Review: Wizard Master - Phasmatis

Some albums strike a chord the minute you hear them. Such is the case with Rome, Italy’s Doom duo Wizard Master with their debut album Phasmatis. It’s sinister, fuzzy, and draped in the occult.

Phasmatis is a concept album that opens with a foreboding instrumental track titled “Extradimensional Being” in which we hear a paranoid and perturbed caller to a radio show babbling about the aforementioned extradimensional beings. It sets the tone perfectly for everything that follows throughout this musical séance. “Know the Wizard” is a groovy cut, straight out of the seventies, and an absolute gem of a song. Maybe the best of the album with its distorted sound and doomy atmosphere. For a song that’s over seven minutes in length, it never overstays its welcome. “Wicked Eye” is a meaner song with blistering guitar and hypnotic rhythms. This one sizzles and also remains relevant during the entirety of its eight minutes. “This Is Black Sabbath” is slower-paced, full of stoner vibes, turning into a ceremony of musical mayhem. I love the vocals on this one! The penultimate track, “Solve et Coagula”, (Latin for “Dissolve and Coagulate”), the action of breaking apart and coming together, draws its inspiration from alchemy and Satanist imagery. Riff-laden, catchy, yet evil, it serves as a bridge to the end of the record. “Phasma Phasmatis”, the album’s epilogue, expands on the recurring musical motifs and lyrical themes previously established. It will get you nodding your head, I guarantee it.  

Wizard Master has put together a masterful (no pun intended) set of tunes for their inaugural album. It’s doomy to the max, has plenty of retro moments, extensive instrumental passages, wears its occult aspirations on its sleeve, and could just as well be the soundtrack to a demonic sci-fi/horror film. It’d be a perfect record to listen to on windy October nights leading up to Halloween, but it’s also a deliciously enjoyable album to put on any other night. Let the hypnotic cover artwork draw you in and step inside the world of Wizard Master—you won’t want to come back!

Wizard Master’s Bandcamp page: https://wizardmasterband.bandcamp.com/

Forbidden Place Records’ Wizard Master Bandcamp page: https://forbiddenplacerecords.bandcamp.com/album/wizard-master-phasmatis 

Review: Inner Missing - Dead Language

Inner Missing’s ninth album, Dead Language, will be released on February 25. I reviewed the gothic doom metal duo’s eighth album, Deluge, last year, which you can read here. This new record follows the Russian duo of Sigmund and Melaer in the same vein as their previous effort, with a distinct sound of their own.

Dead Language opens with the title track, a song that is, in my opinion, the best off of their two last albums combined. Ominous, quiet, melodic, and hypnotic. I love hearing Melaer sing along with Sigmund and do backing vocals. I wish she’d be more present vocally on Inner Missing’s albums. The second song is the first single, “The Quest”, inspired by the iconic Aleister Crowley. It gives off a bit of a Queensryche vibe and is one of the highlights of the album. Song number 3, “Empty Rooms”, is pretty good with its dominant bassline. Though it features long instrumental sections that sometimes drag the song’s momentum down. “Long Odds” has a more aggressive, percussion-driven opening. A nice departure from the typical Inner Missing sound. Feels kind of like a rhapsody in structure. “Mute” is a slower track with a catchy beat to kick things off. It’s a shorter song than the rest which benefits from its shorter running time in not overstaying its welcome. The record closes with “At Sea”, a good yet unmemorable track.

Overall, Inner Missing’s Dead Language should amply satisfy the band’s fans as they maintain their signature sound. With a short running time of 36 minutes, the album’s six songs are each quite lengthy, sometimes to their detriment. I wish they would’ve experimented more though and not played it safe. I’d say it’s just a notch under their previous record, Deluge, but still remains a solid effort with many high points—the title song alone is fantastic.

Inner Missing’s Bandcamp page: https://innermissing.bandcamp.com/ 

The Return of Bandcamp Friday!

Bandcamp Friday returns at last! If you recall, it had gone AWOL last month without any info on whether it would return or not. To continue to give you readers and listeners a monthly roundup of music suggestions, I had come up with Harbinger Friday, which I will keep doing whenever BC Friday disappears. By now most of you are familiar with the concept of Bandcamp Friday: a day where Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels. Bandcamp has stated on their Website that BC Friday would take place at least on the following dates in the near future: February 4th, March 4th, April 1st, and May 6^th.

Numero uno on my list of releases is Italian Doom duo Wizard Master who just released this week a sinister, fuzzy, and incredibly enjoyable album titled Phasmatis via Forbidden Place Records. And you know what the best part is? It’s a Name Your Price release, so send them some cash and pick up the album here.

Number two with a bullet is the heavy metal thunder of Titanosaur with Absence of Universe which I’ve reviewed here. I’ve also had a lengthy conversation with Geoff, the one-man army behind Titanosaur, which you can read here. As for the album, released through The Swamp Records, you can get it here.

Number three, no Bandcamp Friday list would be complete without a release from the roster of the mighty Ripple Music. Obsidian Sea unleash their fourth album, Pathos, a masterclass of Proto-Doom. It’s out now right this way.

Fourth, how about a new single that destroys everything in its path? Hard and heavy rock 'n' roll trio DemonScar’s got you covered with their song “Human Condition” which you can pick up for a dollar right here.

Fifth and last, but certainly not least, Boise, Idaho’s Ealdor Bealu are opening up the pre-orders for their upcoming album set for release on April 22, titled Psychic Forms. This new record from the progressive/heavy psych quartet promises to be tremendous, so head over here and pre-order now to get the first single, "Be Ye Gone", instantly.

That’s it, folks! Long live #BandcampFriday! I hope you find something you fancy and discover some new music in the process while maximizing your support of the bands and labels we love. Until next time, enjoy and have a great weekend!

A Conversation with Titanosaur

Time for another conversation with a band! This time we’re chatting with Geoff Saavedra, the mastermind behind the one-man heavy metal/hard rock band Titanosaur on the heels of the release of their new album Absence of Universe on The Swamp Records. I recently reviewed the album here.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: First off, congrats on the excellent new album! It fires on all cylinders. You handle all duties as Titanosaur. How and when did you get started as a musician and what was the first instrument you picked up?

Titanosaur: Thank you!  I always aim for "all killer no filler".

One could say I got started when I was born…. But, I'll say I started playing the guitar around 12ish.  I think.  My mother got me an acoustic guitar and had me take classes.  I wasn't really into it until I got my Fender Strat when I was about 16.  That's when it all went downhill!

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Where did the name “Titanosaur” come from and how did you decide to have a mascot like Titano as a symbol for the band?

Titanosaur: When I decided to do something different from The Raygun Girls (the project I had been doing since 2004), I knew I wanted it to be loud and heavy.  So, I started brainstorming names that evoked that feeling and dinosaur names came up, but most good dinosaur names are already taken.  Then I remembered having recently watched a documentary about a new species of dinosaur that was the biggest ever found—the titanosaur.  It was perfect.

Now, the titanosaur actually looks like a bigger brontosaurus, so not very threatening.  So, for the logo I went with a T-Rex head instead.  Since the logo was a T-Rex, I thought about getting a mask to give myself another voice that I would feel comfortable speaking in. So, I got myself a T-Rex mask and went with it.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Your South American roots are represented musically on this album and on your previous EP, Inti Wañu. You even sing a few lyrics in Spanish. Would you ever want to do an entire album in Spanish or a crossover genre that focuses more on your Hispanic heritage?

Titanosaur: My mother used to be the one who would translate my lyrics for me to be able to sing in Spanish.  She was a professional translator and understood translating lyrics as poetry, paying attention to rhythm.  She passed away about four years ago.

I have a Spanish version of "Super Colossal Spanish Queen" on the Bandcamp version of Inti Wañu.  A friend helped by translating all the lyrics and then I went through and changed some words to fit better.

I speak Spanish, and understand Spanish, but I don't know it well enough to be able to write lots of songs in Spanish.  But I would definitely do more full songs in Spanish if I had the lyrics.

And, for me Santana is a GIGANTIC influence from when I was a kid, and Sepultura came in later.  I love mixing Hispanic rhythms with heavy guitars.  I'm all about tribal beats—groove… music and rhythms that make you move.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Your videos are always a lot of fun and you get to dress up as Titano. You shoot them yourself; do you have a background in film or is it a skill you picked up along the way to be more self-sufficient?

Titanosaur: Most everything I do is stuff I have picked up by necessity.  I had guitar lessons for a few years, but most of what I know, I taught myself.

I record all my music on my own, and I've taught myself using YouTube tutorials and reading articles and listening.

Same goes with making music videos.  I'm a fan of media, so I use that as a base.  It takes longer to learn, but that's how my autistic brain works—I learn better by doing.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: With the state of the pandemic right now, live shows are often limited or on hold. Are you planning to do any local shows or hit the road with a back-up band in the near future or when the pandemic subsides?

Titanosaur: I would love nothing else than to be able to play these songs live, with a band, on a stage.  Unfortunately, due to my health, I can no longer do that.  In 2009, I had emergency heart surgery (my third heart surgery), and I have not been on a stage since then.

I am, however, planning a sort of "live" stream for February 4th, to celebrate the release of Absence of Universe.  An old friend, Doc, will be playing drums.  Doc played with me in The Raygun Girls for a couple of years.  He's a great guy and I'm really looking forward to hearing a few of these songs played with an actual drummer, rather than programmed.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and I wish you much success with the new record!

Titanosaur: Thank you so much for your continued support of Titanosaur.  Your kind words in your reviews are VERY much appreciated.  And thanks for giving the chance to answer your questions here!

Join the Titanosaur Absence of Universe Release Party on Bandcamp this Friday, February 4, 2022 at 7:00 PM EST

Titanosaur on Bandcamp

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Review: HAZEMAZE - Blinded by the Wicked

Stockholm, Sweden’s fuzzy Doom Rock trio HAZEMAZE is back at last! Blinded by the Wicked, their third full-length album, has just been released through Heavy Psych Sounds Records. The band’s previous release came in September 2020 when they put out a great EP as a tribute to Black Sabbath’s Paranoid record titled The Paranoid Sessions (which I reviewed here). This time, they return with another classic Doom-sounding record with their distinctive brand of occult rock, lyrics about the lord of darkness and the dangers of forsaking your soul.

The dark ritual begins with “In the Night of the Light, for the Dark”, which was also the album’s first single. Thick and heavy, a tremendous song with strong Sabbathian influences. “Devil’s Spawn” follows, a slower-paced number with a good dose of psych and stoner featuring hypnotic synths. “Ethereal Disillusion”, third track and third single as well, gets my vote for best song of the record. With addictive riffs, bleak lyrics, and a really cool video which you can watch on Heavy Psych Sounds’ YouTube channel. Let’s all chant together now: “Death! Death! Death!”. “Sectatores Et Principes” is a gorgeous, gentle instrumental interlude reminiscent of Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan” at times. “Ceremonial Aspersion”, which was the second single, is another highlight of the album, relentless and full of entrancing synth goodness. “Divine Harlotry” wins the prize for most original title for a song; a solid track with spoken parts that’s ominous and fiery. “Luciferian Rite” is self-explanatory with its title and features more quality Sabbath worship. A gem of a song. The ritual concludes with “Malevolent Inveigler”, the LP’s longest cut and a memorable one at that, with its evil opening riff that will stick with you long after the song ends. It references the album’s title and is a true Doom track in every sense of the word.

I have loved this band ever since the first song I ever heard from them (a track titled “Doom” taken from their Live at Copperfields album released in 2017). Blinded by the Wicked solidifies their place into the pantheon of all-time great Doom bands. It’s HAZEMAZE’s most polished effort yet, and it’s also their heaviest and most evil record. I’d argue that it’s also their best, and it’s not recency bias talking, it’s that good. If you’re into Sabbath worship, enjoy bleak albums, and favor more traditional Doom-sounding bands, then Blinded by the Wicked will seep into your soul and never let go. I give it my highest possible recommendation. 

Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ Bandcamp page for Blinded by the Wicked: https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hazemaze-blinded-by-the-wicked

HAZEMAZE’s Bandcamp page: https://hazemazeband.bandcamp.com/

Video for “Ethereal Disillusion” on YouTube 

Review: Kajgun - Daogoad

Fusion in music genres can often bring wonderful results. This is what Kajgun is all about, a psychedelic Jazz metal band comprised of members from bands Vanta and Modef. What’s even more special is that all of the tracks on their instrumental debut album, Daogoad, are improvisations, very much in the spirit of classic jazz bands who used to perform on the fly and improvise much of their live sets. The quartet hails from Budapest, Hungary, hence the album and song titles in Hungarian, perhaps? I wasn’t able to find translations for them online. One interesting tidbit is that the album title, Daogoad, is a palindrome, a word that is spelled the same backwards and forwards.

This was my first time listening to a Jazz metal album and I was impressed. It reminded me of my first foray into Jazz fusion/experimental with Miles Davis’s legendary 1970 double album Bitches Brew. That album was looser than Miles’s previous records and focused more on rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. Daogoad opens with my favorite of the four tracks on the album, titled “Maorey Suh Raawb”, it features synths reminiscent of ‘70s/’80s electronic prog band Tangerine Dream. The saxophone really adds extra class to the procedures. This is also what makes this band so unique: the plethora of instruments showcased. There are guitars, drums, saxophone, wind instruments, synthesizers, theremin, electric violin, and other effects. Track number two, “Dhao Neyr Kouxmala”, the lengthiest on the record, running a little over fifteen minutes, starts off quietly and builds to a crescendo of sounds. The song has a pleasant oriental flavour. The guitar playing truly gives it a metal edge, making it stand-out from what we usually encounter on a Jazz piece. The third cut, “Ptahfraw Nowmuuz”, is runner-up for my favorite track. Very elaborate with splendid use of the theremin, it fully immerses you in the band’s jam session. “Alaiyenna” concludes the album and may very well be the catchiest of the four pieces. It has a sense of urgency that leaves you invigorated when things come to an end.

Daogoad will be unleashed on February 11 and I urge you to seek it out. If you like Jazz, metal, instrumental albums, or all three, I’m convinced you’ll appreciate this record. For instance, on a personal note, my girlfriend happens to be a Jazz enthusiast but she’s really not a metal fan, yet she enjoyed Daogoad. The opposite, I believe, would work as well: if you’re a metalhead and don’t care for Jazz, you’ll still get a kick out of this album. I also recommend visiting the band’s YouTube channel where you can watch them play these and other jam sessions, including live shows. Watching them perform adds a lot to the experience of listening to their unique brand of music.

Kajgun’s Bandcamp page: https://kajgun.bandcamp.com/music

Kajgun’s YouTube channel 

Review: MAULE - MAULE

We live in really exciting times for music. If you long for the days when traditional metal was king, then you’ll be happy to hear that it’s alive and well. It almost feels like it’s 1983 all over again. There’s so much great new music on a monthly basis coming out that it’s sometimes dizzying and a challenge to keep up with what’s going on. I was thrilled to find out about MAULE, a Canadian band from Vancouver, BC whose brand of traditional heavy metal and NWOBHM is a great reminder of the glory days of Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Diamond Head. Their self-titled debut puts a modern spin on the music I loved the most growing up in the ‘80s while maintaining a strong dose of its roots.

Following on the heels of their 2019 From Hell demo, the boys are back with an incendiary full-length album. All five songs from the demo are included on this LP. They sound tighter and more polished here. Released through Gates of Hell Records, MAULE also takes inspiration from the tales of Robert E. Howard, literary father of Conan, Red Sonja, and Kull, as well as from H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. The album’s first single, “Evil Eye”, kicks things into motion with powerful guitars, a doomy bass, and groovy drums, setting the tone of the LP.  “Ritual” and “Summoner” are two highlights of the album with their walls of sound, energetic choruses, infectious riffs, and killer guitar solos. The title track (which also happens to be their bassist/co-founder’s last name, Johnny Maule) is relentless with a fiery guitar solo and catchy chorus. The fifth and sixth songs are dedicated to Robert E. Howard’s red-headed heroine: “Red Sonja” and “Sword Woman.” Speedy, thrashy, and riff-heavy, you can picture Sonja wielding her sword and battling monsters and demons. “Father Time” feels ominous and reminiscent of early Metallica with its “Creeping Death” vibe. A definite high point of the record and one of the two longest tracks. “March of the Dead” is a terrific head-bobbing tune, Maiden-like in cadence. The trip comes to an end with the second longest song, “We Ride”, an aptly-titled track where you can picture the quartet riding on motorcycles, wreaking metal havoc on their path with a rallying chant.

MAULE’s self-titled debut is reason to rejoice. Pure traditional heavy metal, unadulterated fun, with literary-inspired lyrics about demons and warriors, a tight-playing band, featuring sensational guitar solos. In short, everything an old-school metal fan could desire. Have no fear about picking up this 9-song set, it’s an awesome ride from beginning to end. Spoiler alert: this one will definitely wind up on my “Best Albums of the Year” list at the end of 2022.   

MAULE’s Bandcamp page: https://maule.bandcamp.com/releases 

Review: Dominance and Submission - A Tribute to Blue Oyster Cult

Like many of you, I discovered Blue Oyster Cult through FM radio and their big hits “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and “Godzilla” as a kid back in the early ‘80s. It wasn’t until I heard “Veteran of the Psychic Wars” off of the 1981 Heavy Metal movie soundtrack that I became a fan though. That song made me get what was to be my favorite BOC album, Fire of Unknown Origin. I played that tape a lot and now own it in digital format. When it was first announced that a BOC tribute album was in the works and that the mighty Ripple Music would be releasing it, I was stoked.

Dominance and Submission was a project initiated by former Poison Idea drummer Steve Hanford aka Thee Slayer Hippy joining forces with guitarist Ian Watts of Ape Machine. Sadly, Hanford died of a heart attack in May of 2020 and didn’t live to see the finished compilation. Proceeds from the album sales will go to Hanford's widowed partner, Kitty Diggins.

I won’t do a track by track comparison of each song with its original counterpart (I’m not familiar with all the songs anyway), instead I’ll give my thoughts on the songs that are included in this collection. It’s a selection of hits and deeper cuts, which is always appreciated. Mondo Machine do a bang-up job covering “ME 262”, a track from BOC’s most popular record, Secret Treaties. The compilation’s title track, “Dominance and Submission”, also from Secret Treaties, gets an all-star lineup to cover it featuring Steve Hanford, Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan, and Sam Coomes who keep its groovy rock n’ roll origins while injecting new vigor into it. “Flaming Telepaths” gets a new coat of varnish from Great Electric Quest. Howling Giant are joined by Bob Balch for an even more ominous rendering of “Godzilla.”

Tony Reed of Mos Generator fame is joined by Steve Hanford himself for a superb rendition of “Transmaniacon MC.” “Wings Wetted Down” gets a female vocalist makeover in one of my favorites of the record via Andrea Vidal joining the band IT for the occasion. “Tattoo Vampire” is a lot of fun redone by Mos Generator with Steve Hanford aka Thee Slayer Hippy, once again. Ape Machine does a fantastic interpretation of my fave BOC song, “Veteran of the Psychic Wars”, breathing new life and sounding just as fresh as it did 40 years ago. Could very well be my favorite track on this comp! ZEKE inject raw energy into the perennial classic “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll.”

“Stairway to the Stars” is another track that gets a female vocalist to give it a unique sound as Janiece Gonzalez guest-stars with fan favorites War Cloud. Year of the Cobra, a duo I adore, covers “Fireworks”, a song I wasn’t familiar with, but this version is gorgeous with a palette of musical nuances. I must admit, I didn’t care for “7 Screaming Diz-Busters” upon my initial spin, a BOC song I’d never heard before, done by Fetish, a band I also had never heard of, but it has grown on me on subsequent listens. We close things off with BOC’s most famous song, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”, which gets a complete remodeling from Spindrift, infusing it with an alternative edge and fully making it their own.

Dominance and Submission is a stellar tribute album in every aspect. From the selection of songs covered, to the variety of bands covering them in an assortment of musical genres. It’s clear that Blue Oyster Cult’s influence continues to inspire bands to this day in the many realms of rock n’ roll. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a covers album this much from top to bottom since 1994’s Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath. More often than not, tribute albums are so-so with only a handful of songs that make it worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Not so with this compilation of 13 BOC classics. I do wish someone would have covered “Astronomy” though, one of my all-time favorite songs from BOC. All kidding aside, this outstanding collaboration gets my highest possible recommendation.

Ripple Music’s Dominance and Submission Bandcamp page: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/d-minance-and-submissi-n-a-tribute-to-blue-yster-cult

Review: Bloody Monroe - Some Like It Heavy

There’s a period during the last three weeks of the year that is a veritable black hole for music releases (and pretty much any kind of entertainment releases, be it movies or books) and anything that comes out in that window of time gets lost in the Holidays/year-end shuffle. I feel that this is what happened to this remarkable debut album titled Some Like It Heavy from Calgary, Alberta trio Bloody Monroe. I love how the band references Marilyn Monroe both in their band name (and album cover art) as well as in their album titles. Their first EP released in 2019 was called How to Bury a Billionaire, a word-play on the Monroe movie “How to Marry a Millionaire”, and now their full-length album, a play-on-words of what is probably Marilyn’s most iconic role in “Some Like It Hot.” I hope they continue using that pattern of Marilyn Monroe movie titles as album titles.

On to the music. Some Like It Heavy is a blend of hard rock and heavy metal with a sprinkle of alternative. It’s got old school values that will make fans of ‘80s and ‘90s metal appreciate this record. “I Cast a Shadow” pulls you right in with its infectious opening riff. “Utero Manifest” and “Left of Sin” follow, two good tracks with more of an alternative flavour showcasing the band’s talent for songwriting. “Only You” gets a vote for my favourite song on the album. It’s the closest thing to a rock ballad I’ve heard in quite a while and I love it. It features a nice acoustic guitar intro, with accompanying strings and piano. “Over Again” is a track that displays singer/guitarist Mike Green’s guitar skills. “Why So Serious”, with a nod to Batman’s Joker, is one of the highlights of the record with its super catchy chorus. “They Live”, another reference to a movie title, this time of John Carpenter’s socially-relevant film, is a well-crafted song, but one that runs a little long in the end. “Chosen One” is a solid song with a barrage of great guitar licks. I’m torn about the next song, “People of Today”, as it’s one of the highlights of the album with timely lyrics and a terrific guitar solo, but in similar fashion as “They Live”, its lengthy runtime makes it lose some of its momentum in my opinion. Song number 10 closes the album out on a high note, “Army of Two”, a head-bobbing tune with another superb guitar solo where Mike’s vocal style sounds reminiscent of Metallica’s James Hetfield at times.

As a proud Canadian, I’m always thrilled to discover talented new Canuck bands. Bloody Monroe is definitely a band to keep an eye on. Their debut full-length record is a solid and meticulous effort that is sure to find legions of fans. Give Some Like It Heavy a spin and you’re bound to become an admirer of this Bloody Monroe. You can pick up the album in digital formats free of charge (for now) at their official Website.

Bloody Monroe’s Website: https://www.bloodymonroe.com/ 

It's the First Harbinger Friday!

Welcome to the very first Harbinger Friday! What is Harbinger Friday you ask? Well, since Bandcamp Friday (a day where Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels) seems to be on vacation for the time being, I decided to continue doing my little roundup of suggestions the first Friday of the month. So, just like I used to do to celebrate BC Friday, I’m going to give you readers and listeners five picks for the week to spend your money on and support the bands and labels we love so much.

First off, to close out 2021, on the very last day of the year, Deathgaze duo VAZUM released a “Name Your Price” double single titled “Gallows” and it’s absolutely excellent. Give it a listen and pick it up on Bandcamp here.

Second, to kick off the year in style, The Swamp Records’ Willow Ash released an album of oddities and unreleased tracks titled Oddments By… and it’s a great collection of songs that go well together as a whole. At only $4 on Bandcamp, you can’t miss on a deal like this right here.

Third, Italian genre label Heavy Psych Sounds Records just released a repress of punk rock/garage rock band Hot Lunch’s 2013 self-titled debut and it’s a doozy! You can grab this little gem right here.

Fourth, if Power Metal and NWOBHM is your thing, you can do no wrong with Spanish label Castle Black’s release of Power Paladin’s debut album titled With the Magic of Windfyre Steel. The Icelandic power metal band delivers the goods aplenty and you can hear/buy it over here.

Last and certainly not least, the mighty Ripple Music will be releasing a 13-song tribute album to rock legends Blue Oyster Cult titled Dominance and Submission next week on January 14. The project features a who’s who of today’s best heavy rock bands such as Howling Giant, Great Electric Quest, Mos Generator, and War Cloud to name a few. I’ll be reviewing said album next week and, in the meantime, you can pre-order it here.

That’s all she wrote, folks! Here’s hoping Bandcamp Friday returns over the next couple of months. Until then, you can tune in right here on the first Friday of every month to get some recommendations from your friendly Harbinger of D.O.O.M. Have a great weekend and happy listening!