Labelled “extremely brutal” by Eyehategod guitarist/Down drummer Jimmy Bower, Ravine pull no punches when it comes to delivering a heavy riff. The Oregon band’s brand of sludge/doom and hardcore mightn’t reach the insane levels of heaviness set by Byzanthian Neckbeard or Dopethrone, but the best moments on their 2025 release ‘Chaos and Catastrophes’ are on a par with many a great and muddy sounding, riff wielding act.
Tag Archives: metal
Watch: Ward XVI share new video for ‘At The Window’
The opening drones of Ward XVI’s current single ‘At The Window’ immediately advertise something with a grandiose heart. This almost cinematic stance is perfect for the band, since it captures their huge sound in an instant, and when providing a massive backdrop for the verse’s more goth-tinged leanings, those keys sit naturally between a darkwave unease and an orchestral flourish, reminding listeners that this shock rock act doesn’t “think small”.
PERPETUAL PARADOX – Deathwish
Born during the “lockdown era”, London’s Perpetual Paradox are a band who instinctively know their way around a heavy riff. Blending metalcore, prog metal, groove metal and thrash, their core sound lurches between different styles of extreme heaviness – often within the same song – but as demonstrated throughout ‘Deathwish’, the first Perpetual Paradox full length, following a couple of EP releases, their complex sound really works for them. The musicians are insanely tight players; so tight that it doesn’t really matter that there are points where the listener might find themselves playing “spot the influence”. The end results are rarely less than stunning.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #111
We’ve reached the halfway point of 2025, and the digital singles still keep coming! There are a couple of familiar names appearing in this visit to the Singles Bar, but with a mix of genres and the help of a really inspiring cover tune, this selection continues our streak of great submissions. Alongside a country singer reviving a tune that deserves to find a new audience, we’ve got the debut track from a new rock band from Belfast, a semi acoustic piece from an interesting solo venture, a strong throwback to 70s pop-rock, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy.
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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #110
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. In this rather mixed bag, you’ll find old school balladry with an obvious love for Roy Orbison, some great roots rock from the UK, a noisy and slightly avantgarde comeback track, all sitting alongside something clearly inspired by the mighty Mercury Rev. With a folky tune, a solid slab of metal and a number with a light prog influence also present, we hope there’s something here for almost everyone.
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