From the early years of Sodom and Kreator, through to latter day revival sounds with Dust Bolt, the Germans have always had a great ability when it comes to thrash metal. Here’s another band that really should be on your radar. Formed in 2016 when the musicians were still at school, EXA’s music carries all the ferocity of your 80s favourites, tempered by a production sound that’s a little more modern.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
THE PROG COLLECTIVE – Dark Encounters
For this fifth outing from Billy Sherwood’s Prog Collective, the Yes bassist has brought together an impressive array of musicians to bring his fluid all star project’s music to life. In a sidestep from previous releases, however, there are moments throughout ‘Dark Encounters’ that appear somewhat moodier than before. The bulk of the record takes an instrumental route, and a couple of the tunes go much deeper into jazz fusion. That’s not to say that fans of the veteran musicians involved won’t find anything to enjoy, or even something familiar to cling onto – a Sherwood Project will almost always include material that nods in the very definite direction of Yes and World Trade – but at least fifty percent of this record isn’t exactly what most people will be expecting.
AUTOGRAMM – Diana / Licht Aus
They might not be household names, but Autogramm have been building a following on the alternative music underground since 2018. They’ve released discs on the Nevado and Jarama 45 labels, and their blend of indie rock, power pop and 80s synth pop often sounds as nostalgic as it does contemporary.
Tracks like ‘Born Losers’ and ‘Hey Allie’ (from their 2023 LP ‘Music That Humans Can Play’) are perfect demonstrations of how to construct a chorus that sounds like a fabulous 80s throwback, whilst ‘Love Is For Fools’ absolutely nails an early 80s, skinny tied, power pop homage, and their earlier ‘Small Town’ conveys a post punk energy with almost just as much ease. Autogramm are one of those bands that, wherever you choose to drop into their catalogue, you’ll find a huge, retro sounding hook that feels massively uplifting.
THE NOISE WHO RUNS – Come And Join The Beautiful Army EP
The Noise Who Runs is a musical project helmed by Ian Pickering, best known as lyricist for Sneaker Pimps. Joining Ian is French-Brazilian musician Felipe Goes, and between them, the duo share some big sounding synth pop and vaguely experimental electronic sounds on their 2024 EP ‘Come And Join The Beautiful Army’. Its five songs dart between big hooks and even bigger, sometimes angular sounds, creating a work that isn’t necessarily immediate, but has a strange and alluring quality that will appeal to listeners with a broader range of alternative interests.
COSMIC JAGUAR – The Order Of The Jaguar Knights EP
Ukraine’s Cosmic Jaguar conjure some amazing riffs on their 2023 EP ‘The Order of The Jaguar Knights’. The four songs mix classic thrash – played at the high octane speeds set by bands like Exciter and Exodus in the early 80s – with lop-sided prog metal breakdowns, and the bulk of the music is joined by abrasive vocals that appear not to fit squarely with either genre. What this means, of course, is that Cosmic Jaguar are capable of summoning a hefty sound throughout.