Blue Bedlam - Blue Bedlam EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 28 Oct 2022

Tracklist:

1. Blue Bedlam

2. A Ghost In My Reflection

It's always a great feeling being able to write about a band's debut release. Virginia, USA's Blue Bedlam released their first EP back in October 2022 (yes, I am still wading through an inbox that's at chest height!) and I haven't seen many people talking about it. Primarily the solo melodic death metal project of guitarist/bassist/composer Tony Clayton, Blue Bedlam is joined by vocalist Secil Sen as well as drummers Jonas Schutz, and Aaron Scholze on these two tracks. 

This EP has been released as a precursor to Blue Bedlam’s debut album and I can’t think of better ways for a band to introduce themselves than this. The opening song ‘Blue Bedlam’ has plenty of melody (both vocally and from the guitars), while also not shying away from heaviness thanks to the very tight percussive/bass work, the low Swe-death inspired riffs and harsh vox. 

Second song ‘A Ghost In My Reflection’ contains a more introspective atmosphere early on, before the full band kicks in. Secil Sen’s vocals really throw you off as it almost sounds like there are two different vocalists sitting on top of the recording. They are all Secil’s own though and my god do they sound great, as does the whole band. 

This is a really strong debut EP. Sometimes the visions of solo artists need to be fully imagined with the help of others and here Tony Clayton has achieved that with the musicians he’s assembled. I’m hoping that Blue Bedlam continues to flourish and champion great individuals, especially those who have contributed here. 

You can stream and purchase the EP digitally via Bandcamp (at least until Songtradr destroys it of course):-

It's also available on all other major streaming platforms.

Blue Bedlam - https://www.facebook.com/BlueBedlam

Voices Of Ruin - Path To Immortality

Labels: M-Theory Audio

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 15 May 2020

Tracklist: 

 1. Other Side

2. Carved Out

3. Path To Immortality

4. Suffering Silence

5. Reach Toward The Sky

6. I Am God

7. Into The Aether

8. Whispers

9. The Undoing

10. Everlong (Foo Fighters Cover)

Energy is amazing, whether it's physical or mental. Energy is exactly what I'm hoping for from the new record by Californian melodic death metallers Voices Of Ruin. Having formed in 2006 under the name Oblivion, they released two full-lengths and a split cd with fellow Californian's Darkale, before joining US label M-Theory Audio and unleashing their third full-length Path To Immortality in May of this year. The album was produced by Logan Mader of Machine Head/Soulfly, while that awesome cover art was designed by Par Olofsson, who has provided art for the likes off Exodus and Revocation amongst others. 

I’ve been eager to sit and get lost in some heavy music all day. Voices Of Ruin caught my eye thanks to the striking sci-fi inspired artwork on Path To Immortality and after the instrumental intro of ‘Other Side’, the quintet’s death metal rages forth on ‘Carved Out’. This is modern melodic death metal with a heap of thrash and really strong musicianship. The production/mixing/mastering is clear and it really draws out the melody here. This is perfect for those who love guitar harmonies and epic solos.

There are elements of the melodIc Swe-death of bands like Dark Tranquility and (earlier) In Flames on title-track ‘Path To Immortality’ but the low growls that sit on top are menacing to say the least. They’re not br00tal though, so don’t worry about any pig-squeals or anything, they’re perfectly delivered and compliment the instrumentation. This is so infectious and it’s only made more so by the opening bars of the thrashing beast ‘Suffering Silence’ . The modern twin-guitars that fill the space left by the blasting drums make it such an enjoyable listen and if you’re not head-banging to it by the two minute mark, then there’s something wrong with you.

This is a pretty fast-paced album and before you know it ‘Reach Toward The Sky’ is closing out the first half with yet more intense musicianship. It strikes me that there’s more than a hint of Unearth flowing through this, which is no bad thing. I say that because Path To Immortality contains the same kind of chops that attracted me to the whole New Wave Of American Heavy Metal scene back in the day. It’s really well put together and while it’s nothing new, it doesn’t need to be. Voices Of Ruin absolutely nails it with incredible melodic death metal and that’s all that matters. 

‘I Am God’ was the only single the band released prior to the album launch and it’s certainly a decent stand-alone song. It’s got all of the elements that make up a single if a band is looking to promote a new release and it’s strong, but it’s perhaps not the strongest song on the record, which may have been a deliberate ploy. Either way, that’s my opinion and you know what they say about those!

Voices Of Ruin throw in something less blasting and more mid-paced on ‘Into The Aether’, which is a brilliantly placed instrumental with differing tempos and plenty of dramatic guitar work. It’s so good. Following it is ‘Whispers’, which could be considered progressive at nearly eight minutes in length but is actually just an extended thrashing beast. If you’ve been yearning for some proper metal then this will fill even the biggest hole.

As penultimate songs go, ‘The Undoing’ keeps the fire burning thanks to a real mix of straight-forward death metal and generous lead work that pushes the record to higher echelons while retaining it’s core strengths and makes them greater. The album’s closer is a cover of ‘Everlong’ by Foo Fighters. Hearing it in a death metal setting is bizarre but it actually works pretty damn well, even if it is a bit gimmicky. It does show that Voices Of Ruin don’t take themselves too seriously and that they’re very adept at making songs their own, as this is the only extreme metal version of it that I’ve ever heard. 

Overall this is an extremely impressive album and Voices Of Ruin deserve so much credit. The heavy music scene occasionally needs a shot in the arm because it gets a bit clogged up with bands that crossover too many genres or are too experimental. It needs bands that just play proper metal and Voices Of Ruin do that. Get your ears around this.

You can stream and buy physical copies of Path To Immortality here:-

Voices Of Ruin - https://www.facebook.com/voicesofruin/

M-Theory Audio - https://www.facebook.com/salemrosemusic/

Foul Body Autopsy - The Unquiet Dead

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 06 Mar 2019

Tracklist:

1. Consumed By Decay

2. The Impending Darkness

3. Searching For Sanctuary

I can't believe its been six years since I first featured Leicester one-man death metal machine Foul Body Autopsy. That review was about the band's 2013 EP "The Epidemic Sickening The World" and you can read it here. Fast forward to 2019 and FBA offers a teasing EP in the form of "The Unquiet Dead". FBA has played Bloodstock Open Air twice and has shared stages with heavy hitters like General Surgery and Thy Art Is Murder, so it's a mystery as to why the band isn't more well known. Hopefully this EP will change that.

The first thing that strikes you when hitting play on Consumed By Decay and the melodic intro, which is quite symphonic (in a similar vein to Dark Tranquillity). The remainder of the song is very strong and it’s mid-tempo nature allows FBA to focus on making it catchy and precise. It’s accessible to those venturing into death metal for the first time but it’s by no means a pop song, just remember that. The extremity ratchets up on The Impending Darkness. The percussion is faster and there’s a great off-kilter technicality to it. The growls are dragged deep from the old-school and it’s urgency is obvious. This is certainly more old-school death than modern day melodic death.

Closing song Searching For Sanctuary once again follows the same path as the EP’s opener and there’s no complaining as the catchiness is back and the song-writing is stellar. It’s hard to believe that it’s all come from the head of one person but Tom’s a seasoned vet at this now and it shows. The production that was done by Russ Russell adds a sheen that makes it sound even better, especially where that melody is concerned and the solo towards the end is class. Yes, this may feel like a bit of a teaser, but it’s good enough to standalone and it does just that. Don’t be fooled by the extreme logo and cover art, this isn't your standard blastbeats and gargles affair. Give it your full support!

Stream "The Unquiet Dead" and grab it as a name-your-price download, on CD or both below:-

Foul Body Autopsy - https://www.facebook.com/FoulBodyAutopsyofficial/

Light This City - Terminal Bloom

Labels: Creator-Destructor Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 25 May 2018

Tracklist:

1. Reality In Disarray

2. A Grotesque Reflection

3. Dormant Tide

4. Terminal Bloom

5. Death Downwind

6. Agents Of Fate

7. Extinguished

8. The Wake Of My Will

9. Neverlanding

10. Wildheart

If you’d have told me at the start of the year that I'd be reviewing the first record in a decade from one of the most revered modern melodic death metal bands to come out of the US in years, I probably would've laughed at you, but here I am. San Fran's Light This City left us (or so we thought) in 2008 after the release of their fourth full-length "Stormchaser". They've now returned with new record "Terminal Bloom", which is due for release via Creator-Destructor Records on May 25th. What a time to be alive!

We’re already into May and music-wise this year just keeps on getting better. This new release from Light This City may not have been the year’s best kept secret, but it’s still worthy of all of the attention it’s getting. When a band comes back after a decade, you’re never quite sure what you’re gonna get and as the album opener Reality In Disarray begins with glorious acoustic guitar melodies, it deceives a little. When the full band opens up things become clearer and the majesty that is Light This City is laid bare, in all of it’s thrashing, death metal glory. Laura Nichol’s vocals sounding mighty, while guitarists Steve Hoffman and Ryan Hansen battle it out with duelling leads and crushing rhythms, and bassist Jon Frost and drummer Ben Murray take care of the rhythm section with aplomb. This record contains a valuable lesson for all of those bands who’ve tried to “reinvent” melodic death metal over recent years. It proves that formulas done right are perfect. 

A Grotesque Reflection is both catchy as hell and instantly recognisable as coming from a band that truly means business again. The thrash metal I eluded to earlier is more than present in the galloping tempos of Dormant Tide. It reminds me of the first time I listened to Trivium’s “Ascendancy” (not musically but emotionally). The title-track has a stomping brutality to it and while it might not be “uber-technical”, it doesn’t need to be. The intensity that Light This City puts into their music is more than enough to get you banging your head. Death Downwind provides a moment of respite that brings to mind so many great metalcore instrumentals from back in the day (sorry). As the second half of “Terminal Bloom” kicks in with Agents Of Fate, so does the insane kick-drumming. Aside from the instrumental awesomeness, I’m reminded of why I could never get into Arch Enemy. If Angela Gossow’s vox had sounded anything like Laura’s, AE might’ve stood a chance with me. Not sure why I put that last sentence in this review, but you'll understand what I mean when you hear the record. 

There’s no time to get sidetracked while listening to this record, as no sooner has Agents Of Fate finished that Extinguished is tearing you a new one. It’s urgency befits the song-length and the fact that they manage to stick a great solo in as well just sweetens the deal. Their quality just increases with The Wake Of My Will. A full band working in unison to make the best melodic death metal, period. Talking of death metal, there’s more than an old-school feel to penultimate song Neverlanding, which adds to the spectacle and enjoyment here. You’ve probably worked out by now that I’m pretty impressed with this record, but this might just be the catalyst I needed to truly regain the fire and passion for heavy music that I though I’d lost of late. As Wild Heart brings “Terminal Bloom” to a close it truly hammers home just how must of a complete record this is. It’s impact will be massive this year, even if it’s only felt within underground circles. Light This City deserves greater recognition though. It’s like they never left us. Fucking awesome.

You can stream both "A Grotesque Reflection" and the album's "title-track" via Creator-Destructor Records below:-

It's available for digital and physical pre-order from the above bandcamp page as well.

Light This City - https://www.facebook.com/Light-This-City

Creator-Destructor Records - https://www.facebook.com/creatordestructorrecords/