No Nonsense Metal Reviews

  ENFORCED: KILL GRID        Nasty, gritty, crusty and ugly. And no, I am not describing the condition of the bottom of my oven. I am of course talking about the caustic and crushing second album from Enforced. Identifying their own style and sound as being "pure crossover death" is certainty not in any sense self aggrandisement, it is a fitting and fair label that is emphatically demonstrated by Kill Grid.     Taking the speed and viscosity of Thrash Metal staples like Slayer and Sodom then injecting the shredding riffs and possessed drumming with a dose of putrefying deathly heaviness inspired by the likes of Death, Massacre and Obituary, Enforced deliver a monolithic sledgehammer blow of furious audio savagery.     Kill Grid is the bands first complete album following on from their 2019 debut At The Walls, which was a reworked collection of their previous demo material. Whether it is their first or second album doesn't matter one little bit, because Kill Grid is the so

  ENFORCER: LIVE BY FIRE II    Coronavirus, the global pandemic and all round calamity of the age, has halted pretty much every freedom and recreation that we mere mortals love and savor. For bands and artists, their livelihoods and very means of survival have been condemned to lockdowns and deemed too dangerous to entertain. For the past year and indeed for the foreseeable future, live concerts are a distant dream and a wishful fantasy. Ironically, the phenomena of the lockdown live albums has actually brought to light some truly excellent live material that otherwise may never have seen the light of day and been available for fans to enjoy. The latest live chapter from Swedish Heavy Metal juggernauts Enforcer, Live By Fire II, is one such release.     An incredible performance that captures the electric live energy and exuberance of an immensely talented and skilled band, Live By Fire II is both a perfect summary of Enforcer and an idyllic showcasing of expertly crafted and captured

  NORTHTALE: WELCOME TO PARADISE     Bursting forth through the mists of a saturated scene with their glistening debut album, Welcome To Paradise, international Power Metal supergroup Northtale have all the magic, talent and originality necessary to melt both faces with awesome Heavy Metal, and hearts with irresponsible raw melancholy.    Northtale boasts a line up of veteran musicians who have earned their colours serving with some of the most notable bands and artists in the business and the pedigree is plain for all to hear. Welcome To Paradise is a polished epic, a genuine Power Metal tour de force, an album steeped in charm, emotion and metallic crunch. For a debut album it is an impressive and bold undertaking which has paid off beautifully, bringing a burst of refreshing originality to a genre and style of heavy music which has been replicated an infinite number of times before by innumerable bands.    Released in 2019, Welcome To Paradise has since earned Northtale significant

  ICED EARTH:  ICED EARTH Remixed and  Remastered      To mark the 30th anniversary of the release of their widely acclaimed debut album,  Heavy Metal legends Iced Earth have released a remixed and remastered version of their self titled first outing that finally, 30 years later, gives this collection of excellent songs the justice it deserves. Originally released in 1990, Iced Earth is a very solid piece of work, containing some truly spectacular material that is certainly way ahead of it's time. However, suffering from poor original mixing and mastering, Iced Earth failed to make the impact that it could have made if it sounded as clean and crisp as is it does in its 30th Anniversary Edition.     Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing and the technology for musical engineering and recording that exists today would look like pure fantasy or science fiction three decades ago. Given an extensive face-lift by renowned recording ico Zuess, these songs sound better than ever. In fac

  IRON SAVIOR: SKYCREST      Skycrest, the latest release from Germany's Iron Savior, is a superb accomplishment of traditional Heavy Metal and Power Metal fusion. Executed with masterful musicianship, crisp and clean production and great song writing, Skycrest sounds as epic as it does Metallic.     From start to finish Skycrest is a veritable feast of Heavy Metal treats, crammed with delectable crunchy riffs, pummelling steam train drumming and powerful vocals. Following the gentle intro of " The Guardian ", title track " Skycrest " is the perfect example of just what Iron Savior can do, unleashing a torrent of massive raging riffs and showcasing frontman Piet Sielck's incredible vocal prowess.    Blowing you away with breakneck drumming and huge harmonies, " Our Time Has Come " also boasts a massive sing along chorus, guaranteed to satisfy any Power Metal hungry listener. " Hellbreaker" displays some interesting intricate leads while s