Rock ‘n’ roll will never die - at least, not if it’s in the hands of Hot Suede. The Kansas City quintet come hurtling out of the gate with an updated take on a classic style that drips with confidence. Their self-titled is a twelve-song romp that works regardless of where it’s played - via speakers, in intimate clubs or on bigger stages. The first wave that hits is of that good ol’ American feel, the timeless classic rock of the 70s & 80s as heard in the Queen-inspired

On May 6, 2019, Monasterium will release their sophomore album, Church Of Bones, via Nine Records. While offering a broad variety in the songwriting, all eight anthems represent worship of the classic sound and stand tall in the fight for true metal . Additionally, the new album features a special guest appearance by Leo Stivala from the Maltese doom masters Forsaken. Monasterium is a Polish band founded in 2014 and dedicated to epic heavy/doom metal. All members of the

Last Thursday, March 28th 2019, SALEMS LOTT headlined an eclectic night of music at the world famous, Whisky a Go Go, on the Sunset Strip, in Hollywood. All went without a glitch, including the quick, on-a-dime setups & soundchecks, between the live sets of the six (!) musical acts scheduled to perform that night. Hats off to the house pros that made it possible. The following five bands took the stage in the just over three hours that preceded SALEMS LOTT set, at the end o

The “Phantom Hawk” arrives to enslave ancient Egypt! Here to tell the tale is Pulver, a German metal five-piece who batters like classic Tank and dazzles like early Iron Maiden. Just over a year after the release of their well-received self-titled debut EP, Pulver emerge with the Kings Under the Sand full-length, an album loaded with eight taut, memorable, but gritty classic metal cuts. Pulver’s career has been a domino effect: They formed in late 2016, recorded an EP barel

From the Italian underground comes Vultures Vengeance, a heavy epic metal quartet that defends the realm of the obscure on their first full-length album, The Knightlore. The wait is over…10 years into their career, Italian heavy epic metallers Vultures Vengeance deliver on the promise shown on their Where the Time Dwelt In and Lyrids: Warning From the Reign of the Untold EPs with their first full-length The Knightlore. Recorded at Nation’s Eye Studio by bassist Matt Savage, T

The über-talented Japanese heavy metal power trio, ASTERISM has finally crossed the Pacific ocean, for their first series of concerts states side. Billed as the band's "The 1st World Tour", the U.S. leg included the trio's live sets at SXSW (South by Southwest) conglomerate festival in Austin, Texas. Before returning home, ASTERISM performed one last show on U.S. soil, in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 24th 2019. The explosive, instrumental heavy metal power trio, released th

Cincinnati metallers WAR CURSE to release new studio album, "Eradication", on May 10, 2019, via Svart Records. The Bay comes to Ohio! Thrash soldiers War Curse channel that iconic thrash sound on their second album, Eradication. But this isn’t a bunch of upstarts in someone’s garage worshiping their heroes - this is a group of seasoned vets whose callused hands and chords are a testament to their dedication to the craft. Each tune is jam-packed with heavy metal riffing,

I have chosen Syu's new epic opus, "Vorvados" to be the first album to be featured on the DENIM & LEATHER's new series "ジャパメタ Japan Heavy Metal", mainly for its masterpiece quality, but also for being a great representation of the current Japanese metal scene. My intent is to make "ジャパメタ Japan Heavy Metal" a regular feature of the eZine. Watch this space. Artist/band: SYU Title: Vorvados Label: Warner Music Japan (WPCL-12983) Release date: January 23, 2019 Musical prodigy and

ARSTIDIR LIFSINS - "Saga á tveim tungum I: Vápn ok viðr" Label: Ván Records Release date: April 26th 2019 Outstanding German/Icelandic metallers Árstíðir lífsins return with their highly anticipated 4th album entitled "Saga á tveim tungum I: Vápn ok viðr". Like all previous outputs, the album will be released via German quality label Ván Records on exclusive 2LP, Digipack CD and known digital channels. Since 2008, the art of Árstíðir lífsins breathes Old Norse history on

ISTAPP - "The Insidious Star" Label: Trollzorn Release date: April 26th 2019 ISTAPP finally return with their fourth long-player “The Insidious Star“ in their known frosty manner! Ever since their formation in 2005 in the South East of Sweden, ISTAPP deliver brilliant masterpieces of noble Melodic Black Metal and celebrate majestic uplifting Scandinavian art. Impetuous wildness meets highly melodic aesthetics strikingly harmonious - a powerful recipe! For several millenn

EUGENIC DEATH was formed in late 2010 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The band name was chosen to draw attention to society's overall view, mistreatment and neglect of the poor. Jonathan McCanless (lead guitarist) had long desired to get his music into mass circulation and decided in late 2010 that the only way to accomplish this was to start a band with the most dedicated and talented musicians he could find. The natural choice for vocals was Keith Davis, whose voice i

French doom trio Witchfinder is excited to announce the release of their second LP, Hazy Rites, via Black Bow Records on April 1, 2019. Following their 2017 S/T debut, Witchfinder chose Kozmik Artifactz for the vinyl release in 2018.  After a successful tour with Witchthroat Serpent in October 2017, they hit the road with Stonebirds in May 2018 and toured all over France.  Witchfinder has also shared the stage with the likes of Conan, Monolord, Kadavar, The Flying Eyes,

"Hosemen embraces the best qualities of hard rock, alternative and metal to create their own unique sound." -- Anthony Truglio, Liege Lord In 2019, it’s harder than ever to be non-conformist when approaching genre boundaries - how do you break barriers when so many have already been obliterated? Fortunately for Hosemen, it’s still possible to bend people’s perception of rock by bringing in such diametrically opposed genres and marrying them seamlessly. Such is the case o

Having started as a one-man project by Christian Ayala, Avandra is a Puerto Rican progressive metal band born from hurricane-fuelled strife, and now becoming one of the scene’s breakout acts. Given their humble origins, Avandra was never meant to play live. However, after releasing the band’s first record, Tymora, demand was so high that Ayala felt obligated to bring his work to life on stage in May of 2017. By the time their second show rolled around a few months, late

Helsinki (FN) - Finnish Epic Speed Metallers CHEVALIER will release their full-length debut album, Destiny Calls, April 26 on Gates of Hell Records. Destiny Calls is separatist speed/epic metal from the frozen climes of Finland that relishes in the unexpected while giving metal fans exactly what they want. CHEVALIER whips up ferocious speed metal while stretching itself out with epic song arrangements, all capped off by the not-for-the-faint-of-heart vocals of Emma Grönq

There is no secret that my musical tastes and preferences extend far outside the metal realm. With that said, I won't waste this space to vex the readers, and hopefully potential listeners, with music that is non rock or metal tangible. February was a balancing act as far as what music I've played: lots of wonderful new heavy/power metal was auditioned, resulting in published reviews for releases by FRENZY, BOOZE CONTROL and IRON FIRE, and also for music on the darker side of

Band: Iron Fire Title: Beyond The Void Label: Crime Records Country: Denmark Release date: March 8, 2019 Format reviewed: high-rate mp3 promo There is a fine line between power metal and traditional heavy metal. Sitting at the crossroad between epic heavy metal and speed metal, power metal saw a large number of permutations throughout the years. The Danes IRON FIRE have been crossing that line, both ways, numerous times since inception, over twenty years ago. The best selling

EMIL'S DEEP UNDERGROUND RECOS (part VII) Thrash Metal Edition Here we are ... completing the Straight Outta Catacombs most current trifecta, here we have the Thrash Metal Edition. Well represented by underground bands from across the globe, thrash metal is once again ready to conquer the world, in this (2nd) edition exclusively dedicated to the genre. (The 1st thrash metal edition - here.) Except for a couple of reissues, the rest of the material is very recent. Are we gonna

Band: Booze Control Title: Forgotten Lands Label: Gates of Hell Records Release date: February 22, 2019 Country: Germany Format reviewed: high-rate mp3 promo This is a classic heavy metal album! Not a dated album. Rather an album that if released thirty years ago, we would still talk about it, today. Building on an undisputedly clear connection with NWOBHM, BOOZE CONTROL advances the right amount of current production qualities, delivering an incredibly well written, recorded

EMIL'S DEEP UNDERGROUND RECOS (part VI) As I was gathering information on all releases scouted on Bandcamp in the last two to three months, I've realized that the number of albums, or EPs, rightfully available for recommendations, was far greater than in the recent past. There were so many quality underground releases, across the genres, that a singular article, representing only ten titles wasn't gonna cut it! Not only there was enough quality for a standard edition of Strai