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Author Martin Harris

Rock and metal have been in my existence for about 30 years and saw me go through a rapid weaning period that covered AC/DC, Maiden, Saxon, Whitesnake, Motorhead, etc from about 1982 to 1984 before shifting to thrash in the summer of 1984. At that point my only mission was to find the fastest, most violent music on the planet resulting checking out every genre in extreme music from death metal and grindcore to crust punk and hardcore all of which I still adore today and buy albums from and go see live. During the 80s I grew up in the infamous Bradford thrash scene, a time I still dearly miss such was the inventiveness and great camaraderie it held. I’m a bit of phase metaller, going from one style to another, through sheer investigation of finding something new, but always sticking with them all. I’m a total sucker for double bass and blast beats and always will be no matter what genre it comes from. I absolutely detest people that have joined the metal scene because it is trendy or their mates like it, likewise I detest people who are shallow and think this music is a fad of growing up. Most of us are extremely well educated and articulate individuals who prefer freedom of self expression than indoctrination by mass media organisations hell bent on artistic sterilisation. Much of my cash is spent on following metal and I wouldn’t change a thing about it because it is the best music scene in the world.

Withem – The Point Of You (Sensory)

I wouldn’t normally plump for any progressive metal stuff for review usually due to being totally underwhelmed by the self indulgent nonsense it often produces, but what the hell I fancied a change and I’m not totally averse to the… Continue Reading →

Interview – Pentagram Chile

30 years a very long time to wait for a band’s debut, even one from a band whose underground status amongst the death metal elite is unparalleled. Indeed fans of the Chilean Pentagram at that time in the 80s and… Continue Reading →

Dystopia – Haat (SR)

With a full length and demo out already my first experience of this Dutch outfit is this nicely packaged digipack CD with two tunes of fairly melodic black metal that opens abruptly with “Peace Through Power”. The sound is crisp… Continue Reading →

Asomvel – Knuckle Duster (Bad Omen Records)

I doubt that any self respecting metaller that follows the scene within the UK hasn’t at least witnessed a live show by these purist heavy metal purveyors, or know that they tragically lost founding member Jay-Jay Winter in a road… Continue Reading →

Interview – Carpe Noctem

If ever there was a country where you would expect the most bleak and soul crushing black metal to emerge and be procreated from then it is definitely Iceland. Having loved “In Terra Profugus” immensely I was keen to discuss… Continue Reading →

Protector – Reanimated Homunculus (High Roller Records)

Germany’s Protector was one of those bands that I kept to myself when I discovered them in 1988. I bought their albums, indulged in smug self satisfaction that I had a German band in my collection that no other thrasher… Continue Reading →

Pentagram Chile – The Malefice (Cyclone Empire)

For a band that has been around for nearly three decades they sure have taken a long time to get their true full length debut despite more than a handful of demos and what not. My first experience with the… Continue Reading →

Carpe Noctem – In Terra Profugus (Code666)

Iceland’s Carpe Noctem thoroughly impressed me with their self titled EP in 2009, a resolute affirmation of how black metal should be played throughout its blistering four track offensive. A demo subsequently came out but now we have the proper… Continue Reading →

Southern Lord Records Round Up (Southern Lord)

There is something rather horrific about this trio of US releases on Southern Lord. Each one seeks to carve deep penetrating auditory scars within your fragile psyche by exuding corrosive and barraging music that sits entrenched within core like manifestations,… Continue Reading →

Wound – Inhale The Void (FDA Rekotz)

Picture a grotty three lane highway decked out with vast arrays of death metal bands from all quarters of the planet. In the first lane you have those bands that sit there churning out the odd album hoping for a… Continue Reading →

Witches Mark – Witching Metal Ritual (Heaven And Hell)

In days gone by I would have bought this Witches Mark on the strength of the diabolically cheesy album art that adorns it. You’ll see what I mean when you see it. That aside I was expecting an album of… Continue Reading →

Battlecross – War Of Will (Metal Blade)

Recently I purchased this bands debut album “Pursuit Of Honor” and was thoroughly satisfied with their brand of screaming thrash with tons of groove and top end making it a weighty release. My anticipation of this sophomore effort was high… Continue Reading →

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