The Virginmarys – Divides

The Virginmarys – Divides

Slick, snarky, solid punk rock, all words that describe Divides, the newest release from Brit Rockers, The Virginmarys. Every track is chocked full of high energy, grit, and attitude, the kind that makes you confused  on whether you want to dance, mosh,  or fight or all three.

Some say punk is dead but one listen to Divides and those rumors will be put to rest.  Divides is fist pumping, boot stomping, and vivacious hype inducing. The lyrics are blunt and unrepentant, backed by the trio’s fired up riffs and beats.  No lie, this album is nothing short of amazing. Even when they take the tempo down a notch with a slower song like “Moths to a Flame” the passion and aggression prevalent through the album is still felt without missing a beat.

The fact that the tracks feel so big and rowdy; especially coming out of a “traditional” punk three-piece is kick-ass as well. To accomplish such a rambunctious sound with only the “bare bones”; guitar, bass, drums, some distortion, and a lot of attitude, which is quite honestly exactly what punk is all about.

If you’re already a fan, then you can rest easy, The Virginmarys are just getting better and better, if you are totally unaware of who these guys arem stop reading, get on itunes or soundcloud and educate yourself like NOW.

Check them out:

facebook.com/thevirginmarysofficial

thevirginmarys.com

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on January 28, 2017

Blood Region - For All the Fallen Heroes

Blood Region - For All the Fallen Heroes

If Slayer and In Flames formed a super group or at minimum a game of Dungeons and Dragons, Blood Reign’s newest release For All the Fallen Heroes would be either the result or what was blasting during game time. 

A magnificent blend of intense harmonic riffs, gruff and meaty vocals, and a slamming rhythm section, Blood Reign manages to be both articulate, as well as savage. For All the Fallen Heroes stands out for its distinctive balance of emotional depth, while maintaining a level of simplicity. The entire EP will inspire introspection, but isn’t preachy or pompous. For All the Fallen Heroes exudes a “this is what we are, take it or leave it” sense to it.  This message usually gets lost in translation among gruesome imagery for “shock value” and just general pretentiousness, in metal. 

It’s rare you can find an EP that can fit the mood; they rock when you wanna kick back and chill and they rock when you want to blast some shit to get hype, but Blood Reign managed to accomplish this flawlessly on For All the Fallen Heroes.  Exhibiting an amazing blend of melody and mayhem, For All the Fallen Heroes, knocks it out of the park. 

Check them out:

facebook.com/bloodregion

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on January 31, 2017

bloodrockmedia.com

facebook.com/bloodrockmedia

Hate Unbound - Plague

Hate Unbound - Plague

The Motor City is going to be taken over by molten metal on February 17th, the date Hate Unbound is scheduled to release their debut album, Plague, courtesy of Inverse Records. Hate Unbound, made up of Art Giammara (vocals), Daryl Mitchell (guitar), William Cundiff (guitar), Sean Demura (bass), and Franklin Hannah (drums), make no excuses but what they do make is heavy, groove-laden death and trash metal.

From the moment Plague begins it is abundantly clear Hate Unbound is about to shred your face off. Coming at you with a straight savage metal fury, no mercy and leaves behind no prisoners, Plague hits like a sonic sledgehammer and will make your inner-sadist thank it for the pleasure. A hellacious harmonic mix of unholy sounds reminiscent of bands like Lamb of God, Deicide, and Death, Hate Unbound manages to sound as unique as they are fierce, avoiding the pitfall of mediocrity all too common among their metal brethren. The fellas know what they were doing and Plague does an excellent job at matching the vibe of the song, with the pace and length, keeping it short and sweet when necessary and expanding when it is called for.  Huge kudos for that!

The opening track, “Baptized in Lies” kicks off with the guttural, biting vocals, courtesy of Giammara and a violent attack by Hannah on drums. The guitar riffs by Mitchell and Cundiff emanate ominously throughout, not to mention the searing guitar solo which is like a cherry on top of this deliciously wicked sundae. Other tracks worth a mention are “Cut”, “Soiled”, and “The Fallen”, all exhibiting extraordinary guitar prowess, unfathomably powerful drumming, and intense grating vocals. From start to finish Plague is a solid piece of glorious, dark thrash metal art.

Hate Unbound is a breath of heavy, menacing air and with the release of Plague mid-February and a tour kicking off in April, you won’t want to miss a chance to breathe it all in.

Track Listing:

1. Baptized in Lies
2. Cut
3. Suffering
4. Burn Your Idols
5. Soiled
6. Puncture
7. Plague
8. I, Martyr
9. Grey Skies
10. The Fallen

Check out the guys from Hate Unbound:

facebook.com/HateUnbound/
reverbnation.com/HateUnbound
hateunbound.bandcamp.com/merch/

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on January 30, 2017

Softcore Suicide - R.I.P.

Softcore Suicide - R.I.P.

Fresh outta Finland, Softcore Suicide, dropped the attitude laden single “R.I.P.”. Softcore Suicide began when vocalist Petu, guitarists Samu and Laassi, bassist Sane, and drummer Aku joined forces in 2014, these guys bring their unique blend of hard rock, punk, and thrash that will appeals to fans of bands The Misfits or Motorhead. 

The vibe of this track (as well as others readily available on Spotify and YouTube) will make you wanna jump on a Harley or hop in a hotrod while wearing your most badass leather jacket and burn up the road. 

Check out their other kick ass singles as well “Bleed Until You’re Dead” and “Sick as Fuck” the mash up of solid groove and no fucks given attitude make these European up and comers infectious and their zero fucks given let’s rage attitude is undeniable, this is rock raw and roaring.

Check them out:

open.spotify.com/album/2zdduQlsm8dFBZr32TDRzq

twitter.com/SoftcoreSuicide

instagram.com/softcoresuicide/

youtube.com/channel/UCvtCR8DSyvGSDtXNnWtW-2A

soundcloud.com/softcoresuicide

facebook.com/pg/Itsarit

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on January 27, 2017

www.bloodrockmedia.com

facebook.com/bloodrockmedia

NORD - ALPHA

NORD - ALPHA

Danish melodic progressive rockers, NORD are set to release their debut EP titled Alpha on March 3, 2017 courtesy of Inverse Records.  Forming in 2013 in Denmark, NORD set out with the ambition of creating heavy music with a Nordic feeling while combining dreamy soundscapes, tight riffs, and head bang worthy breakdowns.  So what do you get when you mix Alestorm, Flogging Molly, and Death with a pinch of Type O Negative and In Flames? You get NORD! 

Alpha is a blend of skillfully bellowed choruses and savage guttural vocals, which is perfect for many situations one may regularly partake, such as: pounding mead, raiding a village, or just straight up head banging. Every track is as catchy as they are asskicking. The brilliant mash ups of infectious melodies and biting riffs fit pretty much any metal head’s taste and mood from let’s rage to fuck it I’m going for a drive.  One would be hard pressed to deny the animal magnetism of NORD’s sound as demonstrated in their debut single “Rosehip Garden”, which garnered the group much deserved international attention.  The third track on Alpha, “Restless”, has similar badass anthem appeal as such beloved tracks like Pantera’s “Walk” or “Art of Ruin” by Lamb of God.   It is just the damn good!  Seriously!

When the EP drops March 3rd of this year don’t be the last of your fellow metal heads to put this into your regular rotation, you will regret it.  If this is how NORD is beginning their careers, then we will be hearing A LOT from them in the future and we will get to say ‘you heard it at Bloodrock Media first’.

You can check out their lyric video for “Rosehip Garden” here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CeLUUuI1Ds

Line-up:
Bjarne Brogaard Matthiesen - Vocals
Niels Thybaek-Hanson - Guitar
Thomas Bogh Jensen - Guitar
Peter Littau - Bass
Magnus Elisson - Drums


Tracklist:
1. Kill the Marshalls
2. Rosehip Garden
3. Restless
4. Omega


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nordmetal

Written by: Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media

Sleepwalkers - Hollowpath

Sleepwalkers - Hollowpath

Sleepwalkers, established in 2010 by Mike Watts to create slow, melodic death/doom metal that evoke visions of shifting dreams and bleak nightmares within a heavy framework of dark overtones and deeply tortured screams, roared emotionally by Caleb Bergen and rumbling bass lines provided by Daniel Luces to accompany the thick, layered guitars laid down by Watts.

On October 14th, 2016, Sleepwalkers released their somber, crushingly heavy album, Hollowpath, via Transcending Records and dark, severe, marvelous, and heavy as fuck are just a few ways to describe this delicious morsel of doom metal. While the EP is more sludgy metal style, the blend of pacing and throat slashing guitar riffs will have even the speed freaks throwing up their horns.

These Texas boys do right by melodic doom metal by creating a complete audio atmosphere of sobering steady ferocity and darkness, while maintaining a very solid sense of time. Their attention to the details is evident in their ‘against the doom metal norm’ of ending a track when the track is over, not keeping a track going just because doom metal tracks are supposed to be 13 minutes long.

The second track on Hollowpath, “Sliver of Salvation”, is particularly badass with its explosive opening but, truthfully, the entire EP is solid. From start to finish it never provides an opening for a listener to get bored. The breadth of disconsolate brilliance exhibited on Hollowpath saves it from suffering from the dreaded ‘EP Syndrome’; too short and fans lose interest because it will a while before the band puts out anything new, that is if they don’t break up before then. While the anticipation of a full length album is there, the order of the tracks, the pacing of each track and depth/quality of each song on Hollowpath will keep fans interested and will keep them satisfied for quite some time.

A solid, enjoyable (in the most depressing and dark way possible) listen from start to finish for anyone that likes their music as dark and intense as a soul crushing abyss. Hollowpath is everything Sleepwalkers strive to be “the embodiment of despair, grief, and loss in musical form and showcases new forms of desolate melancholy with which to bring thoughts of overwhelming hopelessness to the listener”.


Album Lineup:
Mike Watts - Guitars,Drums
Caleb Bergen - Vocals
Daniel Luces - Bass


Tracklist:
1 Hollowpath (7:04)
2 Sliver of Salvation (6:20)
3 The Burning Oracle (6:34)
4 Netherworld (7:07)



A video for the track “Hollowpath” can be seen here: https://youtu.be/blgsiS7vftM


Written By: Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on January 2, 2017

Gabriel and the Apocalypse - Ghost Parade

GABRIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE - GHOST PARADE

Written by Keren Weiss on November 7, 2016 

Minneapolis natives, Gabriel and the Apocalypse, released their third album Ghost Parade in early October courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.  Vocalist Lindy Gabriel, the mad scientist behind the magnificence that is Gabriel and the Apocalypse, successfully merged edgy industrial rock with female fronted angst.  The group has built quite the impressive underground following, mainly due to their extraordinarily intense and theatrical videos.  Ghost Parade is sure to launch the band to new heights with major worldwide distribution and exposure.

Ghost Parade is an amalgamation of gut wrenching chords melded with pain and oppression influenced vocals and can only be described as; heavy yet feminine, staggering yet settling, and passionate yet peaceful.  Bringing forth what could only be considered a hauntingly beautiful piece of industrial rock art or better still, if OTEP, Trent Reznor, Shirley Manson, and Tori Amos gave birth to a music love child, Ghost Parade would be the result. 

The first track on Ghost Parade, “March of Dolls”, just screams BAD ASS!  Bestowing female vocals rarely heard today, it’s refreshing to hear a female vocalist not trying to sound like anyone else or be someone else, just being her.  “March of Dolls” opens with a wavering guitar riff and mix-up of loops, but it is Gabriel’s vocals that make “March of Dolls” stand out from the typical industrial fare; clean, beautiful, and packed full of emotion. 

The thunderous tracks “Beauty under Glass” and “Thrill of the Kill” roar in after a brief jaunt to the softer side of GATA; both tracks incorporate rich electronic samples with beefy, powerful drums, showcasing the talent of Zach Williams (drums).  The title track, “Ghost Parade” is harsh, almost venomous; Gabriel’s vocals ranging from spoken word to pseudo-rapping, Gabriel spits every word with contempt and fury. “Since We’ve Become Ghosts”, the last track on Ghost Parade, is creepy, brooding and unnerving; certain to make the hair on your arms stand on end.  Quiet, almost a whisper, vocals almost guaranteed to send chills up your spine.

Overall, Ghost Parade is epic, full of emotion, and addictive.  Every song is packed full of emotion, from longing to wanting to revenge.  The track intros pull you in, keep you listening, and yearning for what’s to come.  Gabriel’s lyrics are relatable, evocative, and commanding; her remarkable vocal talent together with the power of the band leaves little doubt that GATA is deservedly going places.

Lindy Gabriel – Vocals

Jake LaCore – Guitar

Figgles McGee – Synths/Samples

JACE – Bass

Joey Conelly – Guitar

Zach Williams – Drums

http://gabrielandtheapocalypse.com/

https://www.facebook.com/GabrielandtheApocalypse/

http://www.pavementmusic.com/

KIRRA – Run Away

KIRRA – Run Away

Rockers and Oklahoma natives Kirra released their debut album, Run Away, on October 7^th courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.  As guitarist Daxton Page puts it with a strong emphasis on the word “rock”, meaning “straight up and raw”.   Their first EP, Sounds from an Empty Room, grabbed the attention of internet radio stations and social media fans in 2014, which prompted lead vocalist, Jesse Williamson, to continue the writing process for a full length release.

While Run Away may not appeal to the more intense metalheads, it will appeal to those that enjoy the rock of the 90’s.  It is quite reminiscent of Sound Garden and Filter, with a bit of Switchfoot and Puddle of Mudd tossed in for excitement.   Kirra may overall be a traditional rock band, but don’t let the smooth face full you with these guys, there are a handful of tracks on Run Away that shed their ‘boys next door’ persona and are pretty damn heavy.   For example, tracks such as “Chemicals” and the closer “Too Far Gone” boast delicious breakdowns and have more of an edge. 

Run Away delivers exactly what Kirra intended, straight forward rock and roll.  So many rock bands take themselves too seriously and try to force a message down fans throats, Kirra doesn’t do any of that here.  They didn’t intentionally make the album radio friendly to have the masses singing along with every track, they stayed true to themselves and put out rock and roll that most people can or have related to at some point in their lives.  That gives Run Away wide market appeal, regardless if that was their intention or not.  While it is initially tempting to brand Kirra another pop rock band that will probably get some pretty good radio play and then fizzle out, they are much more than that.  These fellas are honest, talented, and true to rock and roll music. Run Away proves that it isn’t necessary to have a lot of flash and dazzle to have a beefy, fresh, poignant, and straight shooting rock album.

Track List:

1.    Tappy Gilmore

2.    Fly

3.    Lies

4.    Lay You Down

5.    Run Away

6.    Chemicals

7.    Downfall

8.    Should’ve Been Gone

9.    Drown

10.  Stay

11.  Forgive Me

12.  Too Far Gone

Lineup:

Jesse Williamson – Lead Vocals/Guitar

Ryne McNeill – Bass Guitar/Vocals

Daxton Page – Lead Guitar

Zach Stafford – Drums

www.kirramusic.com/

www.facebook.com/KirraMusic

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media

www.bloodrockmedia.com

Temple Agents - Live Santiago de Chile

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 4, 2016

Temple Agents, a hard rock band from Santiago, Chile, formed in 2009 by their two founding members, Ale Solar and Fernando Elizalde. Since the band’s inception, they have toured all over Chile and opened for bands such as Seether and Evanescence. They were also part of the 2013 Lollapalooza Chile lineup, sharing the stage with Pearl Jam, The Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age, A Perfect Circle, and others.  Their live album, Live Santiago de Chile, was released on July 1, 2016.

Temple Agents is best described as Alice in Chains meets Soundgarden, the 90s alternative and grunge influences are undeniable.  And when you are lucky enough to have alternative rock legend Kevin Martin (Candlebox) doing collaboration tracks, like Live Santiago de Chile’s first track, “Divine Lightning” has, you can still pull off the grunge thing in 2016.  Solar’s vocal skills are not only unique but absolutely flawless; the pure amount of talent he possesses in his voice is almost unbelievable. 

While the biggest issue with live albums is they typically are filled with bad mixing, not the clean vocals and unfiltered bass you get from a studio album, somehow Temple Agents pulled it off.  Aside from the cheering of the crowd every so often as a reminder, you completely forget that Live Santiago de Chile is live.  Tracks like “Red Demons”, “Divine Lightning”, and “Find the Place” exhibit powerhouse vocals and will keep grunge fans entranced for the duration.

TTNG - Disappointment Island

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on September 20, 2016 

British math rockers, TTNG (formerly known as This Town Needs Guns), released their third full length album titled Disappointment Island in July 2016.  Math rock?  Yes, math rock is rhythmically complex, guitar-based rock music influenced by post-hardcore, progressive rock bands, characterized by irregular stopping and starting, odd time signatures, angular melodies, and extended chords. 

Disappointment Island is a bit mellower and melody heavy than TTNG’s prior release 13.0.0.0.0 (2013) but from the notable opener “Coconut Crab” to the extremely satisfying, smooth jam that is “Empty Palms”, Disappointment Island is filled with easy to listen to guitar, bass, and drums, unmistakable energy, and extraordinary lyrics.  The island themed track names are almost as entertaining as the songs themselves….ALMOST.  The overall desolate island theme is quite ironic because there isn’t a millimeter of unoccupied space on Disappointment Island, every nook and cranny is filled with solid, well-crafted musicianship. 

On their first listen fans will enjoy Disappointment Island, but listens two and three will be even more enlightening and magnify fans appreciation to the intricacy that TTNG has put forth with this album.  

Decivilize - Decivilize

Written by Ken Bowden on September 20, 2016 for Bloodrock Media 

Wisconsin's own, Decivilize released their self-titled debut album, Decivilize, on September 30, 2016, courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.  The band is comprised of Kurt VanderVelden on vocals, Tim Beyer on guitar, CJ Kreski on bass, and Thor Nielsen on drums.  

The definition of decivilize is "to reduce from civilization to a savage state" and the guys in Decivilize have successfully released an album that will make you lose your shit to raw, primal metal.  Their sound is very much like Fear Factor, DevilDriver, and Static-X; a very rusted, mechanical, industrial feel (not in a bad way).  Decivilize is vicious, unforgiving, and undoubtedly brutal and hits you hard, right square in the face from the moment the first track begins to play.

Tracks such as "Everything Clean" and "So Shallow, So Shall I" are undoubtedly meant to put you in the mood and that mood is TAKE NO SHIT RAGE.  Decivilize isn't grandpa's easy listening, but what would you expect from a band named Decivilized?!  There is no room for feng shui and chill vibes when Decivilize is blasting through your speakers.  And there's not a damn thing wrong with that; sometimes you need an solid fist pumping and flipping a random table to pull you out of a shit mood.  Just tell your piece of shit neighbor to give you an hour before he let's his dog shit on your lawn again or you might open a can of whoop ass on him.

Decivilize will make your ears bleed and confirm that it's okay to embrace the animalistic side of human nature.  This album is stellar and reminds you that you don't need the trappings of modern day society all the time; it's okay to turn off your iPhone, turn up the radio, and wild the fuck out!

Slaves on Dope - Horse

Written by Ken Bowden on September 20, 2016

Canadian rockers, Slaves on Dope, are back with their September 9th release entitled, Horse, courtesy of Universal Music Group.  As some may recall, Slaves on Dope were signed by Ozzy Osbourne’s label, Divine Records in the the early 2000’s and toured with Ozzfest.  Slaves On Dope is comprised of Jason Rockman on vocals, Kevin Jardine on guitars, Rob Laurion on bass, and Peter Tzaferis on drums.

When the opportunity to review Horse arose I was pretty jazzed, Slaves on Dope just so happens to be one of the first concerts I saw as a young adult.  Not going to lie, I had lost touch with what the band had been working on, so it was exciting to see their name pop up with some new tunes.  Before reviewing Horse I did a bit of research and listened to the albums they’ve put out over the last decade or so (Metafour, Over the Influence, and a couple of EPs) and honestly, they were all subpar.  So once I came to terms with my disappointment with how Slaves on Dope have spent the last 15 years, I turned on Horse, and I smiled for a few minutes.  Horse is so much better than the last four albums Slaves on Dope released; it is infectious and thought provoking, but with a hint of brutality.  

Throughout the album, they display their ability to be catchy but still appeal to the fans of hard rock.  There are couple of tracks that stand out, “Codependency”, which guest stars Lee-La Burn from the Damn Truth, and the last song on the album “Disco Biscuit”.  There are some disappointments with Horse, one of which is “Disco Biscuit” gets you back into the album and it’s the last song, track organization is crucial, and Horse is lacking that a bit.  Another disappointment is the unclever drug references in song titles, after 20+ years, one would think they would mature and move away from that.  But otherwise, Horse is good, not better than Inches from the Mainline, but it is still good, good enough for me to give it a listen every now and again and for Slaves on Dope to catch my attention again.  

Norma Jean - Polar Similar

Written by Ken Bowden on September 14, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

I'm just going to start this review by saying, it's about FUCKING time.  Ever since your humble narrator attended a Norma Jean show a few months back in Detroit, I’ve been chomping at the bit to see what the legendary post hardcore warriors were crafting up with their new album. While during their set they did slide in a new song, it was a just a tease. But it is finally here, the release of Polar Similar.

If you have a single solitary doubt in your mind if Norma Jean still has it or not, mozy your ass over to their site http://normajeannoise.com/ and listen to the first 3 singles, “1,000,000 Watts”, “Forever Hurtling Towards Andromeda”, and “Synthetic Sun”, then kick yourself for ever doubting them, and buy Polar Similar. Of the three tracks, I am particularly partial to “Synthetic Sun” but realistically pretty much every track on this album is fuckin money. Picking out my favs is basically like deciding which bite of your fav pizza is the best except the pizza never runs out and you never get too full, it’s amazeballs.

“Reaction” and “A Thousand Years A Minute” show you that while this isn’t the same ole shit being recycled this is definitely the resurgence of the Norma Jean you know and love. I haven’t been this excited about a new Norma Jean album since Redeemer. I give them major props for ending with such a high energy track like “Nexus”. It is just a ridiculously smart way to end an album of this caliber, instead of the typical “cool down track”. “Nexus” hits you like the climatic battle between the hero and the villain in some action flick that’s had you at the edge of your seat the whole time and makes you cheer your ass off once it’s over for more (luckily hitting repeat is an option here because I can pretty much bank on anyone who bumps this album doing so a couple times after that first listen).

I just want to say to Normal Jean, well done boys, very, very, very well done.

Stellar Circuits - Stellar Circuits

Written by Ken Bowden on September 12, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Back in November up and coming band, Stellar Circuits made some noise outta North Carolina by dropping their awesome self-titled EP, Stellar Circuits. In light of their looming full length debut I think it’s time we got into why YOU need this album in your rotation.

From the beginning, there is a sense that while definitely a rock/metal band, Stellar Circuits is not some "basic white bitch" kinda metal. Immediately I was overwhelmed by a vibe I haven’t had since I first heard Tool, A Perfect Circle, or even Pulse Ultra. Thick, dramatic, vivacious music with spine tingling vocals, electrifying and wonderful. By the end of Stellar Circuits second track, “Midnight Mission” vocalist Ben Beddick shows that while his style maybe similar to Maynard in his Tool days, Beddick has a fire and intensity all his own. And by the time “Cellar Door” and their killer debut single “Penny Dreadful” (YouTube it, you’ll thank me later) wraps up, you will know exactly what kind of awesomeness you are dealing with. Solid vocals, artsy but not pretentious lyrics, and dope riffs, bass lines, and drums bringing it altogether.

While this nugget of goodness does suffer from EP syndrome (i.e. once it ends you’re like well FUCK I want more of that) it is actually perfect to pick up now, while there is only a short time before the full length release later this year. Stellar Circuits is just enough to keep the band fresh in your music mind for their album release, so grab this EP ASAP.

GOD - GOD I

Written by Ken Bowden on September 12, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Who are they? Hel---er---heaven if I knew before this album review but coming from the Silver City’s prog metal scene comes GOD. An anonymous group undertaking a Christian metal project of, dare I say, biblical proportions? Embracing the complexity and technicality that have made equally skilled heavy hitters like Animals As Leaders, Tesseract, or Polyphia, GOD brings us the beginnings of frankly one of the what could be one of the most hype djent metal albums of 2016. Being a Christian band in this genre is unique enough but how they are releasing the album is equally as distinctive. GOD is releasing God I as an audio epic, releasing one new song from the full album every 2 weeks culminating in the album’s final track “Truth” to be released on Christmas 2016.

While personally, I am not a Christian and I partake in the dark metal such as Ghost, you would think the heavy religious connotation would be awkward but the first two tracks, "God" and "Salvation" both showcase that God, the unknown wonders, plan on delivering the goods no matter your religious beliefs (or disbeliefs). This is definatley a project to keep your eye on. Truth is, you don’t have to be all about the J-man to feel what GOD is laying down, while their tracks have biblical themes (death, resurrection, the nature of the Divine etc), the music isn't about Bible thumping, it’s about making the listener FEEL something and indulging in the introspection that music brings.

While God I is definitely not some top 40 easy listening this IS a highly ambitious undertaking by some extremely skilled musicians. And truth be told, sometimes it’s a nice break to step away from mindless headbanging and blast something that really just makes you THINK. You don’t have to be a theologian to appreciate God I. Just put on these tracks lay back and get lost in thought, you’ll be glad ya did.

GOD's release schedule for the tracks on God I are as follows:

Track 1 - God - August 22
Track 2 - Salvation - Sept 5
Track 3 - Foreknown - Sept 19
Track 4 - Predestined - Oct 3
Track 5 - Creation - Oct 17
Track 6 - Life - Oct 31
Track 7 - Free Will - Nov 14
Track 8 - Sin - Nov 28
Track 9 - Jesus Christ - Dec 12
Track 10 - Truth - Dec 25