With the newest full length “Wick” Atlanta based rockers Royal Thunder choose a rather melancholic pathway with deeply poignant songwriting and dynamic multifaceted rock soundscapes.

“Burning Tree” has a charismatic psychedelic retro rock soul skillfully amplified by variegated gloomy melodic guitars and inflamed vocals in the midst of a heartbreaking yet catchy groove.

“April Showers” sounds rather dramatic and moody with borderline rock ballad mellow guitar harmonies and crispy melodic solo. Mlny Parsonz delivers an exquisitely tormented performance with unrestrained abrasive and gritty vocals that tend to steal the scene cutting through the softer melodic layers.

“The Sinking Chair” still features a somber mood but delivers an edgy heavier rocking groove full of classic/vintage accents with galloping distorted riffs and a delightful guitar solo while Mlny’s harsh screams carry an additional dose of fierce rock attitude.

The title track features the hazy power of unfulfilled dreams and desires with loads of acidic hard rock and bluesy accents within compelling melodic guitars that lead the way through a cathartic musical journey while Mlny delivers utterly sincere vocals.

“Push” holds a genuine scarred beauty but it cannot be simply categorized as a rock ballad even if the soft orchestration and the mellow rhythm play a dominant role. The subtle raw energy embedded in the sludgy rock guitar riffs and the melancholy infused harmonies are further enhanced by Mlny’s bittersweet vocals that also never fail to add a raspy true rocker stance.

“Turnaround” packs a harder ensemble of guitar riffs that successfully create a majestic soaring groove which might owe extra crucial strength to Mlny’s confident raw and emotive vocal performance that shines particularly in the addictive chorus.

Contrary to popular beliefs music doesn’t always need to be ferociously heavy or must contain breakneck speed rhythms to leave a profound mark in fact the strength of “Wick” resides in a winning combo of eclectic melodies and authentic emotions that will easily conquer the listener’s heart.

American rockers Anchored have released a brand new explosive full length entitled “Beneath The Surface” packing loads of catchy melodies with a charismatic southern rock soul.

“The Show” features traditional rock themes with the right dose of melodic riffing and smooth fancy guitar solos while the radio friendly chorus would certainly make the crowd sing along at live shows.

“Fate” follows a similar catchy musical pathway but holds a more acidic wild mood with strong rhythmic crescendo and blazing guitar work full of licks and shreds.

“Blackout” offers a mellower melodic core with scattered melancholic accents and dominant solid guitar riffs while an elegant guitar solo inevitably takes the spotlight.

“Shots ‘n Cookies” is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the album with a super catchy chorus and a simply irresistible southern rock sound that would easily get a party started as guitar riffs never fail to create a highly entertaining mood.

“Bar Fight” packs a more aggressive groovy rock punch delivering another round of inflamed guitar riffs that reach a spontaneous acme with an enjoyable solo while wilder vocals and screams are performed in proper rocker fashion.

Featuring famous rapper Snoop Dogg “Throwin’ Down” might sound like a strange mix with a southern rock guitar riffing galore and, obviously, some super fun rap incursions but somehow nothing feels out of place in the drinking moonshine party/outdoor festival vibe.

“Beneath The Surface” certainly leans toward the comfort zone of mainstream rock category maintaining a strong melodic core accessible to a wide audience, nevertheless with rather entertaining songwriting Anchored deliver a solid collection of rocking groovy songs.

New England based duo 1476 returns with the new full length “Our Season Draws Near” which always holds a particularly melancholic soul and showcases a promising kaleidoscopic sonic mixture involving metal, punk and folk.

“Our Silver Age” has a solitary pensive attitude relying on intimate acoustic arpeggios before delivering a generous dose of soulful guitar melodies that always maintain a minimalist atmospheric approach.

“Winter Of Winds” continues to create particularly cold atmosphere with profoundly intriguing darkened accents but also features a more radical, almost old school rebellious punk, attitude with loads of strong catchy guitar riffs and confident crispy vocals.

“Solitude (Exterior)” is filled with stylish cold nuances and poetic melodies spontaneously expressed in darkly mellow acoustic passages and inspired peaceful clean vocals.

“Odessa” feels raw and dark with somber heartfelt vocals and calm melancholic atmospheres but also offers contrasting desperate screams further amplified by crunchy distorted guitar riffing that channel again subtle punk rock roots.

“By Torchlight” still delivers some atmospheric cold layers but partially leaves behind the dominant dark soothing notes to focus on catchy guitar driven rhythmic dynamics.

1476 certainly knows how to concoct a quite enigmatic multifaceted work of music that defeats all standard boundaries and “Our Season Draws Near” successfully delivers an intricate musical blend that could become a favorite soundtrack for cold winter nights.

Hungarian multi instrumentalist duo The Moon And The Nightspirit has released the sixth full length entitled “Metanoia” which definitely feels like a surreal melancholic fairytale with a remarkable folk soul.

“A Hajnal Köszöntése” channels a mystical pensive soundscape with elegant violins and stylish acoustic melodies while darker atmospheric elements carry a majestic spellbinding mood.

“Az Elsö Tündér Megidézése” shines for the exquisite delicate melodies which remind of an ancient lullaby with calm violins and charming instrumental passages surrounded by a sophisticated timeless melancholy.

The title track focuses on complex acoustic tapestries enhanced by elegant classical violins and delivers an intense folk melodic core with genuinely rich instrumentation further embellished by delightful vocal harmonies.

“Hen Panta Einai (Minden Egy)” delivers vibrant atmospheric textures with mysterious darkened accents achieved through eclectic instrumentation. Soothing magical chanting, delicate violins and ethereal flutes create a natural vivid sonic palette.

The inner strength of “Metanoia” resides in the poetic romanticism and spiritual aura inevitably embedded in each melody and The Moon And The Nightspirit focuses intensely on the creation of soulful harmonies that will warmly guide you through an enchanting musical journey.

Amsterdam based metallers The Charm The Fury have released their sophomore album “The Sick, Dumb & Happy” which promises to deliver an explosive thrash/classic metal blend with timeless 80s and 90s vibes.

“Down On The Ropes” revolves around a high impact guitar driven heavy groove with additional old school thrash accents that call for stomping and headbanging while vocalist Caroline Westendorp steals the scene with intensely aggressive vocals.

“Echoes” will stand out for the insanely entertaining groove spiced up by harsh growls and thick rhythmic backbone but, depending on your music preferences, the very radio friendly polished chorus might feel out of place or too poppy to be taken seriously.

“Blood And Salt” mainly leaves behind the heavier music core, even if scattered anger drive momentums are still present, to focus on widely accessible melodies and on Westendorp’s charismatic mellow clean vocals.

“Silent Wars” puts aside any savage moshpit friendly dynamics and delivers a very traditional metal ballad with easy acoustic melodies and emotionally charged clean vocals.

“Songs Of Obscenity” offers a venomous metalcore oriented sonic assault with loads of tight guitar riffing and later gains a more traditionally melodic momentum but again Westendorp’s guttural screams seem to be more interesting than the actual instrumental work.

In the end, “The Sick, Dumb & Happy” might sound fun and entertaining with its inner particularly wide music diversity, often with a classic metal approach or a modern metalcore attitude, but it doesn’t always feel like a truly cohesive effort.

As the retro rock/metal trend continues to gain fans worldwide, Swedish rockers Saturn are ready to release their sophomore album “Beyond Spectra” packed with the band’s own blend of groovy riffs with an incredibly honest vintage sound.

“Orbital Command” holds a melancholic soul filled of warm passionate melodies but you should crank up the volume to fully enjoy the crispy energy of the guitar riffs and the wild charismatic solo.

“Nighttime Badger” feels darkened and moody with dominant super retro guitar riffs, trippy psychedelic accents and an overall irresistible warm nostalgic sound.

“Electrosaurus Sex” is a surreal fun track that could have been recorded in the 70s and all instruments work together to create a retro infused groove.

“Still Young” might deliver the catchiest groove with relentless guitar riffing, compelling melodic leads, rocking vocals and simple good vibes that do not need particular special effects to become memorable.

“Helmet Man” features a decadent space rock groove that relies heavily on memorable blistering guitar leads shifting from catchy melodic to borderline somber doom.

“Beyond Spectra” will be a delightful discovery for lovers of vintage music as Saturn has put a lot of serious effort to successfully concoct a cosmic nostalgic music trip with the right analog tones and a genuine passion for 70s rock/metal.

American thrash outfit Warbringer proves to be back in excellent shape with the new album “Woe To The Vanquished” which is ready to unleash an overdose of proper old school influenced thrash metal songs.

“Silhouettes” has a savage yet balanced rhythm that will get you ready for some necessary headbanging as raw and venomous guitar riffing, well supported by solid bass lines, keep on acquiring impressive energy in traditional thrash fashion.

The title track features a rather aggressive fast paced approach amplified by anger driven screams and a scorching crescendo of guitar riffs but also a somber mood enhanced by a charismatic guitar solo.

“Spectral Asylum” still focuses on monolithic thrash oriented riffing but channels more melodic moody musical themes with a fancy guitar solo and dramatic harmonies characterized by a heavily blackened sound further amplified by particularly ferocious vocals.

“When The Guns Fell Silent” delivers a different epic approach that leaves behind part of the essential thunderous thrash core to focus mainly on a slower dystopian atmosphere elegantly expressed in the inspired anguished melodies, impressive melancholic lead guitars and tormented screams.

Classic thrash lovers will fully comprehend and appreciate “Woe To The Vanquished” which tends to stay true to familiar and nostalgic Bay Area thrash elements but also delivers hints of a promising progressive musical blend.

American progressive metal band Vangough has released a brand new full length entitled “Warpaint” which aims to leave a mark in the chaotic music scene focusing on intriguing and emotional songwriting as well as variegated instrumental styles.

“Morphine” combines calm emotional melodies and vocals with more powerful prog oriented dynamics especially expressed in the eclectic lead guitar work. The whole song is infused with dramatic vibes but features also some unexpected fierce growls.

“The Suffering” showcases a particularly crunchy rhythmic backbone with sleek bass lines and solid drumming. Emotionally charged vocals follow nice harmonious passages within a somber moody theme but also display more aggressive tones that match the tight guitar riffing.

“Knell” revolves around a grandiose melancholy with clean soft vocals and minimalist guitar melodies. As the rhythm gains a heavier momentum, vocals and guitar melodies acquire a cold sense of desperate desolation.

“Black Rabbit” stands out for the compelling prog oriented instrumental work that takes a dominant role with subtle technical accents and dynamic style variations in the midst of a gloomy introvert atmosphere enhanced by dreamy arpeggios.

“Warpaint” might not be an astonishing perfect album nevertheless Vangough shows remarkable potential and consistent interesting ideas resulting in an enjoyable collection of songs that might attract a wider audience.

French death metal grinders Benighted are ready to unleash their latest and most confident brutal effort “Necrobreed” filled with furiously punishing fast songs.

“Reptilian” packs a straightforward explosive array of anger driven guitar riffs well supported and amplified by a super tight bass & drums combo and venomous growls.

Featuring guest vocalist Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder, “Forgive Me Father” stands out for the vicious blackened guitar driven sonic assault with a breathless fast rhythm that occasionally slows down with catchy dark accents.

The title track features loads of traditional death metal elements with powerful guttural vocals and acute ravenous screams in the midst of a constant plummeting asphyxiating pace.

“Monsters Make Monsters” brings a diverse scenario with a more atmospheric approach and some style and tempo variations that convey a primordial blackened mood ultimately leading to unexpected melodic piano passages.

“Reeks Of Darkened Zoopsia” delivers another relentless crescendo of crunchy guitar riffs while the overall mood acquires a sinister aura further enhanced by savage vocals.

“Mass Grave” is filled of intense traditional death/grind guitar riffing and once again the hammering rhythmic section reaches incredible speed while, towards the end of the song, particularly blackened guitar driven variations and dramatically tormented screams take the center stage.

Yes, Benighted successfully demonstrates to fully comprehend and express the concept of extreme metal but also takes time to feature scattered interesting melodic accents and “Necrobreed” might not be the most diverse or eclectic album as it mostly stays true to a brutal galore that calls for wild headbanging and moshpit.

Among new emerging bands, technical metal quartet Disperse might stand out thanks to the new full length “Foreword” which features a multifaceted mixture of prog/jazzy tunes with some modern pop catchiness.

“Stay” has luminous atmospheric approach before introducing a kaleidoscopic array of complex prog influenced guitar work and syncopated rhythm that never feel overwhelming as all instruments effortlessly blend within easier melodic themes.  “Surrender” showcases enthralling technical prowess, especially in the majestic guitar work, with interesting tempo variations and impressively rich prog textures without compromising the song’s positive melodic energy.

On “Bubbles” the band combines dreamy atmospheres and a generous dose of odd-time signatures while shifting from peaceful harmonies to heavier guitar driven rhythms.

“Tomorrow” delivers remarkable prog oriented guitar work with a stronger crunchy approach that reaches a serious acme with faster precise riffing towards the end of the song.

“Sleeping Ivy” features surreal electro infused atmospheric layers embellished by intricate melodic guitar passages and soft vocals that always evoke a brighter mood.

“Gabriel” stands out for the intriguing jazz oriented guitar work that tends to hold the spotlight surrounded by delicate dreamlike atmospheres.

Overall, Disperse demonstrates a fascinating creative force that deserves legit appreciation and “Foreword” is a confident work of music characterized by compelling attention for stylish details.