Month: March 2021

According to ABC Audio, METALLICA’s Kirk Hammett will guest on an upcoming album from Carlos Santana.

Santana has used the downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic to work on three separate records, including one titled “Blessings And Miracles” which will feature Hammett.

“My brother Kirk Hammett from METALLICA is playing [on it],” Carlos said. “He’s tearing it up.”

Steve Winwood and LIVING COLOUR frontman Corey Glover may also make guest appearances on the LP, according to Carlos.

Hammett previously guested on Santana’s 2005 album “All That I Am”, where he could be heard on the song “Trinity”.

In an early 1990s interview, Kirk said that playing with Carlos Santana at the Bammies (San Francisco Bay Area Music Awards) was one of the “proudest” moments of his life. “To be trading off with him onstage was musically spiritual,” he said. “We’ve travelled along similar lines; we’re both from the Mission District, [and] we both play guitar.”

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LAMB OF GOD has debuted a new live quarantine session video for the track “Routes”, featuring a guest appearance by TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy. “Routes” is taken from last year’s self-titled release, which will see the deluxe version reissue this Friday, March 26 via Epic Records.

“It’s always an honor to be asked to perform with LAMB OF GOD, especially on this song,” says Billy, who also lent his voice to the album version of the song. “It has such a deep meaning for me personally with my native American heritage. I’m happy Randy included me to get the message out about what is going on with Native Americans in the USA.”

The three-disc deluxe edition of “Lamb Of God” featuries the full record with two bonus tracks and a live version of the album, along with a DVD performance of “Lamb Of God”.

“This album, and in particular this deluxe edition, is something I’m incredibly proud of,” says guitarist Willie Adler. “Throughout the process of writing, recording and the subsequent filming of the live stream, I knew we were creating much more than a collection of songs. Much more than a simple streamed performance. This was focused energy. Energy that, to me, is very tangible. And now, more than ever, in an era where human interaction is so limited, art…. be it music, visual or otherwise, is a human connection point. And we need as much of that as possible! I hope everyone enjoys this deluxe edition as much as we enjoyed creating it. Thank you.”

Pre-orders for the set are available now, along with “Ghost Shaped People”. The live CD and DVD portion of the deluxe edition features the first of LAMB OF GOD’s two ultra-successful live stream events from September 2020, in which the band performed their critically acclaimed, self-titled album “Lamb Of God” in full, plus an encore of four songs, including “Ruin”, “Contractor”, “512” and the debut live performance of “The Death Of Us”, a new song the band wrote and recorded in quarantine for the “Bill & Ted Face The Music” movie and soundtrack. The DVD includes a new director’s cut with bonus material.

Originally, released June 19 of last year, LAMB OF GOD’s first new album in five years was met with universal acclaim — not only among major rock journalists, but with all strata of metal fans around the world.

But critics, media and the industry aside, perhaps the most telling statistic is the year-end U.S. metal radio chart, where the new album dominated at No. 1 by a massive margin (over 2,000 more spins than the album at No. 2). “Lamb Of God” spent nine weeks in the #1 spot and never left the top 10 since debuting on the chart in February. Metal radio is the lifeblood of the U.S. metal world, largely staffed by college students and regional tastemakers, playing the music that they know their local metal fans want to hear. At iTunes, “Lamb Of God” landed at No. 1 on the overall Rock and Metal album chart upon release.

“Lamb Of God” deluxe edition track listing:

Disc 1: “Lamb Of God” Original Album + 2 Bonus Tracks

01. Memento Mori
02. Checkmate
03. Gears
04. Reality Bath
05. New Colossal Hate
06. Resurrection Man
07. Poison Dream (feat. Jamey Jasta)
08. Routes (feat. Chuck Billy)
09. Bloodshot Eyes
10. On The Hook
11. Ghost Shaped People
12. Hyperthermic/Accelerate

Disc 2: “Lamb Of God – Live From Richmond, VA”

01. Memento Mori (Live)
02. Checkmate (Live)
03. Gears (Live)
04. Reality Bath (Live)
05. New Colossal Hate (Live)
06. Resurrection Man (Live)
07. Poison Dream (Live)
08. Routes (Live)
09. Bloodshot Eyes (Live)
10. On The Hook (Live)
11. Contractor (Live)
12. Ruin (Live)
13. The Death Of Us (Live)
14. 512

Disc 3: “Lamb Of God – Live From Richmond, VA” DVD

01. Memento Mori
02. Checkmate
03. Gears
04. Reality Bath
05. New Colossal Hate
06. Resurrection Man
07. Poison Dream
08. Routes
09. Bloodshot Eyes
10. On The Hook
11. Contractor
12. Ruin
13. The Death of Us
14. 512

Digital copies will contain only Disc 1 and Disc 2. A separate vinyl edition of “Lamb Of God – Live From Richmond, VA” will also be available.

“Lamb Of God – Live From Richmond, VA” vinyl track listing:

Side 1

01. Memento Mori
02. Checkmate
03. Gears
04. Reality Bath
05. New Colossal Hate

Side 2

01. Resurrection Man
02. Poison Dream
03. Routes
04. Bloodshot Eyes
05. On The Hook

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LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT, the instrumental progressive rock/metal project featuring DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess and guitarist John Petrucci, alongside ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy and progressive rock icon Tony Levin (bass) of KING CRIMSON and PETER GABRIEL fame, will release its third album, “LTE3”, on March 26 via InsideOut Music. The effort will arrive 22 years after the release of 1999’s “Liquid Tension Experiment 2”. The official Christian Rios-created music video for the album’s third single, “Hypersonic”, can be seen below.

Portnoy said: “‘Hypersonic’ was the last song we composed of the four new compositions. We knew we needed an opener that was just going to take people’s heads off from the minute you hit play. ‘Paradigm Shift’ opens with this five-second run that just punches you in the face. This time around, we open with a 30-second run before we even settle into the main riff and groove. It was absolutely designed that way and to me it’s kind of a cross between ‘Acid Rain’ and ‘Paradigm Shift’ mixed with a lot of ‘The Dance Of Eternity’ kind of insanity. We purposely threw everything including the kitchen sink into that one.”

Added Petrucci: “As we were putting the album together, we all felt that there needed to be a track that had some chops and speed and that frantic nervous energy that a song like ‘Paradigm Shift’ from the first LTE album or ‘Acid Rain’ from LTE2 had — something heavy and full of energy. This song definitely checks off that box. There are a lot of intricate, full-band unison moments where the challenge is to be as locked as possible and I think those types of passages on this song are a testament of how well we work together. This song really reflects the personalities of all four of us and has a lot of very musical, as well as quirky moments, that just make it a very fun ride.”

“LTE3” track listing:

01. Hypersonic (8:22)
02. Beating The Odds (6:09)
03. Liquid Evolution (3:23)
04. The Passage Of Time (7:32)
05. Chris & Kevin’s Amazing Odyssey (5:04)
06. Rhapsody In Blue (13:16)
07. Shades Of Hope (4:42)
08. Key To The Imagination (13:14)

The bonus disc includes almost an hour of improvised jams.

The album will be available as:

* Limited deluxe hot pink 3LP+2CD+Blu-ray Box Set (including a poster and 4 artcards, Blu-ray includes a 5.1 surround mix with visuals, and full band interview from the studio)
* Limited 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook
* Limited 2CD Digipak
* Gatefold black 2LP+CD
*Digital album (2CD)

Speaking about why now was the right time to resurrect LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT, Portnoy told Revolver: “The main reason is the insanity of 2020. The pandemic and the lockdown is pretty much what allowed it. But we’ve been talking about it for many, many years. It’s been 10 years since I left DREAM THEATER, and it didn’t make sense to do LTE while I was still in DREAM THEATER. Because it was three members of the same band. Then after I left, it took many years of healing and all the drama to pass and the dust to settle before the relationships with John and Jordan got real good again. And musically, Jordan and I played together a few years ago on the Cruise To The Edge, and then obviously John Petrucci and I played together last year for his solo album [‘Terminal Velocity’]. So it seemed like the time was right to finally do it. And the pandemic, for better or worse, gave us a window of opportunity where none of us were on tour and we could actually align the schedules and do it.”

On the topic of his musical chemistry with Petrucci, Portnoy said: “Well, John and I were writing partners and producing partners for 25 years. And when we reconvened last year for his solo album, I guess I will say the difference was that the roles were redefined, because it was his album. It wasn’t like DREAM THEATER where we wrote together and produced together. When I got together with him for ‘Terminal Velocity’, I was coming in and playing a much different role, as was he. John had written it all and I was there to do a service for him. And I’m very comfortable playing that role, being a session guy or a hired gun. But then when we got together to do LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT a few months later, that was more of the natural chemistry of us writing together, working together, making decisions together. Once we got to that relationship, it was exactly as it had been when I left DREAM THEATER. It was just so immediately comfortable.”

In November 2017, Mike told Loud that he left DREAM THEATER because he wanted to expand his musical horizons. “[I didn’t] want to go to my grave and just be the drummer from DREAM THEATER,” he said. “I knew there was way more to what I had to offer.”

Photo credit: Tony Levin

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KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons says that he was “blown away” by “The World’s A Little Blurry”, the Apple TV+ documentary about singer-songwriter Billie Eilish’s rise to global superstardom.

Just a few short years after launching her career by releasing songs with her brother on the Internet, Eilish has become one of the music industry’s biggest stars, and even took home the 2020 Grammy Award for “Best New Artist”.

On March 12, Gene took to his Twitter to write: “Have to say I was blown away by the @billieeilish Docu. A unique and original artist. Her brother @finneas is a major talent, multi instrumentalist and producer. Catch the Docu #TheWorldsALittleBlurry . You will love Billie Eilish.”

“Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry” debuted on Apple TV+ on February 26. The documentary is available to all Apple TV+ subscribers to watch on demand.

From award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, “The World’s A Little Blurry” offers a deeply intimate look at this extraordinary teenager’s journey, at just 17 years old, navigating life on the road, on stage, and at home with her family, while writing, recording and releasing her debut album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Simmons previously praised Eilish last December while speaking to Gulf News about rock’s supposed diminishing status. Claiming that he loves all the contemporary pop artists, Gene said: “I think Billie Eilish is fantastic. She’s interesting because she and her brother actually write the material and are unique to themselves.”

Gene’s daughter Sophie is also a singer-songwriter whose hit single with DJ Felix Cartal, “Mine”, recently went platinum.

Have to say I was blown away by the @billieeilish Docu. A unique and original artist. Her brother @finneas is a major talent, multi instrumentalist and producer. Catch the Docu #TheWorldsALittleBlurry . You will love Billie Eilish.
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) March 23, 2021

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For 127 years, Gibson has shaped sound across generations and genres and has emerged as the most relevant, played, and loved guitar brand around the world. Gibson has announced it has teamed with the family of world-renowned music icon Tom Petty to create his beloved SJ-200 Wildflower acoustic guitar. Decades in the making, the Tom Petty SJ-200 Wildflower acoustic guitar is handmade by the expert luthiers and artisans of Gibson Acoustic Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana and is available worldwide at Gibson.com.

Preferred by famous musicians for decades, Gibson acoustic guitars are known on stages the world over, and in the hands of the most celebrated musicians across the globe. Gibson acoustics are cemented in the zeitgeist as the quintessential American acoustic guitar. The SJ, or Super Jumbo body shape, was first designed in 1937 and is engineered for volume even with a natural touch. The Tom Petty SJ-200 Wildflower is inspired by the guitar Gibson made for Tom around 1996 while he was entering a prolific period of songwriting, recording, and performing around the release of his “Wildflowers” album.

Tom’s daughter Adria Petty said: “It is so incredible to see the SJ-200 design our Dad worked on so long ago, lovingly brought to fruition with his long-time guitar tech and friend Alan Weidel and the craftsmen and women at Gibson guitars.

“There has been much effort made to make certain this guitar lives up to Tom’s musical standards and the specs he wanted for a best-in-class instrument. Alan Weidel has put this instrument through its paces as he has with all Tom Petty signature guitar models.

“Tom played the SJ-200 while writing and recording ‘Wildflowers’ and to us it is an honor and a privilege to have Gibson launch this instrument to celebrate his musical masterpiece. That way others can make what my Dad called ‘the big jangle,’ a reference to that gorgeous, big, SJ-200 acoustic sound he loved.

“We hope fans and members of the music community alike enjoy this beautiful instrument as much as we do. It is a beautiful tribute to him.”

Rare and collectible, this first run of the Tom Petty SJ-200 Wildflower acoustic guitar features the detailed SJ-200 ornamentation and beauty expected from Gibson acoustics, it is equipped with a AAA Sitka spruce top, a stunning and highly figured quilted maple back and sides and the neck is flamed maple. With gold Grover Imperial Tuners, as well as an LR Baggs VTC under-saddle pick up with soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls, this SJ-200 is stage-ready, right out of its custom Wildflower case. Personalized artist touches include the Wildflower logo in Mother-of-Pearl on the headstock, the “You Belong Among the Wildflowers” lyric decal on the back of the headstock and Tom Petty’s signature engraved on the double pickguard make this a very special guitar. An acoustic masterpiece, only 100 of these SJ-200 Wildflower guitars will be available.

Both solo, and with his band THE HEARTBREAKERS, Tom Petty created some of the most beloved and enduring music of our time. Released late 2020, Tom Petty’s final project, the long-awaited “Wildflowers & All The Rest”, featured all 25 songs from the “Wildflowers” sessions as they were originally envisioned by Tom. Produced by Tom, Rick Rubin and Mike Campbell, the “Wildflowers & All The Rest” collection is a complete look at one of rock music’s most unique and beloved albums allowing fans to see the entire recording process from demos, to the studio, to the stage, and more.

“Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions)” will be released on April 16 via Warner Records. The album features 16 studio recordings of alternate takes, long cuts, and jam versions of “Wildflowers” songs as Tom, band members and co-producer Rick Rubin worked to finalize the album in 1994. The release offers fans further deep access into the writing and recording of “Wildflowers”, as well as realizing the full vision of the project as Tom had always intended. The tracks on “Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions)” were previously released on the limited-edition Super Deluxe 9-LP version of “Wildflowers & All The Rest” and will now be available on limited-edition gold vinyl for TomPetty.com and indie retail, CDs and on all digital streaming platforms for the first time.

The new documentary “Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free” explores the same time period of Petty’s life; creating and touring around the “Wildflowers” album. Shot by Petty’s filmographer Martyn Atkins and directed by Mary Wharton, “Somewhere You Feel Free” is crafted around a treasure trove of discovered 16mm footage, as well as new interviews with Adria Petty, producer Rick Rubin and Petty’s HEARTBREAKERS bandmates Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone.

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The new Spotify podcast “In The Studio With Redbeard” commemorates VAN HALEN’s “5150” album, released 35 years ago today.

In 1985, the shock of David Lee Roth’s announcement that he was leaving the lead singer slot of America’s most popular band, VAN HALEN, was equaled (but not eclipsed, interestingly) by the band’s announcement that multi-platinum rocker Sammy Hagar had agreed to fill the role. How did that musical merger happen? Why did Hagar, already a platinum-selling solo artist, even consider it? What were the risks/rewards for both? “In The Studio With Redbeard” podcast reveals those answers in this episode for the 35th anniversary of “5150”. This program contains archival interviews with the late Eddie Van Halen, brother Alex Van Halen, original bass player, backing singer Michael Anthony, and the Red Rocker himself Sammy Hagar.

VAN HALEN had practically ruled the hard rock throne with the album “1984” selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone, spawning VAN HALEN’s first and only No. 1 pop single “Jump”. But at the height of it all, original singer David Lee Roth quit the band to go solo, leaving America’s biggest band’s future dangling in midair. Enter Sammy Hagar. Having just completed a sold-out tour for his most successful solo album to date, “VOA”, Hagar was not looking for a “band” to join. But after an invitation to Eddie Van Halen’s home studio put Sammy together with the two Van Halen brothers, the magic was just too good to resist, evident in the album “5150” producing five hit singles: “Why Can’t This Be Love”, “Dreams”, “Love Walks In”, “Best Of Both Worlds” and “Summer Nights”. It sold millions and fueled VAN HALEN’s ability to fill stadiums for the next decade.

Sammy Hagar shared his thoughts with “In The Studio” host Redbeard: “That first (1985) meeting was probably the roughest I’ve ever seen Eddie. The (Van Halen) brothers were both drinking pretty hard back then…I think I provided some discipline to the band… The vocal on ‘Dreams’ is probably the best vocal I’ve ever done, or will ever do in my life…The bottom line is ‘5150’ was a great record… and I think if we had made a crap record, then it wouldn’t have worked, flat out. That’s what wouldn’t have worked. And I had no doubts that we were going to make a great record.”

Redbeard said: “Ever since Eddie Van Halen passed away in October 2020 after fighting cancer for many years, I have been asked by media and fans alike about what Eddie was really like off stage. The answers are in these incredibly revealing series of interviews from brother Alex, from original Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony, powerfully and honestly from Sammy Hagar, and from Eddie Van Halen himself.”

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Dee Snider and Sebastian Bach have called on politicians to address gun violence in America after a string of mass shootings in the past week, including one that killed 10 people in Colorado.

On Monday evening, a gunman opened fire at a grocery store in Boulder, killing 10 people, including one police officer. Less than a week earlier, a gunman opened fire on local businesses in the Atlanta area, killing eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent.

On Tuesday (March 23), Snider took to his Twitter to respond to a four-week-old tweet from staunch Second Amendment supporter Lauren Boebert, who represents Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, in which she wrote: “The people who think we need more gun control are the same people who think the ‘AR’ in ‘AR-15’ stands for assault rifle.” The TWISTED SISTER singer fired back: “I thought it stood for ‘You AR a fucking idiot!’ – sincerely, Dee Snider. Proud gun owner, 2nd amendment advocate AND BELIEVER IN INTELLIGENT GUN CONTROL!!! If you need an AR-15 for self defense…you are a terrible shot.”

Bach apparently agreed with Snider, sharing Dee’s tweet and writing: “The people that believe that it’s the year 1776 & the 2nd Amendment applies literally in 2021 do not understand the difference between a Musket and an AR-15.” The ex-SKID ROW frontman also replied to a 2019 tweet from former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in which she wrote: “Democrats say we have guns in America because of ‘corruption’. No, we have guns because it’s our God-given right enshrined in the Constitution.” Sebastian tweeted: “God does not give a shit about guns and he does not give a shit about what you say. Stop using God to justify murder and your ignorance”.

Bach had previously voiced his views on guns several times, including in August 2019 after back-to-back mass shootings in the United States left at least 29 dead and 53 injured in Texas and Ohio. At the time, Bach repeatedly lambasted then-President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Vice President Mike Pence and other Republican leaders for their inaction on gun regulation. “You and your useless Republican party don’t give a fuck about the safety of the citizens of the USA,” the former SKID ROW singer wrote in response to a tweet of consolation from Ohio senator Rob Portman. “Your ‘prayers’ are a slap in the face to the 30 people who were mowed down yesterday because of your uselessness.”

Several other high-profile musicians have called on lawmakers to take action when it comes to gun laws in the United States, including Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT), Paul Stanley (KISS), Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT).

I thought it stood for “You AR a fucking idiot!” – sincerely, Dee Snider. Proud gun owner, 2nd amendment advocate AND BELIEVER IN INTELLIGENT GUN CONTROL!!! If you need an AR-15 for self defense…you are a terrible shot. https://t.co/ZWhlJ5SQbr
— Dee Snider?? (@deesnider) March 23, 2021

The people that believe that it’s the year 1776 & the 2nd Amendment applies literally in 2021 do not understand the difference between a Musket and an AR-15. https://t.co/qaJ5batObw
— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) March 23, 2021

God does not give a shit about guns and he does not give a shit about what you say. Stop using God to justify murder and your ignorance https://t.co/YHiNxmhVCf
— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) March 24, 2021

Why are we the only country on the planet that allows this to happen https://t.co/01AIxP5SG2
— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) March 23, 2021

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Biting the bullet and doing what feels right is arguably the key to most great music. CRYPTOSIS are living proof: the Dutch trio were originally known as DISTILLATOR and released two albums of top-notch old-school thrash before deciding, perfectly reasonably, that a change of approach was in order. The result is a new band, a new sound and a debut album that absolutely will take your face off and toss it into the nearest pile of smoking space debris. Not just a reinvention, but a genuine blast of something thrillingly new, “Bionic Swarm” is an act of instinctive evolution, and some of the most gloriously ripping, sci-fi themed extreme metal you will ever hear.

There is still a firm bedrock of thrash propelling the Dutchmen along, but CRYPTOSIS are an infinitely more imaginative outfit than their previous incarnation. Everything from blistering black metal scree to churning, angular tech-death has been woven into an intricate framework of dissonant but destructive riffing, over which singer/guitarist Laurens Houvast barks, squeals and roars a series of unfathomable, dystopian tales. It’s stupidly exciting from the start. After a neatly creepy and disorienting instrumental intro, preview single “Decypher” slams down the CRYPTOSIS ethos with remarkable levels of intensity and precision. The song is a blizzard of jagged riffs and juddering double-kicks, but it’s also rich with atmosphere and otherworldly weirdness — this album’s futuristic themes brought subtly but unmistakably to life. “Death Technology” repeats the trick; an avalanche of smart ideas and virtuoso precision, it sounds like at least eight of your favorite bands playing simultaneously, but with an internal logic and aesthetic focus that makes the whole thing feel fresh and audacious. “Prospect of Immortality” is even more absorbing, with a greater sense of dynamics and slower tempos, it’s an epic, quietly progressive flexing of the compositional muscles.

Elsewhere, “Game of Souls” feels like an inspired, unholy marriage of POSSESSED and CORONER, with Houvast spitting fury like a hardened veteran and a mid-song descent into off-kilter syncopation, replete with a flurry of sublime lead breaks; “Conjuring The Egoist” is a feast of mid-’90s death metal tropes, melodic side-swipes and festering, infernal grandeur; “Mindscape” cranks up the blackened fervor over a marauding, mid-paced assault, laced with ghostly ambience; the closing “Flux Divergence” rattles along at a breathless full pelt for four minutes of caustic, progressive thrash.

Wise men say that there is nothing new under the heavy metal sun at this point, but there is always room for some fiendish and imaginative tinkering with our beloved genre’s fundamentals. By forging a new path and following their collective gut, CRYPTOSIS have delivered an electrifying statement of intent and one of the most exciting metal debuts to emerge in a long time. Bionic is about right.

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You can’t argue with veteran status. GREENLEAF have been around in one form or another for over two decades now, and while guitarist Tommi Holappa (ex-DOZER) is the last man standing from the band that released 2001’s “Revolution Rock”, “Echoes From A Mass” still feels like a joyous upholding of sonic values that cast their spell on these Swedes many moons ago. A little more streamlined and forceful than 2018’s “Hear The Rivers”, GREENLEAF’s eighth full-length is full of the same slightly off-kilter songwriting, twinkling psychedelia and, most essentially, enormous, fuzzy riffs that threaten to compromise your digestive system.

The band’s latest secret weapon, frontman Arvid Hällagård has one of those insidious, softly expressed voices that floats across the crackle and hiss of the guitars’ distortion, bringing a delicate air of otherworldliness to what is otherwise some stoically rudimentary rock ‘n’ roll. As a result, songs like the direct and catchy “Good God I Better Run Away” and the desert rock rush of “Love Undone” never quite conform to stoner rock convention, hijacking the hooks of grunge and the sharp, rhythmic edges of retro roots rock with equal alacrity. “Needle In My Eye” is a particularly exhilarating example of GREENLEAF’s uniquely wonky blend of fuzz and furor: constructed around a repeated upward crescendo of drums and distortion, it’s distinctly wonky by design but utterly pure and no-nonsense in execution. “Bury Me My Son” is another instant home run. It starts as a strutting, blues rock workout, with strong echoes of FREE’s Paul Kossoff, before morphing into a ferociously overdriven wall of stormy doom and then, because GREENLEAF are a dexterous lot, back again. Relatively succinct by comparison, “A Hand Of Might” may be a rare example of a heavy band audibly lolloping, its lethally effective vocal hooks borne aloft on waves of creepy clatter and heavy-handed vocal delay.

“On Wings Of Gold” is the album’s most indulgent and nourishing moment: again, GREENLEAF are such wise, old masters of this stuff that it hardly needs restating that they have an enviable shared, internal metronome and strong sense of booty-shaking swing. It all comes together in a riot of bong-juggling and bombast during the song’s sublime six-and-a-half minutes. In contrast, “What Have We Become” is a haunting, existential plea that builds from austere, sober start to the grim, post-metal gospel of its outgoing, final refrain, a late but lasting reminder that the Swedes are instinctive non-conformists and much more adventurous than first impressions might suggest. Another fine album from an admirably consistent band.

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