Following a couple of strong releases in 2016 and 2018, Svartanatt made a long overdue return in 2023 with their single ‘Child of The Devil’. By opening with a riff that sounded like a souped up version of ‘Born To Be Wild’ meeting with a rough approximation of the early Blue Oyster Cult, the track wasn’t exactly shy in advertising the fact that the band’s music had taken on an even more retro feel than before, but with the aid of swirling organ worthy of Ken Hensley, a rousing chorus loaded with gang vocals – albeit half buried under a bluster of guitar and keys – and a strong speed driven groove, it suggested that the forthcoming album would be an absolute blast. Fans were not to be short changed.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
THE JACKLIGHTS – Final Girl EP
The Jacklights’ double A-side ‘Womanchild’/‘Underachiever’ – released in November 2022 – was a solid slice of power pop. The pair of tunes retained a garage rock/90s alternative roughness, but were far more melodic than anything that had appeared on the band’s self-titled EP from two years previously.
GOTUS – Gotus
Gotus? In terms of band names, that’s pretty ugly. It certainly isn’t terrible – that would be reserved for the likes of Smoking Gives You Big Tits, Dohny Jepp, and Fuck Yeah Dinosaurs, all of which not only have the misfortune to exist, but also the distinction of somehow being better than anything else those bands could come up with – but it certainly doesn’t inspire. It was chosen with solid reasoning, however: it’s a portmanteau designed to advertise the fact that this European supergroup features members of Gotthard and Krokus. That should be enough alone to secure the melodic rockers a decent audience, but in many ways, the biggest draw here is their choice of vocalist.
ARKAYIC REVOLT – Atlantis Rising EP
Arkayic Revolt first appeared on the metal scene back in 2008, but chances are you missed them the first time around. During their brief time together, the Canadian thrash metal band released an EP, a sole full length album and a single, before calling it a day in 2011.
GOAT MAJOR – Evil Eye EP
A little west of Birmingham – often said to be the birthplace of metal – their lies an entire country with an almost equally rich musical heritage in terms of rock music. In the 70s, Wales birthed the often overlooked Man, the underrated Budgie, and the should’ve been huge Lone Star. Lone Star’s second album ‘Firing On All Six’, whilst perhaps not as big as monolithic works by Deep Purple, is an easy match for any of the great material released by UFO or Uriah Heep. It’s been even less documented that the country has actually spawned a healthy stoner and doom metal scene. Spearheaded by the former Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard (later MWWB) and Dope Smoker, there are a truckload of good, heavy riff-makers filling an opulent Welsh underground in the twenty first century.