Category: news

Public opinion on Moscow’s once one-man black metal project Malist varies quite a lot more than I realized. While several at AMG HQ regarded Ovfrost’s flagship project with a fair amount of praise, others feel most of his material is by-the-numbers melodic black metal. This variation of reception applies album to album as well, which makes pinning down a crowd favorite from Malist’s discography an interesting discussion. I happen to feel Malist are remarkably consistent—albeit somewhat generic—churning out solid slabs of melodic black metal that straddle dour moods and bouncy tunes with poise. Now boasting a full lineup, fleshing Malist out to six fully minted musicians, sixth opus Eternal Echo of the Fall achieves the same feat once more.

Malist remain as reliable as ever. Perhaps a touch bouncier than they’ve been in a minute, recalling the bopping quality of past hits like “Timeless Torch,” Eternal Echo of the Fall opens up with high-energy romps that contrast nicely with their familiar thematic pall. Ovfrost still handles most of the writing here, so long-time followers of the band won’t be caught off guard by Eternal Echo. However, a new vitality blooms in these eight new tracks. As a result of the current band lineup’s various contributions, a sense of immediacy and a burst of vibrancy enlivens everything from songwriting to performance compared to Eternal Echo’s more melancholy predecessors.

Listeners won’t need to wait long to appreciate this refreshing shot of adrenaline. Opening duo “Eternal Echo” and “Through a Distorted Gaze” launch with a blaze hot enough to melt my skin, marking two of Malist’s most successful tracks to date. “Through a Distorted Gaze” especially impresses, boasting a thrashing speed that would feel alien were it not for those trademark emotive leads and weeping melodies that weave in and out of writhing riffs. Slower and more atmospheric items restore that ominous sense of dread and reclusion that listeners expect from Malist at the center of the record, but even longer-form tracks in this space (“Snows of Remembrance”) offer more intensity, chunkier riffs, more accessible melodies, and hooks than usual. These qualities allow latecomers like “To Walk the Path of the Dead” to shine, deftly balancing crushing heft, exuberant pacing, and soaring melodies.

An impressive outing for a band six albums in, Eternal Echo of the Fall’s major fault is that it doesn’t do anything unpredictable or novel, and isn’t so excellent as it is to overcome that shortcoming. Malist competes in a competitive, saturated field, which only makes their task an even greater challenge. Valiant efforts in its high-octane outbursts (“Through a Distorted Gaze,” “Her Dark Backwater,” “Above the Mists of the World”) as well as its more introspective spells (“Snows of Remembrance,” “The Hird”) push hard to propel Eternal Echo to the front of the pack in the context of the band’s own discography. Against their peers, however, Malist haven’t found that intangible quality or that undeniable execution which would make them stand out. Its flat and plastic production doesn’t help matters much. Wholly lacking in low-end body and short on fullness across the midrange, Eternal Echo of the Fall sounds professionally polished but tinny and flimsy, not unlike cheap chrome. It’s not a deal-breaker, and at least all instruments can be heard. Nonetheless, improvements to the frequencies that lost ground in the engineering suite would ensure a sound that gives proper weight to these songs.

As it stands, Eternal Echo of the Fall is more than a competent, but by-the-numbers melodic black metal record. It is, however, not quite memorable or striking enough—nor does it offer a certain level of excitement or originality—to distinguish itself with distinction amongst the horde. Hints of that distinction in its best cuts give me hope that Eternal Echo heralds a new era for Malist, in no small part due to the fresh talent newly inducted into the project. With this in mind, I offer a qualified recommendation to try Eternal Echo. Should you be an existing fan, or a newcomer curious to add another entry into your rotation, you might not be blown away, but you’ll certainly not be disappointed. In a genre as overpopulated with talented musicians and songwriters as this, it’s hard to ask for more than that!

---

Rating: Good!
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Flowing Downward
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

The post Malist – Eternal Echo of the Fall Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

A fun, frantic five minute interview with Black Label Society leader Zakk Wylde

Memphis heavy blues rockers The Heavy Eyes release their fifth album, Focus.

The Heavy Eyes is a band from Tennessee that came together in 2010. Following the ever-bright stars of heavy blues and rock and roll, they have released four albums before this newest one, including The Heavy Eyes (2011), Maera (2013), He Dreams of Lions (2015), and Love Like Machines (2020). The latest album, Focus, might be a little heavier than the earlier ones, and it is energetic and innovative as well. I think it is their best set of music so far. The band is Tripp Shumake (guitar, vocals), Matthew Qualls (guitar), Wally Anderson (bass), and Eric Garcia (drums).

Tripp Shumake offers a few thoughts on Focus: “This is The Heavy Eyes taking everything that has inspired us in the musical landscape and not giving a damn if it fits our particular genre. We want to use those impressions to bend our sound into new and exciting ideas for the listener and us, while still remaining true to our Memphis rock and roll roots. To focus on the thrill of creating something that wasn’t there before.”

The opening track, “That Cold Goliath,” is a surprise, sounding as it does like a Lana Del Rey song. “Concrete Halloween” picks up the mantle and lays down rock crushing riffery. There is a mesmerizing echoing throughout, and a delightful buoyancy that allows for continued innovation as the song progresses. “It’s All Simone” has a wondrous bass line and taunting vocals even before the higher order strings present themselves. I love this song. Damn. “Sarissa” is cheeky, “Corporal Upham” is heavy with dama, and “Troublesome Priest” exudes attitude, which is a sensation to hear.

The album delivers for fans and will entice new followers as soon as they hear it. If we front and center the title song, “Focus,” that would do the trick as it holds the fundamental elements of the band, abundantly displaying the vocals, rhythm, and guitars in their most favorable lights. Generally, all the songs are strong with solid compositional defiance and rugged readiness. Listening to the album, every time I think I have heard my favorite, the next song challenges that assumption. “That Cold Goliath (Might Return)” is definitely near the top of the list, though, and so is the closer, “Holy Envy,” with its Pink Floyd vibes and cerebral instrumental cooldown posture. Everything about this set is excellent. Highly recommended.

Focus is out on Friday, June 12^th through Magnetic Eye Records. Listen and buy at the links below.

Links.

The Heavy Eyes website, https://www.theheavyeyes.com/

Bandcamp, https://theheavyeyes.bandcamp.com/album/focus

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TheHeavyEyes/

Magnetic Eye Records, https://spkr.store/collections/magnetic-eye-records

© Wayne Edwards

Dave Greenslade was a founding member of jazz proggers Colosseum and formed his own band, Greenslade, in 1976

Melding blunt force death metal with hardcore grit and some mighty hooks, Gatecreeper slay Download’s Dogtooth tent

Most noise leaks come through weak points: gaps, thin doors, poor seals, loose frames, and weak windows. 

A small crack around a window or a gap under a door can let in traffic, voices, barking dogs, aircraft, or neighbor noise.

Doors and windows often cause the biggest leaks because they have moving parts, glass, hardware, thresholds, and frame joints. 

Let’s talk about it.

Step #1 – Find Where Noise Is Leaking In

Listen near doors, windows, outlets, vents, shared walls, baseboards, and ceiling or floor joints. 

Also, listen near HVAC vents and duct openings. If noise seems to travel through vents, returns, or ductwork, ask HVAC contractors to inspect duct gaps, airflow issues, loose fittings, and vent connections before adding wall or door upgrades.

Check during the noisiest time of day, such as traffic hours, neighbor activity, construction, aircraft, barking dogs, or late-night street noise.

Prioritize bedrooms, home offices, nurseries, apartments, and rooms facing roads or shared walls.

Look for Visible Gaps and Weak Points

Inspect:

• Door bottoms
• Door frame edges
• Window sash gaps
• Sliding door tracks
• Cracked wall joints
• Trim gaps
• Baseboard gaps
• Letterboxes
• Keyholes
• Thin glass panels
• Loose window hardware
• Rattling window hardware
• Poorly fitted thresholds

Exterior doors can leak sound through seals, thresholds, glazing, letterboxes, keyholes, and frame gaps. 

Hollow-core interior doors often leak noise because they have little mass and wide perimeter gaps.

Test for Air Leaks

Use your hand, a tissue, incense, or a flashlight to find drafts and openings. Air movement usually points to a sound leak.

Check the door bottom carefully because it is often the largest gap. For sliding doors, check worn pile seals, roller alignment, dirty tracks, and gaps where the door fails to close tightly.

Step #2 – Fix Gaps Around Doors

Apply weatherstripping along the jambs, top of the frame, latch side, and hinge side. Compression-style seals and acoustic gasket seals usually block noise better than basic draft seals.

Install seals on a clean frame. Keep the seal continuous, close corner gaps, and make sure the door closes tightly without force.

Add a Door Sweep or Automatic Door Bottom

A door-bottom gap is one of the largest sound leaks in many rooms. Door-bottom options include:

• Rubber door sweep
• Brush sweep
• Acoustic door sweep
• Automatic drop-down seal
• Door threshold seal

Acoustic door sweeps, also called soundproof door bottoms, close the gap at the foot of the door. Full coverage across the door width matters because small leftover gaps can still leak noise.

Automatic drop-down seals work well where a fixed sweep would drag on the floor. Rugs or mats near the door may need adjustment.

Seal the Door Frame

Use acoustic caulk around trim, casing, and frame edges. Flexible acoustic sealant works better than hard-drying caulk where movement occurs.

Frame gaps can reduce the value of heavier doors, acoustic panels, and better weatherstripping. Acoustic door seal kits can create a tighter barrier around the full frame.

Deal With Keyholes, Letterboxes, and Hardware Gaps

Add keyhole covers. Replace or seal loose letterboxes. Tighten hinges, handles, latches, and plates. Add gaskets behind plates when small gaps exist.

After hardware work, check that the door closes evenly against all seals.

Step #3 – Repair or Upgrade Noisy Doors

Door type affects the repair plan. Common types include:

• Hollow-core interior doors
• Solid-core interior doors
• Timber exterior doors
• Steel entry doors
• Glass patio doors
• Sliding glass doors
• French doors
• Hinged glass doors
• Doors with glazed inserts

Main problem areas include low door mass, weak seals, poor thresholds, hardware gaps, and weak glass.

Add Mass to Lightweight Doors

Heavier, denser materials block sound better. Added mass helps a door dampen and reduce sound transfer.

Options include:

• Replace hollow-core doors with solid-core doors
• Replace lightweight exterior doors with steel doors
• Replace lightweight exterior doors with solid timber doors
• Add mass-loaded vinyl
• Add acoustic panels
• Use a dense door cover for temporary noise control
• Use a soundproof blanket for temporary noise control

Soundproof blankets mainly absorb sound and reduce echo. They do not replace an airtight seal. Use them after sealing door gaps.

Replace Hollow-Core Doors When Needed

Hollow-core doors are often weak because they are light and usually have perimeter gaps.

Approximate Rw ranges:

• Internal hollow-core doors: Rw 15 to 20
• Solid wood doors: Rw 25 to 33
• Solid wood exterior doors: Rw 25 to 35
• Laminated acoustic glass doors: Rw 25 to 45
• Acoustic doors: Rw 42 or higher

At lower Rw levels, normal or loud speech may still be easy to hear. At higher Rw levels, loud speech becomes more muffled and may be nearly inaudible, depending on installation quality.

Door upgrades work best with perimeter seals, a bottom seal, and a tight threshold.

Fix Sliding Door Noise Leaks

Inspect tracks, seals, rollers, alignment, and glass. Replace worn pile seals. Adjust rollers so the door closes tightly. Clean tracks so the door can seal properly.

Poorly installed sliding glass doors can have small gaps that let outside noise enter.

Effective sliding-door soundproofing may use:

• Laminated safety glass
• A large air space between existing glass and added glass
• Double weather pile seals
• Airtight acoustic sealing

Secondary glazing can often be fitted to timber sliding doors, aluminum sliding doors, French doors, and hinged glass doors. A large air gap between panes helps reduce airborne noise vibration.

Step #4 – Fix Gaps Around Windows

Window frames can leak sound through failed caulk, cracked joints, loose trim, and installation gaps. Even tiny cracks can let in noticeable noise.

Remove failed caulk, clean the joint, and apply acoustic sealant around the frame. Seal interior and exterior gaps where appropriate.

Acoustic caulk stays flexible and helps close cracks and crevices. Poorly sealed frames can make a room drafty and noisy.

Add Weatherstripping to Operable Windows

Operable windows can leak sound around sashes, meeting rails, casement edges, and sliding tracks. 

Weatherstripping tightens the seal while allowing the window to open and close.

Useful materials include:

• Foam
• Rubber
• Silicone
• V-strip weatherstripping

Focus on sash gaps, meeting rails, casement edges, and sliding tracks. Tilt-and-turn windows can perform well because they close with a tight seal.

Repair Loose or Rattling Windows

Loose sashes and rattling glass create air gaps and vibration points. 

Tighten locks and latches. Replace worn seals. Add sash locks where needed. Repair or replace damaged glazing putty.

Thin single-pane glass is often poor at blocking traffic, aircraft, and construction noise. Repairs can reduce leaks and rattles, but weak glass may still need an added layer or upgrade.

Window inserts can add a transparent noise barrier over existing windows.

Use Curtains as a Supplemental Fix

Dense curtains can absorb some noise and reduce echo, but they do not fully soundproof windows. Heavy curtains work best when they cover the window fully and extend past the edges.

Use curtains after sealing gaps, repairing rattles, and addressing weak glass.

Step #5 – Upgrade Windows When Repairs Are Not Enough

Laminated glass has a plastic damping layer between glass layers. That layer helps reduce sound transmission better than standard glass of similar thickness.

Laminated safety glass is often used in acoustic window and secondary glazing systems. It works best when the frame and edges are sealed well.

Consider Double-Pane or Triple-Pane Windows

Multiple panes and insulated gaps can help absorb sound. Pane count matters, but pane thickness, gap size, glass type, and seal quality also matter.

Double-pane and triple-pane glass with gas insulation can help reduce noise. Poor installation gaps can still reduce performance, so perimeter sealing remains important.

Consider Secondary Glazing

Secondary glazing adds an internal pane without removing the existing window. It creates a larger air gap between the original glass and the added panel.

A typical secondary glazing air gap may be around 70 to 100 mm. That trapped air space helps dampen sound vibrations, especially lower-frequency traffic noise.

Strong secondary glazing systems combine added mass, a wide air gap, laminated glass, and airtight acoustic seals. Some systems are designed to reduce noise by around 50 to 70 percent.

Secondary glazing can be less disruptive than full window replacement because it works with the existing frame.

Step #6 – Repair Sound Leaks in Walls

Wall soundproofing should start with sealing. Small wall openings can reduce the benefit of thicker materials.

Use acoustic caulk for:

• Baseboard gaps
• Crown molding gaps
• Drywall cracks
• Pipe openings
• Cable penetrations
• Trim gaps
• Wall-to-floor joints
• Wall-to-ceiling joints

Close air paths before adding mass. A wall can look solid but still leak sound through edges, outlets, pipes, or trim.

Treat Electrical Outlets and Switches

Outlets and switches can weaken shared walls because they interrupt the wall surface. Back-to-back outlets can be especially noisy.

Use acoustic putty pads around electrical boxes. 

Add foam gaskets behind outlet and switch covers. Hire a professional when wiring is exposed.

Add Mass to Thin Walls

Thin walls often need added mass to block airborne noise.

Options include:

• Extra drywall layer
• Mass-loaded vinyl
• Acoustic plasterboard
• Damping compound
• Filled bookcases
• Dense furniture as a low-cost helper

Acoustic plasterboard is denser than standard plasterboard. 

Double drywall with damping compound can improve performance when edges and penetrations are sealed.

Use Acoustic Panels for Echo, Not Full Sound Blocking

Acoustic panels reduce echo inside a room. They do not fully block outside noise without sealing and mass.

Soft materials such as panels, rugs, carpets, curtains, and furniture absorb sound inside a room. A full bookshelf can add some mass and absorption, but serious sound transfer usually needs sealing, mass, damping, or decoupling.

Step #7 – Fix Noise Coming Through Shared Walls

Airborne noise includes voices, TV, music, barking dogs, traffic, aircraft, and construction noise. It usually needs sealing, mass, and damping.

Impact noise includes footsteps, banging, dropped objects, and vibration. 

It often needs isolation or decoupling because vibration travels through the structure.

Seal Before Adding Layers

Seal weak points before installing drywall, acoustic plasterboard, or damping layers.

Focus on:

• Cracks
• Baseboards
• Wall-to-ceiling joints
• Wall-to-floor joints
• Pipe penetrations
• Cable holes
• Outlets
• Switches

Gaps along the edge of a new wall layer can let sound bypass added mass.

Add a Decoupled or Damped Wall Layer

Serious shared-wall noise may need resilient channels, acoustic insulation, double drywall, damping compound, or an independent stud wall.

Dense layers block airborne sound. Decoupling reduces vibration transfer. Damping compound reduces vibration between rigid layers.

Difficult shared-wall noise often needs a sealed perimeter, added mass, damping, and decoupling.

Step #8 – Don’t Forget Floors, Ceilings, and Interior Absorption

Soft furnishings reduce reflections inside a room. 

Options include rugs, carpet pads, curtains, upholstered furniture, acoustic panels, and bookshelves.

Thick rugs or carpets can reduce echo and some impact noise. Acoustic panels can be installed on walls or ceilings to absorb sound.

Helpful locations include:

• Bedrooms
• Home offices
• Apartments
• Rooms with hard floors
• Rooms with large windows
• Rooms with bare walls

Know the Limits of Soft Materials

Rugs, curtains, and acoustic panels improve comfort and reduce echo, but they do not replace sealing gaps or adding mass.

Best order of work:

• Seal leaks
• Add mass
• Improve glass or doors
• Add soft materials for comfort and echo control

Closing Thoughts

Start by finding and sealing air leaks around doors, windows, walls, outlets, trim, and thresholds. 

Add mass when a door, wall, or glass panel is too thin to block sound.

Focus first on doors and windows. Seal the bottom, sides, and top of doors. Reseal window frames, repair rattling sashes, and replace worn weather stripping.

Use laminated glass, double-pane glass, triple-pane glass, or secondary glazing when glass is the weak point. 

Seal wall penetrations before adding drywall, acoustic plasterboard, damping compound, or decoupled layers.

Following a commanding and emotional main stage performance at Download Festival 2026 this past weekend, alternative rock force Røry has revealed details for her biggest headline run to date. Sneakily first announced via the stage banner behind her during the festival set, “The Bloodletting UK Tour” will storm through the country in January and February … Continue reading Røry announces biggest ever headline UK tour and sophomore album ‘Bloodletting’

Every once in a while, we all have moments when we need some soulful music to get through

Fashioned From Bone returns with their second EP, Burbach. The trio remains fully committed to their DIY ethos: songwriting, recording, and artwork are all handled independently.

Their new single, Black Steam, is dedicated “To all the broken dreamers and the ones who felt pressure to be something”. I love the riffs (what a sound!) and the band’s attitude. The rhythm section is powerful and precise and the vocals are intense but catchy at the same time. It’s a very cool song, amazingly written and performed by the band.

Steve Albini never pulled any punches, but he also wasn’t afraid of owning his mistakes