Fires In The Distance have recently revealed that they have completed the mixing phase with producer Dave Kaminsky (Studio Wormwood) of what will be their third full-length instalment, the successor to Air Not Meant For Us. Expect more details soon. Read more…
Five-headed Brazilian death metal horde Papa Necrose emerged from the promo sump with two strikes against them before Anthropomorphy Execution even began. First, if we were somehow living in an alternate metalverse where Ghost didn’t exist, then the name Papa Necrose might be passable. But we don’t. Instead, the name only evokes the theatrical imagery tied to Tobias Forge’s famous alter-ego. Second, the Saw‑meets‑Easter‑Island cover art is não é bom,1 feeling flat out undercooked. Put those surface issues aside, and you’ll find a record that soaks itself in classic 90s progressive death. The outcome of years of arduous development, Papa Necrose’s third LP once again turns its attention to the Catholic Church as its central target. However, rather than chasing reinvention, Anthropomorphy Execution embraces familiarity, seeking to recapture the qualities that have allowed this well-known strain of death to endure.
Anthropomorphy Execution wears its influences squarely on its sleeve: post Human‑era Death and early Pestilence are the clearest touchstones, with vocals that blend Obituary‑style guttural heft and Schuldiner‑like phrasing. There’s nothing here you haven’t heard before, but the performances are surprisingly astute. And it’s clear Papa Necrose has more than enough musical chops to pull off their homage. Danilo Vagner and Carlo Silva’s down‑picked, grinding riffs, Luquian Silva’s dynamic tom fills, and Eric Gusmão’s exploratory bass runs are executed with precision, coalescing into highlights like “Hammered in the Mind,” “Cathedral of Death,” and “Eighteen Years Awake.” Gusmão’s Sound of Perseverance-flavored breaks, along with the interplay between Vagner and Silva’s riffs and Silva’s fancy kit work, give the tracks plenty of groove to latch onto. James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Cancer) even shows up for a guest spot (“The Thousand Yard Gaze”). Talent-rich, but too obvious in their devotion, Papa Necrose seems comfortable being nothing less than an off-the-shelf clone of their heroes.
Anthropomorphy Execution’s biggest problems lie in its songwriting and overall cohesion. While the individual performances are competent, the sum rarely matches the quality of its parts, leaving Anthropomorphy Execution feeling clunky as a whole. Alessandro Necrose is a capable vocalist and effectively channels a John Tardy (Obituary) level of disgust, but a vocal mix that sits too far forward and drowns everything in delay undermines his delivery. His tendency to end his growls with an exaggerated gurgle (“Anthropomorphy Execution,” “Cathedral of Death,” “Disenchant Them”) doesn’t help matters and comes off as cheesy rather than heavy. Structurally, tracks tend to sprawl, with vocals that occasionally lag behind the instrumentation (“Fall, Die, and Break”), or overactive solos that crowd otherwise promising passages (“Disenchant Them”). And with a runtime of over 46 minutes, the album overstays its welcome by at least two songs.
While Papa Necrose lacks a distinct identity of their own, discerning musicality and a clear reverence for the classic progressive death sound produce some strong moments. “Fall, Die, and Break” is a straightforward track that leans on chunky, mid-paced riffs, fret-tapping fireworks, and dexterous drumming to establish a serviceable baseline for the record’s sound. It’s nothing special, but it demonstrates a functional grasp of structure and pacing. “Eighteen Years Awake,” “Hammered in the Mind,” and “Cathedral of Death” benefit from a sharper sense of momentum, finding Papa Necrose at their heaviest and most confident. Driven by syncopated bursts of technical shredding and frequent tempo shifts, the songs remain engaging throughout and largely sidestep the issues that drag down the rest of the record. “Anthropomorphy Execution” could have joined them as one of the record’s stronger cuts if not for its near‑lifted guitar harmony from Symbolic’s “Sacred Serenity.” To its credit, the song is one of the few moments where Papa Necrose attempts to break the mold, introducing added wrinkles like ceremonial-flavored motifs. Still, this occurrence isn’t enough to overcome the track’s mimicry, nor imbue the material with a sense of personality that gives it lasting appeal.
Papa Necrose is no doubt fluent in classic progressive death, but Anthropomorphy Execution rarely speaks in its own voice. Competently played and steeped in the right influences, the record leans too heavily on familiar tropes to ultimately feel essential. Until Papa Necrose tempers its devotion with a stronger sense of self, their work will continue to land as another well-executed homage in a genre already defined by far stronger voices.
The first thing that strikes me when I heard a few of these tracks from London’s Wildernesses, was the sheer emotional weight they carry. The post-gaze band are offering something different, a time to pause and reflect, but one thing is certain, this album will see people wisely invest their time into this group.
The quartet have nine new tracks on debut album “Growth” and the title is apt, as you can sense the band growing with each song. With the busiest man in music, Pijn’s Joe Clayton at the helm, (does he ever sleep?) production wise, the album is rich in textured sounds that define the bands shape and depth. Instrumental opener “Sleepless” begins their odyssey, with a ghostly, haunting feel to it as the “band emerge as modern day folk chroniclers” with immersive and atmospheric soundscapes that pull you in emotionally.
Brought together in that post-pandemic dull, the four have weaved their rich personal tapestries into one with vocalist Philip Morris, a mental health professional, bringing their stories to life. “Happy Hollow” continues in a similar vein, slow and fragile, a song about escapism, and watching The X-Files on TV, closely followed by [dread], with its excellent bass line from Mark Portnoi, as a song which explores the dual narrative of anxiety.
The album examines different human experiences, displayed perfectly on “English Darkness” as it touches on the issues surrounding mental health but in the most poetic of ways. The composition is exemplary and sounds like a cinematic masterpiece, yet it’s emotional and intimate whilst being powerful at the same time. The atmospheric nature of the music is aided by Morris’s voice, which pierces through and on “Terrible Bloom”, which looks at forbidden desire, there appears to be a more minimalist approach, with another simple, yet brilliant bass line, leading the way.
I’m massively intrigued to see these live, as I keep thinking about what visuals will fit where, as my mind wanders all over the place. Delving into the world of domestic minutiae, “Maintenance” has a bigger overall sound, more forceful, as if it’s pushing you back against a wall, before releasing you. I love the instrumental nature of “Cassino” as they reflect on family heritage, however I feel it’s a bit too short, however, it does provide a welcome interlude.
“Four Hour Drive” explodes into life instantly, with a faster rhythm and is about a photograph from 1957 of Philip’s father and grandfather. It flows effortlessly against the haunting vocal with a dreamy and absorbing middle section, allowing your pensive thoughts to come to the forefront of your mind, before they end with “Summertime 1917”. It’s a song based on hidden love letters discovered during a house renovation and is a fitting end to an album that takes you on a journey of discovery and one which will see the name Wildernesses become a firm fixture in your mind.
Sublime have announced their first studio album in 30 years, Until The Sun Explodes.
Due out on June 12 on Atlantic, the 21-track record features guests spots from the likes of Bad Brains’ H.R., Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise, FIDLAR and more, as well as – of course – it being the first proper recordings of new frontman Jakob Nowell, who joined the band in 2023.
“The last Sublime record that will ever be made is self-titled,” the vocalist explains. “There’s no replacing history, period. Until The Sun Explodes the album is an epilogue, and Until The Sun Explodes the single is the epilogue to the epilogue. It is a tribute to the expansive works of Sublime, it is an acknowledgment for all that my father [late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell] has done for me my entire life, and most importantly it is a thank you. I love you dad, and I owe you my life.”
“This song is the title-track of our new album and it expresses the gratitude we all feel as well as our intent for the future of our band and the music we love!” shares drummer Bud Gaugh. “Until The Sun Explodes is our reality. Thank you for enjoying life with us!”
“I am really excited about the album that’s coming out,” adds bassist Eric Wilson. “I think it will set the tone for the summer of 2026!”
Aephanemer have arrived in Italy to give an amazing show in Milan, with Obsolete Theory and Crownlake. The Slaughter Club, last Saturday was host of this fabulous lineup. Enjoy the photo gallery!
Review: Dark Heart – Evolution Pride & Joy Music – March 27th, 2026 Reviewer – David Brighouse Although originally formed during NWOBHM in the early 1980’s, the Dark Heart of the 2020’s is a different proposition more melodic rock than metal and ‘Evolution‘ is the second album since their return. Opener and lead single ‘Light […]
It is close to two and a half years since Elegant Weapons made their live UK debut at Steelhouse Festival. MetalTalk also caught them at that year’s Hellfest. Two superb sets backed up their debut album Horns For A Halo, and now, with their second album Evolution due in April, guitar maestro Richie Faulkner and MetalTalk’s Steve Ritchie met to discuss this superb sophomore. Here is Part One.
Given the schedules of the musicians in Elegant Weapons, the opportunity to spend some time together and run around some stages was one that all four embraced.
“That’s what it’s about, really,” Richie Faulkner said. “If you speak to 90, 95% of musicians, they say live is what it’s about, getting out there in front of people, creating that connection with the songs and the people, and building a relationship that can last a lifetime with the fans. We know hard rock and Metal fans are for life, and it’s from the stage I think that those relationships are forged. So we were stoked to get out there.”
Elegant Weapons – Steelhouse Festival 2023. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Evolution is an album. The energy across the eleven tracks is infectious, and I had such fun listening to the tracks in the order intended. Much like when, back in the day, I discovered those first two Dio albums and thrilled at Vivian Campbell’s occasional outro solos, Evolution songs such as Thrown To The Wolves have that natural drive to their conclusion.
This is a long way of saying that yes, there is plenty of Richie Faulkner axe work across the album, but it is the songwriting that is very much to the fore.
“I think that you hit the nail on the head there,” Richie says. “Obviously, I’m a guitar player, but we’re all concentrated on the song, though. As far as songwriting’s concerned, it’s got to be the song. Not everyone’s a guitar player or a drummer, and I think a lot of people consume music from a totally different perspective than musicians do.
“The vocal, the melody and the message behind the song I always try to keep in mind. That’s the priority when writing a song, and not just a guitar solo. The ballad on the album doesn’t really have a guitar solo, just as you said, some stuff at the end, because I didn’t think it called for it. It was stronger. It was more about the song and the sentiment behind the song that’s paramount really.”
Elegant Weapons – Hellfest Festival 2023, Clisson. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Bridges Burn and The Devil Calls fit into that style with the solo towards the end. But it is not just this aspect that had me so invested in the album. Evolution opens with Evil Eyes and an awesome riff. Drummer Christopher Williams (Accept) pushes the track along, making a fantastic opening for the album. As we find out later, the order of the tracks is all-important.
“I think it’s a good introduction to the album,” Richie says. “It’s a good introduction to people that haven’t heard the band before, I think, and it’s a good introduction to fans of the band who liked the first one and are interested in this one. It opens up the album nicely and introduces the new members as well.
“I say new members, they’ve been with us a few years now, but Christopher and Davey [Rimmer (Uriah Heep)] have been with us for a couple of years, but it’s their first time on record with the band. The rhythm section on this record, I think, is fantastic, and it’s a great introduction to that out of the gate. We hope people are going to dig it.”
Elegant Weapons – Hellfest Festival 2023, Clisson. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Evil Eyes gives Richie the first opportunity to deliver an impressive guitar solo. I ask if it is a drill or a hair dryer I could hear before the solo kicks in.
“It does sound a bit like that,” Richie laughs. “It was something on the guitar. It’s one of those things where it was a sound effect that I got out of the guitar. I tried to do it again and couldn’t do it. So I kept that one. I think it’s a pull-up on the tremolo arm or something like that. It just had that kind of industrial drill-type vibe, and it seemed to go really well, so we kept it in there. I’m glad you noticed that. I just can’t do it again, that’s the only problem.”
The first single is Bridges Burn. If you think there is something special about Ronnie Romero’s vocals on this track, wait until you hear the rest of the album. Romero has pulled out something special here and, for Richie, the opportunity to create with Ronnie is “a dream.”
“Great vocalist. I say it all the time, he’s not just a singer. He’s a bit like Rob Halford, really, in the sense that he doesn’t only sing. He fronts the band, he performs, and he connects the audience to the song, which is a skillset in itself. I think I can sing in the shower, but there are people out there who can sing and emote and present a song in an emotional way, and he’s one of those.
“We produced him a lot more on this record as well. We did a three-way, me, Andy Sneap, the producer, and Ronnie, on a Zoom call in Ronnie’s studio and produced the vocals from the ground up. So if there was a different technique that we wanted to use or a different mic or a different vocal line or melody or harmony, whatever it might have been, we really built it out from the ground up, which we didn’t do on the first record. So I think there’s more Ronnie Romero on this one, and I think Ronnie would agree.”
Elegant Weapons Evolution – Out 24 April 2026 via Exciter Records
Across Evolution, some of the layers around the vocals are really impressive, and it is a big step up from Horns For A Halo.
“The first record, we had the vocals recorded already by another singer,” Richie says. “We gave them to Ronnie, and he sang them pretty much how they were, and that was it. But with this one, we could change stuff if we could get a better performance or a better vocal line, better melody, better wording or something. So I think we definitely got the best out of him, and best out of the vocals that we had.”
Elegant Weapons – Steelhouse Festival 2023. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Bridges Burn is a really good track. The guitar is awesome, and I love the relationship between the main part of the song and the middle, where Richie has great fun with the solo. There is also that ripping outro. Elegant Weapons is your classic four-piece one-guitar band, and live, that track is gonna sound great. Is it a consideration when Richie is writing?
“Definitely,” he said. “As I said before, I think we live to play live, and whenever we’re writing songs either with Elegant Weapons or with Priest, it always goes through your mind when you’re writing a song and putting parts together, how is this going to translate live. Oh, this is going to be a great part live, or I can imagine this, or this doesn’t quite work live, and let’s change it to something that would.
“It’s always a consideration in your mind, because of the live aspect to it. It’s definitely a part when you’re writing the song. We’re out with Priest in the summer, and then after that, we’re looking at putting some Weapons dates together. So as soon as we do, we’ll let everyone know.”
Elegant Weapons – Hellfest Festival 2023, Clisson. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Later, we discuss the other tracks on the album, but it is interesting to state that Come Back To Me is a great song. Richie Faulkner is not someone whom most people would associate with a ballad.
“No,” he smiles. “Part of the reason for the Evolution name is that I found it appropriate to show another side of the band on this record. It’s one of those songs that has been around for a long time in various forms, and seemed not to work. I had the chorus for a long time and hadn’t found a home for it.
“For some reason, I found a home for it on this one. It clicked. I thought it showed another side to the band. It showed an evolution in style, and I thought it was appropriate to put on. It might surprise a few people.”
Adam Wakeman’s playing here is superb, and Ronnie brings the song to life. Again, his layered vocals are superb, and the lyrics are authentic. This is another example where Ronnie brings everything to the song.
“That’s one of the secret weapons,” Richie says. “With Ronnie, the way his voice is, it’s a classic voice that we all love. He really connects the emotion of the song with the listener. I think it’s a universal theme. You might be in a relationship with someone, and you can feel it slipping away, and no one knows really what to do.
“Ronnie just pulls it off and connects that sentiment. It’s a heavy subject, but he connects the listeners to it really well.”
There is no solo, but Richie has melodic guitar parts across the track that make you feel like this is another voice. The chorus Richie had for almost 20 years. “Once you find a verse that fits it, those other little parts that you just mentioned, flow in by default, really. Once you find one connection, all the others fall into place, so I’m happy it did.”
Elegant Weapons – Hellfest Festival 2023, Clisson. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Evolution is that classic album that makes you want to buy it on vinyl and play both sides. The songs and the journey across the whole album are really at the forefront. Each member gets their own chance to shine on the way through. Richie must be really pleased with the way it’s come together and the way it’s going to reflect the band.
“Absolutely,” he says. “As I said, I think it is an evolution of the band, and hopefully the songwriting and where we’re going on our trajectory. Bands like Priest, I’ve said before, started from nothing and made it into this huge thing that it is.
Hopefully, we get the chance to do the same. Whether it’s two albums or three or four albums, I’ll be grateful to create our own thing. Hopefully, we’re well on our way now, with the evolution and hopefully into the future as well.”
Elegant Weapons have certainly created their own thing. Evolution is an album that showcases the songwriting. When I first listened to it all the way through, I made a note that in “Come Back To Me,” Richie could have dropped a Slash solo in the middle to do the Axmen guitar-guru thing, but it would have totally ruined the track.
For now, we have just scratched the surface. The way everything fits together in Evolution is really, really cool. Part Two is out tomorrow.
Elegant Weapons release Evolution digitally and on CD on 24 April 2026 via Exciter Records, with a special edition vinyl pressing to follow later in the year. You can pre-save and pre-order Evolution from https://exciter-records.ffm.to/elegantweapons-evolution.
Elegant Weapons – Steelhouse Festival 2023. Photo: Georgia Brittain/MetalTalk
Ahead of tomorrow’s Autumn Embrace official album release, black metallers Enisum offer in listening the entire music effort of 7 songs via Black Metal Promotion’s YouTube channel. Read more…
To continue promoting their latest record Borderland, the experienced Finns Amorphis have announced a string of summer headlining club shows as well as festival appearances around Europe. Read more…
Five-headed Brazilian death metal horde Papa Necrose emerged from the promo sump with two strikes against them before Anthropomorphy Execution even began. First, if we were somehow living in an alternate metalverse where Ghost didn’t exist, then the name Papa Necrose might be passable. But we don’t. Instead, the name only evokes the theatrical imagery tied to Tobias Forge’s famous alter-ego. Second, the Saw‑meets‑Easter‑Island cover art is não é bom,1 feeling flat out undercooked. Put those surface issues aside, and you’ll find a record that soaks itself in classic 90s progressive death. The outcome of years of arduous development, Papa Necrose’s third LP once again turns its attention to the Catholic Church as its central target. However, rather than chasing reinvention, Anthropomorphy Execution embraces familiarity, seeking to recapture the qualities that have allowed this well-known strain of death to endure.
