Vicious Rumors’ "Concussion Protocol" sounds like a band going through the motions of a style they once helped define. The ingredients are all there—punchy riffs, steady pacing, and a veteran sense of control—but the execution feels oddly lifeless.

The biggest issue is the songwriting. Tracks blur together into a stream of mid-tempo sameness, lacking the variation or memorable hooks that typically give this style its bite. Riffs, usually a strength for the band, ... read more

Blonde Redhead's "Misery is a Butterfly" is much more representative of this band and their ability to write and perform memorable and inventive music. While the guitar work is still a touch bland, the real musical star here is drummer Simone Pace. His delicate work on these tracks lends all the songs a dramatic backbone. The songwriting on here is excellent as the listener can't help but get pulled into each song, trying to pick out all the intricacies. The production is ... read more

Vhol’s "Deeper than Sky" is a chaotic blend of styles that somehow holds together through sheer conviction. The guitar work is the backbone—sharp, inventive, and constantly shifting, pulling from thrash, punk, and traditional heavy metal without settling into any one lane for long. It’s restless in a way that feels intentional.

The songwriting thrives on that unpredictability. Songs veer between hardcore bursts, progressive detours, and classic metal phrasing, often ... read more

Machine Head’s "The Blackening" is a dense, riff-driven statement that leans hard into progressive thrash ambition. The guitar work is the centerpiece—crushing riffs, sharp transitions, and a tone that absolutely rips. This is where the band’s songwriting stretches out, embracing longer compositions that are packed with ideas but rarely feel bloated. The length looks intimidating on paper; in practice, the constant evolution keeps things moving.

That said, the album ... read more

Blonde Redhead’s "Barragán" leans fully into atmosphere, stripping their sound down to something minimal, hazy, and almost willfully subdued. The production is the clear strength—warm, spacious, and deliberately restrained, it creates a cohesive dreamlike palette that’s easy to sink into.

But once you’re there, not much happens. The musicianship is so minimal it’s barely a factor; arrangements feel skeletal, with little rhythmic or melodic ... read more

The follow up to the justifiably lauded "Fine Art" is a bit of a letdown. Kneecap is leaning hard into their more EDM / Rave-esque identity and it doesn't always work for me. When they hit hard, it is fantastic (see "Carnival" which leans more Boom Bap and definitely slaps). But some of these tunes feel like filler to me (see "An Ra"). The energy is here and it's infectious and their main fanbase will love it. The production is slick but feels a bit ... read more

Verheerer’s "Maltrér" thrives in that familiar black metal tension between atmosphere and clarity—and leans heavily toward the former. The production is murky, which largely works for the mood they’re chasing, but the drums suffer most, landing with a strange “wet cardboard” thud that saps some of the album’s impact.

Still, there’s enough here to keep it engaging. The riffs are angular and occasionally slip into a black ’n’ ... read more

Tony MacAlpine’s "Premonition" is a confident, mature entry that leans into his dual identity as both shred guitarist and classically trained musician. The inclusion of three standalone piano pieces is a standout choice—they don’t feel like interludes, but integral expressions of his musical voice, reinforcing the breadth that separates him from more one-dimensional virtuosos.

On the guitar side, MacAlpine delivers some of his most memorable melodic work. The leads ... read more

This is a piece of Shoegaze that I need to be in a certain mood to enjoy. Most of the time drifting into Dreampop, Blonde Redhead certainly have a way with creating atmosphere and vibe. This whole album feels as dreamy as the subgenre implies. It is almost TOO dreamy, as the listener might find their attention drfting a bit. And I guess that's my issue with the album: it's too focused on atmosphere at the expense of actual songs. I don't get the sense that the musicians are ... read more

"Kick Me Silly – VCIII" finds Venomous Concept delivering exactly what you’d expect—and often exactly what you want. For fans of Brutal Truth, this is a welcome blast of familiar chaos: short, vicious bursts of hardcore that frequently spill into grind territory.

The intensity is the headline. Tracks hit fast and hard, driven by razor-sharp, biting riffs that feel genuinely hostile in the best way. The musicianship is tight without losing that loose, punk ... read more

Tony MacAlpine’s "Maximum Security", his sophomore album, is where his virtuosity fully locks into compelling songwriting. While the technique was already undeniable, this is one of the first moments it feels completely harnessed—focused, dynamic, and purposeful.

Alongside Madness, this stands as his co-best-written work. The diversity is the key: tracks shift between neoclassical runs, fusion-tinged passages, and hard rock muscle without ever feeling disjointed. Each ... read more

Blitzkrieg’s "Judge Not!" is a frustrating case of strong surface elements masking a hollow core. The riffs are genuinely solid—chunky, confident, and paired with a guitar tone that hits with satisfying weight. On a purely sonic level, there’s enough here to suggest a veteran band that still knows how to sound the part.

But the illusion fades quickly. The songwriting is painfully inert, with tracks that feel assembled rather than composed. Ideas don’t develop; ... read more

Venom’s "Welcome to Hell", their debut album, is a crude but undeniably effective opening statement. You can hear the Motörhead influence immediately—dirty, fast, and unapologetically aggressive—but Venom push it further into something more chaotic and unhinged.

The riffs hit hard, even if they’re built on fairly simple foundations. There’s a blunt force quality to them that works in the album’s favor, prioritizing impact over finesse. ... read more

Tony MacAlpine’s "Master of Paradise" finds him stepping into a full frontman role, adding vocals to his already formidable instrumental arsenal. It’s an intriguing shift—and a risky one. His voice carries a distinctive tone, occasionally echoing the off-kilter phrasing of John Arch, which gives the album a unique identity within his catalog.

But that identity comes at a cost. The musicianship, while still solid, feels intentionally restrained. Riffs are simplified, ... read more

So here we go. Marc Biedermann's long (and STILL) running OG Thrash project and their infamous debut album from 1988. Does it stand the test of time??!! Far outpaced by their contemporaries such as Death Angel, Metallica, Testament, etc., Blind Illusion kind of fell on the cutting room floor of Bay Area Thrash except for those locals that carried the Bay Area flag into their later years (such as myself, lol). This album has the distinction of featuring two-thirds of what eventually became ... read more

Great stuff from this relative newcomer. I'm hearing some Al Di Meola, some Greg Howe. Very nicely done. Great technique displayed on here, especially with his acoustic playing. The songs aren't wildly different, but he keeps them fresh enough to not sound too samey. Production is super-crisp and everything is audible and vibrant. These tunes are played with verve and sound like the musicians had fun recording it all. Great release.

Venom’s "Black Metal" is one of those albums where influence and execution feel like two completely different conversations. There’s no denying its historical weight—it helped sketch the blueprint for entire subgenres—but judged on its own merits, it’s a rough listen.

The musicianship is undeniably basic. Riffs are primitive, often bordering on repetitive, and lack the precision or bite that later bands would refine. The drumming, however, stands out as ... read more

Tony MacAlpine’s "Madness" is arguably his most adventurous release—a kaleidoscope of styles that leans fully into his musical breadth without losing cohesion. Where many shred records lock into a single lane, MacAlpine swerves freely, pulling in elements of jazz, fusion, classical, and hard rock with a sense of playfulness that feels intentional rather than scattered.

The musicianship is, as expected, airtight. His guitar and keyboard work remain fluid and precise, but ... read more

"Nightfall in Middle-Earth" is pretty much the starting point for folks getting to know Blind Guardian. The musicianship is stellar, especially the guitar work which is at times elegant, fierce, and inspired. Hansi's vocals are amazing also and it's these two aspects that elevate this to "great" level. The songwriting, especially in the first half, is fantastic. Songs ebb and flow like the story being told, and never get boring. The second half of the album, ... read more

One of the lesser-known, truly under-rated and under-appreciated gems of the OG Thrash era. The riffs on here are fucking awesome. Every tune has its own thing going on, and nothing ever feels stale or samey. The band easily moves between technical Thrash Metal tunes where the riffs move and angle, to straight-forward ripping Thrash (see album closer "Metal Law" for an example). The production is on point as all the instruments are discernable and the album has a punch and vibe that ... read more