The album opens with (Prelude) Romeo and Juliet and Romeo Is Gone, setting the tone for what’s to come. A slow, dramatic synth fade-in makes way for an aggressive guitar line that cuts like a sword. It’s intense, theatrical, and almost Black Sabbath in its doom-laced grit. Batio’s guest solo elevates the track into full-blown shredder territory, and Zeleny’s rapid-fire drums give the piece a relentless energy. It’s the sound of war, heartbreak, and power all clashing in one explosive opening salvo.

A Bitter Cold continues the energy, showcasing Shouse’s deft command of speed and technique. The opening riff fades smoothly into a barrage of finger-picked licks and hammer-ons. It’s a cold, biting song that feels like a blizzard of notes, sharp and deliberate.

Let’s Go breaks from tradition with a bold bass-forward mix. Pulli’s playing is front and centre, a rare treat in a genre that often buries the bass under layers of guitar and effects. Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal delivers a piercing solo, while the guitar screams and sings in tandem. Shouse’s fretwork remains the undeniable centrepiece, proving that vocals are unnecessary when the guitar itself speaks so fluently. Adlibs like “let’s go!” are peppered in, but otherwise, the instruments carry the full narrative.

Smiley Faced Emoji marks a shift in tone. Softer in execution but not in craft, the track leans more toward classic rock than hard-edged metal. There’s a layered depth here, background guitar work adds texture and warmth while the lead guitar takes a slower, more melodic approach. At times, it feels like the song could belong on a 90s film soundtrack, channeling emotion through distortion and phrasing rather than speed or volume.

Then there’s Bucket of Bolts, a sci-fi rock opera in miniature. Opening with what sounds like robotic chatter and the hum of a space engine, it quickly transforms into a heavy, cosmic jam. Guitars mimic machinery, solos weave like interstellar radio signals, and it all feels like a musical space battle. The band leads us as the crew of this imagined starship, navigating through the chaos with control and style.

The title track Jaded is a nod to early 2000s hard rock, before diving headfirst into a Metallica-influenced storm of riffage. It’s a powerful piece that begs to be played with your eyes closed, a sonic rollercoaster of nostalgia, attitude, and sheer talent. The distinctly American tone of the instruments grounds the piece in a familiar, gritty world.

Memoriam pulls back the curtain to reveal something far more personal. A piano joins the arrangement, and the tempo slows to a meditative pace. It’s mournful, beautiful, and introspective. Shouse plays every part here, and the result is an emotional interlude that shows his depth not just as a technician but as an artist.

Finally, Upon Looking Back closes the album with a bright, brisk energy. There’s an 80s glimmer to the track’s intro, almost pop-leaning, before the familiar power of the lead guitar takes over. It blends eras, styles, and tones effortlessly, and the driving beat, once again led by Zeleny’s crisp drumming, keeps the pulse fast and firm.

Jaded is an instrumental odyssey that doesn’t need vocals to say everything it wants to say. Mike Shouse proves that time away has only sharpened his skills and deepened his creative voice.

SCORE/Excellent – With flawless production, genre-blending compositions, and virtuosic performances from every contributor, this album is both a technical marvel and a heartfelt journey. Whether you’re a metalhead, a classic rock purist, or simply a fan of world-class guitar playing, Jaded delivers something both familiar and fresh. It’s a long-awaited return that was worth every minute of the wait.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

The Album will be released on all streaming platforms on September 5th 2025, so make sure you follow Shouse to get notified. Or Pre-order Jaded album here.

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“Awaystead” is co-written with Noah Gibbings and published by Dirty Bird South Muzik. Bing reports that this “isn’t just a song-it’s a shotgun blast of heartbreak, grit, and Southern rebellion that fires the first official shot of the Black Dirt Music movement” says Bing, ‘Awaystead’ is for the ones who’ve been burned, betrayed, and reborn.”

Bing says “Black Dirt Music is what happens when country collides with rebellion, soul, and raw storytelling. No polish. No filter. Just real-life sh*t.”

Fueled by his rowdy fan base known as the Church of Heathens and backed by his own whiskey brand Bangtail, Bing is “carving a disruptive new lane in the country landscape-where bar fights, backroads, and brutal honesty reign supreme.”

“We’re not here for the spotlight. We’re here to build our own stage,” says Bing. “This song is for the Hoss Nation. For the rebels. For the broken. For the ones who aren’t afraid to feel it and still raise hell.”

Brandon Bing likes to say, he “is more than a country artist-he’s a movement.” You do have to give it to him, as the creator of Black Dirt Music, founder of Bangtail Whiskey, and the face of the rising Hoss Nation, Bing is redefining what it means to be country in 2025.

In the one sheet for the song, the artist says, “Awaystead drags traditional country through the mud and resurrects it into something darker, louder, and unapologetically real. It’s the kind of song you blast while leaving behind a toxic past and flooring it toward freedom.” Let’s press play.

The song starts with an Aerosmith like single-note riff then full on into some metal power chords. So at first, I think I’m listening to a hard rock or alternative rock song. Not a sound you typically hear in country music. But then the male vocals come in, and you can definitely tell they’re country.

The male singer has a very country voice and accent. But if it weren’t for the vocals, you could not tell that this is not a full-on alternative/hard rock anthem. Everything about the instrument tracks screams very hard rock.

I like the clever lyrics and that you can hear the acoustic guitar strumming away under the vocals to keep the country-theme going. When we get to the chorus we learn that “Awaystead” actually means “A-wasted!”, as in “I’m getting wasted.” It’s definitely a break-up song, which is a common a country music theme. The lead guitar solo is definitely a hard rock solo.

The performances on this track are excellent, as is the mix and production. This song definitely has some built-in radio appeal. It will be interesting to see if it can gain traction/get in rotation on commercial country radio.

SCORE/Excellent: This song kicks ass! Brandon Bing goes full-metal jacket on this tune, putting a country twist on an alternative rock vibe. I hope some commercial country radio stations pick this song up and see how it performs in rotation. The song is definitely radio ready! Much love, Beth

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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The progressive, acoustic rock duo the Arcane Insignia, has finally showcased and presented their long-awaited album, A Violent Whisper, which was this close to not even seeing the light. The record is fully led by the multi-instrumentalist Lodrö Nyima and cellist Noah Heau, which combines profoundness and honesty.

The record mixes deep, personal reflections on Lodrö’s 20-year musical journey as a tribute to his late partner, Cynthia. Spanning 10 tracks, the album is equally divided into two halves, whereas one finds itself in a ‘violent’ place and another takes a ‘whisper’ approach. Over the years, the album has undergone several major changes and transformations, evolving from a metal project to hardcore to now combining a genre-breaking musical execution. The reasons this record has finally seen the light are the dramatic moments in Lodrö’s life.

Due to the passing of a partner, the artist finally found the strength and motivation to finish the record. As the artist himself highlights: “Her passing gave me the motivation to bring this vision to its fullest form. It stands both as a dedication to her and a reflection of my legacy as a musician over the past two decades”.

After such a descriptive background, and with no understatement, a tragic event in one’s life, a Violent Whisper is a combination of potent sounds that infuse the silence, and declare one’s presence. 
From the first full listen, I have clearly seen that the album follows a logical step in its progression, sonically fixating on the different aspects of music. Particularly, after the “Pyramid Eyes” album deviates in what seems to be the second part titled “Whisper,” which was followed by “Violence”. While the names are quite accurate in the atmosphere the album evokes, let’s dive deeper into the record part by part.

The album’s first part combines strong elements of metal and alternative rock, giving it an extremely Nordic feel. A slow build in the songs eventually envelops you with haunting violins, creating an immersive and cold experience. The orchestrated significance that is so bright with sporadic bursts of raw energy on tracks like “Vagrant’s Throne” truly captures the feeling of aggression.

Instrumental parts that feel grandiose and monumental bring a significant and melancholic touch to the first part of the tracklist. It is purposeful and intentionally punchy to its core. The way the artist flows between instrumental and emotional value, he executes on the song, truly gives you an unpolished and raw vibe. I can’t even explain how the imperfections from the artist himself in the vocals, combined with so metronomically calculated instrumentals, work so well. However, those touches truly deliver unfiltered sincerity.

It feels berserk. It feels bizarre. Most importantly, it feels revengeful and gritty. Such roughness is produced by the heavy instrumental switch the narrative to an extremely contemplative and thunderous atmosphere. The energized and rapid vocals on the track, like “The Violence Within,” pick up even more when the violins come into play. Overall, the first half feels untamed with uncontrollable violence that feels so powerful and sincere.

But it is the track, “Humo de Vela,” that continues this mysterious Scandinavian tone, but introduces more of the acoustic and classical musical influence. Interestingly, this track was actually composed in 2003 during the album’s various transformations.

In the second part, the emotional side of the artist is bolstered not by rage, but by guilt, melancholy. The chords on the guitars sound as if they are looking for redemption, enhancing the emotional impact of the record. In a similar way to the first part of the record, it follows a slightly nonlinear arrangement. You can’t surely declare where the album is going to go, or what turn it is going to take. However, the only thing you are certain of is that it is going to be authentic.

The dark feelings on those vivid sounds mixed with poetry truly highlights the strengths of this record, overshadowing some of its weaknesses, like an over 1-hour run-time. If in the first disc, The Arcane Insignia was to create fire, rapid and to an extent wild flows in the second, the whispers and maturity come.

The artist perfectly maintains tension from the first second and sustains it throughout the tracks. Whether it is the soft start like in “En Tinta y Sangre ( Líadan), or the heavy and direct “Pyramid Eyes,” in either way, the dynamic and spaciousness of the record is noticeable.

While for me, some of the tracks like “Windmills” or “Humo de Vela” are the clear highlights, and some of the tracks out of the tracklist don’t feel on the same level, the quality is undeniable. Every single instrument is responsible for intention and a particular instrument. It feels potent and definitely cathartic.

The length of the record is also quite a strong thing that hinders the overall emotional outburst. It feels as if the record could have been stronger if it had been shortened, as some of the narrative and tones seem to recur.

Score/Good: Despite those moments of critique and some lowlights, the way this album creates a tension and holds it throughout with a pacing really demonstrates musical experience. It is wailing, loud, and it is direct. This record is here, and right to your face, while being sincere and raw.

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While Ghost has continually faced criticism throughout the years by genre purists for their classification as a ‘metal’ band and their Satanic lyrics and imagery, the band have never failed to keep their heads held high while putting out some of the most striking music in recent memory. Formed and masterminded by singer Tobias Forge in 2006 in Linköping, Sweden, the devilishly charismatic masked group captured audiences with their signature doom-metal style, haunting vocals and gloriously bombastic choruses. Now in the midst of their 2025 ‘Skeletour’, Ghost release the ethereal Skeletá; a ten track rollercoaster through epic stadium rock highs and moodily introspective metal ballads.

The album starts with the stunning and uplifting ‘Peacefield’, whose deeply stirring vocal chorus in the beginning of the track sets the tone of grandeur for this larger than life album. Designed as an anthem to inspire hope in listeners while facing hard times, the bold opening riff is deeply moving and thrilling in equal measure. Utilising the classic 80s rock/metal guitar work for the tracks on Skeletá, singer Tobias Forge crafts a sound that will be profoundly nostalgic for many while infusing Ghost’s sinister lyricism and ineffable charm. This is definitely felt in ‘Peacefield’s wondrous chorus, which is currently used by the band as the opener to their spellbinding Skeletour shows, and which thrums with a jubilant and infectiously driving energy.

Next comes the album’s second single release ‘Lacryma’; an 80s rock banger that opens with a synth intro that quickly transforms into a chugging riff. The song cleverly builds tension through the verses and pre-chorus amidst the band’s head-bopping guitar work and creeping bass. This all cumulates in another incredible ear-worm chorus, a well-known staple of Ghost’s music catalogue by now, which is crowned by Forge’s effervescent vocals that overflow with charm and emotion as he compares a dying love to the draining effects of a vampire (“I’m done crying over someone like you…hope you’re feeling it too now”).

The first single of the album, ‘Satanized’, also greatly makes use of this song structure in a track that speaks of a love so passionate and all-consuming that it is mistaken for demonic possession. “There is something inside me, and they don’t know if there is a cure” sings Forge over the top of the unapologetically captivating croons of guitars and thumping percussion. The chorus’ outraged calls of “Blasphemy, heresy!” bolster ‘Satanized’s already fevered acclaim, as it draws listeners in with haunting melodies and serpentine harmonies.

All of this does not mean that Skeletá’s B-Side tracks should be overlooked though. Both ‘Guiding Lights’ and ‘De Profundis Borealis’ are powerhouse tracks that overflow with emotional sensibility through their juxtaposition of soft piano melodies with bold guitar riffing and Forge’s coarsened vocals. With both songs referring to finding one’s inner strength through either a loved one’s passing or general hardship in life, many listeners will ultimately be able to relate to these tracks.

‘Cenotaph’ is perhaps the album’s most upbeat offering even though it also deals with losing a loved one and processing that loss. Forge puts an optimistic spin on it though, with ‘Cenotaph’s up-tempo beat, boppy rhythms and Queen-esque riffs putting into perspective that those that have past on are always with us in spirit.

Both ‘Missila Amori’ and ‘Marks of the Evil One’ begin with colossal, swaggering guitars that carry the weight of the songs’ old-school metal appeal. While ‘Missila Amori’, meaning ‘Rockets of Love’, illustrates love turning slowly to hate through a spirited chorus punctuated by groovy guitar calls, ‘Marks of the Evil One’ is characterised by a rousing opening riff that transitions into an addictive, harmony-riddled chorus (“There, there, the marks are spreading everywhere”).

The final two tracks, ‘Umbra’ and ‘Excelsis’, are nearly worlds away from each other. The former track is a vivacious rock banger filled with bubbly synths, lyrical innuendos and a euphoric chorus that is sure to have audiences bouncing on their feet and singing along in exultation. ‘Excelsis’ on the other hand, is a stunning six minute epic that lulls listeners with a delicate acoustic arrangement and a beautiful lullaby-like delivery from Forge. Thus Skeletá ends on an introspective note; the singer soothing listeners with the assurance that death is not to be feared, as it is just a natural part of the tremendous cycle of life we all must experience.

Score/Outstanding: Long-time Ghost fans may hold the hope of the band returning to their heavier musical roots, but the group’s trial of 80s revival on Skeletá certainly is not style over substance, but rather carries powerful emotional and societal messages many people may need to hear. Skeletá is indeed a new era for Ghost, and is therefore something to be cherished.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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First announced at the band’s very own ‘Silver Scream Con’ in September 2024, the project between Ice Nine Kills, a metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts formed in 2000, and director Damien Leone’s new addition to the extreme horror franchise Terrifier left fans waiting on the edge of their seats for another legendary collaboration that would go down in modern horror/music history.

Known for their obsessive dedication to incorporating horror into high-octane metal music, clever lyrical references and their theatrical live shows and music videos, whenever Ice Nine Kills announces new music, it’s a big deal. With the debut of the boundary-pushing Terrifier 3 in cinemas featuring ‘A Work of Art’ as a staple of its soundtrack, all eyes are now on the band, and according to expectation, the song is visceral, exhilarating and crammed full of references to the movie.

The song is introduced through the ear-worm melody of the chorus sung hauntingly by vocalist Spencer Charnas, who is renowned for his impressive vocal range and seamless ability to switch between strangled screams and lullaby-like melodies. The lyrics are immediately gripping in their playful references to Terrifier villain Art the Clown (“The art of dying brings me to life, death by design, tongue tied and you’re terrified”), as well as his mission to inflict pain and suffering on those around him. The following breakdown featuring a brutal clash of stuttering guitars and manic drums, feels so right to characterise a film that sends audiences into overdrive with its gory premise.

The punchy, staccato first verse perfectly highlights Charnas’ gravelly tone, which is complemented by the instrumental’s chaotically hyper-charged tempo. The lyrics continue to resurrect blood-dripped images from earlier films in the franchise such as the villain’s apparent demise (“Don’t you dare say Art is dead”), which audiences will no doubt appreciate. The pre-chorus serves as another tonal shift to a much more melodic refrain with Charnas thrillingly showcasing his vocal duality.

The chorus, now boosted by a powerfully bouncing riff and a striking drum beat, proudly displays the band’s talent at writing hard-hitting, instantly iconic choruses, which is only bolstered by the song’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The most memorable hook comes towards the end of the chorus, with Charnas spitting “T-t-t-t-t tongue tied and you’re terrified” which surely fans of the movies and band alike will be chanting throughout the coming weeks.

The track’s constant switch between hardcore and humorous is only exacerbated within the second verse, where Charnas impressively turns vicious deathcore growls into light-hearted “na na na na” vocalisations. This plays upon the character of Art the Clown, who both horrifies and entertains audiences through the jarring contrast between his comedic body language and his pursuit of torture and violence. It is musical details such as this that really help to amplify the creativity of the band and their obvious passion and enjoyment of horror movies.

There is a brief spoken interlude, phrased like a news report that seeks to further entangle the world of the movie with the band’s sound, which warns audiences of the terror awaiting them at the hands of the movie’s antagonist. A truly unforgettable bridge then commences with guest vocalist Leah Voysey, whose sweetly youthful voice intensifies the menace of her cleverly written verse (“Beauty’s in the eye of the beheader for tonight”).

Audiences are therefore again given whiplash in the ensuing breakdown, which sounds like a devilish wall of sound smashing into unsuspecting listeners. The song fully takes advantage of guest guitarist Shavo Odadjian from the legendary metal band System of a Down, who helps the track reach its fever pitch with his technically manic playing. There is still a tie-back to the movie in all the madness though, with the comical inclusions of horns, which Art the Clown is seen to carry.

Charnas’ commanding vocals emerge from the chaos, with his choked screams transitioning smoothly into the addictive chorus refrain. The final chorus seems as imposing as ever, shifting to a higher key and the return of the song’s harmonious yet still fierce main riff. Charnas makes full use of the track’s new energy; belting out some striking adlibs that allow the song’s crescendo to be both thrilling and satisfying.

Score/Excellent: As the band’s first major collaboration and the first single off the band’s upcoming album ‘The Silver Scream 3’, ‘A Work of Art’ is a song that flawlessly illustrates why Ice Nine Kills are currently one of the most exciting bands in the industry. If you’re a fan of horror, metal or both, look no further than this band.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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As a key member of the Japanese metal scene responsible for bringing a futuristic brand of electronicore to the worldwide masses through means of countless world tours and appearances at some of the most celebrated metal festivals on the globe, fans’ thirst for Crossfaith to continue on their winning streak is undeniable. While disappointment abounded upon the recent farewell of long-time bassist Hiroki Ikegawa and supporting guitarist Tama, excitement also ensued at the announcement of new guitarist Daiki Koide, one of the supremely talented guitarists from the now disbanded J-Metal group Her Name In Blood. This news and the band characterising ‘AЯK’ as a step into the ‘new era’ for Crossfaith ensured that tensions were up upon its release.

The album is introduced through a dramatic string-led intro ‘The Final Call’. Employing the surging synthesisers the band is famed for throwing into their whirlwind fusion of metalcore and electronica, this 2 minute opener serves to whet fans’ appetites for the delightfully loud tracks to come.

The following song ‘Zero’, the 1st single off the album, explodes with the breakneck velocity and metallic groove that listeners will have come to recognise from the band after almost 20 years of hard-hitting tracks. While the song opens with an ear-worm vocal sample layered on top of drummer Tatsuya Amano’s slick beat, the track is soon thrown into epic disarray with the chunky growl of guitars courtesy of Kazuki Takemura and new addition Koide; delivering on the unrelenting heaviness that listeners are always assured of within a Crossfaith track. As with most recent releases such as 2018’s ‘Ex Machina’, the band’s strengths are highlighted in their bombastic, brash and above all chantable choruses, and ‘AЯK’ is not immune to this. ‘Zero’s chorus packs a solid punch as it rushes in with a memorable refrain (“Breakaway from the same old day”) along with a frenzied drum beat and aggressive guitar accompaniment. ‘Zero’ is only the album’s 2nd offering, but by this point the guys already have all of our attention.

My Own Salvation’ makes use of member Terufumi Tamano’s liquid synths and keyboard flourishes that really characterise the band’s playful mix of styles, as well as contributing to the sky-high energy of their music, particularly during their live shows. A pounding electronic beat is also used in metal party anthem ‘God Speed’ featuring UK outfit WARGAZM. After a number of successful collaborations with other UK acts such as Skindred and Enter Shikari to rapturous attention from fans, ‘God Speed’ is surely another hyperactive electro-tinged jam that will go down as a classic in the band’s discography.

‘Warriors’ featuring fellow J-Metal band SiM may very well be the highlight of the album for many listeners. Indeed, the sound of the recognisably savage vocals of SiM vocalist Mah intermingling with the strangled growls of Crossfaith’s Kenta Koie will be enough to set hairs on end. The song even throws in a short interlude punctuated by a reggae beat and Mah’s effervescent vocals, of course reminiscent of SiM’s reggae/ska/rock roots. It’s truly a glorious creation.

‘Headshot!’ and ‘DV;MMYSY5T3M…’ really bring the thunder to audiences, both containing startlingly brutal breakdowns and a colossal guitar sound that is sure to rock listeners’ worlds. The latter track is no doubt one of the band’s heaviest in years; perhaps drawing similarities to 2018’s raging ‘The Perfect Nightmare’ or the notorious final breakdown in 2012’s ‘Monolith’. Either way, if this is what the new era brings for Crossfaith, listeners are going to be very pleased indeed.

‘L.A.M.N’ featuring Bobby Wolfgang is every bit the deliciously manic hardcore banger that has previously rendered Crossfaith as a ‘party band’, and rightfully so. It is near impossible not to bop along to ‘L.A.M.N’s riotous chorus along with Koie’s incensed calls of “Everybody come and burn the floor!”

The album’s final 3 tracks, ‘Night Waves’, ‘Afterglow’, and ‘Canopus’ display the experimental sound that the group has begun to explore in their new releases. All infected with an otherworldly ambience and deeply melodic choruses, Koie’s massively improved clean vocals are on full display here; adding an emotive touch to both the band’s softer and louder releases.

Score/Outstanding: For any metalhead not yet acquainted with Crossfaith, this is your sign to go check them out. After almost 20 years of rocking stages across the world, ‘AЯK’ stands as a firm reminder that the self-proclaimed ‘lads from Osaka’ are not playing around when it comes to their outrageously addictive brand of electronicore. Having said this, it is only to be expected from one of the savage titans of the J-Metal scene.

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They gave the music the same name they gave to backed-up sewage. I asked my sister if she’d heard this sludge metal stuff, although I could’ve guessed the answer. “No,” she said. “But I don’t like the sound of it.” I can’t blame her. Judging by the name, it probably sounds like a septic tank explosion in musical form. And who wants to listen to something like that? 

Certainly not my sister, whose musical sensibilities lean towards the mainstream. Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan. Not bad choices as far as popular music goes, but still nothing to sustain me the same way it sustains her. I’ve built up too much of a tolerance after all these years of hard listening, which finally brought me to sludge metal, a genre I never thought I’d start taking seriously.

But alas, I needed some new music to seriously warp my brain. It had been at least a month or so since I’d had a real visceral reaction to anything new. I wanted the kind of music that makes you aware you’re alive. And for a neurotic like me, the unfortunate truth is that I’m most aware of my aliveness during a full-scale panic attack. Lying on the floor, taking shuddering, heaving breaths, clutching my hand to my chest, convinced I’m having a heart attack…that’s the stuff. That’s when you feel most alive—when you feel like you’re about to die.

This philosophy isn’t what the band Sumac is all about, but it’s an important factor in their music, specifically on this new record The Healer, which isn’t the most hardcore stuff out now, but has some of the best quality. I’m not talking about sound quality, since all the amps are pieces of shit (or so distorted they sound like pieces of shit) and the drums are more claustrophobic than most people might prefer. What I’m talking about is a conceptual quality.

What The Healer accomplishes over the course of 76 minutes is something most bands—metal or not—couldn’t accomplish in a career. Sure, I got what I wanted, which was some hard-to-listen-to noise to damage my brain/ears. But I got something else too: portions of genuine beauty amidst the chaos, a swath of awe in the blackness. The opening to the second track “Yellow Dawn” is like watching the sun rise over a heap of burning buildings brought down by the destructive previous track, “World of Light,” which opens the album with 26 minutes of shifting tempos and crashing instrumentals.

What begins the epic opener is the sound of Brian Cook’s bass, turned up to 11 and tearing through the silence as feedback drifts in. Nick Yacyshyn warms up his drums with some savvy free-form fills, and the listener waits in anticipation for Aaron Turner to show up with his guitar and howling vocals. Slowly, he can be heard dragging his pick across the strings, and he starts to strike a couple power chords, which is what really sets everything into motion. The music builds up by the third minute to a storm of noise, where every player seems to be doing their own song, and all at maximum speed. It breaks off into the first of many static drones.

Sumac is challenging the listener, taking their time to build up the song, daring you to turn it off before the 25 minutes are over. Even the first drone is not as pleasant as later ones, opting for screeching feedback over ambient whirs. It isn’t until six minutes in when the murk is suddenly broken by the slam of a drum line and the bowel-liquefying bray of Turner: “Silence, long held / in shuttered cities.”

You can’t understand the words unless you’ve already been initiated to sludge metal, it’s mostly just roars to me. The first clear lyric isn’t until the end of the verse, when Turner cries out “Shine!” seven times, his voice breaking the third time as the music trails off into more bone-humming mechanical drone. To usher forth the next verse, Turner begins striking his power chords again and Yacyshyn switches things up by rattling off some cymbal lines, after originally opting for the snare and hi-hats.

Two noisy verses later, halfway through the track, Turner offers up a moment of clarity with a slow guitar solo as Earthly ambience tumbles through the track: wind, running water, the hooting of owls. As the sounds fade out, the guitar solo persists, and everything turns eerie as tape machines start to squeak and whir. The tapes are being handled by long-time Sumac collaborator Faith Coloccia.

The song ends with a total clusterfuck of noise which crashes into the next track, “Yellow Dawn.” As I said before, this track is the calm after the storm of “World of Light.” Coloccia returns, playing the organ in the opening, which is one of my favorite sections of the album. This incredible song also yields some of the most intense sounds off the whole record later into its 12 minute runtime. At once, Yacyshyn starts to drum so quickly it’s unbelievable, while Cook’s bass riff starts to pick up and turn muddier. The shriek of amplifiers and snares is only broken by Turner’s guitar, which assumes the quality of a lighthouse in the chaos before the track hurtles towards its end.

“New Rites” is the jazziest of the arrangements, which is a term I use liberally, not referring to the brass or woodwind instruments used in free jazz, but rather the pastoral lulls and instrumental improvisation. This track is by no means boring, but certainly the least interesting of the four on the album, which is good to prepare you for the closer, “The Stone’s Turn.”

It’s another 20 plus minute epic, just like the opener. It starts with a muddy riff on Turner’s guitar that continues into the first verse, which delivers some of Turner’s most upsetting lyricism as he cries: “Through two hearts, a spear / The worm’s howl / echoes through the years / Gorged upon / our spirits.” 

The music takes on a faster tempo and Turner howls and cries like a wounded dog. It’s easy to dismiss all the throat-busting cries as just part of the music, and forget about the lyrics. Still a great album. But you’d be missing out on the point of it all. Pay attention to his voice and understand that primal humanity may be the driving force behind his bawls, but there is something more to express, which is the parallel events of creation and destruction.

The constant shifts in tone and mood are meant to reflect the sides of this coin, and although the lyrics never tell a full story, they follow the themes of creation and destruction, describing both the splendors of heaven and earth (“Yellow Dawn”) and landscapes pocked with bodies (“World of Light”). Returning to the final track, one line that stuck out was “By swallowed tears / the stone now dissolved.”

I’m still not exactly sure what “the stone” refers to, but my theory is that Turner is referring to Earth, and that this final track is the sound of apocalypse, just as the first track was the sound of creation. “The Stone’s Turn” ends with a twisted symphony of noise which collapses into loud static, then cutting off to total silence just a few seconds before the end of the album, leaving you with a pounding heart and sore ears.

That’s the stuff.

Score/Outstanding: A feat in instrumentalism and conceptualism.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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It’s only halfway through 2024 and already it has proved to be a career-defining year for the beloved Swedish powerhouse, who formed in Linköping in 2006. The band, who weave tongue-in-cheek Satanic imagery and lyricism into an alarmingly addictive blend of old-school rock/doom metal, debuted their feature-length film ‘Rite Here Rite Now’ in cinemas worldwide on June 20th through to the 23rd. Serving as a concert movie as well as an opportunity to further develop the group’s dramatic backstory, the full movie soundtrack is due to be released on 26th July. However, as a precursor to this, fans can revisit the film’s splendour through the band’s brand new single ‘The Future Is A Foreign Land’, which would have initially been heard by many fans over the movie’s end titles.

The song is described by the band themselves, as per their lore, as a previously unreleased single from 1969 written by the band’s first singer Papa Nihil, so it is not a surprise that ‘The Future Is A Foreign Land’ starts like a supercharged ode to 60s surf-rock. With its opening down-tuned guitar riff sounding like the opening to a Western epic while being equally reminiscent of Dick Dale and the Deltones’ classic rendition of ‘Misirlou’, the track sets a leisurely tempo as a backdrop for its 60s nostalgia. The mesmerising reverb on the guitars here only further succeeds in driving home the old-school charisma that Ghost’s sound is perhaps most famous for; appealing to generations both younger and older.

It is not long before awaiting fans are greeted by the enthralling voice of singer/frontman Tobias Forge, who appears in live shows and videos as the band’s devilishly charming Papa Emeritus IV – a character shown to be the head of Ghost’s demonic clergy. What makes Forge’s vocal performances so captivating seems to stem from the fact that his delivery is often poignant while still retaining a gravelly edge that meshes seamlessly with the band’s hard rock/classical metal style. Here, he sounds commanding yet wistful while singing the evocative opening lines “Fifteen years from now, I know it seems remote but picture it somehow in your head”.

Thus begins the band’s deep dive into the mindset of Papa Nihil, as he muses about what the future holds for the world after living through world wars and dramatic events in history such as the assassination of J. F. Kennedy. There seems to be a lingering feeling of desperation in Forge’s delivery of “In the absence of sympathies, won’t you hear me out?” as the song gloriously swings into a beautifully anthemic chorus. As if the hopelessly romantic lyrics “When it all burns down…I will hold you for the minute it takes” doesn’t make listeners swoon, then the accompanying mellow guitar melodies will be sure to make even the most hardened listener smile.

The second verse sounds decidedly most hopeful in sentiment (“We don’t have to be enemies, won’t you hear me out?”) particularly with the addition of female backing vocals that contribute to a wonderfully rich tone in an otherwise dark rock track. Ghost’s signature organ may also be heard within the song; both tying in with the group’s religious concept and playing into the sinisterly theatrical sound that new audiences continue to gravitate towards. These dazzling vocal harmonies continue into the chorus to create a melodic symphony that perfectly drives the passionate lyrics harkening to an intense love story.

The gospel-inspired bridge strips down the song’s swaying beat and playful guitar licks to just Tobias’ hauntingly beautiful vocals over a deeply atmospheric organ background. The lyrics lay out a hope for a better future after many historical tragedies (“there will from then be peace forevermore”) and serve as a confession of eternal love and faith (“we could grow old together”). Many fans have already theorised that this is a confession from Papa Nihil to Sister Imperator, his love interest in the band’s wildly entertaining web-series. If this is true, it only adds another layer of genius to what is undoubtably another masterpiece in the band’s glittering discography.

The final chorus is as moving as ever; the guitars returning loud and clear to their colossal grandeur in accordance with Tobias’ goosebump-worthy chorus and exquisite harmonies that are bound to make fans even a little emotional. Even better is the knowledge that the band’s touring instrumentalists who appear onstage as the masked ‘Ghouls’ will be providing these stunning harmonies to legions of fans around the world; a factor of Ghost’s live shows that never fails to give audiences chills.

Score/Outstanding: While nobody really knew what to expect from ‘Rite Here Rite Now’, there was certainly a growing tension that told that something amazing was about to transpire. ‘The Future Is A Foreign Land’ is only one of the incredible bonuses audiences received, and it alone shows why Ghost is treasured by so many. No matter their audience, there will always be something about the Swedish rockers that proves to be completely enchanting to whoever is lucky enough to listen.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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