Antifascist Steel

Hagstone - Demo '24 (2024) | Hard rock

Listen here -> https://youtu.be/0mCtDhoHYEs

In recent years we've seen a resurgence of classic heavy metal, so why not reach further and go back to the days of hard rock? This was the assumption made by the Richmond, Virginia-based Hagstone members. Anyway, the musical DNA of this newly formed group is very diverse, from the classics of hard rock precisely, through NWOBHM or even anarcho-punk rock, and thus comes the D.I.Y. ethos of the band. However, we are absolutely not dealing here with retro one-to-one playing like in the past. It is, of course, hard rock: a wall of guitar riffs that are cool and catchy, a rumbling bass driving the songs forward, rock-solid drums and the mellow and melodic voice of singer and bassist Alisson, but played in the band's own way.

You can hear joy and pure enthusiasm coming from Hagstone's music. The band members themselves admit that they are surprised by the chemistry that has emerged in rehearsals. The musicians are already after their first gig, and they are playing another one soon.

We like debuts like this, we also like the fact that classic hard rock can be played fresh, on D.I.Y's principles, and we like it even more if the band ended their interview with the call “Free Palestine”!

If you like Thin Lizzy, Hawkwind, Judas Priest, Girlschool or AC/DC, and you want to listen to something in that vibe but without the misogyny, sexism or all the stardom and commercialism accompanying the dinosaurs of the 70s, then Hagstone's demo is perfect for that. The material, though short, accompanied me for a few days and I will certainly return to it again.

Looking forward to the full album and wish the band a lot of fun playing together and for you a lot of joy from listening to them!

Τέλμα/Telma - Ανθρωποβόρος (full length, 2024) | Doom metal

Listen here -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iriwdTyhEE

When it comes to debut albums that come out smashing seemingly out of nowhere, you won't easily find a stronger one in recent years than Telma's "Ανθρωποβόρος". The greek band has been slowly forging their album since 2017, when their track "Ξ​ί​φ​η Σ​τ​ρ​α​μ​μ​έ​ν​α σ​τ​ο Φ​ο​ί​ν​ι​κ​α" appeared in the "Art Against Censorship" compilation, definitely turning some heads with their combination of old school doom metal married with epic heavy metal elements. The expectations were undoubtedly high, also knowing the background of the members in bands that have done essential contributions to the underground scene, such as antifascist black metal duo Voak, Bohemian Grove, and Extremity Obsession. So it is no real surprise that "Ανθρωποβόρος" absolutely delivers.

Sung entirely in Greek, "Ανθρωποβόρος", meaning man-eater, presents a 47 minute voyage through heavy, dark and epic soundscapes. The production and mixing is really strong and clean and paves the way for the band's compositions to spread out. The expressive vocals of singer Vangelis are a focal point; instead of the usual "tenor" approach of doom metal singer, his delivery is passionate and theatrical, betraying a variety of influences and emotions. On the string department, the crushing guitar riffs are often combined with guitar leads, playing melodies that contribute to the epic heavy metal side we mentioned. The compositions themselves sound sculpted into maturity from the passing of time. Without diverting stylistically much from each other, each song sounds unique and they all complement each other into making a record that flows effortlessly from beginning to end.

The band's lyrics also deserve to be mentioned, although not accessible to anyone that doesn't speak greek. In a style of writing that perhaps seems closer to literature than poetry and using some folklore elements here and there, they weave tales about overcoming oppression, finding hope and self-determination, and ultimately coming to terms with the end (as the band name itself refers to). It's great writing and we all know that it's when meaning and music get together that metal truly fulfills its promise.

"Ανθρωποβόρος" definitely takes aim to place itself among the best doom metal albums of the year. Listen to it then, cause it might be a while until we get something from this band again, and yet we're pretty sure that it'll be at least as good.