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By Andrew Bansal

To metalheads, Jason Newsted needs no introduction. After departing from Metallica in 2001, he has worked in several bands and projects like Voivod, Papa Wheelie, Echobrain, Gov’t Mule and WhoCares, but I always felt that his true return to metal was still impending. That day has finally arrived, and his power trio Newsted has been introduced to us in the form of a 4-track EP, simply titled ‘Metal’. He dons the bass and lead vocals in this band, along with Jessie Farnsworth on guitar and Jesus Mendez Jr on drums. The trio have jammed together in Jason’s own Chophouse Studio in California, working on their chemistry and musical bonding, and the result of all that hard work is in front of us with this EP, accompanied by the promise of a full-length album this spring. As expected, the EP has generated quite the hype, and has been gleefully grabbed onto by the metal world. I must admit, I’m a bit late in catching hold of this and giving it a proper listen, but better late than never, right?  Continue reading “Newsted – Metal EP [8 out of 10]”

By Andrew Bansal

Swedish old-school heavy metal band Enforcer have been around since 2004. Till now they have released two albums ‘Into The Night’ and ‘Diamonds’, and graced the stage at many European festivals, winning new fans over with their adherence to the true ways of old school metal, in terms of the musical style, the attitude, and the looks. Now, the band is ready to release their third studio album ‘Death By Fire’. It comes out on February 1st in Europe and March 5th in North America, fittingly by one of the most ardent supporters of old-school metal, Nuclear Blast Records. I enjoyed the first two Enforcer records, but I must admit, because of the plethora of such ‘old-school revival’ acts popping up these days, specially from Sweden, I was a little sceptical about whether this new album will hold fort amongst the cut-throat competition, and whether or not it will get lost somewhere in the shuffle. But it proved me wrong completely, and in Enforcer’s ‘Death By Fire’, we have with us what promises to be one of the most impressive albums of 2013. Continue reading “Enforcer – Death By Fire [10 out of 10]”

By Andrew Bansal

Connecticut’s longstanding hardcore-influenced metal band Hatebreed are ready to release ‘The Divinity Of Purpose’, the sixth studio album in their nearly 18-year old career till date. Releasing next Tuesday January 29th 2013 via Razor & Tie in the US and having already been released in Europe on January 25th via Nuclear Blast Records, this one treats the listeners with 34 minutes of no-bullshit heavy metal, and shouldn’t disappoint any of the fans. As for me, I’ve always appreciated the intense atmosphere the band creates in their live performances and very much enjoyed their gigs at the Hollywood Palladium in November 2009 as well as the Mayhem Fest set in summer 2010, but to be honest, I didn’t put their studio albums on the same intensity level. I still decided to give this new album a try, and I’m glad I did so because it sure has got some fire in its belly. Continue reading “Hatebreed – The Divinity Of Purpose [9 out of 10]”

By Avinash Mittur

Helloween fans tend to be divided among those who stand solely by the Keeper Of The Seven Keys records and those who love all eras of the band. One thing all of those fans can easily agree on however is the fact that Helloween are at their best when they are extremely focused in their musical direction. The Keepers records, The Dark Ride and 7 Sinners are proof that when Helloween decide on a consistent sound and theme and follow through with it, the results are stellar (Unarmed being the notable exception). Luckily, Straight Out of Hell proves to fall in line with the better records in Helloween’s catalog and is a strong addition to the great discography they have amassed over nearly thirty years. Continue reading “Helloween – Straight Out Of Hell [8.5 out of 10]”

By Andrew Bansal

Amidst hundreds of bands that play the style of music we love to listen to and support, very seldom comes a band that catches the eyes and ears straightaway, and it’s even rarer for such a band to have a long-lasting impact. When I saw Holy Grail for the first time as they performed at Anaheim’s Chain Reaction club in December 2009, I immediately put them in this rare category. Even though they draw influences from bands that I’m not at all unfamiliar with, there was just something about Holy Grail’s music which made them stand out all on their own. Over the course of the next two years, I grew to love their live performances both as opening act and headliners, and thoroughly enjoyed their two releases, the “Improper Burial” EP and the debut full length “Crisis In Utopia”. Needless to say, I was eagerly anticipating their next album, and a few days back, I was excited to get an advance promo link from their label. Continue reading “Holy Grail – Ride The Void [9.5 out of 10]”

By Avinash Mittur

The San Francisco Bay Area has primarily been known for its contributions to thrash metal over the years, but too few know of the great classic and traditional metal that the scene has put out. Some like Hammers of Misfortune have pushed the old styles in new and unique directions, while others like Slough Feg have maintained a sound firmly rooted in the ’70s and ’80s. One of the newest groups out of the Bay Area to celebrate classic heavy metal, Space Vacation, certainly aren’t taking the genre into uncharted territory, but they are doing a damn fine job of paying homage to the vintage sounds of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and early thrash. These guys are set to release their second record, Heart Attack, on Pure Steel Records on January 25th. Continue reading “Space Vacation – Heart Attack [8 out of 10]”