Andrew Danso

Armoury of God is a Christian rock album of sorts. Lyrically the themes are religiously explicit, that’ll alienate a following otherwise interested in what usually comes with the genre. Oddly enough they’ve put all of their ramblings on top of a sludgy doom format that does its best to confuse. Musically, similarities can be drawn with the likes of Celtic Frost and Count Raven, with sections as sloppy as Black Sabbaths earliest work. It’s easy to be scared off by the Christian element, but sonically you wouldn’t know otherwise – just try and convince neutral customers to go along with the packaging. In relation to its limited accessibility, this is intended for doom specialists only, with the raw gloomy sludge easy to overlook for headbangers who would otherwise flock to something a little more paced. For fans appreciative of gloomy doom trails, and a view, that might not be best held as their own. Not many? Who’d have thought?

6/10 PowerPlay #132

It’s the sort of progressive metal that makes you leap in joy and thwack your head around in all delight, and the Scandinavians do it no better. Legacy of Emptiness are a Norwegian bunch, playing that brand of metal pioneered by Immortal and Emperor, which they gleefully mix up into byte-size proggy sections, along with jagged black extremities - indeed it’s all very familiar.

But certainly, deceptively difficult to pull off, and to an extent everything heard is accomplished with a fair amount of verve if lacking in originality. It sticks so rigidly by the tried and tested formula, it will eventually kick the bucket in apathy. Simply put, their masters can do what they’ve done much better. Perhaps they’re seeking an apprentice’s recognition, and at the very least, they’ll be given that.

6/10 PowerPlay issue #132

“Communication Lost” is sharply defined. It’s meant to appeal directly to your emotions with a moody, atmospheric subtext, and lyrics, written as mementos drawn from the quartets own personal experience, through the four years it’s taken to put the record together. It’s a refreshing outlook. It has no pretentious overhanging backdrop, no huge ‘based-on’ concept. Wolverine are backing an audience to read between their lines, and think with them into a world of cathartic language. Simply put, if one can relate, one can become enveloped.

With all of the subtlety touted to be in “Communication Lost”, Wolverine are tame throughout its playback, perhaps relying on atmosphere and quirks to do most of the dirty work. All of the tracks – while sounding different - have the inner workings of a classic rock ballad, cantering through restrained verses, and elevated choruses, all of course extended on a progressive template. The ballad structure may tag along with their moody vibe, carrying effect - but a variation in style would add much more flavour; it’s a bizarre oversight by the experienced Swedes, not to recognise such an obvious red herring. Indeed, every track is put together in a microscopically similar way. Sombre and bridled piano playing often starts, then the vocal, then the kick of the overpowering distorted guitars, and then the wind down. Enchanting at first, but tedious over the hour.

This is very much an incidental addition to Wolverines discography, which should be overlooked, not least because of the bands own deadpanned inattention to change.

7/10 PowerPlay issue #131

“The God Album” is based around a criticism toward religion and faith, somewhat in controversial circumstances, from an atheist point of view. It’s certainly always been in rock and metals veins to be the natural channel for social and political angst, but Monsterworks are hell bent on near dissecting various movements of faith in a clumsy intellectual approach, that really ought to be left with the actual intellectuals. More opinion than narrative, the lyrics come direct from the big book of atheist argument, “everything you believe is a lie”, “stigmata is a fraud”, “a false miracle never performed”, “God has abandoned you”, “Is it faith or running free?” you get the idea.

Whilst the concept may come across with a slight juvenile cynicism, thankfully their sound is raw, hungry, and complex. They’re able to combine thrash, progressive, and metal elements with fluidity, balancing time shifts with simplistic power chords, and blast drumming with chordal guitar progressions.

Time will tell if we’ll see Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens or Sam Harris carrying this around in their back pocket, in preparation for a debate. Regardless, this is punchy stuff, with the music carrying a hell of a lot more weight, than the outspoken views held by the band.

7/10 Powerplay issue #131

Torchbearer is a super-group of sorts. They’re handpicked from The Few Against Many, Solution .45, and Unmoored; somewhat an elite group based on technical merit, more so than success, but that’s by the by. “Death Meditations” is really on the cusp of perfecting a brand of Scandinavian prog, part-speed metal, that’s meant to be every bit invigorating as it is accessible. Indeed, it is.

Notably, this is a concept album, based on the thoughts and ideas on what it is to be a samurai. Apprehension should fill the lungs, but it’s the very philosophy Torchbearer are only interested in, not the waving and clashing of swords. In any case, it’s difficult to notice through the belching, and chugging guitars – and it’s always refreshing to listen to artists bang on about something other than themselves, or political agendas.

Intricate, ambitious and impenetrably rocking, this is the sound of a band stretching themselves in every way imaginable. A fearfully beautiful release, chock-full of ideas and styles, making it accessible across the board.

9/10 PowerPlay Magazine issue #131

“Vampire Saga” is the third instalment from Japanese power rockers, D. Its backbone is conceptual, based on the journey of a vampire – that’s as vague as it gets and more so if you’re not fluent in Japanese. While we’re awaiting the English dub, it’s reassuring to know that language never gets in front of their sound, as they’re able to pull off a brand of metal littered in industrial rock, pop, and power references accomplished with a huge amount of polish. It all translates with extreme coherence, which retains enough personality of its own, making it accessible to even the most modest rocker.

“Vampire Saga’s” light-cum-manic sound, and daft concept has to be taken as the sum of its parts. Much like eating the ingredients of a stew separate, picking this apart would make little sense, as “Vampire Saga” simply tastes far better in complete combination, rather than its overly zealous, individual elements.

7/10 PowerPlay issue #131

Despite the striking crime photography spearheading “The Devilty’s” art direction, along with its themes based on free speech, racism, murder, and school shootings (the list goes on), this Danish quintet sound rather light (all things considered). Pitch Black work off a thrash template, and combine occasional death-cum-progressive elements to the party - closest to the bone with Slayers, “God Hates Us All”, albeit in an increasingly modern vibe. Other than that, the group speak out against subjects, which have been addressed time and time again throughout the medium, and their brand of metal isn’t a whiff of fresh air – this is a copied template, with little personality of its own to claim for.

6/10 PowerPlay Magazine #131