Oceans published their full-length debut 'The Sun and the Cold' a bit more than a year ago and to keep the momentum rolling, the guys unleash with 'We are Nøt Okay' a next EP. With four songs, things are quite lucid and to the point. Compared to the debut, that was a bit all over... Continue Reading →
NEW RELEASES 2020 – updated 24.11.2020
NEW RELEASES. Here's the regularly updated list of what's in the pipeline.
CD review ESKIMO CALBOY ‘MMXX’
'MMXX' is the new EP from Eskimo Callboy and I'm not sure if the world waited for it. The disc is a kind of Corona product the band recorded instead of being on the road. The band unleash 'MMXX' mid September, featuring 6 songs in the typical Eskimo Callboy fashion. What's new is frontman Nico... Continue Reading →
Live report LONG DISTANCE CALLING, RISING INSANE & HEADGEAR, HellSeatic postponed, Bremen – 05.09.2020
In normal times, Long Distance Calling should put the last dots on the 'i', preparing for the 'Seats & Sounds' shows, but the pandemic sticked a needle in this endeavor. The tour is postponed to next year, but even COVID-19 can't stop the quartet from playing live. Not only the bands have to suffer these... Continue Reading →
CD review BURY TOMORROW ‘Cannibal’
The basic mood on 'Cannibal' is certainly in strong contrast to the current summertime. It's not light and color which are the main focus and spirit. Darkness and uncompromising emotional honesty is what makes this longplayer to an emotional contrast to what the eye sees these days. If you've got enough sun and want to spend some time on (self-) reflection, you've found your soundtrack with 'Cannibal'.
CD review PROTEST THE HERO ‘Palimpsest’
Protest The Hero's new offer is a complex album. Complexity in itself isn't something bad but the portion that's offered by the four Canadians demands an effort from the listener. 'Modern', 'Metal', 'Alternative' and 'Progressive' are the key terms that describe the album best. When I listened to the album the first time a got... Continue Reading →
CD review AUGUST BURNS RED 'Guardians'
August Burns Red's lyrical concept behind 'Guardians' became much more relevant than what the band maybe had in mind when starting work on the new album. Guitarist Brent Rambler describes the album title as addressing "a loose theme of being there for another person who’s reaching out for help. This individual who saves the day acts like a guardian." These guardians are more relevant than ever these days.
CD review HEAVEN SHALL BURN ‘Of Truth & Sacrifice’
'Of Truth and Sacrifice' is heavy, aggressive and brutal. At the same time it covers moment of vulnerability and reflection. It's this mix, together with lyrics being far away from meaningless blablabla, that makes Heaven Shall Burn's 9th album to a 97 minutes experience. This record is more than only a carrier of music. It's a milestone for the band and Metalcore in genral. 'Of Truth and Sacrifice' lifts the bar and belongs to the musical diamonds in 2020 and beyond. Timeless.
CD review NEAERA ‘Neaera’
Recover, Regroup, Return, Record - Neaena 'Neaera' is the great return of a band that used the years of absence to recover, regroup and return to record an album that is a statement of being back. What exactly this means for the coming months and years is what time will tell. In the meantime it's all about enjoying this sonic wrecking ball.
HEAVEN SHALL BURN film ‘Mein grünes Herz in dunklen Zeiten’ will premiere in cinemas
Heaven Shall Burn’s next album is already lining up in the pipeline but before releasing a new longplayer the band goes cinema. In nearly 90 minutes ‘Mein grünes Herz in dunklen Zeiten’ the film is about the band and life on tour. ‘Mein grünes Herz in dunklen Zeiten’ will premiere on February 19th in various... Continue Reading →
Live (Photo-) report THE HU & FIRE FROM THE GOD, Melkweg, Amsterdam – 05.02.2020
A while ago a music video went viral on YouTube, showing a band from Mongolia that merges Metal with Mongolian Folk music. Their name – The Hu, meaning ‘the people’ in their native language. The band got in the spotlight very quickly and still is talk of the town. With having released an album recently,... Continue Reading →
Live report ELBRIOT 2019, Hamburg – 17.08.2019
With Elbriot 2019 a successful era of a festival in the city of Hamburg comes to an end, at least when it's about location. Due to construction activities in the area and a permanent Harry Potter theater production at Mehr Theater! the area isn’t available anymore from 2020 onwards. However, the plan is to continue... Continue Reading →
CD review OBEY THE BRAVE ‘Balance’
(8/10) Canadian metalcore powerhouse Obey The Brave has their homebase in Montreal, Quebec and that's where they started their metal journey back in 2011. Since then the quintet released three full-length longplayers with 'Balance' being number four. The new album features nine songs and with a running time of 29 minutes, meaning the album isn't... Continue Reading →

