Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

lord randall

Album Reviews

Album Review: AngelBlast – Rotting Paradise

A word on ANGELBLAST. Well, not much more than “a word”, as the entity has only just been shat forth from creation’s uterus, and all we really know is that it features in its ranks members of EXCRUCIATE and DARKENED. No surprise, then, that what’s on offer is death metal. Because the world needs another death metal band like it needs another hole in the head. To its credit, though, the title track of Rotting Paradise cranks up with a seconds-long snare roll, then gets down to the skullcrush. Subterfuge melodies writhe beneath the surface of passionately-delivered death reminiscent of […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: The Wraith – Gloom Ballet

With its longest song just a shade over the 4-minute mark, THE WRAITH’s debut full-length reveals the quartet as a band that doesn’t waste time with pleasantries or overlong introductions. First impressions are everything these days, and ‘Ballad Of Aeon’ rocks with the fervor of early LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH, yet the hack ‘n’ slash guitars of late ‘80s Hussey/Hinkler MISSION UK, bands that sound about as disparate as two could within their chosen subgenre. It works here, though, a sign of good things to come, we hope. ‘Prevail’ falters in the verses, a bit too akin to the […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Blackqueen – The Destructive Cycle

Seattle’s BLACKQUEEN returns with its all-important Album Number Three here, summarily getting down to the business of ‘The Destructive Cycle’, sludge reminiscent of the much-missed RABIES CASTE in moments, the angular slash ‘n’ burn of early QUICKSAND in others. Surprisingly, most of all, is that this instrumental introduction didn’t bore the ever-loving crap out of me as the majority of such things are wont to do. ‘Feed The Worm’ is the antithesis of the opener, staccato riff attack and a (possibly subconscious) nod to the heshers in the triumphant 0:29-0:44 section, all anchored by a rhythm section reminiscent of CRETIN […]

Interviews

Interview: WINTERFYLLETH

After five atmosphere-charged black metal albums – and one acoustic release -, Manchester’s WINTERFYLLETH took to the stage at Bloodstock to celebrate not only the first festival to give the band a headlining show, but the first decade of its existence. The Siege Of Mercia is volatile, enthralling, and triumphant, a true sonic (and visual) representation of a band at its peak. Lord Randall recently sat down to talk to bassist Nick Wallwork about the live set, the band’s most recent studio album, The Hallowing Of Heirdom, and where the quintet are headed from here… THE FATHERS OF ALBIONInterview with […]

Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: DEATH WOLF – IV: Come The Dark

After leaving behind its obvious MISFITS/SAMHAIN tribute work as DEVILS WHOREHOUSE and rechristening itself DEATH WOLF in 2011, the band got down to the business of – while maybe not entirely turning its back on its initial sound – creating its own persona, which has worked to varying degrees of success over the last three albums. Now, roughly five years after III: Ostergotland, DEATH WOLF leaves behind Century Media, returning Blooddawn Productions to its original home under the Regain Records banner. ‘He Who Hates’ kicks things off, and I do mean kicks, hard-charging and menacing, easily the best opener on […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Municipal Waste – The Last Rager

I’m not about to sit here and tell you I’ve been a fan of, well, anything Tony Ferrera and his band of self-styled hard-partying miscreants has done under the banner of MONOLITHIC…erm, sorry…MUNICIPAL WASTE. To be honest, the whole idea kinda rubs me up the wrong way. Sure, EXODUS had its moments of fun for fun’s sake in the likes of ‘Toxic Waltz’, and don’t even get me started on the never-deserved-to-be-in-the-Big-Four-anyway ANTHRAX, but at least occasionally they’d kick out some decent jams to make up the difference. Not so with these guys, and I’m not really sure how, nearly […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Gatecreeper – Deserted

Comprised of ¾ of doom lords SPIRIT ADRIFT and the rhythm section of blackened crusties HELLHORSE, I was not expecting Arizona’s GATECREEPER to sound like, well, GATECREEPER. Yeah, I know its been around for awhile now, but I just haven’t had the time nor, to be honest, inclination for death metal of late. What with all the buzz around the release of sophomore album, Deserted, though, I figured it was about time. All I know going in is this: When your press bio contains comparisons to BOLT THROWER, DEATH and CIANIDE, you best have your shit together in a big […]

Interviews

Interview: Formicarius

Only in active state for the past five years, one could easily be tempted to write off London’s FORMICARIUS as yet another in the seemingly evermore crowded UK black metal bandwagon. Let’s call such a dismissal a reason to avoid temptation, then, as vocalist/guitarist Lord Saunders & co. have recently released the aural plague of Rending The Veil Of Flesh and, while not everyone’s cup of blood, for sure, to say the band has set a high standard for its next output will be clear to those who sup willingly upon first listen. Lord Randall sat down with the band […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Conjuring Fate – Curse Of The Fallen

CONJURING FATE’s second starts at a deficit, which, after a 2014 EP, an album two years hence, and close to 15 years as a band does not a good impression make. After a lethargic, shiftless – and incredibly drawn-out, might I add – intro, though, ‘Burn The Witch’ springs from the gates, punchy riffs and driving rhythms carrying the vocals of Tommy Daly along, bloody, sweating and tearing its way into your earholes. ‘Voodoo Wrath’ is as energetic, ghosts of SAXON and DIAMOND HEAD, the Gibson/Horner guitar team pulling off tasty dual leads with a seeming effortlessness, but I keep […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Vokonis – Grasping Time

Returning with its all-important third album, Sweden’s VOKONIS wastes not a second in getting down to business with ‘AntlerQueen’, roiling rhythms and riffs alternately ascending/descending letting the listener know they’re in for a bit of a jostle from the start. Shades of Leviathan-era MASTODON are lain over the rumble of TRANSPORT LEAGUE at its best, and both melding seamlessly, the plaintive leadwork of Simon Ohlsson at around the 4-minute mark crashing, then languid in a dreamlike haze over the rhythm section of Jonte Johansson and Peter Ottoson (bass, drums respectively), to the climax of an already memorable album. Replacing a […]

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