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      Opeth, Mastodon and Khemmis – Live Gallery: Toronto, ON – April 22 2022
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      Leprous and The Ocean – Live Gallery: Charlotte, NC
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      Opeth, Mastodon and Khemmis – Live Gallery: Toronto, ON – April 22 2022
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      Leprous and The Ocean – Live Gallery: Charlotte, NC
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      Paradise Lost & Moonspell – Glasgow, UK
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      Sweat – Gotta Give It Up LP
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      Charger – Warhorse LP
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      Leprous and The Ocean – Live Gallery: Charlotte, NC
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      Paradise Lost & Moonspell – Glasgow, UK
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      HRH Punk Fest, Sheffield, UK 2021
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      Jane’s Addiction – “Stop!”/”Three Days” and “Been Caught Stealing” 12” singles
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      Richard Hell and the Voidoids – Blank Generation [reissue] LP
    • The Lorrainas – Party ‘Til It’s Dark [Reissue] LP
      The Lorrainas – Party ‘Til It’s Dark [Reissue] LP
  • Vinyl
    • The Drowns – Lunatics 12” EP
      The Drowns – Lunatics 12” EP
    • Sweat – Gotta Give It Up LP
      Sweat – Gotta Give It Up LP
    • Charger – Warhorse LP
      Charger – Warhorse LP
  • Books
    • Boots ‘n Booze (comic book w/ 7” single)
      Boots ‘n Booze (comic book w/ 7” single)
    • Shellshock Rock: Alternative Blasts From Northern Ireland 1977-1984
      Shellshock Rock: Alternative Blasts From Northern Ireland 1977-1984
    • Irish Service Women In The Great War: From Western Front to Roaring Twenties by Barbara Walsh
      Irish Service Women In The Great War: From Western Front to Roaring Twenties by Barbara Walsh
By Steve Earles Canadian metal, Reviews, Reviews - Audio December 20, 2018

Reviews x3: Fractal Cypher, Striker, Jo Quail

Fractal Cypher – Prelude To An Impending Outcome

Fans of Dream Theater will find much to enjoy here. Beautifully played progressive metal, and a release that bodes well for their future music. Transcendent!

(Mini Album, Self-Release)

https://fractalcypher.bandcamp.com/album/prelude-to-an-impending-outcome


Striker – Play To Win

Striker remind me of the good old days when great bands like Iron Maiden released a new (and brilliant!) album every year. Striker are very much in that mould. The excellent Play To Win is their third album in three years. Third time lucky! Once again, superb performance, great songs, and a pure love of metal in the most positive way. I love this album and if you love metal so will you.

(Record Breaking Records)

http://www.striker-metal.com


Jo Quail – Exsolve

One of the nice things about reviewing music is that occasionally you will be sent something to review that completely floors you in its originality. Such an album is Jo Quail’s Exsolve. Produced by metal mastermind Chris Fielding (Conan, Electric Wizard and more), Jo is a virtuoso cellist and composer who has toured with likes of Boris and Myrkur (a collaboration between those two artists would be a joy to hear). Jo’s music is emotive, haunting and above all original. I recommend it strongly to anyone who likes the above qualities in the music they listen to.

(Self-Release)

https://joquail.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/JoQuailCello

Steve Earles

Steve Earles is author and co-author of numerous projects, including To End All Wars: The WWI Graphic Anthology, available summer 2014 (http://toendallwarscomic.wordpress.com/writers/).

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Latest Comments

  • 1

    Jason Bouchard

    Wardruna in North America
    I will have to admit: I actually only heard of Wardruna last year when I saw through the Evenko Facebook page that Wardruna would play in Montreal. I was impressed…
  • 2

    Shawn Martin

    Heavy metal in 2017 by Adrien Begrand
    Cool list. I'll be sure to buy Pallbearers new album. I haven't listened to many new albums from this year, but really like "Incorruptible" by Iced Earth and "The Grinding…
  • 3

    The Metal Pigeon

    Heavy metal in 2017 by Adrien Begrand
    Enjoyed reading this, particularly the "My 2017 in Metal" section. As a distressed American metal writer who's had more than my fair share of freakouts over the current political situation,…

More Posts on Hellbound

  • The Drowns – Lunatics 12” EP
  • Sweat – Gotta Give It Up LP
  • Charger – Warhorse LP
  • Opeth, Mastodon and Khemmis – Live Gallery: Toronto, ON – April 22 2022
  • Leprous and The Ocean – Live Gallery: Charlotte, NC
  • Jane’s Addiction – “Stop!”/”Three Days” and “Been Caught Stealing” 12” singles
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