No Nonsense Metal Reviews

  NO NONSENSE METAL REVIEWS: THE TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2021     Despite lockdowns, travel restrictions and the cancellation of normality as a result of an ever present global pandemic, 2021 has been a very healthy year for heavy music. With the cancellation and indefinite postponement of tours, festivals and live music in general, bands and artists have been forced to explore alternative avenues and express their artistic visions and passions in other ways. The down time away from the road has left bands with schedules empty enough to write and record new material, some of which has proven to be exceptionally strong new albums, EPs and compilations. The phenomena of the "lockdown live album" as well as live streaming events and virtual concerts have also become a commonplace staple in many band's discography, showing defiantly that COVID-19 and the consequent restrictions enforced will never suffocate the breath of creativity or shroud the light of the soul. Making the best of

  MASSACRE: RESURGENCE      Like the walking dead, Massacre just keep coming back time after time. Refusing to stay down, this band simply won't die. To survive, Massacre takes on a new form every ascension, this time they have re-emerged as the Kam Lee band, with the legendary vocalist being the most consistent and regular member of the band over the years and through the numerous reformations.   The Massacre that we are faced with here on Resurgence could be considered as something of a Death-Metal supergroup. Comprising the band alongside Kam Lee; we have Mike Borders on bass guitar whom was previously a member of the band for short spell in the mid 1980's, alongside Jonny Pettersson of Wombbath (and countless other bands and projects) and Rogga Johansson of Paganizer (and possibly even more bands and projects than Jonny) on guitars, Brynjar Helgetun on drums, and Memoriam's resident riff-lord Scott Fairfax providing lead guitar. United this band of talented musicians fo

  HAMMERFALL: RENEGADE 2.0     Commemorating the 20th anniversary of their seminal 3rd album, Sweden's Power Metal kings  Hammerfall have given Renegade a face-lift, remixed and repackaged as Renegade 2.0. This is a special anniversary presentation that is certain to satisfy the hammer wielding masses, complete with stunning new artwork and tonnes of bonus content.     The beautifully presented triple disc boxset edition includes the 2020 remix edition of Renegade, along with a second CD which contains the original 2000 version of the album as well as bonus tracks taken from the Renegade single and The Templar Renegade Crusades EP. It doesn't stop there though, as the third disc is a DVD of The Templar Renegade Crusades which compiles live footage from around the world, along with other footage and clips essential to any die-hard fans collection.     The 2020 remix of Renegade by the legendary Fredrik Nordström does this fine album much deserved justice. Classic Hammerfall trac

  TRIVIUM: IN THE COURT OF THE DRAGON    Tenth full-length album In The Court Of The Dragon is without a doubt Trivium's most consistent and faultless album to date. Like the vast majority of bands and artists, Trivium have not allowed lockdowns and travel restrictions to extinguish their creative flames. To the contrary, Trivium's latest offering follows a mere year after its predecessor, 2020's What The Dead Men Say, and presents a band whos rapid growth and evolution will not be quelled. Quiet the opposite, Trivium appear to be going from strength to strength, with In The Court Of The Dragon set to solidify their status as rising titans and future Kings of the Heavy Metal world.     Start to finish In The Court Of The Dragon is a fantastically furious force to behold. Every track is masterfully written and constructed, all brilliantly produced by the renowned Josh Wilbur. The maturity and expertise conveyed within these songs is both refreshing and staggering, with every

  WHITECHAPEL: KIN      Label them what you will, but one thing is definite. Kin  is Heavy. Musically, lyrically and thematically Whitchapel's eighth full-length release is magnificently Heavy.     Whitechapel have matured and evolved enormously over the last 15 years which is as clear as day here on Kin . Although Whitechapel's sound here is less constructed around the outright brutality of releases such as Exiled and A New Era Of Corruption, Kin is still an absolutely crushingly heavy album. Whether or not this music in question is Deathcore or Death-Metal or any other label is entirely irrelevant, all that needs to be said is Kin hits like a grand piano dropped from a considerable height.    Concluding the chapter which began with previous release The Valley back in 2019, Kin is an incredibly raw and emotive album. The record has an honest yet bleak and heartfelt feeling about it, something so deep which is seldom expressed in music this heavy.     Throughout Kin frontman Ph

  BEAST IN BLACK:  DARK CONNECTION     Bombastic, heavy, wild and fun, Dark Connection is everything that any obliging listener can expect to hear from Finnish whippersnappers Beast In Black.      Saturated with synths, electronics and plenty of twiddling guitars, the album has a very European (or more specifically Scandinavian) Pop vibe, more prevalent here than on Beast In Black's previous efforts. That said, there is no shortage of cracking riffs, slamming drums and impressive vocals.     Kicking off in dramatic fashion, " Blade Runner " offers up an seizure inducing blur of riffs and crazed keys. Sounding like a disco injected Judas Priest, " Bella Donna " is bizzare yet undeniably infectious and catchy. With a great sing-along chorus, crunchy Metallic riffs and an abundance of synths and keys, " Highway To Mars " is another groovy staple. Offering a little more heaviness, " Hardcore " pounds and thunders along like a softer Sabaton, befo