Wings Of Steel are hailing from Los Angeles area and they were formed in 2019 by vocalist Leo Unnermark and guitarist Parker Halub. They released their debut EP in 2022. This time, their debut full length opus is upon us. This one contains ten songs of melodic heavy metal with lots of American school of hard rock influenced songwriting. Unnemark’s voice reminds me a lot of eighties metal, first and foremost of Helloween’s Michael Kiske’s voice in many song parts. Eighties styled metal, hard n heavy prevails in guitar work with sense of dramatic and melodic, yet at times almost heroic styled metal and heaviness. Lyrics deal with mixture of reality and fantasy metal themes, like ‘Liar in Love’ or heavy hitters that made highlight of this record for me being songs like ‘Cry of the Damned’, ‘Lady of the Lost’ and ‘Gates of Twilight’. This album brought me back when I used to enjoy warm and hot city streets on a Summer night with my crew drinking and cruising around our hometown like there is no tomorrow. Total nostalgia trip, but done for new millenia. If you are into melodic heavy metal with hard rock influences like it was done old school, check this one out! Strong debut opus!
Keep of Kalessin are back with their new full length opus. This is band’s first full length since 2015 and seventh opus in all. This one contains nine songs. Keep of Kalessin don’t play melodic black metal as they did in their early days, band being formed in 1995. Nowadays, they play bombastic mixture of symphonic black metal and so much more, thrash metal solos being influences in ‘Hellride’, but also symphonic and orchestral melodies in the title song being one of my personal favorites. They retained their black metal roots and blast beats but made it more progressive, more aggressive and melodic at the same time. Keyboard parts fit perfectly in songs and vocals are story for themselves. Obsidian Claw, the only remaining founding member delivers vocals in unbelievable range, from classic black metal screams, fantastic clean passages and atmospheric melodies to thrash metal shouting and death metal grunts making this record one of the best black metal opuses released in 2023 and making my jaws open and dropped in amazement. Although there are some longer songs, like epic ‘The Omni’ or ‘The Obsidian’s Expanse’, not a second of this album gets boring or stale. At times they remind me of best Emperor’s works, but to be sure, not being a clone, only an inspiration. This is black metal record par excellence.
German horrorpunx The Crimson Ghosts are besides The Other most known and legendary European horror punk band. It’s been couple of years since the last one and I was eager to hear what will they do in new songs, judging by couple of singles they released prior to the record I knew I was in for a horror treat! The album offers eleven songs of trademark The Crimson Ghosts horror punk with lots of metallic influences and one of the best singer in the scene. Vlad’s vocals are sooo sweet and melodic, like doo wop singer in a horror punk band, every emotion, whether fear, whether loss, love, murder or bloody vengeance can be heard in his voice. From introspective ‘Of a Guilty Man’, one of my personal favorites, contemplative song about murder, to more metallic ‘On a Succubic Night’ Vlad’s vocal melodies rule sovereignly coupled with awesome guitar work, thundering bass and drum and one of the best backing vocal harmonies in the world. When all three voices join on choruses it makes my skin crawl with goosebumps. Argyle Goolsby of Blitzkid is a guest performer on another personal favorite of mine called ‘The Legend of Walking Sam’, I can only imagine how this hit sounds live. Anthemic choruses continue and songs like ‘From the Underground World’ hit me as a listener making me want to listen over and over again. ‘As the Whisper Grows’ is classic TCG sound, fast hardcore punk with horror lyrics and melody, with touch of metal aggression. Those songs are my personal favorites, but they change as I listen to this album over and over again, so you will have to find yours. If you are a fan, you will adore this record, if you are not, you will definitely become.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 