This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Adur, Ash Magick, Finnr’s Cane, Headless, In Mourning, Manegarm, Pinkshift, Shadows, Ursawrath, Vicious Rumors and Zatokrev.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Adur – We Fail To Love Ourselves (Self)
The UK group Adur are new, but their members have a lot of experience with resumes including bands such as Aerosol Jesus, Grave Lines, Johnny Truant and Sea Bastard. We Fail To Love Ourselves is their debut album.
They cover numerous styles ranging from chaotic hardcore to groovy sludge to post metal. They incorporate a fairly equal balance of all those styles into their songs, with highlights including the title track and “The One Percent.” A couple of mellow interludes give a respite from the aggression, and are short enough to not drag down the proceedings. In addition to variety, We Fail To Love Ourselves has songs that are also dynamic and engaging, making for a promising debut.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Ash Magick – Rituals Of Anathematic East (Apocalyptic Witchcraft)
In a genre heavily dominated by men, it is a welcoming feeling to the ears when an all female band like Istanbul based black metal band Ash Magick come to the scene with their third release Rituals Of Anathematic East.
The whole album is heavily inspired by regional folklore and mysticism as well as local Syriac Christianity beliefs, shown in tracks like “Beyond Dara’s Gates.” There is a strong sense of pure raw emotion that is the vehicle for the stories that are being told throughout each track. It is easy to dismiss most black metal as mindless noise with no reason, but one can tell Ash Magick have put in serious craft and work into Rituals Of Anathematic East.
Rating: 4
(Dalton Husher)
Finnr’s Cane – Finnr’s Cane (Nordvis)
The time between releases for the Canadian duo Finnr’s Cane has been longer for each record. There were three years between their debut and A Portrait Painted By The Sun, a five-year span between that one and Elegy, and another seven years elapsed before their latest, a self-titled effort.
Their brand of atmospheric black metal eschews the bass, with the low end driven by cello and keyboards. Their song structures aren’t always typical, with improvisation a big part of their process. Everything clicks on tracks like “Twilight Glow,” with catchy parts and an acoustic interlude, while “Awaken The Sleeping Forest” has compelling guitar parts and a lot of intensity. Even on the tracks that meander a bit, there’s still enough to maintain interest. Let’s just hope Finnr’s Cane fans don’t have to wait until 2034 for their next album.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Headless – Transitional Objects (M-Theory)
The Italian prog metal band Headless released their debut full-length in 1998, then took an extended hiatus before returning in 2013. Transitional Objects is their fifth album, and second with the current lineup. Their brand of prog walks the line between hard rock and metal, with plenty of hooks and catchy melodies augmented by progressive forays.
They keep the songwriting pretty streamlined, with only one song exceeding five minutes. Tracks like “Losing Power” crank up the intensity to metal levels, while songs such as “Misery” are more accessible. Göran Edman’s vocals are excellent. Headless close the album with a cover of Megadeth’s “I Thought I Knew It All” which features guitarist Andy Martongelli, currently in David Ellefson’s band.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
In Mourning – The Immortal (Dalapop)
The Immortal, the latest release from the veteran Swedish band In Mourning is an interesting melodic effort that has a modern edge to it. There is a melodic death metal feeling, but also something more progressive in nature. There is a more potent aspect to the album than there is to the typical melodic metal release. There is also a very emotional presence on the album and this is what makes it compelling.
The musicianship on the album is very solid and clear. There is a mainstream effect to the songs that makes them even more attractive to the listener. If there is a flaw to be found here it is in how the album fails to be faithful to the melodic death metal genre and tries to branch out too much. This is still excellent stuff.
Rating: 3.5
(Adam McAuley)
Månegarm – Edsvuren (Napalm)
Månegarm, one of the most prominent bands in the history of folk/Viking metal, celebrate their 30th anniversary with a release that distills everything they’ve achieved into one of their most epic work yet. Edsvuren, the band’s 12th studio album, is a powerful proof of Månegarm’s enduring ability to keep their musical throne both alive and exhilarating after all these years.
Edsvuren is a masterful piece of work. It doesn’t lead devoted listeners to uncharted territory, nor does it unveil something radically new in the Månegarm sound. Instead, it offers a dazzling collection of battlefield sagas and heroic tales deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of Nordic heritage. The album brims with moments that leave the listener spellbound, where black metal serves as a steady, understated foundation beneath soaring folk melodies and the raw power of Viking and Pagan metal. Immersive from start to finish, Edsvuren sweeps its audience into the epic folk tales of the North and holds them there until the final note fades.
Rating: 4
(Arash Khosronejad)
Pinkshift – Earthkeeper (Hopeless)
The members of Pinkshift met while attending Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and released their full-length debut Love Me Forever in 2022. They follow that up with Earthkeeper, which is heavier than their debut.
While their early material was in the pop-punk vein, they have added a lot of other styles to their repertoire. “Blood” has a nu-metal vibe, while “Anita Ride” brings the metal riffage. They also infuse punk, hardcore, grunge and other genres into the mix, including a power ballad (“Patience”). Ashrita Kumar is a versatile vocalist, able to croon melodically, sing aggressively and even rap. Pinkshift have really found their footing on Earthkeeper.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Shadows – Miseria (Self)
Miseria is the molten debut from Shadows, a German black/death metal group with misanthropic thoughts and the endurance to continuously stay in a furious state. There’s a series of songs in the second half where they don’t stop for upwards of five-plus minutes. That’s not the MO for the album as a whole, but the collection of “A Seance,” “Mässa XCIV” and “Cycles” is a rush of hot wind on a cold day.
“As Above So Below” and “Unnamed Sorrow” bookends Miseria with atmospheric touches, as Shadows lets their nihilism crush any optimistic spirit. A few guest guitar solos from Robert Ahrling and Andreas Hedberg, along with additional vocals from Cemetary’s Mathias Lodmalm (who is heavily involved in the production of Miseria), reinforces the band’s pungent music.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Ursawrath – Emergence (Self)
Ursawrath’s progressive thrash metal isn’t dragged out or needlessly complicated on their debut album, Emergence. There’s some respect given to late ’80s Voivod and Rust In Peace-era Megadeth in these riffs without rehashing the past. Guitarists DJ and Lucas Robertson are a formable duo, trading off guitar solos with glee on “Rot.”
“Lies” puts on a punkish front to their thrash, while “Unstoppable” lives up to its name as a rambunctious closer only topped by the equally wild opener, “Thawed By Hell’s Flames.” Ursawrath are in the zone when they keep the thrashing as a top priority, whipping up a metal feast.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Vicious Rumors – The Devil’s Asylum (Steamhammer/SPV)
The long-running California metal band Vicious Rumors have been around since the late ’70s, with guitarist Geoff Thorpe the lone remaining original member. For their latest album The Devil’s Asylum there are a couple of lineup changes, with vocalist Chalice (Enchanter, Dirt) and guitarist Denver Cooper (Midnight Spell) coming onboard.
Even with the new members, the album has a classic sound, blending traditional metal with power metal moments. There’s heaviness, melody and catchy tracks like “Dogs Of War” and “Bloodbath.” Chalice fits right in, singing with power, range and emotion. A couple tracks aren’t quite as compelling, which dilutes things somewhat, but there’s still plenty to like on The Devil’s Asylum, with Vicious Rumors showing no signs of slowing down.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Zatokrev – Bring Mirrors To The Surface (Pelagic)
The Swiss band Zatokrev took their time between albums, with a decade passing between Silk Spiders Underwater… and …Bring Mirrors To The Surface, their fifth record. Lengthy songs are Zatokrev’s forte, as they blend doom, death and sludge with plenty of experimentation.
Opener “Red Storm,” featuring Bölzer & Schammasch, packages heavy doom with ambient parts into a nearly ten-minute opus. Inezona guests on the sprawling “Blood,” her vocals adding an interesting twist. Zeal & Ardor’s Manuel Gagnon appears on “Unwinding Spirits,” a slow build with plenty of ebbs and flows. The album’s shortest song “Faint,” just over three minutes long, is one of its best, heavy and up-tempo with powerful riffs. There’s a lot to absorb on Bring Mirrors To The Surface, with Zatokrev’s skillful songwriting and top-notch musicianship making it well worth the effort.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
