Metal Riot

Photo credit: Ida Kucera

THE CROWN are going to absolutely clobber this year with their Royal Destroyer release. Today you can hear the majesty of “We Drift On” (directed by Christoffer Tönnäng and Oskar Norberger), a minacious yet resolute tune that has an accompanying video full of unpleasant inward thoughts.

Guitarist Marko Tervonen comments: “I think that after 30 years, people are aware that we can play pretty brutal music. But we also sometimes like to take it down a notch and explore other areas. I guess in 2021, it’s pretty difficult to ‘surprise’ people with a brutal song, so we hope to surprise you with this more mellow tune. Dare I even use the word ‘ballad’ *insert-fear-here*
Ok. Lean back, drift on and enjoy.”

Uh, don’t worry dude. It still sounds pretty damn heavy and very metal.

“It is our album number ten, so now we are in the big boys club,” says bassist Magnus Olsfelt. “I think it in some ways is our crowning achievement, and it encompasses our sound across all albums on one defining record. It’s got it all – the early 90s death metal stuff, the haunting melodies, the thrash, the punk, the grind, the heavy metal and the more epic and doomy stuff.”

Together with legendary producer Fredrik Nordström, the band tracked the resulting 10 songs at Gothenburg’s Studio Fredman. “We push ourselves to the limit, really trying to make everything as good as it can get, trying to make every song as impactful as possible,” Olsfelt states. While he believes that people need to hear the album themselves to be able to accurately describe it, Olsfelt also asserts that The Crown have achieved something that makes for a “continuous whole” – while being diverse. There are also some surprises in store for fans. “We have some of the most intense stuff ever, like one song is about one minute long, and we also have a ballad!”

Royal Destroyer track-listing
1. Baptized in Violence
2. Let the Hammering Begin!
3. Motordeath
4. Ultra Faust
5. Glorious Hades
6. Full Metal Justice
7. Scandinavian Satan
8. Devoid of Light
9. We Drift On
10. Beyond the Frail

Bayview Suspect

Hey kids. A LOT of cool underground band news for you today so let’s get things started with some groove/metalcore troopers.

Survival Or Ruin from Bayview Suspect will be released on September 14th through Rockpit Records. Pre-order is now available and comes in various options including digital download, physical CD and an exclusive bundle pack comprised of CD, digital download, t-shirt, 2 stickers and a limited edition banner style poster featuring the EP artwork available at a special pre-order price for a limited time. Order now at www.bayviewsuspect.com/store.

The intensity of their newest song “Laced With Deception” caught my ear a few days ago ad I thought I would share the band’s latest accompanying lyric video with you. NWOAHM and Euro-metal influences combine for a bold flavor.

The Crown are the biggest band on the list today, back in a big way with recent devastator Cobra Speed Venom. It is one of the long running band’s finest hours, completely no holds barred speed and aggression to the max. The band have a new video out for the track “In The Name Of Death”.

The band comments: “The Crown gives you a death-chillin’ tune as a counter action for this ridiculously hot season – ‘In The Name Of Death’! A tune that will automatically make you drink more beer!”

Produced by Fredrik Nordstrom at the classic Studio Fredman, the new album kills. To preview and purchase Cobra Speed Venom, please visit: metalblade.com/thecrown

Please support as this is one of the stronger ragers in recent memory and the band are pushing it hard. They sound hungry and really are out to show they still have what it takes and can hold their own alongside any Arch Enemy, Vader or The Haunted out there.

In more metal news that is awesome rather than wretched, Manitoba’s Arcticcircle have an awesome new album called Where Ice Meets Ocean that we have just become aware of. Some really strong and multi-faceted stuff on there so please go and check it out. I really enjoyed the big drum sound and guitars on “Cosmic Egg” and the marching surge of “Firebird Over Falcon Lake” in particular. Lot of sub-genre crossing streams here and while some of the bellowed vocals might not be for everyone, the music kicks total ass. “Oracle Bones” is probably my favorite on here, perseverant and full of cool tempo shifts and outstanding guitar. Def compatible with your Hark, Solstice, Mastodon and Turbid North on vinyl collections.

Gonna leave you all well satiated on riffs and rage today with the new video “Vagabond” from Ontario punks Hellbent.  It was filmed by Alex Earl Grey and edited by Jospeh Viktor Roth. The band have a lot on their plate coming up and I thought you all should get them on your radar ASAP.

Ok, that’s it from me for today, folks. Gonna finish watching Let Me Make You A Martyr on Shudder now. It features Marilyn Manson and also my new friend Sam Quartin from blues punks The Bobby Lees (who fuckin’ scorch!!) and is pretty awesome so far. TTYS!