This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Dream Theater, Ereb Altor, Ghost Hollow, Jinjer, Marko Hietala, Noctambulist, Open Kasket, Pathogenic, Phrenelith, Saber, Thundermother and Unreqvited.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Dream Theater – Parasomnia (InsideOut)
The headline for Dream Theater’s latest album is the return of drummer Mike Portnoy. He left the band in 2010 and reunited with his bandmates last year for Parasomnia, the group’s 16th studio album. Dream Theater had quite a few instrumentals on their early albums, but they became a bit less common over the years. Parasomnia opens with the instrumental “In The Arms Of Morpheus,” easing deliberately into the proceedings before kicking in about two minutes in.
The album has everything DT fans want and expect: lengthy songs with frequent shifts in tempo, texture and intensity. From the urgent “Night Terror” to the expansive “Dead Asleep,” the band fires on all cylinders, showcasing impeccable musicianship and songwriting while not neglecting hooks and melodies. The album closes with the nearly 20-minute tour de force “The Shadow Man Incident,” a microcosm of the album in toto delivering dynamics, variety and total engagement. As you’d expect from a Dream Theater album, each listen reveals something new. It’s great to have Portnoy back in the fold as Parasomnia honors Dream Theater’s past glories while creating new ones as they expertly balance their legacy with their future.
Rating: 4.5
(Chad Bowar)
Ereb Altor – Hälsingemörker (Hammerheart)
The veteran Swedish Viking metal band Ereb Altor have had a lineup change since their last album, 2022’s Vargtimman. Isole/ex-Loch Vostok bassist Jimmy Mattsson, aka Bjorn, has joined the fold for the group’s latest opus Hälsingemörker.
They continue to weave epic tales with soaring clean vocals contrasted by periodic harsh moments. Folky atmospheres add depth to the songs without overwhelming them. The title track is one of the record’s most memorable songs, with the rousing “The Last Step” another highlight. Three bonus tracks bring the running time to over an hour, but Ereb Altor don’t overstay their welcome on Hälsingemörker, keeping the listener’s interest piqued throughout.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Ghost Hollow – Examinations Of The Heart (Self)
Following up just a year later after their self titled debut, Arkansas natives Ghost Hollow have returned with their signature doom and sludge hybrid on Examinations Of The Heart. Standing on par with their last album, Ghost Hollow have managed to maintain the high octane levels throughout the album and is a good case of if it isn’t broken don’t change it.
Tracks like “Formless Apparitions” and “Lay Down the Sword” provide slight deviations from the norm by adding a small amount of atmospheric black metal into the mix to shake it up. Though it is usually good to stick to one’s comforts, Examinations Of The Heart, though a good second album for Ghost Hollow, could benefit from a bit more diversity between tracks to help make it stand out from their last album.
Rating: 3
(Dalton Husher)
Jinjer – Duel (Napalm)
Ukrainian modern metal juggernauts Jinjer have steadily risen through the ranks with each album, garnering more fans and higher profile live opportunities. They continue that momentum with their fifth full-length Duel. They waste no time with intros, rocketing out of the box with “Tantrum.” There is always plenty of variety on a Jinjer album, both within songs and from track to track, and that’s certainly the case here.
“Hedonist” shifts from accessible melodic melodies to harsh vocals and breakdowns and back again, while djent is at the forefront on the intense “Rogue.” Tatiana Shmayhluk’s vocal performance is as eclectic and potent as always, whether she croons melodically or breaks out throat-shredding screams like on “Fast Draw.” On most songs, both styles are displayed, with the ratio varying from track to track. Roman Ibramkhalilov’s guitar work on the record is also varied and engaging. Duel has a lull or two, but should continue Jinjer’s ascent toward the top of the metal mountain.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Marko Hietala – Roses From The Deep (Nuclear Blast)
Five years after the English-language version of his debut solo album was released, ex-Nightwish vocalist/bassist Marko Hietala returns with Roses From The Deep. His first album was written over a period of many years, but this one had a more condensed period of creation, resulting in a more cohesive record. Hietala’s songwriting is also more condensed and focused than his former group’s.
Opener “Frankenstein’s Wife” is heavy and melodic, with symphonic flourishes that add to the track’s impact. Hietala shows a more reserved side on “Two Soldiers,” and belts it out on tracks like “Rebel Of The North.” He reunites with former Nightwish bandmate Tarja Turunen on “Left On Mars,” an accessible song that shows their chemistry is fully intact whether they are harmonizing or trading vocal lines. The centerpiece of the album is the eight minute opus “Dragon Must Die,” which has the most Nightwish-y vibe with lengthy instrumental sections and a dramatic vocal approach. With Roses From The Deep Hietala has really come into his own as a solo artist with an impressive and wide-ranging collection of songs.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
Noctambulist – Noctambulist II: De Droom (These Hands Melt)
Many black metal bands have shown reverence for melody, and Noctambulist follow through with this mindset on Noctambulist II: De Droom. At their core, they are in the dark arts of fuzzy riffs fixed on overactive speeds and fearsome shrieks. This is the principle that keeps these nine songs in constant motion, being more focused than the plodding songwriting of their debut album, Noctambulist I: Elegieën.
Noctambulist’s creative gains are with their open embrace of shoegaze and post-punk, with “Aderlater” and “Gevoelsmens” going into Depeche Mode-meets-Wolves In The Throne Room mode. The difference between their two albums is apparent and can be seen as beneficial. Noctambulist II: De Droom is less intimidating, though without toning down their unyielding qualities.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Open Kasket – Trials Of Failure (Barbaric Brutality)
Open Kasket signing to a label named Barbaric Brutality Records is an “aha” moment, as the record label’s name is how to best describe Trials Of Failure in two words. The most severe sides of hardcore and death metal are joined like a burnt mac and cheese dish, its savory bits surrounded by a thick, smoky crust.
A guest vocal spot from Terminal Nation’s Stan Liszewski on “Internal Threat” supplements the boisterous yells and gravelly shouts. This is such a raucous record that it’s an abrupt shift when they go for atmospheric, melodic riffs, like on the extended outro to closer “Ripped Up.” These slight-of-hand moves from their usual sound adds a different spin to Trials Of Failure.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
Pathogenic – Crowned In Corpses (Skepsis)
With Crowned In Corpses, it’s a bit of a full circle moment for Pathogenic. They brought back original vocalist Jake Burns, though this is not the same group that went full prog metal for their 2011 debut, Cyclopean Imagery. That’s another lifetime ago for them, as their third album builds upon the reinvention to prog-infused technical death metal from their 2019 self-titled record.
The years away from the band have strengthened Burns’ vocals, as the venom drips off his sharpened growls. There’s less melodic singing on Crowned In Corpses compared to their last album, yet they maintain an inventive streak with acoustic guitars on “Dead But Not At Rest” and a synth-laden outro to “Fragments.” “Drag Your Crosses” is so undeniably catchy that it’s worth giving this album a shot to experience this one.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Phrenelith – Ashen Womb (Dark Descent)
Phrenelith have refined their ominous brand of death metal with Ashen Womb. Every turn a listener takes finds a new way to feel queasy. Even instrumentals “Noemata” and “Sphageion” can’t loosen the feeling that something unsightly is up ahead like a looming fork in the road that inevitably goes towards the rockiest path.
“Nebulae” and the title track uses death/doom as inspiration, trading off unpleasantness for gloomy dread. The latter is Phrenelith at their most audacious, as they inch right near the 10-minute mark to end Ashen Womb. From foreboding melodic guitars to icy synths, this song encompasses the band’s appeal; a cross between threatening and irresistible.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Saber – Lost In Flames (Rock Of Angels)
There are quite a few bands named Saber or Sabre. This one hails from Los Angeles, though they are inspired by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. They emerged with their debut album in 2021 and follow it up with Lost In Flames.
The production is modern, but the influences are straight out of the ’80s, ranging from Iron Maiden to Judas Priest to Riot. They also bring some American glam rock stylings to the table as well, evident on songs like “Madam Dangerous.” Twin guitar lines and soaring Dickinson/Halford-esque vocals drive the album, whose eight songs fly by in less than half an hour. While there’s not a lot of originality on Lost In Flames, it’s a fun blast from the past that pays homage to metal’s glory days.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Thundermother – Dirty & Divine (AFM)
After a two-year hiatus, a reconstituted Thundermother return with two new members and an energetic new record. Featuring a new singer and drummer, Dirty & Divine finds the Swedish four-piece continuing their brand of traditional, straightforward heavy rock that recalls the primal stomp of AC/DC and party-on vibe of KISS. Much of the record combines The Donnas’ late-career forays into melodic ‘80s glam metal with Lzzy Hale-style wailing from vocalist Linnea Vikström Egg.
“Can’t Put Out The Fire” and its accompanying video put the KISS Influence front and center, while “Take The Power” ramps up to the tempo to speed metal territory. “Bright Eyes” features a slinky stomp and anthemic chorus, with more modern production elements, before launching into closing rave-up “American Adrenaline,” a perfect summation of Thundermother’s manifesto. Though not breaking much new ground, Dirty & Divine will satisfy any craving for the glory of days of pop metal.
Rating: 3
(Gino Sigismondi)
Unreqvited – Pathway To The Moon (Prophecy)
Pathway To The Moon, the seventh full-length from the Canadian band Unreqvited, is a solid attempt at combining different forms of post music. The result is an ethereal effort that has grace and power. It is a spiritually resonant take on post music as thee songs shimmer with a beauty that is wonderful to behold. An intense atmosphere gives the songs even more impact. The music is perhaps similar to Alcest with the shoegaze effect as well.
There is still a blackened aspect to Unreqvited. The musicianship is solid with ethereal sounding guitars and a nice backbone of drumming. Further refinement could make them even tighter, but this is pretty classy sounding stuff. Recommended to fans of Alcest or perhaps even post rock acts. Pathway To The Moon does get better on repeated listens.
Rating: 3.5
(Adam McAuley)
