We all have our dark and privileged metal secrets we selfishly keep to ourselves, only sharing with a select few close to us. Or alternatively, we incessantly talk up underground gems and spread the gospel to anyone that will listen, as we cherish our slice of underground cred. Into the Obscure aims to right the wrongs and unearth the artists/albums that for whatever unjust reason didn’t get the exposure or credit they sorely deserved the first-time round. Celebrating not just obscurity buried in the deepest corners of the underground but also recognizing overlooked or underappreciated gems that never earned their deserved dues.
Here we go, fully locked and loaded with a long overdue edition of Into the Obscure. Perusing the dusty olde archives for a suitably underappreciated candidate, we landed on a bulldozing death metal gem from crusty Chicago scrappers Cianide and their third LP, 1997’s Death, Doom and Destruction. Sometimes the simple shit does the trick to get the adrenaline pumping and head banging. Cianide strips their surly brand of old school death back to its primitive, bludgeoning, lizard brain channeling essentials. Leaving no room for fanciful musicianship or melodic pleasantries, Cianide crush, kill, destroy through a punishing concoction that does justice to the album’s title.
Cianide’s decayed, belligerent formula is deeply rooted in the olden days of knuckle-dragging American death, while taking big, cleaving cues from the buzzsawing, punkish crunch of the timeless Swedeath scene (early Entombed, Dismember). Toss in the doom-laden, battle-hardened artillery of classic Bolt Thrower, and the end result forms a hell of a recipe for a good old-fashioned blunt force bludgeoning. Packed with eight killer tunes, a plethora of infectious, rib-rattling riffs, and crunchy, pummeling grooves, all done and dusted in a mere half hour, Death, Doom and Destruction is a lean, mean killing machine and wickedly entertaining old school death platter. Showing little interest in techy wankery or warped speed, Cianide prefer beating the listener down with a burly barrage of rough and tumbling mid-paced grooves, violently hooky riffs, and a beefy rhythm section driving the straightforward, though cleverly composed and infectiously written assault. “Rage War” sets a wickedly nasty, Stockholm-infected tone from its opening punky death riffs and energetic gallop. Onwards and upwards, Cianide keep the energy jacked, even at slower, crushing levels, and the tuneage quality is sustained.
Cianide excel in their different, though equally stomping modes, whether doubling down on the crushing sludge meets bolt-throwing death-doom of “Envy and Hatred” and immense closer “(We Are the) Doomed,” or unleashing more up-tempo bruisers via raw, riffy and groove-laden barrages (“The Power to Destroy,” “Deadly Spawn”). Death, Doom and Destruction lives and dies by the power of the mighty riff, and thank fuck, there is an abundance of beastly headbanging gems on display, drawing from different scenes and influences, unified into the signature Cianide formula. Vocally, Death, Doom and Destruction features the no-frills death grunts of bassist Mike Perun, and occasional backing contributions from his bandmates. It’s hardly revolutionary stuff, but the raw delivery and lived-in gruffness serve the material well. Shout-out also to the production job, which satisfyingly combines crisp clarity with serious heft and rough, organic charm.
Cianide are old timey warriors, forming in the late ’80s and maintaining a consistent track record of underappreciated releases across the intervening decades. One of Cianide’s finest offerings, Death, Doom and Destruction is a raw, explosive ’90s relic that packs a mighty wallop and remains remarkably fresh and addictive nearly thirty years since it originally dropped. Aficionados of doom-leaning old school death need to give these grizzled warriors the attention they deserve. Chances are you won’t be disappointed.
Iron Maiden finished recording their 17th studio album Senjutsu in 2019 –but it spent two years locked away on a laptop due to the pandemic. In 2021, with the album finally about to be released, Bruce Dickinson and Janick Gers revealed the story behind Maiden’s most epic album.
The last 18 months have been a nightmare of frustration and cancelled plans for most musicians, but imagine being Bruce Dickinson.
When Hammer meets the Iron Maiden singer in London, as the band prepare to unveil their 17th studio album, he has a restless, fiery look in his eyes. Dressed, as has become traditional, in the leisurewear of a dedicated cyclist – dark, plain vest; joggers – he greets us with some expected cheery enthusiasm. But as we unzip the monstrous wonders of the album in question, the mighty Senjutsu, it becomes increasingly obvious that Bruce has been going slightly mad waiting for the world to open up again.
The last time we spoke to him on the eve of the release of a new Maiden album (2015’s The Book Of Souls), he cut a relaxed and relieved figure, the spectre of his battle with throat cancer then receding into the distance. But today, Bruce is visibly excited about what comes next, not least because it turns out that Iron Maiden have been sitting on Senjutsu since 2019. No wonder that he is so clearly delighted that we’ve just been granted a sneak preview of the full album. He leans forward in his chair and grins.
“Good, isn’t it?” he says.
Yes, mate. It’s fucking great.
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson in 1981 (Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Unsurprisingly, but due to some very obvious logistical reasons, the legendary Brits’ 17th studio record has been gathering dust in a can, quite conceivably in some obscure, subterranean vault and guarded by Eddie’s snarling minions, for the best part of two years. Recorded once again at Guillaume Tell Studio in Paris, with long-time collaborator Kevin Shirley manning the controls, Senjutsu came together during a brief pause in live activity following the first part of Maiden’s wildly acclaimed Legacy Of The Beast world tour.
“The plan was to have the album out at the end of Legacy Part 2, which was then postponed, and then postponed again,” Bruce grimaces. “So we’d already made the fucking record and then we went on tour, knowing that we’d made it! Nicko came into the studio, before we started making it, all grumpy, saying, ‘What the fuck are we making a record for? Fuck me, I was on holiday!’ Ha ha ha! So we just said that we might as well do it, and thank Christ we did, because the whole world went to shit shortly after the end of the tour.”
Iron Maiden played their last pre-pandemic live show in Santiago, Chile, on October 15, 2019. As deeply unpleasant events unfolded around the world, it swiftly became apparent that there would be no further opportunities to complete the Legacy Of The Beast tour for some time. Perhaps even longer than certain people expected.
“I was in lockdown, initially in Paris,” says Bruce. “I’m sat on the balcony in Paris, it was a lovely sunny day in March, it was a heatwave and super-hot. I remember talking to Rod [Smallwood, longtime Iron Maiden manager] and I said, ‘We should do some facemasks!’ and he said, ‘Nooooo, we’re never gonna do facemasks! This’ll all blow over!’ Ha ha ha!”
Meanwhile, as global chaos erupted, Iron Maiden had a brand new studio album that they really had to keep secret. And so, they did – secret even from themselves.
“At the end of the recording, everybody else had fucked off home, so it was basically me, Steve [Harris] and Kevin in the studio,” Bruce recalls. “We played it back a couple of times, said, ‘Yeah, that’s alright then!’ and then that was the last time I heard it for nearly two years. All of us! Nobody in the band had a copy! Steve, in particular, was so paranoid that someone would leak it onto the internet, and probably with some justification, it was locked up in a vault.
“The next time I heard the album was when we were mixing the Mexico live stuff [2020’s live album, Nights Of The Dead]. I went round to Steve’s, and I said, ‘You haven’t got a copy of the album, have you?’ and he said, ‘I think it’s on my laptop!’ And he had only played it a couple of times. He hadn’t heard it for ages either, so we said, ‘Fuck it, put it on the big speakers!’ That was when I was thinking, ‘Shit a brick, this is good.’”
Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris (Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Bruce is perfectly correct, too. Maiden fans have become accustomed to studio albums of high quality, particularly over the band’s triumphant last 20 years, and yet Senjutsu sounds and feels somehow bigger, better and more emotionally potent than anything the band have recorded since Bruce and guitarist Adrian Smith returned to the fold in 1999, re-joining bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain and guitarists Dave Murray and Janick Gers as an absurdly successful new decade dawned.
Significantly, it is also an album that brims with surprises, albeit all very much filtered through that instantly recognisable Maiden bombast. From the monstrous, rumbling storm of the opening title track and the hazy, proggy grooves of The Time Machine, to the bluesy stomp’n’squall of first single The Writing On The Wall and The Parchment’s prog-fuelled labyrinth of riffs and spiralling melodies, Senjutsu delivers more of the glorious, classic Maiden same and numerous curveballs at the same time.
“The nice thing is to still be able to think outside the box a little bit,” Bruce notes. “The Writing On The Wall is a great choice for the first single, and another cool thing is that it is in no way indicative of the rest of the album. It should be called ‘The Writing Off The Wall’! Ha ha ha!”
But somehow it still sounds like Maiden and couldn’t be anybody else. Does it give you a collective thrill, that you can still do something different like that?
“Yeah, exactly. It still sounds like us. When Adrian and I sort of put the song together, Adrian had the riff, because Adrian always has the riff. Then off we went. I put the melody over it and the words, and it’s just one of those songs that wrote itself, almost. We were like, ‘Is this going to fly?’ but ’Arry [Steve] loved it. He said, ‘Yeah, I quite like that sort of Cajun feel!’ We both looked at each other, like, ‘Cajun?! Alright, fair enough!’ Ha ha ha! But it’s got a great feel to it. You might think you’ve wandered into a fucking Thunder record or something.”
Until the drums kick in…
“Oh yeah, the drumming on the whole album is ridiculous. It’s so good. Honestly? I think it’s the best Nicko’s ever drummed. Honest to god, going all the way back to Piece Of Mind and Powerslave, I don’t think he’s ever drummed better. He’s just so on it.”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
Although not quite as desperate to be let off the leash as his notoriously chill-deficient frontman, six-stringer Janick Gers is in a comparably buoyant mood when Hammer speaks with him for another Senjutsu debrief a week later. Endearingly, in the midst of the last two years’ abject mayhem, the veteran guitarist has missed out on a couple of major milestones.
Late in 2019, he somehow completely failed to celebrate being a member of Iron Maiden (and continually whacking Eddie in the bollocks with his guitar) for 30 years. Meanwhile, he sounds genuinely startled to find that Senjutsu is his 10th Maiden studio record.
Nonetheless, Janick is very, very enthusiastic about the new record and makes a point of saying how much he enjoyed the process of making it, “even if it seems a long time ago now!”
“Normally we would come in and rehearse for a few weeks, so we pretty much have all the songs,” he continues. “Every now and then we’ve gone in with an extra song or an extra set of ideas, and we’ve worked them up in the studio, but this time we learned them and played them, as fresh as we could. We have a band with so many ideas, everyone’s bringing things in and everyone’s trying to make every song better. There’s a real camaraderie about how we write as a band. Everyone wants it to be the best. It’s just exciting. Isn’t that how it should be? Rather than coming in and knowing exactly what’s coming next? You never know what’s coming next from Maiden and that’s part of the strength of the band.”
Maiden’s collective enthusiasm for trying new ideas and gently tinkering with the band’s esteemed formula seems to have gained momentum in recent times. Senjutsu may not feature anything quite as ambitious or extravagant as The Book Of Souls’ 18-minute epic, Empire Of The Clouds, but its adventurous spirit is brashly on display throughout.
“Yeah, we’re always looking for different avenues,” notes Janick. “We’re treading the Maiden path and whatever we do sounds like us. It doesn’t matter what you bring in. It’s always worth bringing something in, even if you’re thinking, ‘Nah, it’s not right for Maiden…’! By the time you’ve finished playing it with Nicko, with the way he plays and how Steve plays his bass, and the way Dave and Adrian play, it’s all just very natural. We don’t sit and work a lot of stuff out, we just play and it seems to gel. No one has to be told what to do, and it all comes out sounding like Maiden.”
Janick has two writing credits on the new album: the short, sharp and catchy Stratego and the woozy, menacing The Time Machine, both co-written with Steve Harris. But it’s the sheer open-ended, creative free-for-all that Maiden continue to enjoy in the studio that seems to delight him the most.
“I just think we still surprise each other. I’ve never been in a band with so many ideas. There are so many ideas flowing in all the time, and so many that never get used! When you look at the amount of stuff that’s on this album… in the past, an album would be 40 minutes long. These are like triple albums!”
And do you agree with Bruce that Nicko is on particularly brilliant form on this album?
“Ah, yes, Nicko is playing great. He’s a powerhouse,” Janick replies. “He powers the band. He pushes the band. He’s got an incredible personality –there’s about five of him I think! Ha ha ha! But he’s incredible. You need that powerhouse behind you. He’s 70 next year? He’s playing like a teen. It’s incredible. I’ve never heard him so solid. I don’t think you can tour, the way we’ve toured over the years, and not be fit. If your mind’s clear and you’re fit and healthy, then you’re playing better and being creative. So we’re all fit… for old men…”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
At just under 82 minutes long and rammed to the gills with epic, exhilarating moments, Senjutsu is an album that will doubtless tick every conceivable box for discerning fans of Iron Maiden. But there are numerous moments when the band sound more fiercely imaginative than ever before.
Again, the opening title track stands out as particularly astonishing: palpably heavier than anything Maiden have recorded in the past, and yet graced with a soaring vocal performance from Bruce that will definitely cause grown metalheads to become a bit misty-eyed. It’s no kind of typical Maiden song, and yet could not be the work of anyone else, right down to Steve Harris’s hazily cryptic tales of – we think – threatened imperial walls and swarming, warring tribes in ancient Japan.
“Steve picked that as the title track. I don’t know why, but he suddenly got bitten by the Japanese bug,” Bruce states. “I’ve been trying to find out the origin of the word ‘Senjutsu’ and there seem to be multiple variants, but as far as Steve’s concerned, it means ‘The Art Of War’.
“But to be honest, I don’t really care. It’s a good excuse for chopping things up with samurai swords! The album is not a concept album. The cover has a concept and it’s Eddie as a samurai, so that’s great. I love his transformation into a samurai in the video. But the rest of the album? It’s not a concept album about that at all. It’s a collection of different songs.”
And what songs they are. Noticeably dominated by notions of war and death, Senjutsu seems to exhibit some form of faint kinship with 2006’s A Matter Of Life And Death: for many, the pick of Maiden’s post-millennial studio albums, and another record with a prevailing atmosphere of war-torn dread. Bruce is eager to point out that Senjutsu was all written and recorded before the pandemic, and so if the new songs seem to reflect ongoing dark times, it is more due to (un)happy coincidence than anything more deliberate.
Instead, Maiden continue to demonstrate how it is still possible to conjure universal themes that resonate widely, even in an increasingly divided age. Notably, the melancholic and brooding Darkest Hour delves into the achievements and personal turmoil of no lesser figure than Winston Churchill, with results that are poignant, unsettling and proudly representative of the human experience in all its infinitely complex and daunting splendour.
“Yeah, Churchill is a case in point,” says Bruce. “You’ve got somebody who was a very flawed character. He suffered from depression, he was probably a functioning alcoholic. But at the one time when it actually mattered, he stood up, when other people would’ve rolled over. You’ve got to be prepared to fight sometimes, for what you believe in and for your freedom. Here was a man who was riddled with self-doubt, no matter what the external perception was.”
A lot of Maiden music seems to be about survival, resilience and heroism, and this album more than most…
“A lot of it is about self-sacrifice. It might be in a wartime environment or situation, but war brings out the worst and best in everything. From nuclear power stations to satellites, our entire modern world is largely based on what NASA and the Soviet Union developed in the space programme. The reason they developed it was not that they were just dreamers; it was because it was a pissing contest between two psychopathic empires! And you can’t take the complexity out of human relations like that, unfortunately. We are what we are.”
Despite Maiden’s reputation for writing songs about historical events and real-world battles, the band have also mined a rich seam of introspection and existential meandering over the last four decades. Outwardly, of course, Maiden are eternally invincible: undisputed gods of heavy metal, revered around the world, and visibly having a rather lovely time doing it. But songs from the new album like Darkest Hour and grandiloquent finale Hell On Earth (the latter written by Steve Harris) continue to add to a palpable sense that both lyricists have experienced a few dark nights of the soul along the way.
“Yeah, the difference is, I suppose, that Steve and I would both rather put that into shows and albums than go onto chat shows and talk about it,” Bruce counters. “I know Steve has quite a deep-seated distrust of what we think of as being the modern world. To the extent that in Hell On Earth, the song is saying ‘Are we done here yet? Can we just start again and I’ll see you in another life, on the other side, when we’ve all gone back to normal?’”
(Image credit: John McMurtrie)
So what exactly is normal at this point? A stunning new Iron Maiden album is definitely a good start. Some face-shredding live shows would also be nice, and those are coming too. Bruce has fully recovered from a recent hip replacement operation and is, in his own words, “jumping around all over the place” in anticipation of a return to the stage. Maiden are back and it’s all kicking off. That sounds pretty close to normal to us.
“Senjutsu hasn’t been so long in the making, just long in the waiting!” Bruce declares, sounding genuinely exasperated at it all. “This album is a step up. A Matter Of Life And Death was really good. I’ve gone back and revisited it a little bit, and I thought, ‘Shit, that was really good album.’ With this one, I’d go back to an album like Brave New World, which I think was a fantastic record. So I’m really chuffed with this one.”
“It’s not about going out and playing the same songs over and over again. If you’re still creating stuff, then that’s what makes you valid,” Janick concludes. “There’s always something new coming from Maiden. We’re excited about doing it all again and getting back on the road. Sure, we’re not getting any younger, and who knows about the future? But right now, we’re creatively buzzing. I think we’re still at the top of our game.”
Originally published in Metal Hammer issue 325 (August 2021)
Sydney based Alt Rock outfit Verdani have just released their debut EP called ‘The Illusion Is Gone’. The band have also announced their EP launch show at Botany View Hotel on July 25 alongside local supports The Veil and Meshky. The EP is a display of elegant Alternative music where emotion, atmosphere and artistry collide. Drawing from elements post‑punk, goth, art […]
ALPHA DESTROYER are releasing a special-edition cover of the KISS classic, “God of Thunder.”
The band dug deep into the annals of KISStory to put their own unique stamp on the song. Guitarist Eric Sexton-Dorsett explains. “We based our version on Paul Stanley’s original demo version instead of the Bob Ezrin produced version everyone knows. Paul used 1/16 note high hats and a more upbeat tempo. We swapped those for double basses a la ‘Exciter’ from Judas Priest. Paul also used a more pop sensibility and falsetto vocals in the chorus, which we embraced fully.”
The single will be available as a hand-numbered, limited-edition, hand lathe-cut, clear vinyl 7″ that ships on August 11. Pre-order now at: necromanticpress.com
ALPHA DESTROYER is a high-octane collaboration featuring Martin Sweet (Crashdïet), Kelly LeMieux (Buckcherry), and Eric Sexton-Dorsett (Sleepless). The band’s debut album, Fast Lane, is available on physical formats via Necromantic Press Records, including limited-edition red splatter and standard black vinyl. Order now at this location.
Alpha Destroyer was born in 2022, shortly after trad/thrash metal band Sleepless released its debut LP. Looking for a new creative outlet, Sleepless guitarist Eric Sexton-Dorsett began writing a series of dissonant, groove-heavy tracks, something that channeled the high-powered spirit of bands like Def Leppard, while drawing on the chaos of Voivod and Morbid Angel.
After tracking initial guitar parts, Eric brought in drummer Ryan McPhaill to lay down drum tracks. The results exceeded expectations; every take locked in with the raw energy and precision the project demanded.
With a solid foundation in place, Eric filed the songs under the name Alpha Destroyer and started mapping out the next phase.
Soon after, on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, Eric met bassist Kelly LeMieux (Goldfinger, Buckcherry) through mutual friend Kevin Hahn (vocalist/lead guitarist for Sleepless and now a guitarist for Alpha Destroyer). Late-night conversations on the cruise led to a strong creative connection. Back in Portland, Kelly heard the early tracks and immediately added his signature, larger-than-life basslines. The songs, now three deep, began to take shape.
In 2024, another key moment happened on the same cruise. Eric met Martin Sweet (Crashdïet), a longtime influence. After staying in touch, Eric sent him the developing tracks, initially just to contribute guitar, yet Martin offered something more: vocals. His performance on the first completed track, “Straight into the Grind,” helped define the band’s sound and opened the door to a deeper collaboration. What was meant to be a four-song EP quickly expanded as the ideas flowed naturally.
The result is Fast Lane, a 10-track debut album that rides the line between doom-laced introspection and high-octane rock. The title track and first single, “Fast Lane,” kicks things off with a punk-edged urgency and Martin’s heavy yet melodic take on personal struggle.
With new music already in the works and plans for live dates in 2026, Alpha Destroyer is just getting started.
War: Greatest Hits (50th Anniversary Edition) (Avenue/Rhino) Released 31 July 2026 CD | Vinyl | DL | Streaming It’s time to revive the legacy of one of the foundational bands of 1970s soul and funk. Although War had fewer chart successes in the UK than in their native US, their Greatest Hits is packed with […]
JONES returns with When Life Calls, a radiant fusion of indie soul and sophisticated pop that glows with warmth and effortless elegance. Smooth grooves, dreamy production, and velvety vocals create an inviting atmosphere, while the track’s understated emotional depth gives every melody room to breathe. Balancing soulful intimacy with contemporary pop finesse, the song unfolds with a gentle confidence that feels both uplifting and deeply comforting. Rich in texture and timeless in appeal, When Life Calls is a beautifully crafted reminder of JONES’ exceptional artistry.
Whether it be blurring genre lines or just fleshing out pivotal album tracks, we look at some of the best rock and metal collabs of the 1990s and 2000s. Continue reading…
Loose Buttons deliver another irresistible dose of indie rock with My Gemini, pairing jangly guitars, infectious melodies, and heartfelt songwriting into a track that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly immediate. Built around anthemic choruses and a spirited vocal performance, the song captures the emotional push and pull of love, choices, and lasting connection with effortless charm. Its vibrant energy and memorable hooks are complemented by polished production that never sacrifices the band’s raw appeal. Warm, uplifting, and endlessly replayable, My Gemini is indie rock at its most engaging.
True Tales strike gold with Cynthia, an irresistibly catchy blend of indie pop and pop rock bursting with infectious hooks and uplifting energy. Crisp production, vibrant synths, and an effortlessly melodic vocal performance give the track a polished yet organic feel, while touches of saxophone add extra warmth and character. Balancing radio-ready appeal with genuine indie charm, the song radiates optimism and carefree momentum from start to finish. Bright, danceable, and expertly crafted, Cynthia is the kind of feel-good anthem that earns repeat plays with ease.
Steve Stout delivers a heartfelt blend of indie folk and Americana on waitin on mine, pairing warm acoustic textures with soulful vocals and timeless songwriting. Rooted in quiet perseverance and the realities of chasing a dream, the track unfolds with effortless sincerity, enriched by graceful piano flourishes and understated instrumentation. Its reflective lyricism and organic production create an intimate atmosphere that resonates long after the final chorus. Honest, beautifully crafted, and emotionally rewarding, waitin on mine is another compelling example of Steve Stout’s gift for authentic, deeply human songwriting.
We all have our dark and privileged metal secrets we selfishly keep to ourselves, only sharing with a select few close to us. Or alternatively, we incessantly talk up underground gems and spread the gospel to anyone that will listen, as we cherish our slice of underground cred. Into the Obscure aims to right the wrongs and unearth the artists/albums that for whatever unjust reason didn’t get the exposure or credit they sorely deserved the first-time round. Celebrating not just obscurity buried in the deepest corners of the underground but also recognizing overlooked or underappreciated gems that never earned their deserved dues. 
Sydney based Alt Rock outfit Verdani have just released their debut EP called ‘The Illusion Is Gone’. The band have also announced their EP launch show at Botany View Hotel on July 25 alongside local supports The Veil and Meshky. The EP is a display of elegant Alternative music where emotion, atmosphere and artistry collide. Drawing from elements post‑punk, goth, art […]
