Thunderchief - With Hatchet, Pike Or Morning Star... (EP Review)

Release Date: July 01st 2026. Record Label: ASR Records. Formats: CD/DD

With Hatchet, Pike or Morning Star… - Tracklist

Malaise

Chintzy

Catch My Fall

Entrance of the Devil (Zior)

Lie Nation

Slurpee

Members

Rik Surly - Vocals/Guitar/Bass

Erik Larson - Drums

Review

Doom/Sludge Metallers Thunderchief offer their new EP With Hatchet, Pike Or Morning Star... onto an unsuspecting audience. The record is driven by a black metal approach and down-tuned style of music where the band play some of the fastest and nastiest grooves of their career  within the excellent opening track of Malaise. Thunderchief plays a more violent slab of Punk Metal you’ll encounter in some time. The music is played against long drawn out Doom/Sludge Metal soundscapes that have echoes of SLEEP running throughout. 

You can hear elements of HIGH ON FIRE and  MOTORHEAD running violently free against the backdrop of nightmarish Drone Metal themes and distorted Blackened Sludge Metal firmly settling down for a fast-paced journey into the vast darkness of the underground on the brutal second offering Chintzy. The vocals are violent and way over the top that are delivered by Rik Surly who is on highly inspired devilish form.

The music adapts itself to more modern day Crust Punk surroundings that allows Thunderchief to firmly remain in MOTORHEAD territory on the remainder of the record. Thunderchief splice out lo-fi carvings of the Extreme Metal scene at times before merging within their Punk Metal delivery on tracks such as: Catch My Fall, Entrance of the Devil (Zior), Lie Nation and Slurpee which remain the some of the heaviest, seediest and dirtiest parts of the record. 

Thunderchief are never afraid to offer the listener a seedy, unapologetic and in some cases deeply flawed production values on the EP. As With Hatchet, Pike Or Morning Star… ultimately provides a thrilling picture of the brutal Doom/Sludge Metal underground scene you rarely witness.

Thunderchief channels some epic SUNN 0))) vibes with the aspects of Drone Metal reaching crazy levels of pure heaviness but the music is still riff heavy where the band never disappoints especially with the excellent drumming from Erik Larson being my favourite aspect of the EP. Erik’s fully committed or perhaps possessed by the POWER OF SATAN which allows Rik to deliver some mammoth sounding instrumental passages of his very own.

With Hatchet, Pike Or Morning Star… is a little short running around twenty two minutes in length but it provides an action-packed ride that’s fun, filthy and brutally entertaining that leaves you wanting more. 

Excellent and Highly Recomemnded.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

www.thethunderchief.com

https://www.facebook.com/thunderchiefrva/

https://www.instagram.com/thunderchiefofficial/

https://thethunderchief.bandcamp.com/music

Nxmad - The Second Fall (Album Review)

Release Date: July 03rd 2026. Record Label: APF Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Second Fall - Tracklist

1.Men's Rea

2.Amber 04:37

3.Domicide

4.Vertigo 04:36

5.Bridge Burner

6.Transmissions

7.Actus Reus

Members

Drian Nash - vocals

Lewis Atkinson - guitar

John Carberry - bass

Liam MacBeath - drums

Taz Corona-Brown - guest vocals on Actus Reus 

Review

Doom/Hardcore/Sludge Metallers Nxmad return with their first album since reforming back in 2021 where they were originally known as Nomad. The band have dropped their Stoner Metal sound that appeared on their earlier records for a heavier style of Hardcore to level out the playing field. There’s also a heavy reliance on Thrash Metal and Speed Metal which you can feel from the opening stages of the excellent record The Second Fall.

Nxmad offer some solid classic hard rock and heavy metal hooks which compliments the dirty Doomed out sounds throughout the album. The band feel influenced by the likes of Motorhead, Metallica, Hatebreed, Crowbar and Kingdom Of Sorrow on this record but with that heart-thumping Hardcore edge giving this album a real modern “METALLIC” vibe.

Nxmad waste no time “FUCKING AROUND” by getting straight down to business of playing this THRASH METAL beatdowns throughout the stunning array of opening tracks Mens Rea, Amber and Domicide. The vocals from Drain Nash are always welcome to hear as he has a pummelling and violent aura to his whole performance. Drain Nash does channel his inner Punk Metaller for this record which works superbly well with the groove metal sounds that dominate the first half of the record.

The Second Fall isn’t over-produced with Nxmad projecting the right balance of modern day aggression and underground seediness which adds to the overall HEAVY METAL effect on the album within the massive thrash beats and sludgy grooves that continue to aim for maximum damage. There is a level of Post-Doom and Psychedelic awareness that develops on this record though mostly hidden in the background which come into play within the final stages of the record.

Nxmad continue to develop a harsh, unforgiving and abrasive energy where the Thrash Metal and Speed Metal aspects of their music fully collide with superb results on tracks Domicide, Vertigo and Bridge Burner. The raw atmosphere does feel like it’s been conjured from a long gone era of Hardcore, Groove and Sludge Metal but Nxmad know how to inject modern based atmospheres into the final mix. 

The standout track on the album has to be the final song Actus Reus which calls upon the amazing vocal talents of Taz Corona-Brown (Coma Smile and Undersmile). I’ve been a huge fan of Taz for years and it feels like it’s been an absolute age since I’ve heard her superb vocals where she really delivers here. The song allows Nxmad to delve into creative surroundings such as Post-Rock, Shoegaze and Post-Doom. The song works best when the quieter parts appear but you need those epic THRASH, DOOM and SLUDGE METAL elements to appear so Nxmad can close the album on an almighty finish.

The Second Fall is a superb record with Nxmad delivering some of their most interesting music yet which should leave the listener ultimately fulfilled with its non-stop amount of punishing sounds that will leave you a shivering wreck before everything is finished.

Words by Steve Howe

The Second Fall is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via APF Records.

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Doom/Heavy/Stoner Metallers OCCULT MASTER New Single HEAVY METAL MADNESS Out Now From Forthcoming New Album

Promo picture by Emil Risto

The Finnish Heavy Doom band Occult Master are set to release their self-titled debut album on August 14th 2026 via Inverse Records. The third single and music video 'Heavy Metal Madness' out now on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/occult-master-heavy-metal-madness

The band comments:

"Fast, dark and heavy, this song is a relentless, raw homage to the origins of technical heavy and trash metal. The track delves into the dark recesses of the mind, the delusions of madness, and the excruciating pain of life’s finiteness. Catchy riffs and technical interludes alternate with a maddening logic. This track will get your head bobbing and your fists pumping! Even the most stoned listener will wake up from their slumber and start singing along to the easily adopted chorus ! The icing on the cake, and a real treat for guitarists, is the modern and complex hero solo. "

BIOGRAPHY:

"Occult Master was founded in 2012 in Oulu, Finland, first starting as a heavy rock/doom band. After a line‑up change in 2020, the musical style turned faster, more rhythmic and more complex. Occult Master’s music is heavy, versatile and full of nuances, ranging from full‑throttle metal blasting to quiet, subtle and beautifully eerie musical landscapes. The band’s roots lie strongly in the classic heavy metal of the 1970s and 1980s. The songs are delivered in a hardy, straightforward and no‑nonsense style. In the dark‑toned music, the lyrics deal with different matters of life and the world in general, and at times even horror stories told with a devilish grin.

LISTEN to the first single 'Island of Leper': https://push.fm/fl/occult-master-island
LISTEN to the second single 'Gnarly Geezer': https://push.fm/fl/occult-master-gnarly-geezer

Occult Master - Occult Master (Album 2026) - Track list:

1. Just Another Nail in the Failier's Coffin
2. Island of Leper
3. Heavy Metal Madness
4. Lucifer's Henchman
5. Ground of the Damned
6. Who Is Our Enemy
7. Sorry Soul
8. Soothing Swamp
9. Gnarly Geezer

Recorded by Jussi Risto
Mixed & mastered by Kimmo Lukkari
Cover art by Jarno Vesa

CD PRE-ORDERS from HERE.

Occult Master are:

Ari Eskola – guitars and vocals
Toni Mäki – bass and backing vocals
Jussi Risto – drums

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/occultmasterband
https://occultmaster.bandcamp.com

Thanks to Inverse Records for the details.

Doom Metal/Post-Metal Collective THE SALT PALE COLLECTIVE Announce Upcoming Second Album

The Salt Pale Collective return with their crushing second album ‘...and God said nothing’.

A reflection and rejection of these truly fucked times, TSPC have created the only appropriate response: monster riffs, heavenly noise and their signature vocal duality.

Building on and eclipsing their debut album a body that could pass through stones and trees, Dave, Alex and Dan have refined that sound, taking it darker, deeper, heavier and….. stranger.

Six songs that pile unhinged samples onto massive riffs, vocals from the depths combined with layered loveliness and forlorn despair.

The follow up to their standalone single Northern Darkness and the 2023 debut album 'A Body That Could Pass Through Stones and Trees' is out on the 31st of July 2026 on white vinyl, CD and the less objectionable streaming sites. The first single 'Raised aloft upon the horns of the celestial bull' is released on 17th July 2026

General band Bio and Info -

The Salt Pale Collective bring you crushing guitars, forlorn vocals and synthesiser madness from the grim and frostbitten North (of England).

Coming together in 2021 when Alex and Dave from Cumbrian band The Sun Explodes wanted to make something much more raw and primal. Adding Dan from Yorkshire with his synths and modular gear to bring chaos and dissonance to the oceans of low riffs, choral vocals and guttural harshness.

The Self Titled 'The Salt Pale Collective EP' was the debut recording of the North of England based outfit.

The Salt Pale Collective have used the wildly contrasting vocals of Dave and Alex along with Dan's electronic interventions to create a project of seemingly disparate parts joining together to form something truly unique.

For fans of; Blood Incantation, Cult Of Luna, Amenra, Neurosis, The Ocean, Mur

Press Quotes;

"I have found myself spinning this album more than any other I’ve reviewed. For fans of post-metal, A Body That Could Pass Through Stones and Trees is essential listening." - The Progressive Subway

"The unfathomably oppressive atmosphere that haunts the entirety of this record feels like an entire nation crying in anguish at times." - EverythingIsNoise

"The band is obviously rooted in some fairly Progressive Doom/Sludge/Post-Metal, but their EP reveals much more than that, feeding an oppressive slowness with a surprising mix of voices. 90/100". - Acta infernalis - Deathliger's Reviews.

"The Salt Pale Collective are a very special creature; in fact, the English trio is the author of a remarkable cross between sludge doom and post-rock, with the two apparently dichotomous souls that follow each other along the four long tracks, creating an alienating and compelling atmosphere". - Mournful Sounds.

"An Impressive debut for the British trio. Wild and innovative vocal contrast, with dark groans and angelic vocals collide for a unique 30 minute journey". - Rotation11.

"UK doomers The Salt Pale Collective have assembled a cinematic masterpiece with this EP. Sometimes the melodies are floating and celestial; other times they writhe through grit and sludge. The band uses a wide range of noise, vocals, and instrumentation to sculpt monstrous landscapes that drip, shimmer, and evolve before your eyes. This EP is captivating and ghastly, and you won’t want to miss a second of it". - Doom and Dead.

"The Salt Pale Collective is a sweeping, heavy and yet almost cinematic prospect in the scene, and the band have found themselves a sound to call their own" - The Killchain.

"This twelve minute beast from the North of England combines jarring instrumentation, a chilling combination of melodic and harsh tones accompanied by a whole host of electronic/synth elements, taking you on a wild journey of experimentation." - Dan McHugh Distorted Sound Mag.​
​

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE drop first advance single 'Departure' & details of new album "In Between Strides"

BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE drop the first advance single, 'Departure', from their fourth album "In Between Strides". The forthcoming new full-length by the German shoegaze rockers has been slated for release on September 18, 2026, via Magnetic Eye Records.

Pre-orders are available HERE

Listen to 'Departure' below:

BEES MADE HONEY comment: "'Departure' was the first song that we wrote for 'In Between Strides'", frontman Simon Weinrich reveals. "It was by far the hardest song to write for this record. It exemplifies our struggle of finding out where to go next after 'Aion'. It was clear from the start that we wanted to go into a more melodic direction and more straightforward songs compared to our previous album. The second part of the song started as a separate composition, but we added it later since it is a nice conclusion of the first part. Our first demo of the second part was recorded at a studio near Passau. This is where the inclusion of a Fender Rhodes piano played through our regular guitar-setup stems from. It began as an experiment and was later re-recorded at Milberg Studios. Lyrically, 'Departure' portrays the first step and point of departure for our journey beyond our old ways of working. We recorded each song without knowing what the next one was going to sound like."

Tracklist:

1. Departure
2. Respite
3. Clutching at Straws
4. Elisa
5. Return, Precipice

When German four-piece BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE began to find their bearings on where to go next from the success of their previous full-length, "Aion" (2023), the core idea for the fourth album, "In Between Strides", was to take a more melodic approach. All else, they would leave to the creative process and somewhat to chance.

Recording one song at a time without knowing what the next would sound like, the track 'Elisa' was the first step forward and became the binding link between the previous and new albums. 'Elisa' came into being as a jam captured on the last day of recording during the "Aion" sessions, which was later heavily condensed and augmented with added instrumentation to create more structure and depth.

BEES MADE HONEY recorded every other song on "In Between Strides" in various settings that were available to them at the time of creation: a cavernous cellar, a concert stage, an indoor balcony, a living room, their rehearsal space, even returning to the studio where their first album "Medicine" was tracked.

Through this spontaneous and shifting approach, BEES MADE HONEY began to move texturally and stylistically from ambient and drone toward shoegaze along with more acoustic elements. According to their original plan, "In Between Strides" stepped into more melodic territory, with each song representing a different aspect of the band's musical vocabulary.

Lyrically, "In Between Strides" portrays a journey of uncertain outcomes, a departure, and a search for something not yet defined. Although this mirrors the experience of BEES MADE HONEY in finding new creative paths and ways of expression, the lyrics paint a broader picture that is not limited to the German's personal experiences or life-circumstances.

BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE originate from the Swabian capital and German city of Stuttgart. All four members grew up together, eventually forming the band in 2014. Their musical template of ambient psychedelic doom was established with the debut album "Medicine" in 2017, and their sound has continued to evolve ever since.

With their sophomore full-length "Grandmother" (2019), their sonic scope expanded through lower tunings, densely layered effects, faster passages, and harsher vocals. The Swabians began performing live, both at home and abroad, in front of continuously growing audiences. This development physically manifested in the recording and release of "Harvestmen (live)" in 2022.

BEES MADE HONEY took a leap forward with third full-length "Aion", which was widely praised by audiences and critics alike. This album features spacious, dynamic compositions that move from drifting tranquility to raging power in a constant tidal movement of spaced-out guitars, pounding basslines, and dripping drum fills.

While "Aion" easily transcended BEES MADE HONEY's psychedelic doom label into something deeper and more resonant, "In Between Strides" roams faster and further.

With "In Between Strides", BEES MADE HONEY have turned rage into reflection by developing a more organic and spontaneous approach to their songs, opening up wide spaces and letting the melodies flow freely. This musical honey tastes simply delicious.

Line-up

Simon Weinrich – guitar, vocals, Rhodes piano
Marc Dreher – drums, vocals, Rhodes piano
Lucas Dreher – guitar
Christopher Popowitsch – bass

Guest musicians

Luis Deffner (JAMHED) – piano on 'Elisa'

Recorded by Ralv Milberg at Zentrum Zinsholz, Ostfildern (DE)
Mixed by Ralv Milberg & Simon Weinrich at Milberg Studios, Stuttgart (DE)
Mastered by Ralv Milberg at Milberg Studios, Stuttgart (DE)

Artwork & layout by Christopher Popowitsch

Links

https://beesmadehoneyintheveintree.com
www.facebook.com/beesmadehoneyintheveintree
www.instagram.com/beesmadehoneyintheveintree

Thanks to All Noir and Magnetic Eye Records for the details.

Dark Post-Rock quartet BANK MYNA join Cerbère Coryphée / Dead Pig booking agency and announce European tour alongside blackened doom trio DEÛLE.

Photo credit: Pierre Sopor Montali.

On stage, dark post-rock/ritual quartet BANK MYNA not only perform shows, they break new ground. Between hypnotic silences and controlled sonic explosions, the audience is first drawn in, then completely immersed in a wave of power and emotion. The performance takes on the air of a collective trance... They’ll be touring Europe this autumn, with doom band DEÛLE.

TOUR DATES - Tickets


14.08.2026 NASBINALS, FR Mordor Fest
15.08.2026 CLERMONT-FERRAND, FR Cosmic Sessions
15.10.2026 AMIENS, FR Accueil Froid *
16.10.2026 DUSSELDORF. DE Linkes Centrum *
17.10.2026 TUBINGEN, DE Heimat To Hell Fest *
19.10.2026 LJUBLJANA, SL Gromka *
20.10.2026 ZAGREB, CR MOCVARA *
21.10.2026 BUDAPEST, HU A38 *
22.10.2026 WARSAW, PL 2skola *
23.10.2026 KATOWICE, PL Music Hub *

* with Deûle

Artwork: Maud Harribey / Layout: Daniel Machо́n

Formed in Paris in 2013, BANK MYNA build a singular sonic universe where dark post-rock blends with drone, experimentation, and doom-laden undertones. The quartet creates music that unfolds slowly-textured, immersive, and charged with unrelenting emotional intensity. A spectral, haunting voice rises through silence and noise like an invocation, guiding the listener across shifting landscapes that teeter between fragility and collapse.

On stage, BANK MYNA transcend the idea of a live show to deliver something closer to a ritual. Their trance-like shows oscillate between stillness and sudden eruptions, drawing the audience in before immersing them in sheer sonic force. Audiences at the Culthe Fest, Post in Paris, and countless French and European venues have already witnessed the raw power and beauty of their craft.
Their new live-session at Beaux-Arts de Paris came out on video, vinyl and CD in May 20th through Medication Time Records and Stellar Frequencies.

LINE-UP

Fabien DELMAS: guitar
Maud HARRIBEY: vocals, keys, violin
Constantin DU CLOSEL: drums, percussions
Daniel MACHÓN: bass

BANK MYNA Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Deûle

Deûle plays Synth Doom, a dark sound designed by strong Black Metal, Indus and Doom accents, with a sound shaped by weirdo synths and synthetic bass. The strident guitar and drums, create a sound overhung by a voice that ranges from fragility to heartbreak and madness. In 2025 Vincent (Sunstare, Bâtard Bâtardes, ex-Yonic) becomes the new Deûle guitarist following JB departure from the band, opening a new chapter.

The band appears at Frozen Fest and Itawak Fest in the Spring 2026 and will go on tour in Europe in October with Bank Myna. “L’appel du Vide” will be released on 02/10/2026 on Frozen Records and Medication Time Records.

LINE UP

Elya : vocals, synths
Vincent: guitar
Pierre: drums

Deûle Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Shake Promotion for the details.

Teiger - Bloodwork (Single Review)

Release Date: June 26th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Bloodwork - Tracklist

Bloodwork

Members

Talie Rose Eigeland: vocals, guitar, piano, percussion

Phillip Eldridge-Smith: bass, acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals, Moog

Jon Steele: drums, percussion

Review

Bloodwork is the latest single from Atmospheric Heavy Rock collective Teiger who released their widely acclaimed debut album back in 2023. Teiger traverses within the heavier and darker side of Desert Rock with the band touching upon areas of Prog Rock, Psych, Post-Rock, Shoegaze, Grunge and Alt-Rock themes. The band have quite a dreamy melodic sound for the most part but don't let that side of their music fool you. As they know when to transform into a heavier creative unit where their heavy volumes know no bounds.

Bloodwork sees the band explore a more emotionally charged sound with a subtle sideline in Nineties Alt Rock influences shining through such as Portishead. However, there’s more to Teiger's sound which is brilliantly centered on Talie Rose England’s spellbinding vocals which have influences ranging from Beth Gibbons, Dorthia Cottrell and I even get where the Grace Slick comparisons come from. This lady has amazing vocal range and it allows Teiger to have a deeper aggressive sound when the need calls for it.

Teiger's members are excellent musicians with the members playing multiple different instruments on this track alone. The band have also called upon the amazing talents of Jo Quall on cello which adds a subtle Post-Doom and Shoegaze sound towards the later stages of the track. There is a hidden seductive energy that instantly draws the listener in with dreamy psychedelics that shows a darker style of Desert Rock that you don’t experience much these days. 

If you dig the likes of Portishead, Yawning Man, SOM, Slow Crush and Windhand then Teiger will blow you away with this stunning track that makes me quite excited to hear their upcoming second album.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram