This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Butcher Babies, Crimson Steel, Crystal Throne, Cursed To Occult, Dissimulator, Frozen Crown, The Green Goblins, Hippotraktor, Krallice, Miss May I, Of Virtue, Orbital Soul System, Rebel Rose, Sorcery, Spirit Possession and Temic.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Butcher Babies – Nightbloom (Judge & Jury)
Butcher Babies have been through a lot of changes over the last few years. There have been numerous personnel changes, including the exit of longtime vocalist Carla Harvey. Their latest release Nightbloom has Heidi Shepherd handling all vocal duties, along with the addition of bassist Sean Violet and drummer Dave Nickles.
The album is filled with radio-ready singles that are accessible but also pack a punch thanks to Shepherd’s versatile vocals that shift from melodic to throat-shredding. Tracks like “Are You Waiting Up?” and “Black Clouds Over Georgia” are all singing, but many of the compositions have both clean and harsh vocals. Electronic elements add atmosphere and give the record a modern sound. With Nightbloom, Butcher Babies position themselves to appeal to an even wider cross-section of listeners while satisfying those who have been along for the ride from the beginning.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Crimson Steel – Show No Fear (Heaven And Hell)
The Raleigh, North Carolina traditional metal band Crimson Steel emerged with 2022’s Night Creatures. Over the past few years there have been some lineup changes, including the addition of vocalist Tina Langevin for their sophomore effort Show No Fear.
Langevin’s vocal versatility is evident from the first proper song “Dark Rider,” showcasing smooth and melodic parts along with piercing vibrato ala Rob Halford. The arrangements give plenty of room for the rest of the band to show their stuff with instrumental sections featuring searing solos. “Purifier” also features male vocals, while James Rivera (Flotsam and Jetsam, Seven Witches) guests on the epic, gothic-tinged “Bleed Into One.” There are a lot of strong moments on Show No Fear along with a few lulls, but overall shows that Crimson Steel are an intriguing band to keep and eye (and ear) on.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Crystal Throne – Chantry Of Sacrifice (Self)
Five years after their debut, French five-piece progressive power metal band Crystal Throne make a notable step forward with follow-up album Chantry Of Sacrifice. There’s an emphasis on the progressive here, favoring songs of a lengthier runtime with intricate arrangements and shifting rhythms.
Crystal Throne have an approach reminiscent of European progressive metal bands that emerged just before the turn of the millennium, such as Dreamscape and Time Machine who, like Crystal Throne, were also influenced by the likes of Crimson Glory, Queensryche and the like. This gives Crystal Throne a maturity to their sound, which works perfectly with the precise vocal delivery and musical technicality of the tracks, which switch tempos and moods with ease. Yet also, as on “Tides Of Ages,” the band show they can get punchy and ramp up the energy up when they choose as well.
Rating: 3.5
(Andy Barker)
Cursed To Occult – I: Suffering In A Wonderful, Horrible Life (Crawling Chaos)
What you hear in Cursed To Occult’s sound, and what you encounter across the sonic landscape they traverse, is dark, crushing, and cold. Yet on their latest EP I: Suffering In A Wonderful, Horrible Life, it becomes profoundly cinematic. In under half an hour, Cursed To Occult captivate the listener, unveiling what stands as one of the year’s notable releases.
Elements of crust, punk, and sludge metal coexist with potent streaks of black metal, infusing the songs with renewed vitality while reinforcing the EP’s compositional foundation. Micha Eibisch, the mastermind and driving force behind the band’s songwriting, subjects Cursed To Occult to a sonic experiment that simultaneously traces their past trajectory and reaches toward something far more cinematic, dramatic, and overwhelming than their previous works. And he succeeds. I: Suffering In A Wonderful, Horrible Life marks the cornerstone of a planned sonic trilogy, and what greets us at this early stage is an incisive and impactful work; one that feels both familiar in its roots and strikingly ambitious in its vision.
Rating: 3.5
(Arash Khosronejad)
Dissimulator – Artifice Dissolves (20 Buck Spin)
Montreal madmen Dissimulator‘s sophomore album is Artifice Dissolves, a tech thrash tour-de-force that showcases everything from Voivod’s progressive knowhow to Cynic’s jazzy interludes and everything in between. Opener “Apophenic Rage” blasts through the door and gives way to some oddly angular riffing especially towards the end, blurring the line between heavy and technical, yet still managing to make this catchy like an earlier iteration of the band Revocation.
There is a very Focus-like section on “Hungry Ghosts” spoken in a machine voice, adding to the general science fiction vibes that wash over the listener from start to finish. “Alloyed” may well be the most accessible song on the album with its high-flying guitar antics and wobbly bass work, not to mention vocalist Claude Leduc showing out on more than the dizzying guitar work he displays with his other band, Chthe’list. If you want an excellent thrash album, that is heavy beyond belief and has odd progressive tendencies, look no further than Artifice Dissolves.
Rating: 4
(Tom Campagna)
Frozen Crown – The Legend Of The Six Kings (Napalm)
On their sixth album The Legend Of The Six Kings, Frozen Crown lean into a genuine narrative arc and a noticeably darker tone. Vocalist Giada “Jade” Etro trades her usual brightness for something colder and more commanding, fitting a record about a band that’s already claimed its throne rather than fighting for one. Opener “Lightning in the Sky” sets it up at a fast, battle-ready pace, while “Who Wants to Burn in Heaven” delivers a choir-backed, festival-ready highlight.
“The One” stands out instrumentally, built around a striking three-guitar solo that shows off the band’s chemistry. The record’s boldest moment is a reworked cover of the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris,” transformed from soft rock into a dynamic power metal cut. The Legend Of The Six Kings is not a reinvention, but a sharpening of what Frozen Crown already does well, with bigger arrangements, a tighter concept, and a slightly harder edge, resulting in a confident, cohesive record.
Rating: 3
(Jeanetta Briski)
The Green Goblins – The Green Goblins (Metalville)
Since their acoustic inception back in 2017, Swiss “Celtic folk ‘n’ roll” band The Green Goblins have incorporated more and more electric guitar into their sound, developing a striking blend of traditional Celtic folk with punchy hard rock and a sprinkle of punk attitude. Now they feel self-confident enough to deliver a self titled debut that displays perfectly where the band are at.
The Green Goblins is undeniably rooted in Irish folk, thanks in part to the masterful violin work of Ania Cieslar incorporated perfectly within the band’s energetic Celtic songwriting. They manage to garner even greater interest from yours truly when evoking the spirit of Triddana and Skyclad, ramping up the metal elements into their immediately impactful upbeat compositions. With a swathe of great songs, these goblins can make trolls take a backseat in folk rock/metal for a change!
Rating: 3.5
(Andy Barker)
Hippotraktor – Annihilist (Pelagic)
Hippotraktor’s Anihilist is an album that has a difficult task in front of it: give us something better than the last previous two albums. The Belgian band continues its exploration between post and progressive metal. Offering something complex, but at the same time still written in a way many metalheads can dive into it without much effort. The album’s atmosphere is hard to describe, but it’S that balance between rage and melancholy we all like.
It’s still hard to know if this album is better than 2024’s Stasis, but it certainly adds something different to what Hippotraktor have done before without alienating the fans. So, if you thought The Ocean became too experimental, or you don’t like the darkness of post-metal, The Annihilist is exactly what you need.
Rating: 4
(Carlos Tirado)
Krallice – Scourge Order (Profound Lore)
Krallice’s Scourge Order delivers their signature merciless pacing, dense riffs, and chaotic rhythms, wrapped in an obscure, impenetrable atmosphere. The vocals remain decorative, while the guitar work creates a nightmarish, claustrophobic sound that’s both exhausting and engaging.
It’s uncompromising New York art—challenging, polarizing, and utterly unique. While not revolutionary, the album maintains the band’s high quality with suffocating sequences and emotional cacophony. No other band sounds like Krallice: simple yet complex, tormenting yet calming.
Rating: 3.5
(Carlos Tirado)
Miss May I – No Place For Me (Solid State)
Miss May I have spent nearly two decades turning their lowest moments into songs people can hold onto, and No Place For Me, their eighth album and first on Solid State, may be the clearest example yet. This one is personal for me. I saw the band in 2022 on the Curse of Existence tour with Currents, and the whole room felt like it was in it together. Now they’re heading back out this December with Born of Osiris, and I’m already counting down.
Recorded with longtime producer Nick Sampson, the album pairs technical riffing and mosh-ready grooves with hooks that stick. “Sanctuary” opens with an alarm-like guitar squeal and double-bass fury, “Hand Me A Halo” sinks into a suffocating, industrial-tinged groove, and “Bury Me Down” turns betrayal into a pit anthem. “Portrait Of Pain,” “Pray For Silence,” “Die On The Vine,” “Fire Falls,” and “Ashes Of The Altar” keep it tight, while “Death Threat” bounces with surprising energy and “Highbrow Thieves” closes with a defiant, workaholic growl. Honest, heavy, and never padded, it’s a great entry point for newcomers and a rewarding chapter for longtime fans.
Rating: 3.5
(Jeanetta Briski)
Of Virtue – Death Of The Altar (Arising Empire)
Of Virtue’s sixth record Death of the Altar finds the Lansing, Michigan metalcore band pushing past the momentum of 2023’s breakout Omen into darker, more confrontational territory. Where that record built the band’s mainstream profile, this one burns down comfort in favor of growth, built around the idea that sometimes, healing means dismantling the parts of yourself, and the relationships, that no longer serve you.
The eleven tracks move between full aggression and aching vulnerability. “Enemy State” and “Welcome to Hell” deliver blunt, mosh-ready hostility, while “What’s It Like to Be Happy?” and “Devotion” slow down to sit inside genuine emotional discomfort rather than rushing toward catharsis. “The Art of Love” offers a tender counterweight; proof the band hasn’t abandoned melody even as the record grows heavier. Closer “Can’t Keep Knocking Me Down” ends things on defiance rather than despair. Of Virtue’s guitar work feels tighter and more urgent than on Omen, the drumming drives rather than decorates, and the vocal interplay remains the band’s strongest asset. Death Of The Altar is a record about letting go, delivered with real teeth.
Rating: 3
(Jeanetta Briski)
Orbital Soul System – Nightwing (Self)
Russian Instrumentalist U-Gene came to light originally as Rakoth’s guitarist, but in 2021 his one-man solo project Orbital Soul System came to be with the release of the debut album Eternal Voyage, showcasing his fusion of black metal and cosmic electronics. Five years later the journey continues with the second release Nightwing.
The balance of U-Gene’s gritty vocals, dingy guitar riffs and haunting synths give an almost Epica feel to it that could almost classify this as symphonic black metal. The title track showcases this balance the best with an almost two minute solo that feels ethereal and then snaps back to a brutal blast beat drum solo that carries the rest of the song until the end. Given the scope of Nightwing you almost do not realize that this is all a one man production and it is an amazing feat to have accomplished.
Rating: 4
(Dalton Husher)
Rebel Rose – In The Dark She Grows (Self)
Brainchild of former Out Of Gravity and Chapter Seven singer Sara Runco, Swiss melodic heavy metal band Rebel Rose are the perfect vehicle to showcase her vocal prowess. Having assembled a lineup of like minded musicians, debut album In The Dark She Grows immediately stamps the bands own identity on a classic melodic heavy metal sound.
Runco may be at the helm, but this band sounds very much like a unit as great riffs, engaging lead work and powerful driving rhythms pummel the listener repeatedly, leaving her voice and hooks to swoop in and deliver the knockout blow. To be honest, sometimes in depth analytics are surplus when, put basically, In The Dark She Grows is a kick-ass heavy metal album with an equally kick-ass vocalist, playing great songs with an excellent delivery.
Rating: 3.5
(Andy Barker)
Sorcery – The Immaculate Sin (Xtreem)
The Immaculate Sin, the latest album from the long-running Swedish death metal band Sorcery is an old-school platter that has the right ingredients for an exciting endeavor. The band’s first effort in seven years is a harsh listen that has the right number of punishing moments to make for a really rollicking event.
The musicianship on The Immaculate Sin is very crushing and has an addictive effect. Everything is bolstered by an excellent production job. There is very little to dislike here because the entire thing is rousing and makes good use of the strong, old-school death metal flavor. Though not overly innovative, this is still a fun listen.
Rating: 3.5
(Adam McAuley)
Spirit Possession – Cathedral Speech (Profound Lore)
On their third full length Cathedral Speech, Spirit Possession continue their spine-tingling style of black metal, as their excellently tremolo picked riffs make their subtle evolution. The opening title track serves as the foundation for the melody and mayhem developing into a maelstrom without much chance for a warning. On “Hanged Angels As Patternwalls,” the heavy metal themes are as present as the building riffs would be reminiscent of Focus’ “Hocus Pocus,” allowing for black metal to sound archaic, as well as wonderfully expansive and progressive. It’s an often ignored dichotomy present in droves.
The shouted and distant vocals are a constant throughout and really seem to bounce off the riffs on “The Sharpening,” trading vitriolic blows for a complete sense of chaos. The album ends with a trilogy of sorts referring to entrances, exits and Hells. What is accomplished is an exploratory beginning, a sense of dismay and confusion in the middle and finally acceptance of the inevitable end. There are many twists and turns waiting to be experienced. Spirit Possession have topped themselves again with an expansive and entertaining septet of songs making Cathedral Speech their best album to date.
Rating: 4.5
(Tom Campagna)
Temic – Ceiba (Season Of Mist)
Temic‘s lineup features members with resumes including bands like Devin Townsend, Haken, Shining, Maraton and Neal Morse Band. Their 2023 debut Terror Management Theory made our list of the year’s best progressive albums, so expectations are elevated. Their second full-length Ceiba is a concept album about loss in its various forms.
This time around many of the songs are even more progressive than their debut, but they are also able to write concise tracks, with “Beyond The Voice” and “Night Of Veils” both under four minutes. But where Temic shine is epic compositions, giving them plenty of runway to showcase numerous ebbs and flows and shifts in style. “Casting Stone” and closer “As Long As We Last” are both in that vein. Temic set a high bar for Ceiba, and don’t disappoint, delivering a dynamic record that even at 66 minutes long manages to be engaging throughout.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
