The Metal Asylum – 06/12/2020 – The Metal Mash Up

This week we decided to mix it up a bit…..and that turned into a Metal Mash Up. Featuring tracks from across the genres and across the decades. Enjoy!!

  • Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
  • Ozzy Osbourne – Suicide Solution
  • Crystal Viper – When The Sun Goes Down (Queen Of The Witches – 2017)
  • Deep Purple – Demon’s Eye (Fireball – 1971)
  • Hollywood Undead – Day Of The Dead (Day Of The Dead – 2015)
  • Darkthrone – The Hardship Of The Scots (Old Star – 2019)
  • Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes (All The Young Dudes – 1972)
  • Metallica – Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (Master Of Puppets – 1986)
  • Grand Funk Railroad – Sin’s A Good Man’s Brother (Closer To Home – 1970)
  • Adema – The Way You Like It (Adema – 2001)
  • Paradise Lost – Crucify (Tragic Idol – 2012)
  • Neil Young – Old Man (Harvest – 1972)
  • Mayhem – Chainsaw Gutsfuck (Death Crush – 1987)
  • Marc Bolan and T-Rex – The Groover
  • Slipknot – My Plague (Iowa – 2001)
  • Pink Floyd – See Emily Play (The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn – 1967)
  • Watain – Waters Of Ain (Lawless Darkness – 2010)
  • Kiss – King Of The Night Time World (Destroyer – 1976)
  • Avantasia – Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose (Ghostlights – 2016)
  • Spineshank – New Disease (The Height Of Callousness – 2000)
  • Rush – Tom Sawyer (Moving Pictures – 1981)
  • Nile – Sacrifice Unto Sebek (Annihilation Of The Wicked – 2005)
  • Bring Me The Horizon – Avalanche (That’s The Spirit – 2015)
  • Cinderella – Gypsy Road (Long, Cold Winter – 1988)
  • Molly Hatchet – Gator Country (Molly Hatchet – 1978)
  • Amon Amarth – Death In Fire (Versus The World – 2002)
  • Of Mice And Men – Unbreakable (Defy – 2018)
  • Type O Negative – Be My Druidess (October Rust – 1996)
  • Death Angel – The Dream Calls For Blood (The Dream Calls For Blood – 2013)
  • Threshold – Disappear (Dead Reckoning – 2007)
  • Slayer – Captor Of Sin (Haunting The Chapel – 1984)
  • Dawn Of Demise – Awaken The Aggressor (A Force Unstoppable – 2010)
  • Linkin Park – Crawling (Hybrid Theory – 2000)
  • Poison – Fallen Angel (Open Up And Say….Ahhh – 1988)
  • Hell – The Quest (Human Remains – 2011)
  • Ghost – Rats (Prequelle – 2018)
  • Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 6th December 2020

The Metal Asylum – 06/12/2020 – The Metal Mash Up

This week we decided to mix it up a bit…..and that turned into a Metal Mash Up. Featuring tracks from across the genres and across the decades. Enjoy!!

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 6th December 2020

The Metal Asylum – 29/11/2020

Here is the playlist for the show that was aired on Sunday 29th November 2020. Enjoy!

  • Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
  • Creedance Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son
  • Kiss – Black Diamond
  • Kult Of The Skull God – Judas Is My Priest (The Great Magini – 2020)
  • Steel Panther – The Shocker (Feel The Steel – 2009)
  • Oldblood – Nuclear Blues
  • Machine Head – My Hands Are Empty
  • Michael Schenker Group – Assault Attack (Assault Attack – 1982)
  • WASP – Ballcrusher (The Last Command – 1985)
  • Vixen – I Want You To Rock Me (Vixen – 1988)
  • Hexx – Wrath Of The Reaper (Wrath Of The Reaper – 2017)
  • Airbourne – Animalize (Black Dog Barking – 2013)
  • Rainbow – Eyes Of The World (Down To Earth – 1979)
  • Gothminister – Ich Will Alles (The Other Side – 2017)
  • Nervosa – Surrounded By Serpents (Agony – 2016)
  • Testament – As The Seasons Grey (The Ritual – 1992)
  • Corrosion Of Conformity – Great Purefication (Blind – 1991)
  • Violator – Deadly Sadistic Experiments (Annihilation Process – 2010)
  • Krokus – Screaming In The Night (Headhunter – 1983)
  • Mercyful Fate – Into The Coven (Melissa – 1983)
  • Slayer – Die By The Sword (Show No Mercy – 1983)
  • Blitzkrieg – Armaggedon (A Time Of Changes – 1985)
  • Hirax – Black Smoke (Immortal Legacy – 2014)
  • Manowar – Fast Taker (Battle Hymns – 1982)
  • Forbidden – Inhuman Race (Omega Wave – 2010)
  • The Treatment – The Doctor (This Might Hurt – 2011)
  • Iron Maiden – Out Of The Silent Planet (Brave New World – 2000)
  • Sword – Runaway (Metalized – 1986)
  • Generation Kill – Born To Serve (We’re All Gonna Die – 2013)
  • Feinstein – Regeneration (Third Wish – 2004)
  • Megadeth – Lucretia (Rust In Peace – 1990)
  • Iced Earth – The Hunter (The Dark Saga – 1996)
  • Heavatar – Born To Fly (Opus I All My Kingdoms – 2012)
  • Pyramaze – Knights In Shining Armour (Epitaph – 2020)
  • Onslaught – Strike Fast, Strike Hard (Generation Antichrist – 2020)
  • Judas Priest – One On One (Demolition – 2001)
  • Ozzy Osbourne – I Just Want You

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 29th November 2020

The Metal Asylum – 29/11/2020

There was no theme or title this week. Just three hours of metaltastic tunes to get you headbanging around the living. This week we brought back The Time Tunnel, three tracks and a bucket load of headlines from one year, you just have to guess the year!

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 29th November 2020

The Metal Asylum – Underground – 22/11/2020

Here is the playlist for our Underground show that aired on Sunday 22nd November 2020. Hope you see something you like!

  • Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
  • Random Black – Witch Daughter (Under The Cross – 2020)
  • Let The Wolves In – House Of Cards (Loose Ends – 2020)
  • Stim – Asylum (Primal – 2015)
  • Ctrl + Alt + Delete – Slowly
  • Elimination – In The Name Of Violence (Of Gods And Beasts – 2020)
  • Unknown Refuge – Shadows (From The Darkness – 2021)
  • Votov – Pacify The Enslaved (I.X.X.I – 2020)
  • Cathedrals Fall – How Far We Fall (Harmonic Dissidence – 2020)
  • Prophet And The Cowboys Of Apocalypse – Kate (Last Days In Paradise – 2021)
  • Badgered – Future Oncoming (Planet Absurdic – 2020)
  • Justice Theory – Fade Into The Night (Fade Into The Night – 2020)
  • Bastyon – Eternity’s End (Bastyon – 2020)
  • Endbringer – The Used (yet to be released EP)
  • MX The American – Finding My Way
  • Deveria – Suicide Forest (Self Titled – 2021)
  • Gravehuffer – Causes (Necroeclosion – 2021)
  • The Spectre Beneath – As The Crows Peck At Your Bones (The Downfall Of Judith King)
  • Slammer – Tenement Zone (The Work Of Idle Hands – 1989)
  • Bloodrust – For Those We’ve Left Behind
  • Bonded – Sweet Murderer (Rest In Violence – 2020)
  • Black Wolf Mountain – Retribution (Retribution – 2020)
  • Stud – In My Tragedy (War Of Power – 2020)
  • Red Cain – Snake Bouquet (Kindred Act I – 2020)
  • Beyond The Grey – Men Of War
  • Kardinal X – Heretic
  • Snakeblade – Scavenger (The Kingdom – 2020)
  • Vessel Of Light – Last Ride (Last Ride – 2020)
  • Raider – Guardian Of The Fie (Guardian Of The Fire – 2020)
  • Brute Allies – Nemesis (Ash & Nails – 2020)
  • Salem’s Childe – The Dream Is Dead (The Sin That Saves You – 2020)
  • Thrashwall – Insanity Alert (Thrashwall – 2020)
  • Kult Of The Skull God – Judas Is My Priest (The Great Mangini – 2020)
  • Torch – All Metal, No Rust (Reignited – 2020)
  • Incursion – Fade To Black (The Hunter – 2020)
  • Fatal Sin – Fatal Sin (Episodes – 2020)
  • Dangerous Times For The Dead – Dangerous Times For The Dead (Dangerous Times For The Dead – 2020)
  • Beyond The Circle – Lost Within The Stars

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 22nd November 2020

Brainstorm – Midnight Storm (2018)

Another of my reviews previously posted to Ever Metal

Being just over forty years of age but preferring a lot of the older bands, I was always late to the party where many bands were concerned. Brainstorm were one of these such bands. I first heard them one night when I was browsing through YouTube. They appeared as a “recommended bands” on the right-hand side of the screen so I thought I would check them. And I am glad I did. From the very first track I listened to, I loved them. They were just the sort of metal that I loved.

But, then they kind of disappeared from my radar.

So, when Rick sent me the new album, I just had to review it to see if they are still as good as I remembered. And they are!! But first a little history!

Brainstorm are power metal band from Germany (where else? All the decent power metal bands seem to come from Germany!) They were formed in 1989 (hence why I was late to the party with these guys. I was only 12!) by guitarists, Torsten Ihlenfeld and Milan Loncaric, and drummer Dieter Bernert, and are known for playing a somewhat darker style of music than most power metal bands.

During their early years they built up a solid groundwork with several demo releases and live appearance. They signed their first record deal in 1997 and the self-produced album “Hungry” was released, to great reviews. Chart entries in many European countries followed and their intense live performances were catapulting them into the champions league of or metal, resulting in the band being asked to perform at many of the big festivals.

And now on to their new album “Midnight Ghost”. This is the band’s 12th studio album (man, I need to buy some of their back catalogue), produced by Seeb Levermann and recorded at the Greenman Studios. It was released on 28th September 2018 by AFM Records.

Although not a concept album in the strictest sense of the word, there is a thematic thread running through the tracks…the fear of ghosts, monsters under your bed, the bogeyman in your wardrobe and wild beasts in the night….all fears that many of us have had since childhood and this is all depicted magnificently in the cover artwork produced by Gyula Havancsak (who has also worked with the likes of Accept and Stratovarius).

This album has a sound that it bound to delight all power metal fans and was even a surprise for the five band members themselves. Says vocalist Andy P Franck; “It’s pretty unusual that musicians still get the shivers down their spines when they listen to the new material after a long and energy-sapping production. In this case, we can really say that all Brainstorm musicians are total fans of our new recording. Midnight Ghost is the album we want to be measured by in the future.”

From the anthemic opener “Devil’s Eye” to the driving “When Pain Becomes Real” to the punchy “Haunting Voices”, Brainstorm more than live up to the term ‘melodic power metal.’  They deliver the full range of their typical trademarks, awesome melodies, dynamic grooves and extremely heavy, pounding guitar riffs. The galloping drums that I so love are there too, and of course, magnificent vocals. One of the things that made me fall in love with this band the first time I heard them was Andy P Franck’s voice. Strong and powerful yet able to carry off a huge range that adds dimension to the band’s sound and this he still has in abundance!

All the tracks are fantastic in their own right but together they make up an awesome album that should be in any metal fan’s collection. Not only do they bring the power element that they are so good at, but there are elements of thrash, traditional and speed metal too.

Says Andy P Franck; “Midnight Ghost is faster, more melodic and at the same time also tougher than all our previous releases.” And I couldn’t agree more. Why stick to one genre or aspect of metal when you can combine many and achieve a sound like this?

I can’t fault this album really and I really don’t want to take it out of my car. But, alas, needs must for the next review!

All I can say though is, when are you coming to England guys!!?

TRACK LISTING

01 – Devil’s Eye

02 – Revealing The Darkness

03 – Ravenous Minds

04 – The Pyre

05 – Jeanne Boulet (1764)

06 – Divine Inner Ghost

07 – When Pain Becomes Real

08 – The Four Blessings

09 – Haunting Voices

10 – The Path

SOCIAL MEDIA

https://en-gb.facebook.com/officialbrainstorm/

https://www.brainstorm-web.net/site/

Reproduced with kind permission from Ever Metal

Behind The Smokescreen – Scars Within EP

Another one of my reviews that was originally posted to Ever Metal

One thing we are proud of at Ever Metal is the diversity and range of music that we review. My last three reviews couldn’t have been any more different if I tried. I have gone from a progressive rock band to a 60’s/70’s influenced psychedelic band and now to this new EP from Greek band Behind The Smokescreen, an aggressive / groove metal outfit.

Formed in Ioannina, Greece, in 2013, the band is made up of Nikonas Tsolakos on vocals, Nasos Drougas on rhythm guitars and backing vocals, Kyriakos Magdalis on drums, Evaggelos Roukos on bass and Dimitris Lucas on lead guitars. The EP was mixed and mastered at Crown Audio Conspiracies by Achilleas Kalantzis and the cover artwork was designed by Giannis Tagmatarchis.

This is a band who wear their influences on their sleeve and have maintained a great respect and admiration for bands such as Pantera, Machinehead, Lamb of God and Black Label Society. I’m sure they would be the first to admit they are not trying to break any new ground with this EP, but it is still a stonking recording none the less.

The EP kicks off with ‘Too Ambitious’ and I absolutely loved the opening intro with its galloping guitars and heavy riffs that rumble in your belly. I was expecting really growling vocals to kick in (probably because experience has shown me that if I really love the music, I am going to hate the vocals!) but was pleasantly surprised when they didn’t. The vocals are aggressive and in your face, but at least you can still hear what the singer is singing and is even quite melodic in places.

The guitar work is fantastic throughout the EP and the solos are out of this world. The rhythm section is solid, and everybody seems to fit together perfectly. I do think a lot of the heavier bands are accused of “just making a noise” but it takes a lot of talent to be able to make a noise and it be as good as this EP!

My head was banging, and my foot was tapping the whole way through this and I just wished it lasted longer! I think these guys would be immense in a live setting so if I hear they are visiting London town at any point I will be there, with bells on! (well ok studs and buckles but you get my drift!)

I hope these guys are going to put out a full-length album soon but, in the meantime, I will go and check out their previously released album “Age of Corruption.” I suggest you all go and do the same!

As the famous Oliver once said…. please sir, can I have some more?!

TRACKLISTING:

1 Too Ambitious

2 Broken Is The Word

3 Future Re-Set

4 Shelter In I (Bonus)

LINKS:

www.facebook.com/behindthesmokescreengr

www.youtube.com/behindthesmokescreenvault

www.instagram.com/behind_the_smokescreenband

https://behindthesmokescreengr.bandcamp.com/

Originally posted on Ever Metal – Reproduced here with kind permission

The Metal Asylum – Metal From Around The Globe Special – 15/11/2020

Here is the playlist from our “Metal From Around The Globe” Special. We hope you find a band here that you may have never heard before! It’s always good to spread the metal \m/ Around the world in 180 minutes! Enjoy!

  • Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
  • Belphegor – Impaled Upon The Tongue of Sathan (Blood Magick Necromance – 2011) Adrian Marsden’s birthday request
  • Danzig – Devil’s Plaything (Danzig II: Lucifuge – 1990) Marietta Moonshine’s birthday request
  • Orbit Culture – The Shadowing (Nija – 2020) Sweden
  • Nine Treasures – Wisdom Eyes (Wisdom Eyes – 2017) China
  • Eternal Madness – The Truth Of Imagination (single released in 2011) Indonesia
  • Lords Of Black – Sacrifice (Alchemy Of Souls – Pt 2 – 2020) Spain
  • Harmonize – Warriors In The Night (Warriors In The Night – 2020) Cyprus
  • Arka’n Asrafokor – Tears Of The Dead (Fangs – 2020) Africa
  • Shepherds Reign – Le Manu (Le Manu – 2020) New Zealand
  • Girish And The Chronicles – Rock n Roll Is Here To Stay (Rock The Highway – 2020) India
  • Abandoned Elysium – Wild Flower (Bloom – 2017) Estonia
  • Tyr – Hold The Heathen Hammer High (Black Sails Over Europe – 2009) Faroe Islands
  • Pink Cream 69 – Walls Come Down (Headstrong – 2017) Germany
  • Cult Of Lilith – Purple Tide (Purple Tide – 2020) Iceland
  • Grenouer – Blood On The Face (Blood On The Face – 2013) Russia
  • Demonlord – Let The Demon Out (Only The Dead Are Safe – 2011) Hungary
  • Alien Weaponry – Holding My Breath (TU – 2018) New Zealand
  • Scars – Sad Darkness Of The Soul (Predatory – 2020) Brazil
  • Behemoth – No Sympathy For Fools (Zos Kia Cultus (Here And Beyond) – 2002) Poland
  • Blind Savior – Freedom Call (The Master Plan – 2016) Malta
  • Steel Tormentor – Armageddon (Return Of A King – 2010) Ireland
  • Knightmare – Dawning Of An Eternal Life – 2019) Turkey
  • Scarlet Anger – The Abominable Master Gruesome (Freak Show – 2016) Luxembourg
  • Toxikull – Nightraiser (The Nightraiser – 2018) Portugal
  • Earsplit – Biohazardous Disease (Earsplit – 2011) Kuwait
  • Mercyful Fate – A Dangerous Meeting (Don’t Break The Oath – 1984) Denmark
  • Black Crown Initiate – Holy Silence (Holy Silence – 2020) USA
  • Coven – Wings Of Glory (The Advent – 2017) Japan
  • Acid Reign – Sense Of Independence (The Age Of Entitlement – 2019) UK
  • Demoniac – The Trap (So It Goes – 2021) Chile
  • Witchtrap – Return To Hell (Evil Strikes Again – 2020) Columbia
  • Strident – Face To Face (March Of Plague – 2019) Israel
  • Terror Activator – Demise Of Disgrace (Moshing Is Available – 2019) Latvia
  • Leverage – Superstition (Tides – 2006) Finland
  • 3 Inches Of Blood – Metal Woman (Long Live Heavy Metal – 2012) Canada

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio

Bearfist – Smile You Son Of A Bitch (2019)

Here is the second of my older reviews originally posted on Ever Metal

As I was also preparing an interview for Essex based band, Bearfist, I had already done a bit of research before listening to the EP, something which I never do! But even then, I wasn’t prepared for the sonic onslaught that my ears were about to suffer, and I do not mean that in a bad way!

Screaming vocals have never really been my bag, but one thing that reviewing has taught me is to never judge a band or their music based on one aspect of them alone!

Bearfist are a four-piece band hailing from Chelmsford, Essex (so essentially a local band for me!) and were formed in late 2014. The band’s heavy groove laden songs and intense live shows earnt them a reputation that saw them grace the stage at some of the UK’s favourite festivals. To note, they have played at Bloodstock in 2016, after winning the London region of Metal to the Masses, HRH Metal in 2017 and Hammerfest in 2018.

The band, itself, was an idea that started off as a chat over a few beers between mates (let’s face it, we have all been there after a few alcoholic beverages, just most of us never actually bring it to fruition) and ended up as the “groove laden wall of noise that you hear today.”

Says the band, “we originally just jumped in a rehearsal room with a bucket load of riff ideas to see what sort of animal we had on our hands.”

They didn’t just produce an animal, they produced a monster and they have press quotes to back that up!

Says Metal Hammer, “combining weighty riffs with throat-shredding vocals, Bearfist are just metal AF.” “One of the most complete acts to play the New Blood Stage,” said Virtual Festivals, regarding Bloodstock, 2016 and Overdrive also stated of the Bloodstock performance, “Bearfist just destroy it. If we were to gauge the future of metal on today’s performance from Bearfist, it is safe to say we have nothing to worry about.”

So, what is it about the band that has produced this level of praise?

“Smile You Son Of A Bitch EP” is the third EP from the beast that is Bearfist, after the releases of “The Fifteenth Day” in 2015 and “Foundations” in 2016, and was produced, mixed and mastered by Justin Hill (ex-Sikth vocalist). The cover photographs were taken by Loki Films and the final layout of the cd had been designed and edited by band member Jon Holland.

The one thing that stands out to me about this four track EP is the sheer amount of energy that emits from it. Even with it playing through the earphones on my laptop (and the earphones not actually being in my ears!) the power is there to be heard.

The guitars are heavy, with riffs that hit you right in the stomach, and in my mind, there is nothing better than heavy guitars. The drumming is tight and frantic, with double kicks popping up all over the place and in a live setting this guy must work up a real sweat! Musically, these guys are top notch and even the vocals, which as I said are not my cup of tea, are first class, performed with a raw intensity that you just cannot but admire.

This is a raw and brutal EP that will have you banging your head from start to finish and I would love to the see the mosh pit at a Bearfist gig as I think it would be mental (I wouldn’t, however, want to be IN it though!!)

If you like your metal fierce and right there in your face, then this is an EP for you. And even if you don’t, give it a try. It will blow away some cobwebs and you might just find yourself moshing along with the rest of us!

TRACK LISTING:

Death’s Emissary

Destroy The Magnet

I’m Your God

Bleed The Wrong Way

LINKS:

https://bearfistuk.bandcamp.com

http://www.instagram.com/bearfistband/

http://www.twitter.com/Bearfist_UK

www.youtube.com/channel/UChDY68CgeuE6zCOzC1AY78Q

https://www.facebook.com/bearfistuk/

Originally posted on Ever Metal

Alphastate – The Grind (2018)

As most of you know I used to write for Ever Metal and have the kind permission from them to reproduce the reviews I wrote for them here.

We will start with this one from Alphastate

Alphastate are a Greek metal band, formed in 2013 as a personal project of Pete Breaker (guitars). Vocalist Manos Xanthakis joined in in 2015 and the line up was complete in 2016 with the additions of Dimitris Tsounakis on bass and Fivos Andriopoulos on the drums. They released their first album “Out of the Black” in 2015 and received excellent and positive press globally.

Says the band: “we wanted to combine modern metal with 80’s and 90’s influences such as Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera and Nevermore to create a very personal and extreme style with no boundaries.”

So, what genre of metal are Alphastate? To pigeonhole them into one category would be wrong and do them a severe injustice. They play heavy metal that is heavier than normal, but they have thrown in a bit of power too, with just a hint of doom (think Sabbath, Candlemass and Trouble), and this gives them an almost unique sound.

I always think the vocals make any band and am always on the lookout for bands that have distinctive and different singers. If I am totally honest, on the first run through of the album, I didn’t actually like Manos’s vocals but after listening a few times, I realised I really didn’t give him much credit. His vocals are deep, and unmistakably Greek, which is by no means a bad thing. He could quite easily fit into a band such as Firewind if they were ever on the lookout.

I must admit that I hadn’t listened to the band’s first album before listening to this one, but the promo notes that came with the album stated that they wanted to take a more modern and aggressive approach musically with this new album. They wanted “very loud and distinctive guitars, a more modern production that had the vocals pushed up front and drums that punched through the sound.”  

I think they were successful on all three counts. Take the guitars out of this album and they would slot straight into a Pantera album, the drums are strong and tight, and I have already mentioned the vocals above.

This album includes a lot more of the band’s own thoughts and experiences making it the most personal release so far, and sonically it is their best. They have made an album that is “pure aggression with the best songs they have ever written.”

One thing that I wasn’t overly keen on with this album, was the lack of variation. Each song seemed to sound much like the last, and I am not sure if this is due to unfamiliarity with the tracks. Maybe with a few more listens through, the songs may start to separate a bit.

But this doesn’t take away from the fact, that this is a solid album, and for a band that has only really been together properly since 2016, it’s a good sign of things to come.

Give these guys a go……and they may just surprise you!

TRACK LIST

01. Trapped

02. Phantom Desires

03. Speak Your Mind

04. Theater Of Lies

05. The Grind

06. Forevermore

07. Behind The Dark

08. Heaven’s World

09. Man Made God

SOCIAL MEDIA

https://www.facebook.com/AlphastateMetal/

https://www.instagram.com/alphastate_official/

Reproduced with kind permission from Ever Metal