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Author Gizmo

Being old and creaky (I was a teenager during the NWOBHM) I have no time for people who ' excuse ' their love of metal by saying it's so cheesy, or so ironic. I've taken shit from mainstream types for the music I love for 35 years or so. Stand up and be proud of it with no concessions to what might be hip; the best music and the best fans in the world are within the metal family.

Zeal & Ardor – Devil Is Fine (MVKA)

Imagine this. For a moment, just imagine. You are from a land and a people with its own stories and its own gods. You are taken from this land by force, put in chains, suffer the worst deprivations and degradations… Continue Reading →

Crystal Viper – Queen Of The Witches (AFM)

When I found myself originally pointed in the direction of Crystal Viper’s debut by Russ Smith I never really looked back. Apart from the fact they look perfect as a heavy metal band (y’know, those band pictures where you can’t… Continue Reading →

Dool – Here Now, There Then (Prophecy Productions)

Dutch band Dool (apparently it means ‘wander’) have coalesced around ex- The Devil’s Blood bassist and drummer Job van de Zande and Micha Haringfrom respectively. As such they unavoidably bring a certain amount of baggage with them for me as… Continue Reading →

The Clamps – Blend, Shake, Swallow (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Italian trio The Clamps play a slightly stoner influenced brand of blazing trashy punk ‘n’ metal garage rock ‘n’ roll. Cranking up with the opening instrumental ‘Barracuda’, an exercise in shouting without words “we really know what a riff is!”,… Continue Reading →

Heathen Deity – Religious Purification Through Fire (S/R)

Funny you know, but for someone writing for a site that specialises in underground music I don’t get to listen to many Demos. Sad ‘cos I love them. A few even end up being regular spins years later (Atlantean Kodex,… Continue Reading →

Emptiness – Not For Music (Season Of Mist)

Belgians Emptiness have been on the go since 1998 and this makes their fifth studio album and my first encounter. Yep, finger on the pulse as ever… Anyway, I gather they come from a kind of black/death background which on… Continue Reading →

Ashenspire – Speak Not Of The Laudanum Quandary (Code666)

As a first review for 2017, I hope this is not a portent of the year itself and its intentions for me because this debut by Glasgow’s Ashenspire is a most awkward thing to review. Most awkward. As a debut… Continue Reading →

Khaospath – For The Devil Speaks The Truth (Immortal Frost)

I have to admit that I found this, the sophomore album from Swedish band Khaospath a little tricky to review. It’s definitely not one for the casual black metal fan or an introduction to the genre which I consider a… Continue Reading →

Aenaon – Hypnosophy (Code666)

When I checked, for some reason I wasn’t surprised when I noticed. that this, the third album from Greek ‘progressive black metallers’ Aenaon was on Code666. Just something about its chaotic, semi industrial sound mixed in with the progressive elements…. Continue Reading →

Black Hole Generator – A Requiem For Terra (Dark Essence)

As I write this it looks as though the ‘American people’ have elected a president. After staring in abject disbelief at their ‘choice’ the black, stripped, hopeless sound of the title and title track here are an appropriate soundscape to… Continue Reading →

Vircolac – The Cursed Travails Of The Demeter (Sepulchral Voice)

Another new name to me. Apparently it means ‘werewolf’ in Romanian but the band themselves are very much an Irish entity and frontman Darragh O’Laoghaire is also head honcho at Invictus Prodctions. Now for the literary amongst you, you will… Continue Reading →

Quartz – Fear No Evil (High Roller)

One of the things to be genuinely treasured about the NWOBHM is the number of bands that have soldiered (pun intended) on or quietly slipped out of retirement now the kids have grown up. It’s both a sobering reminder that… Continue Reading →

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