This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Aeonblack, Anberlin, Artificial Brain, Assumption, Black Space Riders, Carbellion, Cro-Mags, Eternity’s End, Gomorra, Graviton, Iron Savior, A Killer’s Confession, Maledictus, The Mosaic Wind, Necropanther, Parius, Satanic Warmaster, Silvertomb, Temple Of Bones, Walls Of Jericho and Zebra.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Aeonblack – Treason (Fastball)
Germany has had a fine tradition of power metal albums over the past forty years, and Aeonblack’s third album Treason is the country’s latest addition to that ever growing list. Attacking right from the start with a twin guitar assault, there’s no denying that this band mean business and have the talent to pick and choose inspiration from any past metal eras.
There’s echoes of Primal Fear and Metalium in Aeonblack’s sound, but delivered with more urgency, the impressive mid-to-scream vocals of Holger Fehrke-Berger further facilitating this approach. But as well as classic heavy power metal, the band occasionally draw from U.S. speed metal when further energy is needed. With no shortage of driving riffs and attention-grabbing leadwork, Aeonblack are a force to be reckoned with, possessing the ability to impress both traditional heavy metal and power metal fans alike.
Rating: 3.5
(Andy Barker)
Anberlin – Currency (Equal Vision)
Orlando alt-rock mainstays Anberlin have spent nearly twenty-five years building a catalog that rewards loyalty, and their ninth record Currency is a bold reset. It is the first full-length with Memphis May Fire frontman Matty Mullins on lead vocals, following Stephen Christian’s 2023 step back from touring. Mullins has already re-recorded “Feel Good Drag,” the song that first hooked me, so hearing him front a full album of new material feels personal. Christian McAlhaney, Joseph Milligan, Deon Rexroat, and Nathan Young anchor the lineup, with production shared with Kellen McGregor.
The concept is what sets Currency apart. Mullins frames it as the aftermath of an identity collapsing, and the tracklist follows that arc: “Ghost,” “Medicate,” “Relapse,” “Lies.” Ten of the eleven songs hover around three minutes, then “Ashes” stretches past six, giving the story room to land. Switchfoot is a guest on “Trenches,” making it a fitting pairing given the two bands’ recent tour together, and a hint of hope amid the wreckage. Lean, thematic, and unafraid of its own darkness, Currency looks like a confident new chapter.
Rating: 3
(Jeanetta Briski)
Artificial Brain – Antillia (Profound Lore)
Artificial Brain remain one of the hardest bands to rate. While Antillia doesn’t reinvent their sound, it further develops their increasingly melodic approach without sacrificing the twisted, chaotic nature of their death metal. The vocals are more intelligible, the songwriting remains ridiculously technical, and the atmospheric passages are as effective as ever. There’s still plenty to admire.
However, perhaps familiarity has taken away some of the band’s initial sense of horror and mystery. Labyrinth Constellation felt genuinely alien and terrifying, whereas Antillia is more like an old nightmare we’ve learned to live with. Still, consistency is a talent, and Artificial Brain continue to deliver challenging, imaginative music that very few bands could replicate.
Rating: 3.5
(Carlos Tirado)
Assumption – Paradox Of The Arrow (20 Buck Spin)
Paradox Of The Arrow is the third album from death/doom metal group Assumption. There’s a funeral doom lurch to “Southwards Our Spirits Shall Forever Drift” and “Vrykolakes,” though the song lengths don’t reach the double-digit heights other bands in the genre tend to aim for. Keeping the songs between six and eight minutes long was wise for Assumption to do.
Synths wash over “Tombs Upon The Sun” and “Selenite” as an extra punctuation mark on the gloom shadowing Paradox Of The Arrow. The latter has a heck of a soulful guitar solo halfway in, as Assumption periodically let some melodic expressions come into focus. A solid case can be made for this being one of the top death/doom metal albums of 2026.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Black Space Riders – Die 8 (Cargo)
Following the release of their 2022 album We Have Been Here Before and the arrival of their audio engineer as their new backup guitarist, German psychedelic progressives Black Space Riders are back for a new chapter of their intergalactic voyage with their eighth album Die 8.
Despite the semi-repetitive lyrics, the instrumentation is what really carries this album from start to end. Whether it is the dark goth intensity of “Party is Over (The last curfew)” or the dreamy expanse of “Weite (The Edge of the Beginning” this album really showcases the range of musical styles they are capable of.
Rating: 3.5
(Dalton Husher)
Carbellion – This Is Our Style (Eclipse)
Wisconsin heavy rockers Carbellion have been around for more than two decades, with their full-length debut Villains issued in 2006. The band’s latest effort is This Is Our Style.
Their style uses heavy rock as the base, but they venture into other genres as well, sprinkling influences of stoner, grunge and desert rock throughout. The songs are heavy yet catchy, incorporating catchy riffs and hooks. In addition to their radio-ready originals, the band covers “Open Up Your Eyes” from ’90s rockers Tonic. This Is Our Style is front loaded, and loses a bit of momentum on the back half, but is an enjoyable hard rocker album.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Cro-Mags – The Age Of Quarrel: 40 Years Of Quarrel (BLKIIBLK)
Forty years after The Age Of Quarrel, Cro-Mags revisit a New York hardcore classic without attempting to replace the original 1986 recording. “We Gotta Know” retains its rawness and speed, while “World Peace,” “Face the Facts,” “Do Unto Others,” and “Signs of the Times” preserve the urgency and aggression that defined that sound. Harley Flanagan remains in remarkable form, backed by exceptional instrumental performances.
Producer Arthur Rizk successfully preserves the original’s abrasive character while giving the instruments greater definition. However, the excessive reverb applied to Flanagan’s vocals throughout the album diminishes some of their immediate impact. The modern production never erases the music’s identity. This re-recording cannot replace the historical significance of the original album, but it offers a convincing reinterpretation and a valuable opportunity for younger generations to discover songs that remain just as urgent four decades later.
Rating: 3.5
(Jose Cardona)
Eternity’s End – Titanblood (Scarlet)
Titanblood is the fourth album from the German band Eternity’s End formed by guitarist Christian Muenzner (Obscura, Necrophagist). The music is a blend of power metal, traditional heavy metal, neo-classical metal and thrash. According to the band, “While not being a proper concept album, every “Titanblood” song tells about dark fantasy stories inspired by writers like Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock and Edgar Allen Poe.” And indeed the music reflects these epic themes with soaring guitar solos, mood changes and hooks aplenty.
The vocals of Mike Livas remind me of Alan Tecchio and Rob Halford, but the songs have several instrumental passages besides actual instrumental tracks. So significant care seems to have been given to the compositional aspect of the songs. There aren’t any weak tracks, with “In The Wake Of The Carrion King” notable for its fury and its trade-offs between guitar and keyboard. ‘Interstellar Transmission’ recalls Jason Becker’s Perpetual Burn album. And “Eternal Winter” mixes some thrash-sounding staccato riffs and relentless drumming with strong power metal melodies. Titanblood is a cut above the rest within this music style. Fans of Yngwie Malmsteen, Stratovarius, Blind Guardian, Alcatrazz and Gamma Ray, rejoice.
Rating: 4
(Chris Galea)
Gomorra – Blood Of The Innocent (Noble Demon)
Blood Of The Innocent, the third full-length from the Swiss band Gomorra is a power and thrash metal-influenced album with a very impactful sound. Drawing heavily from classic bands like Judas Priest, the record delivers a gleaming display of traditional metal might. The band’s old-school approach is quite charming and gives the music a triumphant quality, while the thrash elements bring to mind groups like Heathen.
There is a strong sense of classic metal identity throughout, and the album embraces it wholeheartedly. The musicianship is excellent, making this a fun and enjoyable listen. The music evokes a variety of emotions, generally leaning toward a heroic and feel-good atmosphere that gives the material plenty of appeal. However, the album does have a lack of innovation and considerable debt to the Judas Priest school of metal. While the familiar influences are part of its charm, they also prevent Blood Of The Innocent from establishing a more distinctive identity.
Rating: 3.5
(Adam McAuley)
Graviton – Graviton (Skepsis)
Graviton go the self-titled route on their third album, maintaining a bitter potency with their thrashy death metal. Eight years between full-lengths, with only 2023’s The Seventh Plague breaking up the lull, has not radically changed the group much. The most out-there Graviton gets is their subtle use of synths on many songs, including “NGC 1277 Pt. III – GRAVITON” and “Pillars Of Life.”
The first half of the record is at a breathless pace, which makes an interlude like “Vengeance” a relief. It takes until the second-to-last song, “Celestial Mass,” for Graviton to ease into a mid-tempo romp. To follow that up with the punctual closer “Dissent Into Madness” is proof that the band always finds a way to get back to what works best for them.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
Iron Savior – Deathbringer (Frontiers)
Iron Savior deliver a forceful blend of speed, melody, and soaring power metal on Deathbringer. Following the atmospheric “Shadows of Neverness,” the title track hits with gripping riffs and a spectacular guitar solo. Piet Sielck sounds in exceptional form, shifting effortlessly between gritty delivery and commanding high notes, while layered backing vocals and twin guitar lines add weight. “The Creature’s Tale” slows the pace without losing its storytelling pull.
“Back From The Fires Of Hell” builds from muscular bass lines toward an epic melodic peak, while “Climbing Higher” turns its infectious choruses into an anthem built for live singalongs, aided by subtle keyboards. The six-minute “Dawn Of Deliverance” remains compelling through changing arrangements, strong melodies, and excellent guitar work. Sielck’s production feels clear, spacious, and dynamic, allowing every instrument to shine. A commanding cover of Judas Priest’s “Fever” brings the album to a satisfying close.
Rating: 4
(Jose Cardona)
A Killer’s Confession – Victim 3 (MNRK Heavy)
Victim 3 closes the trilogy A Killer’s Confession began in 2024, and Waylon Reavis ends it with a reckoning rather than a victory lap. After two records of a serial killer hunting society’s worst, the bill finally comes due: death row, and a hard moral that vigilantism has consequences and some men can’t be saved. Opener “The One” erupts from whispers into a guttural roar. The protagonist is now a cornered psychopath blaming everyone but himself. “Meat Hook” answers with a thick, bouncy groove that feels deliciously wrong, the sound of a man reliving the fun. “Roses” is the emotional center; its woozy riff and chanted farewell deliver the villain’s goodbye to a world that won’t mourn him.
The standout is “Blinding Lights.” Icy synths, stuttering drums, and searing lead guitar turn a pop hit into something trapped in a cell, framed as the last song stuck in the killer’s head. It’s clever storytelling, not novelty. The remaining tracks stay lean at around three minutes each, though the middle stretch can blur slightly. Still, the hooks are held.
Closer “Worth Saving” lets screams collapse into a quiet, resigned harmony, and the restraint hits harder than noise would. It’s a haunting full stop. At about thirty-five minutes, Victim 3 is focused, melodic, and earns its concept.
Rating: 3.5
(Jeanetta Briski)
Maledictus – Lazarvs (Fireflash)
Lazarvs may be Portuguese metal band Maledictus’ debut album, but to fully understand the band’s journey it’s worth noting that Maledictus are actually four members of Seventh Storm, who released their gothic-tinged progressive metal debut in 2022. A band formed by ex-Moonspell drummer Mike Gaspar, Seventh Storm’s debut (titled Maledictus, see what they did there?) was a varied affair and critically acclaimed, but Maledictus the band sound much more cohesive and focused than these members’ predecessor.
Adopting a dark progressive metal style along the lines of Evergrey or Borealis, Maledictus are heavier and more impactful. This style suits Rez’s voice perfectly and he’s the ideal frontman for the powerful, varied rhythms and crunching guitar each song oozes. With a full, dynamic production, this album is undeniable proof that, along with drummer Pete Crushes, these talented musicians knew exactly where and how to take their sound to the next level.
Rating: 4
(Andy Barker)
The Mosaic Window – Answered Prayers (Vesperian)
The Mosaic Window revert back to primal black metal for their new album, Answered Prayers. Main composer Andrew Steven Brown, with the help of session drummer Dmitry Kim, has taken out any nods to melodic death metal that were present on Hemasanctum. This is an intentional throwback to their roots, even dusting off a song from their first EP Hollow with the revamped “What Sage Could Not Cleanse.”
There are significant stretches of uncompromised black metal, though there are a few spots where The Mosaic Window let a feeling of bleak tranquility set in. That comes within the excellent guitar solo in “Lightning Be Thy Guide” and the restraint shown in the tempos to “Blood And Chains.” The latter starts off the second half to Answered Prayers, though it’s also the only song on the rest of the album to be this understated.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Necropanther – The Book Of Change (Self)
On their fifth full-length The Book Of Change, the Denver extreme metal group Necropanther explore the concept of metamorphosis. Their lyrical source material ranges from Shakespeare to horror movies to video games.
There’s ample variety, with the songs shifting from galloping thrash to groovy death metal to caustic black metal. Paul Anop’s vocals are also varied, from guttural death growls to higher pitched black metal style vocals. It’s an album of contrasts as melodic sections shift to chaotic parts and back again. The album ends with three instrumentals, an interesting sequencing choice. The Book Of Change is not only an apt description of the album’s lyrical focus, but of Necropanther’s impressive songwriting versatility.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Parius – Alchestronomy (Willowtip)
Alchestronomy has Parius walking in the same path of bands like Dream Theater and Edge Of Sanity with a whole album tied to a single song (split into seven individual tracks). This may not quite reach the pinnacle of a Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence or Crimson, but it is stellar progressive metal that brings back some of the edge taken off of their previous album, The Signal Heard Throughout Space.
That can be most heard from vocalist Louis Thierry, who lets his growls be more prominent, almost going half-and-half with his vibrant singing. Alchestronomy takes about 20 minutes to show its true prog self. However, after that, the last 15 or so minutes are full of the flashy keyboards, masterful guitar solos and ambitious energy that are key to the genre.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Satanic Warmaster – Drachenkreuz (Werewolf)
Satanic Warmaster, one of black metal’s most malevolent names and, in the eyes of many, one of its most controversial acts, return with Drachenkreuz (German for “The Dragon’s Cross”), their eighth studio album, that features a particularly striking points: it kicks off in distinctly Slayer-esque fashion, complete with a guitar solo by Timo Tolkki, almost like a reimagining of “Hell Awaits,” before closing the album with a strong nod to Darkthrone. Both moments make a powerful statement.
Drachenkreuz stays true to Satanic Warmaster’s familiar path, crafting songs rooted in first-wave black metal, with its raw, cold, and evil spirit, while allowing subtle traces of more contemporary black metal to surface. The album offers several moments that command attention, none more so than “The Dragon’s Cross,” a deeply dark and emotive melodic piece in which Werwolf and Timo Tolkki exchange melodies and harmonies. It stands among the album’s finest moments. Drachenkreuz is another highly successful offering from Satanic Warmaster, delivering precisely what one seeks in bold, uncompromising black metal.
Rating: 4
(Arash Khosronejad)
Silvertomb – The Interpretation Of Nightmares (Steamhammer)
Type O Negative’s Kenny Hickey and Johnny Kelly have brought back their Silvertomb project for its sophomore album The Interpretation of Nightmares seven years after their debut. The project has some heavy doom influences and Hickey’s vocal delivery feels similar to how Chris Cornell did in his Soundgarden days. As a matter of fact this album almost feels as if it was pulled from the annals of the ‘90s down to the keyboard usage that could have been from a Faith No More record as opener “Brain Matter/No God” uses faux strings to do exactly that.
“You Know” has vocal effects that distort the delivery for an almost “Black Hole Sun” vibe, while “Prayer For The Paranoid” uses the song title as an almost chorus giving off slowed and doomy textures. The guitar leads are very clean and come through strongly at times, making for one of the better tracks. However, the transition to “Distorted” doubles down on the problem where after a while some of these tracks kind of blend together. The Interpretation Of Nightmares is a decent record, but one that is ultimately a forgettable offering.
Rating: 3
(Tom Campagna)
Temple Of Bones – Walk The Winds (Relapse)
Temple Of Bones are a Ripping Corpse/Dim Mak reunion of sorts, with three-quarters of the band being alumni from one of those two acts. Walk The Winds is their debut release, one that may have a listener thinking back to the days of Dreaming With The Dead and Intercepting Fist. There’s an old-school flavor to these songs, from the frenetic pace of drummer Brandon Thomas to the weathered growls of vocalist Scott Ruth.
It’s fantastic to hear Ruth behind the microphone again, as he’s been laying low following his stint with Dim Mak. Walk The Winds is not a recreation of the glory days, or a desperate cry for relevancy, but is a group of musicians dusting off their instruments to keep the spirit of death metal/thrash metal alive.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Walls of Jericho – System Error: Humanity (Napalm)
A decade away from the studio clearly hasn’t mellowed Walls Of Jericho, particularly firebrand vocalist Candace Buckingham. The American metallic hardcore outfit’s new slab of brutality, System Of Error: Humanity is about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the cranium. Save for the welcome breather afforded by slow-burning “A Brighter Fire,” the majority of this LP is relentless and efficient in its delivery, led by Buckingham’s ferocious growls and fiery messages of self-determination and human rights.
“The Flame” and “Agency” infuse a scathing thrash metal vibe, while “The Reckoning” offers a seismic-shifting beatdown. Guest appearances hit the spot, too; notably Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe on the striking “Broken Mouths Can’t Speak” and The Red Chord’s Guy Kozowyk on groove-laden “Humanity.” If you didn’t get your fill of thrash riffs and hefty breakdowns from the new Hatebreed record, System Error: Humanity ought to do the trick. There may be few surprises to be found, but these songs are the soundtrack to your next black eye.
Rating: 3.5
(Brendan Crabb)
Zebra – Zebra V (Flatiron)
More than a half century after their formation, the New Orleans hard rock trio Zebra still have their original lineup of Randy Jackson, Felix Hanemann and Guy Gelso. In their heyday, the band released three albums, with their 1983 self-titled debut the most successful. They re-emerged in 2003 with Zebra IV.
Now, another 23 years has passed, and Zebra’s latest opus Zebra V is being unleashed. It’s a combination of straightforward melodic hard rock and progressive rock. There’s also the requisite power ballad “I’ll Be There Beside You.” At age 71, Jackson’s range is still good, hitting the high notes on songs like “She’s Waiting For You.” Zebra have always flown a bit under the radar, but they have outlasted most of their contemporaries, with Zebra V a welcome return.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
