammond from Tench fill in the gaps somewhat. This is clearly a song where the band wanted to hark back to their earliest days and their influences, though. It is a true old-fashioned blues tune, and Jagger's ragged voice sounds great against the raw guitar backdrop - and he adds some aching harmonica as the song comes to a close, whilst Richards and Wood interlock in a loose fashion. The next two songs feature Watts' drumming, and Mess It Up is another pretty brash rocker with a strong groove. Watt's bass mixes nicely with Watts' drumming, and the brash guitar stabs create a powerful verse which Jagger sings over with ease. Of all of the songs here, though, this is the one with the poppiest chorus. I quite like it as it is very catchy, but it is slightly jarring - especially given how typical and raw the opening groove is. The chorus has a real bounce to it, and there has definitely been some effects added to the backing vocals which are very modern-sounding. The chorus does not contain much of the essence of The Rollings Stones, then, but Jagger's vocal performance is still strong - even if the later Toto-esque bridge section feels too funky to really feel at home here. Live by the Sword feels more like it though. Both Watts and Wyman feature here, briefly reuniting the 1975-1993 iteration of the band. John is featured again on piano, too, and his boogie playing adds to the song's raw, bluesy grooves - whilst the pulsing bass of Wyman gives the band back its trademark strut. Given how produced the previous song was, this one feels much rawer and typical of the band's classic sound. The guitars are brash throughout, and the barroom piano is typical of so many of the band's hits from the early days. Jagger sounds as cutting as always vocally, spitting out the lyrics in a staccato manner at times, whilst the pretty lengthy guitar solo injects further blues goodness.

Driving Me too Hard is another more laid back piece, and acts as something of another ballad with gentle rolling piano melodies and some bluesy slide guitar licks. It is perhaps a little on the rocky side to genuinely be a ballad, though, but there is enough smoothness and atmosphere here to set the song apart from much of the rest of the album. There is a much stronger keyboard presence here, with the piano often joined by some more atmospheric synths and organ to help create quite a bit of depth. Jordan's drums still pack a decent punch, though, and the strut of the rhythm section contrasts nicely with the plentiful keyboards and a more restrained vocal overall from Jagger - who sings in a more emotional manner than is typical. Tell Me Straight sees Richards taking the lead vocally, and he sings the slower track is his usual off-beat manner. Richards has often sung a song or two on the band's albums, and his different delivery ensures that his vocal contributions stand out. Vibe-wise, the song is actually quite similar to the previous number. It is another relatively atmospheric piece, with a dense keyboard backing and the odd bluesy piano motif. There is a bit more of a rawness on show, though. Jordan's drums feel live and loud, adding a snapping shuffle to the slower piece, whilst the guitar solo further channels the band's blues credentials. It is another decent slow-burner, and it is always good to hear Richards sing as his strange vocal style helps to add a different edge to the album. The album's longest track, Sweet Sounds of Heaven, follows - and it features both Lady Gaga on vocals and Stevie Wonder on various keyboards. In fact, it is Wonder who opens the track with some jazzy piano melodies - and the smouldering blues number builds from this with Jagger singing over Wonder's musings in his own inimitable style. Clifford adds organ for some retro depth, but it is the piano that drives everything here - with the guitars used sparingly early on. Gaga joins in on the second verse, adding a soulful counter to Jagger's rough delivery - and the two harmonise together really well. The band have used soulful backing vocals before, and Gaga's inclusion works well here as expected - and she really starts to let rip as the song moves along. King adds some more saxophone as the song builds further, and by the time he has joined in the track is the biggest-sounding on the album. It is an expansive song with a lot going on, and it recalls the epics of the band's past - with the final third or so descending into something of a jam with adlibbed vocals and the whole band really rocking out. The album the comes to a close with a version of Muddy Waters' Rolling Stone Blues - which is likely where the band got their name. It acts as a short coda to the album and is extremely raw, with very little production at all. The guitars and harmonica sound fuzzy and straight from an early blues recording - whilst even Jagger's vocals take on a similar feel. The song is clearly a tribute to the band's main influences, and it works as a fitting close to the album in my opinion. Given the ages of all involved, it is likely that Hackney Diamonds will be the band's final album - so signing off with Rolling Stone Blues seems appropriate. If this is indeed to the band's final album, then I think that The Rollings Stones will have capped off their legacy nicely with this strong effort. Despite a few odd production choices here and there, the album stays true to the band's classic sound - and all of the songs here are memorable in one way or another. There really is a lot to like here, and it is always good when a veteran band releases something strong - when many had likely written them off.

The album was released on 20th October 2023 via Polydor Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Angry.

Malevolence - Bristol Review

I have traditionally not been a big fan of music that can be described as '-core', with the exception of bands like Trivium and Killswitch Engage who helped to pioneer what being '-core' meant in the mid-2000s. This, however, may be changing somewhat. I recently saw Bleed from Within opening for Trivium, a band who I had seen live twice previously and had not enjoyed either set, and found myself generally enjoying their powerful sound - and I have also been getting into the Sheffield-based band Malevolence over the past couple of years. I first started hearing about them when they played at the 2021 iteration of the Bloodstock Open Air. They featured heavily in many of the reviews which I read and they clearly went down so well that they were booked to return in 2022 - this time as one of the Second Stage headliners. I picked up 2022's Malicious Intent just before Bloodstock last year to see what all the fuss was about - and I found myself enjoying it. I intended to watch them at the festival, but ended up not doing so as the tent was rammed and I was still on a bit of a high after Mercyful Fate's excellent set. I knew that I would be seeing them in January, too, so I decided to get some sleep instead. January rolled around, and I finally saw the band live when they opened up for Trivium at the O2 Academy in Birmingham. They only had a short set, but they pretty much owned the place from the word go - so much so that the veterans Heaven Shall Burn felt flat in comparison. I may still not be fully on board with everything that Malevolence are about, but I have to say that I was blown away by their performance. They treated the show as if it was their own, and I came away from that January show with a huge amount of respect for them. So much so that when they announced their own headline tour a few months later I decided to get a ticket to the Bristol show. It helped that it fell on a Friday, so it meant that work was less of a problem, but nevertheless I wanted to see what the band could do with more time. The other big draw for me was the addition of Sylosis to the four-band bill. Sylosis have been one of my favourite modern British metal bands for a number of years, but sadly they have not been all that active of late. The band have promised that they are going to be more active than ever going forward, with this lengthy European trek as Malevolence's special guests just the start. In truth I may not have gone to the show if Sylosis had not been on the bill - they tipped my interest from being somewhat casual to being intent, as they are one of those bands whom I will take every opportunity to see that I can. The venue was the SWX in the city centre - which I had not been to since before the COVID-19 pandemic. It was closed for quite a while due to a fire, but inside it did not look all that much different. It is not my favourite of Bristol's venues. It always feels too full and it is one of those venues with areas that includes poor views - which means that everyone tries to fit on about 60% of the available floorspace. All of Malevolence's UK shows on this tour sold out, so the place was absolutely rammed - and with a 10pm curfew looming it opened at 5:30pm with the first band going on at 6pm.

The first two bands had half an hour each to play with, and up first was the Australian deathcore band Justice for the Damned. They seemed to be a guitarist down and, for me, they were easily the weakest band of the night. Whilst I have started to get into some of the more modern metalcore bands to an extent, deathcore still does absolutely nothing for me. It is one of my least favourite metal subgenres, and Justice for the Damned did absolutely nothing to change that. I just find deathcore to be pummelling with no light and shade at all - and that is exactly what Justice for the Damned's set felt like. There were no dynamics at all, very little melody, and even the riffing was very samey. After a couple of numbers I felt like I had heard everything that the band had to offer - and I was pretty much right. There seemed to be a few having fun in the pit, but quite a few of those who turned up early were hanging back near the bar and the sound desk. I think that it is fair to say that the other bands on the bill received stronger receptions, but there were clearly a few Justice for the Damned fans in - and those down at the front made some noise. I was pretty glad when the band's set came to an end, though, but thankfully things improved from this point onward.

The second opening act was the Manchester-based hardcore act Guilt Trip. My understanding is that they are on Malevolence's label, and the night's headliners have somewhat been helping the younger band out. I am sure that this tour will do just that, and I think that they have also played at Bloodstock previously, too. Hardcore is not really my thing, but I thought that Guilt Trip put on a strong showing - and they seem to be a confident band that plenty in the crowd enjoyed. By this point more people had ventured down to the front, and the five-piece received a strong reception as they stepped onto the stage. Most of the band's songs are pretty short, so they smashed through a decent amount of them in their 30 minutes - and their tight sound filled the venue with a mix of spat-out lyrics and angular guitar riffs. What the band do is not really for me, but it was clear that Guilt Trip are a band that are good at what they do. Their riffing and approach to melody was certainly much more interesting than that of Justice for the Damned, and they had a great stage presence, too. I have not seen a lot of genuine hardcore bands live, so it was good to see Guilt Trip - especially as they are a band that I have heard about quite a few times. They may not be for me, but they seem to be a band that could well be going places - and if they do make something of a dent in the hardcore scene then they will have deserved doing so.

Sylosis were up next, they were afforded more time - so felt more like special guests than openers. They had 45 minutes to play with - and they made the most of their time with a largely forward-looking set that also dipped back into the past. Along with this tour, Sylosis have further stayed true to their word by releasing a new album this year - with A Sign of Things to Come dropping back in September. The set's first two songs came from this album, and it was clear that the band really wanted to push their more anthemic side. Josh Middleton (vocals/guitar) sounded great vocally throughout, and his guitar solos were as incendiary as always. Poison for the Lost and the fists-in-the-air metal of Pariahs got the set off to a great start - with the more groove-laden I Sever hitting the crowd next. With long-time guitarist Alex Bailey at home with his family helping to take care of his new born, bassist Conor Marshall was playing the guitar instead - with Venom Prison's Ben Thomas filling in on bass. Marshall impressed on the guitar, especially as he handled most of the lead guitar parts with the exception of the guitar solos. I had noticed Bailey doing this at Bloodstock last year, and this approach likely allows Middleton to focus more on his vocals - and he has certainly improved as both a vocalist and a frontman over the years. He even gave up his guitar entirely for one song, the old favourite The Blackest Skyline, as the band were joined by YouTuber Jamie Slays - who played the rhythm guitar parts. Middleton briefly prowled the stage - and the crowd loved hearing the old favourite with its massive chorus. Marshall did a pretty good job with the solo, too, but Middleton was back in his usual spot, guitar in hand, for the more progressive Sands of Time - another oldie which I had not seen the band play live for about 10 years. It was great hearing a couple of older songs, but in truth the newer material really came alive on stage. The new album in particular seems made to be played live, and the title track had lots of the crowd singing along. It has one of the best choruses in the band's canon in my opinion, and it was great seeing such a large crowd so into what Sylosis were doing - even chanting the band's name at times. The stand-alone single Worship Decay also went down well, but by this point the set was coming to an end - and it was left to Deadwood to close things out. It is another highlight from the new album in my opinion, and it was a great way to bring Sylosis' 45 minutes to an end - with another big chorus that filled the room. The setlist was:

Poison for the Lost

Pariahs

I Sever

Cycle of Suffering

The Blackest Skyline [w/ Jamie Slays]

Sands of Time

A Sign of Things to Come

Worship Decay

Deadwood

Sylosis were the band of the evening for me, but that is only because I have been a fan for over a decade at this point. That should take nothing away from Malevolence, though, who put on a great performance from the word go - and they had no problems getting the capacity crowd moving. Despite feeling like the room was too full, the atmosphere throughout the night was excellent - and it was great to see a young band like Malevolence packing out a venue the size of the SWX. Like Sylosis, much of Malevolence's set was pretty forward looking. The first five songs of the set were all newer cuts - with the short Malicious Intent title track kicking things off, before Life Sentence took over. It was clear from these two numbers that the night was going to be a good one, as the riffing from both Josh Baines (guitar/vocals) and Konan Hall (vocals/guitar) sounded pretty razor-sharp from the off - and frontman Alex Taylor's powerful harsh vocals easily cut through the mix. The slightly more muscular Waste of Myself saw plenty of action in the mosh pit but for me the early highlights were the groovy riffing of Still Waters Run Deep, with its Alice in Chain's influence obvious and a huge chorus, and the title track from 2017's Self Supremacy. The former is a good example of why Malevolence do it for me when many of their peers do not. They certainly have a strong hardcore and metalcore side, but they are also a groove metal band - and are not afraid to really go for it from a guitar perspective. Their riffing is always excellent and Baines is an excellent lead guitarist. They do a lot more with their guitars than many of their peers and that makes them stand out in my opinion. There are also plenty of Lamb of God-esque moments, which is never a bad thing, and the latter channelled a bit of that whilst also sounding like a hardcore anthem. The band also know that taking things down a notch or two sometimes is important, and the epic ballad Higher Place showcased Hall as a vocalist perfectly - and also allowed Baines to include a much more lyrical solo than is typical. Everyone was singing along, too, and it was another highlight moment overall for me. A couple of older songs followed, with the knotty Serpents Chokehold standing out, before a medley of some other older songs allowed bits of the slower Turn to Stone and the angry Wasted Breath to be wheeled out. The rest of the set focused on newer material, though, with the punchy Karma again getting everyone singing along. This led into a busy drum solo from Charlie Thorpe which gave the rest of the band a short break - but they soon came back out for the final two songs of the set. Rather than going off and coming back again, the band used the drum solo to act as a bit of an encore break in spirit, and hit the crowd with the anthemic Keep Your Distance and their current signature piece On Broken Glass - which was likely the biggest sing-a-long of the night. It brought the band's set to a powerful close and the whole place was really rocking by the end. The setlist was:

Malicious Intent

Life Sentence

Waste of Myself

Still Waters Run Deep

Above All Else

Self Supremacy

Higher Place

Serpents Chokehold
Condemned to Misery

Remain Unbeaten

Turn to Stone/Wasted Breath

Karma

Drum solo

Keep Your Distance

On Broken Glass

Despite two of the bands on the bill not really being my thing, I still had a great night in Bristol with Malevolence and Sylosis. The headliners are likely to only grow in stature from here, and they deserve all of their attention they are getting. Their mix of sounds helps them to stand out and they sound fresh and exciting as a result. I will certainly be following the band and keeping up with their releases as I am sure that their next album, whenever it comes, will be excellent. For me, though, Sylosis stole the show. They are a great band and the fact that they are now properly back from their hiatus is exciting news. Their new album this year was great and I hope that this tour gives them the springboard they need to launch the next stage of their career - which will hopefully lead to some UK shows of their own in the near future.