pain.rpm.link/idontgive?mc_cid=47d24845cd&mc_eid=9741e4221f “I DON’T GIVE A FUKK,” OUT NOW! Swedish industrial metal force PAIN returns with the explosive new single “I Don’t Give A Fukk.” Compact, […]
The song “Stainless Steel Machine Shop” presents an epic and intense atmosphere from the very beginning. It opens with a powerful and aggressive riff that resonates deep within the listener. At times, th e solid guitar sound evokes memories of bands like Pantera. When the vocals enter, the texture shifts remarkably. The overall sound transitions towards a grunge influence, reminiscent of Alice in Chains. There are also hints of Nine Inch Nails that blend to create a genuine and distinctive auditory experience.
“Stainless Steel Machine Shop” is more than just a song; it feels like a deep visceral expression. It almost acts as a clarion call for enlightenment and realization. After enduring long hours at work, this track emerges as a hymn of liberation. The musicianship is extraordinary, with the guitar riff echoing the emotional weight found in Metallica’s “Sad But True.” This shows that StoneHaven skillfully balances intensity and lyrical depth.
The energy in this track is palpable. It charges through every note and rhythm. Listeners will find themselves enveloped in a fantastic world of sound. The drums drive the song forward with relentless precision. They match the intensity of the guitar riffs, creating a powerful synergy that enhances the overall impact.
Stainless Steel Machine Shop – Sound and Atmosphere
Lyrically, the song explores themes of struggle and freedom. Each word resonates with a sense of urgency and authenticity. Its message speaks to anyone who has faced laborious days, seeking solace through music. The feeling of liberation is not just auditory; it’s almost spiritual. StoneHaven manages to articulate this feeling through robust instrumentals and evocative lyrics.
The vocals add another layer of complexity to the song. They convey raw emotion and strength while maintaining a distinct grunge quality. This stylistic choice reflects the song’s thematic depth and reinforces its central message. The contrast between heavy riffs and softer vocal moments creates an engaging dynamic.
Production-wise, “Stainless Steel Machine Shop” showcases great attention to detail. The mixing is polished, allowing each instrument to shine without overshadowing others. This balance is crucial in maintaining the song’s overall intensity. The clarity of the sound allows listeners to fully immerse themselves in the musical journey.
Stainless Steel Machine Shop – Performance and Production
The lyrical phrases can be interpreted in various ways, enhancing the song’s richness. Listeners might find personal meaning in the lyrics depending on their experiences. StoneHaven invites each individual to reflect and connect with the music on a personal level. This approach to songwriting fosters a greater sense of community among fans.
The influence of heavy music can be felt throughout the entire track. Each element complements the others, creating a cohesive whole. StoneHaven demonstrates a keen understanding of musical dynamics, allowing for moments of quieter introspection amidst the ferocity. This balance is effectively executed and leaves a lasting impression.
“Stainless Steel Machine Shop” is an impressive single that embodies the spirit of hard rock and metal. StoneHaven’s ability to craft a song that speaks to freedom and resilience is fantastic. The blend of influences creates an energetic atmosphere that is intense and liberating. Every listener will appreciate this song in their own way, making it a timeless addition to the genre.
Back in April 2017, the cream of Extreme Metal gathered in Bristol at the iconic Bierkeller for two days at the inaugural Bristol Extreme Fest. Bands over that weekend included Immolation, Vader, Hour of Penance and Defeated Sanity. Sadly, the venue closed before another chapter of the festival could be scheduled.
Whilst the promoters hunted for another venue, the Pandemic ravaged the live music scene, and it was feared that the one event would be the unsatisfactory legacy of what could have become a bit of a beast.
Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
2026 sees the rebirth of the festival with a line-up that fills the needs of anyone who has the Extreme itch to scratch. Set in the gloriously gothic Trinity Centre in Bristol, the festival is close to a sell-out.
And when I say close, there can only be single figures left as the eager audience brave a deluge that decides to hit mere minutes before the gates open.
With sponsorship from some of Bristol’s flagship Metal outlets including the brilliant Black City Records and The Gryphon pub, and a host of traders and drink/food outlets providing everything for a complete day, the 12-hour event kicks off bang on time.
Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
There are no slips in the running order throughout the day and no technical difficulties that are not sorted smoothly by the phenomenal crew. With the two stages alternating, there was no excuse for missing any of the bands on the bill.
The outdoor (Gryphon) stage sees the heaviest bands for the day do their thing. It is the gnarliest Grindcore and Death Metal outside. The organisers have played a blinder.
Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
The stage is under a tent with ample room to shelter from the initially inclement weather. By late afternoon, though, everything has dried, and there is a tornado of dust kicked up by the pit monsters who earn legendary status with a relentless effort which culminates in a surge of crowd surfers during Rotting Christ’s headline set later inside.
Public Execution
Southeast England puts forward the first band of the day. Public Execution bring a wall of noise and chaos that sets the tone rather nicely.
Public Execution – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Who Put 50p In The Dickhead, Field Full Of Mash Heads and You’re a Fucking Prick bring a smile to the carnage, with the three-piece giving it full effort to start the day off.
They are not going to win any awards for technical ability, but their ‘in your face’ attitude wins them new friends, and their attitude is spot on.
Oskaria
The first locals are Oskaria, who kick things off on the Black City Records main stage. They have the full range to work with, and despite being a three-piece, they fill the room with their crushing doom-laced Death Metal.
Oskaria – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Bassist Jake Bristow is a familiar face on the Metal scene, and his bass playing, along with backing vocals, complements main vocalist/guitarist Jon Reid’s cleaner style.
It is an impressive 30 minutes, with tracks from 2025’s EP The Cult Of Cthulhu warming the already warm venue a little more.
Embodiment
Another Bristol band, Embodiment, are no strangers. Singer Harry Smithson and guitarist Finn Maxwell have been founding members since 2013, and the line-up is now looking stable.
This is a band that has graced many festivals, and it shows in an assured set that sees Smithson’s between-set banter delivered in a confident style.
Embodiment – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
The band’s technical Death Metal ensures that the first pits of the day are soon moving, splashes of the chalk-based gravel no deterrent. New songs from their recently released Cryptomorph EP sound good, and it is an assured performance all round.
Scordatura
Things ramp up a level in the main room with the arrival of the punishing, violent Death Metal of Scordatura. A band almost approaching veteran status, the Scots make their journey worthwhile, their near 20-year existence giving them a confidence that they project in a punishing but compelling set.
Scordatura – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Another band with a recent new release to promote, this time their album Led Into Oblivion, Scordatura leave no prisoners. Of course, they have a seasoned campaigner on the mic, Daryl Boyce, who is also the vocalist in Party Cannon.
He is a bruiser of a frontman, his muscular physique merely adding to the band’s imposing compositions. For me, one of the most impressive sets of the day, the Scots hit home hard and with unlimited power. Definitely worth checking out if they are live near you.
Visions Of Disfigurement
Slamming brutal Death Metal on the outside stage next though; the bludgeoning power and passion of Visions Of Disfigurement. With the venue filling nicely, there are more here to fill the void in the pit, and there is soon swirling in front of the stage.
Visions of Disfigurement – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
The Mancunians are another band with one purpose. To level the venue. So maybe sticking them outside was possibly wise.
Song title of the day goes to them, even though guitarist Tom Cahill can hardly introduce it. Encrackified Dysfuckectomy Of Putrid Gash is exactly as you would expect it to sound. I will leave you to think about the other song titles.
It is another episode of aural GBH which the crowd laps up.
Ofnus
Things take a slight left turn as the atmospheric Black Metal of South Wales’ Ofnus captivates the main stage. Perfectly suited to a darkened room, the Welsh quintet is bathed in emotive blues which match the melancholy of their impressive and complex compositions.
It is my first opportunity to see singer Brandon Coles, and the man does not disappoint with a gargantuan frontman performance. Two new songs are bookended by more familiar tracks, and it is the combination of old and new that makes this a compelling and fascinating set.
Ofnus – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
The band’s layered synths are audible without overpowering, and Zenith Dolour still sends shivers down the spine.
This was possibly the best I have seen them, and with family life about to change with the imminent arrival of mini-Ofnus members, the perfect send-off for at least one band member.
A new album is promised in 2027. It is safe to say that it is going to be a highlight of the forthcoming year.
Foetal Juice
More Mancunian Death Metal delivered with the deadpan humour we have come to expect from Foetal Juice. The riffs are blisteringly heavy, the guttural roar rocks the tent and frontman Derek Carley’s humorous disdain for everyone makes them another great watch.
Foetal Juice – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
As the dust is kicked up by the eager pit warriors, underneath it all is a feisty and rudimentary Death Metal kicking you in the nuts.
The Infernal Sea
The atmosphere has turned demonically green as The Infernal Sea take the stage. The rage of singer Deam Lattice is dramatic as he leads the band through the full run of 2015’s The Great Mortality.
The Infernal Sea – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
For many in the room, this is the first time they have experienced the anti-religious grit of this seminal UK Black Metal outfit. They do not disappoint with a blistering set that rages from start to finish and includes a guest appearance from Foetal Juice’s Carley.
It is dark, paganistic, and works a treat. The Black Death has returned, and a new age of darkness and misery will soon be unleashed.
Krannium
The treats continue as the pulverising Slam Grindcore Death Metal collective Krannium bring what may be the most intense show of the day.
Festival boss man Jason Varlamos swaps his organisational hat for guitarist brutality, and the band sweep all before them with a crushing set.
Kraanium – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Their subject matter is not for the faint-hearted, full of gore and inappropriate abuse, but the heavyweight groovers care not. It is an obliteration, and although there are various individuals flagging a little, the pit remains feisty throughout.
Fuath
It is a rare but exciting opportunity to see Fuath next, whose main man Andy Marshall is also the mastermind behind Scots Saor.
Fuath – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
An intense journey sees his band drenched in blues and greens as their atmospheric Black Metal sweeps the room. It is enchanting, compelling and utterly brilliant.
The room is captivated by this journey to another world, and one of those few bands to see is ticked off the list.
Desecration
With French legends Benighted pulling out due to illness on the morning of the event, it is a welcome return to the stage for Newport’s Desecration.
Desecration – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Over 30 years since they stirred the pot with Gore And Perversion and with bassist Charlie Rogers joining Ollie Jones and Michael Hourihan, this is a joyous addition that takes some in the crowd back to the old days and has others in the crowd asking “Who?”
For a last-minute call-up, Desecration are in fine form, and they rattle through a set that pulls in music from across their catalogue. Smiles around me suggest this is a good substitute, and for 40 minutes the place is one big pit.
Rotting Christ
It is the grand finale, and End Of The World Promotions have pulled a huge one out of the bag. 22 years since their last Bristol appearance, Athenians Rotting Christ are imperious.
Rotting Christ – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
A thunderous 70-minute set has everyone in the room caught in their spell. They blast out anthem after anthem, and as I look around the room, they have every eye trained and focused on them.
It is a blisteringly good performance, and this from a band who rarely do anything but good performances. 35 years celebrating their legacy, this is a show to go down long in the memory books.
If you want to see how it is done, then catch a Rotting Christ show. More of a spiritual experience, the Hellenic masters of Black Metal once again show us how it is done.
Rotting Christ – Bristol Extreme Fest – Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Huge kudos to the promoters End Of The World Promotions, and thanks to all involved. The press were treated with respect and dignity, and the upshot of this is that this festival will be inked into any 2027 calendar the moment new details are announced. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for details.
MAN WITH A MISSION are back with a new track called ‘ONE’, the official anthem for football team Cerezo Osaka, and have done what they do best for it.
The song itself is a groove-riddled piece of classic J-rock, brimming with rapped verses and huge choral hooks, the sort that the band do better than so many. It’s quirk-filled, inspiring and even readymade to be dropped in the club in some respects. You never know what you’re going to get when the band return to the plate, but it is guaranteed to always make you smile.
Cerezo Osaka have got themselves a classic.
Vocalist Jean-Ken Johnny had this to say about creating such a special song:
“Kamikaze Boy is a huge football fan and I am too. Cerezo Osaka weren’t doing that well during the season before we wrote the song, so they wanted to make a new song to encourage them. We wanted to make a song that was easy to chant together, not just the players but the supporters too, to create a positive vibe and enthusiasm to fight for victory.”
The track follows on from last year’s single ‘Against The Kings And Gods’, which sounds a lot like this:
Breakdowns are the heart of a great many metal genres. Why? Because they’re always barbaric as all hell when they hit. Few things sonically strike like a moment of quiet followed by every instrument firing at full force, and these are the 10 times that such sections of a song blasted us most ruthlessly. From Metallica to Gojira, these are the most malevolent of all the breakdowns in heavy metal history.
Metallica – Creeping Death (Ride The Lightning, 1984)
Ride The Lightning saw Metallica start to shed their thrash metal skin and, in the process, mastermind some of the heaviest music ever. For Whom The Bell Tolls and The Call Of Ktulu are bona fide boot-stompers, while Creeping Death boasts a neck-snapping breakdown. Although guitarist Kirk Hammett originally wrote that “Die by my hand!” section for his first band Exodus, the Four Horsemen wielded it with much more malicious intent.
Lamb Of God – Laid To Rest (Ashes Of The Wake, 2004)
“See who gives a fuck!” With that one clarion call, every single person at a Lamb Of God show goes apeshit, and who can blame them? The moment heralds Laid To Rest’s transformation from a fast-fingered metal anthem to pure, animalistic groove. The breakdown opened the Ashes Of The Wake album with such an adrenaline shot that no one was shocked when it became the band’s breakthrough release.
Slayer – Raining Blood (Reign In Blood, 1986)
Most discussions of Raining Blood revolve around that formidable opening, where cracking thunder gives way to one of metal’s most iconic riffs. However, the latter half of Slayer’s signature song is carried by that breakdown, which bypasses rational thought and catches you straight in the “fat riff and simple drumbeat”-loving part of your brain. When Kerry King adds that melodic lead on top halfway through, it grows even more badass.
Gojira – Flying Whales (From Mars To Sirius, 2005)
It’s one thing when an audience goes wild, but when a breakdown also makes the band playing it lose their minds, that’s the sign of something truly special. Such is the case with Flying Whales, which drives the members of Gojira rabid, running around all over the show, when it strikes its crescendo. The Morbid Angel pick-scrapes only reaffirm the unholy level of heaviness being tapped into by this modern death metal classic.
Machine Head – Davidian (Burn My Eyes, 1994)
Davidian is nasty throughout. From Robb Flynn’s roars to the pinch harmonics and squealing guitar solo, there’s no give in its upfront groove metal assault. This makes it stunning when, at its conclusion, Machine Head somehow reach even further frontiers of sonic destruction. An outward breath from Flynn incites a no-nonsense chugathon, and the violence that plays during the video is pretty accurate as to what happens when this moment hits at live shows, too.
Trivium – Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr (Ascendancy, 2005)
A lot of breakdowns either don’t feature vocals or take a minute to rebuild back up to them. Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr doesn’t have time for that shit. When the beat drops after this Ascendancy single’s second chorus, singer/guitarist Matt Heafy immediately starts snarling, only punctuating the sheer, bollock-popping savagery of the whole thing. It’s a big reason why this is Trivium’s most-played song by far.
Meshuggah – Demiurge (Koloss, 2012)
Picking the best Meshuggah breakdown borders on the impossible, but we’ve gone with Demiurge because… holy fuck! It’s just perfect. From the intense build-up to that moment of brief silence, then the crash of guitars and drums and that hellacious melody, it’s a section of heavy metal artistry worthy of the Louvre. If breakdowns were taught in schools, this would be an essential text on every single student’s curriculum.
Cannibal Corpse – Hammer Smashed Face (Tomb Of The Mutilated, 1992)
As much as people like to talk about the growls, neck and windmilling of Corpsegrinder, bassist Alex Webster and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz have always been the unsung powerhouses of Cannibal Corpse. And Hammer Smashed Face proves it. The death metal mainstay slides into its breakdown as smoothly as butter, yet it still gets heads instinctively banging. It’s the most brutal part of a song crammed with seismic shifts in speed.
Sepultura – Dead Embryonic Cells (Arise, 1991)
Sepultura were already kings of thrash by 1991 (as evidenced by major-label breakthrough Beneath The Remains), and on Arise they began to foresee greater things. While maintaining the Brazilians’ speed metal core, the album dabbled in industrial soundscapes, and Dead Embryonic Cells shovelled in buttloads of groove. The entire thing’s punishing but, before you hear the stomping drums and open E-strings towards the end, we’d recommend taking out some insurance on your neck.
Converge – Eagles Become Vultures (You Fail Me, 2004)
No discussion of imposing breakdowns would be complete without casting an eye to the pioneering New England metalcore scene, and we’re anointing Converge as its representatives. The Massachusetts wildmen always had a technical-yet-incensed take on their genre, as proven by Eagles Become Vultures’ ending. When the song’s rampage of noise slows to a section of hefty riffing and atypical drumming, it’s just primal enough for you to understand that craniums need to move pronto.
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