The Viking in the Wilderness - reviews and news

(54:47; Ellie Promotion) Track list: 1. Virtual Guns 6:27 2. Fighters 3:52 3. The True Crown (I Seek Your War) 4:48 4. Happy Deathday 4:04 5. There, I Could Die 3:58 6. Sand Paths 5:34 7. The Nowhere Dance 3:57 8. A Teacher, A Scientist & A Diplomat 4:22 9. Underneath Heartskin 4:14 10. The Mad Fiddler 4:46 11. Joy 6:10 12. Call Me Inhuman 2:35 Line-up: Ombeline Duprat - vocals Johann Cadot - vocals, guitars, keyboards, loops Pierre-Emmanuel Pélisson - guitars Fabien Mira - bass Thomas Calegari – drums French band Asylum Pyre has been a going entity for 20 years, and following an initial demo back in 2007 the band have released studio albums from 2009 and onward at a fairly steady pace. The band have five full length productions to their name at the time of writing. "Call Me Inhuman" is the most recent of these, and was released through French label Ellie Promotion in the spring of 2023. Asylum Pyre as of 2023 is one of those bands that will make critics and reviewers lik...

(48:46; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. Soulkeeper 4:21 2. Angry Machines 4:38 3. War Zone 5:03 4. Better Times 5:43 5. Survivor 4:44 6. Bells of Death 5:58 7. Bullet 3:06 8. Mystic 5:29 9. We Stay Strong 5:33 10. Rock 'n' Roll in My Head 4:11 Line-up: Udo Bethke - vocals Wolfgang Tewes - guitars Michael Wiekenberg - bass Ovidiu Zeres - drums with: Dirk Schlächter - backing vocals Conny Bethke - backing vocals Hanjo Gehrke - backing vocals Mark Brühning - backing vocals German band Black Hawk is a veteran band with a history that goes all the way back to the early 1980's, but as a recording and performing unit the band didn't really start to make any headway until after the millennium. From 2005 and onward the band has been a steady presence in the German music scene however, with eight studio albums to their name at the time of writing. Their most recent album is called "Soulkeeper", and was released through German label Fastball Music in the spring of 2023. A...

(43:44; Chancho Records) Track list: 1. Tu Hermana 4:47 2. Revolucion 3:12 3. No Te Vayas 3:47 4. Otro Dios 4:23 5. Hasta El Final 4:04 6. La Pistola Del Anciano 1:24 7. El Nuevo Novio 3:02 8. Vamos a La Haya 4:01 9. La Reina De La Ametralladora 4:50 10. Ninguno 6:39 11. La Vieja 3:35 Line-up: Not stated Dutch band Pendejo have been a feature in the European rock scene for fifteen years and a bit, releasing their first studio album back in 2010 and with five full length albums to their name at the time this review was written. Their most recent production is "Volcan", and was released through their own label Chancho Records in the early spring of 2023. By chance more than any other reason Pendejo is a band where I have received promotional editions of most of their albums at this point, and they have always left me impressed on some level with albums that have been rock solid, well made and entertaining in style, mood and spirit. And in the case of "Volcan" my impre...

(41:53; Norske Albumklassikere [2023 Edition] ) Track list: 1. Emptiness 3:17 2. Fun 3:20 3. Tiamotti 4:34 4. Golden Gun 4:22 5. Mouse 3:59 6. 100 Hz 10:18 7. War 5:53 8. MS 6:10 Line-up: Ivar Mykland - vocals Lars Aardal - keyboards Rune Bergstö - bass Alf Solbakken - guitars Rich Nordskog - drums Norwegian band Much was a vital creative entity in the annals of Norwegian rock history, and from they started out in 1986 until their final album was released in 1992 they managed to create some of the more novel sounding productions of that time period, and music that was fairly unique back when it was made and that comes across as possibly even more unique in retrospect. This is especially the case for their debut album "Munch", which appeared in 1987. What was the A-side on the original vinyl album edition gives us a good handful of songs that are relatively conventional here, at least when compared to the rest of this production. A hard, vibrant bass guitar is central on all o...

(38:02; Ellie Promotion) Track list: 1. The Neverending Beginning 5:22 2. The Right to Bleed 3:24 3. My Blackest Days 4:28 4. No Damage 3:51 5. Breathe 2:51 6. Insomnia 3:57 7. Wasted 3:42 8. Feed the Light 3:59 9. Into Speechlessness 3:08 10. Wallbanger 3:20 Line-up: Amaury Durand - vocals Julien Dijoux - guitars Batt Cauchy - drums Tristan Mélique - guitars Vanessa Housieaux - bass French band Monolyth started out back in 2006, and released two demo tapes in quick succession before launching their debut album "Catch the Sun" just a year after the band was formed. Since then band activities in the recording department have slowed down a bit, with the EP "The Forwarder" appearing in 2011 and then the band's second album "A Bitter End / A Brave New World" appearing in 2018. This year they are ready with their third album "We Have Caught the Sun", which was released through French label Ellie Promotion. While this is a new album by the band, th...

(43:59; M&O Music) Track list: 1. Better Fate 4:43 2. Narcissistic 3:53 3. It's Insane 6:03 4. We Play! 4:55 5. Your Own Requiem 5:11 6. All Fucking Asses 3:42 7. Gringo 6:42 8. Everything Collapses 4:00 9. The End Is Tomorrow 4:50 Line-up: Flib - vocals John - guitars Manu - guitars Mo - bass Mans - drums with: Fred Magnante - vocals Seb Tacaille - vocals French band Indykush have been a presence in the French music scene since 2003, and in the years they have been active they have released one EP and two full length albums in addition to being an active band in the live circuit. After many years as an independent band they are now signed to French label M&O Music, who recently released the band's third album "Everything Collapses". Good, old metal is what we get on this production, and in this case with thrash metal as the foundation of the style explored and with a little bit of a hardcore touch seasoning the landscapes. Not to the extent of being crossover...