WISDOM IN CHAINS - "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" (2018)

WISDOM IN CHAINS - "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS"
(Running time: 39:44 minutes; 13 songs)
("Demons Run Amok"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, finally a new post up here and obviously I couldn't keep up the momentum from the promising start of this month, so to say, but in real life the pre-christmas-time is this year simply damn work-intensive and with also having a real social life then so this little blog of mine up here simply comes off a little bit short currently but I guess that's just life and so all is more than just good and fine with that at the end of the day(s). But with that out of the way it's finally time to do again a little bit up here and so here and now you get my record-review on one hell of a masterpiece and this one is the new WISDOM IN CHAINS album "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" released this summer via "DEMONS RUN AMOK" and if you know this blog now already for a few years longer and/or if you know me personally than you know that WISDOM IN CHAINS are some of my total favorites and this latest since they way back then released their immortal "CLASS WAR" masterpiece in 2007 and now we are eleven years later in 2018 and WISDOM IN CHAINS are going sort of stronger than (ever) before with "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS", hell yeahr, and two months ago I did my record-review on SLAPSHOT's new one and what I wrote there about it (of) being my Hardcore album of/for 2018 I definitely stand for it but I also definitely already knew back then that this 'title' SLAPSHOT's "MAKE AMERICA HATE AGAIN" had too share with WISDOM IN CHAINS' "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" but simply did not want to 'pre-anticipate' and spoil it back then already, yes, and so now here we are. (And after the almighty SICK OF IT ALL also finally released also their new one very recently we will later on see what that now may mean…) WISDOM IN CHAINS serve us here on and with "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" the newest and most impressive dose of their highly intense and highly atmospheric, incredible creative and clichée-free Hardcore full of ongoingly delivered heavy truckloads of devastating heavy and highly dynamic energy and and a rousing attitude and potential like not much else outta there, yeahr, and they even enriched it all far more today in 2018 with "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS", so at least my impression, and cultivated it even more than before with totally getting rid of any bullshit Hardcore clichée crap and with just doing their completly own thing and this so even far more consequent than already before. Melting heavy amounts of catchy and sharp Heavy Metal and crushing Thrash Metal as well as symphonic Classic Rock into their bonecracking heavy and at the same time incredible hymnal and with breath-taking melody lines shining Hardcore the Land of Kings style and that's still deeply rooted in the NY(H)C and that then is all pushed only more and only heavier forward by a massive input of Punkrock, Streetpunk and some Oi! ingredients and that is this time with working- in some good and healthy doses of atmospheric ambient-Pop even only made more rich, rousing, grapping, exciting, and also entertaining. And also only even more conquering. So expect one hell of an impressive and 'overwhelmingly-conquering' rich and grapping songwriting full of great fresh ideas, surprising twists and turns all down the road along the ride as well as open huge surprises and a in that definitely larger than life way still before "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" in that manner just unexpected and so damn strong moments of unrestrained and 'bubbling-over' creativity without any 'scene-limitations' that is just so damn impressive and grapping that WISDOM IN CHAINS take you for an overly exciting ride full of authentic, heartfelt big emotions that they will leave you with your mouth opened wide and a satisfied joker-grin drawn on your face, oh yes, and all is marked by a very strong and huge own unique identity and charcter and a larger than life intensity as well as a damn dense'n'tight atmosphere, yes, served to us by damn skilled musicians from start to finish on the highest grade of quality and full of soulful and heartfelt, sympathic authenticity and that's something that hopefully will never change in camp WISDOM IN CHAINS. All is delivered via highly charismatic and today more than ever versatile lead vokillz backed up by widescreen crew back ups and well placed co-lead vokillz, by a damn diverse and multi-layered, multi-facetted guiatr work, by a heavy smacking bass, and by a thunderous drum work. Any band comparisions? Senseless, too huge, too strong, too characteristic, and too unique is the identity of WISDOM IN CHAINS. But, okay, let me try it this way: Throw SICK OF IT ALL and MADBALL together with METALLICA, ANTHRAX, and LED ZEPPELIN into one big bowl and garnish it with some BONECRUSHER, RANCID, and OXYMORON and you have a good starting point to finally discover WISDOM IN CHAINS on your own. If you ask for any listening tipps then it should be clear that the whole album is the purest platinum outta there and this from start to finish, definitely, but if you're interested in my personal favorites then this are probably "LIFE LESSONS", "SOMEDAY", "BETTER THAN I WAS", "THE BOY AND THE CAVE", "HEART OF A CHAMPION", "TURN MY BACK", "DUCK DOWN, STAY DOWN", and "HALFWAY THERE" simply because this are the songs I've probably listened the very most to and so maybe check this songs out first. A great, sinister 'cartoonish' artwork, a heavy smashing and yet clear and warm production-sound, and absolutely first-class lyrics then finally turn WISDOM IN CHAINS' "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" into the complete package and the real deal. What? You still need some finishing closing words? Really? Okay, then… damn it, just go out and (finally) get WISDOM IN CHAINS' "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" and this instantly. One hell of a fantastic album. Hardcore!!! Fist!!!

(10 of 10 points)

https://de-de.facebook.com/WisdomInChainsPAHC (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

WISDOM IN CHAINS - "THE BOY AND THE CAVE" (2018, "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS")

BÖHSE ONKELZ - "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN (30 JAHRE NEUAUFNAHME)" (2018)

BÖHSE ONKELZ - "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN (30 JAHRE NEUAUFNAHME)"
(Running time: 47:58 minutes; 12 songs)
("Matapaloz"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, it's been a while since the last post came up here, yehp, I know but anyhow and anyway because tonight November 2018 will start up here and I will do this with a review of me, myself, and I on one of the probably hughest classicks in the history of hard'n'heavy musick from Germany or better on the brandnew very recently released current rerecording of it and I'm talking about the very recently released completly 'freshly' done rerecording of the album "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" of/by no one else than the BÖHSE ONKELZ and this very one here is the 30th anniversary rerecording of it, yeahr, and so here we go finally again: I won't go into all the 'historical ramblings' about the BÖHSE ONKELZ in general and/or their "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" in particular because this would simply go beyond the scope and so here'n'now I will only concentrate and look on the album itself and this in its current 'rerecorded 30 years anniversary edition' that is now the topic up here. "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" was back then the so to say second album when and with that they moved from the early german Oi! Punk of their debut full length "DER NETTE MANN" and the Oi!/Punk/Rock bastard of their "BÖHSE MENSCHEN, BÖHSE LIEDER" second full length to their dirty and heavy hitting highly energetic and hymnal Metal of their (in my book) by far greatest time represented by their immortal masterpieces "ONKELZ WIE WIR", "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN", "ES IST SOWEIT", "WIR HAM NOCH LANGE NICHT GENUG", and "HEILIGE LIEDER", yes, and "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN", their fourth full length in general and the second one of their above mentioned era, is one of my absolute favorites of/by the BÖHSE ONEKLZ: Hard hitting, slashing, nasty, rowdyish, ever brawling and rumbling Hooligan Metal filled by dirty Punk and clearly raised on hymnal Oi! and fueled by high octane and on the cold concrete born and bred Hardrock and all garnished with a strong and unique and also a damn great very own identity and a nice through'n'through authentic and sympathic attitude as well as a very grubby and nicely twisted atmosphere and all was and still is incredible highly intense and harsh and heavy stunning, yes, and this all still today and perhaps even more in this updated rerecorded version. Smashing and damn tight and forceful, very grapping, exciting, and rousing songwriting that shows no holes or blank spaces and that especially leaves no questions open and takes no prisoners and this still today in 2018 and that's massively pushed forward by mercyless pushing and punching guitars that deliver crushing riffs and singing leads and solos 'like nothing', marked by loud and street-raised dirty vokillkz, and all beefed up massively by a strong going and proud strutting bass playing and devastating thunderous drumming and all these ingredients still shine today and this still very bright, yes, making the BÖHSE ONKELZ' "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" still to nothing but and nothing less than pure gold. On the rerecorded version this all changed not a single bit, hell no, in contrast it all shows today with far more cultivated guitar parts like for example slide guitar styled leads and also with more melodic and more versatile lead vokillz and even more hymnal backings maybe even only more potential. And this also counts for the as a bonus on here featured and also rerecorded back-then-exclusive-songs of the incredible fantastic "LÜGENMARSCH" EP. In short: Here we have a fucking strong album that today with being 30 years old is as strong, as relevant, and as important as back then 30 years ago and that for all the right and justified reasons got cultivated and enriched massively with ist rerecorded 30 years anniversary edition this very year of 2018. Strong and nicely diverse lyrics, a pretty discreet and yet very original and also convincingly done artwork, and a clear and heavy smashing production sound round it all in a perfect way up. BÖHSE ONKELZ' "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" is nothing but a damn fucking larger than life classick and this fantastic '30 years anniversary rerecording' is the finishing glory of it and if for nothing else but only for this re-done masterpiece alone we can only cherish their reunion and comeback, yes, and I can only and nothing but highly, highly recommend it to anyone of you outta there, period.
(9 of 10 points)
http://www.onkelz.de/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

BÖHSE ONKELZ - "SO SIND WIR" ///live @ the "MATAPALOZ" festival 2018\\\ (2018, "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN")

JUDAS PRIEST - "FIREPOWER" (2018)

JUDAS PRIEST - "FIREPOWER"
(Running time: 58:24 minutes; 14 songs)
("Sony Music"; 2018; CD):

Hell yeahr, hey guys, yes, already back again and this time again with a record review that's for far too long overdue up here nowadays and it is finally on the new JUDAS PRIEST masterpiece "FIREPOWER" released via "SONY MUSIC" this year's March of 2018 on CD and limited CD and also, at least I would bet so, also on LP and currently it is also out again in a brandnew special tour edition, yes, just that you know it, but (so far) I own only the normal CD version, since the day it was released, and so, of course, my review will just be on this very one. So, yes, 2018 and JUDAS PRIEST unleashing their supreme "FIREPOWER" and with doing so they pretty much annihilated all maybe-potential as well as all openly wanna-be rivals in the world for 2018 within the blink of an eye and so 2018 saw with JUDAS PRIEST's "FIREPOWER" the return of the pretty much best and greatest of them all ever. With 14 songs in nearly a hour of play-time with "FIREPOWER" JUDAS PRIEST constructed and build-up a sky-towering monument from scratch that truly is absolutely on par with larger than life divine masterpieces and lifechanging groundbreakers like for example immortal ones like "KILLING MACHINE", "BRITISH STEEL", "SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE", "DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH", "TURBO", and "PAINKILLER" and this, oh hell yeahr, this is an absolute statement of its very own and it is nothing less and nothing but totally conquering and this again and again time after time without end. And, in fact, JUDAS PRIEST created with "FIREPOWER" a soon-to-be-a-classic if not an instant-classic album that while combining in a totally relevant up-to-date way the best ingredients and elements of the above mentioned immortally divine JUDAS PRIEST classicks to create a true larger than life masterpiece of totally own of a kind like one in a million also manages to be so incredible fresh, independently, stand-alone, and alive-lively that it is nothing else and especially nothing less than absolutely breath-taking and the biggest and purest pleasure to listen to this phenomenal Heavy Metal thunderstruck and it showcases and this seemingly so easy how truly great Heavy Metal was, is, and always will be and this in all its lifechanging glory. Combine the clenched fist stoic marching Hard Rock fueled harsh stomping early Heavy Metal of "KILLING MACHINE" and the sharp cutting "BRITISH STEEL" with the pure by high octane energy fueled melodic and still mercylessly heavy forward storming and by huge and highly multi-facetted tension-arcs marked masterly supreme Heavy Metal of "SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE" and "DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH" with the anthemic and hymnal catchyness of the hard rocking and even harder rolling "TURBO" and the all and every resistance devastating and annihilating absolutely no prisoners taking and still incredible diverse and multi-layered sheer thundering heavyness of "PAINKILLER" and imagine this all done incredible fresh and independently and filled to the maximum with new, fresh, and spirited ideas and you probably should have a pretty good idea of "FIREPOWER" to start with - just in case you really shouldn't know (or own) it, why the bloody hell ever. The very multi-layered and diverse songwriting full of overwhelming many and great facets is phenomenal, the fantastic songs are packed up full to the absolute maximum with unbelievable massive amounts of total high octane energy and really headspinning and massively rousing and moving dynamics, the songs (each single one as well as the whole album which means the 'songs in their completness') 'brightly' shine and really massively and strongly excel with overwhelming amounts of ever-changing different moods and strong emotions while being marked by fantastic arrangements and brilliant arranged verses that very 'flowingly' run into truly larger than life 'fist in the air' refrains while all being 'stunningly' studded with gifted hooklines to kneel down to, exciting moments and grapping elements are everywhere to be found here on JUDAS PRIEST's "FIREPOWER", the rhythm structures and the pace work are very diverse and pretty much ever-changing over the whole album and every song owns its very own approach and identity, and in general is the ingenious fresh, alive-lively, rousing and very multi-facetted compositorial work of the songs nothing but totally and absolutely 'gifted-divine'. The guitars are literally the album-title taken from words and set (in)to musick which means absolutely all-guns-blazing sheer and pure "FIREPOWER" and really excel with their overwhelming and all and everything and everyone conquering power with fantastic riffs as well as abrilliant rhythm work and when we look at the divine solos and the brilliant leads and melody lines that's where they really, really shine and this like the brightest star you'll probably will ever see. Rob Halfords lead vokillz truly massively enrich and cultivate it all and this just from start to finish on a totally supreme and masterly level of skill, quality, and personality and also live he sings so strong and brilliant today that you could think he would be at least three decades younger than he really is. Much, much respect for this!!! The forceful and proud strutting bass and the crushing thunderous drumming then beef and bulk up the songs massively and perfectly, giving them their needed and very valuable backbone. JUDAS PRIEST's "FIREPOWER" is a nearly if not a truly through and through perfect piece of art and musick and every single song is the purest and most precious platinum you only can find and so every song is truly an incredible precious gem but if you ask for my personal favorites then this would be "FIREPOWER", "LIGHTNING STRIKES", "EVIL NEVER DIES", "NEVER THE HEROES", "CHILDREN OF THE SUN", "RISING FROM RUINS", "SPECTRE", "NO SURRENDER", and "SEA OF RED", hell yeahr, and so maybe start your discovery of JUDAS PRIEST's "FIREPOWER" with this über-divine gems. Very strong, interesting, and throughtful lyrics, an amazing and just 'overwhelmingly-conquering' artwork, and a frist-class powerful and transparent and still warm production-sound then finally round it all perfectly up. Be sure or be prepared to find JUDAS PRIEST's "FIREPOWER" on a very prominent position in my personal-best-of-2018-list and I'm pretty sure this will not only in my case that/this way. I think I've said so much all I had to say and I think you now know the deal and what you should do or have to do in case you really still don't own or even know it and now bang your head and rock hard and rock free. JUDAS PRIEST's "FIREPOWER", an immortally divine and larger than life masterpiece forged in iron by fire, flame, and will and a proud, powerful, spirited, gifted, and bright shining monument for the future delivered and gifted to us by the Metal Gods themselves. Perfect!!!

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.judaspriest.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

JUDAS PRIEST - "NEVER THE HEROES" (2018, "FIREPOWER")

FREI.WILD - "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" (2018)

FREI.WILD - "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN"
(2CD: Running time - CD 1: 52:19 minutes; 13 songs /// Running time - CD 2: 55:33 minutes; 14 songs)
("Rookies & Kings"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, back again, once again, yes, next load'n'dose already again coming for you. Here and now it will be all about my review on the new FREI.WILD album "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN", finally, and this was and is a double CD album that was released in the March of this very year of 2018 and latest since May 2018 I wanted to bring this up… please, don't ask me why it took so long, I have no clue. Anyhow, I wasn't aware that FREI.WILD were still active or were active again before I saw "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" in my local record store and at first I wasn't too enthusiastic… it left me totally and completly cold, to be honest... after the last FREI.WILD album I really cheered up to was "GEGENGIFT" from 2011 but after some time one day I decided in sort of an ad-hoc-decision to just take it with me and so I did and then… yes... I was heavily surprised and truly convinced by it and so, I mean this being-convinced-of-it, it is still so the state today. And, before you ask, no, just no, I mean I could imagine that FREI.WILD still today trigger a lot of guys outta there who see in them some of the most Evil Nazis and one of the most evil Nazi Rock or Fascist Rock bands outta there ever and all sort of this stuff. Fuck it, in my review on "GEGENGIFT" I pretty much wrote all what I had and in one way or another still sort of have to say about this stuff so just read it there if you really want to my opinion on or to this all and one last or two or three last words to it then just listen without any panic sirens in your head with attention to a lot of very outspoken lyrics of songs here on "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" and you should finally get it straight that patriotism and conservatism doesn't equal being a Nazi or Fascist and in fact maybe, just maybe if you can get this straight, even means the total opposite. And now, finally, enough of this stuff and back to the topic, yes, and that still is FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN". Hm, how to finally not only trying but succeeding in keeping it short(er) this time... I doubt that this will work out... anyway, hm, where and how the hell to start? Maybe here'n'there: If you are looking or searching for a really damn strong through and through really hymnal and anthemic and truly hard rocking and slightly metallic rolling Rock album, a German Rock album owning a huge very own identity and with still a pretty present street spirit or Streetrock flair and that incorporates a lot of Offbeat and/or SKA elements into it all in a damn strong way and with, so it seems, a lot of big heartfelt personal authentic emotions in it all as well and/or on top of it all, musicwise and lyricwise, yes, then don't look any further and don't search anywhere else, yes, because here with and in FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" you've definitely found what you were looking, searching for. Strong songwriting that really offers beneath its all too open lying surface a lot of suprising multi-layered facets and strong surprising diverse ideas and often great twists'n'turns with exciting song and verse arrangements and grapping compositorial kick-offs and that all really hit me by surprise and it all nicely breaks out of the all too well known stale formula of the last albums. While on the surface all sounds very well known underneath the surface waits a lot of fresh and cool stuff to be discovered by you. And all is done very independently, yes, FREI.WILD still have their very own tone and unique identity and they conserved and even cultivated it all here on and with "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" and I definitely cheer up to it or them for this. Very charismatic and accentuated vocals, loud backings, sharp cutting heavy guitars, a proud strutting bass, and harsh and hard stunning drumming are the cornerstones of FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" and in-between this all on the one side very often one hell of an intense and also pretty atmospheric entertaining and valuable, nutritious intermezzo breaks loose as well as on the other side there's also even way more waiting to be discovered by you. Okay, maybe a double CD album is or was at the end of the day still a bit too much and when we have 27 songs in nearly two hours of play-time then in all 'normal cases' it's maybe or surely pretty clear and 'normal' that we have also some fillers and not only killers on it here but anyhow and anyway, yes, FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" is a damn strong album that I can still very calmly and clearly recommend to you outta there and so maybe just forget all the hype as well as all the bullcrap talking maybe still surrounding this band and so also this album and just risk one or two ears on it or better get it instantly in case you really still should not have or even know it. Strong and surprisingly multi-layered lyrics, a pretty cool artwork, and a nice bombing production-sound then finally make it all very round. Like already more or less said, yes, best just get it.

(8,5 of 10 points)

https://www.frei-wild.net/ (-link to the homepage of the band)

FREI.WILD - "ANTIWILLKOMMEN" (2018, "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN")

(my absolute personal favorite one)

GHOST - "PREQUELLE" (2018)

GHOST - "PREQUELLE"
(Running time: 41:47 minutes; 10 songs)
("Loma Vista Recordings"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, here's my next dose'n'load aimed at and coming for you and this time it will be my record-review on the new GHOST full-length-album "PREQUELLE" released very recently this very year of 2018 via "LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS" on CD in a normal and in a digi-pak-version of which the latter one I call mine (but don't ask me 'bout any differences beside the packaging) and I would bet that there's also officially released vinyl of it floating around outta there and this pretty much also in various forms which here and now means various colours. This is my very first GHOST record and also more or less my first reallly proper 'meeting' with them after before "PREQUELLE" I always thought it would just be another overly hyped act but after a good friend of mine (also very trustworthy in all things musick) told me that they would beside all the hype in fact be very good band and also their newest record despise all the controversy surrounding it would be very strong I decided to finally give GHOST a try as well and also decided to start directly with their newest offering "PREQUELLE" and so now here we are. After this introduction please don't wait for any comparisions with their earlier work and just expect me to do my review solely on this very one here, GHOST's "PREQUELLE". What GHOST deliver us here on and with and via "PREQUELLE" is a damn fascinating and very independently done metallic mixture out of Rock and Gothic and this in a very 'freshly delviered' way with some very cool and very catchy Pop appeal to it all, yes, and this very open (how I liked and still like to call it) Pop appeal I mean in every sense and way positive even it is (for all what I understand) one of the if not the biggest point of criticism the majority of critics is or gets vocal about, hm, how I see it even without knowing GHOST so much before "PREQUELLE" they were anyhow never that much the band of and for all the 'metallic trueness warriors' outta there or at least I never perceived them that way and so I don't really understand the discussions I got and am aware of surrounding GHOST's "PREQUELLE" but who am I too judge, so to say… For all what I can say is that if you are looking out for a damn strong and very Fresh nicely metallic Gothic Rock cocktail full of a very own identity and strong and grapping ideas that combines easily and very charming flowingly Gothic ingredients and Gothic Rock marks with loads of melodic Hard/Heavy Rock impressions and a good amount of stunning Classic/Vinatge Rock ideas and wraps it all together with head-banging studded Heavy Metal leather as well as some good healthy doses of anthemic 1980's Stadium Rock impressions while all is marked by a gigantic 'catchy poppyness' (again, in all sense positive meant) and all interwoven by a tight and nicely intense atmosphere then you will find in and with GHOST's "PREQUELLE" pretty much exactly what you are looking and searching for. GHOST's "PREQUELLE" is heavily marked by a very atmospheric and intense aligned songwriting that's filled with grapping hooks and a very dynamic and rousing, exciting and very energetic approach to it all with a big bunch of strong arrangements and a great flowing nicely diverse rhythm structure work of the songs in general and stunning compositorial ideas so that it pretty much all shines with a strong 'freshness' and it's pretty much all showcasing a pretty own character as well as damn convincing quality. The very urgently and imprloringly delivered, very intense and top notch clear and clean vokillz really shine above all with their massive power, their many facets, and their very own tone and character. Then the very strong and highly diverse and the songs definitely massively enriching and marking fantastic and highly melodic while yet being all the time also pretty powerful guitars then dominate massively, while being backed up in an ultra-precise and also damn diverse way by the powerful rhythm section and 'some other instruments' (so to say, and to make it short and easy for me here) also perform their duties in a damn strong to great way. And in our day and age delivering two instrumentals on one album as a 'chart breaking band' like GHOST do/did here on "PREQUELLE" with "MIASMA" and "HELVETESFÖNSTER" is also a damn strong statement. Not all is gold, okay, for example I miss a bit of dirt and danger and GHOST's "PREQUELLE" is for my taste a bit too secure and there are a bit of too many too pathos-pregnant-balladesk songs on it but after all I guess that's which means the latter is just part of the deal known as Gothic and Gothic Rock and so at the end of the day I guess it's all good and fine especially after I am not that 100% into that target group, so to say. My personal favorites are "RATS", "FAITH", "SET THE LIGHT", the absolutely fantastic "MIASMA", the stunning "DANCE MACABRE", and "LIFE ETERNAL", yes, so maybe check this ones out first. Pretty interesting and cool lyrics, an absolutely drop-dead-gorgeous artwork, and a heavy smashing production sound then finally round GHOST's "PREQUELLE" very befittingly up. Well done, very well done.

(8,5 of 10 points)

http://ghost-official.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

GHOST live @ the "DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL" in 2018, playing "GHOST CIRCLE" and the masterly "MIASMA".

RIOT V - "ARMOR OF LIGHT" (2018)

RIOT V - "ARMOR OF LIGHT"
(Running time: 55:30 minutes; 12 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, new load'n'dose is incoming aimed at and heading for you and this time it is or it probably will finally be another early morning post again (if I get it done now before heading off to work) and this here'n'now will be all About one hell of a brilliant and breathtaking, stunning and overwhelming album and I am talking about nothing else and nothing less which means none other album than the absolute smasher titled "ARMOR OF LIGHT" by/of the (al)mighty RIOT V released still pretty recently in this year of 2018 via the ominpresent "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" on CD and LP. RIOT V are in fact sort of the almighty RIOT in sort of their current reincarnation, so to say, and with "ARMOR OF LIGHT" they pretty much did what is maybe best described as (even maybe just pretty roughly or 'superficially') the "THUNDERSTEEL" of their new era as RIOT V and without copying this immortal'n'divine classick from back in the days (I did a tribute post to/on RIOT's "THUNDERSTEEL" as the "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - FEBRUARY 2018" edition earlier this year up here, yes, so read it if you are interested in it - and you should be interested in it, definitely) but instead having created and mastercrafted with their "ARMOR OF LIGHT" a totally superb masterpiece of an album massively in the tradition of their "THUNDERSTEEL" and with delivering a damn fresh, unique, and alive'n'lively load of it straight into 2018. This is high octane full throttle no holds barred no breaks using power metallic and by at the same time damn harsh sawing and sharp cutting yet very symphonic and catchy Speed Metal fueled (U.S.) American Heavy Metal of the most supreme kind and marked by fantastic songwriting that not only makes sure to provide massive amounts of highly explosive energy and highly ever movable'n'moving dynamics ongoingly all the time but that also shines and excels completly and all the time with a huge amount of great very fresh and highly exciting ideas and twists'n'turns all around the time and all along the ride down the road from start to finish and that grabs you with a very tight atmosphere and with an incredible high intensity non stopp so that this albums just kicks your ass, smashes your bones, grabs you by the throat and slaps and beats your face and head all the time from the opening tunes of "VICTORY" to the closing seconds of "RAINING FIRE" and this really over truly all the time and makes you enjoy every single speed fueled heavy power metallic hit you take second by second and enjoy this in every sense overwhelming beating really and to point it out one more time again all the damn time, yes, and RIOT V's "ARMOR OF LIGHT" is above all also a damn stunning heavy and harsh album, sharp cutting and precise aimed and yet also all the time so incredible symphonic, melodic and just damn catchy and filled with fantastic hooklines that it will only leave your mouth open while your breath is taken away and this all also only adds up to the 'highly atmospheric tightness' and the über-stunning intensity of this ultimate masterpiece of a damn brilliant and fucking fantastic album that's filled with all and everything and everyone overwhelming anthemic hymns from start to finish. All is then massively marked by a highly diverse and a (like also the whole songwriting in general) very multi-layered and multi-facetted guitar work that shines with brilliant riffs and a phenomenal arragened rhythm work in general while it then totally excels with loud and singing symphonic melody lines, catchy leads, and brilliant highly dynamic and energetic solos as well as absolutely amazing top-notch first-class highly charismatic and fantastic clear and clean and yet very powerful sung lead vokillz, while the massively powerful strutting and the place owning bass work and the devastating and also highly dynamic and multi-facetted drumming together with some very cool loud'n'proud 'doubled' backings really round it all up in a it all very much and strongly cultivating way. My personal favorite choices probably would be "VICTORY", "END OF THE WORLD", "MESSIAH", "ANGEL'S THUNDER, DEVIL'S REIGN", "BURN THE DAYLIGHT", "ARMOR OF LIGHT", "HEART OF A LION", "SAN ANTONIO", and "CAUGHT IN THE WITCHES EYE" but after the so far not mentioned "SET THE WORLD ALIGHT", "READY TO SHINE", and "RAINING FIRE" are in no way anyhow weaker attempts I can name them calmly as well, yes, simply because the whole album is filled from start to finish all the time with fantastic masterpieces of songs, point and fact. A drop-dead gorgeous artwork, strong lyrics, and a heavy bombing production-sound finally round it all up. So, okay, I think I've said enough and told you all you have and need to know and so before I now eat my breakfast and then drive to work let me close this record-review with saying that RIOT V's "ARMOR OF LIGHT" is an album you will definitely find in my personal best of 2018 list and if you are into the described musick and still don't know or own it then you should by any means finally change this as soon as possible. An amazing album, period.

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.areyoureadytoriot.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

RIOT V - "ANGEL'S THUNDER, DEVIL'S REIGN" (2018, "ARMOR OF LIGHT")

SUICIDE SILENCE - "SUICIDE SILENCE" (2017)

SUICIDE SILENCE  "SUICIDE SILENCE"
(Running time: 44:17 minutes; 10 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, next load is in-coming for you and this time it is a or better my record-review on a now slightly already a bit older release namely the so far still current self-titled SUICIDE SILENCE full-length-album released via "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" some time last year in 2017. I was never the biggest SUICIDE SILENCE fan even their damn strong "THE BLACK CROWN" from 2011 really ruled and still rules but other than that particular album all in all SUICIDE SILENCE never really were that far up high on my personal-faves-list, so to say, and this combined with the very mixed reactions this very one here, SUICIDE SILENCE's "SUICIDE SILENCE" received more or less everywhere last year I never felt that much of the need to get my hands on it. This changed just recently this year when I saw it for less than 5,00 Euros and then so finally took it with me because, to be honest, what could go wrong for a that low price. And now I have it here and am listening to it for… far too often… to get this record-review here finally done and... where to start and this all with keeping it short… Okay, SUICIDE SILENCE as one of the by any means biggest Deathcore acts outta there really wanted to change their game quite a bit, so to say, and this they anyhow anyway did. But... and I'll really try to keep it truly short this time… if this 'changing of the game' and this 'reinventing of your own identity' means nothing else and even less but that you deliver nothing but miserable and pitifull lukewarm together boiled infusions of what bands like (the fantastic) DEFTONES and (the in their glory days absolutely overwhelming) KORN did when they were sixteen and smoked up high and tight on weed in their daddy's garage and this all then rewarmed sort of over two decades later in 2017 in a lousy and dirty cooking pot that was used before to sizzle some garbage crystal meth together then, yes, then you surely missed the point of anything and everything what 'changing the game' and 'reinventing your own identity' could and should mean. Throw some late 1990's and early 2000's Nu Metal of the more (wanna-be) psychotic and dark, (also wanna-be) depressiv and sinister kind like imagine a mixture out of the DEFTONES, KORN, and SLIPKNOT (minus all identity, quality, and/or rousing ideas) together with some 201X's Deathcore and also Metalcore and pull off any focus or any related ideas or any real grapping or exciting songwriting and you have, yes, SUICIDE SILENCE's "SUICIDE SILENCE", an album marked by an unbelievable huge artificially inflated nothingness of all and everything and delivered via pseudo-proggy gadgetry wrapped in a terrible sterile and dull cardboard production-sound and with not much to, in all honesty, nothing else. Deathcore breakdowns and Nu Metal grooves in combination with a lot of pseudo-desperate and in self-pity bathing downpaced and pseudo-atmospheric parts, a truckload of dull struming guitars, terrible vocals that are by all the effects packed on them only even made far worse, and a lachrymatory uninspired scrubing rhythm-section then are the tools via which the… hm... ''songwriting-ideas'' are carried out. And self-pity is a good keyword beside some others that I have already used to describe the lyrics in a proper way, too. Anything positive to end this review on? Not really and not that much but "DYING IN A RED ROOM", "CONFORMITY", and "DON'T BE CAREFUL YOU MIGHT HURT YOURSELF" (minus the crappy outro) are pretty decent, okay to maybe good songs even maybe only or at least especially in the context of this total ass birth of an album and minus the lame bandphoto cover I like the whole artwok of the album quite a bit, yes, and then that's it. Incredible less that this album delivers despise the high-skilled musicians that gave birth to it. And so, yes, we finally got reminded one more time and this also in a pretty impressive way that sometimes even less than 5,00 Euros can be by far too much for an album…

(3 of 10 points)

http://www.suicidesilence.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

SUICIDE SILENCE - "DORIS" (2017, "SUICIDE SILENCE")

GATEKEEPER - "EAST OF SUN" (2018)

GATEKEEPER - "EAST OF SUN"
(Running time: 57:33 minutes; 10 songs)
("Cruz del Sur"; 2018; CD):

Back on track and up here at work again, yes, and to kick this very one here and now off let me begin with just one word, okay, and so now here it comes: Wow!!! Yes, and with that said let us now start this very one here properly: Hey guys, oh yeahr, this very one here totally overwhelmed me and it massively conquered me and, yes, it continues to do so again and again and time after time. GATEKEEPER - hailing from (then) Edmonton and (now) Vancouver over there up from Canada - were total unknown strangers before their "EAST OF SUN" album to me and this very one here, GATEKEEPER's mentioned "EAST OF SUN", is their- for all what I know- proper full-length-debutalbum, and it was released still pretty recently this year via the mighty "CRUZ DEL SUR" record-label like already mentioned in this very year of 2018. I'll try to keep it... hm... again (?) shorter this time... at least a bit or so... and so now enough of the introducing and smalltalking stuff and finally right and direct and straight into the action, yes, and so now one more time again let's roll: This is absolutely brilliant and fantastic Epic Heavy Metal of the absolute masterly supreme kind with a strong own character and identity born and bred through old/early SAVATAGE, old glory MANOWAR, a good dose of MANILLA ROAD, and OMEN and raised by these giants to become a very independently, stand-alone, and high skilled battle scarred Epic Heavy/Power Metal bastard that would make Conan massively proud and that would be the perfect soundtrack for riding axe-swinging over the wide fields and through the hot jungles of Cimmeria. This almighty album kicks off with the phenomenal harsh slashing and deadly sharp cutting through and through on purest Speed Metal raised "THE BLADE OF CIMMERIA" filled with and marked by an impressively intense and heavily stunning, massively tension-building and really huge and despise the precise and fast cutting and raging character of it nicely diverse and multi-layered guitar work delivering everything destroying riffs and all heads off-cutting rhythmic arrangements and, standing above all, singing and screaming leads and intoxicating solos, hell yeahr, and also filled to the max with and marked by powerful and clean, clear, and very sharp and still pretty harsh sung lead vocals that are cultivating it all, while bonesmashing and harsh thundering drumming and a grim and evil sawing powerful bass back it all up in a stunning and massive way. After this absolutely overwhelming kick-off of the album the ingredients pretty much stay the same even the Speed Metal gets sort of omitted and the really larger than life and by a breathtaking and goosepimples-non-stopp-giving dramaturgy marked Epic Metal or Epic Heavy Metal really takes the all and everything commanding lead, yes, but the stunning, high-skilled, diverse and multi-layered, very atmospheric and intense, sharp cutting and harsh slashing and above all really singing and with fantastic melody lines excelling guitar work, the highly charismatic and very forceful and very imploringly and urgently delivered air-raid-siren vocals, the brutal smashing and stunning drumming, and the massively heavy sawing bass still make and mark the songs and the musick and this in all the fucking right ways and for all the damn right reasons. And above all GATEKEEPER's "EAST OF SUN" is marked by diverse and very rich, due to many differents facets and layers nicely and in a damn high-skilled way very multi-layered and sort of ever changing songwriting with tremendous amounts of massively tension building drama and an incredible amount of really exciting moments and grapping, rousing changes and twists and turns in it all that conquer and overwhelm all and everything in a damn stunning and drastic and massive way, yes, and it is incredible how huge and how 'gloriosuly grapping' the tension arcs of each and every single one of the songs (that are also very often brilliantly enriched with amazing acoustic sprinklings) are, yes, really damn bloody fucking fantastic. This is, to get this straight and say this clear and precise, an absolute and total supreme masterpiece and a really larger than life and an outstanding album and it is one of the very best ones in and for 2018 and this without a single doubt, yes, and I can only and clearly and calmly recommend this to everyone outta there who's into the described musick and if you are in this target-group and really should not have or even know it so far then you should really and by any means change this as damn soon as only anyhow possible and best promptly right now and instantly. Absolutely fantastic lyrics, an outstanding fucking gorgeous artwork, a clear and still heavy and sharp cutting production-sound as well as two brilliant and phenomenal cover-tunes of the omnipotent mastepieces that are OMEN's "DEATH RIDER" and SAVATAGE's "HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING" finally round the supreme masterpiece that is GATEKEEPER's "EAST OF SUN" finally and in a perfect way up. Epic Metal in perfection. Get this immortal beast of an album, just get it. 

(10 of 10 points)

https://gatekeeper.bandcamp.com/ (-the link to the bandcamp site of the band)

GATEKEEPER - "BLADE OF CIMMERIA" (2018, "EAST OF SUN")

HEAVY LOAD - "STRONGER THAN EVIL" (2018; Re-Release)

HEAVY LOAD - "STRONGER THAN EVIL"
(Running time: 68:25 minutes; 14 songs)
("No Remorse Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, after my work day starts later this day I decided to try to come up with the next load for you already this morning (we will see if this will work out like planned) and this means here'n'now that here comes my record-review on the 2018 re-release of the HEAVY LOAD classick "STRONGER THAN EVIL" released via "NO REMORSE RECORDS" in a drop-dead-gorgeous and ultra-premium digi-pak-edition. HEAVY LOAD's "STRONGER THAN EVIL" was if I am now correct the 3rd full-length-album of this Heavy Metal Vikings from Sweden and was originally/primaly released in the October of 1983. I stumbled upon this release due to the gorgeous artwork that instantly draw my attention and finally led me to purchase it. HEAVY LOAD played a mixture out of Heavy Metal and (especially) Epic Metal with a strong battle-scarred spirit and a Conan & Cimmeria like vibe to it all and fueled by a often pretty strong and also pretty dark Hard Rock or Heavy Rock influence. The birth-date being in the 1980's and this also pretty early in this decade you surely regognize clearly but due to a nicely very own note'n'timbre and a pretty unique own tone of the guitars as well as of the nicely present and clearly to hear loud'n'proud strutting bass and a 'golden-hand' in arranging the vocal lines as well as the overall damn high quality of the musick HEAVY LOAD and especially here their "STRONGER THAN EVIL" absolutely holds its ground and remains damn relevant also today. This is also due to the very strong and also by today's standards still nicely fresh and especially damn alive-lively and asskicking songwriting that bridges a wide area of different approaches and directions from stunning and harsh power pumping, anthemic and fist-in-the-air Hard Rock/Heavy Rock slashers like "FREE" or especially the nearly divine "SATURDAY NIGHT" over escalating very intense drama-and-tension-rich highly emotional and atmospheric Epic Metal hymns like "STRONGER THAN EVIL" or "ROAR OF THE NORTH" to massively heavy hitting and hard onwards into battle stomping Heavy Metal thunderstrikes like "THE KING" or "SINGING SWORDS" and with "RUN WITH THE DEVIL" the album opens up with a prime example of the supreme Heavy Metal majesty HEAVY LOAD were able to create, and all is marked by intense and grapping and damn rousing songwriting that for damn sure still today in 2018 offers a lot of pure excitment for/to anyone into the described musick. All done by well-skilled musicians. Powerful clear sung and full lead vokillz, sharp cutting and harsh slashing guitars, a powerful bass, and thundering drums are the ingredients out of which HEAVY LOAD created their loud'n'proud and battle-scarred hymns of war. A big load of bonus tracks that really all totally conquer, a drop-dead-gorgeous and very 'nutritious' artwork, and a beautifully dirty and original 1980's production-sound as well as very strong lyrics then finally round it all up. Clearly recommended to anyone who's into Heavy Metal and Epic Metal as well as into heavy hitting and epic Hard Rock/Heavy Rock. Make sure to discover HEAVY LOAD's "STRONGER THAN EVIL", a really great masterpiece.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Heavy_Load/113 (-the band @ the "Metal Archives")

HEAVY LOAD - "SINGING SWORDS" (1983/2018, "STRONGER THEN EVIL")

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" (2018)

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - "AND JUSTICE FOR NOW"
(Running time: 47:20 minutes; 13 songs)
("Prospect Park"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, due to this incredible hot weather… god damn it, I'm sweating my inner organs out, day by day a bit more, I swear… I don't see a chance to sleep anytime soon this night… not that this would be any different to all the nights over the last weeks… and after this weather steals day by day also a lot of my energy and so I haven't done again far less up here the last days then I wanted I thought, yes, I'll now get at least this one here finish'n'ready done and bring this up as a late night post and so without any further ramblings here we go finally one more time again: Here and now you get my anyhow already too far long overdue record-review on the (brand)new FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH full-length-album "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" released pretty to very recently via "PROSPECT PARK" in this year of 2018 on CD and also on limited CD (as well as on vinyl, too) but after I so far still only own the regular-CD-version my record-review here'n'now will be or better is solely on this one. I will spare me any words about all this… hm... hype'n'farce'n'stuff that's sort of always surrounding FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, yes, I like their musick, their songs and albums, so more and some less like mostly always, and live they totally convinced me and this is all I have to say and you need to know right here and right now. Their precursor release "GOT YOUR SIX" was still sort of okay but at the end of the day simply too dull, too constructed, too predictable, too forced-hard, and simply too flat and too one-dimensional, too boring to really be grapping for more than a few spins and this macho-like rebel-attitude simply too crappy delivered and too superficial done and too unauthentic embossed to be to anyone who's older than eighteen a serious 'thing'. In my book their by far weakest release to date. So I wasn't really that excited when I finally saw "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" in my local media-store but due to a very 'consumer-friendly' price I finally anyway took it with me anyhow even without having that huge expectations. But, yes, the 'things' thankfully and finally changed again with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE", hell yeahr, because the guys created finally again a really good and a damn strong album that's very emotional, melodic, anthemic/hymnal, and in a sort of very often symphonic-melancholic way very heartfelt and soulful and this for all the right reasons and it's finally and thankfully again pretty to in parts also very multi-facetted and variation(s)-rich marked by strong and exciting and especially all in all really pretty grapping songwriting that takes you on an intense ride with a bulldozer-like onwards plowing pick-up-truck down a dirty and dusty highway through some desolate landscapes but with a bright and powerful shining red-flaming sun finally again dawning at the horizon with huge and honest emotions shaking you all the ride again and again, all pushed forwards by fantastic multi-facetted and really larger-than-life vokillz, brilliant done and very diverse guitar playing, and a stunning and heavy rhythm section, all driven forwards by very skilled musicians and songwriters in the driver-seat(s), yes, and so expect a very strong bastard-child born and bred in nearly equal parts by PANTERA, BRAND NEW SIN, and NICKELBACK, yes, some great cover-versions and suprisingly strong lyrics, a drop-dead-gorgeous artwork, and a broad and fat widescreen production-sound then round it all nicely up, yes, and I have clearly to say that I am really in love especially with the sort of more 'balladesk' tracks and so I would and do recommend you especially "SHAM PAIN", "BLOODY", "WHEN THE SEASONS CHANGE", "STUCK IN MY HEAD", and "WILL THE SUN EVER RISE" to you and also the more harder and harsher and heavier hitting "TOP OF THE WORLD" and "ROCK BOTTOM" really conquer massively and I have also to say that you won't find a real weaker or truly weak song on this album, yes, just that you know it. Okay, that's it, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH seem to be finally back on track again with "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" and I can calmly and how-ever clearly recommend it to you, yes, and then that's it for now again.

(8 of 10 points)

https://fivefingerdeathpunch.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - "BLOODY" (2018, "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE")

WRATHBLADE - "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" (2017)

WRATHBLADE - "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED"
(Running time: 38:07 minutes; 9 songs)
("Eat Metal Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, next dose finally incoming for you and this means that the next and newest record-review by me is now aimed at you and this time it is on the so far still current and newest WRATHBLADE full-length-album "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" released via the very sympathic "EAT METAL RECORDS" on CD already last year of 2017 by the end of it and just by some few other record-reviews that I've read round that time and due to the fantastic artwork and bandlogo I was right from the get-go instantly damn curious on/for it also without knowing the precursor release of/by WRATHBLADE or the band in general anyway earlier, yes, but I just got it two months ago because I found it nowhere earlier here in good old Germany (maybe I just checked the wrong sources... for sure) and anyhow I finally need to figure out how this whole PayPal stuff works… So, anyhow and anyway and however, yes, because I finally got it and so now here we finally are and so let's go: For all what I know or for all what I think to know WRATHBLADE hail also like their label "EAT METAL RECORDS" from Greece and "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" is their second full-length-album and this is Heavy Metal, yes, Heavy fuckin' Metal, oh yes, and, to be more precise, this is Epic Metal and really strong Epic Metal - or, how I like to call it due to atmosphere and spirit and attitude of this certain musick, Conan Metal or Cimmerian Metal, yes, and some (one more time again) really damn strong one, point and fact. And it is also very fresh and also pretty to very unique Epic Metal with a lot of very good and very own ideas. The backbone of WRATHBLADE's "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" is surely by the almighty MANILLA ROAD inspired Epic Metal enriched by (even) more Heavy Metal and also Power Metal focussed stunning heavyness so that everyone who likes/loves for example the fantastic VISIGOTH will also very strongly hail the mighty WRATHBLADE and their "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED", yes, and WRATHBLADE take it even further with incorporating ingredients and impressions that are (music-wise) withdrawn from Thrash Metal and even some Death Metal without any stylistic incongruities and cultivate their very own musick even more with it. This all tells you maybe already that the songwriting is pretty to very diverse and multi-layered and filled with many different facets when we look at all the 'compositorial-arrangements' and thank the gods it's all melted nicely fluently together so that no breaks are to be recognized here on WRATHBLADE's "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" and turning this all into a really and truly surprisingly fresh and especially exciting as well as grapping ride from start to finish. To me the biggest trademark of WRATHBLADE here on "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" are the absolutely amazing and phenomenal and above all very unique'n'original full, powerful, and very often and especially very intense in a 'sacred-imploringly' way done and delivered vokillz that shine incredible bright and colourful and that are also done truly highly charismatic and in a damn unique way. Then all is made full'n'round by very harsh hitting and nicely diverse and skillful guitars and a stunningly heavy rhythm section. A gorgeous artwork, pretty interesting and/or thoughtful lyrics, and a heavy and yet very earthy production-sound finally complete the package. If they just give us the next time sort of a real hit, yes, then WRATHBLADE will surely score the absolute jackpot. Highly and clearly and calmly recommended to any fan of really great Epic Metal.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.facebook.com/wrathbladeofficial/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

WRATHBLADE - "SHEER VENGEANCE WILL OUT UPON THEE (GOD OF WAR Pt. II)" (2017, "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED")