Saturday, September 27, 2025

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – September 2025

Last Saturday of September and autumn has arrived! It’s that time of the month again: The Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Another great month of music in what is shaping up to be a stellar season for music. Fall is a busy time for music releases so this month I have seven picks instead of my usual five, in chronological release order.

First, Birmingham, England goth rock/darkwave duo Black Rose Moves released a new single titled “Club of Sin” this past September 12th. Now I don’t usually review singles, but this one made me discover this awesome duo who also released a tremendous EP last June, Death Dance, so I thought I’d hit two birds with one stone and give both some love. First off, if you’re into classic gothic music à la Sisters of Mercy and Rosetta Stone, then you’re in for a treat! Let’s talk about the single, “Club of Sin”, a banging track with a catchy chorus wrapped in an aura of lust and secrets. It sounds different than the songs on their EP but shows the band evolving musically. The EP, Death Dance, is a thing of beauty. A 4-track affair, right from the get-go with the opening song, “Lips Taste Blood”, the listener is instantly taken back to the ‘80s and the zenith of goth music. This song is like a visit from a good old friend you haven’t seen in a while. “Shadow Dance” will get you moving with its infectious beats and rhythms; “Jessica” is an up-tempo tune reminiscent of the afore-mentioned Sisters of Mercy’s gem “Marian” that’ll stay stuck in your head all day; and they close out the set with my favourite of the bunch, “Summer of Sorrow”, a mysterious, spooky tune that has a summer vibe with its droning sound akin to cicadas and crickets buzzing. Death Dance is a runner-up for my favourite EP of the year—an exquisite collection of songs, while “Club of Sin” is a fresh and exciting number. Black Rose Moves’ Grant Leon provides haunting vocals to Mark Neat’s alluring soundscapes. Give their music some spins; they’re a talented, quality outfit with a clear vision of where they’re going. Here’s hoping we get a full-length album from this duo in the near-future.

Black Rose Moves on Bandcamp

Second, Seattle, Washington speed metal quintet Solicitor returned with their second LP, Enemy in Mirrors, via Gates of Hell Records on September 19th and there ain’t no such thing as the sophomore slump for this band. If you thought Seattle only gave us grunge and Jimi Hendrix, think again! Solicitor does classic ‘80s speed metal with panache without pulling any punches. Sounding at times like a cross between vintage ‘Tallica circa Ride the Lightning and Priest’s heydays of Screaming for Vengeance, their latest LP Enemy in Mirrors is nothing short of breathtaking. Ringleader vocalist Amy Lee Carlson is a feast for the ears. In an alternate reality, she’s a British man and his name is Rob Halford. Whether or not you’re into female-fronted metal bands is irrelevant—Carlson’s sizzling vocals will annihilate your eardrums. But it’s not just Amy Lee that shines here; the entire band fires on all cylinders on every track. From the dazzling instrumental intro of “The Descent” to the instant classic two singles, the catchy-as-all-hell “Iron Wolves of War” and the anthemic earworm “Crimson Battle Beast”, the sneaky awesome title track to the breakneck guitar wizardry of “We Who Remain”, to the one-two punch of the deadly duo of “Black Magick” and “The Devil's Hand”, there’s no shortage of bangers on this impressive album. The songs overall are more well-rounded, melodic, and ruthless than on their already outstanding previous efforts. This band will take your life, mark my words. Enemy in Mirrors has insane replay value. In fact, after you purchase it, do yourself a favour and get their equally spectacular debut LP, Spectral Devastation, as well as their self-titled EP because, trust me, the more Solicitor you listen to, the more you’ll want. This one’s an absolute Top Five Album of the Year contender, folks. All hail Solicitor!

Solicitor on Bandcamp

Third, London, UK’s metal warriors War Grave returned yesterday with their first LP, Free Will, the follow-up to last year’s excellent self-titled debut EP. This new release came out with very little fanfare beforehand and I got excited for it as I was a big fan of their EP. After a handful of listens, Free Will is a pretty good album in my opinion but falls short of the promise of their first outing. Roman Kantoch’s vocals are just as striking here and the twin guitar threat of Trent Powell and Stuart Layne delivers awe-inspiring guitar solos and wizardry throughout the LP’s 49-minute runtime. But, because unfortunately there must often be a “but”, the songs don’t quite reach the level of arena anthems and memorable choruses their first offering had. Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than a ton of metal out there, but I was expecting more from the boys after such a magnificent debut. The highlights for me on Free Will include the title track, a solid meat-and-potatoes metal tune; the first single, “Break These Chains”, with its positive message, easily the catchiest song on the record—the LP needed more tracks such as this one; “As Far As You Can Go” with its beautiful, intricate guitar work; “Light ‘Em Up”, a moody, atmospheric piece that gets my vote for best song of the LP; and the breakneck barn-burner “Wolf & Raven”. Altogether, it’s a less thrashy record than its predecessor, closer to Priest and Maiden than, say, Megadeth or Testament, and is a guitar solo fan’s dream as it shines in that regard. I’m sure War Grave followers (and metal fans in general) will enjoy Free Will; it’s a solid metal record chock-full of fast tempos that left me a little underwhelmed, but mileage may vary, as the saying goes. In any case, give it a spin, it’s well worth your time.

War Grave on Bandcamp

Fourth, Italian classic doom metallers Warcoe released yesterday their third LP, Upon Tall Thrones, via the mighty Ripple Music. I wasn’t familiar with this band, but the best way to describe them is that they have an old school doom sound reminiscent of Trouble and Pentagram with obvious Sabbath worship (the singer even sounds like Ozzy at times). Right off the bat, if you heard the first two singles, “Octagon” and “I've Sat Upon Tall Thrones (But I'll Never Learn)”, you know exactly what you’re gonna get. The two tracks I actually enjoyed the most were the record’s two instrumentals: “Gather in the Woods”, a lovely, gentle acoustic guitar tune and “Flame in Your Hand”, a pretty solid doom number that lets the music do the talking. This is a record filled with awesome riffs. That being said, in the end, you need more than riffs to create a memorable album and it failed to stick the landing, in my humble opinion. Upon Tall Thrones doesn’t have any bad songs per se, but lacks those one or two truly great tracks that if you were to make a doom compilation for a friend, you’d simply have to have on there. I know I’ll be in the minority as the band has its hardcore followers and there’s good buzz surrounding this new record, but for me, after a handful of spins, unfortunately, Upon Tall Thrones is a decent yet lackluster affair. I still think it warrants a recommendation to doom aficionados in general, and of course, Warcoe fans.

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp Page for Warcoe

Fifth, Swedish quartet Siena Root are set to release a live double album titled Made in KuBa on October 3rd via Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. The concert was recorded over three nights in March 2024 at legendary Kulturbahnhof (KuBa) in Jena, Germany. For the uninitiated, Siena Root is a versatile band that performs across a broad spectrum of genres such as heavy psych, jazz, blues, alternative, and classic rock. Fronted by Zubaida Solid who’s got world-class vocals, the band goes into live experimentation much to the listener’s delight. I hear echoes of Deep Purple played on the organ as well as guitars channeling Stevie Ray Vaughan that help to shape the band’s signature warm tones starting with the opener, the bluesy “Coincidence & Fate” with languorous vocals and throbbing bassline. Aside from that, some highlights for me include the epic, psychedelic number “We (We Are Them)”; “Keeper of the Flame” whose vocals are reminiscent of Adele, a ballad-type tune with smoky guitar; the Zeppelinesque “Tales of Independence”; my personal favourite, the catchy single “Outlander” which perfectly sums up Siena Root; and the dreamy “Imaginary Borders”. This 12-song collection is a fantastic entry point for newcomers and long-time fans will be reminded just how special this band truly is. Solid’s vocals are paired with languid heavy psych vibes throughout and it makes for a memorable concert. So, close your eyes, put on your headphones, light up or grab a drink, and hit the Play button—you’ll be whisked away to the show!  

RPM’s Page for Siena Root

Sixth, from Los Angeles, California’s Sunset Strip, heavy metal band Wings of Steel will take flight with their second studio LP and fourth overall release, Winds of Time, on October 17th. Co-founded in 2019 by vocalist Leo Unnermark and guitarist Parker Halub, Wings of Steel represents the pinnacle of what the modern L.A. metal scene has to offer. Unnermark has already demonstrated on their previous releases—their 2022 debut EP Wings of Steel, first LP Gates of Twilight in 2023, and last year’s live album, Live in France—that he’s got the pipes to rival the legends of metal’s glory days. He only reasserts that fact here on this latest album. The same goes for Halub who’s a gifted axe-wielder reminiscent of guitarists who became famous as part of Dio, Whitesnake or Iron Maiden. Right from the start with the opener/first single/title track, the boys show us they mean business with a stunning song. Highlights for me include the addictive “Saints and Sinners”; the superb ballad “Crying”; the scorcher of a song “To Die in Holy War”; and the closing tune, the catchy epic “Flight of the Eagle” which is the sum of all the best parts from Wings of Steel. If you miss the good old days of American metal straight out of the ‘80s Sunset Strip, then Wings of Steel has got your fix. Winds of Time overflows with kick-ass, old school metal’s trademark lengthy guitar solos and soaring vocals. The band perfectly captures the sound and the vibe, as the kids call it, of that period many moons ago when that kind of music was pure magic and ruled the airwaves. It’s a sure-fire contender for a spot on my Top Albums of the Year and I’m sure it’ll be featured on many AOTY lists.

Wings of Steel on Bandcamp

Seventh, Melbourne, Australia prog rock trio Flitcraft will return with their third LP, Transmission Echo, via Pitch Black Records on October 17th. Flitcraft has got quite an original sound for a band that blends so many genres from prog to classic rock and even some ‘90s alternative leanings. This collection of songs is imaginative, uplifting, and full of raw energy. The highlights for me are the first single, “Lara”, easily the catchiest tune on here with its Maiden-inspired riff; the epic, 10-minute long centerpiece, “Years”, brimming with Yes and Rush vibes; “Beside the Point” with its duelling vocals and organ backdrop; the hard rockin’ “Bottleneck” with its guitar brilliance; and the title track and closer, the impressive “Transmission Echo”, full of warm guitar tones where the trio gets to showcase its musical chops. Flitcraft is a band I’m sure we’ll hear lots more of in the near-future and Transmission Echo will surely help propel them to notoriety outside of the Land Down Under. It’s a melodic prog record with rock and pop sensibilities that should please a plethora of music enthusiasts.

Pitch Black Records’ Bandcamp Page for Flitcraft

And that’s the September issue, ladies and gents! The Harbinger’s Killer Picks will return on October 25th just in time for the best holiday of the year. Until then, stay safe and crank up the tunes! 

Saturday, September 20, 2025

The Harbinger of D.O.O.M. Turns Five!

The Harbinger of D.O.O.M. blog celebrates its fifth anniversary this weekend! It feels as if it were just yesterday that I first posted on September 19th, 2020. I started the blog as a way to connect with other doom and metal aficionados and share my thoughts on music during the lonely pandemic months and it blossomed into this outlet for all things music (and some of my fiction writing as well). Before too long, I had bands, labels, and PR firms sending me music on a weekly basis. I’m not a musician and have no background in music other than my love of it for literally all my life since I first heard KISS at the tender age of five circa 1979. What I do is give my Distinct Opinions On Music (that’s the name of the blog, isn’t it?) going more by feeling and what speaks to me rather than doing elaborate analyses of the songs and music. The blog has evolved and gone through different iterations over the years. I Keep It Super Simple these days (see what I did there?) focusing mostly on one single magazine-type article per month giving my thoughts on my Top Five picks of the month. It might change yet again in the near future, who knows, but for now, I think it’s a good, concise formula for the blog. One stop every month and you get everything you need.

I’m very thankful for the hordes of bands, labels, and PR firms that continue to email me dozens of EPs and LPs every week. I do my best to pick a little from everyone and from most genres I enjoy listening to. I’d like to reiterate that I’m a bit picky in the type of music I review. I’m an old fart and I don’t like overly aggressive music. I’m more of an old school, traditional metal kind of guy. I absolutely will not review anything that falls under the extreme/death/black metal umbrella. That kind of music isn’t my cup of tea. At all. Apart from that, I dig all kinds of music, from hard rock to goth to doom to heavy psych. If it’s a good record, I’ll listen to it.

Here’s to many more years of the Harbinger of D.O.O.M. blog and hopefully my readers and metal fans get a kick out of reading my posts as much as I have fun writing them. I’m no longer on Twitter but if you wanna connect, give me a follow on Bluesky: @alandraven.bsky.social I’ll see you next week for this month’s edition of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Long Live the Harbinger of D.O.O.M.! 

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – August 2025

It’s the last Saturday of August and summer has flown by! It’s time for the Harbinger’s Killer Picks, my dear fellow music lovers. Here are my top five picks of the month, in chronological release order.

First, a reunion fifty years in the making with the original Alice Cooper Group and their follow-up to 1973’s Muscle of Love, earMusic released The Revenge of Alice Cooper on July 25th. I wanted to let this one simmer a bit before reviewing it as I used to be a huge Coop fan back in the day. Alice is reunited with former bandmates Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith, and even original guitarist Glen Buxton (who died in 1997) for a song. That lineup represents the classic era who made seven terrific albums together, including fan favourites Killer (1971) and 1973’s Billion Dollar Babies. My preferred era of Alice Cooper is when he returned in 1986 after getting sober with Constrictor, followed by Raise Your Fist and Yell (1987), Trash (1989), and my personal favourite of his solo LPs, Hey Stoopid (1991)—and let’s not forget 1994’s vastly underrated The Last Temptation. I followed his career through the ups and downs of the industrial era of the late ‘90s/early ’00s all the way up to the excellent Along Came a Spider (2008)—his last great album in my opinion. But after the autotuned letdown that was Welcome 2 My Nightmare in 2011, I sort of stopped caring what old Coop had to sell. I’ve only heard a handful of songs from the three LPs that followed and sadly, they all sounded very forgettable in my ears. So, when the news came that he’d be doing a classic rock ‘n’ roll album with his OG band, I was both intrigued and eager to hear if the boys could recreate the magic of the ‘70s. Unfortunately, for the most part, The Revenge of Alice Cooper is a good but not great, at times quite bland affair, in my humble opinion.

The three singles thus far are definitely the highlights of the album: the atmospheric first single, "Black Mamba", featuring The Doors’ Robby Krieger on guitar; the catchy second single “Wild Ones"; and my pick as best track of the LP, the third single featuring guitarist Glen Buxton, "What Happened to You" which takes you right back to the band’s heyday with its classic sound. Aside from that, there’s the cinematic standout track "One Night Stand" with its groovy rhythm, and their homage to The Kinks, the vibing "Crap That Gets in the Way of Your Dreams". That’s pretty much it in terms of memorable tracks on this 54-minute record in this listener’s opinion. We get a bunch of songs that are fun at times but mostly unremarkable ("Up All Night", "Kill the Flies", "Blood on the Sun", and "Money Screams"). There’s also a nice Yardbirds cover, "I Ain't Done Wrong", and a decent closing song in memory of Glen Buxton, aptly titled "See You on the Other Side". The last tier of the LP is composed of average tunes that feel more like filler than anything else to me ("Famous Face", "What a Syd", and "Inter Galactic Vagabond Blues"). From what I’ve read and heard, the album seems to be getting a mostly positive reception and I’m glad as Alice deserves all the praise in the world for such a lengthy career. I love what he and the original band have brought to the landscape of rock and metal; without Coop, the world of rock would be a very different place and nowhere near as gleefully macabre. While I can only recommend The Revenge of Alice Cooper to die-hard Alice Cooper fans, I wish Coop and the boys nothing but success with this record. We’ll always have his classic discography and its various eras to go back and listen to. For my personal taste though, his mid-‘80s/early ‘90s metal years are the ones that I cherish the most.

earMusic’s Page for Alice Cooper

Second, legendary German power metallers Helloween released yesterday via Reigning Phoenix Music their seventeenth studio album, Giants and Monsters, kicking off the celebrations for the band’s 40th anniversary. The 7-piece band shows no sign of slowing down and this LP is an excellent follow-up to their much lauded 2021 self-titled album and their Live at Budokan release from last December. Who knows how many records Helloween—or any band from the ‘80s—has left in them at this juncture of their career, so they should be cherished. I’ve got to admit, I was never the biggest Helloween fan back in their prime, or of power metal for that matter, but they’ve grown on me in recent years (and so has power metal). I really dug their 2021 effort and after a handful of spins, I’d give Giants and Monsters a pretty similar rating. It’s a different animal, not as diversified as their 2021 LP, but more accessible to non-fans, in my opinion. Also, where the 2021 record was a tad on the long side, the standard edition running at 65 minutes, this latest LP has a perfect length of 50 minutes. The highlights for me include the banging opener, “Giants on the Run”; the stellar, super catchy “A Little Is A Little Too Much” which may well be my favourite song on the record; the superb dual singing of “We Can Be Gods”; the terrific power ballad “Into the Sun” with its symphonic arrangement; the blistering epic new single that is “Universe (Gravity For Hearts)”, complete with multiple movements; and “Hand of God”, an old school metal gem. Helloween is in rare form on Giants and Monsters and the triple threat of Michael Kiske, Andi Deris, and Kai Hansen turns out to work incredibly well in the long run, much to my surprise. Helloween disciples will surely greet this album with open arms while newer fans will discover just how melodic a deluge of guitar solos and vocal harmonies can sound in the hands of metal masters. Giants and Monsters will more than likely wind up as a contender on many year-end lists. Pumpkins unite!

RPM’s Page for Helloween

Third, German power metal titans Primal Fear will unleash their 15th studio album, Domination, on September 5th via powerhouse metal label Reigning Phoenix Music. I’m new to this band, having only heard a handful of songs over the years but I don’t know why I never got around to properly giving them a shot. They’re every bit worthy of their 25 plus years longevity in the metal world. Primal Fear was co-founded in 1997 by singer Ralf Scheepers and bassist Mat Sinner after Scheepers wasn’t hired as Rob Halford's replacement in Judas Priest. Amongst his previous bands, Scheepers was also part of a Judas Priest cover band by the name of Just Priest. Anyhow, Primal Fear went on to have success of their own through the past two decades and are now signed to Reigning Phoenix Music. Domination is a thunderous album chock-full of soaring vocals, roaring riffs, and arena-worthy anthems. From the opening song to the curtain call, Domination is wall-to-wall power metal featuring a strong dose of trad and speed metal, much to this listener’s delight. Some of the highlights for me include the sonic barrage of the first single, “The Hunter”; the melodic, catchy second single “Far Away”; the galloping rhythms of “I Am the Primal Fear”; the emotional “Tears of Fire”; the kick-ass barn-burner that is “Heroes and Gods”; and the epic song of darkness and light, “Eden”. I have a feeling long-time fans of the band will love this latest record and new listeners will find a lot to like. Judas Priest aficionados and metalheads in general will certainly get a kick out of it. This album has put a big grin on my old face and it’s a solid contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list. Domination should have no problem dominating the metal charts around the world.

RPM’s Page for Primal Fear

Fourth, Brooklyn, New York fantasy doom metal quartet Castle Rat will make their highly-anticipated return on September 19th with their sophomore LP, The Bestiary, via Blues Funeral Recordings. The Rat Queen, the devilishly sexy Riley Pinkerton, and her cohorts have taken things to another level with this one. The Bestiary is a concept album and a far more polished effort than its predecessor. Castle Rat has garnered a rabid following since the release of their debut, Into the Realm, in the spring of 2024. They launched a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign to fund what would become The Bestiary, and fully funded it in just 37 minutes! The month-long fundraiser went on to be the most successful metal Kickstarter in over a decade. No small feat, to say the least. What we get here is an even more fully realized vision of Sword & Sorcery imagery combined with Sabbath worship, classic rock tendencies, and even some NWOBHM inspiration. Right off the bat, everything sounds louder and more in-your-face on this record. It kind of reminds me of when I played KISS’s Creatures of the Night LP for the very first time, how much its bombast blew me away. From the first track and second single after the instrumental intro, “Wolf I”, with its aura of death and danger, you know that Castle Rat means business with this album. It’s followed by the first single, “Wizard”, where The Rat Queen proceeds to put the listener under her spell for the duration of the record’s 49-minute runtime. I’m glad we got a full-length record this time around as their first outing felt more like an EP disguised as an LP, with a runtime of just over 30 minutes and only six of the nine tracks were actual songs. Some of the highlights for me include “Unicorn”, an epic-sounding piece; “Crystal Cave”, a gorgeous and mesmerizing song that’s more on the delicate spectrum of things; “Dragon” with its pounding rhythms and sizzling guitar solo; and “Summoning Spell”, which is quite the hypnotic interlude. The Bestiary continues Castle Rat’s fascinating evolution and takes all the ingredients of its precursor a notch higher. Devotees of the band will love this new record and new initiates will likely be entranced by the full-package that The Rat Queen, The Count, The Plague Doctor, and The All-Seeing Druid have concocted for us. I’m sure we’ll find The Bestiary on countless AOTY lists come year-end.

Castle Rat on Bandcamp

Fifth, Québec City’s heavy metal quintet Ultra Raptor will return with their sophomore LP, Fossilized, via Fighter Records on October 7th. I’m super stoked about this release as Ultra Raptor is a band from my town and there’s nothing I enjoy more than promoting great local talent. Formed in 2015, they released their self-titled EP in 2018 followed by their debut LP, Tyrants, on Fighter Records in 2021. They smash the doors open with the first single and title track, a war cry to signal their triumphant return. “Spinosaurus” follows, Maidenesque at times, it’s quite the incendiary tune; “Hard ‘N Fast” is self-explanatory with its hard rock roots; “Livin’ for the Riff”, the second single, is an earworm; “Bitter Leaf” with its awesome intro, is a highlight of the record and the band’s answer to Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf”; “X-Celerator” is a speedy, thrashy gem that takes no prisoners; “Ptero-Ranger” is a battle hymn aligned with the band’s dino theme; “Down the Drain” is trad metal at its finest, complete with sing-along chorus; “Le Voyageur d'Oort” is a brief but superb instrumental. They saved the best for last with the uplifting and memorable “Face the Challenge”, my personal favourite—it should absolutely be their next single. Fossilized is full of blazing guitar solos, relentless basslines, and pounding percussions paired with powerful, high-pitched vocals that all converge together to deliver a classic slab of metal. What we get here is a more polished record than its two predecessors. Fans of Judas Priest, Annihilator, and speed metal in general will really dig this record. Ultra Raptor has evolved musically and lyrically in the past four years, serving up an energetic platter of old school speed metal. Fossilized is an album that should propel Ultra Raptor to new heights of success and I look forward to catching the band perform live here in Québec.

Ultra Raptor on Bandcamp

Fighter Records’ Bandcamp Page for Ultra Raptor

And that’s all she wrote, folks! This has been the August issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. HKP will be back on September 27th before the spooky season returns in October. Until then, stay safe, enjoy those last summer days, and crank up the tunes! 

Monday, July 28, 2025

ANOMALY is Live on Amazon!

Greetings dear readers! My sci-fi short story “Anomaly” is now available on Kindle at all Amazon stores and priced $0.99 US ($1.36 CAD). It’s 45 pages long and, while it’s a self-contained story, it’s also the first part of what I call The Orion Trilogy. The second and third stories will also feature self-contained tales of the further adventures of the recon ship The Orion. Here’s the official synopsis for “Anomaly”:

The Orion, a recon ship with a crew of six, is sent to rescue the members of an expedition whose ship has crashed on an uncharted ice planet called Glacia. Before too long, this quick grab-and-go mission turns to tragedy. They encounter a malevolent being that is both merciless and enigmatic. In the vastness of space, it’s a mysterious journey filled with danger and cosmic wonder. Will the two ships’ combined crews make it out alive?

Here are the links to purchase it in the US, Canada, and the UK:

Amazon US

Amazon Canada

Amazon UK

Until next time, have a great rest of summer and happy reading! 

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – July 2025

Summer’s in full swing and July is soon coming to an end. The Harbinger took the month of June off, but he’s back! It’s the last Saturday of the month, so it’s time for the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Here are my top five picks of the month, in chronological release order.

First, Reflection, the much-loved Greek epic metal band, unleashed their latest LP, The Battles I Have Won, via Pitch Black Records on June 20th. This was a band I’d never heard of and, man, what a great discovery this was when this LP landed in my inbox! For the uninitiated, Reflection has been around since 1992 and this is their fifth album. Their sound is a cross between Iron Maiden and Manowar, but more epic, more mythical. This is their first record with vocalist Kostas Tokas and it makes a world of difference for me. I sampled their previous LP, 2017’s Bleed Babylon Bleed with their former singer and it did nothing for me. On this present record, the band fires on all cylinders. From the kick-ass opener, “Only the Swords Survive”, to the three catchy singles “The Battles I Have Won”, “Lord of the Wind”, and my personal favourite, “Siren’s Song”, there isn’t a dull moment on the entire LP. Kostas Tokas’ soaring vocals remind me a bit of Scorpions’ Klaus Meine at times—he’s that talented. Other highlights include “Celestial War”, which embodies the definition of an epic tune; “March of the Argonauts”, a memorable galloping song with a fitting title; and “Lady in the Water”, a fine example of old school metal at its best. The Battles I Have Won is pretty much the perfect metal record in my opinion. From its gorgeous cover artwork to its songs of grand scope set to a landscape of powerful, melodic metal music, it’s my favourite album of the summer. Whether you’re familiar with Reflection or not, if you like metal music, you owe it to yourself to pick up The Battles I Have Won. It’s a shoo-in for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list.

Pitch Black Records’ Bandcamp Page for Reflection

Second, Dominic Harrison aka YUNGBLUD, released his much-anticipated fourth LP on June 20th, a love letter to his musical influences titled Idols. A couple of weeks ago, I had never heard of the phenomenon that is YUNGBLUD. It took his much-lauded performance of “Changes” at the Black Sabbath/Ozzy Back to the Beginning tribute concert to get me curious to see/hear what the fuss was all about. And I’m here to tell you, believe the hype, this dude is legit! He reminds me of the revelation that was Lady Gaga for pop music about fifteen years ago; YUNGBLUD is just that, but for rock music. At times, the lavish production reminded me of Meat Loaf’s 1977 masterpiece Bat out of Hell. Some of the highlights for me include the emotional opener and first single, “Hello Heaven, Hello"; the insanely catchy second single “Lovesick Lullaby"; the phenomenal third single and my personal favourite song of the album, “Zombie”, an homage to healthcare workers; the awesome The Cure-inspired "Monday Murder"; "Ghosts", a powerful song with U2 vibes; the memorable "War", and the superb closer, "Supermoon", channeling David Bowie and Elton John. YUNGBLUD wears his influences on his sleeves on Idols and you can clearly hear shades of Bowie, Queen, U2, The Cure, Oasis and many other Britpop staples throughout. The only fault I would give this album is that due to the orchestrations, at times it sounds a little too bombastic for my taste, but overall, it’s a polished record from the opening riffs to the closing verses. A gifted singer and songwriter, YUNGBLUD has crafted in Idols a record that will be cherished by his generation for years to come.

YUNGBLUD’s Official Site

Third, Sunderland, UK Goth/Punk trio Black Rain released their self-titled debut album on July 14th. The band describes itself as too goth for punk and too punk for goth; it’s the best of both worlds, in my opinion. A band and an album that showed up out of nowhere for me and turned out to be one of the nicest surprises of the summer. First off, the guitar tone on this album is ten shades of awesome. Black Rain’s edgy energy cuts through the darkness to give us an outstanding collection of songs. The first five tracks are traditional studio cuts while the following four were recorded raw live, I would assume in a studio as they don’t sound like they were performed in front of an audience or in a club. In any case, it’s a seamless listening experience and this record packs a hell of a wallop. The first single and opener, “Inside”, sets the tone for the entire album, a rain of nostalgia pouring down with ‘80s vibes galore. “Save Me” has echoes of The Cure and Sisters of Mercy; “Shotgun” is a bass-driven gem. “Shadows Cry” invokes a smoky, nighttime atmosphere while the second single, “Broken Words”, has a vintage sound to it that harkens back to the glory days of Punk and Goth. Another highlight for me was the penultimate track, “I Suffer Alone”, an introspective, half instrumental tune that gains momentum as it goes along to reach its sonic climax. Black Rain delivers a record chock-full of intensity with catchy melodies, splendid licks, pulsing rhythms, and riffs for days. Josh Cowey’s haunting vocals shine throughout the album. Black Rain is a short and sweet affair, running a brisk 31 minutes, but it’s a record that you’ll want to spin over and over again deep into the night.

Black Rain on Bandcamp

Fourth, alt-rock ‘90s legends Bush returned with their tenth album on July 18th, titled I Beat Loneliness. I haven’t listened to a Bush LP since the ‘90s, back when they went under the name Bush X! I used to own their first album, Sixteen Stone, on CD and enjoyed it a lot back in the day. I bailed out after that, but have heard their follow-up, Razorblade Suitcase, many times at various friends’ places over the years. The last song I’d heard from them was the awesome “Bullet Holes” back in 2019, a track featured in the film John Wick 3. When I heard the first two singles for this new album, they sounded great, so I figured I’d give it a spin or two. It sounds like a logical evolution of Bush’s ‘90s sound. Gavin Rossdale pretty much sounds the same as he did back in his prime. This is a very personal album for him and the care he put into it can be heard throughout. While not reinventing the wheel, Rossdale and company still manage to deliver catchy hooks and melodic choruses for the vast majority of the album’s runtime. The highlights for me are definitely the two singles, "60 Ways to Forget People" and “The Land of Milk and Honey" (my personal favourite on this record), as well as the opening track, “Scars”, which sets the tone for what follows; the title song, the excellent “I Beat Loneliness”; "Love Me till the Pain Fades", and “Footsteps in the Sand". The London quartet delivers a collection of solid tunes with I Beat Loneliness. I think long-time Bush fans will really dig this new record. If you used to listen to Bush during the glory days of grunge and lost track of them over time, then maybe the nostalgia factor will pull you in and you might just have a blast.

earMusic’s Page for Bush

Fifth, Reigning Phoenix Music partnered with Hasbro to release the G.I. Joe-inspired band Cold Slither’s first eponymous album yesterday. If you were a boy who grew up in the ‘80s, then you most likely watched the G.I. Joe cartoon after school. I watched it religiously, collected the Marvel comics, and had over 50 action figures that provided me with literally thousand of hours of fun as a kid. This band is based on the cult-classic G.I. Joe episode Cold Slither from 1985 where Cobra Commander comes up with the idea of having Zartan and his Dreadnoks (Ripper, Torch, and Buzzer) form a metal band to play music with subliminal messages to brainwash the masses. The song they perform in the episode, “Cold Slither”, is wonderfully covered by the band here and was the LP’s first single. We get various audio samples from G.I. Joe episodes throughout the record which help immerse the listener in a nostalgia-filled experience. Some of the highlights for me include “Knock ‘Em Dread”, the catchy second single; “Torched”, a high-energy tune that would’ve felt right at home in the G.I. Joe episode; “Under the Dreadnok’s Spell” with its terrific rhythm and guitar licks; “Master of Disguise”, an earworm that’s the most melodic tune on the LP and which should absolutely be the next single; and “The Ballad of Buzzer”, a bona fide ballad and a pretty effective one at that. Reigning Phoenix Music strikes gold again with this project. Cold Slither, the album (and the band) is a total blast from top to bottom. It’s a light-hearted, super fun hard rock/metal album that is sure to please G.I. Joe aficionados as well as non-fans. I, for one, hope that this isn’t a one-off and that we’ll hear more music from this band in the years to come.

RPM’s Page for Cold Slither

And that’s all, folks! I hope you got a kick out of the July issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. HKP will return on August 30th to wrap up the summer season. Until then, stay safe, enjoy the summer breeze, and crank up the tunes! 

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – May 2025

The lovely month of May is soon coming to a close and summer’s just around the corner! It’s the last Saturday of the month, so it’s time for the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Here are my top five picks of the month, in chronological release order.

First, Austrian trad metal quintet Venator released their sophomore LP, Psychodrome, on April 25th via German boutique label Dying Victims Productions. This was one of my most anticipated releases of the spring/summer and I’m here to tell you that it delivers in spades! It's already been three years since the release of their phenomenal debut LP, Echoes from the Gutter. After an atmospheric synthwave instrumental intro, “Steal the Night” opens the LP, a banger of a track with a cool retro ‘80s vibe. “Children of the Beast” follows, a head-bobbing tune with a catchy chorus. The Maidenesque “The Final Call” features some bad-ass bass courtesy of bassist Stefan Glasner that leads into the trio of singles: “Radar” is a highlight of the LP and an instant classic; “Race to Glory” is solid as steel; and “Dynamite” is infectious and actually more of a driving tune than the previous song. “Fear the Light” showcases frontman Hans Huemer’s wide vocal range with a higher-pitched song, while every band member shines on the stellar “Astral Seduction”, a gem of a song to close out the set. Venator is a force to be reckoned with in the world of heavy metal music. Had they been around circa 1985, they would’ve fit right in alongside legends like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Chock-full of vintage metal, soaring vocals, and fiery guitar solos, Psychodrome is a definite contender for the Top 10 Albums of the Year list and a fantastic album to spin all summer long and beyond!

Dying Victims Productions’ Bandcamp Page for Venator 

Second, Romania’s purveyors of ice metal, Persekutor, returned with a new EP titled Vlad But True on May 9th. This is a band that I’ve come to love over the last two years since the release of their breakthrough album, Snow Business, in 2023. It’s a fun and catchy LP that I find myself going back to regularly. This new EP continues in the same direction, featuring snow-themed tunes, giving us four tracks for a runtime of about fifteen minutes. The title track gets the ball rolling, hearkening back to the glory days of ‘80s metal. “Cold Blooded” is a slower song than usual for the band, with cleaner vocals. The first single, “Eternal Snowstorm”, is pretty good but personally, I’d have gone with the closing track, “Cold Sweat”, instead; a hard rocking number that stays with you long after the EP’s stopped spinning. Vlad But True is a decent EP, but on the whole, it doesn’t quite reach the level of enthusiasm and old school metal fun that its predecessor did. Still, lead singer Vlad and his Persekutor crew deliver a cool pack of songs if you’re looking for a quick listen. Here’s hoping we get a full-length soon from this talented band as I’m sure they still have lots of icy metal in store for us.

Persekutor on Bandcamp

Third, French old school metal quartet Animalize made their triumphant return last week with a new LP, Verminateur, entirely sung in French via the Dying Victims Productions label and I’m here for it. How time flies; it’s already been three years since Animalize’s kick-ass debut album, Meat We’re Made Of! This time we’re treated to ten tracks—nine songs and an instrumental—all sung in French as opposed to three songs out of nine sung in French on the previous record. I, for one, find that to be a great decision; maybe I’m biased because French is my first language, but I find the band sounds more comfortable singing in their native tongue. On top of that, Verminateur is an all-around more polished LP than its predecessor, and just as fun but more mature. Less thrashy and more melodic, from the opener and first single, “Armées de la nuit” coupled with the second single, “Damnée”, they’re off to a killer start with plenty of ‘80s-inspired guitar solos—and a tremendous videoclip for the second single. “Cheval astral” is a scorcher of a tune that gallops 100 miles/hour; the title track gives off a cool Motley Crüe vibe; “Au jugement de soi”, the latest single—with yet another fantastic videoclip—is a catchy, melodic, radio-friendly track; then the dark synth “Invasion” instrumental interlude serves as prelude to “Envahisseurs”, a banger of a track with exciting guitar dualling; the atmospheric melancholy of the piano-driven “Prière de remords” showcases a different aspect of Animalize and is a highlight of the record; “Bons baisers d’outre-tombe” is the perfect soundtrack for a horror movie in your mind with its pulsating synths and riffs for days—a standout track for sure; “Reviens-moi” with its driving rhythm brings the curtain down—what we used to call a ballad with teeth in the old glory days of metal. No sophomore slump here, folks. It’s hard to pick a favourite tune on an album of favourites; Verminateur is an exhilarating LP from beginning to end. Animalize have a winner on their hands and it’s sure to please old school metal fans all over the world, especially francophiles.    

Dying Victims Productions’ Bandcamp Page for Animalize

Fourth, doom and sludge trio Goya out of Phoenix, Arizona will unleash their fourth LP, In the Dawn of November, on June 13th via Blues Funeral Recordings. It’s been eight years since their last LP, Harvester of Bongloads, and I’d heard many great things about this band but had yet to experience their music. I’m glad I finally got around to hearing Goya because if you dig crushing riffs and sludgy doom, then this band and album is for you. From the get-go, the first single, “In the Dawn of November”, is a fantastic heavy doom gem that sets the tone for the entire record. “Cemetary Blues” follows, a graveyard love song full of gloomy imagery; “Depressive Episode”, the second single, is an exercise in self-loathing that might very well be the catchiest tune of the album; “Sick of Your Shit” continues along the same vein as the previous song but this time the anger is aimed at the outside world; the epic, 12-minute opus “I Wanna Be Dead” is thick with atmosphere and represents doom at its finest while “Comes with the Fall” is a fuzzy, almost cosmic instrumental to bring this dark ceremony to a close. In the Dawn of November is a bleaker than bleak affair with a palpable sense of hopelessness throughout, and sometimes, that’s just what the doctor ordered. At times reminiscent of the angst-ridden industrial albums of the ‘90s, In the Dawn of November is a well-crafted, outstanding LP from beginning to end. Goya have a winner on their hands and a sure contender for the Top 10 Albums of the Year list.   

Goya on Bandcamp

Fifth, Cincinnati, Ohio’s Electric Citizen are finally making a comeback on June 27th after a seven-year absence with their fourth album simply titled EC4 via Heavy Psych Sounds Records. A follow-up to their excellent 2018 album, Helltown, honestly, I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever get another release from this terrific heavy psych/classic rock/doom quartet. From the get-go, “Mire” cracks it open, a vintage blend of rock showcasing Laura Dolan’s siren vocals along with dreamy organ. The two singles follow, “Static Vision” and “Smokey”, where catchy riffs and a flurry of guitars and organ abound. “Traveler’s Moon”, the lengthiest track, is a solid rocker while “Tuning Tree” and “Moss” put the band’s gentler side on display—they’re absolute beauties that are highlights of this record for me. The bass-driven “Lizard Brain” is fuzzy and hypnotic with its infectious chorus. The percussion-heavy “Other Planets” has an epic feel to it and “Flower of Salt” with its dreamlike quality is the perfect closer for this outstanding LP. EC4—which sounds like the name of a drug—is actually a sonic drug; once you listen to it, you’ll crave it again and again. We should all be thankful that Electric Citizen are back and still making awesome music—maybe their best LP yet—and the clear album of the month for me. Let’s just hope that they don’t vanish for so long next time and that they stick around for many years to come.

Heavy Psych sounds Records’ Bandcamp Page for Electric Citizen

And there you have it, folks! That’s the May issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. I’ll be taking some time off next month so there won’t be an issue of HKP in June. If all goes well, however, I’ll have a sci-fi short story out sometime in July on Kindle as my alter ego Alan Draven. And the Harbinger’s Killer Picks will return for the July issue on July 26th. Until then, stay safe, enjoy summer, and crank up the tunes! 

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – April 2025

April showers, make way for the Harbinger’s Killer Picks! It’s the last Saturday of the month, so here are my top five biggest albums of the month, in chronological release order. I wanted to include Venator’s Psychodrome which dropped yesterday, but I’ve only had time to give it one spin so I’ll save it to review it for the May issue of HKP.

First, Swedish hard rockers H.e.a.t released their latest opus, Welcome to the Future, yesterday via earMUSIC. My real introduction to this awesome band came in the form of 2023’s Extra Force, which was a compilation album of sorts, released hot on the heels of 2022’s Force Majeure, marking the return of original singer Kenny Leckremo. I’ve become a big fan of H.e.a.t since and Welcome to the Future was one of my most anticipated albums of the spring. They’re back with their trademark arena rock, synth-laced sound and it’ll be an album I’ll be listening to all summer long and beyond. The first four tracks of the LP happen to be the four singles released thus far. From the earworm opener, the dynamic “Disaster”, to the melodic old school ballad, “Bad Time for Love”, the high-energy “Running to You”, to a strong highlight of the LP, the very definition of a memorable ballad with “Call My Name”, H.e.a.t are off to the races and keep coming with the hits. Other highlights for me include “Rock Bottom”, which isn’t a cover of the famous KISS song but rather a cool sing-along anthem; the electrifying “Children of the Storm”, truly one of the best tracks on here; and the bass-heavy “Tear It Down (R.N.R.R.)” which is my absolute favourite song of the LP. Welcome to the Future is a solid collection of 12 songs that, while covering familiar territory, H.e.a.t proves to be ever reliable, continuing to deliver rock gems after being at it for 17 years. The band is as relevant as ever as a top-tier rock/metal band. I’ve said it before; if H.e.a.t had been around in the ‘80s, they would’ve been just as big as Def Leppard and Bon Jovi. If you like hard rock/hair metal from the ‘80s with pop sensibilities, then you’re bound to love Welcome to the Future. It certainly is a worthy contender for the Album of the Year list.

earMUSIC’s Page for H.e.a.t

Second, Olympia, Washington’s power metal quartet, Hangfire, are set to release their debut LP, Burn, on May 2nd via Rottweiler Records. Led by ubertalented vocalist Jenea Fiore, Hangfire is a force to be reckoned with in today’s metal landscape. From the opening one-two punch combo of “Hunger” and “Thunder”, to the catchy melodic, single-worthy “Warhawk” featuring a standout guitar solo; the energetic earworm first single “Headspin”; the gorgeous ballad “Falling Awake”; the headbanging “SOS”; the killer tune that is “The Hunter”; the fantastic old school rocker “Outlaw”; the banger title track “Burn”; the gentle gem “The Cold”, to the closing track and second single, “Fire in the Night”, Burn fires on all cylinders. A generous collection of a dozen truly memorable songs fully showcasing Fiore’s vocal prowess, guitarist Sean Searls’ shredding ability, bassist Steven Tolbeck’s thumping basslines, and Shannon Laird’s rapid-fire drumming. Burn is an Album of the Year candidate of the highest degree, providing the listeners with an exciting blend of melodic heavy metal honouring the glory days of metal legends from the ‘80s. It’s an incredibly impressive debut from a gifted bunch of musicians and every metal music aficionado owes it to themselves to take Burn for a fiery spin. 

Rottweiler Records’ Bandcamp Page for Hangfire

Third, Barrie, Ontario heavy psych quartet AAWKS will return with their sophomore LP, On Through the Sky Maze, on May 2nd via Black Throne Productions. I love this band. I’ve been covering them since their early days. Their first LP, Heavy on the Cosmic, cracked the top five of my Top 20 Albums of 2022. Sometimes bands veer in unexpected musical directions and it polarizes fans. A good example was Metallica’s Load back in 1996, which lost them a lot of fans (and probably gained them some new ones as well). Sadly, On Through the Sky Maze, is such an album for me. I’m pretty sure I’ll be in the minority, but this is a record that after a handful of listens over the course of the past six weeks, has left me with the same sour taste as upon my first spin of it. Let me explain. When the first single “Celestial Magick” dropped, I was both intrigued and slightly worried. I loved the heavier and doomier sound, but I was wondering why they chose to add screaming/growling to what would’ve been a perfect song in my opinion. When the album landed in my inbox, I braced myself for a first listen and my suspicions were confirmed: the vast majority of the tracks feature screaming/growling courtesy of bassist Ryan “Grime Pup” Mailman. My initial reaction was why would you scream/growl as if you were singing in a black metal band? To be fair, it does somewhat fit the heavier/doomier vibe they have going on this record, but it certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It sure as hell isn’t mine. To me, the screaming ruins in large part what would otherwise be a phenomenal album.

The aesthetic AAWKS shoot for on On Through the Sky Maze is fully realized. From the LP’s cover art featuring their mascot, the mysterious hooded figure, to the more polished doom sound, lyrical progression, and musical evolution they have on their follow-up to their beloved debut album. The inclusion of samples of sound clips from old horror movies throughout the songs is brilliant and fits the theme and tone of the album to perfection. Some of the highlights of the LP for me (minus the bloody screaming) include the majestic first single, “Celestial Magick”; the Sabbath-worship of the third single, “Lost Dwellers”; the previously released mysterious “The Figure” (although I much prefer the version found on their Luna EP); “Wandering Supergiants” with its eerie violin; and “Drifting Upward” with its spacey keyboards has almost a meditative quality to it. On Through the Sky Maze is bound to divide AAWKS fans who fell in love with the heavy psych aspect of their music. For me, the sporadic demonic-sounding screaming/growling grates on my ears and makes me want to skip songs entirely at times. It makes for a very frustrating audio experience. That kind of screaming is prevalent in today’s metal music though, and my understanding is that it’s quite popular, so I know I’ll be in the minority feeling this way about its inclusion. Regardless, one can’t deny that this sophomore effort from AAWKS shows maturity on all levels and, as I’ve stated, would even surpass their debut LP if it weren’t for the damn screaming. In any case, I still wholeheartedly recommend listening to it if you’re an AAWKS devotee or a fan of heavy music in general. Just don’t expect the same kind of trip you had on Heavy on the Cosmic. Here’s hoping the band tones down the screaming on their next release. 

AAWKS on Bandcamp

Fourth, reinvigorated shoguns of UK Thrash Metal Toranaga U.K. will release a four-song, 23-minute EP on May 19th aptly titled A New Order. Featuring two brand-new songs and two re-recorded classics from their second LP, God's Gift from 1990. I wasn’t familiar with Toranaga but, man, this band can hang with the best of them! I also gave God’s Gift a full spin to get a better feel for Toranaga’s origins and it’s a terrific vintage metal record. They label themselves as a thrash metal band but I’d put them more into the traditional metal category based on this EP. From the opener, the new track and current single “Desecration”, a catchy tune with galloping riffs; the slower tempo of the title track, “A New Order”, a fist-in-the-air, head-bobbing kind of tune; to the re-recorded classics “The Shrine” with its almost doomy vibe and the fantastic, dark “Sword of Damocles”, the older songs have a fuller sound here and the band plays them tight. A New Order channels the spirit of the heyday of ‘80s metal and finetunes it for the modern metalhead. Toranaga is a band that goes down easy like a cold brew on a hot summer day. I’m eager to hear more new material from them and I recommend picking up A New Order, especially for fans of Megadeth, Overkill, Iron Maiden, and Metallica.    

Toranaga U.K. Online

Fifth, another legendary U.K. Thrash band returns, this one hailing from Bristol, England, Onslaught will release a double album on May 23rd titled Origins of Aggression as the first record of a new long-term contract with metal giants Reigning Phoenix Music. I’d heard of Onslaught over the years but had yet to hear one of their songs. After listening to this blistering double CD set, I am wondering why I’d never listened to their music before! If you’re not familiar with them, the best comparison I can make is that they’re like the UK’s answer to Slayer. Origins of Aggression celebrates the 40th anniversary of their first album, Power from Hell. The first CD features a crop of ten re-recorded tunes from the band’s early days (1982-1989), while the second CD gives us some badass covers of punk and metal songs which contributed to define the Onslaught sound.

Disc 1 consists of ten tracks from Onslaught’s first three LPs, re-recorded with current frontman David Garnett on vocals: Power from Hell (1985), The Force (1986), and In Search of Sanity (1989). Some of my favourites include the punky, lean and mean “Black Horse of Famine”; the catchy “Angels of Death”; the anthemic “Power from Hell”; the instant classic “Metal Forces”; the epicness of “Let There Be Death”; the neck-breaker “Thrash ‘Till the Death”, and the rallying cry that channels vintage ‘Tallica, “Shellshock”. This CD is better than a Greatest Hits package, folks. The songs sound vintage and fresh all at once. It gives these tunes a second lease on life and is a perfect introduction for newcomers to this tremendous, underrated thrash metal band.

Disc 2 consists of twelve ferocious covers paying tribute to some of the best punk and metal bands from the ‘70s and ‘80s which have highly influenced Onslaught. They cover Motorhead, the Dead Kennedys, Discharge, The Exploited, Judas Priest, Killing Joke, the Sex Pistols, the UK Subs, and Black Sabbath. Some of the highlights for me include their scorching cover of Lemmy & Co., “Iron Fist”; the awesome Dead Kennedys classic “Holiday in Cambodia”; an impressive vintage Priest rendition, “Freewheel Burning”; a kick-ass delivery of the Sex Pistols’ “Holidays in the Sun”, and a crushing interpretation of Sabbath’s perennial classic, “War Pigs”. This set of covers is spectacular from top to bottom and showcases Onslaught really putting their spin on each track. Just one of these two CDs would’ve been a homerun of a release, but combined, it’s nothing short of astonishing and shoots its way deep into my Top Ten Albums of the Year candidates. Whether you’ve experienced the brutality of Onslaught before or you’re an Onslaught virgin, Origins of Aggression belongs in every metalhead’s collection.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s Page for Onslaught

And that’s all she wrote, folks! The May issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks will land on May 31st. Until then, stay safe and crank up the tunes!