This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from AnāʻAnā, Axetasy, Bumblefoot, Century, The Ferrymen, Grave Digger, The Great Old Ones, Harakiri For The Sky, Labyrinth, The Slime, Tigertailz, Vukovi and Wardruna.
The ratings are on a 5 star scale.
AnāʻAnā – Aura Of Blood (Darkwoods)
Sometimes you just have to ignore the status quo and return to the basics. Belgian black metal duo AnāʻAnā have done just that with their debut album Aura Of Blood. Formed by former Slow members Déhà and Lore, their immense talent and previous projects have helped re-spark the essence of classic ‘90s black metal.
Drawing inspiration from the likes of Celtic Frost, Aura Of Blood has all the hallmarks of a modern black metal classic. “Kalaipahoa” is the capital example of less is more and keeping it simple is sometimes the best way to go, while “First of Snakes” showcases the savage vocal prowess that Déhà is known for.
Rating: 4
(Dalton Husher)
Axetasy – Withering Tides (Dying Victims)
German heavy metallers Axetasy hit the ground running on their debut album, Withering Tides. Their sound is more akin the shouted style of vocals commonly associated with the ‘80s metal scene in Europe so it should come as no surprise to the listener that they juxtapose that sound with furious and fast guitar work.
“Fatal Maze” is a great cross section of what the band is capable of with twin guitars from Amon Kroner and Izzy Fetch trading places in a violent show of firepower towards the end of the track all while maintaining their fast and furious sound accompanying their gruff exterior. Expect more from this band in the future, since this is only their opening salvo. If you want a fun throwback with ample energy and shouted sections for extra European flair, Withering Tides is a blast of energy from start to finish.
Rating: 3.5
(Tom Campagna)
Bumblefoot – Bumblefoot…Returns! (Self)
It has been a decade since guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal released a solo album, as he has been busy with bands such as Art Of Anarchy, Sons Of Apollo and Whom Gods Destroy. His latest solo effort Bumblefoot…Returns! is an instrumental album.
Thal displays a lot of different styles on the album. He gets proggy on opener “Simon In Space,” bluesy on “Griggstown Crossing,” embraces the twang on “Moonshine Hootenanny,” and shows classical chops on “Chopin Waltz Op64 No2.” There are also several guests on the album, including Steve Vai on the heavy “Monstruoso” and Queen’s Brian May on “Once In Forever.” While instrumental albums aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, Bumblefoot…Returns! is an eclectic collection of fully realized songs that are much more than just guitar wizardry.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Century – Sign Of The Storm (Dying Victims)
One of my favorite albums from 2023 was Century’s debut The Conquest Of Time so my expectations for their sophomore effort Sign Of The Storm are unusually high. Couple that with consistent quality from their label, Dying Victims and this should be a no-brainer.
Century waste no time getting into their heavy metal attack, not always having to be the fastest but the simple melodies and charging riffs would make a great entry point for fans of bands like Tribulation; having a bit of a darker and ominous edge to some of the riffs on “Children of the Past.” Century continue to impress with blasts from “Necromancer” and “Fly Away,” songs that don’t overstay their welcome but provide ample bombast to keep the energy consistent throughout the album. Sign Of The Storm is the first great traditional heavy metal album of 2025, showing that the sky’s the limit for this dynamic duo.
Rating: 4.5
(Tom Campagna)
The Ferrymen – Iron Will (Frontiers)
The fact that the melodic metal trio The Ferrymen have been able to release new material every two or three years is quite a feat when you take into consideration their many other obligations. Frontman Ronnie Romero is in Sunstorm, Lords Of Black, Elegant Weapons and more. Guitarist Magnus Karlsson collaborates with Anette Olzon and is a member of bands including Magnus Karlsson’s Free Fall and Primal Fear.
The band’s fourth album Iron Will is classic heavy metal with heavy riffs and big hooks. The Ferrymen write songs that pack a punch, have depth in the arrangements and are catchy, a trifecta that’s not easy to master. Karlsson’s guitar work is impressive throughout, as are Mike Terrana’s drums. Romero sings with his typical power and expressiveness, whether on mellower songs like “Dreams And Destiny” or more intense numbers such as “Adrenaline.” Iron Will to nobody’s surprise when you consider the lineup, is another consistently good and enjoyable album.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Grave Digger – Bone Collector (ROAR-RPM)
Fans will not be disappointed with Bone Collector, the 22nd album from Grave Digger and the first with guitarist Tobias Kersting (ex-Orden Ogan). “Graveyard Kings” and the title track are two songs boasting fist-pumping, air-guitar inducing riffs. Meanwhile, numbers such as “Mirrors Of Hate” and “Riders Of Doom” add a degree of variety to the music.
Taken as a whole, however, there’s very little that sticks after the album has ended. Catchy choruses, heavy riffs or guitar solos by themselves do not necessarily equate to great songs. Songs such as “Forever Evil/Buried Alive” kick off in an almighty fashion only for the momentum to be lost before the composition is halfway through. “Whispers Of The Damned” has an eerie intro, as befits the lyrics, but bears a striking resemblance to Metallica’s “Welcome Home (Sanitarium).” Ultimately, Bone Collector is as Grave Digger as Grave Digger can be.
Rating: 3
(Chris Galea)
The Great Old Ones – Kadath (Season Of Mist)
The beauty of The Great Old Ones‘ story lies in their evolution. With each step, they paint more vibrant, more diverse strokes on Lovecraft’s eerie and enigmatic world, as if crafting a score for its ever-expanding cinematic universe. Kadath, their fifth studio album, is the culmination of this journey. It is haunting and cinematic.
While still following The Great Old Ones’ familiar composition pattern, Kadath is a complex, intricate work. It’s not their masterpiece, but it’s undeniably their most complete work to date, weaving labyrinthine corridors of sounds and instruments and a bewildering orchestration of black metal with progressive metal, sludge metal, and post-metal elements. Kadath is a god born on the peak of the mountain of Kadath, among the dream-gods of the earth, in the arms of the Great Ones.
Rating: 4
(Arash Khosronejad)
Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth (AOP)
In 2021 the Austrian post black metal duo Harakiri For The Sky released the double album Mære. Their latest effort Scorched Earth isn’t quite that lengthy, but they still give fans their money’s worth on Scorched Earth, which clocks in at about 72 minutes including the two bonus tracks.
As with previous records, HFTS’s compositions are expansive, allowing plenty of time and space for musical twists and turns. Tempo and intensity changes keep things interesting throughout. Opener “Heal Me” that features Austere’s Tim Yatras is downright catchy at times, while songs like “No Graves But The Sea” are more complex but no less engaging. There are several other guests on the album as well. Svalbard’s Serena Cherry appears on “Too Late For Goodbyes,” and Groza’s P.G. appears on the Radiohead cover “Street Spirit (Fade Out).” With Scorched Earth, Harakiri For The Sky have delivered another immersive and memorable album.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
Labyrinth – In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye (Frontiers)
The Italian progressive/power metal band Labyrinth got their start more than 30 years ago. After a 7-year break from 2010 to 2017, they have been rejuvenated over the past several years. The band’s studio album is In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye.
They write songs that shift from traditional and prog-tinged to soaring power metal and back again. Songs like “Accept The Changes” have a lot of dynamics while remaining cohesive. They use tempo shifts effectively, with tracks like “Out Of Place” balladlike at times, and in other places are full-out power metal. Vocalist Roberto Tiranti adapts expertly to the musical shifts, able to belt it out as well as use a more nuanced and expressive delivery. The band says In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye is their heaviest, fastest and angriest to-date, and while that may be the case, it’s also melodic and hooky.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
The Slime – Crab-Walk To Oblivion (Self)
Crab-Walk To Oblivion is able to handle the difficult task of capturing the hyper-charged energy of a typical live show from The Slime in the studio. In a little over 15 minutes, the group breezes through hardcore punk/crossover thrash, covering everything from horror movies (“Crab-Walk,” complete with a sample of George C. Scott from The Exorcist III) to colonialism in the school system of their home country of Canada (“Orange”).
They know when to be serious and when to be silly, which also extends to the music itself. There’s the 30-second skull splitters, like “Washout Revenge” and “Beyond Dead,” and steadier riffs with crunch behind them on “Sludge” and “Russian Roulette.” Crab-Walk To Oblivion has The Slime unleashing their chaotic spirit with nothing in their way.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Tigertailz – For A Few Dollarz More (The Archives Vol 1: 1984-1991) (Cherry Red)
The Welsh glam metal band Tigertailz formed in 1984, issuing their debut album Young And Crazy in 1987. They released a few albums before splitting, and then they reunited about a decade later. They have released more albums since then and continue to tour. Their early material is being reissued as For A Few Dollarz More (The Archives Vol 1: 1984-1991).
The collection includes Young And Crazy which featured vocalist Steevi Jaimz, along with 1990’s Bezerk with singer Kim Hooker. The latter was the group’s most commercially successful record, with three singles: “Love Bomb Baby,” “Noise Level Critical” and “Heaven.” In addition to those two records, the third disc consists of singles, live tracks and rarities. Their covers of Metallica’s “Creeping Death” and Megadeth’s “Peace Sells” are included. For those who missed them the first time around or just want to relive their younger days, For A Few Dollarz More (The Archives Vol 1: 1984-1991) will hit the spot nicely.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Vukovi – My God Has Got A Gun (SharpTone)
The Scottish band Vukovi went deep in the heart of Texas to record their latest album My God Has Got A Gun. They traveled to Austin’s The Machine Shop, a very well-known studio. Vocalist Janine Shilstone also created the album’s artwork.
As to their style, Vukovi embrace a few of them including hard rock, electro, pop punk and metalcore. That makes for an album that’s catchy, heavy, and sometimes danceable. They go back to the ’90s with “Sno,” inspired by groups like Garbage. Electronics are front and center on songs like “Cowboy,” while guitars are prominent on tracks such as “Fallen Beyond.” Not everything works, but most of My God Has Got A Gun is compelling.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Wardruna – Birna (By Norse/Sony)
Birna delivers a captivating blend of epic, nature-inspired soundscapes that resonate with metal fans. The album plays with silence and energy in a way that creates an almost ritualistic experience, typical of Wardruna. Even if the result feels rather gimmicky, as in this is what Vikings were supposed to sound like.
That said, the pacing can feel strange. While some tracks are short, impactful, and dramatic, others struggle with prolonged build-ups that lose momentum. This inconsistency might challenge listeners seeking a smoother experience. Still, for those drawn to a relaxing Nordic folk journey, Birna offers an immersive escape. Though it may not satisfy fans of tighter, high-energy pacing, exploring its mystical sounds is a worthwhile adventure.
Rating: 3
(Carlos Tirado)
