The Scandinavians’ talents for great metal have been long documented. Bands like In Flames, Soilwork and Opeth have taken heavy sounds into adventurous and arty places, but very often have managed to underscore their heavier moods with some superb melodies.
Tag Archives: metal
DURBIN – The Beast Awakens
Rock vocalist James Durbin first came to public attention when he participated in the tenth season of American Idol in 2011. A genuine wildcard amongst pop wannabes, his love of rock music eventually made him stand out, and although not a winner, he gained a respectful top five placing. That relative success later allowed him to perform alongside his heroes Judas Priest on the show. His career took a more credible path later when he became the lead singer for Quiet Riot in 2017, subsequently recording two albums with them for the Frontiers Records label. Despite leaving Quiet Riot after a relatively short time, his association with Frontiers continued and the label released his first solo record in 2021.
Watch the brand new video from Sickret
Within their first ten years together, Sickret have shared stages with Clawfinger, Madball and Skindred. Their first three albums have taken old, 90s nu-metal and rap metal influences and given them more of a hardcore influenced kick up the arse, and overall, they’ve proved to be a band with a huge no-nonsense sound.
Check out the new video from Phantom Elite
Phantom Elite’s second album ‘Titanium’ – released via Frontiers Records in January 2021 – showed a huge leap in quality from their earlier ‘Wastleland’ release. In songs like ‘The Race’ they demonstrated a gift for a much bigger chorus hook and in terms of musicianship, some of the more complex elements seemed so much tighter than before. More importantly, an increased budget afforded the album a superior production job. Joeri Wamerdam’s drums finally came with a decent punch, and combined with a few heavy riffs, Phantom Elite finally sounded like a band with a lot of muscle.
Watch the new video from The Inferno Doll
At the tail end of 2020, The Inferno Doll made a long overdue return with the ‘Sacrifice’ EP. The music’s blend of gothic riffs, industrial twists and occasional black metal flourishes really showed a gift for pushing boundaries.