Future Palace – Resurgence (Century Media Records) [Spike]German alternative metal trio Future Palace have been quietly sharpening their blades over the last few years, and
Resurgence feels like a band pushing their sound right to the edge. There is no denying the sheer technical ability on display here. The tight, punchy dynamic between guitarist Manuel Kohlert and drummer Johannes Berg gives the whole record a polished, modern weight, while vocalist Maria Lessing continues to prove she is one of the most versatile voices in the current post-hardcore and modern metal scene.
The album kicks off with
Deep Blue, dropping you straight into a driving mix of heavy riffs, atmospheric synths, and massive vocal hooks. It sets an energetic pace before launching into the title track,
Resurge, which stands out as one of the album’s strongest moments. The way Lessing switches between soaring clean melodies, nu-metal-tinged verses, and brutal growls gives the song a genuine emotional punch.
As you move through the tracklist, the band isn’t afraid to experiment with different textures.
Supernova brings in glitched vocal samples and unexpected acoustic passages, while
The Shades and Nixy lean heavily into crushing, low-tuned breakdowns and frantic drum work. Tracks like Nightfall and
Symphony Of The Clouds give the album some breathing room, showcasing a darker, more cinematic side to their songwriting.
By the time the final cathartic moments of
Tidal Waves and
Cyclone fade out, you’re left with a record that is undeniably tight and incredibly well-crafted. Lessing’s vocal performance is a standout from start to finish, shifting effortlessly between raw vulnerability and total aggression.
Yet, for all its technical polish and vocal brilliance, I walked away with the distinct feeling that Future Palace still have even more to give. They’ve built a rock-solid foundation and mastered the modern alt-metal formula, but there’s a sense that they are capable of pushing things into even wilder, unchartered territory on future releases.
Resurgence is a strong, highly engaging album that delivers plenty of heavy highlights. These are very much one to watch.
8/10Sinner – Boom Bang Goodbye (Reigning Phoenix Music) [Matt Bladen]
The end of an era, the last hurrah, better make it a big one then aye?
Sinner is the hard rock project of songwriter/bassist/producer Mat Sinner, initially begun as a raw speed metal band in 1980’s Germany, then went on a hiatus, in that time Sinner turned them into a melodic metal/heavy rock project which started to run parallel with Primal Fear who Sinner co-formed with Ralf Scheepers in 1997.
If we’re being honest Primal Fear has always been the bigger band, played the arenas, headline shows, become the Judas Priest continental Europe always wanted.
With all this success Sinner continued pumping out heavy rock alongside the more metallic Primal Fear. Nineteen albums worth in fact, always driven totally by Sinner’s creative vision, throbbing basslines and production skill.
As the title probably reveals, Boom Bang Goodbye will be the last rites of Sinner but Mat is determined to go out with some of his strongest work and closest friends performing them.
Produced by Mat along with guitarist Alex Schlopp, given that final shiny mix and master by Jacob Hansen, the band remain Alex Schlopp and drummer Mortiz Müller while Jim Müller (Kissin’ Dynamite) and Lisa Müller provide guitar and keys and former Sinner guitarist Mathias Dieth makes a return.
Magnus Karlsson, guitarist of Primal Fear, joins on guitar AND vocals, part of stellar line up of singers from the melodic/heavy rock scene, including Ronnie Romero (Every band ever), Michael Bormann (ex-Jaded Heart), Michael Sadler (Saga), Björn „Speed“ Strid (The Night Flight Orchestra), Erik Mårtensson (Ecliose), Renan Zonta (Electric Mob) and Sascha Krebs who has sung with Sinner on and off for over a decade.
A lot more than just an album then it’s a celebration of the sound of Sinner, crafted like so many Frontiers projects, through strutting rockers like All Night Long, metallic offerings like Hellbreaker and ballads such as Leave It All Behind, Born To Run and the Celtic Turn The Page.
Boom Bang Goodbye is a record of nostalgia, and one that puts things to rest with songs like Are You Ready, Dreams Come True and the Thin Lizzy-like drive of Road To Remember.
So it’s Boom Bang Goodbye to Sinner, but they leave with an album of big hitters. 8/10
Dry Wedding – The Back Of Beyond (Vesperian) [Matt Bladen]
I’ve always fancied myself as a latent goth and while the hairspray and eyeliner have always alluded me, my generally moody demeanor and all black outfit choice surely gets me into the room where the cool kids are right?
I’ve also got a love of post punk, if it’s got open chord bass gallops, jangling guitar riffs and semi operatic baritone vocals I’m all in and Dry Wedding all that and more. With a revival of this style in recent years, there’s certainly a love of this style of rumbling misery and Dry Wedding have been bringing the gloom on two albums before this.
The Back Of Beyond sees them getting angry, furiously attacking their guitars for plenty of angular noise (The Serpent Box), brooding doom (Moths) and extreme metal ferocity continued within this post-punk/gothic country wrapping where the inspiration of Nick Cave is overwhelming on Sure As A Gun.
One Last Strand employs the sprechgesang of Mark E Smith while on opener Arrowhead there’s touches of early The Cult, all adding to the gothic post punk menagerie that is Dry Wedding on this great third record. 8/10
The Salt Pale Collective – …And God Said Nothing (Self-Released) [Spike]Someone wrote recently that my generation doesn’t really talk about feelings, we just use music instead. If you’re happy, there’s a track for that. If you’re angry, there’s another. And then there’s the big stuff, the emotions you can’t quite put a name to. Listening to
…And God Said Nothing by UK post-metal outfit The Salt Pale Collective feels like discovering a brand new emotion altogether. This is the stuff of my dreams or nightmares, which ever fits.
The experience starts with
Raised Aloft Upon The Horns Of The Celestial Bull, and it hook you immediately. It starts with this slow, ghostly, choir-laden harmony that lulls you into a complete sense of false security. And then the band drops the absolute weight of the universe on your head. The shift from that quiet choral atmosphere into a mountain-collapsing wall of sound is nothing short of epic.
As you move into the title track,
…and God Said Nothing, and
Our Pale Madonna, the band shows off one of their greatest weapons: the clash of dual vocals. You get these abyssal, throat-shredding growls colliding with soaring clean melodies. It gives the heavy parts even more weight, balancing terrifying sludge and doom with moments of pure, tragic beauty.
Then you hit
Litany for a dying sun, which might be the absolute peak of the record. They blend crushing riffs and chaotic time signatures with layered choir effects and even a manic, wailing saxophone that cuts through the noise. It sounds like an apocalyptic storm, yet every piece of the mix feels deliberate and crisp.
By the time the dark piano notes and crushing weight of
Ahoy! The Black Caskets and
The Stars Fade And Reel In Confusion fade out, you’re left completely drained in the best possible way. This isn’t just an album you listen to in the background; it’s an immersive experience that demands your full attention.
…And God Said Nothing is an absolute masterpiece of modern post-metal and doom. It’s heavy, layered, and deeply emotional without ever feeling forced. As soon as the final track finished, I knew I was heading straight back to track one to listen to the whole thing all over again. More than that, straight on to bandcamp to buy the physical record and to look for where they are playing. I want to see this live.
10/10
