Korn – Requiem

It’s been a testing few years for Korn. From the death and loss that spurred 2019’s The Nothing, to the isolation and uncertainty triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be perfectly understandable if Jonathan Davis and Co. took things to even darker places on their next outing, particularly with the hiatus of bassist Fieldy…

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Bitter Branches – Your Neighbors Are Failures

Genesis said it best: “this is a land of confusion“. With so much to navigate over the last few years and World War Three seemingly at our doorstep, there is only more uncertainty to be found. This breeds universal frustration and contempt. Pushed to breaking point, hardcore outfit Bitter Branches release Your Neighbors Are Failures…

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HammerFall – Hammer Of Dawn

Power metal is certainly a niche amongst niches. It’s there for those partial to the most potent of selections on metal’s cheeseboard – complete with a complimentary set of chainmail and some stupendously named weapon – but it rarely breaks out beyond those accustomed to the smell. Yet the opening stages of 2022 alone have…

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Frank Turner – FTHC

Frank Turner has been known for many years now as a folk rock singer, adding The Sleeping Souls as his backing band in more recent years. A prolific songwriter, he has churned out high quality albums and now he bounces back into the world’s eardrums with FTHC. With this release, it seems Turner wants to…

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Celeste – Assassine(s)

Since their inception in 2005, the mysterious French black metallers Celeste have become something of a cult band in extreme metal circles, blending black metal with various different genres, chiefly post-hardcore and sludge metal. Their 2013 effort Animale(s) in particular cemented their status as one of the scene’s most interesting propositions, and last year their…

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Annihilator – Metal II

Metal II is the start of a project that will see almost all of the Annihilator back catalogue re-released by Jeff Waters as he aims to tidy up his legacy and remind everyone why Annihilator is Canada’s leading thrash metal band of all time. Annihilator‘s back-catalogue is certainly an interesting one. There are some stone-cold…

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