Recent Posts
Burning Rain – ‘Epic Obsession’ (Frontiers)
Frontiers Records
Genre: Hard Rock
Traditional hard rockers Burning Rain have followed an odd path in their off and on again career. Formed in 1998, they released two under the radar releases before guitarist Doug Aldrich was asked to join Dio’s solo band. The band was put on hiatus and for thirteen years sat dormant. The band is finally back to release their third record Epic Obsession.
After Aldrich’s time in Dio he has been David Coverdale’s right hand man in Whitesnake and you can hear the blues influenced hard rock of his primary band all over this release. Vocalist Keith St. John has an incredible vocal range and is at his best on the tender ballad “When Can I Believe in Love.” This is Aldrich’s time to shine though as his shredding solo’s are filtered throughout the album.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Drago)
Enshine – ‘Origin’ (Rain Without End)
Rain Without End Records
Genre: Melodic Death/Progressive Metal
Originally started as a solo project, Enshine evolved into a band collaboration. Their debut album is Origin. It’s a wide-ranging and diverse effort, incorporating genres such as death, progressive, ambient and doom.
Traditional melodic death metal is combined with lengthy instrumental sections that are sometimes mellow and ambient, other times more progressive and dynamic. Those instrumental parts sometimes meander. Enshine is more effective when there’s a lot going on, like on “Ambivalence.” Atmospheric female choruses, a dense arrangement and excellent guitar work make it one of the more compelling songs on the album. There are a few lulls, but Origin is an engaging release.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Extrema – ‘The Seed Of Foolishness’ (Scarlet)
Scarlet Records
Genre: Thrash/Groove Metal
In their quarter century of existence, the Italian band Extrema has shifted their sound from thrash to groove metal. On their latest albumThe Seed Of Foolishness they have returned to their roots.
It’s an album full of galloping riffs and old school thrash. They also inject some of that groove, which adds diversity and some tempo shifts. Gianluca Perotti’s vocals are also diverse, going from an Anthrax style sing/bark to In Flames-esque melodic singing. The veterans sound reinvigorated, combining old and new.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Airbourne - Black Dog Barking (Roadrunner)
Burning Rain - Epic Obsession (Frontiers)
Circle - Six Day Run (Ektro)
Death Of An Era - The Great Commonwealth EP (Artery)
Erlen Meyer - Erlen Meyer (Shelsmusic)
Extrema - The Seed Of Foolishness (Scarlet)
For The Broken - Aurora (Imminence)
Gaytheist - Hold Me…But Not So Tight (Good To Die)
Hebosagil - Lähtö (Ektro)
Masteroid - MMXIII (Inverse)
NK - Nothing To Be Gained Here (Triple Crown)
A Pale Horse Named Death - Lay My Soul To Waste (SPV)
Palisades - Outcasts (Rise)
The Poodles - Tour De Force (Frontiers)
PTSD - A Sense Of Decay (My Kingdom)
Ruindom - In The Eyes Of Death (Inverse)
Saffire - From Ashes To Fire (Inner Wound)
Satan - Life Sentence (Listenable)
Svart Crown - Profane (Listenable)
Timo Tolkki’s Avalon - The Land Of New Hope (Frontiers)
U.D.O. - Steelhammer (AFM)
Zed - Desperation Blues (I And I)
“Honor Never Dies”, the new video from Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED, is available and the song comes off the band’s latest album, “The Divinity Of Purpose”:
“Before Dishonor”
Play Video
“Defeatist”
Play Video
