The Rockstar Reviewer (Rambling Man's Reviews)

  Words by Anselm Anderson  Decrepit Youths  is the latest band to gain popularity in the UK. This Newcastle-based quartet of rap metal musicians released their three-track debut EP, "Love Psycho Kill Machine", last week as an independent project. Formed in 2023, they quickly gained widespread airplay on BBC Radio One as part of the channel's Introducing series. The band features a dynamic vocal partnership between David Stoker and Connor Pattison, accompanied by bassist Tim Gambles and drummer Thomas Lee. They now offer a preview of their high-octane, aggressive sound. The group isn’t shy about tackling themes such as drug and alcohol use, as highlighted in the opening track "Love Psycho Kill Machine." This song is a burst of rapid rap verses layered over gritty guitars and distorted monologues, evoking the chaos of a very messy night out. Photo courtesy of San PR The chaotic and dysfunctional sound continues with "Black Dove," which features a combi...

  Words by Anselm Anderson If Cradle of Filth were to write love songs, "The Screaming of Valkyries" may be the closest they will get. The Dark overlords of the Death Metal underworld return with their fourteenth studio effort, released via Napalm Records today. The quintet collaborates again on their follow-up to 2021's "Existence is Futile" by revisiting old ghosts from the past and blending them with a modern sound. This nine-track mini-album is a chance to see the direction Cradle of Filth aims for in the future. The combination of traditional heavy metal styles with blackened thrash, symphonic elements, and gothic influences demonstrates that the band still has plenty of creativity left in the engine. Dani Filth brings his iconic screams and growls over atmospheric tracks like a demonic storyteller sitting down to regale old tales of witches, ghosts and demons. The intense dual guitar work from guitarists Ashok and Donny Burbage heightens the aggression of ...

  Photo Credit courtesy of Sound of Silence.  Words by Anselm Anderson French Quintet Pledge The Silence emerges on the metal scene with the tenacious EP"Guilty as Charged", released via Sound of Silence. Formed in 2005, The Parisians blend thrash metal with raw hardcore elements and aggressive metal. The "Guilty as Charged" production values highlight these styles through emotion and intensity. Each riff culminates in a volatile climax, featuring harsh vocals and poetic monologues interspersed throughout the 23-minute duration. The songs combine deeply emotional subjects like social anxieties and depression with politically motivated ones, enhancing the aggressive nature of the release. The monologues bring stability to an otherwise hectic mini-album. "Guilty as Charged" opens with an intro that transitions into the intense track "Burn the Flag," featuring powerful lyrics and sharp riffs that hit the listener like a sledgehammer to the stomach...