Renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Beggs founder of the progressive rock band The Mute Gods returns with a fascinating full length entitled “Tardigrades Will Inherit The Earth”. Lyrically this album is full of existential queries as it focuses on a grim exploration and rational analysis of the current precarious state of mankind’s existence due to numerous ill decisions and self-destructive tendencies.

“Animal Army” is surrounded by sober atmospheric arrangements but easily stands out for the enthralling guitar work with the right dose of prog style prowess and the pop influenced catchy chorus.

“We Can’t Carry On” acquires a darker mood as a sense of impending doom that pervades the lyrics is finely embedded in the guitar riffing, the highly inspired melodic breakdown and the super catchy chorus.

“The Dumbing Of The Stupid” has a more crunchy rock approach as the guitars showcase a more metal oriented style and sound. The melodic side of the song still follows similar pop rock themes nevertheless a deeper darkness takes over the guitar work adding an angry punch while elegant prog style solos create luminous polished harmonies.

The title track features a borderline mellow/happy pop rock rhythm that tends to keep a dominant role with retro keyboards and funky arrangements while the guitars try to maintain a crispy prog sound.

“Stranger Than Fiction” is a slower song focused on well crafted poetic harmonies, soothing vocals and warm piano melodies that evoke bright hopefulness for a better future.

With the sophomore release “Tardigrades Will Inherit The Earth” The Mute Gods deliver powerful stimulating lyrics and a compelling work of music where complex prog elements naturally embrace a radio friendly rock mood that will allow the band to reach a wider audience.

Dutch dark rock band DOOL is ready to debut in the music scene with the highly anticipated album “Here Now, There Then”. Featuring bassist Job van de Zande and drummer Micha Haring from renowned band Devil’s Blood and singer Ryanne van Dorst, DOOL presents a unique catchy collection of darkened songs surrounded by a fascinating hypnotic aura that deserves to be fully embraced.

“Vantablack” opens the album with a decadent mystical atmosphere featuring majestic slow guitar passages and an intriguing solo with remarkable doom/gothic accents. Ryanne van Dorst unleashes true rocker style vocals that immediately claim the spotlight as dreamy or nightmarish melodies continue to naturally unfold.

“Golden Serpents” stands out for the exquisite vintage attitude and compelling psychedelic elements. The guitars have a dominant role creating plenty of catchy melodies infused with arcane vibes that eventually lead to a simply addictive chorus.

“In Her Darkest Hour” feels like a creepy fairytale where ghastly nameless creatures lurk in the dark. Again, guitars have a major presence concocting elegant gothic rock melodies and Ryanne’s emotive vocal performance channels additional darkened mysterious vibes.

“Oweynagat” feels like a mantra burning in your mind with a rocking catchy chorus that ignites the gloomy atmosphere while every guitar riff and every melody are deeply soaked in a lascivious darkness. Ryanne’s voice cuts sharply through the dense melodic core and stylish melancholic violins enhance the moody darkened themes.

“She-Goat” delivers exquisitely sinister obsessive cycles of melodies that will inevitably get stuck in your mind. Ryanne’s vocals evoke a decadent rock style while a guitar driven rhythmic crescendo adds dynamic intensity.

DOOL proves to be a charismatic new band and “Here Now, There Then”, featuring  spellbinding songwriting that fearlessly and fiercely crosses all standard musical boundaries, will certainly conquer those attracted to all things dark and, obviously, all those who wander.

Finnish band Wolfheart are best known as the originators of Winter Metal and the brand new effort “Tyhjyys” stays true to such epitome with a grandiose collection of cold somber melodies and crushing guitar driven rhythms.

“Sores Of The Lake Simple” is an instrumental intro where ecnhanting acoustic guitar passages channel a melancholic mood while melodic electric guitars come to life triumphantly to celebrate the cold beauty of nature.

“Boneyard” might be filled with melodic Nordic sadness but also loads of tight fast guitar riffing well supported by a solid rhythmic section in proper melo-death fashion. Solemn choirs and ferocious growls lead a primordial sonic assault while atmospheric arrangements effortlessly embrace an elegantly melodic guitar solo followed by an ethereal breakdown.

“The Flood” stands out for its melodic wintry mix fully expressed in the emotional gloom of the acoustic guitars and graceful atmospheric layers. An unforgettable inspired melodic guitar solo evokes another nuance of bitterly cold wilderness and the whole instrumental work sinuously embodies this particularly profound sense of desolation.

“Call Of The Winter” shines for the dense emotional melodic core embellished by subtle symphonic arrangements and emphasized by mid paced gloomy guitar riffs that effortlessly give way to delicate piano melodies.

The title track depicts a bleak cinematic soundscape with sorrowful doom influenced guitar melodies and the whole instrumentation is constantly filled with an elegant forlorn beauty that reaches a natural emotive acme with a mesmerizing melodic guitar solo.

With “Tyhjyys” Wolfheart fiercely delivers a captivating soundtrack for your cold winter nights bringing together the icy fury of extreme metal and the beloved Scandinavian melancholy that will inevitably warm your hearts.

Featuring members of critically acclaimed Australian band Ne Obliviscaris, technical band Vipassi has released a compelling debut album entitled “Sunyata” which focuses on a rich instrumental progressive metal influenced work of music.

“Gaia” is surrounded by a subtle mysterious atmosphere that effortlessly embraces a series of complex guitar tremolo riffs and melodic leads. There is a solid rhythmic backbone but the lead guitar work tends to become the center of attention with wild borderline aggressive riffs as well as more mellow jazzy melodies.

“Benzaiten” follows a similar scenario as heavy guitar riffing evokes extreme metal roots rendered more enthralling by meticulous tempo variations in proper prog fashion and highly ethereal introspective moments.

“Elpis” channels arcane beauty and poetic atmospheric depth while the impressive guitar work creates various intricate, yet surprisingly fluid, sonic textures. Ghastly growls in the background add a blackened mood among crushing tight guitar riffing and prog oriented melodic leads.

“Samsara” delivers decadent atmospheric accents embraced by precise staccato rhythms, powerful bass lines and incredibly rich guitar riffs that offer an abstract blend of extreme technical metal and prog signature elements.

Music connoisseurs will certainly appreciate the fancy compositions of “Sunyata” which tends to rely on similar complex patterns but easily stands out for the excellent musicianship and thorough attention for stylish details.

Italian band Klimt 1918 might have been silent for several years but in reality has never ceased to work on new music and now the time has come to listen to the new grandiose release “Sentimentale Jugend”. Featuring a unique blend of shoegaze, dream pop and new wave from the 80s/90s, “Sentimentale Jugend” is released as a double album that showcases an emotional collage of life experiences and genuine passion for music.

“Montecristo” has a darkly poetic soul elegantly expressed in the lush shoegaze style guitars surrounded by generous dreamy layers and softly tormented vocals.

“Comandante” begins with a somber atmosphere where charming melancholic guitar melodies seem to come to life through a series of foggy memories and faded images.

“La Notte” features reverberated guitars that build an understated catchy rhythmic crescendo while vocals and synths evoke a murky eerie atmosphere that holds a decadent poetic soul.

“Sentimentale” is filled with emotionally charged melodies, soothing vocals and deeply melancholic vibes but also loads of acidic distorted guitar riffs with a palpable post rock attitude.

A multi layered hypnotic mood on “Nostalghia” enhances a series of delicate melodies embodied by a faintly luminous guitar sound with shimmering retro accents.

“Ciudad Lineal” showcases the dreamy melancholy of shoegaze as fragile harmonies smoothly embrace whispered vocals. A darkened aura surrounds the instrumentation which has the unconscious power of daydreaming as it acquires an electrified and distorted energy.

“Sant’Angelo (The Sound And The Fury)” features fascinating atmospheric layers and melodies that create a cinematic music palette while the guitar riffs become rather blistering with subtle urgency.

“Juvenile” stands out for the rebellious vintage rock temper that provides groovy guitar driven dynamics in the midst of gracefully soulful atmospheres lingering throughout the song.

In the current music scene the magical sonic journey created by Klimt 1918 might remain an underground gem but “Sentimentale Jugend” deserves to be listened repeatedly to fully appreciate the kaleidoscopic nature and to savor its inner nostalgia.

French-American duo Sinner Sinners are ready to release a wild rock punk influenced new album recorded at Rancho de La Luna in Joshua Tree and entitled “Optimism Disorder”. This dynamic full length holds an inner goth soul but is also filled of polychromatic groovy rhythms.

“Last Drop” showcases remarkable post-punk attitude with an inflamed rhythm built by crispy guitar riffs and strong bass lines. A sinister melodic aura is also present and successfully polishes the rough edges to deliver a smooth groove emphasized by harmonious backing vocals.

“California” delivers a rough moody rhythm with wild guitar riffs and savage punk style vocals while the main music core displays also some desert rock accents.

“Hate Yourself” channels disorder and chaos creating an intense groovy rhythm with familiar punk elements and a rather darkened atmosphere amplified by angry vocals and tight guitar riffing.

The cover of “Too Much To Dream” by The Electric Prunes is a super fun song that should be played at every party as it shines for the exquisite vintage guitar style and the surreal trippy mood.

“Preachers” is another raw punk tune that stands out for the high impact rhythmic guitar and keyboards combo and the anxiously catchy chorus.

“Celexa Blues” has a memorable goth mood with irresistible retro crunchy guitars, dizzy rhythm, dreamy keyboards and a compelling flute solo performed by Jesse Hughes of Eagles Of Death Metal.

It’s wonderful to see a married couple passionately involved in the creation of edgy music as these strong sentiments and great chemistry are crucially embedded in the musical themes of “Optimism Disorder” which also happens to be a rather entertaining work of music.

California based band Kill The Precedent has released a wild punk/thrash influenced EP entitled “Some Version Of The Truth” which promises to be a reckless and spontaneous work of music.

“Two way Mirrors” is mosh pit material with abrasive enraged screams and heavy guitar riffing but the guitar leads tend to steal the scene with catchy polished licks.

“Lesser Of Two Evils” adds loads of modern electro tricks to a speed metal influenced rhythm that keeps alive the heavier side of the song while a smooth guitar solo adds a pleasant melodic vibe.

“Irrational Anthem” channels some chaotic punk roots mixed with catchy electro beats to deliver an edgy energetic rhythm spiced up by anger driven harsh vocals.

“A Song For Slit Wrists” features an interesting blend of music genres as a raw guitar driven rhythm is smoothly embellished by heavy industrial elements and a more laid back combo of melodic guitar leads and electro atmospheres.

Referring to themselves as “seven maniacs from Sacramento”, Kill The Precedent works hard to deliver an unpredictable collection of songs and “Some Version Of The Truth” successfully conveys an overdose of fury and savagely caustic rhythms that will have a high impact live on stage.

American deathcore act Suicide Silence returns with an ambitious self titled album in which the bands decides to experiment and explore new musical depths in order to deliver a more interesting work of music.

“Doris” packs aggressive tight guitar riffs that recall primordial metal roots and create a sort of structured chaos where scattered nu metal elements jump in the mix to add random dissonant accents.

“Silence” is all about chaotic feelings that need to be released to find a necessary balance as narcotizing slow guitar passages create a contrast with nervously caustic riffs and screams.

“Dying In A Red Room” is charged with anxiety and anguish deeply and inevitably embedded in the slower rhythm. The whole song recalls Deftones’s music style as whispered emotional vocals linger over discordant riffs and melodies stuck in an oppressive distorted reality.

“Conformity” is filled with desperate melancholy portrayed by soft guitar chords and mellow vocals. The melodic aspects of this song create an introvert mood rather than trying to channel some healthy groove and when guitars acquire a distorted energy everything remains trapped in a foggy confusion.

Suicide Silence’s self titled album is a raw chaotic music realm that attempts an avant-garde approach with atypical melodic features, and supposedly a change in musical direction that has generated turmoil among the fans, therefore it might appeal mainly to a specific underground audience.

Finnish heavy metal act Battle Beast is still young enough to have loads of opportunities to explore the grandiose realm of music but on the newest release “Bringer Of Pain” the band focuses on nostalgic themes recalling some forgotten glorious days of metal.

“Straight To The Heart” is a full blown 80s tune with cheesy keyboards and over polished guitar sound that make everything sound happy and fun. New vocalist Noora Louhimo screams with all her passion and devotion as the rhythm attempts to build a highly energetic groove.

The title track channels some dated classic metal combo of tight simple guitar riffing and mid paced drumming while a pompous power metal aura is emphasized by typical warrior style choirs.

Even if the 80s vibe might sound overwhelming to some listeners, “King For A Day” delivers a catchy rhythmic core with guitar riffs that could have been more dominant and dirtier to benefit the general mood but overall it is a rather entertaining track for nostalgic metal fans.

“Beyond The Burning Skies” has the melodic melancholy of classic metal ballads while Noora Louhimo delivers powerfully sincere vocals over repetitive melodies that recall many other popular power metal songs that we already heard and loved.

“Lost In Wars” is the only song that will truly stand out immediately for the compelling vocal duet with Tomi Joutsen of Amorphis. Also, the metal nostalgia is still present but toned down by a more modern groovy approach with crunchy guitar riffs and an enjoyable smooth melodic core.

Undeniably stuck in the 80s, “Bringer Of Pain” might lack the necessary creative energy to leave an unforgettable mark in the music scene but nostalgic listeners might still find something enjoyable in what Battle Beast is trying to deliver.

Featuring members of iconic rock band Thin Lizzy, supergroup Black Star Riders certainly knows how to write a catchy collection of rock songs. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the latest release “Heavy Fire” comes with a true dirty vintage attitude that can and will attract a wide variegated audience.

The title track relies on inflamed catchiness deeply embedded in a series of retro rock guitar riffs that would sound even more vibrant at a live show. Ricky Warwick on vocals delivers a smooth rocker style performance as the rhythm gains dynamics and momentum with sharper guitar riffing.

“When The Night Comes In” is a memorable catchy rock tune with the additions of soul style choirs. Again the guitar riffs dominate the scene with stylish rock attitude while some guitar leads provide easy classic rock melodies.

“Who Rides The Tiger” keeps alive a genuine retro groove featuring a heavier gritty rock approach that doesn’t need modern special effects to grab attention. The hard rock music core holds an insane dose of healthy energy that is further expressed in the incendiary guitar solos.

“Testify Or Say Goodbye” effortlessly keeps a radio friendly classic rock backbone with catchy drumming and riffing while the guitar leads channel some more mellow almost melancholic melodies.

“Ticket To Rise” delivers another winning ensemble of catchy guitar riffs and an irresistible rhythmic groove. Holding all the beloved and popular elements of classic hard rock, this track shines also for the no frills, yet pleasantly wild, guitar work and the harmonious choirs that naturally enhance the main rhythm.

With “Heavy Fire” Black Star Riders channel a proper rocker style without any hesitation and with that special vintage inspired creative spark that calls for long wild nights or just forgotten golden dreams, but someone might still say that it’s only rock ‘n roll.