Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Album Reviews

Album Review: Warrant – The Speed Of Metal

No, this isn’t the California hair band that topped the charts in the late ’80s…this is the older, harder WARRANT out of Germany, who released some speed/thrash albums in the early ’80s. Like almost any metal band that has ever put out a record, they’ve reformed after decades out of commission and are back in action with The Speed Of Metal. The thing that struck me about this version of WARRANT is that they don’t seem to exclusively be a speed-oriented band. Early tracks like ‘Cut Into Pieces’ and ‘Demons’ really cut loose with a blitzkrieg of thrash metal, but […]

Music News

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY Drops Special Jam Session Rendition Of Free’s ‘Fire And Water’; North American Tour Supporting Judas Priest And Alice Cooper Underway

American heavy metal icons CORROSION OF CONFORMITY are back with a special rendition of ‘Fire And Water’ by English rock band, Free! The classic track was originally released in 1970 on the album of the same name. CORROSION OF CONFORMITY’s version came spontaneously in the studio during some downtime while recording their forthcoming new full-length, set for release next year, and serves as the first of the Riffissippi Studio Jam Sessions, a special collection of jammed out interpretations of songs by some of the band’s favorite artists. Comments guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan, “When we were tracking this record, we had a […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Motherless – Do You Feel Safe?

From BIBLE OF THE DEVIL to LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR to USURPER to the almighty classic lineup of TROUBLE, Chicago, Illinois has long been a bastion of rock and metal largely bereft of the accoutrements that hold many of its counterpart local and regional scenes in check. No checklist here; that got rolled up and smoked long ago, a PBR can used for a pipe sitting in the front seat of someone’s car before clocking in for work for a double shift at some thankless blue-collar job. What matters is the riff, brethren and sisters! The sound of the drums. […]

Music News

FIRE IN THE MOUNTAINS – 2026 Early Bird Tickets On Sale Friday, September 26, 2025

LETS GO! FIRE IN THE MOUTAINS 2026 Early Bird tickets are available on Friday, September 26, 2025, at 10am MST. Grab General Admission and VIP tickets at Early Bird prices before they sell out (they will) – only a limited number of these tickets will be available. Early Bird Tickets 2026 VIP Package –Unlock the full FIRE IN THE MOUTAINS experience with our VIP 4-day Festival Pass. VIP tickets give you access to every legendary performance, immersive workshops, and exclusive moments from Wednesday, July 22 through Sunday, July 26 PLUS – early entry to Red Eagle Campground (2pm Wed/July 22, […]

Short Sharp Shocks

Psilocybe Larvae – Новый дивный мир [EP]

Russia’s majestic doom/death practitioners return after the emotionally and sonically crushing Where Silence Dwells with Новый дивный мир (Brave New World), a short but poignant EP. Writing for the first time in the band’s native language, the title track is aching from the start, a longing for a brave new world that wasn’t, isn’t, and can never be. Harmonies roll on a sea of crestfallen notes until pounding waves crash down, submerging. ‘Черта’ (‘The Line’) is begins windswept and contemplative before an overpowering passion swallows, the addition of a second guitar adding heft to the band’s already weighty sound and […]

Music News

Imperial Triumphant’s Steve Blanco announces ‘Imprints of Man’: Imperial Triumphant’s dark, labyrinthine soundworld reimagined for solo piano; pre-order the record and stream ‘Merkurius Gilded’

On November 15th, Imperial Triumphant’s STEVE BLANCO (bass, keyboards) will give fans Imprints Of Man: a solo record that reimagines Imperial Triumphant’s dark, labyrinthine soundworld for piano. Stripping away the chaos of distortion and brass, Imprints Of Man reveals the raw architecture of the band’s compositions: haunting harmonies, jagged rhythms, and spectral dissonances laid bare on the piano. This is not just an adaptation—it’s a revelation. Each piece becomes a meditation on the uncanny beauty hidden within Imperial Triumphant’s music, refracted through the stark intimacy of solo piano. A rare chance to experience the band’s avant-garde vision through an entirely […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Krigsgrav – Stormcaller

On its eighth album, and fourth with the same lineup, by now KRIGSGRAV of Keller, Texas had better have a good handle on what it is and what it isn’t. Not every band is meant to venture off on experimental pathways, not every band should try to shade or – more often than not – forcefully inject its music with other genres. It works for the rare few but, let’s be honest here, doesn’t for most. If it doesn’t occur naturally, the listening public who actually care about what they’re hearing will smell the stench. Stormcaller’s opener, ‘Huntress Of The […]

Music News

Dutch Black/Death Metal Project, EL MUERTO, To Release Debut EP, Lost And Amsterdamned

What began as a farewell has become a resurrection. Lost And Amsterdamned, the debut EP from the Netherlands’ one-man Black/Death Metal project, EL MUERTO, is set for release on November 21. Behold the video for ‘Enthroned In The Tower Of Shadows (The Witch)’ EL MUERTO was born in the depths of personal crisis, a raw and unflinching document of depression, trauma, and the desire to disappear. Conceived as a final message from an artist who had lost the will to live, each track captures a chapter of that darkness. But this record is no longer a goodbye. It’s proof that […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Syrinx – Time Out Of Place

I wonder if the hallowed halls of SYRINX’s practice space are lined with Great Computers… Yes, we got ourselves some 24 karat 70’s RUSH fans here…and how! One look at their promo picture, complete with frilly white shirts, will convince you they stepped out of a wormhole connected to 1978. That’s cool with me, I’m a huge fan of ’70s RUSH, but you are setting yourself a VERY high bar when you call your band SYRINX. This is a true artifact. Time Out Of Place is a true prog rock album…there’s plenty of loud guitar, but almost no actual metal. […]

Music News

LACERTILIA: new video + album announced on Majestic Mountain Records

Cardiff-based heavy psych torchbearers LACERTILIA return after five years with their anticipated third studio album, Transcend, due out on October 24th through Swedish powerhouse Majestic Mountain Records. Stream their brand new single and video for ‘The Sun Is The Key’ now. Watch LACERTILIA’s new video for ‘The Sun Is The Key‘ and listen to the single on Bandcamp LACERTILIA stand out as a fearless blend of psychedelic soul and heavy riff warfare, rooted in their Welsh stoner rock identity but unafraid to draw from cosmic textures, primal energy, and punk-inspired vigour. A powerhouse live act, they have leveled stages from […]

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