Category: news

Alt-pop punk rockers RiotWeekend are stoked to release their bouncy and feel good new single “Last Of The Autumn Leaves” on 27th May. The band comment on the release: “Last of the Autumn” leaves is a proper pop punk romance song perfect for the summer! Studded belts, tattooed arms and the excitement of new love. … Continue reading RiotWeekend release video for new single “Last of the Autumn Leaves”

Among the foundations of heavy metal are resistance and counterculture. Thus, it makes sense that a young Norwegian band, Sabotør, decided to create a record regaling tales of the Norwegian resistance against Nazi Germany. This period birthed the term Quisling as synonymous for traitor when Vidkun Quisling attempted to take Norway down a path of Nazism. The Norwegian resistance thwarted his plans by using tactics such as an underground press, “ice fronts” that served to alienate Germans from Norwegian society, and anti-Nazi jokes meant to make the Nazis look foolish. It wasn’t all non-violence, either. They managed to sink a German cruiser called the Bluecher.¹ This all sounds like great material for an album, and I’m only saddened I don’t speak Norwegian to understand what these lads are singing about. While I don’t know the words, I can appreciate the music as raucous, fun, and a little deranged.

True to its themes of resistance, Første Aksjon (roughly translated as first action or first strike) features a collection of old school abrasive punk/thrash tunes sure to stir the rebel in you. The raw, high-energy sound brings to mind Kill ’em All era Metallica, and opening song “Jerngrepets Inntog,” could almost be a lost track from that classic debut. There’s a hunger and passion that echoes those early Metallica years, and it brings a freshness and earnestness to the music. I also hear some early Kvelertak, and Sabotør cites the obscure Brocas Helm as a major influence. Like any good resistance movement, the music is unpredictable yet incessantly energetic. This means non-stop riffs, solos, and blasts of the snare drum. Sabotør are not above hooks, with a catchy chorus that appears out of nowhere on “Skyggens Frekvens” and makes you want to sing/shout along with it. Rasmus Strømberg also catches listeners off guard with sudden leaps into vocal harmonizations that just add to the catchiness (“Jerngrepets Inntog”, “Sabotør,” “Flagget”). In all, Første Aksjon is pure fun.

The musicians display a show of raw power and passion that makes Første Aksjon constantly exciting. Strømberg’s deranged vocal performance leads the way. He mixes the abrasion of Kvelertak’s Ivar Nikolaisen, the mania of Sergeant Salsten (Deathhammer), and even some touches of a young James Hetfield, particularly those pre-pubescent screeches. He screeches, shouts, screams, and growls through more than 30 minutes of intense music, and that’s not all. He has an entertaining cadence that proves him to be a superb raconteur. He’s full of surprises, turning the speed to 11 on “Brente Jords Taktikk” and then turning in a raucous bit on “Jevnet Med Jorden” where he sounds like an auctioneer speaking in tongues. The other musicians also contribute to the mania, particularly drummer Mathilde Solemdal. He ensures a non-stop energy with his frequent snare hits, cymbal blasts, and frenetic blast beats. Guitarist Andreas Remmen provides a semblance of sanity with controlled yet energetic riffs. He provides plenty of melody, thrashy riffs, and even some cool arpeggios (“Flagget”).

The only thing holding Sabotør back is the production. This is an instance where the high DR score (12) seems at odds with how the record sounds. In some ways, it sounds great, with crisp and clear instrumentation, including the bass. The lower quality of my promo copy probably contributed to my sound issues. I found the album to be on the quiet side and had to turn the volume up to hear it properly. However, the snare tone is too loud, and its incessant presence proves a headache. While the brief album length makes for easier repeat spins, the mix will make you want to give your ears a rest before long. There are a couple of other distracting bits, including a section on “Flagget,” where a plane engine sounds more like rumbling flatulence. While the rawness is appropriate, Første Aksjon could benefit from better balance in their mixing.

As Sabotør’s own bit of first action, Første Aksjon proves to be an impressive debut. As the Indiana Jones flicks demonstrate, it’s fun to defeat Nazis. These guys continue that tradition, while also demonstrating the effectiveness of resistance in the face of authoritarianism. Sabotør also exhibit the joy of listening to hungry young musicians who just want to play what they love. There’s plenty to love here, and plenty to look forward to as these musicians mature in their songwriting.

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Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 12 | Format Reviewed: ~165 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Essence Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 8th, 2026

The post Sabotør – Første Aksjon Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

Featuring support from Helmet and Spirit in the Room

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Paul .

The post Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone’s album ‘Fighting Back’ getting reissued as 40th Anniversary Edition first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

When not stealing valor from seven-footers like Victor Wembanyama and our Tom Breihan, the so-called Tallest Man On Earth continues to release lovely user-friendly folk-rock. Today the Swede born Kristian Matsson resumes that pursuit with the release of “Colors,” his first new song in three years. This song is really working for me. “I need…

The post The Tallest Man On Earth – “Colors” appeared first on Stereogum.

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, Vanilla Ice and more will be among those performing at the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair this summer. Continue reading…

The genre was much more than sex, drugs, partying and headbanging. Continue reading…

There’s no point in doing a track premiere, when an album only contains two tracks, so, what the hell, here’s the whole damn thing. Callous Faulter is the solo project of Aussie J. Angus (ex-Greytomb, Paroxysmal Cavitation)—assisted by R. Stone (drums) and Tim Stoker (sax solo)—and this self-titled effort features “The Isolationist” and “Ocean View,” each clocking in at over 16 minutes running time. And what does Angus get up to in those quarter-hour creative bursts, you ask? A whole lot actually. At its heart, Callous Faulter is a cinematic, extreme metal landscape of harsh sounds ranging from grimy sludge to jackhammering, dissonant death metal with some post-metal languidity thrown in for relief. Like the album’s cover art, it’s gray, imposing and monolithic.

Callous Faulter was recorded, mixed and mastered by Tristan Barnes at Underland Recordings. It’s set for release on CD and digitally via Gutter Prince Cabal Records on June 1. Place your preorder here.

Angus described his latest effort as such:

“This Callous Faulter album was written across two separate periods of my life, dealing with loss and self discovery. like opposite faces of the same coin. ‘The Isolationist’ and ‘Ocean Views’ move with a shared language, each branching off in their respective paths of dissonance, and blackened sludge. I think we all deal with the human condition in our own weird human ways, mine just happens to be playing guitar and making extreme music. Making this music left me feeling profoundly whole and deeply alienated at the same time. It’s the strange paradox of the work: the more personal it becomes, the more it seems to reach outward, searching for connection across the void. My main goal with Callous Faulter is to explore certain aspects of different genres and be truly experimental If only one person finds something true in Callous Faulter, that’s enough.”

The post Full Album Stream: Callous Faulter – S/T appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Jesus Is The Path To Heaven is a musical trio led by singer-songwriter Jordan Hoban alongside bandmates Thommy Underhill and Zach Jordan. A band name like that one leads me to expect music loaded with spiritual and emotional tension, and on their new single out today, the band delivers on the implied promise. I don’t…

The post Jesus Is The Path To Heaven Announce New Album <em>Power!</em>: Hear “The Lord Has Bled A Line” appeared first on Stereogum.

“Do you f*cking understand our f*cking lyrics? Do you understand what we’re singing about?”

The post Circle Jerks’ Keith Morris Berates MAGA Fan After Being Called A “Traitor” During Recent Las Vegas Show: “Do You F*cking Understand Our F*cking Lyrics?” appeared first on Theprp.com.