King Witch | III | Listenable Records

 

    King Witch formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has steadily built a reputation as one of the more consistent modern acts in the doom and heavy rock underground. Blending weighty traditional doom with elements of classic metal and occasional stoner rock flair, the band is fronted by Laura Donnelly, whose commanding vocal presence has been a central part of their sound since their debut. Their previous albums, "Under The Mountain" and "Body Of Light," showed a steady evolution in songwriting, pacing, and intensity, gaining them a strong following within doom circles and beyond.

"III" feels like a natural extension of everything King Witch has developed so far, and it's delivered with a sense of confidence and focus. The band sticks closely to what works best for them—slow-burning grooves, weighty riffs, and vocals that soar without sounding theatrical. Compared to earlier releases, there’s a noticeable emphasis on shorter, punchier songs that still manage to preserve the atmosphere and density the genre calls for.

The production is full-bodied and gives the band’s heavier tendencies the space they need to hit hard without dragging. Riffs are thick but never muddled, and the drums push the pace forward effectively, lending the album a sharper momentum than its predecessors. The vocals remain the centerpiece, and Donnelly’s delivery carries conviction without leaning too far into excess.

There’s a stronger sense of urgency on tracks like “Suffer In Life” and “Deal With The Devil,” which open the album with a direct and immediate feel. Mid-album tracks like “Sea Of Lies” and “Behind The Veil” manage to carry weight without feeling overwrought or sluggish. The band sounds tighter than ever, striking a balance between doom’s long-form weight and traditional heavy metal’s sense of motion.

The closing song, “Last Great Wilderness,” offers a fitting end with a sense of scale that doesn’t stretch into indulgence. The bonus CD-only cover of Soundgarden’s “Jesus Christ Pose” is an unexpected but fitting tribute that’s delivered with conviction and control.

"III" doesn’t try to change the identity of King Witch, but it does refine and tighten it. It's a strong, well-paced, and fully realized doom album that plays to the band’s strengths without becoming static or overly familiar.

Score: 8.2

Crystal Viper | The Live Quest | Listenable Records

 

    Crystal Viper is a Polish heavy metal band founded in 2003 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Marta Gabriel. Over the years, the band has gained a loyal following through consistent studio albums, international tours, and a commitment to the classic heavy metal tradition. With influences rooted in the legacy of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Helloween, Crystal Viper combines melodic sensibilities with powerful, riff-driven compositions. The band’s core lineup—led by Marta Gabriel (vocals), with a strong supporting cast of musicians—has remained devoted to high-energy performances and traditional heavy metal values.

“The Live Quest” is the group’s first official live album, released via Listenable Records on 27 June 2025. Captured during the 2024 “The Silver Key Tour,” it features material recorded across several European countries, presenting a cross-section of the band’s catalog delivered in a live setting.

The production captures the concert atmosphere without sacrificing sound quality. The mix preserves the natural interplay between guitar harmonies, bass drive, and drum force, allowing Marta Gabriel's vocals to sit prominently without overpowering the instruments. There is consistency in tempo and rhythm throughout the set, and each song transitions smoothly to the next without unnecessary pauses or crowd overindulgence.

The performance quality is tightly controlled, with little room for improvisation or deviation. Rather than offering new interpretations, “The Live Quest” sticks to faithful renditions of the studio originals, executed with tight discipline. What sets it apart is the weight of execution under live conditions—a balance of tension and momentum that gives the album its force.

This live document does not rely on theatrics or crowd interaction gimmicks. It is a precise snapshot of Crystal Viper’s stage form, reflecting a band with years of experience and cohesion. Fans of the genre will find its pacing reliable and its sound direct, supported by a well-chosen setlist that offers variation in tempo and tone.

“The Live Quest” may not alter perceptions of what a live metal album should be, but it reaffirms Crystal Viper’s place within the modern tradition of European heavy metal.

Score: 7.8

Graceless | Icons Of Ruin | Listenable Records

           Founded in 2016, Graceless quickly carved a place for themselves within the global death metal underground, building their identity on muscular songwriting, mid-tempo density, and a signature blend of doom-laced heaviness. Drawing influence from classic names like Bolt Thrower, Asphyx, and Death, the Dutch quartet forged ahead with a sound as rooted in sorrow as it is in sonic demolition. With each release, the band has grown more self-assured and more resolute in crafting music that resonates in both emotional weight and battlefield-like force. Their fourth album, “Icons Of Ruin,” issued via Listenable Records, solidifies that trajectory, further expanding their sound without abandoning its core identity.

“Icons Of Ruin” presents Graceless in complete command of their style. The production, recorded at Soundlodge Studios, grants the album a colossal presence—dense yet articulate, brutal yet structured. Every instrument punches through the mix, particularly the drums and guitars, which move with cohesion and forward momentum. The tone is both crushing and mournful, an ideal vehicle for the themes addressed throughout the album.

Lineup:

Remco Kreft Guitar, Vocals

Marc Verhaar Drums

Jasper Aptroot Bass

Björn Brusse Lead Guitar

From the opening assault of "God Shines In Absence" to the haunting final tremors of "Resurrection Of The Graveless," the album sustains a weighty atmosphere. The songwriting remains compact and direct, even in longer tracks like "Beneath Starless Skies," which offers space for atmosphere without straying from Graceless' rhythmic foundation. Riffs remain the backbone, with Björn Brusse's lead work adding melody in ways that enhance rather than overtake the core structure. Remco Kreft’s vocals remain in that gravelly sweet spot between wrath and sorrow, carried by tight rhythmic interplay from Jasper Aptroot and Marc Verhaar.

Where earlier albums often balanced their aggression with minimalistic pacing, “Icons Of Ruin” features more layered arrangements. Still, everything feels written with the stage in mind. Tracks like "Night Of The Slain" and "Hardening Of The Heart" hit with that mid-tempo groove that turns live venues into war zones, while others such as "Ungodliness" maintain speed and conciseness without losing depth.

The album’s character is heavy, solemn, and martial. Its pacing is consistent, resisting bloat and indulgence. Even with ten tracks, the runtime flows well, each song justifying its place. There’s no need for interludes or ambient distractions—“Icons Of Ruin” is a direct statement of intent from a band who knows exactly what they want to do and how to do it.

“Icons Of Ruin” doesn’t depend on stylistic flash or studio gimmicks. It’s built on cohesion, tone, pacing, and purpose. Graceless sounds seasoned and resolute, the sound of a band whose identity is firmly in place. This album doesn’t aim for reinvention but instead refinement—a further step into the bleak grandeur they’ve been sculpting since their inception.

Score: 8.2

Tyran | Tyran's Oath | Iron Shield Records (Original)/Listenable Records (Reissue)

 Tyran was born in a time of lockdown and uncertainty, emerging from the still-burning furnace of traditional heavy metal in 2020 with the demos “Highway Warriors” and “Fists Of Iron.” These early releases introduced the band’s stripped-down, no-compromise approach rooted in European heavy metal traditions, drawing influence from early ‘80s legends while maintaining their own battle-driven aesthetic. Their reputation grew in underground circles thanks to fiery live shows across German stages in 2023. In 2024, Tyran unleashed their debut album, “Tyran’s Oath,” a full-scale rallying cry built on steadfast riffs, pounding rhythms, and warlike imagery. The album aims to cement their place among a new generation of heavy metal warriors. With live triumphs behind them and more campaigns ahead, Tyran stands ready to carry their oath into the future.

“Tyran’s Oath” is direct and unwavering in its intent. The production is raw but legible, offering a mix that feels grounded in traditional studio aesthetics without relying on overprocessing or unnecessary modern gloss. The guitars are front and center, with steady chugging rhythms, classic gallops, and moments of fiery soloing that echo the grit of early German and British heavy metal. Drums maintain a strict march, never flashy, never falling behind. Bass is audible, with a firm low-end that adds weight to the guitars, especially during transitions and slower, stomping passages.

Vocals are delivered in an assertive and mid-range style, neither theatrical nor harsh. The delivery complements the lyrics, which rely on familiar topics such as battle, honor, vengeance, and freedom. Each track maintains a sense of forward drive, supported by a focus on hook-based riffing and strong chorus phrasing. “Protectors Of Metal” and “Tyran’s Oath” carry the thematic banner with rally-like refrains, while “Bomber” and “Assault” shift into more aggressive pacing.

Throughout the album, the band avoids complexity in favor of momentum and energy. There are no ballads, ambient interludes, or experiments—only solid, fist-in-the-air anthems crafted for small clubs, beer-soaked festivals, and underground halls. Even the two live recordings—“Heavy Metal Outlaws” and “Strike Of The Whip”—serve as affirmation of the band’s live credibility rather than bonuses or fillers. The crowd sounds and slightly looser execution add character without breaking the tone of the studio material.

The album closes on “Lightning Strikes,” a track that doesn’t aim for conclusion as much as it keeps the pulse alive for the stage to take over. This is music written for live translation, and its sense of repetition and structure works better when seen as part of a communal experience rather than as a solitary listening session. “Tyran’s Oath” doesn’t drag, nor does it rush. The sequence is balanced, and the runtime remains engaging for fans of no-frills heavy metal. It fits well within the traditions it draws from, avoiding modern genre fusions or deviations from its chosen path. 

Score: 8.8

Cadaver | Hymns Of Misanthropy | Listenable Records

 Cadaver stands among the earliest Norwegian death metal acts, emerging in 1988 out of Fredrikstad with an ambition to merge the violent churn of death metal with the unpredictability of thrash and progressive elements. Founded by Anders Odden and Ole Bjerkebakke, the band began making noise just as the Scandinavian metal underground was beginning to take shape. Their early material bore the chaotic tension of Napalm Death and the angular dissonance of Voivod while maintaining a level of compositional rawness that aligned them more with the death metal circles than their black metal contemporaries.

"Hymns Of Misanthropy" is a unique entry in their discography—not a contemporary creation, but a completion of work conceived during the sessions leading up to their 1992 album "...In Pains." Unfinished demos and fragments from that era were left to decay until Odden returned to the original Studio Tomb in Råde, Norway. With the classic lineup reassembled, Cadaver recorded new parts to finally complete the material, giving birth to a long-shelved chapter from the band’s past.

What emerges is not a nostalgic replication but a window into the creative energy the band wielded during the early ‘90s. Tracks like “Maltreated Mind Makes Man Manic” and “Chained To His Fate” reflect the abrasive structures and contorted riffing that characterized the band’s transitional period between "Hallucinating Anxiety" and "...In Pains." There's an unrefined edge to the songs that fits their timeline—riffs that twist rather than gallop, vocals that feel anguished more than performed, and a rhythm section that often feels on the verge of collapse in the best possible way.

Despite being constructed decades later, the album retains the sonic values of its origin point. There's no modern production gloss, nor does it feel artificially “vintage.” The guitar tone is jagged and dry, the drums punch with urgency, and the vocals snarl with the same strained venom that once placed Cadaver apart from both the death metal mainstream and their Norwegian peers moving toward black metal.

There’s a sense of fractured continuity throughout—the material never feels built for commercial presentation. Instead, it feels like a buried time capsule cracked open just long enough to exhale one last breath. Tracks like “Sunset At Dawn” and “Death Has To Wait” offer variation without sounding misplaced, while others like “Drowned In Dreams” stretch into more atmospheric, suffocating terrain.

In releasing "Hymns Of Misanthropy," Cadaver isn’t trying to reconnect with former glory or retrace old steps. A snapshot of a moment in extreme metal’s development that was left in limbo, now finally reanimated. Fans of their early works will find the sound and spirit here familiar—raw, blunt, dissonant, and unstable in the most authentic way.

Cadaver continues to exist on their own terms—neither as a legacy act nor as revivalists. This album is another brick in their uneven, restless path—one that began before many others and refuses to fall into step with anyone.

Score: 7.0