The Viking in the Wilderness - reviews and news

(40:17; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. No Pain No Gain 4:16 2. Welcome to the Doez 3:48 3. 10.000 Days 4:05 4. Dark 4:13 5. Solitude 3:30 6. Lost in Thoughts 3:35 7. The Deep 3:56 8. Join the Party 3:37 9. Independent 3:46 10. Come Fly with Me 3:21 11. Cookie Doe 2:10 Line-up: Chriz Doe - vocals Henny - drums, backing vocals Gerrit - guitars, bass Kevin - keyboards German band Chriz Doe was formed back in 2022, and since then the band have had some live gigs along the way, including some nice support slots for somewhat better known bands. Along the way they have also released a succession of singles. In the late fall season of 2025 they released their debut album "Cookie Doe" through German label Fastball Records. I suspect that the best description to give the music explored on this album is alternative metal. Not because the sounds explored are all that alternative as such, but rather due to a specific type of style combination that is a recurring element throughout this pr...

(30:31; Neuma Records) Track list: 1. Everything Is Green 11:55 2. Scott Somebody 7:40 3. Native Tongues 10:56 Line-up: Emily Duncan - flute Randall Woolf - composer with: David Foster Wallace - text Kathleen Supove - piano Rinde Eckert - voice Sara Wendt - vocals Katherine Kyu Hyeon Lim - violin Jocelyn Zhu - violin Jay Julio - viola Drake Driscoll - cello Tyler Vittoria - bass Zach Nicely - conductor US musician Emily Duncan has collaborated with US composer Randall Woolf to create material for her debut album "Woolf at the Door", a production that was released through US label Neuma Records in the summer of 2025. Duncan is an upcoming musician specializing in the flute as her instrument, while composer Woolf is a seasoned hand in the US music scene. The three compositions that Duncan explores alongside various musicians here are all unique in their own way, but also share some common properties. Where the main of the denominators is that they all probably could be describe...

(62:24; M & O Music) Track list: 1. Genesis 0:28 2. The Sun Will No Longer Rise 5:55 3. An Overview of the Great Beyond 6:15 4. Far Away From My Precious Life 4:37 5. Worst Day of Your Life... Best Time of My Day 5:50 6. Birth of the Goodness 4:07 7. Prelude to the Shrouded Path 1:34 8. A Gathering for All Wasted Souls 6:47 9. Larvatus Prodeo 5:09 10. Ad Nauseam 5:41 11. Hunting the Hunter 4:48 12. Homo Patiens 4:02 13. Verses of the Final Purge 7:11 Line-up: Alexandre Manin - vocals Alexandre Moulin - bass Matthieu Laforet - guitars Laurent Couarraze - guitars Romain Charbonnier - drums French band Hellixxir can celebrate their 25th anniversary this year, at least if the information on the Metal Archives website is trustworthy. It would appear that the band have had some spells of inactivity during all those years though, which may be the reason for why this band as of 2026 only have four full length albums to their name. The most recent of these is "Beyond the Frame", w...

(46:22; Losen Records) Track list: 1. Backlash of Uncertainty 8:10 2. The Other Route That Wasn't There 8:20 3. Nine Bridges in Königsberg 9:15 4. Temporary Shunt 8:34 5. Occam's Razor 12:03 Line-up: Lorenzo De Finti - piano Alberto Mandarini - trumpet, flugelhorn Stefano Dall´Ora - bass Marco Castiglioni - drums  Italian artist Lorenzo De Finti has been releasing albums at a steady pace ever since his first album "Colors of Life" appeared back in 2013, and to date he has six albums to his name, four of which has been released under the band moniker Lorenzo De Finti Qrt. The most recent of these, "Backlash of Uncertainty", was issued in the late fall of 2025 through the Norwegian label Losen Records. Instrumental jazz is the name of the game for the landscapes explored on this production, and it is an inviting and generally appealing universe we are taken into on this occasion. De Finti's piano, rather unsurprisingly, does have a central position in thes...

(43:42; M & O Music) Track list: 1. Strangled 3:31 2. Senseless Atrocity 3:14 3. Take this Fist 3:38 4. Overflowing Anger 3:52 5. Say Goodbye 3:58 6. My Living Nightmare 3:16 7. Pain Addiction 4:29 8. Aych 3:00 9. Surrender and Kneel 3:04 10. Suffer 3:53 11. Wont Be Wrong 4:00 12. Pain Addiction [Acoustic] 3:47 Line-up: Ivan Magnani - vocals, bass Edoardo Friese - drums Andrea Llvi - guitars Gabriele Turco - guitars Italian band Hateseed is a fairly new addition to the Italian music scene, as the band was formed as recently as in 2023. Following an initial EP and single that was self released by the band they signed with French label M & O Music for the release of their debut album "Rising Through Decay" in the late fall of 2025. Good, old thrash metal is what we get with this production, with more of a no frills approach to the art of thrash metal. The guitar sound is big and somewhat primal, with chugging and circulating patterns alternating with impact riff flavore...

(50:36; Particular Recordings) Track list: 1. Tracking 6:47 2. Omaha 5:03 3. Trondheim I 6:27 4. Trondheim II 4:48 5. Traces 1:07 6. Trondheim III 5:57 7. January 4:29 8. Spiral 8:51 9. Four Refractions 7:07 Line-up: Alex Ventling - piano, synthesizer Tuva Halse - violin Amund Stenøien - vibraphone August Glännestrand - drums, programming with: Sissel Vera Pettersen - vocals Composer and musician Alex Ventling is a New Zealand artist who is currently based out of Norway. As a solo artist he has three studio productions to his name, and as the first of these appeared as recently as in 2023 one might expect a lot more to come from this international jazz artist. "Wavemakers" is his third and most recent album so far, and was released through the Particular Recordings Collective in December 2025. This is an album recorded in Norway and with mainly Norwegian musicians from what I can see, and it is an album that comes with what I'd describe as more than a little bit of Scandi...

(22:31; Demons Run Amok Entertainment / Cargo Records) Track list: 1. Dump 2:21 2. Darker Truth 2:35 3. The Pain You Hide 1:58 4. Burning Soul 1:58 5. Fallen Heroes 2:25 6. The Oath 2:04 7. Lost Fight 2:17 8. Deep Down 2:21 9. Far Side 2:09 10. Unleashed 2:23 Line-up: Cam - drums Kevin - bass David - guitars Pec - guitars Phil - vocals French band Huntdown was formed in 2022, and following an initial demo in 2023 and an EP released later that year, the band released their debut album "This Is War" in the fall of 2025 through the labels Demons Run Amok Entertainment and Cargo Records respectively. This band is a self-described hardcore unit, although from my perception at least they may as well be described as a crossover thrash metal band. Arguably with a bit more emphasis on the hardcore part than on the thrash metal aspects, but in my view at least both are very much present. The songs do stick to the hardcore approach in terms of structure. Short and concise is the order o...

(42:46; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. Thermometer 3:48 2. Zombie 5:02 3. Welcome Motherfucker 3:08 4. Super Pxrnx 3:01 5. Psiocótico 3:47 6. Preludio 2:57 7. Voces Internas 3:27 8. Horizonte Sistema 3:17 9. Esquizofrénico 3:22 10. El Fin 4:36 11. El Cielo 5:26 12. Bass Interlude 0:55 Line-up: Diego Carabajal - vocals Milan Tajdic - guitars Simon Koesling - drums Wolle van Hogh - bass German band Need2Destroy have been around since at least 2010, and have built up a solid CV as a live band over the years from what I can see. Their studio output has been a bit more rare, with their debut album appearing in 2019 and then in the late fall of 2025 they released their sophomore production "Anti" through German label Fastball Music. It is a bit of an interesting one this album, and probably one that warrants the alternative sticker applied to it. With the core sound of the band languishing around the border between hard rock and heavy metal. With some caveats and exceptions here an...

(43:27; Earshift Music) Track list: 1. Full Moon 3:28 2. Futures 3:47 3. The Great Wave Off Kanagawa 4:23 4. Resonance 7:03 5. Lexicon Quarter 2:32 6. Perpetual Motion 4:02 7. Impermanence 4:25 8. Ephemeral Dance 2:49 9. Tides 6:21 10. From Now On 4:37 Line-up: Jeremy Rose - saxophones, clarinets, effects Novak Manojlovic - keyboard, synthesizers Ben Carey - synthesizers Tully Ryan - drums  Australian artist Jeremy Rose has been an active recording and performing artist for more than 20 years at this point, involved in a number of different projects and bands as well as being an active solo artist. His most recent album is "Infinity II", which was released through the label Earshift Music in the late fall of 2025. I see from the liner notes that the material on this album was recorded live, and while I do not actually know if this is the case I do get a distinct association towards this being material with at least some improvised traits. Most likely not full on improvisation...

(41:57; In the Flesh Record Company) Track list: 1. Monk's Dream 4:46 2. Ask Me Now 3:57 3. Ricochet 3:29 4. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 5:54 5. Smog Eyes 1:15 6. Goodbye 3:06 7. Tricotism 2:19 8. Lennie's Pennies 3:14 9. We See 2:55 10. Well You Needn't 4:21 11. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 6:42 Line-up: Kristoffer Vejslev - guitars Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen - bass Rasmus Elhøj Jensen - drums with: Rudi Mahall - bass clarinet Hannes Bennich - alto saxophone Simon Toldam - piano Danish threesome Vejslev, Brunbjerg  and Elhöj are described as a trio that have been playing together for quite a few years, in a manner described as an intense collaboration. They haven't had the chance to document this however, but in 2025 they hit the recording studio to create their debut album "It's a Riot!", which was released in the late fall of 2025 through the label In the Flesh Record Company. What this trio and their guest musicians have to offer us here is a...

(44:19; Hobby Horse Records) Track list: 1. Intro 2:59 2. Blues for Teitelbaum 6:02 3. Intermezzo No1 2:07 4. Nobility 5:27 5. Paul`s Idea 3:34 6. Intermezzo No2 1:49 7. S/H 4:46 8. For the Love of Wisdom 4:41 9. Sand 5:48 10. Bringer of Light 7:06 Line-up: Erik Kimestad - trumpet Mads Hyhne - trombone Richard Andersson - double bass Jakob Høyer - drums Denmark based quartet Omrum is, from what I understand, a fairly recent constellation in the Scandinavian jazz scene, with three Danish musicians and one Norwegian artist joining forces to form this band. They released their debut album "Bringer of Light" through Danish label Hobby Horse Records in the late fall of 2025. Jazz is the style explored on this production, with a quartet consisting of bass, drums, trumpet and trombone. This is an all instrumental affair in other words, delivered by a band that appear to be fond of a more inviting take on what I'd describe as expressive, instrumental jazz. These compositions will...

(60:36; Echozone) Track list: 1. Don't Wake Up 3:52 2. Sister feat. Conscience 4:00 3. Say It and Stay with Me 4:23 4. Paméla Amen 4:16 5. Heart of Gold 3:06 6. Der Westliche Mann 3:51 7. Dad 3:34 8. Peace Is a Wonder 4:38 9. Through the Windows 3:12 10. Leave My Dreams 4:00 11. Mom 4:02 12. Kosmonaut 4:32 13. An Angel on Earth 3:52 14. In the Fire 4:56 15. A Beautiful Day in Autumn 4:22 Line-up: Projekt Ich - vocals, instruments with: Alex Braun Frecuencias Ocultas  Lisa Pung Maxi Goudi Madil Hardis  Ottoextrem Annabelle  Conscience  Arsine Tibé  Stian Shiver  Suzanne Letting  Manuel Trabucco - saxophones, horns German venture Projekt Ich is the creative vehicle of composer and musician Ulf Möller, and over the past 15 years or so he has released a number of albums under this moniker. The most recent of these is the album "A Beautiful Day in Autumn", which was issued through German label Echozone in the fall of 2025. To my ears it is a rather retro-or...

(41:12; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. High and Above 4:01 2. Room to Breathe 3:57 3. Louder Than Words 4:05 4. Chasing the Sun 4:32 5. Kingdom 3:57 6. Your Chains 3:57 7. Afterlife 3:34 8. Twisted Love 4:20 9. Heartattack 3:48 10. Black and Gray 5:00 Line-up: Zoran Misic - vocals Veit Schlembach - drums Dani Davis - guitars Adnan Basic - guitars Chris Buchberger - bass with: Michael Wagner - guitars Vinnie Colla - bass Jona Raischl - keyboards, organ David Bertok - piano, keyboards Germany based band Bad Rain is a recent addition to the German rock scene. Initially a solo project, this venture soon turned into a proper band and in the fall of 2025 they released their debut album "Louder Than Words" through German label Fastball Music. This is one of those bands that know their way round 1970's hard rock extremely well I would imagine, and have opted to give this classic sound a little bit of an update and makeover. Pulling it a bit closer to the post-millennium era in te...

(45:26; Echozone) Track list: 1. Quiet Pulse 5:25 2. Weight of You 3:47 3. Pleasures 4:19 4. Rooftops of Zion 4:01 5. Song From the Abyss 3:24 6. On Your Own 4:31 7. Awakening 4:12 8. Distant Call 4:40 9. Open Skies 3:48 10. Fire 4:32 11. In the Silence of the Night 2:47 Line-up: Yen Anetzberger - vocals Ingo Hannen . bass, synthesizers, guitars Arndt Bander - guitars Ben Overmann - drums German band Dead Bees in Bourbon seems to be a fairly new formation in the German rock scene, with the band starting their Facebook page as recently as 2024. Following an initial EP the band released their debut album "Crystals" in the fall of 2025 through German label Echozone. It is a dark and dreamladen landscape we are transported into on this occasion, where barren and majestic arrangements exist side by side in songs where the mood and atmosphere often strikes me as being perhaps a bit more otherworldly sounding than strictly dreamladen, and with a bit of a haunting quality being commo...

(53:41; Echozone) Track list: 1. Save Your Soul 4:57 2. Life and Lies 4:26 3. Une Cité Sans Gaieté 4:13 4. Le Compromis 4:09 5. Ciao Ma Belle 3:33 6. You Will Find a Way 3:32 7. Une Cité Sans Gaieté [Electro] 4:06 8. CJB25 3:17 9. Elise 3:46 10. Rêve 3:35 11. In the Name Of (v3.0) 3:25 12. Take a Vow 4:16 13. Save Your Soul [The Mental Club Mix] 6:26 Line-up: Richard Abdeni - instruments, vocals Marilyne Jallad - vocals US based venture Apres La Nuit has been releasing material at a steady pace ever since their initial EP "Mon Amour"  that appeared back in 2021, and as of 2026 this project has a total of 9 releases to their name. The most recent of these is the full length album "Aller-Retour", which was released through German label Echozone in the fall of 2025. If there is something that can be called industrial synth pop, then I suspect that this album comes pretty close to it at times. Where the synth pop as well as the industrial elements, while toned down, are...

(50:27; M&O Music) Track list: 1. The Beast Is Back 4:53 2. First Believer 4:07 3. Zugzwang 5:35 4. Legacy 4:36 5. Pogo 3:57 6. Tired 5:50 7. Fate 4:04 8. Lucifer 6:50 9. Mary Celeste 4:28 10. Carousel 6:07 Line-up: Guillaume Hesse - vocals Michel Erhart - guitars Thomas Haessy - guitars Pascal Husser - bass Christophe Brunner - drums French band Syr Daria was formed back in 2007, and just about every fourth year since then the band has been ready with a new studio production. The album "Dark Carousel" dates back to the fall of 2025, is the band's fourth studio album, and was released through French label M&O Music. In terms of sound, mix and production, this is an album that gives me that charming underground feel. Kind of an updated variety of the sound I recall hearing on the album's by bands back in the 1980s that signed up for the independent metal labels at the time. Such as Mausoleum, Neat Records and others of a similar nature. The music itself also co...

(12:23; Big Bad Wolf Records / Metalization / Headbangers Records) Track list: 1. Nakam 3:02 2. New Day Next Punch 2:51 3. Fine Without You 3:17 4. Bomb Squad 3:13 Line-up: Dirk Draaisma - guitars Lars Draaisma - drums Herman Mulder - bass Ferdinand Wanders - vocals Dutch band Zubzero has been around for around a quarter of a century at this point, and probably merits a description as veterans due to that. So far in their career they have released one full length studio album and a number of singles and EPs from what I can see. The EP" Frostbite" dates back to 2023, and was released through the labels Big Bad Wolf Records, Metalization and Headbangers Records. While I see this band being described and defined in a few different manners, with thrash metal and metalcore being used most often, for my sake I find the music they explore to be of a slightly different character. At least as far as the material on this EP is concerned. I would say that the material here is a blend of...

(46:06; M&O Music) Track list: 1. Illusion of Time 3:08 2. Glitch 4:40 3. We Are 4:07 4. Samsara 5:40 5. Monsters 4:46 6. Echoes 5:08 7. Crossroads of Time 4:54 8. One Last Breath 4:42 9. Apocalypse 4:37 10. Live to Die 4:24 Line-up: Adrien Alvarez - vocals, guitars Sacha Guitteny - guitars Alex Bonnet - drums Jay Balcou - bass French band Lethernal Utopia were formed back in 2023, and following some initial single releases the foursome released their debut album "Illusion of Time" through French label M&O Music in the fall of 2025. It is an intriguing take on the heavy metal style we get in this case, provided by a band that appear to know their way around balancing contrasting elements in an efficient and interesting manner. The compositions tend to come across as both powerful and majestic in scope, but also with a firm drive and an ongoing elegant feel, with more grim sounding elements having important roles throughout. The ongoing elegance and flow comes by way o...

(37:20; April Records) Track list: 1. Yacumama 4:17 2. Duele 4:21 3. Out in the Woods 6:00 4. Give Peace Another Chance 3:02 5. Lampuki Bite 4:04 6. Guirca 3:12 7. El Zorro 5:05 8. Vals Ajillo 3:07 9. Tumbleweed Turnpike 4:12 Line-up: Emil de Waal - drums, percussion, vocals Niclas Knudsen - guitars, talkbox Jens Berents Christiansen - synthesizers, Wurlitzer, 303, percussion, various electronic devices Anders Stig Møller - bass, synthesizers, vocals, various electronic devices with: Claudia Rodriguez Ahlfors - vocals Stine Grøn - vocals Danish band Kalaha was formed back in 2014, and in the decade and a bit since their formation they have released new studio material at a steady pace, with more than half a dozen albums to their name as of 2026. Their latest studio production appeared in the fall of 2025. This album is called "Guirca", and was released through Danish label April Records. It is quite the playful affair this one, and the band moves around quite a bit in terms o...

(43:46; Cross Towne Records) Track list: 1. Wolverine 5:08 2. Refuge 7:22 3. Better Now Than Never at All 5:19 4. Ode to Kenny 5:28 5. Steepian Faith 7:58 6. Some Work of Noble Note, May Yet Be Done 7:00 7. Act As If 5:31 Line-up: Mitch Towne - organ Tetsuya Nishiyama - guitars Jeffery Johnson - drums US artist Mitch Towne has a career as a band member as well as a band leader, using his skills as a keyboard player in a number of different styles, genres and traditions over the years. This spring he released his first solo album "Refuge" on the imprint Cross Towne Records. One fact that is crystal clear right from the start of this production is that this is a jazz album that revolves around the role of the organ as a supporting and lead instrument. With the Hammond the organ of choice. Hence those who really enjoy the organ as an instrument used in a jazz context can safely track this album down for a listen straight away. But getting a bit more into the details here, this w...