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That would be my pick too, nostalgia playing a big part.

  fucksake 

Oppressor - Solstice of Oppression 8/10
Finally picked up the Hammerheart reissue of the Chicago act's brutal and complex debut, jagged riffs and pinpoint time changes keep this engaging throughout.

Clairvoyance - Chasm Of Immurement 8/10
Benefitting from repeated listens this one after picking it up last year, the Polish lads have a few strings to their bow but it's the fetid stench of the rotting corpse of Bolt Thrower when they slow down that's pleasing me most. One of last year's best cover arts here too.

Leatherhead - V.H.S. 8/10
Whoa, this is an early year surprise out of No Remorse, well I didn't hear the debut but this is a must for fans of Savatage, Agent Steel old Queensryche etc., hell this guy could sing the phone book (the what now?) and I'd be sold.

Sodality - Benediction I 8/10
Cultes Des Ghoules and Lvcifyre member's mercurial take on ritualistic Black Metal back in '23. Wildly unhinged vocals give this a satisfyingly demented edge.

Tokyo Blade - Fury 7/10
Previous to last year's brilliant Time Is the Fire album, the Blade released this one, also an expansive 80 min ,15 track hard rock/metal record although not of the quality of the latest one.

Akantha -  Baptism In Psychical Analects 6/10
This Greek band forgo their Hellenic heritage in favour of a rather soulless ode to Transylvanian Hunger. Competently played but this didn't hang around the stereo long.

Iron Bonehead, Hell's Headbangers, Nuclear War Now!....Silken Tofu??? I'm guessing it's more of a watercress and orchids type logo than the good old bones and skulls?

Under A Fuschia Bloom

Damn right, fifteen dollars for a poxy vase ,no way jose.

Yeah that's a fair enough summation, I'll probably go back to it at some stage. Kudos for not resorting to aliens or big nasty space monsters to liven it up I suppose. It actually reads like what it would feel like to be floating in space I imagine. Calming but ultimately going nowhere.

Definitely a big resurgence in popularity. They're doing big arenas in the UK as well on this tour, and they headlined Wacken last year

Wow. the once vaunted Wacken. Sold to the highest bidder.

Absolutely, some cracking records in there.

What did you make of Orbital, out of curiosity?

RAM - Subversvm 9/10
Superb Heavy Metal from the Swedes back in 2015, obvious Priest influences but with an edge, an underlying darkness not unlike old Sanctuary. Don't know why I've only one RAM album on the shelves but there surely can't be any better than this one?

Liege Lord - Master Control 8.5/10
Probably a little under appreciated upon its 1988 release when Thrash ruled the ruins but Liege Lord's third record benefited hugely from the addition of Joe Comeau ( Annihilator, Overkill) on vocals and this was an American Power Metal tour de force.

Glacier - Glacier 8/10
A forgotten gem from 1985 given the 40th anniversary treatment by High Roller last year, five tracks of traditional U.S. Heavy Metal with influences from the likes of Scorpions,Maiden, Saxon etc, delightful stuff.

Blood Feast - Kill For Pleasure 7.5/10
Chaotic, seemingly off the cuff thrash from 1987, I'm not in awe of this as I think some are but it's certainly a triumph of energy and intensity over anything else.

Oak Coffin - The Obsidian Ritual 7/10
Last year's reunion album after decades in the grave, melodic Black/Death from New Jersey, something like Old Man's Child without all the parping keyboards everywhere, a welcome return from these hooded menaces.

Animalize - Meat We're Made Of 7/10Third
I dunno, you can have all the crucified christs and phallicly proud goats you want on your cover and no one bats an eyelid but stick a lady's head on a dinner plate and the ire of the missus comes down on you pronto. Ugh..Dying Victims, French. Heavy Metal. Dug out after spotting Anvil listening to their recent one.

Below Zero ,Spanish film on Netflix at the moment, good show (Don't be put off by the generic Hollywood title as I nearly was.)

Really liked the Tailgunner debut.  Though after watching the rugby last night I might need something upbeat. 

Immolation - Failures of Gods
Necrophobic - Mark of the Necrogram
Alkaloid XL - Bach Out of Bounds

Yep, I liked it too but this one is so slick and polished that it turned me right off.

Think I need a dose of valium (or Evoken) after listening to that new Tailgunner, waaay to upbeat for 4am. Or anytime. Won't be buying this one that's for sure, Dragonforce fans might, if they still exist.

Fuck yeah!