This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Ashes Of Autumn, Avrak, Carceral, Crimson Coven, Gore., Graveyard, HateSphere, Odious Spirit, The Pineapple Thief, Ram, Semuta, Signum Regis, Skillet and Smoulder.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Ashes Of Autumn – The Darker Side Of Now (Golden Robot)
Originally starting as a single written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian rockers Ashes Of Autumn and their latest release The Darker Side Of Now have managed to carve a decent sized passionate following.
From start to end, you can tell there is genuine emotion and feeling put into The Darker Side Of Now that gives the album a very solemn feel. “Enemy” and “Forgiven” are both solid examples of how to bookend an album with high octane up front and a mellow send off at the end. Though no one track stands out among the rest, it all comes together for an easy listen and it is going to be interesting to see what they do from here.
Rating: 3
(Dalton Husher)
Avrak – Avrak (Peaceville)
Avrak was formed by Darkthrone’s Ted Skjellum along with Nod’s Anders Hegna to explore their love for classic rock and metal. Their self-titled debut incorporates that along with a few other genres as well.
More extreme styles come to the forefront on tracks like “Unborn,” which mixes in black metal later in the song after a sludgy beginning. There are also a lot of accessible moments as well, such as on the melodic “Long May The Lums Reek” and “The Lonely Shadow.” Hegna’s vocals are serviceable, with a gruff and edgy style, and many songs have extended instrumental sections. Avrak is an eclectic album, blending numerous influences into a unique sound.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Carceral – Descending Reprisal (I, Voidhanger)
Carceral’s debut album Descending Reprisal is instrumental technical death metal squeezed into the length of a typical grindcore tune. These 24 songs use their limited surroundings to cram in as many solos as they can. That comes from all sides too, as bassist Victor Hormidas gets 45 seconds for his own on “Isthmus” and drummer Daniel Moscardini get the back half of “Mock Execution” all to himself.
Carceral doesn’t cool down much on Descending Reprisal, but when they do so, they make it count. “Upon The Carrion Elysium” is a wonderful piece of music, vibing in a melodic state with the drums set aside. Closer “Ab Damnini Ictus” packs a whole record’s worth of atmosphere into 35 seconds. These tracks keep Descending Reprisal from whizzing by without consequence.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Crimson Coven – I – The Forge (Cruz Del Sur)
The start of Crimson Coven came from their 2025 demo 0 – The Genesis. Now, a year later, it’s time for the real test of strength with I – The Forge. Their heavy metal is supplemented by a doom metal mentality, as the group stays firmly in a mid-tempo range. There is the occasional galloping motion, as is present on “Children Of The Same Sun” and “Crowns Of Greed.”
Three of the songs from their demo, including the monstrous closer “Unleash The Kraken,” return here with a beefier production. Excellent lead guitars, stirring vocals and choruses tailor-made for gang chants all keep I – The Forge afloat, even if the songs never launch out of second gear.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Gore. – …Then You Cannot Love Me (Spinefarm)
Some EPs stand alone. …Then You Cannot Love Me is the second half of a sentence, begun a year earlier with If You Do Not Fear Me…, whose trailing ellipsis read like a held breath. Houston metalcore band Gore. always meant the two records to be heard together. Where the first EP lived in cynical darkness, this one leans toward acceptance and rebirth. Vocalist Haley Roughton is clear that it isn’t happiness, but the new self that emerges after grief.
The title questions the idea that love is proven by fear of loss, and the songs sit inside feelings that can’t be resolved, offering grace rather than lectures. “What You Paid For” opens at 4:12, while “Crucified” and “Hallowed Ground” carry the biblical imagery that shapes Roughton’s writing. Closer “Alone” shows a softer, more otherworldly side of the band, leaving the record open-ended rather than neatly resolved. Patient, honest and confident enough to leave things unfinished, …Then You Cannot Love Me is a fitting second half, and a sign that Gore. are only getting started.
Rating: 4
(Jeanetta Briski)
Graveyard – Fever (Nuclear Blast)
Much anticipation has surrounded Graveyard’s seventh studio album Fever, with rumours that self producing the album to capture the band as they see themselves will give the band’s signature hard/blues rock style a return to their roots. Over the years Graveyard haven’t strayed far away what is quintessentially Graveyard, but gradually there’s been a noticeable watering down of their initial vibrancy.
The great news is that Fever certainly recaptures the raw energy of their 2008 breakthrough release Hisingen Blues. The guitars are punchier, the vocals edgier, the rhythms more dynamic and the leadwork more attention grabbing. In taking back control of their sound, Graveyard appear to have taken back their identity, with energy, urgency and even audible enthusiasm all palpable on this album. Whether this approach sticks only subsequent releases will tell, but Fever remains an album many long-term fans were hoping for.
Rating: 3.5
(Andy Barker)
HateSphere – Guillotine (Scarlet)
The Danish thrash/death metal band HateSphere released their self-titled debut 25 years ago, and have been going strong ever since. They’ve had numerous lineup changes over the years, with guitarist Peter Lyse Karmark the lone remaining original member as they unleash their twelfth studio album Guillotine.
The album is perfectly encompassed in the first proper song “Dogma,” which shifts from galloping thrash to groovy death metal and injects a memorable guitar solo. HateSphere shift seamlessly from lightning-fast and technical to more moderately paced. Vocalist Mathias Uldall, who made his debut on 2023’s Hatred Reborn, delivers his harsh vocals with passion and emotion, really hitting his stride on tracks like “Morbid.” Guillotine delivers a potent dose of thrash/death metal.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Odious Spirit – The Sourceless Scourge (I, Voidhanger)
The disjointed death/thrash metal of Odious Spirit needs time to simmer in a listener’s mind, as The Sourceless Scourge is at times abstract to the point of being perplexing. Vocalist/guitarist James Oskarbski is intentional in this regard, layering his guitar with minutes-long buzzing leads. It’s in line with what the band was doing on 2024’s The Treason Of Consciousness, though this one takes more cautious steps with the tempos.
There’s fluid grooving going on during songs like “The Betrayer’s Will,” and the acoustic guitars on the second half of “Temporal Euthanasia” put some humanity underneath the dizzying electric riffs. The Sourceless Scourge isn’t always meant to be easily understood, yet a multitude of playthroughs will help ease that burden.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
The Pineapple Thief – Far And Wide (InsideOut)
Veteran British prog rockers The Pineapple Thief have been prolific in the ’20s. Far And Wide is their fourth full-length studio album this decade, along with a couple EPs, a box set and a live studio recording. Their creative energy shows no sign of ebbing, with another strong collection of songs.
They are able to compose short songs like “Hold The Ashes” and “God Knows” that are melodic and catchy while still injecting progressive moments. But where The Pineapple Thief shine is lengthier songs like “Still Living,” “This Empty Space” and 7-minute closer “No Exceptions” that give them more of an opportunity to let the prog flag fly. No matter the length of a track, Bruce Soord’s expressive singing elevates it. Far And Wide is on the mellow side, with bursts of energy at the right times, making for another enjoyable The Pineapple Thief album.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Ram – Against (Metal Blade)
Longstanding Swedish heavy metallers Ram are releasing their seventh album Against, their first in seven years. “Ghost Emperor” does a solid job of introducing the band the listener, complete with pounding drums and singing and soaring guitarwork. “One Vs. All” gives off the fist pumping and anthemic feeling commonly associated with European metal, begging for a true back and forth with the band and those in the crowd.
The album slows down on “Leaving” as the overall melody brings you in to experience the surprisingly complex guitar lines, as the underlying rhythm gives a ton of space for the other musicians to work their magic. The album’s title track almost has an AC/DC feel to it, with it being a bit more rock forward as opposed to being a straight up heavy metal track. Ram’s approach is a bit no frills, something that prevents it from really standing out among the litany of quality heavy metal releases this year. Against is a solid album, one that will appease long time fans, but lacks the X factor to bring in new ones.
Rating: 3
(Tom Campagna)
Semuta – Thoughtless/Dreamless (Accident Prone)
With songs ranging from seven to ten minutes, Thoughtless/Dreamless is a natural extension of the progressive sludge metal of Semuta’s 2024 debut album, Glacial Erratic. Vocalist/guitarist/bassist Benjamin Caragol and drummer Ben Stoller have gelled well as a duo, with a creative synergy that grabs one’s attention.
Whether it’s growls being roared out for the first time in their career on the title track or the ambient outro to “A Relic,” Semuta have come into their own on Thoughtless/Dreamless. They’ve written long compositions before, but nothing as lofty as “The Well.” Instead of doing Glacial Erratic part 2, the band learned enough in the last two years to become more complete songwriters.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Signum Regis – Beyond Spacetime (Fireflash)
Beyond Spacetime is Slovakian progressive power metal band Signum Regis’ eighth album in just under twenty years. In that time the band have not only impressed worldwide, they’ve gained a reputation high enough to call in a favors in the shape of some well known guests for this album.
Names like Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Johnny Gioeli (Axel Rudi Pell), Matt Smith (Theocracy), Ripper Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Tasos Lazaris (White Wizzard), David Åkesson (Symphonity) and Victor Smolski (Almanac, ex-Rage) are certainly going to raise additional interest. Not that the album really needs it, but these guests do emphasize the variation on this record, which incorporates speed metal, galloping power metal, classic heavy metal, progressive elements and even manages healthy doses of melodic metal and hints of classic rock. Beyond Spacetime is all delivered expertly with memorable choruses, soaring vocals, impactful guitar, intricate rhythms and intelligent arrangements.
Rating: 3.5
(Andy Barker)
Skillet – After The Storm (Hear It Loud)
Skillet follow up 2024’s Revolution with the six song EP After The Storm. They recorded it in their hometown of Memphis, working with producer David Cowell (Sleep Theory) for the first time.
They embrace their heavier side on the EP, while still being melodic and accessible. There are even some brief harsh vocals on a few tracks such as “Lift Me Up” and “Grave Stomper,” contrasting the soaring choruses. The EP is more in the vein of earlier material, with only one song featuring the call and response vocals between John Cooper and Jen Ledger that have been a mainstay of many of their hit singles. After The Storm is more than a stopgap between full-lengths, it’s packed with quality material.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Smoulder – Witch Wife In An Alien World (Cruz Del Sur)
Canadian (by way of Finland) band Smoulder‘s third full-length Witch Wife In An Alien World opens with powerful percussion. “Water Wars” has some interesting sections of guitars, at times feeling hypnotic and almost aquatic by design. Moving to “Shadow Of The Vulture,” things slow down a bit as the riffs begin to raise the temperature to the point that headbanging becomes mandatory.
There is also the wonderful dichotomy of “Noitien Loitsu” which sees vocalist Sarah Ann shift back and forth between English and Finnish to reflect her current Finnish residence while also acknowledging being primarily an Anglophone during her lifetime. “Crush The Neophytes” works as a solid throwback to previous albums with triumphant guitars of Collin Wolf and Shon Vincent buoying the masterful epic vocal performance. Smoulder take some swings on this but none take away from what the band has established, adding some layers of complexity to an already bombastic package. Witch Wife In An Alien World helps to be a shining light in an ever-dimming world.
Rating: 4
(Tom Campagna)
