Here we are with our favourite artists from the 2024 pages of Metal Morsels… We’ve listed these little features uncut from each episode they originally appeared in so some of the references might seem a little skewed in December ’24, but the fact remains – that these, in no particular order, are the cream of the bands we brought you in 2024 – enjoy!
KILL THE THRILL
French duo Kill the Thrill will probably be a name that’s familiar to a fair few of you reading this, and I’m glad to report that they have a new album, Autophagie, scheduled for release at the end of the month!
If you aren’t au fait with this delightful band then I suggest you make good on that heinous error pretty bloody quickly so that you’re up to speed when the new album comes out. Only then will you be able to fully appreciate monstrous slabs of post-punk grandeur like Capitan, an absolutely magisterial nine minute epic that, to my mind at least, is as good as anything the band has come up with in a while. Nicolas Dick‘s world weary vocals are quite, quite, superb as he emotes over the top of a droning, angst-filled backdrop that brings to mind names like Joy Division, Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground and Scott Walker.
Obviously this isn’t metal, despite the clanging guitars and big drums, but my word it packs just as intense a punch as anything else in the column this time around. If you’ve an ounce of soul in you, I defy you not to be moved by the absolute scenes this band paints in musical form – utterly mesmeric and completely fabulous!
DRIP FED EMPIRE
I have to say a big thanks to my colleague, cub reporter Chris Arrowsmith for bringing Drip Fed Empire to my attention. These UK metalcore exponents brought out a new full-lengther last month, which goes by the name of Revolutionist and is sure to appeal if you like your metalcore with a nicely industrialised edge and plenty of bleeps and belches to run alongside the axe mayhem.
The stomping Give Me More even has a bit of a glam feel about it, whilst the claustrophobic MK4 takes this old head right back to Reading Festivals past and names like Senser in particular with it’s groovy stop start rhythms and barking rap attack from vocalist Jay. AND THEN IT BREAKS INTO GABBA!
At least that’s what I used to call it when we hung around Amsterdam’s seediest nite spots in the mid nineties… I’m sure it has a new name now but whatever, DFE render a pretty vicious and very uplifting version of it. The Work of God is a bit more straightforward but no less effective, with Jack (bass) and Jordan (guitars) building a churning morass of sound underpinned by some jackhammer percussive pressure from Burcher.
More hip people than me will doubtless have heard all this before, but I’ve got to say Drip Fed Empire are an absolute breath of fresh air for these old ears. As Jay says, in the midst of the strident anthem Digital Drug, what a wonderful fucking time to be alive…
PUSHING DAISY
And now for something completely different. We generally focus on the heavier side of the music in this column, but every now and then something a bit more tuneful catches Mickey’s ear, and Denmark’s Pushing Daisy – and their new album Reflections – are very tuneful indeed.
The band promises hard rock with a grunge edge in it’s press release, but don’t be put off by that ‘G’ word – this is just good solid classic hard rock that, whilst it does carry hints of the mid nineties here and there (Therapy? sometimes spring to mind in the band’s more hectic moments) – is pretty much timeless in essence.
The band deploy some fearsome harmonies on Selling Truth, whilst the balladic I Am The Sun adds a woozy psych edge to the mix that’s actually more in line with London 1996 than Seattle ’92, even if you get the sense that the band are busting to get all their Alice In Chains moves out in the open for all to see…
Roelof Witmans is an impressive vocalist, underplaying his undoubted skill with a series of assured but largely restrained performances; His multi-tracked vocals on Hate Me Break Me are a tiumph, and it’s clear that this band really know their onions when presenting their songs in a studio environment. There is absolutely nothing ground breaking going on here, but sometimes just hearing people who are very good at what they do is enough, and Reflections is an an album that’s absolutely full of that.
KÓLGA
We get a lot – make that A LOT – of new material sent to us here at Sentinel Daily, and a large proportion of that new material starts to sound a little bit samey after five or six hours at the listening coalface, sifting the gravel for musical nuggets to bring you. You need something as a band that’s going to make you stand out from the crowd – so labelling yourself a ‘Blackened surf rock/nautical horror collective’ is a sure fire way to cut through the static and grab ol’ Mick’s attention! A genius masterstroke in fact!
Luckily, Kólga’s music has enough about it to follow through on the promise of the PR, and they’ve delivered a truly arresting set of choons on new record Black Tides. Second track Squall of Cthulu, which sounds like a wingding mashup of Link Wray, The B-52’s and Venom could just about be the most original thing I’ve heard all year, but the best part of the deal is that the music goes far beyond the gimmick inherent in ‘the concept’; This is genuinely exciting stuff!
Best track Tethis is a nice slab of progressive head music replete with tightly interlocked rhythms and tasteful soloing, but there’s nothing here that could even remotely be described as a weak link and every track has something to offer – this is well worth some investigation, believe me!
ŠAMANE
To Finland now, and the ‘dark and meditative’ strains of Šamane. The three piece outfit liken their music to Dead Can Dance or, perhaps more pertinently, Messa, but really, if you’ve time for any of the plethora of neofolkish acts making waves on the World Stage at the moment then you’ll find something to enjoy within the foreboding, portentous likes of the opening track from their new album Solstice, Kehrä.
Instrumentation is sparse but that doesn’t stop guitarist Aleksi (who you might know from his work in the excellent Grave Pleasures), vocalist Saara and drummer Otto from going to town on the atmospherics; Second track Se itkee sadetta is positively dripping in the stuff as the band build a series of ebbs and flows through the hinterland of the imagination. If Mazzy Star transported from the warmth of the US to the freezing climbs of Tampere sounds like a notion you can get behind, then this might well be your new favourite jam of 2024…
Me? I like the title track, wherein Saara adds a Middle Eastern tinge to the vocals as Otto beats drama from his skins and Aleksi embellishes with plucked strings (an Oud, I think); It sumtuous, sensual and slightly unsettling all at the same time, and the way they track builds shows the mastery the trio has of their chosen medium. If you often find yourself alone in the small hours, contemplating the way of the world within nothing but a glass of something red and warming for company, this is the perfect soundtrack.
WITCH VOMIT
Well, he did say he wanted plenty of metal… So here we are with some very tasty metal of the deathly persuasion from Portland, Oregon’s Witch Vomit. Originally a two piece, they’ve thankfully expanded into a full, quartet lineup now and have just released a new album, Funeral Sanctum, that’s a right rotten old listen and no mistake…
Drummer Filth – and there’s a name to capture this writer’s heart! – is impressive throughout as the band expand their sound from their primitive beginnings to embrace their most blackened palette of sounds yet. Make no mistake, this is still death metal, but they do deploy that ‘blackened’ edge very tastefully indeed.
That said, Witch Vomit don’t over egg that particular pudding; As required, they keep things short, sharp and to the point just as much as they spread their wings occasionally; three of the nine (four of the ten if you include the intro) tracks here clock in at under three minutes in length, and even the five minute plus Serpentine Shadows has a real impact and urgency about it. And some neat divebombing from guitarist Tempter, just to remind you where the band are really coming from…
Well worth a listen!
THE WRAITH
LA-based deathrockers The Wraith are no strangers to Sentinel Daily, having released an acclaimed album (by me, anyway) a few years back that harnessed the power of early eighties post punk with a crusty, squat-friendly image that really seemed ready to see the band going somewhere with their excellent music.
COVID put paid to all that, of course, just like it did for a multitude of Worldwide hopefuls, but I’m glad to say the band have stuck to their guns, added a new vocalist and returned with a sound that mixes, in their own words, The Southern Death Cult, Spandau Ballet and The Damned…
If that sounds like something you might be interested in then I recommend you make your way to your local record emporium and make an investment accordingly, because you are going to love the band’s new album, Ghost March. If I were to add anything to the band’s own comments, I’d simply add that the vocals of new singer Harley Mace actually take the band’s sound away from that Englishness they prize so much. So, although the music still harks back to that time when Wayne Hussey was still in the Sisters of Mercy (have a listen to the start of the superb No Tomorrow for further proof), vocally Mace brings more of a Davey Havok/Andy Biersack vibe to proceedings.
In doing so, he opens up a whole new potential market for the band – it’s had to see fans of UK horror punks Creeper not lapping this stuff for instance – and so, once again, I’m going to predict a rosy future lying in wait for these blokes.
But for all this talk of change, long term fans of the band needn’t fret – Paul Rogers’ hulking bass lines are still at the heart of everything that’s good about The Wraith – so I’d say there’s no reason at all for any of you reading this who consider yourselves to be ‘of the night’ to not get involved!
MAATKARE
In the heart of a male dominated death metal landscape, stands Maatkare – an all-female lineup channelling the essence of ancient Egypt through their fierce musical expression. Founded in March 2020, this band of ambitious women has been steadily carving their path, which culminated in the release of their debut single, War Before Peace .
In crafting their music, Maatkare draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of death and black metal, with influences from Nile, Scarab, Behemoth, Arch Enemy and Kataklysm. Infused with the untold stories of powerful women who have shaped history.
Named after one of Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s many titles, Maatkare is more than just a band; it’s a testament to the unyielding strength and resilience of female power, both past and present. Fronted by the dynamic vocalist Janneke de Rooy, whose commanding presence on stage is matched only by her pharaohcious vocal delivery, Maatkare is rounded out by the bass lines of Amie Chatterley and the guitar work of Georgia Bell.
The genesis of Maatkare was a meeting of musical minds during the dreaded 2020 spanning, with original members spanning across the Globe. With the current lineup arising from diverse backgrounds, including Janneke’s experience with Beyond The Pale, Amie’s tenure with Dakesis and WomenOwar, and Georgia’s more notable session work with Harper (thatyellaharper), the band brings a wealth of talent and experience to the table.
At the heart of Maatkare’s musical ethos lies a profound connection to Egyptian history and mythology, refracted through the lens of the band’s powerful feminine perspective. Through their upcoming debut album, slated for release later this year, Maatkare delves deep into the legacy of Pharaoh Hatshepsut, exploring her reign and the tumultuous era in which she ruled with a blend of reverence and raw intensity.
Sirens of sound, women of history, Maatkare has arrived.
FILTH
Shadowy Aussie anger merchants Filth have emerged from nowhere with a vile blast of pugnacious assault and battery that quite honestly defies description…
The band themselves, who I am reliably informed are comprised of some ‘mid-tier personalities’, are steeped in death metal and squat/crust dynamics, and you can hear that on their first, incredibly lo-fi release, Useful Idiots. Even the spoken vocals sound barely in tune, but there’s a desperate, vicious malice and latent intent in the delivery of the words juxtaposed with the bludgeoning yet strangely groovy programmed drums and grinding, hammer force guitars that is strangely alluring in a JG Ballard sort of way…
One track is all you’ll get at the minute, with the promise of more to come if ‘the listening public like what we’re doing’… ‘Like’ might be a strong word for something so caustic, but stranger things have happened in the wonderful and frightening world of heavy metal before, so who knows?
MOTIVIK
Having spent their teenage years in the early nineties immersed in the hard thrashing sounds of Tourniquet, Believer and many more, multi-instrumentalist Ryan Roebuck and vocalist Courtney Simmons were inspired to follow in the footsteps of the bands that had given them so much support and encouragement through their music – and from that dream, that aspiration, Motivik would be born. In 2020 the duo from Atlanta, Georgia unleashed their first album, Death Of The Gunman, and now in 2024 they are ready to take the next step forward with their incredible second album, the breathtaking explosion of precision, adrenaline-infused riffing, adventurous song writing, technically dextrous playing, stunning melodies and huge choruses that is Renouncement!
From the dramatic, uplifting instrumental opening of Palace Of Ashes, that heralds the beginning of Renouncement’s incredible, emotional ride, to the final heart-wrenching words of the epic Once Again that conclude it, Motivik’s latest release is a staggering summation of everything that is great about metal music. Motivik take the essence of classic thrash metal and mould it into fresh, exciting forms with their progressive, imaginative approach. Dethroned takes jagged, angular riffing and fuses it with great hooks and the sort of fantastic, melodic chorus that emblazons itself across your memory with one listen. Break The Walls lands blow after blow of aggressive thrash power before exploding into a searing solo and uplifting chorus. This Man I Am is the distillation of absolute headbanging metal magnificence… I’m sure you get the picture by now.
Renouncement was released through Roxx Records on July 1st, adorned in the powerful and evocative artwork of Seth Metoyer (Mangled Carpenter) and all fans of the very finest in melodic thrash and heavy metal should be waiting to embrace this sonic offering. With Renouncement, Motivik have really shown the metal world just what anthemic, affecting, outstanding music they are capable of creating. And Ryan Roebuck and Courtney Simmons can stand proudly alongside all those bands that once helped them to dream.
BLACKLIST
A bit more straightforward – but definitely no less effective – UK horror thrashers Blacklist attack the task in hand with bloodthirsty guile. Cannibal, the opening track on their latest full-length offering, With Murderous Intent, is an absolute ripping beast of a track, mixing Exodus and Slayer (circa 1984, natch) with, well… murderous intent. It’s absolutely death-affirming stuff, let me tell you, and the fun doesn’t let up for the rest of the album either as the band hack and slash their way through ten deliriously heavy slabs of demonic heavy metal.
Blacklist know just how to get to the nub of a song in lightning-quick time, and they also understand how to fuse old school classicism with modern theories of brutality. Consequently every track here hits incredibly hard, and it’s difficult not to get swept away as the band hammer mercilessly through latter day classics like Blood Baptism. Matthew Longshaw‘s drumming is a particular highlight, but the rest of the band (that’s Tyler Larkin on guitars and frankly inhuman vocals, Matt McLaughlin on guitar and bassist Curtis Goodyear) are no slouches either, and on the evidence of absolute bangers like The Shape I’d say the future is bright for these guys. In the most awful, blood-soaked way, obviously…
MAMMOTH VOLUME
Phew, this is some album! Sweden’s Mammoth Volume are the embodiment of the word ‘prog’ in it’s most deliriously groovy sense. You have to be immensely talented to pull off astounding music like Black Horse Beach, there’s no doubt, but you also have to have the confidence in that talent that allows you to follow wherever the music takes you to make the concept work. Luckily, Mammoth Volume have just that, with the result being an album that rewards the listener by throwing up new points of interest and delight every time you return to it.
Of course, in ‘the old days’ it was relatively commonplace to find bands like Mammoth Volume – they often used to toss out freak hit singles as well as gazillion-selling triple albums just to keep things interesting – but now, Opeth aside, there are few band that manage to harness the spirit of seventies prog rock quite so adroitly as these people.
As an added bonus – and unlike Mikael Akerfeldt and company – MV keep things musically taut and economical too, eschewing the prog proclivity of recording songs that take three weeks to reach a climax. Only one song here threatens the seven minute mark, giving the album the sense of urgency and forward-moving impetus sometimes lacking in this genre.
Diablo III: Faces in the Water harnesses the gnomish appeal of Gentle Giant to the sledgehammer diplomacy of Black Sabbath with mischievous glee and stands out as the albums heaviest moment, but seconds later they are heading off down a jazzy avenue called Lisa in an orgy of Steely Dan-fuelled inspiration.
Sentinel Daily big cheese Scott Adams hailed this album as a ‘shapeshifting triumph’, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. If the thought of music with no boundaries or constraints piques your tastebuds, then you must add this album to your collection!
SERGEANT THUNDERHOOF
Sergeant Thunderhoof have amassed a rich and varied back catalogue since their formation in 2013, included four studio albums, a live full length, an epic split LP with Howling Giant, numerous compilation appearances for the likes of Ripple Music and Magnetic Eye Records and even a surprise tribute to Kate Bush.
Hailing from the historical area of Somerset, Sergeant Thunderhoof have yet again delved deep into local history, mythology and folklore to deliver their most focused album to date. The Ghost of Badon Hill is a true conceptual piece, set in the 4th Century AD and positively charged with raw emotion and Arthurian mysticism.
The follow up to 2022’s critically acclaimed album This Sceptred Veil, their new LP was recorded with Josh Gallop at Stage 2 Studios in Bath and mastered by Tony Reed (Mos Generator), and sees the band exploring wider and more textured sonic landscapes, whilst conceptually delving into Somerset’s famous Battle of Badon.
Discussing the lyrical themes explored throughout the album, vocalist and lyricist Dan Flitcroft says: “This new album feels to me like our most focussed and thoughtful release to date. In the past we’ve not had any limitations when it comes to song lengths and structures as we didn’t have a label calling the shots. But one thing that I knew was needed for this album was to set some boundaries. Foremost of which was the ability to get it onto two sides of vinyl, as opposed to us having to put most of our previous works onto double packages due to the sheer length of the songs.
“I came across the theme for the album by sheer accident when out walking with my family. I had no idea that Bath was a possible location for a real-life battle between the Britons and invading Anglo Saxons, on what was known as Badon Hill. There are a few prominent hills in and around our city that have been suggested as possible locations, famously Peter Gabriel sang about Solsbury Hill many years ago. I got lost down a rabbit hole of facts, speculation, mythology and fantasy. I very quickly focussed on a story of simple people leading simple lives, forced to do amazing things to protect themselves and their kind. Having this narrative ticking away in my brain whilst working on the songs with the band really helped shape the feel and emotional journey that the songs take you on.”
STEEL INFERNO
Steel Inferno has been, slowly but surely, cementing their name in the European speed metal scene in the last decade. Since the band’s formation in 2012, the quintet released three studio albums, each one stepping a bit forward in terms of popularity and intensity: Aesthetics of Decay in 2016, …And the Earth Stood Still in 2020 and Evil Reign In 2022.
The latter, which was Steel Inferno’s debut at the From The Vaults label, took the band in a slightly different direction. If the Steel Inferno’s early material was akin to European metal like early Accept and Judas Priest, the material in that record was closer to some of the earliest US power metal bands such as Helstar and Jag Panzer – all mixed with a fundamental inspiration from early thrash and speed metal.
With this new-found approach, the band toured like crazy to support Evil Reign, until the time came to record new songs again. Angioni Studios was booked, speed riffs, solos were recorded, thunderous rhythms were taped and raging vocal takes were captured. The result is Steel Inferno’s new album, titled Rush Of Power. A thunderous monster of a record, which will hit you like a hurricane, adrenaline-pumping and will leaving craving for the next speed metal fix. Rush Of Power adds more speed, as well as complexity, to the Steel Inferno arsenal, while retaining a sense of creating good melodies.
Are you ready for Rush Of Power?
HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE
It certainly is, and, as if to underline that fact, here are the band of the same name! Delivering an ethereal take on the blackened hardcore concept, HIOP have a very fine knack for penning an achingly melodic guitar line, and there are many on their new album Moirae that cut with laser precision through the unforgiving sturm un drang that is the bad’s default setting. In my experience, you’ve got to be in the right frame of mind to do this music justice as a listener, but if you are then Moirae‘s treasures are many and varied – and you’ll have a goosebump-inducing time familiarising yourself with them.
But enough of me – here’s what the band have to say about their new opus: “‘Moirae is an Ancient Greek term referring to three figures that are personifications of destiny. The role of the Moirae is to ensure that everyone lives out their destiny as assigned to them by the laws of the universe. We explore this necessary human process of birth, proliferation and death through these songs, couched in metaphor and esoteric meaning so the listener can interpret them as they see fit”.
Now, I’m as ready as the next man for a bit of philosophy with my metal, but in reality the intensity of the music coupled with the full-on commitment of the band’s execution means you won’t have time to reflect on the finer points of the moirae and their mission. You’ll be too busy being absorbed by the oceans of sound created by superb tracks like Fates for anything else, and, at the end of the day, it’s the music that matters. And this would appear to be music that matters very much indeed!
THE ANIX
The Anix’s electrifying new album, Voltage has arrived in my inbox, and I must say I’m very pleased, not to say a pleasantly surprised, with it…
The album channels the darker side of modern life, blending alternative and electronic rock into a brooding, atmospheric soundscape. The album explores themes of isolation and introspection, with tracks that feel like drifting through an empty city at night. Gritty guitars and haunting synths weave together to create a melancholic, yet immersive, experience. With singles Gravity and Shadow, Voltage showcases The Anix at his most introspective, crafting a sound that delves deep into the shadows of the urban experience. Sinking Alone is a captivating nod to nineties grunge while also exploring contemporary themes of isolation. Panic blends synth, drums, guitar, and bass (you know, in, like, ‘a song’) to create a sound that is both expansive and deeply introspective, offering listeners a gateway into the artist’s private experiences… But it’s the superb Xray that hits hardest with your humble interlocutor; a captivating mix of darkwave and eighties Europop, if you’re of a certain age (like me) you won’t fail to fall under it’s spell. Well worth a listen!
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