July 25, 2024
Bruce Dickinson - THE MANDRAKE PROJECT
Okay, I should say I was very skeptical about THE MANDRAKE PROJECT ever since "Afterglow of Ragnarok'' was released as the first single in 2023. I was frankly left feeling indifferent for the remainder of the album. This immediately changed after "Rain on the Graves" dropped, featuring a powerful rhythms & and epic, stadium-ready chorus. I’m a big fan of Dickinson’s solo work (more than any post 1992 Iron Maiden) and getting a new album 19 years after he released TYRANNY OF SOULS is like a dream come true. In our world of single track streaming, this record is a prime example of the beauty of atmospheric, conceptual albums that just NEED to be listened to in full to fully enjoy.
Kerry King - FROM HELL I RISE
Almost 5 years after Slayer disbanded Kerry King rises from Hell (see what I did there?) with his first LP of solo work. He previously shared that the record is going to be essentially a part 2 of Slayer’s REPENTLESS, and it’s quite clear it is - except even better for this listener. With Phil Demmel on guitar & Mark Osegueda on vocals, it’s like a sweet sweet combo of old school Slayer & Death Angel!
Suicidal Angels - PROFANE PRAYER
Suicidal Angels have been around for over 20 years, releasing 8 records and going through a multitude of line-up changes, with vocalist Nick Melissourgos being the only constant member. Maybe that’s what keeps them sounding so fresh with every new record including their latest offering PROFANE PRAYER. You could even argue that this offering is their best sounding, best produced and best written record yet. Plus the music video for "Purified by Fire" is pure fire! If you haven’t heard from these Greek thrash maniacs before, don’t miss out!
Gatecreeper - DARK SUPERSTITION
After my first listen of Gatecreeper’s DARK SUPERSTITION I immediately said to myself,“I haven’t been this impressed by an album in a long, long time!” Gatecreeper have been on my radar since 2019’s DESERTED, but DARK SUPERSTITION definitely exceeded all my expectations and then some. I'm obsessed with "A Chilling Aura"! Their old-school Swedish death metal influences shine through, and they even got Fred Estby of the legendary Dismember himself helping with pre-production! Metal perfection.
Wraith - FUELED BY FEAR
The thrash maniacs from Wraith have been one of my favorite discoveries of the past few years. Self-branded as “No Bullshit Speed & Thrash Metal” they don’t disappoint, once again delivering the promised 45-minutes of straightforward headbanging. Plus having your thrash album artwork done by Andrei Bouzikov is a guarantee for success.